The Peterson Farm

Melissa and Doug Contest

2009-11-11T18:52:13-05:00

Great contest here:

http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/2009/10/28/melissa-doug-play-kitchen-giveaway/

Sweet Potatoes not so sweet to me

2009-10-25T15:18:51-04:00

I was so happy to harvest the sweet potatoes today. I had a very large crop and was anxious to cure them for use at Thanksgiving. Well - almost ALL of them are cracked. About 10 are in good shape and about 50 or more are not usable. I looked it up and discovered this is because of too much rain. Bummer. What is good for the goose is not always good for the gander.

Workhorses of the Garden (for the sun)

2009-07-14T18:43:24-04:00

Yesterday I was speaking with another Master Gardener who posed an interesting question. She has recently moved here from the North and asked me what flowers are the workhorses here in the South - aside from the Daylily, which is obvious.

I recall from a seminar of Tara Dillard that she calls the workhorses of the shade - or the holy trinity perennials - as follows: Fern, Hosta, Hellebore. And the holy trinity of shrubs for the shade - Azalea, Camellia and Hydrangea. But what about sun gardening?

So I have put some thought into this and here is what I have come up with:

1. Sedum, specifically Autumn Joy. Good texture, drought tolerant, fall color, low maintenance

2. Black-eyed Susan, Purple Coneflower, Shasta Daisy, Gallardia - these have long bloom periods, make good cut flowers, divide well for further proliferation, attracts bees and butterflies

3. Lambs Ear - great color and texture

4. Zebra Grass (or any grass for that matter) - Saw zebra grass in a vase of cut flowers the other day - mostly grass with a few Gallardia - and it was beautiful

5. Balloon Flower - These flower for a long time. Just have to remember to cut them back to get another flush of blooms

6. Ajuga - really a ground cover, but great for color and weed control, survives drought, offered in a variety of shades and sizes now

7. Canna - Personally, I am not a big fan of these. I have a few; I might like them more if I had the ones with pretty foliage. I threw some rhizomes out a few months ago, into the burn pile. They are blooming now. Nothing can kill this beast.

8. Agastache - drought tolerant, long blooming, pretty purple-blue

I thought about the following but decided aganst them:

1. Yarrow, Monarda, Solidago - Too invasive

2. Bearded Irises - Too short a bloom period, labor intensive since you can't mulch them

3. Perennial Hibiscus - Not very drought tolerant

4. Hardy Geranium - I kill this plant every chance I get, although others do well with it

Give me some feedback...Agree? Disagree? Any more to add to the list?

I've got my eye on you

2009-06-19T10:38:14-04:00

I am not really a big fan of the daylilies with defined eyes, but I noticed I have a few. They look so similar; I am not sure what is what. I know I have purchased the following kinds with eyes: Orchid Candy (which is pink), Man on Fire (which is only kind of like an eye with yellow and hot pink), and You Angel You (which is light pink). But these are the ones with eyes blooming right now:

I think this is Orchid Candy

This might be Man on Fire

What is this?

I thought this was You Angel You, but this one has a dark edge on the ruffle unlike what I see on pictures of You Angel You on line.

And the Pink Whispers bloomed. It is such a soft color:

Loving the daylilies

2009-06-11T21:08:14-04:00

You might recall that not too long ago the Night Embers lily bloomed. Well, I thought I saw it again today and took a picture. Good thing I did. I don't think this is the same daylily. The Night Embers does not have the pretty gold edging that this one does. Or maybe I'm just wrong, but I like this one:

This is one of the new ones from the talk-y lady.

This is the rose I moved early this Spring that I thought died. Oh - and the Fairy that did die...a little bit was left in the ground in the original location, and it is taking off. So momma died but baby will live on...Here is the other rose (i dunno what it is)

The asters are starting to bloom

Not sure what this is. I don't have a record of purchasing anything like this. It isn't Sammy Russell because it is more purple

I dunno what this is either. I wish I had kept better notes

I think someone sold this to me as You Angel You, but it is yellow instead of pink - not that I mind

This is the first time Little Lamb has bloomed

I think this is Holy Moses

I think this is Orchid Candy

Something New Everyday

2009-06-10T21:08:00-04:00

Hot Ember?

