Food-Gardening Lessons From A Wartime Victory Garden

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Author: Teri Keith

Garden columnist, Teri Keith, has gardened for over 50 years in her home state of Indiana. She served as a longtime IGC nursery manager specializing in annuals and perennials in Bloomington, Indiana and still gardens with passion. Each year she plants and maintains over 50 flower containers, many gardens, and a large collection of lilacs.

Southern Ornamental Small Trees and Shrubs

Crepe Myrtles are some of the most classic southern shrubs and small trees for bright flower color and elegant lines.

While gardeners in northern states must contend with harsh winter cold and icy winds, there are gardens in warmer states with less harrowing swings from one season to the next. Warmer climate zones mean they have their pick of choice small flowering shrubs and small trees impossible to grow in the north without the aid of a greenhouse. I have chosen those with big visual appeal throughout the seasons.

The big, bowl-shaped blooms of southern magnolias are an early summer joy.

Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora, USDA Hardiness Zones 7-9) has a natural distribution from North Carolina to West Texas. The moderate- to large-sized tree (to 80’) gains placement in the “small tree” category due to several desirable compact cultivars, such as the 20-25-foot ‘Little Gem‘ and 15-20-foot ‘Southern Charm‘. Both have all the beauty of their larger brethren, including large, 6-8-inch, bowl-shaped magnolia blooms of ivory and dark evergreen leaves with glossy tops and fuzzy fawn-brown undersides. The flowers may last for weeks in the mid- to late-spring, depending on the weather.  Plant the trees in late winter to early spring in open areas with full sun and loose loam on the acid side. They do not appreciate locations with high winds.

American holly (Ilex opaca, Zones 5-9), is a small sub-canopy evergreen tree with a primary distribution from the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, along the Atlantic coast south to Florida, and west to Texas, with other scattered stands in the interior southeastern U.S., and north to the Ohio River.  American Hollies get 15 to 30 feet tall. prefer full sun and well-drained neutral, to somewhat acidic soil. Plant in mid-spring or fall.

Mature specimens develop a pleasing pyramidal habit and have glossy, dark green leaves with sharp, undulating edges (don’t plant them in yards frequented by barefooted people or animals because the fallen leaves smart when stepped upon.) Holly trees are either male or female. Small greenish spring flowers appear on female plants in April-June and ripen to clusters of attractive red berries by the coming fall. Male trees bear male flowers at the same time, but produce no fruit. Therefore, gardeners must plant both a male and female tree to get fruiting trees (no female = no berries). The leaves and berries are often used as Christmas decorations.

Crepe myrtle flowers are colorful and frilly.

Crepe Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica, Zones 7-10) is a beautiful, summer-flowering, small shrub or tree reaching 2 to 30 feet, depending on the variety. It is a favorite among southern gardeners due to its beautiful clusters of frilly summer flowers of either red, pink, lavender, or white. The low-maintenance plant likes well-drained soil. Originally from southern China, Southeast Asia, and Japan, crepe myrtle prefers full sun and is moderately drought-tolerant once established. One tall choice variety is the refined ‘Natchez‘ known for having light-tan and copper-brown marbled bark, an elegant vase shape, ivory summer flowers, and yellow, orange, and red fall leaves. The short, shrubby ‘Pocomoke‘ is a fine example of a super dwarf variety, reaching only 2 feet high and 5 feet wide and having lustrous green leaves, rosy-pink summer flowers, and burgundy-red fall leaves.

 

Steady as She Goes is a hardy, semi-double gardenia from Proven Winners.

Japanese Camellia (Camellia japonica, Zones 7-9) is a native of Japan and adjacent Asia grown throughout the South for its floral displays. The small evergreen trees reach 10-14 feet and grow best where humidity is high. They are prodigious bloomers from November to April, and the flowers can last for weeks. Reds, pinks, and whites are the common floral colors, and they have a sweet fragrance.  Plant them in acidic, organic-rich soil with good moisture and drainage.  They grow best with shade in the morning and afternoon sun. Try the classic variety ‘Otome‘, which has pristine, double, shell-pink-flowers or ‘Higo Ohkan‘ with its striking single white flowers with edged in red.

‘Otome’ has some of the prettiest shell pink flowers of all Japanese Camellias.

The fragrant Gardenia or Cape Jasmine (Gardenia jasminiodes, Zones 7-11) is a subtropical evergreen flowering shrub with thick, glossy leaves with wavy edges. A native of southern China and Japan, it prefers bright, indirect sunlight in the morning and full afternoon sun. While it can get to 30 feet, cultivated varieties are much shorter, most often reaching 4-8 feet. Its lavish white blooms may be single or double and have a heavenly intense floral scent. The semi-double blooms of the remarkably hardy, 3-5 feet Steady as She Goes® (Zone 7-10) is a good choice. ‘Belmont‘ grows to 4-6 feet and has large, fully double flowers reaching 4 inches across.

Plant gardenias in a location with acidic, fast-draining, loamy soil high in organic matter. The flowers bloom from summer to fall and the flowers can last for weeks. Deadhead to encourage more blooms.

These southern superstars are a joy to grow. They reward top-notch care with years of satisfaction. You and your garden deserve the best of care. Black Gold® has spent years developing a line of quality garden products and products and soil amendments to meet your every garden need. When I order plants from online catalogs, I immediately plant them up using Black Gold® Garden Soil to allow them to grow larger before I plant them in the ground. When they are large enough for outdoor planting, add additional Black Gold® Garden Soil and Peat Moss to the hole before planting. Organic Black Gold® Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss is especially important for plants requiring acidic soil. For more planting tips, read the following article about how to plant trees and shrubs.

 

Piece of Cake Perennials

Perennials are the floral backbone of my garden because they develop over time and last. I look for exciting new ones each year. Whenever a newly introduced perennial exceeds expectations and gets rave reviews, the plant will almost certainly find itself included on my spring shopping list.

I shared my favorites with customers when I managed the perennial section of a local nursery in Bloomington, Indiana. Now I can share them with Black Gold readers! I tend to like both easy and beautiful perennials with a long season of garden interest. All of the plants mentioned are pollinator favorites!

Piece of Cake Perennials

Old-fashioned lemon daylilies and tall purple phlox pair beautifully in the garden.

Daylilies (Hemerocallis hybrids, USDA Hardiness Zones 4-9, ) are notoriously hard to kill. That is why you can often find old-fashioned forms, like lemon lilies (Hemerocallis flava), blooming in vacant residential properties years after anyone has been around to feed or water them. Rebloomers and specialty varieties in vibrant shades of red, yellow, orange, pink, and purple. Some are very tall, such as the late-blooming ‘Autumn Minaret’ (5.5 feet), while others are compact, like the 12-15 inch ‘Little Grapette‘. Favorites with specialty blooms are ‘Diva’s Choice’, with bright, deep pink petals, and heavily ruffled yellow edges, and ‘Pansy Face Charmer’, yellow with dark purple edges that look like pansies.

