Author Archives: Perennial Gardens, Inc.

Growing Vegetables in Pots

You don’t need expansive acreage to grow a thriving vegetable garden. In fact, growing vegetables in pots can be very productive and can bring a delicious, healthy harvest to your home no matter what type of garden space you may – or may not – have to work with.

Why Grow Vegetables in Pots?

Whether you have a balcony, fire escape, small patio, narrow stoop, or windowsill for your gardening efforts, there is always room for a pot or two of vegetables. Yet vegetable container gardening is about more than just saving space, and there are many benefits to using pots for your garden plot.

When using pots, for example, your garden space is much less likely to be overtaken by weeds, saving you time and effort. Pots are also easier to move around your space in order to take advantage of the best positioning for sun, rainfall, and weather protection. Pots and containers can also be more comfortable for you to tend without needing to bend down or kneel as much to reach your plants and harvest your vegetables.

Easiest Vegetables for the Urban Garden

There are many options for container garden vegetables. Ideally, choose cultivars that are dwarf, miniature, or compact whenever possible, as they will be better adapted to lush growth in pots and small spaces. Popular choices include:

Beans
Broccoli
Carrots
Chard
Chilies
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Kale
Leeks
Lettuce
Okra
Onions
Peas
Potatoes
Radishes
Spinach
Peppers
Tomatoes

Because you may have less growing space than a traditional garden, choose vegetables you love and that you will use to make the most of your gardening space. Also be aware of how much sunlight your pots will receive, how deep the pots are for roots or root vegetables, and whether the plants will need vertical space for climbing before you plant them. The more familiar you are with each vegetable’s growing needs, the better choices you can make for vegetables that will flourish in your urban garden.

Tips for Growing Vegetables in Pots

No matter which vegetables you choose to grow in pots, they will need proper care to reach their full potential for a bountiful harvest. To help your container vegetables thrive…

Choose the Proper Pot – Consider the root system of your favorite vegetables and choose a pot deep enough to allow the roots to flourish. If you are planting root vegetables, you will need a deeper pot that allows more space for veggie growth. Bear in mind that ceramic or clay pots can be very heavy, so plastic pots may be a more convenient and easier option.
Position the Pot for Good Sunlight – Many leafy vegetables do well in part-shade conditions, while other vegetables need greater amounts of sunlight for the best harvest. Putting pots on a plant caddy or stands with casters can make it easy to move each container for maximum sunlight throughout the growing season.
Provide Necessary Support – Vining and tall vegetables may need stakes, cages, netting, or trellises to support the plant and help it stay healthy. Using proper supports will also maximize your vertical growing space. It is best to have that support in place when the plant is young, so you do not accidentally damage roots when adding a support later.
Use the Best Soil – Because container vegetables don’t have as much soil to draw nutrition from, it is critical to use a high-quality potting mix when growing veggies in pots. Choose a mix that will maximize water retention to help with watering and mix in compost or appropriate fertilizer with the soil before you add your vegetable plants.
Water Adequately – All vegetables need adequate water for lush growth and veggie production. Depending on the pot size, plant type, and climate conditions, you may need to water vegetable pots daily or even twice per day to ensure they have good moisture. Consider self-watering containers to make this garden task even easier.
Feed Plants Properly – The right fertilization and feeding schedule can improve your plants’ health and increase the yield of even small vegetable pots. Choose a liquid fertilizer that will meet your plants’ needs and apply it according to the label directions for the best results that maximize the productivity of your vegetable plants.
Consider Combination Planting – It’s easy to plant different vegetables in the same pot, but take care to group plants with similar water, fertilization, and sunlight needs so each pot can get the proper care. Themed pots can be a fun way to add flair to your vegetable garden as well – try a salad pot, a pizza pot, or even a pot for pickles, each one with related herbs and veggies.
Stay Alert to Pests – Unwanted pests can invade even container gardens. Inspect your pots weekly for pests such as slugs, aphids, and leaf hoppers. It is best to use the safest solution available to control insect infestations. Also, in urban gardens, animals such as stray cats, dogs, or even rats can also be a problem and you should use cages or other techniques to protect your plants if necessary.

Growing vegetables in pots can bring you a delicious, nutritious harvest no matter what the size or location of your gardening space. By choosing vegetables adapted to containers and giving your pots the best of care, you’ll soon have an amazing crop to enjoy.

Growing Vegetables in Pots

Sweet Peas, the “Queen of Annuals”

For many gardeners, it’s not the tulip or daffodil to forward to at the end of winter, it’s the sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus) that declares, “spring is here!” The colors and sweet fragrance of these climbers announce the coming of warmer days like no other.

Choosing Sweet Peas

The hardest part of growing sweet peas is choosing from the riot of colors. From the palest of pastels to the most vivid of hues (including stripes), reds, pinks, white, blues, purples, yellows… the list seems endless. Many gardeners buy mixed packages of seeds to avoid the decision and to add a riot of spring color to the garden and landscape.

Beyond color, it is important to carefully consider different types of sweet peas. If the seed package says “tendril” this means the plants have small green growths to attach to a surface or netting to help the vine grow upright. This is how the taller sweet pea vines support themselves as they grow to 6′ (or even taller!), and they will need an appropriate trellis, arbor, arch or other structure to reach their full beauty. The varieties with no tendrils remain more compact, making them great in containers. Some of these will trail downward, creating a beautiful draping effect. Other dwarf non-vining varieties act as annual fillers in the mixed garden bed or as borders.

