IN THE GARDEN: Young dogwood should hold strong despite leaf damage
DEAR JANET: I have a young dogwood seedling that I received at an event in the spring, which was established quickly and was doing quite well in my garden in a…
Stories by Janet B. Carson
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BREAKING GROUND: August is time to take stock of your garden
The brief respite is over as temperatures are back in the mid- to upper-90s for the first week of August, and our chances of rain are fading as well. Water onc…
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Figs
Figs are in season now.
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Is this really July in Arkansas?
I don't want to jinx our good luck!
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Subscriber ExclusiveFilling the void: Weedy vines seem to be taking over this year and there are reasons for that
Arkansas gardeners have long battled invasive vines, but this year seems to be even worse than normal. I continue to get calls, emails and texts concerning poi…
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Subscriber ExclusiveIN THE GARDEN: Wait until spring to plant hydrangeas
DEAR JANET: I suspect I have kudzu climbing on my backyard fence. There is a weed that has already choked out one climbing rose bush and is heading to another.…
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We are Grandparents
A new adventure has begun, and we are over the moon!
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IN THE GARDEN: At this time of year, bagworm damage is already done
DEAR JANET: Bagworms got ahold of our evergreen shrub. I've sprayed and (I think) killed them off. There are hundreds! Do I need to pick them all off? Will my …
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IN THE GARDEN: Dianthus take a break in summer while new shrubs need water
DEAR JANET: I bought a plant at Walmart that had this tag "Accent Strobilai" on it but no other care information. Can you help me identify the plant and tell m…
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Clematis
If you are considering a flowering vine, think clematis.
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Subscriber ExclusiveBREAKING GROUND: Water is the buzzword in the garden this month
The heat is on! It hit a little early this season with heat, humidity and extremely spotty rainfall. Many plants in our gardens are still recovering from the t…
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IN THE GARDEN: Buddleias love the full sun
DEAR JANET: My wife and I saw these buddleias at Oaklawn on June 7. Can you identify the variety?
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Ice Plants
A cool name for a heat loving plant
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Subscriber ExclusiveIN THE GARDEN: Water, fertilize and prune petunias for best blooms
Q Can you tell me why my petunias look like this? (See reader's photo below)
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Subscriber ExclusiveElephant ears come in all shapes, colors and care needs
Gardeners across the South have long planted a group of large-foliage plants in their gardens with the common name of elephant ear. These distinctive plants ca…
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Subscriber ExclusiveIN THE GARDEN: Potted holiday amaryllis bulbs can do well outdoors
DEAR JANET: In March, I pulled some pots with amaryllis bulbs from my garage and left them in the front flower bed. When the leaves sprouted, there were bulbs.…
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A Pink Blueberry
It may sound like an oxymoron, but it is great tasting as well as pretty.
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Subscriber ExclusiveIN THE GARDEN: Common disease defoliates red top photenias
DEAR JANET: Could you please identify the problem with this leaf? We have four of these trees that line our patio and provide wonderful shade. Each of the tree…
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Subscriber ExclusiveIN THE GARDEN: Blue Spruce not happy in Arkansas
DEAR JANET: Can you tell me what this plant is and what is causing it to lose its needles?
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Subscriber ExclusiveBREAKING GROUND: Harvest cool season vegetables while planting for the summer
We have had more than our fair share of storm damage the past few years. Some gardeners may need to rethink their once-shade gardens until new trees can be pla…
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Cicadas!
It is cicada-geddon in some states.
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Our gardens are popping with color
What a difference a year makes!
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Seasonal Color
I have finally planted summer color.
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The Porter Prize
Honoring one of our own.
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Subscriber ExclusiveConsider the 2024 Arkansas Diamond plants for your garden
New for 2024 is Evolvulus Beach Bum Blue, Lantana Hot Blooded Red, Amsonia hubrichtii, commonly called Arkansas Blue Star, and Setcreasea pallida or Purple Hea…
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Subscriber ExclusiveIN THE GARDEN: Watch for diseases that can kill trees, other plants
DEAR JANET: I'm sending a picture of a bush to ask if you can identify it. Our son trimmed it last fall and it's grown back quickly as you can see. Would appre…
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Invasive Plants
Sometimes a plant gets too happy!
