Mophead hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla), the blue/pink flowering species, have been the gardening rage since the early 1990’s. Endless Summer® hydrangea started a wave of new repeat blooming (remontant) cultivars. They bloom on both new season’s as well as old wood from the previous year. These hardier cultivars extended the flowering time by 8 to 10 more weeks and bloomed in cooler climates formerly unable to […]
Archive for the ‘Winter Protection’ Category
Success With Blue/Pink Mophead Hydrangeas
Posted by Hugh on October 1st, 2012
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn flowering, Failure to Bloom, Hydrangea, Hydrangeas, mulching, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, watering hydrangeas, watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection 
Comments Off on Success With Blue/Pink Mophead HydrangeasDecorate With Fall Mums
Posted by Hugh on September 21st, 2012
Dendranthemums (mums) are favorite plants for outdoor decorating in the autumn season. Fall mums come in a variety of colors from white, yellow, pink, orange, red, bronze, and purple. Blooms attract numerous bees and butterflies. Plant heights vary, depending on the degree that the greenhouse grower has sheared or sprayed (with growth retardants) the mums. As perennials, mums are […]
Posted in Aster, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Chrysanthemum, Fall sunflower (Helianthus spp.), Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, Perennials, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Staking, watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Decorate With Fall MumsEmerald Spreader® Yew Exciting New Ground Cover
Posted by Hugh on September 16th, 2012
Emerald Spreader® (Taxus x media ‘Monloo’) is a short wide-spreading Japanese yew. Emerald Spreader grows slowly, and may reach 2 ½ feet in height and 8 to 10 feet in spread over 20 years. The short 5/8 inch long, fine textured needles retain their rich dark green color through the winter months in USDA hardiness zones […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Disease resistant, Evergreen, Evergreens, Fertilizing plants, Ground cover, mulching, Poisonous plant, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter Protection, Yews (Taxus spp.) Comments Off on Emerald Spreader® Yew Exciting New Ground CoverGrowing Full Moon Maple in the Southeast U.S.
Posted by Hugh on September 1st, 2012
Simply put, golden full moon maple (Acer shirasawanum ‘Aureum’) is a stunner (USDA hardiness zones 5-7). It is a slow growing maple, eventually reaching 18-20 feet in height and spread at maturity. It tends to be a long-lived tree if properly cared for. Leaves are circular with 9-13 short pointed lobes. Each lobe does not […]
Posted in acidic soil, Disease resistant, Fullmoon maple, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter bark, Winter Protection Comments Off on Growing Full Moon Maple in the Southeast U.S.Add Hardy Begonia To Your Shade Garden
Posted by Hugh on May 28th, 2012
Hardy begonia (Begonia grandis) is the only species of begonia which is winter hardy in USDA zones 6-9 (zone 5 with protection). This shade-loving perennial grows 18 -24 inches high and wide, and displays a well-branched mounding habit. Foliage is medium to olive green above and reddish green with red veining beneath. Leaf shape is […]
Posted in compost, Disease resistant, Hardy begonia (B. grandis), mulching, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Shade Gardening, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Uncategorized, watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Add Hardy Begonia To Your Shade GardenPeruvian Lilies – A Gift Which Keeps On Giving
Posted by Hugh on April 16th, 2012
Peruvian lilies (Alstroemeria spp.), also called Lilies of the Nile), are not true lilies (Lilium spp.). Likely, you have purchased a bouquet of alstroemerias from the florist section of your local supermarket. In addition, many potted hybrid varieties have been introduced from Holland and elsewhere over the past decade. Turns out that some Peruvian lilies are perennials, winter hardy in the Southern Appalachian Region (USDA hardiness zones 6 […]
Posted in acidic soil, Alstroemeria (Peruvian lily), Fertilizing plants, Perennials, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Peruvian Lilies – A Gift Which Keeps On GivingEvergreen Kousa Dogwood? – Depends on Where You Garden
Posted by Hugh on March 28th, 2012
Chinese (kousa) dogwood (Cornus kousa) is a small spring flowering dogwood. Kousa blooms about 2 – 3 weeks after our native flowering dogwood (C. florida) has finished. Lustrous dark green leaves begin to emerge a week or two before the lovely pointed 3- inch white bracted flowers. Fall leaf color is purplish red and not quite as vibrant […]
Posted in Chinese (kousa) dogwood, Disease resistant, Evergreens, Planting tips, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness, winter injury, Winter Protection Comments Off on Evergreen Kousa Dogwood? – Depends on Where You GardenVolcano Mulching Harmful
Posted by Hugh on January 1st, 2012
Piling up mulch around trees or shrubs, called “volcano mulching”, is a bad practice and is killing them. Perhaps you’ve seen a neighbor or a professional landscaper doing it, and assumed that it must be alright. It’s not! The deep mulch pile smothers the natural buttress flair of the trunk which breathes and absorbs air for […]
Posted in Disease prone, Disease resistant, Garden Maintenance, Insect (Pest) Problems, Millipedes & centipedes, Mulch Quality, mulching, mulching trees, Southern Appalachian Region, Uncategorized, watering tips, winter injury, Winter Protection Comments Off on Volcano Mulching HarmfulKey Points About Growing Peaches
Posted by Hugh on December 8th, 2011
People think peaches grow only in Georgia. A decade long period of mild winters in the Southern Appalachian region (USDA zones 6 and 7) have increased gardener confidence in growing peaches. Peaches (Prunus persica) tend to flower in early spring, when the threat of spring frost is high across the region. In many years spring frost […]
Posted in Bee Favorite, Fruits & Vegetables, Peach, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, winter hardiness, winter injury, Winter Protection Comments Off on Key Points About Growing PeachesThujopsis: Semi-Dwarf Evergreen Shrub
Posted by Hugh on November 28th, 2011
Hiba or false arborvitae (Thujopsis dolobrata) is a slow to moderate growing evergreen shrub or tree. It is also called elkhorn cedar and deerhorn cedar, referring to the shape of its scale-like leaves. Tall 50-80 feet tall tree forms arefound in the forests of Japan. This native of Japan and China has a pyramidal form and beautiful dense foliage, similar […]
Posted in acidic soil, DWARF CONIFERS, Evergreen, Evergreens, Landscape ideas, Purchasing Plants, Southern Appalachian Region, Thujopsis, Trees & Shrubs, watering evergreens, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, Winter Protection Comments Off on Thujopsis: Semi-Dwarf Evergreen Shrub
