Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia
Promoting environmentally sound gardening practices for over 35 years!
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.
Microgreens – You’ve likely seen them, but what makes them good for you? Join Extension Master Gardener Becky Halbe to learn their many benefits and some simple ways to grow these delicious, nutritious, and inexpensive baby plants and sprouts in your own home.
Long-blooming annuals have traditionally been preferred for balcony gardens, but native perennials work just as well for those who are able to devote more time and attention to the maintenance of a garden. Perennials have an advantage over annuals in that they will last from year to year. Choosing plants with attractive foliage is essential, since flowering periods for natives are not as lengthy as those for non-native summer annuals.
Fall is a wonderful time of year for foraging. Pawpaws, ginkgo nuts, sassafras and more can be found in our urban surroundings by foraging in the wild (and not so wild) areas.
Wondering what to plant when the weather starts to cool? Join Extension Master Gardener Dona Lee to learn what to plant when, and simple tips for success. She discusses inexpensive techniques to extend your harvest and ways to enjoy some of your crops in the dead of winter. Learn how to select and plant winter cover crops to improve your soil for next year.
Want to take edible landscaping to the next level? This presentation covers the selection and culture of native fruit trees, shrubs and vines that will satisfy any ornamental landscape use. From shade to supporting wildlife, erosion control, and screening, you can choose a fruit crop to suit your home garden. Learn about growth habits, pros and cons, and how to acquire and care for these native plants.
Our Northern Virginia soil and temperatures are well-suited for growing fruit. Learn tips and techniques to successfully nurture commonly grown fruit trees and shrubs and cane fruit in your own yard, including apples, cherries, peaches, nectarines, figs, pears, blueberries, and more. Kirsten Conrad, Agriculture Natural Resource Extension Agent, discusses best practices for assessing your site, pruning, watering and fertilizing, integrated pest management, and other ideas for maximizing your harvest.
Enjoy creating your own traditional medicinal herb garden! Bring the flavor, health, beauty and convenience of homegrown herbs to your garden. Our simple DIY techniques will show you how to plant, care for and harvest herbs that thrive in our area – in a garden or in containers – for bountiful herbs with a tradition of healthful benefits.
In normal times there is something innately satisfying about eating food you grew yourself. Now that novelty can feel like a necessity. We’re all juggling recipes to fit what is in our pantries and learning to substitute the named ingredient for the available. Never has it been more fulfilling to be a forager.
Learn how to grow edible and ornamental plants in containers on your porch, deck, balcony, or patio. This workshop explores soil, containers, maintenance, and selection of suitable plants.
Learn everything you need to know to grow exceptional tomatoes: understand the many varieties, select those that suit your needs, prepare your garden, plant and nurture your plants, and harvest tasty tomatoes of your own this summer.
Best location? How to lay out? Plan your garden for the best vegetables. Learn how to use flowers to attract pollinators.
The Dale St Community Garden, located at 65 Dale Street in Alexandria, is a thriving new example of a green and lovely garden spot that not only offers local residents space to grow crops and flowers but also teaches sustainable gardening practices and the benefits of fresh food and the uses of native plants.
