‘Purple Pixie’ Perfection

There are alot of new plants that are introduced each year, but only a handful become winners.

Southern Living Plant Collection Purple Loropetalum

This plant is destined to be a superstar! ’Purple pixie’ loropetalum is a new dwarf variety that has been around for a few years but is just now becoming more available. This shrub does great in the landscape or a container when planted in full sun or light shade. Loaded with pink flowers in the spring combined with dark purple weeping foliage all year long make this plant a must have any plant lover.

The beauty of ’purple pixie’ is not only in it’s flower and foiage, but in it’s size. This plant only gets 1-2ft. tall and 4ft. wide. There are very few plants for our area that stay this low, are evergreen, and offer a substantial flower display.

And guess what? It is has no pests, grows quickly, and requires little to no pruning. We have a small number in stock right.
A 3gal. sized plant sells for $34.99. Bring a copy of this article in and get $5.00 off each one you purchase now through November.

7 Ways to Prepare Your Garden For Winter

Tips for what needs to be done in the yard before winter is upon us.

How often do we say it… time flies!

Fall will be over before we know it and winter is right around the corner. Here are a handful of things you can do to prepare your yard for a few months of winter rest.

• Once the leaves fall off the trees, use this as an indicator of when it is okay to divide bulbs and perennials, or transplant anything in the yard that you have wanted to move. Make sure that you continue watering anything you plant or transplant this fall until the end of December.

• I find that mulching perennial bed protects these plants more from the cold, as well as not cutting them all the way back to the ground until March when winter is winding down. Cut them back half-way this fall to protect the crown of the plant from the coldest of winter days.

• Heavy pruning on anything in the yard should now cease until mid to late February. Pruning things back to heavy this close to winter leaves fresh cut plants vulnurable to cold damage.

• Clean out the veggie garden of all left over spring and fall plant debris and plant a winter cover crop. Make sure you take notes as to where you had things planted in your garden so that if you want to make changes to your layout you can reference what you did the previous year. A good cover crop for winter would either be annual rye grass, alfalfa, or clover.

• Empty rain barrels and store away for winter, as well as garden hoses, and patio furniture. All of these items will last longer if they are kept protected from harsh winter weather.

• Fertilize all your shrubbery and your lawn in November or December using OPH “winter care” fertilizer. This feeding will increase your plant’s ability to store up carbohydrates for superior plant hardiness in January and February.

• Remember, do all your big landscape projects in the fall. Everything from planting a tree to re-working that landscape around the patio. You spend your money more wisely when you plant in the fall, because your plants have more time to get deeply rooted before warm weather arrives.

Cool Your House From the Outside – In

Save on your AC bill AND help beautify your landscape?

Oh yes! The right trees and shrubs, properly placed, can help significantly in cooling your home.

If placed on the south of your home, trees have to shade only a small angle of high summer sun to make a large difference. Positioning trees and shrubs on your western exposure will help block that blazing summer afternoon sun. Likewise, placement to the east keeps the morning sun out.

Simple enough, right? I know… growing trees is slow business.

But here’s an interesting thought; if a tree is planted 25 feet away from your home it must reach 50 feet tall to bring adequate shade during the summer months, right? However, if that same tree is planted 10 feet away from the house it only needs to be 25 feet tall to provide the same amount of shade. Hmm….

Don’t under estimate the ability of a properly placed tree or shrub to significantly cool things down for you during these hot summer months.

Great shade trees for our area include: Red Maples, Oaks, Elms, and Birches. Come into the garden center and let us help you pick out the right tree to fit your particular situation.

See you soon!

Heavenly Hydrangeas

Clouds of colorful, gigantic bouquets can be yours all summer long with these easy care favorites.

The opening act of this summer-long show begins with Proven Winner’s ‘Invincibelle® Spirit’ Hydrangea (pictured above), Monrovia’s ‘Madame Emile Moullere’ Hydrangea, and the traditional Oak Leaf Hydrangea.

All are currently in bloom or are beginning their bloom season right now at Southern Roots.

Soon, however, other cultivars will be showing their stuff. Proven Winners’ ‘Quick Fire’, ‘Pinky Winky’, ‘Incrediball’, and Monrovia’s ‘Limelight’, ‘Little Lamb’, ‘Endless Summer’ and Lanarth White Lacecap varieties will all be bursting into bloom. (We’ve got ‘em now!)

(We’ll post pictures of these beauties as they bloom on our website and on our Facebook page for you to admire or download.)

Companion Planting

Hydrangeas in full bloom are simply gorgeous on  their own, I will admit. But if you want to kick it up a notch, consider skirting them with companion plantings.

