organic gardening – Page 3

Poinsettia After the Holidays

Tips for growing Poinsettia as a houseplant and how to get it to rebloom.

What’s the best selling potted plant in the U.S. and Canada? Poinsettia – OK the title of this article gave it away. Another fact about this colorful plant: most sales of it occur in the six week period before Christmas. The best-selling plant in the country purchased in only six weeks! In fact it may be impossible to find it in stores at any other time of the year.

A small shrub with a lively colorful leafy look, tiny yellow flowers peeking out from the branch tops, its base covered in shiny foil – green, red or gold. Together several pots of Poinsettia take charge in a space instantly creating a stunning decoration for the holidays!

The combination of leaf shape, color and tiny flowers is appealing. Many green branches form this plant. Often each leaf on a long stem has several lobes. Uppermost on the plant the leaf is a solid color like the popular red one. Some cultivars have two tone splashes of color. Lower on the plant the leaf is green with veins of another color. Topped off with circles of tiny yellow flowers this plant steals the show!

Features

Native: Southern Mexico on the Pacific coast continuing south to Guatemala. They grow in tropical forests at mid – mountain elevations.
Name: Honors Joel R. Poinsett who was an ambassador to Mexico from the United States in 1825 – 1829. He was also a botanist who brought the plant home to South Carolina.

December 12 is National Poinsettia Day honoring the man who is considered the father of the Poinsettia industry, Paul Ecke Jr. The date chosen commemorates the day Joel R. Poinsett died.

Zones: 9-11
Leaves: Modified leaves called bracts come in red, pink, burgundy, white, yellow and mottled or bicolored which look as if they’ve been splashed with a second color.
Blooms: Tiny yellow flowers located in the middle of the bracts. No scent to detect.
Height: In their native habitat they are considered a small tree or shrub and can grow from three to ten to even fifteen feet tall.

Cultivars sold as indoor plants range from a miniature three to six inches up to a large three feet.

Width: In nature they can grow three to seven feet wide.

Cultivars sold as indoor plants are generally about as wide as they are tall.

Safety: A study done at The Ohio State University found poinsettias are not poisonous. Some people and pets have a reaction to the sap which is latex and that’s it! People and pets are not supposed to eat houseplants of any kind. Curious children and pets should be kept away as a precaution. If unsure about unpredictable kids or pets, don’t buy one. Instead visit and enjoy displays elsewhere.

Care

Keep for the season only:

Sunlight: Indoors give it bright light but not direct light. Windowsills are generally too chilly for this tropical plant. It likes a warm 60 – 70 degrees (Fahrenheit) room with some humidity.

Fertilize: No need.

Water: Regularly but let top dry out before watering again. Too much water leads to root rot. Too little water causes the plant to dry out and drop leaves.

If keeping it in its foil wrap for decoration, remove plant from the foil, water it in the sink, let the water drain until finished and return plant in pot to the foil wrap.

Throw it in the compost pile at the end of the season.

Keep for next year:

Sunlight: Indoors – same as above.

Outdoors: Part shade in summer. Watch the temperature! This tropical plant likes temperatures between 6o -70 degrees (Fahrenheit).

Soil: Potting mix for houseplants. Remove it from the pot it came in and transfer it to the next size pot to give roots room to grow.

Water: Same as above. Until it is moved outside it would benefit from sitting on a tray of moist pebbles for extra humidity. No standing in water!

Fertilize: Feed with standard houseplant fertilizer once a month.

Propagation: Take cuttings from the plant in spring or early summer when it begins to grow again. Cuttings should have an exposed node – the bumpy joint where the leaf grows from the plant. Expose the joint by removing any leaves from it. Roots grow from this spot.

Place cuttings in a sterile and moist growing medium such as sharp sand. Water when top inch is dry, but don’t allow it to stand in water. Mist the cuttings to keep the top leaves healthy. When you can gently pull on the plant and it doesn’t come out of the growing medium, it has roots and is ready to go in its own pot of soil. New leaves will be green.

