Planting And Care Of Shrubs

Author: Paul Curran

Article: In general, trees and shrubs are planted and cared for in the same way, the difference between them being chiefly one of height. One definition of the difference, however, is that while a tree has only one trunk, a shrub has several stems or trunks.

Not so long ago the number of reliable shrubs was quite limited, but today the many new hybrids have lengthened the list and the gardener's choice is almost endless. No matter the region, it is now possible to plant shrubs that will satisfy color needs, bloom at various seasons, cover bare spots where grass won't grow, or grow in such profusion and depth that screening purposes are served.

Shrubs are valuable to the gardener because they bridge the gap between trees and flowers. As do trees, they serve as boundary markers, soften the lines of buildings, act as a decorative background for flower beds and hide unsightly views.

Like flowers, they add character and shape to the garden, blooming forth with colorful blossoms and attracting birds with their berries. One big item in their favor is that they mature rapidly, yet remain as hardy and long-lived as trees.

Planting of shrubs is tittle different from planting of trees. Early spring is the most favorable time since it gives the plant a long spell of good growing weather to get reestablished. In the milder sections of the country, however, transplanting may be done through the winter months. In New England, evergreens may be planted in September and May, and deciduous shrubs in October and May.

Dry roots are the chief cause of planting failures, and steps should be taken to prevent this—i.e., balling and burlapping, and heeling in. After receiving shrubs from a nursery, water as soon as possible; shade them from sunshine at first, mulch the ground around them, and prune back severely.

The older the plant you get, the more severely it will have to be cut back, so that in the long run, you come out just as well buying the less expensive, smaller shrubs. Forsythia and azalea may be moved while in flower, but most plants should not.

Watering in the fall, before the ground freezes, is important for box, azalea, rhododendron, mountain laurel and broadleaf evergreens, whose leaves lose moisture in winter.

Pruning of shrubs helps to keep them young and vigorous. Rather than cutting all branches off to an even length, prune out the older branches, even though they may be sound. With lilacs, for example, use a keyhole saw, and cut as close to the ground as possible, cutting out the oldest stems.

Some shrubs need pruning every year, especially those which have dead branches as a result of winterkill. (These include some deutzias, hydrangeas, buddleia, spireas and privets.) Other shrubs such as rhododendron, azaleas, magnolia and buddleia should have the flower heads pruned off after blooming.

About the author: Paul Curran is CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and webmaster at Trees-and-Bushes.com, providing access to their nursery supplier for a range of quality plants, trees, bushes, shrubs, seeds and garden products.<a href=""http://www.trees-and-bushes.com/Shrubs.html"">Visit their trees section to find a great selection of shrubs for your garden</a>

Planting Or Transplanting A Tree

Author: Paul Curran

Article: In planting or transplanting a tree, and in building on a lot where you wish to preserve the trees, the gardener's chief consideration must be to protect the root structure of the tree. The big roots near the stem anchor the tree to the ground, while the fine root hairs at the ends of the rootlets absorb the water from the soil.

In planting trees, their mature height and spread must be considered before a selection is made. Tempting as are the nursery catalogs, it is necessary to choose carefully, especially on the average lot, because crowding spoils the growth and appearance of trees, particularly specimen trees.

In general, it is wisest and most economical to plant young trees. Planting a mature tree is difficult and, if done professionally, costly. If, however, a mature tree is badly needed for a terrace or for screening, it may well justify the expense. What you are buying is the time it takes a smaller tree to mature.

Today you can plant trees when in full leaf with the aid of new wilt-proof sprays that seal the leaves against moisture loss until the roots are established. This, however, costs money and entails greater risks than buying your tree and planting it in early spring( the best time) or late fall or winter.

If you are planting a tree over 6 feet tall, it will suffer less setback if moved with a bur-lapped root ball. The soil preparation described in the previous chapter is helpful for most tree and shrub planting. But since the root system must have fertile soil when it is planted, special steps must be taken.

Dig a hole 2 feet deep and at least 1 foot wider each way than the full spread of the roots. The bottom of the hole should be broken up with a pitchfork and thoroughly mixed with peat, leaf mold, loam, etc. Manure should be used sparingly and only on the top of the hole as it burns the roots.

The deeper you can cultivate your hole, the better for your tree. Once it is planted, you can cultivate around it but not under the roots. If you strike a subsoil of building rubble or clay, which you are very apt to find anywhere near a house and in which a tree cannot grow, this subsoil must be removed and good soil, or better still, garden humus, substituted for it.

If you are planting a seedling that is not balled and burlapped, you will want to protect it by ""heeling in"" a vacant flower bed where it may be kept before planting as long as dormant. This means laying it on its side and covering the roots with good soil. When you take it from the soil, give it a mud bath or ""puddle"" it.

Puddling protects the roots from exposure to air before planting

and also from any air pockets which may exist after planting. Having filled the hole to the depth required by the roots of the plant, flood it with water to settle the soil at the bottom; when this has drained away, place the tree in the position in which it is to grow and settle the soil about it.

Use a stick or shovel handle to work the soil around the roots, and make cer tain there are no air pockets. Spread the roots out naturally, planting the tree at about the same depth as in the nursery or its former location. When the hole is two-thirds full, trample it down and again fill with water. Don't firm down the remaining soil, so that the water will drain towards the trunk.

A balled-and-burlapped tree is one dug with a solid ball of rich, heavy loam in which it has been growing in the nursery for years, its root system thus amply covered and protected. The ball is firmed and held in place by a secure covering of twine and burlap.

To plant it, set the tree in a hole a trifle lower than it stood in the nursery. Work the soil beneath this depth, as directed above. Dig the hole about twice the size of your ball and plant at once. If the ground is dry at planting time, fill the hole with water and let it soak away before planting.

Cut the burlap at the top when you put the ball in place, rolling it back 3 or 4 inches. Plant ball, burlap and all—the burlap will soon rot away. If you are planting a big tree, it is transported in a truck, lowered to the ground by winches, rolled along a plank track on rollers and maneuvered into the exact center of the hole on a single board.

A holding rope from the truck to the base of the tree trunk helps to position the tree. After the tree is planted, cutting back is proper. Cut back sharply at least one-third, pruning the branches. It is necessary to brace the tree with wire ropes so that the roots will not be broken by the wind.

Use a single wire around the trunk and three guy wires. For the first year after planting, the more cultivation the better Keep weeds away, too, with straw or mulch, and strawy manure mulch in the spring and fall will help keep the moisture in the ground.

About the author: Paul Curran is CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and webmaster at Trees-and-Bushes.com, providing access to their nursery supplier for a range of quality plants, trees, bushes, shrubs, seeds and garden products.<a href=""http://www.trees-and-bushes.com"">Visit their trees section to find a great selection of trees for your garden</a>

The most well known bulbs - daffodils and tulips

Author: Tony Robinson

Article: Bulbs are among the most popular of all flowering plants for the garden. Bulbs have long been renowned for their beauty, their hardiness and their variety. This article provides a small sampling of the many types of bulb plants available to the average gardener.

Muscari Armeniacum The muscari, or grape hyacinth, is one of the most popular of all bulb varieties, and it has been for many years. The grape hyacinth features narrow, grassy leaves that appear in the fall and can survive through the cold and snow of winter. The leaves of the grape hyacinth are small, urn shaped and blue in color, and they grow on attractive eight inch tall spikes. The flowers on the grape hyacinth bloom in the spring of the year, and these bulbs should be planted in the fall in order to bloom the spring. The bulbs of the grape hyacinth should be planted two inches deep and three inches apart for best results. The grape hyacinth prefers full sun or light shade, and it benefits from regular watering during its growth and bloom cycles.

Daffodil The daffodil may be the most easily recognizable of all bulb plants, and it rewards its gardener with a generous display of beautiful blooms. Besides the traditional white and yellow varieties, daffodils also come in shades of orange, apricot, pink and cream. Daffodil bulbs should be planted twice as deep as they are tall, and they should be spaced between six and eight inches apart. Daffodils benefit from full sun and regular watering during their growth and bloom periods.

Tulip Tulips may just be the most well known and easily recognized of all bulb plants. Indeed, in the minds of many tulips are synonymous with bulb plants. The tulip has long been prized for its beauty, and tulips continue to be one of the most popular types of flowers among casual gardeners and professional growers alike.

In addition, tulips are among the most hybridized of all flowers, with hybrids available in a staggering array of shapes, sizes, colors and textures. Some of the most popular tulip hybrids include pastels, spotted tulips, bicolor tulips and tricolor tulips. There are also hybrids in the brightest hues, and even a variety that is almost black in color. The tulip comes in a variety of shapes as well. In addition to the classic egg shaped bloom, there are varieties with blossoms resembling the shapes of peonies and lilies.

The blooming season for most varieties of tulips runs from mid to late spring. Most tulips need a period of extended cold in order to look and bloom their best. Feeding with a high quality, nitrogen rich fertilizer will encourage multiple blooming. The fertilizer should be applied before the first bloom for best results.

In mild climates, it is best to refrigerate tulip bulbs for six weeks before they are planted. While it is possible for tulip bulbs to remain in the ground, most gardeners treat them as annuals and replant them each year. Doing so is often the best way to get the best blooms year after year.

Tulips like full sun, and they benefit from a regular watering schedule during their growing and blooming periods. It is best to plant tulip bulbs in the fall, and tulip bulbs should be planted three times as deep as the bulb is wide. Therefore, a 2"" wide bulb would be planted 6"" deep. It is important to leave sufficient space between the planted bulbs as well, from four to eight inches depending on the size of the bulb.

About the author: Tony Robinson is an international author and webmaster. In his busy life he finds time to ""Smell the Roses"". For geat tips, techniques and articles visit http://www.rose-bloom.com

Evergreens You Can Use For Landscaping

Author: Paul Curran

Article: Evergreen trees and shrubs are more expensive in general than deciduous trees (trees that drop their leaves in winter). But they are worth their cost because of their year-round beauty, hardiness and longevity. Evergreens range from the broadleaved shrubs like rhododendron and laurel to the tall-needled cone-bearing pines and stately spruces.

The giant spruces and firs are most effective as windscreens; the spreading evergreen shrubs are widely used not only because of their attractiveness but also because they can be shaped and trimmed and do well in the shade (such as for foundation planting).

