Our last few blogs have discussed, to name a few shade garden design, Moonlight gardening, a few plants that I feel are a must have within your landscape, pruning 101, everything to know about Hydrangeas and much more! This blog will go in depth on some of my very favorites.
- Blueberries
- Native Hydrangeas
- Bog gardens
- Also, a very brief checklist for the entire year
Blueberries sound delicate but in reality, are very tough. They also have merit within your landscape since they have a pleasing shape and awesome fall color. Not to mention they are delicious.
The four types of Blueberries are, Highbush, Lowbush, ½ High and Rabbiteye. We will discuss the first two:
Highbush info,
Highbush as the name indicates grow taller 5-8’. They are a nice summer screen by a patio, on a border towards the back of a property or even mixed with Viburnums, Azaleas or Lilacs. They are self-fertile but will produce a better crop with a second Blueberry Cultivar.
The most important thing to remember when growing highbush blueberries (or any plant in the heather family) is that the soil needs to be quite acidic, in the range of pH 4.5-5.2, for highbush blueberry plants to take in nutrients effectively. Sometimes, gardeners are puzzled because they’ve grown healthy-looking blueberry plants that fail to produce fruit. The reason might be that they haven’t made the soil quite acidic enough. Aluminum sulfate or, preferably, finely ground sulfur are used to reduce the pH for blueberries.
Invest in a soil test to determine how much to add, and keep in mind that sandy soils require half the sulfur quantity as clay soil to reduce pH the same amount. Avoid adding sulfur year after year without testing, because this will eventually make the soil too acidic. Plant your highbush blueberries in a well-drained site with full sun. The soil should be high in organic matter and should preferably be sandy. Growing highbush blueberries in clay soil is difficult. To increase the organic matter in the soil, dig a large planting hole, remove ½ of the soil and replace it with peat and/or compost. Mix well, and use this to fill in the planting hole. Then, place organic mulch over the plant’s root zone. Additional Highbush Blueberry Plant Care One month after planting and once each year, feed the blueberries with 1 ounce (30 g.) per plant of 12-4-8 fertilizer.
Also, fertilize each year with magnesium, an important nutrient for blueberries. Or use an azalea/rhododendron fertilizer. Water the plants regularly during the growing season. In the spring of the first two years, remove all flower clusters to allow the plant to establish itself well. Allow a few flower clusters to develop in the third year. Wait until the plant’s fourth or fifth year to allow plants to produce a full crop of blueberries.
After that, a healthy plant can produce berries for more than 40 years. Highbush blueberry plants typically produce ripe fruit from mid- or late July until mid-August.
Lowbush info,
Lowbush blueberries are very cold-hardy plants, and most varieties grow in zones 3 to 6. Some varieties can grow in zone 2 or in zone 7. Like highbush blueberries and other plants in the heather family, lowbush blueberries are acid-loving. They require soil that is high in organic matter, and they’ll grow best in sandy, well-drained soil. Each plant can grow to between 6 and 24 inches (15-61 cm.) tall, depending on its genetics and growing site. They can, therefore, be used as a low-maintenance groundcover. The plants typically flower in spring, and the berries are ready to pick in mid- to late summer. Wild blueberries are smaller than cultivated highbush blueberries, but their flavor is more concentrated.
One of my favs, follow this link
https://www.monrovia.com/sunshine-blue-blueberry.html
Key points
- Native
- Great form and fall color
- Amend soil for best results
- Adds biodiversity
- Fun and tasty
- Many sizes from 12”-8’
Native Hydrangeas
Hydrangea quercifolia (the oakleaf hydrangea) and Hydrangea arborescens (the smooth hydrangea) are two species of hydrangea – both woody shrubs – that are native to the North American continent and have been grown commercially for landscape use. There are other species of hydrangea that have been introduced into landscape use – and there is one relative, the loosely-clinging vine Decumera barbara, which seems to be struggling for recognition as a garden plant – but the oakleaf and smooth hydrangeas are the most common North American representatives in the nursery trade. Hydrangea arborescens, represented by its cultivars ‘Grandiflora’ (referred to in older garden literature as “Hills-of-Snow” hydrangea), ‘Sterile’, and, more recently, White Dome (‘Dardom’) and ‘Annabelle’ (and her huge-flowering cousins like Incrediball), is probably the one North American hydrangea species that has seen general garden usage for the longest period of time.
