Native Plants, Snakes, Zone Map Confusion, Moving Garden - Garden Questions Answered
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ก.พ. 2025
- Native Plants, Snakes, Zone Map Confusion, Moving Garden - Garden Questions Answered - In this video I answer gardening questions that were asked in last week's garden question and answer video. T-Shirt Discount Code - 10PERCENT
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When someone asks me my thoughts on native plants I’m just going to send them to the right timestamp of this video. Ditto, Jim, ditto.
Right? I wish people would chill.
Thanks for the birthday wish, Jim! My wife is the best!!! 😄
A LOT of people also misidentify harmless snakes as copperheads and water moccasins. NC *does* have a lot of copperheads, for sure. But there are also people who will see a dekay's brown snake and think it's a "baby copperhead". Then like you said people end up killing snakes that aren't harmful to people (and are actually good for their gardens) because they think they're venomous. And those people tell their neighbors that they just saw a "copperhead" in their yard. Again, NC does have a lot of copperheads so caution is warranted. But this myth gets built up about copperheads and cotton mouths in particular and then people see every snake as a bad snake.
Anyway, for folks who are afraid of snakes, snakes don't like being sprayed with water, so a quick spray under or around your bushes might scare anything lurking in your garden away while you're out there. It's also super helpful to learn to identify just the venomous species in your area. For example NC only has 4 categories of venomous snakes: coral snake, copperhead, cotton mouth, and three species of rattlesnake. If you learn those snakes, when you see a snake that doesn't fit any of those descriptions, you can be pretty sure it's not going to harm you.
Last, snake bites often happen when people are trying to interact with a snake - either trying to move or kill the snake, or otherwise bothering it. So getting close to a snake to chop it with your shovel is putting you more at risk. Just grab your garden hose, stand well away, then give it a spray. Otherwise you can call a snake relocation service in your area or check out the whatisthissnake group on reddit for a local expert who can help you safely relocate any venomous snakes.
Applause, applause. As far as Dekay Brown Snakes, I have really only noticed them in the last couple of years. I have flower beds not far from a white oak, I keep it mulched, so yeah, I have to hand pick a plethora of leaves through he fall. That is when I find the DeKays, there are just little things, I will admit, I am initially startled when I uncover a snake, but I leave them alone. I have not seen a king snake since 2003, I remember the year because it was my mother's last summer and she screamed so loud I thought there was an intruder in the yard. The fact that it is 2025, and I haven't seen a king snake since is disconcerting. (live in NC).
Same here in north Georgia. I raised a daughter in the woods and creeks, I create hides and habitat in my naturalized "lawn". I see few snakes because they have places to live. They don't like to see big scary humans and will always save their venom if given the chance. There are snake ID channels aplenty for the truly curious but best left alone. More kids are harmed by vending machines than snakes but you don't see parents warning kids about those! If it is a little snake without a yellow tail, chances are it's NOT a baby copperhead 😊
Snake loving grandma here, they limit rodents which limit fleas and ticks too
I’ve left sooooo many things behind too. I believe the creative amongst us will have the easiest transition. We have to let go of something to grab the next.
Sometimes we’re forced to let go before we know what we’re grabbing. But grab we must.
Jim, I always tell my husband, the first time I notice you have your shorts on each year! Spring is coming!
😂hello, Mr. Jim putnam and Stephany. Happy gardening. 🌻 🌻 🌻.
Very glad to learn about your new native plant garden plans! My own understanding of natives has evolved over time, thanks to Prof. Doug Tallamy’s work. For example, I didn’t realize that birds only feed their babies caterpillars ( not seeds), & so butterflies & moths need larval hosts, aka native plants. The butterflies & moths cannot evolve fast enough to take advantage of non natives. The co evolution of native wildlife and plants is extraordinary! So I am now much more inclined to replace some of my non natives, space permitting, which is always a challenge. I also have a better understanding of the sense of urgency given the precipitous decline of bird & insect populations globally. I applaud your work with your existing garden & the exciting new native garden. We must all stay positive!
