| Hametownshoppes Gardener |
| The Hametownshoppes Gardener is about maintaining the outdoor living areas of our residential gardens; business landscapes and community parks. |
| http://hametownshoppesgardener.blogspot.com/ |
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| Think Spring! |
| After taking almost three months off from writing, today is my first day back on the job and I look forward to offering you suggestions on how to make the most out of your landscape for your home, business, and garden. This is the best video to kick off the process understanding the landscape design process. Produced by Plan by Design, this company has a series of videos demonstrating the landscape design process involved in creating a landscape plan for the residential property owner. This particular video is all visual and presents a wealth of information of design principles that we will be using throughout the growing season as we talk about garden designs. |
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| Orchids Are Named After a Greek God and a Male Body Part |
| We can thank the Greeks and Romans for many of our plant names. The word Orchid comes from the Greek word orchis which means testicle due the shape of the orchid root. Probably keeping with the Greek origin of the name, there is an accompanying Greek myth about Orchis, who was the the son of a nymph and a satyr. Orchis was drunk at one of those lively Greek god festivals and as any drunken good nymph/saytr, attempted to rape a priestess of Dionysus. Orchis did not fare well because of his insult and was torn apart. Orchis' father prayed for him to be restored, but the gods changed him into the flower we now known as the orchid. Regardless of the flower's name, the orchid is one of the best plants for those who are passionate about indoor gardening. The popularity of the orchid are that the flowers appear almost wax like and come in a large variety of colors. Orchid flowers last a long time and in some cases, some varieties of orchid flowers can last up to two months! Before discussing the care of orchids, here are some additional interesting true facts about the family of Orchidacea, which we call Orchids. Orchids are considered one of the two largest families of flowering plants with over 26,000 orchid species There are more orchid species than bird species and mammal species Orchids encompass 6-11% of the word’s seed plants Vanilla flavoring and vanilla fragrances come from the dried seedpods of the orchid genus Vanilla There are more than 100,000 human produced orchid hybrids and cultivars There are orchid species, which grow in every region of the world other than the Arctic regions |
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| Purchasing and Maintaining a Your Live Christmas Tree |
| Purchasing a cut live tree most certainly can be viewed, as not only an investment in the region's agricultural industry, but Christmas tree farming benefits the local environments where they are grown and sold. Some interesting facts: Three tree seedlings will be planted for every tree cut during the holidays as for example 30 million real trees are sold in the country each year, with almost 350 million more being planted to take their place. 350,000 acres of green space is devoted to Christmas tree farming in the United States. Most cut trees end up being recycled and offered back to residents as a garden mulch and as in some parts of Ohio discarded trees are often submerged in lakes to provide shelter and spawning areas for fish. Buying a cut tree supports American and Canadian industries as most artificial trees are made in China ? When purchasing a cut tree: ? The best practice is to cut your own tree or buying a tree fresh-cut from local growers if possible. Fresh cut trees from the larger stores were likely harvested one month before Thanksgiving Cut off an additional inch or from the bottom of the tree you purchase, as resin has filled the plant’s vascular system and needs to be removed to allow water absorption Water daily. Never allow the water to go below the cut stump, because the pitch will dry and the tree won’t be able to absorb water. Keep the tree away from any heat source to avoid drying and the risk of fire. To reduce a tree fire is probably that one great reason the smaller Christmas lights are much more preferable to the larger lights. Turn the tree’s lights off when no one is home. Best practice is to never leave children alone in a home with a lighted cut tree. Some trees lots will spray fire retardant on the tree. ? ? ?When purchasing a balled and burlap live tree The tree generally needs to be gradually conditioned to the warmer house temperature. So often times, moving the tree to an unheated garage for several day and then inside is an effective way to reduce plant shock from the temperature change. Choose a smaller tree---large ones will substantially lose more water indoors and due to the weight of the soil ball or pot will be more difficult to move around. Keep the tree ball moist when inside. To achieve continual moisture, a good method is wrapping a wet blanket around the ball of the tree. Have the hole already dug to plant the tree outside after the holidays before the ground has frozen. There are some that don’t replant the tree until March and keep the tree watered in a cool unheated garage. |
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| Select Your Cut Christmas Tree This Weekend |
