Decorate the Front Steps with Potted Plants
Potted plants are an easy way to add color and beauty to front steps as well as porches and balconies. If your steps are shady, use herbs or shade plants or both . Colorful pots that contrast with the contents, or even match, add a lot of splash and are a welcome sight. Move potted plants on and offstage as their prime comes and goes, and bring in replacements. But above all, keep these plants watered. Plants in pots dry out amazingly fast. See Chapter 16 for more tips. Be sure to keep the...
Taking Care of Your Tree
Trees, sadly, are often cared for only when first planted and then they're left to fend for themselves in landscapes after they've matured. People usually end this isolation only if the trees become diseased or damaged. Yes, you should take special care of your tree when it's newly planted to help it get established, but you should also make a habit of caring for it season by season, year by year, as it matures and grows. A healthy tree is a happy tree, and trees reflect the care you put into...
Planning your beds and borders
Ah, beds and borders are surely the most popular and beautiful way to show off your roses. When you invite a rose or several roses into your garden, don't just plunk the roses into the ground at random. Instead, plan ahead to create splendid beds that incorporate roses into your landscape or mixed flower beds. Your plan can be as elaborate as the one shown in Figure 9-1, or as simple as creating a small bed of three or four types of roses. A large, classic plan for a very elaborate rose garden....
Where to plant bulbs
Bulbs are some of the least demanding of all plants, but they appreciate your efforts to give them as good of a growing area as possible with well-drained soil they may reward your efforts with years of bountiful flowers. Flowering bulbs are very happy in prepared flowerbeds. They receive the good, loose soil they relish and the elbow room they need. Here are two good approaches t Bedding schemes Perhaps you've seen these beds in public display gardens broad areas devoted to nothing but, say,...
Stretching your growing season
Maybe it's the rebel in us all. Maybe it's natural restlessness. Maybe it's an urge to make maximum and efficient use of available time. But gardeners do like to try to push the envelope in order to grow more or better or different plants. You can dig up many tricks and techniques along these lines, and you certainly may come up with a few of your own as your experience grows. The following sections describe some favorite rule-benders that you can try if appropriate to your garden, your needs,...
Shrub or hedge roses
Shrub or hedge roses turns out to be a catch-all term for lots of roses. To warrant the title, the rose should have a big, broad, shrubby habit, good weather-resilience be cold-hardy but also able to tolerate hot, humid summers , disease resistance, and less-refined but often quite pretty and frequently fragrant flowers. Shrub roses are bred to be covered with blooms throughout the summer months. But wait there's more. This group has subgroups that are distinctively different from one another....
Whats Organic Matter
When plants and animals die, bacteria and fungi and other critters move in and break down the dead material into simpler substances. The end product is a smorgasbord of nutrients for your plants. Organic matter is any material that originates from a living well, once-living creature you can dig this matter into your soil, and as the material decays, it improves the soil's condition. Examples of organic matter include compost, dehydrated manure never fresh, which burns the plants , chopped-up...
Index
American Association of Nurserymen, 180 American Horticultural Society Heat-Zone Map, 52, 53 anchoring support for vine, 255 Animal Poison Control Center Web site, 34 annuals caring for and feeding, 14-15, 118-119 shape, height, and structure of, 110-111 for warm weather, 108-109 watering, 118 antique rose, 168, 170-171, 187 anvil-style pruner, 93 aphid, 120, 142, 190, 298, 310 arborist, 233-234, 254 arranging containers for container garden, 352-353 art, creating, 389 Asian garden, 38, 39...
Preparing your yard for a lawn
Before you do anything, you need to rid your property of all those things that you wouldn't want in a lawn No weeds, no horrible old remnants of a failed lawn, no rocks, no construction debris, no toxic waste, no junk, no cars you plan to fix up, no dead and dying plants, no roots from long-gone plants. Scrape, dig, haul away do what you must. In most states, you're legally required to check for utility lines before digging. So call the gas company, phone company, cable company, and water...
