tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52676484194418124742024-03-05T03:58:31.722-08:00Ralph EdgeA blog about the joys of plants, landscaping, irrigation, and the outdoors in general. By Ralph Edge, a Texas Master Certified Nursery Professional,a Texas Certified Landscape Professional,a Texas Licensed Irrigator and Landscape Irrigation Auditor certified through Texas A&M University, as well as a Texas Department of Agriculture Commercial Chemical Applicator. Whew! And...an all around nice guy.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08651133060454977232noreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5267648419441812474.post-7481480495038935992018-02-03T08:36:00.000-08:002018-02-03T09:23:59.833-08:0010 Things to do for Your Yard In February<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">10 Spring Landscaping Tips from Ralph Edge </span></div>
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With winter close to being gone, anyone who hasn’t already done your landscaping for Spring should act quickly to do so. We have put together a list of the Top 10 Landscaping Tips for Dallas landscapes to help you prepare, yet these are time sensitive, so act quickly.<br />
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Top 10 Landscaping Tips for Dallas and the Surrounding Area:<br />
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1.Use dormant oil for scale until buds pop<br />
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This should be done soon as it will burn the plant once it gets too hot.<br />
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2.Spray roses for black spot and leaf mildew<br />
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Both are prevalent during cooler weather and high humidity, so do so now.<br />
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3.Prune or cut back liriope, mondo, “monkey grass”<br />
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These are ground covers that come out of winter looking ragged and need a nice haircut. Dallas area property owners are sometimes amazed at how a nice pruning is often the best landscaping tip for their Dallas landscapes.<br />
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4.Trim summer bloomers (crepe myrtles, lantana, and other)<br />
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Plants that bloom in summer have yet to set their buds, so trim them now. DO NOT, however, trim the Spring bloomers. It is too late for Spring bloomers.<br />
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5.It is a good time to fertilize Rye and Fescue<br />
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Both are cool season grasses and now is the time for fertilizing them. Do not fertilize dormant grasses (brown grasses) as this just encourages weed growth which is not good for your lawn.<br />
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6.Check your sprinkler system (on a warm day)<br />
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Seriously, wait until its a warm day so that you do not rush. Take your time to review every sprinkler head. Enjoy the weather. Look for leaks in your sprinkler systems. Look for sprinkler heads that do not pop up all the way. Watch for sprinkler stations or zones that are not coming on.<br />
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7.Veggie starts if you have not done so…Onions, Potatoes, Strawberries<br />
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You are almost late on this landscaping tip, so do so quickly. Strawberries are really starting to kick in right now.<br />
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8.Excellent time to mulch and prepare for Spring (bed cleaning is always fun)<br />
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For landscaping your beds, make sure to clean them first. Don’t just throw mulch on top of the beds as this is not good for them at all. Turn the soil to get more air flowing through the soil.<br />
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9.Clean your mower and take care of your blade<br />
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Prior to using your mower for landscaping thoughts, make sure to get any caked on grass cleaned off and sharpen or replace your blade. Not cleaning your mower and sharpening your blade can promote disease growth.<br />
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10.Clean all your tools and spray with a 1 to 10 solution of bleach, let dry, and then coat with WD-40<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08651133060454977232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5267648419441812474.post-76384155906499392682014-08-08T15:23:00.004-07:002014-08-08T15:31:26.963-07:00Hear the Smile<br />
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<br />
<h2 class="MsoTitle">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Hear the Smile</span></h2>
<h3>
Communication</h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 125%;">Take a
moment to think about this statement “in everything we do, we are communicating
something to someone.” Considering the validity of that statement and the
research that shows somewhere between 85 and 93 percent of all communication is
non-verbal, what are we communicating?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 125%;">Since
communication is the catalyst for our ideas, theories, interpersonal relationships,
and the very basis of our quality of life; and 80 plus percent is non-verbal,
then it is entirely possible we are communicating opposite of what we want or
intend to.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 125%;">Our
expressions can promote, anger, joy, puzzlement, or agreement. The clothing we wear
can “say” I am a brash, no holds barred individual or a French cuff could “say”
