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

Dig It-Age of Victoria Peony

John and I are fortunate enough to own a second home in historic, Victorian Cape May, New Jersey, the original seaside resort. The streets are lined with stately Victorian and Queen Anne houses in colors that would seem out of place elsewhere, but provide a welcoming magic to this quaint town on the Atlantic.

Age of Victoria fits right in with its old-fashioned, yet regal appearance. Blossoms are quite large for a single and its peachy-buff color brings to mind the hats and dresses worn by ladies in the late 1800's as they strolled the shore enjoying the summer breeze.

The plants reach a height of approximately 34-36" and sport large, showy leaves. However, their stems will need support in the garden as they are not always strong enough for the weight of the blossoms.

If you haven't already done so, I would advise a visit to Cape May, one of New Jersey's gems for a step back in time and an experience unlike the rest of the Jersey shore.

Happy Gardening!
Cheryl

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

Iris---Slowly But Surely

Spring has definitely arrived, but is certainly taking it's time as I sit here writing wearing a long sleeved flannel shirt on May 14th! But the birds have returned, the bird houses are filled with new occupants, and the robins have started a new brood. Our dwarf bearded are in full bloom with our intermediates popping open each day, but the peonies are still in bud and should be opening with some additional sunshine, which may not be too forthcoming.Florentina-1500
Last fall we planted a number of iris that Presby Memorial Iris Gardens gave us to propagate and to serve as a back up in case their beds are vandalized as they were a few years back when a number of their historic iris were ripped from the ground and strewn about the property. A few of those iris have begun opening such as King Christian and Florentia and while they are interesting, they do not have the same impact that the newer varieties exhibit. But, as always, John and I are always excited to see a flower for the first time and each week a new surprise awaits us here at the farm.King Christian-Intermediate 1901
We did find Blue Boy to be an attractive early bloomer and are anxious to see what other surprises are in store.
Blue Boy-Intermediate 1913

Happy Gardening!
Cheryl

Peonies-Transplanting and Dividing

Butter Bowl Before Division
One of the most enjoyable aspects of running a nursery is the interaction John and I have with the folks who come to Pittsgrove. Some are longtime gardeners like us who swap gardening successes and failures, tell of their favorite plants, and of plants they had to leave behind in a move, etc. Other visitors are those who are new to gardening or just to the world of iris or peonies and are seeking an education on where or how to grow them. All make for lively discussions and we love imparting any knowledge we have in order to make "playing in the dirt" fun for one and all.

Questions about peonies arise often. "When can I plant them?" Potted peonies can be planted starting in spring as early as the ground can be worked and continue until late fall. Some people have the misconception that peonies can only be planted in the fall, but potted plants may be put in the ground throughout the growing season.

"When can I transplant or divide peonies?" Now the answer to that question is only in the fall and doing so is easy enough for the average gardener.

Cutting Back Foliage
Before digging, cut the stalks back to approximately 3-4" above the ground. Using a sharp shovel or spade, dig around the peony 6-8"from the stalks depending on how large the plant is and trying to break as few roots as possible.
Butter Bowl After Being Dug
If just moving to another garden area, make sure the new area is well-drained with no less than a half day sun. The spot should be well prepared and the peony should be planted with a rich mix of new soil as the plant should be able to flourish for twenty years or more. A critical point to remember is to plant the peony at the same level it was at originally as planting too deep will cause the plant not to bloom. The only exception to this is if the plant had been planted too deep in the first location and was not blooming, then just raise the plant slightly to promote future blooms. If you put a lot of loose soil in the bottom of the hole, plant the peony a little higher to allow for settling. Plant Soaking To Remove Excess Soil
If your peony has become quite large and you want to divide it, then after digging it up remove as much soil as possible from the roots using a hose or soaking in a tub or child's wading pool. Next study the plant looking down between the stalks for the pink or white eyes (similar to potato eyes) about the size of the tip of your pinky. For a good division, you want 5-7 eyes.

Looking Down At Peony Eyes

Further study the root structure to make a division using a bow saw or heavy duty clippers to divide the plant doing the least damage and retaining heavy roots which are the food storage for the coming year. Show caution in handling not to damage the eyes as they will provide the new leaves and flowers. Cutting Between Stalks
Prepare the new location as for transplanting, planting higher to compensate for settling and cover with 3-4 inches of mulch to prevent winter heaving the first year. Remove the mulch in the spring. In both cases, water in well after planting is done.

Five Divisions Each With Several Eyes

Feel free to contact us if you have any further questions.

