Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia
Promoting environmentally sound gardening practices for over 35 years!
Learn how the Organic Vegetable Garden (OVG) Master Gardeners protect the vegetable garden from the deer, rabbits, raccoons, squirrels, chipmunks, insects, and birds that want to enjoy the garden’s bounty.
Learn how to manage and control garden critters affecting your vegetables, fruits, ornamentals, and lawn with Jason Searight, Extension Master Gardener Intern.
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.
Virginia Cooperative Extension has been monitoring the arrival of this invasive in our region and there are many resources available for reporting sitings and management of this beautiful but terrible pest.
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.
As you enjoy the spring blooms this May, start strategizing ways to keep mosquitoes and ticks at bay in your yard without the use of pesticides. Our May 20 class, "Controlling Mosquitoes and Ticks in Your Yard Without Pesticides, describes an integrated pest management approach based on an understanding of the life cycles of these insects.
Join Kirsten Conrad, Extension Agent for Arlington and City of Alexandria, to learn how to recognize the invasive Spotted Lanternfly, what to do if you see one, how to report it, and how to manage the damage that it may cause to your landscape and fruit crops.
The insects listed are among the most common vegetable garden pests in Virginia as identified by Virginia Tech Extension.
Insect Pest Management for the Vegetable Garden - Fall Crop Pests and Tips and Tricks for Reducing Overwintering Pests
Insect Pest Management for the Vegetable Garden - Bird and Mammal Pests
Insect Pest Management for the Vegetable Garden - Pests of Cabbage, Kale, and Collards
Insect Pest Management for the Vegetable Garden - Pests of Tomatoes, and Peppers
Insect Pest Management for the Vegetable Garden - Pests of Cucurbits (cantaloupes, cucumbers, squash, pumpkins, and watermelons)
Insect Pest Management for the Vegetable Garden - Planning to Prevent Insect Pests and Grow Healthier Plants in Next Year’s Garden
Insect Pest Management for the Vegetable Garden - April: Pests of Beans, Peas, and other Legumes
Insect Pest Management for the Vegetable Garden - Pests of Cool Season Plants - Lettuce, Radish, Leafy Greens
Insect Pest Management for the Vegetable Garden - Planning to Prevent Pest Proliferation
The health of Arlington and Alexandria’s urban forest depends on efforts across the community to plant and care for our trees. From time to time, our green canopy needs some TLC. Join Kirsten Conrad, Extension Agent for Arlington County and the City of Alexandria, to learn about common questions asked regarding tree root, leaf, and stem diseases and insect pests, and what is injurious to your trees and what is not. This program also will discuss best practices for tree planting and replacement and will offer easy, inexpensive, straightforward measures to help avoid tree problems and ensure that your trees have the best possible chance for success.
Got fruit? Want to add some shade with edible crops to your landscaping? This class offers you best practices for recognizing and managing the top 12 disease and insect pests that are found on our most popular home fruit trees. Speaker Kirsten Conrad, Extension Agent for Arlington County and the City of Alexandria, explains how to grow a viable fruit crop without the use of pesticides or fungicides.
Protect yourself from ticks without destroying beneficial insects. Spraying pesticides to control ticks is ineffective because ticks reside primarily within leaf litter where the sprays cannot reach them, or they are brought in by animal hosts. The pesticides, however, are nonselective and will kill pollinators and other beneficial insects they come in contact with. There are much more effective ways to protect yourself, your family, and your pets and still enjoy the outdoors.
We are already seeing calls for spraying to control mosquitoes on neighborhood social media sites. Before you think of spraying, check out these better options for controlling mosquitoes that will not hurt beneficial insects.
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.
Join us for a class on recognizing common injurious insects in your vegetable garden. Learn how to attract and encourage beneficial insects to assist you in fighting off these pests. We cover tips and tricks for limiting and even preventing damage from insect pests on your vegetable crops.
Learn pesticide-free best management practices to control mosquitoes and ticks in your yard and keep them away from you and your family. The presentation includes how to identify mosquitoes and ticks prevalent in this area, their life cycle, how they reproduce, and where they go in the winter.
