I have hundreds of lightning bugs now because I cut a few trees down and left a few 8 to 10 foot sections in the middle of the garden beds. It almost looks like a natural decoration with the plants growing around them, but the amount of wildlife in them is unbelievable. In summer, my yard is lit up by hundreds of lightning bugs, also. It worked out well.
Another reason we have lost lightning bugs is because of mosquito sprays. The neighborhood we lived in when we first moved to Florida had lightning bugs for about one week during the first summer. Then the mosquito truck came through and there were dead lightning bugs in our yard. They started coming back about two weeks later, but the truck came through again and killed them off. For the rest of the seven years of living in that neighborhood, we never saw lightning bugs again. Our new home is about 10 miles away (as the crow flies) and even though we have lots of moist, wooded areas around us, we have have not seen any lightning bug activity.
I have the same problem. My neatnik next-door neighbors spray and it comes through my fence. I still have some lightning bugs thank heavens. The neighbors don't care.
Thanks Jim and Steph! I use my downed oak limbs for bed borders that line a natural area along our property. Also-I’m loving the weekly garden planner. It’s keeping me from feeling overwhelmed by all the things that have to be done before spring. 😊
I love downed limb borders! Going to have to sneak around the neighborhood like the Grinch to get more than I could need as my lot doesn't produce nearly enough!
@ so tempting to “Grinch Pick”! 😂 Our county hasn’t finished Milton cleanup. Every time I pass limb piles I think “hey, I know where I could use that.” 😮
He's answered this before: anywhere is fine, but it's best to spread it around to different locations, rather than always dump it in the same spot every time. Always dumping it in one spot could undesirably change the characteristics of the soil in that spot.
I have a 30 year old Heritage birch that drops dead limbs and I like to keep those dead limbs. The decomposers in the garden love that dead wood, and that is a good thing.
Hi Jim! Fellow Raleighite here. You've talked about how much you've improved your soil, but what if someone has the opposite problem? After six years of growing perennials and using nothing more than leaf mulch and (very little) organic fertilizer, my soil is doing great. But when I try to grow certain medium-height things like little bluestem, monarda punctata, achilleas, etc they tend to flop over as if I'm over-fertilizing them but I'm not - and they are in full sun. How can I make the soil leaner or less rich? Or is that not my real problem? Thanks!
Yes, I would like to know a little more how to keep things that like leaner soil from flopping. I have Blackland Prairie soil, heavy clay. Little bluestem is native here, but it flops in my garden.
What if you got some course sand and mixed it in there? Kinda like people with bad soil having to amend their soil with soil conditioner. Also, I wish I had your problem in my yard! I’m having to pay a lot of money to get good soil brought in this coming spring.
Thank you Jim for the winter update and answering the questions. Did I hear correctly that you are propagating some plants and developing your own? How exciting…enjoy the snow.
Thank you so much for answering my leyland limb up question! 🎉 I considered underplanting w panicle hydrangeas but if you saw my next door neighbor who sits and smokes and about 10 ppl stare into my peaceful pergola and garden 🙄, I hope the limbed up Leylands will fill in on top where pruned, I’ll give them time to bush back out but if not I may have no choice but a fast growing green giant screen 😬…love your channel! PS I watched the Giberson layering video…definitely lifetime goals 🙌🙌🙌
creating horizons between soil layers!!!!! mother******!!! that's what i've been dealing with in my house. Thankyou! the previous owners put down soil and sod over a 98 year old garden. The concrete like sand they created 4-6 inches down is unbelievable!
It was interesting seeing how two varieties of the same plant behaved in this ice storm. I planted a couple Apricot Echo and a couple Yuntinan Caigui variegated osmanthus fragrans last year, at around the same size. The Apricot Echoes stood tall and didn't seem particularly affected by the ice. On the other hand, the nearly 6 feet tall Yunitan Caiguis were bent over to the ground by the weight of the ice. But as soon as it warmed up and the ice melted, the Yuntinan Caiguis sprang right back up like nothing happend.
RE Last Friday Five Water Management video: Do you do anything special at your downspouts? Do you select plants because they can survive/absorb the extra water near the end of a downspout? Mini rain gardens? Little water sinks?
