Russell Stafford – Page 7

The Best Maples for Maple Sugaring

Buckets collecting sugar from maple trees — The best time to tap sugar maples is in late winter.

It’s sugaring season across much of southern Canada and the northern United States. The sun is climbing higher, temperatures are moderating, and maple sap is starting to flow.

You don’t need sugar maples to make good maple sugar, however. Purists may blanch at the thought, but several other maple species have sweet-flavored sap that flows on mild winter days and that boils down into delicious maple syrup (and other byproducts). For example, some of the best Vermont syrup is produced by farms that depend on red maple (Acer rubrum) for much of their sap. This is a good thing, given that Acer saccharum is in decline throughout most of its eastern Canada to Southeast U.S. range.

Sugar Maple

As its very name proclaims, sugar maple (Acer saccharum) is the traditional source of this arboreal nectar. It’s also a Currier and Ives icon of the Northland, holding sap buckets in late winter and producing five-pointed leaves in spring that turn fiery hues in fall. Mature, scaly-barked sugar maples line the streets of many old New England towns, as much a fixture as the clapboard colonial houses.

Red Maple

Red maple has a lot going for it as a sap source – especially for do-it-yourselfers who want to grow and tap their own trees. Its sap is only slightly less sweet than sugar maple’s, with about 50 gallons (rather than 40) required to produce a gallon of syrup. Moreover, red maple thrives in a much wider range of conditions and attains tappable size (10 inches diameter at breast height) more rapidly. Plant a sugar maple in a fertile, humus-rich soil in sun or light shade, and its trunk will broaden perhaps a third of an inch per year. A red maple under the same conditions will likely grow at twice that rate.

Red maple also more than holds its own as an ornamental plant, typically forming an oval-crowned, 40- to 50-foot tree with attractive smooth gray bark that becomes furrowed and scaly with age. The three-lobed leaves flush red in spring, deepen to lustrous dark-green in summer, and turn brilliant shades of red and orange in early fall. Conspicuous clusters of maroon-red flowers festoon the naked branches in late winter, providing pollen for early-emerging bees.

Numerous red maple cultivars are available from nurseries and garden centers, differing in characteristics such as size, habit, seed production, fall color, and cold-hardiness – so it’s likely there’s one that’s a good fit for your yard. In nature, it’s found over much of central and eastern North America.

Silver Maple

Red maple’s close relative silver maple (Acer saccharinum) is its equal as a maple syrup source, yielding sap of similar sweetness. Its massive mature size, invasive roots, and susceptibility to storm damage disqualify it as a yard tree unless a yard is of park-like dimensions. On the other hand, if silver maple is available for the tapping, its sap is well worth the effort.

Box Elder

The same goes for another rather weedy, weak-wooded maple, box elder (Acer negundo). Its common name and poison-ivy-like leaves notwithstanding, it is indeed a maple, and it does indeed yield sap that boils down into delicious syrup. Although the sap is only half as sweet as sugar maple’s, it’s produced at more than twice the rate, resulting in higher syrup yield per tree. Additionally, box elders are ready for tapping at a much younger age (within 5 years or so of planting) and smaller size (6 inches in diameter). Boxelder is also hardier and tougher than sugar maple, as evidenced by its coast-to-coast geographic range.

Boxelder has minimal ornamental value. Nonetheless, it has given rise to several spectacular variegated and gold-leaved cultivars, which are well worth planting. Look for ‘Flamingo’, with white-streaked leaves that emerge shrimp-pink in spring. If you’re considering growing ‘Flamingo’ for its sap as well as for its flamboyant foliage, keep in mind that it grows more slowly than the wild type.

Bigleaf Maple

The sugaring season continues sporadically from late fall to spring in the relatively mild climes of upland California and the Pacific Northwest. Here, the native species to tap is bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum). Its sap has slightly lower sugar content than that of sugar maple and flows most freely after relatively chilly nights.

Norway Maple

Just about any residential district in the U.S. is likely to host Norway maple (Acer platanoides). Formerly widely planted for its rapid growth and tolerance of city conditions, this Eurasian native has become a noxious weed in many areas of the U.S., invading native woodlands with its seedlings. It’s easily distinguished from sugar maple by its furrowed bark, plump egg-shaped terminal buds, and erect flower clusters, as well as by the thick milky sap that oozes from severed leaf stems. Its winter sap, on the other hand, runs clear and boils down into surprisingly palatable syrup.

Black Maple

Of course, if you’re fortunate enough to have some healthy sugar maples to tap, Acer saccharum remains the maple sugar tree par excellence – with the possible exception of its near-twin, black maple (Acer nigrum). Black maple differs from sugar maple in its yellower fall color; hairier leaf stems with droopy leaf blades; and more furrowed bark. Its sap, though, is equally sweet and delectable. In areas of the North-Central U.S. where it outnumbers sugar maple, black maple reigns as the most important sugaring tree.

Processing Maple Sap

You need a number of maples to tap for syrup. Each mature tree can produce between 10 to 20 gallons of sap per tree. It takes 40 gallons of sap to boil down to one gallon of syrup, so you need at least three trees to produce one gallon of maple syrup. Maple sugar houses require large sugaring pans to produce syrup. To learn more about how to process sap into maple syrup, read this article from Penn State Extension about Maple Syrup Production for the Beginner.

The best time to plant your own maple is in spring or early fall. Make sure the planting hole is the same depth as the root ball (or shallower in heavy clay soil), and at least three times as wide. Backfill with unamended soil, and mulch the area around the newly planted tree with an inch of Fafard Natural Premium & Organic Compost, topped with 2 to 3 inches of bark mulch. Water thoroughly, repeating when necessary (one or two times a week).

Non-Invasive, Native Evergreen Groundcovers

Moss phlox — Many native evergreen groundcovers, such as moss phlox (white flowers), are non-invasive natives. (Image by Jessie Keith)

It’s time for American gardeners to move beyond Japanese spurge (Pachysandra terminalis), English ivy (Hedera helix), and periwinkle (Vinca minor). It’s true that these ubiquitous landscape plants make excellent evergreen groundcovers, rapidly forming dense swaths of handsome foliage. But, in addition to being tiresomely common in American gardens, they’re a nuisance outside of cultivation, invading natural areas and out-muscling native plants with their aggressive growth. (English ivy and periwinkle appear on invasive plant lists over much of the southeastern and far-western U.S.).

Many U.S natives possess the same virtues as the ubiquitous three, with none of the liabilities. Here are several lovely native, evergreen options to replace tiresome invasive spreaders.

