Innehållsförteckning för November/December 2022 från Garden Gate

Hardy hibiscus Hibiscus moscheutos When you want big tropical-looking flowers and trouble-free foliage that returns year after year in the garden, hardy hibiscus is just the ticket. It’s cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9. WHERE IT WORKS BEST Just a few hardy hibiscus plants will really turn heads. The big dinner-plate-sized flowers can get up to 12 inches across, and although each flower lasts just one day, there are plenty to keep the plant colorful from summer to fall. At 2 to 12 feet tall, plants’ size offers the presence of a shrub but this perennial dies to the ground in late fall. HOW TO GROW IT Hardy hibiscus grows best in full sun and moist, well-drained soil. Regular moisture is important, especially the first few years to…

Botanical Names AzaleaRhododendron hybrid Burford hollyIlex cornuta ‘Burfordii’ Crape myrtle Lagerstroemia indica Flowering dogwood Cornus florida Indian hawthorn Rhaphiolepis indica Southern magnolia Magnolia grandiflora Not everyone is as compatible gardening together as this year’s Reader Garden Award Winners, Jim and Carole Poole. Their charming Georgia backyard getaway is the perfect combination of horticulture and art. With carefully placed trees and shrubs, well-thought-out beds and hardscaping and meticulous care, it’s a beautiful reflection of the couple’s talents. TRUE TEAM EFFORT The couple met as teenagers at a conference for Alabama State 4-H winners. Jim was a horticultural champion, and Carole’s singing trio won the talent competition. He’s the horticulturist, determining the layout of the backyard, designing the hardscaping projects and choosing the structure plants. Watercolor artist Carole helps take care of…

Botanical Names Blanket flowerGaillardia spp. and hybrids Feather reed grassCalamagrostis x acutiflora SnowberrySymphoricarpos albus As you put your to rest for the winter, it’s hard to know what the weather will bring in the next few months. Will this winter be colder or warmer than average? Did you prepare your plants for the unexpected? Will every perennial come up next spring? You can’t control the weather, but you might be able to help your plants survive the worst. Here are the factors that contribute to winter damage and steps you can take that will improve your garden’s chances. DON’T BE LATE! Here are three things you should NEVER do too late in the season: ■ Prune Late pruning encourages new growth that is often too tender to survive freezing temperatures.…

Keep up the cactus Karen Nickel, WI After repotting a cactus, Karen noticed that the top-heavy plant might need some extra support to remain upright as the roots developed in the larger pot. Which budget-friendly tool came to her aid? Chopsticks! She used four chopsticks to create a horizontal grid support across the soil. To make this grid, first cut the chopsticks to a size that fits snugly inside the rim. Fit two sticks on either side of the cactus and run another set of two perpendicular to the first. To avoid damaging the plant, make sure the chopsticks aren’t squeezing the plant. Tiny land for small gardeners Nicole Bear, SK If you’re often in the garden trying to pull weeds while little ones are pulling at your shirttails, clamoring…

If you’ve ever forgotten an unused bag of premixed concrete outdoors for several days or even weeks, you may already know how quickly it can soak up moisture and harden. What if you could put that tendency to use in a few clever and easy-to-create garden projects? Turns out, you can. Here’s how. 1 RAISED BED A raised bed wall is as easy as stacking bags on top of each other and wetting them down. To make one like the one at left, start by choosing which product you’d like to use—bags of pre-mixed, ready-to-use cement/sand blend, such as QUIKRETE® Sand Mix #1103, come in different sizes and weights. Once you know the bag size, measure the outline of the bed and calculate the number of bags you’ll need. Lay…

I asked Meg to share a few plants that she loves to grow, eat and preserve. Here are some of her recommendations. Cranberry bean Phaseolus vulgaris Cranberry bean is a stunning multipurposed dry bean. Seeds can be sown every 2 weeks from early spring to midsummer for a continual harvest. This variety is a mix between a bush bean and a pole bean: Plants don’t have tendrils to climb trellises, but they grow up to 6 feet tall and will need to be staked using a trellis like the one above for support. Just guide the beans up your desired structure. Although cranberry beans are typically grown as a shelling bean, they can also be harvested immature and eaten fresh as a string bean. For drying and storage for later…

Sunny yellow coreopsis blooms are a great way to brighten your border from summer to frost, invite loads of pollinators in, and fill a vase with long-lasting color. Native to North and Central America, this charming wildflower is also called tickseed for the shape of its small oval seeds. While there are more than 100 species of coreopsis, the most common ones you’ll find at garden centers are the hardy perennial types, especially threadleaf, bigleaf and lots of cultivars or hybrids of the two. The threadleaf coreopsis at right has the classic single yellow flowers, but you’ll also find pink or bicolor yellow and red species as well as many newer hybrids in pink, burgundy, cream and shades of orange. If you can’t find a coreopsis you like at your…

