Pro Grow News Spring 2022 Digital Edition

pro grow news SPRING 2022

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Why Plant Natives in a Changing Climate Pollinator Plants for Northern New England Gardens Let’s Talk Native Perennials

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pro grow news Spring 2022

contents Features 10

Pollinator Plants for Northern New England Gardens

16

All-America Selections

18

Let’s Talk Native Perennials

22

Working with Climate-Smart Native Plants

44

Frost/Freeze Dates in Massachusetts

46

Plant for Success

Departments 6 Outgoing President’s Message 7 Incoming President’s Message 8 MCH Corner 30 When Is Tick Season?

34 Invasives for Sale 36 Pru ni ng Eve rgre e ns 38 Ho sta of the Ye ar 39

Labo r Safe ty Initiative

40 The E mploye e Re fe rral B onus 44 A d I ndex Spring|2022

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pro grow news Spring 2022

committees

board PRESIDENT Peter Mezitt, MCH Weston Nurseries, Inc. Tel: (508) 435-3414 VICE PRESIDENT Chris O’Brien, MCH Howard Designs, Inc. Tel: (617) 244-7269 SECRETARY/TREASURER Kerry Preston, MCH Wisteria & Rose, Inc. (617) 522-3843 PAST PRESIDENT Tim Hay, MCH Bigelow Nurseries, Inc. Tel: (508) 845-2143 DIRECTORS Deborah Trickett, MCH The Captured Garden Steve Charette Farm Family Insurance Family David Vetelino, MCH Vetelino Landscape, Inc

EDUCATION & RESEARCH COMMITTEE Deborah Trickett, MCH — Board Liaison The Captured Gardens (781) 329-9698 FINANCIAL COMMITTEE (FINCOM) Steve Corrigan, MCH — Chair Mountain View Landscapes & Lawncare, Inc. Tel: (413) 536-7555 Chuck Baker, MCH — Vice Chair Strictly Pruning Tel: (508) 429-7189 GOVERNMENT RELATIONS COMMITTEE Chris O’Brien, MCH — Chair Howard Designs, Inc. Tel: (617) 244-7269 HISTORY COMMITTEE Philip Boucher, MCH — Chair Elysian Garden Designs Tel: (508) 695-9630

MASSACHUSETTS CERTIFIED HORTICULTURIST BOARD (MCH) Corinne Jean, MCH — Chair Wisteria & Rose (617) 522-3843 PRODUCTS COMMITTEE Peter Mezitt, MCH — ­­ Chair Weston Nurseries, Inc. Tel: (508) 435-3414 PUBLICATIONS: Editor in Chief: Rena Sumner Editor: Kathleen Carroll Advisors: Ron Kujawski, Rick Reuland, Trevor Smith, Beverly Sturtevant EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Rena M. Sumner Tel: (413) 369-4731

Skott Rebello, MCH — Vice Chair Harborside P.S. Tel: (508) 994-9208

Jean Dooley, MCH Mahoney’s Garden Centers David Anderson Mayer Tree Service

pro grow news Massachusetts Nursery & Landscape Association P.O. Box 387 Conway, MA 01341 mnlaoffice@aol.com www.mnla.com www.PlantSomethingMA.org www.mnlafoundation.org

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ProGrowNews is published quarterly by the Massachusetts Nursery & Landscape Association (MNLA), P.O. Box 387, Conway, MA 01341, tel. (413) 369-4731.

Articles do not necessarily reflect the view or position of MNLA. Editorial coverage or permission to advertise does not constitute endorsement of the company covered or of an advertiser’s products or services, nor does ProGrowNews make any claims or guarantees as to the accuracy or validity of the advertiser’s offer. (c) 2014 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in print or electronically without the express written permission of the MNLA.

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Outgoing President’s Message

Spring Is a Time to Get Involved

By Peter Mezitt, MCH

I

t is springtime — my favorite time of year and by far the busiest. Every day in the spring brings change, whether it’s new leaves and flowers appearing in the landscape, getting my hands dirty in the vegetable garden, or whipping myself back into shape as I become an active human being moving plants around the nursery.

It looks like another busy year for everyone. I am so busy that I will keep my last president’s message short and to the point.

I want to thank everyone for making my term as MNLA president an incredibly enjoyable experience. I plan to stay active with MNLA for many years, and I would recommend it to anybody. Volunteering your time to be with great people making a difference for our members and our industry is so rewarding many times over.

If you want to be more involved, we could use more help in many areas: the Education Committee, the MCH Board, or the Government Relations Committee to name a few. You really don’t have to be an expert in any particular area. It is

more about getting together, providing your input, and sharing your opinions that leads to making decisions that help our industry and our people.

For instance, at our recent Government Relations Committee meeting, it was exciting to see the group recommend that MNLA take a more progressive role by aligning some of our industry experts with legislators to advise practical solutions to a current regulatory matter. So if you are someone who is interested in politics or who loves to organize events, call me or Rena and we will get you started!

Thank you again for a great two-year term! And I will now turn things over to our incoming president, Chris O’Brien.

Sincerely, Peter Mezitt, MCH Weston Nurseries, Inc. MNLA President

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Incoing President’s Message

Back to an Unrestricted Life

By Chris O’Brien, MCH

I

t is spring and therefore time for MNLA’s annual meeting where the industry takes stock of the last year and the organization plans for the new growing season.

2021 was the second year of limitations on many familiar routines and activities imposed as a result of the COVID pandemic, although the restrictions were generally less severe than those we began with in 2020. The economic losses and gains were felt unevenly throughout the economy, but nearly everyone seems to have experienced a sense of increased isolation during the pandemic — family visits not made, friends not contacted, events not attended. Identifying someone as an “old friend” now may mean someone we seem to have lost touch with. Those losses loom large.

As the CDC eases its COVID-related guidance, we can begin to resume some of the familiar routines that bring us into increasing contact with one another. MNLA is planning now for the Down to Earth Summer Conference & Trade Show on Thursday, July 14, 2022, as an in-person event at Weston Nurseries — our first live summer conference in three years! We are also on schedule for additional live events to get

us back to one of MNLA’s key purposes: networking! Be sure to mark your calendars for Plant Geek Day on Wednesday, August 24th and MNLA Live on Wednesday, September 28th.

Peter Mezitt, who is hosting the upcoming summer conference, has stepped down from the president’s position after leading MNLA through the years of COVID. We, the members, are fortunate that under Peter’s leadership, the association remains strong financially and organizationally despite the challenges of the last two years. As the next president, I hope that the Board of Directors can maintain the association’s vigor with the participation of our committed members in the coming year.

I am looking forward to renewing those old friendships and making new acquaintances in the upcoming year.

Hope to see you at the summer conference.