Allegheny Spurge

Bottlebrush spikes of white flowers appear just before new spring leaves unfurl. (Photo by Zen Sutherland)

Japanese spurge’s more alluring, better-behaved relative from Appalachia is Allegheny spurge (Pachysandra procumbens). Its broad, coarsely toothed leaves are similar in shape to those of its Japanese cousin, but they do much more in the way of color. Fresh grassy-green when emerging in early spring, the foliage becomes gray-suffused and darker over the growing season, developing silvery flecking as fall approaches. Low, bottlebrush spikes of white flowers put on a charming display just before the new leaves expand. This clump-former thrives in rich, well-drained soil and partial shade, gradually spreading into dense 2- to 3-foot-wide hummocks. It’s hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9, and reliably evergreen in USDA Zones 6b and warmer.

Fetterbush

Another Southeast U.S. native that makes a handsome evergreen groundcover for partial shade, fetterbush (Leucothoe axillaris spp.) bears glossy, oval, dark green leaves on arching, 2- to 4-foot-tall stems that sucker into thickets. For a traditional ground-hugging groundcover, choose the compact Leucothoe fontanesiana Scarletta, which forms billowing 2-foot-tall mounds with bright red new leaves, clusters of ivory flowers in spring, and maroon-red winter color. Or you can go full fetterbush and use a regular-sized Leucothoe axillaris as a tall groundcover. All forms produce white, bell-shaped flowers in spring. Fetterbush does well in moist humus-rich soil in USDA Zones 5 to 9 but is prone to leaf spot in poorly aerated sites.

Canby’s Mountain Lover

No evergreen groundcover for partial shade is finer – literally and figuratively – than Canby’s mountain lover (Paxistima canbyi). In the wild, it’s a rare, often gaunt inhabitant of rocky uplands from southern Pennsylvania to North Carolina. In favorable garden sites, however, it’s anything but shy and scraggly, spreading into low, thick, 3- to 5-foot-wide thatches of narrow, petite, deep green leaves. They provide a splendid textural contrast with bold-leaved evergreens such as rhododendrons and Pieris. Well-drained, humus-rich soil and partial to full sun seem to bring out the best in this beautiful Appalachian native, which is hardy from USDA Zones 4 to 8. Bronzing sometimes occurs in harsh winters.

Creeping Phlox

Quite a few native species offer eye-catching flowers in addition to ground-covering evergreen foliage. Creeping phlox (Phlox stolonifera) earns its name via its ever-expanding carpets of spoon-shaped leaves that give rise in mid-spring to 8-inch spikes of proportionately large, showy flowers. Several cultivars are available, varying in their flower color and vigor. Perhaps the best colonizer (and the best as a groundcover) is ‘Sherwood Purple’, with violet-blue blooms. Although creeping phlox is happiest in partial shade and woodsy soil, it will also flourish in rich moist soil in full sun.

Moss Phlox

Full-on sun is the preferred habitat of moss phlox (Phlox subulata). Sometimes scorned because of its association with median strips, whiskey barrels, and other lowbrow landscape features, it’s near the top of the list of tough, attractive groundcovers for hot sandy slopes and other difficult sites. The dense, ever-spreading, needle-like foliage is handsome and weed-suppressing, and the early spring flowers come in many colors besides the bubble-gum-purple shades disdained by plant snobs. Additionally, this Midwestern to eastern U.S. native is rock-hardy and adaptable, flourishing in well-drained soil in USDA Zones 3 to 9.

Other Native Evergreen Groundcovers

Christmas fern brightens shady gardens in summer and winter. (Image by Wasp32)

Blooming at the same time as creeping phlox (and making a knockout companion for blue-flowered cultivars such as ‘Sherwood Purple’), gold-star (Chrysogonum virginianum) mats the ground with fuzzy, toothed leaves that recall those of other members of the aster family such as Rudbeckia. The fully evergreen Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) is another woodland groundcover for shade. Golden-yellow, five-parted star-flowers with fringed rays open in May and repeat sporadically until fall if conditions are not too hot and dry. Gold-star shares much the same cultural preferences and hardiness range (USDA Zones 4 to 9) as creeping phlox.

Toughness and adaptability are among the virtues of another often-scorned eastern and central U.S. native, robin’s plantain (Erigeron pulchellus). Two selections of this fuzzy-leaved meadow-dweller are excellent choices for challenging niches such as dry shade or sunny slopes. The cultivar ‘Lynnhaven Carpet’ has beefy rosettes of large, flat, tongue-shaped leaves that smother everything in their vigorously expanding path. In contrast, ‘Meadow Muffin’ produces congested, relatively slowly proliferating rosettes of smaller, crinkled leaves. Both cultivars send up pale lavender daisy-flowers on 10- to 15-inch stems in mid to late spring. Plants are evergreen through much of their USDA Zone 5 to 9 hardiness range but may go leafless in relatively harsh winters.

Hardy evergreen sedums, such as Oregon stonecrop (Sedum oreganum), create a fully evergreen cover for raised sunny beds or rock gardens. This species creates a spreading 2 to 3-inch mat of bead-like foliage that turns from green to reddish bronze in winter. Small, starry, yellow flowers grace the plants in summer.

Most newly planted groundcovers appreciate the addition of soil amendment, such as Fafard Premium Natural & Organic Compost Blend, at planting time. This organic-rich mix encourages root growth and holds needed moisture to help plants thrive. Water new plantings every few days for at least two weeks. In no time, your native groundcovers should be rambling effortlessly through your garden.

Dozens of other native species work wonderfully as evergreen groundcovers, but those offered in this article are reliable and attractive through all seasons.

Leucothoe Scarletta — *Leucothoe* Scarletta is a low-growing shrub evergreen that makes a great groundcover for shade. (Image by Russell Stafford)

Best Bold House Plants: Aroids

Monstera in white pot — Monstera is a bold tropical aroid that will shine indoors in low light.

The aroid family (Araceae) contains some of the most beautiful and outlandish plant species in the plant kingdom. Many make the best bold house plants for all-season color. When things turn chill and gloomy outside, a bold-leaved, evergreen aroid is a very nice thing to have inside. They clean the air and bring tropical beauty to homes.

Growing Aroids

Titan arum — The titan arum is the boldest aroid, but it is best suited to public greenhouses. (Magnus Manske)

Aroids may be large or small. Few houses (or greenhouses) can accommodate something on the scale of the outrageously gargantuan (and foul-scented) titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum), which has flowers that can reach 8 feet high! But, many other Araceae are good fits for warm, humid, indoor locations out of direct sunlight. Give them freely draining, humus-rich potting soil (such as Fafard Professional Potting Mix), regular watering, a monthly feeding, and periodic misting, and their evergreen foliage will give you a taste of the tropics even in the dead of winter. A few of them do double ornamental duty by producing colorful, showy jack-in-the-pulpit-like blossoms for much of the year.

