Plants that Like Alkaline Soils

Our soils are alkaline (pH above 7) because of the areas low annual rainfall and the lack of organic matter. Alkaline soil can be problematic to some plants because if the soil pH is too high it makes it hard for some plants to take up vital nutrients. By selecting plants that enjoy these soil conditions it a lot less work to keep them happy. A good looking landscape with minimal effort, is much easier to maintain.

Below is a list of plant families that thrive in alkaline soil with little to no pH adjustments. From here you can find a variety that fits your yards needs and personal taste.

Ornamental Grasses
Maiden grasses
Switch grasses
Feather Reed grasses
Fescue Grasses
Fountain Grasses
Fountain Grasses

Shrubs
Sumacs
Junipers
Hydrangeas (though big leaf varieties are pink in alkaline soils)
Spirea
Barberry
Bluebeard
Forsythia
Lilacs
Butterfly Bush (sterile varieties)
Potentilla
Pines
Juniper
Spruces
Photinia
Ninebarks
Common Snowball Bush
Cistena Plum
Mockorange
Viburnums (Deciduous)
Smokebush
Cotoneaster

Perennials
Lavender
Daylily
Sedum
Candytuft
Daisy
Sages
Hosta
Astilbe
Helebores
Red Hot Poker
Catmint
Russian Sage
Black Eyed Susans
Blanket Flowers
Mums
Asters
Yucca
Yarrow

Trees
Bald Cypress
Serviceberry
Golden Rain Tree
Honeylocust
Pines
Bur Oak
Redpointe Maple
Hedge Maples
Persian Parrotia
Sycamore
Willows
Maackia
Green Ash (Urbanite is resistant to Ash Bore)
Catalpa

5 Newer Flowering Shrubs that Alex Really Likes!

Here are 5 newer shrubs that have been introduced in the last couple of years that I have found to be: exciting, easy to care for, perform well in our area and will be in inventory this spring.

Image by Proven Winners

Purple Pillar Rose of Sharon-Purple Pillar is a columnar Rose of Sharon that only gets to 2 to 3 feet wide. Blooms purple with red centers from July to September. It enjoys full sun and heat for best bloom performance. Purple Pillar works well on corner of houses, narrow beds that need height between windows, or for hedge plant to add color to an evergreen hedge.

Image by First Editions Bailey Nurseries

Diamond Rouge Hydrangea-Diamond Rouge is a sun loving Hydrangea that blooms white and turns to raspberry pink earlier and doesn’t depend on temp to trigger the color change. It also has a nice upright habit and is less prone to flopping over while in bloom like previous varieties which means less pruning needed. They grow to about 4 to 5 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide. Another bonus is the red fall color it turns in October.

Image by First Editions Bailey Nurseries

Fireside Ninebark-Fireside Ninebark is a dwarf ninebark that features the rich red purple foliage but keeps a more compact form of 5 to 7’ tall and wide. The foliage has the appealing larger leaf of Diabolo that grows to twice the size of Fireside. It enjoys part sun to full sun spots, and doesn’t mind our winds. Works well as a hedge for privacy or where you need a color contrast against a fence or flower bed. Ninebarks are also thorn-less.

Image by Monrovia Nursery

Fire Island Hydrangea- Fire Island Hydrangea is great for afternoon shade areas of the yard. It is a dwarf Hydrangea that only grows to about 3.5 feet tall and wide. It starts blooming in early summer and goes into fall for it blooms on both new and old wood. So you get blooms no matter how hard a winter is on the plant. The pink/white colors of the bloom shows nicely in shade.

Image by Monrovia Nursery

Lil’ Flirt Spirea -Lil’ Flirt Spirea is a tiny Spirea that is just as durable as it’s bigger cousins. It grows in pretty much any soil condition to 2 1/2 feet tall and wide. It enjoys partial to all sun as well. Lil’ Flirt stays compact and starts blooming in May with repeat blooms throughout the summer. More so if you shear off the old blooms periodically. The compact habit lends this Spirea to work well in perennial beds or as a border plant.

Plants for the week of October 12th

The Mini Twists Pine is dwarf eastern white pine with twisted needles for a cool effect year round. It reaches 6 ft x 4 ft wide. Like full sun to partial shade conditions. It is great for a garden that needs a durable year round effect without the size of other pines.

Redpointe Maple is a newer red maple that is yard friendly reaching 45 feet tall and 30 feet wide. It has a great red fall color. Redpointe is not fussy when it comes to soil pH like Brandywine or October Glory can be in sandy soils. Redpointe continues to retain a nice green summer color and fall color performance. It still needs to be fed regularly for optimal growth performance. It’s a quick grower and has some small helicopters. A very clean tree when it comes to maples.

What can be planted in fall?

Fall is upon us and it’s time for planting. Here is what you can plant now and into winter as well as a few tips to make sure things go well.

You can plant plants rated zone 6 or lower for they can withstand our winters. You can plant trees, shrubs, perennials, roses and evergreens.

Even though the irrigation systems are going offline. Plants aren’t using much water. Until deciduous plants drop their foliage check on them for moisture weekly. After they drop their foliage check monthly to see if they need a drink. Evergreens need water on a monthly basis. Water on days where the highs are above 35 degrees.

For roses you want to mulch their crowns as a precaution against sudden cold snaps.

You can plant in fall and into winter you want to avoid cold snaps where on daytime temps don’t rise above freezing. It’s hard on you and the plants when the ground is frozen.