Growing Sweet Peas

These beauties are super easy to grow. To improve the germination rate, especially of the darker colors, use nail clippers to gently nick the seed coat and soak overnight before planting. This will allow thin shoots to pierce through the thick seed covering more easily so they can grow effectively. Sow the seeds 2″ deep in rich, well-draining soil in a full to partial sun location. If the soil is heavy, add compost to improve the texture and nutrition. Keep the soil moist, but avoid saturated soil that can drown small seeds or delicate roots. Germination should occur within 10-28 days. Continue even and consistent watering. When seedlings are 4-5″ tall, thin them to create 5-6″ spacing between plants. To encourage bushy and compact plants, pinch the tips when three sets of leaves form. Generally, do not provide additional fertilizer, otherwise the plants may be lush but the flowers will be sparse.

Impatient gardeners or those who may have a shorter growing season may also be able to purchase seedlings from a garden center. This way there will be fragrant sweet pea bouquets a month earlier, and there’s no need to miss out on the sweetness if the ideal seed planting date has passed. Removing flowers when transplanting will encourage stronger root growth to produce larger flowers later if desired.

Seeds for perennial sweet peas are also available. Unlike annual sweet peas, the perennial plant will continue to bloom throughout warm, humid summers. Be aware, however, that annual sweet peas tend to have a gloriously heady scent, but this is a feature sorely lacking in the perennial form.

Enjoy the Beauty

Those long-lasting, colorful and fragrant flowers are so sweet in large loose arrangements. They’ll easily last a week if the water is changed daily and a bit of the stem is snipped off each time to improve water uptake. Remember, the best way to extend the sweet pea blooming season is by daily picking early in the day. Or, simply enjoy these beautiful blooms by walking through the garden each day and relaxing in their delicious scent and colorful blooms.

Fall Flowers – Really!

Gardeners who just can’t get enough of annual sweet peas don’t have to mourn their loss in spring. Instead, grow them again in the autumn! These fast-growing flowers will thrive just as well in the cool autumn as they did in the early days of spring. Just remember to provide enough time for flowering before the first frost hits, and you’ll love using sweet peas to say goodbye to the gardening season in fall just as you said hello to them in spring.

Soil 101

How well do you understand your soil? It’s more than just dirt, and the more you learn about soil, the better you’ll be able to care for it to ensure a stunning landscape, healthy lawn and productive garden.

All About Soil

The four elements of soil are minerals, water, air and organic matter. Different combinations of the four elements create the four main categories of soil: sand, silt, clay and loam. Of course, we all want loam – that rich, vibrant soil thriving with beneficial bacteria and with a smooth but crumbly texture ideal for root growth. Unfortunately, true loam soils are rare, especially around homes where topsoil was removed and heavy machines compacted the remaining soil during construction or renovation. Most of us have clay soil, which has finer particles that compact easily into a dense mass. Clay soils also retain more water and can easily become too soggy or waterlogged for healthy plants. But just because your soil may be clay, it doesn’t have to stay that way!

Improving Soil

Improving soil is actually quite easy. All soils are improved by adding minerals and organic material that help balance out the overall components of the soil’s structure.

Before adding minerals, test the soil to determine its pH (acidity or alkalinity) and determine any mineral deficiencies. Lime decreases soil acidity, gypsum adds calcium and helps break up heavy clay and sulfur increases acidity. Other soil amendments to add to a clay soil include sand, cottonseed meal and peat moss, all of which will help improve the drainage and structure.

Organic matter refers to plant or animal materials decomposed into compost or “humus.” This residue comes from leaves and other plant materials, as well as certain animal wastes. Grass clippings, paper and certain types of decomposing food can also be ideal compost. The quality depends on the origin of the original biodegradable matter. Many people make their own compost using bins in which materials are mixed until they decompose. Others purchase finished compost. When compost is added to soil, it releases nutrients that are vital for healthy plants, and healthy bacteria and microbes will thrive in organically-rich soil.

The Magic of Mulch

Mulching is a simple way to add biodegradable materials to the soil. Evergreen needles, tree leaves, lawn clippings, chicken manure, etc., can be worked into the soil to decompose. This process improves the air spaces between the soil particles and rearranges the sand, silt and clay to produce optimum soil structure, improving the water retention and drainage balance and making nutrients available to plants.

When soil has proper structure and sufficient nutrients for healthy plants, optimum health has been achieved, and great soil will lead to great landscaping, turf and gardens. Congratulations and keep on growing!

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Trackable Tools

It’s the beginning of a new gardening season. Hopefully you took out last year’s journal in January or February and reviewed your notes on what you wanted to change, improve, experiment with or eliminate from your garden and landscape. Now is the time to begin implementing some of those great ideas, and it starts with having the right tools.

Where Do Your Tools Go?

One common problem in the garden is misplaced tools. We’ve all found hand tools in the spring that were inadvertently thrown in the compost pile or left under a shrub during fall cleanup. Many of us have spent time we didn’t have to spare walking in circles, looking for the shovel that we just had in our hand. It was laid down for a moment and seemed to disappear. Tools can easily disappear on a crowded workbench or in a cluttered shed, or they may even end up in a brush pile or other unlikely location.

When tools are lost, not only are our gardening chores impacted, but the tools can be damaged by exposure or accidental damage if they’re dropped, run over with a mower or otherwise subjected to inadvertent abuse. This can mean we no longer have the tool we need when we need it most, and we have to make a trip to the garden center to replace a tool – using time and money our gardening budget may not have.

Finding Your Tools

Let’s do things differently this year. Let’s save time, money and our precious tools. Resolve to only buy new hand tools with bright colored handles that are easily seen from afar and stand out to be picked up after a long day in the garden. If you already have a good selection of tools that you love and wish to keep track of, simply cover the handle with a bright colored spray paint on a sunny spring day, or wrap the handles with brightly colored tape or other coverings to make them more visible.

