Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Program

08/27/2026

Today our post will be from 2021 and a timely post about invasive Japanese stiltgrass.

Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum) is a VERY invasive grass that can invade lawns, landscape beds, and vegetable gardens. If left unchecked, Japanese stiltgrass will disrupt our native plant and animal communities, causing harm to our natural resources.

If you have stiltgrass, remove it NOW (if you haven't already) before it sets seed and you wind up with MORE stiltgrass next year!

Why is it bad?

-On a moist, shady, fertile site, stiltgrass can replace competing ground vegetation within 3-5 years, disrupting natural communities and causing harm to our natural resources.
- It's a shade tolerant plant that can survive and reproduce under a closed forest canopy--that means it can live in many different places!
-Japanese stiltgrass can produce large numbers of seeds – from 16,000 to 50,000 seeds per square meter.

What does it look like?

Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum) is bright green with a distinctive silvery stripe of reflective hairs along the midrib of each narrow, lance-shaped blade. The leaves are one to three inches long and alternately arranged on a branched stalk resembling a smaller, more delicate version of bamboo. Flower spikes grow on top of each stem before the plant sets seed in late August to September. Growing one to three feet tall, Japanese stiltgrass has a sprawling, mat-like manner. At the end of the season, the plant dies back; in heavily infested areas it produces a thick layer of dried, tannish thatch.

Stiltgrass thrives in moderate-to-densely shaded areas subject to regular soil disturbances, such as flooding, mowing, tilling, and high foot traffic. Stiltgrass is commonly found along roadways and ditches, floodplains, moist woodlands, and power line corridors. Stiltgrass often thrives in soils that are moist, acidic to neutral, and fertile. Stiltgrass also threatens wooded areas where tree canopies are defoliated due to infestations of gypsy moths or other destructive events. In residential areas, stiltgrass can invade lawns, landscape beds, and vegetable gardens. Stiltgrass does not proliferate in full sunlight or in areas with standing water.

Where did it come from?
Native to Japan, China, central Asia and India. M. vimineum was originally documented in Tennessee in 1919 and is believed to have been accidentally introduced to the United States through its use as a packing material.

More info from:
NC State Extension: https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/japanese-stiltgrass-identification-and-management?fbclid=IwAR1GhnP7bCB1DN5fKap8udLo2xuWi7lb1yhuLpolqcERpj8kzotHHUr0bUc
Penn State Extension: https://extension.psu.edu/controlling-japanese-stiltgrass-in-your-garden
Maryland Extension: https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/japanese-stiltgrass

Image shows four different examples of Japanese stiltgrass: one infesting a natural area and forming a groundcover, one in a pot, one close up of a patch growing in dirt, and one very closeup of the leaves.

08/13/2026

Thinking ahead to fall planting? Take a look back at our post featuring native groundcovers!

These plants do much more than cover bare soil. Many help control erosion, suppress w**ds, and provide important benefits for pollinators and other wildlife.



Find inspiration here: https://vnps.org/virginia-native-plant-guides/

Groundcovers are useful for controlling erosion, w**d suppression, and more. Many native plants make effective ground covers — and many help the wildlife and insects in your landscape ecosystem!

To learn more about these plants and get other ideas, see: https://vnps.org/virginia-native-plant-guides/

Please note that many of these native plants can be difficult to source. You may need to visit native plant sales in your community, seek out specialty nurseries, or propagate from a friend. (though you may have some of these in your landscape already!)
Common Wild Ginger - Asarum canadense - Can create a dense, semi-evergreen ground cover on woodland floors in part to full shade. Larval host of the pipeline swallowtail butterfly. Perennial.
Eastern Solomon’s-plume, False Solomon’s-seal - Maianthemum racemosum - Woodland plant in much of Northern Virginia that makes a taller groundcover. Part shade to full shade, produces small white flowers in spring. Perennial.
Wild Stonecrop, Woodland Stonecrop - Sedum ternatum - A rock-loving perennial that grows 2-8 inches with white flowers in spring. Part shade, grows in well drained, base-rich soils.
Green and Gold - Chrysogonum virginianum - A perennial, low growing ground cover that’s a good choice for woodland gardens or shady areas. Yellow daisy-like blooms in spring and summer.
Lyre-leaf Sage - Salvia lyrata - A native alternative to Ajuga that tolerates drought and overwatering. Light blue flowers in spring/early summer, semi-evergreen basal leaves. Sun to shade, perennial.
Narrowleaf Blue-eyed Grass - Sisyrinchium angustifolium - A member of the iris family with grass-like leaves and light blue star0shaped flowers in spring. Sun to part shade, perennial.
Common Blue Violet Viola sororia - Multiple native viola species work as ground covers and also serve as hosts for native caterpillars. Deer resistant, prefers shade/part shade and moisture-retentive soils.
Sensitive Fern - Onoclea sensibilis - Fern that works as a groundcover in shaded gardens. Deer resistant. Needs moist soil, spreads by rhizomes in moist, loose soil.

