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The Final Frost Date is Almost Here – VPM News

Popular Flower Types

There are dozens of different types of flowers that have become favorites in the United States and around the world. Some are very common, while others have been cultivated for their unique qualities.

Many of these perennials naturalize year after year, spreading like a carpet as they grow and mature. They also thrive in full sun and part shade.

The warmth of the April sun always makes me happy as I plan for the final frost days of the season between April 15th and 20th for zone 7. The fun time is coming when we can set plants outside and sow summer’s flower and vegetable seeds. Visits to the local garden center become more like social hours rather than shopping expeditions as gardening friends greet one another.

While purchasing plants, I choose those with strong growth at the base of the plant over ones in full bloom. I also look at the drainage holes of the container to check for roots growing through to avoid purchasing a root-bound plant. Sometimes I end up one and I then take the time to tease out the tight, circular roots before planting for optimum growth and plant longevity.

clusters of 3 green leaves grow along a fence line — The new growth of Poison Ivy makes it stand out, and the moist soil allows for easy digging.

While sowing the first of the season’s beans, melons, cucumber and squash seeds, I also incorporate flowers into the vegetable garden. Not just a marigold plant here or there but, a broad sweep of zinnias, dill, sunflowers, cosmos, and salvia. I try to represent every type of flower shape in this space so pollinating insects, as well as beneficial insects, will be attracted to the vegetable garden. The beneficial insects will feed on insect pests or use hungry caterpillars for egg-laying dens. To attract the insects, it’s best to plant them in groups, not just one or two of each type. As I sow seeds, I note the non-hybrid selections so I can save the seeds for future seed exchanges. Taking a picture of the seed packet is a quick way to note this, too.

While April is a great time to transplant perennials, ground covers and ornamental grasses, Spring is also the best time to de-thatch and aerate the lawn (particularly those of Bermuda grass and zoysia grass). Mulching landscape beds and around trees will conserve water, plus prevent equipment damage to tree trunks over the course of the season. Please avoid crowning the mulch against the bark; instead keep the mulch thin near the tree base and thicken it as you move out toward the edge of the intended circle.

Another spring task is to install plant supports for tall perennials or those that need assistance holding up heavy blossoms such as peonies. I like to use grid support structures, so the plant retains a natural shape as it grows up through it. If I procrastinate on this task, I always kick myself when flowers flop or tall plants fall into one another.

vhg spring garden bed — Mix perennials and spring-flowering bulbs in the border, and then add summer color with bedding plants.

While planting the summer garden, continue to tend to the spring-flowering bulbs by removing their spent flower heads and leaving the foliage intact until it yellows. Please do not hamper the work of those plants by tying, braiding or hiding the foliage — the nutrients in the foliage need to be returned to the bulb to form next year’s flowers. Once the foliage is completely yellow, you can cut it off. I like to tuck annual-flowering plants around the bulb foliage to prevent empty garden spaces later in the summer.

On your regular garden walks, look for webbing in the branch crotches of cherry and other fruit trees. The webbing is from the Eastern Tent Caterpillar. I control this insect on small trees by removing the webbing with a long stick. I leave the webs alone on large trees for the birds, squirrels and other critters that feast on these insects.

There is still time to prune summer flower shrubs, but wait to prune spring-flowering shrubs until after they bloom. Professionals use the 1/3rd Rule: never remove more than 1/3rd of the mass of the plant. Another professional pruning tip is to avoid using hedge trimmers on shrubs; instead, use hand pruners or loppers to remove growth from within the plant to control the height. Using this pruning method will maintain the natural form of the plant, creating a softer look.

Happy Gardening!
– Peggy Singlemann, host and co-producer of Virginia Home Grown & owner of RVA Gardener LLC

Source: vpm.org

Farmers waiting for a planting window – Successful Farming

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If you’re looking to start your own farm, there are a few things you need to consider before you get started. Here are some of them:

Cattle and land

The type of farm you want to start depends on what products you want to create. This may include food, dairy or wool.

XtremeAg’s Chad Henderson continues field prep as he waits for better weather while Lee Lubbers still waiting to see the ground.

CHAD HENDERSON – MADISON, ALABAMA

Chad Henderson is part of a fifth-generation farming operation in Madison, Alabama. Henderson Farms operates over 8,000 acres of dryland and irrigated corn, dryland soybeans, wheat, and dryland and irrigated double-crop soybeans. When not farming, Chad can be found carrying on another proud family tradition as a drag racer for Henderson Racing.