Similarly, take the time to clean out and declutter your garden shed, tool boxes and workbenches, making sure there is a safe, appropriate place to store every tool. If each tool has a place, you’ll be able to see at a glance when a tool may be missing and you can find it quickly before you’ve forgotten where you saw or used it last.

You and your garden will be glad you did!

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Easter Plant Guide

Easter is a season of rebirth and renewed growth in the garden, and many beautiful plants can be lovely gifts to celebrate this spring holiday. Whether you want to give plants as thoughtful Easter gifts to friends, family members, neighbors, coworkers, caregivers, teachers, or any other special person, or even just enjoy the plants yourself, this Easter plant guide can help you choose the best options to spread seasonal cheer.

Before You Choose a Plant

When giving a plant as a gift for any occasion, consider the recipient’s needs and preferences to be sure the gift will be suitable. Is that someone special able to care for a larger potted plant, or would a smaller one be more appropriate? What are that person’s favorite plants or flowers, or what are their favorite colors? Do they have an interest in cultivating houseplants, or are they more suited to receive a potted plant that can be added to their garden or landscape?

By taking those factors into consideration, you can choose the best Easter plant to be a welcome and thoughtful gift, one that will demonstrate the season’s beauty and nature’s freshness long after Easter weekend has passed.

Top 10 Easter Plants

There are many choices for attractive Easter plants that can be wonderful gifts and attractive seasonal accents. The top plants associated with spring and Easter include…

Easter Lily
The large, upright Easter lily plant is always a favorite in spring with its bold foliage and peaceful white blooms. This plant can come in single or multiple blooms depending on the size of the plant and is typically offered as a potted plant.
Lily-of-the-Valley
The delicate bell-shaped flowers of lily-of-the-valley are an early sign of spring, and these plants can be grown in containers or planted as groundcovers in areas with partial shade. They will spread rapidly, filling in an area with their fragrant blossoms.
Calla Lily
These elegant blooms have a modern, sophisticated flair and are available in both large and miniature varieties. Calla lilies come in many colors, from rich purples, reds, and pinks to paler shades of yellow, ivory, and white, offering choices for anyone’s favorite hues.
Daffodil
A classic spring flower, the sprightly daffodil is an early blooming bulb and easy to grow in containers of different sizes, making it ideal for a gift. Available in yellows and whites, this is a cheerful flower always suitable for Easter, and can be a cut flower as well.
Tulip
Tulips come in a wide range of amazing colors and variegated shades, so it is easy to find the perfect potted tulip bulb or cut tulips for anyone’s tastes. There are even variations in size and petal shape for even more uniqueness for these stunning flowers.
Miniature Rose
Roses are familiar flowers, and miniature rose bushes are a fun Easter gift for anyone who loves their beautiful aroma. Different colors and rose varieties are available for these potted gifts, and they make great houseplants year-round.
Crocus
Another classic, early-blooming spring bulb, crocuses are compact and ideal for containers, either alone or paired with other spring bulbs. Available in several different colors, these flowers can create a lovely pot for a gift arrangement.
Hydrangea
Large, bold flowers with multiple blooms in a bundle, hydrangeas are stunners as cut flowers as well as planted in the landscape. These flowers come in calming spring shades of pastel pink, blue, and purple, as well as soft white hues and pale greens.
Hyacinth
A colorful bulb that blooms in upright bundles, hyacinths come in bold colors as well as more classic spring shades. These are great flowers for containers and can easily be planted to bring color to the landscape for many years to come.
Easter Cactus
A close relative of the Christmas cactus, this succulent features fleshy, lobed foliage and colorful blooms that appear in spring. This plant is an easy-care choice and can live for many years in suitable containers.

While these plants may be classic options for Easter, any plant can be a wonderful gift to share the joy of the season or to decorate a table, mantle, windowsill, entryway, or other household niche. Another option, particularly in regions with long, severe, winters, is to give seeds as an Easter gift so they are ready to be planted as soon as spring does arrive, even if the holiday is too early for planting.

Giving a Plant for Easter

No matter what plant, bulb, or flower may be used as an Easter plant, a bit of decorative flair can tie it to the season and make it more festive. Opt for a fun, spring-themed pot in a bright hue, or one with a whimsical floral or Easter pattern. Adding an Easter ribbon or plant pick to an arrangement can give it a holiday touch, or pair the gift with additional items, such as a new pair of garden gloves, ergonomic hand tools, or a garden knee pad for even more usefulness as the gardening season warms. Be sure the plant itself is in prime condition just before being presented as a gift by pruning away any spent foliage or bruised blooms, and water it a day or two before the presentation so it is as fresh and lush as possible. This extra care will ensure the plant is healthy and able to be enjoyed for the entire Easter weekend, and the good thoughts and best wishes that accompany it will last long past the holiday.

Easter Plant Guide

Sustainability in the Garden

Every urban garden, no matter its size, can practice mindful sustainability. But what does that mean for your garden and the harvest you produce? What sustainability practices can you implement in an urban garden?

Why Sustainability Matters

We are growing ever more conscious about the fragility of our climate, ecosystems, and habitats. Practicing sustainability allows us to minimize waste, conserve natural resources, and minimize the environmental impact of our actions. A more eco-friendly garden has less overall impact, with less contamination of food or water supplies. Smarter resource use is especially critical in urban gardens where space is already at a premium. As we implement more sustainability techniques, we gain an intimate knowledge of how our food is grown, improve our self-confidence with the hands-on efforts to create gardens, and even save money through resource conservation and self-sufficiency.

