Fall Webworms: Are Those Giant Webs Killing Your Trees?

Have you noticed an abundance of webworms in your trees this year? You know – those nests that look like they are constructed of spiderweb threads, but are filled with striped caterpillars. The webs become even more noticeable after the worms have eaten all the leaves on the branches near their nests. I have had a few every year in the past, but this year the webs are more plentiful than ever. I wondered if I should try to control them, or follow my preferred problem solving protocol of ignore-it-and-it-will-go-away.

Clemson University’s Home & Garden Information Center advises us to leave the webs alone because a healthy tree will not be harmed by the small number of leaves they eat. In cases of a weak tree or a prized specimen, a more aggressive measure is to use a pole to tear an opening in the web. This means the worms inside are vulnerable to attack from predators like birds, wasps, and stink bugs. A more aggressive line of attack is the application an insecticide containing Bacillis thuringiensus (Bt) or Spinosad. These are fairly safe for humans and are less toxic to pollinators than other insecticides. Please DO NOT use a lit tiki torch or flame-thrower to set the web on fire. This is a very bad idea.

I learned that there are two separate types of these leaf-eaters, the eastern tent caterpillar and the fall webworm. The identity can be distinguished by the season and the location of the web. Per Clemson, “The eastern tent caterpillar is active in the spring and typically spins a web in the crotch of fruit tree branches, such as wild black cherry and apple trees. The fall webworm becomes active in early summer and spins a web around leaves on the outer branches of trees, and this webbing is seen throughout the growing season. Fall webworms are typically found on pecan, sourwood, persimmon, hickory, sycamore, and fruit trees.”

I follow quite a few Facebook accounts that are related to gardening, ranging from plant identification to insect ID to general folklore, and master gardener groups across the southeast. If you read posts on these sites, it will not take long for you to realize that not everyone who posts responses or identifications is knowledgeable. Respondents would rather take a wild guess than stay silent. As a result, some of the responses are just wrong. This year, I have seen several people identify tree-residing webworms as army worms. They are NOT army worms! Again, thanks to Clemson University for educating me. Army worms are primarily gray in color. They do not build webs in trees. They feed on grass blades, preferring Bermuda and Fescue. They are voracious eaters and can wipe out a lush lawn in a few short hours. Army worms are most unwelcome. Read the Clemson fact sheet here for more information, including identification and treatment.

Feel free to ask questions in these online information groups, especially those sponsored by Master Gardener associations, but check the advice against a science-based resource. When you search a plant question or disease identification, following your question with this phrase site:.edu (site  colon  dot  edu) will return results from university sites only. You can count on their information to be facts, not folklore.

From below, the web looks with white spun sugar (“cotton candy”).

Inside the silk webs are large communities of webworms. Those at the Snoddy place regularly fall into the pool and drown.

While the webs in this tree are unsightly, the tree will recover without damage.

An Update on Gardening Hints for the Southeast

Going forward, there will be a change in the frequency of my blog posts. The company that hosts my website has begun charging for the emails that notify subscribers when a new post is published.

Since starting this blog, I have shared approximately 450 posts with readers. Throughout that time, I have chosen not to charge subscription fees, accept advertising, or otherwise monetize the blog. I would very much like to keep it that way.

To accommodate the new email costs while keeping the blog free and advertising-free, I will be changing from weekly posts to two posts per month, effective immediately.

What will not change is my commitment to researching and sharing practical, science-based gardening information for Southern gardeners. I hope you will continue to find each post useful, informative, and worth reading.

Thank you, as always, for following along and for your continued support of Garden Hints for the Southeast.

Native Evening Primrose for Night Pollinators

For several years, I have walked by a small patch of yellow flowers that grows along the driveway in the edge of our woodlands. My mind would occasionally register them as flowering weeds, but not until this week did I pause for a closer look. Turns out, this weed is pretty enough to introduce to my pollinator garden. A quick image search identified it as Oenothera biennis (ee-no-THEE-ruh by-EN-is), or Evening Primrose. The word Primrose put me on high alert, since I once had a years-long battle to eradicate Pink Evening Primrose, Oenothera speciosa, from my garden. More research was needed.

What I learned is that this Evening Primrose is a biennial (obvious from the species name) that is native to the eastern US. The plant forms a rosette of leaves its first year, then shoots up to a height of 4-5 feet its second year and produces yellow flowers from June until frost. Narrow leaves are arranged spirally around the stems. Flowers open near sundown and close the next day. Plants die after setting seed, but their seeds sprout and grow into new plants so that they appear to be perennial. This ease of spread leads to a reputation for invasiveness. According to the NC State Plant Toolbox, “seeds can stay viable in the soil for up to 70 years.” That single fact means that I will probably cut most stems to the ground in late fall to prevent an overabundance of seedlings.

Like many other perennials, Evening Primrose prefers moist soil in full sun, but will tolerate partial shade, drought, and bad soil. Plants are hardy in zones 4-9. The upside of growing this plant, other than the beautiful yellow flowers, is that it supports night-flying moths, hummingbirds, and several varieties of bees. Birds enjoy the seeds.

Several tribes of Native Americans used boiled Evening Primrose roots for a food dish similar to our mashed potatoes. Leaves were cooked and eaten as greens. Leaves were also used medicinally as a stimulant or pain reliever.

I have reconsidered my plan to move a few plants into the pollinator bed adjacent to my home orchard. Instead, I will move them to a sunny, dry area that slopes sharply from my home down to a creek. The area has rocky clay and is not near any irrigation source. Evening Primrose can multiply in this area without invading cultivated areas. Its spread will be contained by the mowed pathways that crisscross the slope.

Close view of Evening Primrose flower

Flowers open at dusk and close the following mid-day, leading to the name Evening Primrose. These have already closed.

Pause and Ponder Passalong Plants

What is a “passalong” plant? It is a plant that survives and thrives in the garden, spreading enough to allow division, with those divisions being passed along to friends and fellow gardeners.

Most common passalongs are Daylilies (Hemerocallis), Cannas, Bee Balm (Monarda), Crinum, Crocosmia, and Black Eyed Susans (Rudbeckia). Experienced gardeners know to accept gift divisions with caution. The reasons these plants are plentiful and often shared is because they are easy to grow, and spread or reproduce readily. Black Eyed Susans, for instance can spread seeds and produce new plants at a pace that transforms them from an attractive, long-flowering feature to a nuisance. (I’m looking at you, Rudbeckia triloba.) Crocosmia corms reproduce rapidly, transforming themselves from a single clump to a dense traffic jam of bulbs that must be divided in order to maintain flowering. Bee Balm spreads by underground runners into an ever-enlarging plants, which is fine if you have a lot of bare ground to cover but not so great if they are overtaking other plants in your borders. Iris, especially reblooming Iris, are wonderful but realize that they will need division every couple of years to maintain flowering and good health.

Many passalongs are not found readily in garden centers. I rarely see Night-blooming Cereus, Blackberry Lily (Iris domestica) or Jewels of Opar (Talinum, one of my favorite heritage plants with succulent chartreuse leaves and tiny, hot-pink flowers). In years past, I have requested divisions of Sea Holly, Blue Mist flower, and Garlic Chives. The Sea Holly did well at the top of a clay slope where it received no supplemental irrigation. It has reproduced enough for me to share, but not enough to overwhelm. Blue Mist (Colestinum, also called Perennial Ageratum) spreads aggressively by both seeds and roots. Several of my friends criticize this plant as demonic, but I have a steep slope with rocky soil that is far from any irrigation source. Blue Mist survives in these tough conditions, and is planted next to a spreading Goldenrod (Solidago). I let these two compete for available space. Blue Mist and Goldenrod flower at the same time, making an attractive carpet of blue and yellow where nothing else would survive. When I asked a friend for a division of Garlic Chives, she obliged but warned me about its aggressive tendencies. I should have listened. I allowed it to go to seed once – once!—and now I’m regularly uprooting babies from a large area. Once the flowers are starting to fade, I now decapitate the plant to eliminate seed drop.