Because of their ease of growth, daylilies are ideal plants for novice gardeners. Plant daylilies in full to partial sun in the mid-spring. They like average to fertile soil with good drainage. Bloom time varies, but most flower in the early summer. Rebloomers can continue to flower intermittently into fall with good care.

Tall phlox (Phlox paniculata, Zones 4-8) is a pretty, long-flowering perennial native to the eastern U.S.  Height varies, depending on the variety, but they tend to reach between 2 and 4 feet tall.  Cultivated forms have flowers that range in color from white, red, pink, and purple. Look for the vibrant-fuchsia-flowered ‘Material Girl’ (3 feet), coral-pink-flowered ‘Sunset Coral‘ (2.5 feet), and pink-flowered ‘Jeana‘ (4 feet) with its large panicles of small flowers known to attract pollinators in high quantities.

Grow tall phlox in the full to partial sun and fertile soil amended with Black Gold Natural & Organic Garden Compost Blend.  With care, they can bloom for a month or two from mid- to late-summer.

‘Autumn Fire’ tall sedum has particularly bright pink flowers.

Tall and creeping hardy sedums (Sedum species and hybrids) comprise hundreds of hardy species of creeping, and mound-shaped plants, with thick, oval, succulent leaves.  The popular tall, fall-flowering ‘Autumn Fire’ (18-24 inches) has brilliant pink blooms. The even taller ‘Thunderhead’ (30″) is an all-round beauty with its deep purple leaves and glorious rosy-purple fall flowers. Good low-growing forms for foliar and floral appeal include Proven Winner’s rose-flowered Rock ‘N Round® ‘Superstar’ (12 x 20 inches)and the spreading, fully evergreen, golden-leaved ‘Angelina‘ (Zones 5-9) with yellow flowers in early summer.

Give plants sharply drained soil with average to good fertility. They are almost exclusively sun-loving and drought-resistant, save for rare exceptions like the eastern US native, two-row stonecrop (Sedum ternatum). Flowering time varies from summer to fall, depending on the type.

Purple coneflowers are truly effortless perennials loved by many pollinators. The cultivar ‘Magnus’ is shown.

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea and hybrids, Zones 3-9) are easy to grow, loved by pollinators, and their seeds feed songbirds. The popular purple coneflower is a member of the sunflower family native to eastern North America and adapted for life on open prairies. Established plants are hardy, drought-tolerant, and notably hard to kill as long as they are planted in a good location. Give them full sun, average to organic-rich soil and they will bloom from June to July. Some varieties will even flower into August.

One of the best classic varieties available is the vigorous, large-flower ‘Magnus‘ ( 3-4 feet) with its extra bright purple-pink flowers. According to an Echinacea trail at the Mount Cuba Center the red-flowered hybrid Lakota™ Santa Fe Coneflower, the raspberry-pink flowered KISMET® Raspberry, and the compact, warm coral-pink flowered SOMBRERO® Poco Hot Coral were some of the very best performers in northern Delaware’s hot summer weather.

Hostas are varied and colorful!

Hostas (Hosta species and hybrids, Zones 3-8) are a spectacular group of perennials that hail from eastern China and Japan. They are prized for their ornamental foliage and regarded as shade-garden superstars. There are is no shortage of varieties and aficionados. Presently there are more than 3,000 varieties in existence and plenty of collectors and enthusiasts!  The best source for additional information is the American Hosta Society. The sturdy plants can either be very large or miniature and flower only briefly, in either spring, summer, or early fall, depending on the variety.  Some of my favorites are the gold and green ‘Glad Rags’, gigantic blue-green-leaved ‘Blue Angel’, variegated, wavy-leaved ‘Fire and ‘Ice’, and very large, infallible ‘Sum and Substance’ with its waxy, chartreuse leaves. Grow them all in fertile soil with plenty of organic matter.

The very old, double-pink ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ peony is one to support with a cage in the spring.

Common peonies (Paeonia lactiflora, Zones 3-8) (an old-fashioned flower pronounced “piony” by my grandparents’) are elegant spring-flowering plants native to central and eastern Asia. The large, late-spring bloomers have large single or double blooms that run the gamut from white to pink and red. Peonies are noteworthy for the sweet-sap-seeking ants that visit their globose flower buds. The ants do not harm the plants, so my advice is to leave the insects alone. Double-flowered varieties tend to have heavy blooms that flop in the rain, so many gardeners cage the bushy plants to better support the weighty flowers (click here to learn more). Full to partial sun is the preferred light and well-drained loamy soil is the preferred ground. The best time to plant them is in early spring or fall.

Pollinators of all sorts enjoy monarda flowers, including sphinx moths!

Beebalms (Monarda hybrids) are another group of plants native to North America and members of the mint family. The two most common garden spaces are Oswego tea (Monarda didyma, Zones 4-9), with its scarlet-red flowers collared by red-tinged bracts, and common beebalm (Monarda fistulosa, Zones 3-8), which features light lavender to pinkish-white flowers surrounded by green bracts often tinted with pink.  Both plants are hummingbird favorites!

Monarda hybrids are common and numerous and are in shades of lavender, white, pink, and red.  A common problem is powdery mildew, a foliar disease causing powdery white spots. Numerous resistant varieties are available, including ‘Red Velvet’ with its cherry-red flowers and bronzy foliage, and the compact ‘Leading Lady Razzberry’. Give the plants well-drained soil and full sun. Flowering occurs in the summer.

Perennials are very satisfying flowers. They bloom every year, and I always find room to plant new ones.  When small plants arrive from catalogs or online nurseries, I always pot them up using Black Gold® All Purpose Potting Soil to let them grow larger before I put them in the ground.  When they are large enough to plant in the ground in late spring, I amend the soil with Black Gold Natural & Organic Garden Compost Blend.  Two of my favorite online perennial sources are Bluestone Perennials and Roots and Rhizomes.

Small-Space Summer Vegetable Gardening

Even one small raised bed can provide summer food and enjoyment for your family.

You want a vegetable garden, but you’re stuck with a postage stamp-sized plot of grass and/or a teeny tiny deck/patio of approximately the same area. What are your options? How about a small raised bed or a few nifty container gardens for some of your favorite veggies?

The key to small-space gardening is starting with a good garden base and planting the right cultivars. Small raised beds will be most productive if they are filled with good-quality soil and situated in the sun. Add a few large, 5-gallon plastic pots to your new vegetable garden venture, rotate your vegetables accordingly, and you will be set.

