WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.319 --> 00:00:07.679 Coming to you from Studio A at proven Winners Color Choice Shrubs. It's bulb 2 00:00:07.839 --> 00:00:13.720 planting time, so use your tulips and speak to me. It's The Gardening 3 00:00:13.839 --> 00:00:20.879 Simplified Show with Stacy Hervella, our engineer and producer, videographer, photographer Adrianna 4 00:00:21.039 --> 00:00:25.239 Robinson, and me Rick weissed Well, Stacy, I love, thank you, 5 00:00:25.359 --> 00:00:30.359 I gotta. I love bulbs. I love fall planted bulbs that bloom 6 00:00:30.440 --> 00:00:34.320 in spring. And at some point we'll talk about spring planted bulbs, usually 7 00:00:34.359 --> 00:00:39.679 tubers or rhizomes that you dig up and fall on another show. But these 8 00:00:39.679 --> 00:00:43.920 are the fall planted bulbs, and what a history they have. I think 9 00:00:44.000 --> 00:00:49.439 I've mentioned on the show before that my parents survived the hunger Winter of nineteen 10 00:00:49.520 --> 00:00:54.240 forty four forty five and the Netherlands and eight tulip bulbs to stay alive. 11 00:00:54.679 --> 00:01:00.479 Of course, there was also Tulipmania in the sixteen hundreds, where investors lost 12 00:01:00.520 --> 00:01:07.519 track of rational expectations and then realize they were holding an irrationally priced asset tulip 13 00:01:07.560 --> 00:01:14.000 bulbs. And there was of course a tulip bulb market bubble and crash, 14 00:01:14.040 --> 00:01:19.560 an amazing story if you've never read about this story, lots of lots of 15 00:01:19.560 --> 00:01:25.799 fun to read, and we'll put a link on the website from Investopedia. 16 00:01:26.159 --> 00:01:30.239 It's an example that's still used today by investment experts. It was a doozy. 17 00:01:30.239 --> 00:01:34.959 It was a doozy. Boy, you summed it up beautifully. I 18 00:01:34.040 --> 00:01:37.879 used a lot of words to get to that point. You did it with 19 00:01:37.959 --> 00:01:42.079 one word, doozy. All right, So today, is planting bulbs in 20 00:01:42.200 --> 00:01:49.120 fall as easy as dig drop done? That's how the industry promotes flower bulbs. 21 00:01:49.120 --> 00:01:51.560 And by the way, there's a website. We'll give you that link 22 00:01:51.599 --> 00:01:59.159 too at Gardening Simplified OnAir dot com, dig drop done dot com. But 23 00:01:59.400 --> 00:02:05.159 is it as easy as dig drop done? They have a personality quiz that 24 00:02:05.200 --> 00:02:09.360 you can take. I've taken the personality quiz, which tells you what kind 25 00:02:09.400 --> 00:02:12.719 of flower bulb you are. Oh, so, what was your result? 26 00:02:13.120 --> 00:02:15.840 I'm afraid to say. Oh no, I didn't take it, so I 27 00:02:15.919 --> 00:02:22.120 can't share my hen But I'm a muscary grape hyacinth. Oh well that's my 28 00:02:22.240 --> 00:02:27.599 reaction. Oh it's an invasive plant. Well, but it's darling, and 29 00:02:27.879 --> 00:02:31.400 it's darling and you like blue. Well, you know, it says if 30 00:02:31.400 --> 00:02:36.360 you live a life of abundance, never settling for simple or plane. You're 31 00:02:36.439 --> 00:02:40.319 in company with good friends, you like to breathe the life into a party, 32 00:02:42.120 --> 00:02:45.719 like to socialize that sort of thing. Then you're a muscarry. So 33 00:02:45.759 --> 00:02:49.639 anyhow, that was my take the quiz. Okay, and we'll have the 34 00:02:49.719 --> 00:02:53.639 link there for you at the website. Okay. Through the years of planting 35 00:02:53.680 --> 00:02:57.520 bulbs in fall, I've learned these are the key elements. Number one drainage. 36 00:02:58.080 --> 00:03:00.639 Drainage is super important. It's I mean, all the areas where bulbs 37 00:03:00.639 --> 00:03:07.560 are native to are mountainous areas with really good drainage and typically very dry in 38 00:03:07.599 --> 00:03:13.280 the summer Bingo, Central Asia, Iran or Persia. As early as the 39 00:03:13.319 --> 00:03:20.159 tenth century, they came to Europe daffodils from northern Africa, so yes, 40 00:03:20.280 --> 00:03:24.240 these dry areas. By the way, fritile area is one of my favorite 41 00:03:24.919 --> 00:03:30.120 fall planted bulbs, deer and rabbit resistant. When I was in the Netherlands 42 00:03:30.159 --> 00:03:34.759 this past spring, they were just gorgeous in beds. I took all kinds 43 00:03:34.800 --> 00:03:39.439 of pictures of them. But fritile area is one of one of my favorites. 44 00:03:39.479 --> 00:03:44.639 Fritile areas not something you have with your coffee at a doughnut shop. 45 00:03:45.199 --> 00:03:47.000 It's a bulb that you put in the ground and fall. Also known as 46 00:03:47.039 --> 00:03:52.280 crown imperial. Yes, the big, the big tall one is. I 47 00:03:52.360 --> 00:03:55.000 have never met a fritillaria I didn't like. I don't think they exist. 48 00:03:55.039 --> 00:03:59.439 They are marvelous. The checkered lily, you know, with a little looks 49 00:03:59.479 --> 00:04:03.240 like it's it I and I you know, the crown imperial. For many 50 00:04:03.280 --> 00:04:06.159 years I was just kind of like eh. And one year I found some 51 00:04:06.280 --> 00:04:10.560 on the clearance rack and I planted them, and I adore them. They 52 00:04:10.639 --> 00:04:14.960 are so fascinating and you lift up those little flowers and they have these huge, 53 00:04:15.039 --> 00:04:18.079 like P shaped, P sized nectaries in them that are just glistening up. 54 00:04:18.120 --> 00:04:20.759 They're just they're beautiful. I love them, fantastic. I love the 55 00:04:20.800 --> 00:04:24.879 way you describe that. And by the way, if you write a book, 56 00:04:24.920 --> 00:04:27.879 Stacy, that should be the title of your book. I've never met 57 00:04:27.920 --> 00:04:31.560 a frittile area. Ideas. It's aboutful, but it's it's accurate. Planting 58 00:04:31.639 --> 00:04:36.720 depth also super important. Now generally they recommend planting a bulb two times it's 59 00:04:36.759 --> 00:04:41.480 height in depth. So if a toola bulb is two inches high, they 60 00:04:41.560 --> 00:04:46.680 recommend planting it six inches deep, I recommend planting them deeper. You get 61 00:04:46.720 --> 00:04:50.079 more life out of the bulbs. I've planted them as deep as a foot 62 00:04:50.199 --> 00:04:55.759 or more upside down in other words, and where I didn't put the pointy 63 00:04:55.879 --> 00:04:59.319 side up. When spring comes, they still work their way to the surface. 64 00:04:59.360 --> 00:05:00.959 They do work there way to the service. It's best if you can, 65 00:05:01.240 --> 00:05:04.360 you know, point it with the right side up, but sometimes it's 66 00:05:04.399 --> 00:05:08.920 not always so clear, depending on the bulb, and some bulbs it's even 67 00:05:08.959 --> 00:05:12.560 impossible really to tell which is the right side up. Something like anemone Blanda, 68 00:05:12.639 --> 00:05:15.040 which another one of my favorites. I adore that plant. If you 69 00:05:15.079 --> 00:05:18.319 can't tell which end is up planet on its side, you're so right. 70 00:05:18.439 --> 00:05:24.720 Anemone has to be on that list. It's just gorgeous. Chicken wire is 71 00:05:24.759 --> 00:05:28.319 your friend. Rodents like to dig up bulbs, So when I plant bulbs, 72 00:05:28.360 --> 00:05:30.279 I dig the hole to the depth I need. Put a little chicken 73 00:05:30.319 --> 00:05:33.600 wire in the bottom of the hole, put the bulbs in, start to 74 00:05:33.639 --> 00:05:36.920 refill the hole, fold the chicken wire over and I'm good to go. 75 00:05:38.079 --> 00:05:40.480 That's a good idea, yeah, And the bulbs will grow right through the 76 00:05:40.560 --> 00:05:44.399 chicken wire. Oh, yeah, no problem. It's a lesson in photosynthesis. 