Superbena are the most vigorous, heat tolerant, and mildew tolerant series. While always great in containers they are also fantastic in landscape beds. They can tolerate dry soils and lower fertility. Normally either an application of slow release fertilizer or amending with compost is enough to keep them happy and blooming in landscape beds. They shouldn’t need to be trimmed
Read morePlant for Birds, Bees and Butterflies (3B) March feature: Rockin’™ Playin’ the Blues® Salvia longispicata x farinacea Playin’ The Blues™ is a wonderful annual Salvia compact and richly colored it is easy and trouble free. It is sterile so it will not set seed and that means it will just bloom, and bloom and bloom all season without stopping. You
Read moreAmbrosia for butterflies, blooming shrub for the garden Can you guess which plant tops the list of “Best Plants for a Butterfly Garden”? Its name is a huge hint. Of course, Butterfly Bush Buddleia (also Buddleja) reigns Number One. This sun-loving shrub produces nectar-filled blooms that always seem to be the most popular among butterflies. If by chance there might
Read moreHosta–still king of shade plants and easy for every gardener to grow Why Hostas Hostas continue to reign as the king of shade plants. In fact, they remain the top selling perennial in the country, surpassing the ever-popular daylily by a factor of two in sales volume. Hostas tolerate shade where many plants do not. But why are hostas so
Read moreExtended wet periods can cause problems with our area soils. Soils in this part of the country, for the most part, tend to have high clay content. Clay is poorly drained and aerated, and holds high levels of water, which can be detrimental to many plants. Identifying water-damaged plants Waterlogged soils exclude oxygen from the roots thus causing decline
Read morePeppers, a highlight in any garden are one of the easiest plants to grow. Bringing a rainbow of colors, a plethora of shapes and different degrees of heat to your table, peppers are an attractive addition to any garden or container. It’s easy to value these plants for looks and flavor alone, but the pepper is a nutritional powerhouse as
Read moreTheir Babies Eat Your Aphids Photos and Text by Tom Schroeder When I say the word “Fly”, you probably do not imagine brightly colored, harmless Flower Flies feeding on flowers in your garden. Their larvae spend the night voraciously eating aphids on your garden plants while you sleep. By modifying a few gardening practices, you can encourage this natural pest
Read moreMaking your own nectar couldn’t be easier. In a few easy steps, you can bring these nectar-loving birds to your feeder. Materials: 1/4 cup of refined white sugar 1 cup boiling water bowl spoon Important: Don’t use honey; it can promote dangerous fungal growth. Organic, natural and raw sugars contain levels of iron that could be harmful. Plain white table
Read moreA campaign to register a million public and private gardens and landscapes to support pollinators. The Million Pollinator Garden Challenge (MPGC) is a nationwide call to action to preserve and create gardens and landscapes that help revive the health of bees, butterflies, birds, bats and other pollinators across America. We will move millions of individuals, kids and families outdoors and
Read moreEasy and Tasty Basil Basil likes the warmth of full sun to grow best. Lift transplants carefully by the leaves instead of the stem. Set outdoors only after soil and air temperatures are warm. One chilly night can set plants back. Sweet green basil can be dried, frozen in ice cubes, or used fresh. Blended with pine nuts, oil and cheese, this
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