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Thursday, March 20, 2008
Early spring garden guide: Around the yard By Yvonne Cunnington
Early spring garden guide: Around the yard
Crocuses blooming in snowPhoto: Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Center
Start winter cleanup of the lawn when the grass is no longer sopping wet and planting beds stop being a sea of mud. Rake your lawn to get rid of dead growth, stray leaves, twigs and winter debris and let light and air to the soil level, encouraging the grass to grow.
Re-seed bare or damaged patches of lawn. Scratch up the soil with a rake first. Mix a shovel of soil with a couple of scoops of grass seed and spread in the patch you're fixing. Rake level and keep well-watered until seeds germinate and the new grass establishes.
Remove tree guards or burlap winter protection from any young trees or shrubs. Try not to leave tree guards in place over the summer. They keep rabbits and mice from nibbling on tender bark over the winter, but trees don't need them in summer. They don't allow enough air movement around the base of the trunk and that can promote rot of the bark.
Transplant any existing shrubs you want to move before they begin to leaf out.
Apply dormant oil spray to fruit trees, magnolias, crabapples and shrubs such as euonymus to control scale insects and other overwintering pests. Use this organic pest control method when the buds are swelling but the leaves haven't opened yet. Apply when temperatures are between 40 and 70 degrees F (4-21 degrees C).
Get your lawn mower checked and blades sharpened if you didn't get the job done in late winter. Sharp blades cut better and leave your lawn grass healthier.
http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com
Crocuses blooming in snowPhoto: Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Center
Start winter cleanup of the lawn when the grass is no longer sopping wet and planting beds stop being a sea of mud. Rake your lawn to get rid of dead growth, stray leaves, twigs and winter debris and let light and air to the soil level, encouraging the grass to grow.
Re-seed bare or damaged patches of lawn. Scratch up the soil with a rake first. Mix a shovel of soil with a couple of scoops of grass seed and spread in the patch you're fixing. Rake level and keep well-watered until seeds germinate and the new grass establishes.
Remove tree guards or burlap winter protection from any young trees or shrubs. Try not to leave tree guards in place over the summer. They keep rabbits and mice from nibbling on tender bark over the winter, but trees don't need them in summer. They don't allow enough air movement around the base of the trunk and that can promote rot of the bark.
Transplant any existing shrubs you want to move before they begin to leaf out.
Apply dormant oil spray to fruit trees, magnolias, crabapples and shrubs such as euonymus to control scale insects and other overwintering pests. Use this organic pest control method when the buds are swelling but the leaves haven't opened yet. Apply when temperatures are between 40 and 70 degrees F (4-21 degrees C).
Get your lawn mower checked and blades sharpened if you didn't get the job done in late winter. Sharp blades cut better and leave your lawn grass healthier.
http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com
Monday, March 17, 2008
Steps to planting perennials step-by-step
The best time to plant annuals and perennials isn't a hot, sunny day but a cooler, cloudier one — such conditions are less stressful for the plants, and the gardener.
Give the planting area a good watering, preferably the day before so you don't work in muck, or plant after rain has moistened soil.
If perennials are dry in their pots, water them first to get them moist.
How to plant:
Dig a hole that's wider but not deeper than the container. Never shoehorn a plant into a hole that's too small.
When planting perennials, work with one plant at a time, so that tender root hairs aren't exposed to drying air longer than necessary. Tap sides of container or squeeze pot to loosen plant, and turn upside down so plant slides out into your hand. Handle plants by their root mass, not stems; stems can easily be damaged.
Inspect roots; if circling, gently tease apart or they will continue to make circling growth. If roots are difficult to loosen by hand, make four shallow cuts into root mass near the bottom with a sharp knife. This promotes growth into surrounding soil.
If you see lots of potting mixture but few roots, work off some potting soil with your fingers to ensure plant roots will make physical contact with garden soil. Potting mix dries quicker than surrounding soil, making new plants susceptible to drying out.
Set plant into hole; place exactly as deep as it was in container. Cover roots with loose soil, water lightly; add remaining soil and pack gently but firmly; never stomp on delicate roots. Water well.
Do not apply water-soluble fertilizer when planting perennials, but wait about a week or so to allow roots to grow a bit. Organic fertilizers are the best choice because they support both root development and the soil-borne organisms that are beneficial to healthy root growth.
Keep new perennials moist for a couple of months, but don't kill with kindness: let top 2 or 3 inches (5 to 7 cm) of soil get a bit dry-looking between waterings. By Yvonne Cunnington
Give the planting area a good watering, preferably the day before so you don't work in muck, or plant after rain has moistened soil.
If perennials are dry in their pots, water them first to get them moist.
How to plant:
Dig a hole that's wider but not deeper than the container. Never shoehorn a plant into a hole that's too small.
