Building rock walls or boundaries around gardens or flower beds.
19
Apr
More and more people are using stones in gardens these days. Flower beds or gardens can be edged in stone and rocks or an entire wall can serve as a planting site. Weeds will grow through the rocks so plants and herbs can be a nice touch. Here are a few steps to help out if you decide to do these things.
First of all you will need to choose your rocks or stones that you would like to use. Make sure that they fit with the rest of your landscape and that they are flat. Stone quarries can be a great place to find the rocks that you need that are flatter.
Use good planting soil and compost can be used for the wall. If you mix in some gravel, it will assist in the drainage.
Place stakes where you want the wall to begin and end and run a string between them to mark the walls. Dig a trench around four inches deep along the string and fill in with sand and/or gravel. You need to stomp on the filler so that it is stable.
Place the rocks together over the base and leave an inch or so between the rocks. Cover each layer with an inch of soil mix and stagger the rocks as you place them, leaving a larger space for larger plants.
Tuck the plants and herbs in the spaces and fill in the extra places with more soil and tamp it in. Water from the top down so that the water will roll down the wall.
Mistakes when it comes to gardening
17
Apr
Veteran gardeners make mistakes just like rookies do at times. You can water plants too much as well as not watering enough. There are lots of mistakes that can be made during gardening.
Many times, when you purchase a new home you will find yourself filled with the urge to do yard work. But you really need to think things through before you make a change. Sometimes, a spring week might be a fall-blooming vine. You may want to consider waiting a year before you make any changes in your yard. Watch the yard to see how much sun each part of your yard gets sun. Test the pH of your soil so that you can determine which plants will work best in your yard. Watching your yard for a year will save you money, as you will be sure to plant the right things for your yard.
Remember to leave plenty of room between trees and shrubs so that they don’t crowd each other after a couple of years. When they are small the spacing may be fine, but remember they will grow and compete for sun, water and nutrients. Be sure to reach all the instructions before you begin to dig. You will want to give all your plants some room to breathe. When you first plant the trees and shrubs they will look very far apart, but they will grow and not looked so spaced out.
You will want to make a plan for your new garden. Draw a sketch of your yard and include any structures you may want to add later like a patio or a pool, etc.
Plants have a hard time rooting in new locations. You will need to help the plant by watering the root ball which is underground. Otherwise, the plant will be stunted or will not live for very long. Place a hose at the base of the newly plated bush or tree and let water trickle for 20-30 minutes twice per week for 4-12 weeks. If it is really hot outside, you will want to do this even more.
Be sure to plant sun-loving plants where they are sure to get the sun that they need in order to grow. If you plant one of these bushes in an area that will be shaded, then the plant is not likely to survive.
Make sure not to over water your plants. It is recommended that you water two or three times per week for 40-60minutes.
Tips on when to prune trees.
07
Apr
Huge, overgrown trees in your yard are unsightly and can be dangerous. You can prune trees yourself using handsaws and other tools. Big trees growing around electrical lines should always be pruned by professionals. There is a good and a bad time to prune trees.
In order to stay healthy, trees must be pruned to remove damage and disease as well as for safety reasons. They can block your view and cause damage to buildings that they are too close too. Trimming trees can also limit their growth and improve their looks.
The best time to prune and trim your trees in late in the winter so that the healing can take place quickly. In early spring, trees grow fast. However, if the tree is damaged, you can trim it any time of the year. Broken branches can be inviting to harbor disease and insects so be sure you prune soon after the damage occurs.
Always cut outside the branch collar which is the swollen area where the branch meets the tree. This is the support for the weight of the branch. If the tree is damaged, it will heal slowly which does endanger the health of the tree.
No treatment of the cut is necessary. If you leave the tree alone a layer of cells will grow over the cut fairly rapidly. Treatment will slow this process.
