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Greetings!
Will spring ever come to stay? That's the question on my mind and I imagine it might be on your mind too. The Chronicle's Eric Berger (SciGuy) says this last cold spell was the coldest we'll see until December. I certainly hope so! I'm ready to move on to the warm-weather plants now.
Many of you have asked about plants like periwinkle, fancy hibiscus, torenia and caladium. I haven't brought them in yet because cold nights can really harm them. Now that we're on the right track, you'll start to see them soon!
 | | Look! New life. |
Here's a sign of spring: the red hibiscus we use for tea is emerging now. If you'd like a plant of your own, they'll be ready in a few weeks but we have seeds packaged for retail sale now. I enlarged our vegetable garden so I could add a whole row of these pretty plants. We'll be drinking our own Papershell Red Zinger tea this winter for sure.
 | | Jo will be there! |
Mark your calendars now for our Art Fair on Saturday, April 13. The artists will be setting up booths all around Papershell and the Biermeister will be grilling hotdogs in the picnic area. Great art and beautiful plants await you. We will stay open til 7:00pm that evening so you can enjoy the twilight with us.
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Herbicide Terminology
Based on some of the questions I'm getting, I thought it might be time for a little refresher on herbicide application. It's too late right now to apply a pre-emergent herbicide for spring weeds. These weed seeds have already germinated. If you are having a problem with weeds in your lawn right now, you need a post-emergent product. Since it is still early in the season, products formulated for cool-season application work best.  | | Grassy, not broadleaf weed! |
Confused about herbicide words like post-emergent or broadleaf? I've written a more detailed article on our website that explains it all very clearly. If you know what these words mean, you won't waste money on products that don't do what you need them to do. Click here for the article. For a list of the weed control products we carry, you can download The Weed Read (PDF) too. |
Have a Lemon Drop!
Here's an interesting new member for your citrus orchard - the Lemon Drop, or Citrus x fortunella. This sweet-tart little fruit is said to be an accidental cross between a kumquat and either a Meyer Lemon or a mandarin. It's also sometimes called a sunquat. Either way, the result is a great garden tree. The fruit is small, with a sweet rind like a kumquat and tart flesh like a sweetish lemon. It's coldhardy, just like its parents. And it's a rather smallish tree, reaching heights of only 8-10 feet at maturity.
 | | Very similar to kumquat |
The fruits on a Lemon Drop will be small, like a kumquat (between 2 and 3 inches long) and the plant will have a habit more like a shrub than a tree. The flowers are very fragrant, lreminiscent of lemon or orange blossoms and the foliage is a rich dark green. Although the Lemon Drop is quite hardy and can be grown in the ground, it is also small enough to keep in a large container. Like its kumquat parent, it's very ornamental. Like its probable lemon parent, it's everbearing, producing fruit off and on throughout the year. For best taste, leave on the tree until fully ripe.
Wouldn't that be just the thing to add to a little gin and tonic in the garden on a hot summer afternoon?
Learn more about growing citrus in our Sunday seminar on April 7 at 2:00pm.
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Annuals and Perennials
Spring brings out the gardener in all of us, even those who don't really garden in any other season. And one of the confusing things about all those pretty plants on the garden center tables is the whole annual vs. perennial thing. Remember, "annuals" are plants that complete their life cycle in just one season, and "perennials" are plants that live longer than one season. Not forever, just longer than one season.
 | | Calendula - lovely annual |
If there were a flower that bloomed continuously, throughout the winter, spring, summer & fall, stayed a manageable size and did not have to be replanted seasonally, you'd have heard about it by now. We all want that plant in our own gardens! But having said that, there are some benefits and drawbacks to both annuals and perennials. Here's my take on them.
Benefits of Annuals - Because these plants must complete their entire life cycle in one season, they generally bloom much more than perennials do. Their biological imperative is to flower and (with luck) set seed, so they bloom and bloom and bloom. The vibrant colors that many people desire in the landscape almost always come from annuals. They also tend to remain a more manageable size, since they don't have time to grow unruly. Their roots are not invasive and they reach their mature "look" very rapidly when planted in the correct season. Many annuals, such as gomphrena, turnera and cleome, will reseed readily in the garden, providing plants that return even if the parent does not. Usually, annual plants are less expensive to buy too.
