Now is the time that avid gardeners love best. The weather is nice, with lots of rain and 70 degree temperatures, and all those leaves are pushing out!
There is so much to do right now in the garden; but what's the most important? Enjoy it!
In my own yard, I have been experimenting and transplanting. Now is a great time for it! As a landscape designer, you would think I would have a plan in my own yard, but I don't. I truly like to try out new plants and combinations. In your own yard, I'm sure you feel like you don't have it planned either. But don't worry - that's normal! Its hard to see your own yard objectively!
The other great gardening activity to do now is CONTAINER GARDENING! I love it. Its like designing your own mini-landscape. Its so fun to work with colors, textures, and sizes - vertically and horizontally! I like to go to the nursery and design my containers on the spot. Its fun working with whats available rather than concentrating on specific plants and then be disappointed when you can't find them. So, go to the nursery, pull out a sample pot and get playful. The more textures, colors, sizes, and heights you have, the better!
Until next time and happy gardening,
Holly
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Lawn Care in March
For those lawn nuts out there - what do you think you should be doing now in Virginia to have that green, lush lawn? Lucky for you - depending on the type of grass you have - there's not much!
If you have cool season grass, such as fescues, ryegrass, or kentucky bluegrass, the only thing you have to do now is put down pre-emergent weed preventer. When you see the Forsythias bloom, get to work. Corn gluten is a nice, organic alternative to traditional weed prevention, but it doesn't last that long, unfortunately. If you put corn gluten down too much, it will over-nitrogenize your lawn and possibly cause damage when the weather gets hot and dry. So, for longer lasting weed prevention, you can use the weed prevention chemicals you find at home and garden stores, BUT be smart about your application. Follow the directions explicitly and make sure to brush or blow granules back onto your lawn to prevent run-off into our water supply. Determine your lawn square footage by using good ol' geometry! Wait until fall to fertilize your lawn.
If you have warm season grass, such as zoysia or bermuda grass, you don't need to anything for another month or so, when the weather is warm and your grass starts to green-up. Late spring is a good time to fertilize warm season grasses.
As far as liming, make sure you need to lime first! I recommend that everyone get a soil test from their agricultural extension office every 3 - 4 years. A pH test will be performed to determine whether or not you even need lime. (Lime will make your soil more neutral if you have a highly acidic soil). If you do need lime, you can do it any time of the year. Your local garden center will have the pelletized lime you need (and the appropriate spreader).
In the fall, I will talk more about what else needs to be done for cool season grasses - its everything else - seeding, fertilizing, broad-leaf weed control, etc.
Good luck and happy gardening,
Holly
If you have cool season grass, such as fescues, ryegrass, or kentucky bluegrass, the only thing you have to do now is put down pre-emergent weed preventer. When you see the Forsythias bloom, get to work. Corn gluten is a nice, organic alternative to traditional weed prevention, but it doesn't last that long, unfortunately. If you put corn gluten down too much, it will over-nitrogenize your lawn and possibly cause damage when the weather gets hot and dry. So, for longer lasting weed prevention, you can use the weed prevention chemicals you find at home and garden stores, BUT be smart about your application. Follow the directions explicitly and make sure to brush or blow granules back onto your lawn to prevent run-off into our water supply. Determine your lawn square footage by using good ol' geometry! Wait until fall to fertilize your lawn.
If you have warm season grass, such as zoysia or bermuda grass, you don't need to anything for another month or so, when the weather is warm and your grass starts to green-up. Late spring is a good time to fertilize warm season grasses.
As far as liming, make sure you need to lime first! I recommend that everyone get a soil test from their agricultural extension office every 3 - 4 years. A pH test will be performed to determine whether or not you even need lime. (Lime will make your soil more neutral if you have a highly acidic soil). If you do need lime, you can do it any time of the year. Your local garden center will have the pelletized lime you need (and the appropriate spreader).
In the fall, I will talk more about what else needs to be done for cool season grasses - its everything else - seeding, fertilizing, broad-leaf weed control, etc.
Good luck and happy gardening,
Holly
Thursday, February 19, 2009
What should you be doing in the garden now?
Its cold, windy, possibly icy and snowy... it can't be time to get out in the yard! Oh, but it is!
Now is the right time to cut back all those perennials and grasses that died back in the fall! For those of you that haven't do so already, its time to get your garden shears, hedge trimmers, and pruners ready to work!
I personally enjoy the look of ornamental grasses and some perennials through the winter - the dried seed pods and flower heads create interesting textures and look great in the snow! So just last week, when I saw the first peek of daffodils coming up through the ground, I realized it was time to cut them down!
So what should you do - its simple - cut, cut, cut!
The first thing to cut are those ornamental grasses. Cut them 6" - 1' from the ground, depending on the size of the grass. Larger grasses don't need to be cut so close to the ground. Doing this will ensure that the nice, new growth in the spring will be showcased and you won't have dead grass peeking through.
Next, cut back all those dead perennials. New spring growth will be here any day now - let it shine. You can cut most perennials all the way to the ground or a few inches above.
Liriope (or monkey grass) - though it hasn't died back, it is looking a little limp. Cut it back to a few inches from the ground and it will come back this spring looking fresh and new.
Evergreen broadleaf or conifer shrubs - you can prune them now unless you see flower buds. Don't cut off all those flowers you've been waiting so long to see! Prune to your desired shape (pyrimidal is preferred for best sun exposure.)
DON'T prune anything with buds or prune deciduous shrubs. Wait until after they bloom to prune.
