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…
Recently, I was browsing through my past columns looking for ideas when I came across my very first monthly check list, written in June 2001, 20 years ago. I have spilled a lot of ink since then, but the idea of a list of chores for every month of the year still seems useful. That being said, here are some thoughts to ponder…
I am inclined to think that when most gardeners discuss vines, monsters like wisteria, trumpet vine, honeysuckle, and even clematis, are probably the ones that come to mind. But there are true annuals, like sweet peas, scarlet runner beans and the many tropical vines that grow just fine in our summers, that can add a blast of color and even some privacy when grown on a trellis. Here are a few to try this summer…
We are fortunate, in our mild northwest climate, to be able to enjoy a wide selection of broadleaf evergreen shrubs - some of which will actually grow into small trees… The genus Euonymus, with several available species, is one of my favorites and yet another option that gives us a variety of choices in foliage size, color, and growth habit…
We are blessed with an extended parade of flowering trees in our northwest spring. Starting in February, we get to enjoy the flowering plums and flowering pears followed by all sorts of flowering cherries and several forms of magnolias. But as we move closer to the end of April, the pickings can get slim. Fortunately, this is exactly when the flowering crabapples come into bloom…
The Golfing Gardener
Trevor Cameron
Let the Trilogy of Conifers continue with the finale! Two weeks ago I discussed some basics on conifers to ponder and then last week we went with some beyond blue selections. For this week we move onto flavors, large and small, that boast bright yellow or white variegation. As I have stated in this forum many times, I love me some…