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Saturday, June 21, 2008
Friday, June 20, 2008
What tips can you provide for drought tolerrant plants?
Some tips:
Great planter bed preparation with deep tilling and organic amendments is a great first step. Plant in November- the very best month to plant-cool soil that still encourages root growth and ample rainfall. Summer planting in a drought is a no-no
Accept that you cannot have everything- join a Garden Club and share gardens! Start with a reasonable amount of plants and build on that.
Accept that some plants you try "may not make it"--great learning tool.
Try plants in containers on your patio with basically trees in your yard- but if you go on vacation...
Proper selection of plant material- and only through study or hiring a consultant can you begin to get it right. Like any construction, building a successful garden takes wise planning. Mountain plants for now are probably best to avoid-like many Rhododendrons, Hemlock, even Dogwood is a finicky tree even without a drought.
Use Natives? Many people say it is the way to go- I am a diverse kind of guy and believe we are blessed here in NC to be able to use many types of plants beyond native.
Ornamental grasses are usually very drought tolerant. Purple Muhly Grass, Pennisetum 'Hameln', and "Moudry", many Miscanthus (may be listed as invasive-choose carefully)
Use of drip irrigation- there are many home-owner versions sold and work quite well- what I must caution on is: Timers can have their batteries run down, rodents will eat holes in the drip lines to get to the water during a drought. Soaker hoses count as drip-they work. Providing afternnon shade and watering in the evening (but not on the foliage and not every night- you can get slugs and root rot).
Visit Stowe Botanic Garden and garden centers and take pictures of what is working and what you like.
Great planter bed preparation with deep tilling and organic amendments is a great first step. Plant in November- the very best month to plant-cool soil that still encourages root growth and ample rainfall. Summer planting in a drought is a no-no
Accept that you cannot have everything- join a Garden Club and share gardens! Start with a reasonable amount of plants and build on that.
Accept that some plants you try "may not make it"--great learning tool.
Try plants in containers on your patio with basically trees in your yard- but if you go on vacation...
Proper selection of plant material- and only through study or hiring a consultant can you begin to get it right. Like any construction, building a successful garden takes wise planning. Mountain plants for now are probably best to avoid-like many Rhododendrons, Hemlock, even Dogwood is a finicky tree even without a drought.
Use Natives? Many people say it is the way to go- I am a diverse kind of guy and believe we are blessed here in NC to be able to use many types of plants beyond native.
Ornamental grasses are usually very drought tolerant. Purple Muhly Grass, Pennisetum 'Hameln', and "Moudry", many Miscanthus (may be listed as invasive-choose carefully)
Use of drip irrigation- there are many home-owner versions sold and work quite well- what I must caution on is: Timers can have their batteries run down, rodents will eat holes in the drip lines to get to the water during a drought. Soaker hoses count as drip-they work. Providing afternnon shade and watering in the evening (but not on the foliage and not every night- you can get slugs and root rot).
Visit Stowe Botanic Garden and garden centers and take pictures of what is working and what you like.
How Do I Attract More Birds, Butterflies & Such To My Yard?
Not knowing how big your yard is- I think the best way to attract birds is feeders with plants as: cover and a food supplement-
Hollies that berry are great for spring food when the red berries soften up, including deciduous Hollies like Sparkleberry- hollies need both a male and female to produce fruit.
The best way to determine what you need is to hire a consultant-or- use websites for pictures-or visit a local garden center- or- visit Reedy Creek Nature Center and I know they have an exhibit in the back with labelled plants and staff to help-very useful-
For butterflies- the following are excellent plants:
Butterfly Bush, Abelia, Yarrow, Asclepias (Butterfly Weed), Clethra, Coreopsis, Purple Coneflower, Joe Pye Weed, Sedum, Lantana, Bee Balm, Phlox, Black-Eyed Susan, Verbena-others- all of these are easy to grow-except maybe Asclepias-
You know, one or two Butterfly Bush with Lantana (annual) provides many butterlies and bees. Just a warning--a Butterfly Bush can get big- good time right now to visit a nursery and see what is blooming and ask for a size you need- Lowe's may even have some-
Hollies that berry are great for spring food when the red berries soften up, including deciduous Hollies like Sparkleberry- hollies need both a male and female to produce fruit.
The best way to determine what you need is to hire a consultant-or- use websites for pictures-or visit a local garden center- or- visit Reedy Creek Nature Center and I know they have an exhibit in the back with labelled plants and staff to help-very useful-
For butterflies- the following are excellent plants:
Butterfly Bush, Abelia, Yarrow, Asclepias (Butterfly Weed), Clethra, Coreopsis, Purple Coneflower, Joe Pye Weed, Sedum, Lantana, Bee Balm, Phlox, Black-Eyed Susan, Verbena-others- all of these are easy to grow-except maybe Asclepias-
You know, one or two Butterfly Bush with Lantana (annual) provides many butterlies and bees. Just a warning--a Butterfly Bush can get big- good time right now to visit a nursery and see what is blooming and ask for a size you need- Lowe's may even have some-
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