http://statebystategardening.com/va/blog_02_summary/ en alan.pulley@gmail.com Copyright 2012 2012-02-21T03:16:02+00:00 http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/va/blog_02/collecting_compost/ http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/va/blog_02/collecting_compost/ There’s not much out there that can improve garden soil better than good old fashion compost. Compost can be purchased at most garden centers, but what’s the fun in that, especially when it can be made for FREE! Composting is a simple way to add nutrient-rich humus which stimulates plant growth and restores vitality to depleted soil. It's also easy to make and good for the environment. A compost heap can be as simple as a pile of garden debris in the corner of the backyard, or as elaborate as the classic 3-bay system. My compost bin is a simple single bin structure consisting of four metal corner posts. This is just one of many ideas that can be used to collect yard waste. All that’s needed in this setup is to attach the 1” X 6” boards (sold separately) to form the square bin. The location of a compost bin is an important aspect to consider as well. A convenient sunny spot, somewhere between the house and garden works well. If possible, try to locate the compost area away from nearby trees or shrubs, where their roots will eventually invade the rich soil and suck out the nutrients. Also, placing the bin near a water source is a good idea as well, because periodically it will need to be watered during dry spells. Keeping the pile damp and stirred-up on a regular basis will help speed up the compost making process. And don’t just limit composting to outside materials. There’s lots of stuff inside that can be composted as well, especially in the kitchen. To make it convenient, I use a small indoor compost bucket to collect things like egg shells, vegetable clippings and left over fruit peels and parts. Most of these come equipped with an activated charcoal filter in the lid to help absorb odors. However, keeping it emptied often will keep the odors from developing. Or, keeping the kitchen scraps in the refrigerator until ready to dump in the outdoor bin is another option I’ve heard that works well against odors. And to make it all even simpler, I use the bio trash bags to line the inside of the container. These bags keep the pail clean inside, and when ready to empty, the bag and all can be dumped in the outdoor compost bin where it all breaks down together. If you’re not already composting, give it a try this spring - the soil will benefit and your plants will reward you in return. For more information on composting check out the following link: http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-703/426-703.html 2012-02-21T02:16:02+00:00 http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/va/blog_02/the_15th_annual_great_backyard_bird_count/ http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/va/blog_02/the_15th_annual_great_backyard_bird_count/   Are you ready? The 15th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is coming up February 17-20, 2012. Anyone can participate in this 4-day event. It takes as little as 15 minutes on one day, or you can count for as long as you like each day of the event. It’s free, fun and easy—and it helps the birds too. I look forward to participating a few hours every year. Make sure your local birds are represented in the count—they won’t count unless YOU do! Everything you need to know to participate is on the website at www.birdcount.org, including downloadable instructions, FAQs, and a how-to video. Get a regional list of the birds you might see in your area this time of year so you can brush up on your identification skills ahead of time. Feel free to share your 2012 GBBC experience, results, etc. in the comments below. I would love to hear how you did. Good luck! 2012-02-04T01:02:09+00:00 http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/va/blog_02/time_to_plan/ http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/va/blog_02/time_to_plan/   By now many of you have received your favorite gardening catalog(s) in the mail – and that’s a good thing because January is National Mail Order Gardening Month. It’s not just about seeds anymore; purchasing plants by mail has come a long way since the early days. Often, it’s the only way to get the unusual, hard to find plants. Remember though, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Whether you’re looking to buy or just daydreaming, garden catalogs are a great resource and can help bring a little springtime indoors during the winter months. While we’re still a ways away from planting most things, garden vegetables like peas and potatoes are two of the earliest crops that can be planted in the garden. Both are highly productive and easy to grow. According to the Virginia Cooperative Extension vegetable planting guide and recommended planting dates, garden peas (sugar snap and snow peas) can be planted as early as February, and potatoes soon after that. Dates vary a little depending on where you garden in Virginia. Refer to the planting guide to see when the recommended planting times are in your area. Whether its vegetables or flowers, take a little time this winter and plan out your spring garden, it’ll be here before you know it. 2012-01-16T15:08:11+00:00 http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/va/blog_02/winter_garden_chores_its_for_the_birds/ http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/va/blog_02/winter_garden_chores_its_for_the_birds/   Happy New Year! As the excitement of the holidays and the new year begin to dwindle, other things begin to pre-occupy our time. As a gardener, one of the things that come to mind is cleaning up last year’s garden. I’m talking about all those dirty chores that involve deadheading, pruning, pulling and whatever other tidying up the garden needs prior to spring. For most of us it’s a yearly ritual once everything has died back; however, I think I’m going to skip this garden chore for now. Whatta ya think? Who’s with me? If you enjoy attracting and watching birds in your garden like I do, try leaving a few areas of the garden “untidy” this winter. All those standing stems, leaves and seedheads provide food, shelter and nesting materials for birds and other little creatures, and removing them all now removes important food and shelter for wildlife. In addition, frost and snow add character to a winter garden that has standing grasses and steams