Field work is keeping us busy prepping for planting. The strip freshener is running putting out liquid 28-0-0-5 on ground that had P and K strip-tilled in the fall. Now the fields are ready for the planter to come behind once the weather gives a starting window.

A red strip tilled field in Alabama on a sunny spring day

Litter is being spread. We use broiler house chicken litter. It is important to sample the litter being used, so you know exactly what you are applying. Sampling shows us if there are any additional nutrients that will need to be applied to the field.

Next time I send a blog, our wheat flag leaf spray application should be complete, and planters will be rolling.

LEE LUBBERS – GREGORY, SOUTH DAKOTA

Lee Lubbers of Gregory, South Dakota, grew up in the farming tradition, and remembers using leftover scholarship money as the down payment for his first tractor and rent for 200 acres. Today, he farms more than 17,000 acres of dryland soybeans, corn, and wheat. Lubbers says one of the most important things to him is to always be learning and challenging himself to build an operation and a legacy that the next generation can be proud of.

A brown and white dog in the shop with green semi trucks

Spring is slowly showing up. Temperatures have finally moderated, and snow keeps melting. We were so dry last year the ground couldn’t freeze. The first storm dumped 26 to 28 inches of snow and the ground never froze underneath. It’s been slowly melting from the bottom up all winter. That’s been a real lifesaver. We are recharging our soil profile and our soil is not getting washed away as it turns to spring. The snowbanks that were 10 to 15 feet in the tree belts are now mostly 3 to 5 feet. No moisture has run yet, which shows you how dry we were last year. If the ground had frozen like normal, we’d have water running everywhere, down ditches, and over roads. Luckily, that hasn’t happened so far. We got around 100 inches, more than 8 feet of snow from December to February. That’s way more than usual. I’m glad that spring is finally here after a long winter.

Our winter wheat hasn’t broken dormancy yet. With all the snow we are still waiting to see if it survived the winter. Last year we knew by mid-March how our wheat was, but this year, it’s almost the first of April and we’re still waiting to see. As the snow has been melting, we’ve had a lot of ice on our wheat.

Calving is in full swing in the region. No blizzards lately, but everyone is dealing with mud. At least that’s better than being bone dry like last fall.

XtremeAg.farm is a team of the nation’s top producers who have come together to share their experience, expertise, knowledge, and farming practices with other farmers. Members get access to exclusive content from the team as well as one-on-one support for their own farming operation. Visit XtremeAg.farm for more information.

Source: agriculture.com

11 Surprising Places To Get Free Gardening Supplies And Save … – Bob Vila

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iStock-1342106077 save money gardening Black mother and daughter planting flowers

Photo: istockphoto.com

Spring is finally on the way. Spring offers warmer weather and more opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. It is the perfect time to start working in your garden—or even start your first garden. However, with times as tight as they are, spending money on more gardening supplies is probably the last thing you want to do right now. Fortunately, there are many different places you can find free gardening supplies, allowing you to keep your costs way down when setting up your garden this spring. Read on to discover some surprising places where you can get free gardening supplies.

RELATED: 19 “Zero Dollar” Garden Hacks

1. Local Gardening Groups

iStock-519977247 save money gardening Group planting in community garden

Photo: istockphoto.com

Try searching for local gardening groups—either those that meet in-person or a local Facebook group. You might find that experienced gardeners are interested in helping novice gardeners get started. Similarly, if someone in the group has recently upgraded their gardening tools, ordered more soil or mulch than they need, or has some plant clippings ready to propagate, they may also be willing to give these items away to someone who could use them.

2. Local City or County Government

iStock-639522866 save money gardening Close up of 'Town Hall Meeting' sign

Photo: istockphoto.com

Depending on where you live, you might be able to get free gardening supplies from your local government or park service. Some local governments offer programs to help provide seeds, mulch, or other supplies to their residents. If your city collects compost, you may also be able to get a few bags of compost for free that you can use to fertilize the plants in your garden.

