This is NOT a Bonus!

This is NOT a bonus!

Yes, I know you haven't seen me here for awhile. That's what having four grandchildren and being "retired" will do.

It has been an unusual spring so far with many of our plants just loving the cooler, damper weather while our bearded iris have been slow coming and looking for heat. Me, not so much. The tree peonies in our display beds have been blooming quite happily and our herbaceous and Itoh are budding nicely.

Each year someone will ask us about the "bonus" peony growing with his or her tree peony. This is NOT a "bonus"! The tree peonies we sell and the majority you find on the market for sale, are grafted. Tree peony stock is grafted onto a common garden variety root. We always tell people to plant the tree peony a couple of inches deeper than the level it is at in the pot. The tree peony will then set its own roots and the "mother" root will die off. Before this occurs or if the tree peony was not planted deep enough, the garden peony will send up stems and if allowed to grow, will eventually take over and kill off the tree peony which we certainly would not want to occur.

Tree Peony with "mother plant" coming up from the base.

To prevent this, you need to cut the stems completely to the ground. "But they look so healthy!" you may say and "Isn't it nice that I have a lovely pink peony to go along with my lovely yellow tree peony?" NO! You may feel mean snipping away, but your tree peony will be forever ( a good forty years or better) grateful that you have eliminated the intruder from its base. It is a good idea to mound up a couple of inches of soil at the bottom also if you think you did not plant deep enough originally.

Herbaceous Peony Leaves

Knowing what to cut is easy once you are aware of the difference in leaf structure. The herbaceous plant has leaves that are shaped differently and much smoother and shinier as seen in the accompaning photos.

Tree Peony Leaves

 

Tree Peony Leaves

Herbaceous Peony Leaves

                                                                                        
As always if you have any questions, send us an email and we will gladly try to help you with any peony or other gardening inquiries.

Have fun in the garden!
Cheryl

Spring is here???

Well here we are on day 6 of spring (?) and as you can tell by the above picture of Pittsgrove, winter has decided to stick around longer than most of us would like and for the past few days has caused havoc across a good portion of the US. This time last year, we were relishing temperatures in the 60's and working daily in the garden beds. Yesterday was the first time in ages that John and I ventured outdoors here for any length of time beyond gathering kindling for our wood stove. It wasn't the cold, but the accompaning wind that cut through to the bone that kept us from our chores. We cleaned up more winter debris and started preparing the vegetable garden, but planting has still been postponed to some yet unknown date in the future more amenable to the sowing of seeds and tender seedlings.

This is still the time of year, if weather permits, to get out to your garden beds to finish any cleanup that wasn't finished during our equally uncooperative fall. It's much easier to get those pesky maple leaves and dead weeds removed rather than waiting for warmer weather which then finds all your perennials suddenly appearing and growing like Topsy making your job much more tedious.Whip out those clippers and cut back any perennials that you didn't get to earlier.Your iris won't look very attractive with a heap of brown leaves lying next to them and if you cut away the brown leaves from your helleborus you'll be greeted by some beautiful blossoms waiting to kiss the sky.

Helleborus last spring

So buck up, bundle up, and clean up those flower beds for spring is surely on the horizon. At least that's what the calender keeps telling us.

Think positive thoughts!
Cheryl

Garden Shows Across the US

I'm nice and cozy indoors while I write, but today here at Pittsgrove the temperature is hovering around 18 degrees so I don't plan to be doing any gardening, thank you very much. As temperatures dip and weather turns nasty, for many cabin fever sets in and winter doldrums ensue. To eliminate, or at least minimize the effects of being cooped up, garden shows that are scheduled throughout many bleak winter days, provide a terrific remedy.

From coast to coast and every where in between, these shows during January through March get us out of our houses and away from the grayness of winter that many of us experience in areas where plants are dormant and trees are leafless overseers. Rainbows of color in display gardens and the scent of fresh soil, such an aphrodisiac to folks dedicated to digging in the dirt, uplift the spirit.

Some of you may just like to wander the shows taking in the beauty set before you. Others look forward to the education provided by lecturers in specialized fields and many will go home with a purchased plant to brighten a window or catalogs to peruse for the newest plant introductions. Whatever suits your fancy, look up the schedule for the garden show nearest you and make plans to get out of the house and into the gardens.