I'm in CLT, Zone 8a. I planted a 'White by the Gate' Camellia 2 years ago. It's planted in the corner of fencing, so protected. It is supposed to do well with morning sun and afternoon shade, which is the scenario its in. Here's the issue -- In the Spring/Summer it gets at least 4 hours of morning sun and in shade the rest of the day. But in the Winter, due to the height of the fence, it only gets about 2 hours of morning sun, then in shade rest of the day. It has lots of buds but yet to bloom, and it looks a bit leggy versus bushy. Is it because its still young and getting situated, or do I need to move it to ensure more sun during its blooming season?
Thank you for answering my question! ❤ I left the snow on my encore azaleas, I'm 99% sure I got zone 6 plants, autumn Twists and autumn fire, crossing my fingers they do ok in this awful winter 🤞🙄😂
In the 1970’s My parents bought wooded property in rial Virginia zone 7b. A house was built in 2000. Apparently the neighbors used this property to bury their trash back then. As I plant near what is now the fence line I come across very old glass & plastic bottles , bike frames, cans, many styrofoam plates, burlap cloth, etc.!!! 😖☹️ Is it best to hire an excavator to dig up and remove the soil covered trash, or add soil and cover it up then plant ornamentals over that. (Plastic & glass & some cans really doesn’t go away guys). Thanks for educating us!
How do you begin the clean up after a storm (wind/rain/ice)? Do you look for broken tree branches first? Move material off the walkways? Is there an order of operations?
We're going to winter sow Summer Jewel Salvia (red and pink) as soon as the seeds arrive. My understanding is Salvia seeds are quite small. What kind of spacing do you recommend for the Summer Jewel seeds when sowing? I know you use seed trays for your sowing, but I wasn't sure if you placed one seed per cell or multiple seeds per cell for such small seeds.
Hey there! He has a comprehensive video on the channel called "About Seed Starting" quite the watch. He does mention Summer Jewel a few times but the process isn't caught on camera. At 1:11:00 while referencing cool season vegetable seeds he does show how he sows the teeny tiny seeds. If you're a visual learner definitely recommend watching it. He'll do two per cell with the tiny veggie seed and gently brush them in! Definitely check out the video, it pops up with a quick search. Its a trove of knowledge. Gotta add these to my list of seeds to look out for!
Really enjoy this channel! I’m in zone b in Columbia SC , in our 4th year in this home and it came with tea olives as foundation plants. Someone legged them up before us so they are 6 feet tall. If I cut them way back, like close to the ground, will they come back? They are obstructing our windows, I have cut the tops bk, but there’s more “leg” than leaves
Hi Jim, you might not seen my last week’s question and I don’t think it was discussed in the past Q&A as I watch pretty much all of you Q&A videos. My question is what kind of tree is suitable for a narrow strip (5 ft wide) of plantable bed between two paved spaces (driveway and brick pavers). I was thinking eastern redbud or crape Myrtle. I’d like shade for summer. I’m in zone 6b/7a in NJ. I see we have mature maple as sidewalk tree in my neighborhood but the sidewalks were lifted, so I know not to plant maples.
Hi Jim, I admire your love for plants. I watch your horttube frequently. I am amazed with your knowledge. Thanks for those videos. I live in Raleigh too. I do want to visit your garden when you open it for public this summer. Last summer I wanted to but could not find the address in your youtube. I recently bought a puppy, and I am afraid he may chew on random plants in my garden geraniums, foxglove, camelias, I have a question, I am pretty sure its repeat question. I wanted to know how if I need to avoid any plants? I see Holly in your garden all the time, and was wondering if you supervise him. Vinny
My Southern Wax Mrytle has broken into pieces (in the summer * recently this winter - yuk!). I was going to root prune by myself and throw it out. Gonna plant a Desert Willow which does well here in North Texas.
