VINEYARD GARDENS WORKSHOPS & COOL WEATHER VEGGIES

April 5, 2024 Karen Logan

Lettuce, herbs and lavender illustration by karen blackerby logan

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Join us Saturday Morning

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GARDEN WORKSHOP

EARLY SPRING PRUNING

SATURDAY APRIL 6TH // 11:00AM // VINEYARD GARDENS

Andrew Wiley will be leading a talk about the ins and outs of early spring pruning.

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GREENS & COOL

WEATHER VEGGIES

GROW YOUR OWN GREENS

Salad material, lettuce, spinach, endive, mignonette

The lettuces and the cilantro, in particular, can be done by direct seeding in Mid April.

Start the other herbs and cool weather veggies inside first and then plant out as seedlings.

WE GROW ALL THESE IN PACKS FROM SEED . WE HAVE A WONDERFUL SELECTION OF SEEDS & WILL HAVE A GREAT VARIETY OF PACK SELECTIONS!

COOL WEATHER VEGGIES

Brassicas (like broccoli), Cauliflower, Cabbage, Kale, Swiss Chard, Mustards, Collards

EAT LOCAL, GROW IT IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD!

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ORNAMENTAL CHERRIES, JAPANESE APRICOTS & SPRING FLOWERING TREES

Now is the time of year to plant Flowering Apricots and Ornamental Cherries. Japanese Apricot Trees erupt in pink fragrant flowers in mid to late winter. They are especially fragrant on warm days.

spring color

spring blooming trees & shrubs

ENGLISH DAISIES

April 3, 2024 Karen Logan

English Daisies

(Bellis perennis)

ORIGIN

These little, long blooming English Daisies are native to western, central and northern Europe. Their Latin name is Bellis perennis. Bellis is Latin for pretty and perennis means everlasting. True to their name they are both pretty and long blooming. They thrive in full sun and in partial shade; and are hardy to zones 4-8.

FAMILY

They belong to the family Asteracea. Plants in this family are considered the most evolved in the plant kingdom. Every petal in a daisy flower is a complete flower. One flower can be made up of a hundred petals, thus 100 flowers! That is what makes them more evolved. More flowers, more seeds, more ability to propagate, which spells success in the world of plants.

AN EARLY SEASON PLANT

We sell them in the 5” black perennial pots and grow them in a mix of white, pink and red flowers.

Try our new Galaxy Mix or the Bellisima series in red and in rose bicolor.
We also carry the smaller flowered Pomponette mix.
The one variety we grow from seed is JL Hudson’s Bellis perennis White. This cultivar overwintered outside for us in little pots. These seed grown English Daisies spread and perennialize for us.
Many plants like the English Daisies, the Forget Me Nots and the Poppies are only available early in the season!

WHERE TO PLANT

Save the Bellis perennis white for the ground so it can spread.

Try the Galaxy, the Bellisima or Pomponette Mix in a pot.

They all will do well in front of your border or along a path. In a rock garden or in containers.

They will love a well drained spot.

Remember spring is the best time to plant English Daisies!

HAPPY GARDENING!

SUCCESSION GARDENING

March 15, 2024 Karen Logan

Digitalis purpurea illustration by karen blackerby logan

SUCCESSION

GARDENING

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There is a time in early summer when groups of perennials are either ending their season or just starting their growth spurts. During this ‘in-between’ period in June, the addition of hardy annuals effectively bridges the blooming gap filling in the empty space of spent perennials. This strategic planting is known as succession gardening, a layered gardening style that has continuous blooms throughout the season. Succession gardening breathes more color, cut flowers, birds and bees into the garden.

We seeded an assortment of hardy annuals last fall, such as Cornflowers (Centaurea cyanus), Ladybird poppies (Papaver commutatum), Rose of Heaven (Silene ‘Blue Angel’), Larkspurs, Feverfew, Queen Anne’s Lace (Ammi Majus), Snapdragons (Antirrhinum) and some biennials like Lychnis coronaria, Digitalis purpurea (hybrids) and Verbascums that bloom early and will flower through June and some into July. In addition to blooming in June, these annuals knit together a beautiful planting scheme with the evolving summer perennials.

Hardy annuals can be used both in formal gardens and natural settings.

SUCCESSION GARDENING TIPS

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The flowers of hardy annuals can occupy negative space in June and then the foliage of neighboring perennials fill that space in July.

Hardy annuals are best planted early, typically around mid march, depending on the weather. Planted early they will give you the maximum desired effect.
Vineyard Gardens has a great selection of our fall sown hardy annuals that are available now and ready to plant.
These plants can be directly sown in the spring but will not give you the size, vigor or highly anticipated jaw dropping display due to the warmer temperatures as spring progresses.

Alternatively, hardy annuals can be removed in July and replaced with tender annuals.