Passalongs that are propagated from stems rooted in water are less likely to become overwhelming. Coleus, Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea batatas), and Confederate Rose (Hibiscus mutabilis) cuttings root readily. The first two are annuals, so are unlikely to spread beyond control. Confederate Rose is a perennial that can become a very large, multi-stem shrub. View the mother plant to get an idea of mature size.

I received my first Autumn Joy Sedum as a passalong plant many years ago. I love it, and have added several other cultivars to the Snoddy garden. I cut back my tall Sedum several times in spring and early summer in an attempt to reduce height, increase flowering, and reduce the unattractive spraddle that may occur in fall when plants have trouble holding heavy flower heads. These tip prunings root readily, and I am happy to pass them along to other gardeners who seek waterwise plants.

Rudbeckia triloba spreads readily, with seedlings appearing in neighboring beds, gravel walkways, and even in the lawn.

Crocosmia bulbs reproduce so quickly they require annual divison to maintain good flower count.

A mere ten Daylilies, planted into rich soil, became an entire hedge in two years.

Tiger Lilies: A Passalong Plant That Keeps on Giving

Lilies are among the most prized garden flowers, with large trumpet-shaped blooms in shades of yellow, white, pink, red, and bi-colors. Many of them have a wonderful fragrance. Unfortunately, some species have gained an unwarranted reputation for being finicky. One of the easiest lilies to grow, and often shared as a passalong plant, is Tiger Lily (Lilium lancifolium, formerly Lilium tigrinum).

Tiger Lily is a member of the Asiatic Lily group but, unlike other Asiatics, its blooms face downward (“pendulous”). They have recurved flowers, meaning the petals curve backward toward the stem. Tiger Lily flowers are orange in color with dark freckles toward the flower throats, and have protruding stamens. These bulbs like a well-drained acidic soil and will tolerate clay. For best flowering, site them only in full sun exposure. Those in my garden receive shade until mid-morning. As a result, every stem leans toward the west rather than growing vertically. They flower so profusely and take very little care so I forgive their leaning posture. Plants are hardy in zones 5-8. In my zone 8 garden, their flowers start to open mid- to late-May and continue for several weeks. At season’s end, when freezing weather has turned the top growth brown, dead stems can be removed at soil level to keep the bed looking tidy through winter.

If Tiger Lily has a drawback, it is that they spread a bit too easily. The stems of healthy plants can reach up to six feet in height, and along the length of the stems, at the base of the elongated leaves, they produce little round, black bulblets. These bulblets fall to the ground and sprout into new plants. It takes three to four years for the babies to be large enough to flower. To prevent a population boom, remove the sprouted seeds while the plants are still small. They are easy to pull out with your fingers.

Despite their having zero fragrance, Tiger Lily flowers are visited by swallowtail butterflies. Plants make a great back-of-the-border addition to pollinator beds IF you do not have cats. The pollen and plant parts of all lilies are toxic to cats. There are some plants that have the word lily in their name but are not actually lilies: Peace Lily (houseplant), Canna Lily, and Daylily (Hemerocallis genus, not Lilium).

This row of Tiger Lilies is located in a raised area with excellent drainage, next to a stone retaining wall. I have not applied supplemental irrigation this year.

The round, black objects attached to the stem at each leaf base will eventually fall off and sprout into a new Tiger Lily plant.

Bleeding Heart Vine: A Tropical Beauty That Thrives in Southern Gardens

In rare cases, various species within a plant genus are so different that it is hard to believe that they are related. And sometimes the use of common names leaves gardeners confused. I have mentioned the Peanut Butter tree, Clerodendrum trichotomum in a past blog. It is a tree, unlike the subject of today’s blog, which focuses on Clerodendrum thomsoniae, Bleeding Heart Vine. Please don’t confuse this vine with the spring ephemeral, Bleeding Heart, Lamprocapnos spectabilis and formerly Dicentra spectabilis, which is yet another completely different plant.

Bleeding Heart vine has lovely dark green leaves and bright red flowers surrounded by pure white calyces. The overall effect is of a white flower with a drop of blood oozing from the center, hence the common name.

Bleeding Heart vine is native to West Africa. It is only winter-hardy in zones 10 and 11, but can be grown outdoors in summer in cooler zones and brought into a frost-free area to overwinter. Anticipate leaf drop as plants adjust to a change of environment. Plants may flower indoors if they receive sufficient light. They prefer to be kept slightly dry during winter dormancy, with nighttime temperatures of 55-65 degrees, which is cooler than most of us keep our homes. Do not fertilize during this resting period. Dormant plants are prone to spider mites and mealy bugs, so check them regularly.

Bleeding Heart vine can reach up to twelve feet in length, but container-grown plants are always less. I tip prune mine to create shorter, more numerous stems. Either provide a trellis for the vines to climb via its twining habit or prune them for a bush-like plant. Flowers are held in clusters that droop gracefully. These plants look fabulous in hanging baskets and are best grown in partial shade in zones 7 and 8.

Bleeding Heart vines put on a wonderful show when given regular water and frequent but light fertilizer. Flowers occur on current year’s growth, so it is best to prune them hard when temperatures begin to warm in spring, then fertilize and water when they move outside for the summer. I neglected to prune mine back when I transferred it to the greenhouse last October, and it bloomed beautifully through most of the winter.

This Bleeding Heart vine has crawled up the trellis in a heated greenhouse and is in flower despite outside weather.

Photo by Ji-Elle - k, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=59021978

Sharing Exciting News

I’m delighted to share some exciting news with you, my readers. Garden Communicators International has honored this blog with a Silver Laurel Media Award. I’m deeply grateful to the organization for this recognition, and especially to you for reading, sharing, and supporting my weekly gardening blog. Your encouragement has meant more than you know.

Chigger Bites - How to prevent them and what NOT to do

I was at a semi-social gathering last night when the subject of chiggers arose. Allow me to clarify: this was a meeting of Master Gardeners. Unlike many of the greater public, we are entertained by conversations concerning insects, weeds, and plant diseases the same way my dog-training friends talk about breeding lines and canine health issues, using words rarely heard in polite society. Anyway, someone made the comment, “Have your nail polish ready.” She said this in jest, but it reminded me that some people are uninformed about these nasty little pests.

Usually, the first thing someone will tell you about chiggers is that they burrow under your skin, and must be smothered to stop the intense itching and inflammation at the site of the bite. There are insects that burrow under the skin, but chiggers are not one of them. Instead, chiggers find an area where the skin is thin and tender and insert their piercing mouth parts into the pores of the skin. Instead of sucking blood like a tick, they inject a digestive enzyme that literally liquefies your skin cells and lymph, so they can suck up your juices. (Just as disgusting as it sounds.) It is this enzyme, injected into the skin, that causes the itchy reaction in most humans.

The enzyme fluid has a two-fold effect. It initially liquifies the victim’s cells, and then it hardens to form a straw-like feeding tube, called a stylostome, through which the chigger can continue to feed. This hardened stylostome may appear as a red dot in the center of the bite. The red dot leads people to believe that the chigger itself is still present. Hence, the age-old recommendation to paint over the dot with nail polish, allegedly to smother the pest.

Unlike mosquitos, with their sharp mouth probes, the mouth parts of chiggers are fairly weak. The chigger has to find a tender area to attach, and often needs something to push its legs against in order to force its mouthparts into the skin. This is why you seem to get bitten around the edges of socks, the elastic bands of underwear, waistbands, and cuffs. The tight clothing gives them something to push against while they attach.

