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Patio Gardening
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Date Posted: Thu, Nov 05 - 12:37 pm
- Hi! I want to grow on my patio in the city. I'd like to maybe try to do something in the winter like garlic or sweet potatoes (because I saw somewhere that this is possible). Is it possible to start now, and how would I do it? Thanks!
- Thank you for reaching out to the Richmond Master Gardeners! Growing vegetables on a patio is a wonderful way to get started with gardening, even if you have limited space. The good news is that garlic is a great option to plant right now! Fall is actually the ideal time to plant garlic in Central Virginia, as it needs a period of cold weather to develop properly. Here are a few tips for growing garlic in containers: Choose a container: Select a pot that is at least 10–12 inches deep with good drainage. Make sure there is enough room to space your garlic cloves about 4–6 inches apart. Personally, I've really enjoyed using fabric grow bags for container gardening! They're affordable, provide excellent drainage, and come in a variety of sizes, making them a great option for patios. Prepare your soil: Use a good-quality potting mix that drains well. Plant your garlic: You can purchase seed garlic from a garden center or reputable supplier. I've also had success purchasing garlic from local growers at farmers markets to plant in my own garden! If you go this route, look for locally grown garlic suitable for planting, and ask the grower about the variety. Separate the bulb into individual cloves, leaving the papery covering intact. Plant each clove about 2 inches deep, with the pointed end facing up. Find a sunny spot: Garlic grows best with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. Care through winter: Water after planting and keep the soil lightly moist, but not soggy. A layer of mulch can help protect the garlic through winter. Because containers are more exposed to freezing temperatures than garden beds, consider protecting the pot during particularly cold weather. Your garlic will establish roots over the winter, begin growing more actively in the spring, and should be ready to harvest around June or July! Sweet potatoes, on the other hand, are a warm-season crop. They need warm soil and a long growing season, so they aren't a good choice for planting outdoors right now. However, you could plan to grow them in a large container or grow bag next spring, once the danger of frost has passed and temperatures have warmed up. Sweet potatoes grow from slips (rooted shoots) rather than seeds, and they can do quite well in containers with adequate space, sunlight, and water. If you're interested in growing something you can harvest during the winter, you might also consider cool-season greens such as spinach, kale, or certain lettuces. These can be grown in containers, although growth slows considerably during the coldest months, and some protection from freezing temperatures may be necessary. One other thing to consider is how much direct sunlight your patio receives, especially during the shorter winter days. This can make a big difference in which vegetables will grow successfully. We hope this encourages you to give patio gardening a try! It's a great way to learn, and you certainly don't need a large yard to grow some of your own food. A few resources to share: Garlic: https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-411/426-411.html Sweet Potatoes: https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/SPES/spes-770/spes-770-5.html Virginia planting guide: https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-331/426-331.html
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Master Gardener Classes
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Date Posted: Thu, Nov 05 - 12:29 pm
- Do you provide Master Gardening classes/training?
- Hello! Thank you for reaching out to the Richmond Master Gardeners. The city of Richmond does partner with Henrico and Chesterfield to be able to offer the training necessary to become a Master Gardener. Our applications opened this past September and have already closed for the year. The classes will run January -April 2027. If you are interested in joining us in the future, please email rvamastergardeners@gmail.com and we will add you to the wait list and send you class information as soon as it is available next year.
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Home Consult
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Date Posted: Thu, Nov 05 - 12:24 pm
- We just took out a bunch of old bushes in front of our north-facing house and are looking for some guiding on designing an easy to maintain flower bed. Is this something a master gardener could help with? Thank you, Jamie
- Hello! Thank you for reaching out to the Master Gardeners! Yes, as our volunteers have capacity, we do help to consult on home gardening projects. I'll follow up with an email to get a little more information from you so we can see if we have someone available to connect with you. Keep an eye out for an email from rvamastergardeners@gmail.com
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Home Consult
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Date Posted: Fri, Oct 23 - 1:47 pm
- We just took out a bunch of old bushes in front of our north-facing house and are looking for some guiding on designing an easy to maintain flower bed. Is this something a master gardener could help with? Thank you, Jamie
- Thank you for reaching out to the Richmond Master Gardeners! Yes, we are able to offer home landscape consultations as volunteer availability allows. We'd be happy to learn more about your space and what you're hoping to accomplish to see how we might be able to help. We'll send you a follow-up email to connect with you directly and discuss next steps. Thank you again for your interest!
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Becoming a Master Gardener
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Date Posted: Fri, Oct 23 - 1:44 pm
- I am interested in attending a master garden program/class however, I have found no one with information. Can you assist me in gaining information of how I can become a master gardener?
