Master Gardener

Everyday solutions... for gardening!

May 28, '07 Hints from Sandy

"Looking at my gardens the past few days, I would suggest to other gardeners to look for
something that would give color and fragrance for them to plan on for another year.
Of course, LILACS, but I have a VIRBIRNUM that is wonderful.
And of course some RHODIES (Rhododendron) or AZALEAS.
Planting them this year - will reward gardeners next spring.
This time of year gardeners need to put a 'note' on their calendars to remind them to plant
DAFFODILS in the fall. They would love their colors next spring and critters won't harm them.
Make notes now - on where you want to plant the DAFFODILS."

......Happy Gardening, Sandy

Musings from Holly...

The photo above shows Sandy Kailing with one of her salmon colored daylilies.

· They can be dug up and replanted as a bare root

· They will bloom the first year of transplanting

· Deadhead – (actually deadhead as many of your different flowers as you can) so that the energy stays with the plant and not go to the seeding process.

· Daylilies come in many varieties & sizes. Try to get a combination of early, mid-season and late bloomers to enjoy them all season long.

· Try to get TETRAPLOID varieties. These are stronger plants. 44 chromosomes versus only 22.

This photo is Sandy with a huge COW PARSNIP!

Sandy has named her garden:

Potpourri Garden

She specializes in Lilies, Hostas, and Coleus

14100 220th Ave., Big Rapids, Michigan
231-796-8457

She sells from her own greenhouse &
gardens -

Your also welcome to come by to
just walk around.

HINT: Sandy’s Hint: ALWAYS read the plant tags completely. They’ll give you a lot of information.

HINT: Use RED fabric or plastic mulch under your tomato plants to increase the the size of the plant and the tomatoes. It also speeds the growing rate.

A few years ago I had been told by several friends in the area to go see Sandy Kailing's garden which is just west of Big Rapids, Michigan. When I finally got there it was a WOW! experience.

How does one describe Sandy's garden? It is a couple acres in size, and ranges from shade to sunny. It is a clearing in the middle of a hard wood forest and it surrounds her home. However, you can tell by the garden that home IS her garden during the spring, summer and fall.. She sells her 'extra' plants to others in the area. They usually consist of daylilies, hostas, Asiatic and Oriental lilies.

We are in a zone 4 & 5 area but she has managed to get some zone 7 plants to survive quite well. As we walked and talked she doesn't have a 'favorite' flower, and she is continually trying new ones.

Her gardening expertise is mainly self taught and she completed the Master Gardener program through Michigan State University several years ago. She doesn’t ‘plan’ her garden. It evolves - by putting a plant here and another plant there. She selects plants because she likes their look, leaf texture, color, or because it’s one she doesn’t have yet. What she does try to accomplish in each garden plot is to incorporate a variety of perennial plants that bloom at different times of the growing season so that she has some color showing at all times.

Her daylilies were very showy that day so I asked her to share some hints of successful daylily growing that I could pass onto you. Sandy says:

· DAYLILIES are a great choice for any gardener or homeowner that is looking for a no maintenance flower. It grows in any soil, does best in sun, but will produce flowers in shady areas, too

· It is disease and insect resistant.

· It is very hardy and can with stand children and pet traffic.

· You will have to dig them up and divide them every 4 or so years. Replant the divisions in other spots or share them with your friends. You will know when they (or other perennials) need dividing by the lack of blooms that occur in the summer. The advantage of daylilies is that you can divide and/or replant them throughout the growing season. You don’t have to wait for fall or spring.

Garden Resources

ALL web site links are listed as a convenience to our visitors. If you use these links, we take no responsibility and give no guarantees, warranties or representations, implied or otherwise, for the content or accuracy of these third-party sites.