Food-Gardening Lessons From A Wartime Victory Garden

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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.

Fall Rose Care

Here it is in mid-October and many roses are still blooming. There are few shrubs, if we can call roses ‘shrubs’, that have such a long blooming season. For us, (in the Pacific Northwest), they usually begin to bloom in May and most modern roses, hybrid teas, grandifloras, and floribundas will continue to flower until a frost or cold weather arrives.

Weather and Fall Roses

Generally, in the Willamette Valley and areas on the western slope of the Cascades, we do not have to worry about temperatures in the winter that will kill roses. However, there are certain tasks we can do to offer them some protection and a little help through the winter months. My gardening philosophy is to try to keep gardening simple and here are some tips and ideas for winter care and preparation.

After a heavy rain, walk around your garden look at your rose bed, and notice if there is standing water. If there is, that is a signal that there is a drainage problem and fall is a good time to get it fixed. If the bed is on a slope, perhaps a small channel can be made to whisk the water away. While this is not always applicable, cultivating pumice or Black Gold® Perlite into the soil can be helpful. Roses need good drainage and standing water can do serious damage to roses, especially if a hard freeze is predicted. By eliminating this problem now, your roses next spring and summer will ‘thank you’. There is a saying that I’ve often heard that goes “more plants are damaged from winter wet than winter cold”.

 

Add Mulch

A mulch around roses in the fall can also be helpful. Adding 2-3 inches around the plants can offer some root protection from the cold. Almost any compost product will work, it could be a general garden compost, fir boughs, straw, or leaves. I especially like maple leaves because they decompose fairly quickly, provide winter cover, and are an excellent addition to the soil.

Prune Fall Roses

Fall pruning is also a task that can be helpful to both the plant and the gardener! A general rule that rose gardeners often use about pruning modern roses is “prune to waist high in the fall and knee-high in mid-February.” Of course, this is somewhat vague because waist heights vary greatly and this statement should be used as a guide. Many rose bushes are quite tall by the end of the season, often 6 feet or more. In areas where there are high winds, the wind could rock the plant back and forth and loosen the roots. Pruning the bush lower will help eliminate this.

The bonus of fall pruning for the gardener is that with several rose plants, getting rid of some of the debris, canes, and leaves, will make less debris for spring pruning.

When cutting rose canes, I suggest removing them as well as old diseased leaves from the garden. After fall pruning is completed and the debris has been taken away, then add a mulch. A mulch can give a garden a finishing ‘touch’ and your garden has gone to bed for the winter!

The one thing that you do not want to do is to fertilize your roses now. Their primary growing season is over and applying fertilizer now is of little value.

If your roses are still blooming, enjoy them! That is the reason we plant them. My floribunda rose ‘Doris Day’ has many flowers on it now, (late October), and bringing flowers indoors at this time of year is a delight. Just giving your rose plants some extra care in the fall season can be helpful for them when spring arrives.

Fall Bulbs by Mike Darcy

I think that it is fun to deviate and plant some bulbs that, perhaps, are new to you. Here are a few suggestions.

Relatives of the edible onion, Ornamental Alliums can make a beautiful showing in the early to mid-summer garden. The flowers usually appear in clusters on bare stems. There are many different sizes to choose from with some only getting 6 inches in height with others reaching 5 feet or more. Usually, the flowers are shades of blue but there are some pink and white forms. ‘Lavender Bubbles’ is a small compact type that would fit into most garden settings.

Ornamental alliums are colorful and beautiful.

Galanthus (Snowdrops) are among the first of spring bulbs to bloom. Their nodding, white, bell-shaped flowers are a signal that spring will soon be here. These are ideal for planting in rock gardens, under flowering shrubs, or to grow in pots. I have found that they like a little bit of shade or filtered sunlight. Galanthus ‘Flora Pleno’ has a double layer of white flower petals that are tipped green.

Snowdrops are a delicate flowering bulb for late winter.

When we think of daffodils, we usually think of the yellow flowering trumpet type. The trumpet types are very easy to grow and tend to naturalize much more so than tulips. Technically all daffodils are Narcissus’, but we usually refer to the trumpet type as daffodil. The selection ‘Julie Jane’ has a very unique flower form and is ideal in a pot.

Tulipa Julie Jane’ looks great when planted together in pots.

If you don’t mind waiting a few years, and your garden has the space and the right conditions, and if you want to make a spectacular statement with summer flowering bulbs, giant lily (Cardiocrinum giganteum), might be the plant for you. This is sometimes referred to as the Giant Himalayan Lily, and with good reason. Even though it might take it 5+ years to bloom, depending on the size of the bulb, it is well worth the wait. The flowering stem can reach 8 feet or more in height with 20+ fragrant flowers on a single stem. This bulb prefers a light shady location, a woodland setting could be ideal, and a soil rich in humus. Black Gold® Natural & Organic Garden Compost Blend would be a good addition at planting time.

Giant lily is a spectacular, tall lily for gardens in milder climates.