RELATED: 20 Totally Free Ways to Start a Garden This Year

3. Tree Service Companies

iStock-1357950335 save money gardening Stump Grinder at Work

Photo: istockphoto.com

If you know anyone who works for a tree service company, or are looking to make a new friend, they may be able to help you get some free mulch. These companies spend all day cutting down branches and trees and putting them through a wood chipper. This means that they have tons of wood chips that could serve as mulch for your garden—or to help you create that no-mow yard you’ve been dreaming about.

4. Local Buy Nothing Group

iStock-1347180754 save money gardening Loading torture wood chips bark on a wheelbarrow with a shovel from a car

Photo: istockphoto.com

If you’re not a member of your local Buy Nothing Group on Facebook, you’ll want to look into joining it right away. Buy Nothing Groups are just what they sound like; they aim to help community members meet their needs without spending money to buy anything new. Members in the group will post things that they no longer need and are looking to give away to someone in the community who can use it. Keep your eyes peeled for any gardening supplies or plants. In addition to waiting for someone to post something you need, you can also make your own post to request the items you’re looking for. If you need some mulch, a few seed packets, or a gardening tools set, post an “ask” to the group. You never know who has gardening supplies just sitting and collecting dust in their garage or shed.

RELATED: 8 Smart Ways to Put Your Garden on Autopilot

5. Starbucks

iStock-1163480253 save money gardening outside of starbucks store

Photo: istockphoto.com

When you think of where you may be able to get free gardening supplies, Starbucks probably isn’t anywhere on your radar. However, the chain does give away free coffee grounds, which can be used as fertilizer in your garden. The grounds have nitrogen, iron, calcium, magnesium, and other minerals that will help plants grow. Moreover, they can help bring more worms to your garden and can absorb heavy metals in the soil.

6. Local libraries

iStock-1455947949 save money gardening lati female librarian helping a patron

Photo: istockphoto.com

Your local library may be a good resource for getting free seeds. Check the calendar to see if there are any gardening presentations on the schedule. If so, they may be offering some free seeds or other supplies for those who attend the presentation. Some community libraries have also been looking for more ways to help the community members in their cities. Seeking to help their residents facing food insecurity, libraries in various communities have started offering free seeds so people can grow their own food. Check with your local libraries to see if they are participating in any similar programs.

RELATED: Do These 8 Things and Never Pay for Plants Again

7. Online Marketplaces

iStock-1371763060 save money gardening social media icons on mobile phone

Photo: istockphoto.com

You can also check online marketplaces, such as Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace, when you’re looking for free gardening supplies. People looking to get rid of their items might post them for free on these sites, allowing you to snag up a great deal and save some money.

8. Alt National Park Service

iStock-1413188728 save money on gardening A view of meadow filled with butterfly attracting flowers

Photo: istockphoto.com

The Alt National Park Service wants to do everything it can to save pollinators. They see how important bees and butterflies are for our ecosystems and the food chain. For this reason, they are offering free black-eyed Susan or butterfly milkweed seeds packets to anyone who is willing to plant them and attract these beneficial pollinators. You can request one free seed packet by completing the form on the website.

RELATED: How to Save Seeds (and Money!)

9. Your Friends and Neighbors

iStock-533066816 save money gardening two women in the garden

Photo: istockphoto.com

Before spending money on gardening supplies, don’t forget to check with your friends and neighbors. They may have old gardening tools they no longer use that they’d be willing to give to you. Your friends or neighbors may have ordered soil, mulch, or seeds for their garden. If they didn’t end up using everything they ordered, they may be more than happy to give it to you and get it out of their shed or garage. Many plants, like tomato plants, spider plants, and azaleas, can be grown from cuttings. If your friends or neighbors have any of these plants, ask them if they’d mind giving you a few cuttings that you could plant in your garden.

10. Your Kitchen

iStock-1322887287 save money gardening overhead of woman chopping cucumbers and tomatoes

Photo: istockphoto.com

The next time you eat a cucumber, tomato, squash, or any other fruit or vegetable, consider saving the seeds. Depending on the climate where you live and the type of fruit or vegetable, you may be able to plant these seeds in your garden to grow your own produce.

