Dividing Daylilies

 Wednesday, September 9, 2015

For a couple weeks now I have been mentioning that my daily routine has involved digging and dividing daylilies to line out (plant in rows) in our gardens to replenish plant stock for next spring. I have received several requests asking what "line out" means and have also been queried as to how I divide plants.

Dividing daylilies, or any perennials for that matter, requires a simple understanding of how the plant grows. It also requires that you remember that you aren't going to kill the plant and that you need to be a bit ruthless. Here's an example of how I do it. I am using a daylily named Strutters Ball. It's one of our favorites because it produces lots of scapes and is a nice purple. In this example I wanted double and triple fans when I was finished but in a recent example demonstration I gave to the Waterbury Garden Club I divided a similar  plant of Strutters Ball with my hands and ended up with 11 single fans. How small you divide the plant depends on what purpose you have in mind for the plants when you are finished. Smaller divisions to the point of single fans will take extra time to mature and offer bounteous scapes and bud counts for your enjoyment.

I start by digging deeply around the plant. Over time you will have a good idea of how the roots grow. With Strutters Ball I know the roots will extend underground about 8 " from the perimeter of the root ball. With a plant such as the daylily Cherokee Star I know that the roots are more rhizome-like and grow thick roots horizontally from the root mass and more distant from the plant. That means I have to begin to dig further away so as to maintain the important roots which will serve to make more plants themselves.

When I have cut into the ground all the way around the plant, I carefully pry it out by putting pressure on the shovel or spade handle in a couple places around the plant perimeter. Lately it has been so dry here that the plant balls come out easily. Then I shake the root ball a few times to remove as much dirt as possible. This action shakes out insects and lets you see where worms and other critters may be living. It also makes it easier to identify any weed roots which should be pulled out. I remove any older leaves and essentially clean up the mass as best I can.

Dead plant scapes should be pulled out of the plant ball or cut as close to it as possible. They dry as hollow tubes and those serve as good places for bugs to lay eggs and over winter. By removing all the spent scapes you are removing problem areas. I have never read anything that speaks to fungal problems originating from the old scapes but I am sure old scapes could be a problem too---so--eliminate all you can. Then I trim the entire root ball so the fans are 3"-4" tall. 

Next I wash the entire root ball with the garden hose using as much pressure as I can get. My goal is to wash off as much dirt as possible. This makes it easier to see how the plant has matured and how the fans are related to each other.

I use cheap knives with serrated edges that I buy in quantity from box stores. I always tie a piece of orange surveyors tape to the handle so when I drop the knife, I can find it. I try to cut down through the root mass so that I am dividing the plant into two or three fans per piece. In this case I cut 6 pieces out of the original three year old clump of  Strutters Ball.

As soon as I have divided plants for planting, a get them back in the ground or in  pots. If I intend to grow the plants on in quantity so we can dig and pot them in the future, I spray the rows with horticultural oil. This is a common surfactant that is often used by orchardists because it smothers small insect pests and their eggs. 

Dividing daylilies is not that difficult a task depending on how old the plants are to begin with. Ending up with more divisions than you want can always be timed to garden club, library or school plant sale fund raisers or you can trade your extras with a friend. Give it a try!

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the temperature is an even 63 degrees, the morning is windless, the sky is light grey. We may have a thunderstorm by 4 PM but the expected rain totals sound like less than we really need. If you grow peonies, be sure to water them as they set buds for next year's flowers and since mid August when this began, it has been hot and very dry. 

George Africa

The Vermont Gardener

Vermont Flower Farm

On Facebook as George Africa and also as Vermont Flower Farm & Gardens.

Appearing on various other garden related social media venues.

Always here to help you grow your green thumb!

Peonies

 Sunday, August 16, 2015

Just a quick note of interest on caring for your peonies and insuring better bloom next year. Mid August in New England is when peonies set buds on the root stock for the following year. The best bud production requires moisture in the soil. Although we have  

received what might seem like a great deal of rain this summer, the wind usually followed the rain and dried up what we received.

