Mike Darcy – Page 4

The Hippest Roses with Colorful Hips

Rose hips can really add bright color to the fall and early winter landscape.

Generally, when gardeners purchase roses, they think of flower color, fragrance, disease resistance, and the overall beauty of the plant. Whether a rose has hips is usually not a high priority. But, if our gardens can have blooming roses all summer, why not end the season with the added bonus of colorful hips in fall? Songbirds and other wildlife love them, and they are beautiful. Some can even be dried to flavor delicious herbal tea.

What Are Rose Hips?

Here ripe rose hips have been seeded and are ready for drying for tea-making.

Rose hips are simply ripened rose fruits. They are often brightly colored and appear most abundantly in the fall at the end of the bloom cycle. They are usually red or orange but can also be bright yellow and even reddish-black.

Rose hips have been used for centuries for folk medicine and tea. In fact, they are still in use today–largely because they are tart and very high in vitamin C. Check out the health section of your local grocery store, and you will probably find rosehip teas, soaps, and lotions. Their high concentration of vitamin C has even helped nations during the toughest times. During World War II in England, the public was encouraged to harvest rose hips. Vitamin C was in short supply due to limitations on importation of fruits, such as citrus, so hips were gathered and processed into a syrup that could be used at home and was even made available in stores.

Unfortunately, for most gardeners, modern roses are not known for their hips. With current rose breeding methods, a rose with hips has not been a priority. For marketing purposes, long stems, improved flowering, and disease resistance have been more important. That’s why many heirloom and species (non-hybrid) roses will often provide the most impressive display of hips. I will focus more on heirloom roses, and a couple of newer varieties, because species roses are usually once-blooming and tend to have more rampant growth habits that are often more difficult to control, thus making them unsuitable for most gardens due to space considerations.

Roses With Beautiful Hips

Here are some roses that are known for hips and would fit into most gardens. All are commercially available.

Redleaf rose has very sweet flowers, dark foliage, and bright hips. (Hip image by Mike Darcy)

European Redleaf Rose (Rosa glauca, USDA Hardiness Zone 2-8): In my own garden, I have one species rose, Rosa glauca. While it does grow quite large (5 to 7 feet), I keep it pruned to a manageable size. Rosa glauca is a particular favorite of mine because I like the foliage, which is purplish-red with grayish-silver overtones that make it quite an attractive shrub, even when not in flower. It blooms once a season in spring, and the flowers are single pink with white centers and lots of yellow stamens. Even though it is a one-time bloomer, the bloom season extends over about a six-week period. Clusters of very colorful red hips occur in the fall.

‘Hansa’ has very large, edible hips in fall.

Japanese Beach Rose (Rosa rugosa, Zones 2-7): Here is a rugged, tough rose that is easy to grow. I like ‘Alba‘, which becomes covered with single white flowers in late spring and early summer. Another good selection is the double-pink ‘Hansa’, which is very fragrant and blooms through most of the summer and is a fairly compact grower (4 to 5 feet) suitable for smaller gardens. These roses are known for their large, juicy, crabapple-sized hips that turn shades of red and orange in fall. The mature hips are also edible and can be dried to flavor herbal tea or used to make tart jam

Dortmund has crimson and white flowers and orange hips.

Dortmund Climbing Rose (Rosa ‘Dortmund’, Zones 5-9): A climbing rose with very prolific orange-red hips in fall is ‘Dortmund’, which was first introduced in 1955. The single-red flowers appear in copious clusters that bloom over a long period of time. Its dark green, glossy foliage is disease resistant. It is a fast and tall grower, reaching 8 to 11 feet, so give it plenty of support and train it well.

Westerland™ Climbing Rose (Rosa Westerland™, Zones 5-10): Lots of large, fragrant, double roses of peachy orange cover this repeat bloomer from late spring through the season. The foliage is glossy green and quite disease resistant and the hips are round and bright orange. ‘Westerland’ is a 1999 introduction with elongated canes of 6 feet or more. Sometimes it is called a shrub, but it is too long and leggy (that would be a large shrub!).

Lots of small Pink Meidiland roses give way to lots of little red hips.

Pink Meidiland Shrub Rose (Rosa Pink Meidiland, Zones 4-9) is a 4-to-5-foot shrub rose that has many small, bright pink flowers with white centers. It blooms in flushes throughout the season. Its orange-red fall hips are small, but they are numerous. Another comparable Meidiland rose that is a bit more common in commerce and has improved pink flowers, excellent fragrance, and lots of hips is Magic Meidiland, but I prefer the delicate blooms of the original pink.

If you are considering getting a rose or roses that will produce hips in the fall, I would suggest doing some research for your specific region. Check with rose-growing neighbors as well as a local garden center or a public rose garden, if your city has one. I think it is best to actually see the plant and this time of year; the hips should be visible now. This way you know you are getting exactly what you want.

Rose hips are high in vitamin C, and many are used dry to flavor herbal tea.

For tips on how to grow and plant roses, please reach the following garden blogs: A to Z of Natural & Organic Rose Care and What Light and Soil are best for Roses?

Fall Garden Tasks for a Happy Garden with Mike Darcy

Here in the Pacific Northwest, we often get some wonderfully warm and sunny days in late September and early October. This year is no exception. Now that most of the smoke from the forest fires has cleared from much of the Willamette Valley, our air is clean once again, and we can see blue sky. We are happy, and so are our plants and gardens.

