Author Archives: Perennial Gardens, Inc.

Winter Pond Prep Checklist

Your pond can be an attractive and valuable focal point of your landscaping, but it can also be a delicate one. As winter approaches, certain steps should be taken to ensure plant and fish survival so your pond will still be at its best next spring.

Clean Out Debris
Use a netted scooper, a rake, your hands and, if possible, a pond vacuum to clean out pond debris. Rotting vegetation produces gas under winter ice that can be fatal to fish, frogs or other aquatic wildlife. This is also a good time to reduce any mud coverage over the pond’s bottom.
Trim Pond Plants
Trim and move hardy pond plants to the deep end of the pond (minimum 18” depth) to prevent them from freezing. Cut their vegetative growth back to about one inch above the soil line. Extra foliage will be more delicate and could rot over the winter. Especially be sure to trim any foliage that is already broken, wilting or damaged.
Remove Tropical Plants
Tropical plants or any delicate vegetation should be removed from the pond and placed in a basement or garage where they will not freeze. Keep plants moist throughout the fall and winter months until it is time to return them to the pond.
Disassemble Summer Equipment
Remove and clean the pond pump and waterfall or fountain feature (if applicable). Store them inside for the winter. See your maintenance guidelines for proper storage recommendations to keep the equipment in peak condition.
Clean Pond Filter
Thoroughly clean the pond filter and inspect it for any damage. If necessary, repair or replace the filter.
Change Fish Diet
Feed fish with spring/autumn food mixtures to provide good nutrition for their slowing metabolism. Stop feeding them completely when temperatures drop consistently below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Avoid overfeeding, which would contribute to excess debris and decay in the pond over the winter.
Set Up Pond Heater
If needed, set up your pond heater for winter use. Test the equipment to be sure it is functioning properly and make any repairs or adjustments as needed.
Cover the Pond
Cover your pond with netting, screening or a shade cloth to minimize debris that will fall into the water throughout the winter. Secure the perimeter with sod staples or rocks to prevent the covering from blowing away. This will make spring cleanup and restarting your pond much easier.
Relax until spring!
Your pond will be ready for warmer temperatures when you are.

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Freshen Up for Fall

Transform summer garden pots, planters and window boxes into magical displays this fall. The addition of mums, winter pansies and ornamental cabbage and kale are always excellent choices but you can really spice things up with the inclusion of a few of these colorful, cold-hardy selections. Which ones will look best for your autumn landscape?

Acorus gramineus ‘Ogon’
This graceful, fan-shaped acorus variety is ideal for adding height to plantings. It keeps its color and shape into the winter for visual interest as other plants lose their vibrancy.
Acorus gramineus ‘Variegatus’
This is the white-variegated version of ‘Ogon’. Its white-green striping is the perfect complement to mixed planting in silver, pink, purple or blue, and its lightness adds freshness to the arrangement.
Ajuga reptans ‘Burgundy Glow’
This ajuga has a trailing habit and pretty, variegated leaves. Its blue flowers are scattered in fall and summer but this plant blooms profusely in springtime.
Ajuga reptans ‘Mahogany’
The rich mahogany color of the shiny, short-stemmed leaves turns darker and more lustrous in the winter, ideal in a frosted or snowy landscape. Pretty bright blue flowers punctuate this creeper, mostly in the spring.
Ceratostigma plumbaginoides ‘Leadwort’
The prolific flowers of this plumbago are an intense gentian-blue and the foliage turns bright red in low temperatures, adding visual heat to the landscape even on cold days.
Euphorbia amydaloides ‘Purpurea’
This pretty perennial is exceptionally frost resistant. ‘Purpurea’ features upright branches with leaves that form a rosette pattern and turn from reddish to purple in the cold.
Helichrysum thianschanicum ‘Icicles’
Here’s an easy, fast-growing helichrysum variety with striking, velvety-silver leaves and a compact growth habit.
Lamiastru galeobdolon ‘Herman’s Pride’
‘Herman’s Pride’ has serrated, shiny silver leaves with green venation and yellow flowers in the spring. The plant trails as it grows, making it perfect as an accent in hanging baskets, taller containers and window boxes.
Lavendula lantata ‘Silver Leaf Lavender’
This lavender variety has silvery-white leaves that are velvet-like to the touch and hold their color throughout the winter. Dark purple-blue flowers appear by the second year and contrast beautifully with the foliage.
Lysimachia nummularia ‘Goldilocks’
Proven to do equally well in both sun and shade, ‘Goldilocks’ exhibits wonderful versatility. The golden foliage creeps and hangs in lush profusion of round, shiny leaves.
Salvia officinalis ‘Icterina’
This sage has a glowing, golden-yellow variegated leaf. ‘Icterina’ maintains its shape and holds its color long into the winter.
Salvia officinalis ‘Purpurascens’
The eggplant-colored leaves of this sage warm up any planting. Try it as a culinary herb as well and enjoy the subtle taste.
Salvia officinalis ‘Tricolor’
‘Tricolor’ offers a unique combination of purple leaves with white borders that turn pink when temperatures drop.

