How to Have Success with Roses

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Have you met my friend Rosie? She likes to hang around all day, sunbathing, drinking and eating! She’s a colorful character – and a bit of a Diva! She’s really pretty and usually smells great. But she sure is spoiled! She can sulk if she isn’t getting her way, and she needs fairly regular visits from her personal trainer to keep her in shape! 

Ha, ha! Really, Roses are wonderful plants to include in the garden. Almost nothing compares to their scent. The ruffled, voluptuous beauty of a home-grown garden rose is hard to beat. They are surprisingly versatile and hardy plants with a bad reputation for being difficult. If you follow a few “rules”, then you can have success with Roses! 

Three main keys to success with Roses: sunlight, water & nutrition

Keeping my friend Rosie in mind, follow these tricks for success with growing Roses in your garden.

  1. Rosie loves to sunbathe. Light is one of the keys to success – Roses need lots of it. Choose a spot with no less than 6 strong hours of sun – more is better. The more light you give your plant, the more disease-free and floriferous it will be. 
  2. My friend Rosie lives in a big ol’ mansion on a hill. Soil preparation is key, and drainage is important. 
  3. Rosie likes to party – and she’s a bit of a heavy drinker! Give your plant a deep watering at least once a week.
  4. Rosie loves a good meal! Feed your plants regularly. Use organic, granular fertilizers. Synthetic fertilizers can burn the roots of a rose, esp. newly planted ones. 
  5. Rosie is a Diva; she doesn’t like competition. Don’t plant your Rose too close to other shrubs, or near established trees. Roses want all the goodness of the soil to themselves.
  6. Rosie needs her space. Roses need good air circulation to keep fungal diseases like powdery mildew and blackspot at bay. 

Those are some great basic rules to keep in mind. For more in-depth information to help you grow beautiful roses, keep reading!

Start with good genetics

Set yourself up for success. Choose good varieties. Look for Roses bred for disease resistance and repeat flowering. You can’t overcome weak genetics no matter how hard you work – so why try?!

How to plant a Rose: good soil preparation is key for success

Everything in the garden begins with the soil. While Roses are amazingly tolerant plants, if you take time to really prepare their bed, they will reward you in time with healthy, vigorous growth. These instructions are for a potted Rose. If you are planting a bare root rose, you will want to read this post.

  1. Choose a spot with good drainage and plenty of sunlight.
  2. Dig a big hole. It should be as deep as the root zone plus the graft, and be at least twice as wide as the root ball. The desired depth is to have the knobby graft be about 1” – 2” below the soil height.
  3. Gently slide the Rose from the pot, supporting the root system with your hand. If the root ball is pretty intact, you can place it in the hole. If much of the soil falls away from the roots, then you may want to make a little mound of soil. Firm it gently with your hand. Place the rootball on top. Gently tickle the roots loose, esp. if the plant is rootbound. If the hole you dug is too deep, add some soil back in, and tamp it down gently so the plant doesn’t sink as the soil settles.
  4. Fill the bottom half of the hole with the existing field soil you excavated when you dug the hole. Gently tamp it down.
  5. Amend the remaining soil with compost, aiming for a one-fourth to one-third ratio of compost to field soil. Be more generous with very sandy or very clay soils. Fill the rest of the hole with this amended soil, gently firming the soil as you go.
  6. Water liberally. You may need to let the hose slowly trickle to soak all the surrounding soil.
  7. Spread a 2” layer of mulch around the plant to help suppress weeds and hold water in the soil. Take care not to heap the mulch around the base of the rose, but a shallow layer across the plant is okay. In this way, Roses are different than other plants.
  8. Bonus round: Make sure the surrounding bed is a good host for the Rose – not just the planting hole! Apply 2”-3” of an organic soil amendment – such as our Soil Building Conditioner, Purely Compost or Farmyard Blend – to the whole bed! Use a spading fork to “wiggle” the soil open and get that organic amendment to sift into the existing soil.  The goal is to loosen and enrich the soil around the planting hole.

How to protect a Rose from deer

Roses need protection from deer. These cute but pesky critters think Rose buds are bon-bons! To ensure they don’t nibble your plants to nubbins you will need to protect them.  If you have a fenced yard for your Rose – perfect! If not, then you will need to protect your plant.

  1. Create a cage. Inserting 3 evenly-spaced stakes around the plant (ideally 48” tall). 
  2. Wrap a length of field fence in a circle, securing it to the stakes. 
  3. Or use the stakes as a framework, and wind wire or fishing line around them. Take care that no wire or plastic is touching or wrapped around the Rose. 
  4. Ensure the fencing is tall enough that deer cannot stick their heads over the fence for a snack of tasty Rose tips. 

