Produce Your Own Free Plants

Gardeners can never have enough plants. It’ an addiction that can’t be cured, and it can be an expensive habit.  The thought of free plants sends the gardener into a euphoric state of excitement.  This post will explain how anyone can produce more plants than they will ever need.

Propagation is the key to and endless supply of perennials. Most perennials can be propagated in three ways:

1. Division
2. Seed
3. Cuttings

Most gardeners already know how to grow plants from seed and how to divide perennials.  I want to focus on propagating from vegetative cuttings.   Growing from cuttings is not as hard as you might think…. as long as you have the secret tool of a professional grower.  Before I get into the “secret” lets go over a few steps for taking your cuttings and preparing them for the bench.

Prepare your pots or flats by filling with a good quality growing mix that is 50% peat – 50% perlite.  Moisten the growing medium so that it is wet all the way through.

Select only healthy plants and use a sharp pair of hand pruners or scissors to snip off the youngest, soft growth of the plants stems.  The cutting should be about 3 – 4 inches long.  Keep the cuttings in a pail or bucket with a towel or some type of cover over it to protect the new cuttings from the sun while you continue to take cuttings. Now that you have your cuttings it’s time to stick them.

Remove the lowest leaves and insert the cutting into each cell of the planting flat.  After you have stuck all the cuttings water the tray and firm up any loose cuttings.  Now for the “secret”.

Professional growers use an automatic misting system to root cuttings and to germinate seeds.  The systems range widely in price from computerized systems costing thousands of dollars to simple timer operated systems costing under a hundred dollars.  The one that I have used for over 20 years is called the Mist-a-Matic system and cost around $300.  Now if you are thinking that $300 high keep this mind… I have produced thousands of dollars worth of free plants using this tool.  The trick to the misting system is it never allows the soil to dry and keeps the leaves constantly wet.  The intermittent mist reduces stress to the cuttings and allows for a very high rooting success rate.  

One of the things I really love about the Mist-a-Matic system is that it does not use timers.  Using timers when trying to root cuttings can be very aggravating.  The timers have to be constantly adjusted with the weather. If it is hot and sunny the timer needs to be set to come on more frequently than on cloudy rainy days.  The Mist-a-Matic system uses a screen that measures the weight of the water that falls on it.  When the water is heavy enough the screen tilts and cuts of the water.  When the water on the screen evaporates the screen rises and the mist is cut back on.  The brilliance of the system is that the screen acts as a “leaf” and knows when the foliage of the cuttings is starting to dry.  By keeping the cuttings constantly wet the plants root very easily.

If you are interested in purchasing or learning more about the Mist-a-Matic I have a link to a retailer who sells it online at the bottom of this page.

Below is a list of perennials that are very easy to root from stem cuttings.

• Tall Garden Phlox
• Monarda
• Sedum
• Salvia
• Veronica
• Buddleia  (new soft, sticky growth)
• Agastache
• Mums
• Asters
• Gaillardia
• Lamium
• Lavender (new soft growth)

Note:  Remember that it is illegal to propagate perennials that are protected by Plant Patents

Link to Mista-a-Matic $249.95    This is for the controller only, you will also need misting heads and pipe.

Here at the nursery we have been flooded with inquiries about many of the jumbo hosta’s that have been introduced in the last couple of years.  Unfortunately, we missed the boat on the gaining popularity of these mammoth cultivars.  The only real true giant we grow is the variety known as H. ‘Sum and Substance’.  The giants that we are getting the most attention include varieties called Vim and Vigor, Big John, T Rex and the most requested variety is a huge hosta called Empress Wu.