Combining different kinds of bulbs
Ah, combining different kinds of bulbs is the most fun of all A great coordinated burst of flowers is such a thrill to behold, especially after a long, cold winter. For maximum impact, you want a range of colors, sizes, shapes, heights, and bloom times. See Figure 8-7 for a mixed garden. Interplanting a variety of bulbs to extend your bulb season from early spring to early summer. Interplanting a variety of bulbs to extend your bulb season from early spring to early summer. What's the...
Supporting and training your fruit
To keep your harvest off the dirt and in the air where it's able to develop freely and enjoy good air circulation and plentiful sunshine, supports may be in order. A wide variety is available, depending on the fruit you want to grow. Figure 15-3 shows two different ways to train grapes with supports. There are several methods of training grapes. Four-cane Kniffen trellis labrusca, hybrids Supports also help keep a developing harvest visible and accessible and serve to train the fruit in a...
Defining terms Bulbs arent always Well bulbs
When you shop for garden bulbs, you may immediately notice some variations on the underground-storage theme. The minor but key differences are worth knowing because they affect not only what sort of plants the bulbs produce but also how to divide them to get more plants. Here's a rundown of some of the plant structures that gardeners call bulbs 1 True bulbs Bulbs are composed of concentric fleshy scales, or layers, which are actually modified leaves see Figure 8-1 . Yes, just like an onion. At...
Raising herbs from seed
The majority of herbs are easy to grow from seed. Also, some types of herbs interesting or offbeat or rare varieties are often for sale only in seed form. Here's the good news Unlike some flower and vegetable seeds, you don't have a long wait from sowing to productive plant. To plant your herb seeds, follow these steps 1. Prepare a flat of sterile soil mix or the pot in which you plan to keep the herb s . Be sure the flat or pot contains drainage holes to prevent the possibility of rot. 2. Sow...
When to feed your garden
Whether you're using store-bought or natural fertilizer, such as compost or manure, most plants like to be fertilized at planting time, just to get off to a good start. Thereafter, you may fertilize again on a monthly basis. Reduce or stop when fall's cooler weather arrives. Fertilizer inspires fresh new growth, and you don't want that then fall is a time for plants to slow down and approach dormancy, and cold weather can damage new growth. You should, however, feed the lawn in autumn to...
Canopy encroachment and leafy obstructions Know the ultimate
height of the trees you're buying before planting them under utility lines. And remember that planting trees and shrubs close to the road can be hazardous When placing these plants, provide yourself and visitors with adequate lines of sight when you're pulling in and out of your drive. Now is the time to discover whether your tree's going to collide with your garage or shrub border or driveway or encroach on your neighbor's property as it grows and to adjust your plans accordingly, either by...
Tree roses or standards
If you read Alice in Wonderland as a child, or more accurately, studied the illustrations, you know the tree roses, or standards They look like compact, continuous-blooming shrubs atop a tall, bare stem, like a fancy living lollipop. Because they look formal, they're a grand sight flanking an entryway or walkway or growing by a swimming pool, alongside a deck, or in any formal garden area. Gardeners often display them in large pots, but you can certainly plant them in the ground. They're not...
Planting Your Vegetables
When getting ready to plant, the first rule is to pay attention to which items are cool-season vegetables and which are warm-season vegetables see the earlier section on Growing vegetables by seasons . You can start cool-season vegetables earlier and put them in the ground earlier because they're more tolerant of cooler temperatures some can even go outdoors before the last frost . However, you should put warm-season vegetables out or sow them only after all danger of frost is past. After you...
Choreography Timing perennial blooming
Although some perennials bloom all summer long, just like your favorite annuals, others do not. They have a period of glory that peaks for a week or several weeks, and then the show subsides. Gardeners have lots of ways to find out in advance when a perennial will bloom and for approximately how long. Look it up in a gardening reference book. Do research on the Internet. Check a print or online gardening catalog bearing in mind, however, that some merchants may exaggerate . Look on the tag or...
