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| Herbs in the Garden |
Herbs make a nice addition to the edible garden. They like a sunny location.
Herbs come in annual and perennial varieties. Basil, a favorite in the herb garden, is an annual and must be replanted each year. The same goes for parsley, cilantro, and dill. Others are perennial and will come back on their own each year, once planted. Popular perennial herbs include thyme, oregano, marjoram, chives, and sage. We have all these varieties in the garden center for purchase now.
If you're just starting an herb garden, it's best to plan the layout of your perennial varieties first. Once they are in place, the annual varieties can be added each season.
Don't forget -- herbs that don't get too tall are great in a container garden. These include basil, parsley, cilantro, sage, and chives. Rosemary or lavender are beautiful in a container all by themselves.
You'll also note when you visit the garden center that herbs often come in many varieties. Thyme is a good example. Lemon thyme tastes quite different than straight garden thyme. Basil also comes in many varieties. Thai basil is quite different than spicy basil and purple basil is different than both! It's nice to have more than one variety of your favorites if you have room - but if you are just starting, choose one of each for this season and learn about them as they grow.
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| Container Workshop |  Attend one of our container workshops to create a mixed container to brighten your garden this season.
There's still space available on May 22 & 29 at 10:00 AM - and don't forget the coupon below to save on registration! |
| Summer Vegetables |
Many summer vegetable seeds can be planted now. These include pole beans, cucumbers, squash, zucchini, and melons (if you have lots of space for the plants to spread out). Follow directions on the seed packets for depth of planting and be sure to mix in compost.
Peppers of all varieties are easy to grow, even for the beginning gardener. We have many varieties in the garden center. We also have broccoli, eggplant, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage and other summer vegetables.
If you have been planting a vegetable garden for several years, be sure to rotate the crops so that the same plant is not in the same location as last season. This reduces the chance of disease and varies the nutrients that are drawn from the soil from year to year.
It's also smart - and attractive - to plant marigolds and nasturtiums around plants in the vegetable garden. Both these plants act as natural pest deterrents. Even the rabbits won't like the pungent smell of marigolds. An added bonus is the fact that nasturtium flowers are edible -- and add both color and a pleasing peppery taste to summer salads. |
| In Our Next Issue |
Pruning: what, when & how
Planting pumpkins
And More! |
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| Featured Plant: Blue False Indigo |
Photo courtesy of Northscaping.com | Our featured plant this issue is blue false indigo (Baptisia australis), a tall, striking perennial with great color for the back of your border. This plant is a member of the pea family and is native to Illinois. It has characteristic pea-like flowers and forms seed pods after the flowering is done. Foliage is a gray green color that will add foliage interest in the garden when the plant is not blooming.
You'll want to plant blue false indigo carefully in just the right spot. It does not like to be moved, but despite this sensitivity, this perennial will reward you all season long. Blue false indigo is the Perennial Plant of the Year for 2010. |
| Talking Tomatoes |
 Home grown tomatoes are perhaps the most popular item to grow in your garden. Tomatoes are actually classified as fruits, not vegetables. But no matter what their provenance, there is nothing like the taste of a home grown, vine ripened tomato. May is the month to plant your tomatoes! Use a starter fertilizer mixed into the soil before you set in the plants. Mulch plants and put supports in place before they get to 12" tall. Select your tomatoes carefully according to your taste. They come in all sizes and have varying growth requirements. If you are planting more than one, it's wise to select varieties with different maturity dates so all your tomatoes do not ripen at once. Choosing different sizes and colors can be fun also, and of course if you do canning you will want varieties that are good for that purpose. We have hybrid tomatoes of many varieties in the garden center. The biggest advantage to a hybrid tomato plant is its resistance to fungal diseases that lives in the soil and can attack and wilt entire tomato plants just as the fruits are ripening. Heirloom tomatoes are also gaining a lot of popularity these days, and we have many to select from in the garden center right now. Heirloom tomatoes are so named because they have been around for a long time, often passed down in families and prized from generation to generation for their variety and flavor. Heirlooms are pollinated in nature - by birds, animals or insects -- while hybrid tomatoes are bred artificially to have characteristics that ensure their success - thicker skins, rounder shape, redder color and resistance to fungal disease. While these traits are important, hybrid tomatoes often lack the softness and sweetness of heirloom varieties. |
| Summer Annuals For Constant Color |
Now that the soil is warm, a wide variety of annuals is available at the garden center. Annuals last only a season, but they provide constant color throughout the summer and until first frost. Most annuals require sun or partial sun to bloom well.
When planning the annuals that will work best in your garden, consider these factors:
What colors do you like? Yellow, orange and red are "hot" colors and will make your garden more lively. Blue and purple are "cool" colors and make your garden seem calmer. White flowers show up best at night.
What height will fill in the open spaces in the garden? Taller annuals can be a great addition to the back of your beds. Medium ones can fill in the middle and shorter ones should go in the front. When you buy, note how big the plant is going to get!
What flower shape do you like? Just looking at the annuals in the garden center can acquaint you with the variety of flower shapes. Variety is the spice of life in the garden when it comes to flower shapes.
Where will you plant it? While most annuals need sun, some prefer less intense sun than others. Annuals also vary in their moisture needs. Consider both factors when deciding where to put your annuals.
How does it smell? Some annuals have intense fragrance and are great on the garden path or near the doorway. |
| Perennial Care |
 In May, the perennials in your garden will begin in earnest to show their glory. Perennials bloom once each season for a few weeks. Besides Blue False Indigo, our feature plant this time, you'll enjoy hardy Geraniums, Bellflower, Astilbe, Salvia, Columbine, Dianthus, and many others in May. Use our plant search to find more! While perennials don't require replanting each year, they do require some care to remain healthy and productive. Here are some tips: Deadheading means snipping off the spent flowers of perennials. This activity will stimulate the plant to bloom more. Mulching carefully around perennials will keep weeds down and moisture in. Be sure not to mulch more than 2" and do not crowd the plants too closely. Too much mulch can smother the plants. Plant supports should be installed now, for tall perennials that will bloom later in the year - including monkshood, fall blooming anemone, daisies, asters and others. The supports will help your garden look orderly as the plants mature. Pinching back is important for bushy, beautiful chrysanthemums in the fall. Snip off the top half inch of chrysanthemums once they reach 6 inches tall, and continue this practice until July 4th. This will keep the plants from getting too leggy and it will stimulate more blossoms. If you have spring bulbs mixed in your perennial border, do not cut off the foliage once the blossoms are gone. The foliage provides nutrients to the bulb for next season and should be allowed to die naturally. Remove when the foliage is brown and can easily be removed without pulling up the bulb. Daffodil foliage lasts the longest and can be tied with raffia for an interesting look in the garden. It should not be bent or braided as this also damages the cells that are gathering nutrients to the bulb. If you want summer blooming bulbs this year, now is the time to plant gladiola, dahlia, canna, and elephant ears in the garden. If you have started these in pots inside, they will bloom all the sooner. |
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Buy 1, Get 1 Free! |
4" pots of herbs or veggies
Bring this coupon to the Garden Center to save. Mix & match. Limit 10. | | Offer Expires: May 23, 2010 Discount off retail price. |
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$5.00 off |
Container Class Registration Fee*
Join us at the Garden Center at 10 AM on May 22 or May 29 to make a cheerful container for your porch, patio or balcony! Registration fee includes all materials. Call 847-824-7411 to register in advance. | | Offer Valid for May 22 & May 29, 2010. *Regularly $35.00 |
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