http://statebystategardening.com/ky/blog_03_summary/ en kstone@boonecountyky.org Copyright 2012 2012-05-12T16:53:00+00:00 http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/ky/blog_03/plant_profile_japanese_snowbell/ http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/ky/blog_03/plant_profile_japanese_snowbell/   Are you looking for an excellent small flowering tree for your landscape? Japanese snowbell (Styrax japonicus) is rarely encountered in the landscapes of Kentucky but deserves much wider use. This small tree reaches 20-30 ft tall and wide with elegant horizontal branching. One of its most well-known features is the dependable and heavy bloom of small white bell shaped flowers that hang downward in great masses from May to June.  Fall color is a good yellow with hints of red at times.      Use Japanese snowbell as a specimen tree, patio tree, or in groupings.  Try to place the tree so that the blooms can be viewed from below.     The Japanese snowbell will do best in full sun to part shade and prefers moist, acidic soils.  Avoid thin, drought-prone soils, and in the event of significant drought, this tree must be provided supplemental watering to avoid scorching of the foliage.    2012-05-12T16:53:00+00:00 http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/ky/blog_03/yellow_magnolias/ http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/ky/blog_03/yellow_magnolias/ In the spring, few flowering trees can be as stunning in our area as the early spring blooming magnolias. For me personally, the yellow flowering selections are the most exciting and most under utilized in Kentucky landscapes.  In recent years a stunning new selection known as 'Butterflies' has made a big splash in the nursery trade industry and can be located for sale relatively frequently.   'Butterflies' is a hybrid of M. acuminata x M. denudata ‘Sawada’s Cream’, and is a deciduous, upright magnolia, featuring 3-4" deep yellow flowers. This selection blooms well as a young plant and matures at 25-30’. Hardy to zone 5 (-20oF).  ( (    If 'Butterflies' is too bright for your color needs perhaps the one of the most well known older selections of yellow flowering magnolias known as 'Elizabeth' is a better match.    Magnolia x 'Elizabeth' is a deciduous magnolia tree with a pyramidal form that matures to 20-35’ tall and features fragrant yellow flowers in early spring. 'Elizabeth' is a cross between cucumber tree (M. acuminata) and Yulan magnolia (M. denudata). Primrose yellow flowers (each to 3” across) have tinges of yellow green near the bases. Flowers tend to occur at the ends of branches, and open before foliage emerges.  Hardy to zone 5 (-20F).            2012-03-25T17:32:59+00:00 http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/ky/blog_03/mid-winter_blooms/ http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/ky/blog_03/mid-winter_blooms/ Nothing says spring is coming better than a bright yellow patch of crocus blooming in late winter! This shot was taken the first week of February, and many of them are still blooming.       Jelena Witch-hazel (Hamamelis x intermedia) 'Jelena' is quite stunning. This photo was taken the first week of February at Boone County arboretum in Northern Kentucky. The mild weather this winter has really caused our spring blooming witch-hazels to explode into bloom throughout the region. Jelena however, is a favorite with its extra long petals that are a glowing coppery orange in color.  This is H. x intermedia 'Diane' for those who like more of a reddish flower.  H. x intermedia. Even un named hybrid witch-hazel can be quite stunning. As you see in the background however some of these hold so many leaves that the flowers are hidden, this is why named selections are very important when it comes to witch-hazels.      Here we have H x intermedia 'Arnold Promise', as it was just starting to open flowers. Dawn Viburnum (Viburnum x bodnantense)  'Dawn'.  This is always the first of the viburnums to bloom in Kentucky.  The flowers almost always get burned by freezing weather, but its still a welcome sight to remind us that winter is almost over.  This plant started blooming in early February and is still trying to bloom! And last but not least, yesterday at my own garden, my favorite hellebore opened up its blooms finally.  Some of you may remember this plant last year when I blogged about it on February 23, 2011.  Back then, it was just starting to expand out the flowers.  I would say that we are 1-2 weeks ahead of last year on this plant, though other plants in my garden and at the nearby arboretum are up to 3 weeks ahead of last year!      The first viburnum blooms this year have started opening on our Dawn Bodnant Virburnum. Not to worry, this plant always blooms very early in response to mild weather. As you can see in the picture, the bright pink buds open pale pink before fading to white. The flowers are also fragrant. This 8-10 ft tall and 4-6ft wide shrub also offers good red fall color as well as the very early bloom period when most other plants are still at rest.   Thethe     2012-02-06T23:33:44+00:00 http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/ky/blog_03/oustanding_bark_for_winter_interest/ http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/ky/blog_03/oustanding_bark_for_winter_interest/ Sometimes you need some awesome winter interest to get you through those dreary winter days in Kentucky. While a good display of colorful fruit can be hard to beat, I think beautiful winter bark has more staying power because it never goes away. Yep, bark is pretty much bird proof!  