Fall Pruning of Flowering Shrubs and Trees

 Backyard Garden  No Responses »
Aug 212010
 

Fall is the best time to prune many shrubs and trees. Primary growth is done for the year and the plants will be going into a resting time so the pruning actually helps them.

With any pruning its best to read about the shrub or tree in questions and prune accordingly.

There are many people who do not feel they should prune plants. That it hurts them. But pruning to keep a nice shape and remove damaged, diseased or a branch that crosses or crowds each other is so beneficial to a tree.

Here are a few pruning tips:

Prune shrubs and trees only to retain the shape or remove damage or disease.

Do not prune spring-flowering shrubs such as azaleas and rhododendrons in the fall. Pruning spring-flowering shrubs will remove the blossoms that have already begun to form and you will actually have fewer flowers the following year. Prune these right after the plant has had flowers.

I see many flowering shrubs that have been over-pruned. They do not need to look like a skeleton and show every branch. Over-pruning can be damaging to the overall health of the plant.

After pruning the shrub or tree make sure to pick up all the trimmings. If any of the shrub or tree shows disease, burn this material to stop the spread of any infections. Healthy trimming can be added to compost piles or used around shrub and tree bases. I prefer to let them sit a bit and then use in my perennial beds.

Posted by Denise at 11:04 am  Tagged with: , ,

Identifying Poisonous Plants

 Backyard Garden  No Responses »
Aug 072010
 

If you have plants in your backyard and small children or pets its helpful to know what plants may be poisonous.

Poisonous plants may cause illness if chewed on or touched. It all depends on the plant and the person.

Many flowering plants may look pretty but can have flowers or leaves that will make some people ill. Castor beans are very poisonous and many grow this beautiful plant as an accent plant. I grow it for its beauty and also because it control moles, which I have in abundance in my backyard. But because if its poisonous attributes I grow it behind fencing.

The following you tube will show you a few poisonous but popular flowering plants.

Poison Ivy or Poison Oak affects everyone differently but knowing what it looks like and removing it from you backyard will benefit all. There are certain sumac plants that will make people ill. And many wild plants and weeds will affect people with a rash if picked.

If your yard is very big or contains a wooded area there may be many toxic plants.

One tip is if a plant has a red stem it is often poisonous. One tip I follow is if I don’t know a plant, I don’t touch it.

Learning to identify plants can be both beneficial and a fun project. These videos should have helped you to better recognize plants that may grow in your backyard or community.

Posted by Denise at 9:38 pm  Tagged with: , ,

Garden styles for the backyard garden

 Backyard Garden  No Responses »
Jul 152010
 

While looking for gardening ideas I found a different gardening technique I had not heard for before. It’s a rather unique garden structure that looks like it would work well in small garden areas or a backyard that has certain uses if different areas of the yard.


Creative Commons License photo credit: Cait Vaughn

The following you tube shows this garden and how it was laid out.

I see a lot of different uses for this style of gardening and think I may have to add a garden design like this just to try it out and see how it works.

There were also some nice tips for garden layout, planting certain vegetables, herbs and flowers and why certain plants were planted where they were.

Posted by Denise at 9:06 pm  Tagged with: , , , , ,

Tips for successful new perennial plants

 Backyard Garden  No Responses »
Apr 072010
 

Spring is a time for adding new plants to your backyard and garden areas. By planting in the spring the plant will have time to adjust to its new home and start producing new roots before the blazing hot days cause the plants to dry and add additional stress to a new plant.

Peony or Paeony
Creative Commons License photo credit: Lights Out Photos

Many may not realize this but plant stress will cause the plant to be more susceptible to insects and disease.

Here are a few tips to consider before you buy a new plant

  • Read the plant tag before you bring it home to see if it will grow in your climate zone and will fit into your backyard growing area. There is no sense in buying a shade loving plant if your backyard is all sunshine.
  • Check the plant over well before you buy it. Are the soil and roots healthy? Is there a lot of stem or leaf damage? Are there any signs of insects or disease? If you see any of these problems, select another plant.
  • Check the size it will grow and if it says, “spreads easily” This is a nice phrase for “invasive plant that will take over your yard.”

Tips to acclimate your plant to its new home

  • Check the plant over when you get it home. Remove any damaged leaves.
  • Water the plant if it needs it and then set it in a quiet place to rest. Plants suffer from stress to and you don’t know how the plant was treated before you bought it.
  • Make sure your plants new home is ready by adding any soil and removing all the weeds.
  • I let a plant set apart form other plants for a few days to make sure it does not have an insect problem that you did not notice. You don’t want to infect all your other plants.
  • Slowly set the plant outdoors. The plant needs to adjust to sunshine so set out for a few hours then move into a shady place. I usually acclimate a perennial for about 5 days, then plant.
  • Plant your perennial in the morning or late at night so that the plant has less sun just after being planted.
  • I mulch the area around a new perennial plant to help hold in moisture and keep the roots cool.
  • You may want to place a mini fence or plastic around the plant until family and any pets are used to the plant being there. I have lost several plants due to them being stepped on, mowed over or played with by a happy pet.

Perennials will add years of color to your backyard so give them time to adjust to their new home.

Posted by Denise at 8:49 pm  Tagged with: , , , ,

Castor beans for mole control

 Backyard Garden  No Responses »
Apr 052010
 

If you don’t have small children or small pets and have a mole problem in your backyard area you may want to consider growing castor bean plants.

Mole
Creative Commons License photo credit: Link576

Living near a creek I tend to have a mole problem, especially if the previous season was rainy. Needless to say, this year the yard looks like a landmine hit it. I have mole hills everywhere. Besides creating more work for me it can prevent drainage in the yard. So the moles have to go.

You can get mole poison and set up traps but I have found growing castor beans works very well and they are beautiful. But they are poisonous. So you may want to consider growing them or just growing them in a fenced area.

Castor beans will help rid the yard of moles for a two-acre area and the effects will last for a few years. I am not sure of all the reasons it works but I have heard the roots put a taste in the soil that affects a very large area. All I know is when I grow them I have no moles.

Castor bean have a hard shell so soak the seeds first. I also plant them indoors so that I can give then a head start in a warm climate and move them outdoors later.

And although I do not have children I tend to plant the plants behind a fence.

Castor beans have a tropical look and there are several varieties to choose from. I usually grow several kinds just because I like the looks of the plant.

Posted by Denise at 10:22 pm  Tagged with: , , ,
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