Author: Mike Darcy

Mike lives and gardens in a suburb of Portland, Oregon where he has resided since 1969. He grew in up Tucson, Arizona where he worked at a small retail nursery during his high school and college years. He received his formal education at the University of Arizona where he was awarded a Bachelor of Science Degree in Horticulture, and though he values his formal education, he values his field-experience more. It is hard to beat the ‘hands on’ experience of actually gardening, visiting gardens, and sharing information with other gardeners. Mike has been involved with gardening communications throughout his adult life. In addition to garden writing, he has done television gardening shows in Portland, and for over 30 years he hosted a Saturday radio talk show in Portland. Now he writes, speaks, gardens and continues to share his love of gardening. To be connected to the gardening industry is a bonus in life for Mike. He has found gardeners to be among the friendliest and most caring, generous people. Consequently, many of his friends he has met through gardening.

Plants For the Winter Garden

The fragrant flowers of wintersweet can withstand even the harsh winter weather.

In the Pacific Northwest, the garden in winter can be a bit bleak. I know mine certainly is. However, the more I talk to other gardeners and visit other gardens at this time of year, the more color I see. Often the color is not from flowers, but from bark, foliage and stems.

For the last few years, I am been striving to add more plants in my garden that will provide some winter color. I have learned that it is best to plant them in a location where we can see them from our windows. Planting them in the back garden is a waste since we are not often there in winter to see them.

Sarcococca - Copy — Sweetbox is an appealing evergreen with very fragrant winter flowers.

In addition to looking for winter color, this is also a good time of year to walk through the garden and see if there are ‘pockets’ around plants where the water has settled and is not draining. In these areas, I like to add Black Gold Soil Natural and Organic Soil Builder to increase aeration and drainage and add needed organic matter for the coming year. A phrase that I often hear is “more plants die from winter wet than winter cold.” This is certainly the case for many garden plants, such as salvias.

Evergreens

For winter color, a new plant (to me) that can provide golden chartreuse color to the garden is Thuja orientalis ‘Franky Boy’. We often think of Thuja as being large plants, but this one just grows 4-6 inches per year and will only reach about 3 feet in ten years, so it can be used in a garden border. It has thread-like foliage and an upright ball shape. For the opposite color extreme, a silver evergreen conifer is Abies koreana ‘Silberlocke’. This outstanding, slow-growing plant has curved green needles that show silvery-white undersides. I have had one in a pot for several years, and it looks great at any time of the year.

Abies 'Silberlocke' — Abies ‘Silberlocke’ is a lovely winter evergreen with silvery needles.

Sweet Box

I should not overlook some of the shrubs that are already in bloom in the January garden. Sweet box (Sarcococca ruscifolia) is one. It is a very easy-to-grow small evergreen shrub that produces a small, sweetly fragrant, creamy white flower in winter that perfume the area around it. I’ve often had visitors walk past my plants and all of a sudden will detect the fragrance and not know where it is coming from. Sweet Box likes some shade from the hot afternoon summer sun and likes organic-rich soil, so be sure to add Black Gold Garden Compost at planting time.

Wintersweet

Recent snow and ice provided opportunities for gardeners to take some unique photos. Oregon State Community Horticulturist, Neil Bell, sent me this photo of his wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox) with its flowers encased in ice. He reported that the ice did not seem to bother them, and once it had melted, the flowers went back to scenting the garden. Wintersweet can grow to 10-12 feet and produces winter flowers on leafless branches. If space considerations are an issue, it can easily be pruned to a smaller stature.

Thuja orientalis Franky Boy — The golden-green Thuja orientalis ‘Franky Boy’ is a new dwarf conifer for my garden.

So, while at first glance we might think the winter garden is bleak, it does not have to be. Check out your local garden centers now for plants showing bloom and/or color. I am noticing that many local garden centers are grouping slow-growing conifers together to show the array of colors available. Gardening in the Pacific Northwest is a year-round adventure!

