We love sedum plants because they are very easy to maintain; provide beautiful fall blooms, and interesting leaf textures and colors. Stonecrop Sedum has cobalt blue leaves with magenta blooms. The leaves feel good to the touch. If you lightly touch the leaves, they slightly tickle your hand! This is […]
Why Build a Deck/Patio Garden? Plants help soften the lines of a deck or patio. Plants add colorful interest to a deck or patio. Plants help beautify a deck or patio. Plants add to your deck or patio experience by drawing your attention to colorful arrangements. Relaxing on your deck […]
We live in the Mid-Atlantic area of the U.S.A. It rarely goes below 20 degrees in the winter. We have Petunias in containers that self-seed and return year after year! Here a 7 tips to get free Petunias every year: After the first hard frost, when the temperature goes […]
We live in the Mid-Atlantic area of the U.S.A. It rarely goes below 20 degrees in the winter. We have Red Salvia in containers that self-seed and return year after year! Here a 6 tips to get free Red Salvia every year: Tip #1 — After the first hard frost, […]
Sedum Autumn Joy Sedum Autumn Joy is a large sedum, a succulent plant that blooms pretty pink flowers in the fall. It is very easy to maintain, just remove dead foliage in early spring. When the Sedum is young and just planted, fertilize lightly with organic fertilizer, such […]
ANSWER? Black-Eyed Susans! Black Eyed Susans are very easy to grow. They like full sun, 6 or more hours per day. They don’t need to be pruned or fertilized. In the Spring, just remove dead foliage/leaves. Due to their bright yellow leaves and dark brown seedheads, they are […]
We have been waiting all summer for our Tropical Red Canna to bloom and it finally has! A beautiful red bloom tops the plant. Tropical plants like sun, water and humidity, so you wouldn’t think of them as perennials in the Mid-Atlantic area, but they can be … […]
Stonecrop Sedum! We love sedum plants because they are very easy to maintain; provide beautiful fall blooms, and interesting leaf textures and colors. Stonecrop Sedum has cobalt blue leaves with magenta blooms. The leaves feel good to the touch. If you lightly touch the leaves, they slightly tickle your […]
Why does your landscape need evergreens? Here are 6 reasons: Evergreens provide structure to your landscape. In the winter, when there are no leaves on deciduous plants, evergreens maintain their foliage and color. They are the “bones” in your landscape. The provide color, texture, and interest year-round. Typically, evergreens grow […]
Neon Spirea has beautiful magenta blooms. The shrub is very easy to maintain and blooms all spring and summer. In the Autumn, the leaves turn gold, which is a nice accent color for your Autumn landscape! […]
Red Salvia has beautiful red spiked flowers that attract hummingbirds to your garden! They like morning sun. They don’t like the hot afternoon sun. Red Salvia will continue to bloom until the first hard frost, temperature below 32 degrees overnight. […]
Barberry Shrub is a very low maintenance shrub that has many uses in your landscape. Here are 4 ways Barberry shrub can improve your landscape: If you would like to create a natural fence along your property line, Barberry shrub […]
In early Spring, when we visit the plant nurseries, we usually have a color scheme in mind. This year, the color scheme was pink and salmon. We purchased various shades of pink begonias and salmon geraniums. Begonias are very easy to […]
Our Sedum Matrona is in full bloom! It’s very easy to maintain …fertilize once per year with organic fertilizer in fall or spring. It has beautiful pink blooms, and deep green and burgundy succulent leaves. We love Sedum because they are easy to maintain and provide fantastic Fall color! #itsgardeningtime […]
We have been on mum watch during the past few weeks, waiting for our mums to bloom! We planted baby mums in the spring so we expect a pleasant surprise when the mums bloom and reveal their color! […]
![Cora Cascade Peach Blush Vinca [Source: www.parkswholesaleplants.com]](https://itsgardeningtime.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Vinca-Cora-Cascade-Peach-Blush.jpg)
We visited historic Williamsburg, Virginia and discovered a large container of Vinca and Arborvitae (evergreen). Vinca are drought-tolerant plants with glossy leaves and dainty flowers. They are a member of the impatiens family of plants. The miniature evergreen in the container is of a common variety that stays […]
Fall is the perfect time to fertilize azaleas. The cooler temperatures enable to roots to absorb fertilizer without the stress of hot temps. Use a special fertilizer for acid-loving plants such as Espoma HT8 Holly-Tone 4-3-4, 8 Pounds. For beginner gardeners, azaleas can be tempermental. They like the […]
Due to cooler temperatures, it’s a good time to fertilize roses in the fall to prepare for winter. Roots store up nutrients for the plant. The result is beautiful spring blooms! We use a special fertilizer that has the ingredients needed by roses: Espoma RT8 8-Pound Rose-Tone Plant […]
