The Daily Gardener

The Daylilies are blooming their little hearts out right now. Daylilies are in the genus Hemerocallis which has about 15 species of daylilies. They are not part of the Lilium genus, which is the genus for true lilies. The name Hemerocalliscomes from the Greek words ἡμέρα (hemera) “day” and καλός (kalos) “beautiful”. Especially in China, the daylily symbolizes motherhood.  

Did you know Tarragon is an artemisia? Like all plants in the Artemisia genus, Tarragon is gray and silvery. Artemisia's were sacred to Artemis and there are over 180 species - all of them ornamental, most are medicinal, and of course, a small few are culinary. Tarragon is quite a graceful plant when it is fully grown. Never demanding, Tarragon can stand some shade and a heavier soil. French tarragon has a subtler aroma and flavor compared to Russian tarragon.

Let's start today off by talking briefly about bolting cilantro.   Why does cilantro bolt and how should you address it?   You can help delay when cilantro will bolt by planting it in part shade instead of full sun and keeping the plant cool and moist. Heat is a stressor and sensing its own mortality, cilantro will bolt quickly in hot weather. You can also buy a slow-bolt cilantro variety and harvest the leaves more often to keep the stalks under control.

In China, July is the month of the lotus. Recently I shared a video in the Facebook Group for the Showfrom the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburghwhich shows Senior Horticulturist, Pat Clifford, teaching their intern Hazel, how to remove the older leaves of the Giant Water Lily so the pond does not get overcrowded. Using a pitchfork, Pat carefully folds the large lily pad first in half, then quarters, and then once more.

It's National Rainier Cherry Day. Rainier cherries were bred at Washington State University by crossing Vans and Bings. They are one of the most delicate and challenging cherries to grow because of one big drawback: their thin red-yellow skin. This     makes them super sensitive to the elements and they bruise easily.  Even if a grower can address these challenges, they still must contend with the birds. 

Are you growing parsley? I do. But, I generally only plant the flat leaf variety - since the curly leaf parsley is used mainly as a garnish. Parsley is a member of the Umbelliferae family, which also includes celery, carrots, dill, cilantro, caraway, cumin, and the poisonous hemlock.

Here's a little primer on mulch placement. Keep mulch away from the bases of plants and trees. Trees can be harmed or killed by mulching too heavily around the trunk. Perennials and other plants can be smothered or damaged by heavy mulch around the crown as well. Mulch is a wonderful tool in the garden, but it pays to pay attention to placement.  

Have you checked to see if there is an herb society near you? Herb societies offer gardeners what I call next-level understanding of plants. Aside from parsley, oregano, and thyme, you'll probably be surprised by the sheer number of plants that fall into the herbal category; plants like bronze fennel, red-veined sorrel, lovage, tansy and sweet cicely.  

Sometimes the plant gods smile on you with a clearance sale featuring something truly spectacular like Japanese Forest Grass or in this case, Hakonechloa 'All Gold'. My local Lowes was clearancing them for $3 a pop - and it was just what the plant doctor ordered to dress up our  cabin up north. In 2009, my garden idol, Margaret Roach tweeted, "Another plant I cannot garden without: Hakonechloa 'All Gold.' Solid gold in the shade." She's right.

Do you have delphiniums in your garden? I used to start out every summer by planting twenty delphinium in front of my porch. By the time I my red lilies were popping, my delphinium would be 4 feet tall.  In that same area, I had planted white astilbe and alyssum; I had a little red, white, and blue garden under my American flag for 4th of July. The Delphinium is one of the birth flowers for the month July. It's also known as 'Larkspur' and 'Knight's-spur'. During the Victorian age...

Martagon Lilies are in peak right now in most gardens.  They bring the most wonderful architectural aspect and form to the garden; they are so very elegant.  Offering a Turk’s cap-style bloom, Like many plants, Martagon colonies get better and better with age. Martagons like sweet soil and they will be grateful for a dusting of lime every year.  

Today is National Paul Bunyan Day. In Minnesota, most folks fondly remember the tales of of Paul and Babe - his big blue ox. Speaking of big, Many gardeners have a fondness for giant plants. They are perfect if you have lots of space, or if you just prefer the look of tall or giant plants. You can Celebrate Paul Bunyan Day today by planting giant plants like these: hibiscus, Joe Pye weed, Baptisia, Hollyhock, Queen of the Prairie, Plume Poppy...

Today is the very first National Onion Day.   It was founded by the National Onion Association which represents almost 500 growers from across the United States.   The association celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2013. Onions are a member of the bulb family. There are twenty-seven different types of onion. They all grow underground and they're one of the easiest vegetables to grow.   There's an old saying that says that the thicker the onion skin, the colder the winter will be.

Have you ever needed to move a bumblebee nest?   We discovered a nest under the basketball hoop on the driveway when the guys came to sealcoat.   To move it, I waited until dusk. Then I grabbed a terra cotta pot that was a little bigger than the nest...  and my pizza peel from kitchen.   I placed the pot over the nest and then slid the peel under the pot.    As I was carrying the nest, the buzzing sound from inside the pot was tremendous.

Did you know that the most popular giant hosta is Empress Wu?   At maturity the plan is 5 feet tall with an 8 foot spread.   Pictures don't really do the Empress Wu hosta justice. Because of its size and fast rate of growth, Empress Wu demands soil that is consistently moist but not soggy.   Empress Wu was bred by Brian and Virginia Skag out of Lowell, Indiana. On February 23, 2010, they finally received their patent for the impressive Empress Wu hosta.