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Greetings!
November brings about the more subtle beauties of the garden: as leaves fall and branches become bare, berries and bark and the jewel tones of pansies, cabbages and kale are better appreciated. Read on to learn about ornamental berries and birds in the landscape, find out about blueberries and get a head start on next summer's harvest and read the fourth articles of two series on beneficial insects and landscape design.
Stop in and see us this month! Our greenhouse is full of winter blooms and foliage and we have a great selection of evergreens for containers and beautiful camellias in bloom. Discover how much there is to enjoy in the winter garden!
Happy Gardening!
*If you are new to our e-newsletter and would like to see what you've missed, check out the e-newsletter archive on our website: www.colliersnursery.com ! |
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Brighten Up with Berries
Enjoy Ornamental Berries and the Birds They Attract!
 As fall progresses and pollinating insects disappear, the conspicuous blooms of spring and summer are replaced with berries that provide a means of survival for over-wintering birds. Incorporate one or more of the following trees or shrubs into your landscape and enjoy their bright berries and the wildlife they attract:
Trees with Ornamental Berries
Burford Holly (Ilex cornuta 'Burfordii')
Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)
Foster Holly (Ilex x attenuata 'Foster')
Kousa Dogwood (Cornus kousa)
'Mary Nell' Holly (Ilex 'Mary Nell')
Savannah Holly (Ilex x attenuata 'Savannah')
Shrubs with Ornamental Berries
Japanese Aucuba (Aucuba japonica)
Japanese Barberry (Berberis species)
Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)
Cotoneaster species
Leatherleaf Mahonia (Mahonia bealei)
Nandina domestica
Pyracantha species
Viburnum species
Birds in the Winter Landscape
As winter approaches, birds that do not migrate to warmer climates must supplement their usual diet of insects with seeds and berries in order to survive. In addition to adding plants with winter berries to your garden, you can provide extra nourishment to feathered friends by allowing plants to go to seed. During winter birds must actively seek water and shelter. Evergreen plantings, such as hollies and conifers, act as a natural shelter from cold winds and birds will also use birdhouses to stay warm. Keep your birdbath filled with clean water and your garden will be a much needed haven for over-wintering birds! Click here to learn more about the birds that are commonly found in Alabama, and your garden, during the winter months. |
Blueberries
How to Grow the South's Favorite Berry
 Blueberries ( Vaccinium species) are native to eastern North America and the health benefits of their fruit are now well known. Blueberries contain high levels of antioxidants, including vitamins C and E, which help slow the aging process. A cup of blueberries a day is likely to keep the doctor away and growing blueberries is so easy there's no reason why you can't supply yourself with this tasty fruit. Late fall and winter are the best times to plant bluberry bushes; get started now and look forward to a bountiful harvest next summer!
Relatives of azaleas and rhododendrons, blueberries prefer the same soil conditions: moist but well-drained, acidic soil is best. Plant in full sun (atleast 4-5 hours a day) for best yield. Blueberry bushes have fine surface roots: avoid planting directly around them and spread a layer of mulch to protect the roots and conserve moisture. For a hedge, space plants 3 feet apart, otherwise space 4-5 feet apart.
In addition to their delicious fruit, blueberry bushes possess ornamental qualities that make them a lovely addition to the landscape. Dark green to blue-green leaves turn fiery shades of yellow, orange or red in the fall. Small, white, bell-shaped flowers put on quite a show in the spring.
To keep plants vigorous and fruit yield high, bluberry bushes need occasional pruning, which is best done in late winter. Remove 2 to 3 of the oldest branches each year as well as any dead or broken branches and any that are touching. Pruning allows better penetration of sunlight and air to the center of the plant.
Selections of Rabbiteye blueberries (Vaccinium ashei), native to this area, are best adapted to the hot and humid summers and mild winters of the southeast. Plant 2-3 kinds for improved pollination and larger and more fruit. Rabbiteye blueberries fruit between May and August with varieties that fruit in early, mid and late season. The following are tried and true selections that we carry:
'Climax' Early fruit.
'Premier' Early fruit.
'Tifblue' Mid to late fruit. The most cold hardy rabbiteye.
