1 00:00:02,640 --> 00:00:06,599 Coming to you from Studio A here at Proven Winners, Color Choice Shrubs. 2 00:00:06,879 --> 00:00:13,359 It's time for the Gardening Simplified radio podcast and YouTube show. It's kind of 3 00:00:13,359 --> 00:00:17,679 like a combo meal at lunchtime and for dessert, we offer you a website, 4 00:00:17,719 --> 00:00:23,480 Gardening Simplified on air dot com with Stacyhirvella, me Rick Weist, and 5 00:00:23,559 --> 00:00:29,160 our engineer and producer Adrianna Robinson. Well, you've heard the phrases easy come, 6 00:00:29,280 --> 00:00:32,640 easy, go, take it easy, easy does it, easy as 7 00:00:32,719 --> 00:00:37,679 pie, easy on the eyes, easy as falling off a log. And 8 00:00:37,759 --> 00:00:43,759 I remember those commercials from the nineteen seventies and eighties, the Calgon commercials where 9 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:48,960 a lady is just frustrated with the traffic, the boss, the kids, 10 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:53,200 the dog, and then she finally screams, Calgon, take me away. 11 00:00:53,359 --> 00:00:59,039 I remember those commercials too. Yeah, lose yourself in luxury bathbeads or whatever 12 00:00:59,079 --> 00:01:02,759 those things were. But you know, we're all looking for easy, and 13 00:01:02,799 --> 00:01:07,359 I really believe the key is letting go of trying to control things. I 14 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:12,840 guess, and that's much easier said than done. And spend time creating. 15 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:19,000 Trade a portion of your consumption time for creating, and you'll start to see 16 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:25,040 the world differently. Everything is inspiration, and the same is true in gardening. 17 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:30,400 Now, Stacy, I'm familiar with garden center customers who will come up 18 00:01:30,439 --> 00:01:34,040 to me and they say, I need a plant that will grow to four 19 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:38,319 feet tall and then stop. I want it to be able to grow in 20 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:42,200 both sun or shade. I want it to flower, and I don't want 21 00:01:42,239 --> 00:01:46,560 to have to do any maintenance. Oh, and don't forget it also has 22 00:01:46,599 --> 00:01:49,640 to withstand the dog going on it all the time. And ideally a wile 23 00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:53,319 flower every single day of every single year for the rest of eternity. You 24 00:01:53,439 --> 00:01:57,000 got it. So I wrote a little limb, a rick, a real 25 00:01:57,040 --> 00:02:01,560 short one in this regard. I don't want a plant that looks cheesy or 26 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:06,719 is so sick it makes me queasy. I want to set it and forget 27 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:10,080 it. Don't want to have to sweat it. Easy, peasy, lemon 28 00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:14,080 squeezy. Oh that's great, and that's what people are looking that is what 29 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:16,479 they're looking for. Yeah. Now, my Florida friends who say after storms 30 00:02:16,479 --> 00:02:23,840 are rain zephyr anthes bust out into bloom or rain lilies, this is a 31 00:02:23,879 --> 00:02:27,879 bulbous perennial. In the Amarillis family, but it's one of those plants that 32 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:35,159 is easy peasy, And of course, one person's bulletproof easy plant is another 33 00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:39,840 person's invasive plant. I think of must carry grape hyacinths or Siberian squill. 34 00:02:39,919 --> 00:02:43,800 That can be the case. Yeah, you know, I think it really 35 00:02:43,919 --> 00:02:49,960 is a matter of here's what I think. All plants are potentially easy to 36 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:53,439 grow, Okay. The difference is you need to plant them in the right 37 00:02:53,479 --> 00:02:55,919 place so that you don't have to work hard to make them look great. 38 00:02:57,039 --> 00:03:00,919 And therein lies the trouble. And that's why, you know, someone can 39 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:04,000 say, oh, I can't get delphiniums to grow it all down here in 40 00:03:04,039 --> 00:03:07,240 Florida, and you can go up to Maine and delphiniums are growing all over 41 00:03:07,280 --> 00:03:12,000 the place looking fabulous. It really is about the right plant in the right 42 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:15,800 place and knowing what your conditions are. But as simple as that may seem 43 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:20,840 to just say, the reality is a little bit different. Yah, It's 44 00:03:20,919 --> 00:03:23,479 very true. It's well said. You know a plant that comes to mind 45 00:03:23,719 --> 00:03:29,960 for me, Stacey, are the oh so easy roses. Now. I 46 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:35,080 think that this plant is really well named because it's just gorgeous and so easy 47 00:03:35,639 --> 00:03:38,280 to grow. But I think back to the seventies and eighties when I was 48 00:03:38,319 --> 00:03:43,759 working in the garden center industry. We would have this group of people called 49 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:46,960 the rosarians. Ah yes, and they would come into the greenhouse or the 50 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:51,719 store, and these were the magicians, these were the scientists. These were 51 00:03:51,759 --> 00:03:55,520 the people who knew how to grow roses and knew exactly where to cut them 52 00:03:55,560 --> 00:04:00,800 and how to treat them and overwinter them. And everyone depended on the rosarians. 53 00:04:01,240 --> 00:04:05,800 Now we have these landscape roses like, oh so easy, and well, 54 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:10,240 it's easy, it is easy. And you know, roses are such 55 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:15,599 a great example because they do have this old vestigial reputation of being so difficult 56 00:04:15,599 --> 00:04:17,360 to grow, and they needs break and they need prenny, and they need 57 00:04:17,399 --> 00:04:19,600 dead heading, and they need this and that and the other. They need 58 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:24,839 to be dusted and coddled. And the fact is that's not necessarily how roses 59 00:04:25,199 --> 00:04:30,120 were. Inherently, there were always easy care roses, But it's the hybrid 60 00:04:30,199 --> 00:04:33,879 t roses that became so popular in the twentieth century that kind of developed this 61 00:04:34,079 --> 00:04:38,839 mentality for people. And those are still around, but even those have improved. 62 00:04:38,839 --> 00:04:41,800 Even those are easier to grow than they were back in the day, 63 00:04:42,879 --> 00:04:47,319 and so yeah, it's about your expectations and of course getting the right plant 64 00:04:47,319 --> 00:04:50,759 in the right place. Well, I'm glad you're recording Adriana because that was 65 00:04:50,839 --> 00:04:55,439 really good. And that was all off the top of her head. That's 66 00:04:55,519 --> 00:05:00,600 really good. Now, is there anything easier stacy than landscape workhorses, hammer 67 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:05,519 acalys or day lilies? I think of the rainbow rhythm day lilies. I 68 00:05:05,519 --> 00:05:10,079 don't think there can there's much else in the landscape that is more of a 69 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:15,399 workhorse and easy than daylily. Well, I feel like daylilies and hostas are 70 00:05:15,399 --> 00:05:18,319 like the sun and shade, you know, components of one another. They're 71 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:23,959 both like can't miss, easy to grow plants. But on the other hand, 72 00:05:24,279 --> 00:05:27,199 as more and more of us have to deal with deer and those are 73 00:05:27,199 --> 00:05:32,079 two of deer's top to all time favorite comfort foods, you know, we 74 00:05:32,519 --> 00:05:36,240 do start looking at different plants to replace those. What else can we grow 75 00:05:36,279 --> 00:05:40,720 that's just as easy? And I think you know one strong contender for the 76 00:05:40,839 --> 00:05:45,800 replacement of dailies if you have deer is Nevada campment exactly, another very very 77 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:49,759 easy plant, yep, and another plant that like you see in municipal plantings. 78 00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:54,360 I think that's a great indicator, right, if you're seeing a plant 79 00:05:54,399 --> 00:05:57,560 in city plantings. Not to say they don't have a staff, but that 80 00:05:57,639 --> 00:06:00,720 staff does not have the time or inclination and to go and you know, 81 00:06:00,839 --> 00:06:04,959 dust and fuss over perennials and shrubs and make sure everything's growing well. They 82 00:06:04,959 --> 00:06:11,480 want stuff that just looks great and makes the town look great with minimal time 83 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:15,199 inputs. O very true. That's why you see often see Russian sage. 84 00:06:15,319 --> 00:06:17,879 Yeah, another great choice for sure. Yeah. When it comes to trees, 85 00:06:17,920 --> 00:06:24,279 I've got to mention the inconspicuous hop horn beam or ironwood, a tough 86 00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:28,000 understory tree. And what I love about this tree is that it's native and 87 00:06:28,079 --> 00:06:32,639 you find it all the way from Canada as far south as the Honduras. 