Emerald Ash borer (EAB) is confirmed to infest in many areas of the U.S. Emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) is an exotic beetle that was discovered in southeastern Michigan near Detroit in 2002. EAB adult beetles nibble on ash foliage but cause little damage. The beetle larvae (immature stage) feed on the inner bark of […]
Archive for the ‘Pests’ Category
Emerald Ash Borer Update
Posted by Hugh on October 6th, 2019
Posted in Ash (Fraxinus), Emerald ash borer, Environmental Conservation, Firewood, Insect (Pest) Problems, Landscape Construction, Landscape ideas, Large Shade trees, Native Plant, Native Plant, Pests, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Sanitation, Shade tree, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized 
Comments Off on Emerald Ash Borer Update‘Early Bird’ Blooming Bulbs
Posted by Hugh on September 26th, 2019
These tiny flowering bulbs are truly early birds. Fall planted bulbs often emerge in late January and February here in the Southern Appalachian region. Once they are up and blooming, frigid temps don’t damage the flowers or plants. Instead, the winter weather causes the hardy blooms to last and last in February and March. They often […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Chionodoxa (Glory of the Snow), compost, Container garden, Crocus, Daffodil (Narcissus), Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Snowdrops (Galanthus), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Spring flowering bulbs, Winter aconite (Eranthis), Winter flowering Comments Off on ‘Early Bird’ Blooming BulbsFall Garden Chores
Posted by Hugh on September 21st, 2019
Fall is the perfect time to take on a few of the many spring garden chores. Here is a list of ten of the most important tasks: Weeding– get rid of newly emerging winter annual weeds now before they flower and set seeds. Perennial weeds such as dandelions, plantains, and thistles can be sprayed and eliminated in the […]
Posted in acidify soil, Attracting birds, Azaleas (evergreen), Bees and other pollinators, Bulb Crops, Camellia, Common witchhazel (H. virginiana), compost, deadheading, Deer resistant, Edgeworthia, Fall Garden Interest, Flowering Bulb, Green Recycling, Hellebores, Hyacinth, Landscape Construction, Landscape ideas, lenten rose, Lenten rose (Hellebore), mulching, Ornamental Grasses, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Rabbit/deer Protection, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs, Tulips, Violas, watering tips, Winter Protection, Winterhazels (Corylopsis), Witchhazel (Hamamelis) Comments Off on Fall Garden ChoresFall Planting And Dividing Iris
Posted by Hugh on September 11th, 2019
Tall bearded (Iris x hybrida), Japanese iris (I. ensata), Siberian irises (I. sibirica) are very popular with U.S. gardeners and are favorites in my spring flower garden (USDA hardiness zones 3-9). The period from late August through mid-October is the ideal time to plant and/or divide irises. Don’t procrastinate…the earlier the better. Give plants enough […]
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn flowering, Bacterial diseases, Bees and other pollinators, Borers, Butterflies, Container garden, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Insect (Pest) Problems, Iris, Iris (Tall bearded), Iris sibirica, Landscape ideas, mulching, Overcrowding, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Re-Bloomers, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Uncategorized, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Fall Planting And Dividing IrisZone 6 Hardy Camellias – Plant Now!
Posted by Hugh on September 1st, 2019
More and more people gardening in zones 6 and 7 have discovered that they can successfully grow camellias. Once considered an exclusively Southern plant, many camellia varieties are very cold hardy where winter temps drop to 0 to 5°F. Their floral buds burst open with bright whites, pink and red shades, and spotted color blends. […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aphids, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Camellia, compost, Container garden, Disease resistant, Environmental issues, Evergreen, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Flower arrangments, Flowering, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Scale, Shade Gardening, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter blooming, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Zone 6 Hardy Camellias – Plant Now!Rose Of Sharon ‘Pillar’ Series –Floral And Architectural Splendor
Posted by Hugh on August 21st, 2019
RRose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus), aka althea, is a popular summer flowering shrub and small tree (USDA hardiness zones ((4)5-8). In northerly areas of the U.S., rose of Sharon may also be cultivated as a sun-loving perennial. The species grows 8-12 feet high and 6 -10 feet wide in full sun and in average garden […]
Posted in acidic soil, Althea (Hibiscus), Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Container garden, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flower arrangments, Hibiscus syriacus, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Rose Of Sharon ‘Pillar’ Series –Floral And Architectural SplendorTall Stonecrops (Sedums)
Posted by Hugh on August 1st, 2019
Stonecrops (Hylotelephium spectabile) are tall clumping sedums. They are frequent seen in their habitat growing on rocks or stony ledges. Also written as Sedum spectabile, many varieties grow 1.5 to 2 feet high. Approximately 33 species of these drought-tolerant herbaceous perennials are found to Asia, Europe and North America (USDA hardiness zones 3-9). Stonecrop make excellent […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Attracting birds, Autumn flowering, Balled and Burlapped (b&b), Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, Butterflies, Container garden, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Heat Tolerance, Honey bees, Landscape ideas, mulching, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Purchasing Plants, Scale, Sedum (Shrub type), Slugs, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Stonecrop sedums, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Uncategorized, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Tall Stonecrops (Sedums)Perennial Favorites For The Summer Garden
Posted by Hugh on July 8th, 2019
If someone was to create the Garden Performance Hall of Fame for summer flowering perennials, I would nominate this list of ten (10). I have had experience growing many of them in my Northeast Tennessee garden (USDA hardiness zone 6-b). In a few instances, I have selected a variety that grows in friends’ or a […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, Black eyed Susan (Rudbeckia), Butterflies, compost, Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), Coreopsis, Coreopsis 'Gold Standard, Daylilies, deadheading, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Heuchera (coralbells), Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Perennials, Phlox, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Re-Bloomers, Russian sage (Perovskia), Sage (Salvia), Sedum (Shrub type), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Stonecrop sedums, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Summer phlox (P. paniculata), Tennessee Coneflower, watering tips Comments Off on Perennial Favorites For The Summer GardenJune Blooming Japanese Tree Lilac
Posted by Hugh on June 23rd, 2019
Chinese tree lilac (Syringa reticulata) is an under-planted small multi-trunked tree or large flowering shrub (USDA hardiness zones 3-7). In tree form, it grows 20- 30 feet tall and 15- 20 feet wide with a rounded crown. Mature 70 year old plus specimens at Biltmore Estates in Asheville, NC are 50 feet or taller. Its […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Balled and Burlapped (b&b), Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flower Arranging, Fragrant, Landscape ideas, Lilac (Syringa), mulching, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Shade tree, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Street tree, Summer flowering, Trees & Shrubs, Winter bark, winter hardiness Comments Off on June Blooming Japanese Tree LilacGrow Crocosmias In Your Summer Garden
Posted by Hugh on June 6th, 2019
Crocosmias are bulbous summer blooming flowering perennials that are closely related to gladiolas, also called montbretia and sword lilies. They’re actually corms, not bulbs, and are indigenous to South Africa (USDA hardiness zones 5b to 9). Crocosmias enjoy lots of sun, soil moisture, and hot temps to produce flowers. Plants prefer nutrient-rich, slightly acidic, moist, […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Bulb Crops, Container garden, Corms, Crocosmia (Montbretia), Disease resistant, Flower Arranging, Flowering Bulb, Flowers, Heat Tolerance, Hummingbird, Insect (Pest) Problems, Landscape ideas, Mites, mulching, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Thrips, Uncategorized, watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Grow Crocosmias In Your Summer Garden