Small-Space Garden Ground Rules

Small raised beds can be substantial enough to support quite a few vegetables.
  1. Grow compact vegetables because container- and small-raised-bed gardens impose limitations on plant size! Avoid large crops such as corn, melons, pole beans, and vining pumpkins. (Plant lists are below.)
  2. Choose a good location for your garden. Ideally, the spot will have full sunlight (8-10 hours), protection from wind, and quality soil in a bed or pot with good drainage.
  3. Choose the right-sized beds and containers. They should be large and deep enough to support crops. A soil depth of 12″-18″ in raised beds is recommended for deep root growth and productivity. 5-gallon pots are a good size for most potted vegetables. Some gardeners even rely on inexpensive 5-gallon hardware-store buckets with holes poked into the base, especially for pot-grown tomatoes. Ultimately, choosing large containers saves time because they need less water and encourage more growth and productivity.
  4. Choose the right pot. Most gardeners prefer light-colored plastic pots with good drainage for vegetables because they stay cool and plastic retains water better than most pottery. Drain holes are mandatory and maintaining deep saucers at the bottom for water collection helps reduce the need to water as often.
  5. Use quality potting soil and vegetable fertilizer. Do not rely on in-ground garden soil as a planting medium (really!). More organic matter is needed, especially in containers. We recommend raised bed soil amended with Black Gold Natural & Organic Raised Bed Mix and pots filled with Black Gold® Natural & Organic Potting Mix to meet the demands of your container crops from start to finish. Some experts also advocate filling container bottoms with dead (not green) lawn sweepings or compost, such as Black Gold Natural & Organic Compost Blend, and then following that with a foot or more of potting mix.
  6. Plan ahead for weekly care. Smaller gardens need less care, but you will still need to water, weed, feed, and harvest regularly. Plan a care schedule for each week. Be most conscientious of container plants because they are especially subject to drying and nutrient loss.
  7. Plan to replace crops. Some crops, like beans, greens, and root vegetables are fast-growing. Determine their days to harvest (click here for a harvest guide), and plan to replace them once they are picked or no longer productive.

Vegetables for Small-Space Gardens

Tomatoes

Tomatoes generally grow best in larger lots because they need lots of root space, and they have greater water and nutrient needs than most other vegetables.

Choose compact bush (determinate) or semi-bush (semi-determinate) tomatoes for small-space raised beds and pots. Super small pot tomatoes include the disease-resistant cherry tomato ‘Sweetheart of the Patio‘ (24-36″) and salad tomato ‘Patio Delight’ (12-18″). Larger determinate tomatoes for caging or staking including the flavorful, red, slicing tomato ‘Celebrity’ (36-40″), the early beefsteak ‘Galahad‘ (24-36″), and golden sauce tomato, ‘Sunrise Sauce‘ (24-36″).

Planting recommendations: plant one plant per 5-gallon container. Cage or stake plants reaching 18″ or more. Manage tomato growth by cutting back excessive vining stems once they start really growing. (Click here for more tomato pruning guidelines.) Feed tomatoes regularly with a fertilizer formulated for tomatoes.

Cucumbers 

‘Spacemaster’ cucumbers have short vines and tasty cukes. (Image thanks to Burpee Seeds)

Slicing cucumbers have now been bred in compact form for pots. The most notable variety is the tried and true, ‘Spacemaster‘. The variety has diseases-resistant vines reaching just 26 inches! ‘Bush Champion‘ is another compact variety with vines reaching 24″, and it’s said to produce high yields. Both have medium-sized cukes. Harvest them smaller if you intend to use them for pickling.

Planting recommendations: Plant one or two plants per 5-gallon pot. The seeds can be directly sown into pots. A small trellis can be used if desired. Feed and water regularly, just as the potting soil begins to dry, or the plants will not bear fruit.

Green Beans

Bush beans, green, wax, or filet, are ideally suited to large-container planting. Some varieties are prolific bearers with excellent flavor. Four to five plants are needed per 5-gallon pot. Avoid overfeeding. Beans are legumes and need no extra nitrogen. Beans use a lot of moisture so use a potting mix with good water-holding capacity and water regularly. Several quality varieties

Sweet Peppers

Choose compact peppers for container culture. Their final pot should be larger than the one shown (3 gallons or more), if they are to truly thrive.

New sweet peppers are being bred for small fruits and compact plant size. The lunchbox snacking peppers are most notable. Grow them all, orange, yellow, and red, with the Lunchbox Pepper Mix. The pepper plants reach 28-36 inches and produce lots of sweet peppers.

Planting recommendations: One plant per 3-gallon pot. Transplant starts after the threat of frost has passed. They produce best with days and nights become warmer. Fruits can be harvested green, but I like them best if allowed to reach full color.

Greens

Greens of all types grow beautifully in pots or small raised beds.

Nothing tastes better than greens in pots, such as spinach, kale, Swiss chard, collards, and various lettuces. For the most part, all are suitable as container plants. Unlike the warmer crops mentioned above, many greens are more cold tolerant and can be started in spring before the danger of frost is past, usually by a couple of weeks. Then the greens can be re-sown in summer (If heat tolerant) or in the fall as temperatures cool. The best greens for summer are Swiss chard (we like the colorful Rainbow Mix), heat-tolerant lettuces, like the heirloom ‘Black Seeded Simpson‘, and beautiful Tuscan kale, like ‘Black Magic‘. Please refer to the video below for planting details. The pots are a good size for growing lots of greens!

More small-space gardening reading and information:

 

Five Ways to Maximize Small-Space Vegetable Gardens

Garden Flowers of Victorian Floriography

Tulips, dianthus (pink flower left), and honesty (purple flower right) all have meaning in the Victorian language of flowers.

Since childhood, I have liked the styles and gardens of the Victorian Period (i.e., 1837-1901, the time of Queen Victoria’s reign in England).  While driving around my hometown of South Bend, Indiana, I was inspired by the ornate Victorian houses with simple garden plots filled with brightly colored flowers, and I favored family Victorian heirlooms. My favorite was a decorative Victorian bowl on our mantle covered in delicate pink roses painted from the rose garden by my great-grandmother. The floral bowl was a beautiful reminder of a family garden of the past.

Later in life, I learned about the Victorian language of flowers, otherwise known as floriography. The knowledge has helped me fill my home garden with bountiful Victorian blooms filled with floral meaning, especially when my family bought our own Victorian home (built in 1885). I decorated the interior in the proper style with floral motifs, wallpaper, and decor. My gardens have been equally of the era. Old-fashioned roses, lilacs, bridal wreath spirea (Spirea x vanhouttei), spring daffodils, and other favorite Victorian garden plants dot my beds and landscaping–filling the spaces with meaning.

What is Floriography?

The modest Victorian-era home has sweeps of daylilies and dahlias down the walk.

The popular Victorian language of flowers was formally known as the practice of floriography.  It is the practice of giving meaning or symbolism to a plant, such as ‘warding off evil’ to garlic.  Beyond Victorian England, cultures around the world have had their own floral languages, but the Victorians took it to an unprecedented level, giving social meaning to hundreds of flowers and plants.

From the printing of the first dictionaries of floriography (Le Language des Fleurs by Louise Cortanbert in 1819, to the last, The Language of Flowers by Routledge, illustrated by Kate Greenaway in 1884 (still in print)) people went hog wild, sending increasingly complex messages to each other using plants. More contemporary books, such as The Complete Language of Flowers by S. Theresa Dietz, keep the interest alive.

