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Fertilizing C

Your _COMMON_NAME_ isn’t blooming as it should be? Or just few blooms with little buds? Maybe its time to fertilize. A water-soluble fertilizer with high phosphorus formule would be a good choice. Providing phosphorus helps plants to produce more, larger flowers with longer period of time.

Water-soluble fertilizers generally include ready-to-use,water soluble granules,Concentrate Liquid Fertilizer, etc. Ready-to-use type can be used directly, while water soluble granules/Concentrate Liquid Fertilizer needs to be diluted first. Simply spray water-soluble fertilizers on the leaves, especially the large ones. It will be absorbed through the leaves. Alternatively, you can add some fertilizer to the water when you water the soil, and the plants will absorb it through the roots.

Slow-release fertilizers generally include Smart-Release granules/spikes and compose. Slow-release fertilizers release fertilizers slowly, providing nutrients to plants continuously. When one plant are newly planted or repotted, slow-release fertilizers can be added to the soil as a basal fertilizer. When the plant grows stably, bury the slow-release fertilizer in the soil around the plant regularly or simply sprinkle the slow-release fertilizer on the soil surface, and the fertilizer will be released slowly with water.

Fertilizing B

“Like all other plants, _COMMON_NAME_ need nutrients to help them grow healthily and beautifully, Surprisingly though not many people think they need fertilizer for their plants. However, most plants do not have a high demand for fertilizer. Feed them with suitable amount or it might burn the root of your _COMMON_NAME_. A slow-release fertilizer with balanced NPK or high potassium formula is always a good choice. Providing potassium helps plants to grow stronger and blossom eye-catching flowers.”

Fertilizing A

Shrubs and trees receive nutrients in nature by recycling organic materials such as fallen leaves.

In urban landscapes, your _COMMON_NAME_ may lack nutrients because fallen leaves are not recycled to provide organic materials to the soil.

Fertilize plants can provide nutrients in a timely manner and enhance the tolerance to hot summers and cold winters, as well as resistance to pests and diseases.

Watering C

_COMMON_NAME_ plants are a type of drought-tolerant plants. It is recommended to wait until the soil is very dry before watering. Excessive accumulation of water in the soil can easily lead to root rot. Before watering, a finger can be inserted into the soil 2-3 joints. If the finger cannot feel moisture, it means the soil is dry, and watering is appropriate at this time. If there is still moisture, test and water again the next week.

Watering from the top

The simplest and the best way to water most plants:

1. Pour water near the roots, as they are what absorb the water.

2. Avoid pouring water on leaves and stems, because the extra moisture will make them more susceptible to diseases.

3. Continue pouring until the water runs out through the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot.

4. If you have a saucer under the flowerpot, make sure you dispose of any collected water afterward to avoid excess moisture and root rot.

As for potted plants, the amount of water to use should be between ¼ and ⅓ of the pot’s volume.

Watering from the bottom

If you grow _COMMON_NAME_ in pots, it’s best to perform bottom watering:

1. Place your potted plant in a plant saucer/container, and fill the saucer with water.

2. Keep filling the saucer/container until the water stops getting absorbed into the soil through drainage holes.

3. Dispose of any excess water from the saucer or move the potted plant out of the container to avoid excess moisture and root rot.

This method is also suitable for when the soil is compacted due to dryness, or when watering from above cannot make the soil fully absorb moisture.

Watering B

_COMMON_NAME_ plants do not have strict water requirements and can tolerate short periods of dryness or wetness. It is recommended to wait until the soil is slightly dry before watering. Before watering, you can insert your index finger into the soil 1-2 joints. If you can’t feel the water in your fingers, it means that the soil has begun to dry, and watering is appropriate at this time. If not dry, test and water again every 2 days.

Watering from the top

The simplest and the best way to water most plants:

1. Pour water near the roots, as they are what absorb the water.

2. Avoid pouring water on leaves and stems, because the extra moisture will make them more susceptible to diseases.

3. Continue pouring until the water runs out through the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot.

4. If you have a saucer under the flowerpot, make sure you dispose of any collected water afterward to avoid excess moisture and root rot.

As for potted plants, the amount of water to use should be between ¼ and ⅓ of the pot’s volume.

