TIPS
How to lighten those heavy pots
No need to strain your back lifting those heavy pots. Try filling the bottom third of the pot with foam packing peanuts. On top of the packing peanuts, put a layer of landscape fabric. Then, add lightweight potting mix that has lots of vermiculite and peat moss. You will be surprised how much lighter that pot will be!
Transporting your plants home
Tired of a messy car due to spilled plants after going to the nursery? Next time before you leave for the nursery, line the back of your car with a plastic tarp and a small step ladder. Before driving home, put your plants into the rungs of the step ladder. This will protect your plant from falling over on the drive home.
How to restrict an aggressive plant from overtaking your garden
Beware of plants that spread past the point of no return. To prevent fast growing and invasive plants from taking over your garden, try placing them in a plastic container that has the bottom cut out. This way, the roots grow directly down into the soil.
How to have success with Roses
Follow these 6 tips to be on the way to a beautiful rose garden.
- Sunshine. Roses love the sun. Ideally, choose a site that gets at least 6 hours of sunlight a day. For roses, the more sunshine, the better.
- Soil. Make sure you use a well-draining soil that also holds on to moisture long enough for the roots to absorb some. This means loam which contains the right percentages of sand, silt and clay.
- Mulch. Add a 2-3 inch layer of organic mulch around your roses. Not only will this provide the roses with necessary nutrients, but it will also insulate them protecting from temperature variations and help to retain moisture. It will also help with weed control.
- Water. Irrigate roses deeply but infrequently. The entire root zone should be wet. Remember to water the soil, not the leaves. Keeping foliage dry will help prevent disease. The soil should be consistently moist – not overly wet and not bone dry.
- Inspect. Check your roses for disease or insects. If you find a problem, treat with a common pesticide before it overtakes your plant.
- Prune. Roses need to be pruned regularly. By removing all the dead, diseased, and damaged canes will open your rose bush up to new growth.
Protect your bulbs
Critters love to take pleasure in finding, digging, and nibbling on bulbs. To protect your bulbs this year, cover them up by staking down chicken wire over the bed. Once early Spring arrives, remove the mesh or let the flowers grow through the holes.