August 1, 2003

www.CarrollGardens.com

Featured Items

An old friend stopped by my office yesterday. He moved from Westminster, Maryland to Florida and took his SeaMate™ with him.  In Florida, plants are much more responsive to good and bad cultural conditions. He is using the SeaMate down there about twice a month and he says he can see a dramatic growth spurt 2-3 days after the SeaMate is applied. Up north we see similar results although less dramatically. If you are still using “blue water”, I suggest you try the SeaMate. The results are close to miraculous.

We still have some Hydrangea Endless Summer (PPAF) in stock. They are beautiful, full 2 gallon pots in bud and bloom.  I have carefully examined the plants. New buds are in several stages of development while the hydrangea is in full bloom - something I have never seen on any other hydrangea.

Crape Myrtle - Tonto

Black Beauty Grass Seed

DripMate Drip Kit

Endless Summer hydrangea (PPAF)

SeaMate™
 

Cocoa Shell Mulch and Preparing for Grass Seeding

There continue to be reports that Cocoa Shell Mulch can poison dogs. Apparently a few (a very few) dogs develop a taste for this mulch and can consume large amounts of it. For the same reason we do not feed dogs chocolate (it contains theobromine), it is unwise to use Cocoa bean mulch where dogs can get to it. The mulch actually contains twice the percentage of theobromine as chocolate. There are few documented cases of mulch-caused theobromine poisoning of dogs, but there are a few. As there are good alternative mulches, why take the chance? For example: true tan (oak) bark mulch is cheaper, stays in place better and is less subject to mold and mildew. When buying tan bark mulch, check to be sure you are getting 100% oak bark mulch. There are lots of imposter products labeled as tan bark that are diluted with all kinds of inferior woods, like ground up pallets, that can be subject to termites. True oak bark is resistant to both termites and artillery fungus.

Ideal grass seeding time will soon be upon us. In the mid-Atlantic states between August 15th and September 20th is the best time of the year to seed sunny lawns. Meanwhile, now is the time to get broad-leaf weeds under control with Tiger lawn weed killer and a spreader-sticker and to kill off patches of wild Bermuda grass with Glyphosate. Some Glyphosate formulations are enhanced with Diquat and other similar chemicals to cause them to act faster.  Do not use these fast-acting formulations on wild Bermuda grass. You need the old slow-acting pure Glyphosate for slow absorption to kill the deep-down roots.
 

Crape Myrtle and Types of Wisteria

Lots of people are wondering if and when their crape myrtles are going to bloom this year. Crape Myrtle usually blooms in August. The season has been cool and many crape myrtles had to re-grow their extremities, where the buds form, due to frost kill. Both of these factors have delayed crape myrtle bloom. Unless we have really cold weather in August and September, I suspect the crape myrtles will bloom, although perhaps less profusely and with smaller blooms.

Japanese and Chinese Wisteria can be a garden thug in a confined place. It can grow to 60 feet tall with great vigor. Few people know of the Native American wisterias (Wisteria macrostachys "Clara Mack" and frutescens). They grow only about 20 feet and are much less vigorous, more tolerant of wet soils, fragrant (although less so then their oriental counterparts) and they bloom later when the leaves are already on the plants. The blooms are only 6-12” long but they are much more egg shaped. Their presentation is certainly less dramatic, but they offer an understated elegance. The 2 species are similar and very closely related. Many people consider the white blooming “Clara Mack” to be the showiest of the several introduced varieties.

Question & Answer

Question
I'm tired of mums. What type of flowering plants would you suggest for this fall? Also, when is the best time to separate daylilies?

Answer
I consider the Japanese Anemones to be the most beautiful of all fall-blooming perennials. They do best in partial shade and lightly moist soil.  I am particularly fond of the single-petalled varieties with their cosmos-like blooms. Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium fistulosum varieties), colchicum, Aster laevis Bluebird and Boltonia. Also consider the fragrant, fall-blooming clematis (c. paniculata) and the low-growing shrub, Caryopteris. Before you dismiss all mums, I suggest you try the old fashioned daisy mum - Single Apricot (Hillside Sheffield pink). It has a poise the newer over-bred mums lack and it is truly permanent, coming back year after year. The blooms are a glowing apricot pink.

Daylilies should be divided between August 15th and September 15th or in early spring.
 

Featured Items - All Retired Department 56 Collectables

Not thinking about the holidays just yet?  Well we are - in fact, we are offering a discount on all retired Department 56 collectables for a very limited time.

Order now and save 20% on our wide array of retired Department 56 collectables.  Our selection includes the Dicken's Village, the New England Village, and the North Pole Series.

Click here for more information or to take advantage of this limited-time special.

Retired Dept 56®
Collectables

The Garden Club Radio Show

Every Saturday morning from 7:00 am to 9:00 am (Eastern time) you can listen to the highly acclaimed Garden Club Radio Show online through WCBM's website. Click here for more information about the radio show, including how to listen online.

If you live in or will be traveling in the Maryland or Washington DC area, you can also listen to the show by tuning your radio to 680 AM. Any local listeners that may be traveling out of the area can still tune in to the show online, as mentioned above.  Feel free to call in with your questions at 410-922-6680 or toll-free at
1-800-922-6680.

Happy Gardening,

Alan Summers