| ••••••••PERENNIAL PLANTING GUIDE•••••••• |
| Ground Preparation A little time spent in soil preparation will be well rewarded. If annuals have grown well in the bed before without fertilizer, then no additional fertilizer will be required for perennials beyond an annual maintenance light feed each year. If fertilizer is added to the bed, it is best done well in advance of planting or at least very well mixed into the soil. A light application of fertilizer to the top of the soil around the plants several weeks after planting or when the plants have begun to grow is always safe. All plant growing is a matter of judging plant response and deciding whether you are in the range of too much or too little, whether watering, spraying, fertilizing, as to temperature, sunshine, whatever. What you will be trying to achieve is a border that is established and can basically get along without any great effort each year. This is really a very realistic goal, and we hope that these plants and instructions will give you a good start in that direction |
| Mulching - Decorative / Weed Suppression Personal Choice. The Pro's: It will keep the root zone cooler, and helps retain soil moisture. Looks nice and helps control weeds. The Con's: Can be expensive, won't stop grassy weeds, will tie up Nitrogen as it decays, and can repel water if it totally dries out. We like to apply a shallow layer (1-2") about 6 weeks after planting. This will allow you to cultivate the soil several times thus killing all the weeds as they germinate. Take care not to cover the crown of the plants. You'll find that additional mulch next year may not be necessary as the plants will fill in nicely and help control weeds themselves. |
| Planting See "Upon Receipt of your Order" sheet for unpacking instructions. We suggest that you water the plants well in their pots the day before planting, especially if they have been held for any period of time after arrival. Extract the plants from their containers either by inverting the plant and tapping the pot's edge using a downward motion on a solid object, or by spanking the bottom of the pot to dislodge the plant. For 6 paks, a gentle pinch of the sidewall of the cell followed by a poke on the underside will free most plants. If it is still caught please tear open the cell pack to dislodge the plant. Then place each one in the spot it is to be planted. When that section is placed, plant each one a little below the soil line, firm it gently and leave a ring of ridged soil to hold water, if desired. When the whole bed has been planted, set a sprinkler or water by hand for at least 30 to 40 minutes. If there are rains at all, no further water should be needed until the first warmer dry spell. |
| Fall and Winter Care It is usual to cut the entire bed down to about 6" in late fall to remove old debris that will be in the way next season. This is also a good time to pull out the dead annuals from the border so that there is no question in the spring whether a dead looking clump is really dead or a valuable perennial, not yet awake. Most perennials will show signs of life at the crown early in the spring, and with the annual tops gone the fall before, spring cleanup can be delayed quite a while, and no plants need to be lost to an overzealous worker. A light application of fertilizer can be made anytime from late fall to early summer to maintain the health of the bed. |
| Mulching for Winter Protection We do not recommend it except for extreme northern gardeners who don't have reliable snow cover. The plants are very hardy and should not require winter protection. Many, many more plants are lost to smothering and rotting than to temperature extremes. If you decide to mulch, remember to wait until the ground is frozen hard to apply it. Excelsior, salt hay, evergreen boughs, straw - anything that won't mat down and smother works well. (Leaves and grass clippings are bad.) The mulch will need to be removed with the first thaw. In Ohio we typically have December, January and February thaws, so we don't bother mulching as it would do more harm than good. If in doubt our advice is don't. |
| Water and Summer Care The first year, water will be required during prolonged dry spells. One inch a week is the general norm that is required. You can set a few cans in the border when watering to check the amount applied, or dig down a few inches a half hour after watering to see how deep the water has penetrated. A good six inches is ideal. Some new gardeners are very surprised to find that what they considered a good soaking is only wetting the soil to a depth of an inch or so. If plants are watered in that way they can turn out quite well, but they will be very shallow rooted and then hurt if a few days are skipped and the soil becomes dry at the top. You probably know of a good gardener who does not soak once a week, but lightly sprinkles every day. The secret of success is usually that they are very dedicated gardeners who do not leave town for any time during the growing season and just never miss a day sprinkling, unless it is raining. It is far better for almost everyone to strengthen their plants by deep watering when needed, and thus making their borders self-sufficient, which is more what perennial