MrMartha has had an interesting experiment going on the past several weeks: Growing Coleus from Seed.
Coleus are such wonderful and versatile plants, with incredible variety in shape and colorations....although, at 4 or 5 bucks for a 4" pot from the nursery, building an interesting collection of these surprisingly accomodating annuals can get quite pricey -- very quickly.
Trying to grow Coleus from seeds has been an interesting, eye opening, and frustrating experience, which is hopefully now about to pay off with some amazing results.
The seeds themselves are all but microscopic, they sprout as incredibly delicate seedlings, and seem to take a long time to get established and strengthen....
but it is nowappearing that it is all time well spent.
ReadMore about the details, and some additional photos of the progression.
MrMartha started the seeds in small 6pack type pots in new sterile potting medium. Indoors in early April, under plastic covering, with a soil heating pad underneath the trays.
After several days, the amazingly tiny seedlings emerged, looking like a tiny bit of confetti on top of a human hair.
The growth is slow....but patience pays off. After a couple of weeks, the seedlings can be thinned out (carefully, with tweezers), and the containers moved under plastic canopies -- in a bright light area, with bottom heat continuing.
It was interesting that in searching online for tales of others who have tried growing Coleus from seed, all the posted images would show seedlings up to a few weeks old...but then nothing after that, which made MrMartha think that most experimenters would give up and toss out their trays at that point.....So, intrepid grower, keep the faith -- eventually the gambit pays off (or seems to be)....keep checking back for more updates on MrMartha's Coleus success!
Coleus are also very easy to propogate by cuttings, but that's another post...
Showing posts with label Garden Hints. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Garden Hints. Show all posts
Monday, June 7, 2010
The Great Coleus Experiment -- Starting Coleus Plants From Seed.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Seeds of Change.....Gardening From Direct Sown Seed
MrMartha has been thinking about what to do with the garden this summer. With less than a year in the new house, and having spent most of that (so far) concentrating on the interiors, very little has happened with the exterior landscape. Rather than putting a large investment into big shurbs, trees, and pricey perennials, MrMartha is planning to watch the landscape for a full summer, and then start to determine what the major changes and significant plantings should be.
For this interim summer, however, MrMartha is going to experiment with all kinds of plants from seed.
There are several borders and perimeter areas of the current landscaping that were cleaned out and groomed, but then never replanted. As MrMartha didn't move into the house till July, most of last summer saw those beds lie fallow and dusty....but this year, MrMartha is going to use them as a grand experiment of growing flowers and vegetables from seed sown directly into the ground.
MrMartha was always a bit afraid of seeds....preferring to start with seedlings in ponypacks or flats, and transplanting them into the garden. That will still be the case for tomato plants, but everything else will be direct seeded this year. MrMartha discovered some coupons that allowed him to acquire a large quantity of seeds for next to nothing. (A Walgreens coupon offered 5 seed packs for a dollar, and local FredMeyer Garden Center has seed packets at 50% off through March)....so the great seed experiment commences....
ReadMore to find out what MrMartha's plans are.....
For flowers, MrMartha is going to use a warm intense palette of reds and oranges, with yellow and even some magenta for accent. Tall Zinnias, bright Cosmos, and the lesser known Tithonia (Mexican Sunflower) all come easily from seed, and will be massed together in what will hopefully be a big profusion of blooms.
Vegetables and herbs, including Dill, Chard, and Squash will be mixed in with the flowers. Pickling Cucumbers, Beets, Radishes, Beans and Lettuce will be grown in areas that are less focal in the landscape.
Basil and tomatoes will be grown in large pots on the deck where they thrived after first moving in last summer. Marigolds and Coleus will be grown in pots as well.
MrMartha will be reporting regularly, so keep checking back to see how this grand experiment works out.....he has already started to amend the planting beds with bags of compost and manure, and will begin planting with Chard and Beets this weekend. Coleus seeds will also be started indoors in the next few days.
MrMartha has also received some wonderful gardening questions from blog readers and will be answering those over the next few weeks as well!
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Tomato Plant Update
MrMartha's Tomato Plants are growing like proverbial weeds....
Here's an updated photo....with a second one taken at planting time for contrast.
View MrMartha's previous post about planting tomatoes HERE.
It's not too late to add some tomato plants to your garden and still enjoy magnificent red ripe fruit this summer...now that we are well into June, just buy bigger plants at the garden center. Make sure to fertilize regularly!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
One Strawberry Loving Squirrel
During Strawberry season, MrMartha is visited often by the world's most industrious Squirrel. The quirky rodent lives one lot over, in a stand of Maple trees that dip down close to the north side of the roof here. 
The little fellow is very adept....he jumps from the trees down onto the roof, scampers across, navigates down to the deck via a trellis....and proceeds to select only the very nicest, absolutely perfectly ripe Strawberries in MrMartha's potted Strawberry patch. When the berries are at their apex, he visits several times a day, leaving behind his calling card -- the closely chewed hull and remnants of his berry of the moment.
He is absolutely fearless, and apparently has developed a taste for the luscious berries that rivals MrMartha's own passion for the delicious morsels. While store bought commercially grown strawberries have improved in quality and taste by leaps and bounds in recent years, there is still nothing that can compare to the perfection of homegrown, just picked, berries. One just has to be quicker than the Squirrel. MrMartha has eased the competition a bit by planting additional pots of the carefree and easy to grow plants, and remains glad that MrSquirrel has not seen fit to share his secret stash with a bunch of his bushy tailed buddies.