Cage or not, it is a good idea to keep newly planted plants well-sprayed with deer repellant sprays – it can help to make a bad first impression with the deer!

How to feed a Rose

Roses are heavy feeders. Like a performance athlete, they need a nutritious diet! Here are some tips for making sure your plant has what it needs to stay healthy and flowering well.

  1.  Avoid toxic chemicals and synthetic fertilizers such as pesticides. These harsh chemicals can kill microbes and beneficial insects that naturally help a plant. Instead, go organic. These materials are gentler on the plant and the planet and won’t have a negative impact on the soil life.
  2. Ensure soil health. Yearly in early spring (just before or at bud break), after cleaning up any diseased foliage from the ground, mulch with 2” – 4” layer of compost or manure. This suppresses weeds, preserves soil moisture, and helps feed the soil and in turn, your Rose.
  3. When growth begins, apply a granular organic fertilizer. You can’t go wrong with one whose 3 numbers (the NPK) are low and balanced or close to it, like a 4-4-4, or 3-5-2, or even as high as a 10-10-10. Or look for a Rose formulation. Apply according to package directions. Dig it into the soil around the plant, and water in. This last step is particularly important: it delivers the nutrition to the roots, and prevents burned root tips.
  4. There are a few “home remedies” that rose growers employ. These may not be scientifically proven, but they don’t appear harmful. Some find alfalfa meal to be beneficial to Roses. Following package directions, dig this in around the rootzone of the plant. Beware: if you have rabbit problems in your garden you probably don’t want to do this!  Bunnies LOVE alfalfa and will be attracted to the scent. Similarly, some folks like to use bone meal to feed their Roses. This can attract dogs and make them want to eat the soil. Another “unproven” recipe is to work in a quarter cup of Epsom salts (magnesium sulphate) during your spring feeding. If you do this be SURE to water well so that salts don’t burn the roots.
  5. Every 3 weeks during the growing season, until August, water with a solution of liquid organic fertilizer. We recommend fish emulsion, or you can use a “bloom” formula.   

How to water a Rose

Roses love frequent, deep watering. 

  1. Once a week, leave the hose on a trickle for 30-60 minutes to make sure that water is soaking the entire depth of the root zone. It can be helpful to set a reminder alarm on your cell phone! Check the soil between waterings to see if an additional drink is needed. It is okay for the top 2” of soil to dry out if it is moist below that. If not, give another long soak.
  2. Don’t rely on a spray irrigation system to provide adequate, deep watering. These systems are usually programmed to provide more frequent, more shallow water.
  3. Do not wet the foliage when you water. This contributes to disease. Use drip irrigation, or aim your hose low, below the foliage. If you must wet the foliage, such as in a garden with spray head irrigation, do it early in the morning when there is plenty of sunshine and time for the foliage to dry.

How to prevent diseases & pests in Roses

  1.  The best way to ensure a disease-free rose is to select disease resistant varieties! Make this a requirement when you are shopping. For 2021, all the Roses we provide here at Venture Out have great disease resistance.
  2. If you have an existing plant that is plagued by disease, consider removing it. Life is short. Choose your battles. Why struggle against week genetics?!
  3. Give your plants room. Don’t plant Roses in a crowded spot, and don’t plant right around them. Air circulation is especially important.
  4. Clean up fallen leaves and petals. Old foliage can harbor spores and bacteria that can infect fresh foliage. Burn or landfill this stuff – don’t compost it. Avoid planting groundcover under your plant to make cleaning up easy.
  5. Remove diseased foliage as soon as you spot it.
  6. Keep the foliage dry. Use drip irrigation, or aim your hose low.
  7. Be proactive. If you know your plant tends to get a disease, begin your prevention regime early in the season. Spray before foliage emerges to kill any spores or bacteria overwintering on the stems. Then spray as the foliage opens to keep it “clean”. Follow the package directions, as some formulations are not safe for tender fresh foliage.  Always spray in the early morning with the light is gentle and the temperatures are cool and give plenty of time for the foliage to dry. Late afternoon, with similar conditions, can also be okay.
  8. Aphids love Roses. Remember that these little bugs are a favorite meal of ladybird beetles and other beneficial insects. Often it is enough to simply direct a hard stream of water at them, to knock them to the ground. Do this in the morning so the foliage has time to dry. Alternately, you can smash them with your fingers. Only resort to insecticides if the problem is severe – many of these sprays are indiscriminate and will kill the good guys along with the bad. Try to stick with organic solutions such as insecticidal soap. A remedy for any larger pests you may encounter is to shake the bugs off into a bucket of soapy water, drowning them.
  9. Keep your plants watered & fed so they are strong and able to fight off diseases!

