Weeping Plants

Weeping trees and shrubs are great assets in the landscape and can perform different functions.

• Weeping trees can highlight a particular area of your landscape.
• Weeping plants add a graceful, soothing tone to your landscape.
• Weeping forms can complement water features and other boulder landscapes.
• It's always good to add something fun and different to your home landscape.

The following is a list of beautiful weeping plant specimens:

• Molten Lava Crabapple - Weeping Crabapple with red buds opening to single white flowers. 12-15' high.
• Weeping Mulberry - Graceful, small weeping tree with glossy green foliage. 10'h x 15's
• Weeping Pussy Willow - Beautiful weeping form with traditional pussy willow flowers. 5-6' x 5-6'.
• Weeping Arctic Blue Willow - Excellent small specimen for patios or water features. 12-15' x 10-12'.
• Weeping Nishiki Willow - Elegant and different looking features tri-colored leaves. Requires winter protection!
• Weeping White Spruce - Narrow cone shaped weeper excellent specimen and a good plant for a narrow space. 20'h x 4'w.
• Pendula Bruns Spruce - A type of serbian spruce with a weeping habit, beautiful foliage, and cones. 35'h x 15'w.
• Weeping Hemlock 'Gracilis' - A premier evergreen for shade gardens, rockeries, and water features.
• Weeping Larch - Luminous lime green needles on a weeping form. Yellow fall color. 10-12'h.

Azaleas & Rhododendrons

Rhododendrons are usually evergreen, meaning they retain their leaves throughout the winter, where azaleas are in the genus rhododendron but they are deciduous. They both bloom in early spring and are a vibrant display for that time of year.

Azaleas:

Bloom in spring in a variety of colors. The University of Minnesota developed the lights series for our climate. They are dependable bloomers and have a good fall color. The Weston Hybrid azaleas bloom in June and July and have a great fall color. They are a thicker plant, but needs winter protection. All of these azaleas come in colors of yellow, pink, white, red, orange, and purple.

Care:

Azaleas enjoy full sun or partial sun. They do not have the winter sun issues that the rhododendrons do. They also enjoy an acidic environment and peat moss should be added at planting.

Fertilizer:

Fertilizer in spring like the rhododendrons with an acidic fertilizer.

Insects and Disease:

They have the same possible problems as rhododendrons.

Pruning:

Prune the same as rhododendrons.

Rhododendron:

Rhododendrons come in small leafed varieties and large leafed varieties. The small leafed varieties have a greater tolerance to the winter sun and are more winter hardy than large leafed varieties. They flower in pastels of pinks and purples for the small-leafed varieties, whereas the large-leafed varieties come in white, red, and pink. They keep their leaves all winter which turn a deep purple in the fall. (PJM Rhododendron pictured above).

Care:

Rhododendrons are sensitive to extreme heat therefore they would not do well on the south side up against a building. They are sensitive to winter sun as well as winter winds therefore it is best to place them on an east side. They do enjoy a well-drained soil and need consistent water as their roots are so close to the surface and can dry out faster.

Fertilizer:

At planting it is best to add organic matter such as compost and peat moss, which will raise the soil pH slightly. They enjoy an acidic soil so, fertilize with an acidic fertilizer, such as ammonium sulfate, in spring or early summer. A pH of 4.0-5.5 is optimum for growth.

Insects and Disease:

They can get a root rot fungus if the soil is not well drained. They can also get a powdery mildew if the summer is hot and humid, any general fungicide can be used. If leaves are turning chlorotic, the soil may be too alkaline and further acidification is needed. They do not have many insects. Rabbits and other rodents tend to feed on these plants. It is best to protect them with a deterrent.

Pruning:

Prune in the spring immediately after they are done flowering. Do not prune any more than 1/3 of the plant’s height.

Things To Consider Before Buying A Tree

1. What size and type of tree am I looking for?

Shade Tree:
40-60' x 40-60'
Bur Oak, Hackberry, Siouxland Poplar

Ornamental:
10-30' x 10-30'
Japanese Tree Lilac, Crabapple, Amur Chokecherry

Boulevard
20-40' x 20-40'
Maple, Ash, Linden

Evergreen
All year interest!
Pine, Spruce, Arborvitae

Fruit Trees
10-15' x 10-15'
Apple, Pear, Cherry, etc.

2. What if I have mostly shade?

Trees for wooded or shaded areas: Pagoda Dogwood, Eastern Redbud, Ash, or Hemlock.

