Category Archives: General Gardening

October 7, 2016 · 9:54 AM

A quick Crape Myrtle guide:

Pruning: friends don’t let friends Crape-murder……

How to prune a crape myrtle:
https://pender.ces.ncsu.edu/pruning-crape-myrtle/

Example of crape murder: http://www.classicgardens.com/crape-murder/

crapemurder

Cultivars: Here is an excellent link for characteristics of the cultivars:

https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/crapemyrtles-for-north-carolina

Gus

Gus stopped chemo for the adeno-carcinoma in his lungs in September but is still alive an kicking. His cough is becoming worse and he is not as active but he doesn’t seem to be in pain and still eats well. Just taking it day by day.

and now back to Hurricane Matthew……

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October 6, 2016 · 11:00 AM

Cooler weather brings Fall flowers.

Cooler nights, in the 60s, and reasonable day temperatures, in the low 90s, have encouraged a flush of blooms.

Many of the Jewelweeds died from the 100f temps and drought but a few have come back to bloom.

Tropical day flower has a similar habit as the native dayflower with the exception of the leaves.

Althea- Rose-of-Sharon: They are at their best this time of the year.

Mistflower (Eupatorium coelestinum) – its an aggressive native but the Fall flower display is worth it.

The plant giveaway at JC Raulston Arboretum at North Carolina State University is always fun to attend. Members can grab plants after the whistle is blown! People come prepared with wheelbarrows!

Until all plants are gone!

We have no hurricane threats this year….until now. We are waiting to see which direction Matthew will travel. Some rain would be nice but no wind!!

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September 18, 2016 · 7:29 AM

Fall bloomers

I love the Fall bloomers. Not only do they herald cooler temperatures but all have unique flowers!

Colchicum: like a giant Fall crocus

Lycoris: often called Hurricane Lilies in The South as they bloom during the season.

Hidden ginger – Curcuma petiolata

Blue mist flower: Conoclinium coelestinum

Pampas grass: these sharped leaves grasses can reach eight feet in a moist location.

Blood lilies

Crinum

And visitors to the patio from the garden.

And my favorite, passionflower Incense

Clematis seed heads

Autumn clematis – very fragrant but a heavy vine. This is a six-foot metal lamp post. The vines are cut back to two leaf-nodes in November and grow through the winter such that they are five to six feet in length by spring. The reseed around the garden to the point of weediness.

I have had problems with my Black Dragon crossvine. A large limb fell last January in a snow and ice storm and pulled the 40 foot vines from the Loblolly pine. I cut them back expecting the rapid growth replace them in one season. Something has eaten them to the ground each time they have reached a few feet up the tree. I wrapped hardware mesh around the tree to protect the vines.

The cooler nights are perfect for walking around downtown Raleigh.