DON'T prune vines just yet - every vine is different; some grow on new wood and some grow on old. Until you are absolutely sure of its growing pattern in the spring, leave it alone. Rule of thumb: always prune AFTER blooming!
Hope this helps and happy gardening!
Holly
Now is the right time to cut back all those perennials and grasses that died back in the fall! For those of you that haven't do so already, its time to get your garden shears, hedge trimmers, and pruners ready to work!
I personally enjoy the look of ornamental grasses and some perennials through the winter - the dried seed pods and flower heads create interesting textures and look great in the snow! So just last week, when I saw the first peek of daffodils coming up through the ground, I realized it was time to cut them down!
So what should you do - its simple - cut, cut, cut!
The first thing to cut are those ornamental grasses. Cut them 6" - 1' from the ground, depending on the size of the grass. Larger grasses don't need to be cut so close to the ground. Doing this will ensure that the nice, new growth in the spring will be showcased and you won't have dead grass peeking through.
Next, cut back all those dead perennials. New spring growth will be here any day now - let it shine. You can cut most perennials all the way to the ground or a few inches above.
Liriope (or monkey grass) - though it hasn't died back, it is looking a little limp. Cut it back to a few inches from the ground and it will come back this spring looking fresh and new.
Evergreen broadleaf or conifer shrubs - you can prune them now unless you see flower buds. Don't cut off all those flowers you've been waiting so long to see! Prune to your desired shape (pyrimidal is preferred for best sun exposure.)
DON'T prune anything with buds or prune deciduous shrubs. Wait until after they bloom to prune.
DON'T prune vines just yet - every vine is different; some grow on new wood and some grow on old. Until you are absolutely sure of its growing pattern in the spring, leave it alone. Rule of thumb: always prune AFTER blooming!
Hope this helps and happy gardening!
Holly
Friday, February 13, 2009
All the Rage - Rain Barrels and Rain Gardens!
Want to know what these two new trends are and how you can use them in your home?
Rain Barrels: Rain barrels are containers that are connected to your downspouts to capture runoff from the roof. Rain barrels come in various sizes, ranging from 30 gallons to 100 gallons, and can be made of plastic or wood. You can also use a larger container to capture rainwater, such as a cistern. (Courtesy of Arlington County, VA Environmental Services)
Rain Garden: A "rain garden" is a man-made depression in the ground that is used as a landscape tool to improve water quality. The rain garden forms a "bioretention area" by collecting water runoff and storing it, permitting it be filtered and slowly absorbed by the soil. The bioretention concept is based on the hydrologic function of forest habitat, in which the forest produces a spongy litter layer that soaks up water and allows it to slowly penetrate the soil layer. The rain garden should be strategically located to intercept water runoff.
Rain Barrels: Rain barrels are containers that are connected to your downspouts to capture runoff from the roof. Rain barrels come in various sizes, ranging from 30 gallons to 100 gallons, and can be made of plastic or wood. You can also use a larger container to capture rainwater, such as a cistern. (Courtesy of Arlington County, VA Environmental Services)
Rain Barrel Benefits
By installing a rain barrel or cistern at your home you will:
- Reduce flooding in yard or your basement, by collecting the water and using it for watering plants or slowly releasing it and allowing it to sink into the ground.
- Provide your plants with water they will love! Unlike treated water, which is "softened" with dissolved minerals, rain water is naturally soft. The water stored in your rain barrel is better than municipal water for washing your car and watering indoor or outdoor plants.
- Save money and water! Instead of water from the tap or faucet, you can use the water you've saved to keep your home landscape happy and growing. You'll also reduce your municipal water bill!
- Protect your watershed! Water stored in your rain barrel is water that won't rush off into our streams. Instead, as you use the stored rain water around the home and garden, it will absorb slowly into the ground replenishing groundwater supplies. By decreasing the volume of storm runoff, rain barrels also help moderate stream erosion and the resulting pollution that is impairing all of our local watersheds that lead to the ocean.
Rain Garden: A "rain garden" is a man-made depression in the ground that is used as a landscape tool to improve water quality. The rain garden forms a "bioretention area" by collecting water runoff and storing it, permitting it be filtered and slowly absorbed by the soil. The bioretention concept is based on the hydrologic function of forest habitat, in which the forest produces a spongy litter layer that soaks up water and allows it to slowly penetrate the soil layer. The rain garden should be strategically located to intercept water runoff.
Benefits of Rain Garden
Rain gardens help filter nutrients from rain water running off your driveway or roof, improving water quality. The first flush of rain water is ponded in the depression of the rain garden, and contains the highest concentration of materials washed off impervious surfaces such as roofs, roads, and parking lots. The water-loving plants in the rain garden also take up and use the rain water, reducing problems with excess water or ponding in your yard.
Many people worry about rain gardens causing mosquitoes. This is not a problem because rain gardens do not retain water long enough for mosquito reproduction. Standing water almost always soaks away within a few hours and usually within a matter of minutes. Mosquitoes require a number of days in standing water for reproduction. If water does remain for a matter of days in your rain garden, then your soil is possibly very clayey and/or very compacted. You may be able to remedy this problem by loosening and adding humus or mulch in the upper 6 to 18 inches. (Courtesy of Arlington County, VA Environmental Services)
For guides and more information on installing a rain garden in your home, visit http://www.arlingtonva.us/Departments/EnvironmentalServices/epo/EnvironmentalServicesEpoRainGarden.aspx
Good luck and lets all do what we can to help our environment!
Until next time, Holly
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