Enjoy the Last Blooms of the Season

My pots of Salvia Rockin’® Fuchsia are still looking beautiful. (Image by Mike Darcy)

When we have sunny days in October, it forces me to make some decisions regarding my garden and some of these decisions are difficult to make. Many of my containers of blooming annuals are still bursting with color. The fuchsias have not looked better and the flowers on the Salvia just keep going. I am well aware that these blooms will not last much longer but I want to enjoy them as long as I can. Some, like fuchsias, can be brought indoors and tended as house plants through winter (click here to learn how to clean plants before bringing them inside). But, I usually let the frost take them and simply replant in spring, but sometimes I bring a special tender perennial or two inside.

Potting up some chrysanthemums, pansies, and flowering kale can also lighten the impact of losing garden flowers. Add a few decorative gourds and pumpkins and the display will be complete. (Click here for more fall container gardening tips.)

Clean Up

In preparation for winter, now is a good time to begin some light pruning and general fall cleanup. As perennials and this year’s annuals die back, prune them or pull them. Leave up any ornamental grasses and perennial plants with attractive seedheads, but it generally looks best to take everything else back. You can leave some leaves in beds to support overwintering native bees and butterflies. Once your beds are clean, it always looks nice to edge for tidy and attractive gardens all winter. (Click here to watch a how-to video about edging.)

Compost

Deciduous trees will soon be losing their leaves, and if you are not composting some of this potentially rich source of organic matter, this is a good time to start. Compost kits and bins are readily available at local garden centers, and they do not need to be fancy. I prefer those with no enclosed bottom. You will learn by experience which plant material breaks down quickly and which does not. I have found that large maple leaves, of which we have an abundance of, break down relatively quickly. Pre-chopping the leaves also helps. Adding grass clippings, that have not been treated with a weed and feed, are a good addition to get the pile heated up to begin the breakdown process. Keep the pile moist, turn it every month or two and add a little granular nitrogen fertilizer to hasten the composting process, if it is moving slowly. I stay away from conifer needles, like fir, spruce, and pines, as well as rhododendron leaves and the leaves from the evergreen magnolia because the decomposition process is too lengthy.

Plant Bulbs

Plant layered bulb pots now for a big spring show.

This is the time to plant fall bulbs, and the earlier they are purchased, the better the selection. Many of these bulbs, such as tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, and crocus, can be planted in more than the garden. They also make excellent container plants for spring color on a deck or patio. I like to layer them in pots for maximum effect. (Click here to learn how to make layered bulb pots.) Most bulbs like a soil environment that has an ample supply of compost, so I like to add Black Gold Garden Compost Blend and mix it into the existing soil. When I am planting bulbs in pots, I use Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Mix in addition to adding a fertilizer formulated for bulbs.

Plant Garlic

Garlic is an easy crop that must be planted in fall for summer harvest. One clove will quickly develop into a full head.

October is also an ideal month to plant garlic. It needs winter cold to bulb up, so if planted now, it will be ready to harvest next summer. Most garden centers have several different varieties, from more tender softneck types to hardy longneck types, and all are easy to grow. Plant garlic in a sunny location with well-drained, fertile soil. (Click here to learn everything that you need to know to grow garlic.)

Plant Hardy Shrubs

It is a good time to plant hardy shrubs while the soil is still warm. Planting them now will help them settle and set roots in their new location through winter. This will give them a head start on growing in the spring. Dig in Black Gold Garden Compost Blend around the root zone. If the root ball of the shrub is tightly matted with entangled roots, gently break it apart to encourage the roots to grow into their new environment. It also helps to apply a starter/transplant fertilizer.

Dig and Store Dahlias, Cannas, Gladiolus, and other Tender Bulbs

Trimmed and forked up dahlia clumps dry on the porch before being cleaned and stored for winter.

If you are in an area that has hard freezes in the winter, it would be wise to dig dahlias, cannas, gladiolus, and other tender bulbs, and store them in a protected location through winter. Dig dahlias after their tops wilt following the first light frost. Cut the tops back, dig the bulbs, and store them in an aerated plastic bin filled with peat moss. A cool, dark place is best for storage. (Editor’s Note: When digging tubers, keep then intact and be careful not to damage their necks as this is where next year’s buds will appear. Gently clean and dry the tubers before storing them. Pack in a dry peat/vermiculite mix and store in a cool, dry basement, garage or root cellar no colder than 40 degrees Fahrenheit.)

In many areas of the Willamette Valley, where I live, we do not have to dig them up. Our winters are generally mild enough; thick mulch is often sufficient. However, if you have a particular favorite dahlia or canna, be on the safe side and dig it.

Plant a Cover Crop

Seedlings of winter rye can be tilled under once the snow has passed.

Planting a cover crop over a summer vegetable garden can provide nutrients and organic matter for the next spring season. Cover crop mixes are now available and the sooner they are planted the better. Some, like alfalfa, naturally add nitrogen to the soil and have deep roots that help break up clay soils. Winter wheat, rye and, other grain covers protect your beds from winter weeds. All naturally add organic matter to the soil when tilled under in spring.

Usually, our weather is such that on most days we can continue to enjoy our garden, as we should. Enjoy your fall!

