By Dave Zeldon and Ely Schweyer
In late June and early July we will be witnessing the annual invasion of the Japanese Beetle on many of our favourite landscape plantings including Hollyhocks, Dahlias, Hibiscus, Roses, Grapes, and Raspberries.
Adult beetles skeletonize foliage.
Many of us have tried the various means available to curb this yearly destruction like pheromone traps, Nematode lawn inoculation, hand picking, and concoctive sprays. But still, we get substantive damage.
Interestingly enough, some plants such as Geranium, Castor Bean, and the flowers of Bottlebrush Buckeye, will cause paralysis and death of these beetles when eaten.
Maybe it’s Time We Look at Whole New Approach
Why not slowly invest in a landscape makeover? One with Japanese Beetle resistant plants!
Trees such as Red Maple, Red Oak, Hickory, and Redbud could replace the susceptible Japanese Maple, Norway Maple, Pin Oak, Linden, and Mountain Ash.
Why not consider growing more Evergreens such as Holly, Yew, Boxwood, and Aborvitae instead of the prone Virginia Creeper, Apple and Plum family of trees, and Birches.
You also may want to contemplate planting perennials such as Coral-Bells, Hostas, Pachysandra, Sedum and Foxglove as opposed to the Japanese Beetle standard menu fare of Evening Primrose, Hydrangea, Clematis, Potentilla, and Zinnia.
Yes, we do have some preventative measures at our disposal to battle the Japanese Beetle (find how to use beneficial nematodes in our fall chore blog) but due to the nature of this pest, it will inevitably win the war. If we continue to grow the some 400+ preferred host plants in our landscape, providing an adequate food source for this invasive pest rather than replacing them with resistant species, surely this pest will make gardening a chore instead of the pleasure it should be.
We hope this article will aid in the prevention of Japanese Beetles in your garden space! For more information – and Japanese Beetle resistant plants – visit Eising Greenhouse and Garden Centre! 🪲
What’s the best way to brighten up your garden? Add lots of annual flowers in the Spring! Here in Southern Ontario, the May holiday weekend is usually safe from frost - and go time for planting tender annuals!
At Eising Garden Centre, you’ll find a wide array of beautiful annual blooms. Here are ten of our sun-loving favourites to try.
Cosmos
With daisy-like blooms in radiant shades of pink, red, and pure white adorned with mellow yellow centres—Cosmos are irresistible. They're perfect planted along a fence or at the back of a border, where they can lean on a little support. Depending on the variety, Cosmos can grow anywhere from 12 to 80 inches tall!
Zinnia
Bold, structured, and bursting with colour, Zinnias bring serious wow factor. Their cheerful blooms come in red, green, orange, yellow, purple, pink, and white. Depending on the variety, Zinnias grow between 6 and 36 inches tall and spread about 12 inches wide.
Calendula
Decorative and useful, Calendulas are edible flowers with culinary and medicinal value. Their soothing, antiseptic properties make them popular beyond the garden. Calendula come in gorgeous, bright shades of copper, orange, gold, and yellow blooms and grow 10 to 24 inches tall.
Marigold
Tough and reliable, Marigolds handle heat and humidity with ease, thriving even in the driest parts of your garden. They offer a beautiful range of bloom types—from large, ruffled flowers to small, delicate blossoms—and a palette of cream, yellow, orange, red, and bi-colours. Depending on the variety, Marigolds can grow from 6 to 36 inches tall.
Amaranth
If you're after drama, Amaranth is your plant! Reaching heights of 3 to 5 feet, these bold beauties flaunt long, rope-like clusters of maroon or red flowers. While low-maintenance, Amaranths may need a bit of support to stay upright as they mature.
Portulaca
Perfect for hot, dry, and neglected spots, Portulacas deliver a brilliant show of colour with minimal effort. Their rose-like blooms come in vivid shades of red, pink, yellow, white, orange, and purple. Low-growing at just 4 to 8 inches tall, they're ideal for the front of borders, or alongside driveways, and patios.
Salvia
With tall spikes of bold purple, red, blue, pink, or white blooms, Salvias are garden standouts. Growing 8 to 24 inches tall and often blooming continuously, they quickly become must-haves for flower beds or large containers.
Geranium
Drought-tolerant and tough as nails, Geraniums have long been a gardener’s favourite. Regular deadheading (removing spent blooms) will reward you with non-stop flowers until frost. Their lush foliage and bright flowers—ranging from salmon, white, purple, violet, and orange to red and pink—also shine in mixed containers. Geraniums typically grow between 8 and 24 inches tall.
