We've been very busy planting container gardens for the past week, and hope the flowers have survived the storm. If you are on the schedule for planting service, I look forward to seeing you soon! If you'd like to talk about getting your containers planted yet this spring, it's not too late! Call me (970-988-3808) or e-mail me right away.

While no one is really loving this cold weather, it isn't particularly unusual. Looking back through my newsletters from the past several years, I was writing about lousy weather during the month of May in 2017 (when we a foot of snow); in 2016 (it was cold and rainy); and also in 2014 (we had temps in the 20s). It hasn't really been that cold at night - it must be less than 32 degrees for a sustained time to cause freezing. However, if you'll sleep better by covering your annual plants and tender perennials, here is a blog post to reassure you that you're covering them correctly.

We’ve had some on-again-off-again kind of weather this spring: sunny and warm for a few days, followed by several days of clouds and rain. If rainy weather makes you feel dreary, the plants around you are feeling lethargic, too.

Perhaps you recall from your high school science class that plants require sunlight as part of their photosynthesis process. Without sunlight, the plants are unable to convert nutrients and carbon-dioxide to energy through the photosynthesis process. On cloudy days, they produce much less of the energy they need to grow and bloom.

Additionally, the plants’ circulatory system slows down in cool weather. Plants don’t have a heart (obviously) nor any type of pump for their circulatory system. Rather, water carries nutrients up through the plant from the roots to the shoots using physics: capillary action, osmotic pressure in the cells, and hydraulic conductivity. This process is called transpiration and when the weather is cool and humidity is high, transpiration rates are low. Thus, on rainy days, plants are both unable to produce new energy and unable to move nutrients to their cells so their growth rates slow down significantly.

You many notice some of the plants in the landscape are sort of stuck. For example, my Peonies are covered with buds, but they’re just not opening. Also, I’m finding that many of the annual plants I like to put in container gardens are smaller than they’ve been in previous years. Many of them have buds, but just aren’t blooming yet – they need a few good days of sunshine to open their flowers completely. While the nurseries are able to control much of the climate for nurturing plants, they are not able to replicate sunlight on a large scale. I don’t control the weather either (even though I might wish to). Rather, I just trust that warm, sunny days are coming soon and the plants I know and love will bloom reliably as soon as the weather cooperates!

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Stephanie's Favorite Flower:
Million Bells/ Calibrachoa 

One of my favorite plants to use in hanging baskets and container gardens is Calibrachoa. Calibrachoa look very much like miniature Petunias, but botanists have found they have major differences in their chromosomes and are two distinct genera. Like Petunias, Calibrachoa come in many different colors and the plants bloom continuously for most of the summer. Unlike Petunias, Calibrachoa are self-cleaning and do not need to have the spent flowers removed. They also have less of a tendency to get “leggy” they way Petunias do. I’ve found that both Petunias and Calibrachoa do best when they receive full sun and are fertilized regularly.

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Chesney's Favorite Flower:

Starflowers/ Nicotiana alata
This annual, and half of our company name, is bright and fragrant.  Nicotiana has five petals, forming a star, and can be found in a wide variety of colors. Since it is a distant relative of commercially used tobacco, it is also called Flowering Tobacco, but don’t worry- it is anything but hazardous to your health. This particular annual variety is hybridized to grow a little more compact, only reaching 12” tall, holds its flowers open and upright all day, and will bloom all summer with proper deadheading and care. Nicotiana alata is happiest in dappled sunlight or part sun but will do great in full sun with sufficient water as well.

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Chesney's Favorite Potting Soil:

My favorite potting soil is Fertilome Ultimate Potting Mix. This potting mix is a great all-purpose potting soil as it works great for most indoor and outdoor plants, including seed starts and hanging baskets. We use this potting soil in our own homes and gardens as well as in all of our client’s container gardens. Since it is mostly made up of sphagnum peat moss and perlite, it makes a great option for a general use formula. The peat moss will help the soil hold moisture and the perlite will help drain and help keep the plant from getting over watered to keep a really great balance for your plants. The only drawback to this potting mix is that if it is allowed to dry out completely, it can be difficult to re-hydrate.

We love to talk about plants and landscaping! Send an email, call or text Stephanie at (970)988-3808 to chat about your plants or landscaping project.