88 00:06:32,680 --> 00:06:39,000 So this is a hard, tough, strong tree that doesn't get a lot 89 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:43,639 of press, doesn't get a lot of attention, but certainly is one of 90 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:48,079 those trees that I would classify as easy. Of course, herbs in general 91 00:06:48,279 --> 00:06:55,000 are easy and forgiving. If you think about chives or oregano or creeping time 92 00:06:55,160 --> 00:07:00,040 come back year after year and stacy really easy to grow. Herbs are so 93 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:01,879 so easy to grow and you know, that's one of the great things about 94 00:07:01,879 --> 00:07:05,639 them. My herbs self, so so I always have an abundant, you 95 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:11,600 know, supply of them to cook with. And yeah, herbs are blessedly 96 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:15,519 easy. We're very, very fortunate to have such useful and easy to grow 97 00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:20,680 plants. Attractive, blessedly easy. All right, let's just run through a 98 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:25,240 few quick ones then. I still find ornamental grass is to be very easy, 99 00:07:25,279 --> 00:07:30,759 whether they're miscanthus panic comes the hack ina kloa Japanese forest grass carrects. 100 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:36,279 You've mentioned that a number of times, Stacy, aliens serendipity, aliens. 101 00:07:36,399 --> 00:07:41,800 I love aliens. I think they're so simple to grow. The amazing daisies 102 00:07:41,879 --> 00:07:48,279 like banana cream, baptizia seedum agistachi, smooth high ranges. I don't know 103 00:07:48,319 --> 00:07:50,759 if you agree with me or not, Stacy, but I think they're easy 104 00:07:50,759 --> 00:07:53,759 to grow. They're easy to grow if you don't have deer. Yeah, 105 00:07:53,839 --> 00:08:00,279 yeah, right, exactly. You mentioned nepetta or nepita, however you lot 106 00:08:00,360 --> 00:08:03,199 to pronounce it right, Potentilla. We've talked about that. Oh yeah, 107 00:08:03,240 --> 00:08:07,000 one of the absolute easiest, especially if you live in a cool climate. 108 00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:15,839 Exactly, spyrea ita, brunera, Virginia heliopsis. I find heliopsis, especially 109 00:08:15,879 --> 00:08:18,759 in sunny spots, to be so easy to grow and so rewarding. Yeah, 110 00:08:20,240 --> 00:08:22,480 it's a big time. It's a flower powerhouse that one. Yeah, 111 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:26,639 exactly great for cut flower gardens. And then you know, I have to 112 00:08:26,680 --> 00:08:30,639 have iris on my list too. And I think part of the reason I 113 00:08:30,680 --> 00:08:35,840 have iris on my list, Stacey, is because generally the deer and rabbits 114 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:39,960 leave the iris alone, and I find them pretty easy to grow, at 115 00:08:39,039 --> 00:08:43,240 least if you don't have iris borer issues. Yeah, and even if you 116 00:08:43,279 --> 00:08:46,440 do have iris bor that's actually a fairly easy pest to manage overall. And 117 00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:50,360 you know, the cool thing about iris is that they look like they're hard 118 00:08:50,399 --> 00:08:52,279 to grow. You know, you grow on some of these iris with these 119 00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:56,120 crazy color combinations, and you look like you're some sort of you know, 120 00:08:56,240 --> 00:09:00,639 mad scientists, But really all you did was plant the thing the right depth 121 00:09:00,639 --> 00:09:03,799 and the right spot and you just get to sit back and reap the rewards. 122 00:09:03,879 --> 00:09:07,600 Absolutely like Siberian iris love it. And if you don't have deer pressure, 123 00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:13,799 Hosta is amazingly simple to grow, in my opinion, if you have 124 00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:18,159 a little bit of shade and you don't have deer. I think it's because 125 00:09:18,159 --> 00:09:22,919 the root system is just so tubrious and aggressive. Yeah, it's a very 126 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:28,120 robust root system. And you know, aside from slugs, hostas are pretty 127 00:09:28,159 --> 00:09:31,399 much pest free, and even slugs are relatively easy to manage if you know, 128 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:35,639 you know what you're doing. Yeah, exactly. And then I've got 129 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:39,960 to throw Yucca color guard in there. And some people are gonna cringe because 130 00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:43,360 you know, if you plant a yucca, you're making a lifetime commitment. 131 00:09:43,639 --> 00:09:50,120 Plastic explosives probably won't even remove it ten years. Hence, but I tell 132 00:09:50,159 --> 00:09:54,799 you what, in a dry sandy area where I'm at, the neighbors at 133 00:09:54,879 --> 00:10:00,000 least really seem to love Yucca color well color guard. That's a variegated one, 134 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:03,840 and that's a little bit better behaved than just the straight green one, 135 00:10:03,879 --> 00:10:07,360 which of course does grow everywhere. You know, I actually have some yucca 136 00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:11,200 that I have removed, attempted to remove, and it was easier than I 137 00:10:11,240 --> 00:10:16,000 thought in our sandy soil. If you have glay soil, I'm sorry, 138 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:20,320 I don't know what to tell you. Well, let's see what Stacy thinks 139 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:26,120 is easy peasy lemon squeeze in plants on trial and that's coming up next here 140 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:37,360 on the Gardening Simplified Shop, Prooven Winter's Colored Choice Shrubs cares about your success 141 00:10:37,399 --> 00:10:39,639 in the garden. That's why we trial and test all of our shrubs for 142 00:10:39,679 --> 00:10:43,519 eight to ten years, making sure they outperform everything else on the market. 143 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:50,480 Look for them in the distinctive white container at your local garden center. Greeting's 144 00:10:50,519 --> 00:10:54,360 Gardening friends, and welcome back to the Gardening Simplified Show, where we are 145 00:10:54,360 --> 00:10:56,559 about to put a plant on trial. That is to say, we're going 146 00:10:56,639 --> 00:11:00,279 to tell you all about one of the proven Winner's Color Choice shrubs and you 147 00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:03,039 get to decide if you're going to put it in your yard or not. 148 00:11:03,159 --> 00:11:05,320 And of course today's plan on trial is going to be an easy shrub. 149 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:09,679 But before I get into it, I want to add another kind of concept 150 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:13,679 to the easy to grow discussion, okay, the low maintenance discussion, and 151 00:11:13,720 --> 00:11:18,159 that is, you know, I think what different people consider to be easy 152 00:11:18,240 --> 00:11:22,279 or low maintenance does vary. You know, there really aren't any plants that 153 00:11:22,320 --> 00:11:24,480 you're going to be planting in your garden that are like completely hands off. 154 00:11:24,759 --> 00:11:28,159 I mean, there are some, but you might not be happy with the 155 00:11:28,159 --> 00:11:33,159 results. So what are your expectations for the plant based on what you are 156 00:11:33,200 --> 00:11:35,960 willing to put into it. And you know, as I'm embarking on this 157 00:11:37,039 --> 00:11:41,759 adventure of removing my lawn and replacing it with plants, a lot of people 158 00:11:41,799 --> 00:11:43,440 are looking at me going, oh, that's going to be a lot of 159 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:48,039 work, and I'm looking back at them going, look at your lawn exactly. 