It seems as though the selection of fall bulbs expands every year and garden centers are offering more choices. That is good news for gardeners. If you have a special bulb you are looking for, buy early. With supply and transportation issues, garden centers do not always have an option to reorder. Think ‘out of the box’ when planting and don’t limit yourself to only planting in rows. Plant bulbs in mass plantings or groups. The reward in the spring will be worth it!

My giant lilies in full bloom.

Plants That Perform In the Hot Summer Sun

We have had some very hot weather here in the Pacific Northwest and in some cases, previous high temperature records have been broken. Not only have we had very hot and sunny days, but there has been no recent rain and the ground is very dry. It is not unusual for us not to have rain in the summer months, but with no rain and high heat, plants can suffer. The diversity of plants always continues to amaze me with some being able to thrive in the hot sun, while others wilt, and the leaves burn.

Most gardeners have their favorite plants for sunny locations and much of the information on these plants is probably trial and error. I have certainly had my share of plants that I thought would perform well in a sunny location, only to find out that I was mistaken and they either died or the leaves became scorched. A helpful hint, that I have mentioned in previous articles, is adding Black Gold® Natural & Organic Just Coir over the soil surface. Coir has high water-holding capacity which is a helpful addition to summer plants growing in containers.

The following is a listing of plants that seem to thrive in the sun and provide summer color with flowers and/or foliage,

Raspberry Ice Bougainvillea

Bougainvillea ‘Raspberry Ice’ is a tender flowering shrub that grows well as a tender perennial or perennial where hardy.

One of my favorites is Bougainvillea ‘Raspberry Ice’. While Bougainvillea is mostly known as a tall and fast-growing vine, ‘Raspberry Ice’ has a low-mounded spreading form which makes it ideal for pots and hanging baskets. With variegated foliage, this plant is attractive even when not in flower with the typical purple flowers, actually bracts. Bougainvillea is a tropical plant and will not survive our winters and I treat it as a summer annual.

Tall Zinnias

What’s not to like about Zinnias (Zinnia elegans hybrids). An old-fashioned flower that continues to be popular in gardens of today. The color range is vast with colors of red, yellow, cream, white, pink, purple, and shades of all of these. The plants have a wide range of height, some are low growing, others tall, and many in-between. They bloom all summer, and the flowers are excellent for cutting.

Tall zinnias are easy to grow and beautiful.

Perennial Coreopsis

There are two new Coreopsis in my garden this year and both have been blooming since I bought them in early June. This easy-to-grow member of the sunflower family has flowers and foliage that are quite diverse. Coreopsis ‘Lightning Bug’ has fern-like foliage and small flowers that cover the plant. Coreopsis ‘SuperStar’ has larger flowers and foliage. With their vibrant flowers, a grouping of either provides a bright spot of color in the garden.

Coreopsis ‘Superstar’ is a favorite of mine. (Image by Mike Darcy)

Cigar Plant

With hundreds of small flowers on a single plant, cigar plant (Cuphea ignea) is known not only for the prolific flowers it provides all summer, but the flowers are also known as a hummingbird magnet. Sometimes call the cigar plant because the flowers are orange-red with a white tip and a dark rink at the end. For a plant that gives continuous color, it’s hard to beat Cuphea!

Cannas

The large bold leaves of a Canna can give a garden a tropical look. With the leaves varying from solid green to different variegations, they can provide color when the plant is not in bloom. Two that I particularly like are ‘Striata’ and ‘Cleopatra’, both of which have outstanding foliage. The impressive Canna ‘Striata’ (syn. ‘Bengal Tiger’) has yellow-striped variegated leaves with a narrow maroon margin and bright orange flowers. ‘Cleopatra’ has leaves that may be partially a dark chocolate color and green or all green or almost all dark chocolate. The flowers are equally variable and can be red, yellow, and often of combination of both colors. It is a very eye-catching plant in the garden.

Canna ‘Striata’ has impressive stripes leaves and colorful flowers.

These are just some sun-loving plants that perform well in Pacific Northwest gardens. All will grow beautifully in garden soil fortified with Black Gold Garden Soil.  The natural and organic amendment adds needed organic matter to enrich soils and encourage strong root growth and plant development.

I find it interesting to try some new plants every year to test their summer sunworthiness. Many of these plants are available at garden centers and can still be planted. The plants will probably be larger than they would have been in the spring and can provide some instant color in the garden. Try one that is new to you!

 

Happy Gardening!

Spring Flowering Trees with Edible Fruit

Edible crabapples are larger and great for canning. (Image by JMiall)

Sometimes in our home yards and gardens, we plant primarily for ornamental purposes, but perhaps we overlook the fact that attractive plants can also provide food. The following flowering trees have both attributes. All are easily grown in western Oregon and Washington and garden-worthy, even without their food value.

Serviceberry

Western serviceberry has delicious summer berries.

Amelanchier alnifolia is not exactly a household name, nor is it a name many gardeners find familiar, but call it western serviceberry or just saskatoon, and many would recognize it. Western serviceberry is a popular Oregon native plant that is often used in gardens, especially those with a slant toward native plants. It is a superb selection for a garden as it has clusters of white flowers in the spring that are attractive to bees and butterflies and then produces berries in the summer that can be eaten fresh or used to make pies, jams, or jellies. In the autumn, the leaves will often turn bright red for some nice fall color.

