By Melinda Myers Tuck them into the garden, pop some in a container or dress up a window box. Then water as needed, add a bit of fertilizer and wait for the color explosion. The showy heart-shaped leaves of caladiums come in combinations of pink, red, white and green. These heat-loving plants provide beautiful color all season long. Best of all, no deadheading is needed. Caladiums can be used to create a stunning garden almost anywhere around your home. These tropical beauties grow well in full to partial shade, and some varieties grow equally well in full sun. Choose varieties that will provide the color, size and look you want to achieve, and that match the light conditions in your yard. Compact caladiums, such as lime and dark pink Miss Muffet, grow about 12” tall and are perfect for lining a pathway, edging a flowerbed or dressing up a container. Florida Sweetheart’s bright, rose-pink leaves have ruffled green edges, and Gingerland has creamy white leaves that are decorated with splashes of green and red. All of these miniature varieties combine nicely with larger caladiums and elephant ears. Step up the color impact with caladium Red Flash. This full-size caladium grows about 20” tall and has brilliant red centers, decorated with pink dots that pop against the large, deep green leaves. Use these anywhere you want a big splash of color in a garden bed or container. Combine caladiums with shade-loving annuals like begonias, coleus, and mildew-resistant impatiens or other summer bulbs like cannas and elephant ears. Visit Longfield Gardens (longfield-gardens.com) for a bit of inspiration and container design ideas. You’ll find simple combinations that provide big impact on a deck, patio or entryway. When planting caladiums directly into the garden, wait until at least two weeks after all danger of frost…
By Melinda Myers Fill your garden with colorful annuals you and the pollinators can enjoy all season long. Look for outstanding varieties chosen by All-America Selections (AAS), a non-profit plant trialing organization, to brighten your garden, attract pollinators and outperform other varieties on the market. Attract hummingbirds and second looks from passersby with the vibrant bright orange flowers of Canna South Pacific. This compact variety can be started from seed and was selected as a 2018 AAS winner for its vigorous, full and uniform growth habit. Whether it’s spikes of lavender, pink, white or red your garden and container need, you’ll find them in the Salvia Jewel series. Watch the butterflies and hummingbirds stop by for a sip of nectar and the finches feast upon the seeds later in the season. Add more vertical interest and pollinator appeal in the garden and large planters with Asian Garden Celosia. The bright pink blooms hold their color all season long atop sturdy stems 31 to 40 inches tall. Include a few Cupheas, also known as Mexican Heather in containers, borders and mass plantings. FloriGlory Diana has more and larger flowers than its counterparts. The season long bloom of intense magenta flowers made this a winner. Incorporate beauty even in challenging locations with EnduraScape Pink Bicolor Verbena. As the name implies it is tough as nails, tolerating drought, heat and temperatures in the low teens. Use this spreader in large containers and baskets where you can appreciate the soft pink blooms with their darker center. Wow visitors and lure pollinators to your garden and containers with Vinca Mega Bloom Orchid Halo. The bright purple blooms with a white eye stand up to heat and humidity without succumbing to disease. Grow winning varieties of a traditional favorite, zinnia. These low maintenance sun-loving annuals can…
Pictured above: Kaveri lilies bloom mid-summer and enliven gardens with their golden yellow petals painted with tangerine and burgundy. Photo credit: Longfield-Gardens.com By Melinda Myers Now is the time to order your lily bulbs. The earlier you shop the more choices you’ll have. Lily bulbs planted this spring will flower this summer and return to bloom again for years to come. Lilies add long-lasting color and fragrance to flower gardens and summer bouquets. These stately flowers provide vertical interest and blend nicely with other perennials. And best of all, with very little care, you’ll be enjoying them for years to come. Planting the bulbs early is the key. Plant different types of lilies to extend your enjoyment from early summer into fall. The colorful and often fragrant blossoms add elegance to any bouquet and are long-lasting in a vase. Start off the summer with Asiatic lilies. These compact plants have upward or outward facing blooms, and though they are not fragrant, they do come in bright colors that will light up your early summer garden. All are hardy in zones 4 to 9. The next lilies to bloom are LA Hybrids. These trumpet-shaped lilies are a cross between fragrant Easter lilies (Lilium longiflorum) and colorful Asiatics. Choose from an array of rich colors including cream, pink, yellow, orange and red. Hardy in zones 4 to 9 – we are in zone 7. The dainty blossoms of turk’s cap lilies open in early summer. Also known as Martagon lilies, these flowers have recurved petals and look like they are dangling from an upside-down candelabra. Hardy in zones 3 to 9, these lilies prefer partially shaded gardens and woodland edges. Trumpet lilies steal the show in midsummer. Like their close relative the Easter lily, these big, outward-facing blossoms have long trumpets and are…