160 00:11:48,080 --> 00:11:50,919 You know, people think of like they don't think about the maintenance that 161 00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:54,600 they have to put into their lawn, Like that's different. Whereas you know, 162 00:11:54,679 --> 00:11:58,679 with shrubs, perennials, bulbs, a lot of the things that we're 163 00:11:58,720 --> 00:12:05,039 talking about, maintenance commitment that you have is really really minimal. Pretty much 164 00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:07,720 anything you would grow as long as you are planting it in the right place 165 00:12:07,200 --> 00:12:11,919 and not constantly trying to play catch up with Oh the water it needs and 166 00:12:11,960 --> 00:12:13,480 the soil is not right, so every single year I have to amend the 167 00:12:13,519 --> 00:12:16,639 soil, or I have to change the pH r I have to do this 168 00:12:16,759 --> 00:12:18,679 or that or the other. You know, as long as you are putting 169 00:12:18,679 --> 00:12:22,720 the right plants in your yard that once or twice a year where they might 170 00:12:22,799 --> 00:12:28,159 need some pruning or you know, something like that, or fertilizing. That's 171 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:33,120 very, very minimal compared to what most people are dealing with in their lung. 172 00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:35,759 That's well said Stacey. Good point, and it's a great way to 173 00:12:35,919 --> 00:12:41,639 springboard and say as a show note that we have breathed the plant lady coming 174 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:46,240 up in our fourth segment today, and we're going to check in with her 175 00:12:46,360 --> 00:12:50,159 too to get her interpretation of what an easy plant. You know. And 176 00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:52,600 I'm a horticulturist, of course, you know, I have a lot of 177 00:12:52,639 --> 00:12:56,200 knowledge about a lot of different plants and a lot of different aspects of plants 178 00:12:56,720 --> 00:13:01,120 in this noggin. But even I don't want a high maintenance garden. Like 179 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:05,360 I have realized over time that what I'm looking for in my garden or from 180 00:13:05,399 --> 00:13:11,039 my garden is not something that like forces me to do a bunch of stuff, 181 00:13:11,080 --> 00:13:15,320 Like my plants work for me. I don't work for my plants, 182 00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:20,919 and so I don't have, like, through the process of attrition, things 183 00:13:20,919 --> 00:13:22,559 that I said, Oh, I'm really now I have a house. I 184 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:24,759 really really want to grow this, and I've been over backwards to try to 185 00:13:24,799 --> 00:13:28,120 get it. If the deer ate it, if it turned out it was 186 00:13:28,159 --> 00:13:30,799 too dry, turned out it was too sunny, I just let it go. 187 00:13:31,080 --> 00:13:33,480 I like that approach. You're the boss apple sauce. That's right. 188 00:13:33,720 --> 00:13:37,840 So anyway it what is low mains? I think when you're looking for low 189 00:13:37,879 --> 00:13:41,159 maintenance plants, easy care plants, easy to grow plants, you do need 190 00:13:41,240 --> 00:13:46,559 to define for yourself what is it you're willing to put in. What are 191 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:50,600 the reasonable expectations for that plant with the work that you're going to put in 192 00:13:50,639 --> 00:13:54,759 and where you're going to plant it. But you know, I know when 193 00:13:54,799 --> 00:13:56,480 people ask me, hey, like, what's any easy to grow shrub? 194 00:13:56,519 --> 00:14:00,639 What is the easiest, proven winner's color choice shrub that I I can grow? 195 00:14:01,159 --> 00:14:03,399 You know, that's not an easy question to answer because it does depend 196 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:07,360 on a lot of factors like the light, and not everyone is able to 197 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:11,039 just like say, oh, yeah, the spot is full sun or the 198 00:14:11,039 --> 00:14:16,279 part of the spot is parts on or whatever if something if pH is an 199 00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:18,240 issue, say like, you know, I'm not going to recommend an azalea 200 00:14:18,279 --> 00:14:24,320 if they aren't sure that they have acidic soil. So when people ask me 201 00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:26,799 and I don't have all those details, there is one plant that I come 202 00:14:26,840 --> 00:14:31,720 back to again and again and again, and the reason for it is because 203 00:14:31,120 --> 00:14:35,919 it's very versatile, it's very durable, grows everywhere, and most importantly, 204 00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:39,039 for the little bit of work you're gonna have to put into it, it 205 00:14:39,120 --> 00:14:43,879 is going to give you huge rewards because that's what people want ultimately, right. 206 00:14:43,919 --> 00:14:46,840 They don't want to just say I want a low maintenance plant, but 207 00:14:46,879 --> 00:14:50,200 it looks creddy, or it's really dull, really boring, it doesn't do 208 00:14:50,240 --> 00:14:52,559 anything but just like sit there. They want a plant that's going to look 209 00:14:52,679 --> 00:14:56,799 great and they don't have to work hard for it. And that plant is 210 00:14:56,120 --> 00:15:01,799 panicle hydrangees. I love that. I love that the flowers last for a 211 00:15:01,879 --> 00:15:05,559 long part of the season, Stacy. And when people walk up to me 212 00:15:05,639 --> 00:15:09,720 in the garden center or greenhouse, generally I'll walk them over to the panicled 213 00:15:09,759 --> 00:15:13,000 hydrange Yeah. And so people think hydrangees are difficult to grow because all these 214 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:16,720 different hydrangeas, there's six main types of hydranges that we grow in our gardens. 215 00:15:16,919 --> 00:15:22,720 They all get lumped together into one big, confusing pile, and people 216 00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:26,039 don't understand that there are different hydranges and that of those hydranges, in my 217 00:15:26,120 --> 00:15:31,919 opinion, panicle hydrangees are the easiest to grow, the most versatile, the 218 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:37,159 most adaptable. So whatever conditions pretty much that you have, except for poorly 219 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:41,799 drained soil that is like the one thing they really can't take, they can 220 00:15:41,879 --> 00:15:43,759 grow in any of that. They can grow in USDA Zone three, they 221 00:15:43,759 --> 00:15:48,120 can our heat tilert up to USDA Zone eight, even zone nine in the 222 00:15:48,159 --> 00:15:52,720 case of limelight Hydrangea, and they just look amazing. I mean, there 223 00:15:52,759 --> 00:15:58,519 are few other plants that make such an impression all year round, but especially 224 00:15:58,519 --> 00:16:02,759 in summer then a panicle hydrange And the other beauty Stacey is that you don't 225 00:16:02,799 --> 00:16:07,320 necessarily have to pick a color because they tend to change color over the course, 226 00:16:07,759 --> 00:16:11,159 so you get that exciting you know show. So we have fourteen different 227 00:16:11,159 --> 00:16:15,360 panicle hydrangees in the proven Winner's color Choice line. And so the hard part 228 00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:18,799 when I'm talking about easy to grow plants for me is picking which of those 229 00:16:18,840 --> 00:16:23,679 easy to grow panicle hydranges I am going to cover in this particular episode of 230 00:16:23,759 --> 00:16:26,759 Gardening Simplified. So I thought long and hard about it. I looked at 231 00:16:26,759 --> 00:16:30,360 what I've already covered in terms of panicle hydranges. Some of my absolute favorites 232 00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:37,759 have already been covered, like puffer fish, like Bobo, and so I 233 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:41,480 went with Little Quickfire HYDRANGEF for today's plant on Trial. Love it. I 234 00:16:41,519 --> 00:16:47,159 love it too, And the reason that I picked this particular one is because 235 00:16:47,159 --> 00:16:51,840 it's right there in the name Little Quickfire. So older panicle hydranges, you 236 00:16:51,879 --> 00:16:56,600 know, certainly back in the day when PG was really the only one that 237 00:16:56,679 --> 00:17:00,159 was around, are tard of a Those are huge plants. You know. 238 00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:03,799 You can easily find mature PG hydranges in your neighborhood, possibly if it's an 239 00:17:03,839 --> 00:17:11,119 older neighborhood, that are fifteen even twenty feet tall, whereas these newer varieties 240 00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:15,400 like Little Quickfire reach only three to five feet tall and wide. So not 241 00:17:15,440 --> 00:17:18,200 only are they just as easy to grow as other panicle hydranges, they're a 242 00:17:18,200 --> 00:17:22,839 lot easier to use in your landscape because you don't have to worry about them 243 00:17:23,240 --> 00:17:27,759 overgrowing your dining room windows, are growing up to your roof or outgrowing the 244 00:17:27,799 --> 00:17:33,200 space. They stay really nice and tidy, and that smaller size also gives 245 00:17:33,200 --> 00:17:37,240 them a lot of versatility in the landscape, so you can go ahead and 246 00:17:37,240 --> 00:17:40,279 add them to your flower garden if you have a perennial garden or something like 247 00:17:40,319 --> 00:17:42,440 that, you can use them in your landscaping, in your front yard as 248 00:17:42,480 --> 00:17:47,759 a low hedge, as a specimen. They're just a really really versatile plant, 249 00:17:47,920 --> 00:17:51,359 so that you can get that easy care, you know, without having 250 00:17:51,359 --> 00:17:53,000 to think too much about like where am I going to fit? Yeah, 251 00:17:53,039 --> 00:17:56,480 sure it's easy care, but I don't have space for a ten foot by 252 00:17:56,519 --> 00:18:00,759 ten foot plant. You know. I love your choice, though, Stacey, 253 00:18:00,799 --> 00:18:07,519 because I chose this plant, Little Quickfire, for my backyard because my 254 00:18:07,640 --> 00:18:11,240 daughter was going to be getting married in the backyard in June and I felt 255 00:18:11,279 --> 00:18:15,720 it was reliable to be in bloom by the wedding day. Yes, that's 256 00:18:17,039 --> 00:18:21,359 so. Little Quickfire is a dwarf version of Quickfire, and quick Quickfire is 257 00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:23,119 a variety that we have offered for many, many years. It came to 258 00:18:23,200 --> 00:18:26,759 us from Mark Bulk, a wonderful plantsman in the Netherlands. He has a 259 00:18:26,839 --> 00:18:32,599 nursery in boss Coop, the big nursery district in the Netherlands. But it's 260 00:18:32,640 --> 00:18:36,200 a beautiful plant and it is the earliest blooming so for us here in Michigan, 261 00:18:36,519 --> 00:18:38,880 Quickfire Hydrangeas are typically in bloom by fourth of July. Okay, if 262 00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:41,319 you live in a warmer climate, that's going to be a little bit earlier. 