Bulletins-FYI Archive
It’easy. Get a plant or tree and, well, plant it. Seems pretty straightforward, doesn’t it? Not so, grasshopper. There are these things called “variables”. What does your plant want? Sun? Shade? Alkaline soil? Acidic soil? Is it a heavy feeder? What hardiness zone does it belong in? Can it handle wind? How big will it get? Does it become invasive? What pests or diseases is it prone to? These are all good questions.
Knowing in advance what your plant needs to flourish will help give you a plant that - flourishes! So many times a plant will just “hang in there”. Maybe it’s time to either move it to another location or pass it on to someone else and try something new. If you have a somewhat airless spot then make sure your plants are mildew resistant. If you’ve had black spot in a location then by all means make sure that future plants are black spot resistant.
There are soil testing kits in most large garden centers that will allow you to test your soil for pH as well as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Remember, using the correct fertilizer will help your plant. Overdoing in any area may harm your plant. Don’t just blanket fertilize. These kits are only good for a year and will deteriorate after that, not giving you good readings. A great idea is to share a kit with a friend. Another alternative is to take a soil sample to your County Cooperative Extension office for a testing. There is a fee but it will be less than the cost of a testing kit.
There is also a thing called the “tolerance factor”. How much are you willing to tolerate? If slug damage drives you wild then it might be best if you don’t plant hosta. If you can’t handle deer nibbling at your salad bar, again, don’t plant hosta! There are many suggestions to keep slugs, deer and rabbits away, but no one thing seems to work for everyone. There are plants that they like more than others and it’s worth checking with your County Cooperative Extension service for such plant lists.
Know what your hardiness zone is. If it grows perennially in Puerto Rico there is a good chance that it won’t be perennial in Michigan. Some plants may not be a perennial but may work as an annual in your yard. However different locations in your yard may have micro-climates. A protected, somewhat sunny area may be a zone or two warmer than your general zone and allow you to grow some warmer climate plants. Likewise an exposed spot may be a bit colder. You may have to experiment. Generally speaking our area is zone 5 on the USDA Cold Hardiness Zone Map and a zone 4 on the AHS Heat Zone Map. Hopefully this will help you select plants.
Have you ever seen trees and shrubs planted within a few feet of a house? Looks great when they’re small. Now fast forward 10 or 20 years. That blue spruce is no longer 6 ft. tall. Will it still be attractive when the top is cut off for overhead wires? Is that tree going to make my “sun” garden into a “shade” garden? Those cute 2 ft. bushes that were planted 2 ft. apart – how big are they going to get? Will they grow into each other causing dead branches where they have to compete so heavily? That will certainly be appealing. And where are their roots? Plan when planting. Try annuals or lawn sculptures to fill in until shrubs can attain their full size.
Some of us have brought home really cool plants and blessed them into our gardens only to find out that they’re growing everywhere! Now what? This is a toughie. If we had known before we planted we may have been able to prepare. It’s possible to take a plant that spreads by roots and rhizomes, sink a bottomless plastic bucket or large coffee can in the soil, and plant the masked marauder within it’s confines to keep our guy in check. Then again it may be nearly impossible to contain your heart’s desire and it would be better to admire it from a distance – not all over your yard - and the neighbor’s yard - and their neighbor’s yard….
It’s hard to go to a garden center and not immediately purchase that cute little pot of something but it will be cheaper and less labor intensive to check it out first and see if it will be appropriate for your setting. This will make your landscape look more attractive, too. Happy gardening!