How Long Should I Cut Grass on New Sod?

Sod is an investment as well as a project. Not only must you carefully rake, amend and moisten the subsurface, but additionally there are endless rolls of sod to carry and fit together in an awesome layout with edges and corners neatly fit together. Cutting too soon can split expensive sod and awaiting too late may make a mess, even wasting time as well as money.

Green Grow the Grasses

Sod can represent a major investment, so use locally grown sod that’s been cut over the last 24 hours. Local sod has grown on similar ground and will adapt to a dirt with less trouble than sod grown elsewhere. If sod appears dry or yellow, roots may be too dry to recover. A moist subsurface nurtures roots and promotes growth. Sod laid under good conditions and kept moist with 1/2 inch of water every day should attach firmly to the subsoil and be prepared to mow in about 14 days. Roots not maintained consistently moist take more time to initiate and maintain vigorous growth.

Too Soon or Too Late

Mowing sod too soon can tear it up and waiting too long can leave you with grass too much time to cut in 1 pass. If your sod gives in to a tug along a border at the end of 14 days, it requires more to bond with its new home. If you need to wait, it’s possible your new grass may grow too long. However long it rises, remove no more than one-third the period of the grass blades each time you mow.

Keep It Light

You’re going to be cautioned to maintain the dog and kids off fresh sod, but when it comes to mowing, a light touch is imperative. Mowing is more or less abusive to grass. Never use a lawn mower on new sod. It’s weight and strength of the big rotary blade will compress and rip up sod rolls. Use a push rotary or reel mower to minimize abuse to turf. Set the mower high to begin with and move down it to the recommended height for the grass range of your sod over a span of weeks. Longer grass blades shade origins, allowing them to grow stronger and longer.

Grass Length

Cool-season grass mixes look and develop best when maintained from 2 to 2-1/2 inches long. Using the one third rule, even if sod grass rises to 3 inches, then you may safely cut it around 2 inches. On the other hand, if it requires more time or rises faster than anticipated, cut it to 3 to 3-1/2 inches and mow it down to 2 to 2-1/2 inches the next day.

See related

How Much Light for Tiger Lilies?

To receive your tiger lily off to the ideal beginning, it’s important to ascertain what flower you’ve actually purchased. Not surprisingly, more than one spotted blossom with exotic petals is referred to as tiger lily. Luckily, all belong to the same botanical family, Lilium, that minimizes confusion considerably. However, where you set the blossom is a must, since some tiger lilies need all the light they can get, while others bear or even prefer part shade.

Lilium Lancifolium

Lilium lancifolium, which also has the botanical synonym Lilium tigrinum, prefer full sunlight or partial shade. These tiger lilies will probably enjoy daytime colour in areas with dry, hot summers. The Oriental native Lilium lancifolium is the sole “tiger lily” which isn’t native to the U.S. Lilium lancifolium features spotted flower heads so lush that they bend down, frequently needing staking to keep stems from splitting. Color types include yellow and pink. The plants grow over 4 feet tall in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 2 to 9.

Lilium Colombianum

Lilium colombianum prefers part shade. Although it’s a well-known western wildflower, some people today cultivate Lilium colombianum in their own gardens. Commonly known as wild tiger lily or Columbian lily, the plant grows between 3 to 6 feet in height, bearing cup-shaped, pale orange flowers with dark spots. It thrives in summer’s drier grounds, but is also located along streams and riverbanks.

Lilium Parvum

A wetlands plant, Lilium Parvum, also referred to as Alpine lily or Sierra tiger lily prefers partial shade and moist soil. As a wildflower, it’s native to California and is almost exclusively found in the north and central inland regions of the state. The vividly-hued flowers are bell-shaped, with yellow centers splashed with maroon spots, in addition to dark orange petals. Depending on growing conditions, it attains 2 to 6 feet grown as a cultivated plant in USDA zones 5 to 9.

Lilium Michauxii

Lilium michauxii, most frequently known as the Carolina lily, is a fantastic choice for the full-sun garden. According to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, however, the blossom is so similar to its cousins that it’s sometimes grouped with the tiger lilies also from the Lilium family. It is most similar in look to the yellowish Lilium lancifolium. A native of the southeastern section of the U.S., Lilium michauxii thrives in USDA zones 5 to 8. It is a nodding flower with petals that curve upwards. The flowers are light yellow with a red blush, maroon-spotted at the middle. They grow between 1 to 4 feet.

See related

Different types of Cornflower

Cornflowers normally call up dreams of sky blue flowers waving at a summer breeze. Although both yearly cornflower (Centaurea cyanus) and perennial cornflower (Centaurea montana) typically athletic bright blue blooms, they also appear in a range of pink, lavender, violet, white or purple. Cornflowers range in height in tall 3-foot varieties to dwarf cultivars only 6 inches high. Whether you add them to a perennial garden, develop them for cut flowers or plant them at flowerbeds, cornflowers create a drought-resistant and deer-resistant inclusion your garden.

Yearly Cornflower

Yearly cornflowers (Centuarea cyanus), also referred to as bachelor’s buttons or blue bottle, are spring during summer bloomers. In addition to the conventional blue cornflower colour, you can find them in purple, purple, purple and white hues. The blossoms are 1 1/2 ins with ragged petals. Conventional yearly varieties grow 2 1/2 to 3 feet tall and spread 6 to 12 inches wide. They are able to topple over from the end as they reach their full height, requiring you to stake them. Plant yearly cornflowers in cutting gardens and cottage gardens or add them to meadow gardens for a wildflower look. Although considered an annual, these cornflowers tend to self-seed from year to year.

Dwarf Annual Cornflower

Smaller varieties of yearly cornflowers are acceptable for putting in flowerbeds and containers. “Dwarf Blue Midget” (Centaurea cyanus “Dwarf Blue Midget”) sports flowers of true blue color. It grows only 6 to 12 inches tall, blooming from June through September. “Florence Mix” (Centaurea cyanus “Florence”), another compact cornflower, tops out at 6 to 12 inches tall. In addition to blue flowers, “Florence Mix” contains shades of close white, pure pink and white. It blooms from June through August.

Perennial Cornflower

Perennial cornflower (Centaurea montana) is a showy, 2-foot broad and tall plant which blooms from May to June. It exhibits just one 2-inch fringed purple blue flowers with purple to red centers. Hardy at U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 8, perennial cornflower is also referred to as mountain bluet. Spreading by underground stolons, perennial cornflower rapidly forms colonies. Its bright blue flowers make it a great addition to the cutting or cottage garden.

Perennial Cornflowers With Unusual Colours

Added cultivars of perennial cornflower add interest to your garden with colored leaves or unusual flower colours. “Gold Bullion” (Centaurea montana “Gold Bullion”) exhibits golden-hued leaves and lavender flowers with maroon centers. It grows 1 to 2 feet tall and is hardy in USDA zones 3 through 8. Exotic looking “Black Sprite” (Centaurea montana “Back Sprite”) grows 30 to 35 inches tall. It’s dark purple to black star-shaped flowers and is hardy in USDA zones 3 through 9. To get a midsized perennial cornflower with heavy purple flowers, plant “Amethyst Dream” (Centaurea montana “Amethyst Dream”), that grows 18 to 20 inches tall. An early to midsummer bloomer, it is hardy in USDA zones 3 through 9.

See related

Different Colours of the Stargazer Lily

“Stargazer” lilies (Lilium orientalis “Stargazer”) are big, showy Oriental lilies initially developed in Arcata, California, in the mid-1970s. Named for their upward-facing flowers, these lilies initially came only in a single pinkish-red and white color scheme. While this is still the most common kind of the “Stargazer” lily, gardeners are now able to choose different colors to brighten their planting structures. The flowers prosper in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 4 to 9.

