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…
Over the last 10 years I have written several times about the attributes of our North American native, Echinacea purpurea, or what we commonly refer to as a coneflower. These tough perennials mix well with Ornamental Grasses, Sedums, Lavender, Black-eyed Susan Daisies and really, just about any summer blooming perennial that likes a hot, dry, location. And while they have been a staple on most gardens…
The Golfing Gardener
Trevor Cameron
Rhododendrons are not only the state flower for our Washingtonian homeland, but they are perhaps the most widely planted shrub in our region. Now that we are in the heart of springtime in the PNW, Rhododendrons (and their cousins the Azaleas) are…