Zone 7 gardening: Orchids, Virginia Historic Garden tour & Amaryllis

Monday, March 1, 2010

Orchids, Virginia Historic Garden tour & Amaryllis

Did you miss last weekend’s Orchid Show at Strange’s (www.strangesgardencenter.com) in Richmond, VA? The show was presented by The Virginia Orchid Society (vaorchidsociety.org) with orchid displays and vendors. Free lectures both days and free repotting.

Orchids provide lovely indoor bloom during the barren winter months. To find an orchid show in your area visit the American Orchid Society (http://www.aos.org/).

By April the snow will have disappeared for the 77th anniversary of Historic Garden Week in Virginia (www.vagardenweek.org & www.GCVirginia.org.) which is April 17th thro 25th. This is when Richmond and the surrounding counties are ablaze with blooming azaleas, lilacs, cherry trees, daffodils and tulips.

Free guidebooks are available at certain garden centers. Tickets may be purchased in advanced or at the houses or gardens during the day of the tour. Expect to wait in long lines to enter the historic private mansions and gardens.
Call the Virginia Tourism Corporation at 1 800-545-5500 for travel accommodations info, a free travel guide, and a state highway map.

Hope this is the end of our snow. Last year at this time the crocuses and daffodils were blooming. Now my daffodils are staying close to the ground and the buds are green.

I decided to google for info on the continuing care of my Amaryllis (Hippeastrum). I was amazed to find more than 250 sites. One site amaryllis.com only sells Amaryllis bulbs. For “after blooming care” cut off only the dead flowers. The flowering stem should not be cut until it starts sagging. After our last frost the pot can be placed outside in full sun. To provide food for the bulb you should continue to water and fertilize all summer.

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Feb. gardening notes cont.

February is the month to prune! The tree and shrub branches which you pruned can be forced to display lovely blooms and foliage, a reminder of approaching spring. Prune fruit trees and other deciduous trees. Old lilacs can be cut back to one foot, but they should be mulched, fertilized and water for 3 years to develop a compact flowering shrub. Also hollies can be heavily pruned down to a foot. Prune summer blooming shrubs, such as beauty bush, butterfly bush, Hydrangea, Nandina, crepe myrtle, and Rose of Sharon. Prune vines. Grape vine cuttings may be saved for making wreaths. Deciduous bare-root trees can be planted about a month before the last freeze. Mulch your tree to a depth of 3 or 4 inches at a distance of 3 inches from the trunk. Don’t neglect your vegetable garden. I read that one can replant the roots from leeks. In 60 to 90 days you’ll have a new tasty plant. The next time I buy an organic leek I will be sure to plant the roots in my garden. Will let you know the results. Last year I planted a few store bought organic cocktail tomatoes which had rotten and they grew into a healthy plant. Also cut one of the eyes off your potatoes and plant. You can have a wonderful vegetable garden with out buying seeds or young plants. Bluebirds are already checking out homes. So clean birdhouses and put out new houses in open fields on post about 5 ft. high. If you place a nearby feeder stocked with mealy worms; you will have a better chance of the bluebirds to taking up residence. Don’t forget to feed all the wild birds, which will soon be nesting.

January Gardening Notes cont.

Also indoors start germinating seeds of Petunia, Portulaca, Salvia, Snapdragon and Verbena. All take 8 to 10 weeks before their seedlings are ready to be planted in your garden. Sprinkle poppies seed in snow.

Even in the winter you should weed. If the weather is too miserable; then study your garden catalogues and plan for the arriving warm weather. For a fun and informative read, Susan Orlean’s “The Orchid Thief” will entertain you with her experiences with orchids and obsessions in Florida.

October Notes cont.

This is the month for a fall cleaning of your yard. The foliage of tall bearded and Dutch irises should be cut down to 2 inches and added to your compost pile. Also add your raked leaves to your compost pile. Diseased plants should be burned or put in the garbage. Compost will reward you with rich soil to add to your garden. If your vegetable garden suffered heavy insect or disease invasion then (after discarding the plants) turn the soil. The fresh air will help prevent the insects and diseases from returning next summer. Otherwise let the dead plants and vegetables remain in your garden until spring, because beneficial insect have laid their eggs on these plants. You do not want to discard the dead plants until after the insects have emerged in the spring.

If the soil dries out; then keep watering your container plants, camellias and azaleas. Shrubs can suffer winter damage if they are allowed to dry out. Also water your new seedlings and pansies. Mid-Oct should be your last fertilizing of shrubs and trees. Only fertilize English box every two or three years.

Due to our drought, even with this recent rain pounding on the ground, trees have dropped their leaves early. So the colorful fall leaf display is diminished. We may not receive our first frost until next month. Before the first frost, dig up your sweet potatoes. Also pick your green tomatoes.

Now is the time to cut wood for your fireplace. Gather the dried seed pods which have fallen from magnolia trees. Place these pods in a basket next to the fireplace to use as kindling.