Larry Hurley, Author at Behnke Nurseries Gardening Blog

Solving a Water Problem with a Conservation Landscape Addition

November 13, 2020
Larry Hurley
Beyond Behnkes, Landscaping, Private Gardens
0 Comments

After 36 years in the same home, I finally had a landscape project that was beyond my skill set to accomplish. Gardens evolve over the years, and my wooded quarter acre has suffered loss of trees.

Read More→

Happy in a New Home

For the first time I can plant some sunny perennials. I put in two of my favorites: Fragrant Aster, Aster oblongifolius ‘October Skies’, and Eutrochium (Eupatorium) dubium ‘Little Joe.’

Read More→

Hey, New Gardener!

Behnke’s closed just over a year ago, and I took advantage of that to retire. So, I’ve been home a lot more than I used to be, but then again, so is nearly everyone else.

Read More→

Too much of a good thing can become a bad thing. We moved into our home 36 years ago, and I’ve been gardening ever since. We have until recently had a fully-shaded yard, and I have tried pretty much everything for shade at one time or another.

Read More→

A Tale of Two Houseplants

There are a number of cultivars of Peace Lily. I have a big pot of one of the shorter ones that looks nice now, but no flowers. On the other hand, the taller more open one, ‘Mauna Loa,’ has a half dozen large, white, long-lasting blooms.

Read More→

Quiet Moments in March

March 26, 2020
Larry Hurley
Beyond Behnkes, House Plants, Perennials
0 Comments

The coronavirus has radically affected all of our lives, and we all have different circumstances, quirks, and abilities to deal with the changing warnings and guidelines.

Read More→

Chronic Fe Deficiency In Acoelorrhaphe Wrightii

Off-Color Potted Palms

I like potted palms, and over the years I’ve seen palms that were off-color, sometimes even in my own house. I attributed it to an iron deficiency but didn’t know the cause. (See the reference at the end of the article for photos of iron deficient palms.)

Read More→

Time: The Fourth Dimension of Gardening

When we moved to Maryland in 1984, we bought a suburban house that was built on a quarter-acre lot in the 1950’s. Enter the Hurleys, working with perennials every day at Behnke’s, I was eager to try new things....

Read More→

‘White Pearl’: Late Bloomer

October 25, 2019
Larry Hurley
Perennials
0 Comments

I was rambling around the garden this morning, trying to get some “getting ready for winter” chores done before the rain started. I noticed my ‘White Pearl’ is getting ready to bloom, it’s the last perennial to bloom in my shade garden every year, right around Halloween.

Read More→

Bagworms – The Nightmare Before Christmas

October 9, 2019
Larry Hurley
Insects
0 Comments

Check your shrubs for bagworms and if you find them, remove them. They are easy to find, they are little brown sacks about two inches long, hanging from branches like ugly little Christmas tree ornaments from The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Read More→