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.
Beautiful pink spring blooms, lovely red fruit, and outstanding fall color make ‘Prairifire’ a choice crabapple.
For many years, flowering crabapples have gotten a bad rap. This has been especially true for home gardeners unwilling to spray for diseases. The lack of reliable products for disease control hasn’t helped either. Flowering crabapples are prone to four primary diseases: scab, fire blight, cedar-apple rust, and powdery mildew. Trees in the Pacific Northwest generally tend to be most susceptible to scab. (The leaves of scab-infected trees develop pale yellow spots that eventually turn black — not a pretty sight!) Thankfully, crabapple breeding is turning around, which is good news for home gardeners. Continue reading “Choice Flowering Crabapples”
We have a lot of orchids in our home that bloom throughout the year. (Photo by Jessie Keith)
While house plants are not generally something that we have many of in our house, we do have several, one of which is a very tough survivor. I enjoy seeing them in other homes that I visit and my wife will often bring home one that is temporary and often related to a particular season. The exception to this would be orchids, which we often have blooming throughout the year.
The puffy blooms of Dracaena fragrans are sweetly fragrant.
Corn Plant
When I mentioned ‘tough survivor’, I was referring to the corn plant (Dracaena fragrans), which my wife bought many years ago. It has not only survived but thrived in our house in spite of often being neglected. The corn plant gets its name from the fact that the leaves look similar to the corn that we grow as a food crop, and quite often plants will have a yellow stripe in the center of each leaf. The plant we have is situated by a window and gets filtered light but no direct sunlight. With their long leaves and erect stems, which can reach 6 ft in length, it can make quite a statement in a room.
While I knew corn plant was a Dracaena, I had never thought about the possibility that it might bloom until I received this letter from a listener to my radio program.
“Two years ago my husband purchased this corn plant for its foliage and neither of us had any idea that it bloomed. Last March we observed blossoms forming but the real surprise came a week later. At dusk we would begin to smell a wonderful almost hyacinth or heavy lilac-like fragrance creeping through the house that lasted most of the night. For well over 2 weeks we enjoyed the blooms and increasing fragrance with approaching night.”
Curious, I then looked up the name and discovered it was Dracaena fragrans, with ‘fragrans’ meaning fragrant. It was a very pleasant learning moment and reminded me that my own plant was in dire need of being replenished with new soil. I took it outdoors and lifted it out of the pot it had been in for many years and shook much of the old soil off. Then I repotted it in Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Soil, and my plant has since thanked me many times.
We take our staghorn fern house plant outdoors in the summer months.
Staghorn Fern
A group of plants that are sometimes seen in local garden centers are staghorn ferns, (Platycerium spp). These have always interested me, and in our Pacific Northwest climate they can be grown outside in the summer. Staghorn ferns are epiphytes, and in their native rain forest environment they grow attached to tree trunks, though they are not parasitic. We see them in garden centers attached and growing on boards and sometimes on pieces of bark from a tree. Growing outdoors, they need shade or filtered sunlight. Last year I was given one that was growing in a hanging basket, and I hung it from an iron hanger under the shade of fir trees. It thrived and, not wanting to lose it, I brought it indoors before cold weather arrived, and it has continued to thrive. It makes a very dramatic statement in the house.
White Jasmine
White jasmine (Jasminum polyanthum) can be a risky plant to grow outdoors here in the winter, but it makes a wonderfully fragrant house plant. They are usually sold in bud and/or bloom, and the white flowers provide long-lasting color and fragrance that lasts for several weeks. They are often sold and marketed around holidays, such as the one in my house with red ribbon for Valentine’s Day.
Since all plants grow outdoors in some part of the world, we need to experiment with those that can adapt to being grown in the home. Conditions in a house vary widely and some plants may perform well in one room and not another. Many gardeners will grow winter-tender plants outdoors in the summer and then use them indoors for the winter. For those with small-space gardens, or those living in apartments or condominiums, a combination of house plants and outdoor potted plants can provide a sense of a garden throughout the year. Whether one gardens indoors or outdoors, or perhaps a combination of both, part of the fun of gardening is experimenting.
Jasmine flowers are wonderfully fragrant and popularly sold during winter holidays.
The coppery flowers of Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Jelena’ are very fragrant and pretty. (Image by Jessie Keith)
Take a random survey of 10 neighbors and asked the question: “When you hear the words ‘witch hazel’, what do you think of?” For most, the answer will not be a plant. They will probably say something like: “That stuff you find at the drug store for skin care.” I did ask several neighbors this question, and not one mentioned the beautiful landscape shrub gardeners revere. When I told my neighbors that the word also refers to a plant, most said: “Gardeners live in their own world.”
The primrose yellow flowers of Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Arnold Promise’ are large and fragrant.
