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Catalog for 2007 Bedding Plant Sale

The sale is coming! May 3 & 4 for all. The sale starts at 9:00 a.m. and ends at 2:00 p.m.

This has been a funny growing season. A hot spell during spring break caused some material to overgrow when we were not here to treat it, then a long chilly spell produced nice growth on some plants but retarded growth on some heat-loving material. But we have a lot of very nice plants for you this year.

Our material is grown from seeds we plant ourselves or small plants purchased from suppliers. We have flats of six-pacs, a larger plant size then normal in the trade. We also have many larger potted plants to put in your garden or to plant in large pots for your container gardens, and hanging baskets.

We grow our plants using regular greenhouse fertilizers, but otherwise with minimal chemicals. We use biorational pesticides to control pests, like soap or oil, and this year not much of that. We rely on cultural control primarily to keep our plants compact, but this year have used growth regulators more than in the past to improve plant performance. A few things still stretched a bit.

The funds raised by this sale normally go to Landscape Horticulture Club activities, but this year’s proceeds will go towards funding our new greenhouse, which hopefully will be ready in fall of 2007 for next year’s crops. We are also funding a dedicated scholarship endowment for landscape students.

Enjoy this catalog, and we hope to see you at our sale.

Flats of Annuals

Ageratum. We have just a few flats of ageratum, a fine little edging annual with bluish flowers.

Angelonia. Sometimes called Summer Snapdragon, it resembles that plant but thrives in the summer heat and sun. Ours are a bit behind because of the cold spell, but are coming on now, and should do well in your garden. White, pink, or purple.

Begonia, wax. One of our most reliable garden annuals, sun or shade. They should be in prime shape for the sale. White, pink, or red.

Dianthus. We have three different varieties, not blooming just yet. Bloom well all summer, but best when cooler weather prevails. Very colorful.

Impatiens. The number one selling annual nationally, great for shade but tolerates some sun if well watered. Available in five different colors such as red, pink, orange, white. These are the Super Elfin series, a low-growing variety.

Marigold. We have two compact varieties, one with full-size flowers and the other the French dwarf type. Both are looking wonderful in the greenhouse. Sun.

Nicotiana. Flowering tobacco, a very durable and colorful annual. The hot streak during spring break pushed these so they are big, but should do fine in the garden. Full sun. This is a mix of colors, like pink, red, yellow, and others.

Pepper. These sweet peppers are grown from seed supplied by a student from her grandmother, who brought them over from Italy when she emigrated. We are calling it Rose’s Red, because it is best when allowed to ripen to a red color. A banana type pepper. Just a few flats available.

Petunia. We use petunias as a starter project for first-year students, so they are variable. We have seven different varieties in several types and colors. A primo color plant for the sunny garden.

Salvia. We have several different kinds this year. The regular Scarlet Sage type comes in bright red, purple, and white. We have pink Coral Nymph, a different type of salvia and a good garden performer. We also have Blue Angel, a tall salvia with large brilliant blue flowers. These will still be green during the sale, perhaps, but will bloom beautifully in the garden. Best in the sun, but Scarlet Sage will tolerate some shade.

Snapdragon. Does best in cooler weather, but does fine in Minnesota gardens in the summer. Ours got planted a little early, and are a bit advanced, but they are beautiful. Sun to part shade. Pinching off old flowers helpful in the garden. Mixed colors.

snap

Sweet Allysum. Available in the standard white and in a mixed color type of pink, white, and purple. Sweet allysum is very fragrant, and attracts the hover fly to the garden, whose larvae eat aphids. It does best in cooler weather.

Tomato. This year we have only the standard Celebrity and the cherry type Juliet. They are growing in a larger, 3 ½” pot.

Verbena. A nice low-growing garden annual for the sun, ours comes in mixed colors. This will look best if spent flowers are removed.

Vinca. Not the vine, but a great garden flower for hot, sunny, gardens. Resembles impatiens. Ours are a bit behind because the cold spell retarded their growth. In a pink and a bluish flower.

Viola. Or pansy. Ours are in full bloom right now. We have a couple of very attractive varieties, like the dark yellow Tiger Eye and the pink Pandora’s Box. Does best in cooler weather.

Zinnia. Only a few flats this year of two types. We have some of the Profusion series, a low-growing one that is disease resistant one, and one of the Swizzles, with a large, multicolored flower—very showy. For sunny gardens.

