Spring Hill Nurseries Blog

How to Grow Gaillardia Plants

Jonathan — Mon, 14 May 2012 07:46:23 +0000

Gaillardias are as flashy and charming as they come, and have a unique style of their own! These fascinating perennials are an obvious choice for rock gardens and borders. They’re also great for pots and containers. Growing Gaillardia plants is an easy, joyous activity. Here are a few tips that you’ll find useful.

Good drainage and plenty of sunlight- key requirements for the success of gaillardia plants. Gaillardia plants have been known to do astonishingly well even in poor soils. Get rid of all weeds and turn the soil using a spade. Next, firm up the top soil. You’re now good to go on and plant gaillardias.

The planting holes should be almost twice as wide as the root ball. Gently remove the plant from the pot and set it down into the planting hole. Refill and water thoroughly. Allow a gap of 16-18 inches between adjacent plants. This will provide the plants with ample growing space and good air circulation.

Young plants require plenty of moisture for their survival and growth. It’s therefore essential you irrigate gaillardia plants on a regular basis. Mulching the plants is a great way of conserving soil moisture. Highly recommended! Established plants are fairly hardy and can withstand droughts. They should be irrigated only when the soil feels dry to touch.

Gaillardia flowers begin to bloom in summer and can last right till the frosts start. All you need to do is deadhead gaillardia flowers as they fade. Remove all dead foliage as well and make sure you dispose it at a safe distance.

Feeding the plants at the start of the flowering season enhances the quantity of blooms and the duration of the blooming period. Use a balanced fertilizer or compost to feed your plants.

A little care, a little time and a little effort…When you’re growing gaillardias, it’s the little things that make all the difference, bringing you enormous joy and satisfaction!

How to Grow Coreopsis Plants

Jonathan — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:09:15 +0000

Rugged, durable, but still very charming, Coreopsis is wonderful choice for everyone looking to add color and beauty to their surroundings. Perfect for borders, coreopsis plants make a fine addition to rock garden settings and can also be grown in pots or containers. The name Coreopsis is a combination of Greek words ‘Koris’ (meaning bedbug) and ‘Opsis’ (meaning view), an obvious allusion to the flat, bug shaped fruit of the plant. Coreopsis seeds are quite a rage with many species of birds and, should you allow the seed heads to remain during the cold season, you’ll have a busy time with your camera!

Coreopsis plants are loved for their long blooming period. They’re also resistant to drought and need very little care. Mature plant height varies with the species of coreopsis and ranges from 10-18 inches. Coreopsis plants do best in sunny sites and can be combined with other sun perennial plants like daisies and coneflowers to create breathtaking visuals. And don’t worry if the sun’s not too generous with your garden, for these stunning perennials can do reasonably well in partly shaded locations.

Planting coreopsis plants is a simple process- dig a hole that’s big enough to accommodate the root ball, add some organic fertilizer to the bottom of the hole and set the young plant into the hole. Refill and water the soil.

The best thing about growing coreopsis plants is that they’re so very easy to care for. The hardest thing you’ll need to do is to irrigate the plants once a week until they establish. Coreopsis plants bloom from early summer to fall. Deadhead coreopsis flowers as they start to lose color. This will help prolong the period of bloom. Annual fertilization does a world of good for the plants’ health and is therefore recommended. I’d suggest you fertilize coreopsis plants in spring, using a general purpose, slow release fertilizer.

Easy to grow, easy to care and extremely easy on the eyes, coreopsis plants are a must for every garden!

How to Grow Monarda Plants

Jonathan — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 13:54:55 +0000

Monarda plant, with its immense appeal and endearing fragrance is a wonderful addition to every garden. Also known as Bee Balm, Monarda is a summer blooming perennial with a mature height of 3-4 feet. Monarda is a great accent plant, looks stunning at the back of the border and, given its unmatched natural charm, is ideal for attracting hummingbirds and butterflies. Keen on growing monarda plants? Here are some useful tips.