No matter which of these plants you opt for, you’ll enjoy the rich colors and variation they bring to your autumn plantings.

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Problems With Your Compost Pile? Fix Them!

A compost pile should be part of every gardener’s yard, since it adds so many benefits for recycling and providing organic material in the garden. There are times, however, when it can be tricky to keep a compost pile in peak condition and breaking down material most efficiently. If you encounter any of these common problems, you can easily correct them and keep your compost pile at its best.

Pile is Too Dry
Without adequate moisture, beneficial microorganisms cease to function and decomposition stops, turning a compost pile into a clumpy mess that does not decay into usable organic material. Keep the pile moist at all times, but not overly wet. A dampness like a squeezed sponge is ideal. It may be necessary to use a hose to water your pile occasionally, or a tarp or piece of plastic over the top of the pile can help keep moisture in the pile instead of evaporating.

Foul Odor
A stinky compost pile is no gardener’s friend, and over-watering the pile will compact the material. When air space is decreased, the pile becomes anaerobic, resulting in an unpleasant odor. Turn the pile frequently to increase aeration and add larger pieces of dry, porous, carbon-rich material such as wood chips or straw to absorb excess water and improve air circulation.

Pile is Cool
Check all the items required for a hot, quickly-decomposing pile: carbon, nitrogen, air and water. Correct any deficiencies. Another issue may be that a pile that is too small will have difficulty insulating itself. Increase the size of your compost pile by adding more material so it can generate sufficient heat from decomposition to keep itself warm.

Pests in the Pile
While insects and worms are welcome helpers in a compost pile, a poor pile may also be attracting mice, rats, squirrels, raccoons and other wildlife. This usually means that the wrong material was used for composting. Never add meat, fish, bones, dairy products or oily food to the compost pile, all of which can have strong odors that will attract unwanted wildlife. Similarly, no human, cat or dog manure should be added to the pile. Avoid adding weed plants or diseased plants as well, since those weed seeds or disease spores could be transmitted to your garden or landscape when the compost is spread.

Poor C/N Ratio
When planning the optimum conditions for compost decomposition, the standard recommendation is 3-to-1; three parts carbon to one part nitrogen. Carbon-based material is brown and nitrogen-based material is usually, but not always, green. Chopping or shredding additions to the compost pile will speed up the decomposition and help keep the pile balanced.

The best materials to add to your compost pile include…

Brown Material (Carbon-Based)
– Dried, dead Leaves
– Shredded paper, including newspaper
– Wood ash
– Sawdust
– Eggshells
– Chipped brush and wood chips
– Straw and twigs

Green Material (Nitrogen)
– Grass clippings and sod scraps
– Vegetable and fruit peels, scraps and rinds
– Disease and insect-free plant material, such as clippings and prunings
– Horse, cow, chicken and rabbit manure (herbivores)
– Coffee grounds and used coffee filters
– Used tea bags
– Used potting soil

No matter what issues your compost pile may be having, problems are easy to correct and you can quickly adjust your pile to be productive and efficient. Before you know it, you’ll have plenty of rich, nutritious compost to nurture your garden and landscape all year long.

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Bird Feeding Basics

Winter is the perfect time to think about attracting bird visitors to your yard. Bird watching is a great hobby that can be enjoyed by both younger and older members of the family and getting started is both easy and inexpensive.

Bird Feeders

The type of bird feeders you select will depend on where you want to observe your feathered friends, as well as the kinds of foods you are offering and the types of birds you want to attract.

Hanging feeders, suitable for smaller birds, can be hung from a tree, pole or hook. Platform feeders can be mounted on a pole/post, deck railing or fence, or even just set on the ground. There are also window feeders that can be mounted directly to a window for enjoyment close at hand plus suet feeders or cages which hold suet cakes – a must for attracting insect-eating woodpeckers and nuthatches.

Feeders should be located in a sheltered place where they are not exposed to strong winds or vulnerable to attack from predators such as hawks and cats. Try grouping several different feeders together to attract the maximum number of different birds. All feeders should be kept clean and in good repair.

Bird Seeds

Just like us, birds have certain food preferences. Black oil sunflower seed is one of the most popular seeds, attracting a large variety of different birds. Some seeds such as Nyjer (thistle) are very specific – if you want to attract colorful goldfinches, then this one is for you. Mixes containing sunflower, thistle, cracked corn, millet and other seeds are also available, to tempt many bird visitors. Larger birds that feed on the ground, such as doves, quail and wild turkeys, will love cracked corn.

Natural Food Sources

If you are serious about attracting birds to your yard throughout the year, then think about planting trees, shrubs, perennials and even annuals that will provide natural foods at different times. Birds love berry-producers such as crabapples, hollies, hawthorns and viburnums. Perennial favorites for seed eaters include members of the black-eyed susan family (Rudbeckia), coneflowers (Echinacea), goldenrod (Solidago) and coreopsis. Seed heads of ornamental grasses are also highly sought after. Of the annuals, sunflower (of course!), marigolds and cosmos are popular. Just be sure to leave seed heads on the plants so birds can take advantage of them.

Don’t Forget Water!