Growing strawberries in pots is simple, can be done on a deck, patio, side of the house or even an accommodating windowsill.
Read More for Details, Tips, and more photos.....
MrMartha has the potted berries growing on a west facing deck that gets good southern exposure and the afternoon sunshine. The pots range from 12" to 16", and have 4 to 6 plants per pot. Currently there are about seven assorted pots, planted with an everbearing variety of strawberry. 
The yield repeats every couple weeks, and is enough for snacking straight off the plants, to create a nice dessert, have indulgent breakfast cereal -- and at the first and heaviest fruiting, make a batch of incomparable jam!
Different parts of the country do better with different varieties. Check with your local garden center for suggestions. MrMartha prefers varieties that produce berries on arching chandelier like stems, they stay out of the soil and look lovely lazily dripping over the edges of the pots. Two good varieties for the Northwest are Quinault and Nisqually.
The plants do well with minimal attention. Good basic potting soil, regular applications of liquid fertilizer, and snipping off the runners as they appear are really all that is needed. At the end of the season, allow some runners to grow and develop, tuck those into new pots, to increase your 
plant count. Strawberry plants do well for up to five seasons, depending on variety, and then start to decline....so if you get into the habit of starting some new plants each season, you will be able to discard older plants that have stopped producing as heavily, while still maintaining a good number of prime healthy plants.
One other secret -- MrMartha top dresses the pots regularly with a mulch of coffee grounds, scratching it into the first inch or so of the soil. The strawberries love a little acid and it helps to retain moisture in the soil, though it does nothing to discourage MrSquirrel!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
You'd Never Know She's Plastic....
MrMartha loves statuary in the garden.
There is something about large figures or abstract art works, that really lends a presence and a wonderful counterpoint to the foliage and flowers of the landscape. If used sparingly and properly, they can be wonderful exclamation points that draw the eye, and encourage the garden viewer to take a closer look at the plants around them.
One surprising material -- PLASTIC -- Don't laugh at MrMartha!
The lovely roman lady in the photos may appear to be terra cotta, but she is actually a heavy hollow recycled plastic, she is indestructible and fantastic. MrMartha discovered her at a Lowes Garden Center a few years back, priced under $50.00, and she has been happily ensconced under a Juniper arch ever since. MrMartha added about 15 pounds of sand through a plug in the base to add weight and stabilization. Almost five feet tall, a comparable statue of real terra cotta would be hundreds of dollars, easily subject to breakage and weather damage, and would age in an unpredictable way.
How well does the plastic mimic the real thing? A close friend who had visited the garden many times, and also happens to be an architect with a very good eye, commented about always liking the figure. MrMartha shared the 'plastic secret'. "NO WAY!" was the reply, and he promptly went over to touch the surface, turning back with an amazed look on his face. "Who would have guessed -- it fooled me".
Many other materials are also commonly used in garden sculptures -- we have all driven past the roadside 'cement festivals' where cast concrete in every form from small gnomes to giant Statues of Liberty are lined up. If you stop and look with a critical eye, there are often some gems tucked in amongst the kitsch that is usually prevalent. Cast cement is long lasting, but heavy and difficult to place, especially with larger works. Bonded marble and terra cotta are also frequently used as materials for garden sculpture but they are generally very expensive. Raw and finished iron or metal are also found, but usually in contemporary abstract pieces, or in structural elements like obelisks.
Careful placement is important. Any artwork should further the overall feeling and sense of your garden, not intrude on it. It needs to look like it has always been there, and that something would be missing without it. Sometimes placement is obvious, if you have a spot that just doesn't look 'finished' -- or an area where you are waiting for plant material mature and fill in -- or an obvious focal point that just doesn't look "focal" -- a piece of sculpture or garden art may be just what you need. In those instances, you can seek out and find a piece that is just exactly the right scale and volume for the specific location.
Sometimes the opposite is true -- you are at a garden show, or nursery, and you see a piece of sculpture that speaks to you. By all means buy it.....and then when you get it home, move it around the garden, testing in different spots until it shows you just where it is meant to be. Sometimes a bit of pruning or adjustment of the surrounding plants may be necessary to achieve just the right fit, and adding a base to raise and feature the work may also be necessary.
If you have a spot in the garden that is calling out for "something" -- perhaps a plastic lady is just what you need.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Rose of The Week - The Incomparable Cecile Brunner
What a magnificent rose. Cecile Brunner has been around since 1894, and for a few weeks every spring, is an absolute show stopper in MrMartha's garden.
MrMartha's plant is about fifteen years old and has grown into a huge magnificent pillar. Trained originally onto a fence, the bush is now at least three times as high as the original support, and 
holds shape by intertwining its canes. Most commonly thought of as a climber, some would call this rose a rambler.
Officially categorized as a Polyantha Rose, there are also non climbing and 'improved' versions which will flower repeatedly rather than the one grand show each year. The plant is covered with perfect miniature sized blooms in classic hybrid tea shape. Each bloom starts out a sweet blush pink, and fades to a pinkish white tone with age. Every bloom is perfection in its own right, and a large well grown mature specimen of the plant will be blanketed with literally hundreds, if not over a thousand blooms at its peak.
Read More for some additional details about this amazing rose, and more photos of MrMartha's showpiece in full glorious bloom.
