How to Build a Rock Garden
February 24, 2010 by admin
Filed under Gardening Tips, General
Rock lovers that enjoy gardening find great satisfaction in combining beautiful stones and their favorite flowers into essential parts of their landscape. Rocks create wonderful gardens. Their size, weight, and stability make them highly suited for use as a border, and even as a containment barrier in a raised-bed garden, as we’re going to discuss in this guide.
Step one is to choose a location for your rock garden. Stroll around your yard imagining possibilities. Popular options include a hill slope that is difficult to mow, a ring or rectangle formed around a favorite shade tree, a focal point easily enjoyed from a large window or the deck, or a corner of the yard, perhaps where fencing comes together. Leaf through some of your favorite gardening books for location ideas, as well as inspiration for design.
Step two is to finalize that design through trial and error, by laying it out in the chosen spot, using newspaper. Explore different shapes, and expand or shrink the design until you are happy with it. Add several layers of paper, which will act to smother the vegetation beneath, while allowing for drainage in the garden.
The third step is to form the outside border with stones large enough to create a bed at least 6-8 inches deep. Bunch stones tightly next to adjoining ones, so they will better hold the soil. When the containment border is complete, fill your garden with quality top soil. Water the soil thoroughly to compact it, and then fill in settled spots. If you plan to add an elevated section within the garden, perhaps with a smaller course of rocks, now is the time to do that, filling it with soil, also. Circles within circles, rectangles within rectangles, or mixed shape combinations can be very attractive.
The fourth step is to begin planting your flowers. Here we have to take a step back and talk about plant selection. Let’s begin with color. Different types of rock feature different color characteristics. Field stone is varied, yet quite different than assorted shades of sandstone or ledge stone. It is important to choose flowers that will complement the colors found in the rocks. The best thing to do is to have a few rocks with you when you select your flowers. You’ll easily see that some colors are a good fit and others are not. The principle is the same as matching carpeting with furniture fabrics or curtains indoors. The other plant selection issue involves choosing the right height plants for where you plan to place them. Shorter plants will go in front, taller, bushier plants should go in middle or back. The point is that as you view the garden, all rows of plants should be visible. Sketch on paper your planting configuration before you start planting. Finally, plan for there to be color through each season. Know when each bulb or plant blooms, and locate them so that all sections of your rock garden will have several plants in full blossom at all times.
The last step is to plant the flowers in your rock garden. The essential thing is to begin in back and plant toward the front, so that you won’t damage what you have already planted by accidently stepping on it, for example. Keep a few of the nicer stones set aside to place here and there in the garden as attractive accents. These basic steps to building a rock garden will produce a unique, natural space employing some of the choicest bounty the earth has to offer.
Books that will help you :
Rock Garden Design and Construction
Rock Garden Plants: A Color Encyclopedia
The Rock Garden Plant Primer: Easy, Small Plants for Containers, Patios, and the Open Garden
Stonescaping: A Guide to Using Stone in Your Garden
Garden Stone: Creative Landscaping with Plants and Stone
How to Design a Flower Garden Around a Tree
February 22, 2010 by admin
Filed under Flower, Gardening Tips
Many gardeners look for creative places to add some floral life and color to their home’s landscape. Designing a flower garden around a tree is a wonderful way to do this. By following basic guidelines you will be able to build an attractive garden that will also save you from having to trim around that tree ever again. That’s a great trade-off in any yard!
The first thing to realize is that the flower bed must be elevated. The roots may be just a few inches below the surface of the grass. Digging down will at least prove difficult or frustrating, and at worse will damage root structures and jeopardize the health of the tree. Raising the bed 6 to 12 inches will alleviate this problem and give your flower plants the room they need to send roots down and out without interference.
Since the bed will have to be raised, consider what material you will use to form the border, to keep the soil in place. If you live where stones abound the chances are you will already have a rock pile handy, and they can form a very handsome, natural border. If you do not have field stones, you can find them at your local garden center or nursery. If you live in a rural area, wait until spring and most local farmers will welcome your assistance in removing protruding rocks from their fields. Strangely enough, rocks rise in heavy soils, so each year, the first crop of the season is made up of them! Rocks 8 to 14 inches in diameter work best. It will be easier to use a single course of larger stones, rather than stacking two or more courses on top of one another. Other popular materials include natural split pine logs, railroad ties, pressure treated lumber, and a whole range of natural and manufactured stone products available from garden centers.
