THE BLOG: let's talk gardening


JUNE 30 2011	Just Add Water: Summer Watering Tips Did you know that 90 percent of every plant is composed of water? This should give you some idea of how important watering your plants really is. Here are some tips to ensure your plants and lawn make it through the extreme heat of summer... Lawns Water between 5:00am-10:00am in order to prevent evaporation which occurs during the hottest part of the day. Morning is better than evening, since dampness encourages growth of fungus. Water long enough to soak the roots. A light sprinkling evaporates quickly and results in shallow root systems. Allow an inch of water per week on your lawn. Adjust your hose to create a gentle rain. Sprinklers that produce a fine mist waste water due to evaporation. Vegetable and Flower Gardens Water slowly, deeply, and weekly. Most vegetables require moisture to a depth of six to eight inches. Keep soil loose so water can easily penetrate. Use mulch around plants to retain moisture. Remove weeds to reduce competition for water. Place the water where you want it and avoid evaporation by using soil-soakers or slow-running hoses, not sprinklers. Too much water can be just as bad for plants as not enough. Plants that are submerged in water for too long may rot or drown from lack of oxygen. Trees and Shrubs Water deeply using a soil-soaker. Water only when needed. Check the depth of soil dryness. While the surface may be dry, moisture is retained beneath the surface to sustain trees and shrubs. Mulch to reduce evaporation. Add a 2" to 3" layer of wood chips, pine needles or grass clippings to keep soil cool in summer. Mulch not only reduces weeds but also adds landscape interest. Water plants growing in full sun more often than those in shade. Do not fertilize during the summer. Fertilizing increases a plant's need for water. Look for these plant clues for signs of over watering or under-watering: Over Watering: Soil is constantly damp. Leaves turn yellow or a lighter shade of green. Young shoots are wilted. Leaves are brittle but still green. Algae and mushrooms are growing. Under-Watering: Soil is dry. Older leaves turn yellow or brown, and drop off. Leaves are wilted or curl. { Happy Gardening! Posted by McDonald Garden Center, June 30, 2011 }
JUNE 29 2011 FILED UNDER Perennials	Celebrate Summer... Celebrate Perennials! Summer is a great time to celebrate! We celebrate dads, we celebrates grads and even the flag. So, why not celebrate those wonderful perennials that come back each year in the garden? Perennials are considered to be ornamental plants that do not die after one season of growth. This does not mean they live forever, however, they do offer a repeat performance for several seasons. The term perennial is generally reserved for plants with showy flowers, excluding ornamental grasses and other plants mainly grown for their foliage. The term herbaceous perennial further narrows the group to plants with soft, green stems that die back to the ground in colder climates. Trees, shrubs and other woody stemmed plants are excluded. We love planting perennials in the landscape. They can create a border, focal point, accent or even fill a container. They are a source of back-ground in color and size and provide an abundance of cut flowers. With so many colors to choose from, there is one that is perfectly suited for your garden. In the garden center now are some of our faves: Coreopsis Moonbeam Enjoy creamy-yellow blooms all summer long! This perennial loves the sun but tolerates some shade. The daisy-like flower is lovely in the garden or in containers. So versatile, yet so simple to grow! Mexican Petunia (Ruellia Purple Showers) This beautiful, long blooming perennial thrives in hot, sunny conditions. Deep green foliage with hints of burgundy provide the perfect backdrop for the scores of vibrant blue-purple flowers. Works well in combination plantings, in borders, or in pots. Homestead Purple Verbena This tough perennial is another great heat and drought tolerant plant that blooms continuously throughout the summer. Beautiful deep purple flowers bloom from spring until frost. Excellent as groundcover, in mixed color bowls, borders or in the landscape. Trying pairing with yellows or orange for vibrant color. Miss Huff Lantana Vibrant yellow, pink & orange blooms with light green foliage - you simply can't beat lantana for summer-long blooms and heat tolerance. This easy to grow perennial attracts butterflies too. Plant in full sun or light shade. As it is a spiller, this is a great plant for containers. { Happy Gardening! Posted by McDonald Garden Center, June 29, 2011 }