Western serviceberry is said to have the best-tasting fruit of the genus, but others say the hybrid Amelanchier x grandiflora also has delicious fruit. The hybrid is also easier to find at nurseries. Try the cultivar Autumn Brilliance®, which boasts spectacular red fall color.

Serviceberry might be considered a large shrub or small multi-stemmed tree, as plants can reach about 15 ft in height. Often found growing naturally along stream banks, it seems to grow equally well in open wooded areas and will probably perform best in a partially shaded home garden setting. Before planting, amend soils with Black Gold Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss or Black Gold Garden Compost Blend. Plants will need supplemental water for the first couple of years to become established and then can usually survive without additional water.

Olives

Hardy olive trees look great in the landscape and bear edible olives.

When we think of olive trees (Olea europaea), we probably think of olive groves in Spain, Greece, or the numerous olive groves in California. Olives are native to the Mediterranean region, but they have adapted well in California. Recently there has been an increased interest in olives as a garden plant for northwest gardens. ‘Arbequina‘ is a widely available compact olive tree, reaching just 8 to 10 feet, has that is reported to be remarkably cold hardy, surviving winters to USDA Hardiness Zones 7-9.

Olive foliage is gray-green and stands out against homes or other garden greenery. Cold hardiness is the deciding factor on whether olives will become widely planted in home gardens. Currently, at the Oregon State University North Willamette Research and Extension Center in Aurora, OR, there is an olive cold hardiness trial being conducted.

Edible Crabapples

‘Chestnut’ is one of several edible crabapples to grow.

Another group ornamental trees that provide spring color and fall fruit are true edible crabapples. Malus ‘Chestnut’ is just such a tree. This crabapple will reach about 15 ft in height and needs a full sun location. White flowers cover the tree in spring, and in fall, it produces large, red-blushed fruits. The sweet, nutty fruits are excellent for canning or jelly. They can even be eaten fresh.

Another edible flowering crabapple is the diseases-resistant heirloom ‘Hopa’, which reaches 25 feet. In spring, it bears clusters of fragrant, rose-pink flowers, and edible red fruit is produced in quantity in the fall, followed by yellow fall foliage. Its large, tart crabapples are best used for jam and jelly.

Cornelian Cherry

The cherry-like fruits of Cornelian cherry are good for jam making.

There are many dogwoods to chose from, but one of my favorites is Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas), a small tree reaching 15-25 feet. This dogwood blooms very early, even before the tree has leaves. The clusters of yellow blossoms appear on bare twigs in late winter, which are quite pleasant to see on a dreary winter day. In the fall, cherry-like red fruits appear, which can be used to make preserves, if you can get them picked before the birds get them! The fall color is usually yellow, and with the red fruit, it makes for an eye-catching display. The bare branches have gray and tan blotches for winter interest.

Peaches and Plums

‘Shiro’ plum is beautiful in spring, and its fruits are tasty.

Some more standard fruiting trees are also bestowed with beauty as well as delicious fruit. The peach Red Baron (12-18 feet) has spectacular double-red blossoms in spring followed by delicious golden peaches that ripen mid to late season. And, the exceptionally hardy ‘Shiro‘ (18-20 feet) golden plum produces clouds of white flowers in spring, loads of small clingstone golden plums in summer, and develops beautiful fall foliage of red, orange and gold.

This is just a sampling of some of the many trees and shrubs that can provide a multi-purpose plant in our gardens. Talk with other gardeners in your neighborhood, and you may be surprised at the choices you have.

These flowering and fruiting trees also have wildlife value.

Beyond Your Average Dogwood

‘Satomi’ is a classic pink Korean dogwood to try.

The diversity of dogwoods (Cornus spp.) goes way beyond the common eastern flowering dogwood (Cornus florida), which is much-loved but prone to serious diseases. The list of comely Cornus contains so many selections that it can be difficult to know what to choose. My list of favorites may help you narrow down your choices.

In my own neighborhood, I see many varieties that offer not only spectacular flowers but colorful fruits later in the season, some of which are even edible. Most have interesting leaves that turn brilliant colors in the fall or are variegated. Others have interesting winter bark or brightly colored twigs.

Dogwood Anthracnose and Dogwoods

We are fortunate to live on a fertile western slope of the mountains in the Pacific Northwest because the variety of plants that we can grow, dogwoods included, is broad. One downside is that our non-hybridized native Pacific dogwood (Cornus nuttallii) has problems that render it a poor choice for most gardens. Like eastern flowering dogwood, it is very susceptible to a disease called dogwood anthracnose, which causes leaf and stem tissue to die back, resulting in a very unsightly tree. However, we are fortunate that there are many other dogwood choices available that are resistant to this disease. (There are a few eastern dogwood hybrids, such as the Rutgers Hybrids, and Pacific dogwood hybrids, such as the Stellar Pink® (Zones 5-8) and Starlight® (Zones 5-9), that are also dogwood-anthracnose resistant, but most are not.)