RELATED: 8 Tricks for Quick Composting Your Way to Free Fertilizer

11. Save Our Monarchs Foundation Pollinator Garden Program

iStock-1429792634 save money gardening background of zinnia flowers and a monarch butterfly

Photo: istockphoto.com

The Save Our Monarch Foundation is dedicated to protecting monarch butterflies and keeping them from becoming extinct. One way they are working towards this goal is by offering a free pollinator garden mix to anyone who is willing to plant the flowers in their garden for monarch butterflies. The mix includes 17 different types of wildflowers (10 annuals and seven perennials). A few of the flower varieties included in the pack include butterfly milkweeds, purple coneflowers, perennial lupines, wild bergamot, California poppies, and dwarf sunspot sunflowers.

Source: bobvila.com

Yoga stretches for beginners – Fit and Well

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Gardening is a great form of exercise.

It is considered moderate exercise by the American Heart Association and you can burn as many calories gardening as you would from a typical workout at the gym.

Yoga stretches for beginners are a great way to ease into practice without taking on a whole class. If you’ve been looking for an accessible way to start, we spoke to an expert yoga teacher for the moves you need to move your body and improve your flexibility.

Boosting your mobility is one of the benefits of yoga (opens in new tab), alongside strengthening your mind-body connection and developing mindfulness. You don’t need loads of equipment either; one of the best yoga mats (opens in new tab) can help, but it’s optional.

Felicity Wood (opens in new tab) says the practice is for everyone. “You wouldn’t say you have to be able to play Mozart to take music lessons, and it’s the same with yoga — you don’t have to be flexible to start.”

“Yoga is not about being good or bad; it’s about being with your body without trying to change anything,” says Felicity. Her sequence of ten yoga stretches for beginners is a great starting point, including many fundamental poses and building blocks for yoga.

Felicity Wood

core yoga (opens in new tab) session strengthens your mid-section to develop stability.

1. Cat-cow

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Yoga stretches for beginners – Fit and Well — (Image credit: Story Wheel Production Co.)

Cat-cow is a gentle yoga stretch for beginners and helps develop an awareness of your breath, allowing you to tune in to how you feel, and offers a whole back stretch for improved spine mobility.

Start on all fours in a tabletop position with wrists in line with shoulders, knees under hips, and knees hip-width apart. Feel your fingers spreading and pushing into the floor.
For cat pose, inhale as you look forward, bringing your navel towards the floor, with sitting bones lifting.
Exhale to cow pose, rounding the spine, bringing chin to chest, and sitting bones under as you press the floor with your hands.
Repeat both poses five times, synchronizing movements with your breath.

2. Puppy pose

Woman performing the puppy pose yoga stretch

The puppy pose is an excellent warm-up pose for the well-known yoga stretch, downward dog. It helps lengthen your spine and opens your chest and shoulders.

Start on all fours in a tabletop position with wrists in line with shoulders, knees under hips, and knees hip-width apart. Feel your fingers spreading and pushing into the floor.
Keep your bottom in line with your knees as you take your hands a giant step forward.
Your hands can be as wide as the mat, with fingers spread wide.
Press the floor away from you, feeling like you are gently pressing your chest towards the mat.
Stay in this position for five breaths.

3. Low lunge

Lunges (opens in new tab) are a classic workout move, and a fundamental part of several yoga poses, including the low lunge. This position helps stretch your hip flexors and quads, which is helpful if you’ve been sitting down for a while.

If you feel pressure on the back knee, roll your mat slightly to double up or use a cushion or blanket.

From a tabletop position on all fours, step your right foot forward toward your right hand into a low lunge, keeping your left knee on the ground.
Bring your arms above your head, keeping them wide apart to make space for the shoulders.
Stay for a couple of breaths and swap sides.

4. Child’s pose

The child’s pose is a restorative resting pose that promotes spinal flexion and allows your back and shoulders to stretch. It’s also an ideal exercise for the end of your regular workouts.

Bring your bottom back towards your heels from the tabletop position on all fours.
Legs can either be together or separated.
Fold over your thighs and bring your forehead to the floor or a cushion.
Bring your arms alongside your body with palms facing up.
Rest here for a few breaths.

5. Downward dog

Woman performing a downward dog yoga stretch

For a good reason, this is one of the most famous yoga stretches for beginners and experienced practitioners—downward dog benefits your whole body, strengthening your arms, lengthening your spine, and giving your hamstrings and calves a stretch.

