summer – Fafard

Taking Houseplants Outdoors in the Spring

Covered porches are a great place to keep plants outdoors through summer.

Houses are often stuffy for plants when the weather is mild and pleasant. Most houseplants thrive in the fresh air, natural sunlight light, humidity, and warm temperatures. For these reasons, it’s smart to bring tender houseplants outdoors in the summer months. But, four precautions must be taken before you take them outdoors and bring them back indoors in the fall.

As a preliminary note, I tend to keep my houseplants on my front porch in the late spring, summer, and fall. There are spots with shade and partial sunlight, and I can control the water they get more readily. If you have a covered spot or porch it is the best outdoor spot for your houseplants. I have a houseplant stand to show them off beautifully through summer.

Steps to Taking Plants Outdoors in the Spring

Place indoor plants in an outdoor spot with comparable light after the threat of frost has passed. Tropical plants should not be placed outdoors until nights have become relatively warm.

Make sure the outdoor temperature will stay warm and night frosts are past. I always check the Almanac’s last frost date to determine the last frost date in my area.
Some tropical plants cannot tolerate temperatures below 45-50 degrees. Therefore, it is important to know the temperature needs of your plants. In general, most tropical houseplants like daytime temperatures between 65 and 75°F (15-24°C) and nighttime temperatures between 60-68°F.
Repot plants as needed to make sure they are not rootbound. If they are root stressed during summer, they will be unhappy and require water more often. (Click here to read a good article about repotting houseplants.)
Rootbound plants should be upgraded/repotted before being taken outdoors for summer.
Feed plants at the start of the season. Choose a fertilizer that’s suited to your plant. Specialty fertilizers include those for orchids, succulents, and tropical foliage plants. Be sure to follow the product instructions. For those gardeners seeking an easy option, try using a quality slow-release fertilizer, such as Proven Winners Continuous Release Plant Food.
Wait to place sun-loving houseplants in the direct sun, and all houseplants should be protected from strong winds until they have become more acclimated to outdoor temperatures. In-home conditions are more regulated than outdoor weather, so plants need time to adjust. After a week or two, most plants will be tougher and better able to withstand the greater extremes of outdoor weather.
Plan to water your plants more often as the days become warmer. Plants subjected to wind and higher temperatures tend to need water more often. Check your plants regularly until you have established a rhythm.

A mix of indoor and outdoor plants will brighten up a front or back porch in the warmer months.

Steps to Taking Plants Indoors in the Fall

Clean and treat plants for any potential pests before bringing them back indoors in the fall.

Once again, check to make sure your plants are not rootbound. If their roots fill the pot, then it is time to repot them in quality potting mix like Fafard Professional Potting Mix. The new pot space will allow plants to grow new roots and take up more fertilizer and moisture when brought indoors.
Place plants in an area with comparable light to reduce stress.

Look at your plant’s foliage, and make sure they are pest-free before taking them inside. Foliar pests like spider mites, white flies, and aphids eventually cause leaf drop and plant stress, especially indoors. Wash your houseplant’s leaves under the gentle water of the kitchen sink, and spray them with insecticidal soap before bringing them inside. I also recommend removing and replenishing the top two inches of potting soil to catch any pests hanging out in the upper soil layers, such as fungus gnats. (Click here to read a great overview of common houseplant pests.)
Move them to a location with the same light and humidity indoors that they enjoyed outdoors. Try to replicate the outdoor conditions as much as you can. If not possible, the plants may drop a few leaves as they adjust to the transition.
Keep the soil moist, but not too wet. Outdoor plants lose soil water faster due to higher temperatures and wind. Indoors, they generally need less water.

If your houseplants drop a few leaves in transition, don’t worry. Just clean off the dead leaves, give the plants good care, and they should pop back in no time!

Plants often need extra care after being moved from the outside to the inside. They will adjust after a couple of weeks.

Ancient Tomatoes for Modern Gardens

Tomatoes have made an epic evolutionary journey from the currant-sized fruit of their wild ancestor to the beefsteak behemoths of modern times. That gain has come at a price, though – the loss of numerous genes conferring flavor, disease resistance, and other valuable traits.

Currant Tomatoes

The ancestor, Solanum pimpinellifolium (known to tomato aficionados as “pimp”), is native to Ecuador and Peru, where it has long been harvested from the wild. Inhabitants of that region also brought the wild species into gardens, selecting plants that produced the largest and tastiest fruits. Eventually, some of these selections found their way to Mexico, where they were further domesticated and upsized to become the tomato as we know it today (which goes by the botanical name Solanum lycopersicum).

More than a dozen close relatives of Solanum pimpinellifolium occur in various habitats in Chile, Peru, Ecuador, and the Galapagos Islands. They, too, possess genes and adaptability not found in the high-bred tomatoes of today. Some are also notable for their toothsome fruit.

Tomato hybridizers are hard at work incorporating some of these long-lost genes back into modern hybrids to enhance their flavor and their pest- and disease-resistance. But the most direct way to take advantage of these desirable traits is to grow these ancestral tomatoes in your garden. They also make great conversation pieces. Seed is available from several mail-order catalogs specializing in tomatoes or heirloom vegetables. (Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds is a good place to start.)

