Good Growing Tips
Tips, tricks, and trends for the best in landscaping today.
DEER “LEAST LIKELY TO BROWSE” LISTING
While we use the term "deer resistant" loosely the following guide should be used when considering plants for areas with heavy deer populations. By no means a guarantee for complete avoidance, the input from several local professional horticultural and plant growing individuals along Coastal South Georgia points to these as among the best choices from their past experiences.
TREES
- Angel Trumpet Datura spp.
- Bald Cypress Taxodium distichum
- Black Gum Nyssa sylvatica
- Bottlebrush Callistemon spp.
- Cherry Laurel Prunus caroliniana
- Chickasaw Plum Prunus angustifolia
- Crape Myrtle Lagerstroemia lucidum
- Dahoon Holly Ilex cassine
- Dawn Redwood Metasequoia gyptostroboides
- Deodar Cedar Cedrus deodara
- Dogwood Cornus spp.
- Eastern Red Cedar Juniperus virginiana
- Elms Ulmus spp.
- Eucalyptus Eucalyptus spp.
- Golden Rain Tree Koelreuteria paniculata & elegans
- Japanese Maple Acer palmatum
- Jerusalem Thorn Parkinsonia aculata
- Lacebark Elm Ulmus parvifolia
- Leyland Cypress Cupressocyparis leylandi
- Loblolly Bay Gordonia lasianthus
- Loquat Eriobotrya japonica
- Maidenhair Tree Ginkgo biloba
- Mimosa Albizia spp.
- Olive Olea europeae
- Palms Assorted
- Persimmon Diospryos virginiana
- Pines Pinus spp.
- Red Maple Acer rubrum
- River Birch Betula nigra
- Saucer Magnolia Magnolia x soulangiana
- Sweetbay Magnolia Magnolia virginiana
- Sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua
- Willow Salix spp.
- Windmill Palm Trachycarpus fortunei
SHRUBS
- Abelia Abelia spp.
- Adam’s Needle Yucca filamentosa
- American Beautybush Callicarpa americana
- Anise (red) Illicium floridanum
- Anise (yellow) Illicium parviflorum
- Banana Shrub Michelia spp.
- Bottlebrush Buckeye Aesculus parvifora
- Boxwood Buxus spp.
- Century Plant Agave spp.
- Daphne Daphne odora
- Eleagnus Elaeagnus pungens
- Esperanza Tecoma stans
- European Fan Palm Chamaerops humulis
- Gardenia Gardenia augusta & jasminoides
- Japanese Laurel Aucuba japonica
- Japanese Plum Yew Cephalotaxus harringtonia
- Leucothoe Leucothoe spp.
- Nandina Nandina domestica
- Native Azaleas Rhododendron spp.
- Needle Palm Rhapidopyllum hystrix
- Oleander Nerium oleander
- Oregon Grape Mahonia spp.
- Osmanthus Osmanthus spp.
- Pineapple Guava Feijoa sellowiana
- Rosemary Rosmarimus officinalis
- Serissa Serissa foeida
- Spanish Bayonet Yucca aloifolia
- Spanish Dagger Yucca gloriosa
- Thryallis Galphinia glauca
- Viburnum (most) Viburnum (but not ‘Mrs. Schillers’)
- Wax Myrtle Myrica cerifera
- Yaupon Holly Ilex vomitoria
ORNAMENTAL GRASSES
- Fakahatchee Grass Tripsacum dactyloides
- Inland Sea Oats Chasmanthium latifolium
- Maiden Grass Miscanthus sinensis
- Muhley Grass Muhlenbergia capillaris
- Pampas Grass Cortaderia selloana
- Purple Fountain Grass Pennisetum setaceum
- Saltmeadow Cord Grass Spartina patens
- Switch Grass Pennisetum spp.
VINES & GROUND COVERS
- Ajuga/Bugleweed Ajuga reptans
- Ardesia Ardesia japonica
- Cape Honeysuckle Tecomaria capensis
- Carolina Jasmine Gelsemium sempervirens
- Cephalotaxus Cephalotaxus prostata
- Junipers Juniperus spp.
- Powder Puff Mimosa Mimosa strigillosa
- Rosemary Rosemary prostata
- Thyme (creeping) Thymus praecox
- Wedelia Wedelia triobata
- Wire Vine Muhlenbeckia axillaris
PERENNIALS & BULBS
- Allium Allium pp.
- Aloe Aloe vera
- Bulbine Bulbine bulbosa
- Butterfly Bush Buddleia spp.
- Butterfly Weed Asclepias tuberosa
- Cactus/Succulents Assorted spp.
- Canna Canna x generalis
- Calamint Calamintha nepeta
- Catmint Nepeta spp.
- Cordylines Cordyline fruticosa
- Crocosmia Crocosmia spp.
- Daffodils/Narcissus Narcissus spp.
- Copper Canyon Daisy Tagetes lemonii
- Ferns (most) Assorted
- Holly Fern Cyrtomium falcatum
- Four O’clock Mirabilis jalapa
- Goldenrod Solidago spp.
- Hens and Chickens Sempervivum spp.
