Monday, April 9, 2012

Snowballs without Snow!

      I love my snow ball bushes! Their beautiful and I love to cut some of the branches and bring them inside along  with Lilac's. It's the best flower arrangement there is!
     Once you plant them they are one of the easiest bushes out there. Just follow along and see for yourself!
     The Snowball Bush is commonly grown as an ornamental plant for its flowers(I LOVE the flowers!) and berries. This flowering shrub makes a great focal point for the center of a large yard, or for the corner of a foundation. 
   This flowering shrub will grow large, up to twelve feet tall and fifteen feet wide and prefers moist, humus-rich, moderately alkaline soil that drains well. It does well in sun or partial shade.
      The Snowball Bush is easy to care for and maintain. Feed with a water soluble fertilizer or granulated fertilizer just prior to it blooming in the spring and keep the soil moist by applying mulch.
      If you choose to prune this bush, do it after the flowers fall off in early summer.
     Snowball Bushes will create a beautiful spring and fall display in any landscape. In the late spring, this shrub will be covered with masses of pure white snow-ball(hence the name) like flower clusters and its leaves turn purplish red before dropping in the fall.
      How To Plant Snowball Bush(so easy!)
    Remove and discard grass and weeds from the planting site. Dig a hole that is shallow and broad – about three times the diameter of the root ball, but no deeper than the root ball.
    Carefully remove the bush from its container, and using your hands, gently loosen any outside roots from the sides and bottom, taking care not to break or damage the roots of the bush. 
   Place the bush in the center of the hole so the root crown (where the trunk meets the roots) is about one and a half to two inches above the surrounding ground level. Put the dirt back and some compost(well I do), pack it in and water it so that it helps pack it and gives it a drink!

   Spread mulch or wood chips about four inches deep over the entire planting area to help retain moisture and cut down on weeds.
   See told you it was easy!

















1 comment:

yellowdoggranny said...

when I lived in Calif. there were snowball bushes every where and I loved them...so beautiful.