Divine Dogwoods

My list includes favorites that perform well in the Pacific Northwest, but most grow well in other temperate regions of the country. Just be mindful of their growing needs and hardiness-zone limitations. Before considering any of these dogwoods, I want to mention that they like soil with excellent drainage in addition to ample organic matter at the time of planting. (Click here for tree and shrub planting guidelines). Light needs are species- and variety-specific. Check with a local garden center to determine what trees would be best suited to your yard, because some can become quite large, while others have a growth habit like a shrub.

Cornelian Cherry

Cornelian cherry is named for its bright red, edible fruit, but it also has lovely yellow flowers in the early spring.

In this early spring season of March, my cornelian cherry (Cornus mas, Zones 4-8, 15-25 feet) is in full bloom. Many visitors to my garden are not familiar with this dogwood and often are surprised to discover that it is one. It is a deciduous tree and right now is in full bloom with masses of small yellow flowers that appear on the bare branches before they leaf out. It is one of the earliest trees to bloom in my garden. The leaves of ‘Variegata’ are marbled creamy white, for extra interest. It goes by the common name of cornelian cherry because, in the fall, cherry-sized fruits appear that are bright red and hang on the tree until the birds get them. The fruits are also edible and described as tasting like a cross between a cherry and cranberry. Some gardeners use them to make jam.

Korean Dogwood

Cornus kousa looks laden with flowers in the late spring and has lovely edible fall fruits and lovely fall leaf color.

Korean dogwood (Cornus kousa, Zone 5-8, 20-40 feet) have become very popular because of their four seasons of interest (spring flowers, beautiful habit, colorful fall fruits and leaf color, and pretty mottled bark), and the many fine hybrids released by Rutgers University. These dogwoods are noted for being vigorous and disease resistant.  One of my favorite hybrids is ‘Venus’, which reaches 15-20 feet, has huge white blooms, and red fruits and foliage in the fall. Pink varieties are also stunning when in bloom. Two of the best are the darkest-pink Scarlet Fire® (25 feet) and the classic, paler pink ‘Satomi‘ (15-30 feet). When the blooms appear in the late spring, they tend to be along the top of the branches and above the leaves. This creates the appearance of a tree covered with flowers with the leaves being almost invisible. Ornamental and edible red fruits appear in the fall, and the leaves provide some excellent fall color in warm and purplish shades. The fruits are a bit mealy, though somewhat tasty. Wildlife enjoy them as well.

Wedding Cake Tree

The variegated wedding cake tree is gorgeous when mature.

One of the most spectacular-looking dogwoods is Cornus controversa (Zones 5-8, 30-40 feet). Sometimes it is referred to as the wedding cake tree because of its layered growth that looks like tiers on a wedding cake. Small clusters of white spring flowers are followed by small blue-black fruits. The variety ‘Variegata’ is even more stunning with bright green leaves edged in white. This is a magnificent small deciduous tree for the garden.

Evergreen Dogwood

Evergreen dogwood is rarely grown but beautiful! (Image by Stan Shebs)

Some dogwoods are evergreen, such as Cornus capitata, which is a little less hardy, surviving in Zones 8-9. The Himalayan and Chinese native reaches between 20 and 40 feet and grows well in moist, West Coast regions. One of the best is ‘Mountain Moon’, which has small clusters of flowers that are followed by edible red fruits in the fall. While considered evergreen, I would call it semi-evergreen, because if we get a cold winter, it will lose its leaves.

Bloodtwig or Common Dogwood

‘Midwinter Fire’ is one of the most colorful of the common dogwoods.

I would be remiss if I did not mention a dogwood known for its colorful stems, and bloodtwig dogwood (Cornus sanguinea, Zones 4-7, 8-15 feet) is one of the best. The tricolored ‘Midwinter Fire’ is one of the most well-known and eye-catching when it shows off its orange, red, and yellow stems in the winter. With a spotlight under it, the colorful stems create a wonderful winter scene. Prune hard each spring to promote the brightest stems. In spring, it produces clusters of white flowers, and the leaves have nice yellow fall color.

As I mentioned earlier, there are so many different dogwoods to choose from, so it is wise to do some research to be certain you are getting the right one for your particular location. To walk into a garden center and say you want a dogwood would be like walking into an ice cream parlor and saying you want an ice cream cone. Be choosy.

Favorite Old & New Salvias For Flower Gardens

The red and white ‘Hot Lips’ is heat-tolerant and beautiful.

It would be difficult to come up with a group of plants that can add as much to the garden, in so many ways, as the flowering sages in the genus Salvia. Their colorful, two-lipped blooms are lovely and the many garden representatives have diverse growth habits, flower colors, fragrance (usually in the leaves), as well as being long-blooming and low-maintenance.

In addition to the above-mentioned attributes, salvias are excellent plants for a pollinator garden–attractive to bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds–and most are summer bloomers that love sunny garden spots. In my garden, the flowers are hummingbird magnets. It is delightful watching the territorial antics of these amazing birds.