Potted Plants – in 4 ½” pots unless otherwise specified

Asparagus fern. We do not have very many this year, but do have two types: the common Sprengeri fern used as filler in containers, and the delicate, Oriental looking Plumosa fern. The latter is unusual and quite charming. Part-shade probably best.

Bacopa. Actually, a Sutera. We have a white one and a blue one. Has tended to overgrow for us in the past, but we got the growth regulators right on it and they are nice. As they outgrow the chemicals, they will naturally run and trail. Very popular.

Begonia, Rieger. A new item for us, and they are spectacular. Dark green leafy begonias with large red or orange flowers, resembles tuberous begonias. Part shade is probably best for them

Begonia

Callibrichoa. There is no good common name for these, sometimes called dwarf petunia or Million Bells, after the first variety on the market. Like fine textured, trailing petunias. Commonly used to trail over edge of a container. There need to have their soil kept acidic, so one might water with 1tbs vinegar per gallon of water, and are fairly heavy feeders.

Canna. We tried a yellow, seed-grown one this year in 5 ½” pots. Will grow to be a short, 3-4’ canna. Still small in the pot, but should develop rapidly in the garden. Large leaves, tropical looking, with yellow flower stalks about state fair time.

Coleus. The wonders of modern breeding. These newer types grown from cuttings are extremely colorful, easy to grow, and handle sun or shade. We have 8 types in a variety of colors. Great in containers or the ground. We have perfected our technique on these, and these are great examples. Flowers should be removed as their stalks appear to keep energy going to the leaves.

Coleus

Cuphea. Also known as Mexican heather. New for us, recommended by one of our older students. Unfortunately, we made some goofs on them, so some are OK, others not so hot. Look and decide for yourself.

Curry plant. A bushy plant with silvery needle-like leaves with sagey scent. Grown as a silvery, textural plant. As far as I know, not related to real curry.

Dracaena. Also known as spike, the classic tall element in the center of a container. (The classic recipe for a container: for the center, a thriller, for the midsection, a filler, for the rim, a spiller.).

Flowering maple. Actually related to hibiscus, but much heavier bloomers with nodding bell-like flowers in red, orange, or yellow. Will grow to be woody bushes by the end of the summer.

Fountain grass, purple. All the rage these days for planters or gardens, with showy purple leaves and flower/seed heads.

Fuchsia. We have two upright types that look great in pots. “Gartenmeister” is a beautiful plant with maroon leaves and narrow orange flowers that blooms right through the summer even when the nights get hot. New for us, ‘Diva Midnight”, with regular fuchsia flowers and leaves. We did a bang-up job on these, and they are great. Flowering is reduced on regular fuchsia when nights get hot.

Fuchsia

Geranium. As usual, we have our large selection of large plants in large 5 ½” pots. The long cold spell slowed them down, and they may not be in bloom in time for the sale, but the plants are good are will certainly bloom well in the garden. Each plant labeled, so you can see the color.

Heliotrope. One of the prettiest and fragrant of flowers, with violet flowers nicely complemented by very dark green leaves with purply undertones. Place where you can smell it, like on the patio or by the front door. Needs sun and lots of water. Remove spent flower clusters. Only a few available.

Impatiens, New Guinea. Touchy to grow in the greenhouse, luck was with us this year and they look nice. Larger and more bushy than regular impatiens, some with colored leaves, flowers very large. Pinks and reds . Want more light than regular impatiens.

Impatiens

Sweet potato vine. They tell me real sweet potatoes grow underground, but we grow it for the showy, vigorous vine. We have Marguerite (my mother’s name, so I have a fondness for this plant) with brilliant, clean chartreuse leaves, very vigorous. We got the touch this year, and they are perfect. We also have a few of the dark purple Blackie, but they got dried out one weekend and not looking their best – will probably recover though. Related to morning glory, and may get a few small flowers.

Lantana. Actually a woody shrub grown widely in the south, but used as an annual here. Grows well in warmth, beautiful flowering all summer, followed by dark blue berries. Great butterfly attractor. Leaves smell a bit like cat pee, but hey, you don’t wanna rub the rough, kinda scratchy leaves! One of my favorite plants.

Licorice plant. A vigorous spreading plant with velvety, silver leaves, grown for the silver accent in planters or even in the ground.

Lotus vine. Also called parrot’s beak, is a ground-covery plant with showy silver needles for foliage. When the nights are cool, bloom with red flowers. Since our greenhouse is warm at night, they will not have flowers at the sale. New for us, and I think they look great. Do not allow to dry out, says the internet. Probably look good trailing over the edge of a window box or planter or hanging basket.