Why? Just as the right accessories make an outfit or room “pop”, eye-pleasing companion plantings punch up the beauty of your garden landscape.

You’ll find that most hydrangeas need partial sun (filtered sun all day or morning sun and afternoon shade). Use hostas, perennial ferns, lily of the valley (pieris), Acuba or Encore Azaleas along-side or at the feet of  these genteel ladies.

Full Sun Hydrangeas:  ‘Limelight’, ‘Quick Fire’ and ‘Pinky Winky’ are a few that will take the full sun, and are complimented by Emerald Spreader Yew, Gold Coast Juniper, Goshiki Osmanthus and a variety of Coral Bells (Heucheras).

We’ve got a very nice selection of all these plants available right now at our Belmont, NC location. See you soon!

Passion for Peonies

Stealing the spotlight and sending bloom-lovers into bliss, peonies are just beginning to pop. And wow, do these beauties have some punch!

‘Pink Double Dandy’ Itoh Peony

Can’t miss this gorgeous girl right now. She’ll stop you in your tracks. With huge lavender-pink semi-double blooms measuring up to 6 inches in diameter, this Itoh hybrid by Monrovia grows up to 2-1/2 feet tall and wide.
Plant in partial to full sun, where she’ll have maximum impact mid-spring and water regularly. And don’t forget to cut some of the lightly fragrant, but plentiful blooms to enjoy indoors.
‘Primevere’ Peony

Fragrant and elegant, this lovely lady’s flowers are excellent for cutting… and for sending a flower-lover over the edge.

Pearly white petals surround a fluffy yellow center that gradually fades to cream. Just heavenly.
Plant in full sun, water regularly and watch this fast grower go. She’ll get up to 2-1/2 to 3 feet tall and wide. Budding right now, at Southern Roots.

‘Paula Fay’ Peony

An American Peony Society Gold Medal winner, the vibrant pink semi-double flowers have yellow centers, and make an excellent background for spring bulbs or in borders.

Plant in full sun, water regularly and give her 2-1/2 to 3 feet of space. Buds are primed for maximum impact right now.

All are of Monrovia Quality, ultra healthy and more resistant to pests and disease. This year, skip the usual Easter lily. The plentiful peony blooms can be enjoyed each spring – inside and out!

How to Jumpstart Your Veggie Garden

Love fresh veggies? Love ‘em even more when they’ve been plucked from your own garden? Dig out your garden tools; it’s planting time!

Plants vs. seeds:

Spring vegetables can go in the ground now. Young plantings of asparagus, beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, leafy greens, peas, onions, peanuts, potatoes, radishes, turnips all fit into this category. Plant them now, harvest and enjoy before the heat sets in.

Seeds for summer veggies can be put in as soon as all danger of frost is over. They’ll have plenty of time to establish themselves before the warmer months send their growth into overdrive.

Just remember…

Healthy Soil = Healthy Roots = Healthy Plants.

So, how do you get healthy soil? After you’ve fired up the tiller (or garden hoe), amend your soil with OPH’s Garden and Flower Blend. It’s the gardener’s equivalent sending in supplies and fire-power to feed and defend those tender young vegetables.

Your fertile garden dirt will be PH balanced and packed with nutrients, friendly fungus and beneficial bacteria to help you enjoy more abundant, better tasting crops.

Oh yes… fresh salads, roasted peanuts, baked potatoes, juicy tomatoes, grilled squash… I’m hungry already!

Got questions? Come on down to our Belmont location. We’ll get you fixed right up with everything you need.

Happy Spring, folks!

Fast, Organic and Healthy Food for Your Plants

Now that spring is here and the temperature is warming your plants are probably as anxious as you are to stretch out and get active again.

We all know that to be active, you need energy. To have energy you have to eat! And so do your plants.

So, what’s the perfect get-up-and-grow meal? Urban Bloom and Evergreen 10-3-3.

A powerful blend of organic fertilizers and soil activators, this potent formula will promote healthy growth, bud initiation, bloom production, and healthy foliar growth.

Quick and Easy Application! Spread Urban Bloom and Evergreen by hand beneath the drip zone of your azaleas, camellias, rhododendron, hollies, boxwoods, crape myrtles, and other plants in your landscape.

If you listen closely you might even hear a sigh of relief from your landscape after serving up this nutritional buffet.

We have Urban Bloom and Evergreen available in various sizes ranging from 3 lb. to 50 lb. bags to meet your specific fertilization needs. We can’t wait to see you at the store!

-Jason

Thwarting Old Man Winter

Unseasonably warm temperatures have got us anxious for spring, and all the lovely color that the season brings.Be patient, folks. Old Man Winter still may have a few frosty punches to throw our way. It’s still a bit early in the season.