It’s these flowers that define aroids. Each aroid blossom actually comprises numerous tiny flowers that cluster on a club-like “spadix”, nestled within a curved, leaf-like “spathe”. The spathe is often white but may also be green, yellow, or various shades of red or pink.

Bold Leaves

Alocasias are stunning foliage plants perfect for home growing.

The swollen, starchy tubers of elephant ears (Colocasia esculenta) have long played a central role in tropical-region cuisines. Here in the frozen north, we grow colocasias for their broad, long-stalked, heart-shaped leaves, which come in a staggering variety of colors including chartreuse, silver, maroon, purple, and all shades of green. Some species and cultivars carry splashy contrasting colors on their stalks or leaf blades, further boosting their visual amperage.

Elephant ears also vary greatly in stature, ranging from petite (1 foot tall, in the case of Colocasia affinis) to truly elephantine (as in the 7-foot-tall ‘Jack’s Giant’). Average size is around 3 or 4 feet, with 18- to 24-inch-long leaf blades. Tubers of the more common elephant ear varieties turn up in bulb catalogs and garden center bins in spring for summer gardening. (Learn how to grow outdoor elephant ears here.) Rarer colocasias are offered year-round by a number of specialty nurseries and greenhouses.
Two other genera – Alocasia and Xanthosma – share much in common with Colocasia, including its common name. Alocasian elephant ears typically have long, pointed, arrowhead lobes, and are often etched with a mosaic of bold white veins. Species include the jewel-like Alocasia cuprea with its glossy, textured leaves and A. x amazonica, which has dark arrowhead-like leaves with pale venation. Popular varieties include the chartreuse ‘Golden Delicious’, black-purple ‘Mark Campbell’, miniature ‘Tiny Dancers’, and statuesque 6-foot-tall ‘Portodora’.

Xanthosma species and cultivars do much the same thing as alocasias and are sometimes confused with them (for example, Alocasia ‘Golden Delicious’ is also known as Xanthosma ‘Lime Zinger’). Some xanthosmas, though – such as the imposing, purple-stemmed X. violacea –are a thing unto themselves. Almost all need warm winter conditions (minimum 65 degrees F) to thrive.

Beautiful Leaves and Flowers

Peace lilies have subdued white flowers and glossy green leaves.

Peace lily (Spathiphyllum spp.) perform beautifully indoors in low-light conditions. Plant snobs may sniff at these commoners, but it’s hard to find fault with their ease of care, verdant lance-shaped leaves, and white spring-to-fall blossoms. Furthermore, peace lilies come in quite a few relatively uncommon forms, including boldly variegated ‘Domino’, dwarf ‘Viscount’, and the giant 5-foot-tall ‘Sensation’. Most spathiphyllums grow to about 2 feet, with a greater spread if their rhizomes are allowed to roam. Less water-demanding than elephant ears, they sulk in overly damp soil.

Flamingo flowers — The brilliant blooms of flamingo flower will brighten any winter home.

Flamingo flower (Anthurium spp.) comprises a diverse genus of clumpers and climbers that possess many charms beyond the fiery red blooms of the common flamingo flower (Anthurium scherzerianum). A. crystallinum and A. claverinum, for example, are prized for their handsome, white-veined leaves, rather than for their unexceptional floral display. Even those grown for their showy blossoms sometimes depart from the stereotypical flamboyance of common flamingo flower. For example, the spathes of A. andreanum ‘Album’ are large and white with a long, pale yellow spadix, while those of ‘Black Love’ are dark maroon. Almost all anthuriums appreciate an extra-coarse potting mix, amended with composted bark. Fafard Natural & Organic Potting Soil has added bark, making it a great mix choice for these plants.

Calla Lilies

Calla lily (Zantedeschia spp.) are the best bloomers in the aroid tribe. Among the many alluring species and hybrids of this South African genus, only one – Zantedeschia aethiopica – takes easily to household culture. Its large, evergreen, arrow-shaped leaves grow from thick rhizomes that prosper in a moist, fertile, well-drained growing medium.

In contrast to most other aroidal houseplants, Z. aethiopica prefers partial to full sun and cool winter conditions (a large east-facing windowsill is perfect). Where happy, it produces iconic, cupped, ivory-white spathes on 2- to 4-foot stalks in spring or early summer. Cultivars include ‘Green Goddess’, with green-stained spathes; dwarf ‘Childsiana’; and the aptly named ‘White Giant’. Zantedeschia aethiopica cultivars are available from bulb sellers as bareroot rhizomes in spring, and from specialty growers as containerized plants year-round.

More Aroid House Plants

Quite a few other evergreen aroids make familiar, handsome house plants, including long-time favorites such as Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema spp.), Swiss cheese plant (Monstera deliciosa), and the many species and varieties of Philodendron.

Many a home has been beautified by the tough and trailing heartleaf philodendron (Philodendron scandens), which looks best grown from a hanging basket or trained along a north-facing window. These hard-to-kill house plants are easily found in almost any greenhouse specializing in house plants.

Make your winter home a tropical jungle with one or more of these outstanding aroid house plants for year-round indoor color. In late spring, bring them outdoors to light up a sheltered patio and to encourage summer growth.

Spring Bulb Design: Beautiful Pairings

Tulips, daffodils and smaller bulbs pair well as long as their heights and bloom times are complementary. (Image by Jessie Keith)

Spring-blooming bulbs are one of gardening’s cheapest and easiest thrills. Not only do they provide loads of flowers at a minimum of cost they also make splendid partners for other spring-blooming perennials and bulbs. Here are some beautiful partnerships to consider as you plan (and plant) for spring.

The Earliest Spring Bulbs

Snowdrops and winter aconite make great early spring partners in the garden. (Image by Jessie Keith)

Snowdrops (Galanthus spp.) and winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) are clump-forming woodlanders that burst into bloom during the first mild days of the year, often before the last patches of snow have melted. The strappy leaves and white, green-blotched flowers of snowdrops grow from small, daffodil-like bulbs that repel rodents. The nobbly underground tubers of winter aconites are also pest-resistant, while their sunny-yellow buttercup blooms attract bees. Purchased Eranthis tubers are often hopelessly desiccated, so it pays to shop around for a reliable source. A more sure-fire way of establishing winter aconites is to scatter freshly collected seed in early summer.