How to maintain a Rose: harvesting, deadheading, and pruning

How you prune your Rose will depend on the type of Rose, the time of year and what your goals are. In late winter, Roses need pruning for shape. In summer, they need harvesting and deadheading. Periodically during the growing season they will need additional intervention to help guide their growth.

Whenever you prune, use a sharp pair of bypass pruners. Always cut to an outward facing node. Sanitize your tools with rubbing alcohol between cuts and especially between plants to prevent transference of diseases. Cut on a 45 degree angle, with the bud on the high side of the cut. Here is a handy picture from Completegarden.web that shows the proper cut, as well as wrong cuts and why they are bad.

Winter pruning: shape, structure and space

The goal of winter pruning is to restore shape to your Rose, to give it a good structure, and to create space within the branch arrangement. You want to have an open, even arrangement of strong healthy canes. The time to do this work is late in the winter, just as the buds are beginning to swell but before you plant leafs out. A handy reminder date for the Pacific NW is President’s Day.

  1. Remove any dead or broken branches. Remove any diseased or winter-damaged wood.
  2. Remove any suckers from below the graft union. This is the knobby area on the “trunk”, that should be just at the soil line, or slightly below. Often canes from below the graft won’t “match” the rest of the growth.
  3. Prune out any small, spindly growth on the inside.
  4. Prune out any crossing branches, and any branches growing toward the center of the plant. 
  5. Prune remaining canes: this is where it really varies among Rose types. For hybrid teas, Grandifloras, and Floribundas, cut back by half to two thirds of the shrub. For shrub roses and ramblers, remove a third of the overall canes (remember that some of the crossing canes that you pruned out in step 4 would count here). You can head them back a bit to give your plant shape, but don’t go crazy like you can with a hybrid tea. For climbers, you may not want to cut them back at all – simply prune out canes until you have a nice open structure.
  6. If there are any remaining old flowers or hips, do deadhead those away.

Summer pruning

The goal of summer pruning is to maintain flowering and vigor!

  1.  Deadheading is the removal of spent blooms. This is the key to keep plants flowering. Of course, some Roses only bloom once in their season and no amount of deadheading will help. If you are growing a variety that makes ornamental hips, you would leave some spent blooms to develop that fruit. But for most varieties of modern Roses, removing spent blooms can help with flower production. Prune back to the first leaflet of 5, just above an outward-facing bud.
  2. Maintain health and vigor with continued editing. As puny little stems emerge at the base, remove them so the plant focuses its energy on the strong growth. Remove growth cluttering the center to preserve air flow – this helps keep disease down.
  3. Sometimes a rose will throw out a stupidly long cane. Once it flowers, you can cut it back to a sensible length. For hybrid teas, Grandifloras, and Floribundas, you can cut to half the height of the shrub.
  4. For ramblers and shrub roses, and Roses that only flower once, prune for shape after flowering, a bit like you would in winter.

Cutting for harvest

The sight and scent of a Rose in the home can transform your day! If you like to cut Roses for arranging, follow these steps.

  1. Cut in the morning or evening, when temperatures are cool.
  2. If you can time your harvest to happen a few hours after watering, your blooms will have a longer vase life.
  3. Cut down the stem as deeply as needed for the size vase you plan to use.
  4. Always cut to a 5-leaflet leaf, and to a node with an outward facing bud.
  5. Immediately plunge the stem into tepid water. Increase the vase life of your bloom by making another cut underwater.
  6. Allow the stem to drink and rest for an hour or overnight before arranging.

If you would like more in-depth info on how to prune a rose, we have 2 posts with videos that can help! – How to Prune a Hybrid Tea Rose and How to Prune a Shrub Rose

Pick out your new favorite roses in our latest blog – Top 10 Roses for 2023

Remember, we are always here to help support you in your garden. If you have any questions about how to have success with Roses, stop by the nursery or give us a call!

Winter Gardening with Pollinators

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We gardeners are stewards of the earth. We share our garden not only with plants, but with the many critters that depend on them. This includes pollinators! Many species of insects and birds act as pollinators, including hummingbirds, bees, hoverflies, moths & butterflies, and more. Since pollinators are inextricably linked to food security (so many of the foods we eat require pollination, such as all fruits, beans, squashes and more), we should all be concerned about their health. Many of the choices we make as gardeners can support these creatures. Here are a few simple ways that you can help your local pollinators.

Winter-flowering plants provide food for pollinators

One of the most fun ways to help local populations of pollinators is to include winter-flowering plants in your garden. Though most of these insects hibernate during the cold temperatures, they can awaken and become active on warm days. Having a nectar source is important; it provides nourishment to them.  Cheer yourself and feed these little friends with some of these winter flowers. Planting in groups can make it easier for these winged friends to find this food.

Mahonia

There are several species of Mahonia, or Oregon Grape, that you can plant in your garden.  Pictured is the large evergreen shrub Mahonia x media, which is the earliest to flower. No garden should be without one! Their bright yellow flowers in December thru February are loved by hummingbirds and gardeners alike. The best part for Whidbey Island gardeners is that the deer do not love this plant!

Hellebore

How about another indispensable garden plant?! This easy-to-grow evergreen perennial brings cheer and nectar with its blooms, from December through March in shades of white, cream, pink, red and even black! Another early flowering perennial worth including is Pasque Flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris).

Primrose

These delightful perennial plants can be tucked in many little spots in the garden. Use them in beds as a groundcover or between deciduous perennials, or plant in pots for a spot of winter and early spring cheer. Other plants like this to include would be Cyclamen & Pansies.

Heather

Here’s a true work-horse plant! Heathers and Heaths offer evergreen interest – especially if you choose a variety with golden or silver foliage – as well as flowers from fall through spring. These are drought tolerant and deer-resistant!

Winter & spring flowering bulbs

We can’t overlook the contribution that winter & spring flowering bulbs make to the pollinator menu. Well known blooms such as Crocus, Muscari, Dutch Hyacinth as well as lesser-known ones like Snowdrop (Galanthus) and Winter Aconite are fun to include in the garden and offer nectar as well.

Erysimum

Deliciously fragrant Wallflower (Erysimum) is a treat for the nose as well as the pollinators.  These sun-loving, drought- and deer-tolerant semi-evergreen perennials are great for early color in the garden.

Other plants that are not pictured that are great sources of nectar include early flowering trees & shrubs, such as Witch Hazel, Forsythia, Cherries, Plums, Strawberry Trees (Arbutus), Abelia, Daphne, Cornelian Cherry (Cornus mas), Hebe and others.   

A “messy garden” is okay with pollinators! 

It is okay with many of these creatures if you aren’t a tidy gardener. “Messy gardens” can offer food and shelter. Plants that you didn’t deadhead can throw off the random bloom in the winter, offering a meal to any nectar-lovers flying by.

Loss of habitat is a leading reason for pollinator decline. Our gardens can help offset that loss. Random garden debris, such as leaf litter, spent stems, and curled up bits of bark and branches, offers shelter and nesting spots for overwintering insects. Give yourself a break and help your garden buddies.  Instead of raking every bit of debris up, leave a layer of litter and debris in place to compost and to provide this needed habitat.  

Only use organic chemicals in your garden

One of the major reasons pollinator populations are in decline across the globe is exposure to harmful chemicals. Make your garden a safe place for bird and insect life (and in turn, many other forms of life) by avoiding toxic chemicals such as Weed and Feed, Preen, Nicotine-based sprays (aka neo-nicotenoids) and other insect killers.

Learn more about pollinators:

Photo credit to Jennifer Reetz.

Fall Garden Maintenance Tips

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Fall is a busy time in the garden. Here are a few helpful tips and things to think about to help you be an effective gardener during this beautiful season.

Update Pots for Winter

This is a great time to give your pots a refresh. Dig out your summer annuals and replace them with fall and winter interest plants. Consider a colorful conifer for interest every day of the year. Get your flower fix by including a winter-flowering perennial like a Heather or Hellebore. Add some evergreen grass for texture, such as Bronze Carex or Blue Fescue. Tuck in a few seasonal annuals for splash. At this time of year, choose from Pansies, Cabbage Mums, or Cyclamen. Finish it off with something like Wintergreen, which offers red berries for a final bit of zip. Don’t forget to work in a few fresh handfuls of compost or manure to give your plants the fertility they need to be their best.

Protect Your Trees, Shrubs from Deer

Late fall/early winter is rutting season. This is when bucks rub their antlers and foreheads on trees, shrubs, fenceposts, etc. to release their scent and mark their territory. Surround your plants with fencing, monofilament, or deer spray to protect them from damage. Even “deer resistant” plants are eligible for rutting damage. 

If you would like to read more about protecting your plants from deer, you can read this blog post. 

Tidy Up with Care

Keeping a clean garden is important for disease prevention, but it is also important to consider the birds and bugs. Strategically leave some standing dead perennials to provide winter interest in the garden, as well as food for the birds. 

Any flower in the daisy family makes seeds that small birds adore. Take the easy road – instead of deadheading your Brown-Eyed Susans, Asters, and Heleniums, leave them to form seed heads. When it snows, it’s really charming to watch little birds land on these stems and peck their dinners out!

Spent stems can be beautiful! Plants such as grasses, Iris, Phlomis, Artichoke/Cardoon, Yarrow, Agapanthus, and Allium make beautiful seed heads that provide lots of interest when left standing for the winter.

Don’t get too tidy in the garden or you can clean away habitat for nature’s helpers. Creatures like ground beetles, snakes, and lizards eat slugs, slug eggs, and other bothersome critters. They need the cover of stones, branches, and leaves to hide in during the winter. Create habitat for them by leaving some of your deciduous perennials “unkempt” for the winter. Letting the foliage die back naturally and rot provides cover. You can also leave a few small logs laying around, or create small piles of stones for them to hide in. Evergreen grasses, ferns, and perennials are also wonderful shelters for these garden friends.

Stop the Pest and Disease Cycle

Keep your plants healthy next year by cleaning up diseased foliage now. Don’t perpetuate disease by composting the infected foliage; instead, throw it in the trash. This includes common garden plant diseases such as black spot, botrytis, powdery mildew, shot hole, and other fungal infections.

Prevent overwintering pests. If you have had an insect infestation in your garden, read up on how that critter overwinters, and take care to disrupt their overwintering habits in order to have fewer pests next year. 

Those of us with fruit trees should clean up all fallen fruit to prevent overwintering of fruit pests such as Apple Maggot. Dispose of the fruit–do not compost it. Similarly, rake up and dispose of the leaves from any trees that have suffered from scab to prevent fungal spores from overwintering.

To cut or not to cut? 

Some plants are puzzling! When should we cut them back? Here are a few ways to think about plants that I find helpful in analyzing what to cut back or not. 

Meet the Silvers! These are plants like Lavender, Russian Sage (Perovskia), Lamb’s Ear (Stachys), Wormwood (Artemesia), Senecio, and so on. Pretty much any plant with silver foliage does NOT want to be cut back when it is chilly. 

Another group is “plants on the verge.” These are plants that are on the verge of hardiness here in the PNW. These include any woody shrubs/perennials from warmer places, such as Pittosporum, Manzanita (Arctostaphylos), Grevillia, Leptospermum, Eucalyptus, Hebe, and so on.

Another group of plants that should NOT be cut back are the evergreen grasses. Plants such as Carex (of all types), Blue Oat (Helictotrichon), Blue Fescue (Festuca), Mondo (Ophiopogon), and Lilyturf (Ophiopogon) are all grasses that prefer to be left alone and should rarely be cut back! If these plants start looking tattered, you can cut them back in the spring when temps start to warm and your lawn is waking up. Follow a trim with an application of a nitrogen fertilizer for the best regrowth. Only cut these plants back every several years.

Reconfigure

Since fall is the best time for planting and transplanting, it’s a great time to take a fresh look at your garden. Did it work this year? Are there changes you’d like to make? Do you have enough winter interest? Take advantage of low-stress weather (for the digger and the plant!), as well as the many root-growth cycles that autumn and winter offer and make your garden edits and additions now. 

Shop for Fall Color

The best time to buy a plant for its fall color is when it’s showing it. Come on over to Venture Out to see the show and make your selection. Here are a few of my favorite plants for fall foliage:

  • Sumac (Rhus) ‘Gro-Lo’
  • Dogwood (Cornus) ‘Baileyi’
  • Cranberry Viburnum ‘Winterthur’
  • Witch Hazel (Hamamelis)
  • Cherry (Prunus)
  • Maple, especially Acer ginnala
  • Smoke Bush (Cotinus)
  • Barberries (Berberis)
  • Serviceberry (Amelanchier)

Shop for Winter Interest

When the leaves are falling, it’s a good time for plants to reveal their winter charms, bringing the focus to their forms, bark, or persistent berries/fruit. Here are a few of my favorite plants for winter interest:

  • Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia)
  • Vine Maple (Acer) ‘Pacific Fire’
  • Striped Bark Maple (Acer tegmentosum)
  • Spindle Tree (Euonymus europea)
  • Hawthornes Crataegus lavallei or ‘Winter King’
  • Crabapples (Malus), especially ‘Golden Raindrops’
  • Korean Dogwood (Cornus kousa)
  • Stewartia pseudocamellia or monadelpha

And then, of course, there are all the colorful conifers that number too many to talk about here. (Learn more about my favorite conifers in this blog post.)

Protect and Improve Your Soil

This is the time for making compost, spreading compost, mulching, and for planting cover crops. Mulches and cover crops help protect your soil from erosion caused by winter rains. They can help keep nutrients from being carried away with the rain, and they can help prevent cool-season weeds from germinating.

Fall clean up offers lots of material for the compost. Remember that fallen leaves and spent plants are often a great source of trapped nutrients. Adding this plant material to your compost will make it more nutritious for the next plants to receive it. Maintain the potency of the compost pile by keeping it covered so rain doesn’t wash away all its goodness.

Prepare for spring beauty!

Look ahead and plan your spring garden now! Plant bulbs such as Daffodil, Hyacinth, and Tulip for a welcome blast of color in the spring. Protect them from squirrels digging by covering the planting area with a piece of hardware cloth staked over the bulbs. In my garden, Daffodils, Alliums, and Dutch Hyacinth are the most deer resistant of the bulbs.

Sow cool season annual seeds like Love in a Mist (Nigella) and Larkspur.

October and November are also the best months to plant garlic!

Prune

Once a plant has lost its leaves, it is safe for pruning. This is the easiest time to see the skeleton of the plants. It is really best to wait until the plant has been dormant for a while. Fall is an okay time for light pruning.

Winterize

Prepare for freezing and windy weather. Turn off and winterize your irrigation system. Drain and hang hoses. Protect spigots with insulating covers.

Bring in any tender patio plants that you wish to overwinter, such as Hibiscus, Princess Flower (Tibuchina), Bougainvillea, Mandevilla, Geranium, tender Succulents, and so on.

Windproof your garden. Store your patio furniture. Make sure row covers are weighted down. Tidy away buckets, watering cans, etc.

Slug and Snail Control

Whenever it is moist, slugs and snails flourish! Protect your plants by using a non-toxic, iron phosphate-based slug bait like Slug Magic or Sluggo. Products like these control the slug and snail population without causing danger to dogs and cats.

Certainly, this isn’t ALL there is to do in the fall garden, but hopefully this helps you get started!

Happy gardening!

Oh, Deer! Winning the Battle with Whidbey Island’s most Notorious Garden Pests

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Deer are a part of life on South Whidbey. They are often seen wandering the roadsides, strolling the outskirts of town, and munching their way through local gardens. For newcomers to the island, deer sightings illicit delight: “They’re so cute!” But this attitude quickly changes with the first forays into gardening here on the rock.

If you don’t experience problems with deer in your landscape, count yourself lucky! For the rest of us, these cute creatures can be a real nuisance. Here are some strategies for gardening in deer country.

Choose Deer Resistant Plants

This is a first step, but we have to be honest: no plant is 100% “deer proof. Whidbey deer have been known to consume even the most thorny, stinky, and downright poisonous plants known to gardeners. From Barberry to Euphorbia, Japanese Forest Grass to Foxglove, no plant on our island seems to be safe.

Young deer, especially, are willing to try just about anything. And “try” doesn’t always mean an exploratory nibble: sometimes the critters strip several branches before deciding they don’t like it.

Here at Venture Out Nursery, we offer a list of “Deer Resistant Plants” to our customers. It includes the prickly, smelly, and toxic options mentioned above, as well as beautiful and worthy things like Russian Sage, Yarrow, Bear’s Breeches, and Hellebore. But it comes with this disclaimer: no plant is 100% deer proof. What a deer will eat may depend on the herd, the season, the location of the plant, and what other food is available nearby.

Use Barriers

Try these options to protect your landscaping from the cute invaders:

  • Build a deer-proof fence. Deer can jump up to 8 feet high, so make sure your fence is tall enough to deter them.
  • Protect tempting plants with chicken wire.
  • Protect plants with fishing line. Drive three to five wooden stakes into the ground around the plant or tree, then wrap the perimeter in fishing line, spiraling from bottom to top. You can leave about 6” between each wrap. Deer are uncomfortable ducking their heads into small spaces, so the fishing line provides an effective barrier, and, possibly, a more attractive option than chicken wire. Make sure your stakes are tall enough to protect the desired plant or tree: deer can stand on their hind legs to reach those upper limbs!

Use Repellents

Deer seem to be especially interested in new plantings, often devouring plants within the first week of them being planted. Make the first introduction a negative experience by keeping new plants well-doused with deer repellent spray. Here at Venture Out, we carry a non-toxic formula that is safe for people, pets, and wildlife. Made from hot peppers and putrescent egg solids, these sprays effectively repel deer as well as rabbits and squirrels. It is even safe to use on fruits and vegetables. Just remember to wash it off before you take a bite, so you don’t get surprised by a yucky, spicy mouthful! Reapply frequently in rainy weather.

