about some alternatives – aside from being invasive, their growing habit is prone to weak tree branch joints, and as they age, the branches are vulnerable to breaking off and falling in bad weather. Flowering cherries are a popular spring ornamental tree, but are also vulnerable to health issues later on, so have a look at alternatives like redbuds, serviceberry and others.” – Jamie Knierim, apprentice horticulturist and receiving clerk at Durham Garden Center
What common mistakes do home gardeners make in springtime?
BC “Mint is a fantastic herb, but it is a terrible garden companion.
MAP “Not
Most people have heard that mint is invasive, but I don’t think we spend enough time really explaining why. One tiny mint plant can take over an entire yard during the span of just a few years. It has a nasty habit of choking out every other plant in its path. The roots grow under soil, on top of soil, through landscaping fabric, in tiny drainage holes of pots and even finds its way inside of raised beds. For those of us who do not use chemical herbicides in our gardens, this means that we spend many hours pulling and tugging mint from the nooks and crannies of our garden every year. Just avoid it altogether, or if you must, plant it in a pot and leave it on the porch.” For an abundant garden all year long, what steps should people take in spring? BC “Take advantage of the cool weather and wet
ground now. Weeding, mulching and bed prepping is much easier this time of year. Get your cool veggies and flowers going now, and start your summer seeds indoors. Once the cool weather plants have died out, transition those beds to summer veggies and flowers. Get bulbs in the ground now and purchase bulk wildflower seeds to feed the pollinators and birds.” MAP “Prune, fertilize and consider some preemergents
to keep the weeds down. Check your irrigation if you have one installed in the garden, particularly if you plan to apply fresh mulch. Check for working parts, timer set, leaks, etc.” JK “Add plenty of organic material to your soil, like
manures or composts. Over time, as it decays and is integrated into our classic North Carolina red clay, it’ll improve the drainage, water uptake and general soil health. Add some every year, and after a while you’ll have lovely loose dark soil full of happy microorganisms.”
BC “Planting too many high-maintenance annuals rather than focusing
on hardy perennials. Also, planting summer crops like tomatoes and peppers before our frost date (April 15) can be a costly mistake. Our North Carolina false spring can give folks a false sense of weather security. It is best to keep summer veggies inside, in a greenhouse or at least on a covered porch until the final threat of frost has passed.” pruning your roses is a mistake. At Witherspoon, we prune most roses down about 24 to 30 inches. If you aren’t comfortable with that much, you can cut off less.” What are some of the main threats to a healthy rose bush? How do folks ensure their roses stay healthy and happy? MAP “Some
of the main threats to healthy roses are lack of water, lack of adequate sunlight, insects and diseases. We plant our roses in full sun (at least 6-8 hours of direct light per day). We also fertilize our roses to ensure abundant growth.”
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“Watch out for late frosts – North Carolina loves to tease us with beautiful weather in early March, but will whip around and freeze us out without warning. The average date at which we’re declared safe from frosts is April 15, so keep an eye on the weather forecast.” – Jamie Knierim, Durham Garden Center
For summer and fall blooms, people should plant … BC “Staggering
spring bulb planting with summer bloomers like gladiolus and dahlias are a great start. Going heavy on native flower seeds is a great way to ensure that some colorful flowers make it through the summer heat. Zinnia, lantana and portulaca are all flowering plants that require little maintenance and water.” JK “Heat- and drought-tolerant plants, since no one
wants to be out there watering in the 100-degree heat and humidity. For summer blooming perennials, try: yarrow (Achillea); Tickseed (Coreopsis, native); coneflower (Echinacea, native); blanket flower (Gaillardia, native); beardtongue (Penstemon, native); or Russian sage (Perovskia). And for fall, goldenrod (Solidago, native) or asters (most are native and go well with goldenrod).” What are common (and environmentally safe) treatments to prevent disease and insects, and/or to stimulate growth? JK “Proper plant selection and placement are your
first line of defense against disease, insects and wimpy growth. Try to find disease-resistant species and a p r i l / m ay 2 0 2 2
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