gardeners have in mind. To keep weeds down, a light scratching of the soil as a few weeds are starting to show will destroy those as well as a multitude that are just starting to break out of their seeds. In order to germinate, seeds must be in the top of the soil layer, be in good contact with the soil, have ample moisture, and almost all have to be in the light. That is why once your new plants are up to size, the weed problem becomes minimal. As the plants mature and shade most of the ground and most weed seeds in the topmost layer have germinated and been destroyed by scratching or pulling, then scratching the ground can be more vigorous and watering less frequent. The plants are insect and disease free for the most part. You should need no spraying unless a major invasion of sucking or chewing insects moves in from somewhere nearby, in which case the damage is easily apparent in time to use a general insecticide such as SEVIN or a general purpose spray before any real damage is done. |
| SHRUB PLANTING INSTRUCTIONS Your soil should not need any special preparation unless it is very hard and clayey, in which case a liberal amount of peat moss and sand should be worked into the area. See special instruction for Rhododendrons and Azaleas. These plants will do fine planted directly into borders, hedges, or into planting areas in the lawn. They will be quite good sized and showy the second year. An alternative is to make a nursery row in the rear of your yard on a sunny spot, or reserve a row in your vegetable garden. Plant the bushes about 18" to 24" apart and then transplant them at the end of the first or second year. At that time, the shrubs mentioned below that benefit from being cut back should be cut back to 12" to 18" tall, the roots shortened to make planting easier, and the shrubs planted into their permanent spot. This transplanting can be done anytime after the first hard frost in the fall, about Oct. 1 in Ohio, or in the early spring before leaves have started. PRUNING - Proper pruning is a must for nicely formed plants. Never shear them unless for a hedge, or on some lower, naturally mound shaped ones. Always remove a few older branches close to the ground, allowing new shoots to develop or making room for those already growing and then trimming them lightly to shape the plant pleasantly. During their first year, any rogue branch that begins to grow straight out with no side branches can be nipped at the tip or cut back to promote bushiness. Hedge shears should be used only where a round shape is wanted or for hedges. Other plants that become too large should have several oldest canes completely removed, leaving the youngest to fill out the bush. Unwanted or asymmetrical branches can be removed anytime. Cutting is best done after flowering so as not to sacrifice bloom for the next year. |
| FERTILIZATION AND WATERING - Fertilization is important. A well fed plant is not subject to insects or diseases, is hardier, and will make you proud of your green thumb. Use fertilizer in early summer each year with almost any fertilizer available. Established shrubs do not require watering, but your new plants will benefit from a soaking anytime there are 7 - 10 days without rain the first year. PLANTING AND CARE - A 6-9 month time release fertilizer tablet has been included for each of your shrubs. This will help to establish your shrubs during their important first year. Place the fertilizer pill provided to one side of each plant when planting - a short distance from the root ball (4-6"), not touching. Set the plants a little deeper than you would think, with the root ball covered. All our shrubs are grouped below by use or by the amount of early pruning they should have. The spacing suggested is for distance from a wall or from other large plants. AZALEAS These are acid loving plants that do well in filtered or partial sunlight. Ground preparation is simple, but very important. A hole should be dug at least two feet wide and as deep, and the soil mixed with peat moss, the hole refilled. The extra dirt can be spread over the surrounding beds or lawn, and the refilled hole firmed with the feet. If the peat is dry, it should be well watered before mixing. When the hole has been refilled, simply plant the pot ball very slightly beneath the surface and firm the soil gently about the ball. Before the first winter, mulch with an inch or two of peat and in very cold climates, cover the plant with an old bushel basket after the ground is frozen solid. The second winter protection is normally not needed. The peat will provide for the acidity needed, but if desired, an acid plant food and an iron fertilizer can be used and will be of further benefit. Allow 3 feet of clearance from other plants or buildings, and in a very few years you will have a full sized specimen. All bloom more heavily each year. Clematis are prized for their incredible flowers, most as large as your hand. Will train onto trellises, fences, or arch over doorways. Likes to have their roots shaded and their flowers in the sun. Stunning when used alone or when several colors are mixed. |
