The Blandy Book Club will meet virtually on Thursday, January 27 to discuss "Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures" by Merlin Sheldrake. For more information, contact Ariel Firebaugh, our Director of Scientiic Engagement.
Vegetable Gardening for the Perplexed
Have you caught the gardening bug, but maybe those '"Victory Gardens" aren't turning out quite as planned? Or, you're feeling ambitious for 2022. Get the secrets of sccess just in time for spring! Join Sustainability Matters favorite gardeners, english transplant Paula Brownlee and Clarke County Local Deborah Abercrobie at Blandy for a workshop on Garden Basics, Techniques, and averting the sudden death of tomato plants. There will be plenty of time for Q&A.
Blandy Partners with the Clifton Institute for Local Plant Conservation
Most native seed suppliers carry only the most common and showy native wildflowers, which is just a small subsection of our incredibly diverse flora. In most cases, commercially available plants are sourced from only a few areas and shipped to other parts of the country – a framework that doesn’t preserve local varieties of plants and often produces an inferior product for customers (a milkweed adapted to Minnesota weather might not do well in the warmer climates of Virginia).
Don't miss the return of this annual day of trading seeds!
The packets filled quickly when volunteers with the Northern Shenandoah Valley Master Gardener Association met at Blandy in early November to begin packaging and labeling precious seeds gathered from many, many gardens. The treasures will be traded at the upcoming Seed Exchange, hosted by the NSVMGA.
Mark your calendar now for a fun-filled visit when you'll leave with seeds to grow vegetables, herbs, perennials, annuals, vines, woody plants, and more. (And start gathering your own seeds to exchange!)
Don't miss the return of this annual day of trading seeds!
The packets filled quickly when volunteers with the Northern Shenandoah Valley Master Gardener Association met at Blandy in early November to begin packaging and labeling precious seeds gathered from many, many gardens. The treasures will be traded at the upcoming Seed Exchange, hosted by the NSVMGA.
Mark your calendar now for a fun-filled visit when you'll leave with seeds to grow vegetables, herbs, perennials, annuals, vines, woody plants, and more. (And start gathering your own seeds to exchange!)
Plant Experts from Blandy Experimental Farm Caution Against Using Boxwood Clippings in Holiday Decorating
Plant experts from Blandy Experimental Farm are advising Virginia residents against using cuttings from boxwoods, one of the most popular evergreens for holiday decorating, due to boxwood blight.
Blandy arborist Chris Schmidt warns that boxwood clippings can spread boxwood blight fungus in recent article in The Winchester Star.
Don't miss the return of this annual day of trading seeds!
Thursday, January 27th
Visit the Blandy Book Club website to learn more!: https://blandy.virginia.edu/book-club
Saturday, January 29th
Blandy Experimental Farm will host Northern Shenandoah Master Gardeners Association Seed Exchange in January 2022!The NSVMGA Seed Exchange is an annual event where Master Gardeners provide opportunities for the community at-large to obtain -- for free -- seeds and home-grown seedlings to use in their own gardens and homes, and participate in educational gardening lectures and activities. Besides seeds and seedlings, we provide information on current gardening best practices, potentially destructive invasive species (e.g. Spotted Lanternfly), and help with gardening questions and problems. There will also be demonstrations on tool sharpening, potting, seed starting, and other gardening-related activities.Masks are required indoors at all times.
Tuesday, February 1st
To learn more, send an email to [email protected]
Thursday, February 3rd
The Blandy Sketch Group is a dynamic group of artists who work in the visual arts and who all share a love of the natural world as inspirations for their artwork. The Blandy Sketch Group meets on the first Thursday of the month, and is open to any artist, beginner or professional. For more information, please visit: https://blandysketchgroup.wordpress.com/
Sunday, February 6th
Caught the gardening bug? But maybe those "victory gardens" aren't turning out quite as planned...or you're even more ambitious for 2022. Get the secrets of success just in time for spring! Join Sustainability Matters' favorite gardeners, English transplant Paula Brownlee and Clarke County local Deborah Abercrombie, at the State Arboretum of Virginia (Blandy Experimental Farm) for a workshop on garden basics, techniques, and averting the sudden death of tomato plants. There'll be plenty of time for Q & A. Space for this is limited and registration is required. Register here: https://www.sustainabilitymatters.earth/events/perplexed0222This event willbe followed by a one hour Sustainability Matters Volunteer Info Session; joinus to find out what we do and how you can get involved, virtually and/or inperson. Note: This is planned as an in-person event to be held in Blandy's library (masks required).Should the public health situation require, we will switch to a Zoom platform, and email registrants the details. Register here: https://www.sustainabilitymatters.earth/events/perplexed0222 $15 per person for Sustainability Matters or Foundation of the State Arboretum members/$20non-members