How to get Poinsettia to rebloom: Cut the plant back by midsummer. Keep a few leaves on the plant. If the plant has been outside, bring it in when temperatures drop below 60 degrees (Fahrenheit).

Beginning in October in addition to sunny days, the plant needs 14 hours of complete darkness at night. Some move the plant into a windowless room or closet where no light gets under the door. Some cover the plant with something that is light blocking, again, so no light shines through or underneath.

However light is blocked, Poinsettia has to be in total darkness 14 hours every day until the plant’s bracts become colorful. Then stop moving it to a windowless room or covering it. Leave it in its day location and it should rebloom.

Problems/Pests

Water amounts are the biggest problem. Too much or too little causes leaf drop or root rot.

White sap that oozes out when the plant is cut can be a skin irritant for those with latex sensitivity. Wear gloves when working with the plant.

The usual houseplant insects and fungus attack plants. Clean off the insects. Check the watering and location. Perhaps it needs an adjustment.

Uses

Décor for the holidays is the most common reason people buy them. After the holidays remove the foil and transfer the plastic pot with plant into an every day pot like clay or ceramic. Follow directions above for growing them indoors.

Poinsettias shine during the holidays. Dressed down for the remaining winter their colorful leaves make the home festive. Whether or not keeping them the rest of the year, they are a delight!

Christmas Cactus: Easy Care All Year

Decorating for the holidays? Of course! It’s time to bring out all the treasures from past holiday celebrations that get used during one season of the year. Fun to unpack old friends again. Memories good and maybe a little sad come out of the boxes or containers. At the holiday’s end back in storage they go with maybe a few new decorations to pack. How about a holiday decoration that adapts to any season?

A stunning flower arrangement often smells good, but has a short life – a couple of weeks at most. A live flowering plant like the Christmas cactus continues to grow all year. Blooms are abundant and add energizing color to your holiday arrangements as only a blossoming, living plant can.

Sometimes called the Thanksgiving cactus or holiday cactus, this indoor plant produces many spectacular two to three inch flowers throughout the season. After the holidays and bloom time are over it’s an undemanding plant with arching green branches. It’s ready for the next decorating assignment!

Flat and barely spikey green leaves grow in segments creating branches.
At branch’s end a sturdy leaf yields a delicate flower bud. Each bud produces a bloom that telescopes out as petals open and fold back to reveal the next layer of the flower.

Follow along the flower towards the end to see the cream colored almost fuzzy looking stamen. The “fuzz” is pollen. Look beyond the stamen to the pistil with a delicate red seed pod hanging down as the final touch. Fascinating and beautiful flower!

This plant is a species of cacti called an epiphyte. Epiphytes grow on the sides of trees in the rainforest. No harm done to the tree, this epiphyte cactus just needs the structural support of the tree branches. It gets its food and water from air and rain and sometimes the plant material that falls around its base.

Hybrids of these epiphytes are sold as houseplants during the holidays.

Features

Native: Grows in Brazil along the mountains of the country’s southeast coast.

Names: Christmas cactus, Thanksgiving cactus and holiday cactus. The names refer to the time of year that the flowers bloom north of the equator.

The genus name Schlumbergera is a nod to a Belgian horticulturist Frederick Schlumberger who it is said grew different species of this plant in his home. According to research there is some mystery about who or which Schlumberger actually gets the credit. But one of them lends their name to the plant.

Zones: 10-12. Generally grown as a houseplant in other zones.

Leaves: Segmented, slightly leathery and green all year. A segment joined to the next segment and then the next and so on creates a branch.

Blooms: Most bloom November through December. Flowers come in red, pink, purple, orange or white. The blooms are generally two to three inches long. No scent to detect.

Height: 12 inches.

Width: 12 inches to 24 inches.