Of the more than 900 species of these mints (Look for the square stems!) distributed throughout the temperate and tropical zones of the world, only several species are commonly cultivated in the garden. With so many types of salvia across the world, it stands to reason that there is lots of variation among the species and their hardiness. While many are technically perennial and perform exceptionally well in my Pacific Northwest summers, they may not survive a winter. Poor drainage can be a factor for winter survival, so I add additional perlite for increased drainage when planting them. Gran-i-Grit and coarse sand can also improve the drainage of raised gardens to enhance salvia survival.

Great Garden Salvias

‘Amistad’ has glorious purple flowers that hummingbirds love.

For me, salvias were a late addition to the plant palette in my garden, however, once I started growing them, it was as though I could not stop. I re-planted favorites each spring and always add some new varieties that I have not grown before. I discovered they were wonderful container plants, and now we always have salvias in pots on our deck. From my own experience, I have discovered what I would consider outstanding performers. Below is a listing of some of my favorites.

Introduced nearly 20 years ago, Black & Blue sage (Salvia guaranitica ‘Black & Blue’, Zones 7-10) was one of the first ones in my garden. It was recommended by the owner of a local garden center, and this salvia has become such a favorite that I plant it every year. The 4-foot plant has deep blue flowers with black calyces, hence the name ‘Black & Blue’.  Amistad salvia (Salvia guaranitica ‘Amistad’, Zones 7-10) is another good performer with deep purple flowers. It has a more compact growth habit than ‘Black & Blue’ with a final height under 3 feet. Both are excellent hummingbird attractants and will bloom all summer. They are also technically hardy to my area but very sensitive to winter moisture.

Black & Blue sage looks the part with its bicolored flowers.

Proven Winners has recently released a series of salvias in the Rockin series. I have grown several in this series, and they are excellent. My favorite is Rockin® Fuchsia (Zones 9-11) and as the name implies, the flowers are brilliant fuchsia. It is an excellent salvia for a container in a location where bright color is desired. It is also a heavy bloomer and hummingbirds love it. Another in this series that I have grown and liked is Blue Suede Shoes (Zones 9-11), which has light blue flowers with black calyces.

Rockin® Fuchsia is a very heavy summer bloomer.

For fragrance, I have not grown any better than Cleveland sage (Salvia clevelandii, Zones 8-11). This southern California native has the most aromatic leaves of almost any plant that I have grown. It has a mounding growth habit with wrinkly, leather-textured leaves. The flowers are in rounded clusters and may be lavender to purple. Plant this where people can walk by and rub or touch a leaf.

Cleveland sage is a California native with an enticing scent.

Classic garden salvia that has distinct bi-color flowers is Hot Lips littleleaf sage (Salvia microphylla ‘Hot Lips’, Zones 7-10). The flowers are white at the base and bright red on the petals. A grouping of these in bloom makes a very striking summer display that hummingbirds cannot resist.

The flowers of ‘Hot Lips’ appear all summer.

Garden centers are continually increasing their salvia choices for customers. It was not many years ago when the selection was perhaps two to three different kinds, but today that is not the case. If you are new to growing salvias, check with other gardeners to discover what varieties perform best in your particular area. The salvias that I have mentioned are sun-loving, but there are some varieties that require at least partial shade. Others are very reliable hardy perennials.

Try some salvia plants in your garden this season. I think you will become hooked on them just as I am.

Unique Poinsettias for the Holidays

These days, poinsettias come in all shades of red, white, and pink. Some are even apricot and salmon hues.

‘Jingle Bells’, ‘Winter Rose Red’, ‘Whitestar’, ‘Cortez Burgundy’, etc., are just some of the names you might find on an exciting new poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) plant this year. There is probably no flower more associated with a holiday in the United States than the poinsettia is for the Christmas and New Year season. The red poinsettia certainly denotes the Christmas holiday season, but breeders have come up with lots of new, unique varieties that stand out from the mass displays of traditional poinsettias that you usually see at garden centers or grocery stores.

About Poinsettias

In tropical and subtropical regions, poinsettias grow as flowering shrubs that feed butterflies. If you live in southern California or Florida, you can grow them this way.

Poinsettias are winter-flowering shrubs that are native to Mexico, but the plants we see in stores are quite different than the tall, roadside plants seen south of the border. They were introduced to the United States in the 1820’s when Joel Roberts Poinsett, who was the first US Ambassador to Mexico, sent some cutting to his home in South Carolina. It was not an instant success as a potted plant because the flowers only lasted a few days.

With the new breed of poinsettias that we see today, the colorful bracts (colorful petal-like leaves) will last long past the holiday season. While the bracts are often called the flowers, the actual flower is in the center of the bract. Botanically speaking, it is Euphorbia pulcherrima, a member of the Euphorbia family, which is noted for often having a milky sap in the stems and leaves. This sap was considered poisonous for some time, but recent research has shown it is much less toxic than once believed. Some people might be allergic to it from skin contact and have a mild reaction and it can cause burning if there is eye contact. From reports that I have read, it is said to taste horrible and so it is unlikely a child would eat much. (Click here for more details about poinsettia toxicity from the Mayo Clinic.)

