Summer has arrived!
Immortality represents a new type of bearded iris. These will bloom the first thing in the spring and again the last thing in the fall. In our area, it is best to plant these where they receive a bit of protection from both late and early frosts.
June is definitely "bustin' out all over," as they sang in the play and movie, "Carousel." We have been enjoying some lovely spring weather and I hope it is continuing as this goes to press.
By now the lilacs have pretty much come and gone. If yours need trimming, do it soon. We have a window of about a month for pruning. If we wait any longer, we will be cutting off the tiny buds for next year's flowers. This advice is also good for most other spring flowering shrubs.
Most peonies are in bloom now. These are one of the best and hardiest perennials. They don't do well in warm southern climates as they need cold winters in order to set their buds. Peonies have a persistent old wives' tale concerning ants. It's been told over and over that peonies won't bloom unless they have ants on the buds. Wrong - the ants are there to feast on the honeydew left by aphids. These plants will bloom with or without the ants. It makes no difference.
There are some plants you do not want to grow, even if they're given to you free. These include most groundcovers - unless you really want them to cover a huge area and crowd out anything else. Some of the worst are mint, lamium, sweet woodruff and hardy violets. These plants are very difficult to eradicate once they've gotten a start.
Another persistent tale involves "planting by the moon." I don't know if it works or not, but it doesn't hurt anything, so go ahead and do it if you wish. To plant "by the moon," you will put in root crops when the moon is waxing, (getting bigger) and you will plant crops that bear above ground when it is waning, (getting smaller).
While we're on the subject of misguided myths, how about the "mosquito eater?" This winged creature looks like a mosquito on steroids. They are huge! These are actually crane flies. They are harmless and don't eat at all, especially mosquitoes. The only time they eat is during their larval stage. Adults mate, lay eggs and die.
Do your Virginia creeper vines develop leaves which turn brown and fall off? If so, get ahead of the game by digging in some systemic insecticide granules around the base of the plant. This stuff will be pulled up by the roots, into the leaves and when bugs start eating them or sucking out their juices, they will be dead - Black Flag dead!
The annual River City Garden Club plant sale is coming up. Mark your calendar for Saturday, June 14. It will be held at the same location, 416 E. Third St. Hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. No early birds, please. The club donates most of the proceeds to local charities.
Some of you dog owners will identify with this sentiment. "Home is where the dog hair sticks to everything ... but the dog."
Elaine Cerny has gardened most of her life, starting in 4-H. Since then, she has always kept a garden of some sort, growing everything from fruits and vegetables to flowers and house plants. She has belonged to garden clubs in three states and is currently secretary for the River City Gardeners Club in Post Falls.
River City Garden Club plant sale
The annual sale is slated for Saturday, June 14 at 416 E. Third St. in Post Falls. Hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Most proceeds to local charities.