Growing Ancient Tomatoes

Like domesticated tomatoes, ancestral tomatoes flourish in sun and humus-rich, well-drained soil. Most will take a lot less, often succeeding in iffy soil, drought, heat, and cold that would make compost out of most latter-day hybrids. Nevertheless, you might want to pamper your pimps by incorporating some Fafard® Premium Natural & Organic Compost into excessively sandy or heavy soil. Ample space for the long, clambering, vine-like stems of most varieties is a must.

More Ancient Tomato Species

White currant tomatoes are available at Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. (Image thanks to Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds)

A good place to begin your pimp collection is with the species that started it all. Borne prolifically in large grape-like bunches, the tasty red mini-tomatoes (about a third-inch in diameter) are best eaten fresh, perhaps scattered over a salad or a stew. Its Galapagos cousin Solanum cheesmaniae produces slightly larger but somewhat less flavorful tomatoes that ripen yellow, on plants that withstand 110-degree heat waves. Sara’s Galapagos – a cultivated variety from those same islands – yields half-inch wide, intensely sweet red fruits. For yet another taste of the islands, try a hybrid of Solanum galapagense such as Galapagos Minor or Improved Wild Galapagos. You’ll get tangy-sweet, orange-fleshed, cherry-sized tomatoes on fuzzy, relatively compact plants.

Mainland pimp relatives available for the growing include Solanum peruvianum, which is represented in seed catalogs by strains selected for their sweet tomato-flavored fruits. About the size of a Galapagos tomato, they differ from the norm in their greenish-white, purple-flushed coloration. Seed from hybrids involving this species and other close relatives such as Solanum habrochaites is also becoming increasingly available. Many show exceptional disease and pest resistance, as well as heat and cold tolerance. Large yellow blossoms suitable for the flower border are a bonus feature of many of these pimp relatives and hybrids.

Tomatoes originate from the Americas where they have been cultivated for thousands of years.

You can also shop for seed of ancient cultivated tomatoes that show the influence of Solanum pimpinellifolium – including some that escaped cultivation and returned to the wild. Most orginate from areas far to the north of pimp’s natural range.

Florida Everglades is an escapee discovered on a remote island in the swamp for which it is named. Its small red fruits are deliciously sweet with a tart edge. Also bearing small, intensely flavorful fruits are a number of wildling varieties from Mexico including Matt’s Wild Cherry and Chiapas Wild. As with most pimp selections and hybrids, they bear abundant crops on rangy vine-like plants that are less fussy than those of modern tomatoes. If you love carefree tomatoes and aren’t cramped for space, they should be near the top of the list of varieties for your garden.

Simply Beautiful Stewartia

In spring, when everything bursts into flower, the world is full of trees in bloom. But springtime is also the time to plan and plant ahead for the season, anticipating flowering trees and shrubs with a different time of bloom, like Stewartias. Their large, ivory, Camellia-like flowers would be worthy of a spring show, but they arrive in late summer when gardens are in need of their beauty.

The fact is, stewartias are welcome landscape additions at just about any time, and you can find one to fit just about any size garden. They are also plants that are showy in all seasons, whether in flower or not. Their mottled bark and beautiful statuesque habits are always lovely, and in the fall you can anticipate colorful leaves. Here are some of the best of these well-behaved Asian trees and shrubs.

Japanese Stewartia

If you have the room, Japanese stewartia (Stewartia japonica) is an all-around great tree that offers four seasons of interest. Growing between 20 and 40 feet tall, with a pyramidal canopy, its branches have slightly toothed, ovoid leaves that are a cooling dark green during the growing season. In the fall, they flame up in shades of yellow, red, and burgundy, putting on a great show.

Before all of that foliage drama, Japanese stewartia flaunts its family relationship with camellias by pumping out beautiful, white, Camellia-like flowers. Each bloom is at least 2 inches wide and features five to eight petals surrounding a center of golden-orange stamens. While only minimally fragrant, the flowers are maximally elegant and borne abundantly on trees that are hardy to USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 5-8.

Japanese Stewartia develops fantastic mottled bark as it ages.

In the colder months, when both leaves and flowers are things of the past, Japanese stewartia continues to shine with multi-colored, exfoliating bark. This bark, which peels gradually from the tree, looks a little like camouflage, but a lot more interesting, with patches of gray, sepia, tawny orange-brown, and taupe covering the trunk. It is a feast for the eyes at all times, but especially in seasons when visual interest may be at a premium.

Tall Stewartia

Tall stewartia (Stewartia monodelpha) is another native of Japan, hardy to USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 6-8, with characteristics similar to those of Japanese stewartia. Young plants have a somewhat shrubby habit, but assume a tree form with age, reaching up to 25 feet tall in height. Tall stewartia features large, dark-green leaves that turn deep red in the fall. The bark does not exfoliate as colorfully as that of Japanese stewartia, but as the tree ages, the bark smoothes out and turns a stunning shade of cinnamon brown. The camellia-like flowers are more cupped in shape than those of other stewartias and sport attractive anthers in their centers.

Chinese Stewartia

Chinese stewartia (Stewartia sinenesis), which is hardy to Zones 5-7, can be grown in tree or shrub form. Left to its own devices, it will reach 15 to 25 feet tall, but like other stewartias, it can be kept smaller when pruned after flowering. The white flowers are somewhat smaller than those of Japanese stewartia but are profuse and surrounded by leaves that are reddish when emerging in spring, dark green in summer, and red again in the fall. The cinnamon-brown bark exfoliates in strips to reveal smooth, tan underbark, sometimes with pinkish overtones.

