Category Archives: plants

Before You Buy That Plant, Answer Five Basic Questions

Posted on April 12, 2021 | 4 comments

azaleaThe weather has been beautiful lately and the nurseries have been crowded. Plant sales are scheduled (in person!) and gardening events are filling up the weekends. So many plants to get, so much to do. But no matter how tempting those plants are, consider five basic criteria before you purchase them so you can have better success once they are in your garden. Continue reading →

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Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Enjoy Your Shamrock Plants

Posted on March 17, 2021 | Leave a comment

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Although the shamrock plant looks like a three-leaf clover it is actually a species of Oxalis. These are commonly sold as St. Patrick’s Day gift plants but they make great houseplants and garden plants. Continue reading →

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A Gardener’s Christmas Poem

Posted on December 22, 2020 | 1 comment

I read an old version of A Gardener’s Christmas in a Garden Club of Virginia journal. The author is unknown so I took a few liberties to bring it up to date. Merry Christmas! Continue reading →

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Poinsettia Pointers to Prolong Healthy Plants

Posted on December 12, 2020 | Leave a comment

Odds are you have a poinsettia in your home for the holidays. In the United States, poinsettias are grown in greenhouses and programmed to bloom in time for Christmas. To keep your plant healthy for as long as possible, try to emulate the greenhouse conditions in your own home: bright light and balmy 70 degrees. Keep the soil moist but don’t let the roots sit in water. Make sure the pot has drainage holes. If it is in that decorative foil, either remove the foil or cut the bottom out of the foil so excess water drains out.

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Pretty Poisonous Pokeweed

Posted on September 30, 2020 | 4 comments

mature pokeweed berries

A common sight in Virginia now are the purple berries hanging from green shrubs along the roadside. Pokeweed (Phytolacca decandra) is an herbaceous perennial, considered a weed by most gardeners. Continue reading →

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Fall is a Great Time for Planting!

Posted on September 26, 2020 | 1 comment

 

chrysanthemumsFall is a great time to plant shrubs, trees, bulbs, and hardy perennials in the DC metro area. The cooler temperatures, increased moisture, and decreased sun/heat allow the plants to settle in the ground, send out roots, and get established before winter. Continue reading →

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Garden Staple: Lemon Basil

Posted on August 20, 2020 | Leave a comment
lemon basil flowers

Lemon basil flowering in August

Every summer I grow Mrs. Burns lemon basil, a lemon scented type of sweet basil. Like all basil plants, Mrs. Burns lemon basil prefers warm weather, full sun, and plenty of moisture. I grow mine from seeds in large containers and in the vegetable garden. Continue reading →

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Deer-Proof Bulbs for Spring Flowers

Posted on August 12, 2020 | Leave a comment

snowdrop blossoms in the woodsFall is the time to purchase spring-blooming bulbs in the Washington DC metro area. There is a wide variety of choices but if you have a severe deer problem, you may want to plant deer-proof bulbs. I know, you say, there is no such thing as “deer-proof” but with bulbs there are a few that are actually poisonous. I spoke with Brent Heath of Brent and Becky’s Bulbs in Gloucester, VA, who explained the difference between deer-proof and deer-resistant. Continue reading →

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Plan for the Fall and Winter Garden

Posted on August 6, 2020 | 4 comments
mustard

mustard

August is the time for harvesting the summer’s bounty in the vegetable garden while thinking ahead to a winter’s garden. Even though it is hot and humid, you have to plan now to have even more edibles in the fall and winter. These edibles prefer cool temperatures. Often these plants are not bothered by as much disease and pests as in the summer plus you as a gardener are not bothered by heat, humidity, and mosquitoes. Continue reading →

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Black Magic in the Garden: Ornamental Rice

Posted on July 22, 2020 | 4 comments
Black_Madras

Close Up of Black Madras

A few years ago, I visited friends who had a garden open house or rather an open garden. Tracy and Bill Blevins, owners of Plantsmap, invited friends to visit the garden which was comprised of a variety of types of plants. They set up tables in the driveway to share seeds and cuttings and offer refreshment. It was a great idea, I met new people and plants. Tracy generously shared seed she had collected from her plants and I was able to bring one unusual type of seed to try in my garden. Continue reading →

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