| This is the weekend to select your live Christmas Tree. There are several options to consider: purchase an already cut tree cut your own at a tree farm select a balled and burlap tree to bring inside for Christmas and to replant outside after the holidays All of these are great options and actually all choices are indeed environmentally friendly as Christmas trees were commercially grown to be cut or dug. The top selling cut Christmas trees are: Scotch White Pine Douglas Fir Noble Fir Fraser Fir Balsam Fir Colorado Spruce (best if locally cut as the tree is stiff and does not allow for shipment) Though the Noble Fir is often times listed as the most popular tree, my experience was that the Scotch pine was the more popular and affordable tree, and generally, half the price of the fir varieties. Most customers have a deep passion about the trees they select and the reason for their selection. For this writer, the Firs are my favorite as they have soft needles; great fragrances; and ornaments and lights display nicely on the tree. Finally, the top selling Christmas tree producers are the states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, Oregon and New York. And generally, the National Christmas or Rockefeller Center Christmas Trees have been Norway Spruces. ? Tomorrow: How to Select and Maintain a Cut or Live Christmas Tree |
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| The Regal Scottish Thistle Symbol in Meyda Tiffany Stained Glass |
| The Regal Scottish Thistle Symbol in Meyda Tiffany Stained Glass |
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| Poinsettias Today Maintain Their Color Well Past The Holidays |
| Tomorrow will also be the beginning when poinsettias are being purchased to add to the holiday decor. Years ago when I was just a kid, my parents would host a Thanksgiving dinner with some of their very good friends. As a gift, the family would arrive bringing a large red poinsettia to be enjoyed through the holidays. Well, back then (say 40 years ago) that poinsettia would be leafless by the time Christmas rolled around. And those that maintained their bracts, were a source of discussion as, "Compared to last year's plant this one lasted to December 20th!" The poinsettias of 40 years ago, just did not hold onto their leaves and bracts as they do today. This past summer, in August, my parents still had the poinsettia from Christmas 2010 with most of the bracts still on the plant. So, with deliberate hybridization, poinsettias have come along way and are therefore much studier in the average home environment. Here are some basic care tips of poinsettias courtesy of the Illinois Univeristy Extension Office. Essentially their recommendations are: Be careful when transplanting the plant in the cold weather as just a few minutes outside could cause the plant to drop its bracts. So wrap the plant during transport home. Six hours of light daily is ideal for poinsettias. Poinsettias require daytime temperatures of 60 to 70°F and night time temperatures around 55°F. High temperatures will shorten the plant’s life. Move the plant to a cooler room at night, if possible. Check the soil daily and be certain there are drainage holes in the pots. Water when soil is dry. Allow water to drain into the saucer and discard excess water. Wilted plants will tend to drop bracts sooner. Fertilize the poinsettia if you keep it past the holiday season. Apply a houseplant fertilizer once a month. Do not fertilize when the poinsettia is in bloom. Do these things and if you are lucky you may have a poinsettia lasting through the summer---or as most people do--discard the plant after the holidays! |
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| Poinsettias, the Most Popular Potted House Plant |
| Well, Thanksgiving is the official kick off of the holiday season and the time Poinsettias hit the store shelves. The actual genus species name is Euphorbia pulcherrima. Native to Mexico, Euphoria pulcherrima, actually is a small shrub or tree, which can reach a height of 2 to 16 feet. The flowers on Euphoria pulcherrima are actually small yellow blossoms surrounded by colorful leaves called bracts. Typically, the bracts come in a variety of colors from orange, pale greens, pinks, or whites with red being the most popular and traditional color. Euphorbia pulcherrima was renamed Poinsettia after Joel Roberts Poinsett who was the first first United States Ambassador to Mexico appointed by President John Quincy Adams in the 1820's. Poinsett took some of the cuttings of Euphorbia pulcherrima back to his green house in South Carolina and thereafter the offspring were popularly referred to as Poinsettia. Ambassador Joel Poinsett If you want to learn to share some Poinsettia facts and trivia with your dinner guests there is a great site, University of Illinois Poinsettia Pages. When you review this site, you will learn that Poinsettias are not poisonous to people and might cause indigestion only if you ate over 500 bracts. Poinsettias are the most popular potted houseplant and represent over 85 percent of the potted plant sales during the holiday season, with ninety percent of all poinsettias are exported from the United States. Poinsettias are commercially grown in all 50 states with California being the top poinsettia producing state. The Paul Ecke Ranch in California grows over 80 percent of poinsettias in the United States for the wholesale market and Ninety per cent of all the flowering poinsettias in the world got their start at the Paul Ecke Ranch. With $220 million worth of poinsettias sold during the holiday season, seventy-four percent of Americans still prefer red poinsettias with the remainder of consumers selecting whites and pinks. ? |
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| Cranberries a Holiday Favorite |
