Archive for the ‘compost’ Category

Recycle Live Christmas Trees

The holidays are over. This year take your live Christmas tree to a designated location to be recycled. Many cities and towns collect trees which are chipped into mulch. The mulch is spread around municipal park trees and street trees.  It is utilized for erosion management along stream banks and on steep slopes. Mulch is also distributed to gardeners in the spring. Communities pile […]

Doghobble for Shady Landscape Areas

Drooping doghobble or fetterbush  (Leucothoe fontanesiana) is native to woodland areas in the Southern Appalachian region (USDA zones 6 and 7). Doghobble is a tall ground cover, averaging 3 – 4 feet in height.  The long gently arching evergreen branches display a rambling nature, best reined in with hand pruning as needed. White fragrant flowers, […]

Be Careful What You’re Cutting Back

 Halfway through the autumn season, new plants have come to life, while most are retiring for a long winter’s nap (dormancy). About 4-5 weeks back, the leafy growth (vegetative) stage of the surprise lily (Lycoris radiata), also called “resurrection lily or “naked ladies”, appeared (left and center photos). When last seen in late July and August, brightly colored stalks of lycoris flowers had popped through with no leaves present. […]

Growing Hardy Camellias

Growing camellias in Tennessee is no longer a dream. Through the efforts of several plant breeders, particularly Dr. William L. Ackerman of the U.S. National Arboretum (retired) and Dr. Clifford Parks of Camellia Forest Nursery, as many as 40 cultivars of winter hardy camellias to -15 °F are now available in nursery commerce. Flower colors […]