James City County Williamsburg Master Gardeners

10/31/2026

Congratulations to the Brickyard Landing park JCCW Master Gardener volunteers led by Judy Kinshaw-Ellis & Donna Benson for receiving a sustainability award from the Virginia Recreation and Park Society: Best New Environmental Sustainability Award! What an amazing achievement after only 3 seasons of growing!

We are so proud of the efforts you have all contributed to this learning garden and county park space.

10/29/2026

When it comes to discussing Pumpkins, Gerard’s Herbal (1633) wearily begins “There be found divers kinds of Pumpkins which differ either in bigness or form: it shall be therefore sufficient to describe some one or two of them, and refer the rest unto the view of the figures, which most lively do express their differences; especially because this volume waxeth great, the description of no moment, and I hasten to an end.”
The pumpkins he describes are the Great Long Pumpkin, the Great Round Pumpkin, the Great Flat-Bottomed Pompion (they make the rockin’ world go ‘round), the Great Buckler Pompion, and two varieties of Indian Pompion, the Small Round and the Cornered. Given that he attributes discussion of all of these to Galen, who died around 219 AD and Pliny, who died around 79 AD, we can only conclude that he was as confused about pumpkins/squashes/gourds as the rest of us.
All pumpkins, squashes and gourds are currently lumped together into the family Cucurbitaceae, though in the 17th century they were all called Pepo from the Greek pepones, and in English were called millions or pumpkins. All true pumpkins and squash are native to the Americas and none of them would have been available in Europe until at least 1493, centuries after the deaths of Pliny and Galen Only gourds would have been found in Europe, Asia and Africa prior to the Columbian Exchange.
The field pumpkins we know and love are in the genus Curcurbita and the species pepo. But just to keep life interesting, C. pepo also includes summer squash, zucchini, and acorn squash. Enjoy them all! Maybe try a zucchini spice latte or carve an acorn squash o’lantern with your kids!

10/27/2026

In his 1636 Herbal, John Gerard writes of Sweet Potatoes (Ipomoea batatas), native to Ecuador, which he describes as “the common Potato.” He also discusses “Potatoes of Virginia,” but what he describes is actually the regular potato, Solanum tuberosum, a native of Peru. When he brings up the closest thing to a potato we have going for us, he says “One may well by the English name of this plant perceive that those that vulgarly impose names upon plants have little either judgment or knowledge of them. For this plant hath no similitude in leaf, stalk, root or manner of growing with an Artichoke … neither came it from Jerusalem or out of Asia, but out of America…” He goes on to say that his countryman, botanist John Parkinson, calls them “Battatas de Canada, Englishing it Potatoes of Canada.”

The Jerusalem artichoke (sometimes called a sunchoke) is a fairly aggressive colonizer, which seems a bit ironic. Gerard calls it “This wonderful increasing plant” and says it will produce “from the increase of one root, thirty, forty, or fifty in number, or more, making in all usually about a peck, many times near half a bushel, if the soil be good.” He even tells us that from a single root the size of a hen’s egg, he grew a peck of roots “wherewith I stored Hampshire.”

While a fast-growing native plant that produces large quantities of edible tubers sounds ideal at first, there are drawbacks to an aggressive spreader that grows to 12-16 FEET tall and can damage sidewalks, driveways and structures. If you plant it, plant it where you want to have it for as long as you live, because it is very hard to get rid of. I promise you that planting it in a container will not save you. But it blooms late, which is good for pollinators, and the seeds are enjoyed by various species of birds.

The other drawback has been complained about at least since the 1630s, and is presented here from Gerard’s Herbal: “which soever way they be dressed and eaten they stir and cause a filthy loathsome stinking wind within the body, thereby causing the belly to be pained and tormented…” We know today that their other nickname, “fartichokes,” is largely due to their containing as much as 30% inulin by weight. Inulin, a fructan carbohydrate, cannot be broken down by the digestive enzymes in our upper GI tract, so it ferments in the intestines. Fermentation before eating them will eliminate the issue. If you don’t want to ferment them, parboiling them in water with lemon juice or vinegar will help break down the inulin, then you can sautée them or boil them until tender. The National Institutes of Health did a study several years ago that showed benefits against type two diabetes and obesity from consumption of the tubers, and they don’t cause after dinner blood pressure spikes like real potatoes do.