still intact. Stands of dead plants also help the soil retain moisture and stabilize ground temperature, as well as helping prevent soil compacting and erosion from rain and snow. Small birds scratch in this soft leaf litter, feeding on worms, grubs and seeds. In my landscape, debris from those areas that do require a little cleanup in the fall and winter get piled up in the corner of the back yard, where they serve as shelter and roosting places for small song birds. Brush piles add instant shelter and safety to your backyard bird habitat and are also a great way to practice habitat conservation by reusing the yard waste rather than filling up the landfill. My current backyard brush pile: Consider these ideas in your own garden this winter. The birds will thank you for it and you’ll save yourself a little work, guilt free! 2012-01-03T00:34:42+00:00 http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/va/blog_02/mistletoe_not_just_for_kissing/ http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/va/blog_02/mistletoe_not_just_for_kissing/   Tis the season for mistletoe! Most would agree that the Christmas season and mistletoe go hand in hand. I remember my dad shooting it out of the trees when I was a youngster.  According to folklore, after every kiss under the mistletoe one of the berries was plucked, and once all the berries where gone, there was no more kissing. American mistletoe can be found all throughout eastern and southern forest of the US, and is especially fond of maple trees. It’s unveiled each year when the last of the leaves fall from the trees and reveal their clumps of green, ball-shaped foliage growing among the tree branches. There’s more to mistletoe than just holiday tradition. Believe it or not, it plays an important part in our ecosystem. Mistletoe is a host plant for the great purple hairstreak butterfly, and is the only plant that its larva will eat. Mistletoe is also a good winter food source for birds. Birds feast on the female mistletoe’s white berries, which are toxic to humans, and then spread the sticky seeds to other trees through their droppings. From there it takes root into the tree. It’s considered a hemiparasite because it doesn’t live entirely off the tree. Mistletoe generates its own photosynthesis; however, it does depend on the tree for its food and water, enough so that the tree could die from a heavy infestation – but in most cases, that’s not the case. For the most part, this unique native is harmless and its benefits to wildlife and our holiday enjoyment outweigh its potential invasiveness. I want to personally wish everyone a happy and safe holiday!!   2011-12-21T23:53:46+00:00 http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/va/blog_02/a_tribute_to_berries/ http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/va/blog_02/a_tribute_to_berries/ As trees and other garden blooms begin fade this time of year, other plants begin to peak in color. I try to be creative in my own garden by adding color throughout the year. One of my favorite ways to do this in the winter months is with berries. Berries add an extra dimension to the garden and enhance the backdrop for the cold and dreary months ahead – and as a bonus, attract and provide food for many birds. Winter holly has to top the list in my landscape. This time of year they drop their leaves and leave a massive amount of red berries. This particular variety is 'Sparkleberry'. Another winter deciduous holly in my garden is 'Winter Gold'. These berries start out bright orange and slowly turn to yellow as the season progresses. Nandina 'compacta' is another heavy berry producer. These berries will be bright red by Thanksgiving. They're great to use in holiday arrangements. One of my favorite berry producing trees in the landscape is the 'Winter King Hawthorne' (Crataegus viridis). Winter king is a small deciduous tree that features white flowers in spring. In the fall small, crabapple-like fruits mature to a bright red and persist throughout the winter, or until the birds get to them. Consider incorporating berries in your own garden to brighten up the landscape on those cold winter days.   I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving! 2011-11-24T15:04:26+00:00 http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/va/blog_02/a_different_kind_of_mum_sheffield_pink/ http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/va/blog_02/a_different_kind_of_mum_sheffield_pink/   While there may be fewer blooming flowers now than in the spring, the fall bloomers do their best to make up the difference. Check out this gorgeous mum named ‘Sheffield Pink’ (or just plain ‘Sheffield,’ as it’s also called). It’s quickly become one of my fall-time favorites. I’ll have to admit that I’m not a mum guy. I’m customarily one of those who buy a couple potted mums each fall, place them on the steps with a pumpkin, and toss it all in the compost after Thanksgiving. But the Sheffield’s not your typical box store mum. These look more natural in the landscape than florist mums, and require little or no pinch back. ‘Sheffield Pink’ has 2 to 3-inch wide, pastel-pink blooms in October, lasting a month or more. As with any garden mum, ‘Sheffield’ will spread quickly and behaves best if divided regularly, but not necessary if you have the room for it. The other good thing I’ve learned about this plant is that it can tolerate drought. What more could you ask for?   What are your favorite fall bloomers? 2011-10-23T00:02:19+00:00 http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/va/blog_02/frogs_and_toads_of_virginia/ http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/va/blog_02/frogs_and_toads_of_virginia/   As a new Virginia Master Naturalist, I’m always on the lookout for new guides and publications relating to nature for our region. One such book I recently purchased is A Guide to the Frogs and Toads of Virginia. This new guide, put out by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF), covers all 27 species of frogs and toads that inhabit Virginia. It’s a guide meant to help with identifying the frogs and toads of our state, and provide insights into their ecology, distribution and behavior. Included with this guide is an audio CD of frog calls to help identify frogs and toads by sound. As a child, I loved frogs. There was nothing more I enjoyed than catching a big bull frog along the edge of a nearby farm pond. I spent many a Saturday and Sunday knee deep in the mud doing just that. Now, as a