Miniature Rose

These are the lilies I planted long ago

But these are without yellow that I planted last year

Water Restriction Lifted

2009-06-10T15:05:25-04:00

BREAKING NEWS

ALL WATER RESTRICTIONS LIFTED IN GEORGIA

Carol Couch, Director of the Georgia EPD, announced today effective immediately all of Georgia has been moved to a non-drought response. This returns all outdoor water use to the Odd/Even water schedule with no hourly water restrictions.

EPD Director Carol Couch

The announcement came following a meeting of the EPD drought response committee. Couch will also be a keynote speaker at the GGIA Governor's Mansion landscape dedication ceremony this afternoon along with GGIA Executive Director Sherry Loudermilk and Governor Sonny Perdue.

EPD and others are taking the position that Georgian's have learned their lesson with respect to water conservation and are capable of making informed decisions about water use and efficiency now that the drought is over.

The position of GGIA will be to remain vigilant in our commitments to promoting efficient irrigation, best management practices and water conservation. We will also reaffirm our commitment to education, both of the industry and of the consumer. We may be out of the drought, but efficient use of water resources will be standard operating procedure for all industry members from this point forward.

Today's garden dedication is a prime example of the industry's commitment to conservation and demonstrates that beautiful, sustainable landscapes and water efficiency are not mutually exclusive terms. The garden encompasses best management practices in all aspects of design, preparation and installation and will be a lasting testament to the Georgia Green Industry, our members, and their ongoing dedication to water conservation across the state.

Today's announcement has been a long time coming. The effects of the drought and the subsequent water restrictions were a lesson learned for the industry. It is the hope of GGIA that our members will now see a much needed uptick in business and a change in the public perception. It's okay to garden again, as long as we remember to do it with conservation in mind.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

2009-06-06T21:19:31-04:00

The garden looks horrible. Especially the veggies. The weeds are horrid - embarrassing. They are taller than Cooper in the veggie garden. And Alley could get lost in the ones in the back island bed. So, I took lots of pictures of the good areas, the bad areas and the really really ugly areas. One day I will look back on this time and wish that I had no time to work on the garden -- that Cooper was a baby. I am trying to cherish this time and not worry too much about the weeds. But I can't let them go, either.

Anyway - ugly or not, the veggie garden works - haha. Here is today's harvest of snap peas.

GardensOyVey Post Pt 3

2009-06-05T10:14:33-04:00

Here is the third article...
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It has been more than a Month
since I have written you all about Hydrangeas!

By May 15, here in Zone 7 we started seeing our Macrophylla and Serrata Hydrangeas Bloom. Along with Oak Leaf Hydrangea. These continued and were followed by Arborescens...Annabelle, Hayes Starburst, White Dome and the Native Arborescens we discovered on our property here in N.W. Shelby County 20 years ago.
It has been a Stellar Year for Hydrangeas. No late frost. Opulent spring rain. MMMMMMMM.

As promised I will share with you what I know about the Panicle Hydrangeas.

I First came upon them in 1980 when I helped my Italian American Father Maintain Formal Estate Gardens on the North Shore of Chicago. The Panicle Hydrangeas Pee Gee or P.G. (Paniculata grandiflora) were commonly used there as "Standards" against stone posts at the entrance gates to many of the North Shore Gardens.

They were limbed up or sculpted to reveal 3-5-7 sturdy legs or branches up 3-5' and then the tops were allowed to grow at will. The P.G. have a weeping or flopping habit and this created tall cascades of White Mophead Flowers. The P.G. sold in the U.S. can reach up to 12' tall. By using this "standards" style of sculpting your P.G. we can create architecture in the garden using shrubs.

So let me begin...again...to generally describe the Species of Paniculata Hydrangea.

In General the Panicle Hydrangeas tend to be more woody than any other of the previous forms discussed.
Woody!! I feel it is their woodiness that gives them new interest and sets them apart from the other forms.

