Perking up fall — with color: Arkansas Diamonds program promotes plants that thrive here
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PostedSeptember 22, 2019
Mounds of mums are showing up at garden centers across Arkansas, in time for adding bright color to the landscape for fall. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette/JANET B. CARSON) While the calendar may say it’s fall, the weather has been anything but fall-like. Everyone is ready for a break from the heat and humidity. Gardening has been a challenge, with the main task being watering. If you have the energy to visit a nursery or garden center, you can tell they are gearing up for fall. Chrysanthemums, pumpkins and winter annuals are beginning to hit the market. If your garden needs a pick-me-up with color, you can begin the perking-up process, but add color gradually. As you start looking at your color options for the cooler months, you have some help from the Arkansas Diamonds program. This is a joint venture of the Arkansas Green Industry and the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. It promotes specific plants that have demonstrated they thrive in Arkansas. A committee of nurserymen, growers and horticulturists meets to discuss annual plant varieties that will do well across our state. To be designated as an Arkansas Diamond plant, these annuals not only have to be the variety selected, but they must also be grown by an Arkansas grower. Only such plants can be found in nurseries and garden centers under the blue Arkansas Diamonds logo. The program is in its fifth year, and for the first time it is recommending some fall/winter options. The three plants being promoted for fall planting are “Bright Lights” Swiss chard and two Cool Wave Pansy varieties — “Violet Wing” and “Golden Yellow.” Rather than face-like blotches, Cool Wave “Violet Wing” spreading pansy flowers have vibrant color blocks and fine lines. (Photo via Arkansas Green Industry Association) WITH FACES OR WITHOUT Pansies are the No. 1 fall and winter annual grown in Arkansas. It is still too hot to plant them. If pansies are exposed to high temperatures, they grow leggy, and quickly. Wait for the weather to cool off a bit, and plant them in October and November. There […]
