1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:05,240 Speaker 1: Coming to you from Studio A Here at Proven Winners, 2 00:00:05,280 --> 00:00:08,480 Color Choice Shrubs. It's time for the Gardening Simplified Show 3 00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:12,279 with Stacy Hervella, me, Rick weisst and our engineer and 4 00:00:12,320 --> 00:00:17,000 producer Adrianna Robinson. Last week our show was just do it. 5 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:20,760 This week don't do it. We're gonna go down the 6 00:00:20,879 --> 00:00:24,320 list today and Stacy, I'm gonna take this occasion to 7 00:00:24,399 --> 00:00:27,480 have a rant, at least right off the top on 8 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:32,200 three things. However, let me say it is Stacy who 9 00:00:32,280 --> 00:00:38,079 always says, when in doubt, don't don't, don't do it, 10 00:00:38,119 --> 00:00:42,560 don't do it. So here we go. My number one item. 11 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:47,159 We have an AI problem. We have an AI problem, 12 00:00:47,399 --> 00:00:51,159 and I'm not talking about artificial intelligence. 13 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:53,479 Speaker 2: Well, we do have that problem too, We have that too. 14 00:00:54,479 --> 00:00:58,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, don't order, don't get duped online. And it's getting 15 00:00:58,600 --> 00:00:59,799 worse since we did that. 16 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:02,039 Speaker 2: It's ridiculous, it's horrible. 17 00:01:02,759 --> 00:01:06,799 Speaker 1: But no, the AI I'm referring to as automatic irrigation, 18 00:01:08,079 --> 00:01:11,439 don't set it and forget it. But the number one 19 00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:14,159 thing that drives me crazy is I'm still convinced that 20 00:01:14,239 --> 00:01:19,640 automatic irrigation is meant for turf lawns, not woody plants 21 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:23,920 or shrubs in your landscape, they should be watered when 22 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:27,760 they need water. So often in the garden center, I 23 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:30,680 will have someone come up to me with pictures on 24 00:01:30,719 --> 00:01:34,400 their phone, or in some occasions I've stopped by homes 25 00:01:34,519 --> 00:01:38,519 like I did this past week, and sure enough, in 26 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:43,319 the landscape there are irrigation heads above the ground right 27 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:48,239 behind the shrubs. The plants are getting drenched, or even worse, 28 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:52,200 the upper profile of the soil is drenched and drowning. 29 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:57,239 Down below it's dry as dust because they're just sprinkling 30 00:01:57,359 --> 00:02:01,719 for ten minutes and these plants die. So just bear 31 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:06,439 in mind that, in my opinion, much of this irrigation 32 00:02:06,599 --> 00:02:09,599 that we use, but people want the convenience so they 33 00:02:09,599 --> 00:02:12,560 don't want to have to think about watering. So in 34 00:02:12,719 --> 00:02:15,599 early spring we set the irrigation system and then we 35 00:02:15,719 --> 00:02:19,120 walk away, not paying attention to the weather. But it 36 00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:20,840 kills a lot of plants, it can. 37 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:23,199 Speaker 2: And I think part of the issue too, is that 38 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:28,360 the people who put in irrigation systems, those control modules 39 00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:31,759 are pretty complicated. Yeah, they are not really designed for 40 00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:34,639 the average person to just pop out there and go, oh, 41 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:37,360 I want to change zone one to water once a week, 42 00:02:37,439 --> 00:02:39,560 and then my shrubs will get the right amount of water. 43 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:42,560 It doesn't work that way. They're actually quite complex and 44 00:02:42,759 --> 00:02:45,159 can be very difficult to figure out. So, but that 45 00:02:45,199 --> 00:02:48,280 doesn't mean it's not possible to reprogram them. So if 46 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:50,439 you have an irrigation system, it doesn't mean to rip 47 00:02:50,479 --> 00:02:55,840 it out. Just contact your landscape company, your irrigation company 48 00:02:56,159 --> 00:02:59,520 and work with them to understand the zones and come 49 00:02:59,639 --> 00:03:01,599 up with a plan that actually works for your yard. 50 00:03:01,599 --> 00:03:03,120 Because yeah, they're going to set it and forget it 51 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:04,680 because they don't have the time to sit there and 52 00:03:04,719 --> 00:03:07,960 think in depth about all your different plants and everything. 53 00:03:08,199 --> 00:03:09,840 But that doesn't mean that they can't work with you 54 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:13,560 to develop what you have into a more suitable program 55 00:03:13,639 --> 00:03:14,240 for irrigation. 56 00:03:14,639 --> 00:03:18,319 Speaker 1: Yeah. It just drives me crazy. And I see it 57 00:03:18,360 --> 00:03:20,759 all the time and they wonder why the plants are strung. 58 00:03:20,919 --> 00:03:22,560 It makes me burn thunderwood. 59 00:03:22,719 --> 00:03:26,280 Speaker 2: Don't you love it when it's pouring rain and the 60 00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:29,639 fountain the irrigation's just going off like there's no tomorrow 61 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:32,439 and it's running down the street. It's terrible. 62 00:03:32,639 --> 00:03:35,719 Speaker 1: Oh, drives me nuts. Here's another one and we already 63 00:03:35,719 --> 00:03:38,960 touched on it. Yeah, that whole AI thing. I'm seeing 64 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:42,199 people now more than ever, coming in asking for the red, white, 65 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:45,680 and blue hostas, et cetera, et cetera. And if you 66 00:03:45,960 --> 00:03:49,719 just read the reviews online, these people got a package 67 00:03:49,759 --> 00:03:52,479 of seeds, not plants, and of course the seeds didn't 68 00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:57,800 germinate or materialize into what they were looking for. Again, 69 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:03,120 burn thunderwood. That's my new phrase, thunderwood is a poisoned sumac. 70 00:04:03,319 --> 00:04:04,120 Speaker 2: Oh I didn't know that. 71 00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:06,599 Speaker 1: Yeah, so it's a phrase when you're ticked off, burn 72 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:08,840 thunder I like it. Yeah, I'm going to use Well, you. 73 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:12,240 Speaker 2: Know the other thing about these ai plants, right, I mean, 74 00:04:12,319 --> 00:04:14,680 speaking as two people who have spent a long time 75 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:17,800 in the horticulture industry, and with this show as evidence, 76 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:20,800 we're not trying to keep any cool stuff from you, right, 77 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:23,399 we talk about it all the time. So it's not 78 00:04:23,439 --> 00:04:27,160 like there's a secret treasure trove of really amazing, wild, 79 00:04:27,279 --> 00:04:30,759 wacky plants that we've all just been you know, gatekeeping 80 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:32,959 from you because you're whatever, not a good enough gardener. 81 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:37,399 That does not exist. They are computer generated, specifically designed 82 00:04:37,399 --> 00:04:41,839 to appeal to, you know, your most basic visual instincts 83 00:04:41,879 --> 00:04:44,079 and go ooh, I love purple and that you know, 84 00:04:44,639 --> 00:04:48,639 fluorescent purple hosta with paint streaks is exactly what I need. 85 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:50,480 I can't believe I've never seen this before. You've never 86 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:54,240 seen it before because it doesn't exist. And uh yeah, 87 00:04:54,279 --> 00:04:59,040 so don't think that, Like, yes, innovations happen, but innovations, 88 00:04:59,079 --> 00:05:02,040 you know. I would say the wildest innovation that we 89 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:04,879 have had in the last you know, ten years is 90 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:07,959 probably the glow in the dark petunias, not all of 91 00:05:07,959 --> 00:05:10,680 that crazy stuff you're seeing with AI. 92 00:05:12,439 --> 00:05:15,319 Speaker 1: Here's another one for you. Don't do it. This one 93 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:18,879 may be controversial. Don't put down landscape fabric and multure 94 00:05:19,000 --> 00:05:23,240 plants with stone mulch. Don't do it. In my opinion, 95 00:05:23,319 --> 00:05:25,600 I don't think the stone is good for the plants. 