The plant itself is nearly thornless, effectively disease free, will tolerate less than perfect soil, and even some shade. While it takes many years for Cecile Brunner to reach the amazing proportions found in MrMartha's garden, the plant will be well established and a beautiful addition to any garden after two or three years. It would do well planted against any fence, along the side of a house, on a strong structural support like an arbor arch or heavy pillar framework. It also takes well to being trained up into another tree as framework.
This rose is also commonly referred to as the "Sweetheart Rose" and also known as Mignon. The new growth appears as a deep rusty red tone, and the foliage when not in bloom is a leathery medium green that provides wonderful structure and background for other later blooming plants planted in front of it, or in the general vicinity. It is very fragrant, and a large mature plant in bloom will scent the entire garden, and probably most of the neighbors gardens as well with it's distinctive classic rose perfume.
Cecile Brunner was originally hybridized by Jean Claude Pernet, père (October 15, 1832 - March 31, 1896) was a French rosarian known for his cultivation of rose cultivars. He was born to a family of rose growers in Villeurbanne, Rhône, near the city of Lyon. His father, Claude Pernet, established a rose nursery in 1845. Cecile was apparently named after the daughter of another rose breeder.
Some lovely photos of Cecile Brunner used in rose arrangements are HERE.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Sunday Afternoon in the Garden...
MrMartha is spending the day working in the garden.
Trimming boxwood, deadheading some of the seasons first spent rose blooms, pulling ever persistent weeds, and getting all of the residuals ready for composting.
Even a quick twenty minutes, is always time well spent out in the garden. The more little fiddly things you do here and there, the less the tasks stack up, and won't overwhelm you later!!
MrMartha is thinking about baking a freeform Apple Tart a bit later on this afternoon, after things get finished up in the garden....
Watch for the post on the Tart with photos and recipe in the next couple days.....
Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Bearded Iris in MrMartha's Garden
MrMartha loves the fact that tall Bearded Iris are not only gorgeous in the garden, but the dried Rhizomes, also known as Orris Root, are an essential ingredient in Bombay Sapphire brand Gin!
It's a fabulous flower AND a tasty cocktail!
The front border at MrMartha's is ablaze right now with the tall stately blooms of German Bearded Iris. The hybridized form that is very prevalent in American gardens. Most commonly thought of in shades of blue and purple, it is also found in 
blazing white, strong yellows, delicate cream and peach tones, coppers, and browns. Busy hybridizers have also produced a myriad of bi-colors, tone on tones, subtle shadings, and even combinations of those combinations!! True red is one color you will not find in any Iris variety, though some lovely burgundy tones are now available, and the search to breed the elusive red Iris continues.
The Genus Iris comprises about 300 species, but the commonly known varieties include the German Bearded Iris, and others generally known by geological reference -- beardless Dutch Iris, Japanese Iris, and Siberian Iris. While each requires slightly different treatment and conditions to thrive, on the whole, all are relatively easy to grow without much fuss.
Read More for basic care and growing instructions, Links to amazing online galleries of Iris varieties, and some fun and unique facts about the plants and flowers.
Most common Iris grow from Rhizomes which are thickened roots that crawl along the surface of the soil, sending roots down into the soil, and leaf and bloom stalks upwards. What are generally known as Dutch Iris grow from bulbs. Iris foliage is sword shaped, generally in a fan pattern, and adds wonderful architecture and structure to garden beds when the plants are not blooming.
Generally unfussy as long as there is decent soil, and not subject to a lot of pests. The only ongoing requirement of most Iris is that the clumps of Rhizomes be dug up and divided every few years when they start to get overcrowded and quality of bloom starts to decline. This should happen at the very end of the summer/early fall.
Further information about Iris care and requirements for growing can be found at The American Iris Society.
If you would like to view more of the amazing varietals of Iris, there are some excellent online suppliers with web site galleries that one can drool over for hours on end....Including Brecks, and the incomparable Schreiner's.
Some interesting historical notes about the Iris:
The flower is the basis for the fleur-de-lis, symbol of the French Court in yellow, and in red it comprises the Coat of Arms of the city of Florence Italy. Also a symbol of the Boy Scouts.
Vincent van Gogh painted many works featuring the Iris. For a time, one of his Iris paintings held the record for the most expensive work of art sold at auction.
The dried Rhizomes, known as Orris Root have been used since the time of the ancient Egyptians, and continue to be important in modern perfume production. The roots must be aged for five years before they can be used in parfumery.
Iris is also a common female name, reaching its height of popularity in 1929 when it was the 196th most popular for newborns. Least popular in 1996 when it was rated 520th. Iris has been regaining ground in recent years, and was the 317th most popular name for baby girls in 2007. (source: Social Security Administration)
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Rose of The Week
Fountain Square
Fountain Square is an amazing white rose, with robust growth, large glossy leaves, and incredible oversize Gardenia shaped blossoms.
The plants blooms occur as both single blossoms on one stem, and candelabras of several blooms together. The blooms are only lightly fragrant (as with most white roses), but the awesome blooms more than make up for that small shortcoming.
While the blooms are hardy and last well on the bush, they do not hold well when cut, so enjoy them on the plant rather than in a vase.
A sport of the famous rose "Pristine", the variety was discovered by Muriel Humenick in 1984 and introduced commercially by Jackson and Perkins. The name comes from Fountain Square at the historic Merrick Rose Garden in Evanston, Ill.