February Gold daffodils surrounded by small blue Siberian squill and glory-od-the-snow — February Gold daffodils are surrounded by small blue Siberian squill and glory-od-the-snow. (Image by Jessie Keith)

Siberian squill (Scilla siberica), glory-of-the-snow (Chionodoxa spp.), and early daffodils (Narcissus spp.). Lavish drifts of small blue flowers carpet the ground under spreading branches laden with purple-pink, waterlily blooms. Sounds lovely, doesn’t it? Although individually small, Siberian squill and glory of the snow self-sow into large, carefree colonies that flower in tandem with Magnolia × soulangiana and early daffodils such as ‘February Gold’, forming a classic early-spring garden scene. These little bulbs also partner splendidly with the white flowers of star magnolia (Magnolia kobus var. stellata) and the yellow blooms of early daffodils (including ‘Little Gem’). They’re at their best in full to partial sun and humus-rich soil.

Tommy crocuses (Crocus tommasinianus), Arnold Promise witch hazel (Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Arnold Promise’), and hellebores (Helleborus spp.). Most crocuses are squirrel fodder. One notable exception is the Tommy crocus, which not only persists in the garden but naturally spreads via self-sowing. It’s also one of the earliest crocuses, opening its silver-blue flowers in late winter, at the same time that the spidery yellow petals of Hamamelis × intermedia ‘Arnold Promise’ unfurl. These early-blooming crocus flourish in light shade and humus-rich soil and glow most brightly when backlit by the sun. ‘Arnold’ grows to 10 to 15 feet tall and wide, so give it room!

Early to Late Spring Bulbs

Narcissus 'Stratosphere' planted alongside Camassia and grape hyacinth — Narcissus ‘Stratosphere’ looks great planted alongside Camassia and grape hyacinth. (Image by Jessie Keith)

Grape hyacinths (Muscari spp.), daffodils (Narcissus spp.), and camass (Camassia spp.). The chubby, sky-blue, steepled flowers of grape hyacinths are the perfect foil for the cheerful, dancing blooms of daffodils. This pest-free, sun-loving combo hits its stride in April with the midseason daffodils (such as ‘Minnow’ and ‘Fortissimo’) and continues into May as the Jonquilla hybrids and other late daffs make their entrance. To keep the blue-and-yellow theme going through mid-May, add some camassias (such as Camassia cusickii or Camassia leichtlinii).

Tulips and daffodils are one of the best bulb combinations if you choose varieties that bloom together.

Tulips (Tulipa spp.) and daffodils (Narcissus spp.) are perfect for pairing, as long as the cultivars chosen bloom at the same time (good bulb catalogs will indicate bloom times). Tulips are anything but pest-free, attracting bulb-eating rodents and bud-munching deer. One of the best ways of limiting the carnage is to densely interplant them with daffodils, which most pests actively dislike. Of course, the primary reason for combining the two is that they make such beautiful music together. Starting in very early spring with the early daffodils and “species tulips”, and continuing until the late double-flowered tulips and Jonquilla hybrids bow out in May, they offer any number of enchanting combinations for sunny sites.

Spring Bulb Containers

Tulips with pansies in pot — Pansies are a great compliment to tulip containers. (Image by Jessie Keith)

Another way to protect and combine tulips is to grow them in pots, which can be mixed and matched with containers of other spring-bloomers, such as pansies and small daffodils. Plant the bulbs an inch or two below the surface in Fafard Ultra Outdoor Potting Mix in late fall or early winter. When sub-30 temperatures arrive, move the pots to a protected location (such as an attached garage) where temperatures stay mostly between 30 and 50 degrees. Water lightly whenever the soil appears dry. For added protection from rodents, place the pots in a critter-proof crate or cover them with hardware cloth (or something equally chew-proof). Move them to an unprotected location in late winter when low temperatures are no longer dipping into the low 20s. Once they’ve re-adapted to the outdoors, combine them with other spring-bloomers in a larger container for a custom-designed display.

Bulb Care and Planting

Extra-deep planting sometimes works as a tulip-protection strategy. Rather than the usual 4- or 5-inches deep, plant the bulbs with their tops 8 or more inches below the surface. Better yet, dig a 10-inch-deep trench, place the bulbs, bury them under a couple of inches of soil, and install a barrier of hardware cloth before backfilling. Mulch the area with leaves or pine needles to mask the freshly disturbed soil from inquisitive squirrels. It’s a lot of work, but if it allows you to grow and combine tulips such as ‘Queen of the Night’ and ‘Blue Heron’ with impunity, it may be worth it.
A bit of dreaming and bulb-planting in fall can result in glorious garden displays for many springs to come!

Tulipa tarda and Muscari latifolium — *Tulipa tarda* and *Muscari latifolium* bloom together in beautiful harmony. (Image by Jessie Keith)

The Best Trees for Bees

Tees that Feed Bees Featured Image — Redbuds are one of the best small landscape trees for feeding bees!

Are you looking to give your local bees a much-needed boost? Then why not give them a tree! Plant any of the trees described below in fall or spring, and they’ll provide a banquet of nectar- and pollen-rich blooms that will have your neighborhood honeybees, bumblebees, and other hymenopterans buzzing with appreciation. Their attractive foliage and flowers (and other features) will also win plaudits from neighboring humans. Most trees flower for only 2 or 3 weeks, so you’ll need several different species for a spring-to-fall bee banquet.

Large Trees for Bees

Male red Maple flowers — Male red maple flowers in March. (Image by Famartin)

Red Maple
A native of swamps and forests throughout much of North America, red maple (Acer rubrum, 60-90′) is a veritable bee oasis in late March and early April when little else is in bloom. The tight clusters of small, maroon flowers are a stirring sight in the early-spring landscape, especially when displayed against a deep blue sky. Red maple is also one of the first trees to have foliage color in fall, its three- to five-lobed leaves turning yellow or red as early as mid-September. Numerous cultivars in a wide range of shapes, sizes, fall coloration, and climatic preferences are available from nurseries. Although this tough, adaptable tree has few requirements, it is at its best in full sun.

White flowers of yellowwood — The dangling white flowers of yellowwood. (Image by Ulf Eliasson)

Yellowwood
A showy-flowered member of the pea family, yellowwood (Cladrastis kentukea, 30-50′) is breathtaking in late spring when it drapes itself with dangling chains of fragrant white blooms. Its decorative compound leaves turn a striking butter-yellow in fall, and its smooth, gray, beech-like bark is handsome year-round. This Mid-Atlantic to Midwest native takes a few years to get going in the garden, eventually forming a large- to medium-sized, low-forking specimen. Varieties with pale pink flowers are sometimes offered by specialty nurseries. Yellowwood prefers well-drained soil and full sun, and is hardy from USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 9.

