Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia
40 Years of Growing Gardens and Gardeners
Come tour the Extension Master Gardeners’ Organic Vegetable Garden and sample the many kinds of peppers we grow!
Extension Master Gardeners will answer questions about growing peppers and other beloved summer crops and talk about how to extend your harvest into the Fall.
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, Extension Agent for Arlington and the City of Alexandria Agriculture/Natural Resources, offers some easy lessons on how to achieve optimal conditions to maintain soil fertility for healthy plants.
Do you have a space in your garden that you’d love to make new and maybe even a bit whimsical? Join Extension Master Gardeners Evin Morrison and Rebecca Secula as they demonstrate how to design beautiful, themed gardens that incorporate perennials, natives, and even edibles. From the basics of garden design to finding inspiration, they will cover the whole process of creating beautiful gardens of all shapes and sizes.
So, you want to grow bigger blooms, nutrient packed, disease-free vegetables, that require less watering? Start composting! Listen in to Extension Master Gardener Nina DeRosa as she discusses easy ways to use organic waste, including kitchen scraps, yard waste, and ash from backyard fires to make black gold for your soil that will then feed your plants.
It may be autumn, but it's not time to abandon the garden! This class offers easy tips for onsite composting, providing winter habitat and food for wildlife, and end-of-season care of tools and equipment. Did you know that fall is the ideal time to plant trees, shrubs, and perennials? We help you identify opportunities to learn from this year’s successes and failures (we all have them) to lay the groundwork for next year.
Join Extension Master Gardeners for a festival of all things plants, gardening and nature!! We will have guided walks, a nature/wildlife table, outside vendors (plants, vintage, upcycled wares), the Alexandria City Art Truck, MGNV merchandise tables and demonstration tables. Come celebrate Fall with us!
Engaging in nature-based activities at any age can enhance health and well-being. As little as 20 minutes daily of gardening can have a profound impact. Join Extension Master Gardeners Tricia Rodgers and Anne Wilson to learn more, including about the tools and supplies that are now available to make gardening possible for a broad audience. We will also learn about a program they and other EMGs are engaged in for people with dementia.
Tired of parts of your yard flooding when it rains? Have you ever wondered what you can do to control stormwater on your property? Maybe you experience property damage from excessive water runoff, live in a community that floods frequently, or care about the health of local streams. Join Extension Master Gardeners Cindy Robertson and Kathryn Kellam as they share helpful advice and lessons learned in managing and capturing stormwater in their Northern Virginia yards.
The use of salt-based products on roads, driveways, and sidewalks during winter poses a challenge to gardeners. Join Extension Master Gardener Elaine Mills to learn about the effect of salt spray and salt runoff on plants and soil as well as treatments, the use of alternative products, and protective garden practices.
Join Kirsten Conrad, Extension Agent for Arlington County and the City of Alexandria, to learn about sap sucking insects, their particular host plants, their life cycles, and optimal timing and methods for controlling them. Find out how you can work with and encourage natural predators and reduce pesticide use to keep your landscape plants healthy and free of these pests.
In this class, we’ll explore an innovative and low-cost method of starting seeds outdoors during winter, using recycled containers as mini greenhouses. Perfect for gardeners of all levels, winter sowing is an ideal way to jump-start your garden with hardy, robust plants that thrive come spring. By the end of the class, you'll be ready to grow a wide range of flowers, vegetables, and herbs from scratch, all while saving money and minimizing your ecological footprint.
Interested in learning how to grow vegetables year-round? Join Extension Master Gardener Intern Joe Larsen to explore the exciting world of hydroponics, a soil-free method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions in water.