Identification

No matter what colour edition you plant, your “Stargazer” lilies can be recognized with their tall, upright shape and very big flowers. On average, this range produces six to nine heaven, every one between 8 and 6 inches across. Unlike many Asiatic lilies, which can seem similar, “Stargazer” flowers have a strong, sweet fragrance that attracts pollinators and can perfume an whole room.

Pink and White

The first “Stargazer” lily has deep red to pink petals with narrow white margins. The interior of these petals is speckled and striped with darker pink to crimson tones, while the middle of this blossom is light yellow with bright orange anthers and pollen. It’s ideal to shake this pollen off of cut blooms prior to pulling them inside, since this tends to maintain the flowers to get a longer period.

Yellow

Yellow “Stargazer” lilies are a relatively new development, but “Golden Stargazer” provides a change of color for your garden. These flowers have exactly the identical upward-facing development habit of their white and pink family members, but their petals are an even yellowish-gold all around. The inner part of the flower will be speckled with bright orange to crimson spots, while the anthers are reddish with red pollen. This kind of “Stargazer” lily produces blooms that average only 5 to 6 inches across.

White

White “Stargazer” variants such as “Snow Princess” remain fairly uncommon at publication time however provide an impressive alternative to the standard colors. These 5- to 7-inch flowers are very open and upright, instead of the frillier appearance of several other white lily cultivars. They have clear, bright white to cream petals and dark red to orange anthers with colored pollen. The center of this flower is often light green. Unlike a few other white cones, these blooms lack speckles, lines or other imperfections.

Warning

While all of the colors of the “Stargazer” cultivar can be extremely lovely and striking, they also pose a danger to pets. This popular kind of lily is very poisonous to cats and can lead to kidney failure and death. Keep cats away from outside lily plantings and prevent bringing cut blossoms inside to secure your pets.

See related

Milkweed Perennials

Milkweed perennials (Asclepias spp.) Bear many little star-shaped flowers and produce a milky sap; they’re named for this sap. The plants develop in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 3 to 10 and bloom in summer, posture their flowers in wide, flattened clusters at the branch tips. All varieties produce silky seeds in inflated seed pods. Milkweed thrives in a sunny location with sandy soil and offers benefits to insects.

Milkweed Identification

Common milkweed can grow up to 6 feet tall with big 4- to 10-inch-long leaves, occasionally with red veins. Some varieties produce clusters of drooping pinkish-purple flowers, though other varieties’ flowers vary in color from red and yellow-orange to orange and bicolored blooms. All varieties produce green seed pods that turn brown prior to releasing and opening fluffy seeds. All pieces of milkweed plants are toxic if eaten.

Propagation

Milkweed seeds can easily be spread by the end, which catches the fluffy seeds and also carries them long distances. You can collect the seeds following the pods dry and before they split and release seeds. Sow these seeds in spring or fall, in light, sandy soil if at all possible, and cover lightly with soil. You can also lift and separate existing plants in spring. Lifted plants may not bloom the first year, but expect plants started from seed to bloom the first year.

Care

Milkweed requires little care, as they can grow in any good garden soil, even though they prefer sandy soil. The plants do not need fertilization; they spread freely by underground rhizomes and will quickly take over an whole area. Because of their drought tolerance, some varieties — such as butterfly weed (A. tuberosa), that grows in all USDA zones as an annual — make great plants to utilize xeriscaping.

Importance

While the milky sap of these plants is toxic to humans, it is beneficial to your insects. The plants’ flowers attract butterflies, moths, bees and other insects which feed to the plant nectar; the nectar isn’t poisonous, so it does not damage these insects. The caterpillar of the Monarch butterfly eats the leaves of the milkweed plant, which include exactly the exact same poisonous substance since the sap, cardiac glycosides. This poison does not harm the caterpillar; instead it enters the caterpillar’s body, which makes it poisonous to its predators. Even adult Monarch butterflies have this poison in their bodies.

See related

Where to Plant a Lime Tree

Limes lend a delicious tang and attractive green colour to drinks, desserts and a variety of meals. By growing your own lime tree, then you’ll have access to more affordable and tastier fruit than you can buy at the store. Lime trees, such as other types of citrus, are sensitive to frosty temperatures and develop best in U.S. Department of Agriculture zones 9 through 11. Planting your lime tree in the best possible place ensures it will prosper and make an abundance of fruit for several decades.

Sun

All varieties of lime trees must be planted in full sun for the best results. Choose a planting site that receives as much full sun as you can, ideally from dawn to late afternoon. Avoid putting algae trees near or under other trees, by which they will be shaded from sun. In case your lime tree does not get enough sunlight, then it will develop more slowly than normal and create fewer fruits.

Soil

Lime trees prefer sandy loam soil but can tolerate several other soil types as long as they have decent drainage. If your soil includes mostly heavy clay or sand, you’ll have to amend it before planting. Mixing in compost or other organic matter to a depth of 1 or 2 inches helps supply the drainage and nutrients that the lime tree requires. Ideally, don’t plant lime trees next to plants that require frequent irrigation.

Protection

If your area gets very windy or adventures occasional frosts, you ought to protect your lime tree in inclement weather. Too much wind can certainly damage a young lime tree. At the winter, leaf damage may occur when temperatures drop to 30 degrees Fahrenheit, and tree death will probably occur at 29 F or even below. Planting your lime tree near a building that does not block the sun is best, as the building will shield the tree in cold northern winds.

Other Factors

Avoid planting your lime tree near power lines. If it gets moist, the divisions may fall off and land on the power line, causing an outage or other damage. Do not plant the tree near a drain field or septic tank. Cleaning supplies, chemicals and soaps can enter the tree during its roots, damaging or killing it. The roots can also clog the drain of the septic tank.

See related

When Do Spears Appear on Asparagus Plants?

Asparagus plants are generally grown in the roots of 1-year-old plants, called crowns. After crowns are planted in the ground in the conclusion of the winter or the start of the spring, then it takes several weeks to get the first spears to look. These spears are not harvested in the first year. Left alone, they develop into ferns that gather energy for the following year. Asparagus is a perennial plant which can live 15 or even 20 years together with proper care. Spears appear yearly for the life of this plant.

When Spears Appear

Spears appear early in the spring when daytime temperatures frequently hit 60 F or higher. These spears might be harvested when they are 6 to 8 inches long, typically starting in mid March and continuing through mid June. On a mature plant, then this crop continues for up to ten weeks. Spears produced following this 10-week period has to be left to develop to ferns.

Young Plants Grown In Crowns

Crowns are planted in the ground in the late winter or early spring. For a single year, crowns are allowed to develop without any crop taking place. In the spring following the year they are planted in the ground, the new asparagus bushes will produce their first small harvest. To cultivate strong, healthy crops, you have to limit this first harvest to a two-week period, beginning as soon as the first spears are tall enough to be cut. Any spears produced following this two-week period should be left to develop to ferns. Harvesting too much too soon will weaken the crops for future growing seasons.

When Grown From Seeds

Like crowns, seeds are planted in the late winter or early spring. For two decades, seeds are allowed to develop without any harvest taking place. This additional wait time is why a lot of gardeners choose to cultivate their asparagus from healthful shingles, bought in nurseries and garden centres. In the spring of this next year, asparagus grown from seeds produce their very first small harvest. Like asparagus grown from crowns, this first crop period is shortened to 2 weeks.

