Many landscape plants die because they were planted in soil that was too wet or soggy. Poorly drained soils are generally poorly aerated. A high water table in an area limits your choices of plants that you may grow. Plants that grow naturally along streams and ponds are good candidates for poorly drained sites. During periods of heavy […]
Archive for the ‘Garden ecology’ Category
All About Soil Drainage
Posted by Hugh on January 20th, 2019
Posted in compost, Container garden, Daphne odora, Garden ecology, Landscape Construction, Landscape ideas, Moss (in lawn), mulching, Planting tips, Potting Mix, Purchasing Plants, root injury, Root rotting, Soil Conservation, Soil drainage, Soil Testing, Southern Appalachian Region, Transplant problem, watering tips 
Comments Off on All About Soil DrainagePrevent Leaf Burn on Evergreens This Winter
Posted by Hugh on December 24th, 2018
Winter foliage burn on evergreens is often most prevalent on boxwoods (Buxus), hollies (Ilex), rhododendron, and many kinds of conifers. Symptoms often develop when temperatures warm up in late winter and early spring. This type of winter damage is often misdiagnosed as an infectious disease or damage from excessively cold temperatures. Evergreens transpire (lose water […]
Posted in acidic soil, Alexandrian Laurel, Camellia, Cryptomeria (Japanese cedar), Cupressus (cypress), Doghobble (Leucothoe), Drought tolerant, DWARF CONIFERS, Environmental Conservation, Environmental issues, Evergreens, Fertilizing plants, Fraser fir (Abies), Garden ecology, Ilex (hollies), Landscape ideas, Magnolia grandiflora, Magnolia virginiana, Microbiota, mulching, Native Plant, Osmanthus 'Goshiki', Pieris japonica, Planting tips, Purchasing Plants, Rhododendrons, root injury, salt injury, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Sweetbox (Sarcococca), Taiwan cryptomeria, Thujopsis, Trees & Shrubs, Umbrella pine (Sciadopitys), watering tips, Wind protection, winter hardiness, Winter Protection, Yews (Taxus spp.) Comments Off on Prevent Leaf Burn on Evergreens This WinterBeware Of Fast Growing Trees
Posted by Hugh on November 10th, 2018
Many property owners choose fast growing landscape trees. These large shade trees increase the value of your property. Their summer shade and wintry wind protection may reduce utility bills by 20 – 25% . Trees attract wild birds for nesting, protection, and as a food source. Some brighten up your landscape with dazzling fall color. However, we may pay a […]
Posted in Anthracnose, Attracting birds, Bacterial diseases, Borers, Box elder (Acer), Boxelder tree (Acer), Disease prone, Environmental issues, Garden ecology, Insect (Pest) Problems, Landscape ideas, Large Shade trees, Native Plant, Paulownia (Empress tree), Poplar (Populus spp.), Purchasing Plants, Root suckering, Scale, Silver maple (Acer saccharinum), Southern Appalachian Region, Street tree, Sycamore (Platanus), Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus), Trees & Shrubs, Tulip tree (Liriodendron), Uncategorized, Weak branching, Weak wooded, Willows (Salix) Comments Off on Beware Of Fast Growing TreesFall Lawn Care Tips
Posted by Hugh on September 15th, 2018
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. […]
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 TipsLigularias For Moist Sites
Posted by Hugh on August 20th, 2018
Ligularias (ligs) are big leafy perennials whose roots must be kept constantly moist so that plants don’t wilt or “faint”. An established plant may tolerate several days in dry soil, yet the droopy foliage will recover from the water loss each night. Several species are tropical (under the genus Farfugium). Bigleaf ligs (L. dentata) and narrow-spiked ligularias (L. stenocephala), […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, compost, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Garden ecology, Landscape ideas, Ligularias, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Shade Gardening, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Ligularias For Moist SitesPest Alert -Laurel Wilt Disease
Posted by Hugh on April 1st, 2018
