Gardening Archives - Mary Ellen Bellusci

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2 days ago Gardening Comments Off on Garden Q&A: The perfect flower for Fourth of July and misshapen strawberries 11

What’s a good 4th of July plant choice? Not an annual, but perennial. What could be better than a native American flower that looks like fireworks? Yellow stars with a red tail — a regular “rocket’s red glare.” When plant guru Allan Armitage calls Spigelia marylandica “striking,” “stop in your …

1 week ago Gardening Comments Off on These golden-backed flies prey on other insects and how to know your tree is dead 21

I found these flies reproducing in my garden. Never seen them before. Are they pests? Interesting find. This is the golden-backed snipe fly, or Chrysopilus thoracicus. The female is on the right. Far from being pests, both the larvae and adults are predators that eat other insects. They are common …

2 weeks ago Gardening Comments Off on What other native trees should I plant? 26

The woods around me are almost all tulip poplar since the gypsy moths wiped out the oaks years ago. I love mine for its tulip-shaped leaves and flowers. Now I have room to plant one shade tree. Should I plant another? I’m planting for wildlife. Tulip poplars are a favorite …

3 weeks ago Gardening Comments Off on Despite their name, groundhogs can climb, and how to tell an ant from a termite 44

What is this? At first I thought it was a squirrel, but it has a short tail. It came down from the tree when I wasn’t there, so I didn’t see where it went. Groundhogs are surprisingly good climbers. They aren’t known for being cute either, but this young one …

3 weeks ago Gardening Comments Off on Nouveau Home and Interior Design closing in Mount Vernon, searching for new location 38

Nouveau Home and Interior Design is closing its doors in Mount Vernon at the end of the summer, the co-owners announced Thursday. Co-owners Steve Appel and Lee Whitehead said in a statement that they plan to “search for a new location,” blaming the closure on “the rise of online shopping, …

3 weeks ago Gardening Comments Off on 8 historic Howard County homes you can visit 42

Howard County is filled with a slew of planned communities and over-the-top McMansions. But it’s also home to a number of historic houses — some of which you can tour or rent. Here are eight worth checking out: Kim Hairston / Baltimore Sun Belmont Manor in Elkridge. Belmont Manor in …

4 weeks ago Gardening Comments Off on How a Columbia gardener turns his tiny plot into a full-fledged feast 39

At 70, Kent Phillips could have thrown in the trowel. Two knee replacements last year challenged him to grow vegetables. But Phillips, of Columbia, soldiered on. Rather than kneel, he’d let the garden come to him. Raised beds, it would be. “Taking care of a 1,500-square-foot garden became too onerous. …

4 weeks ago Gardening Comments Off on This big bug smells good and beware of the Southern Blight fungus on tomato plants 45

Found this crawly thing when I was working in my garden beds. I’ve lived here forever and never seen anything like it! It’s several inches long. What do you think? Cherry bug, as it’s fondly known, is a native millipede which, unexpectedly, brings delight to many people. When shaken, it …

4 weeks ago Gardening Comments Off on Anne Arundel County answers: What would your dream home look like? 50

We asked three notable Anne Arundel County residents: What would your dream home look like? Panayiotis “Pano” Kanelos President of St. John’s College “My parents come from Greece, and we have a little family home in Greece on a hill overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. It’s been there for ages and …

4 weeks ago Gardening Comments Off on 7 tips for checking your trees before high winds arrive in the Baltimore area 77

Gusty winds are expected to continue sweeping the region Friday after heavy rains caused some flooding in the Baltimore area. The National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory from 1 p.m Friday until 5 a.m. on Saturday in portions of the far northwest Baltimore-Washington suburbs. Winds during Friday afternoon …

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