Community Landscape Blog

"Ticked in NoVa"

Fri, 18 May 2012 15:57:00 -0400

"Ticked in NoVa"
By Natalie Kaar
With warm weather increasingly luring us outdoors, we increasingly become lures for ticks. A little info can go a long way, though, in keeping the potentially disease-producing bugs at bay and treating bites appropriately. "There are 15 different tick species found in Virginia, but only three species commonly bite people," says State Public Health Entomologist David N. Gaines.

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"No need to stay inside, but check for ticks"

Fri, 18 May 2012 15:48:00 -0400

"No need to stay inside, but check for ticks"
Written by: Lisa A. Flam
NEW YORK ---- Shortly after her first child was born, Colleen Safford left Manhattan for a 10-acre spread north of the urban jungle to create a new life for her growing family -- a life immersed in the outdoors.
But along with the woods and grassy fields came a drawback of country life in the Northeast: the black-legged tick, which can carry the Lyme disease bacteria.
"I wanted grass stains for my kids instead of cement scrapes," said Safford, who owns a dog boarding business on her property in Chatham, N.Y., about two hours north of New York City. "I wanted them to have an intense outdoor experience, and Lyme disease came with it. But it's worth it." [More]

Common Ticks of Virginia

Fri, 18 May 2012 15:36:00 -0400

Common Ticks of Virginia

The four most common ticks in Virginia that are encountered by humans are the lone star tick, the American dog tick, the brown tick, and the deer tick. The lone star tick is found predominately east of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The American dog tick is found predominately west of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The brown dog tick can be found throughout Virginia but tends to be uncommon. The deer tick is uncommon also and is found primarily in the northern and eastern sections of Virginia.

To read more information about the common ticks of Virginia Click Here

"Ticks Off: Battling Loudoun's Lyme disease spike"

Fri, 18 May 2012 15:26:00 -0400

Ticks Off: Battling Loudoun's Lyme disease spike

By Susan Anspach
When Dr. David Goodfriend first came to Loudoun County in 2001, he says there were 20 to 30 reported cases of Lyme disease per year. Over the last three years, reports Goodfriend, who serves as director of the Loudoun County Health Department, there have been between 500 and 700 reports a year, with 201 of them meeting the case definition of Lyme disease in 2009.

"It's a significant issue," Goodfriend says. "In Loudoun County, it's the second most common reported disease that we see." Northern Virginia, and Loudoun County in particular, is what Goodfriend calls "the leading edge" of case reports for the disease, transmitted in Virginia by black-legged tick bites. A swath of land stretching from Connecticut to the northern tip of the Commonwealth is a high-risk geographic region in the United States, and the black-legged tick population only trickled down to Virginia in the past 10 to 15 years. Disease awareness, Goodfriend says, is finally beginning to catch up...

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Mark Your Calendars for Historic Garden Week in Virginia - April 21st -28th

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:19:00 -0400

Historic Garden Week in Virginia is scheduled for April 21st thru April 28th this year.

Events are planned around Northern Virginia, and details are found online at vagardenweek.org.

You'll be richly rewarded in touring this annual event.

For more information and to find a tour nearest you, visit

http://www.vagardenweek.org/index.cfm

Spring Landscaping To Get Your Northern Virginia Lawn And Garden Ready

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:15:00 -0400

Before you pull the lawn furniture out of storage for the summer, take some time to prepare your Northern Virginia landscaping. These spring landscaping tips will keep you busy and keep warm weather on your mind while you wait for it to arrive in the Northern Virginia area.

Begin with planning. Before you attack the overgrown hedges or ripping out dead vines and leaves think about what you want your landscaping to look like when all the work is done. Consider the bloom times for each of the flowerbeds and gardens, and create a timeline of when certain plants need to be in place in order to bloom this season.

Think ahead to the fall and determine what spring bulbs you should plant in the in preparation for next spring.

Consider planting spring blooming trees in your Northern Virginia landscape to give a refreshing start to the season. Incorporating spring bloom trees now allows the roots to settle-in before the next Northern Virginia winter, making for sturdier trees.

Spring landscaping can also include shrubs. The addition of shrubs, available in more than standard green bushes contrary to what most believe, add an additional layer of color, height and texture to your Washington DC area landscape.

Schedule a consultation with a landscape design architect or landscape designer to make the most of the entire growing season. Hobby gardeners who take pride in their landscaping can benefit greatly from one visit, as discussions focus on what, where, when and how many to plant to ensure you make the most of the warm growing months and enjoy a variety of vegetation.

Read Article HERE

Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:08:00 -0400

PLANT CLINICS OFFER FREE GARDENING ADVICE FROM VCE MASTER

GARDENERS

If you wonder how to grow great tomatoes, which tree is best for your home landscape, or what strange insect you have found, VCE Master Gardeners can help you find the answers at weekly Plant Clinics held in the following four locations:

Arlington County Farmer’s Market, intersection of N. 14^th Street and Courthouse Road, Saturdays, from 8 to 11 am, April 14 through September 29.