Favorite Shade-Loving Flowering Shrubs and Perennials for Fall

We’ve had a long hot and dry summer here in the Pacific Northwest, so those plants that relish the sun and take drought have performed beautifully. In turn, shade lovers, that thrive in cool, moist environments have needed extra care. In my garden, we have a mix of areas with blazing afternoon sun, almost total shade, and both sun and shade. I have banked on a large selection of shade plants to provide color in the form of foliage as well as flowers in my full and partially shady areas, and as summer wanes, I count on certain fall bloomers to keep my shade gardens looking sharp.

Reblooming Hydrangeas

Let’s Dance® Rhythmic Blue®is an excellent reblooming hydrangea. (Image thanks to Proven Winners)

Reblooming hydrangeas are the first group of plants that come to mind for late-summer and fall color in the shade garden. While many will tolerant some sun, I think they look their best, and the flowers last much longer if the plants are grown in afternoon shade. Bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla, Zones 6-9) and mountain hydrangea (Hydrangea serrata, Zones 5-9) are some of the best adapted to shade, and rebloomers flower the most reliably into fall. One excellent selection to try is the large-panicled Let’s Dance^® Rhythmic Blue^® reblooming hydrangea, which reaches 4 feet by 4 feet and produces big violet-blue (or pink in more alkaline soils) flower clusters well from midsummer to fall. Another is the very compact 3-foot Tuff Stuff Ah-Ha^®reblooming mountain hydrangea with its lacy pale-blue flowers. It grows well in-ground or in well-drained containers filled with a quality mix, like Natural & Organic Black Gold Flower & Vegetable Soil.

Good water is essential. If the plants become stressed for moisture, often the flowers will turn crisp, especially when in the hot sun. Despite our tough summer, hydrangeas have thrived when given adequate moisture and some protection from the sun. When I walk around my neighborhood, I see gorgeous hydrangea flowers on those plants that have been given the right care. This is where a good mulch will also help keep the plants hydrated and happy. Black Gold Garden Compost Blend is an ideal water-holding soil amendment as well as mulch.

Fuchsias

The flowers of ‘DebRon’s Smokey Blue’ are large and deep fuchsia and purple. (Image by Mike Darcy)

Another popular and well-known flower for partial shade is fuchsia (Fuchsia hybrids, Zones 9-11). ‘DebRon’s Smokey Blue‘, with its dark rose and purple flowers, is a personal favorite. Mine have been blooming all summer and will continue well into the fall. We have fuchsia plants in containers on our deck that are covered with flowers and have many buds yet to open. While the flowering will not be as prolific as it is now, they should continue to bloom until frost. Some fuchsias have the addition of colorful variegated foliage, so the plants can be colorful even without flowers. With their brightly colored flowers and foliage, fuchsias provide quite a show in the autumn shade garden.

Hardy fuchsia (Fuchsia magellanica, 6-10 feet, Zones 6-9) is an Argentinian shrub that blooms from summer to fall with many small, red and pink, pendulous flowers that feed migrating hummingbirds. While many of the hardy fuchsias will grow in the sun, I’ve found that they perform better without the hot afternoon summer sun. It is wise to place hardy fuchsia near the home or protective stone walls to provide it extra winter protection.

Palm-Leaf Begonia

A new plant for me this year is palm leaf begonia (Begonia luxurians, Zones 9-11). The leaves are very tropical looking, and it has been in bloom during the past month with clusters of white and yellow flowers. I have my plant in a container with Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Mix. It’s in an area where it only gets filtered sunlight because of overhead trees. It was about 12 inches tall when I bought it in early June and has now grown to 4 feet. Technically a perennial, it would be treated as a summer annual here or could be brought indoors as a house plant in a sunroom or greenhouse. It would not survive our winters outdoors.

Yellow Wax Bells

Yellow wax bells (Kirengeshoma palmata, Zones 5-8) is a perennial in the hydrangea family that is native to eastern Asia. It is quite a mouthful to say in Latin as well as to remember. While the common name, yellow wax bells, is much easier to remember and say, it is not well known and would be hard to find in most garden centers under that name. I rarely see it in local gardens, and I don’t know why. It grows beautifully for me. A plant was gifted to me many years ago. I have it in a shady location, and it thrives.

The plant itself is about 4 ft tall and wide and is coming into bloom now. Its waxy yellow flowers are very pretty and look attractive against its large, bold, palm-shaped leaves. It likes shade and moisture and is winter hardy. I mulch it regularly with Black Gold Garden Compost Blend.

This is just a sampling of plants that give late summer color to shaded gardens. To add to the list, I have written about fall anemones (click here to read), dahlias, some other favorite fall-flower picks (click here to read). Check out your local garden center, and you may be surprised at the large selection of blooming plants that are still available.

Late-Summer Garden Tasks for a Happy Garden

Sometimes this time of year is referred to as the “dog days of summer”; however, I do not think of it in these terms. Yes, it is hot, many garden flowers are flagging, and there are garden tasks to do, but August is also a month when there is much for us to enjoy in the garden. As I sit on my deck this August morning, I am surrounded by colorful pots of salvia, begonias, lobelia, heliotrope, abutilon, fuchsias, and even a Doris Day floribunda rose bush. But, to enjoy the late-summer garden, it needs daily care.

Groom Tired Flowers

Flagging petunias will appreciate a mid- to late-summer haircut to keep them pretty into fall.