Tender annuals include Cosmos, Dahlias, Tagetes, Browalia, Ageratum, Coleus, Impatiens or Cleome.

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PROVEN WINNERS: A NEW VISION FOR NATIVE SHRUBS

December 14, 2023 Karen Logan

Buttonbush [illustration by karen blackerby logan]

A New Vision

for Native Shrubs

Proven Winners is shedding light on the importance of bringing native plants into the home landscape.

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Vineyard Gardens grows most of these native plants at the production site in West Tisbury!

Stop by in the spring to add some of these native shrubs to your own garden and watch the biodiversity enrich your yard! A great winter read to get you excited for the growing season and to learn more about the importance of planting native is Doug Tallamy’s book Bringing Nature Home and Home Grown National Park.

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Photo / information credit: Proven Winners

OVERWINTERING HYDRANGEAS

November 9, 2023 Karen Logan

Hydrangea [illustration by karen blackerby logan]

Protecting

Hydrangeas in Winter

The cool weather is here so let’s make sure our hydrangeas are ready for winter! Here are some simple guidelines to help keep your hydrangeas healthy for next summer.

Overwintering
Hydrangea
Checklist

1. Stop Fertilizing
2. Don’t Prune
3. Water Until Frost
4. Insulate Plants
5. Bring Plants Inside
* LEARN MORE *

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Summer Blooming Shrubs Affected By Late Spring Freeze

Did you wonder why your beautiful summer blooming shrubs did not perform as well this year?

Many of you asked why your typically prolific summer blooming shrubs like Mophead Hydrangeas, Vitex and Butterfly Bushes had died back so heavily this summer. The reason this occurred was due to warm temperatures in the spring followed by a cold snap. The temperature dropped below five degrees for two days and the plants had not fully acclimated. These plants are typically well adapted to the lows of our hardiness zone but the temperature dropped below that zone. The good news is the ground did not freeze so most of those shrubs survived. When cut back to the new growth they flowered.

The shrubs most affected by the freeze that our commonly used in Vineyard landscapes:

- VITEX
- BUTTERFLY BUSH
- CARYOPTERIS
- CREPE MYRTLE
- BLUE MOPHEAD
HYDRANGEA

CAMELLIAS

October 24, 2023 Karen Logan

CAMELLIAS

Broad leaf evergreens with showy flowers and shiny foliage. They are native to Eastern and Southern Asia.

Protect your Camellias, the deer will eat them!

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CAMELLIA JAPONICA

Camellia japonica is the species most available in the trade. It is cultivated for its beautiful flowers and it’s shiny leaves. There are over than 200 cultivars of C japonica. First seen in Europe in late 1800’s but originated in Asia hundreds of years earlier. They have a variety of flowers from singles to doubles to anemone flowered. C. japonica flowers in late winter into spring. They can get 6-8 ft tall here on Martha’s Vineyard. Polly Hill Arboretum in West Tisbury is a great place to see them when they are in bloom. C. japonica tend to have hardiness issues this far North so make sure to plant them in a protected spot. They are much more popular in the south where they grow much bigger.

The Ice Angel series are the hardiest of camellias we know.

“Winter Snowman” has a double white flowered bloom.

“April Remembered” has a soft pink bloom. It is a hardy Camellia developed and introduced at the University of North Carolina and Camellia Forest Nursery in Chapel Hill, NC. Growing Camellia’s on the Vineyard can be frustrating but when successful, very rewarding. There are many species and selections but most often grown are C. japonica and C. sasanqua. The plants themselves are reliably hardy outdoors but because they tend to flower in late winter/early spring the flowers are often burnt by freezing temperatures. This doesn’t seem to daunt those who desire their large, formally structured flowers. The plants can become large in time or easily kept trimmed to a neat, tight shrub.

care

*******
* Prefers soil rich
*in organic matter*
* Likes lots of water
*yet well drained soil*
* They are not
*drought tolerant*
* Must be protected
*from deer*
*Afternoon shade is best

plant

*******
* Plant against the
*house or a stone wall to*
*offer some winter*
*protection*
* Prefers a protected
*spot because this*
*far north they are at the*
*marginsof their*
*hardiness zone.*

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CAMELLIA SASANQUA

The flowers on the C. sasanqua’s tend to be smaller and less formal but are produced in abundance in the late autumn. This works in our favor here on the Island since we tend to have a long, languorous fall season. The sasanqua’s flowers also come in a range of colors from red through pink to white in singles and doubles and have the added advantage of being fragrant. Its not sweet or pungent its more a clean, fresh, woodsy scent that is delightful and unexpected.

C. sasanqua

*******
***Think ahead for***
***what your garden***
***will be like in the***
***Vineyard’s long,***
***mild autumn.***
***Camellia sasanqua***
***augment the fall garden***
***and make lovely, hardy***
***additions to it.***

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Camellia Sinensis

The tea we drink comes from the steeped and fermented leaves of C. sinensis. The preparations determines whether it is green or black tea. [We do not carry C sinensis but mention it only as a point of interest.]