It is probably true that gardeners can easily get caught up in their own world, and talking about witch hazel is a good example. To gardeners, the name refers to a wonderful group of shrubs in the genus Hamamelis. Many of these are late-winter bloomers that bring needed color to the garden.
Witch Hazel Care
Winter witch hazel are one of the earliest shrubs to bloom. They are also easy, low maintenance plants that require little care once established. They like a rich organic soil, and the addition of OMRI Listed Black Gold Garden Soil would be ideal to work into the soil at planting time. They grow best in full sun but can withstand partial shade. Afternoon shade is best because it protects plants from hot afternoon sun in summer. Pruning is not recommended because these plants develop a beautiful natural habit, so plant them where they will have lots of space to grow.
Hybrid Witch Hazel Varieties
Most of the witch hazel plants found in garden centers will be hybrids (Hamamelis x intermedia). These common hybrids come in lots of excellent varieties. As a general rule, witch hazels grow to 12-15 feet tall and have a spreading growth habit. They are deciduous plants with flowers that bloom before the foliage appears, which adds to their striking winter appearance.
The flowers are fragrant, so consider placing them in an area where their fragrance can be noticed. Bees are attracted to the blooms, making them valuable winter plants for early pollinators. The flowers of some varieties are more fragrant than others, so I suggest going to a garden center when the plants are in bloom and giving them a sniff test. In addition to early flowering and fragrance, most witch hazels have beautiful fall color in shades of red, gold, purple, and orange.
A suite of hybrid witch hazels light up the winter landscape. (Image by Jessie Keith)
Popular cultivars that are probably available at your local garden centers include:
Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Arnold Promise’– January-February bloomer with bright yellow flowers and excellent fall leaf color
Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Jelena’ (syn. ‘Coppery Beauty’) — popular early January bloomer, with coppery orange flowers
Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Diane’ — red flowers in January-February, reddish purple fall foliage
Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Sunburst’ — one of the brightest yellow flowers an any witch hazel
Witch hazel shrubs have pleasing, spreading habits and generally don’t require heavy pruning.
Other Witch Hazels
And now back to the source of the medicinal witch hazel, which is derived from common witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana). This native plant is found in the eastern United States and was first used for medicinal purposes by Native Americans. The bark and branches are harvested to make the witch hazel that we find in pharmacies. This plant has small, fragrant, yellow flowers that appear in the fall. Sometimes they are obscured by persistent fall leaves that fail to drop before bloom time.
Another eastern native witch hazel for the garden is the Ozark witch hazel (Hamamelis vernalis). Like the hybrids, this is a late-winter bloomer with lovely golden flowers that are fragrant. It also has an appealing, broad habit that looks nice in landscapes. Its golden-orange fall color also adds great appeal.
Those that would like some early winter color and fragrance should consider winter-flowering witch hazels for their landscape or garden. For some summer color, try planting a Clematis at the base of your witch hazel. Train the Clematis to wind through its branches and surprise your neighbors when the flowers appear.
An excellent mail order nursery for Hamamelis is Gossler Farms Nursery, 1200 Weaver Road, Springfield, OR 97478. You can get a copy of their catalog by calling 541/746-3922.
Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Dawn’ adds delightful fragrance and color to the winter garden. (photo by Leonard Foltz)
Recently a friend asked me what my garden looks like during the winter months. I replied that it is “rather bleak”. After thinking about my reply, I decided to take a closer look at my own garden and those around my neighborhood. I am glad that I did because my garden is not as bleak as I thought. This is the time of year when we are not working in our gardens and probably not even walking through them, and so it is easy to forget about some of the winter flowering plants and color they hold. Continue reading “Winter Flowering Plants”
Anna’s hummingbird feeding on Salvia ‘Amistad’. (Photo by Doug Barragar)
For those of you that have read some of my previous Black Gold articles, you will know that one of my recurring themes is to enjoy your garden and consider it a haven to relax and relieve stress. While the original purpose of our computers and phones was to help us save time and accomplish more, I’m not sure that is the way it is working. We seem to be ‘tied’ to our devices and almost unable to function without them. I was recently at a dinner with some friends, and one person had forgotten her cell phone. The result was that she was distraught throughout the dinner and anxious for the evening to be over, so she could go home to her phone. We so often forget to take the time to slow down and unplug ourselves and as the old saying goes we forget to “stop and smell the roses”. Continue reading “Holistic, Healing Gardening”
“Oh, noooo!” Plants are a great way to add to the Halloween fun!
The gardening season we experienced this past summer and early fall has been one of the best that I can remember. Vegetable gardens performed beyond the expectation of most gardeners with tomatoes, especially some of the long-season and late-ripening varieties, benefiting from the warm summer and fall. However, this is October, and it is time to say goodbye to summer and hello to autumn and Halloween. Continue reading “Trick-or-Treat Gardening”
Staking dahlias at planting time will support plants all season and keep the tuberous roots from being pierced by stakes.
