Winterberries and hollies bloom on new wood, so we will be shaping these mature shrubs in early spring to create pleasing natural templates for berries in fall and winter 2022-23. Crabapples and other small deciduous trees can be pruned this winter until April, during their dormant season. And, of course, we will be pruning the cutback shrubs…
Per University of North Carolina Extension, woody plants may abort fruit that was set in dry soil. Remember back to last June! There was a two to three-week period of very high temperatures and no rain. The soil was definitely dried-out as we finished our spring planting season. In fact, we delayed finishing one planting…
Take inventory of seed packets on hand and place orders for new varieties Clean, sharpen and repair garden tools Order replacement tools if needed Stock up on Safe Paw ice melt: non-corrosive, chloride-free, and safe for plants, animals, and humans Force some bulbs on water: hyacinth or paperwhites Water house plants only every 4-5 days and withhold…
All About Asian Jumping Worms Jumping Worms and the soil they create Have you noticed that some of your garden bed soil looks like coffee grounds? Do large worms jump out of the soil when you’re simply digging a small hole or pulling a weed? If you can answer at least one of these questions,…
White oak leaves Recently I was asked to identify an oak at the edge of a woodland where a new house had been built. This was a woods tree, with whitish bark somewhat resembling a hickory tree: clearly a white oak. Another clue was the rounded lobes on the leaves. The Latin name for white…
Fall color of blueberry bush We’ll be doing some important work this month for those of you with blueberries (lowbush and highbush) in the landscape. These plants fruit best in a soil that is acidic, yet require Calcium to produce well! A bit of a conundrum that we often solve by testing the soil and…
Priscilla’s Garden To-Do List for November into December Clean up debris in the vegetable garden promptly to reduce hiding places for insect pests and diseases Cut back perennials that have no wildlife value (i.e. hostas, daylilies, Shasta daisy, catmint, lady’s mantle, etc), remembering to leave basal rosettes of foxgloves, heucheras, and hollyhocks to generate new…
Finish pruning spring-blooming shrubs by the first week of September Keep up with weeding in garden beds. and if you’re short on time, pull the tallest ones and those about to go to seed first, returning later for the finer detailed weeding Place an order for spring-blooming bulbs Evaluate the need to fill gaps…
Where soil is disturbed, weeds will grow! We utilize hand tools to remove, or in some cases, cut weeds to the ground. Curly dock, for instance, is best controlled through repeated cutting so that photosynthesis does not occur and seed heads do not form. It has a deep root system that is hard to dig out, so…
Swiss Chard and Spinach – mottled young leaves that curl and wrinkle, then turn tan/yellow. Answer: Beet leaf miner damage Remedy: Remove damaged leaves quickly and do not compost. You can eat any undamaged leaves. Since larvae feed inside the leaves, sprays are not effective. Next year, rotate this crop and cover young seedlings with row covers to exclude the…