If you want to enjoy significantly more peony bloom in 2016, be sure to water your peonies well right now. A 5 gallon bucket of water on each plant a couple times a week for the next couple weeks will really make the difference.

Don't fertilize the plants as it's too late to encourage more root growth that won't get a chance to harden off before soil temperatures drop below 50 degrees in mid October here.

Just provide the extra water and next June-July you will see the difference. It will make you smile!


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the temperature is an even 64 degrees and very warm days are expected for today and tomorrow.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
On Facebook as George Africa and also as Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens.
On Twitter as vtflowerfarm
On various gardening social media sites helping you grow your green thumb!

Great Hosta Year!

 Sunday, July 5, 2015

55.2 degrees and foggy at the flower farm. Almost 8 AM. Gail just arrived for the day. Even though it rained last night, I have the sprinklers going on the hostas. They look wonderful this year because of the temperature and the almost constant rain. The slug and snail population is not as bad as I thought it would be but the thinner leaved hostas and those with white or cream edges are getting some leaf marks now. Slug/snail control is something you have to think about in the early spring and by now it's too late to take action because the hostas are too big to address the problem. Reality.

 If you get a chance in the next couple weeks, come visit us. We are located on Route 2 just a half mile west of Marshfield village. The hostas are exceptional because of their age and because water is the best fertilizer--- and we sure have received enough rain this season. 

 Last weekend we held "Walk & Talks" in the hosta garden and we will do the same again this coming Saturday and Sunday, July 11 & 12 at 1 PM. These are informal "walk the gardens" tours followed by half an hour of instruction on how to plant and care for hostas. I explain how to divide, site and plant hostas and share some hosta resources I know.  It seems to be well received information and the number of questions asked seems to confirm the growing interest in hostas in Vermont and other eastern states.

 The benefit of visiting a hosta display garden is that it adds reality to the hostas you consider buying that you see growing in pots. Some folks sell small tissue culture plants in 3" pots. Some sell everything in 4.5" pots, we use number 400 and 600 pots (4 and 6 quarts) and have limited pots in the 15 gallon range for instant gratification gardeners.  The truth is that a potted plant may give you an idea of leaf shape, color, texture but it leaves eventual plant size to your guess. Most gardeners prefer to plant a hosta and leave it to develop to maturity but planting the wrong plant can cause future work. I always mention the customer who was convinced a Sum and Substance would work well by the back door. I protested but the purchase was made and years later I didn't hear a "you told me so." but I did hear a complaint about how big it got and how crowded the entry became. I did not volunteer to come move it!

So if you get a chance, come visit us, ask questions, walk the gardens or come on the 11th or 12th for a talk and tour. We never know who will show for the tour but we can guarantee you will learn something about hosta you may not have heard before. Give it a try!

Writing from the office of the flower farm where I can see clearing sky and bright sun from the east. Traffic is building on Route 2 and it should be a great day here. Come visit!

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
On Facebook as  George Africa and also as Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens
On Twitter as vtflowerfarm
On a variety of garden related social media sites.
Always here to help you grow your green thumb!

Planting Hostas

 June 9, 2015

59 degrees and pouring rain here at the flower farm. May and early June always bring us rain and here at the farm we always watch the Winooski River with caution as it rises and falls, rises and falls, first with spring runoffs and then with rains such as this. A week ago when I was hiking in Maine, Gail had Steve fertilize everything and then when I returned I did the hosta display garden myself. Gail is working on the potted hostas and she is about half way through getting them rearranged and fertilized for the start of the busy season. Things are looking great.

 Just prior to the floods in 2011 I had the hosta garden walkways mulched in stay mat. That's crushed granite which is abundant in this part of Vermont. The walks looked great and walking even for older folks was quite easy. Michelle spent a week mulching all the hostas and although they were small at the time, they looked super. The floods ruined that in sort order and it was on a morning that looked just like this morning that I came to work to find 10 feet of water on the fields. Some plants were lost but today you would not know that as the hostas are reaching maturity and the weather has been perfect for them.

