My Favorite Plants: Tried and True

   Native Plants *

Winterberry 'Ilex verticullata'*

Muhly Grass (pink)*

cosmos

Viola

Hyacinth

Rose 'Bonita'

Limelight Hydrangea and Shasta Daisy

begonia,coleus,impatiens

daffodil

hellebore 'lenten rose'

andromeda 'pieris fire'

candytuft 'iberis '

Hellebore 'lenten rose'

Amaryllis (indoor)

Cyclamen (indoor)

Andromeda 'pieris'

Coleus (red and chartreuse)

Black Eyed Susan, Purple Coneflower*

Coneflower (Echinacea)*

Echinacea *

Daylily 'Ellen's Escape'

Daylily

Hydrangea (all cut from one bush)

Rose 'Bonita' Climber

Rose 'knockout'

Amsonia*

Golden Deodar Cedar (Dwarf?)

Buckeye *

Japanese Feather Grass

Sedum

Hellebore

Forsythia

Edgeworthia

Edgeworthia *

Winterberry (female) *

Dawn Redwood (Fall) *

Gallardia 'Indian flower' *

Zinnia

Zinnia

Limelight Hydrangea

Turk's Cap Lily *

Shasta Daisy

Japanese Feather Grass

Nicotiana (white)

Spring in our gardens...Tips for April and May

What a great time in the garden! As the days get warmer and longer, it's exhilarating to see our plants slowly growing in spite of a really cold and difficult winter in our area. Some trees are beginning to bloom and will come to their full glory in April. Enjoy the beautiful spring flowering daffodils, hyacinths, tulips, and more.

Tips:


Finish your clean up from the winter and fall. Remove twigs and rake leaves if there are any left.


Remove any weeds as they return early! Getting rid of them now is much better (and easier) when the ground is wet. Some flower very early and their seeds will produce many more weeds later in the season.


Plant seeds outdoors now for those early spring cool crops, such as lettuce, spinach, peas, onions, potatoes. Wait until after April 15, our last spring frost date, to plant the summer vegetables such as squash, melons, okra, corn. Shrubs and trees can be planted. If you still have pruning to do, do it immediately. However, do not prune those that have spring or early summer blooms, or you will lose the flowers (azaleas, rhododendrons, etc.) They can be pruned after blooming.


Roses can be planted now. If you haven't pruned your roses, now is the time. Cut out all diseased and dead wood, any branches that are crossing and all other branches that are smaller than the size of a pencil. Although you may not want to prune climbing roses, others can be pruned to a size you prefer, usually waist high.


Many flower seeds and transplants can be planted, such as zinnias, impatiens, begoias, and other warm loving flowers.


Lawns: In spring your lawn will grow very fast so get your mowers in good condition. If you have any bare spots, plant new seeds.

Don't forget to water if we have high temperatures. Check any irrigation systems to be sure they are in good working order.  Check hoses and other watering equipment.

Put compost and mulch around your trees, plants and flower bed.  Work compost into the top 3" of the soil around established plants.

Above all, enjoy the garden.  There is no time like this! 

March Tips

Gardening Tips – March

(USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 7-A )

by Bill Colvin

As you know, the temperatures this "winter" were much above normal. As a result, there are plants starting to grow early. Care should be taken when encour-aging them to grow more (i.e. fertilizing). Since March is usually a month of transi-tional weather, fertilizing of shrubs and perennials should be done based on cur-rent and projected weather conditions. If you do not fertilize early in the month, then you should fertilize by late March, or early April.

In late March, remove winter mulch from roses. Apply Epsom salt (Magnesium Sul-phate), alfalfa pellets, and an organic rose food mix to each plant. Prune non-climbing roses to remove any dead stems. Prune climbing roses after they bloom.

Fertilize non-spring blooming shrubs with a slow release fertilizer blend (i.e. Holly-tone). General pruning and fertilizing of spring blooming shrubs can be done as soon as blooms fade.

Apply a slow-release general fertilizer (i.e. Osmocote) to established perennials. Ap-ply a general purpose bulb food mix (i.e. Bulbtone) as the bulb foliage begins to emerge and again after flower has faded. Apply pre-emergent herbicide to control lawn weeds about the time Dogwoods bloom.

As bulb flowers fade, you can remove the flower stem, but leave the foliage till it turns yellow/brown. This is the most criti-cal point in the bulb’s development for the next flowering season. This is also the right time to divide crowded spring blooming bulbs. In dividing these bulbs, leave the foliage and plant bulbs to the proper depth – usually 2 ½ times the bulb size.

Do not plant tender plants till the weather warms consistently in April. It is all right to plant ‘seasoned’ plants (those that have remained outside in pots) now.

Recommendations based on information from Forsyth County Extension Office. For more information, please contact Bill Colvin.

Should I take down that tree?

Local Arborists in Winston-Salem (Forsyth Country)

Three highly recommended services:

Larmore Landscaping:

Well known excellent company.  Does all aspects of landscaping including pruning and/or removing trees and shrubs.
336 765 6340
larmorelandscape.com

Legacy Landscaping and Tree Care

General landscaping, irrigation, lawn care and tree service
Walker Price, principal
General maintenance and/or one time service.
336 413 3048

Lusk Tree Service

Tree preservation, maintenance and hazardous removal
lusk.com
Well known arborist. Envirnomentally oriented.
336 924 5911

Home Garden

Garden I designed for a home garden. Full sun with a canopy of crepe myrtles.

Winston-Salem, NC Garden Nursery Reviews (Zone 7)

If you are gardening in Winston-Salem, here are some nurseries that I have used and found really good. 

Larmore
Garden Design, Lawn care, irrigation

House of Plants,  Small selection of annuals and perennials but high quality; also have one of the best selections of clay pots, bird baths, benches, etc. Lovely gift shop and indoor house plants too.

Reynolda Nursery and Landscaping, 5353 Reynolda Road, west of the intersection of Reynolda and Shattalon (where Old Town School is). Go past the road to Bethania and continue up the hill. Nursery is on the right. High quality plants and large selection; includes a shop for tools etc.

Frank's Perennials.  1744 W. Clemmonsville Rd. 650-111Excellent nursery for perennials.  Good prices.


Shouse's Nursery, Reynolda Road about half mile on right after intersection of Yadkinville and Reynolda. Has basic annuals and some perennials, shrubs and trees. Knowledgeable staff. Garden maintenance and design

Farmstead Nursery. Corner of PeaceHaven at Robinhood. Good selection of annuals and perennials. Seasonal. Usually open March through fall


CLOSED: L.A. Reynolds. Biggest nursery in Winston-Salem.

Myers Nursery. Stratford Road just northwest of intersecton with Stratford Rd. and Jonestown Rd. Small and diverse nursery. Very knowledgeable and friendly staff. Some vegetables they have been grown from seed. Very reasonable prices.

Mitchell's Nursery (King).  Excellent. 1088 W. Dalton Rd., King, NC. 983-4107. One of the best in our area.  Go up HWY 52 and take King Exit. Stay on Main Street until intersection with W. Dalton Rd. Turn left.  At least 2-3 miles.

Best selection of vegetable flats but also sell trees, shrubs, annuals and perennials.


If you have others to add, please let me know. I can assist you in choosing plants and/or determining which plants are best suited for your situation. Ellen

Containers-window boxes

Large and small pots or windowboxes are a great way to create a mini garden. Samples here are easily created. Here I demonstrated how to create a window box on HGTV.