96 00:05:26,519 --> 00:05:29,879 The stone may look nice when you initially put it in, 97 00:05:30,040 --> 00:05:33,519 but it's going to become a maintenance nightmare. The weeds 98 00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:37,560 are going to grow in between the cracks and crevices, 99 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:41,399 and even if you were to spray the weeds with 100 00:05:41,519 --> 00:05:44,319 a herbicide, let's say, you're still going to have to 101 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:47,240 pull them or remove them. They're going to look awful. 102 00:05:47,519 --> 00:05:50,639 So my opinion is, if you're thinking about using stone 103 00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:52,439 mulch around your plants, don't. 104 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:55,879 Speaker 2: Do it don't do it, I agree, at least for Michigan. Now, 105 00:05:55,959 --> 00:05:58,800 I will say, especially out west where the climate can 106 00:05:58,839 --> 00:06:01,920 be very arid, stone mulch is probably going to be 107 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:03,720 your best beat because you don't have to worry about fire. 108 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:05,879 And of course a lot of those desert plants they 109 00:06:05,920 --> 00:06:09,199 look just fine with the stone mulch. But over here 110 00:06:09,199 --> 00:06:12,639 in Michigan, where we're growing these temperate plants, generally from 111 00:06:12,680 --> 00:06:16,839 more humid climates, it looks out of place. It's typically 112 00:06:16,959 --> 00:06:18,879 very bad for the plants. And I cannot tell you, 113 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:21,959 over my many years here how many people I have 114 00:06:22,040 --> 00:06:25,439 seen kill or very nearly kill their plants through that 115 00:06:25,519 --> 00:06:28,920 combination of landscape fabric and rock. And let's not talk 116 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:31,839 about the fact that it is extremely hard to put 117 00:06:31,879 --> 00:06:34,560 down and extremely hard to remove. If you change your 118 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:38,279 mind because your plants are dying, it is the worst. 119 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:43,639 So if you don't have fire danger a regular shredded 120 00:06:43,639 --> 00:06:47,639 bark organic mulch, it's actually gonna enrich your soil is 121 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:49,959 going to be far better. It's going to still have 122 00:06:50,079 --> 00:06:52,519 weed prevention, it's going to be better for the plants. 123 00:06:52,560 --> 00:06:55,040 It's going to enrich your soil, and you won't have 124 00:06:55,120 --> 00:06:58,040 all those liabilities of a stone mulch, got it, and 125 00:06:58,160 --> 00:06:59,759 rocks in your shoe, which no one likes. 126 00:07:00,439 --> 00:07:03,000 Speaker 1: Don't I call them riot rocks. Just don't do it. 127 00:07:03,639 --> 00:07:06,199 Don't do it. Don't ignore canopy trees. You've got some 128 00:07:06,279 --> 00:07:11,360 beautiful trees in your neighborhood overhead. Again, every time storms 129 00:07:11,399 --> 00:07:15,519 come through, we're reminded of the danger of these trees 130 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:19,519 and what could happen. Any good arborist will tell you, 131 00:07:19,560 --> 00:07:24,920 don't ignore the trees. Arborists are worth their weight in gold. 132 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:26,759 And I'm not saying that just because I have a 133 00:07:26,759 --> 00:07:32,000 son who's an arborist. But tree maintenance is important. So 134 00:07:32,160 --> 00:07:38,120 don't ignore your trees. I'm not saying don't eliminate. I'm 135 00:07:38,120 --> 00:07:41,879 not saying eliminate these trees. I'm saying, maintain them. You know, 136 00:07:42,079 --> 00:07:45,720 winter pruning can be done. Take care of your trees, 137 00:07:46,120 --> 00:07:50,800 pay attention, and don't have a tree fall on your house. 138 00:07:50,639 --> 00:07:53,120 Speaker 2: Oh that's for sure. And you know, even little things 139 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:56,040 that we think of as regular maintenance for other plants 140 00:07:56,040 --> 00:07:59,759 in our yard, like fertilizing, like watering, can make a 141 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:04,279 huge difference to a tree's overall health, and especially older trees. 142 00:08:04,319 --> 00:08:06,439 If you live in a soil that's not super fertile 143 00:08:06,439 --> 00:08:09,360 like our sandy soils out here. You know, fertilizing every 144 00:08:09,399 --> 00:08:11,399 couple of years can make a huge difference in the 145 00:08:11,399 --> 00:08:12,240 healthier tree. 146 00:08:12,519 --> 00:08:15,920 Speaker 1: Don't volcano mult oh, don't do it. Don't do it. 147 00:08:15,920 --> 00:08:18,279 As a matter of fact, it's a good idea. Don't 148 00:08:18,319 --> 00:08:22,680 copy your neighbors. That's what happens. Somebody does something and 149 00:08:22,759 --> 00:08:25,160 everyone else in the neighborhood then has to have that 150 00:08:25,199 --> 00:08:27,720 plant or do it the way their neighbor did it. 151 00:08:27,800 --> 00:08:31,879 Don't do that, you know, be original. Here's a controversial 152 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:35,679 one for you, Stacey. Don't try to This is real controversial. 153 00:08:36,039 --> 00:08:40,200 Don't try to grow succulents indoors. I love succulents outside, 154 00:08:40,679 --> 00:08:42,399 but don't try to grow them indoors. 155 00:08:44,679 --> 00:08:48,320 Speaker 2: Yes and no, Well, don't have reasonable expectations if you 156 00:08:48,360 --> 00:08:51,879 grow them indoors, because I do successfully grow some succulents 157 00:08:51,919 --> 00:08:55,840 indoors with pure neglect and they do great. But you know, 158 00:08:55,879 --> 00:08:58,840 the biggest thing is all of these really cool akavirias 159 00:08:58,879 --> 00:09:01,720 and stuff that are for sale, and you buy this cute, 160 00:09:01,759 --> 00:09:04,080 tidy little rosette you can't wait to get at home, 161 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:05,559 and it's going to be so amazing and that thing 162 00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:07,799 gets back to your house and it just starts elongating 163 00:09:08,320 --> 00:09:11,039 and stretching, and everyone's like, what happened? I can't grow anything. 164 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:14,840 But you know, certainly jade plants that kind of thing 165 00:09:14,840 --> 00:09:16,919 are okay. But you do need to know what's going 166 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:17,720 to happen inside. 167 00:09:18,559 --> 00:09:21,200 Speaker 1: And like we said in our just do it show, 168 00:09:21,360 --> 00:09:25,840 think about the environment that these plants grow in so 169 00:09:25,919 --> 00:09:27,960 you can better care for them. I told you it'd 170 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:31,559 be controversial. Yeah, well so all right. So Stacy is 171 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:35,519 the one who always says, when in doubt, don't so 172 00:09:35,759 --> 00:09:40,159 in her honor, I wrote this week's limerick thinking of you, Stacy. 173 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:43,559 It comes at the end, okay. It can be a 174 00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:48,120 real temptation, a quick fixed cultivation. This miraculous breakthrough could 175 00:09:48,159 --> 00:09:52,559 be your bugaboo and not your plants salvation. My neighbor 176 00:09:52,639 --> 00:09:56,840 sought out advice for his backyard paradise. Don't do it, 177 00:09:57,000 --> 00:09:59,840 I said to my neighbor, trying to save him some labor. 178 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:03,320 He didn't listen and paid the price. You see, the 179 00:10:03,399 --> 00:10:08,120 moral of these silly rhymes can save you grief sometimes. 180 00:10:08,759 --> 00:10:12,159 For example, if you live next to Stacy, make sure 181 00:10:12,240 --> 00:10:17,120 the distance is spacey. If hanging up back porch wind chimes, 182 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:20,240 just don't don't do it. 183 00:10:20,399 --> 00:10:22,519 Speaker 2: Just don't you know. You know, there's a lot of 184 00:10:22,519 --> 00:10:25,720 love for windchimes out there, but there's a lot of 185 00:10:25,759 --> 00:10:28,120 people who don't want to listen to clinging metal all night. 186 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:31,320 Speaker 1: This is a controversial show. We're going to get letters, 187 00:10:31,360 --> 00:10:35,200 comments and mail, keep them coming. Plants on trial next 188 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:37,759 here on The Gardening Simplified. 