"From the Bay to the Blue Ridge"
By Melinda Myers Create a Healthy Foundation for Fall Plantings| Fall is a great time to start a garden or renovate an existing planting bed. The soil is warm while the air is cool – a perfect combination for establishing new plantings. It is also a great time to prepare gardens for the next planting […]
Powdery mildew occurs when the fungal organism and susceptible plants are present and the environmental conditions are right for the disease to occur. Photo credit: Melinda Myers, LLC Organic Prevention and Management of Powdery Mildew on Plants By Melinda Myers Spots and patches of white or gray talcum powder-like substance on your plant means powdery mildew […]
By Melinda Myers Photo credit: Melinda Myers, LLC The Birds, The Bees, The Butterflies & the Bugs! A garden filled with flowers, birds, bees and butterflies is a sight to behold. These winged beauties add color, sound and motion to our gardens. Plus, they help maximize a garden’s productivity by pollinating plants and managing plant-damaging pests. […]
The Art of Waterwise Gardening By Melinda Myers Making a few changes in your garden care can yield great benefits. Less time and water wasted means more time for you to relax or entertain friends and family in your beautiful landscape. Water is critical throughout the life of a plant, but deciding when and how […]
By Melinda Myers Colorful Caladiums Brighten Shade Gardens All Season 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 heart-shaped leaves of caladiums come in combinations of pink, red, white and […]
How to Grow a Shamrock! In the spirit of the month of March and one of the Old Town Crier’s favorite celebration days – St. Patrick’s Day – we bring you our annual column on growing shamrocks. We are sure you wnat to know the secret to growing these lucky plants! Stories have it that […]
Winter Gardening Tips Even though it may still be cold, damp and miserable outdoors, an occasional dose of sunshine could certainly put the gardening bug into you. With a little luck, Mother Nature will send a few blossoms your way this month. We are now at a time when we can no longer put […]
Brighten Up Your Winter Garden With Colorful Berries Just because the trees are bare and there is snow on the ground doesn’t mean that your garden has to become a winter wasteland. A well-planned garden will provide year-round interest and visual treats. Many evergreens and hardy ornamental grasses can be quite stunning in the […]
By Melinda Myers Plant Based Essential Oils Boost the Mind, Body & Spirit during the Holidays Ease into the hectic holiday season with the help of aromatherapy. The fragrances of plant-derived essential oils have long been used to improve the health of our mind, body and spirit. We are betting that many of our readers […]
Plant Easy Care Daffodils Now for Added Spring Beauty By Melinda Myers Daffodils have a cheery presence in the spring garden and are a surefire way to chase away the winter blues. These fall-planted bulbs are also reliable perennials that require no maintenance and are not bothered by deer or other pests. The National Garden […]
