Friday, January 30, 2009

Winter Harsh Gardener

Hey All! I had a follow up question asking more about zone 6 plants and what happens to them during this harsh winter...

Here are some zone 6 plant families that may dieback this winter:
Rhododendron
Azalea
Japanese Andromeda
Mountain Laurel

With in these plant families are specific varieties that are hardy for zones 5 and below. Grossman's Country Nursery tends to air on the conservative side and carry varieties that are hardy so that the gardener will be successful not only during mild winters but harsh ones (like this year) as well. Where a gardener can run into trouble might lie with in the ‘box stores’. A buyer for the box store is purchasing for their territory which could be made up of multiple plant hardiness zones. They tend to have general family and varieties of plants stocked on their shelves for their entire territory. Some varieties might not be suitable to sell in one store while others would be.

If a gardener experiences any of these plants dying over a period of 3-5 years; this is an indication the plant is not conducive to the micro-climate of which they are growing. This year’s cold weather will speed up the dieback process and shorten the life span of the plant. Gardeners should heed our advice before purchasing a plant and remember; “Right plant for the right growing conditions. Then buy the plant. Buying a plant on a whim without the right advice and having it die tends to make that plant the most costly of all plants”.

1 comment:

Brown Sugar said...

This is great advice!
Too many times I've walked into a nursery and bought a plant because the flower was just too pretty, and I had no idea if it was good for our area!

Cindy H
Nature Wall Tiles