77 00:05:44.439 --> 00:05:47.680 Next spring, after they're done blooming, allow that foliage to absorb the 78 00:05:47.720 --> 00:05:53.399 sunlight until it yellows. It will re energize the bulb. It's a great 79 00:05:53.519 --> 00:06:00.160 companion with plants like Virginia, magnolia's, hellebores, lilacs for Scythia's in combination. 80 00:06:00.680 --> 00:06:05.319 And for those people who struggle with deer, my top four list is 81 00:06:05.519 --> 00:06:14.319 fritillarias aliums right yep, Dutch gyrus, and daffodils. Oh yeah, I 82 00:06:14.399 --> 00:06:16.360 can't go wrong with those. I have them all. The deer have never 83 00:06:17.439 --> 00:06:21.879 touched them. Rabbits sometimes, but not the deafodils. Now, tulips are 84 00:06:21.879 --> 00:06:28.279 great for forcing in containers or you're gonna have to provide protection and spring because 85 00:06:28.279 --> 00:06:30.839 they're like candy too. They are, and if the deer don't get them, 86 00:06:30.839 --> 00:06:34.480 the squirrels will. That's what happened when I tried to I tried to 87 00:06:34.600 --> 00:06:38.240 have some tulips for forcing, you know, I put them outside to get 88 00:06:38.240 --> 00:06:40.759 the cold treatment, and then I was planning to bring them in, and 89 00:06:40.759 --> 00:06:45.160 then I brought them in and nothing happened. Why because the squirrels rated them. 90 00:06:45.399 --> 00:06:49.160 That's frustrating. That's frustrating. Yeah, so it goes what they're delicious 91 00:06:49.199 --> 00:06:53.399 to them, they're delicious now. All in all, bulbs to me are 92 00:06:53.480 --> 00:06:57.040 just like magic. They're like magic. And if you take, for example, 93 00:06:57.040 --> 00:07:00.720 a tulip bulb with a sharp knife and just cut it right down the 94 00:07:00.720 --> 00:07:05.480 middle, you can actually see the tiny little flour in there. It's it's 95 00:07:05.519 --> 00:07:12.079 fascinating to see. So it's just this orb of potential ready to bloom in 96 00:07:12.240 --> 00:07:15.360 spring. I do recommend feeding when you put the bulbs in the ground. 97 00:07:15.720 --> 00:07:20.480 The feeding isn't necessarily for next spring, but it's for future years, and 98 00:07:20.839 --> 00:07:26.519 we want the bulbs to root well in the soil below the frost line before 99 00:07:26.600 --> 00:07:30.519 spring arrives. But like I said, it's magic. So here comes a 100 00:07:30.639 --> 00:07:35.120 limb, a rick. Spring blooms are for me a focus hyacinth, staffodils, 101 00:07:35.160 --> 00:07:42.079 and crocus. Next spring, all admire tulips while sipping on mint julips, 102 00:07:42.120 --> 00:07:46.920 A botanical hocus pocus. I have tricks up my sleeve, amazed by 103 00:07:46.959 --> 00:07:51.040 what bulbs achieve easier than a rabbit from a hat. I'm a wizard of 104 00:07:51.079 --> 00:07:56.839 my habitat in magic. I believe it's you know, it's so true because 105 00:07:57.279 --> 00:08:01.959 you're out there on some you know, cold, crummy fall day. You 106 00:08:01.040 --> 00:08:07.800 got all these bulbs and you're putting these just lumpy brown things in the ground, 107 00:08:07.199 --> 00:08:09.240 and you kind of have the sense, okay, I know what a 108 00:08:09.279 --> 00:08:13.639 daftel looks like. But the difference between those days when you plant and that 109 00:08:13.800 --> 00:08:18.319 time when they emerge, it's it's amazing that you just that small investment in 110 00:08:18.319 --> 00:08:22.000 time and effort, it pays off for years. If you pick your bulbs 111 00:08:22.040 --> 00:08:24.720 well, you know, years and years. You'll have those bulbs coming up 112 00:08:24.120 --> 00:08:28.199 every single year and then you'll say, hey, remember that crummy fall day 113 00:08:28.240 --> 00:08:31.480 back in twenty twenty three when I planted those. Now it's you know, 114 00:08:31.959 --> 00:08:35.159 twenty thirty three or beyond and they're still coming up. It's magic. That's 115 00:08:35.360 --> 00:08:39.840 that's what it is. It's magic. A great thing to add to your 116 00:08:39.000 --> 00:08:45.039 hoartfolio now as an investment. Now, don't forget the minor bulbs. Minor 117 00:08:45.080 --> 00:08:48.720 bulbs are a favorite because they don't take much care. They come back year 118 00:08:48.759 --> 00:08:52.759 after year, generally a small size bulb, and the flowers tend to be 119 00:08:52.840 --> 00:08:58.559 miniature too, so you plant them in swats. But Siberian squill grape hyacinths, 120 00:09:00.039 --> 00:09:05.360 miniature narcissus, snow drops, Galanthus, winter aconite, crocus, glory 121 00:09:05.440 --> 00:09:09.759 of the snow. The anemonies that you mentioned, and I know another one 122 00:09:09.799 --> 00:09:13.879 that you love, and that is iris reticular love it, yep. I 123 00:09:15.039 --> 00:09:18.960 have a bunch of them, and they're just so tidy and neat and unlike 124 00:09:20.039 --> 00:09:24.799 some other bulbs that maybe don't age gracefully, kind of start getting a little 125 00:09:24.879 --> 00:09:28.799 ratty. I'm looking at you, daffodils, You're worth it. But by 126 00:09:28.840 --> 00:09:31.480 the time you know, May rolls around, you're a little like I'm done 127 00:09:31.519 --> 00:09:35.759 with the daffodils. Not so with the reticulated iris. They're really just remain 128 00:09:35.879 --> 00:09:39.480 really elegant and interesting even as their foliage grows out. Well, if you 129 00:09:39.480 --> 00:09:43.080 can take a shot at daffodils, I can take a shot at hyacinths. 130 00:09:43.200 --> 00:09:46.960 Bear in mind that if you're planting hyacinths, oh, it makes the hair 131 00:09:46.080 --> 00:09:50.159 stand up on the back of my neck. Many people, at least fifty 132 00:09:50.159 --> 00:09:56.759 percent of people get a skin dermatitis itchy awful feeling from handling hyacine, just 133 00:09:56.799 --> 00:10:01.840 from handling the bulb. Yes, so we're gloves. If you're planting hyacinths. 134 00:10:01.840 --> 00:10:05.440 They're kind of polarizing, like cilantro. You know, you go to 135 00:10:05.480 --> 00:10:09.159 the spring garden shows and they have hyacinths everywhere, and some people love it 136 00:10:09.200 --> 00:10:13.399 and some people are like overpowered by it. So I'm in the love camp 137 00:10:13.679 --> 00:10:18.120 there you go. See, So it's polarizing. Anyhow, that's it for 138 00:10:18.159 --> 00:10:22.000 bulbs. Make sure you put some in the ground this fall. And coming 139 00:10:22.080 --> 00:10:26.240 up next, plants on trial. Let's see what Stacy, what magic Stacy 140 00:10:26.639 --> 00:10:31.279 has to unveil for us. That's coming up next here on the Gardening Simplified 141 00:10:31.320 --> 00:10:39.879 Show, Proven winners, Color Choice Shrubs cares about your success in the garden. 