Gardening Myths Demystified

We have all listened and followed gardening advised from others, never questioning if their advice was based on sound information or tried and true facts.  Over the years we have received many questions about gardening, many of them myths that have been passed down generation to generation. 

Here are a few of our top myths demystified for you:

1) Pruning trees in summer months will weaken them – Myth! – pruning trees in the summer is called suppression pruning and is used to control the size and leaf expansion of the tree.  Trees are dormant in winter months and should definitely not be pruned then as they can develop stem disease.

2) Deadheading perennials will create more bloom and promote cleanliness – know your plant before you proceed with deadheading and cutting them back.  Many perennials if deadheaded will not get regrowth from the plants crown and will not self seed.

3) Summer is the season to cut your lawn shorter thus promoting a lusher lawn – Short cutting predisposes the lawn to brownouts, turf thinning and weed growth. In fact, during the heat of summer in June, July and August, all lawns should be grown longer by raising the height of the wheels on the mower to attain a mowing height of two and a half to three inches in height. Longer grass means deeper root systems, less watering, fewer weeds and no browned-out dead patches.

Those are our top 3 gardening myths.  If you have a gardening myth that you would like demystified be sure to send it to us at Rainbow Landscaping.

 

 

Lovely, Luscious Lilacs

 

 

If you are looking for a spring staple for your backyard there is nothing like the  heady scent and lavish blossoms of Lilac.   Aside from the Rose there is really no other flower as beautiful and aromatic as the Lilac.  Unfortunately the Lilac only blooms for a few weeks in the spring.  If you would like to  prolong their presence in your yard, grow a variety of Lilacs, including, early, mid and late varieties.   Lilac bushes can live for hundreds of years without much tending to.

There are over 1,000 varieties of Lilacs.  Lilacs  come in several colors, with the most popular being the color lilac and purple. White and pink are also popular. They also vary widely in size from the small 4 to 8 foot varieties to types that can grow up to 30 feet. So there is a variety perfect for your needs.

The best time to plant Lilacs is the spring.  They require at least 6 hours of direct sunlight and good circulation.  When digging the hole for your Lilac make sure that it is 50 percent wider than the root ball of the plant.  Add some compost and a few handfuls of bone meal to your soil.  Once the plant is in place pat on the soil so that it is firmly in place and make sure to water it well.

For the absolutely perfectly shaped lilac bush you need to prune them each year. Pruning is a very important part of growing and caring for Lilacs.  Pruning the Lilac should be done in early summer once the Lilac flowers have faded but before the seeds begin to form.  While some varieties only grow 4 to 8 feet, others can reach up to 30 feet tall. Many will grow in excess of 10 feet. Pruning will not only help with shape and appearance, but also impact health and vigor and the profusion of flowers.

You do not need to provide frequent fertilizer or organic feeding for your lilacs. Use a general-purpose fertilizer in early spring or one high in phosphorus to promote blooming. Too much nitrogen in the soil will result in poor blooming. Repeat the use of a general-purpose fertilizer after the flowers have died off.

There you have it.  Lovely, luscious Lilacs!!!  Low maintentance and simply gorgeous!

Hosta Heaven

Hostas are a notoriously hardy plant that can add a very attractive element to your garden.  Hostas are available in a wide variety of color and sizes and are unparalleled in their aesthetic appeal.  Hostas a the perfect choice for most landscaping projects and thrive in a large variety of locations.

If you treat your Hosta correctly it can very well become the most attractive part of your garden.  Here are what we consider the top 3 tips for caring for your hosta.

1)  Sunlight – Although the Hosta is shade tolerant it will thrive and flourish in sunlight.  The ideal location for a Hosta is a place that has the morning sun and shade in the hot summer afternoons.  If you have a location in mind that has the hot afternoon sun the Hosta may burn thus limiting their attractiveness and growth potential. 

2)  Planting – When planting your Hostas remember to take into consideration their size at maturity.  Plant the Hosta a hole a foot deep and the width should be two times the anticipated size of maturity.  When planting your Hosta keep in mind that they do best in nutrient rich soils with a slightly elevated pH level.  Regular watering and a balanced fertilizer is recommended on a regular basis.  Because different Hostas have different needs it is best to research your particular variety of Hosta and its needs.

