Jukofsky: Some tips for the 'all-year' gardener

A yard that has full sun or almost all shade is a yard that poses problems for the gardener who lives in the Lower South and wants an all-year garden.

What's an all-year garden?

It's a piece of land you're responsible for -- whether you're sole caretaker or have part time help. That's no big deal if you live in the mid or northern part of the U.S. You took a vacation from gardening in the winter months.

In the Lower South, though, the serious gardener gets little time off from planning to planting. What we have here is a climate that is becoming more temperate. There's no need to tuck tropical plants in pots somewhere in the house or the garage in winter. They may need a light cover a few nights, but they do not need to be moved.

This opens a whole new door for us to grow tropical plants in garden or on the porch or patio. This past winter, I grew tomatoes and peppers in the winter months. I had to protect them from below-freezing temperatures for only one night.

In all fairness, I must confess that I have many mature live oak trees that did not lose last year's leaves until early March, thus giving protection to the plants below.

All of which brings me to the crux of this column: What the heck is happening with our weather? And will it change the growth pattern of our perennial and native plants? Our hardiness zone has gradually risen from an 8 to a 9, which makes it comparable to northern Florida. How will this rise affect our plant's growth pattern?

The mild winter seems to serve as a stimulus to new growth on plants and shrubs. My oak leaf hydrangea grew five feet in March. The beauty berry shrubs both in my yard and at the Xeriscape Garden at Hilton Head Town Hall, bloomed in early February, froze in late February and produced new growth in April.

So where does that leave us? Do we sense a pattern here?

Last summer broke a heat record. I think this summer will do likewise. If the moisture pattern continues; plants will do just fine, and so should we. Continue to try some of the new plant varieties that thrive in hot and wet -- among them coral plant (Russekia equisetiformis); black eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta); castor bean (Ricinus communis ); and 'Red Spires'.

Other plants with special characteristics are bee balm (Monarda didyma); a hummingbird magnet; a sedum 'Autumn Joy', with winter interest, and 'Blazingstar', a Liatris big on color and grows in sun or shade.

For the vegetable growers, if you have little sun to grow in, do not despair. Grow both summer and winter vegetables in pots that you can move around. Follow the sun in spring. When it gets hot, move the salad greens and the herbs where they get only morning sun.

WOLFBERRY, ROUND TWO

Last year, I ordered a plant called Goji berry or wolfberry (Lycium fructus) through the mail.

Said to originate in China, its berries are sold in health food stores. It is said to have many healthy food properties and is added to many recipes. Unfortunately, it grew, leafed out, produced small flowers, went into berries, and then dropped leaves and berries before I got to cut and cook. It's a challenge and this summer I'm up for it.

Sixty-year master gardener and environmentalist Betsy Jukofsky has spent three decades on Hilton Head Island learning the peculiarities of coastal Lowcountry gardening.

This story was originally published June 20, 2015 at 12:47 PM with the headline "Jukofsky: Some tips for the 'all-year' gardener."