Harvest Tips

To crop spears you have to snap them off in the base of this plant. With a knife or scissors to cut spears may come in damaged spears just emerging from the ground. Asparagus does not continue long, and has to be cooked or refrigerated immediately upon being harvested.

See related

How to Plant Blueberry Shrubs

The secret to growing healthy, heavily generating blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) Shrubs lies in replicating the same conditions they relish from the wild. Like rhododendrons, azaleas (Rhododendron spp.) Along with other Heath (Ericacea) family shrubs, strawberries need moist, well-drained, rich acidic soil. They like full sun but endure in warm, dry summer climates. Blueberries put fruit only where winter temperatures drop to 45 degrees Fahrenheit or lower for a decent, variety-dependent number of hours. For Mediterranean climate gardeners, southern highbush (V. virgatum) or rabbiteye (V. ashei) lemons as well as their hybrids are more suitable choices than northern highbush (V. corymbosum) shrubs.

Prepare a planting bed in sunlight. Plant your blueberries in autumn, so they will gain from cold temperatures and winter rains while establishing. Spread a 3-inch layer of equivalent components decomposed, Ligna redwood bark and organic compost over the bed. Till the top 8 inches of soil to include the drainage-improving amendments. The bark and compost also maintain perspiration and provide nutrients as they decay.

Space your planting holes 6 feet apart for personal specimen shrubs or 2 1/2-feet apart for a blueberry hedge. Dig the holes to the same thickness three times the diameter of the shrubs’ containers, with their sides sloping inward so that their foundations are slightly broader than the root balls.

Grip a blueberry shrub by its base, invert its container and gently slide it totally free. Inspect the main ball for compacted or encircling roots. Carefully separate attached roots with your hands. Cut roots girdling the ball with pruning shears.

Center the Ninja, roots spread, in the hole with the surface of its origin ball extending 1/4 into 1/2 inch above ground level. Begin filling the hole with the amended dirt, isolating large clods and firming around the roots with your hands to eliminate air pockets as you work.

Cover the root ball with soil till you arrive at the edge of the hole. Pile more soil around the exposed roots. Water the blueberry deeply and slowly until the root ball is soaked.

Repeat the above steps for each shrub. When all the blueberries are planted and watered, spread a 3- to 4-inch layer of acidic mulch, such as pine straw or softwood sawdust, over the planting bed. The mulch discourages weeds and soil-moisture evaporation.

See related

High Desert Plants That Grow on a chain-link Fence

In general, the phrase “high desert” identifies desert regions that are situated inland at high elevations. Even though these regions are dry, they do receive more precipitation than lesser lying desert regions and are not quite as alluring. In California, the high desert goes to the geographic region northeast of the San Gabriel Mountains. Gardeners living in California’s high desert or in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 and 9 can develop several climbing high desert plants to cover unsightly chain link fences. Many of these climbing plants are vines, but a few are shrubs with vine-like tendencies.

Evergreens and Semievergreens

Primrose jasmine (Jasminum mesnyi), yellow orchid vine (Mascagnia macroptera) along with pink trumpet vine (Podranea ricasoliana) are excellent options for evergreen vines to cover a fence. Primrose jasmine offers yellow flowers in late winter and spring, while the yellow orchid vine blossoms in late spring and early summer. Planting these two together generates an evergreen fence with yellow flowers continuously from late winter to early summer. The pink trumpet vine flowers in late summer and fall along with its blossoms have a light, pleasing scent. The yellow orchid and pink trumpet vines are semievergreen and might die back temporarily during cold winters. All these plants do best in full sun.

Year-Round Flowers

For year-round blossoms, bougainvillea (Bougainvillea spectabilis) is just a vine-like shrub that likes full sun or part shade in exceedingly hot areas, requires very little water once established and comes in a wide array of bright colors. However, bougainvillea includes thorns and might not be suitable for fences near sidewalks or heavily traveled areas. A thorn-free option for flower lovers with a fence in full sun is the potato vine (Solanum jasminoides), which provides white flowers and purplish green foliage annually when grown in a frost free environment. Cape honeysuckle (Tecomaria capensis) also flowers during the year. As an additional bonus, the vibrant red-orange blossoms of the cape honeysuckle will attract hummingbirds to your garden.

Low Litter

If your fence is close to a pool, you will want plants that won’t fall a whole lot of leaves or spent flowers which shake pool filters and stick to wet bare feet. Low litter plants are also a wise option for fences next to walkways, so guests don’t drag messy plant components into your home. Low litter options include grape ivy (Cissus trifoliata) and lilac vine (Hardenbergia violacea). Grape ivy is semievergreen and although not showy, offers attractive green foliage and will grow in full sunlight in addition to deep shade. Lilac vine is a evergreen shrub-like plant that can climb fences and produce purple flower clusters in the winter and spring. The evergreen primrose jasmine and year old flowering potato vine also create hardly any litter.

Two Noteworthy Plants

Even though they defy categorization, there are two other exceptional options for gardeners wanting to conceal a fence. One is the hacienda creeper (Parthenocissus tricuspidata). Also called Boston ivy, the hacienda creeper is a semievergreen vine with glossy leaves and attractive leaf color options. In areas where the plant will not lose its leaves in the fall, the leaves turn shades of crimson, orange and burgundy in the fall. This is only one of the few climbers that can be grown in the high desert which produces such stunning fall color reliably. Another option is Lady Banks’ rose (Rosa banksiae). Although this plant isn’t particular to the high desert climate, it will not grow well there. This rose is an appealing, vigorous evergreen with white or pale yellow flowers and requires hardly any attention or water, making it perfect for active gardeners on the move.

See related

The Best Ways to Trim a Mulberry Tree

Mulberry trees (Morus spp.) Are notoriously famous for dropping staining fruits onto walkways and neighboring vehicles using their long, outstretched branches. Trimming your mulberry tree looks like a sensible solution, but these deciduous trees can’t tolerate extensive pruning without harming their general wellness. The most effective ways to trim a mulberry tree include strategic branch removal and cutting the limbs during the period.

Timing

The winter dormancy period lets you trim the mulberry tree when it isn’t actively growing. Since the tree is deciduous, you readily find the branches within the tree’s canopy to get an accurate survey of essential pruning. Should you wait to trim the tree during the spring and summer, then you can’t observe the limbs that might need cutting since the leaf blocks the view. In fact, the summertime heat leads to pruning damage, particularly together with the bark. Damaged and sunburned bark from trimming allows pests and pathogens to further aggravate the vulnerable cuts.

Limited Trimming

Your trimming method needs to be limited to dead, diseased and crossed branches. Mulberry trees have a tendency to bleed at the cutting edge sites, which makes them vulnerable to pressure and growth stunting; the winter dormancy period typically has diminished bleeding throughout pruning sessions. Try to avoid cutting the main branches unless they are especially damaged from winds or disease. Twisted lateral branches that stretch too much from the central leader have to be trimmed so that the stronger, main limbs have more energy to get leaf, flowering and fruiting procedures.

Cut Size

Since the mulberry tree still bleeds even during the period, your trimming cuts will need to be smaller than 2 inches. Cuts larger than 2 inches over the branches create lacerations that cannot heal because the bleeding keeps the wound open and fresh. Pathogens and insects input the mulberry tree freely and cause widespread harm and growth stunting. Should you restrict your trimming to damaged limbs close to the drip line, then your cuts are naturally smaller than 2 inches and the tree has a good chance at recovery quickly.

