成长记
stureburk
2017年08月07日
Sneaky is a damn wunderkind. Growing at a steady pace and growing roots like nobodies business.
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Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月07日
There is always something rather special about finding a cultivated plant from your garden growing as a wildflower in its natural state, and there are plenty of wild Common Snapdragons in the Mediterranean region. Finds of these flowers further north, including in Britain and Ireland, are most likely to be naturalised garden escapes, because the Snapdragon has been a popular cultivar for hundreds of years.
Identification
A perennial plant growing to 1m or more, but more commonly 50cm tall, Common Snapdragon has lanceolate leaves typically 2 to 6 cm long arranged in spirals along the stems. Flowers, in elongated spikes, are each 3 to 4.5cm long with two lips that open when the sides of the flower are compressed - hence the dragon's mouth implication in the common name. Most wild plants have pinkish purple flowers with yellow-and-white areas where the two lips touch. Yellow snapdragons can also be found in the wild in Mediterranean countries, but they are most likely to be naturalised cultivars.
Distribution
Native to the Mediterranean region from Portugal in the west across to Turkey and Syria in the east, the range of this wildflower extends southwards into parts of North Africa and northwards as far as southern France. Elsewhere it is an introduced species that has escaped from parks and gardens to colonise old walls and dry wasteland particularly near towns and villages.
Habitat and Blooming Times
March and April are the best months for seeing Common Snapdragons in the wild. Coastal sand-dune systems and other areas of dryish sandy soil are favoursed by this Mediterranean wildflower, which also occasionally colonises the crumbling walls of derelict buildings. Garden cultivars in northern Europe also cope well with dry, sunlit locations, where they bloom rather later and are often at their best in June, July and August.
Pollination
Snapdragons are pollinated by bumblebees, which crawl inside the lips so that the mouth of the dragon closes over them; they emerge covered in pollen which they transport to other flowers that they visit.
Identification
A perennial plant growing to 1m or more, but more commonly 50cm tall, Common Snapdragon has lanceolate leaves typically 2 to 6 cm long arranged in spirals along the stems. Flowers, in elongated spikes, are each 3 to 4.5cm long with two lips that open when the sides of the flower are compressed - hence the dragon's mouth implication in the common name. Most wild plants have pinkish purple flowers with yellow-and-white areas where the two lips touch. Yellow snapdragons can also be found in the wild in Mediterranean countries, but they are most likely to be naturalised cultivars.
Distribution
Native to the Mediterranean region from Portugal in the west across to Turkey and Syria in the east, the range of this wildflower extends southwards into parts of North Africa and northwards as far as southern France. Elsewhere it is an introduced species that has escaped from parks and gardens to colonise old walls and dry wasteland particularly near towns and villages.
Habitat and Blooming Times
March and April are the best months for seeing Common Snapdragons in the wild. Coastal sand-dune systems and other areas of dryish sandy soil are favoursed by this Mediterranean wildflower, which also occasionally colonises the crumbling walls of derelict buildings. Garden cultivars in northern Europe also cope well with dry, sunlit locations, where they bloom rather later and are often at their best in June, July and August.
Pollination
Snapdragons are pollinated by bumblebees, which crawl inside the lips so that the mouth of the dragon closes over them; they emerge covered in pollen which they transport to other flowers that they visit.
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Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月07日
This generally low-growing member of the pea family (fabaceae, formerly referred to as the legiminosae) has unusual flower heads; they are in two parts. One side will be coming into bloom while the other has semi-ripened seeds. Kidney vetch can be found on abandoned farmland, waysides and bare, stony ground as well as in coastal sand dune systems.
Distribution
Anthyllis vulneraria is common and widespread in Britain and Ireland; it occurs also throughout mainland Europe. Kidney Vetch is a particularly common plant in the Mediterranean region, where the pink-flowered form is more often seen. Plants seen in Slovenia are generally a paler, lemon yellow than the ones we see in Britain.
Habitat and Blooming Times
In Northern Europe, Kidney Vetch blooms between April and September. Further south in the Mediterranean region the flowers appear much earlier in the year, but they are usually over by the end of May.
Distribution
Anthyllis vulneraria is common and widespread in Britain and Ireland; it occurs also throughout mainland Europe. Kidney Vetch is a particularly common plant in the Mediterranean region, where the pink-flowered form is more often seen. Plants seen in Slovenia are generally a paler, lemon yellow than the ones we see in Britain.
Habitat and Blooming Times
In Northern Europe, Kidney Vetch blooms between April and September. Further south in the Mediterranean region the flowers appear much earlier in the year, but they are usually over by the end of May.
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文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月07日
This lovely deep blue-to-purple flower is related to the Scarlet Pimpernel, Anagallis arvensis, with which we are so familiar in Britain and Ireland and which can also, confusingly, occur in a blue-flowered form.
Identification
This low-growing shrubby branching perennial has opposite or whorled oval or lanceolate leaves on round-sectioned stems. As well as the common blue form shown here, red, pink and white colour variants of this species also occur.
The flowers, which have five unlobed petals, can form mats so dense that te leaves are all but obscured.
Distribution
Shrubby Pimpernel is a native of the Iberian Peninsula, Sardinia, Sicily and North Africa and appears in rather dry habitats such as stable sand dunes and banks but can sometimes be found in open woodland too.
Habitat
Ribbons and large patches of Shrubby Pimpernel are wonderful sights on dry roadside verges and the banks of steep-sided cuttings. This wildflower also grows in colourful clumps in coastal garrigue habitats such as the wonderfully diverse pin-cushion floral landscape along the cliff tops at Cape St Vincent, in the southwest corner of Portugal.
A member of the Primrose family (Primulaceae), the flowers can sometimes be red or pink, and Shrubby Pimpernel is frequently encouraged as a garden plant.
Blooming Times
In the wild Shrubby Pimpernel forms dense mats of glorious blue flowers from March to June.
Identification
This low-growing shrubby branching perennial has opposite or whorled oval or lanceolate leaves on round-sectioned stems. As well as the common blue form shown here, red, pink and white colour variants of this species also occur.
The flowers, which have five unlobed petals, can form mats so dense that te leaves are all but obscured.
Distribution
Shrubby Pimpernel is a native of the Iberian Peninsula, Sardinia, Sicily and North Africa and appears in rather dry habitats such as stable sand dunes and banks but can sometimes be found in open woodland too.
