In Jo's Yard - 41 Planning Spring Maintenance

April 1 2019 A steady rain seems to wash away a lot more aphids and the Milkweeds are looking pretty good.  No sign of Monarch butterflies yet.  The rain helps green-up the front yard frog fruit a little bit.

The frog fruit in the front yard was cut in November (4 months ago).  It does not look good to me.  But the frog fruit on the sides and in the back is green and is definitely growing some.  It was not cut back because it was planted later.  Kirsten Sharp-Ortega from Green Isle Gardens (http://www.greenislegardens.com/about-us.html)is here, by appointment to help me plan for my Spring maintenance.  She points out that there is green “under” the top layer.  She will check to see if some natural (chicken poop) fertilizer will help, or just leave it be.  In the end, we decide maintenance will be scheduled for the end of April, and I will send Kirsten photos of the frog fruit in mid-April to see if it’s changed.

In the wildflower garden, I will add two more Stokes Aster plants.  Two of the 3 Blazing Star Liatris are coming back, so we will wait and see how they do this year.  The scorpion-tail can be cut back and shaped any way I want – I will let Green Isle Gardens do that.  Kirsten points out that the Helmut Skull Cap (Scutellaria integrifolia) is coming back spectacularly, and has spread to other places in the Wildflower garden.  After we check on the milkweed on the north side of the house, we will consider moving them either to the front or away from A/C and closer to the Simpson Stopper. 

She shows me where I can trim the Coral Honeysuckle.  The compact Firebush behind the Trellis has lots of buds.  I am looking forward to seeing the hummingbirds around here. 

The flatwood plum trees are doing well.  Even though the one that seemed “weaker” from the time it was planted did not get as many flowers, and does not have as many leaves as the other, Kirsten says it’s still healthy – the branches and twigs are flexible and not brittle.  She says that Flatwood Plum trees can be quirky and leaf out from the bottom up.  


   Flatwood Plum Tree starts to flower – eventually flowers & leaves are on the tree simultaneously

                          Blue Helmet Skull Cap in foreground, Red Tropical Sage behind it