Crape Myrtle Hardiness: Know how hardy the cultivar is. USDA hardiness zones 6 to 9). Site Location: Crape myrtles love sunlight. Flower numbers decline in light to medium shade. Plant in average soil that is well-drained. Select the right cultivar that fits the allotted planting space. Mulch plant and water as needed the first growing season. […]
Archive for the ‘Container growing’ Category
Simple Care of Crape Myrtles
Posted by Hugh on April 13th, 2018
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Aphids, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Cercopora leaf spot, compact shrub, compact tree, Container garden, Container growing, container shrub, Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia), Crape myrtle aphid, Crape myrtle bark scale, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, Insect (Pest) Problems, Landscape ideas, mulching, mulching trees, Pesticide recommendations, Planting tips, Powdery mildew, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Street tree, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness 
Comments Off on Simple Care of Crape MyrtlesLandscape Ideas Using Crape Myrtles
Posted by Hugh on April 10th, 2018
If you live in zone 7 and points southward, you are likely growing crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia indica x fauriei). Additional hybrid cultivars (varieties) are hardy in zone 6. Crape myrtles are loved for their spectacular summer flowers, colorful fall foliage, and exquisite peeling bark over trunks and branches. Cultivars range in size from dwarf selections […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Breeding Plants, Butterflies, compact shrub, Container garden, Container growing, container shrub, Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia), Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Medium sized Tree, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness Comments Off on Landscape Ideas Using Crape MyrtlesBugleweed (Ajuga) Groundcover
Posted by Hugh on April 3rd, 2018
Bugleweed, aka carpetweed (Ajuga reptans), is low-growing semi-evergreen groundcover that offers almost year-round appeal (USDA hardiness zones 3-9). It develops a low prostrate habit and spreads by runners that root into the soil. Attractive vertical spikes of flowers arise in mid- to late- spring. Cultivars abound with multi-colored flowers. Foliage variants range from light green, […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Bugleweed (Ajuga), compost, Container garden, Container growing, Disease resistant, Fertilizing, Fertilizing plants, Ground cover, Heat Tolerance, Invasive species, Landscape ideas, Mowing, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Bugleweed (Ajuga) GroundcoverTips On Repotting Container Plants
Posted by Hugh on March 7th, 2018
Eventually, all potted plants outgrow their containers. This includes potted roses, Japanese maples and other small trees, shrubs, dwarf conifers, elephant ears (Colocasia, Alocasia), cannas, lotus, papyrus, and lots more. A rule of thumb is to transplant every 2 years in early spring before bud break. In the case of perennials and tropicals, this is a good […]
Posted in Alocasia, Banana (Musa spp.), Canna lily, Canna lily, Colocasia, compact shrub, compact tree, compost, Container garden, Container growing, container shrub, Deciduous conifer, Disease resistant, Downy mildew, DWARF CONIFERS, Evergreen, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Foliage plant, Heat Tolerance, Hybrid teas, Japanese maple, Landscape ideas, Overcrowding, Papyrus, Perennials, Planting tips, Potting Mix, Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Repotting plants, root injury, Root rotting, Roses, Rust diseases, shrub roses, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Staking, Summer heat tolerant, Tapioca plant (Manihot), Trees & Shrubs, Tropical Waterlilies (Nymphaea), watering tips, winter hardiness, winter injury, Winter Protection Comments Off on Tips On Repotting Container PlantsFifteen Garden Perennials Which You Can’t Kill (Or Almost)
Posted by Hugh on February 26th, 2018
Here is a list of flowering perennials that need little care after planting. Ornamental grasses and ferns are not listed here. One steadfast rule that you must follow if this group of plants are to work for you: “choose the right plant for the right site”. Shady plants in full sun and terrestrial plants in swampy ground […]
Posted in acidic soil, Astilbe (false spirea), Baptisia (wild indigo), Barrenwort (Epimedium), Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, Container growing, Coreopsis, Cranesbill (Geranium), Daylilies, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Ground cover, Heat Tolerance, Hellebores, Italian arum, Landscape ideas, Liriope, mulching, Native Plant, Nepeta (catmint), Ornamental Grasses, Peony, Perennials, Planting tips, Purchasing Plants, Russian sage (Perovskia), Siberian iris (I. sibirica), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Stonecrop sedums, Summer flowering, Variegated Solomon Seal, watering tips, Winter flowering, winter hardiness Comments Off on Fifteen Garden Perennials Which You Can’t Kill (Or Almost)Uniquely Different Monkey Puzzle Tree
Posted by Hugh on January 24th, 2018
Monkey puzzle tree or Chilian pine (Araucaria araucana) is an evergreen conifer that is native to forested volcanic slopes of the Andes Mountains in Chile and Argentina (USDA Zone 7b-11). It is the national tree of Chile. Monkey puzzle typically grows to 60-70 feet tall and 30-35 feet wide, but may reach heights greater than 100 […]
Posted in Container growing, Disease resistant, Evergreen, Firewood, Monkey puzzle (Araucaria), Purchasing Plants, Southern Appalachian Region, Transplant problem, Trees & Shrubs Comments Off on Uniquely Different Monkey Puzzle TreeCommon Street and Landscape Trees
Posted by Hugh on January 10th, 2018
Across the U.S. and Canada, city planners, landscape architects, and property owners now enjoy a wide selection of landscape trees to plant on city streets, along roadsides, and in yards and gardens. Over the past half century new and improved varieties (cultivars) are disease and pest resistant and exhibit better branching and architecture. We now know to avoid […]
Posted in American hornbeam, Arborvitae (Thuja spp.), Bald cypress (Taxodium), Birch (Betula spp.), Black gum (Nyssa), Black locust (Robinia), Bradford Pear, Bur oak (Q. macrocarpa), Catalpa, compact tree, Container growing, Crabapple, Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia), Disease prone, Ginkgo biloba, Golden Raintree, Green ash (Fraxinus), Hackberry (Celtis), Honeylocust (Gleditsia), Hophornbeam (Ostrya), Hornbeam (Carpinus), Horse chestnut (Aesculus), Insect (Pest) Problems, Japanese Pagoda Tree (Styphnolobium), Kentucky coffeetree, Kwanzan cherry, Lacebark elm, Landscape Construction, Landscape ideas, Large Shade trees, Magnolia grandiflora, Maples (Acer), Medium sized Tree, Messy Fruits, Mountain ash (Sorbus), Native Plant, Okame cherry (Prunus), Ornamental cherry (Prunus), Pear (Ornamental), pin oak, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Red oak (Quercus), Redbud, river birch, Serviceberry (Amelanchier), Shade tree, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Street tree, Sweetgum (Liquidambar), Sycamore (Platanus), Trees & Shrubs, Tulip tree (Liriodendron), Vitex (Chaste tree), Walnut, Weak branching, Weak wooded, White oak (Quercus), Willow oak (Quercus), winter injury, Yellowwood, Yoshino cherry (Prunus), Zelkova Comments Off on Common Street and Landscape TreesFive 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 SpacesEuonymus ‘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‘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 Spaces
