Superstitions Rooted In Plants And The Truth On Growing A Successful Garden!

13 Jan

Superstitions Rooted In Plants And The Truth On Growing A Successful Garden!

January 13, 2023

large blog header

Happy Friday the 13th!

From folks believing that plants had magical properties to plant ingredients able to turn lead into gold, to making love potions from flowers - plants and herbs have always captivated the imagination and have been steeped in superstition! The Victorians even used them to communicate!

Fairy rings, garden idioms, and old-wives tales are as deeply rooted in lore as they are in our day-to-day lives! There’s even a science that delves into plant lore and myth! Gardeners tend to create their own superstitions as we go!

Here are a few beliefs from days gone by that still have a foothold in the back of our minds or even our everyday practices - even if they are far from the truth!

Common Garden Superstitions
Plants and Herbs With Magical Powers?
Unlucky Plants
Other Gardening Myths
Successful Gardens Aren’t A Myth!

Common Garden Superstitions

It is amazing how much our garden décor was inspired by myths and superstitions!

Scarecrows were once thought to scare away more than crows! Giving them a hat to keep cool in the summer led to a successful harvest - but just don’t give them your best jacket.
Keeping a gazing ball in the garden was thought to ward off evil and attract good luck.
In the practice of Feng Shui, depending on where you hang your chimes (north, south, east or west) you’d encourage good opportunities for your children, bring fortune and prosperity, deflect dark magic, or attract bad omens.
The humble garden gnome was thought to protect your garden from dark magic and evil.
A green man’s face on a tree or wall attracts good spirits to watch over your home.

Nowadays, we know why people get sick, and sometimes our bad luck is our own doing, but folks in the old days didn’t have that kind of scientific knowledge to back up why tragedies happened.

So they came up with some very strange superstitions, customs, and beliefs!

Plants and Herbs With Magical Powers?

One bad apple spoils the bunch, but it does hold some truth and we can understand why Tomatoes (that are in the nightshade family) were given their bad rap. But knowledge is power and our plant knowledge is growing exponentially every day!

Parsley was considered so tricky to grow from seed that gardeners would sow them in threes. Two for the devil and one for the gardener. Its association with the devil for the longest time kept it from becoming the culinary standard it is today! Those seeds that didn’t grow were thought to have been kept by hell itself. But nowadays we know Parsley seeds are slow to get growing.

Lavender or Rosemary by your garden gate protected your home from evil and invited good luck! Rosemary had loads of uses - from chasing away evil spirits or bad energy to preventing drunkenness to cleansing and purifying everything! But now we know their smell wards off garden pests and insects and their fragrance gives us a sense of calm.

Keeping Fennel seeds inside keyholes or hanging Fennel by your door scared away witches and demons while offering protection from dark magics. It’s a tasty root vegetable, but we no longer go that far with its properties! Fennel contains beta-carotene and vitamin C, and both nutrients play an important role in maintaining our health.

Ivy was thought to protect you from curses. However, the only protection we’ve found these days is that an Ivy cloak acts as a thermal shield, combating the extremes of temperature which often cause walls to crack and break down.

Planting Oregano brought joy and planting Basil for protection from evil and bad luck. Healthy growing Sage plants mean you are blessed. In reality, we now know they sure do bring joy to the senses and all our favorite recipes. And a successful Sage means you planted it in the right location.

Sunflowers were planted for happiness and good luck, and we certainly won’t argue with the happiness aspect.

Some seem silly like plant Chives to prevent lightning strikes. It’s amazing that folks thought these things and that some persist yet today! (Even I may or may not keep a four-leaf clover in my wallet for good luck.)

Unlucky Plants

Here at Nature Hills, we don’t believe in a 'bad plant' just a bad location or improper care for that plant. But in the old days, many plants were big no-nos in the garden!

A droopy Daffodil was a harbinger of death - Not true, but do deadhead right away
Banana trees were once thought to have vampires living in them - Nope!
Don’t bring Dandelions indoors - they make you wet the bed! Luckily not true!
Fairies will seek revenge if you pick Foxglove and bring it indoors. Florists everywhere disagree!

Many plants fell out of fashion due to their bad rap, like Ajuga reptans, also known as Bugle and Baby’s Rattle in German superstitions, which were blamed for house fires should the hapless ajuga homeowner allow the flowers to be brought indoors. In reality, Ajuga are fantastic groundcover plants and are super beneficial to bees! No fire extinguishers needed.

And it was long considered unlucky to bring spring flowering Fruit Tree blooms into the home but today we force these scented blooms for winter arrangements. We can understand that if you pick too many blooms you’ll not have as much of a harvest. So back in the old days, you depended on as much fruit as possible to feed yourself and your family! Nowadays, pick as much as you like!

White flowers were largely considered unlucky and harbingers of death, which is strange we use them so widely in weddings and view them as purity white hydrangeas now! It goes to show how superstitions shift so quickly throughout the years!

Feng Shui teaches that where an object is placed is as important as what it is, listing Agave and Cactus should both be kept out of the house and the blooms of the Hydrangea brought loneliness. Pothos sucked the good out of the environment and Thorns of Christ plants are best placed outdoors to ward off bad vibes. Creeper plants of any kind do not allow positive energies to enter your home.

Now our houses are full of them since they’re wonderfully easy to grow houseplants and have more good health benefits than bad! It’s really how you care for them that will either suck the life out of them or have them thrive!

Other Gardening Myths

Knocking your knuckles on a piece of wood to bring good fortune or ward off bad luck. Celtic cultures believed it woke the spirits inside for help. While in Christianity, 'touching wood' or 'knocking on wood' referred to the wood of the cross.