Propagation: New plants easily grow by leaf cuttings. A couple of months after blooming is finished cut the plant back by trimming the leaves off where they join at the segments. Place segments at least halfway into premoistened soil in a pot. Water lightly when dry. So that they receive the same light grow the pot of starter plants in the same area as the parent plant. New growth occurs at the end of the planted segments.

Care

Sunlight: After decorative use during the holidays place in low light from an east or west window. This avoids scorching leaves. It may be hard to find the right spot for the plant at first but keep experimenting. Once it has the right location it is easy care.

You know you have the right spot when it surprises you with buds and telescoping flowers during bloom time. In the right place many people report plants that get larger and bloom like crazy year after year.

If moved outdoors for summer, part shade on the east or west side of the home is best. Remember the original plant of this hybrid grows in the under shade of a rainforest tree in its native environment. Strong hot sun will scorch leaves and dry out the plant. In zones 10-12 where it can grow year round outdoors, part shade is also best.

Soil: Part potting soil, humus and sharp sand.

Water: Sparingly but regularly. Keep the plant on the drier side. Overwatering causes root rot.

Fertilize: Use a weak solution of fertilizer during the growing season spring through early fall.

Problems/Pests

Soil that is too wet causes root rot which is the most common problem. The usual indoor insects like aphids, scale and spider mites may also attack if the location for the plant is wrong.

Uses

Decorative in special containers for holiday displays anywhere you want to show it off. Follow directions for sunlight (above) once holidays are over. Make gifts of new plants from cuttings that were rooted earlier in the year.

Christmas cactus is a flowering fresh plant that livens up any holiday décor and with care, continues to add to room arrangements all year.

Copyright Juli Seyfried 2018

3 Ways to Use Autumn Leaves

Yellow-orange maple leaves show off at the park.

Who can resist the beauty of leaves in the fall? Summer green leaves turn colors not seen in a year. Trees become giant bouquets to rival any collection of flowers. As the final leaves on a tree turn they pause: a group having one last moment together. Then one lets go, several more let go and drift away followed by the others scattering, collecting somewhere down below.

On the ground, the leaf collection has a scent, sharp and musty. Colors fade and turn to crunchy brown. And it’s time to gather them up. Where to next?

Leaves raked and left on the curb wait for municipal collectors to haul away for community compost. A good way to recycle. But leaves can stay closer to home. How about free food for the garden? Here are three ways to use the once colorful autumn leaves.

1. Compost them.

Rake them up. Use the power mower and collect with the bag attachment. Blow them into a pile with a leaf blower. However they’re collected dump them into the compost bin ready to decompose for next year’s fertilizer.

Raking benefits: good exercise, no pollution.

Lawn mower with bag benefits: covers large areas, leaves collected in one motion and ready for compost, completes the task in shorter amount of time compared to raking.

Leaf blower benefits: while noisier, moves leaves into piles faster than raking.

2. Leave them directly underneath the bushes or trees where they fall.

In the forest, leaves decompose where they fall creating nutrients to feed plants in the woods. They provide cover for birds and other small animals, create a living environment for insects. Leaves also act as mulch protecting plant roots from freeze/thaw. They capture water and retain moisture.

The same is true for the plants in the yard. Create a woodsy result with the plants’ own fallen leaves. A light layer of leaves will decompose over winter. Be sure to avoid mats or clumps of leaves. Thick mats of leaves promote disease. Spread the bounty with the rake. Move some to other areas that didn’t get any leaves.

3. Collect a thin layer of leaves on the lawn and run the lawn mower over them.

This cuts them into small pieces that will fall between the grass leaf blades and decompose to feed the lawn. Again don’t leave mats or clumps to smother the lawn.

Saves money on lawn fertilizer.