142 00:10:41.159 --> 00:10:43.159 That's why we trial and test all of our shrubs for eight to ten 143 00:10:43.240 --> 00:10:48.200 years, making sure they outperform everything else on the market. Look for them 144 00:10:48.200 --> 00:10:54.399 in the distinctive white container at your local garden center. Greetings gardening friends, 145 00:10:54.440 --> 00:10:58.799 and welcome back to the Gardening Simplified Show. On the break, Adriana and 146 00:10:58.840 --> 00:11:05.879 myself took the opportunity to take the Bulb personality test and not unlike Rick, 147 00:11:05.039 --> 00:11:11.480 I personally do not agree with my result. My result was a tulip, 148 00:11:11.080 --> 00:11:16.200 and tulips are okay, like colorful there Oh, but that's all they are 149 00:11:16.240 --> 00:11:18.320 to me. That's all they are. They're just they're just colorful. They 150 00:11:18.360 --> 00:11:22.559 don't have like a lot of like space in them. I have some species 151 00:11:22.559 --> 00:11:26.080 tulips, some real small ones that I do enjoy, and I just, 152 00:11:26.240 --> 00:11:30.279 you know, to me, they're just not the most interesting of the bulb 153 00:11:30.279 --> 00:11:31.919 because all they are is colorful. I like some things that you know are 154 00:11:31.919 --> 00:11:35.080 a little bit more interactive. But it's as tulips are for you. Your 155 00:11:35.080 --> 00:11:39.200 answers indicate that the tulip is a perfect match for your personality. Wrong when 156 00:11:39.200 --> 00:11:43.440 it comes to what you believe in. You stand tall, and your understated 157 00:11:43.480 --> 00:11:48.120 elegance is perhaps your most striking characteristic Among the most popular bulbs, Tulips look 158 00:11:48.159 --> 00:11:52.840 great no matter where you plant them. So, Adriana, what was your 159 00:11:52.840 --> 00:11:58.200 result? So my result kind of the opposite of yours is alliums. So 160 00:11:58.840 --> 00:12:03.840 I am the versatility with alliums, though I can't beat it. I exit 161 00:12:03.879 --> 00:12:07.200 out of the article before I could read what it says about me, but 162 00:12:07.840 --> 00:12:11.320 I assume it's pretty good. Yeah, it's awesome. Yeah. As a 163 00:12:11.320 --> 00:12:15.759 photographer a videographer, I could see I could see alliams. I mean, 164 00:12:15.799 --> 00:12:20.279 I'd love alliums. So I you know, maybe it doesn't match my personality, 165 00:12:20.320 --> 00:12:24.720 but it does match my gardening style. So you know, I'm glad 166 00:12:24.759 --> 00:12:26.600 you got that result. You deserve it, thanks Stacy. And you can 167 00:12:26.639 --> 00:12:31.320 be whatever ballb you want to be. And that's the whole point, because 168 00:12:31.360 --> 00:12:35.399 I'm sure they have us take the quiz only to stay on the website longer 169 00:12:35.440 --> 00:12:37.799 and reduce their bounce rate. Oh that's that's true. You know if we 170 00:12:37.840 --> 00:12:41.879 take it multiple times, even if we answer the same we might just get 171 00:12:41.919 --> 00:12:46.200 a different one, you know, randomly. Now, last week we were 172 00:12:46.240 --> 00:12:52.480 talking about scooping up some fall bargains, and I'll tell you fall bargain bulbs, 173 00:12:52.600 --> 00:12:56.679 I am there for it. That is my absolute favorite. And I 174 00:12:56.720 --> 00:13:01.039 would say probably seventy five percent of my garden is bulbs that I've gotten on 175 00:13:01.039 --> 00:13:03.799 sale. I have a story on that that I got to quickly mention. 176 00:13:03.240 --> 00:13:09.879 I was digging bargain bulbs in my backyard one night and I had on one 177 00:13:09.919 --> 00:13:13.840 of those warm it was in December, had one of those warm stocking caps 178 00:13:13.879 --> 00:13:16.080 on over my face. I had a pick axe in my hand. I'm 179 00:13:16.080 --> 00:13:20.480 out there in the moonlight digging holes in my backyard. My neighbor looked at 180 00:13:20.480 --> 00:13:24.480 me really odd, never said anything. In a month later he moved, 181 00:13:24.080 --> 00:13:28.480 so to this day, I think he thinks I'm a serial killer or something. 182 00:13:30.840 --> 00:13:33.080 But the bulbs were seven just like me, seventy five percent off, 183 00:13:33.120 --> 00:13:37.279 so I had to plan them. Yeah, that's how it goes. And 184 00:13:37.320 --> 00:13:39.519 I think, you know, we talked a lot about how much we love 185 00:13:39.559 --> 00:13:43.679 bulbs, and it's really just the beginning of bulb planting season here in September. 186 00:13:45.159 --> 00:13:48.799 Bulb planting season does go well into December if it must. I have 187 00:13:48.879 --> 00:13:52.759 planted bulbs Thanksgiving weekend plenty of times myself. They will be fine. Get 188 00:13:52.840 --> 00:13:56.519 him in the ground. So if you don't worry, you don't have to 189 00:13:56.559 --> 00:13:58.600 like rush out and get your bulbs if you're not ready to, although you 190 00:13:58.639 --> 00:14:03.279 do get the best selection if you start early. But I'm happy to pick 191 00:14:03.360 --> 00:14:05.919 up whatever's left at the end of the season. And that's how where most 192 00:14:05.919 --> 00:14:09.679 of my reticulated iris came from, because I think people don't realize how fabulous 193 00:14:09.679 --> 00:14:11.639 they are, and then you plant them and you're in the money. So 194 00:14:11.919 --> 00:14:16.639 preaching to the choir, I'm Dutch, where all the bulbs are from, 195 00:14:18.720 --> 00:14:22.320 so shrubs and bulbs. Have you ever heard this before? I someone that 196 00:14:22.399 --> 00:14:24.600 I know they said, you know what, like, perennials are just getting 197 00:14:24.639 --> 00:14:28.519 too much work for me. From now on, it's just shrubs and bulbs. 198 00:14:28.879 --> 00:14:31.799 And I think they make such a great combination because they're both some of 199 00:14:31.799 --> 00:14:37.159 the lowest maintenance, highest reward plants that you can get. You really don't 200 00:14:37.159 --> 00:14:39.320 have to work hard to get a great display. So, of course, 201 00:14:39.360 --> 00:14:43.080 for plants on trial today, I needed to pick a shrub that is a 202 00:14:43.120 --> 00:14:48.759 great bulb companion. And the plant that I picked is one that we've offered 203 00:14:48.759 --> 00:14:52.159 for a long time, but I have only personally recently, truly truly fallen 204 00:14:52.200 --> 00:14:56.960 in love with it when I added it to my own garden and witnessed how 205 00:14:56.080 --> 00:15:01.559 incredibly beautiful and unique it is. And it is lemony lace Elderberry. I 206 00:15:01.639 --> 00:15:07.240 love this plant. And as a fabulous copywriter, Stacy described to us what 207 00:15:07.279 --> 00:15:11.600 the plant looks like in spring, so it's in your mind, in my 208 00:15:11.679 --> 00:15:18.960 mind, okay. So it's interesting because it flowers before the foliage comes out, 209 00:15:18.240 --> 00:15:22.360 which is known as flowering naked, and so the flowers come out there's 210 00:15:22.399 --> 00:15:26.960 no leaves on the stems, and then shortly after the leaves do start to 211 00:15:26.000 --> 00:15:33.720 emerge, and they have this kind of like super lacey flushed with red look, 212 00:15:33.919 --> 00:15:37.200 and they emerge and by the time it's fully leaved out, and say, 213 00:15:37.519 --> 00:15:41.039 you know, mid May or so it looks like a Japanese maple. 214 00:15:41.159 --> 00:15:43.360 Yeah, it looks so much like a Japanese maple, but it's far less 215 00:15:43.360 --> 00:15:48.200 expensive and much much easier to grow. Japanese maples, you know, are 216 00:15:48.200 --> 00:15:54.639 not the hardiest plants, whereas lemony lace elderberry is hardy down to usca'sone three. 217 00:15:54.679 --> 00:15:58.360 So if you live in a colder climate and love Japanese maples but you 218 00:15:58.399 --> 00:16:02.919 can't grow them, this is a nice choice. But to go back to 219 00:16:02.919 --> 00:16:06.600 how it plays nicely with bulbs, So you have that all of this, 220 00:16:06.879 --> 00:16:11.679 these pretty white flowers coming out and this foliage emerges with this yellow color that's 221 00:16:11.720 --> 00:16:18.240 all just edged in this dark red color, and it just it looks truly 222 00:16:18.480 --> 00:16:22.559 interesting and elegant. And in my garden I have it planted behind a planting 223 00:16:22.559 --> 00:16:26.600 of hyacinths, which I know is not Thank goodness, you didn't get hyacinth. 