<b>Pine</b> is the most commonly known of the evergreens. White pine is noted for its long, soft, light silvery-green needles and rapid attainment of its 60- to 80-foot maturity. Red pine, as well as white pine, is splendid for backgrounds and windbreaks. Ponderosa pine, a broad, compact tree, is used for protection and ornamental screens.

Austrian pine (black pine) with its rich, green color and spreading branches has great favor in the Midwest. Globe mugho pine is a small, rounded tree for ornamental planting.

<b>Norway Spruce</b> is probably the most widely planted windbreak evergreen. Quick growing and. hardy, it has short needles of dark green; is a compact, pyramidal shape. Black Hills spruce grows toy 40 feet in time, is hardy and drought-resistant. A slow grower, it can remain in close quarters for many years.

<b>White spruce</b> has short, thick, light blue-green needles; it matures at 60 to 70 feet and is good for landscaping and screens. Colorado blue spruce is a good specimen tree and hardy, too, but it suffers in heat and drought. Of the <b>cedars</b>, red cedar is a fine ornamental evergreen for hedges and windbreaks. It withstands dry weather and the thick green foliage has a bronze in winter.

<b>Douglas fir</b> is the best fir for windbreaks and screening. Hardy, healthy, drought-resisting, it grows quickly and compactly, and its lofty pyramid makes a good lawn specimen. Balsam fir, the Christmas tree, is noted for its fragrance and lustrous foliage. White fir, a specimen, has an attractive silvery color.

<b>Arbor vitae</b>, like cedar, furnishes the flat evergreen branch found in flower arrangements at Christmas. It is an ornamental tree of many varieties, and is best located in moist protected places. Un-trimmed, it is a broad pyramid, 35 to 50 feet tall, but it shears to any size or shape.

The <b>juniper</b> family is useful in planting, in tall forms such as the formal columnar juniper and the upright juniper, and as a spreading evergreen — the remarkable Pfitzer juniper—for banks, ground cover and edgings. The green feathery foliage grows rapidly; can stand crowding. Height at maturity is 8 feet, spread up to 12. Ground-covering junipers include prostrate, Sargent, Waukegan and creeping varieties.

Another evergreen with feathery foliage is the <b>hemlock</b>. The Canadian hemlock can be sheared in a symmetrical manner. Hemlock is most effective when planted in a grove with others.

<b>Yew</b>, with its thick glossy needles and dense, upward-reaehing branches, is useful as both shrub and tree, growing well in sun and shade. Try using it not in the usual manner as foundation planting only — but as a single handsome specimen against a wall of the garden. The low-spreading bushy dwarf yew can be clipped well. Other varieties are upright yew and Japanese yew, a tapering or conical tree or shrub used for hedges.

Evergreens tend to be adversely affected by hot, dry summer weather and should be watered every 10 to 14 days at this time. Be sure the water reaches the deep-root growth, at least 6 inches deep.

A mulch of grass clippings or peat moss will also protect the tree from loss of water in dry weather. Pruning in late spring before new buds appear seems to help an evergreen thrive. Prune so that the inner branches can develop and the tree or shrub is more compact.

Formal trees can be kept trim, with no ragged branches sticking out, and badly shaped or deformed trees can be corrected through shaping. Evergreens are susceptible to ""winterburn"" from too much wind and winter sun, so that they dry up and their branches crack under the weight of snow or the force of wind. A precaution is to water them deeply before the ground freezes in the late fall.

They may also be protected in winter by screens of burlap or straw mats. Where wind and winter sun are not too strong, shielding only on the sunny side is necessary. Burlap boxes or covers should be well ventilated. Thin, tall shrubs or small evergreen trees may be tied with strips of cloth, so that the branches will not crack. Old trees with heavy limbs may be propped with boards to prevent breakage under heavy snow or ice.

About the author: Paul Curran is CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and webmaster at Trees-and-Bushes.com, providing access to their nursery supplier for a range of quality plants, trees, bushes, shrubs, seeds and garden products.<a href=""http://www.trees-and-bushes.com"">Visit their trees section to find a great selection for your garden</a>

Flowers of Red Violet in Dramatic Display

Author: Hans Dekker

Article:

Flowers of Red Violet in Dramatic Display

Although many flowers are red-violet, several types of Japanese Iris exhibit the color in a most spectacular fashion.

Japanese Iris (I.ensata) are the last of the Iris to bloom and usually bloom about a month after Bearded and Siberian Iris have finished. Japanese Iris are a beardless iris that bear the largest flowers of all. Spikes that reach up to three feet tall carry blooms in unique shapes, colors (including the most brilliant red-violets), and striking patterns that measure as much as one foot in diameter. Broad foliage with a raised mid-rib makes a vertically interesting backdrop for other plants when the Japanese Iris has finished blooming.

The Japanese Iris is native to much of eastern Asia and has been cultivated in Japan for over 200 years. Single blooming varieties have three standards and three falls, doubles have six falls and peony-type blossoms are downward sloping with nine or more falls. Cultivars with red-violet flowers include the "Royal Banner", the "Velvety Queen", and the spectacular, dark red-violet "Laughing Lion".

Hardy in zones four through nine, rhizomes can be planted from October to March. However, Japanese Iris grown from seed are smaller but bloom with exquisitely elegant flowers.

The Japanese Iris is an extremely beautiful waterside plant that exhibits breath-taking reflections when placed near water's edge, During summer, many gardeners pot Japanese Iris and place them at ponds edge or in shallow tubs of water. However, in winter pots need to be removed from standing water to keep rhizomes from rotting. When planting Japanese Iris in a perennial garden, mulch helps retain the abundant moisture they love as well as controlling weeds.

Japanese Iris do best in acidic soil in full sun to part shade. Rhizomes are typically planted 2-inches deep and 18 inches apart. Plants should be lifted and divided every three to four years, either after flowering is finished or in the fall.

Although the Japanese Iris is beautiful in all its variations, the unusual patterns and shapes of the red-violet cultivars add distinction to any perennial garden.

About the author: Hans is editor of <a href=""http://www.gardening-guides.com""</a> The Gardening Guides, knowledge for your Garden</a>

How To Propagate Seeds Outdoors

Author: Paul Curran

Article: Annuals can be grown readily from seed in most cases. The method of growing depends upon the delicacy or hardiness of the seed, and may require planting in frames or pots initially, transferring to the bed only when the weather is sufficiently mild and the plants well grown.

Many perennials and biennials may also be propagated from seed. This method, however, is not suited to all perennials, and some of the methods already discussed will yield more fruitful results. Typical perennials which can be propagated from seed are: Hollyhock, Christmas rose, Columbine, Bleeding heart, Baby's breath, Foxglove, Butterfly weed, Primrose, Larkspur.

Depending on the variety of seed, most annuals and perennials which can be grown by this method can be planted in seedbeds out doors. The time for planting varies. A few can be sown in autumn, but most, however, should be sown in spring, and, to be safe, not before the last frost has passed.

The big disadvantage of outdoor sowing is that one sacrifices control over the circumstances under which the seeds will germinate. In an indoor hotbed, or coldframe, conditions of moisture, heat, etc., can be regulated. Not so in the outdoors, where dryness or changing weather can destroy the weaker seeds quickly. If an outdoor seedbed is planned, choose a spot with good soil.

Then work in a portion of your compost pile, pulverizing the soil to the depth of 3 inches. Adding some sand and peat moss increases the effectiveness of the bed. Most seed may be planted on the surface, and the deepest one should plant is 1/2 inch. The bed should be well-watered after the seed has been broadcast over the entire area. The bed can then be lightly tamped.

About the author: Paul Curran is CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and webmaster at Trees-and-Bushes.com, providing access to their nursery supplier of a range of quality plants, trees, bushes, shrubs, seeds and garden products.<a href=""http://www.trees-and-bushes.com/Seeds.html"">Visit their seeds section now to find a great selection of seeds for your garden</a>

More Types Of Shrub To Use In Your Garden

Author: Paul Curran

Article: Buddleia, the butterfly bush, is 16 feet or more if not killed back by winter, and gets its name from the fact that in the summer, butterflies are always seen around it. The buddleia takes many forms: as a small - leaved shrub with small purple flowers; as fascinating, a cattleya-pink bush; as flaming violet, a brilliant purple, and as white profusion, a dwarf variety with pure white flowers. Also the Empire blue shrub, the dubonnet, the red glory and white cloud.

Flowering quince (Cydonia) has roselike flowers and a scarlet bloom in spring. Japanese quince grows to 6 feet; has orange-scarlet flowers.

Deutzia is an easily grown shrub, pleasing for the many small flowers in spring. Types include the 2- to 3-foot pink deutzia, with its delicate flowers; the pride of Rochester, with large double white flowers, and Deutzia Lemoinei, which has large, pure white flowers.

Other shrubs are the dwarf buckeye, which blossoms in July with 12-inch spikes; the chokeberry bush, liked for its decorative fruit; broom, which grows in sandy places and blooms in June and July, and witch hazel, a shrub that grows to 20 feet and has spidery yellow flowers.

Forsythia is a welcome shrub because it needs little care; with its drooping sprays of yellow flowers, it is useful for softening the lines of walls.

Hibiscus blooms in August, a rarity, with flowers that are large and purple, or rose-pink or white. It grows to 12 feet if unpruned. Hydrangea, another shrub with large blossoms blooming in July and August, is a showy bush, with big blue globe-shaped clusters.

Honeysuckle bushes are useful for mass planting. Some varieties are especially enjoyable because they blossom in February and March. Several spirea varieties are found to be useful as screen plantings, particularly because of their dense growth and abundant flowering. Anthony Waterer spirea is a 2-foot bush with white or rose-pink clusters.

Bridal wreath has profuse white clusters in May. Spirea Thunbergii also has white flowers, and Spirea Vanhouttei, 8 feet high with dense white flowers, is used as a living fence.

Viburnum (the popular snowball) is 10 to 12 feet high at maturity and is used for high foundation, screening and hedges. It has white snowball-shaped flowers and foliage turns crimson in fall.

Weigela is popular, too, in many varieties, including the variegated weigela, a dwarf shrub with rose flowers and variegated silvery leaf. There is also Weigela rosea, with rosy trumpet-shaped flowers, and the new brilliant cardinal shrub.