189 00:10:37,240 --> 00:10:46,639 Speaker 2: Show, beautify your home and community with proven Winner's Color 190 00:10:46,720 --> 00:10:49,600 Choice shrubs with over three hundred and twenty five unique 191 00:10:49,679 --> 00:10:52,840 varieties to choose from. There's a flowering shrubber evergreen for 192 00:10:52,879 --> 00:10:56,080 every taste and every space. Just look for the distinctive 193 00:10:56,080 --> 00:10:58,840 white container your local garden center or learn more at 194 00:10:58,879 --> 00:11:04,120 proven Winner's Color Choice dot com. Greetings gardening friends, and 195 00:11:04,360 --> 00:11:07,679 welcome back to the Gardening Simplified Show, where the topic 196 00:11:07,759 --> 00:11:11,759 of today is just don't do it. In contrast to 197 00:11:11,960 --> 00:11:14,519 last episode, which was just do it. So last time 198 00:11:14,519 --> 00:11:16,519 we were talking about things that you should definitely do. 199 00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:19,320 This time we're talking about the things that you should 200 00:11:19,480 --> 00:11:23,840 avoid doing. You know, mostly from a horticultural perspective. Obviously, 201 00:11:23,879 --> 00:11:27,200 this could become very taste oriented and we could go 202 00:11:27,240 --> 00:11:30,120 on all episode about the things that we don't like 203 00:11:30,159 --> 00:11:32,279 and we don't think people should be doing. Oh yeah, 204 00:11:32,320 --> 00:11:34,440 but we're not talking about our personal taste. We're talking 205 00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:38,200 about horticultural Uh you know advice here. 206 00:11:38,159 --> 00:11:41,679 Speaker 1: Like roots need oxygen, so don't And then I'm going 207 00:11:41,720 --> 00:11:49,519 to say, don't bury your plants. But then I think, okay, etymology, Stacy, 208 00:11:49,639 --> 00:11:53,200 is it berry or bury? What is it? Don't say it. 209 00:11:53,799 --> 00:11:56,519 Speaker 2: As long as you as your meaning is understood, it 210 00:11:56,559 --> 00:12:00,840 doesn't matter. Is or I would say Barry bury bury Erry. Yeah. 211 00:12:00,879 --> 00:12:02,080 Speaker 1: I think it's a Midwest thing. 212 00:12:02,159 --> 00:12:05,279 Speaker 2: It must be. Okay, maybe it's an English word that 213 00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:09,440 we have just adapted and give it our own American pronunciation. 214 00:12:09,679 --> 00:12:12,960 Speaker 1: People look funny at me when I say bury. 215 00:12:13,879 --> 00:12:17,320 Speaker 2: It's it sounds a little strange. It's also the Japanese 216 00:12:17,320 --> 00:12:21,240 word for pig burry. 217 00:12:21,559 --> 00:12:23,480 Speaker 1: I'm sorry for sidetracking us here. 218 00:12:23,879 --> 00:12:25,519 Speaker 2: Anyway, continue. 219 00:12:26,720 --> 00:12:27,200 Speaker 1: Anyway. 220 00:12:28,320 --> 00:12:30,240 Speaker 2: Actually, I don't think it's a Japanese word for pig. 221 00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:33,679 I think I'm mistaken. It's the Japanese word for the 222 00:12:33,720 --> 00:12:34,759 noise that pigs make. 223 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:37,200 Speaker 1: Oh not a ink. 224 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:39,919 Speaker 2: No, not ak. There's different animal sounds you can find 225 00:12:39,960 --> 00:12:45,279 them online. Different cultures interpret animal sounds completely differently. It's 226 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:48,519 very interesting. If you're into that so fascinating. Yes, always 227 00:12:48,559 --> 00:12:50,440 something to learn the things we learn on this show, 228 00:12:50,639 --> 00:12:53,120 and you should learn because that's what gardening is all about. 229 00:12:53,159 --> 00:12:55,159 So anytime you're curious about something, you say, I'm gonna 230 00:12:55,159 --> 00:12:59,519 look that up, find out more, uh, and do it. 231 00:12:59,600 --> 00:13:01,320 That is a thing you should do. But we're talking 232 00:13:01,320 --> 00:13:03,360 about what you shouldn't do. And when it comes to 233 00:13:03,440 --> 00:13:05,799 Plants on Trial, as I said last week, Plants on 234 00:13:05,840 --> 00:13:08,240 Trial is all about plant that you should plant in 235 00:13:08,240 --> 00:13:10,279 your yard or at least consider planting in your yard 236 00:13:10,320 --> 00:13:13,120 because it looks great and solves problems and is easy 237 00:13:13,159 --> 00:13:15,399 to grow, like the rest of the proven Winner's color 238 00:13:15,519 --> 00:13:19,720 choice shrubs. And when I've been saying, when in doubt, 239 00:13:19,919 --> 00:13:22,919 just don't for a while now right like probably two years. 240 00:13:23,720 --> 00:13:26,840 And the majority of the times that I use this 241 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:31,480 phrase is regarding pruning, and it's specifically regarding quydrange of 242 00:13:31,519 --> 00:13:36,000 pruning most often, because hydrangs are the plants that are 243 00:13:36,039 --> 00:13:40,799 most often pruned wrong. And you know, it's very it's 244 00:13:41,039 --> 00:13:43,360 confusing until you you know, are able to see this 245 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:47,559 all mapped out. But some hydrangers bloom on old wood, 246 00:13:47,559 --> 00:13:49,799 which is to say that they create their flower buds 247 00:13:49,840 --> 00:13:52,039 for the following year as soon as they finish blooming 248 00:13:52,039 --> 00:13:55,240 in the current one. So a big leaf hydrangea, which 249 00:13:55,320 --> 00:13:58,919 is today's plant on trial, let's dance big band hydrangea, 250 00:13:59,240 --> 00:14:01,879 and a big leaf angel like this starts to set 251 00:14:01,919 --> 00:14:04,919 its flower buds in August, So in August twenty twenty 252 00:14:04,919 --> 00:14:08,320 four it was sitting it's July twenty twenty five flower buds, 253 00:14:08,600 --> 00:14:10,919 and have those flower buds on all through the year. 254 00:14:11,399 --> 00:14:13,279 Now take, on the other hand, something like a panicle 255 00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:19,039 hydrangel like Limelight or Pinky Winky. These bloom on new wood, 256 00:14:19,120 --> 00:14:21,799 which is to say that they don't carry flower buds 257 00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:24,039 through the winter. They only start to create them after 258 00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:26,200 they start to leaf out in spring. So right now 259 00:14:26,279 --> 00:14:30,320 panicle hydrangees are only just starting to create their flower buds, 260 00:14:30,519 --> 00:14:32,120 which are going to be open in about two months 261 00:14:32,240 --> 00:14:36,039 or so, probably closer to six weeks. So for the reason, 262 00:14:36,039 --> 00:14:39,080 people get really confused about pruning hydranges, and that's why 263 00:14:39,080 --> 00:14:42,159 I always say, when in doubt, don't because if you 264 00:14:42,279 --> 00:14:45,720 don't prune any of your hydranges, you are far likely 265 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:48,480 to get better results than if you prune all of 266 00:14:48,519 --> 00:14:52,039 your hydranges. But the key really is when I say 267 00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:54,759 just don't do it. Don't prune your big leaf Hydrangees 268 00:14:54,759 --> 00:14:57,240 by all means plant them. You should absolutely plant them. 269 00:14:57,399 --> 00:15:01,279 They're fabulous, They are completely emblematic of some summer. They 270 00:15:01,320 --> 00:15:03,759 are a plant that does need special sighting. You need 271 00:15:03,799 --> 00:15:06,720 to make sure that you are placing it somewhere if 272 00:15:06,759 --> 00:15:08,159 you live in a cold climate where it can get 273 00:15:08,159 --> 00:15:10,240 a little protection from the worst of the winter weather. 274 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:14,960 Moist mulch and wood mulch soil definitely not stones. I've 275 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:18,399 seen plenty of hydrange of macrophilla take a nose dye 276 00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:22,559 from being planted in a stone bed. So planting them. 277 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:24,919 Sighting them is very very important. But once you have 278 00:15:25,080 --> 00:15:28,279 them sighted, not pruning them is so is so crucial 279 00:15:28,519 --> 00:15:30,200 to being able to enjoy them, because if you prune them, 280 00:15:30,200 --> 00:15:32,679 they're not going to flower. Now they can rebloom, and 281 00:15:32,720 --> 00:15:36,519 today's plant on trial, let's dance big band does rebloom, 282 00:15:36,919 --> 00:15:40,200 But you don't necessarily want to count on that rebloom 283 00:15:40,519 --> 00:15:42,559 because what that means is you still missed all of 284 00:15:42,600 --> 00:15:45,039 the initial bloom in July, so you still miss out 285 00:15:45,080 --> 00:15:47,840 on dozens and dozens of flowers. And here's the thing 286 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:49,919 about big leaf hydrangees. And that's not just true of 287 00:15:50,360 --> 00:15:52,720 Let's Dance Big Band, but all big leaf hydrangees. And 288 00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:54,759 this I think is one of the most egregious things 289 00:15:54,799 --> 00:15:59,039 about it. It looks like it should be pruned it. Really. 290 00:15:59,120 --> 00:16:01,639 It's one of those plants when you're going through and 291 00:16:01,799 --> 00:16:03,960 fall and doing your fall clean up, and then you're, 292 00:16:04,080 --> 00:16:06,279 you know, trying to put the garden to bed, going 293 00:16:06,320 --> 00:16:08,240 through in spring, trying to wake the garden up and 294 00:16:08,240 --> 00:16:10,639 get everything cleaned out. If you come across a big 295 00:16:10,720 --> 00:16:13,320 leaf hydrangea and you aren't familiar with what it looks like, 296 00:16:13,720 --> 00:16:15,480 you were going to get those snips out of your 297 00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:17,080 pocket and you were going to cut this whole thing 298 00:16:17,120 --> 00:16:20,320 back to nubs because it just looks like it should 299 00:16:20,320 --> 00:16:21,799 be premne. And I'm not even saying it looks like 300 00:16:21,840 --> 00:16:25,600 it's dead necessarily. There is just something about those stems. 