While deciduous hollies (Ilex spp.) are well known among home gardeners, surprisingly few plant them (USDA hardiness zones 3-9 variable by species). In the fall, their branches and twigs are covered in bright red berries. Orange and yellow berried varieties are additional choices. Birds love them, too. Deciduous hollies do not have prickly leaves like […]
Archive for the ‘mulching’ Category
Deciduous Holly For The Fall/Winter Landscape
Posted by Hugh on October 22nd, 2020
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Breeding Plants, Container growing, container shrub, Deciduous, Deciduous holly, Dioecious, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Environmental Conservation, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Flower arrangments, Heat Tolerance, Ilex (hollies), Inconspicious, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Ornamental fruit, Planting tips, Privacy Screen, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness, Winterberry holly 
Comments Off on Deciduous Holly For The Fall/Winter LandscapeClaim Jumper™ Katsura Tree
Posted by Hugh on October 16th, 2020
In American gardens Katsura tree (Cercidiphyllum japonicum) is a fine landscape tree that is becoming more popular. This small – medium – large tree (height depending on cultivar) offers four-seasons of interest. Katsura tree is indigenous to Japan and China where it can mature into an incredible 50-70 feet tall USDA hardiness zones 4-8). Numerous […]
Posted in acidic soil, Anthracnose, Disease resistant, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Inconspicious, Katsura tree (Cercidophyllum), Landscape ideas, Medium sized Tree, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Shade tree, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Claim Jumper™ Katsura TreeShumard Oak
Posted by Hugh on October 11th, 2020
Shumard Oak (Quercus shumardii) is stately landscape tree in the red or black oak group (USDA hardiness zones 5-8). The species is native to moist bottomlands and slopes of the southeastern U.S. Typically, Shumard grows at a moderately fast rate to a height of 40-60 feet (30-40 feet wide) in the landscape. It has a […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aphids, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Balled and Burlapped (b&b), Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Caterpillars, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Drought tolerant, Emerald ash borer, Landscape ideas, Large Shade trees, Medium sized Tree, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Oaks (Quercus spp.), Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Scale, Shumard oak (Quercus), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Street tree, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Shumard OakFall Clean Up Of Garden Beds
Posted by Hugh on October 1st, 2020
Cleaning up vegetable and flower beds requires some thought. Most gardeners desire to get a start on next spring’s clean up in the fall. They may rototill garden beds in fall, particularly if soils are too moist to work in early spring. Turning the soil also kills lots of weeds, including winter weeds which have […]
Posted in acidic soil, Annuals, applying sulfur, Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Bulb Crops, Canna lily, Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Globe amaranth (Gomphrena), Landscape ideas, Lavender (Lavandula), mulching, Native Plant, Purchasing Plants, Rosemary, Rudbeckia 'Herbstonne', Soil Conservation, Soil pH, Soil Testing, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Tennessee Coneflower, Weeds, Weeds, Wildflowers, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness, Zinnia Comments Off on Fall Clean Up Of Garden BedsTips On Growing Fern Leaf Peony
Posted by Hugh on September 26th, 2020
Fernleaf peony (Paeonia tenuifolia), sometimes called “fennel peony”, is recognized principally for its finely dissected foliage. When properly sited and cared for, it is a low maintenance perennial. This uniquely different peony is native in parts of Eastern Europe (USDA hardiness zones 4 – 8). Peonies perform best in well-drained, evenly moist, compost rich soil with […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Bees and other pollinators, compost, Container garden, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Landscape ideas, mulching, Peonies, Peony, Perennials, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, Wind protection, winter hardiness 1 Comment »Blackgum (Tupelo) – Fall Leaf Color And Fruit Attract Birds And Other Wildlife
Posted by Hugh on September 16th, 2020
Black tupelo, blackgum, or sourgum tree (Nyssa sylvatica), its three common regional names, is native to Eastern North America from the New England states, down south into Florida, and as far west as Eastern Texas (USDA hardiness zones 4-9). Mature blackgums reach heights of 60 feet and taller and 20 – 25 feet width that […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Black gum (Nyssa), Deciduous, Deer resistant, Dioecious, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Environmental Conservation, Fall Garden Interest, Landscape Construction, Landscape ideas, Large Shade trees, Medium sized Tree, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Planting tips, Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Street tree, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Blackgum (Tupelo) – Fall Leaf Color And Fruit Attract Birds And Other WildlifeProtect Your Home Against Artillery Fungus
Posted by Hugh on September 6th, 2020
If you notice tiny black specks covering your home or garage siding or coating your auto parked nearby. The problem may be artillery fungus, also called shotgun or cannonball fungus (Sphaerobolus). Tiny fungal spores, barely 2 millimeters wide, propel themselves up to 20 feet away from the ground onto vertical surfaces. The fungus generally targets […]
Posted in Artillery fungus, compost, Environmental issues, Garden Problems, Ground cover, Heat Tolerance, Mulch Quality, mulching, Planting tips, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Uncategorized, Weed management Comments Off on Protect Your Home Against Artillery FungusChoices Of Inkberry Hollies
Posted by Hugh on September 1st, 2020
Inkberry holly (Ilex glabra), also called gallberry, is a slow-growing broadleaf evergreen shrub (USDA hardiness zones 4-9). Inkberry grows 5 to 8 feet tall. In the wild, it spreads in the ground via root suckers to form colonies. The species is native from coastal Canada to Florida, west to Louisiana at home in sandy woodlands and […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, compact shrub, Container growing, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Hedges, Ilex (hollies), Inkberry Holly (Ilex), Landscape ideas, Mites, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Planting tips, Privacy Screen, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Root suckering, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Choices Of Inkberry HolliesMany Kinds Of Deodar Cedars
Posted by Hugh on August 26th, 2020
Deodar Cypress Himalayan cedar (Cedrus deodara), aka Deodar Cedar, is indigenous from northern India, east to Nepal, and northward through Pakistan and Afghanistan (USDA hardiness zones (6b)7-10). In the U.S., this evergreen conifer grows 60-70 feet high and 40 feet wide in 50 years. It offers year-round interest by way of its lovely pyramidal form […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, container shrub, Deodara cedars (Cedrus), Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Evergreens, Fertilizing plants, Landscape ideas, Large shrub, Medium sized Tree, mulching, Planting tips, Privacy Screen, Propagation(grafting), Purchasing Plants, Sapsucker, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness Comments Off on Many Kinds Of Deodar CedarsPerennials With Great Autumn Foliage
Posted by Hugh on August 21st, 2020
Bloody cranesbill (Geranium sanguineum) – short 9-12 inches high clump forming groundcover that bears purple flowers in May-June. Its deeply cut foliage green leaves turn shades of red after first frost. (Zones 3-8). Red leaf mukdenia (Mukdenia rossii) – fanned, maple-like leaves emerge bright green in spring, age to bronze-green in summer, and finish green […]
Posted in acidic soil, Amsonia (blue star), Attracting birds, Autumn fern (Dryopteris), Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, Bin bluestem (Andropogon), Calamagrostis, compost, Disease resistant, Environmental Conservation, Fall Garden Interest, Ferns, Flower Arranging, Honey bees, Landscape ideas, Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium), mulching, Native Plant, Ornamental Grasses, Pennisetum spp., Perennials, Planting tips, Plumbago (Leadwort), Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Solomon's seal, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Switchgrass (Panicum), Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Perennials With Great Autumn Foliage
