Hey Gardening Friends,

As we cruise into the last week of April and towards the warmer days that May will soon bring us, we'd like to share a couple of quick timely tips and talk about two different plants that we feel should get a lot more attention than they do. So, if you pre-ordered and planted CT hardy bananas last year, are anxious to start growing your own food in your gardens or raised beds, looking to add some bright and cheery color to your outdoor pots and containers, or are interested in learning more about a hardy, evergreen, drought tolerant perennial that is not eaten by deer, rabbits or groundhogs...please read on.

 

It's Time To Get Your CT Hardy Bananas Ready For The 2026 Growing Season!!!

We sold a whole bunch of these big and bold perennial plants last year. If you planted your banana or bananas in the ground, it's time to get them ready to be even bigger and bolder this year!!! Last fall we shared two different techniques for protecting your bananas over the winter. Mounding a deep layer of leaves over the root zone, or installing a ring of hardware cloth or chicken wire and filling with leaf mulch. Whichever method you chose to do, it's time to remove those leaves right now. Remember these are hardy perennials, so there's no need to wait for our frost frost-free growing season to begin to do this. In fact waiting much longer could be detrimental to your banana plants. So, you'll want to get out there this week and remove those leaves so that the warm sun can wake these babies up!

Two things to keep in mind when you do. The stems that you left behind after the plants were cut back last fall are probably going to be a soft and mushy mess. This is perfectly normal, so no need to be alarmed here. These are herbaceous perennials, so they die back to the soil line and regrow from below every year, just like peonies, Hostas and many other common garden perennials. Your new growth is going to emerge around last year's stems. The old stems will rot away and disappear over time, there's no need to try and remove them.

And these plants, as you've probably already noticed, grow very quickly and get very big. Big leaves, big stems, big everything. Because of this they are heavy feeders, meaning they require lots of nutrients. So fertilizing at the beginning of the season before new growth starts is always a great idea for these plants. We recommend Espoma Organic Plant Tone to get the job done here. Apply now, and then every 4 weeks until late summer.

 

You Can (And Should) Be Growing Veggies And Herbs Outside Right Now!

Some veggies and herbs can only be grown during our frost-free gardening season, think tomatoes and basil. But many can be planted now and will actually perform better if you do. Veggies like lettuce, kale, broccoli, cauliflower and peas would love to be planted now before the temps heat up. And its prime time to get most herbs going outside right now. Rosemary, thyme, sage, oregano, parsley and mint are good to go. And it's definitely time for dill and cilantro. These two herbs often languish during the heat of summer and will flourish during the cooler weather we experience this time of year.

 

It's Peak Pansy Time!!!

We've had 80-degree days followed by frosty nights during the past week. There aren't too many colorful annual plants that can handle this weather rollercoaster. In fact, we can only think of two. Pansies and their miniature cousins, violas. These guys are happiest at temperatures between 40 and 75 degrees, making this their happiest time of year. They can handle 26 degrees if they have to without harm, and they can manage 80 degrees at this time of year without skipping a beat. So, if you've been thinking about getting some color going in your pots and planters but maybe you're a little reluctant because of the weather, give pansies or violas a try. They're going to provide constant color from now until late May or early June. At that time the weather will be just right to replace them with heat loving summer annuals.

 

Lavender! A Perennial To Consider, Even If You've Tried And Failed!!!

Our #1 best-selling perennial plant here at The Gardener's Center is hands down lavender, botanically known as Lavandula. And for good reason. Beautiful spikes of fragrant purple flowers, equally fragrant foliage, drought tolerance, evergreen foliage and resistance to browsing from deer and other animals make this plant a superstar in the garden and landscape. But it can be a challenge to grow and to keep happy. And truth be told, it's not lavender's fault that it can be a bit frustrating. It's actually a super hardy plant that's easy to grow, if the right varieties are selected and the conditions are right.

Lavender is native to northern regions of the Mediterranean, think France, Spain and Italy. And not just the warm parts of this region. It's a cold hardy plant. Most varieties can handle temperatures well below zero. So why can it be so challenging to grow? It's all about soil, moisture and summer humidity. Being Mediterranean natives, these plants are accustomed to low humidity and well-draining sandy or gravelly soil. Conditions that are hard to meet here in SW Connecticut. A few things to consider for being successful with lavender in our climate...

1) Choose the right varieties. Phenomenal, Sensational, Provence and Grosso perform best here. These are all varieties of French lavender and are most adaptable to our local climate and conditions. Hidcote and Munstead, two very popular varieties of English lavender, often fail here.

2) Lavender likes water, but they don't like to be wet. This may seem confusing but here's the deal. They need water just like any other plant, but they don't want the soil surrounding their roots to remain wet. So heavy clay soils and overly rich soils high in organic matter are often the death knell for lavenders. Soil types that are common here where we garden. Lavender wants quick draining soil that holds just enough moisture, so sandy or gravelly soils are best. If you've ever been inspired by beautiful lavender that you've seen on Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket or Long Island, it's the sandy soil content of these seaside areas that make them so happy. So keep that in mind when planting lavender. A little soil amendment will go a long way.

3) Irrigation systems and lavender are usually a recipe for disaster. Lavender is a popular choice for creating a low border or edging in the landscape and foundation plantings where irrigation systems are being used. The trouble here is that other plants in the landscape, like boxwood, azaleas, Hydrangeas, etc. are going to require a lot more water than lavender. And the lavender will eventually end up overwatered and rotted. Lavender will always be best in areas without automated irrigation. Our four favorite varieties of lavender that we believe perform best in our area are available for pre-order right now. So if you've tried in the past and failed or if you're considering trying to grow these wonderfully fragrant plants for the first time, be rest assured that any of these selections coupled with sound advice and guidance from the crew here at The Gardener's Center will lead to success with lavender.