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Planting under a Magnolia
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Date Posted: Wed, Jan 14 - 1:33 am
- I have a magnolia tree in the front yard and underneath it it's mostly dirt. I don't really want to plant grass there but I wondered if you might suggest something that I could plant under the tree so it's not so muddy. My grandchildren get very muddy after a rain. I took a picture so you can kind of see what it looks like. It has a little bit of morning Sun but mostly shady during the day. Thanks for your help. I
- Thanks for reaching out to the Richmond Master Gardeners with this question! This is a very common situation under magnolias, so you’re not alone—and you’re smart to avoid trying to force grass there. Magnolia trees have shallow, wide-spreading roots and create dense shade, which makes it hard for turfgrass to survive. We are always gravitating towards native options anyways. A favorite of mine for a situation like this is a sedge. Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica) is one of the BEST grass-like alternatives for shade. It looks neat, stays low, and is much tougher than turfgrass. (https://vaplantatlas.org/index.php?do=plant&plant=1242&search=Search) Some other native ground cover options you could consider are: Green-and-gold (Chrysogonum virginianum) Semi-evergreen, spreads slowly, cheerful yellow flowers in spring https://vaplantatlas.org/index.php?do=plant&plant=1776&search=Search Wild ginger (Asarum canadense) Excellent for shade, soft leaves, great soil cover https://vaplantatlas.org/index.php?do=plant&plant=2009&search=Search https://vnps.org/wildflowers-of-the-year-2/2010-wild-ginger-asarum-canadense/ Creeping phlox (Phlox stolonifera) Handles partial shade, beautiful spring blooms https://vaplantatlas.org/index.php?do=plant&plant=3156 A couple important things to keep in mind before planting anything under a magnolia: Avoid digging deeply (to protect roots) and do not pile soil or mulch against the trunk. You could consider covering some of the space with mulch - just be sure not to pile it against the trunk! Good luck!!
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Starting vegetable seeds indoors
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Date Posted: Mon, Jan 05 - 11:06 am
- When should I start my indoor vegetable seedlings?
- For gardeners in Richmond, Virginia, the average last frost date is around April 10–20. Indoor vegetable seedlings are typically started 4–10 weeks before that date, depending on the crop. Here are some general indoor seed-starting timelines for Richmond: Start 8–10 weeks before last frost (early–mid February): Tomatoes Peppers Eggplant Start 6–8 weeks before last frost (late February–early March): Broccoli Cabbage Cauliflower Lettuce Start 4–6 weeks before last frost (mid–late March): Cucumbers Squash Melons (often better direct-seeded unless you have a short season) Best direct-seeded outdoors (after frost): Beans Peas Corn Carrots Radishes Helpful reminders: Starting too early often leads to tall, weak seedlings that are harder to transplant. Strong light is essential—most seedlings need supplemental grow lights. Seed packets provide excellent crop-specific guidance and should always be followed. Harden seedlings off gradually before planting outdoors. It's fun to start planning what you will grow this year! Good luck!
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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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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!
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Declining Rose Bushes
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Date Posted: Wed, Aug 20 - 12:18 am
- We have a row of drift roses out from for the last 8 years, last year once bush died totally after pruning and was replaced but two others appear to have dying branches in places but are blooming in others. Do you have any recommendations? They previously were huge and bloomed all summer.
- Thank you for reaching out about your drift roses. After 8 years, it’s not uncommon to see some decline in vigor, and the symptoms you’re describing (a bush dying after pruning, and others showing partial dieback while still blooming) may have several contributing factors. Possible Causes Age & Natural Decline: Drift roses, while hardy, often start to lose vigor after 7–10 years. Decline in individual plants can be expected over time. Pruning Stress: If roses are pruned too severely or at the wrong time (late fall/early winter), it can stress the plant and increase vulnerability to dieback. Canker or Dieback Disease: Fungal cankers can cause branches to brown and die back while other parts of the shrub continue to bloom. Look for discolored, sunken, or shriveled stems. Root Stress: After many years in the same spot, soil compaction, poor drainage, or root competition from nearby shrubs can weaken roses. Environmental Stress: Last winter’s cold snaps, summer drought, or inconsistent watering can also contribute. Recommendations Inspect the Canes: Cut into affected stems. If the wood inside is brown rather than green/white, prune those branches back to healthy tissue. Sterilize pruners between cuts (70% alcohol or 10% bleach solution). Monitor for Pests/Disease: Check for signs of fungal cankers, crown gall, or borers. Mulch & Soil Health: Refresh mulch to 2–3 inches (but keep away from the crown). Consider lightly amending with compost to improve soil structure and nutrients. Watering Practices: Provide consistent deep watering during dry spells, especially since stressed plants are more susceptible to disease. Rejuvenation Option: If more bushes continue declining, you may want to replace them gradually. Consider rotating in disease-resistant shrub roses or other flowering shrubs to diversify and reduce the chance of future loss. Since one plant has already died and others are showing decline, you may be at the natural replacement stage for part of the row. Healthy roses can last many years, but staggered replacement every few years can keep the planting full and vibrant.
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Why is my swamp milkweed dying?