JUNE 28 2011	It's a pineapple... it's a lily... it's a Pineapple Lily! Make a statement with Pineapple Lillies in your summer garden. These exotic summer blooms are available in several different varieties, ranging in colors of pale green, purple, white, pinks and burgundy. Two of our favorites are 'Twinkle Stars' and 'Sparkling Rosy' (shown above). The plant has a base rosette of long lance-shaped leaves. It's flowers are on a long spike, topped with a tuft of smaller leaves. These leaves and the appearance of the flower spike make the flower head look like a pineapple, thus it's name. Pineapple Lilies grow from bulbs. They may be planted directly in the ground or in pots. They grow best in a well-drained, fertile, sandy soil. Use a mixture of sandy loam, well-rotted manure, and sand. If the soil is not well drained, the bulbs will rot, especially in the winter. Protect the bulbs with one to two inches of mulch in the winter months and they will return each summer in July. Water the plants well once they are planted. Pineapple lilies need constant moisture in the summer. Cut back on watering in the winter, as too much water will cause the bulbs to rot. A dressing of compost will help keep the soil fertile. Pineapple lilies will tolerate a partly shady area in the garden. However, they bloom best when they get at least 6 hours of sun per day. Give them midday shade, though, as they may wilt if exposed to the noonday sun. If they wilt, water them quickly and thoroughly and they should perk up again. Pineapple lilies will start to form flower buds in July. They should be in full bloom by August, filling your garden with tall spikes of colorful and exotic flowers! And, these gorgeous blooms make a super attractive, long-lasting cut flower. { Happy Gardening! Posted by McDonald Garden Center, June 28, 2011 }
JUNE 24 2011	A NEW triple delight for hydrangea lovers NEW to the gardening world... Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangea is a triple delight for hydrangea lovers. Producing enormous blooms that start out creamy vanilla white changing to a soft pink and finally to a ripe strawberry-red, this plant offers a multi-colored visual masterpiece. The unique red color lasts for three to four weeks, longer than most hydrangeas of this variety. New flower heads continue to open into late summer, so plants display all three colors at any one time, giving it a tri-colored appearance that is totally captivating in your garden. New blooms keep the multicolored show going throughout the summer and early fall. The extra large blooms are held on strong stems that cascade later in the season. Its upright habit and large cone-shaped flowers make it a dramatic addition to the garden. AND, as if you need another reason to love this plant, you'll get armfuls of beautiful cut-flower bouquets. The Vanilla Strawberry flowers can last more than 12 days after cutting in a vase. You get beauty both inside and out. Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangeas are a perfect long-blooming hedge plants for driveways or fencelines. It is especially showy planted in groups. Or, just add this beauty as a stand alone sure to be a knockout in your summer garden. Plant in full sun to partial shade. { Happy Gardening! Posted by McDonald Garden Center, June 24, 2011 }
JUNE 23 2011	Invite Butterflies to Your Garden Butterflies are some of the most beautiful and fascinating creatures on Earth, and nothing adds to the beauty of a flowering garden than butterflies fluttering about it on a warm summer day. Here are some tips to make your garden especially butterfly-friendly this summer: Location, Location, Location Pick the perfect spot to entertain your butterfly guests. Butterflies need the sun to warm them. Choose a sunny location (5-6 hours each day) that is sheltered from wind. It is also a good idea to place a few flat stones in your sunny location so the butterflies can take a break while warming up. Add Water Butterflies require water, so make a small butterfly pond in the mud. Or, simply use a plastic lid from plastic ware or from a household item such as a butter tub. Add Blooming Plants Butterflies have a keen sense of smell and can smell flowers from miles away. If the right flowers are planted in your garden, then the butterflies are sure to come! Not only does smell attract them, but bright colors do as well. They tend to flock to purple, yellow, pink and white flowers. When selecting your plants, choose a variety so you have flowers in bloom at all times during the summer. *Lantana* is one of the best choices for attracting these beautiful creatures. Other plants that work include *Hydrangeas, Daylilies, Iris, Lavender Milkweed, Petunia, Phlox, Asters, Cosmos, Clover and Zinnia, Cornflowers, Geraniums, Scabiosa, and the popular Butterfly Bush.* In addition to flowering plants for the butterflies, you'll want to provide food for larva. Consider adding Mexican Milkweed or Passion Vine in your landscape. Relax & Enjoy Include in your design a place to sit among the garden, such as a bench, chairs, or sitting stones. Now you're ready for some entertaining butterfly watching! { Happy Gardening! Posted by McDonald Garden Center, June 23, 2011 }
JUNE 21 2011 FILED UNDER Lawns	Keep Your Lawn Happy Through the Summer It's official summer is here! It's the first day of summer and we know that during these hot summer months, it can be a challenge to keep your lawn looking green and healthy. So, we've had our lawn experts put together a few tips to help you keep that lawn looking lush! For Warm Season Lawns: If you have Bermuda, St. Augustine, Centipede or Zoysia follow these steps this summer... Warm season lawns, with the exception of Bermuda, should be fertilized with St. Augustine Weed and Feed. It will give your lawn the right amount of fertilizer while killing weeds. To fertilize Bermuda grass, we recommend Fertilome Classic Lawn Food. To control weeds without fertilizing, we recommend Weed Out. This product will take care of weeds without damaging your lawn. For disease control, use F-stop to prevent Zoysia Patch, Brown Patch, Take-All Patch and others. Don’t forget that you should also think about insect control during the summer months, too. White