Grown for their showy blooms and romantic fragrance, roses come in a dizzying array of forms, sizes, and types. Sorting them out can be confusing, even for experienced gardeners. With the myriad varieties of roses available, it’s hard to avoid making impulse purchases. If you start with a plan and know your limitations, you are less likely to suffer buyer’s remorse.

Here are some of our favorite varieties for low-maintenance roses that still have bloom power.

Knock Out® Roses

These easy-to-grow shrub roses will reward you EVERY DAY with a season-long show of blooms from spring to frost. With stunning colors to choose from, there are so many ways to enjoy Knock Out® Roses EVERYWHERE in your garden.

1. Petite Knock Out: The Petite Knock Out® Rose is the first ever miniature Knock Out® Rose! It has the same flower power and easy care as others in the family, but in an adorable, petite size! Plant in decorative containers for your porch or patio, or en masse for a dramatic pop of color!
2. Coral Knock Out Rose: A new color addition to The Knock Out® Family of roses. The unique coral color is even stronger in hot, humid climates. It blooms from spring through fall and maintains an upright to rounded habit. Young foliage is bronze red.
3. Pink Double Knock Out Rose: A bright, bubble gum pink version of The Double Knock Out® Rose that is very stable and unfazed by the heat. Classically shaped flowers bloom from early spring to the first frost. This plant has superior drought tolerance once established.

Drift® Roses

Drift® Roses are groundcover roses made easy. They are a cross between full-size groundcover roses and miniature roses. From the former they kept toughness, disease resistance and winter hardiness. From the miniatures, they inherited their well-managed size and repeat-blooming nature. The low, manageable habit of Drift® Roses makes them perfect for gardens small to large, for planters, and for mass commercial plantings.

1. Red Drift: The easy nature and natural beauty of Red Drift® lends to the success of this rose. The petite red flowers prove to be an elegant addition to any garden, especially when able to naturally drape over a rock wall or edge.
2. Peach Drift: The Peach Drift® Rose is one of the most floriferous dwarf shrubs available. Soft peach blooms cover the plant from mid-spring to the first hard freeze of late fall. Peach Drift® Rose pairs well with existing perennials in any landscape. The mature plant is approximately 2’ by 1½’ and exhibits strong disease resistance.

Hybrid Teas

Modern hybrid roses, introduced after 1867, are sturdy, long-blooming, extremely hardy and disease-resistant, and bred for color, shape, size, and fragrance. The hybrid tea roses, with one large flower on a long cutting stem, are the most popular rose in the world. Hybrid teas are valued for their long, sturdy stems, perfectly shaped flowers, and unparalleled fragrance. New varieties of hybrid tea roses are introduced every year, but some classics simply can’t be beaten. Most hybrid tea roses are reliably hardy in USDA zones 5–9.

1. Veteran’s Honor®: ‘Veteran’s Honor’ has deep, dark red blooms with a fragrance reminiscent of berries. It was introduced in 1999 to honor the men and women of the American Armed Forces and a portion of each sale goes to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Heirloom Roses

Old roses – also called “old-fashioned roses” and “heirloom roses” – are those introduced prior to 1867. These are the lush, invariably fragrant roses found in old masters’ paintings. There are hundreds of old rose varieties – whose hardiness varies – providing choices for both warm and mild climates.

1. Queen Elizabeth: Queen Elizabeth is a grandiflora rose. It reaches four to six feet in height, with a spread of two to three feet. Bloom time is May, but it will rebloom off and on into the autumn. It has double blossoms that offer some fragrance. The color is pink, but with a silvery sheen to it.

It may be hard to know which roses to choose or what will grow best in your yard. We’re here to help. Email us at AskHomestead@homesteadgardens.com, or visit our stores.

And please follow us on social media and share photos of your gardens! Because we love plants as much as you do!

Photo Credit: Star Roses

The post A Rose is a Rose – Choosing Roses for Your Garden appeared first on Homestead Gardens, Inc..

Add Life and Color to Your Dormant Garden with Fall Annuals

As the crisp autumn air begins to set in and the long, hot days of summer give way to cooler weather, many gardens may start to look a bit tired and faded. But don’t let the end of summer blooms signal the end of your garden’s beauty! Fall is the perfect time to refresh your outdoor spaces with vibrant, seasonal plants that thrive in cooler weather and bring color back to your garden. Whether you’re in the heart of Maryland, like the picturesque town of Davidsonville, or anywhere with a change in seasons, locally grown fall annuals are waiting to breathe new life into your yard, patio, or container garden.

