August 5, 2017 |
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Weekly news from the National Gardening Association |
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 Why do my sunflowers droop?  |
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"We planted a couple rows of sunflowers and they first grew in looking very strong. Now the petals look wilted and some of the flowers stalks are falling over. Why is this and is there a way to fix it?" - Read the answer |
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ARTICLES TO READ |
spoga+gafa 2017 - Garden Trade Fair in Cologne, GermanyFrom September 3rd through 5th, in Cologne, Germany, over 2,000 exhibitors from around 60 countries will be presenting their innovations for the green oasis to almost 40,000 international trade visitors. Free tickets are available to interested members of NGA. 
All-America Selections announces first Three AAS Winners for 2018 seasonAll-America Selections announce three new and exciting national AAS Winners. Each of the following varieties was trialed throughout North America by professional, independent, volunteer judges who grew them next to comparisons that are considered best-in-class. 
Aeoniums: Plant Care and Collection of VarietiesThese rosette succulents from the Canary Islands are popular garden plants in arid climates, providing color accents (especially red, purple, and yellow) that vary with the passage of the seasons. Aeoniums make excellent container plants in less forgiving climates, though they require a lot of light indoors. Most of the plants in cultivation are hybrids and cultivars, rather than species (which total about 40, depending on how you count). 
Roses: Plant Care and Collection of VarietiesRoses are shrubs with prickly stems, pinnate compound leaves, and ornamental flowers, usually fragrant. This standard definition conveys none of the charm that has inspired poets, painters, sculptors, architects, and designers for centuries. The rose may be the most prominent plant in the arts, decor, and symbolism. 
Harvesting OnionsThere's never a time when onions aren't ready for harvesting. They can be picked and eaten at any stage. No matter how many onions you use during the season, though, it's nice to have a crop of big onions mature at the end of summer to store for the fall and winter months. 
Hibiscus: Plant Care and VarietiesHibiscus are deciduous shrubs with dark green leaves; the plants can grow to 15 feet tall in frost-free areas. Flowers may be up to 6 inches diameter, with colors ranging from yellow to peach to red. Hibiscus can be planted singly or grown as a hedge plant; they can also be pruned into a single-stemmed small tree. The flowers are attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds. 
Rose of Sharon: Plant Care and VarietiesAn erect, deciduous shrub, Rose of Sharon produces colorful, cup-shaped flowers in summer and fall. Other common names include shrub althea and Chinese hibiscus 
Harvesting PotatoesAfter all your work of planting and caring for your potato plants, here's how to get the most from your harvest. |
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AWESOME NEW PHOTOS FROM THIS WEEK |
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NOTABLE DISCUSSIONS FROM OUR FORUMS |
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NEW CORPORATE NGA MEMBER: |
 Sun Strength Testing has joined the National Gardening Association as a corporate member. They produce a neat product - the Sun Strength Testing strip. It is a card of paper that when exposed to the sun, reads the amount of sun light helping to take the guess work out of what to buy and where to plant. You place the folded card with the exposed test strip facing the sun in the selected area. After 10 minutes the result of the exposed strip is compared to a color guide that tells the user how much sun that area gets. The result can be matched (shade, low light, par sun, full sun) to the sun guide label on each plant purchased from the local nursery or garden outlet. We're glad to have them join as corporate members.
Do you own or work for a gardening company? Learn more about the benefits of joining as a corporate member.
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THE NUMBERS FROM LAST WEEK: |
| 861 members joined. 5,365 posts written in our forums. 849 photos posted to the plant database. 729 plants added to personal inventory lists. |
