Daffodil Bulbs: Divide, and Multiply the Flowers

How Do Your Daffodils Look This Year?

Daffodils in February at Cane Creek Park, Waxhaw NC.

For years, your daffodil bulbs bloomed to great satisfaction. From late winter to mid-spring, there was never a shortage of cut flowers to bring indoors. And plenty remained in the garden to admire from indoors or for neighbors to enjoy.

But this year, they were so disappointing! Masses of slim green leaves look healthy enough, but there were only a few flowers! Come to think of it, there weren’t many last year, either. They should be in their prime right now.

Clumps of daffodils with all leaves, very few flowers.

Why does this happen? You’ve been using the bulb fertilizer recommended by the garden center, and, heaven knows, they never went dry! They looked great a few years ago. Clearly, there’s a problem with the daffodils.

This is called daffodil “blindness”, or lack of flowers. A number of factors contribute to this condition.

“Should I Remove Them?”

Not yet. Just let them soak up the sun’s energy, undisturbed, for as long as the leaves remain green. Don’t cut, knot, braid, or mulch over the leaves. Keep them exposed to direct sunlight. Remove any seedpods, if you see them, to conserve energy and resources. All energy should be directed toward plumping up the bulbs.

In this article, you’ll find tips for restoring your daffodil gardens back to their spectacular spring show. I’m including information on conditions for growing daffodil bulbs successfully for many years into the future. But it’s too early to dig them up right now. Once the leaves have turned yellow or brown, we can begin to dig, divide, and re-set the bulbs.

Bulbs that have been forced in a pot should be planted into the garden after the foliage yellows. While the leaves are green and photosynthesizing, continue watering and provide sunlight. Lasagna pots, crowded with layers of bulbs, rarely bloom well, if at all, a second time. These bulbs might need a year or two in the garden gathering strength for more blooms in the future.

Hardiness

There are 13 divisions of Narcissus, grouped according to their flower structure. Thanks to the efforts of daffodil hybridizers, consumers can choose from among 32,000 registered daffodil varieties! Also, according to the American Daffodil Society, there are between 40 and 200 daffodil species.

In general, daffodils grow in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 to 11, although some prefer the cooler end, and others, the warmer zones. Before purchasing your bulbs, find out which zone you live in and which varieties will grow there.

‘Camelot’ and ‘Flower Record’, for example, are better suited to zones 3 to 7, struggling in a warm zone 7 season and failing south of it. The paperwhites Narcissus tazetta (N. papyraceus) ‘Avalanche’ and ‘Minnow’, on the other hand, do better in the warmer zones 5 or 6 to 9.

For Now, Fertilize the Daffodil Bulbs

Apply a complete bulb fertilizer to your daffodils and other spring-flowering bulbs. It should have low levels of nitrogen (N), but more phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) content. Use a low analysis product, such as 5-10-10 (N-P-K). 10-10-10 also is acceptable.

As plants photosynthesize, they make their own food and store it in the bulbs. This nourishes the embryo, which is dormant in summer, and prepares the plant for next year’s growth. The more carbohydrates stored in the bulbs, the more flowers for next spring, as long as other conditions are favorable.

Fertilizer applied as the bulbs begin to emerge from the ground could cause the robust foliage and heavy flower heads to flop over. I normally fertilize the bulbs later, around the time of peak bloom, if they need it. Non-flowering bulbs can benefit from a light fertilizing before dividing the clumps. Because the foliage will stay green for several more weeks, the bulbs will have time to utilize the fertilizer.

A soil test conducted by your local agricultural extension service will indicate whether any nutrients should be added.

Bone Meal

For years, many gardeners have relied on bone meal to fertilize their bulbs. Bone meal contains a small amount of nitrogen (3-4%), more phosphorus (12-14%), no potassium, and some micronutrients (Ca, Fe). Mixed products available for bulbs might include bone meal, but also have additional nutrients to make a complete formulation.

The problem with exclusively using bone meal is that it takes longer than other products to break down and become available to the roots. Furthermore, phosphorus, the primary ingredient, moves very slowly through the soil profile. For that reason, bone meal added to the root zone—before planting the bulbs—might be more useful than applying it to the surface of the ground. Avoid direct contact, though, between the bulbs and the fertilizer. Still, it’s not likely to provide nutrients until months or a full season later, after microbes have begun decomposing it.

Bone meal is a slaughterhouse by-product, after sterilizing and grinding cow bones. Some animals are attracted to the scent, so burying it might prevent it from being consumed.

Because daffodils and other bulbs aren’t very demanding, giving them anything should result in good growth. Soil pH should be somewhere between 6.0 and just below 7.0 for nutrient availability. If a soil test indicates adequate phosphorus, I wouldn’t use bone meal. An excess of P will interfere with the uptake of other nutrients.

Food or Fertilizer?

Notice the distinction between the terms “fertilizer” and “food”. Fertilizer is the product we apply to plants. There are many kinds of fertilizers, including soluble and granular types, and compost. They provide various amounts of nutrients to help plants function at an optimum level.

Food is a product of photosynthesis; plants make their own food inside the foliage. This substance is stored as carbohydrates in bulbs, stems, and roots, depending on the species.

Easy Does It!

Daffodils and other bulbs we plant in our gardens don’t need much in the way of nutrients, so never overfertilize. Perhaps you’ve seen clusters of yellow or white daffodils randomly appearing along roadsides or in the middle of a field. Heirloom varieties of Narcissus bulbs are sometimes the only surviving clues that an old homestead once stood nearby. Daffodil bulbs can live for decades!

***Update***: At the south edge of the woods at the new property, daffodils emerged under snow and after a tangle of growth had been cleared away (photos, above). Once the honeysuckle vines, brambles, and tree saplings had been removed, the daffodils grew thick and healthy, although there were few flowers. The soil there is rich with decomposed leaf litter. After the foliage begins to yellow, I’ll divide and transplant most of the bulbs. 3/20/2022

***Update***: Well, I never got around to dividing these bulbs. Starting in January 2023, abundant flowers grew on stronger plants (photo, above). And the flowers lasted 2 months! I don’t know the variety, but it’s an older one with fragrant double flowers. Because the flowers last such a long time, I’ll transplant several divisions to the garden on the far side of the driveway, visible from my office. 4/13/2023

“Then, why do those old abandoned daffodils look better than mine?”

Over time, year after year, fallen leaves and other organic debris have collected at the soil surface above the daffodil bulbs. Microorganisms decompose this material from spring through fall, while the soil is warmer. Nutrients from decomposition slowly filter down to the roots, and are absorbed as the roots emerge in late summer and autumn.

Those abandoned daffodil bulbs don’t need fertilizer from us, nor do they need a layer of mulch. Mother Nature is looking after them! Sometimes, less is more.

Growing our bulbs leaner could help. Pushing them to “grow better” is one reason for overabundance of foliage and lack of flowers. High nitrogen is particularly problematic. For spring-flowering bulbs in decent garden soil, the application rate recommended on the package of bulb fertilizer can be halved. Unless your garden soil is absolutely wretched, keep the fertilizer levels somewhat low.

If the garden soil is good enough to sustain annuals and perennials, it is more than adequate for daffodil bulbs. With occasional applications of fertilizer to garden plants through the growing season, the bulbs lying dormant in the soil below them will have plenty of nutrients when they begin to root out.

I fertilize lightly, sometimes, in autumn, as the bulbs root into cooling soil, and again when they’re in full leaf in spring. It just depends on how the garden has been managed. In many years, I don’t fertilize at all.

Bulbs planted in gardens under irrigation might be getting too much water, which can rot the bulbs. Daffodils don’t appreciate dry soil, but wet soil will kill the bulbs, and then nothing will sprout.

‘Mount Hood’ daffodils. As they age, they turn ivory white. Soil in the mulched garden was good, so I rarely fertilized them.

“Can I use compost?”

A moderate amount of compost top-dressed on the surface and watered into the soil makes a fine addition. Or scratch the compost into the surface of the ground. Covering the compost preserves the beneficial microbes, which will be destroyed by the sun. Because the bulbs are deeper, they won’t be damaged by light cultivation.

Nutrients in decomposing mulch also contribute to the health of the soil. Soil under slowly decaying shredded hardwood mulch is probably sufficient for daffodils and other spring-flowering bulbs. Earthworms consume partially decayed material, enriching it in their own special way. They then distribute the castings (earthworm excrement) throughout the garden soil, and aerate it as well.

Shredded hardwood mulch breaks down faster than pine products, but don’t pile on large amounts. That could cause manganese toxicity and raise the pH too high. It’s a good idea to use shredded hardwood for a few years, and then switch to pine for a few years.

Headings

Page 1: How Do Your Daffodils Look This Year?, “Should I Remove Them?” (Hardiness), and For Now, Fertilize the Bulbs (Bone Meal, Food or Fertilizer?, Easy Does It, “Then, why do those old abandoned daffodils look better than mine?”, “Can I use compost?”)

Page 2: Sunlight For Daffodil Bulbs, Daffodil Bulbs Under the Trees, Soil and Drainage (Soil Preparation, Dig In!), Divide and Multiply Daffodil Bulbs (The Process, “And How Deep Is That?”), Time To Plant Daffodil Bulbs (Planting in Autumn, Planting in Early Summer), Summary

Return to the top

Pages: 1 2

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, in Belmont NC

Feb26

2020

A Visit to Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

A few days ago, I visited the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, in charming Belmont, North Carolina. In 1991, Daniel Stowe, a textile industry executive, and his wife, Alene, dedicated 380 acres to this natural showcase. They developed themed gardens and installed spectacular fountains among meadows, woodland, and lakefront property.

This is a relatively young horticultural destination, which opened in 1999 with the 13,500 square foot Robert Lee Stowe Visitor Pavilion. Individuals and groups can reserve spacious rooms for weddings, luncheons, and corporate events. Stop by The Garden Store for a book, a bottle of wine, or that special botanical gift. Or perhaps you need a snack to fuel further exploration.

DSBG offers educational opportunities for adults and children throughout the year. “Holidays at the Garden” is a magical event for everyone. For information regarding hours, event planning, special displays, and classes, contact www.DSBG.org.

The Orchid Conservatory

Orchids at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden.

Not far from the Pavilion, inside The Orchid Conservatory (2008), a photographer snapped pre-wedding photographs of the bride-to-be. Behind her, water splashed down the stone wall, and orchids bloomed and scented the air. Perfect setting!

Several tables and chairs outside on the patio invite visitors to recharge in the winter sunshine. Visitors may picnic anywhere in Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, amid birdsong and seasonal color.

Activities centered on orchids—the show, educational presentations, and the sale—take place during the first three months of the year. A schedule of events can be found on the website.

I cannot provide the botanical names of the orchids, but will supply photographs…

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, air plants

Many species and varieties of Tillandsia, or air plants, growing in the orchid house.

Theme Gardens

Fountain in Ragan Canal Garden.

New features continue to add to the garden’s vision of instilling an appreciation of nature. In Lost Hollow: The Kimbrell Children’s Garden (2014), children “of all ages” play and create adventures. They can indulge an active imagination among the trees and trails, the Moonkeep, an amphitheater, and around the sunken pond. So cute, the children’s smiles.

Be sure to bring the camera, as there are delights at every step. Paved walkways and forest paths direct visitors from one garden room to the next. There’s the Nellie Rhyne Stowe White Garden, the Cottage Garden, and a Four Seasons Garden. Follow the 100-yard-long water feature in the Ragan Canal Garden to the great water fountain at the end.

Beyond the fountain is the Piedmont Prairie Garden (2018). Here are native grasses, perennials, and other plants that lived in this area 200 years ago. The Magnolia Allée, more water features, and the Conifer Garden stretch into the distance, approaching Lake Wylie.

sculpture by Gary Lee Price at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

Gary Lee Price sculpture, “Child of Peace”, in a bed of crape myrtles and dwarf mondo grass.

The Carolina Thread Trail

From the Persimmon Trail, off the parking lot, you can connect with the Carolina Thread Trail, maintained by the Catawba Lands Conservancy. Part of this path follows the edge of Lake Wylie.

The Carolina Thread Trail consists of 260 miles of public and private properties that connect people and communities over 15,000 acres of protected Southern Piedmont terrain. The master plan calls for including more than 1600 miles of trails and blueways.

Stickwork by Patrick Dougherty

brochure, Patrick Dougherty stickwork at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

DSBG’s brochure, Patrick Dougherty’s Stickwork.

Take a look at the photographs, hanging in the Pavilion, of the fascinating work by North Carolina resident, Patrick Dougherty.

His work is commissioned all around the world, and one of his larger-than-life sapling sculptures stands on the grounds of DSBG. Walk through the Pavilion, exit the back door, then turn right. “The Magnificent Seven”, seven huge woven urns, complete with fenestration, dominates the vista beyond the pergola. I don’t know how long it will last.

Typical for gardeners, two acquaintances and I speculated whether the twigs might root in the ground and leaf out in spring. We looked for willow stems, which could root. “Oh, look…do those buds look like they’re swelling to you?” Alas, I couldn’t squeeze just one more picture out of the camera…not one.

Near Lost Hollow, a sinuous bundle of sticks snakes its way through the trees, passing under a small bridge. Not only does this sculpture (done by DSBG, I assume) provide a quirky element on the daffodil-dotted slope, but it also holds back topsoil and leafy mulch that could erode downhill. Plus, birds, insects, and other critters might find refuge there during winter months. This can be done by anyone, maybe on a smaller scale, and would be a great fall or winter project.

Information

The DSBG website lists all coming events and details, and the fee schedule for admission to the garden.

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

6500 S. New Hope Rd., Belmont NC 28012

704 825-4490

: Vanilla, the second most expensive spice.

: Variegated vanilla orchid.

Return to the top

Daffodils and Birdsong: The Signs of Spring

Feb10

2020

cherry trees and daffodils for early spring color

These cherry trees started blooming in January.

Warming Up: The First Daffodils

Early Daffodils

Around the corner, white daffodils bloomed incredibly early—on New Year’s Day! A neighbor’s hellebore, or Lenten rose, was in full flower at the same time, and the local cherry trees (photo, above) have been covered in pink for weeks starting in January. Forsythias are beginning to flower, and the bulbs are coming up thick and healthy after all this rain.

Daffodils in February, Cane Creek Park, Waxhaw NC.

At some point in the early months of the year, seasonal signals indicate the coming of warmer weather to this USDA zone 7b (borderline 8a) area. Flowers popped open this morning that weren’t there yesterday. The grass is greener. Songbirds are more vocal than they were last month. And on blueberries and other shrubs, leaf and flower buds are plumping up, preparing to push those bud scales aside. Mother Nature puts on quite a show in spring, my favorite season.

Maybe there are other indicators that you look for in your landscape. First snake sighting? Migrating birds flying north? Moths flitting around the porch light at night?

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (the National Weather Service) predicts a greater chance for above normal temperatures over the next 3 months (spring, 2020). This prediction is for the southwest U.S., across the south, and partway up the Atlantic coast. Northern Alaska has a high probability of higher than normal temperatures. Check NOAA’s map for your region’s long-term temperature and precipitation forecasts.

Wood hyacinth, Hyacinthoides hispanica, in January.

Punxsutawney Phil

A woodchuck.

This year, Punxsutawney Phil, the prognosticating rodent, concurred with NOAA’s forecast, calling for an early spring. Phil would be wise to check with NOAA every year before making his Groundhog Day predictions; his accuracy is below 40%. And there are only 2 possibilities: shadow, no shadow!

This tradition, celebrated in the United States and Canada, dates back to 1887, and is a fun, although not terribly accurate, test that helps build anticipation for spring.

Phil is one of several groundhogs, or woodchucks, around the country called upon to presage the coming weather. After being awakened at dawn on February 2, if he does not cast a shadow, the tradition dictates, spring will come early. The alternative is six more weeks of winter. Well…six weeks from Groundhog Day falls in mid-March. So, mid-March (“six more weeks of winter”) and early spring, as I see it, are the same thing. I guess you’d have to define “early”.

**What? Snow?!**

Squirrel takes all.

For a couple of hours on Saturday, I was mesmerized by a wet snow. We haven’t had any snow here this winter, and I just love to watch it. I also have to go outside and feel it. Then a beautiful Cooper’s hawk came for a visit. The question is…would he swoop down for one of the birds at our back yard bird feeder?

Earlier, I put outside a spoonful of peanut butter, suet, more seed, and whatever we had collected in the “bird cup”. This container sits on the kitchen counter, and is where we put crumbs, withered blueberries, strawberry tops, older peanuts, and anything else that might interest the birds. These morsels go into the box (photo, right) near the bird feeder, and the birds share this bounty with squirrels and various marauders in the night.

I didn’t cover the emerging bulbs to protect them from snow. Daffodils, hyacinths, and wood hyacinths get through this time of the year just fine with no help from me.

The Birds are Changing Their Tune

A male northern cardinal.

The local birds recently have been singing in what I call “the key of procreation”. When the birds change their tune, spring isn’t far behind. There’s something almost magical about birdsong at this time of the year. I love to hear it.

Northern cardinals, Carolina wrens, tufted titmice…they all have spring calls that are distinctly different from chirps and melodies sung later. These calls help unite young breeding pairs and reunite mated partners after a separation.

The hawk showed up, though, and everything suddenly went very quiet. He sat in the trees for two hours, his plumage camouflaged by the browns and grays of tree trunks and branches. But he did not make an attempt to catch lunch on the fly.

There are plenty of hiding places for the birds, and they were aware of the hawk’s presence. Birds warn each other of this kind of threat by issuing alarm chirps.

Daffodils and Deer

Some of the yellow daffodils on the berm are beginning to bloom, although recent wind (a tornado, actually) laid them nearly flat to the ground. I planted these bulbs several years ago, and it’s always a pleasure to see their green shoots emerge in January or February. But this winter, they began rising in late December.

Deer resting among the untouched daffodils.

Deer regularly pass by them as they travel the berm, but they never eat them. All parts of daffodils are poisonous to warm-blooded animals. But bees and other pollinators looking for pollen and nectar when not much is available appreciate the early blooming bulbs, brassicas, and fruit trees.

The bulbs’ foliage is the only ground-level greenery in that area for now. It’s a small thrill to see these bulbs thriving up there, and a bigger one watching the deer walk around them! (***Update***: Several deer rested all morning on the berm, among the blooming daffodils. They sniffed but didn’t eat the flowers. Feb. 14, 2020.)

If deer have eaten every one of your cherished tulips, you’ll have greater success with daffodils.

The Edibles

Miniature broccoli ‘Aspabroc’.

We had a very mild winter. True—it’s not over. But I covered the broccoli, the kale, and the green onions on only a few nights. Although these plants can tolerate temperatures into the teens, I prefer to protect them below 25°F. This keeps their foliage in great shape. And the green onions would be very difficult to pull from frozen soil!

The microclimate created by the corner between the house and the shed keeps the deck a few degrees warmer than out in the open. Maybe there’s a sunny corner where you can tuck in a few pots of winter greens. Or you might be able to dig a small garden next to a south-facing brick wall.

It won’t be long before you’ll see small pots of hardy cool season greens showing up at the garden center. You can get a head start and plant seeds indoors now for many of these plants.

Mustard greens from last year’s spring garden volunteered in the front garden by mid-summer. The Italian parsley is growing large, and, recently, I picked a few substantial stems of ‘Aspabroc’ miniature broccoli for dinner. The ‘Arcadia’ broccoli heads were harvested in December, but side shoots will provide additional harvests for the next 2 or 3 months. Broccoli leaves are edible, too, and highly nutritious.

Frequent heavy rainstorms washed away much of the soil’s fertility, so I fertilized the pots a few times through the winter. Without it, the broccoli heads would have been much smaller and the greens…well, less green. When the temperatures were more moderate, I used SeaPlus (seaweed and fish emulsion). In cooler soil, though, when microorganisms aren’t active, a soluble synthetic fertilizer works better. Microbes break down the nutrients in organic fertilizers and make them available to plant roots, but they’re dormant in cold soil.

: Side shoots forming on broccoli ‘Arcadia’.

: Mustard greens ‘Florida Broadleaf’.

: Dinosaur (‘Lacinato’ or ‘Toscano’) kale.

: Green onions, with a few more sets to be planted.

A Few Simple Chores In the Garden

As you make your rounds through the garden, note the chores that need to be done. Maybe the mulch needs a refresh by simply turning it over with a garden rake. Are chickweed and other winter-germinating weeds about to go to seed? Don’t let them! Just one seedpod can turn into dozens of weeds next year.

Yellowed leaves caused by shade.

A thick blanket of last year’s fallen leaves will block light from the daffodils and hyacinths emerging from the ground. Although the shaded spears look yellowed now, they’ll quickly green up when exposed to sunlight. Take some of the leaves to the compost pile, or to the brush pile where insects and other animals find refuge in inclement weather.

Have you noticed the first bulbs emerging from your lasagna pot (photo, above)? Be sure to water them if they’ve been under cover, and give them sunlight to green up etiolated foliage. Gardeners in colder climates still need to protect the pots from alternate freezing and thawing, which could kill the bulbs. Their roots don’t have the benefit of insulation provided by the mass of soil around them, as do bulbs planted in the garden.

: Potted green onions.

: Iberis with flower buds.

: Astilbe sprouting in a pot.

: ‘Kopper Kettle’ Itoh peony.

: Bridal Veil spirea.

: ‘Monstrueux de Viroflay’ spinach seedlings.

Even though it’s still chilly, these stirrings in our gardens point to nature’s own impatience to get the show on the road. So, bundle up, and take the kids, the dog, or your thermos to the garden. For me, the thought of going out in the cold is worse than actually being there. Besides, if you stay indoors, you could miss the first act!

Return to the top

Potted Bulbs: Tips For Planting A Lasagna Pot

Nov26

“Good things come to those who wait.”

Everyone has heard this saying. Gardeners who plant spring-flowering bulbs in their gardens must necessarily agree. We’re a patient lot, and expect to wait for apples, for tomatoes, for fat mounds of ‘Great Expectations’ hosta. And we wait for spring.

We wait…and we watch. In fact, both of those words derive from the Anglo-French waiter, to watch over, and the earlier Old High German wahta, to watch.

Snowdrops (Galanthus).

And then, one day in January or February, maybe March where you live, the first of the early snowdrops’ nodding bells dare to defy ankle high snow. With the next break in the weather, snow crocuses reveal their sprightly blooms, followed by bold spears of early daffodils. When their cheery yellow trumpets open, they demand attention, proclaiming to the world, “We’re here!”

Yellow daffodils in the garden.

Daffodils bring life to a chilly landscape, and, at the same time, they assure us that spring is either here or near. Their warm colors—various shades of yellow, orange, salmon and peach—are a psychological cup of hot chocolate. But I also love the white and pink varieties. Fragrant ‘Bell Song’ is a favorite, with a light pink cup and white outer petals. ‘Mount Hood’ is a substantial and long-lasting variety, first creamy, then mostly white.

But, if digging in cold soil is not your cup of tea, perhaps another option will interest you. This alternative can be accomplished in the kitchen or the garage. Or on the back porch. And it won’t take long to do.

Potted Bulbs—The “Lasagna Pot”

This project involves growing spring-flowering bulbs in pots, planted close together. Blooms open in late winter, in some areas, and continue to please for weeks, or even months, afterward. Often called lasagna pots, they’re simply generously sized pots filled with layers of bulbs.

Because we don’t intend to keep the bulbs in the pots from year to year, it’s perfectly acceptable to space them so they’re almost touching. That’s how we get the most flowers. We do, however, want to place them close to the proper depth. Growth emerging from the bulbs is narrow and pointed, and it will easily find its way through the bulbs above them.

Suggestions For Types Of Bulbs To Use

Spring-flowering bulbs can be classified based on timing of bloom. Early, mid, and late spring bulbs keep the flowers coming for a long season of color. Snowdrops and snow crocuses are early, and larger Dutch crocuses bloom in early to mid spring. Hyacinth’s blooms scent the air in mid spring, followed by grape hyacinths, which continue to late spring. Many thousands of kinds of daffodils and tulips bloom early, mid, or late season, depending on variety.

Puschkinia libanotica, a spreader.

Don’t overlook the minor bulbs or unusual varieties. It’s always fun to try something new. Check out Allium, Chionodoxa, Ipheion, Ornithogalum, Puschkinia, and Scilla. They’ll add another dimension at less cost than the same number of tulips, hyacinths, or daffodils. And, due to their small size, you plant them only a few inches deep.

See what the garden center is stocking this year, or consider the vast offerings from mail order sources. Keep in mind that the longer the bulbs stay at comfortable shopper-friendly temperatures in the stores, the more they dry up. So, purchase them soon after they become available in autumn, and keep them cool (under 50°F), but not freezing, until you plant them. Feel the bulbs, choosing those that are plump and firm.

Perfect Timing…Or Not

You can orchestrate a perfectly sequential roll-out of flowers, timed so three of these will follow or coincide with 5 of those. Looks good on paper…but in real life, potted bulbs respond, more or less, to their own internal clocks.

Don’t obsess over the timing. Use catalog descriptions as somewhat vague guidelines. Just enjoy the process, the anticipation, the flowers.

The Process

The Pot

First choose a pot. The larger it is, the more bulbs will fit. It should be deep enough to accommodate large tulips or daffodils, which will be planted about 8″ below the soil surface. Plan on about an inch between the top of the soil and the pot’s rim.

Look for pots that are frost resistant, or use plastic pots. The pot needs to have a drainage hole.

I chose a decorative clay pot, 12″ wide and deep. And there’s algae growing on the sides, adding a rustic element.