263 00:18:41,359 --> 00:18:44,359 If you live in a much colder climate, that's going to be a 264 00:18:44,400 --> 00:18:47,799 little bit later. But it reaches about six to eight feet tall and wide, 265 00:18:47,839 --> 00:18:51,440 so not huge, but definitely the kind of plant that you can't just 266 00:18:51,839 --> 00:18:55,519 impulse purchase and say, oh, I'll just find a place for this rather 267 00:18:55,759 --> 00:19:00,759 large shrub. So in comes a little quickfire that was tier by our new 268 00:19:00,759 --> 00:19:06,279 plant development team, and it reaches just three to five feet tall and wide, 269 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:10,519 so really nice, versatile size. And it still has that very early 270 00:19:10,680 --> 00:19:15,119 bloom time, so blooming by early July for US. And this early bloom 271 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:18,519 time has a couple of advantages that I think a lot of people may not 272 00:19:18,559 --> 00:19:22,599 realize. Number one is that if you live in a very cold climate, 273 00:19:22,640 --> 00:19:25,119 so it's hardy down to USDA Zone three, So if you're in the USD 274 00:19:25,279 --> 00:19:29,519 Zone three, for even USDA Zone five, if you live like up North 275 00:19:29,920 --> 00:19:34,319 Mackinaw Island or out east in a cooler area, sometimes if the summer is 276 00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:38,400 especially cool, it might your panicle hydrangers might not flower until the end of 277 00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:41,759 August. Kids are going back to school, you're thinking about moms and pumpkins, 278 00:19:42,079 --> 00:19:45,599 and here comes your panicle hydrange like it's summertime. Let's party, and 279 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:49,400 you're like, wait what. So the nice thing, especially if you live 280 00:19:49,400 --> 00:19:52,160 in a cold climate, is that you're going to have that early bloom time. 281 00:19:52,160 --> 00:19:56,440 You're gonna be able to enjoy it more for the summer. And not 282 00:19:56,519 --> 00:20:00,480 only that, but because it's blooming earlier, it's going to change color earlier. 283 00:20:00,839 --> 00:20:06,039 So panical hydrangeas are the type of hydrangea that start out white and then 284 00:20:06,039 --> 00:20:08,720 they take on various shades of pink, red, burgundy, or a combination 285 00:20:08,839 --> 00:20:14,720 of all of those as the season progresses. So the earlier your panicle hydrangea 286 00:20:14,759 --> 00:20:18,680 blooms, the longer you're going to be able to enjoy the color aspect of 287 00:20:18,720 --> 00:20:22,519 that hydrangea. And so that's another really big advantage, especially if you live 288 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:26,160 in a colder climate. And I love the color of both quick Fire and 289 00:20:26,200 --> 00:20:30,759 Little Quickfire. It's a deep red and I love the pinks. You know, 290 00:20:30,799 --> 00:20:33,119 I'm not generally a pink person in my garden, with a couple of 291 00:20:33,200 --> 00:20:37,400 exceptions like el nin yoch Talpa, which I adore, But this is a 292 00:20:37,519 --> 00:20:40,759 nice deep red. It's also a lace cap flower. I was going to 293 00:20:40,799 --> 00:20:45,839 say that lace cap fabulous for Pollinators. The Fabulous for Pollinators just has a 294 00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:48,799 beautiful informal look that I personally love. And here I have been talking so 295 00:20:48,960 --> 00:20:52,119 much about how much I love the little Quickfire, I didn't even get to 296 00:20:52,160 --> 00:20:55,680 talking about how easy it is to care for. And we're out of time, 297 00:20:56,400 --> 00:20:59,000 but we have lots of information about that, and of course I will 298 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:00,480 put it all in the show now, but take it from me, it's 299 00:21:00,519 --> 00:21:03,759 easy to grow, it's versatile, full sun parts Son here in the North, 300 00:21:03,880 --> 00:21:07,039 no problem parts Son in the South. Will put all the details at 301 00:21:07,079 --> 00:21:10,880 Gardeningsimplified on air dot com. Right now, we're going to take it break. 302 00:21:10,880 --> 00:21:18,759 When we come back, we're answering your garden questions at proven Winner's Color 303 00:21:18,839 --> 00:21:23,000 Choice. We've got a shrub for every taste and every space. Whether you're 304 00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:27,759 looking for an easy care rose and unforgettable hydrangea, or something new and unique, 305 00:21:27,839 --> 00:21:32,079 you can be confident that the shrubs and the white containers have been trialed 306 00:21:32,079 --> 00:21:34,759 and tested for your success. Look for them at your local garden center. 307 00:21:37,480 --> 00:21:41,920 Creating's Gardening friends, and welcome back to the Gardening Simplified Show. It's time 308 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:45,160 for us to answer your garden questions. The season is in swing. I'll 309 00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:48,400 let people have questions. I even have questions when I'm out there. What 310 00:21:48,480 --> 00:21:51,960 I do if I have a question is I don't do anything. I wait 311 00:21:52,039 --> 00:21:55,000 until I can find out the answer. I don't act on impulse. Well 312 00:21:55,039 --> 00:21:56,759 sometimes they do, but I try not to. I talk to myself. 313 00:21:57,880 --> 00:22:00,880 That works, Yeah, I do. Do you give yourself getting I asked 314 00:22:00,880 --> 00:22:03,759 the question and then I answer my question. Well, sometimes that does work. 315 00:22:03,799 --> 00:22:07,279 It's like you just pretend you're here in studio A, and you're and 316 00:22:07,680 --> 00:22:11,000 you know we're talking, and yeah, that's true. Sometimes you can talk 317 00:22:11,039 --> 00:22:12,880 yourself up, talk yourself through a problem. But if you do have a 318 00:22:12,920 --> 00:22:18,200 garden issue, you can reach us at help HLP at Gardening Simplified on air, 319 00:22:18,319 --> 00:22:22,960 or just go to Gardeningsimplified on Air dot com click the contact tab there. 320 00:22:23,079 --> 00:22:26,720 Also, we don't just take your questions, we take your garden celebrations 321 00:22:26,759 --> 00:22:30,599 and accomplishments as well. And we got a great one this week. We 322 00:22:30,680 --> 00:22:37,079 heard from a listener named Colin in Usdazo nine B. I love it. 323 00:22:37,160 --> 00:22:40,000 I know you love that. I'm sure you're jealous. So he's in Central 324 00:22:40,000 --> 00:22:42,480 Florida and he sent four fabulous pictures which you're gonna be able to see if 325 00:22:42,519 --> 00:22:47,240 you're watching YouTube, or of course you can go to Gardening Simplified on air 326 00:22:47,279 --> 00:22:49,279 dot com to see the photos that Colin shared with us. And here's what 327 00:22:49,359 --> 00:22:53,279 you have to say. I would love to share pics of my first banana 328 00:22:53,319 --> 00:22:59,839 harvest on my beautiful banana tree. One harvest gave me one hundred and twenty 329 00:23:00,119 --> 00:23:03,519 bananas. Oh man, and I have a fresh new bunch coming along next. 330 00:23:04,039 --> 00:23:12,960 You could say it's going bananas as Beethoven would say, banana wow. 331 00:23:14,039 --> 00:23:18,119 He'd be proud of them. Yes. So, with annuals being planted all 332 00:23:18,119 --> 00:23:19,680 over the country this time of year, I also wanted to share picks of 333 00:23:19,720 --> 00:23:26,200 my super Tunia Vista bubblegums that I planted back on December twenty sixth twenty three. 334 00:23:26,079 --> 00:23:30,680 Yes, they are winter annuals here in Florida, and they flourish. 335 00:23:30,039 --> 00:23:34,000 They still look great. So here's some more bananas and blooms over the summer. 336 00:23:34,200 --> 00:23:41,480 You know, Proven Winters does trial annuals in Florida in winter just for 337 00:23:41,519 --> 00:23:45,680 that purpose. So December twenty six that's fantastic. While everybody's returning gifts at 338 00:23:45,720 --> 00:23:52,559 the department store, Colin is planting supertunias and those bananas. Right, you 339 00:23:52,599 --> 00:23:57,160 would think he was living in Banana Stan or New Peeland, but he's in 340 00:23:57,240 --> 00:24:02,799 Florida, Central Florida. I want to talk to yeah, So maybe we'll 341 00:24:03,160 --> 00:24:06,039 set something up, Colin, if you're open to it. The thing I 342 00:24:06,079 --> 00:24:10,279 love, bananas are very cool plants, and a lot of people don't realize 343 00:24:10,319 --> 00:24:12,440 how bananas grow. And you can actually see this in the picture that Colin 344 00:24:12,559 --> 00:24:17,480 sent. So they have these long flowers that come down on these long stems, 345 00:24:18,039 --> 00:24:22,759 and the petals kind of peel back and reveal the over or the banana 346 00:24:22,839 --> 00:24:26,640 fruit, and those get pollinated and turn into the bananas. So Colin's pictures 347 00:24:26,640 --> 00:24:33,000 are a great example of how unique bananas actually form within their flower and how 348 00:24:33,039 --> 00:24:36,359 beautiful they are. So can you even imagine have it like just going out 349 00:24:36,359 --> 00:24:38,680 to your backyard and being like, guess I'll get a banana for breakfast. 