how to plant, grow, and care for wood anemones

Flowers

How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Wood Anemones

Would you like a beautiful low-growing wildflower for your woodland garden? Wood anemone is a spring-blooming perennial that will brighten a shaded plot with its delicate flowers. Join gardening enthusiast Liessa Bowen as we introduce the wood anemone and everything....

you need to know to grow your own.

More than one species of plant is known as the wood anemone. They are also sometimes called thimbleweed, windflower, or smell fox. Anemonoides quinquefolia, the American wood anemone, is a native wildflower found in eastern North American woodlands. Anemone nemorosa, the European wood anemone, is very similar in appearance but comes from Europe. Both are easy-to-grow members of the buttercup family (Ranunculeaceae).

While there are wood anemones from different regions, they look fairly similar and share similar growing requirements. If you can provide their favored conditions, these vigorous plants are easy to grow and don’t require much extra effort. They are also hardy, deer-resistant, and don’t suffer from any notable pests or diseases.

Wood anemones are low-growing, clump-forming perennials that make a beautiful addition to your shade garden. Allow them to naturalize for a gorgeous spring display but consider growing them with a variety of shade-loving neighbors to keep your shady garden plot green from spring through fall.

Now, let’s dig right into the wonderful world of wood anemone flowers and learn how to grow them and help them thrive.
Plant Natural History
Wood anemones are woodland wildflowers. They inhabit moist hardwood forests, forest edges, thickets, and clearings. In their natural habitat, they form large colonies like a lush early spring carpet of green dotted with white flowers. They are often found interspersed with other spring woodland ephemeral wildflowers.

There are several species of wood anemones from different regions. Anemonoides quinquefolia is native to central and eastern North America. Anemonoides oregana, also known as Oregon anemone, is native to the Pacific Northwest. Anemone occidentalis, also known as the western pasqueflower, is native to western North America. Anemone nemorosa is native to temperate regions of Europe and the Middle East.

Characteristics
Wood anemones are herbaceous perennials. They are also spring ephemeral flowers. Spring ephemerals are some of the first plants to emerge each year. They bloom early in the springtime and then go dormant again before summer’s end.

Wood anemones start to develop leaves in late winter, typically before the surrounding trees are fully leafed out. The first warming days and rising ground temperatures trigger these plants to start growing. The leaves are deeply divided into three to five leaflets with coarsely toothed edges. The leaves are either solid dark green or edged with maroon, depending on the species or cultivar.

Plants spread by vigorous root rhizomes to form attractive colonies on the forest floor. These are low-growing plants that make a good ground cover when allowed to spread for a while. As the weather warms into summer, however, the leaves die back into dormancy and remain dormant until the following winter and spring.

Soon after the leaves emerge, wood anemones bloom with their delicate yet showy flowers. These flowers come in shades of white, pink, purple, and pale blue, depending on the species.

The petals are simple and rounded, arranged in a radial pattern. Some species have as few as five petals, while others have considerably more. Cultivars with double flowers have many more petals, sometimes in varying sizes, arranged in multiple rows.