3)  Pests – Even though Hostas are sturdy and hardy they can still fall prey to pests.  Snails and slugs seem to love Hostas of all varieties.  It is a good idea to use organic products and deterrents that are available.  The organic variety are slightly less effective than pesticides but do work well if used correctly.

Hostas make a perfect addition to many landscapes. Their beauty and resilience make them an attractive part of many plans. Following these tips for hosta growth will help you get the most out of these wonderful plants.

 

 

Top 10 Landscaping Questions To Ask Yourself

Spring is here and gardening season is upon us.  You are really excited to get out there and start gardening or are planning to hire a landscaper to set up your garden for you.  Before you decide on landscaping there are a few questions you need to ask yourself so that your landscaping will be exactly as you pictured it.

Here are our top 10 questions to ask yourself:

1) What part of your landscaping do you love and what part do you hate?  Are there other members of your family that will be using the area in question and if so, what will it be used for?

2)  Do you have pets?  If you do how will that affect the look you are trying to achieve? Do you need a dog run or just a place for your pet to lounge and enjoy the outside?

3)  Now take a step back and look at your home.  In what style was it built?  Do you want that style to be reflected in the landscaping or do you prefer a style that will compliment it rather than duplicate it?

4)  What is your landscaping style of choice? Do you love the formal or English garden look?  Are you a fan of Japanese or Natural?  Look through magazines and clip pictures of the look you would like to incorporate in your landscaping.

5)  Now thinking of color scheme.  Do you prefer landscaping that is full of bright, vibrant colors or a more uniformed landscaped design of one or two colors.  Would you like more greenery with touches of colored flowering plants or more flowering plants and a touch of greenery?

6)  Allergies!  This is not generally thought of when landscaping but if you or a family member has, for instance, severe allergies to bees you will want to try to choose plants that are less attractive to bees.

7)  Hardscaping or paving surfaces, would you like to incorporate a patio, deck or walkway in your landscape design?  What is your surface of preference?  Wood?  Concrete?  Stone?  Brick?

8)  When thinking of plants, do you want to try and attract birds, butterflies or any other type of “wildlife”?

9)  What about your neighbors?  Do you need privacy or a division between properties?  Don’t forget to take any neighborly issues into consideration when planning your landscaping.

10)  The very last thing that should not be overlooked when planning your landscaping is zoning regulations.  For instance if you are planning on building a deck you may need a permit.  If you are planning on putting in a parking pad, a permit is usually required. Take your time to research this.  If contracting a professional landscaper have them look into any permits required.

Saltwater Pool Maintenance

 

  With about one-tenth of the salinity of ocean water salt water pools feel softer and more soothing to a bathers eyes,  nose and skin. Even though salt water pools require less maintenance than pools with traditional chemicals some maintenance and preparation is stilled required.  If you have a saltwater pool there is no time the springtime to get your pool ready for the season.

Balanced water put simply means pool water chemicals and minerals are within the target ranges for optimum performance.  The target ranges for balance are :

• 7.2 to 7.8 pH
• 80 to 120 parts per million total alkalinity
• 200 to 450 parts per million calcium hardness
• 50 to 80 parts per million cynauric acid
• 1 to 4 parts per million chlorine
• 3,000 to 4, 000 parts per million salinity ( Follow manufacturer recommendations)

pH balance affects water quality, swimmer comfort, pool finishers and equipment…even the efficacy of chlorine itself.  In saltwater pools a pool with high pH can encounter several problems such as cloudy water, scale formation and staining.  High pH lowers the efficacy of chlorine as a sanitizer.  You can see why pH must be in balance to avoid these problematic issues.

Balancing total alkalinity is the first thing to balance in a saltwater pool.  The correct levels of calcium depend on average water temperature.  The colder the water the higher the recommended calcium level.  If the water is warmer than the calcium level can be lower.

To raise total alkalinity , add sodium bicarbonate, to decrease levels add muriatic acid.  By keeping levels within the accepted range it acts like a shock absorber.  Adjusting pH will also be required less often and becomes easier to manage.

A Peony Party

 

 

 

 

 

Creating a flowering garden with Peonies is easily done. Peonies live long and can flourish in less than ideal conditions. 