Chris O’Brien, MCH Howard Garden Designs MNLA President

IT PAYS TO BE A CUSTOMEROWNER. This year we paid $91 million in patronage dividends.

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Committee Reports

MCH Corner Spring Is Upon Us

M

arch 2nd was the first of two MCH exams for 2022. There was a great turnout, and the big tricky plant of the Plant ID exam was Ekianthus campanulatus. Winter’s exam is a great test in buds and specific characteristics of deciduous plant material, mixed in with conifers.

• Heather Russo, MCH of RP Marzilli & Company, Inc.

Congratulations to our new MCHs from the March exam: • Tim Baker, MCH of RP Marzilli & Company, Inc.

• Chris Skowyra, MCH of Chris Skowyra Organic Landscare

• Sydney Bolduc, MCH of Parterre Garden Services • Beth Herbert, MCH of Bigelow Nurseries, Inc. • Ed Kutchmanich, MCH of RP Marzilli & Company, Inc. • Nathan Lewis, MCH of Landscape Oasis LLC • Emily McKeen, MCH of Recover Green Roofs • Meghan O’Connell, MCH of Green Urb Gardens • Edward Palmer, MCH of Samuel Thomas Outdoor Development LL

• Lauren Schmitt, MCH of Weston Nurseries, Inc. • Nicole Semeraro, MCH of Recover Green Roofs

• Abigale Wolf, MCH of Hedgwitch Hort The MCH Board met after the exam to discuss the calendar of events coming up for 2022: • Thursday July 14th is the MNLA Down To Earth Summer Conference at Weston Nurseries. The MCH Board will host the annual Plant ID quiz that gives one additional credit to members who pass. Weston will sponsor the MCH Plant ID tent.

• Wednesday August 3rd is the Summer MCH Exam at Bigelow Nurseries in Northborough.

This will be the last chance to sit for the exam in 2022.

• Wednesday August 24th will be the MCH Plant Geek Day Event at Blithewold Mansion in Bristol, Rhode Island. This 33-acre estate is a fusion of landscape architecture and architecture that retains its late 19th century integrity in the building and horticulturally, yet still meets early-20th century needs. This waterfront property will be the site of an annual Plant Geek Day Plant ID Quiz that will be sure to keep our current MCHs on their toes.

There are lots of exciting new ideas on the horizon from the MCH Board, and we are looking forward to adding more enthusiastic plant geeks to our team.

Best wishes for the spring season.

Corinne Jean MCH Chairman

What Plant Am I?

I am a deciduous shrub, about 5–10 feet tall. I am native to eastern North America, and I have alternate, finely toothed leaves. I am often found in swamps and have fragrant flowers during the summer. I am best known as a native pollinator that can bloom in the shade.

Find the answer on page 44.

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Pollinator Plants

Pollinator Plants for Northern New England Gardens

By Cathy Neal, Ph.D.

M

any people want to create pollinator-friendly gardens to support numerous kinds of native bees, as well as honey bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators.

Planting a diverse mix of flowering plants that provides a sequence of blooms from early spring to late fall will have the most impact. Even a small patch of the right flowers can help, as it adds to the larger landscape mosaic in which pollinators live and search for food.

Pollinators visit flowers to collect food in the form of nectar and/or pollen. The University of New Hampshire Pollinator Phenology Chart lists plants you can add to your garden and landscape to provide these food resources for bees and other pollinators. The plants listed here grow well in our region and have been observed to attract large numbers of bees, butterflies, or humming birds when in bloom. There are many other plants you can use, and

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many plant lists are available on the web. The best resources will be those with local research or observation behind them.

In general, bees like white, blue, purple, and yellow flowers. Hummingbirds love red tubular-shaped flowers. Which insect pollinators you’ll find on which flowers depends on both the anatomy of the flower (is it open and accessible?) and the insect (how strong is it, how long is its tongue?). Select flowers with abundant supplies of nectar and pollen. By observing the plants in your garden, you will soon learn which are the most visited by bees and other pollinators. Here are some guidelines to get you started.

Perennials

American native perennials, or wildflowers, with long bloom periods, prolific flowers, and colors attractive to pollinators can be combined to provide a pollinator paradise from late spring through fall. For the most impact, plant in full sun and design in masses

(groups of three to five or more plants placed together). Choose to use these species either in their original forms or choose cultivars or varieties that have flowers similar to the original in color and form. Be aware, however, that many of the originals are very tall and not as neat and tidy as your typical perennial garden.

The Pollinator Phenology Chart shows the bloom period and color of many perennial wildflower species, all of which have high pollinator value. Use it to design a garden area or meadow that will provide pollinators, birds, and other wildlife with food and shelter. Add some native, warm-season grasses such as little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) or Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) to add interest and wildlife value. Once established, these perennials and grasses will grow back each year.

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Spring|2022

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Pollinator Plants Many non-native (to the northeast) herbaceous perennials will grow here and are also attractive to pollinators. Just a few examples include blanket flower (Gaillardia aristata), stonecrop (Sedum), and wild basil (Clinopodium vulgare). Bulbs such as Dutch crocus (Crocus vernus) may provide important food sources in early spring when little else is in bloom for the earliest-emerging insects.

Annuals

Many popular annual flowers, or bedding plants, have been bred for attractive characteristics such as new colors and fancy flower forms.

In the process, they may have lost some of their appeal to pollinators. Some no longer even have pollen! Some annuals, however, are good pollinator plants. These include sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima), ageratum (Ageratum houstonianum), borage (Borago officinalis), cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus), spiderflower (Cleome), sunflower (Helianthus, but avoid pollen-less varieties), Mexican sunflower (Tithonia), pineapple sage (Salvia elegans), and some types of zinnia and verbena. Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) may be a perennial, but most often acts as an annual.

Herbs

Basil, borage, catmint, chives, lavender, oregano, and rosemary are all highly attractive to honey bees and some other pollinators if allowed to bloom. Intersperse these herbs in your vegetable garden to invite the pollinators in.

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Pollinator Plants Early Spring

Pussy willow and other willows (Salix species) serviceberry (Amelanchier species)

Spring/Summer

• Highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) • Raspberry and blackberry (Rubus species) • Fragrant sumac and other sumacs (Rhus aromatica, Rhus spp.)

• Common ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) • Inkberry holly (Ilex glabra) • Winterberry holly (Ilex verticillata) • Arrow wood (Viburnum dentatum) • Cranberrybush (Viburnum opulus)

Late Summer/Fall

• Sweet pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia) • Virginia rose (Rosa virginiana) and others with open flower forms, • Buttonbush (Ceph alanthus occidentalis) • Panicled hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata)

Shrubs and Trees

Woody flowering shrubs and trees can be good pollen and nectar resources, especially if they flower at a time of year when few other plants are in bloom — early in spring or late into fall.

