The lure of fragrant white flowers have mid-South gardeners (zones 6 and 7) wanting to grow gardenias (Gardenia jasminoides). New cultivars, supposedly hardier than previous ones, hit garden centers every spring. Unfortunately, zones 6 and 7 winters usually prove them wrong. Recent purchases of new cultivars ‘Frostproof’ and Pinwheel® and older selection ‘Kleim’s Hardy’ have […]
Archive for the ‘Garden Maintenance’ Category
Gardenias Continue To Disappoint In The Mid-South
Posted by Hugh on April 24th, 2017
Posted in acidic soil, Aphids, applying sulfur, Bacterial diseases, Botrytis disease, compact shrub, compost, Container garden, Container growing, container shrub, Environmental issues, Evergreen, Fertilizing plants, Flowering house plant, Flowers, Fragrant, Gardenia, Insect (Pest) Problems, Insect suseptible, Interior (house) Plants, Leaf diseases, Mites, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Sanitation, Shade Gardening, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Thrips, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, White flies, Wind protection, winter hardiness, Winter Protection 
1 Comment »Quest For The Perfect Tomato Continues
Posted by Hugh on April 21st, 2017
Improved disease resistance, fruit color, firmness, and flavor continues to be the main goals of tomato breeders around the U.S. Leaf and root diseases vary from one region to another across the country. Here in the eastern U.S., late blight resistance is of key interest. Over the past 33 years, Dr. Randy Gardner, tomato breeder extraordinaire in […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bacterial diseases, Botrytis disease, Breeding Plants, Container garden, Disease prone, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Environmental issues, Fruits & Vegetables, Harvest Time, Leaf diseases, Planting tips, Purchasing Plants, Regional, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Tomato, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Quest For The Perfect Tomato ContinuesTips On Planting Landscape Trees or Shrubs
Posted by Hugh on April 18th, 2017
For some senior gardeners, planting a tree or shrub in your landscape may be a difficult task. The loss of a newly planted tree may be expensive as well as heartbreaking. Following proper planting techniques should avoid any mistakes. Here are a few tips to make the job a lot easier. No need to dig deep […]
Posted in compact shrub, compact tree, Garden Maintenance, Garden Tools, mulching, mulching trees, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Transplant problem, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Tips On Planting Landscape Trees or ShrubsACS SOUTHEAST REGION CONIFER REFERENCE GARDENS*
Posted by Hugh on April 15th, 2017
I hear people say that conifers won’t grow in the southeastern U.S. Wanta bet! 2016 marks the 8th year of the Reference Garden program sponsored by the American Confer Society (ACS)- Southeast Region. From Kentucky and Virginia south to Florida, 19 public gardens were now participating in the program. Two of the latest additions are Brookgreen […]
Posted in acidic soil, Arborvitae (Thuja spp.), Atlas cedar (Cedrus), Bald cypress (Taxodium), Chamaecyparis, China fir (Cunninghamia), Christmas tree, Container growing, container shrub, Cryptomeria (Japanese cedar), Cupressus (cypress), Dawn redwood (Metasequoia), Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, DWARF CONIFERS, Evergreen, Evergreens, Gardens to Visit, Green Privacy Screen, Hemlock (Tsuga), Japanese Black Pine, Japanese yew, mulching, Pine (Pinus spp.), Pines (Pinus spp.), Purchasing Plants, Regional, Southern Appalachian Region, Spruces (Picea spp.), Summer heat tolerant, Taiwan cryptomeria, Thujopsis, Trees & Shrubs, Verdon hinoki cypress, Western arborvitae (Thuja plicata), winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on ACS SOUTHEAST REGION CONIFER REFERENCE GARDENS*Virginia Sweetspire — A Standout Native Shrub
Posted by Hugh on April 12th, 2017
Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica) is a native shrub that touts showy white raceme flowers in late spring and brilliant reddish purple foliage in fall (USDA hardiness zones 5-9). Flowers are very fragrant and attracts hundreds of bees and other pollinators. VA sweetspire excels in moist, humus-rich, mildly acidic soils (pH 5.2-6.5). In its native habitat, […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Container garden, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Fragrant, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Virginia sweetspire, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Virginia Sweetspire — A Standout Native ShrubSweet Potato Vines