301 00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:27,440 I can't quite put my finger on it. It's like 302 00:16:27,480 --> 00:16:28,879 it's begging you to cut it back. 303 00:16:28,960 --> 00:16:32,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's just straight sticks out of the soil, and 304 00:16:32,320 --> 00:16:35,600 you feel you're doing your due diligence by chopping them back. 305 00:16:35,679 --> 00:16:36,360 Many people do. 306 00:16:36,600 --> 00:16:38,600 Speaker 2: Yes, I've done it myself before I knew what I 307 00:16:38,679 --> 00:16:42,440 was doing, so you're in good company, I guess at least, 308 00:16:43,799 --> 00:16:45,679 And you know, there's just something about the color too 309 00:16:45,720 --> 00:16:47,720 that makes them look kind of dead. So win in doubt, 310 00:16:48,039 --> 00:16:50,480 just don't prune, no matter what type of hydrangea it is, 311 00:16:51,080 --> 00:16:53,960 because nothing bad is going to happen to the hydrangeas 312 00:16:54,000 --> 00:16:58,120 that can be pruned if you don't prune, and something 313 00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:00,759 good is far more likely and going to happen if 314 00:17:00,799 --> 00:17:03,480 you don't prune the ones that can't be prune, and 315 00:17:03,519 --> 00:17:06,039 a lot of people it's easy to learn the difference. 316 00:17:06,039 --> 00:17:09,160 If you spend some time thinking about it and observing 317 00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:13,000 your plants, you can easily start to discern what those 318 00:17:13,039 --> 00:17:14,880 differences are. But it does take a little bit of 319 00:17:14,880 --> 00:17:20,480 a you know, dedication to learning and identifying those factors. Now, 320 00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:24,440 what makes let's dance big band reblooming hydrangea bigger different, 321 00:17:24,599 --> 00:17:28,200 bigger different than others is that the flowers are very large, 322 00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:30,640 which is why I just said bigger. So it does 323 00:17:30,680 --> 00:17:32,720 have extra large flowers. But one of the things that 324 00:17:32,759 --> 00:17:34,799 I think is really special about this plant is it 325 00:17:34,960 --> 00:17:38,839 is one of our most vivid big leaf hydranges. So 326 00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:42,799 the color of big leaf hydrangeas is related to soil chemistry. 327 00:17:43,359 --> 00:17:45,920 It's also related to temperature because you're gonna generally get 328 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:49,039 brighter colors in cooler temperatures than in very very hot 329 00:17:49,039 --> 00:17:52,680 temperatures because plants synthesize their pigments at night, so cool 330 00:17:52,799 --> 00:17:55,400 nights let them synthesize more effectively and you get much 331 00:17:55,400 --> 00:18:00,000 better pigments in color. And it's also based on genete, 332 00:18:00,440 --> 00:18:06,160 so they're you know, every individual hydrangea is going to bloom. 333 00:18:06,440 --> 00:18:10,039 These big leaf hydranges is going to bloom as a 334 00:18:10,079 --> 00:18:14,400 reflection of its growing conditions temperature and soil chemistry and 335 00:18:14,440 --> 00:18:16,519 all of that. But it's still going to have kind 336 00:18:16,559 --> 00:18:19,319 of a range that it can attain, you know, a 337 00:18:19,440 --> 00:18:22,880 range of blue, a range of pink, and the just 338 00:18:22,920 --> 00:18:25,039 don't do it. Part of let's stand's big band is 339 00:18:25,079 --> 00:18:28,480 that this plant looks so gorgeous in all of its 340 00:18:28,519 --> 00:18:31,160 color iterations that you don't even have to worry about 341 00:18:31,400 --> 00:18:34,200 trying to change the flower color if it isn't blooming 342 00:18:34,279 --> 00:18:36,720 the color that you want, because it looks so good 343 00:18:36,880 --> 00:18:39,480 in bright purple, which is the farthest it's going to 344 00:18:39,519 --> 00:18:43,200 go towards the blue side or that bright almost red 345 00:18:43,359 --> 00:18:47,759 type of pink. Now, generally speaking, big leaf hydrangeas, the 346 00:18:47,839 --> 00:18:50,799 more red tones they have in them, the less likely 347 00:18:50,839 --> 00:18:53,119 they are to go to blue. So a lot of 348 00:18:53,319 --> 00:18:56,640 blue hydrange is like true blue. Big leaf hydranges will 349 00:18:56,640 --> 00:18:59,119 it most go kind of a pale pink, and they'll 350 00:18:59,119 --> 00:19:02,200 swing more towards the blue. Plants that swing more towards 351 00:19:02,240 --> 00:19:05,559 brighter or more intense pinks generally won't go all the 352 00:19:05,559 --> 00:19:07,400 way to blue. They'll go to purple. And the purple 353 00:19:07,440 --> 00:19:09,480 is gorgeous. Like a lot of people think that the 354 00:19:09,480 --> 00:19:13,039 purple happens when you're just like in that almost acidic environment, 355 00:19:13,640 --> 00:19:16,240 and all hydrangs can kind of go through a purple 356 00:19:16,359 --> 00:19:19,119 ish phase as they go through that, But really it's 357 00:19:19,160 --> 00:19:22,559 primarily genetics, and this is one of those plants that 358 00:19:22,599 --> 00:19:25,279 will be an absolutely glorious deep purple, which I think 359 00:19:25,319 --> 00:19:26,920 I might like even better than the blue. I mean, 360 00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:28,599 the blue's great. I love it, don't get me wrong, 361 00:19:29,119 --> 00:19:31,799 But I love that deep, rich purple that a good 362 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:34,720 well grown hydrangea macrophilla like Let's Stance big band can 363 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:35,000 take on. 364 00:19:35,240 --> 00:19:38,119 Speaker 1: It's gorgeous, it really is. And I'm just sitting back 365 00:19:38,240 --> 00:19:41,799 listening and enjoying my drink because this is this is 366 00:19:41,839 --> 00:19:45,559 an important topic that causes a lot of confusion for people. 367 00:19:45,880 --> 00:19:50,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, so just planges, just don't prune them if you 368 00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:54,480 don't know what you're doing. It's very very simple. It 369 00:19:54,559 --> 00:19:57,400 is a really really interesting plant. Another thing that you 370 00:19:57,440 --> 00:20:00,200 need to know about, just don't do it. And this 371 00:20:00,200 --> 00:20:02,640 would be another one of my just don'ts if it 372 00:20:02,680 --> 00:20:06,039 is at all possible, and that is don't use high 373 00:20:06,079 --> 00:20:12,839 phosphorus fertilizers. Interest So, in general, high phosphorus fertilizers are 374 00:20:12,880 --> 00:20:17,960 bad because most American soils, in most residential areas have 375 00:20:18,119 --> 00:20:20,880 more than enough phosphorus for your plant's needs. And a 376 00:20:20,920 --> 00:20:24,440 plant can't benefit from extra phosphorus. So it can't go like, 377 00:20:24,480 --> 00:20:26,400 oh great, I got all this extra phosphorus. I'm just 378 00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:30,000 gonna like be a beefcake right now. It can't do that. 379 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:32,480 So what happens is that the soil can only hold 380 00:20:32,519 --> 00:20:35,720 on to so many phosphorus ions and they run off, 381 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:38,319 and especially out here in West Michigan, they're going to 382 00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:40,720 land in Lake Michigan in one of our ponds and 383 00:20:40,839 --> 00:20:43,319 rivers and lakes and all of that, and that's what 384 00:20:43,400 --> 00:20:48,240 causes algael blooms in the water. Now, low phosphorus fertilizers 385 00:20:48,279 --> 00:20:52,920 are especially important for big leaf hydrangeas because if you 386 00:20:52,960 --> 00:20:55,799 have high phosphorus, it is going to tie up aluminium 387 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:59,720 ions in the soils causes a chemical reaction. The aluminum 388 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:02,160 ion are not free for the plant to take up, 389 00:21:02,640 --> 00:21:05,079 and therefore, if you are hoping for more of a 390 00:21:05,119 --> 00:21:08,119 purple or blue color, it won't actually happen. So look 391 00:21:08,160 --> 00:21:11,519 for low phosphorus fertilizers. If you are growing Let's Dance, 392 00:21:11,640 --> 00:21:15,319 big band reblooming Hydrangea or any reblooming hydrangea and are 393 00:21:15,359 --> 00:21:17,599 looking to go more on the blue or purple side, 394 00:21:18,039 --> 00:21:20,599 so do plant it. Don't do any of those things. 395 00:21:20,599 --> 00:21:22,359 If you missed any of those things, you'll find them 396 00:21:22,359 --> 00:21:25,799 on our shutouts at Gardeningsimplified on air dot com, and 397 00:21:25,960 --> 00:21:28,160 you'll also find Let's Stance Big Band Hydrangea at your 398 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:31,200 local garden center. Ready to get into your garden. We're 399 00:21:31,200 --> 00:21:32,599 going to take a little break. When we come back, 400 00:21:32,599 --> 00:21:42,960 we're opening up the mailbag, so please stay tuned. At 401 00:21:43,000 --> 00:21:45,839 Proven Runners Color Choice Shrubs. We know that a better 402 00:21:45,920 --> 00:21:49,200 landscape starts with a better shrub. Our team of experts 403 00:21:49,319 --> 00:21:52,359 tests and evaluates all of our flowering shrubs and evergreens 404 00:21:52,400 --> 00:21:55,400 for eight to ten years to ensure they outperform what's 405 00:21:55,440 --> 00:21:59,519 already on the market. For easycare, reliable, beautiful shrubs to 406 00:21:59,559 --> 00:22:02,319 extend your wait, your home and express your personal style. 