Author Archives: MGNV Webmaster

Sustainable Urban Agriculture Certificate Program

Posted on February 15, 2020

Registration is now open for the 12-week Sustainable Urban Agriculture Certificate Program. The 12-week (17 modules) course begins March 7 and ends May 30, 2020. Classes will be conducted on Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. on VSU’s Randolph … Continue reading →

Posted in Public Education, Urban Agriculture | Tagged , ,

TREE: Betula nigra (River Birch, Red Birch)

Posted on February 14, 2020

Tried and True Native Plant Selections for the Mid-Atlantic

Noted for beautiful, exfoliating bark and multiple trunks, River Birch is an excellent food source for wildlife, supporting hundreds of species of moths, butterflies, and songbirds. It is commonly found in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain of the Mid-Atlantic Region from Pennsylvania to Virginia. The beauty of the tree’s bark can be seen in detail in this new video by Extension Master Gardener Mary Free. Continue reading →

Posted in MG in the Garden, Tried and True Native Plant Selections for the Mid-Atlantic | Tagged , , , ,

Master Gardeners’ Bookshelf: All the Presidents’ Gardens

Posted on February 12, 2020

We who live in the DC-Metro area are fortunate to be surrounded by many wonderful historical gardens, such as Mount Vernon, Hillwood, and Tudor Place. Among these are the gardens at the White House. All the Presidents’ Gardens: Madison’s Cabbages to Kennedy’s Roses—How the White House Grounds Have Grown with America (All the President’s Gardens) by Marta McDowell is a fascinating history of the White House grounds and gardens and how they evolved over time. Continue reading →

Posted in Master Gardeners Bookshelf | Tagged , , ,

Invasive Plants in Northern Virginia: Japanese Stiltgrass

Posted on February 10, 2020

Invasive Plants in Northern Virginia: Japanese Stiltgrass

One of more damaging invasive species in the Mid-Atlantic region, Microstegium vimineum, (Japanese stiltgrass) threatens wooded areas and is increasingly found on farms and in residential areas where it can invade lawns, landscape beds, and vegetable gardens. Continue reading →

Posted in Invasive Plants, Public Education | Tagged , ,