350 00:24:38,720 --> 00:24:42,400 They're growing right here on my tree. So you know that one's for all 351 00:24:42,440 --> 00:24:48,079 the warm climate gardeners who wish they could grow lilacs or peonies or whatever thing 352 00:24:48,079 --> 00:24:51,759 we can grow up here. We are jealous of your bananas, and Stacey, 353 00:24:52,359 --> 00:24:56,680 the pictures of the yard and the super tunias beautiful. Oh my gosh, 354 00:24:56,759 --> 00:24:57,839 did you see the one is like he's got like a it looks like 355 00:24:57,880 --> 00:25:02,440 a sunshine. The gust drum and one of the supertunies is creeping up to 356 00:25:02,480 --> 00:25:06,400 the top of that because they're so robust down there, Colin, he's not 357 00:25:06,559 --> 00:25:11,319 monkeying around. He's doing a great job there in central Florida. And thank 358 00:25:11,359 --> 00:25:14,960 you for listening watching the show too, Yeah, definitely, so definitely want 359 00:25:14,960 --> 00:25:17,799 to take a look at those. It really goes to show you what a 360 00:25:17,799 --> 00:25:22,359 different world it must be gardening in Florida versus gardening up here. Right, 361 00:25:22,640 --> 00:25:23,599 Oh, you got it, So what do you got in the mailbag? 362 00:25:25,759 --> 00:25:29,839 Traying sends a question, probably an issue for a lot of people. Hello, 363 00:25:29,920 --> 00:25:33,839 Stacey and Rick, help the dreaded rose slug is back. Besides spraying? 364 00:25:34,079 --> 00:25:37,839 What can I do to protect my roses? Are there natural predators that 365 00:25:38,279 --> 00:25:42,400 prey on them? I've tried blasting them off with my watering hose, but 366 00:25:42,440 --> 00:25:47,200 they're still very small. I'm not so sure it's effective. And of course 367 00:25:48,240 --> 00:25:52,160 we're talking here about the dreaded rose slug, but it's not really a slug 368 00:25:52,279 --> 00:25:55,440 in that sense of the word, right, now now it's just called a 369 00:25:55,559 --> 00:25:59,200 rose slug. It's actually well, I guess technically it would be considered like 370 00:25:59,240 --> 00:26:04,119 a maggot because it is the fly a softly larva. But they have the 371 00:26:04,279 --> 00:26:11,319 unique characteristic of turning the identical color to your rose foliage. They are very 372 00:26:11,359 --> 00:26:14,839 hard to spot at first, especially when they're very small, as Treang says 373 00:26:14,880 --> 00:26:19,960 that hers are. And uh, but you find them not necessarily looking for 374 00:26:21,039 --> 00:26:25,359 them. But when they're very small, they make this very distinctive window like 375 00:26:25,480 --> 00:26:29,839 damage on your rose because they are so small, they're little worm jaws or 376 00:26:29,880 --> 00:26:33,799 little softly jaws can't get through the full leaf tissue, and so they end 377 00:26:33,880 --> 00:26:37,000 up making a window because they only get through part of it, so it 378 00:26:37,039 --> 00:26:41,519 doesn't go all the way through it. They can't their jaws aren't big enough 379 00:26:41,559 --> 00:26:45,240 yet, so it's very distinctive. You can recognize that. And then when 380 00:26:45,279 --> 00:26:49,400 you start seeing those little windows appealing appearing on your rose leaves, then you 381 00:26:49,480 --> 00:26:52,960 go, oh, better turn those over because the softlies do feed from the 382 00:26:53,119 --> 00:26:57,759 underside typically, and then if your eyes are good, the light's good, 383 00:26:57,880 --> 00:27:03,640 you will be able to identify that little rose slug and you can just handpick 384 00:27:03,720 --> 00:27:07,240 them hands squish them, depending on how severe the infestation is. However, 385 00:27:07,359 --> 00:27:11,200 that may be much easier said than done, because they are where there's one 386 00:27:11,279 --> 00:27:15,160 rose slug, there are many rose slugs. Slugs and a little bit of 387 00:27:15,160 --> 00:27:18,920 a rose slug infestation. Your rose is going to be able to be fine, 388 00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:22,119 it's not really going to harm it. But I have seen very very 389 00:27:22,160 --> 00:27:25,960 severe ones that basically eat all the foliage off a rose, and even really 390 00:27:26,039 --> 00:27:29,440 vigorous landscape roses aren't going to be able to withstand a whole whole lot of 391 00:27:29,440 --> 00:27:33,400 that before it starts to severely weaken them because I can't quoto synthesize they have 392 00:27:33,400 --> 00:27:36,599 no leaves, so a couple of things. You know, it always helps 393 00:27:36,599 --> 00:27:41,680 to take the IPM approach and to learn about the life cycle of the of 394 00:27:41,720 --> 00:27:44,680 the passage we're trying to manage. And in the case of the rose softly, 395 00:27:45,559 --> 00:27:51,599 what happens is these softlies are going to metamorphosize next. So they're going 396 00:27:51,680 --> 00:27:56,640 to overwinter under your rose in the soil as a pupa or kind of like 397 00:27:56,680 --> 00:27:59,920 you can think of it as like a coon if you're not familiar with this 398 00:28:00,039 --> 00:28:03,880 stage of an insect life cycle. So the overwinter is pupa in the soil 399 00:28:03,960 --> 00:28:07,160 and then next spring they burst out. They may they let eggs on your 400 00:28:07,200 --> 00:28:11,440 rose. It's just emerging and the cycle is repeated. So one of the 401 00:28:11,440 --> 00:28:17,799 things that you can do is simply to cultivate around the base of your row. 402 00:28:17,920 --> 00:28:19,920 So if you have mulch, you know, clear that away, fluff 403 00:28:19,960 --> 00:28:22,839 it up, and then use like a rake to our a you know, 404 00:28:22,920 --> 00:28:26,759 little hand cultivator to kind of lightly rough up the soil. And what that's 405 00:28:26,799 --> 00:28:32,720 going to do is expose the cocoons that are that are down there. So 406 00:28:32,759 --> 00:28:37,039 you want to do this probably more like in the July, August September time 407 00:28:37,079 --> 00:28:38,519 frame. Do that, you know, maybe once a month, just go 408 00:28:38,599 --> 00:28:42,240 out there, mix it all up. Birds et cetera will take care of 409 00:28:42,279 --> 00:28:45,519 any cocoons and that can help a lot. When I was researching this, 410 00:28:45,599 --> 00:28:49,119 that's what I saw over and over again in university websites. I agree one 411 00:28:49,200 --> 00:28:52,920 hundred percent. And if you do it at that time of the year, 412 00:28:52,039 --> 00:28:56,240 Stacey the roots. If you do any root damage, you shouldn't, but 413 00:28:56,279 --> 00:29:00,079 if you do some root damage, the rose can easily recover. For yeah, 414 00:29:00,079 --> 00:29:03,519 that's a great point. And you know roses we often talk about plants 415 00:29:03,519 --> 00:29:07,279 that are shallowly rooted. Roses aren't a terrible offender that way. They aren't 416 00:29:07,319 --> 00:29:11,799 like really shallow where you're going to be hitting a bunch of roots. I 417 00:29:11,880 --> 00:29:15,000 will put some links in the show notes trying so you can do some research 418 00:29:15,079 --> 00:29:18,319 and read more on this life cycle. But do be aware if we have 419 00:29:18,400 --> 00:29:22,519 listeners from warmer climates. I don't know exactly where trag is located. There 420 00:29:22,559 --> 00:29:27,000 are some species of rose slugs or in warmer climates they have two generations a 421 00:29:27,079 --> 00:29:30,279 year, so this timing will only work if you're in a cooler climate and 422 00:29:30,319 --> 00:29:36,000 are dealing with a one generation a season rose slug. But to my knowledge, 423 00:29:36,119 --> 00:29:40,359 no, there's no specific natural predator. If a bird can see it, 424 00:29:40,359 --> 00:29:44,000 it will certainly eat it, just like it would any other little crater 425 00:29:44,119 --> 00:29:47,599 that it found on a plant. But you can't always count on that. 426 00:29:48,160 --> 00:29:53,119 So sounds good, all right. Myra planted two gentlemen lace Russian sage two 427 00:29:53,200 --> 00:29:56,480 years ago. I loved that plant. They both did wonderfully last year, 428 00:29:56,519 --> 00:30:00,279 but this year one of them came back all ten looking, it's half the 429 00:30:00,319 --> 00:30:06,720 size of the other one, and the third year being in the ground instead 430 00:30:06,720 --> 00:30:10,759 of leaping it's all rough and woody on the bottom like its cousin lavender. 431 00:30:10,839 --> 00:30:15,960 That's a good analogy, right, What can I do? Can it be 432 00:30:15,039 --> 00:30:21,039 replanted elsewhere? I did want to mention a programming note here, Stacey, 433 00:30:21,160 --> 00:30:26,279 that in my research I always thought that Russian sage was named after the great 434 00:30:26,440 --> 00:30:33,599 General Leonoid Petrovsky. He was instrumental in dealing with the German invasion of the 435 00:30:33,640 --> 00:30:38,079 Soviet Union, and part of the reason they named the plant after him was 436 00:30:38,160 --> 00:30:44,480 because the pungent smell of Russian sage smelled like the boots of Russian soldiers. 437 00:30:45,000 --> 00:30:48,160 Well, I guess I was wrong. No, it's not the case. 438 00:30:48,200 --> 00:30:56,720 It was named by a Russian botanist around eighteen forty after Perovsky, the Turkestani 439 00:30:56,839 --> 00:31:00,720 governor of the Russian province of Orenburg. So if you ever have one of 440 00:31:00,759 --> 00:31:07,160 those Cliff Claven cheers moments and somebody asks you, now you know there you 441 00:31:07,200 --> 00:31:10,680 go? Okay? I did not know that, So Mayra send pictures. 