10 Easy Sustainability Practices in the Urban Garden

There are many simple ways to introduce greater sustainability to your urban garden. While each technique may not be suitable for every garden, popular and widespread options include…

Mindful Use of Space – Space is one of the most limited urban gardening resources and making better use of every inch of growing space is essential to maximize the harvest and improve sustainability. Even a tiny urban garden can create space by adding tiers, hanging baskets, or vertical structures to the growing area. Planning combination pots with similar care needs as well as choosing dwarf, compact, or miniature cultivars will also make better use of the available space.
Composting – Enrich your urban garden without extra chemicals when you embrace composting. You don’t need a large compost pile to nurture your plants, and even small, countertop scrap pails and compact composters can create nutrient-rich amendments for your garden. A wide variety of materials make excellent compost, including coffee grounds, used tea bags, burnt matchsticks, stale bread, eggshells, hair clippings, vegetable peels, old wine, cardboard toilet rolls, and much more. Every bit of material you turn into compost is less material that will take up space in trash cans and landfills. Never add animal products to your compost as it will draw vermin to your compost container and garden.
Upcycling Materials – Another way to minimize waste is to upcycle different materials in your garden. A broken plate or pot, for example, can become a beautiful mosaic to decorate a bird bath, while an old pair of boots or clogs can become a whimsical planter. A discarded pallet can be a useful trellis for vertical gardening, and you can often find garden tools, pots, and other essentials at thrift stores and yard sale for a fraction of the price of purchasing new items.
Choosing Native Plants – Opting for native plant varieties in your urban garden will create a healthier, more productive plot that requires fewer resources and less overall effort to maintain. Native plants are adapted to regional soil types, seasonal shifts, and climate variations, and will also ward off familiar local pests and diseases more effectively. This means less watering and fertilization will be necessary, and plants will be better able to withstand normal variation in weather cycles and common pests without extravagant assistance. Native plants also attract pollinators!
Minimizing Chemical Usage – No matter what plants are part of your garden, minimizing chemical use is a key part of sustainability. Fortunately, this is especially easy in urban gardening with smaller plots, raised beds, and containers. Instead of spraying for pests, for example, pick bothersome insects from your garden by hand and use insecticidal soap. Similarly, instead of herbicide applications to control weeds, pull weeds by hand to not only reduce chemicals, but also get a great hand and wrist workout.
Collecting Rainwater – There’s no need to use extra water on your garden when Mother Nature provides abundant rain. Adding a rain barrel or small cistern to your garden space will help you collect water that would otherwise run off the roof. Why not save it for watering plants? At the same time, take care not to waste water by overwatering, and consider planting a rain garden so naturally thirsty plants can take advantage of runoff or low drainage spots to meet their needs without supplemental watering.
Collecting Seeds – Seed saving can be a fun and rewarding endeavor. Store collected seeds in a cool, dry spot, and label them carefully so you know which seed is which when it is time for planting again. Investigate local seed swaps to expand your collection and share your own seeds with others to increase your garden’s diversity. You can also start your own seed swap with other neighborhood gardeners, and you will all benefit from extra bounty.
Inviting Pollinators – A sustainable garden is one that welcomes wildlife. Inviting pollinators – bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, etc. – to your garden will not only foster better natural diversity in your region but will also improve your garden’s blooming and production. Consider adding a drinking station for bees and butterflies, a nectar feeder for hummingbirds, and a bee house to your garden space to bring pollinators right to where you can use their help the most.
Planning Useful Recipes – Even a garden that practices sustainability isn’t doing much for the environment if the harvest it produces goes to waste. Choose plants you love and will use as cut flowers, delicious meals, and flavorful herbs, and plan your menus and home décor seasonally to take advantage of your garden’s bounty. If your garden produces more than you can use, share the excess with your neighbors or investigate donating it to a local food bank, shelter, hospice center, day care, or other facility.
Involving Neighbors – The more urban gardens that practice sustainability, the better the entire regional environment and habitat will be. Sharing produce with your neighbors, teaching classes on sustainable gardening at a local community center, getting involved with youth gardeners, and other connections will help create a stronger community and bring everyone together for amazing urban gardens that enrich and enliven the city spaces we all share.

Whether you are ready for one tentative step or are already making bold strides, every urban garden can practice sustainability steps and help create healthier, richer green spaces in any city.

Sustainability in Garden

Early Spring Gardener’s Calendar

* Plan your summer vegetable and herb garden. We offer a wide selection of seeds that include all of your favorite annuals, perennials, vegetables and other novelties as well as many hard-to-find selections. Inventory your pots and flats and discard unusable ones. Make a list of the supplies you will need. Have your garden soil tested for nutrient content. We offer a variety of do-it-yourself soil test kits.

* Prune woody plants while dormant, including fruit trees, summer- and fall-blooming shrubs and vines. Limit pruning of spring-blooming trees and shrubs to the removal of sucker growth and rubbing or broken branches. Spray trees and shrubs with year-round horticultural oil to reduce insect population.

* Sharpen, clean and oil tools and lawn mowers. Begin heavy annual pruning of shrub roses as new leaves appear.

* Plant pansies, English daisies and primrose as soon as the earth is workable. Plant strawberry plants. Sow cool-season vegetables and herbs in the garden.

* Start spring cleanup and begin major lawn work. Remove debris, dethatch your lawn or aerate compacted areas to improve water penetration.

* Spray needles and limbs of Arborvitae, Cryptomeria, false cypress, fir, hemlock, Juniper, pine, yew and spruce (except blue spruce) for spider mites with year-round horticultural oil.