Some of my older Japanese maples (zone 8a) have retained many of their leaves this year. They also didn’t have the best fall color compared to past years (Crimson Queen specifically). I attributed this to the extreme heat that we had this summer. I had been a bit worried about them since most of these are older trees. Thanks for mentioning this issue . I guess I will see this spring if there has been any damage from this change and the snow /ice of this weekend. A video about care for maples to help them during extreme heat and ice would be helpful or you may have one that I haven’t found.
What’s your opinion on mulch up against a house? I’ve heard that you shouldn’t put mulch up against your house because of termites, but I feel like I see people with mulch up against their houses all the time. Does the level of concern vary by region, weather patterns, construction materials, etc.? I’m in Southern Ontario (Zone 6a I think).
Question: Should river birches be pruned/thinned and, if yes, when? We’ve planted 2 a couple of seasons ago and in the winter you can really see how dense the branches are. Is it healthier for the trees to thin that out some? Thanks. Love your frank and authentic answers.
Prune in mid to late summer. Pruning birches in late winter will cause them to bleed the rising sap. Birches and maples are two trees that would be better to do heavy limb pruning while in leaf.
I have a bit of a specific question, but might actually apply to a broader concept. I have an Acer Hong Long (so beautiful). It's planted about 10 feet away from the front corner of my East-facing house. It currently receives a few hours of morning light and then is hidden from some of the late afternoon sun, but as it grows it's in a place where it will begin getting a good amount of late afternoon sun. I know that they supposedly do not like hot sun, but I'm located in Portland where it's not quite that hot. Do you think it will be fine in the position for long term? This could probably apply to any type of tree that can't handle the heat of the south but might be fine in PNW.
Question: In order to raise and regrade the slope of a flowerbed, how much of a sand/soil mixture would you recommend? I understand that soil is an organic material that will breakdown overtime, so more sand if not all sand may need to be used followed by a top layer of mulch. However, I wanted to confirm. I live in Zone 8b in Charleston, SC.
I have an area that was covered with rock and I want to turn it into a flower bed. I’m new to the property and am wondering if I should dig out the rock or just start adding compost and mulch. It seems like rock won’t amend away. Should I I just bring in new soil on top of the area?
I have a large area that I would like to renaturalize. It's currently weedy grass and it's near the roadway. I plan on planting some saplings to start things off. I want to encourage native plants while discouraging invasives. What steps would you take to successfully renaturalizs the area while having it look good along the way?
Did you have an industrial wood chipper as a nursery man? If so, what are the qualities to look for in a business wood chipper?? Power? Easy to self repair? Size/portability? Fuel (electric vs gas)? I have 1 acre of woods behind me with lots of fallen branches &trees.
Here comes a chemical question 🙄 - Im trying to avoid buying plants w-Neonics..it’s virtually impossible to know what has & doesn’t. Advice online says to ask garden center owners, but once I did & they seemed really offended/irritated. My question: since you know a lot of folks in the growing trade… do you hear any talk if they still use these and/or if they plan to stop? I just wish it was disclosed
Do you have native plant nurseries in your area? See if your state has a native nursery association, the growers you will find through them are likely to have a conservation mindset . At my native, local nurseries I find butterfly caterpillars on their plants so I know they aren’t using pesticides. I get so excited when I see them I feel like I am getting free yard decor via butterflies with the plants I buy.
@ Yes, thankfully I have a native nursery about 1 hour away, so I make 2-3 big trips/year. Totally agree the bees & butterflies & birds show make it all worth it! Im just hoping 🤞🏻the general growers move away from Neonics… I don’t think most people know it’s in their plants
Hi, fellow hortube subscriber. I reside in the Mid-Atlantic and visiting my local arboretum and public gardens throughout year to see what catches my interest and check throughout the year how the conifers are performing. There are also really good books on conifers for southest garden out their. In my opinion, mugo pines, hinokis, junipers and dawn redwood do well for me in my hot and humid summers. Mix bag and results with growing pinus strobus. Currently trying to grow pinus parviflora that have an open habit, which I have been told will do better in a humid climate. Good luck researching.
I live in Western New York iPhone 6. We’ve had an extended period of subzero temperatures. Gardeners, growers, and farmers have been singing, the praises of a deep freeze to help battle diseases and insects. Can you talk about what happens when the ground freezes?
