The fall season is “spring-time” for home lawn care. This is a great opportunity to apply grass seed, fertilize, and eliminate weeds in cool season lawns. In Tennessee (USDA hardiness zones 6-7), cool season grasses (fescue, bluegrass and perennial rye) are fertilized in mid-September with a high nitrogen-based fertilizer, available at most garden centers. […]
Archive for the ‘Pests’ Category
Fall Lawn Care Tips
Posted by Hugh on September 15th, 2018
Posted in acidic soil, Bermuda, Broadleaf weeds, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Environmental Conservation, Fertilizing, Fertilizing plants, Garden ecology, Ground cover, Heat Tolerance, Herbicide management, Irrigation, Kentucky bluegrass, Landscape ideas, Lawn Care, Mowing, Pesticide Recommendations, Pesticide recommendations, Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Red fescue, Ryegrass, seeding lawn, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Tall Fescue, watering tips, Weed control, Weed management, Weeds, winter hardiness 
Comments Off on Fall Lawn Care TipsColorful ‘Sugar Tip’ Althea ( Rose Of Sharon)
Posted by Hugh on July 15th, 2018
Rose of Sharon or shrub althea (Hibiscus syriacus) is a vigorous, upright, multi-branched, deciduous shrub that generally grows 8-12 feet tall and 4-6 feet wide. Althea is native from eastern to central Asia (USDA hardiness zones 5-8). Sugar Tip® is a patented variety that features variegated creamy-white and blue-green foliage and soft pink double flowers. Leaf […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Hibiscus syriacus, Japanese beetle, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Scale, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, White flies, winter hardiness Comments Off on Colorful ‘Sugar Tip’ Althea ( Rose Of Sharon)Fill Summer Flower Beds With Annual Rudbeckias
Posted by Hugh on July 10th, 2018
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) is a native wildflower. Annual or biennial forms are also called gloriosa daisy and brown-eyed Susan. In recent years public urban gardens are growing annual types. From summer into early autumn, brown-eyed Susans produce showy daisy-like blossoms up to 3-inches across with light or deep yellow rays and brownish-purple centers (“buttons”). Their cut flowers will decorate households. This coarse weedy […]
Posted in acidic soil, Annual rudbeckia (R. hirta), Annuals, Aphids, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Biennial, compost, Container garden, deadheading, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Flower arrangments, Flowers, Landscape ideas, Leaf/needle spots, mulching, Native Plant, Planting tips, Powdery mildew, Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Rust diseases, Slugs, Snails, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Fill Summer Flower Beds With Annual RudbeckiasPest Alert – Giant Hogweed
Posted by Hugh on June 29th, 2018
Giant hogweed plant (Heracleum mantegazzianum) is a large, invasive plant that can cause severe burns, blisters and rashes and vision loss in humans. As its name suggests, giant hogweed plant is enormous growing invasive species that originated from the Caucasus region of Eurasia. It produces large, towering purple stalks of white flower clusters. Don’t pick these […]
Posted in Environmental Conservation, Environmental issues, Giant hogweed, Invasive species, Landscape ideas, Mowing, Pests, Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Sanitation, Summer flowering, Weed management, Weeds Comments Off on Pest Alert – Giant Hogweed‘Herbstsonne’ Rudbeckias Fill Their Spot
Posted by Hugh on June 20th, 2018
For an old fashion plant ‘Herbstsonne’ (Rudbeckia laciniata) still pops up in many modern day gardens. It is a tall upright growing, clump-forming perennial black-eyed Susan (USDA hardiness zones 5 to 9). This vigorous North American perennial grows 4-7+ feet tall and 2-3 feet wide. ‘Herbstsonne’ is also synonymous with the cultivar ‘Autumn Sun’. Formerly […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, Attracting birds, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Black eyed Susan (Rudbeckia), Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Rudbeckia 'Herbstonne', Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Staking, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, Wildflowers, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Herbstsonne’ Rudbeckias Fill Their SpotAmerican Basswood Tree
Posted by Hugh on June 12th, 2018
American basswood (Tilia americana) is a common deciduous native tree in midwestern and eastern U.S. forests (USDA hardiness zones 2-11). This large majestic tree is remarkably fast-growing but not weak wooded. Basswood is planted as a large residential shade tree, street tree along wide avenues, or tall privacy screen. A mature specimen may grow 50 […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aphids, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Fragrant, Heat Tolerance, Insect (Pest) Problems, Japanese beetles, Landscape ideas, Large Shade trees, Linden (Tilia), Mites, mulching, mulching trees, Native Plant, Planting tips, Powdery mildew, Propagation (Seed), Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Street tree, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on American Basswood TreeBuild A Hotel To Invite Beneficial Insects
Posted by Hugh on May 29th, 2018
Insect hotels are intended for most (not all) sorts of pollinators. They’re easy to construct from new or recycled materials. These structures should be weatherproof as they serve as year-round shelters for bees, wasps, ladybugs, and others that may hibernate over winter. Insect hotels are essentially the same as “wildlife walls” as they invite multiple […]
Posted in Aphids, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, Beneficial Insects, Bumble bees, Caterpillars, Container garden, Environmental issues, Fruits & Vegetables, Ground nesting bees, Insect (Pest) Problems, Lacebugs, Ladybugs, Landscape ideas, Millipedes & centipedes, Slugs, Snails, Southern Appalachian Region, Wildflowers Comments Off on Build A Hotel To Invite Beneficial InsectsBerggarten Salvia Favors Both Gardeners And Culinary Afficiendos
Posted by Hugh on May 13th, 2018
Common sage (Salvia officinalis), a member of the mint family (Lamiaceae), is the culinary sage familiar to most cooks (USDA hardiness zones 5 to 8). The species grow 1.5 – 3 feet high and wide. Multitudes of showy two-lipped, 1-inch long, violet-blue flowers arise on short, upright spikes in late spring. Flowers attracts numerous bees […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aphids, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Container garden, Culinary, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Foliage plant, Fragrant, Heat Tolerance, Herb, Honey bees, Mealy bugs, Mites, mulching, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Sage (Salvia), Salvia, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, White flies, winter hardiness Comments Off on Berggarten Salvia Favors Both Gardeners And Culinary AfficiendosPrincess Flower Excels Where Summers Are Hot
Posted by Hugh on May 1st, 2018
Princess Flower or Glory Bush (Tibouchina spp.) is a tropical shrub (from Brazil) that produces beautiful showy purple flowers. It blooms over a long time span (USDA hardiness zones 9-12). The most popular species in cultivation is T. urvilleana. A well-tended plant can be trained into a miniature tree in a large container for patios and decks. This […]
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, Container garden, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, Invasive plant, Landscape ideas, Nematodes, Planting tips, Potting Mix, Princess Flower (Tibouchina), Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Repotting plants, Scale, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering bulbs, Staking, Summer heat tolerant, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Princess Flower Excels Where Summers Are HotGrowing Celosia In The Summer Garden
Posted by Hugh on April 16th, 2018
Celosias (Celosia argentea), aka cockscomb, feather, and plume amaranths, are summer flowering annuals in most of the U.S. (USDA hardiness zones 10-11). Mature plant height varies by cultivars, generally between 6 inches and 3 feet in height, taller types grown for the florist market. Celosia plants are classified into three groups: a crested type (C. […]
Posted in acidic soil, Annuals, Bees and other pollinators, Celosia, compost, Container garden, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Flowers, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Mites, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Staking, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips Comments Off on Growing Celosia In The Summer Garden