One of my early morning tasks is to remove old flowers and perform some general grooming to keep all my garden plants looking as good as possible. I carry a pair of sharp pruners and snip off any out-of-line branches, poor-looking foliage, or dying flowers. It takes little effort and keeps the garden looking its best. (For more detail, read Teri Keith’s recent article about pruning and deadheading garden perennials and annuals in midsummer.)

Cut Flowers for Bouquets

Cut bouquets of your favorite, long-lasting cut flowers in the garden.

Dahlias are just coming into their prime blooming season and should continue to flower until about the middle of October. Yesterday, as I was walking my dog, a neighbor was cutting dahlias and gave me a beautiful bouquet. On hot days, dahlia foliage and flowers can quickly wilt in the summer sun, and a top dressing of Black Gold Garden Compost Blend can help alleviate this issue by helping to retain moisture. Cut dahlia flowers early in the day when they look their best and keep them picked to prolong their blooming season. (Click here to read our recent garden article detailing Jessie Keith’s favorite summer cut flowers.)

Feed Container Gardens

Now is the time to fertilize and give containers extra water.

By the time August arrives, many plants in containers that have grown throughout the summer will have root systems that have begun to fill the container. Once roots fill a container, they will begin to circle the wall of the pot resulting in a pot-bound planting. This root mass will quickly become dry, and the plants will wilt from lack of water. I have found that some containers may need watering twice a day if it is hot and especially if there are drying winds. Don’t expect rain to supply the needed moisture as the foliage can be so thick that the water does not penetrate the soil. Water each container at the base of the plants until the water runs out of the bottom of the pot into the saucer or reservoir. August is also a good time to give plants in containers fresh all-purpose fertilizer because many of the original nutrients have leached out.

Prepare the Vegetable Garden for Fall

Late summer is the time to plant cool-season crops, like lettuce.

Some early-season vegetables may be on the decline. Remove them to make space for a fall vegetable garden. Add fresh amendments before planting fall vegetables. Black Gold Natural & Organic Ultra Outdoor Planting Mix is a great vegetable garden amendment that is OMRI Listed for organic gardening and contains mycorrhizae to encourage better growth, naturally.

It depends on the specific area you live in, but here in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, we plant peas can good herbs for the fall garden as well as beets, carrots, chard, lettuce, and kale as well as other brassicas. Now is the perfect time to purchase seeds and get your fall vegetables growing.

“Edit” Your Garden for Fall

Iris and daylilies can be divided in late summer as you “edit” your garden.

August is a good month to think about some garden editing. In my own garden, I occasionally plant plants in the wrong place, or perhaps they have grown larger than I had expected. When moving them to new locations, I make sure to remember where spring bulbs are planted, or I move the bulbs as needed. I also consider the surrounding area and how it might have changed in terms of light and wind. As trees and shrubs grow or are pruned, they may be casting shade on plants that need the sun or providing more sun to an area that was once shady.

If your garden has bearded or Siberian iris, late August is an ideal time to divide them. Often, beds of bearded iris decline in bloom because they are too crowded, while clumps of Siberian iris can quickly become too dense. Diving both about every three years will ensure that they bloom beautifully each spring and don’t overgrow an area.

Give Roses a Boost

Now’s the time to prune off damaged branches, old blooms, and feed your roses for the fall.

Keep roses picked and cut the stems long on hybrid-tea types for the vase. New growth will appear, and the new flowers of fall will be more at eye level where their scent can be best enjoyed. Fertilize roses one last time before spring.

In these troubling times, our gardens, whether large or small, can offer us a hiatus from some of the negative forces around us. Even a small area on a deck, balcony, or patio can give us some respite from the world in which we live. Enjoy your plants, and realize that they don’t know what is going on around them. Give them water and nurture them, and they will provide you with much pleasure.

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

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!

Early Summer Garden Tasks for a Happy Garden

By the time the month of June arrives, I like to think that I have many of my early-season garden tasks completed. However, this is rarely the case because in a garden, there is always something to do and a project that has not been completed. And, this has been quite a spring.

The spring of 2020 has been nothing like the norm, with the Covid-19 virus and its restrictions. Thank goodness I have a garden. I believe that those of us that do have a garden realize how fortunate we are. One might think that being at home without leave would have allowed me to complete many early-season garden tasks, but I cannot say that it has! Anyway, the start of summer brings about its own set of tasks to maintain garden harmony.

Early Summer Rose Care

The golden blooms of Julia Child® shine through summer, especially if deadheaded. (Photo Courtesy of © Weeks Roses)

Roses are in their first full bloom cycle, and, of course, after bloom comes the task of deadheading. This is not a particularly enjoyable task because of the thorns (long-cuffed rose-gloves are a must), but as I cut off the spent bloom stems I am encouraging new buds to emerge and will soon have a second surge of fresh flowers. Fertilizing roses after deadheading is recommended to further enhance continuous flowering in rebloomers.

It is also a good time to plant new rose bushes to see the flowers in real life in your garden, rather than in a picture. Be sure to choose varieties that resist common rose diseases, like black spot and powdery mildew. There are many to choose from, such as the gold-flowered ‘Julia Child’ and the compact roses in Proven Winners’ Oso Easy Series (click here to learn about disease-resistant roses and organic rose growing).

Early Summer Vegetable Garden Care

You can continue planting fast-to-produce vegetables up until late summer.

