Your Questions About Gardening

GardenersCardiff answers:

The big killer in winter is lack of moisture in the soil. Granted, if the soil is frozen, getting water to them will be impossible. For that reason you have to make certain they are adequately watered up until ground freeze……..and mulch just before the freezing begins to help hold some heat and keep that water available for as long as possible.

Roses with problem…….they should be sprayed in fall, after the first killing frost, will lime sulfur or other disease controlling spray. They will need to be spray again before new growth begins next spring as many diseases will move off the stem and into swelling flower and leaf buds. As for cutting them back……………..it would be better if you mounded them for protection against cold. Bringing in new soil to the garden, mound soil up around the plants covering 8-12 inches up the stems. You could also created a wire basket with chicken wire and fill it with leaves over the roses. This adds more insulation.

Cutting back roses, I trim a tiny bit on climbers to keep the canes from whipping about, if I can’t tie them back.
I’d just mulch around the Sambucus……and watch that winter watering. You can trim back winter kill next spring.

Rose Mallow, don’t cut all the way back, you can remove some and mulch and then trim it back to the ground next spring.

Ornamental grass……hmmm, should have made it, unless super dry. Wait until late winter to cut it back.

Rose of Sharon flowers on new wood, that is wood produced next spring. So dieback over winter isn’t a big deal……..unless it’s the tree, not the shrub. Yeah, you can prune it before winter, after frosts…just to removed old flowers, but I wait until nearly May when the plant FINALLY leafs out before pruning back…….thus being able to see winter kill moreeasilyl.

Daylilies and Iris…..rememberr winter watering. Never grown Hostas as it is too dry here. Dicentra burns in our high altitude, dry climate. Before in other homes I found it very winter tolerant, some mulch, winter water.

Yeah, leave the plants be, leaving the foliage………not if they are diseased or insect ridden though and add more mulch around the perennial bed…….whatever will stay in place over winter winds. Don’t forget to water! How often depends on your weather ……….and exposure of the garden. Those against south facing walls will stay unfrozen longer and thus need more attention to winter watering.

GardenersCardiff answers:

I’d go for a mix of plants, for added interest, as well as adding varying heights and colours – plus some evergreen foliage, for winter interest. I’ll give recommendations of plants that will grow in the widest variety of areas covering zone 4 and 5..

Heucheras are fantastic evergreen shade loving plants, tolerating the dry fully shaded conditions that you often find under trees or other garden spots. They’re mostly grown for their incredible foliage colours, but do flower each summer too. Grows to around 2′ high. Http://ww.gardencrossings.com/_ccLib/ima…

Foxgloves – a mix of annual, biennial and perennial plants that do well in shade. Most of them a little higher, to around 5′. The natural type are pink and white, but there are now mixed colour versions, which look beautiful. Http://www.outsidepride.com/images/produ… Easy from seed, or plants, and these plants will re-seed gladly for years to come. Sow them this year – very easy, just prepare some soil, sow and water, then they’ll flower in a year’s time.

Fatsia japonica is a very nice evergreen shrub, mostly grown for foliage that adds a touch of an exotic look to a spot. Adaptable between shade/part shade/sun, but I prefer mine in shade, as their leaves tend to look healthier. Http://www.davidcheethamgardens.co.uk/ht…

Mahonia aquifolium or japonica are great evergreen winter yellow flowering shrubs. Height to around 6′. Http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plants/pl…

Brunnera macrophylla is a lovely variegated plant, with blue ‘forget me not’ type flowers, and fantastic for shade. 18” – 2′ high. Http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j280/g…

For pretty annual flowers Impatiens look good and flower for months on end. Http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dLSVgS5AxBI/Sb… Mixed or single colour types available. About 12” tall.

All of these are simple to care for, as you’re reasonably new to gardening. Often shady spots can get really dry, especially if it’s walls or trees causing the shade, so watch watering – deep watering that’s less frequent is usually better than very frequent surface watering.

Hope this helps. Good luck! Rob

GardenersCardiff answers:

Hm…
Pretty much any garden plant can be grown in a pot, but try to stay away from anything that needs tons of water, like roses, tomatoes, stuff like that, unless you’re home often enough to water them every day.
For flowers, just anything that fits the sort of sun that the garden gets. Also, you need make sure that what you get does well in your zone, so these will sort of be general suggestions.

For flowers, geraniums and other annuals usually do well in pots. If you want cutflowers, do bulbs like tulips, lillies, daff’s. They are very easy and rewarding. You can also do herbs that they can use when they cook, like basil, oregano, parsely.

For fruit and veggies… If you buy tomatoes, get a bush type (Determinate), so you don’t have to stake it and prune it (unless you have the time and money for the stuff to do it) Kids like cherry tomatoes that are sweet. There are also cool novelty green, purple, and orange tomato varieties.
You could also do strawberries or any native berries that grow well in your climate.

Stick with things that are easy and grow fast, like bulbs, herbs, berries, and easy veggies. Good luck!