In their native southern Mexican habitat, the plants are tall shrubs (10-12 feet) with winter blooms that have smaller red bracts. Today, red poinsettias are the most popular and account for about 75% of sales, but plant breeders are constantly trying to create unique and more vibrant colors, so the color range continues to expand.

New Poinsettias

New poinsettias come in many colors and even have different floral shapes. You can find new, fun types at quality garden centers. ‘Christmas Beauty Marble’ is third back from the right. (Image by Jessie Keith)

After many years of plant breeding, poinsettias are now shorter and more compact, which makes them ideal for most homes. Plant breeding has also given us more choices for color, and the colorful bracts look good for weeks. I have seen gardeners overwinter these perennial shrubs in a bright home or greenhouse, set plants outside in the spring, and bring them indoors again in fall. Sometimes it also pays to give the plants a midsummer trim. If done properly, they will bloom again in winter, though flowers may appear after December, on occasion.

‘Cortez Burgundy’ is a much darker red than average. (Image by Mike Darcy)

Visiting a grower recently, I was amazed at the variety of unique poinsettias. The large bracts of ‘Jingle Bells’ were red with lovely white speckles across them. New rosette-style poinsettias, with smaller rose-like blooms have become popular, and ‘Winter Rose Red’ is a lovely red one that I saw. The bright  ‘Whitestar’ has huge brilliant ivory bracts that really stand out, and the deepest burgundy red, ‘Cortez Burgundy’, was on the opposite end of the poinsettia color spectrum. ‘Christmas Feelings Pink’ had all large blooms with pink bracts whereas some plants have multicolored bracts, such as ‘Christmas Beauty Marble’ (image at bottom), which had pink bracts that were outlined in cream.

Growing Poinsettias

Some growers will add multiple varieties to a pot for extra punch. The plants can be later separated if you like to keep your poinsettias after the holidays.

When purchasing your poinsettia, make your poinsettia purchase the last stop before reaching your home because they do not like cold weather. The sooner you can get the plant out of your car and into your home, the better. Select an area that has uniform bright light and keep it away from forced air heater vents. The pots are often wrapped in a foil sleeve, which should be removed when watering. Place the plant in a sink and give it a thorough soaking. After the water has drained, put the sleeve back on.

Your poinsettia will probably last well past the holiday season. If you don’t want to keep yours, before throwing it in the compost bin check with a senior living center to see if there is interest. Gifting it, even after the holidays, might provide a resident with some much-needed happiness.

Lovely rose poinsettias look beautiful alongside the ivory-flowered ‘Whitestar’.

Effortless Junipers for Practically Every Garden

Ground cover junipers look handsome when planted in spacious containers.

There are few plants that come in as many different forms as the juniper. The Genus Juniperus includes plants that are grown as ground covers with some that hug the ground at just several inches and others that may reach 2-3 feet in height. Another category is the shrub types, and these can range in growth from 4-12 feet. Junipers can also be columnar in their growth habit with heights ranging from about a few feet up to 20-30 feet. Then, there are the tree junipers that can reach 50 feet or more.

Juniper berries are waxy, fragrant, and distinctive.

Junipers are conifers, but instead of cones, the female shrubs have berry-like, waxy, blue-green fruits. The berries of some types are highly scented and are often used during the Christmas and New Year holiday season in wreaths and often as part of an evergreen indoor table decoration. Often, juniper scent is incorporated into holiday candles. Most juniper plants produce berries that are attractive to many birds.  Hummingbirds often build nests in the larger shrub and tree types.

Juniper foliage color can be various shades of green to blue, gray, and yellow. The leaves of some have smooth or prickly needles, so consider this when choosing a variety. Prickly forms should be planted in areas where people won’t have contact with the foliage.

Growing Juniper

Junipers can be planted in the spring or early fall.

Good drainage is a requirement for most juniper varieties, and once established many require little or no additional water, depending on your plant zone. Be sure and read the plant label for detailed planting guidelines. Most varieties will take a full sun location, but there are some that like some protection from the hot afternoon sun. Well-drained average soil will usually suffice. Amending the soil at planting time with a little Black Gold Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss will encourage good growth from the start.

There is a vast selection of juniper choices, so it would be impossible to list all of the many varieties here. Instead, I have included several popular varieties that should be readily available at garden centers.

Groundcover Junipers

Juniperus horizontalis comes in several pleasing, low-growing varieties.

Tam juniper (Juniperus sabina ‘Tamariscifolia’, Zones 4-7), is often referred to as simply Tam. With blue-green foliage, expect this juniper to reach 2-3 feet in height and a width of 10 ft. It is one of the most widely used junipers in gardens.

Blue rug juniper (J. horizontalis ‘Wiltoni’, Zones 3-9) has silver-blue foliage that hugs the ground with long trailing branches. It is flatter and grows closer to the ground than the Tam Juniper. Expect it to spread beautifully. Specimens will tolerate some salt-spray and sandy soil, so it is a great oceanside shrub.