Holiday Decorating from the Garden

While this may be winter (not official until December 22, but most gardeners would say this is winter), there are so many things we can harvest from our gardens to decorate our homes to help celebrate the holidays. We have had several inches of rain in just the past few days here in western Oregon, with more expected, and this morning as I walked around in my very soggy wet garden I discovered that there was a bounty of materials to chose from.

Berried Winter Plants

The berries of heavenly bamboo look great outdoors or cut and brought indoors.

Many of the plants that we can use for holiday decorating from the garden are readily available in our gardens–if not in your own garden, take a walk around your neighborhood. You may have neighbors that would be happy to share some their plants; some selecting pruning might be welcome. Two plants that are usually readily available in local gardens are Nandina domestica, (heavenly bamboo, not related to bamboo), and Callicarpa bodinieri (beautyberry). Both of these are well suited to winter arrangements. The Nandina has clusters of red berries and the Callicarpa has bunches of purple berries on bare stems.

Wintergreen arrangement — A festive wintergreen basket.

I am not a creative designer in our family, but I enjoy gathering branches and letting my wife create a holiday arrangement. Whether it is large or small, she seems to know just how to put it all together. An example is her use of a simple small wooden basket which makes a very attractive feature for an entryway. A pine branch, or one from another evergreen conifer, can be added. Red berries from a Gaultheria procumbens (wintergreen) added festive natural color and then she tied on a red ribbon for a finishing touch. (Note: this Gaultheria is an example of how common names, while usually easy to say and remember, can be confusing. This plant is sometimes referred to as winterberry as well as wintergreen, but true Winterberry is actually the holly, Ilex verticillata.)

Hydrangea 'Shooting Star' — *Hydrangea macrophylla* ‘Shooting Star’ makes a great potted plant that can be planted outside in mild weather.

Holiday Potted Plants

Recently, while visiting a local garden center and viewing their vast selection of poinsettias, dazzling white Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Shooting Star’ flowers were being offered among the sea of red. The multi-petaled ‘stars’ shoot from the flowers like fireworks, hence the name ‘Shooting Star’. An added bonus is that for many of us living in western Oregon and Washington, this is also a garden plant that can be planted out in the garden to become a permanent shrub. This hydrangea looks beautiful planted in a decorative gold container with decorative conifer branches around the edges. The look is simple but very effective.

Arrangement Ideas

During my weekly radio program last week, I asked listeners to send in photos of winter arrangements that they were made from local plants. Here are two of my favorites.

Susan Bechtol arrangement in cup — Holiday mugs make cute seasonal vases for arrangements.

Susan Bechtol had a holiday decoration party during her work lunch hour with the theme of creating an arrangement in a cup. Another was Nancy Wirth who created a lovely arrangement from plants in her garden She used red branches from her Cornus sericea (red-twig dogwood) and evergreen branches are from her garden as well as some she found on the ground in a parking lot. (How is that for reuse?)

Gardeners tend to be a very imaginative group and are especially creative when using plants from their own gardens. Try experimenting by using some plants from your own garden for a holiday decoration. You might be surprised at what you can create! Check out your local garden center to see what winter-interest plants you can add to your garden when the ground is still soft enough to plant.

Whatever you do this holiday season, take the time to enjoy it. The New Year will be here before we know it. Happy New Year and Happy Gardening!

Nancy Wirth arrangement — A mix of evergreen branches and red-twig dogwood brighten an outdoor pot.

Native American Plants of the Pacific Northwest

Not only are the bulbs of Camassia quamash edible, the plants are beautiful and highly garden worthy. (photo by Walter Siegmund)

History seems to indicate that Native Americans living on the west side of the Cascades in Oregon and Washington did not rely heavily on a system of agriculture. They simply did not need to. With the ocean, rivers, streams and forests, there was an abundance of food and they generally did not ‘garden’. There is a folk tale that has been passed down through many generations saying that at certain times of the year, the streams had so much salmon in them that one could walk across and never get their feet wet!

It is interesting to look back in history and try to imagine not only what plants were used by Native Americans, but how they were used. While ‘gardening’ as we know it today was minimal here in the Pacific Northwest, that does not mean plants were not important and many were used for eating and other everyday uses.