The next step is to lay out the shape of the garden. A simple circle or rectangle is easiest, but you may want to be more creative. Your vision and skills will determine the simplicity or complexity of your design. Peruse several gardening books that feature garden designs to generate ideas. Once shape is determined, use 4-5 layers of newspaper or a single layer of thick landscaper’s fabric, to create the shape on the ground. This will kill the existing vegetation and prevent weeds from growing.
On top of the paper or fabric set your stones or build your retaining structure. If you use field stone, you might find it best to build it two layers deep – that is, one immediatelyinside the other, not on top of the other. Place the stones so that they are offset from the ones in front, which will help to keep soil in place better.
When your border or retaining structure is complete, fill it with quality top soil to within one inch of the top. Water it to compact it, and add more if the dirt settles. You now have your garden plot, ready to be planted with your favorite annual and perennial flowers, ground cover, bulbs, or even small shrubs. Choose those which do well in partial to full shade and you’ll have the perfect spot to get out of the sun on a warm summer’s day!
How to Have an Organic Garden
February 17, 2010 by admin
Filed under Gardening Tips, Organic
Gardening sites are filled with articles about organic gardens. At the grocery store we see foods advertised as being grown organically. Just what does the term “organic” mean in this context? Very simply and succinctly, organic gardening is that which is done without the use of synthetic fertilizer. Organic gardening was the only way to garden and farm for thousands of years, before the advent of the modern chemical era. The practice was never lost entirely, of course, and has made a wonderful comeback in the last few years as gardeners are concerned about the affects of synthetic fertilizers on ground water, animals that might roam the garden, and the quality of the food produced. Organic gardening extends beyond fertilizer use, and encompasses all the processes necessary to grow healthy vegetables, flowers, and other garden plants without the use of artificial agents.
Chief among these processes is the practice of adding compost to the soil. This process contributes vital nutrients, helps to hold moisture, and creates a healthy pH balance in the garden. Compost is produced from decaying leaves, plant waste such as grass clippings or pruned stems and branches, and even fruit and vegetable scraps from the kitchen. A compost pile or compost bin is easy to start, and will be the source of rich, organic fertilizer for your flowers and vegetables. The best compost starts with a combination of brown materials. like dead leaves, and green materials like grass clippings, in a ratio in which browns outnumber greens 10 or 20 to 1. The browns add essential carbon to the mixture, and the greens are the source for needed nitrogen. When they are combined in a bin or pile they begin to break down into compost, a soil-like material that packs a nutritious boost for plants. For the best compost, add enough water to make it moist without being soggy. In addition, turn it every 2-4 weeks in order to allow needed oxygen to permeate the mixture and expedite the contents being transformed into compost.
When the original components have lost their individual identity, the compost is ready. It should smell earthy, like a forest floor – where, by the way, natural composting is happening continuously. If it has a rotten smell, it should be turned again and left for another week before being rechecked. Using composting material before it is ready will not hurt your garden plants, but it also will not have the full range or levels of nutrients that completely composted matter will. Patiently waiting for the compost to be dully ready will produce more beautiful flowers, healthier shrubs and trees, and more robust vegetables!
Organic gardens also employ limited amounts of farm manure, which can either be added to the compost mixture, or spread straight onto the garden in the fall, before covering it for the year, or first thing in the spring. Horse, cow, rabbit, and chicken manure work best.
Organic gardening offers the reward of naturally healthy plants. It is also fulfilling for many gardeners to know that their efforts are adding to the fitness of the environment, rather than threatening its wellbeing. Each flower can then be enjoyed more fully, each vegetable eaten with greater confidence and pleasure.
How to Test and Adjust Soil pH
If you’ve ever wondered what the letters pH stand for, it is “potential Hydrogen” and refers to the level of acidity in the soil. The measurement of potential Hydrogen forms a spectrum from 0 to 14, and soils that test 7.0 pH and below are considered to be acidic, and those above that level are called alkaline. Moist climates tend to produce acidic soils, while dry climates generally produce alkaline soils.