Happy Gardening!
Cheryl

Presby Memorial Iris Gardens Plant Sale

Presby Memorial Iris Gardens When In Full Bloom

Our collaboration with the wonderful folks at the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens continues this year and we have been gratified to play a small role in the continuance of this national treasure.

Many of you are aware that the gardens were in dire financial straits a few years back and in jeopardy of having to close altogether. The hard work of many dedicated people kept that from happening and thankfully the gardens are now under the wing of the Essex County Park System, thus assuring Presby will continue to delight visitors for generations to come.

This weekend, May 7-9 the annual plant sale will be held to raise funds for the maintenance and expansion of the gardens. Besides multiple varieties of iris, peonies, daylilies, and very unusual deer resistant perennials will be available. Additional information regarding the gardens and this weekend's sale may be found on the Presby web site.
Just a sample of what is available this weekend
If you are in the area, stop in, make a purchase and know you are aiding this jewel that helps keep "garden" in our motto "The Garden State". We encourage any of you who have not had the opportunity to visit Presby to make the trip, especially in mid-May when the gardens are in all their glory. Everyone we have sent has been awestruck by the beauty of this natural rainbow of color. Go see for yourself!

Happy Gardening!
Cheryl

Dig It - Banquet Tree Peony

Banquet Tree Peony
I just finished planting the last of our tree peonies for the year. All of the buds on our display and potted tree peonies are really beginning to swell and you can expect to see blooms on tree peonies before their herbaceous relatives begin to flower. Although their bloom time is short lived, they retain their attractiveness throughout the summer due to their interesting foliage.

What fabulous plants to have in your garden. They last for years and get better with age with larger and more abundant flowers. (My wife tells me she is getting better with age---who knows???). Once planted a tree peony often will out live you (something else the wife is planning to do!).

Banquet tree peony is one of the first generation hybrid seedlings from Saunders in 1941. Any plant that is still around that long deserves a place of honor in your garden! Large semi-double flowers of a strawberry red with touches of gold on the undersides of the petals and cut-leaved foliage make this a landscape standout.

Tree peonies are grafted on herbaceous peony roots and need to form their own roots. Therefore, make sure you plant your tree peony deep enough so it will begin to form roots from the top graph.

Centuries ago the Chinese dubbed the tree peony the "King of Flowers" and once you establish one in your garden, I'm certain you will agree.

Curl Up With a Good Book

Happy New Year and belated holiday greetings to all. As you can tell, all my blogging efforts went on the back burner for a long time and I hope your holiday celebrations were as enjoyable as ours.

We were delighted to have my cousin and her daughter from Australia, daughter and granddaughter of the "Pagan Dancers"(see September 15, 2008 blog) spend Christmas with us and it was interesting to see their reaction to places and things that we so take for granted. For example, upon seeing the rink at Rockefeller Center, Denise's reaction was "Is that it??? It looks ten times larger in the movies and on TV!!!" But she was thoroughly impressed by the tree. And she was equally amazed that in the States the mailman not only delivers your mail, but will pick up any to be sent. Guess we shouldn't complain as much about the postage!

Denise and Rhiannon must be happy to be back in warmer climes now that winter has taken a nasty turn here. We awoke to 4 degrees this AM and may see temperatures go below 0 tomorrow morning, which gives us a good reason to light the wood stove and curl up with a good book. There are a few that we have read and keep on hand as reference books that we would like to recommend until we get a bit of a thaw and all you avid gardeners are able to get your hands dirty again.

The World of Irises by Warburton and Hamblen and published by The American Iris Society provides a wealth of information and encompasses the worlds of bearded, beardless, and lesser known varieties. It is a must have reference for the serious iris enthusiast's book shelf. The beautifully illustrated The Gardener's Iris Book by William Shear is full of excellent advise on the selection, care and propagation of irises.


For you peony lovers, Peonies by Allan Rogers and The Gardener's Peony-Herbaceous and Tree Peonies by Martin Page are books that John and I have used extensively. Both contain beautiful color plates and information about the wide variety of peonies available as well as their culture.

Head to your library or local book store, pick up one of the above volumes, or peruse the shelves for any other gardening book of your choosing, then over the winter you can dream of the fantastic additions you can make to your gardens come spring.

Trick or Treat?!?

