Cut back Iris Foliage

This is a question that I get to answer every year.  Most people either forget or want to forget the answer, because it is not the most pretty of answers.  “When to cut back the foliage of an Iris or Peony?”

Well let’s talk for a minute about what is going on with the bulb.  The bulbs have put off roots into the soil and when it warmed up in the spring, new growth emerged from the ground and created the foliage and hopefully the bloom.  That bulb likes having the cold rejuvenation time during the winter.  It also likes to be fed with fertilizer and as much natural stuff as it can.

So that brings us back to the question when can I cut them back?   After they have bloomed in the spring, they leave us with some nice foliage for a month or two, then the heat of the summer comes around and the foliage starts turning crazy colors and then to a brown color.  The answer to the question is, wait as long as you can stand to look at the dead looking foliage.  The longer you let the sap run out of the foliage back into the bulb, the stronger the bulb and the more bloom you will receive next season.  The Iris bulbs of course love to be exposed to the sun light, so make sure you are keeping trash and debris off of the actual rhizome bulb through the year and especially the fall during leaf season.   Once the Peony leaves are brown, cut them to the ground and forget about them till next year.

Happy Bulbs

A Perfect Crape Myrtle

This seems to be a question that many people get confused with often.  Crape Myrtles are tricky in that they look good and hold their shape very well during the late fall, winter and even in the spring, but then in the early summer, will put off an extreme amount of new growth right before they bloom.  By the time they get overgrown, they are in bloom and you don’t want to prune them, but they are hanging over sidewalks and in places you don’t want them.  Sound familiar?

The best way to fix the Crape Myrtle pruning problem is to always make sure to prune them in the winter.  Now I know you don’t want to get out in the cold weather to prune a crape myrtle, but I have also heard you complain about getting out in the heat to prune all your other shrubs!  So, get over it!  You can do it, I know you can. In Nashville, you can prune them all the way through April with no chance of destruction.

Be very selective as to how you prune your crape.  If you are careful in your pruning, no one will even notice that you have pruned it.  A small saw or a pair of loppers works really well for pruning.

Crape Myrtles are about the last deciduous plant in the spring to put off new leaves.  It is fun to get those phone calls of people that think their crape is dead the first year that they own it.  As the tree leafs out and starts putting off new growth, you can use hand pruners and keep it touched up.  This time of year is very critical to keeping the size and shape in check for it to look perfect while it is blooming in late summer.  Prune off the branches that are heading in the wrong direction.   The wrong direction would be the ones cris-crossing each other, or the ones that are heading into the middle of the plant.

Don’t be scared of the pruning.  After once or twice of doing it, you will know exactly what you are doing and will be very glad you took the time to learn.

Happy Crapes

As I talked about earlier in the week, I am preparing for a great time at the Wilson County Fair!  It will be a long 9 days for me, but oh is it fun.  I wanted to give everyone the heads up and send out a personal invite to come and take advantage of Free Pictures with Pinky Pigglesworth.  He is set up in such a way the the farris wheel is in the background and Pinky really looks good this week!

The Wilson County Fair is in Lebanon, Tn off of I-40 east of Nashville, about 20 min. from the airport.  Exit Hwy. 70 twd Lebanon and it is one mile north.  The Fair runs from Aug. 21 – 29.  All day Sat and Sun and starts at 5pm during the week.

Don’t miss this AWESOME opportunity for Pictures with Pinky!!

Happy Pig

Pinky Pigglesworth

For those of you that do not live in Tennessee, the Wilson County Fair is the largest fair in the state and has on average over 500,000 people walk through it in 9 days.  It is starting Friday night and runs through next Saturday night.  It is a lot of fun with shows, contest, rides, games, food and exhibits.  If you live anywhere within driving distance of Nashville, it is worth attending the Wilson County Fair.

I will be setting up my fair booth today and tomorrow.  I am taking Pinky Pigglesworth with me and setting him up so I can take digital pictures of people with Pinky.  I will be emailing them to the people so they have a record of their experience at the fair with Pinky Pigglesworth.  I am also setting up a nice cedar pergola with park benches and landscaping the back of the booth like a small backyard design.   I have a metal fire pit that is made from recycled propane tank end pieces.  It is really cool and the guy that made it, torched out pig faces in the side of the metal.  It is a site to see.

My booth is on the main drag, across from the pageant booth.  I will be there everyday waiting for you to stop by and say hey and get your picture taken with Pinky Pigglesworth.

Happy Fair