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Odor from lawn
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Date Posted: Thu, Apr 16 - 10:50 am
- Hi, we live in a townhouse in the fan that has a small backyard. This year and last we have noticed a pungent (almost skunky) scent that has started around mid-March and is gone in the winter. We think the cause is one of the plants/weeds that make up our “lawn” because the timing is just around when we start to see green again. The scent transfers to our dog when she lays in the grass. Any idea what type of plant would have this kind of smell? Or if there is anything we could do about it? I’ve attached an image of a portion of our yard but have others if that would be helpful. Many thanks!
- Thanks so much for reaching out and for sharing the photo, that’s really helpful. Based on your description of the timing and smell, one common cause we often consider is wild garlic or wild onion (Allium species), which can produce a strong, sulfur-like or “skunky” odor when crushed. However, I’m not seeing clear signs of those plants in the image you provided (they typically have distinct upright, hollow, grass-like leaves). What I do see is a mix of very common early spring lawn weeds, such as chickweed and bittercress, growing in a thin, somewhat compacted lawn. While these plants don’t usually have a strong smell individually, when they grow densely together and are disturbed by foot traffic, mowing, or a dog laying in the grass, especially when there’s some moisture present, they can release a musty, sulfur-like odor that can come across as “skunky” and can easily transfer to your dog’s coat. One other (less common) contributing factor could be compacted or poorly drained soil creating brief anaerobic conditions, which can also produce a sulfur-like smell; this is more typical in areas that stay damp, but it could be playing a small role depending on drainage. Over time, improving lawn density (particularly with fall overseeding) and reducing compaction can help crowd out these weeds and minimize the issue. In the short term, hand-pulling where feasible and giving your dog a quick rinse or wipe-down after being outside can help manage the odor.
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Pruning Camillias
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Date Posted: Wed, Apr 08 - 11:33 pm
- Good morning. My Camellia trees that are very mature just finished blooming. I would like to do a hard cut back to about 2 feet tall to reshape. With them blooming so late in the season may I do that now? The trees are greater than 20 years old and very healthy. Their shape is just gotten off over the years.
- Thank you for reaching out to the master gardeners! You are actually in the perfect window to prune since your camellias have just finished blooming. Camellias, even mature ones like yours, are generally very tolerant of hard pruning, so cutting them back to around 2 feet (a rejuvenation prune) is acceptable, especially since they are healthy and well established. That said, you should expect to lose blooms for next season because you’ll be removing developing buds, and the plants may look a bit sparse or uneven at first as they push out new growth over the next one to two growing seasons. When pruning, try to make cuts just above a leaf node or lateral branch, and after pruning, support recovery with consistent watering and mulch rather than heavy fertilization right away. If you’d prefer a more gradual approach, you could also reduce the size over two years by removing a portion of the older wood each season. Overall, your camellias should respond well, it will just be a bit of a reset before they fill back in beautifully. This is a great general resource about pruning put out by the Virginia Extension office: https://www.cmgv.org/images/References/Pruning%20Calendar%202019.pdf
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VCU Garden Beds
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Date Posted: Mon, Mar 30 - 2:36 pm
- I am trying to revive 8 garden beds in the courtyard of my campus dorm. The soil is currently dense w/ roots from the nearby mature trees, which have basically invaded the beds! I am unsure what we should do with the roots :( Do we cut them? Additionally, there is a little sapling that is groing magestically in the center of one of the beds.... I do not want to kill it, as it proves itself to be resilient. I am unsure what kind of tree it is, but I assume it grew form one of the seeds of the trees above. How can I excave and transport the sapling to someone/somewhere it can thrive? I do not have photos on this device, but I would love to share pictures in an email thread once you get back to me :) With much thanks in advance, Emma Toggia
- Thanks so much for reaching out to the Richmond Master Gardeners. What a wonderful project for your campus space! It sounds like you’re already putting a lot of care into bringing those beds back to life! What you’re seeing with the roots is very common when garden beds are located near mature trees. Those trees naturally extend their root systems into nearby soil to access water and nutrients. Regarding the roots, you can cut smaller invading roots (pencil-size or smaller) when preparing the beds but you should avoid cutting large structural roots, as this can stress or damage the tree. And unfortunately, even with cutting, roots will likely return over time, so it may help to add a layer of fresh compost and topsoil to improve growing conditions. When deciding what to plant here, we'd recommend choosing shade-tolerant, root-competitive plants like ferns and hellebores About the sapling: It’s great that you’d like to preserve it! You can attempt to transplant it, especially if it’s still relatively young. The best time to transplant is early spring or fall, but you can try now if you’re careful and keep it well-watered afterward. Dig a wide circle around the sapling to capture as much of the root system as possible (roots are often wider than you expect) Gently lift it, keeping as much soil around the roots as you can. There are some trees that have a very long tap root that can be nearly impossible to get out once they reach even a small size. If you find this to be the case with this tree, it may not be possible to save the tree and move it. However, if you are able to get the root ball out of the ground relatively intact, replant it promptly in a new location (or container), water deeply, and keep it consistently moist while it establishes. Do keep in mind that volunteer saplings often come from nearby trees and may grow quite large—so choosing an appropriate long-term location is important. If you have additional questions or want to share photos, you can reach us at rvamastergardeners@gmail.com. Best of luck with your garden beds, this sounds like such a meaningful project for your community!