07/30/2026

Your garden doesn't have to take a break between seasons.

August marks the transition from warm-season to cool-season planting across Virginia. Instead of waiting for tomatoes, peppers, and squash to finish, start interplanting fall crops now.

By sowing or transplanting cool-season vegetables into available spaces, you'll make the most of your garden beds, extend your harvest season, and keep fresh produce coming well into autumn.

Check your zone and start planning your fall garden today! 🌱🍂

Graphic Text:
AUGUST

6A
Beets
Chard, Swiss
Collards, Kale
Kohlrabi
Lettuce, Baby Salad
Mustard
Radish
Rutabega
Spinach
Turnips

broccoli*
Cabbage*
Chinese Cabbage*
Cauliflower*
Leeks*
Lettuce, head*

6B
Beets
Chard, Swiss
Collards, Kale
Kohlrabi
Lettuce, Baby Salad
Mustard
Radish
Rutabega
Spinach
Turnips

broccoli*
cabbage*
Chinese Cabbage*
cauliflower*
leeks*
lettuce, head*

7A
Beets
Carrots
Chard, Swiss
Collards, Kale
Kohlrabi
Lettuce, Baby Salad
Mustard
Radish
Rutabega
Southern Pea
Squash, Summer
Turnips

broccoli*
Brussel Sprouts*
cabbage*
Chinese cabbage*
cauliflower*
leeks*
lettuce, head*

7B
Beets
Carrots
Chard, Swiss
Collards, Kale
Kohlrabi
lettuce, head*
Lettuce, Baby Salad
Mustard
Rutabega
Southern Pea
Squash, Summer
Turnips

broccoli*
Brussel Sprouts*
cabbage*
Chinese cabbage*
cauliflower*
leeks*
tomatoes*

8A
Beans, Bush
Beets
Carrots
Collards, Kale
Cucumbers
Eggplant
lettuce, head*
Lettuce, Baby Salad
Mustard
Okra
Peppers
Southern Pea
Squash, Summer
Turnips

broccoli*
Brussel Sprouts*
cabbage*
cauliflower*
leeks*
tomatoes*

SEPTEMBER

6A
Lettuce, baby salad
Mustard
Radish
Spinach

Lettuce, head*

6b
Lettuce, baby salad
Mustard
Radish
Spinach

Lettuce, head*

7A
Beets
broccoli*
cabbage*
chinese cabbage**
Chard, Swiss
Collards, Kale
Kohlrabi
leeks*
lettuce, head*
Lettuce Baby Salad
Mustard
Radish
Spinach
Turnips

7B
Beets
broccoli*
cabbage*
chinese cabbage**
Chard, Swiss
Collards, Kale
Kohlrabi
leeks*
lettuce, head*
Lettuce Baby Salad
Mustard
Radish
Spinach
Turnips

8A
Beets
broccoli*
cabbage*
chinese cabbage**
Chard, Swiss
Collards, Kale
Kohlrabi
leeks*
lettuce, head*
Lettuce Baby Salad
Mustard
Radish
Spinach
Turnips