Meanings of Popular Victorian Flowers

Impatiens (red and pink, foreground), called busy Lizzies in Victorian times, mean…

Especially popular with young adults, floral letters were sent in small-handpicked bouquets called tussie mussies or nosegays, which were wrapped in lace doilies and tied with satin ribbons.  If a question was asked, a nosegay presented by the right hand meant “yes”, and by the left hand “no.”  Nosegays given in an upright position represented a positive message, while one upside-down sent a negative one.  Here are some of the more interesting definitions, from among hundreds, given to common plants.  In some cases, such as carnations, hyacinths, and roses, the message varied depending on the flower color.

  • Apple Blossom (Malus spp.) signifies spring, innocence, and good tidings for the future.
  • Baby’s Breath (Gypsophila elegans) represents innocence.
  • Busy Lizzy (Impatiens walleriana) represent tenderness and kindness.
  • European Bluebell (Hyacinthoides hispanica) stands for humility.
  • Carnation, Striped (Dianthus spp.): No, I can’t be with you.
  • Cherry Blossom (Prunus spp.) represents education.
  • Daffodil (Narcissus spp.) is the flower for chivalry.
  • Dahlias (Dahlia spp.) inspire inner strength and dignity.
  • Dandelion (Taraxacum officinalis) is the bloom of happiness (not in our yard, but the bees enjoy them).
  • Daylilies (Hemerocallis hybrids) are given to inspire the recipient to forget their worries.
  • Fourleaf Clover, as anticipated is a sign of good luck but the plant can also suggest “be mine.”
  • Holly (Ilex spp.) branches ask the question, “Am I forgotten?”
  • Hyacinths (Hyacinthus orientalis) stand for the following depending on color: yellow=jealousy, pink=playful joy, purple=deep regret, white=love and prayer.
  • Purple lilac (Syringa vulgaris) blooms are a sign of happiness and tranquility.
  • Lily-of-the-Valley (Convallaria majalis) represent the tears of the Virgin Mary.
  • Mints (Mentha spp.) are virtuous.
  • Oak Leaves (Quercus spp.) suggest bravery.
  • Yellow roses (Rosa spp.) are a sign of friendship and joy.
  • Red roses (Rosa spp.) continue to be a sign of love, which is why a dozen red roses are given to a beloved partner on Valentine’s Day or anniversaries.
  • Dried white rose petals mean death is preferable to loss of virtue.
  • Bridal wreath spirea (Spirea x vanhouttei) has bountiful white spring flowers representing prosperity, wealth, and victory.
  • Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) signify long life, lasting happiness, and pride.
  • Red tulips (Tulipa spp.) are a declaration of love.
  • White violets (Viola odorata)  suggest, “Let’s take a chance on happiness.”
  • Mistletoe (Viscum album) continues to be used for celebratory Christmas kisses.
Peonies

Of course, these are just a few of the flowers used in floriography messages.  At the time, people relied on floriography for social fun. Entertainment often consisted of conversing with one another. Sometimes I wish the same social standards applied today. Technology is often considered more important than knowing one’s next-door neighbor. What a pity. Either way, there are still several books available online on the subject of floriography, should you be tempted to delve further into the subject. Then you can fill your garden with meaning.

For me, of all the flowers listed, I am looking most forward to spring Hyacinths. The hyacinth is a fantastic-smelling, brightly colored, spring flowering bulb, and a flower of choice in the 19th Century.  They were planted in sweeps to create patterned floral beds, all the rage at the time, and hyacinths are one of the easiest bulbs to force indoors giving an early taste of spring.  At its height, Holland growers offered almost 2000 varieties of hyacinths. Now there are only about around 30 varieties commonly sold.

A good place to find antique hyacinths is Old House Gardens. Their heirloom Easter Basket sampler is a good place to start or look for them at your local garden center in the spring. They thrive in garden soil amended with Black Gold Garden Compost Blend.

Hyacinths were beloved in Victorian times. Pink hyacinths represent playful love.

Tips for Planning a New Garden

February firmly settles us into the new year and is the ideal month for garden planning. The weather is too crummy in most parts of the country to work outside, and garden planning is a fun, hopeful indoor activity.

When referring to garden planning, I mean accomplishing more than listing a few flowers or vegetables to plant in the ground. A good garden plan takes a lot of thought about the layout of a garden, its soil, plants, care, and overall look. Hopefully, the end result will be a garden that gives lasting beauty and enjoyment.

Since this will be a beginner’s exercise, I’ll keep the steps straightforward. The only preliminary tip I will add is to remind gardeners to be realistic. Make sure you have enough money to complete the task and enough time to tend your new garden.

Steps to Planning a New Garden

A beautifully designed garden will provide lasting enjoyment for years!

Step 1- Choose your Garden

Decide what kind of garden you want. Are you interested in growing vegetables, cut flowers, a beautiful blooming perennial border, or a mixed bed with everything? Will your garden be in sun or shade? Will it contain containers paths or other elements? Choose what you like best. I generally like flower gardens filled with mixed annuals, perennials, and some flowering shrubs for broad interest.

Step 2 – Pick a Location

Simple, neatly edged garden beds around the home improve the landscape are are easy to design.

Determine where your garden will be located, and take note of all variables, such as soil type, light value, wind exposure, and water availability. Additionally, decide which direction you want the garden to face for maximum visual enjoyment. Knowledge of your yard will help you hone in on the right plants for the site.

When determining soil information, such as soil type or pH, the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture maintains Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) regional or county offices. They can provide a wealth of local soil and agricultural information for the asking. You can also run some simple soil tests on your own. To test soil for soil acidity take ½ cup garden soil; add ½ cup of tap water followed by ½ cup baking soda. If the mixture fizzes, the soil is acidic (pH 6.0 or less). To test soil for alkalinity take a new 1/2 cup of soil, add ½ cup tap water followed by ½ cup vinegar. If the mixture fizzes, it is alkaline (pH 8 or more)

Step 3 -Select Plant Types

If you are not sure what to plant in a flower border in the first year, try adding lots of colorful, ever-blooming annuals.

Choose the types of plants you want for the garden style and their general location. Think of the color palette you want and the growing needs of the plants, such as light, soil, and water. Plant height must be determined for each choice. Typically the tallest plants (i.e., flowering shrubs and bold perennials) should be planted in the back of the bed, mid-size perennials will go in the center, and short annuals and bedding plants will be planted along the garden edges.

Assemble a list of plant species you are considering for your garden. If you don’t have many books on the subject, rely on quality online nurseries. Assure yourself that each species is in the correct USDA Hardiness Zone for your area (Click here to view the USDA Hardiness Zone Map). Also note individual plant requirements for soil moisture, pH, and sunlight. Final plant numbers can be calculated when you start drafting your garden.