Prevent Pollarding

Reducing nearly all new growth every one or two years is called pollarding. Although this pruning process retains the mulberry at a manageable size, it effectively reduces the tree’s lifespan. New growth stipulates the developing area for fruits every year. Should you remove the new branches consistently, the tree has limited fruiting or none at all. Avoiding any pollarding process and limiting your pruning to only several branches throughout the dormant period preserves your mulberry tree’s lifespan and wellness.

See related

Tall Bushes for Privacy Above Fence

Tall bushes make excellent privacy displays above a fence. Bushes not just block the line of sight to your home or lawn, they are also able to dampen noise from traffic or neighbors. The best bushes for solitude are evergreens since they will have foliage year-round. Deciduous bushes don’t provide as much solitude as evergreens during winter, but they are more likely to have vibrant foliage or spring flowers than evergreens.

Boxwood

Boxwoods (Buxus sempervirens) are extremely popular shrubs because of their dense, yards. They are also quite simple to prune into pretty much any shape, making them perfect for hedging. Boxwoods grow nicely in USDA plant hardiness zones 5 through 9 plus they prefer full sun. Common boxwoods can grow up to 20 feet tall, while Korean boxwoods and other varieties reach heights of anywhere between 2 and 9 feet.

English Laurel

English laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) is a fast-growing evergreen tree or shrub. It grows well in USDA plant hardiness zones 6 through 9 and takes decent soil drainage. Many gardeners like English laurel because of its fragrant white flowers in early summer and spring. It has narrow and long leaves, which can be occasionally glossy. This plant can grow up to 30 feet tall, though smaller varieties like the ‘zabeliana’ don’t grow taller than 6 feet.

Grandiflora Rose

Grandiflora roses (Rosa grandiflora) are large shrub roses with vibrant flower clusters. They grow best in USDA plant hardiness zones 4 through 9. Based on the variety, they could reach heights of around ten feet, making them exceptional privacy screens. 1 drawback of roses as solitude bushes is they lose their leaves and also supply less solitude during winter.

American Holly

American holly (Ilex opaca) rises up to 50 feet tall as a tree, but gardeners may also prune it to a more compact privacy hedge. It grows best in USDA plant hardiness zones 5 to 9, but it can tolerate slightly warmer zones in temperate Mediterranean climates. Holly is a classic vacation plant with glossy leaves and red berries. It prefers full or partial sun and slightly acidic soils with adequate drainage. Holly bushes remain green year round and also have dense foliage, which makes a superb privacy screen.

See related

What's the Natural Way to Kill Canna Bulbs Already in the Ground?

Canna is a genus of tropical plants that contains about 10 species. The plants, which develop from tuberous rhizomes instead of real bulbs, are broadly used as ornamentals, with most popular hybrid varieties sturdy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 though 11. In areas that have cold winters, cannas are treated as annuals, with the rhizomes lifted and stored at the end of each growing season and replanted at the beginning of the next growing season. Killing in-ground canna rhizomes isn’t difficult.

First Steps

Before ruining your cannas, consider why you would like to achieve that. If they’re healthy and are in a garden area where you wish to plant something else, consider moving them or growing them in containers. Should you decide you don’t need cannas on your garden or don’t have room for them, then get the word out to gardening friends or gardening classes. Other gardeners may be delighted to dig up the cannas and provide them good homes elsewhere.

Elimination

The simplest way to get rid of cannas that are already at the ground — particularly if they’re in a committed plant bed — would be to smother them. This way is done best at the end of the growing season, but it might be performed at any given moment. If foliage is present on the cannas, cut it off at ground level. Cover the cannas’ area with landscape fabric or at least a 2-inch thick layer of paper. Cover the landscape fabric or paper with a layer of organic mulch. Check regularly for signs of new growth; if it appears, remove it at ground level.

MIxed Borders

In case the cannas are in crowded combined beds or borders, smothering them might not be an alternative. In these tight situations, digging is the only way to get the cannas out of the ground. Use a sharp-pointed trowel to dig beneath the rhizomes, taking care to find the whole roots out of the ground. Offshoots left behind may sprout new growth. If digging isn’t an option, cut off fresh canna increase and leaf since it appears. Doing this repeatedly probably will kill the plants.

Considerations

Sometimes cannas can be infected with the mosaic virus, which causes misshapen leaves and yellowish streaking or a mosaic pattern on their foliage. The issue has no treatment, and the affected plants have to be destroyed. That circumstance is another instance where it’s ideal to dig up the plants, making sure to get every bit of each rhizome out of the ground. Don’t include the infected plants or rhizomes to your compost pile.

See related

How Many Apple Trees Do You Want for suitable Pollination?

The several cultivars of apples (Malus domestica) are self-sterile or even self-unfruitful, meaning that they will not bear apples unless they get pollen from a compatible number of apple tree or even a crabapple tree. There are a few apple tree types that may bear fruit without cross-pollination, but they perform poorly and planting them is not recommended. Apples can be grown in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 8.

Quantity Of Trees Required

At least 2 apple trees of different varieties that bloom at precisely the same time are needed for good pollination. Planting two McIntosh apple trees will not do. You have to match one McIntosh with a compatible apple number, say a North Spy or Honeycrisp. To guarantee proper pollination, plant two semi-dwarf varieties at least 50 feet apart; plant dwarf trees over 20 feet apart.

Overlapping Bloom Times

Apple blossoms grow in clusters. Apple trees grow more apples if a bee or other insect carrying complementary pollen lands on the most significant blossom in a cluster and the first to start. This is called the king blossom. To guarantee proper pollination, matching trees need to blossom and yield pollen in precisely the same time. To help you choose complementary apple trees, nurseries which sell transplant seedlings typically have charts that record overlapping bloom times for a variety of cultivars. The pollen from crabapple trees often offered as ornamentals will pollinate conventional trees.

Pollinating Variations

Some nurseries listing some apple varieties since being self-fruitful. These include Empire, Gala, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Rome, Jonathan, Jonagold, Liberty and Rome. While these varieties may yield a few apples if they planted alone, it is not recommended; without cross-pollination they generally yield few apples of inferior quality. Some apple varieties produce sterile pollen and cannot be used to pollinate other trees. These include Baldwin, Boskoop, Bramley’s Seedling Crispin, Creston, Gravenstein, Jonagold, Mutsu, Roxbury Russet, Spigold, Stayman, Wealthy and Winesap. Apple varieties that produce sterile pollen require pollen from other trees.

Pollinating a Single Tree

There are two ways to pollinate a solitary apple tree. You can put branches together with open, fresh blossoms of crabapple or complementary apple types in buckets and hang the buckets in the tree. You can also cleft-graft 6- to 8-inch-long branches of a compatible apple number onto your tree.

See related

Items to Grow in a Greenhouse

Greenhouses lift conventional gardening limits by letting you manipulate natural seasons. This permits you to harvest homegrown strawberries during winter or begin flower seeds earlier than that which nature permits. Things to develop in a greenhouse are defined only by your plant preferences and your gardening goals. Flowers, vegetables, fruits, vegetables and herbs are some of the possibilities of being able to garden year old.

Flowers

Greenhouses are protected growing constructions which insulate your annual and tropical flowers against cold weather. Orchids are generally grown in greenhouses and liked on a rotation basis. When they are in bloom , they brighten homes, and if they’re not in blossom, they are moved back to the greenhouse. In this way, you can enjoy blossoms all months of the year. Geraniums (Pelargonium spp.) Are quintessential annual bedding plants which do not survive winters outside U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 and 11. When temperatures dip below 36 degrees F, you can tuck geraniums within a greenhouse during winter and then place them outside the following spring.