| Went shopping yesterday and the bags of fresh cranberries are being cleared off the supermarket shelves just in time of course for the Thanksgiving holiday and Christmas season. Cranberries are in the family of plants in the subgenus Oxycoccus of the genus Vaccinum. The varieties of cranberries are native to northern North America, northern Asia, and northern Europe. Some varieties of cranberries, some which are low creeping shrubs (2-8 inches in height), or whereas others are vines, which can reach a length of 7 feet. Though there are different species and varieties of cranberries, most cranberries have flowers, which are dark pink, the leaves are small and evergreen, and the berries are larger than the leaves of the plant. Contrary to popular belief, commercially produced cranberries do not grow in permanent watery bogs. Rather a cranberry bed is constructed by removing the topsoil and replacing the topsoil with a 2-4 inch level of sand. Dikes are built around the beds to hold the water and there is irrigation equipment to provide watering to encourage spring vine growth as well as provide the flooding of the beds to provide autumn frost protection. During the growing season, cranberry beds are well watered and fertilized. It is when the berries are red and ready for harvesting the cranberry beds are flooded. The ripened cranberries rise to the top of the water where they are corralled to the corner of the bed and then pumped out of the bed to be cleaned and sorted for packaging or processing. Interesting facts about cranberries: Early American settlers named the plant cranberry because the flowers and stem resembled the neck, head, and bill of a crane. In parts of Canada, the same plant is referred to as mossberry 95% of harvested cranberries end up in fruit drinks or canned cranberries whereas 5% are sold as fresh cranberries Fresh cranberries can be frozen at home, and will keep up to nine months; they can be used directly in recipes without thawing Wisconsin is the leading producer of cranberries, with over half of U.S. production with Massachusetts being the second largest U.S. producer White cranberry juice is made from regular cranberries that have been harvested after the fruits are mature, but before they have attained their characteristic dark red color ? |
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| Dormant Oil Sprays Can Be Applied in Late Fall When Leaves are Off Trees |
| I have been asked many times what is a dormant oil spray and about its use in the maintaining the trees and shrubs in your landscape. ? Dormant oil sprays are specific horticultural oils which when applied with the addition of copper fungicides or lime sulfurs suffocate the insects and destroy the disease carrying fungus which over winter on the tree. With fruit trees, the dormant oil and fungicide combinations will control mites, scale, aphid eggs, leaf curl and shot hole fungus to name a few insect and disease pests which will attack and prevent successful fruit production. For those of you who wish to use an organic oil spray there are some composed only of cottonseed oil and there are some recipes as how to make your own spray. I would recommend searching the internet with the phrase "organic dormant oil" and you should successfully locate commercially prepared dormant oil sprays or do-it-yourself recipes. I did locate one site, Chari's Bugs Online which had recommendations for a commercial organic oil spray as well as a home made recipe. ? Regardless, oil sprays can be applied in the late fall when leaves are off the trees and temperatures are not freezing. When applied in the early spring, the dormant oil spray is applied before the leaves of the trees and flower buds have emerged. |
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| Planting Amaryllis Bulbs |
| Our last blog was about amaryllis bulbs and noting that this is the time of year to purchase the bulbs due to their greater availability at the garden centers as well as the ability to be shipped before the freezing temperatures. ? I prefer to purchase the bulbs bare-rooted due to the fact the bulbs are generally larger, almost always guaranteed to bloom, and I can select the container to plant the bulbs. As you can see in the following diagram, amaryllis bulbs are not planted deep like other bulbs. Rather the crown of the bulb remains above the soil line. Though I did not go into details, there are vases available that a bare-rooted bulb is in a water mix and then after blooming generally discarded. (Hyacinths are often times forced to bloom in much the same way.) I like to save the bulbs and as noted in an earlier blog, I keep the bulb outside during the summer months, bring it inside for a several month period in a cool dry low-light area and then bring it out again in the later part of January. ? When the bulb is starting to grow, the flower buds are very pronounced and the leaves are very slender. Sometimes there is initial confusion of distinguishing a leaf from a bud, but very shortly they are easy to note the differences. ? |
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| Hippeastrum (Amaryllis) Now is the Time to Locate Bulbs Before the Winter Weather Sets In |
| Every fall one of my projects is to bring my amaryllis bulb from outside and move it to the dark cool basement to allow the bulb to rest and then bloom again in the winter time. The reason that I am writing about the amaryllis bulb is that this is really the time to order these great bulbs so you can begin the process of preparing the bulbs for your winter enjoyment. Now, I am going to add a bit of confusion about the name. Most garden centers and bulb companies sell bulbs which they label amaryllis which are actually Hippeastrum bulbs with are in the Amarylliddacea family. So, technically the most desirable bulbs most gardeners are looking for because they can be forced indoors are Hippeastrum. Hippeastrum are native to the tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, Argentina, Mexico and the Caribbean. As with the most of the other available bulbs, the first commercial breeders of Hippeastrum were Dutch growers beginning in the 18th century. And though the Dutch continue to