Dirt Diggers Garden Club met Wednesday at Shirley Robertsons home.
There, Robertson announced Gregg and Roxanne Hutton were chosen for the June Yard of the Month.
Robertson discussed versatile clematis, which bring bright and bold colors to your landscape. There is confusion about how to care for such flowers, she noted. They grow best in soil that drains well, and not heavy clay. Add compost or peat moss to help.
The plant likes sunshine and cooler roots. Keep them well watered and mulched in the summer. Fertilize in the spring.
There are three groups. Prune clematis in early spring when the growth begins. The simplest way is to cut back to the ground, or start at the top of last years growth, then go down the vine until you spot a live bud beginning to grow. Prune just above the first live bud.
Coleus likes shade and sun and is fast-growing and full of color from spring to the fall frost. New varieties are more tolerant of sun. Favorite color types are the low-growing trailing ones, such as the Great Falls Niagara and Strawberry Drop.
Remove the flower spikes as they start to grow by pinching off flower stems at the plant base. The flowers are not the plants main appeal. The colors run the spectrum and assorted leaf shapes are a sight to behold.
Four members attended.
Dorothy McGhee will host the July 11 meeting at 9:30 a.m. She and Evelyn Lay will pick the July Yard of the Month.
