Frequently Asked Questions:

When do I cut back my perennials?

Kathy's rule - when it looks ugly. One usually cuts back perennials after the first frost, when the foliage dies. However, you may want to leave the seedpods or brown foliage of certain plants for their winter interest. Leave the seed heads of Purple Coneflower and Black-eyed Susan until the goldfinches eat the seeds, then cut them back. I leave the seedpods of my Siberian Iris until February/March and cut them back just before new growth. Or, especially in natural areas, leave the stalks and stems as winter cover for birds, good bugs and butterfly chrysalises. There are more good bugs that over winter than bad, which can help your plants stay healthy next year. Plants that look worn and tattered benefit from cutting back in February/March during that one nice week we always have. Examples are Liriope, Mondo Grass, and ornamental grasses. Prune these at the same time you would prune plants with tender stems, such as Roses, Butterfly bushes, and Crepe Myrtles. You will have less to tidy after a warm winter than a cold one.
During the summer, if a plant suffers from a bad insect or disease problem, I cut off the ugly foliage, dispose of it off property to help prevent re-infestation, and wait for healthy foliage to re-grow.
Answer provided by Kathy Duncan

How often should I water?

Watering depends upon your soil. A sandy soil will dry out faster than a heavy clay soil. That said, water plants infrequently and deeply. This will encourage plant roots to grow deeper and will help them survive droughts better. A new planting (eg. less than a year old), will require more water than an established planting. Most shrubs, trees, and perennials appreciate water 2 times a week during warm weather or drought. During cool weather, watering only 1 time per week should suffice. Established plantings may only need additional water during very hot, dry weather. 1" of water per week is usually adequate for most plants.
One way to ensure your soil holds adequate moisture is to add organic material. Compost helps sandy soil retain water while it helps clay soil become more porous. In other words, you can't go wrong adding compost.
Water it Right Article
Answer provided by Kathy Duncan

Should I "dead head" my annuals and perennials?

The process of dead-heading, or removing spent blooms, has benefits, but is not required for a healthy plant. The goal of a plant is to make more of itself through seeds. If you remove the spent flower before the plant releases seeds, it needs to bloom more to release additional seed. Thus dead-heading will encourage more blooms.
Many new cultivars of annuals and perennials are "self-cleaning," or have been bred for longer bloom time - making dead-heading unnecessary. I like to dead-head plants in containers on my porch. These plants are visible to visitors, so it is nice to have fresh blooms. I encourage the re-bloom by cutting flowers to bring indoors.
The seeds of many plants, such as Black-eyed Susan and Purple Coneflower are eaten by Wildlife and are important food sources during the winter.
Answer provided by Kathy Duncan

How do I get rid of moles?

When it comes to ridding your lawn and garden of moles, there are several ways to go. Before we get into the methods, however, it is good to establish an understanding that moles are after food, insects and worms that populate your soil. Moles are carnivores and do not eat plants. Getting rid of the food source would force the moles to move away; this can be accomplished through insect poisons or removing items (such as lights) that attract insects to your yard. If you are thinking of using poison, remember that some insects and worms are beneficial to the soil. Thus poison might be your last ditch effort to get rid of moles.
Traps are commercial solutions for getting rid of moles. Their secret to success is placement in the main tunnels that the moles are running through. One way to discover main tunnels is to collapse all the mole runs and see which ones are raised by the next day. One additional piece of advice is to make sure you set the traps all the way to the bottom of the tunnel. Use caution when applying poisons or setting traps, if you have small children or pets that frequent your yard.
Commercially produced mole repellents are available in sprays or granules that repel moles and voles with castor oil. Castor oil is a safe, non-toxic alternative. The product must be reapplied every few months for best results.
Answer provided by Kathy Duncan & Virginia Cooperative Extension

How Do I Get Rid of Voles?

Voles are related to mice but are larger with a very short tail. Voles are vegetarians that eat plants roots and often follow mole tunnels to reach tender plants roots and bulbs.
The most permanent way to exclude voles from their food source is to surround the root ball with sharp stones such as Permatill™ (aka Vole Bloc™). Voles have tender paws and will not dig through the stones. Permatill involves more labor and materials cost but is a permanent solution.
Trapping is labor intensive but will decrease the populations for a while. Use apples, raisins and/or peanut butter as bait. Cats can also help.
Castor oil spray or granular repellents are effective for several months to repel voles from individual plants or entire areas.
Answer provided by: Kathy Duncan

What do you use to keep deer from eating the plants?

You can exclude the deer by covering or surrounding plants with bird netting or plastic deer fencing, metal wire fencing, or repel the deer with sprays. There are many commercially available deer repellent sprays, but Custom Gardens recommends making your own using the following recipe:
1 egg
1 quart of water
1 tablespoon of hot Szechuan Oil or Mongolian Fire Oil
Mix all the ingredients in a blender, fill a spray bottle, and spray on the plants. Reapply after rain.

At what height should I be mowing my lawn?

The ideal cutting height for this area is 3-4 inches for a fescue lawn during the summer. Mowing high discourages weeds and helps to keep the soil temperature cooler. Fescue is a cool season lawn that can be stressed by summer heat. Try not to remove more than 1/3 of the grass blade each time you mow. Mowing fescue too short creates a shallow root system that makes the turf more susceptible to drought. Bermuda grass, a warm season grass, is mowed much shorter at 1-2 inches. For more information: Lawn Care Articles
Answer provided by Kathy Duncan

When should I seed my lawn?

The prime time to overseed fescue lawns is between September 1st and October 15th. Overseeding can also be done between February 25th and March 31st, but only if necessary. When overseeding, it is suggested to apply 4-6 lbs. of tall fescue per 1,000 square feet. Please note that many lawns do not need to be overseeded annually.
For more information: Lawn Care Articles
Answer provided by Virginia Cooperative Extension Service

When should I fertilize my fescue lawn?

September 1st - 15th Apply a minimum of 1 lb. actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet. This is equivalent to 3 lbs. of ammonium nitrate, 6 lbs. of nitrate of soda, or similar. Consider low phosphorus grades if water pollution is a concern.

October 15th through November 1st Apply enough complete fertilizer to provide 1 ½ lbs. each of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. This is equivalent to 15 lbs. of 10-10-10 or 20 lbs. of 8-8-8 per 1,000 square feet.

December 1st - 15th Apply a maximum of 1 lb. of actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet (same as September recommendation).

March 1st through May 1st NO FERTILIZER - This is an important period for root growth, as strong roots will help grasses survive the summer. The addition of fertilizer would stimulate top growth and weaken the roots.

May 1st - 15th Use no more than ½ lb. of actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet. This is equivalent to 3 lbs. of nitrate of soda, 1 ½ lbs. of ammonium nitrate, or 5 lbs. 10-10-10. If you fertilized 2 or more times in the fall and the grass is a good green color, then you do NOT need to fertilize now.

June - August NO FERTILIZER - Dormant period for cool season grasses.
For more information: Lawn Care Articles
Answer provided by Virginia Cooperative Extension Service

When should I apply a crabgrass control?

It is best to apply pre-emergence crabgrass controls, such as benefin, besulide, DCPA, oxadiazon, or siduron, between February 20th and April 10th. The optimum time to apply the control is when forsythia is in full bloom. For more information
For more information: Lawn Care Articles
Answer provided by Virginia Cooperative Extension Service