Unlike ticks, chiggers don't embed very deeply, and are fairly easy to remove. Even a brisk shower is enough to dislodge them, which is why showering immediately after time spent outdoors in chigger-infested undergrowth or long grass can minimize their opportunity to inject you with their toxic juices. They can easily be brushed off but they are so tiny that they are rarely seen with the naked eye. A chigger measures 1/60th of an inch. That is 0.4233mm, for those of you who are metrically-inclined. Chiggers can attach to their host for up to three days.

My home garden is edged by stacked stone walls. I frequently see little red insects skittering about on the stones, and I assumed those were chiggers. Not so! Those are red velvet mites, Trombidiidae. They are large enough to see easily, which makes them easy to distinguish from tiny chiggers, which are almost invisible without magnification. Red velvet mites are harmless to humans. They parasitize other insects. Don’t squash them with your fingers, though. They leave a bright red stain on fingers, siding, or stone that lasts a long time and cannot be removed by simple washing.

How to deal with the chigger issue:

1. The person who is chigger bitten will start to feel the itch three to four hours after the initial bite. The worst of the itching begins as late as 24 to 48 hours after the bite has occurred.  You can use drug-store products to help relieve the itching, but prevention is better than treatment. 

2. Insect repellants are effective. If you decide to use repellant, apply it to ankles, legs, waists, and sleeve areas, where chiggers are most likely to mount their invasion.

3. Wear protective clothing, like long pants tucked into boots. Tightly woven fabrics prevent them from gaining access to your skin.

4. Avoid heavy underbrush or tall grass. If you must walk through these areas, shower as soon as possible. My personal worst chigger attack came from wandering around an unmowed church cemetery as a child. The resulting itchy red rash resembled a case of measles.

5. Wash your clothes too. Chiggers can linger in clothing and drop off inside your house, or attack you the next time you wear those items.

So, nail polish has no positive impact when painted over those red dots on your skin. You are not suffocating the chigger, because it is not embedded in you. If you decide to use nail polish anyway, let me warn you that using nail polish remover when you have those little open places on your skin will get your attention, and not in a positive way.

If there is any bright side to the misery of chigger bites, it is that unlike ticks and mosquitos, chiggers are not known to carry or transmit any diseases.

This image of a Chigger was taken by Trevor Van Loon and shared to iNaturalist under Creative Common license 4.0. Click on the image to go directly to the iNaturalist page.

This is an AI generated image of a chigger. They are so tiny that it takes someone with patience and a superior camera lens to capture an image. Remember: Size is 1/60th of an inch.

Help Your Garden Survive a Heat Dome: Summer Gardening Tips

The southeast has been sweltering under a heat dome. Steamy temperatures arrived early this year. I expect 100 degrees in August, but not in late June. My plants are all heat-stressed, showing wilted leaves, reduced flower buds, and general unhappiness. I did not know that livestock animals are similarly affected, but two separate vendors at our local weekend farmers’ market told me their egg harvests had dropped to almost zero because of the heat. One said, “My girls are staging a weather protest.”

Seasoned southern gardeners have experienced these periods of extreme temperatures, but if you are new to the south, here are a few ways to help your garden cope.

A light layer of mulch prevents surface evaporation in your garden beds. Don’t make it too thick, or it will block the easy passage of water from rain or irrigation and provide a handy camouflage route for voles.

Water deep, not often. Early morning is best. Late evening watering can encourage fungal problems, but if I am unable to water in the morning, I prefer the odds of saving thirsty plants over the odds of a fungus. Irrigation in the middle of the day, especially with overhead sprinklers, loses its efficiency because water evaporates quickly in hot air. Sandy soil and containers need more than the traditional “one inch per week” and all gardens need more than that amount when heat is extreme. Some containers may need twice-daily watering if they contain thirsty plants.

Fertilize lightly and water afterwards if you use a pelletized product. Don’t go overboard with the fertilizer, because heat-stressed plants cannot absorb it, and an overapplication may have the unintended effect of damaging roots or forcing new growth that will suffer in heat.

Let me address one problem that I see every year. Hydrangeas tend to wilt on hot days, even when their soil is moist. This is the plants’ attempt to reduce moisture loss. If Hydrangea leaves have perked back up in the morning, the cause is heat, not water deprivation. Do not overirrigate. Soggy soil may lead to root rot.

Dead-head flowers daily to encourage the formation of new buds. Do not be surprised if annuals and perennials take a break from flowering during extended steamy weather. Annuals will likely return to previous flowering rates when cooler temperatures arrive. Perennials may or may not flower again – it depends upon the plant. Rebloomers like Coneflowers will flower again. Once Shasta Daisies have put on their show, they probably will not reflower. Postpone any significant shrub pruning until the “feels like” temperatures drop to two digits.

Harvest veggies regularly. Tomatoes, cucumbers, and melons should be gathered as soon as they are ripe. Left on the plant, they will deter additional flowering. Unharvested, over-ripe vegetables attract wildlife, insects, and diseases. Once herbs start flowering, called “bolting,” they are past their prime flavor and should be pulled. I pull my spent herbs and leave them on the soil around my other crops in the hope that their strong scent will deter critters.

It does not matter how much you coddle your tomatoes, expect reduced flowering and little-to-no fruit set when night temperatures are seventy-five degrees or above. Once night temperatures moderate, they will return to their regular flowering. If the plants have not been affected by blight, that is. I am already seeing yellowed leaves on one of my heirloom tomato plants.  Consider starting a few new tomato plants from seeds. You will probably have sufficient time to produce a late harvest before frosts arrive. Do not plant your seedlings in areas where you have grown tomatoes, potatoes, or peppers in the last three years. This family of plants in prone to fungi which remain in the soil to attack again. The selection of a new location, called crop rotation, is a standard procedure of the farmer who must produce a healthy crop for commercial sale.

While you are considering starting a few tomatoes or cucumber seeds for a late season harvest, consider starting cabbage or broccoli seeds soon. These can be planted out in September for a fall harvest. If you find a seed source for flowering/decorative cabbages and kale, you can start yours from seed now and save money rather than buying pricey transplants in October.

Remove weeds as you are able. The worst offenders in my garden beds seem to be unaffected by the heat. When air temperatures are over ninety, the surface temperature of a plant in full sun can be much higher. This is not the time to apply herbicides. Read the fine print on the labels, and you will find the maximum application temperature for any product. I often wonder why the companies that manufacture garden chemicals seem to hide the application rate and temperature range deep in the tiny text, surrounded by warnings. When I pick up a container, I want to know how much concentrate to add to a gallon of water in my sprayer. I don’t really need a reminder to wear gloves, goggles, and other protective gear. I guess there is sound reasoning (and probably a lawsuit or two) that affects the placement, but it is annoying to scour pages of warnings to find the one thing I need.

If you watch any TV or see any other news media, I am certain that you have heard the warnings against becoming overheated or dehydrated. Please, take these warnings seriously. Avoid exposure during the hottest times of the day. If you must be outside mid-day to early afternoon, wear a hat and sunscreen. Consume plenty of water, whether or not you feel thirsty. I overhydrated a few weeks ago, and felt really rotten. Now, I drink one glass of an electrolyte-enhanced beverage to every two glasses of water. While the “heat dome” continues to hover over my home, I will be content to sit indoors under a ceiling fan, sipping a glass of iced tea. Sweet tea, because I am a native South Carolinian.

This grouping of Hydrangea macrophylla shows wilted leaves from noon until about 4pm, then recover. This is a reaction to hot air temperature, not a cry for moisture. The fencing is to discourage deer nibbling.

Jerusalem Cherry: Beautiful but Toxic to People and Pets

Recent visitors to my garden have asked the identity of a plant that was a part of my childhood, Jerusalem Cherry (Solanum pseudocapsicum). These evergreen perennials have dark green, elongated leaves with wavy edges. Plants will not wow you with their tiny, white, star-shaped flowers, but those flowers produce marble sized green fruits that mature to an eye-popping bright orange color. Fruits persist for weeks and sometimes months before they shrivel and fall.