Come to all fours with your knees hip distance apart.
Take your hands a big step forward, landing mat-width apart with your fingers spread.
Tuck your toes under and lift your knees, then lift your bottom up towards the ceiling.
Keep a good bend in the knees (it doesn’t matter if your heels don’t touch the floor) as you press the floor away with your hands.
Make sure there is even weight distribution between hands and feet.
You can alternate bending one knee and then the other to stretch out the back of the legs.
Hold the pose for five breaths.

6. Standing forward fold

This stretching exercise (opens in new tab) is relatively straightforward but helps stretch your legs, including your hamstrings and calf muscles, and offers a release along your spine.

Stand upright with a straight back and arms by your sides, with a slight bend in your knees.
Bring your hands to opposite elbows, hinge at the hips, and fold your torso forward over your thighs.
Your weight should be evenly split between both feet and legs.
Stay in this position for five breaths.
You can rock back and forwards a little, alternating your weight between your toes and heels.

7. Warrior 2

Woman performing a warrior 2 yoga stretch

As you’d expect for a pose with this name, Warrior 2 is a great strengthening yoga pose (opens in new tab). It develops your legs and opens your hips and chest, and improving your shoulder’s range of motion.

Stand upright with a straight back and turn to face the long edge of your mat.
Position your feet, so your stance is wider than your hips.
Turn your right foot to face the short edge of the mat; your back toes can turn in slightly.
While keeping your spine upright, bend your right knee over your right foot, moving your shin vertically.
Take your arms wide towards the long edge of the mat, with fingertips stretching away from each other.
Look towards your right fingertips, and stay here for five breaths.
Return to the starting position by turning your left leg to face the other short edge of the mat.
Repeat on the other side.

8. Triangle pose

The triangle pose stretches your inner leg and hamstrings while opening the chest and improving the range of motion for the spine.

Stand with your legs wide and turn your right toes to the short edge of your mat and turn your left toes in about 45 degrees.
Straighten your right leg as you extend your arms wide and reach your right arm forward.
Take the right hand to rest anywhere along your inner right leg.
Turn your torso and left collarbone towards the ceiling and reach the left arm directly up, coming into a triangle shape.
Stay in this position for five breaths, then bend the right knee to come out of the pose.
Repeat on the other side.

9. Wide-legged forward fold

This soothing wide-legged forward fold is like the earlier standing forward fold but also helps stretch the back of your legs and offers a spine and neck release.

Stand upright with a straight back, your arms by your sides.
Your feet should be wide as you turn your toes to face the long edge of the mat.
Bend your knees slightly and fold your torso towards the thighs, so the crown of your head releases towards the floor.
Hands can come to your thighs, shins, feet, or the mat.
Check the weight is evenly distributed through your feet.
Stay for five breaths, then soften your knees and roll gently up.

10. Bridge pose

The bridge pose strengthens your legs, activates your glutes (the large muscles in your upper leg), lengthens your hip flexor and quads, opens your chest, and helps improve your spinal range of motion.

Lie on the mat with knees bent and feet on the floor a little wider than your hips, with arms by your sides.
Press into your feet and squeeze your glutes to press the hips towards the ceiling.
Your feet should remain firmly on the floor as you lift your front body.
Ensure your shoulders stay on the ground, and squeeze your shoulder blades together to broaden your chest.
Hold this position for five breaths, then slowly lower to the floor.

According to Wood, after the sequence, you can stretch your legs out and spend a few moments lying on your back, focusing on your breathing. Resting here can also be the ideal time to learn how to meditate (opens in new tab).

Yoga helps strengthen the connection between your mind and body physically, while meditation lets you focus on your breath so that you notice your thoughts but can let them pass by without getting distracted by them.

Source: fitandwell.com

Starting A Vegetable Garden

Check out other upcoming area events!

Popular Flower Types

Cattle and land

CHAD HENDERSON – MADISON, ALABAMA

LEE LUBBERS – GREGORY, SOUTH DAKOTA

1. Local Gardening Groups

2. Local City or County Government

3. Tree Service Companies

4. Local Buy Nothing Group

5. Starbucks

6. Local libraries

7. Online Marketplaces

8. Alt National Park Service

9. Your Friends and Neighbors

10. Your Kitchen

11. Save Our Monarchs Foundation Pollinator Garden Program

1. Cat-cow

2. Puppy pose

3. Low lunge

4. Child’s pose

5. Downward dog

6. Standing forward fold

7. Warrior 2

8. Triangle pose

9. Wide-legged forward fold

10. Bridge pose