Sourwood

Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum, 20-50′) is renowned in its native Southeast United States for the honey that derives from its early-summer blooms. The frothy, cascading clusters of dainty white flowers are one of the highlights of the midseason garden. Factor in its handsome, glossy leaves, brilliant fall color, scaly gray bark, and conspicuous winter seed capsules, and you’ve got one of the best four-season small trees for USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9. Full sun and moist, humus-rich, acid soil suit it best.

Lindens

Bee on linden flower — Bees of all kinds are attracted to linden flowers.

Late spring and early summer welcome the bee-thronged, sweet-scented white flowers of the many cultivated species of linden. European natives including littleleaf linden (Tilia tomentosa, 65-115′) and its hybrid Crimean linden (Tilia x euchlora, 40-60′) are the most commonly planted of the tribe, but many others make excellent garden subjects, including Japanese linden (Tilia japonica, 50-65′) and the shorter Kyushu linden (Tilia kiusiana, 20-30′). The flowers of silver linden (Tilia tomentosa) are perhaps too pollinator-friendly, exuding an intoxicating nectar that literally sends bees into a drunken feeding frenzy, followed by a narcotic stupor. All lindens are valued for their attractive, toothed, heart-shaped leaves, although aphids can sometimes be a problem producing dripping honeydew and attracting ants. The eastern U.S. native basswood (Tilia americana, 60-120′) is suitable for spacious, naturalistic landscapes. Most Tilia are considerably hardy and suitable to temperate landscapes in the US.

Small Trees for Bees

Lacy serviceberry flowers (image by Kurt Stuber)

Serviceberry
The fleecy white flowers of serviceberry (Amelanchier laevis, 15-40′), a member of the rose family (Rosaceae), decorate woodland edges of eastern North America from early to mid-spring. Tasty blue-black fruits follow in early summer, but they and the foliage are often marred by pests and diseases. Consequently, this small, slight, gray-barked tree is best used in naturalistic, peripheral plantings, rather than as a landscape focal point. Several similar Amelanchier species occur in the wild and in cultivation, these and many other rose family members have bee-loved flowers. All serviceberries are happiest in humus-rich soil and full to partial sun in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 8.

Bee on redbud flowers — Bees of all sorts pollinate redbud flowers.

Redbud
Redbud (Cercis canadensis, 20-30′) opens its magenta, pea-flowers in mid-spring, just as flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) is coming into bloom. The broad, heart-shaped leaves unfurl soon thereafter. A small, often multi-stemmed tree from clearings and margins of central and eastern North America, it takes readily to sunny or lightly shaded gardens in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 9. Gardeners in the warmer parts of redbud’s hardiness range can opt for the handsome variety texensis, notable for its glossy, leathery, dark-green foliage. Other options include weeping, variegated, white-flowered, pink-flowered, purple-leaved, and yellow-leaved varieties.
Seven Son Tree

Arresting, bee-luring sprays of fragrant white flowers are also borne by another late-blooming East Asian native, seven son tree (Heptacodium miconioides, 15-20′). As the flower petals fade in late summer, the sepals expand and turn deep wine-red, continuing the show into late summer and early fall. In winter, the shredding, silver-gray bark takes center stage. This small multi-stemmed tree thrives in sun and any decent soil in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 9. This tree has a less formal habit and may appreciate some pruning and shaping if it is to be grown in a prominent place in the landscape.
Bee Bee Tree

Bee bee tree (Tetradium daniellii, 25-30′) earns its common name by covering itself with masses of fragrant white flowers that are abuzz with bees when they open in midsummer. They give rise to showy clusters of shiny black fruits that ripen in late summer and persist into fall. The lush, lustrous, compound leaves are remarkably pest- and disease-free. This East Asian native grows rapidly into a low-branched, gray-barked tree that would add beauty to any garden. It does well in full sun and most soil types in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9.

Whichever bee tree you choose for your landscape, you’ll probably have better luck if you start with a relatively small, container-grown plant. Larger, balled and burlapped trees may look more impressive initially, but they’re slower to establish and more susceptible to pests and diseases. Dig the planting hole to the same depth as the root ball (or shallower in heavy clay soil), and three (or more) times as wide. Spread a layer of Fafard Premium Natural and Organic Compost in a wide circle around the newly planted tree, top with 2 to 3 inches of bark mulch, and water well, repeating when necessary (one or two times a week). Your new tree – and your neighborhood bees – will thank you.

Bee flying over crab apple flowers — Most members of the rose family, such as this crab apple, have flowers that attract bees.

Perennial Flowers for Wet Places

Japanese primrose is a pretty late-spring bloomer for moist ground. (Image by Jessie Keith)

Many perennial flowers sulk in damp soil. Plant a lavender near a downspout or a tulip in a boggy hollow, and bad things are sure to follow. On the other hand, some perennials relish soggy sites. It all comes down to “right plant, right place.” You can either sentence a dry-land plant to death in that damp garden corner – or you can literally “go with the flow” and plant glorious flowering perennials that revel in a little wetness.

Here’s our choice of some of the best of the latter. These hardy perennials would be more than happy to settle into that wet garden niche, especially if the soil is not too heavy and standing water is relatively rare. To lighten heavy clay soil, mix in a few inches of an organic amendment such as Fafard® Premium Natural & Organic Compost, preferably when conditions are relatively dry. Be sure to consult with conservation authorities if natural wetland areas are nearby.

Spring Flowers for Wet Places

Even standing water is no problem for the earliest bloomer on our list: marsh marigold (Caltha palustris). Its cheerful yellow buttercups on foot-tall stems brighten wetlands over much of the temperate Northern Hemisphere as winter turns to spring. It will happily do the same in your garden in partial shade and any decent, constantly moist soil (no inundation required!). The bold, serrated, heart-shaped leaves are also rather nice.

Another spring-blooming beauty from damp woodlands of eastern North America, Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica) owes its common name to its tubular, narrow-waisted blooms that open pink and deepen to sky-blue. They cluster on 18-inch stems above broad, waxy, blue-frosted leaves that die back as flowering ceases in late spring. Plants that aren’t deadheaded produce numerous seedlings. Virginia bluebells grow from plump rootstocks that are sometimes dug from the woods by disreputable dealers, so beware of cheap, bare-root plants.