Reading plant hardiness zone maps
Take a look at the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, either in the color section of this book or online at www.usna.usda.gov Hardzone ushzmap. Notice that Zone 1, located at the top or northernmost part of the map, is coldest Zone 11 is at the bottom, or southernmost part, and is warmest. In terms of hardiness zones established in the USA, Zones 1 and 11 represent the extremes. The bulk of the United States, though, fits into Zones 5, 6, 7, and 8. Originally, the zones were conceived to be 10 F...
Fathoming Frost Zones and Growing Seasons
Whether a plant can survive the winter isn't your only concern. You know annuals are going to live for only one season, but you also want to know how long that season will be. After all, you may not be pleased if your dahlias die before flowering or your tomato plants freeze before producing much fruit. Unfortunately, hardiness zones don't tell you much about the length of the growing season. Enter the frost zone map. Zones are determined not only by temperatures but also by the climate, which...
Watering a Thirsty Lawn
Watering is the most misunderstood aspect of lawn care, so pay attention, folks Lawn grasses are not notoriously resilient or deep-rooted, so you can't neglect them in this department. Of course you have to water them often when they're first installed and are getting established up to twice a week, depending on the type of grass and your climate. Established lawns need water whenever they get dry, which likewise depends on temperature, humidity, amount of sunlight, wind, and soil type. The...
Cheating the system Creating microclimates
Ah, here's where gardeners can and do cheat their zone ratings so they can successfully grow plants they shouldn't be able to and satisfy their zone envy. You can actually create microclimates see the preceding section for general info on microclimates . Usually, the aim is to raise the temperature. For example, you can create a nice Zone 8-ish spot in a colder Zone 7 garden by employing a few gardening tricks 1 Safety in numbers Planting less-hardy plants in groups helps make them more...
Bugs
Correct identification is key. Capture a few and show them to someone who knows a garden-center staffer, a landscaper, or another, more experienced vegetable gardener or look the bugs up. If you can't find the pest, a sample of typical damage should help your expert identify the culprit. As you can see in the upcoming culprits' table, I'm not hastening to recommend spraying chemicals in a vegetable garden. Try other tactics first. If you catch the problem early, it's not unrealistic to manage...
How to spread seed
You need the help of some sort of tool so the seeds spread as evenly as possible. Buy this tool at a home-and-garden supply store for bigger jobs, you may prefer simply to rent the necessary equipment or hire someone else to do the job. Generally, though, here are your choices in approach see Figure 10-1 1 Cyclone spreader This hand seeder is relatively cheap and easy to use. Dump in the seed and then trot along the seedbed, turning the handle as you go. The seed sprays out in a semi-circular...
Put Up a Rubber Tire Swing
What would summer be without a tire swing What would childhood be without one Just make certain to choose a limb that's strong and far enough away from the trunk and everything else to allow for swinging and not for smacking into things . Also make sure the rope you use is stout and that the knots around the tree limb and tire are very, very secure. A strong chain may be a better idea, with large metal hooks to hold. Have a kid help you decide how high off the ground the swing should be. And...
Fertilizing Your Vegetable Garden
If your vegetable garden has fertile soil enhanced by compost and other organic materials, fertilizing may not be urgently necessary. Still, vegetables are a hungry group, and feeding them can certainly speed growth and improve your harvest. The main nutrients are nitrogen N , phosphorus P and potassium K , which is why the labels of general-purpose fertilizers have three numbers. A fertilizer such as 10-10-10 is a balanced fertilizer because it contains equal proportions of all three...
Whats the Difference between an Annual and a Perennial
Plant classification is something that often confuses new gardeners, so here are the short-and-sweet answers An annual lives for only one growing season a perennial slows down or dies back in the winter months but comes back bigger and better the next year, and the one after, and so on. Whether a plant is an annual or perennial may depend on the climate of where you live. So you have to buy and plant new annuals every year, while perennials are a long-term investment. You can see Chapter 6 for...