Arlington Central Library Plant Clinic, 1015 N. Quincy Street, Thursdays, from 6:45 to 8:45 pm, April 19 through November 15.

Old Town Farmers’ Market, 301 King Street, Alexandria, Saturdays, from 6:30 to 9:30 am, May 5 through September 29.

Del Ray Farmers’ Market, intersection of Mt. Vernon and East Oxford Avenues, Saturdays, from 8:30 to 11 am, May 5 through September 29.

VCE Master Gardener Help Desk (703-228-6414), or mgarlalex@gmail.com; staffed from 9 am through noon, Monday through Friday, year round.

Home gardeners are also welcome to visit the Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) office at 3308 S. Stafford St., Arlington, VA, 9 am through 5 pm, and our website at www.ext.vt.edu.

Please bring fresh samples of problem plants, weeds or insects with you to ensure the accurate identification of any diseases or pests. VCE recommends carrying samples in plastic bags or other clear containers. Please don’t bring live insects. All clinics and Help Desk are free of charge.

CLICK HERE for more information

"Fruit growers brace for freeze"

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 15:59:00 -0400

Temperatures in the 20s threaten plants, crops -- many already in full bloom

By Sally Voth -- svoth@nvdaily.com

Mother Nature may have played a cruel trick on fruit trees and flowers in the Shenandoah Valley -- teasing them out early only to freeze them in the first week of spring.

The National Weather Service issued a freeze warning for early today. The warning was in effect for northern and central Virginia, eastern West Virginia and central and western Maryland from 3 to 9 a.m. today, according to the National Weather Service's website, weather.gov.

The warning says the temperatures could be in the lower to mid-20s, and that unprotected vegetation was most susceptible when temperatures are at 27 degrees and below for at least three hours.

That could be bad for business at area orchards.

"We're very concerned," said Harman Brumback, one of the owners of the Woodbine Farm Market west of Strasburg.

Peaches have already progressed beyond the bloom stage, and the apples have started to bloom, while plums are also in bloom, he said. The orchard also grows cherry trees.

"We're probably a month ahead of where we should be at this time," Brumback said. "We're hoping that the wind will continue to blow, and it won't be as cold as they're calling for. There's not really a great deal we can do."

The orchard doesn't have any wind or heat machinery, he said.

"Unfortunately, we have a long way to go," Brumback said. "My dad, he always said around May 15, if you can get through May 15th without a frost [the crop would be fine].

"Your exposure is so much longer when you bloom this early. Before in the past, we would have a few warm days, but nothing with the stretch of warm weather we've had this year. This is the earliest I've ever seen things bloom."

Up in Winchester, the folks at Marker-Miller Orchards were dealing with similar worries.

"We're concerned and we're praying," partner John Marker said. "Peaches are just a little past bloom. Apples are just coming out. Plums are just about done. Cherries are just starting to bloom, so it's a very critical time. We hope it doesn't go below 30, or for not very long anyway. Everything's a month early from normal. We've seen two to three weeks early before, but never this early, or I haven't."

A harsh enough freeze could kill off an entire crop, he said.

"If it went to 25 [Monday night] ... there may be a few apples on some later varieties ..." Marker said. "It would take out all the peaches. It would take out all the plums. It would take out all the cherries, and a good part of the apples.

"We can handle 28 or 29 [degrees] for 20 minutes or a half hour. We're praying that it doesn't get below 30, that the air keeps moving."

Wind keeps air mixed, preventing cold spots from forming in hollows, he said. Marker, too, acknowledged it will be a while before the farmers are out of the danger zone.

"Hopefully, it's an early spring," he said. "I'm 64, and I can remember one [freeze] the 24th of May. Usually, if we get through the full moon of May, we've got a 90-percent chance of getting a decent crop. This is uncharted territory right now. We've just never seen it quite this early."

Three weeks of warm temperatures made blooms come on like "gangbusters," Marker said.

Both he and Brumback mentioned full moons affecting freezes.

"[I] don't know what the correlation is, or the scientific part of it, but it seems like if you have clear nights on a full moon, it's usually chilly," Marker said. "It's just an old farmers' tale that's ingrained in our minds."

Over at Glen Manor Vineyards in Front Royal, owner Jeff White wasn't as concerned as the orchard farmers.

"It probably will [affect vines] in some part of the state," he said. "Last time I saw [the forecast], they were looking at 32 degrees. Normally, it takes a temperature of 27, 28 to damage newly formed leaves.

"I only have a few buds that have opened and are susceptible. It looks like we're going to dodge one tonight."

As a mountainside vineyard owner, White takes a different view of wind. Denser cold air sinks to valley floors, displacing the warmer area up along the sides of the mountain, he said. A windy day or night can change that.

White said he doesn't take any special precautions because his positioning hasn't seen any significant frost issues.

"The most expensive thing to do is to rent a helicopter," he said.

The helicopters can be used to stir up winds and hopefully drive warm air on top of the vineyards, White said.

