Is there a stronger magnet that draws one into a landscape than huge, super big flowers? I’m talking about blossoms the size of a small child’s head, a Sunday dinner plate, or a brass trumpet. Why would nature produce such enormous blooms when they rob energy from the plant? As pleasing as large flowers are to us, the plant’s primary purpose is to attract the right pollinator.
In a perfect world, we might be able to dig into the soil at any place in our garden and have it be like reaching into a bag of rich potting mix. This is, of course, wishful thinking. Unfortunately, for many of the plants we grow, whether ornamental or edible, some amending of the soil is probably required for optimum results.
When discussing soil amendments, it is a good idea to begin at a basic level, and the first thing a homeowner needs to know is the pH of the soil and what nutrients are missing. Most longtime gardeners will know of a soil testing laboratory where they can send small bags of their soil for a complete analysis. If you are unsure of how to find a reputable lab, check with your local garden center or state extension service as they will probably have several to recommend. Usually about one cup of soil collected from
various parts of your garden is needed for a good analysis. Check with the lab to see how many different soil samples they recommend you send. Once you have the results from the soil test, you can begin to amend the soil with what it is lacking. Also, be sure to take into consideration the plants you will be using as different plants may require different soil types and different nutrients.
I like to remind readers that you have one chance to amend the soil around the root system of a plant when you are planting it. That is why I consider the proper preparation of the planting hole a crucial element necessary for your plant to thrive. This is not quite as important when planting annuals, but for permanent shrubs and trees, it is your opportunity to get it right.
In my own garden, the one item most lacking is compost or some type of organic matter in the soil. Whenever I am planting, my first choice for amending the soil is Black Gold Garden Compost Blend, and I always try to have some on hand. If I am planting a 1-5 gallon size plant, I try to dig a hole twice the size of the container. Then I mix the conditioner with some of the existing soil and use this mix both under and around the new plant. In areas where my soil tends to dry out quickly in the summer, if I have plants that like to have their roots moist, I add Black Gold Just Coir in the top several inches of soil as I have found this has excellent water holding retention qualities.
When I have sections of my garden that have heavy or clay soil, I not only add the compost but also pumice. I also use pumice in areas of my garden where the drainage is poor and I use it in some of my containers as a safety net to help insure excellent drainage and
increase aeration. For some of my containers, especially those where soil will be visible for most of the season, I add Black Gold Earthworm Castings. Visually this enhances the soil when used as a top dressing and it helps enrich it as well.
Spring fertilization is something I do every year. Recently I have been fertilizing some of my established plantings with a quality all-purpose fertilizer. I like to lightly cultivate it into the soil and then either water or let the rain carry it down to the plant roots.
We have been having some glorious weather here in the Pacific Northwest, and it has provided us with some great ‘windows’ for gardening. Take some time to relax and enjoy the beauty we are surrounded with. When I walk in my neighborhood, I see the flowers of tulips, daffodils, magnolias, flowering cherry and the many colors of Japanese Maples as their new spring leaves appear. The list could go on. Enjoy the peace and serenity of your own surroundings and beauty nature provides.
I do not believe I have ever met a gardener that isn’t always looking for something new to plant in the garden. I am certainly no exception. Each year is like a ‘hunt’ to search and find new plants for my garden. Here in the Pacific Northwest, we’ve had some record low temperatures in December, with some areas dipping down to single digits. Needless to say, many plants have suffered and those that are marginally winter hardy may not have survived. On the optimistic side, it creates an opportunity to plant something new!
Growing your own perennials does not have to be difficult or expensive. Sure, some seeds can be pricey or require a lot of work (chilling, warming, seed coat nicking, soaking) which can take months of effort. But, many others are cheap and nearly effortless to grow, taking little more work than starting annual seeds. Perennial gardening from seed is worth the effort. Continue reading “Amazing, Easy, Cheap Perennial Gardening from Seed”
African Violets (Saintpaulia hybrids) are America’s favorite houseplants according to the African Violet Society of America (AVSA). The beloved African violet’s immense popularity is most likely due to its irresistibly fuzzy rounded leaves, wide spectrum of cheerful reblooming flowers and ability to thrive in typical household environments. These members of Gesneriaceae, a large plant family with ~150 genera and over 3000 species of tropical to temperate plants, also share stage with other popular indoor gesneriads, such as Achimenes, Gloxinia, Sinningia and Streptocarpus.