Two 10″ or 12″ plastic pots that fit into your ceramic pots by the front door can be planted now, and kept cool over the winter. When they begin to sprout, simply slip them into the pretty pots. Add preserved moss, colorful twigs, and a few pine cones to the inserts for a finished look. In late winter, you can add small violas, if there’s room, for more color. They’ll take the cold weather, up to zone 5 on the USDA plant hardiness zone map.

Polyester Fiberfill

Polyester fiberfill.

Use a small handful of this synthetic fluffy material to cover the drainage hole. Water will drain through it, but the soil will stay inside the pot. I use it for all potted plants to prevent erosion, from 2″ clay pots for dwarf succulents up to the largest pots.

Another advantage is that polyester fiberfill prevents ants, earthworms, sowbugs, and other critters from crawling inside the pot through the drainage hole. Because it doesn’t rot, it can be used again. You’ll find it at any hobby or craft store.

I never add rocks or gravel in the bottom of the pots.

Potting Soil

Potting soil with a high percentage of pine fines can be mixed with a more peaty soil.

Use fresh potting soil that drains well. Mix in pine fines or coarse sand if your soil is heavily composted and stays wet. Avoid using any kind of manure near the bulbs.

Add a few inches of soil to the bottom of the pot, and lightly firm it in. This is where the first of the bulbs will be planted, so measure the depth.

Not sure how deep to plant them? If in doubt, plant so the bottom of the bulb will be as deep in the soil as three times the height of the bulb. The small minor bulbs can be planted four or five times their height. But don’t stress over it; there’s some wiggle room when planting bulbs.

Headings

Page 1: “Good things come to those who wait.”, Potted Bulbs—The “Lasagna” Pot, Suggestions For Types Of Bulbs To Use (Perfect Timing…Or Not), and The Process (The Pot, Polyester Fiberfill, Potting Soil)

Page 2: Planting the Bulbs (Narcissus ‘Ice Follies’, N. ‘Pipit’, N. ‘Tête-à-Tête’, Brodiaea ‘Queen Fabiola’, Muscari ‘Dark Eyes’, and Crocus ‘Yellow Mammoth’), Mulch and Water, Caring for the Potted Bulbs, How Cold?, Can We Grow the Potted Bulbs Again?, and Update: Here’s How the Lasagna Pot Did This Spring

Return to the top

Pages: 1 2

A Passion For The Gulf Fritillary Butterfly

Oct26

2019

Updated 9/12/2024

The Gulf Fritillary Butterfly

Female gulf fritillary butterfly.

At the Hendersonville Garden Jubilee in May, I bought a small Passiflora vine as a gesture of support for Bee City USA. One third of the food we eat and 80% to 90% of all flowering plants rely on pollinators to set fruit and, therefore, to reproduce.

Bees are efficient pollinators, but other insects and animals, including butterflies, beetles, moths, bats, and hummingbirds, also provide this service. This article concentrates on attracting the gulf fritillary butterfly to your garden.

Bumble bees love this passionflower vine (Passiflora).

Passiflora incarnata

Planting the passionflower vine had to be delayed until late summer, after the siding replacement had been completed. And then the plant took off!

Passionflower vine (Passiflora incarnata), also called maypop, is the primary food source for larvae of the beautiful gulf fritillary butterfly. This herbaceous perennial is native to the southeastern quadrant of the U.S., in USDA zones 5 to 9. A substantial vine, growing to 20′ in length, it blooms from late spring to late summer. Its pale purple 3″ flowers yield kiwi-size yellow-orange fruits from which you can make jams and jellies, although I haven’t tried it.

Other species of Passiflora can host larval fritillary populations, but some are toxic and will kill the caterpillars. So, choose carefully! Usually, the female senses chemicals with her antennae and determines suitability of a particular plant for oviposition (depositing the eggs).

Passionflower vines also host the variegated fritillary, the Mexican fritillary, the Julia butterfly, and the zebra longwing. I was hopeful but not overly optimistic that the caterpillars would show up this late in the season. But I have since learned that caterpillar activity of the gulf fritillary ordinarily takes place in late summer.

If You Plant It, They Will Come

It wasn’t long before the vine had wrapped its tendrils around the coleus and the Salvia coccinea planted only 2′ away.

I saw the bright orange butterflies a few times this summer, flying around the gardens. But now they visited the vine almost every day to lay eggs, and then the nearby hanging basket of flowers to sip nectar. Adults feed only on nectar, including flowers of lantana, zinnia, Buddleia (butterfly bush), salvia, and Liatris.

Hanging basket with zinnias and calibrachoa.

Soon, holes appeared in the leaves…already?…and then bigger holes. Success! Long gone are the days when I would have implemented measures to “remedy” this behavior.

Caterpillar of gulf fritillary butterfly.

Close inspection revealed several orange caterpillars with purplish stripes and black bristly projections. Then more appeared, wave after wave, as the older ones matured and crawled away to pupate. I would not have thought that a plant this small could sustain more than 40 caterpillars over a few short months. But it did, although some chrysalises have succumbed to a fungal disease. Recently I noticed more small caterpillars, even though we’ve already had a light frost.

Thank goodness, I thought, because this Charlotte NC garden isn’t large enough for this vigorous vine. These caterpillars and their voracious appetites help keep this young plant in bounds. The plan is to dig it up and to transplant it to a bigger garden when I move. All of it will be removed, or it will take over the neighbors’ gardens as well. The vines had no trouble growing under the sidewalk and emerging several feet on the other side.

***Update***: Since planting the passionflower vine (in northwest NC) at the edge of the woods almost 3 years ago, it has spread to cover the ground 20′ around the trellis. In 2023, I saw several male gulf fritillary butterflies, but no females. This year, we have both males and females and plenty of flowers for the pollinators, but no caterpillars yet. Rocky clay soil and mowing confine the spread of the vines. 9/12/2024

Life Cycle of the Gulf Fritillary Butterfly

Gulf fritillary butterfly on lantana.

Gulf fritillaries (Agraulis vanillae) are commonly found in open sunny habitat, grasslands, woodlands, fields, and in gardens. These subtropical butterflies range from Texas to Florida and migrate north from Missouri to Delaware. This butterfly is also found in Central America and in Hawaii.

The gulf fritillary and the zebra butterflies belong to a group called the longwings (Heliconiinae). Larvae of both species feed on passionflower vines. Although the gulf fritillary resembles other fritillaries, it is, in fact one of the longwings. Other fritillary larvae (meadow and great spangled) feed on wild violets.

Predators avoid longwing butterflies due to several odorous chemicals produced in abdominal glands. Passionflowers contain poisons (alkaloids, cyanogenic glycosides), which are picked up by the caterpillars as they feed on the leaves. These chemicals make them distasteful to birds and other animals, but less so in the gulf fritillary.

After mating and consuming protein-rich pollen for several days, the female butterflies lay eggs on passionflower vines. This caterpillar prefers mature foliage, if it is plentiful, leaving other butterfly caterpillars to feed on the young leaves at the tips. I’ve read conflicting information, which states their preference for the young growth tips of the vines. There, the plant doesn’t produce nectaries on its foliage, which attract ants that defend the plant from butterflies and larvae.

Adults measure about 2½” to 3½” wide, with females being larger and a bit darker than the males. Females also have more pronounced markings, and both have white spots on the undersides of their wings.

Eggs and Larvae

: Buterfly egg attached to tendril of the vine.

: Gulf fritillary butterfly larva.

Eggs are yellow when first laid. They hatch in 3 to 8 days, depending on temperature.

The caterpillar feeds on foliage and molts 4 or 5 times over the next 11 to 20 days. Then it crawls to a suitable point of attachment for its chrysalis.

Pupae of the Gulf Fritillary Butterfly

For 5 to 12 days, according to the websites I read, the caterpillar pupates. But the chrysalis by the front door has been hanging around for at least 2 weeks. It is alive; it reacts when I nudge it. A small sign just under the doorbell, where the pupa resides, requests “Please Do Not Disturb.”

The small chrysalis, at only 1 1/8″ in length, could easily be mistaken for leafy debris. But hanging on the door trim or on the shutters, it becomes conspicuous. In fact, the first chrysalis I saw, also on the door trim, had been partially eaten, probably by a resident lizard. Although I’m tempted to move them to the shrubs to “save” them, it’s better to let nature decide. If this were a rare species, I might think differently. (***Update***: Well, someone dined on this chrysalis, too! 11/2019.)

: Typical J-shaped caterpillar about to form chrysalis.

: Fully formed chrysalis.

Mature Butterflies

Adults typically live for a few to several weeks in warm weather, and longer in cooler temperatures. This butterfly prefers warmer regions, and dies when it gets close to 20°F.

The gulf fritillary butterfly can produce several generations per year in warm winter zones.

Gulf fritillary butterfly, Lake Lure Flowering Bridge.

Typical Butterfly Life Cycle

The typical life cycle of a butterfly:

starts as an egg,
which hatches into a caterpillar (the larval stage),
which pupates in the chrysalis (the pupal stage), undergoing metamorphosis,
and then emerges as the adult butterfly.

The gulf fritillary overwinters in cooler zones as adults. Do them a big favor and build a brush pile where they can find shelter in cold and inclement weather. Simply stack piles of twigs, branches, straw, and weeds, and let fallen leaves blow in. Birds, insects, and other creatures will appreciate this kind gesture. And you’ll get some compost out of it.

I give the results of this small experiment Four Stars, an A+. As I mentioned earlier, I was pleasantly surprised by how readily the butterflies found the passionflower vine, and by the number of caterpillars feeding from it. If you’ve been considering what to plant to attract pollinators or pretty butterflies, you won’t go wrong with this one. Just give it time and some space!

passion flower vine eaten by caterpillars

What remains of the Passiflora. Good job, caterpillars!

Return to the top

Impatiens ‘Imara’: Welcome Back!

Aug4

Good news for shade gardeners:

A new impatiens variety called ‘Imara’, at a local nursery, 2020.

‘Imara’ Impatiens

After trials that tested five thousand seedling impatiens plants, Syngenta Flowers has come up with a new variety called ‘Imara’™ XDR (Extra Disease Resistance). Joost Kos, Syngenta’s head of Research and Development, and Ton Groot, Senior Flower Breeder, spent 9 years developing this strain. In 2011, they found one plant that demonstrated very high resistance to impatiens downy mildew. And this plant was the basis for the breeding program that came up with ‘Imara’.

This disease, caused by the pathogen Plasmopara obducens, rendered our beloved Impatiens walleriana into a leafless pile of withering stems. And this wasn’t just a local affliction. It happened across broad swaths of the country and around the world.

In 2011, I grew the variegated ‘Seashells’ impatiens, with soft creamy margins on the leaf edges. Over several weeks, the once-beautiful salmon flowering plants continued to decline. No matter what I did, I couldn’t save them from the fate that was the destiny for almost all impatiens. Soon, greenhouses stopped offering this species for sale.

Impatiens walleriana is a compact seed-grown annual, named in honor of British missionary Horace Waller (1833-1896). The species originated in eastern Africa. ‘Imara’ comes from the Swahili word for “strength and resilience”. Popular in the landscape, impatiens carpeted shady plantings around the world in residential gardens to massive displays in commercial settings and botanical gardens. The plant has been sorely missed. Wholesale growers and retailers felt the pinch when they lost their #1 shade annual.

New Guinea impatiens (I. hawkeri) is a bolder, larger grower and just wasn’t an adequate substitute for our little favorite. And this species costs more because most nursery plants have been vegetatively propagated.

More Impatiens Breeding

In the past few years, newer inter-specific hybrids made it to garden centers. ‘Bounce’ (Selecta Seeds) and ‘Divine’ (Pan American Seeds) were available, but we were hoping to see our old friends again. These two varieties still resembled New Guinea impatiens, with their larger leaves and taller habit.

Pan American Seeds has another new cultivar called ‘Beacon’. This variety shows “high resistance” to IDM, according to The International Seed Federation. But only side-by-side testing between ‘Imara’ and ‘Beacon’ will determine which one performs better in any particular setting.

A Welcome Comeback

In June of 2018 and this year, seeds of ‘Imara’ became available in limited markets. Believe me, the breeder and their licensed propagators are working feverishly to bring enough seed to market. Talk with the growers at your favorite garden center to see if they might stock it. And request this plant by variety name.

Impatiens (always with an “s”, singular or plural) is eaten by deer and rabbits, so take precaution. Sprinkle some blood meal among the plants, or spray with repellents. Regardless, many gardeners will be using ‘Imara’ in their summer garden beds and in planters next year.

‘Imara’ is currently available in these colors: red, rose, pink, white, orange, orange with a white star, salmon shades, violet, and a mixture. New colors certainly will follow. So, make plans now to invite your old friends back to the shady garden. This is a comeback that all gardeners will welcome!

‘Imara’ is now available in pink.

Return to the top

Return To The Lake Lure Flowering Bridge

Jul15

2019

Updated 10/28/2024

An Early Summer Visit To The Lake Lure Flowering Bridge

“Petunia’s Hideout”

On Wednesday, I headed once again for the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge, hoping to find respite from this prolonged period of high humidity and temperatures in the mid 90’s. Yes, I could retreat to the air conditioned confines indoors. But that’s too close to the refrigerator. As usual…the mountains!

The first thing I noticed upon arrival was the missing huge maple (photo, right) at the end of the parking lot. It had a great rotten hollow at the base and was taken down as a precaution. It didn’t take long for someone to put a green roof on the stump and to invite The Bear to reside in the cozy void.

Another thing I noticed was that it wasn’t much cooler here than in Charlotte. Lake Lure sits at 1,000′ elevation, so I expected it to be a bit cooler. Regardless of the temperature, I needed pictures.

The New Information Station

The information station was stocked with all sorts of maps, diagrams, and mailboxes brimming with brochures since my last trip here. At that time, only the frame had been built. The volunteers at The Lake Lure Flowering Bridge do an excellent job informing the public.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re an avid gardener or a beginner; the flowering bridge is simply a wonderful place to enjoy plants or to walk through on your way to the lake or to lunch in Chimney Rock, just up the road half a mile or so. I met two friendly ladies here, in the shade—a volunteer who plants herbs in the garden and a visitor enjoying a private tour.

: Information printouts.

: Butterflies.

: Birds.

: Bees.

: The information station.

: A map of the gardens.

Daylilies Galore At the Flowering Bridge

I don’t recall ever seeing as many beautiful daylily hybrids (Hemerocallis) on the flowering bridge. Some flowers were enormous! (Missing were cultivar identification tags. Next time, I’ll look more closely.) These perennials have sturdy flower scapes, and some have high bud counts.

Although each flower lasts only a day, you can see from the photograph of the double orange daylily that many buds have yet to open, and several scapes grow on each plant.

Peak Bloom at The Lake Lure Flowering Bridge

True blue balloon flowers (Platycodon grandiflorus) and their round buds invite inspection. Pink and white cultivars also are available, and dwarf types, such as ‘Sentimental Blue’.

Several varieties of hydrangeas boldly proclaimed their presence throughout the garden. Those with cone-shaped inflorescences, Hydrangea paniculata, include ‘Pinky Winky’, ‘Strawberry Vanilla’, and the popular ‘Limelight’. A few smaller mopheads (H. macrophylla) also grow on the flowering bridge.

Crocosmia, grown from bulbs native to South Africa, was in full golden bloom. Crocosmia, sometimes called montbretia, is hardy in zones 5 to 9 and is a member of the iris family (Iridaceae).

Dwarf butterfly bush, Buddleia davidii ‘Pugster Blue’, has strong stems and grows only about 2′ tall. It’s hardy to zone 5, growing in full sun and well-drained soil. Other colors are available in this series of small butterfly bushes. Most of these perennials were humming with pollinators—bees, wasps, moths, and butterflies.

: Dwarf butterfly bush ‘Pugster Blue’.

: Crocosmia.

: Hydrangea ‘Limelight’.

: Balloon flower.

Roses

The roses were in full bloom, and some had wonderful fragrance.

Hibiscus

Growing to about 4′ in height, Hibiscus ‘Starry Starry Night’ is a stunner with flowers up to 8″ across! They appear from midsummer to fall. Leaves are dark burgundy-black, with the deepest color in full sun. This one likes moist, well-drained soil, as most hibiscus plants do.

Hardy hibiscus grows in zones 4 to 9, and stems die to the ground in the colder zones. Apply a few inches of mulch under young plants before winter. Hibiscus is native to North America and is said to be deer resistant, but…

: H. ‘Starry Starry Night’.

More Native Perennials At the Flowering Bridge

goldenrod, buddleia at lake lure flowering bridge

Early goldenrod next to the dwarf butterfly bush.

Goldenrods (Solidago) were just beginning to open in the flowering bridge garden, and will continue all summer. Their bright yellow flowers and those of the ‘Pugster Blue’ butterfly bush played well off each other, a nice combination.

Stokesia laevis, native to the southern U.S., likes acidic soil and remains evergreen in warmer regions. It tolerates drought when well established. Stokes aster grows to 2′ tall and blooms over a long period of time, in full sun.

Tickseed (Coreopsis), with its canary yellow flowers and finely textured foliage is always so pretty. When choosing coreopsis varieties for your garden, check their hardiness zones. Some do not tolerate frost. But, among the annual tickseeds, breeding efforts have come up with some spectacular new colors. The family Asteraceae includes around 80 species of coreopsis, all native to the Americas.

Stately clumps of billowing garden phlox (family Polemoniaceae) showed off their peak bloom. Bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators are attracted to these plants. Most of the 67 species are native to North America.

Mountain mint (Pycnanthemum muticum), zones 4 to 8, spreads rather invasively by rhizomes. This plant is a member of the Lamiaceae family, along with many other herbs. Its small pink flowers sit above silvery bracts. This plant can be used to make a mild tea. Kind of understated with its unusual flowers, but a strong pollinator magnet.

Black-Eyed Susan

The widely adaptable black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia fulgida var. fugida, was in top form. Among my favorites of the hardy Rudbeckias, this variety is perfect for meadow, prairie, mass plantings, or clustered among the shrubs. Use it to highlight a garden around a lamp post or off the patio. And they’re well-suited in combination with ornamental grasses.

Deer are not especially fond of this variety, but they might take a bite now and then. They came in for seconds in the Maryland garden. Give them full sun or sun for 2/3 of the day and well-drained soil that doesn’t stay wet. The best thing about “Ruff” is its incredibly long bloom period. Although it begins flowering a short time after Rudbeckia ‘Goldsturm’, it blooms until frost, weeks longer than ‘Goldsturm’. Deadheading helps maintain the display.

: Coreopsis, one of the tickseeds.

: Stokesia.

: Mountain mint, Pycnanthemum, an invasive spreader.

: White and purple coneflowers, Echinacea purpurea cultivars.

: Garden phlox.

: Rudbeckia fulgida var. fulgida.

Annuals

Zinnia, lantana and ‘Bat Face’ Cuphea attracted pollinating insects. Although they will die with autumn frost, annuals give us the opportunity to plant different varieties each year. And they flower all summer. Although some varieties of lantana perennialize in zone 7, they’re usually planted only for the current season’s flowers. Coleus, grown for its colorful foliage, is another heat-tolerant annual.

Elephant ears (Colocasia) produce large tropical leaves from underground tubers. This garden had both the black and the green-and-black-mottled varieties. They’re perennial in warmer sections of zone 7, but I don’t know if they survive the winter in Lake Lure. Because cold winter air passes under the bridge, the soil is not as well insulated from temperature extremes as is garden soil.

: Cuphea ‘Bat Face’.

: California poppy, Eschscholzia californica.

: Lantana, next to the hot sidewalk.

: Zinnia with a silver-spotted skipper butterfly.

: Coleus echoes color in a red Hibiscus.

: Colocasia.

Styrax

Styrax japonica seedpods.

A Japanese snowbell (Styrax japonica) that had been growing for 25 years in the Maryland garden was cut down by the family who bought the house from me. I loved that tree for it fragrant pendulous white flowers and for the umbrella-shaped canopy. It’s a great tree for shading a sunny patio. C’est la vie.

That tree in Maryland seeded heavily, but there never were many seedlings popping up in the bed below it. I did, however, gather a few, germinated them, and then brought them with me to North Carolina, where the grounds maintenance crew whisked them away with the loropetalum trimmings…

This species of styrax has many ornamental features in addition to the flowers and habit—the fruits will split open later in the season, revealing shiny brown seeds. The leaves and twigs are fine in texture, and it has a pleasing horizontal branching pattern. A perfect small tree!

Osmanthus

False holly, Osmanthus heterophyllus ‘Goshiki’.

Osmanthus heterophyllus ‘Goshiki’ has variegated leaves, with some pink at the tips of the stems. ‘Goshiki’ means “5 colors”—white, creamy yellow, gold, pink, and green—for the different hues that appear in the somewhat spiny leaves.

Plant in full sun, or in morning sun in hot zones, and in moist soil. Strong, hot sun will burn the tender new foliage or the white parts of the leaves.

This Asian native is hardy in zones 6 to 9. Use it in mass plantings or as a specimen, in borders or in a bright woodland setting. Small flowers are fragrant. This compact evergreen grows 5′ to 7′ tall.

Peanut Butter Tree

clerodendrum trichotomum at lake lure flowering bridge

Clerodendrum trichotomum, the Harlequin Glorybower.

What?! Yes, apparently, crushed leaves from this suckering tree from eastern Asia smell like peanut butter. Clerodendrum trichotomum (family Lamiaceae), more commonly called Harlequin Glorybower, grows in zones 7 to 10, and reaches 10′ to 20′ tall, and wider than that.

Hummingbirds and butterflies sip nectar from its flowers, which appear most of the summer. This large-leaved tree makes a bold statement in the landscape.

But If There’s Work To Do

A simple screen or workshop like this one can be constructed to hide the works of the garden—the compost pile, tools, and stacks of pottery. It defines the edge of the garden, and it also can hide the neighbor’s trash cans.

Incorporating structures into a landscape adds another dimension, enriching the experience. Finally, personalize with a green roof, interesting twigs and vines, and small hanging pots that express your whimsical side.

The Twig Chair

Here’s a great place to rest after the day’s transplanting and weeding, surrounded by peace and beauty. With iced tea, some magazines, and the family dog for company, it’s a great way to spend a summer afternoon. All that’s missing is the “Please do not disturb” sign.

Every time I visit the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge, something new is in bloom, or one of the sections has been completely replanted. It’s only about an hour and a half from Charlotte, and there are plenty of restaurants and mom-and-pop shops to make this area a delightful way to spend the day.

Bring the kids; a Merry-Go-Round and other children’s activities are only a mile away in the Village of Chimney Rock. There are lots of reasons for returning to the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge over and over again!

: Sit…relax…observe.

: Granite outcrops around Lake Lure.

Hurricane Helene

This section added 10/7/2024:

***Update***: Hurricane Helene and the resulting floods and landslides scoured the western North Carolina mountains and other regions in the southern Appalachian Mountains for a few days on and after 9/27/2024. It destroyed small towns, roads, bridges, and people’s lives. Around 100 people died and many more are missing in NC alone. Heroic efforts are being made by individuals, churches, and charitable organizations to assess the damage, bring food, water, and communication to trapped families, and to begin the process of mitigating the damage and rebuilding.

Most shops and restaurants in Chimney Rock have been washed downstream to Lake Lure. From what I’ve seen in news coverage, the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge has been reduced to the only remaining feature: part of the concrete balustrade at the edge of the bridge (as in the photo at the top of this article).

Mark Huneycutt documented what he has seen, and here’s one of his videos:

I walked to Chimney Rock for answers… Hurricane Helene Aftermath – YouTube

Rescue operations request that you not venture to the area on your own, even if offering help and supplies. The ground is unstable, and you could end up being one of those needing rescue, so leave it to the professionals. Ask them if you can help.

Please, generously donate money and requested goods to legitimate rescue operations. I donated to Samaritan’s Purse and will forward a portion of my proceeds earned at the farmers’ markets. Samaritan’s Purse, headquartered in the area, has tractor trailers, machinery, supplies, and an army of dedicated volunteers. They are doing a fantastic job, so please help them in their efforts. Thank you.

Added 10/28/2024:

This video demonstrates hope, determination, and generosity in the face of a devastating life-changing event. I also have donated to hurricanehelenewnc.com from my revenues at Wellspring Gardens (Elkin NC farmers’ market):

Asheville is Worse than We Realized – Can They Rebuild?

Thank you again.

Return to the top

Annuals That Tolerate Heat, and Garden Tips

Jul3

2019

Annuals That Can Take the Heat

Happy 4th Of July!

Well, it looks as though the heat is on, as we celebrate our nation’s 243rd birthday. And summer just got started! Enjoy your Independence Day barbecues with family and friends, but don’t neglect the garden annuals and other potted plants. They’re going to need more frequent watering at these temperatures.

Here are some things we can do to mitigate problems that come with extreme heat, followed by a list of heat tolerant annuals.

Mulch the Beds

Mulching the gardens will keep annuals and shrub borders looking fresh all summer. Mulch serves several purposes:

it retains moisture in the soil
the soil stays cooler without the sun beating down on it
it helps prevent weeds from germinating
mulch helps prevent soil erosion
it prevents mud and dormant disease spores from splashing onto the plants
long term, it breaks down and adds organic matter to the soil
and it looks good

If bags of mulch have been hanging around for a while, gases can build up that might damage tender young annuals. So, open the bags and let the gases escape. I recall mulching newly planted alyssum many years ago, and by the next morning, they looked as if they’d been fried!

Sometimes, termites are found in old bags of hardwood mulch. Once the contents are spread around the gardens, though, the termites probably will die from exposure or due to separation from the colony.

Types of Mulch

Pine straw under a tree.

There are many kinds of mulch available from garden centers. I’ve always liked the look of dark brown shredded hardwood mulch. On a slope, it holds better than pine bark nuggets because the fibers interlock. Large quantities of shredded hardwood used repeatedly, however, can cause manganese toxicity and it can drive up the soil’s pH. Limit the depth to only 1″ in flower gardens or 2″ around shrubs and trees.