My specimens are heritage plants, obtained from my mother who got a start from her own mother. That should tell you something about their hardiness and longevity. In my grandmother’s day, resources went into raising food, not decorative flowers. Her soil was rock-filled clay, and her Jerusalem Cherries persisted and even spread to a large clump.

While they are not native to the US, Jerusalem Cherries spread across the southeast long ago. Plants prefer full sun but will survive even with half-sun. They are hardy outdoors in zones 8 and 9, but are sometimes grown as houseplants to bring a spot of bright color indoors. Outdoors, plants attain a height of about two feet, with a similar spread. Both the leaves and the fruits have an unpleasant odor if crushed.

My research revealed that the fruits are toxic, causing problems for people, pets, and horses. The symptoms resulting from eating any part of the plant read like a nightmare, but I confess that, as a kid, I bit into one of the fruits at least once a year (yes, I was THAT child) until the awful flavor stopped me from consuming it. I never experienced the gastric symptoms described. The sap can cause issues for those with sensitive skin. Several university websites recommended against using the plant indoors because of its toxicity.

Jerusalem Cherry is a member of the Solanaceae family which also includes tomatoes, potatoes, peppers…and deadly nightshade. The fruits are filled with seeds that look like those of peppers or tomatoes.

Outdoors, wind and birds take care of pollination chores. Birds are unaffected by the plant’s toxins. If you decide to grow one of these as a houseplant, you will need to cross pollinate the flowers yourself to obtain fruit. Use an artist’s paintbrush or a cotton swab to move pollen from flower to flower. If you wish to avoid any spreading outdoors, do a quick clean up of fallen fruit in the autumn. If you miss any, the small seedlings are easily removed in early spring with a swipe of a hoe.

A mature Jerusalem Cherry plant showing both green and ripe fruits.

The seeds inside Jerusalem Cherry look like those of other members of the nightshade family — tomatoes, peppers.

Homegrown Tea: How to Grow a Tea Garden (Plus Recipes to Try)

I am a dedicated coffee drinker, but I am expanding my tastes to various teas. The National Garden Bureau provided a very helpful article on growing your own.  Today’s post is a guest blog, of sorts, since content is sourced directly from the NGB. Link to the full article is at the end.

From Backyard to Teacup: The Ultimate Comfort Craft

Comfort. Personal rituals keep us grounded during tough times and long days. And what’s more cozy than a delicious cup of tea? For thousands of years, our ancestors heralded herbal tea as a comforting, healthy concoction. Today, millions of people enjoy tea, whether it’s served with a scone at breakfast or sipped before bed to unwind.

But why settle for store-bought tea when you can create your own tea garden? It’s easy to grow gorgeous, fragrant plants to use in your favorite “cuppa.” From homegrown herbs to flowering trees, you’ll find many beautiful, beneficial plants to include in your tea garden.

TEN Terrific Plants for a Tea Garden

1. Camellia sinensis—The Tea Plant

Green tea, white tea, black tea…if you’re a true tea connoisseur, you’ll love growing true tea in your backyard. Camellia sinensis—also known as the tea plant—is the foundation for one of the world’s most popular beverages.

Camellia sinensis, Tea Camellia. Do not confuse it with Camellia japonica or Camellia sasanqua.

Hardy in warmer climates, Camellia sinensis also grows well as a potted plant, so you can bring it indoors during the winter if you live in a cold climate. Like other camellias, Camellia sinensis prefers well-drained, acidic soil with a pH of 5.5 or lower. The shrub needs full to part sun and grows 6 to 15 feet tall. USDA Zone 7-9.

Fun fact: The various types of tea—green, white, or black—simply depend on how you dry and cure the leaves.

How to Harvest:

Use only tender, new growth for all forms of tea. Snip the top two leaves, along with a bud. Then, the secret is in the prep:

• White tea: Let the leaves rest for a few hours on a tray at room temperature, then dry in the oven at 190 degrees F. for about an hour.

• Green tea: Wither the leaves for two hours. Heat oven to 300 degrees F., and dry leaves for 7 minutes. The leaves should still be soft enough to roll between your hands so the leaves curl. Spread the rolled leaves on a pan, heat the oven to 250 degrees F., then dry the leaves for 40 minutes.

• Black tea: Oxidation gives black tea its dark color. Wither the leaves overnight. Roll the leaves in batches. Spread them in a thick layer in a pan, cover with a moist cloth, and place in a 100-degree oven for 1 hour. Keep the moisture level high by adding a bowl of water in the oven. Remove the cloth and bowl of water, increase the temperature to 250 degrees F., and dry the leaves for another 40 minutes.

How to Make Tea with Camellia Sinensis:

• White tea: Steep a small handful of withered leaves in 1 cup of boiling water for 10 minutes.

• Green tea: Steep 1 teaspoon prepared leaves in 1 cup of boiling water for 4 to 5 minutes.

• Black tea: Steep 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons of tea in boiling water for 4 to 5 minutes.

Always strain tea before drinking or place tea in a diffuser before steeping.

2. Rose Hip Tea

Made from the small, red-orange pseudo-fruits of rose plants like Blanc Double de Coubert, which look a bit like miniature apples, rose hip tea is rich in vitamin C, antioxidants, and flavonoids. Traditionally used to boost immune systems, it’s thought to reduce “bad” cholesterol and blood pressure, while also containing anti-inflammatory properties. Rose hip tea sports a slightly sweet flavor with a tart kick, similar to a green apple.

Rose hips form after the flower is pollinated in the spring or summer, with the hips ripening from late summer into autumn. Roses prefer rich, well-drained, slightly-acidic soil with a pH of 6.0-6.5. Most roses need full sun, while a few varieties tolerate part-sun.

While you’ll find hips on most roses, some heirloom varieties produce larger hips. Collect the hips in the fall for use in tea. USDA Zone 3-9, depending on variety.

When to Harvest:

Stop deadheading flowers in fall, allowing the hips to form and ripen on the shrub. Harvest hips when plump. Remove the hips from stems and rinse. Use fresh or dry for later use.

How to Make Rose Hip Tea:

• Fresh: Place 4 to 8 hips in 1 cup of boiling water. Steep 10 to 15 minutes.

• Dried: Steep 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried hips in 1 cup boiling water. Steep 10 minutes.

Avoid spraying pesticides on plants that you are growing for tea.

3. Roselle Hibiscus Tea

For a tasty summertime drink, try hibiscus tea. Brewed from the deep-red sepals and calyces of roselle hibiscus, it’s full of vitamin C and anthocyanins. The bright-red beverage is a healthy, no-sugar alternative to sweet tea.

Easy to grow as an annual in northern zones, roselle hibiscus can be planted directly in the ground, or grow it in a large container to move inside during cold winters. Plants are 7 to 10 feet tall with a bushy growth habit.

Pretty flowers typically last only one day, after which a red calyx forms. Prefers full sun and well-drained soil. USDA Zone 9-11.

When to Harvest:

Harvest calyces 7 to 10 days after flowering, or when the calyx is about an inch wide. Use fresh or dry for later use. To dry, separate the dark red calyces from the seed pod and dehydrate.

How to Make Hibiscus Tea:

Steep 1-2 teaspoons dried calyces in 8 ounces of boiling water for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve hot or cold.

For the following plants, use the Basic Tea Recipe that follows.

4. Linden Tea

Not only does the linden tree look lovely in the landscape, but it also produces pretty, petite yellow flowers adored by both tea enthusiasts and bees.

For centuries, the flowers have been used in tea to promote relaxation, relieve stress, and soothe digestive upset.

While linden trees grow throughout the world, American Linden, also known as “Basswood,” is native to eastern North America. Mature trees reach 75 to 90 feet tall and 40 to 50 feet wide, so give this beauty space to grow. USDA Zone 3-8.