Western Red Cedar

One of the most prevalent and useful trees throughout our region was the Thuja plicata (Western Red Cedar). The tree was easy to split and frequently used to make canoes as well as posts that were used to create a foundation for planks that could be extended into rivers for catching fish. The bark was use to make skirts and capes, and the roots and limbs were used for baskets and rope. The leaves were a major source of winter food for big game and deer will browse it year round.

800px-Thuja_plicata_(Trondheim) — The evergreen boughs of western red cedar are lovely, but native trees can reach 200′ in height making them poor choices for most landscapes.

Native to the Pacific Northwest, south to Northern California, north to Alaska and eastward to Montana, the Western Red Cedar is much too large for most gardens since it can sometimes reach 200 feet, however, compact cultivars have been developed. A couple to look for are the yellow foliaged ‘Sunshine’ (30′) and ‘Whipcord’ (5-6′), which has dark green, thread-like foliage that turns bronze in winter.

Camas

A plant grown and cultivated for food was Camassia quamash, often referred to as Camas. This bulbous plant is even credited as being an important food source for Lewis and Clark during their expedition. The bulbs can harvested after the flowers have withered and then boiled or pit-roasted. They are said to taste like sweet potato. At one time there were many meadows of Camas, these areas have largely disappeared because of agriculture and development. The Camassia Natural Area near the City of West Linn, Oregon is a 22-acre natural area owned and maintained by the Nature Conservancy which is an ideal location to see Camas blooming in the spring.

Camas is a very worthwhile garden flower, and bulbs can be purchased at many garden centers. Plant them in a high humus area. Adding a rich potting supplement, such as Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Soil, is recommended. The pale blue to dark blue flowers are quite pretty and appear in late spring to early summer.

Vaccinium_ovatum_jko729109044 — The evergreen huckleberry was another plant commonly used by Native American peoples. (photo care of www.nwplants.com)

Huckleberries

Huckleberries are a very worthy garden plant and were also used by Native Americans. Vaccinium ovatum (Evergreen Huckleberry) has new growth that is bronze or reddish, white or pink flowers appear and are followed by black berries. Vaccinium parvifolium (Red Huckleberry) is a deciduous plant with bright red berries. I have found that these plants do better with some shade, and the soil should be amended with Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Soil.

It can be a good learning project for children to get them involved in native plants and how they were used by Native Americans. Consider giving children their own space where they can try to grow and learn about some of these plants. I have found that huckleberries are one of the best because the plants are easy to grow and they produce berries when young. There are many good books for all age levels on the Lewis and Clark expedition and the plants they encountered along the way. This could provide a perfect entry to discuss and learn more about plants that Native Americans used that we can grow.

Kids Gardening Fun in Fall

Kids love to learn about composting and the importance of worms in the garden.

As gardeners, I believe that one of the most important things we can do is to encourage young children to garden. With our urban society, many kids have no connection to the earth, and in many cases, gardening is foreign to them. Luckily many communities offer community garden plots, but these generally tend to be used by adults, and when I visit local community gardens, I rarely see kids. Therefore, it is often up to us as adults to get some programs started that are especially geared for kids.

Fall is an excellent time to begin a conversation with kids about gardening as there is so much happening that is readily visible. For example, here in the Pacific Northwest, many of the deciduous trees are turning brilliant shades of color, certain birds are migrating and perhaps making stops in local garden or parks. Fall bulbs are available, and fall is a perfect time to talk about composting, why we do it and how.

Brian seed planting — A hands-on lesson with Mike Darcy at a local school.

Hands-On Gardening Lessons

For many years I have done a ‘hands on’ lesson on growing seeds to 1st graders. I use nasturtium seeds because they are large for small hands to handle and they germinate quickly. Each child gets a 4-inch plastic pot, a wooden label to write their name on and three to four nasturtium seeds. I also have a bag of Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Soil that I open and each child puts soil in their pot and then with their fingers, make a depression for each seed. I remember the first time I did this, one of the students asked me if it was okay to touch the soil. Hearing that question for the first time was a surprise, but now it is not an unusual question.