Habitat
Ribbons and large patches of Shrubby Pimpernel are wonderful sights on dry roadside verges and the banks of steep-sided cuttings. This wildflower also grows in colourful clumps in coastal garrigue habitats such as the wonderfully diverse pin-cushion floral landscape along the cliff tops at Cape St Vincent, in the southwest corner of Portugal.
A member of the Primrose family (Primulaceae), the flowers can sometimes be red or pink, and Shrubby Pimpernel is frequently encouraged as a garden plant.
Blooming Times
In the wild Shrubby Pimpernel forms dense mats of glorious blue flowers from March to June.
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文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月07日
It is always lovely to find something you had more or less given up hope of ever finding, so we found these Pyramidal Bugloss plants growing in the Pirin Mountains National Park in Bulgaria we were delighted.
Identification
When this member of the Lamiaceae is in bloom you can see at once that the flowers are generally paler than those of Ajuga reptans with which we are much more familiar. The stems are hairy and bear pairs of opposite hairy leaves that form a squarish pyramid, the lower leaves green and the upper leaves increasingly more purple towards the top of the plant.
Typically 15mm long, the blue flowers emerge from large leafy bracts. Unlike the much more common Bugle, which produces runners from which new plants grow, Pyramidal Bugle has rhizomes rather than runners (stolona). The odds are more heavily stacked again this rarity becoming a common wildflower, because although it is a perennial it does not bloom every year.
Distribution
In Britain these rare plants are seen in just a few locations in northern England and Scotland. They are also recorded from The Burren in County Clare, southern Ireland, and from Rathlin Island in the north, but despite much searching to date we have yet to find them in Ireland. On mainland Europe Ajuga pyramidalis is not such a rare find. We have seen these plants in bloom in Bulgaria, and in Slovenia Pyramidal Bugle is plentiful among limestone rocks in the Julian Alps in areas.
Habitat
Pyramidal Bugle is usually found in short-sward grassland overlaying calcareous rocks; it also occurs within grikes in areas of limestone pavement, most often where it is marshy.
Blooming Times
We also found and photographed these plants in the predominantly limestone Julian Alps in Slovenia on trips there in June 2011 and again in late June 2014, and in Bulgaria in the Pirin Mountains National Park in mid June 2009.
In northern Britain and in western Ireland Pyramidal Bugle usually begins flowering in late April and sometimes continues through May and in to early June.
Identification
When this member of the Lamiaceae is in bloom you can see at once that the flowers are generally paler than those of Ajuga reptans with which we are much more familiar. The stems are hairy and bear pairs of opposite hairy leaves that form a squarish pyramid, the lower leaves green and the upper leaves increasingly more purple towards the top of the plant.
Typically 15mm long, the blue flowers emerge from large leafy bracts. Unlike the much more common Bugle, which produces runners from which new plants grow, Pyramidal Bugle has rhizomes rather than runners (stolona). The odds are more heavily stacked again this rarity becoming a common wildflower, because although it is a perennial it does not bloom every year.
Distribution
In Britain these rare plants are seen in just a few locations in northern England and Scotland. They are also recorded from The Burren in County Clare, southern Ireland, and from Rathlin Island in the north, but despite much searching to date we have yet to find them in Ireland. On mainland Europe Ajuga pyramidalis is not such a rare find. We have seen these plants in bloom in Bulgaria, and in Slovenia Pyramidal Bugle is plentiful among limestone rocks in the Julian Alps in areas.
Habitat
Pyramidal Bugle is usually found in short-sward grassland overlaying calcareous rocks; it also occurs within grikes in areas of limestone pavement, most often where it is marshy.
Blooming Times
We also found and photographed these plants in the predominantly limestone Julian Alps in Slovenia on trips there in June 2011 and again in late June 2014, and in Bulgaria in the Pirin Mountains National Park in mid June 2009.
In northern Britain and in western Ireland Pyramidal Bugle usually begins flowering in late April and sometimes continues through May and in to early June.
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文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月06日
BOTANICAL NAME: Citrullus lanatus
PLANT TYPE: Fruit
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Sandy
Everyone seems to love juicy watermelon in the summertime. Native to Africa, melons need warm temperatures (up to 80°F during the day) and a long growing season.
Gardeners in colder climates can still have success in growing watermelon vines by starting seeds indoors and choosing short-season varieties. Days to maturity range from 70 to 90, depending on the variety.
PLANTING
If you live in warmer climes, you can sow seeds directly outdoors, but wait until the soil temperature warms to at least 70°F to avoid poor germination.
Watermelon vines are very tender and should not be transplanted until all danger of frost has passed. (To be safe, wait at least two weeks past your last frost date.)
If you are in a cooler zone, start seeds indoors about a month before transplanting.
Amend soil with aged manure, seaweed, and/or compost before planting. Watermelons are heavy feeders.
Watermelons prefer a soil pH between 6 and 6.8.
Growing the vines in raised rows, known as hills, ensures good drainage and will hold the sun’s heat longer. Space the plants about 2 feet apart in a 5-foot-wide hill.
If you’re growing in rows, space 6 feet by 6 feet apart.
Watermelons like loamy, well-drained soil. Handle them gently when you transplant.
After you transplant, cover the plants with row covers to keep pests at bay. You’ll remove the row covers when you see both male and female flowers on the vine.
CARE
Mulching with black plastic will serve multiple purposes: it will warm the soil, hinder weed growth, and keep developing fruits clean.
Watering is very important—from planting until fruit begins to form. While melon plants are growing, blooming, and setting fruit, they need 1 to 2 inches of water per week.
Keep soil moist, but not waterlogged. Water at the vine’s base in the morning, and try to avoid wetting the leaves and avoid overhead watering. Reduce watering once fruit are growing. Dry weather produces the sweetest melon.
If you choose to fertilize (and many do), make sure it delivers more nitrogen than phosphorus and potassium. However, after flowering begins, use a fertilizer with less nitrogen. We like to use liquid seaweed.
Pruning isn’t necessary, but vine productivity may be improved if you do not allow lateral (side) vines to grow and stick to the main vine. When the plant is young, just cut off the end buds as they form (before the side shoots become vines). You can also pinch off some blossoms to focus the energy on fewer melons (though it’s a challenge to kill off a potential fruit).
Vines produce male and female flowers separately on the same plant. They often begin producing male flowers several weeks before the females appear. Do not be concerned if the male flowers fall off. The female flowers (which have a swollen bulb at the base) will stay on the vine and bear fruit.