FALL GREENS!

October 3, 2023 Karen Logan

Cool weather greens & herbs [illustration by karen blackerby logan]

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GREAT TIME TO PLANT

YOUR FALL GREENS!

Grow your own lettuce, arugula, spinach and annual herbs like cilantro, parsley and dill! Tastes best fresh from your garden!

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END OF SEASON SALE!

Raspberries and Blackberries 50% off
Mandevilla Vines 50 % off

THIS FALL THINK SPRING!

September 25, 2023 Karen Logan

Chionodoxa [illustration karen blackerby logan]

BEST TIME TO PLANT

SPRING BULBS!

We have a variety of fall bulbs ready to plant! Plant them out now and they will be blooming in the spring!

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BULBS WE HAVE AVAILABLE

Narcissus // Allium // Camassia // Iris // Leucojum // Tulips

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PUMPKINS HAVE ARRIVED!

September 23, 2023 Karen Logan

Pumpkins [illustration by karen blackerby logan]

IT’S FALL Y’ALL!

And we have all the plants, pumpkins and gourds to make this time of year festive!

PUMPKINS // FALL MUMS // ORNAMENTAL KALE, CABBAGE & PEPPERS // HOME GROWN GOURDS // ASTERS

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A VARIETY OF PUMPKINS TO CHOOSE FROM!

SUGAR PUMPKINS // CINDERELLA PUMPKINS // WHITE PUMPKINS

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OUR OWN HOME GROWN GOURDS!

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SPICE UP YOUR GARDEN WITH “ORNAMENTAL” CABBAGES, KALE & PEPPERS

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ASTERS

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FALL MUMS

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FALL PLANTED BULBS

We have a variety of fall bulbs ready to plant, including daffodil and tulip bulbs. Plant them out now and they will be blooming in the spring!

asters & goldenrod

beauty & pollinator benefits

Fall mums [illustration by karen blackerby logan]

FEATURED PROPERTY BY VINEYARD GARDENS LANDSCAPING

September 6, 2023 Karen Logan

A QUIET OASIS

VINEYARD GARDENS LANDSCAPING HARMONIOUSLY MERGES THIS CHILMARK PROPERTY INTO ITS NATIVE ECOSYSTEM

Situated down a dirt road in the woods of Chilmark, this property is surrounded by mature oaks, pines and flowering shrubs. The cultivated landscape meshes beautifully with the surrounding ecosystem. A path-like lawn winds it’s way around the house meandering past native and ornamental shrubs alike, a mixture of evergreen screening and a colorful annual garden. A beautiful container garden sits upon the back patio with the backdrop of large PG Hydrangeas and native Clethra. A stone pathway from the house leads to a patio nestled in the woods. This property sits on a few acres with wood chip paths lined with well placed rhododendrons, hydrangeas and native shrubs. The path meanders past a yoga area and a sitting area under a gorgeous oak tree.

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SHRUBS, TREES & PLANTS INCORPORATED INTO THIS LANDSCAPE

The screening is a mixture of big evergreens: Western Red Cedar (native), American Hollys (native) and Rhododendron maximum (native to eastern seaboard but not Martha’s Vineyard). Deciduous flowering shrubs are incorporated within the screening such as Viburnums (some native) and a mixture of hydrangeas (Oak Leaf (native), Blue Ball, Climbing and PG). To finish it off we intermixed many ferns and astilbe.

Big evergreens for screening: Western Red Cedars (native), American Hollys (native)

Viburnums in the screening (native), Oak Lead Hydrangea, Clethra (native)

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BEFORE & AFTER : TRAILS ON THE PROPERTY

[PLANT PROFILE] AGASTACHE

August 9, 2023 Karen Logan

AGASTACHE

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Agastache

foeniculum

ANISE HYSSOP / HUMMINGBIRD MINT

Agastache foeniculum is a native edible perennial flower that is extremely long blooming and one of the best for pollinators. It’s tubular flowers are highly attractive to bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. It is a member of the mint family and produces aromatic foliage. Agastache will grow best in full sun and prefers dry to medium soil. It is not suitable to wet areas or flooding.

There are four cultivars of Agastache foeniculum we sell as perennials. All four will come back year after year. They have a spike of blue / lavender flowers in midsummer and fragrant foliage that repel deer. They also are known for reseeding and spreading in your sunny garden.

Agastache foeniculum cultivars

————————————-
***- Black Adder***
***- Blue Fortune***
***(RHS Award)***
***- Golden Jubilee***
***(yellow foliage)***
***- Little Adder***
***(dwarf blue cultivar)***

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Other Agastache We Carry

There are many other Agastache species and hybrids we carry. Even though the literature and the catalogs tout them as zone 5 plants we have not had good luck with them perennializing. If our winters were a typical zone 5 winter, where the ground freezes and stays frozen all winter they would survive but with our freeze thaw cycles all winter long they do not usually survive. Therefore, we treat them as annuals. These Agastache start blooming in early summer and continue to bloom until a killing frost, which is often not until Thanksgiving or later.