With a vast array of textures, colors, and plant varieties available, fall gardening allows you to embrace the serenity and charm of the season. Let’s explore some of the most popular fall plants and how they can transform your garden into a colorful oasis that lasts through the autumn and winter months.

Mums: The Quintessential Fall Blooms

No fall garden is complete without the vibrant, cheerful blooms of chrysanthemums, commonly known as mums. These autumnal favorites are a go-to for adding bold color to your garden. With dazzling shades of yellow, red, orange, and even cooler hues like purple and lavender, mums offer plenty of options to suit any design style. Whether you’re going for a traditional autumn palette or mixing in some unexpected tones, mums are sure to create a stunning visual impact.

What many gardeners might not realize is that mums are actually perennials. When planted in the ground, they can come back year after year, rewarding you with their bright blooms again and again. To ensure their survival through the winter, it’s best to plant mums in the ground early in the fall and mulch around the base to protect the roots from harsh frosts. Not only will you enjoy their beauty now, but you’ll also have a jumpstart on next year’s garden!

Cool-Weather Veggies: Extend Your Harvest

Fall isn’t just about ornamental plants; it’s also an excellent time to grow and harvest cool-weather vegetables. Even after the first frost, your garden can continue to provide fresh, nutritious produce. Hardy veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, mustard greens, turnips, and leafy greens thrive in the cooler temperatures of fall.

These crops not only bring healthy, homegrown food to your table but also lend a lush, green texture to your garden beds. Planting a fall vegetable garden is a rewarding way to make the most of your outdoor space as the days grow shorter. Many of these vegetables can tolerate light frost and will keep producing well into the season, ensuring you can harvest fresh ingredients even when the weather turns chilly.

Ornamental Kale and Cabbage: Colorful Cold Weather Champions

Looking to add bold foliage and vibrant texture to your fall landscape? Ornamental kale and cabbage are excellent choices! These sturdy plants are not only visually striking but are also incredibly hardy, thriving as temperatures drop. Their deep, rich colors actually intensify after the first frost, making them a standout in any garden or container.

While ornamental varieties of kale and cabbage are technically edible, they have been bred for their visual appeal rather than flavor. Their leaves tend to be tougher and more bitter than their culinary cousins, but their stunning appearance more than makes up for that. Whether tucked into borders, used in containers, or planted alongside fall flowers, ornamental kale and cabbage bring unique shapes and hues to the garden, lasting well into winter in milder climates.

Pansies: The Perfect Fall and Winter Blooms

If you’re looking for a versatile, cold-tolerant flower to brighten up your garden, look no further than pansies. These resilient blooms are beloved for their ability to maintain vibrant color throughout the fall and even survive into early winter. Pansies come in a wide range of colors, from soft pastels to bold, jewel tones, making them perfect for both subtle and dramatic garden displays.

Plant pansies in containers, hanging baskets, or directly in garden beds for a splash of long-lasting color. They pair beautifully with other fall favorites, like mums and ornamental kale, creating striking arrangements. One of the best things about pansies is their ability to withstand cooler temperatures, making them an excellent choice for extending the beauty of your garden well into the colder months.

The Joy of Fall Gardening: Less Maintenance, More Reward

One of the many benefits of fall gardening is the reduced need for constant maintenance. Cooler temperatures mean less evaporation, so your plants generally require less watering than in the heat of summer. Fall annuals are often hardier and more resilient, thriving with minimal effort once they are properly planted.

Additionally, fall gardening offers a slower pace that allows you to enjoy the process of creating a beautiful landscape. The pressure of peak summer gardening is gone, and you can focus on selecting plants that will last well into winter and beyond.

Visit Homestead Gardens for Expert Advice and a Wide Selection of Fall Plants

At Homestead Gardens in Davidsonville, Maryland, we offer a wide variety of locally grown fall annuals, vegetables, and ornamental plants that are perfect for transforming your outdoor space. Whether you’re refreshing your garden beds, planting containers for your patio, or adding accents to your landscape, our selection has something for every gardener.

Our expert team is always on hand to provide advice and guidance to help you choose the right plants for your space. With a curated selection of high-quality plants and the knowledge to help you succeed, you can create a picture-perfect autumn garden to enjoy for months to come.

Embrace the Beauty of the Season

Fall is the time to reimagine your garden and embrace the changing season with fresh color and texture. With the right plants, your outdoor space can remain vibrant and alive well into the colder months, offering beauty and enjoyment long after summer fades. So don’t let your garden go dormant—visit Homestead Gardens today and discover the endless possibilities for creating a colorful, lively autumn landscape. Happy planting!