- Thank you so much for your interest in becoming a Master Gardener! We typically offer training classes once a year, running from January through April. Classes meet twice a week and cover a wide variety of horticultural topics to help prepare participants for their role as Master Gardener volunteers. The training program includes approximately 50 hours of classroom instruction, along with 50 hours of volunteer service to be completed during the first year. After that, Master Gardeners in the City of Richmond Unit are required to complete 20 volunteer hours and 8 continuing education hours annually to maintain their active status. Applications typically open in September and have already closed for the upcoming class. However, we'd be happy to help you stay informed about future opportunities! If you'd like to be added to our interest list to receive information about the next training class, please email us at rvamastergardeners@gmail.com. Thank you again for your interest! We hope to see you in a future class!
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Controlling trumpet vine
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Date Posted: Mon, Sep 28 - 12:15 am
- I have a home in Richmond / Church Hill and I am having a lot of trouble getting trumpet vine under control. Every time I cut it back it keeps growing back and it grows so quickly that it can reach the roof of my house in a single season. I need to remove it completely, I think, or it’s going to keep damaging the house. However I’m also very cautious about using herbicides that might damage the rest of my garden - the vines are adjacent to my vegetable plots and I want to maintain an insect-friendly habitat. How would you recommend I go about getting this trumpet vine under control without doing too much harm to the rest of the plant and insect life?
- Thank you for reaching out to the Richmond Master Gardener Help Desk! Trumpet vine (Campsis radicans) is a vigorous native vine, and unfortunately, an established plant can be quite difficult to remove. It spreads through an extensive root system and readily produces new shoots, so simply cutting the vine back usually does not eliminate it. Persistence will be an important part of whichever approach you choose. If you would like to avoid herbicides entirely, you can cut the vine to the ground and dig out as much of the main root system as possible. Continue removing new shoots as soon as they appear. The goal is to prevent the plant from producing leaves long enough to gradually exhaust the energy stored in its roots. With a well-established trumpet vine, this may require repeated removal over multiple growing seasons. Given the size and vigor you describe, another option would be a very targeted cut-stump herbicide treatment rather than spraying the vine or surrounding area. Cut the main stems close to the ground and, following the product label, apply an herbicide labeled for cut-stump treatment directly to the freshly cut surface. Products containing glyphosate or triclopyr are commonly used for this type of treatment. Applying the product only to the cut stem greatly reduces the potential for contact with nearby garden plants compared with spraying the foliage. In my experience, I have had success killing ivy with this method using Stump Out Stump and Vine Killer. I put it into an empty bingo dauber bottle and then can easily daub it on after I've made a cut. To help keep track of which vines you've daubed, you could add a bit of dye to the bottle. Because glyphosate is non-selective, it can damage any green plant tissue it contacts, so care should still be taken around your vegetables and other desirable plants. Always select a product whose label specifically allows the intended use and follow all label directions, including any precautions regarding edible crops. After removing the main vines, continue watching the surrounding area for new shoots. Trumpet vine can sucker some distance from the original plant, and promptly digging, pulling, or cutting these shoots will be important even after the main plant has been treated. This approach should allow you to focus control specifically on the trumpet vine while minimizing disturbance to the rest of your garden and insect habitat. Since the vine is growing on your house, I would also cut and disconnect the upper growth from the root system promptly to prevent additional growth against the structure. Once disconnected, allow the upper vine to die back before carefully removing it from the house rather than pulling vigorously on attached vines. Good luck with this process!