* Apply fertilizer to perennials and roses with. Feed berry bushes, grapevines, rhubarb and asparagus a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer before new growth begins. Fertilize trees and shrubs.

*Apply crabgrass preventer with fertilizer to feed the lawn and control crabgrass. Do not use on newly seeded lawns.

* Continue spring cleanup. Cultivate to remove winter weeds and debris from the planting beds. Apply corn gluten or a pre-emergent herbicide with fertilizer specified for gardens and scratch it in to prevent future weeds. Do not use in gardens where you will be direct seeding.

* Reseed bare spots in established lawns. Keep the area moist until seedlings appear, then mow when the new grass is 3? high.

* Prune forsythia and other spring-flowering trees & shrubs after the flowers fall.

* Dig and divide crowded early spring bulbs after they finish blooming. Enrich the soil with bone meal.

* Plant and transplant trees and shrubs, including roses, ground covers, and perennials.

* Transplant cool-season seedlings into the garden. When the soil temperature reaches 60 degrees, sow warm-season vegetable and herb seeds.

* Place gro-thru sets over peonies, grasses or any other perennials in need of support.

Creating a Meditation Space in Your Garden

Gardening can be a relaxing, therapeutic hobby as you nurture seedlings, encourage growth and bring your harvest to fruition. But if you just want to take a moment to breathe, reflect and center yourself, it isn’t necessary to get out the garden clogs, sharpen your hand tools or get dirt under your fingernails. Creating a peaceful meditation space in your garden is easy, and can turn any garden into your own private sanctuary.

The Need for Peace

As our lives get ever busier with hectic schedules and cramped appointments, it may seem impossible to have any time for thoughtful reflection or meditation. Furthermore, smaller living spaces and more crowded urban areas can make it seem equally impossible to have any space for solitary peace. Without the ability to relax, we’re faced with skyrocketing stress in our lives, along with a host of different health problems such as tension headaches, high blood pressure, depression, obesity and more. More and more studies, however, are demonstrating that time spent in nature is beneficial for reducing stress and tension, and there’s no better place to easily enjoy nature than in your own garden.

Your Peaceful Purpose

Before creating your meditation space, you need to plan what you want to use it for in order to ensure you have enough room and all the right touches for your peaceful retreat. Meditation can mean something different to everyone – you might prefer a place for quiet, contemplative prayer, or you could be interested in an outdoor space for yoga practice. For some people, a restful space for coloring or painting is their ideal meditation spot, while others may want a natural niche for reading or journaling. Creating or listening to music may be part of your meditation practice, or even a cozy spot for an outdoor nap. Whatever means peace and relaxation to you, it can be incorporated into your garden.

Eliminating Distractions

Once you know how you will use a meditation space in your garden, it is essential to eliminate other distractions and interruptions from that space. Unwanted noises, glaring streetlights, unsavory sights and even unpleasant smells can interrupt meditation and disrupt your relaxation, but it is easy to plan your gardening to eliminate those difficulties. For example, a green wall or trellis can be used to block an unsightly view, and the plants on it will help muffle noises. You could also consider a small fountain for the soothing tinkle of running water to block traffic or neighborhood noises. Climbing, clinging vines can be used to cover structures with greenery to increase the natural feel of the space. Opt for arbors or pergolas that can help create comfortable shade and define the space without completely blocking sunlight, and consider fragrant flowers nearby if unwanted aromas are invading your garden.

Adding Joy to Your Garden Space

Once your meditation area is structured and distractions are minimized, it is time to add your own personal joy into the space. What brings joy to the space will vary from garden to garden and even from season to season, but it should be a personal choice and something that helps draw you into the space. Consider…

Seating
In order to enjoy your meditation space, you will need a place to sit and relax within it. This may be a comfortable bench, a cozy chaise lounge, a soothing hammock or any other type of seating. A chair-sized boulder can be a natural alternative, or you may opt for a more whimsical swing to add a dash of fun to your personal space.
Sights
You’ve taken steps to block sights you don’t want to see in your garden, but a good meditation space will also include sights you want to look at. A bird feeder or bird bath can invite beautiful feathered friends to share your space, or you might prefer a lovely piece of garden art, a gazing ball, plants in your favorite colors or even unique mulch or paving stones in a therapeutic pattern.
Sounds
Pleasant sounds can help add a focal point to your meditation space, allowing you to focus on unique tones to help center yourself. A wind chime, waterfall fountain or even a way to bring your favorite music outdoors can be a wonderful addition to a peaceful meditation space.
Water
Water can serve several purposes in a meditation space. Flowing or splashing water provides natural white noise, and the sparkles of the water are ideal for meditative gazing or creating soothing reflections. Consider different aquatic options, such as a small stream or brook, a weeping rock, a fountain or even a reflecting pool. You can even opt for a small pond for goldfish or koi if you desire.

Above all, remember that there are no strict rules for creating your personal meditation space. Whatever brings you peace and joy can be part of your design, and it can change as your tastes and preferences change. Garden meditation spaces can vary as much as any other part of the garden, but each one helps nurture our green spirits.

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What is “pH?” Why Is It Important?

Devised in 1909, the pH scale measures the concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution. The scale ranges from 0-14. Pure water is “neutral” and has a pH of 7, midway between 0 and 14. If a solution has a low concentration of hydrogen ions, the rating will be a higher number and is considered basic or alkaline. Likewise, a high concentration of hydrogen ions rates a lower number and is considered acidic.