Tips for Composting

Compost looks like rich dark earth. It crumbles well in hand. It often has worms moving through it.
Find a location out of the way and in line with local government zoning laws. The area should be in full sun and drain well – no standing water.
Use yard waste like leaves, cut grass from the lawn, perennial flowers that were cut back, annuals that have finished blooming for the season, small branches from shrubs. While adding yard matter cut larger material into smaller pieces so they break down easily. Material will fit better into the bin.
Use the brown and green rule: add both dead or dried up plants and fresh materials like weekly grass cuttings. One to one ratio is considered best.
Keep diseased plant material out of the pile to prevent the spread of harmful bacteria. These items can go in the garbage.
Keep weeds out. They may not break down fast enough to kill roots or seeds.
Tree branches take a few years to decompose. Best to leave them out. They take up space, don’t break down much in a year. Some cities have curbside branch removal services where they collect and shred branches for mulch for community use. Rent a shredder and make mulch for the yard.

Consider having two bins. Since collection is year round, one sits with last year’s material decomposing in it. The other collects new material. The goal is to have compost ready from one bin to spread around in autumn. Rotate between the two: one for this year and one for next.

Here’s how it works: add new material to the first bin through late winter – early spring, then stop. Let it rest, so materials have time to break down. Shift to the second bin in spring to add new material and collect in it until late winter – early spring the next year, then stop. Every autumn, remove the compost from the resting bin. It should be ready to feed the plants’ roots.

The first year may not create much. Don’t worry. What’s on top may not have time to break down. If the top material doesn’t look like good earthy soil just transfer it to the second bin. This should expose the ready to use compost underneath.

What Kind of Compost Bin to Use?

One kind is not a bin: simply pile up yard material in an out of the way spot in the yard. It might blow away in the wind or wash away by rainwater.

A second kind: buy bins. Make sure they are large enough to hold more yard waste than what’s planned. It can take a year for a pile to break down. The material when first put in can be bulky and awkward even when cut down – it’s not a smooth pile.

A third kind: Make a bin. Bins can be made out of almost anything: used pallets or old boards hammered together (no treated wood – toxic), stacking cement blocks or bricks. Straw bales create a quick solution for a year but break down too and can be added to compost.

A simple bin to make is a metal post and chicken wire bin. Plan to make two – it’s easier to access the compost if not buried under the newer non decomposed material.

Three easy ways to use fall leaves after the color show is over. Composted leaves feed the garden crowd for next year’s display. An end becomes a beginning.

Three Seasons of American Cranberry Viburnum

American Cranberry Viburnum begins its change to orange red.

Spectacular fall color is everywhere! Trees and bushes almost become new plants when leaves change color. Fresh autumn flowers pick up where summer blooms slowly leave off. Gourds and squash such as pumpkin give new geometric shapes, textures and colors to work with in decorations.

Orange red leaves of Viburnum opulus var Americanum add fall color to this symphony. Go backwards to summer: orange red berries complement green leaves. Backwards again to spring: lacy white flowers appear all over the bush. How’s that for three season interest? Winter’s not so bad either when brown gray branches capture snow and support busy sparrows.

Viburnum opulus variation Americanum is the the most current name of this shrub. The new name may be more difficult to ask for at the nursery or garden center, so keep these other two common names in mind.

One is Viburnum trilobum because the leaf has three oval parts or lobes. The other is American cranberry – a name used to separate this Viburnum from a similar bush that grows in Europe. While it has berries that can be made into jam, this bush is not related to the cranberry plant that grows in bogs and provides us the large tart red berries we have at Thanksgiving dinner.

This Viburnum is native to the region along the Canadian/U.S. border. In Canada it grows from Nova Scotia to British Columbia. In the U.S. it grows from New York, along the Great Lakes to South Dakota and west to Oregon.

Features

Not only does it provide three season color, it soaks up water. Planted in a berm to protect the house from water that runs into the yard from neighbors’ yards it receives the moisture it needs without sitting in water.