There has been a huge increase in the sales of vegetable seeds and plants by home gardeners this spring. If you have a location for an edible garden, it is not too late to plant it with summer vegetables, like tomatoes, peppers, beans, and squash. Prepare vegetable beds by adding natural & organic Black Gold Garden Compost Blend and thoroughly mixing it into the existing soil. If you have raised beds consider filling them with Black Gold^® Natural & Organic Raised Bed & Potting Mix, which is OMRI Listed for organic gardening and specially formulated for raised-bed growing.

If planting tomatoes, get different varieties to prolong the fruiting season. Vining or indeterminant tomato plants need strong support from cages or stakes, which should be supplied at time of planting (click here to learn more about growing tomatoes). Beans and many summer squashes can still be planted from seed (click here to learn more about growing beans). Be on the lookout for cutworms, slugs, and snails as newly germinated seedling would be considered a delicacy. (Click here for a vegetable garden guide for new gardeners.)

Early Summer Rhododendron Care

Deadheading Rhododendron keeps the shrubs looking tidy.

Rhododendrons, azaleas, and camellias have probably finished, or are nearly finished, with blooming. Remove the faded blossoms, being careful on rhododendrons not to remove the new growth that appears just below the developing seed heads of the old flowers. If rhododendrons or azaleas need pruning for space considerations, this is a good time because there is still time for the plant to produce new growth and set next year’s flower buds. Camellias should also be pruned directly after flowering.

Plant Something New

Gloriosa lilies are tropical vining lilies that bloom through summer’s warmth.

I think that most gardeners like to plant something new in their garden, and I am no exception. Last summer when visiting a garden, I saw pots of Gloriosa lily (Gloriosa superba ‘Rothschildiana’) in bloom. It has been many years since I had grown this tender perennial in my garden, and I had forgotten how beautiful the flowers were. Seeing these plants in full bloom last year, I knew that I had to try them again, so earlier this spring, I bought tubers and planted them in several large pots. Gloriosa lilies like rich soil, so I used Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Mix. Gloriosa lily is a vine with tendrils at the leaf tips, and so it does need some support, such as a medium-sized trellis. I am happy to say that my tubers are growing beautifully.

Hyacinth beans love warm weather and have beautiful flowers and pods.

As mentioned earlier in this article, it is a good time to plant beans, and not all beans are grown for food. An ornamental bean with colorful flowers and pods is the vining purple hyacinth bean (Lablab purpureus). The heat-loving African native is easy to start from seed, fast-growing, and blooms over a long period of time with flowers and bean pods on display at the same time. Be sure to give it plenty of space to ramble because the twining vines can reach 15 feet or more.

The work in a garden is never done, and in my own garden, I always have a pair of hand clippers with me to trim off a spent flower or wayward branch. I try to make even the mundane chores interesting by thinking of the benefits they will reap. Even though we have monthly tasks, don’t let them be overwhelming. Keep your garden as a stress-free environment and a place for enjoyment and relaxation.

Happy June!

Diverse, Beautiful Garden Hostas

The plant kingdom never ceases to amaze me with the diversity that it offers. Even plants in the same genus can have very unique traits in leaf color and texture, growth habits, environmental preferences, winter hardiness, heat tolerance, and flowers. A good example of a diverse genus is Hosta, commonly called the plantain lily.

Many garden plants, such as roses, are grown just for their flowers. Hostas, on the other hand, are grown more for their foliage. While hostas do have flowers, and some of the flowers are fragrant, the glorious mounds of textural foliage are the primary attraction.

Diverse Hostas

In the garden, Hostas blend beautifully with all manner of flowering perennials and annuals.

Hostas are native to eastern Asia, but they are so widely planted in American gardens that they almost appear to be native plants. Hostas can be found in home gardens from coast to coast and tend to perform well in all but the hottest, driest areas. They have adapted especially well in the Pacific Northwest, so it is easy to understand why one might think they are native to this region.

In the mid-1900s, the hosta grown in many gardens was Hosta plantaginea, a big clump of a plant with large green leaves and tall, fragrant wands of white flowers in late summer. The Hosta palette has changed dramatically in the past 100 years because each year new varieties are introduced. Now there are thousands from which to choose. The Sebright Gardens in Salem, Oregon, lists about 500 different types in their catalog–from miniatures reaching to just a few inches to 4-foot giants. With that kind of number and variety, it can be challenging to make a selection. Sometimes you have to buy several…

Shadowland® ‘Empress Wu’ is a spectacularly large hosta from Proven Winners that grows quickly and has a real presence. (Image thanks to Proven Winners)

When choosing a Hosta, I would first decide on the ultimate size of the plant for your location, and then select the foliage color and texture that appeals to you. Hosta leaves generally range in color from dark green to chartreuse to those with waxy leaves in shades of grey, blue, or sea green. There are also many variegated forms, and some leaves have a distinctly crinkled, corrugated, or quilt-like texture or undulating edges.

My Favorite Hostas

‘Blue Mouse Ears’ is a miniature hosta with blue-green, cup-shaped leaves and small spikes of lavender flowers in summer.

I cannot list all of my favorite hostas because there are too many, but here is a small list of those well worth growing.

