The Pantone Color Institute named Classic Blue the color of 2020 to convey calmness and tranquility. Blue is a great choice for UK fans, but it will not be calm during games. There are several perennials and annuals available with blue or hints and tones of blue to enjoy in your garden and to support UK. Continue reading
Category Archives: Flowers
Plants for Tough Sites: Wet
One of the toughest places to garden is wet soil. Soils that hold too much water can be hard to prepare in the spring; there is low oxygen in the soil so slow root growth; increase in humidity which plays into the hands of plant disease.
Causes and solutions: Can you correct the problem? Continue reading
Winter Plants of Interest
Winter is knocking on the door across Kentucky. For many gardeners this is a welcome time to sit back and relax. As the brilliant colors of summer gardens and fall foliage fade don’t despair; all is not lost in the winter landscape. With proper planning and planting you can enjoy points of color, texture and contrast in your winter garden. Think of vertical plantings with interesting bark and branch structures as opposed to ground covers. It would be a shame to bury the landscape should we ever get another 23 inch snow fall. If you enjoy watching the birds, don’t forget plants that provide a food source during the winter. Here are several plants to consider as you plan your winter landscape. Continue reading
Summer Fertilization of Annual and Perennial Flowers
Proper fertilization of flowers growing in landscape beds is important to ensure that annuals perform well all season long, and perennials are more likely to repeat bloom year after year. Continue reading
Plants for Tough Sites: Dry Shade
I grew up with a yard that had a slope facing east, shaded by a mature tree with miniscule amounts of good fertile soil to grow any type of plant. I have also inherited this site in my new garden. This area is too steep to mow easily and the grass is so thin it’s mostly weeds. I’m a gardener so I’m not opposed to removing the lawn in favor of perennials and shrubs. Continue reading
What McCracken County Extension Learned from Bedding Plant Trials in 2018
In 2018, 20 varieties from several genera of bedding plants were grown as trial gardens in fifteen counties across the Commonwealth. In McCracken County, these were planted in raised-beds and rated all through the growing season. These plants were purchased in April and planted after the last danger of frost had passed, in early May of 2018. Continue reading
Basics for Starting Seeds Indoors for Transplant Outdoors
Seedlings grown indoors will need warm temperatures, a well-drained media with correct pH to grow the plants, strong light (supplemented artificially), proper nutrients, correct water amounts. Steps to do this are, first, select disease-resistant varieties of seed. Such seeds are more likely to lead to successful harvest. Continue reading
A Messy Winter Garden Makes Good Wildlife Habitat
You worked hard turning some of your property into wildlife habitat. You planted nectar and host plants for butterflies and pollinators. Trees and bushes offer shelter and habitat for birds, squirrels, and other small creatures. Perhaps this summer, a box turtle took up residence in your back yard or you heard tree frogs singing in your own trees! Now, after all your hard work, why would you destroy that wonderful ecosystem by cleaning it up for winter?
Holiday Cactus
In shades of white, golden yellow, pink, rose, coral and red, the flowers of holiday cacti look like exotic birds in flight. It is no wonder that these fall and winter blooming plants have become holiday favorites. Continue reading
Hydrangeas – Blue or Pink? You Decide.
Hydrangeas grace the landscape with beautiful flowers in the spring and summer. The most colorful hydrangeas are bigleaf hydrangeas, Hydrangea macrophylla. Their flowers are usually either pink or blue. Flower color depends on the pH of the soil, a measure of soil acidity. Soil pH can be raised by applying lime. Some hydrangeas will respond to a higher pH (between 6.0 and 6.5) with pink flower color. To lower pH, apply aluminum sulfate. A lower pH (between 5.0 and 5.0) often results in blue flower color. A soil test will determine the existing pH and you can change your soil with the appropriate amendment to get the resulting flower color you want. Continue reading
Kentucky Hort News 
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