224 00:16:26.600 --> 00:16:30.000 There's the results on the bulb quiz, and these were hyacinths that I 225 00:16:30.039 --> 00:16:33.440 got on sale, and you know a lot of people I think they don't 226 00:16:33.480 --> 00:16:37.440 have good luck with hyacinths year after year. But you know, our soil 227 00:16:37.480 --> 00:16:41.080 here is so well drained that I have excellent survival and they still come back 228 00:16:41.120 --> 00:16:45.000 and flower really nice and full. But it's a color combination that I just 229 00:16:45.000 --> 00:16:49.879 picked up on sale, and it's lavender, purple, peach and white. 230 00:16:51.399 --> 00:16:55.000 And so this combo is in front of my lemony lace alderberry, which you 231 00:16:55.039 --> 00:16:56.679 know, I have to confess I didn't plan it that way. It's just 232 00:16:56.759 --> 00:17:00.639 where I had space to put my lemony lace. And in this season. 233 00:17:00.120 --> 00:17:03.840 When I saw that combination for the first time this past spring, I was 234 00:17:03.919 --> 00:17:07.799 like, whoa, I look like a genius. I love when this happens. 235 00:17:07.839 --> 00:17:11.200 It is magic. So it's a really unique elderberry. Now, I 236 00:17:11.200 --> 00:17:15.680 think when most people here are Proven Winner's alderberries, they're probably thinking of black 237 00:17:15.759 --> 00:17:19.519 lace alderberry, amazing plant, one that has been in the Proven Winner's Color 238 00:17:19.599 --> 00:17:25.400 Choice line of flowering shrubs for years now. Lemony lace is a very different 239 00:17:25.400 --> 00:17:29.079 plant. It is still an elderberry, but it is Sambucus rest amosa. 240 00:17:29.640 --> 00:17:33.960 Whereas the regular black elderberries or Sambucus nigra, and so it's a totally different 241 00:17:34.200 --> 00:17:37.839 species, and a lot of people ask us, hey, can I plant 242 00:17:37.839 --> 00:17:41.519 I really like lemony lace? Can I plan that to pollinate my black lace? 243 00:17:41.960 --> 00:17:45.079 And the answer is no, because not only are they different species, 244 00:17:45.440 --> 00:17:52.200 they bloom at completely different times. So lemony lace alderberry blooms in April for 245 00:17:52.279 --> 00:17:53.279 us here in Michigan, if you live in a warmer climate, it will 246 00:17:53.319 --> 00:17:57.960 bloom even earlier, and black lace for us blooms at the end of June. 247 00:17:59.039 --> 00:18:02.640 So if you don't have the flowers overlapping, you can't get any pollination. 248 00:18:03.640 --> 00:18:07.000 But another difference too with Sambucus resimosa. It is North American native plants, 249 00:18:07.000 --> 00:18:11.839 so it grows over a huge range of North America, whereas Sambucus niger 250 00:18:11.920 --> 00:18:15.240 The black lace elderberry is actually native to Europe, so if you're looking for 251 00:18:15.279 --> 00:18:21.400 a native elderberry that's a little bit different. It's such a great choice. 252 00:18:21.480 --> 00:18:25.000 And it's called the red elderberry, not because that foliage flush is red, 253 00:18:25.480 --> 00:18:29.279 but because its fruits are bright red, So you will need a different variety 254 00:18:29.359 --> 00:18:33.480 to pollinate it if fruits are what you're after. But because it does grow 255 00:18:33.599 --> 00:18:37.279 native so abundantly. Very often most people will find that they just have enough 256 00:18:37.359 --> 00:18:41.319 in the wild to pollinate their lemony lace. The fruits are not edible, 257 00:18:41.359 --> 00:18:45.839 so the fruits on black lace are juicy. The fruits on lemony lace are 258 00:18:45.880 --> 00:18:52.000 really just kind of like a mealy red coating over a pit, so not 259 00:18:52.079 --> 00:18:55.480 a lot to eat even if you want. So this is not one that 260 00:18:55.480 --> 00:18:57.519 you're going to be using for cooking or drying or anything like that. It's 261 00:18:57.559 --> 00:19:02.839 strictly an ornament until plant, and of course it looks great with bulbs, 262 00:19:02.839 --> 00:19:07.480 but it looks great beyond that because you do have that lacy almost like I 263 00:19:07.519 --> 00:19:12.160 said, Japanese like a cutleaf Japanese maple kind of texture. It is pretty 264 00:19:12.359 --> 00:19:17.759 big, so it will get to be about seven feet tall or and wide 265 00:19:17.880 --> 00:19:22.599 or or more. It is pretty fast growing. I found even in you 266 00:19:22.640 --> 00:19:27.480 know, my really dry conditions, and it looks great all season, so 267 00:19:27.519 --> 00:19:32.200 you don't just have that one hit wonder. It really is beautiful basically from 268 00:19:32.240 --> 00:19:34.640 spring until full It doesn't really get full color. The leaves just kind of 269 00:19:34.720 --> 00:19:40.519 drop while they're still green, but when they have the red berries on there, 270 00:19:40.599 --> 00:19:45.400 it's just a really nice sort of extra season of interest, so it 271 00:19:45.480 --> 00:19:49.839 is only hardy USDA zones three through seven. Okay, so sorry to our 272 00:19:51.279 --> 00:19:53.240 warm climate listeners, this is not one that you are going to be able 273 00:19:53.240 --> 00:19:56.039 to grow. It will just burn up. And even if you try to 274 00:19:56.079 --> 00:20:00.000 grow it in the shade that we've just seen over and over over that alderberries 275 00:20:00.079 --> 00:20:07.480 just do not appreciate high humidity or very arid heat. So you can console 276 00:20:07.559 --> 00:20:11.200 yourself, hopefully with one of the other marvelous plants that you can grow in 277 00:20:11.480 --> 00:20:15.000 your climate. And I can't say enough good things about this plant. Have 278 00:20:15.000 --> 00:20:18.480 you grown it? Same here? And I have it in my landscape and 279 00:20:18.640 --> 00:20:25.000 lemony lace elderberry if you're keeping score at home, fabulous landscape plant. And 280 00:20:25.039 --> 00:20:30.720 I would say stacey for me putting plants that have a blue color in combination 281 00:20:30.839 --> 00:20:36.880 with it, I'm thinking lavender nepetas they look fabulous next to a lemony lace. 282 00:20:37.000 --> 00:20:41.400 I'm glad you said that because I actually have a blue fortune Agastacie in 283 00:20:41.519 --> 00:20:45.000 front of mine and it is a great combination. And that was another accident 284 00:20:45.079 --> 00:20:47.799 so perfect. You know, I'm not above telling you all that I don't 285 00:20:47.799 --> 00:20:51.440 have garden design skills. I have happy accidents in my garden when things just 286 00:20:51.519 --> 00:20:55.000 happen to look amazing together. So if you want to get a look at 287 00:20:55.079 --> 00:20:59.839 lemony lace elderberry yourself, you can visit us on the web at Gardening Simplified, 288 00:20:59.839 --> 00:21:03.519 on a dot com or on Instagram. Will post the plant on trial 289 00:21:03.680 --> 00:21:07.319 every week and you can see it there and learn more about it and decide 290 00:21:07.359 --> 00:21:11.240 if you are going to add it to your garden. We're going to take 291 00:21:11.240 --> 00:21:12.400 a little bit of a break right now, but when we come back, 292 00:21:12.400 --> 00:21:22.079 we've got the mailbag, so stay tuned to the Gardening Simplified Show. At 293 00:21:22.079 --> 00:21:26.480 proven Winner's color Choice, we've got a shrub for every taste and every space. 