I am smooth and sophisticated. The cars we drive and how we drive them, the
music we listen to or even the movies and books we talk about communicates who
we are. How aware are we of the effects of our communicating and how can this
be used to our advantage? It is possible a smile or positive body language can
help turn a new prospect into a new client, it is a good, strong, and positive
step in any sales process.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 125%;">A professional
salesperson/manager is a master of human behavior and communication. The
professional is prepared, engaged, and focused, they know their client and how
best to communicate to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They know
how to mirror their client’s body language, speech, and tonal patterns. A
masterful sales person is creating an environment through multiple avenues of
communication, which encourages bonding and rapport with the client. People buy
from people they like and they buy more than once.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 125%;">The better we
communicate, the more successful we will be, this is a proven fact. Ronald
Regan our 40<sup>th</sup> president was both beloved and feared (by his
enemies), he was often referred to as the great communicator. Ask yourself
today, how well do I communicate? Am I a one faceted communicator? Can you
create the impression that you need to, for success in today’s environment?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 125%;">You are the
only one that crafts the impression you deliver!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08651133060454977232noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5267648419441812474.post-91023479075315290912012-03-31T13:54:00.000-07:002013-02-22T19:17:03.737-08:00The Start of Water Conservation<h1>
Water Conservation Tips by Ralph Edge</h1>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s5XRThwEtgI/T3duIt9h06I/AAAAAAAAAqk/ogBxoXtVmpg/s1600/splash.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s5XRThwEtgI/T3duIt9h06I/AAAAAAAAAqk/ogBxoXtVmpg/s320/splash.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<h2>
Now That We Have Water Supply, What is the Proper Water Use for Landscaping in Dallas</h2>
<h3>
Texas Licensed Irrigator Ralph Edge Shares Watering Tips for Water Conservation and Proper Water Use</h3>
Well the lakes are full and some lakes are even opening the gates to allow the current water supply to adjust to slightly below full. So hey, let’s end the <a href="http://dallascityhall.com/dwu/water_utilities.html" target="_blank" title="Dallas Water Restrictions"><span style="color: #ff9900;">water restrictions</span></a> and start watering and fertilizing to get us back into the same mess we were in before.<br />
Wow! I am sure I have already made some new friends. You know… even at the height of the drought I had neighbors that watered to the extent that water supply ran down the street and into the storm drain some 250 yards away – poor water use in general.<br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Water conservation</strong></em></span> is just that, conserving the resources we have while we have them. So we must be smart with our water supply and make sure our water use is in the appropriate areas at the appropriate times for the appropriate purposes. Like my dad used to say..”It is too late to shut the barn door after the cow has left the building!” The simple fact of the matter is, we have more people in the Dallas area now than we did 10 years ago and basically the same amount of water supply. The city’s infrastructure is straining to keep up and our water use is at record rates. Unfortunately, we see no reason to stop – except with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>water restrictions</strong></em></span>. So what can one person do to help with water conservation and how does it impact <a href="http://www.cgreens.com/" target="_blank" title="CGreen Landscape Irrigation"><span style="color: #ff9900;">landscaping in Dallas</span></a>?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXKHLeZViuVD7HF9H8Y2w5db9YHpdGFIW1CAwqdN1Kt3mBmYQqXt1rUQflAWMModSGyiv2I1t6ffoKMuTvUX89Pee3JfIFvRrQDdxGQYYsZBzUzE8ILKH02zSwg243eZnmSKr36TZmX6E/s1600/water+drips.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXKHLeZViuVD7HF9H8Y2w5db9YHpdGFIW1CAwqdN1Kt3mBmYQqXt1rUQflAWMModSGyiv2I1t6ffoKMuTvUX89Pee3JfIFvRrQDdxGQYYsZBzUzE8ILKH02zSwg243eZnmSKr36TZmX6E/s320/water+drips.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
Let’s take the simple solution of proper irrigation scheduling. Take the example of adding 1 inch of water per week at the height of summer, just one inch. If a normal irrigation spray head has a precipitation rate of 1.1 to 1.5 inches per hour, then through simple deduction, we know that spray head will need to run about 1 hour or 60 minutes to achieve 1 inch of water delivered to your lawn and seriously, that will be plenty.<br />
So how do we accomplish that? With our heavy alkaline clay soils that spray head should not run more than 7 minutes at any one run time. Otherwise, the rest of the water supply will run down the street and into the storm sewer – not good <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>water use</strong></em></span>. If your lawn has a dramatic slope, then the run time will be even less. Repeat the term “cycle and soak” over and over again, that will be your new mantra.<br />
Cycle and soak is the art and discipline of irrigating just enough for the soil to absorb the water supply with minimal run-off. Consider the situation of the two day a week watering schedule Mondays and Fridays as an example - start times of 2am, 4am, 6am, and 8am each run being 7 minutes. So 4 run times of 7 minutes each, equals 28 minutes and times 2 for 2 days of watering….Wow! No run-off and your plants look better than they ever have…Why?<br />
