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Fig Culture
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Date Posted: Fri, Nov 04 - 4:59 pm
- I'm seeking a book on the propagation planting and care of a fig tree
- Hello there, I have a couple of suggestion for books on this subject. They have different 'personalities' so see which one suits you best. They are: Grow Figs Where You Think You Can't by Steven Biggs and Growing Figs in Cold Climates by Lee Reich. I would also suggest looking at the Edible Landscaping website. They sell all manner of edible plants for gardens and would be helpful in selecting a variety that you'll have the best luck with (if you don't already have a variety in mind/hand). And, of course, there is good information at the VA Tech website. I've included the link here: https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/content/dam/pubs_ext_vt_edu/spes/SPES-317/SPES-317.pdf. You'll want to consider site selection, preferably a micro-climate that will give your fig some insurance of getting through the winters, possible protection for winter (depending on site) and pollination requirements for starters. Good luck with your project. I think this will be a success!
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Trumpet Vine eradication
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Date Posted: Fri, Oct 14 - 12:59 am
- What is the best way to get rid of trumpet vine. It’s all over my yard
- Hello there, As you probably know trumpet vine has several ways of spreading. I haven't had any personal experience at killing trumpet vines but I do know they require a lot of work to keep them under control. I don't know what methods you may have already tried so I'll pass along the ones I've come across. They all require a certain amount of vigilance. You'll also want to take care if there are other desirable plants nearby. You may want to consider moving them to a safe location while you try to eradicate the vine. If the plant isn't too large, dig it up. This means cutting the vine, or vines, back to a stump and removing what is a rather large root system. You will most likely miss a root or 2 so it is important to keep an eye out for any new plants sprouting from remaining roots. As soon as you see a new plant sprout--dig it out. Another method I've heard of is using boiling water on the root system. Again you would need to cut back the vines to a stump and then pour boiling water over the the rather large root system. You will have to repeat this process maybe once a week until you see some progress. And again, you will most likely miss some roots, so if you see new growth either dig it up or use more boiling water. Even if you use an herbicide you will still have to watch for new growth and re-apply. So while an herbicide might seem like an easier way to go you will still have to be vigilant and be ready to re-apply. The key here is getting rid of as much of the plant and roots as possible and then being sure to watch for any new growth in your garden and digging or boiling out that new growth. If you wait for all the leaves to drop it will be easier to trace the growth back to its origins and see where there might be ground contact. It will take some time and patience but I think you'll see results! Best of luck!
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Vegetable pests
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Date Posted: Fri, Oct 07 - 9:01 pm
- Pole Beans: I planted (for the first time) some cold hardy plants at the end of summer. My pole beans grew in strong, but are now being decimated -- the leaves are bubbly and stems are severed. Some leaves have been chewed. I have been out there multiple times at various points in the day and I can't see anything. I put some sticky yellow bug catchers out there and it caught some tiny little flies and a small Beatle, but something else is still killing my vegetable. Vine Borer - Squash - Yes I had them and they killed my zucchini and spaghetti squash. I hear they overwinter. I planted several other squash plants after the annihilation of my squash (before I found out they stick around). They got 50% -- the others survived only because I covered the stem with foil to prevent the critters from entering. But, how do I extinguish them? Last question: I had two tomato issues. 1. some look like Chinese paper lanterns, with nothing inside of them, just a fragile green shell of a tomato. 2. Lots of blooms, lots of pollinators visiting, no tomatoes. You are probably thinking 'just give up gardening' - but I'm hoping to learn, so I can do better next year. Thank you. Julie
- Dear Julie, You've had a tough summer! Actually, the summer was pretty hard on many living things. I'm going to start with your tomato question first. I'm wondering what type of tomato you planted? I've never come across an issue like this so I have to wonder about the seed or transplant you used. It sounds like it's a tomatillo, rather than tomato. In regard to the non-fruiting issue, I have to wonder about when you planted the tomato, did you plant so that tomatoes would have enough time to mature? Some tomatoes require a longer time to mature and fruit. There are varieties like Early Girl which may be a better bet for you if you're planting a little later or you simply want an earlier crop when planted at the appropriate time. Those are my best guesses. Squash vine borers are tough to deal with. Organic controls for squash vine borers include growing resistant varieties-butternut or the italian heirloom summer squash-tromboncino (a vigorous vining variety), crop rotation is critical, using row covers, passive traps, and surgical removal. The beans may be affected by mexican bean beetles. It's hard to say and I'm not sure why the leaves are bubbled, could be a blight? I'm attaching a document from the VA Tech extension website. There is a good summary of tips on vegetable gardening. I think you will find it useful-- https://ext.vt.edu/lawn-garden/home-vegetables.html You seem like a very observant and dedicated gardener, those are the best qualities for good results. Do not give up!! Best of luck!
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Powdery mildew?
