Featured Plants for The week of June 25th 2019.

Mr. Goldstrike Aucuba is an evergreen that brightens dark shade gardens with it’s gold splashed leaves. It prefers full shade to some morning sun. Mr. Goldstrike grows to 4 to 6 feet tall and wide. It works well to contrast against green trees that are shading the area. You can plant it with Astilbe, Hinoki Cypress or hollies. It works well to provide year round color in shade gardens. Where it is hard to find flowering plants that enjoy a lot of shade.

Tropical Lightning Climbing Rose is a striped rose with orange and cream. It grows to 10 to 12 feet tall and wide. Like other climbing roses it can be a stand alone shrub or trained on a trellis. This variety continues flowering from spring into late fall. Tropical Lighting works as a backdrop to other roses or perennials with yellow or white blooms. You can use this a focal point or as a privacy block that flowers most of the growing season.

Plants of the Week for March 11th 2019

It’s hard to believe it is March 11th with all the snow on the ground and Feb like temps. Usually, we would be unpacking the nursery from winter but right now we are working on signage and organizing things before spring hits. Once spring hits, we will be working quickly to welcome it! Here is some flower color to help push spring along.

The Supertunia Vista Fuchsia Petunia is like it's hot pink cousin Bubblegum, featured a couple of weeks ago. The only difference is the deeper pink color. Like Bubblegum you feed it, water it, and you will be rewarded with continuous blooms as well no need for deadheading. Vista Fuchsia is a mounding petunia that grows to about 12 inches tall and up to 3 feet wide. Vista Fuchsia grows well in the ground or in pots. It loves sun and our heat too! You can plant this with Bubblegum and enjoy a wonderful show all summer long.

Saint Patrick Rose is green to light yellow rose that seemed fitting to mention for St. Patrick’s Day! It is a long stem rose (Hybrid Tea) that flowers through summer with a deadheading every couple of weeks. It grows to about 4 to 5 feet tall and prefers at least six of hours of sunlight. Being a light yellow in the heat of summer they can fade to white quickly but the color holds well in temps below 90 degrees. This color plays well with purple or dark pink flowering plants like lavender, salvias, garden phlox or spirea for a nice contrast.

Plants of the Week for February 17th 2019

These two featured plants are summer bloomers that don’t show well in winter; but I’m tired of the snow and wanted to share some color.

The Supertunia Vista Bubblegum is an annual that is very easy to care for. Feed it, water it, and you will be rewarded with continuous hot pink blooms. One plant fills a big pot all by itself. I was impressed with how well this plant did in my own planters. I didn’t have to deadhead spent blooms or trim it. Vista Bubblegum is a mounding petunia, so it is more ideal for grand filler statements. It gets about 12 inches tall and up to 3 feet wide. It loves sun and our heat too!

Neil Diamond is a striped Hybrid Tea, one bloom per stem. The pink/red with white stripes pattern varies from bloom to bloom. It reaches 5 ft tall and resists disease very well. Like other roses it starts flowering in May and goes until it gets cold like October/November. Roses are easy care for if you: give them space, plant them in sunny spots, feed them and then don’t water them on a nightly basis. It’s really that simple with roses in our area or at least that’s what my roses get. If you prune out spent blooms on Hybrid Teas at least monthly, it promotes more blooms.

Plants of the Week for December 14th

The Baby Blue Eyes Spruce is a dwarf Colorado Blue Spruce that reaches 20 to 30 feet tall and 10 to 15 feet wide. It’s slow growing, so it takes awhile to that large. It enjoy a wide range of soil conditions and like the rest of the Colorado Spruce family they do very well here. Our sunny weather actually bring out the blue color! It’s great to use for bird cover, Christmas lights and focal points.

Sheila’s Perfume rose is a delightful Floribunda Rose (flowers in clusters). It grows to about 4 feet tall and wide. It’s blooms resemble a Hybrid Tea in form and size. Sheila also isn’t prone to powdery mildew but it’s still best to not water her going into the night and making sure she has at least 6 hours of sunlight a day. Sheila has a strong fragrance which is nice to enjoy in the garden or in a bouquet.

What can be planted in fall?

Fall is upon us and it’s time for planting. Here is what you can plant now and into winter as well as a few tips to make sure things go well.

You can plant plants rated zone 6 or lower for they can withstand our winters. You can plant trees, shrubs, perennials, roses and evergreens.

Even though the irrigation systems are going offline. Plants aren’t using much water. Until deciduous plants drop their foliage check on them for moisture weekly. After they drop their foliage check monthly to see if they need a drink. Evergreens need water on a monthly basis. Water on days where the highs are above 35 degrees.