Mountain Stewartia

The Asian stewartias have American cousins, the best known is Stewartia ovata, sometimes known as mountain stewartia or mountain camellia. Native to the southeastern United States, and hardy to Zones 5-9, it is a little smaller than Japanese stewartia with a height and spread of 10 to 15 feet. It also excels in versatility because it can be grown as a tree or a multi-stemmed shrub. Like its Japanese relative and true to its common name, it features Camellia-like flowers and leaves that glow red and orange in the fall. Its gray-brown bark, while attractively ridged and furrowed, does not exfoliate like that of the Japanese species. Still, for those hankering for stewartias, but confined to smaller spaces, mountain stewartia is an excellent choice.

Stewartia Relatives

Franklinia blooms are attractive to lots of different pollinators.

Stewartia and camellia are both members of the Theaceae or tea family. Their equally beautiful relatives include the all-American Franklinia tree (Franklinia alatamaha), which was discovered in Colonial America and now extinct in the wild. Specimens of this beautiful small tree can be found at many botanical gardens and arboreta. They are also available at select garden centers.

All the stewartias make excellent stand-alone specimens, but can also anchor partly shaded garden beds, and situations that resemble their native habitats at the edges of wooded areas. They thrive best in rich, consistently moist soil and locations that are protected from harsh winds. To get a young specimen off to a good start, mix the soil in the planting hole with a nutritious soil amendment like Fafard Premium Topsoil, which is ideal for boosting the soil of newly planted trees and shrubs. Water regularly while the plants establish sturdy root systems and mulch generously around, but not touching the plants’ trunks or main stems.

Carefree American Wildflowers for Sunny Summer Gardens

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My favorite carefree American wildflowers of summer are untamed, grassland natives that blow in the breeze and bring color to less formal, airier plantings. Their waves of flower color glow on warm days when pollinators are most active. These are flowers that you slow down to look at along roadside meadows but are tame enough for gardens. Each year their seeds gently sprout here and there, creating beds with ever-changing character.

Fafard Premium Natural & Organic Compost Blend pack

Another welcome trait is that they require no special skills to grow. Plant them in full sun, average soil with good drainage, (Fafard Natural & Organic Compost is a good amendment to add at planting time), give them a little water on dry days, weed as needed, and they will essentially care for themselves.

Plant them together in colorful swaths or among ornamental grasses for a free and beautiful meadow effect. (Click here to learn more about meadow gardening.) Most of these American wildflowers are perennials with one annual added to the mix.

Carefree American Wildflowers

Winecups (Image by Jessie Keith, taken at Chanticleer Garden) — Winecups thrive in summer heat and weave themselves among other flowers. (Image by Jessie Keith, taken at Chanticleer Garden)

Winecups (Callirhoe involucrata, Zones 4-10) knit and weave themselves around other flowers and grasses to provide hot color with its cups of deep magenta flowers. It has a deep taproot and is quite drought tolerant, reducing the need for supplemental water. Just provide winecups with full sun and a spot of dry to average soil that drains well, and it should be happy. Expect flowers from mid to late summer.

Hairbells look delicate but are drought and wind tolerant.

The hairbell (Campanula rotundifolia, Zones 3-7) is named for its delicate bells of violet to pale blue that hang from slender 12- to 18-inch stems. The plants look sleight but will tolerate quite a bit of drought once established. Plant them in full to partial sun, provide average moisture, and watch them produce their pretty flowers from early to late summer.

Dyer's Coreopsis 'Mardi Gras' — Dyer’s Coreopsis ‘Mardi Gras’ is a pretty annual wildflower that self sows.

The annual Dyer’s coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria) bears lots of small gold or gold and burgundy daisies atop slender stems in the summer months. The 1- to 2-foot plants can sometimes flop. Planting them among upright perennials and grasses helps provide stability. Bees and butterflies love the flowers, and no special skills are needed to grow it. Just sprinkle the seed on worked ground in spring, keep it moist, and watch them sprout and grow. Expect them to gently self-sow. The variety ‘Mardi Gras‘ is extra pretty with its quilled petals of gold and maroon. Dyer’s coreopsis is also valued as a traditional dye plant (click here to learn more).

Pale purple and purple coneflowers (Echinacea pallida and E. purpurea, Zones 3-8) are valued for their beautiful large-coned daisies and wildlife benefits; few native wildflowers can beat these. They’re a snap to grow, bloom over a long period in summer, especially if deadheaded, and provide a few seedlings each year. Leave the last wave of autumn seedheads up to dry and feed winter birds.

Purple coneflower begins to bloom in early summer, has large leaves, bright purple-red flowers with large cones, wide radial petals, and bears many blooms. The wilder looking pale purple coneflower has fewer flowers with drooping lavender-pink petals and slender leaves. But, it has an elegant, untamed look that is appealing in mixed plantings.

Blazing star (Liatris spicata, Zones 3-11) is a bold bloomer with many tall (3 to 5 foot) spikes of fuzzy purple flowers that are prettiest in midsummer. Hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies line the purple wands when they are in full bloom. When not in bloom, the plants have neat clumps of grassy foliage. Site blazing star in a spot with full sun and average to moist soil, and it will grow beautifully.