be large producers of Hippeastrum, South African produces quite a few new bulbs and Japanese growers have developed double flower Hippeastrum. The true Amaryllis is also known as the Belladonna Lily, which is native to the rocky regions of the South American Cape and they can also be purchased through some bulb catalogs. Now is the time to purchase Hippeastrum bulbs which are sold as Amaryllis bulbs by most garden centers or bulb companies. Fortunately, many growers market the bulbs as Hippeastrum (Amaryllis) which can help assure the consumer that they are purchasing the correct bulb for indoor forcing. I like that way of labeling and will do so in all future writings. ?? The best time to start selecting the Hippeastrum (Amaryllis) bulbs is now! You will have the greatest selection of bulbs either already planted in a soil medium or sold bare rooted (without soil). If you are buying on line over the internet or from mail order catalogs, the bulbs can only be shipped when the temperatures are not freezing. In my previous life when I worked at a garden center, I would recommend the bare rooted bulbs because you were able to obtain larger bulbs, which I could say with great confidence, would be guaranteed to bloom. |
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| Paperwhites are Narcissus to Force Indoors for Winter Color |
| Most garden centers or mail order houses have non-hardy indoor flower bulbs which can be purchased now when they are available and can be successfully shipped without freezing out. Some bulbs like hyacinths and tulips are often times forced to bloom inside and if that is your goal, hold back some of these bulbs for that purpose. Two of my favorites are the indoor paper white narcissus and amaryllis bulbs. If you have not had the pleasure of growing either one of these bulbs, you are indeed missing a treat. Unlike the narcissus (daffodil) bulbs planted outside the paper white narcissus is a non-hardy bulb for the cold areas of Ohio and the northeastern states. Paperwhite narcissus (paperwhites) are grown indoors. Unlike other more hardy narcissus, paperwhites do not require a long period of cold or darkness, grows and blooms in five to eight weeks and tolerates the temperature and conditions of indoor cultivation. These bulbs are fun to grow and the white flowers will not only brighten up cold winter days but will also provide a room with a subtle fragrance. To successfully grow paperwhites the bulbs are not actually planted in soil, but are planted in pebbles, gravel, or marbles. When forcing indoors: Select a shallow bowl with no drainage hole and cover the bottom of the bowl with a layer of washed pebbles, gravel or crushed marbles. Generally for an effective appearance and if the bowl allows for it, place 5-6 bulbs on top of the layer of the soil, gravel, or marbles. Each bulb is planted with the pointed end of the bulb upwards. Because the bulbs are going to be discarded anyway, each bulb can touch either. After the bulbs have been set in place; add more pebbles, gravel or crushed marbles to the bowl, surrounding the bulbs until only the tops of the bulbs are visible. Add water to the bowl so the water level is at the bottom of the bulbs and this level should be at kept at this level throughout the bulbs’ growth. After getting the bulbs situated, place the bowl and bulbs in a cool (50 to 55 degrees F), dark place for one to two weeks to allow the roots to grow and then bring them into a well lit spot that remains at 70 to 75 degrees F. Monitor the water level and within a few weeks the bulbs will start sending up shoots and will be topped with flowers After blooming, discard the bulbs. Often times, people stagger their planting of the bulbs so they can keep the blooming cycle well through the winter. |
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| Time to Dig and Store Dahlia Tubers and Canna Rhizomes |
| After a week of heavy rains, we had a sunny yet cool day in northeast Ohio. The weather was in the fifties and a perfect time to begin my fall clean up chores. Today, I dug up and divided my dahlia tubers and canna rhizomes and tomorrow will harvest the rest of the zinnia seeds. Since the next couple of days will be sunny but cool, I am going to shred and throw all my perennial clippings and mulched leaves into my vegetable / flower garden and lightly till the plant material into the garden. Of course next spring I will do an early tilling and add peat moss, lime, and composted cow manure into the garden. But let’s go back to the divisions of dahlias and cannas. These flowers cannot survive an Ohio winter and need to be dug now or after the first light frost which kills the leaves. Like the sweet potato, dahlias produce tubers, which are actually stems, which will serve as the beginning of the new dahlia plants. Rather than reinvent the wheel, I am recommending that you view The Colorado Dahlia Society blog which has a great visual description on the digging, cutting and storing of dahlia tubers. ? I have not had great success with cannas this year or last but decided to dig them up and try the varieties again next year. Cannas are actually tropical plants and the blog Cool Tropical Plants . Com has a very good description how to grow, plant, and store canna rhizomes. Essentially, both dahlias and cannas need to be stored in a dark cool dry area in a mixture of peat moss or saw dust and not be allowed to dry out or freeze. The perfect location is in our basement pump room which is generally a cool 60 degrees through the winter. Throughout the winter, you should sporadically check the plant tubers and rhizomes to be certain that they are not drying out or rotting. There are many who would recommend a light dusting of a fungicide on the dahlia bulbs which could help reduce some losses. Freshly Dug Dahlia Tubers and Canna Rhizomes |
