Winterberry Holly

Posted on December 31, 2017 by Ashland Garden Club

Plant Name: Ilex verticillata
Common Name: Winterberry Holly
Plant type: Deciduous shrub
Height: 3-12 ft – depending on varieties
Spread: Same information as height
Bloom Time: Early summer
Flower Color: White, or cream – small
Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Soil Requirements: Rich organic acidic soil, but grows in average garden soil.
Water Needs: Moist boggy areas
Native to: Eastern North America
USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-9

Attributes: Vibrant Red Winter Berries, Important food source for American Robins, Winter Interest.

Uses: Wetland habitats, Native gardens, Bird habitat, Rain garden, Firewise garden, Wildlife gardens, Cutting garden, Containers dwarf varieties, Floral arrangements.

Note: Plants are dioecious meaning male or female. A male plant is needed for female plants to produce berries. Plant a male shrub within 50 feet of female plants. One male plant can pollinate 6-10 female plants, but note blooming time must match when female’s bloom. Slow growers. Shrubs can sucker out into a dense thicket when planted in wet boggy areas.

A few varieties are listed below:

            Berry Heavy: 6-8 ft (female)
            Berry Nice:   6-8 ft     (female)
            Sparkleberry: 5-8 ft (female)
            Southern Gentleman: 12 ft (male)
            Apollo: 6-10 ft (male)
            Raritan Chief: 7 ft T X 12 ft W (male)
            Jim Dandy: 6-10 ft (male)

Dwarf varieties:

            Afterglow: 3-6 ft (female)
            Little Goblin: 3-5 ft (female)
            Little Goblin Guy: 3-5 ft (male)
            Red Sprite: 3-5 ft (female)
            Berry Poppins: 3-4 ft (female)
Mr. Poppins: 3-4 ft (male)

by: Carlotta Lucas

Growing Holiday Greenery

Posted on December 25, 2017 by Ashland Garden Club

photo by DoreenWynja.com for Monrovia

Article by Kate Karam | December 3, 2017 Monrovia website: http://growing-greenery-for-holiday-decorating

“Golden Mop Threadleaf False Cypress: Ground hugging little conifer that loves full sun. The golden color adds a midas touch to wreaths and garlands. Zone: 4 – 8

Majestic Beauty® Japanese Black Pine: Fast growing conifer with super dark green foliage. Bunches of needles look amazing in an evergreen runner. Zone: 5 – 9

Colorado Blue Spruce: Rigid tiered branches densely covered with stiff gray-blue needles. Good for wreaths, really good just in a vase. Zone: 2 – 8

Little Gem Dwarf Southern Magnolia: Smaller in scale than other Southern magnolias but with same fragrant blooms. Makes a seriously elegant garland. Zone: 7 – 9

Emerald Isle® Leyland Cypress: Tall and narrow, perfect tall screen. Soft texture makes for one of the best conifers for a mixed evergreen wreath. Zone: 5 – 9

Whipcord Western Red Cedar: Whimsical-yet-stately to plant in mass. Let branches spill over the sides of a vase of red roses for an unforgettable show. Zone: 5 – 7

Castle Spire® Blue Holly: Every garden needs a holly for its year-round good looks. Wreaths, trimming packages, napkin rings. You get the idea! Zone: 5 – 7

Quick Cinnamon Bread (egg-free)

Posted on December 23, 2017 by Ashland Garden Club

Makes: 1 loaf
Preheat oven 350⁰ F

Ingredients:
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 Flax Egg = 1 Tablespoon ground flax seed soaked in 2 Tbl water
1 cup buttermilk,
[if needed make homemade buttermilk: 1 cup milk plus 1 Tbl vinegar]
2 cups flour [ white or fine whole wheat]
1 teaspoon baking soda

Cinnamon mixture:
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:
Make flax egg: add 1 T ground flax in 2 T water, let it sit for 5 minutes.

Make Cinnamon Mixture: In a small dish combine 2 t cinnamon with 1/3 cup sugar.

In a mixing bowl: Combine 2 cups flour with 1 teaspoon baking soda.

In a separate bowl, cream together ½ cup butter, 1 cup sugar, and flax egg mixture.

Once this is creamed slowly add in flour mixture alternating with 1 cup buttermilk. Stir only until blended, do not over mix.

Place half the batter into an oiled loaf pan.

Sprinkle 3/4 of the cinnamon sugar mixture on this first layer of batter.

Add the remaining batter to the loaf pan, top with remaining cinnamon sugar.

Create swirls of cinnamon throughout the dough by using a knife inserted into the batter, then twisting and turning it throughout the batter.

Bake 45-50 min, [test with toothpick]
Cool before removing from pan.
Enjoy!

Holiday Poinsettia Plant Care

Posted on December 19, 2017 by Ashland Garden Club

To keep you poinsettias looking good during the holidays, it’s a combination of light, moisture and location. Poinsettias need lots of light, so give them as much bright in-direct sunlight as possible inside your home. Proper watering is key to keeping poinsettias healthy. Water them thoroughly only when the pot feels light weight and dry on the top. Do not leave plants setting in a saucer of water, they do not like wet “feet”. Place your poinsettias in a semi-cool humid location away from a heating vent. For added humidity set a bowl or saucer of water in close proximity to the plant.

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Sun, Shade, Partial Sun, Partial Shade – What does it mean?

Posted on December 12, 2017 by Ashland Garden Club

Often these terms are confusing even for a seasoned gardener, so below are some 20170502_182451 guidelines to shed light on the subject, and help you plant with confidence.

Full Sun: 6 hours of direct sunlight anytime during the day. It could even be 3 hour in the morning, then 3 more in the afternoon, but 6 hours total is the minimum.

Partial Sun: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight, but provide some relief from hot afternoon sunshine.

Shade: Less than 6 hours of sunlight, is considered a shady area.

Partial Shade: 3-4 hours of morning or early afternoon sunlight, then shaded or getting indirect light in the late afternoon.

Dappled Sun: Similar to partial shade, some sunlight makes it through the branches of deciduous trees.

Full Shade: Lessen than 3 hours of sunlight. Morning sunshine is the best, then receiving some dappled sun or filtered light during the day.

Shade Tolerant: Plant prefers more sunlight, but can be planted in partial shade. Possibly deceiving statement, because plant performance could be substandard if planted in partial shade.

Note: Some plants listed for shade gardens in USDA Zones 7-8 may perform better in full sun in Zones 4-5.

Submitted by: Carlotta Lucas