About the author: Paul Curran is CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and webmaster at Trees-and-Bushes.com, providing access to their nursery supplier for a range of quality plants, trees, bushes, shrubs, seeds and garden products.<a href=""http://www.trees-and-bushes.com/Shrubs.html"">Visit their shrubs section to find a great selection of shrubs for your garden</a>

Types Of Shrub To Use In Your Garden

Author: Paul Curran

Article: Among the bewildering lists of shrubs, certain names stand out as new and unusual, or, on the other hand, tried and familiar. These include both the evergreen and deciduous types.

Rhododendron and azaleas (a type of rhododendron) head the list of evergreens with some 700 species. Hardy and long-lived, these ornamental woody plants have flowers of all shapes, colors and tints. Well-liked are the pink pearl, and the Rhododendron maximum, with its large pinkish flowers.

Hardy hybrid species also are the Boule de neige (white) ; the Abraham Lincoln and Lady Armstrong (pink) ; the Everestianum (purple) ; and the Caractacus (red). Rhododendrons won't grow in limey soil, and humus should be supplied liberally to protect them from winter-burn.

Azaleas thrive under the same conditions as rhododendrons—that is, in partial shade—and like rhododendrons in general may be used for foundation planting; they do well in thin woodlands. The Azalea malus has flowers in pastel shades of orange, yellow and tan.

Boxwood has been a well-loved shrub for generations, especially where winters are not so severe. This evergreen can be pruned to formal rounded shapes. Left to grow, it sometimes attains 20 feet. It is used as a shrub for paths and walks.

Euonymus patens is an evergreen shrub that is hardy. It has glossy green leaves and red berries. Some of the evergreen holly shrubs, such as Japanese Holly, or Inkberry, are popular. Japanese Holly resembles boxwood.

Laurel is another familiar evergreen shrub, valuable for foundation planting. American mountain laurel bears clusters of pink flowers in spring.

Pachysandra (Japanese Spurge) is a dense evergreen ground cover for places where grass won't grow. Among the deciduous shrubs, lilac is probably one of the best liked. If you buy lilac be sure that it is grafted either on its own stock or on privet stock. Plant lilac as early as the soil can be worked.

The common lilac, which has light purple flowers and reaches a height of about 10 feet, is the best known. There are several hundred varieties, in white, pinkish-lilac, reddish-lilac and bluish-lilac.

About the author: Paul Curran is CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and webmaster at Trees-and-Bushes.com, providing access to their nursery supplier for a range of quality plants, trees, bushes, shrubs, seeds and garden products.<a href=""http://www.trees-and-bushes.com/Shrubs.html"">Visit their shrubs section to find a great selection of shrubs for your garden</a>

How To Use Hedges In Landscaping

Author: Paul Curran

Article: A hedge that is well kept and attractive can do much for your grounds. Used in the front of the house and on the sides of your lot, hedges are a barrier against traffic, noise and all things unsightly; at the same time they enhance the proportions and general appearance of your house and lawns. And within the boundaries of your property, hedges define paths and walks, demarcate various areas, and help to screen service areas and vegetable gardens.

The plant materials generally used for hedges are mentioned elsewhere in this book. They include the tall background hedges of holly, thorn or wattle; the informal flowering hedges of rose, bridal wreath spirea or barberry; Such evergreens as mugho pine, globe arbor vitae, box or eunonymus (most of which are used as low edgings) and the colorful fruit and-nut hedges of thorn apple, hazlenut, cherry, beach plum, cranberry and quince.

And, of course, there are the formal clipped hedges. Of these, the Amur privet is by far the most widely used. In fact, the privet is used so universally that it is original to choose any of the above for hedging.

<b>How to Plant Hedges</b>

Hedge shrubs must be planted in the same manner as any other shrub, with soil preparation all-important to the continued life of the plant. The main consideration here is the spacing and planning of the plants in relationship to each other.

One way to get a straight hedge is to dig a trench the length of your intended hedge, with one side straight and your plants set against this straight wall. The depth of the plant depends on what you are planting, but privet may be set 3 inches deeper than it was before being transplanted.

How far apart the hedge shrubs are set again depends on what shrub it is, as some hedging materials are spreading and bushy. Privet is usually set 1 foot apart; barberry, 9 inches to 1 foot; larger shrubs, 2 to 4 feet.

The way hedges are trimmed has much to do with their health. While a flat top is neat looking, it is easily damaged by snow and ice accumulating on top. A rounded top is better, therefore, for northern winters. And hedges should be trimmed to slop outward from top to bottom so that the leaves on the bottom also get sun.

About the author: Paul Curran is CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and webmaster at Trees-and-Bushes.com, providing access to their nursery supplier of a range of quality plants, trees, bushes, shrubs, seeds and garden products.<a href=""http://www.trees-and-bushes.com"">Visit their site now to find a great selection of hedges for your garden</a>

How To Use Vines In Landscaping Your Home

Author: Paul Curran

Article: Vines can be the quick salvation of the new home owner. Fast-paced annuals will twine up a hastily erected pergola almost before summer starts, providing a cool, fragrant and beautiful awning. Annuals and perennials (or hardy vines, as perennials are called) are an inexpensive way of softening the lines of new buildings, linking them to the landscape.

Decorative and functional, vines are often the answer for older homes as well, the ground-covering varieties serving as cover for foundations and banks, others spreading a carpet of flowering greenery over walls, making fences seem friendlier and stone buildings less harsh.

The methods by which vines climb will necessarily influence and determine your selection. Some vines, such as grape vine, have tendrils which reach out and grasp small objects to hold on to; these vines need a lattice or fence. Others, such as Boston ivy, have adhesive discs that fasten on to a brick or stone wall, and still others, such as the climbing hydrangea, hold to a masonry wall with small, aerial rootlets.

Finally, there are those that climb by twining around other branches or poles, climbing from left to right, or right to left (like honeysuckle). This type can be parasitic in the worst sense, climbing over small bushes and trees and completely strangling them.

No vine should be unsupported, however, and attractive vines are those which are carefully trained and held up. Supports such as arbors, trellises and per golas need not be elaborately constructed, since their function is to display the vine, not themselves. Wood or other material that does not require painting is ideal, for the natural woods are really more suitable as a background for vines than are the painted ones.

If you have a wooden house and want vines on the walls, it is a good idea to construct a detachable trellis, hinged at the bottom so that it can swing outward when painting is going on. There will be sufficient flexibility in the tendrils to allow this.

Planting Vines

If you are planting annuals, ordinary digging in well-drained soil should suffice. But if you are planting perennials, you will want to plant them as well as any shrub; remember that if they are planted close to the foundation, the soil may be poor initially and may need preparation. The hole should be at least 2 feet square. Break up the bottom soil and mix in bone meal, peat moss, etc.

If you are planting near the house, be careful to place the vine far enough from the overhanging eaves so that water will not drip on the leaves. In winter weather, wet leaves can freeze in the evening and crack. Also, if the vines are placed against a sunny wall they will get reflective heat, and so they should receive extra watering in hot weather.

About the author: Paul Curran is CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and webmaster at Trees-and-Bushes.com, providing access to their nursery supplier of a range of quality plants, trees, bushes, shrubs, seeds and garden products.<a href=""http://www.trees-and-bushes.com/Vines-1.html"">Visit their vines section now to find a great selection of vines for your garden</a>

How To Plant Rose Bushes In Landscaping Your Garden

Author: Paul Curran

Article: For planting roses a good garden loam with organic matter is important. It must contain peat moss, leaf mold, compost, rotted or commercial manure, and the bed should be prepared as far ahead of planting as is feasible in order to allow for settling of the soil.

Fall is the best time for setting out roses, but you can plant in spring. When they arrive from the nursery, plant at once. If they have dried en route, soak the roots and put the tops in a bucket of water before planting. Trim back any roots that are weak, long or broken at this time. Dig a hole that is wide enough to allow the roots to spread without crowding.

The rose is properly placed when the bud (the point where the top joins the roots) is just under the ground surface. Space hybrid teas about 18 inches apart in any direction. Prune the branches 6 to 10 inches from the soil.

To grow good roses it is necessary to cultivate, to prune and to spray. If you have a well-cultivated bed you need not worry about watering. But if you start to water in hot weather, you must keep it up, soaking the roots thoroughly about once a week.

Spraying every 10 days guards against the diseases and insects that attack roses. Nicotine sulphate wipes out the green lice; arsenate of lead is used against chewing insects; or sulphur and arsenate of lead may be used in a dust, as may DDT dust.

Winterize your roses by mounding sod around them after the first frost, or mulch with straw and evergreens. In cold parts of the country, remove the supports from the climbing roses and place the canes on the ground, peg them, and cover with soil mounds.

In spring, cut back your roses to within 6 inches of the ground. Ruthlessly lop off all but three or four canes on hybrid teas. This pruning will give you strong plants. When your plants grow out from spring pruning, you will have to disbud, cutting off all the buds except the top ones on the cane. This is the way to grow large blossoms.

About the author: Paul Curran is CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and webmaster at Trees-and-Bushes.com, providing access to their nursery supplier of a range of quality plants, trees, bushes, shrubs, seeds and garden products. <a href=""http://www.trees-and-bushes.com/Rose_Bushes.html"">Visit their roses section to find a great selection of rose bushes for your garden</a>

Types Of Roses To Use For Landscaping Your Home

Author: Paul Curran

Article: If you enjoy roses, you can use them functionally as well as decoratively around your grounds — as creepers, shrubs, vines, climbers, hedges or just as beds of pure color. Rose originators are enthusiastic and tireless, and every year new favorites appear. Most recently the headliners were the bright floribunda rose, Jiminy Cricket; the soft, pure-pink hybrid tea rose, Queen Elizabeth; the bright"" yellow peace rose. There are over 5,000 varieties of roses in the United States, and once you start growing your own you are apt to change your preferences from season to season.

In selecting roses, it is important to get healthy plants. Stems should be green and un-shriveled, roots moist and partly fibrous. The most expensive rose is not always the best rose; it may be only a newcomer, much discussed and, therefore, a favorite.

In general, there are two types of roses: bush roses (similar to shrubs) and climbers (producing canes that require some sort of support). In the bush classification, the predominant type is the hybrid tea; it accounts for over 60% of all roses grown in America.

The other major bush types are the polyanthas (roses in large clusters), the fioribundas (large-flowered polyanthas), and the hybrid perpetuals (vigorous growers with a great crop in June and continuous blooming throughout the summer). The climbers include ramblers, whose long pliant canes have large clusters of small roses that can be used for covering walls, fences and banks. The climbers also are pillar roses, adapted to growing near buildings and on posts and the climbing hybrid tree.