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Date Posted: Fri, Oct 07 - 7:05 pm
- Hi. We have a white film on the leaves of two poppy plants we transplanted over a year ago. Cosmetically, it's not pretty. But don't know if it's harmful. It is only in the last 6 months that the film has appeared. They're under a dogwood tree, didn't know if that affected them. Can you tell me if this is harmful, and if it will impact the blooms? I don't see any buds so I fear this is a problem for the plants.
- Hello there, It sounds to me that you are dealing with powdery mildew. It's a very common fungal problem, heat and humidity aid its progress. It generally doesn't kill the plant, the plant just doesn't look it's best. I don't know which type of poppy you have but I'm guessing it's one of the oriental poppies (papaver orientale), that bloom in spring? You may want to consider transplanting the poppies to a spot in full sun with good air circulation. Cut back the foliage at the end of the season and dispose of it in the trash (not the compost pile). You don't want to be harboring the spores over winter. With some more sun and air, I think you will enjoy those poppies more. Good luck!
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Pollinator gardens
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Date Posted: Wed, Sep 28 - 11:26 pm
- Thank you for your quick response! The after school program supports 24 students (12 second graders, 12 third graders). We will be researching and designing the gardens from October until December. The program runs until the end of the year, so we can build it next spring or late fall - whichever best meets your schedule. The principal is allowing us to build it in the area where a previous garden was built a few years ago. I believe it will be roughly 5' by 5'. Do you have anyone that might be interested in discussing gardening or butterflies with the students? The presentation can be virtual or in person. Thank you again for your assistance.
- Thank you, this is very helpful. It sounds like a great program! I'll be passing this along to others and will post it as a volunteer opportunity for those to help build and instruct. Please send me all your contact information to this address--jrreilly2323@gmail.com and we can discuss more specifics. We look forward to working with you!
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Butterfly gardens
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Date Posted: Tue, Sep 27 - 5:13 pm
- I have an after school group at Laburnum Elementary. We will be studying a unit on butterfly gardens and the principal is allowing us to build one. Is there any way to get volunteers to help us build or a guest speaker to address the group?
- Hello there, Thank you for your inquiry. I need to check in with the other MGs to see what we can do. If you would answer a few questions, we'll be better able to address your request. How many students are in the after-school program? Is it just one garden you want to build? If so, what is the approximate size of the garden? Do you have time frame for it's completion? This information will help us move forward, I'll let you know what can be done once we have the parameters of the project. Please send another question (with the above questions answered) through the virtual help desk and I'll get back to you. It sounds like a fun project!
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Reference for design and maintenance
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Date Posted: Fri, Sep 23 - 7:18 pm
- Hello! I realize Master Gardeners cannot advertise towards commercial gain. I’m looking for someone who has a gardening business with extensive experience to plan, plant and maintain garden beds at a residence in Hanover county ( Beaverdam). We are not looking for a large landscaping company. Do you know anyone or where I might find someone with this background ?
- Hello there, I can make some recommendation to make your search a bit easier. Do you have a favorite garden center, one you go to regularly? If so, many garden centers also offer design services. I'm not familiar with any out your way but I'm certain you can find a garden center with these services if you inquire. When you do, you'll want to know whether or not the staff providing these services are certified horticulturists (VCH) or certified landscape designers (VSLD). Additionally, you can take a look at the Virginia Society of Landscape Designers website---- https://www.vsld.org/certified-member/ and look for designers in your area. There are many good choices. I hope these are ideas are helpful, good luck with your plans!!
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Native plants
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Date Posted: Thu, Sep 15 - 9:44 pm
- I have an east-facing front yard in the Museum District and have approximately 12X 6 feet of space to work with. We recently got a retaining wall put in, and so it is a fresh canvas. The space gets full sun at least half the day. I love native plants, and particularly those that would remain evergreen in the winter. Any suggestions?
- Hello there, so nice to start fresh! I'm glad to hear you are interested in using native plants. I'm assuming the space is 12 feet wide and 6 feet deep. You'll probably want to start by creating some structure with shrubs. For evergreen green shrubs you could use inkberry (ilex glabra). There are many varieties of this plant, some have a loose form whiele others have a tighter globe shape and there are large and smaller sizes as well. So there's an inkberry to fit most spaces and styles. Mountain laurel is also another lovely evergreen plant with beautiful blooms in spring. Dog hobble or more commonly just Leucothoe (axillaris) is another nice evergreen. There is a variegated variety if you want to brighten up a space. You may also want to try evergreen bayberry (morella caroliniensis). In addition to these evergreens, there is virginia sweetspire (itea virginica) which has a nice drape to its shape, panicles of white flowers and beautiful fall color. Another good shrub is pepperbush (clethra alnifolia) with white to pink flowers (depending on variety) which is wonderfully fragrant. There is a smaller-sized variety that would fit in most gardens. Many of the plants in the blueberry family - early lowbush and deerberry (vaccinum pallida+vaccinum stamineum) have gorgeous fall color and colored bare stems in winter. Their spring flowers are delicate and beautiful and their fruits add to their appeal. I know you have a small space but I wanted to give a good number of options so you can pick and choose. Once you have a plan, you can decide what you want to place where. After placing the shrubs, you can then think about adding some lovely native ferns, perennials and/or ground cover, whatever space will allow. Before deciding on plants and placement, you should have a soil test done if you haven't already. You can amend if necessary and as an annual ritual, add compost to nourish you plantings. You can get a soil test kit at your local library when the Master Gardener Help Desk is in operation. Call your local library to find out the day and time. For additional information I suggest checking out this website and using the plant guides for the Capital region and NOVA-- https://www.plantvirginianatives.org/plant-rva-natives. Best of luck with the new garden!