Well glad you asked…The time between the run times allowed the soil to absorb the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>water supply</strong></em></span> without unnecessary run-off and the plant actually received more water than a straight 40 minute runtime. Why is this? Once again, 7 minutes to the yard and then 33 minutes of water down the street – again, a poor water conservation plan.<br />
Cycle and Soak allows the vast, I repeat the vast, majority of the water to go where it needs to go and that is to your turf and to your plants and not to the storm sewer. No matter how much you water the storm sewer or the side walk, they will never get bigger or greener – and I know this is not where you want your water supply going.<br />
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<a href="http://www.cgreens.com/green-house/blogs/water-conservation-tips-ralph-edge/GPlus.to/CGreenDallas" target="_blank" title="CGreen Landscape Irrigation Google+"><span style="color: #ff9900;">Water conservation</span></a> is not simply doing without water, water conservation is the proper utilization of water that allows for the growth of your landscape and the reduction of the amount of water used….how can that be so simple?<br />
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Thanks for Stopping By..................................and Remember "Enjoy the Life"<br />
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Ralph EdgeAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08651133060454977232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5267648419441812474.post-30658465491371375412012-03-19T05:00:00.000-07:002013-02-22T19:17:59.317-08:00Planning and Design<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 115%;">Planning and Design</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Part One of the Seven Elements of Xeriscaping</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The fundamental element of Xeriscape design is water conservation. Landscape designers constantly look for ways to reduce the amount of applied water and to maximize the use of natural precipitation</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.</span></div>
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<v:shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" filled="f" id="_x0000_t75" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"> </v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:formulas> <v:path gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect" o:extrusionok="f"> <o:lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit"> </o:lock></v:path></v:stroke></span></v:shapetype></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Using graph paper, draw an aerial view of your property, another way to do this is by using “Google Earth” it will measure and give you a view you have not seen before, begin your plan with the following considerations</span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Orient the plot by marking down north, south, east and west. Include any limiting features such as trees, fences, walkways or structures. Note areas of sun and shade, which will help you, establish zones of differing water needs. You'll want to group plants with similar watering needs for most efficient water use. The term for this in irrigation “talk” is hydra- zoning, by using this method of water distribution you can capitalize on your local areas water restrictions, and keep your new plantings alive at the same time<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Study the natural contours and drainage patterns of the land. These contours can be easily developed into terraces, which add visual interest and help reduce soil loss and erosion due to rain or irrigation. Terraces can be as little as 3" and still offer visual appeal; terraces over 12" will require considerable support, such as rock walls or timbers reinforced with steel stakes. Also consider areas under trees where the grass will not grow no matter how many times you re-sod it, so expose those massive roots (gently) and fill in around them with different sizes and colors of river rock, the trees will like you for it and you will not be stressing over your bare dirt.</span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><b>Rain Garden</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another consideration in studying the contours of the property, do you have a low spot that always seems damp and boggy and fills with rain water, turn it into a permeable rain garden with bog loving<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>plants, make use of those areas that you would normally shy away from and let nature water them.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bubble Diagram</b></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDUWQzw3-DjhnYB0s31VqeFbXA4e7SM3NoR1N61llHyejPkv87SYAVuSdQ49uiN1y2kO9f3G2XzZ-uJnGMEN8sN1QXAN3AX7TXTwwCnf2QXysBha-nT_W2zB78gUsGlxAMDsaXGfcDC10/s1600/bubble4.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDUWQzw3-DjhnYB0s31VqeFbXA4e7SM3NoR1N61llHyejPkv87SYAVuSdQ49uiN1y2kO9f3G2XzZ-uJnGMEN8sN1QXAN3AX7TXTwwCnf2QXysBha-nT_W2zB78gUsGlxAMDsaXGfcDC10/s1600/bubble4.gif" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Consider the planned use of each area within the plot. Areas for seating, walkways, visual barriers, dining or play should be defined and incorporated into your plan. In the world of landscape we call this a bubble diagram… very, very helpful in designating and planning<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>you next home improvement adventure</span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Areas to be left as turf should be designed to be easily mowed. Curved swaths are usually better than straight runs with sharp turns. Narrow swaths can be difficult to water with conventional sprinklers. When choosing your turf area stay away from water hogs… grasses that demand heavy watering and high nitrogen fertilization, a grass that has to be mowed every other day with a special reel mower…I mean really, is that what you want to be doing with your spare time?