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The Online Magazine FOR and ABOUT Southside Virginia

2/14/2026

Southside Gardener

May Tips & To Do List for the Gardener

 Contributed By William H. McCaleb

 Master Gardener Coordinator
 Virginia Cooperative Extension

*  Now is a good time to divide and repot overgrown house plants. Also, give them an outdoor vacation in a location shielded from the wind and direct sun.

*  Climbing roses don't live up to their name - most need to be trained and tied (loosely to prevent damaging the canes) to supports.

*  Strawberries picked early in the day keep best. Also, storing them in covered containers in the refrigerator helps to keep them fresher longer.

*  If you want sweet rather than bitter cucumbers, mulch the plants and put them on a regular watering schedule. Also, cukes don't store well on the vine, so pick early and pick often.

*  Blossom-end rot is common on tomatoes, but watch for it on peppers, squash and water-melons, too. To help prevent this problem, avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers and mulch around plants to even out the moisture supply through the long, hot summer.

Did you know...?

General Facts About Trees � Trees cut down noise pollution by acting as sound barriers. � Trees provide protection from downward fall of rain, sleet, and hail as well as reduce storm run-off and the possibility of flooding. � Trees provide food and shelter for wildlife. � Trees located along streets act as a glare and reflection control. � The death of one 70-year old tree would return over three tons of carbon to the atmosphere.

*  If your space for a vegetable garden is limited, instead of growing out, grow up. Use trellises, fences and walls to support pole beans and cucumbers. Even running plants with heavy, bulky vegetables such as pumpkins, squash and watermelons can be trained on supports with their crops cradled in mesh netting.

*  Whether it is for the lawn or the garden, when you water, water deeply. Long, thorough watering encourage roots to penetrate down into the soil and thus are less susceptible to the detrimental effects of hot, dry weather.

*  If they haven't been recently sprayed with a herbicide, grass clippings can be used for garden mulch. Before adding to the garden, dry the clippings out leaving them on the lawn for a day or scattering them on the driveway for an afternoon.

*  Have an old mail box in the garage? Nail it to a post in the garden to store string, plant tags, twist-ties, hand tools and other small, back-yard growing essentials.

*  A mini-garden for apartment dwellers is possible with a bale of hay. Just locate it in a sunny area, poke holes in the top of the bale, put plants in the holes with a little bit of dirt and water regularly (with water-soluble fertilizer occasionally added). Be careful not to overcrowd plants.

*  Garden-friendly birds will be working overtime to feed new broods, so make their jobs easier by keeping the bird feeder well stocked and the bird bath filled with fresh water. Stay away from thistle seed for your birds, unless you want to forever have this invasive weed in your landscape.

Eat Fresh - Eat Healthy - Local Food

   Since spinach and turnip greens are coming in, now is a great time to try this recipe to get folks to eat their veggies!

SPINACH SALAD WITH CITRUS CUMIN VINAIGRETTE

   Topped with tangy vinaigrette, dried cranberries, honey-glazed pecans and goat cheese, this spinach salad is a healthy meal all by itself.

• 1 bundle fresh spinach
• Dried cranberries
• Honey-glazed pecans (available at most grocery stores or you can make your own with � cup nuts, 2 tsp. honey & a dash of salt)
• Goat cheese

   Begin by thoroughly washing and drying the spinach. Tear the spinach into bite-size pieces and place in a salad bowl.

   Next, make the honey-glazed pecans. Mix half a cup of pecan pieces with about 2 tsp. honey. Spread the pecans on a foil-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Bake in a preheated 350o oven for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Allow pecans to cool.

Vinaigrette Ingredients

• � tsp. grated orange zest
• � tsp. grated lemon zest
• � tsp. grated lime zest
• 2 T. fresh orange juice
• 1 T. fresh lemon juice
• 1 T. cider vinegar
• 1/8 tsp. ground cumin
• � tsp. salt
• 3 T. light olive oil

   In a small bowl, combine the citrus juices, vinegar, cumin, salt and zests. Whisk these ingredients continuously while slowly adding the olive oil. You will end up with about 1/3 cup of vinaigrette.

   Add the vinaigrette to the salad and toss until the spinach is well coated. Top each serving with dried cranberries, honey-glazed pecans and crumbled goat cheese.

�Exercise for free � Grow A Garden This Year�

   If you have questions about your landscape plants, you can also call the Extension Office and ask to speak to a Master Gardener or the Horticulture Technician.

_____________________

William H. McCaleb
Program Assistant, ANR
Master Gardener Coordinator
Virginia Cooperative Extension
171 S. Main Street
P.O. Box 757
Halifax, VA 24558-0757
434-476-2147
fax: 434-476-7777
http://www.ext.vt.edu