October may provide brilliant color in the landscape but it also signals an end of another growing season. Let’s look at some of the things needed to be done in the landscape.

photo credit: daviza

Dahlias can remain in the ground until after frost. Cut off the stems six inches above the ground and lift carefully, for the tubers are brittle and break off easily. Discard any that do. Place the clumps in flats, stem side down, and let them dry off before storing.

Just before storing cut off the fine roots and cut the stem back to within an inch or two of the crown. They are best stored in a cool place (about 40 degrees) but may be stored at a warmer temperature if covered with peatmoss or sand. Line the storage boxes with paper. A dusting of sulphur before storing will prevent rot. Be sure to tie labels to the clumps so you will know what is what next year.

Tuberous begonias are lifted after the foliage has yellowed, but don’t remove the foliage until it is dry. Remove the dried stems and clean off the dry soil. Store the tubers in flats in a warm place (50 to 60 degrees) and cover them with peatmoss. They need good circulation of air to prevent rot.

Cannas should be lifted after the first frost and stored in a cool place. To prevent shriveling cover them with dry peatmoss or sand. Many, however, no longer store canna roots over winter, preferring to buy live plants each spring.

Lift Gladiolus corms as the leaves begin to turn yellow. After lifting, cut the foliage to within three inches of the corms and then let them dry off in the sun if possible for a little while each day. When completely dry, dust them with an insecticide to prevent thrips injury. Store them uncovered in a cool place.

Ismenes (Peruvian daffodils) must be lifted very carefully to preserve the root system. So, dig deeply. Spread out the plants indoors to dry. Remove the tops but not the roots. Store them uncovered in a place where the temperature will not go below 50 degrees.

Montbretias may be left in the ground if given a heavy covering of leaves. If lifted they should be removed from the ground in clumps with the soil clinging to them. Don’t let the soil dry out.

Tuberose bulbs should be lifted in clumps and dried off for storage in a warm dry place. Divide into single bulbs during the winter or use a second year without dividing the clumps.

In The Greenhouse

Repotting is one of the round-the-year jobs. When in doubt about the need for repotting, knock the plant like the watermelon peperomia out of the pot. If the ball is well covered with roots it is time for repotting. Don’t repot flowering plants that have flower buds forming. Soak new flower pots in a tub of water for at least a half hour before they are used.

photo credit: audreyjm529

Freesias that were potted and placed in the coldframe should now have several inches of growth. Bring them into a cool part of the greenhouse before frost. For better results give them a weekly feeding.

Watering.

Don’t just turn on the hose and water everything in sight. Water plants when they need it. When in doubt give the pot a sharp knock with the handle of your pocketknife and if the pot rings water is needed. A dull thud indicates the soil is still damp. Soil in benches that feels dry and somewhat crumbly needs a thorough soaking with the hose or watering pot.

Find out more as Thomas Fryd shares his experiences on landscaping and gardens at plant-care.com. Get cleared up on watermelon peperomia.

Technorati Tags: Backyard Garden, backyard oasis, backyard projects, garden, gardening, home improvement, landscaping

Landscape tools are very important when it comes to landscaping projects. Landscaping projects can help improve the look of your yard considerably, but there is a good deal of work required.

photo credit: quinn.anya

Many tools available can help make these jobs easier, or in some cases, even possible. There are a few basic groups of tools that can help you perform a multitude of task. They are listed below.

• Group 1 is the shovel.
• Group 2 is the rake.
• Group 3 is the lopper, shear or pruner.
• Group 4 is the garden cart or wheel barrel.

The first tool group is the shovel, which is a flattened piece of metal attached to a handle. The main use for a shovel is to move material from place to place. There are many different variations of the shovel. The main types are the rounded or pointed tip shovel. This type digs into material well, and is perfect for digging holes in the ground. The second type is the flat shovel. This one has a wider surface area, and is perfect for scooping from rock or gravel piles. The last shovel is the narrow shovel. These are perfect for digging in tight quarters or for making small holes in the ground.

The second tool group is the rake. There are two main varieties. The bow rake is a thick and sturdy rake, and is used to move heavier items around, such as rocks. The second type is the leaf rake. This has long prongs that flex, pulling leaves along without damaging things under, such as grass.

