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Spring Garden Tasks for a Happy Garden

Spring is here! Officially it was March 20th, but I knew it was spring as soon as I saw the daffodils emerge. The hellebores have been glorious this year, but as their late-winter flowers slowly fade, new colors appear in the garden. The red stems of the peonies have started to peek out after being dormant all winter, the early magnolias are blooming, and the sweet fragrance of daphne lets my family know that spring has begun.

This is a wonderful time of year in the garden, with lots to do but so much to be thankful for. Yes, there are many tasks required, but most of those tasks are not burdensome. Instead, they are rather enjoyable because as gardeners, we are getting ready for a new growing season with lots of promises in store.

Refreshing Garden Containers

By refreshing the potting soil in your spring and summer containers, you will find that they perform much better!

One of my early tasks is to freshen up my many containers, of which I have 100+ scattered throughout the garden. It is a chore, no question about that, but I always like to add new potting mix to containers as needed. In some of the large pots, instead of removing all of the older potting mix, I take out about half and add new and mix the two together. In most of the smaller pots, if the mix has not been changed for a couple of years, I empty the old and add new. With the old mix, I use it around established trees and shrubs in the garden as a mulch.

My planting mix of choice is Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Mix. Last year, we had some extremely hot days, and it was difficult to keep pots adequately watered. This year, I am going to add some Black Gold Just Coir to the mix because it should help with moisture retention when temperatures are high.

Click here for more spring-container reading:

Prune Early Spring-Blooming Shrubs

Prune spring-flowering shrubs, like this Viburnum, just after they flower to keep from removing next year’s flower buds.

As some of the early-blooming flowering shrubs, such as Forsythia, finish their blooming period, it is a good time to do some pruning if necessary. Remove any branches that tend to be older and weaker because this pruning will encourage new growth that will then bloom next year.

This has been a superb spring for Camellias, and I cannot remember a time when I have seen so many plants with so many flowers. As the flowers fade, they should be removed. Often plants grow much larger than we had intended when they were planted, and I think Camellias are a good example. After they bloom, it is an excellent time to do any necessary pruning.

Click here for more information about spring-bloomers:

Get Spring and Summer Vegetables Started

Now’s the time to plant spring herbs and vegetables, such as this dill, lettuce, and cilantro.

While it is too early to set out tomato plants and other summer vegetables, there are many cool-season vegetables that can be planted now. Vegetables, like lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower can be planted now, and garden centers should have a good selection available. Tomato seeds can be started indoors, and the plants will then be ready to set outside in late May or early June. Peas can be sown outdoors, both edible peas and flowering sweet peas. Sweet pea seeds have a very hard coating, and I have found that soaking the seeds overnight in a bowl of water prior to planting, will speed up germination. (Click here to discover more seeds that appreciate soaking.)

Here are some more resources about planting vegetables in the spring:

Prune Roses

If you failed to prune your roses earlier in the season, there is still time.

Roses should have been pruned in late winter or earliest spring, but if not, it is better to do it now rather than not at all. Your flowers will probably appear later, but the bushes will be more compact, and the flowers will be within reach.

Click here for more rose pruning and selecting resources:

Don’t let the many tasks of the spring garden overwhelm you. A garden is meant to be enjoyed and to be a place of peace and tranquility. Take the time to enjoy it, most plants are resilient and can stand some neglect. The garden never has to be perfect. It is a growing entity that is constantly changing. Enjoy the changes with it.

Click here to see my Spring Garden Tasks for a Happy Garden from previous years. Happy spring!!!

What Are the Best Container-Garden Plants for Shade?

Impatiens are classic potted flowers for shade!

“I’m in a complex where we can only plant in containers outside…and there’s a lot of shade to complicate matters…any idea for some plants that would do well contained without a lot of sun?  Thank you…also someone told me the ivy I did plant in a pot can be brought inside for a houseplant when it gets too cold outside true or not?” Question from Kim of Orangeburg, New York

Answer: There are lots and lots of wonderful annuals that thrive in shady locations. The perennial vine, English Ivy (Hedera helix), can grow in pots inside or out, and it will take shade, but there are many better options for shade containers. Here are some of my favorite shade-loving annual garden flowers for summer potted gardens.

