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You will probably remember from
biology class that the leaf is the factory that creates plant food from
sunlight and therefore sustains the plant. It stands to reason that
plants that grow in the sun require less leaf surface and therefore have
narrow leaves. Conversely, those that grow in the shade will generally
have broad leaves to gather up as much sunlight as possible.
It takes some planning to assure foliage
diversity in a perennial garden. For example, you may decide that in your sun
perennial garden you like irises, daylilies and ornamental grasses. When
the garden is in bloom it looks okay, but you may feel that it lacks the
foliar lushness that you were hoping for. This is because you selected
plants that all have narrow, strap-like leaves. In order to achieve
foliage diversity you need to work hard to choose some “exception to the
rule” plants that have broad leaves and do well in the sun. Some examples
are: peonies, coneflowers, hardy hibiscus and globe thistle.
In the shade, amongst the hostas,
japanese anemones, hellebores and liqularias, try to include some plants
with narrow grass-like leaves, such as: hakonechloa, iris cristata or even
liriope, or some plants with ferny leaves such as: astilbes, bleeding
hearts and true ferns. I think you’ll find the overall effect much more
satisfying. |
Iris Immortality
Globe Thistle
'Arctic Glow'
Sea Mate™
1qt and
1gal sizes
Gift Certificates
Passiflora Incarnata
Rose Bonica (Shrub)
Other Plants and Products Mentioned
Kelp Meal
Liriope
(Lily Turf) 'muscari Gold Banded'
Hakonechloa
'macra Aureola' |
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Question:
I wanted to plant a new border of shrubs and
perennials this spring, but with all the rain and the cool season, I haven’t
even started. Am I too late? What do you suggest?
Answer:
Before the invention of the plastic
nursery container, this was a very relevant question. Yes indeed, I am
old enough to remember the old days when spring planting had to be done
early, because the only plants that were available later were the few that
had been dug from the field in spring, burlapped and stored in saw dust
beds for later planting. So, the relevant question is when can you dig
and sever the roots, not when can you plant. In general, late spring is a
poor time to transplant plants that are already established in your
yard. However If you are willing to water in periods of drought,
container-grown plants and spring-dug balled and burlapped plants can be
planted all summer long. Remember to use biostimulators, such as Sea Mate
and Kelp Meal, so the plants will root into their new soil quickly. |
Question:
How can I grow a rose
from a cutting?
Answer:
Before you decide to propagate your own
rose you need to consider two factors. First, some roses are patented and
all propagation, including home propagating is illegal. Patented roses
come with a patent tag attached. I suspect this law is enforced with the
same diligence as the one that determines whether or not you have removed
the “Do not remove under penalty of law” tags from your mattress or sofa.
So, propagation of patented roses is at your own risk (please take this in
the humor that it is intended).
Secondly, the reason why roses are budded on understock is because many
roses do not grow as well on their own roots as they do when they are
budded on a vigorous root stock. This is particularly true of hybrid
teas, grandifloras and floribundas. These roses usually develop into
smaller, weaker plants on their own roots. On the other hand, antique
roses, shrub roses and many climbers do well on their own roots.
The
time to root roses from cuttings is in the summer after the first bloom.
You need to take your cuttings from this year’s growth, and they need to be
at least ¼ inch or more in diameter. Do not select the freshest, most
tender growth, but rather that which has matured. The best cutting wood is from
a stem that has already flowered. Take your cuttings about 4 inches
long. Be sure to make your cut on a 45 degree angle. Remove the remnants
of the flower and strip away the bottom half of the leaves. Dip the
cutting in rooting hormone and insert in a flower pot filled with soiless,
very light professional potting mix. So that you don’t remove the rooting
hormone as you insert the cutting, use a pencil or a stick to make the
hole. Press the soil firmly around the cutting.
If
you use an 8” flower pot you should be able to make 6 or 8 cuttings in the
one pot. Water it lightly. Place a plastic bag as a tent over the
cuttings and tie it with a piece of string around the pot. Before you do,
insert a stake in the pot so that the plastic bag is not touching the rose
cuttings. Make a few small holes in the plastic bag so there is some
ventilation. Place the flower pot in a shady place where the sun will
never reach it, otherwise the cuttings may overheat and die. Check the
pot weekly to be sure the soil has stayed lightly moist and that none of
the leaves have rotted. If any leaves have rotted or fallen off, remove them;
even a leafless rose cutting will root. After about 6-8 weeks, check to
see whether or not the rose cuttings have rooted. If they have, remove
the plastic bag. Keep your rooted rose cuttings in the same pot indoors
over the winter and treat them as a house plant. They will do best in a
cool, sunny window. Fertilize with Sea Mate starting in early February.
Next year, after Memorial Day, you can separate the rooted cuttings and
plant each one outside.
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