 This morning I have a little correspondence to catch up on and then I will be out planting hostas. It's a perfect day. I dig oversized holes, fill the bottom 6" with old maple leaves and then mix the soil with manure and compost, some commercial fertilizer and then I plant the hostas. Hostas in pots need to have the bottom few inches of soil loosed and the roots spread out so they "catch" quickly to the new soil. Once planted I water well with Epsom salt in a ratio of 2 cups to 5 gallons of water. I pour half a bucket on each plant. This is magnesium sulfate and it stimulates root growth which is very important for subsequent growth.

As the hostas start to grow, I pick off any leaves that may have been injured in the process and I continue to water as needed. Water is truly the best fertilizer for hosta and it really does encourage growth in all directions.

If you have not planted hostas before or have doubt about doing it, stop by and I'll give a demo. On any given day there are usually potted hostas at the entrance to the display garden waiting to be planted. We are always here to help you grow your green thumb too! Come visit!

Writing from a very wet, foggy, rainy flower farm this morning. Stop by for a visit. I am probably working in the office until the rain slows some.

Best gardening wishes!

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
On Facebook as Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens and also as George Africa
On Twitter as vtflowerfarm
On many other social media venues as Vermont Flower Farm

Open 9-5,  7 days a week. Come visit!!

Buckets of Daylilies

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

A rainy morning, limited wind, 54.6°. I'm at the office now doing a million things as Gail is away for most of today. I have a couple orders to get out and then have more daylilies to dig for potting. The picture above is the end of 25 buckets of daylilies that we managed to get through on Sunday with the help of worker bee Gail T from Peacham. They are looking good and today's rain will help them bounce back.

Yesterday Alex and I put up another 90 feet of overhead irrigation using Wooblers that I described on Facebook. I went to order some more last night and found out that they are obviously gaining in popularity as the price went from $1.90 to +$5 a piece in a year's time. Plastic too but a worthwhile investment.  A run of 3/4" pipe with all the fittings and to drop the Wobblers 9" instead of several feet is under $60 for the extra materials. Then just a little time on the ladder. The way I have them set offers a 25 foot diameter spray of 20 gallons per minute but if you drop then 6 feet so they are closer to the ground the diameter is 35 feet.  I buy mine from Grifffin Greenhouse Supply.

Spring flowers, both wild and cultivated continue to emerge and bring joy to our gardens. Take some time to get out and see what's blooming!

Writing from Route 2 where traffic heading to work and working (lots of trucks today) is increasing. The rain continues.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener http://thevermontgardener.blogspot.com
Vermont Flower Farm
On Facebook as George Africa and also as Vermont Flower Farm & Gardens
On Twitter as vtflowerfarm
On other garden related social media

Always here to help you grow your green thumb!

When is "Early" really "Early" for Daylilies?

Thursday, May 14, 2015

A bright and beautiful morning here at the flower farm except that the grass is white with a heavy frost, the water is frozen in all the hoses and at the pump and my last Dark Magic coffee cup for the Keurig machine blew up and the cup has grounds floating everywhere when really I wanted a second cup. Things happen!

The past couple weeks have been dry and  beautiful. Some days it was so hot we just gave up by 3 PM as the 85-90 degrees was too much. During those days customers stopped just the same and asked when the daylilies would start blooming. People were clearly tired of the winter and wanted to see garden color. Not yet!

Last summer I took a dry erase board and started on June 1st listing each daylily as it opened. I made it until July 12th when there were so many daylilies opening every day that I didn't have time to keep up. Here's what the board looked like (above pic).

On June 1st a species, Dumortierii opened as did the first daylily ever hybridized and registered. That one is Apricot from 1893. Early on in the season the oranges and yellows are first to bloom because they are either species daylilies or some of the earliest hybrids strong on their use of species. At our place it wasn't until June 21 that the first purple came out--Grape Velvet, with Bela Lugosi, another great purple opening on the 30th of June.