Drawbacks of Annuals - Once their season is complete, most annuals simply expire. A few, like wax-leaf begonias, will struggle on for a few years if protected from the cold, but annuals have a biological clock that is running all the time. Even if you were to provide winter protection, eventually annuals will bloom themselves to death. It costs a lot, in terms of energy, for a plant to bloom the way annuals do.
 | | Daylily - fiery perennial |
Benefits of Perennials - Because perennials live longer than one season, they don't have to be replaced as often. This saves on labor, even if it doesn't save much in dollars. Perennials can also undergo rather dramatic changes during the growing season, providing a different look from time to time. Scheduling a season's worth of blooming perennials can mean your garden always looks wonderful but never looks the same. Perennials are often larger than annuals too, so they can provide a bigger bang for the buck.
Drawbacks of Perennials - Often perennials reserve some of their energy by limiting their bloom season. This can be frustrating, especially when the blooms are quite dramatic, such as these amaryllis. Perennials can also grow quite large, overwhelming a small space. It's tempting to pick up five or six or seven perennials when they're available in those 4" pots, not realizing how very large a plumbago or Mexican Bush Sage or salvia can be. And although perennials last longer than annuals do, they sometimes require more maintenance. Plants may need cutting back, dividing, staking or trimming seasonally. Perennials may take longer to reach their mature look, leaving a bare spot in the garden while they grow. And perennials can be more expensive than annuals, too. Sometimes perennials must undergo a cooling period before coming into a blooming season and are only available in larger containers.
 | | Perennial pavonia blooms almost as long as an annual! |
While we can't provide you with a plant you only have to purchase once that will bloom forever and ever with no maintenance, we can help you sort out these annual/perennial issues in your own garden. Stop by and let us know how we can help!
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Please stop by and visit! Have a glass of world-famous lemonade (or a beer!) -- we'd love to meet you!
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Barrow
Papershell: A Garden Gallery
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Easter Sunday
Sunday, March 31
All Day
Papershell will be closed today in recognition of the Easter holiday. Have a wonderful weekend and we'll see you when we reopen on Tuesday April 2.
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Citrus/Subtropical WorkshopSunday, April 7 2:00-3:30pm Join Papershell owner Elizabeth Barrow for this informative seminar covering citrus and other subtropical fruits, including figs, jujubes, and other warm-climate favorites. This class is $10 and includes a coupon for 15% off your garden center purchase for today. Space is limited - please email us or call (281) 232-4485 to reserve your spot.
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Papershell Art Fair!
Saturday, April 13
3:00-7:00pm
We're staying open a little later this evening for our at event! All our regular Papershell artists will be here, along with several new ones, featuring painting, photography, collage, glass, paper, clay and wood crafts. The Biermeister's cooking free hot dogs and promises to have a keg of something interesting. Stop by - it's always free to look!
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The Cook's Herb GardenSunday, April 14 2:00-3:30pm Master Gardener and herbalist Jeanie Dunnihoo leads this workshop focused on growing and using herbs in the kitchen. This class is $10 and includes a 15% coupon valid on garden center purchases. Space is limited - email us or call (281) 232-4485 to reserve your spot.
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Papermaking for AdultsSaturday, April 20 1:00-4:00pm Join paper artist Kathy Gurwell for this 3-hour hands-on class working with white cotton pulp. Participants will learn background of paper and paper making, become familiar with equipment and then pull sheets and envelopes themselves. We will be in water up to elbows, and stand around a vat, so wear comfortable shoes. We can add flowers from the garden, or other inclusions if desired. Participants take home paper and envelopes wet and let them dry for use. The paper is neutral (non acidic) and wonderful paper for art work, scrapbooks, stationery notes, or photo backing. This class is $40 and requires a minimum of four registrants to make. The class is also limited to 12, so please call (281) 232-4485 or email us to register.
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New Articles on the WebsiteWild Garlic is a Weed? - It turns out one of my childhood favorite flowers is actually an undesirable. Who knew? On Variegation - how and why variegation occurs in garden plants. Herbicide Terminology - a glossary of words used to describe weed-control products.
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