Blooming Time
Clear pink blooms mid-spring to late spring. The foliage turns a lovely red-mahogany during fall and winter.

Sun-Shade Tolerance
Lightly shaded sites are best, but it will thrive in full sun.

Hardiness
Hardy to Zone 5 (-20 degrees).

Mature Size
2-3' height and width in 10 years.

Water Requirements
Prefers moist, well-drained soil; never saturate the soil.

Plant Care
Azaleas require acidic soils of pH 4.5 to 6.0. Amend the soil with peat moss if pH is high. Mulch and fertilize yearly to promote good growth.

June 15
Father's Day! A day to enjoy a FREE cook-out! Get 10% off on all trees and shrubs, plus the chance to win baseball tickets, tool sets, BBQ utensils and more.

June 19
Ladies' Night! A ladies' night out to celebrate one of the longest days of the year. FREE massage, drinks, hors d'oeuvres, music and more.

Homegrown peppers are fun to grow, healthy for you, and packed with flavor. They taste great whether eaten fresh, roasted or sautéed. Many people start with one variety and quickly discover it's even more fun to experiment and grow multiple varieties that produce a medley of flavors.

The biggest mistakes gardeners make is planting their pepper plants too early. You can start them from seed indoors early in spring, but its best not to transplant starter plants until the soil has warmed and night temperatures stay above 55-60 degrees.

Peppers do best in well-amended soil, so make sure to amend your vegetable bed before planting. They prefer a long moderate growing season. Fruit set is best when the nighttime temperature is above 60 degrees and daytime temperature is below 86 degrees. If there's a cold snap, you can help by covering them at night to keep them a bit warmer. If we have a string of very hot days, shading them will help.

It's very important to keep the soil consistently moist, otherwise the peppers can crack or get sun scald. Make sure to apply a rich organic plant food high in calcium at the time of planting and every two months during the growing season. This helps prevent blossom-end rot.

Once your peppers change to their mature color, it's time for harvesting. Then sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Is rainwater really better than faucet water for my plants?

Answer:

Yes.

Many municipal water systems put chlorine and other chemicals in the water. Chlorine is bad for soil bacteria, not to mention our air. Rainwater is oxygenated, un-chlorinated and warmer than tap water, qualities that make it a better source for plants and safer for the environment. Cold tap water can also "shock" your plants.

There is a growing movement to conserve water by collecting rainwater in plastic barrels. This has become very popular in the Canadian province of Alberta and communities in the eastern United States.

The water they collect is better for plants, plus they don't have to pay for it. It also reduces energy consumption--every 1,000 gallons of tap water requires about one kilowatt hour of energy to be treated and pumped. Reducing such water use also slows the need to expand municipal water treatment and sewage plants.

If you decide to use a rain barrel, make sure it's childproof. To be safe for kids, it should have a secure lid that can't be opened easily. You don't want anyone using your rain barrel as a swimming pool!