Gardening with Gary

Gardening Advice from an Expert

Miscellaneous

Andrea writes~ I recently bought some plants but I am new at all this, so I was wondering if hostas [also Marginata] when planted will come back every year. The same question goes for astilbe [Fanal], baby's breath and cannas. Will these do OK in pots? Do all bulbs come back every year or just perennials?

A. This is a multileveled question. I recommend that you purchase a general gardening book for constant reference. Sunset and Time-Life put out marvelous ones.

I do not know where you live. Most of your outdoor plants should be taken out of the pots and planted directly into the beds. Astilbe, Canna, Baby's Breath and Hostas are such plants. They will come up year after year given the proper care as to water, light and fertilizer. They die back in most regions of the world, but not in moderate climes.

These plants go into dormancy and do not grow or bloom much in the winter. If you get freezing temperatures, they will die back to the ground, to reappear next spring. None of the above is suitable as house plants.

All bulbs do not come up after harsh winters. There are the bulbs which overwinter, as tulips, daffodils and hyacinths, and those which need to be dug up each fall, as dahlia and gladiolus.

Read up on what you have, what you would like to add, and come back and ask me specific questions. Happy Gardening!

Q. I have a steep, unwalkable slope between my yard and my neighbor's. It's approx. 5 feet high and 25+ feet long. My lot is higher so when I look at it. I don't really see it, but I can't mow it and don't want to spend the time weed-whacking it. Any suggestions on a planting? I've considered the mulch and creeping juniper route, but would like something different. One suggestion I've received is a mass planting of day lilies which sounds good for the warmer months, but I'd lose all aesthetic appeal in the winter. I live in Massachusetts. I don't want to spend the money for a wall that I won't see anyway. Any suggestions?

A. In Ohio, we have planted sections of myrtle or pachystachys. Both are evergreen and withstand harsh winters. Ours are a bit protected by a wall, though.

I think a creeping, fairly fast-growing evergreen is the best bet. Yes, the lilies would be great, but then you have the winter when the foliage is gone. Plus the erosion is a possible threat.

Juniper is a very good suggestion. Is the reason you have hesitation due to the feeling that it is too common or oft seen? Sure works well and that is why you see it around!

But, whether you know me or not, I always have some more ideas, so here goes:

Specialty and dwarf conifers are valuable as specimens, accents and focal points. They provide creative alternatives to junipers and are ideal for small landscapes:

Mugo Pine - Shrubby habit with numerous ascending stems. Needles are medium green. Size varies on pruning techniques and varieties. Height 2'-15', spread 3'-20'.

Dwarf Alberta Spruce - Bright green needles on a dense, conical plant. Avoid hot, dry sites. Very slow growing but nice. Height 8', spread 3'-4'.

Yew - Deep emerald green foliage with bright green new growth. Orange-red berries in fall. Needs protection and partially shaded sites. Many varieties of growth habits and sizes.

Or: Arborvitae, Scotch Pine, Tanyosho Pine, Norway Spruce.

Here are some broadleaf evergreens to consider:

Grape Holly - Dark green leaves turn bronze-red in fall. Yellow flowers in early spring are followed by edible blue berries in midsummer. Wonderful varieties are Creeping Mahonia, Oregon and Compacta. Height ranging from 12"-6', depending on variety.

Euonymus - They offers a wide variety of leaf shapes, colors and growth habits. Height 2'-6', spread variable.

Pyracantha/Firethorn - Thorny branches with white spring flowers, followed by clusters of orange berries [!] that hold well through winter. Small dark green leaves, great fall color. Height 4'-8', spread 4'-8'.

Or: Boxwood, Holly, Mountain Mahogany.

Junipers are a versatile, hardy, fast growing group of evergreens - available in a wide choice of shapes, sizes and colors. Useful as groundcovers, windbreaks, hedges or screens:

Buffalo Juniper - Low growing, bright green foliage, extremely hardy. Height 12"-18", spread 6-8'.

Tammy Juniper - Medium sized, blue green foliage, forming a feathery mound. Height 4', spread 6'.

Seagreen Juniper - Tall, lush green foliage with dense vase shaped habit. Height and spread 6'-8'.

Gray Gleam Upright Juniper - Gray-green foliage with a dense pyramidal shape. Height 12'-15, spread 6'-8'.

Or: Armstrong, Old Gold, Bar Harbor, Blue Chip, Savin, Prince of Wales, Blue Rug, Blue Point, Spearmint and Moonglow.

Assistance from: Lafayette Florist & Greenhouses

Sharon writes~
This year my Shasta Daisy, Yarrow and a couple of others got so full and tall that they bent over to the ground. Is there a way to keep the height down a little? Maybe by cutting back in the fall or early spring?