Love and respect your approach to "native" plants and look forward to learning a whole bunch from the new garden! 😊
Thanks Jim for answering my question! I believe it is stress that is killing my balsam/frasier firs. I have 20+ exotic trees from Iseli Nursery (Monty, Firefly, etc.) and they all survived. However, I can't get a native fir tree to survive?? LOL! Thanks again.
When I found out that native plants can boost biodiversity, I wanted to learn more. Unfortunately, I have encountered a lot of zealots in the native plant community, folks willing to sacrifice good on the altar of perfect.
A straight species native is the right plant for rehabbing an extensive space but NOT the right plant for a suburban or urban lot of ¼ to ⅛ acre.
By selecting native shrubs that are smaller, more floriferous, and less likely to sucker, we create plants that regular folks want to put into their gardens.
I’m limiting the pallet of my backyard to natives only, and I concentrate on my Level III ecoregion. If I really like something that is in my Level 1 ecoregion, I plant it with no guilt!
Since we are in the same Level III ecoregion (Go Piedmont!), I look forward to seeing your plant selection. I have the most trouble finding ground covers.
I brought many plants with me when I moved! I am so glad I did - some of my prized camellias are now over 30 years old!
6 mins, re the Pacific NW, having lived there, I can add that due to the sheer number of rainy days, even when the total accumulation isn't that high, the constant supply of moisture not only keeps things constantly wet, it also leaches the soil of nutrients, which can make the soil surprisingly inhospitable, given the relatively warm temps.
Have you considered taking the audio from the Q&A video and posting it as a podcast? I frequently listen to podcasts while driving and think a Q&A podcast would be a welcomed addition to your repertoire. Thanks for all you and Stephanie do for us want-a-be gardeners and landscapers!
It's your garden, you do what you want with it!!
My hubby and I used to live at Ralston! After being in banking he switched to being in landscaping working while getting a 2 yr horticulture degree! Bryce Lane allowed me to attend some his classes with him! Just ate it up! Love your show. Look forward to our time on Feb 5 for consultation. J Jarvis
I so much enjoyed my class at NCSU with Bryce Lane!
Good morning Jim and Stephany. Thank you for sharing another great Q&A! 😊
I love native plants but I also love nonnative, non-invasives as well. You have a very inspiring gardening style that helped get me into plants of all kinds for my own biodiverse ornamental garden.
Thank you for sharing your logical position on natives. I agree 100%.
Can you talk about critter control especially in the new garden. Rabbits and deer for me.
I have deer too. They ate almost all the leaves off of my Nellie Steven’s Holly and nibbled my Taylor junipers. I’m so shocked. They must be desperate. My neighbor started feeding the Deer two months ago, then stopped so they are all over our yards now. SMH
I plant sacrificial plant material for the rabbits - esp native ground covers. They grow back incredibly easy & root establishment does not take much time. Put them on the periphery of the garden. Rabbits get full there, don’t need to munch on the more desirable plants in my garden. Good luck
Please speak on voles& moles!!
They eat the roots. Not much on TH-cam about how to discourage them without killing them.
@@wmcovington1041raptors and snakes are the best defense. They can really do a number on them
I’m so happy you guys are taking that side lot and making it pretty! I learn so much from your videos.
Thanks for answering my question about the taxodium. I didn’t know they had such a taproot until I had to move them. 😅 I’ll let you know if they survive. You letting me know bougainvillea has weak roots helped me transplant my variegated one last year and it survived and has grown multiple feet since.
Just discovered that Clay Akin (American Idol) is from Riley ❤
In the Pacific NORTHwest, Vancouver, WA, British Columbia -- "Buchart Gardens" is a gorgeous, public garden site to see what thrives there (inland more than Seattle!).
Hi, it’s actually on Vancouver Island, near Victoria, the capital of British Columbia 😊.
There is a Vancouver in Washington state, but that’s not where it is located.
Thanks so much for doing these! You’re amazing!