October is the month when fall bulbs have arrived in garden centers. Think about the age of the children you are working with, but from about 1st grade on, ‘forcing’ a paper white narcissus is an ideal way to introduce bulbs to kids. Paper white narcissus grow quickly with some green sprouts usually appearing in less than a week. Flowers also appear within 4-6 weeks, so this lesson is one that kids can see results in a relatively short period of time.

Nick, Nolan, compost — Kids love adding green waste to the compost bin.

Composting with Kids

There is no better time of year than now to teach kids about composting, especially with fall leaves. We have a compost bin in our garden, and our kids (and now our grandkids) have grown up knowing what it is for. It is the place we put vegetable kitchen scraps, grass clippings, and now lots of leaves. When our kids were young, I would put pieces of plastic in the compost bin to teach them that plastic is plastic forever. Our compost bid is also teaming with red worms and our kids have learned that holding worms is a very natural thing. This may seem fairly ordinary but when I take a container of compost with worms to young kids at a school, many are very reluctant to touch them.

With the budget issues of many school districts, I find they are almost always appreciative to classroom activities that parents can provide that pertain to gardening and/or our environment. It is not necessary to have had classroom teaching experience as I have found that for gardeners to talk about gardening and make it pertinent for kids is very easy and something we can all do. October is an ideal month to give some lessons on composting leaves and to explain the benefits of doing it. The kids will be thrilled and you will be pleasantly surprised at how good it will make you feel.

Dealing With Pacific Northwest Drought

Here in the Pacific Northwest, we have had a summer with some of the highest temperatures and least rainfall on record. I believe that we have had more days with temperatures over 90 degrees F since weather temperatures have been recorded. While gardeners here often say we are in a zone of “winter wet and summer dry”, we certainly do not expect the summers to be this dry. Furthermore, not only were the days hot, the night temperatures did not cool down as usually occurs in the summer.

By August, many plants had leaves that had been scorched.

Garden Drought Stress

As a result of the heat and drought, many plants suffered. Plants were wilting even though the soil was wet as it was so hot for certain plants that their roots could not take in moisture to supply the leaves and the leaves wilted as though they did not have adequate moisture. In my own garden, I would water plants in the morning and see them wilting by noon. I would check the soil and it was moist. As plants stressed and leaves wilted, the leaves would often scorch or become sunburned. It became a constant effort to keep the garden looking good and with garden tour groups coming for a visit, I felt it was imperative to keep my plants looking as good as possible.

Since we do not usually have summers like this, many gardeners including myself had planted many plants that require more cool and moist conditions. Hydrangeas, rhododendrons, and azaleas are mainstay plants in many gardens and these are all prone to heat stress. By August, many plants had leaves that had been scorched,

Coir naturally holds water at the root zone, so it proved to be a good amendment for the unusually dry season.

Garden Drought Stress Solutions

In my garden, I also have many plants in containers and having used Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Soil proved to be a huge benefit. As the summer heat continued, I used Black Gold Just Coir as a top mulch in some of my pots and this was an excellent mulch to help the soil retain moisture. I have learned that coir, which is coconut pith, has amazing water retaining capabilities. In several of my hanging baskets, I had used Black Gold Cocoblend Potting Soil at the time of planting and this was a tremendous asset in keeping these containers from drying out with the summer sun, heat and sometimes dry wind. Black Gold Cocoblend Potting Soil was particularly effective with the fuchsias and begonias which need plenty of moisture and even in September, these plants were full of flowers and looking great.

Mulching our plants is something we can often forget but the benefits of mulch can be enormous. Mulching helps to conserve water and we are all learning that water is not the unlimited resource that it has been. As an added benefit to mulching, when I am planting new plants in the soil, I regularly use Black Gold Soil Conditioner. I mix it in the soil around the root zone and always work some into the top 1-2 inches of soil.

Rhododendrons have suffered badly in the unusual heat and drought of the season.

This was the summer when gardeners began to think about what plants they were planting and what location they were in. I learned that my hydrangeas need a little more shade to look their best and I will be doing some transplanting this fall. There is also a trend to use more plants that have low water requirements like Arctostaphylos (Manzanita), Ceanothus, Mahonia, and many others that have good garden appeal.