Central Texas 8b/9a. Regarding hydrangeas going into dormancy. We have been having long summers and mild winters the last few years. My macrophylla hydrangeas have been going into December/January still green and then getting hit by sudden arctic blasts. If I start removing leaves gradually in November, when they would normally start turning color and going into dormancy, would that help them wind down as they should or do further damage?
Jim Several weeks ago I paid $129 for a brief session with you. What I'm looking for is not a video walk thru but to send you some photos of my foundation plant advice. Please check your records to confirm this. Thanks. JJ Cameron
Laughing out loud at you calling Griffin "every Cartoon Dog." We call our cat Brandt "Cartoon Kitty" for much the same reason...he is Tom, Garfield, Sylvester and every other cartoon cat you can imagine 😹.
If you have any crossing branches, you can prune those out, but otherwise it's best to just let it grow naturally. Don't commit 'crape murder' like you might see your neighbors doing!
Q - Since you started your garden project 4 years ago, how long did it take you to stop seeing Bermuda grass invade your beds or do you folks still battle the grass?
Has anyone else been having issues with there sunshine Lagustrum. Mine keep losing there leaves. I’m in Asheboro NC zone 8 I have planted 3 and have been 2 years in the ground. 1 of the sunshine’s is in full sun clay soil front yard and it’s the worst no growth in 2 years and losing its leaves. The other is in great well draining soil in my raised bed and this summer it was growing great and looking great,November came and it also started looking bad and losing its leaves. The 3rd one is in great soil but it’s in shade, about 3hrs of direct sunlight is all it gets. It looked really good not as gold looking but nice. November came and it did the same, what’s going on I also have some friends and there sunshine Lagustrum is or is now doing the same thing. I feel like I’m a doing everything right and I’m a decent gardener but these plant seem sick or off. Anyone else having issues with them.
I also have 3 in the ground! Ga 8a clay. Two are doing good- more than half day sun, on a slope no wind protection. The ugly duckling is the one by a woodline with ever so slightly richer soil, less slope and protected from winter winds. It gets half a day of sun at most peak summer. It's thin, it'ssparse and has poor poor color. The plant being zones 7-10 we should probably blast it with all the sun we can give it. I plan to transplant it in early spring and shear it for a reset. I suspect maybe the one you have in full sun is planted deeper than it wants to be? Struggling roots lead to struggling plant is how I perceive it
@ Thanks for the info. I have them raised up and they are the only pants out of well over 40-45 different species of plants that just don’t do good. I think I’ll give it a trim this year and if that doesn’t help I’ll move them around… after that they are compost.
Thank you Jim for the winter update and answering the questions. Did I hear correctly that you are propagating some plants and developing your own? How exciting…enjoy the snow.
I have hundreds of lightning bugs now because I cut a few trees down and left a few 8 to 10 foot sections in the middle of the garden beds. It almost looks like a natural decoration with the plants growing around them, but the amount of wildlife in them is unbelievable. In summer, my yard is lit up by hundreds of lightning bugs, also. It worked out well.
Yes! Yes! Yes! Thank you for being a champion for wildlife in our yards. So tied of looking at perfect manicured boring yards devoid of wildlife!
Another reason we have lost lightning bugs is because of mosquito sprays. The neighborhood we lived in when we first moved to Florida had lightning bugs for about one week during the first summer. Then the mosquito truck came through and there were dead lightning bugs in our yard. They started coming back about two weeks later, but the truck came through again and killed them off. For the rest of the seven years of living in that neighborhood, we never saw lightning bugs again. Our new home is about 10 miles away (as the crow flies) and even though we have lots of moist, wooded areas around us, we have have not seen any lightning bug activity.
I have the same problem. My neatnik next-door neighbors spray and it comes through my fence. I still have some lightning bugs thank heavens. The neighbors don't care.
So so sad 😞
We should ban spraying toxic chemicals all over our communities. It’s ridiculous we ever allowed it.
Thanks Jim and Steph! I use my downed oak limbs for bed borders that line a natural area along our property. Also-I’m loving the weekly garden planner. It’s keeping me from feeling overwhelmed by all the things that have to be done before spring. 😊
I love downed limb borders!