For a miniature type, my favorite is ‘Blue Mouse Ears’. We have had this in a small pot on our patio for several years, and it only gets about 6 inches high. It forms a nice compact clump and is attractive all summer with its blue leaves. Going from the miniature to the giant, Shadowland^®‘Empress Wu’ makes a spectacular specimen plant with dark green leaves that have deeply impressed veins. ‘Empress Wu’ can reach a height of up to four feet and makes a thick mound of foliage. Another one of the ‘giant’ types is ‘Sum and Substance’ , which has chartreuse yellow leaves and provides a pop of color in a shady corner. ‘Curly Fries’ has unique long, narrow, tapered yellow leaves with rippled edges. A longtime favorite in gardens is ‘Earth Angel’, which has textured leaves that are heart-shaped with a creamy-white border. ‘Mini Skirt’ is a low-growing type that gets very dense with wavy leaves that are blue-green with creamy edges.

Planting Hostas

‘Sum and Substance’ is a very large hosta with textural, chartreuse leaves.

There is a hosta for almost any garden. If given the right growing conditions, hosta plants will thrive. As a general rule, they are shade-loving plants, although most will perform well in an area with morning sun. They do not like the hot afternoon summer sun, and their leaves will often burn with too much. Plant them in soil amended with an ample supply of compost. Black Gold Garden Compost Blend is ideal for working into the soil around hostas at the time of planting. For established plants, a yearly top dressing of Black Gold Earthworm Castings Blend and compost benefits the plants and the soil.

While the cool and moist Northwest climate is ideal for growing hostas, this climate is also ideal for the common garden slug– the number one pest of hostas. Usually, some type of slug control (such as the organic Sluggo) is necessary to prevent leaves from becoming chewed and hole-filled due to slug damage. Some hosta plants with thick, crinkled leaves tend to be more slug resistant, but not slug proof!

Most garden centers and nurseries have a wide variety of hostas for sale.

There are so many different and diverse hostas that a trip to your local garden center will give you a clue as to what is available. Even small garden centers tend to have many types. Hostas do die to the ground in the fall but are very winter hardy and easy to divide after several years. Give them a shady location with a soil rich in compost, and they will reward you for many years. And, if you really get hooked by the Hosta bug, The American Hosta Society is the best organization to join to meet other enthusiasts and learn more.

Spring Garden Tasks for a Happy Garden

Amidst these very troubling and upsetting times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I appreciate my garden even more. It is a refuge where I can go and clear my mind of all the chaos around me and feel some calmness. I can see the hummingbirds going for a meal in the flowers of Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium), and then fly off to a nest that is hidden someplace close. My dog Max, laying contently in the sun and watching me and the surroundings, adds to the respite. For Max and the hummingbird, this is just an April day in the garden.

To make the most of my garden through the growing season, I give it extra care in spring. These are the tasks that are certain to make my summer and fall garden the most enjoyable.

April Garden Tasks

Weeding and bed cleanup are two essential spring garden tasks.

Clean Up Beds: An April day in the garden to me is a signal that there is much yet to be done. Lots of tasks to be completed and this year, even pulling weeds seems much less of a chore than in past years. With the mild winter that we had, many marginally winter-hardy plants have survived and need to be cleaned up and prepared for warmer weather. Stems must be cut back, and old plant debris gently raked away.

Rejuvenate and Plant Outdoor Pots: It is also the time when I like to rejuvenate my many outdoor potted plants. If the pot is relatively small, I will probably remove all of the potting mix and add new. If it is a large pot, I will probably remove about half of the old potting mix and fill the rest of the pot with new. With the old potting mix that I have removed, I will apply this as a top dressing around established plants in the garden.

My potting mix of choice is Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Mix, but this year several new potting mixes are being offered by Black Gold, which I am anxious to try, including Black Gold^® Natural & Organic Flower and Vegetable Soil, which is specially formulated for contained flowers and edibles, and Black Gold Natural & Organic Ultra Coir, which holds extra water for longer. All of these products are OMRI Listed for organic gardening.

Pots of cheerful pansies are a sure sign of spring.

Plant Spring Pots: My smaller outdoor pots get planted with spring annuals. (Click here to learn more about spring containers.) I also pre-planted layered bulb containers in fall, which always look beautiful when they start to bloom in spring. (Click here to learn how to make layered bulb pots.) Once summer is around the corner, I trim away the fading bulb foliage and plant these containers with warm-season annuals for summer.

Some of my larger pots will be filled with perennials and maybe even a choice small shrub or two. In normal years, I enjoy visiting my favorite garden centers to find new and exciting plants, but under the current circumstances, I am looking for more plants online. Once the danger subsides, I will check to see if my local garden centers offer curbside pickup or delivery. Safety is more important than getting every garden plant on this year’s wish list.

Spring is a great time to divide perennials.

Divide and Plant Perennials: Plants that have overgrown their boundaries need to be divided and either moved or given away to friends (at a distance these days). Simply take a sharp space and divide and dig out unwanted clumps. Be sure to fill any holes with extra soil or amendment. If I can find some good new perennials for any holes in my garden, I also plant them at this time. It is always exciting to try new things and watch them bloom and grow.

Apply a layer of quality mulch to your garden beds before your perennials have fully emerged. It will save so much weeding time in summer.

Mulch: If you are going to add mulch to your garden, April is an excellent time. It is much easier to mulch now when plants are beginning to grow, rather than waiting until they have grown and filled in the empty spaces around them. The recommended depth for mulch is 2 to 3 inches because it is deep enough to stop weeds. Deeper mulch can smother or damage the emerging crowns of perennials or trunks of woody plants. (Click here to read more about different mulch options.)

Mossy lawns are a common sight in the Pacific Northwest. If you dislike moss, spring is the best removal time.