This column provided by TheGardenHelper.com Even though it may still be cold, damp and miserable outdoors, an occasional dose of sunshine could certainly put the gardening bug into you. With a little luck, Mother Nature will send a few blossoms your way this month. We are now at a time when we can no longer put off those garden projects, waiting for a nice day……don’t be caught off guard though, winter is far from being over! If exceptionally cold weather is forecast, provide protection to early flowering or tender plants by covering them with some type of cloth material. Remove the covering as soon as the weather moderates again. Shrubs and Trees Deciduous shrubs and trees are still dormant enough to transplant this month, once the buds have begun to swell, it will be to late. Click these links for information on transplanting azaleas or moving specimen plants. Trees which weren’t fed last fall should be deep fed by punching a series of 1-2 inch holes two feet apart around the drip line and filled with an appropriate food. A mulch of well composted manure is also an excellent treat for your tree. Mid to late February is the time to fertilize shrubs and evergreens. Use an acid type rhododendron fertilizer to feed evergreens, conifers, broad leaf evergreens, rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias. Use an all-purpose fertilizer to feed roses and other deciduous trees and shrubs. If you use dry type fertilizers, be sure to water it in thoroughly. Prune your summer flowering shrubs now but be aware that spring bloomers have already produced their buds last fall, and pruning them now will result in the loss of flowers. Forsythia, quince, spirea and other early spring flowering shrubs should be pruned a little later, after they have finished flowering. Pruning to…
By Melinda Myers Gardeners know the benefits of digging in the soil. It elevates a person’s mood, improves mental and physical well-being and the outcome is always good – added beauty or tasty nutritional food. But many of us are stuck indoors for the winter, have a lack of space to garden outdoors or just can’t get enough of this healthful activity. Adding greenery indoors expands our gardening opportunities and provides the many benefits of living with and tending plants. Let’s start with the kitchen. Boost the flavor and nutrition of winter meals by growing leafy greens and herbs in a sunny window or under a cabinet with the help of a Growbar LED light fixture. Start plants from seeds or purchase transplants to grow indoors. Place your indoor kitchen garden in a brightly lit location, free of cold drafts and with easy access to harvest and use. Then enlist the whole family and even your guests into harvesting greens for their salad and herbs to season their meals. This is sure to turn family and friend gatherings into unique and memorable experiences. Include plants in your home or work office. Greenery helps reduce stress even when working at your desk or tackling homework at the end of a long day. Set a few plants on or near your desk or other workspace. And don’t let a lack of light stop you from growing a bit of green stress relief. Stylish energy efficient full spectrum plant lights, like the Felt Pendant Grow Light (modsprout.com), fit any décor, direct light where it is needed and promote healthy plant growth. Take advantage of your bathroom’s high humidity. Grow ferns, orchids, bromeliads and other humidity-loving plants in this space. Consider these and other low light plants like cast iron, pothos and philodendron if…
By Melinda Myers The holiday season has arrived. That means you will be on the giving or receiving end of a poinsettia, Christmas cactus, cyclamen, amaryllis or other holiday plant. Extend the beauty and longevity of these holiday beauties with proper care. And that starts the minute you leave the florist or garden center. Always protect your gift plants from the harsh outdoors. Professional florists and garden center staff will provide a care tag and wrap your plants in a plastic or paper sleeve. Remove the wrap as soon as you arrive home. This is especially important when caring for poinsettias. The upturned leaves emit ethylene, a ripening hormone that can shorten the longevity of your poinsettia’s colorful display. Rewrap your holiday plant anytime you move it outdoors and never leave it sitting in a cold car while running errands. A chilled plant looks fine until it thaws. By the next day the plant turns grayish-green, wilts and may die. Not such a nice gift after all. Once your plant arrives home, place it in a cool, brightly lit location. The cool temperatures and indirect light help the blooms last longer. Avoid drafts of hot and cold air. These can dry or chill the plant, resulting in leaf and blossom drop. Fold down the foil wrap to allow sunlight to reach all the leaves. Keep the soil moist, like a damp sponge, but not wet. A quick touch of the top inch or two of soil will let you know when it is time to water. Water thoroughly whenever the top few inches of soil are crumbly and just slightly moist. Pour out any water that collects in the foil, basket, decorative pot or saucer. Or place pebbles in the bottom of the container or saucer to elevate the plant…
By Christa Watters Procrastinators rejoice! Though those of us who grew up in colder climes may think it’s too late to plant our bulbs for spring bloom, it’s really not – at least not for all bulbs. Tulips, for example, can rot in the ground in our heavy Virginia soil during warm, wet falls. Some sources say that waiting until about first frost is better for tulip bulbs, which like colder climates. Plus, it gives the squirrels less time to dig them up before frost hardens the ground. Still, you need to get them in before the ground really freezes. So, November, and sometimes even early December is still fine. It’s also fine for planting daffodils and narcissus bulbs, hyacinths, crocuses, even grape hyacinths. Be generous – color massing is the most effective way to create an impressive and heart-lifting display next spring. So, cluster the bulbs in drifts that complement the rest of your borders or beds. In our area, most hybrid tulips don’t successfully come back in succeeding years, and should thus be treated like annuals. If you do leave them for a second year, choose Darwin varieties, some authorities recommend. Alternatively, choose species tulips that generally perennialize better and naturalize well in rock garden clusters, as in this photo of Kaufmanniana tulips at the Simpson Waterwise Garden. Daffodils and narcissi are much more reliable at coming back year after year and even multiplying in the ground. Choose some bulbs for their massing effect, yes. But also consider choosing some for their individual beauty, like these gracefully winged white and yellow Cyclamineus narcissi. For fall crocus and colchicums, the fall-blooming relatives of our spring bulbs, it is, unfortunately too late this year, but while you peruse the catalogs, make a note on your calendar to order the bulbs…