'Woodward' Early fruit. Shortest and most spreading. |
Tread Lightly: Ladybugs
Ladybugs are one of the most cherished garden insects, especially by children. They are also one of the most beneficial to the garden, consuming large amounts of pesky insects during their lifetimes- both good reasons for consideration and respect by gardeners. Also called ladybird, ladyclock, ladycow and ladyfly, it's no surprise that ladybug lore abounds in cultures around the world: In northern Europe and North America you can expect your wish to be granted if a ladybug lands on you. In Italy, you can expect the same if one flies into your bedroom. In central Europe a girl will marry within the year if a ladybugs happens to crawl across her hand and in France, ladybugs bring good weather.
Members of the Coccinellidae family, ladybugs are beetles, having the distinguishing characteristic of sheath wings. The ladybug's familiar spotted "wings" are actually hardened covers for the delicate true wings beneath. The most recognizable ladybugs are yellow, orange or red but many are black, grey or brown and go unnoticed by the everyday gardener. The bright colors of many ladybugs are used to ward off predators. When threatened ladybugs give off a foul smelling and tasting fluid from their joints and their bright coloring reminds predators of previous unpleasant encounters.
Adult ladybugs overwinter on the sunny, south sides of buildings and large objects, where they sometimes find their way into cracks, crevices, attics and walls. Many homeowners are familiar with this winter invasion but the good news is that ladybugs do not reproduce or feed indoors and do not adversely affect building structure, clothing or food.
There are over 5,000 species of ladybugs and 450 are native to North America. Individual ladybugs can live up to three years and during the course of their life time consume around 5,000 pesky insects such as aphids, scale, mealybugs and mites. Ladybugs lay their eggs in the midst of these harmful insects so that when hatched the larvae begin feeding immediately on unsuspecting victims. The Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota releases thousands of ladybugs each year into its indoor gardens to help prevent harmful insect infestations. A quick online search reveals that you too can release large quantities of ladybugs into your garden, a fun and safe alternative to control harmful insect populations.
*This article is the fourth in a series on beneficial insects. Check out the newsletter archives to read the previous articles. |
Design 101
Wind Exposure
Wind exposure in the landscape can be a positive or negative thing, depending on the season. In warm months, wind has a cooling effect that makes outdoor activities more enjoyable. However, when temperatures drop below 70 degrees wind chill becomes a factor and can make being outdoors unpleasant. Also, during winter wind can carry away some of your home's heat and increase energy costs.
Wind exposure is more variable than sun exposure, as it is affected by topography, bodies of water and existing plants and structures. In the United States prevailing winds come from the west but change direction slightly depending on the season: Summer winds come from the south and southwest and winter winds come from the west and northwest. Weather patterns also affect wind direction: Cold fronts bring wind from the northwest, while winds during a warm front come from the southwest.
But what does this mean for your home landscape? By studying wind patterns around your home and strategically minimizing and maximizing exposure you can save on energy costs and make your garden more useable year-round. Keep the following generalizations in mind:
- The eastern side of your home is the most protected from wind exposure and the best area for outdoor activity in the winter.
- The south and west sides are the windiest, especially during summer or a warmfront. The north and west sides are the windiest during winter or a coldfront.
Minimizing Wind Exposure
Plants, walls and fences can all be used to direct wind over and around outdoor areas and make them useable throughout the year. Evergreens, especially conifers, can be used in a continuous planting on the west and northwest sides of your lot to block cold winter winds, reducing velocity by 60 percent. In general, a wind screen will protect an area 10 to 20 times the height of the screen and can save up to 30 percent of heating costs. Alternatively, evergreens can be massed along the north and west walls of your home in order to block wind and create an air pocket between the plants and the walls that act as additional insulation.
Maximizing Wind Exposure
During hot, humid weather wind exposure can give the perception of cooler air temperatures and make outdoor activities more pleasant. In the summer the south and southwest sides of your home are the most exposed to wind and the most likely spots to enjoy a breeze. Leave these areas as open as possible and focus on planting low-growing plant selections. Air that moves over plant material is cooler than air that moves over pavement so consider an area of lawn or groundcover on the south and southwest sides of your home.
*This is the fourth article in a series entitled "Design 101." To read the previous articles check out the newsletter archive on our website! | |
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