If I were the two people building new homes in your neighborhood, I would consult you immediately to plan the landscaping, so that you can instruct the builders to properly remove all the undesirable elements.
A lot of builders won't listen. We built our house and offered to provide plants, offer to pay more for better plants and offer to close with no plants. They would not agree to anything. So just have to immediately rip out everything right after close.
@@Zil_SenczyThe builder let his little ego get in the way? Or, it would have messed with his carefully constructed "tax framework"? We know what that's about .
Although I’m a fan of certain ornamental grasses, I actually never noticed the absence of them in your garden. It’s probably because you have so many other cool plants that I’m salivating over. Thanks for another informative Q&A video 💚
I know it’s a tad bit early, but had a question about fertilizing. I believe most shrubs that you cover on your channel are acid loving plants. Would Holly Tone work for most of these shrubs? Or are there any particular plants that could have a negative impact from it and that I need to watch out for? I’m in zone 9 Florida and have recently planted quite a collection of mostly shrubs and ornamental plants(a lot featured by you)and just not sure if I need to be super specific for each one. Just would be easier to buy the one and spread around. Thanks for your input and all the awesome videos!!!
I bought my favorite shovel from Smith and Hawken 20 years ago. It's blade is very strong and the same shape as yours (but mine has a wooden D-ring handle_. While I'm still using the original blade, I have had to replace the handle. It was called a "poachers spade" harkening back to its original use by hungry peasants poaching rabbits from their burrows in the grounds of local gentry. In my previous Santa Cruz Mts garden, its strong, stout shape was perfect for levering out chunks of sandstone to create planting holes. In my current California Central Valley garden, heavily compacted clay soil reigns supreme. The same shovel has been perfect for digging planting holes while I wait for heaps of mulch to improve the soil.
Hi Jim, Jax, FL 9a(old)/ 9b(new) Usually we have a freeze that will put things to sleep or melt them in December. This year we have not gone below 35° yet. So we have many, many plants in bloom right now or they have not gone to sleep as they usually do. Our Average last frost is February 11th. We usually cut things back, that need it, around January 15th. IE: We have a Cassia Bicapsularis that has been in bloom since Halloween and is still FULL of flowers and buds. Last January we cut her back to 4" stumps and she is now 12 feet tall and 15 feet wide. Our Brugmansia has usually melted to the ground by now and she is 15 feet tall and LOADED with flowers and buds. We cut them back because obviously they are FAST growers, but we have never had this "problem" before. We know you usually say to wait until after blooming is over, but we think if we wait they will keep right on blooming, and growing, especially the Brugmansia. What do you suggest Jim?
What makes a tree grow vertically even if it gets plenty of sun? I have a Sweet Bay Magnolia that is healthy (except for minor leaf minor issues) and it's growing - but the main trunks, of which there are several, and the side branches all grow vertically - even the side branches sweep out but then grow vertically on the ends of the stems. Thanks Jim for all you do for the gardening community and these Q&A's are a wealth of information!
Would love to see more vids about trees this year. I learned about cornus mas from your neighborhood tour video. I didn’t know y’all have a beautiful yellow flowering tree up there in NC. Yellow tabebuias are my favorite here in Florida.
Same here. Although I’m only interested in heat and drought tolerant pollinator trees for my beehives. Texas sand and sandstone and it’s desert like here during summer with many triple digit days.
Way back in my work career, like 35 years ago, I worked for a landscaping company that did the cheap new home installations. Granted, the homes were way less expensive then and this was NOT a good company. When I encountered buried brick and lumber, I was instructed to cut the shrubs rootball to fit in the hole I could make. Needless to say, I found another company to work for! The lowest bidder can end up costing money in the end. It is fun to see stuff I planted in commercial and residential properties that long ago all grown up. Do you ever go back and look at old jobs Jim and Steph?
I'm planning to turn my lawn into garden beds with paths. Right now, I'm planning to use arborist chips everywhere but can't decide what to do next. A. Till the soil B. Cut grass super low and use cardboard C. Cut grass super low and no cardboard D. Use a herbicide Right now the lawn is a mix of bermuda grass, other random grass, dandelions, white clover, and other random weeds. I'm in zone 7b-ish; DC metro area.
Hi, I used UA-cam vids to learn how to prune a Japanese Maple. Worked on mine this past weekend. It looks great! I can't wait til it leafs out! Love your videos.
Hi, Jim. I have a question. For 20 years I haven't been able to make the narrow area between my driveway and a line of pine trees grow lush green grass like the rest of my front lawn in spite of consistent fertilizing, aerating, reseeding and inground sprinklers. It's always mostly scraggly and brown. I don't know why the problem persists, but I'm finally ready to quit trying to grow grass there. I've decided to convert it for shrubbery but I want to use your method of applying a thin layer of compost and then wood chips and letting it sit for a year first. Can I start this now? How do I handle what is already there? Scrape it up like sod? Use a herbicide? What do you recommend? I'm in Zone 7a (formerly 7b), Richmond, VA. Thanks!
That was my question about the new build…thank you for answering! You gave confirmation of what we’re doing! I had our builder take off the landscape budget and we get to do everything ourselves, so we will be composting and wood chipping thanks to your advice!
I was about to post the same question usng a frost cloth. The plants in question can generally handle the cold (Abelia, Nandina), but several of them were planted just this past year. Our issue in the winters here in Central Texas (Zone 8b - could have fooled me the past three winters) is a combination of sub-freezing temperatures with high winds.
You mentioned the plant family videos you have done in the past. I love them and would enjoy more in the future! Thank you for sharing your knowledge with all of us!
Speaking of Butterfly Bushes, which variety do you think puts out the most blooms during the entire season. I’m only planting it to feed my honeybees so color isn’t important. I’m thinking maybe Black Knight because it’s a larger variety.