'Equal Opportunity Plant Person' (EOPP go forward) is a term I am going to use from now on. I'm constantly getting the 'frown/negative comments' from my friends when they visit my garden or when we discuss Native vs Non-Native. I feel like I'm always defending my choices. Like you, I too have/am incorporating Natives where they will work best in my OWN garden. My dilemma is in the gardens I help manage (at my church, MGV volunteer gardens, etc.) It is becoming harder and harder to not go one way or the other - ONLY. When I am walking through my Garden Center and am OOing and AWing over their selections, checking to see if the plant is Native or not is NOT top of my mind. If the plant is, then great. If not, I still love it and will find a place for it.
Tell 'em that you limit yourself to plants that are native to planet earth. I've actually had someone lecture me about how I needed more native plants for the health of honeybees, lol! That conversation took an interesting turn when they learned that honeybees aren't eve native to North America.
Zone 8a Milton Florida, I have clovers growing in my flower beds. My husband says it's beneficial. Should I leave them or pull them?
People with deer problems, I have a big container of Deerstopper concentrate that I use to spray my plants that the deer love most: hostas, roses, oak leaf hydrangeas, azaleas (only in the wintertime), and some herbaceous perennials. It smells good and works well. The challenge with it is that you have to respray new growth often in spring, even if you sprayed the old foliage less than a month before.
I have a couple of rhododendrons ("Taurus') that were heavily browsed by deer a month ago. I've had these a little over six years and prior to recently, they have never been bothered by browsing animals. Curiously, they did browse most of the leaf portions and left the bloom buds alone, Thank God. I sure hope they recover from browsing since they are generally healthy.
They should recover over 2 years. How big did they start/ how much did they grow over 6 years?
@ I believe they were about 2 or 2-1/2 feet tall when I had them planted in November 2018. At last count, before the browsing, they were about 3-1/2 feet tall. In past springs they have produced remarkable foliage growth, both upwards and out. Spring 2024 resulted in a first bloom, a beautiful red. I have other older taller rhodies planted in front of my living room window, and deer have never bothered them.
Another great Q and A.
Thank you Jim and Stephanie !!❤
Any plans to visit Garden Answer (Laura/Aaron) property?
I love what you are doing with this new native garden, however you qualify them! I use a mix in my own garden and in a wild area( working on it lol) has a bunch of nonnative that have been there for a long long time! Love that you are doing this for the home gardener who can sure use your guidance!
Snakes in SC Kansas - let em be!!! Rarely do water moccasins make it out of SE KS to the open Plains. Always misidentified snakes inevitably lead to destruction of those snakes - a damn shame. Thx Jim for another solid video
I like TH-cam the best too!!
Thanks for answering my question, great advice as always! Keep up all the great work. 😊
The few times I bothered to look into the source of negative Fb comments, I discovered they were being done by bots! I positively love the REAL posts from the human gardening community.
I had a Japanese Maple come back from being eaten by half from deer! Zone 8 , GA! Amazingly lucky I think! They touched everything in that garden. In a new home now they eat the hydrangeas , roses, laropetulum! ( sp?)
Deer fence?
Hah,… Jim,… i agree,.. try your best to make use natives where you can and if you like them,… but enjoy your garden and plant what you like,…
Thanks Jim and Steph! On the topic of snakes… we have resident black snakes. They are all named Bob. Many of our neighbors have rat boxes. We just have the Bobs. We give them their space and they do their job. 😊
Yes!
Will you plant Mexican sunflowers in the new gardens?
Oddly, there are some planted on the edge-and now covered in woodchips.
Question: I'm looking for non-toxic broadleaf evergreens for screening in zone 6b. Prefer tall-upright. I've ordered several cold hardy Camillia. Have a Kay Perris Magnolia too. Is there anything I've overlooked? Large corner lot and too many conifers already. Thanks Jim and Steph! Smartest channel on TH-cam.
If pollinators like a plant, it’s native enough unless the garden’s purpose is specifically to educate about local varieties. For most people, pollinator friendly is likely more desirable than strictly native.
Great video effects....... your wood chips are steaming!!!!!!!!!