Fruits and Vegetables

Some gardeners have greenhouses solely for growing tomatoes year old. With appropriate heating and ventilation systems, tomatoes will produce fruit during cold weather. Citrus trees could be grown outside in containers during warm weather and moved within a greenhouse when temperatures dip below their acceptable threshold amounts, which vary among different cultivars. Avocados are also suitable for greenhouse cultivation. The University of California recommends selecting a smaller number, like “Gwen” or “Pinkerton,” so you won’t have to prune trees to fit in the greenhouse.

Herbs

Herbs can be grown in containers or simply planted directly in the soil floor of a greenhouse, suggests the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service. Since diseases have been spread when water splashes onto plants, drip irrigation processes which release moisture directly at soil level are best if you develop herbs in the greenhouse floor. Many herbs, like basil, develop more thickly after you take cuttings and are easily grown year round in a warm greenhouse.

Transplants

Annual bedding plants, like impatiens, petunias and marigolds, can be started from seed and grown to transplant size at a greenhouse. Optimally, seeds must be sown at a soilless mix and kept warm and moist until they germinate. The same greenhouse environment which favors plant development also promotes infection, so regular monitoring for insects and diseases makes early detection of these problems an easier challenge to dominate. When seedlings reach transplant size, and climatic conditions have been okay, gradually acclimate greenhouse plants by placing them in a hierarchical place outside the greenhouse for several days.

See related

How to Graft a Magnolia Shrub

Many gardeners play the “if only” game with their magnolias at the same time or another: when just this tree flowered as lavishly as that one; even when just this gorgeous vomit were as drought tolerant as that plain one. Grafting enables you to create those dreams reality. Think about a magnolia tree as 2 separate parts, a root system (the rootstock that produces the roots and sizes a plant) along with a shoot system (the scion that produces branches, fruits and flowers). By biologically joining two different cultivars of magnolias into one plant, then you can make the magnolia tree of your dreams.

Prepare a magnolia rootstock in early spring when it is still dormant. Choose a young, branchless whip with a 1/2-inch back diameter. If the whip isn’t established in your garden, plant it in the place you want the tree to grow. Prune off the top half of the whip with clean, disinfected garden.

Prune off a 6- to 8-inch fresh shoot in the magnolia tree you’ve picked for the scion of the new plant. Pick wholesome growth in the prior growing season with a diameter of about 1/2-inch.

Disinfect a sharp knife with denatured alcohol. Slice both the top of the rootstock and the bottom of the scion in a deep soldered. Each slanting edge must measure about 2 1/2 inches long.

Make a second, shorter cut into the rootstock back close to the upper end of the diagonal. Go this cut parallel to the diagonal. Make a similar cut in the scion at the lower end of the diagonal. These cuts will interlock to form a “tongue-and-groove” attachment between both magnolia stems.

Press the diagonal border of the magnolia scion against that of the rootstock. The tall tip of the scion’s diagonal cut ought to rest against the very low end of the rootstock’s diagonal cut. Fit the rootstock “tongue” into the scion’s “groove” cut to lock the pieces together.

Wrap grafting tape across the graft place repeatedly to form a bandage for the cut areas. Use grafting paint to cover and seal the taped area.

See related

How to Spray Blossoms & Fertilize Fruit Trees

Fruit trees include both colour and produce to a home garden with blossoms in spring and edible fruit in the summer or fall. However, to receive the most fruit and to keep the trees healthy, they require maintenance throughout the year with a proactive collection of sprays. Granulated fertilizers spread in addition to the ground near the tree ought to be enough to get to the roots. Pest and disease sprays should cover the entire tree. Pruning to remove excessive development makes it less difficult to adequately spray fruit trees.

Fertilizer

Determine the demand for nutrients by analyzing new development and the condition of fruit. If the leaves were yellowish in new or summer development was significantly less than 12 inches, nitrogen could be deficient. In case the leaves curl or turn brown, potassium might be deficient. Treat these deficiencies in the late fall before the tree becomes inactive. Calcium deficiencies are noted by delicate spots or cracking on the surface of the fruit and curling leaves. Treat this deficiency the next year before crop.

Gauge the width of the back at least 12 inches above ground level using the tape measure.

Apply 1/8 pounds of nitrogen per inch of trunk diameter for stone fruits like peaches and cherries. Apply 1/10 pounds of nitrogen per inch of trunk diameter for pome fruits like apples and pears. Spread as a granulated fluid on the surface, beginning at least a foot away from the back and extending to at least 1 1/2 times the spread of this tree’s branches.

Distribute 1/5 pounds of potassium per 100 square feet each year. Raise to 3/10 pounds of potassium per 100 square feet if you see a potassium deficiency. Spread as a granulated fluid on the surface, beginning at least a foot away from the back and extending to at least 1 1/2 times the spread of this tree’s branches.

Spray the entire tree with a calcium solution featuring 1 quart of a 12-percent calcium chloride solution diluted in 100 gallons of water. Employ weekly for the last 3 weeks before crop to get cherries, five programs from June through August for apples, and four programs from June through August for pears.

Pest and Disease Control

Cut out all dead wood from the tree with pruners and remove fallen fruit from the ground. These provide insects and diseases a place to thrive where the tree’s natural defenses are not active.

Estimate the spread and height of each tree. Spraying equipment for new trees may connect into the spray handle of a garden hose. Larger trees will require tanks which will hold 10 gallons or more.

Apply 1 to 2 gallons of spray to get a tree less than 10 feet in height which has a spread of 6 to 8 feet. Apply 5 to 10 gallons to get a tree between 10 and 20 feet in height which has a spread of 15 to 25 feet. . Cover all fruit and leaves with the spray. Some pesticides also require spraying the branches and trunk.

Begin spraying at the first indication of green buds and discontinue sprays three weeks before harvest. Timing of each spray is determined by the phase of fruit and bud development. The amount of sprays differs between personal vegetables, but can range from eight to 11 separate sprays for a complete regimen. Local conditions may allow fewer sprays in case certain diseases or insects are not present.

See related

How to Care for Hyacinth Plants Inside

If short, wet winter days leave you longing for the garden, look at forcing bulbs indoors. The bulbs add colour and beauty to your house and can satisfy your gardening itch. Hyacinths are one of the greatest options for indoor forcing. Their variety of colours and fragrant scent will help alleviate your winter blues. Forcing hyacinths is not difficult, but the plants do require special care to bloom and stay vibrant.

Place a thin layer of potting soil in the bottom of your planter. This layer ought to be deep enough so that when a hyacinth bulb is set with the root end, the cover of the wax is with the rim of the planter.

Set the bulbs on the bottom layer of dirt with the root end down and the pointed end sticking up. Plant one bulb in a 4-inch bud or three bulbs in a 6-inch bud. Bigger pots can carry as many bulbs as will match as long as the bulbs all sit straight.

Fill the planter with enough dirt to cover all but the top 1/2 inch of their bulbs. Do not add fertilizer to the ground or pack it down. Water that the planter and place it in the refrigerator or in a dark place that remains 35 to 45 degrees.

Keep the bulbs in the refrigerator for 13 to 15 weeks. Keep the soil moist, but not wet.

Remove the bulbs from the refrigerator and place them in a place that receives direct sunlight and remains at 60 levels. Keep the soil moist, but not wet. Within two to three weeks the plants will develop flower buds. If you keep your own hyacinths in a room which is warmer than 60 degrees, then the plants will increase too quickly, making them leggy and weak.

Move the planter to an area with bright light when you see the flowers appear. Moving the plants out of direct sunlight will allow the plants last longer.