Annuals for Shady Container Gardens

Begonias: You can’t go wrong with begonias, as long as you provide them with good moisture, especially through the hottest summer days. Two showy high performers are Bossa Nova® Red  Begonia and Illumination® Golden Picotee tuberous begonia. Classic wax begonias that you can purchase in flats at every garden center are also inexpensive and excellent.

Bush Violets (Browallia hybrids.): These annuals are nonstop summer flowers. Try the true-blue Endless™ Illumination Bush Violet.

Coleus (Solenostemon hybrids): There are hundreds of different types of coleus available with the most colorful, beautiful foliage imaginable. Click here for a wonderful coleus online nursery! (Click here to learn how to take coleus cuttings to generate new plants for free!)

Classic Impatiens (Impatiens walleriana): Pick up a flat of colorful impatiens at your favorite garden center, and plant them in shady pots for summer-long color. (Impatiens are also easy to start from seed! Click here to learn more.)

New Guinea Impatiens (Impatiens hybrids): These impatiens are generally taller and tolerant of a little more sun than classic impatiens. the tangerine-orange Infinity® Orange is especially pretty as is the crimson-pink and pale pink Infinity® Blushing Crimson.

Torenia (Torenia hybrids): You cannot go wrong with any of the spreading torenia in the Summer Wave Series. They spread and bloom all summer long. Summer Wave® Large Blue is really lovely.

For more ideas, try the Proven Winners Container Garden Recipe search. It is a great resource for gardeners just learning how to create spectacular potted gardens. Just be sure to choose “Full Shade or Part Shade” for the sun-exposure dropdown. I also recommend clicking here to learn more about growing perennials in containers.

Happy gardening!

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist

What Black Gold Potting Soil is Best for Potted Tomatoes?

“Hi — I just transplanted tomato starts from the bathtub to larger containers and used Black Gold All Purpose for much of it.  I had one bag of All Purpose and one of Natural, Organic.  I noticed that the All Purpose has more fertilizer in it.  The Natural Organic has less, but it is natural and organic.  Still, I’m thinking I should generally use the All Purpose — because it seems like the transplanted tomatoes have really benefited from the fertilizer in it (more than they might benefit from what’s in the Natural/Organic).  What’s your perspective?  I don’t think it’s my imagination that the tomato starts to look quite a bit better after transplanting into the All Purpose.  I’m just not sure if they’ll do roughly equally well in the Natural and Organic Potting Soil.  There’s less fertilizer.  I don’t see the differences clearly yet with my starts for reasons that I won’t bore you with.  Please advise.  :-)” Question from Steve of Bow, Washington

Answer: The Black Gold All Purpose Potting Mix contains supplemental fertilizer to feed plants for up to six months, while Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Soil contains no added fertilizer. That’s why you saw better growth in the seedlings planted in the All Purpose, but both are good choices for potted vegetable growing. I would also add that tomatoes are very heavy feeders, so I recommend adding fertilizer that is specially formulated for tomatoes anyway. There are loads of fertilizer options for tomatoes on the market.

We have several other soils that are ideal for tomato growing because they hold extra water and are OMRI Listed for organic gardening. These are Black Gold® Natural & Organic Flower and Vegetable Soil, which is very porous and fertile, and Black Gold Natural & Organic Ultra Coir, which holds extra water for thirsty tomatoes. From there, I recommend that you watch the video below with great tips for how to successfully grow tomatoes in containers.

Happy tomato growing!

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist

How Do I Protect My Bulb Pots From Rot?

