D.C. Area Nesties
Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Gardening Question
I now have a house with a yard that could really sustain a lovely garden. Lots of space, great light and an irrigation system:-) I do the annuals and weed and that's about it. While I like to think my pansies are lovely, we could use more and maybe even plant some veggies. Where can I start...books, websites, magazines you would recommend?
Re: Gardening Question
Start at a really good nursery! This fall there will be lots of perennial bulbs you can plant. Pretty much the nurseries only carry things you should be planting right now. For instance you wont see any tulip, daffodil, hyacinth, or crocus bulbs at the nursery because they aren't planted until the fall. What you probably will see at a nursery right now are perennials like daylilies, black eyed susans, cone flower, daisy because they bloom in the summer and can survive the heat.
My favorite nursery is Behnkes but I also think Homestead gardens is heaven but it's pretty far away near Annapolis. Johnson's can be good too.
We just started growing veggies and fruit this year. I have a few blogs that I read but I basically did the same thing I said above. I went to a nursery and bought whatever plants they had at the time I wanted to plant. My husband built our raised boxes for our vegetable garden. You can see pictures in my blog
If you are in Virginia, I would recommend Merrifield Garden Center as well.
Better Homes and Gardens has a great website with a lot of resources on it. Southern Living also has some south specific gardening resources on their website that might prove helpful. I've learned a lot over the years by reading Adrian Higgins column in the Washington Post and reading/participating in his chats. These are especially helpful because they are usually time relevant.
If you are going to veggie garden, the two books I often hear most recommended are Square Foot Gardening and the Lasagna Garden (which is mostly about soil preparation, this really is 80% of the work and what will best determine your results). I really liked the New Victory Garden as well.
I've also learned a lot over the years just by talking to people who garden. I haven't met a single gardener who doesn't like discussing their plants, technique, etc. As you are strolling your neighborhood and see someone working in a yard you admire, ask them about it. I've met lots of my neighbors this way. Many farmers markets have master gardeners there as well offering free advice.
If you are interested, and have time, there are a lot of low cost and free gardening programs out there as well. Besides the master gardener program, USDA offers free webinars and some low cost classes through their grad school. Green Springs Gardens in Annandale offers classes as does the US Botanical Garden in DC. I know my local HOA often has gardening programs as part of their monthly meetings. Many of the counties and conservations groups offer programs as well.