Water for bathing and drinking is one of the basic requirements for all birds, even for species that won’t visit feeders. If you already have a bird bath, be sure to keep it filled with clear, fresh water. A bird bath heater will keep water available even during freezing weather. A mister, dripper or bubbler will move the water around and attract even more birds with sparkling splashes.

From feeders and seeds to plants and water sources, we have everything you need to get started attracting birds. Come on in today and you’ll be able to enjoy your feathered friends this fall and winter!

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Birdscaping

As wildlife habitats are threatened by development, the creation of a bird-friendly environment that provides food, water and shelter is crucial to the existence of our wild bird population. Caring for our feathered-friends is an educational and enjoyable activity for the entire family that brings beauty and song to our lives.

Benefits of Wild Birds

Birds are great guests to have in your yard, garden or landscape, and they provide more benefits than many homeowners and gardeners realize. Wild birds can…

Control insects by feasting on both flying and crawling insects, as well as spiders, slugs, snails and other creepy-crawlies.
Pollinate plants by flitting from flower to flower as they seek out insects or eat seeds, taking pollen along between blooms.
Manage weeds as they consume copious amounts of weed seeds before the seeds ever have a chance to sprout.
Control rodents when raptors visit the yard in search of mice, rats, gophers, voles or other unwanted pests.

Attracting Backyard Birds

Fortunately, it is easy to attract a wide variety of backyard birds when you offer them what they need most – food, water and shelter.

Food for Birds

Wild birds rely on both natural and supplemental food supplies so it is important to consider both when birdscaping. Feeding the birds is most important in the winter when natural food is scarcer, but they will visit feeders at any time of year. Migratory birds require additional food in the spring and fall as they pass through the region and nesting birds will utilize feeders in the summer.

Tips:

Provide a variety of natural foods for birds by planting berry bushes, seed-bearing flowers, nectar-rich flowers and sunflowers. Leave windfall fruit on the ground for birds to nibble. Minimize pesticide use so birds can feast on insects as well.
Add supplemental feeders to your yard, such as birdseed feeders, suet feeders and nectar feeders. Clean feeders weekly to avoid mold that can be dangerous to birds, and be sure feeders are full when birds need them most.

Water

Improve your backyard bird habitat by adding water. Birds require a constant supply of clean water for drinking and bathing. This is especially important in late summer, when water is scarce, and in the winter, when it is frequently frozen.

Tips:

Place bird baths in a protected location safe from predators, and keep the baths filled at all times so a fresh supply of water is constantly available.
Scrub off algae as soon as it is appears and thoroughly was the bird bath each week to minimize feces contamination or other messes in the water.
Provide motion for greater attraction by using a bubbler, wiggler, dripper or fountain. Birds will see the sparkles of the moving water and will hear the splashes from great distances, so more birds will visit.
Use Mosquito Dunks to safely prevent mosquito larvae in warm weather. A clean bird bath with moving water will also harbor fewer insects.
Add an outdoor-safe submersible heater to the bath in winter to keep the water liquid instead of frozen, or consider using a fully heated bird bath during the coldest months.

Shelter

It is important to offer safe and comfortable shelter for your wild birds to nurture their young, protect them from predators and shield them from the elements. Planting evergreen trees and shrubs and providing bird houses, along with roosting boxes and pockets, are all beneficial additions to your birdscape.

Tips:

Choose both deciduous and evergreen landscaping trees and shrubs to offer birds different types of shelter in all seasons.
Minimize pruning to give birds denser, more secure shelter to take advantage of when they feel threatened.
Plant in layers and create thicket-like pockets or corridors in your landscape so birds can move around freely without feeling exposed.
Supplement the shelter in your yard with good quality bird houses, winter roost boxes or nesting pockets to give birds even more options to stay safe and secure.

When you meet birds’ needs for food, water and shelter, your birdscape will soon be home to a fun and friendly flock of backyard birds.

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Audition Some Autumn Bloomers

Extend the beauty of your garden with vivid autumn-blooming perennials. When you think of fall-blooming plants, don’t stop at mums – there are many perennials that can add color to your yard at this time of year.

Top Autumn Bloomers

While there are different autumn-blooming perennials for different growing zones and climate conditions, some of the most popular and widespread options include…

Fall Daisies
For fall daisies (besides daisy mums!) grow Boltonia or Nippon Daisy. Boltonia is a tall (3-4′) grower, suitable as a background plant. White or pink daisies are borne in profusion atop fine grey-green foliage. The Nippon Daisy (Chrysanthemum nipponicum) is covered with large crisp white daisies in October. Both love lots of sun and make excellent cut flowers.
Autumn Sedums
Bold-foliaged sedums provide texture as well as color in a sunny place. Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ is the most well known. It has coppery-pink flower heads. Sedums ‘Brilliant’ and ‘Stardust’, with soft pink and white flowers respectively, are also attractive. For a totally different color combination plant sedum ‘Vera Jameson’. It has gray-purple foliage with rose pink blooms and looks stunning when planted with Blue Fescue, Artemesia Silver Mound and other silver-foliaged plants. As an added bonus, all the sedums are attractive to butterflies.
Autumn Asters
Asters are another fall bloomer that butterflies love. These perennials like sun and moist, well-drained soil. There are many colorful aster varieties in shades of pink, purple, blue and white. Some favorites include tall-growing aster ‘Alma Potschke’ with bright pink flowers, blue-flowered aster ‘Professor Kippenburg’ and low-growing aster ‘Purple Dome’ with its deep purple blooms.
Autumn Goldenrod
Sunny yellow goldenrod (Solidago) is another bright addition to the fall garden. Wrongly blamed as the cause of fall allergy problems, goldenrod has rightly taken its place in the fall garden. It looks particularly effective combined with blue flowering plumbago, purple asters and ornamental grasses.

