On Friday, August 12, I posted that I had "vinca disappointment." That still holds true today. The vinca vine, or periwinkle I ordered online is dead. I do not see even the slightest hint of life in even one of the vines. So, I am moving on. You must always have a Plan B. Sometimes even a Plan C or Plan D.
I found myself in the garden center at Home Depot this past weekend. I basically had the center to myself with just a couple other people braving the heat and humidity. Selection was sparse. Evergreens, ornamental grasses, hanging baskets, perennials, annuals - all inventory down to a very small selection. It won't be long now before the garden centers start to mark down plants for quick "end of season" sales. You can usually find some great deals at these sales.
After some roaming around, I found this flat of creeping jenny. Creeping Jenny is a wonderful ground cover. I think I like it better than vinca. So I bought this flat which contained 10 individual plants. It grows like crazy in sun or shade. Each plant will grow to approximately two feet and root as it grows which makes it perfect as a ground cover. It requires maintenance, but is well worth the effort.
First thing to do was to give them a good drink once we got home. I just set the flat in the yard on top of the mulch where they would eventually be planted. I watered them lightly and left them to sit there for several hours.
In the early evening, as things started to cool off and the sun began to set, I got my spade and set about planting them. They suggest you plant them two feet apart. I eyeballed it. If they are a little closer together or further apart than precisely two feet it won't matter. Planting them now will allow plenty of time for them to set roots. We may even get some growth during the fall. If not, they will most certainly proliferate in the spring.
I love the beautiful tiny chartreuse leaves of this plant. Very delicate looking but very hearty. I think this is truly the better choice over vinca.
And what we will look forward to is an eventual beautiful carpet of creeping jenny in the front yard around the holly/pyracantha garden. I am most pleased with this choice. I may even go back to Home Depot and pick up some additional flats. I already have ideas for where they would go.
If you are considering fall planting, keep watching for end of season sales in the garden center at your local big box home improvement retailers. It can be hit or miss, but sometimes you get lucky!
I found myself in the garden center at Home Depot this past weekend. I basically had the center to myself with just a couple other people braving the heat and humidity. Selection was sparse. Evergreens, ornamental grasses, hanging baskets, perennials, annuals - all inventory down to a very small selection. It won't be long now before the garden centers start to mark down plants for quick "end of season" sales. You can usually find some great deals at these sales.
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| Creeping Jenny found in the Home Depot garden center this past weekend. |
First thing to do was to give them a good drink once we got home. I just set the flat in the yard on top of the mulch where they would eventually be planted. I watered them lightly and left them to sit there for several hours.
In the early evening, as things started to cool off and the sun began to set, I got my spade and set about planting them. They suggest you plant them two feet apart. I eyeballed it. If they are a little closer together or further apart than precisely two feet it won't matter. Planting them now will allow plenty of time for them to set roots. We may even get some growth during the fall. If not, they will most certainly proliferate in the spring.
I love the beautiful tiny chartreuse leaves of this plant. Very delicate looking but very hearty. I think this is truly the better choice over vinca.
And what we will look forward to is an eventual beautiful carpet of creeping jenny in the front yard around the holly/pyracantha garden. I am most pleased with this choice. I may even go back to Home Depot and pick up some additional flats. I already have ideas for where they would go.
If you are considering fall planting, keep watching for end of season sales in the garden center at your local big box home improvement retailers. It can be hit or miss, but sometimes you get lucky!
