Tis the season—to plant tomatoes Tomatoes are native to the Americas, like peppers, and were grown by the Aztecs who called the fruits “tomatl”—meaning “plump thing with navel.” Tomatoes are botanically berries, believe it or not! So which one is the best? Well, I can only tell you my favorites because there are tiny nuances … Read more
Virginia is bursting with color right now!! Here we are in mid-April and what a beautiful time to be living in Virginia with all the shrubs and trees in bloom or coming into bloom. Just to re-cap our weather: Approximately, April 20, is our average last frost date. So far in April, we have not … Read more
This Tuesday, April 16th, is National Orchid Day. In honor of National Orchid Day, here are some interesting facts about these beautiful and exotic flowers. Orchids are the single largest family of blooming plants in the world with over 25,000 naturally occurring species and well over a hundred thousand man-made hybrids. Orchids are also the … Read more
WHAT ARE NATIVE PLANTS & WHY SHOULD I CONSIDER PLANTING THEM? There is some confusion when determining if, or how, a plant is considered “native.” In my opinion, the best definition for a “native” comes from the Virginia Native Plant Society: “Native plants are those that were growing here when the settlers first arrived and … Read more
I have a raised bed at the front of my yard, just in front of a large maple tree. I used to grow impatiens there. They did great in the shade; however, they are thirsty little plants. By mid-summer I was having to water every single solitary day—and if it was a little on the … Read more
A LOT OF GARDENING ACTIVITIES AND CHORES FOR APRIL Finally, April has arrived. March ended on a high note with warming temperatures and some rain on the last day. As we begin in April, I think we need to re-cap March. March was much more traditional when it came to temperatures and rainfall, especially when … Read more
What vegetable is low in calories, high in fiber, a rich source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants—and tastes delicious? Asparagus, of course. And, since yesterday was April Fools Day—no fooling! Here are a few interesting facts about asparagus: Thomas Jefferson had asparagus beds at Monticello and often ate it marinated in oil, red wine vinegar, … Read more
OUR 11TH SEASON OF THE HUGUENOT-ROBIOUS FARMERS’ MARKET IS STARTING UP THIS THURSDAY MARCH 28TH FROM 10:00 AM TO 2:00 PM Yes, we are a year-round farmers’ market. Since January, our vendors have been inside The Great Big Greenhouse. We kick off each season with the first Thursday in April. But, this year with more … Read more
My granddad always planted his garden peas between the middle and end of March. That means that right now is a perfect time. The first thing you need to do is decide which kind of pea you want to plant. Do you want to plant English or “shelling” peas? These are the traditional green pea—sweet … Read more
GET YOUR FRONT ROW SEAT TO THE BIGGEST GARDENING EVENT IN RICHMOND WITH WEATHER IN THE GARDEN THIS SATURDAY, MARCH 233 STARTING @ 10:00. It’s hard to imagine that The Great Big Greenhouse and the NBC 12 Weather Alert Team have been co-hosting this event for 15 years. This all started in 2005. Over the … Read more