Threatening to cut down a tree for 3 years to encourage it to fruit better
Cursing your plants to make them grow better
Picking four-leaf-clovers for good luck
Talking to plants makes them grow better (still up for debate!)
Thank your plants as you harvest them or get bad harvests next year
You should share gossip with your bees
Peppers are hotter when you planted them while mad at someone and occasionally shaking Peppers made them grow better
Pick Blackberries before September or the devil pees on any fruit that remains (Ew!)
Daisies kept Fairies out of your garden
Carrying an Acorn prevented illness and ensured long life
Hazel, Alder and Elder trees were both thought to harbor immense magical properties
A branch of Maple leaves would stop bats from flying into your home
Hawthorn Trees were highly regarded as sacred
Symbolizing plenty, Apple trees were said to bring bad luck if you chopped one down

Stolen plants were thought to grow better than gifted ones (but we’d not recommend it). In the olden days, it was thought that if you received a plant as a gift, don’t thank the gifter for it because that was bad luck! You were supposed to them for the pot or complement the color instead or the plant may die.

Even certain colors were revered or shunned in the garden and home! In the southeastern US, the color Haint Blue protected the home from evil spirits or haints. Painting objects like the ceiling of your porch or shutters this color kept them at bay. Instead, try planting a Jack Frost Brunnera or other blue perennial by your home to ward off bad vibes!

Hang Holly leaves around the house kept evil spirits away and as a charm against house goblins. They were also traditionally thought to protect homes from lightning strikes, the wood was used to control horses and hedgerows protected the home from witches! Just remember to ask permission from the Holly tree before snipping those bright red berries or a branch of their leaves.

We love Holly shrubs and trees, and they look great in winter décor, but all that seems to be quite a stretch of the imagination.

Successful Gardens Aren’t A Myth!

Whether you believe in bad spirits or just bad luck, the key to any great garden is knowing what you are doing, buying quality mature plants, plus having expert advice. There’s a wealth of information at your County Extension Office and, as always, the horticultural staff at Nature Hills Nursery are here to help!

Good Garden Practices

A successful and happy garden isn’t rocket science any more than superstition or luck. Follow these few rules for a successful landscape:

Choose the right plants for your growing zone
Know the right sun requirements, soil type, moisture levels, and the best conditions for your plant by checking the Plant Highlights
Read up on your plant's fertilizing, care, and pruning needs before purchase
Proper sanitation of garden tools
Have a plan! Never overcrowd planting beds or choose plants that may get too big
Plant at the right depth and at the right time of year
Set plants up for success for life with Nature Hills Root Booster at the time of planting
Use the Finger-Test method to always know your plant is well-hydrated
Provide a 3-4 inch layer of Arborist mulch
Order quality guaranteed plants at Nature Hills and leave the shipping and timing to the experts!
Get help any time and have all your plant questions answered by our knowledgeable customer service associates and in our #ProPlantTips guide and Garden Blog!

Many feel like they have bad luck and folks back in the golden days must have had a lot of it to blame it all on innocent plants. Really, we believe you won’t have time for bad luck or be in a gardener planting bad mood any time you are out in the garden! Those with too much drama in their life clearly aren’t gardening enough!

Don’t leave your plant's health up to chance, or blame fairies and evil spirits for failures! The power to have a successful garden is in your hands and Nature Hills will help make sure the garden of your dreams isn’t a thing of folklore!

Happy Planting!

← Previous Next →

9 Jun

Best Oak Tree Varieties for Backyard Shade!