A. The chores are done not in the fall or winter, but the spring. What you need to do is pinch and prune.

As the plants start to grow in the spring, allow them to get to about 6" tall and then come in and pinch out the top growing points on all the main stems and the stronger side stems, leaving weak growing points. This will force the plant to slow down and make new points. You will receive at least 2 new ones for one pinched, plus it will force lower buds to break. The result is a smaller, bushier plant which not only will stand straight better [you still may have to stake some], but will give you many more flowers.

Keep doing this pinching every month as needed, but not into the season so long as to cut into your flowering. Allow a month after pinching to get flowers. If you cut them 2-3 times, that would be sufficient to get a strong trunk and bushier growth.

Now, some pruning may be needed as you go along. Remove interior weak stems which will not produce much regarding flowers. They sap the plant and make it weaker. Leave the main, strong stems with good green healthy foliage for your production of flowers all season long.

Q. In Northern California, I saw a plant blooming. The stalk was 4 feet tall. On top of the stalk was a tower of pinkish blooms with blue centers. The tower was 3 feet tall. It looked alien. Do you know what it was?

A. The plant which you saw is Protea. It grows all through Northern California if planted as it is not native. If you flip the globe around, the corresponding area down under are South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. That is where this plant originates, plus a few other spots.

In Santa Cruz there is a huge university garden which has the biggest specimens of Protea I have ever seen. The colors vary from pink with blue, yellow, orange, white, red, pale yellow. I have some marvelous pictures.

You can go to this website to see for yourself:

http://proteasales.com/proteagallery.htm

Genus Protea has an artichoke-like structure with stiff, colorful bracts that resemble "scales" and surround an often fluffy interior flower head. The flower is usually round or bullet shaped. Sturdy stems range from 16-36" (15-46cm) long and may be thick and woody. Each species has a dominant color, but most are in shades of white, pink or red.

Q. I bought some plants which on the card say, Primula x Polyantha Pacific Giant and as I look at the planting instructions [they are very nonspecific], what I read is to plant 8" apart and they only grow to 10" which is confusing since the other label says Clematis, a vine. I live in upstate NY. and do not know where and when to plant them. Will they grow tall and vinelike?

A. You have Primula - they have short blade leaves and not tendrils with small leaves. I suspect the clematis label was misplaced!

Primula x polyantha--Polyantha Primrose Pacific Giant

Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
Height: 10-12"
Spread: 10-12"
Type: herbaceous perennial [they overwinter]
Flowers: Yellow, blue, pink, orange, red, purple

Primroses are low plants producing brightly colored flowers in the spring. They need a moist, fertile, slightly acid soil but dislike clay. The plants grow better when given some shade. In sunnier locations they need more moisture. Primroses benefit from a summer mulch.

Propagation: The plants multiply rapidly and may need to be divided every other year. Division may be done after flowering. The seed germinates in 21 to 30 days.

Cultivars:
'Old Fashioned Series' - Flowers in white, red, pink or yellow.
'Pacific Giant' - A strain that produces flowers in a wide range of bright colors.

References for Cultivars: Walters Gardens 1997, Bailey Nurseries 1999, Wayside Gardens 1999.

I add that you must be sure to watch for snails and slugs in the wet summertime.

Assistance from: MSU Extension

They should be planted no later than now [September], about 8-10" apart, in semi-sun, not total shade as they will not flower quite as well, though are tolerant of low light. They like summer heat, but keep the roots cool with mulch and water often to avoid any drought stress. Flowers are very bright and beautiful.

Linda writes~
I had bought a plant recently and the bottom of the pot said Cayman. It looks like a something like a star fish. I do not know what kind of plant it is and cannot get any info since I do not know what kind it is. If you have any info regarding this, I would greatly appreciate it.

A. None whatsoever. The closest I could come up with is: Cayman-Orange - Medium Coral...This is a synthetic coral/silk-like plant combination that brings the beauty of the ocean reefs to dazzling life in your aquarium. The inside is hollow and the coral has small holes in it, so you can add an airstone if you like. Size: 5" x 4" x 11" high.

LaNell writes~
I have a 2 1/2' tall cement horse. Do you have any idea how I could arrange it in my yard? Any ideas would be helpful.

A. Try placing it off-center and make a 2' wide circle around it. Plant annuals there, color depending upon your home. In the background closest to the horse, red salvia would be nice, mixed color giant zinnias or bright orange African marigolds. A circular patch of purple ageratum and white alyssum would lower the eye to the lawn around the statue. If your yard is large enough, you may wish to incorporate a small birdbath made of similar material and place it to the side, joining both in an oblong or oval shape planted with taller flowers up close and lowering down with small groundcovers or creepers. Possibilities are endless, but the best ideas are gained from actual viewing of the useable garden area. Consider borrowing a simple landscape book from the garden section of your local library.