Save $10 on orders of $50+ in our CafePress shop during the Friends & Family Sale November 20-23 http://www.cafepress.com/bloomindesigns when you use code: Friend10.
* Save $10 off orders of $50 or more on http://www.cafepress.com/bloomindesigns, excluding shipping charges, gift wrap charges and applicable sales tax. Excludes Gift Certificates, Flip products, SIGG bottles, CafePress Groups purchases and bulk orders. Coupon code FRIEND10 must be entered at check out. Promotion starts on November 20, 2010 at 12:00 a.m. (PST) and ends on November 23, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. (PST). All orders must be from the CafePress. Offer valid online at http://www.cafepress.com/bloomindesigns only, cannot be combined with any other coupons or promotions and may change, be modified or cancelled at anytime without notice.

Designing with Grasses - Fine Gardening Article

Designing with Grasses - Fine Gardening Article

Add sand to loosen heavy, clay soil?

The worst remedy for a clay soil is to add sand. This practice turns the clay soil into a rock-hard, mortarlike substance. Instead, use organic matter, like compost, to loosen heavy soils because it is light in composition and also improves nutrient quality. Sand can improve a clay soil, but it must be added until it constitutes most of the mineral composition of the soil. At that point, it’s not really clay soil any longer; it is sandy soil.

Organic pesticides not always the “greener” choice

A product that is labeled organic doesn’t necessarily mean it’s environmentally friendly. A study conducted by researchers at the Univ. of Guelph showed that some organic pesticides can have a greater environmental impact than conventional pesticides because the organic product may require larger doses. The study has been published in PloS One.
Researchers compared the effectiveness and environmental impact of organic pesticides with those of conventional and reduced-risk synthetic products on soybean crops. The study involved testing synthetic pesticides (2 commonly-used conventional products and 2 new reduced-risk pesticides), a mineral oil-based organic pesticide and a product containing Beauveria bassiana fungus that infects and kills insects. These 6 products were compared for their environmental impact and effectiveness in killing soybean aphids. Field tests were also conducted on how well each pesticide targeted aphids while leaving lady beetles and insidious flower bug predators unharmed.
“We found the mineral oil organic pesticide had the most impact on the environment because it works by smothering the aphids and therefore requires large amounts to be applied to the plants,” said environmental sciences professor Rebecca Hallett.
The mineral oil-based and fungal products were less effective than the synthetic pesticides because they also killed aphid predators, which are important regulators of aphid population and growth. Hallett said the predators reduce the environmental impact because they naturally protect the crop, reducing the amount of pesticides that are needed.
“In terms of making pest-management decisions and trying to do what is best for the environment, it’s important to look at every compound and make a selection based on the environmental impact quotient rather than if it’s simply natural or synthetic,” Hallett said. “It’s a simplification that just doesn’t work when it comes to minimizing environmental impact.”

National Public Gardens Day

American Public Gardens Association (APGA), announced today a partnership to celebrate the role of America’s public gardens in educating the public on the importance of environmental preservation through the formation of the first National Public Gardens Day, May 8, 2009.
Scheduled for the Friday preceding Mother’s Day Weekend 2009, National Public Gardens Day will be supported by a local, regional and national awareness and education campaign that includes broadcast public service announcements, media partnerships, local and national spokespersons and media tours all focused on communicating the importance of building sustainable environments through improved plant management and water conservation.
“As a founding partner of National Public Gardens Day, Rain Bird is excited to join the APGA in showcasing the incredible contributions made by the nation’s public gardens in plant conservation, environmental education, ecosystem management, species preservation and the efficient use of water,” said Dave Johnson, Rain Bird’s Director of Corporate Marketing. "This event is a natural fit for Rain Bird’s Intelligent Use of Water philosophy. We aim to create a greater public understanding of the benefits provided by public gardens and green spaces in every community.”
In celebration of botanical gardens, conservatories, educational gardens and historical landscapes, many of the APGA’s 500 member institutions will mark the day with special events and activities for schools, families and thousands of visitors to explore and discover their local public garden. Many of the activities will continue throughout the busy Mother’s Day Weekend, offering visitors time to enjoy the beauty of the gardens while learning about each garden’s commitment to education, research and environmental stewardship.
“Public gardens play an increasingly important role in educating present and future generations on the importance of environmental stewardship through preservation of earth’s natural resources,” said Dan Stark, Executive Director of the APGA. "National Public Gardens Day will not only be a time for families and enthusiasts to enjoy the gardens, but will also showcase the achievements and expertise provided by public gardens as well as their commitment to education and outreach programs that are vital to people's appreciation and understanding of the irreplaceable value of plants.”