Virginia bluebells along a stone path — Virginia bluebells spread, even in moist soil. (Image by Jessie Keith)

Hybrid globe flowers (Trollius × cultorum) open their bright buttercup blooms a few weeks after those of marsh marigold. The large, deeply cupped, creamy-white to dark orange flowers appear from late spring to early summer on 18- to 32-inch stems, depending on the variety. They arise from rosettes of deeply lobed leaves that go semi-dormant in July but flush with new growth later in the season. Trollius hybrids make delicious companions to blue-flowered perennials such as Siberian iris (Iris sibirica) and Texas blue-star (Amsonia tabernaemontana).
Late spring to early summer is also prime time for the candelabra flower clusters of Japanese primrose (Primula japonica). Borne on two-foot stems above rosettes of large, tongue-shaped leaves, the flowers come in numerous shades of red and pink, as well as white. This wet-garden classic thrives in partial shade but will manage in full sun in constantly damp soil. It’s especially spectacular when allowed to self-sow into large colonies – but keep in mind that “mongrel” seedlings will produce mixed and diluted flower colors.

Primula japonica is a natural garden mate for another East Asian native known for its love of moisture and its showy pink to red flowers – Astilbe. Although their frothy blooms and ferny leaves are a common sight in shady gardens, astilbes are arguably at their lushest in ample sun and damp soil. Conveniently, their flowering season hits its height in early summer, as the blooms of Japanese primrose are leaving the scene.

Summer Flowers for Wet Places

Early (and mid) summer is also the height of the flowering season of our native American Rudbeckia, most of which are quite happy with damp feet. The most ubiquitous and familiar is Rudbeckia fulgida, which usually goes as ‘Goldsturm’ (even though it usually isn’t). By whatever name, all forms of this butterfly magnet produce a summer-long abundance of golden-yellow, black-eyed daisy-flowers over rapidly expanding clumps of toothed leaves. (It’s also a prolific self-sower). Height at flowering is 15 to 40 inches, depending on the variety. Full sun is best.
Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) is another colorful beauty that grows in moist ground and has the added benefit of feeding Monarch butterfly larvae and adults. The hardy perennial reaches 3-5 feet and blooms in midsummer. It will truly thrive in very damp garden spaces, even those that have standing water for periods of time.

There are other numerous perennials for summer that are worth including on the list of plants for soggy places, including marsh spurge (Euphorbia palustris), queen of the prairie (Filipendula rubra), swamp rose mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos), ragwort (Ligularia spp.), cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis), and great blue lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica). All of these will brighten up any damp summer garden.

Late-Season Flowers for Wet Places

For late-summer and fall color in damp semi-shade, there’s another splendid North American plant: pink turtlehead (Chelone lyonii). The common name refers to the plump, oblong, lipped flowers that cluster atop the 2- to 4-foot stems of this Southeast native. Pairs of glossy, dark green leaves clothe the stems below the flowers. The cultivar ‘Hot Lips’ has rich rose-pink blooms on 30-inch plants that emerge bronze-green in spring. Red turtlehead (Chelone obliqua) and white turtlehead (Chelone glabra) also make good perennials for moist semi-shade.

Autumn sun coneflower and Joe-Pye weed are great garden companions.

Also ideal for the late-summer, damp, sunny garden is the coneflower that goes by the name Rudbeckia laciniata ‘Autumn Sun’ (or ‘Herbstsonne’, for you German-speaking rudbeckias). Greater in height and less aggressive in root than Rudbeckia fulgida, it hosts green-coned, lemon-yellow daisy-flowers on 5- to 6-foot-tall stems from mid to late summer. Another tall, golden bloomer for late in the season is the 3-6 foot swamp sunflower (Helianthus angustifolius). It produces copious stems of bright sunflowers against linear leaves. Both the coneflower and swamp sunflower combine well with purple Joe-Pye weed (Eupatorium maculatum) to make a stately garden statement.
Don’t let low, moist ground get your gardening spirits down. Damp garden niches offer loads of exciting possibilities when it comes to perennials.

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10 City Trees for Urban Landscapes and Street Sides

Littleleaf lindens (*Tilia cordata*) are common street trees for urban areas.

It’s not easy being a tree. This goes doubly for trees in urban landscapes. Air pollution, compacted soil, and road salt are just a few of the extra challenges that come with an in-town lifestyle. Worse still, much of that tainted soil and air is occupied by buildings, streets, sidewalks, power lines, and other structures that leave little space for branches and roots.

Amazingly, quite a few tree species are tough and compact enough to cope with these special challenges. Perhaps as remarkably, many of the best of these trees are still relatively rare in urban landscapes. If you’re looking to grow a tree in Brooklyn (or any other city), the choices range far beyond the ubiquitous littleleaf linden (Tilia cordata) and Norway maple (Acer plantanoides).

Outstanding Trees for Urban Landscapes

Chinese fringe-tree (*Chionanthus retusus*)

In place of Tilia cordata, you could try its smaller, more refined cousin, Kyushu linden (Tilia kiusiana). Rather new to American horticulture, this slow-growing 20-footer boasts a dense, teardrop-shaped habit; dainty, heart-shape leaves; and handsome, flaking bark. Kyushu linden prospers in sun to light shade in USDA Hardiness zones 5b to 8.

Shantung maple (Acer truncatum) is a well-behaved relative of Norway maple with lobed leaves that become flushed purple in spring, mature to rich green in summer, and turn sunset tints in fall. Its attractive gray bark provides winter interest. Height and width is 25 feet; favored conditions are full to part sun in zones 5 to 9.

American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana) has another common name – musclewood – which references its rippled blue-gray bark. Under whatever name, it’s one of the most picturesque eastern North American trees, with its muscled trunk, sinuously branched crown (to 30 feet tall and wide), and finely serrated leaves that go yellow in fall.

European hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) is a long-time (and larger) urban stalwart, usually seen as the upright-growing ‘Fastigiata’. It’s less hardy than American hornbeam’s USDA zones 3 to 9. Full to part sun; salt intolerant.

Chinese fringe-tree (Chionanthus retusus) is much underused. How can something this beautiful be this tough? Spectacular in late spring when covered with fleecy white flowers, Chinese fringe-tree carries its ornamental weight at other seasons with its shredding, cherry-like bark, bold oval leaves, and blue olive-shaped fall fruits. The yellow to rust-red fall color isn’t bad either. 20 to 30 feet tall. Full sun to light shade; USDA zones 5 to 8.

Corenlian cherry fruit — Cornelian cherry (*Cornus mas*) fruit

Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas) is actually a dogwood, despite its common name. A must for the urban edible garden, this multi-stemmed small tree is also essential for winter display, thanks to its clusters of acid-yellow flowers that precede those of forsythia. The cranberry-like fruits ripen in summer, and make for excellent preserves (they’re also good right off the tree).
Look also for the closely related but rarely offered Japanese Cornel dogwood (Cornus officinalis), which tends to bloom slightly earlier and often has pleasingly mottled bark. Both species are native to East Asia. 15 to 20 feet tall. Full sun to light shade; USDA zones 5 to 8; somewhat salt-tolerant.