We need to remember that in nature, plants get mulched naturally by their leaves, flowers, and stems. In many home gardens, the area under plants is constantly being raked to keep it clean and ‘looking neat’, but we should not forget the role mulch plays in the health of a plant. Learn to know your plants, observe them, and my guess is they will ‘tell’ you if they need a mulch.

Bringing in the Summer Harvest

The summer harvest has certainly arrived here in the Pacific Northwest. With our very dry and hot summer, many fruits and vegetables have ripened several weeks earlier than the norm. I have heard from many gardeners that they are harvesting heirloom tomatoes that usually do not ripen until mid to late August. Those vegetables that love the heat, and have adequate moisture, are thriving with this weather. Beans, melons, squash, and other heat-loving vegetables seem to be producing bumper yields. I had a listener call me last week on my radio program to report that her pumpkins were bright orange and looked like they were ready to be harvested. She said it looked like Halloween!

The raspberry ‘Summit’ is excellent for producing a good crop in the spring and a repeat crop in fall.

Tomatoes

Often, I will caution gardeners about planting some of the large beefsteak tomatoes or other late-ripening varieties because if we have a cool and early season fall, they may not ripen. That has not been an issue this year. Last week two listeners reported that some of the heirloom tomatoes they harvested in late July were varieties such as ‘Azoychka’, ‘Black Krim’, ‘Brandywine’, ‘Brandy Boy’ and ‘Cherokee Purple’. Another listener sent a photo of his Roma ‘San Marzano’ with the notation that they were as big as red bell peppers. They also had the added benefit of organic-rich Black Gold Garden Soil to encourage their success.

In my own garden, I have a very small tomato with small fruits that have proven to be ideal for growing in a pot on our deck. It is called ‘Red Robin’ and even though the plant is small, it has been loaded with tomatoes for several weeks. This is the first year that I have planted it, and I would recommend it for someone with very limited space. I also have some of the Indigo™ series from Oregon State with fruits that turn purple (high in anthocyanins) and then red when ripe.

Fruits

Asian pears seem to be in abundance this summer. I recently visited a garden with several trees, and they were all loaded with fruit, much of it ripening now. This same garden had crops of plums so heavy on the branches that some limbs were cracking.

We often think of raspberries as early summer crops, though many varieties produce in June. However, everbearing varieties are ideal for a late summer crop. The raspberry ‘Summit’ is excellent for producing a good crop in the spring and a repeat crop in fall. They are excellent tasting too and manageable for row planting. If you have abundant space, consider the thornless blackberry ‘Triple Crown’. I say “abundant space” because this plant can have canes reaching 15 ft in one season. The berries are now just beginning to turn black and will be ready for picking shortly.

Beans

Beans are well known in the summer vegetable garden. They are easy to start from seed and make a great plant for young children to grow as an introduction to gardening. The seeds are large, for easy handling by little hands, and they germinate quickly and grow fast. I like the Romano types which have pods that are somewhat flattened with a rich bean flavor.

When planting any vegetable or fruit-producing plant, be sure to plant something that you like. Then take a moment to consider what you will do with excess production. A row of beans can produce far more than most families can eat. Many large-scale gardeners will have a small food dryer, which is another good way to preserve your yields. When there is excess, check in with a local food bank as fresh produce is almost always welcome.

This is such a great time of year to be eating fresh produce that we and/or our neighbors have grown. A tomato picked fresh from the plant is nearly impossible to imitate from a store bought one. Check with your neighbors and see what they are growing and what they might appreciate receiving. As I was leaving a garden visit last week, the owner came out and told me they had a new rule on visitors. One could not leave without taking a zucchini!

Asian pears have had a great season this year!

Spring Rhododendron and Rose Care

Once Rhododendron flowers have died, remove them from the base to stop seed development.

Spring is a good time for some general maintenance pruning on some trees and shrubs. If your rhododendrons have not been deadheaded, it should be done as soon as possible. I have to smile to myself when I use the word ‘deadhead’ as it is commonly used in garden lingo and many of us think everyone understands the meaning but that is not always the case. I once had someone ask me, very seriously, what exactly did I mean when I said ‘deadhead’! And when I paused briefly to consider the question, I could understand their uncertainty.

