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Tickled Pink to be Gardening!

		Mandevilla Vine: "Tropical" Mandevilla is the perfect choice for colorful, quick-growing screens. It provides a nonstop bounty of huge pink, red, or white trumpet shaped flowers, beautifully presented against attractive dark green foliage. Native to Brazil, it prefers plenty of sun for best flowering and well drained soil. This vine can be trained to climb posts and lattice, making it a favorite for growing up lamp and mailbox posts. Let mandevilla drip from an arbor or garland your front porch and entryway.
		Jasminum sambac: (also known as Arabian jasmine) is a bushy vine or scrambling shrub with pale green leaves and fragrant little white flowers. Native to India, the waxy, snow white flowers are about 1 inch across, borne in clusters of 3-12, and intensely fragrant. They fade to pink as they age, blooming throughout the summer. It is often grown in a pot on the patio or deck in full sun to partial shade, with or without a trellis, and brought indoors in the winter to enjoy it's sweet perfume whenever one walks by.
		Gardenia: Gardenia Trees are not a bloom-all-at-once-and-it's-over-shrub. It blooms in mid-spring to early summer over a fairly long season. Picture gorgeous, dark to bright green, glossy leaves and white flowers, turning creamy yellow as they age, holding a powerful, sweet fragrance that can perfume an entire room.
		Tropical Hibiscus : Perfect by the pool, beautiful by the front door, Tropical Hibiscus are quite a show. Big, colorful flowers in bright yellows, oranges, pinks and reds (sometimes bi-colors) make a bold statement and create an "islandsetting" in any area and blooms all summer. Fertilize lightly but often with a low phosphorus fertilizer. We suggest Miracle-Gro® All Purpose plant food. Hibiscus available in bush and tree-forms.

Blending Tropicals Into Your Landscape

Behnke’s has everything you need to transplant your favorite tropicals into larger pots, or you may choose to plant them directly into existing flower beds, thus treating them as annuals. Whatever you decide, blending tropicals into your landscape will create an exciting new look for you and your neighbors to enjoy.