They can be manipulated like Crepe Myrtles, which are "limbed up" or "sculpted" to form tall leggy shrubs that create focal points or vertical interest. You can Sculpt them Nov. thru Feb. and again in Midsummer if you like. Sculpt not Shear! (Shearing is cutting 3-6'' from the top to produce bushy green foliage.)

They can also be cut to the ground...3-6'' to create short floriferous shrubs of approximately 3'. This is sometimes called "Stooling", which means cutting a shrub or tree nearly to the ground to create multiple young branches. In this case it is done to produce the most blooms on short shrubs. I prefer to Sculpt the Panicles to create architectural interest.

They bloom on New Wood, which is the wood produced in spring, and early summer of each year.
(Unlike the Mac.'s, the Serrata and the Oak Leaf Hydrangea, which bloom on the previous year's wood, (the wood produced the previous mid-summer and fall...after they have bloomed.) Whew!!! Did you get all that??!!

They can take Full Sun! For Zone 7 and South, I am reluctant to say this, always keeping August of 2007 in mind; However, I do know they can take at least 3 hours of miserable afternoon Southern Summer Sun and have grown them successfully in a full sun Western exposure. Zone 6 and North, I am confident they can take all day sun.

They Begin Blooming After All of the Others Have Finished! The first to bloom in my Garden are 'Limelight' and she has been blooming since July 7 here on the edge of the county...earlier I would suspect in the City.
As you can see, by using all of the species of Hydrangea: Mac., Serrata, Oak Leaf, Arborescens and Panicle Hydrangea; you will have blooms From May thru August.

They are Drouth Tolerant! As with everything in our 5 acre Nursery/Garden, P.G. and Tardiva were planted here prior to our water system being installed, 14 years prior. So the Panicle Hydrangea as well as many of the other trees, shrubs and perennials we planted were planted in Fall, Watered by 40 inches of Winter Rain, and survived our Annual Summer Drouth for 14 years.

I have grown the following Panicle Hydrangeas In the Memphis Area for 20 years: P.G., Tardiva, and Chantilly Lace. In the last 5-7 years many more varieties have become available to local nurseries.

Their Forms include Lacy Vertical Pyramidal Panicles to Fluffy, Vertical and Cascading Mophead Like Forms. They range in height from 4-18 Ft. I feel the Panicle Hydrangea are very important in creating structure and height in the Garden and will become more popular as they are more understood.

We currently have P.G., LImelight, Chantilly Lace, Little Lamb, Pinky Winky, Pink Diamond,
Tardiva, Kyushu, and a few others available.

GardensOyVey Post Pt 2

2009-06-05T10:13:11-04:00

This is a great article from GardensOyVey's newsletter. Here is the original article. However, you never know when someone is going to remove something from their website, so I copied the content in this post. Please check them out - here is their home page.
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We started an article series two weeks ago about Hydrangeas.

In the first newsletter we talked about Hydrangea serrata
and Hydrangea macrophylla as these are the first to bloom here in zone 7
in the Mid South. They are in Full Bloom and Color This Weekend.
If you missed the first one get it here.

This week we will discuss Hydrangea quercifolia commonly known as Oak Leaf Hydrangea and

Hydrangea arborescens sometimes called Smooth Hydrangea.
This year the Oak Leaf Hydrangea are blooming With the Serrata and the Macrophylla.
The Arborescens Hydrangea are budding now in mid season of the Serrata and Macrophylla to pick up and
shine as they begin to fade. I believe this is how they behave in most years.

Next week I will write about Panicle Hydrangeas which will begin blooming Mid June? and continue into July.
As you can see if you mix these species you can have a long season of bloom.

Another Design Consideration is that all of these have different sizes and shapes which serve different niches and create interesting vertical and horizontal arrangements.

Example: Panicle Hydrangea can be pruned up like Crepe Myrtles and you can plant Dwarf Serrata at their feet
in afternoon shade, for a sweet little arrangement, or big bosomy Annabelle for a dramatic sun tolerant hedge.