Going to have to sneak around the neighborhood like the Grinch to get more than I could need as my lot doesn't produce nearly enough!
@ so tempting to “Grinch Pick”! 😂 Our county hasn’t finished Milton cleanup. Every time I pass limb piles I think “hey, I know where I could use that.” 😮
@@erincolleen7436 😂
Where is a good place in the garden to put my ash from fireplace?
He's answered this before: anywhere is fine, but it's best to spread it around to different locations, rather than always dump it in the same spot every time. Always dumping it in one spot could undesirably change the characteristics of the soil in that spot.
I have a 30 year old Heritage birch that drops dead limbs and I like to keep those dead limbs. The decomposers in the garden love that dead wood, and that is a good thing.
Glad you addressed the cardboard question.
Hi Jim! Fellow Raleighite here. You've talked about how much you've improved your soil, but what if someone has the opposite problem? After six years of growing perennials and using nothing more than leaf mulch and (very little) organic fertilizer, my soil is doing great. But when I try to grow certain medium-height things like little bluestem, monarda punctata, achilleas, etc they tend to flop over as if I'm over-fertilizing them but I'm not - and they are in full sun. How can I make the soil leaner or less rich? Or is that not my real problem? Thanks!
Yes, I would like to know a little more how to keep things that like leaner soil from flopping. I have Blackland Prairie soil, heavy clay. Little bluestem is native here, but it flops in my garden.
What if you got some course sand and mixed it in there? Kinda like people with bad soil having to amend their soil with soil conditioner. Also, I wish I had your problem in my yard! I’m having to pay a lot of money to get good soil brought in this coming spring.
Thank you Jim for the winter update and answering the questions. Did I hear correctly that you are propagating some plants and developing your own? How exciting…enjoy the snow.
Hi Jim. Great Q&A segment as usual but I’ll just watch to hear more about Holly & Griffin 😂❤
Hi Jim and Stephany 😊 Love Ram and Toms paradise 😍 Thank you for another great Q and A. Have a wonderful week. 😊
Thank you so much for answering my leyland limb up question! 🎉 I considered underplanting w panicle hydrangeas but if you saw my next door neighbor who sits and smokes and about 10 ppl stare into my peaceful pergola and garden 🙄, I hope the limbed up Leylands will fill in on top where pruned, I’ll give them time to bush back out but if not I may have no choice but a fast growing green giant screen 😬…love your channel!
PS I watched the Giberson layering video…definitely lifetime goals 🙌🙌🙌
creating horizons between soil layers!!!!! mother******!!! that's what i've been dealing with in my house. Thankyou! the previous owners put down soil and sod over a 98 year old garden. The concrete like sand they created 4-6 inches down is unbelievable!
fantastic question & answer video today!
Always look forward to your Q and As. Thank you !!!
It was interesting seeing how two varieties of the same plant behaved in this ice storm. I planted a couple Apricot Echo and a couple Yuntinan Caigui variegated osmanthus fragrans last year, at around the same size. The Apricot Echoes stood tall and didn't seem particularly affected by the ice. On the other hand, the nearly 6 feet tall Yunitan Caiguis were bent over to the ground by the weight of the ice. But as soon as it warmed up and the ice melted, the Yuntinan Caiguis sprang right back up like nothing happend.
These are my favorite videos, so informative!!
RE Last Friday Five Water Management video: Do you do anything special at your downspouts? Do you select plants because they can survive/absorb the extra water near the end of a downspout? Mini rain gardens? Little water sinks?
I'm in CLT, Zone 8a. I planted a 'White by the Gate' Camellia 2 years ago. It's planted in the corner of fencing, so protected. It is supposed to do well with morning sun and afternoon shade, which is the scenario its in. Here's the issue -- In the Spring/Summer it gets at least 4 hours of morning sun and in shade the rest of the day. But in the Winter, due to the height of the fence, it only gets about 2 hours of morning sun, then in shade rest of the day. It has lots of buds but yet to bloom, and it looks a bit leggy versus bushy. Is it because its still young and getting situated, or do I need to move it to ensure more sun during its blooming season?