Getting Ready for Gardening
Understanding how plants are named Examining flowering plants Checking out trees, vines, and shrubs Managing your lawn Zl o matter what your main gardening interest be it growing vegetables, making your yard colorful with flowers, picking out just the right tree, or aspiring to have the most gorgeous roses on the block chances are that you care most about the plants. Sure, gardening can also involve landscaping and lawn care see the chapters in Part III of this book , or being able to grow...
Buying bulbs from home stores and nurseries
You can buy bulbs in so many places these days. If you're a novice and need some planting information, want top-size bulbs, and need help with your selection, garden centers and nurseries are often your best choice. Home centers have a reasonable selection but usually sell smaller bulbs, and they rarely provide much gardening information. Here are the advantages of buying bulbs in person 1 Instant gratification and impulse buying You can get the bulbs you want, or come across others that tempt...
Supporting with stakes or rings
Because some perennials are tall, or tall and broad, a little support is a good thing. It not only keeps the plant more in bounds and manageable, but it also prevents the plant from keeling over under its own weight. You've been waiting for those flowers don't let them cast downward or flop on the ground Using a stouter or larger support than you think you need never hurts if your perennials are healthy and happy, they're probably going to need it. Resourceful gardeners like to rig their own...
Whats your type Deciding on the kind of fertilizer
As you may know, fertilizer contains three main elements nutrients critical for good plant growth nitrogen N , phosphorus P , and potassium K . Nitrogen is the one that enhances foliage and stem growth. That's why nitrogen dominates lawn fertilizers. Common formulations include 22-3-7 and 21-0-0. Chapter 4 covers garden fertilizer in some detail, but here I discuss fertilizer that's strictly for lawn use. When you go shopping for lawn fertilizer, read the labels very carefully see Figure 10-5 ....
Planning Your Own Eden
Working with what you already have Deciding on your garden style Staying within your budget Setting up your garden plans Hiring a professional Consider your ideal garden. Perhaps you know you want a handsome woodland shade garden, but what'll it look like Or maybe you know you want a sunny cottage garden, but what's your vision Getting to this point in your garden planning is a bit like shopping for a blue shirt. You know you want a shirt and you know you want it to be blue, but you still have...
Tilling soil with rototillers
Consider the rotary tiller, or rototiller You may need one of these soil-eating machines if you're going to create a large new flowerbed, a production cut-flower garden, or a vegetable garden or to install a new lawn any project too daunting to undertake by hand. If your property is large or you like to keep busy with such projects and revisions of them, you may want to consider buying a tiller. But for most situations, you're better off renting what you need check the yellow pages under...
When to plant bulbs
Bulbs aren't instant-gratification plants. They need some time in the ground before they send forth stem, foliage, and flowers. But they're not inert when they're in the ground, of course. They're generating root growth, which will help nourish the show as well as anchor the plants in place. The following sections explain what different types of bulbs require, depending on when they bloom. Spring-blooming bulbs require a chilling period. They're dormant when you get them and break dormancy only...
Choosing the Right Vines for Your Garden
Ask yourself what you want from a vine. Do you have a good spot, or can you create one Some vines are big, rambling plants others can fill and remain in their allotted spaces. Some vines offer temporary coverage, and others are long-lasting. Figure out whether you want flowers or fruit and whether you want the vine for part of the growing season or all. The following sections cover the kinds of vines available and how you can match a vine to your wants and needs and the environment you can...
Choosing the Right Tree for Where You Live
A classic mistake that eager homeowners make is choosing a tree based on looks alone. A tree is a significant, long-term investment, so make your selection carefully. Native trees are often a smart choice they're already adapted to local weather and soil, not to mention they're probably resistant to common area pests or diseases. If which trees are native and which aren't isn't obvious to you when you go shopping, ask. Or better still, first visit a nearby park, botanical garden, or arboretum...
War of the roses Tackling rose pests
I'm not going to lie other creatures as well as humans adore roses. But here's the good news Many modern roses have been bred for resistance to common rose pests and diseases. More improvements show up every year, so roses are definitely a case of where newer is often better. Just as with humans, if the rose plant is in good health, it's far less vulnerable. So review and apply the care advice I give in the previous sections. That said, forewarned is forearmed, so here's some straight talk...