	While most orchids are challenging to grow in the home, some are pretty straightforward. The most popular is the Phalaenopsis or Moth Orchid, which, as the name implies, is shaped vaguely like a moth. Like most orchids, Phalaenopsis are epiphytes. Epiphytes grow upon other plants instead of in the ground. They are not parasites, they don't "feed" on the host plant; they just hang out there. Find out more about Phalaenopsis Orchids here....
	Allamanda cathartica is a tropical twining vine with deeply veined, glossy, whorled leaves and large, trumpet shaped bright yellow flowers (hence the common name golden-trumpet vine). Prickly seed pods follow the flowers with winged seeds that fly about when the pod dries and breaks open. Native to Brazil, allamandas prefer sun to light shade and well-drained soils. They can be allowed to grow up a trellis, slender tree, or side of a building where there is support. Some cultivars have been bred for fragrance, while others grow as bushes instead of vines. Allamandas are breathtaking when in the full glory of their bloom, so place them where they will be as conspicuous as possible.
	Bougainvillea is famous for its brilliantly colored floral displays and quick growth rate. It is easy to care for and available in a dazzling spectrum of colors ranging from purple to magenta to scarlet to brick red to crimson. Also look for white, pink, orange, and salmon. Flowers are actually small yellow-white tubes surrounded by three papery bracts responsible for the brilliant displays (sometimes called the paper flower). Thorn-protected canes are covered with rich green heart-shaped leaves. Also native to Brazil, bougainvilleas enjoy bright sunny conditions, rich loamy, well-drained soil, and prefer to have their roots crowded when grown in containers. Grow them on fences, trellises, or arbors for explosions of color
	Cestrum nocturnum is a sprawling shrub with glossy, smooth, simple leaves and vine-like stems. Commonly known as night blooming jessamine (some people mistakenly say jasmine), it blooms in cycles throughout the summer, and especially makes itself noticed in the evenings while in bloom, when its perfume scent is distinctly powerful. Greenish-creamy white tubular flowers rise from above the leaves along the stem, followed by shiny white, fleshy berries. Cestrums bloom best in full sun to light shade and prefer light sandy soil. For a mixed border, background, or as a free-standing specimen, this shrub is attractive and can be used in butterfly gardens, as it provides food for the larvae of some caterpillars.
	Gardenia is not a bloom-all-at-once-and-it’s-over-shrub. It blooms in mid-spring to early summer over a fairly long season. Picture gorgeous, dark to bright green, glossy leaves on a shrub that can grow 6-8 feet high with almost equal spread. The flowers are white, turning to creamy yellow as they age, and have a waxy feel. They have a powerful, sweet fragrance, and can perfume an entire room. Air currents carry the scent throughout the warm summer garden to the delight of all. Need I say more (except to say that care sheets are available at Behnke’s)?
	Hibiscus flowers are glorious and huge—at their best 6 inches in diameter—and occur in many colors, blooming most of the summer. Most are flared and have a bell shape and may be single or double, smooth or scalloped. They have a long central tube with stamens and pistils at the tip. I will save you the embarrassment of walking around with bright yellow pollen on your nose by saying the flowers are not fragrant. Hibiscus makes a wonderful “containerized” summer plant either in a bush or tree form. Just provide them with fairly moist, moderately fertile, well-drained, and slightly acidic soil. Anyone interested in attracting hummingbirds and butterflies should try a hibiscus. Behnke’s is continually finding new varieties for you to try.
	Jasminum sambac (also known as Arabian jasmine) is a bushy vine or scrambling shrub with shiny dark green leaves and fragrant little white flowers. The waxy snow white flowers are about 1 inch across, borne in clusters of 3-12, and intensely fragrant. They fade to pink as they age. Arabian jasmine blooms throughout the summer and like most of the other jasmines, is very easy to grow in almost any moist, but not waterlogged soil. It is often grown in a pot, on the patio or deck in full sun to partial shade, with or without a trellis, and brought indoors in the winter to enjoy it's sweet perfume whenever one walks by.
	Mandevilla is the perfect choice for colorful quick growing screens. It provides a nonstop bounty of huge pink trumpet shaped flowers, beautifully presented against attractive dark green foliage. Native, once again, to Brazil, it prefers plenty of sun for best flowering and well drained soil. Apply liquid fertilizer periodically during summer and you will be rewarded with waves of big beautiful blossoms. This vine can be trained to climb posts and lattice, making it a favorite for growing up lamp and mailbox posts. Let mandevilla drip from an arbor or garland your front porch or entryway.
	Nerium oleander is a tough, versatile plant with showy summertime flowers in white, red, pink, salmon and light yellow. Some varieties are delightfully fragrant, and, alas, all are poisonous if the leaves are ingested in large quantities, so don’t eat them. Oleanders prefer bright sun and can survive both dry or wet soils. Although some cultivars can reach up to 20 feet tall, they can be pruned as needed to maintain a nice shape. Otherwise, I might suggest a cute little variety, ‘Petit Salmon’, which is a dwarf that grows to only 4 feet.
	Odontoglossum orchids are becoming very popular for their ease of growing and long lasting sprays of small, distinct flowers which often have a pleasant fragrance. They will typically bloom once a year and can be grown in the home, as well as in a sheltered area in the garden. Repot at least every two years when the new shoot is two inches tall or when new roots appear, using the orchid mixes available at Behnke's. Through hybridizing with Oncidiums and other related orchid types, there is a seeming endless array of striking color patterns possible.
	Plumbago auriculata is a favorite of butterflies, blooming most of the spring, summer and fall. For continuous bloom, place in full sun and feed with Miracid™. Plumbago can be pruned to grow like a vine and scramble over supports, or pruned into a more compact mounded shrub suitable for borders, foundation plantings, and for color massed in beds. When planting in a container for your porch or patio, use a light, sandy soil mix with good drainage. This is a beauty with its long, gracefully arching branches that shower the air with sky blue flowers.
	Queen of the bromeliads, yes a common name, for the not so common Aechmea ‘Chantinii’. You probably know her relative, the silver vase bromeliad, with its powdery leaves and pink flower cluster (inflorescence). Bromeliads flower only once, lasting a month or more, but little "pups" or offsets are produced that can be severed from the mother plant when they are several inches tall. This particular variety is strikingly different and I can not do it justice by describing it. You will just have to come by and see it for yourself.
	Rosemarinus officinalis is the backbone around which all other herbs rally. Rosemary, the herb of remembrance, friendship and love, has been used as a medicinal and aromatic herb for thousands of years. Rosemary can be tricky to grow, but its fresh, clean scent when brushed against, puts it on my favorite list. When grown in a container, use a clay pot that dries out quickly, and a very well-drained planting medium such as Miracle-Gro™ cactus mix with perlite. Supplement with lime once a year and provide at least 6 hours of full sun every day.
	Serissa foetida is a diminutive shrub with tiny deep green leaves, pink flower buds and a profusion of little white funnel shaped flowers. It is one of the most popular of all bonsai subjects, but it can be difficult to maintain. Behnke’s Beltsville store will carry several named cultivars to include ‘Flore Pleno’, ‘Variegated Pink’, ‘Mt. Fuji’, and ‘Kyoto’. My advice is never water serissa if it is without leaves and always take home a Behnke care sheet.
	Trachelospermum jasminoides (common name: confederate jasmine) is a beautiful and energetic vine that goes two-tone in the spring as it flushes light green with new growth against darker green glossy leaves. Shortly thereafter the scene transforms again when the delicate white pinwheel flowers breathe enchanting fragrances, lasting several weeks, into the spring air. These sun-loving, pest-free, easy to maintain, drought resistant marvels will go quickly when they begin to bloom.
	Umbrella plant (commonly identified as Cyperus alternifolius in many garden books) is a great choice for containers and will thrive in regular potting soil with regular watering. This close cousin of the papyrus plant, from which the ancient Egyptians made paper, grows in clumps in wet and boggy areas. In bright sun, clumps will be compact and the stems closely packed. Under shady conditions clumps will grow higher and be composed of fewer stems and larger leaves giving a more graceful aspect. Confined to containers, this plant is a must for fish ponds and water gardens (whiskey barrels), where this fascinating plant will add height, beauty, and a tropical touch.
	Vandas have recently become one of the favorites of the orchid world. The show from one spike can last up to eight weeks, and vigorous plants, if adequately fertilized, can be expected to bloom twice yearly. They enjoy full sun in the morning or late afternoon, but will require shading from about 11am-3pm. They are priced on the high end of the scale, but as popularity continues to grow, you will see the prices go down.
	Wandering Jew (Tradescantia zebrina) is a succulent-stemmed plant that creeps and sprawls and trails all over itself to make a dense groundcover. That’s right, I said groundcover. We know it to be grown indoors as a hanging basket or container plant, but in warmer months, wandering Jew is grown outdoors as a groundcover or a bedding plant, to create a tropical atmosphere. To encourage it to spread as a groundcover, plant the rootball in good soil, then spread out the trailing stems and partially cover them with organic mulch. Groundcover plantings can be established effortlessly, then ripped out and moved with ease when the landscape plan changes. You can make a gorgeous flower arrangement out of practically anything by sticking a few wandering Jew sprigs in with it.
	TradeWinds Hibiscus, The Perfect Patio Plant. Behnke Nurseries offers a wonderful selection of many colors of TradeWinds Hibiscus. TradeWinds Hibiscus feature lush, exotic blooms that flower continuously. Enjoy indoors as a potted plant, outdoors in the landscape or as patio potted plants...anywhere a splash of color is desired.These hibiscus are not hardy outdoors when temperatures drop below 55°F. Large exotic blooms in bright colors with dark green, glossy foliage and beautiful flowers that bloom continuously.