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Flowers

How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Tuberous Begonias

Tuberous begonias have scrumptious blooms in rich hues, from pastel to bold. Their leaves add interest and contrast with unique shapes and deep shades. Enliven the shade collection with these floriferous tropicals, just in time for spring planting. Tuberous begonias are standouts among the group with decadent blooms in vibrant colors. Laden with flowers, they bloom from late spring through frost to brighten shady zones. Lightly fragrant, their full flowers delight the senses and draw pollinators. With pendulous blooms and forms that trail, they’re ideal in hanging baskets, window boxes, and pots. Upright and standard selections make a striking border planting and filler feature in container arrangements. Distinct leaf colors and forms among varieties heighten visual interest and add surprise among shade-loving plants. What Are Tuberous Begonias? Tuberous begonias are a class of begonias native to tropical regions of South America and southern Africa. In frost-free USDA zones 9-11, they grow outside all year, and in cooler zones, they perform as annuals or overwinter by storing their tubers. They rose to popularity in the 1850s Victorian era for their large, luscious blooms and conservatory-worthy features. When the floriferous tropicals begin blooming, they flower continuously for up to four months or until temperatures drop. They prefer climates with mild summers and suffer in high heat and intense sun. In southern climates, treat them as spring annuals for a scrumptious display and early pollinator attractor. Tuberous selections bridge the transition from winter to spring beautifully in the South and make a pleasing spring welcome. As temperatures rise, try placing them in the coolest shade spot available. In more northern climates, they flower with spring’s warmth and go through fall’s frost. As with other begonias, their long bloom time and ability to flower in shade are unique qualities. Pair them with the dynamic foliage of caladiums, coleus, heuchera, hosta, and ferns. Impatiens and fuschia make lovely blooming counterparts. Characteristics The substantial blooms on tuberous varieties are single, double, or ruffled and often appear in pairs or clusters of three. From sunset apricot to blush pink, orange, red, white, and bicolors, the spectrum of hues brings a glow to shady garden spots or patio plantings. Many are picotee, where a delicate edge contrasts the main petal color. The fully-petaled flowers can reach six inches across and set them apart from other begonia classes. It’s their tuberous roots, though, that define the group. The American Begonia Society divides the genus into informal categories, including fibrous-rooted, rhizomatic, and tuberous. Due to 1800-plus species and hybrids, distinct grouping is a challenge. The tuberous class has fleshy, starchy, modified stems that form root-like structures. Roots and shoots grow from the same bud (like a potato). The Tuberosa Group is then further classed based on form (standard, trailing) and flower (rose, carnation, camellia). Foliage is dynamic, often serrated and pointed, and in deep green to mahogany, depending on the variety. Some have striking leaf patterns, and forms vary between trailing, upright, and standard. Tuberous begonias are monoecious, meaning each plant contains both male and female flowers. In clusters, the male is the prominent bloom, often larger and with more petals. The female flowers are smaller, and some gardeners remove the female blooms to direct energy to the larger male ones for display purposes. Native Area Parent tubers to today’s hybrids came from tropical Bolivia, Peru, and the lower Andes Mountains, as well as tropical zones in southern Africa. Their natural growing conditions experience mild temperatures, humidity, organically rich soils, and regular moisture accompanied by periods of drying out. They enter dormancy in cool months, where tubers store moisture and nutrients for the growing season. Planting Plant the tropical beauties in containers, hanging baskets, window boxes, and beds in bright shade, where you’ll enjoy their added color and texture. They’re available as potted specimens from nurseries in early spring and also grow from tubers. Plan for air circulation between plants to prevent fungal issues, usually with a spacing of 8 to 12 inches, depending on the variety. Shelter them from winds, which can break stems, and provide protection from afternoon sun.

Fruits

How to Plant, Grow, and Care for ‘Sugar Baby’ Watermelons

Growing full-sized watermelons can seem daunting for home gardeners. They take up a lot of space and produce a massive fruit. If that’s not your style, try the “icebox” variety ‘Sugar Baby,’ packed with the same nutrients, juiciness, and flavor as their giant counterparts. Join organic farmer Jenna Rich as she discusses how to plant, grow, and care for it. I hadn’t grown watermelons until this season, and ‘Sugar Baby’ happened to be the one I ended up with. A neighbor had saved seeds from a previous year and asked me to start some for her in my greenhouse. I was happy to oblige and even happier when she offered me any extras as she only wanted four plants. Once summer was in full gear, I transplanted two seedlings into their own fabric grow bag and set them alongside my Birdies metal raised beds. Before long, their vines intertwined with my tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers. It was a beautiful jungle of all my favorite summer crops, and the melons performed well in their bags. After noting signs of full maturity, I harvested the first of several, and let me tell you, they did not disappoint. I recommend this delicious heirloom variety if you have space for a mini watermelon. Let’s learn how to plant, grow, care for, and enjoy ‘Sugar Baby’ watermelons. What Are ‘Sugar Baby’ Watermelons? This variety is an easy-to-grow, juicy, compact watermelon, an excellent option for individuals or young families. While mostly water, this heirloom also contains antioxidants, potassium, Vitamin C, carotenoids, and lycopene. It’s prolific, and our community loves it for its high yields, delicious flavor, consistency, and overall good health. ‘Sugar Baby’’s high sugar content gives it its standout sweetness. Appearance This adorable melon is small, round, deep green externally, with gorgeous dark red internal flesh. There may be some faint lighter green striping on the outside. The seeds are roundish and medium brown, and the rind is minimal. Each fruit weighs eight to ten pounds and is seven to ten inches in diameter, and each plant produces two to five melons. Native Area ‘Sugar Baby’ watermelons are native to Africa and was introduced to the United States in the 1950s. It quickly gained popularity for its size, flavor, and heirloom status. How to Grow These are sensitive to transplant, but with extra care, they’ll succeed without issues. ‘Sugar Baby’ watermelons are known for being low-maintenance. Sunlight Place plants where they’ll receive eight to ten hours of direct sunlight daily. Sunlight promotes ample flower production and stimulates pollination, and full sun will ensure their flesh is super sweet. Water Watermelons are named as such because they contain high water levels and require a lot of water to produce their massive, sweet, and juicy fruits. Water them one to two inches weekly if they have not received that much rainfall. Water at the base to ensure it reaches the roots. The soil should be consistently moist but not soggy. Soil Watermelons thrive in rich, loamy soil high in organic matter, which should remain moist throughout the growing season. The pH is ideally between 6.0 and 6.8, but they will tolerate anywhere between 5.0 and 7.0. A soil test before planting will help determine if you need to acidify your soil. Mulch Short-season growers in northern regions may add heavy straw mulching or silage tarps (black side up) around their melons and pathways to warm the soil temperatures. Mulching adds the bonus of suppressing weeds and fertility to the soil as it breaks down. Climate and Temperature Watermelons prefer air temperatures between 70 and 85°F (21 and 29°C). Cooler temperatures may stunt their growth and cause mushiness, and they will not tolerate a frost. Cover new transplants with a row cover to protect them from spring temperatures. Cool spring soil temperatures are not great for watermelon production. If the spring is unseasonably cool, start indoor seeds later to avoid rootbound seedlings. Fertilizing ‘Sugar Baby’ watermelons are heavy feeders, requiring high amounts of nutrients, water, and composted organic matter. A weekly fish emulsion foliar feed helps them thrive. You may side-dress with compost halfway through the season. Give a nitrogen boost before flowering occurs, when tendrils appear and vines lengthen. Switch to fertilizers that are heavier in potassium when you remove the insect netting, and flowering begins. Harvesting Around 75 to 80 days after transplant, begin monitoring for shriveled curly-Qs near the melon as it’s one of the tell-tale signs that it’s ready for harvest. At this time, the fruit is receiving no additional nutrients from the plant. There may also be a light green or yellow spot on the exterior where it sits on the soil surface and is tough to the touch. Gently tug on the fruit. If it releases itself without much effort, this confirms your suspicion, but if it fights back, leave it for another day or two. Pruning When thinned to the proper spacing, no pruning is necessary. However, when the season is nearing its end and cooler nights have arrived, some growers snip the growing tip so the plant can focus its energy on ripening the fruit on the vine. Propagation ‘Sugar Baby’ watermelons can be directly sown or started indoors three to four weeks before the last frost.

