Hydrangea arborescens

 ’INVINCIBELLE SPIRIT’

I am so excited about this new introduction to our line of Hydrangeas!  My love for Hydrangeas came about 4 years ago when I planted my first ‘Endless Summer’ Hydrangea.  It surprised me with so many gorgeous flowers that first summer with very little care that I instantly fell in love!  I started collecting different varieties of Hydrangeas and ended up with over 45 different types planted in my yard.  I bought books specifically on Hydrangeas, spent many hours on the internet reading and researching, and found myself dreaming about them at night.  I guess you could say I was a bit obsessed!  I read about this new Proven Winners introduction last year and couldn’t wait to get my hands on it.  I could have ordered it from a catalog last summer, but, decided to wait until our grower, Pride’s Corner Farms, in Lebanon, Ct, grew them.  I know their quality and size would far surpass anything I could have shipped to me from an internet purchase.  I am so glad I waited!  We have them scheduled to arrive in late spring. 

 This type of Hydrangea is called  a ‘smooth’ Hydrangea.  It dies back to the ground and re-blooms on new wood every year.  In the past, those of us living in Zone 6 always had a hard time getting our Mophead or Macrophylla  Hydrangeas to bloom.  There are 2 reasons for that.  The first is that some Mophead Hydrangeas bloom on what’s called ‘old wood’.  The plants ‘old wood’ is the stems that were grown the year before.  In our zone we get early frosts in the fall and late frosts in the spring.  Those cold spells, along with the bitter winters kill off the flower buds before spring, leaving you a plant that is just beautiful foliage.  The new introductions of cold hardy Hydrangeas, like the ‘Endless Summer’ varieties bloom on new and old wood, so even if the harsh winter kills off the flower buds, you will still get blossoms on this years growth.  The Hydrangeas that do best in our area are paniculata, or panicle and arborescens, or smooth Hydrangeas.  Both of these varieties bloom only on new wood and there-fore should be cut back in late fall or early spring.  

  The other reason that Hydrangeas fail to  bloom is the lack of nutrients.  Hydrangeas are heavy feeders and need supplemental fertilizer regurlarly.  They would respond well to a basic well rounded granular fertilizer like Espoma’s Plant-Tone or a general 5-10-5.  Then in early spring a shot of Super Phosphate to encourage more blooming.  Although the Invincibelle Spirit Hydrangea will not change colors depending on soil acidity, your mophead varieties do, so, a shot of Aluminum Sulphate will turn the flowers blue and regular garden lime will change them to pink.  It is not recommended to apply Aluminum Sulphate and Super Phosphate at the same time as the Aluminum Sulphate will bind up the Super Phosphate and make it un-usable to the plant.   You should not try to change the color of a Hydrangea for at least 3 years after it is planted.  I like to leave the color of mine alone, sometimes it is best not to play Mother Nature.

The other reason I am so excited about the introduction of Hydrangea ‘Invincibelle Spirit’ is that 5 cents from the sale of every plant purchased is going to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation with a minimum of $10,000 being donated to help find a cure for breast cancer.  As many of you know, this cause is near and dear to our hearts as one of our founders, my mother, lost her battle to this horrible disease in May of 2007.

The following is  Prides Corner Catalog’s description:

Hydrangea arborescens ‘Invincibelle Spirit’

Invincibelle Spirit Hydrangea

Native ~ Zone 3 ~ Matures to 4-5′ x 4-5′

Leave it to Proven Winners/Color Choice to come up with the first pink flowered, mophead form of Hydrangea arborescens!  Invincibelle Spirit will change your summer landscape forever with big flowers that emerge a dark, hot pink color and mature to bright pink, while reaching 6″ in diameter.  Not only is the color so new and different, its ability to rebloom on new growth will guarantee that you will have a continual supply of rich pink blooms from mid june right up until frost.  With it’s dense, full form and ability to perform well in both sun and partial shade, this selection will be a winner when used as a specimen or grouped to form an ultra hardy, ultra colorful border planting. 

Just like in the fashion world, plant trends come and go.  There are some things that are just timeless.  African Violets are like the ‘Little Black Dress’ of the houseplant world.  They often remind us of our childhood when Grandma had a half a dozen growing on her window sill. 

Their popularity has never decreased, and maybe that is why the breeders have created so many more varieties over the years.  African Violets are low growing plants with long fleshy leafstalks.  The star-shaped flowers are grown in clusters with a pronounced yellow eye.   The flowers can be single or double and some may have frilled petals.  The flowers come in many colors with shades of pink, purple, red and of course white.  Some may have white outlined petals or speckles of colors on them as well. 