Moss (or Other Weed) Control: Moss is often a reoccurring problem in Pacific Northwest lawns, and now is the time to apply a moss control product. Be sure to read the label of your moss control product because many contain iron, which will stain concrete areas as well as the shoes of the person applying it. Those with broadleaf weed problems in their lawns should apply corn gluten at this time to put a damper on them.

Raspberries are a good edible plant for yards, but they require regular pruning and training

Plant Edibles: There is a huge interest in planting edibles in the landscape, including cool-season vegetables that can be planted now. (Click here for a list of cool-season vegetables.) If you have a sunny location, consider planting some of the cane berries, such as raspberries or blackberries. There are even dwarf forms ideal for containers. (Click here to learn more about the Bushel and Berry® Collection.) Don’t forget about lowbush blueberries, which are tidy shrubs that are easily be planted in with ornamentals, or strawberries, which grow well in pots (Click here to learn how to grow strawberries). Blueberries also make good container specimens for a deck or patio; just make sure they have a partially sunny location. (Click here to read more about edible landscaping.) There are also loads of exceptional spring-flowering trees with edible fruit to consider planting. (Click here to read more about flowering fruit trees.)

My hardy banana stems will grow back quickly as the weather heats up. (Image by Mike Darcy)

Special Projects: Every gardener is going to have projects unique to their gardens. Several days ago, I had what I jokingly referred to as a Musa massacre. I have a large clump of hardy banana, (Musa basjoo). It is considered hardy, but that means it is root hardy, because if we have a cold winter, the huge banana leaves will be killed, and the plant will die to the ground. However, in the spring new ‘pups’, as they are often called, will appear, and these new plants will often grow to 8-10 feet in one season. With the mild winter we had, my plants did not die back, but with the cold and wind, the leaves were shredded, and the clump was not an attractive sight! I cut off all of the old leaves and then cut the main stalks back to 5-6 feet. It was a lot of work.

There is a lot to do in April, and despite the many tasks, I like to emphasize that gardening should and can be enjoyable. Don’t let the April tasks be overwhelming, especially now that so many of us have extra time on our hands. Even if your gardening space is limited, take advantage of what you have. Even with no outside gardening space, there is a new world of hanging baskets, window boxes, and house plants! (Click here to learn more about creating hanging baskets, and click here to see some of our favorite festive house plants.)

How to Amend Clay Soils

One of the garden necessities that should never be overlooked is having the right soil for the right plant, which often means having good, fertile loam. For our plants to perform at their very best, it is our job to give them the best soil we can, but clay soils can make this a challenge. The best time to thoroughly amend the soil for a garden plant is at the time of planting, which is why it pays to work hard to enrich clay garden soils from the start.

Clay Soil Properties

Clay tends to stay in large clumps that harden in the sun. Breaking them up and incorporating organic matter will help keep them porous and reduce clumping.

The mention of clay soil to many gardeners will probably make them shudder. I had a gardener once tell me that clay was meant for making pottery, not for growing plants! Clay soils are mineral soils with very small particles. These are generally low in organic matter and have very small pore spaces, making it difficult for plant roots to penetrate and gather needed air and water. That’s why too much clay in the soil can be a detriment to plant growth. Plant roots need a balance of air pockets (for oxygen) and available water, but in heavy clay soils, air pockets are very small and scarce. As water seeps into the fine pore spaces of clay soil, the spaces quickly become fully saturated, leaving no room for air, and water percolates or drains through the small pores very slowly. Many plants grow poorly in these soil conditions.

But, while a clay soil is often a curse to gardeners, it does have some benefits. Clay particles capture nutrients and ward off the loss of soil nutrients by leaching. It also holds water well, so amended clay can have good fertility and water retention capabilities. The key is physically breaking the clay up and mixing in large quantities of light, porous organic matter to create structural balance to support good plant health.

Clay Soil Amendment

Tilling clay soil is a great way to lighten its texture quickly.

For a home gardener with heavy clay soil creating a garden or planting in the landscape is a task. It is essential to work up and fortify the soil in all beds and planting areas. Clay soil is easiest to amend when it has a light amount of moisture and is easily dug. Work up the soil with either a tiller or use a spading fork to manually break it up as deep as you can–a depth of 1 to 2 feet is good, depending on what you are planting. As the soil is turned over and loosened, it is gaining air pockets. Expose the broken up clay to the sun and air for a while, then break it up further. Once the clay is as light as can be, it’s time to add lots of organic matter.

The addition of large amounts of organic matter will transform clay soil. Both Black Gold Peat Moss and Black Gold Garden Compost Blend will do wonders. Add these products to your gardens at a ratio of one part organic matter to two parts soil for lasting fertility. Be sure that they are well incorporated to help maintain air pockets and soil loft. These products will ‘open’ heavy clay soils, improve drainage, and allow water to move more freely. Once everything is incorporated, apply fertilizer as needed, and get planting.

Over time, organic soil amendments will break down. Adding Black Gold Garden Compost Blend, leaf mulch, or fine bark mulch to the top of the soil yearly will annually benefit soils and help maintain fertility. Treating clay soil is not a one-time ‘thing,’ but rather a continuous process with a top dressing applied at least once a year. Twice would be better. If you are amending a vegetable garden or other annual bed, add in a wealth of organic matter each year because vegetables are demanding crops.