If you have a yard with tons of sunlight the Herbaceous peonies are perfect but keep in mind that they prefer heavy, fertile soil. If you are thinking of tree peonies, they will benefit from some light shade during the hottest period of the day. When planting Peonies think drainage, drainage, drainage!  Standing water can cause crown rot and kill the plant. What is crown rot you ask? Crown rot is a disease which affects many different types of plants. Plants afflicted with this disease experience rot around their stems, in the area where the stem joins the root. As with most plant diseases prevention is much easier than curing.

When planting a Peony garden you may want to plant multiple varieties of each color that bloom at different times. Are you looking for a fragrant Peony?  Pinks and whites typically smell the best, but there are exceptions. Some dark varieties have a musky fragrance.

Plant your plants with enough space to grow to maturity without being crowded. That means about a 3-4′ diameter for each plant. Peonies need at least 6 hours of sun each day and a full day of sun is even better. Without sufficient sunlight, you’re going to get less blooms and smaller flowers. Plus, your plants stand an even greater chance of getting a fungus disease, like gray mold. The best time to plant peonies is in early fall. (early September until mid October are ideal) so they will have time to become established in the soil before winter.

Now that your flowers are blooming you may want to cut some gorgeous flowers to bring inside.  When cutting peonies for cut flowers it is best to cut them when they first begin to show the color of the flower. Herbaceous peonies make some of the best cut flowers available. With some practice, they can be cut and stored for up to six months.

 

Garden Groundcovers

 

 

 

 

Ground covers are hardy, fast growing and can perk up your garden with gorgeous color and can last for years.  If you crave a bit of dimension, perspective, height and extra color in your ground covers, consider wide-spreading shrubs.

Ground cover is so easy to maintain.  You don’t need to mow ground covers, and once they are established they need little maintenance.  They can reduce or even eliminate the need for grass. Consider planting ground covers under trees, along narrow passages, shaded areas and other hard to mow spots.  If you reduce the size of your lawn, you will probably also reduce your water consumptions, need for herbicides and overall cost of maintenance.

Here are our top picks:

1) Why not take advantage of azaleas’ spread and cover a shady slope with them?

2) Junipers are adaptive to a range of soils and do best in full sun, but they also do tolerably well with only a half-day of sun.

3) At 1-1/2 to two feet high and four to five feet wide, sweetbox  makes a wonderful ground cover for shade.

4) Isotoma Blue Star Creeper is fast growing ground cover for sun and part shade.  Blooms all summer long and is an excellent lawn substitute.

5) Thyme offers beautiful ground cover and is fragrant with beautiful white or pink flowers.

 

 

Curb Appeal 101

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Killer curb appeal is something we all strive for and don’t always find it easy to achieve.  Here are our top 10 tips on why curb appeal is important and how your home can have curb appeal that will be the envy of all your neighbors.

1) Why curb appeal?  First impressions are everything whether selling your home or staying put.  When people come to your front door or just walk by the first impression of your home says it all.

2) Paint your front door!  Find a great color that coordinates with your  home’s color.  Make sure that the color you pick gives contrast between the front door and the facade of the house.

3) Add appealing and artistic house numbers and put out some beautiful, colorful potted plants.

4) Want instant curb appeal?  Have a beautifully manicured lawn.  Cut the grass regularly and weed away those weeds.

5) Mulch it up!  Tend your garden beds and spread some mulch.  Mulch not only gives your landscaping a fresh appearance but helps control weeds and keeps in moisture for your plants.

6) Tidy up the driveway.  Make sure all garbage cans are neatly put away and out of sight.  Repair any cracks by patching or resealing.  This will give your home a nice neat appearance.

7) Make those windows sparkle!  There is nothing like clean, shining and sparkling windows.  Try washing outside windows by spraying them with a garden hose to remove dirt and cobwebs. Then sponge them down with a small amount of vinegar or detergent diluted in warm water and rinse.

8) Update your outdoor light fixtures. Don’t want to go to the extra cost of getting new light fixtures…no problem!  Try painting or spray painting your old ones for an inexpensive and fresh new look.

9) Trim your trees and bushes.  Nothing says curb appeal like trimmed and manicured trees and bushes.  Cut overgrown bushes and trees, removing branches that block walkways, windows, the driveway and views of the home from the [more] street.

