Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder column: Tips to help pansies survive winter
Pansies look very good now even though we had some unusually cold weather last week. A friend asked what they needed to do for these ...
Darrell Blackwelder, Author at Salisbury Post
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder column: Avoiding cold damage
Unpredictable weather can take a toll on landscape plants and flowers, especially those just planted. This fall presented a myriad of varying weather conditions — ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Sunday, November 28, 2021 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder column: Pecan tree crops can vary from year to year
Harvesting pecans can be a challenge for those who live in the Piedmont. My family farm has four gigantic trees planted in the ’40s that ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Sunday, November 21, 2021 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Pruning, planting and removing leaves
Outdoor activities and chores never seem to cease even with the sudden realization of winter. Many believe that fall is the best time to prune. ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Sunday, November 14, 2021 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: How to avoid shrub problems
Fall is an opportune time to plant trees and shrubs as they acclimate at this time to both weather and soil conditions. Unfortunately, it seems ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Sunday, November 7, 2021 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Summer amaryllis bulbs will rebloom for holiday
Many have decided to retain their spent amaryllis bulbs last winter for another spectacular holiday bloom. These Christmas bloomers are expensive and can be saved ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Sunday, October 31, 2021 12:00 am
Farm & Garden
Darrell Blackwelder: It’s important to keep irrigating during fall and winter
October is one of the driest months of the year. Those with newly seeded lawns are faced with the problem of irrigating the grass to ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Sunday, October 24, 2021 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Q&A: Moving houseplants indoors for the winter, pruning hollies
Sounds crazy with our usually warm October weather but frost will be here soon, and many homeowners still have gardening and landscaping chores. Inquiries concerning ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Sunday, October 17, 2021 12:00 am
Farm & Garden
Darrell Blackwelder: Mums add a splash of color to the landscape
Planting chrysanthemums in the fall is an annual event that adds a splash of color to our planters and landscapes. Chrysanthemums, also known as “garden ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Sunday, October 17, 2021 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Spring flowering bulbs should be planted in October and November
Daffodils, tulips, hyacinths and crocus and other spring flowering bulbs should be planted in October and November. Various types of bulbs are now available at ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Sunday, October 10, 2021 12:00 am
Farm & Garden
Darrell Blackwelder: Straw for seeding and mites
September and October are the best months to reseed thin and bare areas in fescue lawns. Seeding rates depend on your lawn’s condition, as completely ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Sunday, October 3, 2021 12:00 am
Farm & Garden
Aquatic midges can resemble mosquitoes
A homeowner from High Rock Lake sent an email claiming her home was being inundated and overrun by small insects resembling mosquitoes. Ironically, these insects ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Sunday, September 26, 2021 12:00 am
Farm & Garden
Q&A: Edible kousa fruit and crape myrtle shoots
We’re transitioning from summer to fall — maybe. Hot weather and lack of rainfall present delays in fall annual plantings and lawn renovations. Many are ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Sunday, September 19, 2021 12:00 am
Farm & Garden
Darrell Blackwelder: Virginia buttonweed can be tough to kill
Earlier this week, I had a question from a homeowner having problems with an aggressive weed in his lawn. It was growing rampant in his ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Sunday, September 19, 2021 12:00 am
Farm & Garden
Darrell Blackwelder: Primrose weed has beautiful yellow flowers
One of the breakfast buddies at Richard’s BBQ brought me a flower one of her friends asked to identify. It was a beautiful yellow flower ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Sunday, September 12, 2021 12:00 am
Farm & Garden
Darrell Blackwelder: Now is the best time for seeding fescue
September and October are the best times of the year to seed cool-season fescue lawns. This narrow time frame promotes optimum root growth and development ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Sunday, September 5, 2021 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Alaska adventure: Rowan Travelers enjoy tour of picturesque state
After a year’s delay in travel, the Rowan Travelers were finally able to return to their travel adventures and tour Alaska. Alaska had been on ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Sunday, August 29, 2021 12:00 am
Farm & Garden
Darrell Blackwelder: Yellow jackets can deliver extremely painful stings
I was pruning dead flowers in a container planting last week and was stung five times by yellow jackets. These insects are generally in the ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Sunday, August 29, 2021 12:00 am
Farm & Garden
Darrell Blackwelder: Now is the time to prepare for fescue lawn renovation
August is the time to prepare for fescue lawn renovation in September. September is the best time to fertilize and reseed fescue or cool-season lawns ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Sunday, August 22, 2021 12:00 am
Farm & Garden
Darrell Blackwelder column: Pokeberry can be rather invasive
There is a giant weed that pops up in our hydrangeas every spring. No matter how many times my wife cuts it back, it always ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Sunday, August 22, 2021 12:00 am
Farm & Garden
Darrell Blackwelder column: Yellow nutsedge is a very difficult weed to control
There is a grassy weed growing in our flower beds that seems to grow even more when we pull it up. Our grassy weed is ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Sunday, August 8, 2021 12:00 am
Farm & Garden
Darrell Blackwelder: When can you prune trees and shrubs?
Pruning is constant part of gardening regardless of the season. Seems like everybody has a pruning question, generally when the weather changes or a change ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Sunday, August 1, 2021 12:00 am
Farm & Garden
Darrell Blackwelder: Controlling Japanese beetles
Nextdoor neighbors of my breakfast buddy had some insect problems with their flowers. Their canna lilies and roses were being quickly mutilated by a strange ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Sunday, August 1, 2021 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder column: What’s the deal with dodder?
One of my traveler friends sent me a photo of her flowers invaded by a strange, almost alien-type growth. A yellow, spaghetti-like plant called dodder ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Sunday, July 25, 2021 12:00 am
Farm & Garden
Darrell Blackwelder column: Pruning old azaleas
Even though the newer Encore-type azaleas are very popular, traditional azaleas are still very popular and are again rapidly growing. These oldies need a little ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Sunday, July 18, 2021 12:00 am
Farm & Garden
Darrell Blackwelder column: ‘Tis the season for mud daubers
Those that live anywhere near water-the lake, pond, or creek, you’re probably going to have orange cylinders of mud pipes from mud daubers decorating the ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Sunday, July 11, 2021 12:00 am
Farm & Garden
Darrell Blackwelder: Tips for plant irrigation
Even with rain showers, irrigation is a way of life for those that want to keep bedding plants, lawns and vegetables alive. The ideal time ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Sunday, July 4, 2021 12:00 am
Farm & Garden
Darrell Blackwelder column: Tomatoes 101
A couple of people told me they planted tomatoes for the first time this spring. They were curious and wanted to see if they could ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Sunday, July 4, 2021 12:00 am
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