Did you know that pruning a pepper plant can maximize your yield by up to 50% per plant! Whether you’re growing bell peppers, hot chili varieties, or sweet banana peppers, pruning can improve airflow, reduce disease, and encourage stronger, more productive plants. Learn more about the dos and don'ts right here to help you ensure that you get as many peppers as you can from your plants.

If your soil is too acidic, applying lime will tend to neutralize soil acidity, but how do you ensure that you’re not applying too much or too little? read this article to learn all about lime application.

The Colonial SWCD is excited to announce that landowners within the City of Newport News are now eligible to participate in the Virginia Conservation Assistance Program (VCAP).

Discover the benefits of assassin bugs in your garden! Learn how these stealthy predators provide natural pest control to help to transform your garden into a pest-free haven.

Virginia is home to an incredible variety of native plants. If you're considering a shade bed, we have some suggested options to plant in place of some of the nonnative / invasive species that are used frequently in home gardens.

Permeable pavement is one of the most popular best management practices in the Colonial SWCD service area with landowners who are considering applying for the Virginia Conservation Assistance Program. Learn more about this popular option from CSWCD staff member, Robyn Woolsey.

Virginia is home to an incredible variety of native plants. Maybe it’s time to try adding some edible native species to your garden and enjoy the fruits (and leaves) of your labor for many years to come!

Several ladybug species are useful as biological control agents and you can benefit from their voracious appetites for the pests in your gar

The Colonial District congratulates Paul Davis on this No-Till Award, and is excited to share a video of Paul’s accomplishments.

A quick note about our February 10th Conservation Breakfast Event.

SWCDs are a key resource for providing conservation ed, financial assistance, & technical assistance to local landowners and land users.

Cover crops can be tailored to address a wide ranges of agricultural issues and can bring tremendous benefits to your soils.

Multispecies cover crops can play a significant role in increasing soil organic carbon.

DCR hosted an educational field day at Brandon Farms, led by our senior agricultural conservation specialist, Robert Waring. Read more.

Read about a unique VCAP project that allowed us to cover the entire conservation landscaping costs for a church's parking lot.

Rather than fearing wasps we should recognize their ecological value and appreciate the ecosystem services they offer. Learn more here.

A "rain garden in a box” is a rain garden that is installed in an above-ground container, eliminating the need for any excavation.

The presence of worms in cover crop fields is an indicator of a healthy soil ecosystem and the deep roots of tillage radishes provide access

Tomatoes are commonly grown in many home gardens. Learn the difference between determinate and indeterminate so you can decide which to grow

A summary about currently offered grants from the VA Department of Forestry from local Community Forestry Specialist, Daniel Ronald Brooks.