Watering from the bottom

If you grow _COMMON_NAME_ in pots, it’s best to perform bottom watering:

1. Place your potted plant in a plant saucer/container, and fill the saucer with water.

2. Keep filling the saucer/container until the water stops getting absorbed into the soil through drainage holes.

3. Dispose of any excess water from the saucer or move the potted plant out of the container to avoid excess moisture and root rot.

This method is also suitable for when the soil is compacted due to dryness, or when watering from above cannot make the soil fully absorb moisture.

Watering A

Watering

_COMMON_NAME_ plants are water-loving plants. It is recommended to keep the soil moist, but not too wet. You can touch the soil surface with your fingers before watering, and if your fingers feel dry, watering is appropriate. If your fingers are wet, the soil is wet and can be tested and watered the next day.

Watering from the top

The simplest and the best way to water most plants:

1. Pour water near the roots, as they are what absorb the water.

2. Avoid pouring water on leaves and stems, because the extra moisture will make them more susceptible to diseases.

3. Continue pouring until the water runs out through the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot.

4. If you have a saucer under the flowerpot, make sure you dispose of any collected water afterward to avoid excess moisture and root rot.

As for potted plants, the amount of water to use should be between ¼ and ⅓ of the pot’s volume.

Watering from the bottom

If you grow _COMMON_NAME_ in pots, it’s best to perform bottom watering:

1. Place your potted plant in a plant saucer/container, and fill the saucer with water.

2. Keep filling the saucer/container until the water stops getting absorbed into the soil through drainage holes.

3. Dispose of any excess water from the saucer or move the potted plant out of the container to avoid excess moisture and root rot.

This method is also suitable for when the soil is compacted due to dryness, or when watering from above cannot make the soil fully absorb moisture.

How to Illuminate Your Garden at Night

When the sun goes down for the day, it doesn’t mean you need to head inside. Adding creative lighting to your garden in the following ways allows you to enjoy your outside space after dark.

For many people, their backyard garden is a place to sit and relax, to unwind and enjoy the peace and beauty of their outdoor space. Adding light sources to your landscape lets you enjoy your plants regardless of the time. Sitting in your garden in the evening hours, with everything bathed in the soft glow of lighting, might become one of your favorite ways to spend your free time.

There are many different ways to illuminate your garden that fit your decor style and budget. Choose to create casual elegance with string lights or lanterns or a more modern aesthetic with carefully placed walkway lighting and stylish lamp posts. Most lighting fixtures are available as solar-powered options or must connect to an electrical outlet.

String Lights Along Your Fence

A simple way to light your garden is by stringing lights along your wooden privacy fence. String lights come in many bulb shapes, sizes, and colors and are easy to install with hooks or even nails in the cross beams. For an extra bit of fun, look for light sets with a controller that adjusts their brightness or allows them to twinkle.

Line a Walkway With Landscape Lights

A common way to illuminate your garden is by placing landscape lights along a paved walkway or garden path. These shorter lights add just a touch of light low to the ground and bring attention to beautiful stonework or pretty flowering groundcover plants. You can buy them in various shapes and sizes, and they are available in models that are easy to move around or can be permanently installed.

Hang Chinese Lanterns for a Festive Mood

Hanging Chinese lanterns from your trees, shrubs, or fence brings a festive flair to your garden. Add inexpensive colored lanterns to decorate for an upcoming themed party, or go with simple white lanterns for an elegant mood. Choose from paper lanterns for mild climates or purchase weather-resistant fixtures to keep out the rain and wind.

Highlight Trees from Underneath

To highlight beautiful trees in your yard and garden, use uplighting to cast light from the ground up into the foliage. Palm trees and other ornamental trees with intricately textured bark look beautiful at night when showcased with ground lighting.

Lights can be hardwired to a switch inside the house, or opt for ones that automatically turn on at dusk for a hassle-free light source.

Garland Lighting Under Tree Canopy

Backyard trees provide the perfect backdrop for simple garland lighting. String twinkle lights or Edison lights from the bottom tree branches for overhead lighting. They add a quaint light source to your space that can take on the appearance of lightning bugs flitting through the air.