Zone: Cold hardy in 2 – 7.
Soil: Moist that is also well drained, not standing water.
Sun: Full sun to part shade.
Average height: 8 – 12 feet.
Average width: 8 – 12 feet.
Location: Consider the height before planting. Place it where it can grow to its full height of 8 – 12 feet otherwise prune it to a shorter size every year. It expands in width when new shoots grow out from the ground near the original bush. A branch touching the ground will take root to produce a new plant that gets larger every year.
Bloom: In late spring and early summer, flat white lacy flowers appear all over the bush.
Leaf: Green with three lobes in summer which turn orange red in fall.

Care

Water: Considered medium, but since it is native to low wet areas, watering well during hot dry spells will keep it healthy.

Fertilize with compost once a year in the fall to feed the roots.

Prune: After it flowers.

Pests

An insect called crown borer can cause dieback of the bush. The bottom of the trunk is where they do their damage. Larvae drill under the bark and feed on the inside of the trunk. They also feed on branches and roots. This weakens and destroys it.

Keep the plant healthy. The insect is less likely to be attracted to it. Water during hot dry spells and fertilize in fall with compost.

Uses

Borders, hedges and any place that water collects temporarily. Just make sure the water drains off.

Arrange cut branches with berries in a tall vase as a background for other flowers or use alone in a container.

Viburnum opulus var Americanum is an enduring shrub in the yard. It’s easy to care for when planted in a spot that meets its needs. It’s interesting in three seasons and attractive to songbirds. It’s worth planting!

How to Improve Clay Soil As You Plant

Soil

Other than that’s what a plant grows in, I didn’t give soil much thought in my early years of gardening. Too busy touching, smelling, trimming and watering what grows above. Add a little compost on top of the soil in fall to feed the plant and done.

I discovered that if I put a little more effort into the soil when planting something new, then add compost to the soil yearly while the plant is growing, my plant thrives. Makes me feel like a successful gardener!

My yard has three to four inches of topsoil with clay below that. Plants don’t grow well in clay. It is made of compressed particles that leave no room for air or water to circulate. It does have nutrients but plant roots have trouble making their way through the compressed clay.

New rule for my yard: When digging a hole for a new plant – amend or change the soil.

Tools Needed:

Measuring tape
A large shovel or spade
Gloves
Wheelbarrow

Digging the Hole

Before you begin you need to know how deep and wide to dig the hole. Caution: math skills at work here!

How Deep

To find out how deep the hole should be, measure the height of the new plant’s root ball (the batch of dirt surrounding the roots whether round or not). With the measuring tape begin at the top of the ball where the stem goes into the soil and continue to the bottom of the ball. That measurement tells you how deep to dig the hole.

How Wide

Dig the hole two times wider than the root ball. Measure across the root ball from side to side. Multiply that number times two. Dig the hole that width all the way around. This will give your plant roots plenty of room to stretch out and grow.

Two times the width is a general guideline. The tag on the plant often has directions for planting depth and width. Another place to look is online. Gardening books have information too.

Now Dig

Knowing the depth and width of the hole to dig, it’s time to shovel.

First dig topsoil from the top layer of ground. Put it in a pile on the ground to one side of the hole you’re digging.

The clay from deeper in the hole goes in a pile on the other side.

This makes two separate piles of material from the hole. It’s time to mix up “new” soil in a wheelbarrow using the shovel.

Creating New Soil

Three ingredients go into the wheelbarrow one shovelful at a time:

Soil from the first pile.
Clay from the other pile.
Compost from your compost pile in the garden or a purchased bag.

How to mix it:

Using the shovel chop the pile of clay into very small chunks, less than ½” large. Put a shovelful of that in the wheelbarrow.
Add a shovelful of soil from the other pile.
Add a shovelful of compost to the mix.
Chop and mix this all together with the shovel until it’s loose and fine. It’s ready to use for planting.

Planting With the New Soil

Put a shovelful of the newly mixed soil in the hole and spread it out along the bottom. Set the root ball of the plant in the hole. Now fill in all around the root ball with the new soil. Press the soil gently as you add it to eliminate air pockets. Water can collect in air pockets and rot the roots. Not good!