The plant is considered very vigorous, and stays a manageable medium size overall. In MrMartha's experience the canes of the plant can get very thick, and the thorns of this variety are quite formidable..
Links to nurseries selling this gorgeous rose can be found HERE.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
It's Lilac Time
Syringa vulgaris -- it sounds like something a mad doctor would wield in a horror movie....but that is actually the Latin name for common Lilacs. 
Lilacs are dependable and mostly carefree, can be structural in the landscape, are covered with blooms in the late spring, and can provide scent to your whole garden....(or half the neighborhood if the plant is large enough or the variety has a partcularly strong perfume).
Lilac scent is strong and intoxicating....If your Grandmother grew lilacs, or you otherwise had their distinctive fragrance imprinted on you as a small child -- every year when you catch a whiff of that unmistakable heady aroma, you are immediately transported back to childhood and those innocent springtime's of youth.
Lilacs are generally thought of as fairly old fashioned, even a bit fuddy duddy, in the modern horticultural vernacular of decorative grasses and streamlined exotica.....however, they can be anything but that.
New hybrids bring a range of exciting colors to the traditional lavender purple Lilac tone, adding options for whites, yellows, deep black-purple, burgundy, and even red. Bi-colors, and fluffy double blossoms add even more options.
The term French Lilac is often used to refer to modern double-flowered cultivars, thanks to the work of prolific breeder Victor Lemoine. Botanically, French Lilacs are no different than Common Lilacs. In the vernacular, however, the term often is used for varieties that are fairly large plants, and the colorations on the flowers tend to be darker in tone that what we think of with traditional lilacs.
Different species of lilac can be quite unusual, and look (and behave) very differently than the traditional 'lilac near Aunt Jen's back door' that most of us think of. Syringa Patula -- a lovely compact form, with small leaves, and delicate dimunitive single blooms -- combined with a huge strong scent, is a 
particular favorite in MrMartha's garden. One small bush, of the varietal "Miss Kim", blasts out more fragrance than MrMarthas other two very large lilac bushes combined.
Some interesting additional facts about Lilacs:
Lilacs symbolize love in the Language of flowers, and in years past were frequently part of spring bridal bouquets.
In Greece, Lebanon, and Cyprus, the lilac is strongly associated with Eastertime because it flowers around that time; it is consequently called paschalia.
Syringa vulgaris is the state flower of New Hampshire, because it "is symbolic of that hardy character of the men and women of the Granite State" (New Hampshire Revised Statute Annotated (RSA) 3:5).
"When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd" is a poem written by Walt Whitman as an elegy to Abraham Lincoln.
If you would like some additional information about growing and caring for Lilacs, The Harvard Arboretum has some great information.
If you would like to view some interesting and unusual Lilac varieties to add to your own garden or landscape, Nature Hills Nursery has a great gallery.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Rosa Practica ....the Practical Rose Guide
The photo above shows MrMartha's hillside garden last summer, at the height of its first rose bloom cycle. (This year, the plants are a bit slower and blooming later, due to Seattle's incredibly harsh weather this past winter.) Click on the photo to enlarge view, and back button to return to post.
MrMartha has a weakness for roses, and, obviously, they are very prevalent in the garden here.
Many gardeners, however, shy away from the rose.....Common complaints: not an attractive plant, too much work, too temperamental, susceptible to too many diseases and problems. All can have valid points in their own way, but most are just excuses. The attention that roses do require must be balanced with the joy and pure visual impact that well cared for rose bushes can provide in the garden.
They are unsurpassed as cut flowers, and just one or two varieties -- carefully placed in even the smallest garden, or grown in pots on the patio -- can add amazing impact and visual punch to any outdoor space.
Yes they do require attention, regular dedicated attention, but not in an excessive way. If you choose your varieties with care, based on their needs, strengths, and flaws -- as well as your level of commitment to their care -- you can enjoy beautiful plants and bountiful blooms without subjecting yourself to huge amounts of effort.
Read More for MrMartha's tips on successful rose growing and additional photos. A must if you are thinking about adding your first rose bushes to the garden, if you have existing rose plants that you wish were performing more strongly, or if you are an experienced rosarian who knows there is always something new to learn.
The main factor with growing beautiful roses is the regular attention. The plants will not thrive without a little special treatment, and a level of dedicated maintenance and prevention. What is required, however, is far from Herculean....regular fertilization, pruning and shaping, deadheading of spent blooms, and disease control. 
MrMartha has about two dozen rose bushes, and estimates that each requires an average of about 30 minutes per month in time and attention. So, doing the math, that works out to about three hours a week to maintain a fairly large collection of roses....not really all that much time spent, given what happens in return.
General Knowledge and Research.
Learn about different types of roses, discover what is most successful for the needs of your garden, your location, and the level of care and attention you are prepared to provide. There are great resources online, and it is worth spending some time doing a little research. Rose Magazine Online is an excellent place to start if you are a novice, with lots of great info for the serious rose grower as well.
Selecting Varieties.
MrMartha admits to often choosing his own roses based on the name of the variety -- and what it evokes in MrMartha's memory, or by falling in love with a particular bloom -- and not doing the further research about the particular plant to fully understand its strengths and weaknesses. It's good to be a bit dispassionate in the selection process, and look at the ratings and facts about of a particular variety before totally falling in love with a specific plant. A great way to browse and learn is at EveryRose.com, you can narrow your search by color, type, even name attributes....its an amazing database -- a wonderful way to get lost for a while, and learn in the process.
