Summer months of June, July, and August bring excessive heat, spells of dry weather along with possible storms and heavy downfalls of rain. All of these will take a toll on our flower gardens, vegetable gardens and newly planted shrubs and trees. What to do? How hot is it? How Humid is it? Is it cloudy? Partly cloudy? Full sun?…
Pruning is a such a broad subject that there have been entire books devoted to the subject. Obviously, it is hard to begin to answer all the questions we are asked on the subject in just a few paragraphs. The following are a few general tips. Pruning Basics: A good rule of thumb is that spring blooming plants normally are…
Crepe Myrtles are one of the South’s favorite trees. Visit any old southern farm, and you may see crepe myrtles that exceed 100 years of age. They can be found growing from the Gulf Coast to as far north as Baltimore and Philadelphia. Crepe Myrtles offer full season appeal and are easy to grow. They have many outstanding features such…
A little whiff of fresh lavender or spirits of lavender oil is said to calm the soul, relieve tension, or cure a headache. The scent of lavender can reduce the stress level of an entire room of people. Try using lavender in a mist bottle in the office to lower the tension and calm the nerves. Lavender-beautiful, fragrant, tasty and healthy!…
The loss of a newly planted dogwood can usually be traced to one of two problems, improper planting or improper watering. Improper planting means the tree was planted too deep or that dirt or mulch was piled up around the trunk. Let’s look at how to plant first. Dogwoods are shallow rooted trees and it would be difficult to plant…
An azalea purist doesn’t plant an azalea. They loosen the soil, take the plant out of the pot, loosen the root ball, and then gradually work the plant into the soil. This assures that the plant is planted very shallow which is ideal for an azalea. Most of us, however, do dig a hole when we plant. The secret is…
All fertilizer labels must have three bold numbers. The first number designates the amount of nitrogen (N), the second number designates the amount of phosphate (P2O5), and the third number is the amount of potash (K2O). These three numbers represent the primary nutrients (nitrogen (N) – phosphorous (P) – potassium (K). This label, known as the fertilizer grade, is a national standard.…
SOIL OR DIRT? Do you know the difference between the two? When should you use compost? What makes up vermiculite and perlite? I thought it might be helpful to point out how to distinguish between the different types of basic media. Hopefully it will help you in deciding what is best for your gardening needs. DIRT: Dirt is rocky, silty, and…
What is fire blight? It is a contagious, systemic, bacterial disease, prevalent on apple and pear trees during cool wet periods of spring weather. I thought it would be good to share some ideas on how to recognize the disease and control the spread of it. The bacteria attacks the blossoms in early spring and then starts to move up…