Fall Bloomers for Shade Gardens

Even shade gardeners can enjoy late blooming perennials. Tall growing Japanese Anemones are a stately addition to the perennial garden. Bloom colors range from pure white to various shades of pink, and flowers can be single, semi-double or double blooms. Anemones grow well in light to moderate shade and spread quickly to form large clumps, filling in space vacated by spent summer plants. Turtlehead (Chelone) is another fast spreader for shade. Rose pink flowers cover the tops of the plant from early September to October. For a deeply shaded location, try Toad Lily (Tricyrtis), which has clusters of beautiful cream flowers, spotted with maroon along its upright stems. For light shade, plant Blue Cardinal Flower (Lobelia siphilitica), whose intense blue spikes can be admired from mid-August until frost.

No matter what type of garden you have, the end of summer does not need to mean the end of colorful blooms. Instead, just opt for amazing fall bloomers and enjoy brilliant color even longer!

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Repotting Houseplants

Fall is an excellent time to repot many houseplants. Potted plants that have been growing outdoors during the summer have probably grown quite vigorously due to the high light levels and greater humidity. If the top growth of the plant has increased in size by 20 percent or more, it probably should be transplanted into a larger container so the roots can stretch and settle comfortably.

Before You Repot

Before repotting, check the plant and the soil carefully for insects. Add systemic granules to the soil and spray the leaves with an insecticidal soap to remove any unwanted pests. If an insect infestation is particularly bad, it may be necessary to remove most of the plant’s soil and replace it with fresh potting soil. Avoid using soil from the garden, however, which will harbor insect larvae and eggs as well as weed seeds and other material you do not want in your houseplants.

Acclimating Plants

Bring your plants indoors well before any danger of frost for proper acclimation to the indoor environment. The change in light levels and humidity could shock more delicate plants, and they may wilt temporarily or drop leaves before they adjust to the new conditions. If possible, bring them in just a few minutes at a time for several days, gradually increasing their indoor time to several hours before keeping them indoors all the time. Flowering tropicals will also benefit from cutting back some of their foliage to avoid shock before being brought indoors.

To help houseplants overcome the transition from outdoors to indoors, position them in a bright, sunny area and consider adjusting indoor temperature and humidity controls to more closely mimic outdoor conditions. Make adjustments slowly and gradually, and the plants will adjust.

Time to Repot

Once your houseplants are adjusted to their indoor fall and winter environment, they can be safely repotted without adding to their stress. Repot the plants early in the day, and move them to a slightly larger pot. Avoid jumping several pot sizes, which could lead to excessive root growth while the foliage is neglected. Be sure to fertilize and water the plants appropriately to provide them proper nourishment as they settle into new pots. Do not expect luxuriant foliage growth right away, however, as it will take some time for the plants to begin growing again, especially in fall and winter when most houseplants are entering a dormant, slow growth period.

By repotting your houseplants in fall, you can help healthy, vigorously growing plants adjust to a new environment and continue their growth with ease in a new, larger, more comfortable pot.

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Over-Wintering Container Plants Outdoors

All containerized plants that are considered hardy in your zone can spend the winter outdoors, but you do need to take a little special care to keep them safe and comfortable as temperatures drop. Despite their hardiness, winter is still a challenging season, but it is possible to keep your container plants healthy until the days grow longer and warmer again.

Options to Overwinter Your Container Plants

In the late summer or fall, removed the plant from its container and plant it in the ground while the soil is still warm. Another method is to bury the pot, with the plant in it, in the garden and remove the pot following spring. Both of these methods will help insulate the root system, preventing it from freezing solid and killing the root system.
Place containerized plants in an unheated garage but along a heated wall. This is an excellent method for very large pots or porous pots that tend to break apart from the constant cycle of freezing and thawing, and so would not be very hardy if buried. For extra root protection and insulation, wrap the pots in plastic bubble wrap or wrap an old comforter or quilt around the pots.
Group pots together along the sunny side of your house or shed. If this area is windy, create a windscreen with stakes and burlap. Place bales of straw or hay around the perimeter of the grouping up against the pots to further protect plants from cold winds. Fill in areas between pots with mulch, shredded leaves, grass clippings or hay for insulation. Lay evergreen branches or place a layer of mulch on top of the pots for additional protection.
Use a cold frame covered with plastic or Reemay fabric to help control temperatures and reduce light as well, helping plants stay dormant in winter. It will still be necessary to use mulch, shredded leaves or hay around and in-between pots for insulation. Rodent control, such as Havahart traps, may be necessary when using this method.