Agastache auriantica ‘Apricot Sprite’ : We grow these from seed and they are a great season extender. It is the perfect orange color for fall.
Agastache Kudos series : A hybrid Agastache developed at the famous Terra Nova nurseries and is more compact than the species. It comes in many colors: Mandarin, Ambrosia, Coral, Gold and Slivery Blue and Blue Boa. Plant these in the summer for a long fall season of color. They are great season extenders. A bonus, their minty foliage is not eaten by deer.

“Combine them with other season extenders like salvias and chrysanthemums. Plant them with late season asters, perennial sunflowers and rudbeckia.” -Chris Wiley, owner

Agastache ‘Rosie Posey’ & ‘Peachie Keen’ : Walters Gardens introductions that we still have in stock. These are shorter, more mounded plants that want a sunny location and are drought tolerant once established. Easy to grow.
Agastache ‘Mango Tango’
Agastache ‘Guava Lava’ and ‘Queen Nectarine’ : Two new Walters Gardens introductions we have ordered for 2024 (a Proven Winner variety). New for next year!

Agastache Apricot Sprite

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DESIGN TIPS

Agastache is a versatile perennial, with many uses in the landscape. Here are a few ideas:

Plant a compact variety in a rock garden in combination with creeping succulents, thyme, stonecrop, dianthus, ice plant (Delosperma), and blue fescue.
Adorn a curbside strip with agastache and other long blooming, low water perennials such as lavender, catmint, yarrow, beardtongue (Penstemon) and fountain grass (Pennisetum).
Place a large decorative ceramic container near a deck or patio and plant with a compact variety of agastache alongside other plants with similar cultural needs such as lantana, gazania, African daisy (Osteospermum), ‘Angelina’ sedum, or New Zealand flax (Phormium).
Naturalize in a meadow setting with other flowering natives such as black-eyed Susan, gayfeather (Liatris), purple coneflower (Echinacea), salvia, milkweed, and asters to attract hummingbirds, butterflies and insect pollinators.
Plant an herb garden with anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) and some of your culinary favorites such as oregano, marjoram, sage, rosemary, thyme, mint, and lavender.
Mass along a slope, alternating groupings of other long blooming drought-tolerant plants such as lavender, Russian sage (Perovskia), salvia, sea holly (Eryngium) or tickseed (Coreopsis).
For late season color, plant agastache alongside asters, goldenrod, salvia, Joe pye weed, silvergrass (Miscanthus), stonecrop (Sedum), and little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium).
[Resource: Garden Design}

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autumn climbers

clematis / wisteria / honeysuckle

grow native massachusetts

every garden matters

[PLANT PROFILE] AUTUMN CLIMBERS

August 2, 2023 Karen Logan

AUTUMN CLIMBERS

Late season blooming vines brighten your autumn landscapes just as the summer flowers are waning.

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HONEYSUCKLE

These flowering vines are lush with often very fragrant flowers that are beloved by butterflies and hummingbirds.

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WISTERIA

Wisteria is a high-climbing, long-lived vining plant with cascades of blue to purple flowers that look spectacular hanging from a pergola or archway. Wisteria only blooms on new wood so pruning is a secret to it’s success.

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CLEMATIS

Clematis viticellas are the smaller flowered clematis such as Roguchi and Betty Corning. They are both fragrant, very floriferous and excellent climbers attaching with tendrils .
Autumn Clematis is an evergreen woody high-climbing vine with late-season blossoms and wonderfully fragrant blooms!
Clematis like their roots in the shade and the vining part in the sun. Pruning in spring results in more stems coming from the crown of the plant.

Varieties available

———————————
***paniculata***

***Roguchi***

***Betty Corning***

***Robert Brydon***
***Sweet Summer Love***

***Rouge Cardinal***

***Diamond Ball***

***Pink Mist***

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backyard vines with fall flair

birds & blooms

growing vertical with vines

wild seed project

[PLANT PROFILE] LILIES

August 2, 2023 Karen Logan

Lily illustration by karen blackerby logan

LILIES 30% OFF!

Lilies are colorful, star-shaped flowers that add elegance and fragrance to any garden. They come in an endless range of colors, shapes, heights and bloom times. When blending the right varieties together you can enjoy lilies throughout the entire growing season, from spring to first frost. Popular lily species, include Daylilies, Orientals & Asiatics.

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LILIES

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DAYLILY

Daylilies are grown via tuberous roots and have multiple stems.