When to Harvest:

Harvest fully open, heavily fragrant blooms. The flowers can be used fresh in tea or dried for later use.

5. Mint Tea

If you love the crisp, sweet flavor of mint, you’ll adore this easy-to-grow herb in your tea garden. But beware: mint can run rampant over other plants. Consider growing mint in pots to contain it.

You’ll love the mint varieties available: peppermint, sweet mint, spearmint…even chocolate mint! Because mint hybridizes readily between different varieties, plants grown from seed often fail to remain true to type.

For specific cultivars or varieties, buy established plants from reputable sources. Mint prefers moist soil. Hardiness zones vary, depending on the variety.

How to Harvest:

Snip leaves in the morning after the dew dries. Only harvest up to 1/3 of the plant at a time. Rinse. Use fresh or dry for later.

Many herbs develop a stronger flavor when dried. When deciding how much to use, a good rule of thumb is 1 tablespoon dried herbs to 3 tablespoons fresh.

6. Lemon Balm Tea

Lemon Balm, Melissa officinalis. Like other mints, it will spread aggressively, but if it escapes into your lawn, mowing becomes a pleasant, fragrant experience.

A member of the mint family, this mild, citrusy herb makes a soothing drink, whether you enjoy it hot or cold. Traditionally used to reduce stress, anxiety, and insomnia, lemon balm also adds a burst of aromatherapy in the garden.

Rub a leaf between your fingers, and the scent transports you to a lemon grove. But—like other mints—this lovely perennial herb will take over your garden if it’s not contained. USDA Zone 3-9.

How to Harvest:

Snip leaves in the morning after the dew dries. Only harvest up to 1/3 of the plant at a time. Rinse. Use fresh or dry for later.

7. Rosemary Tea

Rosemary has a wonderful, pine-like fragrance.

Rosemary tea not only tastes and smells delicious, but it’s a great way to boost immune health. The savory flavor and pine fragrance make an invigorating, rejuvenating beverage. Plus, this tender perennial is rich in vitamins, iron, and antioxidants. It’s also thought to help improve memory.

Rosemary prefers full sun and well-drained soil. It thrives in dry, Mediterranean-like conditions. USDA Zone 8-11.

How to Harvest:

Snip branches in the morning after the dew dries. Only harvest up to 1/3 of the plant at a time. Rinse. Strip leaves from the branch to use fresh or dry for later use.

8. Lemongrass Tea

The citrusy flavor and fragrance of lemongrass are traditionally used to promote sleep, relieve pain, and boost immunity. The grassy herb contains antioxidants, as well as antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Growing 2 to 3 feet tall, with thick masses of green leaves on yellow stems, harvest the leaves for tea. In northern regions, grow this tender perennial as an annual or plant it in a large container to bring indoors when the weather cools. USDA Zone 9-10.

How to Harvest:

Wear gloves to protect your hands from the razor-sharp leaves. Cut the mature leaves at the outer base of the plant. Rinse, chop into 2-to-3-inch pieces, then use fresh or dry for later.

9. Lavender Tea

A popular herb used in aromatherapy, the fabulous flavor and fragrance of lavender also make it an ideal herb for tea. High concentrations of vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium, and amino acids help boost the immune system. But lavender is most noted for its calming properties. It was traditionally used to relieve stress, calm anxiety, improve sleep, and reduce depression. Because of its soothing properties, it’s the ideal bedtime tea.

This drought-tolerant perennial needs full sun and well-drained, dry soil. Pollinators adore lavender—but deer dislike it. USDA Zone 3-9 (depending on variety).

How to Harvest:

Snip branches in the morning after the dew dries. Only harvest up to 1/3 of the plant at a time. Rinse. Remove flower buds from the stem and leaves, as only the buds are used for tea. Use fresh or dry for later use.

10. Chamomile Tea

Is there a tea more renowned for promoting a good night’s rest than chamomile? Traditionally used to reduce insomnia, chamomile also contains antioxidant properties that reduce inflammation, aid digestion, and may even support heart health. You’ll find both the annual German chamomile (Matricaria recutita) and perennial Roman chamomile (Anthemis nobilis) equally beneficial in the garden and in the teacup.

Chamomile grows easily from seed. Plant it in a sunny, well-drained site. It also grows beautifully in containers. Plus, pollinators adore the daisy-like blooms, while deer dislike them.

How to Harvest:

Harvest fully opened flowers with flat petals. Pinch off flower heads from the stem. Only the flowers are used for tea. Use fresh or dry for later use.

Once tea leaves or flowers are completely dry, store them in airtight glass jars for future use. (Make sure to label the jars.)

Brew the Perfect Cup of Tea

Whether you prefer a calming cup of hot tea to release the tension of the day or need a chilled glass of a mood-boosting brew, your tea garden gives you plenty of choices for your favorite beverages.

Basic Tea Recipe:

Bruise freshly picked herb leaves gently by crushing them with a wooden spoon to release their aromatic oils.

• 1 teaspoon dried herbs (or three teaspoons freshly picked herbs)

• 1 cup boiling water

Boil water. Add the herbs to an infuser and place in a teacup. Pour boiling water over the herbs. Steep for 10 minutes until the flavor is released. To extract the herbs’ medicinal properties, steep for 15 to 30 minutes. Remove the infuser and serve. Add sweeter, like honey or sugar, if you prefer.

Here are a few recipes to get you started:

Mint Iced Tea

• 1 large handful of mint, fresh

• 8 cups water

Bring water to a boil.
Place mint in water and steep for 10-15 minutes.
Strain the water to remove leaves and pour into a pitcher.

Rosemary-Lemon Sun Tea

• 1/4 cup of rosemary leaves

• 1/4 of a large lemon, sliced thin

• Ice

Place rosemary in a pitcher and bruise leaves with a wooden spoon.
Add lemon and water, cover.
Let stand for 4 hours in the sun.
Strain and serve over ice.

Soothing Hibiscus Tea

• 1 teaspoon dried hibiscus flowers

• 1 teaspoon dried chamomile flowers

• 8 ounces of water

Add mixed flowers to the tea infuser and place in a cup.
Pour boiling water over the infuser.
Steep 5-10 minutes.

Follow this link for the complete article: https://ngb.org/how-to-grow-a-tea-garden/

*National Garden Bureau does not wish to advise or recommend herbs for medicinal or health use. The information here is intended for inspirational and educational purposes only. Please consult a healthcare professional before considering any herbal treatments.

Growing Blackberries in Your Home Garden

Summers during my childhood involved blackberry-picking. We did not have plants at our own home, so the activity involved packing up the family car and driving “to the country” where no one cared if you harvested from the roadside brambles. There was little competition from other pickers, because July in South Carolina is hot and humid and buggy. The trip home usually included lots of scratching from chigger bites, stained fingers, bloody gouges from thorns, and a short-tempered mother. It all seemed worthwhile when we ate the blackberry jam Mom made, especially when it was served atop split, buttered biscuits.

As an adult, I discovered that domestic blackberries bought at the grocery store did not compare in flavor to the wild berries of my childhood, and many of them had large seeds that reduced my enjoyment. So, every June or July, I donned the sunhat, long sleeves and trousers held tight with rubber bands around the cuffs as a chigger blockade, and harvested my own wild blackberries from the open woodlands near our house. Soon, my husband made it an annual task to locate these patches of deliciouness while the plants were in bloom. He would use his tractor and bushhog an open path around each patch. With the underbrush mowed down, I was able to ride right up to the plants and harvest without even getting off my 4-wheeler. Bliss.