The post Add Life and Color to Your Dormant Garden with Fall Annuals appeared first on Homestead Gardens, Inc..

Fall Planting Preparation: How to Set Your Garden Up for Success

As the intense heat of summer fades, fall offers a refreshing change for gardeners. The cooler days bring the perfect opportunity to prepare your garden for the upcoming planting season. With a little planning and effort now, you can ensure a bountiful fall harvest and set your garden up for a successful spring. Follow these simple tips to refresh your garden and get ready for fall planting.

1. Start Composting: Turn Garden Waste into Gold

Fall is the ideal time to kickstart or refresh your composting routine. With an abundance of garden plant material (like dead annuals, vegetables, and grass clippings) and a bounty of autumn leaves, you have all the green and brown materials you need to create nutrient-rich compost.

Why Compost?

Composting helps to improve soil fertility by adding valuable organic matter, enhancing soil structure, and boosting its ability to retain moisture. Plus, it’s an environmentally friendly way to repurpose yard and kitchen waste, keeping it out of landfills. Not only does composting cut down on waste, but it also returns vital nutrients to your garden’s soil, creating a thriving environment for future plants.

How to Start:

• Layer Materials: Start with a layer of shredded autumn leaves (brown material) to add carbon. Follow with kitchen scraps or green plant material like vegetable waste (green material) to add nitrogen. Continue layering these materials.
• Shred Leaves: Run your lawnmower over the leaves to shred them. Smaller pieces decompose faster and will break down more easily, creating compost faster.
• Turn Your Pile: Aerate your compost by turning it regularly with a garden fork to speed up decomposition. Keep it slightly moist but not soggy.

By next planting season, you’ll have nutrient-packed compost ready to mix into your soil, giving your plants a head start.

2. Clean Up: Remove Old Annuals and Spent Vegetables

Tidying up your garden is an essential part of fall preparation. Removing old, dead plant material not only makes your garden look neat and tidy, but it also prevents the spread of disease and pests that can overwinter and affect next year’s garden.

What to Remove:

• Annuals and Spent Vegetables: Pull up dead or dying plants, but don’t just throw everything into the compost pile. Be careful to discard any diseased plants or vegetable remnants in the trash, as some diseases can survive winter and return in spring.
• Plants for Wildlife: Consider leaving seed-heavy plants like sunflowers standing through the fall and winter. They provide a valuable food source for birds and wildlife during the colder months.
• Perennials: Leave perennials in place for now, as their spent foliage can provide food, shelter, and nesting materials for butterflies, insects, and birds.

Taking the time to clean up now will help prevent overwintering pests and give you a blank slate for new fall plantings.

3. Test and Amend Your Soil: Feed Your Garden for Optimal Growth

Healthy soil is the foundation of any successful garden, and fall is the perfect time to test your soil and make necessary adjustments. Testing now will give you a head start on soil preparation, allowing time for amendments to break down and improve your garden’s nutrient profile by next planting season.

How to Test Your Soil:

• At-Home Test Kits: These are a convenient way to check your soil’s pH and nutrient levels. Available at most garden centers, they give you quick insights into what your soil may be lacking.
• Professional Testing: For more detailed results, many local extension services offer soil testing that provides specific recommendations for fertilizers and amendments tailored to your garden’s needs.

Soil Amendments:

Once you know what your soil needs, you can begin adding organic matter, like compost or well-aged manure, as well as specific nutrients such as lime (to raise pH) or sulfur (to lower pH) as needed. Fall is a great time to do this because it allows these amendments to integrate fully into the soil before the next growing season.

4. Scout for Pests: Prevent Overwintering Insects

Insects and pests often overwinter in plant debris or soil, lying in wait to cause problems in the spring. Now is the time to scout for these unwelcome visitors and apply preventative treatments to keep next year’s garden healthy.

Common Overwintering Pests:

• Asparagus Beetles: These pests hide in dead asparagus stalks over the winter. If you had an infestation this year, remove the stalks after they turn brown in fall and discard or burn them.
• Japanese Beetles: Their grubs overwinter in the soil. Applying milky spore (a beneficial fungus) or parasitic nematodes to your lawn and garden can help control the grub population, protecting your plants in spring.

By eliminating potential pests now, you’ll reduce the risk of infestations when warmer weather returns.

5. Treat Your Lawn: Control Winter Weeds

If you’ve battled weeds all summer, you’re not out of the woods yet. Many winter annual weeds, such as deadnettle and henbit, germinate in late summer and early fall, preparing to wreak havoc on your lawn when temperatures rise again in the spring.