Planting, Watering, and Fertilizing. 
It is worth taking a bit of time to understand how to prepare your planting area, the best way to place and situate your plantings, as well as spacing and sun requirements. Fertilizing is a very simple aspect of growing roses, and can be as easy as sprinkling an all purpose granular fertilizer every few weeks during the growing season, or as complex as a difficult cake recipe. Just depends how much time you would like to devote. Spring Valley Roses has great information about planting and general care.
Pruning and Disease Control.
It's important to prune your roses correctly in the spring, and to also understand the proper way to deadhead blooms and shape the plants during the growing season. There are simple principles involved, but it is worth taking a bit of time to understand the concept and what is best for the plants. The University of Illinois Extension has wonderful information about the art and science or pruning Roses. North Carolina State University Extension has well written and easy to navigate information about Disease Control. You can also find links to information about Natural Disease Control Here.
A few things MrMartha has learned and would like to recommend.... 
** Adding cut (natural -- unchemically processed) human hair to the planting hole will give added complex nutrients to the root system, slowly breaking down and feeding the new plant as it establishes. You may get a funny look at the salon when you ask to have your cut hair swept into a Ziploc bag to bring home, but your new plants will love it.
** Epsom Salt, from the drugstore, promotes enzymatic activity in the soil, and basal stem breaks resulting in more blooms. Add a quarter to half cup of granules around the base of each plant when you do your regular fertilization.
** Roses benefit from regular shallow soil cultivation in the root area. Just barely scratch the surface, the first inch or so, kept loose and free, will help water get to the roots and aerate the soil.
** Roses love water, approximately an inch a week is most desirable...BUT.....keep the water off the foliage, water only at the base of the plant. Overhead watering can encourage or spread disease. Mulching the perimeter of the plant but keeping the mulch a few inches back from the actual crown of the plant will allow a nice basin area for water, and then help keep the plant moist after watering.
** If you live in the Northwest, Coastal areas, highly humid areas, or if you just cant resist choosing plants that have known issues with disease, it is better to be proactive and keep diseases from establishing. There are several natural sprays for this process, but MrMartha admits to using a chemical Fungicide/Insecticide spray every 10 days from early spring to mid summer, and then again as needed at ANY sign of a problem. It is much easier to keep your plants healthy and disease free, than to try to clear some nasty infestation that has gotten quickly out of hand.
** Well tended plants are happy plants! Paying attention to deadheading, pruning, fertilizing, watering, and some preventive disease control, will give you strong, attractive, showstopping roses, with just a reasonable amount of attention and care. Extra fussing and serious pampering is not required, but can be fun sometimes!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
It's Rhody Time in the Northwest
Rhododendrons are coming into full bloom in the Northwest, and throughout the US over the next couple weeks. The show is nothing short of spectacular.
Seattle, Portland, and many other towns in the region have wonderful, huge, mature plantings of the spectacular Coast Rhododendrons (the state flower of Washington) that are just covered with their magnificent clusters of flower trusses. A drive through established neighborhoods will reveal amazing specimens in head turning colors. When gardeners have planted different varieties massed together, it is truly spectacular.
In MrMartha's garden there is a juxtaposition of a classic red, tall Rhody, with a smaller hybrid which has a cream and pink coloration that is very suggestive of apple blossoms -- they make a lovely duet.
The name Rhododendron comes from the Greek "Rhodos" (Rose) and "Dendron" (Tree). The genus also includes shrubs classified as Azaleas. By far the highest concentration of native species are found in the Himalayas and throughout Asia. Both natives and hybrids will grow throughout most of the Northern Hemisphere, except for the driest and coldest regions. So, most gardens in the US can enjoy their beautiful attributes.
This is an excellent time to select Rhodys for your garden, by visiting nurseries where you can actually view and choose the different plants while in their bloom phase. If you are lucky enough to have a good botanical garden in your area, you can also view amazing mature plants, and check the identification plaques of those you like, making notes of named varieties to seek out later from online nurseries and specialty growers. 
In Seattle there is the incredible Rhododendron Glen at the University of Washington Arboretum,
Federal Way, Wa has the Weyerhauser Rhododendron Garden,
Tacoma has Point Defiance Park,
and Portland has the incomparable Washington Park.
Even if you are not looking to plant any Rhodys right now, a visit to any of these gardens, or one in your own area, is well worth the effort.
Pay close attention to the growth habits of a particular variety. They can range in size from small dwarfs, to medium shrubs, to 30 foot tall behemoths. Colors range from deep reds to pinks, magentas, lavenders to deep purples, whites, yellows, and creamy tones. Many have a deeper toned throat or a bi-color effect.
Rhodys are not terribly fussy when it comes to care. They prefer a somewhat acid soil pH, they like composty, rich, but well drained soil, and moderate and constant moisture. They benefit from regular fertilization. 
Bloom bracts should be pinched off at the end of flowering season, being sure not to snap off next years growth buds which appear just below the current seasons flower truss. Rhody plants can be regularly and lightly pruned for shape, and to keep them in bounds in their planting location. Pruning right after bloom is usually best. For older plants that have gotten too large or too leggy, a severe pruning will not kill the plant, though it will take some time for it to reestablish and fill out again. Even large Rhododendrons can be successfully transplanted and relocated, because of their relatively shallow root structure. This does require care, and a bit of research before undertaking.