Q Should I remove snow from shrubs or leave them alone? Albert Serle, MN A A light snow is no problem, but a heavy, wet snow might bend branches dramatically, like the ones at right. If they’re in danger of breaking, you can gently remove the snow to help prevent this. Start near the tips and use a stick or broom to carefully lift the branches. Or use your hands to brush the snow away. Don’t shake branches: If they’re frozen, they might crack or break. And there’s no need to remove every last flake; just reduce the weight. If you had an ice storm or snow started to melt and refroze to the branches, it’s best to leave it and let it melt on its own. Q I’ve had…

BONUSARTICLE It takes a while to create the backyard of your dreams. The good news about this garden design is that it fits a variety of backyard situations, such as along your property line in place of a fence, or breaking up a large expanse of lawn. The even better news is that it can be done in stages as your energy, time and budget allow. It starts with a smaller, simple garden bed that can be expanded as you see fit. Fire up your imagination and recolor that blank space in your backyard with this collection of trees, shrubs, billowing grasses and bountiful blooms. Then let’s get practical. Turn the page to walk through what to do each year. ONE STAGE ONE The first year is a lot more…

Whatever your project, here are some tips from the folks at QUIKRETE® for success using premixed, ready-to-use concrete bags. • Use mix in biodegradable bags, not the kind with a plastic lining. • Poke holes in the top of the bag for better saturation when wetting the concrete. • Keep the bags wet by misting or covering with plastic for four days to cure before removing the paper. • Check temperatures before doing your project — do not let the wet bags freeze (below 32 degrees F), or the concrete may crack. • Remove the paper by peeling, pressure washing or burning it off carefully with a torch. Or leave it to degrade on its own.…

We often tell you what our favorite plants are, but last summer we decided to ask you, our readers, to tell us about the plants you love to grow and why. I might have predicted a few of the favorites, but the diversity in your responses was broad. Recurring themes were easy-care and colorful blooms on everything from annuals to shrubs. From sun to shade, there’s something for everyone on this list. Thank you to everyone who participated in this survey. Here are 10 of our readers’ favorite plants! Coneflower Echinacea spp. and hybrids Our readers love coneflowers’ attractive flowers, wide range of colors and ability to feed pollinators. Plants don’t require much maintenance, and deadheading is optional, plus the seedheads make a great food source for birds. Julia from…

Ever been to the garden center and browsed through the tools, just to see what’s there? Maybe there are a couple that look interesting, but what you have at home still works fine. On the other hand, it could be time to try something new. Here are a few favorite tools that our staff is glad we tried because now we reach for them regularly! DIGGING SOIL KNIFE You may have an old-school skinny trowel to do most of your garden work. But the Leonard Deluxe Stainless Steel Soil Knife is even better. It’s the perfect tool to make a hole for transplanting starter plants, dig out a long taproot and cut plant roots out of tight spots. Its sharp, pointed tip digs into soil easily. The serrated edge is…

Pokeweed Phytolacca americana What it looks like You might overlook a young plant of this native perennial, but a mature pokeweed is easy to spot. By midsummer it can grow 8 to 10 feet tall with 10-inch-long leaves. The smooth, sturdy round stems are usually green, often with a purple or pink blush. Broken stems or crushed leaves emit a bitter odor. And most sources consider all parts of this plant to be toxic to humans. From mid- to late summer, small white or pink flowers are arranged in 3- to 6-inch-long curled or drooping racemes. Later, green berries turn dark purple as they ripen. Each shiny fruit contains 10 seeds and is a popular food for many birds, helping this weed spread. Where to find it Pokeweed is common…

Container Vegetable Collection This collection of vegetables showcases varieties that are easy to grow in containers and inspire space-efficient gardening to supercharge your garden-to-table lifestyle. Butterfly Banquet Collection Gardening enthusiasts and butterflies alike will love these pollinator-friendly nectar plants that help develop healthy habitats to benefit the garden’s ecosystem. Sow your joy with our wide selection of curated collections; use promo code GARDENGATE for free shipping. The offer is valid from Nov to the end of Dec 2022; not valid with any other offers and may only be used once per customer; other terms and conditions may apply. SHOP: https://www.botanicalinterests.com ILLUSTRATED BUTTERFLIES PRINT Garden and pollinator lovers alike will appreciate our high-quality print of butterfly & caterpillar illustrations! Available with or without frame. Prices start at $22 GardenGateStore.com GARDENER’S SUPPLY…