10 SHRUBS, TREES, AND GRASSES FOR FALL AND WINTER INTERESTThankfully, the gardening season here in Charleston is not limited to the warmer months of the year. Planting can continue throughout the Fall and Winter months, allowing new plantings to get settled in before the first flush of Spring growth appears. Not only can we continue to plant, but there are many trees, shrubs, and grasses that offer seasonal color and blooms during our Fall and Winter months. As the warm-season landscape goes to sleep, the show goes on! Fall and Winter Landscape Shopping Tip: Visit the Garden Center during the Fall and Winter seasons to get a good idea of how landscape plants you've been considering look during cooler weather. You'll discover that the form of some trees and shrubs can be just as interesting in the landscape after they've lost their leaves as they are leafed out in Spring and Summer. For those shrubs that bloom in the Fall and Winter, you'll also be able to see flower colors and forms in person. And, last but not least, you'll have the opportunity to choose some new favorite evergreens! Camellia - Queens of the Fall and Winter garden! Both of our most popular Camellia shrub species have lustrous green foliage all year long, but there are key differences such as:
Holiday Decorating Tip: Evergreen trees such as Green Giant Arborvitae and Carolina Sapphire Cypress can also be used as living Christmas trees. Choose a size that makes sense for your indoor or outdoor living space, add your favorite decorations and lights, and enjoy the tree during the Christmas season. Your tree can then be planted in its forever home after the holidays. The fragrant foliage of these trees can also be used in wreaths, swags, and other Winter arrangements!
FOR PLANTING SUCCESS:We highly recommend amending the soil in your planting area with Brownswood Premium Planting Mix as well as a starter fertilizer such as Espoma Organic Bio-tone® Starter Plus to give your new plants their best start. You can find our Planting Guide at the link below. It provides planting instructions and helpful information about watering and getting new plants established. We look forward to seeing you at the Garden Center!
Find Your PLANT's Perfect Match This Growing Season!Such anticipation! Southern Indica Azaleas and Carolina jessamine are in bud and bloom, the weather is warming up nicely, and we couldn't be more excited about Spring arriving in Charleston. This month, we'd like to share a helpful guide for selecting Espoma Organic fertilizers by plant type to keep your flowers, shrubs, and trees in peak condition. Ready to Get Growing? We're Here to Help!Make a list of existing landscape plantings, or take photos and bring them into the Garden Center. Our Nursery Professionals can assist you in plant identification and provide you with fertilizer recommendations specific to your plant type(s). We are also happy to review the proper fertilizer pairing for any new plants when you're here shopping.
GROW & THRIVE - What you'll need AFTER you plant:Espoma's other organic 'tone' fertilizers can be used after planting, throughout the growing season. These easy-to-use granulated fertilizers are typically applied around the plant at the soil level. (see application instructions on each product label for frequency and amount to use)
Visit the Brownswood Nursery Garden Center and speak with one of our Nursery Professionals about our complete selection of Espoma Organic garden products such as additional single ingredient soil amendments, fertilizers, and planting mixes. We look forward to growing with you this season!
You Asked, We Answered!Naturally, the Nursery Professionals at our Garden Center receive lots of questions about the right time to perform various tasks in the landscape. We thought it might be helpful to share some of the questions we've received recently. We hope you enjoy these Winter tips! When do I cut back my sweet grass? Sweet Grass, or Muhly Grass, is a warm-season, ornamental grass that can be found all around the Charleston area. It's typically most noticed in Fall when its cotton-candy pink blooms appear - an impressive show that lasts for weeks! Sweet Grass will develop a straw-like appearance as the weather gets colder and the blades dry out. While it's tempting to cut this grass back when it starts to lose its green color, it's best to wait until late Winter or early Spring. Waiting to cut this grass back offers Winter protection for its roots in case of freezing temperatures. Is it safe to plant trees and shrubs this time of year? Yes! We are fortunate to be able to plant year round in the Charleston area. In fact, planting during colder weather can actually lessen transplant shock as plants are able to get acclimated well before the onset of Summer heat. When planting, we recommend amending your soil with our Brownswood Premium Planting Mix as well as a starter fertilizer such as Espoma Organic Bio-tone® Starter Plus to give your new plants their best start. Click here to download our planting guide. When is the best time to plant flowering perennials? While flowering perennials survive our mild Winter season, the best time to plant them is in Spring after the danger of a late frost has passed. This will ensure that flower buds are not damaged by cold weather. Another way of determining the right time to plant your favorite flowering perennials is when the selection of these plants becomes more plentiful at the Garden Center. While some varieties may be available sooner, early to mid-March is a good time to start checking for in stock perennials. Which plants should I avoid pruning during the Winter? While many shrubs and trees can be pruned during the Winter months, those that bloom in Spring should be avoided. Shrubs such as azalea, forsythia, loropetalum, and viburnum, for example, have already formed their Spring flower buds by Winter and should be pruned after flowering. Likewise, wait until Spring to prune Winter flowering shrubs such as camellias. When do I prune my crape myrtle trees? The best time to prune a crape myrtle tree is late Winter while the tree is dormant (leafless). We recommend pruning a crape myrtle minimally to maintain the canopy and overall health of the tree. Cut away dead or crossed branches and remove suckers growing from the base of the tree. You can also limb the tree up at this time, removing smaller, lower limbs along the trunk. Have a question that wasn't answered here? Feel free to contact us on Facebook or Instagram or, send an email to sales@brownswoodnursery.com.
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