Myosotidium hortensia- Chatham Island Forget-me-not

Propagating Chatham Island Forget-me-not can be done in the fall because it blooms in late spring to early summer so if it is done in the spring you may have to wait until the following year for it too bloom. It prefers the same habitat as Primulas, which is partial shade and a rich moist but well draining soil. It is evergreen and will reach a height of 18"-24" and it flowers are a light blue. It is a native to New Zealand so is only hardy in Zone 8-9 and prefers cool summers and it is best fertilized with seaweed.

Fargesia robusta-Green Screen Bamboo

Since Green Screen is trademarked so propagating and selling it as such is illegal but any bamboo can be divided as long as the culms contain enough rhizome to allow it to re-root. This is a non-invasive but fast growing clumping bamboo that will reach a height of 16' and can be used as a great screen or specimen planting, is deer resistant and hardy in Zone 5 and up. It is native to China and needs good drainage which can be accomplished by adding organic soil, compost or manure when planting.

Ipomopsis rubra-Standing Cypress

Propagating Standing Cypress can only be accomplished by seeding in the fall by lightly covering the seeds since it is an annual. Hummingbirds love its nectar since they bloom profusely from May-July and the flowering spikes that can reach upwards of 6' and can be pruned back after the rosettes die and it will send up another spike. It is native to the S.E. and it requires full sun, is drought tolerant and varieties come in either red, orange and yellow. It is in the phlox family.

Callicarpa americana-American Beautyberry

Propagating Beautyberry by division can be frustrating since it has a tap root but it can be done only if the plant is mature enough which can be accomplished by pruning the plant down to 12" in the fall and patiently wait for the crown to at least double in size, divide in the spring, otherwise you may have to employee either root or soft tip cuttings. It’s fall berries are amazingly beautiful and the photo I took was on my lot north of Raleigh, NC, and is first growth after bulldozing the lot otherwise I never would have noticed it although it does have pink flowers in summer. It is native from Zones 7 and up usually in moist to low rich bottomlands and mine is growing in full sun. Unfortunately deer enjoy the leaves but birds and butterflies enjoy the flower nectar, the seeds for birds, and average height is 3'-6' and sometimes to 9' tall. A plant to enjoy in the drab months of winter.

Spring is coming!

Someone gave me a Amazon gift card for my birthday so I ordered some vegey seeds and although I hestitated, Hirt's Gardens had tomato plants which I ordered and recieved this week. I was wondering if they would come alive and they did because they were packaged great. They have more varities available then big box stores and I am hoping that I will be able to plant them. This is their web link: http://hirts-gardens.amazonwebstore.com/category/22698119901/1/Vegetable-Plants-Tomato.htm