For planting roses a good garden loam with organic matter is important. It must contain peat moss, leaf mold, compost, rotted or commercial manure, and the bed should be prepared as far ahead of planting as is feasible in order to allow for settling of the soil.

About the author: Paul Curran is CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and webmaster at Trees-and-Bushes.com, providing access to their nursery supplier of a range of quality plants, trees, bushes, shrubs, seeds and garden products.<a href=""http://www.trees-and-bushes.com/Rose_Bushes.html"">Visit their roses section to find a great selection of rose bushes for your garden</a>

How To Use Flower Beds In Landscaping Your Garden

Author: Paul Curran

Article: The loveliness of flowering plants needs little embellishment by description. Certainly every gardener seeks the beauty and color that can be brought to his grounds by a variety of flowers. The proper arrangement of flower beds in your garden and attentive care to them can insure you a continuing bloom of lovely flowers year after year.

For with planning, it is possible to maintain flowers in your garden during the entire length of the growing season. Borders and beds are planted with flowering annuals and perennials which bloom at different periods during the year. By choosing carefully initially, and by caring for the flowers thereafter, the blooms will overlap each other, so that there will never be a period when an old bloom disappears but that a new one will start to show its color.

Preparing the soil for flower beds or borders requires greater care than planting a lawn. For one thing, digging must be deeper. It is not too much to dig the bed 2 feet deep, although 1 1/2 feet is suitable. It is, of course, possible to grow flowers in a shallower bed than this, but the deeper you dig, the better your production will be.

All heavy lumps should be broken up. It is a good idea to spread some sand, cinders or ashes in the bottom soil to break it up. Also, you might work manure, well-rotted compost, grass clippings or peat moss into the bottom. Do not firm the bottom soil down, but let it settle naturally.

Good loam should be used for the topsoil — e.g., well-rotted manure, humus, peat moss, well-sifted leaf mold or heavy sand. Wood ashes are fine for spring, and lime may be used for loosening the soil. You might think about the character of your soil and consider the particular fertilizer which contains the elements your soil needs most. Should you use manure, be careful not to let it touch the roots of plants.

Should you use manure, be careful not to let it touch the roots of plants. The problems of color should be kept in mind when planning flower borders and beds, so that while there is sufficient contrast in texture and color of the flowers, there is at the same time an attractive blending.

A plan for a bed of annuals, for example, might be designed to stress zinnias, with contrast provided by such softer flowers as chrysanthemum, scabiosa, nasturtium, cosmos and candytuft. Siting of the flower bed is important. Ideally, it should be close to the house, facing south or south west.

Any location that gets good sun, however, will produce well. The border should be located away from trees or shrubs. These plants absorb more than their share of moisture and nutrients from the soil and, because of their strength, can overpower the more delicate flowering plants.

A good background such as a stone wall or a fence adds to the beauty of a flower bed or border, and evergreen shrubs make a pleasing backdrop. Edgings need not be restricted, as they so often are, to one color (e.g., the white of alyssum).

Coral bells, whose lovely foliage makes a handsome edge, are an all-season flowering plant, and they provide unusual cut flowers. Baby pansies, violas, portulaca, ageratum, dwarf double nasturtium and dwarf marigolds are multi-colored flowers.

About the author: Paul Curran is CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and webmaster at Trees-and-Bushes.com, providing access to their nursery supplier of a range of quality plants, trees, bushes, shrubs, seeds and garden products. <a href=""http://www.trees-and-bushes.com"">Visit their site now to find a great selection of flowers for your garden</a>

The importance of proper soil chemistry to a healthy garden

Author: Tony Robinson

Article: Trying to grow healthy, vibrant flowers without proper soil chemistry is definitely a case of putting the cart before the horse. Good soil is the cornerstone of successful gardening, and it is important to make sure that your soil will meet the needs of your plants before the first seed is planted.

While soil chemistry is important no matter what types of plants or flowers you grow, it is particularly critical when it comes to working with bulbs, perennials or other plants that remain in the ground for than one season. The reason is that the chemistry of the soil can change from year to year. Therefore, if a formerly well blooming patch of the garden is looking a bit haggard, the first place to look is at the condition of the soil. Erosion, overuse of pesticides and fertilizers and a number of other factors can impact the quality of the soil, so it is important to test the soil if you suspect a problem.

Of course the soil should be tested anytime a new flower bed is prepared as well. It would be a mistake to assume that the soil chemistry is the same everywhere on your property, since the makeup of different patches of soil can be markedly different, due to past use, chemicals or residue in the ground, etc.

It is a good idea to have a thorough soil analysis done prior to planting a bed of flowers. Most major cities have several laboratories that do soil testing, so be sure to contact such a lab to have the soil analyzed for pH level, and for levels of important plant nutrients. If you are unsure where to get the soil tested, be sure to ask the staff at your local nursery or garden center for a recommendation.

After the present condition of the soil is known, you will be in a much better position to know how to amend the soil and make the changes that are needed. Once you know the pH level, the level of organic material in the soil, the amount of clay, amount of sand, etc., you will be able to choose the right additives to provide your plants with what they need to thrive.

The pH level of the soil can be a particularly critical factor when deciding what types of plants will work best. Most varieties of annuals, perennials and bulbs will grow well in a wide range of soil pH, but some plants have specific needs, and prefer soils that are either very alkaline or very acidic. If your pH range is outside the norm, or if it needs to be amended, there are a number of ways to accomplish this goal. For instance, limestone can be used to make acidic soil more alkaline, while sulfur is often used to make very alkaline soil more acidic. A pH level that is out of balance can also be helped by adding humus. This rich soil can be created at home by using a compost bin, or it can be purchased ready made from a garden center or nursery.

After you know the baseline content of your flower bed, it will be easier to track chemistry changes from year to year, and to make amendments as needed. The more you know about the quality of your soil, the more confident you can be that the plants you buy will thrive in your home garden.

About the author: Tony Robinson is an international author and webmaster. In his busy life he finds time to ""Smell the Roses"". For geat tips, techniques and articles visit http://www.rose-bloom.com

Types Of Vines For Landscaping Your Home

Author: Paul Curran

Article: For covering walls of houses, boulders, stone walls, etc., the ivies are, of course, used more than other vines. Boston ivy is the quickest growing. Japanese bittersweet [Euonymus radicans) is a good vine for walls, too; evergreen, it grows well on the north sides of buildings as well as on exposed locations. Winter-creeper, in both large and small-leaved varieties, is a hardy vine for wall planting.

Other vines that can cling without aid to concrete, brick and stone include Chinese trumpetcreeper, English ivy, Lowe ivy and Virginia creeper, sometimes called woodbine or American ivy. Virginia creeper is the ivy that twines around trees and covers the ground in woodlands, and while it makes a good building cover, it does become heavy and require thinning out as it grows older. Virginia creeper is also effective for providing shade. (Other shade-producing vines are grape, Dutchman's pipe and silver vine.)

Many vines which are not self-supporting can be trellis-trained, and can add color and beauty to a house. Among the more showy varieties are wisteria, with its clusters of white to purple blos soms; clematis, which has a large flower appearing from early summer until fall; and trumpetcreep-er, with its tropical-looking clusters of big scarlet and orange flowers during late summer.

There is also trumpet honeysuckle, which has clusters of red and yellow perfumed flowers; and climbing hydrangea, with its large white clusters. Some of the annual vines, such as the hyacinth bean which grows on strings and has many flowers, or the scarlet runner bean which has showy flowers, are good for shade, too.

For covering banks and ground where you have difficulty with grass, you might try periwinkle (also called running myrtle), an evergreen which has blue flowers all summer. Another evergreen is pachysandra, mentioned elsewhere; and there is moneywort which flattens against the ground.

Some attractive and fragrant-blossoming annuals that you might also consider are: nasturtium; bal-foon vine, which is good to cover fences; cypress vine, with a large number of small star-shaped flowers in orange, red and white, and the familiar morning-glory and moonflower plants.

About the author: Paul Curran is CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and webmaster at Trees-and-Bushes.com, providing access to their nursery supplier of a range of quality plants, trees, bushes, shrubs, seeds and garden products.<a href=""http://www.trees-and-bushes.com/Vines-1.html"">Visit their vines section to find a great selection of vines for your garden</a>

History of Wild Roses

Author: Ken Austin

Article:

Wild roses, of the genus Rosa, are those naturally occurring natives found in Northern Hemispheres around the globe. Wild Roses can be found in forests, canyons, logged wastelands and thickets. They have continued to grow throughout the course of history and across a range of different terrains. Most modern day roses we know are mixed offspring of these wild roses. </p>

Wild roses have had a rich history. They played roles in Greek and Roman culture, symbolizing themes such as love and allegiance. Later they became sought after for cosmetic, medicinal and religious purposes as well. However, with the beginnings of large-scale worldwide trade, rose horticulture and hybridization took root. This forever changed the wild rose landscape from a relatively small number of wild roses across the planet's surface to today's world with thousands-upon-thousands of rose varieties.</p>

There are plenty of advantages to cultivating wild roses in modern-day rose gardens. Wild roses are strong, disease resistant plants, which can be grown in almost any less-than-ideal location. They are not dependent on regular fertilization and can tolerate some drought. Requiring essentially no care, wild roses are able to spread on their own, can handle being crowded and withstand transplanting at almost any time of year.</p>

Some popular varieties of wild roses include:</p>

<b>Rosa Nutkana </b>

An arching shrub with pink petals, the rosa nutkana grows in milder climates. Though it is fairly weather-tolerant, this shrub is best cultivated in sunny and well-drained locations. Prune often as thickets grow quite quickly. </p>

<b>Rosa Rugosa </b>

This species, native to China, Korea and Japan, has been made into a number of different rose cultivars. It is a fast growing pink flower with rose-hips resembling small tomatoes. It prefers full sunlight and well-drained acidic soil. Since it is a salt-tolerant plant, it is an ideal shrub in coastal conditions. Light infrequent pruning will help keep growth of the rosa rugosa under control.</p>

<b>Rosa Foliolosa </b>

This is a member of the rosaceae family and is also know as leafy rose or prairie rose. The rosa foliolosa is a lovely little rose found mainly in Central and North Central Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. It is small in size with very thin wood, very elegant little foliage, with usually nine tiny leaflets per leaf. One of its great characteristics is its fern-like bright green foliage.</p>

