Plant of the Week
The winterberry (Ilex verticillata), a species of holly native to eastern North America, is an easy-to-grow deciduous shrub. Happy in both sun and shade, winterberry reaches full maturity at 6 to 10 feet tall and wide. Its little white flowers aren’t much to look at, but I grow it for the berry that gives it its name. These bright red berries supply a much-needed pop of color from late fall through the winter. Birds love it—you can expect to host a garden party for robins, cedar waxwings, woodpeckers, and more!
Guest
This week, I was joined by my friend Carol Carter, president of the board of the Botanical Garden of the Piedmont. An advocate for native plant habitats, Carol is here to help us newbies transition to native gardening. I want to empower my listeners (and myself) to participate in the movement and make our gardens a friendly place for people, plants, and pollinators. The goal: create highly functional native ecosystems with good biological diversity. Is it important? Very! Is it doable? Absolutely. Interested? Check out Douglas Tallamy’s book Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants.
Playlist:
Keep on pruning!
Beware of soil compaction.
Fertilize your bulbs. I recommend an organic high-end phosphorous fertilizer.
Divide any early bulbs and multiply your spring flowers for free!
To Listen
BBC’s Gardeners’ Question Time
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qp2f
Up Next
Next week, I talk to Master Gardeners Marie Callahan and Janette Martin about the upcoming Virtual Spring Lecture Series.