In order to get the plant shrubs roots established it is important that you factor in a few steps to aid in the root development to allow the plant a better chance to survive. The first step is to take root ball of the container-grown plant and break it up slightly. This will help the outer roots of the root ball grow into the surrounding area of the soil and later on to establish a new top growth. This is the one step that not many homeowners follow,because they worry that they may injure the roots or the plant. The root ball can be broke apart by hand. Just be careful as to not tear the root ball apart and make it unrecognizable. If the root is disturbed to much it will slow the the development of new roots.

Make sure that you water your container-grown shrubs at least one day before planting them. The next day when you are preparing the hole for the plant, dig it at least two to three times the size of the container that it came in.  Once the plant is in the ground it is important to water the root ball again. In case the root ball is very large you might want water it when at least half of  the soil is in place around the root.

Many homeowners make the mistake of planting shrubs to deep. If this happens the roots will grow poorly and the shrub has the potential of disease by access through the stem of the plant,because the plant is not accustom to having constant moisture.

It is a good rule of  thumb to remember is to plant the shrub no deeper than the plant container that it came in. If there is problem with poor drainage, look at building a 12" to 18" raised bed to keep the root ball from sitting in waterlogged soil.

When fertilizing the plant be careful to not add an excessive amount next to the stem of the plant,because this can burn the roots of the plant and may even cause the plant to die.

Since the shrub is newly planted the root ball should be keep moist for at least a year while it gets established in the ground,but be careful as to not drown it. Also you might like to add some mulch for added beauty.

When using hummingbirds feeders they can be plagued by many different pest from tiny ants to bats just waiting to steal the nectar. These pest may create a challenge to getting rid of them,but the battle can be won.

Ants

Ants can be a major problem for hummingbird feeders. Once the ants discover the nectar they will just keep coming back for more. Since hummingbirds don't like eating from feeders with ants a solution must be found.

In order to deal with this problem a barrier should be placed between the ants and the feeder. Some feeders come with a basin that goes around the hanger that you fill with water to keep the ants away. If your feeder does not have this feature a device called a ant guard can be purchased to perform the same function.

To create another barrier for ants you can use cooking oil,petroleum jelly or motor oil. Just coat the section of the pole between the hanger and the feeder. You should reapply the coat every week.

Bees and Wasp

Bees and wasp also love the sweet nectar. Some feeders come with bee guards to deter the pest and others are designed where they have no place to land. Hummingbirds sometimes dislike feeders that have be guards so a different approach must be taken.

Another solution is to purchase a bee or wasp trap from your local garden or hardware store. Spoiled syrup is then used to lure the insects into the escape proof container. The traps should be cleaned often.

Bats

Bats may seem like an unusual pest for hummingbird feeders,but in the southwestern part of the US there are a large number of nectar-eating bats which feed at night. To combat this problem bee guards can be used or feeders can be taken in at night.

Once these problems are solved your feeder will not only be pleasure for the hummingbirds,but for you also.

The dutch iris is a beautiful elegant flower with long stems and vibrant colors. The flowers are popular with many DIY home gardenersand florists.

Dutch iris make a nice addition to a cut flower garden. They can be planted in the ground or in flower pots. They fall under the perennial category.

They can be planted in outdoor beds,pots,tubs and urns.

If you plan to plant them in outdoor beds find a location where the soil drains well. They do not like to sit in puddles of water.  If a well drained area can not be found then you can amend the soil by adding organic material to elevate the level two to three inches to improve the drainage. The materials that can be added are peat moss,compost,ground bark or decomposed manure.

Be sure to locate them in area where they will get a full day of sun.

• Dig the planting holes 4" deep by 4" apart from each other.  They look like small onions. Plant them pointed side up.
• Then water them well after planting by soaking the area. If they are planted in a warmer climate they will have foliage by autumn and in colder regions they will have foliage by spring time.
• After the blooms start appearing you can then cut your iris flowers and put them in a vase and display them in your home.
• After they have finished blooming keep the foliage so they can gather the nourishment needed for next years blooming season. Keep them watered so that they can grow. When the they become dormant do not water.

If you plan to put them in a flower pot, tub, or urn they will grow tall and slim so it might be a good idea to use large containers.

• Use good quality,well drained soil and make sure there are adequate drain holes. They do not like to sit in water and it can cause  them to rot.
• Put them in full sun.
• Plant them 2" deep and 3" to 4" apart. Plant them with the pointed side up.
• Water well

If planting in a

12" - 15" pot - plant 9 bulbs

10" pot - plant 7 bulbs

8" pot - plant 5 bulbs

Magnolias are a beautiful deciduous tree that can't help but be admired when in full bloom.

The Magnolia tree is a native to Eastern Asia and North America.  They are tropical in nature and are evergreen. They are a showy fragrant flower that come in a variety of colors such as white,pink,purple,green and yellow.

