Landscaping & Gardening Information
Tomatoes...Tomahtoes — There Is A Difference In The Varieties
Tomatoes are one of the favorites for the home vegetable garden. It is a good idea to try and grow some of the newer hybrids due to their resistance to some of the common diseases that cause trouble with this vegetable in our gardens. There are some opportunities to compare the taste of many of the varieties that are available at your favorite nursery.
The Challenges of Gardening in the Summer
This is the time of the year when some of the problems with our plantings are noticed. Some of our vegetables and a few of our flowers begin to show signs of not doing so well and the calls start coming for help to solve these situations.
How Are Your Hanging Baskets and Container Gardens Looking?
This is the time of year when some gardeners with container gardens or hanging baskets become frustrated because their spring investment is starting to look a little shaggy.
What Is Getting Ready to Damage My Plants Now?
Some insects that feed on plants in our landscapes are not that damaging but some of them, if allowed to go unchecked, can ruin a plant and actually kill it. We are not necessarily concerned about a few caterpillars that do a little nibbling on a few leaves and then turn into a beautiful butterfly or moth. We need to let these 'friends' eat their few leaves and develop, so we are helping Mother Nature and enjoying the beauty around us.
Does the Weather Repeat Itself?
This is the way this commentary started off the end of April 2016
Powdery Mildew on Roses...An Ounce of Prevention
Powdery Mildew (PM) can be a serious disease on roses and it looks like white fuzzy powder that accumulates on leaves and stems of many plants, predominantly in spring. It is actually a fungus that is spread by millions of microscopic spores. By the time the naked eye can see the white 'powder,' it has already invaded the plant tissue and is feeding and reproducing at a rapid pace.
Plant Recovery Is Happening Quickly
This past winter was not severe but there was still some damage to plants in our landscapes. Some plants have experienced damage to the top portion of the plant and they will recover nicely after this set back, if given time. A plant that has an established root system will try to balance the top to the roots so this "recovery" growth normally is very rapid and vigorous after this setback.
Caring for Those Hanging Baskets
Many Moms received hanging baskets for Mother's Day and now it is time to keep them looking beautiful for the rest of the summer. After these beauties are taken home it isn't long when the beauty isn't looking so beautiful if they aren't given some basic care. It really isn't that difficult to keep those planters and baskets looking good for the summer. Here is what you need to do.
Moms Love Flowers All Summer Long
Help Mom enjoy "HER DAY" this weekend with plants that will last all summer and beyond! Flowers start off from little seeds and cuttings and last a long time when they get to a home that cares for them. Mom's will be delighted as they work with their plants when they follow a few basics that are understood by longtime gardeners.
How Much Did Your Watering REALLY Benefit Your New Plantings?
Now that you are ready to really get serious about planting your vegetable garden and container gardens for the patio or getting those shrubs in the landscape we need to talk about something that is critical for good healthy plant growth. Unfortunately many people who garden don't understand the importance of thoroughly watering their "new" plants.
Ready, Get Set...Gooooo!
Most gardeners are hard at it with flower beds all cleaned up, (aren't they?, I'm sure you are) the pre-emergence weed control, Preen or something similar, has been applied to the areas that are not going to be disturbed soon and your mulch is in place.
Raised-Bed Gardening Is MORE Fun
Raised-bed or square-foot-gardening has become a popular way to garden during the past few years. Let's take a look at the basic principles and advantages of this type of gardening.
It's Time to Get Into the Garden
The changing temperatures and cooler days that are sprinkled among the warm days, is an advantage. This gives us more time to make some of the applications of chemicals that will make taking care of our landscape and gardens easier later in the year. Cooler temperatures delay the development of not only flowers and growth but also some of the pests.
Let's Go----Spring Has Us In Garden Again
Most of us have been in the garden by now or at least trying to get outside as the weather cooperates. One of the latest spring snows we have had in recent years was the first week in April but I doubt that is going to happen now. All any precipitation does now is postpone our activity in the garden and landscape because it makes everything so soggy.
The A, B, C's of Container Gardening
Container Gardens are "IN" today because of their decorative use on patios, decks and entry areas. Commercial plantings in towns, shopping centers and institutional sites and places where soil conditions are poor are all the places where you will see these beauties.
Planting Trees & Shrubs, For the LONG HAUL
The spring season brings a "FEVER" to do some planting in our yards and gardens. Many times this includes "key" trees and shrubs that will be with us long into the future, hopefully decades. Let's be sure we follow some basic principles that will give us a good chance at long term success.
My Oh My, the Forsythia Are Blooming!
As you know, we are having a very early spring and this weather is pushing the dates forward to get busy in the yard and garden. Broadleaved evergreens like hollies, boxwood and euonymus are nice and green while other years, at this time, we may have noticed a lot of brown leaves due to "winter burn" from very cold temperatures coupled with windy conditions.
Colorado Blue Spruce Decline
Our landscapes are changing. Many of you are seeing the problem Colorado Spruce is having in this part of the country. They are dying by the thousands wherever you go.
Spring is Here Early...Now What ?
Phenology is the study of recurring biological phenomena and their relationship to weather. Bird migration, blooming of wildflowers and trees, are examples of phenological events. We have all observed that plants bloom earlier in warm springs. Insects also emerge earlier when it is warmer than in cooler seasons.
If Spring Comes Early Will You Be Ready?
This winter has been rather mild so don't get fooled like the frog in the tepid water on the low heat burner. He was so comfortable that he ended up boiled as the heat increased slowly. That can happen to us in our gardens when we are lulled into complacency during the winter months.
Harmful Insect Control, In the Landscape
Most of us are still waiting for spring to get here so we can get out in the yard and start cleaning up after the winter. Speaking of cleaning up, hopefully we did a good job of getting the leaves off lawn areas last fall. There is sure to be damage to grass areas if leaves were not removed from the lawn.
2017, The Year of the Pansy
Pansies are a friendly-faced flower! But until the 19th century most people considered them a weed. Today, pansies are a hybrid plant cultivated from those wildflowers in Europe and western Asia.
Garden Catalogs are HERE !
I'm sure you have or are receiving gardening catalogs in the mail. It is always interesting to see the new varieties that are offered. There are some real fun veggies that are very healthy eating.
House Plants Bugs...Do You Have Any?
Your house plants may start to have some issues about this time of year. We are getting questions about a few of the major insects that can cause problems now. There are 3 or 4 bugs that can cause our plants to deteriorate if we don't keep them under control.
Seed Catalogs
Now that we are indoors for our Ohio winter hiatus, it's time to start to formulate ideas for the coming gardening season that's just around the corner.
Winter Gardening? Really?
Winter is here and we have several weeks to get some things completed before we get into the busy spring season.
2017 Gardening Resolutions
Since we are in a new gardening year, here are some resolutions we need to try and keep. There are a few critical items, that if done on time in the landscape and garden, can make gardening more enjoyable. Timing is everything when it comes to making working in your yard more fun.
Caring for House Plants this Winter
Since we will be inside most of the time for the next couple of months let's make our indoor environment better. This can be done by having plants that not only purify the air we are breathing but also feed our psyche. Consider having one or more of the holiday plants in your home or office.
Compost Is Referred To As "Black Gold"
Composting makes "cents" and plants will tell you by the way they grow with ample amounts of organic matter, how happy they are because they will have nice green leaves, good healthy growth and plenty of flowers.
Fall IS Really for Planting
Since fall is just around the corner it is a good time to think about planting in your landscape, this is absolutely the best time of year for planting trees and shrubs