It pains me to see customers spending hundreds of dollars on new plants and simultaneously refusing to spend a few more on a bag or two of compost and a box of starter fertilizer. These two items are not unnecessary “add-ons” that the retailer is just trying to add to the sale, they are critical components of a successful transplanting process - or as I like to refer to them as “plant insurance”. Unless you have phenomenal soil, you should always add compost and starter fertilizers when you are planting new plants. Here is why…
In the weeks leading up to Christmas and New Year’s Day, several traditional houseplants are available for the holiday season. Most places I visit seem to have Poinsettias, Amaryllis and holiday cactus, and I think most enthusiasts are familiar with these common (but worthy) options. If you look a little closer, you will find…
The Golfing Gardener
Trevor Cameron
As this glorious PNW summer weather continues, let us continue delving into the world of Hydrangeas. It is time for episode three, the grand finale of the Hydrangea trilogy… at least for the year 2025. In the last couple of weeks we have talked Hydrangeas for partial shade (Big-Leaf or Hydrangea macrophylla cvs) and others for a bit more sun like Oakleaf types (Hydrangea quercifolia cvs) and Smooth types (Hydrangea arborescens cvs). Now we get to talk about one of the most useful species for sunny gardens, Hydrangea paniculata, or what we call Panicle Hydrangeas…