<b>Rosa Blanda </b>

Another member of the rosaceae family, the rosa blanda, also known as meadow rose is a shrub-like thornless plant which grows to about three to four feet tall and prefers rich soil in full sun to light shade. It produces lovely pink flowers between June and August and the fruit resembles small apples.</p>

About the author:

Ken Austin <A href=""http://www.1stinroses.com"" target=_blank>Roses and Rose Gardening</A>

<A href=""http://www.1stdiscountshopping.com"" target=_blank> Online Discount Shopping Guide </A> </P>

Hybrid Tea Roses

Author: Ken Austin

Article:

Hybrid tea roses and the original tea rose are the world's favourite roses and are available in many gorgeous colors.</p> <ol><li> Hybrid tea roses are among the most beautiful flowers in the world. They are the florist's rose.<br /> <br />

<li> The blossoms are fantastic and each flower can have as many as 60 or more petals. You can not find a more beautiful cut flower.<br /> <br />

<li> The fragrance also makes the hybrid tea rose an excellent choice to give as a bouquet or to grow in your garden.<br /> <br />

<li> Hybrid tea roses are different from other roses because they produce their flowers usually one bloom to a long stem rather than in clusters. Most hybrid tea roses produce flowers during the entire growing season and the plants grow 3 to 6 feet tall.<br /> <br />

<li> Caring for hybrid tea roses is no more difficult than other roses although you do need to give them special care in colder climates. They are no more or no less pest or disease resistant than other kinds of roses.<br /> <br />

<li> 'La France' was the first hybrid tea rose grown in 1867 by a French nurseryman, Jean-Baptiste Guillot. He cross-bred two old garden roses and developed an entirely new kind of rose.<br /> <br />

<li> Hybrid tea roses should be planted 18 to 36 inches apart or they can be planted with other flowers in large pots.<br /> <br />

<li> There are hundreds of choices when looking for hybrid tea roses. Choices can be made by color, names or fragrance. There are hybrid tea roses named after famous people including presidents and their wives. <br /> <br />

<li> The very first tea rose was a cross between a China rose and Rosa gigantea. These plants are more bushy than the hybrid tea rose but the well-shaped flower buds remind us of today's modern hybrid tea roses. Tea roses come in shades of white, pink and yellow. </li></ol>

Start thinking about adding a tea rose or hybrid tea rose to your garden this year. </p>

About the author: Ken Austin http://www.1stinroses.com http://www.1stdiscountshopping.com

Pruning Roses

Author: Ken Austin

Article:

Pruning your roses does not need to be a dreaded task. Follow these tips and make rose pruning an easy gardening job.</p> <ol><li> Prune from the ground up. Most people start at the top and this can harm the rose and it uses your valuable time.<br /> <br />

<li> If it's old, gray and scraggly looking, cut it off.<br /> <br />

<li> If there are canes that are growing directly over the center, use your pruning saw or loppers and cut flush with the cane. Also remove any canes that are really crowding each other. Now you are ready to continue pruning.<br /> <br />

<li> When it comes to height remember this: mentally divide the cane into three equal parts and get ready to remove the top one-third. First, however check on the outward facing bud. It should be located at the intersection of the cane and a leaflet of five. There should be several and if possible find one that faces out. <br /> <br />

<li> If you have doubts, cut it off. If it's smaller than a pencil it will only produce even smaller stems. For the larger canes be sure to seal with a drop of plain white glue like Elmer's. This will prevent the borers from eating your plants.<br /> <br />

<li> Get rid of all remaining leaves. This will allow for new leaf growth and prevent fungus infections from the old ones.<br /> <br />

<li> The next step in pruning your roses is to take a wire brush and scrub off the woody material on the bud union. Be careful to avoid brushing off any new bud eyes. This is also supposed to stimulate and provide room for new canes from the bud union. <br /> <br />

<li> Finally, finish your rose pruning by cleaning up all the dead stuff you've cut away. Get rid of all the old petals and pull the weeds from around the rose bush. This will help to eliminate fungus and insect problems. Finish up by placing new mulch around the rose bushes. </li> </ol>

There you have it! Pruning your roses in 8 easy steps! </p>

About the author: Ken Austin http://www.1stinroses.com http://www.1stdiscountshopping.com

Rose Gardening Challenges

Author: Ken Austin

Article:

Rose gardening can be a challenging exercise but you don't have to be an expert to grow roses. Roses are grown successfully in gardens in nearly every different type of climate and environmental condition. Coming in a rainbow of colors and thousands of different modern-day varieties, roses offer a wonderful array of choices to followers of this beloved rose gardening pastime. </p>

Rose gardening is special, though there are numerous recipes for cultivating the perfect rose garden, with even just a few of the basics such as sunshine, water and fertilizer, a rose garden can thrive in any climate. By adapting the following rose gardening tips to your specific needs, you can maintain a lush and lively rose garden. </p>

<b>Before you plant </b>

Be sure your roses will be in an optimum location where they will receive at least six hours of direct sunlight per day, preferably morning sunshine. </p>

Provide your roses with ample space to grow by digging a hole that is at least two-feet wide and two-feet deep. Add potting soil or organic compost for nutrients. </p>

Keep roses moist by watering diligently for several weeks once you have planted them. </p>

<b>Help your rose garden to flourish</b>

Monitor the pH levels in the soil as roses generally prosper at a pH of about 6.5. </p>

Fertilize in the spring when roses begin to leaf out and continue regularly until just before the arrival of winter frosts. </p>

Remove dead flower heads occasionally to instigate new bloom growth.

</p> Prune your roses at least once per year. With new plants, prune after the first blooming period is over. For older plants, pruning after the winter will help to begin rejuvenation and new growth. In colder climates you may also want to prune just after the first frosts to prevent harsh winter damage. </p>

And always remember, roses love lots of water and proper drainage. </p>

About the author:

Ken Austin <A href=""http://www.1stinroses.com"" target=_blank>Roses and Rose Gardening</A>

<A href=""http://www.1stdiscountshopping.com"" target=_blank> Online Discount Shopping Guide </A> </P>

Dealing With Rose Bushes

Author: Ken Austin

Article:

Roses are classified according to the way they grow. One of the predominant ways is in bushes. Rose bushes are self-supporting and grow their flowers mainly at the top of the plant. They can be as small as just a few inches and as tall as up to 6 feet. There is every possibility that your rose bushes can be as radiant as the sun, given the right care. </p>

Several types of rose bushes include:

<b>Floribunda </b>

A mix of the Hybrid Tea and Polyantha, this bush with clusters of flowers is ideal for growing a rose bed. Floribunda roses were introduced to the mass public by Jackson & Perkins during the 1939 World's Fair in New York. They have gained in popularity due in part to the fact that they are easier to cultivate and more disease resistant that Hybrid Teas. </p>

<b>Grandiflora </b>

Characterized by tall stems holding clusters of flowers, this rose bush is a cross between the Floribunda and Hybrid Tea. </p>

<b>Hybrid Tea </b>

Considered to be the most popular rose bush, the Hybrid Tea is known for its long stems and roses which have a distinctive cone center. This classic looking rose is ideal for making bouquets. </p>

<b>Miniatures </b> These scaled-down versions of larger flowers, such as Floribundas or Hybrid Teas, generally average 1-2 feet in height. They can be grown in rock gardens and even indoors. Often they are planted as edgings for rose beds or as borders. </p>

When gardening with rose bushes, clear away all dead and weak branches at the beginning of spring. Continue to prune regularly to stimulate new flower growth and prevent the bush from tangling. In colder climates, the bush should be protected from winter by mounding the base with soil, tying canes together to prevent wind-damage and covering with a perforated protective cylinder.

</p>

About the author:

Ken Austin <A href=""http://www.1stinroses.com"" target=_blank>Roses and Rose Gardening</A>

<A href=""http://www.1stdiscountshopping.com"" target=_blank> Online Discount Shopping Guide </A> </P>

How To Use Biennials & Perennials In Landscaping Your Garden

Author: Paul Curran

Article: <b>Biennials</b>

Biennials are generally very beautiful plants, with most attractive flowers. They are somewhat more trouble for the gardener, since they keep growing during their first year and do not bloom until the second. Their great advantage is that their seeding stage produces new plants which will bloom again two years later, making it unnecessary to plant additional seeds.

The biennials are usually plant ed in early summer and transplanted to good soil when they are large enough to handle. It is a good idea to pot them at this time, particularly in areas where plants cannot be left outdoors all winter. In some cases, they can be transplanted to a coldframe, and then placed in the flower bed the following spring. The requirements of careful soil preparation apply to biennials as well as annuals.

After planting, if you want a continuous new growth of plants, it is best not to weed and cultivate too assiduously. If a really fastidious biennial patch is planted, it will be necessary to replace the plants with new ones each year.

<b>Perennials</b>

Perennials are the basic flowers of any garden. Each year they die and renew themselves for the next growing season.

They are long-lived and last for many seasons. Perennials are also, historically, among our oldest plants. They have been cultivated for centuries and often, as a result of breeding and crossbreeding, bear no resemblance to their wild forebears. In some of the perennials, the blossoms have become so specialized through centuries of cultivation that they no longer grow 'seeds.

Other perennials are continually being developed by amateur botanists and gardeners. As a result of this cultivation and inbreeding, perennials as a rule are not as hardy as other varieties. Another disadvantage is the tendency of certain perennials to die down after flowering, thereby leaving gaps in the garden.

There are a number of ways to solve the problems of short-flowering periods and the resultant unsightly spaces. One way is to intersperse perennials with annuals and other bulbs and flowering plants whose bloom occurs either later or earlier than that of the perennials. Some perennials are easy to transplant: chrysanthemums, for example, can be moved from one place to another with no noticeable effect on their vigor.

This is another way to keep color and bloom throughout the growing season. A garden of perennials, either by themselves or mixed with annuals and other bulbs, should be placed along a path, or as a border, with a background of trees, shrubs, a wall or fence.

The background shows the brilliant coloring to best advantage. Some varieties can flourish in the shade, such as anemone, lily of the valley, day lilies, sweet pea, primrose, hollyhock, harebell and peonies, but these flowers must be chosen carefully and faced so that some sun reaches them every day.