Daylilies [illustration by karen blackerby logan]

Varieties available

______________
***Hemerocallis altissima***

***Regal Flare***

***Tetrinas Daughter***
***Golden Prize***

***Gulf Stream***
***Ruffled Apricot***

***Indian Hill dbl***

***Buttered Popcorn***

***Sea Wampum***
***Seaside Sun Glow***

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ORIENTAL LILIES

Oriental Lilies are native to Japan and developed from only a few species . They are heavily scented, with much larger flowers, and bloom later than most other types of Lilium.

Stargazer Lily [illustration by karen blackerby logan]

Varieties available

***____________***
***Lillium Casa Blanca***

***Lillium Honeymoon***

***Lillium Black Beauty***

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ASIATIC LILIES

Asiatic lilies are grown via bulbs and only have single stems,

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TORCH LILIES

Kniphofia (Torch Lilies) produce spikes of upright, brightly colored flowers above the foliage, in shades of red, orange and yellow. They produce abundant nectar attracting bees and hummingbirds.

FALL COOL WEATHER CROPS

July 29, 2023 Karen Logan

COOL WEATHER

CROPS FOR FALL

The warmest days of summer mark a time when Martha’s Vineyard gardeners can start a new round of crops. Being on an island surrounded by water allows for an extended growing season with a few light frosts in October but generally there is not a hard frost until November. This long beautiful fall makes it a great reason to plant now for a bountiful autumn harvest!

Lettuces

Mixed Mesclun Greens

Red Leaf Lettuce

Tat soi (miniature Chinese cabbage-like)

Spicy Micro Greens

Arugula Astro

Zonal Scented Geranium

Lavender hidcote

Sage tricolor

Thyme Lemon

Thyme Woolly

Mesculin Mix Asian Salad Greens

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VEGETABLE SEEDS & SEEDLINGS AVAILABLE NOW

START PLANTING TODAY!

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VEGETABLES & GREENS

We have started our first batch of lettuce and arugula.
- We will continue to seed lettuce every couple of weeks into the fall.
- Late in summer we will focus on the hardier winter lettuces.
Our spinach has germinated.
Broccoli and cauliflower
Other greens we are growing:
- Kale
- Oakleaf Lettuce
- Red Swiss Chard
- Asian greens like Pac Choy and Bok Choy

HERBS

Now also available for planting!

Thyme (Lemon & White 'Albiflorus')
Alpine Strawberries
Scented Geraniums
Sage
Germander
Lavender
Rosemary
Greek Oregano
Chives
French Tarragon

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DESCRIPTION OF THE GREENS WE ARE GROWING FROM FEDCO SEED

Broccoli Waltham 29: "We’ve found a reliable strain that consistently produces 6" heads with medium beads on attractive stocky 20" plants."
Arugula Ice bread: "This is arugula with more bite, vigorous with complex full flavors."
Kale Dazzling Blue Dinosaur: "Vigorous 24–34" upright savoyed lacinato-leaved kale in a range of bluish-green shades and all with a dramatic pink mid-rib. Sure to attract attention of chefs, market growers and gardeners alike."
Swiss chard Red rhubarb: "Deep crimson stalks, dark green leaves. Very hardy. Beautiful for edible landscapes. Heirloom from Europe goes back to 1857"
Lettuce red sails: "An attractive large plant with purplish red-splashed rosettes serrated with bubbled frills, Red Sails delivers lightly crunchy lobes with good melting texture. "
Lettuce New red Fire: "Has Red Sails’ characteristic ruffled leaves, though slightly lighter coloration, and good size. Has been among the last to bolt, lasting as late as July 29. Also quite cold-hardy. Tender sweet flavor with almost no bitterness."
Lettuce Black Seeded Simpson: "The earliest and most popular looseleaf variety."
Spinach Tundra: "Tastefully crinkled oval leaves are held off the ground for easy baby-leaf and mature harvests."
Buttercrunch: “Dark green outer leaves with broad mid-ribs and a creamy white center heart. Slow to bolt. Excellent flavor.”
Blue Scotch Kale: “Dense frilly finely curled blue-green leaves on compact upright 12–16" plants stand well, maintain color and resist yellowing in cold and heat. Hardy and productive. Best as a fall crop, planted in July or early August. More variable than the hybrids. Cold-hardy.”
Bok Choy Prize Choy: “Open-pollinated. Classy pac choi with celery-like white stems and vase-shaped 15-18" tall heads. Succulent stems and tender greens.”
[*Descriptions cited from Fedco Seed Catalog]
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SMALL FRUITS

AVAILABLE

BLUEBERRIES (Patriot, Bluecrop, Chippewa, Chandler, Reka & Darrow) / RASPBERRIES (Killarney & Caroline) / BLACKBERRIES (Natchez) / ELDERBERRY (Samdal & Samyl)

RASPBERRIES 50%off

killarney & caroline raspberries

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WARM WEATHER

CROPS

TOMATOES, EGGPLANT & PEPPERS

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[PLANT PROFILE] FILIPENDULA

July 11, 2023 Karen Logan

FILIPENDULA

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Filipendula is a native perennial to the northeast. It is a great foliage plant that is valued for both its leaves and its flowers. Most filipendulas grow in average, medium to wet, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade.