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Arborvitae Decline
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Date Posted: Thu, Feb 26 - 12:58 pm
- We have 2 arborvitae bushes/trees in our front yard. in Goochland County. One has died; the other is dying. They are about 25 years old. Perhaps they have just lived out their lives; but if there is something else it might be helpful to know before we replace them. We are only planting native plants now, so that might help the situation. If you have any thoughts, I would love it. Thanks so much in advance for all that you do for our community.
- Thank you so much for reaching out — and for your commitment to planting natives! That makes such a positive difference for our local ecosystem. Arborvitae can live quite a long time, often 40–150 years depending on the species and growing conditions, so 25 years would not typically be considered old age. When we see one arborvitae turn completely brown and another beginning to decline, it usually points to an environmental or site-related issue rather than natural lifespan. Is this a change that you have just been seeing recently? My first thought goes to the winter weather that we have had - both with all of the ice that we had sticking around forever in January and more recently all of the rain saturating our soils. Arborvitae do not tolerate prolonged saturated soils very well. When soils stay waterlogged, roots are deprived of oxygen and can begin to decline or develop root rot. The extended ice cover would have kept soils cold and saturated longer, further stressing the root system and delaying recovery. Evergreen foliage continues to lose moisture in winter, so if roots are compromised, browning can occur fairly quickly. It's typically not one single environmental factor that can lead to decline but several factors in combination: Wet soil weakens roots, ice delays recovery, a sudden warm spell increases transpiration, the plant cannot move water efficiently. That combination can lead to rapid browning. Spider Mites are also a possibility for the damage but seem much less likely to me. When spider mites are present, the foliage typically turns brown or dusty prior to becoming completely brown and you tend to see gradual thinning, rather than sudden death. It's also a little early to be seeing spider mites, but you could try shaking a branch over a piece of white paper to see if you see anything mite-like coming off. Given the wet winter and prolonged ice we've experienced, root stress from saturated soils is the most likely cause of the decline, particularly if one plant has browned uniformly and rapidly without visible insect evidence. While spider mites (and bagworms) can affect arborvitae, their damage patterns and seasonal timing do not match up with your description. Unfortunately, the one arborvitae that is completely brown is unlikely to recover, as they do not regenerate from old wood. The second tree may continue to decline if root damage has occurred. If you are looking for native replacement options, a couple of suggestions to consider are Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) and American Holly (Ilex opaca). Good luck! The arborvitae beautifully framed your porch and I know it must be disappointing to lose them!
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Zoom Gardening Workshop
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Date Posted: Mon, Feb 02 - 10:47 pm
- Hi, I'm a program manager for Forward Foundation, an organization which helps single working parents who are experiencing financial hardship because of a catastrophic event. We offer virtual workshops once a month, and I would love to provide a virtual gardening workshop for these single working parents. Many of these parents enjoy plants and working in the yard. Is it possible one of your Master Gardeners would be interested in this opportunity? Thank you for considering supporting our community. I look forward to hearing from you. Our website is the following: www.forwardfoundationva.org
- Thank you so much for reaching out to the Richmond Master Gardeners. Your organization sounds like it offers so much support! I will send this opportunity out to our group to see if we have the capacity for this opportunity at this time. I will follow up via email. Thank you!