Step 4 – Draft Your Garden

Draw up a draft plan for your garden. The draft is certainly the most complicated step and may be simple or elaborate, depending on your skill level. Make sure you have draft paper, tracing paper, a good mechanical pencil, a good eraser, and lots of patience.  Here are some ideas for making your layout easier to draw.

  • Gain an image of your yard and home plan from your city or county. Many municipalities offer them for download online.
  • Using the image of your home and yard as a basis, measure and lay out your home plan on graph paper at a scale where you can show bed locations. Add any existing walkways, large trees, shrubs, and beds on the plan. Be sure to note water spigots and areas of full sun, partial sun, and shade on your plan. Please use a pencil, or you will drive yourself nuts correcting mistakes.

Step 5 – Garden preparation is the next step. Start implementing your plan by marking out your garden on the ground. Some gardeners like to use a hose to lay out the garden lines. Inverted water-based marking spray paint is another option for drawing bed lines on the grass or soil.

With the plan in hand, lay out your garden. Mark the outer corners and boundaries of your garden with stakes. Mark the interior beds the same way. Now you can visually check the actual layout for problems.  Is there anything present that might present a problem?  Is any other yard use potentially compromised? Is any access or right-of-way blocked?  Any problems with setbacks or zoning restrictions?  Make any plan changes now while it is fresh in your mind.

Step 6 – Desod the ground and prepare the soil. The best time to prepare a new bed is in spring. Choose a day when it is dry and the soil is not wet. (Pick a ball of soil and squeeze. Poke the resulting ball with your finger. If it crumbles, the soil is dry enough to work. If it holds together, it is too wet to work.)

Remove obstacles from the area, and remove your sod. The grass is easier to remove when cut short. If your bed is relatively small, remove sod from bed areas by hand. I prefer cutting sod along the soil line using a sharp, flat, nursery spade, such as the all-steel model from King of Spades (The cost is high, but the spade lasts a lifetime.) If the bed is large, sod cutters can be rented from home improvement centers.

Till your soil, working in any amendments such as all-organic Black Gold Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss or Black Gold Garden Compost Blend, and smooth the soil with a hard rake. Work amendments into the soil. (Click here to read our full garden amendment guide and amendment application formula.)

Step 7 Plant, Mulch, and Tend

Make sure to note what you are going to plant in each bed and how many and the year they were planted. When planting a new garden, I suggest ensuring a beautiful bed by buying large, healthy plants for installation. Fuller, more robust plants have more stored energy and become better established faster. Plant according to the instructions for each planting and follow the plant care instructions conservatively. Ask your local garden center representative about the best fertilizers for your plants, and plan to water and weed your new beds regularly.

I advise you to save your garden plan and any notes you have for future reference. It will be handy as your garden grows and changes with the years. Then, once your garden has begun to flourish, enjoy!

Indoor Orchids Help Beat The Winter BLAHS!

 

Orchids will add a touch of glamour to those winter blue periods when you start counting the days until spring just for something to do. Most people have had only a passing acquaintance with an orchid, possibly as part of a corsage worn by you or your date to the high school prom or maybe a wedding party.

Their exotic coloration and growth habits add a whole new level of cool to the household. And orchids are cosmopolitan. They can be found in most terrestrial habitats of the world except glaciers. But the tropics harbor most of the known species (28,000+). Most tropical orchid species are epiphytes. That is they grow on tall plants like trees and vines to gain access to sunlight, a scarce commodity in a dense rainforest. But they do not get water or nutrients from them. Orchids from higher latitudes are rooted in soil. And all orchids are often incredibly picky in their habitat preferences. On top of that, European and American horticulturists have produced some 1,000,000 hybrids and cultivars since the 19th Century.

I suggest that you buy one or more orchids from a reputable dealer and raise them indoors. It will be good for the merchants, good for the orchids, and good for you as you embark on a brand new hobby. Everybody wins!

Popular Orchids to Buy

Phalaenopsis (foreground) are the most available orchid at stores in addition to Oncidium (background).

At this point, we have to dive into the practical aspects of orchids and orchid care. Unless you live in or near a big population center abounding with specialty stores, you should order online from a reputable dealer. I recommend going for a big show and buying tropical epiphytes. They are more glamorous and rewarding to grow. Temperate zone natives tend to do better outdoors where they get picked by the neighbor’s kids or chomped by chipmunks or mice.

Best bets for purchase include corsage orchids (Cattelya spp.), boat orchid (Cymbidium spp.), moth orchid (Phalaenopsis spp.), tropical slipper orchids, (Paphiopedilum spp.) and dancing ladies (Oncidium spp.). Epiphytes such as these may be potted in wood chips or secured to a piece of tree branch or piece of bark that mimics their forest habitat. Epiphytic aerial roots collect water and nutrients from air, rainwater, and organic debris that collects around the plant.  Despite the multiplicity of exotic forms, patterns, and colors, most orchids have no discernible scent.

You should buy mature plants that have blooms and/or live buds. They should be shipped in 4 or 5-inch pots on a wood chip substrate. Barring a shipping disaster they should provide you with instant orchids.

Cymbidium orchids come in shades of ivory, green, orange, pink, purple, and yellow.

Requirements for Home Orchid Care:

  • Position your plants on a bright windowsill facing east or west.
  • Most orchids require water once a week. When the orchid arrives, water thoroughly, then routinely as indicated above thereafter. Do not disturb the planting medium the plant comes in the first year or those first buds/flowers will not bloom!
  • Unless stated otherwise, Indoor air temperature should be no less than 60 degrees F. at night and no more than 90 degrees F. during the day.
  • Unless stated otherwise, Indoor relative humidity should range from 40% to 70%’
  • Feed weekly with a liquid fertilizer designed for orchids. We recommend a 10-10-10 formulation
  • Repotting with fresh orchid mix when your orchid stops blooming for the year. We recommend Black Gold® Natural Organic Orchid Potting Mix.
  • All of this verbiage notwithstanding, You will receive (or should receive) a set of care and maintenance instructions from the nursery. Follow those
Moth orchids are the most common type available at stores.

Happy New Year and please stay safe!

Autumn in the Garden

Autumn leaves drifting by your window are telling you that fall is here and it is time to put the garden to bed for the winter. For us, it is a very busy time, almost as busy as spring if one sees it as a not particularly enjoyable task and has not done their necessary work the previous fall.  I plead guilty to this almost every year so I will list what needs to be done, starting with the most laborious:

Cleanup This requires cutting back and cleaning up the flowerbeds. I do not realize how many flowers I have until I have to take them out.  Old plant material must be cut off and removed leaving minimal dead material on the ground surface.  This is important for iris as the borers which plague them will winter over in old vegetation left behind.  Roses need the same treatment to discourage black spot the following spring.  I often do my removal in stages: first cut the peonies back to 3 inches then the coneflowers to the base. The Helianthus (perennial sunflowers), both single and double are cut back as well. Next will be the hostas whose leaves are changing color even without frost.  All annuals should be removed as well (although some are still so pretty I am waiting for frost).  This old material should be bagged and disposed of.  We do not compost this material for fear of aiding and abetting garden pests.