Selected shrubs and small trees attractive to pollinators are listed below in order of bloom. Fruit trees such as apple, cherry, peach, and plum need insect pollination to set fruit. Other trees around you, such as red maple, oak, wild cherry, horse chestnut, tupelo, basswood, and black locust are also of value to pollinators. Even though many are wind pollinated, bees and other insects still use their flowers as food sources.

Planting a diverse mix of flowering plants that provides a sequence of blooms from early spring to late fall will have the most impact.

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Dr. Cathy Neal retired as an extension professor emerita and specialist in nursery and landscape horticulture with the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension in Durham, New Hampshire.

She is also a researcher with the NH Agricultural Experiment Station, where she conducts field research on meadow establishment and pollinator habitat.

The UNH Cooperative Extension brings information and education into the communities of the Granite State to help make New Hampshire’s individuals, businesses, and communities more successful and its natural resources healthy and productive. Visit www.extension.unh.edu.

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Pollinator Plants

All-America Selections Offers Plants to Attract Pollinators and the Eye

by Nina Koziol

It’s the rare client who asks

for a “pollinator” garden. They might want more butterflies, but few will say bring me more bees. Bees and wasps? Too scary for most people. But many of your clients have probably heard or read about the plight of insects — the great decline in honey bees, native bees, and monarch butterflies.

“Our members are definitely saying the interest in pollinator-friendly plants is on the upswing,” says Diane Blazek, executive director of All-America Selections (AAS) and the National Garden Bureau in Downers Grove, Illinois.

“Native plants are being requested more often. Questions about how much pollen and nectar are on plants are more common. Our pollinator-focused blogs on both the National Garden Bureau and All-America Selections sites are easily the most popular and get the most shares on social media.”

All-America Selections is an independent non-profit organization that tests new plant varieties. After a full season of anonymous trialing by volunteer horticulture professionals across the country, only the top plant performers receive the AAS Winner award designation for their superior performance.

Here are some of the All-America Selections winners — annuals and perennials. “Our judges are horticulture experts and evaluate all the entries on garden performance, consumer appeal, number of flowers, and many other traits that the breeders claim are unique,” Blazek said.

Sweet Daisy™ Birdy Leucanthemum (Perennial) This beautiful Shasta daisy has robust, long-lasting blooms.

In the 3-year AAS Trials, it demonstrated excellent cold and heat tolerance and maintained a tidy, sturdy habit. The blossoms provide food for many kinds of pollinators. Full sun.

Dianthus Interspecific Jolt™ Pink (Annual) This dianthus offers large, showy flower heads on strong stems that perform extremely well all summer. It is the most heat-tolerant dianthus on the market, sporting very showy, bright-pink fringed flowers. Judges called this entry the “Best of the trials. We wish all dianthus performed this well.” This easy-to-grow, trouble-free annual is a winner for projects that need to be neat and tidy throughout the season. Full sun.

Concert Bell Sunflower (Annual) Multiple clusters of 10 to 12 golden-yellow blooms top sturdy upright stems. Each plant grows to a very uniform height of 5 to 6 feet. Concert Bell was trialed in a year of adverse weather conditions and multiple judges commented on its durability and sturdiness even through strong storms and winds. Full sun.

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Echinacea Sombrero® Baja Burgundy (Perennial) Who doesn’t love a coneflower, especially in sunny gardens where vibrant, deep-violet-red blossoms steal the show? After being trialed over three tough winters, the AAS Judges noted this coneflower’s hardiness, sturdy branching, and floriferous blooming habit. Birds and pollinators flock to this deerresistant beauty making it a dual-purpose plant. Full sun.

Rudbeckia Amarillo Gold (Annual) A beautiful Rudbeckia hirta, Amarillo Gold boasts a compact form and uniform habit perfect for mixed borders, mass planting, and containers. The light-green center disc surrounded by bold colors makes this a versatile plant for combinations with other annuals. AAS Judges noted how Amarillo Gold was early to flower and lasted throughout the summer providing weeks of stunning color. Large 4- to 6-inch wide blooms cover compact plants that provide a wow factor throughout the season. Full sun.

Salvia Summer Jewel(™) (Annual) This is the fourth AAS Winner in the Salvia Summer Jewel™ series and the newest color, Summer Jewel™ Lavender. The dusty lavender-purple color is a delight in beds, borders, and containers. It’s a major attractor of pollinators including bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. The early bloom, compact uniform growth, and continuous flowering make this plant a winner. Full sun.

Zinnia Queeny Lime Orange (Annual) Sporting large, dahlia-like blooms on sturdy, compact plants, this variety is total eye candy in the garden. As the flowers age, the color changes from dark coral/peach/orange to a light peach with a dark center. Visitors to AAS trial gardens loved the show-stopping color and large blooms.

This new AAS Winner is also perfect for cut-flower gardens as each uniform plant produces many deeply fluted blooms that last up to three weeks in a vase without floral preservatives. Full sun.

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Underused Landscape Plants for Pollinators

Let’s Talk Native Perennials

By Margaret Hoffman, Ph.D.

F

rom an environmental perspective, an essential benefit of native plants is their role in benefitting pollinators and other wildlife. But they are also aesthetically pleasing in the landscape.

Porteranthus trifoliathus (Gillenia trifoliata)

Bowman,s root, Indian Physic Bowman,s root, or Porteranthus trifoliathus, is a study in contrasts. It boasts delicate white, star-shaped flowers in May– June but has a robust shape and appearance. This highly ornamental perennial blooms in May and June in Pennsylvania and throughout USDA Zone 4 to Zone 8. Porteranthus trifoliathus is native from Ontario east, south to Georgia, and west to Arkansas.

It prefers moist, humusy, well-drained soil in full to part sun. The warmer the area, the more shade it prefers. Bowman,s root is a mounded 2–3-foottall and 3-foot-wide deciduous perennial. Once established, it is very drought tolerant.

In addition to the ethereal blooms, Bowman,s root boasts red calyces that persist after the flower petals drop and beautiful red fall color. It is pollinator- and butterfly-friendly but resistant to herbivory from mammals, i.e., deer. This native has few pests and needs little maintenance. Bowman,s root looks excellent at the edge of a woodland, in a meadow, in a mass, or as a specimen. I like to use it with the tall spires of foxgloves, the substantial flowers of Baptisia,

or mixed with Astrantia and roses. At the feet of the roses, Bowman,s root, and Astrantia, you could add a punch of color with Callirhoe involucrata, poppy mallow. Porteranthus blooms are available in white (straight species) and pink (Pink Profusion). I love the white, but you can see in the photo that pink also has its charms.