About the author: Paul Curran is CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and webmaster at Trees-and-Bushes.com, providing access to their nursery supplier of a range of quality plants, trees, bushes, shrubs, seeds and garden products. <a href=""http://www.trees-and-bushes.com"">Visit their site now to find a great selection of flowers for your garden</a>

Caring for Long Stem Roses

Author: Ken Austin

Article:

Widely considered to be the most popular roses for all occasions, what many people think of as classic long stem roses are in fact Hybrid Teas. A mixture between the Hybrid Perpetual and Tea Rose from China, these long stem beauties have long pointy buds with up to 30-50 petals per bloom. </p>

Since the first discovered Hybrid Tea in 1867, there has been an explosion leading to thousands of long stem varieties coming in virtually every color except for blue or black. These long stem roses tend to flower continuously and can grow 2-6 feet tall. High susceptibility to disease and less fragrant smell, when compared to other types of roses, is often attributed to the great deal of inbreeding that has taken place to achieve the attractiveness of long stem roses. </p>

<b>Keep your long stem roses growing tall </b>

When planting your long stem roses, be sure to select an area where they will get 6 hours of sunlight and good air circulation. </p>

Do hard pruning in the late winter or early spring just as new growth begins. Remove old damaged canes from the center to let in fresh air and sunlight, leaving the thick healthy ones forming a circle on the outside. Cut the remaining stems to 12-24 inches and fertilize in a few weeks time. </p>

To protect during harsh winters, tie the canes together and mound with soil. Surround the mound with insulating materials such as leaves or straw and shelter with a cylinder, perforated with breathing holes. </p>

Adopt a regular spray program to protect the roses and their leaves from disease. </p>

And, don't forget to give your long stem roses lots of water!

</p>

About the author:

Ken Austin <A href=""http://www.1stinroses.com"" target=_blank>Roses and Rose Gardening</A>

<A href=""http://www.1stdiscountshopping.com"" target=_blank> Online Discount Shopping Guide </A> </P>

Growing Roses

Author: Ken Austin

Article:

So you want to grow roses? They are a beautiful choice for your garden and not nearly as difficult to grow as you might think. </p> <ol><li> Choose a rose that is easy to grow. Some choices might be 'Sunsprite', 'Baby Love', 'The Fairy', 'Iceberg', or 'Flower Carpet'. Also check to see which roses do well in your climate. When choosing a rose think about the colors and fragrance that appeals to you. <br /> <br /> <li> Understand the soil type and provide good drainage. Use organic matter to make your soil better for the roses. Plant your roses correctly and in the best place in your garden for the rose's success.<br /> <br /> <li> Know how often to water and how much water to give the roses. Too much water is not good so develop a watering schedule and stick to it.</br> </br> <li> Understand how the different types of water systems work. You can choose from sprinklers, an underground watering system or a drip irrigation system. It is usually good to keep the water off the leaves if you live in an area where rose diseases are a problem.<br /> <br /> <li> Mulching keeps the water in and the weeds away. Mulching is a very good idea when growing roses. Mulch in the early spring when you remove the protective coverings from winter. If you live in a warmer climate spread the mulch just before the roses start to leaf out.<br /> <br /> <li> Learn the kinds of nutrients your roses need and follow a specific fertilizing program. When growing roses it is important to test the pH of your soil. If the pH is right the roots can interact with the enzymes and bacteria in the soil and do well with the natural nutrients and the ones you add. The pH can be between 5.6 and 7.2 however 6 to 6.5 is best. By testing the soil you will know which nutrients to add.<br /> <br /> <li> Learn how to prune your roses. Pruning keeps the roses healthy and looking good.<br /> <br /> <li> Prevent pest and disease problems before they happen. Learn how to control pests and choose safe pest control products.</li></ol>

Growing roses is a delightful hobby and not nearly as complicated as you might have heard. </p>

About the author: Ken Austin http://www.1stinroses.com http://www.1stdiscountshopping.com

How To Use Annuals In Landscaping Your Garden

Author: Paul Curran

Article: An annual, from the point of view of the amateur gardener, is any plant which must be replaced each year and which flowers only once in its life. Annuals generally are grown from seed. The chief advantage of annuals over perennials is their low cost. Thousands of plants can be grown from a single packet of seeds.

Annuals are also very decorative, and provide the best source of flowers for cutting. Their season of bloom is relatively long, as well. Their chief disadvantage is the late date at which they bloom. If annuals are used alone in a bed or border, a good part of the season will pass with little to show in the way of color.

Annuals are also of use as a filler between shrubs set some distance apart. This permits the shrub to grow, yet prevents too stark an appearance. The sowing of annuals, of course, depends upon the class to which they belong. The hardier flowers, such as larkspur, poppies and cornflowers, can be profitably planted in late fall. The ground preparation must be just as careful as for spring planting.

Planting in fall is advantageous since it per mits the flowers to get an early start the following spring. Certain other hardy annuals can be planted early in spring as soon as the ground is workable. It is a good idea to start some of the less hardy annuals in seed pots, or in coldframes, as early as March. Otherwise, these plants cannot be set out until all danger of frost is gone. Outdoor planting of annuals in the spring follows thorough soil preparation.

The seedbed must be carefully pulverized with a rake after it has been prepared and prior to planting. Eliminate all lumps. The seeds are sown broadcast in the patch selected, and then are lightly covered with soil. The soil may be gently tamped after the covering is completed. The patch should be identified with a stake and some sort of sign. Flower seeds are best planted near the surface.

In no case should they be sown more than 1 inch deep. The seeds of larger plants which have a strong growth, such as sunflowers, can be planted in hills spaced from 2 to 4 feet apart. Often, annuals are planted in rows. This method is used when a cutting garden is being grown. To do this, dig a shallow trench not more than 1 inch deep with a trowel, or your fingers, and then place the seed in the trench.

Sow more seed than appears necessary, and then trim out after the plants appear above ground. Thinning is required, in any event, for a good crop of annuals, if only to insure sufficient room for each plant. Transplanting is a considerable shock in the life of a plant, and unless it is carefully done, the plant will die. It is a good idea to expose coldframes and potted seeds to the outside air for a time before transplanting, in order to prevent shock.

All the soil in the frame or pot should be used when transplanting. Transplanting should be done on a cloudy, damp day, if possible. If the soil is dry, it should be watered before transplanting, and then thoroughly after the plants are in the ground. If the day is sunny, some sort of shade should be provided for the newly transferred plants. As soon as the plants are established, these protective coverings can be removed.

About the author: Paul Curran is CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and webmaster at Trees-and-Bushes.com, providing access to their nursery supplier of a range of quality plants, trees, bushes, shrubs, seeds and garden products. <a href=""http://www.trees-and-bushes.com"">Visit their site now to find a great selection of flowers for your garden</a>

Understanding bulb flowers

Author: Tony Robinson

Article: Bulbs are among the most interesting, most beautiful and easiest to grow of all flower varieties. Tulip bulbs were once so prized in Holland that it led to one of the best known financial bubbles in history, and even today, tulips are a leading export from that part of the world.

Even though bulbs are not quite so highly prized today as they were in 17th century Holland, they are still loved for their scents, their colors and their shapes, and gardeners love the fact that most bulbs are hardy and easy to grow.

Many of the most popular varieties of flowers are actually grown from bulbs, including tulips, crocuses, daffodils, irises, lilies, daylilies, dahlias and snowdrops.

One thing all bulb based plants have in common is that they grow from structures located under the ground. These underground structures provide the nutrients and energy the plants need to grow.

Even though bulb based plants are collectively known as ""bulbs', there are actually five distinct types of bulb plants - the true bulb, the corm, the tuber, the rhizome and the tuberous root. This article will provide examples of each type.

The True Bulb The true bulb is in reality an underground stem base containing an embryonic plant. The embryonic plant contained within the steam base already contains the leaves, stems and flower buds, all ready to burst forth once optimal growing conditions are provided. This setup allows the plant to lie dormant during adverse conditions, and thus to survive droughts and other environmental challenges. The embryonic plant contained within the stem base is surrounded by scales (modified leaves that overlap in a manner reminiscent of reptile or fish scales). At the bottom of the bulb is a basal plate; this basal plate holds the scales together and produces the roots of the plant.

Examples of true bulbs are such popular flower varieties as daffodils, tulips and lilies. True bulb varieties of plants are susceptible to dryness and must be handled carefully. When properly cared for, however, individual bulbs can live for many years without being planted. The Corm A corm, like a true bulb, also contains a stem base, but the tissue of the base is solid, and it lacks the scales seen in true bulbs. The roots grow from a basal plate which is located at the bottom of the corm, and the growth point is located at the top of the corm.

Popular types of corms include gladiolas and crocus. Each corm lasts for a single season, and as the corm shrinks away after blooming, a new corm forms on top of it. In addition, small increases, called cormels, are produced around the base of the corm's basal plate.

The Tuber Like corm and true bulbs, a tuber is actually an underground stem base. Unlike corms and a true bulbs, however, the tuber does not contain a basal plate. Instead, the roots of the tuber grow from both the base and from the sides. A tuber will have multiple growth points spread out over its top surface.

The Rhizome The rhizome is actually a thickened stem that grows either partly or completely underneath the ground. The largest growth point on a rhizome is located at one end, and additional growth points are located along the sides. The most well known rhizome is the bearded iris.

Tuberous Roots Unlike other types of bulbs, which are actually specially adapted stems, the tuberous root is not a true root. Instead, fibrous roots designed to absorb nutrients and water grow from the sides and the tip of the tuberous root. Most tuberous roots grow in a cluster, and swollen tuberous parts radiate out from a centralized point. The growth points of a tuberous root are found on the bases of the old stems and not on the roots themselves. Dahlias and daylilies are the best known examples of tuberous roots.

About the author: Tony Robinson is an international author and webmaster. In his busy life he finds time to ""Smell the Roses"". For geat tips, techniques and articles visit http://www.rose-bloom.com

Rid Your Garden of Slugs

Author: Marilyn Pokorney

Article: REQUIREMENTS FOR REPRINT: You have permission to publish this article free of charge in your e-zine, newsletter, ebook, print publication or on your website ONLY if it remains unchanged and you include the copyright and author information (Resource Box) at the end. You may not use this article in any unsolicited commercial email (spam).