Last year's chart is available at the flower farm and we will do the same thing this year to compare seasons. Ask to see the charts when you stop by.

Writing from the flower farm as Route 2 hums with people heading to work, commercial trucks already on their way to delivery destinations. Today we are planting hydrangeas and daylilies. Stop and say hello if you are in the area.

George Africa

The Vermont Gardener

Vermont Flower Farm

On Facebook as Vermont Flower Farm & Gardens.   Like Us!

On Facebook as George Africa

On Twitter as vtflowerfarm

Not So Dear Deer

 Sunday, April 19, 2015

Up to 48.2° from an earlier 35°. The sun is burning through and today is a day when I have a long list of things to do because the sun will shine unlike the balance of the week when it will rain part of every day. Alex is almost ready to go. We have a few plumbing items to pick up and then it's off to the flower farm.

This is the time of year when we receive phone calls about how to control deer. The deer are coming out of the woods where they have forded up all winter, especially this year when the snow was so deep. In a few days the grass will begin to green up but in the meantime deer eat anything that shows a sign of green and that includes daylilies. 

Years ago I wrote a little page on our website that  discusses deer control.  Try this and see if it helps at all. It all comes from experience. Mine.

http://vermontflowerfarm.com/Deer%20Control%20Ideas.html


I have to scoot. Lots to accomplish today! Be well!!


George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
On Facebook as Vermont Flower Farm & Gardens. Like us!
Also on FB as George Africa with lots of garden photos.
On a variety of  social media sharing gardening thoughts & pictures

And always here to help you grow your green thumb!

Spring Hellebores

 Wednesday, April 15, 2015

As a slice of moon fades away and the sun pushes up from Peacham Pond, the temperature has risen too, from 28.1° to 35.8°. Unlike yesterday morning, the wind is not blowing so I am encouraged to get outside and get going. Normally by now the hellebores would be showing some color but this year, between the extreme cold and all the snow, they are still buried deep. This was the coldest winter in 121 years and the snow came and never left and a "January thaw" was only to be found in poetry, certainly not in reality this year.

Hellebores have long histories but they have never gained in popularity until recent years when they are regularly depicted in gardening magazines and appear in large swaths in famous gardens. They are liked and they are despised but once you learn how easy they are to grow and how early they bloom, you'll convert to the "let's grow some" side.

Hellebores are typically found at the edge of woodlands where they receive some sunlight but they can tolerate considerable shade. As with any plants, the key is an appropriate soil condition. Soil that is highly organic in composition, and neutral to even alkaline makes all the difference in the world. The soil needs to be evenly moist for best results but that never translates  to "wet". If you think that a location "where water puddles in the spring or after a hard rain" is a good place to try, forget that notion right away.

Here at the flower farm I have a spring regime in the lower display garden where I fertilize every plant with Epsom salts, lime and a commercial 5-10-10 type fertilizer. I use this same formula with hellebores and the results are encouraging. 

One of the reasons gardeners sometimes steer clear of hellebores is that come springtime the foliage looks a little ratty. I try to clip out anything that is easy to remove and do that early on as when the flowers bud, they come right along and I don't want to do anything injurious to a good display. As the flowers begin to pass by and go to seed, I let them be but do insure that they receive moisture if rain has not helped out. Although they are a plant that can tolerate dry conditions, similar to hostas they will grow on but they will be much better with supplemental watering. You'll see the difference in seed and leaf production.

Beginning in July 2015, we will again offer potted hellebores. These will be mixed colors and the pots will not have the colors marked. They are sure to please and will be an efficient way to get started with a New England hardy plant that is sure to please.  Stop by the flower farm early and pick up a pot or two to try. You'll enjoy your new find and your gardening friends will want to know where you shop. 

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the sun shines brightly, the mourning doves are calling, and about 50 juncos have been under the empty feeder sites for two hours cleaning up spilled seed. Spring feels great today!