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Indian Pink Spigelia marilandica

Spigelia marilandica is now more available in the nursery trade. Because it is a longblooming native perennial, it will grow in the shade and is a top-ten hummingbird plant. There is no reason not to grow this attractive addition to our gardening palette. Add to this the spectacular tubular red and yellow flowers and their ease of cultivation, and really, what,s not to like?

While Indian pink is not native to Pennsylvania, it is a southeastern United States native perennial, hardy in Zone 5 to Zone 9. Its size allows it to fit into most gardens, growing to 1–2 feet tall and 6 inches–1 foot wide. It grows in clumps and has a spectacular bloom period in June, followed by sporadic blooming throughout the summer. Average, welldrained soil in full to partial shade is all that is needed for a happy plant. Some sources suggest it will tolerate wet soil, but not for prolonged periods. It is pest and disease free, deer and rabbit resistant, and does not require division.

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Underused Landscape Plants for Pollinators Aruncus dioicus Goatsbeard

Goatsbeard is a large Pennsylvania native perennial that will make quite a statement in the garden. The plumelike flowers and the finely dissected foliage resemble very large astilbe.

The blooms are cream in color and last for about ten days.

According to the Missouri Botanic Gardens, goatsbeard occurs naturally in moist and wet areas in the temperate northern hemisphere, basically Zone 4 to Zone 8. Our Pennsylvania native variety is Aruncus dioicus var. dioicus.

There is a variety native to western and central Europe, Aruncus dioicus var. vulgaris, and a lovely delicate Korean dwarf variety, only 8–12 inches tall, Aruncus aesthusifolius.

Although hardy to Zone 8, goatsbeard struggles south of Zone 7. In Pennsylvania, it blooms in May, although while visiting the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum on June 21, it was still blooming. The goatsbeard in these pictures is in full sun, but they receive irrigation. They had just experienced a week of over 90-degree weather and still looked lovely.

Goatsbeard does well in medium to wet soils high in organic matter and enjoys full sun to part shade. The more sun, the more moisture is needed. It wants a mulch of shredded leaf litter to keep the soil cool and moist, but overall maintenance is low. There are seldom insect or disease problems, although leaf appearance suffers when placed in full sun without sufficient moisture. Site this plant correctly because once established, the plant attains a large size, 4–6 feet tall and 2–4 feet wide, and does not transplant well. It does spread rhizomatously but in a well-mannered fashion.

This native perennial is another plant that tolerates deer and rabbit herbivory. When designing with goatsbeard, remember it is slow to establish and takes a few years to attain its shrublike proportions.

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Margaret C. Hoffman, Ph.D., is assistant professor and program coordinator for the Landscape Contracting program at Penn State University.

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Sydni Joubran, University of Louisiana at Lafayette Brittany B. Laginhas, University of Massachusetts Amherst

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone: Zones based on minimum temperature that are used to determine where plants can grow.

Non-native: A species unlikely to have arrived without human assistance.

Invasive: A species that is established and spreading with negative impacts to native species and ecosystems.

Climate-smart gardening: Planting for present and future conditions using native species adapted to both current and future hardiness zones.

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Learn more about invasive species & climate change at: risccnetwork.org

Sources

(2040-2060) SamFuture Talbot, Cornell University Plant Hardiness Zones

9x higher birds

3x more b

2x higher bees

Nativ

Biota of North America Program Future (2040-2060) Jenica M. Allen, University of New divers Climate Voyager, State climate office of North Carolina Native trees suppo Plant Hardiness Zones Hampshire 600 Go Botany, version 3.1.3. Native Plant Trust. diversity of related IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 500 Larry Weaner Landscape Architects Audrey Barker-Plotkin, University 600 Native Plant Resources. Cornell Cooperative Extension 400 of Massachusetts Amherst Plant Finder. Missouri Botanical Garden 500 300 Plant Selection and Design. U. New Hampshire Cooperative Extension Evelyn M. Beaury, University of 400 Planting for Resilience: Selecting Urban Trees in Massachusetts. A. 200 McElhinney et al. 2019 Massachusetts Amherst 300 100 Ten Tough New Native Shrub Alternatives for Barberry and Burning Bush. J. Lubell Carrie Brown-Lima, Cornell University 200 0 USDA 2012 Plant Hardiness Zones Map. USDA-ARS Average Annual Minimum Temperature (°F) USDA Plant Sheets & Plant Guide. USDA NRCS 100 Emily J. Fusco, University of Mas-20° to -15° 5a -40° to -35° 3a 0° to 5° 7a Why Native? Benefits of planting native species in a changing climate.

More 0 sachusetts Amherst RISCC Management Challenge E. Fusco et al. 2019 -15° to -10° 5b -35° to -30° 3b 5° to 10° 7b Oak Ch Average Annual Minimum Temperature (°F) alarm WorldClim - Global Climate Data (Quercus) (Pru 4a -10° to -5° 6a 10° to 15° 8a -30° to -25°Mount, birds, Images: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Minnesota -20°Hailey to -15° 5a -40° to Wildflowers -35° 3a 0°Bailey to 5° 7a Servais Journal Articles: Burghardt et al. 2010 Ecosphere; Garden et al. 2015 Toni Lyn4bMorelli, of20° 8bcaterpillars in -5° toUniversity 0° 6b 15° to -25° to -20° More -35° toPimentel -30° 3bet al.-15° to -10° 5b 5° to 10° 7b Parasites & Vectors; Morandin & Kremen 2013 Eco App; alarming, but most Massachusetts Amherst 2005 Ecol Econ; Poelen et al. 2014 Ecol Info; Simberloff et al. 2012 -10° to -5° 6a 10° to 15° 8a birds, and many lat Ecology; Tallamy & Shropshire 2009 Conserv Biol -30° to -25° 4a

Number of Caterpillar Species

Definitions

Lara Munro, University of Massachusetts Amherst

B of

50% high native bi

-25° to -20° 4b

Authors: B. Bradley*, A. Bayer, B. Griffin, S. Joubran, B. Laginhas, L. Munro, S. Talbot, J. Allen, A. Barker-Plotkin, E. Beaury, C. Brown-Lima, E. Fusco, H. Mount, B. Servais, and

-5° to 0° 6b

15° to 20° 8b

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Number of Caterpillar Species

st

ve te

Wi nada ld Rye Ca

Gardening with climate-smart with native Gardening plants climate-smart in the Northeast u

C. Brown-Lima, E. Fusco, H. Mount, B. Servais, and *bbradley@eco.umass.edu T. L. Morelli

https://doi.org/10.7275/mvej-dr35

Climate-Smart Gardening

Rapidly warming temperatures mean that native species will have to move hundreds of miles in coming decades just to keep up. Our gardens can help native species shift their ranges and adapt to climate change. Native plantings today seed ecosystems of the future.

Why Native?