“I tried planting bulbs (crocus, daffodils, tulips, and iris) in pots this year. They were well mulched and gathered in a warmer area of the garden near the house. Nothing came up! After investigating, it appears they became too wet and froze. The pots have great drainage. Any suggestions for next year will be greatly appreciated. Thank you!” Question from Jane of Bloomington, Illinois

Answer: Bulbs are adapted somewhat to freezing and thawing, but if they get too wet, they are prone to rotting, especially when temperatures are mild in fall and spring. There are several things that you can do to protect them from excess winter water. The easiest way is to simply store the pots under a patio or protective eave. You can also add more amendments, like Black Gold Perlite, to encourage faster drainage, but overhead cover gives one a bit more control. On the flip side, there is always a chance that they may become too dry under cover, so intermittent watering from fall to spring is recommended.

It is also advisable to protect your tulip and crocus bulbs/corms from rodents that enjoy munching on them in the winter months when food is scarce. Applying some repellent granules around the bulbs at planting time will help. From there, I recommend that you read Mike Darcy’s excellent article about creating layered bulb pots in the fall (click here to read).

Happy gardening,

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist

The Best Container Plants for July Heat

The Best Container Plants for July Heat

It is July, and there are so many plants in bloom on my deck that it is like a bonanza of color. It is so relaxing to sit there and be surrounded by containers that are bursting with flowers and watching the hummingbirds aggressively guard their territory.  There are also honeybees and bumblebees, as well as an occasional dragonfly.

In my containers, there are some plants that I always seem to repeat every year because they perform so well, and I don’t want to be without them. My deck receives quite a bit of sun throughout the day, including hot afternoon sun. That means the plants need to tolerate some hot conditions, and I have learned throughout the years which plants perform best.

Bonfire Begonia

Begonia Bonfire® is an outstanding nonstop bloomer. (Image care of Anthony Tesselaar Plants)

While we often think of begonias as being shade-loving plants, Begonia Bonfire® has been an excellent summer-blooming plant for our sunny deck. The summerlong flowers of bright orange fit the name, Bonfire®. Hummingbirds like them, and it has a trailing habit that makes it excellent for hanging baskets and tall containers. I have planted three of these begonias in the center of a pot with white Bacopa (Snowstorm® Snow Globe® Bacopa is a good choice) around the edge. The two make a nice combination.

Two Sweet Salvias

Proven Winners Rockin’® Fuchsia Salvia is a nonstop summer bloomer loved by hummingbirds. (Image thanks to Proven Winners)

Two salvias from the Proven Winners® brand are on my deck this summer, and they are both outstanding. Rockin’® Fuchsia Salvia (Zones 9-11) is a compact grower (24 to 36 inches) that is excellent for containers. The flowers themselves are dark fuchsia and supported by stems of lighter fuchsia. At the base of each flower is a persistent, beak-like calyx that is dark fuchsia, so when each flower fades and falls, the stems and calyces continue to provide color. The other salvia is Rockin’® Blue Suede Shoes (Zones 9-11), and, as the name implies, it has blue flowers. The stems and calyces on this are very dark, almost black. Hummingbirds seem to like both salvias equally.

Suncredible Sunflower

You can’t go wrong with the 2- to 4-foot Suncredible® Yellow Sunflower. (Image thanks to Proven Winners)

Another Proven Winners® plant on my deck that is new to me, is the annual Suncredible® Yellow Sunflower, which reaches just 2 to 4 feet. I first saw this in a trial garden last summer and knew that the following year it would be in my garden. It is a new type of sunflower that is very compact, everblooming, sterile, and loves the heat. The plants were in bloom when I bought them in May and have never stopped flowering. Sunflowers offer a bright spot of color, and each plant is covered in blooms.

Candy Corn Plant

Candy corn plant has unusual tubular flowers that are visited by hummingbirds. (Image by Mike Darcy)

If ever there was a bold container plant that was a prolific bloomer, hummingbird magnet, and heat-lover it would be candy corn plant (Cuphea micropetala, Zones 8-11). While not reliably winter hardy here, mine came through our mild winter. Earlier this season, it was scraggly, and a grower friend told me to cut it back halfway, which I did. Usually, they reach up to 3 feet or more, but the result has been a beautiful looking, very compact plant. Because I cut it back so far, it was late to bloom, but it is beautiful now. Its small tubular flowers are orange with yellow tips and held on stems that are almost like spikes. Flowering continues all summer.