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
On Facebook as Vermont Flower Farm & Gardens
On Facebook as George Africa with gardening information
Across various social media formats that make gardeners smile!

And always here to help you grow your green thumb!

Spring Garden Curiosity

 Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Just in from my first morning walk with Karl the Wonder Dog. He was exceptionally late this morning showing interest in going outside but once out he didn't want to return to the house even though my coffee cup was dry. He didn't listen. We walked the pond road until he turned himself  around because the mud and water didn't set well on his feet. The time it took him to figure out how to avoid puddles gave me time to look at the scenery and think through what plants would pop out as soon as the still-deep snow melts. 

Gardens offer an interesting curiosity this time of year. Spring 2015 in Marshfield is even more interesting because the deep snows of winter are only now leaving and it will be another two weeks before anything other than brown sparks attention. Just saying that we lived through the coldest January through March in 121 years says it all.

Gardeners themselves are usually the curious ones in spring as they seek out which plants lived and which did not. Four perennials I'd like to mention as gaining in garden popularity are epimediums, hellebores, primroses and trilliums. None of these have shown widespread  popularity until recently and now each has thousands of fans.

Epimediums have never been popular here at the flower farm because they don't bloom at a time that encourages their interest. They are like tall bearded iris in that respect. They are beautiful flowers that have yet to sync themselves with Vermont gardeners and their gardening schedules. This is apparent during home and flower shows when you rarely (never for me) see one on display. These are mid May through June blooming flowers with annual bloom time impacted by snow and cold. 

I enjoy epimediums because they are slower growing ground covers here in Vermont.  They stay under 18" tall and in time are covered with bazillions of small, spider-like flowers that sometimes bloom again come Labor Day. Their foliage is as much an interest to me as the flowers because the leaves of many are variegated , some mottled in color that intrigues.

As you tour garden centers or hidden nurseries such as our flower farm, stop and take a look at what is available for epimediums. They are not cheap but they do reward the gardener more and more each year with an abundance of flowers, some smaller than a dime, some larger than a quarter. Monetary reward, monetary requirement.



Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the small birds of the woods are cleaning up leftover bird seed that is becoming more obvious as the snow continues to melt down. Stop feeding the birds now, avoid problems with black bears and prepare to rake the spent seed soon. Clean is good. 

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
On Facebook as Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens, a Like Page.
Also on FB as George Africa, a page full of garden pictures.
Employing social media to spread the word about gardening in VT.

Always here to help you grow your green thumb!

Thinking About Hosta

Thursday, April 9, 2015

Just back to the house after a couple hours putting things back together at the flower farm. It's a little slower this year because the ground is still covered with snow and in some places it's so wet that it's difficult to walk. Gail is convinced everything will be different in two weeks and I am convinced there is so much frost in the ground this year that the ground will still be cold come May.

Our hosta display garden and all the potted hostas that we carry over remain under an insulating blanket: either a blanket of snow or an actual insulating blanket covering the potted hostas and then snow. Like any hosta enthusiast I wish I could see them in their glory right now but it's just too early to expect anything.  Not only was there lots of snow this winter but there was lots of cold. The winter, January through March, set a record as the coldest in 121 years. That's cold! Many people think that deep cold means that all the bad insects have been killed off and it should be easier on our garden plants as a result. Nice wish but it doesn't happen that way. If anything the beneficials die off and the bad guys continue on.

If we are thinking about hostas and thinking about having great looking plants come mid June, it's important to think about making them as healthy as possible. One thing I learned twenty years ago is to save coffee grounds during winter months and then spread them around each hosta plant come spring. Slugs and snails are often a problem with hostas but the caffeine in coffee kills these troublesome animals and makes for much better looking plants. The research leading to this find came from Hawaii and is well documented. I have to admit that I had my reservations when first hearing about it but the research and the experience has convinced me. I have spread the word and some converts have gone to greater lengths than me to secure spent coffee grounds from restaurants and  gourmet coffee processors.

