Midsummer plants are ready to ship now 

We have a wide range of fresh midsummer crops shipping now in addition to the classic Begonias, Petunias, and Vincas. The peak of the season includes a lot of fun, different, and exceptional items that perform well during the high summer. Let’s take a walk through the greenhouses and have a look at what’s shipping this week:

Flowers of Geranium ‘Moskito Shocker’

Within our Geranium collection lives a cultivar that is different from the others, a scented variety called ‘Moskito Shocker’. Its primary appeal is its citronella scent, but this plant also brings very lacy foliage and small lavender flowers to the summer decor scene.

Citronella Geraniums comprise a popular niche market for those who want a gentle, kid-and-pet friendly way of warding off unwanted insects. We chose this variety because it has about three times the oil that is usually found in other citronella Geraniums. Also, we wanted a cultivar that could branch out beyond the specialty herb bench, one that looks nice enough to fold into professional projects like displays, containers, and landscapes. ‘Moskito Shocker’ rises to the task, while still performing the duties of the job title in its name.

‘Supertunia Bermuda Beach’

Petunias epitomize summer fresh like nothing else. We begin the summer with fresh crops of Summer Petunias, started later with the specific goal to grow Petunias better suited for the season. A Summer Petunia is well-timed for the season because the plant is still in its growth stage. It settles happily into whatever project it’s planted in, and thrives through summer because the Petunia is in the prime of its life, not on extended support.

Gomphrena ‘Fireworks’

We grow for the summer season, and we manage these crops differently because summer is obviously distinct from spring or autumn. Growing out a good crop for summer is nuanced. We want varieties that flourish throughout a typical Cincinnati summer—plants that thrive in the high heat and high humidity that sometimes strike the Ohio River valley. In fact, heat tolerance isn’t as important as withstanding the swing; rapid changes in weather can rough up the plants, so we favor cultivars and growing practices that deliver a stronger, tougher specimen.

In addition, we want compatiblity with displays we’ve built for spring and now maintain through summer, or assemble in summer to maintain through autumn. Either way, a smooth transition is required for any repair and restoration work that is needed along the way. Although the same plant material may appear in both seasons, we handle the summer crop differently.