Here are two of my favorites that I think could be used more in landscapes within our region: China Snow Lilac (Syringa pekinensis) 'China Snow'- To me, this is one of the most stunning of all our plants in terms of winter bark interest at the Boone County Arboretum. The shiny deep copper-bronze bark that peels in elegant curls is simply amazing to see. This small to medium sized tree lilac puts on a nice show of huge fragrant white flower clusters in late spring (June) and can sometimes sporadically re-bloom later in summer. Fall color is usually yellow. When coupled with good drought tolerance, this makes an excellent alternative to flowering cherries which have similar bark. Below is a close up image of the bark on one of our China Snow lilacs at Boone County Arboretum.   Fox Valley River Birch (Betula nigra) 'Little King'-  . ---    Of course any good gardener knows that birches have long been considered the kings of colorful bark as a genus. Unfortunately many species can be a bit finicky in our Ohio Valley climate, or they grow too large for the average home landscape. Well, problem solved by Fox Valley River Birch (also know as Little King). This slower growing, and very compact version of River Birch is a much better choice for smaller landscapes, or where a less imposing specimen is needed. The tree pictured below is only about 10-12 ft tall and wide after about 12-15 years of growth here at the arboretum. We think 15-20 ft tall and wide might be a good eventual size for the plant. You can see the difference in this selection compared to Heritage river birch in the left background of the picture of the whole plant at the Arboretum.     2012-01-20T00:46:23+00:00 http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/ky/blog_03/january_gardening/ http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/ky/blog_03/january_gardening/ Happy New Gardening Year!    I hope that all of us had a wonderful holiday season this year, and that your first day of the new year was excellent.  With the mild weather of late many of you may have been able to get some gardening chores taken care of that you ran out of time to do back in the fall.  Its not often that we get to say that in late December or January that's for sure!  While we haven't had record breaking warmth, it seems that a day or two in the 50's or 60's has fooled a few plants so far.  In my garden I have a hybrid hellebore (Lenten Rose) that is now in full bloom (in the photos below), and my King Alfred daffodils have about an inch or so of foliage sticking up already. The odd looking green stuff amognst the emerging daffodil foliage is my cold hardy prickly pear cactus.  It deflates during cold weather and waits untill the warmth of spring to fill up its pads with water once again, it has certainly not been fooled by the weather yet!           I am also hearing reports of the following other plants blooming in the region: Hamamelis vernalis (Vernal Witchhazel), Mahonia bealei (Oregon Grape Holly), Spiraea thunbergii (Thunberg Spirea) Chaenomeles speciosa 'Texas Scarlet' (Flowering Quince), Forsythia, Prunus mume (Japanese Apricot), and Viburnum farreri (Fragrant Viburnum).  What a list for early January!!!  Not to worry, pretty much all of these species are early bloomers by nature, and thus are probably the easiest to be coaxed into early bloom. Thus, they are usually not bothered by extreme cold, and will usually resume a normal flowering schedule closer to when they normally bloom.  As for any spring flowering bulb that has foliage emerging, they should be fine too.  The flower buds are well below ground still, and safe from  frigid temps that are guaranteed to eventually arrive as we go into the heart of winter.        2012-01-01T22:29:47+00:00 http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/ky/blog_03/december_garden_and_landscape_tips/ http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/ky/blog_03/december_garden_and_landscape_tips/ Lawn Tips: There isn’t much to be done in the lawn during December, aren’t you glad? You can always keep any remaining leaves coming off trees that hold their leaves late off of the lawn, or mulch up these leaves if we happen to have good enough weather to do so.     Early: It’s ok to do very light pruning for holiday greenery now if you must. Try to spread out greenery harvesting amongst many plants, and don’t prune out any more than you’ll actually need. Pruning now causes plants to be more susceptible to the cold, and opens wounds that won’t have a chance to start healing until the following spring.   Seal the ends of those cut greenery branches with wax, and dip southern magnolia leaves into a container of floor wax to help keep them looking shiny & nice throughout the holidays.   Provide those seasonal gift plants many will receive this time of year plenty of light once they are in the home. If it has a care tag, be sure to look up its light requirements. If you’re not sure what the plant is, contact TSHC and we’ll figure it out together.   Did you receive an amaryllis bulb, or one already potted as a gift? Place it in front of a sunny window and keep it evenly moist. Never allow it to sit in water that collects in the drainage saucer below the pot.  Within 4-6 weeks you should have some amazing blooms.   Thanks to the abundant rainfall this fall our evergreen plants should be in less danger from winter desiccation. Normally, you’ll want to water evergreens deeply up until the ground freezes to the point that you cannot water anymore if it has been dry.   Are your perennial plants well mulched? A good layer of mulch will help reduce frost heaving which can literally uproot small plants. Middle: Brown edges on the leaves of houseplants might mean the humidity is too low inside the house.  