Why Smaller is Better for Plants

As we move into spring and planting time, something that we hear frequently is a request for larger plants or a query as to why the plants we have provided are small. 

There are numerous reasons why we prefer smaller plants over larger, especially bushes and trees.  When you transfer a plant from a pot into the ground, there is a period of time where it goes through a shock at the move.  During that time it looks pretty unhappy up top while under the ground it is busy increasing the size of its root system and establishing connections between its roots and the nearby soil microbes and fungal systems.  At the same time, the soil microbes and fungal systems are sorting themselves out after having been disturbed so that the plant could be put into the ground.  There is a lot going on under the ground that we can’t see and all of it is very important to plant health so that the part that we know and love above the ground can flourish and be beautiful.  The smaller a plant is when you put it into the ground, the less ground you need to disturb to make a space for it.  Because it will already be in that new space when it grows the roots that will support most of its growth up top, those roots will also have a better connection to the local soil. 

For all plants, but especially trees and bushes, those that were planted when they were smaller will generally catch up with and surpass the size of a plant that was already large when it was installed.  The larger plant is more likely to be pot bound with roots twisted around in a circle.  Once a root takes on a circular pattern, it will continue growing in that pattern.  Roots that are not growing straight out from the center need to be cut off to prevent the plant from strangling itself and not putting enough growth out into the surrounding area to support itself.  Even if a larger plant is installed properly with roots trimmed off so that they are growing straight out from the center and straight down at the bottom,  it will still put on little growth immediately after installation because it must focus on rebuilding its root system to match the size of its top.  With trees or bushes, this period of low growth and recovery can extend to years after installation.  The larger the plant is at installation, the more likely it is to suffer from disease and pests while it recovers from transplant shock and regrows its roots to match its top.  Meanwhile the smaller plants whose roots match their size will be healthier over the course of their lifetime, put on growth more quickly and have a longer lifespan.  

There is also the question of cost.  Smaller plants are easier to transport, take less time to plant and will need less water, fertilizer and care in their first year while they are getting established which makes them less expensive and time consuming to work with on many different levels. They may be a little more vulnerable to getting stepped on or string trimmed by accident, but that can easily be taken care of with good marking and/or temporary cages until they have reached a more visible size.   

Finally, there is the question of availability.  The native species that we encourage are also harder to come by so we often don’t have a choice about the size of the plants that we can get our hands on.  While we can sometimes get cultivars of native species that are larger, there are drawbacks to using cultivars.  Cultivars are plants that have been bred from the true native to accentuate certain characteristics, whether it is bloom size, color, height, tendency to spread or some other feature.  The end result is that cultivars are genetically identical to each other.  If your end goal is to provide more forage or habitat for local wildlife or to increase the diversity of native plants in your area, cultivars are not a good plan.  Not only are they less likely to suit the needs of many of the native wildlife that would normally depend on them, but they are also likely to breed with local native species thereby weakening the genetic diversity of that particular species in the area.  

If you ever find yourself wishing that your newly installed plants were bigger or feeling like they aren’t growing quickly enough, just remember everything that is going on down under the ground that you can’t see and have faith.  The smaller they are, the healthier they are likely to be a few years down the road!

—Mary Beth

Customer Appreciation
Spring Plant Sale!

We are getting ready to thank you with our first in person customer appreciation plant sale.

In celebration of our newly upgraded nursery area, we are offering you the opportunity to shop in person for plants at our annual spring plant sale.  Keep an eye out for a separate email with a link to our detailed plant list.
Coming Soon!

• Saturday, May 24

• 9 AM to 5 PM

• Location 3021 Prophet Dr.  in Hillsborough

• Call or text 919-224-9697 to let us know that you are coming.  Short notice is fine.  

• We will accept pre-orders so that plants will be ready for pick up when you arrive, but pre-orders are not required.  

• We can deliver! Delivery fee is $1.10 per mile for the round trip to cover the cost of paying our delivery person for their time and mileage.     

• The nursery is located on the left side of the house through the gate to the back yard.

• Cash or check only, no credit cards.  Option for pay- later invoicing if you are a regular customer. 

Getting Ready for Hot Weather

Every year the heat gets a little more intense and there are more days with high intensity air pollution.  Our employees struggle to work safely on the hottest and/or most polluted days.  In order to keep them safe, we have created a heat and air quality policy which will go into effect on May 1 and remain in effect until the weather cools down again.

• Here is what you need to know:  

• We will shift our available hours for physical labor to 7:30 AM until 2:00 PM during the first week of heat indexes greater than 90.

• If the heat index is predicted to be above 99, we will cancel work for the hours that it is expected to be that high.  

• If air quality is a code red, employees will work at their own discretion.  If it is code purple or above, work will be canceled. 

• We will do our best to send employees in pairs so that they can keep an eye on each other when the heat index is 90-99.

If you are at home on a hot day, please be aware that we may ask for ice, or permission to sit in a cool space if an employee is showing distress from the heat.  Hopefully this won’t be necessary with the new policies in place, but heat distress can get dangerous quickly if not treated properly so we would like to have all the resources available that we can in the event of an emergency. 

Thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation!

—MaryBeth

The African American Legacy in Gardening and Horticulture Symposium

I attended the African American Legacy in Gardening and Horticulture on March 29, hosted at the Hayti Heritage Center in Durham. The event has many generous sponsors including Duke University and the North Carolina Botanical Gardens,  NC State and the Gardening Association of NC to name a few.