It looked like the white cloud muhly grass was planted in a rain garden at the university. Can that variety be planted in the spring in an area that is prone to having wet feet in z6? It would be companion to obedient plant, itea, clethra, river birch...
Jim & Stephany, I recently demoed a 12x20’ 4” concrete slab on a slight slope in my front yard. I’ve had to dig below it and the ground is a clay wet slushy mess right now. We want that to be a landscaped area so What are your recommendations for revitalizing soil that’s been under concrete for 50 years, temporary or permanent planting to prevent runoff onto current driveway and in those conditions, mulching, etc??? I guess we are Zone 8 metro Atlanta now. Part to full sun area. Thanks for yalls help!
7b/8a just outside Charlotte What are some bulletproof plants for mailbox area? Gets a lot of sun. Stays pretty dry. Dogs going by a lot. Trying to plan about 3 main focus plants that are evergreen with a variety of color, height and texture. Will likely add different annuals each spring. Best suggestions for the evergreens. Thanks so much! I have learned so much from your videos.
Hi Jim Our 20+ year old Camellia Japonica ‘Marie Bracey’ had some branches torn back (they are still intact) from a large limb that fell on it. How would you go about securing the branches back? What materials would you use? Thanks for your help!
Hey Jim! Thank you so much for all of your videos! They are so helpful! I live in zone B and I have two questions… The first one is I have read conflicting things about leaving leaves around roses over the winter! Would you leave them as insulation or remove them to prevent wintering over disease or bugs? The second is can I go ahead and start a new bed now? I have a spot on my lawn that I want to turn into a bed in the spring, so can I lay down cardboard and compost now?
Hello from 8b! Have made my vegetable seed haul and am planning my garden. I think you've mentioned a preference for integrating edibles and ornamentals but do not have the context for it. What would be a good context to do this and what considerations would we take when doing it? Bonus question, I know you've done this before but could you point to the North (or E,W,S) from some landmark in your garden like the Loropetalum? Just trying to figure how the sun travels. Maybe someone knows the answer to this. Thanks and love the channel.
I do get better results scratching in the fertilizer under the mulch, but not all plants need the special touch of doing that. When I do that with roses I get less diseases and better growth, and new shrubs do better when the fertilizer is worked in. The mulch has to go back though. For something like a large mature plant, I might not scratch it in. If I’m just generally trying to increase general fertility in the garden I just throw it, if I’m concerned about the health of a specific plant I scratch it in under the mulch and then put the mulch back. Also if you are spreading the fertilizer in early the animals will work some of it in for you. As well as the weather.
We live in Middle TN and experienced that polar vortex last Christmas. After waiting almost a year to see if our Nellie Stevens hollies would recover we removed them this fall and replaced them with oaklands. They have been in the ground about 2 months. We also added a Tombleys Red Sentinel Japanese maple. We are expecting lows of close to zero next week but not the wind hopefully. Anything we should think about doing to protect them? I’d hate to have to replace trees again. Thanks so much. Love your videos!
Q: Here in central Indiana, zone 6A the weather forecast on the 15th and 16th is calling for -5 to -10, possibly with some wind. At what point should people consider covering some sensitive plants, like wind-sensitive Japanese maples and what would be the best method?
Hi Jim - I have two potted citrus trees that I've brought indoors in the last month. I rotated them in and out a couple times with the first frosts, but have kept them indoors solely since mid December. Both seem to be doing well - the one Thornless Key Lime tree has one little lime bud, but the Meyer Lemon is covered in buds, with a few already blooming. Because they are indoors, I am worried that the lemon tree won't get the pollination needed for the lemon fruit to form and grow. However, I'm worried that bringing the plants in and out - and changing temps so abruptly - will stress the plants. Any tips for how I can keep these trees happy and fruitful? I'm in Charlotte, NC if that's helpful. Thank you!
I bought an encode azaleas from my local big box store at the end of fall , I recognized the plant from your channel. I am in northeastern Ohio zone 6 . Waiting to see if it survives to spring.
Enjoy your content. 🤗 You mentioned that foundation next to house is sometimes wetter than more exposed areas. In Houston area 9b, I find the opposite; perhaps because of overhang as well as gutters and downspouts directing water away from foundation. I routinely must provide EXTRA water for plantings against house.
I have gutters on my two story house, but no overhang. So, the gutters do funnel water away from the house, but there is a bit of a drip overflow about 2 feet out from the foundation. With a 4’ x 8’ hole dug, it’s filling up with water every time it rains and I have water on the foundation. It takes a day or two to drain. It’s weird in that there is a very gradual slope down to the drainage canal, but it still gets soggy near the house. I hit clay 8-10 inches below the surface. The topsoil is very thin. The dirt between it and the white/gray clay is kind of medium beige looking. Maybe it’s sandy loam? Anyway, I need to do something soon. Maybe put half the dirt back, then mix the rest with ground pine bark? I’m about 6 hours from you due East. Off I-10. 12 miles from Mississippi.
My gutters are 6" vs standard 4" so they capture even unusually heavy rainfall. Additionally, the downspouts feed directly to underground drains that take rainfall directly to the street. I also overlooked mentioning that my foundation beds are raised 12"+ above grade thus are essentially floating upon native ground of gumbo clay. (Land was originally Rice and/or sugarcane fields.) These factors likely contribute significantly to my extra dryness at the foundation. @@chriscoogan2736
12” is really high, but I guess that probably works for you. I had someone at the wholesale nursery tell me to mound up 6”, which seemed excessive, but maybe it isn’t. I’ve never heard of gumbo clay. Not sure what they call the clay here in Slidell.
I have a very large landscape bed off of my north facing deck (20ftx10ft) in zone 7 (TN/KY border high elevation) that the light drastically changes through the seasons. In winter it is full shade, spring sun in the front of the bed and full sun in the summer months. My azaleas and big leaf hydrangeas have not bloomed due to (I believe?) the full shade in winter. They are only 2 years old in the ground. Does it take a few years for azaleas and big leaf hydrangeas to set bloom after transplanting? My Climbing Hydrangea and Gatsby Oakleaf Hydrangeas are thriving and I don't want to move the big leaf french hydrangeas and encore azaleas if not necessary. How many years should I wait before relocating them, if at all? I have made sure to mulch and feed this bed correctly to aid with blooming.