407 00:22:02,440 --> 00:22:05,200 Look for Proven Winner's Shrubs in the distinctive white container 408 00:22:05,359 --> 00:22:07,839 at your local garden center or learn more at proven 409 00:22:07,839 --> 00:22:13,519 Winner's Color Choice dot com. Greetings gardening friends, and welcome 410 00:22:13,519 --> 00:22:15,680 back to the Gardening Simplified Show, where it is our 411 00:22:15,720 --> 00:22:20,440 pleasure to answer your garden questions, quandaries and conundrums. And 412 00:22:20,480 --> 00:22:22,039 if you have one of those, you can reach out 413 00:22:22,039 --> 00:22:25,640 to us at help HLP at Gardeningsimplified on air dot com. 414 00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:28,839 We only have time for a few questions every episode, 415 00:22:28,920 --> 00:22:31,319 so if you need a question answered more quickly, just 416 00:22:31,359 --> 00:22:33,279 go to Proven Winners Color Choice dot com and one 417 00:22:33,279 --> 00:22:36,359 of our horticultures. We'll be happy to get you an answer. 418 00:22:36,400 --> 00:22:39,119 And I did want to just kind of address in 419 00:22:39,279 --> 00:22:41,359 general to all of our listeners, especially if you are 420 00:22:41,359 --> 00:22:44,680 in the Midwest. If you feel like your vegetable garden 421 00:22:44,799 --> 00:22:48,319 is behind, it is not just you. Uh, you are 422 00:22:48,319 --> 00:22:52,880 in good company. It has been an extremely cool spring, unbelievable. Yeah, 423 00:22:52,920 --> 00:22:53,720 and I was. 424 00:22:55,279 --> 00:22:58,880 Speaker 1: The plants, basil, cucumbers, tomatoes ouch. 425 00:22:58,880 --> 00:23:00,960 Speaker 2: All of that heat loving stuff. I was planting some 426 00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:03,640 seeds in the garden the other day and it said, 427 00:23:03,799 --> 00:23:07,440 you know, so when soil temperatures are seventy and I 428 00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:08,680 was like, I don't even know if that's going to 429 00:23:08,759 --> 00:23:12,440 happen this year. I'm sewing this stuff right now. It's 430 00:23:12,440 --> 00:23:14,519 been a very chilly spring. So if you feel like 431 00:23:14,519 --> 00:23:17,200 your vent shtable garden has just been poking along, you 432 00:23:17,240 --> 00:23:20,960 are in good company. It's not you, it's everything. So 433 00:23:22,039 --> 00:23:24,279 don't worry about it too much, and we'll just hope 434 00:23:24,279 --> 00:23:24,720 for the best. 435 00:23:24,799 --> 00:23:28,200 Speaker 1: And oh you're you're right here in Michigan in the north, 436 00:23:28,279 --> 00:23:31,839 it's been unusual this year, and in the garden center industry, 437 00:23:32,119 --> 00:23:37,559 we were grappling with frost and cold on June first. 438 00:23:37,680 --> 00:23:40,119 Speaker 2: No one wants that. I mean, come on, you're done 439 00:23:40,119 --> 00:23:42,480 with that by then? Done too much work, so done 440 00:23:42,519 --> 00:23:44,920 with Yeah, my friend had a frost on June first too, 441 00:23:45,079 --> 00:23:48,519 so lost a bunch of tomatoes. Anyway, just a little 442 00:23:48,559 --> 00:23:52,240 assurance there from your friends here at the Gardening Simplified Show. 443 00:23:53,039 --> 00:23:55,279 We got a nice note from a listener named Nedda, 444 00:23:55,759 --> 00:23:58,720 who we answered a question for her last summer about 445 00:23:58,720 --> 00:24:01,599 our iris and she wrote us to say thank you 446 00:24:01,640 --> 00:24:04,079 for your terrific advice. Last August, I submitted a question 447 00:24:04,119 --> 00:24:07,440 about some irises that never bloomed my sister's yard. Thanks 448 00:24:07,440 --> 00:24:10,319 to your expertise, I dug them up, divided them, and 449 00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:13,720 replanted them higher. The irises ended up being shared in 450 00:24:13,720 --> 00:24:17,039 three yards and they all bloomed a beautiful shade of orange. 451 00:24:17,079 --> 00:24:19,799 And these are the most gorgeous orange aren't just not 452 00:24:19,839 --> 00:24:23,079 a color you often see in bearded iris. So not 453 00:24:23,240 --> 00:24:25,720 only did she get iris blooms, she got really really 454 00:24:25,799 --> 00:24:28,839 cool iris blooms. And she said thanks again, and I 455 00:24:28,880 --> 00:24:31,720 wish everyone a wonderful growing season. So I thought that 456 00:24:31,799 --> 00:24:33,079 was so nice for her to tell us that our 457 00:24:33,119 --> 00:24:33,720 advice worked. 458 00:24:33,839 --> 00:24:36,559 Speaker 1: It is nice, and this is the don't do it show, 459 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:40,599 but it proves the fact that sometimes, Netta, you just 460 00:24:40,640 --> 00:24:43,559 got to bend over and split your plants. It'll be 461 00:24:43,680 --> 00:24:46,640 great for your iris and your neighbors will be entertained. 462 00:24:46,759 --> 00:24:48,359 And that's what happened here. 463 00:24:48,440 --> 00:24:54,519 Speaker 2: So so do it. Yes, take our advice. I don't 464 00:24:54,519 --> 00:24:56,559 want to get that confused and then don't do it show, 465 00:24:56,720 --> 00:24:59,759 So do take our advice. Okay, we're trying the best 466 00:24:59,759 --> 00:25:01,759 week here to help you out, So what have we 467 00:25:01,759 --> 00:25:02,400 got in the mail day? 468 00:25:02,680 --> 00:25:06,279 Speaker 1: James Wrights, Hi, I have had this bloomerang lilac in 469 00:25:06,319 --> 00:25:08,559 the front of my residence for about four years. I 470 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:12,640 garden in Ottawa, Ontario. I took this picture today May 471 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:14,839 twenty eight. I think this is the best that it's 472 00:25:14,880 --> 00:25:18,000 looked since I planted it from the garden center pot. 473 00:25:18,240 --> 00:25:21,240 I've gotten a couple of comments this year from neighbors 474 00:25:21,599 --> 00:25:24,720 about how full it looks. My question is how to 475 00:25:24,759 --> 00:25:27,640 prune to get a second flush of blooms later this season. 476 00:25:28,079 --> 00:25:30,880 It bloomed very nicely last spring as well, so I 477 00:25:30,960 --> 00:25:35,200 pruned trim deadheaded to get reblooming, but sadly didn't get 478 00:25:35,359 --> 00:25:38,200 any reblooming. I want to try again this year, wondering 479 00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:40,960 if I may have done something in the way I 480 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:45,519 pruned it last year that stopped that second flush of flowers. 481 00:25:45,880 --> 00:25:49,039 Speaker 2: Right. So, and he did include a photo and this 482 00:25:49,079 --> 00:25:53,559 plant is looking absolutely gorgeous in James's yard, and I 483 00:25:53,599 --> 00:25:56,119 feel like I have seen this everywhere. So the flip 484 00:25:56,160 --> 00:25:58,519 side of the cool spring is that a lot of 485 00:25:58,559 --> 00:26:02,839 the flower colors are just gorgeous. I was saying when 486 00:26:02,880 --> 00:26:05,079 I was talking in Plants on Trial about how hydrange 487 00:26:05,079 --> 00:26:08,920 of flower color can be influenced by temperatures. Many, many 488 00:26:08,920 --> 00:26:12,000 flowers can be and it's not that they change colors, 489 00:26:12,000 --> 00:26:13,680 just that they can be more or less vivid depending 490 00:26:13,720 --> 00:26:16,920 on nighttime temperatures. And these cool nights have been outstanding 491 00:26:16,920 --> 00:26:18,960 for lilacs. I feel like they are the most vivid 492 00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:22,200 I have ever seen. So, James, whether you are talking 493 00:26:22,240 --> 00:26:27,200 about bloomerang, reblooming lilac, or any reblooming shrub, the key 494 00:26:27,279 --> 00:26:30,480 to getting the reblooms. So the plant already bloomed on 495 00:26:30,559 --> 00:26:33,519 old wood in spring. Now you're going for that new 496 00:26:33,559 --> 00:26:36,920 wood bloom later in the season. The key on any 497 00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:39,680 reblooming shrub to getting that rebloom is that the plant 498 00:26:39,720 --> 00:26:42,119 needs to put on as much new growth as possible 499 00:26:42,960 --> 00:26:47,039 after that spring bloom. So what's happening really? And you're 500 00:26:47,079 --> 00:26:49,240 in Ottawa, Canada, so it's probably a bit cooler there. 501 00:26:49,720 --> 00:26:53,240 But this also tends to coincide with warming weather. It's 502 00:26:53,440 --> 00:26:55,480 you know, by this time it's June, it's July, it's 503 00:26:55,519 --> 00:26:59,240 getting much much warmer out, the days are getting longer, 504 00:26:59,559 --> 00:27:03,599 rainfall all starts to maybe decline, and so you're trying 505 00:27:03,640 --> 00:27:05,680 to get as much possible growth as you can with 506 00:27:05,720 --> 00:27:09,200 this plant, whereas nature's like, WHOA, slow down the growth here. 507 00:27:09,400 --> 00:27:11,160 You know, it's summertime and we're going to put the 508 00:27:11,160 --> 00:27:13,920 brakes on things. But if the plant does not put 509 00:27:13,960 --> 00:27:16,480 on enough new growth in this period, it's not going 510 00:27:16,519 --> 00:27:19,160 to be able to create those flower buds. So one 511 00:27:19,160 --> 00:27:22,440 of the strategies towards that can be pruning. Pruning, is 512 00:27:22,440 --> 00:27:24,200 it necessary. I've said on the show that when it 513 00:27:24,240 --> 00:27:27,839 comes to bloomerang, I very much embrace pruning because I 514 00:27:27,880 --> 00:27:29,599 don't like the way the seed heads look. That's it 515 00:27:29,759 --> 00:27:31,799 just don't do it for me. Don't like the way 516 00:27:31,799 --> 00:27:34,920 they look like green bananas with cork dots on them. 517 00:27:36,319 --> 00:27:37,960 I don't know, there's something about them. I really just like. 518 00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:41,839 And when you lightly trim it, you don't need to 519 00:27:41,880 --> 00:27:43,839 prune it like get heavy shears out. You're just going 520 00:27:43,880 --> 00:27:45,279 to give it a light trim and take off the 521 00:27:45,319 --> 00:27:48,079 thin sort of stems along the outer edge of the plant. 