294 00:21:26.799 --> 00:21:32.119 Whether you're looking for an easycare rose, an unforgettable hydrangea, or something 295 00:21:32.160 --> 00:21:34.599 new and unique, you can be confident that the shrubs and the white containers 296 00:21:34.599 --> 00:21:38.359 have been trialed and tested for your success. Look for them at your local 297 00:21:38.359 --> 00:21:45.640 garden center. Grievings Gardening friends, and welcome back to the Gardening Simplified Show. 298 00:21:45.680 --> 00:21:51.240 You know, I do love helping people with their gardening conundrums and quandaries, 299 00:21:51.319 --> 00:21:53.319 and there are plenty of them at this time of year. So if 300 00:21:53.359 --> 00:21:56.720 you have a question that you would like to ask us, you can always 301 00:21:56.720 --> 00:22:00.119 reach us at help HLP at Gardening Simplified on Air dot come, or just 302 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:04.440 visit Gardening Simplified on air dot com and ask a question there. If you 303 00:22:04.519 --> 00:22:10.599 ask a question as a comment on our YouTube video, Adriana always makes sure 304 00:22:10.640 --> 00:22:14.759 that those gets answered as she's going through them, but very often we do 305 00:22:14.839 --> 00:22:17.720 read some on the show as well, So don't be afraid to ask there 306 00:22:17.759 --> 00:22:18.960 if that's the most convenient spot for you. So what do we got in 307 00:22:19.000 --> 00:22:22.519 the mailbag this week? All right, Carla is writing to us, says 308 00:22:22.599 --> 00:22:29.079 greetings gardner Guides. Yeah, nice, Carla. I have just purchased a 309 00:22:29.119 --> 00:22:33.160 home in mid Michigan. I'm currently at work installing flower beds in the backyard, 310 00:22:33.200 --> 00:22:37.920 as there were none there before. Oh, this is a great time 311 00:22:37.960 --> 00:22:41.000 of the year to put in a new flower bed. Maybe we can touch 312 00:22:41.039 --> 00:22:45.319 on that. My neighbor, as A, has a beautiful black walnut tree 313 00:22:45.400 --> 00:22:49.319 that hangs over my fence. What are some plants that would work with jugg 314 00:22:49.359 --> 00:22:55.720 loan in the soil? Thanks so much for your inspiration. Wow, that's 315 00:22:55.720 --> 00:23:00.160 a packed and loaded question. Great one, Carla, it is, and 316 00:23:00.400 --> 00:23:07.160 so if for those who don't know. Black walnuts can secrete this this chemical 317 00:23:07.240 --> 00:23:11.920 hormone called jugglane after their botanical name, which is jugglins, and it can 318 00:23:12.079 --> 00:23:17.839 suppress the growth of other neighboring plants. Not all plants are sensitive to it. 319 00:23:18.160 --> 00:23:21.279 The plants that are sensitive to it do tend to be quite sensitive to 320 00:23:21.319 --> 00:23:25.240 it, and black walnuts are kind of like the you know, epitome of 321 00:23:25.279 --> 00:23:27.480 this phenomenon, although there are a number of other plants that do this as 322 00:23:27.480 --> 00:23:32.039 well. A lot of people don't realize. Sunflowers also exhibit this phenomenon, 323 00:23:32.079 --> 00:23:36.599 which is known as allelopathy, which means sort of like having a negative effect 324 00:23:36.720 --> 00:23:40.440 on your neighbors. It's competition, right, so they do this to make 325 00:23:40.440 --> 00:23:44.000 sure that nothing is growing around them and they don't have to compete with other 326 00:23:44.039 --> 00:23:48.759 things. But that said, the general thought on jug loan in the soil 327 00:23:48.920 --> 00:23:53.440 is that, except for the plants that are quite sensitive, the effect is 328 00:23:53.640 --> 00:23:59.799 over hyped people. It's not as dramatic as a lot of people think that 329 00:23:59.839 --> 00:24:03.200 it actually is. And when you start to dive into the science behind this, 330 00:24:03.799 --> 00:24:07.279 you start to find out that, again, except for those very sensitive 331 00:24:07.279 --> 00:24:11.640 plants, which include things like tomatoes, strawberries, I think are very sensitive. 332 00:24:11.640 --> 00:24:14.279 There's there's a list out there, and of course we will put I 333 00:24:14.359 --> 00:24:18.920 will be happy to share my extensive resources on jugglo intolerance at gardening simplified on 334 00:24:18.960 --> 00:24:25.799 air dot com. But it's actually not so much the roots that cause the 335 00:24:25.880 --> 00:24:30.400 issue. It is primarily the fallen twigs, leaves, and especially the fruits. 336 00:24:30.440 --> 00:24:34.359 Exactly all elements of the tree have this let's call it chemicals, right, 337 00:24:34.440 --> 00:24:37.839 So it's not like that there's something excreening from the roots. It really 338 00:24:37.920 --> 00:24:41.359 is when the leaf litter falls, when those twigs are falling, that's what 339 00:24:41.440 --> 00:24:47.000 you really have to watch out for. So if you can keep the area 340 00:24:47.039 --> 00:24:49.839 free of walnut leaves when they drop, and certainly walnut fruits, which if 341 00:24:49.839 --> 00:24:52.440 you can't do it, the squirrels probably will. They are they do an 342 00:24:52.440 --> 00:24:59.480 excellent job of cleaning up after walnuts and the area is well watered because if 343 00:24:59.480 --> 00:25:03.640 the plants are aren't drought stressed, that also severely reduces the effect that jugglane 344 00:25:03.720 --> 00:25:07.960 has on the plants. So I'm going to put the lists out there for 345 00:25:08.000 --> 00:25:11.599 you. It is a long list of plants that are tolerant. The thing 346 00:25:11.599 --> 00:25:15.279 that I have found though, and so often people will write to us at 347 00:25:15.319 --> 00:25:18.400 proving winters and say, hey, is this you know, tolerant to jugglane? 348 00:25:18.440 --> 00:25:21.559 Can I grow this around a black walnut tree? Is No list is 349 00:25:21.599 --> 00:25:25.559 exhaustive. You know, there's a lot of good university resources out there, 350 00:25:25.920 --> 00:25:30.640 but really they kind of only touch on like well known plants. They're not 351 00:25:30.680 --> 00:25:33.079 getting into well. I mean a great example is that people ask us often 352 00:25:33.400 --> 00:25:40.279 if temple of bloom hepticodium is and it's such an unusual genus that I have 353 00:25:40.359 --> 00:25:44.920 found zero information out there. And it's not like we have a black walnut 354 00:25:44.920 --> 00:25:48.319 testing ground where we put stuff around and see how it goes. So I 355 00:25:48.640 --> 00:25:53.200 wouldn't want anyone to be completely limited just by what is known to be not 356 00:25:53.279 --> 00:25:57.200 tolerant. It's better to just avoid the sensitive plants which are going to be 357 00:25:57.240 --> 00:26:00.680 on these lists that we're going to share, other than just plant around all 358 00:26:00.720 --> 00:26:04.200 I know for sure that this is tolerant. Yeah, I'll add to that 359 00:26:04.279 --> 00:26:07.519 list. And of course a few weeks ago we talked about high pericum, 360 00:26:08.039 --> 00:26:15.400 we talked today about elderberry. I've found both to be tolerant around walnut trees. 361 00:26:15.480 --> 00:26:18.880 So there is a sizeable list of things you could plant around a walnut. 