You may retrieve this article by:

Autoresponder: slugtips@getresponse.com Website: http://www.apluswriting.net/articles/slugtips.txt

Words: 435 words Copyright: 2005 Marilyn Pokorney

Please leave the resource box intact with an active link, and send a courtesy copy of the publication in which the article appears to: marilynp@nctc.net ------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------

Slugs are major pests of horticultural plants throughout the world. They are destructive pests of home gardens, landscapes, nurseries, greenhouses, and field crops.

Slugs also pose a health threat to humans, pets and wildlife by serving as intermediate hosts for parasites such as lungworm.

Slugs are inactive in cold weather and hibernate in the soil.

Heavy mulching and watering, required for productive and beautiful gardens create favorable conditions for slugs.

Slugs destroy plants by killing seeds or seedlings, by destroying stems or growing points, or by reducing the leaf area. Slug feeding may also initiate mold growth or rotting.

Slugs feed on a variety of living plants chewing holes in leaves, flowers, fruit and young bark. They are also serious pests of ripening fruits, such as strawberries and tomatoes, that are close to the ground. However, they will also feed on foliage and fruit of some trees favoring citrus. Some plants that are seriously damaged include artichokes, asparagus, basil, beans, cabbage, dahlia, delphinium, hosta, lettuce, marigolds, and many more plants too numerous to list here. To determine if damage is caused by a slug or other insect, look for a clear, silvery mucous trail.

Under ideal conditions, chemical baits, containing metaldehyde, can be somewhat effective because this aldehyde paralyzes the slugs and they eventually die from dehydration. However, under cool and wet conditions when slugs are most active and troublesome, they can often recover. And these chemicals are poisonous to cats, dogs, birds and curious children.

Biological control provides an attractive alternative to traditional control practices. Nematodes possess exceptional potential as biocontrol agents for pest slugs.

In Europe, a product as been successfully developed from Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita, that is effective against a wide variety of pest slug and snail species and it targets only slugs and snails.

It would be a perfect solution for introduction into the US but there are no published records of P. hermaphrodita occurrence in the US. Thus, regulatory issues prohibit it's introduction and marketing in the US.

Slugs do play a positive role in the environment. Because slugs are also scavengers eating decaying vegetation, animal feces, and carrion they help in breaking down decomposing materials thus helping to release nutrients back into the soil.

Slugs are night feeders so night traps and beer traps are the best ways to catch and trap them. But there are many other methods proven successful. One includes a very common, but not well known, ingredient.

For more information: http://www.apluswriting.net/garden/slugs.htm

About the author: Author: Marilyn Pokorney Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the environment. Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading. Website: http://www.apluswriting.net

Black Roses - Fact or Fiction

Author: Ken Austin

Article:

Throughout the course of time, black roses have conjured up a variety of symbolic meanings. From unnatural worlds to death, vengeance, farewell or rebirth, the black rose has come to be viewed in a number of different ways depending on the occasion. </p>

Though symbolic meanings may differ, the interesting truth is that black roses do not even exist. What many believe to be black roses are actually dark-red colored roses, which have such a deep color that they appear to be black. Perhaps someday not too far in the future a black rose will exist as many in the field are working with the myriad of rose varieties and colors to come up with the coveted black formula. </p>

In the meantime, there are quite a few roses come which come close. Here are a couple of the more well-known varieties of ""black roses"" gardened in different climates all over the world: </p>

<b>Black Magic </b>

One of the darkest roses, this rose has black buds before it blooms into velvety garnet flowers. </p>

<b> Black Baccara </b>

Perhaps the darkest, this blackberry colored rose also tends to be blacker before its blooms begin to open into velvety textured petals, growing up to four feet tall with flowers June through August. </p>

<b> Black Beauty </b>

This small flower begins as a burgundy bud and opens into an almost black velvet bloom. </p>

The ""black roses"" should be grown in sunlight, but be attentive to potential sunburn problems. If you plan to make bouquets from your garden and are looking for something a bit darker, try adding a touch of black dye to the water in your vase. </p>

About the author:

Ken Austin <A href=""http://www.1stinroses.com"" target=_blank>Roses and Rose Gardening</A>

<A href=""http://www.1stdiscountshopping.com"" target=_blank> Online Discount Shopping Guide </A> </P>

Top 5 Secrets to Keeping Your Carnivorous Plants Alive, Healthy and Beautiful

Author: Jacob Farin

Article: <b>SECRET #1: Know thy plant. </b>

This may seem like a no-brainer, but one that first-time growers overlook. There are many types of carnivorous plants occurring on every continent in the world, except Antarctica.

If you were to go on a world-wide expedition looking for as many types of carnivorous plants you can possibly find, you will discover carnivorous plants growing in Japan, China, Australia, India, South Africa, Spain, France, Ireland, Brazil, Mexico, Canada and the United States.

If you were to explore the United States alone, you will find carnivorous plants in nearly all of the 50 states, including Hawaii and Alaska.

So, the first secret in keeping your carnivorous plants alive, healthy and beautiful is to know what type of carnivorous plant you have. With thousands of species of carnivorous plants in the world, each type requires their own care.

Hopefully, your plant came with a tag that identifies its species. If not, visit <b><a href=""http://www.cobraplant.com/grow-carnivorous-plants.html"">Sar racenia Northwest</b></a> for a list of carnivorous plants that are commonly grown in cultivation.

http://www.cobraplant.com/grow-carnivorous-plants.html

<b>SECRET #2: Brighten their days with full sun.</b>

Once you know what type of carnivorous plants you have, just duplicate their natural surroundings. This means giving your plants the type of sun exposure and water they might experience in the wild.

Lets start with sun. It often surprises many people to find out that the vast majority of carnivorous plants enjoy full sun. You see, carnivorous plants grow in bogs, which are open fields of wetlands.

Most people confuse bogs with marshes. Marshes typically are closer to the ocean and contain slightly salted water. Marshes are also overgrown with trees, making them shady.

Bogs, on the other hand, contain fresh water, usually bubbling up from an underground spring, and can be found on mountaintops and other places far away from the ocean. If you see a bog in nature, you will notice that there are no trees in it. So, all plants growing in a bog are exposed to full sun.

This is true for Venus Flytraps, North American Pitcher Plants and nearly all Sundews. As a result, these plants do best growing in 6-8 hours of direct sunlight during their growing season. Four hours of direct sunlight are definitely the absolute minimum. Anything less than that will cause your plants to struggle for survival.

The only types of carnivorous plants that are not exposed to full sun in the wild are Asian Pitcher Plants, Butterworts and some species of Sundews. These plants prefer bright indirect light.

Now you know what types of carnivorous plants you have, give it the proper sunlight. With US native plants, grow them outside during the growing season (spring through fall). With Asian Pitcher Plants and Butterworts, grow them in a window that receives bright indirect light.

If you do not have enough natural light, use 20-40W fluorescent light tubes or fluorescent compact bulbs that are equivalent to 100W. Keep the light source about 8 inches above the plant, and keep it on for 12-14 hours per day.

Avoid using incandescent bulbs because it produces too much heat and the wrong type of light.

<b>Secret #3: Soak their feet.</b>

After giving your carnivorous plants the right amount of light (full sun, partial sun or indirect light), now you need to make sure it gets the right amount of water.

Nearly all carnivorous plants grow in bogs, which are constantly wet. So, if you want to duplicate what they experience out in nature, you need to provide constantly wet soil.

Some people prefer to simply water their plants every day. Personally, I find this to be a real drag, especially when I have so many other things to do, like watch a good DVD or scratch my dog's belly.

The easiest way to make sure the soil is constantly wet is to keep your plant in a bit of standing water. Use a tray, bowl, saucer or any container that holds water. Fill the container with water and place your plant right in. Allow the water to go half way up the pot. Just make sure you do not drown the crown or base of the plant. Remember, they are bog plants, not water plants (big difference!).

But, before your plants start soaking their little feet, make the water is relatively pure. It does not need to be blessed by a Tibetan monk, but it should at least have low levels of minerals (less than 100 parts per million). Check with your local aquarium supply store for water hardness kits.

You can use distilled water or rainwater, but this is feasible only if you have only a few carnivorous plants. If you are like me, you might have several thousand.

In that case, local tap water will do just fine. If the water has a lot of naturally occurring minerals or additives to make the water soft, consider hooking your hose up to a reverse-osmosis unit. Check your local hardware store for this type of filter.

Avoid using simple charcoal-filtration units. Although they are great in removing chlorine and other not-so-tasty chemicals, they are inadequate in removing minerals.

One more thing: some carnivorous plants prefer not to have their feet dunked in water. This is true with Asian Pitcher Plants. They prefer to have moist soil rather than wet soil. With these plants, water them once or twice weekly.

<b>Secret #4: Season your plants.</b>

One day while I was at the Farmers' Market selling my carnivorous plants, a customer stopped by and said that she had the good fortune to see a type of carnivorous plant growing in the wild while visiting friends in Canada.

I immediately knew which plant she had seen, so I held up a Purple Pitcher Plant and she exclaimed, "Yes, that is the plant I saw!"

I then told her how easy it was to grow that plant outdoors all year round, to which she replied, "But during the winter, you have to bring them indoors, right?"

"Why would you need to do that?"

"Because it will get too cold for them," she stated with authority.

At that point, I was very puzzled. So, I said to her, "If you saw them growing in the wild in Canada, surely they can live outdoors in Oregon. It gets much colder in Canada than it does in Oregon."

It amazes me how often some people assume that just because a plant is carnivorous it is: 1) tropical, 2) delicate, and 3) difficult to grow. This is precisely why people kill their carnivorous plants. They treat them as a tropical, delicate carnivorous plant that is difficult to grow without knowing if they actually have a tropical, delicate carnivorous plant that is difficult to grow. This is definitely a recipe for disaster.

All carnivorous plants native to the United States and Canada are considered temperate plants, meaning they go dormant during the winter months, and come right back to life in spring and summer. Other non-carnivorous plants that do this are roses, daisies, daffodils and thousands upon thousands of other types of plants grown all around the world.

This is why Secret #1 is a very important secret. You need to know what type of plant you have to determine whether it requires winter dormancy or if it needs to be indoors during those cold winter months.

Temperate plants need to rest up for spring. Without their winter rest, they get very cranky and may fail to grow in spring. Think of how you feel when you do not get enough sleep. So, if you want healthy vibrant plants in spring, give them a winter rest. They might even reward you with flowers!

