Perennial Late Bloomers

Aside from the ordinary Chrysanthemum and Sedum - here are a few of my favourite perennial "late bloomers" that give flower in the midst of late autumn - tolerating light frosts and cooler day-time temperatures.

Eupatorium rugosum "Chocolate"

Eupatorium rugosum "Chocolate" (Chocolate Boneset Joe Pie Weed) found here in my garden - is one of my fav's. Its white flowers just brighten my shaded fence-line. Growing in a fair amount of shade, it's "chocolate" foliage is more bronze than burgundy - it's hard not to notice its lovely white wispy flowers contrasting against deep bronze leaves when most perennials are starting to go dormant.

Nipponanthemum nipponicum

Nipponanthemum nipponicum (Nippon Daisy) rounds the autumn off with an extraordinary daisy display. Its dense foliage and habit acts much like a shrub. Standing 3 to 4 feet in height, it commands attention. Foliage is sturdy, and evergreen in a sense - tolerating several frosts before it begins to wilt. In the winter, its foliage turns a bronze-brown and is considered an evergreen in warmer zonal areas. Flowers have a 3-4 inch span. Buds are sometimes an inch in diameter.

Tricyrtus hirta

 

 

Tricyrtus hirta (Toad Lily): part of the Lily family, but resembling an orchid, the Toad Lily's step ladder leaves and stems stay unnoticed until late September, when flower buds emerge. Standing near 3 feet when about to bloom, it's a great addition to the perennial border.

Anemone hupehensis var. japonica

Anemone hupehensis var. japonica (Japanese Anemone) This has to be my ultimate favourite. It's been in flower since late August and keeps going. Holding its flower stems above deep green, mounding foliage. Great as a cut flower. I love how it hints of white snowy days coming down the pike. Love, love, love!

Annabelle Hydrangea - Leaftier Moth

I'm a huge fan of Annabelle Hydrangeas. They perform with little effort and bring so much spark to a dark corner.

However, each year I've noticed greater populations of the Hydrangea Leaftier (Olethreutes ferriferana) fusing terminal leaves together. Today, I counted nearly all of the tips of the Annabelle Hydrangeas in our planting bed having these worms cocooning themselves between the terminal sets of leaves.

When you find these strange leafy pockets mixed in with the lovely snow-ball flowers, you can help but be curious.

Some leaves are just fused together like the ones above. At this stage, only a smaller caterpillar is inside.

Sometimes, they are so small - you only notice their poop. But look closely.

Tiny little worms/caterpillars with black heads.

The good thing: they won't kill off the plant. It can stunt the plant from flowering. What is a Hydrangea without its Mop-head blooms?

Soon after the Leaftier worm hatches from its egg in early May, it travels to the terminal shoots of the hydrangea. It excretes a silken thread that binds the two unfurling leaves together. Making a dandy shelter for it to feast and pupate. As the plant grows, the fused leaves become even more distorted as the caterpillar ages (shown above and below).

Depending on when you open these "pockets", inside you should see a black headed worm and its castings (frass pellets). It eats the flower and any newer leaves developing inside until it pupates. Quite ingenious method of survival.

Generally, one wouldn't even notice these leafy pockets, unless you notice less blooms from the year before. Sometimes the pocket begins to become brown and at this point, the worm has begun its pupating journey to become an adult moth.

No topical pesticide is useful, since they make these elaborate shelters. The way to get rid of them is to pinch off these pockets and or open them up and squish the worm inside. Many times, the worm has just sealed off the leaves and has not eaten the flower within. BTK (Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki) is also a useful to spray as a preventative, when new growth emerges in mid-may.

I've sprayed newly emerging foliage with water to dislodge any young worms from getting to the terminal shoots in early-May, to mid-June. Although, it's quite an arduous task and it may damage new leaves. Just keep your eye on the tips of the new growth. Generally when Bridal Wreath Spirea (Spiraea x vanhouttei) is in full bloom, is when young worms begin to bind the terminal leaves together. Times can vary though, depending on the weather.


