Key Questions for Garden Catalogs
After the holidays comes the rush of the 2001 garden catalogs.
To help avoid purchases not needed, ask yourself a few questions
when considering plant material.
First question, which sounds simple, what exactly is the plant
in question? Most vegetables and flowers are pretty straightforward,
but sometimes a plant is written-up to have outstanding and perhaps
unexpected features. Common names may vary, so look for Latin or
scientific names to be listed, in particular with ornamental plants.
If not given, you may not get the plant you think you are ordering.
Next ask yourself, do I really need it? The plant may have outstanding
characteristics, but could be a poor fit for an individual situation.
For fruit and vegetable crops, make sure you actually have a use
for the crop once harvested. When considering flowers, shrubs, or
trees, they need to fit the site where planted. This means not only
the right sun or shade levels and soil conditions, but also fitting
into the scheme of the landscape.
Question 3, will it grow here? Plant hardiness is very important
selection factor for trees, shrubs, and ornamental plants. Hardiness
zones include both USDA (zone 5a for most of northern Illinois except
parts of northwest that are zone 4b) and Arnold Arboretum (zone
4 for our area). Check which is being used by the catalog you are
using.
Related to hardiness is length of the growing season. Vegetable
or fruit crop cultivars need to have adequate time to produce a
crop in our relatively short growing season. On average, the last
frost date for most of northern Illinois is about May 5; with the
average first fall frost about October 7. Vegetables that take well
over 100 days to mature (such as some vine crops) are generally
not good choices, as they may not ripen before being killed by frost.
Finally, what are the needs of the plant? Needs include things
such as fertilizer, water, light, pruning, and space. Again, consider
whether the plant is really a good fit for your yard and garden
and the amount of attention you plan to give. Also consider how
pest prone a plant may be when making a decision as to buy it or
not.
December 2000 - January 2001: Winter
Gardening Tips | Plants and Light |
Botrytis (Gray Mold): A Disease for Many Plants
| Choosng a Christmas Tree Variety | Key
Questions for Garden Catalogs |