2004 Perennial Plant of the Year

The Perennial Plant Association has named Athyrium niponicum ‘Pictum’ the 2004 Perennial Plant of the Year. This perennial low-maintenance Japanese painted fern is one of the showiest ferns for shade gardens. It is popular due to its hardiness nearly everywhere in the United States, except in the desert and northernmost areas in zone 3. ‘Pictum’ grows 18 inches tall and as it multiplies can make a clump that is more than two feet wide. ‘Pictum’ produces 12- to 18-inch fronds that are a soft shade of metallic silver-gray with hints of red and blue. This lovely fern, which prefers partial to full shade, makes an outstanding combination plant for adding color, texture, and habit to landscape beds and containers.

Landscape Uses
The magnificent texture and color of the fronds electrify shady areas of the garden and make the fern a wonderful companion for a variety of shade plants. Japanese painted fern provides a nice contrast to other shade-loving perennials such as hosta, bleeding heart, columbine, astilbe and coral bells. A popular combination is Japanese painted fern with Hosta ‘Patriot’ and ‘Ginko Craig’. For something different, try Hosta sieboldiana ‘Elegans’. Another friendly companion plant for the Japanese painted fern is Tiarella (foam flower). One of the most unique possibilities is to use this fern with sedges. Carex (sedges) are shade-loving, easy-to-grow grasslike plants. Try Carex morrowii ‘Variegata’ or Carex siderosticha ‘Silver Sceptre’. Other selections that are excellent compliments to Japanese painted fern include Brunnera macrophylla ‘Langtrees’, ‘Silver Wings’, or ‘Jack Frost’; Lamium maculatum ‘Orchid Frost’ and ‘Purple Dragon’; Astilbe ‘Snowdrift’; Astilbe simplicifolia ‘Sprite’; and Dicentra ‘King of Hearts’. Use these selections with white flowers or variegated leaves to echo or pick other colors for contrast. Most any plant will make a great counterpart to the graceful, attractive, and versatile Athyrium niponicum ‘Pictum’.

Cultivation
This fern needs a well-drained, compost-rich soil and flourishes where moisture and humidity abound. ‘Pictum’ grows best in part- to full shade. The best frond color results in light shade. In the south, a few hours of morning sun will bring out the high colors. In the north they will take more morning sun without sunburning. The colors are more intense in the spring or in cooler temperatures or in cooler climates such as the Northwest. Add 2-3 inches of compost or peat moss to the beds each spring or fall. This fern is extremely reliable when grown in the proper environmental conditions. Its colorful foliage should be vibrant from early spring until frost, when it will go dormant and reemerge with its excellent foliage the next spring.

Propagation
Propagation can be done by tissue culture, spring or fall divisions or by planting spores. Growth habit and color uniformity is not ensured by spore propagation. Tissue culture may be used to clone exceptional plants, which are selected for excellent frond color and growth habit. Excellent selections of Japanese painted fern may also be produced by clump division. It is easy for a homeowner to buy the more colorful and uniform plants in the quantity needed or buy a few and divide the clumps yearly as needed. A well-grown plant can be separated in early spring into 3-4 divisions and replanted. Fertilize at one-half the rate of other perennials with an organic or time-release fertilizer.

Hardiness: Grows in USDA Hardiness Zones 3-8

Light: Part to full shade. The best frond color results in light shade.

Soil: Japanese painted fern needs well-drained, compost-rich soil.

Uses: The Japanese painted fern makes an outstanding combination plant for adding color, texture and habit to the shade garden.

Unique Qualities: The low-maintenance Japanese painted fern is versatile and provides impressive contrasting foliage that brightens landscape beds and containers. Fronds are 12 to 18-inches long and are a soft, metallic, silver-gray with hints of red and blue.

Planting Information: Japanese painted fern performs best in well-drained but moist soil with added organic compost or peat moss. It flourishes where moisture and humidity abound.

