Hi everyone,

I'm planning to start growing fruit trees this year and would love some advice! I have a dedicated space of 20 yards, excluding a dogwood that I plan to move. I plan to remove the two larger trees in the area in a few years expanding the total area to a total of 33 yards.

I’m considering dwarf varieties and would like to plant two types of fruit trees. My top contenders are plums, peaches, pears, and cherries.

For those with experience growing fruit trees in the Richmond, VA area:

• Which varieties have worked best for you?
• Any tips for getting started?
• Are there any challenges I should be aware of?

Thanks in advance for any recommendations!

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This photos from last year but I wanted to know what plant it was? The tree was still alive when I took this photo

Hello all. I live in the woodbridge, va area. I wanted to ask where i can get organic starter vegetables in the area ie tomatoes, cucumbers etc. I also wanted to ask when would be a good time to plant tomatoes and cucumbers to have them ready by the summer. And what vegetables and fruits do well in our area. Thank you in advance!

My husband has always taken care of our little garden of raised beds. Unfortunately, his is very ill with Alzheimer's and a litany of other ailments. I want to be sure I do a good job for him. Should I trust the soil testing kits on Amazon? Should I just throw in bags of compost and roll on? I am going to put in tomatoes, cucumbers, and squash. I recently read that cucumbers should not be planted alongside of tomatoes, and I should have earth worms in my soil.

He likes to sit on the back deck and watch the world go by. The raised garden beds are right where he can see them. I want to do a good job for him. Thank you for your input. I really appreciate it.

Looking to plant some veggies for the spring in my garden boxes but never gardened before. I’m not sure how to prep my soil and I’d rather not use fertilizer if need be. Is it too late to start composting? Also what are some easier veggies/herbs to grow?

Wild shot in the dark here but I just formed a LLC and would like to start growing and selling fruits and vegetables. Does anyone know/have experience with what legal hoops I need to go through such as licenses, permits, etc. I'm in Stafford VA.

Hi all, I am looking for variety suggestions for this seasons vegetable garden. Specifically, I want to get some advice on tomato varieties that will produce well with great flavor. Also would love some sweet and hot pepper recommendations.

If you’ve had great success with any other veggies I’d love to hear those too! Can’t wait to get seeds started and to see what y’all are excited about for this season!

I’m in central VA :)

Hey all, looking for a native garden project to dovetail with Thanksgiving in a few years and came across Apios Americana.

Anybody tried growing it? Any tips, tricks, or pitfalls you can share?

I'm not finding a lot in the usual native plant spots, and even less in traditional veggie growing boards. It's like it's fallen in the gap between native and agri/beauty gardeners and no one is really thinking about it. (In the US, anyway.)

Have a happy turkey day!

I planted some canna lilies someone gave to me this spring. They did well, and I'd like them to come back next year. I've read a few conflicting things about them in the winter in this region. Should I dig them up and store the bulbs over the winter, or can I leave them in the ground?

I live in Southwest VA, and I’m trying to pick out something to plant in a roughly 5’x12’ spot next to my kitchen door (against the house). I keep the kitchen door open a lot for cross-breezes, and I would love to find something wonderfully fragrant to plant there that will have a scent that comes in with the breeze.

Details about the spot: it’s east-facing, gets morning sun til midday, and the ground slopes down from the culdesac next to me so it is wetter there than the rest of the yard. The butterfly bushes I had there before went crazy in that spot, I think because of the moisture - they got at least 12’ tall, and I finally decided to remove and replace them because they kept falling over and blocking the door, even though I trimmed them back multiple times over the summer. Edited to add: the soil doesn’t stay wet/squishy, but I think the area is better for plants than the rest of my yard, which seems to dry out fast.

I’ve considered lilac and gardenias, but I thought I’d ask here for advice as I’ve never grown either and want to make sure I don’t get something that will end up too big. Native and pollinator friendly plants would be a big plus. Currently the spot has been cleared, and I have cardboard down with several inches of mulch covering it.

Thank you!

It’s raining!

I'm in Richmond and it's supposed to be 80 here today. It's dry as a BONE and I've been trying to limp along my hydrangeas and roses by watering every couple of days, but have kind of let everything else go since I'm not usually still watering at this time of year! It's so depressing. 😑

How is your garden doing on this weird weather pattern? Are you still watering plants? If so, which ones?

New metal raised beds, trimmed up my pomegranates and citrus. Planted peonies, pulled dahlia tubers and re amended/mulched.

I planted 4 Otto Luykens in front of my cottage and they aren’t doing well. I’ve already lost two and the others are dying now. I think they’re just getting scorched. It’s a full sun location in Zone 7b with brackish water frontage. Any suggestions for replacements? Native or ??

This Saturday at Dorey Park is the Plant Native! Festival celebrating our native species, hosted by Keep Henrico Beautiful and Henrico Parks & Rec. One of the, if not the last big plant sales of the season for central VA! Food trucks, plant vendors, an information booths, as well as giveaways while supplies last!

Saturday, October 19th, 2024, 9am – 1pm at Dorey Park, 2999 Darbytown Rd, Henrico, VA 23231

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Official event page here: https://tinyurl.com/96n2tr27

FB event page here: https://tinyurl.com/2jmjnw8f

What's better than free plants? Free native plants!

The Virginia Department of Forestry is coordinating with event organizers to give away FREE Virginia native trees to festival attendees! Over 400 1 gallon potted trees (white oak, redbud, and witchhazel) will be available (one per household) until supplies last. Please be sure to research which tree is best for planting in your land!

Oh man, that's not all! The Dorey Farmer's Market received a grant from H.E.A.R.T. to give away vouchers worth $10.00 to festival attendees (one per household), which can be redeemed at one of the many local native plant vendors selling locally grown plants! Local native plants help support wildlife and pollinators, look amazing in your garden, and are better adapted to our chaotic Richmond climate.

Please support local growers! Happy to answer any questions!

Just went to Norfolk Botanical Gardens and had a blast!

Hi all,

New'ish gardener here.

I have potatoes that are starting to sprout. I was planning to use them next spring, but we are months away from that and its just now starting to get cold. Will they last the winter and be viable or should I just consume them now?

I just moved into my first house in northern Virginia with a yard after years of apartment living - and I want to grow something!

I got a large raised planter that has a couple small herbs in it now, but I'd like to try my hand at planting one thing for fall that would produce before winter. Maybe a salad green of some kind?

What seeds could I plant in early September that may be easy enough for a beginner to try and make something edible before the winter? I've been reading a lot on Reddit and the master gardener websites but I'm totally overwhelmed by all of the options.

I have a lot of compost and a lot of VA red clay soil (I believe its called Ultisol). Can I use a combination of the two as a growing medium, especially in a raised bed?

If so, any recommendations on what to grow?

Beginner gardener here wondering if there are any books this sub would suggest for starting out in the area? Was hoping for something that has what to plant for each season. Eg plant x for the spring y for summer and z for the fall.

Thanks in advance for the help!