- Iris – African Dietes iridoides
- Iris – Louisiana Iris fulva
- Ivy Hedera spp.
- Lantana Lantana spp.
- Lavender Lavandula angustifolia
- Ligularia Ligularia spp.
- Mallow Hibiscus Hibiscus moscheutos
- Marguerite Chrysanthemum frutescens
- Mexican Bush Sage Salvia leucantha
- Mexican Hat Ratibida columnifera
- Mexican Mint Marigold Tagetes lucida
- Mint Mentha spp.
- Mum Chrysanthemum spp.
- Oxeye Daisy Chrysanthemum leucanthemum
- Perennial Sunflower Helianthus spp.
- Periwinkle Vinca spp.
- Prickly Pear Opuntia spp.
- Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea
- Rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis
- Russian Sage Perovskia atriplicifolia
- Salvia Salvia spp.
- Society Garlic Tulbaghia violacea
- Spiderwort Tradescantia spp.
- Split Leaf Philodendron Philodendron selloum
- Yarrow Achillea filipendulina
ANNUALS
- Calendula/Pot Marigold Calendula officinalis
- Cockscomb Celosia spp.
- Dusty Miller Centaurea cineraria
- Fan Flower Scaevola aemula
- Flowering Tobacco Nicotiana alata
- Lantana (most) Lantana camara
- Marigolds Tagetes spp.
- Melampodium Melampodium paludosum
- Periwinkles Catharanthus roseus
- Plectranthus Plectranthus spp.
- Salvia Salvia spp.
- Scarlet sage Salvia coccinea
- Spider Flower Cleome hasslerana
- Summer Snapdragon Angelonia angustifolia
- Swedish Ivy Plectrantus verticillatus
- Sweet Alyssum Lobularia maritima
- Vinca Catharanthus roseus
- Zinnia Zinnia spp.
Everybody loves Christmas and nothing says festive like a poinsettia. The greenhouse markets poinsettias like no one in the business can. Rows upon rows of reds, whites, and pinks bursting color! But what do you do with those sensitive beauties once you leave our facility? The following eight steps should keep your poinsettia looking its healthiest through this wonderful season.
- After receiving your poinsettia please unsleeve immediately. If plants are left inside the sleeves for too long the leaves will turn yellow and fall off prematurely. Adequate airflow is necessary for the health and quality of any plant.
- When taking poinsettias home, make certain they are protected from temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Chilling causes the leaves to drop. Poinsettias do best at 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit in a cool, bright area in a room with sufficient light to read fine print. They need a minimum of six hours of bright, indirect light daily to thrive.
- Water plants thoroughly when you get them home. Never allow poinsettias to sit in water.
- Check daily for water and irrigate only when soil feels dry to touch.
- DO NOT expose poinsettias to drafts.
- Keep plants away from radiators and hot air registers.
- High humidity is better than low humidity.
- Poinsettia bracts are sensitive to bruising. PLEASE HANDLE CAREFULLY.
It is our hope that these few simple instructions guide you in caring for your poinsettia and offering advice to your own clients!
Container gardening is a fun and creative way to spruce up entry ways, patios, events and so much more. The home gardener may even want a small vegetable or herb garden in easily manageable containers. For landscapers and retailers there are a few golden rules to ensure your customer is more than satisfied.
Firstly, keep in mind for containers you will always want a thriller, a filler, and a spiller. Your thriller is the center focal point of height and/or color. Fillers self explanatorily fill in the mass of the container while your spillers trail and run over the edges of the container. Using this guideline as an initial template you are already well on your way to create the perfect container and are only limited by your imagination!
Secondly, consider the size and mouth of the container for the demands of the project. An individual wanting instant gratification and an abundance of color and fullness can’t confine their planting dream into a container nightmare because of the wrong sized pot. The container will be home to your planting aspirations so keep the following tips in mind:
Lighter colored pots in higher heat and humidity areas will lessen the amount of heat absorption.
Small containers restrict room for root growth and dry out very quickly.
Pots must have adequate drainage and be set upon bricks or stands to allow water to flow through and away from the container. Remember clay pots are a great alternative but are porous loosing water from the sides; monitor these pots for sufficient watering.
Lastly, try different combinations and enjoy mixing colors until you find the right balance for your own style. A few ideas to get you started are listed below but remember to just do what works for you and have fun doing it!
Complimentary combinations – these combos will focus on two colors set across from each other on the color wheel such as orange and blue or yellow and violet. Choose one color to dominate and the other to accent, the contrast will make each appear more vivid and bright.
Harmonious combinations that use two or more colors found next to each other on the color wheel. Try using several lighter and darker tones of one specific color or those that are similar. Once again, use one color as a dominant and the others to accent; just try to stay within the same color scheme for that harmonious affect.
Triad combinations are one of the most popular combinations using three colors spaced evenly around the color wheel. This combination offers high contrast with balance. Try using shades of yellows, blues, and reds for example. These combinations are sure to be big, bright and beautiful. Whatever your color pallet choices are, always know the growing pattern of your material so that you may best achieve your goal. Now get down, get dirty, and create something beautiful!