How to Control Winter Weeds:

• Pre-Emergent Herbicide: Applying a pre-emergent herbicide in early fall can prevent these weeds from germinating. Be sure to follow the instructions on the package for optimal timing and application.
• Keep Mowing: Even if your grass has stopped growing, continuing to mow your lawn helps discourage the growth of winter annuals. The action of mowing cuts down weeds before they can establish and spread.
• Broadleaf Herbicide: For perennial weeds like broadleaf plantain, apply a broadleaf herbicide in fall to knock them back before they settle in for winter dormancy.

Proper lawn care in the fall will keep winter weeds in check and help ensure your grass looks lush and green when spring rolls around.

Conclusion: Prep Now for a Productive Garden Year Ahead

Fall planting preparation is your opportunity to refresh your garden, eliminate pests, and improve your soil for the growing seasons to come. By composting, cleaning up old plants, testing and amending your soil, scouting for pests, and treating your lawn for winter weeds, you’ll give your garden the best possible start. Taking these steps now will set you up for a fruitful fall harvest and an even more productive spring garden. Happy fall gardening!

The post Fall Planting Preparation: How to Set Your Garden Up for Success appeared first on Homestead Gardens, Inc..

Beautiful Blueberries:

Blueberry bushes are easy to grow, and don’t need much attention. The main thing to remember is that they need to be grown in acidic soil and kept consistently moist. If you don’t have acidic soil in your garden, blueberries grow very well in pots. They also contain good amounts of fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidant anthocyanins. Eating blueberries may help reduce risk factors for heart disease and diabetes.

Our favorite blueberry varieties:

1. Vaccinium corymbosum – Blueberry ‘Cabernet Splash’
2. Vaccinium corymbosum – Blueberry ‘Bluecrop’
3. Vaccinium corymbosum – Bushel and Berry® Blueberry ‘Peach Sorbet’
4. Vaccinium corymbosum – Blueberry ‘Blueberry Buckle’
5. Vaccinium ‘Pink Lemonade’ –  Blueberry ‘Pink Lemonade’
6. Vaccinium corymbosum – Bushel and Berry® ‘Blueberry Buckle’
7. Vaccinium corymbosum – Highbush Blueberry ‘Duke’

How to Grow Blueberries:

1. Choose a sunny location. Blueberries will grow in semi-shade but will thrive in sunshine.
2. Test soil for pH levels. Soil should be in an acidic range of 4 to 5 using sulfur. The plants will grow in more alkaline soils, but fruiting and leaf production will likely slow down.
3. Amend the soil. Soil that is high in organic matter, like well-aged compost, will result in better growth of the blueberry plant. Do not add nitrogen amendments such as manures.
4. Acidic materials are gold. Add several inches of peat moss to the hole when planting to give your plant an extra boost of acidic matter. Top with a 3-inch layer of acidic mulch, such as pine needles or pine straw.
5. Water well. Using a drip system instead of hand-watering these plants can make a world of  difference in growth.

Bountiful Blackberries:

Blackberries are a very easy berry to grow. Once this native berry is ripe, get ready for an abundant harvest, picking every couple of days. They are packed with vitamins C and K, high in fiber and antioxidants and deliver a variety of health benefits.

Our favorite blackberry varieties:

1. Rubus allegheniensis – Bushel and Berry® Baby Cakes Blackberry
2. Rubus L. subgenus Rubus – Blackberry ‘Marionberry’
3. Rubus fruticosus ‘Triple Crown’ – Blackberry ‘Triple Crown’

How to Grow Blackberries:

1. Full sun is best. Blackberries are among some of the easiest berries to grow, but they still need lots of sun.
2. Test soil for pH levels. Soil should be well-draining and in a mildly acidic to neutral pH of about 5 to 6. Amend as needed (see blueberries).
3. Water regularly. Watering regularly during the first growing season is crucial to establishing a deep, extensive root system.
4. Fertilize and mulch. Fertilizing should be done before new growth begins in spring. When planted, cover with a 3-inch layer of organic mulch, but make sure the mulch is placed 2 inches away from the crown to prevent rotting.
5. Picking tip: Blackberries are ready to be picked when they go from glossy to dull, usually within a 2- to 3-day span.

Sweet Strawberries:

Strawberries can be easy to grow, if you know a few tricks. Their beauty is that they are perennial: Plant them once, and they produce year after year. They are also an excellent source of vitamin C. They may also help reduce risk factors for heart disease and control blood sugar.