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Support for after school program
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Date Posted: Mon, Feb 02 - 10:37 pm
- I am a volunteer at Peter Paul Development Center in Church Hill. PPDC serves as an after school education program for student from public housing. I developed a 1,000 sf educational garden at PPDC. The garden program needs volunteers to help provide weekly maintenance and educational programing. It is great fun to expose the students to new vegetables and fruits, help them care for the plants, etc. Are there Master Gardeners who could help support the garden program?
- Thank you so much for reaching out to the Richmond Master Gardeners. Our group focuses on educational programming and I will reach out to our members to see if we have the capacity to add on a new project at this time. I will follow up with you via e-mail. Thanks again for thinking of us!
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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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Growing a Winter vegetable garden
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Date Posted: Tue, Oct 28 - 10:21 am
- I have a raised garden bed, 4 ft by 8 ft, that is in a very sheltered location with good winter sunlight. I'd like to grow as much food as I can in that bed this winter. I'm open to adding a greenhouse cover of sorts if that would help, as well as mulching around the sides of the bed to keep the soil warm. what plants would you suggest?
- Thanks for reaching out to the Richmond Master Gardeners. It sounds like you’ve got a great setup for a productive winter garden — a raised bed with good winter sun and some shelter gives you lots of options, especially here in Richmond’s climate. With a little protection, you can keep fresh greens and roots growing all season long. We recommend focusing on cool-weather crops that tolerate frost and even improve in flavor after a chill. These include: Leafy greens: spinach, kale, collards, Swiss chard, mustard greens, and arugula Salad mixes: lettuce (especially cold-hardy romaine, butterhead, and oakleaf types), endive, and tatsoi. Root crops: carrots, beets, turnips, and radishes. Alliums: scallions and garlic (if not already planted, you can still get garlic in soon). Herbs: parsley, cilantro, and chives can survive with a little protection. A few tips to help extend your growing season: Since your bed gets good sunlight, a simple greenhouse cover or low tunnel can make a big difference. You can use PVC hoops and clear plastic sheeting to create a mini greenhouse, just be sure to open it during sunny days to prevent overheating. For added insulation, layer frost cloth (row cover) underneath the plastic on the coldest nights. You can also consider mulching the sides and soil with straw, shredded leaves, or pine needles to hold warmth and protect roots. Best of luck to you! I've also decided to grow some cool weather crops this year and have been really enjoying all of the greens my garden has been producing so far! We hope you have lots of success!
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Master Gardener help in RPS
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Date Posted: Thu, Oct 02 - 12:26 pm
- Hi, I'm looking for a master gardener able to volunteer between an hour to several hours to help Chimborazo Elementary School with its landscaping plan. Our PTA is currently engaged in a major clean-up of this Title I school and in fact just two weeks ago, 30 volunteers spent 5-6 hours cleaning, weeding and mulching just about an acre. There's so much more to do and once we're out of the clean-up phase, we will begin work on 1-, 3-, and 5-year plans to make this wonderful school and its neglected gardens shine. In the near-term, I am heading up the efforts to create these plans. I could use a master gardener to walk the grounds with me to identify a handful of plants I can't, discuss options for low-maintenance plantings, and other considerations we should be sure to keep in mind. We could also use someone to help us develop these plans but even one hour of volunteer time would be wonderful for us. Thank you so much for considering this request or connecting us with other master gardeners whom this might interest. We want to create a beautiful, thoughtful and interesting place for all of the children who attend this school.
- Hello! Thank you so much for reaching out to the Richmond Master Gardeners. This request is RIGHT up our ally! We have a meeting this coming Monday - I will get this request to the rest of our group and work to get you connected with a Master Gardener that has the availability to help with this project. I will be in touch via e-mail next week. Thank you!
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Native Plants - best time to transplant
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Date Posted: Wed, Sep 10 - 8:08 pm
- Hello! I have several native plants and two small elderberries that I need to transplant to different spots in my yard. Is there an ideal time to do this? I heard something about "fall" being a good time, but not sure when exactly that means? Thank you!
- Good afternoon! Thank you for your question. What you have heard is exactly correct - Fall is the best time to transplant your natives, as well as your two elderberries. I would recommend anytime in October when temperatures are cooler. Be sure and add some amendments to the soil such as a good leaf compost which can be purchased at a local garden center, and water the plants well after transplanting. Thanks for reaching out!