When we moved to our current home, I thought my blackberry harvesting days were past, but then I discovered long rows of wild berries on either side of an undeveloped road nearby. The harvest was on again. It wasn’t convenient, but I was able to bag several gallons every year to freeze so that I could prepare cobblers as a special winter treat. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the term, a cobbler is a baked dessert of sweetened fruit topped with a sweet bread-like crust. The topping is always uneven, like cobblestones, hence the name cobbler instead of pie or dessert casserole. Wild fruit is quite tart, so lots of sugar is mandatory in cobbler-making.

I had not planned to include blackberries (Rubus fruticosus) in my home orchard, but I ran across plants that had been marked for clearance at a local big box store. The variety was ‘Ebony King’ which made me envision large berries. The label said “semi-thornless,” which sealed the deal. A dozen or so plants went home with me. In my orchard, I hammered in T-posts and ran trellising wire between the posts so that I could secure the arching branches to an almost flat plane, making the picking easier.

Let me say, the person who wrote “semi-thornless” for the labels has a far different definition than I do. The canes were covered in thorns. By year two, though, I was picking a fair harvest which almost justified the bloodshed.

One important thing to know is that blackberries have two types of branches, also called canes. During their first year, these branches are called primocanes. Their purpose is to nourish the plant. Second year canes are called floricanes. The floricanes flower and bear fruit. Once a floricane has finished producing its fruit, it will either die or hang around to create a misery-making thicket. Once the harvest is past, floricanes should be removed at ground level to encourage new growth. The primocanes of the current year will be the fruit-bearing floricanes of the following year. [I should note here that some new varieties will bear on first year canes.]

Two years ago, I neglected to remove the floricanes after the harvest. As a result, last year I had a mess – dead canes and young canes intermingled with the fruit-bearing canes to make harvesting a misery. There was only one thing to do – remove all canes, down to ground level, and let the plants regenerate. This year, all my canes are primocanes, so I will not have fruit. Next year, they will produce flowers and new primocanes will join the party. I promised myself that I will be diligent with removal, to avoid the horrible weedy mess that my own negligence created.

We discovered a few wild berry plants on our current property. My husband created a mowed path to them this week, so I will be able to harvest a small crop to tide me over until next year. I feel fortunate that we located these, because those long rows of wild berries along the undeveloped road are now gone, removed by large grading equipment as a new subdivision is under construction. The newcomers won’t know what they are missing.

If you decide to try blackberries in your own garden, be sure to plant them in full sun. They want rich soil of pH 6.0 to 6.5, and are considered heavy feeders, which means applications of fertilizer in early spring and again after harvest, at the rates and amounts recommended by a soil test. Consistent irrigation will ensure plump, tasty berries. Here is a hint for detecting ideal ripeness: a perfect berry is slightly dull, not glossy.

These blackberries are on the edge of glossy-turning-dull, so harvest will wait another day or two to allow them to reach peak flavor.

Just above the center of this photograph, you can see a tiny hummingbird nest. I did not attempt to take a photograph until after the babies left the nest.

A bowl full of flavor

Why Mosquitoes Bite Some People More Than Others

This week I attended a meeting in which all guests were seated outdoors to enjoy the host’s garden and décor. Two of our members were attacked by mosquitoes, while others were unaffected. It made me wonder – Why are mosquitoes drawn to some individuals more that others? Answer: It’s complicated.

Our genetics affect the amount of carboxylic acid and lactic acid we secret and the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2 ) we exhale. All three make us more attractive to mosquitoes. Mosquitoes sense the CO2 you exhale from up to fifty feet away (source: Scientific American). Our blood type has an impact, too. Research from Harvard Health reveals that people with Type O blood are more appealing to mosquitoes than those with Type A or B. Pregnant women, people with fast metabolisms, people with naturally high body temperatures, or larger adults all appeal as a next mosquito meal.

These conditions are beyond our control. One thing that we CAN control is our diet and our alcohol consumption. When I was a regular hiker, I always packed bananas as a trail snack. An experienced backpacker warned me against this. I had always assumed that the scent might attract raccoons or bears, and perhaps it could but consuming a banana can alter your skin’s chemistry enough to make you a target. The effect lasts one to three hours after consumption. Alcohol intake plays into it also. Beer, especially, makes you more “fragrant” to mosquitos seeking a meal.

Even something as innocuous as clothing choices can make us a more detectable target. Mosquitoes are attracted toward green and black fabrics, and less toward white , gray, beige, or pastels.

Females mosquitos are the only ones that bite. They need a blood meal to reproduce. Males do not have the mouthparts required to penetrate human skin. Males feed exclusively on plant nectar. Although they are flying around at all hours, females are most actively seeking a meal at dawn and dusk.

You can take two steps that will help reduce the mosquito count in your outdoor spaces. First, lower the population by removing any standing water. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in water, so if you remove any sources, they will go elsewhere to reproduce. Standing water collects in places that are easy to overlook. Gutters, birdbaths, pockets in fountains, and saucers under container plants. For birdbaths and fountains, you can float a mosquito dunk, a product containing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) which releases a protien that destroys mosquito larvae. It is harmless to people and pets. A dunk typically lasts 30 days or so. For small areas like the saucer under a container plant, you can break them in half. There is ongoing discussion in the scientific community as to Bt’s harm to amphibians and other insect larvae.

Step two involves landscaping choices that make your garden less hospitable. Naturally repellent plants are those with heavy scents: rosemary, catmint, sage,  onions, lavender, and marigolds.

You can wear long sleeves and long plants to reduce the amount of exposed skin, use a spray-on repellent or essential oils, and avoid being outdoors during peak feeding times. Include some of the above-mentioned plants in containers around your regular outdoor seating areas. Clove oil and cinnamon oil are the most effective natural repellants.

For more information on protecting yourself from mosquito bites, visit this article from the Center for Disease Control.

A female mosquito has found a tasty target.

Drought-Tolerant Container Gardens: Succulents Are The Way to Go

Those of you who have been following my blog for a while know that my least favorite gardening task is watering. I love the look of container plants, but their need for frequent watering has prevented me from growing many until I discovered succulents. A succulent is a plant with limited water needs. Their fleshy leaves or stems serve as a storage unit, so that available water is absorbed and held until the plant needs it. They have evolved to tolerate dry conditions.

When we hear “water wise,” most of us first think of Cactus, but there are many others. Snake plant (Sansevieria) is a common houseplant, valued by many who profess that they can kill anything. Jade Plant (Crassula), Agave, Sedum, and Aloe are commonly grown. Hens and Chicks (Sempervivum) are a favorite passalong plant, shared between new and experienced gardeners alike. Plants may be bright green or have tints of gray, blue, purple, or pink. Leaves may be large and flat like paddles or narrow and needle-like. Choices are extensive and all are easy to grow.

The number one reason succulents die is overwatering. Whether grown in the ground, in containers, or indoors, they prefer a porous soil and lots of light. Indoors, use a potting soil labeled Cactus Mix and grow them in your sunniest window. Outdoors, succulents do well in areas with sandy or gravelly soil and excellent drainage. They require good light, but may need some afternoon shade in hot locations.

Many succulents are not hardy, so grow them in outdoor containers in summer, then bring them indoors during winter months. Most have shallow roots, and do best in shallow containers. Any succulent container must have drainage holes, to prevent waterlogging and rot. I find that a couple of layers of coffee filters or a used laundry fabric softener sheet placed in the bottom of the container before soil is added prevents porous soil from leaking out the holes.

I like to group different types of succulents in a single container, combining different leaf sizes, colors, and forms. Keep them in their plastic nursery pots until you have arranged them to your liking, then use potting soil to settle them in. Keep the soil at the same level or slightly below the top of the plant as it was in the nursery pot. This will prevent potting soil from lodging in the crown, a potential source of rot. Handle the new plants gently, as their roots are easily damaged by rough handling. When you first install your succulents, water them to ensure there are no air pockets. Allow excess water to drain and then empty saucers. Do not allow containers to stand in saucers of water. Succulents are comfortable in arid areas, so there is nothing to be gained by increasing their surrounding humidity.