Hi Jim, I mulched my beds with hardwood last year. They are partially broken. I am thinking about top dressing the beds with soil3 compost this year before mulching again. Does it make sense to top dress over the last year mulch? Will it benefit the plants? I live in Georgia if it helps.
Good snowy morning from New England! Question for Jim and/or Raleigh area folks. I hope to get to Raleigh this year to visit Juniper Level and the Raulston Arboretum. When would be the best time to see the most flowers, late Feb, early March or mid/late Sept? Thanks in advance for your input! P.S. Jim, My dog loves all veggies, especially broccoli 🙂
Question. What is the difference between Carex in your last video and variegated liriope. They look exactly the same to me. I have variegated liriope in my back yard but if Carex is more winter hardy maybe I should switch it out. Thanks!!
I bought a couple plants from Mr Maple. They are dormant now but should I plant them here in zone 7b, Kingsport, TN, or keep them in a protected area or keep them in my unheated detached garage?
Do you ever winter sow seeds outside in milk containers? I keep seeing more and more on this and I’m wondering if it has a good rate of success. I’ve watched most of your videos and I can’t remember ever seeing you do this method. I’m outside of Charlotte in zone 7b /8a. Thanks!!
In zone 7b here. I was planning to do a hard pruning of some loropetalums in late winter to rejuvenate them - the shape is bad (previous homeowners favored ball shaped plants, I do not) and they are a bit unwieldy. The problem is, I had a landscaper accidentally shear some of these about a week ago. I was devastated because he made them those darn ball shapes again! He just took a few inches off, but now my question is: can I still do a hard pruning in late March, or is it damaging to have them pruned twice?
I understand specific fruit trees/crops need some number of chill hours. Do you know the raleigh's average chill hours? or where to find such info? Thanks.
Jim do you know if restaurants have requirements for landscaping? I’ve seen two new restaurants go in the past year and the landscaping is so beautiful. They all seem to be themed as well. Then yesterday I drove through a fast food lot(you have to drive through their lot to get to grocery store) and they had some of the most beautiful and well taken care of Nandina that I’ve ever seen. It’s completely red until you got up close and then you could see the green leaves underneath. It was very compact with small leaves. I thought it might be that small burning bush. I actually stopped to ask the manager who the landscaper was because it was that gorgeous. Sadly he didn’t know the company. To say the least I’ve been so impressed by these gardens. This is a new thing I’ve been seeing in our area. I just wondered if that’s normally the case. Anyone else seeing this?
The neighborhood walk video showed arbs damaged by urine I live in zone 7 Franklin Kentucky and had plans to screen my privacy fence with arbs but I have two male dogs Can you suggest a better shrub that is tall and grows fast ? Thanks
hey Jim! My home is shaped like an L, the inside corner of the L is north facing and also the morning sun is blocked by the house, also there is a 30 foot multi trunk crepe myrtle about 10 foot from the corner. its the only spot i dont have something growing. any hope for something to plant in this almost no direct sun area? im in south ga. THANKS!
Thanks for another great video, Jim. I have a question about Chindo Viburnums. I planted five of them three years ago, and I think all but one of the have at least two main leaders. Is it advisable to prune down to just one leader for these shrubs? Not that it matters, but I am in Raleigh. Thanks!!
Hi Jim & Steph, Our pollinator garden looks great spring through fall but when everything goes to sleep, it just looks UGLY. Do you have any suggestions for winter interest? We are going to do some editing this spring with winter interest in mind. We are now in 8B and were in 8A here in the Columbia, SC area.
Do you have any evergreens, grasses, scabiosa, alyssum? I’m in 7a or b, can’t remember lol and even on cold days in winter we get honeybees, and tiny bees that I’ve yet to learn their name. I try to have something for them all year long.
Couple years ago in a consult we talked about my common ninebarks being an experiment on my slope in ATL. They’ve done so well! Leaf spot first summer, but this year I had fall color on one; held its leaves through mid Dec. My question is: I didn’t have many flowers on my October Magic Camellias (planted in ‘22). Last fall they performed beautifully in all locations. Could they have been too dry this summer? Can cold from last Dec still be a factor? They look great otherwise.
I live in in the Pacific Northwest 9b coastal zone. I have a Camilla Japonica that has been was in an oak barrel that rotted out and rooted itself over twenty years. It is without leaves on one side because it only gets sun on one side. Do I dare move it so it gets more balanced sun?
Have you given any consideration to having your new trenching shovel professionally cut to flatten the head and possibly shorten it a bit? I get that there's a cost factor, but I wonder if you'll be able to wear down the shovel head fast enough to your liking.
How do I keep squirrels from eating my newly planted hibiscus from eating it to the ground? I have put up a screen surround and they just dug a hole in the wire and got in and had a feast. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Speaking of buddliea at what temp do they actually go completely dormant? Here in Se MI I put 2 black nights in this spring and they went through like 4 nights in the mid to upper teens and they are still semi awake to this day. Cause what’s winter? 😂
My few azaleas that I have in north Texas do not have the blooms starting for the spring. Is it from some kind of stress or do they come later? They look healthy to me.
Hi Jim. Can you talk about lamb’s ear? I’m in zone 8a north Texas. I’ve had lambs ear for over a decade in my landscape. I love the look but it requires maintenance a few times a year to pull out the browning lower leaves. I’ve always wondered if that’s due to too much or too little water.
I also would love to have guidance on this. I have 7 Natchez that are 15 years old, planted on the west side of the house for shade. I have limbed them up over the years so I can see through them from our one-story-house windows. The trunks are SO beautiful year-round! But I often look up and see limbs crossing through the middle and/or rubbing against each other about 10-15 feet up. Should I trim those to the trunk? Chainsaw on a pole?