Blossoms require pollination to set fruit, so be kind to the bees!
As fruit is ripening, prevent rotting by gently lifting it and putting cardboard or straw between the fruit and the soil.
PESTS/DISEASES
Aphids
Cucumber Beetles
Squash Vine Borer Moths
Fusarium Wilt
PLANT TYPE: Fruit
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Sandy
Everyone seems to love juicy watermelon in the summertime. Native to Africa, melons need warm temperatures (up to 80°F during the day) and a long growing season.
Gardeners in colder climates can still have success in growing watermelon vines by starting seeds indoors and choosing short-season varieties. Days to maturity range from 70 to 90, depending on the variety.
PLANTING
If you live in warmer climes, you can sow seeds directly outdoors, but wait until the soil temperature warms to at least 70°F to avoid poor germination.
Watermelon vines are very tender and should not be transplanted until all danger of frost has passed. (To be safe, wait at least two weeks past your last frost date.)
If you are in a cooler zone, start seeds indoors about a month before transplanting.
Amend soil with aged manure, seaweed, and/or compost before planting. Watermelons are heavy feeders.
Watermelons prefer a soil pH between 6 and 6.8.
Growing the vines in raised rows, known as hills, ensures good drainage and will hold the sun’s heat longer. Space the plants about 2 feet apart in a 5-foot-wide hill.
If you’re growing in rows, space 6 feet by 6 feet apart.
Watermelons like loamy, well-drained soil. Handle them gently when you transplant.
After you transplant, cover the plants with row covers to keep pests at bay. You’ll remove the row covers when you see both male and female flowers on the vine.
CARE
Mulching with black plastic will serve multiple purposes: it will warm the soil, hinder weed growth, and keep developing fruits clean.
Watering is very important—from planting until fruit begins to form. While melon plants are growing, blooming, and setting fruit, they need 1 to 2 inches of water per week.
Keep soil moist, but not waterlogged. Water at the vine’s base in the morning, and try to avoid wetting the leaves and avoid overhead watering. Reduce watering once fruit are growing. Dry weather produces the sweetest melon.
If you choose to fertilize (and many do), make sure it delivers more nitrogen than phosphorus and potassium. However, after flowering begins, use a fertilizer with less nitrogen. We like to use liquid seaweed.
Pruning isn’t necessary, but vine productivity may be improved if you do not allow lateral (side) vines to grow and stick to the main vine. When the plant is young, just cut off the end buds as they form (before the side shoots become vines). You can also pinch off some blossoms to focus the energy on fewer melons (though it’s a challenge to kill off a potential fruit).
Vines produce male and female flowers separately on the same plant. They often begin producing male flowers several weeks before the females appear. Do not be concerned if the male flowers fall off. The female flowers (which have a swollen bulb at the base) will stay on the vine and bear fruit.
Blossoms require pollination to set fruit, so be kind to the bees!
As fruit is ripening, prevent rotting by gently lifting it and putting cardboard or straw between the fruit and the soil.
PESTS/DISEASES
Aphids
Cucumber Beetles
Squash Vine Borer Moths
Fusarium Wilt
1
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文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月06日
BOTANICAL NAME: Prunus persica
PLANT TYPE: Fruit
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Sandy
SOIL PH: Slightly Acidic to Neutral
BLOOM TIME: Summer
Peaches are a well-known, delicious fruit that can be grown right at home. The trick to growing your very own peaches is to choose a type that will fit with your specific climate.
PLANTING
Peach trees can grow in USDA Zones 5 to 8, but do especially well in Zones 6 and 7.
If you live in one of these zones, you can focus on choosing a variety based on its flavor and harvest-time. If you live in colder regions, there are some varieties that are more cold tolerant that you can choose.
Choose a site with well-drained, moderately fertile soil in full sun. Be sure to avoid low areas because frost can more easily settle there and destroy your peaches.
Plant the trees in spring. It is best to plant the trees the day you get them (if possible). Pick a tree that is about 1 year old.
For container-grown trees, remove the plant from its pot and remove any circling roots by laying the root ball on its side and using shears to cut through the roots.
For grafted trees, position the inside of the curve of the graft union away from the sun when planting.
Dig a hole that is a few inches deeper and wider than the spread of the roots. Set the tree on top of a small mound of soil in the middle of the hole. Be sure to spread the roots away from the trunk without excessively bending them.
If you are planting standard-size trees, space them 15 to 20 feet apart. Space dwarf trees 10 to 12 feet apart. However, most types of peach trees are self-fertile, so planting one tree at a time is fine.
AN ALTERNATIVE PLANTING METHOD
If your circumstances are suitable, you might want to try a technique practiced in England. It involves planting a peach tree—ideally a dwarf variety—on the south side of the home or other building, under the eaves of the it. Over time, the gardener prunes and trains the peach tree to espalier in a fan-shape against or very near to the wall of the house. Plastic sheeting is attached to the eaves and draped to cover but not touch the tree, similar to a lean-to. This keeps the tree dry in winter, and the tree enjoys the warms of the sun, directly and as reflected off the house, year round. The plastic should be opened or lifted during bloom time to welcome pollinating insects and on hot, sunny days to ventilate the tree and prevent foliage burn.
CARE
About 6 weeks after planting, fertilize the young trees with 1 pound of a nitrogen fertilizer.
During the second year, add ¾ pound of nitrogen fertilizer once in the spring and once in the early summer.
After the third year, add about 1 pound of actual nitrogen per year to the mature trees in the spring.
To help make the tree hardier, do not fertilize it within 2 months of the first fall frost date or when the fruits are maturing.
Be sure to prune the tree to an open center shape. In the summer of the first year, cut the vigorous shoots that form on the top of the tree by two or three buds. After about a month, check the tree. As soon as you have three wide-angled branches, spaced equally apart, cut back any other branches so that these three are the main branches. In the early summer of the second year, cut back the branches in the middle of the tree to short stubs and prune any shoots developing below the three main branches. After the third year, remove any shoots in the center of the tree to keep its shape.
Be sure to prune the tree annually to encourage production. Pruning is usually done mid to late April. Pinching the trees in the summer is also helpful.
Prune and fertilize to accomplish 10-18 inches of new growth each season.
Thin the fruits so that they are 6 to 8 inches apart on the branch after the tree blooms (about 4 to 6 weeks). This ensures that the fruits will be larger.
To help increase resistance to fruit diseases, be sure to prune the trees, thin the fruit, and pick the fruit when it is ripe.
