Archive for July, 2011

Shade Gardening Tips – Ten Shade Perennials For the Mid South

July 23rd, 2011

All gardens aren’t created equal. Some gardens have too much shade, and some insufficient. You may be thinking that there are not many plants that you could grow within the shade, but there are plenty of shade perennials which are worth trying. Within the Mid South, even plants which are considered full sun actually appreciate a little afternoon shade. There are a few tips that can make shade gardening with perennials very simple for example assessing your website, creating the quantity of shade you want, and picking plants that well in your town.

Shade Gardening Tips

The very first tip for planting shade perennials would be to choose a spot which has little competition from trees that have surface roots for example maples, sweet gums, and dogwoods. The term “surface roots” means precisely what it says. The roots from the trees grow on the surface of the ground. This causes an issue with competition for water and nutrients if you plant perennials around these roots. Giving your plants a good growing environment with little levels of competition are the initial step to a great garden. The 2nd tip is to assess your site before you plant.

Assessing Your website

Assessing your site and identifying light and shade levels for your area is important. You need to a walk around your yard and observe what areas get full sun and which areas are truly shady areas. Remember, light levels change throughout every season because the seasons change so that as trees leaf out or grow to maturity. Keep notes inside a journal in regards to what areas receive shade in the morning, midday, and early afternoon. Note whether the area is full shade, partial shade, or full sun. For the beginner gardener, those terms may be a little confusing. Here is a quick primer on what those terms mean.

Full shade areas possess a dense canopy where no sunlight penetrates, or maybe the plant is incorporated in the shadow of an evergreen tree or building all day.

Partial shade implies that your garden receives dappled shade throughout the day. This simply means that you can see some servings of heaven with the leaves above you. Another type of partial shade may be the garden that is more densely shaded for a part of the day but receives bright sunlight for 2 to six hours.

The third kind of area is full sun which means the area receives a minimum of six hours of sunlight throughout the day. After you have assessed your website and know very well what kind of shade you’ve. Next, you might want to produce the amount of shade you would like for the garden.

Produce the Amount of Shade You would like

The 3rd tip to improve your ability to succeed with shade gardening, would be to try altering the quantity of light that enters your shade garden bed to suit your needs and also the needs from the plants you need to plant. Prune trees to decrease the amount of shade and to produce a high canopy that the plants will like. This creates more ventilation which is healthy and your plants since it decreases mold and mildew. To produce more shade; plant trees, add walls and fences, build a lath house, or put a shade cloth on the simple plastic pipe structure, build an arbor or gazebo. Using vines on structures is another quick way to create more shade.

Pick the Right Plants for the Zone

Once you have assessed your area and come up with kind of shade you would like, you are ready to plant. Go to your local garden center, in order to the local extension service website, for a listing of plants that do well in your area. You will find both an abundance of information. Below is really a listing of some top shade loving perennial performers for that Mid South.

Ten Shade Perennials for that Mid South

* Italian arum (Arum italicum)
* Northern sea oats (Chasmanthium latifolium)
* Green and gold (Chrysogonum virginianum)
* Cardinal flower (Lobelia Cardinalis)
* Solomon’s seal (Polyanatum odoratum)
* Spiderwort (Tradescantia x Andersoniana)
* Lenten rose (Helleborus spp.)
* Sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum)
* Astilbe (Astilbe x Arendsii)
* Toad lily (Tricyrtus formosana)

Visiting local public and botanical gardens, attending local garden tours, joining local garden clubs, and visiting the local extension service website, is a great method to find out more about perennials that do well in your area.

Given the right conditions, your plants will thrive. Remember, remove competition, asses your site, produce the amount of shade you want and you will be moving toward a gorgeous yard that you will enjoy all season. Remember that there are also ferns, vines, annuals, and shrubs that do well in shade. As a general rule, plants that well in the shade have large, flat leaves that help them absorb light for photosynthesis and growth. They will have fewer flowers and seeds than plants grown in the sun. Think foliage, color, and texture for shady areas in your garden. This listing of ten shade perennials is a good starting point for gardeners in the Mid South, but area of the fun of gardening is experimenting with various kinds of plants so be sure to venture out there and discover the plants that will be by yourself list of “favorites” and enjoy the journey.

Rose Gardening Tips

July 23rd, 2011

Plan First

Growing flowers is pretty easy if you are educated; these rose gardening tips will make the job fun in addition to rewarding. Start by planning the way the garden will look:

-What kind of roses will complement your current flowers?
-Is there a specific color you would like?
-Are you going to use beds or put flowers in pots on the small patio?
-Is there enough sunlight to provide a minimum of Six hours of sun?
-Make some notes by what you would like before you decide to see your local gardening center.

Also consider the locate climate, discover what zone you reside in and which types of roses are best suited for the area. Nothing’s more unpleasant than falling deeply in love with a variety of rose, and then discovering it will never grow in your yard! Your local garden expert will have that information too.

The best Tool To do the job

Every hobby has its own unique group of ‘tools’ or gadgets. Gardeners need garden tools, created specifically to create the job of kneeling, digging, and clipping easier. The basics include pruners, heavy duty garden gloves to resist dealing with thorns, a rake, and a short digging tool – fork or spade. It might be nice to have a kneeling pad (that is essential for some of us!) and a wheelbarrow for carrying away weeds, debris, and cuttings.

Keeping tools within the best order is essential to keeping gardening enjoyable; these basic tips can help keep your garden shed organized:

-Keep tools in a basket or container with a handle and pockets. If things are in one place the basket can quickly be acquired for a trip to your garden. This is the place to keep glue for sealing ends, pruners, packets of rubbing alcohol, pads for wiping pruners, and miscellaneous but necessary items.

-Consider buying some bright paint or purchase electrical tape in bright neon colors, and wrap/paint the handles of tools. Your pruners and spades will stand out within the grass when painted electric blue, and become clearly recognized as yours. No more wasted time searching for missing garden implements.

-Take time at the beginning of each season to sharpen cutting instruments, clean tools, and prepare for the season.

-Make (And Stay with) A Schedule

Setup a schedule for chores, pay attention to climate conditions, and watch plants for dryness. Gardening ought to be fun, however it does require routine maintenance and attentiveness to bugs and possible rose diseases. Keep weeds under control by weeding weekly or more often. Remove weeds and leaf debris in the base of plants like a safety measure for mildew. Weeding right after a rain is good as removal is simpler when the soil is wet.

Find A Guru

Whether you’re new to gardening or consider yourself an expert, using a place to learn more about roses is important. Seek advice from the local garden supply store about groups in the area, or look for one of numerous forums on the web.

There are some fantastic eBooks about rose garden solutions available on the market as well. Just be sure to obtain a site you trust.

Keep Notes For Future Reference

Keep track of your gardening activities. Make notes in a journal and add pictures. The garden will in all probability be your pride and joy and is an ever-evolving project. Each new purchase can be noted with date of purchase, variety, and colour of the plant. Track the flowers, noting what works and what fails.

Make notes about its blooming patterns, even taking a photo of the rose flowering. This can be useful if you decide to propagate your personal roses the next spring when colors are not visibly apparent. The journal will allow you to identify possible issues as well as provide feedback when adding new plants to your garden. If you should have to consult a gardening expert, notes is going to be handy with the information you need.

You’ll want to brag about the garden and share details about what tips and tricks worked best. Be sure to take good care of your plants and reap the rewards of a healthy, productive rose garden.