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PAS Gardens: Bold Statements

Broadcasting the Week of 02-28-11
In this episode of P. Allen Smith Gardens is all about making bold statements with very little effort.  Easy care flowering shrubs, abundant tulips and eliminating spider mites are just a few of the topics we’ll cover. 

Feature Highlights:
Cut Tulip Bouquet
Spider Mites
Planting Asparagus
Asparagus with Horseradish Sauce

Proven Winners® Totally Tempted® Cuphea
Totally Tempted® Cuphea has tubular, purple flowers crowned with a ring of vivid red petals. They have the appearance of brightly colored party horns. The plant has a tidier habit than other varieties. It forms a compact mound that is 10 to 12 inches tall and 12 to 18 inches wide. It can make an explosive impact in hanging baskets, beds, or borders. Totally Tempted® works best in the full sun. You may look at the flowers and think this is a delicate plant; it is real tough so give it a try.

Allen’s Mailbox:  Cold Tolerant Vegetables
Gabrielle in Tulsa, asks, "Allen, I’m planning to plant some Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and broccoli. I'd like to know when I should plant them in the ground. I'd like to start them now, but I’m not sure it's too early, if the frost will kill them. Thanks for your time."

Gabrielle, some vegetables can take it really cold and you can start early, so it's really about where you live, how cold it is, and the vegetables you select. For instance, you're off to the right track with these cold-tolerant vegetables, such as broccoli and Brussels sprouts. In fact, you can even add to that list. You could add cabbage, collards, kale, lettuce, spinach. Now, what I like to do is I typically buy these as potted plants that have already been started. It's much more convenient than starting them from seed. However, there are some exceptions, such as spinach, some types of lettuce, and arugula. I sow those directly in the ground.

Now, I don't want to mislead you. Even though many of these vegetables are regarded as cold-tolerant, they all can be wiped out if we have a sudden, severe drop in temperature. So to help them along, I plant my early spring crops in raised beds. By raising the soil, the temperature warms up just a bit earlier in the spring, and I can easily cover them with some sort of protective covering overnight, something like newspapers or old sheets, but I really like frost blankets. Just remember to remove the covering the next morning.

People and Places:
Dale Deppe at Spring Meadow Nursery in Michigan showcases some new varieties of flowering shrubs from Proven Winners® that will look great in your garden.
Pink Winky™ Hydrangea
Sunshine Blue® Caryopteris
Lo & Behold™ Blue Chip Buddleia
Incrediball™ Hydrangea

Candice Wickstrom at City Floral Garden Center demonstrates how to create a singular sensation with a single variety of tulips planted in a container.