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Date Posted: Thu, Aug 14 - 11:54 pm
- I have an established butterfly bush and swamp milkweed plant in my yard. They’re both around 3ft tall. This year, both plants began dying fast. We haven’t dumped anything there, nothing changed as far as plants, soil, drainage, etc. with one exception. Three years ago we planted some Blue Mistflower. It never came up until this year. It is climbing the dead butterfly bush. I’ve read Blue Mistflower spreads via rhizomes and that this could potentially be the cause. Any thoughts? Other things I should check? Thanks!
- Thanks for reaching out to the Richmond Master Gardeners! I've connected with one of our gardeners, Pam, that has a wealth of knowledge on native plants to help give you some guidance. There has been a lot of chatter in the Virginia Native Plant Society Facebook group that this has been a banner year for milkweed aphids. Swamp milkweed seems particularly susceptible to this aphid, and you truly have “a” plant (singular), it becomes the sole target for the aphids. The aphids submit a dew that causes a fungus. Unfortunately, the picture doesn’t show the milkweed clearly enough for this to be more than a guess, but we think it’s a reasonable possibility. We wouldn’t blame the blue mist flower. Yes, it’s hardy and loves to spread, but it’s a valuable late-season food source for pollinators. We recommend planting a different companion for it. You did not mention you soil or light conditions, but the Plant RVA Natives guide (download free at vnps.org) will help identify companion plants that can hold their own with an enthusiastic spreader. Pycnanthemum muticum, clustered mountain mint, might be a possibility, and it blooms much earlier, spreading the glory. Since butterfly bush is designated invasive in Virginia, we can’t ethically recommend trying to save it or replacing it with another. But its loss provides an opportunity to plant more natives. If you have additional questions about natives, Pam will be at the West End Branch of the Richmond Public Library on Wednesday afternoons after Labor Day. You are welcome to stop in and chat with her more!
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Transplanting a peach tree
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Date Posted: Thu, Aug 14 - 5:34 pm
- I need to transplant this peach tree but know next to nothing about when/how/where. Would love advice!
- Thank you for reaching out! Peach trees can grow successfully in the Richmond area when given the right conditions and care. Since your tree is currently in a pot, here are some steps and tips to guide you through transplanting it into the ground: Best Time to Transplant Late fall to early spring (after leaf drop but before buds swell) is ideal. In Richmond, that’s typically November through March when the tree is dormant. This reduces stress and gives roots time to establish before summer heat. Choosing a Planting Site: Sunlight: Choose a location with full sun — at least 6–8 hours daily. Soil: Well-drained, loamy soil with a pH of 6.0–6.5 is best. Avoid low areas where water collects. Soil test kits can be found at local Richmond Public Libraries Air Circulation: Good airflow helps reduce fungal diseases. How to Transplant: Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and just as deep. Loosen the surrounding soil to encourage root spread. Gently slide the tree out of the pot, loosening any tightly wound roots. Trim circling roots to prevent girdling. Place the tree so the root flare (where roots meet trunk) is level with or slightly above ground level. Fill with native soil (you can mix in some compost if soil quality is poor). Water deeply to remove air pockets. Apply 2–4 inches of mulch around the base, keeping it a few inches away from the trunk. This helps conserve moisture and regulate temperature. After planting: Water deeply once a week during the first growing season, more often in hot/dry spells. Lightly prune in late winter to shape and remove damaged branches. Young peach trees can be susceptible to deer, rabbits, and voles, so consider fencing or trunk guards. Good luck with your peach tree!! We wish you lots of success! Thanks again for reaching out.
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Garden Support at The Doorways
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Date Posted: Wed, Aug 06 - 2:48 pm
- I am the Volunteer and Outreach Manager for The Doorways, a nonprofit in Richmond that provides lodging for patients and their family members while they receive medical care nearby. We have a lovely garden area that needs some pruning/mulching and new plants for fall. I'm wondering how to connect with volunteer Master Gardner's to see if there's interest. Thank you!
- Thank you so much for reaching out — The Doorways provides such an important service to the Richmond community, and your garden sounds like a lovely and meaningful space for your guests. As Master Gardeners, our primary mission is education. Our volunteer efforts are focused on teaching and sharing best practices related to horticulture and sustainable gardening. While we aren’t a labor-based group, we’d be happy to support your efforts in an educational capacity. If you're interested in learning more about what types of plants could thrive in your garden or how to plan for fall planting, we can connect with our volunteers to see if we have someone available for a consultation. For hands-on help with pruning, mulching, or planting, we would recommend reaching out to a local garden club or professional landscaping service who may be better equipped for that type of volunteer or contracted work. Please e-mail us if you are interested in a planting consultation: rvamastergardeners@gmail.com
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Speaker Request
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Date Posted: Thu, Jul 24 - 7:23 pm
- Hello. My alumnae organization is looking for a speaker for a zoom or possibly in-person meeting Thursday, March 12, 2026 at 7:00. We were thinking the topic could be planting native species but are open to suggestions. Thanks in advance for your response.
- Hello! Thank you so much for thinking of the Richmond Master Gardeners for this opportunity. We always enjoy getting the chance to share information about planting native! I'll follow up with an email to you to get a little more information and see what we can coordinate.