Nemesia. Colorful tight little plant with small, snapdragon-like flowers with some fragrance. Very lovely, does best in cool weather.

Osteospermum. Also called African daisy, but so are some other plants. A lovely plant with cheerful daisy-like flowers in white, yellow, and purple. Does best in cooler weather, probably in the sun. Remove spent flowers.

Perilla. The students wanted to grow this; I am not familiar with it. Looks a lot like a
Coleus. It seems to be forming flower buds right now; maybe it has a nice flower. Check it out.

Purple heart. We have grown this the last few years from stock plants I keep in my foundation planting every year. Very showy purple leaves, vigorous and ground-covery, with some light purple flowers. In the Wandering Jew family. Sun or part shade.

Rosemary. Not just an herb, used as a woody shrub in the south. Lovely spreading plant with dark green, fragrant needle-like leaves. Lovely, and you can put it on your carrots or pizza. I grow this for my use and take cuttings for the crop. Only a few plants. Full sun.

Santolina. Another silver accent plant, this one forms a tight dense bush with attractive small silver leaves. Often used in knot gardens, but can be used in many ways.

Scaveola. From South Africa, a rich source of plant material. Also called fan flower. Succulent looking, with showy blue, pink, or white flowers, and a spreading habit. Great in the ground or planter, full sun.

Thunbergia. Or Black-eyed Susan vine. We tried a growth regulator on them this year that they did not like, but they are recovering and should be good by the sale. Rampant vines with showy flowers for the trellis or window-box.

Verbena. These are a red and a purple type of the new Lanai series, grown from cuttings. They look great. Spreading plant for the sun.

Vinca vine. Classic “spiller” for the edge of the pot. This variety is cream and green.

Hanging Baskets and Planters

Calibrichoa. Several 10” baskets were potted up late as an afterthought. A little bit thin, but a little pinching should thicken them up. I can’t pinch now, this late before the sale. Various colors. See note under potted material for info about the plant.

Fuschia. In 10” baskets, we have three types. Student selections and they have not started to bloom yet, so I am not sure of the colors. A bit behind this year, I hope they are in bloom by the sale.

Ivy Geranium. In 10” baskets, five types. Again, student selections and have not yet started to bloom. Also a bit behind.

Petunia. Several 10” baskets. We experimented with spraying these with a growth regulator to make them branch more, and they are incredibly dense and branched. They have not started to trail yet, but should as they outgrow the chemical. Not blooming yet, but should be by the sale. We also have three 16” baskets, like the others, very dense.

Planters. Most of our large 16” planters are for the graduation ceremony and not for sale. We ran out of space, and only planted 3 up for sale. You want, check em’ out and come early.

Perennials

Ajuga. Sometimes called bugle weed, a pleasing herbaceous ground cover for sun or semi-shade. Spikes of bluish flowers in the spring. This is the new cultivar ‘Chocoate Chip’, with smaller leaves and purple foliage. The plants look very nice. 4 ½” pots.

Creeping Jenny. Also known by the Latin Lysimachia nummularia or moneywort. A ground cover for sun if watered enough, some shade. Also tolerates enough wetness that sometimes put in water gardens. This is a gold-leaf variety we grew last year, and took a few cuttings last fall in propagation class, and kept them to sell. Just a few. Very low growing and spreading. 4 ½” pots.

Lamium. Also goes by the not-so-pleasing name “spotted dead nettle”. A good herbaceous ground cover for shady areas, will tolerate dry shade. This variety is ‘Red Nancy’ with silver leaves and, I assume, red flowers. Selected by students. In 4 ½” pots. 4 ½” pots.

Monarda. Goes by the common name beebalm or bergamot. This is the pink, mildew resistant cultivar ‘Marshall’s Delight’. Our plants were started late, and aren’t very big at this point. Likes sun and adequate moisture. 4 ½” pots.

Rudbeckia. The popular cultivar ‘Goldsturm’. A very durable, dependable perennial with golden daisy-like flowers. Very heavy blooming for a long time during the summer, upright but spreads a bit from the roots. Our plants were started late, and aren’t very big at this point. Sun. 4 ½” pots.

Sedum. The stonecrops, the perfect ground cover for dry, sunny ground. The ultimate plant for green roofs. Recently I saw the roof of the “new” factory at the Ford Rouge plant, planted solid to various sedum. This is the variety ‘Voodoo’, a low spreader with reddish leaves. I don’t know the flower color – a student selection. In 6-pacs.