The Best of the Yellow-Blooming Magnolias The first magnolia tree was discovered in 1703 and was named for Pierre Magnol, a French botanist. Over the next 250 years dozens of species were discovered and hundreds of hybrids introduced, all with blooms in various shades of pink, purple or white. For about 50 years researchers have been crossing two really good magnolias - the Cucumber Magnolia and the Yulan Magnolia - in an attempt to develop a yellow - blooming magnolia. This week we are featuring the best hybrid to come out of the researchers' efforts because of its superior deep yellow color, Magnolia 'Butterflies' - a truly exceptional magnolia.
In early
spring, 'Butterflies' is covered with canary yellow blooms, the deepest yellow
of any magnolia. A large tree in full bloom is truly an eye-catching, mouth
dropping display. The four to five inch, semi-double blooms sit upright on their
otherwise naked branches - just as a butterfly would. After the blooms have
finished, deep green leaves appear, followed in late summer by pinkish-red,
small cucumber-like fruits which remain throughout the fall. 'Butterflies' will
grow into a nice, pyramid shape; expect it to mature to about 18 feet tall and
10 feet wide. This unusual tree is sure to be the highlight of your spring
landscape! Magnolia 'Butterflies' is rarely seen. As a gift, you can be almost
certain the recipient doesn't have one. 'Butterflies' is extremely hardy; it was bred in Michigan. It is easy to grow and tolerates pollution, making it ideal for an urban landscape.
Every year the demand for Magnolia Butterflies exceeds the supply. Finally we have enough to offer. Husky well-branched plants from 3-gallon pots for $48.85 each.
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Garden Club Questions and Answers
Question: You need to write a book so we can all keep track of your helpful hints and gardening know-how! Here are three questions for you. I can't resist end of the season garden center clearance sales on perennials, but I need to know how late perennials can be planted in Maryland in the fall – throughout November at least? Also, I know bulbs can be planted until the ground freezes, but can they be planted in pots with the same success, as long as the planting depth is correct? Can perennials be planted over winter safely in pots too? Answer: In Zone 6, most perennials can be planted throughout November and into early December, especially if you press them in firmly and mulch them well to prevent them from frost heaving. In general, there is greater risk with perennials that are not well established in the pots, that are fall bloomers and that are border-line hardy. For example if you are in Zone 6, you would be best to concentrate on perennials that are hardy through Zone 5 rather than those rated as cold hardy only through Zone 6. Most perennials stand a much better chance of over-wintering in pots if the pots are buried to the rim in either soil or mulch and they are mulched over the tops with two inches of mulch. Spring blooming flower bulbs can be planted in flower pots, but they need several weeks to establish roots before the soil freezes solid. My experience has been that flower bulbs often do poorly if the pot sits above the ground unprotected. Instead, bury the pot as per the above instructions for perennials. If you are going to bring the pots indoors for forced early bloom, the pot will be easier to removed when the ground is frozen if you bury it in mulch rather than soil. I have had good success with burying the pots of bulbs very deeply in a pile of mulch and also in a cellar window-well where I covered the pots with leaves and pine needles. Question: On warm sunny days Lady Bugs are covering the front of my house. There are thousands of them and they are coming inside the house too. I know Lady Bugs are supposed to be beneficial but what am I to do? Answer: The Lady Bugs that are congregating on the outside of your house are doing no damage. They are harmless and they eat aphids. So they really are beneficial. Congregations of Lady Bugs on warm, sunny surfaces in the autumn are a seasonal event that you are probably best advised just to live with. But I agree you don't want Lady Bugs in the house. If you can, determine how they are getting in and close up the entry. Indoor Lady Bugs are best dealt with using a tank type vacuum. Most of the Lady Bugs will survive the trip down the hose and into the vacuum. Then promptly empty the bag outdoors. Question: In last weeks newsletter you repeated the information from your radio show on how to get Tulips to come back year after year. I found that very helpful. This week you mentioned a new product to be used at transplanting that I have never heard of. I don't even remember the name and I didn't write it down. But it sounded awfully good. Answer: The product that I mentioned is from Espoma, the makers of Holly-Tone. The product is called Bio-tone Starter Plus. It was introduced this spring in 25 pound bags primarily for landscapers. It is newly available in 4 pound consumer-sized bags. Bio-tone Starter Plus is used only when planting and transplanting, because the product must make contact with the roots. It is not designed as a top dress fertilizer. Bio-tone Starter Plus is beneficial when planting any plant except those in the Rhododendron family such as Azaleas, Heathers and Blueberries. Think of Bio-tone Starter Plus as a combination of 100% natural organic fertilizer, humates (such as in SeaMate), beneficial microbes (such as in the old SuperBio Soil Life - now packaged by Espoma as liquid Bio-tone Starter Microbial Plant Food), and beneficial mycorrhizae (such as in both Myke products) - all in one package at a good price. Just about everything you need to get your plants off to a really good start! Espoma has also added a granular Bio-tone Starter (not "Plus") which is available at this point only in large 25 pound bags. Bio-tone Starter is the exact same product as the Bio-tone Starter Plus without the two types of beneficial mycorrhizae. Thus the product does not need root contact, so it can be used as a surface broadcast fertilizer in existing plantings. And, the price is lower. Incidentally I think granular Bio-tone Starter is not being marketed correctly. For those of you who want a 100% all-natural, organic lawn food, with all the benefits of liquid SuperBio Soil Life that you used to have to apply separately, this is it. The product may be a little dusty and expensive for a lawn food, but I can think of no better 100% natural all organic lawn food.
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