Story Transcript
with Angelo | Spring 2023
MADE BY PETITTI’S “Every plant we grow locally, whether at our greenhouses in Columbia Station or up at our farms in Lake County, uses Petitti Potting Soil or Petitti Planting Mix. Both mixes are produced at our Casa Verde facility.”
– Angelo Petitti
Petitti
Petitti
PLANTING MIX
POTTING MIX
Specially formulated for outdoor in-ground & large container planting of annuals, perennials, trees, shrubs, vegetables, fruits, and herbs.
Specially formulated for indoor/outdoor container planting of hanging baskets, houseplants, perennials, trees, shrubs, vegetables, fruits, and herbs.
Welcome to spring! After a fairly mild winter, the new growing season has begun and we are ready for it. As always, we have an exciting lineup with new varieties to be enjoyed in annuals, perennials, vegetables & herbs, trees, shrubs, houseplants, and more! Our Bougainvilleas are especially beautiful this year, due to ongoing innovation and evolution in our growing practices. The pages of this spring magazine are filled with new gardening ideas, a preview of our quality patio furniture collections, on-trend home décor inspired by the gardening lifestyle, and even a couple recipes, too! As you get your planting projects started, remember our teams are always here to help. We love growing for you, and we’re here to support your success and enjoyment of plants. See you in our garden centers soon!
INSPIRATION & EDUCATION
at your fingertips
- Angelo & AJ Petitti
Follow Petitti Garden Centers on Facebook Follow gardeningwithpetittis on Instagram Subscribe to Petitti Garden Centers on YouTube Sign up for Petitti Rewards in store to have offers & advice emailed to your inbox Join the Petitti Garden Inspirations community group page on Facebook Angelo’s Radio Show: Saturdays at 8am on WTAM 1100
GARDENING WITH ANGELO RADIO SHOW Saturdays at 8am on WTAM 1100
Tune in for timely lawn & garden advice, and to have your questions answered live on-air!
for the love of
LANTANA
A Petitti & Pollinator Favorite Lantana Bloomify™ Rose
Why grow Lantana, you ask? Here’s the enthusiastic three-part reply: it’s a lush, easy-care, tropical plant that is incredibly tolerant of the hottest, summer conditions, and it’s wonderfully attractive to pollinators. Lantana is a shrubby perennial plant in much warmer climates, far from Northeast Ohio. Here where we live, it is perfect for our annual growing purposes, offering a tidy, mounded habit and multitudes of hot to pastel colored, clustered blooms above dark to medium green, scented foliage. There are dozens of solid, bicolored, and tricolored blossoms, creating a palette of color.
Lantana Shamrock™ Peach
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Lantana thrives when planted in full sun in welldrained garden soil or in sunny mixed containers and hanging baskets. Irrigate thoroughly when soil is dry to the touch, and fertilize with Osmocote® (green cap) three times during the growing season to keep the bloom cycle vigorous. Most varieties of Lantana bloom continuously. Non-sterile varieties will produce small, green fruit behind fading flowers. Removing these with gloved hands and sanitized pruning tools will enhance flower production, putting more energy towards bud and bloom development. Sterile varieties, such as those found in the Bloomify™ Series (top left), will never have to be deadheaded or trimmed.
Gardening with Angelo | ANNUALS
Lantana Lucky™ Yellow
Lantana Landmark™ Rose Glow Lantana SunDance™ Red
This is a tough plant for tough places! Lantana thrives in the most challenging conditions, tolerant of heat, drought, and humidity. Its woody structure and strong root system enable it to absorb and retain moisture over long periods of time. Roughtextured foliage also reduces evaporation. If you are a forgetful waterer, or just have very hot, sunny conditions, try Lantana. Let it establish over 7-14 days, then witness how weather tolerant this plant is. Even better, Lantana possesses good resistance to deer and rabbit browsing. The foliage is rough, scented, and it contains milky sap, all of which are plant attributes that deer and rabbits find irritating and so tend to avoid.
easy nature, weather and wildlife tolerance, and its irresistibility to pollinators.
Pollinators are all a-buzz when it comes to Lantana! That’s because it checks all the boxes for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds: pastel and bright colors, fermented citrus scent, and nectar-rich, tubular, clustered flowers. All add up to an awesome attractant. Whether you grow the smaller, mounded Bloomify™ series, the versatile, vase-shaped Lucky™ varieties, the uniformly growing Shamrock™ class, or the large and vigorous Landmark™ and SunDance™ types, you will undoubtedly find a favorite and enjoy its
Lantana Bloomify™ Rose in Landscape
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exciting new
ANNUALS for easy, non-stop flower power spring to fall frost
• New Guinea Impatiens ‘Roller Coaster Red’ | A gorgeous, extra-large, ruffled, flowering variety that provides a lush, tropical look in part shade to shade. Compact but profuse bloomer and a hummingbird beacon. Also available in orange, hot pink, violet, and white. Blooms top attractive, deep green, elongated foliage. Grows 8-16” tall by 12-16” wide. • Begonia Fragrant Falls® Lemon | Mesmerizes with full, citrus-scented, rose-like blossoms in beautiful blushedyellow shades. Strong branching and slightly spilling effect over hanging baskets and pots. Perfect for part shade to sunny spots. A tuberous begonia variety that can be wintered over as a houseplant or in cold storage indoors. Grows 6-8” tall by 6-12” wide. • Begonia ‘Groovy Rose’ | Produces a stunning, moundedyet-trailing habit with large, 4-petal, intensely rose-pink flowers that look you in the eye! ‘Groovy Orange’ and ‘Groovy Mellow Yellow’ also available. Self-cleaning, profuse, and versatile for sun or shade. Grows 14” tall and wide. • Zinnia ‘Profusion Double Red’ | Abundantly and consistently produces 2-3” wide, double blooms without deadheading! Also available in salmon, golden, hot cherry, and white, all with award-winning disease resistance, plus heat, drought, and humidity tolerance, and pollinator magnetism. Grows 12-18” tall by 20-24” wide. • Gomphrena Truffula™ Pink | PW®’s award-winning Annual of the Year for sunny spaces! An airy, durable thriller & filler that abundantly produces unique, hotpink, tufted flowers that are heat and drought tolerant. Attracts pollinators, makes for excellent cut & dried flowers. Grows 2’ tall and wide. 4 | petittigardencenter.com New Guinea Impatiens ‘Roller Coaster Red’
Gardening with Angelo | ANNUALS
Begonia Fragrant Falls® Lemon
Begonia ‘Groovy Rose’
Zinnia ‘Profusion Double Red’
Gomphrena Truffula™ Pink
• Supertunia Mini Vista® Midnight | No shrinking violet here! Part of the Vista® line of petunias, providing outstanding vigor, branching, and self-cleaning. Slightly smaller blooms, but produces profusely in a moody, velvety plum to almost black color. Excellent for sunny containers and landscapes. Grows 6-12” tall by 18-24” wide. • Supertunia® Persimmon | Develops a continuously blooming mound of large, coral-pink to peachyyellow, trumpet flowers that are vibrant and selfcleaning. Heat and drought tolerant. Attracts all the pollinators. Makes a vigorous spiller and filler. Grows 4-12” tall by 18-24” wide. • SunPatiens® Compact Purple Candy | A new, magentapurple and red bicolor variety in this popular New Guinea Impatiens series with awesome flower power. ‘Compact Deep Red’ and ‘Vigorous Peach Candy’ also newly available on our ever-growing list of varieties. Performs in all weather and in full sun to full shade. Strong vigor and well-branching habit. Grows 12-32” tall by 12-24” wide.
Supertunia Mini Vista® Midnight
• Canna Cannova® Red Golden Flame | Grows quickly and compactly, developing thick, medium green foliage and flaming, bicolor, fire engine-red blossoms with brilliant gold margins. Part of a compact canna series promising early and long blooming. A troublefree, wonderful option for sunny containers and garden beds. Grows 30-48” tall by 14-20” wide.
Supertunia® Persimmon
Canna Cannova® Red Golden Flame SunPatiens® Compact Purple Candy
Varieties featured are locally grown by Petitti’s and available at all Petitti Garden Centers.
