Question: For my new home, what are some stormwater management practices to protect my yard and for water conservation so that water can be retained and used onsite? Thank you for asking about stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) to use…
Question: Last year I tried a raised bed vegetable garden, but it didn’t produce any vegetables. What am I doing wrong? Seedlings and plants grew very slowly, not much at all or died. Congratulations on experimenting with raised bed gardening,…
Question: There are several species of ticks in Virginia. Do I need to be concerned about all of them? How do I identify different types of ticks? What do I do if I get a tick bite and how do…
Question: What are the best types of turf for Central Virginia, and how do I go about choosing one for a new or totally renovated lawn? Selecting the right turf type for a Central Virginia lawn can be a bit…
Question: What is the difference between determinate and indeterminate tomatoes? Which kind should I plant? What planting guidelines should I follow? What great questions! Many people may not understand that the determinate/indeterminate property of tomatoes affects the way plants look,…
Question: I’ve heard that we should all be planting more native plants in our yards. What are they and why are they preferable to non-native plants? What native plants do you recommend for a sunny yard? Glad to hear that…
Question: What disease affected my apple trees last year and what do I do about it? Diagnosing plant diseases can be challenging, but in this case, there are distinctive clues to help you find the answer! If cedar-apple rust is…
Question: A seed catalog labels Petunias as a half-hardy annual. How is that different from a tender annual and a hardy annual? Can I grow all of them here in Central Virginia? First let’s define annuals and explain the terms:…
Question: How does one start seeds? What are the benefits of doing so? Learning about seed starting beforehand will make it easier and more successful! The proper time for starting seeds depends whether you start seeds outdoors or indoors, as…
Question: What is meant by highbush and lowbush blueberries? Which blueberry varieties are recommended for this region? Thinking about planting some blueberry bushes this spring? Here is the lowdown on recommended blueberry bushes for Virginia. Highbush and lowbush are two…