Position Full sun in spring, sun to partial shade in summer. Allow 4in (10cm) between bulbs of miniature daffodils, and 6in (15cm) between taller varieties. Feeding Topdress with rich compost in spring, when new growth appears.
Dried valerian roots are used to make a bedtime tea that promotes sleep. Valerian can stand 5 feet (1.5 meters) tall when it is in full bloom. Position Full sun to partial afternoon shade.
They tend to congregate in groups on new growth or in leaf crevices. Along with the loss of plant juices from direct feeding, aphids can spread diseases. See also black bean aphids and cabbage aphids.
They naturalize beautifully in hospitable climates. Troubleshooting Watch plants for problems with aphids or whiteflies, which can multiply rapidly. Crop Rotation Group Miscellaneous ● Soil Average to gritty garden soil with excellent drainage.
Our Garden Planner can produce a personalized calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area. Troubleshooting Rabbits enjoy nibbling chamomile foliage. Chamomile tea is made from the blossoms only.
Some strains are grown for their pretty pink flowers. Troubleshooting Control oregano's spread by cutting back flowering stems when their colors fade. Gather stems for drying in early summer, just before the plants bloom.
If you like dried flowers, harvest blossoms when they have good color, strip off the leaves, and hang them to dry in small bunches in a dry, well-ventilated place. In warm climates, gomphrena sometimes reseeds but it is never invasive.
Companions Cabbage, Grape Vine, Mint and Echinacea. Spacing Single Plants: 11" (30cm) each way (minimum) Rows: 11" (30cm) with 11" (30cm) row gap (minimum) Sow and Plant Set out stocky seedlings in late spring.
Our Garden Planner can produce a personalized calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area. Troubleshooting Wait until spring to prune back lavender plants, because the dead stems help shelter the base of the plants from harsh winter weather.
Position Full sun to partial shade. Allow 12 inches (30cm) between very tall varieties. Feeding Mix a light application of a balanced organic fertilizer into the soil prior to planting.
Colors include soft pink and white. Where Japanese beetles are a common pest, cover plants with row cover until they come into bloom. Troubleshooting Expect some cosmetic damage from leaf-eating beetles.
Feeding Mix a light application of a balanced organic fertilizer into the soil prior to planting. The narrow, airy plants rise up suddenly in late summer, making them great replacements for early season bloomers.
Planting and Harvesting Calendar < Back to All Plants Pests which Affect Tulip Aphids (General) Slug Snail Cover the bulbs to four times their depth with loose soil. Colors choices are endless, from white to almost black.
Harvesting Cut irises for arrangements as soon as the buds show good color; they will continue to open indoors. When digging and replanting an old plot, cut away pieces of injured root.
Harvesting Even though the individual blossoms last only one day, daylilies make interesting cut flowers. Troubleshooting Daylilies are often eaten by deer. Crop Rotation Group Miscellaneous ● Soil Fertile, well-drained soil.
Notes Established clumps produce beautiful pink flowers in late spring. Becomes dormant in winter. Feeding If desired, drench with a liquid organic fertilizer in spring, after new growth appears, and again in late summer.
Notes Frequent pinching back helps to keep plants bushy and full, and it delays flowering. Treat small outbreaks of powdery mildew with a spray made from 2 Tablespoons milk in 1 cup water.
Lavender, purple, pink and white are the most common flower colors. Troubleshooting Ornamental alliums have few pest problems and are seldom eaten by deer. Crop Rotation Group Allium (Onion family) ● Soil Average garden soil with excellent drainage.
Gather stems when two-thirds of the flowers on the spike have opened. Try a snapdragon as the upright element in a mixed container. Position Full sun. Most gardeners save time by buying snapdragons as bedding plants.
Notes Echinacea is grown for its beautiful flowers and for the medicinal properties of teas and tinctures made from roots, leaves and flowers. Feeding Spread rich compost over the dormant plants each winter.
Pull up plants when blooms become scarce. Spacing Single Plants: 11" (30cm) each way (minimum) Rows: 11" (30cm) with 11" (30cm) row gap (minimum) Sow and Plant Sow larkspur seeds where you want the plants to grow in fall, or first thing in spring.
When disturbed, Asiatic garden beetles instinctively drop downward. Preventing Problems: In areas where this pest is common, many gardeners monitor populations by placing a pail of soapy water in the garden next to a low-wattage black light.
Companions Tomato, Squash, Strawberry and Pepper. Spacing Single Plants: 1' 1" (35cm) each way (minimum) Rows: 11" (30cm) with 1' 11" (60cm) row gap (minimum) Sow and Plant Plant the large seeds in your garden in late spring.
Harvesting Snip off spent blossoms to keep plants looking neat, and to prolong flowering. Our Garden Planner can produce a personalized calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area.
Harvesting Blossoms open during the day and close at night, so they are not useful as cut flowers. Pair gazanias with taller drought-tolerant flowers such as gomphrena and coreopsis.
In most climates, gaillardia needs a head start indoors if the plants are to bloom well their first year. Troubleshooting Gaillardia has few pest problems. If you like dried flowers, harvest some of the older flowers and dry them after the petals have...
Allow unharvested flowers to remain in the garden until they set seed, if possible. Flowers emerge in fall on bare stems. Position Full sun in spring, partial shade in summer. Our Garden Planner can produce a personalized calendar of when to sow, plant...
