Gardening - October Q&A

Answer: It depends on the plant and how late you are referring to. I love a deal and I am the first in line to purchase good buys. Most deciduous shrubs and younger trees (plants that lose their leaves in the winter) can safely be planted through October in our area. Of course you greatly increase the odds of how these survive Old Man Winter’s attacks with proper planting and good watering. Before planting, water the container well. When digging the hole, make sure it is at least twice the width of the container and a depth that is the same height of the container. You can add a SMALL amount of compost or manure to the planting hole, mix it into the existing soil, and then set the plant at the same depth it was in the pot. Water the root ball well, backfill the hole with soil, tamp down, and water again. Continue watering the new plant regularly until the ground freezes. I am hesitant to plant any evergreens (plants that retain their leaves/needles in the winter) after mid-October. These are more vulnerable to winterkill because they continue to transpire water though their leaves in winter. Unfortunately evergreens cannot replenish water loss from frozen ground. This can be extremely stressful to the plant, even fatal, if it hasn’t rooted out well after transplanting. The final point I would make is the healthier any plant is before you dig it in, the better its odds of surviving the winter. If the plant already looks stressed in the pot (i.e., it was not cared for properly at the garden center), then it is already behind the eight ball. Leave it there.

Question: Silver is such an elegant color. What are some silver-leaved plants I can add to my

gardens? Are there any flowers that are silver?

Answer: Silver certainly adds an air of sophistication to any garden. An added bonus is many of these silvery-leaved plants are also drought tolerant. Plus they do a fabulous job at quieting down loud colors that are close to each other, acting as a mitigating go-between. I have many silver peacemakers in my gardens. I personally love pairing these with blue, purple, and pink flowers or next to plants with blue or burgundy leaves. The majority of plants with silver leaves enjoy sunny locations and good drainage. Sun loving, silver-foliaged perennials include lamb’s ear; artemisias (be careful of ‘Silver King’, and ‘Silver Queen’ that can be very invasive); edelweiss (leontopodium), santolina (herb, borderline zone 5 and 6); pussytoes (antennaria); yarrow ‘Moonshine’; snow-in-summer (cerastium); lychnis rose campion; and salvia argenta (a biennial). Perennials for shade include spotted dead nettle (lamium ‘Pink Pewter’, ‘White Nancy’ and ‘Red Dragon’), Brunnera ‘Jack Frost’ and ‘Looking Glass’; and pulmonaria ‘Majeste’ and ‘Diana Clare.’Silver-leaved annuals include dusty miller, licorice plant (helichrysum), and dichondra ‘Silver Falls.’ Persian Shield is stunning with shiny silver and purple leaves. There are also a few silvery-white flowers to add refinement to your garden. Sea holly ‘Miss Wilmott’s Ghost,’ and globe thistle ‘Artic Glow’ have silvery flowers that seem to especially glow at dusk. Moroccan sea holly (eryngium variifolium) initially has silvery-balled flowers but they slowly turn blue as the flowers mature.