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.

Here we go- It’s planting time girls (and guys). BEFORE you go crazy buying the beautiful plants in our local nurseries, stop and evaluate your pots and gardens. Make note of how much sun and rain they receive. That makes a big difference in what you plant. Don’t mix sun and shade plants. Think about how much water the plants need. You don’t want plants that need watering several times a week mixed with plants that only need watered once a week. Check the manufacturer card that comes with the plants or ask someone at the nursery. Putting the right plants together will make a huge difference in the out come of your pots.

Now think about the dirt in those pots. Has the dirt been there for several years? Then there is no nutrition in the soil. I now use Bio-Tone Starter Plus by Espoma in all my pots. Robyn from Briar Patch introduced this product to us. Follow the chart on the bag for instructions for amending your soil. I will NEVER plant without this product again. It has a higher nitrogen number which promotes root growth for healthier, stronger plants. It will also help the plants “green up”.

It’s also time to plant those boxes of Wildflower blend. Pick an area that gets morning sun. The best tip “Dear Violet” can give you for planting this seed mix is to WEED the area you are planning to use for the seed mix. Then when the seeds begin to germinate, you will know it’s a flower not a weed. The instructions on the box are very easy to follow. Take pictures for Dear Violet.

Planting instructions for the Siberian Irises:

Planting the Siberian Iris is best done in a rich, fertile soil with good drainage; however, Siberian iris will perform in lean or poor soils as well. Corms can be planted in full sun to partially shady areas. Keep the soil consistently moist until the plants are established, about a year. Water established plants regularly when drought conditions exist. Feed Siberian Iris plants with a nitrogen rich fertilizer and fertilize again when the blooms are spent. Trim the flower stalks as with all bulbs leaving the leaves to store food for next years flowers. Siberian Irises can be planting in the spring; just don’t expect blooms the same year. Siberian Irises are rarely bothered by rots and borers as are the bearded irises.

Remember trim off the flower stems from your daffodils and tulips. This one simple step will insure that you have tulips and daffodils next year. By trimming the flower stems, you send a signal to the plant to put all the food energy into the bulbs for next years flowers.

Happy Gardening!

WEATHER ALERT!

With the crazy swings we have been experiencing, remember to keep your potted plants watered especially your pansies. It’s very important with the freezing temperatures expected over the next 2 weeks.

April is a great month for planning your gardens or containers and attending all the wonderful educational classes offered here in our area as well as all the great plant sales.

APRIL DATES TO SAVE:

April 15 – our Zone 7’s  date for the last freeze but watch the weather.

April 16 – Old Salem’s Heirloom Plant Sale

April 16 – 19 Plant Sale and Programs at the Arboretum at Tanglewood. Dear Violet is signed up for the April 19th class. You can call 336 703 2850 to register. Information on the Plant Sale and Programs on www.forsyth.cc/ces website.

Forks on Fridays – Master Gardeners Spring Lecture Series held on Fridays at the Forsyth County Cooperative Extension office on Fairchild rd in Winston. You can call 336 703-2850 to register. Information on Forks on Fridays on www.forsyth.cc/ces website.

For the “Dear Violet” followers, Dear Violet has a surprise for you. Email if you can’t make the meeting or tell Dear Violet at the April Garden Club meeting the password “PURPLE” and you will get the surprise.

Happy Spring.

March is a very busy month for Bermuda Run gardeners. It’s the month to prune trees and shrubs and roses. Dear Violet has been pruning all month. Oh my aching back.

Remember you can NOT trim back any spring blooming shrubs or they will NOT bloom. Wait to prune back any spring blooming bush until it finishes blooming. That way the new buds for next year will form on the new branches.

Crepe Myrtles are usually trimmed this month. Do NOT Crepe murder your trees. Grumpy Gardener for Southern Living magazine has a great article on the correct way to trim Crepe Myrtles.

March is also the perfect month for cutting back roses, though you want to check on freezing temperatures. When you cut back rose bushes, you can expose the fresh cuts to freezing temperatures which will damage the canes. This Monday morning the temperatures are due to fall to or below freezing. The National Roses society at rose.org has several articles and videos on the care and pruning of roses.

March is also the perfect month for transplanting perennials, shrubs and conifers. Check out Adrienne Roething, the PJCBG Garden Curator’s tip on transplanting on the Paul J. Ciener Botanical Garden website. While you are on this website, look at the up coming events at the Gardens. Dear Violet has marked her calendar for the April 10th Spectacular Spring Tulip Bloom and Lecture from Brent Heath owner of Brent and Becky’s Bulbs catalog. Dear Violet attended Adrienne’s “Lunch and Learn” on perennials and came back with several wonderful ideas for my garden.

Don’t forget about your pansies. This very hot weather has probably toasted your pansies. Water them! The rain and cooler temperatures this weekend will help to bring them back to life. Ever hear someone called a Pansy. It’s because they (and pansies) can’t stand the heat.

If your tulips are blooming, then it’s also time to fertilize your Irises. Use a 6-10-10 fertilizer. Apply 1/2 to 1 Tablespoon per rhizome clump in early spring and again about one month after bloom. Work into the soil. Take care to keep fertilizer away from direct contact with rhizomes. Water well after each application.  Also check your Iris rhizomes for soft spots (bacteria rot), trim back old leaves and be sure to remove any dead debris from around the rhizomes so their “backs” can feel the sun.

You should also start cleaning up, if you didn’t last fall, your gardens. Start weeding now and your job will be easier the rest of the year. Weeds have jumped with all the warm weather and now rain. Perfect combo for weeds.

There’s a great article on the New Garden Landscaping Spring 2016 newsletter online about the Impatiens Downy Mildew. This newsletter also contents helpful tips for March, April and May. Impatiens Downy Mildew is the fungus that has been causing your Impatiens to drop their leaves and the flowers to fall off over night.

Hope all this information helps and as always, Happy Gardening. Is there anything better than dirt under your nails!!!

February’s Flower is our club flower the Violas (Violets and Pansies)

Here’s a web site to check out this beautiful flower and growing inform. You can sign up for a news letter from the All things Plants web site. Several of the our members enjoy this web site.

allthingplants.com/idea/view/dave/2578/Februarys-Flower-Voilas-Violets-and Pansies/

My favorite flowers for February are Primroses. Check out the Southern Living Magazine web site for a beautiful arrangement and growing tips. I have seen them at all the garden shops in reds, yellows, pinks and purple. They look wonderful paired with a fern or 2 in a large bowl.  Instant Spring!

Happy Gardening.