Yellow coneflowers have unusual lax petals that flutter in the wind. (Image by Jessie Keith)

The numerous tall, thin stems of yellow coneflower (Ratibida pinnata, Zones 3-9) can reach up to 4 feet (sometimes more). Its golden daisies are visited by bees and butterflies and have prominent central cones with drooping yellow petals that move in the wind. Plant yellow coneflower in full sun and average soil. Established specimens will tolerate drought. Flowering extends from mid to late summer.

Texas and Southeast wildflowers, scarlet sag and spotted horsemint — Spotted horsemint pairs well with the Texas and Southeast wildflower, scarlet sage (*Salvia coccinea*). (Image by Jessie Keith)

The unusual, tiered pink flowers of spotted horsemint (Monarda punctata, Zones 3-9) have some of the greatest pollinator power around, especially when it comes to feeding bees. The fragrant plants have a long bloom time that can extend from summer to fall. Well-drained soil and full sun are musts. The plants can reach between 2 to 3 feet, and maintain tidy clumps that do not spread, unlike other popular garden Monarda.

Brown-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia triloba, Zones 3-9) is a short-lived perennial known for its drifts of tiny golden daisies with brown eyes that delight the eye from late summer to fall. Ease of growth and a tendency to gently self-sow will ensure it will remain in your garden for years to come. Butterflies and bees are regular visitors to the flowers and finches enjoy eating the mature seeds.

These carefree flowers all grow well together. Plant your favorites in a wild border and watch the summer color, pollinators, and birds light up the garden.

Ten Tips for Beautiful Container Gardens

You have purchased your pot, invested in potting soil, planted up your plants, and your container garden is well underway. In the cool of late spring, as container plants are rooting in, there are few stresses to disrupt your plantings. But, as plants grow and the summer heat ramps up, lots can go wrong. Here are tips for getting it all right.

The first half of successful container planting starts in the planning stages, by choosing the right pots, plants, soil, and fertilizer. The second half is knowing what to do to keep your container gardens looking great. Here are our top ten tips for container care from start to finish.

Pre-Planting Container Garden Tips

Colourful high-fired quality ceramic pots — High-fired, quality ceramic pots hold water well and overwinter better. Lighter-colored pots stay cooler in hot weather.

Choose the right pot – Large containers made of the right materials helps plants grow more happily through summer. Big pots hold more water, provide more root space, and remain cooler to encourage good growth through the hottest summer days. Pots made of water-impermeable materials, such as stone, glazed ceramic, plastic, or resin, hold water better. TerraCotta and porous cement pots wick water away from roots because they are porous, so they are better suited to drought-tolerant plants or succulents. Containers that are light in color are better for sunny plantings because they reflect the heat of the sun. Pots must drain well and have a saucer, internal reservoir, or basin to capture excess water. Those with a self-watering base must have an overflow hole to protect against the possibility of overwatering.

2. Choose the right soil – Great potting soil must hold water well, drain well, and have a neutral pH. When you buy a bag of potting soil, it should be loose and lightweight. If it is heavy, do not purchase it. Weight means it has been torn, improperly stored, and taken up water. For large, outdoor ornamental containers we recommend Fafard Ultra Outdoor Planting Mix, which is ideal for outdoor container gardens of all sizes. Fafard Natural & Organic Potting Mix is OMRI Listed for organic gardening and the best choice for potted edibles. Fafard Ultra Potting Mix with Extended Feed is just right for gardeners that like potting soils with added fertilizer. Cacti, succulents, and other low-water plants require a specialty mix, such as Black Gold Cactus Mix, or you can add perlite to increase the drainage of an all-purpose potting soil. (Click here to learn how to create mini potted cacti and succulent gardens.)

Metal bowl planter with Calibrachoa, sweet potato vine, Bacon, and geraniums — Overstuffed containers, like this metal bowl planter with Calibrachoa, sweet potato vine, Bacopa, and geraniums, look good in early summer but are often overcrowded by midsummer.

3. Choose the right plants and numbers. Will you place your containers on a sunny patio or window box, shaded porch, or bright, windy veranda? Is your summer climate hot and dry or mild and cool? The plants you choose must grow well in their destined location and in your local climate. Gardeners planting for sun must choose heat and drought-tolerant plants (click here for a list of Waterwise container plants), while shade-loving plants such as Begonia, Browallia, Impatiens, Torenia, and ferns are good choices for pots in partial to full shade (click here to learn more about growing Torenia). Consider the final size of each plant when designing containers, and do not overstuff the pots. Crowded plants compete for space, light, water, and nutrients, which causes them stress. Before planting, read about your plant’s needs and space them properly to ensure their best performance.

4. Choose the right fertilizer. Gardeners with little time should choose an all-purpose slow- or continuous-release fertilizer to apply at planting time. Vegetable and fruit containers should be fed with plant food specially formulated for edibles. Water-soluble plant food can give plants an extra boost to encourage renewed growth and flowering midseason–particularly after plants have been trimmed and deadheaded.

Hanging summer annuals — Most summer annuals cannot be planted outdoors until the threat of frost has passed.