Finish by pressing down on the top layer with your hand if it’s a small plant like a day lily. Use your foot if it’s a shrub or tree. Water thoroughly – until the water quits sinking in, puddles and runs off.

Add a layer of mulch on top to keep the soil from washing away. Mulch helps keep moisture in too. In the fall add a one inch layer of compost to feed the roots for next year’s growth.

Reward

Amending poor soil like clay when planting has long term benefits. The plant gets off to a strong start with roots that can move through the soil, take in the nutrients that are available in it and receive water that drains well. Plant the best you can once and enjoy years of beauty.

3 Traits to Love in a Heuchera

Palace Purple Heuchera is a hardy variety.

Pink tinged white flowers of Palace Purple Heuchera.

Heuchera or Coral Bells as it’s commonly called has become one of my favorite plants because of three traits. The leaf comes in many colors. As the day goes on a single leaf color is highlighted by change in the sun’s position. Leaf shape varies with the hybrid. The plant is easy to grow.

When I first began to plant Heuchera there were two kinds available at the local stores. One was small with green leaves. Its little bell shaped flowers are the coral color that gives the plant its nick name – Coral Bells. The other was large with dark purple leaves. I planted them both.

The one that has been the hardiest is called Palace Purple. One leaf can be dark green with purplish edges. Depending on the amount of sunlight a leaf may be all purple. I have been able to transplant some of its offshoots to other places in the garden. As long as it is shady it grows. Even when I think I’ve dug up the whole plant, I’ll find a part left behind that’s still growing.

Features

Grows best in Zones 3-8.
Native to western United States.
Height varies from from one to one and a half feet.
Width is generally one foot.
Heuchera grows from a root. The middle of the plant mounds a bit. It covers the ground effectively and blocks out weeds. As the leaves spread out the stem touching the ground can take root and form a new plant.
This plant is known for its leaf shape and color. Leaf shapes are flat to ruffled. A leaf comes in colors from green to orange to red to purple. It is often mottled. Each leaf can have two shades of color on top and a third shade on its bottom side. The color changes slightly as the growing season continues.
Flowers are very small but pretty on long stems blooming in late spring to early summer. Some might bloom later. Depending on the plant the colors are pink, coral or cream.
Attracts hummingbirds and butterflies.
Cut flowers and use them much like Baby’s Breath in a bouquet.

Care

Plant in part to mostly shade in an area that is well drained. For most a drier location is preferable to a wet one.

Watering is average. However hot days will dry it out faster because of shallow roots.

Fertilize in fall with compost.

Other plants that grow well in the same location with Heuchera are Fern, Astilbe and Tiarella. Some Heucheras have been bred with Tiarellas becoming plants called Heucherella.

Problems/Pests

The main drawback: shallow roots. Root tops tend to heave in winter which means the they will come out of the ground. When the roots pop out they’re exposed to cold, dry air causing the plant to die. The remedy is to push the roots back into the ground. Add soil around them and press firmly. Try to prevent heaving by covering roots with mulch in the fall.

In winter Heuchera almost disappears. Mid-spring its colorful leaves reappear. That’s as exciting as seeing blooming flowers.

Knotweed’s Appeal: Variegated Leaves and Tiny Flower Orbs

Striking leaves of Knotweed/Persicaria virginiana

Tiny knots of flowers appear in late summer to early fall.

What’s so appealing about this Knotweed? Is it the green and cream or white leaves with pale peach to dark red splotches on top? Is it the flowers – many tiny red or dark pink orbs on a long stem that appear above the leaves? Knotweed means tall, friendly color growing throughout the bed. Easy care makes it a keeper.

