Garden and Landscaping

By Melinda Myers  Tuck them into the garden, pop some in a container or dress up a window box. Then water as needed, add a bit of fertilizer and wait for the color explosion. The showy heartshaped leaves of caladiums come in combinations of pink, red, white and green. These heat-loving plants provide beautiful color all season long. Best of all, no deadheading is needed. Caladiums can …

Provided by Prince William County   Native plants are the best plants that can be used locally to grow sustainable and ecologically valuable gardens. A set of classes offered by the Virginia Cooperative Extension, or VCE, will help people learn to garden using those plants that naturally help the environment. “A sustainable landscape is one that supports our wildlife, but …

By Melinda Myers Indoor growing conditions often offer limited light and that can mean tall leggy transplants with weak stems. You can greatly increase your success by investing in quality grow lights. Adding artificial light to your seed starting regime results in stout transplants with strong stems and deep green leaves. Invest wisely when shopping for indoor plant lights. Fluorescent tubes used to be the …

By Melinda Myers Help your houseplants make a smooth transition from their outdoor summer home back inside for winter. The lower light and humidity indoors, along with any insects that hitched a ride indoors, make it difficult to keep these plants looking their best. Here are some basic steps you can follow. Give them a shower before they move indoors. A gentle blast of water …

Provided by Prince William County Do you have a love of plants, aspire to know more about gardening and a desire to share that knowledge with others? Than you should consider becoming a Master Gardener with the Virginia Cooperative Extension. Master Gardeners learn about general botany, invasive plants and insects, soils, trees, streams, water quality, pruning and just about anything …

Provided by Prince William County The all-organic and sustainability garden behind the Manassas Senior Center is full of life and color, including different shades of purples, greens and reds. While the garden is pretty to look at, it is also put to good use by the center. Len Postman is the volunteer who planted and oversees the garden. She said …

By Melinda Myers Give your perennials a boost this fall with a topdressing of organic matter. It’s a great way to revive tired gardens, improve a garden’s overall health, and keep vibrant perennials healthy and blooming at their best. Research found topdressing your garden with compost every year or two provides most, if not all the nutrients most perennials need.  …

Provided by Prince William County Any good gardener knows pollinators are a necessary part of successful gardening. Attracting pollinators is essential for getting your vegetables, fruits and flowers to grow. You can help pollinators stay healthy by getting rid of the stuff that kills them and planting native plants. Nancy Berlin, a natural resource specialist with the Virginia Cooperative Extension …

If grubs overtake your lawn this spring, will you know how to get rid of them? Do you have the time and skill to effectively patch those ugly bare spots that developed over the winter? A lush lawn and beautiful landscape are on virtually every homeowner’s wish list, but a lack of time and knowledge commonly keep people from effectively …

By Melinda Myers Adding excitement to your garden is easy.  You can create instant, year-round color, structure, motion and fun to your landscape with a bit of garden art. Just like shopping for plants, look for pieces that complement your gardening style. And consider all the benefits each piece of art provides. Many pieces are functional as well as beautiful, …