Empress Wu is so large there is no possible way not to notice it.  The plants form clumps that are 4 feet tall and 6 feet wide!  The leaves can get 1 and half feet wide and are heavily rippled with great substance.   This giant was developed by Brian and Virginia Skaggs of Indiana. The originally name the plant ‘Xanadu Empress Wu’ but for marketing purposes they shortened the name to ‘Empress Wu’.  The name was selected to honor the only female empress to ever reign in China.  Now if you are wondering why in the world a couple from Indiana would name their new hosta after a Chinese Empress I can only guess that it has to do with the origins of the entire genus of hostas.  Hostas are native only to China, Japan and Korea where they thrive in the moist cool conditions of the mountainous regions of these countries.  Word has it that  Brian and Virgina are  currently working on another monster they have named H. Amos which has enormous blue green rippled leaves with very nice puckering.  Amos and Empress Wu are both the seedlings of H. Big John pictured above.

There is no doubt that  these super-sized hostas are outstanding additions to the garden but I think the catalogs and nurseries should be a bit more truthful about what it takes to get the plants to reach their incredible sizes.  As I stated above hostas are native in areas where rainfall is abundant and soil conditioins are both rich and slightly acidic.  While hostas are very rugged plants and will tolerate poor soils, drought, and a full range of sun exposures, you are not going to grow beautiful hostas buy punishing them with such awful growing conditions.   These new Giants will require your attention if you want the plants to reach their mature sizes.  This means a moist, well drained soil that is slightly acidic and rich in organic matter. Don’t think about planting in the sun,   the leaves will scald just as soon as the sun intensifies in late spring.  Below are a few tips for growing a gigantic hosta specimen.

• Soil must remain consistently moist but not soggy – the large leaves will require more water than other hostas.
• Soil needs be very rich and fertile – work in a good amount of compost and manure before planting
• Feed at least three times per year with a top dressing of composted manure and blood meal – the giant leaves and sheer size of the plants require  more nutrients than other hostas
• Water regularly during dry spells – if the plants are left to suffer drought conditions they will quickly adjust the will instinctively adjust their growth rate to survive dry conditions rather than continuing to produce growth — kind of like rationing during a famine.

As I read up on jumbo hostas I stumbled across a site that is letting gardeners post pictures of their own giants.  If you have some whoppers in your garden hop over to www.EmpressWuHosta.com and send them your photos.

I have ordered a couple of the big ones to try this summer – Empress Wu and T-Rex.  I will let you know how it turns out.

Happy Gardening

Inexpensive Greenhouse

One of the most common questions I get from folks is how to build an inexpensive greenhouse.  Most gardeners dream of having their very own greenhouse so that they can start their own spring flowers, and extend the growing season for many vegetables.   Most home gardeners are quickly discouraged by the prices of prepackaged kits and give up on thier dream.  You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars to have your own greenhouse. In this post I will show you how I built some very inexpensive frames for around $500 per frame.

Greenhouse structures are not that complicated.  The main objective is to  trap the suns heat and provide your plants protection from harsh weather conditions.  I want to keep this post short since it is a “how to” article so let’s dive into the details of construction.

I don’t about you but I understand instructions better when they are accompanied by pictures so I have put together a simple set of plans complete with photos of how I built my own greenhouses / cold frames in my backyard.  I use the frames mostly for growing vegetable crops and for starting seeds. I have one house that I use to propagate perennials using vegetative cuttings but we will get to the propagation system in my next post.  If you have any questions don’t hesitate to leave a comment and I will get back to you as soon as I can.  Follow the link below to view my version of an inexpensive greenhouse.

Build your own greenhouse plans

Happy Gardening

Easy to grow perennials

I spend hours upon hours dragging around water hoses, shoveling mulch, picking off bugs and pulling weeds.  The last thing I need is a plant that is fussy about growing conditions and vulnerable to every disease and pest under the sun.  Don’t get me wrong I have some pet varieties that require more attention from me than others but I am not willing, nor do I have the time to pamper every plant I grow.   