Hey Jim! Is it normal for newly planted, small abelias to take a season to flower after planting? I bought a proven winners abelia in a quart pot that never bloomed. I’m hoping to see some flowers on it this year but it’s still a beautiful plant even without the blooms.
I’ve had the same experiences! I believe that’s normal. That’s especially true of some of our bareroot perennials. First year plant really focuses on establishing a nice root structure underground & next year plant focuses on top foliage growth 🌳🌱🌸
A week ago I planted three Carolina midnight Loropetalum and four stellar ruby magnolias for a screen in Gulf Coast MS zone 8b. The neighbors goats got out and ate all of the leaves off of one of the Loropetalum. Should I dog it up and replace it, or just let it flush back out? They were all 3 gallon containers.
Ouch. Darn goats! I'd keep it and see if it puts out a new flush of leaves in the spring which, for us 8b people, is just around the corner in late February. It's not that much time to wait, really. If the goats did considerable damage to the branches then you may wish to replace it.
I’d keep them and let them reflush. Mine were killed back significantly during the Arctic blast of Christmas 2022, and they recovered over last spring - fall. You’d barely notice anything had happened to them now. They are pretty resilient.
I live in NE Illinois zone 5. On multiple occasions I have found box stores and private nurseries in my area that are trying to sell perennial plants or seeds for zone 6 which is considerably south of us (150 miles or so). Is there any reason for this? Seems like a setup for failure.
A question was asked about chipping up the Chinese privet and use as mulch. Will that not grow back from the mulch? I ask because I cut down two Crape Myrtles due to the closeness to my home. It was crazy how much I had to fight to keep it from coming back. Suckers were popping up all over my yard and in the same location they were cut down. I did have the stumps ground up. I think it is partially due to the root system and partially because of the chips. But I also think that the person that cut them down may have forgotten to put the stump kill on it. It was mentioned to me to buy that after I mentioned how I was fighting to get it to die.
I need suggestions on what to plant in zone 9 Texas Gulf Coast area, in my SE next to a 6 car size Concrete Drive. It gets super hot! Thank you in advance!
Pretty sure it is "Florida Sunshine" Illicium. I have 5 of them in my high canopy woods and they are so pretty! But they wilt readily in our summer in SC.
I’m in Cayce SC, zone 8b, and have had a terrible problem with Florida betony (rattlesnake weed) for years. It’s especially bad this time of year. If you have dealt with it, what was your strategy? Pulling the runners and tubers and covering with cardboard or plastic only seems to make it happy.
Zone 7, small lot. Huge southern magnolia tree in the front yard. We want to remove it because of the mess it makes and it takes up our entire front yard space. Is this a good idea and do you have any recommendations for a more appropriate replacement tree? We were thinking about a weeping cherry tree. Thank you for all you do!!
Jim, speaking of vines, do you think it is okay to have vines grow on the house? I love the look when it is controlled and designed. Im speaking of climbing hydrangea, honeysuckle, passionflower, clematis group 1, and trumpet vine. Vinyl siding.
Good morning Jim! Looks like your influence worked-
That shovel is sold out 🤣❤️
Glad I already got mine! Thanks Jim!
3:00 leaves in trench edge
5:16 shows shrubs
8:15 honeysuckle/vines mentions
9:30 plants above gas/water lines
13:00 ornamental grasses
18:30 change mulch type?
21:00 trenching shovel
23:00 throw fert. over mulch fine
25:30 planting agave
26:30 photosynthesize thru stems?
29:20 moving plants
32:18 interesting plants trees
33:30 witch hazel
36:00 Dahlias, Hydrangea, dormancy? watering?
38:00 ? redbud leader question
39:00 Chinese privet(?) question
40:10 cut back 🦋 bush?
41:30 arborvitae
42:50 foundation distance to shrubs
44:00 clay soil planting
44:40 Camilla’s
46:00 Gardenia’s -clay soil
47:25 silver caress(?)
Yes please continue walk arounds in Raleigh, Durham, etc. THANK YOU.
If I were the two people building new homes in your neighborhood, I would consult you immediately to plan the landscaping, so that you can instruct the builders to properly remove all the undesirable elements.
I'm pretty sure Jim wouldn't solicit business but I'd let the new folks know how available great consultation is 😊
A lot of builders won't listen. We built our house and offered to provide plants, offer to pay more for better plants and offer to close with no plants. They would not agree to anything. So just have to immediately rip out everything right after close.
@@Zil_Senczy It's the same in my area as well.
@@Zil_Senczy So, so wasteful, one would expect that if you are paying for the service, you would receive what you desire.
@@Zil_SenczyThe builder let his little ego get in the way? Or, it would have messed with his carefully constructed "tax framework"? We know what that's about .
That statement you made about you being able to go to the JC Raulston Arboretum and find winter interest plants would be a great video.
my bulldogge is the most happiest when she is given a yellow squash, we dont even eat them i just plant them for her lol
Would you consider doing an instructional video on your technique for finding cables in the ground without hitting them when digging?
I liked the neighborhood walkaround video!
I loved the neighborhood walk around! I grew up in Raleigh and it was fun to see familiar places like the Raleigh Rose Garden.
Thanks for answering my foundation planting question! I did not take air movement into consideration.
I love the whimsy of Hollywood Junipers!
Although I’m a fan of certain ornamental grasses, I actually never noticed the absence of them in your garden. It’s probably because you have so many other cool plants that I’m salivating over. Thanks for another informative Q&A video 💚
I know it’s a tad bit early, but had a question about fertilizing. I believe most shrubs that you cover on your channel are acid loving plants. Would Holly Tone work for most of these shrubs? Or are there any particular plants that could have a negative impact from it and that I need to watch out for? I’m in zone 9 Florida and have recently planted quite a collection of mostly shrubs and ornamental plants(a lot featured by you)and just not sure if I need to be super specific for each one. Just would be easier to buy the one and spread around. Thanks for your input and all the awesome videos!!!
