03/01/2024
I want to share some of "What's Growing On?" with the nursery so far this season. With spring approaching, bringing it's sunny, mild days many of you will begin to think about flower beds and gardens. My little greenhouse is full of plants that are putting on growth so they will be ready for you in a few weeks. If enough plants are ready the first sale of the season will be either Easter weekend or the first weekend in April. I will let you know as we get closer.
What's Growing On?
Plumbago (two vareties, blue and white)- Cape plumbago can be grown as an annual, or in a container as a perennial, that is brought indoors and placed in a bright sunny room for the colder months. Water container plants sparingly in the winter. If treating as a perennial, cut back in late winter to encourage new growth for the upcoming season. It can also be cut back in the winter and stored in a cool, dark environment. The white, blue or pink flowers are in a terminal cluster, tubular, 5-parted with spreading lobes. (https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/plumbago-auriculata/)
Emerald Cushion Blue Creeping Phlox- Moss phlox is a spring-blooming herbaceous perennial that has a dense, spreading, mat-like forming habit. It grows up to 6 inches tall and up to 2 to 3 feet wide. The leaves are green, linear to awl-shaped, and needle-like. The blooms appear in loose clusters of tubular 3/4 inch flowers in shades of pink, lavender, reddish-purple, and occasionally white. It is noted for its creeping habit and the profuse carpet of flowers that bloom early to mid-spring and then sparsely until frost. The foliage mats are cushion-like, resembling moss, hence the common name of moss phlox. (https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/phlox-subulata/)
Several varieties of lantana are also available. These plants are great for color all summer and are drought tolerant and deer resistant (as deer resistance goes... you know what I mean). Some varieties that are growing out are: Dark Purple, Samantha, Carlos, Trailing Lavendar, and Upright White. These varieties are new for me so I don't know if any are perennial, so plan for them to be hardy summer annuals. I will be planting some of each to test for winter hardiness in our area.
Some herbs, tomatoes, and peppers have also been started.
This is just a small sample of what's growing at this time. Enjoy the pictures as you start planning for spring and remember to stop by when we start our spring sales. Sales will be on Friday and Saturday through spring and early summer.