THE FACTS:

Origin: Tanzania; hybrids

Height: to 6″ depending on variety

Potting Mix: Many all-purpose soil mixes will work.  Some companies are producing soil specifically for African Violets with a time release fertilizer mixed right in.

Repotting: In spring, when the roots fill the pot.  The plant flowers best when slightly pot-bound, so use a pot about 1/3 the diameter of the plant, up to 6″ across.

Pot requirements: A pot with drainage is a must!  African Violets like to be watered from the bottom up, so a pot with drainage is essential!  We sell pots specifically for growing African Violets that work as a ‘pot inside a pot’ planter.  The outside pot is solid, without a drainage hole.  Then another pot sits inside of it, usually the inside pot is porous.  the Outside pot holds water and the inside pot wicks in as much water as the plant needs. 

Propagation: Take a leaf stem cutting or divide large clumps in spring and summer.

Keeping plants: African Violets will last for many years provided their special requirements are met.

Plant Care

A bright area with no direct sunlight.  Filtered winter sunlight or added flourescent lighting in winter will encourage year-round flowering.  African Violets prefer temperatures between 65 – 75 degrees.  Water from below with lukewarm water.  Allow soil to dry slightly before watering.  Apply fertilizer every 2 weeks when plants are blooming.

Possible Problems

Flower buds will not form when days are short, but extra artificial light from fluorescent tubes should promote winter flowering.

Remove damaged leafstalks and dead flower stalks by twisting them sideways, to break off the entire stalk. Do not cut them.

Soft, brown spots on the leaves can be caused by moisture lying on the foliage or by sun falling directly on the plant.

Fluffy, gray mold seen on dying flowers and leaves is botrytis, a fungus disease which starts on dead tissue.  It is worst in cold, moist conditions.  Remove all dead and damaged parts and move the plant to a slightly warmer place.

African Violet Plant of the Week Coupon

Plants can remove a variety of toxic air emissions including ammonia, formaldehyde & carbon monoxide, just to mention a few. 

According to a study by the University of Agriculture in Norway, indoor plants can cut fatigue, coughs, sore throats and other cold-related illness by more than 30%, partly by increasing humidity levels and decreasing dust.

HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR POINSETTIA

The life of the poinsettia, if cared for properly during the holidays, can be extended throughout the year.

During the Holidays

• When selecting a poinsettia, choose tightly clustered, small, central flowers with crisp and bright foliage.
• When surface soil is dry to the touch, water thoroughly.  Discard excess water in the saucer.
• To prolong color, keep a temperature range of 60 degrees for night and 72 degrees for day.  High humidity is preferable.
• Avoid cold drafts and protect from cold winds.

To Rebloom for the Next Season

• During winter, continue to follow holiday upkeep tips
• When bracts fade, cut back to eight inches.
• Lightly fertilize every three to four weeks.
• When temperatures are warm, place plant out-of-doors: first in indirect, then direct light.  Avoid temperatures below 50 degrees throughout summer.
• Cut back stems and branches twice during the summer.  Repot  if needed.
• On Labor Day, move plant inside.  Provide six or more hours of direct light.

• From October 1 through mid-December, confine plant to darkness for 14 hours, giving it 10 hours of natural light.  This will force the green bracts to color.

Many years ago, we had an allergy suffering employee mention that she had read about taking Native Honey to combat seasonal allergies.  This poor woman suffered so badly that she had to take allergy medication all year-long just to feel normal, and decided to give this honey thing a shot.  Afterall what’s it gonna hurt?

She started taking the recommended amount, 2-3 teaspoons a day,  in tea, on oatmeal, on toast, straight up and any other way she could to get it into her system.  Within a short period she was able to stop taking all prescription and over the counter allergy meds! 

Since then, we have always stocked Native Honey in our store, year-round for our allergy sufferers.  (and non-allergy sufferers too )  It has taken a while for any worthwhile evidence or acknowledgement of this little honey secret, it’s worth a shot for those of you not afraid of a little homeopathic remedy.   

Okay, how does it work?  Well first off, it has to be NATIVE Honey.  That means local.  In our store we only sell honey that is collected in Marlborough, Ct.  The closer the bees are to where you live the better the results.  In the reading that I have done, as the bees collect the pollen they transfer a small amount into the honey.   Taking repeated small doses of local honey is cheaper than a program of allergy shots. The honey should not create allergy symptoms in the  since the amount you ingest is so minimal.  Because your body needs to build up an immunity to the pollen, this should be done months before allergy season begins.

Honey is not recommended for infants and newborns under 1 year of age.  Contact your doctor before starting any new allergy program for children and adults.  