Long-lived, mighty, wildlife-friendly, iconic, and lasting legacies - the incredible Oak tree is the cornerstone of the tree world! Found growing around the world, these large fortresses cast incredible shade and have a high impact on the landscape because many can be seen far and wide, rising above the others. A single tree is a valuable asset to your home's value and has an immense impact on your yard! But these incredible trees are most known for casting their lush shade on your home and garden! All About Oak Trees Notable Oak Trees Big and Small Oaks For All Landscapes! Oak Tree Selection Cold Hardy Oak Tree Varieties Biggest Oak Trees Available Best Oaks For Wet/Moist Ground Best Oak Trees For Hot and Arid Conditions Smallest Oaks and Street Trees With Narrow Profiles Fastest Growing Oak Trees Most Unique Oak Trees Oak Tree Care Great Shade and Mighty Oaks For You! All About Oak Trees There are both deciduous and evergreen Oak trees, found in a wide range of growing conditions from riparian to arid, hot and cold hardiness zones, and in large to small sizes for all needs! Both native and modern cultivars alike have the same hardiness, resilience, and beauty! Oaks are usually trees but a few can be shrubs or very shrubby in form. Belonging to the genus Quercus and members of the Beech family, Fagaceae. With over 500 species, there are a lot of Oaks that thrive in a wide range of climates and conditions. Oak trees are classified in general into White Oaks and Red Oaks: Red Oak Family Reds typically have pointed lobes (similar to classic Holly leaves). Acorns can take two years to mature before they drop. Includes Willow, Black, Water, Southern Live, Blackjack, Shingle, and Pin Oaks. White Oak Family White Oak type trees have rounded lobes to their leaves. Their acorns mature each year and can sprout almost right away! Common White Oaks include Swamp, Chestnut Oak, Post, White Oak, Chinkapin, and Bur. Used for furniture, building materials, ships, and firewood, a single mature tree has a wide variety of uses even after they’re no longer growing in the landscape. Oak trees have male flowers and female flowers on different parts of the branch. Often yellow or greenish, these monoecious blooms look different from each other as well. Male flowers are long catkins, while female flowers are tucked into the notches of the leaves (called the leaf axis). Oaks are keystone species, meaning they support a ton of native beneficial insects, pollinators, birds and wildlife! The acorns, also called oak nuts, are produced in the autumn. These nuts are beloved by a wide variety of wildlife and can even be eaten by humans after processing. Birds and wildlife nest and take shelter in their limbs, and stand steadfast throughout the worst of storms. Some Oaks begin to produce acorns at age 10, and others do not produce until they are 50 years old. Heavy acorn production may occur only about four out of every 10 years, called 'mast' years. Check out the Audubon® line of native Oak trees for your landscape and support local fauna! Notable Oak Trees The Major Oak of Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire England is a local legend! This 1,000-year-old tree is rumored as being magical and the secret meeting spot of Robin Hood and his men would meet at this tree. The Pechanga Great Oak tree is a Coastal Live Oak near Temecula, California. Estimated to be the world's oldest Living Oak and might be at least 2,000 years old. Big and Small Oaks For All Landscapes! Nature Hills has a remarkable selection of fantastic Oak trees available for you to choose from! So how do you choose the right one for you? Oak Tree Selection Find your growing zone and then find an Oak Tree that works for your area Ensure you have a full sun location with a minimum of 6 hours of direct sunlight Find a location that won’t get soggy after a rain because most Oaks need well-drained soil Site Oaks where their roots will not interfere with driveways, sidewalks, foundations, etc. Room for branches and roots at their mature height and won’t interfere with power lines Now that you’ve narrowed down which Oak Tree works best for you, check out these fantastic varieties that will thrive in a wide range of unique conditions we typically find in the landscape while still casting luscious shade! Cold Hardy Oak Tree Varieties Many varieties hold their leaves over the winter to protect next year's buds from the chill! White Oak Tree - Native with russet fall color Black Oak Tree - Native with yellow fall color, 80 feet tall and 50 feet wide at maturity Urban Pinacle® Bur Oak - Cultivar