PESTS/DISEASES
Borers
Aphids
Japanese beetles
Leaf hoppers
Brown rot
Powdery mildew
Leaf curl
Mosaic viruses
PLANT TYPE: Fruit
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Sandy
SOIL PH: Slightly Acidic to Neutral
BLOOM TIME: Summer
Peaches are a well-known, delicious fruit that can be grown right at home. The trick to growing your very own peaches is to choose a type that will fit with your specific climate.
PLANTING
Peach trees can grow in USDA Zones 5 to 8, but do especially well in Zones 6 and 7.
If you live in one of these zones, you can focus on choosing a variety based on its flavor and harvest-time. If you live in colder regions, there are some varieties that are more cold tolerant that you can choose.
Choose a site with well-drained, moderately fertile soil in full sun. Be sure to avoid low areas because frost can more easily settle there and destroy your peaches.
Plant the trees in spring. It is best to plant the trees the day you get them (if possible). Pick a tree that is about 1 year old.
For container-grown trees, remove the plant from its pot and remove any circling roots by laying the root ball on its side and using shears to cut through the roots.
For grafted trees, position the inside of the curve of the graft union away from the sun when planting.
Dig a hole that is a few inches deeper and wider than the spread of the roots. Set the tree on top of a small mound of soil in the middle of the hole. Be sure to spread the roots away from the trunk without excessively bending them.
If you are planting standard-size trees, space them 15 to 20 feet apart. Space dwarf trees 10 to 12 feet apart. However, most types of peach trees are self-fertile, so planting one tree at a time is fine.
AN ALTERNATIVE PLANTING METHOD
If your circumstances are suitable, you might want to try a technique practiced in England. It involves planting a peach tree—ideally a dwarf variety—on the south side of the home or other building, under the eaves of the it. Over time, the gardener prunes and trains the peach tree to espalier in a fan-shape against or very near to the wall of the house. Plastic sheeting is attached to the eaves and draped to cover but not touch the tree, similar to a lean-to. This keeps the tree dry in winter, and the tree enjoys the warms of the sun, directly and as reflected off the house, year round. The plastic should be opened or lifted during bloom time to welcome pollinating insects and on hot, sunny days to ventilate the tree and prevent foliage burn.
CARE
About 6 weeks after planting, fertilize the young trees with 1 pound of a nitrogen fertilizer.
During the second year, add ¾ pound of nitrogen fertilizer once in the spring and once in the early summer.
After the third year, add about 1 pound of actual nitrogen per year to the mature trees in the spring.
To help make the tree hardier, do not fertilize it within 2 months of the first fall frost date or when the fruits are maturing.
Be sure to prune the tree to an open center shape. In the summer of the first year, cut the vigorous shoots that form on the top of the tree by two or three buds. After about a month, check the tree. As soon as you have three wide-angled branches, spaced equally apart, cut back any other branches so that these three are the main branches. In the early summer of the second year, cut back the branches in the middle of the tree to short stubs and prune any shoots developing below the three main branches. After the third year, remove any shoots in the center of the tree to keep its shape.
Be sure to prune the tree annually to encourage production. Pruning is usually done mid to late April. Pinching the trees in the summer is also helpful.
Prune and fertilize to accomplish 10-18 inches of new growth each season.
Thin the fruits so that they are 6 to 8 inches apart on the branch after the tree blooms (about 4 to 6 weeks). This ensures that the fruits will be larger.
To help increase resistance to fruit diseases, be sure to prune the trees, thin the fruit, and pick the fruit when it is ripe.
PESTS/DISEASES
Borers
Aphids
Japanese beetles
Leaf hoppers
Brown rot
Powdery mildew
Leaf curl
Mosaic viruses
1
0
文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月06日
BOTANICAL NAME: Lycopersicon esculentum
PLANT TYPE: Vegetable
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Loamy
SOIL PH: Acidic
Enjoy our tomato-growing page covering planting through plant care through harvesting—and even tomato recipes!
America’s favorite vegetable is fairly easy to grow and will produce a bumper crop with proper care. Its uses are numerous, however, tomato plants are susceptible to pests and diseases so proper plant care is important.
PLANTING
If you’re planting seeds (versus purchasing transplants), you’ll want to start your seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the average last spring frost date.
Select a site with full sun and well-drained soil. For northern regions, is is VERY important that your site receives at least 6 hours of sun. For southern regions, light afternoon shade will help tomatoes survive and thrive.
Two weeks before transplanting seedlings outdoors, till soil to about 1 foot and mix in aged manure, compost, or fertilizer.
Harden off transplants for a week before moving outdoors.
Transplant after last spring frost when the soil is warm.
Establish tomato stakes or cages in the soil at the time of planting. Staking keeps developing tomato fruit off the ground, while caging lets the plant hold itself upright. Some sort of support system is recommended, but sprawling can also produce fine crops if you have the space, and if the weather cooperates.
Plant seedlings two feet apart.
Pinch off a few of the lower branches on transplants, and plant the root ball deep enough so that the remaining lowest leaves are just above the surface of the soil.
Water well to reduce shock to the roots.
CARE
Water generously for the first few days.
Water well throughout the growing season, about 2 inches per week during the summer. Keep watering consistent!
Mulch five weeks after transplanting to retain moisture.
To help tomatoes through periods of drought, find some flat rocks and place one next to each plant. The rocks pull water up from under the ground and keep it from evaporating into the atmosphere.
Fertilize two weeks prior to first picking and again two weeks after first picking.
If using stakes, prune plants by pinching off suckers so that only a couple stems are growing per stake.
Practice crop rotation from year to year to prevent diseases that may have overwintered.
PESTS/DISEASES
Aphids
Flea Beetles
Tomato Hornworm
Whiteflies
Blossom-End Rot
Late Blight is a fungal disease that can strike during any part of the growing season. It will cause grey, moldy spots on leaves and fruit which later turn brown. The disease is spread and supported by persistent damp weather. This disease will overwinter, so all infected plants should be destroyed.
Mosaic Virus creates distorted leaves and causes young growth to be narrow and twisted, and the leaves become mottled with yellow. Unfortunately, infected plants should be destroyed (but don’t put them in your compost pile).
Cracking: When fruit growth is too rapid, the skin will crack. This usually occurs in uneven water or uneven moisture due to weather conditions (very rainy periods mixed with dry periods). Keep moisture levels constant with consistent watering and mulching.
