Zone 6b - Mid-Atlantic Gardening

According to Presidential Executive Order 13112 (Feb.1999), invasive species – either plant or animal – are “alien species whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.” Such invasive aliens, also called “non-native,” are introduced either accidentally or purposefully into an ecosystem in which they did […]

Groundcovers can be a blessing or a curse, depending on what you’ve got and where you’ve got it. Ask any gardener who has tried to eliminate English Ivy (Hedera helix)!
Groundcovers typically include any plant material that covers the ground surface and stays fairly low (shorter than 12”), mat-forming or trailing.

Composting – the controlled, biological and chemical decomposition of organic matter – is becoming increasingly popular, thanks to more interest in recycling and to better products that make composting easier.
Composting accelerates the process by which microbes and other soil organisms break down plant and animal remains.

Visit any garden center or watch enough shows on HGTV and you might hear the term “integrated pest management,” or IPM. In a metro area saturated with acronyms, this is one actually worth knowing!
IPM procedures rely on minimal use of chemicals