Magnesium (Mg) is the central element involved in chlorophyll synthesis, a crucial nutrient in photosynthesis, and in maintaining vibrant green leaves. Like calcium, magnesium is required by plants in large enough quantities. It is a “macro-nutrient”, as important as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), the latter three adsorbed by plants in greater amounts. Magnesium […]
Archive for December, 2016
Are Your Plants Deficient In Magnesium?
Posted by Hugh on December 28th, 2016
Posted in acidic soil, Edible fruits, Ferns, Fertilizing, Fertilizing plants, Flowering house plant, Foliage plant, Interior (house) Plants, Pepper, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Roses, Soil pH, Tomato, Uncategorized 
Comments Off on Are Your Plants Deficient In Magnesium?Little Goblin® Series Of Deciduous Hollies
Posted by Hugh on December 25th, 2016
Little Goblin® Red (Ilex verticillata ‘NCIV1’) is one of the new creation from plant breeder Dr. Tom Ranney, at the North Carolina Research And Extension Center in Mills River, NC. It is the first ever tetraploid winterberry. This dwarf variety is also exceptionally hardy and easy to care for. Little Goblin® Orange (‘NCIV2’) is extremely early flowering and […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Container growing, container shrub, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Ilex (hollies), mulching, Native Plant, Ornamental fruit, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Little Goblin® Series Of Deciduous HolliesLandscape Trees With Winter Interest
Posted by Hugh on December 22nd, 2016
Does your winter landscape look a bit shabby? This coming spring take some action by planting trees that should perk up its appearance. New tree choices should ratchet up seasonal interest, attract more bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds in the spring-summer and hungry fruit feeding birds in fall-winter. Making smart tree choices can add four-seasons of interest to your yard. […]
Posted in Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, Birch (Betula spp.), Butterflies, Chinese (kousa) dogwood, Cornus officinalis, Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia), Dogwood (Cornus), Edible fruits, Ginkgo biloba, Hummingbird, Kwanzan cherry, Landscape ideas, Native Plant, Ornamental fruit, Paperbark maple, Parrotia (Persian ironwood), Purchasing Plants, river birch, Southern Appalachian Region, Stewartia pseudocamellia, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Winter bark, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness, Winterberry holly Comments Off on Landscape Trees With Winter InterestArctic Fire™ Dogwood Brightens Up Winter Landscape
Posted by Hugh on December 19th, 2016
Red-twig or red osier dogwood (Cornus stolonifera) is a native shrub (USDA hardiness zones 2-7). It reaches 8 to 10 feet in height and roots sucker prolifically. It can become a chore keeping it contained in small garden spaces. Arctic Fire™ is a superior cultivar identified by its fiery red stems and compact growth habit. Expect […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, compact shrub, Container growing, container shrub, Cornus stolonifera, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Flower arrangments, Flowers, Native Plant, Ornamental fruit, Planting tips, Privacy Screen, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Root suckering, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter bark, winter hardiness Comments Off on Arctic Fire™ Dogwood Brightens Up Winter LandscapeSaving Heirloom Seeds
Posted by Hugh on December 16th, 2016
At the end of each growing season, you may choose to collect seeds from favorite flowering annuals and vegetables to holdover and plant in next year’s garden. Some may be heirloom varieties that you have saved for many years because you like their productivity or flavor. Note: these seeds should not be “hybrids”. Hybrids represent a cross between […]
Posted in Cold tolerance, Disease resistant, Dogwood (Cornus), Edible fruits, Fall Garden Interest, Flowering, Flowers, Fruits & Vegetables, Goldenrod (Solidago), Green Recycling, Harvest and Storage, Maples (Acer), Native Plant, Ornamental fruit, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Propagation(grafting), Seed Storage, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Saving Heirloom SeedsSmall Southern Magnolia Cultivars
Posted by Hugh on December 13th, 2016
Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) is one of nature’s magnificent landscape trees (USDA hardiness zones 6-9). This reliable large tree, native to the Southern U.S., is at home in well-drained clay soils and hot summers. The species typically grows to 60-80 feet tall with a pyramidal (young) to a rounded crown (mature tree). It is not uncommon […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Environmental issues, Evergreen, Flowers, Fragrant, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Large Shade trees, Magnolia grandiflora, mulching, Native Plant, Planting tips, Privacy Screen, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (layering), Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness Comments Off on Small Southern Magnolia CultivarsCrape Myrtles Exhibit Beautiful Bark In Winter
Posted by Hugh on December 10th, 2016
The flowers of crape myrtles are a wonderful floral treat in the summer months, several exhibit gorgeous exfoliating bark. Some also show off autumn foliage colors. Here are the best ten species and cultivars of crape myrtles noted for their exfoliating bark. Lagerstroemia hybrids (L. indica x L. fauriei) Hopi – 8-10 feet semi-dwarf shrub; gray brown exfoliating bark; medium pink […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Aphids, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, compact shrub, compact tree, Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia), Downy mildew, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Crape Myrtles Exhibit Beautiful Bark In WinterPhotoperiodism – Short Day/Long Day Plants
Posted by Hugh on December 7th, 2016
“Photoperiodism” or daylength is responsible for triggering flowering in numerous plants. Some examples of short day plants are poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima), fall mums (Dendranthemum spp.), asters (Symphyotrichum spp.), Thanksgiving (Schlumbergera truncata), Christmas (S. bridgesii) cacti, Kalanchoes (Kalanchoe spp.) and Salvias (Salvia spp.). “Photoperiodism” is the amount of light and darkness a plant is exposed to. The […]
Posted in acidic soil, Anemone, Aster, Autumn flowering, Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera), Chrysanthemum, Environmental issues, Fertilizing plants, Flowering house plant, Kalanchoe, Perennials, Petunias, Photoperiod (Daylength), Planting tips, Poinsettia, Potting Mix, Propagation (Cuttings), Purchasing Plants, Roses, Salvia, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Strawberries, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Sunflowers, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering tips, Winter flowering, winter hardiness Comments Off on Photoperiodism – Short Day/Long Day PlantsKey Points About Poinsettias
Posted by Hugh on December 4th, 2016
The beautiful poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) has become a symbol of the Christmas and winter holidays. The showy colorful bracts, that most people think are the flowers, are actually modified leaves. The tiny “true” flowers are in the center of the bracts. Joel R. Poinsett introduced the poinsettia plant to the United States from Mexico. Poinsett […]
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn flowering, Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, Interior (house) Plants, Planting tips, Poinsettia, Propagation (Cuttings), Purchasing Plants, Southern Appalachian Region, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering tips, Winter flowering Comments Off on Key Points About PoinsettiasPurchasing A Cut Christmas Tree
Posted by Hugh on December 1st, 2016
Around the holidays lots of people head out to local Christmas farms to purchase a tree. Local farms offer the best freshly cut trees that should last 3 or more weeks inside your home. Trees for sale in urban lots may have been harvested between 1-4 weeks earlier and shipped to your vicinity. A cut Christmas […]
Posted in Christmas tree, Christmas trees, Evergreens, Firs (Abies), Fraser fir (Abies), Harvest Time, Pines (Pinus spp.), Purchasing Plants, Southern Appalachian Region, Spruces (Picea spp.), Uncategorized, watering tips Comments Off on Purchasing A Cut Christmas Tree
