Larry Hurley – Behnke Nurseries Gardening Blog

Too Much of a Good Thing…

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.

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.

Quiet Moments in March

March 26, 2020
Larry Hurley
Beyond Behnkes, House Plants, Perennials
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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.

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.)

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....

‘White Pearl’: Late Bloomer

October 25, 2019
Larry Hurley
Perennials
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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.

Bagworms – The Nightmare Before Christmas

October 9, 2019
Larry Hurley
Insects
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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.

Water Your Plants

You can see it in the landscape. Many trees are dropping their leaves earlier than normal. Leaves are hanging listlessly, their vibrant green gone as they develop gray tones or turn golden or brown prematurely. This is not good for your plants. Here's what to do...

Calamint – A Low Maintenance Perennial

Here’s another perennial that I think is underappreciated. Calamint, officially Calamintha nepeta, is a low maintenance perennial for the front of the garden, staying at around 18 inches in height. It has airy masses of tiny flowers in white to…

Next Year, More Caladiums!

Larry Hurley explains why he is planning on using more Caladiums in his garden next year.