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Home Consult
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Date Posted: Thu, Mar 12 - 11:19 am
- I do not know where to start to grow a natural habitat/garden on my side yard. The space is about 4ft by 30ft. The strip is bordered by the driveway on one side and holly bushes on the other side. The area gets afternoon sun. We have unsuccessfully tried growing grass. then, we had the area prepared by a landscaper who cleared the plot and added a few ferns and flox. While it looked great initially, the plot was taken over by some kind of grass/weed that it impossible to get rid of. I have decided to make this a space with natural plantings. I see lots of resources online to refer to, but don't know where to start. Can you help? I live in Henrico County VA.
- Thank you so much for reaching out to the Master Gardeners! Master Gardener units are often able to help with home consults. Because this is the Richmond unit of Master Gardeners, are efforts are focused within the city limits. There is a very active unit of Master Gardeners in Henrico County that should be able to help you. You can find more information about them and their home consultations here: https://www.henricomg.org/homeowner-consultations/ Best of luck to you!!
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Home Consultation question
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Date Posted: Thu, Jan 08 - 2:24 am
- (I live outside Rochester, NY.) My son and daughter-in-law have purchased a home with a very neglected yard. First time gardeners, they have no idea what anything is or how to care for what they have. I am looking to hire someone to show them what everything is and how to care for the landscape. Can you help me find someone? Many thanks.
- Hi! Thank you for reaching out to the Richmond Master Gardeners. I'll follow up by e-mail to get a few more details from you and see how we can best support you and your son and daughter-in-law.
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Improving Yard conditions
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Date Posted: Mon, Jan 05 - 11:02 am
- How to thicken and greening a big yard with out reconstruction
- I apologize for the slow response to your question. I somehow did not receive the alert and just noticed the question when I was alerted to another question coming through. This is a question that needs more details for a specific response, however thickening and greening a large yard without major reconstruction is very possible, but the best approach depends on both site conditions and the end goal for the space. Before making changes, it helps to clarify whether the goal is a traditional turf lawn, a lower-maintenance landscape using native plants, or a mix of both. In general, improvements without reconstruction focus on soil health, plant selection, and management practices. Start with soil health (no digging required): Core aeration if the soil is compacted Top-dressing with compost to increase organic matter Soil testing to identify nutrient deficiencies or pH issues before fertilizing Next, match plants to both the site and the goal. If the goal is turf: Overseed with grass varieties suited to sun/shade, traffic, and moisture conditions. In Virginia, this often means tall fescue blends, fine fescues for shade, or warm-season grasses depending on location. If the goal is reduced turf: Transition difficult areas (deep shade, poor drainage, slopes, heavy traffic) to native groundcovers or mixed plantings. This can improve appearance and resilience without regrading or major removal And finally, adjust maintenance practices: Mow higher (3–4 inches for most cool-season grasses) Water deeply but infrequently Avoid over-fertilizing, which can lead to shallow roots and thinning turf Some information that would be needed to help give more specific recommendations would include sun exposure (full sun, part shade, deep shade), existing vegetation (grass type if known), size of the yard and problem areas, ultimate goal for the space (turf lawn, natives, or a combination), any recent soil test results. Feel free to follow up with us at rvamastergardeners@gmail.com. We also have some volunteers available for home consults and an in person conversation may be a great way to move forward! Thanks for reaching out to us and my apologies again for the delayed response!
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Home Consult
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Date Posted: Mon, Jul 14 - 12:43 am
- Hi there! I am a first time homeowner trying to get a handle on our front and backyard. The previous owner was an arborist and master of the craft and I am doing my best to keep the garden afloat but I think I need some guidance! I would so love if someone could come out to help advise. Is that possible?
- Hi Athena, Thank you so much for reaching out to the Master Gardeners. How wonderful to have an established garden come with your new home! I will send you an email to get more information about the neighborhood you are in and what is currently growing in your garden so that I connect you with a Master Gardener. Keep an eye out for an e-mail from us!
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Home Consultation
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Date Posted: Tue, Jun 03 - 11:24 am
- Hello, I stopped by the Master Gardener Help Desk last week and Pam told me that you all do yard consultations. I wondered if we could get one for our yard in the next couple of weeks. Please let me know. Best, Ellen
- Yes! We do have a group of master gardeners that offer home consultations. I will follow up with an email to get a few more details and then send your request to our group to try to get you connected with a volunteer.
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Home Consult for Native Plants
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Date Posted: Tue, May 27 - 1:08 am
- I’m slowly redoing our front and back yards with native plants and would love some planning advice, including as to trees. Thank you!!