What pH Means to Your Garden

There are four important reasons to monitor your soil’s pH level:

pH affects the availability of other nutrients in the soil. If the nutrients are not available because they are chemically bound to something else, plants can’t use that nutrient.
A high or low pH level in the soil allows some plant diseases to multiply more quickly, infecting an entire landscape or garden.
Most organisms living in the soil have pH preferences. For example, earthworms are not as plentiful in acidic soil.
Most plants have specific pH requirements to flourish. Those specific requirements are what the plants need to absorb nutrients more efficiently and resist pests more effectively.

Where Soil pH Occurs

Acidic soil generally occurs in heavy rainfall areas, as the rain will pull acidic compounds from the air and allow them to leach into the soil. Alkaline soil, then, is more common where there is less rain. However, this is just a generalization and neighbors across the street from each other may have a large pH difference. Reasons could include the origin of topsoil brought in, the tillage done in the area and prior occupants’ gardening habits. Even simple changes like how drain spouts are positioned or a watering schedule can impact pH.

The pH Your Plants Need

Most plants will grow well in the neutral zone of 6.5-7.0. However, some plants grow best in specific soil pH conditions. Interestingly, hydrangeas grow well in both slightly acidic and slightly alkaline soils, but the flowers will be blue in acidic soil or pink in alkaline soil. The colors and flavors of fruits and vegetables may also vary somewhat depending on the soil’s pH, even if the plant will thrive in a wider range.

This chart illustrates how slight pH changes can dramatically impact which plants will thrive in certain soils…

Highly Acidic Conditions (pH between 5 and 6)	Slightly Acidic Conditions (pH between 6 and 6.5)	Slightly Alkaline Conditions (pH between 7 and 7.5)
Rhododendrons	Blueberries	Arrowwood Viburnum
Azaleas	Magnolias	Box Elder
Camellias	Ferns	Locust
Pieris	Firs	Philadelphus
Astilbe	Viburnum davidii	Hellebores

As you see, pH can influence your gardening choices. Knowing the pH of your soil is the first step towards understanding your soil and improving your garden. By knowing the pH, you may choose the best plants for your site. You may also decide to amend your soil to increase or decrease the pH to grow a wider variety of plants.

We offer several inexpensive and easy-to-use pH test kits. We also offer amendment advice and can help you choose the best plants for your soil’s condition. Stop in for pH help today and we’ll help you make the most of the natural acidity or alkalinity of your soil, or else help you turn that soil into just the pH you desire!

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Growing Northern Blueberries

Like blueberries? Who doesn’t? These tasty and delightful little blue fruits are a powerhouse of antioxidants and nutrition, promoting a healthy heart, reducing inflammation, and boosting brain function. But did you know that blueberries are relatively easy to grow, do not require much space, involve minimal care, and come in a myriad of varieties? Whether you’re looking for something sweet or tart, there’s sure to be a type that will suit your taste. Let’s begin our journey to harvest an abundance of juicy blueberries conveniently from just outside the door.

Northern Blueberries

Northern blueberries are native to North America and are the most common type of wild blueberry. These berries can be divided into two main types: highbush and lowbush.

Highbush Blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum), also known as hybrid or cultivated blueberries, grow on tall shrubs, about six to eight feet high. However, there are some compact varieties that grow three to four feet tall. Highbush are the blueberries most often grown commercially due to their larger size and yield. An added bonus is that due to their height, bending is not required to harvest. Plan on planting highbush blueberries four to five feet apart.
Lowbush Blueberries (Vaccinium angustifolium), also called wild blueberries, grow on shorter shrubs, about two feet tall, and produce smaller yet highly flavorful berries. They are hardier than highbush and do well in a variety of soils as long as they are well-draining. Plan on planting lowbush blueberries two to three feet apart.

Planting

Blueberries may be planted in either the spring or fall, with the best availability being in the spring. Perennial Gardens can recommend the most suitable highbush and lowbush varieties for your garden. Once you’ve made your selection, it’s time to plant. All blueberries have the same cultural requirements:

full sun, but will tolerate light shade, well-draining soil, lots of organic matter, and acid soil.

Select an appropriate planting site and amend the soil with a generous amount of compost, but, most importantly, test your soil pH. Blueberries prefer a soil pH of 4.5 to 5.5. If your soil is too alkaline, Perennial Gardens will recommend the type and amount of soil acidifier needed to adjust it. This process will take place over time so as not to shock the plant, but it is best done 1 year before planting. The addition of organic matter such as compost and peat moss will also help soil pH as well as drainage and soil nutrition.

Care

Water blueberries well after planting, and make sure that they receive at least one inch of water per week. Mulch the area around the bushes to keep the soil moist and weeds at bay. Do not feed blueberries at planting time, as the roots are sensitive to fertilizer. Once established, however, blueberry bushes should be fertilized two times a year: once in early spring and again in late spring. Use an organic product recommended for feeding Rhododendron and Azaleas.

Pruning

Highbush blueberries – prune annually in late winter/early spring after the plant has been in the ground for about three years. Prune by removing about one-third of the oldest branches thicker than a pencil or that are sporting no new buds or flowers. This will help keep your plants healthy and promote vigorous new growth each season.
Lowbush blueberries – should be pruned beginning in year six or seven. At that time, the plant may be cut back to the ground every two years to keep it vigorous and productive.

Tip

We love blueberries, and so do the birds! Draping bushes with bird netting at fruit set will ensure that you and your family enjoy the delicious berries and not our fine feathered friends. Growing blueberries in the home garden can be a rewarding experience, and with so many varieties to choose from, you are sure to find one that suits your needs. Whether you opt for high-bush or low-bush blueberries, both offer unique flavors and benefits that make them an ideal choice for any gardener.