Posted by Hugh on April 9th, 2017
Ornamental sweet potato vines (Ipomoea batatas) have been around since the late 1980’s, but their popularity have soared over the past decade. These sweet potatoes aren’t for the table. The colorful vines thrive in the intense heat of U.S. summers from May through September (zones 5-11). These easily grown plants work well as a low-growing bedding plant, […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Caterpillars, Container garden, Disease resistant, Ground cover, Heat Tolerance, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Sweet potato vine, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), Uncategorized, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Sweet Potato VinesNight Blooming Plants For Temperate Climates
Posted by Hugh on April 6th, 2017
If you are working away from home all day long, you might consider growing a few plants that bloom at night. Here’s a short list of plants whose flowers will add beauty to your evening garden: Evening Primrose (Oenothera glazioviana) – this biennial grows 1-5 feet tall. Plant(s) are basal growing in year one and produce sturdy floral […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Catchfly (Silene), Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Evening primrose (Oenothera), Flowers, Four O' Clocks (Mirabilis), Fragrant, Moonvine (Ipomea), mulching, Native Plant, Night Blooming Cereus (Epiphyllum), Night Blooming Jasmine (Cestrum), Perennials, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Tropical Waterlilies (Nymphaea), watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Night Blooming Plants For Temperate ClimatesLate Rising Perennials
Posted by Hugh on April 3rd, 2017
As air temperatures rise in the spring, most garden perennials and wildflowers are emerging from the ground. With the sudden appearance of 80°F temperatures, many seem to blast through the still cold soil in 1-2 days, and in full bloom a few weeks later. Yet, through the month […]
Posted in Baptisia (wild indigo), Bulb Crops, Crocosmia (Montbretia), Eupatorium 'Gateway', Eupatorium rugosum 'Chocolate', Ferns, Gaura, Hardy begonia (B. grandis), Hibiscus coccineus, Hibiscus moscheutos, Indian pink (Spigelia), Landscape ideas, Milkweeds (Asclepias), Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Red hot Poker (Kniphofia), Russian sage (Perovskia), Soil drainage, Solomon's seal, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Spring flowering bulbs, Summer flowering, Wildflower, Wildflowers, winter hardiness Comments Off on Late Rising PerennialsTips On Growing Azaleas
Posted by Hugh on March 31st, 2017
Evergreen azaleas (Rhododendron spp.) are actually small-flowered rhododendrons. Depending on where you garden, azaleas enjoy a long bloom period from late March (zone 8) to June (zone 4) in the U.S. Many cultivars bloom for two weeks or more. Fall blooming types like Encore® and Bloom-a thon® series are also available. Azaleas have shallow root systems […]
Posted in acidic soil, acidify soil, Azaleas (evergreen), Bees and other pollinators, compost, Container growing, container shrub, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, mulching, Pesticide recommendations, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (layering), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Soil Testing, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Wind protection, winter hardiness, winter injury, Winter Protection Comments Off on Tips On Growing AzaleasPartridgeberry – Evergreen Groundcover For Deep Shady Areas
Posted by Hugh on March 28th, 2017
Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens) is grown for its evergreen foliage, spring flowers and winter berries. This native low-growing groundcover can be found in moist woodlands and along stream banks in the Eastern and Midwest U.S. It is a good choice for planting in deep shaded garden areas (USDA hardiness zones 4–8). In the spring woodlands, small […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Ground cover, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Partridgeberry (Mitchella), Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Shade Gardening, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Partridgeberry – Evergreen Groundcover For Deep Shady Areas