As I continue to look at weather forecasts for this summer, dry conditions bother me. Sometimes weather folks miss their mark and dry becomes wet. I mention moisture because the absolutely best fertilizer for growing great hostas is water. Do some weather research for yourself and come up with a plan for providing adequate water to your hostas. By the end of June you will be able to see the value of your work if things do turn dry.

Despite whatever we do as gardeners, there are times, conditions and plants that just don't do what we want. I just read a few comments from hosta gardeners on their trouble growing Empress Wu, that giant hosta with Big John heritage. People have had trouble and in some areas they have even lost their plants after a couple years. Those with success have said that proper placement is critical. This hosta requires a couple hours of good sunlight each day and also need consistent moisture. This description reminds me when Great Expectations was released publicly via tissue culture. It was very problematic until gardeners determined that it needed more than average sunlight and like Empress Wu, consistent moisture. Both Empress Wu and modern Great Expectations ask for one thing you will never find on a plant marker: Be patient!


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where we are at 33.2° with a three mph wind. Rain is on the way and warmer temperatures will be here into next week. Two deer went through the flower farm fence Tuesday night so maybe I'll get the holes patched up tomorrow. 

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
On Facebook as  Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens. Like us!
On Facebook as George Africa with gardening commentary
On Twitter, Linkedin, and other social media spreading the word of gardening.

Always here to help you grow your green thumb!

On My Way Back

Saturday, April 4, 2015

It's 9 PM and I am about ready to close down for the night. The bright moon is high in the sky. The air is windless and 19°.  I just looked outside for my barred owl friend but so far he is absent from his fence post perch by the bird feeder. Alex continues to work on his computer studying Russian, Karl the Wonder Dog is stretched in front of the wood stove kicking his hind feet in apparent dreams and I have said enough of Dream Weaver and vermontflowerfarm.com for the night. 

I have been away from The Vermont Gardener since January 11th and that's an embarrassment. Winter is a time I enjoy writing and I know that in the depths of snow, gardeners really enjoy conversing about gardens and gardening. Winter 2014-2015 has been difficult for most for us.  The snow not only was deep but it is still deep here on the mountain above Peacham Pond. The snow dropped yesterday during an absolutely beautiful day but not enough to give us any sight of bare ground here at the house. At the flower farm I plowed the parking area a few days back and that is half bare now.

In January I caught some weird virus and although I am not a doctor person, I finally resorted to mine for assistance. He could not help or at least could only offer an assurance that I would get better in a couple more weeks. A bronchial virus lasted for almost six weeks and during that time I got as far as thinking about writing but not writing. I just couldn't. I coughed a lot but did not write.

Thursday morning I got up early and showing no regard at all for people here in bed, I headed to the flower farm. Last year I would have been there by 6:30 at the latest but this year the snow, cold and virus brought a halt to good thoughts and warm actions.

Just unlocking the gates and driving off Route 2 and into the parking lot at the farm is wonderful change this year. It's like leaving a physical space to me and entering something psychic that is both magical and emotional. I just sat there in the truck looking at the language of the fields and the Winooski River, the trees and the bazillion plant markers poking through the deep snow with names like Spacecoast Starburst or Decatur Pie Crust or Nosferatu. Red squirrels ran in great abundance parallel to the river, birds followed the open river and crows did what crows do as the first turkey vultures circled high above, apparently suggesting that I made it through another winter and would not need them. Life is good.

So now I am getting closer to feeling myself and spring really will be here soon. And I will be writing again, I promise. Come back soon and join me. 



Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where I just took Karl the Wonder Dog out for the last time tonight. A very large sounding barred owl calls from down near the reservoir and coyotes call from outback. Their calls are deceiving and establishing how many I hear is difficult. It's ok. They live here too. Be well.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm

On Facebook as George Africa and also as Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens

Also on Twitter, Linkedin, Pinterest and places of social media made for gardeners.

And always here to help you grow your green thumb!