Stay warm and think spring!
Cheryl 

Pittsgrove Farms Is Alive and Well--So Is The Jersey Shore

I'm not about to compare myself to a genuine author, but over the past few months have experienced what professionals do and developed "writer's block". The thought of blogging at all sent me running into the perennial beds to escape the glare of a blank computer screen. I have realized that my lack of presence online may lead some to believe that Pittsgrove has gone by the wayside. Fret not, dear gardeners, John, Pittsgrove Farms, and I are alive and well. Actually, Pittsgrove is alive, but dormant at the moment, and frankly sometimes John and I get that way on a gloomy winter's day.

Plants asleep for the winter.

It's that time of year when we've cut back our plants, put them in cold frames or under insulation blankets, and cleaned up the garden beds until spring arrives. There will be more clean up over the winter as weather permits as Hurricane Sandy set things back for us outdoors. Fortunately, other than losing a 40' spruce that did only very minor damage and having branches to cleanup, we fared quite well. Which brings me to my next topic-the Jersey Shore.

 I'm a Jersey girl (old broad) born and raised and it was heart wrenching to see the devastation across our beautiful and much maligned state, especially the shore area. What concerns me now is how much we are hearing that Jersey is down for the count, which is far from the truth. I have gotten feedback from merchants in Cape May (unscathed by Sandy) and elsewhere that business is down tremendously because people from out of the area believe the Jersey Shore is no longer a vacation destination. Much rebuilding needs to be done in some but not ALL areas.

Cape May at Sunset

Please keep Pittsgrove Farms in mind when you're looking for iris or peonies in the spring and the Jersey Shore when considering a day trip, weekend get-away or family vacation. You won't be disappointed!

Keep warm and think Spring!
Cheryl

Earthly Delights Part 2

Part of our display at Earthly Delights

Earthly Delights certainly lived up to its name! John and I went into this venture blind having never done a show before. The grounds where the event was held were stunning and Andrea Filippone and her group of volunteers could not have been more friendly or accommodating.















We also met a number of amazing vendors dealing in a fantastic array of plants. It takes a great deal to stump John with plant identification after his many years in the gardening world, but believe me, he saw many plants that he had never encountered.

John speaking with one of the other vendors

Overall the weather was glorious, but Mother Nature did hit us with a couple of heavy rains.The rain had little effect on the vendors or those in attendance-- as gardeners we are all used to her whims by now. There are a number of vendors that we plan to visit on one of our "bus man's holidays" and we hope to see some of them here at Pittsgrove.

This was a "delightful" experience and we were quite glad we decided to attend. Maybe we'll see you there next year.

Happy Gardening!
Cheryl

Earthly Delights

 

John was recently contacted by Andrea Filippone of AJF Design to be a vendor at Earthly Delights . This was something he had not heard of before and told Andrea he would discuss it with me and get back to her. After checking on what this was all about and asking a few of our customers about it, we have decided to go ahead and appear at this event taking place June 1, 2, and 3. I'm sure it will be quite an experience for us and for any of you who also attend. The estate where Earthly Delights will be held looks breath-taking from the photos we have viewed online and we look forward to walking the grounds.

Have no fear, we will still be open that weekend here at Pittsgrove (we'll work that out one way or another) but look forward to seeing those of you who attend for what promises a quite interesting and informative weekend. 

More and more plants are coming into bloom here and each morning, John and I have another surprise awaiting us in one of the garden beds. Peonies are in full color and tall bearded, Siberian and water iris have been popping one after another.

The bird houses are full and butterflies have started to spread their wings. All is right with the world, at least the world of nature here at Pittsgrove.

Hoping your world is also blossoming,

Cheryl  

Butterflies-Welcome Them To Your Garden

 Butterflies on perennial hyssop

 

When people visit us here at the farm, they often marvel at the number of butterflies seen throughout the gardens.  A Star Ledger article by Ryan Hutchins informed us of a recent visitor to Pittsgrove, the Red Admiral, and we have noticed a number of egg cases on plants throughout the property.

There are a number of plants that you can add to your property to attract these beautiful insects.