Filipendula ‘Kahome’ (front) & Filipendula ‘Queen of the Prarie’ (back)

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Filipendula Varieties

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**Filipendula rubra Venusta Magnifica ‘Queen of the Prarie’**

Astilbe-like, wide panicles of tiny, fragrant, pale pink flowers that bloom in early to mid summer.

USES:

Borders (rear), cottage gardens, native plant gardens, wild/naturalized areas, wet meadows or moist areas along streams or ponds.

This is a large plant for large gardens.
Can be spectacular, particularly when massed.
Great for naturalizing in moist meadows.
**A highlight of midsummer!**

Filipendula rubra
***Venusta Magnifica***
‘Queen of the Prarie’

____________
* Grows up to 8’ tall
*(usually shorter)*
* Pale Pink blooms June-
*Aug*
* Full sun to part shade
* ***Medium to wet soil***
* Native to moist soils but will
***do well in average or dry***
***soils.***

__________________________

Filipendula ‘Kahome’ (Dwarf Meadowsweet)

An upright, clump-forming perennial that typically grows only 8-12” tall and features branched, terminal, Astilbe-like panicles of tiny, fragrant, rosy pink flowers in summer.

USES:

Border fronts, cottage gardens, wild/naturalized areas, wet meadows or moist areas along streams or ponds. Dwarf size facilitates massing this plant as a ground cover.

filipendula ‘Kahome’
Meadowsweet

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* 8-12” tall
* Blooms June to July
* Full sun to part shade
* ***Medium to wet soil***

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Benefits

Attracts butterflies, pollinators and is deer resistant !

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[PLANT PROFILE] HOSTAS

July 5, 2023 Karen Logan

Hosta [illustration by karen blackerby logan]

30% OFF HOSTAS

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Hostas are a shade loving perennial with lavender or white blooms, which are popular among hummingbirds. Hostas are late to emerge in spring and partner up well with early blooming spring bulbs that will be passing by the time the Hosta emerges. Crocus, Muscari, Eranthis or Chionodoxa foliage will easily get covered by the Hosta foliage, hiding the foliage of those early spring bulbs as they die back. There are a variety of Hostas available, differing in their leaf color, shape, size, and texture. They are easy to maintain and are shade tolerate.

Hosta leaves are very beautiful from early summer through fall!

CARE

____________
* In spring when growth
emerges apply fertilizer
* Keep plant moist
* Place mulch around
***plant to retain moisture***
* ***Remove flower stalks***
***after bloom to***
***encourage new growth***
* In the fall, when frost
***turns the leaves brown,***
***cut back to the ground***
***and apply a little fresh***
***mulch or leaf mold over***
***the plant, like a blanket.***

DIVIDING HOSTA

____________
* Divide late in the
***season because the***
***leaves will get damaged***
***during the division***
***process.***
* Do not plant too deep
***after dividing. Same***
***level that it was before.***
* Add the ‘blanket’

***leaf mold or mulch***

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Texture, Shape

& Size

Hostas add a lot of dimension to your shade garden through their various shades of green, leaf sizes, textures and shapes.

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Deer do like to browse on Hosta foliage
Spray with Bobbex deer repellent

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DECIDUOUS TREES AND SHRUBS FOR SHADE

June 29, 2023 Karen Logan

Fothergilla illustration by Karen Blackerby Logan

DECIDUOUS TREES AND SHRUBS FOR SHADE

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***Sorbaria sorbifolia*** *(Tree Astilbe )*

FOTHERGILLA
(Native) (Deer Resistant)

Fothergilla Mt. Airy
Fothergilla gardenii (Dwarfed)

SPIREA
(Seldom severely damaged by deer)

Spirea Anthony Waterer
Spirea Snow Mound

VIBURNUM

Viburnum dentatum (Native) (Rarely damaged by deer)
- Viburnum dentatum Blue Muffin (Rarely damaged by deer)
- Viburnum dentatum Sparkler (Rarely damaged by deer)
Viburnum plicatums (a non native species)
- Viburnum plicatum Mariesii
- Viburnum plicatum Popcorn
Viburnum carlesii Spice Baby

DECIDUOUS TREES & SHRUBS

Amelanchier canadensis, Serviceberry (Native) (Seldom severely damaged by deer)

Aesculus parviflora (Bottlebrush Buckeye) (Native) (Rarely damaged by deer)
Deciduous Azaleas (Native) Deer love evergreen Azaleas but are less likely to eat deciduous ones.