A humidifier or placing the plants over a tray of pebbles with water in the tray can help increase humidity near plants.     Check your stored canna, gladiolus, dahlia, caladium, and elephant ear tubers for disease. Discard any that look bad (moldy).   Planting a holiday tree?  Better be sure that hole is dug before the ground freezes solid.   Late: Avoid using salt on walkways and driveways around trees and shrubs. Many species of plants are extremely sensitive to salt in the soil, and are easily injured.  Keep an eye out for spider mites on houseplants.  You’ll notice fine webbing on leaves and stems. If you feed birds, be sure to keep it up throughout the winter. It is most important that feeders are full during severe winter storms. Seeds that are simply supplemental under normal conditions may suddenly become vital during one fierce ice storm or blizzard. A heated bird bath will provide a source for water in the winter as well, at a time when most all sources are frozen over.   2011-12-02T00:17:12+00:00 http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/ky/blog_03/november_garden_and_landscape_tips/ http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/ky/blog_03/november_garden_and_landscape_tips/ November Garden and Landscape Tips       Lawn Tips: Drop the mower deck down and mow your grass at a height of 1.5 to 2 inches for the winter & fertilize.   Be sure to remove all leaves from the lawn by raking them up, or using a mulching mower to shred them and return nutrients to the soil.   Early: Now is a great time to plant deciduous plant material. Be sure to water them in well to help get rid of any air pockets in the soil around the root ball.   Remove all leaf and flower debris from the garden to prevent providing a home for overwintering insects and diseases. Use this debris to start a compost pile if you haven’t already.    Monitor houseplants; if they are dropping excessive amounts of leaves try moving them closer to a window, or a totally different location to find the right balance of light for them. Shedding of older leaves is normal when you bring them in for the fall, but newer leaves dropping can be a sign of a problem.   It’s still a good time to consider forcing bulbs in pots for early spring bloom indoors. They’ll need 10-13 weeks of chilling (refrigerate, but don’t freeze!) and take about 4 weeks to bloom after bringing them out to room temperature. Take a tour of your property and identify small trees and shrubs that will need protection from rabbits and mice over the winter (preferably metal screening). They like to gnaw off the bark, and will completely girdle or cut off small stems if not protected.   If you are planning on getting a living Christmas tree this year, pre-dig the hole now (to avoid bad weather, or frozen soil!) and store the soil in buckets until planting time.   Finish harvesting all root crops, and store them in a cool, humid environment. Middle: Winter is very stressful to broadleaf evergreens if there is inadequate soil moisture. It is always important to soak plantings well before the soil freezes.       Continue planting hardy bulbs as long as the ground can be worked or at least until Thanksgiving.   Fertilize trees and shrubs after we experience several good hard freezes (mid 20’s F, or colder).    Late: Winterize roses (hybrid teas, grandifloras and floribundas) after a killing frost but before the soil freezes. Reduce breakage of tall canes by winter winds by cutting them back to 30 to 36 inches and tying tips together. Hill soil over the center of the plants in broad rounded mounds at least 12 inches high and 12 inches wide. Cover the soil mounds with mulch 2-3 inches deep. Mulch strawberries with 3 inches of clean wheat straw.   2011-11-01T22:44:03+00:00 http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/ky/blog_03/sweet_potatoes_of_the_cincinnati_zoo_botanical_gardens/ http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/ky/blog_03/sweet_potatoes_of_the_cincinnati_zoo_botanical_gardens/ Several weeks ago I had some extra time to kill while at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens, so I decided to take a closer look at their extensive plantings of sweet potato vines that they had been promoting at their Plant Trials Day. I can definitely see why now, as there are some new selections out that will really make you fall in love with sweet potato vines all over again!   First we'll start with how they use sweet potato vines at the zoo. I love the way these park benches have the vines draped between, over, and behind them.        Then we have the use of these brilliantly covered vines in mass for breathtaking contrast of colors and textures.           Below is a general overview of the selections I came across while walking around that afternoon, keep in mind this is after a long, hot, dry summer!                   'Sweet Caroline Bewitched'                                                                                                                 'Illusion Garnet Lace'                           'Sweet Caroline Sweetheart Light Green'                                                                                                         'Sweetheart Red'                            'Sweet Caroline Sweetheart Purple'           2011-10-08T15:25:12+00:00 http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/ky/blog_03/october_garden_and_landscape_tips/ http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/ky/blog_03/october_garden_and_landscape_tips/ October Garden and Landscape Tips     Lawn Tips: Now is a good time to aerate the lawn, but with this year’s drought you’ll need to water deeply ahead of time to be able to do this!   