Large-flowered rhododendrons (Rhododendron catawbiense) benefit from “deadheading”, the practice of removing the old spent flower heads. Deadheading encourages increased branching, which frequently results in more blooms the following spring. It also cleans up their scruffy appearance. Small-flowered types (including ‘PJM’, lepidote rhododendrons, and azaleas) do not benefit from deadheading and are mostly […]
Archive for the ‘Flowers’ Category
Deadheading Rhododendron Flowers
Posted by Hugh on May 9th, 2016
Posted in compact shrub, Native Plant, Pruning, Rhododendrons, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Trees & Shrubs 
Comments Off on Deadheading Rhododendron FlowersReviving A Severely Damaged Crape Myrtle In The Spring
Posted by Hugh on May 1st, 2016
Crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia indica and hybrid cultivars) are rated as hardy perennials and semi-hardy shrubs or trees in USDA zone 6 and parts of zone 7. Since the year 2000, an average of 1 out of 3 winters has killed some crape myrtles to the ground. By […]
Posted in acidic soil, Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia), Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness Comments Off on Reviving A Severely Damaged Crape Myrtle In The SpringChinese (Kousa) Dogwood
Posted by Hugh on April 27th, 2016
Chinese dogwood, aka kousa dogwood, (Cornus kousa) is a small 25 to 35 foot flowering tree (USDA hardiness zones 5-9). It grows in either full or partial sunlight (4-hours sunlight minimum). Depending where you garden, kousa dogwood begins blooming from late April or in May, almost two weeks after our native […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, compact tree, Disease resistant, Dogwood (Cornus), Drought tolerant, Edible fruits, Fertilizing plants, Flowering, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter bark, winter hardiness Comments Off on Chinese (Kousa) DogwoodMonitor And Manage Two-Spotted Spider Mites
Posted by Hugh on April 21st, 2016
Two-spotted spider mites are destructive pests that ravage a wide host of shrubs and garden plants, including certain house plants, annuals, perennials, herbs and vegetables. Many evergreens are also susceptible. Two-spotted spider mites are warm season arachnids, not insects, and are exceptionally troublesome over a hot dry summer. They […]
Posted in Abutilon (Flowering Maple), Apple tree, Aster, Begonia boliviensis, Cherries, Dahlia, Evergreens, Flowers, Foliage plant, Fruits & Vegetables, Garden Problems, Gladiolus, Hemlock (Tsuga), Juniper, Mite susceptible, Mites, New Guinea impatiens, Norfolk Island Pine, Oriental spruce (Picea), Ornamental Pepper, Peach, Pear (Pyrus spp.), Pepper, Perennials, Pesticide recommendations, Pests, Plum, Raspberries, Roses, Southern Appalachian Region, Spruces (Picea spp.), Sunpatiens, Trees & Shrubs, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), Virus diseases Comments Off on Monitor And Manage Two-Spotted Spider Mites‘Palibin’ Lilac A Good Choice For Small Landscapes
Posted by Hugh on April 15th, 2016
Dwarf Korean lilac (Syringa x meyeri ‘Palibin’) forms a dense multi-stemmed deciduous shrub, 4 to 5 feet high and 5 to 6 feet wide, with rounded top or canopy (USDA hardiness zones 3-7). It branches low to the ground. Flower buds form which are distinctively violet in color. In mid-spring this diminutive lilac is covered by billowy panicles of fragrant purple […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Attracting Butterflies, Butterflies, compact shrub, compact tree, container shrub, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Fragrant, Lilac (Syringa), Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Palibin’ Lilac A Good Choice For Small LandscapesUpdate: Prevention / Treatment Options For Rose Rosette Disease
Posted by Hugh on April 13th, 2016
Rose rosette is a devastating disease of most species of garden roses, including hybrid and shrub roses. Rose rosette disease has spread from the Rocky Mountains to the East Coast over several decades and is poised to obliterate the rose industry. To date, there is no known effective treatment. Rose rosette is caused by an […]
Posted in climbing roses, Garden Problems, Hybrid teas, Landscape ideas, Mites, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, rose rosette disease, rose virus, Roses, shrub roses, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Trees & Shrubs, Virus diseases Comments Off on Update: Prevention / Treatment Options For Rose Rosette DiseaseNew Coreopsis Cultivars All The Rage
Posted by Hugh on April 12th, 2016
Threadleaf coreopsis (Coreopsis verticillata), also called tickseed, is a popular summer flowering perennial. Coreopsis are native to the U.S. and produces hundreds of pale-yellow blooms. Depending on cultivar, plant grows 12 to 18 inches tall and 2 feet wide. Some gardeners even plant old-time favorites like ‘Zagreb’ and ‘Moonbeam’ as annuals (USDA hardiness zones […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Coreopsis, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Native Plant, Perennials, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, watering tips Comments Off on New Coreopsis Cultivars All The RageSummer Blooming ‘Little Lemon’ Goldenrod
Posted by Hugh on April 10th, 2016
Goldenrods are members of the aster family (Asteraceae); approximately 100 species of goldenrods are native to North America. Across most of the Eastern and Midwestern U.S., goldenrods are frequently spotted growing in moist soils in open farm fields, in ditches, and along edges of streams. The golden yellow blooms attract countless bees, butterflies and other […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Blanket flower (Gaillardia), Butterflies, Container growing, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Goldenrod (Solidago), Heat Tolerance, Helenium, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Stokesia, Stonecrop sedums, Summer flowering, winter hardiness Comments Off on Summer Blooming ‘Little Lemon’ GoldenrodUtilize Sweet Flag For Garden Accent
Posted by Hugh on April 7th, 2016
Sweet flag cultivar (Acorus gramineus) is an iris-like perennial usually planted for its wavy drifts of golden yellow foliage. This dwarf ground cover, indigenous to China, Korea and Japan, grows 6-12 inches tall. Sweet flag is a member of the acorus family (Acoraceae) (USDA hardiness zones 6-9 and should be winter protected in zone 5). Green […]
Posted in acidic soil, Carex (Sedges), compost, Container growing, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Garden paths, Ground cover, Landscape ideas, mulching, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Sweet flag (Acorus), Water Gardens, watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Utilize Sweet Flag For Garden AccentWar On Aphids
Posted by Hugh on April 4th, 2016
Aphids are pests that feed on many kinds of garden plants. These tiny insects wreak massive destruction in multiple ways. There are many different kinds (and colors) of aphids. They’re small, 1/16 inch more or less, and feed on plant sap to obtain nutrients. In greenhouses they reproduce without mating; […]
Posted in Aphids, Apple tree, Blackberries, Cabbage, Cherries, Flowers, Insect (Pest) Problems, Peach, Pepper, Pesticide recommendations, Pests, Planting tips, Raspberries, rose virus, Roses, Salvia, Southern Appalachian Region, Tomato, Virus diseases Comments Off on War On Aphids