442 00:31:10,839 --> 00:31:14,240 Mayra did send pictures of her Russian sage, So that is always very helpful 443 00:31:14,240 --> 00:31:18,000 when we're diagnosing issues. So overall, I don't think that the plant looks 444 00:31:18,039 --> 00:31:22,960 too bad. Russian sage is what is considered a subshrub, and I'm glad 445 00:31:22,960 --> 00:31:26,920 that she mentioned lavender because lavender is also a subshrub. So basically what that 446 00:31:26,960 --> 00:31:30,640 means is that they have a bit of a woody base but herbaceous on the 447 00:31:30,759 --> 00:31:33,119 top, and so that's totally common. So you mentioned the woody basse, 448 00:31:33,200 --> 00:31:37,519 that's totally within the regular behavior of this plant. So that's nothing to be 449 00:31:37,599 --> 00:31:41,480 concerned of in and of itself. And when I look at the plant, 450 00:31:41,519 --> 00:31:45,759 I do see that it's a bit stunted compared to its neighbor. But I 451 00:31:45,799 --> 00:31:48,319 did notice something else in the photos, and that is that there is landscape 452 00:31:48,319 --> 00:31:53,039 fabric, and so there's landscape fabric under the mulch, and what that does 453 00:31:53,119 --> 00:31:57,880 is that keeps a lot of moisture around the plant. And Russian sage is 454 00:31:57,960 --> 00:32:02,839 a very drought not just drought tolerant, but it wants really dry and well 455 00:32:02,920 --> 00:32:07,640 drained conditions. So if it's getting overly wet, especially if it's wet in 456 00:32:07,640 --> 00:32:13,039 the winter or the spring when it's emerging, if you had very heavy clay 457 00:32:13,079 --> 00:32:15,119 soil and it was very cold climate, the plant would just die. So 458 00:32:15,160 --> 00:32:19,960 it's kind of even amazing that it's staying alive and has lived as well as 459 00:32:20,000 --> 00:32:22,359 it has under those conditions. So Myira, I think that the best thing 460 00:32:22,440 --> 00:32:27,599 that you can do is to brush back that mulch, cut away the landscape 461 00:32:27,599 --> 00:32:30,519 fabric for a good eighteen inches around the plant, and then put the mulch 462 00:32:30,559 --> 00:32:34,839 back. That's fine, but the landscape fabric really makes a difference in how 463 00:32:34,920 --> 00:32:37,519 much moisture it holds into the soil perfectly so ye, So that's what I 464 00:32:37,519 --> 00:32:40,720 would do. If you do want to transplanet, that's perfectly fine too. 465 00:32:42,119 --> 00:32:45,400 You can do that now, but ideally I would wait until next spring or 466 00:32:45,400 --> 00:32:47,079 this fall when it is dormant. We got to take a little break. 467 00:32:47,079 --> 00:32:50,240 When we come back, We've got a special guest for branching news, so 468 00:32:50,319 --> 00:32:59,319 please stay tuned. The Gardening Simplified Show is brought to you by proven Winter's 469 00:32:59,319 --> 00:33:04,640 Color Choice. Our award winning flowering shrubs and evergreens have been trialed and tested 470 00:33:04,680 --> 00:33:08,400 for your success so you enjoy more beauty and less work. Look for Proven 471 00:33:08,400 --> 00:33:13,559 Winners Color Choice shrubs and the distinctive white container at your local garden center. 472 00:33:15,279 --> 00:33:21,519 Welcome back to the Gardening Simplified Show. Branching news Here on the show and 473 00:33:21,559 --> 00:33:28,279 for today's Branching News in interview with a wonderful lady, Breathe the plant Lady. 474 00:33:28,400 --> 00:33:30,079 We're going to talk to her. And by the way, her website 475 00:33:30,599 --> 00:33:37,680 bree grows dot com, so that's Burie grows dot com. And I was 476 00:33:37,720 --> 00:33:42,240 thinking, Stacy, if we were going to talk about easy plants, we 477 00:33:42,279 --> 00:33:45,279 should talk to Breed for a number of reasons. Number one, of course 478 00:33:45,279 --> 00:33:51,640 she knows her stuff. Number two, she's down there in hot North Carolina. 479 00:33:52,160 --> 00:33:58,000 And number three, talk about an energetic and enthusiastic person who plants all 480 00:33:58,119 --> 00:34:00,839 kinds of stuff. I can't keep up with her, and I think she's 481 00:34:00,880 --> 00:34:05,200 the perfect person to ask about easy plants. Well, you know, the 482 00:34:05,200 --> 00:34:08,559 busier the gardener, the more they need some easy plants, otherwise they won't 483 00:34:08,599 --> 00:34:14,639 have time for anything exactly. So, Bri, welcome to the Gardening Simplified 484 00:34:14,639 --> 00:34:16,719 Show. And I got to mention right off the bat, I noticed that 485 00:34:16,800 --> 00:34:24,599 you just got an award Club Horticulture Commendation for the Garden Club of America. 486 00:34:25,239 --> 00:34:30,639 Now that's really cool. What a great recognition for you. Oh, thank 487 00:34:30,679 --> 00:34:35,559 you so much, it thinks for having me back. Yes, it was 488 00:34:35,639 --> 00:34:40,760 such a surprise and an honor to receive that. I love the Garden Club 489 00:34:40,800 --> 00:34:45,119 of America for all that they do, and they're horticulture outreach and well, 490 00:34:45,920 --> 00:34:51,960 I have it hanging probably on my wall right by my diploma. It is 491 00:34:52,239 --> 00:34:57,280 much deserved, Bri, and you are one of the most enthusiastic gardeners that 492 00:34:57,440 --> 00:35:00,440 I know, and I encourage people to go to your website Brie grows dot 493 00:35:00,480 --> 00:35:04,960 com. And of course Brie has also written some books, so make sure 494 00:35:05,000 --> 00:35:07,800 to take a look at that also. So, Brie, is there anything 495 00:35:07,920 --> 00:35:14,360 easy to grow down there? I'm saying down there because we're broadcasting from Michigan, 496 00:35:14,800 --> 00:35:16,400 but down there, and of course you would know, Bri, you 497 00:35:16,519 --> 00:35:22,239 are a Michigan native, right, that's right. I'm a former Mischigander. 498 00:35:22,000 --> 00:35:25,639 You know. I've been in North Carolina now twenty two years, and we 499 00:35:25,719 --> 00:35:30,920 actually have a lot of Michiganders living here in the Raleigh area, so I 500 00:35:30,960 --> 00:35:37,679 feel like I'm in good company. This is a challenging environment to grow in 501 00:35:37,280 --> 00:35:43,960 because frankly, everything that you do in the North is upside down down here. 502 00:35:44,039 --> 00:35:46,320 You know, we have a twelve month growing season and a lot of 503 00:35:46,360 --> 00:35:52,840 the plants that you would grow as summer annuals in Michigan are winter annuals here, 504 00:35:52,599 --> 00:35:57,840 and that takes a lot of effort to navigate figuring out the seasonality of 505 00:35:57,880 --> 00:36:02,360 plants. The plantags don't give you that detail, right, Yeah, I 506 00:36:02,360 --> 00:36:06,360 mean they're for the whole country, not just you know, regional plant tags 507 00:36:06,360 --> 00:36:09,960 as you no doubt no would drive this industry crazy. So it does take 508 00:36:10,079 --> 00:36:15,320 you know, that regional expertise to really be able to maximize those unique opportunities. 509 00:36:16,519 --> 00:36:21,519 It does, and I feel and endlessen no of job security as more 510 00:36:21,599 --> 00:36:27,840 Northerners moves south but want to continue to garden. And for sure, I 511 00:36:27,880 --> 00:36:35,000 should say my favorite easy plant for the summer is mangve. I am mad 512 00:36:35,239 --> 00:36:40,000 about mangove, like irrational, I am trying to collect every variety they have. 513 00:36:40,880 --> 00:36:45,400 I think I currently have a live wall filled with mangove. Wow. 514 00:36:45,800 --> 00:36:50,880 Actually I'm going to divide them so that both sides of the wall are planted 515 00:36:50,920 --> 00:36:54,320 with them, because that's what rational persons would do. And I think I 516 00:36:54,400 --> 00:37:00,639 have almost one hundred individual plants. No, I don't know that our listeners 517 00:37:00,679 --> 00:37:04,480 know what a mangave is, and they're probably sitting there going is she's saying 518 00:37:04,559 --> 00:37:09,239 mangave I know agave, I don't know mangave. So for the enlightenment of 519 00:37:09,239 --> 00:37:15,440 our listeners, can you tell them what a mangave is. Well, mangave 520 00:37:15,880 --> 00:37:21,280 was actually bred and created up near you at Walter's Garden. And it's an 521 00:37:21,480 --> 00:37:25,320 ener generic hybrid, which for plant people that's super special. That's like putting 522 00:37:25,320 --> 00:37:32,039 a cat and a dog together. And it's a Manfreda agave hybrid. And 523 00:37:32,199 --> 00:37:37,320 what you end up with is this agave structure that isn't prickly, that has 524 00:37:37,480 --> 00:37:43,320 really cool colors and textures. And some of the varieties have spots and some 525 00:37:43,519 --> 00:37:47,079 are stripes, and some get really big and some are perfect for pots and 526 00:37:49,079 --> 00:37:52,760 they're really amazing. They don't need a lot of water, which is the 527 00:37:52,840 --> 00:37:57,719 main thing. They just look fabulous and the dear leave them alone. So 528 00:37:58,320 --> 00:38:02,719 if there's all these reasons to collect mangave's, they're not reliably party in the 529 00:38:02,760 --> 00:38:07,440 winter here that they make great house plans. So it's one of those plans 530 00:38:07,440 --> 00:38:12,960 that you can bring inside and enjoy during the cool season and then put outside 531 00:38:13,000 --> 00:38:17,239 and forget it all summer long. It's just everybody needs mangave, period. 532 00:38:17,320 --> 00:38:22,400 That's fabulous. Where Brie, where do you store yours in winter? Is 533 00:38:22,440 --> 00:38:25,880 it an unheated shed? Where do you put them? I actually with them 534 00:38:25,880 --> 00:38:31,039 in the carall space with grow lights. Wow. Wow. And actually they're 535 00:38:31,079 --> 00:38:35,679 really fun to show people at dinner parties because then it just makes you seem 536 00:38:35,760 --> 00:38:40,320 that much more insane, the underneath of your house completely full of magha. 