April 15, 2019 When tax time rolls around , you need to prune your roses. For Hybrid Teas, Florabundas, Grandifloras, and David Austin roses you should prune one half to two thirds of the cane. Rugosas and Climbers should be pruned about one third of the cane. If the rose is 3 or 4 years old, look at the center of the plant and take 2 or 3 canes out. This opens up the rose for better air circulation. You …
To maximize our short growing season here in Michigan, it is best to plant cool weather vegetables in the spring (April) and the late summer (mid-August/September). Our biggest challenge in southwest Michigan is our temperature which moves quickly from very cold to very warm. There are many varieties of vegetables that prefer cool weather. Several of them–carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, produce their best flavor when they mature during the sunny days and cool nights. Prepare your soil; testing to …
Growing Asparagus in Michigan If you love asparagus and want to grow some yourself, waste no time in getting started. Even with the best of care, an asparagus bed won’t hit its stride for several years. But once that happens, the bed will produce an abundant crop of spears spring after spring for at least the next 15 to 20 years. Fresh from the garden, asparagus is the very essence of spring. The sweet, slender spears can be steamed, sautéed, …
Plant Canary Wing Begonias for a stylish and exciting shady container. We are excited to introduce Canary Wing Begonias! Canary Wings offers a unique look on a plant that has become a staple in gardens around the world! Canary Wings has bright foliage that changes from yellow to bright chartreuse throughout the season on a plant that continues to perform all Summer long. A great option for shade/early morning sun baskets. A little bit of morning sun brightens the foliage. …
Helianthus x annuus 1000 ways to get happy! Who doesn’t love a sunny yellow sunflower? Well, how about one with extraordinary summer color with large, vibrant blooms. This heat tolerant, sterile annual produces over 1,000 flowers in a single season, throughout summer until first frost. Sunny yellow petals with a dash of rich red surround the large brown center of each sensational flower. Excellent in borders and containers. It’s super easy to grow and will bounce right back if you …
Salvia longispicata x farinacea Low Maintenance, Super Showy and Beautiful Blue Color ‘Big Blue’ shows off with breathtaking clear blue blooms towering above bright green foliage. A generous host to hummingbirds, bees and butterflies. Annual. Vigorous, robust, heat-tolerant, drought-tolerant; needs no deadheading. Struts its stuff in full sun yet tolerates dappled shade or partial sun. Simple, low maintenance and always a top performer! Perfect for their back-of-border plantings (It’s gonna get big!), sending out blue spires continuously from July to first frost …
Catharanthus roseus ‘Tattoo’ Series Tattoo is without a doubt, the most unique vinca on the market today! Vinca (annual) are well known for their durable flowering, knockout color and exceptional heat tolerance, both in the landscape as well as containers. Tattoo is a bold and head-turning twist on traditional vinca and a series, with high impact bold color, that plant-lovers have been looking for. Tattoo makes the art of plants come to life with every bloom—each petal looks like it’s …
March is here and it’s time to start thinking about getting your rose beds ready for the new season. Your roses will be starting to come out of hibernation because there will be more light and warmer temperatures (well hopefully anyway!). It’s time to start getting your beds cleaned up in the last two weeks in March. You will want to remove any leaves, extra soil or mulch that you added for extra winter protection. The last week of March …
We are often asked “What can I plant now while it is still cool and our spring weather is somewhat unpredictable?” Listed below are a few options that have proven to do well in Michigan with our fluctuating spring temperatures. These plants are tolerant of dips in evening temperatures and perform well in cooler weather. ANNUALS Ranunculus – An annual in our growing zone, are brilliantly colored flowers with multiple layers of crepe-paper like petals. The leaves of the plants …
Echinacea – also known as coneflower – is a terrific perennial for Michigan flower beds. Beautiful, butterfly attracting, deer resistant flowers bloom most of the summer in sunny locations. New colors and new varieties make this plant one of the best choices. Echinacea sounds more like a disease than a plant you would want in your garden. And if you read the Wikipedia description, it still seems like something to stay away from. Maybe that’s why people commonly refer to it …