• Pick a planting site that offers rich, well drained soil. Monarda plants do best in sunny locations but can also be grown in partly shaded areas.
• Space the plants 18-24 inches apart. Good circulation allows for faster growth and helps prevent powdery mildew and other disease.
• Regular irrigation is crucial for your plants’ health and growth. Monarda plants relish regular, deep irrigation. Make sure the soil never dries out at any point during the growing season.
• Mulch monarda plants using pine needles, straw or other organic substances. Mulching helps retain moisture in the soil and repels the growth of weeds.
• Fertilize monarda plants every spring, using a standard balanced fertilizer. Make sure the fertilizer doesn’t come in direct contact with the plants’ foliage. Also, water the plants thoroughly after fertilization.
• Deadhead monarda flowers as they start to lose color. This will help prolong the period of bloom. Once all flowers have faded, reduce the plants to about half their original size. Remove all dead of infected foliage you come across and dispose of.

Growing monarda plants is an exciting way of endowing your garden with breathtaking beauty and delightful color. Start today.

How to Grow Daisies

Jonathan — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 10:33:38 +0000

Daisies are wonderful flowering plants with an uncanny knack of attracting the eye, captivating the senses and stealing hearts! Daisy flowers have a good vase life and find extensive use in corsages and floral arrangements. Mature plant height varies with the variety of daisies, ranging from 1-3 feet. Looking to grow daisies in your garden? Here’s all the information you’ll need.

You can plant daisies in both sunny and partly shaded locations. The plants will do best in fertile, well draining soil. In case of poor quality soil, I’d recommend incorporating good quantities of organic substances to enrich the soil. Remove the weeds, if any, from the planting site and dispose of. Next, top the soil with a fine layer of organic compost. The planting hole should be big enough to accommodate the plant with ease. Carefully lower the plant into the hole and refill, packing the soil firmly around the top of the crown. Space adjacent plants 8-12 inches apart. This will allow for good circulation which is essential for the plants’ success. Water the plants thoroughly after planting.

Keep your daisy plants well watered right through the growing season. A week before they bloom, fertilize daisies using a high phosphorus fertilizer and get ready to be enthralled by an abundance of big, cheerful daisy flowers! Deadhead the flowers as they fade. This will help extend the period of bloom.

Daisies are hardy plants that seldom face any serious pests or disease related issues. But that doesn’t mean the plants are completely invulnerable. Check your plants for signs of infection at regular intervals. In event of any such problem, use immediate remedial action.

In addition to being so very easy to grow, daisies are also quite versatile and fit in beautifully with nearly every style of garden design. Needless to say, they’re a must for your garden!

How to Grow Phlox Plants

Jonathan — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 09:44:03 +0000

The thing I love most about Phlox plants is their amazing versatility! Don’t get me wrong… they’re amongst the most gorgeous plants I’ve ever seen, but the fact that they can flourish in virtually every type of garden setting, that’s what makes them one of my favorites. Phlox flowers have a star like form and come in endearing hues of red, blue, white and pink. They have a good vase life and are great as cut flowers. They’re also pretty popular with hummingbirds and butterflies! Want to grow phlox in your yard? Read on.

Phlox plants can thrive in full sun to part shade. They are, therefore, an excellent choice for underlining your deciduous trees and bushes! You can plant phlox in spring, in a spot that offers moist, well draining soil. A good clean up before planting is always a good idea. This will allow you to get rid of weeds and debris and ensure the site is all ready for the new plants. I’d also recommend mixing good amount of compost or other organic substances to the soil. The holes for planting phlox should be spaced 12-18 inches apart and should be just enough deep to accommodate the root ball. Set the plant into the hole with the top of the crown lying at the same level as the surface of the ground. Refill and water well.

Caring for phlox plants is a pretty simple. Keep the soil moist throughout the growing season. Feed the plants every spring. You can either use a well balanced fertilizer or stick to a nice dose of good old compost! Deadheading phlox flowers is an effective measure of prolonging the period of bloom. Deadhead the blooms just as they start to lose color and dispose of the removed foliage. Established plants are resistant to a majority of pests and diseases, which means you’ll seldom need to spend on fungicides.

Whether you own a cottage styled garden or a rock garden, or are looking for a plant to beautify the flowerbed or borders, I’d recommend you take to growing phlox. It’s one exciting experience you must not miss!