The third tool group is the pruner, shear or lopper. These cut, trim and clip things to size. Small pruners cut through small, but tough, material. Long grass shears are used to trim materials such as tall grasses or shrubs. Loppers are powerful tools used to cut through thick and tough material such as tree limbs.

photo credit: fotogail

The wheel barrel or garden cart is the fourth group of tools. Both of these items are used to transfer large amounts of heavy and/or bulky material around. Garden carts roll on two wheels, which reduce its maneuverability, but increase its stability. Wheel barrels are the opposite, balancing on one wheel and having better maneuverability and less stability.

If you plan to undertake any landscaping project, whether big or small, you will need some tools. The basic tool groups listed and explained above will give you the ability to perform many tasks outside, and successfully complete your project.

If you are working on any landscape project, make sure you have the right landscape tools and all the landscape supplies to do the job right. Jeremy Szechenyi’s blog, hubpages.com will give you all the information you need.

Technorati Tags: backyard, backyard oasis, garden, garden cart, home improvement, landscape tools, landscaping

An outdoor pond is a wonderful improvement to your garden or backyard, a place for relaxing and resting while observing your small part of nature. It’s no surprise that its popularity is becoming bigger and bigger.

photo credit: annrkiszt

Below you will find 7 essential tips to make sure your outdoor pond project is successful.

1. Inspiration from books, magazines and the Internet. You can find inspiring pond photo books in your local library or bookstore; also websites like flickr.com and youtube.com can be researched for images, tutorials and tips.

2. Inspiration is all over the place. Once you start looking you will find ponds and water features everywhere; parks and public buildings just to name a few. Take pictures of things you like and dislike, so later on, when designing, you can easily refer to.

3. Choose your pond location. Remember that a pond is not a mobile feature in your garden. Think of how close you want it to your house or neighbors property. Keep it away from sources of debris like a tree that looses many leaves. Place it in a spot where you can enjoy it from a window or at a relaxing corner of your garden.

4. Choose your outdoor pond style. If you would like to match the architecture of your house then a formal pond is probably your choice. Formal pond examples can be found in palaces and monuments both old and new. If you are looking for something more natural that will blend with the environment and your garden, then informal ponds are your choice. Informal ponds will imitate nature’s rivers and lakes with sand shores and lots of vegetation. The most important issue here is to keep your pond in harmony with your backyard design.

5. Additional design tips. Waterfalls and other features can be added to your pond but take its style into consideration. What kind of fish will you introduce and what are their needs? Does your ground allow easy digging for a below the ground pond or maybe you need to build it above the ground with a nice brick or stone wall?

6. Keep a close eye on your budget. Make sure you have the skills and resources to complete you pond building project. Sum up the materials, construction and maintenance expenses, including professional help if needed. If you need to cut building costs or reduce your efforts take a look at pre-made pond kits in the web or local stores.

7. Keep your pond Safe. Safety is your number one priority when it comes to children and pets playing around your garden. Also keep the stable surfaces around the pond and your electric installations water proof. A good quality liner is a must to avoid holes in your ponds due to rocks and ground movement. Clean and uncontaminated ponds are not only a maintenance issue but a safety one, both for your family and your fish.

Pond building is a complex hobby that can become very enjoyable if you take your time to plan and maintain it. Get your family involved in it from the very beginning making it a project enjoyed by everyone in your household.

Want to find out more about Pond Building, then visit Michael W.’s site on how to build the best outdoor pond for your needs and dreams.

Technorati Tags: backyard design, Backyard Pond, building a pond, garden, gardening, outdoor pond, pond, pond building, pond design

Most planting is done in the spring, between the time the frost leaves the ground and the time the leaf buds break on deciduous trees and shrubs. You may plant evergreens a week later as they do not usually start new growth as early as deciduous plants.
photo credit: cliff1066™

In the fall, plant evergreens, herbaceous perennials and bulbs before the middle of September. Plant deciduous trees and shrubs a little later, when their leaves are ready to fall.

Care on Arrival

When the shrubs arrive from the nursery, unpack them and report immediately any discrepancy in the order or condition of the stock.

If the material cannot be planted immediately, dig a trench and pack the roots close together in it, covering them with earth packed down firmly to exclude air. Evergreens that have the roots tightly balled and burlapped may be stood in the shade and sprinkled with water but not soaked.