gardener, I like them for different reasons. Frogs and toads eat lots of insects and are a sure sign of a healthy ecosystem. If you’re into frogs like myself, be sure to get a copy of this new Virginia guide, and by next spring you’ll be impressing all your gardening friends by identifying, via sight and sound, all of the frogs and toads in your area. Copies of this publication can be obtained at the Department’s Richmond Headquarters or online here – https://www3.dgif.virginia.gov/estore/proddetail.asp?prod=VW256 With land development and pollution, frogs and toads have been on decline in recent years. Check out the homeowners guide to protecting frogs published by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: http://www.fws.gov/contaminants/documents/Homeowners_Guide_Frogs.pdf   If you enjoy citizen science projects, the following offers further information and opportunities to help. > Frog Watch USA is a nation-wide program managed by the National Wildlife Federation in partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey: www.nwf.org/frogwatchUSA > The North American Amphibian Monitoring Program (NAAMP) is a collaborative effort among regional partners to monitor populations of vocal amphibians. The Wildlife Diversity Division of the VDGIF has participated in the NAAMP since 1999: http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/WILDLIFE/frogsurvey/               2011-10-14T00:49:57+00:00 http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/va/blog_02/hummingbirds_last_hurrah/ http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/va/blog_02/hummingbirds_last_hurrah/ Who doesn’t love hummingbirds? Even people who don’t care much for birds like hummingbirds. How many birds can fly backwards, upside down, stop on a dime, and hover in place? Yep, you guessed it, just one – the hummingbird. Unfortunately, this is the time of year that hummingbirds begin to leave us for the warmer weather of Central and South America. Must be nice, right? Although they’re leaving us now, don’t bring in those hummingbird feeders just yet. This is the time that hummingbirds could use the extra nourishment for their long journey. Hummingbirds that have spent the summer in our backyards have most likely begun to move on, while others that spent their summer further north are moving through the area now, and those are the ones thankful for those feeders. There's a myth that hummingbird feeders should be taken down after Labor Day, believing that the feeders would delay their migration. The truth is birds migrate when their natural internal clocks urge them to do so. Migration is driven by instinct and external factors such as hours of sunlight and weather, not by the availability of food at our feeders. If anything, keep your feeders out and filled to help re-energize the hungry little birds as they pass through, especially since many of their favorite summer blooms are now gone. I put my hummingbird feeders up in early spring to provide food for the early arrivals until the weather warms and our flower beds burst into bloom. Once there are plenty of blooms I take the feeders down, only to bring them back out in late summer. During the summer I like to draw hummingbirds up close to my back deck using a variety of potted containers and climbing vines. When setting up your hummingbird feeder, a sugar-water solution of 1 part white table sugar to 4 parts water most closely represents the content of naturally occurring flower nectar. Refrigerate any extra and refill feeders with fresh mixture every 3 – 5 days. Also, it’s recommended not to add red food coloring to the mixture. If your feeder is red, and most are, they will find it just fine. If it’s not red, just put something red close to it or just tie a red ribbon to the feeder to help them find it faster. I’ve actually seen hummingbirds pass through my area as late as mid-November, so go ahead and keep those feeders out a little longer and help those little migrating wonders as they venture towards their winter vacation grounds. 2011-09-18T13:50:59+00:00 http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/va/blog_02/beat_the_heat_with_container_plants/ http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/va/blog_02/beat_the_heat_with_container_plants/ For many of us in the south, this is the time of year when the heat, humidity and summer droughts begin to take its toll on our favorite annuals and perennials, resulting in plants looking a bit ragged and untidy. It’s not just the plants, we as gardeners get a little tired as well. As for me, when the outdoor temps hit 95 with heat indices even higher, there’s not much you’ll find me doing in the garden. Fortunately, there’s one area in my garden that’s still going strong; and that’s my container gardens. When everything else is looking needy, my containers are still looking great. Keeping them watered with the occasional shot of fertilizer, containers can look great throughout the entire growing season. It’s easier for many plants to survive in containers than in the ground, which makes container gardening ideal for beginning gardeners or those looking for instant success. For one, you don’t have to worry about your native soil if you use a good quality potting mix. You also have more control where the plants in containers are located; for example, during an extreme hot spell, you can temporarily move the container in partial shade. Container plants do require more water than the average plant in the ground, but other than that anyone can have success with container gardening. Group your containers together to make a more dynamic statement. Grouping them also makes it simpler when it’s time for watering. Add a few plants in your containers for wildlife so you can experience an up-close view of butterflies and hummingbirds.  And speaking of hummingbirds, one of my favorite container plants this summer is the Mexican Fire Bush (Hamelia patens). The flower clusters are bright orange and the foliage has an orange cast as well. It’s very attractive to hummingbirds. The plant blooms all summer and thrives in heat and humidity, but must be brought in for the winter. Locate planted containers in an area that you can get the most enjoyment from them. Mine are located where they can be seen entering and exiting my home, and are the first plants I see when walking out onto my back deck. The gardens in the background my not look all that fresh this time of year, but the containers are thriving. 2011-08-03T00:03:57+00:00