Due to cooler temperatures, Fall is the perfect time to fertilize shrubs. Spirea shrubs are very easy to maintain. Snowmound Spirea is a medium-sized shrub that blooms in the Spring. They have small white blooms that look like a layer […]
Sedum Matrona plant in full bloom! Very easy to maintain; fertilize once per year with organic fertilizer such as Espoma PT4 4-Pound Plant-Tone Organic 5-3-3 Plant Food, in fall or spring. Beautiful pink blooms. Deep green and burgundy succulent leaves. We love Sedum because they are easy to maintain and […]
Monarch butterflies are attracted to gardens with a milkweed bush. The milkweed bush is a host plant for Monarch butterflies to lay their eggs. The beautiful orange blooms will add bright orange color to your garden! For beginner gardeners, milkweed multiplies rapidly! To keep it in a confined area, […]
We have waited all summer long for our Cannas to bloom, and finally, in early fall, they are blooming! Tropical Canna plants remind us of the islands, especially Bermuda, which has beautiful flora. Cannas like warm weather and humidity. Believe it or not, they can take cold weather and […]
I just watered our Salmon Geraniums and noticed little black eggs on a few leaves. Since the eggs are black, and I’ve seen Black Tiger Swallowtail butterflies in our garden, I assume they are Black tiger Swallowtail butterfly eggs. I will keep an eye on the eggs, and keep this […]
Cosmos are annuals that bloom throughout Spring, Summer, and into Fall. They like full sun and attract butterflies. Prune or deadhead old blooms to keep cosmos blooming all season. For beginner gardeners, Cosmos are very easy to grow. Full sun is the key. Every few weeks, fertilize with […]
We have waited all summer long for our Cannas to bloom, and finally, in early fall, they are blooming! Tropical Canna plants remind us of the islands, especially Bermuda, which has beautiful flora. Cannas like warm weather and humidity. Believe it or not, they can take cold […]
Voles and moles are rodents that can cause severe damage to your lawn and garden. Here are the 6 ways they wreak havoc in your lawn and/or garden: Tunnels – Voles and moles burrow underground, creating tunnels. The tunnels are noticeable and look like ridges in […]
Release Your Stress Into Nature Gardening is like going outside to play! Create a gardening oasis wherever you live. Even if it’s one potted plant. Step outside, take a deep breath or two, be silent, and focus on the nature surrounding you. Focus on everything from the huge majestic trees […]
Try looking at this big round ball of Pink Begonias and not smiling! Pink Begonias are a big round ball of joy! We planted 2 begonias in 1 pot, which is why the blooms are so full. Three reasons to grow […]
![Eastern_Tiger_Swallowtail_butterfly [Photo Courtesy: wikipedia.org]](https://itsgardeningtime.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/E_TigerSwallowtailbutterfly.jpg)
On a sunny fall morning, we noticed a Yellow Tiger Swallowtail feeding on our Butterfly bush. I carefully walked toward him so I could record him. He flew toward the camera which was delightful! Butterfly bush will bring beautiful butterflies to your garden! To learn how to care for […]
We have 2 salmon geraniums and they prefer part sun. Our red geraniums can take full sun, but the salmon geraniums do better with part sun. We placed them in front of a large evergreen to screen them from the full sun. For beginner gardeners, geraniums are a good choice. […]
What Does Deer Damage Look Like? We just spotted deer damage on our azalea bush. If you notice branches or leaves with jagged edges, it’s possible you have deer damage. The ends look like they’ve been chewed off. The video below gives a close-up view of deer damage. […]
![Black Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly [Photo Courtesy: cambridgeincolour.com]](https://itsgardeningtime.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/blck_swallow.jpg)
Whenever I am in the mood to see some of God’s most beautiful creatures, I step outside and slowly walk over to our Butterfly (or Buddleia) Bush. Butterflies absolutely love Butter Bush! In our backyard, a ten foot tall […]
Sedum in a small pot is beginning to bloom in the Fall. Combination of azaleas in the background and barberry bush in the foreground, with Sedum Matrona blooming, makes a nice variety of plant colors and textures. Sedum flowers attract bees and butterflies. We have had some deer damage on […]
Cistena is a large shrub that blooms light pink flowers in early spring. It is a member of the cherry family. Since it is a flowering shrub, we fertilize twice per year with an organic fertilizer Espoma PT18 Plant Tone, […]
Sedum Autumn Joy is a large sedum, a succulent plant that blooms pretty pink flowers in the fall. It is very easy to maintain, just remove dead foliage in early spring. When the sedum is young and just planted, fertilize lightly with organic fertilizer, such as Espoma PT18 Plant […]