Laurel wilt (Raffaelea lauricola) is an invasive deadly vascular wilt disease of red bay laurel and other trees in the Lauraceae family. The fungal disease is carried from tree to tree by a small beetle called the redbay ambrosia beetle (Xyleborus glabratus). This Ambrosia beetle bores into the wood and the fungus disease infects the […]
Posted in acidic soil, Ambrosia beetle, Environmental issues, Garden ecology, Garden Problems, Insect (Pest) Problems, Landscape ideas, Laurel Wilt disease, Magnolia virginiana, Mountain laurel (Kalmia), Native Plant, Pesticide recommendations, Pests, Planting tips, Purchasing Plants, Rhododendrons, Sassafras albidum, Southern Appalachian Region, Spicebush (Lindera) Comments Off on Pest Alert -Laurel Wilt DiseaseEliminating Messy Fruits From Large Landscape Trees
Posted by Hugh on September 21st, 2017
Messy fruit from yard trees are dreaded by property owners as well as park and city employees. Some notorious culprits are sweetgums, sycamores (planetrees), oaks, mulberries, persimmons, and (female) ginkgoes. Fruits include hundreds of hard nuts or pulpy, smelly, and potentially hazardous covering sidewalks, driveways, and parking lots. Foliar sprays are available to reduce or eliminate […]
Posted in Ash (Fraxinus), Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, Black locust (Robinia), Crabapple, Environmental Conservation, Fringetree (Chionanthus), Fruit thinning, Garden ecology, Ginkgo biloba, Hickory (Carya spp.), Honeylocust (Gleditsia), Ilex (hollies), Kentucky coffeetree, Kwanzan cherry, Landscape ideas, Large Shade trees, Mulberry (Morus), Native Plant, Oaks (Quercus spp.), Ornamental fruit, Persimmon (Diospyros), Pesticide recommendations, pin oak, Pollination needs, Purchasing Plants, Redbud, Southern Appalachian Region, Sweetgum (Liquidambar), Sycamore (Platanus), Trees & Shrubs Comments Off on Eliminating Messy Fruits From Large Landscape TreesRain Barrels Save Water!
Posted by Hugh on May 29th, 2017
The following is a guest blog from Joy Stewart, a good friend who gardens in Bristol, Tennessee. Photos taken at her garden. Regional droughts and potential water shortages are causing people to turn to a centuries old practice of collecting rain as an alternative source of water. By collecting rainwater from your home’s roof, you have […]
Posted in Environmental Conservation, Environmental issues, Garden ecology, Garden Maintenance, Irrigation, Landscape Construction, Landscape ideas, Rain barrel, Uncategorized, watering evergreens, watering hydrangeas, watering iris, watering tips Comments Off on Rain Barrels Save Water!Curing Winter Blues… A Trip To The Philadelphia Flower Show
Posted by Hugh on February 11th, 2017
Since 1827, the Philadelphia Flower Show has been the world’s longest-running and largest indoor flower show. This 8 days flower show, from 11 March 2017 (Saturday) to 19 March 2017 (Sunday), is organized by Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS). The 8- day event features incredible large-scale floral displays, elaborate gardens, and creative floral arrangements. Over ¼ […]
Posted in Bulb Crops, Daffodil (Narcissus), Dahlia, Environmental issues, Flower Arranging, Flowering Bulb, Flowers, Fragrant, Fritillaria, Garden ecology, Garden Tools, Gardens to Visit, Landscape Construction, Landscape ideas, lenten rose, Lily (Lilium spp.), Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Purchasing Plants, Shade Gardening, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Trees & Shrubs, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), Tulips, Water Gardens, Winter flowering Comments Off on Curing Winter Blues… A Trip To The Philadelphia Flower ShowSouthern Gardeners Should Use The AHS Heat Zone Map
Posted by Hugh on January 1st, 2017
The AHS Heat Zone Map isn’t new. The American Horticultural Society developed it in 1960 and updated it in 1990. It has become an important reference for knowing both the cold and heat tolerances of garden plants. Many perennials in southern U.S. gardens struggle in the extreme heat and humidity. The heat zone map developed by AHS is […]
Posted in Evergreen, Garden ecology, Heat Tolerance, Native Plant, Pests, Platycodon (Balloon flower), Purchasing Plants, Regional, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Sweetgum (Liquidambar), Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Southern Gardeners Should Use The AHS Heat Zone Map
