The end to planting Callery pears (Pyrus calleryana), aka Bradford Pear, is almost within sight as more states are banning sales of the tree at garden centers and box store garden departments. Recently, Ohio, South Carolina and Pennsylvania have banned further plantings. This March blooming flowering tree has been determined to be invasive. It produces […]
Archive for the ‘Environmental issues’ Category
Substitutes For Callery Pear
Posted by Hugh on November 15th, 2023
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Autumn foliage color, Autumn Fruiting, Bees and other pollinators, Bradford Pear, Crabapple, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Dogwood (Cornus), Drought tolerant, Environmental issues, Invasive plant, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Non-native, Pear (Ornamental), Prunus (Cherry), Purchasing Plants, Redbud, Serviceberry (Amelanchier), Silverbell (Halesia), Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Weak branching, Weak wooded, Weed control, Winter flowering, winter hardiness, winter injury 
Comments Off on Substitutes For Callery PearRaise The Humidity Around House Plants
Posted by Hugh on December 28th, 2022
Tropical plants thrive in a 70-75° F room temperatures during the fall / winter months. Frequently, the central heating system is running at maximum warmth and results in low room humidity. The lush foliage of many tropical plants suffers leaf edge burn and tip dieback caused by low humidity. Here are nine (9) methods listing […]
Posted in Anthurium, Calthea, Container garden, Environmental issues, Evergreen, Ferns, Foliage plant, Humidity, Landscape ideas, Orchids, Peace lily (Spathiphyllum), Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Purchasing Plants, Repotting plants, Root rotting, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering tips Comments Off on Raise The Humidity Around House PlantsPoison Ivy
Posted by Hugh on November 4th, 2022
“Leaves of three, let it be”. Parents teach their young children about this green plant menace — Eastern poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans). The plant is familiar to hikers and gardeners alike. Poison ivy is native throughout the United States and much of southern Canada and can be found in a wide variety of places from […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Drought tolerant, Environmental Conservation, Environmental issues, Fall Garden Interest, Fruits poisonous, Garden Problems, Native Plant, Native Plant, Poison ivy, Poison ivy, Poisonous or toxic, Poisonous plant, Southern Appalachian Region, Weeds, winter hardiness Comments Off on Poison IvyBird Friendly Trees And Shrubs
Posted by Hugh on December 16th, 2021
Birds visit trees, shrubs, and vines for five things: fruits (berries), sweet nectar (flowers), insects (particularly caterpillars), nuts and seeds, and shelter. This list is a compilation from the North Carolina and Tennessee chapters of the Audubon Society of ornamental plants common in the Southern Appalachian region. Trees and Shrubs (26) Maples (Acer spp.) Downy Serviceberry […]
Posted in acidic soil, Arrowwood (V. dentatum), Attracting birds, Autumn Fruiting, Azalea (deciduous), Beautyberry (Callicarpa spp.), Beech (Fagus spp.), Black gum (Nyssa), Blackhaw viburnum (V. prunifolium), Blueberry (Vaccinium), Campsis grandifolia 'Morning Calm', Coral honeysuckle (Lonicera), Crabapple, Crossvine (Bignonia), Deciduous, Deciduous Azaleas, Dogwood (Cornus), Dogwood shrubs (Cornus), Elderberry (Sambucus), Environmental Conservation, Environmental issues, Evergreen, Hawthorn (Crataegus), Hickory (Carya spp.), Hornbeam (Carpinus), Magnolia virginiana, Mapleleaf viburnum, Maples (Acer), Native Plant, New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus), Oaks (Quercus spp.), Pines (Pinus spp.), Red Cedar (J. virginiana), Red oak (Quercus), Rhododendrons, river birch, Sassafras albidum, Serviceberry (Amelanchier), Southern Appalachian Region, Spicebush (Lindera benzoin), Trumpet vine (Campsis), Vine, Wild Plum (Prunus), Willows (Salix), Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Bird Friendly Trees And ShrubsRaked Leaves Improve Garden Soil
Posted by Hugh on December 9th, 2021
Don’t rake and send fallen leaves to urban landfills. In a recent poll, nearly one-third of weekly disposable materials are composed of yard waste, newspapers, and food waste. Many of your neighbors are sending bags of “nutrient gold” to landfills. Improve your gardening skills and save money. Adding fallen leaves back into the garden is […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bulb Crops, compost, Container garden, Disease resistant, Environmental issues, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Garden ecology, Green Recycling, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Non-native, Perennials, Planting tips, Purchasing Plants, Sanitation, Soil Conservation, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Spring flowering bulbs, Trees & Shrubs, Virginia bluebell (Mertensia), Wildflower Comments Off on Raked Leaves Improve Garden SoilTips On Overwintering Outdoor Containers