Thank you for answering my question! ❤ I left the snow on my encore azaleas, I'm 99% sure I got zone 6 plants, autumn Twists and autumn fire, crossing my fingers they do ok in this awful winter 🤞🙄😂
In the 1970’s My parents bought wooded property in rial Virginia zone 7b. A house was built in 2000. Apparently the neighbors used this property to bury their trash back then. As I plant near what is now the fence line I come across very old glass & plastic bottles , bike frames, cans, many styrofoam plates, burlap cloth, etc.!!! 😖☹️
Is it best to hire an excavator to dig up and remove the soil covered trash, or add soil and cover it up then plant ornamentals over that. (Plastic & glass & some cans really doesn’t go away guys). Thanks for educating us!
Thanks Jim. ❄️⛄️💚🙃
32:26 Yes Please to SALVIA!
There is truth in the old saying, variety is the spice of life.
How do you begin the clean up after a storm (wind/rain/ice)? Do you look for broken tree branches first? Move material off the walkways? Is there an order of operations?
We're going to winter sow Summer Jewel Salvia (red and pink) as soon as the seeds arrive. My understanding is Salvia seeds are quite small. What kind of spacing do you recommend for the Summer Jewel seeds when sowing? I know you use seed trays for your sowing, but I wasn't sure if you placed one seed per cell or multiple seeds per cell for such small seeds.
Hey there! He has a comprehensive video on the channel called "About Seed Starting" quite the watch.
He does mention Summer Jewel a few times but the process isn't caught on camera. At 1:11:00 while referencing cool season vegetable seeds he does show how he sows the teeny tiny seeds. If you're a visual learner definitely recommend watching it. He'll do two per cell with the tiny veggie seed and gently brush them in! Definitely check out the video, it pops up with a quick search. Its a trove of knowledge.
Gotta add these to my list of seeds to look out for!
Really enjoy this channel! I’m in zone b in Columbia SC , in our 4th year in this home and it came with tea olives as foundation plants. Someone legged them up before us so they are 6 feet tall. If I cut them way back, like close to the ground, will they come back? They are obstructing our windows, I have cut the tops bk, but there’s more “leg” than leaves
Hi Jim, you might not seen my last week’s question and I don’t think it was discussed in the past Q&A as I watch pretty much all of you Q&A videos. My question is what kind of tree is suitable for a narrow strip (5 ft wide) of plantable bed between two paved spaces (driveway and brick pavers). I was thinking eastern redbud or crape Myrtle. I’d like shade for summer. I’m in zone 6b/7a in NJ. I see we have mature maple as sidewalk tree in my neighborhood but the sidewalks were lifted, so I know not to plant maples.
Recommend to check out Standing Ovation Serviceberry (smtms called Obelisk) - only 4-6 ft wide, very pretty
Hi Jim,
I admire your love for plants. I watch your horttube frequently. I am amazed with your knowledge. Thanks for those videos. I live in Raleigh too. I do want to visit your garden when you open it for public this summer. Last summer I wanted to but could not find the address in your youtube.
I recently bought a puppy, and I am afraid he may chew on random plants in my garden geraniums, foxglove, camelias, I have a question, I am pretty sure its repeat question. I wanted to know how if I need to avoid any plants? I see Holly in your garden all the time, and was wondering if you supervise him.
Vinny
My Southern Wax Mrytle has broken into pieces (in the summer * recently this winter - yuk!). I was going to root prune by myself and throw it out. Gonna plant a Desert Willow which does well here in North Texas.
What is the name of the palm behind you in this video? I’ve always wanted one.
Windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei), Taylor Form.
Some of my older Japanese maples (zone 8a) have retained many of their leaves this year. They also didn’t have the best fall color compared to past years (Crimson Queen specifically). I attributed this to the extreme heat that we had this summer. I had been a bit worried about them since most of these are older trees. Thanks for mentioning this issue . I guess I will see this spring if there has been any damage from this change and the snow /ice of this weekend. A video about care for maples to help them during extreme heat and ice would be helpful or you may have one that I haven’t found.
