If you garden in zones 6 to 8, there are a number of shrubs that bloom in the wintry month of February. Usually, a warm period lasting a few days to a week may spur flower buds to open. Nightly lows may cause some flower injury, but additional flowers soon follow. All seven listed below […]
Archive for the ‘Pests’ Category
Seven Shrubs That Bloom In February*
Posted by Hugh on January 27th, 2018
Posted in acidic soil, Aphids, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, container shrub, Daphne odora, Disease resistant, Edgeworthia, Fertilizing plants, Flowering, Fragrant, Honeysuckle (Lonicera), Jessamine (Gelsemium), Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Sweetbox (Sarcococca), Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized, Wind protection, Winter blooming, Winter flowering, winter flowering tree, winter hardiness, Wintersweet (Chimonanthus), Witchhazel (Hamamelis) 
Comments Off on Seven Shrubs That Bloom In February*Winter Honeysuckle Totally Ignored In The landscape
Posted by Hugh on January 21st, 2018
Winter honeysuckle, aka fragrant honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima) is a treasured old-fashioned shrub (USDA hardiness zones 4 to 8). It can still be found growing in older urban neighborhoods and parks. Winter blooming fragrant honeysuckles are a harbinger of spring. Budded branches may be cut and forced indoors. This vigorous durable shrub grows 6 -10 feet in […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, alkaline soil, Aphids, Bees and other pollinators, Disease prone, Drought tolerant, Environmental issues, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Honeysuckle (Lonicera), Insect (Pest) Problems, Invasive plant, Landscape ideas, Large shrub, mulching, Planting tips, Powdery mildew, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Scale, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter flowering, winter hardiness Comments Off on Winter Honeysuckle Totally Ignored In The landscapePest Alert: Deep Freeze Negatively Impacts Hemlock Adelgid Populations in the Smokies
Posted by Hugh on January 12th, 2018
GOOD NEWS! The recent cold snap is having a negative impact on the invasive hemlock wooly adelgids in the Smokies. Since 2002 this insect has killed millions of hemlock trees in the U.S. Biologists in the Great Smoky Mountains report that the recent spell of frigid temperatures has killed off overwintering hemlock adelgids. Over 15 […]
Posted in Environmental issues, Garden Problems, Hemlock (Tsuga), Hemlock adelgid, Hemlock woolly adelgid, Insect (Pest) Problems, Insect suseptible, Pests, Purchasing Plants, Southern Appalachian Region Comments Off on Pest Alert: Deep Freeze Negatively Impacts Hemlock Adelgid Populations in the SmokiesKey Landscaping Tips
Posted by Hugh on January 11th, 2018
To develop a successful landscape plan, first do a walk-a-round before you start digging and planting. Record your landscape’s sun patterns, soil types, wind and water movement. This information will help you select the kinds of plants that will prosper under existing conditions. Sun exposure shifts daily and seasonally. Observe the garden at different times to gain […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Attracting birds, Bulb Crops, Camellia, Container garden, Daphne odora, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Environmental Conservation, Evergreens, Fertilizing, Green Privacy Screen, Landscape ideas, mulching trees, Native Plant, Pieris japonica, Planting tips, Purchasing Plants, Rabbit/deer Protection, Rhododendrons, Shade Gardening, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Soil Testing, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, Wind protection, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Key Landscaping TipsSteps To Making Gardening Easier
Posted by Hugh on December 30th, 2017
Take an inventory of your gardening time, talley up of costs, and develop a plan how to make your garden space more beautiful with less work and cost to you. Plant Smarter Simplify! For example, in my zone 6 garden, bigleaf hydrangeas disappoint tow out of three years and they’re water hogs in the summer. Smooth (AG) hydrangeas (like […]
Posted in Annuals, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Bulb Crops, compost, Container garden, Crop rotation, Deer resistant, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Garden Maintenance, Garden Tools, Globe amaranth (Gomphrena), Landscape Construction, Landscape ideas, mulching, mulching trees, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Raised bed Gardening, Scaevola, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized, watering tips, Winter flowering, winter hardiness Comments Off on Steps To Making Gardening EasierFive Evergreens For Small Garden Spaces