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| Hyacinths Provide a Sweet Fragrance in the Garden |
| The most fragrant of the spring bulbs are the hyacinths (Hyacinthus orientalis). Hyacinths are native to Greece and Turkey. When flowering, hyacinths have the sweet fragrance of lilacs and are covered with many waxy small bell-shaped blossoms called florets. Like crocus and tulips, hyacinths come in a variety of colors: yellows, oranges, reds, pinks, and blues. I am hesitant to call hyacinths effective bulbs for naturalizing. Unlike the naturalizing crocus and daffodils, which will increase in their growing areas, hyacinths left undisturbed will come up yearly in the same place without any expansion of their growing area. These returning bulbs often times have smaller stalks of florets with flowers reverting too common blues and whites. Fortunately, these smaller flowering hyacinths still produce a very fragrant flower, which will perfume the garden airs. Holland and the United Kingdom are the largest growers of hyacinth bulbs, which often times are purchased to be forced to bloom inside. Whether selected to be a forced blooming indoor bulb or used as a cut flower, the perfume fragrance of the hyacinth can overwhelm a small room and the fragrance will persist for several days even when the flowers have been removed. Hyacinth Fantasy Mix Hyacinth Delft Blue Jan Bos Hyacinth 10 Bulbs - FRAGRANT Consider some of the following varieties of Hyacinths for your garden |
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| Alliums, Snowdrops, and Anemone Complete the Bulbs for Planting Now |
| Besides tulips, daffodils, crocus, and hyacinths, there are some additional spring bulbs you should consider for your garden. Flowering Alliums are members of the onion family and come in a variety of flower colors and sizes. These tall blooming flowers like a sunny location, are deer and rodent resistant, and bloom in the early summer. Alliums come in a variety of flower colors as well as heights and create a dramatic effect when planted in-groups of 3 or more. Allium Caeruleum Azureum Blue Drumstick Snowdrops or Galanthus are the earliest of the spring flowers and often times are blooming ahead of the crocus and as early as February. Snow drops have white flowers that when poking through a snowfall, remind all of us that spring is not necessarily around the corner but is at least on its way. ? Snow drops should be planted in a partially shaded area, as they most definitely do not like hot dry locations. Use 5 or more bulbs per planting to create the dramatic look, which you are striving for. Eventually, snow drops will readily naturalize in the area they have been planted. ? Turkish Snowdrop 10 Bulbs - Galanthus elwesii ? Anemones or Windflowers produce daisylike flowers and come in a variety of flower colors. Anemones do not have any fragrances and readily naturalize in a garden area. Often times they are planted among daffodils to hide the long growing leaves of the completed daffodil flower. Anenomes like like a well-drained soil and a sunny location before the trees and shrubs around them have finished leafing out. Anemone blanda Mixture |
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| Crocus Bulbs Readily Naturalize in Gardens |
| Naturalizing is the ability of many spring bulbs to spread on their own without having to be replanted yearly. This ability to naturalize has been noted regarding daffodils. Another very successful naturalizer are crocus. Crocus are one of the earliest spring flowers to bloom in the northeast and often times will stick their blossoms out when there is still snow on the ground. Crocus flowers close at night, remain tightly closed during a shady day, but when there is a bright March sunny day, the flowers are wide open displaying their bright orange stamens against their colorful petals. As the crocus bulbs naturalize---a mass of blooming crocus on a sunny day is quite a site to behold. As with all flowering bulbs, when crocus are finished blooming, allow their leave to grow and whither on their own. During this period of leaves only, the bulbs are recapturing the energy to go into their winter dormancy to bloom again the following year. Interestingly, should you clip off the grassy green leaves of a crocus bulb, the bulb will likely not reappear again—so be careful when working around bulbs, which have finished blooming. Generally when purchasing crocus bulbs at a large home improvement store, the bulbs are packaged without naming the particular varieties, however, when ordering through a garden catalog or over the internet or from a specialized garden center some specialized varieties can be purchased. My recommendation would be to seek out the following crocus varieties: Crocus vernus Crocus chrysanthus Crocus tommasinianus Crocus sieberi |
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| Daffodils---The Bulb of Choice for the Lazy Gardener |
| I confess, I am a lazy gardener. Other than my vegetable gardening, I like plants which require minimal care and that is why when it comes to fall planting, I always recommended to my garden center customers, the daffodil as a superior fall bulb for spring planting. Tulips most certainly come in such a variety of colors and the daffodil cannot compete with tulips assorted colors but unlike tulips: ? Daffodils will naturalize and when planted where they will be not be disturbed, daffodils will get better at the passing years as the bulbs multiply in numbers and the flowers multiply in beauty. Daffodils will provide many weeks of welcome color with minimal care. Daffodils are deer and rodent resistant. Daffodils do not just come in the familiar yellow trumpet flower shapes, but come in a variety of colors as yellow, oranges, whites, and pink. And a very pleasant surprise, many daffodils are fragrant which make for great indoor bouquets or indoor forcing. Like the tulips, daffodils can be selected and planted on the timing of their blooming periods: early, mid spring, and late. And there are some very small daffodils, which blend well when planted among the smaller sized blooming crocus and hyacinth bulbs. Like all spring bulbs in the northeastern United States, daffodils need a cold dormancy period to bloom and can be planted under deciduous trees which do not have leaves when the bulbs are flowering. |