Wow you have snow !
Actually, it was mostly sleet here in Raleigh.
What’s your opinion on mulch up against a house? I’ve heard that you shouldn’t put mulch up against your house because of termites, but I feel like I see people with mulch up against their houses all the time. Does the level of concern vary by region, weather patterns, construction materials, etc.? I’m in Southern Ontario (Zone 6a I think).
When using other plants to shade the roots of a small tree…is it best to keep the foliage off the trunk?
Question: Should river birches be pruned/thinned and, if yes, when? We’ve planted 2 a couple of seasons ago and in the winter you can really see how dense the branches are. Is it healthier for the trees to thin that out some? Thanks. Love your frank and authentic answers.
Prune in mid to late summer. Pruning birches in late winter will cause them to bleed the rising sap. Birches and maples are two trees that would be better to do heavy limb pruning while in leaf.
I have a bit of a specific question, but might actually apply to a broader concept.
I have an Acer Hong Long (so beautiful). It's planted about 10 feet away from the front corner of my East-facing house. It currently receives a few hours of morning light and then is hidden from some of the late afternoon sun, but as it grows it's in a place where it will begin getting a good amount of late afternoon sun. I know that they supposedly do not like hot sun, but I'm located in Portland where it's not quite that hot. Do you think it will be fine in the position for long term? This could probably apply to any type of tree that can't handle the heat of the south but might be fine in PNW.
Question: In order to raise and regrade the slope of a flowerbed, how much of a sand/soil mixture would you recommend? I understand that soil is an organic material that will breakdown overtime, so more sand if not all sand may need to be used followed by a top layer of mulch. However, I wanted to confirm.
I live in Zone 8b in Charleston, SC.
Bracy’s Nursery! Hope to get a Governor Mouton this year along with a few others. Might have to go to Mizell’s in Folsom for that.
I have an area that was covered with rock and I want to turn it into a flower bed. I’m new to the property and am wondering if I should dig out the rock or just start adding compost and mulch. It seems like rock won’t amend away. Should I I just bring in new soil on top of the area?
I have a large area that I would like to renaturalize. It's currently weedy grass and it's near the roadway. I plan on planting some saplings to start things off. I want to encourage native plants while discouraging invasives. What steps would you take to successfully renaturalizs the area while having it look good along the way?
Did you have an industrial wood chipper as a nursery man? If so, what are the qualities to look for in a business wood chipper?? Power? Easy to self repair? Size/portability? Fuel (electric vs gas)? I have 1 acre of woods behind me with lots of fallen branches &trees.
IIRC he just uses a basic electric chipper these days.
Here comes a chemical question 🙄 - Im trying to avoid buying plants w-Neonics..it’s virtually impossible to know what has & doesn’t. Advice online says to ask garden center owners, but once I did & they seemed really offended/irritated. My question: since you know a lot of folks in the growing trade… do you hear any talk if they still use these and/or if they plan to stop? I just wish it was disclosed
Do you have native plant nurseries in your area? See if your state has a native nursery association, the growers you will find through them are likely to have a conservation mindset . At my native, local nurseries I find butterfly caterpillars on their plants so I know they aren’t using pesticides. I get so excited when I see them I feel like I am getting free yard decor via butterflies with the plants I buy.
@ Yes, thankfully I have a native nursery about 1 hour away, so I make 2-3 big trips/year. Totally agree the bees & butterflies & birds show make it all worth it! Im just hoping 🤞🏻the general growers move away from Neonics… I don’t think most people know it’s in their plants
Do you have a book recommendation or perhaps a series of conifers for the Southeast?
Hi, fellow hortube subscriber. I reside in the Mid-Atlantic and visiting my local arboretum and public gardens throughout year to see what catches my interest and check throughout the year how the conifers are performing. There are also really good books on conifers for southest garden out their. In my opinion, mugo pines, hinokis, junipers and dawn redwood do well for me in my hot and humid summers. Mix bag and results with growing pinus strobus. Currently trying to grow pinus parviflora that have an open habit, which I have been told will do better in a humid climate. Good luck researching.
