Virginia Green Grow Beyond Blog

As the weather warms up and your landscape starts to thrive, so do the pests – and few are as sneaky and stubborn as aphids. These tiny, sap-sucking insects can cause big problems for trees and shrubs across Virginia, especially as we head into late spring and summer. Here's what you need to know about identifying and controlling aphids before they take over your yard.

Fireblight is a destructive, highly infectious, widespread disease caused by the bacterium (Erwinia amylovora.) It is found on apples, pears and other members of the rose family which includes trees and shrubs in orchards, nurseries and landscape plantings. It is very difficult to control. Virginia Green recommends the cultural practices below.

Cold weather can be a silent enemy to your garden, often causing unseen damage to plants, trees, and shrubs. Many gardeners overlook this issue, only to find signs of harm in the spring. Wilting leaves and a sparse canopy might surprise you in an otherwise lush season, and you may notice defoliation weeks after a brief cold spell. The root cause? Water management within the plant.

Should you worry about heavy snow on trees and shrubs?

After a heavy snowfall, have you ever thought about removing heavy snow from the branches of your trees and shrubs? There are two thoughts about this question. We will discuss both of them here.

When Do I Prune Spring Shrubs? 

Why Prune? 

Pruning is the selective removal of specific plant parts for the benefit of the whole plant. Some reasons to prune are to train a plant, maintain plant health, improve the quality of flowers, fruits, and stems, restrict growth, remove damaged and diseased branches, and to increase air circulation that can decrease specific plant diseases