Our favorite strawberry varieties:

1. Fragaria x ananassa ‘Quinalt’ – Strawberry ‘Quinalt’
2. Fragaria x ananassa ‘Chandler’ – Strawberry ‘Chandler
3. Fragaria x ananassa ‘Ozark Beauty’ – Strawberry ‘Ozark Beauty’
4. Fragaria vesca – Strawberry ‘Alpine Mignonette’
5. Fragaria ananassa ‘Berried Treasure® Pink’ – Strawberry ‘Berried Treasure® Pink’

How to Grow Strawberries:

1. Two main types. Strawberries are broken down into two main types – June-bearing and ever-bearing – it is important to know which type you are growing.
2. Strawberries thrive in full sun with fertile, evenly moist, well-drained soil.
3. Plant early. Strawberries can be planted as early as 6 weeks before your last frost. Use row covers to protect new plantings from cold weather and wind.
4. After harvesting the berries, hand-prune old leaves to allow for sunlight to hit the center of the plant.

Rad Raspberries:

Raspberry bushes are easy to grow and yield an impressive harvest. A few bushes will give you enough fruit to eat, preserve, and share. They are also full of fiber and antioxidant polyphenols. Black raspberries, in particular, may benefit heart health.

Our favorite raspberry varieties:

1. Rubus idaeus – Bushel and Berry® Raspberry ‘Raspberry Shortcake®‘
2. Rubus occidentalis – Bristol Black Raspberry
3. Rubus idaeus var. strigosus – Raspberry ‘Encore Red’

How to Grow Raspberries:

1. Location, location, location. Raspberries thrive in areas with full sun and good air circulation. Avoid areas with high winds, as this can damage the berries.
2. Winter composting. Apply compost and a small amount of balanced organic fertilizer in late winter for optimal growth.
3. Mulch will discourage weeds and keep the soil evenly moist – water during dry spells.
4. Picking tip: If berries are wet, let them dry before picking.

It may be hard to know which berries to choose or what will grow best in your yard. We’re here to help. Email us at AskHomestead@homesteadgardens.com, or visit our stores.

And please follow us on social media and share photos of your gardens! Because we love plants as much as you do!

Photo Credits: Bushel and Berry

The post Plant the ‘Berry’ Best in Your Garden appeared first on Homestead Gardens, Inc..

We have compiled a list of the best of the best for each category for small-space gardening.

Fruits to Grow in Small Spaces

1. Blueberries. Pick fresh blueberries just steps from your door when you grow dwarf varieties in containers. Look for disease-resistant and drought-tolerant varieties. Plant in an area that gets at least 6 hours of sun a day and feed with a high-acid, organic fertilizer.
2. Strawberries. For small spaces, plant in a container and place in a spot that receives full sun. While February and March are peak season, strawberries can be planted in fall, winter or spring, and a mild winter will create an earlier fruiting season.
3. Meyer Lemon. Hardy and sweet, dwarf Meyer lemon trees grow perfectly in containers. You’ll love the smell of the sweet citrus blooms in the spring and the bright yellow lemons are sure to brighten any gloomy day. Feed plants regularly with an all-purpose fertilizer for best results.

Small-Space Veggies

1. Cherry Tomatoes. Small variety tomato plants that deliver big flavor are just right for growing in small gardens and in containers on decks, patios and balconies. Select tomato plants with strong stems, lots of flowers and even tiny, green fruit. Place in an area that gets at least 6 hours of sun a day. Water tomatoes regularly and feed bi-weekly with an organic vegetable fertilizer.
2. It’s a snap to grow peas in small spaces – especially containers. They grow quickly and don’t need much attention. Try dwarf varieties, keep soil moist, and harvest this healthy snack in only two months.
3. With lots of water and full sun, cucumbers grow like crazy. Don’t forget to use an organic fertilizer every other week during the growing season. For best results, choose an extra-large container to support a trellis. This exposes more leaves to the sun and deters pests.

Container Herb Combos

Basil Mash-Up. Plant up a mixed pot of various basil varieties from sweet to spicy for pizza and pasta night. Combine green-leafed ‘Genovese’ basil with a purple leafed variety such as ‘Purple Ruffles’. Add ‘Thai’ basil for spice. The more the basil is picked, the more leaves they produce.

1. Rosemary, Sage and Thyme. Gardeners who love to barbecue often reach for assertive herbs like rosemary, sage and thyme, which grow nicely when planted in the same pot. Tie stems together into a small bunch and use it as a barbeque brush. Woody rosemary stems can be used as skewers, too.
2. Dill and Basil. Planning to make pickles? Dwarf ‘Fernleaf’ dill will produce plenty of leaves and flowers, and you can pair it with any type of basil to make pickled cucumbers or beans, or zesty herb vinegars.

