https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/home-and-garden/8-must-know-tips-for-watering-poinsettias-so-they-last-all-season/ar-AA1ktjno?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=HCTS&cvid=556d80f30c1b407084fc76ad6392c5b9&ei=22
Here’s a wonderful article from Better Homes and Gardens on the care of our beautiful Christmas Poinsettias. Just remember Poinsettias do not let to sit in water.
If you haven’t done so yet, NOW is the time to prune all the spring blooming shrubs like azaleas for next year. Mother nature has been very good to us this spring with lots of rain. Let’s hope it continues thru August when all the spring bloomers set their buds for next year.
Deadheading is the big June and July job! Many annuals and perennials bloom better when deadheaded. It is a must for our beautiful geraniums! BUT CLIP don’t pull the dead flower stem from the geraniums. You could split the branches causing them to take longer to re-bloom. Adding a little slow release fertilizer now also would help them re-bloom as well.Follow package instructions for best results. With all the rain we have been blessed with, the soil could use more nutrients. If you geraniums are looking a little yellow, you can use 2 tbsps. of Epson Salts to a gallon of water and that will green them right up. Your annuals and perennials could also use the deadheading and hit of fertilizer as well. Look for a slow release fertilizer that doesn’t have a high nitrogen number. That’s the first number in the NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium).
Enjoy all the gorgeous hydrangeas blooming now as well. But remember the big Mophead variety will need to be cut back (if needed) by the middle of August so when the plant sets their buds for next year, you will not cut off the buds by pruning the wrong time of the year.
You can also read the June 9, 2016 article for more information on both Day lilies and getting them to re-bloom and the Chrysanthemums tip so they bloom in September or October when u want them to bloom.
HI All,
Dear Violet is back. WATER WATER is the title of this post because of the heat that’s coming next week. I would suggest to water water your hydrangeas as well as your peonies. With the freezing temperatures that the Hydrangeas have already been thru, they are going to be just as stressed from this heat with no rain. I would suggest 30 minutes of water this week and next. The Peonies also could use some water too. I use a small round sprinkler and set the timer on my phone to help remember to move the sprinkler after 3o minutes. Oh and to help me remember to turn it off. Slow watering as the soil is very dry.
Freezing temperatures are possible overnight Friday into Saturday and Saturday into Sunday given the forecast conditions. Plan to protect newly planted annuals or herbs, and if possible any perennials that have begun to grow more than a few inches tall because of the unseasonably warm weather. If it is not possible to protect all your perennials, remember that freeze damage is not generally fatal to perennials, but may cause cosmetic damage. Pansies/Violas will be ok unprotected.
Trees and shrubs won’t be killed but may suffer cosmetic damage to flowers or new growth. Unprotected hydrangeas in particular may suffer damage to flower buds, causing poor or no flowering this year.
Protect plants in the ground by draping sheets or blankets over them. Sticks can be used to create a “tent” to avoid flattening delicate plants, and also to avoid contact with leaves which may result in freezing through the blanket. Add bricks on top of the sheets to hold down the sheet from the winds. Containers can be moved into a protected area or covered the same way as plants in the ground.
What if you can’t protect because plants are too big or there are too many? Spring freezes are more of a cosmetic problem that a danger to hardy plants (perennials, shrubs and trees). Plants often recover with minimal long-term effects. That doesn’t mean it’s not frustrating to lose your beautiful cherry or magnolia blossoms. That’s weather in North Carolina!
Fall is finally here and all the wonderful pansies and mums are showing up in the nurseries. Here’s a tip: Check all those little flower buds on that beautiful chrysanthemums plant before you buy it. If the little flower buds are wilted or brown, don’t buy that plant. It means the mum dried out and those wilted/brown buds will NOT open into a flower. Most mums that you find in the Garden shops or even grocery store are grown as annuals. Some may come back when planted in the yard but most will not. Yellows have been known to come back. The beautiful Pelee (florist) mums will not come back in our area. They are not cold hardy.
After you buy the beautiful mums, make sure to keep them watered heavily and if you want them to last October and November, remember to give them some shade. The more sun the water they will need.
Mark your calendars for 2 great “Folks on Friday”programs from the Master Gardeners. Friday October 21 at noon on Composting and Friday October 28 at noon on “Gardening for Wildlife with Native Plants”. Both held at the Extension Office on Fairchild St. W/S. You can find out more on both classes at coop-ext-registrtion@forsyth.cc
Are those Fall Webworm bags in the trees driving you nuts? Here’s a tip on them that doesn’t involve burning your trees and feeds the birds at the same time. If you will simply tear a hole in the bags, the birds will eat the worms. NOW I CAN’T STRESS THIS ENOUGH! DO NOT STAND DIRECTLY UNDER THE WEB WHILE DOING THIS UNLESS YOU WANT CATERPILLAR POO IN YOUR HAIR- you have been warned. You have now created a bird buffet.
Are you tired of this heat yet? I’m dying!! Do you know the difference between heat wilt and too dry? Hard to believe in all this heat that you could over water your plants- But you can.
Proven winners has a great article on over watering as well as several other good articles on knowing the difference between wilt from too much heat and too much water. https://www.provenwinners.com/learn/wait-plant-drowning
Dear Violet was discussing how her geraniums are struggling in all this heat with Theresa Myers and picked up a tip to pass on – Epson Salts.
Mix 2 TBSP of Epson Salts in a gallon of water and water the geraniums (as well as other plants) with the mixture in the morning. Plants will perk up and green up. Here’s a great article on Epson Salts http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/epsom-salt-gardening.htm
Happy Gardening!
Before you rush out and start trimming nad deadheading, take a minute and read New Garden’s Landscaping and Nursery Summer 2016 newsletter.
Most perennials an annuals will benefit from deadheading. Here’s a few specific tips:
Peonies: You need to cut off the spent blooms down to the first leave pass the blooms for more blooms next year. Dear Violet’s favorite website for al things Peonies is Peonysenvy.com
Perennials Chrysanthemums: Pinch or cut them back for bushier growth and more blooms in the fall. Make sure to get all the flowers buds. If not, they will bloom June and July and not in the fall when we want them to be showy.
Day lilies: Pinch (don’t pull) off spent blooms daily. When the stalk is empty and still green, cut it to the ground. When all stalks are finished blooming and have been removed: fertilize and water well and most day lilies with bloom a second round. Day Lilies get their names from the fact that the bloom is only open for one day.