It’s a good idea to switch to a pine bark product for a few years to avoid these imbalances. Rhododendrons, azaleas, blueberries, hollies, and other acid-loving plants prefer pine products. But, if you want to use shredded hardwood around these plants, don’t pile it on and use an acidifying fertilizer.

Grass clippings break down quickly when used as a mulch by itself or under another mulch product. They contain some nitrogen, gently released as it decomposes. Use a very thin layer around your plants because it can heat up significantly as decomposition begins. But grass clippings can carry residue from weed killers and other chemicals used on the lawn, so maybe the best thing to do is to leave them on the lawn itself.

Pine bark nuggets can last a few years, but, if you’re a tidy gardener, you’ll have to blow away or pick out fallen leaves. It’s graded according to particle size, from pine fines, to small and large nuggets. Pine straw is new to me, since moving to North Carolina, but I still prefer shredded hardwood.

Mulch should not be piled high in the garden. Two inches suffices for most applications, although pine straw is applied more thickly. Keep it away from the stems and trunks of the plants.

Tree leaves that fall in autumn make a protective layer for garden plants, although many will blow around in high wind. This is more acceptable in rural areas or where the gardens aren’t open to public view. Most homeowner associations will find this free source of natural mulch objectionable. You could use a mulching mower to chop the leaves into smaller pieces, rake them into gardens, and cover with an inch of a more attractive mulch. Earthworms and decomposition will make them disappear.

Gravel In the Garden

I’ve never used gravel as a mulch around plants, except for potted lavender or succulent dish gardens. It settles into the mud, and “gravel travels” on an incline.

In certain circumstances, such as in the desert southwest and in dry rock gardens, gravel is a good choice. Around dry stream beds and in paths, gravel and rocks add natural elements, but should be laid over landscape fabric to prevent settling into the soil. If using gravel on the surface of a walkway, look for the kind with angular rather than rounded edges; it is less likely to sink underfoot.

Landscape Fabric

I am not a fan of using landscape fabric under mulched plants. This barrier interrupts the natural decomposition that occurs where the mulch meets the soil. Without the fabric, earthworms ingest the partially decomposed material next to the soil surface, and deposit fertile castings (excrement) into lower levels of soil, improving it in the process. This is how it works in nature, accompanied by thriving populations of various microbes.

Leaves, fallen trees, and dead insects and animals contribute to a healthy environment on the forest floor as they decompose. Microbes, earthworms, rain, and freeze-thaw cycles help distribute nutrients through the soil profile.

As the mulch breaks down over the fabric, weed seeds blowing into the beds will readily germinate in this rich medium. So, most gardeners using landscape fabric will be disappointed when they see those dandelions, plantains, and weedy maple trees taking root there. Mulch, with or without landscape fabric, doesn’t entirely prevent weeds, but it will greatly reduce their numbers.

Water the Garden Beds

Marigolds planted by volunteers in Arbourgate Meadows, Charlotte NC.

Make sure the flower beds and the shrubs, especially new ones, get a deep soak now and then if rain is scarce. Unless your area receives a prolonged period of rain, passing showers will moisten only the mulch. In most soils, 1″ to 2″ of water per week ensures that deeply growing roots will get their share.

Watering a little bit every day or two will not produce deeply rooted plants. Unfortunately, shallow roots are susceptible to stress from not only dry soil but also from hot soil.

It’s always best to water early in the morning, so the foliage is dry going into the night. This lessens the likelihood of diseases infecting annuals and other plants. Some of the water applied during the heat of mid-day will be wasted because of rapid evaporation. But if you’ve forgotten, and the plants are wilting, water as soon as possible, regardless of the time of day!

For busy families, watering with soaker hoses or tubes and emitters saves time. By placing the water directly on the soil, or under the mulch, very little is lost to evaporation. These systems can be attached to a computerized control center at the faucet. Just be doubly careful, though, when digging nearby, that the spade doesn’t land on the soaker hose. But if it does, there are repair kits for that.

The kids might enjoy a sprinkler or Slip ‘n’ Slide on a hot Fourth of July, especially the ones under 35. For a softer landing on the slippery strip, water the lawn underneath it first.

About the Hose

A garden hose kept in the sun will significantly heat the water inside it. Spray it out over the grass until it’s cool enough to apply to the gardens. Water under the canopy and beyond the drip line of the plants. Watering heavily as needed will cool the soil…for a while, anyway.

Water and Potting Soil

Caladium, variegated English ivy, and ‘Prizm’ impatiens, before impatiens downy mildew came along. The new ‘Imara’ impatiens is downy mildew resistant.

The trend in gardening over the years leans toward growing annuals in pots for key areas around the yard. Gardeners also are decreasing the square footage devoted to annual garden beds.

Container gardening requires vigilance, because soil in pots generally dries faster than garden soil. Hanging baskets filled with thirsty annuals and small blooming pots on the picnic table probably will need daily watering in areas with intense summer heat. For this reason, I prefer using larger pots when possible, such as 12″ to 18″ hanging baskets.

Strawberry jars introduce verticality and a unique appearance. Look for smaller varieties of plants to fill these containers.

Adding a thin layer of mulch to potted plants has the same advantages as mulching the garden. I use 1/2″ of pine fines, and sometimes shredded hardwood.

Amendments For Annuals

Potting soil with a high percentage of coarse drainage material, such as pine fines or perlite, tends to dry quickly. The soil doesn’t hold water, due to the large air pore space between the particles. Supplementing the potting soil with compost, peat moss, fine coir, or even some clean loamy topsoil from the garden adds more particle surface area where water can cling. You don’t want to create a heavy soil, though, that doesn’t drain well enough.

Planting mix, above, with high levels of pine fines, is best used to improve garden soil. Potting soil tends to have more finely textured materials.

When I lived in Maryland, Leaf-gro was readily available to amend potting soil and garden beds. I used tons of it! It was pure, rich compost, and was the end product of all that yard debris (weeds, grass, leaves) sent to the recycling center.

An additional benefit of using garden loam is the introduction of root-friendly microbes and micro nutrients, although you might have to pull a weed now and then. I can see you shaking your finger and warning of soil pathogens and worms…yes, true. If you’re concerned, you can buy bagged products that have been pasteurized. Ask to see the contents, though. The last bag of “sandy loam” I purchased contained mostly finely ground pine bark and sawdust.

Water-holding crystals are another option for potted plants and garden beds. Read directions carefully. Don’t add dry crystals to a pot; they need to be pre-moistened. I never found them to be that effective, but these new potting soils with all those pine fines might be improved with them.

Amending After the Fact

Supplementing bagged potting soil is becoming common practice for my pots these days. For the potted tomatoes that were drying too fast, I scratched about a gallon of clay loam from the vegetable garden into the top layer of soil in each 20″ pot. With each watering, the fine particles will sift down through the pot, filling some of the pore spaces.

It seems to have worked. The tomatoes aren’t beginning to wilt by mid afternoon after watering in the morning. And, on some days, I can even skip a watering. Much better.

Fertilizing Annuals

Heat-tolerant plants growing in pots will run out of fertilizer within just 2 to 4 weeks, depending on soil quality. Frequent watering and rainstorms leach nitrogen, in particular, through the soil. And, once nitrogen levels drop too low, older leaves will turn yellow, the plant might become pale overall, and growth will slow down. Nitrogen is the macronutrient that is needed in greater quantities than any of the other nutrients.

Each plant species is different. Some need more phosphorus or iron or magnesium. Check the label for a comprehensive list of ingredients.

Many annuals are particular about soil pH; some need acidic soil, while others tolerate a higher pH. At either end of the scale, certain nutrients become unavailable to plants. Most plants, however, grow well enough over a fairly broad range. But, if you notice yellowing, consider taking a soil test and having the chemistry analyzed.

Garden centers stock many kinds of fertilizers. They’re available as soluble crystals, dry granules, liquid concentrates, and as slow-release (or timed-release) prills.

Fast growing annuals need regular applications of nutrients. Rather than a feast-or-famine regimen, put the plants on a schedule so they never show the effects of “hidden hunger”. This and other good horticultural practices will keep your plants in prime condition until the end of the season.

Slow-Release Fertilizer

At high temperatures, slow-release fertilizer is consumed faster than the label might indicate. So, a 6-month product might be depleted after 4 months at 85°. Instead of simply placing the prills on the hot soil surface in a pot, dig a few small holes between plants, add the prills, and cover them with about an inch of soil. This will keep them cooler and prevent rapid release of the fertilizer.

In gardens, slow-release fertilizer can be placed under the mulch, scattered over the root zone. A small amount is released as water percolates through the medium.

Pot Colors

As these plants grow, they will shade part of the pots’ surfaces as summer temperatures rise.

Roots growing on the sunny side of dark pots, in hot summers, can heat to the point of death. So, most plants prefer light colored pots that reflect energy from the sun. If you really want to use the new rust-brown pots by the front door, add plants that trail over the side of the pot, shading enough of it to make a difference.

Another option is to use an insert, a plastic pot that sits inside the pretty pot, with space for hot air to escape. Maybe your beautiful teal pots can be tucked under the tree near the pool and planted with shade loving annuals.

This isn’t a concern in most parts of the country, but in southern states, the plants will appreciate this detail. Choose heat tolerant annuals that are less likely to be damaged by these conditions.

Winter Pots

Conversely, in chilly winter climates, dark pots absorb the sun’s warmth, delaying freezing of the soil. Find out if your pots will tolerate frost, and make sure they drain freely. “Frost resistant” does not mean “frost proof”.

When I potted large planters for customers’ winter gardens, I included sheets of styrofoam in the shoulders and on the sides of the pot, which absorbed the soil expansion as it froze. Pots with straight or sloping sides, with no curved shoulders, allow freezing soil to heave upward, usually avoiding breakage. In Maryland winters, expensive concrete pots were most likely to survive the cold.

Evaporative Cooling

Efflorescence on clay pots.

Most terra cotta pottery is porous, allowing air and water to pass through the sides of the pot. Some clay pots, though, are fired at higher temperatures, making them non-porous.

A clay pot with moist soil stays relatively cool, as moisture wicks through the pot. As water evaporates, the surface of the pot feels cooler. The same principle applies to perspiration evaporating from your skin. So, decorative clay pots in the summer are another alternative. But, they dry out faster because of the moisture loss through the pot.

The pots in the photograph have a white mineral coating called efflorescence. When fertilizer salts in solution migrate through the clay, they crystallize as the water evaporates. It can be removed or enjoyed.

Nursery-Grown Landscape Plants

Because containerized nursery plants are watered daily in warm weather, growers use a mix comprising mostly fast-draining pine fines, sand, and perlite, with some organic matter (peat moss, ground coir, compost) for water retention.

During hot summer weather, it is important to get transplants established as quickly as possible. New roots reluctantly grow into the native soil, but can be encouraged to do so by scoring the root ball or by teasing out some of the roots on the sides. This causes slight injury to the roots, and stimulates the plant to quickly form new side roots from the pericycle, a layer of cells inside the root.

Also, amending garden soil with organic matter, such as nutrient-rich compost, and pine fines for better drainage creates a welcoming habitat for new roots. Heavy clay soil is not very accommodating and hinders rapid rooting. You want to give your plants soil that drains well and entices roots to grow deeply. If you’ve ever tried to dig in dry, compacted clay soil, you know why plants are slow to establish. Good soil preparation makes a huge difference!

Why New Plants Sometimes Fail

A newly planted ‘Soft Touch’ holly, azalea, or autumn fern needs to have water replenished in the root ball every day in hot breezy weather. Until new roots expand into the soil, plants are entirely dependent on you for their daily dose. Make sure the water isn’t too hot.

I often consulted with homeowners when their new plants failed. When the shrubs were unearthed, their roots often were quite dry.

One landscape I visited here in Charlotte had very large evergreens newly planted in front of the house. All were dead or dying during a prolonged drought. After a little digging, I saw that 95% of the root system on each plant was bone dry because there was no organic matter mixed into the heavy clay soil. And only one irrigation emitter was placed on the side of the root ball. Each plant this size would have required a few emitters.

To make matters worse, the soil had been backfilled in large clods, and not broken up at all. Any water that flowed from the emitter drained right into the crevices, bypassing the root system. Those large air-filled gaps dried exposed roots even more. Any moisture in the root ball was quickly wicked away by the clay. This costly disaster illustrates the need for thorough soil preparation: breaking up heavy soils, incorporating amendments (drainage materials, organic matter) for improved tilth, and firming the soil around the root ball.

The problem is this…

…and it’s a point that doesn’t get a lot of attention. Water is sucked into the tiny spaces between clay particles by capillarity. And what’s abundant in soils throughout much of the country? Clay! So, when the shrub’s potting soil that is mostly pine fines (with large air pore spaces) sits next to native soil that’s composed of mostly clay (with tiny air pore spaces) what happens to the water? That’s right! It’s pulled from the shrub’s potting soil into the surrounding clay.

Clay always wins! This is one explanation for nursery plants that fail, even though the surrounding soil in the bed feels damp.

The remedy for a shrub with a high percentage of pine fines and perlite in the pot is to work some of the native clay into the root ball. Poke some holes a few inches deep (try using a dibble) on the surface of the root ball and fill with a few handfuls of clay or loamy clay; water it in.

This improves the water-holding capacity of the soil inside the root ball. Granted, this is a fine point. But the principle was effective for the potted tomatoes, mentioned in “Amending After the Fact”, above.

When Can I Plant?

Shrubs and trees establish in the landscape faster in autumn, when soil temperatures are still warm enough to promote root growth. Even in chilly soil, in the 40’s F, roots can grow. Air temperatures are more moderate then, and rain falls more predictably. The next best time is early to mid spring, as the soil begins to warm and before the trees leaf out.

But plants can settle into the landscape during the summer, too, as long as soil preparation was adequate and water is provided when needed. That ‘Jelena’ witch hazel would much rather be in the ground than sitting in a black pot at the nursery on this Independence Day.

Summer annuals root quickly, but give them enough water to prevent wilt. They’ll probably need water every day until their roots grow more extensively through the soil. And give them enough to moisten the entire root ball and the surrounding soil. It takes only one sunny 90° day to dry that new plant to a crisp!

Reservoirs and Saucers

Most hanging baskets and large plastic pots have a reservoir or an attached saucer at the bottom. It holds an inch or two of water that the plant’s soil will gradually absorb by capillarity.

It isn’t necessary to drain it off in the summer, if the plant is full of foliage. Any water the soil can’t absorb within 30 minutes, however, should be poured off.

For young plants and for succulents or plants that like dry soil, the reservoir or the saucer should be drained. Pour the excess water onto other plants instead of wasting the nutrients. Even worse is to let dissolved fertilizer wash down the street to the storm drain, eventually polluting the local creek.

Another option is to remove the saucer and allow water to drain freely into the flower beds or the shrub border.

Planting Wire Baskets

When I plant a wire basket, I line the inside of the coco liner with a “repurposed” sheet of plastic, such as an empty mulch bag. The plastic prevents evaporation through the coco liner, and slows decomposition of the coco liner.

Be sure to punch holes through the plastic in several places to allow drainage. But leave the bottom inch or so intact, forming a reservoir to hold water a bit longer, until it’s absorbed by the plants.

(For decades, as owner of Wellspring Garden, I never bought trash bags. I saved all the empty bags from potting soil, amendments, and mulch for that purpose. Using less plastic is the way to go!)

So, It’s Your Turn To Host the Party

A trip to the garden center reveals plenty of options to dress up the landscape for the holiday:

full grown, colorful blooming baskets for the deck or the porch
a potted combination “drop-in” worthy of that gorgeous ceramic container near the front door
some large annuals, in 6″ or 8″ pots, for the garden, looking as if they’d been growing there for months
a potted herb garden that guests can pinch to customize their salads (basil, chives, and others), and some mint ‘Julep’ or ‘Kentucky Colonel’ for iced tea, or other beverages.

Finally, string some lights for evening ambiance, and add red, white, and blue accents to celebrate Old Glory. Don’t forget to bring greenery into the powder room, in a pretty pot, adorned with a small flag.

Headings

Page 1: Happy 4th of July!, Mulch the Beds (Types of Mulch, Gravel In the Garden, Landscape Fabric), Water the Garden Beds (About the Hose), Water and Potting Soil (Amendments For Annuals, Amending After the Fact, Fertilizing Annuals, Slow-Release Fertilizer), Pot Colors (Winter Pots, Evaporative Cooling), Nursery-Grown Landscape Plants (Why New Plants Sometimes Fail, When Can I Plant?), Reservoirs and Saucers (Planting Wire Hanging Baskets), and So, It’s Your Turn To Host the Party

Page 2: Heat-Tolerant Annuals

Return to the top

Pages: 1 2

The Hendersonville Garden Jubilee, 2019

May28

2019

So, What Can I Add To the Garden This Year?

This past Saturday, I headed for the cool North Carolina mountains to attend the Garden Jubilee Festival. Over 250 vendors set up their booths on the streets of downtown Hendersonville, on Saturday and Sunday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It was going to be hot, but Charlotte was going to be hotter. We’ve been stuck in this prolonged period of July-like weather, and the grass is already browning out.

I love going to garden shows. Rain or shine, but, preferably, not extreme heat. This is the type of venue where my little horticultural company, Wellspring Gardens, sold herbs and vegetables, annuals, perennials, seasonal plants, and houseplants…succulent dish gardens, herb gardens in decorative clay pots, and colorful combinations. If it sounds as if I would like to do this again…well, you’re right.

Many of the vendors I met last year were back again. Some who braved constant rain a few weeks ago in Waynesville were here in Hendersonville, happier about the weather. This garden show traditionally runs during Memorial Day weekend. Here are some of the booths I visited.

Water Dance

“Water Feature Specialist”

This outdoor display (photo, above) required 5 hours to set up on Main Street. The company installs water gardens, patios, and other landscape projects. They also maintain them.

www.waterdancellc.com, waterdancellc@gmail.com. 828 687-9007, 828 712-8268.

Brigg’s Garden Center, Horse Shoe NC

I started the day at Brigg’s, after finding a shady parking space. They had lots of annuals, perennials, and shrubs, including blooming hydrangeas. A few pots of blue/lavender Hydrangeas clustered around a blue ceramic seat created a lovely color combination.

They demonstrated, under the city’s trees within their space, the value of repeating colors within a garden by grouping plants with related colors. Lots of customers. I bought a few bright yellow Sanvitalia, or creeping Zinnia, for pots.

Briggsgardencenternc.com.

Stepp’s Plants, Etc., Flat Rock NC

Fuchsias like cooler temperatures, such as eastern (morning) sun. And hummingbirds love them.

Stepp’s had the biggest and some of the best-grown plants at the show. Their specialty, at this show anyway, was large combination hanging baskets. Nice combinations, good healthy plants, beautiful, and selling like hotcakes!

One or two plants filled the little red wagons that customers carted them around in. Gorgeous fuchsias, million bells (Calibrachoa), petunias…

steppsplants@yahoo.com. Larry Jr., Gayle, and Larry Stepp. 828 243-5299.

Plant Smart Shade Gardens

Karen had a large collection of Hosta varieties, from large growing plants to miniatures to unusuals. Tiny golden ‘Little Miss Muffet’ grows only 4″ tall, nice for tucking between rocks or at the edge of a shady garden walk. ‘Whee!’ grows to 15″ tall and has rippled edges. ‘Golden Tiara’, with gold margins, quickly fills a space and is a medium small variety.

Hosta breeders are trying to bring new features to this huge genus. Several recent introductions have red petioles, including ‘Fire Island’ and ‘Miss Susie’, two that were represented here. Informative signs.

George and Karen Smart, hostas@alwaysplantsmart.com, facebook.com/AlwaysPlantSmart.

: Hosta ‘Little Miss Muffet’

: ‘Fire Island’

: ‘Golden Tiara’

Barry Farms

Lots of herbs, including uniquely fragrant patchouli, and hardy succulents. They also had one of my favorite annuals, the variegated Nasturtium ‘Alaska’, which is both pretty and edible.

barryfarms@gmail.com.

: Fragrant patchouli.

: Nasturtium Alaska.

Landy’s Woods, Nebo NC

Natural log and wood planters. Simply drop in a large pot of plants and add some moss to the edge for a finished look.

Landyswoods@gmail.com.

MrMaple, East Flat Rock NC

Concurrently with this event, MrMaple on Saturday hosted the “MrMaple Festival 2019” in East Flat Rock. Ever popular Japanese maples and other species, many rare varieties…and expert advice to ensure longevity (for the tree) in the garden.

‘Red Filigree Lace’ Japanese maple.

mrmaple.com. Tim Nichols 828 551-6739, and Matt Nichols 828 226-5684, facebook.com/japanesemaple. Open to the public by appointment.

Linda’s Plants

Many nicely-grown flowering plants, including Osteospermum, Verbena, herbs, sweet potato vine. Busy booth!

lindasplants.com.

Linda’s Plants.

Ziba Cards and Jewelry

Karen had hundreds of glass-covered pendants for sale. Images in a broad range of subjects (birds, zebras, plants and flowers, religious, inspirational, insects, graphics, music…).

Karen Rollefson, www.zibacards.com, zibacards@gmail.com. 704 806-1725.

Caristo Jewelry Designs, Asheville NC

Silver bracelets with free “organic” design, and nicely detailed enameled (cloisonné) earrings and pins.

Southern Highland Craft Guild. www.caristojewelrydesigns.com, caristojewelry@yahoo.com. Linda 828 691-7700 and Carl 828 778-7247.

Wildwood Herbal

“Plants-Produce-Cannabis”

Succulents, herbs…this is where I found the pink flowering gypsophila that’s going into the small wire basket on the deck. I used to grow one like this from seed, nice in smaller combinations. I’ll post the cultivar name as soon as I can recall its name (‘Pink Fairy’?).

Darsey Driver, 336 692-7615, Darsey@wildwoodherbal.org. And Seth Salmon, 828 407-3339, Seth@wildwoodherbal.org.

Dean Epperson

Hand-made natural live-edge wood tables and seats, complete with Ambrosia beetle tunnels and verticillium streaks. So…bugs and fungus, but beautiful bugs and fungus! Nature is awesome.

deanepperson@gmail.com.

Memories by Laura, Franklin NC

“Vintage Framed Memory Art & One of a kind collectibles”

Teacups, old keys, crystal butter dishes, small cut glass bowls, glass beads, decorative metal accents and other treasures fused in a glass panel and framed.

Hang them in windows or wherever light passes through them if plants are kept in the cups. Try small succulents and tillandsias (air plants).

Laura Williams—LL Design, www.MemoryGlassArt.com, laura34275@gmail.com. 942 223-9109.

High Country Nursery

Acer japonicum ‘Aconitifolium’ (Dancing Peacock), must be spectacular in full autumn “plumage”, when showing off its scarlet and orange foliage.

japmaple.com.

Windy Mountain Chimes, Asheville NC

Stained glass of the audible kind, including wind chimes in red-white-and-blue, appropriate for this Memorial Day weekend.

I bought one in peaceful shades of green, with glass and beads hanging from an old horse shoe.

Mother enjoys the nice sound when we “accidentally” bump into it, where it temporarily hangs on the kitchen wall.

Denise Parlier, mtnchimesandcrafts@gmail.com. 828 667-3518.

J & B Herb & Plant Farm, Inc., Roxboro NC

Bay laurel! I had just run out of the last of the dried bay leaves, so I bought a nice, full plant. Make sure you’re buying Laurus nobilis for cooking, since other similar laurels are toxic if ingested. J & B carries a wide variety of organically grown herbs, vegetables, and scented geraniums.

On my way back to the truck, I bought a pot of Origanum ‘Compactum‘, a marjoram with velvety leaves and wonderfully aromatic fragrance. Although both of these herbs are hardy to zone 8 or in a protected microclimate here in zone 7b, I lost the two that I had a few years ago. But I’m not going to take the chance again, and will keep these potted herbs outside in the summer and inside during the coldest parts of winter.

www.facebook.com/JandBHerbFarm.

: Bay laurel (Laurus nobilis), the only edible species.

: Scented geraniums.

Bella Bonsai

Many species of potted bonsai…tiny-leaved variegated Serissa, variegated Schefflera arboricola, dwarf Pomegranate (with fruit), citrus plants (with fruits), Fukien tea. But the showstopper is the old Yaupon Holly that had been cut back as a mature plant, sprouting above a magically, fantastically gnarled trunk (photographs, below).

Larry Morton, BellaBonsaiNursery.com, bellabonsainursery@gmail.com.

: Yaupon holly.

: Nice trunk.

: Looking up.

: Dwarf pomegranate with fruit and orange flowers.

Hendersonville Bee City

Female gulf fritillary butterfly.

“Celebrate Pollinator Month by learning about how bees, birds, and butterflies are crucial to our native plant habitats, local agriculture and the health of our communities.”

You’ve come to the right place, to this display, if you want to know anything about bees. Information on an initiative to repopulate the environment with bees and other pollinators can be found at Hendersonville.gov/bee-city, with a month-long calendar of events. June is, after all, Pollinator Month. Proceeds from plant sales go toward painting a mural on one of the Hendersonville buildings. I bought a perennial Passiflora (photo, right, with one of the dozens of gulf fritillary butterflies that laid eggs on the vine).

Hendersonville.gov/bee-city.

: Bee City USA.

: Informative poster.

: Bees through the sun’s glare.

Muddy Llama Pottery Studio, Zirconia NC

“From Earth to Art”

Among the collection of bowls, mugs, vases, and (I had to ask) sponge racks, some had salamander handles and real leaf impressions. Most of their pottery is sold through retail stores.