5. Know when to plant – Spring containers must only contain frost-tolerant flowers, such as pansies, spring bulbs, and alyssum (click here to learn more about spring annuals for containers). Summer containers must be planted after the threat of frost has passed (click here to determine your last frost date). Summer containers can be livened up for fall with the addition of a few fresh pansies, ornamental peppers, or chrysanthemums.

Post-Planting Container Garden Tips

Watering plants — Good watering technique is essential to successful container gardening.

6. Know when and how to water. Good watering technique is all about common sense. Most garden flowers like lightly moist soil. If the soil is too wet for too long root rot will occur. If it’s too dry for too long plants will begin to wilt and die. When conditions are sunny, dry, hot, and breezy, plants use and lose more water (drawn up through their roots and lost through their leaves) and need more water. Likewise, when it has been rainy, cool, and still the need for water is reduced. Feel the soil before you water to determine if more is needed. If it is needed, irrigate until it flows from the bottom of the pot to ensure all the roots get moist.

Outdoor plants — Well watered and fertilized plants will look lush and flower and fruit well.

7. Know when to fertilize. Slow- or continuous-release fertilizer formulated for flowers makes feeding easy because applications are needed every few months, depending on the product. Apply at planting time and then as directed. Water-soluble fertilizer will encourage further flowering and growth during the height of summer. Containers also need a boost of water-soluble food after they have been trimmed back in mid- to late-summer. Proven Winners offers both a premium continuous-release and water-soluble fertilizer that we recommend for flower-filled containers.

Trimmed petunias — Many petunias continue looking good and blooming for longer if they are trimmed back later in summer.

8. Know if and when to prune and deadhead plants. To maintain any plant properly, read about its care. Some flowering plants are self-cleaning, such as sweet alyssum, Supertunia petunias, and Profusion Zinnias, while others, such as old-fashioned petunias and dahlias, need to have their old blooms removed to make way for new. Old-fashioned petunias, calibrachoa, and verbenas can become leggy, less productive, or overtake the pot as the summer wanes. Cutting the old stems back can rejuvenate growth and flowering for fall.

Old summer containers with fall elements and flowers — Reviving old summer containers with fall elements will give them a needed seasonal boost.

9. Know if and when to replace seasonal flowers. The pansies and stocks of spring often die back in the heat of summer and need replacement with warm-season summer flowers. Summer annuals that begin to look tired by early fall, like marigolds or traditional petunias, should also be replaced with seasonal pansies, peppers, or ornamental kale to keep containers looking great. (Click here to learn more about container gardening with ornamental peppers.) Don’t be afraid to replace struggling annuals when they start to visually bring a container down.

Winter pot in snow — Be sure that winter pots are crack-resistant.

10. Know how to overwinter pots. Be sure you choose the right pots if you want to overwinter containers outdoors (click here to read about overwintering containers). If your pots contain small shrubs or perennials, place them in a protected spot. Seasonal containers can be placed in a garage, basement, or under a dry porch where they will not become damaged by the freezing and thawing of winter.

Once you have the basics down, monitor your containers, protect them from pests and diseases, give them good care, and they will reward you with season-long beauty.

Luscious Lilies of Late Summer

Lilium lancifolium tiger lilies — Tiger lilies (*Lilium lancifolium*) are spectacular tall bloomers that appear in late summer. (Photo by Jessie Keith)

Most gardens can use a visual lift in the dog days of late summer. This is where late-blooming lilies come in. When their voluptuous, often deliciously scented blooms make their grand entrance in July and August, it’s like a royal fanfare in the landscape. Goodbye, garden doldrums.

Continue reading “Luscious Lilies of Late Summer”

Pruning Hydrangeas

Pink big leaf hydrangeas — Prune mophead bigleaf hydrangeas in summer just after blooming.

Timing and method are essential when it comes to pruning hydrangeas, and they differ depending on the species being pruned. If done improperly, you may prune off next year’s flower buds or cause your shrubs undue stress. On the other hand, making the right cuts at the right time will help keep them looking great and flowering to perfection.

Good Pruning Technique

The right techniques and tools are key to good pruning. Here are the basics.

The Best Pruning Tools

Sharp loppers, hand pruners, and hand saws — Choose sharp loppers, hand pruners, and hand saws for easy pruning.

For small branch cuts (up to 1 cm thickness), choose a quality set of sharp bypass pruners (avoid anvil pruners, which dull quickly). Bypass pruners are easy to sharpen and long-lasting, if you choose a high-performing brand (I like Felcos). For larger branches (up to 4.5 cm thickness), choose sharp bypass loppers. More powerful pruning tools may be needed for large panicle hydrangeas that become tree-like. For larger cuts, opt for a small, sharp pull-stroke pruning saw to cut through tough branches in no time!

How to Prune

Making the right cuts to branches will facilitate good plant health. Cuts to small branches should be made 2/3 cm from the adjacent stem. Make them at 45-degree angles. Larger branches should be cut flush to the trunk collar. The collar is the ripple of bark that will slowly and protectively grow over the cut. Cuts made above the collar will not heal properly, leaving plants vulnerable to pests and disease.

How Much to Prune

A stem with a 45-degree-angle cut — Make 45-degree-angle cuts 2/3 cm from the adjacent stem. Don’t damage lower buds!