362 00:26:18.039 --> 00:26:22.680 I am not a big fan of black walnut. I know some people 363 00:26:22.759 --> 00:26:26.640 like them. I think they're terribly messy. They stain the dickens out of 364 00:26:26.680 --> 00:26:30.480 everything, and when they start their bombing sortie on your property, they have 365 00:26:30.559 --> 00:26:37.200 this bitter, pungent, distinctive aroma. They nestle in your lawn and you 366 00:26:37.319 --> 00:26:40.880 run over them with your lawn mower and they become projectiles. And yes, 367 00:26:40.960 --> 00:26:45.160 the squirrels are very good at propagating them. They love them. Don't send 368 00:26:45.200 --> 00:26:48.000 me your cards, letters and notes because I don't like black walnut. Now, 369 00:26:48.039 --> 00:26:52.000 one thing I do love in fall is preparing new beds by putting down 370 00:26:52.319 --> 00:26:57.359 paper leaves and then soil and allowing the grass to rot underneath. I think 371 00:26:57.400 --> 00:27:02.720 it's a great time to create kind of a passive composting things, so to 372 00:27:02.759 --> 00:27:03.880 speak, right, And it's just cooler, so you don't have to work 373 00:27:03.880 --> 00:27:07.960 as hard and get else sweaty when you're trying to do it. But there 374 00:27:07.960 --> 00:27:10.960 are a number of resources out there. But again, the long story short 375 00:27:10.960 --> 00:27:15.839 here is don't take them as the gospel truth and don't limit yourself as long 376 00:27:15.880 --> 00:27:18.799 as you're watering and keeping the beds clean of that walnut foliage. When it 377 00:27:18.839 --> 00:27:22.720 drops, you're probably going to get away with planting a lot more things than 378 00:27:22.839 --> 00:27:26.039 is just what is known to tolerate them. That's good advice and encouraging. 379 00:27:26.799 --> 00:27:30.319 Lisa asks, hello, I have a question about Temple of Bloom. Can 380 00:27:30.319 --> 00:27:33.799 it be grown in a container? I bought one earlier this year. I've 381 00:27:33.839 --> 00:27:37.440 been amazed at how fast it's growing in my yard. I'd love to have 382 00:27:37.480 --> 00:27:42.119 another on my patio. I live in Zone seven. I absolutely love your 383 00:27:42.119 --> 00:27:45.960 show, look forward to it every week. I have to share this with 384 00:27:47.079 --> 00:27:49.680 many of my gardening friends. Thank you so much, Lisa, thank you 385 00:27:49.920 --> 00:27:55.599 very mulch and Stacy. Have you seen Temple of Bloom and a container ever? 386 00:27:56.000 --> 00:28:00.759 I have not, But that doesn't mean it can't grow container. You 387 00:28:00.799 --> 00:28:04.359 know, as I think we've talked about before, almost anything can be grown 388 00:28:04.440 --> 00:28:07.960 in a container. The question really becomes how is it going to perform and 389 00:28:08.000 --> 00:28:12.880 what is the long term prognosis for it? And when it comes to trees, 390 00:28:14.079 --> 00:28:17.400 I think that the best sort of thing that you can visualize is a 391 00:28:17.440 --> 00:28:21.279 bonzai a bonzaie plant, because those are if they were out in the woods 392 00:28:21.319 --> 00:28:23.599 and had unlimited room for their roots, they would get to be huge, 393 00:28:23.680 --> 00:28:26.759 you know, sixty five feet tall trees. Now, of course, temple 394 00:28:26.759 --> 00:28:30.119 of bloom Heptacodium, the plant that Lisa is asking us about, also known 395 00:28:30.160 --> 00:28:34.039 as seven sunflower, does not get that large. It's sort of tops out 396 00:28:34.079 --> 00:28:37.200 more than the fifteen to twenty So what you have to understand is if you 397 00:28:37.240 --> 00:28:40.880 are going to grow it in a container, that's going to have a limiting 398 00:28:40.880 --> 00:28:44.680 effect on it, and it will stay much smaller just as a result of 399 00:28:44.720 --> 00:28:48.720 its root space being restricted. And so if you're okay with that, you're 400 00:28:48.759 --> 00:28:52.319 not going to get as many flowers. You're not probably going to get as 401 00:28:52.400 --> 00:28:56.119 much of an impressive display, although you know, maybe you will. Just 402 00:28:56.160 --> 00:28:59.839 really depends on the container. But this is so important. Anything that is 403 00:29:00.119 --> 00:29:03.480 hardy that can stay outdoors in your area does need to stay outdoors in winter. 404 00:29:04.279 --> 00:29:08.119 It needs to experience the light levels changing, it needs to experience full 405 00:29:08.160 --> 00:29:12.440 air circulation. And so it's important that if you are going to try this, 406 00:29:12.559 --> 00:29:17.000 that you are picking a container that's made of a weather proof material. 407 00:29:17.119 --> 00:29:19.480 Even in USDA Zone seven, we are not going to have quite as much 408 00:29:19.480 --> 00:29:23.079 free style as we have. You know over here, you don't want clay 409 00:29:23.279 --> 00:29:26.759 ceramic anything that's going to break, because that will just expose the roots at 410 00:29:26.759 --> 00:29:30.359 a time you know, when they could really dry out and it would kill 411 00:29:30.400 --> 00:29:34.480 your plan and that would be sad. So it's possible, but just know 412 00:29:34.559 --> 00:29:40.079 that it's not going to be the you know, really magnificent specimens that you 413 00:29:40.200 --> 00:29:42.400 see in our photography on our website, or probably like it sounds like the 414 00:29:42.400 --> 00:29:48.160 one you already have, so reasonable expectations. All right, thanks for your 415 00:29:48.240 --> 00:29:51.559 question, Lisa, appreciate it. Tony has a houseplant question. We bought 416 00:29:51.599 --> 00:29:56.880 a double stem fiddle leaf fig so fic A sly rata two years ago. 417 00:29:56.920 --> 00:30:00.880 It's been doing great. This last weekend we transplanted it to a slightly larger 418 00:30:00.920 --> 00:30:04.519 pot for the first time and since it has dropped about five leaves, they 419 00:30:04.519 --> 00:30:07.759 will turn yellow and then drop within a day or so. It gets plenty 420 00:30:07.799 --> 00:30:15.359 of sun and we haven't changed any other routines or its location help now. 421 00:30:15.359 --> 00:30:18.079 Of course, being a foliage plant buyer for years for a garden center, 422 00:30:18.119 --> 00:30:22.200 I can tell you that ficus are prone to leaf drop, and it's a 423 00:30:22.279 --> 00:30:26.440 means of communication when it comes to ficus. You look at the smaller leaf 424 00:30:26.440 --> 00:30:32.160 Ficus Ficus benjamina. If you have it outside during summer, you move it 425 00:30:32.200 --> 00:30:34.200 in for winter. It's kind of like what are you doing to me here? 426 00:30:34.240 --> 00:30:37.880 And it will promptly drop fifty percent of its leaves. And then what 427 00:30:37.960 --> 00:30:42.519 we do is we run for the watering can and we overwater it and we 428 00:30:42.599 --> 00:30:48.599 speed up the cycle. So back off on the water, because usually in 429 00:30:48.640 --> 00:30:52.759 this situation it's either transplant shock, it's too dry, or it's too wet. 430 00:30:53.200 --> 00:30:57.559 Those three things usually I find are the reason for foliage drop on a 431 00:30:57.640 --> 00:31:03.240 Ficus lyrata. But again bear in mind that with ficus it's just a defense 432 00:31:03.279 --> 00:31:07.000 mechanism. They often do that, and in this case, it was transplanted 433 00:31:07.200 --> 00:31:11.160 right, and they do not appreciate change overall. But I think you know 434 00:31:11.240 --> 00:31:15.200 my first thought here, and this is something that a lot of people don't 435 00:31:15.200 --> 00:31:18.079 realize when it comes to houseplants. When you transplant it into a larger container, 436 00:31:18.599 --> 00:31:23.480 you have an increased volume of potting mix around the roots that doesn't have 437 00:31:23.519 --> 00:31:26.599 any roots in there to take it up. So when you water, all 438 00:31:26.640 --> 00:31:32.000 of a sudden, there's a lot more moisture around that root ball, and 439 00:31:32.359 --> 00:31:36.279 that if they don't appreciate being over watered at all. So I think you 440 00:31:36.640 --> 00:31:38.799 haven't changed your routine, but I think you do need to slightly back off 441 00:31:38.799 --> 00:31:42.079 the