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 […]
Archive for the ‘Garden Maintenance’ Category
Mexican Sunflowers Thrive In A Hot Summer
Posted by Hugh on August 24th, 2014
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 SummerReawaken Your Garden This Fall
Posted by Hugh on August 21st, 2014
In many areas of the U.S., Labor Day traditionally signals return to school, the start of the football season, and an end to gardening for the year. Mother Nature surely did not schedule it this way. Here are ten plants (plus an extra) that are blooming in late August thru the coming weeks: Stonecrops or […]
Posted in Anemone, Aster, Autumn flowering, Autumn flowering bulbs, Fall Colchicum, Fall crocus, Fall sunflower (Helianthus spp.), Pansies, Perennials, Pesticide recommendations, Spring flowering, Toadlily (Tricyrtis), Violas, Winter flowering Comments Off on Reawaken Your Garden This FallStart A New Fescue Lawn In The Fall
Posted by Hugh on August 18th, 2014
Likely, summer heat and drought have taken their toll on your home lawn. Late summer and fall are opportune times to start a new home lawn. Rainfall is usually plentiful and cooler day-night temperatures should spur a rapid grass recovery. If your home lawn is mostly weeds, including unwanted bermuda grass, think about starting over. […]
Posted in Crabgrass control, Fertilizing, Herbicide management, Irrigation, Lawn Care, seeding lawn, Southern Appalachian Region, Tall Fescue, Weeds, Weeds Comments Off on Start A New Fescue Lawn In The FallAvoiding 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-ChangerThe Giant Or Jumbo Class Of Hostas
Posted by Hugh on August 10th, 2014
The “Giant” class of hostas is aptly named. Cultivars in this class are novelties. Their enormous leaves and plant sizes (height and spread) definitely will make a bold statement in any garden. To attain their glorious best in plant majesty and leaf size, each cultivar must have a compost-rich, moist, well-drained soil with pH between […]
Posted in Hosta, Perennials, Rabbit/deer Protection, Shade Gardening, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on The Giant Or Jumbo Class Of HostasTall Sedum – The New Mailbox Plant
Posted by Hugh on August 7th, 2014
Tall sedums (Sedum x spectabile) are a popular late summer blooming perennial often nicknamed “showy stonecrops” (USDA hardiness zones 3-9). Members of the succulent plant family, tall sedums have thick round leaves and are recognized for their drought resistance. Star shaped flowers are clustered in colors ranging from whites, pinks, and reds, depending on the […]
Posted in Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Ground cover, Heat Tolerance, Perennials, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Stonecrop sedums, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Tall Sedum – The New Mailbox PlantFour 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 DelightBest Bluegrass Cultivars For Cool-Season Lawns
Posted by Hugh on August 1st, 2014
Across the northeastern U.S. and eastern Canada, cool season lawn grasses perform best. Bluegrass, often called “Kentucky bluegrass”, grows in zones with cool summer night temperatures and adequate annual rainfall. Bluegrass is not as heat and drought tolerant and a higher water use rate than tall fescue and warm-season grasses. Bluegrass performs best in moist […]
Posted in Fertilizing, Kentucky bluegrass, Lawn Care, seeding lawn, Southern Appalachian Region, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Best Bluegrass Cultivars For Cool-Season LawnsPlumleaf Azalea – Late July Flowering Shrub
Posted by Hugh on July 30th, 2014
Plumleaf azalea (Rhododendron prunifolium) is a native deciduous azaleas that indigenous to the Chattahoochee River Valley on the Georgia-Alabama line (USDA hardiness zones 6-9). The bright orange-red blooms surprise in late July to early August. Compared to many of the spring blooming species, flowers are not fragrant. Fall leaf color is uneventful. This 5-8 feet […]
Posted in acidic soil, Azalea (deciduous), compact shrub, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Hummingbird, mulching, Planting tips, Plumleaf azalea, Pruning, Soil drainage, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Plumleaf Azalea – Late July Flowering Shrub