American smoke tree, (Cotinus obovatus) has hazy, summer-borne seedheads that are not as showy as those of the much more common European smoke tree. But, the Southeast US native amply compensates with its smoldering fall color and scaly, silvery bark. Typically multi-stemmed and round-headed, it’s sometimes sold as a single-trunked specimen. The widely available cultivar ‘Grace’ – a hybrid with European smoke tree – offers equally spectacular fall color but a rather unruly habit. 25 feet tall. Full sun to light shade; USDA zones 5 to 9.

Osage orange fruit — Osage orange (*Maclura pomifera*) fruits do not exist on new all-male varieties.

Osage orange (Maclura pomifera) is literally as tough as nails (just try hammering a nail into its rock-hard, close-grained wood), but it has never found a place in cultivated landscapes because of its spiny branches and large, messy, knobbly fruits. Thankfully, that’s all changing with the recent introduction of several lightly armed male cultivars (including ‘White Shield’ and ‘Wichita’). Now you can have Osage orange’s gleaming dark-green foliage and ironclad constitution without subjecting passersby to concussive fruits and clothes-rending spines. These cultivars grow quite rapidly to 30 feet or so. Sun to light shade; USDA zones 5 to 9; relatively salt-tolerant.

Peking lilac (Syringa pekinensis) is a close relative of the much more widely planted Japanese tree lilac (Syringa reticulata). Peking lilac surpasses it in its exceptional cold hardiness and its bronze, silver-flecked, often shaggy bark. Feathery clusters of white flowers deck its oval crown in late spring, and amber-yellow fall color occurs on some forms of this fine multi-stemmed or single-trunked tree lilac. Sun; USDA zones 3 to 7; relatively salt-tolerant.

Urban Tree Care

City trees appreciate a bit of extra coddling. Where soil is compacted or otherwise compromised, work several inches of topsoil (such as Fafard Premium Topsoil) into as much of the tree’s future root zone as possible. Although it’s tempting to plant a large balled-and-burlapped specimen with a several-inch-caliper trunk, smaller container-grown plants will establish more readily, and likely attain similar (or greater) stature in 4 or 5 years. Dig the planting hole to the same depth as the root ball (or shallower in heavy clay soil), and three (or more) times as wide. Spread a layer of compost in a wide circle around the newly planted tree, top with 2 to 3 inches of bark mulch, and water well, repeating when necessary (one or two times a week).

With good care, your new tree will repay your efforts by settling in quickly to its new urban home. Any one of these beautiful options will benefit your city landscape or street side, adding diversity and charm as well as welcome greening.

3 Steps to Growing Great Roses (With No Fuss)

Strike it Rich® is a glorious grandiflora with exceptional disease resistance. (Photo by Jessie Keith)

Got rose problems? Over 20 common pests and diseases plague roses, threatening the beauty of many a rose-filled yard and garden. But, rose growers can take heart. You can have the beauty of roses without the burden of doing constant battle with pests and diseases. It all comes down to choosing resistant varieties and giving them the right care. Here are the three key steps to growing great roses without the fuss.

1) Pick a winner.

This is the most important step! Old roses are often the most fragrant and beautiful, but they are more often maintenance nightmares. Classic Hybrid Tea and Grandiflora (and other) rose varieties were bred for their voluptuous, iconic flowers, with little consideration for the plants’ overall vigor and disease resistance. Consequently, they’re susceptible to a slew of diseases including blackspot, powdery mildew, and stem cankers. They’re also easy marks for rose chafers, Japanese beetles, rose slugs, and a host of other insects that prey on roses.

'Carefree Beauty' — ‘Carefree Beauty’ is a wonderful shrub rose that will resist many common rose diseases. (Photo by Jessie Keith)

In recent years, breeders have developed and introduced new hybrids that resist diseases and pests. Most familiar of these are a number of “landscape” roses (such as the Knockout series) noted for their tough shrubby growth and abundant, relatively small, typically scentless flowers. Rose fanciers who are looking for something with taller stems and larger, more fragrant blooms will also find plenty of low-maintenance roses to choose from, however – including several Hybrid Tea and Grandiflora cultivars that rival anything in their class. Notable sources – and cultivars – include:

The German firm Kordes: Their Grandiflora rose ‘Eliza’ produces a succession of lightly fragrant, double pink blooms on tall stems. The repeat-blooming climber ‘Moonlight’ carries nicely scented peachy-yellow flowers. ‘Yankee Doodle’ is a tall, vigorously growing Hybrid Tea with intensely fragrant, double, apricot-pink roses.

Rosa PINK KNOCK OUT® is a classic, disease-free Knock Out rose planted for its strong disease resistance. (Photo by Jessie Keith)

The Explorers Hybrids from Canada: This collection of rock-hardy roses includes the Rosa rugosa hybrid ‘Jens Munk’, which bears 2.5-inch, double, medium-pink flowers on shrubby plants. It also includes several outstanding, repeat-blooming climbers. ‘William Baffin’ produces several flushes of dark pink flowers beginning in late June, and ‘John Cabot’ covers itself with double, fuchsia-red flowers from early summer to fall. Both can grow to 10 feet or more.

The Iowa breeder Griffith Buck: Among his many outstanding introductions are the pink-flowered Hybrid Tea ‘Earth Song’, and the shrub rose ‘Carefree Beauty’, with large pink flowers.
Weeks Roses: Many Weeks introductions are graced with fine fragrance, good looks, and remarkable disease resistance. The introduction Strike it Rich®, bred by Tom Carruth, is a testament to their rose-breeding prowess.

Rosa rugosa 'Hansa' — Rosa rugosa ‘Hansa’ is a tough rugosa rose that grows well in coastal gardens. (Photo by Jessie Keith)

Anything of Rosa rugosa parentage: These rough and tough roses include the bright pink ‘Hansa’, dark red ‘Linda Campbell’, bright yellow ‘Topaz Jewel’, and the intensely fragrant, white-flowered ‘Blanc Double de Coubert’.

The French rose breeder Meilland: ‘Francis Meilland’ is a Hybrid Tea with double, silvery pink roses on tall stems. The similarly hued double flowers of the Grandiflora ‘Mother of Pearl’ have a light, sprightly scent. Dark red, heavy-scented, fully double flowers crown the 4- to 5-foot stems of the Hybrid Tea rose‘Traviata’.

