One of this season’s best performing plants is Nicotiana or flowering tobacco. Once planted in spring, a little supplemental water is all that is required. Here it grows pest-free. It is an ornamental relative of N. tabacum that is grown for tobacco production. The lightly fragrant flowers bloom the second half of summer after seedlings are planted outdoors … Continue reading
Filed under Container Gardens …
Sunflowers Grow Here
Sunflowers grow naturally on this whole continent. These are sunflowers planted by nature along the Missouri River west of Yankton, South Dakota. Historically, Native Americans in Central and North America grew sunflowers for flour, oil, and other food. Today in Canada and the Northern Plains of the United States, farmers grow them to be processed … Continue reading
A Little Something Different with Containers
When I awoke this morning, I realized a container of sunflowers had come into bloom. While I enjoy seeing them out the window in their staging area on the deck, I began to think about how to include them with the other flower containers that we see every day for a new look. Here’s a … Continue reading
Grow Sunflowers in Containers
Sunflowers and the sunny outdoors in summer go together. Sunflowers are easy to grow when direct seeded into flowerbeds. Seed catalogs advertise some sunflowers as having features for growing in containers. Plant them after the danger of frost is past. With 6-8 hours of sunlight a day, even the tallest sunflowers will mature, bloom, and … Continue reading
Front Entrance–Aim for attractive and functional
By mid-July, the annual and perennial plantings are established and provide texture and color to the front entrance area. The north-facing entrance and small patio area have late afternoon shade complemented by a nearby Japanese maple tree. A bit of green space under the tree, foundation plantings, especially near the entrance, and movable planters add … Continue reading
Garden Bloggers Bloom Day July 15
Welcome to Garden Bloggers Bloom Day for July 15 at Plant Exchange Blog. We average about 25 inches of rain a year and have had timely moisture so far this season. Lots of sunny days! Lately, highs have been in the mid to upper 80’s with a few days more extreme, and flowers appear to … Continue reading
June Garden Party
For a late June garden party, we’d be sure to invite some of these easy-to-grow annuals and perennials of this region. Planters overflowing with Supertunias draw our party guests with color to the front entrance. Annabelle hydrangeas radiate excitement after rain overnight. The Catalpa tree in bloom is abuzz with pollinators. Fragrant lanky milkweed stand … Continue reading
Window Box Container Gardening
Romans gardened with window boxes when urban habitation afforded them little growing space. Some Europeans decorate windows with containers of flowers beneath. Gardeners in the United States later adopted the window box as an outdoor decor option. As in other methods for container gardening, consider choosing the window box transplant with function in mind. At … Continue reading
Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day June 15th
Welcome to spring fast approaching summer at our USDA Zone 4-5a Northern Plains location. Perennials are now about on season schedule after an unsettled, somewhat cool spring. We depend on the skills of our local nursery for early annuals such as petunias to add color while perennials wake up. Breeze and often wind is a … Continue reading
June Veggie Notes
Variety leaf lettuce from seeds intended for harvest as small leaves and balsamic vinegar makes a great June salad. This tray of salad greens was planted and harvested indoors. Moved to a sun- and-shade spot outdoors, it’s ready for the third cutting. Our traditional garden has been underway the past month. July beans are progressing, … Continue reading