Plant new perennials Many nurseries encourage planting new perennials in the fall. I am always leery of doing so as plants from some mail order companies are so small I would prefer to give them a whole season to grow.  The exceptions are peonies, hostas and daylilies. To maximize your planting success, amend the soil with Black Gold® Natural & Organic Potting Mix, Natural & Organic Cocoblend Potting Mix or Natural & Organic Just Coir.

Plant Bulbs. This is the time of year to plant bulbs for next spring.  There are a couple of new things I learned about bulbs that I did not know before.  Wait to plant your bulbs until the weather is cool and after the first frost has the soil around 55 degrees F., but before it has frozen.  Be sure to plant at the recommended depth. If you want to make this job much easier go to GardenersEdge.com and look for the “Bulb Bopper”. Do not add fertilize to the hole as that can encourage root rot.  Fertilize on the top of the ground (1) when you plant, (2) when you see the first foliage poking its leaves up and (3) when the plant starts to die back.  Use a food that is just for bulbs.  Mulch over the bulbs lightly and remove the mulch in the spring when the plants start to come up.  Another surprising piece of information is that some of the gorgeous tulips you see in stores everywhere this time of year should be considered annuals.  The first year after planting they will send up beautiful blooms.  The next year only a few spindly ones and the year after that only leaves.  However, some tulips will not only bloom every year but also naturalize over time.  These include the species, Kaufmanniana and Gregii, and giant Darwin tulips.  Give them at least 6 hours of sun a day and with all bulbs let the leaves die back on their own as they are building up the plants for next spring.

Planting trees and shrubs They do not have the stress of summer heat and will expand their roots over the winter. It is very important to be aware of the minimum distance from the house that shrubs and trees should be planted.  It is so common to see plants smashed against the house.  Small shrubs ought to be 3 to 4 feet away from the house, big shrubs such as lilacs 6 ft. and small trees such as Japanese maples 10 feet. Anything larger goes out in the yard.  Be SURE you know the amount of sun required for each plant.  Shade for rhododendrons and sun for Beauty Bush.

Mulch. Fall is the time to mulch, not so much to protect from the cold of winter, but because it is just too much to do in spring with everything else to do.  I previously mulched in the spring but now I can see the advantage of getting it over in the fall. We use bark mulch from local sources. The mulch should be 3 to 4 inches deep.  The most important thing to remember while mulching is to keep the mulch 3 inches away from the base of each perennial and 5 inches from shrubs and trees.  Mulching right up to plants will cause them to rot.

After the weather clears I will go outside and practice what I preach. Happy Gardening.

Fragrant Garden Plants

 

Tall garden phlox are reliably fragrant summer perennials.

For the past couple of years, cold stormy springs blitzed our lilacs, of which we have many.  That heady fragrance was sorely missed around the Keith household. We were spoiled for fragrance.  But we were able to hang on until our other flowers and shrubs bloomed and took up the slack. We did lose some lilacs during that period, but we have had other, more catastrophic losses (dairy cows in the Jerusalem artichokes, for instance or the family dogs making off with the guest of honor on Thanksgiving morning, but leaving the turnips).

When the first spring flowers appear in March, the soil is often too wet and cold to be planted, so like all good things we have to wait. But we can stock up on the wonderful new varieties offered by local and national nurseries.

Bearing the title of this piece in mind, what to buy for a fragrance garden?  See some suggestions below.

Fragrant Shrubs

‘Beauty of Moscow’ is a double-flowered lilac with pale pink and white flowers.
  • In general, lilacs (Syringa species and hybrids, USDA Hardiness Zones 3-8) can reach heights of 10-12 feet. Three especially fragrant varieties are ‘Beauty of Moscow’, ‘Bloomerang Purple’, and ‘Josee’. They are easy to grow so long as there is plenty of sun and the soil is alkaline and well-drained. The double-flowered ‘Beauty of Moscow’ has white blooms rising from pale pink buds. ‘Bloomerang’ lilacs (Zones 3-7) offer a richly fragrant purple lilac that blooms in spring and again in late summer or fall. The compact ‘Josee’ is a pink-flowered lilac that only reaches 4-6 feet.
  • Korean spice viburnum (Viburnum carlesii) is a compact shrub up to 6 feet in height. Flowers have an incredibly spicy aroma plus showy pink clusters of flower buds that develop into whiter flowers that attract hummingbirds and butterflies. The fruits are black berries and in fall, the leaves turn scarlet. Some sources consider them invasive, but most do not. Prune one time to remove dead branches or restrict growth, then leave it alone.
The flowers of Korean spice viburnum are some of the most sweetly scented of spring.
  • Roses (Rosa hybrids) epitomize garden fragrance, but there are so many varieties put out by so many growers, a list of the available cultivars would fill a small book. We have been purchasing roses from the David C. Austin Co. since we discovered them. Austin (now deceased) was a British rose breeder and writer. The company offers trademark English roses, and shrub and climbing roses for the garden. ’Rosa Boscobel’ is an English shrub rose of medium height with a heady, complex scent. It produces large, salmon-pink flowers throughout the growing season (Zones 5-9). ‘Rosa Munstead Wood’ is a crimson shrub rose with a rich, fruity aroma. It blooms for most of the growing season (Zones 5-9). They come in light purple, deep purple, and pink.  They are also disease-resistant. Prune this group right after they finish blooming.  Check local nurseries, or go to Proven Winners online.
David Austin roses are bred to flower beautifully and resist diseases.

Annual and Perennial Garden Flowers

Lavender is one of the best garden flowers for fragrance.
  • Lavender (Zones 5-10) These Old World natives are a natural addition to any fragrance garden. A summer bloomer (pink, blue, purple and white) that likes full sun and they are not too fussy about soil. Pollinators love them. (1-3 feet high)
  • Carnations (Dianthus hybrids, Zones 5-9) these well-known perennial flowers will add a welcome spice fragrance to your garden. They bloom in late spring, so you may want to plant another, summer-blooming species as well.  Flowers come in shades of red, pink, and white. They prefer full sun but can tolerate partial shade.  They like alkaline soil, so amend your garden with Black Gold® Natural & Organic Ultra Outdoor Planting Mix. Carnations are said to be toxic to humans, dogs, and cats. (18 inches high).
  • Woodland tobacco (Nicotiana sylvestris) is a re-seeding annual. Its moth-attracting flowers are white, long, tubular flowers, and most fragrant in the evening. The summer bloomer will self-seed if the flowers are allowed to go to seed. They like part to full sun and rich, well-drained soil. Bear in mind that this species is very toxic to humans and pets (3-5 feet high).
  • Garden phlox (Phlox paniculata, Zones 4-8) is a tall (2-4 feet), summer-blooming perennial that grows in neat clumps. The flowers come in shades of red, white, pink, and purple. The North American native grows in full to partial sunlight and needs good drainage and average moisture to thrive.
Woodland tobacco is a dramatic annual whose flowers emit enchanting night fragrance.