Watering Container Plants in Winter

Make sure that plants go into the winter with moist soil so that there is water available to plant roots. Check soil moisture occasionally, never allowing it to dry completely. It is also a very good idea to spray needled and broadleaf evergreens with an anti-desiccant. This acts as a protective coating for plant foliage and stems as it helps them retain moisture.

With just a little care and forethought, you can easily prepare containers for winter without risking the plants and arrangements you have so carefully cultivated.

Delightful Daffodils

Spring flowering bulbs are a must for every garden. They provide cheerful early-season color at a time when it is most needed, both in the landscape and by our winter weary souls. Daffodils are some of the most delightful Spring flowering bulbs! What makes them so delightful is their ease of care, diversity in their flower color, size, shape and fragrance, resistance to pests and disease, and their carefree ability to increase and return year after year, with little effort.

Daffodil Selection

Did you know that there are over 32,000 registered cultivars of daffodils? This number gives us some indication of the immense diversity of this flowering bulb with some varieties being easier to find than others. As you become more familiar with, and addicted to delightful daffodils, you will never get tired of adding more of these intriguing bulbs to your collection, possibly seeking out a few hard-to-find ones as well.

Note: All daffodils are narcissus, but not all narcissus are daffodils. For the sake of simplicity, we will refer to all narcissus and daffodils mentioned in this article as daffodils. Their care is the same and separating them will only complicate matters.

Daffodils require a cold period to bloom. Most daffodils will flower best in USDA Hardiness Zone 7 and lower. If you live in USDA Hardiness Zone 8 and higher, there are some daffodils that will do well in your area, or you may purchase pre-chilled bulbs. It will help to work with your local garden center to determine which daffodils do best in your particular area.

All daffodils bloom in the Spring. Within the Spring season, some will bloom early, mid-season, and late. Knowing when a particular daffodil flowers, will allow you to plant varieties for a succession of blooms to extend the whole season. As you begin growing daffodils, it may be easiest to choose some of the most popular and easy-to-find varieties

Early-season Bloomers

Barrette Browning – white petals with small orange cup, 1 to 2 feet tall, lightly fragrant.
Rijnveld – golden yellow, 15 inches tall, delightfully fragrant.
Tete a Tete – buttercup yellow, multi-flowering, miniature at 6 to 8 inches tall, fragrant.

Mid-season Bloomers

Dutch Master – large, golden-yellow daffodil, 1 to 2 feet tall, lightly fragrant.
Ice Follies – creamy white petals with a pale-yellow cup, 20 inches tall, lightly scented.
Pink Charm – ivory petals with a coral-colored cup, 18 inches tall, fragrant.
Professor Einstein – snow white petals with a reddish-orange cup, 16 to 18 inches tall, fragrant.

Late-season Bloomers

Acetaea – pure white petals with a small gold cup rimmed in red, 1 to 1 ½ feet tall, fragrant.
Cheerfulness – small flowering, multi-flowering and multi-stemmed, white double flowers with pale yellow flecks, 1 to 2 feet tall, very fragrant.
Tahiti – large, double flowering daffodil, bright golden-yellow with bright orange ruffled cup, 16 inches tall, fragrant.
Thalia – downward facing, pure white flowers with 2 to 3 flowers per stem, 1 foot tall, very fragrant.

Planting Daffodils

Daffodils are purchased and planted in the Fall for Spring blooms and are extremely easy to plant…. easy as dig, drop and done!

Plant daffodils in a sunny to part-shady, well-drained site.
Daffodils may be planted in single holes, rows, or in groupings.
Place daffodil bulbs 6 inches deep, pointy side up.
If the native soil is of poor quality or does not drain well, consider amending the soil with a quality compost.
Add bone meal to the planting area, to stimulate strong root development, before backfilling the area or holes with soil.
No need for deer or rodent protection, these bulbs are pest proof!
Water area after planting daffodils and wait for Spring!

With such wide diversity in one group of flowering bulbs, considerable beauty, ample fragrance, significant bloom time, and substantial pest resistance, wouldn’t you agree that daffodils are delightful?

King of the Cold: Ornamental Cabbage & Kale

Looking to add interest to the fall and winter landscape? This year, plant ornamental cabbage and kale for bold textures and vibrant colors.

About Ornamental Cabbage & Kale

Unlike most other annuals and perennials, these two hardy plants improve in appearance after a frost or two, which bring out more intense and brilliant colors in their foliage – perfect as an autumn accent or centerpiece plant. Identified by a number of names including floral kale, decorative kale, ornamental-leaved kale, flowering kale and flowering cabbage, ornamental cabbage and kale are classified as Brassica oleracca (Acephala group). Offering unlimited use in the landscape, these plants have large rosettes of gray-green foliage richly variegated with cream, white, pink, rose, red and purple. Kale leaves are frilly edged and sometimes deeply lobed.

While typical ornamental kale and cabbage varieties are easy to find, you can also try more unusual options, including dwarf varieties as well as upright, taller hybrids that can even be used in cut arrangements.

