Master Gardener – Search
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Becoming a Master Gardener
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Date Posted: Wed, Jul 24 - 4:44 pm
- Hello! I am interested in becoming a master gardener, and I have found a program through Powhatan & Goochland. However, I'm wondering if there is one offered through Richmond? Thank you!
- Hello! Thank you for reaching out about becoming a Master Gardener! There are currently limited opportunities across the commonwealth as there are many open extension agent positions, including in the city of Richmond. We are hopeful that there will be two spaces for Richmond Master Gardener trainees with the Chesterfield unit this year. We should have more information about this possibility by early September. Should you decide to go through the training program with Powhatan or Goochland, you could always transfer your membership to Richmond once you have completed the training process. I will send you a follow up e-mail so that we can stay in touch about this!
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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.
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Heat stressed Hydrangea
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Date Posted: Thu, Jun 27 - 2:13 pm
- We have a large hydrangea that has always been healthy and we pruned in late winter. We returned from vacation recently and it now looks like the attached picture (brown from bottom and inside). Any ideas on how to prevent this from spreading or it worsening? Thanks!
- This is most likely heat stress. We have had some very hot days and basically no rain. Hydrangeas are typically the first plant in the garden to show heat stress. The recommendation is to keep it watered, and just ride it out to the end of the season. It won't look so good, but it also should not die. If you have some shady areas of the garden, this plant can also be easily propagated using cuttings and rooting hormone. It roots easily and then you can plant the new ones in an area with a little more shade.
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Problem with rose
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Date Posted: Mon, Jun 17 - 1:10 am
- Any suggestions other than takeout. I’ve tried need oil
- The picture you sent looks like a variety of wild rose. Many are starting to move away from planting roses as they are very needy and nearly as toxic as lawns to grow successfully. Based on the little bit of information that we have, we would recommend pulling the plant and replacing it with something else. Our recommendation is clematis virginiana if you are looking for a vining plant that is native. If you are hoping to find a way to keep the rose, this article has great information about different problems with roses and how to address them: https://fairfaxgardening.org/rose-problems/ Best of luck to you!
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Planting sapling redbuds
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Date Posted: Thu, May 30 - 5:26 pm
- I have two sapling eastern redbuds. I have grown them from seed. Looking to plant them in my yard, what is the proper exposure and best time of year for them to thrive in the ground? Also how far apart should they be planted?
- How exciting! Redbuds are so beautiful, and what an accomplishment to grow them from seed. There are a couple of things to keep in mind when planting sapling redbuds- First, it is best to plant them on the smaller side as they don't enjoy being transplanted due to their long taproot. Second, the best time of year to plant many natives, including eastern redbuds, is the early fall after the heat of summer has passed. This allows the plant time to get established before winter and sets it up to really thrive the following year! An exception to this, is if you are planting in a space that closely mimics the redbud's natural environment. They are happiest with partial shade and in moist, well-drained soil. Whether you decide to plant now or early fall, keep them well mulched and watered as they for at least the first year as they get established. They should be planted at least 12 feet apart from each other to allow space for both to grow. Good luck and happy gardening!
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Mushroom in my spinach starts?
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Date Posted: Thu, May 23 - 11:50 am
- About 2 weeks ago, I planted spinach seeds in containers. The green leaves started to come up, but today, I noticed something brown and mushroom-shaped growing in both pots. They look like mushrooms, but I'm not sure. What could these be? Should I pull them out? I'd include a pic but it seems that only text is allowed here. I can email a pic once I get your emailed response. Thanks
- There are always surprises when you are gardening! I can't think of anything else that might be aside from a mushroom. I would go ahead an pull it out. You don't want anything competing for nutrients and space with your spinach plants.
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Speaker for Benefits of Gardening
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Date Posted: Thu, May 23 - 11:35 am
- We are a local Richmond company looking to bring in a gardener/gardening expert to speak on how they got into gardening and their personal experience as a gardener, as well as the benefits they see with gardening - not only physically but to help increase overall wellness (emotional, spiritual, reduce stress and anxiety, etc). to our staff as part of our 2024 company wellness initiative.
- Thank you for thinking of us and reaching out! We would love to share our thoughts on the benefits of gardening! I will reach out to you directly to coordinate.
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Repotting Orchids
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Date Posted: Sat, May 18 - 8:44 pm
- Hello! I was recently gifted a grocery store orchid in full bloom. I have a black thumb, have never owned an orchid, and am trying not to kill the poor dear. So far it seems pretty happy but it’s also rootbound. It’s in a plastic nursery pot and the roots are growing though the drainage holes. Should I repot it now or wait until it’s done blooming? Thank you!
- Congratulations! What a beautiful gift! Orchids can be so rewarding when they bloom again. First, is to figure out what type of Orchid you have. Most often, I see Moth orchids (Phalaenopsis) at the grocery store, so I'm going to assume that is what you have. These orchids have a main stem that grows up from a single point and they actually prefer to be pretty tight in their containers. You definitely do not want to repot it while it is in bloom - repotting it now will cause it to drop all of its flowers. After it has finished blooming, you can repot it. The Missouri Botanical Garden has a really wonderful guide on repotting Orchids that will be a great resource for you once your orchid has finished blooming: https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/help-for-the-home-gardener/advice-tips-resources/visual-guides/repotting-phalaenopsis-and-other-monopodial-orchid#:~:text=As%20a%20general%20rule%2C%20repot,Repot%20spring%20through%20fall. Good luck! Wishing you lots of success!
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Plant identification and recommendations
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Date Posted: Wed, May 01 - 12:03 am
- I have a lot of what I am told is moss in my yard. Have pictures to send. Can you identify it and provide any treatment options?
- Thank you for reaching out to the Richmond Master Gardeners. I will send you an e-mail to be able to get the pictures from you and we will try to give you some assistance.
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Identifying Plants
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Date Posted: Tue, Mar 26 - 1:41 am
- We were hoping to come to the event today but since it was canceled I'm contacting here instead. We would like help identifying some plants that are in our yard, I can send you photos. We have three kinds of holly and a few kinds of ground cover that we'd like to know more specifically what they are. Thanks.
- Hello! I can do my best to help you identify your plants. I will e-mail you to get your pictures. For others also looking for plant identification, technology has come a long way with plant ID apps. Two that come to mind are iNaturalist (https://www.inaturalist.org/) and Pl@ntnet (https://plantnet.org/en/). Google image also does a good job! And I find so many of the employees at our local garden nurseries to be very helpful with this!