************************************************************ If you find a
grey plant, especially if it is fuzzy, you have a plant that is water
saving. The fuzzy hold
moisture so that it can not evaporate easily.
So I planted a number of grays in the parkway, bounded by the
driveway, the street, and a sidewalk.
They do fine. Most of
them are not heavy bloomers so for spring I have a clump of hyacinth bulbs
that must like dry summer as they have been there for 5 years.
Artemesia species are also known as
Mugwort, Sagebrush, and Wormwood. “ Antennaria
species (also called Cats Ears or Pussy-toes) forms a mat only 1-2 inches
high with flowers on very short stems that I cut off. It is a native of Lamb’s Ears (Stachys)
will take over space if it doesn’t get watered too much.
The leaves are big, soft, and fuzzy. One of the neighbor kids likes
to come and pet them. The
flowers are not especially pretty so I generally cut them off.
In nature they are found in rocky hills, wastelands, and dry banks
so are ideal for rock gardens. There are 2 different size leaves.
Stachys byzantine (sold as Big Ears) can get 18 inches tall but
tends to lean over. It is also
known as Wooly Betony with leaves 4 inches across and 10 inches long. - A new grey this summer is
Dwarf Silver Leaf Sage (Salvia daghestanica). Deer or rabbits are said not
to like it. It hugs the ground until ready to bloom with bright blue
spikes of flowers. So far it is spreading quite rapidly but may slow down
now that summer heat has struck. At
the edge of all this grey I have a number of red Carpet Roses.
Some years I
have had Silver Mound (Artemisia schmidtiana). Supposedly a perennial, it
lasts just one or two years for me and as the summer goes on it tends to
get a bare center spoiling the silver pillow it had in the spring. Since
my grey garden is in the parkway, I have to limit plants that do not grow
very tall. Sweet Annie, whose
stems are used to make wreaths, and Tarragon would like that area, but
grows to 4 feet tall. Blue Fescue (Festuca
glauca) clumps of grass edge one side of the garden and is quite blue but
goes in well with the grays. After a couple years it does, as many other
clump grasses will do, and that is it dies out in the middle and needs to
be replaced or dug up in the spring and cut into pieces. In the spring
the nurseries and garden centers have any number of silver plants, most of
which are annuals. Depending
upon the form of leaf you like, the bare spaces can be filled in. Mixed in with
the others in one bed, I have a blond! Mexican Feather Grass (Stipa
species) when they bloom have small, soft, 6 inch wide up to 15 inches
tall clumps that blow in the wind like a blond head of hair. They like hot
and dry too. Sometimes the clumps will live over winter but they also seed
around a bit. Lack of snow
cover was hard on them last winter so I had to wander around to find the
babies and bring them back. Sometimes
called Needle Grass or Spear Grass, they stand up in the snow all winter. This year I
have a plant I haven’t had for several years, Jobs Tears (Coix lacryma).
The seeds are big, hard, and shiny. They become pearly grey when mature,
and are often used in necklaces or rosaries.
It must be started after frost and requires a hot summer.
I started the seeds inside under lights after soaking them all
night in warm water. They will
grow to 3 feet tall with seeds 1/2 inch long.
They are tear drop in shape and are fairly easy to string end to
end as they have a hole down the middle that is easily opened with a
needle. Kids love to make jewelry from the seeds.
Copyright 2009 ************************************************************* WHY DO I HAVE CRABGRASS BY A number of
people have asked me, “Why do I have crabgrass now in late July and
early August when I put crabgrass preventer on in March?” There are
three possible reasons why: 1.
Pre-emergent products must be watered in thoroughly (at least ½ inch)
within 24 hours to be effective. The sun will break down the chemicals if
not watered in. 2.
If a pre-emergent was put on in March, it was applied about a month too
early and by the 4th of July was worn out and the crabgrass
started growing. 3.
The pre-emergent crabgrass preventer may have been put on at the right
time and watered in, but some products keep working longer than others.
Products with Balan or Benefin (Team) as the active ingredient, has a
residual or lasts only about 60 days. The same with Pendimethalin (Scotts
Halts and Miracle Gro Pre-emergent). Barricade (Earl May Crabgrass
Preventer with Barricade and Ferti-lome Crabgrass Pre-emergent with
Barricade) lasts about 90 days. Next year, do
not apply the pre-emergent until mid to late April as crabgrass does not
usually germinate until about May 1st. Then use a product with a long
residual. If you want to make sure you have season long control, put on an
application of pre-emergent without fertilizer the first couple of weeks
in Copyright 2009 |