Candlelit Jars Tucked in Flower Beds

If you’re looking for a romantic, bohemian light source, beautiful glass jars with candles are a great, inexpensive idea for garden lighting. You can purchase jars in many sizes and even paint them with high-heat paint if you want to add color to your space. Once you set the jars in the desired locations, pop a regular candle or an LED-flickering light into them for a soft glow.

Use Insect-Repelling Torches for Double-Duty

Upright torches help to illuminate your garden space while also keeping pesky mosquitoes and other flying insects at bay when filled with insect-repelling fuel. Choose from the iconic bamboo torches to bring a tropical feel to your garden, or buy sleek wrought-iron and glass fixtures to add an air of modernism and sophistication.

Insect-repelling torches can be placed around a patio during parties or backyard barbecues and then moved back into the garden when you aren’t entertaining.

Create an Ambient Glow With Globe Lights

Globe lights are available in many colors and sizes to create a soft, ambient glow throughout the garden. Choose from frosted globes or hand-blown glass orbs in bright, bold colors, depending on your taste.

They look beautiful paired with tall ornamental grasses or tucked in along well-manicured hedges, bringing a new shape and texture to the landscape. Add a variety of sizes to complement different plant heights, or use one standard fixture throughout the garden for uniformity.

Illuminate Your Water Feature

A water feature in your garden — whether it be a fountain, koi pond, or cascading waterfall — is already a beautiful focal point in your landscape. Adding lighting around it elevates it to a show-stopping piece enjoyed both day and night.

Install a combination of short solar lanterns or path lights around the edge of the pond and a spotlight that shines up onto the fountain or waterfall to bring it into focus. You can also sink waterproof lights into the bottom of the pool to illuminate fish, showcasing their bright colors after dark.

Install Solar Lamp Posts

To create the upscale look and feel of an elegant urban garden, install upright lamp posts along your walkway or tucked in along your flowering shrubs. Choose from modern stainless steel designs or look for old-fashioned lamps to bring a feel of an 1800s gas-light district to your backyard.

No matter your style or budget, there are many different ways to bring your garden to life at night with lighting! Illuminating your outdoor space is a great way to enjoy the outdoors after hours.

Top Tips for Choosing the Right Mulch for Your Garden

Adding the proper mulch to your garden will define the space and create visual interest, all while helping you grow healthier plants. Here’s how to choose the right type.

When it comes to making a memorable garden, plants are only part of the equation. To truly define the space and keep things looking their best, you’ll want to lay down mulch.

When applied properly, mulch offers many garden benefits. It prevents soil from blowing away, helps the ground retain moisture, and suppresses weed growth for less maintenance in the long term. Not only does this form of ground protection make gardening easier, it’s one of the easiest ways to add color and texture to your growing space.

Choosing the right mulch can be overwhelming. Keep reading to learn about different mulch options and application techniques to get the best results for your situation.

Common Types of Mulch

All garden mulches can be divided into two main categories: organic and inorganic materials. Both have their advantages and disadvantages for plant growth and aesthetics.

Organic Mulches

These kinds of mulches are made from natural materials. They will break down into the soil over time and will need to be reapplied regularly to maintain their appearance.

Wood Chips or Shredded Bark

By far the most popular choice, wood chips make for an easy mulch option. You can buy them by the bag or cubic yard and spread them directly over plant beds. Popular varieties include pine and cedar, and the chips come in a variety of reds, browns, blacks, and more (both natural and dyed).

It’s also possible to request fresh wood chips or shredded bark from local tree-cutting services or to make your own from trees on your property. Plan to apply wood chip layers several inches thick, and to replenish them every few years as they break down into the soil.

Straw or Hay

Ideal for annuals or a vegetable garden, straw and hay can protect your soil for a season and break down before the next growing season starts. It adds a crisp look to the bed while protecting soil from evaporation and weed growth.

Note: Keep straw away from plant stems, so you don’t cause them to rot or encourage slugs and other pests.

Pine Straw

Made from bales of dried needles from the southeastern longleaf pine, pine straw makes for an attractive reddish-brown mulch with a grassy appearance. Note that it will make soil slightly acidic as it breaks down, meaning it’s best for acid-loving plants like azaleas and rhododendrons.

Cocoa Shell Mulch

Brown and smelling of chocolate, this form of mulch is a byproduct of chocolate making. Apply it up to two inches deep for a distinctive framing for your beds. Just note that applying too much can trigger mold growth, and that dogs and wild animals tend to try to eat it.