How I define easy:1.)  Plants must be somewhat drought tolerant, they don’t need to be able survive desert conditions but if I have to give the plant a drink every time it gets hot then that plant is off the list. 2.) Flowering must be maintenace free. If I have to drive stakes into the ground and rig up a mess of twine or constantly deadhead faded flowers that plant is not “easy”.3.) The plant must be disease and pest resistant. It makes no sense to spray poisons and then try to attract birds and butterflies to the garden. If the plant can’t take on nature by itself  then I certainly don’t want a garden full of them.4.)  A plant can be easy to grow but the flowering time is so short it may as well be a weed since it offers very little interest to the garden for most of the season.  This rule does not apply to plants that have short bloom times but offer elements of texture.I know that is a tough list of requirements and it weeds out many  varieties of perennials that other gardeners consider easy.  My intention is to give you a list of truly easy to grow plants that are beautiful as well as low maintenance.   One thing that aggravates me about the mail order perennial business is that according to the descriptions everything is  ”Easy to Grow”.   Every perennial in the catalog or on a website is not easy to grow  now matter how many times they repeat the phrase.  In fact I consider some varieties as prima Donna’s and will not even waste my time with them.  That being said don’t let me discourage you from selecting  varieties that you like.  The plants I have trouble with may thrive in your area and under your care. The lists below are my easy to grow picks and under that is my difficult to grow list.        Easy:

• Achillea
• Buddleia (not really a perennial but often found in mail order catalogs)
• Coreopsis
• Dianthus
• Echinacea
• Gaillardia
• Hemerocallis ( Daylily – very easy)
• Hostas (as long as you keep them in the shade)
• Iris
• Sedum
• Veronica
• Ferns (again keep them in the shade)
• Ornamental Grasses
• Shasta Daisy
• Poppies
• Phlox
• Rudbeckia
• Knockout Roses ( not a perennial but I just could not leave out this great shrub rose)

     Tough:

• Aconitum  (monkshood)
• Delphinium   (unless you live in area with cool summers)
• Lupine  (unless you have a deep rich soil)
• Hybrid Tea Roses  (every bug and fungus in the world love these things – use floribundas instead)
• Lavender (can be tough but if you get it placed in the right spot it is easy)

Happy Gardening

Well my last post ruffled a few feathers when I stated that anything larger than a 4 inch potted perennial was a waste of money.  I not only got emails from gardeners who disagreed with me a got few from angry growers.  I stand by my statement that a perennial in a pot larger than a 4″ pot is a waste of money and to provide some evidence for my opinion I wanted to show you a production timing chart that is used by perennial nurseries for timing their crops.  Before you jump straight to the chart keep in mind that this chart is showing finish times from “plug to pot”.  In other words this is an estimate of how long it will take to have a retail ready pot size once the liner or plug has been transplanted to it’s retail sized pot. This chart represents perennials only…. the shrubbery and tree business is way longer ( up to 1 year for 1 gallon ) and deserve their retail prices.  Take a close look at the chart below and tell me a 1 quart or 1 gallon perennial is worth $18 – $20 when you can buy a 4″ pot for $3 -$5.

The source for this chart is one of largest growers of perennial plugs / transplants in the US. I will not say who but you can run a web search for perennial plug timing chart and you will eventually stumble across it as well as many others.  So before you pay Garden Crossings, White Flower Farm or Wayside Gardens the ridiculous prices they are getting for their plants think about this chart and ask your self if the extra dirt is really worth it.  My notes are in red.

Perennial Timing Chart

Hybrid Echinacea 'Tomato Soup'

I have been getting quiet a few emails from folks wanting to know how to buy seed for several of the new perennials out this year…. especially the new echinacea varieties.  Instead of answering all the email I thought it would be quicker to just add a quick post to explain hybrid plants. Hybrids are developed by breeders  by crossing  two different plants with the hopes that the cross will produce a new plant that has both of the valued traits of each of the parents.  The goal of the breeder is to develop a new variety that has better or unique flowering,  greater disease resistance, size and to come up with new flower or foliage colors. Most all of the new plants being introduced are hybrids.   