Features

Persicaria virginiana commonly called knotweed is a herbaceous perennial found in the U.S., Japan and Korea. It thrives in Zones 4-8.
The leaf is oval. Green is the main color. Then it’s color on color: cream or white splotches topped by pale peach to dark red splotches. No two leaves look alike.
Knotweed grows to about 24 inches tall. Its spread is one and a half to two feet wide.
Bloom time is late summer, early fall. Tiny flower “knots” in red or dark pink bloom on a tall stem giving it the name knotweed. The second part of the name “weed” doesn’t apply to the variety Persicaria virginiana as it is not invasive. It spreads by rhizomes – thick looking roots that grow horizontally underground. It is also self seeding as the “knots” or flowers when dry, fall off and germinate. Pets sometimes sport little pink knots in their coats after brushing up against the stems. Where will the knots land?
Attracts butterflies.
Deer and rabbit resistant.

Care

Full sun to part shade is required for good growth.
Soil is average, well drained.
Water needs are medium which is to say they tolerate some dry weather, but biweekly watering keeps them looking their best.
Maintenance is low. No cutting back. No dead heading the flowers. No significant pests or diseases. After winter the stems look like dry sticks coming out of the ground. These can be removed or crushed in place. New growth covers them up as they decompose.

Problems are Small

Sometimes knotweed winds up in places where it’s not wanted. Pulling it out is easy.

As a group they’re not dense enough to keep weeds from growing in between. If the weeds are below the height of the knotweed, they can’t be seen until closer inspection.

Another type of knotweed called Fallopia japonica is invasive in the U.S. It chokes out native plants and should not be grown.

Uses

Naturalizing is the easiest way to enjoy them in the garden. Variegated leaves and an easy growing habit fill in a space with good color. Knotweed contrasts well with the green of nearby bushes. They can also be used in container plantings if kept well watered. Cut stems of leaves and flowers to add an unusual twist to a bouquet.

Rose of Sharon – Giant Summer Bouquet

Rose of Sharon bush blooms mid to late summer.

A mid summer giant size bouquet grows right outside my dining room window. Many fuchsia pink flowers appear on leafy green ends of each branch all around the bush. Love Rose of Sharon this time of year for its wow factor. While planting, I was hoping for a spray of color outside the window. I more than got my wish!

Beauty

The fuchsia pink bloom is similar in shape to the rose. It begins as a rose bud look alike before opening to a layered-petal flower. Blooms are abundant. Other bloom colors available are blue, lavender, purple, red or white.

No scent for humans. Occasionally bumble bees and butterflies alight to enjoy the flowers’ nectar. A hummingbird inspects the blooms from time to time. But the hummingbird prefers a tubular flower and moves on. Birds rustle leaves all day pecking at insects on the multi stemmed bush.

Come winter it is a show piece for fallen snow. Its many grey branches catch snow on the topside becoming a frosted vision. Winter resident birds don’t mind the snowy perch and rest there.

Care

This shrub is easy to care for. Planted six feet away from the back of the house, it soaks up water that comes down the slight incline of my yard. It gets all day sun. At ten feet tall it shades the back of the house from the western sunlight. In fall, after flowers fade, I prune to keep it at ten feet. Rose of Sharon can grow 12 feet tall by 10 feet wide. I think keeping it a little lower keeps it bushier. Leaves and flowers tend to be sparse near the bottom.

Originally from eastern Asia, it is cold hardy in Zones 5-8. Rose of Sharon tolerates poor soil such as the clay found in my yard. Enrich the soil with compost once a year as that’s what it prefers. I aim to please to keep it healthy! Regular watering during dry spells keeps it happy also.

Pests

Apparently Hibiscus syriacus (its botanical name) can be a magnet for the Japanese beetle. This might affect the appearance of the bush, but not the health. There are some organic ways to control the beetle such as picking it off the bush and destroying it. Use decoy plants such as zinnias or white geraniums where you can pick the beetle off and destroy it. Toads eat them. Attract toads by placing a broken clay pot with an opening, on the ground for a house. Moles eat them including the larvae which develop underground. Skunks eat them. A skunk had a run-in with my dog so I won’t recommend attracting skunks. Just be aware that they also eat the Japanese beetle.