Kathy Lutz, of Tall Oaks Nursery and Landscaping in Mt. Jackson, said those who put flowers and plants out early could lose some bloom if they don't cover them.

The nursery has been open a couple of weeks, but only perennials are out there now, Lutz said.

"Spring got here quickly this year," she said.

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL ARTICLE ON NVDAILY.COM

Daffodils

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 12:52:00 -0400
Spring weather is in the air! One of the first signs of Spring is seeing the daffodils popping up everywhere. The bright colors are beginning to bloom, as the grays of winter are fading away.
If you ever wanted more information about this first flower of Spring, we have found it for you! Check out the links below to learn more about Daffodils!
Plant Care Guides: Daffodils
Spring Blooming Bulbs Types of Narcissus (Daffodil Bulbs)
Better Homes and Gardens: 17 Top Daffodils

More Mulching Tips!

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 12:44:00 -0400
We have read many great articles this month about mulching as we are gearing up our mulching services at some of our properties. Here are some links to more articles we think you should check out!
Gardening Channel: How to Use Mulch in your Garden
Mulching Tip Sheet from the Natural Resources Conservation Service
Mulching Tips to Fight Weeds Naturally

Springtime Mulching: Why do we mulch?

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 12:30:00 -0400
Why do we want to Mulch?
Mulching is a practice that trees have been doing all by themselves for thousands of years. Each year, trees drop leaves or needles to the forest floor, forming a layer of organic matter. This layer serves many functions, but first and foremost it provides cover to the soil, reducing or eliminating erosion. This layer of leaves also helps to retain moisture, adds organic material to the root zone of the plant, and allows of recycling of nutrients.
Mulch in the landscape serves the same purpose, and also provides a number of other benefits. First and foremost, just like in the natural landscape, it helps to conserve and maintain soil moisture, which is a huge benefit for plants. In addition, mulch also provides the following benefits:

The dark color of mulch serves to warm the soil, which promotes earlier root growth and earlier spring growth of plants.
Mulch helps to delay soil freezing and prevent frost heaving.
Mulch protects plants and plant roots from damage by equipment such as mowers and weed eaters.
Mulch minimizes compaction from traffic in the mulched area.
Mulch helps to suppress competing vegetation such as weeds and grass.
By covering the soil with mulch soil erosion is minimized.
Mulch slows runoff from rain events and allows moisture to soak into the ground.
Mulch enhances garden and landscape appearance.
Mulch makes garden and landscape maintenance easier.
Finally, using an organic mulch also adds organic matter to the soil, which serves to improve the soil's water holding capacity, increases the number of microorganisms in the soil profile, and improves nutrient holding and supply of the soil.
[More]

TLC Home "How to Mulch: Tips and Guidlines"

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 12:20:00 -0400
Adding mulch to your garden will improve the health of the soil and beautify the appearance of your landscaping.
Cover garden beds with a layer of mulch to keep weeds down and reduce the need for water. Annual weed seeds are less likely to sprout when the soil is covered with enough mulch to keep the soil surface in the dark.
When it comes to water, even a thin layer of mulch (nature's moisturizer) will reduce evaporation from the soil surface. Thicker mulches can reduce water use by as much as 50 percent.
Mulches vary in their appearance, makeup, and texture, which will influence how you use them. Here are some examples:

Varying appearances: For a soothing, natural-looking garden, use dark-colored organic mulches made of bark or compost. For a brilliant-looking garden, consider a mulch of bright gravel. In utilitarian gardens such as vegetable gardens, straw makes an excellent mulch. Avoid colored mulch or beauty bark.
Soil improvement: This calls for the use of organic mulches that break down to add organic matter to the soil.
Texture: For maximum effectiveness with only a thin mulch layer, look for fine-textured mulches such as twice-shredded bark, compost, or cocoa hulls. For an airy mulch, try thicker layers of coarse-textured mulches such as straw or bark chunks.
[More]

Educational Videos: Spring Clean-Up & Edging

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:58:00 -0400
Be sure to check out these great videos on Spring Clean-Up and Edging. Full of great information!

Video: Spring Yard and Garden Clean Up
Video: How to Use a Manual Lawn Edger
Video: Bed Edging

Edging: Creating a well-defined garden

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:40:00 -0400
Edging is an important task completed during Spring Clean Up:
Advantages of Edging:

Edging and borders give flower beds a clean, finished look and define the boundaries between a flower bed and your lawn.
A well-maintained border keeps mulch inside a bed.
Edging and borders keep out weeds.

[More]

How to Guide for SPRING CLEANING in the Perennial Garden

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:32:00 -0400
We found this great article online that goes into detail about Spring Cleaning in your garden. The article includes information on when to start your spring clean up with specific details for different kinds of plants. It also goes on to discuss spring weeding, spring fertilizing, mulching, and bed edging. The end has a few other great tips! Be sure to check out this article before starting your spring clean up in your garden!

CLICK HERE to read the article