Well, it was a treat for those like me who enjoy seeing the landscape covered with newly fallen snow, but it was the trick part with which I take exception! The goblins played a Pre-Halloween trick on us here at Pittsgrove Farms and throughout many parts of the New Jersey with high winds and early snow. We received about 2" of heavy, slushy stuff, but it was reported that as much as a foot of snow fell in Lebanon, NJ where we once had a garden center. I think that is carrying "frost on the pumpkin" to the extreme! The heaviness of the snow combined with strong, gusting winds caused havoc by bringing down branches and trees and knocking out power lines with resulting power outages. We must have a guardian angel since we only lost power for an hour and large branches missed our parked car by inches, saving us from huge repair bills.


We intend to cover our potted peonies with insulating blanket, but Mother Nature tried to cover them with branches. I appreciate the thought, but branches don't really serve the same purpose and only add to all the other other branches that John and I have had to cut up throughout the property.
As long as our iris, peony, and daylily beds weren't damaged we can't complain. The hard work and fresh air will keep us in good physical shape and when we're through we'll have no need to buy firewood this winter!

Time for Fall Planting

Daylily beds with some divisions

What glorious weather we have been having and it is a good thing, as the now "unretired" Gulish couple are busy from dawn 'til dusk (I do have a tendency to exaggerate!) working on the perennials.

Earlier in the week we were weeding the beds and dividing daylilies and have been dividing many varieties of iris on and off the last few weeks. Then on Tuesday our friendly UPS man arrived with boxes of bare root peonies promising to return the next day with an equivalent load. After my initial excitement of getting the shipment with the anticipation of blooms next spring, I realized I was missing an important step--planting the peonies.

Peonies potted for Spring of 2009

Now is a perfect time to plant peonies for next spring along with the other perennials that you and we may be dividing and planting for next year's garden treasures.



We are now offering bare root peony roots for sale at Pittsgrove Farms at prices reduced from what they will be potted in the spring. Pittsgrove Farms will be open the next two weekends, Friday-Sunday, 9:00-5:00, September 19-21 and 26-28, or by appointment on weekdays. And naturally our iris and daylily varieties will also be available. For directions and contact information please click here to go to our website.

As the days grow shorter and we have less time to work in the garden, now is ideal to cram in that last minute gardening for the big payoff in the spring of beautiful blooms. You can sleep in the winter, at least that is our plan.

Daffodils & Gremlins

Sorry for the big gap in my writing, I've recently returned from visiting with our West Coast family leaving poor John to fend for himself. It was the longest we have been apart in 37 years of marriage and ladies, there is still hope for your significant others! While I was away, John learned how to operate the washer and dryer,dish washer, and coffee maker! However, the house gremlins conspired against him after a few days and the coffee maker refused to drip into the pot and a bathroom shelf that has been hanging for over 20 years fell to the floor when he wasn't home. (When I returned the coffee maker worked for me good as new and the shelf appears to be set for another 20 years!)

While in Washington, I took part in the Junior Daffodil Parade in Tacoma with our grandchildren, but missed last weekend's Daffodil Parade which spans 4 different cities in Pierce County, Washington and has been a huge event and celebrated its 75th anniversary this year. The Puyallup valley in Pierce County produces over 200 varieties of daffodils . It was fun handing out daffodils along the parade route and seeing people get so excited over flowers.

I guess John missed me a little since freshly picked daffodils greeted my return. That was probably to offset the mile long "To Do" list he also had waiting for me.

I was delighted to see that the insulation blanket worked wonderfully for the potted peonies which are all in various stages of growth depending on variety.


Our bearded iris survived well despite some heaving that we had to deal with over the winter. So now that spring has officially kicked off for us, we'll have plenty to keep us busy and John has informed me that I get no more time off. I'll keep you posted on what my task master has
in store for me.

Many Happy Returns

We were pleased to recently learn that a variety of peonies that we are carrying in limited supply this year was recently named 2008 Peony of the Year and Gold Medal Awardee by the American Peony Society. Many Happy Returns was developed by one of the premier peony hybridizers, Hollingsworth Nursery of Maryville, Missouri in 1986.

Many Happy Returns

Many Happy Returns falls under the catagory of "Best Landscapers" which are peonies with a bush form displaying flowers quite attractive in landscape form as well as a delightful cut flower. With the development of "Best Landscapers" many gardeners who have been reluctant to grow peonies since they just remember them flopping over in Grandma's garden, will be won over by the beauty that these resilient plants will bring as striking additions to home landscapes. Many Happy Returns with its vibrant scarlet-red flowers in Anemone to Bomb form, multiple stems yielding many blooms which are long lasting as cut flowers has proven itself a winner.

Pink Hawaiian Coral

Other "Best Landscapers" that may be of interest are: Pink Hawaiian Coral, Paula Fay, and My Love, one of which may someday find its way into your garden and all of which we grow at Pittsgrove Farms.

