Garden Guru
By Kerry A. Mendez
Q:I saw the most beautiful flowering shrub planted along a fence in our development. When I asked the name of it, the owner said it was a hydrangea. I am familiar with the ball-shaped hydrangeas, but this had a flat-headed flower. Is it really a hydrangea?
A: It is, and one of my favorites at that. Lacecap hydrangeas are in the same family as mophead hydrangeas (H. macrophylla), but they look dramatically different. Lacecaps are flat headed and very delicate in appearance. The outer rim of buds on each flower open while the center ones remain closed. Like mopheads, the flowers will be blue in acidic soils (below 7.0 and preferably in the mid 5’s) and pink when the soil is alkaline (above 7.0). Lacecaps typically mature to 4’ to 5’ and bloom the month of July. They actually require less sun than some other hydrangeas. I have ‘Blue Wave’ hydrangeas in a location that only gets about three hours of afternoon sun and they do fantastic. The best time to prune lacecaps is immediately after flowering. Because they form their flower buds on old wood (wood that came through the winter), I put a hoop of chicken wire around them in November and stuff raked leaves inside to insulate tender buds. I unwrap the lovely ladies in spring and shazam – a knockout display of flowers a few months later. Lacecap hydrangeas are hardy to zone 5 or 6 depending on the cultivar. I have found ‘Blue Wave’, ‘Blue Bird’ and ‘Blue Billow’ to be reliable bloomers in our area, especially if wrapped in the winter and placed in sheltered spots out of the path of winter winds.
Q: I have a really tough spot where I can’t seem to grow grass or flowers. Are there any plants that can handle this hellstrip?
A: If paving isn’t an option, then we move to the SWAT team of groundcovers. These plants can usually survive the toughest of conditions. Note I said usually. All living things will eventually give up the ghost. To make these hellstrip workhorses even more praiseworthy, I’ll recommend those that are also drought-tolerant. Now these deserve a standing ovation. Representing the sun-loving team are lamb’s ear; geranium sanguineum (the common fuchsia pink one); low growing varieties of yarrow such as A. tomentosa that has yellow flowers; catmint (nepeta); crown vetch; common sundrops or yellow primrose (oenothera fruiticosa); thyme; snow-in-summer (cerastium); creeping sedums; and ribbon grass. Slipping into the shade are dead nettles (lamiums); solomon’s seal, bugle weed (ajuga); sweet woodruff; foam flowers (tiarella); yellow archangel (lamium galeobdolon); astilbe chinensis ‘Pumila’ (a dwarf, purple flowering astilbe that blooms in August); faster spreading hostas such as ‘albo marginata’ (green and white), lancifolia (green), ‘Ginko Craig’ (green and white), and ‘Honeybells’ (green leaves with fragrant white flowers). Of course, there are always the more common choices of lily-of-the-valley, vinca, and pachysandra. I must admit I have a hard time suggesting snow-on-the-mountain (aegopodium). It has been a nightmare trying to get rid of it in my flower garden. But, on the other hand, you cannot beat its toughness and perseverance for thriving in poor soil in sun or shade. Whatever hellstrip groundcover you choose, give it a leg up by loosening the top few inches of soil and scratching in some compost or manure before planting. A sprinkle of time-released fertilizer such as Plant-Tone or Holly-Tone wouldn’t hurt either. Provide them with a little extra water their first season as they settle in and you’ll be generously re-paid for your kindness the following year.
Q:What are some organic solutions for fighting insect problems in my gardens?
A: I applaud you for throwing away chemical sprays like Sevin that wreak havoc on our environment. Everyone has bugs in their gardens. But remember, our goal should not be to BLOW AWAY all of the ‘bad’ bugs, but rather to establish a healthy balance between these and beneficial insects without using chemicals. And the healthier your plants, the less problems they will have; it’s the weakened or diseased plants that suffer first. Some of the most common chewing and sucking insects are aphids, leafhoppers, spittlebugs, leafminers, spider mites, Japanese beetles, slugs, snails and grasshoppers. There are many environmentally-friendly ways to control these. You can 1) use non-chemical sprays like insecticidal soaps, horticultural oils, garlic or hot pepper sprays and products that contain neem, 2) employ healthy garden maintenance practices allowing for good air flow and proper watering to minimize problems, 3) make your gardens attractive to birds, frogs and toads that eat these insects (i.e., incorporate bird baths, bushes with edible berries, toad houses), 4) plant a variety of flowers that provide a diversity in pollens and nectars to attract different insects, and 5) employ the IPM method (integrated pest management) otherwise known as good bugs fighting bad ones. Now to introduce the good guys, or beneficials, that prey on the troublemakers. Probably the best known are lady bugs. Green lacewings are also terrific soldiers. And who could forget praying mantis, the elegant missionaries in our gardens that seek out the enemy. How can we make our gardens more attractive to beneficials? Once again, don’t use chemicals! Try planting flowers with small blossoms such as sweet alyssum and dill that tend to draw beneficial insects. You can also buy pheromones, an attractant lure. This works the same way as Japanese beetle traps (which I do not recommend because they tend to draw more beetles than they actually eliminate). And you can always import the good guys by buying them in containers (some are sold as eggs, others as mature adults). I’ve had folks question how many beneficials really stick around their yard after being released. Rest assured that a few may wander, but most will remain faithful to you. Finally, remember there will always be some good and bad bugs in your gardens. That’s okay! Balance is what we are looking for.
Kerry Mendez is the owner of Perennially Yours and is a teacher, writer, speaker and consultant residing in Ballston Spa. To learn more about her work, please visit her web site at www.pyours.com.