KTRS 550 Inside Out Show Plant of the Week Saturday Auguest 28, 2010 Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa)

by MaryAnn Fink
Conservation Specialist
copyright 2010

Showy goldenrod is a very showy Missouri native that grows well in average to poor soil with almost no extra watering beyond rainfall!

She has a fairly tight and upright habit that hold the multiple clusters of tiny, bright flowers. These flower wands sway gently in the breeze as if keeping rhythm to a song only she can hear!

Her bloom time typically occurs just as summer transitions into fall, when fall blooming anemone and early blooming asters are just starting to flower. This makes her an indispensable color companion! Her starry flowers are the same for early blooming asters.

Goldenrods have been wrongly accused of causing hay fever which is actually an allergic reaction to wind-borne pollen from other plants such as ragweed.

She is attractive to bees, butterflies and the beautiful little goldfinches!
Showy Goldenrod can easily be distinguished from other goldenrods by the following characteristics: the flower cluster is quite large once the plat is established. The flower clusters are held fairly erect or might have a slight tilt or upward curve unlike the aggressive weedy Canada goldenrod which bends outward and downward.

Care Factor Rating 2 During spring clean-up cut back all the old foliage from last year and then cut around the crown and through the roots like you are cutting a cake away from it's pan. Remove any roots or crown portions that have stretched beyond the designated space for this plant. Remove spent flower clusters to encourage additional bloom.

Additional Tips: Another favorite goldenrod is Plant of Merit Solidago 'Fireworks'. There are many cultivars available allowing different choice of form and flower time!

SIDE NOTE: For listeners and John Shea excited about my favorite butterfly attractor/ late season flowering tree; Seven-Son Flower / Hepticodium- it is now flowering at Creve Cour Sail boat Cove's BENCH Garden. In my homescape the butterflies are gathering on it in mass!

KTRS Inside Out Show Plant of the Week Saturday August 21

Live Forever Sedum Blessed With New Latin Name, New Cultivar, AND New Fans!

by MaryAnn Fink
Conservation Specialist
copyright 2010

Hylotelephium 'Thundercloud' is in fact the sedum to be on the watch for!

This newly introduced Sedum ‘Thundercloud’ is arriving on the nursery scene in a cloud of name confusion.

Yes the name game is still being played! The familiar upright sedum frequently known as live forever is officially known now botanically as Hylotelephium.

To add to the confusion, one of the newest introductions, H. ‘Thundercloud’ has a name that might sound less than desirable unless you need rain!

He does seem like a totally new type of sedum. He hints of the familiar simple and old fashioned good looks this plant is known for because he has the same easy going ways. His needs are minimal. Just give him full sun, occasional water and average soil.

What is different is a fancier edge to the leaf and a new look of abundance is forecast with this ‘Thundercloud’ with the heavy onset of hundreds flower buds.

The pending event is so evident I can only guess it was the inspiration for the name ‘Thundercloud’. And just as one might gaze toward the skyline to predict the timing for a rain fall, I found myself checking this plant to see just when in late August or September he was going to break into flower! And when he does-Wow!

Hardly a gray or gloomy mood is possible when looking at this fresh white bundle of florets! A smile is the only option and butterflies agree!

Care Factor Rating: 1 This is a relatively low maintenance perennial, and is best cleaned up in early spring before he begins active growth for the season. New as this cultivar is, it is not obvious if he will need frequent dividing like his relatives. Most of them do best when divided every other spring. From the looks of his habit- I am thinking this will not be as frequent and therefore he will be very low care!

For more information : http://www.greenroofs.com/content/apr-IPG-072309.htm

550 KTRS Inside Out Show Bonus Tips

by MaryAnn Fink
Conservation Specialist
copyright 2010


Whether discussing trees, shrubs or perennials or even annuals, “how far apart” and “how many plants” are difficult questions to answer.

This is because the install size, the eventual size, the long term goal and time frame (redo’s are expensive but an option) are factors in the process. Even your hardiness zone, rate of growth, most successful transplant size, site situation and care/pruning budget need to be considered along with your personal taste and purpose. No point in growing berry producing shrubs for the birds if they have to be pruned so often they don’t get fruit!

Tight plant spacing may result in quick fill in, which may help decrease weedy opportunists and hide or shade the soil, but close spacing is expensive!

Besides the expense of multiple plants, after a while, crowed trees and shrubs begin to interfere with each other’s development above and below ground. Completion for moisture, nutrients and even sunlight can lead to stunted growth and unnatural growth habit.

Following Best Management Practice spacing guidelines might look sparse, but this will not last long. To avoid that initial sparse look, plant some short lived perennials and some annuals for the first few years. This will allow for grow in time without the expense of over-planting and subsequent thinning.



Consider plant arrangements that are suitable now and will look good in 10-15 years or longer. When putting your design to paper find the template that approximates the scaled diameter of the mature plant and draw in the circle at two-thirds of their listed mature size. There are two reasons for this; first, some plants such as trees may never reach their listed size in our tough zone second, especially for shrub plantings, I do not want to try and keep them under size by more than one third of their potential mature size, this will hopefully allow for habit to develop-who wants green meatballs?