with red fall color 55 feet tall and just 25 feet wide Biggest Oak Trees Available If you got the room, these massive and far-reaching Oak trees will envelop your entire landscape in cooling shady relief! Southern Live Oak - Broad-leaved Evergreen 90 feet wide for four seasons of shade Sawtooth Oak - Native Oak with toothy leaves 60 feet wide Bur Oak - 100 feet spread of cooling relief White Oak - The best wildlife-friendly tree, grows up to 90 feet tall and wide at maturity English Oak - Magnificent all round Oak tree Best Oaks For Wet/Moist Ground Got a soggy spot or are planting near a body of water, check out these great varieties. Pin Oak - Best in acidic soil that’s very moist or occasionally wet Overcup Oak Bur Oak - Can handle wet/alkaline conditions Swamp White Oak Water Oak Tree - A southern native that also likes moist soil Nuttal and Texana Nuttall Oak Audubon® Native Swamp Chestnut Oak Tree - distinct gray scaly bark Best Oak Trees For Hot and Arid Conditions Heat, humidity, drought, and Oaks go hand in hand for these hardy specimens. Southern Live Oak - Classic evergreen southern bell that spreads wide and grows tall! Bur Oak - Drought tolerant once established Chinquapin Oak - Also urban environment tolerant! Audubon® Native Southern Red Oak Water Oak Tree - Southern native likes moist soil but zone 10 heat & coastal salt spray Smallest Oaks and Street Trees With Narrow Profiles Big Oak shade and attitude in a tidy smaller footprint! Audubon® Dwarf Chestnut Oak - Grows 6-8 feet tall, up to 12 feet wide and handles clay Texana Nuttall Oak - Fast growing to under 50 feet tall and 40 feet wide Streetspire® Oak - Narrow growing Urban Pinacle® Bur Oak - Tall and slender profile Crimson Spire™ Oak - Just 12-15 feet wide with red fall color! Green Pillar® Pin Oak - Columnar Oak tree Skinny Genes® Oak - Reaching 45 feet tall but spreading just 8-10 feet wide! Regal Prince® Oak - Super skinny columnar Oak Fastest Growing Oak Trees Get shade faster without the wait. Shumard Oak - Handles clay soil and great fall color Northern Red Oak Nuttall Oak - Pyramidal-shaped native Pin Oak Heritage Oak Tree Most Unique Oak Trees Get an Oak that sets itself apart from the rest! Willow Oak - Finely-textured small leaves unlike other Oaks Chinkapin Oak - Wavy scalloped leaf margins! Shingle Oak - Rounded oval-shaped leaves without lobes Pacific Brilliance™ Pin Oak - Produces fewer acorns than other Oaks Overcup Oak - Unique acorns with enlarged acorn caps that cover most of the nut Pin, Red, and White Oaks - Can handle saline conditions Audubon® Native Blackjack Oak - Two-tone leaves and great for fire-scaping! Audubon® Native Shingle Oak - Unique bark texture! Audubon® Native Cherrybark Oak - Reddish glossy bark like a Cherry tree Oak Tree Care While most Oak trees prefer full sun, a few can handle partial shade/afternoon shade, especially while they are young. Often, however, even these trees outgrow and outlast any competition and eventually earn their spot in the full sunlight. Southern Live, Swamp White and White Oaks, Overcup and Water Oaks can handle these lower light conditions. Unfortunately, no Oak can tolerate full shade. Give your new tree an enriched site with well-drained soil (unless it is one of the moist/wet soil tolerant trees listed above) and supply it with regular moisture until established. Even moist soil-loving Oaks need good drainage and cannot stand soggy conditions while they get their roots established. If you find yourself in a soggy environment, add 18-24 inches of soil over the native soil to create a berm and plant your new tree into that mound to give it a good start above the water table. All Oaks prefer a 3-4 inch thick layer of arborist mulch chips covering their entire root system to help hold in moisture and keep their roots cool. Prune Oaks while they are dormant in the winter or very early spring. Evergreen Oaks like the Southern Live Oak should be pruned during the winter as well. Correct the branch structure while your tree is young for the best results. Fertilize in spring with a formula for trees or good general slow-release formula. Follow application rates on the label. Great Shade and Mighty Oaks For You! Fantastic windbreaks and shelterbelts, privacy, and of course - luscious shade! The mighty Oak tree is a large-scale but versatile and easy-to-grow addition to your landscape. Sure to stick around for years to come! Plant a lasting and shady legacy for yourself and future generations by making room for one of these incredible specimens with the help of Nature Hills Nursery! Happy Planting!