SEPTEMBER

6A
Lettuce baby salad
Mustard
Radish
Spinach

Lettuce, head

6B
Lettuce baby salad
Mustard
Radish
Spinach

Lettuce, head

7a
Beets (beginning of the month)
Chard, Swiss (beginning of the month)
Collards, Kale (beginning of the month)
Kohlrabi (beginning of the month)
Lettuce Baby Salad
Mustard
Radish
Spinach
Turnips

broccoli* (beginning of the month)
lettuce, head*

7b
Beets
Chard, Swiss
Collards, Kale
Kohlrabi
Lettuce Baby Salad
Mustard
Radish
Spinach
Turnips

broccoli* (beginning of the month)
cabbage* (beginning of the month)
Chinese cabbage** (beginning of the month)
leeks* (beginning of the month)
lettuce, head*

8a
Beets
Carrots (beginning of the month)
Chard, Swiss
Collards, Kale
Kohlrabi
leeks*
Lettuce Baby Salad
Mustard
Radish
Rutabaga (beginning of the month)
Spinach
Turnips

broccoli*
Cauliflower (beginning of the month)
cabbage* (beginning of the month)
Chinese cabbage**
lettuce, head*

07/30/2026

🌿

Have you seen Joe-Pye w**d budding up along Virginia roadsides lately?

We're revisiting one of our favorite native plant posts. Joe-Pye w**d is an important late-season nectar source for butterflies, bees, and other pollinators.

*************************************************************************
You've heard of Joe Pye w**d, a late-summer garden favorite, but who was Joe Pye? James City County Williamsburg Master Gardeners did some research!

Authors of a 2017 article iin “The Great Lakes Botanist” (which is the Michigan Botanical Club’s peer-reviewed journal) traced the name to the late colonial period and tied it to Joseph Shauquethqueat, who was a Mohican sachem (tribal leader) in the 18th and early 19th century. Though various folklore accounts link the name to a momentous use of Joe-Pye w**d by Indigenous people to save an entire colony from typhus fever, authors of this article could not find evidence of such an event. More info: https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/garden-scoop/2022-10-08-history-joe-pye-w**d

07/07/2026

While many gardens are in full swing by July, it's not too late to get more plants in the ground! 🥒🥕
Direct Sowing:
Zone 6A: Lima Beans, Bush Beans, Brussels Sprouts, Carrots, Cucumbers, Okra, Southern Peas, Summer Squash, Sweet Corn
Zone 6B: Lima Beans, Bush Beans, Carrots, Cucumbers, Okra, Southern Peas, Summer Squash, Sweet Corn
Zone 7A: Lima Beans, Bush Beans, Pole Beans, Cucumbers, Okra, Southern Peas, Summer Squash, Winter Squash, Sweet Corn, Sweet Potato, Watermelon
Zones 7B & 8A: Lima Beans, Bush Beans, Pole Beans, Cucumbers, Muskmelons, Okra, Southern Peas, Summer Squash, Winter Squash, Sweet Corn, Sweet Potato, Watermelon
Zone 8B: Check the publication linked below!
Transplanting:
Zone 6A: Cauliflower, Eggplant, Peppers, Tomatoes
Zones 6B & 7A: Eggplant, Peppers, Tomatoes
Zones 7B & 8A: Eggplant, Peppers, Pumpkins, Tomatoes
Zone 8B: Check the publication linked below!
You can prepare for the entire planting season by visiting https://brnw.ch/plantguide
To determine your USDA zone, you can enter your zip code here: https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov

06/17/2026

06/12/2026

AHH watch out it'll sting, it's a..... wasp?! 🐝 That's right, yellowjackets are not bees--they're actually wasps.
Lets clear up the difference between this troublesome pest and our native bee species, most of which rarely sting.
🐝 How to ID a yellowjacket: Yellowjackets range from 3/8" to 5/8" long. They are bright yellow with black lines, spots, triangles or diamonds on their abdomen (different species have different color patterns). Yellowjackets have a hard and shiny body with few hairs. Since they are a type of wasp, they have a definite waist. They fold their wings lengthwise when at rest.
🐝 Like all wasps, yellowjackets prey on a wide variety of insects and other arthropods. Yellowjackets are unusual in that the workers will also forage on foods consumed by people, especially sweets and meats.
🐝 If you have a yellowjacket problem, NOW is the right time of year to think about controlling them: Effective management of yellowjackets in a given area can be achieved by rigorous sanitation and physical exclusion of foraging workers from attractive food sources. If begun early in the summer and carried throughout mid-autumn, proper sanitation will help reduce the buildup of foraging yellowjackets within an area. Lids of trash containers should be kept closed whenever possible. Open trash containers should be emptied regularly (every few hours when large numbers of yellowjackets are present).
🐝 More info on yellow jackets, including options for controlling them: https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/ENTO/ENTO-49/ENTO-49.html
🐝 Large invasive hornets: https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/ENTO/ento-592/ento-592.html
Image text:
Title reading: Did you know? Yellowjackets are wasps! No, they're not bees!"
Body text reading: In areas with numerous yellowhacket colonies, foragingin workers may become serious nuisance pests as they search for food. They often pester people eating outside and scavenge food from trash bins and dumpsters. In Virginai, yellowjacket wasps can be nuisance pests in recreational areas from late summer until early autumn, when colonies begin to die off.
Photo of a insect with yellow and black stripes and a smooth, narrow body. Long black wings protrude from behind a big-eyed head.

