Category: Vegetable Gardening

Help Wanted / Invasive Plants / Native Plants / Native Trees / Nuisance Plants / Ornamental Shrubs / Soil Conservation / Summer Color Plants / Tree Identification / Trees / Vegetable Gardening / Watering

 by Wayne Koenig

Master Gardeners’ Homeowner Outreach Programs 2025

Transform Your Garden with Expert Advice from Certified Master Gardeners Do you dream of a flourishing garden but aren’t sure where to start? Or perhaps you’ve run into some gardening issues that need expert intervention. The James City County Williamsburg Master Gardener Association has just what you need! We offer free, environmentally sound, research-based recommendations for your home’s trees, lawn, landscape, and water-saving practices. Our teams of 2-3 certified Extension Master Gardeners are ready to visit your home, discuss your...

Soil Conservation / Vegetable Gardening

 by Janet Rochester

Home Food Production: Tools and Soil Preparation

If you are starting a vegetable garden in an area that is already tilled, you probably have all the tools you need and the soil will not need much preparation. If you start from a lawn or untilled area, you will need some hand tools, and the soil will need attention.   Tools Start with a few basic tools; a digging spade, garden fork, rake, and trowel are enough to get you started. If you decide to continue gardening, then is the time to...

Bulb Gardening / Container Gardens / Deer / Edible Plants / Fragrant Plants / Garden Design / Gardening on the Wild Side: Working in Harmony with Nature / Heirloom plants / Herbs / Vegetable Gardening

 by Elizabeth McCoy

Protect Your Garden with Alliums, Gingers, and Herbs

Have You Eaten? Animals engage in the business of eating;  there is no common ground between our desire for a beautiful and productive garden and a deer or rabbit’s need for lunch.   While we may garden in harmony with birds harvesting berries from our shrubs and bees harvesting  nectar and pollen from our flowers, it is mainly because they can assist us with our gardening tasks and feed themselves without destroying our plants. Birds and spiders eat mostly insects, helping...

Farm-To-Table / Vegetable Gardening

 by Marion Guthrie

Why Grow Your Own Vegetables? #2

Why grow your own vegetables?  Different people have different reasons.  Most people want to have a source of fresh vegetables for their families.  There is nothing like going to your own garden to pick a lettuce for a salad, a tomato for a sandwich, or a harvest of green beans for dinner.  For people in underserved areas, a home garden may be one of their best sources of fresh vegetables. Your vegetables will be fresher than you can find in...

Farm-To-Table / Vegetable Gardening

 by Janet Rochester

Why Grow Your Own Vegetables?

Why grow your own vegetables?  Different people have different reasons.  Most people want to have a source of fresh vegetables for their families.  There is nothing like going to your own garden to pick a lettuce for a salad, a tomato for a sandwich, or a harvest of green beans for dinner.  For people in underserved areas, a home garden may be one of their best sources of fresh vegetables. Your vegetables will be fresher than you can find in...

Beneficial Insects / Container Gardens / Fragrant Plants / Garden Design / Gardening on the Wild Side: Working in Harmony with Nature / Heirloom plants / Herbs / Invasive Plants / Perennial Care / Permaculture / Sustainable Gardening / Tender Perennials / Vegetable Gardening / Wildlife Gardening

 by Elizabeth McCoy

Landscaping With Herbs Part II:  Deciduous Perennial Herbs

What is an Herb? Why is mint an herb, but clover isn’t?  Have you ever given it much thought?  Botanically, any plant with a soft stem, that dies back in winter, is ‘herbaceous.’  Were you give a stack of a dozen cards, each with the name and picture of a plant, could you sort them into ‘herbs’ and ‘not herbs’? If asked, most of us could probably name at least five herbs.  Those used in cooking, like basil and thyme...

Edible Plants / Gardening on the Wild Side: Working in Harmony with Nature / Native Plants / Native Trees / Vegetable Gardening

 by Judy Kinshaw-Ellis, Master Gardener, Class of 2015

BLACK HISTORY, HOW FREED SLAVES SURVIVED IN FREEDOM PARK

In 1803, 27-year-old William Ludwell Lee died and in his will freed his slaves. Less than ten years earlier, Lee had inherited nearly 8700 acres and property that included 54 enslaved people ages 16 and older, 11 children ages 12 to 16, and a few children who were 11 and younger. While there is no evidence that Lee freed any enslaved people during his lifetime, upon his death, his slaves were freed effective January 1 in the year following his...

Birds / Fall / Halloween / Vegetable Gardening

 by Wendy Hamrick, Master Gardener, Class of 2017

9 Ways to Use Your Left-Over Pumpkins

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...

Community Gardening / Fall / Farming / Garden Maintenance / Herbs / Teaching Garden / Vegetable Gardening

 by Louann Martin, Master Gardener, Class of 2014 and Nan Snyder, Master Gardener, Class of 2020

Mattey’s Garden

Mattey’s Garden is a hands-on learning garden at the Matthew Whaley Elementary School. And while the students were absent due to COVID-19, the garden continued to grow, including the weeds. Luckily, Louann Martin, who heads up this project for the James City County Williamsburg Master Gardener Association (JCCWMGA), assembled a team made up of the elementary school’s families and students as well as JCCW Master Gardeners. This team has been tending the garden with a watchful eye pruning, weeding, and...

Community Gardening / Fall / Gardening on the Wild Side: Working in Harmony with Nature / Teaching Garden / Vegetable Gardening / Watering

 by Pam Arnold, Master Gardener, Class of 22018

Blayton’s Garden – Growing Knowledge Starts Here

Click here to Watch the Video! 11 years and Going Strong The student garden at J. B. Blayton Elementary School on Jolly Pond Road in Williamsburg is 11 years old and going strong. The garden was started by a pair of teachers and parents who were interested in creating a special outdoor space where students could learn about all types of plants and pollinators. The PTA supplied funds to construct a pavilion for shade and to serve as an outdoor...