Don’t let your garden get bogged down with bugs
Prevention is the best way to keep your plants insect-free.
“Insects, like Japanese beetles, actually attract more bugs once they’ve infested your garden, making them harder to get rid of,” said Mark Viette. “Chemicals and insecticides should be used as a preventative, not a cure.”
The most common insects found in Virginia gardens are hemlock wooly adelgid, scale insects, thrips and spider mites.
Using an all-season oil during the summer months can help keep woolly adelgid and scale insects at bay. Insecticides can be used on thrips and spider mites.
“Japanese beetles can be trapped, but make sure the traps are at least 100 feet away from your garden—or better yet, in a neighbor’s yard,” Viette said. “The traps attract beetles. If you put the traps in your garden, you’re only helping your neighbors.”
This celebrated stone fruit is just peachy
August is National Peach Month in the United States. But Virginians don't just celebrate in August—they enjoy this juicy, sweet fruit all summer long!
Peach lovers know that this stone fruit makes for a satisfying snack and is a healthy ingredient in many delicious recipes—both sweet and savory. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, ½ cup of fresh peaches gives you 10% of your daily recommended amount of vitamin C with just 30 calories and no fat. Combine the vitamin C with the fiber, potassium and choline in peaches, and you’ve got ingredients that support heart health.
Peaches can be eaten whole, chopped or sliced. They can be added to yogurt, cold cereal or oatmeal to add sweetness and flavor. Peaches also can be mixed into the batter for pancakes, waffles, muffins or bread. For a sweet treat, put 1 cup peaches in a blender with 1 cup plain or vanilla lowfat yogurt or frozen yogurt, and blend until smooth.
Peaches can be stored in the refrigerator in a plastic bag for up to five days. Store cooked peaches in a tightly closed non-metal container in the refrigerator.
Peach and Tomato Salad
What's better than a ripe, juicy peach? It is this delicious peach and tomato salad. Give it a try!
See Recipe
Get answers from your local Master Gardener
Do you have brown spots on your roses or a dusty, white film on your dogwood leaves? What about your hostas; are the leaves turning yellow? If you’re having problems in your home garden, you might consider contacting a Master Gardener in your county for help.
The Master Gardener Program, which operates through Virginia Cooperative Extension, trains volunteers to share their gardening knowledge with the community.
These certified Master Gardeners may offer gardening classes to community groups, staff a horticulture help line, conduct plant clinics, teach fourth-grade curriculum in local classrooms, speak to interested organizations or write articles for local publications.
Extension and the Master Gardeners bring the results of valuable horticulture research to the general public and to local landscapers and nurseries. Without the program, that connection would be lost.
To find your local Extension Master Gardeners and learn about the services offered in your county, contact your county Extension office.