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FOR ORGA
NIC GARDENIN G
70% Cold Pressed Neem Oil
Controls insects, diseases, mites, and nematodes Approved for organic gardening
petittigardencenter.com | 7
bonide.com
©2022 BONIDE Products LLC
Spanish Lavender ‘Primavera’
Angelo’s Farm Market
VEGGIES & HERBS 3 New Varieties to Grow & Love
With more than 180 varieties to choose from this season in our Angelo’s Farm Market collection of 3.5” starter herb and vegetable plants, we have your desire to grow your own edibles covered! Yet we’re always searching for improved, easier to grow, and unique varieties to make your containers or veggie gardens more productive, helping you build on your success with each growing season. That’s why we’ve introduced 3 new additions for 2023 that we love to grow, and think that you will, too! Spanish Lavender ‘Primavera’ | This lovely, showy, flowering, and fragrant lavender should be grown as an annual. It’s a veritable spring staple in containers and well-drained garden spaces. Growing 16-18” tall, Lavandula stoechas produces compact, aromatic, grey-green foliage covered in purple, spiky flowers that are topped by vivid, large, burgundy, flaglike petals. This variety blooms all growing season long and can even be transitioned indoors as a houseplant for winter. Better yet, it’s an excellent mosquito and deer repellent. Plant in your sunny pollinator, fragrance, or cutting garden spaces. Tomato ‘Atlas’ | This amazing, compact, beefsteak slicer can literally be grown outside your back door! It’s a spacesaving, hybrid variety that easily shoulders its big, heavy yield of extra-large, 12-ounce, bright red, ribbed tomatoes, and it offers good disease resistance. Also a dense, bushy, determinate type, this variety is well suited for in-ground and container gardens, alike, growing 2-3’ tall and wide. The 8 | petittigardencenter.com
tomatoes are delicious on sandwiches, burgers, and salads. Grow in full sun and provide some support because, as strong as ‘Atlas’ is, the abundant yield of tomatoes will try to weigh its stems down. Okra ‘Green’ | To a non-foodie, this may seem like a strange addition to our list for Northeast Ohio gardens, but let it be known the popularity and uses for this plant are going viral and it’s trending! Abelmoschus esculentus is a member of the Mallow family, producing spineless, 3-4” long, medium green, slightly fuzzy, ribbed but succulent seed pods that can be pickled, sauteed, roasted, and batter-fried. They provide a sweet, grassy flavor and add a creamy texture in gumbos and stews, as well. The plant’s creamy yellow, mallow flowers are also attractive and edible with a sweet, mild flavor, too. Give this plant about three square feet of space to thrive, and you will taste what famous culinary figures, food bloggers, and cuisine influencers are all raving about!
Tomato ‘Atlas’
Okra ‘Green’
growing
TOMATOES
Our Small Space Tomato Experiment After growing many tomatoes of various varieties & attributes over the years, we started wondering what would happen if we grew one tomato plant from each of the major categories (cherry, patio, plum, and beefsteak), treating each with the same planting conditions and identical maintenance efforts. What would we see? Here’s what we found…
Method & Materials Our growing site was a footprint of 7.5ft x 3ft on a cement patio, facing south by southwest and in full sun (6+ hours of direct sunlight). We chose four identical, 4.5-gallon (roughly 12” by 12”) black plastic pots with drainage holes and filled them halfway with Petitti Planting Mix. Espoma® Garden Lime and Tomato-tone® were added and lightly mixed into the soil, per package directions. In each pot, we installed one type of 3.5” starter tomato plant, loosening the root ball and removing the bottom three sets of leaves before planting deeply. More planting mix was added, along with a 4” Durango Marigold and one 3.5” companion herb (basil, parsley, or oregano), positioned across from each other on either side of the tomato. A top dressing of Tomato-tone® was added, and the containers were thoroughly irrigated (entire soil substrate moistened to the point of draining from the bottom, then repeated). Finally, a tomato cage sized 12” wide x 36” long was added for support but also for attaching protective bird/deer netting with binder clips. Tomato varieties used: • Cherry Tomato ‘Sweet Million’
• Tomato ‘Patio’
• Beefsteak Heirloom Marriage™ ‘Jersey Boy’
• Plum Tomato ‘Viva Italia’ petittigardencenter.com | 9
VEGGIES & HERBS | Gardening with Angelo
Observations & Pitfalls • Watering | One thorough watering, every other day in the morning, was sufficient until the tomatoes started developing their first fruit, then daily watering was needed. • Companions | Most companion plants flourished, but also took up space that the tomatoes could have used. • Feeding | The initial application of Garden Lime and Tomatotone®, along with routine feedings, seemed to prevent signs of blossom end rot. Regular, consistent watering likely also aided fruit development, as was expected. • Intruder | We initially thought deer would browse, which is why we applied netting. Later, we found some of the beefsteak tomatoes had huge bites taken out of them. Taking a closer look, we found one, single hornworm had done all the damage! It was physically removed, and we saw no signs of insect issues the rest of the growing season. • Harvesting | The cherry tomato plant developed early and yielded often, allowing us to harvest at least a dozen fruit every week. The ‘Patio’ tomato was steady, producing one to two fruit per week. The beefsteak, through no fault of its own, was badly damaged by the hornworm; still, it recovered with just enough time left in the growing season to give us one good tomato. The plum tomato delivered a nice yield toward the end of the season.
Conclusions The bigger and deeper the pot, the better for container-grown tomatoes. A larger pot equals more soil, moisture, nutrients, and air spaces for developing healthier, stronger roots. It also lowers irrigation maintenance. Discover more of the interesting conclusions we were able to draw about companion planting and pest prevention, and find out which tomato was the true champion of this experiment by scanning below.
LEARN MORE What’s your guess as to which tomato fared the best for us? Scan to find out!
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Hornworm
AJ PETITTI’S fresh pasta sauce Directions
Ingredients (Serves 2)
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
• ½ lb Spaghetti
2. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté until golden brown.
• 1 qt Cherry Tomatoes (the riper, the better)
3. Add dry white wine to the pan and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. 4. Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes have blistered and are beginning to break down. 5. Smash the tomatoes with the back of a spoon to further break them down. Remove the skins, if desired (I prefer to remove the skins for a smoother, creamier sauce). 6. Add 1 tablespoon salt to the pot of boiling water, followed by the spaghetti. Cook until halfway done (about 5-6 min), then add the pasta to the tomato sauce. Save the pasta water. 7. Add 1 ladle of pasta water to the pan to be absorbed by the pasta. Continue adding pasta water as needed, 1 ladle at a time, until the pasta is al dente. Add the Parmigiano Reggiano to the sauce and remove from heat.
• 4-5 Garlic Cloves, minced • 3 tbsp Extra Virgin Oil • ¼-½ tsp Red Pepper Flakes • 1 cup Dry White Wine • 1 tsp Salt • 1 tsp Black Pepper • 4 tbsp Chopped Basil • 2 tsp Parmigiano Reggiano, grated Learn more about AJ’s favorite recipe.
8. Chiffonade the basil. Top the pasta with the basil and sprinkle with additional Parmigiano Reggiano. Serve with crusty bread. Enjoy!
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VEGGIES & HERBS | Gardening with Angelo
grow your own
FRESH HERB GARDEN for Summer Cocktails & Mocktails
This year, get creative with container gardening by growing herbs and edibles you can use to mix up your favorite summer beverages! It’s a simple DIY project to enjoy and make good use of the entire growing season. Begin with large enough containers to where the herbs and edibles you selected will have room to flourish in full sun. Elevated planters are ideal for the balcony, deck, or patio when in-ground garden space is limited. They’re also great if you want to garden without bending over or kneeling. Add a nutrient-rich, raised bed, or garden soil such as Petitti Planting Mix. Plan to fertilize regularly with Espoma® Organic Garden-tone®, and water thoroughly, as needed.
Selecting Herbs & Edibles
Vintage Galvanized Raised Bed Planter on Stand
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Strawberry and mint-based teas, lemonades, and cocktails are always popular, but with some research, more interesting drink recipes and mixes can be found. In the elevated garden pictured here, two quarts of Strawberry ‘Delizz’ were installed near a large, 10” ‘Genovese’ Basil. ‘Mint Julep’ was planted in the far corner with a large, rosemary called ‘Gorizia’ behind it. And, a lovely, hybrid French lavender ‘Grosso’ was planted as a centerpiece. How are all these edibles used in drinks, you ask? A simple Google search and some trial & error will result in refreshing concoctions, like one of our favorites featured on page 13.
Strawberry Basil Cocktail Ingredients for 1 Drink 1.5 oz Strawberry Basil Simple Syrup* 1 oz Fresh Lime Juice 2 oz Vodka (or seltzer for mocktail) 3 Strawberries 2 Basil Leaves *Strawberry Basil Simple Syrup (enough for 2 drinks)
Maintaining Edibles Our best advice? Harvest early in the morning for the best flavors. Store in a refrigerator or cool area, until ready to make your drinks. For basil, use an airtight container in the fridge or simply place the stems in a glass of water on the counter at room temperature. Avoid washing the edibles, until just before using them. Also, don’t be afraid to harvest often. The more herbs are harvested, the better they’ll produce. If harvested more than you can use on any given day, simply air-dry or freeze your herbs in ice cube trays. They’ll be ready to pop into drinks (or soups & sauces) on a later date. Enjoy!