Lets talk about how to plant and grow a magnolia tree. The Southern Magnolia also known as the (Magnolia grandiflora) is a tree that grows well in the south. It adapts well to a variety of soils and has very little pest problems. They are often used in landscaping as a single specimen. They make a great background for shrubs. They can grow from 60 to 80 feet when reaching full maturity.

They can be used in a ornamental bed or planted in rows to divide a property line. They grow easily in a sun or shaded area. The southern magnolia likes a well drained, acidic soil.

If you are planting a southern magonlia from a container it can be planted anytime of the year and if it is a balled and burlapped one then it should be planted between the months of August to October. It is common for these trees to shed a large amount of leaves during the first growing season due to transplant shock.

Steps to Plant the Magnolia Tree

1. Dig the hole two times wide and as deep as the root ball.
2. When planting keep the root ball level with soil surface.
3. After breaking apart the clods,backfill with native soil.
4. Water thoroughtly to settle soil.
5. Then apply 3 to 5 inches mulch to soil surface conserve moisture / prevent weeds.
6. Fertilize when tree becomes established and starts to grow.
7. A guy wire may be needed if planted in a windy exposed area for the first growing season.

The southern magnolia can grow as single tree trunk  or multiple trunks like the "Little Gem Magnolia".

Tree Care

1. They require one inch of  moisture every 14 days.
2. Prune in late spring
   
3. Fertilize during first 3 growing seasons.

Landscape Uses

1. Espalier

2. Buffer
3. Screen
4. Shade Tree
5. Street Tree

They make a great tree to landscape with. One draw back is that they are a messy tree. They drop old fruit, leaves and twigs on a continual basis. On the plus side they are fast growing and have a dense foliage.

Creating a butterfly garden is not only a great landscaping project to take on, but also makes a beautiful addition to your yard.

It is easy to attract them.  Just begin by growing plants that butterflies will feed on.  There are many different species of butterflies and they all have different preferences in nectar.  By using a wide range of plants you will bring in a more diverse range of butterflies.

When planning your butterfly garden keep these suggestions in mind:

1. Learn what butterfly species are common in your area and include adult nectar and caterpillar food plants in your garden.
2. Butterflies are attracted to patches of plants that bloom at the same time and will increase the chance of their eggs being layed on them.
3. Avoid pesticides
4. Add some rocks for them to bask in the sun on.

Here is list of plants that you can use to attract butterflies:

Annuals

• Impatiens

• Marigold
• Sunflower
• Verbena
• Zinnia

Perennials

• Aster

• Bee Balm
• Black-eyed Susan
• Coneflower
• Goldenrod
• Hibiscus
• Hollyhock
• Lantana
• Passion Flower
• Yarrow

Shrubs and Trees

• Button bush

• Butterfly bush
• Pear
• Plum
• Rose of Sharon
  
• Blueberry

These are only a partial list of plants that you can use to attract butterflies with.  Just remember that the goal here is to plan your garden to attract and to encourage the butterflies to visit as often as possible. 

It is recommended that you plant your garden in full sun and that you do not use any insecticides. You might also want to purchase some butterfly houses to add to your butterfly garden.

If you love hummingbirds like I do then you will want to do what you can to attract them to your yard.

I just love to see them fly and dart and just hang in mid-air and they are so beautiful.  What a gift from nature.

There are many varieties of plants that can be used to attract hummingbirds when building your hummingbird garden.

Once the garden has been built and the birds start coming you can hang some feeders up nearby. They are very inquisitive birds and like to check out any new food source.

By being selective when choosing your hummingbird plants you can have flowers blooming during  the whole season. The diversity of plants range from annuals, perennials, vines, shrubs, trees, hanging plants and bedding plants. 

When choosing your plants it is a good idea to use different varieties in form and size.

Here is a list of plants that you can use to attract hummingbirds:

Annuals

• Petunia
• Impatiens
• Fushsia
• Jewelweed
• Shrimp Plant

Perennials

• Bee Balm

• Canna
• Cardinal Flower
• Coral Bells
• Four O'Clocks
• Foxglove
• Hosta

Vines

• Coral Honeysuckle
  

• Moring Glory

• Trumpet Creeper

Shrubs and Trees

• Azelea

• Cape Honeysuckle
• Lantana
• Red Buckeye
• Turk's Cap
• Weigela

When planning your garden be sure to locate it in a place where you can sit and enjoy these birds in action.  You will be glad you did!

If you have a successful tip on how you attract hummingbirds please feel free to leave a comment.

Why compost?  Why not?  Compost is one of nature's best fertilizers.  By using compost it improves the soil, aeration and texture.  It also increases the soil water-holding capacity.   

The compost provides the microorganisms with food, which in turn helps keep the soil in a healthy state.  The feeding of the microorganisms will in turn produce nitrogen,potassium and phosphorus naturally.  

Most  gardeners and landscapers  understand how compost can make a healthful enviroment for the lawn and plants. You can start by putting all your own yard waste to work by composting.

Compost is what you are left with after all the microorganisms, bacteria, fungi, worms and insects break down the organic matter.

