Lifestyle
A vast array of bloom colors in the holiday cactus category
H oliday cactus is often received as a gift over the Christmas holidays. Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter cactus are often grouped into the term “holiday ...
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Darrell Blackwelder, Author at Salisbury Post
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Silverling trees has white- or cream-colored blooms
You may have noticed a small, shaggy tree full of fluffy white blooms throughout the county. The plant in question is a silverling or groundsel ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, November 26, 2022 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Adding fresh mulch can spice up landscape
Adding fresh mulch is an essential part of landscape maintenance. Fresh mulch can turn a drab, lackluster landscape into a flowing master design in a ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, November 19, 2022 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Time to start tackling those November home and garden chores
Outdoor activities and chores never seem to cease even with the sudden realization of winter. Below are a few questions that a few have asked ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, November 12, 2022 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: There is still time to plant spring flowering bulbs this month
There is still time to plant daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, crocus and other spring flowering bulbs this month. These and other types of spring flowering bulbs ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, November 12, 2022 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Ginkgo trees provide a spectacular display of yellow
The leaf color on the maples, oaks and hickories is outstanding this season; the best we’ve experienced in years. The ginkgo trees located downtown Salisbury ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, November 5, 2022 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Prickly pear cactus is an interesting plant
My wife and I visited her cousin, Penny, a few weeks ago and were amazed at an enormous cactus she had in landscape. It was ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, October 29, 2022 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Fall-blooming shrubs add a touch of color
Fall has arrived along with the cold weather we normally expect in October. Many trees and shrubs are in the process of shedding leaves which ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, October 22, 2022 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Continue maintenance for fescue lawns
Fescue lawns throughout the county have been fertilized and overseeded in September are growing well. Now is the time to continue with your lawn care ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, October 15, 2022 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Q&A: Winter weeds, planting pansies and berries for bluebirds
Frost will be here soon, and many homeowners still have gardening and landscaping chores. Inquiries concerning fall maintenance of their lawns and landscapes plants are ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, October 15, 2022 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Bring in your houseplants
Cooler temperatures and falling leaves are a signal for those with houseplant outdoors to move them indoors. Temperatures dipping down into the 40-degree range often ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, October 8, 2022 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Light pruning can be done year-round
Pruning can still be done. Contrary to popular belief, pruning can be done year-round. Light, judicious pruning in the fall does not kill plants and ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, October 1, 2022 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Questions and answers about fescue renovation
September is the best time for fescue lawn renovation. Turf-type fescue renovation should be initiated in the fall and early winter in order to become ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, September 24, 2022 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Historic train tour: Rowan Travelers ride the rails out West
A few weeks ago, the Rowan Travel Group headed west on an adventure of the Historic Trains of the Old West. The major focus of ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, September 17, 2022 12:10 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Planting fall mums
Planting chrysanthemums in the fall is an annual event adding a splash of color to our landscapes. Chrysanthemums, also known as “garden mums or hardy ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, September 17, 2022 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Testing your soil
The most common mistake by home gardeners is not having their soil tested before applying fertilizer or lime. I was traveling last week and a ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, September 10, 2022 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Fall webworms are making an appearance
In late summer, shade trees throughout the county are often covered with large, light gray, silken webs. Fall webworms enclose leaves and small branches in ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, September 3, 2022 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Sweet Autumn clematis is an attractive, fast-growing vine
There is an ornate vine coated with beautiful flowers cascading on trees and shrubs that you may see driving around the county. The vine is ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, August 27, 2022 12:00 am
Lifestyle
H&G Q&A: Controlling unwanted growth, pruning shrubs
Unseasonable fall-like weather has many home gardeners venturing outdoors to work in their landscapes and vegetable gardens. Below are a few questions asked that you ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, August 20, 2022 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Butterfly bush — good or bad??
Butterfly bushes are now in full bloom and literally covered with butterflies. I’ve counted as many as 10 butterflies covering one of our bushes. Usually ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, August 20, 2022 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Controlling noxious weed chamberbitter can be tough
There is a relatively new lawn and flower bed weed that has become a royal pain for many home gardeners. The aggravating weed which appears ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, August 13, 2022 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: What to do about late-summer lawn problems
In early summer, fescue lawns looked fantastic. Now, many lawns are nearing a total disaster. Here are a number of situations that have caused fescue ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, August 6, 2022 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Hummingbird moth is a gentle, pollinating insect
A friend of mine was looking at their butterfly bush this week and noticed a rather unusual insect flying slowly around the blooms. At first ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, July 30, 2022 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Cicada killer wasps are not aggressive to humans
Late July is generally the month when insects and other pests flourish in our landscapes. Some have expressed concern about giant “hornets” buzzing them and ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, July 23, 2022 12:05 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder column: Solar soil sterilization kills plant pests
During a gardening interest meeting last week, home gardeners brought up an issue. The problem was that planting the same plants each year in the ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, July 16, 2022 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder column: Yellow nutsedge is a very difficult weed to control
A friend of mine told me she had some type of fast-growing grass in our flower beds that seemed to grow even more when she ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, July 9, 2022 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder column: Controlling lace bugs
The foliage of some azaleas and rhododendron appears bleached with yellow splotches. It’s a common problem caused by lace bugs. This very small, clear-winged insect ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, July 2, 2022 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Mud daubers are back
Anyone that lives near water — the lake, pond or creeks — are probably going to have orange cylinders of mud pipes from mud daubers ...