Beneath each rhododendron bloom lies two leaf buds. Be sure not to cut these off when deadheading your rhododendron.

Deadheading Rhododendrons

To put the word in the context, deadheading rhododendrons means to remove all of the unattractive dead or dying flower clusters. If left on the plant, they will begin to produce seed, which takes energy the plant could be using for growth and vigor. Look closely at the flower cluster, and it will have a stem that attaches to the branch. The flower cluster should be cut or snapped off just above the junction where it meets the branch. Remove the stem carefully because at the base there will be one, or several, new leaf buds forming that will emerge as the present year’s new growth. Be sure not to cut these.

Rhododendrons can also be pruned hard if they have gotten too tall. Pruning after blooming is ideal. If pruning is delayed, the buds for next year’s flowers will develop, and pruning hard will result in few or no flowers the following year. If this has happened, and the plant needs to be pruned for height purposes, hard pruning should not harm the plant but don’t expect flowers.

Summer Rose Care

Cut the stems of hybrid teas lower than normal to regulate shrub size while encouraging more flowering

Hybrid tea roses often grow to six feet or more in one season, which is an unwelcome height in many gardens. It is easy to continually prune roses throughout the season, as flower stems are cut for arrangements, but this may not be enough. So, try cutting flowers and pruning at once. For example, if the desired rose height is four feet, go down the stem to the desired height when cutting a flower. Roses are quite forgiving, and soon new flower buds will follow. The advantage of pruning continuously throughout the season is that there will always be some bloom on some of the plants. We are growing roses for their flowers and everything we can do to encourage flower production and keep the bush the size we want is the ideal goal to strive for.

Pruning Trees & Shrubs in Summer

Sometimes I think it is easier to do spring pruning on deciduous trees and shrubs because it is easier to see what branches need to be removed. Once they have lost their leaves, it can be difficult to remember which branches were well placed and which were not. Home gardeners can also prune and shape spring-flowering shrubs, such as lilac, Korean spice viburnum, and daphne, once flowering has ceased. With shrubs like these, it is essential to prune just after they flower to ensure you don’t remove next year’s flowers.

Prune lilacs just after they have bloomed. (Image by Jessie Keith)

As we head into summer, we have been having some record high temperatures here in the Pacific Northwest with little rain. Many plants are suffering from these temperatures, but some techniques can help. It is not too late to add a mulch of Black Gold Waterhold Cocoblend Potting Soil, to help preserve soil moisture. Plants in pots will benefit from this as much as those in the ground. Try it. You will be surprised at the water-holding properties of this mix, and I think your plants will thank you.

The Glorious June Garden

PRS Rose Show 2014 — The Portland Rose Society Rose Show is a late spring event that occurs yearly in early June.

Cussonia spicata (Cabbage Tree) — The newest addition to my garden is a the delicate cabbage tree (Cussonia spicata).

Not that all 12 months are not great for gardening, but for me June is extra special. June is when I have already made many trips to local garden centers, and my containers on the deck and throughout the garden are almost all planted. My summer color baskets are blooming, the roses are at their peak performance, and the hummingbirds are being aggressive over what they perceive as their territory and favorite plants. Our water features have been cleaned and are running, the green tree frogs have returned, and our patio furniture is out on the deck. Plus, we have had more than our usual share of blue skies and sunny days, and we’ve been able to have multiple evening meals on our deck. This all makes me realize just how glorious the month of June can be here in the Pacific Northwest.

It seems as though hostas have been particularly beautiful this spring season. With our mild winter and early warm spring weather, they emerged early and look outstanding. Sometimes we forget how having different, interesting leaf textures and colors can create a beautiful and peaceful scene. I was particularly impressed with a recent garden that I visited with a bed of hostas that created just such a setting with beautiful and distinct leaf textures and colors. This gardener told me that earlier this season. he had applied a mulch of Black Gold Waterhold Cocoblend Potting Soil to help hold the moisture around the plants during what is predicted to be a dry summer.