- Thank you so much for thinking of the Master Gardeners as you embark on the journey of redoing your yard with native plants! What an exciting venture that will have such a great impact! I will send you a follow up email to get a little more information from you in order to see if we have a volunteer available for a consultation. Please check your email to continue this conversation!
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Home Consultations
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Date Posted: Thu, May 22 - 10:28 pm
- Hello, I'd be interested in having someone come out and advise us on our garden at our house. Is that possible?
- Hi Debbie! We do have some master gardeners who offer home consultations. In order to see if we can get you connected with one, we will need to get a little more information from you. I will send you a follow up e-mail to connect. Thanks!
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Learning about native plants
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Date Posted: Thu, Mar 06 - 10:02 pm
- Hi, I am interested in native plant gardening in Richmond VA. Do you offer classes or do you have recommendations for classes on this topic? Thank you!
- Hi there! We’re thrilled to hear about your passion for growing native plants! Every small effort makes a big difference in supporting our environment, and you’re taking a wonderful step in that direction. While we don’t currently offer classes or workshops, we hope to provide those opportunities in the future. In the meantime, I’d love to share a few helpful resources with you: 1. Lewis Ginter has two upcoming classes on the topic of native plants listed on their website: March 15th: Beginner Native Perennials for the Home Garden https://www.lewisginter.org/event/beginner-native-perennials-for-the-home-garden/ April 19th: Container Gardening with Native Plants https://www.lewisginter.org/event/container-gardening-with-native-plants/ 2. The Virginia Native Plant Society has a lot of resources available, for both members and non-members, including this archive of videos: https://vimeo.com/vnps 3. This is a resource about native plants local to our area that is available for free download: https://www.plantvirginianatives.org/plant-rva-natives 4. The City of Richmond is fortunate to have several native plant beds behind Amelia Street School. In google, you can find them by searching "Amelia Street Urban Forest". Google should take you to several beds that are outside of the fenced playground area. And there is also a large bed inside the playground area that you are welcome to wander through outside of school hours. We hope to be able to offer various workshops in this space in the future, you can follow @ameliastreeturbanforest and/or @rva_mastergardeners on instagram to stay in the loop about any future opportunities happening in this space. 5. If you are interested in having a home consult with a master gardener and you live within the City of Richmond, email us at rvamastergardeners@gmail.com to see about getting connected to a master gardener directly. Happy gardening!
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Selecting grass for lawn
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Date Posted: Fri, Jan 31 - 3:46 pm
- Hello Richmond Master Gardeners, I would love your expertise on what type of grass I should plant in my backyard, which is almost entirely bare. I live in the Chamberlayne Farms neighborhood in Northern Henrico, and our soil is very soft. Our lot backs up to woods, and the back of our house faces north east, so we get very little sunlight back there. Thanks, Sam Prescott
- Thanks for reaching out to the Richmond Master Gardeners for help with your yard. For lawns in our region, tall fescue is the best choice. Southern States offers a blend specifically formulated for shady areas, which may be a great option for you. We also highly recommend getting a soil test to better understand what your lawn needs to thrive. Soil test kits are available at many Richmond Public Library branches, and you can also check with the Henrico Master Gardeners for locations in your area. A soil test will provide valuable insights into any necessary amendments, such as adding lime or applying a starter fertilizer with the right balance of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. For best results, fertilize just before seeding. When it comes to timing, fall is the best season for planting cool-season grasses like tall fescue. Once you've spread the seed, be sure to keep the soil consistently moist with light watering every day until germination, which typically takes about two weeks. For more detailed guidance, the Piedmont Master Gardeners have a fantastic article on growing turfgrass in central Virginia. You can check it out here: https://piedmontmastergardeners.org/22408-2/. If you need help selecting products, Southern States has knowledgeable associates who can assist you in choosing the right seed and fertilizers for your yard. If you're open to alternatives beyond grass, you might consider a woodland garden or a shade-friendly native plant landscape. These options can provide beauty, ecological benefits, and reduced maintenance compared to traditional lawns. There are many possibilities, from native ground covers to ferns, wildflowers, and understory shrubs. You can explore options in the Virginia Native Plant Society's regional native plant guide (https://vnps.org/virginia-native-plant-guides/), which provides recommendations suited to our local conditions. Henrico might also have Master Gardeners willing to come out for a home consult if this is an option you are interested in pursuing! Happy planting, and let us know if you have any other questions!
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Home consult
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Date Posted: Sat, Jul 13 - 11:59 am
- Can I master gardener come out to my home to see if I'm gardening the right way? This is my first year and I'm not sure if everything I'm doing is correct.
- I will send you an email to follow up on this with you. Once I have more information, I will see if we have a master gardener available.