Here is a picture of an adult moth: 

Photo: Mississippi State University_ Moth Photographers Group

Ridding the plant of as many cocooned nests as you can, will eventually rid you of the moth ever returning to lay more eggs. You may lose some flowers this year, but next there will be less moths.

Perennial planters

Sometimes buying annuals every spring for planters can be quite costly - especially when you have many containers as I do. I end up only using a few annuals this way and divide perennials that I have in my garden. Because divisions need to be done earlier rather than later, I began this process in late April. I placed divisions into the container, them gradually filling up to become quite full.  I find it gives my containers a bit of life before the threat of frost is gone.

It's amazing how in 3 weeks, this container has filled out already.

I used:
1 Astilbe
2 Hostas (1 taller, 1 shorter - contrast colours)
2 different Lamiums
1 Rudbeckia goldstrum

I plan to add 2 begonias for a splash of colour.  Easy enough, and cheaper on the pocket book.

For sunny containers I divide:

Salvia may knight (earlier flowering)
Sedum (late summer to fall flowering)
Lamiastrum (trialing - usually overwinters in my containers from year to year)
Rudbeckia (mid summer to Sept flowering)
Echinacea (mid summer)
Sedum Purple Dragon (trailing)

For shade loving spots:

Hostas
Japanese Painted Fern
Astilbe (late spring, early summer)
Lysmachia
Lamium

With perennials, I find regular potting soil isn't rich enough to help keep the plants growing and filling out the container. I use 1 part potting soil to 1 part compost (triple mix is perfect too).  This adds a denser medium that will encourage the perennials to beef up - and the potting soil added won't bake rock hard during the summer.

Going away for weekend getaways doesn't cause as much worry with these containers, as less watering is needed.  It gives longevity to my pots come fall too, with initial frosts not damaging the foliage much. I also love the textures, the leaf colour and the difference in look compared to what you see everywhere else.

Leaving a pocket here and there for annuals helps to finish it off, when a spot of bloom (colour) is needed.

In close proximity to seating areas, I have incorporated my foliage veggies.Great way to harvest and enjoy texture too.

If you are wondering how this planter overwinters, I will say it's a hit and miss. Lamium, hostas and Rudbekia have overwintered well in my pots. I place them in a sheltered spot, next to a brick wall for insulation - watering them til freeze up. In my front yard, I just tuck them into the garage to store once the frost has killed off any herbaceous growth.

I love doing this, as it solves my perennials getting too large for their "britches". I don't have much room to divide and add to my garden. This way, I am spreading the plants around in other ways. It's a great gift idea too, for new home owners (they can add them to their garden), or just a lovely idea instead of the common gift.

Plant Reversions - Brunnera macrophylla 'variegata'

New plant cultivars are being introduced every season.  Once plants bear "sports" (which means the parent plant will have a portion grow in slight variations from the original), nursery growers pounce on them, multiplying their numbers.  After a test run of  propagation success, they allow them to grow to true form and introduce them as new varieties..


But what happens when a strain or sport starts to revert back to the parent form?





This is happening to my Brunnera macrophylla 'variegata' (Siberian Bugloss). It's happened before at my old house, but I was surprised to see it happening again, since it doubled in size from last year.

You have to be careful and pay close attention to this reversion. The original parent plant is always stronger, more vigorous in nature and can choke out the sport. I don't want to lose its variegated leaves. It's one of the main reasons I bought it.


How to get rid of the reversion:  2 ways:

1. You can simply remove any reverted leaves whenever they emerge. This will eventually weaken its presence and will stunt its attempts to take over.

2. Dig up the entire reverting section, so that you don't sever too many feeder roots of the remaining plant, or gently wedge out the portion of the crown that is reverting. I waited a few weeks to pin-point the segment reverting. Here I teased it away (almost as though you are dividing it) from the variegata portion.

I generally replant the reverted section if roots remain - it's another plant (as I did years before) and quite lovely as plain green.

Planting in pot.

Removing the sport is best in early spring. This way the plant has time to recover and not be stressed during the heat of the summer.

Ways to insure it won't reoccur is hard to say. However, when a plant is under stress it has this tendency - greater risk of reverting back. I will be giving it a little more TLC in the future and keeping a close eye on it.