The measurement is crucial for gardening because each plant does best within a range on the alkaline/acidic spectrum. For example, Clematis thrives in more alkaline soil, while rhododendrons prosper when more acid is found in the soil. When you purchase plants, the packaging will often tell you what pH level they prefer. If that information is not present, it is likely that pH is not a major factor in their ability to thrive – that is, they’ll do well in most soils.
The key soil element related to pH is calcium, often in the form of lime. Calcium neutralizes acid, so the higher the levels of calcium the more alkaline the soil will be. Many plants will do well in most soil conditions, but for the sensitive types you want to grow in your garden, it is essential that you be able to test the soil’s pH.
Most nurseries or garden centers will test the soil for you if you take in a sample. However, most experienced gardeners like to have the necessary means of testing the soil themselves. A variety of testing kit styles and brands are available that allow you to quickly and accurately measure the pH balance of the soil in your garden. Here’s how it works: The kit contains a tube that you fill with a small amount of soil from your garden. To the soil you add a few drops of the test solution, and then you cap and shake the tube vigorously to mix the contents, before leaving it to settle for an hour. The solution will turn color, and you match that color to the chart that comes with the test kit, showing you your soil’s place on the spectrum. It is a good idea to test soils from 2-4 locations in your garden when evaluating a new garden plot, one in which agents have not been added to adjust soil pH.
Adjusting soil pH to produce a level that best suits what you are planting is fairly easy. The best way to bring soil into natural balance is to add large doses of quality compost. This compost can be easily made at home in your yard. Our guide “Understanding the Basics of Composting” is a great place to begin. Beyond composting, if you need a more alkaline soil, add hydrated lime to the soil at a rate of 4 ounces per square yard of ground. Mix it in very well and wait one to two days before measuring again. Add hydrated lime until the soil tests show the level you desire. Sandy and loam soils will respond more quickly to lime, while clay or peaty soils will require more, since they absorb it more readily. Hardwood ash and bone meal are also good sources for reducing acid levels to make soil more alkaline.
A more acidic soil is produced by adding ground rock sulfur according to manufacturer’s directions. Other, more natural, sources include peat moss, wood chips, and composted leaves. Whether you are raising or lowering pH, it is best to do so gradually, over the course of one to two seasons. This will prevent rapid changes from damaging existing plant root structures.
Once again, while most plants and vegetables will do well in diverse soils, when you have a plant favorite that is particular about its pH level, it makes sense to have a testing kit available. You will be able to give your plant the soil it wants in a few easy steps, and it will show its appreciation with vigorous, healthy growth and blooms.
Basics of Planting Roses
February 11, 2010 by admin
Filed under Flower, Gardening Tips
Roses are often considered the grandest bloom in the garden’s panoply of flowers. A full-blown rose is a universe of beauty within itself, exquisite, delicate, and so very fragrant. Unfortunately, roses also have a reputation for being temperamental, fragile, and easy to kill. That reputation is unfair! Even beginning gardeners will have wonderful success with growing roses if they adhere to some basic planting techniques. Be sure to also see our guide on Pruning Roses and Flowering Bushes for help in caring for your bushes.
The first step is to till your flower bed to a depth of at least 18 inches, and 24 inches wide. If you use a motorized rotary tiller, and the blades do not reach down that deep, remove eight to twelve inches of soil with a shovel, and then till the soil beneath. If doing the job by hand, dig out the bed to the desired depth, and then back fill it half-way with dirt that has been turned, separated, and loosened. This deep-till method loosens soil to a greater depth, allowing for the rapid growth of rose roots, which is the first step to magnificent blooms. It also opens passages for oxygen and water to get to the roots, which will contribute to radiant, colorful flowers.
On top of the layer of soil that half-fills the trench, add a layer of barnyard manure or rich compost. For developing your own compost, see our Guide “Understanding the Basics of Composting.” Then add soil until the trench is filled.
The next step is to prepare a hole in which to place your rose plant. As with most shrubs and trees, dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball. As for depth, it should be one inch deeper than the height of the root ball. The purpose is to give the roots rooms to spread out laterally without planting the ball so deep the stalks, or canes, of the rose plants might be put in jeopardy of rotting in wet soil.
Now, remove the rose plant from any container or cloth that surrounds it. Gently loosen the roots, being careful not to pull hard on them. Damaging roots at this stage will stunt growth and blossom production. Soak the root ball in a pail of water for 15-30 minutes to allow it to absorb a healthy drink before entering the ground.
