Dr. Andy Pulte

Andy grew up in the nursery industry in Grand Island, Nebraska. He received his Ph.D. in plant sciences from the University of Tennessee, where he is now on the faculty in the same department. His current responsibilities include teaching and advising, and he also coordinates UT’s plant sciences undergraduate program. Additionally, he speaks regularly to diverse groups and travels extensively to feed his passion for people and plants. Over his career, he has contributed to a variety of gardening publications and hosted a gardening radio show. He is also an internationally certified arborist. Andy gardens in a residential community north of Knoxville. He seeks out unusual plants for his home garden that inspire questions from those who visit. He and his wife, Beccy, have two outdoor-loving young boys who are always looking for their next adventure.

 

1. What do you like most about gardening in your region?

One of the best parts about living and gardening in the Southeast is that most of us experience some seasonality. I love the ebbs and flows of the changes we go through in every gardening year.

 

2.What’s the biggest challenge to gardening in your region?

Understanding microclimates is by far one of the biggest challenges for gardeners in the Southeast. It takes years in some cases for home gardeners to understand how weather and different exposures in their garden play a role in what they are growing. And it is always changing!

 

3. What plant are you jazzed about in your garden right now?

Conifers are always one of my favorite categories of plants. However, I feel I get more and more enthusiastic about different broadleaf evergreen tea olives (Osmanthus spp. and cvs., Zones 6–11) every year. New cultivars are emerging, and people are starting to think more broadly about other species we utilize in the landscape. If you don’t know this plant, many are sweetly fragrant bloomers in the fall and are a great alternative to common holly (Ilex spp. and cvs., Zones 5–9).

Orange-flowering tea olive
Orange-flowering tea olive (Osmanthus fragrans f. aurantiacus, Zones 7–11) is bursting with apricot-scented light orange blooms in fall. Photo: Paula Gross

 

4. What was the last plant you killed?

I am prone to not listening to other gardeners when they tell me things won’t grow. This has led to many misadventures in growing things such as giant gunnera (Gunnera manicata, Zones 7–10) or blue Himalayan poppies (Meconopsis betonicifolia, Zones 6–8). My latest miss was an attempt at growing red feathers (Echium amoenum, Zones 3–9), which I successfully germinated and planted in my spring garden. It didn’t last long once it fainted in the garden at the first sign of summer humidity.


 

  • flowering tree
    Design

    9 Fantastic Flowering Trees

    While gardeners often extol the virtues of outstanding bark and winter interest, let’s not kid ourselves—flower power reigns supreme. A tree that is a stately focal point most of the…

  • pruning flowering trees
    How-To

    4 Essential Tips for Pruning Flowering Trees

    Pruning can be intimidating. Many of us fear making a mistake our plants won’t recover from. Overall, trees are resilient; with a little practice and know-how, any gardener should be…

  • Plants that look good in winter
    Southeast Regional Reports

    10 Bold Plants for Winter Interest in the Southeast

    Without a doubt one of the best parts about gardening in the Southeast is winters that are temperate yet still bring seasonality to the garden. I’m grateful that we don’t…

  • Rosemary
    Southeast Regional Reports

    How to Grow Rosemary in the Southeast

    I read recently that ancient Greece–inspired and Mediterranean décor was the next big thing in interior design. Perhaps many of you will feel inspired to add a marble bust to…

  • American chestnut tree flower
    Southeast Regional Reports

    The Current State of American Chestnut Tree Conservation

    Several times a year someone sends me a photo of a tree they believe to be an American chestnut (Castanea dentata, Zones 4–8). Frequently what they actually have sent is…

  • best colocasias
    Southeast Regional Reports

    The Best Colocasias to Add Tropical Flair to Your Summer Garden

    Most likely native to Southeast Asia, colocasia (Colocasia esculenta, Zones 7b–12) is used by many gardeners for its large, tropical-looking foliage. This plant also has a long history of being…

  • Bagworm
    Southeast Regional Reports

    Save Your Trees from Bagworms

    Easily one of the most asked-about pests are bagworms. The evergreen bagworm (Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis) is an insect that makes distinctive spindle-shaped bags during its larval stage. If left uncontrolled, larval…

  • large display of daffodils at Gibbs Gardens
    Southeast Regional Reports

    The Gibbs Gardens Shine in Spring

    I was lucky enough to visit the Gibbs Gardens many years ago before they were fully open to the public. I was immediately struck by the meticulous maintenance the gardens…

  • succession of bulbs
    Southeast Regional Reports

    Plant a Succession of Unique Spring-Flowering Bulbs

    Planting spring-flowering bulbs in fall is an easy way to bring joy to the garden in the following year. This group of plants brings with them tremendous excitement and early…

  • Feelin Blue deodar cedar
    Southeast Regional Reports

    Two Dwarf Deodar Cedars for Year-Round Color

    I am fascinated with deodar cedar (Cedrus deodara, Zones 6b–8). It is perhaps one of the most graceful of all evergreens we can grow. Deodar cedar is hardy to 6b…