Home and Garden Information Center

March 2019 Walnut Toxicity Update It has been an accepted article of faith among horticulturists that juglone, a chemical compound associated with black walnut roots, inhibits the growth of certain plant species growing nearby. Researchers and Extension personnel have developed long, authoritative...

Outdoor Yard and Garden Tips Cut Iris flower stalks down to the crown when they are finished blooming. Leave the foliage alone. If your iris are over-crowded after flowering is the recommended time to lift and divide them. Check rhizomes for iris borer. Practice IPM (Integrated Pest Management) in...

Outdoor Yard and Garden Tips If your azaleas, rhododendrons and other spring flowering shrubs are growing too large prune them after they bloom. Thin out interior boxwood branches to improve air circulation and reduce disease problems such as volutella canker . Also, look out for boxwood blight ...

Outdoor Garden and Yard Tips Cedar-apple rust disease forms its galls on Virginia cedar ( Juniperus virginiana ) in April. The odd-looking galls are at first bright orange gelatinous balls with long “horns” or projections; they later turn brown and become hard. They are the alternate host structure...

Outdoor Yard and Garden Tips Many types of annual flower plants can be started indoors this month. Most are started 5-6 weeks before they are planted outdoors. Begonias, sweet peas, geraniums, and impatiens need to be started 10-12 weeks before the last expected frost. Sunflowers and zinnias can be...

Download a PDF copy of the 2018 Annual Report

Photo: Flickr Organic lawn care is desired by people who want a more environmentally friendly managed lawn. Concerns about the impacts of pesticides on humans, pets, wildlife, pollinators, and the environment, including the Chesapeake Bay, are the driving factors behind the wish to make a change...

Outdoor Yard and Garden Tips Spotted lanternfly egg mass Photo: Emelie Swackhamer, Penn State University, Bugwood.org Be on the lookout for spotted lanternfly egg masses on the trunks of trees. Remove and destroy bagworm bags from affected trees especially if seen on evergreens. Do not handle the...

What is organic matter? Organic matter includes plants and animals that are alive, dead, or in some stage of decomposition. The material we think of as dead (e.g. brown, dried up leaves) is teeming with microbial life. There may be a billion living microorganisms in a teaspoon of compost or soil!...

For successful establishment of a garden or lawn alternatives, you may need to smother and kill or remove an existing layer of turfgrass. Physical methods of turf removal can work very well. Diligence is the key to removing persistent grasses and weeds, no matter what method you choose. Several...