Basil repels aphids, whiteflies, tomato hornworms, and mosquitoes from tomatoes.
PLANT TYPE: Vegetable
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Loamy
SOIL PH: Acidic
Enjoy our tomato-growing page covering planting through plant care through harvesting—and even tomato recipes!
America’s favorite vegetable is fairly easy to grow and will produce a bumper crop with proper care. Its uses are numerous, however, tomato plants are susceptible to pests and diseases so proper plant care is important.
PLANTING
If you’re planting seeds (versus purchasing transplants), you’ll want to start your seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the average last spring frost date.
Select a site with full sun and well-drained soil. For northern regions, is is VERY important that your site receives at least 6 hours of sun. For southern regions, light afternoon shade will help tomatoes survive and thrive.
Two weeks before transplanting seedlings outdoors, till soil to about 1 foot and mix in aged manure, compost, or fertilizer.
Harden off transplants for a week before moving outdoors.
Transplant after last spring frost when the soil is warm.
Establish tomato stakes or cages in the soil at the time of planting. Staking keeps developing tomato fruit off the ground, while caging lets the plant hold itself upright. Some sort of support system is recommended, but sprawling can also produce fine crops if you have the space, and if the weather cooperates.
Plant seedlings two feet apart.
Pinch off a few of the lower branches on transplants, and plant the root ball deep enough so that the remaining lowest leaves are just above the surface of the soil.
Water well to reduce shock to the roots.
CARE
Water generously for the first few days.
Water well throughout the growing season, about 2 inches per week during the summer. Keep watering consistent!
Mulch five weeks after transplanting to retain moisture.
To help tomatoes through periods of drought, find some flat rocks and place one next to each plant. The rocks pull water up from under the ground and keep it from evaporating into the atmosphere.
Fertilize two weeks prior to first picking and again two weeks after first picking.
If using stakes, prune plants by pinching off suckers so that only a couple stems are growing per stake.
Practice crop rotation from year to year to prevent diseases that may have overwintered.
PESTS/DISEASES
Aphids
Flea Beetles
Tomato Hornworm
Whiteflies
Blossom-End Rot
Late Blight is a fungal disease that can strike during any part of the growing season. It will cause grey, moldy spots on leaves and fruit which later turn brown. The disease is spread and supported by persistent damp weather. This disease will overwinter, so all infected plants should be destroyed.
Mosaic Virus creates distorted leaves and causes young growth to be narrow and twisted, and the leaves become mottled with yellow. Unfortunately, infected plants should be destroyed (but don’t put them in your compost pile).
Cracking: When fruit growth is too rapid, the skin will crack. This usually occurs in uneven water or uneven moisture due to weather conditions (very rainy periods mixed with dry periods). Keep moisture levels constant with consistent watering and mulching.
Basil repels aphids, whiteflies, tomato hornworms, and mosquitoes from tomatoes.
3
3
文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月06日
BOTANICAL NAME: Allium sativum
PLANT TYPE: Vegetable
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Loamy
SOIL PH: Slightly Acidic to Neutral
Garlic is easy to grow and produces numerous bulbs after a long growing season. Plus, it’s frost tolerant! Here’s how to grow garlic in your garden.
Beyond its intense flavor and culinary uses, “the stinking rose” is good in the garden as an insect repellent and has been used for centuries as a home remedy.
PLANTING
Garlic can be planted in the spring as soon as the ground can be worked, but fall planting is recommended for most gardeners. Plant in the fall and you’ll find that your bulbs are bigger and more flavorful when you harvest the next summer.
In areas that get a hard frost, plant garlic 6 to 8 weeks before that frost date. In southern areas, February or March is a better time to plant.
Break apart cloves from bulb a few days before planting, but keep the papery husk on each individual clove.
Plant cloves about one month before the ground freezes.
Do not plant cloves from the grocery store. They may be unsuited varieties for your area, and most are treated to make their shelf life longer, making them harder to grow. Instead, get cloves from a mail order seed company or a local nursery.
Ensure soil is well-drained with plenty of organic matter. Select a sunny spot.
Place cloves 4 inches apart and 2 inches deep, in their upright position (the wide root side facing down and pointed end facing up).
In the spring, as warmer temperatures come, shoots will emerge through the ground.
CARE
Northern gardeners should mulch heavily with straw for overwintering.
Mulch should be removed in the spring after the threat of frost has passed. (Young shoots can’t survive in temps below 20°F on their own. Keep them under cover.)
Cut off any flower shoots that emerge in spring. These may decrease bulb size.
Weeds should not be a problem until the spring. Weed as needed.
Garlic requires adequate levels of nitrogen. Fertilize accordingly, especially if you see yellowing leaves.
Water every 3 to 5 days during bulbing (mid-May through June).
A note on garlic scapes: Some folks love cooking the scapes (the tops of hardneck garlic). Whether you trim the scapes or let them keep growing is your preference. We like to stir fry scapes the way we cook green beans—similar, with a spicy kick!
PESTS/DISEASES
Garlic has very few problems with pests in the garden (in fact, its a natural pest repellent!), and also very few problems with the diseases that plague other veggies. White Rot is one concern, but you should also keep an eye out for the same pests that plague onions.
White Rot is a fungus that may attack garlic in cool weather. Not much can be done to control or prevent that problem except rotating your crops and cleaning up the area after harvesting. The spores can live in the soil for many years. The fungus affects the base of the leaves and roots.
PLANT TYPE: Vegetable
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Loamy
SOIL PH: Slightly Acidic to Neutral
Garlic is easy to grow and produces numerous bulbs after a long growing season. Plus, it’s frost tolerant! Here’s how to grow garlic in your garden.
Beyond its intense flavor and culinary uses, “the stinking rose” is good in the garden as an insect repellent and has been used for centuries as a home remedy.
PLANTING
Garlic can be planted in the spring as soon as the ground can be worked, but fall planting is recommended for most gardeners. Plant in the fall and you’ll find that your bulbs are bigger and more flavorful when you harvest the next summer.
In areas that get a hard frost, plant garlic 6 to 8 weeks before that frost date. In southern areas, February or March is a better time to plant.
Break apart cloves from bulb a few days before planting, but keep the papery husk on each individual clove.
Plant cloves about one month before the ground freezes.
Do not plant cloves from the grocery store. They may be unsuited varieties for your area, and most are treated to make their shelf life longer, making them harder to grow. Instead, get cloves from a mail order seed company or a local nursery.