For roses you want to mulch their crowns as a precaution against sudden cold snaps.

You can plant in fall and into winter you want to avoid cold snaps where on daytime temps don’t rise above freezing. It’s hard on you and the plants when the ground is frozen.

Plants of the Week for September 14th

BougainFeelYa Rose is a rose that resembles the Bougainvilla vines but actually survives our winters! The rich red color goes from May to November. This rose reaches 4 to 5 feet tall and prefers at least 6 hours of sunlight.

Cranberry Cotoneaster is truly for the birds for they love the berries from fall into the winter. The cranberry red berries are striking for our eyes too! The reach 2 to 3 feet tall and spread out to 6 feet wide. The dark green leaves are nice and rich. Cotoneasters are great for English Gardens, hillsides, pollinator/bird gardens and where you need something sprawling with fall interest. Cranbery Cotoneaster enjoys full to part sun and handles our local soils very well.

Plants of the Week for August 31st

Rosie the Riveter Rose is a uniquely shaped rose that pays tribute to woman who worked in manufacturing and shipyards during World War II.  We have been very pleased with it's color, amount of blooming and disease resistance throughout the summer.  The gold blend contrasts well against the dark green foliage. It's a floribunda, so it blooms in clusters and is free flowering leaving it to be pretty easy to care for. Like other roses it prefers at least 6 hours of direct sunlight.

Little Miss Miscanthus Grass is a dwarf Miscanthus with very showy florescence and turns red in late summer early fall.  It grows to about 2 to 3 feet tall and wide. Little Miss prefers at least 6 hours of direct sunlight. A fun little show stopper for perennial beds or desert landscapes on drip. 

Plants of the Week of August 24th

Cheyenne Skies Switch Grass is a heat loving grass that starts out green and turns red as the summer wains into fall.  It reaches 3 to 4 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide, staying in nice clumps. It's also easy to care just water and fertilizer.  Can be used in low water use gardens.  It prefers at least 6 hours of sunlight.

Frida Kahlo Rose is a floribunda (flowers in clusters) with red blush and gold stripes honoring the famous Frida Kahlo of Mexico who once said, "I paint flowers so they will not die.".  It's a heavy bloomer and has had very disease issues at the nursery. The swirl pattern is delightful.  Like other roses they prefer at least 6 hours of direct sunlight.  This grows to about 3 to 4 feet tall and wide.

Plants of the Week of June 29th

Midnight Raider Daylily is a reblooming bi-color daylily that reaches 30 inches tall with sturdy scapes to support the burgundy blooms.  Does well in 4 or more hours of sun just like other daylilies. Daylilies can handle all sorts of soil conditions and exposures. 

Fireworks Rodgersia is a shade perennial with cool foliage interest.  It does have pink flowers in summer but I think it looks like a dinosaur plant.   Reaches 3 feet tall and spreads 5 feet wide. Would work well with Hostas and Hydrangeas.

Drop Dead Red Rose is a floribunda rose (blooms in clusters) that blooms heavily true red blooms.  It's glossy color compliments it's the flowers as well as it is very disease resistant. One of my favorite red roses.  It grows to about 3 to 4 feet tall and wide.

Plants of the Week for June 15th

Easy Spirit Rose is a floribunda rose that flowers very pretty cream white and is very disease resistant.  I like the form of the flower and look forward to seeing these roses in a few years when they are fully loaded with flowers. It flowers in clusters May to Nov, reaching about 3 to 4 feet. Prefers at least six hours of sun and best if it gets more.

Hot Summer Coneflower is an orange colored coneflower that reaches 2 to 3 feet tall and wide. It likes hot and dry spots and flowers from June to August. Hot Summer needs at least 4 to 6 hours of sun, preferably in the afternoon. Pair with catmints, black eyed susans and day lilies. 

Sea Breeze Fleabane is a coastal native that enjoys sunny spots, so it will like it here.  It likes spots that get at least 4 to 6 hours of sun.  Sea Breeze flowers from June into fall, taking a break in high temps. It's lavender pink blooms are stunning!

When should you check your yard's light exposure for best landscaping results?

June is the best month to determine the light exposure (generally referred to as exposure) in your yard because it's has the longest days and the sun is at highest angle. By checking now you can better account for hot, sunny summer days that can wreak havoc on shade loving plants or help heat lovers thrive.  It also a good idea to check your exposure every couple of years to account for tree growth or other changes.

Here are the steps to checking your exposure.