One other interesting note, the nectar of the Rhody flowers contains a toxin, so if honey from bees feeding primarily on Rhodys is ingested by humans, it can cause illness.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Rose of The Week
CHICAGO PEACE
What a glorious bloom! Chicago Peace has a very double form with lots of petals, and a truly ethereal coloring. The Hybrid Tea rose is classified as a pink blend, with a coppery yellow reverse on the underside of the petals. The blooms start initially with a deep intense pink, which softens as the bloom opens and ages, allowing the yellow tones to become more prominent.
This rose is a naturally occurring sport of the famous Peace rose, which means it was a spontaneous mutation that grew from an existing Peace plant.
The rose has been around since 1962, but is still readily available from nurseries and mail order sources. The plant has very dark green, heavy leathery foliage, and is quite robust, though can be troubled by Blackspot, so careful attention to prevent or control that is provident.
The blooms are born on single stems and it is a quick repeat bloomer. The cut flowers last reasonably well in a vase, and the plant itself is quite magnificent when it is covered with several blooms at different stages of maturity. Not much fragrance to speak of, but an exceptional rose in every other way.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Quick Garden Fix...Sedums in Pots
We all need those small but important potted plants to tuck into voids in the landscape, or fill out a grouping on the deck, or top off a small table.....
what is needed is something dependable, beautiful, and a conversation starter.
Think Sedums......whether they are selected from the broad class of Succulents, the specific rosette forming family of Echeveria, or the generic Hens and Chicks, you cant go wrong.
Small pots at nurseries and grocery stores range $2 -6 depending on size and variety. Look for strong plants with lots of small offshoots.
Less than $20 and a couple months of patience will bring you a glorious decorative assortment.
Divide the nursery plants and repot into a sandy soil mix. Leave room for the starts to grow and expand. Put them in a shady spot and then gradually into full sun over a few weeks. Keep moist but not wet, and a bit drier is better than too wet.
Watch them multiply, keep dividing and repotting to increase your collection, and enjoy.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Rose of The Week
GARDENS OF THE WORLD
Gardens of the World was named after a PBS series hosted by the late Audrey Hepburn. The program visited many famous international gardens, with the always lovely and elegant Ms. Hepburn providing commentary and insight into what makes a garden truly spectacular.
The namesake rose is equally spectacular. Petals have a creamy base tone with a deep cerise edging. The petal shape has a wonderful ruffled edge, and the blooms are full blown and gorgeous. A profusion of blooms make a spectacular show on a compact and reasonably vigorous plant.
Blooms last an exceptionally long time as cut flowers. Introduced by US hybridizer Jackson & Perkins in conjunction with the television show in 1993. The plants were offered as fund raising premiums by many PBS stations, and also available in nurseries. Not the easiest variety to find currently, it is well worth seeking out. Also known as Paris Pink.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Talking Tomatoes...UPDATE
A friendly reminder from MrMartha... get those tomatoes planted! Just takes a few minutes and the rewards later in the summer are beyond amazing.
Admittedly, the plants in the photos look a bit sad, but they were what was available, and the transformation will be amazing once they get some heat, a little time and a couple doses of fertilizer, they will take off like a house on fire!
If you didn't see it before, check MrMartha's previous post about tomatoes....and Read More below to get some details and tips in how to most effectively plant your seedlings, as well as more photos.
Keep in mind that tomato plants will put out new roots all along the main plant stem if it is buried. So, slightly spindly and tall but strong seedlings are actually very good specimens to plant. 
Pinch or snip off all the base leaves along the stem, leaving just the leaves at the crown of the plant.
Dig down deeply, and plant the seedlings at a depth where just the top couple of inches are still above the soil line.
MrMartha uses a stake to make the initial hole, and then a narrow trowel to spread the soil open further and tuck in the seedling. Fill and firm soil around the stem so there are no air pockets.
For the cherry tomatoes planted today, four seedlings were placed per pot. For larger fruited varieties, MrMartha usually plants two seedlings per pot -- depending on size of pot. 
Place wire cages over the seedlings now, so that you won't damage roots by doing it later, and make sure the prongs are offset from your new plants when you sink them into the soil.
Wait about 10 days before starting to fertilize the plants, and then do so every other week with liquid fertilizer. Be sure to check the label on your fertilizer, some are formulated to use every other week, but if yours says apply monthly, use it at half strength. Make sure the seedlings get lots of water, especially as it warms up and the plants begin rapid growth.
MrMartha will keep updating with new photos, so you can see the progress here. 
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Rose of The Week
PRINCESSE DE MONACO
If your namesake is Grace Kelly -- Her Serene Highness Princess Grace, you better be an exceptionally spectacular rose, and this incredible Hybrid Tea certainly does justice to the iconic beauty it commemorates.
A tall and stately plant that still retains a shapely and compact growth pattern, it brings forth a profusion of blooms in creamy white, edged in a delicate pink. Large and fullblown blooms are classically shaped and elegant in form.
Good disease resistance, with nice glossy foliage and moderate fruity fragrance. The flowers hold well in a vase, and are excellent for cutting.
Patented by Meilland of France in 1982 as a tribute to the untimely passing of the Princess. The plant is also known and sometimes sold as Grace Kelly or Princess Grace.
Click READ MORE to see a photo of this gorgeous rose bush in full bloom.
