Winter Prep for Spring Success! I thought now might be a good time to look at preparing your garden, either flower or vegetable, for winter as well as getting ready for spring. What you do over the fall and winter months will determine the nutrient levels in the soil next spring and summer. The goal is to replenish the soil…
Fall Planting By: Gary Garner Sr. It is now time to start planting fall cole crops, flowers, etc., at least according to the calendar. Then I take a look at the thermometer, it reads 93, feeling like 100 and I’m not so certain I want to do much planting. People have started to plant fall vegetables. Cabbage, broccoli, and other…
Nothing says fall like Mums! Mums have been cultivated for over 2500 years and continue to increase in popularity. There are now over 5000 varieties in cultivation. Through hybridization, many flower forms are available such as daisy, pompon, cushion, buttons, decorative spiders, and spoon-petal. They are also available in any color except blue. Sadly, on occasion I see blue mums…
By: Gary Garner Sr. Like me you may have a number of beautiful containers of various flowers and other plants on your deck, patio, porch or other areas of the yard. As I write this I can see, I see pots of begonia, Hosta, vinca, marigold, a bay tree, some Christmas Catus, Japanese maple and a drift rose. There are…
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?…
CONTAINER SHRUBS By Gary Garner Sr. There are many reasons to love shrubs and the many purposes they serve in our home landscape. They give us multiple seasons of interest, provide habitat and food for birds and other wildlife. Some even provide food for humans. Plant breeders recognize their versatility in garden design and with today’s smaller properties in mind…
MARIGOLDS HAVE MANY USES! Marigolds could well be used in most gardens as both flower and vegetable. They come in many sizes and an array of colors. Some varieties are edible and add both color and taste when used as a condiment. Marigolds bloom all summer long lasting well into early fall. They thrive in hot weather as well as dry…
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…
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…