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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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Tulips
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Date Posted: Mon, Mar 30 - 2:28 pm
- I know tulips are difficult but what kinds are most likely to be perennial in Richmond? I read species, emperor and Darwin? Is that right? What about Darwin hybrid? Tks!
- Thanks so much for reaching out to the Richmond Master Gardeners! There are so many beautiful tulips in bloom around the city right now. I can definitely relate to wanting to plant some of your own! You’re on the right track with your research. In general, species tulips are the most likely to behave as perennials in our Richmond climate. Among hybrids, Fosteriana (Emperor) tulips and Darwin Hybrid tulips tend to perform best, although Darwin hybrids typically return for a few years rather than long-term. Usually, bulb packaging will list the tulip type and blooming details, which can be helpful when selecting varieties. Also keep in mind that water and soil needs may vary depending on whether you’re planting in the ground or in containers (containers tend to dry out more quickly). For best results, be sure to deadhead spent blooms so the plant doesn’t put energy into seed production, and allow the foliage to yellow and die back naturally so the bulbs can store energy for future blooms.
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VCU Gardening Project
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Date Posted: Fri, Mar 13 - 8:05 pm
- VCU Child Development Center is building raised beds for a new gardening project. We are planning to focus our curriculum around gardening throughout May. Is there a master gardener who could assist us by advising our Gardening Committee, or educating our students and teachers?
- Hello! Thank you so much for reaching out to the Richmond Master Gardeners. I will put this request out to our unit to see who may be available to connect and will follow up via email.
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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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Pruning Rosemary
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Date Posted: Tue, Mar 03 - 11:11 am
- I moved into a house with an overgrown Rosemary bush. I love it but I think it needs some help. How would you prune it without killing it. I'm afraid if I trim it too far back it might die. I have no idea how old it is.
- Thank you for your question — what a gift to inherit a mature rosemary plant! Established rosemary can live for many years, but it does tend to become woody and overgrown over time. The most important thing to know is that rosemary does not reliably regrow from old, bare wood. If you cut back into thick, leafless stems, those sections often will not resprout. For that reason, pruning should be done conservatively and gradually. The best time to prune rosemary in Virginia is in early spring after the risk of hard frost has passed, or lightly after it finishes flowering. Begin by removing any clearly dead wood — you can gently scratch the bark with your fingernail to check for green tissue underneath, which indicates the stem is still alive. When shaping the plant, avoid cutting back into bare woody stems. Instead, always leave at least an inch or two of green growth on the stem. It’s safest to remove no more than about one-third of the plant at a time, especially if it is quite overgrown. If significant reduction is needed, spreading the pruning out over one or two growing seasons will reduce stress on the plant. When making cuts, trim just above a set of green leaves to encourage branching and fuller growth. If most of the plant consists of woody stems with growth only at the tips, you may be limited to light shaping rather than a dramatic cutback. In that case, you might consider taking a few soft cuttings in spring to start a new plant as a backup. Good luck! I love having fresh rosemary to pick from in the backyard! I hope you will be able to enjoy this plant for many years to come.
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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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Master Gardener Presentation
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Date Posted: Thu, Feb 19 - 1:19 am
- Hello! I am a member of the Goochland County Garden Club and am in charge of booking our speakers/presenters for next year’s club season. We’d love to see if someone from the Richmond master gardeners might want to come to a meeting and do a presentation on a topic of their choice. I believe a couple of years ago we had someone from the Goochland Powhatan Master Gardeners do a presentation on bokashi composting, which was so interesting! Presentations last about an hour, followed by lunch. Our meetings take place on the 3rd Tuesday of every month between the months of September 2026 - May 2027, from 11am - 1pm. Location is TBD but will be in Goochland County. We are able to provide $200 for a presenter. Thank you for your consideration!
- Thank you so much for reaching out to us about this opportunity! We do have some volunteers in our unit that enjoy giving presentations. We do, however, focus our volunteer efforts in the City of Richmond. I will follow up with you via e-mail to see how we can best help you get connected with a Master Gardener for this opportunity.
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Community Garden consult
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Date Posted: Thu, Feb 19 - 1:17 am
- Our community garden (Uptown Community Garden) needs to refresh/redesign our herb garden. The herb garden is open to all who visit to snip & enjoy. Is there a master gardener or trainee that could help us?
- Thanks so much for reaching out to the Richmond Master Gardeners! I love that your herb garden is available for all who visit to share and enjoy! What a special part to your community garden. We will reach out to our unit to see if we have anyone available to help with this project and we will follow up via e-mail.