Great question. I would be interested to know this as well.
I bought my favorite shovel from Smith and Hawken 20 years ago. It's blade is very strong and the same shape as yours (but mine has a wooden D-ring handle_. While I'm still using the original blade, I have had to replace the handle. It was called a "poachers spade" harkening back to its original use by hungry peasants poaching rabbits from their burrows in the grounds of local gentry. In my previous Santa Cruz Mts garden, its strong, stout shape was perfect for levering out chunks of sandstone to create planting holes. In my current California Central Valley garden, heavily compacted clay soil reigns supreme. The same shovel has been perfect for digging planting holes while I wait for heaps of mulch to improve the soil.
I have the same one and bought it at about the same time as you. Bought to fork too. Mine are still good.
Good morning! Silver Caress Mahonia & Autumn Moonstruck Azalea.. can hardly wait for availability
Hi Jim,
Jax, FL 9a(old)/ 9b(new) Usually we have a freeze that will put things to sleep or melt them in December. This year we have not gone below 35° yet. So we have many, many plants in bloom right now or they have not gone to sleep as they usually do. Our Average last frost is February 11th.
We usually cut things back, that need it, around January 15th. IE: We have a Cassia Bicapsularis that has been in bloom since Halloween and is still FULL of flowers and buds. Last January we cut her back to 4" stumps and she is now 12 feet tall and 15 feet wide.
Our Brugmansia has usually melted to the ground by now and she is 15 feet tall and LOADED with flowers and buds.
We cut them back because obviously they are FAST growers, but we have never had this "problem" before.
We know you usually say to wait until after blooming is over, but we think if we wait they will keep right on blooming, and growing, especially the Brugmansia.
What do you suggest Jim?
❤hello everyone, Mr Jim putnam and Stephany, happy new year, gardening. Yeeeeeee.
Jim,
Last year they replaced our gas line--they installed it a minimum of 4' down. 😊
Jim,
Thank you for answering my question on Soft vs. Silver Caress mahonia. It was especially helpful being able to see them side by side. 😊
What makes a tree grow vertically even if it gets plenty of sun? I have a Sweet Bay Magnolia that is healthy (except for minor leaf minor issues) and it's growing - but the main trunks, of which there are several, and the side branches all grow vertically - even the side branches sweep out but then grow vertically on the ends of the stems. Thanks Jim for all you do for the gardening community and these Q&A's are a wealth of information!
Really enjoy the neighborhood walks 😊
I always learn from you. Thanks so much. Happy New Year.
Would love to see more vids about trees this year. I learned about cornus mas from your neighborhood tour video. I didn’t know y’all have a beautiful yellow flowering tree up there in NC. Yellow tabebuias are my favorite here in Florida.
Same here. Although I’m only interested in heat and drought tolerant pollinator trees for my beehives. Texas sand and sandstone and it’s desert like here during summer with many triple digit days.
I hope I’ll be able to find the silver caress this spring. I really love the tone of it.
Way back in my work career, like 35 years ago, I worked for a landscaping company that did the cheap new home installations. Granted, the homes were way less expensive then and this was NOT a good company. When I encountered buried brick and lumber, I was instructed to cut the shrubs rootball to fit in the hole I could make. Needless to say, I found another company to work for! The lowest bidder can end up costing money in the end. It is fun to see stuff I planted in commercial and residential properties that long ago all grown up. Do you ever go back and look at old jobs Jim and Steph?
I loved the neighborhood tour and hope you continue with those!
I'm planning to turn my lawn into garden beds with paths. Right now, I'm planning to use arborist chips everywhere but can't decide what to do next.
A. Till the soil
B. Cut grass super low and use cardboard
C. Cut grass super low and no cardboard
D. Use a herbicide
Right now the lawn is a mix of bermuda grass, other random grass, dandelions, white clover, and other random weeds.
I'm in zone 7b-ish; DC metro area.
Hi, I used UA-cam vids to learn how to prune a Japanese Maple. Worked on mine this past weekend. It looks great! I can't wait til it leafs out! Love your videos.
I will pay whatever necessary to have a HortTube rare Camellia found by Jim Putnam in my landscape 🙏🏻🫶🏻💘
Hi, Jim. I have a question. For 20 years I haven't been able to make the narrow area between my driveway and a line of pine trees grow lush green grass like the rest of my front lawn in spite of consistent fertilizing, aerating, reseeding and inground sprinklers. It's always mostly scraggly and brown. I don't know why the problem persists, but I'm finally ready to quit trying to grow grass there.
I've decided to convert it for shrubbery but I want to use your method of applying a thin layer of compost and then wood chips and letting it sit for a year first.
Can I start this now? How do I handle what is already there? Scrape it up like sod? Use a herbicide? What do you recommend? I'm in Zone 7a (formerly 7b), Richmond, VA. Thanks!
That was my question about the new build…thank you for answering! You gave confirmation of what we’re doing! I had our builder take off the landscape budget and we get to do everything ourselves, so we will be composting and wood chipping thanks to your advice!
What is the best way to protect plants from freezing? Three days of single digit temperatures. Can I leave a sheet over them for the 3 days?
I was about to post the same question usng a frost cloth. The plants in question can generally handle the cold (Abelia, Nandina), but several of them were planted just this past year. Our issue in the winters here in Central Texas (Zone 8b - could have fooled me the past three winters) is a combination of sub-freezing temperatures with high winds.
That new, super compact abelia might make a cute bonsai.
Thanks for the math lesson 😂. Love your videos buddy!!
Good morning Jim! 💚
You mentioned the plant family videos you have done in the past. I love them and would enjoy more in the future!
Thank you for sharing your knowledge with all of us!