Cathey Chet, muddyllamapottery@yahoo.com. 828 674-2671.

All Things Canvas, Bryson City NC

“Hats—made of 100% cotton duck. Bags—made of 100% Acrylic Sunbrella®. Highly resistant to UV rays, water and mildew.”

Well-made, and in nice colors, these items will last a long time.

Jan Kleinrath, www.jansallthingscanvas.com, info@jansallthingscanvas.com. 828 788-1767.

Preston Montague

“Artist, Educator, Landscape Designer”

I bought a card, but I doubt if it will be mailed away. It shows a flurry of monarch butterflies. Meticulously detailed natural elements in all of his artwork, and in the display—mosses, bracket fungi, and a cicada!

: (pardon the glare)

Preston Montague, carolinanaturalist.com, naturalistnc@gmail.com. 336 558-6137.

The Silk Thread, Franklinton NC

“Eco printing. I gather leaves, plants and flowers and through a natural process, transpose Nature’s actual colors, designs and faux textures onto pure silk in my NC Studio.”

Silk and raw silk, naturally imprinted with leaves, moss, and even pecans! Treat yourself to something unique and beautiful. Clothing, purses, scarves. Exquisite compositions.

Theresa Brown, theresa@thesilkthread.com. 919 880-7431.

* * * * * * * * *

yaupon holly at Hendersonville Garden Jubilee

A woman sitting under a huge tree?? Actually, it’s the Yaupon holly bonsai, from Bella Bonsai, less than 2 feet tall.

Hendersonville Garden Jubilee 2019

oaklead hydrangea, Hendersonville garden show

Oakleaf hydrangea in one of the large streetside planters.

This show was sponsored by Lowe’s, “Our State” Magazine, and the city of Hendersonville NC. The schedule included 5 presentations each day, with topics ranging from plants for shade, unique trees, native plants, pruning, and lawns to native bees, composting, mushroom logs, starting a veggie garden, and joy in gardening.

Thank goodness for the shade cast by trees up and down the street. Lots of shrubs and perennials were in bloom, adding to this town’s reputation for bringing ambiance to the busy downtown shopping district. “Leave your pets comfortably at home” during show hours.

There were some food vendors, and Hershey’s ice cream, whose chocolate chip mint hit the spot! And, of course, the local shops and restaurants were ready and waiting for visitors.

VisitHendersonvilleNC.org. 800 828-4244.

Thanks to all the participants, the sponsors, and the crowds for making this another successful event. Great show, Hendersonville!

The 2020 Hendersonville Garden Jubilee

***Update*** 5/1/2020: The 2020 Garden Jubilee will have a different look this year, in order to enforce hygiene and social distancing required by state and federal authorities.

So, in 2020, the festival will take place from May 22 through May 25, from 9 to 5, but not in downtown Hendersonville. Instead, booths will be clustered at various nurseries and other sites in the area.

***Update*** 5/22/2020: This link will give you updated information and a list of participants. In 2020, downtown Hendersonville was awarded Accredited Main Street America recognition for maintaining a vibrant economic community in their historic downtown.

Until the vaccines come along, we need to follow such practices so fewer of us become casualties. My best wishes for your good health, and I’ll see you in Hendersonville…or thereabouts!

Return to the top

Whole Bloomin’ Thing Festival: A Garden Show

May13

2019

Last Saturday, the Frog Level Association held its annual “Whole Bloomin’ Thing Festival” on the streets of downtown Waynesville, North Carolina. When a leisurely road trip, the need to explore, and a garden show align in one day, I’m on my way!

whole bloomin' thing garden show, waynesville nc

Geranium baskets and annuals.

Unfortunately, the weather forecast did not include sunshine. But those of us who have sold at garden shows such as this one recall that most of them are held Rain or Shine. (And you can guess how the weather affects revenues.)

Okay, that did it; I was determined to go if only to spend a few dollars to help out some of the vendors. Plus, I needed a gift for Mother on Sunday, Mother’s Day.

Frog Level?

The mural in Frog Level.

Colonel Robert Love, a Revolutionary War soldier, founded Waynesville in 1810. He donated land for public buildings, and named the town after his commander during the war, General “Mad” Anthony Wayne. Today, the town is the largest in the state west of Asheville, with about 10,000 residents. It sits nestled between the Great Smoky and the Blue Ridge Mountains, at about 2700′ elevation.

The low-lying area near Richland Creek was sometimes prone to flooding, thus the name, Frog Level. This section had some commercial enterprises in the 1800’s, and the town was incorporated in 1871. But, when the railroad came through in 1884, more development took place and opened access to the west.

KW Edible Landscaping Nursery.

As the town grew, businesses opened uphill from Frog Level. The area deteriorated several decades ago, until new shops and restaurants revitalized it. In 2003, the National Register of Historic Places recognized the Frog Level Historic District. This is a great spot for garden shows and street festivals, with lots of restaurants and independent shops to visit.

In 2018, Waynesville received a “Main Street America” designation by The National Main Street Center. The town is committed to “preservation-based economic development and community revitalization”. I hope to find one of these towns, maybe down the slope a bit, within the next few years to settle in.

On April 30, 2019, Riley Howell, a UNC Charlotte student, lost his life when he tackled the gunman who killed another student. This brave act detained the suspect, allowing time for the authorities to move in and capture him. Riley was from Waynesville.

the whole bloomin thing garden festival, a rainy day at the garden show

The Hickory Nut.

Back To the Garden Show

hummingbird feeders, moongirlglass at garden show

Moongirlglass hummingbird feeders.

About 75 vendors registered for the garden show, and there were surprisingly few vacant spaces. Kudos to those who braved torrential rainstorms! An umbrella wasn’t enough protection on a day like this, but I found a full-length plastic poncho in the back of the truck. Luckily, the temperatures were in the 60’s.

It rained non-stop. Everyone could hear the familiar sound of pop-up tent canopies being emptied of their catch. Some huddled under cover, enclosed by waterproof sides that kept them almost dry. Others openly defied inclement conditions, and contentedly waited for customers. That’s the spirit!

The Mother’s Day flowering baskets and big geraniums didn’t seem to mind. The music, though, was cancelled.

There were wood crafters, jewelers, artists, potters, and several plant places. I chatted with a woman selling a friend’s hummingbird feeders, glassware, and her plants.

The first booth I visited at the garden show, All Things Canvas, had really nice bags and hand-painted sunhats. Jan was also scheduled for the Hendersonville Garden Jubilee on Memorial Day weekend.

jeanette franich jewelry, the whole bloomin thing garden show

Jewelry at Janette Franich’s booth.

Janette Franich had very nicely crafted jewelry. I tend not to wear jewelry, but if I did, there were some tiny bird’s eggs in a silver nest hanging on a fine chain that might have tempted me.

KW Edible Landscaping Nursery, from Stokes County NC, sold trees and shrubs that could be incorporated into home landscapes. Not only ornamental, but also edible!

And, speaking of edibles, there were a few food trucks on site.

Can’t Leave Empty-Handed

I bought a hand-made pot from Milton Mugs. My mother liked the purple and blue colors and especially the attached saucer!

The photograph at the top was the booth (vendor declined credit) where I bought a few plants, including ‘Vancouver Centennial’ stellar geranium, ‘Berggarten’ sage, and a Sempervivum (Hens and chicks) called ‘Oddity from Albidum’, with rolled leaves.

: Pottery by Milton Mugs.

: Hog Back Ridge Herb Farm’s vegetable plants.

: Fruit of ‘Blueberry’ cherry tomato. ‘Indigo Blue Berries’?

Hog Back Ridge Herb Farm, from Spring Creek NC, had lots of tomato varieties that I’d never heard of. A small cherry tomato called ‘Blueberry’ caught my eye. Although I don’t have any room for another tomato plant, I am determined to see this one fruit, even if that means another potted tomato on the deck. (***Update***: ‘Blueberry’ had rich, spicy tomato flavor. 2/2021)

The Hickory Nut (E. Main St., Chimney Rock NC) displayed metal garden art and plants, including herbs, perennials, and annuals. They had large beautiful basil plants—‘Genovese’ and the lettuce-leaf ‘Valentino’ among them.

Because of the weather, many of the items the vendors had planned to bring with them had to be left at home or in their stores.

So, the next time a garden show visits your town, or the next town over, support your local economy and buy something there…especially if it’s raining.

: Very nice sunhats and bags from All Things Canvas, Bryson City NC.

: Made from Sunbrella fabric.

: A recent petunia introduction.

: ‘Valentino’ basil at The Hickory Nut.

: Stellar geranium ‘Vancouver Centennial’.

: The Hickory Nut.

: Beautiful glass from moongirlglass.

: Aeonium Kiwi.

: Rain, lots of rain!

Return to the top

Lavender: History and How To Grow It

Apr17

2019

Lavender’s Long History

B.C.

For many centuries, lavender has enjoyed popularity for its alluring fragrance and for its medicinal qualities. Lavandula dentata was first cultivated on the Arabian peninsula, and other species spread from Greece across Europe. Lavender species might also have originated in the Cape Verde Islands and the Canary Islands off the west coast of Africa.

Thousands of years ago, Egyptians and Phoenicians used the herb in perfumes and during mummification. When Egyptian King Tutankhamen’s (1341-1323 B.C.) tomb was opened by Howard Carter in 1922, claims were made that the scent of lavender could be detected.

Greek traders introduced lavender around 600 B.C. to the Hyères Islands, off the southern coast of France, and to Europe from there. Ancient Greeks used it for insomnia and backache, and in public baths.

Other healing qualities of lavender were recorded in the 3rd century B.C., when Greek physician/philosopher Theophrastus (c. 372-287 B.C.) wrote of them in Concerning Odours.

Cleopatra (69-30 B.C.), Queen of Egypt from 47-30 B.C., was able to temporarily preserve her kingdom from Roman rule. As the story goes, she used lavender to win the love of Roman generals Julius Caesar (100-44 B.C.) and Mark Antony (83-30 B.C.).

Upon defeat by Augustus Caesar (63 B.C.-14 A.D., first Roman emperor from 27 B.C.-14 A.D., and heir of Julius Caesar) and Cleopatra’s death by suicide, Egypt then became a Roman province.

Early A.D.

Mary is said to have used lavender when Jesus (4 B.C.-30 or 33 A.D.) was an infant and again when he was crucified. Both the Bible and, later, William Shakespeare’s (1564-1616) work The Winter’s Tale, refer to the herb as “spikenard”. Ancient Greeks called lavender “nard” or “nardus”, apparently after Naarda, a city in Syria where it was sold.

Pliny the Elder (23-79), Roman naturalist and encyclopedist, described relief from “women’s problems” attributed to lavender. His great work, Naturalis Historiae, is composed of 37 volumes, describing natural sciences from agriculture to mineralogy to zoology. Dioscorides, the Greek physician under Nero (37-68), collected herbs and, in 77, wrote about their uses in De Materia Medica.

When the Romans invaded England in 43, they used the lavender they brought with them for bathing, cooking, and giving scent to the air. The Romans and the early French believed in its antiseptic properties, and used it to treat infections and to heal wounds.

It is no surprise, then, that lavender derives from the Latin root lavare, meaning “to wash”. And when the Romans departed England around 410, this plant was left behind, growing in gardens around monasteries.

It’s Debatable

Much information online refers to the introduction of lavender to England as late as the 16th century. But as important as this herb was in Roman culture, and because other references claim that they did indeed bring it with them when they invaded England, I will leave it there…unless I find information that clarifies the debate.

From the Middle Ages Forward

During the Dark Ages, from the late 400’s to 1100, lavender wasn’t used much outside the monasteries. An edict issued by the Holy Roman Empire in 812 ordered monks to grow vegetables, medicinal herbs, trees, and flowers. Lavender was grown at Merton Abbey, near the center of production in Mitcham, in Surrey, England. According to records from 1301, Merton Priory sold lavender to raise money for King Edward I (1239-1307).

Medieval and Renaissance women who worked by taking in laundry used the herb to scent it when washing and also when drying the laundry on top of lavender shrubs. In 12th century England, washerwomen using the herb in this manner were called “lavenders”. Incidentally, the word “laundry” derives from the same root, the Latin lavare.

Monks cultivated it in monasteries as a medicinal herb during the Middle Ages (in European history, approximately 500-1350). A German nun named Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) used lavender water with vodka and gin for relief from migraine. And French King Charles VI (1368-1422) slept with lavender-filled pillows.

From the Renaissance

Fit For a Queen Or a King

King Henry VIII.

English King Henry VIII (1491-1547) destroyed the stone monasteries and their medicinal herb gardens in the 1500’s during the religious purges. Because this plant is not native to the area, remaining specimens of lavender were found primarily in private gardens.

King Henry’s daughter (with Anne Boleyn), Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603), enjoyed fresh flowers every day and lavender conserve, a type of jam. She sought relief from migraines by drinking an herbal tisanne containing lavender.

King Louis XIV (1638-1715) of France bathed in scented water. Around this time, lavender was used to treat headaches, nervous conditions, insect bites, mad dogs, and snake bites. And if people needed their passions stirred, they just tied some stems to the bed post!

And For the Rest Of Us

Merchants traveling along the Silk Road, from central Asia to Europe, inadvertently carried the Black Death with them. Bubonic plague spread across Europe from 1346 to the early 1350’s, killing one-third to possibly 60% of the entire population.

Infected fleas on rats transmitted the Yersinia pestis bacterium to people initially through flea bites. But modern researchers now think transmission was airborne, particularly among crowded populations. Outbreaks of the plague were treated with lavender as an antiseptic, but its efficacy is questionable, especially against such a virulent microbe.

Lavender Makes Good Business Scents

Sixteenth century glove makers in Grasse, France, used lavender to scent their wares. I can’t judge the accuracy of the claim, but it was said that those who made or wore the gloves were spared the agony of plague and cholera.

In the 1600’s, the Shaker community was the first to commercially cultivate lavender in the area now known as the United States and Canada. They used it to treat hyperactivity, flatulence, insomnia, and to fight bacterial and fungal infections. Products sold in distant markets included candles, cleaning products, soaps, and treatments for bee stings, migraines, burns, restless sleep, and skittish horses.

In another European epidemic in 1664-5, many died from the Great Plague. Lavender sold for high prices and was in demand for its supposed ability to ward off infection and to repel insects. People wore bundles of the herb on their wrists. Burglars of the ill took precautions by washing in Four Thieves Vinegar, containing lavender, garlic, and vinegar, to prevent infection. Criminals who were caught and sentenced to digging graves also washed in the vinegar.

Seventeenth century herbalists John Gerard and Nicholas Culpeper wrote about the benefits of lavender. Gerard prescribed it for palsy. A few decades later, in 1652, Culpeper recommended it, in The English Physician, “for all the grief and pains of the head”.

Ornamental Use

In 17th century Ireland, lavender was planted as a low clipped lawn. Later, in the mid 1860’s in County Down, Sir Arthur Rawdon’s Moira Castle maintained an acre of lavender lawn. John Reid, in 1766, recommended lavender as an ornamental walkway edging in The Scots Gardener.

The Victorian Era

Queen Victoria.

Both Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth I, hundreds of years before her, used herbal products supplied by Yardley and Company of London.

Britain’s Queen Victoria (1819-1901) popularized lavender from its use as a deodorant and floor and furniture cleaners. The Queen appointed Miss Sarah Sprules “Purvey of Lavender Essence to the Queen” and used it everywhere and as a cure-all.

As a strewing herb on floors, it gave out a fresh scent when walked upon. Women sold bundles of lavender, called Tussie mussies, on the city streets. The scent became synonymous with purity and cleanliness.

In 19th century Provence, France, lavender treated dizziness, nerves, convulsions, stomach ailments, infections, palsy, and repelled fleas and other insects.

Lavender is still used in dried flower arrangements, pot pourri (flowers and buds), and sachets (for fragrance and to deter moths). Bath products, candles, and perfumes sold today attest to lavender’s enduring qualities.

Too Much Lavender?

Lavender’s overuse contributed, consequently, to loss of its popularity in the early 1900’s. It also became associated with “old ladies”, although during World War I, medics dressed soldiers’ wounds with it.

And then, in the 1920’s, French perfumer Rene Gattefosse severely burned his arm. He immediately plunged it into a vat of lavender oil, the story goes, and experienced immediate pain relief and, according to some, rapid healing. His book, Aromatherapie, describes applications for wounds and other uses derived from essential oils, and gave rise to…you guessed it…aromatherapy!

In the Medical Establishment

Whatever your beliefs—whether lavender’s popularity is due to its use as a panacea or as a wonderfully fragrant plant—it is beautiful in a sunny garden and it attracts bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.

There are only a few scents that come close to lavender on my list of favorites. But, on one of the “favorite smells” lists online, this scent rated #49! And “petrol” rated…#1! Bacon, freshly baked bread, rain, cookies in the oven, and mowed grass made the top 10 in some of those lists. But…49th?!

Caution!

The U.S. National Institutes of Health recommends that pregnant or lactating women not use lavender on their skin or take it internally, because the side effects are unknown. For sensitive people, it can cause skin irritations, and can be toxic if consumed.

In prepubertal boys, gynecomastia, an enlargement of the breasts due to hormonal imbalances, can be caused by topical lavender products.

One research study claimed that attaching a pad dipped in lavender oil to the neckline of clothing reduced the risk of falling by 43% among nursing home residents.

Testing for its use in treating canker sores and insomnia resulted in insufficient evidence for its efficacy…

…But let me tell you a little story

One spring day at the garden center, I was working on lavender topiaries and large specimens—reshaping, cutting back, repotting, and removing all the dead leaves. The scent was just wonderful. It took a couple of hours to clean up all the plants, and then it was lunch time.

As always, I spent the time in my truck, reading and listening to the news while enjoying my lunch. Well…that day was the closest I had ever come, in the past 4 decades, to falling asleep while at work. I had to fight to stay awake!

Normally skeptical of proclaimed powers of plants, I believe this one—that the scent of lavender can induce sleep! No wonder it has been found in bath products for thousands of years.

Edible Lavender

Lavender has been used fairly extensively over the centuries, in conserves, teas, vinegars, and pastries. One of my herb books describes lavender as “an acquired taste”. I made lavender tea, once. Only once.

Apparently, L. a. ‘Munstead’ is the most popular variety for cooking and baking, for its sweeter fragrance and “citrusy notes”. Those seeking new culinary experiences might find lavender in salads, dressings, pasta, sauces, and desserts. If I remember correctly, it was at the Olney Farmers’ and Artists’ Market, in Maryland, where, years ago, I purchased a lavender bud and lemon poundcake that was delicious.

Lavender flowers.

The Lavender Genus

Lavender is a member of the mint family, Lamiaceae, and is related to basil, thyme, rosemary, Swedish ivy (Plectranthus), ajuga, Phlomis, and all the salvias, including sage. Their lipped flowers appear in whorls on spikes carried above the foliage. Flower colors range from white and pink, to blue, lilac, violet and blackish purple. Some species in the family have yellow flowers.

The stems of plants in this family are usually, but not always, square in cross-section. Lavender’s resemblance to rosemary has confused many gardeners, but the scent distinguishes one from the other.

There are 47 known species in the genus Lavandula. Leaves are generally simple (with a smooth or “entire” margin) or dentate (with a toothed margin), although some species have pinnate leaves (L. buchii, from the Canary Islands). Leaves and other parts are covered in trichomes, the fine hairs (the indumentum) from which essential oils are harvested. L. lanata (from Latin lanaius), the woolly lavender, is covered in woolly hairs.

Most gardeners associate this genus with silver or gray foliage, but it includes some green-leaved species as well. Also available are variegated cultivars, such as ‘Platinum Blonde’, whose leaves are edged in creamy white.

Lavender From Seed

‘Ellagance Purple’ seedling.

Lavenders are small and shrubby in their growth habit, qualifying as woody perennials or as sub-shrubs.

Some will bloom in the first season when grown from seed, and, where they don’t survive the winter, would be considered annuals. I used to grow a variety called ‘Lady’, which had a powerful scent.

A new English lavender called ‘Blue Spear’ will sprout in 2 to 3 weeks from seed, after first being chilled for a week in the freezer. It will perennialize in zone 5 or 6, but can be grown as an annual flowering plant in colder regions. Seeds have to be started very early, though, or the previous fall, for blooms from late spring through summer. ‘Blue Spear’ is an upright plant, growing 11-14″ tall and a bit narrower than that.

***Update***: This summer, I’m growing a variety of lavender from seed that blooms the first year if the seeds are started early in the season. ‘Ellagance Purple’ has dense spikes of deep purple flowers. So far, they look healthy in their 2½” pots, but I’m not sure they’ll have enough time to bloom this year. Photo shows how long the roots are compared to the stem. 7/20/2022

Perennial Species

Cross-pollination among the species and varieties gives rise to more variation. Cuttings taken from desirable plants (asexual or vegetative propagation), however, assure the grower that all the young cloned plants will look the same. Many newer cultivars are under plant patent protection and may not be propagated and sold without authorization from the patent holder.

Their common names also vary widely. The English types are well-defined, but when it comes to French or fringed, Greek, Italian, or Spanish, there doesn’t seem to be universally accepted agreement concerning the species they’re assigned to. When shopping for plants, refer to the name of the cultivar (‘Hidcote’, ‘Provence’, etc.) to avoid confusion.

Lavandula angustifolia

Zones 5-8. Formerly L. officinalis. Commonly called English lavender, this species grows well there but is native to France, Spain, and Italy. It is used more often in cooking than other lavenders, due to its lower camphor content. This species’ essential oils are considered superior to those of other species. Earlier blooming than lavandins, generally.

Varieties include:

‘Blue Spear’: zones 5 or 6 to 8 or 9. 11-14″ tall, upright growth; deep blue substantial flowers, will flower first year from seed.
‘Ellagance Ice’: compact; large silver-white-light bluish flowers all summer.
‘Ellagance Purple’: zones 5-7; 12-18″ tall, deep purple flowers on full spikes, blooming first year from seed.
‘Hidcote’: 12-18″ tall; tightly budded stems; flowers deep purple.
‘Jean Davis’: 18″ tall; light pink flowers.
‘Melissa’: 24″ tall; pale pink to white flowers late spring to early summer.
‘Munstead’: heat, sun, and humidity tolerant; 12-18″ tall; late spring to early summer flowers from pale blue to shades of purple.
‘Platinum Blonde’ (‘Momparler’): zone 5b. To 18″ tall, culinary. Creamy white leaf margins.
‘Royal Velvet’: 24-30″ stems; velvety purple/navy blue flowers that retain color when dried.
‘Sweet Romance’: 12-18″ tall; purple flowers early summer to fall; a Proven Winners cultivar.

Lavandula x intermedia

Zones 5-8. Often called Lavandin or Dutch lavender, this species is a cross between English lavender (L. angustifolia) and spike lavender (L. latifolia). Flowers have abundant nectar, and contribute to the sought after monofloral honey. These interspecific hybrids, denoted by the lower case “x” in the species name, are sterile and cannot set viable seed.

Varieties include:

‘Fred Boutin’: to 3 1/2′ tall. Late summer light blue blooms.
‘Grosso’, also called ‘Fat Spike’: about 3′ tall and wide; very fragrant; medium violet blue flowers. Grower Pierre Grosso (1905-1989) discovered this variety in the Vaucluse district of France. It has a very high oil content and is disease resistant.
‘Hidcote Giant’: to 3 1/2′ tall. Dense, dark purple flowers, dries well.
‘Phenomenal’: zones 5-9; grows 2′ to 4′ tall and wide. ‘Phenomenal’ is more heat, humidity, and drought resistant than others. Introduced by Peace Tree Farms, 2012.
‘Provence’: from southwest France; foliage grows 2′ tall with very tall spikes of pale purple flowers in early summer to early fall; culinary, and commercially grown for the perfume industry. One of my favorites for scent and for tall, see-through flower spikes.
‘Seal’: 4′ to 5′ tall! Strong fragrance, late summer blooms.
‘Thumbelina Leigh’: zones 5 or 6 to 9. A dwarf English lavender, growing only 6″ to 12″ tall, medium blue flowers. This selection comes from New Zealand.
‘White Spike’: to 3 1/2′ tall. Nicely contrasting white flowers, mid-summer. Culinary.

Lavandula dentata

Zones 8-9. French or fringed lavender grows about 3′ tall; toothed edges (dentata, from Latin for tooth), light woolly texture; narrow spikes of long-lasting purple flowers beginning in late spring.

From the Mediterranean region, Atlantic islands, Arabian Peninsula.

Lavandula stoechas

Zones 8-9. (Pronounced stee′-kiss; [“oe” has long “e” sound, as in “amoeba”, and Greek “ch” has a hard “k” sound.] Derived from the Greek stoichas for “in rows”.) French, Italian, or Spanish lavender is a compact grower, feathery petals at tip of inflorescence. Sometimes called “Butterfly lavenders”.

From France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece; considered invasive in Victoria, Australia since 1920. Can self-seed. This was probably the species commonly grown in ancient Rome and Greece. Eucalyptus fragrance.

Varieties include:

‘Dark Eyes’: 2′ tall. Purple-red flowers May to autumn if deadheaded.
‘Kew Red’: zones 8 to 11. Red-violet blooms with deep pink bracts at tip. From southern Spain. Introduced by Kew Gardens, 1999.
‘Otto Quast’: 2′, prune for fullness. Reddish-purple flowers with deep pink bracts at tip.
‘Silver Frost’ (L. angustifolia x lanata): 2-3′ tall, lax stems. Heavily felted silver foliage.

Lavandula pedunculata

Zones 9-10. Also known as Lavandula stoechas subspecies pedunculata. Spanish or French lavender has flowers high above the foliage, and long narrow petals on tip of flower. From Iberia, western Turkey, Morocco.

