It pains me to see customers spending hundreds of dollars on new plants and simultaneously refusing to spend a few more on a bag or two of compost and a box of starter fertilizer. These two items are not unnecessary “add-ons” that the retailer is just trying to add to the sale, they are critical components of a successful transplanting process - or as I like to refer to them as “plant insurance”. Unless you have phenomenal soil, you should always add compost and starter fertilizers when you are planting new plants. Here is why…
One plant that simply must be present in every yard is a Laceleaf Japanese Maple. You know the ones… the beautiful, manageable sized trees that have interesting leaves in stunning colors all throughout the year. Laceleafs can be living art pieces when cared for properly and developed slowly into specimens that add character, texture, and color to any landscape. Even over the dormant winter months, a properly grown Laceleaf can be a stunning focal point in the garden…
For generations of gardeners, and certainly for me, Rhododendrons represent the arrival of spring in our local landscapes. Everywhere you drive this time of year there is a stunning Rhododendron in full bloom to catch your eye. These flowering beauties come in all sorts of…