Virginia Cooperative Extension - Nelson

05/22/2026

The Emergency Drought Management Webinar on May 6 contained timely information to assist with decision making during this drought. June 3rd is the next webinar with additional topics.

05/22/2026

Preserving food at home is a wonderful way to extend your summer vegetable garden's bounty throughout the year, but it is important to follow all recommended safety protocols to avoid illness and spoilage.
Read our article from associate Extension specialist Lester Schonberger to learn more about pickling, canning, dehydrating, and freezing your garden harvests safely ➡️ https://go.vt.edu/upp2o

05/21/2026

Next FRIDAY, May 29 is the DEADLINE to register and pay for the CANN (Cumberland, Amelia, Nelson, and Nottoway) 4-H Summer Camp. Please feel free to contact the office at 434-263-7180 or email [email protected] if you have any question.
Link to register: www.tinyurl.com/NelsonCamp2026

Nelson County 4-H- Virginia

Next FRIDAY, May 29 is the DEADLINE to register and pay for the CANN (Cumberland, Amelia, Nelson, and Nottoway) 4-H Summer Camp. Please feel free to contact the office at 434-263-7180 or email [email protected] if you have any question.

Link to register: www.tinyurl.com/NelsonCamp2026

05/18/2026

The Virginia Hay Clearing House is a superb resource for those in need of hay.

*NOTE - Due to the severe drought across most of Virginia, be aware that there are shortages of hay this spring.

Click here for the latest edition>>
https://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/pdf/hay.pdf

05/15/2026

Great trip with our Extension Master Gardeners. Learned about current research there concerning bees and butternut trees.

05/11/2026

May New Day News for Nelson County is now available! Don't forget to subscribe and share with your friends.
https://tinyurl.com/NewDayNews00205
Nelson County 4-H- Virginia 🍀🍀

05/02/2026

Happy May! 🌸

Vegetable season is in full swing now! Be sure to keep an eye on your local weather for late freezes or wintry weather conditions to protect your garden.

Direct Sowing:

Zone 6A: Brush and Pole Beans, Beets, Carrots, Swiss Chard, Cucumbers, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Musk Melons, Bulbing Onions, Potatoes, Summer Squash, Winter Squash, Sweet Corn, Sweet Potatoes, Turnips, Watermelon

Zone 6B: Brush, Lima, and Pole Beans, Beets, Carrots, Swiss Chard, Cucumbers, Collards, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Musk Melons, Bulbing Onions, Potatoes, Pumpkins, Summer Squash, Winter Squash, Sweet Corn, Sweet Potatoes, Turnips, Watermelon

Zone 7A: Brush, Lima, and Pole Beans, Beets, Swiss Chard, Cucumbers, Collards, Kale, Lettuce, Musk Melons, Bulbing Onions, Potatoes, Pumpkins, Summer Squash, Winter Squash, Sweet Corn, Sweet Potatoes, Turnips, Watermelon

Zones 7B & 8A: Brush, Lima, and Pole Beans, Cucumbers, Lettuce, Musk Melons, Okra, Mustard, Bulbing Onions, Southern Peas, Potatoes, Pumpkins, Summer Squash, Winter Squash, Sweet Corn, Sweet Potatoes, Watermelon

Zone 8B Recommendations are available at the link below!

Transplanting:

Zones 6A & 6B: Tomatoes, Broccoli, Cabbage, Eggplant, Leeks, Head Lettuce, Peppers

Zone 7A: Broccoli, Cabbage, Eggplant, Head Lettuce, Peppers, Tomatoes

Zones 7B & 8A: Tomatoes, Eggplant, Leeks, Head Lettuce, Peppers

Zone 8B Recommendations are available at the link below!

You can prepare for the entire planting season by visiting https://brnw.ch/plantguide - including recommendations for Zone 8B. To determine your USDA zone, you can enter your zip code here: https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/

04/30/2026

Agriculture learning opportunities at VSU.

04/30/2026

The Virginia Soil Health Coalition has a list of learning opportunities and meetings this spring. See more information here:

Producers who attend will also have the opportunity to be selected (via drawing) to receive up to $500 in grazing equipment, including reels, step-in posts, and other supplies. Selected participants will commit to trying managed grazing for three months and completing a follow-up evaluation, after w...

04/30/2026

Emergency Drought Management Webinar for cattlemen online, May 6. Click here for more information.

Virginia Tech's Beef Cattle Extension programs help serve the beef cattle industry. The primary focus of these programs is to enhance the profitability and sustainability of beef cattle production systems through enhanced production efficiency and value-added ventures.