INSECTS AND DISEASES Here are some symptoms of common plant problems. If you see these symptoms, there are many excellent products on the market which can be used for them both chemical and natural. Your local garden center should be able to offer suggestions. It is always okay to use an insecticidal soap, such as Safer's Soap, for insects. A general purpose fungicide can be a good preventative measure if the summer is particularly soggy. RED SPIDER - and other mites - plants are yellow and weak. The undersides of the leaves are always dirty when examined (from soil sticking to the fine webs.) Tap a leaf over a piece of white paper and you will see tiny specs. If they start crawling, then you have spider mites. The bigger mites can be seen by the eye. Often first seen with the heat of summer. POWDERY MILDEW - Leaves disfigured by a white coating resembling mold. Begins when there is little air movement or when night dews become prevalent in late July. Use fungicides listing Powdery Mildew by midsummer until late August (in Ohio). Leaf damage remains even with treatment, unfortunately. LEAFMINER - White curling trails are seen in the leaves, most often in late spring only. APHIDS AND CHEWING INSECTS - Holes in leaves or along leaf margins, or visible insects along stems. LEAF SPOTS - Dark brown spots on leaves can be caused by a fungus or by over-watering. Red pustules (bumps) can indicate rust. WHITE FLY - Small white insects fly when disturbed. Responds well to insecticidal soap. SPITTLE BUGS - Bubbly masses in the leaf axils. |
| REMOVE OLD WOOD AFTER BLOOMING Abelia Forsythia Abiliophyllum Hibiscus Callicarpa Hydrangea Annabelle Deutzia CARE OF GRASSES These benefit from cutting back in Late Winter/Early Spring: Calamagrostris - Feather Reed Grass Pennisetum - Fountain Grass Chasmanthium - Northern Sea Oats Saccharum - Ravenna Grass Festuca - Blue Fescue Sisyrichium - Blue eyed Grass Miscanthus - Maiden Grass Schizachyrium - Northern Sea Oats Panicum - Switch Grass Sorghastrum - Indian Grass These only need the old leaves "teased" out in Spring: Carex - Japanese Sedge Grass Deschampsia - Golden Tufted Hair Grass Elymus - Blue Lyme Grass Eragrostis - Sand Love Grass Helictotrichon Sempervirens - Blue Oat Grass |
| CLEMATIS CARE - “Queen of the climbers” Clematis are prized for their incredible flowers, most as large as your hand. Will train onto trellises, fences, or arch over doorways. Likes to have their roots shaded and their flowers in the sun. Stunning when used alone or when several colors are mixed. Type 2 - In this group all first flowering comes from last season's ripening stems. In early Spring watch for swelling leaf buds beginning to show. Cut all dead material off above these welling buds. Be sure all growth is tied to the trellis, etc. at this time. Do not tie too tightly, so growth will not be hampered or cracked by tying too tight. Arctic Queen Edouard Desfosse Multi-Blue Asao Guernsey Cream Nelly Moser Claire de Lune Josephine Niobe Countess of Lovelace Kilian Donahue Crystal Fountain Liberation Type 3 - This group blooms later and from new growth. These should be pruned in February or March as new leaf buds begin to show low on the plant. Also remove all dead material above the buds and clean out any old or mildewed foliage at this time. Avante-Garde Gravetye Beauty Princess Diana Betty Corning Hagley Hybrid Purpurea Elegans Comtesse de Bouchard Huldine Venosa Violacea Duchess of Albany Jackmanii Ville de Lyon Ernest Markham Mme. Julia Correvon Florida Sieboldii Paniculata |
| CONTAINERS: Almost every plant we grow will be okay in a container for one season. The difficulty comes in wintering over the container. Since the roots are now "above ground" in the container, the moderating effect of the soil's warmth is lost. Either transplant the perennials into your fall border, or sink the entire container in the ground. In mid zones, you might get away with protecting the container with hay bales, or by placing the container along the sheltered foundation of your house. |
| NO TRIMMING Abeliophyllum Arctostaphylos Mass. Vancouver Jade Calycanthus Floridus Cornus Cotinus Daphne Fothergilla Hydrangea Arborescens Annabelle Hydrangea paniculata Hydrangea petiolaris Hydrangea quercifolia Itea Kalmia Kolkwitzia Pink Cloud Leptodermis Pieris Lonicera Magnolia Leonard Messel Microbiata Polygonum Auberti - Vine |
SHAPING ONLY Azalea Buxus Clethra Chaenomeles Euonymus alatus CUT BACK IN SPRING Buddleia - Cut back to 12" or good wood Caryopteris - Cut back to good wood Diervilla Hydrangea macrophylla - Remove dead canes once leaves appear Lavatera - Cut back to 12" Sambucus - Cut back to 12" Vitex CUT BACK BY 1/3 AFTER BLOOMING Spiraea Neon Flash Spirea Shibori Tamarix - cut back hard |
| GOOD FOR HEDGES Buxus - Plant 1 1/2' - 2' apart Caryopteris - Plant 2' apart Euonymus Alatus - Plant 3' apart Forsythia - Plant 4' apart Hibiscus - Plant 6' apart Kerria - Plant 3’ apart Miscanthus - Plant 2'-3' apart Physocarpus - Plant 5' apart Spiraea Renaissance - Plant 10' apart Viburnum Tomentosum - Plant 6' apart Viburnum Blue Muffin - Plant 5' apart Weigela - Plant 3-4' apart |
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SHRUB CARE
SHRUB CARE
| GOOD FOR GROUND COVER Deutzia Nikko Euonymus fortunei Gaultheria Procumbens Hydrangea petiolaris Microbiata |
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