Grow Walls of Color with Annual Vines

1. Black-Eyed Susan Vine. Though this flower is most commonly orange, newer varieties bloom in pale yellow, white or pink. These vigorous vines are easy to grow from seed or purchased plants, and they bloom continuously from midsummer until the first hard freeze.
2. Morning Glories. Turn any fence into a masterpiece, with dramatic morning glories. Cypress vine morning glory, which produces dainty fernlike foliage and small red flowers that hummingbirds find irresistible, is the easiest to grow.
3. Sweet Peas. Plant these fragrant vines near windows often opened during the day. Sweet peas stop blooming by late summer, however, so plant a few scarlet runner beans when peas are 12” tall to continue the show.
4. Blossoming varieties such as scarlet runner beans and hyacinth beans have a coarse texture compared to other annual vines, but their exuberant growth makes them ideal if you want to grow a high green screen. These vines climb a 10’ trellis and keep on going, so they are the best annual vines for tall tripods or string trellises attached to the sunny side of a building.

It may be hard to know which fruits, vegetables, and herbs to choose or what will grow best in your small space garden. We’re here to help. Email us at AskHomestead@homesteadgardens.com, or visit our stores.

And please follow us on social media and share photos of your small space garden! Because we love plants as much as you do!

The post Best of the Best Plants for Small-Space Gardening appeared first on Homestead Gardens, Inc..

But is your garden full-sun, or part-sun? Determining that is not hard, but takes knowing how to measure hours of sunlight in your garden.

How to Determine Sun Exposure in Your Garden

You might be surprised to realize that your “full sun garden” is really a partial shade garden, or vice versa.

To measure sun hours, start in the early morning after the sun rises. Take note of the sun exposure at that time – is it full, part, filtered/dappled sun, or full shade. Then every hour, check the garden area again and write down the garden sun exposure. Keep measuring garden sunlight in each area every hour until sunset. Then you’ll have a good understanding of your garden’s exposure.

Full-sun plants don’t necessarily need all-day sunlight, but they do need at least six hours. Afternoon sun tends to be stronger than morning sun, so if you know you can only offer a plant six hours of sun exposure, plant it in a spot that gets most of its sunlight in the afternoon. Full-sun perennials and drought-tolerant plants like succulents and salvia love full sun, as do most plants you’d grow in a vegetable garden. Reserve sunny spots for these species. Full-sun plants are plentiful and easy to shop for. Look at plant tags and have fun!

Our Favorite Full-Sun Perennials

1. Dahlias thrive with a brief moment of afternoon shade, but love the sun! From peach to red, lavender, white, yellow, orange, pink, and bi-color blooms, there is a dahlia for everyone.
2. Bee Balm. Attract pollinators and add beautiful color to your full-sun garden? A win/win.
3. The dark green foliage and bright, fragrant blooms thrive in the sun of the late spring season.
4. Yes, mums. Did you know that if you plant mums in the spring, they will come back year after year? Most people make the mistake of planting in the fall, when sales are hot!
5. Hardy Geranium. This special variety, not to be confused with the type you usually find in window boxes, is perfect for full-sun spots in your garden.
6. Daylily. These big, beautiful blooms thrive in the sun and can be divided after a few years to gain more plants.
7. These perennials come in many different shapes, sizes, colors, and forms and thrive in sandy, sunny areas.

Questions about which sun-loving plants will thrive on your property? We’re here to help. Email us at AskHomestead@homesteadgardens.com, or visit our stores.

And please follow us on social media and share photos of your sunshine-loving plants! Because we love plants as much as you do!

The post Perennials for the Sunshine Spots appeared first on Homestead Gardens, Inc..

Container gardening has come a long way from the terracotta era. The concept of Potscaping is the art of growing plants in containers and is perfect for small-space gardeners. Create a color palette using the plants and pots or add pops of colors, reduce your gardening maintenance, and have healthy, happy plants! The key is to find the perfect pot for every plant.

4 Rules to Choosing the Perfect Pot

• Drainage. The number one deal-breaker when pairing plants with pots is drainage. If you fall in love with a container that does not have a drainage hole in the bottom of it, drill one (or a few for larger pots). Keep the holes about 1 inch from the edge and about 2 inches apart. Lack of water drainage can cause rot, fungus and bacteria growth – a.k.a. an unhappy and unhealthy plant.

• Material. The material of a container can make a difference in the growth of your plants, so do some research before buying. Plastic pots are more lightweight, cheaper, and fine for indoor gardening. The classic terracotta option is best for drought-tolerant plants because it is a porous material, which means it will absorb water from the soil, then dry out. Glazed ceramic pots are very sturdy (and heavy) but will work well for almost any plant, making them a great all-around option. 