If you want to give your succulent containers a finished appearance, use a non-porous top dressing like small stones or glass marbles. I prefer the neutral look of small river stones, but you can select a bright color of marbles or sea glass to compliment your container color. You can also use a groundcover Sedum as a living mulch.

In comparison to other plants, most succulents are inexpensive, so it is easy on the budget to experiment with different combinations.

This trio of containers sits near an entry. The two succulent containers combine different leaf forms and colors, which are complimented by the Heuchera ‘Amber Waves’ on the left. The burgundy foliage of the Weigela ‘Fine Wine’ behind the containers offers an added contrast.

For years, I struggled to keep plants watered in this triple-tiered tower. Last year, I replaced thirsty annuals with assorted succulents and they peformed well without daily attention. The broad-leaf forms spent the winter in the greenhouse. The finely textured, trailing plant on the right side (indentity unknown, sorry) is winter hardy and remained in place.

How to Get Rid of Mealybugs Before They Destroy Your Plants

I have a couple of “mother” Coleus plants in my greenhouse. I take cuttings from these in November or December, root them in starter cells, then move the rooted cuttings to four-inch containers. I grow them into transplants to set out when threat of spring frost is past. Using large starter plants gives my garden a hint of future lush appearance while bedding annuals are still tiny. The tag from my mommy plants is long gone, but I believe it is ‘Freckles,’ a personal favorite because the yellow and orange splotched leaves look good with the Melampodium I grow every year. The source plants are not pretty – taking cuttings means they are misshapen and stubby looking. Still, I can pull at least a dozen healthy cuttings from them annually. Until this year, that is.

I have very few plants that remain in the greenhouse during summer months, since plants I propagated or overwintered have moved to their outdoor summer locations. I disengage my automatic watering system during summer, so I visit the greenhouse every other day to manually water and ensure health of the few plants that remain. Imagine my disappointment when I found that my Coleus had been overtaken by a mealybug infestation that left them damaged beyond a hope of recovery.

Mealybugs are scale insects that suck the juices out of plants like Coleus, Cactus, Poinsettia, Rosemary, and many houseplants. Under magnification, they look like roly-poly bugs wearing white parkas. They can weaken plants to the point of death.

They are difficult to get rid of, requiring a three-prong approach. If the invasion is caught early, you may be able to control them by the first step only. First, use rubbing alcohol and a cotton-tipped swab to remove their bodies. Be careful to remove any eggs visible. Eggs are tiny, so a follow inspection is required. An alternate first treatment is to wash them away with a sharp stream of water. Second, applying a horticultural soap or oil will suffocate them. The oil will also smother any that are hiding in the tiny joints where leaves meet stems. And third, a systemic insecticide will kill any new bugs that decide to feed on the treated plants. Alcohol-soaked swabs and horticultural oils will kill adults but the eggs will be undamaged, so be prepared to repeat treatments several times as eggs hatch.

I reserve systemic insecticides for special or dire situations, since they kill good bugs along with the bad ones. Products containing the systemic Imidacloprid are widely available in garden centers and home improvement stores. Follow application instructions precisely.

I think flowers detract from the beauty of Coleus, so I remove flower buds as soon as I see them. Without flowers, pollinator damage from systemic poison is less of a concern. The bonus of flower removal is that it functions as a form of pruning that forces plants to bunch, making them look fuller. Unpinched plants tend to look rangy by season’s end, so I regularly pinch back to a pair of leaves even when they are not forming buds.

The best way to treat mealybugs is to prevent them if possible. Too much nitrogen leads to soft growth, so fertilize judiciously. Do not reuse potting soil that has been exposed to mealybugs, since their eggs can easily hide in soil. Sanitize tools and any pots you reuse. Quarantine any new arrivals for a day or two to ensure no hitchhikers. Most important: Inspect plants often so that problems are caught early.

A close view of a long-tailed Mealybug. Photo D-Kuru, CC BY-SA 3.0 AT

This is the sad result of a mealybug attack on a Coleus in my greenhouse.

Cardoon: Friend or Foe?

I wonder how to distinguish when a plant crosses the threshold from ornamental to annoying or even invasive. While the term “invasive” is often used to indicate plants that self-sow freely, the accurate meaning, succinctly put by the University of Florida,  is a plant that is “nonnative to a specific area, was introduced by humans, spreads so much that it displaces native plants. All invasive species start out as nonnative species, meaning that they don’t occur naturally in a geographic area. Once they are introduced, it may take some time for a nonnative species to become invasive, if they ever do. This is called a lag phase.” It is important to note that many nonnatives grow agreeably in our gardens without ever becoming invasive pests. A few examples: Azaleas, Camellias, Hydrangeas.

Cardoon has been gaining popularity among gardeners who enjoy unusual or out-of-the-ordinary plants. Cardoon, Cynara cardunculus (pronounced SIN-ah-rah kar-DUNK-yoo-lus) has a large number of common names. According to NC State University, these include Artichoke Thistle, Cardoon, Desert Artichoke, European Cardoon, Globe Artichoke, Scotch Thistle, Scottish Thistle, Spanish Artichoke, Wild Artichoke, and Wild Cardoon. I grew up in upstate SC, where farmers regarded thistle as a terrible weed in livestock pastures. My mother would swoop in and excavate any thistle-like intruder that attempted to make its home in her lawn. Cardoon is perennial in zones 7-10, and has a deep tap root that makes it difficult to eradicate. It tolerates most soil types, moisture levels, and acidity levels, and thrives in full sun.

Cardoon plants draw attention. They are tall (up to six feet when flowering), with prickly, toothed, gray-green foliage. The large flowers are purple. While the plant and the flower bud look like they should be edible, this is not the same plant as the edible artichoke (Scolymus Group, a subset of Cynara cardunculus). Their leaf stalks, however, can be harvested and cooked as a vegetable. The roots are reputed to be edible as well.

Cardoons need full sun and moist soil to look their best. They may go dormant in the hottest part of the year or during long periods without rain. Even in perfect soil conditions, they are dormant in winter, emerging in spring from their fat tap roots.

I have not been brave enough to plant a Cardoon in my garden. We had a native thistle that appeared along one of our groomed woodland paths last year. My husband admired it, and allowed it to stay. I should have been smarter and removed the spent flower head before it went to seed. Our admiration has dimmed this year, since every one of those seeds seems to have germinated. I foresee lots of hori-hori activity in the coming weeks as I grub out those roots.

Cardoon’s lovely purple flower

Prickly seed heads of Cardoon. The seeds are attached to fine fibers that allows wind to transport them to new locations.

Cardoon, growing in a friend’s garden, showcases prickly, toothed foliage.

Ready, Set, Prune

For those of you who have been eagerly waiting the go-ahead for shrub pruning, now is the time to cut back (if needed) those shrubs that flowered in earliest spring. Azaleas, Lilacs, and Forsythia can take a pruning now. If you wait until July, you will be removing the buds which will become next spring’s flowers. Please use hand pruners and cut stems to varying lengths so that new growth will make the shrub look full and lush.

Unless you are intentionally grooming shrubs into topiaries, do not use battery- or electric-powered hedge trimmers to transform them into cubes, pyramids, or round balls, commonly called “meatball” pruning. I see this crime against nature most often with Loropetalum. I understand – many Loropetalums grow much larger than their labeled size. As the National Garden Bureau says, save meatballs for spaghetti night.