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Subscriber ExclusiveIN THE GARDEN: Replace dogwoods when they decline
DEAR JANET: Can you tell me what this plant is? It volunteered last year in my yard, and I potted it to see what might become of it. It was in my garage over t…
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Colors of Provence
An amazing adventure has ended.
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Subscriber ExclusiveIN THE GARDEN: Make sure to water large shade trees during dry periods
DEAR JANET: I planted this tulip poplar tree about 24 years ago, and I've never had any problems until late last summer. I noticed several limbs were bare and …
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Subscriber ExclusiveBREAKING GROUND: Plenty of garden work to do
By now, all of your summer blooming shrubs that needed pruning should have had their haircut. If you didn't get around to pruning, let these summer bloomers ha…
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Subscriber ExclusiveIN THE GARDEN: Time to plant annuals in central and south Arkansas
DEAR JANET: In a recent column there was a question asked about pruning a chaste tree. You responded with it being a vitex. I was afraid I had pruned mine too …
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Happy Earth Day: Hundreds took action at Central Arkansas' UAMS
Help celebrate our planet!
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Orchid rebloom
One tough plant is coming into bloom.
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Subscriber ExclusiveIN THE GARDEN: Peonies, azaleas show resilience this spring
DEAR JANET: Last fall I sent you a picture of an Itoh peony that bloomed for the first time in the fall. Now it is blooming at the correct time. I will now wai…
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The good and the bad
The garden is alive with color and weeds.
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Subscriber ExclusiveUAMS celebrates Earth Day No. 55 with myriad environmental activities
Earth Day became an annual event starting on April 22, 1970. The goal was to have a day to support the environment and protect our planet for future generation…
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Subscriber ExclusiveIN THE GARDEN: An early, but cool, spring requires patience
DEAR JANET: Is it too late to prune this "chaste tree?" I want to make it a tree form rather than a giant bush. Also, should the tips (seed heads) be removed?
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Plant Sales
It's time to start buying plants!
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Subscriber ExclusiveIN THE GARDEN: Young redbuds bloom with age, but growth slows
DEAR JANET: I have a young redbud tree that a few years ago I transplanted. Since then, I gave it perfect conditions; mostly full sun but some dappled shade fo…
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Subscriber ExclusiveIN THE GARDEN: Proper plant identification, removing droopy foliage and dead wood help garden thrive
DEAR JANET: Can you ID this plant (see reader photo) and its eventual size and growth characteristics? The leaves are new and will turn much greener as they ag…
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Subscriber ExclusiveBREAKING GROUND: Hold off on planting warm season plants
While it is still too early to do some gardening chores, there are plenty of things that you can attend to now.
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March Book Club Reads
Two Good Reads this month.
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Subscriber ExclusiveIN THE GARDEN: Old-fashioned plants provide early spring color
DEAR JANET: We were at Historic Washington State Park recently to see the daffodils. We had a wonderful guided tour and saw a quince that the guide said was 10…
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Charleston 2024: A wonderful town with amazing gardens
34 gardeners joined me this past week in Charleston, SC, our first of four garden tours for 2024. We had gorgeous weather the whole week, and saw some beautif…
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Subscriber ExclusiveKnowing how, why and when to remove old growth important for blooms, new growth
Gardeners were concerned we were in for a repeat of winter damage when brutal temperatures hit in January... While we can be grateful there is no new damage, m…
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Subscriber ExclusiveIN THE GARDEN: Remove galls on trees to avoid potential dieback
DEAR JANET: There are several of these growths on a nearby oak tree. Can you identify and suggest next steps?
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Bleeding Hearts is a great perennial
An old-fashioned plant with beautiful heart shaped blooms.
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Subscriber ExclusiveIN THE GARDEN: Sweet potato vines are prolific growers; root cuttings in soil, not water
DEAR JANET: I have an old flowering quince bush that has really red flowers. However, the flowers are all pretty much on the top of the plant with lots of brow…
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Gardens are moving fast
Spring is early this year
