These tiny flowering bulbs are truly early birds. Fall planted bulbs often emerge in late January and February here in the Southern Appalachian region. Once they are up and blooming, frigid temps don’t damage the flowers or plants. Instead, the winter weather causes the hardy blooms to last and last in February and March. They often […]
Archive for the ‘Garden Maintenance’ Category
‘Early Bird’ Blooming Bulbs
Posted by Hugh on September 26th, 2019
Posted in acidic soil, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Chionodoxa (Glory of the Snow), compost, Container garden, Crocus, Daffodil (Narcissus), Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Snowdrops (Galanthus), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Spring flowering bulbs, Winter aconite (Eranthis), Winter flowering 
Comments Off on ‘Early Bird’ Blooming BulbsFall Garden Chores
Posted by Hugh on September 21st, 2019
Fall is the perfect time to take on a few of the many spring garden chores. Here is a list of ten of the most important tasks: Weeding– get rid of newly emerging winter annual weeds now before they flower and set seeds. Perennial weeds such as dandelions, plantains, and thistles can be sprayed and eliminated in the […]
Posted in acidify soil, Attracting birds, Azaleas (evergreen), Bees and other pollinators, Bulb Crops, Camellia, Common witchhazel (H. virginiana), compost, deadheading, Deer resistant, Edgeworthia, Fall Garden Interest, Flowering Bulb, Green Recycling, Hellebores, Hyacinth, Landscape Construction, Landscape ideas, lenten rose, Lenten rose (Hellebore), mulching, Ornamental Grasses, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Rabbit/deer Protection, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs, Tulips, Violas, watering tips, Winter Protection, Winterhazels (Corylopsis), Witchhazel (Hamamelis) Comments Off on Fall Garden ChoresTypes OF Tulips
Posted by Hugh on September 16th, 2019
Over the centuries Dutch tulip breeders have brought to market 15 groups of the spring blooming goodies (USDA hardiness zones 3-8). The properties determining the group to which each tulip belongs are the shape of its flower, its parentage and its flowering period. Let’s take a peak at “the world of tulips”. Here is a […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bacterial diseases, Bees and other pollinators, Botrytis disease, Bulb Crops, Container garden, Fertilizing plants, Flower arrangments, Flowering Bulb, Flowers, Landscape ideas, mulching, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Rabbit/deer Protection, Root rotting, Rust diseases, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering bulbs, Tulips, Voles, winter hardiness Comments Off on Types OF TulipsFall Planting And Dividing Iris
Posted by Hugh on September 11th, 2019
Tall bearded (Iris x hybrida), Japanese iris (I. ensata), Siberian irises (I. sibirica) are very popular with U.S. gardeners and are favorites in my spring flower garden (USDA hardiness zones 3-9). The period from late August through mid-October is the ideal time to plant and/or divide irises. Don’t procrastinate…the earlier the better. Give plants enough […]
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn flowering, Bacterial diseases, Bees and other pollinators, Borers, Butterflies, Container garden, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Insect (Pest) Problems, Iris, Iris (Tall bearded), Iris sibirica, Landscape ideas, mulching, Overcrowding, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Re-Bloomers, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Uncategorized, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Fall Planting And Dividing IrisPeony Care in the Fall
Posted by Hugh on September 6th, 2019
October and November are ideal for fall herbaceous peony bed cleanup and to get ready for winter. Fall is the ideal time to dig up and divide old clumps of peony roots and to plant new plants. Old yellow and brown foliage comes off easy with hand clippers. Don’t pull or yank off the foliage! […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, applying sulfur, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, Container garden, Deciduous, Downy mildew, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Landscape ideas, mulching, Peonies, Peony, Perennials, Planting tips, Powdery mildew, Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Sanitation, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Soil Testing, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Uncategorized, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Peony Care in the FallZone 6 Hardy Camellias – Plant Now!
Posted by Hugh on September 1st, 2019
More and more people gardening in zones 6 and 7 have discovered that they can successfully grow camellias. Once considered an exclusively Southern plant, many camellia varieties are very cold hardy where winter temps drop to 0 to 5°F. Their floral buds burst open with bright whites, pink and red shades, and spotted color blends. […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aphids, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Camellia, compost, Container garden, Disease resistant, Environmental issues, Evergreen, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Flower arrangments, Flowering, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Scale, Shade Gardening, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter blooming, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Zone 6 Hardy Camellias – Plant Now!Wood’s White Aster Are Woodland Favorites
Posted by Hugh on August 26th, 2019
It’s late August and across the Southern Appalachian region White Wood Aster (Eurybia divaricata) are blooming. Their small daisy flowers are often seen blooming in shady woodlands in late summer. They start blooming a week or two later in the New England states and Canada (USDA hardiness zones 3-8). In a natural woodland Wood’s Aster […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aster, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Container garden, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Ground cover, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, White Wood Aster (Eurybia), Wildflower, winter hardiness Comments Off on Wood’s White Aster Are Woodland FavoritesRose Of Sharon ‘Pillar’ Series –Floral And Architectural Splendor
Posted by Hugh on August 21st, 2019
RRose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus), aka althea, is a popular summer flowering shrub and small tree (USDA hardiness zones ((4)5-8). In northerly areas of the U.S., rose of Sharon may also be cultivated as a sun-loving perennial. The species grows 8-12 feet high and 6 -10 feet wide in full sun and in average garden […]
Posted in acidic soil, Althea (Hibiscus), Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Container garden, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flower arrangments, Hibiscus syriacus, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Rose Of Sharon ‘Pillar’ Series –Floral And Architectural SplendorSix Perennials To Include In Your Garden
Posted by Hugh on August 16th, 2019
I continue to report to you on plants that perform. I am quick to eliminate plants that don’t live up to expectations.Here are six topnotch perennials you will enjoy in your garden for many years. Arkansas bluestar (Amsonia hubrichtii) grows into a 2-3 feet tall arching clump of soft, feathery green leaves. Blue starry flowers […]
Posted in acidic soil, Alliums (onion), Amsonia (blue star), Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Black eyed Susan (Rudbeckia), Butterflies, Coreopsis, Coreopsis 'Gold Standard, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flowers, Heat Tolerance, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, Muhly grass, mulching, Native Plant, Perennials, Phlox, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Summer phlox (P. paniculata), watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Six Perennials To Include In Your GardenKatsura Trees For Urban Plantings
Posted by Hugh on August 11th, 2019
Hooray! American gardeners are finally becoming savvy about Katsura tree (Cercidiphyllum japonicum) as one of the finest landscape trees. This medium to tall growing tree (height depending on cultivar) possesses four-season appeal. Numerous varieties are now available. Small growing cultivars will be featured here. Katsura tree is indigenous to Japan and China where some may […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Balled and Burlapped (b&b), Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Dioecious, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Fragrant, Katsura tree (Cercidophyllum), Landscape ideas, Large Shade trees, Medium sized Tree, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Sun scald, Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized, watering tips, Weeping habit, winter hardiness Comments Off on Katsura Trees For Urban Plantings