African Violets are indigenous to the cloud forests of eastern tropical Africa, so they perform best in warmer temperatures that are also comfortable to us. An indoor range from 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit is best, but with adequate water and air circulation they can tolerate warmer environs. Cold drafts or pockets near windows in wintertime should be avoided; temperatures around 60 degrees can damage African violets and those that dip below 50 degrees may cause them to perish.
African Violets need plenty of sunlight in order to bloom well. An ideal location would be an east-facing window with gentle morning light. Southern and western exposures can also be beneficial, if sheer drapery is used to filter out harsh direct sunlight. In the absence of sufficient natural light, keeping African violets under artificial grow lights can be very successful. Whatever your light source, be sure to regularly rotate plants in order to keep them symmetrical and get light into their interiors.
High humidity is essential for success, so kitchens and bathrooms are good locations for these plants. Still, providing enough moisture to the air can be a challenge in other rooms in a dry house, especially in winter when the heat is running. A great way to increase humidity around African violets is to place their pots on trays filled with pebbles. Periodically add water to the tray to a level just below the bottom of the pots so that the plants benefit from the evaporation without accidentally taking up additional water at the roots. Another way to keep moisture in the air is to frequently mist your African violets with tepid water, but never to the point where droplets form on the leaves.
A light, aerated potting medium is essential, which is why I use Black Gold African Violet Potting Mix. The superior lightweight mix contains peat moss, compost, perlite/pumice and earthworm castings and is specially blended to help these favorite houseplants thrive.
Water African violets when the potting soil feels dry to the touch. Before watering, remember that if you drink your household water, it should be safe for your plants. However, avoid using soft, high mineral or chlorinated water, and remember that tepid water is best because cold or hot water can damage plants. African violet leaves can be damaged by leaf droplets, so carefully water them from the top of the soil with a narrow-nosed watering can or bottle with a long spout, avoiding any water contact with the leaves. After a couple of minutes, be sure to drain the pot or saucer of any residual water which has passed through the soil and puddled. (Never allow these plants to sit directly in water!) Specially designed African violet self-watering containers are recommended for novice growers; they allow plants to only take up what water they need through the clay walls of the inner pot liner.
African Violets need extremely good air circulation in order to avoid developing mildew on their fuzzy leaves and blooms. The trick is to provide plenty of space between plants for air to move.
The growing fad of containerized indoor fairy gardens has spawned a resurgence of interest in filling terrariums with tiny houseplants. This environment can be perfect for miniature African violets as long as they are sitting atop a mound and the glass container is left open at the top.
As popular as African Violets are in the U.S.A., their longer-leaved showy cousins, Streptocarpus, were just recognized as the Royal Horticultural Society’s “Plant of the Decade”. During an English garden tour last month, I had the pleasure of seeing a spectacular display of lacy violet purple and white flowered Streptocarpus ‘Harlequin Lace’ in a garden center. I wish I could have brought one home. Soon I hope to locate some Streptocarpus in my local garden center to join the African violets in my kitchen window box.
Last week when I saw my neighbor Janet working in her garden, she wanted me to see her blooming autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale). While not actually a crocus, it resembles one and many gardeners know it by that name. Janet told me that whenever she sees the light pink flowers appear, she knows that fall is here.
Continue reading “Brugmansia, Burning Bush, Bulbs and Cleome in the Fall Garden”
From each fall-blooming crocus flower emerges three red, precious strands. These are elongated stigmas (female flower parts) otherwise known as saffron—an extraordinarily expensive aromatic spice popular in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Indian cooking. Continue reading “Just Wild About Saffron”
What a glorious time of year! Summer is over and autumn is here. The garden is still looking good with lots of color from summer annuals that are still going strong, and at the same time there are late fall flowers emerging.