Place the plant in the hole and hold it steady with one hand. With the other hand, backfill the hole gently, using your other hand or a hand trowel. Gently pack soil around the roots. Never compress it by stepping on it. Soak the planted rose bush with water, and then fill in any gaps in the soil created by settling. The best time to plant roses is between October and April when the ground is not frozen. Potted roses purchased from a nursery may be planted into May, but require more watering and oversight to make sure they are thriving and not drying out. Growing beautiful roses is not beyond the reach of any gardener. Careful attention to these basic principles will get your newly planted roses off to a great start!
How to Prune Roses and Flowering Shrubs
February 8, 2010 by admin
Filed under Flower, Gardening Tips
Roses are perhaps the most popular kind of flower for gardeners with moderate to master-level skills. For beginning gardeners they can be an intimidating plant to work with. They are rumored to be hard to grow and very temperamental. While that is true with some older, traditional varieties, many of the roses available today are easy to grow and maintain, so don’t be afraid to give them a try.
One of the most essential aspects of maintaining healthy rose plants is to prune them properly. To become proficient at it takes some time, but even beginners will help their bushes grow larger quantity and better quality blooms with pruning. Here’s why:
• Pruning removes dead wood that will never produce blooms, but will soak up nutrients.
• Pruning encourages new, healthy growth.
• Pruning improves the aeration of the plant. Allowing for oxygen reception is a critical part of aiding healthy new growth in your rose plants.
• Pruning will help you shape the rose bush just the way you want it to look.
Just a few tools are needed to get the job done:
• A thick, long pair of gloves – remember, roses have thorns!
• A pair of long-handled loppers for hard to reach blooms.
• A pair of by-pass pruners for blooms close at hand.
To prune your roses and other flowering bushes, learn to employ these simple practices. First, use tools that are sharp, to avoid tearing the plant material. Clean cuts foster the healthiest new growth.
Secondly, open up the center of the plant with the most aggressive pruning. This allows better air flow and sunlight reaching all of the rose’s stems, which will produce a more robust growth pattern throughout the plant.
Thirdly, makes your cuts at a 45 degree angle, and select a spot about ¼ inches above a bud that is facing toward the outside of the plant.
Fourthly, cut the stems at varying lengths, from 12 to 24 inches, to produce a fuller plant, and one in which multiple blooms are not opening at the same height, competing for the life-giving rays of the sun.
The fifth step is to remove all dead or dying material from the plant. If it was healthy material, add it to your compost pile. If any signs of disease or insect infestation were present, bag it and dispose of it, or burn it if that is an acceptable practice in your area.
The last step is to remove all but the hardiest of stalks. Thin, twiggy, weak canes should be removed to keep them from drawing up nutrients that will only result in poor blooms at best. Sucker growth should be removed for the same reason.
The best time to prune your roses and flowering bushes is in the spring, as soon as the first signs of growth begin to appear on the rose bush. Some seasoned gardeners like to have a forsythia bush in their landscape, and use it’s blooming as a signal to start pruning. That practice is centuries old, so has a proven track record. If forsythia is not present, look for the leaf buds to begin to swell. When the bumps on the cane take on a reddish hue and begin to expand, the time is right for some growth-inspiring pruning of your dearly loved roses and flowering bushes!
How to Deadhead Flowers
February 4, 2010 by admin
Filed under Flower, Gardening Tips
The best looking flower gardens will be those that receive generous doses of tender loving care. Weeding, watering, adding compost, and keeping damaging insects out of your beloved blooms are all essential parts of helping your garden put on its absolute best display of healthy, vigorous color. One commonly overlooked practice that will boost your flowers’ productivity is to deadhead spent blooms.
The practice of deadheading simply involves removing dead blossoms from the plant. There are several reasons to do this, including the collecting of seeds for future planting. In addition, a garden in which the dead blooms are removed will look neat and tidy, with the live blooms taking center stage, without distraction.
Beyond these benefits, the procedure adds to the health of the plant in many ways. First, removing the dead bloom triggers the plant to stop sending vital nutrients in that direction. Secondly, those nutrients may then be used to nourish blossoms that are growing or currently blooming, so that they will produce their loveliest offerings for you. The result will be larger, more colorful flowers on all of your plants, both annuals and especially perennials. Rose bushes and flowering shrubs also benefit from the practice.