Click here for Bloomin Designs Hardy Ferns.

DAYLILY RUST - AN AVOIDABLE NUISANCE

Since its discovery in 2000, daylily rust (Puccinia hemerocallidis) has been found in daylilies in over half of the United States. The infection does not kill daylilies and, according to the All-American Daylily Selection Council (AADSC), can be avoided by proper selection and horticultural practices. In a worst case scenario, daylily rust can be controlled by treatment of the susceptible varieties.

Daylilies infected by Puccinia hemerocallidis show unsightly rust spots and yellowing, mainly on older foliage, similar to rust symptoms on roses, geraniums and other garden plants. The rust is confined to the foliage and bloomstalks (scapes) and does not enter the crown or roots. No daylily plants have been killed by the rust. Puccinia spores spread quickly by wind, on clothing and infected plants, but do not infect other plant species. Roses have their own specific rust species, as do most other ornamental plants. Just as with roses, symptoms of daylily rust vary greatly depending on growing conditions and the susceptibility of each variety. Among the 48,000-plus daylily cultivars are varieties that are unusable in some gardens and those that are virtually symptom-free.

The worst rust symptoms will appear on daylilies grown in conditions of high humidity, poor air circulation and nighttime overhead watering. Daylily rust spores require 100% humidity and temperatures between 40 and 90 degrees for five to six hours to germinate. If germination does not occur within two to three days, the spore dies. If germination occurs, infection can lie dormant within green tissue until optimal conditions arise. It appears that spores do not survive outdoors in winters colder than USDA Zone 6, making daylily rust less of a problem in colder areas.

Many gardeners simply cut off the unsightly, rust-infected foliage, which is quickly replaced by clean, new foliage. More aggressive action is also an option, which includes cutting the infected plants to the ground, disposing of foliage, and treating the plants with a fungicide specifically for rust prevention, such as Daconil.

Since 1989, the AADSC has operated a network of daylily test sites throughout the United States and has collected data on over 50 performance characteristics. In 2001, rust resistance was added as one of the key test criteria. In selecting for "bulletproof" performance, the AADSC has eliminated many of the highly susceptible varieties from its program and focused on identifying and promoting the most rust-resistant daylily varieties

More than 700 varieties have been or are being put through rust trials by the AADSC and University of Georgia, as well as Cornell University and the USDA. Here are the results on some of the most commonly available varieties:

Susceptible

• Pardon Me

• Ming Toy

• Russian Rhapsody

• Always Afternoon

• Mary Todd

• Pandora's Box

• Strawberry Candy

• Resistant

• Little Business

• Mini Pearl

• Butterscotch Ruffles

Among the AADSC's "All-American Daylilies," Black-Eyed Stella, Lullaby Baby, Bitsy, Frankly Scarlet, and Plum Perfect have been reported as rust resistant; Judith as moderately resistant; Star Struck as moderately susceptible; and Leebea Orange Crush as susceptible.

There are reasons that daylilies are America's favorite perennial. They are an amazing plant, available in a rainbow of colors, shapes, sizes, and varieties that can be easily grown anywhere in the U.S. With proper selection, there's no reason for gardeners to be intimidated by the rust challenge. For regularly-updated information regarding the benefits of gardening with daylilies, and comparisons of daylily variety performance (including rust resistance), visit www.daylilyresearch.org.

For more information about the All American Daylily Selection Council, please contact Mary McLoughlin at (616) 698-0748 P.O. Box 210 e 31606 East Pink Hill Road • Grain Valley, MO 64029

Go to our consumer website for additional gardening information at www.VirginiaGardening.com

The Virginia Green Industry Council is the voice of the horticulture industry in the Commonwealth and is dedicated to enhancing the beauty of the state’s environment, the well-being of our citizens, improving our state’s economy, and improving the health and wellness for everyone in Virginia. The Council is made up of providers and consumers of horticultural products and services. The Council works to provide public and industry education, environmental guidelines and other information that will keep Virginia green and growing. For more information, visit www.virginiagreen.org. 540-382-0943 FAX: 540-382-2716 E-mail:info@virginiagreen.org

Virginia Green Industry Council
383 Coal Hollow Rd
Christiansburg, VA 24073-6721