Ensure soil is well-drained with plenty of organic matter. Select a sunny spot.
Place cloves 4 inches apart and 2 inches deep, in their upright position (the wide root side facing down and pointed end facing up).
In the spring, as warmer temperatures come, shoots will emerge through the ground.
CARE
Northern gardeners should mulch heavily with straw for overwintering.
Mulch should be removed in the spring after the threat of frost has passed. (Young shoots can’t survive in temps below 20°F on their own. Keep them under cover.)
Cut off any flower shoots that emerge in spring. These may decrease bulb size.
Weeds should not be a problem until the spring. Weed as needed.
Garlic requires adequate levels of nitrogen. Fertilize accordingly, especially if you see yellowing leaves.
Water every 3 to 5 days during bulbing (mid-May through June).
A note on garlic scapes: Some folks love cooking the scapes (the tops of hardneck garlic). Whether you trim the scapes or let them keep growing is your preference. We like to stir fry scapes the way we cook green beans—similar, with a spicy kick!
PESTS/DISEASES
Garlic has very few problems with pests in the garden (in fact, its a natural pest repellent!), and also very few problems with the diseases that plague other veggies. White Rot is one concern, but you should also keep an eye out for the same pests that plague onions.
White Rot is a fungus that may attack garlic in cool weather. Not much can be done to control or prevent that problem except rotating your crops and cleaning up the area after harvesting. The spores can live in the soil for many years. The fungus affects the base of the leaves and roots.
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文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月06日
PLANT TYPE: Vegetable
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Any
SOIL PH: Neutral
Brussels sprouts are a member of the cabbage family, and an excellent source of protein and vitamins. They have a long growing season, and are generally more successful when grown for a fall harvest, as they only increase in flavor after a light frost or two.
PLANTING
Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before last spring frost.
While starting seeds indoors is recommended, you may also direct sow seeds 4 months before the first fall frost. You may also have luck finding seedlings at a nursery.
Raised beds are especially recommended for cold season vegetables, especially when seasons are changing and temps are not consistent.
Work fertilizer into soil a few days before planting or transplanting.
Plant transplant seedlings 12-24 inches apart.
If direct sowing seeds, plant ½ inch deep and 2-3 inches apart. Thin plants to 12-24 inches apart when they reach 6 inches tall.
Water well at time of planting/transplanting.
CARE
Fertilize three weeks after transplanting.
Mulch to retain moisture and keep the soil temperature cool.
Do not cultivate, roots are shallow and susceptible to damage.
PESTS/DISEASES
Aphids
Cabbage Root Maggots
Flea Beetles
Clubroot
Downy Mildew
White Mold
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Any
SOIL PH: Neutral
Brussels sprouts are a member of the cabbage family, and an excellent source of protein and vitamins. They have a long growing season, and are generally more successful when grown for a fall harvest, as they only increase in flavor after a light frost or two.
PLANTING
Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before last spring frost.
While starting seeds indoors is recommended, you may also direct sow seeds 4 months before the first fall frost. You may also have luck finding seedlings at a nursery.
Raised beds are especially recommended for cold season vegetables, especially when seasons are changing and temps are not consistent.
Work fertilizer into soil a few days before planting or transplanting.
Plant transplant seedlings 12-24 inches apart.
If direct sowing seeds, plant ½ inch deep and 2-3 inches apart. Thin plants to 12-24 inches apart when they reach 6 inches tall.
Water well at time of planting/transplanting.
CARE
Fertilize three weeks after transplanting.
Mulch to retain moisture and keep the soil temperature cool.
Do not cultivate, roots are shallow and susceptible to damage.
PESTS/DISEASES
Aphids
Cabbage Root Maggots
Flea Beetles
Clubroot
Downy Mildew
White Mold
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文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月05日
BOTANICAL NAME: Coriandrum sativum
PLANT TYPE: Herb
SUN EXPOSURE: Full SunPart Sun
SOIL TYPE: Loamy
BLOOM TIME: Spring
Coriander/cilantro is a fast-growing, aromatic, annual herb that grows best in the cooler weather of spring and fall. Here’s how to grow coriander and cilantro in your garden.
This herb is used to flavor many recipes and the entire plant is edible, though the leaves and seeds are used most often.
CORIANDER VS CILANTRO
Cilantro and coriander are in fact different parts of the same plant. Cilantro refers to the leaves of the plant, which are used as an herb, while coriander refers to the seeds, which are typically ground and used as a spice. Here’s the difference between an herb and a spice.
PLANTING
Plant cilantro in the spring after the last frost date or in the fall. In the Southwestern US, a fall planting may last through spring until the weather heats up again.
Do not grow in summer heat as the plants will bolt (such that it will be past harvesting). The leaves that grow on bolted plants tend to be bitter in flavor.
It is best to choose a sunny site that will allow cilantro to self-seed as it is ought to do. Plant in an herb garden or the corner of a vegetable garden. When the weather gets warm, the plant will quickly finish its life cycle and send up a long stalk which will produce blossoms and later seeds. Little plants will sprout during the season and the next spring.
Plant the seeds in light, well-drained soil and space them 1 to 2 inches apart. Sow the seeds at 3-week intervals for continued harvest.
Space rows about 12 inches apart.
It is important to keep the seeds moist during their germination, so remember to water the plants regularly.
CARE
Water the seedlings regularly throughout the growing season. They require about 1 inch of water per week for best growth.
Thin seedlings to 6 inches apart so that they have room to develop healthy leaves.
Once the plants are established, they do not need as much water per week. Keep them moist, but be careful not to overwater them.
Fertilize once or twice during the growing season with nitrogen fertilizer. Apply ¼ cup of fertilizer per 25 feet of row. Be sure not to over-fertilizer the plants.
To help prevent weeds, mulch around the plants as soon as they are visible above the soil. You can also till shallowly to help prevent root damage from weeds.
PESTS/DISEASES
Fungal wilt
Leaf hoppers
Aphids
Mildew
To control for insects, use insecticidal soap once they are spotted under leaves.
Clean up debris and spent plants to avoid wilt and mildew.
A common problem with cilantro is its fast growing cycle. As mentioned above, it will not grow properly in the heat of summer. Grow so that you harvest in spring, fall, or winter (in mild climates).
PLANT TYPE: Herb
SUN EXPOSURE: Full SunPart Sun
SOIL TYPE: Loamy
BLOOM TIME: Spring
Coriander/cilantro is a fast-growing, aromatic, annual herb that grows best in the cooler weather of spring and fall. Here’s how to grow coriander and cilantro in your garden.
