Welcome to Planter on the Side Blogspot!

Sunny Lambeth Allen and Teresa Daugherty Hechenbleikner formed Planters on the side in 2008 out of a passion and desire to share our planting knowledge with Charlotte and surrounding area. We were asking God to reveal a career that would allow us to tap our gifts and truly enjoy work. Our vision began to take form and everything fell into place which we took as a sign that we were on the right track. We create container gardens using organic products and mostly locally grown plant material. Our work includes a variety of plants from herbs and annual flowers to trees, shrubs and perennials. Now we service clients from Charleston, SC to Lake Norman, NC. We hope you enjoy our gardening information and pictures of our beautiful creations!

Monday, November 21, 2011

Pruning Flowering Shrubs


Rules of Thumb for Pruning Flowering Shrubs

Pruning is a source of confusion and worry to many gardeners.  How and when to prune are two of the most common questions asked of gardening experts.  Luckily a few simple guidelines provide good advice for growing most types of flowering shrubs.
Rule of Thumb Number One: Don’t Prune.  Many gardeners labor under the belief that they must prune regularly to keep their shrubs in good condition.  Not true.  Most shrubs need only one significant pruning session a year and many don’t even need that.  Pruning common shrubs like lilacs, forsythia and burning bush into tight mounds is not only unnecessary but isn’t that great for the plants, either.  Many flowering shrubs will look their best when allowed to grow in their natural form or habit.  Frequent shearing encourages lots of surface branching, possibly resulting in an unhealthy structure and reduced flowering.  If you really want a tightly sheared look in your garden, choose a plant that is suited to it, such as boxwood. 
Rule of Thumb Number Two: Prune Spring Flowering Shrubs After Flowering. 
Plants that bloom in early spring usually produce their flower buds the year before.  The buds over-winter on the previous year’s growth and open in spring.  If you prune these spring bloomers in fall or winter you’ll remove the flower buds and won’t have flowers that year.  The plants will be ok, but you’ll miss a year of blooms.  Most of these plants don’t need heavy pruning every year, just some selective thinning of branches to give them a nice shape. 
Rule of Thumb Number Three: Prune Summer Flowering Shrubs In Late Winter or Early Spring.
Many summer flowering shrubs bloom on the current year’s growth.  Pruning them back in later winter encourages them to produce lots of new growth that summer and will result in more flowers.  Don’t be afraid to cut fast growing plants, such as buddleia or caryopteris, down to as little as 10-12” tall.  The exception to this rule is Hydrangeas.  See Rule Number Four for more on that. 
Rule of Thumb Number Four: Hydrangeas.  Hydrangeas alone account for at least half the pruning questions in gardening advice forums.  Some bloom on ‘old wood’ (see Rule Number Two) while others bloom on ‘new wood’ (Rule Number Three.)  You’ll need to identify what kind of hydrangea you have and follow the appropriate rule. Hydrangea macrophylla, the ones with big blue or pink flowers, and Hydrangea quercifolia, oakleaf hydrangeas, both bloom on old wood.  The little pruning they need should be done immediately after flowering.  Hydrangea paniculata, which have white, conical flowers, and Hydrangea arborescens, such as ‘Annabelle’, bloom on new wood.  They’ll produce better flowers if cut back in late winter.
Rule of Thumb Number Five: It’s OK to Trim Anytime.  Really. 
Gardeners are often confronted with stray shoots and branches in late summer and worry about removing them.  Go ahead and cut them back.  The plant won’t be damaged by removing a branch or two.      
In summary, relax.  Your landscape plants don’t need as much pruning as you may think.  If you’d rather go to the beach than shear back your landscape plants, go right ahead.  The only potentially tricky part of pruning is determining when to trim a particular plant.  For a quick review, prune summer bloomers in late winter and spring bloomers right after flowering – just check the hydrangea rule before you trim them.  Stray or broken branches can be trimmed back any time.  If you do make a mistake, plants are very forgiving.  You may miss a season of flowers but the plant will recover for the next year.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Planting in September from Blums Almanac

from Blumsalmanac.com


Gardening - September 2011

Best Days To:

Plant above ground crops:1-3, 7, 8, 27-30
Plant root crops:12, 13, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22
Plant flowers:1, 20, 21, 22, 27, 28
Transplant:1, 2, 3, 27, 28, 29, 30
Seed beds:2, 3, 20, 21, 22, 29, 30
Prune:To encourage growth: 12, 13, 20, 21, 22
To discourage growth: 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11
Apply chemical fertilizer:2, 3, 29, 30
Apply organic fertilizer:12, 13, 20, 21, 22
Destroy weeds:18, 19, 23, 24, 25, 26
Harvest Crops:14, 15

Anyone Can Garden


gardening how-to

Gardening can be quite easy, if you follow a few basics principles. And we're here to help. First, select the right plants for your climate and sun needs. Simply plant them in rich soil, give them the water and nutrients they need, and you'll soon be on your way to a beautiful and healthy garden. Keep an eye out for pests and disease, and don't be afraid of a little pruning to encourage flowering and lush foliage.

gardening basics

Friday, February 11, 2011

No fear

A friend sent me this today:
Success comes from having dreams that are bigger than your fears. Terry Litwiller.