Fruits

How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Honeyberry Shrubs

Known as the edible honeysuckle, honeyberry shrubs are cold-hardy and easy to grow and maintain. They flower in winter when most other plants are dormant, and the creamy, tubular flowers have a lovely honeysuckle fragrance. They taste similar to blueberries, but with raspberry and blackberry undertones. This unique fruit is a member of the honeysuckle family and is easy to grow with few pests and diseases. The fruit appears in spring and is very high in antioxidants and other beneficial nutrients. Honeyberry is a good ornamental plant and an edible for the food garden. With very little care but for annual feeding and pruning after a few years, they will perform well for many years to come. Read on for more about this great perennial. What Is It? Lonicera caerulea is a member of the honeysuckle family and has various common names, including haskap (from Japan), zhimolost (from Russia), blue honeysuckle, and honeyberry. The Russian and Japanese varieties have some subtle differences. Honeyberry is a tough, deciduous shrub that is winter-hardy and produces a fruit crop in early spring. Native Area Honeyberry (Lonicera caerulea) has origins in the temperate regions of most of Europe, Asia, and parts of the US, including an area from California to Wyoming and north into Canada. Several hybrids have been bred, many Russian and some from Canada. Characteristics Honeyberry shrubs grow 4-6 feet tall and have a girth of about the same size, but they can be pruned to keep them more compact. There are also compact varieties to choose from. The flowers are a creamy yellow color, and a tubular shape, and appear in late spring and early summer. They also have the wonderful honeysuckle fragrance that permeates the air, especially at night. The fruits are used for jams, jellies, juices, and wine. They are great for eating fresh and melt in your mouth with their rich, unique berry flavor. They also make a unique sweet sauce for ice cream and cakes. To preserve them, they can be frozen but will burst through their skins when they defrost – good for winemakers, not so good for eating fresh. Honeyberries are also pickled and dried. One reason honeyberries are grown is their health benefits. They are rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, and vitamin B, as well as iron, calcium, phosphorous, and especially magnesium. These shrubs are not self-pollinating and require another variety to help pollinate the flowers. Before planting, ensure you have enough space for at least two shrubs. These extremely hardy shrubs can fruit for up to 30 years or more once you have them planted and look after them with some annual care. Planting Ensure plenty of space between bushes, at least five feet, to account for their mature size. Choose a position with full sun or partial shade. They will grow to around six feet high when mature, but there are also compact varieties that are perfect for container growing and smaller gardens. The best time to plant honeyberry bushes is spring, so they have time to acclimate to their soil and surroundings before the following season. Soak plants in water 30 minutes before planting to help release their roots from the nursery container. Dig a hole at least twice the width of the rootball. This will allow the roots to spread and secure the plant in the soil. Add plenty of compost to the soil and mix well before using it to plant the shrub in the hole and backfilling. Press down to release air pockets, make a basin around the plant, and water well. Add a layer of organic mulch around the plant, making sure to keep the mulch off the plant’s stems.

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