Maybe you live in a harsh climate, don’t have a green thumb, or simply want to add a different twist to your yard. A rock garden is a great addition to any yard, with a unique beauty all of its own. The official definition of a rock garden is a “type of garden that features extensive use of …

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A good groundcover can be a landscaper’s best friend, but despite being a relatively simple family of plants, there can still be some confusion and misunderstanding. that seems like a good moment to take a look at the pros and cons of groundcovers and how and when to use them. At its most basic, a…

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QUESTION: “This spring we had a tough freeze mid April that killed all tree and shrub greenery. All have thankfully recovered but the growth now is mostly new stems and sprigs particularly on the crepe myrtles, rose of Sharon, and lilac. Do I trim back the new growth that winter so that the shr…

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If there is not a watering ban in your area, water your lawn by providing an inch of water every week. During extremely high heat, or in sandy or compacted or clay soils, shorten the periods between watering sessions and give half an inch of water twice a week. Measure this with an empty tuna or cat…

Where to start? When you move into a type new house that is surrounded by nothing but an expanse of curling, just-laid sod or, even worse, rutted mud and interpretation debris, it can be tough to decide on the plants that will create your ideal landscape. For some, there is a temptation to do a rush…

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Some plants seem to do just fine in clay soil, but for others you will need to supply much better drainage. Here’s a question from a reader who is faced with that problem. QUESTION: “My hosta/herb garden is located directly behind my newly constructed home of 3 years on 7 open acres that used to…

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You might still be mopping you brow under a broiling August sun, but it’s already date to be making plans for fall planting. For me, and for many other garden lovers, that is one of the most enjoyable times of the year. Rather like small children imagining the pile of colorfully-wrapped gifts they…

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One of the pleasures of writing that column is the feedback that I receive from you, the readers. Sometimes that feedback is a question about a problem with a tree or shrub. Sometimes, it’s a suggestion I can pass along to help another reader who has a garden issue. And sometimes, it’s a follo…

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Instead of purchasing a bottle of commercial plant fertilizer, use an empty milk carton. When you finish a off the milk, fill the carton with water and use it to water your plants. The plants will flourish and your wallet will not be harmed, and the local dump will have one less carton to decompos…

Re-seed bare spots in your lawn instead of applying new turf. The secret of Patch Perfect lawn patching seed is the mulch covering that surrounds each seed with fertilizer that helps soak up and retain water. The covering is like a cocoon around each grass seed the allows quicker and healthier see…

QUESTION: “My mother has an established Kwanzan Cherry tree. Last year the leaves turned yellow and dropped off prematurely and that year they are doing the same and are noticeably smaller than they have been in the past. Do you have any ideas what may be causing that. I would hate to have her los…

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Water only in the early morning from 5:00-10:00 AM. Watering in the middle of the day causes you to lose at least 30%-40% of the water to evaporation. Watering at night means you can develop fungus in your lawn and garden. Create irrigation zones for your plants, because some need less water and oth…