More water is always good for plants, right? Wrong! When water stands in the soil, air is displaced, which in turn smothers the plant roots. Once the roots are damaged many symptoms appear on leaves and shoots including wilting, marginal and inter-veinal browning of leaves (scorch), poor color and stunted growth. But the excess water…
Gorgeous yellow, pink, red, orange, white and purple blooms put on a show in early spring from plants like forsythia, lilac, azaleas, rhododendron, mockorange, weigela and bridal wreath spirea. Summer then greets us with bold blossoms in hues of purple, magenta, blue and red from butterfly bush, hydrangea, crape myrtle and rose-of-sharon. These deciduous shrubs…
There’s something about putting a tree in the ground that just feels right. In many cases, you start with just a bare trunk with a few branches and then, rather quickly, it begins sprouting new growth. You nurture your new acquisition and each year it increases in height and girth. Finally, one day, you look…
When choosing an evergreen for your landscape project, it is always best to select a plant that will not outgrow its designated space, crowding out nearby plants or distorting its own shape without enough room to shine. Proper research can help you choose – you should know the ultimate height, width and growth rate of…
Evergreens are a very important addition to the winter landscape. During the coldest months of the year, when most other plants have been stripped of their leaves or have died back to the ground, evergreens are the stronghold in the garden that provide stunning texture and color, shelter for winter wildlife and the hope of…
Our gardens are many things – a source of food with fresh vegetables, a place to harvest tasty seasonings from fresh herbs, a beautiful tableau with stunning flowerbeds, a nurturing habitat with shelter for birds, bees, and other wildlife, and so much more. With all these things come a lot of work, the planning, dirt,…
Grow your own! Many folks are looking for the most suitable way to affordably feed their families with pure, nutritious, and great-tasting food. Most are growing their own vegetables and herbs, but what about fruit? It makes sense to grow our own fruit, too. Store-bought tree fruits such as apples, cherries, nectarines, peaches, and pears…
Spring is here, and gardening is on our minds. Flower gardens are exhilarating, bringing color, scent, and nature back into our lives after a lengthy and dreary winter. A well-planned flower garden can provide beauty from early spring straight through to late fall. Select a site As you dream and scheme your new flower garden,…
Whether you’re planting trees and shrubs, annuals and perennials, or vegetables and herbs, there are five things that all plants require to survive: space, nutrients, light, water, and air. But, if you’re looking for a great garden, one that is luscious, vigorous, and thriving, the secret ingredient is the soil. Soil is not dirt, it’s…