Jim- that’s so true about FB! 😂 I have been in houseplant groups, gardening groups, dog groups and no matter how benign the subject of interest, people on FB are crazy and catty! It’s kind of hilarious. They love to waste their time being mad! Very entertaining
I’m noticing the deer have finally stopped eating my heuchera, now that I’ve planted Illicium (Orion and BananAppeal) on either side of the heuchera. Hopefully this will keep deterring them. 🤞🏻
I just started a BlueSky account and building a list of accounts to follow, certainly wouldn't mind seeing you there!
One of the big pluses of Bluesky is that it isn’t owned by an oligarch.
I received a load of mulch last year. It took weeks to scatter, and I'll never do that again...
backbreaking.
How long before you can plant in a bed started with chip drop? I’ve heard that it takes the nitrogen out of the soil - is that true? Thanks for all of your videos they really help!
Hi from zone 7b Richmond VA!
I have a crape myrtle tree, maybe 8 years old or so judging from old satellite views, that was planted close to a peony and some azaleas. All seem to be growing well so far, but the peony shoots keep spreading and now surround the crape myrtle, resulting in a tangle of peony and azalea with a crape myrtle in the middle. A few years ago I tried to dig up the peony, but only managed to snap off a few underground shoots with buds. My question is, should I leave everything as is until something looks unhealthy, or is there a way to keep the peony - or azaleas - from taking over? They are all so close together, and the bottom 3 feet or so of crape myrtle stems are constantly covered by the other plants. Thanks for all your great information!
Just planted an Apricot Echo Osmantus in 7b Middle Tennessee. The nursery it came from was in Georgia 8b. It looks mostly healthy, but the top few inches are leafless and black, showing possible frost damage from the last snow storm that crossed the South. Prune it now or wait to see where the new growth emerges from in the next month or two?
I’m in southeast Alabama, newly zone 9a (although we got down to 10 with 7 inches of snow in January 😅)…is it too early to prune sunshine ligustrum and vitex? Thank you for all you do!
I am slowly working on establishing a shade garden and recently purchased a Mountain Snow Pieris from Southern Living Plant Collection based on a video you shared. I’m super excited to see it bloom, but wondered if I should deadhead after it finishes blooming or just leave the plant as is? If it should be deadheaded, how far back down the stem should it be cut?
I’ve had my house washed with bleach and never had a problem with my foundation plants. I covered some of them (spider web fatsia, gardenia, October magic camellia) with a frost protection blanket. But I don’t think it made any difference. Never had a problem with bleach on ornamental plants in practice.
Good morning, Jim. Question I'm hoping you might tackle next week: I'll be planting an Empress of China dogwood in the next few weeks and wanted to ask you about yours. I'm in NE Georgia, with my garden practically straddling the line between 7B and 8A (so similar to Raleigh). I've seen mixed advice on how well the tree can handle mid-day/afternoon sun, but yours seems to be thriving in what appears to be a full sun location. Is this correct, or is it getting some protection from the mid-day sun?
Question about drip irrigation systems, what's the longest run of tubing I can get away with before issues arise, assuming 1/2 tubing? Was planning on stepping down an outdoor faucet and just running up side of house, burying under moss path, then following boundaries of yard and down slight hill to other edge of property.
What's the best way to remove wild onions from the garden?
Let’s be honest, agricultural zones mean nothing nowadays. We’ve all noticed dramatic swings and unusual weather patterns in the last three years. This past year in southeastern zone 8a we’ve seen more days in the 90s than ever before. Similarly this winter, temps have lingered in the 20s for more days than I’ve noticed in a decade. I suspect a number of herbaceous plants that have survived and thrived in our garden for the past few years, wouldn’t reemerge in the spring.
Do you think it's a good idea for a non-professional to buy a wood chipper or is it too much of a hassle?
Me: Did you hear what he said?
Kimberly: No. What did he say?
Me: He said PEE-CAN! 😂
Kimberly: That’s what I say.
Louisiana vs South Carolina
Jim and I spent some serious car driving time looking up pronunciations of so many different words according to locale. Pecan has a bunch!
QUESTION: Jim, are there any plants on your property that are just for you and Steph to enjoy, that you don’t share on your channel?