The seed that is produced by these new hybrids will not reproduce the plant it came from and therefore would not be considered true to name.  This is not to say that you would be wasting your time collecting seeds from hybrids. The seedlings you produce may not resemble the parent but you just may come up with a very interesting new plant.   

Hybrids are reproduced from the parent plants by taking cuttings. The cuttings have all the “DNA” needed to be exactly like the variety it was taken from. This process is know as “asexual reproduction” which means only a few licensed growers can reproduce the new hybrid.  If you have ever wondered why new plant varieties are expensive when compared to older selections the limited asexual reproduction is the reason… the new plant is in limited supply.    

So now you know why the seed for Echinacea Tiki Torch or Tomato Soup or Shasta Daisy Banana Cream is not available. These plants are reproduced by vegetative cuttings not seed.   

One more quick tip – don’t think about taking cuttings your self as this is considered stealing and is against the law.  Look closely at the tags that come with hybrid plants and you will see the phrase “Asexual Reproduction Prohibited”  If you want to grow new perennial varieties but don’t want of pay the prices being charged just wait a few years and the prices usually go down.   

Happy Gardening

Double Knockout Rose

 Knockout Roses have taken the gardening world by storm since the first Red Knockout was introduced in 2000 and won the prestigious “All American Rose Selection Award”.  A very well deserved award.  The Knock Out rose quickly became the fastest selling new rose introduction of all time.  The breeder of these marvelous roses, Bill Radler was  a Wisconsin Roasarian and had been breeding roses for over 20 years.  He focused his breeding efforts on developing roses that where easy to grow, heavy flowering  and disease resistant.

He achieved success in 1988 when he crossed  rosa ‘Razzle Dazzle’ with rosa ‘Carefree Beauty’ the resulting plant would soon become the worlds most popular rose the “Knockout”.  Testing  took place on the new rose for several years and was conducted by Star Roses who after many trials introduced Radrazz as ’The Knockout Rose’ in 2000.  The new Knockout Rose was an instant success selling over 250,000 plants in the first year becoming the fastest selling rose in history.

The recipe for success was simple:

• Superb marketing
• An easy to grow rose that anyone can grow
• Repeat bloomer: Flowers from late spring through the first frost
• Disease and pest resistant; no more spraying for blackspot, aphids and other rose enemies
• Plants are self-cleaning; no deadheading
• Hardy in zones 5 – 9 and will grow in zone 4 with protection
• Beautiful plants with dark shiny green foliage
• Can be grown in partial shade

Since the fist introduction of Knockout Rose the breeder has added to the family to include:

1. Double Knockout – a gorgeous double red
2. Blushing Knockout – soft light pink
3. Rainbow Knockout – pink with yellow center
4. Pink Double - just as the name suggest: double pink ruffled flowers
5. Pink Knockout – bright pink
6. Sunny Knockout – bright yellow and fragrant

If you have tried roses in the past and have given up on growing them we strongly suggest that you give  The Knockout Rose Family a chance before throwing in the towel. You will be amazed at how easy these wonderful plants are to grow and the flower power they possess.   One of the best places to purchase Knockout Roses online is www.RosesKnockout.com  The plants are very affordable and are offered in a new type of growing container called The EGP.  A very interesting process of growing plants in field rows in a pot that has no bottom.  The bottomless pot allows for unrestricted root growth as the plants roots grow out of the bottom of the pot into ground.  These plants are called liners in the nursery profession and are purchased from growers who specialize in growing the liners for other nurseries who pot the liners into  1 gallon pots.  To give you an idea of why I feel like the EGP pot is the best option for home gardeners just think about this:

• An EGP potted liner is purchased by a nursery who will pot the liner into a one gallon pot.  That EGP liner will be ready to sale as a one gallon rose in about 6 weeks.  The price for the EGP potted Knockout Rose at www.RosesKnockout.com is $9.99  The average prices I found on the web for a one gallon plant was $25.00 – $30.00. You will not convince me that the 1 gallon rose is worth 3 times more in only 6 weeks.  You are paying for dirt!

