Soil and Composting
4 the Soil is a collaboration between VA Tech Cooperative Extension and the Virginia Soil Health Coalition to help homeowners and farmers manage for healthy soil.
Check out these great home composting tips from NPR!
“The Zoo Beneath Our Feet” — soil article from the Washington Post
Native plants
Native plants are adapted to local soil and climate conditions and have adapted natural defenses against many pests and diseases. As a result, native plants tend to be very LOW MAINTENANCE. Native plants can also help provide wildlife habitat and attract pollinators. When planning your next landscaping or gardening project, consider GOING NATIVE!
Native Plants for Conservation, Restoration, and Landscaping by the VA Department of Conservation and Recreation — includes downloadable brochures by region
Virginia Native Plant Society (website) Great resources and blog featuring native plants from across the Commonwealth
“Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Landscaping” (for the Chesapeake Bay) PDF by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Digital Atlas of of the Virginia Flora — Native plants from across the Commonwealth
Chesapeake Bay Native Plant Center — native plant resources for the Chesapeake Bay region & beyond
Native plant nurseries in Virginia — a state-wide list from the Virginia Native Plant Society
“Garden Escape Artists” PDF listing garden plants to avoid from Blue Ridge PRISM
“Invasives: Bullies of the Plant World” Top 12 “most unwanted” list from Blue Ridge PRISM
Landscaping
Do you need a plant or bug ID? Are you looking for more sustainable ways to manage your yard? Are you interested in converting part of your lawn to meadow? Are you thinking about installing a rain garden? These resources can help.
Roanoke Master Gardeners (website) — includes lots of local resources and a “help” phone number!
Landscape For Life (website) — tools to help make your gardening sustainable
A Virginian’s Year-Round Guide to Yard Care (PDF) — Tips & techniques for healthy lawns and gardens
Better Backyard (PDF) — A citizen’s resource guide to beneficial landscaping and habitat restoration in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
Habitat Partners by the Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries — a state program that encourages corporate landowners, private landowners, schools, and homeowners to improve habitat in their community that will benefit Virginia’s songbirds, mammals, amphibians and other wildlife. Lots of resources, including a link to a PDF of the “Habitat At Home” booklet.
Stormwater Basics for Homeowners (PDF)– A series of “fact sheets” from Virginia Cooperative Extension on topics such as “Rooftop Redirection,” “Rain Barrels,” “Permeable Pavement,” Grass Swales,” “Rain Gardens,” and “Buffers.”
Rain Gardens Technical Guide (PDF) — a Virginia Dept of Forestry publication that will walk you through the creation of a rain garden
Rain Garden Plants (PDF) — a publication from the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service
Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Guidelines — “Bay friendly” landscaping resources and training opportunities for both homeowners and landscaping professionals
Green Infrastructure in Parks: A Guide to Funding, Collaboration, and Community Engagement (PDF) — This guide from the EPA is intended to encourage partnerships between park agencies and stormwater agencies aimed at promoting the use of green infrastructure on park lands.
Meadows & native grasses
Turf lawns are over-rated. Tired of mowing and maintenance? Want to invite more birds and pollinators to your yard? Consider converting part (or all) of your yard to meadow.
We’ve all heard about old growth forests, but what about old growth grasslands? Learn more from the Southeastern Grasslands Initiative. Was the Valley of Virginia historically a grassland?
“Installing a Native Meadow” by Audubon
“Return of the Meadow” — blog post from Wild Seed Project
“How to Grow a Prairie from Seed” by Prairie Moon
Wildflower Meadow Job Sheet from NRCS (PDF)
Technical resources from the Virginia Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts — Conservation meadows
Interested in establishing native warm-season grasses? Check out these resources and a “how-to” video from The Center for Native Grassland Management.
Ernst Seeds — seeds for conservation and a planning tool
Bees & pollinators
“A Ghost in the Making: Searching for the Rusty Patched Bumble Bee” (click here for the website)
Rusty Patched Bumble Bee Fact Sheet from USFWS
Rusty Patched Bumble Bee Pocket ID Guide
“How to Really Save the Bees” — great article about native bees by Nancy Lawson
“Everyone Can Play a Role in Pollinator Conservation” — a great article for homeowners and producers from the Ecological Landscape Alliance
Selecting Plants for Pollinators by Pollinator Partnership — downloadable planting guides by ecoregion
Attracting Pollinators to Your Garden Using Native Plants — downloadable e-book from the U.S. Forest Service and Pollinator Partnership (PDF)
National Pollinator Week (video) — produced by VDGIF, this short video provides tips for converting a lawn space into pollinator habitat
Habitat Gardening for Wildlife — PDF from Virginia Department of game and Inland Fisheries
“Creating a Wildlife Habitat in Your Backyard” — ways to attract birds, bees, beneficial insects, and more
Flowers for Hummingbirds (website)
“Be a Friend to Pollinators” E-book by NRCS
National Association of Conservation Districts Pollinator Page
Plants, seed resources, and conservation guides from the Xerces Society
Bee Basics: An Introduction to our Native Bees — excellent downloadable e-book from the U.S. Forest Service and Pollinator Partnership (PDF)
Bees in Your Backyard (blog/website) — lots of great native bee links and resources
“Beyond the Hive: The Wonderful World of Native Bees” — article (with audio and great pics) from Science Friday.
Bumble Bees of the Eastern United States — excellent downloadable e-book from the U.S. Forest Service and Pollinator Partnership (PDF)
“Tiny Pollinators Need Wildlife Corridors Too” — article by Michelle Nijuhis in The Atlantic
“Bumblees Thrive in the City, but Struggle on the Farm” — article by JoAnna Klein in The New York Times
Great Pollinator Project (website)
The Great Sunflower Project (great pollinator resources plus a cool citizen science opportunity)
USGS Native Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab (website from USGS with AMAZING bee photos!)
Monarch conservation
“ButterBike” is a website devoted to monarchs and monarch migration –and how an enthusiastic fan followed them by bicycle!
Save the Monarch Butterfly (website) from USFWS
Monarch Conservation (website) from Virginia DCR
Monarch Joint Venture (website) from numerous federal, state, and local partners
Monarch Conservation (website) from the Xerces Society
Milkweed FAQ (website) from the Xerces Society
How to Build a Butterfly Garden in Your Backyard — web resource from HomeAdvisor
Butterflies in Your Playground (website) — lots of cool butterfly resources, especially for kids