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Soil, native plants
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Date Posted: Tue, Sep 13 - 6:36 pm
- I have got my front yard in great shape! not the back yard :( . It looks like a baseball field with lots of dirt and not much else. My back yard gets filtered sun,, some periods of direct sun in day. I have LOTS of trees. I want to turn my back yard into a natural wooded area with native wildlife. Do you think I need to buy soil or are there lots of native plants that can thrive in clay soil w/out that. Can you think of some native plants that would thrive in that kind of area. Thanks!
- Hello there, Well, the good news is you have lots of trees! We all should....Since that's the case you must have a lot of fallen leaves come winter. What do you do with those leaves? If you aren't already, I would suggest you start a compost pile or two. Or even simpler, you can just let the leaves remain where they have fallen and accumulate. Over time you'll have your woodland base. If you would rather rake them up and compost them, that's fine too. Then make an annual habit of applying that compost to keep feeding the soil. Having all those trees is a real advantage; you have a lot of raw material with which to work. You want to build a good base that will nourish the insects, plants and animals you want in your back yard. There's a good book on permaculture - Gaia's Garden, that has lots of useful information. You'll be especially interested in chapter 4 -Bringing Soil to Life. So rather than spending a lot of money and energy on purchasing soil and amendments, and if you give the project a little bit of time, you can save that money and use it for plants! There are some plants that are suited to clay but building your soil will bring you greater benefits-again, creating a balanced home for insects, plants and animals. There's a wonderful website you can use for finding out about native plants and the habitats they thrive within. I highly recommend--https://www.plantvirginianatives.org. It's easy to use and covers a lot of territory. It's always recommended to get your soil tested to see if the soil is lacking in any nutrients. You can have that done through the Chesterfield Master Gardener program. Here's the phone number: (804) 751-4401. You can also visit your local library and speak with a master gardener and pick up a soil testing kit at the same time. Check your local library for the day and time that the master gardener help desks are active. Best of luck with this project, I think you'll have some fun!
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Fall garden planting
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Date Posted: Tue, Sep 06 - 9:28 pm
- Hello! I just moved to RVA and Id like to plant a small flower garden in front of my house. The area receives sun most of the day. What plants could I plant that would adjust to being planted in September? Thank you so much! Taylor
- Hello Taylor! You've got two really good things going for you-sun and fall planting. Fall is a great time to plant here, though you may want to wait until it cools down just a little bit. This will give you some time to mull over your design. Your plant palette is pretty much wide open. Richmond is on the border of the piedmont and coastal plain regions, so you can use plants that are native to either of those areas. To get you started I have a few plant suggestions. They are: yellow coreopsis (tickseed), some purple echinacea (purple coneflower), liatris (liatris spicata)-also purple, orange butterfly weed (asclepias tuberosa) not butterfly bush, one of the native low-growing phloxes-divaricata or stolonifera, maybe some little bluestem grass (schizachyrium scoparium) for a different texture, for some height-oxeye (heliopsis helianthoides) and some shrubby st. john's wort (hypericum prolificum) for its lovely pollen-laded flowers and attractive foliage. One of the best approaches is to find a nursery you like that sells native flowers and see what is for sale at the nursery as the months pass. Ask the staff for information, they love sharing their knowledge! I also suggest reading up on what is, and why plant, a native plant. This is a really useful website--https://static1.squarespace.com/static/58e25c41e6f2e17ea4cb7766/t/5ed00bfcb208c2251311ebc6/1590692887078/Native+Plants+for+Virginia%27s+Capital+Region+Guide+for+download.pdf. Check out the information for the capital region on this website when gardening in Richmond but remember you may be able to use some plants for the coastal plain as well. Before starting your garden it's a good idea to get your soil tested to find out if it's lacking in any nutrients. You can find out about cost and how to gather a good sample by calling to speak with a VCE-MG at our Chesterfield Master Gardener Help Desk weekdays during regular business hours, March through October or call (804) 751-4401 to speak with the Master Gardener on call. Also, the local branch libraries have MG help desks. Check your local branch for the day and time and speak to an MG. They are there to help! Best of luck with your new garden!