John and I have been planting here at Pittsgrove since we've been married (believe me, that's a long time!) so we have a terrific number of plants to bring these beauties of nature our way. No matter the size of your property or your budget, there are plants that may soon make Monarchs, Swallowtails, Skippers, etc. seek out your garden.

 Petunia

Annuals such as zinneas, petunias, impatiens and verbena along with cosmos, nicotiana, and marigolds are all easily found in an abundance of colors at your local garden center or big box store. 

Yellow Swallowtail on hyssop

 

For long term success in enticing our winged delights to the garden, plant perennials such as yarrow, hyssop, butterfly weed, and peony. Thyme, mint, rosemary, and sage not only attract butterflies, but do double duty in your kitchen.

The butterflies go crazy here for our cone flower (echinacea) and black-eyed Susan (rudebeckia).

Coneflower and Black-eyed Susan

Butterflies like the plants they seek in warm, sunny, wind protected locations. 

It doesn't take a big budget to plant with these flying beauties in mind and they will reward you with a colorful dance of grace enthralling to behold.

Make a butterfly your friend!
Cheryl

Dig It-Aggressively Forward-Tall Bearded Iris

Aggressively Forward (Innerst-1994) was aptly named as it was the first tall bearded to bloom in our beds this season. With its very large blossoms and tall stature, there was no overlooking this handsome (in my opinion) iris. Its muddied appearance may be off-putting to those of you who prefer solid colors in your flowers, but I have always been attracted to the unusual. Aggressively Forward also has a nice fragrance making it even more distinctive.

On a personal note, May is GBS/CIDP Awareness Month. Say what??? Exactly. A family member has CIDP and believe me, we went insane with worry before he was properly diagnosed as it mimics so many other conditions. My purpose today is to inform our readers as these are 2 of those "orphan diseases" barely known by the public, but can strike people who had been perfectly healthy dumbfounding them and their physicians alike.
And yes, our family member is now doing quite well, thank you!

Happy Gardening!
Cheryl 

Garden Apps-For Those of You Who Are Not Me

Both sons, Jeremy & Garrett have Smart Phones. I don't, because well..... Yeah that's what the sons would say-"Mom, you aren't very smart." They wouldn't be saying that in a derogatory way, but because I'm very slow to pick up on new technology. I was one of the last people in our circle of family and friends to get a dish washer or microwave. And whenever I complain to one of our sons about a problem with our PC or laptop, I get the same answer--"The problem is your computer is 10 years old! Get a new one!"

An article I read in the Star Ledger recently will be of use to both Jeremy & Garrett and for a great many of you, but alas of little use for me. You see my flip phone has no use for Apps, but all of you with Smartphones will find some pretty handy, dandy info at your finger tips to make gardening a little easier in what appears to be approaching an age when the Jetson's would feel at home.

Gardening Toolkit is an app from Applied Objects for $1.99 for iPhone and $3.99 for iPads. You punch in your zip code that will establish your plant hardiness zone and then you can continue on to general guidance for what chores you should be doing each month. Planting advice, plants for attracting bees,butterflies, and hummingbirds, along with recommendations for shade or sun are also provided.
Garden Tracker from Portable Database at 99 cents for iPhones helps you plan a garden for the best of plant health and vegetable yield. The iPad version runs $3.99 and is called Garden Tracker-Bumper Crop. Pest control, watering, and fertilization are also topics that are discussed.

So, one of these days when I approach the expertise of my grandchildren when it comes to technology, I may actually be able to put the above information to use. Until then, I hope there are more of you out there who find this helpful and perhaps if you stop in at Pittsgrove, you can pass along what you have learned:)

Until then, happy gardening!
Cheryl

Dig It-Ice Chalet-Standard Dwarf Bearded Iris

Dwarf bearded iris are beginning to come into bloom here at Pittsgrove, although a customer 30 minutes south of us recently told me most of hers had come into bloom the end of March. In any case, the dwarf are the first of the bearded iris to show their blossoms, usually after the daffodils have finished and tulips are beginning.


Ice Chalet (Paul Black-1981) is 6-12" and like other dwarf iris makes a good rock garden or border plant. It is icy white with a bluish cast and a lavender-blue beard. It has an almost translucent quality to it with a sweet fragrance.