1. Download our Exposure Chart.

2. Name the different beds you want to track on the chart.

3. On a leisure day at home, check every hour or so, particularly in the afternoon and fill in the circle for that hour if the bed is shaded. 

4. Once it's all filled out you can now research plants online or at the nursery. You are welcome to show our staff the chart and we can show plants as well.

5. Now plant your new landscape additions when you have time or best luck and watch them thrive.

Plants of the Week for May 25th

Parade Day Rose is a new variety for 2018.  It's a fuchsia and white striped rose with a strong citrus fragrance.  I like the form and color blend.  It's found in our Hybrid Tea section but it's really a grandiflora which can bloom one flower per stem or in clusters and reaches 5 to 6 feet tall and wide.  Roses prefer full sun and good airflow.  

Cheyenne Privet is typically a hedge plant that responds well to pruning.  It's deciduous with dark green leaves.  What earns it's spot in the weekly highlights is the white fragrant flowers.  The flower are lilac smelling and very strong.    Privets enjoy both full sun to partial sun exposures.  Can be used for privacy or a fragrant back drop. Reaches 12 to 15 feet tall and 10 feet wide.

Understanding Buded vs Own Root Roses

In today’s market of roses you can buy own root or budded roses.

Budded or grafted roses are roses that a bud has been attached to another rose variety’s root system. Usually a single red rose called Dr. Huey.  Budded Roses are hardy to zone 6, which works in the Tri-Cities.  Most of the Hybrid Teas, Floribundas, Grandifloras, Climbers, and David Austins are budded. It is best to mulch these rose for the winter either with compost or bark to protect them from quick arctic blasts.

Own root roses are roses that are propagated from cutting and are raised on their own natural root system.  Own root roses are more cold hardy (zone 4 to 5) which is great for the Tri-Cities and outer lying areas that tend to be more exposed or colder in the winter.  Own root roses, being own root, do not bolt (sucker from the root stock) and do not revert to the root stock.  Shrub, Miniature and Ground Cover Roses are own root.

Written by Alex Job

Pruning Rose throughtout the Year

Pruning roses is really easy with the right techniques and tools. What we are going to do is break down pruning to time of year, so you can keep this as a little calendar of care for your roses.  

Mid February to Early March-The Rejuvenating Pruning
Recommended Tools: Loppers, pruning shears, canvas or denim coat, thick gloves and eye protection.

The goal for rejuvenating pruning is to refresh the plant by cutting it way back and thinning out some of the older canes.  
For Miniatures, Shrub, Floribundas, Hybrid Teas, Grandifloras, and David Austin or Romanitca roses, you want to take the loppers and cut the canes down to about 18 inches to 24 inches. Once cut down, remove any damaged, dead or crossing branches with the pruning shears or loppers.  Next you will remove about a third of the canes (some older, some newer) with the loppers.  For climbers, we generally with leave them trained to the trellis, we just remove the crossing, damaged or dead branches and canes. For Ground Cover Roses, shear back to 2 to 3 feet wide and thin out the damaged, crossing and dead branched.

April till Mid Octoberish- Deadheading and shaping.
Recommended Tools: Pruning Shears, thick gloves and eye protection.    

Deadheading and shaping is to remove spent blooms and errant growth.  This is recommended to do at least monthly, to promote new blooms on most classes.

For Hybrid Teas, Floribundas, Climbing, David Austin/Romanitca, and Shrub Roses; we recommend grabbing the stem just below the base of the bud (less thorns are there).  You want to cut at a 45 degree angle just above the second fifth leaf set.  If the plant is leggy or you want to reduce its height you can cut lower than this leaf set.

For Miniatures, grab the stem below the bud and cut just above the first leaf set.

For Ground Cover Roses, generally we don’t worry about dead heading because they are self cleaning and it takes way to long trim out all those blooms. Mainly worry about if encroaching on sidewalks, patios or other plants. Cut back and your done.

October or November-Prepping for Winter.
Recommended Tools: Pruning Shears or Hedge Shears, thick gloves and jacket.

On all classes dead head and tidy up the shape of the plant, so looks decent for the winter. Hedge shears are okay to use on everything except for Climbers, they make the job quick and easy.   For climbers, just use pruning shears to selectively remove spent blooms and errant branches.

Written by
Alex Job

6 Ways To Grow Roses Easily

Roses love our warm, dry climate.  Here are some steps to make roses easy to grow.

1. Give roses light, they do best if they get at least 8 hours of sunlight a day.  Afternoon sun is best for the warmth to encourage more flowers.

