Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia
Promoting environmentally sound gardening practices for over 35 years!
Controlling pests in our gardens can be frustrating whether they be blatantly furry and adorable or seemingly impossible to find as you search the ruins of a plant. Pests can even be invasive plants that bully the non-invasive vegetation. If you are experiencing pest problems in your garden or yard, the following classes and resources will help you.
We have made a change to our deadline time for registering for classes.
Please make sure you register by 8:00 p.m. the day before the class.
The hot days of July pose challenges for the summer garden and the summer gardener. Whether it’s keeping plants and yourself well hydrated, learning to identify and combat pests and diseases that thrive in our local humidity, or adopting climate-conscious gardening practices to help your garden and the wildlife it supports thrive, our July classes have something for you.
Are you interested in our Extension Master Gardener (EMG) Volunteer Training Program for Arlington and the City of Alexandria? We will hold our Information Night on June 28th at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom, where you can learn about our program, its requirements, and the application process. via Zoom.
Tried and True Native Plant Selections for the Mid-Atlantic
The wild native wisteria is a climbing vine with chains of richly colored, sweetly fragrant flowers, although not as dramatic or as rampant as its Asian cousins. This member of the Pea family is native to wet forests and stream banks of the southeastern United States.
Featured Glossary word: Twine
“Environmentally safe” Buddleia davidii cultivars can still do damage to the native environment.
Compost, also known as Black Gold, is decomposed organic waste materials from your yard or your kitchen or both that is added to vegetable gardens or other planting areas to improve the soil. Composting is a natural process, so anyone can do it, and the materials are free.
Celebrate Earth Day!
Vegetable Gardening information and events for March 2022
Announcement! The new MGNV website is here!
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Leaves float down outside my window. Each at ease in its graceful flutter, Each with its own unique dance ... no need to practice steps or think there is a …
Sun rising. Watching its light move down into the forest, touching earth, I am touched, enlivened, inwardly aware Of the collaboration of sun/warmth/wind/water Summoning life on our planet … now …
Native plants may be best suited to environmental conditions and provide critical support to wildlife. Some categories of natives may fulfill these functions better than others. An important consideration in selecting native plants is whether to purchase so-called “straight species,” the forms that are found naturally in the wild, or cultivars, plants that have been produced by horticulturists through selective breeding for certain ornamental traits.
A society grows great when old men (and women and children) plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit. There are lots of ways to grow our tree canopy; this article describes just a few ways we can get involved.
Arlington Regional Master Naturalists joined Extension Master Gardeners and community volunteers on July 17th in an ongoing effort to revitalize the pollinator garden next to the Jerome “Buddie” Ford Nature Center in Alexandria.
At the end of a long winter indoors, houseplants often become spindly and tired-looking. You can renew your plants by moving them outdoors for the summer. Finding the right spot for their “summer vacation” is key.
Tried and True Native Plants of the Mid-Atlantic Click on images for larger views and captions. Common throughout the Mid-Atlantic Region, Tuliptree is aptly named from the shape of its flowers and …
The MGNV website is maintained and created by the MGNV Social Media Committee with input from MGNV and VCE. We have occasional guest writers, and additional photographs are contributed by members of MGNV
The cicadas are coming!
Brood X, also called the “Great Eastern Brood,” will emerge in DC, DE, GA, IL, IN, KY, MD, MI, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, and WV in 2021. Beginning as early as late April and continuing into June, adults will emerge at sunset from their underground locations where they spend most of their lives 1 to 8 feet below the surface as nymphs feeding on sap of tree roots.
If you’re looking to introduce indoor plants to your home, Tradescantia pallida (purple heart) and Chlorophytum comosum (spider plant) are two good choices for starter houseplants. Following are growing basics for each plant.
Your young, newly planted trees are very attractive to our healthy white-tailed deer population. Not only are the leaves and tender young growth within easy height for feeding, deer will utilize young trees for rubbing their antlers and do serious damage to the bark and trunk of even newly planted trees.
Protection from wildlife is important for guarding the initial investment of planting. Overall, wildlife protection should be adaptive and based on need, cost, desired effectiveness, installation effort, and ease of maintenance.
Climate-Conscious Gardening To quote David W. Wolfe, Professor of Plant & Soil Ecology at Cornell University, “We are in the unfortunate situation of being the first generation of gardeners, ever, …
"My decision to remove most of the turf grass from my yard germinated over many years and after learning about the state of the nation’s lands and waters. What’s the connection? Our love affair with our lawns – with a thick green carpet of grass, free of weeds – comes at a steep cost to the environment."
