Summerific hibiscus


Wed. Aug. 5, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Summerific hibiscus

Ahhh, Summer. Road construction, dust and flowers abloom! Today I introduce you to the Summerfic line of Hibiscus from Proven Winners! There’s a new one for 2020 and THREE more coming in 2021! Oh, yes, pictures are on gardenbite dot com! ‘Candy Crush’ has 8 inch bubblegum pink blooms with a deep red, nearly black, center.

It grows to 4 to 4 ½ ft. tall and is attractive to bees and butterflies. The foliage is bright  … [Continue reading]

Drought tolerant flowers


Tue. Aug. 4, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Drought tolerant flowers

While many of you have had plenty of rain, others… not so much. We’re heading into some of the drier weeks of the Summer.

Wouldn’t it be great to find flowers that are pest resistant, drought resistant and bloom all summer long! A tall order, however, the Heliopsis is up to the challenge!  Also known as False Sunflower, sunflower heliopsis and smooth oxeye it’s a native AND cold hardy to zone 3.

This flower, also  … [Continue reading]

Japanese Beetles intoxicated by geraniums


Mon. Aug. 3, 2020

Click on the link below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Japanese Beetles intoxicated by geraniums

Had a little too much there, fella?

From the USDA research department: Within 30 minutes of consuming geranium petals, the beetle rolls over on its back, its legs and antennae slowly twitch, and it remains paralyzed for several hours. The beetles typically recover within 24 hours, but they often succumb to death after predators spot and devour the beetles while they are helpless.

The University of Colorado Extension has a  … [Continue reading]

What goes with who?


Fri. Jul. 31, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: What goes with who?

 I love getting questions from listeners and suggestions for Garden Bite topics. I was recently asked about what plants get along and what plants might not…  First thing that comes to mind are invasive plants.

Beautiful… but it spread and those didn’t flower, they just looked weedy!

IF you don’t mind a plant creating your garden, then buy that invasive or “easy spreader” as they are referred to in plant catalogs.

Monarda and Obedient  … [Continue reading]

Read the plant label


Thu. Jul. 30, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Read the plant label

Read the directions, read the label… blah blah blah!  It’s a good idea! 😉

There are plenty of plants that have the same “first” name but are completely different! Case in point:

The first name is the genus, the second is the species. While the both had the same cultural requirements, they behaved very differently…

Let’s take Viburnum for instance.  This group of shrubs consists of more than 150 species and cultivars.  Light  … [Continue reading]

Surface root conundrum


Wed. Jul. 29, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Surface root conundrum

Surface roots of trees can be a real pain in the patoot when trying to mow!  I know…  but there are some real DON’TS when it comes to making your mowing life easier.  While I’m  lucky with the yard I have now, I still have a Hackberry that’s not easy to mow around.

But I found a way around it!

In a previous residence, I had Silver Maples, they are notorious for large surface roots  … [Continue reading]

Daddy longlegs – spider or not?


Tue. Jul. 28, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Daddy longlegs – spider or not?

 A listener and Facebook follower of Garden Bite gave me a great suggestion. Tom said check out Daddy Longlegs… hmm, okay. Found out some interesting facts.

For those who are spider squeamish, don’t worry, daddy longlegs aren’t spiders! Yes, I was surprised too!

  • They don’t have venom
  • They can’t spin a web
  • They are generally beneficial – they eat real spiders and insects, including plant pests such as aphids
  • They’ve been
 … [Continue reading]

Ground plum and the constant desire for more plants!


Mon. Jul. 27, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Ground plum and the constant desire for more plants!

I can’t help it, I’m always looking for new plants. If something pops up that catches my eye, I have to ponder where I would put it. Last week, Prairie Moon Nursery sent out a note on this darling little native called Ground Plum. Latin name not quite as pretty, Astragalus crassicarpus…  is fabulous for bee lawns.

 I looked in my yard and found the perfect spots! I  … [Continue reading]

The Well-gardened Mind


Fri. Jul. 24, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min Garden Bite radio show: The Well-gardened Mind

This week I interviewed a woman on her book, The Well Gardened Mind – the Restorative Power of Nature. Here’s the link to the interview

In it, Sue Stuart-Smith, discusses how her grandfather, a WWI British veteran, had nearly died as a POW in Turkey, made it back a shell of a man and how his gardens restored not just his physical health but his mental health.

It’s been well documented how being out in  … [Continue reading]

Allergy “free” garden


Thu. Jul. 23, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Allergy “free” garden

I put the quotes around “free” simply because there’s going to be someone allergic to just about anything!

ACHOO! Runny nose, runny eyes don’t make for a fun day in the garden. If you’re a sufferer, there are some plants that are less problematic!

  • Lilacs
  • Dogwoods
  • Daisy
  • Hardy geranium
  • Hardy Hibiscus
  • Roses
  • Tulips
  • Irises
  • Cherry, Pear and Plum trees

Plants to nix for the nose due to their “Achoo” factor:

  • grasses
  • Maple
  • Oak
  • Birch
  • Juniper
 … [Continue reading]