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 […]
Archive for the ‘Pruning’ Category
Avoiding Crape Myrtle Hardiness Problems
Posted by Hugh on August 15th, 2014
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-ChangerTall 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 DelightPlumleaf 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 ShrubMimosa Tree- Love It or Weed It
Posted by Hugh on July 8th, 2014
Mimosa (Albizia julibrissin) is essentially a 4-5 month ornamental tree indigenous from Iran to China (USDA hardiness zones 6-9). From late spring through summer, mimosa struts an attractive fine textured foliage and beautiful flowering. This small tree rarely leafs out until mid-May (in zone 6) and offers little in autumnal leaf color. Two seedling forms, […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Butterflies, compact tree, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Fragrant, Hummingbird, Invasive plant, Mimosa tree (Albizia), Planting tips, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness Comments Off on Mimosa Tree- Love It or Weed ItJapanese Pagoda Tree Becoming Popular In U.S. Cities
Posted by Hugh on July 1st, 2014
U.S. east coast cities are finally planting Japanese Pagodatree (Styphnolobium japonicum). This medium-sized tree grows to 50 feet high, but 75 feet is not uncommon in the southeastern U.S. Pagodatree is native to eastern Asia (USDA hardiness zones 4 –8) where it is more known as Scholar tree. In the early 20th century it was […]
Posted in Disease resistant, Japanese Pagoda Tree (Styphnolobium), Medium sized Tree, Planting tips, Pruning, Summer flowering, Trees & Shrubs, Winter bark, winter hardiness Comments Off on Japanese Pagoda Tree Becoming Popular In U.S. Cities‘Stella D’Oro’- First And Last Daylily To Bloom
Posted by Hugh on June 13th, 2014
For over a quarter of a century, wherever daylilies (Hemerocallus spp.) grow, you will find the very popular gold-flowered ‘Stella d’Oro’ daylily (USDA hardiness zones 2-9). It’s one of a few daylilies that blooms 3 out of 4 seasons. Its small size makes it an ideal choice as a ground cover. This short clump growing […]
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Daylilies, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Fragrant, Ground cover, mulching, Perennials, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Stella D’Oro’- First And Last Daylily To BloomDoghobble for Shady Landscape Areas
Posted by Hugh on May 30th, 2014
Mountain doghobble (Leucothoe fontanesiana) is native to woodland areas in the Southern Appalachian region (USDA zones 6 and 7). Florida coast leucothoe (L. axillaris) is another regional favorite, native from Virginia south to Florida. Over time it grow tall, usually 3-4 feet high as a rambling ground cover. Every 3 to 4 years hand pruning […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bee Favorite, Disease resistant, Doghobble (Leucothoe), Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Fragrant, Ground cover, mulching, Native Plant, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Doghobble for Shady Landscape AreasHow Hardy Is Chinese Fringe Flower (Loropetalum)
Posted by Hugh on May 24th, 2014
Loropetalum or Chinese fringe flower (Loropetalum chinensis) has clearly caught on with professional landscapers and gardeners (USDA hardiness zones 7 thru 9). It is rated as marginally hardy in northerly zones 6-b, and has succeeded in consecutive mild winters in the past decade. The winter of 2014 had killed some established plants to the ground, […]
Posted in acidic soil, compact shrub, Disease resistant, Fringe flower (loropetalum), Heat Tolerance, mulching, plant nutrition, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on How Hardy Is Chinese Fringe Flower (Loropetalum)