Grubs, the offspring of the dreaded Japanese Beetle, can damage lawns during the later part of the summer months. To control them and other feeding worms and insects use Hi Yield Kill-A-Grub or Hi Yield Turf Ranger. For Fescue Lawns (or cool season lawns): If you have a fescue lawn (or cool season lawn), follow these steps to ensure that your lawns stays happy and healthy this summer... The most important factors in keeping you fescue lawn healthy through the summer are mowing and watering. Raise your mower height to 3-4 inches for the summer months. Taller grass helps keep the root system cooler and helps to choke out weeds. Water once or twice a week, slow and deep during the warm months to promote deep and vigorous root growth. Lawns require 1 inch of water per week. Second, no matter how much you think you should fertilize your lawn this summer…DON’T. Third, to control weeds in your lawn, use Weed Out with Q. This product will kill hundreds of weeds, including over 200 varieties of broadleaf weeds and grassy weeds. As the summer starts to heat up, lawn fungus can become a problem in our area. If this is the case in your yard, use F-stop. This is a systemic preventative and curative fungicide. Use F-stop to control Brown Patch, Dollar Spot, Leaf Spot and more. { Happy Gardening! Posted by McDonald Garden Center, June 21, 2011 }
JUNE 15 2011	Massive, Exotic Summer Blooms Altheas, better known as Rose of Sharon, are a beautiful blooming shrub commonly found growing in the south. They love the heat and their massive, colorful blooms make quite a statement in the garden, blooming from late summer until fall. Altheas are available in shades of red, white, pink and even purple. Plant in groups, masses or shrub borders or even as a screen or hedge. This old-fashioned shrub was common in gardens around the turn of the century and is coming back into vogue. The newer varieties have bigger blooms and longer bloom periods. This showy plant will attract both hummingbirds and butterflies. We suggest pairing this shrub with daylilies, viburnum, homestead purple verbena, rosemary or lantana. Try these varieties: • Aphrodite: A single, ruffled dark pink petal with a dark red eye. • Diana: A single, ruffled pure white flower. • Minerva: A single ruffled, lavender pink flower with a red eye. • Helen: A single, ruffled white flower with a maroon eye. Try this heat-lover in your landscape for stunning blooms that can stand up to the Hampton Roads’ summer heat and humidity. { Happy Gardening! Posted by McDonald Garden Center, June 15, 2011 }
JUNE 7 2011	A Burst of Hot Weather Color... Zinnias Join with us and celebrate the Year of the Zinnia. Each year representatives of the professional horticulture industry select one flower and one vegetable to be showcased. And, this favorite was named the 2011 winner. No flowers are easier to grow than Zinnias - just plant, stand back and watch them grow into cheerful, brilliantly colored blooms perfect for summer arrangements. And, timing is just right as they love the hot weather of summer. Zinnias come in an amazing array of bold, colors. Most are solid, but some are bi-colored with a contrasting color at the tip of each petal. You'll find brilliant hues of yellow, orange, cherry, pink, purple, scarlet, and white. The red and bright-pink varieties are especially attractive to butterflies. Zinnias grow best in full sun, which means six or more hours of direct sun daily. It is important not to crowd them as air circulation is essential to keeping them disease-free. Growing typically 8 to 14 inches tall, they make a great planting in a container or use the middle or rear of a border or in a cutting garden. Zinnias like rich, well-drained soil, and they are very drought tolerant. Besides their beautiful blooms, the best part of Zinnias is that they are virtually maintenance free. To keep them blooming, cut them frequently. Trim the faded flowers, or cut flowers often for bouquets in order to promote more and longer blooming. { Happy Gardening! Posted by McDonald Garden Center, June 07, 2011 }
JUNE 3 2011	Mandevilla: Summer's Flowering Vine A star in the summer garden, Mandevilla loves it hot and sunny. This flowering vine, boosts beautiful flowers and dark green foliage in the summer heat. The hotter it is, the more this plant thrives. Once planted in full sun, Mandevilla is easy to grow and needs little more than training to grow on any type of support you choose. Whether you want to grow it up a trellis, porch post or even a mailbox this easy to care for plant adds tropical summer color wherever it is placed. We love this EASY trick to train the plant upward to add pizzazz to your deck or patio. Choose a sunny spot on your deck or patio that needs visual enhancement. Gather twine, cup hooks and a Mandevilla plant. (The above photo features the Alice Dupont variety on sale now for $19.88) Use one cup hook at the base of the plant to anchor the twine. Use 3-4 pieces of twine arching out in a fan pattern and using a cup hook to secure at the top. Dig a hole deep enough to accommodate the size of your Mandevilla, so that its main stem sits slightly above the soil line. This holds true whether you're planting in a container, hanging basket or in the ground. Train your Mandevilla to climb the supporting structure. Tie stems initially with plant ties and let it twine naturally from there. { Happy Gardening! Posted by McDonald Garden Center, June 3, 2011 }