Are there flower seeds that should be planted/scattered outside during the winter 7b/8, Leeds AL
Tordon RTU can be painted on privet stumps and it will kill them effectively
I loved that tree video on the learn to grow series
Speaking of Butterfly Bushes, which variety do you think puts out the most blooms during the entire season. I’m only planting it to feed my honeybees so color isn’t important. I’m thinking maybe Black Knight because it’s a larger variety.
It looked like the white cloud muhly grass was planted in a rain garden at the university. Can that variety be planted in the spring in an area that is prone to having wet feet in z6? It would be companion to obedient plant, itea, clethra, river birch...
Jim & Stephany,
I recently demoed a 12x20’ 4” concrete slab on a slight slope in my front yard. I’ve had to dig below it and the ground is a clay wet slushy mess right now. We want that to be a landscaped area so What are your recommendations for revitalizing soil that’s been under concrete for 50 years, temporary or permanent planting to prevent runoff onto current driveway and in those conditions, mulching, etc??? I guess we are Zone 8 metro Atlanta now. Part to full sun area.
Thanks for yalls help!
7b/8a just outside Charlotte
What are some bulletproof plants for mailbox area?
Gets a lot of sun. Stays pretty dry. Dogs going by a lot.
Trying to plan about 3 main focus plants that are evergreen with a variety of color, height and texture. Will likely add different annuals each spring. Best suggestions for the evergreens. Thanks so much! I have learned so much from your videos.
I have nadina, I believe it’s firepower. It’s quite a tough plant and changes color with the season.
Possibly a dwarf yaupon holly as one of your bullet proof evergreens.
Hi Jim
Our 20+ year old Camellia Japonica ‘Marie Bracey’ had some branches torn back (they are still intact) from a large limb that fell on it. How would you go about securing the branches back? What materials would you use? Thanks for your help!
Hey Jim! Thank you so much for all of your videos! They are so helpful! I live in zone B and I have two questions… The first one is I have read conflicting things about leaving leaves around roses over the winter! Would you leave them as insulation or remove them to prevent wintering over disease or bugs? The second is can I go ahead and start a new bed now? I have a spot on my lawn that I want to turn into a bed in the spring, so can I lay down cardboard and compost now?
Zone 8*
Hello from 8b! Have made my vegetable seed haul and am planning my garden. I think you've mentioned a preference for integrating edibles and ornamentals but do not have the context for it. What would be a good context to do this and what considerations would we take when doing it? Bonus question, I know you've done this before but could you point to the North (or E,W,S) from some landmark in your garden like the Loropetalum? Just trying to figure how the sun travels. Maybe someone knows the answer to this. Thanks and love the channel.
I do get better results scratching in the fertilizer under the mulch, but not all plants need the special touch of doing that. When I do that with roses I get less diseases and better growth, and new shrubs do better when the fertilizer is worked in. The mulch has to go back though. For something like a large mature plant, I might not scratch it in. If I’m just generally trying to increase general fertility in the garden I just throw it, if I’m concerned about the health of a specific plant I scratch it in under the mulch and then put the mulch back. Also if you are spreading the fertilizer in early the animals will work some of it in for you. As well as the weather.
Sometimes it’s better to just throw it and get it on the ground, than waiting till you can scratch it in and end up not getting to it.
We live in Middle TN and experienced that polar vortex last Christmas. After waiting almost a year to see if our Nellie Stevens hollies would recover we removed them this fall and replaced them with oaklands. They have been in the ground about 2 months. We also added a Tombleys Red Sentinel Japanese maple. We are expecting lows of close to zero next week but not the wind hopefully. Anything we should think about doing to protect them? I’d hate to have to replace trees again. Thanks so much. Love your videos!
Q: Here in central Indiana, zone 6A the weather forecast on the 15th and 16th is calling for -5 to -10, possibly with some wind. At what point should people consider covering some sensitive plants, like wind-sensitive Japanese maples and what would be the best method?
Hi Jim - I have two potted citrus trees that I've brought indoors in the last month. I rotated them in and out a couple times with the first frosts, but have kept them indoors solely since mid December. Both seem to be doing well - the one Thornless Key Lime tree has one little lime bud, but the Meyer Lemon is covered in buds, with a few already blooming. Because they are indoors, I am worried that the lemon tree won't get the pollination needed for the lemon fruit to form and grow. However, I'm worried that bringing the plants in and out - and changing temps so abruptly - will stress the plants. Any tips for how I can keep these trees happy and fruitful? I'm in Charlotte, NC if that's helpful. Thank you!
Q? When will we be visiting Jeremy at his new home? 😊
I bought an encode azaleas from my local big box store at the end of fall , I recognized the plant from your channel. I am in northeastern Ohio zone 6 . Waiting to see if it survives to spring.
Enjoy your content. 🤗
You mentioned that foundation next to house is sometimes wetter than more exposed areas. In Houston area 9b, I find the opposite; perhaps because of overhang as well as gutters and downspouts directing water away from foundation. I routinely must provide EXTRA water for plantings against house.
I have gutters on my two story house, but no overhang. So, the gutters do funnel water away from the house, but there is a bit of a drip overflow about 2 feet out from the foundation. With a 4’ x 8’ hole dug, it’s filling up with water every time it rains and I have water on the foundation. It takes a day or two to drain. It’s weird in that there is a very gradual slope down to the drainage canal, but it still gets soggy near the house. I hit clay 8-10 inches below the surface. The topsoil is very thin. The dirt between it and the white/gray clay is kind of medium beige looking. Maybe it’s sandy loam? Anyway, I need to do something soon. Maybe put half the dirt back, then mix the rest with ground pine bark? I’m about 6 hours from you due East. Off I-10. 12 miles from Mississippi.
