When someone tells me “Leave well enough alone”, you know what I say?
How about I DON’T leave it alone and make it even … weller.
Or … more well.
Or … you get the point.
Which brings me to the next entry in my “Prune in June” series; Eupatorium ‘Gateway’, more commonly known as Joe Pye Weed.
This statuesque perennial (close to six feet tall) has been a solid performer for me for years now, so why would I want to mess with a good thing?:
Because, well, why not?
Let’s play around a bit and have fun with it. It’s an opportunity to get the hands dirty, experiment, observe and learn a thing or two. All good things last time I checked.
Here is what my Joe Pye Weed (JPW) collection currently looks like:
And here is a close up shot of a “growing tip” on one of the branches. These are easy to identify as a sort of “swirl” in the middle of the surrounding leaves:
Tracy DiSibato-Aust (“T’Aust” as I’ll refer to her going forward), who I discussed in my prior post, recommends pinching this new growth in mid June (other wise known as “now”) which causes “5 breaks to emerge from the stem” and ultimately creates a fuller plant.
Well, I did just what my lady said:
In fact, I pinched all of the stems along the front of the JPW plants. My hope is to create a layered effect where those pinched stems bloom a little smaller on stems a little shorter than those in the back that were left unpinched:
Here are said unpinched stems:
And here is the same shot as above but with the stems in front now pinched:
As I stated in my last post, I’ll continue to track the developments as these plants continue to adjust and grow throughout the summer.
And you know you’ll be waiting to see these results with bated breath.
Because I am here to both educate and entertain.
John
I’ll never forget the day back in 2001, when the following book arrived in the mail:
And this is no exaggeration … it completely changed my entire outlook on gardening. Within minutes of opening and reading this book, I discovered that working with plants was a true art form.
“The Well Tended Perennial Garden” by Tracy DiSabato-Aust is beyond a “must” for all gardeners/plant lovers (take a peak to the right in the sidebar and you can order a copy pretty cheap through Amazon). I re-read every word of this gem each and every year and have the intention of faithfully following all of the pruning/pinching/deadheading/deadleafing advice. Yet, I never fulfill that promise …
By now, I just about have this book memorized and shame on me for not taking advantage of that knowledge. As the spring progresses into summer, I get lazy and complacent and by the time mid summer rolls around, it’s too late to do anything about it. But not any more my friends.
I’m creating my own pruning series here at ONG titled “Prune in June”. That title comes from the fact that a majority of the pruning tasks recommended by Tracy should occur in June. Plus, who can resist a catchy title that rhymes? Sweet.
This is the year I stay on top of the pruning tasks and capture the results of what I’ve done in June and how it will hopefully, positively impact the growing results of these plants in August, September and beyond.
To kick things off, I am starting with my Boltonia ‘Pink Beauty’ plants:
They have some fantastic late summer blooms:
But without fail, fall over once they are in full bloom:
As my garden has matured over the years, these perennials do get some support from neighboring shrubs/grasses, but there is clearly room for improvement:
So let’s be friggin proactive this year.
Tracy suggests cutting back Boltonia by a 1/2 to 2/3 in early June. I’ll split the difference and document the results as the season progresses.
Here is what they look like as of today:
And how they look now, post haircut:
As mentioned before, I will closely monitor the results as we get deeper into the summer and will be sure to share those results, good or bad, with you all.
Coming soon … Joe Pye Weed.
John
Pennisetum ‘Karley Rose’ popped out a few blooms overnight and this is by far the earliest it has ever bloomed. I really like this ornamental grass (truth is, I still haven’t found an OG I don’t like) and need to dot a few more in my landscape:
Calamagrostis (Feather Reed Grass) ‘Eldorado’ is in its temporary pink bloom phase and will soon turn to a more tan/buff like color. For now, won’t you relish the “pink phase” with me?:
Speaking of Feather Reed Grass, the old standby ‘Karl Foerster’ is rocking its upright self and is also in the temporary pinkish bloom phase. Good times indeed:
Have a great weekend and get those fingernails dirty. I know I will.