Transplant the bulbs to your garden when the flowers and leaves have perished. The bulbs will blossom outdoors next year. Forced hyacinth bulbs shouldn’t be forced indoors again.

See related

Trees for Front Yards: Japanese Maple or Evergreen?

Trees are the bones of the front yard landscape. A tree provides vertical interest, shade and color. Evergreens stay green year around, typically a member of the conifer family such as pine or spruce. Japanese maple trees (Acer Palmatum) flip brilliant colors of crimson, gold and orange in the fall. Your front yard will be graced by either. Base your choice on many elements.

Focal Point

Both Japanese maples or evergreens could function as the focus of the lawn. Several types of maple transform a corner of the yard into a stunning riot of fall color. Pick a variety, such as coral bark (Acer palmatum “Sango-kaku”) which includes reddish trunks and stems for winter interest. Evergreen trees, such as blue spruce (Picea pungens), can also make a majestic focus.

Space

Japanese maples grow from 15 to 25 feet tall, are considered small as far as trees go. Evergreen trees vary in stature. Tiny Tower Italian Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens “Monshel”) grows slowly to 8 feet tall and then takes up to 30 years to reach 30 feet tall. The evergreen Douglas fir (Psuedotsuga menziesii) grows to 300 feet tall. In case you have a spacious yard of many acres you may think about putting the taller tree trees, while a smaller lawn would be inundated with only one giant conifer. Both Japanese maples and evergreens could be grown in pots. A pair flanking the front entry would welcome guests.

Color

Green is exactly what you get with an evergreen, although there are a few varieties which are streaked with yellow, such as Juniperus chinensis “Torulosa Variegata,” or white, such as Tsuga canadensis “Albospica,” where the newest growth is white and gradually turns into green. Japanese maples are green throughout the summer and spring and change color in the fall. However, there are a range of varieties which don’t wait until fall, however are brightly hued out of spring. Ukigumo is a Japanese maple with green leaves streaked with white and pink.

Privacy

Japanese maple trees aren’t typically used for solitude, fencing or to block unwelcome opinions. Evergreen trees fill the invoice if you would like to block the view of the traffic and street noise. The dense fine needles are set close together, forming a display that’s difficult to see through and stature is control by pruning.

Growing Requirements

Japanese maples prefer moist, rich soil and dappled shade in U. S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 6 through 8. Trees with green leaves may tolerate more sun. The growth is slow to moderate. Evergreen trees have a broader tolerance.

See related

Difference Between Japanese & European Plum Trees

Adaptable to different soils and climates, two main categories of edible plum trees, European (Prunus domestica) and Japanese (P. salicina), prosper at the western U.S. Both bloom in late winter or early spring. Fruit ripens sometime between May and September, depending on the cultivar and the weather. Expect Japanese plums to bloom and achieve harvest earlier. Maturity takes roughly 140 to 170 days for both types of plums.

Fruit Differences

Plums of all kinds are available in many colors, inside and outside. The range of skin colors contains yellow, red, purple, green, blue and almost black, while the flesh could be red, yellow or green. In general, the fat, juicy red ones are Japanese, although European types would be the smaller, purple, blue or purple fruits. But two old standard European plums, “Green Gage” and “Mirabelle,” are yellow and green, respectively. Prunes, a plum variety with sugar content high enough to enable sun-drying without causing fermentation, fall under the European group. European plums, which have firmer flesh, are often canned or made into jams or jellies, while Japanese plums are nearly always eaten fresh.

Pollination

Japanese plum trees are more prone than European varieties to require cross-pollination. Though most European plums are self-fertile, you may produce a better crop if you develop two or more varieties together, so long as they’re in precisely the same color group. “Santa Rosa,” a self-fruitful Japanese cultivar, is reputed to increase the yield of any other Japanese variety when both cross-pollinate. No one European variety is preferred over another as a pollinator.

Pruning and Training

In the orchard, both European and Japanese plum trees can reach 15 to 20 feet, with a slightly bigger spread. Pruning keeps them to about 10 feet in both directions. No truly dwarfing rootstocks exist for plums. Mature Japanese plum trees require more extensive pruning, cutting back side shoots to stop crowding compared to their European counterparts. Normally, Japanese plums are trained to a vase shape. When fruit types, the little plums must be thinned to you every 4 to 6 inches or so the fruit’s weight might break branches. Training a European plum tree to a single leader usually works best.

Outstanding Varieties of Each

“Coe’s Golden Drop,” a golden-fleshed plum having an intense apricot-like flavor and “Damson,” which has purplish-black green and skin flesh and excels in jam and jelly, are notable European plums. “French Prune,” the standard drying prune of California, and “Stanley,” sweet and hot and good for canning, stand from European prune varieties. All thrive in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 to 9. One of the most flavorful Japanese plums are “Autumn Rosa,” a late-season plum with purplish-red skin, “Burgundy,” with dark red flesh and skin and “Santa Rosa,” a significant commercial variety for fresh eating. Each grows in USDA plant hardiness zones 7 to 10.

See related

Spring Lawn Care for Female Spots

Dogs are beloved family members and loving companions, but their potty habits can wreak havoc on lawns. Dog pee includes a great deal of soluble salts and hydrogen peroxide. Small amounts of urine can fertilize the affected grass, causing it to be more dangerous and more vigorous than the turf about it. Massive amounts of urine can cause brown patches of dead grass surrounded by a halo of lush, deep-green grass. Taking steps in spring to correct dog area problems will help keep your lawn looking uniformly healthy and green.

About Female Spots

Green dog places are circular patches of grass typically reaching 4 to 8 inches in diameter. When brown dog places look, they generally have a 3- to 6-inch circle of brown grass surrounded by a halo of deep-green grass extending about 6 to 12 inches in diameter. Dogs frequently make pit stops at the exact same place throughout winter. So dog spots typically become evident in early spring, once the grass comes from dormancy. Although puppy spots can arise in any type of grass, their harm is usually most severe in cool-season grasses, such as Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis), that is hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 9a and dangerous in certain locations. Warm-season grasses spread via rhizomes and stolons, which allow websites affected by even big dog spots to repair themselves with time. The warm-season varieties burmudagrass (Cynodon spp., USDA zones 7 through 10), some species of which can be invasive in certain places, zoysiagrass (Zoysia spp., USDA zones 6 through 9) and St. Augustinegrass (Stenotaphrum secundatum, USDA zones 8 through 10) hold up nicely to your dog’s potty habits. Keep an invasive grass variety mowed and confined to block it from spreading.

Rinse Them Away

Small, brown dog spots in grass are usually straightforward to fix when they look in spring. The University of Wisconsin Extension implies leaving places smaller than the size of the fist alone. The surrounding turfgrass must fill these spots rather quickly. Simply rub each affected area with water from a garden hose to help dilute the accumulated salts and revive turfgrass. Treat green dog areas with no browning in the middle by keeping your usual watering program to stop the salts from building up in the ground. Dry conditions often allow the salts to accumulate to the point at which they harm or kill grass.

Reseed the Areas

Larger brown dog spots in grass have to be overseeded. Spring is an perfect time to overseed since grass seeds germinate best when temperatures range from 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. With a seed mixture or a lawn-patch seed mix that matches the remainder of your property’s grass will keep the lawn uniform. Rake up as much of the dead grass as you can in each dog place website, and eliminate the best 1/2 to 1 inch of soil, taking care to not hurt the healthy turf surrounding each website. Heavily watering the affected areas for three times in a row helps to dilute the salts in the ground. Adhering to the instructions on the seed item’s tag, sprinkle the mixture over every dog spot’s entire location. Gently rake the seeds to the soil, taking care they do not go more than 1/2 inch deep. Water that the seeded areas thoroughly, irrigate them twice each day, keeping them moist but not too wet, until the new grass grows about 3 inches in height.