06/10/2026

June is National Pollinator Month! Think like a pollinator with these tips from the US Forest Service:
- Go Native. Pollinators are “best” adapted to local, native plants, which often need less water than ornamentals
- Bee Bountiful. Plant big patches of each plant species (better foraging efficiency.)
- Bee Sunny. Provide areas with sunny, bare soil that’s dry and well-drained, preferably with south-facing slopes.
- Bee Showy. Flowers should bloom in your garden throughout the growing season. Plant willow, currant, and Oregon grape for spring and aster, rabbit
brush and goldenrod for fall flowers.
- Bee Patient. It takes time for native plants to grow and for pollinators to find
your garden, especially if you live far from wild lands.
View their whole guide for pollinator gardening for the Eastern us: chrome-extensio://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/pollinators/documents/AttractingPollinatorsEasternUS_V1.pdf
More info including some plant suggestions: https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/wildflowers/pollinators/gardening

Image text:
Title: Planning your garden — think like a pollinator.

Go Native. Pollinators are “best” adapted to local, native plants, which often need less water than ornamentals.
Bee Showy. Flowers should bloom in your garden throughout the growing season. Plant willow, violet, and mayapple for spring and aster, joe-pye w**d, and goldenrod for fall flowers.
Bee Bountiful. Plant big patches of each plant species for better foraging efficiency.
Bee Patient. It takes time for native plants to grow and for pollinators to find your garden, especially if you live far from wild lands.
Bee Gentle. Most bees will avoid stinging and use that behavior only in self-defense. Male bees do not sting.
Bee Chemical Free. Pesticides and herbicides kill pollinators.
Bee Homey. Make small piles of branches to attract butterflies and moths. Provide hollow twigs, rotten logs with wood-boring beetle holes and bunchgrasses and leave stumps, old rodent burrows, and fallen plant material for nesting bees. Leave dead or dying trees for woodpeckers.
Bee Sunny. Provide areas with sunny, bare soil that’s dry and well-drained, preferably with south-facing slopes.
Bee Diverse. Plant a diversity of flowering species with abundant pollen and nectar and specific plants for feeding butterfly and moth caterpillars.
Bee a little messy. Most of our native bee species (70%) nest underground, so avoid using w**d cloth or heavy mulch.
Bee Aware. Observe pollinators when you walk outside in nature. Notice which flowers attract bumble bees or solitary bees, and which attract butterflies.
Bee Friendly. Create pollinator-friendly gardens both at home, at schools and in public parks. Help people learn more about pollinators and native plants.

06/08/2026

This is Colletes aestivalis a rare native bee! Also called the alumroot cellophane bee, this little lady is a Heuchera specialist, which means she only collects pollen from a specific species (or few species) to feed her larvae.
You probably know Heuchera or coral bells--they are planted everywhere! Unfortunately, this bee does not get pollen from hybrid species. If you want to add coral bells to your garden, consider finding Heuchera americana, the native species.
The bee specimen in this photo was collected in Rockingham County, VA

06/02/2026

June is National Pollinator Month! We have several pollinator-themed events this month! Find one near you: https://ext.vt.edu/lawn-garden/Timely_Topics/2026-pollinator-events.html

Even small actions can make a big difference for these important species. Join us this month in helping pollinators thrive. 🐝🦋🌼