Great question. I would put the center of the shrub a minimum of four feet from the foundation. However, I more is always better so if you have room another foot or two wouldn't hurt. The longer I plant landscapes the farther I plant from the house because plants are always growing larger.
@@CTSCAPER This past weekend I made the pilgrimage to Broken Arrow Nursery in Hamden, CT to pick up two beautiful Kalmia Latifolia and surprise, surprise...they suggested planting 4-6 feet from the foundation. If you're ever in the area, it's a really wonderful nursery to visit.
@@Freco1967 I was going to go for more but most people plant so close I figured if you plant 4 it's better than the usual 2-3 feet. I've been to Broken Arrow a couple times. I agree, well worth the trip. I usually don't make it until later in the season. It must have been gorgeous with everything in bloom! If you are in southwestern CT visit Shakespeare's gardens in Brookfield CT and Holladia nursery in Bethel CT. They are both big into summer annuals but have shrubs, trees and perennials as well.
I have recently LOST a ML shrub, a species shrub, so, NOT a hybrid. It was so odd, it was about 2-3 years old, and doing great, THEN, we had a storm, and some trees had been ripped out of the ground in neighbors yards. And, I looked in a bed near my house where my native ML shrub had been and NOW it is GONE. SO, I have ordered me 2 more species ML plants. And, I am going to put a damn cage around BOTH until they are REALLY big and about 5-6 years old. It was NOT easy to find a source for me to buy 2 more WILD form MOUNTAIN LAUREL. And, they were NOT exactly cheap, so, I will treat them like they are diamonds of the plant world. I COULD easily buy some hybrid Kalmia's, BUT, I want to first establish some NATIVE Kalmia's under my favorite oaks in my yard. REALLY, I would NOT even get into the HYBRID Kalmia's at all, BUT, I had seen a video that had sorta shown some of the HYBRIDS, and they seemed to be able to grow SORTA TALLISH, and to flower well in a good bit of shade. And, my biggest "pet peeve" of HYBRID Kalmia's had been that they seem to NOT get very tall. And, that they seem to NEED more sun to bloom well. But, maybe I should give a chance to growing a hybrid at some point? I mean maybe IF I could manage to grow a hybrid ML shrub in an area where it can get enough sun? Anyway, it is hard to grow ANY native plant in an area where YOU THINK it is all perfect, BUT, it ends up being a bit challenging to make it all perfect for the plant.
Well, I would definitely disagree with that. When the snow got deep here, the deer ate all of the lower leaves off of the laurel. That gave me the idea to throw my laurel trimmings into my goats. My goats love it when they don't have other brush to browse on. And they stripped EVERY SINGLE BIT of bark of of the larger branches that I threw into them. They seem to love gnawing on it.
@@clintbanzet158 I agree, especially common with the garden center varieties of mountain laurel which seem to irritate deer less. When the snow got deep and the pickings were slim, the deer ate my mountain laurels (small ones) down to the stems. They can absolutely eat them, they’re just not their first choice.
Good info. Thanks a bunch!
Mountain laurel at Gilletts castle is beautiful would like to see again
I've never seen it. I'll add it to my to-do list.
I live right where a forest meets open fields. Awesome!!!!
If planting them in a row as a hedge what would be the correct spacing ?
Thanks for the video, John. How far should kalmia latifolia be planted from the foundation?
Great question. I would put the center of the shrub a minimum of four feet from the foundation. However, I more is always better so if you have room another foot or two wouldn't hurt.
The longer I plant landscapes the farther I plant from the house because plants are always growing larger.
@@CTSCAPER That's super helpful... I'm planting a couple next week and will follow your advice. Thank you, John!
@@CTSCAPER This past weekend I made the pilgrimage to Broken Arrow Nursery in Hamden, CT to pick up two beautiful Kalmia Latifolia and surprise, surprise...they suggested planting 4-6 feet from the foundation. If you're ever in the area, it's a really wonderful nursery to visit.
@@Freco1967 I was going to go for more but most people plant so close I figured if you plant 4 it's better than the usual 2-3 feet.
I've been to Broken Arrow a couple times. I agree, well worth the trip. I usually don't make it until later in the season. It must have been gorgeous with everything in bloom!
If you are in southwestern CT visit Shakespeare's gardens in Brookfield CT and Holladia nursery in Bethel CT. They are both big into summer annuals but have shrubs, trees and perennials as well.
@@CTSCAPER Oh cool! Thanks for the tips!!! I'm in NJ but SW CT is easy for me to get to... Cheers!
Does it highly scented or just light fragrance. . ?
"Easy Lemmon" Kevin Macleod.
I have recently LOST a ML shrub, a species shrub, so, NOT a hybrid. It was so odd, it was about 2-3 years old, and doing great, THEN, we had a storm, and some trees had been ripped out of the ground in neighbors yards. And, I looked in a bed near my house where my native ML shrub had been and NOW it is GONE. SO, I have ordered me 2 more species ML plants. And, I am going to put a damn cage around BOTH until they are REALLY big and about 5-6 years old. It was NOT easy to find a source for me to buy 2 more WILD form MOUNTAIN LAUREL. And, they were NOT exactly cheap, so, I will treat them like they are diamonds of the plant world. I COULD easily buy some hybrid Kalmia's, BUT, I want to first establish some NATIVE Kalmia's under my favorite oaks in my yard. REALLY, I would NOT even get into the HYBRID Kalmia's at all, BUT, I had seen a video that had sorta shown some of the HYBRIDS, and they seemed to be able to grow SORTA TALLISH, and to flower well in a good bit of shade. And, my biggest "pet peeve" of HYBRID Kalmia's had been that they seem to NOT get very tall. And, that they seem to NEED more sun to bloom well.
But, maybe I should give a chance to growing a hybrid at some point? I mean maybe IF I could manage to grow a hybrid ML shrub in an area where it can get enough sun?
Anyway, it is hard to grow ANY native plant in an area where YOU THINK it is all perfect, BUT, it ends up being a bit challenging to make it all perfect for the plant.
@Gaye Lorde For emphasis, and because I'd had a few shots of vodka.
How do u tranceplant
Agree on the deer resistant. The deer will mow down the Rhododendron, but have never eaten the Laurel!!!
Well, I would definitely disagree with that. When the snow got deep here, the deer ate all of the lower leaves off of the laurel. That gave me the idea to throw my laurel trimmings into my goats. My goats love it when they don't have other brush to browse on. And they stripped EVERY SINGLE BIT of bark of of the larger branches that I threw into them. They seem to love gnawing on it.
@@clintbanzet158 I agree, especially common with the garden center varieties of mountain laurel which seem to irritate deer less. When the snow got deep and the pickings were slim, the deer ate my mountain laurels (small ones) down to the stems. They can absolutely eat them, they’re just not their first choice.
The deer around me love munching on my mountain laurel