Continue reading “Fall Flowers: Crape Myrtle, Dahlias, Salvia & Lespedeza”
I once worked for Roger’s Gardens Colorscape, a world famous nursery that installs fabulous annual color gardens for stately homes on the southern California coast. That experience taught me how to grow annuals for two seasons. In early summer, we’d plant the traditional marigolds and petunias that love the heat. Come September, it was time to tear out all those warm season flowers and fortify the beds with compost and fertilizer before installing our cool season annual palette. Violas were a favorite for gracing our gardens with intense color all winter long. Continue reading “Cool It with Violas”
Late summer and fall are when pollinators prepare to migrate or overwinter, so it’s an essential time to ensure the garden is filled to the brim with good plants for pollinators to eat. And usually the best plants on the pollinator menu are native wildflowers. So, it helps to be privy to the prettiest and best behaved fall wildflowers for pollinators fit for the garden
Composites, or plants in the daisy family, offer the most late-season bloom options on the menu. And their variety does not disappoint. Aromatic aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium), bright Fireworks goldenrods (Solidago rugosa ‘Fireworks‘), dwarf Low Down sunflower (Helianthus salicifolius ‘Low Down‘) and reddish-purple meadow blazingstar (Liatris ligulistylis) are all top-notch garden plants enjoyed by butterflies, bees and even hummingbirds. Classic annual sunflowers are also easy, much-favored blooms. Then later in the season, when all these composites have gone to seed, they produce food for hungry seed-eating birds, like gold and purple finches.
Milkweeds (Asclepias spp.) of all kinds will continue to bloom into fall. And even when not in flower, their foliage provides essential forage for Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) caterpillars. Those that are showiest in fall include the tangerine-orange flowered butterflyweed (A. tuberosa) and swamp milkweed (A. incarnata), both of which can offer flowers and showy seedpods in fall. (The non-native, semi-tropical Mexican bloodflower (A. curassavica) also provides good butterfly food, but be sure not to let it set seed as it can be weedy.) Gardeners are always surprised to see how quickly fluttering groups of butterflies (called ‘kaleidoscopes’) visit their gardens after planting Asclepias. Some may also be dismayed by all the monarch caterpillars eating their milkweed leaves, but let them eat! Beautiful, essential butterflies are a small price to pay for a few chomped plants.
Late-season salvia, hyssop (Agastache spp.) and beebalm (Monarda spp.) blossoms provide essential food for a wide array of pollinators. These fragrant mints come in many beautiful garden-worthy varieties. The annual scarlet sage (Salvia coccinea) is one of the best, offering endless bright red flowers until frost; white and pink varieties (‘Snow Nymph’ and ‘Coral Nymph’) are also available. A little deadheading will keep these annuals looking their best. Garden varieties of the Texas and Mexican native autumn sage (S. greggii) will also provide a big show of fall color, to the delight of travelling hummingbirds. Likewise, sunny colored hyssops in shades of orange (Agastache aurantiaca), pink (A. cana), and sunset hues (A. rupestris) lure many butterflies and hummingbirds eager to drink the last of the season’s nectar. The resilient horsemint (Monarda punctata) is another uniquely beautiful mint for late summer and fall that is favored by bees as is the hummingbird favorite, scarlet beebalm (M. didyma).
Gardeners seeking to lure sphinx moths and other charming evening pollinators might consider late-day bloomers like four-o-clocks (Mirabilis spp.) and ornamental angel’s trumpets (Datura spp.). Non-native ornamental tobaccos are also superb, non-invasive plants for moths. Two South American winners are the tall, white-flowered woodland tobacco (Nicotiana sylvestris) and pink– and white–flowered jasmine tobacco (N. alata). Both provide wonderful evening fragrance and charming flowers that attract moths of all sorts.
Creating a sumptuous wildflower planting for pollinators is a snap because growing well-adapted, regional plants makes for easier gardening. All mentioned in this article thrive in full to partial sun and appreciate quality soil with good drainage (with the exception of swamp milkweed). Topdressing plantings with a little Black Gold Garden Compost Blend in fall will help maintain soil quality while deterring fall and winter weeds.
When the hard frosts hit, the pollinators will be gone, wintering away somewhere deep and protected or busying themselves somewhere lovely South of The Border. Either way, gardeners that plant wildflowers for pollinators can feel confident that they helped many of these creatures towards good health and survival, which helps us all.