Finally, please avoid rain shadow problems by placing foundation plants far enough from the house and its overhang so that there is adequate air circulation, good soil perco;ation and of course beneficial rainfall. A general rule of thumb is to space plants from the house by at least the distance of the plant radius at maturity. Complex or overcrowded designs usually will require more maintenance!

Contact me for additional advice and check out these links for more information:

trees and shrubs too close together Correct Spacing for Landscape Trees and Shrubs: Examples of Planting Distances Between Familiar Woody Ornamentals
Rules of thumb for volume:
overcrowded designs

Read more: How to Select Bushes & Shrubbery eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5824301_select-bushes-shrubbery.html#ixzz0wKCQwWZA

KTRS 550 Inside Out Show Bonus Blog -answer to "Giant Dragon Flyish bug in my garage"

by MaryAnn Fink
Conservation Specialist
copyright 2010


What is buggin Jim : Caller inquired about giant dragon flyish looking insect-not near water-flying into his garage- here is a possible answer!)





Cicada killers (Sphecius speciosus) are related to mud daubers or dirt daubers on the wasp family tree. They average greater than one inch in length and are recognized by their amber-colored wings and yellow/orange/black bodies. Cicada killers' size leads one to believe that they are aggressive and dangerous. They are frequently seen zooming around just above the grass or soil and sometimes they are observed crashing into windows.



These patrolling behaviors are exhibited by the male cicada killer. Males patrol territories for females and will chase other males away; hence the window-crashing behavior when they see their reflection. Above all of this, male cicada killers do not possess a stinger and, therefore, cannot sting.


For more information click here!

550 KTRS Inside Out Show Saturday August 7 2010

Anemone x hybrida 'Honorine Jobert'

by MaryAnn Fink

Conservation Specialist

copyright 2010

This late summer blooming anemone is a cultivar, fairly representative of the many selections now available in the nursery trade. Some of the newer varieties may display a more upright habit or longer bloom period however new introductions may forfeit some hardiness or disease resistance.

Jobert’s china white flowers are propped cheerfully over her mounded foliage on leaf bare pole like stems, reminiscent of a balancing act done with fragile plates. Unlike such an act, this display of talent last for several weeks and combines well with other late season acts. The flowers will eventually shatter on their but not before entertaining a lingering audience.
She is reported to be deer resistant and attractive to the butterfly population-bonuses all around!

Care Factor Rating: 2 Every spring remove the old foliage from last year and mark area in some way to avoid disturbance until new growth is evident, a ring of small rocks works well! Once new foliage appears, determine the desired dedicated space and perform the standard root pruning procedure for perennials. This is an easy control method that also stimulated a tight growth habit. In a perfect situation this perennial may require this treatment twice a season—raising the CFR to 3- this is not probable but possible. An occasional root sprout near the designated space is more likely to appear if managment has been ignored-do not skip root pruning or else short runners may develop.

STANDARD ROOT PRUNING FOR VIGOROUS PERENNIALS: Cut around the crown and through the roots like you are cutting a cake away from a pan. Remove all the cut away crown portions and the roots that have stretched beyond the designated space for this plant. Continue to monitor during growing season and repeat if necessary. Root pruning when in bud or flower can interfere with bloom cycle.

(photo credit Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder)

KTRS 550 Inside Out Show -EXTRA NUTSEDGE HELP!

by MaryAnn Fink
Conservation Specialist
copyright 2010


Nutsedge (a.k.a. nutgrass or watergrass) is the fast growing “grass” sprouting up in lawns all around the St. Louis region.

It grows faster than any turf so a few days after cutting your lawn-it looks like you missed a section or even a week.

The glossy foliage looks like grass with a folded crease down the center. It occasionally grows so fast it reaches to the seed forming stage. It then produces and a tight cluster of brownish green aging to brown thin needle-like seeds that rest at the top of the leaf blades.

If pulled from the stem, the underground nutlets usually disconnect and begin producing the next plant. Many nutlets can form- hence the control problem with pulling by hand!

Although it makes some sense to use an effective spray, it needs to be the correct product, done effectively. Timing is critical. Go to your nearest landscape or garden center for the correct information and product. I have asked Glenn Kraemer of GR Robinson Seed for his best recomendation. While waithing for his responce I decided to share his contact information-for those of you who need immeadiate help!


Gr Robinson Seed Company
(314) 432-0300
8674 Olive Blvd, St Louis, MO 63132 Get directions

I will post more info shortly and some links to help you manage this problem along with some other “weed” links! In the mean time –don’t feel alone- you are NOT!

When using any chemical, always read the label and follow the directions (don't try to mix a stronger, more is not always better! Also don't buy more than you need and follow storage information for any product!

KTRS 550 INSIDE OUT SHOW EXTRA: MY SPEAKENESE WHAT IS MARYANN TALKING ABOUT?