537 00:38:42,639 --> 00:38:45,360 So what's your oldest mangave, then, the one that you've had the longest. 538 00:38:45,519 --> 00:38:51,920 I have had Kaleidoscope was my very first, okay, and it's ups 539 00:38:52,000 --> 00:38:54,480 pretty readily. So it's one of those that every year when I pot it 540 00:38:54,559 --> 00:39:00,239 up, I can divide it and share it with people. And I was 541 00:39:00,280 --> 00:39:05,400 fortunate, you know, I worked with hands Hanson, well, worked with 542 00:39:05,519 --> 00:39:08,679 him loosely when I was the production manager at Plant Delight, and he's a 543 00:39:08,719 --> 00:39:14,119 longtime friend. He's the breeder of the mangavis, and he sent the to 544 00:39:14,280 --> 00:39:16,960 trial just to see if this is part of the original trial pack, and 545 00:39:17,519 --> 00:39:22,599 I really just I cherished in so many ways. Hands down, they are 546 00:39:22,719 --> 00:39:29,119 the plant that every visitor asks about because they're so dynamic and interesting that you're 547 00:39:29,159 --> 00:39:31,239 not going to poke your eye out with them. And I don't grow any 548 00:39:31,280 --> 00:39:37,440 agave at all because I'm afraid I'll hurt myself. Sure, yeah, myself 549 00:39:37,760 --> 00:39:40,320 full permission to grow all the manngavis. And a lot of people are even 550 00:39:40,360 --> 00:39:43,360 afraid, you know, if you're not going to hurt yourself. They're afraid 551 00:39:43,360 --> 00:39:45,920 of their pets, cats, you know, dogs, kids. There's a 552 00:39:45,920 --> 00:39:49,320 lot of reasons to be concerned. Now, I would think that most people 553 00:39:49,360 --> 00:39:52,719 are surprised that you can grow them so successfully in a human climate like North 554 00:39:52,719 --> 00:40:00,000 Carolina and they just thrive. It's incredible. They really don't require desert conditions, 555 00:40:00,480 --> 00:40:06,719 and that's partly the Manfreda you know tendencies coming out. It is. 556 00:40:06,719 --> 00:40:10,320 They are just they're vigorous and well, they're just amazing. And actually when 557 00:40:10,320 --> 00:40:15,199 they flower, the flower spikes are really impressive, just like in agave. 558 00:40:15,360 --> 00:40:19,679 You know, they might go eight to ten foot tall. They attract so 559 00:40:19,800 --> 00:40:24,519 many different pollinators. It's really really a site to behold. Wow, Yeah, 560 00:40:24,559 --> 00:40:29,880 I understand what you're saying about the agave and herding yourself. We used 561 00:40:29,920 --> 00:40:36,119 to ship them up from Florida up here to Michigan and then unpackaging them bore 562 00:40:36,159 --> 00:40:39,039 you reach into that box. There are times when you, yeah, especially 563 00:40:39,079 --> 00:40:43,400 you could poke your eyes out with that thing. It's like the the BB 564 00:40:44,360 --> 00:40:47,920 Christmas story, right, Yeah, exactly, now, Brie, we were 565 00:40:47,960 --> 00:40:52,800 talking also about the fact that Stacey and I both feel that herbs would probably 566 00:40:52,840 --> 00:40:59,239 be a good plant to put in the easy category. Would you agree, 567 00:40:59,280 --> 00:41:01,880 and if so, which of the herbs do you think are easy to grow? 568 00:41:04,039 --> 00:41:07,880 I absolutely agree, and I always say herbs are the gateway of food 569 00:41:07,960 --> 00:41:14,800 scaping. But my hands down, without hesitation, favorite herb is a maslbasil. 570 00:41:15,400 --> 00:41:20,840 That is a game changing plant. It's incredible. It thrives through the 571 00:41:20,880 --> 00:41:24,199 summer. You can make enough pesto to feed your entire county because it's so 572 00:41:24,400 --> 00:41:30,440 vigorous, you know, and it's just it's delicious, it's disease free. 573 00:41:30,519 --> 00:41:35,599 I just love a masalbasel. It's the one dasel that I think no one 574 00:41:35,599 --> 00:41:37,519 can live a happy life about. I agree, yeah, And you know, 575 00:41:37,559 --> 00:41:40,280 it's so popular. Honestly, I have been looking for it. I 576 00:41:40,320 --> 00:41:45,000 think it's since it's got such a reputation for all of that disease resistance and 577 00:41:45,039 --> 00:41:47,199 everything. You have to snap it up when you find it because otherwise it 578 00:41:47,199 --> 00:41:52,039 will sell out. Yeah, it's a no brainer. I call it basil 579 00:41:52,199 --> 00:42:00,320 instinct. Bree grows is the website Brie grows dot com the Plant Lady look 580 00:42:00,400 --> 00:42:06,239 for on YouTube. Of course, she speaks all around the country and has 581 00:42:06,320 --> 00:42:10,039 written books, and of course I got to know Brie based on the food 582 00:42:10,119 --> 00:42:15,440 scaping book Brie. If you were to pick, other than herbs, a 583 00:42:15,559 --> 00:42:20,639 vegetable plant that you like to grow, that you think is easy peasy, 584 00:42:21,280 --> 00:42:24,519 what do you think? Oh? Well, I wish I could say tomatoes, 585 00:42:24,559 --> 00:42:29,519 But tomatoes in the South break your heart in a thousand different ways, 586 00:42:29,519 --> 00:42:32,079 and so they keep you humble. So I guess they're I guess they're good 587 00:42:32,079 --> 00:42:37,639 for one thing. But really I think I'm torn between eggplants and peppers. 588 00:42:38,880 --> 00:42:45,000 I like how productive they are, how heat tolerance. I have this terrible 589 00:42:45,079 --> 00:42:51,800 tickborn illness called alpha gal where I'm anaphylactically allergic to everything from a mammal. 590 00:42:52,320 --> 00:42:57,559 So I grow a lot of vegetables just because I eat more vegetables than the 591 00:42:57,599 --> 00:43:00,800 average person, because it's kind of all I'm left with to be able to 592 00:43:00,840 --> 00:43:06,119 eat. And I like how reliable eggshants and peppers are that I can go 593 00:43:06,199 --> 00:43:08,679 out and harvest every day. I don't have a store a whole bunch in 594 00:43:08,719 --> 00:43:14,920 the refrigerator and you know, we're just getting into that season. I also 595 00:43:15,039 --> 00:43:19,519 kind of live on zucchini, so we're just getting into the season where zucchini 596 00:43:19,559 --> 00:43:23,360 will start producing. And you know those are those are three vegetables that are 597 00:43:23,599 --> 00:43:27,559 your daily staples for me. And when I don't have to buy them from 598 00:43:27,559 --> 00:43:30,559 the store, it feels so much better, but also a luxury to be 599 00:43:30,599 --> 00:43:35,559 able to go in your backyard and get them. It's like the stores in 600 00:43:35,559 --> 00:43:39,880 your backyard and exactly, and it saves a lot of space in your refrigerator. 601 00:43:40,360 --> 00:43:44,920 You know, we've been laughing. I eat like five heads of cauliflower 602 00:43:44,960 --> 00:43:53,800 a week, and that's like having five basketballs, right. I grow cauliflower 603 00:43:53,920 --> 00:44:00,000 in the winter season just because there's not room in the refrigerator for my cauliflower. 604 00:44:00,159 --> 00:44:05,159 Have it, Brie? Are you like me where I especially when we 605 00:44:05,199 --> 00:44:10,559 get to summer, I absolutely crave stuffed peppers. I love stuffed green peppers, 606 00:44:12,199 --> 00:44:15,280 yes I do. And I of course can have them with ground turkey, 607 00:44:16,039 --> 00:44:21,440 so I don't have to be completely deprived. Even though I'm mammal free, 608 00:44:21,559 --> 00:44:28,239 I'm unfortunate that I can still eat fish and poul frey safely. I 609 00:44:28,320 --> 00:44:30,840 love stuffed peppers, all right, So in the heat of summer. You 610 00:44:30,920 --> 00:44:36,679 need some shade there in North Carolina. Brie, how about a tree that 611 00:44:36,760 --> 00:44:40,239 you think is really rewarding and easy to grow, or maybe one on your 612 00:44:40,280 --> 00:44:46,360 property that you really enjoy. What do you think, ooh, a tree 613 00:44:46,559 --> 00:44:52,760 for shade. I immediately went to Hydransas for shade because I just watched and 614 00:44:52,880 --> 00:44:58,000 cound my yard and realize I have fifty seven coldivars. Wow, And I 615 00:44:58,039 --> 00:45:06,599 told myself that I wasn't a hide your person happen? What is going on? 616 00:45:07,679 --> 00:45:14,800 But a tree? Well, I'm really encouraged by the plant breeding that's 617 00:45:14,840 --> 00:45:19,880 being done at Empty State through doctor Tom Rainey. And this year he gave 618 00:45:20,000 --> 00:45:27,400 me the new hybrid dogwoods. It's three quarters native one quarter KUSA and it 619 00:45:27,480 --> 00:45:32,440 has really great disease resistance and you know it's going to just long term be 620 00:45:32,760 --> 00:45:38,400 the option to have because disease is wiping out our native dogwoods. And I 621 00:45:38,519 --> 00:45:44,920 just really appreciate his proactiveness in breeding for the future and recognizing the problems. 622 00:45:44,960 --> 00:45:49,679 And I feel honored to have one of the very first ones to be planted. 