Category — Horticulture

Luanne Wray, Horticulturist

 “What a man (person) needs in gardening is a cast-iron back, with a hinge in it.” Charles Warner

It’s time to start adding that wonderful color to our landscape with annuals and perennials. Here are a few of the annuals for the 2010 Season – so oil that hinge in your back and “get planting”!

1. New Zinnia – called Zowie

2. New Geranium Caliente “Fire” (more ivy geranium type leaf)

3. Phlox – Intensia (blooms all summer and will be in pool area – not deer proof)

4. Lobelia – Techno – Heat Electric Blue (will keep blooming during our humid summer – hopefully)

5. Agastache, Acapulco – Orange (shorter variety)

6. Verbena – Tropical Breeze – Purple & White, Red & White (should bloom longer)

7. Blackfoot – White Blooms – (smaller new Zinner – a lot like Zahara Series)

8. New Gomphrena – Fireworks – Hot Pink (very tall)

9. New Euphorbia – Breathless Blush (like Diamond Frost except burgundy leaves and stems)

10. Lobularia – called Snow Princess (The plant does not set seed so it will continuously bloom.  This is the “hot” new plant for Spring 2010.  We will see how well it performs in our heat and humity.)

Have fun planting and let me know if you are unable to locate these new varieties.

By: Luanne Wray, Horticulturist

 “April borrows three days from March and they are all ill”
Weather Proverb—Anonymous 

Here at the Edge, we are still busy getting up oak leaves, pruning snow damaged shrubs and trees, and getting a fresh coat of mulch on all our beds.

In getting ready for Spring, don’t get too anxious about planting tender perennials or annuals before late April; early May. However, now’s a good time to divide your fall blooming perennials, Asters, mums, etc.

Remember:  Prune your Spring flowering shrubs after they bloomed but before new growth begins.

Don’t forget to support your local and state Gardening Week:  April 17-25. Complete schedules for all local clubs are listed at www.vagardenweek.org.

I’d like to welcome Matt Penney to our horticultural staff.  He is a graduate of Virginia Western Community College in Roanoke.

Enjoy the Spring and please support Garden Week!

Grandaughters of Phil and Fran Nielsen - Eva, Maggie and Carrie - Horses Dixie and Tequila

By: Cindy Hodges, Equestrian Center Manager

I hope everyone received the information that was sent out concerning camp and barn hours.  If you did not get the email please let me know by calling the barn and I will resend it to you. 

The horses are scheduled to have their shoes put back on April 5th.  We are working on getting them clipped and brushed out and ready for another riding season.  All of the horses have come through Winter well, they have lost some weight but that was expected.  As the grass starts to grow they will put the weight back on. 

Some horses will put on too much weight eating the new grass and this can become a problem for causing Laminitis.  Laminitis occurs when the lamina of the foot becomes inflamed and the normal blood supply to the hoof is disrupted, causing severe pain and distress.  If left untreated or non-responsive to treatment, the horse will become “Lame” (not able to ride).  In severe cases of laminitis the horse can hardly move and will adapt to a “rocking horse” posture.  This takes much of the weight off of the sore foot/feet. 

Treatment for laminitis is to keep the horse stalled with deep padding to cushion their feet or keep them in a dry lot with no grass.  The horse will have to be on a strict diet of mainly hay and a low sugar, low carb feed.  Laminitis is easier to treat if caught in the early stages, if not caught soon the condition worsens quickly.  Spring grass is higher in sugar fructose in the morning hours so we keep the horses in during the day and let them out at night.  They usually eat more at night than during the day so we still keep a close watch on them.  So if you are used to seeing the horses out during the day and now you don’t, they are being kept in their stalls to prevent any problems.  Since we keep them in the barn during the day the horses enjoy the visits they get from members.  So make time to come by the barn and visit, you may even decide to take a ride.

Barn hours are 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.  Sunday –Saturday!  If you would like to schedule a ride or have any questions, call 576-2714 or email chodges@thewillardcompanies.com.

“There seems to be so much more winter than we need this year”

                ~ Kathleen Norris

I’m writing this the first of February and everything is white and icy, with more snow due today.  This month, minus the snow, is a good time to clean up your Perennial beds.  Be careful when you are working, so as not to harm some of the slow-emerging plants.  Also, check on shrub and tree damage from snow and ice, pruning where needed.

It’s still not too late to do a light feed of Hollytone on your acid loving plants. (ex. Hollies, Azaleas, Hydrangeas, Mountain Laurel, Crape Myrtles, Magnolias, Rhododendron, Viburnum just to name a few.)

“First a howling blizzard woke us, then the rain came down to soak us, and now before the eye can focus – Crocus.”

Lilja Rogers

By: Luanne Wray, Horticulturist

Hollies are the flower of the month.

Here are some tips for caring for Hollies.

Fall
Fertilizing- Hollies are sensitive to over fertilization.  They need one application each year of a slow release granular fertilizer designed for acid loving plants.  I use Espoma Holly-tone (4-6-4).  In the fall sprinkle this fertilizer on the soil under the tree out to 1-1/2 feet beyond the branch tips (drip line).  About ½ pound of fertilizer is sufficient for Hollies with a trunk diameter ½ inch at the base.  For larger ones, use 1 to 2 pounds for each inch of trunk diameter.

Winter
Winter protection- Severe winter conditions and sometimes soil deficiencies, may cause physiological problems such as sunscald and purple spot on the leaves of evergreen Hollies.  Wind blowing the spiny leaves together cause punctures in Holly foliage.  You can spray Holly leaves with anti-transpirant spray to protect their surfaces from harsh winter sun and wind.  Never wrap a tree or shrub with plastic-leave that for the Palm trees at Virginia Beach.  You can use burlap for Hollies that are exposed to prevailing winter winds.  Spread winter mulch on the soil over the roots after the ground freezes.

Pruning
Chinese Hollies (Ilex cornuta) do not require regular pruning because of their naturally compact pyramidal or mounded shape.  (ex. Burfordii, Rotunda).  American Hollies (Ilex opaca) require some routine pruning.  They tend to become more open and irregular as they age and you can prune them to maintain a tighter shape.

Prune Holly when plants are dormant in the winter.  Christmas is an excellent time.  American Holly can be lightly pruned almost any time of the year, but keep in mind that if the plants are pruned heavily after flowering, or during the summer months, berry production may be reduced.  Never top a Holly tree by cutting off its central stem to reduce its height!