Plant Gardens 101

Azaleas are some of the most beautiful and admired of all landscape companies plants; however, many people unnecessarily feel they are hard to grow. When properly planted and cared for these plants will give you years of color and enjoyment. In order to grow Azaleas that thrive and flourish it is important to understand a few basic facts regarding these elegant plants.

Site selection is very important. Although some varieties tolerate sun better than others, they all prefer an area that is not exposed to long periods of hot full sun. All Azaleas need shade, but will not flower well in full shade. Encore Azalea will thrive in north central Texas and Oklahoma even though summer temperatures frequently exceed 100 degrees.

Soil preparation may be the most important factor when growing Azaleas. Since Azaleas like acidic soil, the heavy clay, alkaline soils in our area requires extensive soil preparation in order to successfully cultivate Azaleas. Complete Landsculpture recommends using a quality landscape mix specifically developed for Azaleas. This will do wonders for root development and overall health and vigor. (more…)

A shiny orange or brown grub that feeds on many vegetable crops as well as on gladiolus corms.

How many times have you scolded your kids as they run on your beautifully laid garden grass? But is it really their fault or you need stepping stones so that you kids and anyone else walking on your garden can enjoy beauty without spoiling it. Stepping stones can be a great way to preserve your garden grass along with adding a touch of class to your garden as well.

But getting stepping stones from the market can be an expensive business. You may end up spending a lot for a few stones and getting them fixed too will cost a lot. You will have a tough time also finding the right kind of stones that may suit your garden or lifestyle.
There however is an easy way out. Just make stepping stones at home. Yes, don’t be alarmed. It is a great way to get your kind of stones that too without spending much. Making your stepping stones can also be a great hobby and you can even get your kids involved and have a great time with them. A few basic things needed for making stepping stones include molds. You will need a mold which will be used to shape the stone according to your style and design in mind. (more…)

The health perks of garlic are anything but new. Garlic has been produced and enjoyed for remedy purposes for thousands of years. The Roman soldier would eat garlic prior to going into battle, and the Egyptians fed it to their slaves to make sure they stayed strong and healthy. Evidence is still out on if garlic helps ward off vampires, it is known, however, to prevent a collection of illnesses.

It is a great source of significant nutrients like calcium, vitamin C, vitamin B6, manganese and selenium. Investigation shows eating garlic helps lower the danger of esophageal, stomach and colon cancers. It is also noted to lower the danger of heart disease.

Research has demostrated that garlic can reduce triglyceride levels and blood pressure. Garlic also reduces the bad LDL cholesterol while at the same time raising the good HDL cholesterol. It is also been demonstrated to help in the breaking up of blood clots, which means it will assist in reducing the chance of stroke. (more…)

Located in Madison, a leader in the field of restoration ecology, containing the world’s oldest restored tall-grass prairie. Its 1,270-acre site is connected by 20 miles of trails and fire lanes and also includes a deciduous oak forest, a conifer forest, and wetlands as well as more-traditional arboretum collections.

The botanical name for zephyr flower.

(c. 370–c. 287 b.c.)

Greek philosopher known as the father of botany, and a favorite pupil of Aristotle. He is thought to have written more than 200 books, of which only two survive, History of Plants and Causes of Plants, and these only in part. But the remarkable thing about them and their author, who also developed the first known botanical garden, is that, almost alone, they carried Greek learning about plants and gardens for 16 centuries, to the Renaissance. Many of his observations are current down to our own time.

Lots of novice gardeners believe that their plants and vegetables only need plenty of water and sunlight in order to sustain a healthy and fruitful lifespan. However this is not entirely true as plants also need healthy soil rich in nutrients to be able to survive and grow properly. The solution to this dilemma is composting.

Now, most of us aren’t too sure of what the heck composting is or what it even entails – I know I didn’t! An easy way to explain it is composting is a way for us to give back to the earth by using organic materials such as food scraps, vegetable scraps, grass clippings, leaves and manure from grass eaters like cows, sheep and rabbits. In general, composting is a wonderfully organic process that benefits your garden and the environment tremendously. In today’s article we’ll go ahead and talk about the benefits of composting, what you should and shouldn’t compost, and some composting systems you should consider investing in.

We all know that when anything dies it starts to decompose – humans, animals, plants, it’s all a very natural process. But did you know that in turn, the soil becomes very rich in nutrients and new life starts to grow? That’s the true benefit of composting and that’s what you want for your garden. In addition to improving your soil, it saves you money, makes for terrific mulch for your garden, and places less burden on landfills. (more…)

The lowest and usually central part of a garden built on different levels.

“do plants grow better in water or soil” – A common question popping up among gardeners lately has been, “do plants grow better in water or soil?” In this article, the benefits of water gardening will be detailed to help you make the decision about whether or not to grow and maintain your flowers and plants using this method.

There are a number of advantages that make water gardens better than their soil counterparts. The first, and perhaps most obvious of these, is that no soil is actually required to grow your plants! When you consider the inconvenience of acquiring and transporting large quantities of soil, you will find yourself appreciating this aspect of a water garden very quickly.

Two very important factors should also be considered: firstly, a water garden’s lack of soil means that diseases normally contained within the soil itself are theoretically eliminated; secondly, and on a larger scale, there will be no weeds and less insects present to inhibit the growth of your plants. These two things will lead to better results and, in turn, a better overall garden. (more…)

Curved downward or backward. Refers to petals, leaves, or hairs. Also called reflexed.

The scar on a seed coat marking the place where it was attached to the ovary during development.

In the early spring, the cooler months, that is when I get my spinach, radishes and lettuce in the ground. Within a month or so I have fresh vegetables ready to be harvested. The only problem is once I pick those vegetables it leaves me empty space.
Succession cropping is the process by which you plant something new, typically a warmer weather plant, into the area vacated by a cooler weather plant like those mentioned above.

When you properly plan out in advance your succession cropping you can easily three crops from the same area. For example, in the spring you plant your lettuce, then the weather warms up, spinach is done so you replace it with squash or tomatoes. As the hot summer months come to a close and it gets cooler again, you can put the spinach back in and get some more. (more…)

An extremely active society, with a 14,000-volume horticultural library. It offers lectures and workshops; publishes the magazine Green Scene; and sponsors the Philadelphia Flower Show, America’s largest.

Water gardens are attractive and can make wonderful additions to your backyard garden. A water garden has the ability to attract wildlife as well as provide an aesthetic value to your home’s landscape. When creating a water garden there are several things to keep in mind and flush out before construction begins.

One of the first things you’ll want to think about is whether or not you want your water garden to be inhabited by fish. Many people that create water gardens stock them with Koi, a fish that’s much larger than a goldfish, but looks similar to them. If you choose to do this, be sure that your pond is prepared for them. The water must have the proper ph, between 6.5-8.4, in order for the fish to survive. The water must also have been treated for chlorine. If you’re going to leave the fish in the pond year round, be sure the depth is enough so that the water won’t freeze entirely in the winter. Fish will survive on algae and leaves that happen in their pond, but supplement this with fish food daily. (more…)

A term used to describe varieties resulting from natural or uncontrolled pollination, as opposed to hybrids whose pollination is controlled.

The botanical name for catmint.