• • • •
¼ cup Sugar ¼ cup Water 3 Strawberries 4 Large Basil Leaves
Directions Make the syrup: Add water, sugar, sliced strawberries, and torn basil leaves into a small pot. Cook over low heat until the sugar is dissolved. While the syrup is coming to a boil, muddle (mash) the strawberries using a muddler or a wooden spoon to break up the strawberries and infuse the syrup with strawberry and basil flavor. Strain the syrup through a finemesh strainer, discard the strawberry pulp and basil leaves. Leave to cool. Store extra syrup in the refrigerator. Make the drink: 1. In a cocktail shaker, muddle strawberries, basil, and lime juice. 2. Add the strawberry basil simple syrup, vodka and a few ice cubes. Shake until combined. 3. Strain into a glass and garnish with strawberries and a basil leaf. 4. Enjoy!
Strawberry ‘Delizz’
Add your favorite seltzer for a lighter beverage.
LEARN MORE Scan to see more of this elevated planter garden and learn about the plants installed!
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bonide.com
THE 100% LOCAL & ORGANIC SOLUTION to better garden soil
Recommended by Angelo & AJ Petitti for over 15 years! If your soil’s alive, your garden will thrive! As Angelo & AJ Petitti can attest, great gardens begin with great soil, and you only get one chance to make a good environment for a plant’s roots – before it goes in the ground. Northeast Ohio soil can be mostly clay or sandy, but it is nearly always acidic. Sweet Peet® naturally improves clay soil by causing the clay to form channels, so that roots get the right amount of air and water. Sweet Peet improves sandy soils, too, by holding nutrients and moisture in place where roots can get at them. Best of all, Sweet Peet corrects pH by reducing sourness, or acidity, commonly called sweetening the soil. • When preparing flower beds, vegetable gardens, and new lawns, work Sweet Peet into your existing soil before planting. • If your garden is already planted, apply 1-2 inches of Sweet Peet as a mulch, adding nutrients to the soil while preserving moisture and keeping plant roots cool. • If sowing grass seed, put down a thin layer of Sweet Peet both before and after seeding to guarantee good contact with the soil and better moisture maintenance.
PROTECT
BEAUTIFY
NOURISH
GROW
Sourced from local farming operations right here in Ohio for 20 years, Sweet Peet® is 100% local, organic compost. Farm waste materials are diverted from landfills to Sweet Peet’s facility, where they decompose naturally and transform into a nutrientrich soil amendment or mulch. The full process from start to finish occurs locally, conserving valuable resources. Petitti farms and greenhouses are beginning to use Sweet Peet in growing mixes, replacing less sustainable ingredients and ultimately producing even better plants!
the beautiful
BOUGAINVILLEA In good company with flowering tropicals 16 | petittigardencenter.com
Gardening with Angelo | TROPICALS
Exotic and dramatic, Bougainvillea is an absolute showstopper, and it’s one of Angelo’s favorite flowering plants. Our growing teams have been hard at work since last fall, perfecting our practices with this long crop, and the result is the fullest, most beautiful Bougainvilleas we’ve ever presented. We can’t wait for you to see!
Bougainvillea Care & Maintenance
Bougainvillea ‘Vera Fire Opal’
Native to tropical regions in Central and South America, Bougainvillea was first discovered in the 1760s in Rio de Janeiro. Later, it was cultivated in many parts of the world, most noticeably in the early 1900s when it became a signature landscaping element in California’s Spanish Mission Revival architectural movement. When growing Bougainvillea here at home in Northeast Ohio, think about the sunny, hot, dry environments noted above, and mimic them for success. Full sun is needed, so identify a spot that gets six or more hours of sunlight. Bougainvillea thrives when grown in a container, so provide a pot with excellent drainage and fill it with Petitti Planting Mix or Petitti Potting Mix. Bougainvillea is most vulnerable when tender, thin roots are young, or being transplanted, so handle it gently at first and provide deep, infrequent watering. Once established, it will flourish in the hot, summertime conditions. Regular fertilization with a slow-release, flowering plant food will help maintain Bougainvillea’s uniquely heartshaped leaves and distinctive, paper lantern-like bracts that protect its white, tubular, true flowers. It is those flowers that long-tongued pollinators enjoy. Deadhead Bougainvillea regularly to promote more branching and blooming.
Bougainvillea ‘Vera Deep Purple’
Bougainvillea ‘Vera White’
Bougainvillea Hanging Basket
Most Bougainvilleas we grow at Petitti’s are part of the ‘Vera’ series. They grow approximately 18-36” tall and wide, and they’re not vining, but rather bushy. They’re also thornless, free blooming, and they produce the most delightful 1-2” inflorescences in vibrant colors of magentaviolet (‘Vera Deep Purple’), amber orange (‘Vera Fire Opal’), and a blushed, pale lime to cream (‘Vera White’).
More Tropical Flowering Finds An exotic relative of Rose of Sharon and the hardy,
Tropical Hibiscus Braided Caramel
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perennial Hibiscus, tropical Hibiscus is a vivacious, warm-weather plant that blossoms in a rainbow of colorful varieties. Flowers typically measure four inches or larger in diameter with bright, central eyes. It’s a notable favorite among hummingbirds and butterflies. Some varieties of tropical Hibiscus are compact and bushy, while others are trained into braided, topiary trees.
Tye-Dye Wind
Pink Punch Wind
Tortuga Wind
Mandarin Wind
For Big, Bold Blooms All Summer!
If vining is what you are seeking, look to Mandevilla Sun Parasol® Giant Dark Pink. It will flourish in the same warm conditions as other tropical plants, but its natural tendrilling growth and vigorous growth habit will easily fill a six-foot trellis within weeks! ‘Giant Dark Pink’ also boasts some of the largest, five-petal, tubular flowers you’ll find in the Mandevilla family, spanning 5” and infused with varying shades of deep rose-pink on the petals and veins. This is a slightly later blooming variety than most, but it’s well worth the wait for its exceptional heat tolerance and disease resistance. And, of course, it’s a pollinator magnet, too! Two wonderfully perfumed members of the Jasmine family are Jasmine sambac (small, but profuse white flowers) and the larger flowering Gardenia. Jasmine varieties tend to prefer slightly acidic soil pH, so feed them with Holly-tone® during the growing season (April to September). They can also tolerate a part-shade aspect (4-6 hours of direct sunlight) better than full sun-loving Bougainvillea, Hibiscus and Mandevilla.
Exotic Blooms in Brilliant Colors Excellent in Patio Pots and in the Landscape Thrives in Heat
Jasmine sambac
Flowers All Season
Mandevilla Sun Parasol® Giant Dark Pink
Gardenia
LEARN MORE Scan to learn more about gardening with tropical plants, and how you can transition them indoors in fall to be wintered over as houseplants.
Bonaire Wind
Available at all
Petitti Garden Centers FOR MORE INFO: 18 | petittigardencenter.com
An Ohio Company
www.tradewindshibiscus.com
Save on your water bill!
AquaPots use 75% less water than similar pots on drip irrigation.
The convenience of a self-watering pot with the beauty of durable, high-quality glazed ceramic.
Heavy duty components
Can be cleaned and reused year after year.
Never overwater your plants again! An overflow valve ensures your plants won’t drown, even after a heavy rain.
Savannah GOLDILOCKS ROCKS® Bidens SUPERTUNIA® Persimmon Petunia SUPERBENA® Peachy Keen Verbena in AquaPots® Techno Light Blue Flat Rim Round Planter – 16"
petittigardencenter.com | 19
annuals that take the heat
Flowering Vinca Blockbuster™ Dark Red
Lantana Lucky™ Flame
DIY PLANTER Drought-tolerant container garden
When your patio faces full south, with no trees to shade it and no structures to cast a shadow, it’s time to find abuse-tolerant plants that thrive despite harsh, scalding conditions and minimal irrigation.
False Dracaena/Cordyline ‘Red Sensation’ Celosia Bright Sparks™ Bright Yellow
Red Dipladenia
Livingstone Daisy Mezoo™ Trailing Red
Livingstone Daisy ™ 20 | petittigardencenter.com Mezoo Trailing Red
Begin by selecting a light-colored ceramic or plastic pot with drainage holes. The light color will reflect heat, rather than absorb it, and the drainage holes will keep your plants’ roots from rotting. Also, choose a container on the larger side. A larger container means more soil, which equates to more water spaces, and pot moisture will last longer, ultimately reducing your watering labor. Next, fill the container with Petitti Planting Mix. This enriched soil incorporates composted bark, so moisture tends to last and the soil doesn’t dry out as quickly. Should you find your containers are still drying out more rapidly than you like, apply Hydretain® to the soil, which will minimize drought stress and extend your intervals between watering even further.
Root Warrior The Perfect Solution for Growing Nutrient Superior Plants
WATER-WISE
gardening
• It optimizes air and water balance. • It aerates roots and soil microbes. • It helps nutrient + mineral absorption. Easy to Use. Place it over the drain holes and plant as normal.
The combo we planted for summer is shown thriving in fall, despite a long growing season of full sun and a bit of neglect.
For Indoor + Outdoor Plants.
