Scrophularia auriculata ‘Variegata’
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Scrophularia auriculata ‘Variegata’ Family: Scrophulariaceae |
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Description: A slow-spreading, clumping-forming perennial. Ovoid green leaves with serrated edges are thickly margined in creamy-white and paired opposite on strong square, green stems. Clusters of tiny, maroon-red flowers appear in summer through into autumn and are a huge attraction to assorted bee species and hummingbirds. Special Notes: In Zone 6 and colder, this plant is herbaceous; in Zone 8 and warmer, it is evergreen year-round. Given the right growing conditions, loamy-rich soil and regular water, this plant can grow to be a sub-shrub. But is also quite drought tolerant once established. Propagate by division in spring or fall.
Depending on the severity of our winter weather, Scrophularia can be herbaceous or evergreen.
Posted on February 12, 2023 |
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Otiorhynchus sulcatus – black vine weevil
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Otiorhynchus sulcatus Family: Curculionidae |
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Life cycle: Generations per year: one in the Pacific Northwest
Special Notes: Native to Europe, this weevil species was discovered and identified in Connecticut in 1910. Since that date, it has become widespread throughout North America. It is interesting to note that only female adult weevils are produced in North America. They reproduce parthenogenically. Adults feed on host plant leaves during the night leaving a multitude of half-round notches along the edges of the leaves. In a particularly high weevil populated area of the garden, this can look quite unsightly on your targeted evergreen plants.
Unfortunately, there is not much data on the effectiveness of this treatment.
Posted on May 17, 2022 |
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Garden Tip: Adding compost the easy way
by Leslie Cox; Monday; November 29, 2021
An easy way to mix your compost into the soil is to spread it over your garden in late fall. Cover with a mulch of hay or chopped leaves and let nature take its course. Come spring, the winter weather and the soil organisms will have worked the compost in for you.
Garden Tip: Mulching young plants and trees
by Leslie Cox; Monday; October 25, 2021
newly planted espalier apple tree
If you have incorporated new plants in your landscape this last summer it is a good idea to cover them with mulch for protection against freezing temperatures.
The best mulch material is leaves. They are on the ground anyways, so it is easy to either rake them up and spread them over the garden beds, or run over them with the lawn mower and spread the leaf mulch over the plants.
If you do not have any deciduous trees on your property, ask or beg your friends, neighbours, family members if you can steal some of theirs.
If you do not have any access to leaves, bark is a good substitute. We prefer the fine bark mulch which is available from our local pole yard but you can also by bagged bark from your local nursery or big box store.
Straw is another good mulch option but most people prefer to use this material on their vegetable gardens rather than on their front yard garden beds. It sometimes cones down to aesthetics…and the rules in some development communities. Just be sure to buy straw and not old hay. Hay, even the old stuff, will still have viable seeds in it which you will wind up cursing next spring.
Whatever you use, spread your mulch material 4 – 6 inches (10 – 15 cm) thick over your plants. This will provide adequate protection against freezing temperatures.
One final tip…or warning…
Do not spread the mulch right up against the trunks of your trees, especially young trees, Best to leave a 6 inch (15 cm) gap around the base of the tree. Otherwise, you will be creating good camouflage for mice, squirrels and other chewing demons who like to chew on fresh tree bark.
Garden Tip: Rescue drowning plants
by Leslie Cox; Monday; October 18, 2021
Be sure to check your potted plants after a heavy rainfall. Plants…any species that are not marginal (ie. those that prefer a spot by a pond or stream)…can develop crown rot if they are wallowing in a puddle of water in their pot.
Here in the Pacific Northwest, crown rot is one of the main causes of plant deaths through the fall and winter seasons. (Sadly, we lost this beautiful saxifraga to crown rot two years ago.)
Take away the trays under the pots to allow for free drainage. Or, if there are no trays underneath but the plant is still water-logged, place a couple of wood blocks or flat rocks underneath the pot to raise it up off the ground. If the plant is still swimming in water, knock it out of the pot, check the drainage hole is not plugged and re-pot the plant with up to one-third sand or small grit added to the new soil mix to increase the drainage.