2) Choose the right soil and the site.

Roses thrive in full sun and rich, healthy, humus-rich soil. Before you plant your rose, amend the soil with Fafard Premium Natural & Organic Compost. It adds rich organic matter for increased water-holding capacity and porosity. Follow up by adding fertilizer formulated for roses. This will encourage strong growth and flowering.
Ample air circulation helps too. Plant your prize rose in a hole that’s at least twice as wide as its root ball, and amend the backfill and surrounding soil with compost and organic fertilizer. Then apply a 1- to 2-inch layer of mulch to keep the roots moist and cool (and keep the soil microorganisms happy!). Plants should be well spaced to allow air flow.

3) Maintain!

Rose rosette "witches brooms" — If you see rose rosette “witches brooms” remove your roses. There is no cure for this contagious disease. (Photo by Jessie Keith)

Prune out all diseased growth in spring and throughout the growing season (dip pruners in a 10% bleach solution to reduce the chance of accidentally spreading disease from rose to rose). Be on particular lookout for the red “witches brooms” that signal the presence of rose rosette disease, a destructive disease for which there is no cure. Roses that have contracted rose rosette disease should be quickly removed from the garden.

Thin stems in spring and summer to encourage air circulation and discourage diseases. Tolerate modest insect damage, but treat plants with the appropriate OMRI Listed® insecticide if insects reach high levels. Rake and remove fallen vegetation, which may harbor disease-causing fungal spores. Apply rose fertilizer and a layer of compost each spring. Plant “companion” perennials (such as members of the parsley and daisy families) that harbor beneficial insects. And remember to water during dry spells!

The right rose in the right place (with the right maintenance) will provide years of beauty with a minimum of grief. It will also astonish your acquaintances who think that beautiful roses require lots of care for great looks.

Rosa 'Red Cascade' — Rosa ‘Red Cascade’ is a rare old-fashioned miniature climbing rose that is disease resistant and prolific! (Photo 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)

Growing Cherry Trees

Nothing tastes better than firm, succulent cherries right off the tree – especially if they come from your own back yard! Thanks to a new generation of hybrid and dwarf cherry trees, home-grown cherries are literally within the reach of more gardeners – in more climatic zones – than ever before.

As with everything gardening, choosing the right varieties and giving them the right conditions and care are the keys to getting your backyard cherry orchard off to a good start.

Planting cherries on foot-tall mound — Consider planting your cherries on foot-tall mounds.

What Cherries Want

All cherries thrive in full sun and fertile, well-drained, slightly acid soil. They also favor mild, relatively dry summers and chilly winters (most cherries won’t bear fruit unless they receive several hundred hours of sub-45-degree temperatures). If you can offer these conditions, as well as a planting site that’s not overly prone to late, bud-damaging frosts, you’re likely to have good luck with all kinds of cherries.

Start With the Soil

Nutrient-rich loam is ideal. If you garden in sand, apply 2 or 3 inches of Fafard Premium Natural & Organic Compost, and till it in before planting. If heavy clay soil predominates, consider planting your cherries on foot-tall mounds or berms of topsoil amended with compost. Higher berms (at least 3 feet tall) will also help protect flower buds from spring frost damage.
Avoid siting cherries in warm microsites (such as the south side of a building) that encourage premature, frost-susceptible bud development. In areas where heat and humidity are a challenge, maximize air circulation through proper pruning (see below) and generous spacing.

Pick the Right Cherry

Sweet ‘Rainier’ cherries require very specific growing conditions.

As fate would have it, the most popular cherries are also the most persnickety (of course!). Sweet cherries (Prunus avium) such as the supermarket standbys ‘Bing’ and ‘Rainier’ are good bets only where temperatures stay mainly between 90 and minus 20 degrees F (sorry, Southern gardeners!). Because of their chilling requirements, they also do poorly in regions with mild year-round climates. The few sweet cherry varieties (including ‘Minnie Royal’ and ‘Royal Lee’) with relatively low chilling needs are worth a try in marginal mild-winter areas. Wherever they’re grown, most sweet cherry varieties require another compatible variety nearby to set fruit (only ‘Stella’ and a few others are self-fruitful). For a list of varieties that “pollenize” each other, click here.

'Montmorency' sour cherries — ‘Montmorency’ is a classic sour cherry variety.

Sour cherries (Prunus cerasus) tolerate somewhat more heat, humidity, and cold, making them a safer bet than sweet cherries for regions such as the southern Plains, lower Mid-Atlantic, and upper Midwest and Northeast. Their self-fruitfulness and relatively compact size also make them a better fit for smaller gardens. The tart fruits are excellent in pies and preserves, or for eating out of hand. By far the most popular variety is ‘Montmorency’, but many others are available.

Even icebox climates such as northern Maine and the upper Great Plains now offer the possibility of fresh-off-the-tree cherries. Recently introduced hybrids between Prunus cerasus and its shrubby cousin Prunus fruticosa produce flavorful cherries on 6- to 10-foot plants that are hardy to minus 50 degrees F. Cultivars include ‘Crimson Passion’, ‘Carmine Jewel’, ‘Romeo’, and ‘Juliet’. All are self-fruitful.

Choose the Right Sized Tree

Stark® Gold™ sweet cherries — Stark® Gold™ sweet cherry can be purchased on various sized rootstock.

At 20 to 40 feet tall, full-sized sweet- and sour-cherry trees are too large for many home gardens. They are considerably shorter, however, when grafted on dwarfing “Giselsa” rootstocks recently developed in Germany. For example, sweet cherry cultivars grown on Gisela 6 understock mature at 60 to 90 percent of the height of full-size trees, and begin fruiting within 3 years of planting. Gisela-grafted trees also show good hardiness and disease resistance. Most mail-order suppliers of cherry trees offer a smorgasbord of cultivar/rootstock combinations.

Caring For Your Cherries

Whatever the best cherry trees for your place and purposes, they’ll need constant care to thrive. Apply organic fertilizer and a layer of compost in spring, followed by 1 or 2 inches of bark mulch to keep the soil moist and cool and to inhibit weeds. Prune out spindly twigs, unproductive branches, water sprouts, and other superfluous growth in midsummer (avoid pruning during rainy or humid spells).

Harvest ripe cherries and collect and discard dropped fruits several times a week, to keep spotted wing fruit flies and other pests at bay. Rake and remove fallen cherry leaves, which may host disease-causing spores. Make your yard a haven for beneficial insects by planting species that host them (such as members of the parsley and daisy families). These and other measures can help keep your cherry trees happy, and your table brimming with fresh cherries.

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