Now, select your plants. Look to annuals or tropical flowering plants that are tagged to grow in full sun. Plants that possess succulent foliage are also a great choice. In the combination featured, we used: • Flowering Vinca Blockbuster™ Dark Red | A plant that loves the heat and hates the cold, displaying extra-large, showy flowers that remain perfect in extreme conditions. Grows 12” tall and wide. • Lantana Lucky™ Flame | A medium-sized plant with a vase-shaped habit that keeps growing and branching well into fall while blooming non-stop. Grows 12-14” tall and wide. • False Dracaena/Cordyline ‘Red Sensation’ | A tough, spiky plant that originates from Australia and loves the heat. Grows up to 48” tall. • Celosia Bright Sparks™ Bright Yellow | A really sturdy plant with awesome branching and vigor, and large plumes of color. Grows 12” tall and wide. • Red Dipladenia | A shorter version of Mandevilla with a great propensity to thrive in sun and heat, originating from the tropics of South America. Grows 12-18” tall with short, tendrilling vines. • Livingstone Daisy Mezoo™ Trailing Red | A fantastic, variegated, succulent spiller that provides foliage color and texture as well as bright pops of flowers. Grows 4” tall by 15” wide.
Good all four Seasons.
How it Works Plant containers are notorious for waterlogged soil in their interior core where anerobic bacteria attack the root system. Your plants struggle in waterlogged soil. Garden myths suggest placing rocks, broken pottery or other debris to improve drainage. However, clutter only raises the perched waterlogged table. The Root Warrior’s aeration chamber completely eliminates waterlogged soil. Your plants can now thrive.
4-in Root Warrior Grow peppers, herbs, flowers, and houseplants. Use it indoors or outdoors. Fits 1 to 7 Gal containers and grow bags.
6-in Root Warrior Great for all vegetables and houseplants. Use it indoors, outdoors or in raised beds. Fits 5 to 15 Gal containers and grow bags.
8-in Root Warrior
LEARN MORE Want to learn to grow like a pro? Scan for tips and tricks on planting your own drought-tolerant containers.
A garden workhorse for large vegetables, decorative plants, and roses. Use it indoors, outdoors, or in raised beds. Fits 10 to 30 Gal containers or grow bags. petittigardencenter.com | 21 www.PlantWarrior.com
MONARCH BUTTERFLY
Danaus plexippus
Gardening with Angelo | PERENNIALS
It can be said here in Northeast Ohio, and surely across the United States, that the Monarch Butterfly is the most top-of-mind species of butterfly. It is highly recognizable with its distinctive orange-and-black coloring and white markings, and it’s beloved for its feats and abilities that are unlike any other insect. But in July 2022, the Monarch Butterfly soared in popularity for a new reason – it entered the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species with the “endangered” distinction. The update went viral, sparking widespread news coverage and causing concern across scientific and gardening communities, alike. Quickly thereafter, many people started brushing up on their knowledge of this most popular pollinator, wondering how they might help. They learned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has not yet listed the Monarch Butterfly as a threatened species under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, but also that the Service acknowledged it as a “warranted but precluded” candidate in December 2020. They learned the Monarch is the only known species of butterfly to make 2-way, long-distance migrations like birds. The eastern population (the group we experience) breeds in the U.S. in summer in a cycle that produces multiple generations. It’s the final generation produced that
travels thousands of miles south on air currents and thermals to Mexico for winter, suspends reproduction, then begins the long flight back in early spring. This generation lives the longest, 6 to 9 months, with a purpose to start the cycle again. Truly fascinating! So what’s happening to threaten the species? A number of factors across many regions have directly or indirectly contributed to the monarch population’s decline over the course of the last 25 years, but it boils down to loss of overwintering habitat, loss of breeding habitat, and urbanization (less of the plants on which they rely). But there is, of course, hope! And it’s exciting to know that the gardening community is one group that can make a big impact with the easiest of efforts – and efforts we all enjoy!
The #1 way average homeowners and gardeners can help is by planting perennial Milkweed. Additionally, planting nectar-rich flowers, avoiding pesticides, and introducing “beneficial bugs” like ladybugs, praying mantises, and nematodes are nice ways to round out the support.
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PERENNIALS | Gardening with Angelo
Milkweed Matters
Meet Maximus
We first found him as a caterpillar late last summer, feeding on Butterflyweed at our Oakwood Village location. With excitement, we documented his life cycle!
The North American Monarch Conservation Plan asserts in detail the importance of Milkweed (Asclepias spp.). In short, monarch butterflies can only survive where Milkweed grows. Females lay their eggs only on the leaves of milkweed. Eggs hatch into caterpillars, which feed only on the leaves of milkweed. Caterpillars spin a protective case, or chrysalis, around them on the milkweed, signaling the onset of metamorphosis. Once they emerge, they are fully formed adults, the black-and-orange beauties we know so well. Adults feed on nectarrich flowers of many kinds, but must always locate milkweed again in order to produce the next important generation.
Growing the Right Milkweed Matters While many species of perennial milkweed grow across America, only 3 are appropriate for Northeast Ohio – and so it’s important to grow only these types. Plant in full sun in well-drained soil amended with Petitti Planting Mix. Maintain 1” of water per week for the first year to ensure establishment. Fertilize each spring with Plant-tone® and Iron-tone®. • Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) grows upright stems with thick, broad leaves and fragrant, pink-purple flowers that appear over a long bloom period from late spring through summer. It’s the kind you find in undisturbed areas like in meadows and along roadsides. This type spreads fairly easily, producing prominent seed pods that split when ripe to release silky-tailed seeds into the wind. Grows 3-4’ tall x 1-2’ wide. • Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) is beloved for its bright clusters of vanilla-scented, rose-pink flowers, which bloom continuously from midsummer to fall. True to its name, this type thrives in medium to wet soils, alongside marshes and waterways, but it will also tolerate average, well-drained soil, so long as it isn’t left to completely dry out. Like Asclepias syriaca, swamp milkweed will further itself through seed pods in the wind and through its rhizomatous root system. Grows 3-5’ tall x 1-3’ wide.
Butterflyweed
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• Butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa), sometimes called Orange Milkweed, is a brilliantly colored perennial that blooms with fiery shades of red, orange, and yellow in summer. It is the most contained type of milkweed, staying where it is planted, and it is also rather tolerant of lean, unimproved soil. However, it will not tolerate soggy soil, and so well-draining areas are a must. It’s ideal for borders, and pairs nicely with other perennials. Grows 2-3’ tall x 2’ wide.
Gardening with Angelo | PERENNIALS
As featured on the front cover, Coneflower Artisan™ Red Ombre
3 Pro Tips for Growing Milkweed in support of Monarchs: 1. Plant multiple milkweed plants, even several species, close together and in full sun. 2. Make sure nearby plants are not blocking access to the milkweed; make it easy for monarchs. 3. Design your pollinator garden so that milkweed plants are at the perimeter and offset by mulch.
Deer Problem? Not a problem! Here’s a bonus tidbit you’ll want to know – Milkweed offers exceptional deer and rabbit resistance! Both animals tend to avoid it because of the milky latex sap in its foliage.
What is the IUCN Red List? The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an international organization headquartered in Switzerland and comprised of national and subnational governments & agencies and non-governmental & indigenous peoples’ organizations from more than 160 countries. The union represents itself as the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it. IUCN established the Red List of Threatened Species in 1964, and maintains it has evolved to become the world’s most comprehensive inventory and information source on the global extinction risk status of biological species. Learn more at www.iucn.org.
Swamp Milkweed ‘Cinderella’
LEARN MORE Scan to visit our special page dedicated to growing Milkweed in support of the Monarch Butterfly. Browse milkweed varieties available now, and learn even more about the life cycle of this most fascinating, pollinating insect!
Common Milkweed
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what’s new in
PERENNIALS A Sneak Peek of New Varieties We’re Offering this Season
Coneflower Artisan™ Yellow Ombre
Regardless of the roller-coaster weather this past winter, our pretty perennials are patiently waiting for their debut, rooted and ready to grow for you! • Coneflower Artisan™ Yellow Ombre | A fantastic award winner, growing prolific, uniform, long-lasting, easy-care, intensely golden-yellow flowers in summer that are perfect for pollinators in sunny spots at 24-34” tall.
Shasta Daisy ‘White Lion’
Hosta Shadowland® ‘Miss America’
• Shasta Daisy ‘White Lion’ | Puts other daisies to shame with the earliest, most vigorous, budding and blooming over neat, compact, 8-10” tall plants that are repeat flowering and super cold hardy in the sun.
Lenten Rose Ice N’ Roses® Brunello
• Hosta Shadowland® ‘Miss America’ | A wonderful companion to Astilbe and coral bells with shades of green and cream streaking on heart-shaped foliage that grows to 19” tall by 55” wide, including white flowers with a touch of lavender for shade to part shade. • Lenten Rose Ice N’ Roses® Brunello | One of the fantastic new varieties to be released this spring, shining up to 2’ tall and wide with dreamy, dusty rosemaroon flowers, evergreen foliage, and awesome deer resistance. Grow in part shade for best blooming. Every garden should have at least one of these!