2. Give roses some space,  jamming them in tight leads to more disease, bugs and literal pain as you try to prune them.  We like to take the height of the rose plant, divide it in half and add 1 to 2 more feet to give us a distance to keep the plant from other roses, structures or other plants.  This spacing allows you better access to prune roses when needed. Proper spacing also allows airflow to dry the foliage and prevent disease from occurring. It allows beneficials (predator insects, birds, or spiders) to assist in keeping aphids and other bad bugs down.

3. Water roses to keep them blooming.  If your not sure if they are getting enough, they communicate by wilting and not blooming a lot.  Roses can be watered by drip or overhead sprinklers.  If you water overhead, to prevent diseases, make sure the roses go into the night dry. 

4. Feed roses for the most blooms and healthy leaves.  Start feeding them April 1st and feed as directed until August 15th.  Choose a blend geared for roses or flowers, preferably one with trace elements in it to build strong foliage.

5. Mulch roses for winter.  In October mound bark or compost 2 to 4 inches around the crown or bud union; this protects the crown from heavy freezes and prevents damage. Using compost instead of bark is a great way to build up the soil with nutrients for the roses to come out winter ready to grow.  In March rake the mulch flat. If the roses are plant in gardens of rock mulch you could use landscape edging to create a ring around the plant to allow for mulching.

6. Observe your plants or roses, is simply walking through and making sure things are looking good.  If the plant is having a problem (bugs or disease), get it identified then use the proper solution for that problem.  If you are not sure what the problem is or the best solution, you can ask us.

Hopefully this will help you take care of your roses easily in the Tri-Cities and make them the fun and enjoyable plant that they truly are.

Written by Alex Job

Rose classes broken down

By Alex Job
Job's Nursery LLC

Roses are broken down into classes or types of roses to help define the characteristics common to a group of roses. 

Hybrid Teas are your cut roses to take inside the house, for they bloom on flower per stem.  They usually grow to a height of 4 to 6 feet.  To encourage frequent blooming, you will need to prune out the spent flowers them at least monthly to promote blooms.

Grandifloras are a more vigorous hybrid of rose tends to be 5-6 feet tall with one to five roses per stem, with a Hybrid Tea blossom. May not be the best for cut roses but it makes up by having lots of blooms to show off. 

Floribundas reach a height of 3-4 feet and provide lots of color.  Generally blooms in bracts or bouquets of 3-7 blooms per stem. Petal can range from 10-50 depending of the variety.  These color throwers are easy to care for and don't require much pruning to keep blooming.

Miniatures range in height of 2 to 3 feet. Miniatures get their name from having a bloom size of about 1 to 2 inches wide versus the actual plant size. They typically bloom in 1-5 rose clusters per stem.  Great for borders, foundations and smaller flower beds. Most modern miniatures are self cleaning, where they do not need to have spent flowers removed to keep blooming; to remove spent flowers on miniatures you simply cut to the stem to the first leaf set.

Ground Cover range in height of about 18 inches to 3 feet.  Ground Cover Roses have a mounded spreading habit that is great for borders or areas where you need low, ever blooming, summer color.  Their flower size is the same as a Miniature and they are self cleaning, which is great considering how much they bloom.  Generally we don’t worry about pruning this class in the growing season, unless they are growing into areas where they shouldn’t be.  

Climbing Roses are roses that tend to have an upright, arching habit that can either be trained to a trellis or arbor.  Otherwise if left untrained they form a large 10 to 12 foot high cascading rose bush. They great for screening or a trellis of color. Climbers only need an occasional trim to be blooming.

David Austin and Romantica Roses are cabbage head roses.  David Austins are English,  while Romanticas are French. The plants height can range from 3 to 6 feet tall with an arching habit.  Generally they will bloom 1 to 5 flowers per stem with a petal count of over 90.   A majority of these are varieties are very fragrant. These roses can be trained as a bush or as a climber. David Austin or Romanticas are great for foundations, hedges and focal points. They require as much pruning as a Climber or Floribunda.

Shrub or Landscape Roses basically includes everything else rose. The size can range from 2 feet to 12 feet, with flower shapes varying from a tea rose to a cabbage head. With this class, the uses are endless due to the variety of characteristics, so select a variety based on your needs.

Tree Roses are bush roses grafted up on a standard (stem or trunk) to create a tree look. Unfortunately they are tender zone 7 in the Tri-Cities and need to protected in the winter.  This is done by keeping them in pots and placing them in a protected shed, garage, or greenhouse. If planted in the ground you want to wrap the top in burlap or an old blanket.

Written by
Alex Job