 ♥American Beauties♥

There has been a lot of talk in our industry about the value of Native Plants.  I never really paid much attention because to me a native plant was one that could be found along the roadside or in the un-manicured areas of our yards or woods.  Who would want to spend money on a native plant when we live with them all around us and think of them as weeds anyhow? 

Well, this past year I really changed my tune!  While feeding my Hydrangea obsession, I was reading through one of my many Hydrangea books and stumbled across a section on changing the color of mop head variety Hydrangeas.  You can change the color of most mop heads by adjusting the soil pH.  You can make them blue, purple, pink or red depending on the variety.  It is kinda like playing Mother Nature and not a very easy job!  Basiclly they state that instead of trying to play the job of Mother Nature, just plant them and see what color you end up with.  It will give you an idea of your soil pH and you won’t be fighting what is naturally occuring and you should just find beauty in what is natural.  Hmmmm.  Makes sense.

My house is built into a hill and very wooded.   I have many difficult areas that I must deal with if I want to put in more garden areas.  I have numerous mature tall trees, clay based soil filled with rocks and tree roots, wet areas, shady wet areas, dry shady areas and the woodland critters.  Needless to say, it is quite the undertaking to plant a simple perennial. 

One spot behind my house is in dense shade.  I had only moss growing there and a few Hellebores and Sweet Woodruff.  They survived there for 2 winters but last spring I decided that I was never going to get grass to grow there so I may as well enlarge the garden.  Yup, garden in an area that gets absolutely no sun!  Plus because it is so shaded, it is very moist too.  Great wet shade   I tried some Hostas, Bleeding Hearts, more Sweet Woodruff and other ‘shade loving’ plants.  Needless to say, it was not a huge success.  The voles ate my Hostas, the Bleeding Hearts barely flowered and the Sweet Woodruff stretched out and got leggie.  Uhgggggg!

Okay, so I grow and sell plants for a living, but like the old saying goes, “do as I say, not as I do”.  I was fighting Mother Nature.  Pushing the limits.  I was always good at pushing the limits.

I was looking through one of our wholesale catalogs from Prides Corner Farms in Lebanon, they have a whole line of plants called American Beauties.  They are native plants that strive in difficult areas like my moist dense shade garden, as well as other tough to grow areas.  Wow, what a revelation, plant plants that naturally grown in the conditions that we are putting them in! 

I started reading the wonderful plant descriptions and found that I have a ton of choices for my unique area.  Plants like…………..

Indian Pink

Spigelia marilandica

Indian Pink

Matures to 18-24″ tall by 15-18″ wide

Grow in part sun to full shade.

Grows in a variety of soils, from moist to dry, shade to partial sun.  A very hardy plant, though it is best planted by the end of July for reliable success in gardens and containers.

Indian pink is an excellent source of nectar for hummingbirds when it blooms in June. Plants form clumps with glossy green foliage topped by crimson red, trumpet-shaped flowers tipped in yellow. When a large colony is in bloom, it is a spectacular site.

Benefits:

• Underused plant that provides a stunning burst of color for shade gardens
• Outstanding source of nectar for hummingbirds
• Easy to grow plant with a tolerance for a wide conditions

Heuchera villosa 'Bronze Wave' Coral Bells

Heuchera villosa

Bronze Wave Coral Bells

Matures to 18-24″ tall by 18-24″” wide

Grow in part sun to full shade in moist of average soil. Water well on planting and regularly until established. Trim to crown in late Fall.

 Heuchera villosa ‘Bronze Wave’ has shiny, almost lacquered looking bronze to red brown foliage. In early Fall small whitish flowers hover above the foliage on long stems. It makes a lovely shade groundcover that can happily compete with tree roots and come out looking good.

Benefits:

• Easy to Grow
• Drought Tolerant
• Endures Root Competition

Iris cristata 'Dwarf Crested Iris'

Iris cristata

Dwarf Crested Iris

Matures to 6-9″ tall by 10-12″ wide

Grow in sun or light shade in dry to moderately moist well-drained soil.

If grown in full sun, the soil must be consistently moist.

Can be planted on well-drained slopes making a great ground cover.

Charming blue flowers float above sword-shaped leaves in spring. Use this beautiful but tough plant to edge a shady garden or path. It is also an effective, slow moving ground cover that provides tremendous shelter for small animals.

Benefits:

• Beautiful blue flowers in spring.
• Will grow in dry shade under hardwood trees
• Spreads quickly and forms a dense ground cover in optimum growing conditions
• Spreading rhizomes hold soil in place; great on slopes
• Great cover for woodland wildlife

Those are just a few of the plants that we are expecting in this Spring from the line of American Beauties. 

I will keep you posted on other new plants we are expecting here at P.A.S.T.