Prune to the desired height, but beware of over-pruning. Refrain from pruning over 1/3 of the top growth, especially in smaller shrubs with well-branched woody top growth. Some species, such as smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens), are clump-forming with stems that can be harshly pruned back if the clumps are well established and have become overgrown. Others, like panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata), can become tree-like and require more selective pruning.

When to Prune

Hydrangea pruning time is species-specific. Follow the following guide for the top four garden hydrangeas.

Pruning Bigleaf Hydrangeas

Purple hydrangeas — Mopheads have a rounder more formal growth habit.

Latin Name: Hydrangea macrophylla
Best Time to Prune: These hydrangeas bloom on second-year wood, so the best time to prune is in midsummer, just after they bloom. If you prune in later summer or fall, you will cut off next year’s flower heads. Deadwood is common, especially in spring. Dead or dying stems can be removed at any time of year. Old blooms can also be removed at any time, as long as you just remove the flowers and not the buds that have developed below them.

Blue big leaf hydrangeas — Pruning bigleaf hydrangea in fall will remove next year’s flower buds causing irregular flowering the following year.

How to Prune: These hydrangeas can grow too large or develop ungainly stems that have grown too high — shape plants by cutting wayward or old stems to the ground. Stems can also be trimmed to the desired height, depending on the density of the overall shrub. Refrain from shearing bigleaf hydrangeas if you want to maintain a more naturalistic, appealing appearance.
Comments: Bigleaf hydrangeas can have either lacecap (Hydrangea macrophylla var. normalis) or mophead flower clusters. Lacecaps have a looser more naturalistic horizontal growth habit and should be pruned less formally. Mopheads tend to have a rounder habit better suited to uniform pruning. In northern zones above USDA Hardiness Zone 6, these shrubs may die to the ground, so they will never flower. Protecting the crowns with Fafard Premium Natural and Organic Compost and straw can help protect their flowering stems from the winter cold.

Lacecaps have a more naturalistic habit and require selective pruning.

Pruning Oakleaf Hydrangeas

Standard oak leaf hydrangeas — Standard oakleaf hydrangeas are tall, broad shrubs.

Latin Name: Hydrangea quercifolia
Best Time to Prune: Oakleaf hydrangeas also bloom on second-year wood and should be pruned just after blooming in midsummer. Once shrubs have leafed out in spring, identify and remove any dead wood from the previous year.
How to Prune: Some compact oakleaf hydrangeas have rounder, tidier habits but most reach 8-feet in height and develop a broad, naturalistic habit. Remove overgrown or crossing branches. If they overgrow an area, shrubs can be hard-pruned back by half in midsummer. Just be sure to leave plenty of green leafy branches for strong growth, and keep newly pruned shrubs irrigated through dry summer days to encourage new growth and bud set.
Comments: The pretty flower panicles of oakleaf hydrangea dry nicely and look good in winter gardens. Remove the old blooms in late winter to keep shrubs looking fresh in spring.

Dry flowerhead of oak leaf hydrangea — Keep the dry flowerheads of oakleaf hydrangea on plants for winter interest.

Pruning Panicle Hydrangeas

Latin Name: Hydrangea paniculata
Best Time to Prune: These tall, hardy hydrangeas bloom on new wood, so the best time to prune is in late winter or early spring. Remove ungainly or crossing branches and dead wood at this time. Refrain from summer pruning, and avoid removing more than 1/3 of the top growth at pruning time.
How to Prune: Panicle hydrangeas are variable shrubs that tend to be tall (8-15 feet) and bushy or tree-like, but some cultivars are compact for small-space gardens. Selectively prune bushy varieties, cutting tall branches to the trunk or base of the plant. Cut the large branches of tree-like varieties to the trunk, making sure cuts are flush to the collar.
Comments: These shrubs revive quickly from pruning. Tree-form plants may develop suckers from the base of the trunk. Keep these pruned off to maintain a single trunk. The dry blooms of panicle hydrangea also look good through winter but should be removed in spring.

Pruning Smooth Hydrangea

Incrediball™ Hydrangeas — Large-headed smooth hydrangeas, like Incrediball™, should be pruned to 1/3 height in late winter. (Image thanks to Proven Winners)

Latin Name: Hydrangea arborescens
Best Time to Prune: These easy-to-grow hydrangeas also bloom on new wood and are best pruned in late winter or early spring. They respond well to harsh pruning and can even be pruned to the ground if they outgrow a space. By late spring, they will have grown back with vigor. Refrain from summer pruning.
How to Prune: Pruned these bushy shrubs uniformly to keep their habit rounded. Large-headed varieties, like Incrediball™, are top-heavy and appreciate regular pruning to 1/3 height to keep stems shorter and sturdier. Refrain from pruning large-headed varieties to the ground.
Comments: The bushy dry flower heads look great in winter but should be removed by spring. These hydrangea root very easily from cuttings. Take any pruned branches, dip them in rooting hormone, stick them in the ground, and keep them evenly moist. They will root in no time!

Creative Upcycled Planting Containers

Old boots as strawberry planters — A pair of old boots make campy and unusual strawberry planters.

