Written by Patsy McGrady, Master Gardener, Class of 2010 Q. Why should I get a soil test and how do I get one? A. Gardening without a soil test is like cooking without a recipe. Sometimes the results are good, and other times, not so good. A soil test identifies the pH of the soil and states whether the soil needs to have lime added. The report provides the level of various nutrients in the soil, such as phosphorus, potash,...
My dad was a gardener. He grew vegetables. He grafted fruit trees. He grew gladiolus for my grandmother (his mother-in-law) because they were her favorite. He grew lots of peonies, and I have at least one in my garden that was moved from Iowa to Maryland to Virginia. And he grew a walnut tree, but it died the year he died. I was twelve, but I still remember that little tree. I like to think that, when we lose a...
A second annual Earth Day and Arbor Day celebration on Saturday, April 23, at 10:30 AM will include the planting of two wild-type American chestnut seedling trees at Freedom Park in James City County, Virginia. The celebration results from a collaboration between the Clean County Commission, and volunteers at the Williamsburg Botanical Garden and Freedom Park Arboretum, with support from the Freedom Park staff. One tree will be planted in the Pine-Hardwoods section of the Garden, and the other will...
Trees enrich our lives in countless ways. Yet we may not pay them much attention, until they are gone. A Million Trees in a Single Day Pioneers in the Nebraska Territory missed the trees they left behind back East. They needed trees for shade from the summer sun, for windbreaks to hold the soil, for fuel and for building materials. They needed trees so much, that Nebraska’s Board of Agriculture planned the first American Arbor Day celebration on April...
In the fall of 2021, the JCCW Master Gardeners were invited by the Jamestown Settlement to design and install a native plant demonstration and herb garden just outside the visitors’ center cafe. After meeting with Jamestown management, touring the site, and developing a project proposal, a team was formed to get the project going. In January 2022, team leads Angela Cingale and Judy Kinshaw-Ellis met with Bain Schultz, the grounds department supervisor for both Jamestown and Yorktown, to get an...
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...
Seed bombs, also known as earth balls or seed balls, have roots in classical Egyptian agricultural practices. The method may have been widespread in the ancient world as an efficient way to sow large amounts of seed quickly, with minimal tools, especially after floods and other disruptions. Available sources indicate that some Native Americans used this method for sowing seeds. It is an effective way to sow seeds in areas with little rain. A seed bomb is made with clay...
The bright flash of a butterfly’s wing brings instant joy. My mind clears for a moment of rapt attention to see what sort of butterfly it is. Where is it flying? Where is it feeding? Will it stay in our yard? Whatever had been churning through my mind evaporates in that moment of pure beauty. Birdsong in the morning gently pulls me back from dreams, and we hear birds chattering and calling throughout the day, flying from shrub to tree. ...
How much do you know already about mosses? They are so common; you will find them growing most anywhere. Take the Moss Quiz, and you’ll find the answers at the end of Part 2 of this post. The Moss Quiz 1. Which will kill moss the fastest? A. Letting it dry out B. Watering it 2. Will moss make new roots if you transplant it? A. Yes B. No 3. Can I share my beer...
Mosses are wild, native plants, and find spots to grow where conditions support them. They reproduce sexually with tiny spores that blow on the wind. They need consistent moisture to transform from a spore to a small plant, but they do it without any interference from the gardener. One way to develop a moss garden is to provide favorable conditions and let the mosses colonize on their own terms. This may take several years, even with consistent efforts to keep...