3. Is it a very wet or very dry area?

Trees for wet areas: Swamp White Oak, Pagoda Dogwood, Willow, or River Birch.

Trees for dry area: Green Ash, Amur Maple, Theves Poplar, or Pin Oak.

4. Any obstacles in the way of tree growth?

Consider power lines, house, other trees, neighbors property line, fence line, etc.

5. Fall color, fruit, flowering?

Trees for fall color: Red Maple, Sugar Maple, Honey Locust, Pagoda Dogwood, Red Oak.

Trees with ornamental fruit: Serviceberry, Hawthorn, Crabappel, Mountain Ash.

Trees with ornamental flowers: Catalpa, Newport Plum, Eastern Redbud, Amur Chokecherry.

Tree Planting Checklist

1. Long handled digging shovel
2. Root stimulator
3. Peat Moss
4. Mulch
5. Hose for watering
6. Staking Kit for potted trees
7. Tree wrap for fall

Handling

When moving trees and shrubs, handle the plant by the container or root ball. Never lift plants by the trunk or branches. Never drag plants by the trunk or branches. Do not drop plants.

Fun Events For The Whole Family!!

APRIL

“Grow It Right!” Perennial Mini-Seminars ~ Planting Strawberries - Saturday, April 2nd Learn

everything you need to know about planting strawberries. Informal presentations at 10am and 2pm in the Perennial Courtyard. Free!

Learn To Plant A Tree ~ Saturday, April 9th Learn the proper way to plant trees for a long, healthy life. This free demonstration will be held in the Nursery at 11am and 1pm.

“Grow It Right!” Perennial Mini-Seminars ~ Planting Asparagus - Saturday, April 9th ~ Learn

everything you need to know about planting asparagus. Informal presentations at 10am and 2pm in the Perennial Courtyard. Free!

Butterfly Container Garden Seminar ~ Saturday, April 9th, 10:30-12noon You can attract butterflies to your garden, even if you do not have a large backyard. Local landscape designer, Michael Larkin, will show how to create a butterfly container garden (for a yard or patio), with plants that attract all stages of life from larva to adult butterflies. Pre-registration and payment required. Fee: $5.00

Herbal Luncheon ~ Thursday, April 7th, 11am Our chef will prepare a delicious lunch using different varieties of herbs. Come hungry! Recipes and handouts will be available. Each participant will receive an herb plant. Pre-registration and payment required. Fee: $15.00

Children’s Homeschool Class: “Easter Egg Critters” ~ Wednesday, April 13th, 10-11am In this class, we

will make fun Easter egg critters. Please wear old clothes. Ages 5 and up. Pre-registration

required. Register at Ashcombe or online at hahaofpa.org. Fee: $5.00

All About Herbs Series, Class I - Thursday, April 14th This is the first class in a series of four. Get to know some essential herbs and learn how to grow and use them. Discussion for this class include: culinary, craft and ornamental uses of herbs; planting the 10 most popular herbs; introduction of some special favorites. We will learn as we go -- keep in mind that failure can be as educational as success! Pre-registration and payment required. 6pm. Fee: $5.00

Planting A Culinary Herbal Strawberry Jar ~ Saturday, April 16th, 10am Bring your own jar or

purchase one from us - soil is free. Herbs must be purchased at Ashcombe. 10am.

Pre-registration required.

“Grow It Right!” Perennial Mini-Seminars ~ Dividing Perennials ~ Saturday, April 16th Learn

everything you need to know about dividing perennials. Informal presentations at 10am and 2pm in the Perennial Courtyard. Free!

Children’s Class: “Plant An Herb Garden” ~ Saturday, April 16th, 9-10am In this class, each child will

select herbs, plant their container, then make decorative garden markers for the plants. Please wear old clothes. Ages 5 and up. Pre-registration required. Fee: $8.00

SPRING OPEN HOUSE IS NEAR!