Blueberries

What Is the Difference Between an Annual, a Perennial, and a Biennial?

All living creatures, including plants and flowers, have expected lifespans. Recognizing the differences between annuals, perennials, and biennials can help you determine the life expectancies of different garden center plants so you can choose the varieties that will work best in your garden, landscape, and containers.

Annuals

Annual plants are fairly straightforward. These plants complete their entire lifespan in just one year or growing season, from first sprouting from seeds and growing foliage, stems, and blooms to creating seeds to continue the next generation. After the plants die, they will not regrow from their initial roots, but must restart from seeds again as completely new plants. Annuals are generally faster growing and have longer bloom seasons, making them colorful showstoppers in the garden and landscape.

Common and popular annuals include…

Begonias
Cosmos
Impatiens
Marigolds
Petunias
Zinnias

In addition to many popular flowers, most garden vegetables are also grown as annuals, though some of them would botanically be classified as perennials if they were allowed to remain in place for multiple years.

Perennials

Perennial plants are those with a lifespan that lasts at least three years, though they can live significantly longer as well. Perennial foliage may die back during the winter months but will regrow from dormant roots the next season. These plants often take longer to mature and may have shorter blossom times than annuals, but they can provide many years of beauty in the landscape.

Familiar perennials include…

Coneflowers
Coral bells
Daylilies
Peonies
Phlox
Sedum

In addition to these elegant and popular flowers, hedges and trees are also perennials. These plants are staples in the yard and provide a foundation for any landscape.

Biennials

Biennials fall between annuals and perennials with a two-year life cycle. During their first year, these plants establish leaves, roots, and stems. Though they may die back slightly over the winter, they will rejuvenate in the spring and grow flowers in their second year, maturing to seeds before the plants die completely.

Familiar biennial flowers include…

Canterbury bells
Columbine
Dame’s rocket
Forget-me-nots
Foxglove
Hollyhocks

Because these plants do not bloom in their first year, patience is essential to enjoy their beauty in their second year. Planting biennials in two successive years can ensure the plants enhance the landscape in multiple years.

Choosing Annuals, Perennials, and Biennials for Your Yard

Once you understand plant lifespans, you can more easily choose the plants that will give you a landscape you love. When choosing plants, larger perennials can create a stunning foundation or border for your yard, including showstopping specimen plants and shade trees. Smaller perennials can fill in larger spaces in flowerbeds and edging, while annuals add brilliant color to pathways, edges, and very visible spaces, including porch pots and containers.

Biennials can be spectacular transition plants, particularly if you may plan on expanding your landscaping beds in the future, or want to fill in a space temporarily before adding a new deck, porch, or otherwise expanding your home or outdoor living space. Biennials are also great choices if you want to enjoy a changing landscape without as much work each year, because you can enjoy the plants for two years before they need replacing. Many biennials are self-seeding making them great additions to the cottage garden.

Ultimately, a landscape that includes a thoughtful mix of annuals, perennials, and biennials will showcase different colors, textures, and growth patterns for stunning visual interest. New cultivars are developed every year, and greenhouses often have the latest plants and newest showstoppers on display. If you plan a mixed landscape, you will have the freedom to enjoy new plants as they are introduced and you will always have new plants to be excited about.

Caring for Annuals, Perennials, and Biennials

While the differences between annuals, perennials, and biennials may seem clear, different plants can have different lifespans based on the exact cultivar, gardening zone, climate variations, and even microclimates within an individual landscape. Furthermore, the care plants receive can ensure they reach their maximum potential for the longest, most productive life. YOUR GARDEN CENTER (insert IGC here) experts can provide recommendations and guidance for the best plants based on your preferences and needs and assist you in choosing plants that will thrive in the conditions of your yard, including soil type, sunlight levels, fertilization, moisture levels, and other needs. To provide each type of plant the best care, consider…

Annuals – Provide nourishing fertilizer formulated for the type of plant, and weed around them carefully so these fast-growing plants don’t need to compete for moisture and nutrition. Soaker or dripper hoses can also provide great watering as these plants flourish.
Perennials – Be sure these plants have adequate space in the landscape to reach their full size. Good quality mulch can help protect the roots each winter so the plants remain healthy for the next spring.
Biennials – Take care to provide appropriate fertilizer for these plants in their different life stages, and mulch around those with basal leaves to provide good winter protection during their dormancy.

Adding annuals, perennials, and biennials to your landscape will not only help you learn about plant lifespans, but you will enjoy a more varied and richly diverse landscape, with plants that provide beauty through the years.

Difference

Tremendous Turf

The benefits of turf grass as a ground cover are numerous and often undeclared or overlooked. In recent years, turf has gotten a bad reputation due to the belief that a beautiful lawn requires a lot of hard work and overuse of dangerous chemicals. This is a misconception and the benefits of turf can far outweigh the concerns, particularly when you care for your turf properly and responsibly.

The following is a list of the many advantages that our lawns provide. This list was provided by and may be found, along with other helpful turf information, at TheLawnInstitute.org.