Black-eyed Susan ‘Goldblitz’
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• Black-eyed Susan ‘Goldblitz’ | A faster-flowering
Gardening with Angelo | PERENNIALS
Swamp Milkweed ‘Cinderella’
Bee Balm Upscale™ ‘Red Velvet’
Candytuft Snowsation™
Coral Bells Dolce® ‘Wildberry’
option than the garden classic ‘Goldsturm’, but with smaller, shiny, dark green leaves and smaller flowers. It produces abundantly in the landscape to shade out the weeds summer to fall, growing 24-28” tall and 18” wide. Tolerant of drought and heat, attractive to pollinators, and rabbit resistant. • Bee Balm Upscale™ ‘Red Velvet’ | Possesses fabulous disease resistance, good deer resistance, and produces loads of bright red, pollinator-supporting flowers in early summer. It won’t be missed growing 30-36” tall in the sunny perennial garden. • Candytuft Snowsation™ | A tidy, mounding, spring beauty for sunny spots, and a perfect complement to Lenten Rose and others, growing 6” tall and 10” wide with large, bright white flowers and uniform branching. • Coral Bells Dolce® ‘Wildberry’ | Another award-winning PW® variety with outstanding, vibrant, violet foliage in sun or shade, mounded up to 14” tall with a flowering scape height of 28”. Good pollinator attractant, too. • Swamp Milkweed ‘Cinderella’ | A 3-5’ tall nativar that produces softly scented, rose-pink clustered flowers in summer that pollinators adore, and it possesses good deer and rabbit resistance.
Lupine Westcountry™ ‘Towering Inferno’
Astilbe Hot Pearls®
• Lupine Westcountry™ ‘Towering Inferno’ | A flaming orange-red variety with yellow flecks, showy and fetching, up to 3’ tall, with a wonderful, spicy fragrance in late spring. Plant in sunny, really well-drained spots. • Astilbe Hot Pearls® | Shows off in the shade! And at 34” tall in full bloom, this cerise red variety attracts hummingbirds and other pollinators in early summer. Awesome, deer resistant color and foliage for the shade garden.
April is National
NATIVE PLANT MONTH At Petitti’s, we grow and carry both native species and nativars (cultivated varieties of native species). You’ll discover spring-blooming Columbine, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, White Trillium (Ohio’s official state wildflower), Cinnamon & Lady ferns, Fern-leaf Bleeding Heart, Eastern Redbud trees, Blueberries, Viburnum, and many more native plants to fill your gardens and landscape for diverse, year-round interest.
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Experts Trust the #1 Brand in Organic Gardening. Laura LeBoutillier grew up working in her parents’ garden center. Since then, she and her husband Aaron have published hundreds of inspirational and educational gardening videos online for over 3 million loyal fans. Laura loves her garden and uses only the best products to ensure it looks beautiful. That’s why when it’s time to plant she trusts Espoma Organic® Bio-tone® Starter Plus.
Espoma. A natural in the garden since 1929.
For more information call us at 1-800-634-0603 | www.espoma.com
Angelo’s favorite
PATIO TREES Angelo often recommends planting ornamental trees and durable evergreens in and around the patio to define the area, add layers of height, and provide privacy. These trees have a smaller stature, which allows you to enjoy growing them in closer proximity to seating areas without overwhelming the space. They’re also relatively easy to maintain over time.
Selecting Your Patio Tree Angelo recommends planting varieties with attributes like extreme cold hardiness and a slow growth rate. These woody plants do well when planted in the ground or in containers, and can also withstand the elements, if left outside in containers year-round. Some of Angelo’s favorite patio trees pictured are: • Panicle Hydrangea tree | Any variety will work, cold hardy to -40°F, 10-18’ tall • Rose of Sharon tree | Many colorful options, cold hardy to -20°F, 12-18’ tall • Doublefile Viburnum tree | Spring blooming & fall color, cold hardy to -20°F, 12-18’ tall • Dwarf Lilac ‘Miss Kim’ tree | Spring blooming, fragrant, cold hardy to -30°F, 8-12’ tall • Juniper ‘Moonglow’* | Evergreen, cold hardy to -30°F, 10-15’ tall, tie or wrap • Rose Petite Knock Out® tree* | Repeat blooming, cold hardy to -30°F, 3-5’ tall, protect under cover • Japanese Maple ‘Bloodgood’* | Slow growing, excellent color & form, cold hardy to -20°F, 15-20’ tall, protect from strong winds • Weeping Cherry tree | Spring blooming, good form, cold hardy 30 | petittigardencenter.com Panicle Hydrangea Tree
Gardening with Angelo | NURSERY
to -20°F, 15-20’ tall, start with a small size • Crabapple Sweet Sugar Tyme® | New variety, dwarf, spring blooming, persistent red fruit, cold hardy to -30°F, 10’ tall
Planting Trees in Containers 1. If planning to grow your patio tree in a container, choose a container with drainage holes that’s made of weather-resistant material, and make sure it’s at least two inches wider and deeper than the root ball of the tree or shrub. 2. Fill the container with Petitti Planting Mix, so the top of the root ball is resting about two inches below the lip of the pot. If you’re planning to install annuals or groundcovers around the base of the woody plant, have the root ball rest a little deeper, about four inches.
Rose of Sharon tree
Dwarf Lilac ‘Miss Kim’ tree
Doublefile Viburnum tree
3. Position the tree or shrub in the center of the pot, after loosening the root ball. 4. Backfill with more Petitti Planting Mix, and apply a slow-release fertilizer. Additional annuals can be installed on the root ball at this time, if desired.
Juniper ‘Moonglow’ Rose Petite Knock Out® tree Japanese Maple ‘Bloodgood’
5. Water thoroughly, watching the container drain. Once it stops draining, water thoroughly again. 6. Maintain irrigation and feeding, scout for issues, and deadhead or trim, as necessary.
A Word on Winter Care Provided you’ve chosen cold-hardy varieties and durable, weatherresistant containers, pots planted with trees and shrubs can be left out on porches, patios, and decks all year long. During winter, containers should be raised up, 1-2 inches off the surface, to provide drainage. For plants marked by (*), it’s beneficial to move these into a garage or against a protected side of the house for winter. Mulch their raised-up pots with leaves to reduce likelihood of drying and desiccation.
Time Flies When You’re Growing Beautifully After 2-3 years of growing in the same pot, these plants will need to be root pruned and re-potted in the spring with fresh soil, so they’re ready to grow another 2-3 years. Weeping Cherry tree
Crabapple Sweet Sugar Tyme®
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NURSERY | Gardening with Angelo
new varieties from
Ninebark Tiny Wine®
Rose of Sharon Orchid Satin®
PROVEN ® WINNERS
for Lasting Color and All-Year Interest
Butterfly Bush Pugster Pinker®
These woody plant varieties, trialed and tested by Proven Winners®, are being grown at our farms in Lake County. They will be ready in stores this growing season to provide long blooming, pollinator attraction, pleasing foliage, and winter interest for full sun to part shade. • Ninebark Tiny Wine® | An attractive, tidy, mounded nativar with superior cold hardiness. Gorgeous bronzegreen to dark maroon foliage. Blush to white clusters of dainty flowers in spring. An adaptable, easy growing, must-have plant. 3-5’ tall & wide.
Weigela Vinho Verde™
Summersweet Sugartina® Crystalina
Blue Holly Castle Spire®
Hydrangea Wee Bit Grumpy®
• Rose of Sharon Orchid Satin® | One of the many varieties of sterile Hibiscus offered by PW®. A classic, midsummer bloomer producing extra-large, showy, single, orchid pink flowers with a flashy red eye. A pollinator magnet and heat tolerant. Grows in most well-drained soils. 8x12’ tall by 4-6’ wide. • Butterfly Bush Pugster Pinker® | The newest addition to the Pugster® family with the same kind of full-sized, reblooming, fragrant flowers on a sturdy, compact frame. A vibrant new color variety, producing deep pink flowers with bright orange eyes. A pollinator magnet with excellent deer resistance and good cold hardiness. Approximately 2’ tall & wide. • Weigela Vinho Verde™ | A unique, bicolor shrub with lime green leaves and dark purple to almost black margins. Classic, deep pink-red tubular flowers in late spring for the arrival of hummingbirds. Pleasing, rounded habit providing color and interest spring to fall. 3 x 5’ tall & wide.