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| Tulips Rank as High as Roses & Mums in Popularity |
| The tulip is a member of the Liliacea family and had its origins not in the Netherlands but in parts of Asia, Africa, and Europe. The tulip is ranked just behind roses and chrysanthemums in terms of international flower popularity. Cultivated for 500 years, tulips were commercially cultivated in the Ottoman Empire (Turkey). During the height of the Ottoman Empire, the tulip was seen, as a symbol of abundance and indulgence and the wealthiest was referred to as the Tulip Era. Today, the tulip is the national flower of Turkey. Tulips were introduced in 1593 to the Netherlands. During this early introduction, there was a period referred to as Tulip Mania. During this time, people invested their life savings and speculated on purchasing tulip bulbs. As with all good speculations there was a boom and bust cycle in bulb speculation. Today, Holland is the world’s largest producer of commercially sold tulip bulbs and produces 3 billion bulbs annually. ? In horticulture, tulips are divided up into fifteen groups (divisions) mostly based on flower morphology and plant size. Another way of grouping tulips is by blooming times: early, mid-season, and late. As for this gardener, classification by blooming time helps me in my selection. Unlike daffodils, hyacinths, and crocus, tulips do not readily naturalize and generally provide the best flower display for the first two years. After the second season of blooming, tulip bulbs need to be removed and replaced with newer larger bulbs. Tulips need a cold dormancy period before blooming and do well in climates which have long cool springs and early summers. Well-drained, airy and loamy soils are the best for tulip cultivation. To achieve the most visual impact, plant tulips in clusters of five to 10 and no more than 6 to 12 inches apart and as noted earlier should be replace every two years for most spectacular plantings. |
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| October is Time for Fall Bulb Planting |
| Now is the time to plant spring flowering bulbs. As in the late winter when the seed catalogs start arriving in the mail, this gardener salivates in the fall looking at the different fall bulbs, which arrive in the garden centers. Most garden centers in the northeast have their bulb displays up now and for many of us who garden we are like little kids in a candy shop looking at the bulb displays. Quality bulbs they can be ordered though mail order catalogs or on the internet. Generally, the bulbs for planting now in the northeastern part of the country are: Daffodils (narcissists) Tulips Crocus Hyacinths Some basics on fall planting of bulbs: Choose large healthy bulbs and avoid void bulbs that are dry and withered, spongy or moldy. Most flowering bulbs prefer full sun in the spring. Therefore planting bulbs in shady areas is acceptable as there will be ample sun before the trees and shrubs leaf out. Don’t plant bulbs in permanently shaded areas (as the north side of a house) as the bulbs will leaf out each year, however there will be all leaves and few flowers. In the fall, the bulbs develop their roots and therefore you can plant bulbs as long as the soil is soft enough to dig a hole. However much later than October, you have the risk the bulbs will not have the time to develop sufficient roots. Plant bulbs with the pointed side up. The pointed end of the bulb is the stem and the bottom of the bulb is the shriveled roots from the previous season. Generally large bulbs like daffodils are planted at depths of 6-8 inches and smaller bulbs are planted at depths of 3-4 inches. It is recommended to mix some bone meal or superphosphate into the soil at the bottom of the hole at to encourage strong root growth though admittedly I do not. Squirrels and chipmunks do enjoy bulbs---with the exception of daffodils. If you find the bulbs are being consumed and you are tired of replanting, use daffodils. If you are however determined to win the battle of the bulb-eating chipmunk, plant your bulbs in a cage made of hardware cloth or chicken wire. The roots and stems grow through, but the rodents can’t get to the bulbs. Water the bulbs after planting and even through the winter if you have a dry winter. Oddly enough, the following years, you will not worry about watering older bulbs as they have developed their own healthy cycle of growth and adjustment to your garden’s environmental conditions. ? ? ? ? |
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| Enjoy the Fall Mums---But Plant in the Spring |