If gardening is the great equalizer, enabling people of all ages and conditions to grow food, flowers, herbs and other plants; then container gardening is a super equalizer. Making a “portable garden” means that you don’t need to own land, large tools or even significant space. And, you don’t have to buy fancy containers to make your plants happy; just “upcycle” something you already have. The only limits are your imagination and foraging abilities.

Old shoe with New Guinea Impatiens — An old shoe makes a fun, unexpected container for New Guinea Impatiens.

Upcycled planting containers make gardening more fun, and they cost nothing. All you need, in fact, is something that holds soil, good potting mix, seeds or plants, sunshine, water, and you have an instant container. Plant some zinnias in an old dishpan or grow a mess of tomatoes in a repurposed bathtub. One restaurant reuses commercial-size olive oil cans to house billowing basil plants whose leaves are ultimately harvested and used in various dishes. Irish gardener/garden writer Helen Dillon uses dustbins—trash cans—to hold plants in her Dublin garden. Spackle buckets work well, and more than one gardener has pressed an old pair of boots into service as a sturdy container. The list of recycling opportunities is endless. In fact, almost anything that will hold soil can be converted to a planter. People have been recycling old tires and wine barrels to make planters/raised beds for decades.

Upcycled Container Rules

Blue old sink container garden — An old sink gets painted and planted into a fun container garden.

There are only a few rules when it comes to recycled containers. The first is fitting the container to the plant. A large hibiscus might need the ample space provided by an old wicker laundry basket, while a small herb plant or a succulent can grow well in a cut-off plastic detergent bottle. When choosing a container to recycle, think about the amount of space the chosen plant might take up if it were in a garden bed. Make sure the container is deep enough to accommodate the plant’s root system and as wide as the plant’s mature diameter. Plant tags should provide you with this information.

The recycled container should be clean, since residue from its original contents might be harmful to plants. A thorough cleaning with a 10% (1:10) solution of household bleach and water, plus a good rinse should be fine for most would-be planters.

Container Care

Weathered trough with bedding plants — A weathered trough gets a facelift when filled with beautiful mixed bedding plants.

Container-grown plants also have some specialized nutritional, water, and drainage needs. Make sure your repurposed containers have drainage holes at the bottom. If making holes is impossible, fill the bottom quarter of the container with coarse pebbles topped by a layer of charcoal (available in garden centers). Provide good nutrition from the beginning by investing in high-quality potting media, like Fafard® Ultra Potting Mix with Extended Feed or Fafard® Ultra Container Mix with Extended Feed.
Pay attention to your chosen plants’ light requirements and position the containers accordingly. Remember that “full sun” means six or more hours per day of direct sunlight, and even plants labeled as “good for shade” need a continuous supply of indirect or filtered light.

Purple claw foot tub with petunias — Mixed petunias and bright lavender paint add charm to an old claw foot tub. (Image by Jessie Keith)

Overwatering is the number one cause of container-grown plant death. Check plant tags or internet resources for water requirements. Many plants only need water when the soil is dry an inch or two below the surface, but some, like primroses or hydrangeas, prefer evenly moist soil at all times, especially when weather is hot and dry. Plants that are outdoors during drought periods may need water every day and should be checked frequently.

Check Recycling Day

Clever gardener/recyclers are always on the lookout for potential planters. If your town has a “bulk pick-up day”, when larger discarded items are picked up for disposal, the perfect plant container may be waiting on a curb in your neighborhood. Check your garage and attic. A forgotten corner may harbor a perfect plant container. The supermarket is also full of future plant pots, especially if you buy items like oil, condiments or canned goods in large sizes. Look for promising shapes and sizes first, as many recyclable containers can be painted or embellished to suit your indoor or outdoor décor.
Most of all, have fun. The perfect recycled planter is probably closer than you think!

Toilet with plants — An out-of-service toilet can make a humorous but effective planting “pot”. (image by Jessie Keith)

“Cannatainers” or Cannas for Container Gardening

Canna 'Striata' in patio pot — Canna ‘Striata’ graces the center of an impressive patio pot. (Image by Mike Darcy)

Cannas emerge from dormancy and hit the horticultural market in late winter and spring, so now is the time to get the show started. Numerous varieties are available from on line and local nurseries, either as potted plants or as bare-root rhizomes (the technical name for the thickened underground stems that give rise to all that splendiferous summer growth).

Newly purchased plants should be grown indoors in a suitable potting mix until danger of frost has passed, such as Fafard Professional Potting Mix. Ten- to twelve-inch plastic pots and a two-inch planting depth work well for this initial, indoor growth phase. For their outdoor, summer home, cannas need containers of a grander and more massive order planted in a water-holding mix, such as Fafard Ultra Outdoor Planting Mix. An 18-inch-plus clay or ceramic pot (or something in the way of a cast iron urn) is ideal. Large wooden or terra cotta planters also work well. Simply knock the plants out of their temporary, indoor containers and place them at the same depth in their outdoor quarters. Then stand back and watch the fireworks happen (making sure to water liberally and fertilize regularly through summer).

Although spectacular on their own, containerized cannas make an even more extravagant statement if combined with other heat-loving plants. For example, the flowers and foliage of gold- and red-hued Coleus provide a striking foil for the sunset foliar tones of Canna ‘Phaison’ (right). The possibilities are practically limitless, given cannas’ wide range of floral and foliage colors.
When choosing cannas for container gardening, the sky’s the limit. For a lavish summer display on a less colossal scale, use a “dwarf” canna cultivar such as ‘Pink Sunset’, which offers dazzlingly variegated leaves and soft pink flowers on 3-foot (rather than the usual 5- to 10-foot) plants.