This was the event's second year and it did not disappoint. It began with dinner and community on Friday night followed by a screening of the film Family Tree followed by a panel discussion.

There were 2 sessions on Saturday with a lunch break followed by a third session. After which there was  community, networking and a seed exchange.  Pearl Friar was honoured and Dr John Hope Franklin. Below is a list of the sessions.

1. The Wisdom of Trees: Urban Forestry and Black Land Ownership in the Subaltern South

2. Beyond Borders: The Ethno-Botanical and Horticultural Influence of Africans, African Americans and Immigrants on the American Landscape

3. Centering African American Narrative Stories in Contemporary Environmental Literature and Media.
   

Here is a link to the recording of the event.

Things that I took away from the event:  I learned about Michael Gibson a self taught topiary artist. Michael Gibson used to cut hair! Talk about a transfer of skills from one realm to another! He is the 3rd from the left in the photo above and that is his work behind him. The plant is a Thuja Ocidentalis!

Books mentioned that I feel moved to read

• Natures Swagger

• The Botany of Desire

In conclusion, Catherine Ferrell, probably the oldest gardener in Durham, attended the event. She is still alive at 112 years old! Here she is in all her glory!

—Karla

BOOK REVIEW:

“Wildscape” - by Nancy Lawson

Nancy Lawson's "Wildscape" is a captivating and insightful journey into the sensory world of the wildlife that shares our backyards and beyond. Lawson, a master naturalist and habitat consultant, who eloquently blends scientific research with her own keen observations, inviting readers to appreciate nature from the perspective of its inhabitants. Organized by the five senses, the book unveils the intricate ways animals and plants perceive and interact with their environment, revealing a world often unseen and unheard by humans.

Lawson's writing is both poetic and accessible, making complex ecological concepts understandable and engaging for a broad audience. Through vivid descriptions and stunning photographs, she brings to life the trilling of chipmunks, the beckoning blooms, the salty tastes that attract butterflies, and a myriad of other sensory wonders. The book encourages a deeper connection with the natural world, urging us to reconsider our role in the landscape and to cultivate spaces that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also ecologically vibrant and welcoming to wildlife. "Wildscape" is a powerful reminder that even the smallest patch of nature is teeming with fascinating life, if only we take the time to truly observe and listen.

—Shannon

PLANT FOCUS
Bluestar - Amsonia Tabernaemontana

According to the Morton Arboretum website, Eastern blue star is a long-lived, interesting perennial native to the central United States. Erect clumps of deep green, willow-like leaves add structure to the garden. Steel-blue star-shaped clusters open in late spring and foliage turns a beautiful golden yellow in the fall.

It is drought tolerant once established and resistant to damage by deer and other herbivores due to the foliage containing a toxic white latex.  Bluestar will grow 2-3 feet tall and wide in an erect clumping form in full sun to partial shade. Too much shade may cause the plant to flop and need staking. Cutting the stems back after flowering will create a more rounded, neater appearance.  Plant in well-drained moist to occasionally wet soils.

—MaryBeth

TO-DO List for May

May is all about getting everything in the ground! Those warm season crops like peppers, corn, and tomatoes can all go in safely now. 

• Plant  okra, squash, cucumber, melons, and watermelons outdoors. 

• Harden off any plants that have been started indoors.

• By the first week of May, it should be safe to plant almost everything outdoors. Houseplants, too, can be moved to a shady spot in the yard for their summer vacations.

• Keep all direct-sown veggies well watered out in the garden. This will help with germination and establishment.

• If the forecast looks good, sow seeds outdoors of beans, okra, squash, sweet corn, Southern peas, asparagus beans, and watermelon. Plant only partial rows of beans and sweet corn so that successive plantings can be done every week or two. Sweet corn should be planted in paired rows or blocks for good pollination.

• Plant sweet potato slips after the soil has warmed, though this may not be until the middle of May.

• Direct sow sunflowers, nasturtiums, marigolds, borage, basil, and other warm season flowers and herbs.

• Have a trellis system in place for your tomato patch before the plants begin to sprawl.

• Newly transplanted vegetable plants can be protected from cutworms with collars. Cut strips of cardboard two inches wide by eight inches long, staple them into circles and place them around the plants. Press the collar about one inch into the soil. These collars will fence out the cutworms and protect the stems of the vegetable plants.

• Be sure to harvest leafy greens often because they will soon bolt.

Sleep, Creep, Leap!

The Seed sat snug in its earthy bed,

"When will I sprout?" it softly said.

The Gardener smiled, a knowing grin,

"Not 'fore the rain soaks deep within."

Then came a shoot, so pale and slight,

"When will I stand up tall and bright?"

The Gardener knelt, brushed off some grime,

"Give it a bit, there's still some time."

A wobbly stem, with leaves so few,

"When will a flower peekaboo?"

The Gardener watched, with gentle eye,

"The sun needs warmth to reach the sky."

The buds appeared, all tight and curled,

"When will my petals unfurl the world?"

The Gardener waited, calm and cool,

"The season turns, that's nature's rule."

So the plant just grew, at its own proper pace,

Finding its footing in that green space.

No rushing, no pushing, no hurried plea,

Just the quiet knowing of what would be

—Shannon

Happy Gardening!