Posted by Hugh on December 21st, 2017
The following five evergreen shrubs are smaller versions of the larger growing species. They make a better fit in smaller urban gardens. Gyokuryu Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica ‘Gyokuryu’) is a fast-growing, broadly conical selection with coarse bluish-green evergreen foliage. The needles are highly ornamental and remain bluish-green through most of the winter in zone 6 and […]
Posted in acidic soil, acidify soil, Arborvitae (Thuja spp.), Bagworms, Bald cypress (Taxodium), Chamaecyparis, compact shrub, compact tree, compost, Container growing, container shrub, Cryptomeria (Japanese cedar), Dawn redwood (Metasequoia), Deciduous conifer, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Evergreens, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Mites, mulching, Native Plant, Nootkatensis cedar, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness Comments Off on Five Evergreens For Small Garden SpacesCare of African Violets
Posted by Hugh on December 8th, 2017
African violets (Saintpaulia ionantha) or AVs are among the easiest flowering house plant to grow. They need indirect moderate to bright lighting and moist well-drained potting soil. Grow plants in plastic pots and not in clay (terra cotta). AVs should be repotted annually. Here are some additional cultural tips: Room temperatures: AVs thrive at room […]
Posted in acidic soil, African violet (Saintpaulia), Botrytis disease, Fertilizing plants, Flowering, Flowering house plant, Interior (house) Plants, Mealy bugs, Mites, plant nutrition, Powdery mildew, Propagation (Cuttings), Purchasing Plants, Root rotting, Sanitation, Scale, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Thrips, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering tips Comments Off on Care of African VioletsNew: The Bushel and Berry Collection Of Patio Fruits
Posted by Hugh on December 4th, 2017
Back in late 2016 Star® Roses and Plants* purchased the company formerly known as BrazelBerries®. In 2017 they have rebranded the plant offerings into the new Bushel and Berry™ Collection. Beside the old favorites, a new collection of edible berry plants are available at participating garden centers nationwide. I have successfully grown two varieties on the sunny portion of […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aphids, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Blueberries, Cold tolerance, Container garden, Disease resistant, Downy mildew, Fertilizing plants, Fruits & Vegetables, Insect (Pest) Problems, Landscape ideas, Mites, Planting tips, Powdery mildew, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Rabbit/deer Protection, Raspberries, Repotting plants, Sanitation, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on New: The Bushel and Berry Collection Of Patio FruitsProtect Young Trees and Shrubs From Voles, Rabbits And Other Critters
Posted by Hugh on November 27th, 2017
Rabbits, chipmunks, and voles (field mice) need a home for the winter. They often choose to nestle up near newly planted trees and shrubs and gnaw on their sweet sapwood, girdling the trunk and essentially killing the tree. Fruit-bearing plants often damaged by critters over their first 1-2 winters include: apple, pear, peach, redbud, blueberry, and cane fruits. Young […]
Posted in Apple tree, Asian Pears, Azalea (deciduous), Azaleas (evergreen), Blackberries, Blueberries, Deciduous Azaleas, Encore azaleas, Environmental issues, Evergreens, Fencing, Landscape Construction, Landscape ideas, mulching, Peach, Pear (Ornamental), Pear (Pyrus spp.), Pests, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Rabbit/deer Protection, Raspberries, Redbud, Sanitation, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Wildlife attractant, winter injury, Winter Protection Comments Off on Protect Young Trees and Shrubs From Voles, Rabbits And Other CrittersEuonymus ‘Moonshadow’ – A Ground Cover For All Seasons
Posted by Hugh on November 24th, 2017
Many so-called shade perennials such as hostas, astilbes, brunneras, and coralbells (Heuchera spp.) actually excel in areas that are bathe mostly morning sunlight. In these areas ‘Moonshadow’ euonymus (Euonymus fortunei ‘Moonshadow’) makes a great companion shrub with these perennials (USDA hardiness zones 4-8). Moonshadow has become a favorite ground cover euonymus of mine. ‘Moonshadow’ euonymus is […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, compact shrub, Container garden, Container growing, container shrub, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Euonymus (Ground Cover), Evergreen, Fertilizing plants, Ground cover, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Scale, Shade Gardening, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Euonymus ‘Moonshadow’ – A Ground Cover For All Seasons
