Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia
Promoting environmentally sound gardening practices for over 35 years!
The Plant Clinic at Arlington Central Library is staffed by VCE Master Gardeners, who answer general gardening questions as well as questions about pests and diseases and plant identification. They also provide free soil test kits on request. The clinic is located in the East Lobby of the Library.
Join Kirsten Conrad, Agriculture/Natural Resources Extension Agent for Arlington and the City of Alexandria 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. Kirsten will cover tips and tricks for limiting and even preventing damage from insect pests on your vegetable crops.
The Plant Clinic at the Small Space Garden is staffed by VCE Master Gardeners, who answer general gardening questions as well as questions about pests, diseases, and plant identification. They also provide free soil test kits on request. The Plant Clinic coincides with the Fairlington Farmers Market and is located at the back of the Fairlington Community Center.
Wondering what to plant when the weather starts to cool? Consider carrots, leafy greens, or garlic for starters. Join Extension Master Gardener Dona Lee to learn what to plant when and simple tips for success. Dona discusses inexpensive techniques to extend your harvest and ways to enjoy some of your crops in the dead of winter. She also discusses how to select and plant winter cover crops to improve your soil for next year.
Kids will learn composting basics by creating a Soil-arium. Captain Compost, the superhero of soil will be there to “cook” some fun for your garden. Ages 5-10.
Limited to 15 kids due to space constraints. First come/first served.
All pest control at Simpson Park Demonstration Garden is done by hand and without the aid of chemical treatments. We continue to educate and illustrate these techniques and more to our many Tuesday/Thursday visitors to our very popular community garden.
Invasive plant species are being discussed more and more but understanding what they are and what to do about them in our home gardens can be confusing. Extension Master Gardener and Master Naturalist Alyssa Ford Morel explains what invasive plants are, why they are worth doing something about, and take a closer look at invasive plants frequently found in Northern Virginia home yards. She also discusses removal strategies and offer suggestions for non-invasive plants to replace them.
Learn how to manage and control garden critters affecting your vegetables, fruits, ornamentals, and lawn with Kirsten Conrad, the Agricultural Natural Resource Extension Agent for Arlington County and City of Alexandria. This is an informative and entertaining look at some of the science-based advice offered in the 2022 Pest Management Guide: Home Grounds and Animals published by the Virginia Cooperative Extension
Calling home gardeners of all ages! Whether this is your first year of gardening or you’ve been growing flowers, fruits or veggies for a while, now is the time to enter the Competitive Exhibits at the Arlington County Fair and strut your stuff! Entries will be judged by Extension Master Gardeners and there are prizes galore. Residents of Arlington County, Alexandria City, Falls Church and Joint Base Ft Myers-Henderson are eligible to enter. Kids welcome! Information on entries and forms are available at https://www.arlingtoncountyfair.us/participants#competitive-exhibits. Online entry deadline is August 15, 2022 at midnight.
The Arlington County Fair is one of the largest free events on the East Coast and has been providing quality entertainment for over 40 years. In recent years, attendance has reached over 84,000 as people come from Arlington, Northern Virginia, and the DC Metro region to enjoy competitive exhibits, midway rides and games, entertainment, vendors, and more. Each year Thomas Jefferson Community Center is transformed into a special place with something for everyone to see. Admission is free, there is a cost for some activities. Wednesday, August 17 through Sunday, August 21, Check website for times on individual dates
Did you know that soil acidity – the pH of your soil – can affect the availability of soil nutrients to your plants? Did you know the basic elements needed for the health of the human body are the same ones that your vegetable plants need, too? Kirsten Conrad, Agriculture/Natural Resources Extension Agent for Arlington and the City of Alexandria, offers some easy lessons on how to achieve optimal conditions to maintain soil fertility for healthy plants. She also explains the soil nutrient analysis services available to you through Virginia Cooperative Extension that can help.
Fall is the ideal time to restore cool-season grass, the most common turfgrass grown on lawns in our area. Extension Master Gardener Joyce Hylton describes how to improve lawns and the underlying soil, and outlines steps for ensuring a beautiful weed-free lawn, with an emphasis on sustainable practices and minimizing the impact to our native pollinators and wildlife.