Editor's note: Last month Jeff won the Association for Garden Communicators' 2016 gold medal for Best Writing in the Newspaper/Newsletter/Brochure category at the association's annual convention in Atlanta, for his columns "Immortality and Grandpa Al's Daylilies," "Midwinter Dreams of Giant Vegetables" and "In the Unending War with Dandelions, a Détente." Congratulations, Jeff.
I am just back from the annual garden writers meetup, this one in Atlanta where the temperatures were somewhere north of 90 degrees every day of the event. Of course, I know I don't have to explain to fellow Alaskans the perverse delight the heat gave me as I was able to ask residents how they could stand the weather enough to live there. It is our turn now, for real.
There is always a trade show at these conventions. There are also talks and garden tours. All of this to help with introductions of new plants for the home gardener, displays of the latest tools, offerings from seed houses and all manner of miscellaneous kinds of horticultural things you would expect at a convention and trade show attended by garden writers.
And all of this allows me to get a feel for the upcoming gardening trends. Here is my report.
I can tell you the trend of keeping urban chickens appears to be over. Use of chemicals of any kind is over and organics continues its move. We will see more use of individual potted shrub and berry plants. Hydrangeas among the hottest of the new plants and roses are holding their perennial place as favorites.
There seems to be a recognition people are not gardening as much or as large, but want something in a pot. And, for the first time, cannabis is being discussed, though no products have yet been aimed in that direction.
So, we are way ahead of the biggest trend, a continuation of all things organic. I can remember the years when big chemical companies had huge booths and added heavily to the swag bags we all get. Not this year.
The closest was a booth manned by Segenta, the huge international agribusiness, but they were highlighting some of their flower introductions and not chemicals. (I will come clean to report I did take a free selfie-stick from them, as I am sure I would never buy one.) Anyhow, Alaska uses compost, mycorrhizal fungi and organic fertilizers.
In fact, this year only one fertilizer company hawked a not-quite-organic product, though its was labeled "natural." By contrast, there were others offering compost-based soils with added mycorrhizal fungi and compost tea mixes. There were special grasses (not that kind) and all manner of organic seeds to grow plants on which to use the organic fertilizer mixes. What a change from 10 years ago.
And it wasn't just the trade show either. Not one lecture promoted chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Again, an amazing change.
As noted, there were any number of new plant introductions. Several were hydrangeas. We shall see which of these hits our markets next spring. All make great annual plants and some will be perennial shrubs if planted in the right spot and mulched.
The new roses probably won't make it to our nurseries, but you can bet your relatives Outside will be enjoying them. And, look out for the new pansy introduced. It's a trailing plant, which will be a fantastic addition to Alaska hanging baskets. The folks from the South just walk by it, but the Alaskans at the conference drooled.
In the gardens, mulches are in. I guess folks in drought-stricken Georgia now know mulching holds in moisture. So is garden statuary—and I don't mean of the religious type. All manner of sculptural art was seen, much of it tasteful; there were no painted women bending over or plastic whirligigs. Quality sculpture is a big trend.
And, finally, mercifully, there were no outdoor TVs to be seen on the tours as there were in previous years, indicating the end of a silly trend in the Lower 48 that never caught on here.
And, as noted, not one chicken coop.
Jeff’s Alaska Garden Calendar
Moose proofing: Now is the time to spray Plantskydd on the trees and shrubs your moose like to nibble on all winterlong. Do not wait. Use hot water. Wear old clothes. Do it.
Wreath-making class: Alaska Botanical Garden, 3-5 p.m., Oct. 15. Space is limited. Check it out at alaskabg.org/event/abg-worshop-wreath-making/.
Leaves: Mulch 'em up with the mower. Do not rake.
Spring flowering bulbs: Plant as many as you can.