What Did You Ask/What Did You Buy?

My days are generally spent here in the nursery answering gardening related questions.  Inquiries range from “do you have” to “how do I” and cover everything in-between.  My thoughts today are reflecting on the most common gardening questions asked as well as the trends I have observed this spring season. In an effort to cover as many of the most common questions as possible and to enlighten the gardening public in general, perhaps a review is in order.

First, while we certainly did not have a severe winter, there was a fair amount of select plants that did not wake up this spring.  Ornamental grasses, Roses, Butterfly Bush, Hibiscus and Viburnums are a few of the specific plants that failed in greater than average numbers this year.  As the reports filed in there seemed to be a pattern developing that helped answer the question “why?”  If you remember, last fall, we were still cutting our grass up until Thanksgiving… a full 3 weeks later that normal.  While we were enjoying a wonderfully warm fall, certain plants continued to grow and were not given sufficient time to shut down and harden off for the shift to winter temperatures.  File that away for the next time we are trimming the grass and the turkey at the same time.

With all the attention to the “Green Movement” the interest in organic products has grown tremendously.  As gardeners begin to compare traditional products to organic alternatives, fertilizers seem to be the most confusing category.  Non-organic fertilizer formulations appear on the label with three numbers representing the percentage quantities of nitrogen, phosphorus and potash.  Organic fertilizers have the same three numbers but the numbers are far smaller appearing less potent in comparison.  What makes this confusing is that the numbers on the package only represent what is immediately available to the plants at the time of application.  Synthetic fertilizers are limited to only the amount of volume listed within those percentages while organic fertilizers eventually become completely available making 100% of the product useful.  Organic fertilizers are naturally slow to release, feeding for a longer time frame, while also building beneficial bacteria in garden soils.  Bottom line, the numbers don’t always add up.

Mother Nature offered no favors with our spring weather this year and prompted dozens of related queries.  “Why are my Impatiens not growing?”  “Why did my Zucchini leaves turn white?”  “Why hasn’t my grass seed come up?”  “Why didn’t the weed killer I applied work?”  Why is my hanging basket…dead?!”  All these problems were directly related to colder than average temperatures.  Windy days with temperatures of forty-five degrees killed many tender vegetable and flower plants.  Wet and cold garden soils for most of the month of May did not provide the needs of heat loving annual plants or grass and garden seeds.  Tender annual and vegetables planted in June this year will be better in the long run than those planted earlier.   

One thing I know, as a fact, is that when one thing is given another is often taken away… and it works both ways.  The wet chilly days of April and May held back many plants but the blooming trees and shrubs were a sight to behold.  We have seen, in turn, a greater than average amount of fungus developing on susceptible plants.  Crabapples, roses, fruit trees and lawns are just a few things that seem to be developing the “creeping crud”.  Look for gray mold or stunted leaves, discolored lawn patches and fuzzy decay in flower plantings.  Roses may need greater than average attention especially compared to the dry and warm season we had last year.  When In doubt, bag a specimen and consult your local plant doctor for a diagnosis.

Every season there are trends or “hot” plants that seemingly fly off our shelves, into your gardens.  Product interest may be related to marketing campaigns, color trends and/or articles in newspapers or gardening magazines.  There were several plants, and plant groups, that had greater than average interest shown this spring.  Coleus continues to grow in popularity as more gardeners have come to appreciate their value and diversity especially when used in containers.  The new, sun loving Coleus, don’t really show off until it gets hot and that’s when the colors in the foliage really shine.  In perennials there hasn’t been anything as hot as the new hardy Geranium ‘Rozanne’.  Bright blue flowers cover this plant from May straight through to fall never getting tired, never getting floppy.  Speaking of hot, ‘Rozanne’ is the perfect compliment to the hot rose of the year (again) ‘Knockout’.  ‘Knockout’ is easy to grow, always blooming and hardy as heck… it’s hard to find any fault with this plant.  The original still remains the best while the newer ‘Blushing’, ‘Pink’ and ‘Sunny’ Knockouts leave me somewhat less enthusiastic.  Zinnias continue to be the cut flower of choice especially given their tolerance to sun, heat and deer.  Any tree with colorful foliage seems to be gathering more than regular attention.  The new ‘Shirazz’ Japanese Maple, “Stardust’ Sweet Gum and  ‘Samzam’ variegated Chinese Dogwood have got the most admirers of tree lovers.     

If you want to get in on the newest gardening trend begin your collection of succulent plants now but don’t tell anyone, we’ll keep that secret to ourselves! 

Well, that about covers it… my spring in review.  I look forward to hearing your spring stories sometime soon and helping you with whatever comes up (or doesn’t) in the garden.

Now go outside and have fun in the dirt!

Jeff Griff