Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Right plant, right place
Master Gardeners are available all over the country. Despite our shorter growing season in the Upper Midwest, we love our gardens. Maybe because of it! As a result we field a lot of questions about why a plant isn’t thriving.
One of the first things we try to determine is whether the plant in question is in the right place. That’s the MG motto, Right plant, Right place!
In a different home I lived in, I planted several hosta, the exact same variety, the exact same size on each side of my sidewalk up to my front door. One side received considerably more shade due to the garage while the other side, more afternoon sun.
Which, by the way, is hotter than morning sun and dries plants out much quicker. You can see the huge difference in growth and in color. Most hostas prefer shade and the ones in the sun reflect that rather dramatically. They’re color is not a rich bi-color green but a more yellowish cast and they’re much smaller. I switched out the plants in sun to heucheras.
That’s why right plant, right place is so important. Many times when a plant isn’t thriving it’s simply planted in the wrong spot. Oftentimes, you can move it to a location more fitting it’s requirements and you’ll see a completely different plant!
Another issue people have is a plant that’s been great for 10 years, never done anything to it and now it doesn’t look good. Sometimes, it’s just the lifecycle of that particular plant or it’s been neglected. Maybe it was too much love. This year’s weather is really playing a role in decline too.
If you have questions about YOUR plant you can also contact me through my Facebook page or email at tkgardenbite@gmail.com