• Sizing. Plants are meant to thrive and grow, so you need to give them the space to do so. If you stick a plant in a small pot, it will not have room to expand and grow. When choosing a pot, opt for one that is 2 to 3 inches larger than the current size of the plant. So as your plant grows, it needs to be repotted and moved to a larger container.

• Aesthetics. Does your garden or gardening space have a certain look and feel that you are going for? Find a planter that makes sense for your space. This is your chance to add pops of color and texture, or keep it minimalistic. A happy gardener makes for happier plants.

At Homestead, we are passionate about containers. We have hundreds of containers in every size, shape, material and color. If you need help figuring out which container will work best for you and your plants, we’re here to help. We can even have your heavier pots delivered. 

And please follow us on social media and share photos of your container garden plants! Because we love plants as much as you do!

Have Questions?

Homestead Gardens is here to help. Visit the location nearest you, or email us at AskHomestead@homesteadgardens.com.

The post The Perfect Pot for a Pretty Plant appeared first on Homestead Gardens, Inc..

Are you someone who rises before the sun to join the long string of headlights along the highway?

Is your work day long, so that you find yourself winding  your way home long after sunset?

Is the weekend the only time that you see your yard in the daylight? If so, a ‘Moon Garden’ or ‘Evening Garden’ may be just what you need if you’re looking to enjoy peace, quiet and serenity in your landscape.

There are five key elements to this type of garden:

• plants that stand out in low light (e.g., plants with leaves or blooms that feature silver, white, yellow, and cream variations)
• architectural or sculptural plants, or plants with interesting bark forms
• plants that emit their scents at night in order to attract pollinators
• lighting features that heighten the romance and highlight your plants
• fountains or water features that invoke serenity and serve as a source of hydration for pollinators

Ferns & Grasses

Grasses are imperative for any Moon Garden. While these perennials provide texture and color to the day time landscape, they are the voice of a nighttime garden as they sway and rustle in the breezes. As Autumn approaches, many grasses and ferns change color, providing new focal points in the garden.

‘Cosmopolitan’ Maiden Grass

‘Karley Rose’ Fountain Grass

‘Frosty Curls’ Sedge 

Golden Variegated Hakonechloa

Little Bunny Fountain Grass

Silver Fern

Perennials & Annuals 

Night Blooming Plants

Fragrant Plants

Trees and Shrubs

Lighting

Low-wattage lights can be used to enhance garden features or to create dramatic shadows and textures.

• Consider installing pathways lined with oyster shell or other luminescent material that reflect the light of the moon.
• A solar powered lantern or decorative torch will accentuate the beauty of your nighttime garden. 
• Gas lighting built into your pathways or hardscape can evoke timeless romance
• Add a light-colored bench near your lighting, so you can sit for a moment, absorbing the moonlight, the fragrance of the flowers around you, and the mood of your garden.

Final Thoughts

The next time you visit Homestead Gardens, visit our various departments and find out which plants would work best for you in a nighttime garden. Shake it up a little. Become a night-owl and see your garden like you’ve never seen it before.

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Summer is flying by and it’s already time to start sowing crops for a fall harvest! Growing a fall garden will let you squeeze more out of your space and enjoy a second harvest. Fall gardening can be particularly enjoyable because it’s no longer as hot and humid as the summer. Who doesn’t enjoy a break from the heat? Also, the summer pests won’t be around to bother your fall veggies. If you’d like to start a fall garden, here’s what you can plant now.

From Seeds:

There are many vegetables you can start from seeds at this time of year for a fall harvest. These plants are fairly quick-growing and thrive in cool weather.

Broccoli

Broccoli loves cool weather, making it a perfect choice for any fall garden. It can be directly sown into the garden, but it doesn’t always germinate well in the summer heat. You can start broccoli plants indoors where it’s cool, and then move them outside when nighttime temperatures start dropping below 70 degrees. Broccoli likes plenty of water, so pay attention and keep them hydrated once you plant them outside.

Cabbage

Another member of the brassica family (which includes broccoli, kale, and other cool-season vegetables), cabbage also prefers cooler weather. It’s also an excellent ingredient in fall and winter soups and stews. Cabbage will stay fresh for quite a while, but if you’re feeling adventurous, you can try fermenting your own sauerkraut. It’s easier than you think!

