herbaceous ornamentals

herbaceous ornamentals characteristics

do not grow persistent, above ground woody growth

above ground plant material dies when winter comes

most often, valued for their aesthetic qualities

herbaceous ornamentals life cycles

within a life cycle, the plant will grow, flower and set seed to reproduce

annual plant

plant completes entire life cycle in one season

most plant growth focuses on flowering and seed development instead of root or foliage growth

grow quickly and bloom readily

tend to have shallow root system that requires frequent watering and fertilizer use

as plant sets seed, it signals to the plant to start dying (because this may not coincide with the end of the growing season, you should deadhead the plants to encourage continued blooming)

biennial plants

require two growing seasons to complete their life cycle

in the first year, it primarily grows deep root systems and foliage

flowers emerge the second year

energy stored in the roots fuels floral growth

once the plant has flowered and set seed, it will die

biennials are not common in decorative garden beds because of different forms and only flowering every other year

perennial plants

do not completely die when they have completed their life cycle

survive winter by storing energy in underground overwintering structures

focus of growth depends on the season: foliage growth occurs in the spring, followed by flowering and finally root growth in the fall

they may not flower the first year as the plant focuses growth on establishing a root system

once established, the plants are typically a regular landscape feature

hardy plant

best option for surviving MN winters

do not begin to diet back until temperatures reach the low 20s

roots and underground storage systems can withstand harsh winters, often without need for extra protection

half-hardy plants

less like to survive harsh MN winter

May need additional garden protection such as mulch or snow cover

can sustain a light frost and will begin to die back when temps reach upper 20s

tender plants

cannot survive a frost

leaf tissue May be injured when temps drop into 40s and 50s

must be overwintered indoors or treated as annuals in the garden

cultivar

cultivated variety of a species, often bred to have particular characteristics of color or shape

when you choose a specific cultivar, you are simply choosing a specific variety of a plant species

hybrid

type of cultivar created by crossing two different cultivars together

plants can be hybridized to develop different colors, flower shapes, foliage characteristics of disease resistance

may be increasingly likely to bloom and grow in the garden due to hybrid vigor

not possible to reproduce hybrid plants from seed (seeds create offspring that are a genetic combination of the parent plants, not identical copies)

native plants

evolved to grow in MN and are adapted to the climate and soil conditions

are preferred for pollinator gardens because they provide better food sources for native pollinators and wildlife

once established, native plants can be easier to grow compared to non native plants

provide a specific ecosystem service that non-natives cannot do as well

bulbs

group of herbaceous ornamentals that grow from underground, modified plant parts

these structures store energy for the plant to produce showy blooms or big ornamental leaves

true bulbs are modified leaves and include tulips, hyacinth and daffodils

corms are modified stems and include gladiolus

rhizomes are also modified stems and include calla lilies

tuberous roots are modified roots and include dahlias

also categorized by when they bloom:

spring flowering bulbs require a cold treatment in order to flower and should be planted in the fall

summer flowering bulbs are tender and require planting in the spring after the danger of frost has passed

garden considerations

environmental conditions (sun exposure, etc)

soil (sandy, well drained, etc)

time and effort you want to put into it (annual flower beds require more work than perennial ones, but perennial gardens are more expensive and will require more initial work)

garden goals

plant size (avoid overcrowding plants, especially perennials to avoid disease and nutrient issues)

timing for planting (depends on the cold tolerance of your plants)

sun exposure

deep shade - receive no sunlight

full shade - less than three hours of sunlight

light to part shade - 3 - 6 hours of sunlight

partly sunny - six to eight hours of sunlight

full sun - at least eight to twelve hours of sunlight

planting herbaceous ornamentals

remove any turf, mulch or weeds from space

dig a hole the size of the root ball, taking care to avoid digging too deeply

the soil line of the plant in a container should be level with the ground in the garden

remove the plant from the container and loosen up the roots

lower the plant into the hole and tamp down soil as you refill it

water and pinch off blooms (this encourages the plant to establish more quickly by focusing on root growth rather than blooms)

maintaining herbaceous ornamentals (8)

mulch (reduces weed seed germination, keeps moisture in soil, conserves water and can reduce the spread of disease)

weed (important for overall health of the garden: weeds compete for resources, can be a vector for diseases)

water (need about 1 - 2 inches of water/ week, water deeply at the base of the plant and allow the water to infiltrate the soil slowly, keep the canopy of the plant as free from water as possible)

fertilize (annual plants more likely to need fertilizer, look for signs of nutrient deficiency)

deadhead (encourages plant to continue producing flowers throughout the season rather than seeds)

divide (if you notice reduced growth, fewer blooms and dead spots in the middle of on the sides of the plant)

bulbs (add soil amendments or fertilizer when planting your bulbs, plant at correct depth and time, choose a location with full sun, deadhead to discourage seed growth, let the leaves dies back naturally, relocate after the leaves and flowers have died back naturally)

winter prep (removal of dead foliage and apply mulch or don’t apply mulch and leave 12 - 18 inches of plant material for pollinators)

container gardens how to

capacity of drainage of container is most important feature to avoid disease or root rot

type of container material may affect how often you need to water (porous, hanging or dark or metal pots may require more watering)

choose a container large enough to support your plant and its overall growth (perennials, woody plants and vegetables need more soil volume compared to annuals)

grow best with soilless media

do not use pottery shards, rocks or other material to fill the bottom of the container (not beneficial for plant growth and reduces the amount of root space your plants have to grow)

water and fertilize regularly

don’t overferilize as it can reduce blooms and increase the demand of water in your containers

pollinator gardens how to

have a diversity to support wide variety of pollinators (variety of colors, flower shapes, flowers blooming throughout the season)

choose native plants if possible (or start with milkweed, purple coneflowers and asters)

choose varieties that have easily accessible pollen and nectar to feed pollinators (double petals obscure nectar sources)

include elements that support how pollinators live (leaving spaces for nesting, grow plants for caterpillars to consume, and provide water, plant the same flowers in masses of at least six plants - masses of flowers provide color that is more prominent and a stronger fragrance that helps direct the bees)

leave some mess in your garden over the winter

avoid the use of pesticides if possible

raised beds how to

good for better accessibility, or to have better soil than what might be available in the ground

mounded garden bed - easiest type, good choice for vegetables

avoid using railroad ties or pressure treated wood as they can Leach chemicals into the soil

gardens built on top of non porous materials should be at least two feet deep, while those on top of soil don’t require as much depth

do not step in garden bed

don’t make them to wide so they remain accessible

use high quality top soil mixed with compost

if building a shorter raised bed on top of existing soil, till the soil to disrupt the surface layer - this allows a better connection between the raised bed and ground

require similar care to that of a container garden (water and fertilizer more often than in ground garden)

weed and mulch

provide unique ability to provide the conditions for especially challenging plants to grow

because of exposure, can cause frost injury to roots of perennials