The process of deadheading is very simple. First of all, wait until the bloom is dead and drying out. Sometimes blossoms are only wilting due to a lack of water. Get out the watering can and revive wilting blooms! However, when flowers begin to turn color or lose petals, they are officially candidates for being deadheaded.
To properly deadhead a plant is very easy. Some gardeners prefer to use pruning shears or a pair of garden scissors to clip off spent blooms. Others prefer to do it solely by hand. If that is your approach, be cautious. First, firmly grasp the plants stem and hold it very stable. This will help to ensure that you do not pull on the plant’s roots, possibly uprooting them or causing damage that will affect the long-term health of your flowering plant. Secondly, grip the dead blossom and dig your thumb into the stem just below the spent flower. Thirdly, snap the stem to remove the dead blossom. With time and practice, you will get to know the level of effort required on each type of flower, and whether using your hands or a tool is the best approach.
Save the spent blooms for their seeds. If you do not plan to use them, a gardening friend might be thrilled to have them. Do not add them to your compost pile, because if the seeds do not fully break down, they might begin growing where the compost is spread – and you’ll have daisies or snap dragons popping up where you least expect them!
Understanding the Basics of Composting
February 1, 2010 by admin
Filed under Gardening Tips, Organic
Adding compost to flower and vegetable gardens has been growing in popularity as more gardeners choose natural techniques in their efforts to cultivate a healthier, more productive garden while being environmentally responsible. Making compost out of organic matter is an ancient practice, but with the rise of chemical fertilizers several decades ago, the practice declined. Now, decades later, the benefits of composting are being rediscovered.
Briefly put, composting is the process through which organic matter is returned to a soil-like state through decomposition. The process is aided by insects, earthworms, fungi, bacteria, and other beneficial microorganisms. Compost is rich in nutrients, improves soil structure, aeration, the healthy pH balance of the soil, water retention, and soil fertility. It contributes to healthy root development in plants, and provides essential nutritional value for flower and fruit production.
If you have made the decision to start composting, these basic steps will put you well on your way to a healthier garden and a more eco-friendly lifestyle.
First of all, choose the spot to have your composting pile. Employing an unused corner of the yard is popular, out of direct sunlight, and perhaps kept from view by a large bush or section of decorative fencing. Many gardeners build a 2’x4’ or 4’x4’ composting pen to keep it tidy, but that’s not essential.
Secondly, combine the right materials for compost. A good mix includes about 10 to 20 parts brown plant material such as dead leaves, which is high in carbon, and one part green material, like grass clippings and garden prunings, which is high in nitrogen. Other high carbon “browns” include straw, shredded twigs, pine needles, shredded newspaper, dead plants that do not show disease, and sawdust from untreated wood. Other nitrogen-rich “greens” include green weeds, alfalfa, clover, manure, and vegetable scraps from the kitchen.
The third step is to keep the composting material moist, but not soggy. A good time to begin the pile is when you rake leaves in the spring or fall. Mix in the first/last grass clippings of the year, saturate the pile thoroughly, turning the material several times and adding more water. After that, do not water unless insufficient rain occurs. If it’s a particularly raining spring, covering the pile during rains might be needed.
Fourthly, decomposition requires air, so turn the pile once a month or so, perhaps when you add more grass clippings. Stirring it up gets oxygen into the center of the pile where it will aid the processes that are creating compost. The compost is ready to use when it is dark in color and crumbles easily, and when none of the original materials are identifiable. A good test is to seal a small amount of it in a bag for 24 hours. If the compost smells earthy but not unpleasant, it is good to go!
Many gardeners are using compost bins, a fantastic way to produce usable compost quickly. They come in several styles that allow you to add material and water and easily turn the bin for proper mixing and aeration. New composters and veterans alike will want to consider these handy, effective units that produce high quality compost. Whether you use a simple pile, build a pen, or purchase a composting bin, your plants will benefit immensely from this organic, nutrient-rich plant food.
Composting bins:
Mantis 4000-00-02 ComposT-Twin Composting Bin
Scotts 100164 Miracle-Gro Organic Choice Compost Bin
Bosmere K767 Garden Compost Bin 11-Cubic Foot Capacity