Saturday, March 19th & Saturday, March 26th

SATURDAY, MARCH 19th

How Not To Mess Up Your Landscape with George Weigel ~ Saturday, March 19th, 10am George Weigel will present this program that takes a fun look at some of the common foul-ups that your average person makes in the landscape. The point is to show the right way to care for the yard by looking at the wrong way. About half deals with design and half with maintenance. Includes handouts on “George’s Top 10 Gardening Foul-Ups” and “George’s Top 10 Tips for Better Gardens.” Pre-registration and payment required. Fee: $5.00

Let’s Get Ready For Spring! ~ Saturday, March 19th, 1-2:30pm Horticulturist and landscape designer, Michael Larkin will help you get your landscape ready for spring. Learn how to clean and sharpen your tools, when and how to properly fertilize your plants, how to successfully transplant and correctly plant your trees and shrubs, how to increase the size of your garden

by dividing your perennials and seasonal pruning tips to keep your plants blooming. Bring your questions. Pre-registration and payment are required. Fee: $5.00

“Grow It Right!” Perennial Mini-Seminars ~ Cutting Perennial Grasses ~ Saturday, March 19th Learn everything you need to know about cutting back perennial grasses. Informal presentations at 10am and 2pm in the

Perennial Courtyard. Free!

Children’s Garden Craft - Plant A Pizza Garden - children can plant a pizza garden to take along home. 10am-3pm. Free!

SATURDAY, MARCH 26th

Cutting Edge Plants To Try In Your 2011 Gardens with George Weigel ~ Saturday, March 26th, 10am Are you still planting the same old bug-prone, boring plants year after year? George will help you to get out of your rut and try some of the latest, greatest newcomers that are light years ahead of yesteryear’s plain-Jane shrubs and flowers. This program takes a look both at some of the best plants debuting in 2011 as well as some super recent introductions. Pre-registration and payment required. Fee: $5.00

“Grow It Right!” Perennial Mini-Seminars ~ Pruning Evergreens ~ Saturday, March 26th Learn everything you need to know about pruning evergreens. Informal

presentations at 10am and 2pm in the Perennial

Courtyard. Free!

Plant Your Own Pansy Strawberry Jar 10am-2pm Bring in your own jar or purchase one from us. Soil is free. Must purchase pansies at Ashcombe.

Children’s Garden Craft - Plant A Cat Garden - children can plant a cat garden to take along home. 10am-3pm. Free!

Getting Seeds Started In Your Garden

Naturally gardeners want to be timely in planting for the summer harvest and there are things one can do to be on schedule. Besides making a list of things you want in your garden, you will need to know how much space each one take. Plants like carrots and beets make most of their growth underground while summer squash can take a couple of feet for one plant.

If you’re starting from seed the spacing requirements likely will be found on the instructions on the back of the packet. A good thing to do would be to list all the things you want to grow and then in the column next to it put amounts desired and a column space in rows, row width,& planting dates. Next look on the seed packet to see how long it takes to grow a plant to transplant date. You will then be ready to sow your seeds.

To make the job easier and grow a sturdier plant the system above can accomplish this for you. Pictured on the left above is heat mat that will hold the germinating flat and on the right a light set up that will keep your plants growing with out stretching. Most plants respond to bottom heat to germinate at soil temps of about 70 degrees. In your window or basement it may not be that temperature consistently, or you may run your home cooler than that. Once the plants are germinated it is important to get them into good light so they don't stretch. The light should be about 8 to 10 inches above the plants for best results.

Water sparingly but don't let the seedlings dry out, and once the seedlings are up keep them just slightly moist so the roots will go down for moisture. Once established the water can be reduced and temperatures cooled down to keep the plants sturdy and growing.

Bulk Seeds Heirloom Seeds Unusual seeds
You may be an organic garden and want to use organic seeds. They are available in the Burpee selection of our seed dept. Some to-go-withs are shown below for early gardeners.

Red, Yellow & White Sets Jiffy pots and other pots Shallots and garlic
With seven seed companies providing seeds, one should be able to find just what they need but if something is missing ask Greg and he will try to get it for you. Gardening vegetables was our forte about fifty years ago and we are glad to share any ideas or information you may need to be successful in your garden. And if you don't have time to grow your own plants our greenhouse will be filled with plants in April May and June to make your work easier.

THINK SPRING
Visit our Springtime Greenhouse

SEEDS ARE HERE!!

Check out our great selection of seeds from:

Lake Valley

P.L. Rohrer

Botanical Interests

Thompson Morgan

Livingston

Burpee

Seeds of Choice (organic)

Old Seeds

Many unusual and hard to find varieties available!

Start Right End Right

Light is the life of your plants and can either

make you successful or not. An investment in

gro-lights is truly one of the best investments

you’ll make as a start from seed grower. Along

a heat mat your rate of success will improve

greatly. At Ashcombe for more than forty years

we have been starting seeds under lights with

great success.

See our web page for more info. on growing

plants from seeds. www.ashcombe.com