water. Whether that means you apply less or you're watering less frequently, 442 00:31:42.079 --> 00:31:45.599 I can't say, because I don't know what your routine is, but I 443 00:31:45.599 --> 00:31:51.000 would say this is probably most likely an issue of just having too much moisture 444 00:31:51.079 --> 00:31:53.440 around the roots due to all that fresh soil. So if you back off, 445 00:31:53.920 --> 00:31:56.920 it should recover. I know it's alarming, especially on a Ficus lurata 446 00:31:56.960 --> 00:32:00.680 because those leaves drop in. It makes a big difference. Actually they're big, 447 00:32:00.079 --> 00:32:02.039 but I think it will. You know, if you back off the 448 00:32:02.079 --> 00:32:06.160 water and let it start to route back in, it should be okay. 449 00:32:06.519 --> 00:32:09.400 So it's good, so try not to be too discouraged. If you want 450 00:32:09.480 --> 00:32:12.799 answers, read our answers to any of these. You can visit us at 451 00:32:12.799 --> 00:32:15.480 Gardening Simplified on air dot com. We're going to take a break. When 452 00:32:15.519 --> 00:32:19.200 we come back, we have branching news right here on the Gardening Simplified Show. 453 00:32:23.920 --> 00:32:28.720 The Gardening Simplified Show is brought to you by proven winners. Color Choice 454 00:32:28.720 --> 00:32:32.559 Shrubs. Our award winning flowering shrubs and evergreens have been trialed and tested for 455 00:32:32.640 --> 00:32:37.200 your success. So you enjoy more beauty and less work. Look for Proven 456 00:32:37.200 --> 00:32:42.359 Winners Color Choice shrubs in the distinctive white container at your local garden center. 457 00:32:45.319 --> 00:32:49.599 All right, it's time for branching news. Here from Studio A at Proven 458 00:32:49.640 --> 00:32:53.160 Winners Color Choice Shrubs, and today on branching News, I'm going to start 459 00:32:53.200 --> 00:32:59.960 things off with bears, those little lovable fuzzballs. We all love bears, 460 00:33:00.279 --> 00:33:05.960 and here's the branching news. They've moved past your bird feeder and your trash 461 00:33:06.000 --> 00:33:09.599 can. They're interested in something else. A week ago, a story from 462 00:33:09.680 --> 00:33:15.920 Anchorage, Alaska. It's the time of the year where bears are fattening up 463 00:33:15.960 --> 00:33:21.640 for their long winter nap, and some black bears in the Last Frontier must 464 00:33:21.680 --> 00:33:27.000 have figured donuts would help accelerate the process. So a week ago, a 465 00:33:27.039 --> 00:33:32.839 woman who runs a Crispy Cream donuts store in Alaska got an unusual call from 466 00:33:32.880 --> 00:33:37.319 her delivery driver. He was reporting that bears were in the back of his 467 00:33:37.440 --> 00:33:43.839 van. He could hear them breaking open the packages. They tried to beat 468 00:33:43.920 --> 00:33:47.119 on the van, but they just kept eating the donuts. They ate twenty 469 00:33:47.160 --> 00:33:53.720 packages of the donut holes and six packages of the three pack chocolate donuts. 470 00:33:53.920 --> 00:33:58.599 I don't blame them. I like chocolate donuts. As you might imagine, 471 00:33:58.640 --> 00:34:02.160 the experience has caused the company to plan to do things a little differently in 472 00:34:02.200 --> 00:34:07.440 the future. They're gonna learn to slide up their ramp and close the doors 473 00:34:07.839 --> 00:34:10.880 to make sure that bears don't get back in there. So, of course, 474 00:34:10.920 --> 00:34:14.079 you know, you've got to be thinking about your bird feeder or your 475 00:34:14.079 --> 00:34:21.320 trash can debris or food outside with bears. But they like crispy cream donuts. 476 00:34:21.840 --> 00:34:27.280 How many bears got into this delivery truck? Does this mama bear and 477 00:34:27.360 --> 00:34:35.159 a cup that was not good parenting? They walked out of this van glazed 478 00:34:35.280 --> 00:34:38.920 and confused. They had a glazed look on their face. Yeah, so 479 00:34:39.199 --> 00:34:43.639 I'm surprised they didn't grab the wheel and do donuts in the parking lot with 480 00:34:43.679 --> 00:34:45.599 all that sugar, you know. But they're just trying to get ready for 481 00:34:45.679 --> 00:34:50.119 hibernation. I just love it, and I like crispy cream donuts too. 482 00:34:50.360 --> 00:34:53.559 I can't blame these bears. No, Yeah, they're they're opportunistic. Yeah, 483 00:34:53.599 --> 00:34:58.760 so there you go. All right, we talked about bulbs today and 484 00:34:59.079 --> 00:35:01.199 I wanted to bring this up, and again, of course we did the 485 00:35:02.199 --> 00:35:07.000 personality quiz too. I'd like to see a black walnut take a personality quiz 486 00:35:07.039 --> 00:35:12.480 myself. But so I wanted to bring this up one of the bulbs that 487 00:35:12.480 --> 00:35:16.159 we didn't talk about. When you hear people talk about naked ladies, they're 488 00:35:16.199 --> 00:35:22.400 not referring to the rock band. They're referring to autumn crocus or it's also 489 00:35:22.480 --> 00:35:30.119 known as colchicum and surprise lily, which is licorus because they emerge in the 490 00:35:30.199 --> 00:35:36.760 fall, so they're fresh, flowers are beautiful, they almost look like spring, 491 00:35:36.840 --> 00:35:39.840 but they emerge in the fall. So the bulbs produce clumps of leaves 492 00:35:39.840 --> 00:35:45.760 and spring and you have to allow them to ripen and die and disappear, 493 00:35:45.480 --> 00:35:52.599 and that's important for the longevity of the plant. But then later on in 494 00:35:52.599 --> 00:35:57.079 the season you get those gorgeous blooms. So if we're talking about bulbs today, 495 00:35:57.679 --> 00:36:00.400 we do have to refer to naked Lady. I know that a friend 496 00:36:00.440 --> 00:36:07.320 of mine, Professor Allen Armitage, University of Georgia, wrote a book by 497 00:36:07.440 --> 00:36:13.440 that title, essentially making fun of the various common names of plants. But 498 00:36:13.559 --> 00:36:17.199 these are two that you really want in your landscape. I find them fascinating 499 00:36:17.199 --> 00:36:21.360 in the landscape. Right and so it's similar to what I was talking about 500 00:36:21.440 --> 00:36:27.079 with the elderberry. They're called naked ladies because they flower without foliage, so 501 00:36:27.159 --> 00:36:30.599 that's where that term comes from. There's no x rated stuff going on here. 502 00:36:30.960 --> 00:36:35.199 They're perfectly family friendly flowers and I love them both. Now. The 503 00:36:35.199 --> 00:36:39.239 trick though with the culture gum, which are such interesting plants beautiful, is 504 00:36:39.280 --> 00:36:43.039 that they have to be planted in fall, so you have to actually be 505 00:36:43.079 --> 00:36:46.440 going to your garden center or order them online. These aren't spring planted. 506 00:36:46.480 --> 00:36:52.159 They're planted in fall, right before right as they're blooming, and so a 507 00:36:52.199 --> 00:36:53.559 lot of people miss out on that, and I think it makes it really 508 00:36:53.639 --> 00:36:59.480 hard for garden centers to stalk them and sell them because they are very perishable. 