522 00:27:48,759 --> 00:27:51,640 Get those seeds out. Now, everything that was a single 523 00:27:51,680 --> 00:27:54,319 growing point is at least two growing points. That's going 524 00:27:54,359 --> 00:27:56,880 to be double the amount of new growth. That's going 525 00:27:56,920 --> 00:27:59,720 to be double the amount of flowers. You also need 526 00:27:59,759 --> 00:28:02,720 to keep watering and fertilizing. And I'm not usually a 527 00:28:02,799 --> 00:28:05,640 huge like you know, fertilizer like crazy, but for the 528 00:28:05,640 --> 00:28:09,160 best rebloom, fertilizer really is crucial because you need that 529 00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:12,440 plant to put on taking that energy and put on 530 00:28:12,519 --> 00:28:16,240 that growth for the best rebloom. So I would say 531 00:28:16,319 --> 00:28:18,680 now is a great time to put down another application 532 00:28:18,720 --> 00:28:21,559 of fertilizer. Like I said, there's nothing special to trimming it. 533 00:28:21,640 --> 00:28:25,440 I don't think that you trimming it was wrong. Was 534 00:28:25,480 --> 00:28:27,799 the reason that it didn't flower last year. It probably 535 00:28:27,920 --> 00:28:31,119 just didn't put on enough growth. So fertilize it, water 536 00:28:31,200 --> 00:28:34,839 it if needed, give it that trim. Trimming it does 537 00:28:35,000 --> 00:28:39,880 delay the rebloom slightly compared to an untrimmed plant, but 538 00:28:40,000 --> 00:28:42,759 I have found that they rebloom longer into fall, so 539 00:28:42,960 --> 00:28:45,079 I think it's worth it. You can try it one 540 00:28:45,160 --> 00:28:46,880 year one way and one year or the other and 541 00:28:46,920 --> 00:28:49,240 see what you think. But it's nothing that you did. 542 00:28:49,319 --> 00:28:51,200 It's just a matter of making sure that that plant 543 00:28:51,279 --> 00:28:53,720 keeps growing vigorously and healthily so that you get the 544 00:28:53,759 --> 00:28:54,359 best display. 545 00:28:54,920 --> 00:28:58,559 Speaker 1: It's great advice. Stacey Audrey writes to us Hi, I 546 00:28:58,599 --> 00:29:00,920 love your show. My partner and I are getting ready 547 00:29:00,920 --> 00:29:04,200 to move into our first home together in West Michigan. 548 00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:07,759 Super excited to do some landscape design with our new space. 549 00:29:07,839 --> 00:29:10,480 Do you have any advice where to start with garden 550 00:29:10,519 --> 00:29:14,160 design basics? Any books you recommend. I've heard you mentioned 551 00:29:14,200 --> 00:29:17,480 the concept of outdoor garden rooms before. We'd love to 552 00:29:17,559 --> 00:29:21,759 learn more about that and other design principles ideas if possible. 553 00:29:22,079 --> 00:29:25,200 Hoping to go with a cottage garden feel throughout the property. 554 00:29:25,599 --> 00:29:29,039 I have a decent grasp of plant selection, but feel 555 00:29:29,119 --> 00:29:33,799 less confident with placement, especially starting from scratch. Would greatly 556 00:29:33,839 --> 00:29:37,759 appreciate any tips or resources. 557 00:29:38,200 --> 00:29:40,599 Speaker 2: So thank you so much for your question, Audor, and 558 00:29:40,680 --> 00:29:44,160 congratulations on your new home. If you didn't listen to 559 00:29:44,200 --> 00:29:47,440 our Just Do It show last episode, you might want 560 00:29:47,480 --> 00:29:49,880 to do that for my hedge advice for new homeowners, 561 00:29:50,799 --> 00:29:54,200 depending on what it looks like. But yes, I do 562 00:29:54,279 --> 00:29:56,920 have a great resource for you, and that is a 563 00:29:56,960 --> 00:30:00,559 British garden designer named John Brooks. So he is a 564 00:30:00,640 --> 00:30:03,200 very well known garden designer and he wrote a bunch 565 00:30:03,279 --> 00:30:07,400 of excellent garden design books for homeowners and gardeners. I 566 00:30:07,400 --> 00:30:08,880 think they are some of the best that I have 567 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:12,960 ever seen. And he's just really good at sort of 568 00:30:13,039 --> 00:30:15,680 taking a lot of these concepts and distilling them into 569 00:30:15,799 --> 00:30:18,720 a way that makes sense. There's a number of them 570 00:30:18,799 --> 00:30:20,319 I think that you know, they're not I don't know 571 00:30:20,359 --> 00:30:24,119 if he's still writing. He's probably quite old now, but 572 00:30:24,160 --> 00:30:26,559 you can certainly find, you know, used copies, probably at 573 00:30:26,559 --> 00:30:29,359 your library or you know, on the Advanced Book Exchange 574 00:30:29,480 --> 00:30:33,759 or something like that. He is really so inspiring and 575 00:30:33,920 --> 00:30:38,759 such a great teacher for garden design. And then the 576 00:30:38,799 --> 00:30:42,039 other thing I would say, and this would be my 577 00:30:42,079 --> 00:30:45,519 advice for anyone. Anytime you're you know, taking a walk 578 00:30:45,599 --> 00:30:48,680 or driving around and you see a landscape or an 579 00:30:48,720 --> 00:30:51,680 element of a landscape that resonates with you, don't just 580 00:30:51,720 --> 00:30:54,880 go oh, that's pretty and move on. Take time to 581 00:30:54,960 --> 00:30:59,400 kind of analyze what's actually happening there and think about 582 00:30:59,440 --> 00:31:01,119 what is it that you like. Is it the color? 583 00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:03,160 Is it the plants in it? Is it the combination? 584 00:31:03,359 --> 00:31:05,359 Is it the scale of those plants to the building? 585 00:31:06,519 --> 00:31:08,440 Is it their placement. There's all of these things, and 586 00:31:08,480 --> 00:31:13,359 I think once you start to cultivate that mentality of 587 00:31:13,480 --> 00:31:16,799 reading and analyzing things that you like, then you're much 588 00:31:16,839 --> 00:31:19,880 more able to start reinterpreting those concepts. At home. 589 00:31:20,519 --> 00:31:24,119 Speaker 1: Now. One person i'd suggest also following. We've had her 590 00:31:24,200 --> 00:31:27,720 on the show before, and that is Jan Johnson. Johnson 591 00:31:27,880 --> 00:31:31,559 spelled not with Ann on the end, but e n. 592 00:31:31,680 --> 00:31:35,519 She wrote a book called garden Topia. But what you 593 00:31:35,559 --> 00:31:39,119 can do is follow her on Instagram. She's constantly posting 594 00:31:39,279 --> 00:31:43,960 landscape ideas, landscaping ideas, and of course you can also 595 00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:47,839 get Jan on substack. So that would be a suggestion 596 00:31:47,880 --> 00:31:48,279 I'd get. 597 00:31:48,319 --> 00:31:51,799 Speaker 2: That's another really good one for someone who is still practicing. 598 00:31:52,240 --> 00:31:53,880 The other thing I would say, and this is sort 599 00:31:53,880 --> 00:31:55,759 of it took me a long time, so don't feel 600 00:31:55,799 --> 00:31:57,799 like you need to rush into this, even though you 601 00:31:57,799 --> 00:32:01,960 know I wish that I had done it sooner. Identify 602 00:32:02,200 --> 00:32:04,720 your non negotiables. What are the factors that you need 603 00:32:04,759 --> 00:32:06,559 to have. Do you need to have a dining garden. 604 00:32:06,599 --> 00:32:07,920 Do you need to have an herb garden? Do you 605 00:32:07,920 --> 00:32:09,400 need to have a native plank garden. These are just 606 00:32:09,440 --> 00:32:11,519 some ideas off the top of my head, Like what 607 00:32:11,720 --> 00:32:14,039 are your biggest goals that you are not willing to 608 00:32:14,039 --> 00:32:17,400 give up? So identify two or three of those and 609 00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:20,039 then look at the assets and liabilities of your yard. So, 610 00:32:20,119 --> 00:32:22,960 for example, in my yard, not a lot going for it. 611 00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:25,920 But I have a beautiful old brick garage that's actually 612 00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:28,480 quite interesting, so we wanted to incorporate that into the 613 00:32:28,480 --> 00:32:31,039 garden and not just make it look like a garage. 614 00:32:31,079 --> 00:32:33,119 So look for things like that that are in your 615 00:32:33,200 --> 00:32:37,960 yard that you can incorporate, and then any liabilities, identify 616 00:32:38,000 --> 00:32:40,000 what those are and work to minimize those. If it's 617 00:32:40,000 --> 00:32:42,119 a neighbor's view plan hedge. 618 00:32:41,759 --> 00:32:43,480 Speaker 1: And you do that by getting out a piece of 619 00:32:43,480 --> 00:32:47,599 paper and doing a simple bubble drawing. Google that how 620 00:32:47,640 --> 00:32:49,839 to do a bubble drawing and you can do what 621 00:32:49,920 --> 00:32:52,960 you just explain there, Stacy, I think that's important, yep. 622 00:32:53,079 --> 00:32:56,000 Speaker 2: So we will put these resources in the show notes. 