So… get a head start indoors and thwart the frost! Gorgeous spring color can adorn your home’s interior and get you primed for the season.

Lovely vases and charming items of various kinds are in. And let’s not forget to decorate ourselves! Aprons, jewelry and other spring-themed items make great gifts for others… or for you!

Anxious to get outdoors? Gotcha covered!

Place some interesting anchoring pieces in your garden landscape that will provide year-round beauty.

Deck out your patio or deck, while you’re at it. Firepots, chimneas, and planters of all shapes and sizes are arriving.

Get the “bones” of your garden set now, so you can start “imagineering” the plantings that will enhance it further. Need help getting started? We can’t wait to see you. Come on by our store and we’ll fix you right up.

7 Winter Flowering Plants for Your Landscape

Winter flowers…  Especially appealing because they are so few, these delicate looking beauties brave the icy chill, defiantly bringing color and fragrance to an otherwise dreary landscape.

And you just can’t resist looking at them, or pressing your nose to their soft petals because they have so little competition right now.

If you’re looking to fill the flower gap between now and spring, here are seven winter-flowering plants that are sure to do the trick.

#1 – Bulbs: If you were thinking ahead last fall, planting bulbs such as the daffodil and tulip, you’ll be rewarded by some beautiful flower power very shortly. Depending on the weather, February usually brings the emergence of the lovely daffodil, followed shortly by other bulbs such as the deeply colored tulip. Personally, I have found daffodils to be the most loyal of all the spring flowering bulbs. They seem to come back yearly and multiply more consistently than any other variety of bulb.

#2 – Lenten Roses: One of my personal favorites and available in range of colors, this little perennial makes quite a show later in February and into March. Several varieties will be arriving at Southern Roots near the end of the month. Can’t wait!

#3 – Mediterranean Heath: A small shrub, this winter beauty offers a delicate profusion of white, pink or purple blooms during February and March.

Our next two winter bloomers are some of the most popular shrubs in our area. Extremely tough, these guys love to show off – even on the coldest winter day.

#4 – Japanese Camellias: This deep green shrub’s foliage erupts with breathtaking beauty over the winter months, absolutely stealing the show. Just remember – Japanese Camellias are winter bloomers and Sasanqua Camellias are fall blooming varieties.

#5- Forsythia: Otherwise referred to as “Yellow Bell,” this eye-catcher is among the first to herald the approach of spring when it explodes with tiny, intensely yellow flowers.  Typically found only in yellow, we have been able to offer a pink flowering variety for the past few years – Abeliophyllum distichum ‘Roseum’.

Stay with me… Our next two are especially worth noting for the awesome show of color they deliver during the dark days of winter.

#6 – Witch Hazel: Commonly known for its astringent properties, this winter-bloomer is available in a variety of colors, such as yellow, orange, pink or red, each beginning to erupt at some point during the winter months.

#7 – Winter Jasmine: Don’t confuse this winter flowering shrub with the Carolina Jessamine. People constantly mispronounce the Carolina Jessamine as the Carolina Jasmine – they are two different plants.

Plant shipments will begin arriving very soon at our Belmont store. We can’t wait to see you again!

-Thomas

How to Save Money on Bird Seed

Feeding the birds is a fairly inexpensive way to make our backyards more enjoyable for the family. But we are all feeling the economic crunch lately, and really looking at where our dollars are spent.

So, is buying premium bird seed ( like the Wild Delight brand) justifiable? Is there really enough of a difference to continue feeding our feathered friends these gourmet blends?

YES!

Here’s why…

Most bulk bird seed blends contain so much filler that you are paying much more overall for the seed that birds actually eat! Some are up to 75% filler seeds, such as oats, wheat, flax, buckwheat, and red milo.

The National Audubon Society has found that most birds will discard these seeds for the more flavorful ones. They pile up underneath your feeders, attract unwanted rodents and pests, and then sprout in your lawn.

Then you get to run back to the “big box” store or grocery and get more seed… and weed killer for all the junk sprouting in your yard.  More profit for them = more headache and money spent for you.

Do the math. Compare our premium Wild Delight blends (which contain very little or no filler) to some of the other blends. I have found that the better deal is with the premium seeds.

By the way, this is also true for popular black oil sunflower seeds. There are different grades of this seed available across the market, so watch the label on this one as well.

Here, at Southern Roots Garden Center, we strive to offer our customers the best product available for a fair price.

The next time you fill your feeders, consider offering your feathered friends a wholesome feast from Wild Delight. We stock “Nut & Berry”, “Fruit & Berry”, “Gourmet Blend”, and  good old “Black Oil Sunflower.”

Enjoy!

- Jason