This is just a sample of the fragrant plants you might choose for your garden. You might also want to plant fragrant herbs as the border. Container plantings could also work well. Some tender species like lavender could be planted in containers and moved indoors when it gets cold.

Black Gold® offers the best in soil amendments and potting mixes for your garden, keep it in mind wherever and whenever you are planning all of your gardening projects.

Vegetable Container Gardens for Beginners

 

Potted vegetables are easy if provided summer-long care.

There was a time when almost every household in our town had its own garden plot that stretched between the back door and the alley. There were many reasons for this. First was that my hometown is primarily a farming community, with all that the term implies. Second was the double-barreled effect of (a) The Great Depression (1929 ~1940) and (b) World War II (1941-1945) when what was ripe in your garden was probably what was for supper. Third was a prevalence of first- or second-generation city folks who had been forced off the farmland by financial hardship or by primogeniture (e.g., all the land goes to the eldest son when dad dies). Fourth, many retirees under the (then) new Social Security Act did not trust the federal government to keep its word to continue Social Security benefits after retirement.

Now we live in a time of relative plenty despite the stress and strain on our social fabric and supply lines thanks to the pandemic. Yet many people will plant corn, green beans, potatoes, peppers and tomatoes wherever they can; not out of need, but for the simple pleasure of doing it.  In addition, for the knowledge that if Old Man Trouble happens to stop by you will still have food to fall back on.

Five Vegetable Container Garden Rules and Advice

So let us get to the subject of veggie container gardening, made possible in part by the development of new compact vegetable varieties.

  1. Grow compact vegetables! You may notice the absence of some LARGE vegetable favorites from this article, such as potatoes, corn, and melons. These plants need more space than most containers provide and are not suitable.
  2. Choose your location. The best location should get enough sunlight (6-8 hours full sun) and protection from wind.
  3. Choose large containers. Most vegetables grow best in larger containers. 2- and 5-gallon pots are the most common sizes. 5-gallon window boxes are also good picks, as are 5-gallon paint buckets purchased at hardware or paint stores. Container gardens need lots of sun, but most plant roots cannot stand heat, so white plastic containers are a good choice. Drain holes are mandatory. You also want to provide about a foot of potting mix in the container for root vegetables
  4. Choose the right pot. Most gardeners prefer light-colored plastic pots with good drainage for vegetables because they stay cool and plastic retains water better than most pottery. Pottery is more porous and loses water.  Glazed or unglazed pots are also more prone to breaking. A pretty Terracotta or glazed pot looks more attractive, though. If you choose ceramic containers, just be sure to make sure plants stay irrigated.
  5. Use Quality Potting Soil. Do not use your garden soil as a planting medium (really!). It does not drain well enough and may harbor pests and diseases.  Black Gold® All Purpose Potting Mix and Black Gold® Natural & Organic Potting Mix will meet the demands of your container crops from start to finish. Some experts also advocate filling container bottoms with dead (not green) lawn sweepings or compost and then following that with a foot of potting mix.

Vegetables for Containers

Bush Beans (e.g., Bush Blue Lake, Bush Green, Bush Yellow, TopCrop or similar)

  • 3 plants per 2-gallon container (8-12 inch soil depth
  • Plant seeds directly in containers (does not transplant well)
  • Harvest in 50-60 days

Cucumbers (‘Spacemaster’ or other compact vine variety)

  • One plant per 5-gallon pot
  • Sow seeds directly into pot
  • Harvest time – refer to seed packet

Lettuce (Ruby, Salad Bowl, Buttercrunch, Webb’s Wonderful)

  • 5-gallon window box
  • Sow directly or transplant
  • Harvest time – 40-70 days

Onions (White Sweet Spanish, Yellow Sweet Spanish, and NOTE: Forget Vidalia Onions; the high-sulfur soils around Vidalia, Georgia are the chief reason for their sweetness.

  • 5-gallon window box
  • Plant sets 3-5 inches apart
  • Harvest 100-125 days after planting, or when 50-75% of the tops have fallen over and the skin has dried

Peppers (Cayenne, Long Red, Sweet Banana)

  • One plant per 2-gallon pot
  • Transplant starts or sow seeds directly
  • Harvest time – refer to seed packet

Root Veggies (carrots, beets, radishes, turnips, onions, etc.)

  • 5-gallon pot or window box at least 12-inch soil depth
  • Sow seeds directly in soil
  • Harvest time – refer to seed packet

Tomatoes (determinate varieties e.g., Rutgers, Tiny Tim, Roma)

  • One plant per 2-gallon pot (may require support)
  • Transplants well
  • Harvest in 50-100 days (depending upon variety)

There you have it: quite enough to do, but not enough to get into real trouble.

Bold Aroids for Big Summer Color

The colorful, pink, red, and green leaves of ‘Caroline Whorton’ will brighten up any shade bed.

Summer is almost upon us, so it is time to start thinking about what beautiful plants we want to fill our gardens and containers with this year. Usually, I think of flowers, but I am also going to get some beautiful aroids for foliage as well.  All are tropical members of the Arum family (Araceae), which is the same family as the eastern native wildflower Jack-in-the-Pulpit, but their show is in their impressive leaves rather than their unusual flowers.

Growing Preferences for Garden Aroids

These aroids grow best in full to part shade, and they like warmth and humidity. This is because many originate from tropical rain forests from around the world, particularly in the Americas. Those mentioned in this article have impressive leaves and rarely flower in temperate regions. The blooms, if they do appear, consist of a single, large petal-like spathe that surrounds a column of flowers called a spadix. (Click here to see a spathe and spadix bloom.)

The plants require constant moisture, without saturation, and loose, well-drained soil. If your soil has low fertility, adding an amendment is recommended. Working ample amounts of Black Gold Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss into your garden soil will increase its organic matter, helping it drain more quickly but stay moist. Peat also slightly reduces soil pH, which the aroids mentioned here prefer (6.0-7 pH). For container-grown aroids, Black Gold All Purpose Potting Mix is the perfect option.

Caladiums

Bottlerocket is a brilliant Sun or Shade Caladium from Proven Winners. (Image thanks to Proven Winners)

About Caladiums

For me, the top aroids on the list are caladiums (Caladium hybrids, Zones 9-11), also called angel’s wings. They love full to part shade (more shade is needed in hotter climates) and provide a lot of color to low-light gardens. They range in size from 1 foot to 2.5 feet tall and have 6- to 12-inch leaves. The gorgeous plants have big, heart-shaped, or strap-shaped leaves that come in shades of white, pink, red, and green, most often in a dazzling mix of bright colors on each leaf. Thousands of varieties have been developed since the late 1700s when they were first introduced from South America to Asia, Europe, and the Americas. They are popular garden plants worldwide.

