GardenSpotlight

We are still adding new crops to our sales greenhouse…new marigold colors, new crops of alyssum,   a young coleus crop and new types of basil, to name a few.  The month of June is full of great celebrations; Father’s Day, weddings, graduations. This is a perfect time to assess your landscaping goals and schedule further plantings accordingly for the remainder of the summer and fall seasons.   Many times we have customers come in thinking it is too late to plant in June….not so.  Flowers can be planted throughout the summer, many well into August.  Garden centers are still full of great plants and you will also find larger plants for a greater impact in your garden.   For those of you not wanting to spend time in the garden weeding, or for a lack of planting space, look for container gardens; combination plantings in larger 10” -  20” pots.  Talk about instant gratification!  Vegetables can also be planted in pots successfully...

I wanted to bring up the subject again of USDA Hardiness Zones since it is now planting season and the article garnered much attention the last time I posted it.  We definitely have had a mild winter, and a very dry one at that.  I heard yesterday that even with the recent rains, we are still about an inch to an inch and a half short of necessary rainfall for this time of year.  Here in our area, we can expect frost up through the third week of May or so.  We can never be sure what Mother Nature will hit us with.  In 2008 and 2009 both, we were hit with damaging rain and hail in June, the same day both years. Without further delay, here is the article I posted previously: There seems to be confusion at times among some gardeners as to the definition of perennials and annuals. For those of you that this applies to, this posting is for you! J The definition of “perennial,” simply put, is a plant that continues to grow in your garden year after year...

Good landscaping can increase the value of your home by upwards of 8%-15%.   A well maintained outdoor space gives the impression that the home is well cared for and maintained not only on the outside, but on the inside as well.   Realtors all over the country are suggesting that their clients improve the look of their landscaping. Even if your home is perfect on the inside, a bad view from the outside can literally turn people away. An amazing "82% of surveyed agents have had potential buyers decline to look at the interior of a house due to its exterior appearance," according to the survey Real Estate Agent Community Trends (REACT).   http://www.myhomechannel.org/article_landscaping_home_value.php Even if you are not planning on moving in the near future, you should invest in landscaping as plants and trees take time to mature.   Plan with the end result in mind; design your landscaping as a whole so it looks coherent when completed, even if you can only do a li...

There seems to be confusion at times among some gardeners as to the definition of perennials and annuals.   For those of you that this applies to, this posting is for you! J The definition of “perennial,” simply put, is a plant that continues to grow in your garden year after year.   The simple definition of an “annual,” is a plant that needs to be planted each year.    Perennial plants can be perennial in some areas and also annual in other areas.   To know if a plant will be perennial in your area, you need to know what hardiness zone you live in. The USDA’s Plant Hardiness Zone Map helps us determine which zone we are in.   This hardiness map is based on winter temperatures and each zone has a span of ten degrees.   The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map was first introduced in 1960 with the last revision in 1990.    This map divides the U.S. and Canada into eleven separate zones.    The temperatures for each zone are based on ...

Here is a short list of some perennials we are currently growing for sale at Running Creek Farm Greenhouses: Agastache Alcea Aquilegia Aruncus Buddleia Caryopteris Centaruea Centranthus Coreopsis Delphinium Dianthus Digitalis Echinacea Gaillardia Gypsophila Heuchera Lavendula Lupine Malva Monarda Oenothera Platycodon Rudbeckia Scabiosa Veronica Just to name a few. Stop in a visit us and if you don't see what you are looking for, just ask. Some crops will be ready earlier than others due to weather and seasonal demand. For example, Zinnias, an annual plant, are not typically ready for sale until at least the third week in May, sometimes later. They are more sensitive to cold and need to stay protected until all chance of frost is gone. We will be open for retail sales the beginning of May.

Now on to Autumn....Did you know that some annual plantings, if planted in a warmer area, such as close to the foundation of your house, may come back the following spring? This may be the case with some plants such as licorice and vinca vine in the Northeast. Others, such as Cleomes, may re-seed in your garden, and in other areas around your house depending on where the wind has carried the seed. Perennial plantings may need to be mulched over the winter season to protect them from extreme cold. Use a good mulch as you would in the spring, or even use the boughs from your Christmas tree after Christmas is over. What a great way to re-cycle nature's bounty! Here is a link to the USDA Hardiness Planting Map: http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html