Heptacodium micinoides (Seven-Son Flower) (Rarely damaged by deer) Fragrant flowers late in the season followed by beautiful fall display.
Rhus aromatica 'Gro Low' (Rarely damaged by deer)
Sorbaria sorbifolia (Tree Astilbe ) (Rarely damaged by deer) Spreads vigorously. Try 'SEM' for a more compact and controlled cultivar.

CLETHRA alnifolia
(All Native) (Rarely damaged by deer)

Clethra Vanilla Spice
Clethra Hummingbird
Clethra Ruby Spice

HYDRANGEA

Hydrangea arborescens (Native)
Hydrangea Macrophylla (Big Leaf) (Occasionally severely damaged by deer)

Hydrangea petiolaris (Climbing) (Occasionally severely damaged by deer)
Hydrangea quercifolia (Oakleaf) (Occasionally severely damaged by deer)

Amelanchier canadensis, Serviceberry

Oakleaf Hydrangea

Hydrangea macrophylla

Fothergilla Major Mt Airy

Fothergilla

Spirea Snowmound

Viburnum plicatum

trees for wildlife

national wildlife federation

[PLANT PROFILE] HYDRANGEA MACROPHYLLA

June 27, 2023 Karen Logan

Hydrangea

macrophylla

Big Leaf Hydrangea

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HYDRANGEA MACROPHYLLA (Big Leaf Hydrangea)

The genus name Hydrangea comes from hydor meaning "water" and aggeion meaning "vessel", in reference to the cup-like capsular fruit.

A deciduous shrub with a rounded habit that typically grows 3-6’ tall and as wide unless damaged by harsh winters or pruned smaller.
Generally features serrate, obovate to elliptic, dark green leaves (4-8” long) and large clusters of long-blooming summer flowers in either lacecap form (flattened flower clusters of small fertile florets with scattered showy sterile florets often forming a marginal ring) or mophead form (globose flower clusters of mostly showy sterile florets).

'Penny Mac' was first introduced into commerce by Penny McHenry of Atlanta, Georgia

(founder of The American Hydrangea Society)

GROWING HYDRANGEA MACROPHYLLA

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Best grown in rich, medium moisture, well-drained soils in part shade. Tolerates full sun only if grown in consistently moist soils.
Soil pH affects the flower color of most cultivars except white (blue in highly acidic soils and lilac to pink in slightly acidic to alkaline soils). Add aluminum sulfate to the soil to make the flowers bluer or add lime to the soil to make the flowers pinker. Begin soil treatments well in advance of flowering, as in late autumn or early spring.
Plants generally need little pruning. If needed, prune immediately after flowering by cutting back flowering stems to a pair of healthy buds. Prune out weak or winter-damaged stems in late winter/early spring.
Best to mulch plants year-round with 3" of shredded bark, peat or compost.
Winter hardy to USDA Zone 6. For added protection, however, plants grown in USDA Zone 5 should be sited in sheltered locations and given additional winter protection, as needed, for the purposes of minimizing the risk of loss of significant numbers of flower buds or possible die-back to the ground in an extremely harsh winter. A burlap wrap of stems or circle of chicken wire filled with leaves or straw to 8-12" are time-consuming and visually unattractive landscape options, but can be effective. Regardless of protective measures taken, most bigleaf hydrangeas simply will not bloom (or will bloom poorly) in some years because of a variety of winter occurrences beyond the control of the gardener (e.g. low temperatures, sudden wide temperature fluctuations, icy conditions, late frosts). Some newer cultivars have been selected that flower on both old and new wood. Their pruning and flowering can differ from that of the species.
'Penny Mac' blooms on both old and new growth and is winter hardy to USDA Zone 5. This means ‘Penny Mac’ will reliably flower each year, regardless of winter temperature or added protection.

USES

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* Group or mass in the
shrub boarder.
* A specimen or accent
for foundations and
other locations
near homes or patios.
* Hedges
* Containers

Late season spent flowers of Hydrangea macrophylla

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FERTILIZE HYDRANGEAS IN EARLY SUMMER

All hydrangeas tend to grow better when they are fertilized, even the native ones.

If you missed feeding your plants early in the season when you did your spring clean up, you can make up for that now (before August 1). The plants that respond best to fertilizer this time of year are the rebloomers: big leaf (macrophylla), mountain (serrata) and woodland/smooth (arborescens) varieties. You want to help them produce those reblooming flowers to carry your garden through to the end of the season

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[PLANT PROFILE] GERBER DAISIES

June 12, 2023 Karen Logan

GERBER DAISIES

Vividly colored Gerber Daisies are best planted in spring after all chances of frost have passed. In our zone, they are considered annuals. They bloom beautifully throughout the summer and die off in winter.