Sizing A New Hosta Garden

 Sunday, January 11, 2015

The past three weeks have presented us with an interesting mix of weather. We would not have thought that almost two weeks of weather in the 40's and once even to 50° would have been our Christmas and post Christmas greeting. Rain and snow arrived and the wet snow clung to trees here on Peacham Pond Road for over two weeks. This morning as I write, the temperature has climbed from zero degrees to +9° but the gray sky convinces us that another storm will arrive soon.

I rely on the Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium in St Johnsbury, Vermont for my weather forecast and they confirm 2"-5" of snow possible by tomorrow afternoon. Although the temperature will rise as it usually does with impending storms, we will not return to 40° for some time to come.

I used to be very good about getting out into the woods in the winter when gardening ended. The past three years, however,  have offered up lots of cold and wind after Thanksgiving and I have just not felt safe working where there is the possibility that trees will fall on me instead of the ground. My knees are not as strong as I wish and walking through snow of various depths has presented more of a challenge than I care for. We have a logger doing some work for us this winter and I make it a point to stay on the skid trails and wander off with care as we discuss different work. 

With safety in mind, I spend time planning new flower gardens and enhancing some that are already under way. This seems like good winter work and presents a different type of satisfaction.  This fall a customer asked if I would write something about planning a hosta garden after I suggested to her that "sizing" was the word I would probably choose.  Let me give it a try and you make the decision if it is helpful or not.

Hostas seem to be one of those "you love 'em or you don't" plants. When customers arrive at the flower farm and ask for suggestions, they are almost split 50-50 on their love affair. My opinion is that in Vermont there are few large hosta gardens to see and retail opportunities are slim so folks don't get an accurate idea on the gardening opportunities hosta offer. At Vermont Flower Farm we have always maintained a hosta display garden and we are finally finding the time to bring it to the level that it can be a place that generates ideas and confidence that hostas really are a plant to add to your gardens.

Hosta are no different than most plants. They come in sizes from miniature plants that are 2" tall to giants that have leaves 28" across and form 5 foot tall plants with 7 foot scapes. Each year the number of hostas available to gardeners increases and although probably over 6500 are now registered with the American Hosta Society there are hundreds and hundreds of new hosta someplace along the supply chain either waiting to be registered and propagated and distributed.  If you have not studied hosta, your appreciation for what is available may be limited to what you see at your local garden center. That may lead you to believe there aren't many hostas available beyond the basic green, blue or variegated you have seen. That's just not accurate.

If you have decided to give hosta a try you might find them to be more exciting and architecturally useful within your garden space than you first thought.  That's where the problem comes because that hosta you just bought in the gallon (or smaller) pot might  grow to 4 feet wide and 3 feet tall....or bigger....or smaller.  Then comes the question of how long does it take a hosta to mature and how will it/they look in your garden growing along for 4-5-6 years to maturity.

Designing a new garden requires some knowledge of the mature size of the hosta you want to use. I recommend referring to the Hosta Library to gather that information. It's easy to use and the pictures make your job easier.

Look up top and you'll see a picture of how our shade garden started at the flower farm. In it's previous life it was a staging area for sand and gravel for the local town. After that assignment ended it became a patch of alders, Japanese knotweed, wild eupatorium, goldenrod and various swamp grasses. When we started the eventual conversion it required removing all the unwanted plants, trees and shrubs and accepting the box elder trees as the shade producers to get us started. We trenched the lower area to drain off excess water and we planted a long border of Japanese fantail willows and curly golden willows to take up as much water as possible. Then we rototilled with the tractor and we rototilled and we rototilled. We pulled out roots and stones and debris and then we rototilled some more. A year later the area was ready to amend and plant. 

Soon after I began planting, a gardener stopped by late one afternoon and wandered down to see what I was doing. She was quiet at first and then told me she had been watching my progress when she drove by the flower farm. She shared her gardening credentials and then told me I was spacing everything too far apart. Some hostas were 4 feet apart, some were six feet apart, some even 8 feet apart.  There was a method to my spacing and the method included knowledge of the mature diameter of what I was planting. Gardening requires patience.