Another possibilty would be to punctuate a bed every 8-12 ft. with Panicle Hydrangea (vertical) then add an Oak Leaf far left and far right. (Dramatic filler with fab foliage).

In between each Panicle Hydrangea, fill with a mophead, a lacecap, and a dwarf lacecap, mophead or star form Serrata of complimentary colors. Perhaps shades of blue or shades of pink, white and red.

Arrange the sizes and forms to create clockwise and counterclockwise sweeps towards the middle. Plant the middle with Annabelle, Hayes Starburst, or White Dome. (Arborescens.) Wow!

So FINALLY let's talk about Oak Leaf and Arborescens Hydrangea.

Both Oak Leaf and Arborescens are Native to the Southeastern United States. Both are most often found on Dry, Shady Slopes in Native Populations. Both are extremely drouth tolerant. Although Arborescens goes in to early dormancy in very dry years without irrigation. Both of them HATE a deep, rich, wet hole. (Remember we are a rain forest in the winter...44 inches and a desert, most years, in the summer...under 6 inches.)

After killing about 30 myself I visited the Big Hill Pond State Park near Pocahontas, TN. I noticed (in August)
that they were living on a slope of about 45 degrees. Very steep. Eureka! They must have good drainage!
So I religiously began adding 4 inches of pine bark to 4 inches of native soil (clay) and building raised planting hills for Oak Leaf and Arborescens. Since then I have not lost any.The Oak Leaf Hydrangea are perhaps the most refined of all Hydrangea. They have fantastic foliage, brilliant white flowers, excellent fall color, and interesting exfoliating bark for winter. They average 4-6 ft. in height and 4 ft. in spread. There are also selections which are Dwarf, 2-3 ft. (Pee Wee) and Giants that go 8-12 ft. (Alice). There are Vertical Forms (Snow Queen) and Weeping Forms (Snowflake), as well as fragrant (Ellen Huff). They again are drouth tolerant, and prefer shade or morning sun and zones 5-9.

I believe that their foliage is essential to a shade garden as it is large and bold and anchors the landscape.

Arborescens Hydrangea is not to be overlooked. When we purchased our 5 acres the native plants were choked by Chinese Honeysuckle and Privet. Once we eradicated these vicious pests the native plants slowly began to emerge again from the forest floor. Red Buckeye, Dogwood and Redbud, Christmas Fern, Wood Phlox and Hydrangea Arborescens.

Hydrangea Arborescens is perhaps most familar to us all as 'Annabelle'. I would like to also introduce
to you 'Hayes Starburst' and 'White Dome'.

Hydrangea Arborescens is robust and bosomy as 'Annabelle' (Huge Mopheads), and refined and demure as 'White Dome' (subtle lace caps). 'Hayes Starburst' is a variation in between with double star sterile inflorescense. I cant imagine a Southern Garden or any Garden within zones 4-9 without 'Annabelle'. While she may be showy...she has a subtle dignity. She is Drouth Tolerant, Sun Tolerant and requires a well drained planting hill. She is 5x5 ft. but benifits from an annual shearing TO THE GROUND each Valentines Day.
She repays you with more flowers and smaller size shrub. (4 ft.?) DO NOT DO THIS TO ANY OTHER HYDRANGEA! 'Annabelle' has unfortunate ankles so underplant her with Deciduous Southern Shield Fern (Thelipteris kunthii)
or Autumn Fern.

I think 'Hayes Starburst' will be an exciting selection. We will see this year as they are maturing in our Gardens and our containers.

A dry shade woodland garden would not be complete without 'White Dome' or the species arborescens lacecap for its' subtle beauty and place in our southern ecosystems.

Finally try to place the right hydrangea in the right place. This will release you from the necessity of shearing.
If you must shear, do it immediatly after they bloom for most hydrangea.
However Arborescens and Panicle bloom on new wood which is forgiving of mistakes.
The Panicles are best limbed up 30 to 50 percent from the ground up.

I am sure I have missed something. Perhaps I can address all my mistakes in a separate article.
That will be one very long article.

Best Wishes. Diane and Wolfgang. GardensOyVey