Collecting Hair for Garden

I had my hair trimmed, and I collected the trimmings. I have thick hair and the hairdresser always remarks that I leave a small animal behind ;)

I made sure this time I took my furry leftovers with me.

You may be wondering why.

My garden has slugs. My Spinach, Strawberries, Hostas and other perennials were damaged last year. (I will make a post on other slug control methods in a short while).

This year, I will nip the problem in the bud with this organically and most cost effective pest-control method.

I used to have an ample supply of dog hair for my old garden, but having lost my dog to old age a number of years back, I have resorted on finding other alternatives to getting hair.

Here I've cut mine in shorter strands, just large enough to keep slugs at bay.

If you don't have a dog or cat to collect hair, the next time you go and get your haircut, ask the hairdresser or barber for yours, if not others.




Once my Hostas start to pop up, a bunch of hair will be scattered about 2 feet around each plant.

How it works: The hair will get all entangled on the slugs and they will move on elsewhere.

TIP: I've cut the hair down into smaller strands as in the past, when I've used my hair, the longer the hair the more it blows around and the more it gets used by birds to make nests.

Life Is Emerging

Blue and White Scilla

The unusual warm weather has put a spring in everyone's step. People are outside, walking, running and enjoying this early gift of spring. It's been really lovely out. However, I can't help but be concerned for fluctuating temps that may come down the pike. Let's hope April's weather is not overly severe. I would hate to see fruit trees bud and a harsh frost kill off tender blooms and other budding shoots.

I planted several bulbs last fall. And I am thrilled, as my neighbours warned me about squirrels digging up all theirs over the years. Most of them are popping up!  I am just not used to the litter layer of leaves and debris I've left. I can see their beneficial use. The earth is quite loose and not compacted from the rain!

In sunnier areas around my neighbourhood I've seen Narcissus (Daffodils) and Crocus already in bloom. It's sooo early! My shadier spot out back is coming along though.

Narcissus " Jetfire Tops "

I figured, the smaller the garden, the smaller the bulb would do the trick. Scilla, Muscari, Species
( "Chrysantha" ) Tulips, and dwarf Narcissus " Jetfire Tops " varieties are mainly multiplying bulbs. Smaller flowers and dwarfer habit, but they increase in number over the years. They won't take too much time to bloom and their foliage won't need to be removed, leaving my perennials to grow in and around them.

I planted them in 3's only because I hope they will multiply in larger batches next season.

Chives

Soon I will be able to cut back and use my chives again. Yay!

Oregano

One bonus of the mild winter is my oregano overwintered and...

Chrysanthemum

 ...my Chrysanthemum.

Here in the greater Toronto Area, it's a hit and miss generally to overwinter Chrysanthemums. So I am grateful.

Strawberry "All Star"

My strawberries have flushed leaves and look twice a large as last year.

Sedum telephium " Autumn Joy "

I was late bringing out some overwintered perennial Sedum "Autumn Joy" from the garage where I stored them. Last October I uprooted and divided them, transplanting into pots too late in the season to get them planted in time for overwintering. I have a garden I tend to and will be planting them there hopefully in a few weeks. Within 3 days of this warm trend, they grew all this pale new growth. I am always so amazed at plants and their will to grow, even in the darkest spots. I'm going to prune them back hard later, I just brought them out to colour up a bit before I do it. I'm just amazed!

Finally I see my roses have started to flush as well.

El Nino, warming trend - whatever it is, I"m going to keep my ear tuned to the weather reports in case winter hits one last blow. Let's hope not.

Vegetables for shade

Late summer 2011

It feels like spring out there and I can't help share my veggie plans for this coming season.

Now that I have more knowledge of what light conditions my garden has, I have made my list and developing plans for what vegetables and herbs I would like to plant.

I'm keeping in mind: "If you grow a plant for the fruit or the root, it needs full sun. If you grow it for the leaves, stems, or buds, a little shade will be just fine".