Shrub Junipers

Golden junipers add extra pizzaz to every garden.

Weeping needle juniper (J. rigida ‘’Pendula’, Zones 5-8) has an upright main stem and is often trained and staked to show off the secondary branches with weeping tips. Its green foliage and blue-black fruits are appealing. It will reach 15-20 ft in height when mature.

Pencil point common juniper (J. communis ‘Compressa’, Zones 3-7) is a very tight shrub with blue-green foliage. It is a slow grower that only grows about 2-4 inches per year. This is an ideal conifer for a rock garden and rarely needs pruning. Sometimes it is planted in rows as a dividing line in the garden.

Gold Coin common juniper (J. communis ‘Gold Coin’, Zones 3-7) is a conical, upright form with finely cut foliage. It is most admired for its brilliant new golden growth which turns bright green in the summer. It will reach about 10 feet.

Moonglow Rocky Mountain juniper (J. scopulorum ‘Moonglow’, Zones 3-7) is a dense conical grower with steel-blue color. At maturity, it will reach 8-10 feet. It makes a good screen and can be sheared as needed.

Tree Junipers

Western cedars are high-value trees for wildlife.

Western juniper (J. occidentalis, Zones 4-8) has fragrant green foliage and is native to intermountain regions from Central Washington to Southern California. It is very large growing and will reach 50-60 ft. The fruits are essential food for many native birds.

Weeping blue juniper (J. scopulorum ‘Tolleson’s Blue Weeping’, Zones 3-7) will usually reach about 20 feet and has very distinctive weeping branches that are silvery blue. It makes a graceful weeping tree.

I suggest visiting a local arboretum or garden center with a conifer display garden. Most conifer display gardens will include junipers. It is always wise to check out plants that will be permanent in your garden before making a final selection. Seeing plants growing out in the open may give a very different ‘look’ as compared to seeing them in a nursery container.

Nonstop Fuchsias For Fall Gardens and Hummingbirds

With summer winding down here in the Pacific Northwest, as I walk through my garden it is the fuchsias I notice. They have bloomed nonstop all summer, and on this September day, their blooms continue. Not only have they not stopped blooming, but they will flower through to October and beyond until we have had frost. It is just what the migrating hummingbirds need at this time of year!

Growing Fuchsias

Large, hefty containers require less water and support better fuchsia growth.

If growing fuchsias is new to you, I recommend talking with other gardeners that grow them in your area. Longtime growers should be able to suggest the best performers for your zone and climate. Generally, fuchsias need porous, water-retentive soil that is rich in organic matter. Black Gold Natural & Organic Ultra Coir is an ideal mix to use when planting them in hanging baskets or containers. I suggest choosing large containers. Keep plants evenly moist during the summer months. Fuchsias bloom on new growth and a regular fertilizer program will increase bloom. Any all-purpose fertilizer formulated for flowering plants will work well. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

I suggest a few winter-hardy varieties in this piece. To increase winter hardiness, choose large planters, and plant your fuchsias 2 to 3 inches deeper than average. You can’t do this with most potted plants, but fuchsias will tolerate it. If you live further north, consider bringing your fuchsias indoors to enjoy as winter house plants. We always recommend cleaning up house plants when moving them from the outdoors in fall to warm indoor locations. Cleaning them stops potential pests from making their way inside. (Click here to learn how to clean house plants.)

My Favorite Fuchsias

Hardy fuchsia forms a pleasing shrub with lots of beautiful little blooms for hummingbirds.

The selection of fuchsias that are now available is immense and can be somewhat overwhelming to a novice gardener, especially in the early spring season when new shipments of plants are arriving at garden centers. The floral color selection is large and varied. Usually, the flowers are bicolor with sepals (top “petals” that flare back) and inner true petals in contrasting shades. Some flowers are all the same color, but all are bright and colorful to attract their primary pollinators, hummingbirds.

The winter hardiness varies among varieties, and while hardy or hummingbird fuchsia (Fuchsia magellanica, Zones 6-9) does not have the largest flowers, the Andean Mountain native shrub is certainly the most cold-tolerant. I have had a hummingbird fuchsia in my garden for years, and this year it reached a height of over 7 feet. It has literally been covered with flowers all summer, and like all fuchsias, it is a hummingbird magnet. When we have had heavy frosts, it has died back almost to the ground, but the roots always survive and bounce back in spring.

Within this variety, there are also some wonderful foliage colors from which to choose. ‘Aurea’ has golden-yellow leaves and has been very hardy in my garden with no winter protection. ‘Tricolor’ has leaves that are a mix of green, pink, and white, so even without flowers, it provides color in the garden. For extra pretty flowers, choose ‘Grand Cape Horn‘, which has purple and magenta blooms, or ‘Alba‘ whose palest-pink to white flowers really glow. For even brighter white blooms, grow ‘Hawkshead‘, a Dan Hinkley Introduction.