Paula Fay

My Love

Peonies in the News

Shortly after starting the Pittsgrove Farms' Plant Dirt blog we added the "News Tracker" at the bottom of the page tagged with some of our favorite topics. Not long after it was added a couple of Peony stories came up. It is great to see such interest in one of our favorite plants. We think both articles are a good read for those new to growing Peonies. The first article was from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer's Ask Marianne column. It asks a common question that we hear a lot, "why aren't my peonies blooming well?"

The second article from the Asbury Park Press also touches upon why your peonies won't bloom and gives a nice overview about growing peonies. Unfortunately there is no mention of New Jersey growers but hopefully we can help change that next year.

Jeremy Gulish
http://plantdirt.blogspot.com/

Ask Marianne: Too much mulch can stifle a peony's abundant bloom

By MARIANNE BINETTI
SPECIAL TO THE P-I

Q: For the past eight years, my peonies were full of blooms. This summer, there was exactly one bloom. What happened?
-- M.B., Anchorage

M.B.: This is usually my favorite question to answer. That's because the cure for peonies that stop blooming usually is so simple. Just scrape away any mulch covering the crown of the plants. Peonies don't bloom when they are planted too deeply. In your case, perhaps a harsh winter in Alaska had something to do with the lack of buds, and removing all mulch from peonies in an extreme climate could be a chilling experience. Wait until early spring, when the ground is no longer frozen, then remove added mulch from around your peonies to encourage more blooms.



PRETTY PEONIES
GARDENERS HAVE A VARIETY OF THESE BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS TO CHOOSE FROM THAT CAN BE INCLUDED IN HOME LANDSCAPES
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 08/16/07

BY MARGARET C. CROOKS-GARDEN WRITER Post Comment

Before this area became so densely populated, it was not unusual to see peonies blooming in May at long-deserted farmhouses. These plants live for many years, with the clumps getting larger and more beautiful over time. When I left my Sea Girt garden, mine were about 35 years old and just gorgeous.

These old-fashioned flowers are planted from September to first frost, so start shopping now. It is more satisfactory to plant roots of herbaceous (a nonwoody plant) peonies in the fall than container-grown plants in May. Look for clumps with multiple eyes (growing points). Even large clumps may not flower their first season.

There are scores of species and cultivars available, ranging from single to fully double (petals), and in colors of white, pink, red, purple and blends. You can find pictures online by searching "peony" and, of course, in mail-order catalogs. Tree peonies do well here, too, but be prepared to pay a good deal more for a good specimen. There also are smaller growing herbaceous plants for the rock garden that grow to only 15 to 20 inches.

Among the newer varieties, look for those awarded the gold medal of the American Peony Society. Old varieties are still good, with Festiva Maxima going strong after decades — a fluffy white double flower with splashes of red on some of the petals and the fragrance of a rose.

The foremost American hybridizer, Roy G. Klehm, has given us scores of the newer beauties.Peonies were cultivated in the Orient many years before they were introduced to Western gardeners.

Choose a site in full sun with well-rained soil. Adjust the pH to about 6.5 and mix compost to about a foot deep. Set the plants at least 3 feet apart. When planting, it is critical that the eyes be no deeper than 2 inches or the plants won't flower. Make the planting holes wide enough to accommodate the roots without crowding. Fill the hole, tamp tightly and water thoroughly. Use a loose mulch for the winter, removing it in spring to allow new growth to come to the surface.

Expect bloom in mid- to late May, depending upon the species and variety. When petals drop, remove the seed heads. This is the time to fertilize. Use a product such as 5-10-10. A single light application is all that is needed. Take care not to overfertilize with nitrogen, the first number in the fertilizer formula of NPK.

In wet springs, the plants may become infected with botrytis that can make new shoots wilt and buds to turn black when they are the size of peas. The fungus easily is controlled with a fungicide listed for its control. If not sure, call your county Rutgers Cooperative Extension office in Freehold Township or Toms River.

Tree peonies are shipped in the fall in containers and should be planted as soon as received. If the soil is well tilled with supplemental compost or other humusy material and enriched with a slow-release phosphorus (the second letter P in the formula) it will not need supplemental fertilizer for several years. Mulching is recommended.

Whatever type of peony you plant, keep it well away from trees and shrubs with competing roots.

Most quality nurseries will ship 2-year-old field-grown roots. Don't settle for less. One company, Terre Ceia Farms in Pantego, N.C., grows peonies for the cut-flower market as well as bulb and root retail sales and sells 10-year-old clumps for $40.