From The Behnkes Garden Blog, Here are some tips and a "to-do" list for the month of March.

Indoor Plants

• Now is a good time to begin re-potting and dividing houseplants that are outgrowing their containers, moving them to the next-larger pot.  Use only lightweight soilless potting mixes, never garden soil.   If a houseplant is already in a very large container and you can’t move it up to a larger one, you can remove the plant and prune its roots. Fill the outside with fresh potting medium. Pruning some of the roots may set the plant back a little but it will recover and it will have more space for the roots and improve pot drainage.
• As new growth appears, resume fertilizing houseplants on a monthly basis.  Also gradually increase watering to the regular spring-summer amount, remembering that overwatering is the most common cause of houseplant death.
• Keep an eye out for signs of pests like spider mites, mealybugs, and scale insects. If addressed promptly, these nonchemical methods work: spray of plain water, insecticidal soap spray, or with the most tenacious (like mealybugs) sometimes an alcohol swab and Q-tip.

Houseplants

• Keep an eye out for pests on your houseplants – like spider mites, mealybugs and scale insects.  If you act quickly, most pests can be eradicated with simple methods, like a spray of water, spraying with insecticidal soap, or swabbing the critters (especially mealybugs) with a Q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol.
• Be careful not to overwater.  And remember – don’t fertilize houseplants this time of year.  It will tell you when it’s ready for action.

Houseplants

• Keep an eye out for pests on your houseplants – like spider mites, mealybugs and scale insects.  If you act quickly, most pests can be eradicated with simple methods, like a spray of water, spraying with insecticidal soap, or swabbing the critters (especially mealybugs) with a Q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol.
• Be careful not to overwater.  And remember – don’t fertilize houseplants this time of year.  It will tell you when it’s ready for action.

Indoor, Seasonal and Overwintered Plants

• Check overwintered plants in the basement or garage to see if they need watering.
• Check your houseplants monthly for possible pests like scale, mealybugs and spider mites.  They’re easier to control if you catch them early – with a water spray or insecticidal soap.  If both those methods fail, use a Q-tip dipped in alcohol to swab away the offender.
• Be careful NOT to overwater.  With reduced light, your houseplants really don’t need as much water.  Let the soil dry out between waterings.
• And don’t feed your houseplants during the winter – unless they’re growing under optimum, high-light conditions.
• If you’ve potted up amaryllis bulbs, wake them up by watering once, then putting them in a spot with bright light and waiting for them to respond.  Water again in two weeks if they haven’t responded yet.

• Bring houseplants, tropicals and other tender plants inside before the killing frost. Check for mites, mealy bugs, scale or white fly.
• It’s a prime month for potting up paperwhites, Amaryllis and other bulbs to “force” to bloom indoors over the winter.   You might stagger a batch every couple of weeks for flowers all winter.  See Kathy Jentz’s article about how to force bulbs.
• For your regular houseplants, be careful not to over-water them over the winter – let the soil dry out between watering.  And unless your indoor plants are growing under high light conditions, don’t fertilize them during the winter months.

HOUSEPLANTS, TENDER PLANTS

Houseplants

• September is the ideal month to bring houseplants indoors after they’ve spent the summer on your deck or patio, rather than later in the fall when the difference between outdoor and indoor temperatures would stress them unduly.
• Treat houseplants with horticultural oil and neem oil to control aphids, mites, mealy bugs and scale.