An estimated 80% of ornamental plants for sale are non-native. This means that the average yard does a poor job of supporting native flora and fauna. By shifting our plantings towards natives, we can dramatically increase the diversity of bees, butterflies, birds and other animals.

In contrast, non-native plants do not support local food webs and can become invasive. Native plants increase biodiversity and reduce risks associated with invasive species, which supports resilient ecosystems in the face of climate change. Look inside for some ideas!

Benefits of Native Plants

Historical (1960-1990) Plant Hardiness Zones

Costs of Non-native Plants

50% higher abundance of native birds

Non-native plants are 40x more likely to become invasive than native garden plants.

9x higher abundance of rare birds

Invasive plants cost the U.S. an estimated $20 billion per year to manage and control.

Japanese barberry invasion

3x more butterfly species 2x higher abundance of native bees

Future (2040-2060) Plant Hardiness Zones

Average Annual Minimum Temperature (°F) -40° to -35° 3a

-20° to -15° 5a

-35° to -30° 3b

-15° to -10° 5b

5° to 10° 7b

-30° to -25° 4a

-10° to -5° 6a

10° to 15° 8a

-25° to -20° 4b

-5° to 0° 6b

15° to 20° 8b

0° to 5° 7a

Number of Caterpillar Species

Native trees support twice the caterpillar diversity of related non-native trees 600

Invasive Japanese barberry supports 3x more deer ticks, which carry Lyme disease.

Native trees

500

Non-native trees

Common plantings that have become invasive and should be replaced:

400 300 200

0

Oak (Quercus)

Cherry (Prunus)

Maple (Acer)

Basswood (Tilia)

Pieris Azaleas Perennials Nature’s Classics

Ź Ź Ź Ź Ź

Japanese barberry

Japanese honeysuckle

More caterpillars in your yard might sound alarming, but most are eaten by nesting birds, and many later become butterflies.

For a full list, contact your state’s extension program

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Native Plants

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25

Native Plants

Why Plant Natives in a Chan

Y

ards host a variety of native and non-native plants. It is easy to assume all plants play a similar role in supporting wildlife, but native plants dramatically increase the diversity of bees, butterflies, birds, and other native animals.

Additionally, non-native plants can become invasive or support invasive pests. Native plants increase biodiversity and reduce risks associated with invasive species, which supports resilient ecosystems in the face of climate change.

Definitions

Non-native. a species unlikely to have arrived without human assistance Invasive. An established non-native species that is spreading with negative impacts Traditional landscaping. Predominantly non-native, ornamental plants Native landscaping. Predominantly plants indigenous to the region Generalist. Uses a variety of food and habitat resources Specialist. Uses only specific food and habitat resources

Native Plants Support Native Wildlife Landscaping with native plants offers a unique opportunity to promote healthy, resilient ecosystems. Native plants support a diverse food web due to a long history of interacting and evolving with other native wildlife. Most native insects evolved to be specialists on native plants.

An example specialist is the monarch butterfly caterpillar, which only eats milkweed. Native plants support a more complex food web of both specialist and generalist insects, resulting in a higher diversity and abundance of native birds, butterflies, and pollinators.

Management Recommendations Replace non-native species with natives to prevent future invasion and support biodiversity.

Share the benefits of native plants with your friends and neighbors.

Invasive Japanese barberry is invasive.

Deer ticks carry Lyme disease.

Where to Find Native Alternatives Find links to local resources on the USDA Forest Service’s Native Gardening website. For the Northeast, New England Wild Flower has a list of native alternatives to invasive plants.

References Burghardt et al. 2020 Ecosphere; Culina.

2002 Houghton Mifflin; Garden, et al.

2025 Parasites & Vectors; Liebhold et al.

2021 Front Ecol Environment; Morandin & Keremen. 2012 Eco App; Narango et al. 2018 PNAS; Pimentel et al. 2005 Ecol Econ; Poelen et al. 2014 Ecol Info; Simberloff et al. 2012 Ecology; Tallamy & Shropshire. 2009 Conserv Biol; Williams et al.

2017 Environ Entomol

A Native hemlock infested with wooly adelgid.

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nging Climate?

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27

Native Plants Costs of Non-Natives Non-native ornamental plants are 40 times more likely to become invasive than native ornamental plants. Invasive plants cost the U.S. an estimated $20 billion per year to manage and control. Sites invaded by Japanese barbery (an invasive plant still available as an ornamental) contain 3x more deer ticks infected with Lyme disease. An estimated 70% of non-native forest pests, including hemlock wooly adelgid in the U.S., arrived as contaminants on nursery plant imports. Even seemingly benign non-native species could be sleeper species that will become invasive with climate change.

To support nesting, aim for less than 30% non-native plants.

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29

Health Alert

When Is Tick Season?

By Larry Dapsis

I

t’s spring — time to get outside as a respite from pandemic-induced cabin fever. This is the time I am asked the age old question, “When is tick season?” My simple answer is that it never really stopped. The adult-stage deer ticks pictured began emerging last September and will be with us until early May. Any time temperatures are above freezing, they are ready to make you their dinner.

What assists them in this amazing trick is that they make their own antifreeze. I receive calls from people during the winter saying they never expected to get tick bites at that time. This is reflected in the case data shown in the chart below. We see cases of Lyme disease in January, February, and March. Then, as we get into the warmer months of May into July, we see cases ramp up significantly.

There are a couple of reasons for this. There is a lot more outdoor activity by people and therefore, more opportunities to bump into these unwanted creatures. May is also when we see the emergence of the nymph stage of the deer tick. These are the size of a poppy seed…small enough to easily evade a tick check.

Not Just About Lyme Disease Other significant diseases are babesiosis and anaplasmosis.

We also see a certain level of co-infection where ticks are carrying more than one pathogen.

People ask me, what should we do — stay inside? We have had too much experience with indoor confinement!

A personal protection plan is very straightforward.

These graphs show that in December of 2021, less than 0.1% of visits to EDs in any week were related to exposure to ticks or diagnosis of a tick-borne disease. The 2021 data are shown compared to both the minimum and the maximum number of visits recorded over the last three years. While tick activity usually increases in spring and early summer and then again in fall, exact timing is dependent on weather.

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Health Alert When you are in tick habitat, which could be in the woods or at the edge of your backyard, wearing light-colored long pants and shoes (versus sandals) is a start.

When you come back indoors, do a thorough tick check and throw the clothes in the dryer for 20 minutes.

Repellents Are Important Skin repellents like DEET or picaridin are known to be effective. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recommends products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE). However, these products should not be used on children under three years old. Avoid “all natural” products…in many cases, there is no testing that shows they are safe or effective.

For more information from the CDC, visit https://www.cdc.gov/ncezid/dvbd/ about/prevent-bites.html. The state of Massachusetts also provides more information at https://www.mass.gov/service-details/personal-protection-against-ticks.