8 Jun

Best Mock Oranges to Plant and How to Care for Them!

Ultra fragrant, gleaming white blooms, Mock Orange Bushes are gorgeous flowering ornamentals! Count on these reliable, rounded plants to add spectacular features you'll appreciate for many years. Known as the Gardenias of the North, learn more about these incredible deciduous shrubs and how to keep them blooming year after year to perfume your garden each spring! Mock Orange shrubs bloom just after the massive spring bloom of many other shrubs, so they fill a flowering void in the landscape bloom procession when many spring bloomers are done. About Mock Oranges Choosing Mock Oranges Mock Orange Shrub Care and Pruning Do Mock Orange bushes like sun or shade? What soil does Mock Orange prefer? How much water do Mock Orange bushes need? Mock Orange Pruning Mock Oranges in the Landscape Amazing Clouds of White! About Mock Oranges Also known as Mockoranges, these glorious white-flowering shrubs have a heavenly scent like their namesake - a sweet citrusy scent mixed with an orange blossom-like perfume. Even if you live in Minnesota, you'll feel like you’ve just been dropped into an orange grove in Florida! Mock Orange (Philadelphus coronarius) shrubs are known for being very cold-hardy and widely adaptable! They shine in spring with the blossoms and hold their rich green leaves densely through the summer. You'll enjoy an abundance of flowers on the tips of every branch! Pollinators adore these blooms and arrive to check them out and the flowers look fantastic in bouquets! What bride wouldn’t want a few of these snow-white blossoms perfuming their march down the aisle? Choosing Mock Oranges What is the best variety of Mock Orange? Nature Hills is sure you won’t be able to pick just one of our many varieties and forms of these gorgeous ornamentals. The species can be large shrubs, but the many new selections are much more refined from the old-fashioned plants you have seen in the past. Miniature Snowflake Mock Orange - Darling dwarf shrub Buckleys Quill Mock Orange - Wonderful oval and upright double-petalled form Bouquet Blanc Mock Orange - Ultra fragrant pompom blossoms and tall form First Editions® Snow White™ Mock Orange - Darling scented double blooms! Snowbelle Mock Orange - Dwarf size and double blossoms Natchez Mock Orange - The largest of our Mock Orange and fast-growing Goose Creek Mock Orange - Arching habit and large size with double blooms Illuminati Tower® Mock Orange - Unique dwarf with vertical spires of fragrant blooms Mock Orange Shrub Care and Pruning There are no serious pests or diseases that affect this shrub. It will even thrive in city environments. Mock Orange shrubs are very easy to get in the ground and very easy to care for! Do Mock Orange bushes like sun or shade? Mock Orange can tolerate a little shade but will flower more profusely in full sun. They can handle a bit of shade, but you'll get the best flower display in a full sun position that receives at least 6 hours of direct sunlight a day. What soil does Mock Orange prefer? Mock Oranges adapt to a wide range of soils if they are located in a well-drained site. Mock Orange shrubs thrive just about anywhere, including slightly acidic, slightly alkaline, sandy soil, and even heavy clay! Clay soil is often the bane of many gardeners, but as long as the clay soil drains before the water gets stagnant, Mock Oranges can handle it! Although widely adapted to many different soil types, grows best when planted in fast-draining soil, rich in organic matter. The roots won't tolerate constantly wet locations, so mound up if you see puddles that remain long after a rain. It's easy, just bring in additional topsoil and heap it into a mound 18 inches high. Plant directly in that mound. Once the plant is well established in your soil, it can tolerate short periods of drought, but not for long. Add a nice, thick layer of mulch all around to three feet outside the shrub. Wood mulch helps your plant to maintain surface moisture and keep roots cool. However, mulch should never pile up against the main stems of your plant. Once you've spread the mulch out, be sure to pull mulch back by 3 inches all the way around the main stems to give them proper air circulation. How much water do Mock Orange bushes need? While Mock Orange does need a moderate amount of water on a regular basis, it's important not to overwater your plants. The best trick is to use the Finger Test. Poke your finger into the soil up to your second knuckle. Is it getting dry? Time to water. Is it still moist? Hold off for now and check tomorrow. Mock Orange Pruning How do you shape a Mock Orange bush? This is an easy shrub that requires little care and even less maintenance! Once the flowering is done, it's best to prune just as the flowers finish blooming only. Mock Orange shrubs bloom on last year’s wood. Pruning this plant is best accomplished by cutting out the largest stems, at no more than 30% a year. Don't be surprised to see reblooming in mid to late summer. This will encourage flowering and keep the shrub neat and full. If your plant gets thick and woody, it is best to Renewal Prune out the thickest stems down to the ground leaving the thinner younger stems in place for best blooms each year. Mock Oranges in the Landscape All Mock Oranges have glorious snow-white flowers and they work well as a specimen or accent plant in the landscape. Soften harsh angles at the corner of your house with the sweet rounded outline of these flowering ornamental accents! Use one on either side of a special Garden Room or grow several together as a fragrant hedge. Mix and match dwarf, mid-sized, and large Mock Oranges for a heavenly display in a Moon Garden where the white blossoms really shine! Mock Orange to a mixed shrub border. in a high-profile location. You and your guest will enjoy the fragrance during the spring and early summer bloom. Cut back after blooming to keep container plants short and sweet. Every pollinator in the area will arrive on the scene to sip the ample nectar of these summer-time blooms They love wind, so try them on the open prairie or on windswept hillsides. This durable shrub even tolerates salty breezes. They are even pollution tolerant! Use these fragrant shrubs in urban plantings, as well. Try a long row of them across the front of a busy sidewalk for a friendly privacy fence. Dwarf varieties are adaptable to large planters and tubs, enabling you to perfume your porch seating, balcony, and deck entertainment areas too! Amazing Clouds of White! For fragrance, brilliance, and easy-of-care, you can’t go wrong with the glorious scented blooms of the Mock Orange! Head over to NatureHills.com and get yours today! You’ll fill your landscape with perfume, butterflies, and three seasons of beauty without all the work! Happy Planting!