Bringing in Beauty with Flowers and Foliage
Flowers are often the first thing that comes to mind when people think of gardening and the first thing people plan to grow when they want to beautify their surroundings. Flowers are marvelous because they come in a huge variety of sizes, colors, and shapes see Figure 1-2 , and no matter where you live, at least one kind of flowering plant can grow there. Even the volcanic crater of Haleakala, on the island of Maui, is home to a flowering plant the rare silver sword. Flowers are more than...
Picking the Best Plants for Your Containers
So you're ready to start choosing plants. I know what you're thinking small ones Well, of course, but size doesn't have to be a limiting factor. Almost any sort of plant can adapt to life in a container. For instance, you can try a small herb plant or a wee bonsai-size Japanese maple in a small ceramic pot or you can grow a wide array of herbs or flowers or both why not or a dwarf edition of any number of popular trees in a big planter box or tub. Look through plant chapters in this book for...
Fertilizing 1
Unless your soil is fabulously fertile, some supplemental fertilizer is very nice for your roses. It inspires robust growth and more flowers. Also, a well-nourished plant is healthier and is thus less likely to succumb to stress, disease, or insect attacks. Use an all-purpose garden fertilizer, because it has balanced amounts of N nitrogen , P phosphorus , and K potassium . Fertilizers touted especially for roses such as Rose Food are fine but not mandatory. In spring, as the plant emerges from...
Air Air Plants Need Air
A sometimes overlooked necessity for plant life is air and not just carbon dioxide . Without air, plants struggle and perish. Yes, the free oxygen in the air is part of the photosynthesis recipe, produced by the plants themselves, but another practicality is even more visible here. Air movement around your plants prevents disease, especially fungal diseases that gain a foothold when the air is too close and humid and when wet leaves can't dry or don't dry quickly. Underground, oxygen between...
Determining which Watering system to use
The amount of water your garden needs depends on what kind of soil you're using, what your climate is like, and what kinds of plants you have. Shallow-rooted plants, for example, need more water than deep-rooted ones for the simple reason that they're closer to the soil surface, which dries out more quickly in the heat of the sun. Deep roots can reach the more consistently damp lower soil layers. For many gardeners, getting enough water to their gardens is the biggest gardening challenge. If...
Much Ado about Mulch
Mulch is a good gardening habit but not mandatory. But, ooh boy, do the benefits make it worth the effort A really good job of mulching your garden usually Inhibits weed germination and growth and not only are weeds unsightly, but they also they steal resources from your plants Holds in soil moisture, protecting your plants from drying out so fast Moderates soil-temperature fluctuations this benefit is especially valuable during that turbulent-weather period in spring when you don't want your...
Compost More than Just a Fertilizer
Yeah, I also talk about compost in the fertilizer section, but compost is useful and necessary to your garden in so many ways other than as plain fertilizer. Because it's organically rich, with good texture, compost is just about the best thing you can add to soil. What works best really depends on the type and fertility of your native soil, but you can't go wrong digging in quite a lot of compost. Compost lightens heavy clay soil and gives needed substance to sandy soil. Less-extreme soils can...
Pick the site it should have ample elbow room so the plant can
grow freely and healthily. The rosebush shouldn't block or be blocked by other plants. It needs space so that air can move freely around the rose plant. Location is a fairly important garden decision il Match the rose to the spot. Consider mature height and width whoever sells the plant to you can provide this info if it's not on the tag . You're going to love and cherish this plant, so it's sure to reach its full potential in, say, two or three years. I Let big plants come first when selecting...
Some like it hot Warm Weather annuals
Lots of annuals thrive in hot summer weather, tolerating even periods of prolonged drought in style. Many annuals have this preference because their predecessors, or ancestors if you will, originated in warm, tropical climates with long growing seasons. All plant breeders did was capitalize on or preserve these qualities while improving the plants' appearance or expanding the color range. Some warm-weather annuals are actually perennial in some regions but are used as annuals in other areas...