Viewing the blooms of this rose, MrMartha is reminded of Grace Kelly's entrance in the film 'High Society'. When, as the headstrong heiress Tracy Lord, she sweeps into the room in a cream and pink striped Edith Head confection of an afternoon gown, full skirted with organdy ruffles -- to meet the reporters Mr. Conner and Miss Embry (of Duluth). That was one of the classic moments of Grace Kelly's onscreen luminosity, and this rose captures it perfectly!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Talking Tomatoes...
MrMartha implores you, even if you grow no other fruits or vegetables, grow some tomatoes this year.
No time or space for a vegetable garden? They will thrive perfectly in containers.
No time or space for a vegetable garden? They will thrive perfectly in containers.
It's time to get started!
They are easy, reliable, and with just a little coaxing, produce amazing yields. A fresh and perfectly ripe tomato, right out of the garden, is quite unlike anything remotely related to those pink skinned cotton balls that masquerade as tomatoes most of the year in the grocery store!
Over the next four weeks or so, depending on your location, the time is right to plant, and the results will astound you! Plant in the ground, or in containers, when the daytime temperatures are averaging 60 degrees or above, and all chance of frost has passed. Tomatoes like a little bit of attention, but don't require coddling. Bugs and pests are usually not much of a problem if your plants are healthy and well tended.
Just keep a few simple things in mind.
They love heat! Plant against a south wall, or the sunniest area of your garden. Tomatoes also thrive as potted plants -- and the pots usually keep the soil warmer than planting directly in the ground. All of MrMartha's tomatoes are grown in pots, on a raised bench at the back side of an east/west fence. The plants love a good rich soil, and need to be kept moist but not soggy. For potted tomato plants especially, dont let soil dry to the point where the plants wilt. During the hottest part of summer, pots may need drenching with water both morning and evening.
Using polymer granules (available in jars at the garden center) as an addition to the potting mix will help moderate moisture. The strange, hard, little nuggets look like coarse salt when dry, but when exposed to water will swell exponentially with stored H2O and release it gradually back into the soil as it dries out.
Adding some compost to an all purpose potting mix, as well as incorporating a slow release dry fertilizer as pre planting amendments, will do wonders for the plants. They will also love regular weekly or bi weekly applications of diluted liquid fertilizer.
When planting tomato seedlings, remove most of the lower leaves and plant the starts as deep as possible, leaving just the uppermost leaves and a couple inches of the plant above the soil line. The buried stem will grow additional roots all along its length, making your plants even more robust and increasing your harvest yield.
Potted tomatoes also need some sort of structure to grow upward on. Special conical tomato cages are easily found at garden stores and require no tying or attaching of the plants, or make a teepee shape from Bamboo stakes, or use a strong cedar or other sturdy wood stake. Put these supports in place when you plant the seedlings, so you don't damage roots by adding them later.
MrMartha usually has around 6 large (14- 16" diameter) pots, with an assortment of varieties, and gets an exceptionally abundant harvest. Enough to enjoy fresh all summer, give some to friends, and preserve -- both as canned ripe tomatoes -- and at the end of the season, with all the unripe fruit, as green tomato salsa.
Homemade Tomato Sauce will also freeze beautifully, and if you are adventurous, homemade Tomato Juice is a real treat.
Your garden center, and even your grocery store or large drug store, will usually carry plants that are appropriate for your region. You can also order specialty tomato plants from online suppliers like Cooks Garden. Plant a few classic salad tomato varieties which are also great for canning, include something unusual like a yellow pear or heirloom variety, dont forget a cherry tomato like Sweet100, and classic Roma tomatoes never disappoint.
Make your plans now! And enjoy the bounty later. Even planting one large pot on the patio, or a couple of small varieties in a window box will give you plenty of yield for weeks of salads and other special treats.
Don't be shy about making a focal point of a potted tomato plant on your patio or deck...a well tended plant can be very decorative, with its deeply cut foliage and blushing ripening fruit.
MrMartha will have posts as the summer progresses about canning and preserving, salsa making, and everything else you need to get the most enjoyment out of your hardworking and oh so good garden fresh tomatoes.
Find more tips for growing tomatoes HERE.
.
They are easy, reliable, and with just a little coaxing, produce amazing yields. A fresh and perfectly ripe tomato, right out of the garden, is quite unlike anything remotely related to those pink skinned cotton balls that masquerade as tomatoes most of the year in the grocery store!
Over the next four weeks or so, depending on your location, the time is right to plant, and the results will astound you! Plant in the ground, or in containers, when the daytime temperatures are averaging 60 degrees or above, and all chance of frost has passed. Tomatoes like a little bit of attention, but don't require coddling. Bugs and pests are usually not much of a problem if your plants are healthy and well tended.
Just keep a few simple things in mind.
They love heat! Plant against a south wall, or the sunniest area of your garden. Tomatoes also thrive as potted plants -- and the pots usually keep the soil warmer than planting directly in the ground. All of MrMartha's tomatoes are grown in pots, on a raised bench at the back side of an east/west fence. The plants love a good rich soil, and need to be kept moist but not soggy. For potted tomato plants especially, dont let soil dry to the point where the plants wilt. During the hottest part of summer, pots may need drenching with water both morning and evening.
Using polymer granules (available in jars at the garden center) as an addition to the potting mix will help moderate moisture. The strange, hard, little nuggets look like coarse salt when dry, but when exposed to water will swell exponentially with stored H2O and release it gradually back into the soil as it dries out.