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Planting plans for dwarf trees/shrubs
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Date Posted: Mon, Sep 14 - 12:51 am
- Hello, I hope your day is going well. I have a question pertaining to placing a dwarf tree/shrub close to the house. For the two dwarf trees/shrubs, listed below, how far from the house foundation should I place them? I am looking to place a Dwarf Globe Blue Spruce (Picea pungens 'Globosa') or a dwarf false cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Night Light' or 'Nana Lutea') in a bed that is against my house. These are both dwarf trees but also called shrubs/bushes based on their heights. I was reading about placing a tree the distance away from the house as it is tall. The mature height of these two dwarf tree/shrub is around 4-6ft after 10 years but if left unpruned for longer can be a few feet taller potentially, but I couldn't find a reliable source to back this claim. If I place them away from the house at the mature height after 10 years but do not account for however it may get after decades, would it mess up my house's foundation or do I need to not worry about it? Thank you so much for your time and help. Have a great day
- Thank you so much for reaching out to the Richmond Master Gardeners. This is a great question, and its very smart of you to be considering planting shrubs based on their mature size and not based on the size they are in the pot, as many people do. As with all things gardening, there are different perspectives that people have when considering this question, and some things will depend on your personal preference. Generally, we'd recommend shrubs to be planted at least 1/2 the diameter of the mature width away from the house plus 1 - 3 feet. So if a shrub has a mature 6' width, they should be planted at least 4' away from the house if not 5' or 6' away. The additional space leaves for a gap between the plant and house to allow airflow against the house and reduces the need for pruning. If you don't mind pruning, the shrubs can be planted closer to the house. If you would rather not prune that much, plant them farther away. It seems like you are already aware that "dwarf" varieties will happily grow beyond what their label lists as their maximum size, particularly after decades, as you mentioned. Because of this, you could also ere on planting a little farther from the house as opposed to closer. Its unlikely the roots from either plant will damage the house's foundation, even after decades. Ultimately, you should be safe planting at least 5' from the house for these two plants. Another thing to consider is how close these shrubs are planted to one another. You can use the same recommendation for determining distance from the house and space the shrubs 1/2 their mature spread plus 1' pending how intermingled you prefer the mature shrubs to be. For the two shrubs you are considering, you could think about spacing them at least 6 if not 7 feet apart. This way they can grow without pruning to a nice mature size and not bump into each other. If you prefer the look of a heavier prune, you could plant them closer together. Hope this is helpful! Best of luck to you!
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Cherry tree dropping leaves
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Date Posted: Tue, Aug 11 - 11:37 am
- Need assistance with a cherry tree losing leaves. He did not see black spots or holes in leaves, thinks heat may be a factor.
- Thank you for contacting the Master Gardener Help Desk. Heat and drought stress can certainly cause cherry trees to lose leaves, particularly during the hot, dry conditions we've experienced this summer. When trees become stressed, they may shed older leaves to conserve water. However, leaf drop can also be caused by diseases such as cherry leaf spot, bacterial leaf spot, or other environmental stresses. Since you did not observe black spots or holes in the leaves, those diseases may be less likely, but it can be difficult to determine the cause without examining the tree and the fallen leaves. In the meantime, make sure the tree receives adequate water during dry periods. A mature tree generally benefits from a slow, deep watering when rainfall is lacking rather than frequent shallow watering. Applying a 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch around the base of the tree (keeping it several inches away from the trunk) can also help conserve soil moisture and moderate soil temperatures. If the tree is otherwise healthy and the leaf drop is due to heat stress, it should recover once environmental conditions improve. Avoid fertilizing or pruning the tree while it is under stress. If the problem continues, or if you notice spots on the leaves, dead branches, oozing bark, or other symptoms, it is likely more than an environmental problem. Photos of the entire tree, the trunk, and both the upper and lower surfaces of affected leaves would be especially helpful in narrowing down the cause. You can email photos to rvamastergardeners@gmail.com
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Pruning Willow Oak and planting Chicago Hardy Fig
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Date Posted: Thu, Jul 02 - 7:00 pm
- Hello, We have a very large Willow Oak tree that we want to trim. Any recommendations for arborists that can trim these large trees without causing harm to the tree? We also have a Chicago Hardy fig tree, how far from the foundation should we plant it?
- Thank you so much for reaching out to the Richmond Master Gardeners. For your willow oak, we recommend hiring an ISA (International Society of Arboriculture) Certified Arborist with experience pruning large, mature shade trees. Proper pruning is important for maintaining the long-term health and structure of an established oak, and an experienced arborist can determine whether pruning is necessary and recommend the best approach. While we aren't able to give specific recommendations, you can search for certified arborists in your area using the ISA's "Find an Arborist" directory: https://www.treesaregood.org/findanarborist. Be sure to ask about their experience with mature oaks and request proof of certification and insurance. For your Chicago Hardy fig, we recommend planting it at least 10–15 feet from your home's foundation. Although figs generally have shallow, spreading root systems that are not considered aggressively invasive, they can become quite large, often reaching 15–30 feet tall and wide under favorable conditions. Allowing adequate space provides room for the canopy to develop, improves air circulation, makes harvesting easier, and helps avoid branches rubbing against the house. If you plan to keep the fig pruned as a smaller shrub, you may be able to plant it somewhat closer, but 10–15 feet is a good general guideline for long-term growth.
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Master Gardener Classes
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Date Posted: Wed, Jun 10 - 1:28 am
- how do i sign up for classes to be a master gardener?
- Hello! Thank you so much for your interest in taking Master Gardener classes. Class information should be available later this summer with applications opening in September. Please e-mail rvamastergardeners@gmail.com to get added to our wait list to receive information once it is available.