“Landscaping with Conifers and Ginkgo for the Southeast”
by Tom Cox, John M. Ruter
@staciejackson7497 that's exactly what I was looking for thank you!
I live in Western New York iPhone 6. We’ve had an extended period of subzero temperatures. Gardeners, growers, and farmers have been singing, the praises of a deep freeze to help battle diseases and insects. Can you talk about what happens when the ground freezes?
I bet you just need a newer iPhone 🤣
Awesome autocorrect!
Central Texas 8b/9a. Regarding hydrangeas going into dormancy. We have been having long summers and mild winters the last few years. My macrophylla hydrangeas have been going into December/January still green and then getting hit by sudden arctic blasts. If I start removing leaves gradually in November, when they would normally start turning color and going into dormancy, would that help them wind down as they should or do further damage?
I am also interested in the answer to this for Gatsby Gal and Limelight Prime. It was still up in the 80°s most of November.
Besides Autumn Kiss, what else at MANTS caught your eye? (For me, FlowerFull Smooth Hydrangea and Digitalis Arctic Fox Lemon Cream)
Jim Several weeks ago I paid $129 for a brief session with you. What I'm looking for is not a video walk thru but to send you some photos of my foundation plant advice. Please check your records to confirm this.
Thanks. JJ Cameron
Laughing out loud at you calling Griffin "every Cartoon Dog." We call our cat Brandt "Cartoon Kitty" for much the same reason...he is Tom, Garfield, Sylvester and every other cartoon cat you can imagine 😹.
How should I prune my crypt Myrtle?
Don't. Pruning it will cause the new limbs to be weak and they will flop over from the weight of the blooms. Just let them grow naturally.
If you have any crossing branches, you can prune those out, but otherwise it's best to just let it grow naturally. Don't commit 'crape murder' like you might see your neighbors doing!
“He’s every cartoon dog you’ve ever seen” 😂
Q - Since you started your garden project 4 years ago, how long did it take you to stop seeing Bermuda grass invade your beds or do you folks still battle the grass?
Actually it was paid on Dec 22. Hope to hear.
How did you send the money? Did you sign up for a consultation? I don't see it if you did. Send me an email to the horttube@gmail.com. Thank you, Jim
Has anyone else been having issues with there sunshine Lagustrum. Mine keep losing there leaves. I’m in Asheboro NC zone 8 I have planted 3 and have been 2 years in the ground. 1 of the sunshine’s is in full sun clay soil front yard and it’s the worst no growth in 2 years and losing its leaves. The other is in great well draining soil in my raised bed and this summer it was growing great and looking great,November came and it also started looking bad and losing its leaves. The 3rd one is in great soil but it’s in shade, about 3hrs of direct sunlight is all it gets. It looked really good not as gold looking but nice. November came and it did the same, what’s going on I also have some friends and there sunshine Lagustrum is or is now doing the same thing. I feel like I’m a doing everything right and I’m a decent gardener but these plant seem sick or off. Anyone else having issues with them.
I also have 3 in the ground!
Ga 8a clay.
Two are doing good- more than half day sun, on a slope no wind protection.
The ugly duckling is the one by a woodline with ever so slightly richer soil, less slope and protected from winter winds. It gets half a day of sun at most peak summer. It's thin, it'ssparse and has poor poor color. The plant being zones 7-10 we should probably blast it with all the sun we can give it.
I plan to transplant it in early spring and shear it for a reset. I suspect maybe the one you have in full sun is planted deeper than it wants to be? Struggling roots lead to struggling plant is how I perceive it
@
Thanks for the info. I have them raised up and they are the only pants out of well over 40-45 different species of plants that just don’t do good. I think I’ll give it a trim this year and if that doesn’t help I’ll move them around… after that they are compost.
Why do your videos have so many commercials in them?
No, diseased leaves should NOT be used as mulch Or placed in the compost pile. Put them in the TRASH!
Yes they can go on a hot compost pile
Thank you Jim for the winter update and answering the questions. Did I hear correctly that you are propagating some plants and developing your own? How exciting…enjoy the snow.