Cleopatra Canna

Canna ‘Cleopatra’ is spectacular leaves with purple markings that look great even when there are no flowers. (Image by Mike Darcy)

Cannas are primarily known for their foliage and flowers, but my Canna ‘Cleopatra’ (Zones 8-11) has outstanding leaves–no flowers required. The large leaves have dark maroon markings that appear at random. Some leaves might have maroon stripes, while others might be half maroon. The red and yellow summer flowers are also impressive, and their coloring is as random as the leaves. I like the standard 4- to 6-foot variety in big pots, but gardeners that prefer more compact plants can buy dwarf Canna ‘Cleopatra’, which reaches just 3 feet.

Big Container Bananas

Red banana is a very large container plant that needs an equally large container, but what a show! (Image by Mike Darcy)

I would be remiss without mentioning my three potted red leaf bananas (Musa ensete ‘Maurelii’ (syn. Ensete ventricosum ‘Maurelii’). These are in large pots because they grow so fast and get so big in just one season. They are not winter hardy, so each must be newly planted in spring. This year’s specimens were about three feet tall, and by the end of the summer they will be 8-10 ft tall. The large tropical leaves are tinged with red and have dark red leafstalks. It is an outstanding foliage plant. The large leaves can be shredded by the wind, so keep it in a wind-sheltered area.

Other gardeners certainly have their own lists of the best container plants for July heat, but these are my favorites for our summers in the Pacific Northwest. I enjoy sharing mine with neighborhood gardeners and learning what they are growing as well. Just walking around the neighborhood and looking at hot, sunny garden spots tells me what plants are performing. My list also grows. It is always fun to try something new, and this year the salvias and sunflower were my choices.

Enjoy the height of summer!

Do Grubs Hurt Plant Roots?

Do Grubs Hurt Plant Roots?

“Do grub worms hurt roots? I have a lot in one of my containers.” Question from Jody of Live Oak, Florida

Answer: Yes they do. I’ll fully answer your question in two parts. First, I’ll address grub problems in the garden as a whole, and then I’ll address the grubs in your pots.

Grub Root Damage

Grubs are the larvae of many types of beetles. Most grubs feed on plant roots from fall to spring or summer, until they emerge from the soil as adult beetles. But, grubs aren’t always a problem. Under normal circumstances, you will not see the impact of a low to moderate grub population on large, healthy plants or lawns. They become a real threat when populations are high. This happens when fast-generating, destructive garden beetles, such as Japanese beetles, are not managed properly and populations soar. At this point management is essential. There are several steps you can take to manage destructive beetle grubs, and these are detailed in our Q&A blog titled, “How Do You Manage Japanese Beetles?” (click on the link to view).

Managing Grubs in Containers

Pots are small spaces, so a large number of beetle grubs will harm any plants within. Here are three easy ways to get rid of the grubs:

  1. “Grub” them out, and either smash them or place them in a pail of water until they drown. It is so fast and easy to do it this way if it doesn’t gross you out.
  2. Apply milky spore to your pots. This natural grub killer that just targets Japanese beetle grubs and is approved for organic gardening.
  3. Remove the potting soil from the pot, bag the soil in plastic, and wait several weeks before adding it to garden beds as an amendment. By this time the grubs should be dead. Add new mix to your pot for a grub-free start. (Click here to see our many potting soils.)

I hope that these tips help.

Happy container gardening!

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist

Can I Grow Plants in Pure Compost?

“I have some large compost bins, which produce a lot of compost. Can I plant things in pure compost, or do I need some “dirt” with inorganic materials for the best results?  How much inorganic material do I need?” Question from Naomi or Oakdale, California

Answer: Congratulations on your composting success! Compost is one of the best garden amendments available. You can plant in straight compost, but I suggest incorporating it into your sandy garden soil or mixing it with other additives if you want to use it for container plantings.