I am not trying to pick on rose nurseries this is also true with perennials where plugs often cost as little as 50 cents and are potted up for 8 – 10  weeks then sold for ridiculous prices ranging from between $12.00 – $20.00 in quart pots.  I am not a fan of any perennial being sold in anything larger than a 4″ pot because I refuse to pay for dirt.  I know this because I am the head grower at Gorge Top Gardens. 

Take it for what it’s worth, it’s your money.

Happy Gardening!

Butterfly Attractions

Most people are not aware of the number of Butterflies they already have fluttering around in their yards. With over 700 species in the US you are bound to have a few lingering around somewhere. The trick is to get them out into your garden where they can be appreciated.  Sadly that 700 number is getting smaller each year due to the destruction of the insects habitat and the over use of pesticides.

Now that we have assumed that there are butterflies visiting your yard we need to figure out a way to increase their numbers. This can be done by simply providing them with the things they naturally need.  To successfully attract numerous butterflies you will need to grow plants that are both sweet in nectar but also a place for laying eggs. Butterflies prefer native plants and will often ignore hybrids. This is why a wildflower garden attracts butterflies more so than a formal one.

While butterflies do prefer the untidy look of a wildflower garden they can be lured into any style of garden with the right type of flowering plants. Plants that are highly fragrant and rich in nectar are always butterfly favorites, but keep in mind that just because a plant is fragrant does not mean it is ripe with nectar. A rose for instance is one of the sweetest scents in the garden but the flowers don’t produce any nectar. The best flowers for attracting butterflies are ones with simple blooms and bright, vivid colors.

One thing not often mentioned about attracting butterflies is a term called “puddling”. This involves providing a shallow pool of water or birdbath in order to help create and even more inviting atmosphere. Butterflies frequent shallow pools of water in order to extract minerals from the water. To create a puddling area simply put some dirt or sand in the basin you plan to use and allow some of the dirt to be above the water to give the butterflies a spot to rest.  To really spoil your fluttering neighbors put out plates or bowls of rotting fruit like apples, grapes or over ripened bananas — they love these sweet snacks.

Advice:
> Place the garden in full sun
> Select as many native varieties as you can find
> Use flowers that have large blooms and bright colors
> Do not use pesticides in the garden or on the lawn
> Use plants with different heights
> Create a puddling area

Annuals for Butterfly Gardens:
> Lantana
> Geranium
> Impatiens – (Not New Guineas)
> Verbena
> Heliotrope
> Pentas
>Zinnas
> Salvia
>Ageratum

Perennials for Butterfly Gardens:
> Buddleia (Butterfly Bush )
> Yarrow
> Shasta Daisy
> Phlox
> Rudbeckia ( Black Eyed Susans)
> Monarda ( Bee Balm )
> Echinacea ( Purple Coneflower )
> Coreopsis

 Recently I’ve been looking through all the new 2010 spring perennial catalogs and have noticed that they are all full of new hybrid echinaceas or what we used to call purple coneflowers.  I guess we are going to have to abandon the “purple” phrase as these new coneflowers  are available in  orange, pink, red, creamy whites and yellows. New hybrids like ‘Orange Meadowbrite’, Pink Double Delight and ‘Harvest Moon’ as well as others are just a few examples of the vibrant new flower colorsavailable.  I am in the process of growing many of these new varieties, and talking to the breeders about what to expect from each plant.   I have been told that it is important to grow many of the new shades of orange in full britght sunshine  as the vibrant colors will become washed out in even light shade.  As my plants mature over the summer I will update this post with my reviews of each variety as well as any new selections being offered by the breeders.

For many years I have selected new introductions to grow- but this year has been very difficult due to the numerous great new plants be introduced. This year is shaping up to be one of the most exciting years in our trials in a long time – so many great plants – so little space.
  