Photograph above: field of lavender at Notre-Dame de Sénanque Abbey, southeast France, in the Vaucluse district of Provence near the village of Gordes. Established by Cistercian monks in 1148.

Return to the top

Headings

Page 1: Lavender’s Long History, B.C., Early A.D., From the Middle Ages Forward, From the Renaissance (Fit For a Queen or a King, And For the Rest of Us, Lavender Makes Good Business Scents), The Victorian Era, Too Much Lavender?, In the Medical Establishment (Caution!, …But let me tell you a little story), Edible Lavender, The Lavender Genus (Lavender From Seed), and Perennial Species (L. angustifolia, L. x intermedia, L. dentata, L. stoechas, L. pedunculata)

Page 2: How To Grow Lavender (On Location, Light, Soil, How To Improve Drainage, Lime and Gypsum, Shopping for Lavender, How To Plant Lavender, Watering, To Mulch Or Not To Mulch Lavender, Fertilizer, Pruning, Growing Lavender In Pots, Azalea and Standard Pots, Freezing Temperatures, Heeling In, Growing Lavender Indoors)

Pages: 1 2

More Quick Tips for Today’s Garden

Apr1

More Quick Tips For Today’s Garden

Here are several more quick tips for the gardens in early spring. Several links have been provided, where you’ll find more details.

1. Fertilize Violas and Pansies

It’s no wonder these cold-hardy little biennials are seen all around town. They’re planted in median strips, at neighborhood entrances, around shopping centers, and in our gardens.

They live through the winter, delighting all of us with their colorful, cheerful appearance. Cold is what they like; in late spring or early summer, they will fail in the heat. This year, we had a very mild winter in zone 7b Charlotte, so they looked beautiful all season.

A wire basket with hardy violas and ‘Cool Wave’ pansies.

Quick tips: As long as they’re in active growth, fertilize every 6 or 8 weeks, even in the winter! Use fertilizer that has a higher percentage of phosphorus, the middle number on a package. A ratio of 1-2-1 or 1-3-1 will work. Those three numbers represent the percentages of nitrogen, phosphorus (phosphate), and potassium (potash) in the product. They are always listed in that order: N-P-K.

Keep in mind that violas and pansies need acidic soil. You can mix peat moss into the bed in preparation for planting, also incorporating pine fines (soil conditioner) to improve drainage. Or use a product (Soil Acidifier) that will lower the pH, if your soil tests on the high side. Soil that has been limed might be too alkaline for violas, which prefer a pH level around 5.5 to 6.0.

If you have a spare hour or so, deadhead (pinch off) the old faded flowers. Whether or not that actually helps promote bloom, it certainly will improve the appearance of the plants, especially for pansies.

2. Harvest Greens

Collards, with flower bud.

Recently I cleaned the vegetable garden. I harvested most, but not all, of the greens that have been producing since last fall.

Later today or tomorrow, I will wash and sauté the greens down to “wilt”. Then they will be divided into portions and frozen in plastic zip lock bags. The next time I make soup from scratch (or from a can), a rice dish with rotisserie chicken, lasagna, or buy a store-bought pizza, one or two of those bags of greens will be added to the dish. That’s an easy way to add greens to a meal, and increase the nutritional content.

The two large clumps of collards will make a fabulous Collards Soup. For that, I use a large stockpot, which makes about a gallon of soup. I also freeze some of it in plastic containers for later use.

Chinese cabbage ‘Tokyo Bekana’.

In addition to the collards, I harvested mustard greens and dinosaur and ‘Red Russian’ kales. The light green Chinese cabbage ‘Tokyo Bekana’ will be added to the next salad. Swiss chard ‘Bright Lights’ remains in the garden, and should last until autumn if it’s partially shaded.

The vegetable garden next to the house is becoming increasingly shaded. The trees on the berm to the south have grown larger and wider over the past 5 years. At this point I’m seriously considering growing a couple of tomato plants in containers on the enclosed deck, safe from the deer.

The sweet pepper plant did well enough in the garden, so it will go there again this year. But most of that garden will contain a variety of greens, green onions, leeks, and probably a cucumber. It’s still the perfect place for fall and winter greens because it’s a warm microclimate, being right next to the house. And at that time, the trees are leafless, so there’s more sun.

The Beneficials

Quick tips: Several of the brassicas are in flower, so I left a few of them in the garden for the honey bees and the tiny braconid wasps. During late winter and early spring, few food sources are available for these beneficial insects, so I like to help when I can. And you can add some flowers to a salad or as a garnish.

3. Plant More Cool Season Greens and Vegetables

Dinosaur kale in bloom.

Broccoli ‘Happy Rich’ is ready! So I made a trip to the garden center a few days ago to pick up a few pots of this delicious miniature broccoli. Ordering seeds is just not feasible right now; I’d have lost 4 or 5 weeks of growing time, so I went for the quick fix: transplants!

Broccoli ‘Imperial’ is one of the varieties recommended for growing in the spring and late summer. This crop will be able to tolerate the warmth of the late spring season, when it will be harvested. I love broccoli. So many vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients…and protein too.

Carrot, radish, and beet seeds can be planted now, even before frost has retreated north. Pea seeds could have gone into the ground weeks ago, but the ones I planted in the fall made it through the winter, and are now flowering and making pea pods (photo, below).

As space opens up in the garden, I’ll sow seeds of mesclun, tatsoi, leeks, and maybe ‘Scarlet Frills’ mustard for its beautiful and fairly spicy foliage, adding some spark to salads!

Fast growing edible-podded peas on a trellis.

Check with your local agricultural extension service for a chart describing what can be planted when. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to get a soil test, to remove doubt about the pH or which nutrients need to be added.

Lettuce

Pots of ‘Salanova’ lettuce ready for the garden.

A few pots and market packs of lettuce purchased over the past week will supplement the patch of lettuce seedlings that survived the winter in the garden. Smaller plants will continue to grow after the mature heads have been harvested.

A red butterhead lettuce called ‘Skyphos’ is reliable even in warm temperatures, up to a point. It retains very good flavor when others turn bitter in the heat.

When trying to extend the lettuce harvest, look for varieties that tolerate high temperatures. Varieties listed for planting at this time include ‘Nancy’ (green butterhead), ‘Vulcan’ (red leaf), ‘Sparx’ (Romaine), ‘Muir’ and ‘Magenta’ (summer crisp), and ‘Skyphos’, of course, one of the favorites I’ve grown for years. The heirloom ‘Black Seeded Simpson’, a loose-leaf lettuce, and ‘Outredgeous’ Romaine are more options for a spring garden.

healthy greens--AllStar Gourmet lettuce mix

Johnny’s Selected Seeds’ Allstar Gourmet lettuce mix.

Quick tips: ‘Red Sails’ lettuce is too pretty to pass up, and it can grow well into spring. Leafy vegetables with deep green color and red pigments, the anthocyanins, have more antioxidants. These nutrients help us fight many illnesses, including cancer and inflammation. So, I always prefer richly colored varieties.

More Quick Tips: How To Grow Lettuce

Lettuce seed germinates readily at a soil temperature in the 60’s F. It will take longer, but seeds will even germinate at 45°. They won’t, however, do anything above 75° or so.

Lettuce appreciates very rich, moist soil. Fertilize every couple of weeks with high nitrogen fish emulsion, earthworm castings, or compost if the soil temperature has increased. And provide ground limestone for calcium and to raise the pH, which prevents tip burn. If a soil test indicates proper pH for greens, add gypsum instead, which also provides calcium but doesn’t change the pH. It’s best to deal with pH months ahead of planting crops.

Organic products rely on soil microbes to break them down and to make their nutrients available to plant roots. But, in winter, microbes are dormant, so I use a synthetic soluble fertilizer.

As the weather warms up, give lettuce morning sun, which is less harsh than hot afternoon sun. You can plant a quick crop between young tomato plants, in partial shade.

Watch out for slugs; scatter granules of organic Sluggo outside the lettuce bed, to draw them away from their intended meal. Slugs can transmit a form of meningitis when ingested, so… And aphids can be a problem, too, but you can just wash them away.

4. Pick the Parsley

Italian (flat-leaf) parsley.

This versatile herb gives fresh flavor to meat, fish, and poultry dishes, sauces, soups, potatoes, eggs, salads, sandwiches, garlic bread, mayonnaise, and herb butter.

The addition of vitamin- and mineral-rich parsley enhances just abut anything you cook. But add it late in the cooking process, in the last few minutes, as you would most leafy herbs. Cooked for a long time, the flavors will evaporate away.

Concerned about your breath? Chew on a couple of leaves; the chlorophyll will freshen it.

There are two main groups of parsley:

flat-leaf, plain, or Italian (‘Giant of Italy’, a new improved sweeter ‘Peione’, and smaller ‘Titan’)
curled leaf parsley (‘Favorit’, ‘Double moss curled’, ‘Paramount’), famous as a garnish and pretty as a garden edging, but also edible.

Decades ago, as a kid, I remember seeing my grandmother in her Englewood, New Jersey, kitchen, holding a huge bunch of flat-leaf parsley inside her arm. Nanny was the real thing—Sicilian-born and a great cook—so for those looking for real parsley flavor, go for the flat-leaf.

When I was growing up, my mother (Nanny’s daughter) always used curly parsley. Several years ago, I asked her why she used the curled and not the flat-leaf. She said the Italian parsley always tasted funny, so she preferred the curled. Do you know which other herb looks like flat-leaf parsley? That’s right…she must have bought cilantro! Neither of us likes this herb at all! So, if you’ve been reluctant to buy or grow flat-leaf parsley, see if its resemblance to cilantro might be the root of that problem.

Here’s good news: it’s easy to grow!

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) is a biennial member of the Apiaceae family, a cousin of dill, cilantro, carrot, and fennel. Set young transplants into the garden in early spring, through the summer, and in the fall. Fertilize every few weeks with a high nitrogen product, such as fish emulsion. Parsley also is adaptable to growing in potted herb gardens.

In areas with moderately cold winters, it will tolerate freezing temperatures. The foliage will stay in better condition if it receives some protection from a warmer microclimate, such as next to a south-facing wall. Or grow it in a cold frame in colder climates.

Flat leaf parsley, going to flower.

Quick tips: Plant parsley in rich soil. Amended with compost or aged manure to a depth of 12″ or more, parsley will develop a large root system when grown in the ground. ‘Gigante’ (or ‘Giant of Italy’) grows into a massive mound of dark green leaves, 2′ tall and wider than that. In spring, the stems begin to grow tall, preparing for its blooming phase (photo, right).

This is parsley’s natural cycle of growth as a biennial. It’s seeded in one year, grows, overwinters once, and then flowers the next spring or early summer. Sometimes parsley goes to flower the first year if it was seeded very early.

Harvest the plant before it goes to flower, or when you notice that the stems are growing tall (photo, right). If you wait much longer than that, the sweet flavor will become strong or bitter. Cut the stem at soil level, and remove any yellow or pale green leaves.

Cut parsley stems will stay fresh for a few days in a glass of water on the counter or in the refrigerator.

Prepare the rest this way:

Wash the parsley thoroughly in cool running water. Shake off as much water as you can, or put it through a salad spinner.
Have a couple of 1- or 2-cup plastic containers handy.
Remove thick stems. Cut and reserve the leaflets, and keep them intact.
Transfer leaflets to the plastic containers, packing them in tightly.
Freeze the containers.
The next time you need some parsley for soup or tomato sauce or roasted vegetables, simply flake off the quantity you need. Chop them before adding to cooking.
Simple! Although it doesn’t look like fresh parsley (it looks wilted), the flavor is better than the dried option. And it takes up less space than chopped parsley frozen in ice cubes.

Who’s eating all the parsley?

Deer and Rabbits

Does this sound familiar? The parsley is growing beautifully, it has great color, and it’s providing lots of clippings for the kitchen. All of a sudden, the leaves disappeared…overnight! Well, we’re not the only ones who are fond of parsley. Deer and rabbits like it, too. They can do a lot of damage in one sitting.

Quick tips: You can’t use chemical deer repellents, but you can construct a frame around the parsley plants. If you have a big old lamp shade with “ribs”, remove the fabric and replace it with bird (deer) netting. The bigger the shade, the better. Anchor it to the ground so it can’t be kicked over. Or fabricate something yourself from hardware cloth or chicken wire. Make sure young rabbits won’t be able to squeeze through the openings. The goal is to physically exclude animals from reaching the parsley, cilantro, and dill.

Black Swallowtail Butterfly Caterpillars

black swallowtail butterfly egg on parsley

Yellow egg, left of center, on parsley flower bud.

If the parsley looks smaller than it did last week, look for little caterpillars feeding on the leaves. The female black swallowtail lays tiny yellow eggs on plants in the Apiaceae family (parsley, cilantro, fennel, dill). She deposits them primarily on the bottoms of the leaves. They’re hard to spot, but once you’ve learned to recognize them, you can simply rub them off.

Quick tips: Look for young caterpillars a few days or a week later, in case you missed a few of the eggs. The young brown and white larvae look like bird droppings, appearing less appealing to predators. An organic approach is to spray with Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis), a naturally occurring bacterium. Bt causes caterpillars of moths and butterflies to stop feeding, and they’ll die a day or two later.

**But I like butterflies!**

Black swallowtail larva on fennel.

Quick tips: Now, if you would rather keep the butterflies, as I do, simply transfer caterpillars from the parsley to a bronze fennel plant. Bronze fennel is a large growing and pretty perennial herb, and a food source for this insect. The fennel is edible for us as well, in salads or to garnish fish.

As the larvae grow, they turn into large black and green striped caterpillars (photo, right). These parsley worms, as they’re sometimes called, will consume more and more of the foliage. Not a problem for the vigorous bronze fennel, but a smaller parsley plant can disappear in a flash.

5. Weed!

Dandelions, chickweed, and hairy bittercress top the list of winter weeds around here. In untended fields, the bright yellow flowers of wintercress cover acres of ground, not unattractive at all!

Your local garden center can help with products that prevent weed seeds from germinating or that will kill weeds after they sprout. Don’t use them, though, near the edibles. Bring fresh samples with you. Diligent weeding and mulch are recommended.

Dandelion

: Tiny umbrellas (pappi, plural; pappus, singular) carry away the seeds in the slightest breeze.

Derived from the French “dent de lion”, dandelion refers to the toothed (dent) edges of the leaves. Bright yellow flowers dot the landscape from late winter on. If they are not killed or removed, each of those flowers will develop into a cluster of seeds. This method of seed dispersal, by the wind, is called anemochory.

Quick tips: This weed develops a taproot sometimes more than a foot deep. Leaving part of the taproot behind after “pulling” the weed will result in a new dandelion regrowing from the root. Either remove the entire root (there’s a tool for that), spot treat with a non-selective herbicide, or use a broadleaf weed killer. Always read the labels. Keep weed killers away from herbs and vegetables.

The dandelion in our lawns (Taraxacum officinale) looks similar to edible “dandelion greens”, in the species Cichorium intybus, a type of chicory.

Chickweed

Common chickweed, with small white daisy flowers.

Chickweed grows close to the ground, spreading about 1 1/2′ wide. Thick mats of this weed will hide among the lawn grasses, winter greens, and last year’s fallen leaves. Their seeds germinate in cool seasons, and the plants grow fast, lodging against walls and other objects that trap winter warmth.

If you pull the top, the roots have such a strong hold on the soil that the stem will stretch and break off. In a couple of weeks, you’ll have the pleasure of pulling it again. Grasp firmly under the crown of the plant, just below where the stem meets the soil, and make sure you get the roots.

Two species that often grow here in North Carolina are common chickweed and the more hairy mouse-ear chickweed.

Quick tips: Don’t wait as long as I did for this garden chore. Next winter, there will be an even bigger crop of chickweed. That’s not such a bad thing, though, because tender young greens are edible. Like many greens, common chickweed (Stellaria media) is very high in vitamins and minerals. One website claims it is fairly high in oxalic acid; for those with certain health conditions, check with your doctor. Add it to salads, soups, sandwiches, and stir-fries.

Hairy Bittercress

bitter cress. Quick tip: remove weeds before they seed about.

Hairy bittercress.

This species of cress (Cardamine hirsuta) is a short but abundant winter annual that grows a small rosette of edible bitter foliage, topped by a cluster of white flowers. It is related to broccoli and cabbage, in the Brassicaceae family. Disturbed seedpods open explosively, dispersing seeds in every direction. Ballochory is the name of this method of seed dispersal.

The “ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” axiom certainly holds true with weeds. Many times more weeds will grow in the next season if they are allowed to go to seed.

Not all of them will germinate, though. Seeds can remain viable for decades, patiently waiting underground for that moment when the soil is disturbed. Exposing the seed to favorable conditions, such as light, water, and the right temperature, is all they need to germinate.

6. Take a Moment to Just Enjoy Spring

There will always be more quick tips for the garden, but they can wait. Take the kids or the dog or yourself outside, listen to the sounds of nature, and just enjoy being!

Japanese maple, new leaves. Quick tip: enjoy spring!

New leaves on Japanese maple.

Return to the top

Southern Spring Home and Garden Show

Mar6

2019

It’s Time For the Home and Garden Show!

Arrangement by Kazuko Ikuta, Sogetsu school.

For two weekends in late February and early March, the annual Southern Spring Home and Garden Show, charlottespringhomeandgardenshow.com, comes to the Park Expo and Conference Center, in Charlotte NC. It arrives at that time of the year when many of us gardeners are itching to get out into the garden.

For years, my little horticultural company, Wellspring Gardens, set up at the Washington (D.C.) Home and Garden Show and then at the Maryland Home and Garden Show, in Timonium, Maryland. For several years I did both shows, and then decided to rent space at just the Maryland show.

There were many other local venues where I sold plants, such as Green Spring Gardens Park (Annandale, VA), Towson Gardens Day, Brookside Gardens Herb Fair, the Carroll County Farmers’ Market, the Leesburg VA Garden Festival, and the Garden Festival at Ladew in Monkton MD. These events were held rain or shine. So much fun…and so much work! Most of these occurred before the weekly farmers’ markets started up for the season.

Liberty Hall

A few hundred exhibitors set up throughout the show, either selling directly to customers or setting up consultations for home improvement. Since time was limited, I didn’t spend it in this section. But when there’s a house to fix up, this is the place to be. Here you can view products and speak with contractors.

King’s Greenhouse

King’s Greenhouse’s booth was located near the front entrance of the home and garden show, with the home improvement contractors. They had lots of plant material that could be planted outdoors now, including pansies and Heuchera cultivars (coral bells) in various colors, shrubs, and indoor plants. Hardening off the plants first will prevent damage to their foliage.

Kingsgardencenter.com. Phone: (704) 821-7507.

And food vendors were located in a couple of places, so shoppers need never go hungry. I took home a hot dog for Mother (she’d been begging for one) and we shared a really good cheese pastry.

Freedom Hall

Landscape companies set up full-scale gardens in this section of the show, complete with large trees, flowering shrubs, perennials, bulbs, and flowers. There are waterfalls, ponds, pergolas, she-sheds, and a chicken coop! I like to visit this area first, before it becomes crowded. Belgard is one of this home and garden show’s sponsors, so their paving materials feature prominently in the landscape displays.

Here are some of the booths I visited:

Ikebana International, Charlotte, Chapter 49

At the entrance to this section was an exhibit with Ikebana flower arrangements designed by members of Chapter 49. Those who are interested in this ancient Japanese art of flower arranging may attend meetings, held on the first Thursday of September, October, November, February, April, and May. Meetings are open to the public and are free to attend. Marcia and I had a lovely conversation, some of it on the subject of flowers!

www.ikebana49.org.

: Arrangement by Diane Titlestad, Ohara school.

: Arrangement by Virginia Matthews, Ohara school.

All Natural Streams Landscaping, Billy Provett

Owner Billy Provett always does a fabulous job with his water gardens. The sound of splashing water, the lure of nighttime illumination, and a restful garden ambiance create a magical place…right in your own back yard!

This pondless waterfall cascades down a slope and into a basin filled with rocks. A pump recirculates the water, sending it back to the top of the stream. This is perfect for a family who would enjoy the sound of water but not the high maintenance of a fish pond. People’s Choice Award.

www.naturalstreams.com. Phone: (704) 577-4306.

Southern Showplace Landscapes, B. J. Fisher

A beautifully illuminated coral-bark maple, seen through the stems of a birch tree (photo, below), got everyone’s attention. So did this firepot, atop a large stone sculpture with water trickling down its sides. Environmental Award.

www.southernshowplace.com. Phone: (704) 699-0815.

Plant Man, Elton Liles

Another beautiful water garden, with a blooming camellia on the right. An important detail is using stone of similar color and varying sizes. Note that in the waterfall, flat horizontal stones make an effective fall. The void behind the cascade magnifies the rich tones of the water spilling into the pond. Best in Show Award.

www.plantmancharlotte.com. Phone: (704) 219-0160.

Southern Stonescapes, Daniel Flynn

Every landscape is improved by adding some hardscape, whether it’s a gazebo, a paved patio, a boulder outcroppping (with a pond?), or simply a large pot. Landscape the front yard for curb appeal, and personalize the private spaces.

I love this old lichen-encrusted bench. A great way to personalize your garden is to use items that might be gathering dust in the basement or the shed. Best of Outdoor Living Space Award.

www.sstonescapesunlimited.com. Phone: (704) 309-9117.

Bushwackers Landscaping, Chad Little

Part of this display includes an assemblage of stones, plumbed up the center to create a gentle cascade of water spilling over the edge, into a pondless reservoir. Just what thirsty songbirds need in our hot summers!

www.bushwackerslandscaping.com. Phone: (704) 463-0174.

Old Hickory Buildings of Monroe, Tim Beane, Betty Beane, Amanda Beane

A few sheds were on display, one with a couple of chickens! In the back of the shed was a door that led to a covered outdoor run, where the chickens could enjoy some sunshine and pick in the grass whatever it is that chickens pick.

Another looked like the perfect get-away to finish that book, with a cup of coffee and the dog for company. Uh-huh: She-Shed! Or use it for a comfortable potting area, regardless of the weather outside.

ohbofmonroe.com. Phone: (704) 289-5147.

The Market Place in Independence Hall

I encourage you to visit and shop at these home and garden shows. I know how much work goes into setting up and preparing enough material to keep the booth well-stocked. This one ran for two 3-day weekends, and that requires a tremendous effort to produce inventory!

All kinds of products are available for purchase from the vendors. You can find a couple of companies selling plants, of course, and also artwork, antiques, clothing, housewares, birdhouses, goodies for the kitchen, pottery, wood products, tools, and furniture. Much of it is garden-themed, and some of it is not. And you can order sod and compost, a security system…or book a vacation to get away from it all.

There are fewer plant booths than we gardeners prefer, but that’s nothing new. That’s a perennial problem at home and garden shows such as this one. In February and early March, the weather is a gamble, especially in the colder region back in Maryland. But we had so many more “green” booths! There was the bonsai man, and a few herb vendors, several selling early flowering plants (pansies, ranunculus, forced spring-flowering bulbs, hellebores), perennials, houseplants, the African violet lady, the Plumeria person, and carnivorous plants. I hope this show’s organizers will try to bring in more plant vendors.

Guest Speakers

Just when I needed a break, the YouTube gardening video “sensation” Laura LeBoutillier (“Garden Answer”) and Proven Winners’ director of marketing Marshall Dirks conducted a lively talk to an engaged crowd. Ty Pennington (“Trading Spaces”), Julia Collin Davison (“America’s Test Kitchen” and “Cook’s Country”), and Matt Fox (HGTV’s “Room by Room”) also gave presentations this year.

Several other speakers conducted programs and DIY workshops with topics ranging from aquaponics to bees, cooking to curb appeal, dog training to cake decorating, and chalk paint to herb gardening, among others.

These are just a few of the many booths I visited in Independence Hall:

Juice Plus Tower Garden®, Cathy Melesh

You can harvest an impressive amount of produce from this ingenious hydroponic (soilless) system using a vertical growing “field”, where many pockets hold various plants.

A reservoir on the bottom (photo, right) pumps nutrient-rich water to the top of the tower, where the plants’ roots inside absorb what they need. LED lights supply illumination for herbs and greens (or houseplants) indoors.

Or, used outdoors without the lights, you can grow your own salad all summer long!

Bonus: Cathy’s sister, helping at the booth, was a customer at the garden center where I used to work. Small world!

cathymelesh.towergarden.com. Phone: (704) 560-0994.

The Card Gallery, Abby D. Morgan

There really are some of us who still write letters…yes, on paper. So, when I saw these laser-cut pop-up greeting cards, I had to take a few home with me. There wasn’t a pop-up children’s book that I could resist, when my kids were little, so…

http://alexnbo.com/thecardgallery.pdf. Phone: (919) 593-7270.

Oakdale Greenhouses, LLC

A wide variety of plants—Serissa and juniper bonsai, hanging plants with roots enclosed in a ball of moss and twine (Kokedama), succulent gardens, air plants (large and small Tillandsia) in hanging glass globes and other bromeliads, Nepenthes, houseplants both unusual and common—it’s all here!

Every year I end up buying a few. This year I bought a succulent I’d never seen before. It grows in a rosette, like an Echeveria, and it has thick blue-gray leaves with small burgundy dots. And I bought a tiny Ficus pumila quercifolia, with variegated leaves. You’ll find inexpensive 2″ starter pots and larger dish gardens and terrariums.

https://oakdalegreenhouses.com. Phone: (704) 596-4052.

: Nepenthes, a carnivorous plant.

: An open glass terrarium.

DirtWorks Pottery, Dan Triece, with Ben Vanpelt

I love pottery. In front of me is a glazed blue coffee mug I bought almost 30 years ago, when my brother and I went to a craft show in New Paltz, New York. No, not from Dan. But this illustrates how these items become members of the family, integrated into our lives…mine anyway. There’s something about bringing home a piece of art that was handcrafted by a “real person” instead of by a machine.