When planting perennials, work with one plant at a time, so that tender root hairs aren't exposed to drying air longer than necessary. Tap sides of container or squeeze pot to loosen plant, and turn upside down so plant slides out into your hand. Handle plants by their root mass, not stems; stems can easily be damaged.
Inspect roots; if circling, gently tease apart or they will continue to make circling growth. If roots are difficult to loosen by hand, make four shallow cuts into root mass near the bottom with a sharp knife. This promotes growth into surrounding soil.
If you see lots of potting mixture but few roots, work off some potting soil with your fingers to ensure plant roots will make physical contact with garden soil. Potting mix dries quicker than surrounding soil, making new plants susceptible to drying out.
Set plant into hole; place exactly as deep as it was in container. Cover roots with loose soil, water lightly; add remaining soil and pack gently but firmly; never stomp on delicate roots. Water well.
Do not apply water-soluble fertilizer when planting perennials, but wait about a week or so to allow roots to grow a bit. Organic fertilizers are the best choice because they support both root development and the soil-borne organisms that are beneficial to healthy root growth.
Keep new perennials moist for a couple of months, but don't kill with kindness: let top 2 or 3 inches (5 to 7 cm) of soil get a bit dry-looking between waterings. By Yvonne Cunnington
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Landscaping: How Low Can You Go?
EVEN THOSE WHO love to garden often find that maintaining a landscape can be overwhelming. Mowing, weeding, watering, and pruning often seem like endless chores, especially in spring and early summer when trees, shrubs, grass, and weeds are all actively growing. If you are designing a new landscape or reworking an old one, using low-maintenance techniques can reduce much of your yard work.
Choosing the right plants is key to cutting maintenance. A shrub that grows to six feet tall will require regular pruning if planted under a window that is three feet above the ground. There are many dwarf varieties of trees and shrubs that are ideal for small areas and may never need pruning. Native plants are always a good choice for the landscape because they adapt to surroundings more easily than exotic species. Grouping plants that have the same cultural needs will save time when watering and fertilizing. Keep the planting beds narrow for easy access to interior plants; design them with long, sweeping curves so that the mower can reach the edge, eliminating hand trimming.
The importance of mulch in a low-maintenance landscape can not be overemphasized. A thick layer of organic mulch around plants will help to control weeds, conserve soil moisture, and add nutrients to the soil. Popular organic mulches are tree bark, shredded leaves, pine needles, and plant wastes such as cocoa shells. If weeds are a serious problem, lay down several layers of newspaper before mulching.
Traditional lawns are labor intensive—keep them as small as possible. Some lawn alternatives are large areas of ground covers or wildflowers, mulched beds, and decks and patios. Proper and timely lawn care will save you work because a healthy lawn is less likely to be bothered by weeds, insects, and diseases. Keep the grass tall; let it grow to three or four inches and then mow off one-third. High grass shades out weeds and won't dry out as quickly as closely cropped turf. Water infrequently but deeply to encourage deep rooting.
We hope that these ideas will help make it easier for you to maintain your landscape—as well as your sanity.
– –George and Becky Lohmiller
Landscape Vision Design Software offers great award winning plant bios to help you find low maintenance plants. Purchase our software today, use the coupon code above for a Spring Discount.
Choosing the right plants is key to cutting maintenance. A shrub that grows to six feet tall will require regular pruning if planted under a window that is three feet above the ground. There are many dwarf varieties of trees and shrubs that are ideal for small areas and may never need pruning. Native plants are always a good choice for the landscape because they adapt to surroundings more easily than exotic species. Grouping plants that have the same cultural needs will save time when watering and fertilizing. Keep the planting beds narrow for easy access to interior plants; design them with long, sweeping curves so that the mower can reach the edge, eliminating hand trimming.
The importance of mulch in a low-maintenance landscape can not be overemphasized. A thick layer of organic mulch around plants will help to control weeds, conserve soil moisture, and add nutrients to the soil. Popular organic mulches are tree bark, shredded leaves, pine needles, and plant wastes such as cocoa shells. If weeds are a serious problem, lay down several layers of newspaper before mulching.
Traditional lawns are labor intensive—keep them as small as possible. Some lawn alternatives are large areas of ground covers or wildflowers, mulched beds, and decks and patios. Proper and timely lawn care will save you work because a healthy lawn is less likely to be bothered by weeds, insects, and diseases. Keep the grass tall; let it grow to three or four inches and then mow off one-third. High grass shades out weeds and won't dry out as quickly as closely cropped turf. Water infrequently but deeply to encourage deep rooting.
We hope that these ideas will help make it easier for you to maintain your landscape—as well as your sanity.
– –George and Becky Lohmiller
Landscape Vision Design Software offers great award winning plant bios to help you find low maintenance plants. Purchase our software today, use the coupon code above for a Spring Discount.
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