Eastern Shore Virginia Master Gardeners
Gardening Articles
 The Eastern Shore Master Gardeners provides horticultural information for gardeners. Over the years many articles have been written by members of the organization. Here we present a growing collection of articles with information and tips for gardeners on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.
Our articles are presented as PDF documents, making them easy for you to download and print (see instructions below).
Monthly Gardening Tips
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Mosaic article about Kiptopeke Native Plant Garden Summer 2010
Virginia Gardener article Dec 2008
Gardening books donated to
Eastern Shore Public Libraries
New books for Gardeners includes library call number
The Essential Garden Design Book
Rosemary Alexander 712.6 Ale
A detailed guide to designing a garden from scratch. There is guidance on fencing, patios, plant layout, use of trees and shrubs. The book is very visually oriented so that you will learn to place plants effectively for their growth habit, i.e., you won’t be overwhelmed by tall vigorous growers. The author stresses doing advanced layout and shows how to do it.
Home Grown Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs
Jim Wilson, photography by Walter Chandoha 635 Wil
Very practical, easy to understand advice about growing your own edibles. Approximately half the book covers soil preparation, essential gardening tools, weed and pest controls. Mr. Wilson addresses both organic and chemical methods in a balanced and fair manner. The second half of the book gives individual attention to vegetable, fruit and herb varieties. The photographs are extensive and provide excellent embellishment to the text. I had a little trouble finding the key to the Essential Stats—it appears on page 10, even though the symbols are not used until page 90. But since I’ve saved you from searching, you may avoid that frustration.
Ortho Problem Solver, Seventh Edition R635 Ort
While this is primarily a reference book, there are sections that you can enjoy sitting down to read. (Be sure to read at a table, because the weight of the volume is daunting.) There is an excellent checklist on analyzing a plant problem on page 20-21. Chapters cover Houseplants, Lawns, Groundcovers, Annuals, Perennials and Bulbs. There is an extensive chapter on Trees, Shrubs and Vines. Chapters on Fruit and Nut Trees and Vegetables, Berries and Grapes will help you address your edible plant problems. Chapters cover household pests, weeds, insects and garden anilmals. Advice is provided on soil, cultural and climate problems. The Appendix directs the reader to good websites on specific issues, recommends varieties of plant for specific conditions, and lists plants subject to particular problems. The Master Gardeners have started to conduct Plant Clinics at the libraries on the Shore and we rely on the extensive photographs in this reference to give good visual guidance on the nature of plant damage. Every problem discussed includes a close-up photo.
Children’s books
Fancy Nancy Explorer Extraordinaire
Jane O’Connor, illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser Easy O
Nancy and her friend Bree explore the outdoor world of their territory—their backyards and their neighbor’s yard. They look closely at butterflies, moths, ladybugs, wildflowers, tree leaves and birds. The illustrations are delightful. The photographs are excellent. This is introductory biology for the 4-8 year old girl. Fancy Nancy is a popular series. Find them in the Easy O section.
I Saw It In the Garden
Martin Brennan, illustrated by Michael Glenn Monroe Easy B
Poems start with April 1 and go through October 12. Pleasant poems deal with garden tools, sprouting seeds, bugs (beneficial and pest), composting and the joy of the harvest. The text is beautifully and amusingly illustrated with a mingling of realistic and whimsical drawings. The book should appeal to children in the 6-10 age range—ten year olds could read it to you..
Mother Earth and Her Children
Sybylle Von Olfers, illustrated by Sieglinde Schoen Smith, Easy O
The very detailed illustrations will keep you and a young child occupied exploring a fantasy nature. Mother Earth wakes her children in the Spring to paint the beatles shells and sew their bright clothes for summer (which match the flowers they carry). Throughout the Summer, they dance in the meadows. When Autumn comes, they return to Mother Earth, who puts them to bed for Winter. The final page of the story shows the panorama of the quilt. Perhaps more interesting to the adult reader, is the essay from the illustrator about the creation of the quilt. The essay from the translator about the author of the text is equally interesting. Even if you don’t currently have a little one to read this book, the adult reader will enjoy these essays.
Walking in the World of Wonder
Ellen Evert Hopman J615 Hop
This Children’s Herbal has two page spreads on herbs, trees, and woodland plants that may be in your garden or nearby forest. The left hand page has a photograph and the right a description of the plant and its uses. The book is divided by the season in which you might find the plant in its most interesting phase (usually blooming or fruiting.) It clearly marks those plants which are poisonous. The text is plain and simple. It is intended for 5-10 year olds and meets that audience well.
Eastern Shore Virginia Master Gardeners
Radio Program
You can listen to information and tips about your garden on the Eastern Shore on WESR 103.3FM and 1330AM. The program is broadcast Tuesdays and Thursdays during the noon news and Saturday mornings during the Andre Viette program on WESR 1330AM from 8am to 11am.
"Habitat at Home"
DVD Helps Homeowners Prepare for Fall with Native Shrubs for Wildlife
Summer is a good time to take stock of the plants in your yard and start thinking about how you can improve habitat for wildlife in the coming season. A new DVD that can help you decide what to plant is now available through the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF). Called “Habitat at Home©,” the 40-minute DVD contains four segments which showcase different types of beautiful habitat gardens across Virginia. The DVD features a butterfly garden, a shrub woodland border, water gardens and a native plant oasis. It costs $12.
Click here for more information and to order.
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