6 Jun

Everything You Need to Know About Tree Trunk Protection

Protect the trunk of your young and vulnerable trees! The trunk transports minerals and moisture between the roots and the canopy, plus it is the main support for the branches. Beneath the bark (tree skin) is a thin green layer, called the cambium, which is the living vascular system of the tree (containing its xylem and phloem). Young trees don’t have a thick bark layer (like calluses on our hands and feet) that has formed thick enough to protect the tree from the rigors of its environment. It is very important this remains undamaged so this nutrient and moisture transport can take place uninterrupted and keep the tree healthy. Read on to learn more about how to protect your trees during their first few years in your landscape and give them all the support they need for a long, beautiful life! Common Issues & Solutions for Trunk Protection Sunscorch and Frost Crack Borers and Insect Damage Protecting Tree Trunks From Deer Deer Repellent Physical Protection Other Methods of Protection Protecting Trunks from Rabbits, Squirrels, and More Protecting Trunks From Physical Damage Protecting Tree Trunks from Storms and Weather Happy Healthy Tree Trunks! Trees can heal their bark, but it takes time, and any damage can cause excessive scarring and open wounds that insects or diseases can walk right into their system like an open door. If the bark is damaged only partially, it will heal and the tree will continue to grow, though you may see a branch or two that depended on that section die back. If the bark is damaged all the way around the trunks, they will eventually die. This is called girdling, or ring-barking, which cuts the canopy off from the roots. What can you use to protect your tree trunks? Do tree trunk protectors work? Here are the common ways that tree trunks can become damaged, and how you can prevent and treat each. Common Issues & Solutions for Trunk Protection It’s not just young trees, trees with thin bark also need protection! Sunscorch and Frost Crack Have you ever been walking or driving and noticed the trunks of trees painted white? This method is called whitewashing. The white paint or latex paint reflects the sunlight and keeps the bark cooler by protecting it from sudden temperature changes in late fall and winter. Extreme heat and sun can actually blister young tree stems and bark, called Sunscorch. This may be more commonly used in orchards in warmer climates. Wrapping the trunks of young trees with white or light-colored reflective tape also stops Frost Crack which is caused by the sudden freezing at night after an especially warm day in the spring or fall. This can cause the tree to think it's time to grow, and begin moving fluids from the roots into the canopy, but then freeze at night when temps drop, causing the bark and trunk to split open as the liquid expands during freezes. Usually unsightly, sometimes damaging, rarely deadly, but completely avoidable if you are in an area where these temperature swings are a common occurrence. Borers and Insect Damage Whitewashing is also an effective method of reducing re-infestation of borers and other insects. You can spray or mix pesticide into the whitewashing or simply spray it or a dormant oil onto your tree trunk to protect it from insect damage. Setting out lures and traps for typical borers in your area (your County Extension Office can help with that) also helps prevent the bugs from getting into your tree in the first place! Especially in areas with Emerald Ash Borer and other issues in their areas. Protecting Tree Trunks From Deer For most newly planted trees, deer is a nightmare. From torn tree bark to broken branches, deer damage is a common end to smaller trees that have yet to be established. A common result of males scraping their antlers against the trunk of various trees, or all deer eating bark, leaves, and twigs. After some time, serious damage starts to occur. During mating season the number of trees damaged begins to increase. Male deer will use trees as a way to ‘mark their territory’ and to signal other males to stay away. You may also find the soil around your tree dug up slightly or a few branches that have been broken and then chewed on. All very damaging to your tree. Deer Repellent Spray young trees (and all new plants) with deer repellent from day one and reapply per product directions to train deer that this plant tastes bad. Unfortunately, deer repellent doesn’t stop the physical damage from antlers and marking territory. Use deer repellent to make trees smell and taste bad to the browsing deer. It's good practice to spray your tree before nightfall just to remind deer that they don’t like your new plant. Physical Protection The best way to protect your trees is to prevent the deer from having close access to the tree trunk or low-hanging branches. Surround tree trunks with a protective wrap or tree guards made from chicken wire or other metal screening. These cages should stand at least 6 feet tall and should be positioned a few feet away from the base of your young trees. Wooden or metal stakes will need to be placed in the ground with the cage for extra support. This is easy to set up and doesn’t take up space in the landscape. Using a screen, paper or plastic tree wrap, or hardware cloth allows the bark to breathe and rain and snow to dry quickly. Wrap starting at the bottom, just under the soil surface, and wrap up 2-3 feet up (or up to the first set of branches). You can leave it on the tree if the trunk is not being restricted from expanding so it may have to be loosened as the tree grows. Check each year to be sure it is loose enough. Another method is to use Tree Guards which are widely available. The important thing to remember is to select light-colored guards (and not black drain tile) so that during the winter months, the trunks do not heat up (which can kill the tree). Other Methods of Protection Installing a deer-proof fence around your property (about 8 feet) Install motion-detector sprinklers or noisemakers to scare deer away There’s also a great selection of deer-resistant trees available at Nature Hills too Protecting Trunks from Rabbits, Squirrels, and More Rabbits, rodents, and squirrels that are desperate in the winter, plus beavers and occasionally other wildlife, can strip the bark off young trees to eat the inner bark. Adding rabbit or rodent repellent to whitewashing paint, or using chicken wire, metal screening, hardware cloth, or other physical barriers around the trunk of your young tree, helps protect the tree from winter foraging. Be sure to use products that allow the tree trunks to dry quickly following the snow and rainfall. You will want to replace the wraps every few months. This ensures no moisture is building up or insects starting to infest. Using black drain tile pipes on the trunks of the trees is not a good idea as it can allow the trunks to heat up too much and does not always protect them from rodents getting inside. Newly planted young trees, especially Fruit Trees, and Ornamental Cherries, and those more expensive grafted weeping ornamental specimen plants are easily damaged by rodents and rabbits during the winter months. Protecting Trunks From Physical Damage Clipping your tree with a lawnmower or the weedwhacker, kids running into the tree with their toys, and other physical damage can wreak havoc on a young tree in many ways. A classic way that you can protect the bark on young trees is to wrap the trunks with 2-3 inch wide strips of hardware cloth, burlap, or metal screening. If the tree just needs protection from lawn maintenance damage, is a wide swath of mulch or other groundcover around its base to separate it from the turf. This helps two-fold since most flowering and fruiting trees do not like having excessive nitrogen from lawn fertilizer anyway! A ring of mulch extending out past the drip line (the zone where the branches reach out and the canopy casts shade) helps prevent these issues. Turf rarely likes to grow under dense shade anyway. Protecting Tree Trunks from Storms and Weather It’s a good idea to use metal cages combined with a sturdy tree stake as a support system against harsh weather conditions. Take a thin rope or strong string and tie multiple pieces to the trunk of the tree then to the metal cage or stake in a balanced manner. On windy days, this will help keep your new tree stable and straight during its first growing season. This also helps in the event of Hurricanes and strong storms. Happy Healthy Tree Trunks! Straight trunks and healthy bark, keep this essential portion of your tree free of damage and growing tall in just a few easy steps! Check out our all-in-one Tree Starter Kits to keep your young tree growing strong in its first few years in your landscape! Protect your trees and shrubs with the help of Nature Hills and a bit of planning! Happy Planting!