Inorganic Mulches

The appeal of inorganic mulches is that you can apply them once and know they will stay in your garden bed with minimal maintenance. However, they also don’t do much to improve soil health in the long term. Here are the most popular options.

Gravel, Pebbles, or Stones

Stones and gravel provide a striking, permanent landscaping solution. They are typically applied on perennial beds that are lined with landscaping fabric to suppress weeds. You can choose from various colors and sizes, ranging from pea gravel to smooth river rocks.

Note that prices tend to increase with larger rock sizes, and that removing rock mulch is both costly and labor-intensive.

Glass Mulch

If sea glass fits your style, consider using large chunks of tumbled glass as mulch. This eye-catching material is a better choice for small spaces or as a way to accent rock mulch.

Crushed Shells

For those living near the coast, seashells make for a striking garden mulch that adds small amounts of calcium to the soil. You can collect them at the beach or buy them in bulk at garden supply stores.

Lava Rock

Lava rock appeals as a landscaping material because it’s lightweight (meaning, easy to spread) and holds onto water. You can find it in shades of red, brown, gray, or black, although black might absorb too much heat and be unsafe for surrounding plants.

Plastic Mulch

For those looking for the lowest maintenance mulch available, it’s hard to beat black plastic. It won’t add much from an aesthetics standpoint, though this artificial barrier creates clean lines and suppresses weeds better than any other material.

For this reason, many vegetable gardeners use black plastic as a temporary mulch early in the growing season — it prevents weed growth while warming the soil in the weeks before planting.

You’ll need to cut holes in this mulch when it’s time for planting, so it tends to work best for perennials.

Note: Using plastic around trees and shrubs can affect their long-term health by preventing the roots from accessing oxygen and water.

5 Tips for Using Mulch in the Garden

The way you use mulch will make a difference in the final result. Here are tips to keep in mind.

Cover the whole landscape: Patchy, sparse mulch is a bad look. Keep things cohesive by incorporating a thick layer throughout all the garden beds.

Adjust the thickness: Keep things pleasing to the eye by tapering the mulch thickness as you approach plants and pathways. Not only will this prevent them from suffocating, but it creates a cleaner look over the whole bed.

Clean out old mulch: If you’re re-mulching a garden bed, it’s best to remove some of the old mulch to prevent bulk. This is especially important if switching colors or mulch types.

Cover all bare soil: there’s no benefit to having bare dirt throughout your garden beds. Even spaces with annual flowers should be covered with a light, biodegradable mulch such as straw.

Prep well beforehand: Best success with mulch depends on the steps you take before applying it. Do your research ahead of time to determine whether the mulch material you chose will do best with landscaping fabric applied beneath it or whether you can use it directly on bare soil.

Best Ways to Control Mosquitoes in Your Garden

Dealing with mosquitoes might feel like an inevitable part of summer, but there are many ways to minimize their presence in your garden. These 14 tips can help keep mosquitoes at bay for better quality time outdoors.

Mosquitoes have ruined many an outdoor evening. Nothing stops you from enjoying the outdoors faster than dealing with constant buzzing and insect bites. Thankfully, there are steps you can take to combat mosquitoes so you can get these pests under control.

14 Methods to Control Mosquitoes in the Garden

Follow these steps to make your garden space as pest-free as possible this summer and beyond.

1. Get Rid of Standing Water

One of the best ways to eliminate mosquitoes from your garden is to get rid of what attracts them in the first place: standing water. Ponds, puddles, birdbaths, clogged gutters, and more all offer a mosquito breeding ground that can exponentially boost your garden’s pest population.

Remove sources of stagnant water like buckets filled with rain or overturned children’s toys, and regularly refill birdbaths and pet dishes to ensure water doesn’t sit still too long.

If the yard tends to stay wet, consider installing a French drain. As a slightly sloped trench filled with gravel, it will collect water and redirect it away from the house or garden.

2. Aerate Your Pond

Mosquitoes love to breed around ponds, especially when they have plenty of algae on the surface that provides food for larva. Add an aerator to your water source and plant oxygenating plants to prevent the water from stagnating.

Another option? Add fish to the pond. Most will happily feast on any mosquito larva that appear.