Increase Nitrogen

Feeding your lawn in early spring using a nitrogen fertilizer will help mask deep-green puppy spots. Each fertilizer has three numbers on its bundle tag. The numbers indicate the proportion of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium in the fertilizer. If your basement has established grass, then use a fertilizer that has a nitrogen-phosphorous-potassium proportion of 3-to-1-to-2, such as an 18-6-12 fertilizer, that is 18 percent nitrogen, 6 percent phosphorous and 12 percent potassium. Feed your lawn 1 pound of available nitrogen for every 1,000 square feet of growing space. If, for instance, you use an 18-6-12 fertilizer, then implement about 5 pounds of that fertilizer on every 1,000 square feet of turfgrass. Fertilizer manufacturers’ instructions vary. So carefully read and follow the instructions on your fertilizer’s label.

Prevent Dog Spots

Help prevent future dog spots by training your pooch to go potty in a particular lawn area, such as an out-of-the-way part of yard, a place mulched with wood or one or gravel with tall grass you never mow. Thoroughly rinsing grass with water immediately after your dog urinates helps dilute the number of salts and sulfur which reach the soil. A whole lot of myths exist about dog spots, such as people who suggest changing the pH level of a dog’s urine using nutritional supplements or dietary alterations. No evidence is that these steps work, however, and never add nutritional supplements or change your dog’s diet plan before you seek advice from your vet.

See related

How to Grow Head Lettuce at a Greenhouse

Having a passive solar greenhouse — browse no electric heating required — you can develop head lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) through the winter in frost-prone areas. In some frost-free areas, even a greenhouse is unneeded, but with the additional protection offers peace of mind through a cold spell. During warm spring, summer and fall months, it is too hot to develop this cool-season crop in a greenhouse.

Soil Amendments and Sun

Lettuce needs full sunlight, so put the greenhouse in a spot that gets at least six hours of direct sunlight every day. Fill the bed with loamy topsoil leaving 2 inches of space at the top, then add 1 to 2 inches of compost to the bed. Mix the compost thoroughly with the ground down 6 to 8 inches using a garden fork. Insert a balanced fertilizer — like a 10-10-10 formula — to the bed and blend it into the soil. Use 12 tablespoons for an 8-square-foot-bed.

Spacing, Thinning and Watering

Space head lettuce 12 inches apart. If you’re growing from seed, thin the seedlings when they get 3 to 4 inches tall to your 12-inch-spacing. You can use the thinned lettuce seedlings as new greens. Stagger head lettuce for greenhouse planting rather than creating proper rows to get more plants in the restricted space. Water the bed once per week or when the ground dries our 1 to 2 ins. If the greenhouse gets hot, the soil will dry out rapidly, so check daily in warm weather.

Greenhouse Temperatures

Keep the greenhouse between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the afternoon. If it gets warm out, then open the doors so the air inside can cool off. Ideal night temperatures for lettuce are between 45 F and 55 F. Lettuce can survive brief cold spells at 35 F, especially when shielded in a greenhouse. A few days at 90 F will pressure lettuce but will not likely kill it. Keep the soil moist and circulate as much cool air as you can during warm spells.

Fertilizing Mid-season

Three weeks to a month into the growing season, give each mind lettuce plant a boost using 1 tablespoon of balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer. Scatter the fertilizer on the soil around every lettuce plant, then water until the ground is damp 5 to 6 inches deep. To avoid overwatering, schedule the mid-season fertilizer with one regular weekly watering. Weeds are rarely a problem in a greenhouse, but if any dip in, pull them manually. Lettuce has shallow roots, so weed carefully to avoid disturbing them.

See related

How to Find the Right Plants for Your Yard

A gorgeous landscape adds aesthetic value to your home. If planned correctly, it can also add precious outdoor living room. If you do not select the correct plants for your lawn, however, that beauty can come at a price: You’ll need to work overtime to keep your plants healthy and thriving. No matter how appealing or desirable the plant, if it wo not grow well in your lawn, it is not a good choice. Instead, plan carefully, and find plants which grow best in your climate and place.

Determine your U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones, which are defined by average low and high temperatures. Select only those plants recommended for your growing zones to ensure that they won’t be damaged by frost or heat. If you do not understand your USDA zones, look up an online interactive map, or check with someone at your local garden center.

Look carefully at your lawn. Be mindful of how much sunlight or shade covers the home. Look for electricity lines or other obstructions, like underground pipes, which may interfere with plant growth. Pick planting locations that get no less than a half-day of sunlight and do not have obstructions. Be aware of any hard areas like the ones with complete shade or very dry soil, so which it is possible to select plants that thrive in such circumstances. To locate these technical plants, then bring your notes into the garden center, and receive advice from its pros.

Select plants that fit the purpose of your lawn. If you’re trying to add curb appeal to your front yard, you may wish to select plants which bloom during the growing season. If it’s shade you’re after, start looking for a fast-growing shade tree. If you would like to stabilize a hill and protect against erosion, start looking for plants or vines which are frequently utilized for ground cover. Again, ask for assistance at your local garden or horticulture facility. Many universities have horticulture centres which are totally free to the general public.

Test the soil. Some soils are very acidic, while some are very alkaline. Plants often do much better in one kind of soil over the other. Soil testing kits are available at many retail garden centres. Choose plants that fit the kind of soil you have in your lawn for best results.

Look at your neighbors’ yards. Should you find a landscape that is especially attractive, consider asking your neighbor for hints as to what you can plant in your yard. If you are very lucky, your neighbor may be delighted to provide you with cuttings from the own plants at no cost.

See related

Different Pineapple Plants

Pineapple plants have been grown for their fruit and as ornamental plants within hot-climate landscapes. In cooler climates, they can be planted in containers and moved inside when temperatures begin to fall into the upper-50-degrees Fahrenheit range. The many varieties of pineapple plants developed for fruit are divided into four category groups. Additionally, there are hybrid pineapple plants cultivated only for ornamental purposes.

Pineapple Plant Similarities

Pineapple plants have been terrestrial bromeliads hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 to 12. They climb to a height of 2 1/2 to 5 ft and width of 3 to 4 feet with long, narrow, pointed leaves. Pineapple plants grow best in sandy soil that’s full of organic matter and drains very quickly. Full sun is preferable for fruit production, while partial shade promotes leaf.

Abacaxi Group

Abacaxi pineapple plants are most commonly developed in the Bahamas, Brazil and Florida. Pineapple plant varieties within this category aren’t commonly developed for commercial production because the fruit is too easily damaged. The fruit is sweet and hot, nevertheless, and easily harvested. Mature pineapples created by plants in this category generally weigh between two and 11 lbs. The “Sugarloaf” variety produces smaller pineapples that weigh between 1 1/2 and 3 lbs. Abacaxi pineapple plants have blue-green foliage and are disease-resistant.

Queen Group

Queen pineapple plants chiefly grow in Australia, the Philippines and South Africa. Pineapple plants within this category are smaller and produce smaller fruit that weighs between 1 and 6 lbs. The fruit is juicy and delicious but tends to be cone-shaped, which causes excessive waste if this variety is utilized for commercial canning. It will not keep well, and can be harvested for sale as fresh fruit. The leaf on these plants tends to be medium green, although the “Ripley” cultivar leaves have a reddish hue.