2 Jun

How to Keep Your Hostas Healthy and Happy!

If you are like us, you like collecting some of the dizzying arrays of different perennial Hosta plants for your yard. The diversity of size and color is endless and the new cultivars continue to be introduced every year. Keep your Hosta collection healthy and happy with these tips and tricks! All About Hosta! Some of Nature Hills Best Hosta Plants Hostas With Blue-Green Foliage Largest & Smallest Hosta Hostas White Variegated Leaves Hostas With Yellow Variegated Foliage Hostas With Chartreuse Foliage Beautifully Unique Hosta Varieties! Planting Hostas Great Ideas for Hostas in the Landscape: Basic Hosta Care Pruning & Hosta Division Hosta Pruning Happy Healthy Hosta All About Hosta! A popular perennial with striking good looks, Hosta plants are a landscaping favorite. You’ll find a spectacular selection of Hostas for sale right here at Nature Hills Nursery. Also known as Plantain Lily, Hostas originally came from Japan, China, and Korea. Introduced to the United States in the mid-1800s, the Hosta is a shade-tolerant foliage plant. Hostas are perennials sporting ornate leaves that vary widely in size, with the smallest varieties called miniatures. Broad and coarse heart-shaped leaves with prominent veins, crinkled or quilted leaves, and the unique ability to let water bead up on their surfaces! Hosta flowers have six petals and are generally white, lavender, or violet, held on stems called scapes. These plants provide an ornamental focal point in any garden with eye-catching foliage. They are also edible and grown as vegetables in some Asian cultures, although they are toxic to some animals in large quantities. These blooms are loved by Hummingbirds and pollinators, and look great in floral bouquets indoors too! You’ll find Hostas for sale online in a wide range of sizes, shapes, and colors. Some are variegated, while others display brilliant hues of blue, green, and even chartreuse. You can find the perfect Hosta plant for your planting zone using our USDA zone filters. You can also filter the Hosta selection by sun exposure levels, color, and other options. Some of Nature Hills Best Hosta Plants With so many Hosta to choose from, here’s a quick rundown of our best sellers! Hostas With Blue-Green Foliage Elegans Hosta Blue Angel Hosta Krossa Regal Hosta - Large, nearly silvery/gray blue-green leaves Arctic Blast Hosta Largest & Smallest Hosta Big Daddy Hosta - Big softly matte blue-green leaves Empress Wu - Can grow 6 feet wide! Mighty Mouse Hosta - Little foot tall and wide blue-green and white leaves Blue Mouse Ears Hosta - Little leaves in ribbed blue-green, 6-8 inches tall Krossa Regal Hostas White Variegated Leaves Patriot Hosta Francee Hosta Wheee Hosta - Ruffled and rippled leaves! Fire and Ice Hosta Remember Me Hosta Hostas With Yellow Variegated Foliage Stained Glass Hosta - Big green and chartreuse leaves Hosta Paul's Glory Rainbow's End Hosta Guacamole Hosta - Bright green mix with fragrant blooms Satisfaction Hosta - Light green-edged green leaves that turn gold in summer Hostas With Chartreuse Foliage August Moon Hosta - bright lemon-green leaves Fire Island Hosta - Lemon-lime leaves Key West Hosta Maui Buttercups Hosta Sum and Substance Hosta - Very light lime-green leaves Beautifully Unique Hosta Varieties! Hosta Waterslide - Curvy and wavy blue-green foliage Fragrant Bouquet Hosta - Fragrant lavender blooms with white and green leaves Praying Hands Hosta - Folded foliage that grows upright to the sky Hosta Fireworks - Curvy leaves are more white than green Abiqua Drinking Gourd Hosta - Big textured, cupped, and curled leaves that catch water Planting Hostas The process for planting Hostas is not much different than any other Perennial. The planting hole should be dug at least a foot deep but the width should be one and a half times the expected mature size of the clump. Check the Plant Highlights section to find your Hosta’s mature spread and situate it so it can achieve its full potential without being crowded. Generally, Hosta roots grow and spread horizontally, so a large wide hole is best. When planting Hostas that are grown in a container: Carefully remove the plant from the nursery pot Sometimes the roots may be bound to the container Tapping the container sides should loosen the roots from the pot If the roots are difficult to loosen, it may be necessary to cut through some of them Shake the excess soil from the roots and set it into the prepared planting hole Take care to plant Hosta at the same level as it grew in the container The area where the leaves and roots meet should be at ground level Soak the root zone thoroughly with water to remove dry pockets and air pockets in the surrounding soil. Top off with a 3-4 inch thick layer of arborist mulch over the entire surface of the root system of your Hosta to keep the roots cool and moist while enriching the soil. For bareroot Hosta, the process is about the same, just ensure the crown of the root is just below the soil surface as far as depth and backfill with native soil, topping with mulch to insulate the roots. Great Ideas for Hostas in the Landscape: Big shade garden perennials Bold color and large-sized foliage Dramatic array of colors - Bright color lights up shade gardens and dappled shade Scented trumpet-shaped blooms for Pollinator Gardens Loves having more moisture - Rain Gardens Spread and are great groundcover/living mulch Edging and great along pathways and driveways Great lawn replacement in areas too shady for Turf Flowers for cut flower bouquets Lovely skirting and underplanting around larger shrubs and trees Great facer plants to hide bare leggy stems Easy to grow and low-maintenance for en masse installations The silvery/blue-leaved varieties look great in Moon Gardens! Basic Hosta Care Vigorous, very easy-care, and fast-growing, Hosta are fantastic herbaceous perennials that are great to use en masse without requiring much in the way of maintenance, and ideal for beginner gardeners and busy gardeners alike! Some Hostas need full shade and appreciate the morning sun, especially when planted in hotter growing zones, which can range throughout USDA planting zones 3 and up to 11. In mid-range climates and cooler growing zones, Hosta’s can tolerate partial sun/shade and especially afternoon shade. Hostas grow best in moist, well-drained, highly organic soils with a pH between 5.5 and 7.5. These perennials do best in well-drained soil that is enriched and won’t become soggy after a rain or water-logged in the winter. Provide regular moisture for young plants and do not let them dry out. Use the ‘Finger-Test’ to ensure your plant is watered deeply. Mulch helps to retain moisture and keep the root system cool. You can top the crowns with mulch or compost for the winter to give them added protection from the frost and snow. Pruning & Hosta Division Dividing Hostas is easy and helps maintain the vigor of the root system and will improve the plant's appearance. Most home gardeners will propagate their Hostas by division and be able to expand their collection! Divide every 3-5 years, Hosta division is best done when no shoots are growing from the center of the mature clump as this bare area detracts from the appearance of the plant. Early spring is a good time for dividing and relocating Hostas because the new shoots are only a few inches high and the leaves have not expanded. Divide just as you see where the plants are emerging before any foliage unfurls and move a small portion of the plant to a new location. Hosta can also be dug and divided in September in the colder regions so they have plenty of time to re-establish. Going around the entire plant with a shovel, push down straight about a foot deep Lift the entire Hosta clump and remove excess soil carefully (a hose works great) Plan out where to make your cuts and how many are needed Use a sharp knife, or sharp spade to make the cuts (2-4 cuts depending on their size) Place the divided plants in their planting holes and backfill, tamping down firmly Water in very well to ensure it reaches the lowest section of the root system Keep them well-watered for the first two weeks Keep the plants consistently moist after plant division Hosta Pruning During the summer, once the flowers have finished flowering, it's time to deadhead to clean up your mounds. Have a little patience, and wait until mother nature puts your Hosta to sleep before pruning. Wait until Jack Frost comes along and kills back the tops of your Hosta plants and let them turn brown before cutting your plants back at the end of the season. This helps keep the dead leaves from retaining fungal issues or harboring snails and slugs over the winter. Allowing your Hosta leaves to turn brown and dry before cutting the leaves off will prevent the spread of viruses between plants. Remove the foliage from the area and either compost it or place it in yard waste bags away from your Hosta and other plants. Happy Healthy Hosta Big bold foliage, and lovely trumpet-shaped blooms on tall scapes, this gorgeous ornamental foliage perennial Hosta will add its outstanding leafy clumps to your garden for years to come! Keep your low-maintenance herbaceous perennials happy and healthy with just a few easy steps! Order your new Hosta and add their delightful color and unique leaves to your landscape with the help of Nature Hills! Happy Planting!