Petunia
It’s no surprise Petunias have remained beloved for generations. They grow quickly, bloom prolifically, and require little care. Available in mounding or trailing forms—and sometimes carrying a heavenly scent—Petunias are perfect for flower beds, hanging baskets, pots, or window boxes. Growing 6 to 18 inches tall, they come in white, yellow, pink, purple, red, bi-colours, and even black!
Dahlia
Dahlias can become a full-on passion project—and it’s easy to see why. Their breathtaking blooms come in a stunning range of sizes, shapes, and colours. While Dahlias can be a bit particular (they love rich, well-drained soil and plenty of water, but hate soggy conditions), they are absolutely worth the extra attention.
Sunshine + Food + Hydration = Success
All of these annuals thrive in full sun and will reward you with even more blooms when given consistent water and fertilizer.
Adding a continuous-release fertilizer to your soil at planting time—or feeding weekly with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer—makes it easy to keep your garden thriving all summer long!
*TIP: Check our handy Plant Finder for more details! https://plants.eising.ca/11110015/
Let’s face it, summers are short and when we invest in plants we all want annuals and perennials that are long blooming. Flowers that last the duration of the summer are ideal! To achieve this, there are a few things to consider like: the plants you choose, good soil, and the amount of sun the flowers will get. When you come into Eising Garden Centre we can help you find sun or shade loving plants, and soil for your hanging pots, planters or garden beds, but to get started you’ll find some of our favourite plants listed below. First, a little plant primer that will help you make decisions.
Annual? Perennial? What’s the Difference?
Annuals and perennials are in separate areas of the greenhouse because they are plants that we will treat differently in the garden.
Here is the best way to remember the difference:
- Annual plants are planted every year, annually, as they will not survive the winter
- Perennial plant’s roots survive the winter and the plant will regrow each Spring
It’s good to know the difference, right? Now you know what to expect from the plants you buy!
Because Annuals and Perennials are in separate areas of the greenhouse, you might think that the two don’t mix in the garden, but they absolutely do. For example, Perennials can make a great backdrop for Annuals. Or, a well placed pot of Annuals amongst Perennials or shrubs can fill in a gap, or bring a pop of colour once other blooms have faded. Using Annuals, Perennials and Shrubs together can really maximize the beauty in your space!
If you’re not sure where to start, here are some of our favourite sun loving flowering plants that are easy to grow and long blooming!
Annual Flowers
- Petunias are one of the most popular blooming annuals for many reasons - there are a wide variety to choose from, they have a wonderful scent, they’re easy to grow and they bloom from Spring until frost.
- Zinnia flowers are low maintenance, fairly drought tolerant, come in many bright colours, will also bloom continuously from Spring until frost, and will attract butterflies to your garden! All things considered, they are one of the best annuals to grow.
- Geraniums are great for containers, hanging baskets, or as bedding plants and come in a variety of leaf shapes and bloom colours. Another reason why these Annuals are so popular is that they are easy to grow and will keep producing flowers late into the Fall.
- Marigolds come in vibrant colours and are another no-fuss Annual that’s tried and true. These long lasting flowers will also attract butterflies, bees, lady bugs, and other beneficial insects making them very good companion plants in any garden but especially your vegetable garden.
- Cosmos will bloom from late Spring into Fall especially if you remove dead flowers. In return, these colourful, daisy-like flowers will attract pollinating insects as well as birds. Cosmos are also fairly drought tolerant making it a delightful and easy to grow Annual.
Perennial Flowers
- Salvia have spikes of flowers that are long blooming, on plants that are easy to grow, and drought tolerant once they are established. These low maintenance plants will attract butterflies, bees and hummingbirds, and are deer and rabbit-resistant.
- Coreopsis is another drought tolerant perennial that will bloom summer through fall. Flowers are daisy-like and come in vibrant shades of yellow or red.
- Coneflower or Echinacea is a daisy-like flower that is drought-tolerant and long blooming. These sturdy plants have flowers in a wide range of colours from chartreuse to pink, orange, red, and yellow. They come in a range of blossom shapes which make them even more intriguing. If that wasn’t enough, they are also loved by birds and pollinators!
- Rudbeckia, or Black-Eyed Susan are classic perennials that liven up any garden with their sunny colours ranging from yellow to bronzy orange. This durable plant is popular because it is drought-tolerant, pollinators love it, and it’s long blooming.
While most annuals provide a continuous succession of flowers, perennials tend to bloom for two to six weeks. Many perennials will bloom, rest, and then rebloom if you cut off, or deadhead, any spent flowers. A little tender loving care for your annuals and perennials throughout the summer will help blooms last as long as possible. We’ll cover that in our next blog!