10) Keep the front of your home, clean, neat and tidy.  Plant flowers and bushes or container garden for a bit of extra pop and color.  Take a step back to view your home, take a picture to see how it looks in the eyes of the passersby.  If you love what you see you will have succeeded in creating killer curb appeal!

Preparing Your Garden For Summer

 

 

Spring is finally here in the north east or so they say.  The trees are starting to bud and the grass is a beautiful shade of green. Now is the time to start thinking about getting your garden and lawn ready for summer.

Here are a few simple steps to jump start your summer garden:

1) Till your flower beds:  Prepare annual and perennial beds by tilling the soil and adding rich compost. Tilling aerates the bed and helps promote growth. The best time to till your soil is the spring, after the frost has left and before the growing season begins.

2) Prevent weeds:  Those pesky weeds are hovering just below the surface waiting to germinate. Now is the time to put a stop to weeds germinating. Any easy way to stop them is to apply a thick layer of mulch.

3) Pruning:  Now is the time to prune your rose bushes and any woody ornamentals in your garden Your cuts should be just above the dormant buds or close to the trunk of the plant.  Your tools should be nice and sharp to enable a good clean cut.

4) Fertalize : Young and small shrubs need a slow release fertilizer.  The slow release fertilizer will give these plants the strength and energy they need to grow .

5) Prepare your tools:  Now is the time to make sure all your tools are clean, sharp and ready for use in the summer months.  Make sure they are rust free, crack free and if the handles are dry rub them down with linseed oil.

There you have it, 5 steps to spring into summer gardening!

Organizing Your Backyard Play Area

 

 

 

 

A backyard play area is a wonderful addition to any home.  It allows children to play and enjoy the outdoors while parents easily supervisor their play and even join in.  The need for exercise has never been greater with children sitting in front of the television and play video games for hours at a time.  By incorporating a play area in your backyard you child will rediscover the delights of outdoor play.

Adding a play area to your backyard can be easily and inexpensively done.

Depending on your budget all or anyone of the following can make a great outlet for fun and exercise right in your own backyard.

1) Residential play gym – typically a play gym is the inspiration for building a backyard play area.  Play gyms come in a variety of materials and sizes.  Wooden play gyms are a good and sturdy choice of material.  These play gyms come with colorful slides, ropes,  ladders and tubes for your child to explore and have fun with.  You can easily find one that will fit your backyard and your budget.

2) Sandbox – this can be a great do it yourself project, simple and very inexpensive.  The materials you’ll need for this project are four pieces of pressure-treated wood and some two-and-a-half inch galvanized wood screws. To build a 6X6 foot sandbox, the wood will need to be six feet long. Two by eights work well for this project. Eight inches is a nice depth for a sandbox. It makes tall-enough sides to keep the sand in, but it’s low enough so your kids can easily get in and out of the box.

Lay the pressure-treated wood out in the shape of a square inside the stringed area. Grab two pieces of the eight-inch wide lumber and butt them together at the ends to make a corner. You may need a helper to hold the pieces in place while you use a battery-operated drill with a Phillips head bit to begin inserting the galvanized wood screws into the wood. Start two inches up and insert a screw. Then, advance two more inches and insert a second wood screw. Go up an additional two inches and secure the two pieces of wood together with the third screw. Repeat the process with the other three corners, and the frame of the homemade sandbox for the kids to play in is basically complete! But, before you move onto the next step, make sure the frame is in the center of the cleared out spot in your yard.

Now all you need to do is to fill your homemade sandbox with sand, and it’s ready for the kids to enjoy!

3) Exercise equipment – This is simple!  Jump ropes, frisbees, balls, trampolines, whatever your children will enjoy and whatever your budget can afford.

4) Vegetable garden – a small patch in the backyard to grow vegetable allows you child to not only see how vegetables grow but get great exercise while weeding, sowing the seeds, watering and picking vegetables.  They feel a great sense of accomplishment once those tiny seeds begin to grow and become vegetables.

5) Flower garden – Plant an annual garden with primroses, tulips and day lily bulbs to help them learn about plant propagation.  Have fun, make this garden colorful and fun.  Your child will not only get great exercise but will get them interested in nature.

Once your backyard play area is ready for fun let your child invite some friends over to try it out.  Don’t forget to incorporate in your plan an eating area where they can gather after a long day at play to have some healthy snacks, maybe even some vegetables from their very own garden!