Ornamental cabbage and kale (Brassica oleracea) are very close related to the same vegetables that we eat at our kitchen table. They are edible, just not as tasty. Plants are biennials, e.g. they produce leaves one year and flower the following spring. Ornamental kales have deeply cut serrated or ruffled leaves while leaves of ornamental cabbage […]
Archive for the ‘winter hardiness’ Category
Tis The Season For Ornamental Kales and Cabbages
Posted by Hugh on October 27th, 2017
Posted in acidic soil, Annuals, Aphids, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Biennial, Butterflies, Cabbage, Caterpillars, compost, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Insect (Pest) Problems, kale, Landscape ideas, mulching, Ornamental vegetables, Pesticide recommendations, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Rabbit/deer Protection, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness 
Comments Off on Tis The Season For Ornamental Kales and CabbagesFall Trimming Of Perennials
Posted by Hugh on October 23rd, 2017
You do not need to cut perennials back in the fall, but many gardeners do so as part of the garden cleanup. Don’t rush the job. Leaves of many perennial plants continue to produce and store carbohydrates in crowns and roots until they go fully dormant. Wait until after the first hard frost or until […]
Posted in acidic soil, Artemisia, Aster, Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Black eyed Susan (Rudbeckia), Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), deadheading, Drought tolerant, Echinops (Globe thistles), Fall Garden Interest, Hellebores, Landscape ideas, Lavender (Lavandula), Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium), mulching, Ornamental fruit, Ornamental Grasses, Perennials, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Russian sage (Perovskia), Sedum (Groundcover types), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Stonecrop sedums, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Fall Trimming Of PerennialsPlant American Beautyberry For A Fall Show
Posted by Hugh on October 20th, 2017
American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) is a loose open growing shrub valued for its spectacular fruits in the fall (USDA hardiness zones 6-10). The growth rate of this native shrub is rapid, eventually reaching 4-7 feet in height and 4-6 feet in spread within 5 years after planting. Beautyberry thrives in a moist, humus-rich, mildly acidic, well-drained soil […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Beautyberry (Callicarpa spp.), Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Container garden, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Environmental Conservation, Fertilizing plants, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Ornamental fruit, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Rabbit/deer Protection, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Plant American Beautyberry For A Fall Show‘Youngii’ White Bark Birch A Novelty Tree For Small Spaces
Posted by Hugh on October 13th, 2017
Young’s Weeping European Birch (Betula pendula ‘Youngii’) is small graceful tree with willowy pendulous branches (USDA hardiness zones 3-6). Nurseries often train the very pliable branches and trunk of grafted seedlings into unique novelty shapes. Plant this miniature 12 to 20 feet tree specimen near a deck or patio where it should receive mostly morning sunlight. Fall foliage turns […]
Posted in acidic soil, Balled and Burlapped (b&b), Bee Favorite, Birch (Betula spp.), Borers, Chlorosis (yellowing), compact tree, Container growing, Disease resistant, Insect (Pest) Problems, Insect suseptible, Japanese beetle, Landscape ideas, Leaf miner, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Staking, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Youngii’ White Bark Birch A Novelty Tree For Small SpacesNuts About Acorns
Posted by Hugh on October 10th, 2017
Acorns are nuts that form on mature oak trees (Quercus spp.). Acorns come in many shapes, sizes and colors, depending on the species. An acorn is a single nut encased in a hard shell by a cap (used to identify what oak species it is). For example, Northern Red Oak (Q. rubra) tree produces egg-shaped […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Bur oak (Q. macrocarpa), Butterflies, Deer resistant, Drought tolerant, Edible fruits, Environmental Conservation, Landscape ideas, Large Shade trees, mulching, Native Plant, Oaks (Quercus spp.), Ornamental fruit, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Street tree, Summer heat tolerant, Transplant problem, Trees & Shrubs, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Nuts About AcornsComparing Heritage® Vs Duraheat® River Birch
Posted by Hugh on October 6th, 2017
In general, most species of our native birches (Betula spp.) grow best in cool, northern areas of the U.S. They are found growing along the sides of rivers, lakes, streams, and mountainous areas (USDA Zones 4-9). Most birches (not all) are recognized for their distinctive gray to white bark. Birch species with the whitest of bark […]
Posted in Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Birch (Betula spp.), Chlorosis (yellowing), Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Medium sized Tree, mulching, Native Plant, Planting tips, Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, river birch, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter bark, winter flowering tree, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Comparing Heritage® Vs Duraheat® River BirchWinter Planting –Why Not!
Posted by Hugh on September 27th, 2017
For those who live in northern regions where winters are cold and snowy (USDA hardiness zones 3-6), many (not all) gardeners can still plant many kinds of trees, shrubs and perennials in late fall and winter if the ground is not frozen. Deciduous plants are in their natural period of rest or dormancy. This does not include evergreen trees […]
Posted in Garden Maintenance, Landscape Construction, Landscape ideas, Perennials, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Street tree, Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized, watering tips, winter hardiness, winter injury, Winter Protection Comments Off on Winter Planting –Why Not!Sizing Up Crape Myrtles (Including Most Recent Introductions)
Posted by Hugh on September 24th, 2017
Hybrid crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia fauriei x indica) have undergone significant makeovers over the past quarter century. Several new cultivar series continue to arrive garden centers, including: Black Diamond™ series, Enduring Summer™, Delta™ series, and Magic™ series. In landscape terms size is very important and gardeners often make a serious error when not calculating the size of […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, compact shrub, compact tree, Container growing, container shrub, Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia), Disease resistant, Flowering, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Sizing Up Crape Myrtles (Including Most Recent Introductions)Robb’s Spurge (Euphorbia)
Posted by Hugh on September 15th, 2017
I always been a fan of spurges, but some have not perform well in my garden. One that does not disappoint is Robb’s spurge (Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae), aka “Mrs. Robb’s Bonnet”. This evergreen spurge grows equally well in either sun or shade, including dry shade (USDA hardiness zones 6-8). This carefree slowly spreading groundcover displays shiny, dark green, […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, alkaline soil, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Container garden, container shrub, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Garden paths, Ground cover, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, mulching, Perennials, Planting tips, Poisonous or toxic, Poisonous plant, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Spurge (Euphorbia), Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, Winter flowering, winter hardiness Comments Off on Robb’s Spurge (Euphorbia)‘Sunshine’ Privet: A Great Accent Shrub and It’s Not Invasive
Posted by Hugh on September 12th, 2017
For generations ligustrum (privet) had been a landscape plant in East Coast and Southern gardens. However, in several states, privets have become declared as an notoriously invasive species . Unfortunately, you should never brand all privet cultivars the same way. Sunshine privet (Ligustrum sinensis ‘Sunshine’) is likely to change your mind (USDA hardiness zones […]
Posted in acidic soil, compact shrub, Container growing, container shrub, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Environmental issues, Fertilizing plants, Green Privacy Screen, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Ligustrum (Privet), mulching, Planting tips, Privacy Screen, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Rabbit/deer Protection, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Sunshine’ Privet: A Great Accent Shrub and It’s Not Invasive