From my standpoint, the most effective tool in the box is permethrin-treated clothing and footwear. It not only repels, but actually kills the ticks. You can find such products at garden centers and sporting goods stores. For a video on the insand-outs of permethrin, part of a ten-part series from Cape Cod Cooperative Extension, go to Capecodextension.org/ticks.

Enjoy the outdoors and stay tick safe.

Larry Dapsis is an entomologist and the Tick Project coordinator at Cape Cod Cooperative Extension.

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Invasive Plants

Invasives for Sale: The Ongoing Spread of Invasive Speci

By Evelyn M. Beaury, Madeline Patrick, and Bethany A. Bradley

T

he sale of ornamental nonnative plants is a primary pathway of invasive plant introduction into the United States. This study aimed to assess how effective voluntary and regulatory efforts have been at reducing the spread of invasive plants through horticulture. To do so, we compiled a list of 1,285 plant species listed as invasive, including state prohibited plant lists, the federal noxious weed list, and unregulated species listed by the Invasive Plant Atlas.

Using standardized internet searches, we found that 61% of these invasive plants are still on the market as ornamentals somewhere in the lower-48 United States, many of which can be bought and sold online through websites like Amazon, eBay, and Etsy. Regulated plants were sold less often than non-regulated plants (Table 1), but there were many instances in which regulated plants were sold in states despite their regulations.

Massachusetts prohibits the sale of 135 plants; 65 are commercially available somewhere in the U.S., but only three are for sale within the state of Massachusetts. Regulators have already followed up with local nurseries to reduce the reoccurrence in Massachusetts, but due to inconsistencies in state prohibited plant lists, we often found that Massachusetts prohibited plants were sold legally in neighboring states, leading to high risk of invasion within the region.

We therefore urge everyone to increase their awareness, not only of the Massachusetts prohibited plant list, but also of prohibited plants elsewhere in New England and in the Mid-Atlantic regions (more information can be found on the National Plant Board website). As the climate changes, many ornamental invasives from further south will find suitable habitat in New England. Preventing these species from damaging our native ecosystems requires a renewed focus

Table 1: Count and Percentage of Invasive Plants Available for Purchase as Ornamentals Within the Continental U.S.

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ies by the Plant Trade Industry

The number of vendors offering each species for sale versus the number of states in which the species was regulated.

Asterisks indicate species pictured on the right. Top: panicled hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata; photo by F. Vincentz); middle: Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii; photo by E. Beaury); bottom: yellow iris (Iris pseudacorus; photo by J. Billinger).

This article was first printed in Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, Vol. 19, isuue 10, pp. 550-556.

on reducing the spread of harmful nonnative plants through horticulture. For more information, see www.risccnetwork. org/management-challenges.

The Massachusetts Prohibited Plant List provides a list of plants for which importation and propagation is currently prohibited within the state of Massachusetts. The original list of prohibited plants went into effect January 1, 2006. Certain species were subject to a phase-out period that expired on January 1, 2009. Three new species were added in February 2017. Currently, the sale, trade, purchase, distribution, and related activities for the species below, including all cultivars, varieties, and hybrids, are not allowed. Visit the list at www.mass.gov/ massachusetts-prohibited-plant-list.

Evelyn Beaury (Eve) is a Ph.D. candidate in the Organismic and Evolutionary

Spring|2022

Biology program UMass Amherst. She is broadly interested in invasive species, plant community ecology, and the impacts of global change. Her current projects are focused on understanding variation in biotic resistance across ecosystems of the U.S. and the role of the plant nursery industry in distributing invasive species.

In addition to research, Eve is passionate about science communication and outreach and is a research scientist in the NE Regional Invasive Species and Climate Change Management Network.

Madeline Patrick is an associate analyst at National Grid, University of Massachusetts Boston.

Bethany Bradley is a professor of biogeography and spatial ecology in the Department of Environmental Conservation at UMass Amherst. She

is interested in how the geographical locations of species across landscapes and regions can inform ecological understanding of species distributions, invasion risk assessments, and conservation planning. Her research has a strong focus on terrestrial plant invasions, with a goal of understanding how invasion risk varies spatially in the context of anthropogenic disturbance and climate change.

Editor’s note: MNLA is represented on the Massachusetts Invasive Plant Advisory Group (M.I.P.A.G.) by David Anderson, Mayer Tree Service; Pat Bigelow, MCH, Bigelow Nurseries; Wayne Mezitt, MCH, Weston Nurseries; David Vetelino, MCH, Vetelino Landscape Inc.

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Plant Care

PRUNING EVERGREENS

By Jay Windsor

P

runing is an important maintenance practice. Although necessary, pruning can be kept to a minimum by the wise use and proper placement of plant materials in the landscape.

Evergreen plants can be divided into two broad categories: (1) narrowleaf (needled) evergreens such as pines, junipers, yews; and (2) broadleaf evergreens like rhododendrons, hollies, and boxwood. The narrowleaf evergreens are generally more rapid-growing, include many tree forms, and are commonly grown for their foliage only. Broadleaf evergreens are usually slower-growing, include many shrub forms, and are often grown for their flowers and fruit as well as for their foliage.

Why Prune Limit the pruning of most evergreens to the removal of dead, diseased, and mechanically injured wood and the maintenance of the natural shape of the plants. However, certain plants may be grown for special purposes and may require special pruning. This would apply when formal effects are desired, such as clipped hedges, topiary, espaliers, etc. In addition, many evergreens are pruned during the Christmas season by homeowners who desire cut greens for holiday decorations.

When to Prune Dead, diseased, and broken wood can be removed at any time of year. However, the best time for general pruning is in late winter or early spring just before growth begins. Narrowleaf evergreens may be pruned a second time in June before the new growth has matured. It may be necessary to give particularly fast-growing plants an additional light pruning or two during the growing season.

Good judgment must be exercised when pruning flowering evergreens so as not to drastically reduce the amount of next season’s flowering wood. Therefore, prune as soon after flowering as possible. Severe pruning can usually be avoided if pruning is done annually.

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How to Prune It is important to have the necessary tools in proper working order for pruning. These tools include a hand pruner, lopping shears, hedge shears, and a curved pruning saw.

Narrowleaf evergreens are characterized by growth that is either whorled or random (non-whorled). When pruning pines, make cuts just above the needle whorls. Most new lateral growth is stimulated at these points, rather than along the stems between the whorls.

In pruning most other needled and broadleaf evergreens, cuts can be made at any point along the branch, but care should be taken not to cut too far back into the older wood.

New growth is not as readily produced from old wood. When selectively pruning, always cut the growth back to a side shoot.

Some evergreen species withstand relatively heavy pruning. This is true of Japanese yew, boxwood, and evergreen privet. These plants can be sheared, which involves the uniform removal of new growth to make a plant conform to a prescribed shape. Because shearing encourages the formation of additional lateral growth, a denser habit of growth is created.