| In the garden centers flowering chrysanthemums (mums) are being promoted to plant outside. For good reason: flowering mums provide a great assortment of late summer and early fall colors as the annuals begin to fade. However, the time to plant mums is not now---but in the spring! So, if you are looking for a nice pot of mums to set out in the garden for fall color, do not be disappointed if the plant does not come up next year in the garden. Autumn planted mums now do not have sufficient time to develop a root system before the ground freezes and often times will not survive through the winter. But that being said, next year in the spring be sure to add these great perennials to your garden. Chrysanthemums prefer full sun, well-drained soils enriched by compost. To prevent leaf fungal diseases which can wipe out the mums, plant where the plants will get good air circulation. When selecting mums, select those cultivars, which are deemed hardy for your planting zones. Generally, the very large flowering mums you might purchase for bouquets are not winter hardy for the colder northern planting zones of 3-5. Most of garden centers will only offer mums hardy to your planting zones. Through the early summer, mums will set out flower buds. Keep those buds pinched off to not only form a bushier plant but to preserve plant energy for the fall blooming time of the flowers. Mums are photoperiodic which means their flowering periods are affected by light duration. As autumn approaches, the ever so slight shorter daytime hours and longer nighttime hours will stimulate fall flowering. Though I prefer to plant flowers which require minimal care, it is often times recommended to mulch your mums in the winter with straw to provide some winter protection---however, I have seen many gardeners who do not mulch their mum plantings which are still very dramatic. So, the best guide is to purchase mums which are deemed winter hardy for your geographical area. |
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| Autumn Joy Sedum and Asters Bring Add Fall Colors to the Flower Beds. |
| In the last blog, the ‘Autumn Joy’ Sedum was mentioned as the fall flowering plant now blooming in our garden. Sedums are a large genus of flowering plants in the family Crassulaceae and are commonly called stonecrops. There are many types of sedum available to gardeners. Some sedum are very low growing and are planted to creep and crawl along the ground or are planted in garden rock crevices so their leaves cascade over the rocks. Low growing sedum varieties have different type of leaves and produce pink, yellow, or red flowers. Some of these low-growing sedums bloom in the early summer and provide a dramatic splash of color over a garden wall. Autumn Joy is a larger sedum and can grow to a height of 24 inches. This large sedum is an autumn bloomer with blossoms, which start out light pink and then to a coppery red color. Most sedum, including Autumn Joy, like moderately fertile and moist soils in a sunny location. However, should you have a dry sunny location, sedums can do well there also. This tolerance to drier areas is the reason often Autumn Joy Sedum is incorporated into commercial landscape sites. In the fields of Ohio and the northeast United States, the asters are blooming. Asters have daisy like flowers and the wild asters growing in the fields, come in whites and shades of purples to almost light blue colors. Rather than purchase asters for my garden, I have one section of a garden along the road that I allow the wild golden rod, white asters, and rudebeckias bloom in the fall after the day lilies have finished blooming. If you prefer not to allow the wild asters to grow in your garden, aster cultivars can be purchased and come in an assortment of white, purple, lavender, pink or red flowers. Asters do best in full sun in a moist well-drained soil. ? |
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| Fall Gardening and the Myths of Golden Rod Allergies |
| Well, most definitely the late summer flowers are now starting to bloom in most of northeast Ohio gardens. Among my favorites: Fall Crocus Rebloooming Iris Autumn Joy Sedum Mums Asters Yellow Golden Rod Ornamental Grasses (Seed Heads Are Pronounced) Autumn Flowering Clematis And as most gardeners will note, often times the summer annuals seem to be reinvigorated to bloom more heavily during the cooler nights of late summer and early autumn. Some annuals, most notably petunias and nicotenia seem to quit blooming shortly after Labor Day and become long straggly plants devoted to producing seed. On the other hand, impatiens and snapdragons go through a major blooming frenzy right up to the first frost. Fall Garden chores to add to your list: Flower bulb planting Tilling under the vegetable garden, New Lawn Planting Fall Tree Planting and Fertilization Division of Some Perennials The next several blogs will be devoted to fall gardening. But a myth needs to be dispelled about fall allergies. Quite often, people will say that they are allergic to Golden Rod. However, most likely, their real allergy could be to Ragweed, which is in bloom at, the same time Golden Rod is flowering. Ragweed has green flowers, which are camouflaged amongst the plant’s leaves. The green flowers are not noticeable to the showier flowers of golden rod. Because ragweed releases its pollens in the air at the same time the noticeable yellow golden rod is in bloom, people will mistakenly claim that they are allergic to golden rod when in reality their allergy is likely towards the invisible ragweed blooming and dusting the air with its pollens. |
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| Dahlias Come in An Assortment of Colors and Flower Shapes |