Growing Caladiums

Caladiums are often grown as annuals in the north. This is because they are a challenge to dig and overwinter indoors. They have tuberous roots, somewhat like potatoes, only much smaller. In winter storage, the fleshy roots often die from fungal rot, both tuber rot (Fusarium solani) and root rot (Pythium myriotylum). Despite these challenges, I have read that with special treatment and care the tubers can be overwintered. The key is keeping them warm and lightly moist. An application of copper sulfate fungicide before they go into storage can also help. With this information in hand, I am going to treat mine with fungicide and store them properly this winter to see if I cannot get them to survive until early spring when they can be planted again. In tropical to subtropical areas, Caladiums winter over in the ground and have a short dormant period.

‘Red Flash’ Caladium and the strap-leaved ‘Pink Symphony’ are just two of hundreds of lovely Caladium to buy.

When planting Caladium tubers in the spring, start them indoors in a fresh potting mix. Plant them no more than 2-3 inches deep and 6 inches apart.  To encourage more large leaves, remove the large central bud from the tuber while leaving the smaller outside buds to send up leaves. This gives the smaller buds more food from the start, which helps them get bigger faster. After planting them, fertilize with Proven Winners Continuous-Release Plant Food because they are heavy feeders. The 6-month formulation feeds plants throughout the growing season with only one application.

They require warm temperatures of 65-75 degrees F and good humidity. Before planting them outdoors, the days and nights should be warm. This may mean waiting until early June to plant them in northern zones.  Tubers that are directly planted in the cold, spring ground will often rot and die.

Caladium Varieties

There are so many wonderful Caladiums to grow! Some excellent varieties include the white ‘Fiesta’ with red veins, dark green ‘Red Flash’ with red veins, and green-faced white ‘June Bride’. The especially colorful ‘Carolyn Whorton’ has light green leaves with splotches of pink and red veins. Some newer varieties have been bred to grow well in the full sun or shade. The best of these are Sun or Shade Caladiums by Proven Winners. The celebratory Sun or Shade Bottle Rocket, with its brilliant red, pink, white, and green leaves, is especially pretty.

Good sources for every Caladium you might want are Caladium World, Caladiums Florida, and Fancy Plants Farm. They are all based in Florida where Caladiums are cultivated, so you know that you will be getting the freshest tubers available. No rot here.

Elephant Ears

The leaves of true taro (Colocasia esculenta) are beautiful in their own right.

About Elephant Ears

There are two other genera of common garden plants related to Caladium that have big, beautiful leaves. They are the elephant ears, Alocasia and Colocasia. One layman’s way to tell them apart is that many common garden Alocasia have leaves that point up and Colocasia have leaves that point down, though this is not always the case. Both have fleshy root structures that are either bulbs, rhizomes, or tubers, depending on the species. The plants naturally spread as they grow and can be separated and replanted each season. They are also nice to share with friends.

Growing Elephant Ears

Unlike Caladiums, elephant ears will generally tolerate more sun, and many like moist or even wet soil. When you plant them outdoors in the warmth of the late spring, mix Black Gold Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss or Natural & Organic Garden Compost Blend into the soil to increase fertility. Water plants in the ground 2 to 3 times a week and containers daily in the absence of rain. An application of continuous-release plant food will help them take off quickly and feed them through summer.

Like Caladium, before planting elephant ears outdoors, the soil needs to be at least 65 degrees Fahrenheit.  To get them going earlier, start them in pots indoors in a warm spot with bright, indirect light. Plan for garden space because elephant ears can get very large. Be sure to use the spacing guidelines provided. Potted elephant ears need large containers; half whisky barrels work well.

Water them well. Do not let the soil dry out, and water when it becomes dry about 1 inch down. Plant the large bulbs 4 to 6 inches deep. In the fall, the bulbs can be dug and overwintered in a cool, dry place. In warmer zones, cut back the leaves, cover the crowns with mulch, and leave the tubers in the ground to overwinter. They should come back next spring.

Elephant Ear Varieties

Giant taro is commonly sold as huge bulbs in the spring. Plant them outdoors once the soil warms and give them space.

Giant taro (Alocasia macrorrhizos, Zones 9-11) is cultivated across tropical Asia and has huge green leaves that point upwards. The plants can reach 6-15 feet, depending on the size of the bulb and whether it is being grown in a temperate or tropical climate. Give it a lot of space, water, and care, and you will be rewarded with an impressive garden specimen. Dig and overwinter the bulbs in cold-winter climates.

Portora giant elephant ear (Alocasia ‘Portora’, Zones 7-10) is a hardier and slightly shorter plant that reaches 4-8 feet. It has striking, large, upright green leaves with wavy edges. Grow it like giant taro. Consider protecting it with a layer of mulch in the fall to help it overwinter where hardy.

Polly African mask (Alocasia ‘Polly’, Zones 10-12) is a more compact plant with narrow dark green leaves that have striking white veins and scalloped edges. It looks especially beautiful in containers and also grows well as a house plant.

Black Velvet elephant ear (Alocasia reginula ‘Black Velvet’) is a compact form that reaches just 20 inches tall. It has large, dark leaves with prominent white veins. Each feels like velvet. Grow these in outdoor containers and pot them up as houseplants in the fall. They pair well with colorful begonias. (Click here to read my article about cascading begonias.)

Polly African mask is one of many smaller elephant ears that grow well indoors and outdoors.

True taro or elephant ear (Colocasia esculenta, Zones 8-10) is the most common of all the elephant ears. It likes full sun to shade and all moist soils, even clay. During dry times, don’t forget to give it 3 to 4 inches of water every week. Mulching also helps to keep in the moisture. Where not hardy, dig them before frost. Lift the bulbs and store them in dry peat moss, in a cool, dark area indoor area. There are lots of very pretty varieties including the purple dappled ‘Mojito‘, bold, upright ‘Coffee Cups’ with its cup-shaped leaves with dark purple veins, and the classic ‘Illustris‘, which has elegant leaves of darkest purple and green veins. ‘Jack’s Giant‘ has all of the looks of the standard taro but it’s really big!

Thai Giant elephant ear (Colocasia gigantea ‘Thai Giant’, Zones 8-10) can get really large, so leave plenty of room outside if you want one. (I plan to grow one this year in a damp spot of the garden.) Mature specimens can reach 9 feet tall with leaf blades that are 5 feet tall and 4 feet wide. It can have scented white flowers as well, but these are less common in temperate climates.

Any of these beautiful aroids will add impressive beauty to the garden. I hope this article has given some gardeners the desire to plant one of these bold, unusual plants.  I am buying ‘Thai Giant’ today!

Special Note: There are toxic irritants in the leaves of most aroids, so wear gloves when cutting them. Refrain from planting them if you have pets or small children that might ingest them. Visit the ASPCA to learn more about their toxicity to animals. If someone ingests some, be sure to contact Poison Control.