Give Them Three Years

 

Give them three years...

Have you ever heard this gardening advice? 

"The first year they sleep, the second year they creep, and the third year they leap." 

When planting shrubs and evergreens, and even some perennials, the first year they are usually small starter size plants, and are getting used to be planted or transplanted. The second year, they've went through one winter, and will come out a little fuller and stronger. They will get some good roots established this second year, and put on some healthy young growth. Then, when the third growing season comes around, you can expect amazing things! Lots of growth, much fuller, much stronger,  and they are heartily established! 

For someone who has to work at patience lol, I can tell you it's worth it to wait and see your garden/landscape come into its own, and to see your own personal touch and design come to fruition. 

So, don't worry if you don't see tons of growth the first year or two. Just keep them watered, fertilized and healthy, and you'll see results! 

Cheryl 

"Full Sun" Plants?

 

My first bloom of the season on an Iceberg rose. 

Hey guys!

Just wanted to write up something really quickly about recommended planting tips on websites, and even tags, while I'm thinking about it!

Since we've had much hotter and drier summers in our area, I've really noticed big changes in many plants. You may buy a shrub, for instance, with a tag that says "full sun" under light recommendations. So, you plant it on an area that truly does receive full, all day, hot sun. Midway thought the summer, if it's still alive, the plant looks like you've been microwaving it! I've also had plants now surviving the winter here that were previously annuals only. Recommendations are just that, and you have to do your homework regarding your yard and the conditions any plants in that area have to survive. Does the spot get morning sun, evening sun, dappled light, or full shade? Take a day and take some notes, it's easy to forget. Try to check your planting areas several times that day so that you know what's really going on in that area at different times of the day. Even then, some plants labeled full sun just can not withstand 6b and higher hot summer sun. Most plants that aren't full shade plants, prefer morning sun and some afternoon shade. Unfortunately we don't all have those perfect conditions, but we can find things more suited to the conditions that we do have!

So, don't feel bad if, after doing everything right, some things fail to thrive or don't make it. Try moving it to another area if you don't see obvious disease or insects, and make sure you aren't over watering. If you aren't in a hurry, you could leave your new plants in their nursery pots and put them in the areas that you plant to plant them. See how they do there for a couple of weeks before planting in the ground, and if they do well, it should be a good location. 

Hope that helps!

Cheryl

When Can You Plant And Transplant?

 

(My Morning Glories last year.)

It's Spring and we're all anxious to get outside and get ta' plantin'! 

We had some summer-like weather in early April, which always seems to happen, and it fools us into believing Winter is long gone. 

Everyone starts looking at annuals and even vegetables that are already popping up at garden centers. 

The old timers always said, don't put anything "tender" out until after mother's day. 

As usual, they are right!

Missouri, and well, all over the world it seems, is getting such unpredictable and weird weather that it makes growing even more of a challenge.

So, if you've started your seed for garden vegetables, cold weather crops like lettuce and seed potatoes are fine to go ahead and put out. 

Anything like tomatoes or tender annuals like petunias, hold up till mother's day! You can start hardening them off though on sunny warm days, by taking them outside and gradually giving them some sun. 

Trees and Shrubs 

Here in zone 6b, anytime from late Fall through April, you can dig and transplant shrubs and trees. As long as the ground is workable, you're good to go. It's the best time to do it actually, when the hot sun isn't stressing and scorching things. 

They have time to get established and healthy before Summer arrives. 

Pot Grown Trees and Shrubs

Pot grown plants can be planted most any time of year. It will always be a little more work if done in summer, and you'll really have to baby some things and water consistently. 

The reason this is possible, is because you aren't cutting and disturbing the root system as when things are chopped and dug from the ground.

The plant has grown it's entire life in the pot, so you won't lose important roots. 

It is important though, to disturb the roots a little if they are very tight and almost choking themselves(potbound). Some things like pot grown Hollies are bad for that.

And if done in winter, most things are dormant and sleeping, so they'll wake up in their new home and grow on fine.

I hope this helpful, and if you have questions, message me and I'll do my best to help. If I can't,

I'll send you to someone who can lol! 

Cheryl