My gutters are 6" vs standard 4" so they capture even unusually heavy rainfall. Additionally, the downspouts feed directly to underground drains that take rainfall directly to the street. I also overlooked mentioning that my foundation beds are raised 12"+ above grade thus are essentially floating upon native ground of gumbo clay. (Land was originally Rice and/or sugarcane fields.) These factors likely contribute significantly to my extra dryness at the foundation. @@chriscoogan2736
12” is really high, but I guess that probably works for you. I had someone at the wholesale nursery tell me to mound up 6”, which seemed excessive, but maybe it isn’t. I’ve never heard of gumbo clay. Not sure what they call the clay here in Slidell.
I have a very large landscape bed off of my north facing deck (20ftx10ft) in zone 7 (TN/KY border high elevation) that the light drastically changes through the seasons. In winter it is full shade, spring sun in the front of the bed and full sun in the summer months. My azaleas and big leaf hydrangeas have not bloomed due to (I believe?) the full shade in winter. They are only 2 years old in the ground. Does it take a few years for azaleas and big leaf hydrangeas to set bloom after transplanting? My Climbing Hydrangea and Gatsby Oakleaf Hydrangeas are thriving and I don't want to move the big leaf french hydrangeas and encore azaleas if not necessary. How many years should I wait before relocating them, if at all? I have made sure to mulch and feed this bed correctly to aid with blooming.
Watching 2x the speed! 😂
Hi Jim, I mulched my beds with hardwood last year. They are partially broken. I am thinking about top dressing the beds with soil3 compost this year before mulching again. Does it make sense to top dress over the last year mulch? Will it benefit the plants? I live in Georgia if it helps.
Good snowy morning from New England! Question for Jim and/or Raleigh area folks. I hope to get to Raleigh this year to visit Juniper Level and the Raulston Arboretum. When would be the best time to see the most flowers, late Feb, early March or mid/late Sept? Thanks in advance for your input! P.S. Jim, My dog loves all veggies, especially broccoli 🙂
Question. What is the difference between Carex in your last video and variegated liriope. They look exactly the same to me. I have variegated liriope in my back yard but if Carex is more winter hardy maybe I should switch it out. Thanks!!
Good morning 😊. I like format😊
Hi Jim , Would wheat straw help build the soil? I just happen to have some extra. Thanks
Can you cut a well-established English boxwood in half and get green growth from old sticks? Will it take a while to flush out?
I bought a couple plants from Mr Maple. They are dormant now but should I plant them here in zone 7b, Kingsport, TN, or keep them in a protected area or keep them in my unheated detached garage?
I want to plant lots of creeping phlox on a slope with erosion. Is there a place to order bulk or pre order? Thank you
I had a privet problem and a friend mentioned using straight roundup by cutting the trunk and then painting the fresh cut with the roundup.
Do you ever winter sow seeds outside in milk containers? I keep seeing more and more on this and I’m wondering if it has a good rate of success. I’ve watched most of your videos and I can’t remember ever seeing you do this method. I’m outside of Charlotte in zone 7b /8a. Thanks!!
In zone 7b here. I was planning to do a hard pruning of some loropetalums in late winter to rejuvenate them - the shape is bad (previous homeowners favored ball shaped plants, I do not) and they are a bit unwieldy. The problem is, I had a landscaper accidentally shear some of these about a week ago. I was devastated because he made them those darn ball shapes again! He just took a few inches off, but now my question is: can I still do a hard pruning in late March, or is it damaging to have them pruned twice?
I understand specific fruit trees/crops need some number of chill hours. Do you know the raleigh's average chill hours? or where to find such info? Thanks.
Jim do you know if restaurants have requirements for landscaping? I’ve seen two new restaurants go in the past year and the landscaping is so beautiful. They all seem to be themed as well. Then yesterday I drove through a fast food lot(you have to drive through their lot to get to grocery store) and they had some of the most beautiful and well taken care of Nandina that I’ve ever seen. It’s completely red until you got up close and then you could see the green leaves underneath. It was very compact with small leaves. I thought it might be that small burning bush. I actually stopped to ask the manager who the landscaper was because it was that gorgeous. Sadly he didn’t know the company. To say the least I’ve been so impressed by these gardens. This is a new thing I’ve been seeing in our area. I just wondered if that’s normally the case. Anyone else seeing this?
Thanks Jim. 🌲💚🙃
The neighborhood walk video showed arbs damaged by urine I live in zone 7 Franklin Kentucky and had plans to screen my privacy fence with arbs but I have two male dogs Can you suggest a better shrub that is tall and grows fast ? Thanks
I live in WV zone 6 A. Any idea how to deal with ground moles? Love your videos!
hey Jim! My home is shaped like an L, the inside corner of the L is north facing and also the morning sun is blocked by the house, also there is a 30 foot multi trunk crepe myrtle about 10 foot from the corner. its the only spot i dont have something growing. any hope for something to plant in this almost no direct sun area? im in south ga. THANKS!
There is question. My Puglia butterfly bush is still alive.
Thanks for another great video, Jim. I have a question about Chindo Viburnums. I planted five of them three years ago, and I think all but one of the have at least two main leaders. Is it advisable to prune down to just one leader for these shrubs? Not that it matters, but I am in Raleigh. Thanks!!
Hi Jim & Steph, Our pollinator garden looks great spring through fall but when everything goes to sleep, it just looks UGLY. Do you have any suggestions for winter interest? We are going to do some editing this spring with winter interest in mind. We are now in 8B and were in 8A here in the Columbia, SC area.
Do you have any evergreens, grasses, scabiosa, alyssum? I’m in 7a or b, can’t remember lol and even on cold days in winter we get honeybees, and tiny bees that I’ve yet to learn their name. I try to have something for them all year long.
Couple years ago in a consult we talked about my common ninebarks being an experiment on my slope in ATL. They’ve done so well! Leaf spot first summer, but this year I had fall color on one; held its leaves through mid Dec. My question is: I didn’t have many flowers on my October Magic Camellias (planted in ‘22). Last fall they performed beautifully in all locations. Could they have been too dry this summer? Can cold from last Dec still be a factor? They look great otherwise.