Posted by Hugh on October 21st, 2021
Containers filled with shrubs and perennials, doesn’t necessarily ensure their winter survival. Without adequate cold protection plants may succumb to cold injury—turning them into dead annuals. To over-winter perennials in containers, you need to know their root and shoot temperature hardiness. Often, plant hardiness ratings is listed on the label. Roots and shoots of several […]
Posted in Azaleas (evergreen), Blue mist (Caryopteris), Boxwood (Buxus), Buddleia (Butterfly bush), Cold tolerance, common boxwood, Container garden, Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia), Deciduous, Environmental issues, Evergreen, Fall Garden Interest, Hedges, Hydrangeas, Japanese yew, Landscape ideas, mulching, Perennials, Pruning, Repotting plants, Rhododendrons, root injury, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Sun scald, Transplant problem, Trees & Shrubs, watering evergreens, Winter blooming, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness, winter injury, Winter Protection, Yews (Taxus spp.) Comments Off on Tips On Overwintering Outdoor ContainersClump Type Ornamental Grasses Excel In Autumn
Posted by Hugh on September 16th, 2021
City gardeners want low maintenance. These ornamental grasses are what you’re looking for. They achieve their intended growth heights in summer, and produce flowers (inflorescence). Foliage of some change color as temps start cooling in late summer. Five of six listed grass species are winter hardy and overwinter outside in large containers or tubs in most regions […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Attracting birds, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Calamagrostis, Container garden, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Environmental Conservation, Environmental issues, Fertilizing plants, Flower arrangments, Fragrant, Ground cover, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Little Bluestem, Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium), Miscanthus grass, Muhly grass, Native Plant, Ornamental Grasses, Perennials, Planting tips, Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus), Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Clump Type Ornamental Grasses Excel In AutumnAvoid Mulch Volcanos
Posted by Hugh on June 22nd, 2021
Ever heard of a “mulch volcano? It is a load of mulch that is piled up around the base of a landscape shrub or tree. A common answer I get from homeowners guilty of this practice is that they see professional landscapers and city maintenance crews doing it. Volcano mulch can also cause tree roots […]
Posted in Canker disease, Certified Arborist, compost, Disease prone, Disease resistant, Elms (Ulmus), Environmental Conservation, Environmental issues, Garden Maintenance, Garden Problems, Landscape ideas, Maples (Acer), Mulch Quality, mulching, mulching trees, Native Plant, Pests, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, winter injury Comments Off on Avoid Mulch VolcanosGetting Rid Of Difficult Weeds
Posted by Hugh on March 26th, 2021
Some aggressive perennials like Chameleon plant (Houttuynia cordata), variegated Bishop’s weed (Aegopodium podagraria), along with many woody briars can be extremely difficult to eliminate from a landscape area or garden bed. If a weedy garden bed contains no desirable plants, you can over spray weeds with glyphosate, a nonselective herbicide.(Roundup™ is common trade name). This […]
Posted in Aggressive grower, Bishop's weed (Aegopodium), Broadleaf weeds, Chameleon plant (Houttuynia), Container garden, Environmental Conservation, Environmental issues, Euonymus (Ground Cover), Garden ecology, Ground cover, Honeysuckle (Lonicera), Invasive plant, Invasive species, Ivy (Hedera), Landscape ideas, mulching, multi-flora rose, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, root injury, Sanitation, Soil Conservation, Southern Appalachian Region, Weed control, Weeds Comments Off on Getting Rid Of Difficult WeedsCoast Leucothoe a Better Choice
Posted by Hugh on November 16th, 2020
Compared to other doghobble species, coast leucothoe or doghobble (Leucothoe axillaris) is a best choice for Southern U.S. landscapes (USDA zones 6 -9). This species is native to open woodland areas of the Southeastern U.S. The species grows along woodland slopes usually nearby a water source. However, its roots do not tolerate perennially damp ground. Doghobbles are […]
Posted in acidic soil, Anthracnose, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, Deer resistant, Doghobble (Leucothoe), Environmental issues, Fertilizing plants, Fragrant, Ground cover, Landscape ideas, Leaf retention, Leaf/needle spots, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Scale, Shade Gardening, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Coast Leucothoe a Better Choice