Most fuchsias sold in garden centers are Fuchsia hybrids labeled simply as fuchsias. While many of these are touted as being tolerant of full sun, I have found that my plants do much better with some protection from the hot afternoon summer sun. In my garden, I have fuchsias both in the ground as well as in pots on our deck. I do move the pots up against our house in the winter for some added warmth in winter, and I put a layer of mulch on the soil to insulate their roots further from the cold weather.

Hardy fuchsias make lovely landscape specimens.

Visitors to our garden will often ask if I have a favorite fuchsia, and my response is that my favorite changes on a yearly basis. At this moment, I would have to say that my favorites are two particularly outstanding varieties I recently planted, ‘DebRon’s Smokey Blue’ and ‘Tom West’. ‘Tom West’ (Zones 7-9) has small magenta and purple blooms, pretty variegated foliage, and a trailing habit with stems that spill over the edge of the pot. The equally hardy ‘DebRon’s Smokey Blue’ (Zones 7-9) has large flowers with deep rose-colored sepals and fluffy deep purple corollas. If planted in the garden as a shrubby specimen, it reaches 2.5 feet.

This is a good time to visit other gardens and observe what fuchsias have thrived through our very hot summer. This past summer season has certainly been a good test for heat tolerance. Adding fuchsias to your landscape will give your garden color for a long period of time, and it will keep the hummingbirds happy.

Summer Garden Tasks for a Happy Garden

July, 2021 –If ever there was a time that showed the benefits of adding compost to the soil, this past week was it. With temperatures in the Portland, Oregon area setting records for all-time highs, plants suffered just as people, pets, and wildlife did. We generally experience mild summer weather, but one afternoon this week our outdoor temperature was 114 degrees F. Our garden plants are not accustomed to such extremes and many showed signs of heat stress. I watered my containers only in the morning and sprayed the foliage of garden plants with water several times a day. Looking around the garden in the aftermath, there were still many scorched leaves, even on tougher plants.

Summer Heat Wave Protection

Water early in the morning and after dusk during scorching heatwaves.

I do not think that anyone can predict what ou remaining summer will be like in the Pacific Northwest, and that is a good reason to be prepared, and give your plants as much tender loving care as possible. Prior to the heatwave, I had mulched many of my plants with Black Gold Natural & Organic Garden Compost Blend. I was also concerned about my plants in containers and added a top layer of Black Gold Natural & Organic Ultra Coir to help prevent the soil from drying out. Most of my containers are in sunny locations, and the hot sun can quickly dry them out. If we experience more days of extreme heat, I may temporarily move them to shadier locations or even indoors. (Click here to read more heatwave garden-care recommendations.)

Even with the above precautions, and all of the additional watering, I still had some leaf scorching, although I had to think what it might have been like if I had done nothing. Hydrangeas seemed to fare the worst. It was almost impossible to prevent them from wilting. For the moment, I am leaving the scorched leaves on them because if we get another hot spell, even scorched leaves might provide extra protection to the inner green leaves of the plant.

Trim Off Old Blooms

Deadhead garden flowers through summer.

While watering is key to keeping plants healthy in summer, there are other tasks that will keep them looking their best. Roses took a ‘hit’ with the hot weather, but I find them to be very resilient, and by cutting off the wilted flower stems, new growth will soon appear. I have many flowering salvias in my garden, and they have been in full bloom for several weeks. Cutting the flower stems off after they have bloomed will encourage new growth and continuous flowering. (Click here to see Mike’s favorite garden flowers for July heat, including some salvias!)

Summer Herb and Vegetable Care

Keep basil pinched back and deadheaded.

Many herbs thrive in the heat, and I don’t think our basil has ever looked better. I pinch off the flower stems to encourage the plant to put its energy into the foliage rather than the flowers. (Click here to learn more about summer basil care.) Lemon verbena, (Aloysia citrodora), is another herb that seems to relish the heat. This plant has a tall, leggy growth habit, but having it where one can walk by and brush against the foliage and release some of its strong lemon aroma makes it worth growing. (Click here to learn how to grow the essential culinary herbs of the seasons.) Many summer vegetables are coming into their prime. Keep zucchini, tomatoes, and beans picked for continuous production. (Click here to discover ways to share any extra garden vegetables that you may have. )

Keep Bird Baths Full and Fountains Running

Hummingbirds love to cool off and wash in fountains with a shallow stream of water.

Don’t forget to provide food and especially water for the birds. Birdbaths can quickly dry up on hot days, and keeping cool, freshwater available is essential. Birdbaths in the sun also heat up quickly, so consider keeping them in a shadier spot through summer. We have a small water fountain feature in a shaded garden spot, and I replenish the water supply several times a day. It is amazing to see how many birds use it from dawn to dusk.

Stay Cool, and Enjoy Your Garden

Stay cool in the garden with iced water, lightweight clothes, and other cooling gear (Click here for more ways to stay cool in the garden.), and plan future gardens with cooling features in mind (Click here to learn more about cool garden design). While the chores of summer can seem overwhelming, remember that the garden is for your enjoyment. It is a place where you can create what you want. Follow your heart, and make your garden an extension of yourself. More importantly, don’t let the projects and the ‘to do’ list take priority over enjoying your garden.