Plants of the Week of August 11th

Since it's been hot out, here are a couple more sun lovers that prefer at least 4 hours of sunlight a day.

The Asian Moon Butterfly Bush is a sterile butterfly bush that attracts butterflies and hummingbirds.  It's blue lavender flowers start in July and bloom through September for a long show.  It reaches 7 feet tall and wide, so it works well for a summer backdrop with perennials in front of it.  Great for a pollinator garden as well.

The Sombrero Adobe Orange Coneflower has a bold color orange for spots that need to be lit.  The orange color is striking on this compact coneflower with a height of 20 inches and a spread of 2 to 3 feet. It flowers throughout the summer and would work well with ornamental grasses, daylilies, daisies or other sun loving perennials.  Easy to care for. 

Plants of the Week of August 3rd

This week's featured plants are both sun lovers preferring at least 4 hours of sunlight a day to all day sun.

Kim's Knee High Coneflower is a dwarf coneflower that reaches 2 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide with a rich rose pink flowers that bloom mid to late summer.  Attracts butterflies and bumble bees!  Easy to care for and maintain.

Strawberry Sundae Hydrangea is a sun loving hydrangea that bloom white in July/August and when it cools down in Sepetember the blooms become strawberry ice cream pink, so don't be too hasty on pruning the old flowers off.  This one is a compact grower that grows to 4 to 5 feet tall and wide. 

Plants of the Week for July 13th

These two summer blooming "trees" love the sun and stay less than 12 feet tall, making them work were a tree look is needed without the size of a tree.  I say "trees" because they are really shrubs trained into trees.

The first "tree" is the Phantom Hydrangea a vigorous growing tree that blooms heavy white cone shape flowers. It grows to 8 to 10 feet tall and wide.  Phantom enjoys full sun to partial shade. Cold hardy to negative 30 degrees F, so it will weather our winters with no issue.  Starts flowering in late June and July, then the flowers dry to a blush pink for a lasting effect.

The second "tree" or shrub is the Tahiti Rose of Sharon has a semi double lavender flower.  I have a tree form in my yard since 2015 and it handled the hard winter very well.  Rose of Sharons prefer heat, so plan to plant this in at least 6 hours of sunlight.  You will enjoy the flowers from July to September. Reaches 12 feet tall and 6 feet wide.

Plants of the Week for July 6th

E.H. Wilson Mimosa (Silk Tree) is one of the most cold hardy mimosas offered on the market.  We have been happy with the variety for a number of years and we enjoy the dark pink blooms in the summer. E.H. Wilson reaches 30 feet tall and 30 feet wide. If prefers full sun.  Fun characteristic is the leaves fold up when the plant is dry.   It enjoys our hot summers but sometimes in harsh winters can take some damage.  It gives a tropical look to the yard.

Glowing Embers Hydrangea is a shade loving Hydrangea that flowers in July.  It is an old wood bloomer so it only blooms once but has a sharp dark pink color and large blooms.  It reaches 3 to 5 feet tall and wide. Prefers to be shaded from noon to 5 pm.  Glowing Embers doesn't need any soil pH adjustments in the Tri-Cities to keep it's color. This is one of my favorite Hydrangeas.

Plants of the Week of June 29th

Midnight Raider Daylily is a reblooming bi-color daylily that reaches 30 inches tall with sturdy scapes to support the burgundy blooms.  Does well in 4 or more hours of sun just like other daylilies. Daylilies can handle all sorts of soil conditions and exposures. 

Fireworks Rodgersia is a shade perennial with cool foliage interest.  It does have pink flowers in summer but I think it looks like a dinosaur plant.   Reaches 3 feet tall and spreads 5 feet wide. Would work well with Hostas and Hydrangeas.

Drop Dead Red Rose is a floribunda rose (blooms in clusters) that blooms heavily true red blooms.  It's glossy color compliments it's the flowers as well as it is very disease resistant. One of my favorite red roses.  It grows to about 3 to 4 feet tall and wide.

Plants of the Week for June 22nd

This week's plants are all from the same species.  They are all types of Bigleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla). In our area they prefer afternoon shade from noon to 5 pm. 

Peacock is a black stemmed variety that flowers on new and old wood. It boasts very large blooms on sturdy stems.  It can very in color from pale pink to blue depending on soil pH. 3 to 6 feet tall and wide.

Fire Island  is a compact Hydrangea that grows 3 by 3 feet tall and wide.  It's multi tone pink blooms are gorgeous.  It also repeat blooms through the summer.

Blushing Bride is a white re-blooming hydrangea that is great for moonlight gardens. It has large flowers and has a clean white color.  Though if you acidify your soil it will have a blue tint to it.  Grows to about 3 to 6 feet tall and wide.

When should you check your yard's light exposure for best landscaping results?

June is the best month to determine the light exposure (generally referred to as exposure) in your yard because it's has the longest days and the sun is at highest angle. By checking now you can better account for hot, sunny summer days that can wreak havoc on shade loving plants or help heat lovers thrive.  It also a good idea to check your exposure every couple of years to account for tree growth or other changes.

Here are the steps to checking your exposure.

1. Download our Exposure Chart.

2. Name the different beds you want to track on the chart.

3. On a leisure day at home, check every hour or so, particularly in the afternoon and fill in the circle for that hour if the bed is shaded. 

4. Once it's all filled out you can now research plants online or at the nursery. You are welcome to show our staff the chart and we can show plants as well.

5. Now plant your new landscape additions when you have time or best luck and watch them thrive.