COMMUNICATION; MY FAVORITE WORDS/ DESCRIPTIONS DEFINED (THIS IS NOT A RANT-PLEASE READ ON-AND ENJOY! )



by MaryAnn Fink
Conservation Specialist
copyright 2010


Colorculture/ Colorculturalist: A person such as myself who focuses on the embellishment of the landscape by using the color of flowering plants and foliage as major design tool. A horticulturist that is focused on adding the color that the main stream public says they want!

The Naturalista: a person-such as my self who appreciates the ”natural” look but offers it a “hand” through design technique and plant selection to help its visual appeal reach out to the main stream public. The Naturalista is always interested in making environmental education usable information for the end user!

Intentional Greenscaping: focusing on the purpose and function while factoring in ways to maximize a green space’s potential to both serve a function and be esthetically pleasing-max potential / most eye candy bang for the buck yet sustainable!

The New American Garden Artist: This stylized design uses the natural beauty of the native plant palette to create a recognizable complimentary composition that can be reasonably cared for and remain sustainable .

Monet Effect: saturating color in the garden but allowing for imperfections and an ebb and flow effect, massing, fading and blurring within the perimeters of a natural site line.

Moment in the Garden- a snapshot of when we pause long enough to let the crowds and the manmade sounds diminish and the urge to scurry diminish.

Native Boutique Garden - a gathering or collection of native plants that create a very concentrated effect that could possibly happen naturally but I haven’t seen it!

An Intentional Garden: A garden that has a clear, strong voice-obvious passion- based on the basics with human inspiration. Purposeful but not overly contrived/ the power of the natural landscape without being wayward-but still untamed. This type of garden has wild at heart beauty that says “accessible” a garden that invites interactive experience.

An Intentional Garden accentuates her assets. It is easy to appreciate her shapely lines-like a beautiful woman-she is engaging; she evokes a nurturing feeling in the onlooker. Her undertone and overtone is truthful, captivating. She elevates whoever she calls to a heighten awareness. Her natural inspired influence engages-forever changed. She beckons you with her sounds, begs to be touched and only wants to be. She can share a heartfelt moment or a lifetime.

An Intentional Garden brings it- the feel; even a mood- creates a relationship between the caretaker and the space. A budding love or maybe Love at first site!

Love at first site! Irrisistable -memorable moment when I first look at a landscape and imagine its possibilities! My Favorite gardens, thankyou to a few of my fav's Matt and Lisa-Oma's Barn, Dave Guempel, Mary Harrison, June Hutson and Dianne O'Connell!

Birthright landscape- born on site, elementary, stylized but recognizable.


Sanctuary / Habitat Garden: A place that invites wildlife and memories and private moments to pray and meditate - Planned seating is essential as are intimate vignettes. My favorite type of garden!

Bridge gardening: the trifecta of gardening, striving for a perfect balance, a threefer, the human element with the natural world and the spiritual realm: reaching for Eden- developing a space that encourages a walk in the garden with God!

Garden Prayer Work: Garden project-chores used to open up internal communications particularly with God. (Sometimes it turns external and you find yourself talking to a passerby in the truest purest voice- straight from your heart. When considering the gardening activity, its worth and myself, it find it a uniquely interactive time with God on a personal level that is open and comfortable- the best garden activity is one that you can slip into, while you explore your thoughts.

This is when I am most inspired to write my garden blessings / prayers. The work part is only in the application or intent –clearing your mind of trivial issues, bringing up the deepest feelings and putting them into a voice and talking to God. Suddenly it is meaningful on a spiritual level and near the end of the activity I find myself renewed.

E-harmony : Horticulturaly speaking it is environmental matchmaking. It is creating a marriage of site and soul worthy of growing together. A willing exchange, for me a vow filled with passion I can’t explain. E-harmony creates a healing place for the wounded, a memory connection to the past and path to the future and most importantly a resting place for now. E-harmony is dynamic. It is a conduit for energy between the garden and the gardener that connects all you circuits, stimulates the senses and hints of what the future relationship can become as it grows!

A Natural Habitat Garden: A Connection- not a documentary- not meant to devalue or demoralize a space. It is knit together, not fully random but a tapestry of corridors and patchwork that is sewn together by Nature and its caretaker.

A first step garden / door step garden: Welcomes you HOME or into gardening particularly with natives, the familiar, the mascots, a positive reminder of the positive aspects that impact us enough to recognize it represents where we live.

Good Neighbor Garden: A combination of natives and compatible –non-invasive plant selections that are appropriately selected for the site, environmentally friendly and functional as well as aesthetically pleasing.

Anywhere, USA Gardening: Total disregard for indigenous plants, may include invasive, and tropicals – not necessarily hardy or appropriate plant use for the site and sense of place. Anywhere, USA Gardening is not as universally appealing as it sounds, instead it is a pick up and put it anywhere “cookie cutter” use of a limited palette of plants that fall short of inspiring!