Impatiens…America’s #1 shade plant

Last Updated on Saturday, 21 January 2012 01:13 Written by Phillip Saturday, 21 January 2012 01:08

The common shade impatiens has been used for years in containers and garden beds as the go-to plant for the shade. Unfortunately people who have only grown impatiens, are going to have to change their gardening habit. A deadly powdery mildew has infected the impatiens family. First observed in 2003, a strain of downy mildew had become a world wide problem by last year. It’s symptoms are appear with leaves turning yellow and are rapidly shed from the plant. A fine white fungal growth may be visible on the lower leaf surface, but affected leaves yellow and fall off rapidly. The fungal spores that are the problem are easily carried by the wind…quickly spreading the disease. Fortunately this mildew seems to be very plant specific, affecting only the Walleriana type of impatiens. The Walleriana impatiens is the common type impatiens that has been in use for years. There is no reason to be concerned that this problem can or will spread to your other plants.

There are a number of good flowering plants that do great in the shade bed or containers. By talking to people at your locally owned garden center you should find plenty of  plants to take the place of impatiens in your shady area. If people at the garden center tell you that impatiens are just fine….you know that you have found a place that is not looking out for your best gardening interests! In no particular order here are some great alternatives….

• New guinea impatiens
• All types of  begonia
• Coleus
• Upright fuchia

This is not a problem that is going to go away, it is real….and it is here now! Growers in Europe are planting ZERO seeds of impatiens this spring! While there will be some growers in the United States (mostly box stores) that will carry impatiens this year, my recommendation is to not purchase them!

To read a few more articles on this issue, check out these links. http://www.greenhousegrower.com/article/23485

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=205

Don’t be afraid of growing roses

Last Updated on Tuesday, 8 March 2011 10:20 Written by Phillip Tuesday, 8 March 2011 10:20

Lena

Often when I suggest roses as part of a customers landscape, I get that look. You know the one….the face scrunches up and a slight scowl comes on! Many peoples first reaction to roses are “fussy, high maintenance plant”. That is true of many of the old fashioned roses. Today’s  roses have been developed for the type of people who garden today. Bailey Nurseries have been a leader in developing roses that perform in an average homeowners landscape. Lets face it, most homeowners put plants in their landscape and don’t want to mess with them ever again. The Easy Elegance series of roses were developed to do just that.

Now Baileys offer another line of no fuss roses developed by the University of Minnesota. These roses have been developed to not only grow, but to thrive in the tough climate of Minnesota. This series is called  ‘Northern Accent’….a fitting name for these plants. The first of this series released to the public were called Lena, Sven and Ole. Maybe to the rest of the country these are just names, but to us here in the upper Midwest these names immediately evoke a smile. We have all been raised here in the middle of Scandinavian descendants, on Ole and Lena jokes. While these roses can make you smile, they are certainly no joke. Now there is a new rose added to this series, called ‘Sigrid’. While Ole and Lena are different shades of pink and Sven is luscious mauve color, their cousin Sigrid is a true red. As you can see by the pictures these are polyantha roses. Which means they produce blooms in clusters. These roses have performed beyond my expectations in the garden. They are continually in bloom and have shown no  sign of any disease or insect problems. I am looking forward to adding Sigrid to my garden this spring!

Sigrid

Making scents of gardening

Last Updated on Saturday, 29 January 2011 12:42 Written by Phillip Saturday, 29 January 2011 12:40

Sometimes when you are buying plants for your home, you are subconsciously recreating a pleasant memory. While walking through the Nursery my senses are always revved up by the sights, sounds and smell around me. I very often find my mind drifting like the aroma of lilacs in the spring.

Daylilly