Dan and I chatted while he fashioned tiny ceramic vases on the potter’s wheel. They will have to be glazed and fired, of course, but there were hundreds more ready to sell. I bought two of them, deep blue. As soon as I returned home, I filled the vases with a few violas plucked from the garden. Perfect! Mother and I can enjoy them while we’re working the jigsaw puzzle.

Also for sale were bowls of all colors and styles, platters, vases, bread dishes, artistically styled pitchers with curved handles, small teabag rests…just beautiful! Phone: (336) 873-8979, Seagrove NC.

https://www.facebook.com/Dirtworks-Pottery-429257577168804/

BBC Expressions, Billie Colley

If you like color, take a look at these uniquely painted table tops. Billie paints on plywood rounds, from 22″ to 28″ in diameter. And then they’re coated with a few layers of protective epoxy, a process that takes weeks for completion. But they’re not for outdoor living…treat them as works of art, which they are, and keep them indoors.

I was mesmerized— by the color combinations, by the sinuous swirls, by their simple-but-precise beauty! A cherry base is normally attached when a table is purchased, except when on display at shows.

Certainly this must be a skill that Billie has honed over the years. Born in Turkey and raised in Britain, all these influences must have contributed to her aesthetic. But, no! Although she really enjoys painting and designing mosaics, architecture is her trade, and this is a relatively new endeavor!

The top row photographs are close-up details of 3 tables. The center bottom photograph shows pendants employing the same technique. On the bottom right is the table top that first drew my attention. Gorgeous!

Billie at work, and explaining the technique to some customers.

Website for jewelry: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BBCExpressionsGifts. Phone: (704) 256-4000.

Come for a Visit

The next time a home and garden show comes to town, take advantage of the opportunity to talk with the vendors. It’s a great introduction to the projects you might want to get underway this year. The owners and personnel representing the companies are eager to help with your questions and to provide solutions to those nagging problems that never seem to get properly fixed.

And don’t forget to pick up that weird plant or the piece you fell in love with, for the finishing touch…because it might be gone tomorrow. Happy Spring!

Return to the top

Spring Is Coming: The Earliest Signs

Feb13

2019

Signs of Spring

cherry tree, late winter to spring blooms

An early blooming cherry tree in the neighborhood. Rain darkened the bark, providing contrast with flowers.

Early Spring Bloomers

: One of the small cherry trees.

: Rows of lenticels in the bark.

The birds are singing their spring songs (I love waking up to that), and the delicate sweet fragrance from early blooming trees floats on the breeze. Spring-flowering bulbs of all sorts are pushing up emerald green spears, and some of the daffodils are coming into full bloom.

A few varieties of cherry trees, with their characteristic horizontal banding of lenticels on the bark, are blooming now, in late winter. Lenticels are pores that allow gas exchange between the plant and the atmosphere. Autumn cherry trees (Prunus subhirtella ‘Autumnalis’) in neighborhoods I sometimes drive through have been flowering non-stop for months. They don’t have the short, showy burst of a ‘Yoshino’ cherry, but any flowers on a winter day are a welcome sight.

magnolia's big pink blooms, early spring

Saucer Magnolia.

Neighborhood saucer magnolias (Magnolia x soulangeana) just started blooming with their pinkish-purple cup-shaped flowers. This can be a tricky species; an untimely frost can turn all the open flowers brown in a flash. Look for a later-blooming cultivar to plant in spring, plant it in a protected location, or take your chances! You can now find a wider range of flower colors (yellows and purples) thanks to modern breeding.

Star magnolia.

The related star magnolia (Magnolia stellata) is another late winter or early spring flowering tree. Its blooms are white or pink, depending on cultivar, shown against silvery gray bark.

Magnolias prefer full sun and moist, well-drained soil. They dislike root disturbance, so situate them where you won’t be digging around the root system.

Their smaller size recommends them to areas of the property where large trees would be out of place. When designing your landscape, always consider the mature height and spread of a tree’s canopy.

The ‘Yoshino’ Cherry For Spring Flowers

‘Yoshino’ is a hybrid between Prunus speciosa and P. pendula, and was first introduced to Europe and North America in 1902. It grows in USDA Zones 5-8, to a height of about 35′ or 40′. Plant taxonomists proposed that the true scientific name should be Prunus x yedoensis ‘Somei-yoshino’. (The lower-case “x” after the genus Prunus signifies that this variety is an inter-specific hybrid; “yedo”=Tokyo.)

There was some doubt, now resolved, whether this variety was distinguishable from the Jeju flowering cherry. ‘Yoshino’ is genetically different from the King cherry, now named Cerasus x nudiflora. The Jeju cherry is an endangered species, with only a few hundred specimens remaining on Jeju Island.

If you’re planning a trip to the U.S. capital, try to schedule it when the ‘Yoshino’ and other varieties of cherry trees are in full bloom around the city, and particularly at the Tidal Basin (photo, below). Just gorgeous! Much has been written about Tokyo Mayor Yukio Ozaki’s generous gift of thousands of cherry trees back in 1912, meant to celebrate the growing friendship between Japan and the United States. See if you can find a live cam of the Tidal Basin’s cherry trees as they begin to bloom.

cherry trees, Tidal Basin, early spring bloom

The Washington Monument and cherry trees around the Tidal Basin.

One year, my daughter, Brynn, marched with her high school band in Washington D.C.’s National Cherry Blossom Festival parade. The festival is an annual commemoration of Japan’s gift and a celebration of spring. Check with the National Park Service for the progress of the trees’ buds (posted about March 6), because the two events—the festival and the trees’ peak bloom—often don’t coincide.

In the Landscape

I planted a ‘Yoshino’ cherry in a customer’s garden, behind a pergola that the owner had built at the end of a large pond installed in the family’s back yard. Their concern that it would grow too slowly for them to enjoy the flowers and the full stature of the tree was dispelled after only a handful of years. This is a fast grower, with smooth maroon bark and attractive horizontal branching. Pink flower buds open to clouds of white to pale pink blooms. For many gardeners, ‘Yoshino’ cherry trees are synonymous with spring.

It’s no wonder cherry trees are held in such reverence in Japan and in gardens around the world. They are perfect complements to a pergola, a pond, or an old barn, and often feature prominently in Asian-style naturalistic garden design. Although the ‘Yoshino’ cherry is not the longest living ornamental tree, there are some gnarly 100-year-old specimens in Washington, D.C.

I used to cut budded branches from a tree in our back yard, and force them in a vase indoors. Use stems with buds that have visibly swelled in anticipation of spring.

Another show takes place when all the petals fall to the ground, like pink snow. It’s a lovely sight, and the flowers blow away or disintegrate after a few days. They will stick to the soles of your shoes, so consider that fact if you want one near the house or a frequently used sidewalk.

Headings

Page 1: Early Spring Bloomers, and The ‘Yoshino’ Cherry For Spring Flowers (In the Landscape)

Page 2: Finally, Amaryllis! (“Can I Plant Amaryllis Outdoors?”), Primrose For Spring, Forcing Hyacinth Bulbs (And After They Bloom?), Daffodils, Columbine, The Vegetable Garden (Herbs), Viola, A Rare and Perfect Day, and Ah, Spring!

Return to the top

Pages: 1 2

Poinsettias: Merry and Bright!

Dec17

Poinsettias in December

Poinsettias have long been associated with Christmas celebrations and are the most popular indoor flowering plants. They appear as early as mid-November in every garden center, grocery store, florist, Christmas craft show, and hardware store across the country.

Recently, I bought one called ‘Ruby Frost’ (bred by Syngenta). It’s a short plant that fits perfectly under a table lamp. I prefer some of the novelty colors, such as the very pale, creamy peach Premium ‘Apricot’, but I didn’t see it this year. ‘Visions of Grandeur’ (Ecke) is another favorite, with soft pale pink bracts. It is stunning when grown to a large size.

Over 100 varieties are available, with new ones advertising improved features, such as darker leaves and longer-lasting bracts. The colorful parts, sometimes called flowers, are actually modified leaves called bracts. True flowers are the small yellow and red parts in the center of the youngest bracts. Poinsettias are also being bred for resistance to necrotic leaf margins, a physiological condition where the edges of bracts or leaves turn brown due to calcium deficiency.

History of Poinsettias

As you can see from the photograph below, wild poinsettias look quite different from the ones we grow today in greenhouses. The plant is native to tropical deciduous forests of Mexico, where they grow from 2′ to 12′ tall.

Seven hundred years ago, the Aztecs called the plant Cuetlaxochitl, and used the red bracts for dye. The white latex had antipyretic properties, and the Aztecs used it for treating fever (but don’t try this at home). King Netzahualcoyotl considered the poinsettia a symbol of purity, as did the Aztec King Montezuma in the 1500’s.

Wild poinsettia.

The first U.S. ambassador to Mexico (1825-1829), Joel Roberts Poinsett, introduced the plant to the United States in 1825 after seeing them in the area now known as Taxco. Poinsett, a physician and botanist, shipped specimens to his greenhouse in Greenville (or Charleston, depending on source), South Carolina. He also sent plants to Philadelphia botanist John Bartram, who, in turn, gave plants to Robert Bruist, a nurseryman who named them Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.

Poinsettia flowers, the cyathia.

More than 700 species belong to the Euphorbia genus, a member of the Euphorbiaceae, or spurge, family, and have in common the characteristic white sticky latex sap. A Euphorbia flower generally comprises a single female flower, without sepals, surrounded by male flowers in a cyathium (plural: cyathia). The small flowers are located in the center of the colorful bracts, which attract the attention of pollinators.

Poinsettias are not poisonous, as was previously thought. Children and family pets chewing on the leaves or stems find out fast that better things await them on, or under, the dinner table. Those rare individuals who are allergic to the sap and develop a rash should immediately seek medical attention.

The Christmas Connection

The origin of poinsettias as a Christmas tradition began in the 1500’s, in Mexico, with a poor young girl named either Pepita or Maria. Because she was unable to provide a gift to celebrate Jesus’ birthday, she was inspired by an angel to gather weeds into a bouquet and to place them by the church altar. Red blossoms sprouted from the weeds, the story goes, which turned into poinsettias.

By the 1600’s, Franciscan priests in Mexico included them in Christmas celebrations. Around the same time, the writings of a botanist named Juan Balme began to appear, describing the poinsettia.

Modern Culture of Poinsettias

In 1923, Mrs. Enteman of Jersey City, New Jersey, discovered the first oak-leaved seedling and named it, appropriately, ‘Oak Leaf’. This was the first selection suitable for pot culture. Up until the 1960’s, all selections and sports are credited with having ‘Oak Leaf’ heritage.

Poinsettias were first grown as cut flowers (‘True Red’, ‘Early Red’), and were raised in outdoor fields before moving into greenhouses in the 1960’s. Paul Ecke, a California nurseryman, began breeding, in the 1920’s, most of the varieties grown today. His company discovered a way to breed plants that branched freely. So, for decades, this secret method allowed Ecke to remain the dominant grower…until the secret was revealed by a student, this story goes. Good branching structure and shorter stems culminated in their ‘Eckespoint Freedom’, in 1992.

Pennsylvania State University, the University of Maryland, and several commercial breeding programs proliferated in the 1950’s. Dr. Robert N. Stewart, of the Univ. of Maryland’s Agricultural Research Center in Beltsville MD, bred poinsettias with stiff stems, large bracts, and new colors. ‘Paul Mikkelsen’, named in 1963, was the first long-lasting poinsettia crop. ‘Annette Hegga Red’, with multi-bracted stems from pinching, and other sports were imported from Norway in 1964.

Before these new improvements came on the gardening scene, poinsettias grew long stems and were trained to look like a paperclip—“tromboning”, it was called.

Currently, California leads the nation (total: 34 million plants) in the number of poinsettias grown. The USDA reports that, in 2013, California grew 6 million plants. North Carolina came in second, with 4.4 million pots grown. Then Texas with 3.7 million pots, and Florida and Ohio, each with about 3 million pots. Red is the most popular color, claiming ¾ of all U.S. sales, followed by white, and then pink.

Poinsettias accounted for 23% of all U.S. indoor flowering potted plant sales in 2013. They contributed $144 million of the $618 million in this category.

Varieties

: ‘Princettia’ poinsettia.

: Red poinsettia.

Looking for a basic red poinsettia is no longer a simple task. There are cherry reds and scarlet reds, deep velvety reds and burgundies. Some bloom early and some bloom later, and can last in color for months! There are plants with dark green foliage or a lighter shade of green. And there’s ‘Winter Rose’ (Ecke) with bracts that are curled, resembling a rosette. ‘Carousel’ (Ecke) adds a bit of a frill, with its wavy-edged bracts. ‘Mirage’ and ‘Lyra’ (both from Syngenta) were introduced in 2017. Every year or two, new introductions come to the marketplace.

Solid pinks, in shades from very pale to vibrant, and from clear pink to peach to salmon, broaden the palette. And, of course, there’s white, although most white poinsettias are creamy yellow and mature somewhat white, as in ‘Freedom White’ and the recent ‘Merry White’ (Selecta). The newer ‘Princettia’ series does have a pure white variety, and also several pink shades. These colors offer tones that fit better, stylistically, in many homes.

: Orange poinsettia.

: A painted poinsettia.

If bright rich orange is your color, there’s a poinsettia for you! ‘Lemon Drop’ and ‘Gold Rush’ bring even more color selections. But the traditional reds, such as the ‘Freedom’, ‘Prestige’, ‘Premier’, and ‘Viking’ series are still the favorites and readily available.

For those who dare, spray paints and glitter can be applied. White poinsettias suddenly, magically, become blue or purple! Very striking, unnatural some would say, and not for the faint of heart!

Variegated Bracts and Foliage

A poinsettia with variegated bracts.

Variegated leaves, with creamy yellow margins, add another dimension, as in ‘Holly Point’. The newer ‘Tapestry’ (Ecke; photo, end of this section) is more vigorous than ‘Holly Point’ and more resistant to necrotic leaf margins. Foliage is gray-green in the center, and bracts are cherry red.

‘Mars Marble’ has cream margins with soft pink in the center of the bracts. ‘Christmas Angel Marbella’ (Selecta) also has creamy margins around salmon-pink centers.

For something a little different, there are series with spotted and splotched bracts. ‘Glitter’ (Ecke), ‘Shimmer Surprise’, ‘Tri-Color’, and ‘Jingle Bells’ look as if they’ve been splattered by white or pink paint. Some cultivars have yellow spots!

‘Ice Punch’ has red bracts with a blaze of pinkish white in the center. ‘Ruby Frost’ offers marbling in shades of pink, white, and red. (Note: the plant I purchased was labeled ‘Ruby Frost’, but it differs in appearance from photos in NC State Poinsettia Trials.)

: Varieties with spotted bracts have varying amounts of cream.

: ‘Ruby Frost’?

‘Strawberries and Cream’ (photo, below) is a diminutive variety, often grown in a 4 1/2″ pot. It has oak-leaved bracts that are cream on the margin and deep salmon pink in the center. Because of its size, it fits nicely in a basket with small-leaved English ivy, a Norfolk Island pine, and a young fern. Cover the pots with Spanish moss, add a bow, and you’re all set!

To hide bare stems near the bottom of the plant, simply add sprigs of evergreens and pine cones. Or use them in baskets, lined with plastic to prevent leakage, with other plants surrounding the bare stems. Keep them in the pots and move the plants around until you arrive at a pleasing arrangement.

: ‘Tapestry’, with variegated foliage.

: ‘Apricot’ and ‘Strawberries and Cream’.

Headings

Page 1: Poinsettias in December, History of Poinsettias, The Christmas Connection, Modern Culture of Poinsettias, Varieties, and Variegated Bracts and Foliage

Page 2: How To Care For Poinsettias (Growing Conditions), Outdoors For the Summer, And Back Indoors Again, and National Poinsettia Day

Return to the top

Pages: 1 2

Paperwhite Narcissus: Fragrant And Easy To Grow

Dec2

paperwhite narcissus 'Winter Sun', white flowers, yellow cup

‘Winter Sun’ paperwhite daffodil.

The Paperwhite Narcissus

Among the easiest plants to grow for fragrant blooms in winter is the paperwhite narcissus, Narcissus papyraceus. Success is practically guaranteed, since the flowers are already inside the bulbs when you buy them. All they need to sprout is light and moisture. Yes—it’s that easy!

Bulbs are available in autumn, alongside their hardier daffodil cousins, and sometimes into winter. Narcissus papyraceus is the name used by the Royal Horticultural Society. It lists Narcissus papyraceus subsp. tazetta as a synonym.

Purchase the bulbs by the end of November if you want blooms for Christmas. But, if time is running short, garden centers and florists will have potted paperwhite narcissus already sprouting or in flower right up to Christmas and often into the New Year.

Look for large, healthy bulbs that feel solid when you lightly squeeze them. Bulbs generally will bloom 3 to 4 weeks after planting them; some require a week or two more. Keep them cool—in the 50’s F—until they’re planted.

How To Plant Paperwhite Narcissus Indoors

With Roots In Water

Many gardeners prefer the traditional method of growing bulbs on a bed of decorative gravel or pebbles. Simply place a layer of pebbles in a shallow non-draining ceramic bowl or a glass container. Maintain the water level just below the bottom of the bulbs, which will sense the humidity and begin to grow roots. It won’t be long before growth emerges.

If you don’t see roots within a few days, add water until it touches the bottom of the bulbs. Once roots are visible, maintain the water level right below the bulbs. When the bulbs begin absorbing water, remember to refill the container to keep the roots wet. Avoid submerging bulbs in the water, which can cause rot.

Another method of forcing paperwhite narcissus is to rest a bulb in the top of a “bulb-forcing vase”, keeping water just under the bottom of the bulb. These vases come in a few sizes, so look for the small one made for daffodils. Amaryllis bulbs are sometimes grown this way in a larger vase.

With Roots In Soil

Paperwhite bulbs on the soil surface.

I prefer forcing bulbs in potting soil. Place paperwhite narcissus bulbs for forcing close together, unlike bulbs planted in the garden. Several bulbs will fit in a 6″ or 7″ pot.

Put some potting soil in the bottom third of the pot and nestle in the bulbs. Then, add some soil between the bulbs, and see if you can layer in a few more. It’s okay if the bulbs’ noses protrude above the soil. Other gardeners might place the bulbs fully exposed on top of the soil. Now water the pot.

The root systems of paperwhite narcissus bulbs grow very vigorously. In fact, strong young roots often push the bulbs higher in the medium. Gently push them back down; eventually the roots will more securely grab the soil.

One or two bulbs in a small decorative pot also makes a lovely presentation. When selling plants at the Christmas shows, I offered sprouted single paperwhites in 3″ aged clay pots. The bulb was planted high with a collar of fluffy green sheet moss tucked in the soil around the inside rim of the pot. I added a twig and holiday ribbon or a few pieces of raffia around the leaves. Add a clay saucer…very cute. Perfect for a windowsill that’s too cold for other houseplants.

I also planted paperwhites in ceramic bowls, 6″ and 7″ pots, and in squares of burlap, with moss and a bow, surrounding the pots and saucers. Customers enjoyed choosing among the different presentations to fit their needs.

Larger Bulbs

When I sold potted paperwhites in the fall and early winter, I purchased the largest bulbs available from suppliers. This ensured the greatest number of flowers, 2 or 3 multi-flowering stems per bulb. They were worth the additional cost.

Will Paperwhite Narcissus Come Back Next Year?

Forced bulbs have been weakened by the process and require an extra year or two in the garden, gathering strength before they’ll bloom again. Paperwhite narcissus bulbs for forcing are planted close together, but space them about 6″ apart in the garden.

In colder climates throughout the U.S., most varieties are not winter hardy. Gardeners in Zones 8-11, however, can plant them outdoors, where they usually return every spring. At the end of this article, I include a list of varieties and their USDA hardiness zones.

If you plan to set them into the garden after enjoying the forced blooms, keep the plants moist, give them direct sunlight, and do not cut off the foliage. It’s the same for paperwhites as it is for spring-flowering bulbs: leaves photosynthesize, storing nourishment in the bulbs. The more carbohydrates produced, the more flowers you’ll see in the future. For all bulbs, therefore, wait until the foliage has yellowed before removing it.

If your plans include saving the bulbs for the garden, force your paperwhites in potting soil. But don’t expect much of a floral show in the next flowering cycle. Bulbs growing in pots have depleted all the stored energy and require sunshine, moisture, nutrients, and time to gather enough strength to flower again.

As you can see from the list of varieties, several are hardy in colder climates. Left in the garden, they will bloom according to seasonal cues. Like other daffodils, roots grow in autumn, followed by the blooms in late winter to spring.

Temperature

Average indoor temperatures encourage rapid sprouting. Bright green leaves emerge before the tightly budded flowers. Temperature is one factor that determines how quickly the plants grow. Bulbs planted in late November to early December will probably flower for Christmas if they’re given temperatures in the high 60’s to 70°F. Rates of growth can vary, though, depending on the cultivar.

Let’s say you planted your bulbs on Thanksgiving Day, but now prefer to delay the bloom as long as possible. This is where lowering the temperature can help. Plants in full bloom or showing flower buds will slow down their development if they are kept very cool. And I mean “back porch” cool!

Don’t let them freeze. Expose plants to temperatures in the 40’s to just about stop them in their tracks. They probably would survive close to freezing temperatures, but the leaves might flop over. Cool temperatures keep the plants shorter overall. If the leaves are falling over, gather them together and secure with ribbon or raffia to a stake.

Watch the weather forecast to see if the plants can be kept outdoors overnight. But don’t forget to water them. Incidentally, deer and rodents won’t eat your paperwhite narcissus.

Chill!

When you bring the plants in for the night, put them in a very cool location. On the floor near a chilly patio door or in a cold window should suffice. Or in the garage if it’s cool but not freezing. Avoid placing them where they’ll feel the warm dry air from the heater. Kept very cool, the flowers last longer and growth will slow down.

Sure, bring them in for a few hours while your friends are over. (Not everyone likes the fragrance, though, so you might ask your guests.) Some varieties are less fragrant and are noted as such in the list of varieties, below.

Of course, there is the option of just letting them grow without fussing over them. If plants are available at the garden center, simply replace the old with the new. But if you prefer to grow them yourself, potting up a few bulbs every 7 to 10 days will give you a succession of blooms.

Planters Outdoors

If the weather remains chilly but not freezing, you can incorporate pre-started pots of paperwhites into patio planter combinations. Add evergreens, berried boughs, pansies or violas, and seasonal embellishments. I did this a few times, and, given favorable weather conditions, the flowers lasted for weeks.

Light and Water for Paperwhite Narcissus

Another factor that determines how well the plants grow is light. Direct sunlight will keep them shorter, but along with that come higher temperatures. So, try to find a spot that’s cool and sunny, like a chilly window.

Plants grow weaker in low light levels, and flowers—if they open—will be of lower quality.

Keep the plants moist at all times, using cool tap water. A vigorous root system dries the pot quickly, so check the plants every day. Dry soil will damage the flower buds.

Please Pass the Vodka

No, not for me. It’s for the paperwhites! In 2005, Dr. William Miller and student Erin Finan at the Cornell University Department of Horticulture studied the effects of alcohol on paperwhite narcissus.

First, they gave clear water to the bulbs until they began rooting out. After that, they found that plants were about one-third shorter when bulbs received a 4-6% solution of alcohol. So, a 1:7 to 1:9 solution (alcohol:water) will keep the plants shorter. (Divide “proof” by 2 to get alcohol content. For example, 80 proof is 40% alcohol. 40 ÷ 5% target = 8. Subtract 1. This results in a ratio of 1:7.)

Some online sources recommend a more concentrated alcohol content (1:5), but I wonder if that would interfere with water uptake.

This works on paperwhites grown in water or in soil.

Fact of Life: Floppy Paperwhite Narcissus

Even with good growing conditions, the leaves of paperwhites grow tall and eventually fall over. Prepare for this ahead of time, and have some bamboo stakes, twigs from the garden, or a short decorative trellis and some twine, raffia, or ribbon to secure the stems. And maybe a little gin…for the bulbs.

Paperwhites offer a powerful fragrance. Maybe there are better places to display them instead of next to the Christmas turkey. For the same reason most cooks prefer unscented candles on the dinner table, paperwhites can find some other place for the occasion. Perhaps they can keep company with the cyclamen in the chilly foyer.

Cut Flowers

Many paperwhite cultivars are suitable as cut flowers. But water uptake in other types of flowers can be hindered by compounds in the daffodils’ sap.

This also applies to hardy springtime daffodils that emerge in the garden, so keep cut daffodils by themselves for longer-lasting tulips, hyacinths, and others.

Off With the Old

When the scent loses its appeal, trim off the entire flower stem. Don’t discard the plant; there might be another flower stem that will emerge, even if the bud is not immediately visible. Remember to keep the soil moist.

Place finished pots in the garage or a chilly basement, in the sun, and continue to water. Keep them growing if they’re hardy where you live. Gardeners can plant their bloomed-out paperwhites outdoors after the harsh months of winter have passed.

Even though the varieties I grew were not hardy in Maryland, where I used to live, the plants and their soil were discarded under the shrubs or in the borders instead of at the landfill. The organic matter still had value in the garden.

paperwhite narcissus in a decorative pot, planted 1/6/19

‘Winter Sun’ bulbs.

Varieties of Paperwhite Narcissus

Subspecies of N. papyraceus have broad distribution around the world. They’re native to or have naturalized in southeast France, northwest Italy, Sardinia, the Canary Islands, Turkey, Greece, Israel, southeast China, South Korea, Japan, India, and Nepal. They also are found in Australia, New Zealand, Algeria, Morocco, Bermuda, Mexico, South America, and in United States along the south and west coasts.