When visiting other gardens and with other gardeners, I find that people enjoy sharing their tips to make gardening easier. Even in my own garden, I often realize there is a better and quicker way to perform a particular task, and I cannot imagine why I had not thought of it before. Particularly on my radio program, when I ask listeners call in with tips, I almost always learn something new. Even though gardening is very enjoyable, I think gardeners are always on the lookout for a easier and quicker way to get something done. Continue reading “Tips to Make Flower Gardening Easier”
Despite the high heat here in the Pacific Northwest, the roses have done well. (photo by Jessie Keith)
Perhaps we have been through the “dog days of summer” here in the Pacific Northwest with our daytime temperatures reaching 90+ degrees. Not only have those of us without air conditioning suffered, but many of our plants did as well. Continue reading “Reviving Late-Summer Flowers”
The more you can do to make plants healthy and avoid stressful conditions, the likelier they are to thrive.
In many of these web articles, I have often stressed the importance of soil health. Whenever we plant something in the ground it offers an opportunity to amend the soil around and below the root zone. At no other time can one easily add compost or fertilizer to the soil around and below the roots. The same thing is also true when we plant something in a container, except that in a container we have more control over the actual soil.
Health guidelines for people stress that maintaining a good diet and lifestyle will help keep our bodies healthy. This same principle is true for plants. The more we can do to make a plant healthy and avoid stressful conditions, the likelier that plant will thrive. Of course there are some exceptions to this, and roses are a good example. Some roses will get black spot on their leaves regardless of overall plant health. Even in the case of roses, there are techniques we can do to lessen the effect of damaging diseases or insects. I have always had some rose bushes in my garden, and over the years I have removed those rose plants that are susceptible to black spot and replaced them with new varieties that are disease resistant.
When I look at my own garden, I have learned that by providing the best gardening practices will greatly reduce stressful conditions for plants. I continually add Black Gold amendments whenever I am planting something new. I mix fertilizer into the existing soil and add Black Gold Garden Compost Blend. In the many containers that I have on my deck and throughout the garden, I perform a similar treatment. I use either Black Gold All Purpose Potting Soil or Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Soil. At this time, I also add some quality all-purpose fertilizer, and then I know I am providing my plants with what they will need for an excellent beginning.
Choosing disease-resistant roses really pays off.
One thing that I find many beginning gardeners (and experienced gardeners too!) tend to overlook is the right environment for their particular plant. By environment, I mean determining whether it is a plant that needs sun, partial sun or full sun. If a shade-loving plant is placed in a very sunny location, there is no amount of fertilizer, water or proper soil that is going to keep that plant from getting stressed. Always check the plant label and ask your local garden center personnel about the proper planting location for the plant you are selecting.
Another major factor is watering. Here in the Pacific Northwest, we have recently had some very hot weather. Even plants that thrive in the sun may wilt because they are losing more water than they can absorb. On particularly hot days, after an early morning soil drench, I like to actually spray wilted plants with water as I have found that this will usually revive them. Of course this is a temporary course of action, but it does work. Another solution is to add a mulch around the root base using Black Gold® Garden Compost Blend as this is excellent water retentive material for plants both in the ground and in containers.
Plant potted plants in the best mix and caring for them well will keep them healthy and thriving.
There are many plants in containers in my garden that are in the sun, and I find that sometimes I may need to water them twice a day, especially later in the season as the plant roots fill the container. As a plant grows, the roots may soon fill the container, and this will make the pot become drier much faster than it would have earlier in the summer when the new roots are just beginning to grow.
I do not think many people like to use chemical sprays and in their gardens; I have not used any insecticides or fungicides for many years. I have many birds and encourage them as I find that they can keep many insects under control. There are times when spraying is necessary, but do some research before you do. A good rule to follow is to check with your extension service or local garden center to learn what is the least toxic chemical option available.
Gardening should be fun and relaxing, and you can help make it that way by providing your plants with the best possible materials for them to grow and thrive. Yes, there will always be some failures, but that is how we learn. We don’t give up. We try again!
Look closely and you’ll see a delicate hummingbird enjoying the fresh water of this fountain.
In addition to enjoying summer color from my plants, I always have an assortment of plants that will attract hummingbirds. With the many containers that are on my deck and the surrounding garden area, I always select some plants that are known to be hummingbird magnets.
Health guidelines for people stress that maintaining a good diet and lifestyle will help keep our bodies healthy. This same principle is true for plants. The more we can do to make a plant healthy and avoid stressful conditions, the likelier that plant will thrive. Of course there are some exceptions to this, and roses are a good example. Some roses will get black spot on their leaves regardless of overall plant health. Even in the case of roses, there are techniques we can do to lessen the effect of damaging diseases or insects. I have always had some rose bushes in my garden, and over the years I have removed those rose plants that are susceptible to black spot and replaced them with new varieties that are disease resistant.