It's a warmer sunny day in Charlotte, NC, at an expected 51 degrees. The threat of yet another snowstorm yesterday has passed. As I see the green tips of the bulbs I have planted emerging from the Earth, I remember how God calls us to emerge from our fears and be successful for Him.

May you dream and be successful in your day!

Here are some garden tips from Danny Lipford for February:

February Lawn & Garden To-Do List

By: Julie Day
In categories: Gardening Basics, Lawn and Garden, Monthly To-Do Lists

If Candlemas Day be fair and bright,
Winter will have another flight,
If Candlemas Day be cloud and rain,
Then Winter will not come again

-Old English Proverb

February 2nd marks the official midpoint of winter, and on this day many cultures look to folklore and tradition for signs of the coming spring. Both Groundhog Day and Candlemas predict how long winter will last based on the weather on that day. If skies are clear, it’s taken as a sign that winter will remain for six more weeks while cloudy weather is believed to herald an early arrival of spring.

In mid-February, Zone 9 will be approaching the last frost of the season, and frost-free zones can look forward to all the chores that mark the beginning of the growing season. Watch the forecasts closely to protect new plants from surprise late frosts – February is known for unpredictable weather and seasonal indecision.

For the rest of us, February remains a winter month, with most plants either still dormant or just beginning to stir. Many of the chores from the January To-Do List can be continued along with the following items.

Trees and Shrubs

  • Continue to protect tender trees and shrubs before a freeze.
  • Prune roses as soon as the buds begin to swell.
  • If your roses are winterized, leave them covered until all danger of hard frost has passed.
  • Prune trees or shrubs that have been damaged by winter storms.
  • Zones 7 and warmer can plant bare-root trees and shrubs, and zones 8 and higher can plant bare-root roses.

Bulbs emerging from snow

Perennials and Bulbs

  • Check stored tender bulbs every two weeks, discarding any rotten ones. If they look withered, lightly mist the packing medium with water.
  • Look for early bulb sprouts as a sign of spring!
  • Prune Group B and C clematis vines, but don’t prune Group A since they bloom early on buds produced at the end of last season.
  • Prune or mow ornamental grasses if desired.
  • Zones 8 and warmer can start planting ornamental grasses while Zones 9 and higher can plant summer-flowering bulbs and perennials outdoors.

Annuals and Containers

  • Continue protecting tender container plants from freezing temperatures, and don’t forget to water!
  • Fertilize winter-blooming pansies with a bloom-boosting fertilizer.
  • Plant poppy seeds by spreading the seeds on top of the last snow of the season.
  • Zones 9 and warmer can plant spring annuals outdoors following the last frost.

Lawns

Fruits, Vegetables, and Herbs

  • Inspect stored fruits and vegetables and discard any that are spoiled.
  • Fertilize winter vegetable plants if needed.
  • If you haven’t already done so, prune dormant fruit trees and grape vines.
  • Give your potted herbs a dose of nutrition by replacing the top inch of soil with fresh compost.
  • If you haven’t already, apply dormant spray to fruit trees before new growth begins.
  • If you’ve started plants in a cold frame, be sure to ventilate it on warm days.
  • Zones 8 and higher can plant cool-season vegetables such as lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, and kale.

Houseplants

  • Protect houseplants from drafts and cold temperatures, and make sure plants don’t touch cold window glass.
  • Increase humidity around tropical plants.
  • Water regularly, but less often, and reduce fertilization.
  • Prune house plants if needed.
  • Repot your holiday cactus if needed, but remember they like to be pot-bound.

Cleanup and Maintenance

  • If the ground isn’t frozen, till your garden and work in amendments.
  • Avoid using salt on frozen driveways and sidewalks – use sand, organic kitty litter, or sawdust instead.
  • As you prune, look for brown praying mantis egg cases, and replace them gently back into the plant since praying mantises eat other garden pests.
  • Do a late winter maintenance of all your garden tools. Sharpen blades, replace broken tools, repair handles, and oil moving parts to get ready for spring.
  • Start up your power tools, such as your lawn mower, chainsaw, or weed trimmer. If needed, you can drop them off at the repair shop before the spring rush.
  • Even during the winter, remember to water your plants. Cold air removes moisture from plants faster than they can absorb it, and newly planted trees and shrubs are particularly vulnerable.
  • Go out on a nice day and turn your compost pile.
  • Keep those bird feeders filled!
  • Make out your garden calendar, including planting dates and seed germination times.
  • Place orders for seeds, vegetables, and ornamental plants.
  • Start seed flats indoors, in bright indirect light or under a grow-light, for spring planting outdoors.
  • Valentine’s Day flower arrangements will stay fresher if kept out of strong sunlight.