Dry soil

1. Dry soil

2. What is dry soil? Anoka County Sand Plain Spaces between grains of sand are large Water leaches easily, soil dries out fast Low ability to hang on to nutrients

3. Gardening in dry/shaded areas Amending with 3-6” organic material Apply 3” of mulch to keep soil moist Fertilize more often Space plants farther apart Stake tall plants as they will grow toward the light Do not put additional soil over tree roots

4. Alkaline Soil • Annuals 3 Feet or More • Annual Vines That Grow Quickly • Boulevard Gardens: Perennials • Boulevard Gardens: Small Trees • Broadleaf Evergreens for Zone 4 • Clay Soil • Cold Tolerant Annuals • Compacted Sites: Trees • Crevice Plants • Deer Resistant Plants • Dry Soil: Annual Foliage Plants • Dry Soil: Shade or Under Trees • Dry Soil: Trees • Fragrant Annuals and Perennials • Fragrant Shrubs • Indoor Low Light • Knot Gardens • Lakeshore Native Plants • Long-Blooming Perennials • Rain Garden Plants • River Banks and Canoe Public Access Areas • Self-Seeding Perennials • Septic Mound Plants • Shade: Shrubs • Shade: Small Trees • Shade: Tall Perennials • Steep Slopes • Trees that Produce Minimal Litter • Under a Black Walnut Tree

5. Presentation Written by: Cathy LeVahn Anoka County Master Gardener Minnesota Tree Care Advisor Compiled by Terry Engels and Mary Zeug Stearns County Master Gardeners

6. Dry Soil: Annual Foliage Plants • Foliage plants are invaluable for obtaining an attractive colorful look. • In a container, foliage can reinforce a color theme or blend the disparate elements of various bloomers.

7. In the ground, annual foliage can carry a summer display through the quiet times between perennial flowering periods. • Plants listed may be perennials in other zones, but are used as annuals in our northern gardens.

8. A word about establishment: Initial care must be taken to establish the plantings for the first two weeks, whether from seed or bedding plants. • They require only light watering however; DO NOT overwater or plants will be floppy and disease-prone. • Unless indicated these prefer full sun and average soil conditions of fertility, drainage, and pH.

9. Love-lies-bleeding (Amaranthus caudatus) • Height: 2-4’ • Colorful foliage • Trailing rope or chenille-like flowers • A. tricolor has brightly colored foliage Seedrack.com

10. Dichondra (Dichondra argentea ‘Silver Falls’, ‘Emerald Falls’) • Height: 1-4’ • Trailing with small round grey leaves • Tolerates part sun Swallowtail Gardens

11. Variegated pigeonberry (Duranta erecta ‘Golden Edge’) • Height: 24” • Crisp variegated green and cream foliage • Tolerates part sun and dry shade Taunton Press

12. Snow in summer, variegated annual spurge (Euphorbia marginata ‘Kilimanjaro’) • Green leaves, edged with cream • Native to poor soil • Do not fertilize • Needs good drainage • Self seeds Mobot.org

13. Variegated or blue Marguerite (Felicia amelloides ‘Variegata’) • Height: 12-18” • Small blue daisy-like flowers • Variegated foliage • Bushy shape Trio Nursery

14. Variegated lantana ‘Samantha’ (Lantana camara ‘Samantha’) • Height: 12-18” • Clusters of golden yellow flowers • Chartreuse and yellow foliage • Extremely drought tolerant www.bustaniplantfarm.com

15. Fancy-leaved geraniums (Pelargonium ‘Crystal Palace Gem’ ‘Blazonry’ ‘Golden Ears’) • Height: 12-18” • Showy, colored leaves • Prefer lean, dry soils • Can tolerate part-shade • Grow from cuttings ‘Crystal Palace Gem’ ‘Palace Gem’ ‘Golden Ears’ Taunton Press

16. Purple fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’) • Height: 2-4’ • Excellent in containers • Purple foliage and seed heads • Good for xeriscaping • Sets no seed • Dies with frost Plant Safari

17. Dusty Miller (Senecio ‘Silver Dust’) • Height: 8-10” • Lacy silver colored mounding cultivar with a spread of 12” or more • Prefers full sun www.hardyplants.com

18. Purple heart/Purple Spiderwort (Setcresia purpurea or Tradescantia pallida) • Height: 8-12” • A rugged plant that has no serious pest or disease issues • Full sun www.plantsmanlandscape.net/

19. Variegated nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus variegata ‘Alaska’ ‘Jewel of Africa’) • Height: 12” • Grown cascading in containers, up a trellis, or as a groundcover • Prefers dry, less fertile sites ‘Jewel of Africa’ ‘Alaska’ Plantcare.com

20. Alkaline Soil Annuals 3 Feet or More Annual Vines That Grow Quickly Boulevard Gardens: Perennials Boulevard Gardens: Small Trees Broadleaf Evergreens for Zone 4 Clay Soil Cold Tolerant Annuals Compacted Sites: Trees Crevice Plants Deer Resistant Plants Dry Soil: Annual Foliage Plants Dry Soil: Shade or Under Trees Dry Soil: Trees Fragrant Annuals and Perennials Fragrant Shrubs Indoor Low Light Knot Gardens Lakeshore Native Plants Long-Blooming Perennials Rain Garden Plants River Banks and Canoe Public Access Areas Self-Seeding Perennials Septic Mound Plants Shade: Shrubs Shade: Small Trees Shade: Tall Perennials Steep Slopes Trees that Produce Minimal Litter Under a Black Walnut Tree

21. Presentation Written by: Cathy LeVahn Anoka County Master Gardener Minnesota Tree Care Advisor Compiled by Theresa Rooney Hennepin County Master Gardener