John
Another native that has survived wet feet and has been ignored by the deer is Joe Pye Weed:
As I’ve mentioned in the past, it has become a regular ritual for me the past few years to scour the local native plant sales for plants that fit my conditions and I’ve learned about plants I never would have heard of before. Which leads me to my next point.
Forced research and education
For those of you lucky to have great soil and no critters, it must be great to plant shop and not have to think too much about it. I’ve learned over the years that I cannot do that. I never trust what the plant tags have to say. I get myself all educated on-line to know the truth about plants. Can they survive wet feet in winter? Are they able to withstand non stop sun throughout the year? Are they REALLY deer proof?
This “forced education” has loaded my head with great info that I can carry with me wherever I go. I even find myself offering up advice to other shoppers at the nursery or to friends and family. No more blind and naive plant shopping for this guy.
Creating an environment where wildlife can thrive
This has everything to do with native plantings and I can attest to the fact that as soon as I was forced focused on this style of gardening, the critters came … in droves:
Understanding micro-climates
Admittedly, I am twisting the definition of micro-climate a bit here but stick with me.
As certain plants have failed to thrive for me over the years, I have moved them to new locations as a desperate attempt to keep them alive and to justify the money I’ve spent on them.
As I did this, I discovered that certain areas of my yard had soil that drained better than others so I could take advantage of that.
I also found areas that were more difficult for the deer to penetrate so I could successfully grow some plants that deer typically chow down on.
And some times, the same plant was affected by both of the factors above. Like with my Sedum ‘Autumn Fire’:
I am located in zone 6B but have found more sheltered areas in the yard where I can overwinter plants that are supposed to only survive to zone 7. Again, this was discovered through trial and error and failure of plants to survive my conditions. My Carex ‘Cappuccino’ is a perfect example:
Appreciation when a plant does thrive
It isn’t fun bringing home beautiful plants only to watch them suffer and die once they have been put in the ground. It can be demoralizing. But when a plant loves its conditions and grows like mad, you learn to truly appreciate that moment.
The discovery of ornamental grasses
Ornamental grasses were made to live in my yard. They are tough as nails and the deer always ignore them. As I’ve come to rely on them as the backbone of my garden, I’ve also realized just how many unique and versatile cultivars there are:
Appreciation of foliage
By addressing the deer and the poorly draining soil, I’ve created a garden that is based mostly on foliage. Plants that fit into that criteria (ornamental grasses) are generally foliage driven. And that is OK.
Gardens designed mostly by leaf shape and size look good longer and have more depth. While I love flowers as much as the next guy, it is the shape, color and texture of foliage I am after:
So, in conclusion, while I may have cursed my way through gardening over the years and complained like a baby along the way, I wouldn’t have changed a thing. It has taught me more than I ever would have imagined and has allowed me to truly appreciate all that I’ve got.
Sounds like a lesson that applies to all walks of life, huh?
John
As are the Alchemilla mollis (Lady’s Mantle):
One of my favorite “foliage” plants has only recently emerged – Hibiscus ‘Kopper King’:
There was total chaos outside my window yesterday and I bolted outside to check it out (camera in hand). Turns out, it was over these berries on the Serviceberry ‘Autumn Brilliance’:
And the culprit was this maniac shaking the branches like The Hulk:
It may be boring to some, but I love any shrub that flourishes in wet conditions, is ignored by the deer and spreads to fill in a large space. Thank you Itea ‘Henry’s Garnet’:
I relocated my previously criticized Geranium ‘Brookside’ to an area where they can run wild a bit more and have some support from other plants and so far, I dig the results:
Viburnum ‘Emerald Lustre’ is filled with more buds than ever before and once again, has avoided any deer chomping (fingers double crossed):
Catmint friggin rules:
Astilbe with white blooms look great in front of dark red leaves. We may have finally found the proper home for them: