A sadly spindly ‘mystery tree’ grows on a steep slope in our back fern garden. I first noticed it six or seven years ago. Its top was broken off in a winter snowstorm a while ago, and its odd growth pattern, plain looking leaves and immature bark left me clueless about its identify. My best guess was that perhaps it was a paw paw tree, since the leaves are similar, and we have a stand of those nearby. But...
There’s an astounding amount of waste generated from post-Halloween pumpkins. Instead of throwing your pumpkins out, why not reuse and recycle them? Here are a few ideas on how. 1. Cut up the pumpkin into manageable pieces and throw them into the compost bin. They are 90% water and should break down quickly. 2. Put them in your garden for the wildlife to enjoy. 3. Pumpkin seeds can be scooped out with a spoon, tossed with a bit of olive...
What do you consider when choosing plants for your home and yard? We all have a checklist of criteria in the back of our minds. Our criteria are very personal to our own needs and situation. You may not purchase and plant as many plants as I do each year, but I’m sure that you enjoy the choosing and the planting just as much. We gardeners have been encouraged to plant more native plants for quite a...
You’re invited to a free lecture by renowned author and ornithologist, Dr. Colin Rees, compliments of the James City County Williamsburg Master Gardener Association. It will be held at the Williamsburg Regional Library Auditorium on Thursday, August 11, 9-10 am. and also on Zoom; dial-in information follows. Our speaker, Dr. Colin Rees, was with the World Bank as a biodiversity specialist and a professor of Zoology at the University of Maryland. He is one of the developers and founders of...
Planting and maintaining lovely gardens, while restricting the use of water, is made possible by using a few watering techniques and a choice of plants. The VCE created a brochure, in 2004 entitled Creating a Water-Wise Landscape and twenty years later it still contains some great advice.
Photos by Jim Easton, Nature Photographer The old wives’ tale is that a robin is the first sign of spring, but American Robins are an adaptable lot. Some migrate and others don’t. They do seem to disappear in winter, but they may just be flocking to nearby wooded areas where they’re protected. Then as the weather warms, these flocks split up and our local robins emerge, looking for food and mates while they unknowingly pollinate flowers and control pests in...
The swiftest way to find yourself in a rollicking argument with someone you may otherwise count as a friend, is to disagree with them over whether a plant is useful in the garden, or is a noxious, invasive weed. This drama can erupt among those of us passionate about our gardens and the plants we grow. We all know just enough to know we’re right, but these arguments over plants can hinge on nuance and circumstance. Do you know...
Q. I have heard that Nandina is poisonous to birds. My community has planted many Nandina plants. Should we remove these plants to protect birds? A. It is true that Nandina (Nandina domestica) berries contain cyanide and are, therefore, highly toxic to birds and other animals. However, the only well documented case of birds dying from ingesting Nandina berries occurred in April 2009 when dozens of Cedar Waxwings were found dead in Thomas County, Georgia. The University of Georgia, College...
Q. What are the strange marks on my holly tree? A. Those strange, rectangular shaped bare spots in the bark were made by sapsuckers, a type of woodpecker. While these birds eat insects, fruits, and nuts, they also enjoy tree sap. Here in eastern North America, the most common and destructive of these birds is the American yellow-bellied sapsucker, Sphyrapicus varius. These are migratory birds that feed in Virginia when the sap begins to run in March, and then again...
You may be ahead of me on this one, but the picture that came to mind when I first saw the term ‘Carbon Garden’ in the January 2021 issue of Horticulture Magazine wasn’t very pretty. In practice, a carbon garden is not only beautiful, but this garden style proves easier to maintain than many others. A Quick Summary of the Science Like other elements, carbon is an atom that can manifest as a solid, in a liquid, or...