Vegetable plant list for 2012: *Photos from OSC Seeds

*Baby Leaf Blend Lettuce

• leaf lettuce
• mache (lamb's lettuce)
• arugula              
• swiss chard
• spinach
• kale
• beets (for leaf too)
• radishes
• basil
• parsley
• cilantro 



*Cherry Belle Radish

• cherry tomatoes

Leafy greens, radishes, beets and herbs are my choices. They are tolerant of some shade, not huge amounts, but certainly partial sun and dappled sun.  My containers will be ideal for more herbs, outside of my perennial chives, mint and hopefully my oregano will overwinter.

*Bright Light Swiss Chard

In regards to lettuce, arugula, kale, swiss chard; I will purchase seedlings from my local garden centre instead of sowing them myself. I find the organic selections are far better established than I could ever seed indoors with low light. I could wait to seed outdoors, but my harvest season will be delayed if I wait until May.  The lettuce, arugula, beets and spinach however, will require more than one crop. I have bought seed packs now, just so that I can sow in containers and transplant more mid to late summer, that way I can extend my crop harvest.

Last year I had success with lettuce, spinach, parsley, basil, oregano, thyme, chives and cherry tomatoes. I tried leeks, mini carrots, onions, garlic and although they weren't terrible, I would rather have better. I have spots with about 6 hours of sun - it just isn't enough.

One trick I learned to maximize sun, is to situate a large pot on wheels. I had an abundant crop of cherry tomatoes last year, allowing easy movement towards sunnier areas on my patio. The sun's intensity changes from spring to fall, this way I extended my yummy cherry tomatoes until October...they are my FAVOURITE!

With this years selections, at least I'll be getting enough greens!

Determining light conditions

It's hard to think about gardening when it's February. One can't help but plan.

 

My town-home garden gets quite a bit of shade at different parts of the day. Light levels change with seasons, and with the neighbouring complex units getting in the way, it's not as easy to situate plants as I would like.

I want to enjoy colour, texture, flower and foliage all in one - instead of sectioning off areas strictly for veggies and flowering plants. I wouldn't be able to grow a section for vegetables anyway, since the sun intensity is so sporadic. I enjoyed mixing the garden all about last year. It was quite colourful. It also provided my vegetables with beneficial insects, which attacked unwanted pests that usually invade veggies if they were situated alone.

Unfortunately, shade limits my choices in vegetable planting.

I'm not fretting for having too much shade. There's a fantastic rule to remember ; "If you grow a plant for the fruit or the root, it needs full sun. If you grow it for the leaves, stems, or buds, a little shade will be just fine". 

Dotted solar lights throughout

My main focus last summer was learning and watching where the sunniest spots were in my garden. The most efficient way was to use my solar garden lights. They helped me determine how much sun I have by their length and duration of  illumination during the night.  I couldn't watch the garden all day, so this was my only other option to get accurate info.  Last years positioning of them was a testing ground for determining where my sunniest spots are.

Those bright spots were marked in the fall and now I am just waiting until spring arrives!

Looking back at 2011...Planning for 2012

Last year I had a blank canvas.

Realtor photo

The previous owners had 2 perennials and one rose bush in the corners of the backyard, with grass and patio stones.


They had a dog which tore up most of the grass and yellowed other areas..if you know what I mean.


Since I have limited space, I decided to do away with all the grass, which was easy to do and great to compost.

Added small stepping stones; to walk through garden.

I decided to move some of the patio stones, remove all the grass and develop a garden with limited knowledge of light conditions, soil, roots from trees...etc.




Thankfully, the week I took possession, I was able to divide certain favourite perennials from my previous garden and use them here.

 

Sorry, I washed and hung the air conditioner cover over my chair. At least the perennials were starting to come in nicely.

Because my light conditions were sporadic - I had to dot my veggies in areas where they received more sun.

As the season progressed, I added more containers, filled in areas with some annuals and harvested my herbs and veggies, when ready and thoroughly enjoyed my little garden.

Can't avoid the distortion from the screen, aerial shots from my second story window.

It's been such a stark contrast gardening here from my other ravine lot garden, but I am SO grateful!  No rabbits, no dear, no racoons that come dig up my planted friends. I have freedom (outside of limited light conditions and a few squirrels) to plant whatever I like.

Don't let little spaces burst your bubble of creativity. I can't wait until this years planting season!