623 00:32:56,359 --> 00:32:58,559 In the meantime, definitely check out John Brooks and Jan 624 00:32:58,640 --> 00:33:01,640 Johnson and luck with your project. It sounds so fun 625 00:33:01,759 --> 00:33:05,319 and so full of promise. So thank y'all so much 626 00:33:05,359 --> 00:33:07,400 for your questions. We're going to take a little break. 627 00:33:07,519 --> 00:33:10,640 When we come back, we're going to complete our conversation 628 00:33:10,799 --> 00:33:13,279 about just don't do it as well as a just 629 00:33:13,279 --> 00:33:21,319 don't do its speed round, So please stay tuned. Thanks 630 00:33:21,359 --> 00:33:24,000 for listening to the Gardening Simplified podcast, brought to you 631 00:33:24,039 --> 00:33:27,240 by Proven Winners, Color Choice shrubs. Our award winning flowering 632 00:33:27,279 --> 00:33:30,160 shrubs and evergreens are trialed and tested by experts with 633 00:33:30,200 --> 00:33:33,200 your success in mind. Learn more at Proven Winners color 634 00:33:33,279 --> 00:33:35,880 Choice dot com. 635 00:33:36,119 --> 00:33:39,519 Speaker 1: Welcome back to the Gardening Simplified Show. Today for branching news, 636 00:33:39,559 --> 00:33:43,400 we continue our talk of don't do it and Stacey, 637 00:33:43,480 --> 00:33:45,400 I'm going to say right off the bat, don't throw 638 00:33:45,519 --> 00:33:50,079 up your hands and say the deer eat everything. I'm 639 00:33:50,160 --> 00:33:53,680 giving up. Don't do it, don't give up. And next 640 00:33:53,680 --> 00:33:56,480 week's show, the buck will stop here. We're going to 641 00:33:56,480 --> 00:33:57,759 talk about deer next week. 642 00:33:57,880 --> 00:34:00,599 Speaker 2: Oh, I can't wait. I have got some things to say. 643 00:34:01,599 --> 00:34:04,160 Speaker 1: And it can be frustrating. Hey, here's a quick one. 644 00:34:04,519 --> 00:34:10,639 Polymers in planters and baskets to help with watering. Number one, 645 00:34:10,800 --> 00:34:14,119 follow the label directions like you only need just a 646 00:34:14,199 --> 00:34:17,639 little bit in a container. If you add more than that, 647 00:34:17,719 --> 00:34:21,280 you're gonna have a gelatinous mess. And don't spill them 648 00:34:21,320 --> 00:34:23,119 on the ground. They're really slippery. 649 00:34:23,239 --> 00:34:23,440 Speaker 2: Yeah. 650 00:34:23,639 --> 00:34:26,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, put them in the lower portion of the container, 651 00:34:26,400 --> 00:34:28,920 not in the upper portion of the container. You're going 652 00:34:29,000 --> 00:34:30,599 to have a mess with polymers. 653 00:34:30,719 --> 00:34:32,400 Speaker 2: Yeah. I remember when they first came out and people 654 00:34:32,400 --> 00:34:34,320 were freaking out thinking it was some kind of like 655 00:34:34,400 --> 00:34:36,800 worm in their soil. I remember there was like a 656 00:34:36,840 --> 00:34:39,400 lot of concern. If the Internet had been around back then, 657 00:34:39,480 --> 00:34:42,360 woof you got people would have freaked out. 658 00:34:43,159 --> 00:34:46,679 Speaker 1: Well, you want to do a shotgun approach? What are 659 00:34:46,719 --> 00:34:51,039 we doing shod speed round shotguns? Read Oh, we were 660 00:34:51,079 --> 00:34:51,840 talking about deer. 661 00:34:55,119 --> 00:34:57,159 Speaker 2: So it's a just don't do it speed round. And 662 00:34:57,159 --> 00:34:59,079 if you haven't joined us for a speed round before, 663 00:34:59,159 --> 00:35:02,320 it's where we just kind of of rapid fire. Give 664 00:35:02,400 --> 00:35:05,199 our thoughts on things that you should just not do 665 00:35:05,440 --> 00:35:10,719 in various categories. For example, rick, what would be or 666 00:35:10,800 --> 00:35:13,280 just don't do it? For puney, it can be a tip, 667 00:35:13,320 --> 00:35:15,199 it can be a plant, it can be a tool. 668 00:35:16,400 --> 00:35:20,039 Speaker 1: Two things right off the top as I go through neighborhoods, 669 00:35:20,079 --> 00:35:23,480 don't create meatballs and tuna cans. I see people out 670 00:35:23,519 --> 00:35:28,039 there just pruning away and creating these shapes. Does not 671 00:35:28,239 --> 00:35:32,119 look natural. I don't like meatballs and tuna cans. The 672 00:35:32,199 --> 00:35:36,039 other one would be beautiful weeping trees that we have 673 00:35:36,280 --> 00:35:40,239 as specimen plants in our landscape, and people will chop 674 00:35:40,360 --> 00:35:44,000 them off and make them look like it's a Beatles haircut. 675 00:35:44,039 --> 00:35:46,320 When the Beatles came into the United States, in the 676 00:35:46,400 --> 00:35:49,559 nineteen sixties. That's what their haircut look like. And that's 677 00:35:49,599 --> 00:35:51,639 what people are doing to these weeping trees. 678 00:35:51,880 --> 00:35:54,280 Speaker 2: Yeah. Sometimes you know, one is planted in a poor 679 00:35:54,320 --> 00:35:56,199 spot and it needs a little bit of a haircut, 680 00:35:56,239 --> 00:35:58,719 but in your yard it doesn't. And guess what, you 681 00:35:58,719 --> 00:36:01,159 don't have to mow under it. You can just let 682 00:36:01,199 --> 00:36:03,480 it grow and weep and it will be a fun 683 00:36:03,519 --> 00:36:07,480 place for kids to play and hide. So yeah, don't 684 00:36:07,960 --> 00:36:10,639 cut it just for the mowing, Just you know, get 685 00:36:10,639 --> 00:36:12,880 the grass out and then let it be. That's why 686 00:36:12,880 --> 00:36:15,239 you picked a weeping plant in the first place, isn't it. 687 00:36:15,519 --> 00:36:18,719 So ma, just do don't I just don't do it. 688 00:36:18,760 --> 00:36:24,320 For pruning, I'm gonna say anvil pruners. I mean, i 689 00:36:24,320 --> 00:36:26,239 could go a lot of different directions here, and I've 690 00:36:26,280 --> 00:36:28,360 already gone to the plant that you shouldn't prune, which 691 00:36:28,400 --> 00:36:32,159 is big leaf hydranges. But I'm gonna say anvilpruners. So 692 00:36:32,360 --> 00:36:35,760 bypass pruners go like this, They passed the blades past 693 00:36:35,800 --> 00:36:38,800 each other like a scissors, and an anvil pruner it 694 00:36:38,840 --> 00:36:41,639 comes down on a plate, and anvil pruners are known 695 00:36:41,679 --> 00:36:43,480 to stay sharp longer. So a lot of people in 696 00:36:43,519 --> 00:36:47,159 forestry will use them. Cut flower growers will use them. 697 00:36:47,360 --> 00:36:49,760 But you do not want to use them on your plants, 698 00:36:49,800 --> 00:36:53,599 because instead of making that nice, crisp, clean cut, it 699 00:36:53,719 --> 00:36:56,760 makes a big, frayed cut a lot of surface area, 700 00:36:56,800 --> 00:36:58,719 and plants can't heal as well from a lot of 701 00:36:58,719 --> 00:37:01,519 surface area. So it's fine you cut with bypassed pruners 702 00:37:01,559 --> 00:37:06,039 from your plant and then give them anvilpruner cuts for arranging, 703 00:37:06,119 --> 00:37:08,679 for example. It can be just fine for that, but 704 00:37:08,800 --> 00:37:11,480 the problem is that anvilprunters are so much cheaper than 705 00:37:11,760 --> 00:37:15,239 bypass pruners, so very often people will buy them and 706 00:37:15,280 --> 00:37:17,119 not know that they have made a terrible mistake. So 707 00:37:17,159 --> 00:37:21,480 invest in bypass prunters, not anvil all right, Just don't 708 00:37:21,519 --> 00:37:21,880 do it. 709 00:37:22,199 --> 00:37:26,559 Speaker 1: Perennial controversial, send your cards, letters and mail. I can 710 00:37:26,599 --> 00:37:28,639 take it. I'm a big boy. As a matter of fact, 711 00:37:28,679 --> 00:37:30,920 I made the mistake a few weeks ago of mentioning 712 00:37:31,039 --> 00:37:33,480 I had this really tough spot in my landscape and 713 00:37:33,519 --> 00:37:37,679 it's pure sand and so I grow sweet autumn clematis. 714 00:37:37,719 --> 00:37:41,880 Nobody wants that thing invasive that, so please forgive me 715 00:37:42,199 --> 00:37:45,440 for suggesting that. I didn't suggest it, I just said 716 00:37:45,480 --> 00:37:48,639 that I like it. I had mine growing through an evergreen. 717 00:37:49,360 --> 00:37:53,639 I'm gonna say perennial. Here it comes Lily of the Valley. 718 00:37:53,800 --> 00:37:55,519 Speaker 2: Ah, I can see that. 719 00:37:56,320 --> 00:37:57,960 Speaker 1: I can see that, but I'm going to get beat 720 00:37:58,039 --> 00:38:00,280 up on that. But I prove you know. 721 00:38:00,360 --> 00:38:03,320 Speaker 2: I love Lily of the Valley. I have my sentimental reasons, 722 00:38:03,840 --> 00:38:06,159 but I still wouldn't necessarily recommend that anyone plant it 723 00:38:06,239 --> 00:38:10,599 unless they also have sentimental reasons. I just don't do it. Perennial. 724 00:38:11,239 --> 00:38:13,480 It is an epic plant of the show. It comes 725 00:38:13,519 --> 00:38:18,679 around every year Tuna chamelion plants. We have had many 726 00:38:18,760 --> 00:38:23,480 tales of woe from our listeners who have had this plant. 727 00:38:24,519 --> 00:38:27,320 It is so hard to get rid of, even if 728 00:38:27,320 --> 00:38:30,000 you're willing to use herbicides. It has this waxy coating 729 00:38:30,000 --> 00:38:31,920 on the leaves that makes it almost impossible to get 730 00:38:31,920 --> 00:38:35,199 any kind of herbicide to stick. Any little teen c 731 00:38:35,320 --> 00:38:37,360 piece that you leave in the soil will result in 732 00:38:37,440 --> 00:38:40,679 more whutunia again also known as chameleon plant. I did 733 00:38:40,760 --> 00:38:43,239 actually see this plant in the garden center when I 734 00:38:43,400 --> 00:38:45,639 was shopping this past spring, and I was like, what 735 00:38:45,719 --> 00:38:50,920 are you guys doing? Do you hate your customers? So yeah, 736 00:38:51,199 --> 00:38:53,440 just don't do it. If you haven't listened to our 737 00:38:53,880 --> 00:38:57,599 previous listeners with their tales of woe, you will. You 738 00:38:57,639 --> 00:39:00,920 should because then you will understand why. So just don't 739 00:39:00,960 --> 00:39:03,480 do it, shrub, I. 740 00:39:03,440 --> 00:39:08,480 Speaker 1: Know, I mean, yeah, it's easy for me. Okay, taxes 741 00:39:08,639 --> 00:39:17,679 or used especially with boring, deer will eat them poisonous boring. 