***Varieties***

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* Patio Series:
*Tall larger flower*
*Available in two colors.*
* Jaguar Series:
*Short & ornamental*

GROWING TIPS

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* Bred for the outdoors
* Flourish all summer
* Best grown in 7” pots or
larger
* Large bloom size 4”-5”
* Height 15-18” with
flowers

unleash the wild on your yard

doug tallamy

ANNUALS

June 6, 2023 Karen Logan

ANNUALS

Annuals are plants that are glorious during the summer but do not survive the winter. They produce flowers and seeds all in one season and then the mother plant dies. The seed falls to the ground and often germinates the following spring and the next generation of seedlings emerge. Often the seedlings are identical or very similar to the mother but they also can be somewhat different and different from each other, like brothers and sisters. When the plant reseeds in the area where the mother plant was, it is called colonizing. Poppies, Bachelor Buttons, Cleome, Larkspur, Browallia americana and Nigella are annuals that colonize. Some biennials, like foxgloves, do this as well.

Annuals usually have a much longer bloom season than perennials. Some bloom all summer long. Many reseed and colonize.

Calendula Bon Bon mix / A dwarf Calendula blooms all summer in full sun or part shade. Calendula flowers are edible. Other edible flowers to use as garnishes include Bachelor Buttons, Borage Borago officinalis, Nasturtiums and Violas.

Calibracoa Sweet Peach. Annual blooms all summer.

Calendulas(Taller). Taller calendulas make good cut flowers. Edible.

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Reseeding Tips

* Deadheading flowers will keep the plant blooming longer. If your goal is for the plant to reseed, stop deadheading later in the season to let the seed mature. Seeds need to mature in order to reseed.

* Do not mulch heavily around the mother plant if you want it to reseed. A lot of annuals need light to germinate.

* Many people mulch their beds after gardens get cleaned up in fall. You should do it lightly or not at all if you want annuals and biennials to germinate.

These are details that will enhance reseeding success.

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TRY THESE!

We have many favorites! The tried and true ones are still around.

There are new introductions of cultivars within each of these.

Geraniums / Impatiens / Cosmos / Cleome / Portulacas / Salvias / Marigolds / Alyssum / Ageratums / Nasturtiums / Nicotianas / Dahlias / Asters / Zinnias / Morning Glories / Amaranthus / Gomphrenas / Pentas / Lisianthus / Scabiosa / Snapdragons / Dusty Miller / Callas / Caladiums / Coleus / Agapanthus / Tropical Hibiscus / Fuchsia

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LONG BLOOMING PROVEN WINNER ANNUALS

Argyranthemums / Osteospermums / Lobularias / Calibrachoas / Euphorbia Diamond Frost / Petunias / Torenias / Diascias / Phlox / Verbenas

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LESSER KNOWN ANNUALS THAT ARE STRONG GARDEN PERFORMERS

Browallia americana / Orlaya grandiflora / Ammi majus / Erigeron karvinskianus / Nigella / Ceratotheca triloba / Rhemania angulata / Emilia coccinea / Tithonia / Sanvitalia / Dahlberg Daisies / Daturas Ricinus / Clary Sage (Blue Monday and Pink Sundae) / Tibouchina urvilleana

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RECOMMENDED DEER RESISTANT ANNUALS

Lantanas / Salvias / Daturas / Ricinus

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TRY ADDING ANNUAL VINES TO CONTAINERS & HANGING BASKETS

Mina lobata / Thunbergias / Cobaea scandens (Cup and Saucer Vine) / Mandevilla

Nasturtiums

Salvia Amistad / Salvia Hummingbird / Verbena Vanessa Purple / Nemesia Bluebird / Petunia Vista White / Hippo White Polka Dot / Dichondra / Euphorbia Frost

Dahlia

Cosmos Sonata Pink

Geraniums

Osteospermum Serenity Bronze

Petunia Easy Wave Blue

Portulaca Fuschia

Portulaca Fuchsia

Salpiglossis

Thunbergias

Calla Lily_Zantedeschia Snow Storm

Ipomoea Heavenly Blue

Calibrachoa_Million Bells

Sweet Alyssum

Nicotiana langsdorfii

Coleus

Cleome Senorita Blanca

Cleome Senorita Rosalita

Hibiscus Tropical Jewel Amber

Hibiscus Tropical Jewel Ruby

Lanatana Bandana Mango

Lantana Sunrise Rose

Lantana Bandana Lemon Zest

Lantana Bandera Red

Lantana Lucsious Golden Gate

Lantana Samantha

Tibouchina urvilleana

Tithonia

Eschscholtzia Californica Orange Poppy

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Add annuals to your perennial beds, containers & hanging baskets

Annuals long bloom season offers a consistency in color that defines the border. The reseeding characteristic helps tie the garden together with repeating blooms throughout the bed. They seem to come up between and within the perennials in a random fashion with no apparent pattern. It is best not to overcrowd perennials but you can plant plenty of annuals between your perennials. Learn to identify the seedlings so you don’t pull them out, thinking that they are weeds.