Japanese Skimmia. Four Seasons of Beauty.
by Morrisons on May 18, 2012
Photo courtesy of Monrovia.
20 years ago when planting the front of our new house nestled in the shade of big White Pine trees we needed a low growing plant that wouldn’t block our view to the garden. We decided on the Japanese Skimmia (Skimmia japonica). This beautiful, broadleaf evergreen has thrived and grown from a 2 gal. container to be a bush that is 3′ x 3′ and only 18″ tall.
It has dark green shiny foliage with red berries on the female plants throughout the winter. We only had to place one male plant in the bed of female plants to guarantee us a generous crop of red berries. The flower of the male plant in the spring is much bigger than the females and is most interesting.
The literature rates Skimmia japonica as a Zone 7 plant, but from my experience, I would give it a safe 6b for I have never had any winter damage. I would not however, expose this plant to drying winter winds in a sunny location for this might cause failure.
Another big bonus to this plant is that it’s not eaten by deer and when rated by Rutgers University it was given the highest rating for deer resistance. It’s truly a four season plant for it always looks good.
Mixing Up Some Proven Container Recipes.
by Morrisons on May 15, 2012
Great cooking is all about complementary colors and flavors, balance and textures. In our eyes, however, few recipes match the vivid color and sheer thrill of a well-designed hanging basket, container or window box.
Of course, half the fun in creating your own concoction is exploring and planning out the right plant combination to match your personality and your home and garden. From spillers to fillers to thrillers, the possibilities are nearly limitless.
Take some time to imagine the possibilities by visiting Proven Winners® where their searchable container recipes database will show you everything from exposure, container size, placement and detailed information on each plant in your specific recipe.
While Proven Winners® is a fantastic source of container inspiration, our staff at Morrison’s is truly second to none in both plant knowledge and ideas. So go dream online, but come to Morrison’s and and we’ll get you in the mix this weekend.
The Spectacular ‘Wim’s Red’ Hydrangea.
by Morrisons on May 15, 2012
Five years ago my wife Susanne brought back to this country a new panicle hydrangea from Europe named ‘Wim’s Red.’ We have three of these plants in our garden at home and they’ve all performed well. This year at Morrison’s we’ve finally been able to get our first of these plants in from Monrovia Nurseries for your own garden.
These are 2 gal. containers and are taken from the original cuttings Susanne had received from Jan Oprins of Oprins Nursery in Belgium for trials in the United States. This last year, Ball Horticultural obtained the U.S. rights to this plant and named it “Fire and Ice.” It could not be a more appropriate name for the flower as it starts out pure white in August, and fades first to pink, then a wine red color. The stems on this panicle hydrangea are very strong, purple in color and hold the flower upright and erect. This plant performs best in part sun to part shade.
With so many different and new hydrangeas coming on the market, it’s often difficult to choose, but this plant is so unique and I know Morrison’s is one of the first nurseries to make this spectacular plant available.
Digging New Fingerling Potatoes.
by Morrisons on April 20, 2012
Last year I happened to find in an upscale grocery store, a pint container of these multicolored fingerling potatoes for an outrageous price. They were all superb and totally different in taste. After an extensive search this last winter, I finally found a source of seed stock from the state of Washington.
The shipment just arrived at Morrison’s this last week and the condition of these is far superior to what I am used to seeing in seed potatoes brought in from Maine or Canada. All of these new varieties are certified organic. The fingerling varieties we received are Russian Banana, Austrian Crescent, Red Thumb, and Rose Finn Apple. Theses fingerlings are selling for $3.49 / lb at Morrison’s. We also brought in two other specialty potatoes that also are certified organic: All Red and German Butterball.
The following are our recommendations for a successful potato crop. Pick a plot in full sun with a soil pH that is on the low side, 5.6 to 6.0 max. as potatoes prefer a lower pH. Cultivate and prepare a shallow trench with fertilizer mixed in at the bottom. Then cut your seed potatoes into pieces with two to three eyes per piece and set them out in the sun to dry for 3 to 4 hours.
Put the pieces into a bag and mix in some powdered sulfur and shake. Then take these coated pieces and set them 4″ to 6″ apart in the trench and cover. Lay another band of fertilizer to the side of this planting which the potatoes can feed on as they grow. As the potato plant comes up out of the ground, hill up the row at least three times during the growing season.