Even Deer-Resistant Plants Need Protection During the Fall

Eating plants isn’t the only way that deer can wreck a garden. The autumn through early winter is rutting season, when the deer are mating. Male deer can do serious damage to the garden. They rub their antlers on any tree or shrub in their path in order to leave their scent and thereby define their territory and attract mates. Discourage damage to your plants by protecting them with chicken wire or fishing line during this time of year.

We hope some of these techniques prove useful in your landscape! Please visit us at the nursery for more ideas for keeping your garden beautiful despite living in deer country.

Written by Olivia Round & Tobey Nelson.

 

Learn about some of Tobey’s favorite deer resistant plants and tips in this video!

Growing Rhododendrons on Whidbey Island

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Rhododendrons are ubiquitous in Pacific Northwest gardens—to the point where some would consider them a “boring” addition to the landscape. But the case for planting rhododendrons is strong: These evergreen shrubs are hardy and resistant to diseases and pests, with a long blooming period. They tolerate freezing temperatures better than most other broadleaf plants. They also thrive in part shade and moist and acidic soils, making them perfect candidates for the Pacific Northwest!

Rhodies are one of the most widely hybridized plants in the world, but the original species still exist. “Species Rhodies,” as they’re called, are found growing in nature across the Northern Hemisphere, with a high concentration in the Sino-Himalaya area (think Eastern China).

Although not widely available, these “Species Rhodies” are being cultivated and sold by a few growers in the Pacific Northwest, including Chimacum Woods in Port Ludlow, Washington. That’s where Venture Out Nursery sources their selection of Species Rhodies!

Rhodies arrived in Europe during the height of the Renaissance, during the age of exploration. The first collected Species Rhodies were brought to England in 1656, and the shrubs were soon incorporated into many European gardens. Rhododendrons were able to withstand the collection and delivery process better than other plants, due to their fibrous and relatively shallow root systems.

Optimal Rhododendron Growing Conditions

Sun: Sun and shade tolerance vary among varieties, but in general, rhodies prefer morning sun and afternoon shade.

Soil: Rhodies need acidic, loamy, well-drained, moist soils.

Deer: Rhododendrons are generally deer-resistant, although young plants should be protected from curious fawns.

Pruning: The canopy can be carefully cut back by up to 1/3. The best time for pruning is usually after the blooming period has just ended (summer to fall, depending on the species).

Fertilization: Rhodies will benefit from an all-purpose or slightly acidic fertilizer, like the “Azalea, Rhododendron, & Camellia” fertilizer by G&B, which is now in stock at Venture Out Nursery. Rhodies can be fertilized in the early spring as the shrubs are beginning to bud, to encourage blooms and new growth. 

Favorite Species Rhododendrons

Large Leaves

Rhododendron kesangiae: Rose pink flowers fade to pastels. Superb large leaves, and one of the most reliable and hardiest of all rhododendrons. Can grow into a large shrub or a small tree.

Rhododendron fictolacteum: White flowers with deep purple spots on throat. Leaves can grow up to 1 foot long with fuzzy orange undersides. Can grow 5 feet in 10 years.

Rhododendron rex: Glossy, large leathery leaves, pale white flowers with rosy tints, and dark purple spots. Can grow 6 feet in 10 years.

Unusual Flowers or Foliage

Rhododendron orbiculare: Soft pink, bell-shaped flowers. Wide, rounded leaves can resemble lily pads. Compact growth habit.

Rhododendron spinuliferum: Tubular blooms in red, soft orange, and white. Unusual twisting, airy growth habit means this shrub won’t have the tidy, rounded shape of many rhodies. Long, deeply veined leaves add interest. Can grow 8 feet with 10+ years.

Rhododendron wiltonii: Soft pink blooms blotched with darker rose tones. Leaves have prominent veins and cinnamon-colored undersides. Forms a rounded shrub 4‒5 feet high in 10 years.

Fragrant Flowers

Rhododendron auriculatum: A late-bloomer (July‒August) with white flowers that sometimes blush pink and are always deliciously fragrant. Hairy, narrow green leaves. Can grow 6 feet in 10 years.

Rhododendron decorum: Late-blooming white, fragrant blossoms. Can grow 10 feet in 10 years, larger with time.