Lamb’s Ear is an interesting and unique ground cover. It has thick furry leaves, which is why it’s call Lamb’s Ear. Children love to touch Lamb’s ear because it is so unusual for leaves to feel furry! It is very easy to maintain. No pruning is necessary. We fertilize […]
Burgundy Barberry Shrub provides deep burgundy color all year long. During the Winter, it provides color and structure in your landscape. It blooms small yellow flowers in early summer, which attracts honey bees. It has sharp thorns which keep the deer away. Barberry is very easy to maintain. Prune […]
Euonymus shrub provides green and yellow color all year long. The leaves are glossy and showy. It requires very little maintenance; just prune with quality pruning shears such as Fiskars 25-33 Inch Power-Lever Extendable Hedge Shear (9169), to maintain shape. Fertilize with organic fertilizer Espoma PT18 Plant Tone, […]
Fall is usually an excellent time of the year to prune shrubs. Why? Because the cool weather is easy on the cut stems, and the plant has enough time to heal, harden and prepare for winter. However, for azaleas, Fall […]
We are experiencing an early Fall in the Mid-Atlantic area, so why not start pruning flowering shrubs such as Snowmound Spirea? Snowmound Spirea blooms pretty white flowers in the Spring. The small white flowers look like a layer of snow has fallen on the bush. Why is Autumn […]
Begonias are very easy to maintain. They like full to part sun. Just fertilize with Espoma FT20 Flower Tone Plant Food, 20-Pound every few weeks during the growing season. The leaves retain water so only water when the soil is dry. The blooms fall of naturally, so it […]
Impatiens are the perfect choice for a shady or partly shady spot in your garden! They are low maintenance annuals that bloom all spring, summer, and fall. They don’t die off until the first hard frost. No need to prune; just fertilize lightly with Espoma FT20 Flower Tone Plant […]
Blue Coreposis bush is a maintenance-free perennial! It blooms beautiful bright blue flowers in late summer through fall. It attracts butterflies and bees to your garden. It is very easy to maintain. Cut back hard in early spring with quality pruning shears such as Fiskars 25-33 Inch Power-Lever Extendable Hedge […]
Powdery mildew is a white film that grows on plant leaves and blooms. It occurs when there isn’t enough air circulation between plants. We are trying an organic solution to powdery mildew. It’s a 50/50 milk & water mix. Anyone else have an organic solution to powdery mildew? UPDATE: […]
What are Voles and Moles? Voles and moles are rodents that can cause severe damage to your lawn and garden. For a look at the type of damage voles and moles can cause to your lawn/garden, please click the “damage” video below. Voles and moles burrow underground so you cannot […]
Why Move A Plant? There are many reasons for moving a plant. It may have outgrown it’s location. It may need more or less sun than it receives in it’s current location. Whatever the reason, the degree of difficulty depends on the size of the plant. How to Move A […]
The two most important things you can do to produce beautiful rose blooms is to fertilize and prune regularly! Roses are heavy feeders, and they require certain nutrients, such as lime. We have had excellent success with an organic rose fertilizer (Espoma RT18 Rose Tone, 18-Pound). Dead blooms steal […]
Why Plant Irises? Irises bloom in the spring and they love full sun! Their blooms are unique, with a colorful bloom on top and another bloom hanging at the bottom, hence “bearded” iris. Irises are very easy to maintain. How to Plant Irises The most important aspect of planting […]
How Do You Know When A Plant Needs Water? One of the most important aspects of gardening is knowing when to water your plants. You may have heard the old saying, “plants don’t like wet feet.” It means that plants don’t like their roots to be constantly wet. It’s best […]
Removing old blooms will help annuals bloom continuously. Dead blooms steal nutrients from the plant, so pruning or deadheading, will keep the plant healthy and productive. Use a gardening tool, such as pruning shears (Fiskars Traditional Bypass Pruning Shears (9109)), to remove the old blooms. Be sure to clean the […]
Why Do Annuals Need Fertilizer? Annuals are plants/flowers that last one growing season. It takes alot of plant energy for flowers to bloom, and fertilizer provides a boost of nutrients needed by annuals. It is important to fertilize annuals on a consistent basis so that your annuals will bloom continuously. […]
What are Annuals? Annuals are plants that last for one growing season. If the soil and climate are warm enough throughout the winter, they can grow and bloom year after year. If the temperature drops below freezing, annuals will go dormant or die. In the Mid-Atlantic area, the soil stays […]
Impatiens are annuals which bloom all spring and summer. They have colorful, dainty flowers which multiply easily.The first hard frost will kill them. Unfortunately, the deer and rabbits love to eat them. A deer/rabbit repellent spray will help keep impatiens blooming. We have had excellent results with […]