Home
Monthly
May
Perennials, Annuals, and Bulbs
- Some common ground covers suitable for sunny locations include
Ajuga (Ajuga reptans), Moss Pink (Phlox subulata), and Creeping
Juniper (Juniperus horizontalis).
- Lobelia (Lobelia pendula) is a great annual for hanging baskets
or container gardens with its stems that trail about 8 inches.
The 'Cascade' series is especially vibrant in colors of pink,
white, lilac, maroon, violet, and blue. Most flowers have a white
eye.
- Scented geraniums make fabulous air fresheners. Rub the leaves
together, and they put forth aromas of coconut, rose, nutmeg,
citrus, or mint. Scented geraniums have several different,
attractive foliage forms and colors, often very finely lobed and
light green. Place them near a patio or porch to add an
intriguing scent when visitors brush against them.
- As soon as the danger of frost is over, amaryllis that was
forced into bloom can be placed outdoors for the summer. The
potted bulb should be placed in a shaded location and fertilized
with 1 teaspoon of 5-10-10. Bring it back indoors before frost,
and let the soil dry completely so the bulb will go into
dormancy. After leaving it in a cool, dark place for eight weeks,
bring it back into the light and begin watering again. In another
eight weeks, your amaryllis should bloom again.
- Lightly sidedress perennials, including spring bulbs, with a
5-10-10 or 10-10-10 fertilizer, being careful to avoid the center
or crown of the plant.
- If you love to garden, but don't have a lot of time, choose
plants that are easy to maintain. Plants that do not need
"deadheading" include begonia, impatiens, coleus, alyssum,
ageratum, lobelia, vinca, and salvia.
- An interesting plant to grow is the umbrella palm (Cyperus
alternifolius). It is excellent as a water plant or in very damp
sites. It grows from 1- to 3 feet tall with 3 to 12 very slender,
raylet leaves per stem (an umbel) in an umbrella-like pattern.
Cyperus grows best in direct sun and very, moist soil. Maintain
an adequate fresh water supply to provide oxygen for the roots.
Insect pests include spider mite, mealy bug, thrip, scale, and
whitefly. Propagating Cyperus is easy -- divide the existing
plant, or cut off and turn one of the umbels upside down in a
glass of water and watch it root!
- Caladiums need generous
amounts of water and fertilizer to encourage continuous
production of new leaves during the summer. Apply a light, side
dressing of 5-10-5 fertilizer every two weeks, and water
thoroughly to encourage bright-colored foliage.
- If you are looking for plants that flower each year, require
little care, and are rarely bothered by pests or disease, try
some of these perennials: coneflower, bleeding heart, coralbell,
daylily, geum, hosta, bergenia, Virginia bluebell, and veronica.
- These flowers save time and work in the garden by dropping dead
blooms and thus requiring no trimming or dead-heading:
mignonette, love-in-a-mist, cleome, scabiosa, and daylily.
- Potted plants, when placed outdoors, may need to be watered
more frequently than if they were inside. If you place plants in
clay pots inside larger plastic pots or cover clay pots with
aluminum foil, you will reduce the frequency at which you must
water. Remember to punch a drainage hole if foil is used.
- Gladiolus grows best in well-drained soil, protected from wind.
Bulbs can be planted now. For best bloom, water thoroughly once a
week after the spike begins to show above the soil.
- Plant asters in a different part of your garden each year to
minimize the possibility of aster wilt.
- Dig and divide dusty miller in the spring and replant the more-
vigorous, outside portions of the clump. Fertilize liberally
during the growing season.
- Bright-red and deep-red salvias are good for concentrated color
in full sun. Use the lighter or pastel shades of salvia in
partial shade.
- Some seed catalogs are selling seed mixtures of flowers that
produce edible blossoms for salad excitement. Try a sample from
your flower border. Possibilities included are nasturtium (spicy
flowers, buds, and leaves), calendula (bright color and warm
flavor), various mints, borage (cucumber-flavored petals and
foliage), violets and violas (somewhat of an apple flavor), and
polyantha rose (aromatic).
- Lisianthus (Eustoma spp.) is a rediscovery in flowering plants.
This half-hardy perennial has tulip-like buds that become
poppy-like with maturity. A double form resembling a rose is also
available. The flowers come in shades of white, pink, or blue.
Lisianthus is outstanding as a cut flower and would be a welcome
addition in any cutting garden you may be planning. Lisianthus is
best started in individual containers to avoid disturbing roots
when setting out. It is slow growing until roots are fully
established. Pinch back to promote bushiness.
- Pinch back annuals when 4 to 6 inches high to promote bushy
growth. Some that require pinching are zinnias, petunias, and
salvia.
- Set out marigolds, petunias, ageratums, and fibrous begonias.
All are good border plants.
- Impatiens is the most satisfactory annual for use in shady
areas. Begonias, coleus, ageratum, salvia, and vinca prefer light
shade (5 to 6 hours of sunlight.)
- Need a tall, bold plant in the back of the border, along a wall
or fence, or even standing alone? Try these: cleome or spider
flower makes a fine, airy, 4-foot or taller display; 'Giant
Imperial' larkspur produces 4- to 5-foot spikes of white, red,
and purple blooms; 'Summer Carnival' annual hollyhock bears 4-
inch double flowers on 5-foot stems.
- Multiflora petunias withstand heat much better than other types
and are more attractive throughout the summer. They are more
resistant than other types to botrytis, a disease that cripples
petunias, especially in damp weather. And they branch more
easily, meaning less maintenance. Multifloras are most useful for
massed effects in beds.
- Set petunia plants among fading tulips or daffodils to hide the
unsightly wilting leaves. After the bulb foliage begins to fade,
you can tie the leaves in gentle knots to neaten them, but don't
remove them until they have dried completely.
- Grow your own dried flowers. Start seeds of statice, globe
amaranth, strawflowers, and other everlastings to provide flowers
for this year's arrangements.
- Plant unusual summer flowering bulbs like Peruvian daffodil or
Mexican shell flower for variety of form or color in the
midsummer garden.
- In the past, begonias were recommended for areas of partial sun
and full shade. However, they will also do well in full sun if
kept moist and well mulched. 'Pizzaz' and 'Basel Hybrid' are two
varieties that do particularly well in full sun.
- Design wildflower borders with the same care as any other
border. Consider harmonies and contrasts of color, form, texture,
plant height, and bloom times. The seed bed should be tilled
thoroughly to a depth of 6 inches and compost or other organic
material added. Force the weed seeds in the soil to germinate
before sowing flowers by keeping the soil moist for a few weeks,
then rake out the sprouting weeds. Mix the wildflower seeds with
builders' sand in a 1 to 4 ratio and broadcast over the area.
Rake the seeds in lightly and keep the bed moist until plants are
well up.
- To grow annuals in pots on the patio, use a light-weight soil
mixture. Keep the plants well watered, as container-grown plants
dry out fast. Apply water soluble fertilizer according to package
directions every two weeks.
- Don't be surprised if variegated hosta has green leaves when
grown in the sun. The best, variegated, color pattern is
developed on plants in a semi-shady location.
|
"So many seeds -- so little time."
--Author unknown
|
|
FREE
Refer a Friend
to Garden Simply!