This herb is used to flavor many recipes and the entire plant is edible, though the leaves and seeds are used most often.
CORIANDER VS CILANTRO
Cilantro and coriander are in fact different parts of the same plant. Cilantro refers to the leaves of the plant, which are used as an herb, while coriander refers to the seeds, which are typically ground and used as a spice. Here’s the difference between an herb and a spice.
PLANTING
Plant cilantro in the spring after the last frost date or in the fall. In the Southwestern US, a fall planting may last through spring until the weather heats up again.
Do not grow in summer heat as the plants will bolt (such that it will be past harvesting). The leaves that grow on bolted plants tend to be bitter in flavor.
It is best to choose a sunny site that will allow cilantro to self-seed as it is ought to do. Plant in an herb garden or the corner of a vegetable garden. When the weather gets warm, the plant will quickly finish its life cycle and send up a long stalk which will produce blossoms and later seeds. Little plants will sprout during the season and the next spring.
Plant the seeds in light, well-drained soil and space them 1 to 2 inches apart. Sow the seeds at 3-week intervals for continued harvest.
Space rows about 12 inches apart.
It is important to keep the seeds moist during their germination, so remember to water the plants regularly.
CARE
Water the seedlings regularly throughout the growing season. They require about 1 inch of water per week for best growth.
Thin seedlings to 6 inches apart so that they have room to develop healthy leaves.
Once the plants are established, they do not need as much water per week. Keep them moist, but be careful not to overwater them.
Fertilize once or twice during the growing season with nitrogen fertilizer. Apply ¼ cup of fertilizer per 25 feet of row. Be sure not to over-fertilizer the plants.
To help prevent weeds, mulch around the plants as soon as they are visible above the soil. You can also till shallowly to help prevent root damage from weeds.
PESTS/DISEASES
Fungal wilt
Leaf hoppers
Aphids
Mildew
To control for insects, use insecticidal soap once they are spotted under leaves.
Clean up debris and spent plants to avoid wilt and mildew.
A common problem with cilantro is its fast growing cycle. As mentioned above, it will not grow properly in the heat of summer. Grow so that you harvest in spring, fall, or winter (in mild climates).
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文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月05日
BOTANICAL NAME:
Ocimum basilicum
PLANT TYPE: Herb
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Loamy
Basil is a warm-weather, fragrant herb that tastes great in Italian dishes—and let’s not forget homemade pesto! When growing basil, be sure to keep harvesting the leaves to keep the plant going strong.
The most common type of basil is sweet basil; other types include purple basil (less sweet than common basil), Lemon basil (lemon flavor), and Thai basil (licorice flavor).
Basil is easy to grow but it only grows outdoors in the summer—and only once the soil has warmed up nicely—so plan accordingly.
If you’re planning on making pesto, grow several plants. Otherwise one or two basil plants yields plenty.
PLANTING
To get a head start, start the seeds indoors 6 weeks before the last spring frost. (See local frost dates.)
To plant outside, wait until the soil is at least 50 degrees—preferably around 70ºF for best growth. Don’t rush basil. Without heat, the plant won’t grow.
Basil needs to be in a location that gets 6 to 8 hours of full Sun daily; soil should be moist and well-drained.
Plant seeds/seedlings about ¼-inch deep and 10 to 12 inches apart. They should grow to about 12 to 24 inches in height. For smaller plants, plant farther apart (about 16 to 24 inches).
During the dry periods in summer, water the plants freely.
Remember to pinch out the flower heads as soon as they appear to make sure that the leaves will continue growing.
If you’re planning on cooking with these plants, plant in clean soil (don’t use fertilizers that leave harmful residues) and grow them away from driveways and busy streets so that exhaust won’t settle on the plants.
Tomatoes make great neighbors for basil plants in the garden.
CARE
Make sure that the soil is moist. Basil plants like moisture. If you live in a hot area, use mulch around the basil plants (the mulch will help keep the soil moist).
After the seedlings have their first six leaves, prune to above the second set.
Every time a branch has six to eight leaves, repeat pruning the branches back to their first set of leaves.
After 6 weeks, pinch off the center shoot to prevent early flowering. If flowers do grow, just cut them off.
If the weather is going to be cold, be sure to harvest your basil beforehand, as the cold weather will destroy your plants.
PESTS/DISEASES
Aphids
Variety of bacterial and fungal leaf, stem, and root diseases
Ocimum basilicum
PLANT TYPE: Herb
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Loamy
Basil is a warm-weather, fragrant herb that tastes great in Italian dishes—and let’s not forget homemade pesto! When growing basil, be sure to keep harvesting the leaves to keep the plant going strong.
The most common type of basil is sweet basil; other types include purple basil (less sweet than common basil), Lemon basil (lemon flavor), and Thai basil (licorice flavor).
Basil is easy to grow but it only grows outdoors in the summer—and only once the soil has warmed up nicely—so plan accordingly.
If you’re planning on making pesto, grow several plants. Otherwise one or two basil plants yields plenty.
PLANTING
To get a head start, start the seeds indoors 6 weeks before the last spring frost. (See local frost dates.)
To plant outside, wait until the soil is at least 50 degrees—preferably around 70ºF for best growth. Don’t rush basil. Without heat, the plant won’t grow.
Basil needs to be in a location that gets 6 to 8 hours of full Sun daily; soil should be moist and well-drained.
Plant seeds/seedlings about ¼-inch deep and 10 to 12 inches apart. They should grow to about 12 to 24 inches in height. For smaller plants, plant farther apart (about 16 to 24 inches).
During the dry periods in summer, water the plants freely.
Remember to pinch out the flower heads as soon as they appear to make sure that the leaves will continue growing.
If you’re planning on cooking with these plants, plant in clean soil (don’t use fertilizers that leave harmful residues) and grow them away from driveways and busy streets so that exhaust won’t settle on the plants.
Tomatoes make great neighbors for basil plants in the garden.
CARE
Make sure that the soil is moist. Basil plants like moisture. If you live in a hot area, use mulch around the basil plants (the mulch will help keep the soil moist).
After the seedlings have their first six leaves, prune to above the second set.
Every time a branch has six to eight leaves, repeat pruning the branches back to their first set of leaves.
After 6 weeks, pinch off the center shoot to prevent early flowering. If flowers do grow, just cut them off.