Our focus in composting is to create humus. Just about any organic material can be used in a compost pile. The pile  will need to consist of a proper ratio of dried brown (carbon-rich) leaves, straw and wood chips and green (nitrogen) grass clipping and scraps from  the kitchen.

Here is a list of common materials used to make compost:

• algae, seaweed, lake moss
• kitchen rinse water/ beverages
  
• cardboard
• coffee grounds / filters
• compost activator
• corn cobs/ stalks
• dryer lint
• egg shells
• hair
• manure
• newspaper
• oak leaves
• untreated sawdust / wood shavings
• pine needles / cones
• grass clippings
• kitchen refuse (melon rinds, carrot peels, tea bags, apple cores, banana peels)

The first thing you must consider is where would be a good location to build your compost site.  It should  be constructed on a well drained and level area in your yard.  If you live in a cool latitude put it in a sunny area and if you live in a warm latitude put it in a shaded area.  Also use some shelter to protect it from freezing cold winds.

It is also recommended to build it over the soil or lawn in order to take advantage of microbes, earthworms,etc.  that help in the composting process.

When you are actively making compost you can expect to get finished compost in about 3 to 4 weeks.  The pace at which you reach a finished compost is determined by how you collect and mix them together and if they are chopped and shredded.  Also how you layer them is important.

By using shredded organic materials it will heat up rapidly and start to decompose quickly.  The result will be a uniform compost. 

It is important to monitor the temperature of the managed pile.  It is the temperature that indicates the activity of the decomposition process.  If the compost pile is warm or hot then everything is proceeding properly.  If the pile is  the same as the outside air then the process has slowed down and you need to add more green (nitrogen) material such as manure, grass and kitchen waste.

Do not let the pile dry out, it will not decompose as fast.  It needs to stay moist in order for the decaying process to take place.  But also be careful as to not to over water it, because this can also slow the decaying process.

The pile needs to breathe in order for the organisms to survive that decompose the material.  A great way to do this is to add some vertical ventilation tubes to different areas of the pile and give it a shake every now and  then.

I would also recommend that you buy a compost themometer for your compost pile. The optimum temperature would be a range of 104 to 131 degrees. The pile should be turned if  the temperature falls below a 104 degrees.

Before we talk about dethatching we must define what Lawn thatch is.  Lawn thatch is a layer of dead grass and leaves that lies between the green vegation and the soil.

If you intend to grow a lush green healthy lawn it is vital that you take the time to remove the dead grass and leaves.

There are two reasons for this:

• One is if not removed it will prevent water from getting to your grass roots.
• Two the thatch layer will become the home of unwanted insects.

If the thatch gets to be 3/4" or more you have a major problem.  It would be recommended that if your lawn has reached this point that you rent a vertical mower or a power rake to do the dethatching for you.

The machines can be rented for the day or you can opt to have a lawn care company to come out and do the job for you. If you choose to do the job yourself then I would choose to use the vertical mower.  The reason being is that it is the best type of machine for dethatching. The power rake is also good,but they are not capable of pulling as much thatch and they can pull up more grass, thus damaging the lawn.

After the thatch has been pulled to the lawn surface it then has to be rake up.  Then you can move forward with preparing the lawn to be seeded, fertilized and watered.

Hardening off is a process that begins in the springtime. By preparing plants that have been grown indoors to adapt to the outside enviroment, before being moved outside permently.

The seedlings are usually started off by being grown in a windowsill.  When you start the process of getting plants acclimated to the outside enviroment it is called hardening off.

If you were to move the plants outdoors without giving them time for proper hardening off it would end up having a negative impact on them when they are exposed to the sudden shock of the coolness at night or sunrays of the day.

The hardening off process should begin at least a week or two before you transplant them.  The plants should be at a healthy stage before it is warm outside.

Start by moving your plants to a shady area outside.  Something like a covered patio or porch.  Gradually increase the time and sun exposure until they are strong enough to take the sun on there own.  Be sure to bring them in if the weather turns cold, rainy or windy.

Be sure to water your seedlings good and transplant them on a overcast day.

If you are not familiar with companion planting then you might want to be after I tell you what it can do for you and your landscaping. It has many benefits.

Companion planting is when you plant one plant in close proximity to another. The idea for doing this is that certain plants can benefit from others by having qualities for example as a insect repellant, thus by eliminating the need for a pesticide.

It is often praticied on small-scale gardening. The companion plants act as a insect repellant. If you were to use companion planting through out your landscaping it could become a integrate part of your pest management. By using companion planting it not only serves a purpose,but adds beauty.

It can be incorporated in your gardens, flowerbeds, walkways, borders or where ever you have specific needs. It is all up to your imagination.

It is often used in organic gardens.  Garlic has been used as a companion plant with roses for many years, because it repels rose pest.  Tansy can also be used as a companion plant with roses, raspberries and fruit trees.  Tansy also repels flying insects, ants, japanese beetles, squash bugs and the striped cucumber beetle.

As you can see from the examples above they act as  mother natures natural way to deter insects for other plants, thus protecting the plant.