DEER RESISTANT PLANTS

May 24, 2024 Karen Logan

Vineyard Gardens garden bed. Amsonia hubrichtii (center with blue flowers) and Bronze Fennel, a perennial herb (in the background) are both deer resistant perennials

********************************************************************

DEER IN YOUR GARDEN

Deer show distinct preferences to certain types of flowers. Plants that are soft to the touch with high water content (like hostas) are favorites, as well as buds and rhododendrons. Deer don’t seem to like plants with coarse, bristly, fuzzy, or spiny textures, nor do they enjoy those with intense aromas. That said, if hungry enough, deer will eat anything. They will leave jagged damage on your plant leaves so you will know they have been to your house for dinner. The heaviest browsing by deer will occur from October through February, especially during difficult winter months.

Note: Even “resistant” varieties can be vulnerable in the first few weeks after planting. If you have major deer problems, we recommend spraying new plants with a deer-repellent for 3 to 4 weeks after planting to prevent them from being nibbled on and damaged. The plants should survive even if they are feasted on, as long as the root systems of the plants are not damaged.

*Black Chokeberry, a deer resistant native shrub*

Forget Me Nots & Bleeding Hearts are both deer resistant plants.

********************************************************************

CONTROL AND PREVENTION

How to Get Rid of Deer

There are many techniques you can try to deter deer from munching on your plants. Try some of these methods for your garden:

Spray flowers and shrubs with a deer repellent that contains a mixture of dried bovine blood, sulfured eggs, and garlic. These repellents are available at most home and garden stores. They will not harm your plants and are usually effective in deterring deer.

Scatter or hang bars of deodorant or cheap motel soap around the garden; if you leave the wrappers on, the soap will last longer. Irish Spring is particularly recommended.

For your garden, choose flowers and shrubs that are unpalatable to deer, such as forsythia, lilac bush, marigolds, zinnias, daffodils, lavender and snapdragons. Contact your local cooperative extension for suggestions in your area. Here is the Almanac’s list of deer-resistant plants.
Put strong-smelling plants that deer don’t like on the outside of your garden and smaller plants that need more protection on the inside. Deer tend to stay away from poisonous plants, strongly flavored plants, and plants with hairy or furry leaves.
The most reliable method is to fence in your garden. We sell a black vinyl fence for keeping deer out. The fence needs to be at least 8ft tall. A strong 8ft metal fence would work nicely but that can get quite expensive.

********************************************************************

DEER RESISTANT ANNUALS

Calendula Bon Bon mix. A dwarf Calendula. Blooms all summer in full sun or part shade.

DEER RESISTANT ANNUALS

Acroclinum (Paper Flower)
Ageratum
Angelonia: Dwarf Serena, tall Angelonias and our favorite tall one is the Angel Face Series
Bachelor Buttons (Corn Flowers)
Bracteantha (Strawflower)
Brugmansia
Calendula (Angel's Trumpets)
Cleome (Spider Flowers)
Cosmos sulphureus: Cosmos Xanthos,Cosmos Apricotta and our new Cosmos Diablo
Datura (Trumpet Flower)
Delphinium (Larkspur)
Dusty Miller (Silver Ragwort)
Euphorbia marginatá ‘Snow on the Mountain’

Geraniums (Crane's Bill)
Geraniums (scented)
Gomphrena (Globe amaranth)
Gypsophila (Baby's Breath)
Heliotropium (Heliotrope)
Herbs (annuals): cilantro / parsley / dill / chervil / lemon grass / lavender / lemon verbena / marjoram
Lantana
Limonium (Statice) (Sea lavenders)
Lobularia maritima (Alyssum)
Papaver (Poppies)
Salvias
Tagetes (Marigolds)

Salvia “Amistad” (annual and season extender)

********************************************************************

DEER RESISTANT PERENNIALS

Pennisetum Moudry-black fountain grass blooms in late summer

DEER RESISTANT PERENNIALS

Achillea (Yarrow)

Aconitum (Wolf's bane)
Agastache (Anise hyssop)
Allium Ornamental Onion)
Alpestris (Forget-Me-Nots)
Amsonia (Blue Stars)
Ariseama (Jack-in-the-Pulpit)
Arum (Arum Lilies)
Aruncus (Goatsbeard)
Artemesia (Mugworts)
Asarum (Wild Gingers)
Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Weed)
Aster
Astilbe (False Goatsbeard)
Baptisia (Wild Indigo)
Borage
Bronze Fennel
Cimicifuga (Bugbane)
Coreopsis verticillata ‘Zagreb’ and ‘Moonbeam’ (Whorled Tickseed)
Corydalis
Dicentra (Bleeding Heart)
Digitalis (Foxglove)
Dryopteris (Wood Ferns)
Echinops (Globe Thistle)
Epimedium (Barrenwort)
Euphorbia (Spurges)

Festuca glauca (Blue Fescue)

Helleborus (Hellebore)
Herbs (perennial): Rosemary / thyme / sage / tarragon / mints / Rue
Iris: Bearded, Japanese and Siberian Iris
Kirengeshoma (Yellow Wax Bells)
Lavandula (Lavender)
Liatris (Blazing stars)
Lily if the valley
Marrubium vulgare (Horehound)

Melissa officinalis (Lemon balm)
Mint family perennials
Monarda (Beebalm)
Narcissus (Daffodils)
Nepeta (Catnips)
Oregano Drops of Gold Jupiter (new)
Oregano: ornamental and edible
Ornamental Grasses
Osmunda Fern (Royal Fern)
Pachysandra
Paeonia (Peonies)
Papaver (Poppies)
Perovskia (Russian Sage)
Salvia
Stachys bizantina (Lambs Ears)
Teucrium (Germanders)
Yucca

********************************************************************

DEER RESISTANT TREES & SHRUBS

DEER RESISTANT TREES & SHRUBS

Abelia
Acer (Maple)
Aesculus (Horse Chestnut)
Amelanchier (Serviceberry)
Aralia (Spikenards)
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (Bearberry)
Aronia (Chokeberry)
Aucuba (spotted laurel)
Betula (Birch)
Buddleja davidii (Butterfly Bush)
Buxus (Boxwood)
Callicarpa (Beautyberry)
Calycanthus floridus (Sweet Shrub)
Calycanthus virginicum (Carolina Allspice)
Caryopteris (Bluebeard)
Cercidiphyllum (Katsura)
Chaenomeles (Flowering Quince)
Chamaecyparis (False Cypress)
Chionanthus
Clerodendron trichotoma (Harlequin Glorybower)
Clethra (Sweet Pepperbush)
Cotinus (Smoke bush)
Cornus (Dogwood)
Cotoneaster (Bearberry cotoneaster)
Cryptomeria (sugi)
Daphne
Deutzia
Enkianthus
Forsythia
Fothergilla
Gleditsia
Hamamelis (Witch-hazel)
Hibiscus syriacus (Rose of Sharon)
Hypericum (St. Johns Wort)
Ilex opaca (American Holly)
Ilex verticillata (Winterberry Holly)
Illicium floridanum (Florida Anise)
Itea virginica (Virginia sweetspire)

Juniperus (Junipers)
Kerria japonica
Kolkwitzia (Beauty Bush)
Symphoricarpos (Crepe Myrtle)
Leucothoe fontanesiana (Fetterbush)
Lindera (Spicebush)
Liriodendron tulipifera (tuliptree)
Magnolia
Mahonia aquifolium (Oregon Grape Holly)
Mahonia nervosa
Mahonia repens
Metasequoia (dawn redwood)
Microbiota decussata (Siberian Cypress)
Myrica pensylvanica (Bayberry)
Nellia sinensis
Osmanthus (Devilwood)
Oxydendrum (sorrel tree)
Philadelphus (Mock oranges)
Picea glauca (Alberta Spruce)
Pieris japonica (Andromeda)
Pines
Potentilla (Cinquefoil)
Prunus laurocerasus (Cherry Laurel)
Prunus maritima (Beach plum)
Prunus serrulata (Japanese Cherry)
Rhus (Sumac)
Rubus (Trailing Blackberry)
Salix (Willows)
Sambucus (Elderberry)
Sarcococca hookeriana (Sweetbox)
Skimmia
Spirea (Meadowsweets)
Symphoricarpos (Coralberry)
Syringa vulgaris (Lilac)
Viburnum dentatum (Arrowwood Viburnum)
Weigela
Wisteria

********************************************************************

oh deer!

Monrovia deer resistant plants

[PLANT PROFILE] ROSES

May 23, 2024 Karen Logan

ROSES

With all the beautiful varieties out there, how do you choose which rose fits your landscape?

Vineyard Gardens can help you choose the perfect rose for your desired location! Here is a breakdown of the types of roses and a sampling of what we carry.

David Austin Roses photo by keith kurman

ROSE VARIETIES

CLIMBING ROSES
Climbing roses work great on fences or a trellis. You can train your rose to climb in any direction that you choose by tying it in that direction.
David Austin Climbing Roses we carry:
New Dawn Roses: One of the most popular roses that climbs is the New Dawn Rose. It is a pale pink climber that is very popular on the white fences in Edgartown. We have large 9 gal trellised New Dawns for $149.95 and 20 gal for $239.95
Tess of the D’Urbervilles: A compact climbing rose with Crimson red blooms. A medium Old Rose fragrance
Bathsheba: A climbing rose with apricot flowers. Myrrh fragrance.
Zephirine Drouhin: A climbing rose with deep rose pink flowers. A strong fruity fragrance.

Climbing New Dawn Rose (David Austin Roses)

SHRUB ROSES:
Knock Out Roses: Have you ever heard of a Knock Out Rose? They have a traditional rose bloom. They are great repeat bloomers and tend to bloom longer than most other rose bushes! They hold a mounded shape if pruned correctly but they DO NOT climb. We have the double pink knockout, the red knockout and the double red knock out for $49.96.
Rosa palustris Marsh: Swamp Rose is a native multi-branched perennial shrub with extremely fragrant pink blooms. The rose hip fruit is red and fleshy. Birds love the seeds inside.
Julia Child Rose: Pale yellow flowers with licorice clove scent
Seafoam Rose: Creamy white blooms with a light fragrance.
Blanc Double de Coubert: Intensely fragrant pure white blooms.

David Austin shrub Roses we carry:
** DAVID AUSTIN ROSES: These are large shrub roses known for their double flowers and fragrant blooms. Plus they are disease resistance! We sell them for $54.95.
Vanessa Bell: Pale yellow flowers with a fragrance is similar to green tea. It forms a bushy, upright shrub. 4’ x 3’
Desdemona: White with pinkish hue blooms. Old Rose fragrance with hints of almond blossom, cucumber and lemon zest.
Gertrude Jekyll: Large shrub with bright pink blooms. Old Rose fragrance.
Olivia Rose: Medium shrub with mid pink flowers and fruity fragrance.
The Fairy: Small shrub with light pink flowers and mild fragrance.

GROUND COVER ROSES
Ground Cover Roses are great for border planting or erosion control. They will add color to any full sun area. They are best planted in the front of the garden as they stay low and sprawl!
ROSA RUGOSA
Our naturalized beach rose. The most drought tolerant rose I have ever come across. We have 3 gal pink and 1 gal, 3 gal and 10 gal alba or white.
MINIATURE ROSES
Do you want a rose bush but don’t have the garden space? We have brought in a few different varieties of dwarf roses to give you the opportunity to grow these great cut flowers in containers!

ROSE CARE

Roses love full sun, well drained soil & manure!

Apply a fertilizer now. The recommended fertilizer would be Plant-tone.

Looking for something different? We have just touched the surface on rose varieties. To learn more come visit us at the nursery and we will surely find the perfect fit for your property!

TOMATOES

May 16, 2024 Karen Logan

TOMATOES

(Solanum lycopersicon)

History of the tomatoes goes back to 500 BC. Apparently many different cultivars were displayed at an Aztec Market in Tenochtitlan, ranging in color from the brightest red to the deepest yellow.

Tomato season is upon us and there are so many varieties available. How do you choose which to grow? At Vineyard Gardens we are very proud of our heirloom selection that we grow from seed. Fedco is one of our major sources for heirloom tomato seeds. We grow disease resistant tomatoes as well. We order our cherry, grape tomatoes, mid-size sandwich tomatoes and the big extra large tomatoes.

PLANTING TOMATOES

Right now, we recommend you start with a plant because it’s too late in the season to start tomatoes from seed.
It is best to start with a young plant that has been greenhouse grown because of the long growing season needed.
It is a heat loving plant that likes rich soil and lots of sun.
Plant it after the last frost.
If you are going to grow it in a pot make sure it is a big pot with good drainage.
Cherry tomatoes do well in large pots. Coast of Maine potting soil is a good choice because it has some compost in it. Potting soil has been developed to have good drainage so always use potting soil in pots.

Heirloom vs Hybrid Tomatoes

At Vineyard Gardens we carry both hybrid and heirloom tomatoes. A few of the hybrids we carry are Burpees Big Boy and Big Beef, two of the largest ones, and Celebrity, a mid size disease resistant tomato.

HEIRLOOM TOMATOES

Heirloom tomatoes have been grown for around 40 plus years without crossbreeding. They are open-pollinated, which means pollinated by insects or wind without human intervention. That allows them to remain stable in their characteristics from one year to the next. Gardeners appreciate their consistency in taste and agree that most heirloom varieties tend to have greater flavor than hybrids. Heirloom tomatoes are often grown locally and allowed to ripen on the vine, then harvested. This method enhances their flavor. They often produce only a small number of fruit. Since they have not had the selective crossbreeding as hybrids, Heirloom Tomatoes tend to be more susceptible to pest disease, especially fungus, which makes them crack and split. **

HEIRLOOM PLUSES

STABILITY: Heirlooms produce large numbers of seeds and bear tomatoes identical to parents
TASTE: Heirlooms are considered flavorful, and even superior to commercially-produced varieties
INDIVIDUALITY: Many heirlooms have unique shapes and sport a variety of colors, including purple, yellow, white, orange, pink, red, green, black and striped.

HEIRLOOM MINUSES

INDIVIDUALITY: Unusual, misshapen or inconsistent tomatoes.
PRODUCTIVITY: Heirlooms take longer to mature and produce fewer tomatoes than hybrids.
DISEASE-RESISTANCE: More susceptible to disease.

HYBRID

Hybrid tomatoes typically yield a crop that is uniform in both appearance and timing. Typical supermarket tomatoes are hybrids that have been carefully crossbred to achieve a desired combination. Some of those characteristics may be bigger in size, better disease resistance, dependability, less required care, early maturity, higher yield, and/or specific plant size.**

HYBRID PLUSES

PRODUCTIVITY: You'll harvest more tomatoes
DISEASE-RESISTANCE: Hybrids have a reputation for not being as susceptible to diseases and pests as their heirloom counterparts.
STRENGTH: Hybrids are known for yielding tomatoes of similar size and with fewer blemishes.
LONGEVITY: Harvested hybrid tomatoes have staying power. They endure the long hours on at the roadside farm stand better than heirlooms

HYBRID MINUSES

FLAVOR: Most gardeners agree that hybrids are not as flavorful as heirlooms
INSTABILITY: Long term hybrids don't produce seeds as strong as what birthed them- according to experts. However, many gardeners claim they save hybrid seeds year to year which produce seedlings and fruit that is true to the original hybrid.

HEIRLOOM TOMATOES VARIETIES at VINEYARD GARDENS

COSMONAUT VOLKOV - ORGANIC (65 days) What makes Cosmonaut so special is it’s sweet, rich and full bodied juice. Fedco catalog editor noted her “Cosmonauts ripened nice fruits outdoors into early October one year, weeks after her other slicers had croaked.” (*Fedco)

BIZHIKI - ORGANIC (75 days)

RUTGERS 250 TOMATO - ORGANIC (75 days) This ½ lb deep red slicer is smooth, solid, blemish and crack free. It’s a perfect palm size, holding and ripening off the vine for at least 10 days. And a real sandwich-maker: tangy-tart with tomato-y depth, and lightly sweet. But it’s also meaty, juicy and firm without being hybrid fiberboard dry or grainy. (*Fedco)

ROSE DE BERNE TOMATO - ORGANIC (80 days) It is widely considered in France, Germany and Switzerland to be the best-flavored tomato. Only medium-sized yet delivers the robust flavor of the bigger types. A recent taste test confirmed it’s the "best pink for it’s size unblemished globes are perfectly round. The only “heirloom to resist the onslaught of tomato diseases in the cold of August 2017 and then ripen beautifully in the warmth of Sept”. (*Fedco)

GERMAN JOHNSON - ORGANIC: An heirloom known for it’s copious yields of pink meaty fruits often exceeding 1lb. Mild with some sweetness.(*Fedco)

PINK BRANDYWINE TOMATO - ORGANIC (82 days) Pink Brandywine is the heirloom that launched a movement, leading many gardeners to be flavor-positive preservation-aware seed-savers. Oblate meaty beefsteak with deep flavor and perfect hints of tart. Fruits average right around a pound, ripening unevenly throughout the season, often preferring cool early fall to peak heat of August. (*Fedco)

WEISNICHT'S UKRAINIAN TOMATO - ORGANIC (85 days) In 2015 it won first prize in the heirloom category in Boston. The oft-bi-lobed medium large 8-18oz scrumptious pink fruits are sparse seed bearers. The flavor is sweet rich and complex with delicious acid overtones. (*Fedco)

GARDEN PEACH TOMATO - ORGANIC (71 days) Yellow fruits blush pink when ripe and have thin fuzzy skins somewhat like peaches, soft-skinned, juicy and very sweet. Light fruity taste is not what you’d expect in a tomato. Burpee in 1893 called it “delicate, melting in the mouth like a grape.” Jim Stockwell from North Carolina would not be without it. “Not only are they early and prolific but their unusual flavor and no core sizes make them perfect for grilling without falling apart.” (*Fedco)

GOLDIE - ORGANIC (75 days) Deep orange beefsteak fruits. Several people who grew our Heirloom Mix said Goldie was their favorite. (*Fedco)

CHEROKEE PURPLE TOMATO - ORGANIC (77 days) Said to have originated with the Cherokee Indians. Best tasting heirloom. Dusky brownish-purple skin, dark green shoulders and brick-red flesh. The real attraction is their rich taste, described as “sweet rich juicy winey,” “delicious sweet,” and “rich Brandywine flavor”. (*Fedco)

BLACK KRIM TOMATO - ORGANIC (80 days) At half green and still firm they are already dead ripe and perfectly delicious. Iridescent purple on the outside usually with dark green-black shoulders.an unusual juicy yet meaty taste and texture. (*Fedco)

PINEAPPLE TOMATO OG (85 days) ”I roast these exceptionally sweet red streaked yellow tomatoes in a hot oven, then saute with garlic, rosemary and extra virgin olive oil and throw over pasta.” Michelle Owen garden author. Pineapple may be the best striped tomato. Typically grows huge fruits in excess of 1lb. Cut in half it looks like the interior of a pineapple except with yellow and red marbling. Doesn’t taste like a pineapple, unique, mild, low, acid fruity sweetness. (*Fedco)

AUNT RUBY'S GERMAN GREEN TOMATO - ORGANIC (85 days) Until you try it, you won’t believe a green tomato could be this good. I rate it second only to Brandywine for flavor and it is on just about everyone’s top-ten list. Don’t allow them to get too soft before picking. The green flesh of this beefsteak is faintly marbled with pink. Flavor sweet and tart, rich and spicy. Flavor deteriorates when cold weather sets in. (*Fedco)

AMISH PASTE TOMATO - ORGANIC (85 days) Listed members’ comments tell all: “large red meaty fruit,” “wonderful paste variety,” “great flavor for cooking, canning or fresh eating,” “the standard by which I judge canning tomatoes,” “huge production,” “great for sauces, salsa, canning.” Larger and better than Roma. Wisconsin heirloom from Amish farmers in the 1870s.(*Fedco)

BEEFSTEAK POLE - ORGANIC “Century-old favorite not only for sandwiches, but also any dish calling for rich, tomato flavor. Vines are so vigorous (up to 6' or more) you will need a sturdy wire cage to support them and the 1–2-pound fruits! Produces summer to fall.” (Botanical Interest)

WATERMELON BEEFSTEAK “Perhaps the best-tasting pink tomato we have ever eaten, this variety is a winner for its refreshing flavor. Super prolific, easy to grow and mighty fine flavor! We love to scoop the firm meaty flesh with a melon baller for salads and snacking.” (Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds)

MORTGAGE LIFTER- Huge heirloom beefsteak. Mild sweet flavor.

ROMA -

CHERRY TOMATOES

HONEYDROP CHERRY TOMATO - ORGANIC (62 days) Honeydrop’s sweet juicy fruity honey-colored treats taste almost like white grapes. They are much less prone to cracking in wet weather than Sun Gold. Great for earliness, sweetness and complexity. (*Fedco) According to Fedco Honeydrop Cherries are better than Sungold.

BLACK CHERRY TOMATO - ORGANIC (75 days) Dusky color and complex flavor typical of the best black tomatoes, juicy and delicious. Somewhat late for a cherry tomato, fruit ripens slowly and individually until frost, but worth the wait. (*Fedco)

PRINCIPE BORGHESE - ORGANIC (75days) Used for sundried tomatoes as it has few seeds and little juice Bears small red fruits in prolific clusters over a long season. (*Fedco)

AOSTA VALLEY We had seed from 2021

HYBRID CHERRY TOMATOES

SUN GOLD CHERRY TOMATO (57 days) To quote one customer, “Without these little babies, there’s no summer.” A perfect combination of deep sweetness with a hint of acid tartness. They ripen very early to a rich apricot color and keep producing till frost. Very prone to split so pick early when rains are forecast. (*Fedco)

JULIET (60days) Little plum shaped fruits come in clusters everywhere, each truss bearing 6-8 of the 1-2oz grapes. “Juliet is my favorite tomato for drying. Cut them in half, flip out the seeds and dehydrate…they are like tomato raisins, chewy and sweet to just eat or on a pizza” Lynn Sagalyn (*Fedco)

SWEET TREATS (75days) Large fruits come in clusters of 12-15 per truss. Ripens from pink to deep rose. Wait for full color to harvest. (*Fedco)

SUPER SWEET 100 CHERRY TOMATO (78 days) Like the famous Sweet 100, but with more disease resistance. Very popular hybrid cherry tomato ripens clusters of 1" round sweet fruits. Should be staked. Will split in rainy conditions.

YELLOW PEAR FARGO - (82 days) About twice the size of regular pear tomatoes, the meaty morsels are crack resistant. (*Fedco)

HONEY BUNCH GRAPE (62 days) Crack resistant. Sweet with honeyed nuance. Wait until it ripens fully to a bright red in the field. (*Fedco)

HARTMAN’S YELLOW GOOSEBERRY (70-75 days) Sweet, mild, tasty and light golden-yellow in color.

SEEDS

“Saving Tomato Seed is easy. Remove stem-end and crush the fully ripe fruit into a container. Ferment uncovered for a few days until slurry forms a moldy cap. Rinse in a fine strainer and dry seed on a coffee filter. To ensure true-to-type seed, grow open-pollinated varieties and separate by 50ft.” (*Fedco)

We had seed left over from last year that we have planted out. Tomato seed can last up to 5 years!

________________________________________________

REFERENCE

*Description of tomatoes comes from the Fedco Catalog

WARM WEATHER VEGETABLES

May 16, 2024 Karen Logan

WARM WEATHER VEGETABLES

As we slowly move into the warmer season, it is safe to plant out your warm weather vegetables. Stake vines and veggies as needed. Mulch or top dress around vegetables to prevent weeds and conserve moisture.

All the warm season vegetables can go in now: tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, beans, corn and squash.
The tomatoes, eggplants and peppers are growing in small pots. Cucumbers, zucchini and summer squash are growing in little peat pots that can go directly in the ground.
Beans and corn should be planted from seed directly in the ground now. Remember to keep them moist until they germinate.
We also have in stock annual herbs including Parsley, Basil, Dill, Rosemary, Chervil, Fennel, Summer Savory and Marjoram.
We have a nice selection of perennial herbs including Thyme, Tarragon, Sage, Oregano, Sweet Woodruff and Lavender
We also carry edible flowers including Violas, Bachelor Buttons, Calendulas, Borago and Nasturtiums.
A second crop of the spring cool weather plants can also go in now. Carrots and beets should be seeded again. We have packs of lettuce and arugula and it is still a good time to plant those.

Plant now and enjoy the edible bounty of your efforts later!

*******************

TOMATOES

Tomato season is upon us and there are so many varieties available. How do you choose which to grow? The first step is to understand the differences between heirloom and hybrid tomatoes. Both varieties have their strengths and weaknesses.

[HEIRLOOM VS HYBRID TOMATOES]

HEIRLOOM

Heirloom tomatoes are varieties that have been grown without cross-pollination for at least 40 years. They are open-pollinated, which means pollinated by insects or wind without human intervention. That allows them to remain stable in their characteristics from one year to the next. Gardeners appreciate their consistency in taste and agree that most heirloom varieties tend to have greater flavor than hybrids. Heirlooms are often grown locally and allowed to ripen on the vine which affects their flavor. They often produce only a small number of fruit since they have not had the selective crossbreeding as hybrids, Heirloom Tomatoes tend to be more susceptible to pest disease, especially fungus, which makes them crack and split.

HYBRID

**TOMATOES**
**——————**

*Pink Brandywine*
*Amish Paste*
*Black Krim*
*Cherokee Purple*
*Patio Choice Yellow*
*Bush Ace*
*Prudence Purple*
*Jetstar*
*Black Prince*
*Green Zebra*
*Watermelon*
*Candyland*
*Beefsteak*
*Gold Metal*
*Golden Yellow*
*Better Boy*
*Celebrity*
*Early Girl*
*Roma Plum*

**CHERRY TOMATOES**
**——————**

*Supersweet 100*
*Sungold*
*Tropical Sunset*
*Honeydrop*
*Moby Grape*

***************************************

PEPPERS

We carry a variety of different peppers from sweet bell peppers to a range of hot peppers and Shishito Peppers

**HOT PEPPERS**
**——————**

*Early Jalepeno*
*Chili Peppers*
*Czeck Black*
*Jaluv an Attitude*
*Red Long Slim*
*Annaheim*
*Banana*

***************************************

BASIL

***************************************

SQUASH & CUCUMBERS

Cucumbers have made it to the Nursery, We have pickling & slicing varieties & Japanese Cucumbers. to highlight some specific varieties we have Marketmore, Painted Serpent, & Pickling. We are selling a nice selection of squashes, zucchini and cucumbers in peat pots.

SQUASH
——————

*Honeynut Butternut*
*Squash*
*(chefs go crazy over*
*this squash because it*
*has a soft skin that*
*can be eaten, unlike*
*most butternut*
*squashes)*
*Spaghetti Squash*
*Summer Squash (Yellow*
*Crookneck &*
*Straightneck)*

***************************************

NASTURTIUMS

We carry a variety of colors.

NASTURTIUMS
——————

*Milkmaid (white)*
*Troika Mix*
*Moonlight (white)*
*Jewel Cherry Rose*
*Whirlybird Tangerine*
*Whirlybird Cream*
*Troika Cream*
*Jewel Primrose*

***************************************

OTHER WARM WEATHER EDIBLES: ZUCCHINI, EGGPLANT & MUSKMELON

DIGITALIS [FOXGLOVE]

May 11, 2024 Karen Logan

Foxglove illustration by karen blackerby logan

Digitalis purpurea, Foxglove

Digitalis purpurea is a stunning species of Foxglove with many cultivars to choose from. They are beautiful right now at the nursery!

Digitalis purpurea is considered a biennial, which means they produce leaf and root in their first year and flower and seed in their second year. They contain both characteristics of annuals and perennials, as well as being over zealous seeders.

Other perennial foxglove species include the Strawberry Foxglove (Digitalis mertonensis), the Rusty foxglove (Digitalis ferruginea) and the pale yellow Digitalis grandiflora.

Digitalis purpurea cultivars
available

*____________*
*Digitalis Alba
*Digitalis Apricot Beauty
*Digitalis Excelsior
*Digitalis Pam’s Choice
*Camelot Series: Cream,
*White, Lavender & Pink*
*Dalmation Series:
*Purple & Peach*
*Digitalis Artic Fox Rose

A Foxglove in its second year presenting a spectacular spike of flowers.

**************************

GROWING DIGITALIS

Deer Resistant!

Digitalis prefers moist, organically rich, acidic, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Soil must not be allowed to dry out. They bloom in late spring. Removal of flower spikes is not recommended if you want reseeding and colonizing. You will get smaller side spikes but it’s that primary spike that is most impressive. Since they are biennials, Digitalis reseed and colonize in the most interesting and beautiful ways.

Digitalis has striking colors and good architectural height in garden beds.

Some cultivars grow to 5 ft tall while some grow between 3-4ft tall (Camelot Series).

info

___________
Bloom Time: *May to June*
*Full sun to part shade*
Height: *2 to 5 feet*
Attracts: *Hummingbirds*
Tolerate: *Rabbit, Deer*
Suggested Use: All kinds
of ornamental beds & gardens.
*Also, great in naturalized areas*
*& woodland gardens.*

**************************

DIGITALIS: HISTORY AS A MEDICINAL PLANT

A SOURCE FOR DIGOXIN USED TO TREAT CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIA

Vineyard Gardens front bed with many biennials on display; Angelica, Echium, a couple types of Digitalis and Fennel.

Digitalis is commonly used as an ornamental plant for gardeners but it has a long history for medicinal use as well. Their dried leaves contain the drug digoxin that is used to treat cardiac arrhythmia. It was popularized in 1785 by a British physician that spoke of Digitalis purpurea helping the heart work more efficiently. A curious story revolves around Vincent Van Gogh and his connection to the use of digitalis to treat his epilepsy. The over use of the chemical digoxin found in digitalis can affect one’s eyesight, by tipping the vision color scale to a yellow tint and seeing halos around objects. People have theorized that Van Gogh was affected by these side effects, alluding to his yellow period and his frequent use of halos in his paintings. In a self portrait Van Gogh is depicted holding a foxglove plant and two paintings of his doctor holding digitalis. However, this may be pure speculation about Van Gogh’s color palette choice but what is known is digitalis has been used for centuries for medicinal purposes.

**************************

PEONIES

May 10, 2024 Karen Logan

Peonies are a genus of woodland plants which are prized for their exceptionally large, showy flowers in late May and June.

brief timeline

*____________*
*Peonies are thought*
*to have originated*
*in China.*
*Before the 10th century*
*they were introduced*
*in Japan.*
*During the 15th century*
*Paeonia officinalis was*
*introduced in Europe,*
*originally for medicinal*
*purposes.*
*In the nineteenth*
*century Paeony*
*lactiflora was*
*introduced from its*
*native China to Europe.*
*One was planted at*
*Kew Gardensin 1789.*

care

___________
Peonies prefer rich well
drained soil.
They do not need much
fertilizer.
A top dressing of
compost in the spring
is enough.
Watch for a black
fungal growth
called botrytis.

Carefully cut it out
immediately and throw
in the garbage. It will
cause stems to wilt.

**************************

PAEONIA LACTIFLORA (HERBACEOUS)

There are two distinct types of Peony. Paeonia lactiflora is a herbaceous species which is a low growing (1-2') clump-forming perennial. Commonly called garden peonies, they are ideal for mixed perennial beds in full to part shade (that's 3+ hours of direct sunlight). With may being a windy month, I would be remiss to not mention that garden peonies require support. They become top heavy with their giant flowers and liable to snap when rain or wind disrupts their ornamental show. Vineyard Gardens carries specifically designed peony cages for this purpose. Make sure to pick some up with your next purchase. We carry Herbaceous peonies that are priced as low as $29.95! In the winter these die to the ground.

Paeonia lactiflora we’d like to highlight:

Moon River (double soft cream and pink fragrant flowers)
Sarah Bernhardt (double pink flowers)
Coral Sunset (semi double coral blooms)

Jan Van Leeuwen (single white flowers)
Laura Dessert (double white flowers)
Paul M Wild (double ruby red blooms)
Lady Orchid (double pink flowers)

**************************

PAEONIA X SUFFRUTICOSA (TREE PEONY)

THE SECOND MAJOR TYPE OF PEONY

It always surprises me how early the Tree Peony’s flower. If you haven’t tried them you might want to. They are an easy plant to grow, slowly becoming a fairly substantial shrub with huge single or double flowers opening in May. The Tree peony, Paeonia x suffruticosa, solves the support concerns of garden peonies with it’s persistent, slow growing, woody structure. Ideal for mixed borders and woodland edges these peonies feature the same large blooms as the garden variety, but can reach up to 6' tall with time. Our Tree Peonies are priced as low as $39.95!

**************************

ITOH PEONIES

This year we are carrying the inter-sectional hybrid, or commonly know as Itoh peonies. During the 1940’s Toichi Itoh from Tokyo crossed the herbaceous peony with the tree peony to create the intersectional hybrid peonies, the Itoh peonies. Their characteristics are intermediate between herbaceous and tree peonies, featuring strong stems which do not require caging or other support.

These 2 cultivars are priced at $39.95

Paeonia Itoh 'Yellow Crown': Beautiful, fragrant double yellow flowers with a hint of red at the base of the petals.
Cora Louise: An Itoh Peony with giant double flowers with white petals and glowing dark red centers.

We carry a smaller quantity of the following:

Itoh Old Rose Dandy
Itoh Misaka
Itoh Takara

**************************

PEONIES

*__________*
*CUT FLOWERS*
*EASY TO GROW*
*LONG LIVED*
*FRAGRANT &*
*DEER RESISTANT!!*

premier cut flower

__________
The Netherlands are
the number one
producer of cut flower
peonies.
Alaska has developed a
cut flower market with
an extended season
due to long hours
of sunlight in summer.

MAY GARDENING TIPS

May 3, 2024 Karen Logan

Fothergilla photo by karen blackerby logan

MAY GARDENING TIPS

May brings warmer sunnier days, cooler nights and springtime rains, the perfect combo to get your newly planted trees, shrubs and perennials established!

SOIL CARE: Nourish your soil! Applying nutrients to the soil nourishes it, making it richer with the minerals and essential elements your plants need to grow. Learn to make your own compost out of your biodegradable waste and use that to feed your plants. We have Coast of Maine compost and manure, as well as Fafard products. You can also take this time to test your soil with a soil testing kit to see what your soil needs. We have those in stock as well.
FERTILIZE: Time to fertilize last years new plantings by top dressing. Sprinkling handfuls of fertilizer around the drip line of the shrubs. Not too close to main stem. The roots grow outward. Organic fertilizers are slower release and contain a lot of secondary and micronutrients. We recommend them! The macronutrients are N,P and K (Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Pottasium) the 3 numbers represented on most fertilizer products. The secondary nutrients are calcium, magnesium and sulfur and there are quite a few micronutrients.
MULCH: Leaf compost is a great island resource to use in your garden beds! This imitates the annual forest leaf fall and provides established plants with all the nutrients they need. Use leaves from your own yard and and/or leaf compost (shredded leaf mulch) that we carry to return local island nutrients to your gardens. We carry shredded leaf compost (island grown) as well as bagged Coast of Main mulches.
ANNUALS: Cool weather annuals now ready to plant. Pansies, violas, alyssum, calendulas, bachelor buttons, argyranthemum daisies, osteospermum and lobelia!
PERENNIALS: It’s time to start planting your perennials!
DIVIDE PERENNIALS: This is a good time to divide summer and fall blooming perennials when they are just emerging.
VEGETABLE GARDENS: Vegetable gardens to be prepped and planted. This is the season to plant cool weather veggies, small fruits and fruit trees. All these are now available at the nursery! Mid to late May we will be bringing our basil and tomatoes out from our production facility to the nursery. But don't push these it's still a little cool at night.
TREES & SHRUBS: Now is a great time to add trees or shrubs to your property. Early May brings sunny day, cool nights and springtime rain which are all great ingredients to get your trees and shrubs established!
PRUNE: Prune any diseased or dead wood on your trees and deciduous shrubs. Prune plants that bloom on new growth.
LAWN CARE: Water your lawns less often and deeper to promote deeper roots. Mow your lawns a little higher and they won't brown out in the heat of summer. May is still a good time to fertilize your lawn if you did not do it in April. It is also a good time to lime, if you didn’t do it in the fall. It takes many months for lime to cause a change in the ph of the soil. Lime now to ensure a healthy fall lawn.

Always think ahead when gardening. Timing is everything!

Viburnum burkwoodii photo by Keith Kurman

[PLANT PROFILE] LAVENDER

May 1, 2024 Karen Logan

LAVENDER

Fragrant, deep blue spikes that stick straight up above the grey green foliage. Lavender thrives in full hot sun, in well drained soil. It is drought tolerant once established and deer resistant. They are highly effective in mass plantings. We sell most of them in both 1 gallon and 4” pots. A few varieties we sell in only one size.

Perennial Lavenders

Lavandula angustifolium: These are the hardiest species of lavender. All of these lavenders should overwinter if they have good drainage otherwise they will rot when it is cold and wet. We sell several of these varieties.

Munstead and Hidcote are the oldest varieties and still two of our favorites.
Provence has become very popular.
Phenomenal is a newer cultivar, showing a lot of promise.
Blue cushion and Super Blue are a few newer cultivars that we are trying out and testing their hardiness. They claim to be hardy.

Annual Lavenders

The annual lavenders bloom longer than the perennial lavenders but they will not overwinter and come back year after year.

Goodwin Creek
Grosso
Elegance Purple
Lavandula dentata, the fringed French lavender
Lavandula stoechas: This year we are growing a Spanish Lavender from seed in two colors, deep purple and deep rose. , They will not overwinter.
Lavender pinnata: Also known as French Fringed lavender
Lavender multimodal ‘Torch Blue’: We grow this lavender from seed

Deer do not eat lavender!

TROPICALS

May 12, 2023 Karen Logan

OUR TROPICALS ARE IN!

Just in time for Mother’s Day! We have a variety of Hibiscus, Mandevillas, Bougainvillea, Calla Lily, Gardenias and so much more!

Agapanthus Midknight Blue

Agapanthus, Queen Anne

Bougainvillea Oo-la-la

Bougainvillea Purple Queen topiary

Calla Lily Captain Solo

Calla Lily, Zantedeschia White

Calla Lily, Zantedeschia Captain Black

Colocasia Black Coral

Ctenanthe setosa (L), Canna indica lon01 (R)

Cuphea hyssopifolia

Gardenia, Everblooming

Gardenia

Gardenias

Euryops, Green Leaved

Helianthus x annus

Hibiscus Fiesta

Hibiscus Red Darling

Hibbiscus, Hula Girl

Hibiscus Jazzy Jewel Amber

Lantana Tangerine

Mandevilla Coral Pink

Mandevilla

Mandevilla Pretty Pink

Mandevilla

Monstera Deliciosa Tauerii

Monstera Deliciosa tauerii

Star Jasmine, Trachelospermum jasminoides

Lily of the Nile, Twister

Topical plants add a lush element to your gardens and patios

To create this tRopical oasis:

Opt for large leaves / brightly colored flowers / vertical growth (climbers)

An option is to grow them in containers set down in to the soil to make it easy to bring them indoors for the winter.

[PLANT PROFILE] SWEET WOODRUFF

May 11, 2022 Karen Logan

SWEET WOODRUFF

(Galium odoratum)

Sweet Woodruff is a lovely plant that will spread like a ground cover in your garden. It has small white flowers in spring through early summer. It’s vigorous but not aggressive and can coexist nicely with bulbs that will come right up through it. They spread stoloniferously by sending out stolons or side shoots just beneath the soil surface.

WHERE TO PLANT SWEET WOODRUFF

An ideal ground cover. Plant as a ground cover around shrubs.
A wonderful border accent in woodland gardens.
It thrives in rich garden soil, in part to full shade.

OTHER GROUNDCOVERS

Other ground covers that do well in shade include the more common evergreen pachysandra and Vinca minor, Periwinkle.
Pachysandra: We carry the Japanese spurge, pachysandra terminalis. Our favorite is the native one, Pachysandra procumbens.
Vinca: We carry Vinca minor Bowles, with the early summer blooming blue flowers and the white flowering Vinca minor. We also carry Illumination, a vinca cultivar with yellow variegated foliage and a blue flower.
Epimedium, barrenwort: Another less common groundcover that thrives in shade is Epimedium. Epimedium Spine Tingler is a cultivar that is available now. This year we also have Frohnleiten, Rubrum, Sulphureum, Niveum, Pink Champagne, Domino and Amber Queen, which won the RHA (Royal Horticultural Award) of Merit.
Ferns: Ferns can spread nicely like ground covers such as Matteuca struthiopteris (the Ostrich fern), Dennstaedtia punctiloba (Hay Scented Fern) and Onoclea sensibilis. Dennstaedtia punctiloba and Onoclea sensibilis are both hard to find. We don’t have either in stock right now.
Geum: The native Geum has been mentioned as a good ground cover. Geum triflorum has beautiful seed pods.
Thyme: Creeping and wooly thymes are ground covers we like to recommend for sun. Creeping thyme comes in white flowers (albiflorus), red flowers (coccineus) or pink chintz with pink flowers. We also carry creeping lemon and Elfin thyme.
Laurentia fluviatilis, Blue Star Creeper and Pratia: Two other interesting plants that spread like ground covers.
And there are plenty more!

Try planting ground covers at the base of your shrubs instead of mulching. Ground covers are very effective at keeping weeds out!

Perennial Herbs

May 6, 2022 Karen Logan

Herbs are a perfect addition to your garden! They are extremely easy to grow and come back year after year. You can harvest them for your meals, drinks, medicinal purposes, aromatherapy, in addition many have gorgeous blooms! What's not to love about planting herbs!

THYME
Thymus vulgaris and it's many cultivars

English thyme is probably the most famous edible thyme with lemon thyme being a close second.
Creeping thyme is purely ornamental and comes in red, white, pink chintz and wooly. Wooly thyme can get 2-3 ft wide and grows beautifully over flat patio stones. Given good drainage and full sun, creeping thyme grows like ground cover. Plant these in the cracks of your patio and watch them grow.
- Other creeping thymes include Creeping Lemon Thyme, Caraway Thyme and Elfin Thyme, a slow growing beauty. All great in rock gardens. Need full sun and well drained soil.
Golden Thyme: We carry Archers gold, Golden Lemon and Golden variegated and other variegated thymes like Silver Thyme.
We always like to try a few new ones. This year we have Tansparent Yellow Thyme, Magic Carpet Thyme and Lime Green Thyme.

SAGE
The green sages are more for culinary purposes and the others are more ornamental in your garden. A sprig of sage is a very nice garnish for a special meal.

Salvia oficinalis is a wonderful perennial culinary herb. The straight species is a great plant that produces beautiful blue salvia flowers and is quite ornamental.
Berggarten Sage is a green cultivar we carry.
Purple Sage
Tricolor Sage
Pineapple sage and Golden Pineapple sage grow into tall 5-6 ft plants that produce large racemes of red flowers in late summer. Plant them early in the season to get them to full size before they bloom. The foliage really does smell like pineapple.

TARRAGON
Tarragon Artemesia dracunculus is a perennial culinary herb that tastes a little like anise or has licorice like flavors. It is a staple in French cuisine and is often referred to as French tarragon.

MINT
Mints are also perennial herbs. They are best grown in the pot because they spread voraciously and can be difficult to eliminate from a garden once it’s established. Mints are used in cooking and in making teas and cocktails, like mojitos. All mints grow best in full sun and a well drained soil.

Peppermint and spearmint are the two most popular mints.
- Mojito mint, a spearmint
- Kentucky Colonel spearmint our favorite for many years
- Chocolate mint, a type of peppermint,
- Corsican mint has tiny tiny leaves and is great in cracks in patios. It is not aggressive like the other mints, in fact this one is more challenging to grow.

We carry several more ornamental variegated mints that look great mixed with annuals in pots!

DEER IN YOUR GARDEN

CONTROL AND PREVENTION

How to Get Rid of Deer

DEER RESISTANT ANNUALS

DEER RESISTANT ANNUALS

DEER RESISTANT PERENNIALS

DEER RESISTANT PERENNIALS

DEER RESISTANT TREES & SHRUBS

DEER RESISTANT TREES & SHRUBS

ROSES

ROSE VARIETIES

CLIMBING ROSES

David Austin Climbing Roses we carry:

SHRUB ROSES:

David Austin shrub Roses we carry:

GROUND COVER ROSES

ROSA RUGOSA

MINIATURE ROSES

ROSE CARE

Roses love full sun, well drained soil & manure!

Looking for something different? We have just touched the surface on rose varieties. To learn more come visit us at the nursery and we will surely find the perfect fit for your property!

TOMATOES

(Solanum lycopersicon)

PLANTING TOMATOES

Heirloom vs Hybrid Tomatoes

HEIRLOOM TOMATOES

HYBRID

HEIRLOOM TOMATOES VARIETIES at VINEYARD GARDENS

WARM WEATHER VEGETABLES

Plant now and enjoy the edible bounty of your efforts later!

TOMATOES

[HEIRLOOM VS HYBRID TOMATOES]

PEPPERS

BASIL

SQUASH & CUCUMBERS

NASTURTIUMS

OTHER WARM WEATHER EDIBLES: ZUCCHINI, EGGPLANT & MUSKMELON

Digitalis purpurea, Foxglove

**************************

GROWING DIGITALIS

Deer Resistant!

Digitalis has striking colors and good architectural height in garden beds.

**************************

DIGITALIS: HISTORY AS A MEDICINAL PLANT

**************************

Peonies are a genus of woodland plants which are prized for their exceptionally large, showy flowers in late May and June.

**************************

PAEONIA LACTIFLORA (HERBACEOUS)

Paeonia lactiflora we’d like to highlight:

**************************

PAEONIA X SUFFRUTICOSA (TREE PEONY)

**************************

ITOH PEONIES

**************************

MAY GARDENING TIPS

Always think ahead when gardening. Timing is everything!

LAVENDER

Perennial Lavenders

Annual Lavenders

Deer do not eat lavender!

OUR TROPICALS ARE IN!

Topical plants add a lush element to your gardens and patios

To create this tRopical oasis:

SWEET WOODRUFF

(Galium odoratum)

WHERE TO PLANT SWEET WOODRUFF

OTHER GROUNDCOVERS

And there are plenty more!

Try planting ground covers at the base of your shrubs instead of mulching. Ground covers are very effective at keeping weeds out!