| In our garden, the dinner plate Dahlias are really performing this year. If you have not grown dahlias, you are indeed missing a great garden plant. It has been said that if you can grow tomatoes, you can grow dahlias. ? Dahlias are native to Mexico, Central America, and Colombia and were introduced to Europe first by oral accounts by Spanish explorer, Francisco Hernandez and then finally in the late 18th century dahlia seeds were finally introduced to the Madrid botanical gardens. When the Dahlia was introduced to Dutch florists again also in the late 18th century, the flower caught on in popularity and was cross-bred to develop varieties that are the progenitors of the current varieties. Dahlias can be started from seed or by tubers. In the garden center, flats of seed dahlias are offered in a variety of colors and these plants generally grow 3-6 inches in height. The other way to begin dahlias is by purchasing dahlia tubers. Dahlia tubers are readily offered in garden retail centers starting as early as February or can be ordered over the internet and successfully shipped to the consumer. The tuber is the fleshy underground stem of the dahlia and when dug can survive periods of dormancy. A dahlia tuber is probably the most common way that gardeners begin their first experience growing dahlias. Purchasing dahlia tubers will also provide the greatest opportunity to purchase different varieties of dahlias. In the fall after the first frost has killed the tops of the dahlia, the tubers are dug and stored in a cool frost-free part of the basement or heated garage in a peat moss or sawdust mixture. Only light sprinkling of watering is required during this period so as not to stimulate a tuber from sprouting or rotting. In the spring, the collected tubers can be successfully replanted out into the garden allowing the gardener to keep growing their very favorite dahlia year after year. The basic cultural requirements for growing dahlias are: Plant dahlia tubers around 6" deep with the 'eye' up with a little bone meal mixed in with the soil. Whether purchased as already grown plants from flower flats or from tubers, dahlias like full sun in most parts of the country, can tolerate a little shade and need to watered regularly during the summer. If you are growing one of the taller varieties, it is best to set the supporting stakes when you plant the tuber to avoid puncturing the tubers when inserting the stakes into the ground around an actively growing plant. Keeping the soil moist is importants as the plants grow. For larger flowers, pinch out side shoots and buds to leave one major bud. Pinching through the season of the smaller varieties will encourage greater flower production. As already noted dahlias are not tolerant of frost, so dig and lift out the tubers carefully after the first light frost has blackened the dahlia leaves. Even those dahlias purchased in the flower packets or growns directly by seed in the garden will have produced collectable tubers. Tubers can be divided carefully by making sure you leave at least one 'eye' on each division. Store tubers in perlite, sawdust or vermiculite in a cool spot in the basement or heated garage. I use old plastic buckets packed with the sawdust or perlite mixture. Check on the tubers sporadically to make sure they don't shrivel (and if needed sprinkle them with a little water)or show signs of mildew (dusting with a fungicide could be useful). ? Dahlias Come in An Assortment of Colors and Flower Shapes ?? |
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| Cold Hardy Hibiscus a Colorful Addition to Any Summer Garden |
| The cold hardy Hibiscus is a great summer flower which is a must have in perennial gardens (Growing Zones 4 & 5). ??????? Cold Hardy Hibiscus Comes In A Variety of Colors ??????? This perennial is great for border plantings, used singly as a specimen plant or very effectively in a mass planting mixed with other perennials and annuals. Let’s forget all plant nomenclature associated with this plant variety which is in the mallow family, Hibiscus moscheutos (Swamp-rose Mallow or Rose mallow) and other Hibiscus varieties. There are too many hybrids and Hibiscus varieties , which have been cross-pollinated with H. moschentos to produce a wide selection of hardy Hibiscus flower colors. When shopping for this plant either at the garden center or searching over the internet, request or google "cold hardy hibiscus" as often times Rose of Sharon and Tropical Hibiscus will be incorrectly suggested. Unlike the Tropical Hibiscus of Florida and other warm regions, the cold hardy Hibiscus is a perennial which dies to the ground in the winter, sprouts up from its roots in very late spring, and blooms in midsummer to early fall. Cold hardy varieties of Hibiscus easily spread by seed and roots and often times will form spectacular large plant colonies of colorful large paper plate sized flowers. General Culture: Hibiscus thrives in moist, organically rich soils, but does surprisingly well in average garden soils as long as those soils are not allowed to dry out. Regular deep watering is advisable. These Hibiscus tolerate some light shade, but full sun with good air circulation produces the best flowers, strongest stems and the best environment for resisting potential diseases. Plant your Hibiscus in locations protected from wind to minimize risk of windburn and the toppling of the tall plants. When the Hibiscus has finished blooming in late autumn and the leaves are yellowing, cut back stems to approximately 3-4". These stem remnants will also act as a marker so the plant can be located the following year. New growth shoots are slow to emerge in spring. However, once new growth begins the Hibiscus grows quite rapidly. Hibiscus plants will benefit from regular fertilization during the growing season. ? One of the best of the cold-hardy Hibiscus is ‘Lord Baltimore’. This plant is vigorous, sturdy, erect and a somewhat shrubby, woody-based Hibiscus cultivar that typically grows 4-5’ tall and features dinner plate-sized, 5-petaled, hollyhock-like brilliant red flowers. With all Hibiscus varieties, the flowers only last one day, but one or more flowers usually opens the following day to replace the spent blooms and providing a long mid-summer to early fall blooming period. Click on the following: Hametownshoppes Garden Products Cold Hardy Hibiscus to view the selections of Cold Hardy Hibiscus available now or later in the season. Remember, cold hardy Hibiscus germinates quite readily by seed! ? ? ? |
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