623 00:45:49,760 --> 00:45:54,519 And every day I like go out and talk to it. I do 624 00:45:54,639 --> 00:46:00,079 have it planted instade it's too young. It didn't bloom this year, but 625 00:46:00,199 --> 00:46:05,079 it's I think settling in well, and I do think it's a plant that 626 00:46:05,880 --> 00:46:10,320 will be a pretty dominant fixture in the industry in years to come, so 627 00:46:12,000 --> 00:46:14,800 be on the lookout for it. I don't think it technically has a name 628 00:46:14,920 --> 00:46:19,320 yet. We got a little steak for you here. Well, we do 629 00:46:19,400 --> 00:46:22,440 sing Doctor Rainey's praises on the show all the time. Of course, he 630 00:46:22,639 --> 00:46:30,239 is an absolutely brilliant plant breeder and problem solver, and we're so here in 631 00:46:30,280 --> 00:46:35,840 North Carolina. We feel very fortunate to claim his and claim him as ours 632 00:46:37,079 --> 00:46:42,760 in He's making the world a better place every single day. It's amazing how 633 00:46:42,800 --> 00:46:46,239 his breeding has touched so many people's lives and gardens. For sure, you 634 00:46:46,280 --> 00:46:51,960 are one of the most enthusiastic gardeners I know, and even one hundred degree 635 00:46:52,079 --> 00:46:57,280 humid heat in North Carolina isn't going to stop you. So tell our listeners 636 00:46:57,320 --> 00:47:00,800 and our viewers, Brie, what are you excited about this year? What 637 00:47:00,840 --> 00:47:06,960 are you really looking forward to? Well, I went down to a nursery 638 00:47:07,039 --> 00:47:15,360 near Wilmington and brought a prius load of rock and fuchia sow you and I 639 00:47:15,400 --> 00:47:20,440 am here rationally excited about this plant. So they're already in full bloom. 640 00:47:20,440 --> 00:47:24,400 They're only going to get bigger and better. And the hummingbirds have recently arrived 641 00:47:24,920 --> 00:47:30,079 and they love this plant so much they do. I'm actually going back down 642 00:47:30,159 --> 00:47:34,800 next week and I think I'm going to get another previous load. So which 643 00:47:34,840 --> 00:47:38,400 is your favorite color of the series. I'm curious. Well, I love 644 00:47:38,480 --> 00:47:44,480 them all, but the one that I keep gravitating towards is fusia. And 645 00:47:44,519 --> 00:47:49,719 it's really funny because I didn't think of myself as a pink person. Now 646 00:47:49,719 --> 00:47:53,400 I have this like entire front border that's just like right pink, and it 647 00:47:53,559 --> 00:47:59,880 looks awesome. It looks beautiful with my blue house. And I also got 648 00:48:00,079 --> 00:48:04,400 a bunch of the white proven winner Klaomis, you know that are sterile, 649 00:48:04,880 --> 00:48:08,280 and they just are so reliable blooming. It's that fusia and white together. 650 00:48:08,880 --> 00:48:15,679 It's gorgeous. It's like drop dead, stop in your tracks. My neighbors 651 00:48:15,719 --> 00:48:19,400 stop and come over and take pictures and they're like, well, you just 652 00:48:19,440 --> 00:48:23,639 please label more so that we know what to buy. You also like a 653 00:48:23,719 --> 00:48:29,119 QR code in your front yard and like stand for the plant list. I 654 00:48:29,239 --> 00:48:32,639 really do you need. What I need is a tech savvy intern. Anyone 655 00:48:32,679 --> 00:48:37,760 out there that's tech savvy, get interested me. That's great. You know, 656 00:48:37,800 --> 00:48:40,320 I'm with you on that hummingbird thing. The rock and fuchia. I 657 00:48:40,360 --> 00:48:45,000 put them in pots all the way leading up my front steps, and uh, 658 00:48:45,360 --> 00:48:49,719 you'd be happy to hear on the lake shore here in Michigan just this 659 00:48:49,800 --> 00:48:53,320 past week. Yes, mine are in bloom two and I saw hummingbirds already, 660 00:48:53,360 --> 00:49:00,199 so it's fantastic. Oh that's so exciting, you know that. And 661 00:49:00,400 --> 00:49:06,000 that vermillionaire cufia that is one of mine. Must have every year too. 662 00:49:06,119 --> 00:49:10,000 Yeah. Me, that's actually been hearty. So it's really win because they 663 00:49:10,079 --> 00:49:15,239 come back it must get huge. Then that's really cool. I plant the 664 00:49:15,519 --> 00:49:17,480 die all the way down, but they do, they get like three by 665 00:49:17,559 --> 00:49:22,360 three. I love it. I planted one this year, Bree, based 666 00:49:22,360 --> 00:49:28,480 on Stacey nudging me on that plant. She loves that plant, and so 667 00:49:28,480 --> 00:49:30,920 I'm giving it a try this year. I'm looking forward to it. Oh 668 00:49:31,000 --> 00:49:36,360 you will not be disappointed. But I always joke I don't want to be 669 00:49:36,440 --> 00:49:38,880 the person who just like plants the same annuals every year, but I have 670 00:49:39,039 --> 00:49:43,199 turned into that because I love that plant so much. I just I simply 671 00:49:43,239 --> 00:49:46,719 can't have a summer without it. I totally agree, And to be honest, 672 00:49:46,760 --> 00:49:52,599 I hope more breeding continues with kufia because there are a lot of species 673 00:49:52,679 --> 00:49:57,480 that really haven't been explored, and they're so reliable that they bloom for the 674 00:49:57,719 --> 00:50:02,280 entire growing season. There's so many colors and shapes and forms. And I 675 00:50:02,280 --> 00:50:07,760 would love to see kufia bread for hanging baskets so they can dangle down. 676 00:50:07,920 --> 00:50:10,760 And you know, I have I have all these dreams for plant readers. 677 00:50:12,760 --> 00:50:16,960 So if anyone's listening exactly, can you just call me and we'll go over 678 00:50:17,039 --> 00:50:25,519 my whistles brie uh. Both Stacy and I really like the summerrific hibiscus, 679 00:50:27,239 --> 00:50:31,159 the dinner type dinner plate type hibiscus uh in North Carolina. With all the 680 00:50:31,239 --> 00:50:35,960 sun and heat that you have, how does a plant like that do there? 681 00:50:37,440 --> 00:50:42,599 They do really well that we do have some pretty serious insect problems. 682 00:50:43,559 --> 00:50:47,760 A lot of times they will just almost look like lace because become no foliage 683 00:50:47,800 --> 00:50:52,800 left. And in part that's because I don't I don't spray any testicides. 684 00:50:53,000 --> 00:50:58,679 It's kind of like, well, it's still a flower. A lot of 685 00:50:59,119 --> 00:51:02,000 I'm very sticky when I'm taking the pictures of my high biscus. There's almost 686 00:51:02,280 --> 00:51:08,000 no green on the leaves, but the flowers are amazing, and you know, 687 00:51:08,119 --> 00:51:14,000 I like to underplant those with different colors of colias, different varieties of 688 00:51:14,000 --> 00:51:21,480 colius like Elbrido and dipped and wine and proven Winners has really done the most 689 00:51:21,480 --> 00:51:25,039 incredible job with their colius collection. And I know a lot of these are 690 00:51:25,039 --> 00:51:30,320 coming from doctor Dave Clark out of Florida, which means they're really good performers 691 00:51:30,559 --> 00:51:35,360 for me, because you know, they like heat and humidity, and they're 692 00:51:35,400 --> 00:51:39,719 just so reliable for providing that ooms that you want. Even in the hottest 693 00:51:39,800 --> 00:51:44,400 days of the summer. They don't lose their color and vigor. Wow, 694 00:51:44,519 --> 00:51:47,320 that's saying something too. Yeah, you bet so. As we enter the 695 00:51:47,360 --> 00:51:52,119 heat of summer. Before we let you go here, Bri give our listeners 696 00:51:52,280 --> 00:51:58,280 viewers some advice on dealing with the heat. I'm not talking about us personally, 697 00:51:58,320 --> 00:52:04,039 but I'm talking about as gardeners having success in the heat of summer. 698 00:52:05,280 --> 00:52:09,519 How do you approach it? What's your go to strategy in the heat of 699 00:52:09,559 --> 00:52:16,400 summer? Soil prep without even I'm glad you said that the more time you 700 00:52:16,480 --> 00:52:22,000 send adding organic matter to the ground you grow in, the easier the experience 701 00:52:22,039 --> 00:52:24,280 will be, the less irrigating you have to do, the stronger your plants 702 00:52:24,280 --> 00:52:29,239 will be. I mean not to say that you're going to go without watering, 703 00:52:29,280 --> 00:52:31,920 because the weather is usually not that reliable. It gives you the rain 704 00:52:32,039 --> 00:52:36,679 exactly when you need it. But when you put your time and energy into 705 00:52:36,719 --> 00:52:43,280 soil, every other part of gardening becomes more fun. Add more organic matter, 706 00:52:43,960 --> 00:52:49,440 always and forever, no question about it. She is Breathe the Plant 707 00:52:49,719 --> 00:52:53,679 Lady. Look for on YouTube, of course, her website bree grows dot 708 00:52:53,719 --> 00:53:00,280 com. Look for her books Breed. Just greatly appreciate your enthusiasm and again 709 00:53:00,719 --> 00:53:08,639 congratulations on that award Club Horticulture Commendation from the Garden Club of America. But 710 00:53:08,719 --> 00:53:15,079 I really think it suits you well because you're enthusiasm for gardening and what you 711 00:53:15,119 --> 00:53:20,039 do for the industry is much appreciated by many, ourselves included, and we 712 00:53:20,079 --> 00:53:23,639 appreciate you joining us on the Gardening Simplified Show. Well, you are so 713 00:53:23,800 --> 00:53:28,519 welcome, and thank you so much. I love catching up with you and 714 00:53:28,559 --> 00:53:31,360 talking about playing. Thanks so much for it's always a pleasure. Good luck 715 00:53:31,360 --> 00:53:37,920 gardening this year, Ah Houston, The ship is at stable one. Those 716 00:53:37,000 --> 00:53:42,159 were the words of Jim Lovell An Apollo thirteen. Today's show feels like a 717 00:53:42,239 --> 00:53:46,119 rocket ship to me. It's so much information packed in and stacy. Always 718 00:53:46,360 --> 00:53:51,199 a privilege and pleasure to do the show. Likewise, Ray and thanks so 719 00:53:51,280 --> 00:53:53,519 much, Adriana, thank you, and most of all, thanks to you 720 00:53:54,000 --> 00:53:58,599 thanks for tuning us in. Again a reminder, we are a podcast, 721 00:53:58,719 --> 00:54:04,119 we are a radio show, and we are a YouTube show. So pick 722 00:54:04,159 --> 00:54:08,159 which one you like or pick all three. We'd love that and have yourself 723 00:54:08,159 --> 00:54:09,280 agreeable. Thank you.