The amount and manner of pruning depend to a large extent on the type of plant, its location, and the particular tastes of the homeowner.

Pruning Pointers for Specific Plants Pine Group.

Prune preferably in early spring. Make cuts just above needle whorls.

Additional pruning may be done before new growth hardens in June. Pines normally require little pruning.

Spruce and Fir Group. Cuts may be made at any point along the younger portions of the branches. The best time to prune these www.mnla.com

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plants is in the early spring. Prune to maintain the natural shape of the plants.

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Juniper, Chamaecyparis, and Arborvitae Group. This group consists of many tree, shrub, and prostrate forms. These species can withstand relatively heavy pruning and many can be trained into various forms by shearing. Early spring pruning is best, but additional light pruning later in the season may be necessary.

Yew and Hemlock Group. It is preferable to allow these plants to retain their natural form, but both respond well to heavy pruning and shearing. Yews are able to withstand exceptionally severe pruning into the older wood. Early spring is the best time for pruning but occasional light pruning later in the season may be necessary.

Rhododendron, Azalea, Pieris, and Mountain Laurel Group.

These plants generally require very little pruning, as they are slow-growing. Old flower clusters should be removed immediately after flowering. Prune out only dead, diseased, weak, or wayward branches.

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Box, Evergreen Privet, Barberry, and Pyracantha Group.

With the exception of box, these species grow rather rapidly.

All these plants will stand heavy pruning. Early spring is a good time to prune them. Because they are generally quite vigorous, additional trimming during the growing season may be advisable.

Hollies. These plants include both tree and shrub forms.

American holly may be pruned in December for Christmas greens. Chinese holly is also a source of attractive greens and may be trimmed in the early spring. When pruning American holly, always make the cut at a node, just above a lateral bud.

Prune so as to maintain the natural shape of the tree. The shrubby Chinese and Japanese hollies can be more severely pruned and may require some additional light pruning during the growing season.

Mahonia and Leucothoe Group. These are rather slowgrowing, and require little annual pruning, but if pruning is necessary, do it immediately after these plants flower in the spring.

Jay Windsor is an agricultural agent with the Delaware Cooperative Extension, University of Delaware. Revised by Susan Barton, extension specialist, University of Delaware.

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37

Hosta of the Year ‘ Island Breeze’ Named Hosta of the Year

W

ith the increasing number of hosta cultivars being introduced each year, it is increasingly difficult for nursery owners and gardeners to choose the right hostas for their sales areas and gardens. To this end, the American Hosta Growers Association established the AHGA Hosta of the Year in 1996. Selected by a vote of AHGA members, award winners are hostas that are good garden plants in all regions of the country, are widely available in sufficient supply, and retail for about $15.00 in the year of selection.

Color. Medio-variegated Size. Medium (15 inches high x 30 inches wide) Habit. Mounding Bloom. Lavender

Parentage. Sport of ‘Fire Island,’ an improvement on its parent by virtue of its wider green margin and thicker substance.

Emerges with a brilliant yellow center. The red petiole bleeds into the base of the leaf. Dark lavender flowers in later summer.

PP#27,151.

The American Hosta Growers Association is a trade organization for nurseries that specialize in the growing and sale of hostas.

Its members include producers of hosta lines, wholesale landscape nurseries, wholesale and retail mail-order hosta nurseries, and hosta specialty nurseries that feature garden displays and local retail sales. A few of its purposes are to foster interest in hostas The 2022 Hosta of the Year is ‘Island Breeze’ through marketing and education(Photo by Walters Gardens 2014) al programs, disseminate information on cultural practices and pest problems of hostas, and help to standardize hosta nomenclature. Visit www.hostagrowers.

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US Department of Labor Safety Initiative In Connecticut, a tree branch contacted a live high-voltage power line as a worker in an aerial lift cut it, electrocuting him. In Massachusetts, a falling tree branch struck and killed a worker cutting down oak trees, while a falling tree limb struck an elevated bucket lift, ejecting the worker whose fall was fatal.

In nearby Rhode Island, a log conveyor rolled over a worker performing repairs, crushing and killing him.

These are among the 31 worker deaths in the tree trimming and removal, landscaping, and site preparation industries since 2016 that the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration New England region has investigated. To reduce the risks workers in these industries face, OSHA’s Boston regional office has established a Regional Emphasis Program that combines enforcement and outreach with employers.

“The number of fatalities, injuries, and uncontrolled hazards in the tree and landscaping industries in New England is alarming and unacceptable. These incidents are preventable with proper training and effective safety procedures,” says OSHA Acting Regional Administrator Jeffrey Erskine in Boston. “We are taking this action to raise awareness and improve worker safety in these industries. The emphasis program will focus on the industry’s major hazards: falls, being struck-by objects, electrocution, and vehicular and traffic incidents.”

OSHA inspections have identified occurrences such as workers falling from trees and aerial lifts, being struck by falling

Spring|2022

trees and tree limbs, electrocution or shock from contact with live electrical wires, lacerations caused by saws and other equipment, injuries from vehicle collisions, and being struck by or caught between mechanical equipment.

The program’s initial phase includes outreach to employers, workers, and stakeholder groups by each OSHA area office in New England prior to commencing enforcement activities in November 2021. This outreach can include presentations, informational mailings, articles in trade newsletters, and other activities. OSHA will then conduct programmed inspections of tree, landscape, and site preparation worksites. OSHA inspectors will also be able to open inspections on the spot if they observe hazardous conditions while traveling past worksites in the course of their duties.

OSHA urges industry employers to take steps to identify, reduce, and eliminate hazards related to tree trimming and site preparation and implement safety strategies during the REP’s initial phase. The agency also urges employers to use its free onsite consultation program for advice on complying with OSHA standards.

Regional Emphasis Programs are enforcement strategies designed and implemented at the regional and/or area office levels to address hazards or industries that pose a particular risk to workers in the offices’ jurisdictions. This REP is in effect until August 4, 2026.

Learn more about OSHA at www.osha.gov. If you have questions on this initiative, reach out to OSHA directly.

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Retention & Renewal

The Employee Referral Bonus

By Dave Anderson

W

e all love referrals. You have a happy client who is so psyched about your work that they are willing to put their reputation on the line to advocate for you. We would never admit it aloud, but we give them a little more love than someone off the internet. These people are generally a little easier to please because someone they trust has set their mind at ease that you will take care of them.

If you get an advocate — a person who refers lots of people to you — then you are in a great place. If you get a number of advocates, you will have more work than you can handle. This means you are obviously doing great work.