Hydrangea Limelight Prime®
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• Blue Holly Castle Spire® | A dense, evergreen specimen with clean, glossy foliage. One of Angelo
Hydrangea Tiny Quick Fire®
Hydrangea Let’s Dance Sky View®
Petitti’s favorite plants for year-round interest and strong pyramidal form. The female variety produces copious amounts of bright red, festive berries for snowbirds and decorating. For best pollination, plant the male, Castle Wall®, within 50’. 6-10’ tall by 3-4’ wide. • Summersweet Sugartina® Crystalina | A tough nativar producing wonderfully fragrant, spiky, white flowers in midsummer for butterflies and bees. Adaptable to shady spots and deer resistant. Watch for its stunning, golden, fall foliage. 2.5’ by 3’ tall & wide. • Hydrangea Wee Bit Grumpy® | Some of the deepest, vibrant purples and cerise pinks to be found in the bigleaf (mophead) hydrangea world. Brand new and selected for its spectacular color, compact, sturdy habit, and Zone 5 hardiness. Be aware, winter and early spring protection is still recommended in NE Ohio. 2’ tall & wide. • Hydrangea of the Year, Limelight Prime® | A phenomenal panicle type. A more colorful form of ‘Limelight’ that’s earlier blooming, more vivid, stronger, denser, and more compact. Offers the same reliable, longblooming interest for summer, fall, and winter. 4-6’ tall by 4-5’ wide. • Hydrangea Tiny Quick Fire® | A dwarf panicle type perfect for small spaces and containers. The most petite and earliest-blooming form of Quick Fire® now available. An easy, reliable bloomer with awesome cold hardiness. 1.5-3’ tall and wide. • Hydrangea Let’s Dance Sky View® | A high-performing mophead with excellent cold hardiness. Profuse, sky-blue blossoms with light green centers. Repeat blooms all growing season from start to finish. 2-3’ tall by 2-4’ wide.
Varieties featured are locally grown by Petitti’s and available at all Petitti Garden Centers. petittigardencenter.com | 33
more THE merrier THE
OFFERS CONSTANT REBLOOMING ANYWHERE
THRIVES IN DECO CONTAINERS
Petite
Knock Out® ‘Meibenbino’ PP 30,811 U.S. Pat. No. 11,252,928 CPBR 6,553
FIND A RETAILER NEAR YOU MAKES A COMPACT MASS PLANTING 34 | petittigardencenter.com
www.KnockOutRoses. com
calling all thumbs
SHRUB ROSES Easy-Peasy Varieties for Everyone
Rose Double Knock Out®
Rose Oso Easy® ‘Mango Salsa’
Of all the rose types, shrub roses (aka landscape roses) are the easiest to grow. They are tough, cold hardy, and they are by far the best for beginners, lovers of low maintenance, or garden enthusiasts who simply want to enjoy an abundance of rose blooms.
Shrub Rose Care
Rose Sunblaze® Red
This is the best part about growing shrub roses! The truth is, very little care is needed. They prefer full sun and well-drained, amended soil. Consistent watering is helpful when they’re newly planted and being established (1” of water, 1x per week), but they are mostly taken care of by Mother Nature after that. Yes, a regular application of Rose-tone® from May to August is appreciated, but if forgotten, it’s not a problem. Shrub roses are so vigorous and hardy because they grow from their own roots – no grafting, no bud union, and no winter protection needed. They’ve also been bred to be vigorous and abundantly free flowering. Deadheading helps because it induces more flowering, keeps the rose clean, and helps prevent disease, but most shrub varieties will keep blooming, even through the worst conditions, and they offer excellent disease resistance to boot!
Shrub Rose Varieties
Captions
Rose Sunblaze® Sweet
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No matter the spot or use in the garden or landscape, it’s likely there’s a shrub rose that will work. These tough-as-nails varieties produce a rainbow of colors and single, semi-double, even fully doubled blooms to entice the onlooker. And the roles they can play in the sunny landscape are so versatile – think petite edging, short or tall hedges, middle of a mixed shrub border, a perennial
Gardening with Angelo | NURSERY
Rose Coral Drift®
Rose Peach Drift®
Rose Oso Easy® Italian Ice
Rose Oso Easy® Candy Sunblaze
companion in a cutting garden, or a sprawling groundcover. There’s always a shrub rose that can meet your need! Now, shrub roses may not produce the largest, most fragrant blooms, but for reliability and longevity, they receive high marks.
white varieties are also available. The newest addition, Petite Knock Out®, delivers copious amounts of miniature, doubled, scarlet-red blooms on a tidy, petite mound that grows to 18” tall and wide at maturity. Perfect for containers, short hedges, or tree roses.
Sunblaze® Roses | A superb selection of miniature powerhouses with dozens of colors, bicolors, and blends from which to choose. Average petal count on their abundant, adorable flowers is 25! Fantastic in containers or as an edger in the landscape with full, bushy habits, growing 12-18” tall and wide. They are so easy we grafted them on top of rose trees, blooming a 3-5’ height all season.
Oso Easy® Roses | A unique series of durable landscape roses with varying growth dimensions (hardiness, color, and flowering type). All featured are cold hardy in Northeast Ohio. Sizes range from groundcover heights of 1-2’ tall and wide, such as the case with ‘Mango Salsa’, up to 3-4’ tall, with ‘Double Red’. Get details and find your favorites on page 39.
Drift® Roses | A cross between a full-sized, rugged groundcover rose and a tidy, miniature variety. They grow low, and they’re manageable, not rambling, around 1-2’ tall and wide. Covered in a plethora of medium sized blooms throughout the growing season. Again, flower type is variable with color and petal count, but all eleven varieties are stunning in perennial borders or in aiding to control erosion on a sunny slope.
Reminiscent™ Roses | Brand new from Proven Winners®! Three varieties offered this season (Crema, Pink and Coral), were developed by breeders in Serbia. These new roses are touted to achieve a successful combination of old-world beauty and fragrance with modern, repeat blooming, disease-resistant performance. We are looking forward to witnessing these beauties in our garden centers and gardens this growing season!
The Knock Out® Family of Roses | Used in the garden for more than 2 decades! A household name, for sure, known for their medium-sized, rounded habits, growing approximately 3-4’ tall and wide. Some flowers are singles with plenty of pollen to share with the bees, while others are doubled with cherry red as the predominant color (page 35). Pinks, coral, yellow, and petittigardencenter.com | 37
MEET YOUR NEW FAVORITE
ROSES
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AT LAST landscape rose ®
Eac rose in the Proven Winners® lineup Each kee its promise of being colorful, diseasekeeps res resistant, and continuous blooming. How can we make this claim? Simple: because we’ trialed and tested each variety for up we’ve to 110 years in the greenhouse, in containers, t field, and in the landscape. In the in the mid of these trials, we throw away hundreds midst h of hopefuls in search of only the highest per performing plants. It’s ruthless, but it’s
AT LAST ®
the best way to ensure that every Proven Winners® ColorChoice® rose is worthy of your purchase. So far, only 21 own-root roses have emerged from the gauntlet looking exceptional enough to bear our name. But you don’t need to take our word for it, the proof is in the planting. So find a sunny spot and give your new favorite a try.
landscape rose
OSO EASY ® DOUBLE PINK
OSO EASY DOUBLE RED ®
OSO EASY ITALIAN ICE ®
OSO EASY LEMON ZEST ®
OSO EASY ® MANGO SALSA landscape rose
OSO EASY PEASY ®
landscape rose
OSO EASY ® URBAN LEGEND®
REMINISCENT ® CREMA
REMINISCENT ® PINK
RISE UP AMBERNESS ™
RISE UP LILAC DAYS ™
landscape rose
garden rose
landscape rose
garden rose
landscape rose
mini climbing rose
landscape rose
landscape rose
mini climbing rose
terracotta & topiary
MEDITERRANEAN Indoor Plant Trends
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Angel Vine & Box Honeysuckle
Gardening with Angelo | HOUSEPLANTS
Lavender
Mexican Heather
Lemon
The Mediterranean lifestyle is trending by all accounts from healthy food choices to earthy, warm home décor and drought-tolerant garden accents. Indoors and out, terracotta pottery filled with citrus trees, olive plants, and tropical topiaries easily provides that warm, sun-kissed touch of the Mediterranean at home.
exchanging air and moisture through the pots’ porous structures to benefit plant roots. That’s right, roots need to breathe, too! Mediterranean plant families such as Citrus, Olive, and Lavender thrive in sunny, well-draining soil conditions. Terracotta containers provide perfectly for that well-draining aspect.
Shades of terracotta are warm and welcoming, exuding a cozy, grounded, comfortable vibe. Hues vary from sandy beige tones to soft peach, whitewashed orange, and russet. Embodying these colors, terracotta clay pottery makes for wonderful, warm accent pieces that brighten a stark room or shady garden space.
Other plants well suited for sunny, yet drier growing conditions are Mexican Heather (Cuphea hyssopifolia) with its adorable, violet flowers and tiny, bright green leaves, tough Angel Vine (Muehlenbeckia complexa) with its wacky, wiry stems, and Box Honeysuckle (Lonicera nitida), which looks like an elfin boxwood. Because these plants are so hardy, they are often trained and trimmed into different topiary shapes for added interest in the garden.
