Michele Fletcher Landscape Designs

11/01/2021

Lexington, BV,Rockbridge county and areas around you — BE AWARE:
FREEZE WATCH Tomorrow (Tuesday) night.

10/12/2021

Wow!

Photosynthesis in Venus’ atmosphere may be possible, according to a new study. The findings support the idea that microbes could exist and even thrive in the more temperate regions of the planet’s cloud layers.

Photosynthesis in Venus' atmosphere may be possible, according to a new study. The findings support the idea that microbes could

10/07/2021

Some good news.

The American Horticultural Society has seen leadership changes in recent days and now is keeping River Farm as its headquarters.

10/03/2021

Interesting.
Who has had trouble with the Brown Marmorated Stink bug this year?
If you can stand the stinky smell go ahead and crush them...

and:
Tips for avoiding the home invasion

Brown marmorated stink bugs are looking for a protected place to hibernate over winter. They will leave your house again in the spring – if they can find their way back out – to lay their eggs outside and look for plants to eat.

According to the EPA, there are a few steps you can take to protect your home:

• Caulk windows inside and out.

• Weather strip doors to the outside and install door sweeps if daylight is visible around the perimeter of the door.

• Seal foundation cracks.

• When insulating exposed plumbing pipes around the foundation or the crawlspace of your home, caulk small gaps and fill larger ones with steel wool.

• Look for gaps around window air conditioners or holes in window screens and block them off.

It's that time of year for the notorious BMSB.

09/26/2021

Houseplants help clean your air and they brighten your day... :-)

Even the experts have a hard time choosing favorites. But we pressed them for answers.

09/10/2021

Reminder- be actively looking for and killing these Lanternflies.

"Spotted" any of these lately?

Spotted lanternfly is an invasive insect that has been found in several counties in northern Virginia. This destructive pest attacks fruit tree, hops, grapes, and over 70 other trees and plants.

Now is the time to inspect for and kill adults before females start to lay egg masses in mid-September.

For more information visit the Virginia Cooperative Extension here: https://ext.vt.edu/agriculture/commercial-horticulture/spotted-lanternfly.html

08/18/2021

Be aware, Rockbridge County friends/gardeners; this new and gaudy invasive pest, Spotted Lanternfly, is right on our doorstep now.
Thanks to the Northern Shenandoah Valley Master Gardener Association for a good synopsis below.

- Rockbridge Area Master Gardeners Association

Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) Update: Right now you'll mostly see 4th instar (red with black and white markings) or adults (pinkish-tan wings with spots and yellow abdomens with black stripes).

Please kill all you can. We can expect the insect to continue to spread, but every insect killed is one less that can reproduce.

Learn more about "Residential Control for Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) in Virginia" at https://resources.ext.vt.edu/contentdetail?contentid=1911&contentname=Residential%20Control%20for%20Spotted%20Lanternfly%20(SLF)%20in%20Virginia.

Get free information with Virginia Cooperative Extension's SLF resources at https://ext.vt.edu/agriculture/commercial-horticulture/spotted-lanternfly.html. If you have a question about SLF in Virginia, contact us or your local Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Program volunteers.

SLF spread in Virginia: In graphic, yellow counties have a confirmed population. Red counties have a confirmed population and are under a VDACS quarantine for the insect. If you live in or drive through any of these areas, please inspect your car or any outside items you take with you.

To report a SLF sighting in Virginia, visit https://vce.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0fdsQXRg8TO8uzk. In Wi******er and Frederick County, SLF is well established. There is no need to report, but please contact us/report if you want information on best management approaches for you to conduct on your property and/or resources regarding the regulatory quarantine.

SLF photos courtesy VCE Northern Shenandoah Valley Agriculture and Natural Resources

See posts for more info, where we share what you should know RIGHT NOW to help slow the spread of and other invasive species in Virginia.
- EMG Stacey

07/03/2021

It’s not “dirt”, it is “Soil” !!!

(A lot of us heard that from professors. 😂 )

“Looking at dirt is a good part of my day," said one of the members of the national championship squad.

06/20/2021

Do you wonder - when does summer really begin? Here you go.

Meteorologists and climatologists define seasons differently from “regular” or astronomical spring, summer, fall, and winter.

05/23/2021

I agree with this... do you?

We point our fingers at other countries tearing down their forests but turn a blind eye to what happens here.

05/23/2021

Be aware.

When exploring the outdoors, many children are taught the mantra, "leaves of three, let it be"--referring, of course, to poison ivy. With climate change, that caveat could become even more important.