Proper fertilization of flowers growing in landscape beds is important to ensure that annuals perform well all season long, and perennials are more likely to repeat bloom year after year. Continue reading
Yellow poplar looking yellow? It must be summer…
Have you noticed that our state tree, yellow poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), is looking less than stately right now? All around the bluegrass, yellow poplar leaves are turning yellow and dropping. Leaves on inside seem most affected but this yellowing occurs relatively evenly distributed top to bottom in canopy. Continue reading
Gaga for Garlic
Garlic is commonly used as a flavoring for food, as a condiment, and for medicinal purposes.
October is a good time to plant garlic. Choose an area with full sun and good drainage. Before planting, fertilize the area and incorporate it into the area. Once soil is prepared, separate individual cloves from the main garlic bulb and plant cloves 3-5 inches apart with points up and cover to a depth of 1-2 inches. Do not divide the bulb into cloves before you are ready to plant. Leave skin on the clove. Continue reading
Selecting Fast Growing Shade Trees
Trees are a valuable asset to our home landscape. In addition to blooms, texture, and fall color, trees also help reduce energy bills by casting shade on our homes during summer. People are often reluctant to plant large shade trees because they don’t want to wait 20 years or more to enjoy the benefit. Selecting a fast-growing tree therefore is a primary concern. However, I would urge you to read about specific trees that are sold as “fast-growing” and any maintenance problems they may have before purchasing. Bradford Pear trees are an example of a fast-growing tree, but as most people are aware, they are very short lived, often breaking apart in storms after only 20 years of growth. Other fast-growing trees that should not be planted in home landscapes due to weak limbs or other problems include silver maple, eastern white pine, American sycamore, cottonwood, pin oak, and weeping willow. Continue reading
Turf Disease and your Lawn
Every summer, it seems, our fescue lawns suffer with a multitude of ugly brown areas. Often, the areas start small, multiply, and by the end of the summer, have taken over the entire lawn. Most often, the brown areas are associated with some type of fungus that caused disease. Continue reading
Helping Trees Survive Planting
Trees and shrubs add beauty and value to a home’s landscape. But as few as 50% of planted trees do not survive beyond one or two years. Why? Improper installation is the leading cause of failure of newly planted trees. You can grow trees successfully if you are aware of a few important planting guidelines. Continue reading
Plants for Tough Sites: Dry Shade
I grew up with a yard that had a slope facing east, shaded by a mature tree with miniscule amounts of good fertile soil to grow any type of plant. I have also inherited this site in my new garden. This area is too steep to mow easily and the grass is so thin it’s mostly weeds. I’m a gardener so I’m not opposed to removing the lawn in favor of perennials and shrubs. Continue reading