Take a look at the second picture and you can discern a pathway stretching diagonally across the picture from lower right to the upper left corner. In the background is a fence and some box elder trees and interplanted in the front is a blue cedar and above and to the left a linden tree or two. Some of the hosta were transplanted from gallon pots and others came from one of my gardens at our house. 

Does this planting look odd with so much space in between each plant? Perhaps the day it was started. My next step was to lay down landscape fabric and 6" of  maple leaves and bark mulch. The following year I interplanted with various annuals. I let the wild forget-me-knot flowers naturalize and I took small and miniature hostas such as Lemon Lime, Lemon Delight, Golden Scepter Chartreuse Wiggles, Little Sunspot, and Ice Cream and planted them here and there in between the larger plants. 

By 2010 I had the entire garden planted . Probably the last one third was planted with new-to-us 2 year old hostas. In May of 2011 spring brought us rain, lots and lots of rain and most of the recent plantings were washed down the river. What remained prospered and the next two pictures show the garden in July of 2014.  

The spacing that was in question in the beginning has worked out quite well although 6 foot spacing for a plant that will mature to 5 or 6 feet in diameter is not appropriate, especially if you want the opportunity to walk between the specimens during the growing season, hybridize, trim, fertilize or rearrange the signs. Blue hostas tend to be slower growing and they will take a little longer to reach full size so even now this garden doesn't completely represent maturity. Because room is now at a premium the annual flower plantings are no longer needed to fill in and the annual flowering of the forget me nots is a nuisance to keep cleaned up. 

Over the past couple years I have added four varieties of trollius because they add color in June and into July and then again just after Labor Day. There are Brunneras, European Gingers, a few pulmonarias, Nugget and Diabolo Ninebarks,  3 varieties of hybrid maple, some actaeas, hellebores, darmeras, winterberry, clethra and forsythia. The sizing is working. Patience was the key. Come visit! Come see!!

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where occasional puffs of snowflakes drift from the southeast sky. Two runners just passed the house causing Karl the Wonder Dog to issue a strict warning. As for me, I have to go feed the birds. Be well. Enjoy today!

George Africa

Vermont Flower Farm

On Facebook as Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens

On Facebook as George Africa

On Twitter as vtflowerfarm

And always here to help you grow your green thumb!

Gift certificates available daily 802-426-3505

A Break From Logging

Wednesday December 17, 2014

32.4°  here on the mountain this morning. It's been raining since just after midnight.The trees that have been hanging on to life for a week are now beginning to succumb to the weight of the ice and snow and branches are snapping. When the big pines and maples lose a limb, it's with a snap as loud as a rifle shot from nowhere.

The feller buncher is quiet today as the roads have been too icy for the log trucks to make it here. Our piles of logs, each separated by size, wood species and intended mill lay covered in snow and needing to get on their way before we stack more. No sense in moving things twice.

There are a couple day's worth of logs in the woods that need to come out by grapple skidder to be processed but that will happen when the current piles are moved along.

I didn't go too far into the woods today as the walking is difficult with trees down everywhere. Most are just a nuisance like the small ones pictured below but they have to be moved to keep the whole processe moving smoothly. Today is very smooth as nothing is happening. Probably tomorrow if the ice doesn't get too thick this afternoon.

I have some clean up work to do outside, first hand shoveling and roof raking and then some work with the tractor. By then it will be 1 PM and with a little luck I can get to Plainfield and get some more diesel for the tractor. Whatever you do today, be safe as people are out and about shopping and sometimes shopping lists receive more attention than driving. Be safe!

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the mourning doves are now chasing the blue jays off the platform feeders. Neat to  watch!

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
On Twitter as vtflowerfarm
On Facebook as George Africa; Like as Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens
Always here to help you grow your green thumb!

Very nice gift certificates available by calling Gail at 802-426-3505