Kale

Kale is frost tolerant, allowing you to keep harvesting through the fall. It’s easy to grow, harvest, and incorporate into meals. Many people find that fall-grown kale is actually better tasting than spring kale. During cool weather, kale converts some of its starches into sugars. This helps to keep the leaves from freezing and makes them sweeter. Baby kale is delicious in salads.

Kohlrabi

Fast-growing and cool weather tolerant, this unique-looking vegetable deserves a spot in your garden. It’s another member of the brassica or cabbage family, and has edible leaves and a bulb-like stem. The stem tastes a bit like a sweet turnip and can be enjoyed raw. It is also excellent when roasted or sautéed.

Beets

Beets are also wonderful because they can be left in the ground, as long as it isn’t frozen, and harvested fresh as you need them. You can also make pickled beets. It’s surprisingly easy and quick to can pickled beets for later use.

Carrots

Cold weather actually stimulates sugar accumulation in carrots, which makes them sweeter and acts as a natural anti-freeze. Like beets, carrots can be left in the ground, as long as it isn’t frozen, and harvested as needed. Sow a new row of carrots every two weeks during August and September for a long harvest and some to keep through early winter.

Cauliflower

Fall is an excellent time to plant cauliflower for a couple of reasons. First, in order to develop full heads, cauliflower needs cool weather and plenty of water. Second, by planting in fall, you can avoid many of the pests that may plague spring plantings.

Related Blog: Fall is for Planting – Don’t Forget Bulbs

From Transplants:

For a fall harvest, cold tolerant crops with long growing seasons need to be grown from purchased transplants or started from seed at home well in advance.

Leeks

Leeks are a cold-hardy, mild member of the onion family. They grow best when transplanted. When selecting a variety, be sure to look for “winter type” leeks or those with fewer days to maturity. Leeks can vary between 80-150 days to harvest. In order to develop a nice white stem, leek transplants must be planted in deep holes or have soil pushed up around their stems as they grow.

Brussels Sprouts

Another extremely cold-hardy vegetable, Brussels Sprouts can be grown well into winter. They have a long growing season, 58-120 days depending on the variety, so they need to be started early. At this time of year, it’s best to purchase transplants.

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Watering can make or break your gardening success. Too much and the plants drown. Not enough and they turn to a crisp. Here’s what you need to know about watering your plants to ensure they stay happy, healthy, and beautiful.

Read About Your Plants

Some plants, like sage and rosemary, are native to the Mediterranean and thrive with little water. Others, like cucumbers, need consistent moisture to produce well. Knowing a bit about the plants you have can help you create a watering schedule.

Opt for Less Frequent Drenching Rather than Frequent Quick Showers

The best way to water is to give your plants a thorough soaking once or twice a week rather than a quick watering every day. This allows water to soak deep into the soil and helps plants develop deep roots, which will make them more drought-resistant.

Learn About Your Soil

The frequency with which you need to water will, in part, depend on what your soil is like. Heavy clay soils tend to hold water better than lighter, sandy soils will. However, water takes longer to soak into clay soils and may run off if there’s a lot of water at once. Adding organic matter, like good quality compost, can help regulate moisture levels in either soil type.

Let Your Soil Dry Out Before Watering

Your soil doesn’t always need to be perfectly moist. Letting your soil dry out between waterings can encourage plants to develop deep root systems and become more resilient.

Check Your Soil

Soil should be moist, but not soaking wet. This is particularly true for potted plants. If you grab a handful of soil and gently squeeze, it should form a clump and not crumble apart. However, if you can squeeze water out, it’s too wet. Don’t just check the surface though, dig down about 3 inches into the soil. If you do this periodically while running your sprinkler, you’ll be able to identify approximately how long you need to water each time. For plants that need consistent moisture, plan to keep the soil about as moist as a wrung-out sponge.

Get a Timer

One of the best ways to stay on top of your watering is to install a timer for your sprinklers or drip irrigation. You can also get flow timers that can be set based on gallons of water rather than time. Make sure you turn it off if you get more than an inch of rain at a time. Too much moisture can be just as damaging as too little.

Remember That Plants Need Change

Over the course of the season, your plants’ water needs may vary significantly. Their needs will vary with the weather. They’ll need more if it is hot and dry, and less if you’re getting regular rain. Watering needs also change with the light. As summer turns to fall, the daylight grows shorter and plants grow more slowly, taking up less water. Keep this in mind throughout the season.

One of the easiest ways you can improve your garden is to water well. Follow these tips to make sure you’re watering properly this summer. As an additional tip, if you struggle to keep up with watering, try planting native varieties. Plants that can naturally be found in Maryland like bee balm, coral honeysuckle, and Black-Eyed Susans typically require less frequent watering.

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