This common flower's botanical name means “to sit,” probably for the way it creeps along rocks. It is also called rocky stonecrop in England for the way it's perched on cliffs. We know it as sedum.
Sedums mostly fall into two categories; creeping types, and 1 to 2 foot tall, vertical types. Sedums have fleshy, succulent, sometimes colorful leaves, and small flowers that form in packed clusters with colors such as white, pink, yellow, red, and purple. The tall varieties tend to be fall bloomers. 'Autumn Joy' is probably the most common of this type. 'Frosted Fire' has pink flowers and variegated white and green leaves, while, 'Purple Emperor' has maroon-red leaves and stalks, with light purple colored flowers.
Low growing sedums bloom mostly in spring and early summer. These include 'Eclair' with white flowers, "Hab Gray" with blue gray leaves and white flowers, and "Sweet and Sour" Russian sedum with yellow flowers and green and white leaves.
To grow sedum, select hardy varieties for your area and plant in well drained soil and full sun. Sedum is poor soil, heat and drought tolerant. Some of the creeping natives will grow fine even in part shade. One of the advantages of sedum is that after the flowers fade, the heads still look attractive in the garden. Grow the creepers over rock walls, in containers or in the front of flower borders. Taller varieties look good mixed with other fall bloomers such as goldenrod, rudbeckia, and dwarf asters. Tall sedums can get leggy and flop, so cage them up and periodically divide the plants in spring to make more plants and invigorate the mother plant.
And now for this week's tip, look for large tomato hornworms on your tomato and nicotiana plants. They're frightening to see, but easy to catch and drop into a pail of soapy water. If you see white eggs sacks on the hornworm's back, leave them. Those are eggs of a parasitic wasp that's helping you control the pest.
Next week on the Vermont Garden Journal, I'll be talking about harvesting herb seeds. Until then, I'll be seeing you in the garden.
Broadcast on Friday, August 15, 2014 at 5:57 p.m. and Sunday, August 17, 2014 at 9:35 a.m.
The Vermont Garden Journal with Charlie Nardozzi is made possible by Gardener's Supply, offering environmental solutions for gardens and landscapes. In Burlington, Williston and Gardeners.com
Resources:
Growing Sedum
Vermont Sedums