Control mole infestations with traps, diligence (sitting in a chair with a pitchfork waiting), or any other concoction someone has told you about.  If it works let us know!  I have read a mixture of castor oil, and detergent sprayed onto and watered into the lawn can get rid of them. Early: Have green tomatoes in the garden? Harvest them before frost, and bring them indoors to ripen.   If you haven’t brought your houseplants in, you better do so soon. Night temperatures below 50 degrees F is damaging to the cells of many tropical plants. We have already been in the low to mid 40’s several times last month! Yellowing leaves will slowly start to show up from cold injury within a couple weeks, and the plants will be slow to recover from this damage.  Spray for insects before bringing them indoors and reduce watering.   If you grew sweet potatoes now is the time to harvest them.   Now that the recent unseasonably late intense heat appears to be over, you can plant fall pansies and mums. This year you’ll need to water them almost daily and mulch deeply to conserve water and prevent heaving from winter freeze / thaw cycles. With luck your pansies will overwinter and come back bigger and better next spring.   Don’t forget to start preparing your “Thanksgiving” or “Christmas Cactus” for the holidays.  Bright sunlight, followed by complete darkness and drier conditions (but never bone dry!) are needed to set buds. Middle: Normally fall is a great time to plant trees and shrubs. This year however will be risky because of the drought until plant material has shed leaves and has become fully dormant (a couple good heavy frosts and a hard freeze will ensure this). Be sure to keep all newly plant material well watered and mulched.      Protect the trunks of young trees with deer protection before the fall rut begins. Plastic or wire fencing, or anything that lets the trunk receive sunlight and air will work. Never use a solid material that shades the trunk or captures rainwater. Buck deer in rut like anything with soft smooth bark, and especially aromatic plants like most conifers.   This is also normally about as late in the year as possible to move and divide perennial plants (the best time was mid-summer). But once again this year’s drought is in the way by making things even more risky!  All plants are stressed right now, and since transplanting only adds more stress to already weakened plants you’ll be taking a bit more risk this year. Be sure to water deeply before you dig or divide, and keep new transplants well watered.    Late: Plant spring flowering bulbs now. This year it may be wise to invest in a “bulb auger” to get through the hard, dry ground.    Be sure to clean off and oil all garden tools before they are put away for the winter. Of course your garden power equipment all need to be winterized as well so you might as well make a day of it.     2011-10-01T18:13:46+00:00 http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/ky/blog_03/september_garden_and_landscape_tips/ http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/ky/blog_03/september_garden_and_landscape_tips/ September Garden and Landscape Tips   Lawn Tips: Continue watering your lawn, and never allow the lawn to go completely brown as it may not recover, especially fescue lawns!    Fall is a great time to fertilize the lawn but not this year in September. Drought and heat are still too severe and you’ll just be causing more damage than good.  Wait until our drought subsides to fertilize this year. Early: Prepare your Christmas cactus plants for bloom by restricting light and lowering night temperatures.    Bring houseplants indoors before night time temperatures fall below 50 degrees F.    Remove old raspberry canes and pick up fallen fruit from under fruit trees to reduce diseases.    It’s not too late to divide day lilies, iris, phlox and peonies. Just be sure you can water deeply and often with this drought we have!   Now is a great time to fertilize strawberries to help get them on the path towards a great crop next spring.    Start parsley seeds (indoors) now for your indoor winter herb garden.    Broadcast turnip seeds outdoors now for your fall garden.    Potatoes should be ready to dig (harvest). When the vines have died off for about two weeks you’ll know they are ready.     Middle: Don’t let your guard down on roses for insect and disease problems. Keeping problems at a minimum now will make next year easier.      Store leftover garden seed in tightly sealed jars that are located in cool, dark places. Some seed will keep for years.      Now is a good time to start digging up and storing your non hardy tuberous begonias, gladiolus, and elephant ears. Cannas and dahlia can survive light frosts, but heavy killing frosts and freezes can damage the roots.     Keep deadheading those annuals to keep them blooming all the way up until frost.     Gourds should now be getting close to being ready for harvest. Stems will turn brown and begin to dry when ready.     Divide and replant perennial salvia, primroses, hollyhocks, and transplant columbine, and lenten rose seedlings if needed.   Don’t neglect watering of your azaleas, and rhododendrons. Next year’s flower buds are newly formed and may be aborted because of drought.         Late: Popcorn should be harvested before the first frosts arrive in early October, waiting too late will cause moldy ears (doesn’t that sound awful).   Prepare raised beds for next spring’s garden now by taking advantage of nice fall weather that you won’t have in our often cold, wet springs!    2011-08-31T23:15:33+00:00