Using These Attractive Plants

Popular in borders, grouped in planting drifts, or planted in containers for the deck or patio, ornamental cabbage and kale typically grows to 12-18” high and wide, depending on the cultivar. Plant these specimens at least 12” apart in an area with full sun that has moist, well-drained soil. Organically rich soil with proper compost or fertilization is best to provide adequate nutrition for these lush plants. Although they are able to withstand light frosts and snowfalls, ornamental cabbage and kale will typically not survive hard freezes and are best treated as showy annuals.

The best foliage color will occur if ornamental cabbage and kale is planted in early fall as temperatures are cooling, or you can sow seeds 6-10 weeks before the first anticipated frost date – just be sure the seeds have sun exposure in order to germinate properly. These plants are usually attractive in the garden until Thanksgiving or slightly later, or in mild climates they may even last until spring temperatures begin to rise. Hint – when the plants smell like cooked cabbage, it is time to pull them out!

While these plants are superficially similar to the familiar cabbage and kale vegetables popular in salads and other edible uses, it is important to note that ornamental varieties are cultivated for color and shape rather than taste. Keep them out of the kitchen and in the garden instead, and you won’t be sorry!

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Deterring Deer

Deer may be beautiful and elegant, but they aren’t always welcome in the garden. Even just a few visiting deer can tear up a landscape, eat an entire crop, destroy a carefully cultivated bed and cause other havoc, such as creating a traffic hazard, damaging bird feeders or leaving behind unwanted “gifts” on sidewalks and pathways. But how can you keep deer out of your yard and away from your garden and landscape?

Popular Deer Deterrent Techniques

People try all sorts of home-grown methods to keep deer from destroying their landscape and gardens. Some of the more common tactics include…

8 ft. fencing, including wire or electric fences
Big, loud dogs on guard in the yard
Deer repellents such as commercial chemicals
Predator urine or other anti-deer scents
Motion detectors connected to lights or sprinklers

All of these methods work but are limited in their effectiveness. Fencing is costly and unsightly. Repellents and urine wash away. Sprinklers or lighted areas can be easily avoided. So what can you do to keep deer away permanently?

Deer are creatures of habit and they are easily scared. Anything you can do to mix up their habits or make them think there is danger nearby might be enough to make them go elsewhere in search of food. But deer aren’t foolish and if they realize the danger isn’t real, they will return. Therefore, you must rotate any scare tactics you try and reapply repellents frequently. This can be a lot of work to keep your garden safe, but you can make your garden do the work for you.

Plants Deer Won’t Like

While deer in large herds with insufficient food will eat almost any garden vegetation, particularly in harsh winters, you can opt for plants that aren’t popular with deer to minimize deer damage. At the same time, avoid planting favorite deer plants, such as azaleas, rhododendrons, yews, roses, Japanese maples, winged euonymous, hemlocks and arborvitae, as well as any edible garden produce.

So what can you plant in your landscape to discourage deer? There are many attractive plants deer will avoid, including…

Trees

Chinese Paper Birch
Colorado Blue Spruce
Dragon Lady Holly
Douglas Fir
Japanese Cedar
San Jose Holly
Serviceberry
Scotch Pine

Shrubs & Climbers

Barberry
Bearberry
Blueberry Elder
Boxwood
Caryopteris
Common Buckhorn
Creeping Wintergreen
European Privet
Japanese Andromeda
Japanese Plum Yew
Leucothoe
Rose of Sharon
Russian Olive

Try using these less deer-friendly plants to create a dense border around your yard and garden area, and deer will be less inclined to work their way toward the tastier plants. When combined with other deterrent techniques, it is possible to have a stunning landscape without being stunned by deer damage.

Autumn: Why Plant Now?

Although many gardeners plant trees and shrubs in the spring, knowledgeable gardeners plant in the fall to take advantage of all this fabulous season has to offer. But why is fall planting better than spring planting?

Stress Reduction
Transplanting causes stress as plants are removed from containers, balls or established locations and changed to new locations. Planting in the fall, when a plant is entering dormancy and is generally hardier and sturdier, reduces this stress so the plant can thrive.

Establishing Strong Roots
Fall planting “establishes” trees and shrubs by encouraging root growth. Because the soil is still warm, the roots continue to develop until freezing, though the upper parts of the plant are already dormant. When transplanting in the spring, the developed roots are active and delicate tips or rootlets, as well as buds and new leaves, are more easily damaged.

Weather Resiliency
Trees and shrubs planted in the fall are better able to withstand the rigors of the next summer’s heat and dry conditions because they have much longer to develop healthy roots systems and become thoroughly established. This is especially critical in dry climates or areas prone to drought or irregular rainfall.

Faster Maturity
The “head-start” of fall planting results in a larger plant in less time, helping create a mature landscape without waiting for smaller plants to catch up. This can be especially critical when replacing dead or damaged plants in a mature landscape to avoid a gap or uneven look.

Water Conservation
Planting in the fall saves watering time and promotes conservation by eliminating daily watering. Cooler temperatures with the addition of both morning and evening dew contribute greatly to soil moisture availability in fall without as much supplemental watering.