3. Use an Outdoor Mosquito Repellent

If you plan to spend an evening in the garden, it’s a good idea to layer on some insect repellent first. High concentration DEET sprays tend to be the most effective, although there are some questions about their safety. Consider spraying DEET on clothing instead of directly on the skin, or experiment with sprays made with natural plant compounds like neem oil instead.

It’s also possible to buy outdoor clothing with fabric that contains insect repellent. Most will last through several wash cycles.

4. Pay Attention to Potted Plants

Potted plants on your deck or patio can be a sneaky breeding ground for bugs because they can trap water in hidden spaces. Monitor pots regularly and tip out any water that collects on the surface. It’s also wise to install drainage holes in planter boxes, so water doesn’t collect inside.

5. Try a Bt Doughnut

There are many spaces in the garden where water is an asset, including fountains, birdbaths, and ponds. Prevent insect infestation with a Bt doughnut. Each contains Bacillus thuringiensis, a natural insecticide that won’t harm fish or birds.

6. Install Insect-Repelling Lights

While most people associate lights with attracting bugs, certain ones can deter mosquitoes. Consider installing sodium lamps, LEDs, or yellow bug lights over your outdoor seating area to keep them away.

7. Light Citronella Candles

This option is a classic for a reason — it really works! Citronella candles will keep mosquitoes away, but they only tend to work over small areas, so consider buying several to cover a large garden space.

For extra benefits, store unlit citronella candles in garden sheds to keep insects from moving in.

8. Use a Porch Fan

It sounds almost too easy, but using a fan outdoors can keep bugs far away from your friendly gathering. Mosquitoes and flies struggle to fly against the wind, so turning on a rotating fan can keep them out of your way.

9. Burn Herbs and Coffee Grounds

If you don’t have citronella candles on hand, some used coffee grounds can deter bugs in a pinch. Dry the grounds and burn them in a fire-safe container to create a pungent smoke that’s sure to keep mosquitoes away. Burning sage or rosemary can have similar effects.

10. Try a Bug Zapper

If you’re looking to remove mosquitoes permanently, consider investing in a bug zapper. They work by electrocuting insects that venture too close to your space. However, they tend to be ineffective for making a significant dent in the population, and they will kill plenty of harmless (even beneficial) insects, too.

11. Keep Your Yard Tidy

Mosquitoes love cool, damp, and dark spaces to rest and lay their eggs. Prevent a population boom by keeping your yard well-manicured. Short grass and sunny spaces will keep mosquitoes searching for better breeding sites.

12. Utilize Mosquito-Repelling Plants

Make your garden work for you in the quest to combat mosquitoes by planting varieties that naturally deter them. Options abound for mosquito-repelling plants, although there’s minimal research available to prove they actually work. Thus, you may need to experiment with several to see what works for you.

Popular choices include lemon balm, mint, marigolds, basil, chrysanthemums, eucalyptus, rosemary, lavender, lemongrass, catnip, rosemary, peppermint, sage, and more. Get them as essential oils, and you can also use these plants to keep mosquitoes off your skin.

Another strategy is spreading cedar mulch throughout the garden. It offers double benefits by deterring mosquitoes with its scent and soaking up excess moisture in the soil.

13. Attract Natural Predators

If you want a natural, nearly effortless way to control insects outdoors, consider attracting their biggest fans: bats and birds. Installing a simple bat house can ensure that hundreds of mosquitoes are eaten from around your home every night.

14. Hire a Professional

When all else fails, you may need to bring in an exterminator to control mosquitoes. They can suggest nontoxic treatments to ward off mosquitoes, ticks, and other unwanted insects in ways that won’t harm your family or surrounding wildlife.

Spend More Time Outdoors by Controlling Mosquitoes in the Garden

It’s never fun to deal with mosquitoes in the garden. But by following these tips, you can keep your yard as pest-free as possible for all who spend time in it.

When and How to Prune Flowering Shrubs

Pruning flowering shrubs is an easy way to encourage beautiful blooms—but you have to know how, when, and what to prune.

Most gardeners agree that spring is a great time to sharpen the gardening shears and get to work. But before you so much as touch a saw, shears, or clippers, you need to understand why, how, and when to prune. You probably think that pruning flowering shrubs is necessary for getting exceptional blooms, but the details are confusing. With many shrubs requiring different types of care, it’s important to know which plants need to be pruned, when, and how.