Terracotta pottery provides a healthy growing environment for plants that prefer well-drained soils,
Just remember, plants featured here are not winter hardy in Northeast Ohio. While they appreciate growing outdoors during the summer months, they need to be transitioned indoors in fall and enjoyed as a houseplant for winter.
LEARN MORE Scan for more on Mediterranean gardening trends, including essential elements, drought-tolerant plants, and our special Olive Tree Care Guide. Olive
petittigardencenter.com | 41
the focus is on
INDOOR FOLIAGE Unique & Versatile Houseplant Varieties
It’s a jungle out there! But maybe your goal is more to create a tropical paradise or simply a serene, calm space. Both are obtainable, especially when you focus your green spaces around foliage color and texture. And, with a handful of versatile houseplant families, developing an oasis indoors and out is possible.
Ferns The fern class is ancient and extensive with more than 15,000 known species. Their reproduction by spores sets them apart from other plants, but it’s their complex leaves that attract attention. Some fronds are finely
Kangaroo Paw Fern
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Silver Lace Fern
textured and shaggy while others are thick and straplike. Whichever varieties are appealing to you, know that they all require similar care plus shady, indirect lighting, high humidity, and adequate moisture. When it comes to houseplant/tropical varieties, they also need warmer temperatures (ranging 50-80°F). All houseplant-type ferns grow marvelously outdoors during the summer months in Northeast Ohio, and transition nicely back indoors for the winter. The bold, shiny green Kangaroo Paw fern (Microsorum diversifolium) is perfect for large pots and hanging baskets, as its dark, stubbly rhizomes trail over the
Foxtail Fern
Gardening with Angelo | HOUSEPLANTS
Alocasia ‘Dragon Scale’
Alocasia ‘Hilo Beauty’
Alocasia ‘Ninja’
Alocasia ‘Low Rider’
sides of the container. Silver Lace fern (Pteris ensiformis ‘Evergemiensis’) has showy, delicate-looking, silvery foliage that reflects light in darker spaces. Foxtail (Asparagus densiflorus), while not a true fern, always gets lumped into the fern family, but it’s actually part of the lily family and a variety of Asparagus “fern”. It produces dense, fluffy, upright stalks, covered in fine, needlelike, light green foliage. These plants are tough and textural, tolerating more abuse and sun than most fern species, yet they still make lovely companions to true ferns, as well.
medium green and silver shades. Its strong, shieldshaped foliage can reach up to 36 inches in optimum growing conditions. If you are looking for extra-large, glossy, and rippled leaves, try ‘Low Rider’, a 2-foot-tall dwarf variety with thick stalks and a broad habit. ‘Hilo Beauty’ develops a dappled, light and dark green camouflage pattern on its heart-shaped leaves, growing upright to around 2-3 feet tall. Some Alocasia varieties are small but mighty! Take the velvety black ‘Ninja’ (Alocasia reginula) which, at 12-18 inches tall, is perfect for tables or desktops.
Alocasia
Anthurium
Otherwise known as elephant ears, these tropical, bold, and beautiful foliage plants develop from fleshy rhizomes, tuberous roots, or a type of bulb called a corm. In the past, Alocasia growers would dry and store their tubers/corms to start again for the next growing season, just like dahlias or cannas. Recently, with the release of new breeding and dependable houseplant varieties, Alocasias are being grown as year-round houseplants. With very similar growing requirements to the ferns mentioned above, Alocasias are happiest in warm, humid, evenly moist conditions with exposure to indirect, bright lighting.
Many recognize this plant family by their brightest member, the “flamingo flower”. ‘Aren’t You Orange’ (page 44) is a stunning example of this species, producing burnt-orange spathes that stay colorful for months. Lesser-known varieties of Anthurium are wonderfully unique foliage plants that grow best in bright to medium, indirect sunlight, and with warm temperatures, high humidity, and evenly to slightly moist soil. Being an epiphytic plant (like moth orchids, bromeliads, and some ferns), Anthuriums appreciate well-drained soil with bark added for better drainage. They also make excellent growing companions for Alocasia.
‘Dragon Scale’ (Alocasia baginda) is a popular specimen possessing ridged and mottled leaves of dark and
Anthurium superbum, also known as bird’s nest petittigardencenter.com | 43
HOUSEPLANTS | Gardening with Angelo
Anthurium superbum
Anthurium clarinervium
Anthurium ‘Aren’t You Orange’
Anthurium, produces thick, rippled, reptilian-looking leaves. As it matures, the foliage is capable of growing 3-4 feet long, taking on medium green surfaces and olive green to bronze undersides. Just spectacular! Another exotic foliage species is called Velvet Cardboard (Anthurium clarinervium). Its dark, velvety, heart-shaped leaves with intricate white veins cause it to be mistaken for Alocasia. However, this plant loves to grow like an orchid in well aerated, mossy, or barky conditions, clinging to rainforest trees and rock crevices.
Rex Begonia
Rex Begonia
Rex Begonia
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Rex Begonia
For some of the most exotic, colorful foliage plants that are easy to grow (and propagate), consider Rex Begonia, also known as painted-leaf Begonia (Begonia rex-cultorum). It’s a favorite among foliagefocused gardeners. This begonia species is perfect for collectors, as there are thousands of varieties that not only vary in color, variegation, and mottling, but also leaf texture and shape. Most varieties are compact, mounded annuals or houseplants, growing 6-12 inches tall and wide. They prefer part shade to bright, indirect light, and thoroughly moistened soil that is left to go slightly dry before being irrigated again, and average room temperatures (60-80° F). Moderately humid conditions are also beneficial. They all develop small, but typical, begonia flowers, but most are inconsequential compared to their enticing foliage. Grown singly or in combination, Rex Begonia’s vibrant colors and textures combine wonderfully with many other foliage plants including varieties of fern, Alocasia, and Anthurium.
PLANT NUTRITIO
EDIBLES BLOOMS ALL PURPO
MIRACLE-GRO® PERFORMANCE ORGANICS® ALL PURPOSE PLANT NUTRITION All Purpose • Blooms • Edibles
Roundup® Dual Action Weed & Grass Killer Plus 4 Month Preventer with Sure Shot™ Wand kills existing weeds and grass down to the root and prevents new weeds from growing for up to 4 months.
BIRDING | Gardening with Angelo
BALTIMORE ORIOLE Icterus galbula
Baltimore orioles sometimes feed by gaping – stabbing their closed bill into soft fruits, then opening their mouths to cut through the fleshy fruit, creating a swath of juice that they use their tongues to drink.
In Northeast Ohio, where winter and spring seem to wrestle until winter must inevitably give way, there is no more certain a sign of spring’s triumph than the arrival of the Baltimore Oriole. That’s because while other migratory species may show up at feeders as early as February, it’s the sighting of Icterus galbula that indicates spring is here to stay. This member of the blackbird family spends winter down south, returning to our area to breed once the weather is right and flowering food sources are back in bloom. Arrival is mid-April to mid-May, depending on the season.
Living on the Edge While the species prefers to spend time in leafy, deciduous trees, it does not delve deep into the forest. It stays at the forest edge of tall shade trees, in groves of small trees, and in open woodland backyards or parks. Look up to catch a glimpse of the male’s telltale flash of orange, as he clambers across twigs like an acrobat.
Blaze of Glory The male is recognized by his flaming orange-and-black color scheme, displaying a black head and back, orange tail, and blazing orange breast and shoulder patch. He develops vibrant coloring in the 2nd year of life, whereas the female begins with varying brown-to-yellow plumage and gets bolder with age, deepening every time she molts, sometimes rendering her feathers as showy as the male, in time.
Serious Sweet Tooth
A nestling calls or anticipates food in this sturdy nesting structure, tangled together by its mother using grass, animal hair, and found materials.
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Baltimore Orioles have an interesting diet spanning fruit, nectar, jelly, insects, mealworms, and suet. They’re easily attracted to bird feeders, particularly when a gardener appeals to their sugary side. Specialty feeders catering a buffet of liquid nectar, smooth grape jelly, and ripe orange halves from a colorful orange display are a great option to start in spring. Orioles seek sugary foods that readily convert to fat, replenishing their energy after the long migration.
Gardening with Angelo | BIRDING Bring home a feeder to attract the beautiful Baltimore Oriole!
A male hops around, spreading his wings to impress a female. Receptive to the courtship, she responds by fanning her tail, lowering, and chattering.
Bring on the Plants Shade trees like American Elm, Cottonwood, and Maple are top on the list for a female looking to weave her distinctive hanging nest, constructing the bag-like structure in upper branches. Fruiting shrubs & trees like Blueberry, Raspberry, Blackberry, Cherry, Elderberry, Mulberry, Serviceberry, and Crabapple provide a natural food source. Orioles also garner nectar from tubular flowers produced by perennials like Trumpet Vine, Coral Honeysuckle, Bee Balm, and Cardinal Flower.
Timing is Everything Place your fruit-and-nectar feeders by May 1. Early summer, once nesting is complete, orioles take on a more savory appetite, feeding on summer’s plentiful supply of beetles, crickets, grasshoppers, moths, flies, spiders, snails, and garden pests. Insects rich in growth proteins are needed for adults and nestlings. Continue attracting orioles to your feeder in summer by filling it with mealworms instead of jelly. Come late July, orioles need to build fat stores for the return trip south. Fill & maintain feeders August-September with the same foods offered in spring.
All-In-One Oriole Buffet • Simultaneously feed liquid nectar, jelly, and fruit to serve up an all-in-one buffet for your birds! • Protective baffle helps to protect the feeder from rain and debris, keeping feed fresh longer • Bee guards prevent bees from drinking and drowning in the nectar • Jelly dishes lift out for easy refilling and cleaning and less wasted nectar
MORE FROM NATURE’S WAY
Home is Where the Heart Is Baltimore Orioles have an incredibly strong homing instinct. If satisfied by an environment, they are highly likely to return in an orange flash to the same yard – even the same tree. A gardener’s delight! Nature’s Way bird feeders and houses are available at Petitti Garden Centers
MORE IN STORE Learn even more about the Baltimore Oriole, plus what foods & feeders are available for attracting this flashy member of the Blackbird family.
Based in Chagrin Falls, OH
www.natureswaybirds.com Follow us for more birding tips!
COLOR
your garden
Our most convenient collection, offering instant gratification with color-coordinated plant & pot pairings Look for our special Color Your Garden collection in our Annuals department this season at Petitti’s. This collection features award-winning annual flower varieties, each paired with a color-coordinated pot for an instantly impressive display. Pots are 8” in diameter and lightweight, making them easy to showcase on tables, steps, or anywhere you’d like to decorate this season. Choose from sun-loving varieties of Dahlia, Canna, Lantana, Petunia, Calibrachoa, Penta, Alstroemeria, Verbena, and Zinnia to shade-appreciating varieties like Begonia, Impatiens, Caladium, Coleus, Fuchsia, and more. With grab-and-go versatility, Color Your Garden is the best way to brighten your day or any special event!
LEARN MORE Scan to learn more about this year’s collection of Color Your Garden plant & pot combinations.
Petitti
OUTDOOR LIVING petittigardencenter.com | 51
renewed style
COMFORT
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&
Returning Collections Your favorites are back in stock this season! Turn the pages to preview furniture collections we’ve replenished for 2023, and shop early to secure your new set.
Deep Seating
Gardening with Angelo | PATIO & OUTDOOR LIVING
the hudson
5 Piece Deep Seating Hexagon Gas Fire Pit
7 Piece Bar Height Gas Fire Pit
7 Piece Rectangle Dining
upcycled rockers
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PATIO & OUTDOOR LIVING | Gardening with Angelo
the vintage
the palms 54 | petittigardencenter.com
7 Piece Dining
4 Piece Woven Set
Gardening with Angelo | PATIO & OUTDOOR LIVING
the ellis
Deep Seating
Chaise Lounger
the south hampton
7 Piece Rectangle Dining
Deep Seating
Availability of patio furniture collections varies by store and will vary throughout the season. We will strive to replenish our supply to meet demand all season long.
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this year’s
NEW COLLECTIONS
the st. croix
Deep Seating
Discover Fresh, New Looks New colors, materials, and finishes offer a fresh approach to outdoor dining and seating in 2023. Collections featured here are just a small sampling of all that’s new in store at Petitti Garden Centers.
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Dining
Availability of patio furniture collections varies by store and will vary throughout the season. We will strive to replenish our supply to meet demand all season long.
Gardening with Angelo | PATIO & OUTDOOR LIVING
Deep Seating
the pellegrino
the pasadena
Dining
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PATIO & OUTDOOR LIVING | Gardening with Angelo
entertain
Petitti Fire Tables
WITH EASE
1. Pour the fire glass. These ½-inch gems are heat tempered & polished to a mirror-like finish for a dynamic flame effect. Available in several colors.
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Fanning the flames of outdoor enjoyment has never been easier. Choose a gas fire table from Petitti’s, and you’ll be ready in a flash for every opportunity to entertain this season.
2. Access the propane tank. It’s easy to start the fire with a simple pull of a hidden drawer, a twist of the topper, and the touch of a lighter.
3. Set the scene. The gathering scene is complete with the addition of your favorite savory & sweet snacks to be enjoyed by guests.
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PATIO & OUTDOOR LIVING | Gardening with Angelo
Petitti
UMBRELLAS Cantilever & Market
Choose Petitti’s for effective, long-lasting umbrellas to keep your patio cool, comfortable, and looking fabulous. We offer cantilever umbrellas with easy-to-operate, rolling bases for unobstructed, movable shade, and market umbrellas for traditional, symmetrical shade.
Scan to learn more about Petitti’s effective, long-lasting cantilevers and market umbrellas.
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the starlux 13’ octagon-shaped cantilever umbrella with rolling base, offering 129 square feet of safe shade and featuring builtin light strips for an elegant & modern look. Many tilt & rotation options. Double wind vents for air flow & stability. Canopies made with high-quality Sunbrella® and O’bravia® fabrics, available in several colors.
petittigardencenter.com | 61 Indoor/Outdoor rugs in a variety of colors & prints are available to anchor your space.
endless
SELECTION Indoor/Outdoor Pillows
We’re offering our biggest-ever selection of indoor-outdoor pillows, designed for beauty & functionality. Dress your patio chairs with everything from subtle, soothing shades to bright, happy colors. Peruse the pillows on this page, and know there’s so much more in store!
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express yourself
DAY & NIGHT with Petitti Garden Accents
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Garden friends you didn’t gnome you needed! It doesn’t get any cuter than this year’s collection of garden accents, curated by Petitti’s to help you portray your personality. Have fun positioning whimsical guests & figurines throughout your garden spaces, and add charm with special birdbaths and petite planters. Even better, many of our garden accents are solar powered to light up the night. Browse this sampling, visit our stores for the full selection, and take a few new friends home. We promise you’ll giggle and appreciate these adorable accents every time you pass them by!
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Gardening with Angelo | PATIO & OUTDOOR LIVING
Selection varies by store. See something you like, but can’t find it? Ask and we’ll attempt to transfer it from another location.
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the boutique
AT PETITTI’S
In the garden hand care by Heathcote & Ivory
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Fresh for spring, we’ve got new looks from your favorite apparel brands like COCO + CARMEN®, Tribal®, Habitat, and more. Plus timeless accessories by Joy Susan, Wallaroo Hat Company®, Jen & Co., and more.
Calla bags with USB, anti-RFID & theft design
kitchen shop
We’re brimming with exciting treasures to discover. New for 2023, honeys and signature body care by Savannah Bee Company®, helping to protect the planet’s most precious pollinators.
Selection varies by store. See something you like, but can’t find it? Ask and we’ll attempt to transfer it from another location.
kids activities
With our biggest selection ever, kids will be overjoyed to receive the quality books, puzzles, plush toys, and outdoor activity kits, aimed at inspiring and fostering a meaningful connection with nature…and you!
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Roost Visit the Home Accents department at Petitti’s to explore this year’s trending themes in home décor and shop gifts inspired by the gardening lifestyle.
the
ROOST
Gardening with Angelo | HOME ACCENTS
natural character Find fun, gardener-inspired items to give as gifts or enjoy yourself this new spring season.
eco-friendly options Improve the way you eat & drink every day with infinitely reusable W&P Porter make & take containers, GEOMETRY award-winning, microfiber kitchen towels, and reusable Ecologie by Danica Swedish dishcloths.
prettiest prints Indulge in floral everything this season with all-new keepsakes inspired by the prettiest designs that nature has to offer.
Selection varies by store. See something you like, but can’t find it? Ask and we’ll attempt to transfer it from another location.
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FINALLY... A KID & PET FRIENDLY
LAWN PROGRAM
If you would like to learn the secrets to having a beautiful, green, chemical free lawn, be sure to watch our video at https://www.espoma.com/petitti/
Espoma. A natural in the garden since 1929.
For more information call us at 1-800-634-0603 | www.espoma.com
25018 Broadway Avenue Oakwood Village, OH 44146 Avon | Bainbridge | Boardman Brunswick | Canton/Jackson Twp. Mentor | Oakwood Village Strongsville | Tallmadge
made for shade
Gloria Rose is an excellent mix of annual plants for bringing color to shady patios. Available this season at Petitti’s as a readymade 11-12” annual combo planter. Does not include the white pot pictured. Hippo® Rose Polka Dot Plant Diamond Frost® Euphorbia Rockapulco® Rose Double Impatiens