Cornus kousa 'Venus' — Cornus kousa ‘Venus’ has gigantic flowers that appear in my garden in June.

There are many rose shows held throughout the month of June, and visiting one is an excellent way to gain some knowledge on growing roses. Since the roses being exhibited would primarily be from local gardens, they would likely be good performers for your area. Plus, attending a rose show is a good way to meet rose gardeners that are more than happy to share their knowledge. Despite the rose’s reputation of being high maintenance and requiring constant spraying, many new roses have been released that are quite disease resistant. Check with your local garden center on those that meet this requirement.

Dogwood trees provide spectacular blooms during much of June and this gives us an opportunity to see them as they actually grow and flower in a home garden. On a recent visit to the garden of a friend, I was in awe of his Cornus kousa ‘Venus’ in full bloom at the front of his house. The flowers measured 8-9 inches across and with the tree in full bloom, it was magnificent sight. Dogwoods generally like a soil rich in organic matter and adding Black Gold Garden Compost to the soil at the time of planting or as a top mulch on established trees would be beneficial.

Hostas at Joe's — The hostas are most spectacular in June.

I would be remiss without mentioning a new plant in my garden! It is cabbage tree (Cussonia spicata), and I have it in a large pot on our deck. I saw it at a local garden center and was not familiar with it. Since I liked the look, I bought it. I put it in a large pot using Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Soil and around the base of the tree, I put three small plants of Acacia cognata (dwarf). Even though both plants are perennials, I would not expect them to survive a winter here without protection, so I will think of them as annuals and enjoy them all summer.

If you have some public gardens in your area, be sure to visit them during June. You may see plants being display in a way you have never thought of. Many garden organizations have ‘open gardens’ during June and often non-profit organizations have garden tours. Be sure to take advantage of these opportunities, you may meet some new plants and some friendly like-minded people.

Bold Container Gardening

Red Banana and Forest Grass — The glossy red leaves of a potted red banana unfurl amid golden forest grass.

The arrival of May means that in my garden it is time for getting serious about container gardening. This is the time to go to a garden center and look for new and ‘must have’ plants. Last year in one of my articles, I mentioned that I counted the containers throughout my garden and the final tally at that time was 148. Since none have been broken, and a there are a few additions, I will have to get a final count later this season.

Potting Bold Container Plants

When I add new plants to an existing container that has previously been planted, if it is a small container, I take out all of the old soil and add new. If it is a large container, I take out about half of the old, add new and mix it with what is left in the container. My potting mix of choice is OMRI® Listed Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Soil. On some plants, such as Papyrus, (Cyperus papyrus), that prefer a moist soil, I will use Black Gold Waterhold Cocoblend Potting Soil. I have learned that the roots of Papyrus are so vigorous that they will fill up even a large pot with such a thick mass of roots that I need replenish the entire pot with new soil each year. However, by midsummer the plants are so stunning that I don’t mind. I have two pots of Papyrus now, newly planted on my deck, and the plants are so small that it is hard to believe how much they will have grown by midsummer.

Papyrus (Giant) — Giant papyrus make a simple, but dramatic impact in the container garden.

Bold Container Plants

I always get some plants that are new to me for my containers and this season has been no exception. Since we have some areas that are shaded, I bought felt fern (Pyrrosia haslata) and find that these have already drawn attention of visitors. It is a terrestrial fern with smooth-edged fleshy fronds and a felt-like underside. Another new container combination that I planted is cabbage tree (Cussonia spicata) and at the base I planted Acacia Cognata Dwarf, sometimes referred to as ‘Cousin It’ because of the thick and thin branches. I do not expect these to be winter hardy here, especially in a container, but the cabbage tree has such an unusual leaf pattern that I believe will draw attention and in my mind I will consider them both annuals.

Papyrus 5-8-15 — This newly planted papyrus will fill the summer pot in no time!