The following article will help guide you through pruning flowering shrubs so that you can prune with confidence.

Why we Prune

There are only a handful of reasons to prune a shrub, but the overall reason is to improve health and appearance. The specific reasons are as follow:

This exposes more of the plant to light and air and improves the overall appearance. Removing dead wood can be done at any time of year, but is especially effective in early spring when buds begin to leaf out and it is easy to identify dead stems.

Shrubs with obvious signs of disease or infestation by borers or scale insects need to be addressed with a heavy pruning to remove the problem areas. Off-cuts should be burned or disposed of off-site, rather than composting or shredding.

Old wood that is no longer able to flower should be removed to make way for more flowering growth. Flowering plants that have too many budding branches can be pruned back to encourage fewer, larger blooms.

Grafted plants like roses, lilacs, and rhododendrons may have suckers from the rootstock that need to be destroyed. Other shrubs can become unwieldy or develop lopsided shapes if not kept in check with an annual trim.

Pruning should be strategic and purposeful. If none of these reasons are present, then you don’t need to prune.

How to Prune

How we prune is almost as important as why. Following a few very specific guidelines ensures that the plants you prune respond positively and reward you with healthier growth or better flowers.

The first rule of pruning is to use clean, sharp tools. This minimizes the spread of disease between plants and reduces the amount of injury inflicted by dull tools. Bypass secateurs, hand-held pruners with a scissor-action are perfect for cutting stems up to the width of a pencil. For branches up to two inches, a pruning saw will be more effective. For medium-thickness branches to just over an inch thick, loppers will do a tidy job. Between plants, use alcohol or a spray disinfectant to clean the blades and prevent the spread of disease.

If removing an entire branch, cut as close to the parent stem as possible so that you leave little to no stub behind. This will help to prevent disease from entering and spreading to the plant.

If you are trying to achieve a specific shape, cut branches just above buds facing the direction you want the shrub to grow. This will direct growth towards your desired shape.

When to Prune What

Every season brings different pruning duties. Getting it right will determine how your flowering shrubs flourish over the following year. Remember, with the exception of the few shrubs listed for early-spring pruning, most flowers grow on last year’s growth and should not be pruned until after flowering.

The most general rule is to prune spring-flowering shrubs after they have bloomed, and then to remove old stems and branches. The new wood that grows during the year will generate next year’s flowers.

These shrubs flower on last-year’s wood, so the only reason to prune these shrubs is to clean up long, trailing branches and to remove worn-out or dead wood.

Shrubs that need thinning or shaping can be pruned in winter when they are dormant. Late winter is a good time to prune certain shrubs for shaping because it can be easier to see their form before they leaf out.

This is the time to prune the young wood of Peegee hydrangeas and rose-of-Sharon shrubs back to a few buds emerging from the mail stems. Most hydrangeas (except for French hydrangeas) can be cut back almost to the ground. Buddleia can be shaped or cut to the ground to maintain a dense, compact form. Cut all dead and old (older than 2 years) wood from climbing roses, and for hybrid tea roses simply cut back all growth less than the thickness of a pencil as well as dead or weak growth. Abelia, hypericum. summersweet, spirea, and vitex shrubs can be pruned before spring growth begins.

After flowering, cut back beauty-bush, deutzia, forsythia, lilac, and mockorange by pruning old wood from the base.

This is a quiet season for pruning, limited mostly to rambler roses that can be pruned to remove spent blooms and growth that is more than two years old. Summer and fall pruning is generally discouraged because it stimulates growth that will be susceptible to winter injury.

There is never a bad time to cut back dead, diseased, or weak stems and branches from shrubs. Cutting back suckers from rootstock is also allowable year-round.

Overgrown shrubs that have stopped flowering can benefit from rejuvenation pruning. This technique involves cutting all the main stems back to the ground in early spring. While severe enough to delay flowering for a year or so, this ultimately results in a more beautiful, compact flowering shrub. Lilac, forsythia, and spirea respond well to this type of pruning. The bottom line is that pruning properly can help flowering shrubs thrive and produce exceptional floral displays every year.