22. Dry Soil: Shade or Under Trees Plants that can survive under trees or in dry low light conditions Competition is keen for water, light and nutrients All are winter hardy in Zone 3 and 4

23. Ajuga (Ajuga reptans) Height: 6-12” Purple blooms in early spring, various foliage colors Can be short lived Dense groundcover that prevents weeds

24. Lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis) Height: 1’ Yellowish green blooms in summer, early fall Good cut flower Division is rarely required Cathy LeVahn

25. Lady fern (Athyrium angustum) Height: 2’ Graceful green fronds, grows easily in wide range of conditions Pair with hosta, coral bells or bergenia Cathy LeVahn CathyLeVahn

26. Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) Height: 1-3’ Short-lived but self-seeds Red, yellow, pink, purple, blue and white blooms spring, summer Clarence A. Rechenthin @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

27. Goatsbeard (Aruncus dioicus) Height: 4-6’ Cream, white blooms in early summer Will tolerate full sun if soil is kept evenly moist Looks natural planted in woodland or native gardens

28. Wild ginger (Asarum canadense) Height: 12” Matte round leaves will hide tiny flowers Great groundcover Jennifer Anderson. USA, IL, Rock Island Co., Rock Island, Black Hawk State Park. 2002

29. Bergenia (Bergenia cordifolia) Height: 12-18” Pink flower in spring; red/burgundy fall color Thick glossy leaves similar to cabbage Versatile groundcover Bailey Nurseries

30. Siberian bugloss (Brunnera macrophylla) Height: 1-2’ Light blue to pale purple flowers bloom in spring Very reliable plant that rarely suffers from any problems Bailey Nurseries

31. Vinca, periwinkle (Catharanthus rosea) Height: 6-12” Blue, purple, white flowers that bloom in summer, fall Quickly forms a dense mat, shallow rooted Shear back hard in spring to control spread National Tropical Botanical Garden

32. Glory-of-the-snow (Chiondoxa luciliae) Height: 6” Small early flowers with open petals and yellow centers Easy to grow University of Chicago

33. Virgin’s bower (Clematis virginiana) Height: 5-10’ Great native vine Tiny white flowers mid- to late summer Duke University

34. Lily-of-the-valley (Convallaria majalis) Height: 12” Spreading groundcover, can become invasive Fragrant white bell flowers in early summer Iowa State University

35. Fringed bleeding heart (Dicentra eximia) Height: 12-18” Blue/green foliage; white or pink flowers, flowers most of the summer Does well near pond or stream i84.photobucket.com

36. Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) Height: 2-4’ Pink, purple, yellow, maroon, red or white blooms spring to mid-summer Allow self-seeding for a perennial bed Poisonous Hort. Printers - Monrovia

37. Barrenwort (Epimedium spp.) Height: 1’ Beautiful heart shaped leaves; tiny orchid-like flowers in spring University of British Columbia Botanical Garden

38. Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) Height: 4-8” Small, nodding, white bell-shaped flowers often bloom while snow is on the ground University of British Columbia Botanical Gardens

39. Sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum) Height: 4-12” Pretty groundcover with white fragrant flowers in late spring, early summer Fine textured foliage has a new mowed hay fragrance University of Illinois Extension

40. Geranium, cranesbill (Geranium spp.) Height: 12-18” White, red, pink, purple, blue flowers in the spring, summer and fall Shear back spent blooms for a second set of flowers If foliage looks tatty, shear back by two-thirds

41. Dead nettle (Lamium spp.) Height: 8-12” White, pink, yellow, mauve flowers in spring and summer Leaves are streaked with white/silver Good groundcover Cathy LeVahn

42. Summer snowflake (Leucojum aestivum) Height: 1-2’ Nodding white flowers similar to Galanthus, but much larger and later blooming Spring blooming bulb Iowa State University

43. Daffodil (Narcissus spp.) Height: 6-24” Wide variety of colors and bloom time Wildlife resistant Great naturalizer gardenerspath.com University of Illinois Extension

44. Giant Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum biflorum) Height: 1-3’ Arching branches; small white flowers in spring; blue berries in summer University of Wisconsin Stevens Point – Janice Stiefel

45. Striped squill (Puschkinia scilloides) Height: 2-6” Pale flowers with a wonderful fragrance Increase rapidly by offsets NC State University

46. Siberian squill (Scilla sibirica) Height: 6” Blue flowers that naturalize wonderfully, especially in wooded areas Not bothered by voles, rabbits, chipmunks or deer UW Madison

47. Periwinkle, myrtle (Vinca minor) Height: 6-12” Blue flowers in spring Evergreen, may need winter protection Groundcover Oregon State University

48. Alkaline Soil Annuals 3 Feet or More Annual Vines That Grow Quickly Boulevard Gardens: Perennials Boulevard Gardens: Small Trees Broadleaf Evergreens for Zone 4 Clay Soil Cold Tolerant Annuals Compacted Sites: Trees Crevice Plants Deer Resistant Plants Dry Soil: Annual Foliage Plants Dry Soil: Shade or Under Trees Dry Soil: Trees Fragrant Annuals and Perennials Fragrant Shrubs Indoor Low Light Knot Gardens Lakeshore Native Plants Long-Blooming Perennials Rain Garden Plants River Banks and Canoe Public Access Areas Self-Seeding Perennials Septic Mound Plants Shade: Shrubs Shade: Small Trees Shade: Tall Perennials Steep Slopes Trees that Produce Minimal Litter Under a Black Walnut Tree

49. Presentation Written by: Cathy LeVahn Anoka County Master Gardener Minnesota Tree Care Advisor Compiled by Kim Sullivan Anoka County Master Gardener

50. Dry Soil: Trees Trees that can grow in dry or sandy conditions Once established, require minimal water All are winter hardy in Zone 3 and 4