Plant of the Week
Monarda didyma ‘Balmy Lilac’
Monarda is a little fuzz ball of pollinator activity. It vexes me if it flops or gets mildew, but other than that it is a total native winner. If it runs a little rampant (it will), the easiest remedy is to pull some, pot some, plant some in another spot, and/or share it with a friend. It comes in so many different heights! I have an adorable short purple guy that blooms in spring, probably ‘Balmy Lilac’ (Monarda didyma), that I actually wish would be more aggressive, though it does divide nicely. I suspect my big runner, blooming strong now in the first week of July, is probably ‘Judith’s Fancy Fuschia’ because this variety had a good report in the Mt. Cuba Center trial, and I rarely see mildew on it.
Guest
Everything always sounds better with a British accent, particularly horticulture. That being said, I have searched high and low for good American gardening podcasts, and Christy Wilhelmi’s Gardenerd Tip of the Week is The One! Based in California, she concentrates more on edibles than ornamental gardening, but she has a wide variety of guests, and she makes gardening fun. In this interview, we discuss her garden, her new book Grow Your Own Mini Fruit Garden, compost, and of course, a couple of the wonderful garden tips she has accumulated over the years.
The Play List
Don’t let ivy grow up your trees—it’s an alien invasive. The area at the base of your trees (where the trunk flares out as it meets the ground), should always be free of both mulch and ivy.
If you are going to use manure (such as Lisa Steele, the Chicken Lady from Fresh Eggs Daily and I discussed in last week’s pod), you need to let it age before applying it to your garden.
Water well or not at all! Roots grow toward moisture, and you want roots to grow down. Water your plants deeply and remember that foliage doesn’t need water.
Listen
No surprise here: Gardenerd Tip of the Week!