Don’t misunderstand. I have nothing against boxwoods in containers, trimmed into shapes. I appreciate the formality this can lend to an overall landscape design. My own garden has L-shaped boxwood hedges at the four corners of the pool, where they provide a little privacy for swimmers and prevent leaves of nearby oak trees from blowing into the water. It has taken several years for me to transform these hedges into a healthy condition. As is so often the case, the former owners had trimmed them to be wider at the top than at the bottom. The lower limbs were shaded by the upper growth and consequently the bottom third was leafless and ugly. In profile, the hedges looked like a Yield sign. I have gently coaxed them to be slightly narrower at the top than the bottom, and they have responded with a growth flush near the bottom. The hedges had grown to be taller than I am, so this season I opted for a major height reduction. Instead of hacking them to half their former glory, I first reached deep within the interior and removed the largest, oldest branches. This is “thinning,” as opposed to “shearing.” Once the selective pruning was complete, I did an overall size reduction, but opted to limit my shortening to approximately 75% of the initial size. This combination of cuts allowed sunlight to reach the interior and caused new growth the generate from dormant buds. It has been a few weeks, and they are well on the way to a renewed, healthy appearance. It is almost as if they are thanking me for bringing them light. Prune thoughtfully. Limit reduction to no more than 50% of the initial size to avoid shocking the plant.

So…What should you do about that Loropetalum that you need to prune hard two or three times every year just to keep it from covering your windows? My recommendation is to remove it and plant it in another location where it can grow unrestrained into its natural, loosely arched shape. Fill the empty space with a plant that will fit the desired size when it is mature. The replacement may look undersized for a year or so, but think of all the time you will save by not pruning. There are many, many dwarf shrubs available in the market, and more introductions every year. Know your soil type, sunlight exposure, and ideal shrub height before you go plant shopping, and then trust the recommendations of an employee at a dedicated plant nursery or garden center.

Boxwood hedge before cutback

Results of interior reduction

String to mark height line

Boxwood after all cuts

I saw this in a restaurant parking lot. It made me sad. Please don’t prune like this.

Plants for Mother's Day

Many of us are being bombarded with advertisements and articles offering suggestions for Mother’s Day gifts. One article said, “Don’t give her a robotic vacuum or an air fryer. In fact, stay away from anything kitchen related.” Suggested alternates included a cozy throw, a keepsake box, elegant photo frames, or jewelry. Maybe I am less domestic than other women, but I think most busy mothers of young children would fall to their knees with gratitude over a robotic vacuum, while a keepsake box would mean one more thing to gather dust. A throw that doesn’t complement current décor or colors will be stored in the linen closet, perhaps indefinitely.

During my years as a garden center employee, I saw well-meaning husbands and kids purchase hanging baskets or special houseplants for Mom. I knew that in a few weeks many of those Petunia baskets would be quietly discarded, and the Black-Eyed Susie vines that looked so great when they left the sales floor would become unattractive, stringy things unless pruned. Please, consider the recipient’s available time and gardening style before making a selection. Hanging baskets will need water every day in the heat of summer. On the surface, watering sounds like a minor demand. But combine that daily watering chore with childcare needs, shopping, laundry, meal preparation and housecleaning, and resentment can easily overtake appreciation, no matter what she said when presented with a plant she did not select. If she has never shown any desire to tend plants, either indoors or out, respect that inclination and look for a non-gardening gift. If the person you are honoring is a gardener, pay attention to what she grows every year and shop with purpose. A woman with a vegetable garden would appreciate a healthy tomato plant or a specialty pepper. Those who enjoy a mojito at the end of the day might appreciate a container of mint. Someone who loves hot colors would enjoy that fire-engine red Geranium.

Gardeners who eschew houseplants are secretly gritting their teeth when presented with a fiddle-leaf fig, a cyclamen, or an orchid. By gifting a plant with exacting needs, you force the recipient to seek a special environment to accommodate a prima dona. As someone who has killed an amazing number of orchids, violets, and peace lilies, I can attest to the fact that not all successful outside gardeners are good inside gardeners. If she is proud of her collection of orchids or African violets, feel free to add another to her collection. Don’t hesitate to ask what type of plant would be especially appreciated. Pay careful attention to the response – not all Hydrangeas or Camellias have the same requirements.

Please consider non-plant presents like garden gloves, a high-quality pair of hand pruners, a kneeling pad, or high-quality sunscreen. Eyebrows were raised when a friend of ours gave us a large bag of Black Kow composted manure as a wedding present more than three decades ago, but this friend understood our shared gardening hobby.

For years, my perfect husband gave me lovely jewelry at every occasion. I loved it. BUT, the year he gave me a gas-powered, rear-tined rototiller for Valentine’s Day, I almost swooned with excitement. That was a turning point in our marriage. Future presents included things like tractors, dump trailer, and a motorized utility vehicle with an electric tilting bed. I confess, a Dramm watering wand or a quality garden hose mean more to me than just about any plant from a garden center.  

Anemones for Spring and Fall

Whether you call it Spanish Marigold, Windflower, or Poppy Anemone, Anemone coronaria (pronounced ah-NEM-oh-nee kor-oh-NAR-ee-ah) makes a bright pop of color in spring gardens. The Saint Brigid series was bred in Hollard. Their flowers are semi-double and will tolerate a little more shade than the De Caen series, which was bred in France.

Anemones are tolerant of most levels of acidity and different soil textures, but they perform much better in loamy or sandy soils than they do in clay. Avoid wet soils, which may lead to root rot. Anemones are cold-hardy in zones 7-10. Plants may reach up to 18 inches in height, but no more than 8 inches in width, so they look best if grown with a fairly tight spacing – 6 inches or so. The bright flowers lose impact when they are spread more than a foot apart. Flowers are long-lasting when cut for the vase, but avoid contact with the milky sap. It may produce a blistering rash in sensitive individuals.

Anemones bulbs should be planted in fall. They are ephemeral, which means that they flower in spring and then their top foliage dies away until the following spring. They may reseed, or can be propagated by division after a couple of years. The bulbs are poisonous. They are not normally damaged by deer or rabbits.

Another Anemone, Anemone x hybrida 'Honorine Jobert', is not quite as well-behaved as the A. coronaria species described above. Honorine Jobert is taller (3-4 feet), with pure white flowers, yellow stamens and a green button center. It spreads aggressively through rhizomes. If you have a large, damp, sunny-to-part-shade area that you want to cover quickly, this is a low maintenance plant (except for the inevitable division, which may occur faster than expected). Honorine Jobert blooms in fall rather than spring, putting on a display for up to eight weeks or more. It is cold hardy in zones 4-8, and has the same blistering sap as its shorter, more colorful cousins.

Anemone has ferny foliage

Anemone flowers outlast daffodils, tulips

A close view of Honorine Jobert flower. The petals have a slight ruffle to them.

Silene, "Catchfly," a Native Winner

A couple of years ago, I purchased three tiny specimens at a native plant sale. They were labeled ‘Catchfly’ which caught my interest. A little research revealed that these were Silene caroliniana (sigh-LEEN kair-oh-lin-ee-AY-uh), and native to the southeast.

The plants didn’t do much more than survive their first year, but since then they put on a reliable spring show. Each plant formed into a rounded mound about ten inches tall and a similar width. Leaves are narrow and range in length from one inch to three inches. The rosy, five-petaled flowers look very much like phlox. The ‘catchfly’ name comes from the sticky hairs on the stems that discourage insects from eating them.  

Silene is easy to grow in full to part-sun, neutral to acidic soil, and any soil texture. They dislike wet soils but do well in gravely or sandy soil. Once established, they are drought tolerant and may be included in rock gardens, xeric gardens, or pollinator beds. Mine are in a sloped area that does not receive supplemental irrigation, and they have done fine without any extra care. Plants are semi-evergreen, and hardy in zones 5-8. Butterflies and hummingbirds visit the flowers, which occur only in the spring. The rest of the year, they are innocuous clumps of foliage that are easy to overlook.

I would like to have more Silene, but I have not attempted to propagate it yet. I understand that they can be raised from stem cuttings, but I hope that they will self-seed and spare me the trouble.

I’m always happy to discover a native that works for me, and Silene is a winner