Category Archives: Horticulture Reports

Today in the garden: Toad Lilly

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Horticulture Report

October 17, 2017

Plant Name: Tricyrtis
Common Name: Toad Lily
Plant type: Hardy Perennial
Height:  2-3 feet
Spread:   1.5 -2 feet
Bloom Time:  August – September
Flower Color:  White to Pale Lilac – Heavy Purple Spotting
Exposure: Part to Full Shade
Soil Requirements:  Rich humus, Slightly acidic soils
Water Needs: Medium to wet
Attributes:   Small lily like unique flowers. Late bloomer. Ability to bloom the Shade. Showy flowers
Note:  Do not let soil dry out. Plant so flowers can be viewed easily. Bait for slugs. Deer & rabbits eat them!
Uses: Woodland garden, Naturalized areas, Containers, Borders, Water Garden
Native to: Himalayas to eastern Asia
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4-8

Horticulture Report: Gaillardia aristata

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Gaillardia_Gallo_Peach

Plant Name: Gaillardia aristata
Common Name: Gallo Peach Blanket Flower
Plant type: Herbaceous Perennial
Height: 12-16 inches
Spread:   12-16 inches
Bloom Time:  Spring to late summer  
Flower Color:  Yellow with peachy gold blush, Yellow-orange center.
Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Requirements: Best in poor sandy soil,  does not like clay soil.  
Water Needs: Water well until established, then water occasionally  
Attributes:   Showy prolific flowers, Long bloomer, Drought tolerant once established, Deer resistant, Attracts Butterflies, Interesting globe seed pods 
Note:   Clip spent flowers to encourage repeat blooms. Cut back in late summer to encourage second blooming in the fall. Divide every 2-3 years.
Uses: Cut flowers, Borders, Perennial garden, Pollinator garden, Native garden, Butterfly Gardens. 
Native to: Patented plant
USDA Hardiness Zone: 6-10

Horticulture Report: Japanese Painted Fern

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Plant Name: Athyrium niponicumjapanese painted fern
Common Name: Japanese Painted Fern
Plant type: Fern – perennial
Height: 18-24 inches
Spread:   18-24 inches
Bloom Time:  N/A
Flower Color:  N/A – Prized for Foliage
Exposure: Full to part Shade: foliage color best in light shade
Soil Requirements: Humus-rich, well-drained soil
Water Needs: Regular watering, constant moisture
Attributes:   Dramatic foliage, Stands out in a shade garden,
Note: Feed regularly during growing season with a general purpose fertilizer. Cut back old fronds after new growth begins in spring.
Uses: Foreground foliage, Containers, Firewise plant, Asian/Zen Gardens, Houseplant, Woodland Garden, Cottage Garden.
Native to: eastern Asia
USDA Hardiness Zone: 5-8

Horticulture Report: Foxtail Lillies

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Plant Name: Eremuruseremurus isabellinus_foxtail lillies
Common Name: Foxtail Lily or Desert Candle
Plant type: Perennial bulb
Height: 3-7 ft
Spread:   1 ft
Bloom Time:  May-June
Flower Colors:  Dark Orange, Pink, Yellow, White, Apricot
Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Requirements: Well-drained fertile, sandy soil with compost
Water Needs: Average. Regularly, but do not over water
Attributes:   Dramatic flower spikes, Gray-green foliage,
Note: Low Maintenance, but eaten by slugs.  Plant in early spring on a mound of grit with the crown not far beneath the surface of the soil.
Uses:  Cottage Garden, Informal Garden, Tall Borders, Specimen plantings, Prairie plantings
Native to: Afghanistan and Turkistan
USDA Hardiness Zone: 5-9

Horticulture Report: Calycanthus ‘Venus’

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Plant Name: Calycanthus ‘Venus’Calycanthus Venus
Common Name: Sweetshrub
Plant type: Deciduous shrub
Height: 8-10 ft
Spread:   5-7 ft
Bloom Time:  May to July
Flower Color:  White,  with purple & yellow centers
Exposure: Full Sun or Part Shade (tolerates being almost in full shade)
Soil Requirements: Rich well-drained loam, but tolerates clay soil
Water Needs: Medium moist
Attributes:Showy Magnolia-like fragrant flowers, Glossy green leaves, Fall color
Note: Prune out root suckers to prevent spreading
Uses:  Hedge, Accent or Specimen Plant, Foundation Plantings, Cut Flowers, Naturalizing
Native to: Hybridized patented plant by Dr. Tom Ranney, North Carolina State University
USDA Hardiness Zone: 5-9

 

 

 

(Available at Forest Farms Nursery, Williams Oregon)

Hugelkultur: the ultimate raised garden beds!

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A permaculture practice called Hugelkultur, ( which is German for “mound culture,”) is a “no dig” raised garden bed method that is said to hold moisture, build fertility, and maximizes surface volume.  Hugelkultur is a good idea and can preform as boasted, but be smart about what you bury.  Do not bury plants that are invasive, unwanted, or toxic. Some  plants sprout quickly, then take over like branches from willows, privets, cottonwood, and bamboo. Others can be toxic, like Black Walnut which has juglone, a growth inhibitor that many plants can’t not tolerate.  There are many aggressive and toxic plants to be aware of,  so make sure you research the biomass you’re using before burying it.  And remember, leave diseased logs and branches out of your beds!