Other Amendment Considerations

Vegetable gardens benefit from the yearly addition of lots of organic matter into the soil.

I have been fortunate in my garden and have not had to deal with heavy clay issues. Nonetheless, I always add some compost to new plantings, in addition to mineral additives, like perlite and crushed pumice. I have found that these two products help with drainage and tend to keep the soil looser. Of course, container planting is much easier because plants are either planted annually or upgraded and transplanted regularly. No amendment needed.

Consider a plant’s basic requirements for optimum growth– air, water, nutrients, and a suitable environment. Highly fertile garden soil is one of these requirements. When you can provide the essentials, your plants will thank you!

Fertile garden soil that’s high in organic matter is porous, holds water and air well, and lets roots grow freely.

Late-Winter Garden Tasks for a Happy Garden

Clean off any debris that has collected on the lawn over the winter.

Take a Garden Stroll

With a steaming cup of coffee in my hand, I walk out into my garden this February morning and delight in seeing the nodding, bell-shaped white flowers of snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) (Click here to learn more about other early spring bulbs like snowdrops). I have a bed of these early-blooming winter flowers that have naturalized in a shady area of the garden. They are among the first blooming plants of the year. I see a few weeds here and there and pulling them will be a task for later in the morning.

Stop and enjoy your earliest garden flowers and weed around them along the way.

Just beyond the snowdrops is a mass of hellebores (Helleborus hybrids) that have, over the seasons, re-seeded and naturalized (Click here to learn more about Helleborus). They are now in full bloom and make quite a showing in the winter garden. I thought that I had groomed them all in fall but realize that there is still more grooming to be done. The old leaves need to be cut off. It can be a delicate job because it is easy to cut a new flower stem or emerging leaf. It is just another task to complete before the month is over, and spring actually arrives.

Beds and plants need cleaning up, tools need care, and the lawn requires tidying. Here are all of the late-winter garden tasks that I undertake to get my garden space into gear for the coming spring.

Prepare Your Garden Tools

Sharpen, clean, and oil garden tools for the coming season.

There are a few, what I call “general preparative maintenance tasks” yet to be completed in late winter that I plan on doing soon. These include things such as getting the lawnmower tuned up, and the pruning shears and spades sharpened, cleaned, and oiled; it is nothing very exciting and rather mundane tasks to me, but once completed I will feel that I am ready to begin to garden.

Prune Roses

Not that I believe that roses know the day of the month or when we celebrate certain holidays, but in the Pacific Northwest President’s Day has been the traditional time to prune roses. For hybrid tea roses, this is the time to remove any dead or dying canes. I like to thin my roses by taking out small and weak canes, so I am left with a bush that is about 18 inches tall with 4-5 sturdy canes. I also take off all of the old leaves on the ground and remove them from the area. The debris can harbor insects or diseases from the previous year, so it is important to remove all old plant material. It is also a good time to remove any weeds around the roses. (Click here to learn more about pruning shrub roses.)

Plant New Roses or Shrubs

Plant new shrubs. Make sure they are dormant or just breaking bud, like the other shrubs in your yard.

If you have some roses that have not performed well or perhaps were disease-prone, it is a good time to replace them. You can replace them with new choice shrubs or more disease-resistant roses. New bare-root roses start arriving at garden centers at this time, and the selection of varieties is probably better now than at any other time of year. Check the tags on roses as to their disease resistance properties. Since many of the new varieties have been bred to be disease resistant, this should be noted on the label. At planting time, be sure to amend the soil with Black Gold Peat Moss. (Click here to learn more about organic rose care and planting.)

Cut Back Old Perennials

Cut back the stems from last year’s perennials, such as peonies, making sure not to damage any newly emerging stems.

If you have not cut your herbaceous peonies back to ground level, do it now, and be very careful not to accidentally cut any of the new stems that are emerging from the ground. Remove the old stems and any leaves left from last year as old peony leaves can carry several diseases that can infect new growth in the spring. Keep the area around peonies free from any debris. This cutting-back process should be done with all other perennials that have old, dead leaf material from the previous year.

Prune, Clean, Plan New Plantings

Prune, clean, and prepare a tidy space for spring flowers to emerge and new plants to be planted.

You may have heard many gardeners say that a garden is never complete because there is always something else that needs to be done. In my garden, I can certainly attest to this. As I look around, I see some shrubs and small trees that need some additional pruning. Then there are the pathways in the garden that need to be re-defined and the brick edging that should be re-worked. I also like to take this time to think about what plants need to be removed or transplanted. Some gardeners refer to this as ‘editing’ because there is always something that is in the wrong place or has grown too large and needs to be divided. For most plants, February is still a good time to transplant.

As I gaze over my garden, I am already thinking of what new plants I will be buying in the spring and what new combinations I will have in my many pots. We have recently had some much-needed rain, and I am thrilled that my soil is having rain penetrate into the root zone of many plants. While I am not quite ready for spring, I will welcome its arrival and will hopefully have my late-winter tasks completed.

Late-Winter Garden Task List:

Clean and sharpen spades, pruners, and other tools
Cut back old perennials
Divide and move perennials that have grown too large
Get lawnmowers and other gas-powered equipment serviced
Plant shrubs
Prune roses, shrubs, and trees
Rake up any leaves and debris that have blown into the lawn
Remove winter weeds
Repair heaved or damaged garden walkways
Stop and admire your emerging garden

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