There are some plants that I continually repeat plant every spring because they are ‘must haves’, and they have become traditional plants for our deck. Several salvias are included in this mix with Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’ being a long time favorite. With blue flowers that are now appearing, they will continue to bloom all summer and are a magnet for hummingbirds. A new salvia for me last year was ‘Amistad’, which is similar to ‘Black and Blue’ except the flowers are purple. It is also excellent for attracting hummingbirds. Digiplexis ‘Illumination Flame’ was new to me last year but has already been planted this season. It has continuous blooms on tall stalks, like foxgloves to which it is related, but unlike a foxglove it blooms all summer with yellow centered coral peach flowers. It has proved to be an outstanding plant.

One of the many advantages of container gardening is that pots can be moved around, depending on the season. We had hellebores blooming on our deck containers this winter but have now moved them back part of our garden since their blooming period is over. Summer pots get filled with bold, warm season standbys like red banana, a perennial favorite that’s a real standout with big, glossy, reddish leaves.

What can be planted in a container can be endless, and there are so many wonderful choices for pottery that contrasting the color of the pot with the flowers and/or foliage of a container can make for an eye catching display that can be seasonal.

Island With Pots - Photo by Rich Baer — This “island of pots” shows how creative gardeners can be with bold container plantings!

Garden Soil Amendments and Mixes for Water Retention

stand alone pot — Arm your garden! Amend beds for maximum water retention in preparation for dry summer weather.

With our early spring weather here in the Pacific Northwest, many plants seem to be about two weeks ahead of what we would consider their normal blooming schedule. We have had a season that has been one of the most magnificent for flowering magnolias that I can remember. Roger Gossler from Gossler Farms Nursery in Springfield, Oregon told me that he thought this spring blooming season has been one of the best ever, and Gossler Farms Nursery probably has one of the largest selections of magnolias growing in a private garden in North America.

I mention Magnolias, but they are not the only plants that are either blooming early or have emerged early, like our many herbaceous perennials. Many hostas are in full leaf and looking as they do in May! What does all this mean for gardeners? It means that if we are going to amend our existing soil, the time is now. It is much easier to add garden soil amendment now before our garden beds become covered with foliage that makes it more difficult to actually ‘work’ the soil.

BG Just Coir front — Coir (coconut pith) is one of the best natural amendments for water retention.

Several days ago as I strolled through my garden, I noticed that my Gunnera tinctoria was sending out new stalks. It reminded me that my Gunnera struggled for moisture last year when these plants grow best in moist damp soil. So, I added Black Gold® Just Coir around the base and worked it into the top several inches of soil. Coir is processed coconut pith (coir), which has proven to be an excellent soil amendment for water retention.

Spring is also an excellent time to address hanging baskets and other container plants. Plants in containers tend to dry out much more quickly on a summer day than plants that are in the ground, and the more you are able to amend the soil in spring, the better.

In the many containers that I have in my garden, I always like to add some new potting soil every year. Before planting new flowers, I remove about half of the old soil and add new. My preference for new soil is Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Soil with RESiLIENCE®. It helps retain moisture and gets plants off to a good start.

For hanging baskets, I have found that they are prone to drying out quickly and sometimes need watering twice a day when the weather is hot and/or there are winds. Black Gold Waterhold Cocoblend Potting Soil or Black Gold Moisture Supreme Container Mix with Resilience are ideal for hanging baskets, especially baskets with fuchsias, which require plenty of moisture.

Gunnera early spring — My Gunnera struggled for moisture last year, so I added Black Gold® Just Coir around the base this spring.

For the garden areas where I have shrubs and trees, the soil around established plants benefit from the addition of a garden compost or mulch. One of my favorite mulch amendments is Black Gold Garden Compost Blend. I work this product into the top several inches of soil each spring. It benefits the soil and plants by adding organic matter, loosening clay, and facilitating better drainage.

The use and availability of water has become a critical concern in many parts of the United States, and the Pacific Northwest is not immune to these concerns. While our rainfall has been about normal, the snowpack in the mountains has been far below what is typically expected. The lack of snowpack means that our reservoirs will not have the reserves they need for the summer months when water use is at its highest. By taking some steps now, we can help reduce our summer garden water requirements and still have a lush garden.

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