Environmental Benefits

Cools the Air
Produces Oxygen
Filters Air & Reduces Pollution
Captures & Suppresses Dust
Recharges & Filters Groundwater Supply
Reduces Storm Water Runoff
Controls Soil Erosion
Retains and Sequesters Carbon
Assists Decomposition of Pollutants
Restores Soil Quality

Community & Human Health Benefits

Enhances Community Pride & Social Harmony
Offers a Natural Playing Surface for Recreation
Provides a Safe Surface & Reduces Injuries
Promotes Outdoor Activity & Exercise
Improves Physical & Mental Health
Relieves Stress
Lowers Allergy-Related Problems
Dissipates Heat & Cools the Environment
Reduces Glare
Diminishes Noise Pollution
Minimizes Nuisance Pests
Compliments Overall Landscaping
Preserves Natural Wildlife Habitat

Economic Benefits

Increases Property Values
Reduces Home Cooling Costs
Provides a Low-Cost Ground Cover
Serves as a Fire Barrier
Improves Visibility & Deters Crime
Boosts Human Productivity

With so many benefits to healthy, luxurious turf, won’t you give your lawn another chance? We can help – from suggestions for revitalizing a weak lawn to proper mowing tips to fighting weeds and pests, plus all the tools, seed, fertilizers and amendments you need to improve your lawn – our experts can help you make the most of every square inch of your turf!

Turf

Needled Evergreens for a Shady Space

Evergreens are a very important addition to the winter landscape. During the coldest months of the year, when most other plants have been stripped of their leaves or have died back to the ground, evergreens are the stronghold in the garden that provide stunning texture and color, shelter for winter wildlife and the hope of spring for everyone.

Choosing a broad-leafed evergreen for a shady location in the garden is simple. There are so very many to choose from: Rhododendron, azalea, camellia, aucuba and cherry laurel are just the beginning, and there are many more options for any size or shape of shady space. It’s a different story when it comes to hunting for a needled evergreen for that darker corner of the landscape, but it is not impossible.

Popular needled evergreen options for shady spaces include…

Canadian Hemlock (Tsuga canandensis) – Broadly conical and gracefully branched, reaching up to 75 feet high.
Dragon’s Eye Pine (Pinus densiflora ‘Oculus-draconis’) – Part shade. A very unique, asymmetrically shaped pine with a pale halo on the needles.
Dwarf Hinoki Cypress (Chamaecyparis obtuse ‘Nana Gracillis’) – Slowing growing, compact plant with dark green scale-like leaves.
Japanese Cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) – Light shade. Graceful, pyramidal tree with bluish-green scaly foliage and exfoliating cinnamon-colored bark. Growing to 65 feet tall.
Japanese Umbrella Pine (Sciadopitys verticillata) – Light Shade. Needles are thick and succulent, whorled around the branches.
Nootka False Cypress (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis) – Light to part shade. Narrowly pyramidal growing up to 60 feet tall.
Russian Cypress (Microbiota decussate) – Part shade to full shade. Low to the ground forming a rosette of soft, graceful branches. Great ground cover for a shady location.
Spreading English Yew (Taxas bacata repandans) – Part shade to full shade. Three feet high and mounding. Great foundation plant in front of windows or at the back of borders.
Upright Japanese Plum Yew (Cephalotaxus harringtonia ‘Fastigiata’) – Part to full shade. Four foot tall, stiff, linear form.
American White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis) – Light to part shade. Scale-like foliage formed into flat plane fans. Grows up to 40 feet tall.
False Arborvitae (Thujopsis dolabrata) – Light to part shade. Pale green leaf scales with white undersides. Grow up to 65 feet tall.

Not sure which of these evergreens may do well in your landscape? There are different cultivars to explore, and our experts can help you make the best choice for your landscaping needs.

Shady Space

Dealing With Winter Damage

It’s early spring – time to survey the damage that winter has produced. In some areas, shrubs may still be hiding under piles of frozen snow, and could be crushed or compacted. Severed tree limbs may lie scattered across the landscape, and bark may be torn and stripped from trunks. It’s difficult to know what to tackle first, but fortunately, much of the damage is easily correctible.

Repairing Winter-Damaged Trees

When surveying and repairing winter damage, start with your trees – they are generally the most valuable additions to your property. As you survey the damage – broken limbs, torn bark, a tilting trunk – ask yourself “Is this tree salvageable or should it be removed?” If the damage is extensive, or you are unsure about how the damage may affect the tree’s overall health or future growth, hire a professional for a consultation. Replacing a severely damaged tree with a younger one, perhaps a type you like even better, may be the best solution.

If a limb is broken somewhere along its length, or damaged beyond repair, employ good pruning practices and saw off the remaining piece at the branch collar, being careful not to cut into the trunk or leave a stub. Sometimes a fallen limb may strip bark off the tree trunk. To repair this damage, cut the ragged edges of the loose bark away from the stripped area to firmly affixed healthy bark. Nature will take care of the rest. Even if the trunk of the tree is split, the tree may still be saved. For large trees, repairing this type of damage usually requires cabling and bracing done by a professional. If the tree is still young, the crotch may be pulled tightly together and tied or taped until the wound eventually heals.

Repairing Winter-Damaged Shrubs

Shrubs can suffer the same damage as trees, including broken limbs and stripped bark. Heavy snowfall can crush smaller shrubs, and larger varieties may have their trunks or centers split from heavy snow or ice accumulation. Most shrubs are resilient, however, and slowly regain their shape as the weather warms. If branches are bent but not broken, you may tie them together to help them along and prevent further damage from late-season storms. Do not tie tightly and remove twine after about a year. Completely broken branches may be pruned away, but take care to maintain the shrub’s form and balance, keeping in mind its growth pattern so it will not look lopsided or ungainly. Again, if the damage is severe, you may need to replace the plant.

The harder the winter is, the more of a beating trees and shrubs will take. With prompt attention in early spring, however, you can easily undo much of the damage and help your landscape recover with ease.

Winter Damage

Troubleshooting Common Houseplant Problems

Even with the best care, any well-loved houseplant can develop problems. By spotting those problems quickly and knowing how to correct them, however, you can keep all your houseplants thriving.