Gardening Tips & Advice for Every Type of Gardener
Garden Club
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- Knockout Roses Do Have a Fragrance
Question: Alan, when I bought my Knockout roses from you, you said not to expect fragrance. Now that my rose hedge is in full bloom, I find they perfume the entire garden. I just thought you would want to know.
Answer: I have noticed the same thing. Individual Knockout rose blossoms have very little fragrance; but the flowers are borne in such bounty that the cumulative impact from several Knockout rose bushes is indeed a garden-filling perfume.
Tue, 12 Jun 2007 15:30:00 GMT - What to do With Easter Lily Plants After Easter
Question: Hello, I wanted you to know that I thoroughly enjoy your E-Mail Question and Answer news. Even though I have been gardening for many years, I still get stumped. Now I have a question from a group of us here in Brooklyn Park, MD, Zone 7. It's about the live white Easter lily plants that we get for gifts at Easter time. We all know that they will not survive our winters in Maryland but don't know what to do with them once they bloom out, the leaves yellow, and fall over. I took my lily bulbs, that were large and in wonderful condition with a lot of marble size bulbs on the stems, out of their pots, shook off the soil, cleaned up the roots, put them in a brown paper bag with some sphagnum moss, and now don't know what to do with the bulbs, as well as the little bulbs that were on the stems. What do I do now? I hate to discard them like most people do.
Answer: The old Easter Lily varieties were border-line hardy in your area. In a protected spot, they sometimes came through the winter. All Easter Lilies should have been planted outdoors (with all the foliage) as soon as the flowers faded and the soil warmed. They should have been planted with the root masses intact, but with their outer roots broken apart a little and without removing the small stem bulbs. Easter lilies usually rebloom in the same year (late summer or early autumn).
Often, in Zone 7, Easter Lilies (especially some of the newer hybrids) will come through the winter. These will bloom a third time in late spring/early summer next year and again in subsequent years.
Further drying will only harm your lily bulbs more, as did removing the tiny bulbs from the stems. So plant your lily bulbs (large and small) immediately. Choose a protected spot in full sun or light shade with rich, well-drained soil.
Mon, 11 Jun 2007 15:30:00 GMT - How to Deal with Large Red Maple Roots
Question: We have a beautiful dark red maple but these huge roots keep coming up to the surface. We would like to plant around the tree to cover them but we were told (by a neighbor) we could make matters worse if we put any soil over these roots - myth or fact?
Answer: You can add topsoil, but absolutely no more than one half inch in the autumn and one half inch in the spring. You cannot grow plants in such a thin layer of soil and the feeder tree roots will quickly grow into the new soil. Thus any topsoil that you add would be solely for cosmetic reasons. If the plants are going to cover the exposed roots, you may not need to add topsoil.
The key determinant as to whether you can plant is whether the tree roots are so thick the plants will not thrive. I doubt that planting will do enough root disturbance to harm the maple tree.
Mon, 11 Jun 2007 15:30:00 GMT - Plant and Care for the Stokesia 'Honeysong Purple'
Stokesia 'Honeysong Purple'
Introduced by Carroll Gardens!
Stokesia (Stokes' Aster) is a popular wild flower that is native to the North American east coast. Named after Dr. Jonathan Stokes, an early 19th century English writer and botanist, Stokesia is widely grown because of its beautiful flowers in early summer, handsome foliage, compact habit and ease of growth. Stokesias attract butterflies and are long-lasting cut flowers. Through the years many varieties have been introduced; but this week Carroll Gardens is featuring the Stokesia that we consider the most dramatic, our own Honeysong Purple'.Stokesia 'Honeysong Purple' is the result of many years of work by distinguished plantsman and Hosta expert, Alex J. Summers (of Honeysong Farm in Bridgeville Delaware) and his son Alan L. Summers, president of Carroll Gardens. Over the years Alex and Alan collected as many different Stokes' Aster as they could find and planted them at Honeysong Farm, a bird and bee sanctuary. The “bees” went to work resulting in this outstanding new variety, aptly named after the farm.
'Honeysong Purple' - Uniquely Superior
'Honeysong Purple' is the darkest-toned of all the Stokesias - the same shade as Salvia May Night. The large four-inch blooms, with pronounced serrated edges, are a true royal purple with a hint of red that deepens as the flower ages. Contrasting white stamens and purple-tinged stems add to the appeal. This uniquely superior plant offers attractive habit and form, as well as being a fine addition to any cutting garden, butterfly garden or long-flowering summer garden. Expect your 'Honeysong Purple' to grow about 15-18 inches high with the green foliage forming neat mounds. Perfect for the border, especially when accompanied by white perennials, such as Baby’s Breath or Shasta Daisy Montrose Selection; or yellow ones such as Yarrow, daylilies Stella de Oro or Happy Returns or Coreopsis verticillata.Planting and Care
This hardy and reliable plant will be rewarding to even the most negligent gardener.Easy to grow. Not troubled by insects or diseases.
For best results plant any time from early spring to early fall.
Prefers full sun, but will adapt to some shade.
Plant 15 to 18 inches apart.
Well-drained soil is a necessity.
Water regularly until established.
Fertilize with Flower-tone in early spring and late autumn.
Hardy in Zones 5-10.
From two quart pots.
Our Garden Worthy Certification means that your satisfaction is guaranteed.
$9.85 each or buy three or more for $8.85 each
Sun, 10 Jun 2007 15:30:00 GMT - Bark on Viburnum Bushes
Question: Hi I have attached photos of the bark that I just noticed this year on several Viburnum bushes. It is the oddest looking markings on the branches and every branch that has these markings has died. I don't know if it is a borer of some kind but the holes are not deep. They are only through the bark but not into the wood. Can you identify and tell me what to do. I am in Westminster, so I can get to the nursery quickly to buy what I need to help the plants. Other than the bark areas on the affected plants, they look very healthy and are about 10 feet high and produced a lot of flowers.
Answer: The following correspondence between Alan and Brian Rhoten at Bartlett Tree Experts will answer your question.
Brian,
I would like your opinion. I think that this is yellow belly sap sucker damage!!!! I have seen similar damage on English Holly. What do you think?
AlanAlan,
This is definitely sapsucker damage. The only treatment is netting the plant next fall through spring to physically keep the birds from getting to the trunks. One thing that seems to attract the birds is the suet feeders. Most of the damaged viburnums I saw this spring were attracted by suet feeders that the homeowners or neighbors had out to feed the birds. I also saw this damage on Foster hollies once this spring. Many times, the plant recovers or sprout suckers below the damage. The damaged stems can then be removed. Feeding and irrigation may support recovery. Let me know if you have any other questions,
Thanks
BrianBrian Rhoten
Bartlett Tree Experts
Board Certified Master Arborist
410-526-6655Brian,
The English holly died down to the damaged areas and then re-sprouted beautifully. I recall this holly was surrounded by several birdfeeders nearby-in the owner's yard and the house next door (the holly was planted between the two houses). I don't recall if they were suet feeders, or not. Thanks for the help as always.
Alan
Sat, 09 Jun 2007 15:30:00 GMT