If the weather is going to be cold, be sure to harvest your basil beforehand, as the cold weather will destroy your plants.
PESTS/DISEASES
Aphids
Variety of bacterial and fungal leaf, stem, and root diseases
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1
文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月04日
Brighten a shady corner of your yard with a variety of gorgeous hostas. These leafy perennials bring color and texture to garden beds, yet don’t demand intense upkeep to look their best. In fact, the toughest part of growing hostas may simply be choosing which kind to grow.
Here is everything you need to know to grow hostas.
Where to Plant Hostas
To plant hostas, select a spot that receives part to full shade. Most types of hostas can withstand morning, but prefer a shady setting. It’s important to know that these perennials grow best in soil that’s fertile and full of organic matter. Avoid planting hostas in heavy clay soil, which won’t offer enough drainage. In areas that receive a lot of snow in the winter, to protect stems and leaves, place hostas where snow tends to pile up.
How to Plant Hostas
The best time of year to plant hostas is in early spring or early fall (as soon as summer heat breaks), and before the rainy season if your area has one. Hosta varieties come in different sizes. To determine the right spacing in the garden, check the plant tag. All but the smallest types of hostas typically take a few years to reach their full size, and it’s important to give plants enough elbow room to mature. When planting, place the plant so that the root ball is at the same depth in soil as it was in the pot. Afterwards, be sure to water well.
How to Plant Hostas in Containers
The right container size depends on how large your hosta will become. In general, use a pot that is at least 2 inches larger than the container the plant came in. If you plant a hosta in a pot that is several times larger than the one it came in, take care not to overwater. Until roots become well established, they will retain moisture longer, which provides an ideal breeding ground for root diseases. Once you have chosen the container, follow the planting guidelines listed above.
How to Water Hostas
It is especially important to give hostas consistent moisture during the first growing season, while they are taking root. Check the soil weekly (more often in the summertime), and water when the top inch is dry. Once hosta plants are firmly established, they can often survive on rainfall, except during times of drought. When growing hostas under trees, however, tree roots typically gobble available moisture, so you’ll need to water. The same goes with larger hostas, whose leaves can form a canopy that sheds overhead water, not allowing any to reach the ground (and their roots).
How to Divide Hostas
Hostas typically grow best when they’re left alone to grow. Many hosta varieties don’t even reach maturity for five years. Once they have matured, however, you may want to divide them.
Divide hostas in spring or early fall, before the rainiest part of the season arrives. If you just want to multiply your plants to place around your yard, simply dig up any smaller plants that have formed around the main clump and replant them. To divide a large clump, unearth it, digging out as many roots as possible. (With a large hosta, you may have to dig down 18 inches to get enough root mass.) Shift the plant onto a tarp, and use your hands, a shovel, or a knife to divide it into smaller sections. Replant the sections, following the guidelines above.
How to Use Hostas
In the garden, try growing hostas to provide an eye-catching shade planting, as well as to attract hummingbirds. Planting multiple large hostas can form an effective ground cover or hedge. A row of hostas can also soften a fence, skirt a tree, or edge a driveway. Small types of hostas work well as edging plants in a shade bed.
Hosta leaves make a nice addition to garden floral bouquets. If you’re growing hostas with different leaf colors, try creating an arrangement of leaves in a vase. Hosta flowers, especially the fragrant types, bring a sweet aroma to indoor settings. The flower stalk opens blooms from bottom to top, so it’s best to pick after at least one-half of the buds have opened.
Here is everything you need to know to grow hostas.
Where to Plant Hostas
To plant hostas, select a spot that receives part to full shade. Most types of hostas can withstand morning, but prefer a shady setting. It’s important to know that these perennials grow best in soil that’s fertile and full of organic matter. Avoid planting hostas in heavy clay soil, which won’t offer enough drainage. In areas that receive a lot of snow in the winter, to protect stems and leaves, place hostas where snow tends to pile up.
How to Plant Hostas
The best time of year to plant hostas is in early spring or early fall (as soon as summer heat breaks), and before the rainy season if your area has one. Hosta varieties come in different sizes. To determine the right spacing in the garden, check the plant tag. All but the smallest types of hostas typically take a few years to reach their full size, and it’s important to give plants enough elbow room to mature. When planting, place the plant so that the root ball is at the same depth in soil as it was in the pot. Afterwards, be sure to water well.
How to Plant Hostas in Containers
The right container size depends on how large your hosta will become. In general, use a pot that is at least 2 inches larger than the container the plant came in. If you plant a hosta in a pot that is several times larger than the one it came in, take care not to overwater. Until roots become well established, they will retain moisture longer, which provides an ideal breeding ground for root diseases. Once you have chosen the container, follow the planting guidelines listed above.
How to Water Hostas
It is especially important to give hostas consistent moisture during the first growing season, while they are taking root. Check the soil weekly (more often in the summertime), and water when the top inch is dry. Once hosta plants are firmly established, they can often survive on rainfall, except during times of drought. When growing hostas under trees, however, tree roots typically gobble available moisture, so you’ll need to water. The same goes with larger hostas, whose leaves can form a canopy that sheds overhead water, not allowing any to reach the ground (and their roots).
How to Divide Hostas
Hostas typically grow best when they’re left alone to grow. Many hosta varieties don’t even reach maturity for five years. Once they have matured, however, you may want to divide them.
Divide hostas in spring or early fall, before the rainiest part of the season arrives. If you just want to multiply your plants to place around your yard, simply dig up any smaller plants that have formed around the main clump and replant them. To divide a large clump, unearth it, digging out as many roots as possible. (With a large hosta, you may have to dig down 18 inches to get enough root mass.) Shift the plant onto a tarp, and use your hands, a shovel, or a knife to divide it into smaller sections. Replant the sections, following the guidelines above.
How to Use Hostas
In the garden, try growing hostas to provide an eye-catching shade planting, as well as to attract hummingbirds. Planting multiple large hostas can form an effective ground cover or hedge. A row of hostas can also soften a fence, skirt a tree, or edge a driveway. Small types of hostas work well as edging plants in a shade bed.
Hosta leaves make a nice addition to garden floral bouquets. If you’re growing hostas with different leaf colors, try creating an arrangement of leaves in a vase. Hosta flowers, especially the fragrant types, bring a sweet aroma to indoor settings. The flower stalk opens blooms from bottom to top, so it’s best to pick after at least one-half of the buds have opened.
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