Plant a flowering bush like the Rose of Sharon outside a window you often walk by or spend time near. It is wonderful to see the flowers in bloom or watch the birds and insects move around its branches. Nature is almost in the house!

Hellebores Thwart a Dismal Winter Day

What flowers in the cold? Whose leaves are green all year but are especially noticeable in late grey of winter? Well the title gave it away. Hellebores. Not a very pretty name but the name is as memorable as the flowers. The flowers are cup-shaped to start and open to five petals. Some have a prickly looking circle of stamens in the center. They almost look like the flowers you draw in kindergarten.

Hellebores are evergreen perennials that grow in Zones 4-9. Depending upon the species and which zone they’re growing in, they may bloom anywhere from December to April. They generally bloom for four to six weeks. That means no matter how ugly the weather and how anxious you are to see spring arrive, Hellebores are in bloom.

Growing Hellebores

Most prefer a well-drained soil rich in humus. Most prefer an alkaline soil over acid soil.
Location requires you to think about winter and summer. Planting under a deciduous tree (leaves fall off before winter) gives them the sun they need to bloom in winter. Once the leaves grow on the tree or bush, Hellebores are protected from the heat of the summer sun. So – winter sun, summer shade.
Protect from wind when choosing a location to protect the leaves from wind burn.
Some will self-seed and add new plants to your garden.
Please Note: All parts of this plant are toxic to humans and pets. We normally eat only the fruits and vegetables we grow ourselves or that are sold in stores and markets. We know not to eat the flowers, bushes and trees that we grow in our gardens – that would make us sick. However, some plants have a special warning and Hellebores have that warning. Find a place to grow these plants where a curious child or pet won’t chew on them.

Caring for Hellebores

Water regularly when you water other flowers in the summer.
Add compost around plants every fall to feed them.
Possible pests: slugs, aphids. Possible diseases: fungus – Botrytis. Well drained soil and good spacing between plants should help prevent these problems.

When I first began gardening, the only kind of Hellebore available was one that had green flowers and supposedly smelled bad. I didn’t plant any, even though having an early flowering plant outside of my house was tempting. Now there are hybrids in many different colors from green to cream to pink, red and purple. No bad smell.

My Hellebores are planted in an area that I can see from my back door. I enjoy their green leaves and pale-colored flowers without opening the door to the cold.

Green Gardening

Purple leaves are what I see when I open the back door. There are two Purple Leaf Sand Cherry bushes across the patio. They screen the neighbor’s wood privacy fence – an extra layer in the spring, summer and fall. They provide a little shade during the day. The sunlight that comes through the leaves change their colors. Some appear purple. Some are red. Others bronze, rust, and green.

Since the name of the bush begins with purple leaf, I chose that for the name of this site. I could be lofty and say that the leaf color is inspiring; there’s probably a metaphor for life. Maybe there is. But I chose it because I like the colors.

Green gardening is what I do. When we first moved here, I was partially going green. I made the change to all green when a next door neighbor came to me with a request. I had applied some weed killer on the lawn that adjoins her property. She asked if I would not do that again. She said she had some serious health problems and using weed killer was harmful to her condition. In fact, she said it was harmful for my family and even our dog. We were breathing it in, it was on our skin and clothes. She was such a great person, caring for others every where she went, including me and my family. How could I turn her down? And that’s how I began green practices.

I find it’s not hard to do. No huge change because I was already doing those things in many ways. Forgoing toxins on the lawn was not a big deal. I am still working on reducing the dandelion population in a non-harmful way. Not harvesting leaves for my salad yet. There are cats, raccoons, possums, skunks and the occasional dog off the leash walking through my yard. This does not make dandelions appealing. What I do have are a lot of birds, bees – especially native bees, butterflies and dragonflies. Lots of cool visitors to my yard. And all because of a request by a great neighbor!