I live in in the Pacific Northwest 9b coastal zone. I have a Camilla Japonica that has been was in an oak barrel that rotted out and rooted itself over twenty years. It is without leaves on one side because it only gets sun on one side. Do I dare move it so it gets more balanced sun?
What are your thoughts on Osmanthus fragrans as container plants? In zone 6b, WNY.
Have you given any consideration to having your new trenching shovel professionally cut to flatten the head and possibly shorten it a bit? I get that there's a cost factor, but I wonder if you'll be able to wear down the shovel head fast enough to your liking.
How do I keep squirrels from eating my newly planted hibiscus from eating it to the ground? I have put up a screen surround and they just dug a hole in the wire and got in and had a feast. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Speaking of buddliea at what temp do they actually go completely dormant? Here in Se MI I put 2 black nights in this spring and they went through like 4 nights in the mid to upper teens and they are still semi awake to this day. Cause what’s winter? 😂
Any tips for moles/voles? They are decimating our lawn. There are tunnels everywhere. We are adjacent to a wooded path. Zone 5b
My few azaleas that I have in north Texas do not have the blooms starting for the spring. Is it from some kind of stress or do they come later? They look healthy to me.
Hi Jim. Can you talk about lamb’s ear? I’m in zone 8a north Texas. I’ve had lambs ear for over a decade in my landscape. I love the look but it requires maintenance a few times a year to pull out the browning lower leaves. I’ve always wondered if that’s due to too much or too little water.
I’m seeing Mahonia plants now labeled as Berberis. What gives? Can you talk about this?
Could you make a video or provide guidance on Natchez crape myrtle (or crape myrtles in general) annual canopy maintenance?
I also would love to have guidance on this. I have 7 Natchez that are 15 years old, planted on the west side of the house for shade. I have limbed them up over the years so I can see through them from our one-story-house windows. The trunks are SO beautiful year-round! But I often look up and see limbs crossing through the middle and/or rubbing against each other about 10-15 feet up. Should I trim those to the trunk? Chainsaw on a pole?
It’s ok to prune interior crossing branches out of Crapemyrtles to thin the canopy
Hey Jim! Is it normal for newly planted, small abelias to take a season to flower after planting? I bought a proven winners abelia in a quart pot that never bloomed. I’m hoping to see some flowers on it this year but it’s still a beautiful plant even without the blooms.
I’ve had the same experiences! I believe that’s normal. That’s especially true of some of our bareroot perennials. First year plant really focuses on establishing a nice root structure underground & next year plant focuses on top foliage growth 🌳🌱🌸
@@irma_brenton I figured that was the case but I thought I’d ask Jim because he knows his stuff! Thanks Irma 😊
Oooo live one would be sooo fun!
Do the hummingbirds like the parrotia flowers? If they are there that early?
A week ago I planted three Carolina midnight Loropetalum and four stellar ruby magnolias for a screen in Gulf Coast MS zone 8b. The neighbors goats got out and ate all of the leaves off of one of the Loropetalum. Should I dog it up and replace it, or just let it flush back out? They were all 3 gallon containers.
Ouch. Darn goats! I'd keep it and see if it puts out a new flush of leaves in the spring which, for us 8b people, is just around the corner in late February. It's not that much time to wait, really. If the goats did considerable damage to the branches then you may wish to replace it.
I’d keep them and let them reflush. Mine were killed back significantly during the Arctic blast of Christmas 2022, and they recovered over last spring - fall. You’d barely notice anything had happened to them now. They are pretty resilient.
If I mulch my beds to suppress weed seeds (amongst other benefits) what method is best for direct sowing of flower seeds?
I live in NE Illinois zone 5. On multiple occasions I have found box stores and private nurseries in my area that are trying to sell perennial plants or seeds for zone 6 which is considerably south of us (150 miles or so). Is there any reason for this? Seems like a setup for failure.
A question was asked about chipping up the Chinese privet and use as mulch. Will that not grow back from the mulch? I ask because I cut down two Crape Myrtles due to the closeness to my home. It was crazy how much I had to fight to keep it from coming back. Suckers were popping up all over my yard and in the same location they were cut down. I did have the stumps ground up. I think it is partially due to the root system and partially because of the chips. But I also think that the person that cut them down may have forgotten to put the stump kill on it. It was mentioned to me to buy that after I mentioned how I was fighting to get it to die.
I need suggestions on what to plant in zone 9 Texas Gulf Coast area, in my SE next to a 6 car size Concrete Drive. It gets super hot! Thank you in advance!
Full sun
Hi Jim, what is the yellow shrub in the background over your left shoulder?
Pretty sure it is "Florida Sunshine" Illicium. I have 5 of them in my high canopy woods and they are so pretty! But they wilt readily in our summer in SC.
I thought that was what it might be. Thanks
Oh, the variegated azaleas are gonna be a hit ! I saw a variegated cannabis plant yesterday.. I'm sure it would be a big hit as well! Lol
I’m in Cayce SC, zone 8b, and have had a terrible problem with Florida betony (rattlesnake weed) for years. It’s especially bad this time of year. If you have dealt with it, what was your strategy? Pulling the runners and tubers and
covering with cardboard or plastic only seems to make it happy.
I have a forsythia hedge that is in need of fixing. When and how can I clean it up? I'm in zone 7b-8a north Alabama.
Zone 7, small lot. Huge southern magnolia tree in the front yard. We want to remove it because of the mess it makes and it takes up our entire front yard space. Is this a good idea and do you have any recommendations for a more appropriate replacement tree? We were thinking about a weeping cherry tree. Thank you for all you do!!
Jim, speaking of vines, do you think it is okay to have vines grow on the house? I love the look when it is controlled and designed. Im speaking of climbing hydrangea, honeysuckle, passionflower, clematis group 1, and trumpet vine. Vinyl siding.