Color Confirmation
Fall is the best time to see a plant’s autumnal color. Planting in the fall eliminates the surprise of the wrong color or unexpected shades that may not coordinate with nearby plants. By planting in autumn, you’ll know exactly what you’re purchasing and planting, and you will be able to match better with your existing landscape.

Saving Money
Last but definitely not least, buying your beautiful trees and shrubs in autumn can save big money. We discount prices on trees and shrubs to create room for holiday season materials and pass the savings on to you. Selection may be more limited later in fall, however, so don’t wait too long to take advantage of great savings.

Autumn can be the ideal time to plant trees and shrubs, whether you are adding to your landscape, replacing plants or starting a whole new look. If you plant in autumn, you’ll be amazed at how lovely your landscape will look next spring.

Fall Has Arrived But Spring Is Already in Our Sight

It’s a sure sign that fall has arrived when dozen of boxes and crates, adorned with brilliant images of spring-blooming bulbs, appear on garden center shelves. Take a closer look through the pretty packaging, however, and what you see may seem totally unimpressive. It is hard to believe that in just a few short months these diminutive, subterranean dynamos will blossom into amazing forms of living art. What is even more incredible is how very simple and absolutely foolproof it is to achieve this beauty, no matter what shade of green, brown or black your garden thumb may be. These petite organic parcels encapsulate everything necessary to burst into astonishing flowers, and even the most inexperienced gardener can be a floral artist with spring bulbs.

Bulb Varieties

The only difficult thing about growing spring-flowering bulbs is choosing which blooms to showcase in your yard. The sheer variety of flower types, colors, sizes and bloom times is outstanding and virtually limitless, which can be overwhelming. Tulips alone are available in early, mid- and late-blooming varieties in just about every color under the sun, including multi-colored and variegated shades. The stems can be short or long, and the petal count may be single or double. The petals may be colorfully veined, like the ever popular parrot tulip, or fringed on the edges for a lacy look. Some tulips resemble peonies and some resemble crocuses. And that’s just tulips – other spring-blooming bulbs can have just as many varieties to choose from!

This fall, just about every garden center will be carrying at least a few varieties of ever-popular, widespread favorites, such as…

Allium
Crocus
Daffodil
Dutch Iris
German Bearded Iris
Grape Hyacinth
Hyacinth
Narcissus
Tulip

Then there are the specialty spring-flowering bulbs that may not be as familiar, but are stunning additions to the spring landscape, such as…

Anemone
Belladonna Amaryllis
Cassima
Chionadoxa
Freesia
Fritillaria
Ranunculus
Snowdrop
Wood Hyacinth

These are just a few examples of the amazing variety of bulbs available. Which new ones will be the showstoppers in your yard next spring?

Growing Bulbs

What’s most exciting is that if you’ve got soil and sunlight you can grow bulbs. It is absolutely that simple. Where you garden makes no difference at all, whether it is in the city, suburbs or countryside. Bulbs look fantastic blooming in a large landscape, small garden or simply in a pretty pot. They can be planted around trees and bushes, alongside driveways or sidewalks, or even in broad, flowing beds. Because they require very little care and maintenance, bulbs are ideal for busy gardeners or anyone who wants to stick their thumb in the soil but may not have much time to devote to an intensive flower garden or elaborate layout. There are just three steps to growing bulbs…

Dig: Dig the hole of an appropriate depth for the bulb size – but they aren’t too picky!
Drop: Drop the bulb in the hole, covering it firmly with soil and a layer of mulch if desired.
Done! That’s it – the bulb will do the rest with the nutrients it has stored. Just be sure it has water at the appropriate time, and the blooms will amaze you.

So why not get out there and explore this big beautiful world of bulbs? Plan now for your spring floral explosion, and ask your local garden center staff for ideas for the best bulbs to suit your landscape, soil type and climate. Use the web resources, like Pinterest or Instagram, for information and inspiration. Get to your garden center early for the best bulb selection and get excited for unbelievable blooms!

Houseplants for the Home Office

Houseplants can be a wonderful and invigorating addition to the home office, bringing different benefits to your workspace. But which houseplants are best for a home office setting and what care do they need to thrive?

Benefits of Home Office Houseplants

Houseplants bring a touch of nature into your home office, nourishing peace and tranquility that can reduce stress no matter what the workday brings. Studies have shown office plants can boost productivity and creativity, enhancing your work and increasing job satisfaction. This is ideal for the home office, where distractions and erratic work hours can be a constant concern.

Office houseplants also offer a range of physical benefits. These plants act as a natural filter for cleaner air, reducing dust and allergens to help alleviate respiratory problems. Houseplants also reduce odors and airborne chemicals and can be especially effective in the small or unusual spaces such as closets or niches that so often become home offices. Houseplants also improve indoor humidity, which can further improve breathing and ease dry skin.