Compost as a Garden Amendment

When using compost to fortify gardens, incorporate it evenly into your natural soil. Add it liberally if your soil is of very poor quality–especially if you want to grow crops that need fertile soil, like fruits and vegetables. You might also consider building raised beds to make the most of your compost bounty.

Compost as a Potting Mix Additive

If you plan to use your compost for container plantings, include other additives to encourage better root growth in the long term. These include Black Gold Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss, perlite, and vermiculite.  The peat moss with lighten the mix and give it more structure and porosity, while the perlite will help increase drainage. Vermiculite holds water, adds porosity, and holds and distributes nutrients. A well-rounded potting mix would include 40% compost, 30% peat moss, 20% perlite, and 10% vermiculite.

I hope that this helps, and keep composting!

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist

What Are the Best Hanging Basket Flowers For the High Desert?

 

Flowering purslanes are drought-tolerant, tough, succulent, and have ever-blooming flowers in a wide variety of brilliant colors.

“What are the best flowers to plant in hanging baskets for high desert? We have lots of wind also?” Question from Jill of Greybull, Wyoming

Answer: There are several options for you. All of the plants I will mention are tender in your area. Some can be brought indoors to overwinter while others are best treated as flowering annuals. In this list, I avoided the common hanging succulents, like string-of-pearls and donkey tails, because they lack impressive flowers. (Click here to learn more about these hanging succulents.)  Regardless of the drought-tolerant status of these hanging flowering plants, all will still require regular daily water in the growing months. They will also need to become well-rooted and established in their baskets before they are fully tolerant of dry heat and winds.

Plant all of these hanging basket plants in a moisture-holding potting mix so they can grow to their fullest outdoors. I recommend Black Gold Waterhold Cocoblend, which is OMRI Listed for organic gardening, or Black Gold Moisture Supreme Container Mix. I also suggest hanging them along a porch or patio where they will get some protection from the high midday sun. If you bring any of them indoors as winter house plants, water them very little during the cold months because this can induce rot. (Click here to learn more about winter succulent care.)

Here are a few long-blooming hanging basket plants to consider for your high-desert garden.

Hanging Drought-Resistant Flowers

Firecracker plant trails beautifully and grows well in containers and hanging baskets.

Firecracker plant (Russelia equisetiformis):  Hummingbirds love the flowers of this trailing Mexican native. It has very fine foliage and becomes covered with red, tubular flowers all season long, with good care. It is tolerant of both wind and drought.

Trailing lantana (Lantana sellowiana): This extra drought-tolerant lantana produces many clusters of white-eyed lavender flowers that are visited by butterflies. It grows well as a seasonal ground cover but also looks great in hanging baskets.

Cobweb spiderwort (Tradescantia sillamontana): The silvery leaves of this drought-tolerant spiderwort from Mexico are lovely, and it bears lavender-pink flowers from early to midsummer. It also makes a great house plant.

Silverleaf geranium (Pelargonium sidoides): This tough, droughty geranium has pretty silver leaves and dark red flowers that bloom nonstop if you remove the old flowers. It grows well as a groundcover but also looks lovely in hanging baskets and containers. You can also bring this one indoors in winter.

Hanging Flowering Succulents

Flowering purslane (Portulaca umbraticola): You will want to grow these beautiful succulent annuals for their brilliantly colored flowers. They are perfect for hanging baskets and bloom all season long. You can also try the common and closely related moss rose, but it is a little less drought tolerant.

Everblooming iceplant (Delosperma Wheels of Wonder® Fire): There are several varieties in the Wheels of Wonder® series of iceplants. All are tolerant of drought and have very brightly colored flowers that bloom all summer.

Little pickles (Othonna capensis): This succulent from South Africa has starry yellow flowers that bloom all season. It also makes a lovely house plant.

 

I hope that you try some of these beautiful hanging basket plants in your high desert garden this season.

Happy gardening!

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist