A horticulturist dream

I had to share this link which has pictures of some of the most beautiful greenhouses that have been abandoned. I can' t say there is a favorite because all of them have there own charm and appeal. 


http://www.messynessychic.com/2015/01/15/a-compendium-of-abandoned-greenhouses/

Winter Gardening

January is a great time for gardeners to curl up with a cup of coffee or tea and gather all your gardening magazines, books and a note pad. And start dreaming of spring planting. What do I want in my pots? What new perennials will I add to my beds? Are there any new varieties coming out that catch your eye?

I enjoy the winter season because it is a time to reflect upon the busy previous year and think how I want to tackle the upcoming season. As well as, catch up on some fun new readings. So, I curled up with some tea and dug into the Chicagoland Gardening magazine. And, I discovered the Ball Inc. trial plants, Yippie!!!

 

 

Echinacea Sombrero Adobe Orange, it held it's rich color  for a long time and didn't fade until the end of summer.

 Verbena EnduraScape Dark Purple, this new type is more vigorous, flowering when temperature reach 100 and dip into the teens. Height is 8-12" and spreads to 24"  

 

'Ruby Glow' Foxglove, which is part of  a group called the foxlight which includes 3 colors 'Ruby Glow', 'Plum Gold', and 'Rosy Ivory' and is annual that blooms from April -Sept.

 

 

Winter weather is rolling in as we have had some snow here in Chicago. But, that also means it is winter container creation time, which I love. So, we picked up the greenery goods last week and I started playing around with ideas.

Here is a tip which can help speed up the process.  I created the center piece first then filled in around that. So, here is an example of the process.

Center piece creates the height (part 1)

 

This is the finished result.

 

Examples of container creations:

Happy creating!

The pruning mysteries of Hydrangeas solved!

Does it bloom on new wood or old wood?

Well, here in the Chicago area it seems that the 4 popular types are the
Annabelle, Bigleaf hydrangea, and panicle hydrangea.

So, the Annabelle or Hydrangea arborescens form buds on new wood and
should be pruned back in the spring to about 18-24”. This ensures that they don’t
get to leggy.Another reason to wait until spring is to provide winter interest.

Bigleaf, Hydrangea macrophylla tend to be unreliable bloomers here in the
Chicago area due to the cold winters. And, they form their buds on old wood and should be pruned after they bloom.
So covering the plant with mulch in early November may help decrease bud die back. Then
when spring comes cut back any dead branches.

Panicle Hydrangea, Hydrangea paniculata only needs to be deadhead as it forms buds on old wood and if there are crossing or spindly branches prune those as well.

The importance of watering your trees well into fall.

I came across a great article in the Chicago Tribune about the importance of watering and protecting your trees for the dry winter weather. So, here are some steps you can take to ensure your trees make it through the winter. 

•   Mulch 2-4” of mulch around the base of the tree, but do not pile the mulch up the trunk. The mulch helps regulate soil temperature and retain moisture.
• Your trees need about 20 gals of water a week. And the treegators are hold that amount and all you need to do is fill and leave it.
• Lastly, you want to be watering late into the fall, when temperatures are above 40 degrees.

 By taking these steps you are preparing your trees for the rough road ahead. These guidelines go for both evergreen and deciduous trees. 

Cercis canadensis Redbud

 

Evergreens drop needles too!

So, as we roll into fall it is expected that deciduous trees leaves change color and drop their leaves. But, when we see an evergreen that's needles are turning yellow and dropping, an alarm goes off and, we think oh no it is dying!

Have no fear this is normal and the difference is that when an evergreen sheds needles from the inside out, you know this is it's natural process. So don't be alarmed enjoy the fall colors.

Pinus strobus, White pine

Treekeepers class

So, I am taking is great course about trees it is a month long course that trains you on tree ID, biology, pruning, planting and mulch. I am so excited to learn more about the proper care and internal workings of these garden structures.

 

Last week we were given this book which helps you ID trees and I highly recommend. It is a step by step guide to helping you ID many trees. It can also fit in your pocket so you can take it on your walks.