509 00:36:59.760 --> 00:37:02.519 They don't last very long, so it's worth looking up. It's a 510 00:37:02.559 --> 00:37:08.760 beautiful like pink lavender color. I've seen some houses with massive plantings of them. 511 00:37:08.880 --> 00:37:14.719 They're gorgeous. But savvy gardeners are probably gonna have to order these online 512 00:37:14.960 --> 00:37:17.280 or ask their local garden center if they can get them now, because now 513 00:37:17.400 --> 00:37:21.280 they are a little bit different than most of the other bulbs that we're talking 514 00:37:21.280 --> 00:37:24.880 about. Yeah, so look for colchicum or look for what they call surprise 515 00:37:25.000 --> 00:37:30.239 lily, which is La corus l Y C O R I S. And 516 00:37:30.360 --> 00:37:34.400 La courus is not as hardy as culchicum. So culchicum you can easily grow 517 00:37:34.440 --> 00:37:37.199 here in Michigan like corus. I think, is it the red one that's 518 00:37:37.199 --> 00:37:39.880 a little bit hardier than the pink one. I think the red one might 519 00:37:39.920 --> 00:37:44.119 be slightly hardier. But if you're going to try out the like chorus, 520 00:37:44.239 --> 00:37:47.360 definitely go near your house someplace a little more protected. I love your color 521 00:37:47.519 --> 00:37:52.079 commentary. I'm feeling like here in studio way we need to get swivel chairs 522 00:37:52.119 --> 00:37:55.639 because I'm like grabbing my coffee mug and then looking at you answering, and 523 00:37:55.679 --> 00:38:00.280 then looking at and Adriana and then the camera, and we can get you 524 00:38:00.320 --> 00:38:05.000 a swivel chair like that, a swivel you know, an anchor chair. 525 00:38:05.280 --> 00:38:09.960 As long this doesn't get too creaky. There's nothing worse than a creaky chair. 526 00:38:10.039 --> 00:38:14.480 Okay, we'll bring in some w D forty. Also, I loved 527 00:38:14.800 --> 00:38:21.280 this story, the study Positive Effects of Tree Diversity on Tropical Forest Restoration. 528 00:38:22.360 --> 00:38:28.400 It was published in Science Advances. The experiment was set up by a University 529 00:38:28.480 --> 00:38:34.880 of Oxford professor by the name of Andy Hector and colleagues over twenty years ago. 530 00:38:35.480 --> 00:38:39.079 But essentially what they what they found is when they were trying to reforest 531 00:38:39.239 --> 00:38:46.920 some of these areas, when they used a diversity of trees up to sixteen 532 00:38:47.239 --> 00:38:53.719 native trees, the area recovered quicker than when they planted a monoculture of one 533 00:38:53.840 --> 00:38:58.719 or two trees. And that's something, of course I've always talked about in 534 00:38:58.840 --> 00:39:01.960 our landscapes, around our homes, in our communities. I think diversity is 535 00:39:02.000 --> 00:39:07.079 a very important thing. Having diversity in a tropical forest can be likened to 536 00:39:07.199 --> 00:39:15.440 an insurance effect, similar to having a financial strategy of diverse investment portfolios. 537 00:39:15.519 --> 00:39:21.079 So a diverse mix of trees can support a much wider range of animal life. 538 00:39:21.320 --> 00:39:24.440 Also, I thought that that study was important and wanted to get it 539 00:39:24.519 --> 00:39:28.960 on our website. You can go to Gardening Simplified on air dot com. 540 00:39:29.760 --> 00:39:34.760 We put our show notes there every week. I love the fact that over 541 00:39:34.880 --> 00:39:39.199 a period of twenty years they did prove how diversity was important. And you 542 00:39:39.320 --> 00:39:43.880 know this, I think does have ramifications for people in their own gardens. 543 00:39:44.480 --> 00:39:45.840 I mean, who wants to be stuck with just one boring plant? Yeah? 544 00:39:45.920 --> 00:39:51.880 I mean from an aesthetic standpoint, from a wildlife support standpoint, more 545 00:39:52.199 --> 00:39:53.719 is better and you get to it. You know. From again, from 546 00:39:53.719 --> 00:39:57.599 an aesthetic standpoint, you don't want something that a garden that's just like, 547 00:39:57.679 --> 00:39:59.639 Okay, it looks really good at this moment in spring, and then I 548 00:39:59.719 --> 00:40:01.639 have nothing the rest of the season. You want that diversity, things that 549 00:40:01.679 --> 00:40:06.960 bloom at different times, things with different seasons of interest in features. So 550 00:40:07.559 --> 00:40:10.840 we can learn a lot from nature. As always, once again reinforcement that 551 00:40:12.079 --> 00:40:16.159 diversity is important. All right, This from Ocean Shores, Washington. Like 552 00:40:16.320 --> 00:40:22.159 a kid in a candy store, except a deer in a candy store. 553 00:40:22.320 --> 00:40:29.000 The owner of Buddy and Howe's Candy Store and Ocean Shores sent Komo News security 554 00:40:29.119 --> 00:40:32.639 camera footage from inside their store, and it's a fun video to watch that 555 00:40:32.800 --> 00:40:37.639 shows a unique visitor perusing the shelves this weekend. The video shows a deer 556 00:40:37.880 --> 00:40:43.920 walking into the store through an open door, sniffs the candy, and cautiously 557 00:40:44.119 --> 00:40:50.159 walks around before eventually making its way out the way it came in. It 558 00:40:50.239 --> 00:40:52.559 didn't need anything, it didn't eat anything. I watched the video. It 559 00:40:52.679 --> 00:40:59.199 just kind of sniffs at the taffy and checks it out. And then leaves. 560 00:40:59.559 --> 00:41:02.039 So we have to stop calling like hostas deer candy because deer don't really 561 00:41:02.079 --> 00:41:06.199 like candy. Yeah. I was looking for tulips. No tulips in this 562 00:41:06.360 --> 00:41:09.400 store, I guess, no hostas in this store. I guess I'll just 563 00:41:09.679 --> 00:41:14.760 candy. I don't know. Imagine if the bears had gotten in there, 564 00:41:14.880 --> 00:41:16.840 the ones that got in the pickup of the Krispy Cream, Yes, the 565 00:41:16.880 --> 00:41:22.000 Krispy Kream truck. Now that would be a party. This deer just got 566 00:41:22.039 --> 00:41:25.440 a little skittle ish. You like skittles? I think I don't like those 567 00:41:25.480 --> 00:41:29.599 things? Oh not my favorite? There are, right, Adriana? Yeah, 568 00:41:30.239 --> 00:41:32.639 yeah, same here. I don't know, not that it's important, 569 00:41:32.760 --> 00:41:38.360 but all right, Uh let's see. Oh. As the annual fall migration 570 00:41:38.480 --> 00:41:45.239 begins across the Northern Hemisphere, apps like Merlin, which is put out by 571 00:41:45.320 --> 00:41:50.599 the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, have caught on among birders and non birders alike 572 00:41:50.679 --> 00:41:55.800 by revealing just how crowded with species are surrounding areas are. Now, I'm 573 00:41:57.119 --> 00:42:00.639 assuming you probably have that app, Stacy. I don't know if you do. 574 00:42:00.800 --> 00:42:04.199 I have it, one of probably the app I use the most. 575 00:42:04.559 --> 00:42:07.320 Yeah, so it's I mean something really useful. And here's the cool thing 576 00:42:07.519 --> 00:42:12.199 is that the app is free. Amazing. It's such a resource that they've 577 00:42:12.480 --> 00:42:16.960 given us. Yeah, so kudos to Cornell University and making this app available 578 00:42:17.079 --> 00:42:21.800 again. If you were to look forward in the app store, just look 579 00:42:21.880 --> 00:42:25.599 for Merlin m E R l I N and you can add that to your 580 00:42:25.639 --> 00:42:31.320 phone, especially as we get into the annual fall migration. Just a recommendation, 581 00:42:31.599 --> 00:42:36.880 highly recommended. All right, well, thank you so very mulch for 582 00:42:37.000 --> 00:42:40.440 tuning in the Gardening Simplified Show. Look for us on Instagram, look for 583 00:42:40.599 --> 00:42:45.480 us on YouTube. Thanks for downloading the podcast. Listening on radio, and 584 00:42:45.639 --> 00:42:49.920 thanks to you Stacy, and thanks to you Rick, and of course thanks 585 00:42:49.960 --> 00:42:52.679 to Adriana. Thanks to all the listeners. Have a great week ahead.