742 00:39:18,559 --> 00:39:22,400 Speaker 2: And slow boring also slow growing, so you know you're 743 00:39:22,440 --> 00:39:23,760 not going to get a lot of coverage. 744 00:39:24,440 --> 00:39:27,440 Speaker 1: You want meat balls and tuna cans, plant taxes. 745 00:39:27,360 --> 00:39:30,199 Speaker 2: That they are very commonly seen that way. My just 746 00:39:30,199 --> 00:39:33,440 don't planted shrub is going to be a conventional or 747 00:39:33,760 --> 00:39:37,960 basic for scythia. Really yes, because. 748 00:39:37,840 --> 00:39:39,280 Speaker 1: You're going to this one. 749 00:39:39,360 --> 00:39:41,639 Speaker 2: Well, but here's why. Here's why. Now, I did just 750 00:39:41,679 --> 00:39:44,320 take a very large, mature one out in my yard, 751 00:39:45,000 --> 00:39:48,519 and the reason why is I just didn't feel that 752 00:39:48,559 --> 00:39:50,719 it was worth the real estate for what it gave. 753 00:39:51,400 --> 00:39:53,800 You know, Yeah, it is really nice in spring when 754 00:39:53,800 --> 00:39:55,480 it has yellow flowers, But you know what else is 755 00:39:55,559 --> 00:39:57,960 nice in spring with yellow flowers the daffodils that are 756 00:39:58,000 --> 00:40:00,320 all over my yard, So I don't really feel I 757 00:40:00,400 --> 00:40:03,400 need more yellow good point. And it was huge, I 758 00:40:03,440 --> 00:40:05,280 mean this thing was like ten feet tall and wide 759 00:40:05,559 --> 00:40:08,719 and it didn't do anything outside of that flowering. It 760 00:40:08,760 --> 00:40:10,840 didn't get good fall color, where some of our newer 761 00:40:10,880 --> 00:40:13,639 selections of show off for scythia at least get good 762 00:40:13,679 --> 00:40:16,719 purple fall color. So I think, especially when you have 763 00:40:16,800 --> 00:40:19,599 something taking up that much real estate, it ought to 764 00:40:19,639 --> 00:40:23,840 do more than you know, a two week hurrah. So 765 00:40:23,880 --> 00:40:26,320 that's why that's my just don't do it, Just don't 766 00:40:26,320 --> 00:40:27,119 do it tree. 767 00:40:27,480 --> 00:40:32,400 Speaker 1: Oh got a half hour a calorie pear Bradford, Yeah, 768 00:40:32,719 --> 00:40:36,119 Sulberry's Siberian elm. You can make along list. 769 00:40:36,159 --> 00:40:39,239 Speaker 2: I'm gonna say Norway maple. Yeah, that too, because you know, 770 00:40:39,440 --> 00:40:42,159 calorie pears still are sold in stores. Unfortunately, there is 771 00:40:42,199 --> 00:40:44,760 a real campaign to eradicate them, so hopefully that is 772 00:40:45,760 --> 00:40:47,920 a bating So I'm with you on that, but I 773 00:40:47,960 --> 00:40:50,039 feel like Norway maple is one of those trees. It's 774 00:40:50,039 --> 00:40:53,000 still so easy to find and it's kind of a 775 00:40:53,039 --> 00:40:58,039 garbage plant, not a fan, no fall color, nothing really, 776 00:40:58,159 --> 00:41:02,119 just quick shade. Whats your just don't do it watering 777 00:41:02,360 --> 00:41:03,320 tip or tool. 778 00:41:03,880 --> 00:41:07,480 Speaker 1: You have no idea how to water, and so you 779 00:41:07,679 --> 00:41:11,239 water based on a schedule. You just do it every day, 780 00:41:11,239 --> 00:41:14,199 but just a little bit. And again, the soil in 781 00:41:14,239 --> 00:41:17,360 the up. Whether it's a houseplant, a shrub, an annual, 782 00:41:17,480 --> 00:41:20,599 whatever it may be. The roots are soaking, wet at 783 00:41:20,639 --> 00:41:24,000 the surface, dry below, and you wonder why that plant 784 00:41:24,119 --> 00:41:24,719 is declining. 785 00:41:25,440 --> 00:41:29,480 Speaker 2: I just don't do it. Watering tip is don't think 786 00:41:29,760 --> 00:41:31,719 that the rain is going to take care of it, 787 00:41:31,800 --> 00:41:34,519 so you don't need to water. How many times have 788 00:41:34,599 --> 00:41:36,039 we all fallen into this trap? 789 00:41:36,199 --> 00:41:38,000 Speaker 1: You pay attention to the roads. 790 00:41:37,800 --> 00:41:40,360 Speaker 2: Summer, I'm lazy. I don't want to water. It's supposed 791 00:41:40,360 --> 00:41:42,920 to rain tomorrow. I mean, I think there are a 792 00:41:42,960 --> 00:41:45,519 few better ways to make sure it doesn't rain the 793 00:41:45,599 --> 00:41:49,440 following day than opting to not water. So I usually will, 794 00:41:49,639 --> 00:41:52,360 you know, find the wherewithal deep inside me to say, okay, 795 00:41:53,039 --> 00:41:54,559 I got a water because I do want it to 796 00:41:54,639 --> 00:41:56,800 rain tomorrow, and it doesn't always work. But I don't 797 00:41:56,840 --> 00:41:58,559 like to push fate. I don't like to tempt fate 798 00:41:58,639 --> 00:42:02,840 with watering anymore. So don't kid yourself. You probably need 799 00:42:02,880 --> 00:42:05,440 to water unless you're already watered. But you know, if 800 00:42:05,440 --> 00:42:07,960 it's dry, it's middle of summer, don't count on the 801 00:42:08,039 --> 00:42:10,760 rain what you're just don't do it. 802 00:42:10,880 --> 00:42:14,239 Speaker 1: Mowing tip don't fertilize the daylights out of the lawn 803 00:42:14,239 --> 00:42:16,960 in spring, it's going to grow like nuts anyhow, and 804 00:42:17,000 --> 00:42:19,199 you're going to be on the lawn more constantly. The 805 00:42:19,239 --> 00:42:22,199 most important time of the year to feed your lawn 806 00:42:22,400 --> 00:42:26,480 is fall. The lawn is putting its energy into root establishment, 807 00:42:26,920 --> 00:42:30,000 root growth, not top growth. You want a nice lawn, 808 00:42:30,199 --> 00:42:32,480 feed it in the fall. 809 00:42:33,239 --> 00:42:37,280 Speaker 2: Okay, just don't do it in the spring. I'm gonna say, 810 00:42:37,960 --> 00:42:41,280 just don't do it. Assuming that the seed that you buy, 811 00:42:41,320 --> 00:42:44,199 it's your local garden center, box store, are the only options. 812 00:42:44,519 --> 00:42:46,599 There's a lot of grass seed out there for a 813 00:42:46,599 --> 00:42:48,480 lot of different purposes, and with a little bit of 814 00:42:48,480 --> 00:42:50,559 research and patience, you will find one that is far 815 00:42:50,639 --> 00:42:54,320 better than whatever you can grab off the shelf. Yes, 816 00:42:55,239 --> 00:42:56,840 I have one last thing. We have time for one 817 00:42:56,920 --> 00:42:59,920 last one. What is your just don't do it tool tip? 818 00:43:02,199 --> 00:43:04,719 Speaker 1: It's well, I guess you could argue whether or not 819 00:43:04,800 --> 00:43:08,039 it's a tool. But again, if you came to my 820 00:43:08,159 --> 00:43:12,760 house and watched me frustrated, tangled and tripping in my hose, 821 00:43:14,199 --> 00:43:17,960 get a good hose and like I mentioned last week, 822 00:43:19,079 --> 00:43:22,000 our viewers and listeners convinced me to get a hose link. 823 00:43:22,039 --> 00:43:22,760 I'm glad I did. 824 00:43:22,880 --> 00:43:25,760 Speaker 2: Oh, I'm glad to do it. Yeah, I just don't 825 00:43:25,800 --> 00:43:28,679 do A tooltip is something that I think we have 826 00:43:28,760 --> 00:43:32,280 all fallen victim to before, and that is using the 827 00:43:32,320 --> 00:43:34,000 wrong tool for the job. So you're out there in 828 00:43:34,000 --> 00:43:37,079 the garden, you come across a rock or who knows 829 00:43:37,079 --> 00:43:38,760 what in the soil, and you're like, oh, yeah, I've 830 00:43:38,800 --> 00:43:41,480 just got my you know, little shovel here. I guess 831 00:43:41,519 --> 00:43:43,599 I'll just pry at this thing that I have no 832 00:43:43,679 --> 00:43:45,800 idea of what it is, and next thing you know, 833 00:43:45,800 --> 00:43:50,320 you got a broken shovel. So don't be lazy, even 834 00:43:50,360 --> 00:43:52,920 though I'm you know, again saying this for my own 835 00:43:52,920 --> 00:43:57,079 benefit as well as for everybody else's get the right 836 00:43:57,119 --> 00:44:00,480 tool for the job, not whatever you happen to have 837 00:44:00,880 --> 00:44:01,559 on hands. 838 00:44:01,599 --> 00:44:04,840 Speaker 1: Speaking of which, real quickly, I have found that I'm 839 00:44:04,880 --> 00:44:09,199 addicted to five gallon buckets. I collect them, you get 840 00:44:09,239 --> 00:44:12,760 them free, or someone's throwing it away, and it's like, 841 00:44:13,039 --> 00:44:15,719 the last thing I need is another five gallon bucket, 842 00:44:15,719 --> 00:44:18,880 but I pick it up because they're handy around the garden. 843 00:44:19,599 --> 00:44:22,280 Can't help it. I've got a thing for five gallon buckets. 844 00:44:23,920 --> 00:44:28,079 Speaker 2: We won't tell your wife. Well, so that was a 845 00:44:28,320 --> 00:44:30,079 quick look at some of the things we think you 846 00:44:30,159 --> 00:44:33,119 should just not do in the garden. If you miss 847 00:44:33,159 --> 00:44:35,519 any of them, check us out on youtubeer you can 848 00:44:35,559 --> 00:44:37,920 watch the whole show, along with some extra special footage 849 00:44:37,920 --> 00:44:41,920 that Adriana puts in and photos from our listeners. So 850 00:44:42,280 --> 00:44:44,800 thank you Rick, thank you, thank you Adriana, and thanks 851 00:44:44,800 --> 00:44:46,360 so much to all of you for listening. We truly 852 00:44:46,360 --> 00:44:48,320 appreciate it and hope you have a wonderful week ahead.