Category: Flowers

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Flopping Daffodils

 

TheGardenLady received this question from Shelly:

My daffodils have grown, but after a few days, they fall over, should I put some bone meal in the soil? I have Tulips and day lillies in the same bed, around a tree.

If your plants look healthy, no diseases on them, there are a few reasons that your plants are falling over.  Daffodils can be blown over by strong winds or if there are heavy rains, the rain can make the leaves and flowers flop over.

But generally, the reason the leaves and flowers of outdoor planted bulbs flop over is because of the planting depth. Planting depth and spacing are very important to the success of bulbs.

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The 2008 Philadelphia Flower Show – WOW!!!

 

TheGardenLady spent Wed. at the 2008 Philadelphia Flower Show. Her reaction? WOW! What a show!

The Flower Show is always a spectacular show visually. And this year with the theme ‘Jazz It Up’  is no exception. From the minute you enter the show and walk under an archway of floating piano keys and exotic cut flowers such as allamandas and heliconias and then see more
amazing Garden Displays ahead, you know you are in for a treat.

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The 2008 New Jersey Flower Show

 

Photo titled “Mossy” taken at The New Jersey Flower Show - by Corx 

Spring is almost here. So what can garden lovers across the country do before and during spring? Well, one thing is to go to the garden shows in your area or make a destination trip to one of the garden shows in an area of interest. This is the time to see flowers that you might want to grow in your garden or in your home or get landscaping ideas, and it is the best way to get an early taste of spring.

TheGardenLady is remiss in not writing this column earlier because an excellent garden show that TheGardenLady went to was the NJ Flower Show in the Conference Center in Edison, NJ.  TheGardenLady has been going to this show for many years. When I first went to this show I thought it was pathetic. But in the last few years the show has been getting better and better. And this year the show was excellent.

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Planting Flowers in Maine

 

TheGardenLady received this question from Maryjane:

I summer in Maine under white and Norway pines.  The soil is acidic.  I want to plant flowers. What suggestions can you make for raised beds?

How lovely to summer in Maine and create your own flower gardens.

Your letter does not say whether you want to plant annual or perennial flowers to enjoy during the summer. Do you want a show garden or a cutting garden? Or do you want to plant flowering shrubs like azaleas, hydrangeas or roses?

There are many annual and perennial flower suggestions for flower beds. To decide what you would like that grows well in your area, it would be nice to walk around and see what is growing nicely in your neighborhood.  Besides the soil acidity,  you have to consider the amount of sun or shade where your beds will be located; so looking at your neighbors gardens or public gardens will let you know which plants are most successful and which plants you like. Since you are writing to TheGardenLady at this time, you apparently want to get an early start on choosing your plants or seeds and won’t have the time to look.

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Outdoor Gardening Things To Do In The Winter

 

It is January and though it is winter for many of us there are still a few outdoor gardening things we can do.

If your ground is not frozen, you can still take soil tests  – take separate tests for lawns, vegetable and flower gardens or shrub borders. You can get your soil test from your local extension office.

And if you soil is not frozen you can apply lime as needed – your soil test results will tell you if you need lime (do not apply lime if your ground is frozen).

You should still be adding organics (your garbage) to your compost pile or bin see TheGardenLady10/24.

Whatever time of year, all year round, you can always prune Dead Wood on trees, shrubs and vines. Be sure the wood is dead when you are pruning in the winter and not just dormant.

But if the ground is frozen or there is lots of snow, this is the best time to be snuggled indoors reading all those gardening books you received this holiday season or borrowed from your local library. And now instead of fattening sugar plums dancing in your head, you can plan and have dreams of your garden in 2008.

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Christmas Themed Plants

Mistletoe

TheGardenLady received this question from Sally:

Are there any other Christmas themed plants other than the mistletoe?

There are numerous Christmas themed plants and there is a long and interesting history of the reasons for the use of these plants during the holiday season. Many of these holiday themed plants are used in the US today. TheGardenLady will touch on some of the most popular Christmas plants. Common holiday plants are listed in this website, where there is a lot of interesting information given besides the list of holiday plants. In other parts of the world they may also use different plants.

The first Christmas plant materials, as told in the New Testament, were Frankincense and Myrrh. Both are resins of trees used as incense or fragrances. They were the most expensive substances in early history and were therefore the highest tribute offered. Both were and are used today as fragrances. Franckincense is from the Boswellia sacra tree and Myrrh is from the Camphor tree, Commiphora myrrha. They are are found in Oman, Yemen and the Northeast part of Somalia. Oman still produces perfumes made of Frankincense or on Amazon.com you can get soap made of Frankincense and Myrrh- All Natural Bath Soap – Frankincense & Myrrh Zum Bar Soap by Indigo Wild, 3oz. or Frankincense and Myrrh can be bought as fragrant oils or for incense.

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Winter Care of Knock-Out Roses

TheGardenLady received this question from Julia.

How do I prepare my KNOCK-OUT Roses for winter?

KNOCK-OUT Roses were bred to be almost maintenance free. So, if you live in zone 5 or a warmer climate, winter maintenance is minimal.

The KNOCK-OUT rose site says that “Knock-Out Roses were bred with greater cold weather tolerance to relieve the northern gardener of the need to apply and remove winter protection materials and the necessity to replace winter killed plants when protection failed.”

That being said, mulch the roses with leaves or hard wood AFTER the first hard frost – you want the ground to be frozen solid.*   If you want, you can burlap the rose plant. Burlaping will also prevent the deer from eating the rose bushes.  If the roses are in pots, the pots should either be buried in the ground or brought into the garage. The pot does not give adequate protection to the roots during the cold, freezing winter.

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What Flowering Plant is Good to Grow in a Dorm Room?

                                                                  

TheGardenLady received this question from Scott –

I want to grow some plants in my dorm this coming fall.  I have a spider plant currently in a small pot. I’m looking for something unique that hopefully flowers and smells.  My room will be facing due east.  It will get direct sunlight when the sun is about 30 degrees from the horizon to straight up.  Hopefully I’ll get a planter box for my window sill.  I’m a semi-experienced gardener and feel confident about keeping things alive.

Your confidence and experience will do you well in your growing plants in your dorm room. Eastern exposure is good for many indoor plants, even some flowering plants.
 
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Raising Roses

                                                                                 

TheGardenLady received this question from P. S:

A friend is watering roses (I’m sorry, but I don’t know the variety) several
times a week, for several hours at a time, with the hose on full blast, so that
a swamp forms around the rose bushes.  The soil is heavy adobe clay, and we have been having mostly moderate summer weather, temperatures in the eighties.  Is this watering necessary or even helpful for the roses?  Please let me know if any further information is needed.  Thanks for your help.

Most rose plants are demanding plants. Roses are high water use plants. They do like and need good watering but not too much water. Too much water can stress any plant. Keep roses too dry and they fail to thrive; if they are too wet they may succumb to root damage or disease. Keeping soils too wet will also deprive a plant’s roots of needed oxygen.

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Vinca Issues

                                                                                                    

TheGardenLady received this question from John.

I have vinca that I planted about 25 days ago in St.Louis, Mo in a sunny location. The leaves of all 40 vinca plants have turned yellow! What is causing this? I water them daily. Do they need fertilizer? When I planted them, I mulched this bed with cypress mulch.

Vinca plants do not have a lot of problems and love hot weather. They should be planted in well drained soil. Vinca plants do not like a lot of watering. Once established vinca plants need little care beyond watering occasionally. Watering daily is too much.The plants do not want mulch which keeps the ground too moist. Read this about vincas. 
 
The newer varieties of vinca also need a  judicious amount of fertlizer.   Read this.