It’s fall and many gardeners take leave of their garden until spring. Autumn is a great time to create new color schemes that will carry over into the winter garden. It’s just like spring all over again! Frost hardy flowering plants get their turn, such as pansies, violas, snapdragons, and diascias (USDA Hardiness zone 7), […]
Archive for the ‘acidic soil’ Category
Autumn/Winter Garden Dressup
Posted by Hugh on September 15th, 2014
Posted in acidic soil, Arborvitae (Thuja spp.), Autumn flowering, Chamaecyparis, compact shrub, compost, Container growing, container shrub, Diascias, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Ilex (hollies), Juniper, Microbiota, mulching, Pansies, Snapdragons, Southern Appalachian Region, Violas, watering tips, Winter flowering, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness, Winter Protection, Yews (Taxus spp.) 
Comments Off on Autumn/Winter Garden DressupFall Blooming ‘October Skies’ Aster
Posted by Hugh on September 12th, 2014
From Maine to Texas, the aromatic asters (Symphyotrichum (Aster) oblongifolius) are great garden performers in the fall garden (USDA hardiness zones 5–8). The cultivar ‘October Skies’ is one of the best. Plants are covered with lavender blue flowers (up to 1 ¼ inches in diameter) from late September thru late October. Each flower displays a gold button center. […]
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn flowering, mulching, Pruning, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Fall Blooming ‘October Skies’ Aster‘Tamukeyama’ Japanese Maple One Of The Best
Posted by Hugh on September 4th, 2014
Tamukeyama Japanese maple (Acer palmatum ‘Tamukeyama’) is a long-lived botanical treasure (USDA hardiness zones 5-8). Tamukeyama is a short 6-8 feet tall multi-stemmed deciduous tree. It grows slightly taller and its foliage tolerates hot summer sun better than ‘Crimson Queen’. Tamukeyama grows best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers moist well-drained soil and […]
Posted in acidic soil, compact tree, compost, Container growing, Disease resistant, Japanese maple, Maples (Acer), mulching, Planting tips, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on ‘Tamukeyama’ Japanese Maple One Of The BestSwamp White Oak Gaining In Popularity
Posted by Hugh on September 1st, 2014
Swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor) is an underutilized large native oak whose ornamental attributes have captured the attention of municipal arborists (and perhaps you as well). (USDA hardiness zones 4 to 8). Swamp white oak is a medium to large sized deciduous shade tree, 50 to 60 feet tall and wide, and a broad, irregularly […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Drought tolerant, Edible fruits, Large Shade trees, Native Plant, Oaks (Quercus spp.), Pests, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness Comments Off on Swamp White Oak Gaining In PopularitySwamp Milkweed Is Monarch Butterfly’s Favorite
Posted by Hugh on August 29th, 2014
Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) is an erect, clump-forming, U.S. native plant indigenous to swamps, bottomlands and wet meadows (USDA hardiness zones 3 to 6). Obviously, it prefers moist soils but grows equally well in average, well-drained garden soils. Full sun is best, but copes with some light shade. As its common name indicates, it makes […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, Aphids, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Butterfly weed (Asclepias), Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Flowers, Fragrant, Native Plant, Perennials, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, Wildflowers, winter hardiness Comments Off on Swamp Milkweed Is Monarch Butterfly’s FavoriteEnglish Oak Demands A Moist Well-drained Soil
Posted by Hugh on August 27th, 2014
Thinking about English oak (Quercus robur) brings to mind Robin Hood and Sherwood Forest. This majestic oak forms a broad spreading crown supported by a short sturdy trunk with a medium-brown, deeply-fissured bark (USDA hardiness zones 4-8). A young tree exhibits a pyramidal form. In a city park or golf course, it typically grows 50-70 […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Aphids, Caterpillars, Edible fruits, Fruits poisonous, Large Shade trees, Oaks (Quercus spp.), Planting tips, Powdery mildew, Propagation (Seed), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness Comments Off on English Oak Demands A Moist Well-drained SoilMexican Sunflowers Thrive In A Hot Summer
Posted by Hugh on August 24th, 2014
Mexican sunflower (Tithonia rotundiloba) is a fast growing annual that produces vivid orange-red zinnia-like flowers from early summer to autumn frost. It is native to Mexico and Central America. Dark green leaves remain blemish-free all summer long. Snails and slugs are occasional pests during wet summers or when irrigated overhead. Plants grow 3-4 feet tall […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Container growing, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Hummingbird, Mexican sunflower (Tithonia), mulching, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Staking, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips Comments Off on Mexican Sunflowers Thrive In A Hot SummerAvoiding Crape Myrtle Hardiness Problems
Posted by Hugh on August 15th, 2014
Late summer (September 1st) is your deadline to plant crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia spp.) in USDA hardiness zone 6. Your primary objective should be to grow deep plant roots. Crape myrtles are classified as perennials in northerly areas of zone 6. In many years their woody branches die back after a cruel cold winter. The hardy […]
Posted in acidic soil, acidify soil, Aphids, compact shrub, compact tree, Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia), Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Insect (Pest) Problems, mulching trees, Pesticide recommendations, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Pruning, Scale, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness Comments Off on Avoiding Crape Myrtle Hardiness ProblemsExclamation™ London Plane Tree Is A Game-Changer
Posted by Hugh on August 13th, 2014
Exclamation! London Plane Tree (Platanus x acerifolia Exclamation!™) is probably one the most improved cultivars to date (USDA hardiness zones 4-8). Exclamation! was introduced by Dr. George Ware at the Morton Arboretum and released through the Chicagoland Grows® program. Exclamation! develops a strong central leader, a uniform upright pyramidal shape (when young), a vigorous growth […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Large Shade trees, Pruning, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Street tree, Summer heat tolerant, Sycamore (Platanus), Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter bark, winter hardiness Comments Off on Exclamation™ London Plane Tree Is A Game-ChangerFour Old Fashioned Hostas Continue To Delight
Posted by Hugh on August 4th, 2014
During my annual summer travel to public gardens around the U.S., several clumps of old-timey hostas that were popular in the 1960’s and ’70’s caught my eye. These hosta beauties still own their garden place. Here are listed only four, but there are so many more. ‘Gold Standard’is an old-time favorite. In August multiple pink-lavender […]
Posted in acidic soil, acidify soil, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Hosta, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Rabbit/deer Protection, Shade Gardening, Slugs, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Four Old Fashioned Hostas Continue To Delight
