Re: [SG] shadegardens Digest - 9 Jan 1999 to 10 Jan 1999 - Special issue (#1999-21)

Hi Jennifer,

Question.... Do the hosta's still have leaves?  Sad shape, or no, if so
they are certainly all right. If not, they are probably still all right.
They will put up with quite a lot of abuse. The astilbe is not all that
sensitive to cold, but it is to dryness. Wonder if the pots have dried out?
That could be murder. For the ferns, it depends on what they are. Anything
that forms a crown (like dryopteris) whether evergreen or not, should show
growth areas at or just above the soil line. If these are brown and dead,
so is the fern. Otherwise this is where you can look for signs of life. For
athyriums, like the lady fern and the japanese painted fern, the plant
disappears completely, and they are more of a problem, but again, they are
tough. Another toughy is the maiden hair, Adiantum pedatum. They are
surprisingly resistant to drought. Christmas fern is flat on the ground
after a freeze. Who knows, but are probably all right. Check and see what
the nursery has.

Now, for another question..... If you have naturally occuring limestone
rocks, the soil is probably alkaline. How are your azaleas doing? Have you
done a pH test on the soil? If there was any limestone around here, I know
I would be growing hellebores and hepaticas for one thing. So, I'm growing
hellebores anyway, and they are surprisingly easy from fresh seed,
impossible if the seed has dried out. So I'm adding a fair amount of lime.
They are worth it.

Again, welcome to our group...... Nancy

>  A local nursery is closing their doors and selling all their
>plant material at very good prices.  They have 3 gallon size hostas,
>ferns, and astibles.  We have had several nights of below freezing
>temperatures and these plants are in very sad shape.  Because these
>plants are in pots, will they come back?
>
> Our backyard leads directly into a wooded area with natural
>limestone rock formations.   We have
>added beds full of shade loving plants, rock walls, borders and paths.
>Most of the plants were added last summer so I have my fingers crossed
>to see what will be back.  We used quite a variety of hostas, heuchera,
>astibles, ornamental grasses (carex and hakonechola), tiariella, azalea,
>pieris, ferns, epimedium, pulmonaria, and lots more.
>
>Thanks,
>Jennifer (AL-zone 7)



Nancy Swell                     | "I have the receipt for fern seed"
505 Baldwin Road                        |  "I walk invisible"
Richmond, VA 23229          USA         |          Henry IV, Act 1
Zone 7 - min. 5 (-15 C), max. 100+ (38 C), NARGS, AFS, BPS, HFF, HPS, RHS,
ASA swell@erols.com
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