I have a strong feeling that I am not going to be disappointed with any of the new Echinacea plants and will wind up only wanting more…. whatever the results I will let you know but be warned these new Coneflowers could become addictive.

For one of the best selections of the newest Coneflowers or Echinacea plants take a look at www.coneflowers.net catalog. They have the best collection of new varieties on the net.

The hybrid tea was developed by crossing a tea rose and a hybrid perpetual, and has become the most popular rose bush in America. Hybrid Tea Roses produce large blooms on long stems and are favored for exhibition and cut flowers.

The Floribunda rose was developed from a cross between a hybrid tea and a polyantha. These roses sport more flowers but the blooms are smaller and are born on numerous clusters. Floribundas are hardier and easier to grow than grandiflora roses and hybrid teas.

The grandiflora rose was developed from a cross between a hybrid tea and a floribunda. These plants are similar in size to the hybrid tea but commonly have more but somewhat smaller blossoms..

Shrub Rose is a term commonly used to broadly categorize roses not previously named. Some of the hardiest of all roses can be found in this group. With its beauty, fragrance and history, the shrub rose can be a satisfactory component of the landscape. The shrub rose class includes the English Roses developed by David Austin often refereed to as Old Garden Roses or English Roses.

Selecting Rose Bushes

Most all Roses are sold through mail-order nurseries, local Garden Centers and nursery outlets.. More Often Than Not mail-order nurseries handle bare-root, dormant roses but that trend is quickly changing and many now offer potted plants. Local nurseries usually handle potted roses but often do not have the newest varieties available through mail order.

Many experienced rose growers prefer the bare-root, dormant plant from a reputable nursery but new gardeners are much more comfortable with potted plants. Potted roses are available to the gardener all the way through summer but for the best results roses should be planted in very early spring before the summer heat begins.. Be careful when purchasing packaged roses from retail outlets as these stores are bad to let the plants dry out and deteriorate on the shelf.

Site Selection

Site selection is important. Select an area that gets full sun and close air circulation. If you are planting in an area that is exposed to high winds you will need to locate the rose in a manner that protects the rose from the steady wind. Plant the bushes so that they get a minimum of five to six hours of sunshine. When choosing a location, avoid places where the roses have to compete with tree or shrub roots for water and nutrients. Good drainage is also needed for proper growth and should be a factor in selecting your site.

When planting bareroot roses spring planting is favorite over fall. The best planting time is six to seven weeks before the last hard spring frost.

Condition rose beds or planting before to receiving the rose bushes. If the plants appear dry, soak them in a bucket of luke-warm water overnight. Do not allow the plants to sit it the water for more than 12 hours. If planting in a bed that has been properly prepared, dig the hole so that the root system is accommodated easily, usually about 18 inches in diameter and 12 inches in depth. If the soil has not been prepared in advance, dig the hole at least twice as large and amend with organic materials such as well rotted manure or compost.

Do not permit the plants to dry out. Keep the roots in a bucket of water while your are preparing the soil and digging the hole. Before you plant the rose prune any damaged or broken roots with a sharp pair of garden clippers. Excessively long roots may be shortened, but leave 8 to 10 inches of healthy root if possible. Place the plant in the hole so that the bud union is at or slightly below ground level. Do not pack the soil around the roots. Firm with your hands or let water from a hose settle in the soil. It is important to water deeply at this time, be careful not to create puddles as this tends to separate the soil components… water in the plants slowly and let the water seep into the ground before adding more water.

The rose bush was probably top pruned by machine, with no consideration for correct pruning, prune the canes after planting. Your cuts should be made at a 30 to 45 degree angle, with a sharp set of shears. cut 1/4 inch above a bud eye, leaving about 6 to 8 inches of the rose bush cane. Pruning will help keep the center of the plant open for improved air circulation and open it up to sunlight penetration.