10/23/2026

10/23/2026

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1585637976938267&id=100064762388409

Looking for something to do this weekend? Community Conservation Day, Oct. 24, 9 am-2 pm, Deltaville Library, and Fall Plant Share, Oct. 25, 1:30-3:30 pm, James City County Library, are two opportunities to learn and take a free plant home. Find details at the link.
https://vnps.org/johnclayton/events/

10/23/2026

Fall is for flowers, but not all blooms are created equal!

Plant This, Not That: Native Asters vs. Garden Mums

Plant This: Native Asters, such as New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae), Aromatic Aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium), Late Purple Aster (Symphyotrichum patens) and Stokes' Aster (Stokesia laevis) are fall garden superstars. They provide essential late-season nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators when few other plants are blooming. Once established, they are drought-tolerant, perennial, and return year after year with minimal care.

Not That: Mums (Chrysanthemums). While mums offer vibrant autumn color, most garden mums are grown as seasonal ornamentals. They provide limited wildlife value, often struggle to overwinter in our region, and may need to be replaced each year.

At a Glance
Native Asters: • Feed pollinators, Return every year, Support local ecosystem, Provide late-season blooms when pollinators need them most

Mums: • Primarily provide decorative color, May not survive winter, Offer limited food and habitat for native insects, Often require replacement after a season or two

For a fall garden that's both beautiful and beneficial, let native asters share the spotlight with your pumpkins and autumn décor. Your local pollinators will thank you.

What native asters are blooming in your garden right now? Share your photos in the comments.

10/21/2026

Acorn Pancakes Anyone?

My latest obsession-a quest to find acorn flour and make pancakes laden with local honey (of course a hot cup of locally sourced Yaupon tea completes the meal!)

Acorns are far more than squirrel food. These remarkable seeds of the mighty oak have nourished people, wildlife, and entire ecosystems for thousands of years. Native peoples across North America, as well as cultures in Europe and Asia, harvested and processed acorns as an important food source long before modern agriculture became widespread. Properly prepared acorns can be eaten as flour, porridge, bread, pancakes, or even roasted as a coffee substitute. However, raw acorns contain bitter tannins that must be leached out before human consumption.

From a nutritional standpoint, acorns are surprisingly impressive. They provide complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, healthy fats, protein, and important minerals such as potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, and iron. They also contain antioxidant compounds that may help protect cells from oxidative damage.

Wildlife, of course, has long appreciated the value of acorns. Deer, wild turkeys, squirrels, blue jays, woodpeckers, bears, and countless other species depend on annual acorn crops for food. In many forests, acorns function as a "keystone resource," helping support food webs throughout the year. When animals cache acorns and forget some of their hidden treasures, they also become partners in oak forest regeneration by planting the next generation of trees.

Beyond feeding wildlife, oak trees and their acorns provide enormous ecological benefits. Oaks support hundreds of species of insects, which in turn feed birds and other animals. Their extensive root systems help stabilize soil, reduce erosion, improve water infiltration, and store carbon. A healthy oak is not just a tree but an entire living community.

The next time you see acorns scattered across the ground, take a closer look. They are tiny packages of history, nutrition, ecological resilience, and possibility. Inside each one rests the potential for a forest, a meal, and a thriving habitat for generations to come.

10/19/2026

Pumpkins aren't just for jack-o'-lanterns

Whether you're carving, baking, or decorating, pumpkins are the ultimate symbol of fall. After Halloween, compost them or save the seeds for roasting instead of sending them to the landfill.

Fun fact: Pumpkins are fruits, not vegetables!

What's your favorite pumpkin tradition?

10/18/2026

As many of us wind down our warm-season gardens and prepare for fall planting, it's worth remembering the Victory Gardens of World War II. By 1944, home and community gardens were producing an estimated 40% of the nation's vegetables! Victory Gardens were more than a food-growing effort. They were a grassroots movement that demonstrated the power of collective action. Millions of ordinary citizens transformed backyards, schoolyards, and vacant lots into productive spaces, proving that local action can have a national impact. Their legacy reminds us that healthy soils, local food production, and engaged communities remain powerful tools for building resilience today.