Should I remove pine cones (big ones) from my garden before I mulch, I know they take forever to break down uncovered, not sure they will breakdown covered in mulch. Thanks for your insight.
Hi Jim and Steph! Cary, NC zone 8a
We have a Soft Serve False Cypress that is a bit too sparse is there anything we can do to get it to fill in more (pruning, nutrients, transplant)? Currently it's in a pretty forested area of pines and sweet gum trees in a bit more than part sun placement. Thanks!
Hi Jim & Stephany!
Question:
Zone 7a -northern Virginia
I am wanting to encourage self seeding- (ie: cleome, verbena bonariensis and foxglove) in my garden. Any suggestions on this area of the garden- as I will want to mulch and/or add compost - and don’t want to suffocate potential re-seeding opportunities. Thanks!
Question for this week: are there multiple species of Clerodendrum that grow in Raleigh? I know you have the peanut butter Clerodendrum Trichotomum. Asking because I have many here in FL zone 9b like the shooting star bush, pagoda flower, and bleeding heart vine to name a few. There are many great Clerodendrum that grow well in Florida so I was wondering if that was the only one that grows in Raleigh?
Question, over grown gold mop 6 ft tall zome 6 Kentucky. How much or hard can it be pruned ? How much can I cut it back at one time to get it to fill in with out killing it ? I in tend to us some of the cuttings to propagate more plants !
I hear you talk about pine bark soil conditioner frequently. I am in hot zone 8b Dallas, Texas and also have clay soil. I have been unable to find this and many people here use expanded shale. We have moderately alkaline soil. Could pine bark mulch be used as a substitute for the pine bark soil conditioner or is this completely different?
For question of the week. I’m up on the Delmarva peninsula. During the last snow, someone ran off the road through my yard and ran over my ~ 6 year old cornus florida. It’s around 8 inch circumference in trunk. It was obviously laid down when the vehicle went over it but popped back up after the vehicle cleared it. It’s leaning 10 or 15 degrees in the direction it was forced over but definitely did not break. What are the chances this thing will pull through? Or should I just replace it preemptively in spring?
Will a mojo pittosporum thrive planted under a crape myrtle? Is this a tree that sends out noxious chemicals, like black walnut, or would root competition for water and nutrients be the only concern? I can mulch, compost, and use Plant Tone, if that’s the case.
Just wondering what you think of ramial as apposed to just plain wood chips?.. my ex makes lots of ramial and I am using it to create more beds…do you know how they compare? Zone 8b mountains of Northern California
Hey, I just bought a 1G Nikko Blue hydrangea online and when it arrived it had a leader that was 3-4x as big as any other branches and had bent back over on itself. Should I prune that down to roughly the same size as the other branches or would you stake and try to straighten the leader?
Hi Jim! Unfortunately my lawn is the dreaded bermuda grass and I'm planning to create some new planting beds in my yard this spring. Thinking I'd rent a sod cutter, get the grass out and start adding woodchips? I know I will still be fighting to keep the bermuda out but not sure I can avoid that. Would that be a good approach for new beds?
I don’t know if I’ve ever heard you talk about transplanting hellebores. I’ve heard that they don’t like to be moved, but I’m wondering if that is actually true? Can you talk about it? I’ve recently moved to a new house and have several interesting varieties I’d like to move with me, but I’m a little worried I’ll kill them.
Are there any new strategies for combating gophers? So many things just keep you running, not necessarily effective. What can we do? Just lost a Burr Oak to thos
North GA 8a.
I am removing large swaths of bermuda grass to turn into garden space (flower, shrubs, etc.). We are planning on using a sod cutting machine, followed by layers of amendments (chips and soil3 compost). Is this the best strategy and is there anything else we can/should do to help prevent the bermuda return?
Jim will hopefully chime in next week with his thoughts, but unless you're planning for an ongoing battle that will likely end with some use of herbicides once you've exhausted every other option, you're best bet is probably to start with glyphosate. I believe some sod farms actually grow bermuda by cutting with a sod cutting machine like you'll be using, then topping with amendments like you'll be using, and letting the grass regrow from the roots that remain.