by Bob Matthews It is time for the annual “how to pick out a pumpkin column. Bob Matthews knows it best, see below. – OTC Going out to a pumpkin patch to pick pumpkins, is a fun filled rite of the fall season. Whether you go out to a field filled with pumpkins, or get them from a roadside stand, we want to be certain that you get the absolutely best pumpkin for carving, decorating and eating! Pumpkins are called “Long keepers”. A healthy, uncarved pumpkin can last to Thanksgiving and beyond. How to Select the Perfect Pumpkin: Select a pumpkin that is completely orange. A partially green pumpkin might not ripen any further. Size is an important factor. Medium pumpkins are best for pumpkin carving. Small pumpkins are better for cooking. Do not pick a pumpkin that is too big for you to carry, especially if you have back problems. Does the shade of orange matter? If so, there are hundreds of varieties, some with different shades of orange. Selecting the shape is a matter of personal preference. Some like ’em tall. Others, like ’em round. Often, people select shapes to fit the carving patterns they will use. Pick your pattern before you go. Do not lift or carry a pumpkin by it’s stem. The pumpkin stem gives it character. A ripe pumpkin has a hard shell that does not dent or scratch easily when pressing on it with a thumbnail. Do this on the back or bottom of the fruit…….never on the face. Examine the entire pumpkin carefully for soft spots. If you find even one soft spot, go on to the next pumpkin. Check the pumpkin for cracks and splits. If you find one, examine it to be sure it is not turning into a soft spot…
By Jacqueline Murphy It’s September already and your garden may be looking a little fatigued, which is entirely natural. Soon it will be time to put it to bed for its winter rest. This does not mean, however, that you should toss aside your tools and put up your feet for the season. Whether your garden consists of a window box or two or a spacious yard, there is work to be done yet. If you must take a rest before starting on the more arduous tasks to hand, use that quiet time to cast a discerning eye upon the fruits of your labor to date. I like to assess the previous growing season and mentally catalog what worked well, what didn’t, what needs to be divided, pruned, etc., and start thinking about what I want to accomplish next year. Refresh worn-out plantings. September is also a good time to consider sprucing up a tired design with some late season color, either by adding some annuals (pansies, snapdragons, stock, ornamental kale) perennials (asters, mums, ornamental grasses), or woody plants that will offer some structure and visual interest into the winter months (camellia, beautyberry, hypericum, oakleaf hydrangea). Do your research. No idea what these plants look like, you say? Looking at photos in books and on the Internet is nice but it’s so much better to see the plants in situ in a well-tended garden. If you live in Alexandria, you won’t have far to go. Chances are very good that there are some fabulous gardens on your street. Most gardeners I know are delighted to show off their handiwork and discuss their triumphs with admirers so trot over and chat them up. If you’re too shy to quiz your neighbors about their horticultural endeavors, head to the nearest garden center…
By Melinda Myers All your hard work is paying off with a bountiful harvest. Fresh produce is filling your garden, countertops, and refrigerator while the garden keeps producing more. Preserve some of your harvest to enjoy throughout the winter with some tried-and-true or updated variation of food preservation techniques. Hanging bundles of herbs to dry is a long-time practice that works. Harvest herbs in the morning just after the dew has dried off the leaves. Rinse, allow them to dry, and remove any damaged or dried leaves. Gather the dry herbs into small bundles and secure with a rubber band. Use a spring-type clothespin to hang the bundles from a clothesline or hanger in a warm, dry, airy place out of direct sunlight. A modern twist on this tradition is the space-saving drying rack hung from the ceiling. You will be able to dry large quantities of herbs in any narrow, out-of-the-way space. Extend the life, flavor, and nutritional value of squash with proper harvesting and storage. Only store blemish- and damage-free fruits and vegetables to reduce the risk of mold and decay developing during storage. Harvest zucchini when the fruit is six to eight inches long and scalloped squash when three to six inches in diameter. Store these in a plastic bag inside the vegetable crisper drawer in your refrigerator for several days. Wait to harvest winter squash when the fruit is full-sized, and the rinds are firm and glossy. The portion touching the ground turns from cream to orange when the fruit is ripe. Use a pruner to harvest the fruit, leaving a one-inch stem on each fruit. Cure all winter squash, except for acorn, in a warm, humid location. Then move to a cool, dry, well-ventilated area to store for several months. In the past, gardeners stored…
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