It usually also means you have great employees. Why not use your happy employees to be advocates for your next great employee or employees? They know you, the company, the equipment, and the culture better than you do because they are not biased. If you get the right person to be your recruiting advocate, you can improve your staff’s numbers and quality exponentially.

Now, you can get someone to do this for free, but if you give them a financial incentive, it works even better. I’ve worked with people who make it a side hustle inside the organization. It is a win-win, but make sure it is worthwhile. Most of the time, companies will give incentives in two installments: x dollars for the first six months they are an employee in good standing, and an additional x dollars for their year anniversary. Make sure you make your recruiter feel they are important…because they are. Make it a big deal at a company event. Get a huge check like Publishers Clearinghouse Sweepstake.

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Yes, to do it right you should spend some money. It’s a great investment, and you will get more out of it than a lot of things you spend money on. In a service business, good people are your greatest asset. What’s even better is having a program to grow your team and reward your people for bringing in more great people.

Have a referral bonus. Your super-happy, loyal employee can be your best advocate. Make the bonus significant. Do you want to put yourself out there asking a friend or family member to take a chance with their livelihood for $100? Just like clients who love to refer your company, you need to discover this employee and make it worth their while.

David M. Anderson has over 30 years of experience in horticulture, client service, and public relations. He works for Mayer Tree Service. David is a Massachusetts Certified Arborist, Certified Landscape Professional, and a Certified Tree Care Safety Professional. He was the chairman of the Massachusetts Certified Arborist Board for three years, and is currently a board member of the Massachusetts Nursery and Landscape Association.

David has authored several articles for trade publications and frequently gives presentations to garden clubs, trade organizations, and students on a variety of topics. In the last several years, he has become more involved in and passionate about employee engagement.

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41

Freeze/Frost Dates in Massachusetts The UMass Extension Center for Agriculture annually provides freeze/frost occurrence data by city in the form of a chart.

Frost/freeze dates, which are general guidelines for a location, are estimated based on historical climate data. However, actual frost dates vary (sometimes considerably) from year to year.

Station temperature readings are commonly made at a height of approximately 5 feet, and actual ground temperatures can be up to 4°F to 8°F less. Thus, ground frost can occur even when the measured temperature is 36°F. Site specifics, radiational cooling, and air drainage, as well as other factors, will all have influence over actual frost dates at your location.

• Frost occurs when there is a solid deposition of water vapor from the air. Frost will form when solid surfaces are cooled below the dew point. An air temperature range of 33°F– 36°F (or colder), along with light winds, is usually needed to initiate frost formation. At least minor damage is possible to plants. Keep in mind that frost is not guaranteed at these temperatures if the air is very dry and/or winds are roughly greater than 8 mph.

• Freeze occurs when the air temperature drops below 32°F. A freeze will result in significant damage to many unprotected plants, especially if the temperature remains at or below freezing for several hours.

• Hard freeze (per local NWS definition) occurs when the temperature reaches 28°F or lower for at least a few hours.

Hard freeze usually means many types of plants and most seasonal vegetation will be destroyed.

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Table Definitions 1.

Percent probability of a later date in the spring (through July 31) than the date indicated. In other words, the percent chance that a temperature at or below the indicated threshold level will occur after the corresponding spring date.

2.

Percent probability of an earlier date in the fall (beginning August 31) than the date indicated. In other words, the percent chance that a temperature at or below the indicated threshold level will occur before the corresponding fall date.

3.

Percent probability of a longer than indicated freeze/ frost-free period. In other words, the percent chance that the period of days with temperatures above the indicated threshold level will exceed the corresponding number of days listed in the table.

4.

Percent probability of a freeze/frost day within the yearly period. In other words, the average percentage of days in the year with temperatures at or below the corresponding threshold temperature.

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43

Advertiser Index

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A&B Insurance Group ......................................5 Acorn Tree and Landscape .......................... 47 American National .........................................21 Amherst Nurseries .........................................44 Arborjet ............................................................31 Ballard Truck Center .........................................6 Bigelow Nursery ............................................32 Cavicchio Landscape Supplies, Inc. ............13 Connecticut Mulch Distributors, Inc.............38 Fairview Evergreen Nurseries ........................9 Farm Credit East ..............................................7 Green Mountain Mulch .................................39 Ideal Concrete Block ........................................2 Medford Nursery ...........................................23

Hortus humorous —

Milton Cat ......................................................29 New England Wetland Plants .......................37 Northeast Nursery ........................................48 Northern Nurseries .......................................23 OESCO..............................................................15 Pierson Nurseries, Inc. ..................................32 Prides Corner Farm ........................................12 Pro Bark Mulch ...............................................41 Savage Farms ................................................37 Service First Processing ................................33 Sylvan Nursery .................................................8 Valley Green ...................................................42 Vermont Mulch ..............................................15

What Plant am I? Answer: Clethera alnifolia

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Weston Nurseries ..........................................25 www.mnla.com

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Plant for Success

Japanese Iris & Caesar’s Brothers Siberian Iris

By Paul Massad Why This Plant Shines I wanted to choose two varieties of iris because we find ourselves planting them more in order to provide clients with some continuous seasonal color and minimal maintenance. Japanese and Siberian irises are complementary perennials that work well when used together in the same landscape.

Ensata has a bloom time in June and Caesar’s blooms in July, so when used in unison, they provide a piece of the continuum of rotating color throughout the harder summer months when spring bloomers start to fade.

While the flowers are delicate, they are very large and vibrantly colored, which adds to their appeal and provides a big impact when planted in large swaths. Overall, they boast an upright habit with sword-like leaves that give structure to the garden.

I enjoy planting them alongside granite posts, stone walls, tree trunks, or other vertical elements because of their height and complementary shape. I feel their appearance can provide something special, even when not in bloom, through the uniquely vertical and visually linear line they create. This gives an orderly appearance in the most natural of ways, allowing them to find their home in any garden — organized or free-form.

So next time you are looking for some summer color to add to a landscape, search out an iris. They sure to bring a smile to any flower lover!

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Facts and Features June and July bloom times provide showy purple summer interest when other shrubs begin to look bleak at the end of spring. Both look great when paired with stone accents, as an underlayer to ornamental or evergreen trees, or even in combination with other structural perennials like ornamental grasses.

Overall very tolerant plants, they are easy to cultivate and enjoy being planted in areas that allow from full sun to partial shade.

Although not native, they tend to be deer, rabbit, and disease resistant, making them a great addition to the New England garden.

Scientific Name: Iris ensata and Iris sibirica ’Caesar’s Brother’ Common Name: Japanese Iris and Caesar’s Brothers Siberian Iris Exposure: Full sun to part shade Soil: Average to wet Size: 3–4 feet in height; 2 feet in width Fall Color: None Zone: 4 to 9 Growth Rate: Average Paul Massad Paul Massad Landscaping Westborough, Massachusetts

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