Category: Gazette-Mail

Gazette-Mail, problems

Giant hogweed (and relatives) causes a rash of skin rashes

Most of us know the plants we want to steer clear of, those we don’t want to tangle with. Experience and knowledge tells us there are some plants that fight back through either chemical or physical means. These defenses have evolved over time to protect the plants from their major enemies — most often grazing/browsing animals or insects that would eat the plant. There are … Continue reading Giant hogweed (and relatives) causes a rash of skin rashes

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Gazette-Mail, parasite

When plants attack! (each other)

When you talk about killer plants, your mind may conjure images of a man-eating plant in “Little Shop of Horrors,” insect-eating Venus flytraps or poisonous plants like deadly nightshade. While all of those scenarios are interesting in and of themselves, what about plants that attack other plants? I’m talking, of course, about parasitic plants. These plants thrive on stealing nutrients from other plants, either weakening … Continue reading When plants attack! (each other)

Unknown's avatarJohn Porter1 Comment
allergies, Gazette-Mail, pollen

Pollination strategies can lead to allergy woes

Last week I made my way to South Dakota for the annual meeting of the National Association of County Agricultural Agents. It is a fun conference made even more special this year by the fact that WVU President E. Gordon Gee was in attendance as the conference co-keynote speaker and recipient of the Service to American/World Agriculture award. Two days into the conference, though, something … Continue reading Pollination strategies can lead to allergy woes

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Gazette-Mail, trees, vegetable gardening

Flooding and storms are a serious risk to gardens

Our region has certainly suffered under an overabundance of rainfall in the last few months. As I traveled this past week to the National Association of County Agricultural Agents conference in South Dakota, I heard from many of my colleagues in the Eastern states who have been suffering with rain as well. It seems we are not alone in this shift of weather patterns. Those … Continue reading Flooding and storms are a serious risk to gardens

Unknown's avatarJohn PorterLeave a comment
flowers, fruit, Gazette-Mail

Growing the biggest and best in the garden

So it goes to reason that letting plants grow to their biggest and best is a no-brainer. Often, however, the key to the nicest plants, the showiest flowers, or the biggest vegetables is all in knowing what to remove from the plant and when.Take, for example, flowers. If I have a dahlia plant, I can let the plant happily chug along, producing all of the … Continue reading Growing the biggest and best in the garden

Unknown's avatarJohn PorterLeave a comment
blight, climate, Gazette-Mail

Too much of a good thing: Excess rain causing garden problems

This time of year, most people run their vegetable garden on autopilot. Everything has been planted and the harvests may start to slowly trickle in. While the work in the garden aside from harvesting may not be as intense as preparing and planting the beds, there’s still plenty that can be done. There are some things that you want to be doing and watching for … Continue reading Too much of a good thing: Excess rain causing garden problems

Unknown's avatarJohn PorterLeave a comment
Gazette-Mail, lawn

White Grubs, Moles, and Japanese Beetles, Oh My!

The phone rings. I answer. The person on the other end starts complaining about a small furry creature wreaking havoc in their lawn or landscape. They know what it is, or at least they think they do. They think they have moles. They just want me to tell them how to control it. That’s when I have to put the conversation in reverse and start … Continue reading White Grubs, Moles, and Japanese Beetles, Oh My!

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Gazette-Mail, pollinators

National Pollinator Week: Pretty pollinators provide beauty and service

Joyce Baker has a hobby you may not have ever considered. Every fall, she raises, tags and releases a few dozen monarch butterflies at her Charleston home. It is a fascinating, not to mention exciting, idea. She talked about her hobby with my Master Gardeners this past week at our annual picnic. I thought that the talk was serendipitous as this coming week is National … Continue reading National Pollinator Week: Pretty pollinators provide beauty and service

Unknown's avatarJohn PorterLeave a comment
Gazette-Mail, mulch

Much ado about mulch

Sure, it’s not the most glamorous of garden topics, but mulch is something that can be an important tool for every gardener. The benefits of mulching are numerous, but there are some things you should know to most effectively use mulch. My colleague and fellow garden professor (Facebook.com/TheGardenProfessors) Dr. Linda-Chalker Scott, from Washington State University, is definitely a maven of mulch. It is one of … Continue reading Much ado about mulch

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