Adding some compost to an all purpose potting mix, as well as incorporating a slow release dry fertilizer as pre planting amendments, will do wonders for the plants. They will also love regular weekly or bi weekly applications of diluted liquid fertilizer.
When planting tomato seedlings, remove most of the lower leaves and plant the starts as deep as possible, leaving just the uppermost leaves and a couple inches of the plant above the soil line. The buried stem will grow additional roots all along its length, making your plants even more robust and increasing your harvest yield.
Potted tomatoes also need some sort of structure to grow upward on. Special conical tomato cages are easily found at garden stores and require no tying or attaching of the plants, or make a teepee shape from Bamboo stakes, or use a strong cedar or other sturdy wood stake. Put these supports in place when you plant the seedlings, so you don't damage roots by adding them later.
MrMartha usually has around 6 large (14- 16" diameter) pots, with an assortment of varieties, and gets an exceptionally abundant harvest. Enough to enjoy fresh all summer, give some to friends, and preserve -- both as canned ripe tomatoes -- and at the end of the season, with all the unripe fruit, as green tomato salsa.
Homemade Tomato Sauce will also freeze beautifully, and if you are adventurous, homemade Tomato Juice is a real treat.
Your garden center, and even your grocery store or large drug store, will usually carry plants that are appropriate for your region. You can also order specialty tomato plants from online suppliers like Cooks Garden. Plant a few classic salad tomato varieties which are also great for canning, include something unusual like a yellow pear or heirloom variety, dont forget a cherry tomato like Sweet100, and classic Roma tomatoes never disappoint.
Make your plans now! And enjoy the bounty later. Even planting one large pot on the patio, or a couple of small varieties in a window box will give you plenty of yield for weeks of salads and other special treats.
Don't be shy about making a focal point of a potted tomato plant on your patio or deck...a well tended plant can be very decorative, with its deeply cut foliage and blushing ripening fruit.
MrMartha will have posts as the summer progresses about canning and preserving, salsa making, and everything else you need to get the most enjoyment out of your hardworking and oh so good garden fresh tomatoes.
Find more tips for growing tomatoes HERE.
.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Rose of The Week
LAS VEGAS
A Hybrid Tea, in a stunning reddish orange blend.
It displays all the glitz, intensity, and glamour of its namesake.
Brilliant in a sunny garden, very favorable for cutting and displaying in a vase.
Approximately 3.5' tall, dark glossy foliage, good disease resistance. Flowers are born singly on the stem, and later in the season in small clusters.
Patented by Kordes of Germany in 1981, this popular rose is still readily available. It receives high ratings in all categories. Though not noted for its fragrance, that is the only weak aspect of any otherwise fabulous rose. This is a favorite in MrMartha's garden.
Brilliant in a sunny garden, very favorable for cutting and displaying in a vase.
Approximately 3.5' tall, dark glossy foliage, good disease resistance. Flowers are born singly on the stem, and later in the season in small clusters.
Patented by Kordes of Germany in 1981, this popular rose is still readily available. It receives high ratings in all categories. Though not noted for its fragrance, that is the only weak aspect of any otherwise fabulous rose. This is a favorite in MrMartha's garden.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Spring is peeking out in MrMartha's garden
MrMartha notes -- that after a particularly nasty winter, and even some late snowfall a week ago, that spring is finally arriving in MrMartha's garden, and starting to put on the mantle of summer glory.
There are few things more beautiful than that yearly awakening of the garden, as the seemingly tender blooms of bulbs, trees, and flowering shrubs brave the chill that is often still prevalent in the air and show a remarkable resilience in their need to break dormancy and come alive.
Forsythia is always a favorite here, with its sunny yellow blooms. Usually a St Patrick's day flower, it is late due to our harsh winter. One pretty edge of MrMartha's garden shows the catkins of Contorted Filbert (aka Harry Lauders Walking Stick), the vig
orous red growth of a large mature Queen Elizabeth Grandiflora Rose, and the cascading blossoms of Pieris Japonica (Andromeda). MrMartha has started some bare root cuttings from the Forsythia, and is nursing those along.
Across the Garden -- a 14 year old Evergreen Clematis Vine, wraps its tendrils around a fence trellis hybrid structure. The glossy leaves and multitude of waxy white flowers looking surprisingly tropical given its surroundings. This Clematis can bloom as early as the third week in March, so it is also making a rather late debut this year.--
There are few things more beautiful than that yearly awakening of the garden, as the seemingly tender blooms of bulbs, trees, and flowering shrubs brave the chill that is often still prevalent in the air and show a remarkable resilience in their need to break dormancy and come alive.
Forsythia is always a favorite here, with its sunny yellow blooms. Usually a St Patrick's day flower, it is late due to our harsh winter. One pretty edge of MrMartha's garden shows the catkins of Contorted Filbert (aka Harry Lauders Walking Stick), the vig
orous red growth of a large mature Queen Elizabeth Grandiflora Rose, and the cascading blossoms of Pieris Japonica (Andromeda). MrMartha has started some bare root cuttings from the Forsythia, and is nursing those along.Across the Garden -- a 14 year old Evergreen Clematis Vine, wraps its tendrils around a fence trellis hybrid structure. The glossy leaves and multitude of waxy white flowers looking surprisingly tropical given its surroundings. This Clematis can bloom as early as the third week in March, so it is also making a rather late debut this year.--
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