<b>Secret #5: Hold the fertilizer, please.</b>

If you want gorgeous looking carnivorous plants during the growing season, repot your plants right before they come out of dormancy. In most cases, this would be in March. Repotting your plants serves two purposes.

Firstly, carnivorous plants need room to grow. Depending on the species, some rhizomes can get quite large. Other species have long deep taproots. So, it is important that you give these guys enough root space.

Secondly, changing the soil yearly aerates the roots. With fresh oxygen, roots will grow more robustly, producing healthier plants.

Springtime is also a time when you should cut off dead leaves or any leaves that have turned brown. This will prevent fungal infections and increase sunlight to the base of the plant.

When repotting your plants, a standard soil mix to use is 1 part peat moss and 1 part perlite. Peat moss adds acidity and retains moisture, while perlite provides drainage.

This soil recipe is sufficient for 80% of all carnivorous plants. You can adjust the recipe by adding more perlite or other inert matter to increase the drainage. Just make sure the soil is void of nutrients and fertilizer.

Fertilizer is toxic to carnivorous plants and will burn their roots. (Very painful.) Carnivorous plants will get all of their nutrients from insects caught in their leaves.

There you have it! You have just read the <b>TOP 5 SECRETS TO KEEPING YOUR CARNIVOROUS PLANTS ALIVE, HEALTHY AND BEAUTIFUL. </b>

You learned:

<b>Secret #1: </b>Correctly identify the type of carnivorous plant you have. Remember, not all carnivorous plants are created equal. Some grow in temperate bogs, while others grow in hot humid jungles.

<b>Secret #2: </b>Brighten their days with full sun.

<b>Secret #3: </b>Soak their feet.

<b>Secret #4: </b>Season your plants.

<b>Secret #5: </b>Repot yearly and hold the fertilizer.

Each secret is an important part of the foundation on which you can grow beautiful carnivorous plants all year round.

Believe it or not, you now know more about growing carnivorous plants than you local nursery. Really, when was the last time you saw Venus Flytraps being sold in the outdoor plant section? In nearly all cases, you will find them in the indoor plant section, amongst the tropical plants.

When you follow these simple steps, your carnivorous plants will have no choice but grow into healthy and beautiful plants that you can be proud of!

<b>BONUS SECRET!</b> Always start with healthy and beautiful carnivorous plants. Make sure the seller is growing them correctly; otherwise you will have an uphill battle trying to keep your plants alive.

For healthy and beautiful carnivorous plants direct from experienced growers, visit <b><a href=""http://www.cobraplant.com"">Sarracenia Northwest</b></a> at http://www.cobraplant.com.

About the author: Jacob Farin is co-owner of <b><a href=""http://www.cobraplant.com"">Sarracenia Northwest</b></a>, a nursery specializing in the cultivation of beautiful carnivorous plants. Visit him at http://www.cobraplant.com.

Bluebirds

Author: Tammy Clayton

Article: Copyright © 2005 Tammy Clayton

This brightly colored bird has always been a romantic symbol for their unusual coloring as well as their gentle loving nature. In Victorian times, they were a common artful addition to romantic floral artwork on greeting cards and calling cards. Today, it is a rare thing to see a Bluebird flitting about.

The Bluebird is a native American. When European colonists originally settled this land, they had been here for thousands of years. It is believed that when the virgin forest on the east coast was in the first stages of being cleared, the Bluebird flourished and became more abundant. Its original adversary the Wren also became more plentiful right along with them though. The Wren is far more aggressive that the Bluebird and searches for a very similar type of abode. So as both species multiplied, the wrens made it hard for the Bluebird to make a home unless it faced due east.

Two events in history caused the dwindling of our brilliant blue native's numbers. The ships that carried the influx of human immigrants to our shores in 1851 and 1890 also gave passage to two feathered immigrants from Europe; the House Sparrow and the Starling. Both of these newcomers were adapted to the crowded industrial environments of urban and suburban Germany and England. The Sparrow already was known to have spread on that continent. Being resourceful, they quickly adapted to living in rural farmland. Both Sparrows and Starlings like a roof over their head. The new squatters aggressively put pressure on the gentle Bluebirds and took over their nests.

With so many people inhabiting the United States today, it is little wonder we see very little of the country loving Bluebird. There is a growing interest in the creation of housing for this beloved species beyond the bird-watching enthusiasts. The Bluebird house is becoming a popular addition to backyards, school property lines and farms again.

Bluebird houses were first put up in the late 1800's by bird lovers trying to accommodate their need for housing after the Sparrows and Starlings took over the easily accessible barn rafters, nooks in houses, hollow trees and fence posts across America. Natural nesting sites have also grown more scarce as farmers now manicure their orchards, and wooden fence posts have fallen out of use in exchange for metal ones. By the 1930's bird watchers were already wondering what happened to all those sweet singing beauties of days not so long gone by.

The first studies of Bluebird nesting habits were conducted in 1919 in Minnesota. Successful nest sites were measured for the size of the holes, as well as for the exact location and the role of predators and competitors. The tests were done in open pastures, orchards and suburban back yards. Concluding that only with massive saturations of scientifically designed predator-competitor proof nesting boxes could the decline of the Bluebird be stopped. So they established and monitored Bluebird trails with tens to hundreds of nesting boxes strung out across the land. The monitors set up communication networks in newspapers, magazines and the mail. Wherever there were Bluebird trail sponsors, Bluebirds began to reappear for people to enjoy. It is quite a thrill to see one, especially when one understands the odds against their gentle souls.

It needn't be inevitable that Bluebirds, once the most common thing in a yard, continue to loose ground against these alien intruders. Their population has dwindled and become so low, they are almost like a myth. Our Eastern Bluebird has suffered the most serious in loss. Amateurs and bird lovers alike can accomplish the hob in restoring the numbers of our native azure friends. The trails already in existence across the UDA and Canada form a network of hope across the continent. Armies of trail tenders and box erectors will bring more and more of them back to your yards as the number of boxes grows greater.

Found only in North America, these sweet noted dwellers of fence posts have a tender voice to go along with their gentle nature. No other species of bird has been used as much as the Bluebird in poetry and songs as a symbol of love, hope and happiness. The early settlers looked upon this bird as the sign that spring had arrived, and fondly called it the Blue Robin.

In Michigan, as all the other states east of the Rocky Mountains, we have the Eastern Bluebird. There are only two others—Western and Mountain. Their diet is mainly insects, most of which are yard and garden pests. In the spring they love the cutworms that ruin crops and garden plants. Later in the summer through fall they dine on huge quantities of grasshoppers and wild berries. It is said that their courtship is beautiful and amazing, but it is a rare sight to behold.

The Bluebird is very territorial, the male protecting his food supplies from other male Bluebirds' trespassing. The nesting site must have sufficient food for them to raise their young and exist themselves for them to be tempted to set up housekeeping. Only the female builds the nest in the chosen shelter, while the male accompanies her solely by singing his encouragement while she works.

Nest building starts in mid-May in Michigan and 3 to 5 clear blue eggs are laid in the clutch. The baby birds grow alarmingly fast, ready to leave the next in 15 to 20 days after hatching. By that time they are strong enough to fly fifty to one hundred feet their first attempt at flight to the nearest perch.

By early September most Bluebirds have finished up their family responsibilities for the season. A fortunate pair will have raised two or even three broods by that time. During the fall, families of Bluebirds roam leisurely through the countryside on a quest for insects and berries in great abundance.

Over these travels, different families join together in a loose flock, as they get ready for migrating. The date of their heading south is timed more by the weather and food supply than by the calendar. They migrate in search for food and congregate in more southern parts of their regions.

It is not that the Bluebird cannot spend winter in the northern areas like Michigan, quite to the contrary they will stay as long as the food supply lasts. Planting trees, shrubs and vines with berries that last through the winter will provide much needed foor for wintering birds. Bittersweet, flowering Dogwood, Cotoneasters, Washington Hawthorns, Privet, Sumac, Pyracantha, flowering Crabapples, Virginia Creeper, multiflora Roses (rose hips), and Mountain Ash are all favorite food sources in the cold season for birds that thrive in the northern climates. They can sometimes be tempted to feeding stations with raisins, other fruits and berries and chopped unsalted peanuts, but they are not seed eaters so you will never find them eating from normal bird feeders. Should the small fruits and berries they depend on become crusted with ice and snow, the effort of providing food will keep them from starving to death. If they are forced to go to roost hungry, bitter cold will cause many of them to die.

Properly built winter houses are enough protection from severe weather for them to live year round even in the north. To accommodate them for winter roosting, the box should be large enough to shelter a number of birds. Floor dimensions should be 10" x 10", with a depth of 18" and a width of 24". The hole must be 1 1/2" or Starlings will move in on them, and needs to be at the bottom of the box with a perch placed beneath it. Several horizontal perches should be positioned inside at various levels at staggered intervals up one sidewall using 1/2" doweling The side of the box should be hinged to allow cleaning in the spring. The box must be at least 6 feet of the ground to protect them from predators while they sleep, using a smooth metal pole that is greased so that nothing can climb it to reach the box. Place the winter roosts facing south for the most warmth from the sun.

For nesting boxes, again the hole should measure only 1 1/2" and be situated about 5 foot off the ground for observance of the young in the nest. But for the nesting the hole should be toward the top of the box to protect the young from cold drafts. The nesting box must face due east. Nesting boxes cannot be any closer than 100 foot apart. Too many boxes will result in no Bluebirds—remember they are territorial and will only reside where they know there is enough food for themselves and their young.

Small air holes should be put next to the roof board, and drainage should be provided in the floor so it will not fill up with water. The roof should be slanted downward in the front to stop rain from blowing into the nest.

What a delightful preserve to add to your yard, create your own Bluebird Reserve. Stop spraying the cutworms and grasshoppers, plant oodles of berry-bearing plants, and erect proper housing for both seasons in a suburban to rural setting and trust me, they will inspect the site and set to building a nest.

--------------------

For more great Gardening articles, visit: http://www.LostInTheFlowers.com

About the author: Raised by a highly respected & successful landscape contractor in the metro Detroit area, Clayton wanted a career in anything but landscaping! Now an award-winning landscape designer, Clayton runs <a href=""http://flowervillefarms.com"">Flowerville Farms</a>, a mail-order nursery in Michigan. Read more at <a href=""http://lostintheflowers.com"">LostInTheFlowers.com</a>.