Best Houseplants for the Home Office

There are many beautiful options for home office houseplants. When choosing the best plant, take note of the office’s sunlight levels and typical temperatures, and select plants that can thrive in those conditions. Furthermore, plants that won’t spread too dramatically are often preferred for the home office so they don’t usurp extra desk space. Top houseplants for the home office include…

Snake Plants – Also called sword plant, mother-in-law’s tongue, and sansevieria, these hardy, upright plants come in different sizes and thrive even with irregular care. They are slow growers, making them perfect for office spaces.
African Violet – These bushy blooms add a burst of color to any desk, and they thrive in the same temperature and humidity conditions that are often found in home offices. Furthermore, these flowers are happy in fluorescent light, and miniature varieties are great for small desks.
Air Plants – Different tillandsias are easy houseplants for any space and are very low maintenance. Because they do not require soil, there is no need for planting in a pot. They are also beautiful accents in miniature terrariums.
Lucky Bamboo – Actually a type of dracaena, these upright plants are believed to channel good vibes and positive fortune – the ideal choice for any workspace. They can grow well in low light conditions, and their slow growth means they will keep their form well for years.
Peace Lily – These easy-to-grow plants come in medium and large sizes, and their dark green, glossy foliage is an elegant accent to any office space. They do require brighter light, and rotating them regularly can help keep their growth even.
Succulents – There are many different succulent varieties that can add a bit of whimsy to any office space. Choosing succulents that thrive in lower light are best for offices, including jade plant, zebra plant, and echeveria species.
Nerve Plant – This colorful plant comes in green, white, pink, and reddish foliage, allowing for personalization in the office space. There are several size options as well, and the 3-6 inch plants are best for offices. These plants do require higher humidity to look their best.
Parlor Palm – A larger plant that adds a tree-like accent to a larger office, the parlor palm is a dramatic option for the appropriate space. These plants still thrive in low light conditions, however, making them a good choice for home offices with tucked away corners.

Caring for Office Plants

No matter which houseplants are part of the home office, they need appropriate care just like houseplants in any other room. Choose a pot of the appropriate size for the plant’s needs, and be sure the pot has adequate drainage holes. Potting soil mix formulated for houseplants is best, and specialized plants such as succulents or flowering plants will thrive in soil mixes that meet their specialized needs. Adding a slow-release fertilizer can nourish office plants to keep them at their best.

Take care not to overwater office plants, as overwatering can lead to discoloration, root rot, soil funguses, and plant death. A small watering can is ideal for watering these plants directly at the base so the foliage is not soaked, which could attract different pests. As the plants grow, trimming them with a sharp pair of hand pruners will keep them neat and manage their size so they always bring their best to every work day.

Houseplants can thrive all over the house, including in the home office. By choosing the best type of plant to suit the office space and providing it with exceptional care, you will be nourishing not only the plant, but your own professional productivity as well.

The Great Squirrel Battle for the Bulbs

Autumn is the catalog time of year, when gardeners devour and drool over the spring-blooming bulb catalogs, eagerly fantasizing about next year’s flowerbeds. We picture drifts of crocus and gaily swaying tulips, lush daffodils and glorious hyacinths. Snowdrops, irises, daylilies… Ah, the garden will be great this next spring.

Then we remember last spring – hours of labor and dozens of bulbs meticulously planted, but only one or two emerged to flaunt their blooms. What happened?

Squirrels and Bulbs

Squirrels like flower bulbs just as much as gardeners, but unfortunately not for their beauty. From the looks of the remains – chewed remnants, dug up holes, battered foliage – those bulbs became expensive squirrel food. Fortunately, if you want to plant daffodils, alliums, scilla, hyacinths, squills or fritillaria, your bulbs should be safe. Generally, squirrels don’t eat these. But how can you protect the bulbs that make the tastiest squirrel treats?

Keeping Squirrels Out of the Flowerbeds

Go ahead and order your bulbs. While you’re waiting for delivery, decide which of the three basic methods you will use to prevent the squirrel attacks. A small investment of time and materials will protect your bulbs.

Mesh Barriers
Wire mesh is the best protection to keep squirrels away from bulbs. Dig the hole for several bulbs, make a “cage” using mesh around the bulbs and fill in the soil. If the squirrels dig, the mesh will prevent them from eating the bulbs. You may also plant the bulbs as usual and place a layer of mesh on the soil. You’ll have to secure it to keep it in place then cover with mulch. Be sure the mesh layer is wide enough so squirrels cannot easily dig around the sides to reach the bulbs.

Repellants
Garden centers sell many different squirrel repellants, and deer repellants also repel squirrels. Some gardeners swear to the effective use of red pepper flakes mixed in the soil around, and over, the bulbs. Many squirrels don’t like spicy tastes, but pepper flakes may need to be replaced after heavy spring rains to be the most effective.

Sharp Gravel
Adding sharp gravel to the soil around and over the bulbs also deters squirrels from digging. Not only do they not like the feel of the gravel on their sensitive paws, but the gravel – which is heavier than dirt or mulch – is more difficult to move, so the bulbs stay safer.

There is another option to keep squirrels away from bulbs without completely discouraging their visits. If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em – because squirrels look for the easiest food sources, a squirrel feeding station stocked with corn and peanuts may be just the thing to keep the squirrels from looking for your buried treasures!