Keep the plants watered as needed and when the tops start to turn later in the summer you will be digging new potatoes!
Now’s the Time to Go Organic
by Morrisons on September 17, 2011
The frightening headlines we’ve seen in the past regarding tainted pet food recalls had pet lovers all around the country scrambling for safe harbor. Unfortunately it often takes a tragedy to illuminate problems and in this case the recall exposed where the majority of mainstream pet food manufacturers get their ingredients and how poorly the industry is regulated.
If there’s any silver lining to the issue it’s that people are now taking full stock of what goes into the products that they feed their pets. Morrison’s is proud to carry a wide array of all-natural and organic alternatives from brands such as Wellness and Merrick. Wellness utilizes “human food standards” and extensive testing to reach purity levels and Merrick manufactures all of its canned, dry food and treats.
We’ve recently expanded our pet department so please come by and check out these and other products for your pets.
Grow Your Own Way
by Morrisons on May 21, 2011
Are the senses ever more alive than they are in the garden? The aroma
of chopped lemon thyme, the subtle mediterranean taste of an oil infused with rosemary, the vibrant tri-color presentation of a salad with your own tomato, basil, and locally produced mozzarella. It rarely gets better than this.
Edible gardening seems to grow more popular with each approaching spring. Everywhere you look CSA’s are flourishing, bustling farmer’s markets are appearing on streets and parking lots, the nation as a whole is understanding the health and environmental benefits of locally produced foods. Let’s face it, you can’t get more local than your own back yard.
How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love My Lawn
by Morrisons on May 1, 2011
The infestation starts to appear sometime in April. One by one you notice the ominous signs of activity in your neighborhood. First they gain a noticeable foothold up the street, then you spy them in your neighbors lawn. Finally they are poking and prodding in your own front yard.
No, these aren’t grubs, they’re lawn service technicians and frankly they can be as unsettling as any soil dwelling insect. The lawn care business is a multi-billion dollar enterprise and it’s easy for a homeowner of any experience level to be overwhelmed by volume of information being dropped on your doorstep. While we have nothing against lawn services, we think that you’ll find that creating a lush, healthy lawn and maintaining it’s appearance is not as daunting a task as you might believe.
When trying to find the answers and gain focus on the subject it’s always best to start with the experts and you need look no further than Scotts. Founded in 1868 and now known as the Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, you’ll find everything from lawn care basics to project planning tools on their website. Scott’s also owns an extensive lawn care video library, a discussion board to handle your questions and unquestionably the most sage and straightforward advice you’ll find in the gardening industry.
Of course we’re always here at Morrison’s to help solve any of your lawn problems and we carry a full line of Scotts and Miracle-Gro products. Send us an email or drop by and we’ll gladly point you in the right direction.
Fear Not the Bamboo
by Morrisons on March 13, 2011
You can’t swing a stick and not see a bamboo product these days.
Look at the Sunday paper or any major design magazine and you’ll see bamboo floors, bamboo housewares, clothing, sporting goods, you name it. It’s undeniable, bamboo is hot. While experts trumpet the sustainable nature of the plant for it’s appeal, the truth is that bamboo’s sheer exotic beauty and elegance has made it a favorite of consumer and gardener alike.
From a horticultural perspective, bamboo has it’s tropical origins and, in some cases, a reputation as an invasive species to overcome. Make no mistake, many species of bamboo are vigorous and are known as “spreading bamboo” but there are also a number of magnificent “clumping bamboo” from which to choose from that thrive in colder climates like New England.
Among the many plants we have in stock, Bamboo Select’s Fargesia rufa “Green Panda” is the Green Standard. This gorgeous plant can be thought of as an evergreen ornamental grass and is very manageable. It thrives in sun but tolerates shade and can be used as a focal point, hedge or privacy screen. For more on this plant and the entire Bamboo Select line of plants please visit their website.
Morrison’s also carries a wide selection of graceful tall “Phyllostachys” running bamboo as well as black bamboo and ground cover species.
Rodent Myths
by Morrisons on January 5, 2010
Over the years, many popular magazines and movies have featured stories about rodents. This article from Agway contains the myths, misconceptions or half-truths commonly heard from people about the rodents in their neighborhoods.