I have mondo grass in a few places and I like it. Why do some people dislike it?
It's invasive in some areas
Also, I’ve heard the common name of mondo grass used interchangeably with lirope. Liriope spicata can be very invasive. (Ophiopogon generally isn’t as invasive as L. spicata)
@beetickler6418 I like it too.
Why is your pile not smokin today?
I have a meyer lemon tree and a lime tree. Every year I start to get fruit develop and then something eats the small fruits off the branches. I'm in Houston TX, I have no deer.
Back when we grew peach, nectarine, and apricot trees, squirrels used to strip them overnight a few days before we were ready to pick the fruit. Maddening.
Where can I buy tickets to the Open Garden? My husband just said we’ll make the trip from Atlanta. I looked on all your sites, hope you’re or sold out.
There is a store button at the top of the page. Thank you
I got off of Facebook many years ago. In the gardening groups we had people who thought answering the question can you eat oleanders. Yes I said oleanders and they responded that they were safe to eat. They are EXTREMELY POISONOUS AND should NOT BE CONSUMED! That information is dangerous and NOT FUNNY. People go there to learn. It was not a place I wanted to be involved with.
Have you ever been to the Juniper Level Botanical Garden in south Raleigh? And what is your take on their style?
Yes he has.
I have asked this in the recent past, but I'm not sure it was answered. If it was, please forgive me. Why do the azaleas in my area look so sad? They are very sparse and stick like, but they flower well. I'm near Wilmington and I think I'm seeing encore azaleas.
Is there any good reason for paying an arborist over $200 to "inject" his company's special soil amendment mixture (which sounds like Plant Tone) around the dripline of a 12' black gum, 12' crabapple and ~6' chionanthus? Is it better than just throwing Plant Tone around every March?
Can I grow something just outside my zone?
Yes, if it’s in the right location. (Microclimate)
If you don’t mind treating it like an annual 😊.
Moles for me
I think u mean moles. I use Grubex to stop the grubs. Grubs are a major food source for moles, so stopping them is a bug help. Also, I have a couple of cats that help. But I still have a mole or 2.
That's what I use, but I must have a generational family that decided to homestead on my property. They are bad this year and Gruber didn't help this go round
Some one is Asking all of you guys about Blue Sky….. looks like a Marketing Campaign 🤦🏻♀️
Have you ever written a book on plants if not you should I just ordered a book called your natural garden by Kelley D Norris buy a friend recommended Doug Oster the organic Gardener he has a TH-cam channel and a talk show on KDKA radio every Sunday morning
Good morning! My China Snow Fringe Tree, which bent over 90 degrees last year in a storm, is still going strong. I planned to cut it back last year, but by the time I got around to it, it was standing on its own again. Seems to grow fast and flowers well, adding weight in spring. I don’t want to risk another wind injury though. Would you recommend pruning it before it flowers?
I've said it before, but someone could become a billionaire quickly if they could design a herbicide that was genetically targeted at Bermuda grass and nothing else. I hate Bermuda, but it's everywhere in Central Texas, including our 5 year-old home.
💯
Hi Jim I sent you an email at horttube about a speaking engagement, trying to teach you, Debbie Bussey
Have you heard if prices on plants (flowering tropicals ,houseplants, etc.)imported from Mexico will be impacted by the recent tariffs placed by the U.S. government.
Hi Jim and Steph - excited about the open garden in June! Can ticket holders get the address so we can start looking for accommodations? See you then!
They are extremely close to the Raleigh Rose Garden, if that helps. 😊 Make time for the JC Raulston Arboretum on your visit to Raleigh as well🌿✨
It's in google
709 Harris St Raleigh, Nc 27607
@@cece_mariethank you!
@@missjenniferd1 Yikes- thanks
I hear you talk about pine bark soil conditioner frequently. I am in hot zone 8b Dallas, Texas and also have clay soil. I have been unable to find this and many people here use expanded shale. We have moderately alkaline soil. Could pine bark mulch be used as a substitute for the pine bark soil conditioner or is this completely different?