Those of you in the area of the Presby Gardens, will be able see many varieties of Dwarf Bearded coming into view long before their taller brothers.

Happy Gardening!
Cheryl

Dig It-Barbara Walther-Historic Iris

Barbara Walther

When someone comes to Pittsgrove Farms looking for a white bearded iris, we immediately go to our Old Faithful, Immortality, which is both hardy and prolific. Our customer goes off happy as can be, especially when told that it is a fairly reliable rebloomer. However, every now and then we will get a comment that Immortality is more cream or ivory, not as "white" which is when we go to Barbara Walther.

Immortality

Barbara Walther is pure white with a white beard and named for the the woman who was instrumental in getting the property next to hers in Essex county turned into the parkland on which the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens now stand. Barbara Walther as volunteer curator at Presby was personally responsible for turning it into the world renowned iris gardens that it is today.

Barbara Walther

Barbara Walther, the iris, is tall (37") and sturdy and shines brightly amongst groupings of its colorful relatives.

Fall Cleanup--More Than Anticipated

Fall is always cleanup time at Pittsgrove, but this year it involved more than just cutting back iris and peonies and raking leaves. The unprecedented snow storm that hit much of the Northeast caused branches to snap, crackle and pop right off the trees, but fortunately for us without affecting power or causing damage to our house or gardens. That was not the case for many other homeowners in our area, nor our family in Morris County who lost power for nearly a week.
While we just have to figure out what to do with all the limbs and branches that we have piled up for removal, our son and his wife face the task of throwing out spoiled food for the second time (power was also lost for an extended period after Hurricane Irene) and whether they should invest in a generator before the next outage occurs.
Many of the trees in Jersey are at the peak of their leaf color which proved so devastating when the heavy, moisture laden snow fell. Someone described it as having a book placed in your outstretched hand, then having someone else toss three more on top--only the strongest will bear the weight. Mother Nature painted a pretty picture of autumn splendor, then maliciously sought to destroy her work. Who ticked her off???
I'll be heading back outdoors to continue preparing the beds for winter, but staying well enough away from the trees as branches are still dangling precariously in upper portions and I don't plan on having my head targeted.
Hoping all is well in your neck of the woods,
Cheryl

Pittsgrove Daylilies-Inside Jersey!

Inside Jersey Photo by Patti Sapone

A year ago, we received a call from Valerie Sudol at Inside Jersey magazine requesting permission to send a photographer to Pittsgrove to take pictures of our daylilies for an article that would be published in 2011. She was looking for a Jersey farm that had more than just Stella d' Oro in bloom. We welcome photographers and artists to the gardens, so readily agreed.

Sassy with Mini Stella

Photographer, Patti Sapone spent quite some time taking numerous shots throughout the property. She told us our plants would be featured in whatever article Valerie wrote and we should expect a credit in the photos.

Little Grapette

John and I were pleasantly surprised when our July 2011 issue arrived with our Star Ledger (which has been a staple in my home since I was a child!) and not only did we get photo credit, but John was quoted in the article along with a box insert (?) naming Pittsgrove Farms and Miller's Garden Designs in York, PA as sources for daylilies to purchase.

Red Ribbons

Our daylilies are popping into bloom everywhere and people are amazed that so many varieties exist. Hyperion at 44" towers over 10" Eenie Weenie. Flowers range in size from the multiple 2" blossoms of Little Grapette to those like Inwood and Mary's Gold that span 6-7" across. The color range and combinations amaze folks who never knew how exotic-looking these hardy plants can be. The spidery appearance of Red Ribbons and Kindly Light contrast greatly to the rounded shape of Lauren Leah. Solid yellow Bitsy is oh so different from dramatic Malaysian Monarch and Spiritual Corridor.

Lauren Leah

As Valerie states in her article, the nearly indestructible daylily has one enemy---deer think they're candy! If you have a deer problem, we recommend spraying or planting in a fenced area.
They are great for summer color around a pool.




Bitsy

Our thanks to Valerie and Patti for the great job on the article and informing people about what great additions daylilies will make to your garden.

Spiritual Corridor

Interested in seeing just how diverse daylilies are, get in touch with us to check on when we're here and we'll be happy to introduce you these reliable perennials.

Happy Summer!!!
Cheryl