We moved into our current home 13 years ago. It is situated on an acre in a small country subdivision. It was built in the ’70s, and we are the third owners.
When we moved in, I could tell that there was a Crimson King Norway Maple that had died in our front yard. The original owners had alternated the planting of Crimson King Maples (red leaves) and Norway Maples (green leaves) along the front of our yard. There was a beautiful planting of alternating red and green leaf trees. When the Crimson King Maple died, someone planted a Silver Maple in its place. The pattern was now interrupted, and I didn’t like it.
I pointed this out to my husband while we were unloading boxes. I wanted him to take down the tree so that I could plant a Crimson King Maple and the pattern would be restored. He wasn’t open to that idea, because the Silver Maple was a living tree. He didn’t want to cut down something that was alive. We finished moving in and our focus soon shifted to other projects both inside and outside the home.
The tree is at least four times larger today than it was on that cold March day when we were unpacking boxes. While one man, a chainsaw, and a bonfire would have taken care of the tree back in 2001, now it would take three guys with heavy equipment several days to remove it. It stands as a strong visual reminder to me that if you are going to take out a tree or shrub, generally the sooner it is removed, the easier it is to remove it.
The Perennial Plant Association has announced the 2013 Perennial Plant of the Year: Variegated Solomen’s Seal. The botanical name is Polygonatum odoratum ‘Variegatum.’ It has white flowers in late spring and variegated foliage throughout the growing season. It grows well in moist soil in partial to full shade. It grows 18 to 24 inches tall, and the leaves turn an attractive yellow in the autumn. It can be planted with other shade-loving plants such as hostas, ferns, and astilbes.
From the front lines…miscellaneous gardening observations:
Unlike the epic failure of the Topsy Turvy Tomato Planter fad a few years ago, the Pocket Hose seems to working very well for homeowners. Homeowners love the fact that these hoses are very light and portable.
Mushrooms, mushrooms, and more mushrooms. I have started to see little mushrooms sprouting up in many yards, including my own!
The bunnies have been busy eating perennial flowers. I have seen lots of damage to oriental lilies.
I have started to see quite a bit of slime mold in mulch beds. This is also called dog vomit mulch due to its appearance. It is usually a yellow- or tan-colored patch that can span from several inches to more than a foot in diameter. The molds dry out over time to become a dry, powdery mass. You can either leave the slime mold area alone and it will eventually disappear, or you can scoop it up and dispose of it in a garbage bag.
Too much of a good thing is a bad thing. Erosion caused by water can be very damaging to planting beds. Consider extending your downspouts so that the water goes onto the grass, not into the mulch bed.
Ornamental grasses, iris, catmint, fall blooming sedum, daylilies, and hostas are great examples of plants that may need to be divided. They may start to die out in the middle, fall over, or flower less if they are not divided. Ideally, dividing is best done in spring or fall, but they can be divided in the summer also.
The Japanese Beetles will be hatching soon. Make sure any plants that have been damaged by them in the past are protected from them this year. Consider using an insecticide to protect plants that are particularly susceptible to their damage. Birch, Elm, Linden, Roses, and Cotoneaster are examples of these plants.
• Kathleen Carr is the owner of The Growing Scene, Inc., a garden center and landscaping company. She can be reached by calling 815-923-7322 or tgsinc12@msn.com. Have a gardening question? Please contact her. She will address it in an upcoming column.
