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buggalinajujubee

New to Virginia gardening

BuggalinaJuJuBee
13 years ago

Hi everyone!

My sister is moving into a place in Alexandria, VA. She will have a decent sized raised bed for gardening. She wants to grow some veggies and herbs, plus annuals in pots.

I am a gardener in Northern California, Bay Area. Can you guys provide me with some general basics so I know where to steer her? She obviously has a shorter growing season than I do. But what good bits of advice and information can a share with her? What will do well for her to start off with? What is the timing on plantings? She gets her place in early April.

Thanks,

Julie

Comments (6)

  • s.hamptongardener
    13 years ago

    Hi Julie.

    I'm originally from San Ramon in the east bay, it's a bit different in VA. It sounds like she'll arrive right in time to plant after the last frost. I found Southern Exposure Seed Exchange's catalog to be a great resource as well as a great place to order seeds. They put a sun symbol next to all plant varieties that can handle the weather in the mid Atlantic region (cold winter, hot humid summers). The catalog also has a page with recommended planting dates for the mid-Atlantic region.

    http://www.southernexposure.com/index.php

    The biggest difference I have found from the east bay and VA is cilantro and powdery mildew. Cilantro grew wild in our yard in CA. I have to get it in early here or it goes to seed immediately. Due to the humid summers things tend to mildew. Selecting varieties of plants (especially squash and cucumber) with good resistance to powdery mildew is key as well as getting them up off the ground. I also can't grow spinach to save my life. I'm going to try malabar spinach instead. It's a hot weather green.

    Hope your sister enjoys VA!

    Melissa

  • lyvia
    13 years ago

    I had to get used to the seasons here. I grew up in PA, but it's so different! The thing to remember about winter is that there will always be a few days of warm weather in the middle of winter. So get your supplies and wait for it. Don't hit the stores when the warm spell hits, or you will spend it in line. Then spring is a period of ups and downs. Early blooms are risky in anything not frost hardy. There are plenty of warm spells, but frost free isn't until May. Although Alexandria is a tad warmer than Fairfax. Watch out for pollen season in April. It can be brutal. May and June are excellent for growing, July is hotter, and August is too hot. In PA all summer is growing season, but here growing in August takes effort. Herbs may take the heat but need humidity/mildew resistance. It's like there's a spring growing season, an August rest, and a fall growing season.

    Tell your sister welcome!

  • linda_222
    12 years ago

    I haven't been able to grow cilantro successfully either, or either parsley's (flat & curly)? Basil goes crazy, thyme and oregano, marjoram, mints all good. Would like ideas on parsley and cilantro, I use it quite a bit. What are some other herbs that grow good here. I grow mine in containers and am thinking of putting them in the ground within a combined bed of other plantings this season. How does everyone else grow their herbs?

  • gastone21 (z7a VA)
    12 years ago

    Oregano, basil, parsley, chives, mints, cilantro all do well for me. Up against the south side of the house in a raised bed. The roof eave keeps offs a good amount of the rain water and I don't water the herbs nearly as much as I do the veggies. Dill didn't do very well for me last year, but then again I was out of room in the herb garden and had to plant it in with the veggies.

  • biceto
    10 years ago

    Hi Julie,

    I have been running my own landscape design business for 13 years. I would love to help your sister out. Please go to my website at www.lissaslandscapeco.com

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