If I say shrub to you, what do you think of? A row of hedges planted along your property line to give you privacy? Or maybe some dwarf evergreen shrubs in a xeriscape garden to soften the hard edges? Perhaps fast-growing plants like honeysuckle or forsythia that are great for quickly filling in a bare landscape?

Whatever example popped in your head probably involved a shrub that was firmly planted in the ground. But what if you are renting a property or live in an apartment or are looking for some patio décor – do you have to go without shrubs?

Happily, there are many shrubs that do well in containers. They will give you all the benefits of these beautiful plants, plus the flexibility to reposition them around as needed – or if you move!

Here are some examples of shrubs that do very well in containers:

• Dwarf Alberta Spruce (and all dwarf conifers) – this small evergreen conifer has the classic Christmas tree shape.
• Japanese Maple – with their fiery leaves, these shrubs make a big statement in a small space.
• Dwarf Peach Trees – rarely getting taller than 8 to 10 feet, these trees will give you spring blossoms, summer green foliage and full-size fruit.
• Serviceberry – this is an all-year shrub that gives you different looks throughout the year – flowers in spring, fruits in summer, colorful foliage in fall, and stark bark in winter.
• Dwarf Crabapple “Lollipop” Shrubs – It really does look like a lollipop with its ball of fragrant white flowers on a sturdy trunk. Thanks to its dwarf genetics, this shrub always looks neat and needs minimal pruning.
• Dwarf varieties of butterfly bushes – you’ll still attract the pollinators with these shrubs but without them taking up too much space in your garden.
• Hydrangea – about a third of the size of a full hydrangea bush, dwarf hydrangea are another shrub that gives you beautiful blooms while requiring minimal pruning.
• Barberry – the small round leaf clusters of the barberry look gorgeous in containers and can add color (and privacy) to a deck, patio or balcony.
• Dwarf Ninebark – a shrub where the flowers are almost secondary to the bark, the name comes from the way the bark peels back, exposing a beautiful red underneath.
• Low Scape Mound Aronia – this dwarf chokeberry has fast developing leaves and is great for attracting birds.
• Boxwood – the classic border shrub that often give in-ground gardens their shape is also terrific in containers, and their evergreen foliage provides year-round color.

There are some things you need to consider when planting shrubs in pots. First, your container needs to be thick; plastic containers need not apply for the job of housing a dwarf shrub. Size matters too; your pot should be twice the size of the root ball of the plant to ensure the roots don’t freeze and thaw throughout the winter.

All this means you might have a heavy plant to cart around, so you might want to invest in a tray with wheels to make it easier to move and winterize. Speaking of winter, your container shrub will need water at least once a month during the winter, so make sure it’s accessible.

If you have any questions about selecting shrubs for container planting, please give us a call or visit the nursery. We have both the plants and the appropriate pots for them and can help with whatever advice you need.

Happy Gardening!
Misti

Perennials are the backbone of any garden.

They offer almost endless diversity in color and shape. You can plant them almost anywhere in your garden because there are perennials that love full sun and ones that are happier with shade. Perennials also range in when they bloom, so with some strategic planting, you can have color and beauty all season long. Their root systems are also smaller than roots and shrubs, so there’s less root mass to keep watered.

In addition, perennials are also quite versatile. They are equally suited to garden beds or containers. In fact, here’s a cute little planter I did, all with shade-loving perennials:

Here are some of the many perennials we have in stock right now at Warner’s Nursery:

In the sun-loving category, we have yarrow, hollyhock, dianthus, daylilly, guara, shasta daisy, rudbeckia, gaillardia, echinacea, catmint, anise hysop, penstemon, winecups, coreopsis, lupine, scabiosa, sedum, creeping thyme, veronica, gallium, delphinium.

For the shady parts of your garden, try hosta, heuchera, lamium, foxglove, columbine, vinca, campanula, myosotis, astilbe, dicentra (also known as fern-leaf bleeding heart) and brunnera.

The one thing all perennials share – in addition to coming back year after year – is that they need to be planted right to thrive. Here’s how: 

• Dig a saucer-shaped hole that is twice the width of the root ball of your plant and equally as deep. (It is better to plant a little above ground level than too deep.)
• Amend your soil by mixing parts of the soil from the hole and a good planting mix (we recommend our own Supreme Planting Mix) and place some of this in the bottom of the hole.
• Water your plant thoroughly before gently removing it from its container. (Support the stem of the plant with one hand as you turn the pot upside down and tap the bottom of it, sliding the pot away from the plant. Don’t yank!)
• Tease out the roots of the plant gently.
• Place the plant into its hole and backfill with your pre-mixed soil.
• Water thoroughly with some Fertilome Root Stimulator to prevent transplant shock and promote vigorous root growth.

Once your perennial is planted, watering is vital. During that first week, water twice a day, then for the next two weeks, water once a day. After the first month, you should be fine watering every other day until winter, when you can water every three or so weeks during dormancy. 

After the first year, your perennial will be fine with watering twice a week from spring through fall and once per month during winter.

If you have any questions about perennials – or just want to see our awesome collection of these amazing plants – please stop by the nursery. 

Happy Gardening!
Misti

When our record snowfall melted away recently, I was finally able to see the ground and plants in my yard and realized that after this really long winter, spring prep looks different this year.

For example, the amount of snow we saw in the past few months – and the sheer heaviness of it – have caused some issues that you’ll probably have to deal with before you can really get your garden ready for spring planting.

Trees and shrubs probably saw more damage than in past winters, which means that proper pruning is going to be essential this year. Here are a few reminders as you pull out your loppers and shears:

• Early spring is the perfect time for pruning because most plants are breaking dormancy, meaning that wounds will heal faster. However, if you have a spring blooming tree or shrub, you should ideally prune them before they bud. Otherwise, wait until after blooming has finished.
• Never prune more than one third of the plant. Prune more than that and you run the risk of damaging the plant or at least stunting its growth.
• Remember that there’s no such thing as “recreational pruning” with conifers, because they don’t replace growth like other trees and shrubs. Evergreen pruning should always be done for a particular reason, such as removing dead or diseased branches or controlling the size of a tree threatening to grow into other plants, buildings, or utility wires.

Other things to look out for due to the excess snow are fungal issues such as “snow mold” on lawns and garden areas. The best way to deal with this is to rake up old matted down leaves and pine needles and treat for fungus if necessary.

And if you didn’t trim back your perennials last fall, you’ll definitely want to do it now. Shoulder surgery last year meant I couldn’t winterize my garden as much as I wanted to. Normally, if I don’t cut back my perennials, the dead foliage just breaks off. But with the extra moisture this year, much of it is still attached to the plants and is just limp and soggy. This foliage needs to be removed and it will expose new growth ready to emerge.

Once you clean up your yard, remove broken branches, trim your perennials, and bag up old leaves and pine needles, your garden will be ready for you to amend the soil with mulch and compost and then add new plants for the new season. 

If you have any questions about spring clean up – and particularly if you are unsure about the best way to prune a tree or shrub with broken branches – please stop by the nursery. Bring a picture if you can, and we’ll give you some expert advise and direction. 

Happy Gardening!
Misti