1 Jun

Top 10 Coral Bells & How to Keep Coral Bells Looking Good

Frilly, textured, coarse foliage in eye-popping colors seems to grow in contrast to the most delicate, airy, and dainty little blossoms ever! There’s just something about Coral Bells in the garden! There has been extensive work done hybridizing and selecting new introductions of Coral Bells. The old-fashioned Alum Root selections were basically grown for the airy wispy flowers born on long wiry stems that hold the flowers above the foliage. While there are still some selections of Coral Bells that were selected for the flowers, now many modern selections have been introduced for the incredible leaf color, with a dizzying array of different species and new hybrids for you to choose from! Check out Nature Hills' favorite Coral Bells and how to keep your favorites looking their best! All About Coral Bells Coral Bells in the Landscape Top 10 Coral Bells at Nature Hills! Coral Bell Care Gorgeous Coral Bells! All About Coral Bells There are around 55 species of Heuchera and all are natives to North America! Also known as Alum Root or Alumroot, or called Rock Geranium, Coral Bells belong to a genus of the herbaceous family of Saxifragaceae. Heuchera is named after a German physician named Johann Heinrich von Heucher. Coral Bells come in a myriad of colors from yellows, oranges, silver, reds, pinks, and purples of many shades and combinations. They are wildly attractive herbaceous perennials but have become more commonly used as landscape plants and en masse plantings! The foliage has pointed lobes and deep, exaggerated venation, often with different colors to really show off their heavily textured leaves! Many can remain semi-to-fully evergreen in mild winters and warmer climates, which for this family is far and wide. With some tolerating chill down to USDA zone 3, and others handling up to zone 10! With colorful stems and wonderful spreading mounded forms, Coral Bells won’t take up much space but have high-impact color to make up for their space-saving nature! All have striking, prominent veins and deeply pointed lobes with dramatic stem colors to match! The dainty flowers are held atop wiry, slender stems that often match the color of the foliage. The flowers can be a range of pink, white, or their namesake coral hue! The graceful and airy ‘bells’ are a delight to every Bee and hummingbird in the area! They are great cut flowers to add to your arrangements too! Coral Bells in the Landscape Many Heuchera are grown predominantly for the amazing foliage colors! At some point, they do send up flower stalks and they do bloom. Adding both a coarse and airy feel to the sun or shade garden, these unique flowering foliage plants embrace their duality and add considerable interest to the garden well into the autumn and even winter in areas with mild winters! Ideal in the full shade garden and partial shade landscape, Coral Bells light up the garden with their color and elegant blossoms! You’ll have more vibrant colors in cooler zones in more sun, but prevent sun-scorch by planting in afternoon shade in hot climates. You’ll love seeing Champagne Coral Bells' vibrant foliage color peeking out through the frost and gloom of the dreary autumn landscape, or Lime Rickey as it adds a shock of color to the shade! Add these dainty blooms and lively colors to a Fairy Garden or Children's Garden to help inspire their imagination! Or enjoy soda-fountain-worthy bubbly color to foundation plantings, Rock Gardens, and throughout the dry shade garden like Cherry Cola or Root Beer. They’ll root on slopes, spill over the tops of retaining walls, or creep through the crevice garden in rock walls Fantastic frilly edging along garden beds, the ruffled foliage of Longflower Alumroot adds a native touch to your garden transitional points. Happy rambling under larger shrubs or trees in their shade as facer plants and lacy skirting around their bases, or under an urn or sculpture, Coral Bells add three to four seasons of color, and even vibrant fall color! For year-round autumn vibes, try Zipper or Southern Comfort! Mixed perennial gardens and cottage borders gain incredible highlights, while mixed containers and planters gain a vivid accent and filler! Add exotic pops of color to poolside decks with the likes of the juicy Berry Smoothie, or Miracle Coral Bells. The silvery foliage of Silver Scrolls or Peppermint Spice Coral Bells will add cool calming vibes to your shade gardens and Moon Gardens! Gain a brooding look with the silver-purple Spellbound or purple-black of Obsidian Coral Bells. Pop rows or groupings into pollinator gardens and cut flower gardens where both the flowers and the leaves will look great in your cutting garden! The gorgeous, uniquely variegated Snow Angel Coral Bells will grace your floral bouquets beautifully, and Berry Timeless Coral Bells will become the feature focal point of a floral arrangement! Both have ample nectar for bees, butterflies, and even Hummingbirds! Top 10 Coral Bells at Nature Hills! Primo® Black Pearl has unbeatable deep purple-black foliage! Midnight Rose has deep purple color with pink color-changing spots on the leaves Berry Smoothie has incredibly bright pink and rose blend foliage colorful all season Peach Flambé has peachy red foliage that really stands out! Green Spice has green leaves with a silvery overlay and very pronounced purple veining Snow Angel has green and cream-variegated foliage and rosy blooms and stems Triple Treat is a trio of three fantastic varieties in Lime, Purple and Red! The heat and cold-tolerant Northern Exposure™ Coral Bells handle zones 3 to 10! Lemon Supreme has lemony chartreuse foliage Berry Timeless Coral Bells have outstanding pink and white blooms that take the cake! Coral Bell Care Heuchera can grow in some sun or shade, but most will have the best foliage color and bloom best in 4-6 hours of sun. The key to success is well-drained soil and water as needed to keep the plants stress-free. It is also important not to plant them too deep in the soil. Removing the spent blooms keeps your Coral Bells looking clean and attractive. Some people like to cut the flowers as they arise and immediately use them in flower bouquets, maintaining them as foliage plants only in the landscape. Not a bad option, and a reliable source for bouquet fillers! But if you leave them in the landscape, your pollinators will relish them! Coral Bells appreciate moderate, consistent moisture and thrive in enriched soil that is slightly acidic. All plants appreciate a 3-4 inch thick layer of arborist mulch to hold in moisture and keep the roots cool. These herbaceous Perennials my die back in cold winters, but you can leave the foliage in place to act as additional winter protection and selectively prune out winter damaged foliage in the early spring before new growth emerges for a clean, tidy start to the year. It is very important never to plant Heuchera too deep in the ground as they hate that. Root division every 3-5 years keeps the growth vigorous and prevents the roots from becoming overgrown and competing with themselves. Once established, Coral Bells are: Drought tolerant Cold-hardy, heat, and humidity tolerant Seldom bothered by deer or rabbits Low maintenance and easy to grow Juglone-tolerant, Coral Bells can be planted beneath Black Walnut trees Somewhat Salt/Coastal/Saline tolerant Very adaptable Gorgeous Coral Bells! With brilliant color, dramatic foliage, and dainty bell-shaped blooms, Coral Bells are must-haves for the garden and highly valued assets to the landscape! There’s not a niche these gorgeous plants fill in your world, indoors and out, yard or no yard at all! Check out all the fantastic Heuchera available at Nature Hills and check back often to see all the exciting new varieties that are in store for our enjoyment in the future! Happy Planting!