Hummingbird Early Favorites

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Looking for plants that hummingbirds love? Anna’s hummingbirds, the only species to overwinter rather than migrate south, will especially appreciate these cold season bloomers. During the long months of January, February, and March, nectar is less abundant. But with spring in the air, this is the perfect time to plant your garden for next year’s winter hummingbird buffet!

Pulmonaria

Also called lungwort, this shade-loving perennial is blooming now in a variety of colors, from hot pink to violet blue. Pulmonaria is a rich source of nectar, providing food for bees and butterflies, as well as hummingbirds. The rough leaf texture deters the three most common garden pests on Whidbey Island: slugs, rabbits, and deer. Pulmonaria’s attractive spotted leaves are very resistant to powdery mildew, and it blooms well in part sun to deep shade.

‘Yuletide’ Camellia

Yuletide is one of the earliest blooming camellias. With bright red petals and a golden center, it’s no wonder these flowers attract hummingbirds. This glossy-leafed evergreen shrub blooms well even in part shade.

Mahonia x media ‘Charity’

This winter-blooming shrub has already flowered for the season, but the vivid yellow, fragrant flowers provided food for overwintering hummingbirds in December and January. Mahonia is also deer and rabbit resistant, and tolerant of both sun and shade.

Hellebore

With a variety of flower colors and leaf textures, the selection of hellebores seems endless. These perennials bloom from January to March, are shade tolerant, and are both deer and rabbit resistant.

Flowering Currant

A native flowering shrub that bursts into bloom in March, just in time to feed the returning migratory hummingbirds. Even with the recent cold weather, we saw some flowering currants blooming last week!

Bleeding Heart

These nodding pink blooms appear in early spring, attracting hungry hummingbirds. Bleeding heart prefers moist soil and part shade.

Other Hummingbird Attractors

Water Sources

Hummingbirds need access to shallow pools of water for drinking and bathing. Shallow bird baths (we’ve got some beauties!) or garden misters are recommended.

Hiding Places

These tiny birds need a place to rest, out of view of predators. Tall shrubs offer the perfect respite.

Healthy, Organic Gardens

Did you know hummingbirds also eat insects? It turns out they can’t survive on sugar alone! Hummingbirds need to consume small insects and spiders for protein, so cultivating an organic garden free of chemical pesticides will provide them with a balanced diet.

Undisturbed Nests

Be careful when pruning or removing trees in your landscape: there might be a hummingbird (or other bird species) nest up there! Hummingbirds lay eggs the size of jelly beans in late winter/early spring, and hatchlings remain in the nest 3 weeks after they emerge. By May or June, the hatchlings should fly away and a nesting tree can be removed.

Japanese Maples

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We love Japanese Maples. These deciduous trees provide year-round interest, offering a wide variety of colors and texture in the spring, summer, and fall, with elegant branches visible in the winter.

Stop by the Nursery today to find your next fall favorite. Will it be the plum-colored Purple Sentinel? A blushing Red Emperor? A sneak-attack Osakasuki, that makes a sudden change from deep green to fiery red in the fall? Or perhaps you’d prefer the vibrant yellows of the Ichigyoji’s autumn leaves? We have all of these varieties and dozens more available for your viewing pleasure!

Tips for Success

Sun

Japanese Maples prefer morning sun and afternoon shade. Most maples will burn in the intense heat of the afternoon sun. Even the more “sun-tolerant” Maples can show signs of leaf burn during the first few growing seasons until they fully adjust to their location. Conversely, putting Maples in deep shade will make their fall color less vibrant.

Soil

Well-drained, compost-rich soil is best for Japanese Maples. If you have heavy clay or sandy soil, and need to amend it, we recommend products such as Gardner & Bloome’s Soil Conditioner or Purely Compost. Just ask us which soil amendment is right for you!

Salt

These trees are not suited for coastal areas with strong winds and salt spray. If there’s any chance that airborne salt will get on the tree, plant it somewhere more protected!

Containers

Japanese Maples can live for many years in large containers, provided they have good drainage and consistent watering. Proper pruning boosts a containerized Maples’ health and vigor. Also, a handful of all-purpose fertilizer applied once a year will be greatly appreciated by your tree! Depending on pot size, a small Maple may need to be root-pruned and re-potted as it grows.

Deer

Unfortunately, deer love Japanese Maples as much as we do. Younger trees are particularly vulnerable, whereas more established trees aren’t as affected by occasional grazing. You’ll want to protect small Japanese Maples from deer with a liquid spray or, preferably, a physical barrier. See our recent “Oh Deer!” blog post for more tips to keep your garden safe from deer.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call, email, or stop by the Nursery for more information. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Written by Olivia Round.