Red Spanish Group

The Red Spanish pineapple group usually grow in Florida, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and the West Indies. These are inclined to be larger plants using very spiny gray-green or purple-green leaf. The fruit has a rounded form and generally weighs between 3 and 6 lbs, although the “Valera Amarilla” cultivar can create fruit that weighs up to 9 lbs. The fruit has great flavor and fragrance. It’s harvested commercially for canning and fresh fruit.

Smooth Cayenne Group

Grown in hot areas across the world, Smooth Cayenne pineapple plants tend to be more susceptible to infection than other kinds. On the other hand, the leaves don’t have the spiny advantages of different types. The juicy, flavorful fruit generally weighs between two and 10 lbs. The “Giant Kew” cultivar is an unusual member of this category, with pineapples that could weigh up to 22 lbs. Most of these pineapple plant varieties have been grown commercially for canning or sale as fresh fruit.

Ornamental Pineapple Plants

Gardeners grow ornamental pineapple varieties as landscape plants or houseplants. These crops sometimes create pineapples, but the fruit isn’t generally considered delicious. Ornamental pineapple plants grow to a height of 2 to 3 feet and width of 2 to 4 feet. The leaves might have spiny or smooth edges, depending on the hybrid or cultivar. They are generally green or gray-green using pink, yellow or white stripes running lengthwise the leaves up. Ornamental pineapples bloom occasionally, creating little red or deep pink blossoms that cover a thick stem in the center of the plant. The stalk might become a small pink pineapple after the plant finishes blooming.

See related

How to Remove Dead Dry Leaves on a Calathea Makoyana

Though some call it cathedral windows and some call it the peacock plant, there’s little chance of anybody calling Calathea makoyana dull. Translucent, creamy-green foliage patterned using a darker, intricate leaves-within-leaves design gives the plant its own rose-window splendor. As if which weren’t enough, the design repeats in pinkish-purple on the leaf’s undersides. Regrettably, like the leaves of this poet Robert Frost once observed, “Nothing gold can stay,” cathedral windows’ foliage dries out and dies as it ages. Cultural problems have a similar effect. Removing the damaged or tired leaves and supplying the right growing conditions promotes vibrant new growth.

Eliminating the Leaves

Eliminate the old, dead or dry leaves from your cathedral windows once they occur. Use clean, sharp scissors to cut them away in the base of their reddish stems. To avoid spreading insects or disease, dip the scissor blades in a solution of 1 part household bleach to 9 parts water between cuts.

Examine the remaining leaves for dead, brown tips or margins resulting from cultural problems. If you’re able to, trim the dead tissue without ruining the leaves’ appearance. Otherwise, remove the entire leaves, again disinfecting your scissors between cuts.

Determine which of the cultural practices are liable for the damaged leaves. In the wild, cathedral windows grows only in the hot, humid jungles of eastern Brazil. It tolerates outside life in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 11 through 12, but does not succeed outside in colder areas without substantial pampering, though it might be grown as a houseplant.

Preventing Future Problems

Give cathedral windows a brightly lit location with no direct sun and a temperature consistently between 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Immediate sun may burn its own leaves. To keep cold air from browning and curling them, move the houseplant from air conditioning vents in summertime.

Keep the growing medium consistently moist. Lack of moisture browns and shrivels cathedral windows’ lower leaves and also causes dark, brownish spots on its upper ones. After the top 1 inch of medium is dry to the touch, water the plant thoroughly until the surplus water flows from the container’s drainage holes. Use tepid, distilled or rainwater; fluoridated water also dries the leaf tips and edges.

Provide cathedral windows using at least 60 percent humidity during winter. At lower levels, its leaves often dry and brown at the tips. Place the pot on a shallow tray full of pebbles submerged in water to just below their surfaces. Replenish the evaporating water since it raises the humidity around the plant.

Fertilize your plant every three weeks from March through September and once monthly during the rest of the year. Salt accumulation from excessive pesticide browns the leaf tips and edges. Mix 1 tsp, or the maker’s suggested amount, of granulated, 20-20-20 houseplant fertilizer in 1 gallon of water and use it to replace a normal watering session.

See related

Which Houseplants Should Face North and South?

When you would like to add houseplants in your house, assessing the home’s light conditions is a wise place to start. Windows that face are the best locations for plants which grow well with just bright, indirect light because north-facing exposures get hardly any direct sunlight. South-facing exposures admit the best amount of direct sunlight, especially in winter, once the sun is low in the sky; so southern windows are ideal for plants that require a lot of direct light. If leafy crops’ natural light is not supplemented by artificial light from all directions, transfer the plants’ containers by one-quarter turn every two weeks so the plants will not have lopsided growth.

Foliage Varieties

Foliage houseplants with origins in shaded forest understories are suited to develop from the indirect light of north-facing windows. A good example is Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata “Bostoniensis”), among the most common indoor ferns. Boston fern is hardy at U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 through 12 and thrives with the added humidity provided when its bud’s bottom sets in addition to seams which line a tray full of water; do not enable the pot’s bottom to be moist. Coleus (Solenostemon scutellarioides, USDA zones 10 through 11) is an example of a leaf plant suitable for a southern window exposure because it needs sunlight for the best color development in its own leaves. Pick from its many cultivarsthat have distinct color combinations. When growing outdoors in the ground, coleus can become invasive in certain locations; develop it in a container to stop its spread.

Succulents

A number of succulent plants grow well before south-facing windows, plus they include the vibrant echeverias (Echeveria spp., USDA zones 8 through 11). Many showy echeveria hybrids with red, pink, blue, purple or orange leaves can be found; they need direct sunlight exposure in winter to come up with the strongest colors. Echeverias require less sunlight in summer, and the hours of direct sunlight in a south window are fewer in summer because the sun is high in the skies. To get a north window, then try the succulent snake plant (Sansevieria spp.) , which grows well in indirect light. A number of species can be found as houseplants, all with leathery, stiff leaves. Dwarf snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata “Hahnii,” USDA zones 9b through 11) includes a rosette of banded, green and light-green leaves which are about 6 inches tall. When growing outside in a landscape, oyster snake plant can be invasive in certain situations; put in edging around the plant or develop it in a container to keep it within boundaries outside.

Options with Showy Flowers

Some plants with showy flowers need north-facing windows while others need south-facing windows. In winter, African violets (Saintpaulia spp.) Do well in southern windows, where they get direct light. In summer, move them into an eastern exposure, nevertheless. African violets generally are hardy in only USDA zone 11, but the species Saintpaulia ionantha is hardy in USDA zones 11 through 12. A large collection of cultivars with purple, white, blue and pink flowers are readily available. To get a north-facing place, consider peace lily (Spathiphyllum spp., USDA zones 11 through 12). Native to tropical forests, it also performs best with bright filtered light but shouldn’t get whole sunlight. Grown mostly for its leaf, peace lily features white flowers which turn green after they have been open for 10 days, and the flowers can last more than 1 month.

Tall Varieties

Valued for their size and visual effect, tall houseplants have varying demands for light exposure, based on their species. Erect plants that function as vertical accents, dracaenas (Dracaena spp., USDA zones 10b via 11) tolerate indirect light from north-facing windows. Regarding 150 dracaena species exist, offering a selection of leaf colors, such as dark green often striped with gold, cream or red coloring. The plants hit 72 inches or taller. A plant which can be grown indoors as a little tree, weeping fig (Ficus benjamina, USDA zones 10 through 12) does double duty, tolerating indirect light from a north-facing window but also doing well in a south window’s direct light. When grown as a landscaping plant, weeping fig can reach 50 feet tall but typically rises 2 to 10 feet tall as a houseplant.

See related