The term tazetta derives from the Italian word “tazza”, which is a shallow wine cup. These plants used to be called Narcissus tazetta, but recent nomenclature classifies them as Narcissus papyraceus subspecies tazetta. All paperwhites are in the Amaryllidaceae family.

Alphabetically, and all are fragrant:

‘Ariel’: large pure white flowers that face down slightly. Good for forcing, one source says grow only in soil. Zones 8-11.
‘Avalanche’: white with greenish-yellow cup, strong fragrance. Called ‘Seventeen Sisters’ in the 1700’s for its profuse blooms. Heirloom; award winner. Mid-spring, zones 6-9.
‘Canaliculatus’: white with yellow cup, sweetly fragrant, 4 to 7 flowers per stem. Short, to 6″ tall. Heirloom. Mid-spring, zones 6-10.
‘Chinese Sacred Lily’ (N. tazetta chinensis or orientalis): white with golden yellow cup, wonderful fragrance, 5 to 10 small flowers per stem, might be not as free-flowering as others. One source said to give it a little bottom heat (about 70°F) to coax the flowers. Three to five weeks to bloom. To 16″ tall. Brought from China in the 1800’s and used to celebrate Chinese New Year. Zones 8-11.
‘Cragford’: white with vivid orange cup, 4 to 6 flowers per stem. Excellent cut flower (strong stem). Good forcer, 1′ to 2′ tall. Heirloom, award winner. Zones 5-9.
‘Erlicheer’: double white with yellow mixed in, to 16″ tall. Award winner. Zones 6-9.
‘Falconet’: deep yellow with orange-red cup, 3 to 8 flowers per stem, strong fragrance. Excellent cut flower, 1′ to 2′ tall. Award winner. Mid-spring, zones 5-9.
‘Galilee’: all white, 10 to 15 flowers per stem, musky scent. Good for forcing. Zones 8-11.
‘Geranium’: white with yellow-orange cup, very fragrant. Several stems, each with 3 to 6 flowers. Well-drained soil, good in the South. Up to 15″ tall. Award winner. Zones 4-9.
‘Grand Soleil d’Or’: bright yellow with orange cup, 10 to 20 flowers per stem. Delicate fruity fragrance. Good forcer but takes longer to grow. To 18″ tall. Very early spring, zones 8-11.
‘Inbal’: large clusters of white flowers, flat cup. Good for forcing, milder fragrance. Zones 8-11.
‘Jerusalem’: large white flowers, mild sweet fragrance. To 20″ tall. Zones 8-11.
‘Minnow’: pale yellow with yellow cup, fading with age, 2 to 5 flowers per stem. 8″ to 10″ tall, nice in rock gardens. Award winner. Zones 5-9.
‘Nazareth’ (‘Yael’): creamy white, mildly sweet fragrance. To 14″ tall. Zones 8-11.
‘Scilly White’: white with short pale yellow cup, 3 to 20 flowers per stem. Sweet scent, but not as strong as others. To 20″ tall. Late winter/early spring flowers. Zones 8-11.
‘Winter Sun’ (‘Wintersun’): white with buttery-yellow to clear yellow cup. 4 to 5 weeks to bloom, milder fragrance. Zones 8-10, one source said Zones 9-11. (Photo, below).
‘Ziva’: pure white, large cluster. 3 to 4 stems per bulb. Sweet, spicy scent. Zones 8-11. Also, the favorite for forcing.

‘Winter Sun’, one month after potting up.

If you prefer a milder fragrance, start with those indicated as such in the list above. Photographs of several cultivars can be found online.

In the meantime, I hope you’ll enjoy potting up a few of these paperwhite narcissus bulbs. Tuck a pot into a large basket with other winter flowers (Amaryllis, Poinsettia), some English ivy, and ‘Frosty’ fern for a festive arrangement.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday Season to all!

Return to the top

How To Keep Cyclamen In Bloom

Nov26

It’s Time For Cyclamen!

A florist’s cyclamen.

Cyclamen are perfect winter-blooming plants. Miniature varieties don’t take up much space, and they can fit in just about anywhere–a cool windowsill, the kitchen table, or a guest room. The cyclamen found in garden centers in autumn are florist’s cyclamen, which I’ll describe after the section on hardy cyclamen.

Now that we’re well into autumn, temperatures dip below freezing at night. Outdoor gardening activities are less critical, and preparing for the holidays takes priority.

Garden centers are brimful with enticing delights—real trees (fake ones, too) and wreaths and all the trimmings… Strings of miniature Christmas lights (“annuals”, according to some), bird feeders, seed and suet…

And plants, of course. Poinsettias in an ever-widening assortment of cultivars, paperwhite narcissus bulbs in bins or sprouting in pots, stately amaryllis in dozens of colors…and benches of cyclamen in sprightly pinks, reds, bicolors, and pure white.

I’ve always loved miniature cyclamen. Sometimes you can find one with an especially delightful scent. The miniatures, to me, are easier to manage and stay in bloom longer than the larger types. A pink miniature from last Christmas just went out of bloom, yet summoned the energy to form 20 new flower buds.

Now, they won’t bloom forever, but with careful maintenance, miniature cyclamen can bloom for many months.

Cyclamen are truly versatile. They easily fit into combination arrangements with Norfolk Island pine, English ivy, small poinsettias, and houseplants seeking company.

Grow them in rustic clay pots, in modern ceramics, in birch logs, and in baskets. Or clustered on the credenza with candles, amaryllis, and fresh greens. And near the front door, in the chilly foyer, under a desk lamp, with some ornaments, and, yes, more greens.

There are two groups of cyclamen: those that are hardy and can tolerate cold temperatures when planted in the garden (“Hardy Cyclamen”) and those that are grown for indoor culture (“Florist’s Cyclamen”).

Hardy Cyclamen—We Can Take the Cold

There are about two dozen species of cyclamen available to gardeners, all belonging to the Primulaceae family. In addition to Cyclamen, other members in the family include Primula, Lysimachia, Dodecatheon, and about 50 other genera.

The hardy Cyclamen hederifolium.

***Cyclamen* *Hederifolium***

Cyclamen hederifolium is the most commonly found hardy cyclamen. The ivy-leaved cyclamen grows outdoors in USDA Zones 5 to 7, and can take temperatures down to -20°F. Its resemblance to English ivy (Hedera helix) explains the specific epithet, hederifolium.

Although it has naturalized in the Pacific Northwest, it is native to rocky woodlands and scrub in the Mediterranean region, from southern France to Turkey, and to islands in the Mediterranean Sea. This species is adaptable, readily self-seeds, and grows from sea level to about 4,000′ in elevation.

In late summer and autumn, pink flowers with darker eyes emerge among the silver-mottled leaves. Cyclamen needs gritty soil with lots of organic matter to keep it happy. Roots of this species emerge from the sides and the top of the tuber. Be careful not to cultivate the soil above the tuber, which will damage roots and the “floral trunks”, extensions of the tuber that bear flower buds.

Large tubers of the ivy-leaved cyclamen that I grew for sale arrived in mid summer. I potted them into 4½” pots, slightly bigger than the tubers. Half the soil consisted of drainage material. Coarse sand, pine fines, and small gravel (like PermaTill) mixed with potting soil in a 1:1 ratio encouraged roots to grow. But they rooted…very…slowly. Tubers rot in soil that holds too much water, so good soil preparation is important for long-term success.

Hardy cyclamen.

Rooted In and Around

Decades ago, in Maryland, I planted a C. hederifolium tuber in a friend’s front yard, under a young Japanese maple. About 10 or 15 years later, she asked if it could be dug and taken to her new house. After some exploration, I felt a flattened tuber the size of a dinner-plate! But it was pinned in position by the aggressive roots of the maple tree.

It could not be pried loose, so it remains there today. Planted where the soil dries out while the tuber is dormant was probably part of the key to success. The maple absorbed a great deal of the water in spring and summer.

More Hardy Cyclamen Species

Here are some of the hardy cyclamen species, listed from more cold-tolerant first:

hederifolium (USDA Zones 5-7): described above.
coum (Zones 5 or 6 to 8): 4″ tall, small dark green or variegated leaves with deep red reverse. Pink to purple blooms appear in late winter to early spring. Similar to parviflorum, but coum grows at lower elevations in northern Turkey, and the two don’t hybridize.
purpurascens (Zones 6-7): fragrant deep pink flowers in summer. Its silver-mottled foliage is nearly evergreen. Native to northern Italy and central Europe.
cilicium (Zones 6-8): white to pale pink flowers in fall to winter, and silver-mottled leaves.
mirabile (Zones 6-8): small flowers in autumn.
parviflorum (Zones 6-9): a green-leaved species, from 4,000′ to 7900′ elevation (alpine tundra, subalpine meadow) in northern Turkey. Small tuber, only ¾” across.
repandum (Zones 7-8): coarsely toothed leaf margins, silver-marbled.
graecum (Zones 7-9): Greek cyclamen blooms in autumn with white or pink, often fragrant, flowers. From southern Greece and southern Turkey.

Collectors grow many of the species cyclamen, keeping them year-round in cool greenhouses. Information on websites varies regarding bloom time, flower color, and leaf color. Rare species and forms of species are available from specialty nurseries and garden clubs.

It takes a few years for cold-hardy species to flower from seed. In the wild, seeds are coated with a sweet sticky substance, which attracts ants. They feed on the sweet part, and discard the seeds. This method of seed dispersal, by ants, is called myrmecochory, in case you were wondering.

**Because of dwindling native populations, be sure to ask for “nursery-propagated tubers”. This is not synonymous with “nursery-grown tubers”.**

*** * * * * * * ***

Florist’s Cyclamen

This is the species that is most widely grown for indoor cultivation.

Cyclamen persicum comes from rocky hillsides, up to 3900′ elevation, in south-central Turkey, Israel, Jordan, and in parts of northern Africa. It is also found in some of the Greek islands, where monks grew it and introduced it to traders.

Native populations of this species had fragrant pink flowers. Although much of the fragrance has been lost in hybridization, some modern strains, especially the miniature and intermediate varieties, once again have some scent. They don’t throw scent far from their flowers, so smell the flowers before purchasing if fragrance is what you want.

Cyclamen are available in autumn, during the winter holidays, and for Valentine’s Day. In cool regions, some garden centers offer them in early spring.

Flowers come in a wide range of colors, including white, pink shades, salmon, scarlet, deep red, burgundy, lilac, and shades of purple. They can be solid or bicolor, or finely edged in a contrasting color (“picotee”). Breeders have come up with micro miniatures, miniatures, intermediates, and large-growing standard strains.

Foliage differs from one strain to another, some showing little silver mottling, and others showing bold silver variegation. Leaf margins can be smooth, lobed, or somewhat toothed. Flowers, too, can vary in form, from smooth to ruffled to fringed.

Keep cyclamen away from children and animals. Ingestion can cause abdominal distress, seizures, and even death.

Combinations

A few miniature cyclamen and variegated English ivy in a clay pot.

These were fast sellers where I attended winter farmers’ markets in Olney MD, around Washington, D.C., and at the Carroll County Christmas shows in Westminster, MD.

In a Basket

‘Frosty’ fern (Selaginella sp.), a fern ally.

In cool conditions, group together cyclamen, kalanchoe, ‘Frosty’ fern, and lemon button fern. Add a small pot of English ivy to trail over the sides. Small grasses, such as mondo grass or Carex, add textural contrast to combinations.

I kept the plants in their pots, and snuggled them together in baskets lined with plastic. Add Spanish or green sheet moss, holiday ribbon or raffia, and maybe some small pine cones for the finishing touches.

Never allow water to collect in the bottom of a pot cover or a decorative container.

In a Pot

They also can be potted together. Use a shallow pot that snugly fits the root systems of the plants; keep them potbound.

The popular ‘Frosty’ fern, a Selaginella, develops white tips in cool conditions, and must be kept moist. More options include Norfolk Island pine, English ivy, and other plants that take the same conditions.

Clay pots allow soil to dry faster than non-porous pots. Potting cyclamen with other plants can be a bit tricky, especially if light levels are not optimal. Their tubers can rot in pots that are too large or if the soil is too wet.

Strains of Florist’s Cyclamen

Marbled cyclamen foliage.

Most customers aren’t concerned with the name of the cyclamen, but some are. A strain called Verrano tolerates higher, but not tropical, temperatures. The new Dreamscape strain performs well over a longer period of time. These are good choices for landscape beds in moderate to cool temperatures during the “shoulder” seasons, when they’re not exposed to frost.

A few of the miniature strains growers sell for indoors are Mini Winter (also good in cool, moist landscapes), Fantasia, and Snowridge Mini. Intermediate strains include Laser, Snowridge Midi, and Allure. For larger pots (5″ to 7″), growers offer Sierra, Mammoth, Fleur en Vogue, and Friller.

Strains with heavy silver variegation are beautiful even without flowers. Picasso (fragrant flowers) and Silverado are two popular miniature cyclamen strains. Rembrandt is an intermediate cyclamen, and Winter Ice is a larger standard with broad silver markings. Halios ‘White Silverleaf’ is a newer white-flowering cultivar with wide silver edging on the leaves. Metalis, an intermediate strain introduced in the 2020 California spring trials, has a broad silver margin, a green central heart, and can be used indoors and in the landscape.

Varieties coming to market are bred for leaf color, flower fragrance, and disease resistance. Breeders also are looking for larger bloom counts and for blooms that bunch in the center. Another variety in the 2020 spring trials is the heat tolerant ‘Leopardo’.

What About the Seedpods?

Remove seedpods to encourage more blooms.

We normally remove faded flowers and their stems, encouraging more flowers to form. But, sometimes, for fun, I let seedpods develop at the end of the bloom cycle.

The flower stem curls curiously downward, and the pod splits open when the seeds are ripe. A fully developed seedpod resembles a grape.

Florist’s cyclamen grow quite easily from seed; they just take a long time to get to flowering size. Older strains of cyclamen needed 15 to 18 months from seed to flower. Newer varieties take only half that amount of time.

Seeds germinate soon after ripening if planted about ¼” deep. They germinate better in the dark, in high humidity, and with temperatures in the mid 60’s F. Tiny cyclamen leaves emerge after the tuber has begun to grow. I used to grow seedlings in 9-cell market packs until they were ready, months later, for 4″ pots. To save time, however, I purchased pre-finished cyclamen to sell at garden shows after they bulked up and came into flower.

Headings

Page 1: It’s Time For Cyclamen!, Hardy Cyclamen—We Can Take the Cold (Cyclamen Hederifolium, Rooted In and Around, More Hardy Cyclamen Species), Florist’s Cyclamen (Combinations, Strains Of Florist’s Cyclamen), and What About the Seedpods?

Page 2: Starting Out With Cyclamen, Choosing Cyclamen, Water, They Like It Cool (Miniature Cyclamen Might Be Easier), On a Chilly Porch, Dormancy, New Digs (Potting Soil), Fertilizer for Cyclamen, Light, Deadheading Cyclamen, and For Further Research

Return to the top

Pages: 1 2

The Lake Lure Flowering Bridge

Sep25

2018

Updated 10/28/2024

A Trip To the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge

Yesterday, US 64/US 74-Alt/NC 9 delivered me to the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge. The weather forecast predicted a hot Saturday here in Charlotte. So, I decided to take another trip to the mountains of western North Carolina. There’s rarely a plan or an itinerary of any sort, but I always end up somewhere.

I have been there before, once a couple of years ago to walk the length of the bridge, and many times as a drive-by viewer on my way to…somewhere. If I had stayed home, I would have felt compelled to plant the potted vegetables that were quietly pleading, “Plant us…Plant us!”

View from the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge.

A Little History

This “Gateway to Somewhere Beautiful”, it’s called, opened in 2013, after a new bridge had been built 2 years earlier, right next to it. The original 1925 bridge and now this pedestrian walkway span the Rocky Broad River, which feeds Lake Lure, an easy stroll along the Town Center Walkway. (Parts of the movie “Dirty Dancing” and other movies were filmed here.) Stunning stone backdrops surround the lake, where you can enjoy water sports, dine, or simply sit back and take it all in.

The Visitor Center, between the lake and the garden, houses a small museum with artifacts and informative historical displays. You can trace the history of the Hickory Nut Gorge from the time of the Cherokee and Catawba Indians. Read about the area’s involvement in the Civil War and the Gold Rush, to today’s economy, centered around agriculture, industry, and tourism.

The garden has been designated a Monarch Way Station by Monarch Watch. And the National Wildlife Federation includes it in its Certified Wildlife Habitat program. It is known as “Historic Bridge Seven” in the Register of Historic Places.

Path through the gardens, with scenic backdrop.

A short drive down the road is Chimney Rock State Park (“The Last of the Mohicans”) and the always bustling Chimney Rock Village. Here you can enjoy shopping and outdoor dining while being mesmerized by the sound of rushing water cascading down the rocky incline. Did I mention how scenic this area is? Spectacular!

The beautiful Rocky Broad River.

Back to the Garden

A paved pathway takes visitors through a succession of gardens. There’s an herb garden, a fragrance garden, and one that highlights tropicals. And a miniature train garden, succulents, and roses. Annuals are planted here and there, providing vibrant color and nectar for the bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects.

Perennials and woody plants are the backbone of this garden, and each section has a plant list to help identify individual specimens. This garden is open all year, inviting opportunities for new experiences every time I visit.

Expanding gardens spill out over the ends of the bridge span, offering more potential garden space. The parking lot is at one end, near the huge maple tree (2019—now a stump!). Planted near the other end of the garden is a Franklin tree, which no longer exists in the wild. You can stay on the level curvy paved path or explore several side pathways.

There is no charge to visit, but do leave a donation in the box near the lake end of the walk. Contribute $200 (today=?) and have an engraved brick placed along the path. This garden is planted and maintained entirely by a group of hard-working volunteers.

Everywhere you go, you will see whimsical additions to the landscape. There are bird baths with good-luck coins (cameras are watching, the signs say), and repurposed painted doors. That’s a nice touch along a path as the garden transitions into another style or simply to add a splash of color.

You’ll see metal sculptures from inconspicuous to the can’t-miss Opuntia, houses for birds and bees, and an old chair with the seat replaced with a sack of soil and succulents.

Wildlife

: Gulf fritillary butterfly.

: Chrysalis on elephant ear.

: Red-spotted purple butterfly.

The bright orange butterfly is a Gulf Fritillary. Males are bright orange, and females are slightly browner. The caterpillars feed on passion flowers (Passiflora), and adults take nectar from butterfly bush (Buddleia), lantana, zinnia, and other flowers.

Where water drained from one of the raised beds, a butterfly called the Red-Spotted Purple paused for a mineral drink. The larvae of this butterfly feed on several species of trees, including amelanchier, aspen, birch, poplar, and wild cherry. Adults find sustenance from dripping tree sap, rotten fruit, carrion…and dung. Sometimes they sip nectar from spirea, viburnum, and privet flowers. Birds avoid the red-spotted purple because it mimics the poisonous pipevine swallowtail butterfly. But I wonder if that’s the only reason.

This chrysalis (photo, above) clings to the back of an elephant ear leaf. Tropical Colocasia plants add dramatic presence to a garden, with huge green or purplish-black arrowhead leaves.

Another butterfly skipping around the lantana and the basil flowers was the Clouded Sulfur butterfly. Small lizards (green anoles) scurried off when disturbed.

A tall perennial sunflower, Helianthus, for late blooms and bumble bees.

A cultivar of the perennial native sunflower (Helianthus) was a favorite of the bees. This stately plant grows to 7′ tall and offers bright color in sun to partial shade when little else flowers there at this time of year.

A water hose thoughtfully left on the edge of the sidewalk filled a bowl for thirsty dogs. It was a hot day! Heading back to the parking lot, the metal archway misted cool water on visitors who chose to take this route. That felt great.

So, What’s Blooming Now?

Perennials

Pollinators at work on the goldenrod, Solidago. This is not the plant responsible for hay fever.

Camera in hand, I clicked away as others smiled hello or asked “What’s that?” There were visitors from New York, and several from other countries. A lovely woman from Hickory commented on the turquoise-winged wasps all over the goldenrods (Solidago) and was curious to know the name of another yellow flower. It was listed on the nearby clipboard as Rudbeckia fulgida, a small-leaved black-eyed Susan. It’s native to the eastern U.S.

Rudbeckia fulgida var. fulgida.

A popular seller at the Maryland markets where I sold plants was Rudbeckia fulgida var. fulgida, a better choice, in my opinion, than the ubiquitous ‘Goldsturm’. I’m not sure if the specimens on the bridge were R. fulgida, as indicated on the plant list, or R. fulgida var. fulgida. The latter black-eyed Susan, a slightly glossy-leaved variety of the species, starts blooming a week or two later than ‘Goldsturm’, but it continues non-stop until frost.

And it is not susceptible to that unsightly black mildew that often covers leaves of ‘Goldsturm’. Sure, the flowers are smaller, but, to me, it is the superior variety.

Anemone ‘Honorine Jobert’.

Reblooming bearded irises (“Update”, below) were budding up for an encore presentation, and chrysanthemums filled in the gaps. Tall, white Japanese Anemone ‘Honorine Jobert’ lit up the partly shaded recesses of the metal archway.

mum and glass sculpture, Lake Lure Flowering Bridge

Burgundy chrysanthemum echoes similar color in glass bead sculpture.

More Perennials

New England asters, Gaura, pink turtlehead (Chelone obliqua), garden phlox (Phlox paniculata), and Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ were finishing up their blooms. Ripening seedheads of coneflowers (Echinacea) and black-eyed Susans attract hungry birds, especially the finches. Now there’s a lesson for visitors to the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge—keep the seedpods on the plants for the birds!

Heuchera, also called alumroot or coral bells, is bulking up foliage for what I’m sure will be an impressive display next year. Cooler temperatures bring out a vibrancy in the heuchera foliage that rivals fall tree color. Hummingbirds visit the airy flowers for their sweet nectar.

Also growing in part shade was toad lily (Tricyrtus), with orchid-like purple spotted flowers. It won’t grab your attention as other brightly colored flowers will, but, viewed up close, it has its charms. The fact that it blooms at the end of the growing season and in mostly shady conditions merits placement along a woodland path.

Annuals

Ruellia, sometimes called Mexican petunia.

There’s great botanical diversity on the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge. The brochure states there are over 700 species of plants in this garden!

A few heat-loving annuals are blooming overtime, such as lantana, scaevola (fanflower), ruellia, cuphea, and zinnia, attracting butterflies and bees. Coleus varieties, partly shaded by the maple tree, will stay in leaf until cold weather or frost claims them.

While perennial gardening offers many benefits, the annuals deliver an abundance of color and the opportunity to grow something different every year.

Violas in our front yard flower through the winter.

In our front garden, near the sidewalk, I planted biennial violas a few weeks ago. Smaller cousins of the pansy, violas bloom all winter and spring in this USDA zone 7b location. They will succumb to late spring’s high temperatures.

The deer are fond of violas, so I spray the plants with a deer repellent every 3 or 4 weeks. These plants will “bridge the gap” in this garden between fall and spring.

Shrubs

Many of the plants on the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge have noteworthy features in the fall. When landscaping your property, look for not only flowers, but also ornamental bark, attractive twigginess or structure, fragrance, fall color, fruits, and benefits to wildlife.

Beautyberry

White Beautyberry, Callicarpa americana, overhanging Rudbeckia fulgida.

Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana), with branches gracefully bending under the weight of their fruits, is an easy shrub to grow. The birds feed on the ripe berries, distributing their seeds. Robins, mockingbirds, and thrashers will eat the berries when their favorite foods are no longer available.

There are both purple- and white-berried Callicarpa americana shrubs on the bridge. This beautyberry is a multi-stemmed shrub growing 4′ to 6′ tall. It’s native to the southeastern U.S., from Texas to Virginia, in USDA zones 6 to 10. Cultivars of the related Callicarpa dichotoma and other Asian species range from 3′ to 10′ tall.

Purple beautyberry, Callicarpa americana.

I used to cut back the purple beautyberry (C. dichotoma) in our Maryland garden to only 6″ or 12″. Because flowers, and therefore berries, form on new growth, this approach keeps it more manageable in the landscape. In fact, delaying the pruning until mid-spring (instead of late winter to early spring) will cause it to leaf out a bit later, keeping the plant even shorter and less “wild” looking.

Beautyberry is undemanding in a casual mixed border. This plant vigorously self-seeds, although birds consume many of the fruits.

Colchicum autumnale ‘Waterlily’.

Planted near purple beautyberry in the Maryland garden, a fall-blooming bulb called Colchicum autumnale ‘Waterlily’ perfectly echoed the berries of the shrub. It is poisonous, so use with caution.

Mosquito Repellent

Fresh leaves of American beautyberry, Callicarpa americana, contain a substance that is said to repel mosquitoes and other biting insects.

I haven’t tried the beautyberry, but catnip (Nepeta cataria) always did an excellent job keeping mosquitoes away from me. Simply crush a leafy stem and rub it on your skin, adding a few drops of water to help distribute the natural repellent. If I reapply the solution soon after the first one dries, mosquitoes keep their distance all day. Prepare a concentrated solution a cup at a time and store it in the refrigerator, where it can last for a few weeks.

Strawberry Bush

Native strawberry bush, Euonymus americanus.

Another shrub sporting curious-looking fruits is “hearts-a-bustin”, or strawberry bush. Euonymus americanus, native to the eastern U.S. (zones 6 to 9), is a suckering shrub, growing eventually to about 6′ by 6′. Inconspicuous flowers develop dark orange-red fruits in autumn, providing food for birds, but they’re toxic to us.