Both the smooth and oakleaf types come from moist woodlands of mixed hardwood trees and thrive in moisture-retentive soils that are high in organic matter (naturally, that would be decomposing leaf and twig litter found on the forest floor). However, in appearance these shrubs differ in their inflorescence form (creamy white cones of flowers that age to red and brown on H. quercifolia, and creamy white rounded dome or ball-shaped that age to silvery-tan on H. arborescens) and foliage display (thick, large oakleaf-shaped foliage on H. quercifolia, and thin, flat green leaves – that are prone to wilting in summer heat – on H. arborescens). These two species also differ in flowering time (early or midsummer), and when they develop their flower buds – this last characteristic determining when and how the plants can be pruned without damaging the flowering effect, and whether winter cold and late frosts might curtail the flower display.
Hydrangea quercifolia is from a smaller region of the southeastern states (discovered by the early American botanist John Bartram) and is considered winter hardy in places as cold as -15F; it forms its new flower buds the year prior to each flowering season, so in the coldest areas in which it is considered hardy (USDA zone 5) it might not flower reliably (even if its foliar display is lush and lovely!). On the other hand, H. arborescens is native to moist rocky cliffs and seeps from New England to Missouri as well as southeastern states, and is probably more dependable for floral display because its flower buds form on new growth, that is, on a mass of stems that emerge (usually suckering from close to the ground) the current season.
Because you can cut it to the ground each spring and expect vigorous new growth with a nice flower show that summer, H. arborescens is probably the easiest of the North American native hydrangeas to grow across a wider portion of the temperate world. It also tolerates wetter (that is, heavier clay or less “well-drained”) soils and is winter-hardy in a colder zone or two (usually zone 4, but some references state H. arborescens survives in the warmest pockets of zone 3!). On the other hand, H. quercifolia is a more refined plant whose leaves turn a rich burgundy and orange color in autumn, and its coarse and craggy structure and peeling coppery-tan bark add interest to the landscape in winter, making it showy beyond its summer flowering season. Because it tends to wilt easily, the smooth hydrangea is best used in moister sites, especially if it is to bake in sun during the hottest time; its suckering habit also lends itself to massing and use as a summer hedge, whereas the oakleaf cultivars make excellent specimen plants and tolerate somewhat drier soil conditions if shaded from the hottest sun of the day.
There truly is a native Hydrangea for any spot within your landscape. Feel free to reach out us with any questions via our web site or message us on Facebook.
Bog Gardening
Gardening in the mud, to most of us sounds horrible. But it can be a long term fix to a wet area within the yard that has so many benefits.
Looking for a way to create a garden habitat to support some of the most flamboyant and exotic native plants in your home garden? A bog garden—or a habitat that uses slow-draining, permanently moist, acidic soil that mimics natural bog conditions—just might be your answer. Not only do bog gardens serve as a means of beautifying traditional gardens and enhancing plant collections, but they can also play a role in safeguarding rare plants and conserving the flora and fauna of globally rare and threatened ecosystems.
Below is the technical way to do it. From my experience if you have a wet area within the yard, the liner is not needed. But a mixture of 33% peat, 33% sand and 33% native soil will suffice.
A bog garden is a raised bed or excavated area lined with an impermeable layer such as a pond liner or roof liner, filled with a substrate that supports the growth of plants that need constantly wet to damp, acidic conditions to thrive. It should be situated in full sun or areas that get at least 6 hours of direct sunlight. Ideally, beds should range from 12 to 30 inches deep and the generally recommended medium is a roughly 50:50 mix of sphagnum peat (from compressed rectangular bales) and silica sand; blasting sand is typically recommended. Local sand can also be used if it does not contain lime. Although not intuitive, it’s often preferred to create a bog garden on a gradual slope, where water can slowly seep out, resulting in permanently damp or wet, but aerated, soil. Bog gardens are usually at their peak in the summer months, so it’s best to start them in in the early spring so the plants have a time get their roots established. Thoroughly mix the medium to ensure a homogenous blend and be sure to pack the soil as you add it to the bog garden space—I had my kids stomp on it as I filled my bog garden. This step ensures that any extra air in the medium is expelled and that the plants have a firm medium to root into.
Here are two great links pertaining to plants for bog gardens:
https://www.thespruce.com/bog-garden-flowers-1315907
https://www.edenproject.com/learn/eden-at-home/how-to-make-a-bog-garden
I love these checklists and see no reason to re invent the wheel for these. Check them out and enjoy!
As the 2022 season winds down, I think it is important to give a big heart felt thank you, to our loyal customers and suppliers who are a huge part of who we are. Continue to follow us and reach out to us! Have a great fall and winter and remember to laugh loudly, love strongly, and have some fun out there.
Thanks, Dave D
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