For 2021, the National Garden Bureau (NGB), the non-profit organization promoting gardening in North America, has announced the five (5) plant classes that will be featured in the 2021 “Year of the” program. Annual: Year of the Sunflower Vegetable/edible: Year of the Garden Bean Perennial: Year of the Monarda Bulb: Year of the Hyacinth Flowering Shrub: Year of the Hardy […]
Archive for the ‘Planting tips’ Category
Plant Awards Of 2021
Posted by Hugh on January 10th, 2021
Posted in acidic soil, Annuals, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Bulb Crops, Butterflies, Calamint, Container garden, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Ferns, Flower Arranging, Flower arrangments, Flowering house plant, Foliage plant, Fruits & Vegetables, Green Beans, Herbs, Hibiscus acetosella, Hosta, Hummingbird, Hyacinth, Landscape ideas, Monarda (Beebalm), Native Plant, Native Plant, Nepeta (catmint), Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Sunflowers, Uncategorized, watering tips, winter hardiness 
Comments Off on Plant Awards Of 2021Calamint – 2021 Perennial Plant of The Year (PPOY)
Posted by Hugh on January 1st, 2021
Too begin a new gardening year, the Perennial Plant Association has named calamint (Calamintha nepeta ssp. nepeta) as the 2021 Perennial Plant of the Year. One landscaper designer describes calamint as “a cloud of confetti, tiny white flowers”. Plants are dotted with masses of tiny white (or pale blue) flowers from early summer to fall. […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, Butterflies, Calamint, Container garden, deadheading, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Fragrant, Landscape ideas, mulching, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Calamint – 2021 Perennial Plant of The Year (PPOY)Caring For Thanksgiving/Christmas Cacti
Posted by Hugh on December 26th, 2020
Holiday cacti are not true cactus plants. They are native to tropical rainforests of South America and their care is much different than desert cacti. Christmas and Thanksgiving cacti refers to the time that they bloom in Fall. Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) and Christmas cactus (S. bridgesii are available in several flower colors: red, salmon, pink, purple, orange and […]
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn flowering, Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera), Evergreen, Fertilizing plants, Flowering house plant, Landscape ideas, Mealy bugs, Photoperiod (Daylength), Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Repotting plants, Scale, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Thanksgiving cactus, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering tips Comments Off on Caring For Thanksgiving/Christmas CactiAnthuriums Thrive in Low Light
Posted by Hugh on December 16th, 2020
Anthuriums are easy to grow houseplants. They have become wonderful plant gifts around the holidays and birthdays. First and foremost, anthuriums are low light tropical plants. They grow best in bright, indirect light, but produce fewer flowers in low light. Anthuriums sport long-lasting glossy, deep-green leaves and sturdy flowering bract-like blooms. The flowers of an […]
Posted in acidic soil, Anthurium, Aphids, Evergreen, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Mealy bugs, Mites, Planting tips, Potting Mix, Propagation (dividing), Scale, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Sun scald, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering tips Comments Off on Anthuriums Thrive in Low LightThree Common Witchhazel Varieties
Posted by Hugh on December 6th, 2020
Common witchhazel (Hamamelis virginiana) is likely the last native woody shrub or tree to bloom in the northern areas of the U.S. and Canada (USDA hardiness zone 3-8). This autumn blooming deciduous shrub or tree grows in open woodlands, often near a lake or a stream bank. Common witchhazels grow 15-20 feet tall as a large […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, Common witchhazel (H. virginiana), compact shrub, compact tree, Container growing, container shrub, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Environmental Conservation, Fertilizing plants, Japanese beetles, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Planting tips, Privacy Screen, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (layering), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Shade Gardening, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness, Witchhazel (Hamamelis) Comments Off on Three Common Witchhazel VarietiesHouseplants Improve Your Home Atmosphere
Posted by Hugh on November 26th, 2020
Houseplants decorate as well as clean the air at work and in homes or apartments, particularly when windows are closed over the winter months. Doctors tell us that an environment filled with lots of plants help to lower blood pressure, reduce stress, and improve mind function, particularly our ability to concentrate. Here are six easy […]
Posted in Bromeliads, Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema), Dracaena, Ferns, Foliage plant, Fragrant, Interior (house) Plants, Landscape ideas, Planting tips, Purchasing Plants, Snake plant (Sanservieria), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering iris, ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas) Comments Off on Houseplants Improve Your Home AtmosphereCoast Leucothoe a Better Choice
Posted by Hugh on November 16th, 2020
Compared to other doghobble species, coast leucothoe or doghobble (Leucothoe axillaris) is a best choice for Southern U.S. landscapes (USDA zones 6 -9). This species is native to open woodland areas of the Southeastern U.S. The species grows along woodland slopes usually nearby a water source. However, its roots do not tolerate perennially damp ground. Doghobbles are […]
Posted in acidic soil, Anthracnose, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, Deer resistant, Doghobble (Leucothoe), Environmental issues, Fertilizing plants, Fragrant, Ground cover, Landscape ideas, Leaf retention, Leaf/needle spots, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Scale, Shade Gardening, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Coast Leucothoe a Better ChoicePersimmon – Native Fruit Tree
Posted by Hugh on November 11th, 2020
Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) is a deciduous U.S. native that grows 35 to 60 feet tall and 25-35 feet wide (USDA hardiness zones 4 to 9). Mature trees have a rounded oval crown. Ovate to elliptic, 2-6 inch long leaves, alternative along the stem, are glossy dark green above. Autumn leaves turn yellowish-green, infrequently reddish purple. […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Dioecious, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Edible fruits, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Medium sized Tree, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Persimmon (Diospyros), Planting tips, Pollination needs, Propagation (Seed), Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Shade tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Winter bark Comments Off on Persimmon – Native Fruit TreeGround Covers With Colorful Berries in Winter
Posted by Hugh on November 1st, 2020
Here are four ornamental ground covers that are laden with colorful berrries in the winter landscape. Two (partridgeberry and wintergreen) grow best in a partial shade woodland environment and two (coralberry and cotoneaster) prefer sunny environs. Berries offer tasty winter food for wildlife such as pheasant, grouse, squirrels and deer. Cut stems loaded with berries […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, compact shrub, Container growing, container shrub, Coralberry (Symphoricarpus), Cotoneaster, Deciduous, Ground cover, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Partridge berry, Partridgeberry (Mitchella), Partridgeberry (Mitchella), Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness, Wintergreen (Gaultheria) Comments Off on Ground Covers With Colorful Berries in WinterFire Chief™ Arborvitae
Posted by Hugh on October 26th, 2020
Fire Chief™ Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis ‘Congabe’) is a compact, globe-shaped evergreen that grows 3-5 foot high and wide (in 10 years) (USDA hardiness zones 5-8). It is at its best in full to partial sunlight. Its soft scale-like foliage changes color seasonally. New spring growth emerges orangey-red, turns bright green in summer, and develops a […]
Posted in acidic soil, Arborvitae (Thuja spp.), Bagworms, container shrub, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, DWARF CONIFERS, Evergreen, Evergreens, Fertilizing plants, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized, watering evergreens, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Fire Chief™ Arborvitae
