Edible flowers are finding their place in a reawakening movement. Northern Virginia Master Gardener Nancy Dowling makes the most out of limited outdoor space in Arlington. Dowling is among the many gardeners and growers who are rediscovering the lost art of edible flowers. Along with offering habita...

We purchase them at the market. We dine on them in salads and sauces. Some of us indulge in the joy of growing our own at home, but how much do you really know about tomatoes? To begin, the botanical name for the tomato is Solanum lycopersicum . Throughout the centuries, tomatoes have been called by...

Weeding is often a reality of summer landscape maintenance. Some people don’t mind weeding, some highly dislike it and other people fall somewhere in between. Weeds are not necessarily a certain group of species. They are plants that are unwanted in a particular area. Therefore, a weed to one person...

The spotted lanternfly (SLF), an invasive pest first found in Pennsylvania in 2014, is slowly making its way north with infestations already established in southern New York and much of Connecticut and Massachusetts. To date, there have been no confirmed infestations or established populations in Ve...

Late summer and early autumn bring an abundant harvest of fresh local produce to our community, and accessing it is as easy as visiting your local farmers market. Farmers Market Week, celebrated the first full week of August every year, reminds us to utilize this community resource to get fresh, hea...

Cucumber and squash production is in full swing in the garden, but there is a key pest that can affect the yield and quality of the fruit. The striped cucumber beetle can be a destructive pest on all cucurbits (cucumbers, summer and winter squash, melons and pumpkins) from the moment you set your pl...

Do you wish you had more of your favorite plants in your garden? By propagating new plants from those already there, you can have additional perennials for free. The easiest method to propagate perennial plants is by rooting cuttings, either in water or in soil. Catmint and herbs such as oregano are...

When someone mentions wildflowers, what comes to mind? Daisies? Black-eyed Susans? They’re as familiar as the summer days of our youth, so well-loved that we often pick wildflowers for bouquets or add them to our gardens. What we call weeds tend to be any plant claiming a place for itself at our hom...

As the summer heats up and areas grow hotter, the TurfMutt Foundation – which has advocated for the care and use of yards, parks and other green spaces for 15 years – reminds homeowners of the importance of trees and other living plants for mitigating the heat island effect. Trees, along with plants...

In the wake of Shark Week, MPT’s new content initiative brings bovines to primetime with eight days of digital premieres. Maryland Public Television’s (MPT) original series “Maryland Farm & Harvest” will celebrate cute calves, happy heifers, cuddly cows, bubbly bulls and the farm families that care ...

Fresh fruits and vegetables are full of flavor and can make for wonderful additions to anyone’s diet. But as many foodies know, it’s not always easy to find your favorite fresh fruits and vegetables at the grocery store. Various fruits and vegetables are more readily available at certain times of th...

Herbs and spices are more than just culinary enhancements or seasonal flowers in the garden. These potent, fragrant botanicals have earned their rightful places in the home apothecary, bath and boudoir as well as in both household and industrial applications. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Schohar...

Planning to pick your own fruit this summer? Let’s review some U-pick fruit etiquette to keep in mind when you go. Fruit farming can be a tedious and labor-intensive enterprise. Aside from the environmental unknowns that nature throws into the mix, growing fruit requires tons of care, including plan...

Insect pests get a lot of attention because we see the damage they cause. Less obvious are beneficial insects that provide “biocontrol” of insect pests. These include predators that kill or disable their prey quickly and parasitoids that kill pests more slowly. Predators include lady beetles, ground...

The National Bison Association announced on July 1 the annual kickoff to July Bison Month, encouraging consumers to add this uniquely American, delicious, humanely raised, supremely healthy protein to their regular diets. The population of American bison once exceeded 30 million animals across North...