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Geum is a perennial in the Rosaceae family that has been around a long time, or if not, it sure feels "old fashioned" to me. In my experience, its merit has become more apparent over time. |
Geum performs extremely well here in our county, blooming for two months in late spring and early summer. Michelle loves it for its beautiful foliage, let alone the bright and happy flowers.
Although
it requires regular watering and is not listed on the deer resistant
list, I think it is well worth a try in a sunny location of your
garden. Rumor has it that the deer mostly leave it alone, although with
any new planting, deer repellent spray is a must in our opinion- no matter what it is! Sunset recommends part shade in hottest climates, so giving it some afternoon shade would extend the bloom time, along with "deadheading" the spent flowers. Don't forget E.B. Stone's Sure Start at planting time.
Geum
flowers are orange, yellow, or red, depending on the variety you get.
All produce numerous 1 - 1 ½ inch flowers on stems that form above the
foliage. The 'Blazing Sunset'
(shown above) orange-red variety at one of my accounts gets over 2 feet
tall with flowers! The most common varieties are the double-scarlet 'Mrs. Bradshaw' and the yellow 'Lady Stratheden.' These are Geum chiloense, native to Chile.
Also available are varieties of Geum coccineum.
These are lower growing and recommended in rock gardens or the front of
a border. Native to the Balkans and Asia Minor, the foliage tends to be
lower growing and more compact. I will be looking for the variety
'Borisii' and perhaps another, but these are not as common as Geum chiloense.
Special on ALL Geums for April 2009
6 packs and 4 inch pots- $1.00 off regular price!
1 gallon- $2.00 off regular price!
April Soil Specials
Green-All Soil Booster- Buy 3- get 1 FREE!
This is the best additive for your vegetable and flower gardens. Replenishes the nutrients those annuals need every year.
Green-All 2 cu. feet Organic Potting Soil- Buy 3- get 1 FREE!
You can never have enough potting soil!!!
Tanya's Tips
Spring is here with longer days and a lot of possibilities for the yard and garden.
First off, it is time to fertilize.
All your trees, shrubs and perennials are putting out lots of new
growth and they need nitrogen more than ever at this time of year. I like to use E.B. Stone's ORGANIC ALL PURPOSE 5-5-5 or their Rose and Flower Food 5-6-3. I am a lazy gardener; I just sprinkle it around the base of my plants and water them!
Now with all that soft new growth come those pesky little insects called aphids. They always seem to be at their worst in the spring. We sell pre-made sprays of Insecticidal Soap and Rose and Flower Spray, which are both natural and effective. You
can buy them, along with neem oil, in a concentrate and mix it
yourself, too. When the aphids are really thick, I like to spray as
many off with a hose first and then apply the soap, pyrethrins or neem
spray. We also sell Lady Bugs this time of year, which are a good natural predator.
Lilacs will be blooming soon and we carry a wide selection at the nursery.
Lilacs can be a little frustrating as they often take several years to
'settle in' and bloom nicely (just like wisteria). They are on the deer
resistant list and established shrubs can go all summer with just an
occasional deep soak. They like a sunny location and a neutral, to
slightly alkaline soil, so Lilacs often benefit from an application of
lime.
I know you are all anxious to get that vegetable garden
going, but I am going to remind you that it takes longer for the soil
to warm up than the air, and warm-season vegetables do not like 'cold
feet'. As a matter of fact, cold feet can kill basil, cucumbers and
melons, so beware! Also remember that the average last frost is May
1st- still a month away.
That
said, we already have a limited assortment of tomatoes on hand, and
will be getting more, along with the others (you know, peppers, squash,
beans, etc.) as we get further into April.
Knowing that you are anxious to get that summer garden going, you can start preparing with Green-All Soil Booster on Special- buy 3 bags, get 1 FREE- the entire month of April. Your vegetables will thank you!
Happy Gardening,
Tanya
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