Digging and Filling the Holes

Dig the holes before you prepare the plants to go in them. It is very important to keep the roots moist at all times, and they will dry out if you have them lying in the sun or wind while you dig the hole.

Dig the holes wide enough that the roots can be spread out naturally, and deep enough that 3 to 4 inches of good topsoil can be placed in the bottom and still allow the plant to be set about 1 inch lower than it grew before.

Hold the plant in place while you fill in good topsoil over the roots. Gently shake the plant up and down two or three times to help settle the earth around the roots. Then tamp the soil down firmly.

Soak it with water and as soon as it has settled fill the hole with soil; leave a saucerlike depression around the plant to hold future water, which it should receive at least once a week until it is established.

When planting evergreens do not remove the burlap from the roots. Place topsoil in the bottom of the hole to hold the ball at the right height. Remove the cord or nails that hold the ball together and roll the burlap back gently into the bottom of the hole, where it will rot in time. Then add soil and water as above.

Bracing

Small trees should be staked and large trees guyed with wires at the time they are planted to avoid being swayed by the wind. Make sure that the stake does not rub the tree and that wires and ties do not chafe it.

For small trees from 8 to 10 feet tall, drive a 2 x 2 inch hardwood stake (about as long as the tree) firmly into the bottom of the hole before planting the tree. Place the tree 2 to 3 inches from the stake so that the roots are not scraped. After the tree has been planted, tie the trunk to the stake about a foot from the ground and again every 3 feet, using a piece of rubber hose between them in a figure 8 and then making a loop around the two.

For guy-wiring larger trees, drive three or four short stakes into the ground about 5 feet from the tree on opposite sides. So that the tree will not be scraped, run the wires through a piece of hose placed around the tree 8 to 10 feet from the ground.
photo credit: woodleywonderworks

Pruning

Prune deciduous shrubs and trees at planting, to balance the roots they have lost and to train their shape. When pruning  trees remove some of the branches close to the trunk. Leave the main leader going straight up, with branches 6 to 12 inches apart ascending but alternating evenly around it. Remove broken branches and any that are crossed.

When pruning shrubs, remove weak, twisted or broken branches at the base. Also, cut back the strong canes to a point just above a leaf bud that points outward, so that the new branches will not cross.

Technorati Tags: garden, home improvement, landscape, landscaping, plant care

Like the living rooms of your house, the garden or recreation area is for the comfort and enjoyment of your family.
photo credit: Maven Dooshe

No stock set of plans answers the needs of all. You must first decide what your family needs are and then plan a garden to meet them,

Shall it be a rose garden, a rock garden, a wild garden or a play area? Do you want it formal, naturalistic, informal or conventional? And how about the style – English cottage garden, French parterre, Colonial or Japanese?

It is up to you. The garden is the outdoor area that is most valuable to the family as a whole and should be designed with that consideration uppermost.

Canadian Style

In Canada they have not yet developed their our own style. At present it follows the American trends very closely, but with less attention to garden ornaments and furnishings.

Because of longer winters, and most Canadians get to the country easily in the summer, they have not generally furnished their gardens for comfort in the past. Instead, they used them as a playground for the children and an exercise ground for horticultural hobbies.
photo credit: sarahgardenvisit

Lately, however, they have paid more attention to garden design and also to the arrangement of garden areas for comfortable living. By growing more flowers and taking advantage of a wealth of trees and shrubs. Canadians make liberal use of conifers to provide color and form during the long winters, and of bulbs for spring bloom.

Being accustomed to space in Canada, even in a formal garden they prefer a simple, open arrangement of parts to a crowded, European style with its fine detail. They like games so open lawns are needed by using lawn mower with lawn mower insurance.

Because of shoveling snow they leave planting well back from roads and paths. In Ontario and Quebec they have large supplies of good limestone, and prefer it for walks, steps and walls to the finer finish of brick or concrete.

A simple, open style suits the climate and their tastes, so it is generally the best one to use in gardens where they wish to relax. However, gardens intended as showplaces are often very effective when developed according to the styles of other countries and periods.

Kent Higgins frequently contributes to plant-care.com. The more you know the better decisions you can make, like the topic of lawn mower insurance.

Technorati Tags: garden, gardening, landscape, landscaping, plants