Lifestyle
Questions about pruning, fescue and disease
The weather has been nearly perfect for work outdoors over the past few days with warm days and cooler nights. Below are a few gardening ...
Darrell Blackwelder, Author at Salisbury Post - Page 3 of 17
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Maintenance tips for container gardens
Container gardens are now extremely popular, especially where traditional flower beds are not possible. There are some maintenance requirements necessary for them to standout in ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, May 20, 2023 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Carpenter bees can be difficult to control
Carpenter bees are starting to show up in all areas of Rowan County. The initial activity is often by males buzzing about looking for the ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, May 13, 2023 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Irises are in full bloom
Irises are in full bloom with another show of color for our landscapes. Unfortunately, older plantings have self-propagated too much producing more plant than bloom. ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, May 6, 2023 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Pink primrose is a biennial that blooms early
Driving through East Spencer the other day I noticed a profusely pink flowering pink plant on the side of the road that closely resembled pink ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, April 29, 2023 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Mowing tips for a better lawn
Mowing our lawns is now a regular maintenance tasks for many homeowners with the warm weather promoting rapid growth of cool-season fescue. Often, mistakes while ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, April 22, 2023 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Beautiful spring weather brings in gardening questions
Many are working outdoors in our beautiful spring weather as both cultivated and natural wildflowers are in bloom. Retail garden shops and outlets are bustling ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, April 22, 2023 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Clematis can be a challenge for home gardeners
It’s spring and bountiful flowers and shrubs are in full bloom, including vines. Clematis is a vine featuring bright and colorful flowers, but can be ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, April 15, 2023 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Spring weather prompts questions
Unusual weather coupled with intermittent rainfall has produced many colorful blooms throughout the county. Many trees and shrubs are almost in full show. Unfortunately, many ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, April 1, 2023 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Preventing sprayer residue damage
I sprayed the lawn a few weeks ago for winter weeds. The herbicide seemed to work, removing massive amounts of chickweed and other broadleaf winter ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, April 1, 2023 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: How to control moles
One of the frequent questions people ask during a gardening talk concerns moles. Controlling moles is not easy; many have accepted these animals as part ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, March 25, 2023 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Dandelions: Love ’em or hate ’em
Many of the lawns and landscapes in our area, if not inundated now, will soon be peppered with a broadleaf weed that never seems to ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, March 18, 2023 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Yellow jessamine is now in bloom
Yellow jessamine/Carolina jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens) is now in bloom on fences and trees along roadsides throughout North and South Carolina. The state flower of South ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, March 11, 2023 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Questions come in as blooming begins
Even though we’re experiencing a taste of warm weather, it is important to remember there may be a chance of frost over the next few ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, March 4, 2023 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Daffodils are in bloom all over the county
Daffodils are in bloom all over the county and our entire region. They are about as colorful as I have seen in years. Interestingly enough, ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, March 4, 2023 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Hellebores are in bloom across the county
Daffodil plantings are blooming a little earlier this spring because of our unusual warm weather, as well as other landscape materials are also providing non-traditional ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, February 25, 2023 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Spring weed control in fescue
It’s hard to believe I had to mow my lawn this week. Unusually warm weather has cool season fescue starting to grow. Unfortunately, it’s also ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, February 18, 2023 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Moss problems in lawns
Moss can be a serious problem in cool-season lawns. The overabundance of cool, wet weather along with poor growing conditions such as poor drainage, low ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, February 11, 2023 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Broomsedge weeds is good ground cover, but bad for pasture grass
A friend of mine asked me about a weed that was all over the county in pastures and along the roadways. It was a rather ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, February 4, 2023 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Above-average temperatures lead to home, gardening questions
February is a transition month when homeowners ponder about their landscape for the upcoming spring. It’s too cold to do outdoor chores, but the periods ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, February 4, 2023 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Keeping house plants happy during winter months
House plants have a difficult time adapting to a different environment when moved indoors for the winter. Most house plants were bred and developed from ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, January 14, 2023 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Cold damage on shrubs
Unexpected frigid weather has become almost an annual event in our region during the winter months. Leaf and stem damage is almost certain for many ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, January 7, 2023 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Chinese privet is an invasive shrub
While making my annual visit to the county tax office, a lady asked me about a shrub she observed on her way to work that ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, January 7, 2023 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: It is possible to keep poinsettias for the next season
One of the questions asked each Christmas holiday is if you keep poinsettias for the next season. These plants can be over-wintered and used next ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, December 24, 2022 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Mistletoe is actually a parasitic plant
When was the last time you were kissed under the mistletoe? The attractive plant is common decoration during the Christmas holidays, inspiring loving behaviors. Mistletoe ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, December 17, 2022 12:00 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Pretty poinsettias offer an annual holiday plant that’s always popular
By Darrell Blackwelder For the Salisbury Post Poinsettias are undoubtedly a holiday favorite — a standard decoration for our Christmas holiday season. Seniors from Rufty-Holmes Senior Center ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, December 10, 2022 12:10 am
Lifestyle
Darrell Blackwelder: Add a spark of interest to landscapes
Many want to add a spark of interest to their landscape by implementing usual plants. If this is your situation, you may want to consider ...
by Darrell Blackwelder, Saturday, December 10, 2022 12:00 am
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 ...