The untamed nature of this shrub is well suited to a wild native garden or on wooded slopes. Deer feed on the foliage and twigs.

This plant is susceptible to crown gall and, like other Euonymus species, to euonymus scale. But it does have interesting characteristics if you’re looking for a native plant to add to a woodland garden. Strawberry bush tolerates clay or sandy soil and growing near black walnut trees.

The Franklin Tree

Franklinia tree, F. alatamaha, at the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge

The Franklin tree, Franklinia alatamaha.

A Franklin tree (Franklinia alatamaha) grows near the lake end of the path. This medium sized tree is related to Camellia and Stewartia, in the family Theaceae. It has late season white flowers, vibrant red fall color, and ornamental striated bark. It needs well-drained, acidic soil, and dislikes compacted clay and wet conditions. Don’t plant it where cotton has been grown.

Franklinia has the reputation for being difficult to grow, but if you live within zones 5 to 8 and welcome a challenge…

Pennsylvania botanists John Bartram (1699-1777) and his son, William (1739-1823), “discovered” this plant in 1765. They collected specimens, saving the species from extinction, and named it in honor of their friend, Benjamin Franklin. All existing Franklin trees originated from specimens collected over 200 years ago, near the Altamaha River in Georgia. Unfortunately, it disappeared from the wild at about that time.

Styrax Japonica

Japanese snowbell, Styrax japonica.

Another tree, one of my favorites, is the smooth-barked Japanese snowbell (Styrax japonica). This is a finely branched medium-sized tree with fragrant dangling delicate white flowers that appear after the spring rush is over. Some of the seedpods can be seen splitting open (photo taken Nov. 3), revealing brown seeds inside.

The species has a lovely broad umbrella-shaped canopy, but newer cultivars tend to be more upright. It grows in zones 5 to 8. A pink-flowering cultivar is available.

Time To Go

On the road again, Route 64 climbs to a cool 2500′ elevation as it continues winding through small towns and apple fields toward Hendersonville, where I sometimes have a hefty tuna sandwich on marbled rye before heading home.

I’d like to see the garden’s winter light display, so I might return to see that. But the fall color in the mountains of western North Carolina will probably draw me back in a month or two. Most likely, the trip will include a stop at the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge.

Update: November 3, 2018

A pair of painted gourds.

On a quest for pictures of fall foliage in the foothills and lower elevation mountains of western North Carolina, I was reminded instead of the consequences of recent storms: broken limbs, toppled trees, and some rockslides…but no photo ops of fiery maples or golden hickories. The power of nature!

Today’s trip to the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge presented a few new subjects…

The rich purple reblooming irises didn’t disappoint. Several plants were in full flower, and some had more buds yet to unfurl. Blue fall-blooming asters welcomed busy honey bees, and purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) still had some flowers. Clusters of yellow quilled petals crowned a robust Rudbeckia subtomentosa ‘Henry Eilers’.

Reblooming iris.

: Fall-blooming aster.

: Late blooms of Rudbeckia s. ‘Henry Eilers’.

Throughout the garden, seasonal decorations nestled in among the plants and structures. Pumpkins of various shapes and colors, painted squashes, sequined straw-stuffed figures… Soon these undoubtedly will give way to wintry themes and holiday lights.

A local company called Mark of Excellence, Inc., had just completed building this new information kiosk (photo, below). Mark, like all other contributors to this garden, volunteered his services for the enjoyment of all visitors.

Even though it’s November, you can see that the growing season is hardly at an end! Visiting public gardens, parks, farmers’ markets, and garden centers during off-peak times of the year will tempt you with some of these season-extenders.

It doesn’t take much to get me outdoors, but give me some plants to fuss over, admire, or photograph…and, well…dinner will be a little late.

Information station at the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge

The new information station.

Hurricane Helene

This section added 10/7/2024:

Mark Huneycutt documented what he has seen, and here’s one of his videos:

I walked to Chimney Rock for answers… Hurricane Helene Aftermath – YouTube

Added 10/28/2024:

Asheville is Worse than We Realized – Can They Rebuild?

Thank you again.

Return to the top

Plan Now for Spring-Flowering Bulbs

Sep9

2018

Time For Spring-Flowering Bulbs

Spring-flowering bulbs in a public garden.

In a few days, we finally will see some almost normal temperatures in this part of the southeast. It’s time to think about spring-flowering bulbs that will be planted over the next 2 or 3 months. Get comfortable; this is a long essay on the big topic of spring-flowering bulbs.

It often happens: when the daffodils, tulips, and wonderfully fragrant hyacinths bloom in February, March, and April, that’s when many customers ask for the bulbs. But most bulbs are planted in the fall and into early winter. Their roots develop as the soil cools in late summer and autumn, but growth above ground is delayed until months later.

It is no longer uncommon for garden centers to sell potted bulbs in spring. So, if you missed out on the fall planting season, or if you want to see the flower colors before planting, inquire with the growers. Vendors at spring home and garden shows and farmers’ markets also sell pots of budded or blooming bulbs.

Daffodils are reliable, easy to grow, and not eaten by animals.

Many thousands of varieties of bulbs are available to gardeners. Each region of the country has its favorites, based on ease of culture, resistance to hungry animals, and familiarity with what people “usually” grow there.

If you want something more unusual but your local sources don’t carry it, you can probably find it online or through mail order catalogs. Find out what the bulbs require before investing in 2,000 pink tulips that can’t take the heat in your back yard.

On the Subject of Tulips

Tulips are not deer-proof.

Large-flowering hybrid tulips grow in the cooler northern half of the United States, down to Zone 7. A few will perennialize in slightly warmer climates. The smaller species tulips will grow a bit farther into the South.

Tulip bulbs planted among the roots of trees and shrubs might work slightly better than those in open beds. The soil there is somewhat cooler and dryer. They’re not fond of warm temperatures and high moisture levels.

Many gardeners here in the piedmont of North Carolina plant tulips with the expectation of only one glorious show, and then tear them out when flowers fade. Beautiful as they are, tulips in zone 8 or warmer usually do not come back for an encore performance the next year. Even zone 7 is a challenge for them.

And that’s okay with a lot of people, including designers of public parks and municipal common spaces. But, wow, what a show...if you can keep the deer and rabbits away from them! They are especially fond of tulips, and I highly recommended using deer repellents. When using a solution in a sprayer, set the nozzle to a fine mist. A coarse droplet will simply bead off the waxy foliage and flowers without sticking.

Voles, too, eat tulip bulbs. Planting tulips with PermaTill (small, expanded gravel used for drainage) around them usually deters the voles. Stainless steel mesh planting baskets will exclude burrowing animals from the root zone. And squirrels have been known to do a little transplanting of their own. Products are available to help prevent these problems.

How Bulbs Work

crocus pickwick, white with purple stripes

Striped ‘Pickwick’ and purple ‘Remembrance’ crocus, in the Maryland garden.

A bulb is a shortened stem, with roots that emerge from the basal plate when the temperature cools in the fall. The basal plate, clearly visible on hyacinths, is a rounded disc of tissue at the bottom of the bulb. Tightly folded undeveloped leaves surrounding the flower shoot contain food for the plant during dormancy. A bulb has all the parts necessary to complete its life cycle: root initials in the basal plate, a growing tip, leaves, stems, and flowers.

The rooting bulbs remain safely tucked underground until the soil begins to warm up in spring. That signals the plants to burst from the ground with their beautiful, cheerful flowers. We bid another winter adieu! Hungry bees and other pollinators emerging on warm spring days feed on pollen and nectar from spring-flowering bulbs, when little else is in bloom.

The foliage must be given enough time to photosynthesize and to store carbohydrates in the bulbs. This food will sustain the plant during dormancy, and ensure that more buds will develop for next year’s flowers. So, after the flowers finish up, let the plants wither naturally. Foliage can be removed after at least half of it has yellowed.

First, a few words on summer- and fall-blooming bulbs

Garden centers stock most of the summer-blooming bulbs in spring to early summer. You can find bulbs, corms, tubers, and rhizomes of lilies, gladiolus, canna, caladium, iris, and calla at that time of the year. Nurseries also offer potted specimens as they come into growth.

Elephant Ears

For dramatic foliage plants, look for elephant ears (Alocasia and Colocasia spp.), which grow only a foot tall to over 6′ tall. These are tropical plants and will die with frost, unless the tubers are dug and stored over winter. Planted in the ground in regions where frost doesn’t penetrate the soil, they usually survive the winter.

Caladium

Caladium, in late spring.

The colorful caladiums are tropical and need warmer soil temperatures in winter in order to survive, even when dormant. Some gardeners dig up and save the tubers every year, but most purchase new tubers or potted plants in spring to mid summer.

Foliage colors include green, white, chartreuse, pink, peach, and red, and can be mottled, edged in a contrasting color, streaked, or spotted. Their spathe-like flowers are not showy and usually removed.

For the past four years, I’ve kept a large Italian terra cotta pot outdoors in the summer. It contains a white caladium, a few kinds of brake (Pteris) ferns, and trailing clumps of Pilea ‘Aquamarine’, with its reddish stems and incredible pewter-blue, rounded leaves. It’s also home to whatever else dropped in. This year: some bulbs of tender Ledebouria socialis (leopard lily), a miniature African violet, and Dendrobium kingianum, a small orchid that has lived in a 3″ clay pot for over 4 decades.

Dormant Caladium

When the weather cools, the whole pot comes indoors to the sunny kitchen, where the caladium goes dormant. One by one, the leaves turn yellow, and the caladium sleeps through the winter. At average indoor temperatures, it remains dormant.

Instead of digging out the tubers, I leave them in the soil, caring for the rest of the plants as needed. Every couple of years, some potting soil is added under the plants, and the pot goes outdoors to light shade. And each year, the caladium comes back after about a month of warm weather. It’s a heavy feeder, so fertilize caladium every 2-3 weeks while it’s in leaf.

Dormant caladium tubers that remain surrounded by soil over the winter are more likely to return the next year than dry, loose tubers kept in a bag. Keep them dry if by themselves in a pot; damp is okay, if in company with other plants.

This variety is always the first amaryllis to bloom.

Amaryllis

Amaryllis (photo, above) is a beautiful late fall to spring flowering plant. Dormant bulbs can be found at garden centers at this time of year, alongside the spring-flowering bulbs. Potted in the fall, Amaryllis bulbs begin blooming indoors around the holidays.

Colchicum Autumnale

: Colchicum ‘Waterlily’, nice with….

: …purple beautyberry, Callicarpa americana.

This is one of my favorites partly because the plant is animal-proof and partly because it blooms in the fall. Sometimes slugs can be a problem. Scattering Sluggo granules near the Colchicum will take care of that.

The bulbs will appear in some, but not many, garden centers, along with the daffodils and other spring-flowering bulbs. Left on a windowsill, the bulb produces flowers with no encouragement necessary! But I prefer to plant these hardy bulbs in the garden. Colchicum is the source of a potentially toxic pharmaceutical component, so grow with care.

Only the flowers make an appearance in autumn; colchicum foliage arrives in spring and lasts a short period of time.

Placed near a shrub called Purple Beautyberry (Callicarpa dichotoma or C. americana), the Colchicum ‘Waterlily’ flowers perfectly echo the color of the shrub’s berries (photo, above).

Once planted, they soon begin blooming in white (‘Alba’) and shades of lavender-pink. ‘Waterlily’, available from Wayside Gardens, has many petals, pale in color until exposed to light. It has the appearance of a water lily, but it is not an aquatic plant. After 2 years in the ground, one bulb will produce dozens of flowers. This plant is sometimes called “fall crocus”, but it is not to be confused with…

…Fall Crocus

Species crocus bulbs, with saffron on the left.

A few hardy crocuses bloom in the fall. One is saffron crocus, Crocus sativus, which gives us our most expensive spice, harvested from the female flower part, the red style and stigma. Only 3 threads of saffron are laboriously harvested from each flower, explaining its very high cost. Incidentally, saffron has been used as a spice for 3500 years. And for more trivia–saffron crocus is a sterile triploid whose ancestry is open to speculation.

There are other bluish (C. speciosus ‘Cartwrightianus’) and white (C. kotschyanus) fall crocuses available. The lavender-blue color positively glows in the setting sun. This color is rare in the garden at this time of the year, and a welcome surprise when the flowers emerge through the Liriope and other short groundcovers.

Crocus, technically, grows from a corm, but, for simplicity, is often called a bulb.

Return to the top

Headings

Page 1: Time For Spring Flowering Bulbs, On the Subject of Tulips, How Bulbs Work, and First, a few words on summer- and fall-blooming bulbs (Elephant Ears, Caladium, Amaryllis, Colchicum Autumnale, Fall Crocus)

Page 2: Color Effects, Formal and Informal, Naturalizing in Lawns, Naturalizing in Meadows, If You’re New To Spring-Flowering Bulbs, When Planting Drifts of Bulbs (Microclimates and Timing, Laying Out the Beds), and Aftercare

Page 3: Galanthus, Crocus (Snow Crocus, Giant Dutch Crocus), Eranthis, Muscari, and Puschkinia

Page 4: Hyacinthoides, Tulipa (Tulips In Zones 7 and South, Species Tulips), Hyacinthus, Narcissus (Buying Daffodil Bulbs, Linnaeus, the RHS, and the ADS, Planting Daffodils, Fragrant Daffodils), and Allium

Page 5: Maintenance, Tricks to Hide Maturing Foliage, Stinzenplanten, Forcing Spring-Flowering Bulbs, Rock Gardens, and Don’t Overlook the Little Ones

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5

How To Get Amaryllis To Bloom This Winter

Jul16

Updated 1/17/2024

We’ve enjoyed this deep red amaryllis for many years.

While watering the gardens yesterday, I noticed that all the amaryllis pots next to the fence had been overturned by some middle-of-the-night visitors. Most likely raccoons were to blame, because the bird feeder was empty and the bird bath was dirty. Now is a good time to address the question,

“How do I get amaryllis bulbs to bloom again this winter?”

Most amaryllis plants are sold in 6″ or 7″ pots from Thanksgiving through winter. When garden centers and other growers order bulbs, they not only have a huge assortment of colors to choose from, but they also have the option of buying bulbs that are graded by circumference. The larger the bulb, the more flower stalks you can expect from it…and the more it costs. Many customers willingly pay several dollars more for a large bulb, knowing that it could produce 3 or 4 flower stalks instead of 1 or 2. But that’s worth the price, if you ask me.

A Brief History

Carl Linnaeus in 1753 named a flowering bulb probably from South Africa, but maybe from South America, Amaryllis belladonna. This plant was thought to be the South African Cape Belladonna. Elsewhere, the first named Hippeastrum species was dubbed the “Knight’s-star-lily” (origin unknown) by English botanist William Herbert. The confusion begins, although similar characteristics of both genera place them within the family Amaryllidaceae.

Hardy from USDA zones 6 to 8, true Amaryllis species have naturalized along the west coast of the United States, where conditions are similar to their native South Africa. Most of this article refers, however, to the genus Hippeastrum, the popular holiday amaryllis.

Breeding of the now familiar Christmas amaryllis began in 1799, when British watchmaker Arthur Johnson crossed Hippeastrum reginae with H. vittatum, two species collected in South America. By the mid 1800’s, his hybrids started showing up in the United States.

In the early 1800’s, British explorer and botanist Richard Pearce hybridized H. leopoldii and H. pardinum, two species he’d found in the Andes while employed by James Veitch and Sons Nursery. These crosses produced plants with large and mostly symmetrical flowers.

By 1821, Herbert had described 14 species of Hippeastrum and 3 species of Amaryllis in “The Botanical Register”.

Pearce’s Leopoldii hybrids were crossed with the best of Johnson’s Reginae strains into the mid 1800’s, in the Netherlands. These hybrids formed the basis for breeding most of the large-flowered Dutch hybrids available today.

Breeding continued as new species from South America were collected and sent to Europe. Reginae strains hybridized by Jan de Graaff and sons in the mid 1800’s were crossed with several Hippeastrum species and hybrids available in Europe at that time. Meanwhile, the common name “amaryllis” was loosely applied to plants in both the true Amaryllis and the Hippeastrum genera.

You Say Amaryllis, and I Say Hippeastrum

A pale yellow amaryllis.

Debate over use of the terms “Amaryllis” and “Hippeastrum” continued for 200 years. It wasn’t until 1987 that the taxonomy finally had been clarified. The 14th International Botanical Congress decided that “Amaryllis” is the correct name for the South African genus, not the South American genus.

Nevertheless, we still call holiday Hippeastrum plants by their common name, amaryllis. There are approximately 90 species of Hippeastrum native to tropical and sub-tropical areas of South America, from Argentina to Mexico and the Caribbean. More than 600 cultivars are available.

In hardiness zones 7b and south, amaryllis (meaning Hippeastrum) bulbs planted below the frost line in well-drained soil probably will perennialize.

Today, bulbs are grown in many countries, including the Netherlands, Israel, Peru, South Africa, India, Australia, and the U.S. New amaryllis cultivars periodically come to the market, adding to the huge variety of colors and forms: white, pink, peach, coral, orange, scarlet red, deep red, yellow, and bicolors. Flowers can be a single row of petals, or double, or triple, and they can be broad-petaled or spidery, rounded or pointed. Both miniatures and full-size plants are available.

Most modern cultivars have ancestry from several species, including H. aulicum, leopoldii, pardinum, puniceum, reginae, and vittatum. We also see hybrids in the species H. papilio and H. cybister.

Pollinating the Flowers

Anthers, and stigma at bottom of photograph.

The photograph shows pollen, in the male anthers, that’s transferred to the female part, the stigma, during pollination. Gardeners not interested in collecting seeds can remove the anthers before they mature and spill their dusty contents on the flowers.

Hobbyists can easily pollinate plants. The pollen and the stigma have to be mature for fertilization to take place. Seeds require many weeks to develop in the pods, and several years to get to flowering size. (***Update***: I’ve had good results when sowing the seeds shallowly as soon as they loosen from the seedpod. 12/2022)

The next generation—seedlings resulting from genetic recombination—will be a mixed bag of pretty, gorgeous, or pretty hum-drum flowers. You could come up with something unique!

Amaryllis plants are propagated not only by seeds but also by tissue culture under laboratory conditions. Tissue culture yields the largest number of plants and they’re identical to the original plant.

Bulblets growing at the base of the bulb can be separated and grown on for a few years before flowering begins. They’re visible when you dig up the bulbs at the end of the growing season. Separate and pot up the large ones, but let the small ones grow attached to the mother bulb for another year or two.

Other methods of propagation, called chipping, notching, and twin-scaling, involve cutting the bulb into smaller pieces. Dusted with fungicide and potted in vermiculite, small bulblets will grow, which later can be separated and grown on.

The first amaryllis to bloom indoors, late winter, 2019.

In the photograph above, notice that this flower has triple the normal number of petals. You might see, also, the absence of anthers and stigmas in the flower. This is common in petal doubling or tripling with many species of flowers. Consequently, these cultivars must be propagated vegetatively since they can’t set seed.

Amaryllis Seedpods

: 2 amaryllis seedpods, mid May, 2019.

: Fully mature amaryllis seedpods, late May, 2019.

I hand pollinated some of the flowers in winter and harvested seeds about 3 months later.

As the tough, recurving Y-shaped membrane (a light color, in right photo) dries thoroughly, it forces the pod to open, revealing the black seeds. Mother Nature came up with this ingenious process that allows the seeds to dry and to be as separate from each other as possible, aiding dispersal.

What To Do With Your Plants Now

What prompted me to write about amaryllis were the tumbled and torn plants found in the back yard. They can be fixed. Ten pots bloomed from February through May; we enjoyed a succession of flowers for months! New soil will replace tired, old soil, with the neck and shoulders of the bulb remaining above soil level.

If your plants have been weakened after wintering indoors, plant them in well-drained composted garden soil for the summer months. Wait for frost-free weather to put them outside. Give them direct sun in the morning up to early afternoon. In hot regions, keep them out of direct sun in the afternoon, although dappled shade at that time is fine.

Don’t plant too deeply; keep the neck of the bulb above ground level. Plants that have been languishing indoors should be moved gradually into more sun, or the tender leaves will suffer sun scald. Even if they do burn, several new stronger leaves will grow. Amaryllis bulbs grown in garden soil usually recover faster than those growing in pots.

If the long strap-like leaves don’t stand upright, you can stake them gently to keep them off the ground. It wouldn’t hurt to sprinkle some Sluggo granules around them because slugs and snails can damage the foliage or the bulb.

Red Blotch

Before planting amaryllis in the ground for the summer, check them for red streaks or splotches. You might have noticed this disease as the flower stems emerged from the bulbs months ago. This condition indicates a fungal disease caused by Stagonophora curtisii. The disease infects bulbs, leaves, and flower stems. Affected cells die, but surrounding tissues continue expanding, causing leaves or the flower stem to bend.

Peel off infected outer bulb scales and leaves. Throw those parts into the trash rather than composting them, as the spores can spread to other bulbous plants. A systemic fungicide might help clear up the disease. Ask your agricultural extension agent for advice.

When summering amaryllis outdoors in the ground, plant with half of the bulb exposed to air. Avoid splashing water near the top of the bulb, where the disease could take hold.

Physical damage also can cause red or reddish-brown areas. Although those areas look diseased, the rest of the plant continues to grow normally. In this case, fungus is not the problem. However, pathogens can gain entry into the host through bruised tissues.

Headings

Page 1: “How do I get the amaryllis bulbs to bloom again this winter?”, A Brief History, You Say Amaryllis, and I Say Hippeastrum, Pollinating the Flowers (Amaryllis Seedpods), and What To Do With Your Plants Now (Red Blotch)

Page 2: As Amaryllis Plants Grow This Summer, The Process (The Growing Cycle Indoors, And Then Outdoors), and Potting Up New Amaryllis Bulbs (Step-By-Step, and Something’s Growing!)

Return to the top

Pages: 1 2

The Garden Jubilee, Hendersonville NC, 2018

May29

2018

Tillandsias planted in sea urchin shells, Sinbad Tropical Air-Plants, Supply NC.

One of my favorite things to do in Charlotte is to…leave Charlotte! It’s a lovely city, but sometimes I just have to get away to the mountains. It’s cooler there. I’m reminded of the lyrics by The Moody Blues, “…the trees are drawing me near…”

The Garden Jubilee

This past weekend, Henderson County, Lowe’s, and “Our State” magazine sponsored their annual Garden Jubilee Festival in beautiful downtown Hendersonville, NC. So, after checking the weather forecast, I decided to head out to the mountains on Sunday morning. Neither distance nor downpour would dissuade me from going.

Briggs’ Garden Center.

I used to sell plants at venues such as this one. And, even though my garden space is very limited, I can probably squeeze one more little succulent onto the windowsill.

This was not my first visit to Hendersonville. When I moved to North Carolina a few years ago to help my mother, most of my belongings went into storage nearby. Sometimes I travel here just to visit my life in the container, and pick up a tool or a few pots…if I can reach them. I love this area of the state, and someday might call it home.

(***Update***: Finally made that move! But not here; instead, I found a home in Wilkes County. 12/15/21)

And what a fine day it was! We’ve been in a stormy pattern this past week, throughout the Carolinas, and, although it was a bit humid, it didn’t rain. This makes vendors very happy. How enjoyable to “talk plants” for a few hours, and to show appreciation for the effort that goes into making this event a success.

Who’s There?

Plants from Sweet Valley Bonsai Nursery, Conley GA.

There were more than 200 vendors selling perennials, native plants, Japanese maples and other trees and shrubs. And colorful annuals and combination pots, carnivorous plants, lots of herbs and vegetables, and air plants. Nature-inspired jewelry, woodcraft, worm castings, and bonsai. Lawn furniture, tools, yard art, framed art, pottery, hand-made soaps, orchids, and, of course, succulents.

I bought sugar-free red raspberry jam, a small pot of Haworthia tessellata (a succulent with netted markings), some annuals, and bluets! I haven’t seen bluets (Houstonia caerulea) since I lived in West Virginia! It’s a tiny perennial with fine foliage and little blue flowers on the tips of the stems. Not sure if it’ll tolerate the heat here, but since when has that ever stopped a gardener from trying?

Bare root Iris rhizomes offered from Appalachian Iris Garden.

Then there was a bare-root iris called ‘Masai Warrior’ (photo, above) that had to come home with me. This is one group of plants that I never imagined becoming addicted to, but which I am becoming addicted to…

When I’m in the area, I always stop by the Mast Store on N. Main Street for a supply of (hard to find) butter rum Lifesavers and (hard to find) Necco wafers. I picked up some postcards and a new blouse, too. There are plenty of restaurants to choose from, and a bakery for something to enjoy on the ride home and for Mother.

A Good Day

Bird feeder artfully constructed from driftwood by Carter Creations, Haleyville AL.

Yes, it was a good day. Not only for the show, but also to see what had been planted in the raised brick planters all along N. Main Street. Anyone needing ideas on how to spruce up the landscaping around a shopping district should take a look at how Hendersonville did it—complete with trees, fragrant blooming shrubs (including Hydrangea, Fothergilla, Itea), grasses, annuals, artwork, and some really big boulders! Who wouldn’t want to live there?

Carnivorous plants, Sarracenia, from S and J Greens, Surry County NC.

All photographs were taken with permission from the vendors at the garden jubilee.

Bluets, here one year, gone the next. Alas, too hot.

(***Update*** : The little pot of bluets made it through the winter, although it wasn’t much of a challenge, and is in full bloom (photo, above). During last summer’s heat, the pot was heeled into the garden, where the plant did not receive hot afternoon sun. 3/22/19. Unfortunately, it succumbed during the hot summer in 2019.)

And…not so sure Neccos are still available…boo-hoo… I’ll look when I return for the next garden festival.

Return to the top