Or you can go the other direction and opt for something outrageously gargantuan such as the banana canna, ‘Musaefolia’, a Victorian-age behemoth that towers to 14 feet. A bathtub of a container (and lots of water) is recommended.

Cannas slow their pace in fall, requiring reduced water as they gradually die back to their rhizomes. Dormant plants can be moved indoors, pot and all, for the winter, or the rhizomes can be lifted and stored in paper bags in a well-ventilated location. Either way, cool temperatures (below 60 degrees F) are best for storage.
In early spring, move containerized cannas to a warmer niche and water sparingly until growth resumes. Split overwintered bare-root rhizomes into divisions of 3 or more “eyes” (the red, swollen growth points spaced along the rhizomes), and plant them in containers (as described above). And start planning this year’s summer spectacular.

An orange-flowered 'Wyoming' Canna looks in the back of a pot of tall red cannas and elephant ear — An orange-flowered ‘Wyoming’ Canna looks in the back of a pot of tall red cannas and elephant ear. (Image by Pam Beck)

The Best Vegetables to Grow with Your Kids

I remember the first time I pulled a carrot from the ground as a child. It was like magic. A simple carrot became a hidden golden-orange gem in the Earth that I could pull and eat! I’d wander the garden, plucking a cherry tomato here, a lettuce leaf there, or snapping off a bean to nibble. It was enjoyable, and I learned to love vegetables in the process. This is why I grow delicious, interesting vegetables with my own children. I’m spreading the garden fun and veggie appreciation.

There were two things I cared about with vegetables as a child: 1. Is it fun to eat? 2. Is it fun to harvest? These are the criteria used for this list. As an added bonus for parents, these vegetables are also easy to grow

Fun Vegetables to Eat and Pick

Cherry Tomatoes: There are so many cool cherry tomatoes to try now, and the smaller, sweeter, and more colorful, the better. I recommend ‘Minibel’, which produces sweet red tomatoes on tiny plants, ‘Sun Gold’, which produces loads of super sweet, golden-orange cherry tomatoes, the unusual ‘Blue Cream Berries’ with its pale yellow and blue fruits, and the classic ‘Sweet Million’ which literally produces hundreds of sweet red cherry tomatoes on large vines. Kids also love super tiny ‘Sweet Pea‘ currant tomatoes and ‘Gold Rush’ currant tomatoes, which literally pop with flavor in the mouth. Caging your plants makes harvesting easier—especially for little ones

French Bush Beans: My children love French haricot vert bush beans because they are super thin, stringless, and sweet. The best varieties for kids are produced on small, bushy plants. Try the classic green ‘Rolande’ or the golden yellow ‘Pauldor’

Asian Long Beans: These beans look like spaghetti noodles! They are vining, so trellising is required, but they love hot summer weather, and kids love to pick and eat them. ‘Thai Red-Seeded’ is a great Asian long bean for kids because it grows so well, and the super long beans double as green hair or green bean rope.

Beit Alpha Cucumbers: These crisp, sweet cucumbers are skinless, practically seedless, and taste great right from the vine. Bring a little water for rinsing, and a little ranch dressing for dipping, and they have an instant garden snack. The new AAS-Winning variety ‘Diva’ is my favorite because it is disease resistant and produces lots of cucumbers.

Miniature Carrots: Mini carrots are easier for kids to pull from the ground, so they get all the fun with no root breakage. Tiny round ‘Romeo’ carrots and the small conical ‘Short Stuff’ are great selections for a kid’s vegetable garden. Both also grow well in containers

Yum Yum Mini Bell Peppers: The name says it all! These yummy, sweet, mini bell peppers look like Christmas lights and come in shades of red, yellow, and orange! The peppers are high in vitamin C and fun to pick. Just be sure to plant your Yum Yum mini bell peppers away from any hot peppers you may be growing

Small Pumpkins: Kids love to harvest and decorate their very own pumpkins in fall! The little guys, like ‘Baby Bear‘ and ‘Baby Pam‘ are just the right size for kids. Extras can be processed to make Thanksgiving pumpkin pies. Be sure to give the vines plenty of sun and space and you will be rewarded with lots of fall pumpkins

Strawberry Popcorn: Kids can believe these cute, deep red ears actually pop up to make tasty popcorn! Strawberry popcorn is produced on smaller 4-foot plants and the ears are small too. They are decorative when dry and can be popped up in winter as a happy reminder of warmer summer days.

Growing Your Vegetables

Organic gardening is a must, especially when growing vegetables for children. Successful vegetables start with good bed prep and summer-long care. Choose a sunny spot, work up your garden soil, and add a healthy amount of Fafard Premium Natural & Organic Compost and Fafard Garden Manure Blend before planting. Keep your vegetable watered and watch them do their summer magic

When children grow their own vegetables, they eat their vegetables. They look forward to the harvest and enjoy preparing what they have picked. Let them help snap the beans for a salad or clean the carrots before trimming and peeling them for snacking. There’s no better way to enjoy time with your kids while instilling good lifelong habits in the process.

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