Garden Delights!

Let's talk Perennials!

One of the most delightful things about a garden

is the anticipation it provides.

~W.E. Johns

If you are reading this ... chances are you are a gardener. Of course, most gardeners carry other titles as well; teacher, fireman, accountant, clerk, truckdriver, nurse ... you get the picture. So, you might find it interesting to know that W. E. Johns, the gentleman quoted above, was really not famous for his finesse with landscape design or vegetable gardening.

Mr. Johns was a magazine editor and author. The magazine was "Popular Flying" and the books ... they were tales of adventure for young boys! It was his wit and reputation for entertaining anecdotes that resulted in an invitation to write a monthly feature for "My Garden" magazine; a feature that became a book titled "the Passing Show", published in 1937.

We think he most certainly must have been a gardener too ... else he would not have understood the wonderful anticipation brought on by gardening magazines in the spring and lists of new plant introductions!

Our New Perennials:
Alcea rosea ‘Fiesta Time’ (Hollyhock)

Alstroemeria ‘Mauve Majesty’ (Peruvian Lily)

Astilbe ‘Burgandy Red’ (False Spirea)

Coreopsis ‘Galaxy’ (Tickseed)

Coreopsis ‘Star Cluster’ (Tickseed)

Delphinium elatum New Millenium ‘Double Innocense’ (Larkspur)

Delphinium elatum New Millenium ‘Sweethearts’ (Larkspur)

Dianthus ‘Early Bird Chili’ (Pinks)

Dianthus ‘Early Bird Frosty (Pinks)

Eryngium ‘Blue Hobbit’ (Sea Holly)

Gaillardia aristata ‘Gallo Red’ (Blanket Flower)

Gaillardia ‘Fancy Wheeler’ (Blanket Flower)

Heuchera ‘Midnight Rose Select’ (Coral Bells)

Hosta ‘Loyalist’

Lobelia ‘Fried Green Tomatoes’ (Cardinal Flower)

Lilium Oriental ‘Coldplay’

Lilium Oriental ‘Acoustic’

Persicaria ‘Pink Elephant’ (Fleeceflower)

Platycodon ‘Astra Double Blue’

Platycodon ‘Astra Double White’

Prunella ‘Freelander Blue’

Perennials lend an incredible array of color, form and variety to a garden. There are plants suited for almost any sort of growing condition ... sun, shade, acidic, alkaline, damp or dry. Our Spring Open House is scheduled for the last weekend in March and the Perennial Greenhouse will be ready; filled to overflowing in fact. We start the gardening season this year with almost 8000 pots of perennials ...

Gardening is about enjoying the smell of things growing in the soil, getting dirty without feeling guilty, and generally taking the time to soak up a little peace and serenity.
~Lindley Karstens

Bald Cypress Trees- A Missouri Native

The Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) tree is a Missouri native recommended for both residential and commercial landscapes.

Bald Cypress is a beautiful specimen tree that looks like a evergreen, but is actually a deciduous-needled conifer. It is interesting to note that there are living Bald Cypress trees known to be over 1,000 years old! These trees are possibly some of the oldest living things east of the Mississippi River.

Bald Cypress have no serious insect or disease problems, but bagworms and mites are occasional insect pests that can affect the vigor and appearance of trees in the landscape.

Unlike evergreen hemlocks, spruces, and junipers, Bald Cypress is very sensitive to horticultural oils. So if you try to control this mite with oils, you'll do more damage to the tree than the mites will! Traditional pesticides such as Carbaryl (Sevin) are typically recommended to knock down Bald Cypress rust mites which are actually eriophyid mites - not spider mites. Use a 10-power hand lens if you want to see the rust mites on the leaves, but their white cast off skins and rusty foliage color are two easy diagnostic characteristics. Thorough spray coverage of the foliage is necessary to control all types of mites.

The Best Choices for Pet & Plant Friendly Ice Melt!

Snow doesn't slow these guys down ... but some types of ice melt used on streets, steps and sidewalks certainly can!

We offer CMA (Calcium Magnesium Acetate) as a safe, affordable product to use around homes and businesses to keep sidewalks, steps, etc. clear. It works best as a preventative application and to prevent re-icing. Avoid calcium chloride and magnesium chloride if possible - as they are definitely not pet friendly.

Whatever product you are considering, be sure to look for a label that lists ingredients! There are more brands on the market now than ever before and some claims on packaging are confusing. Remember, no matter which product you choose, the best way to protect pets is clean their feet after they have spent time walking or playing in treated areas.

The best way to protect trees, shrubs and grass is NOT TO USE TOO MUCH. Damage to shrubs as shown below is all too common along sidewalks and near entrance steps!

Take Steps to Prevent Salt Damage to Home Landscape

Patrick Byers, Horticulture Specialist

During the winter, people rush to the car wash to rid their vehicle of accumulating salts. Just as salts cause vehicles to corrode, it can also create problems for landscape plants according to Patrick Byers, a horticulture specialist with University of Missouri Extension.

Winter storms result in tons of salt added to the roads and sidewalks each year. When snow is cleared, it often ends up being sprayed, shoveled, and piled on trees, lawns, and perennial beds. “The symptoms of salt injury include stunted yellow foliage, premature autumn leaf coloration, death of leaf margins, and twig dieback. On evergreens, needles may turn yellow or brown in early spring,” said Byers.

Salt damage is often confined to branches facing a street. Many plants can recover from an occasional salt spray. If it is a yearly occurrence however, death of the plant may result. To prevent salt damage, do not plant closer than 50 feet from the road. If this is not feasible, screens of fencing or burlap can be used to deter salt sprays. Snow from salted streets and sidewalks should not be piled onto plants.

Salts not only injure plants directly but also can change the structure of the soil, causing the soil to become compacted. “Where runoff of salt is unavoidable, flush the area around the plants in early spring by applying two inches of water over a two- to three-hour period, and then repeating three days later. This will leach much of the salt from the soil,” said Byers. If salt spray from the road surface is a problem, use water to rinse the foliage and branches of any affected plants when salt spray is heavy and again in early spring.

In problem areas, the salt levels in the soil can be tested. Contact the nearest county extension center for information on soil testing. “The common salt used on roads and streets is sodium chloride. Alternative salts include calcium chloride and calcium magnesium acetate. Although more expensive, they will not harm plants if applied at low levels,” said Byers. “Another idea is to use materials like sand or sawdust on slick surfaces to improve traction.”

Reprinted from:

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI EXTENSION

SOUTHWEST REGION NEWS SERVICE

Patrick Byers, horticulture specialist