</span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Larger plantings, such as shrubs and trees, can be positioned to provide natural heating and cooling opportunities for adjacent buildings.</span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When choosing a tree think….”Mature Growth”….if you live in a zero lot line house with a 20 by 20 foot yard area do you really want a tree when, in its adult life, has a span of 40 feet and a height of 70 feet. That kind of tree, while perfect in a rural setting or large lot setting will be nothing but a headache for a smaller property, it is not the right plant. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Xeriscaping is all about conserving the resources we have available, we do that by making good decisions about what, where, when, and how we plant and design our landscape.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Thanks and Enjoy the Life<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><v:shape id="_x0000_i1030" style="height: 80.25pt; width: 80.25pt;" type="#_x0000_t75"> <v:imagedata o:title="hands" src="file:///C:\Users\RALPH\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image010.jpg"> </v:imagedata></v:shape><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Ralph Edge<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #0d0d0d; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Texas Certified Master Nursery Professional # 5330<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #0d0d0d; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Texas Certified Landscape Professional # 577<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #0d0d0d; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Texas Licensed Irrigator #13733<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #0d0d0d; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Texas Licensed Backflow Assembly Tester #12012<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #0d0d0d; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Texas A&M and EPA Certified Irrigation Auditor<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #0d0d0d; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Texas Dept. Of Agriculture Commercial Applicator <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #0d0d0d; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">http://ralphedge.blogspot.com/<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #0d0d0d; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">http://www.garden-share.com/profile/RalphEdge<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://email.about.me/wf/click?upn=e86tqVWFYsEogZdu8cwmbiXnDIW9fzLNhZ-2Fbm0HToCI-3D_cx44XyBJv7Ej0-2B0TgEdWUZL14M5Rnoq-2BlbzLrDMYFI2YNpi2oupelCLVUcnSKXTlrRyhY0KjjlLfPqMQWazSiWywhdJGdtGUI-2B-2FairxiZusHYhvN1C3Hyz2bMh-2BG9vXVYWMHOI9tFNY-2FPG9zBd2NcCzHp3Cx3Eifr4VigpnmRmc-3D"><span style="color: black;">http://about.me/<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">ralphedge</span></span></a></span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08651133060454977232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5267648419441812474.post-58021582203384812062012-03-09T06:04:00.000-08:002012-03-09T06:04:22.706-08:00Grass Roots Water Conservation.....<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong>Water Conservation</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong></strong></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><br />
</strong></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ymnTLbzvXeQ/T1oNZuQmHcI/AAAAAAAAAok/wY7vc_RzWLc/s1600/kid+in+sprinkler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ymnTLbzvXeQ/T1oNZuQmHcI/AAAAAAAAAok/wY7vc_RzWLc/s1600/kid+in+sprinkler.jpg" yda="true" /></a></div><br />
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One of the largest topics in the very near future (now) will be water conservation. Many cities and states are experiencing potable water shortages as we speak.<br />
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Many think this is another tree hugger fantasy, or the Southwest version of Save the Whales. Did you know that a little over a hundred years, ago paddle wheel steamers were traveling up and down the Rio Grande between Texas and Mexico? They were very similar to the ships that were navigating the Mississippi River; well today you can almost walk across the Rio Grande.<br />
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We have more people, more concrete, more residential turf areas than we have ever had before and whether we like it or not, water has become our most precious natural resource.<br />
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So there are some very simple ways of conserving this precious resource, in this blog we will deal with the basics of water usage in the landscape irrigation arena.<br />
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Watering in longer cycles or zone runs, does not mean more water for your grass, in fact just the opposite. After 7 minutes of run time on most spray heads the water is running down the street and provides little in the way of benefit to your starving yard. So………….Cycle and Soak:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><strong>Try this Irrigation Scheduling method for watering your lawn</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><br />
<strong></strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><strong>and landscape. For fixed and pop-up spray sprinklers,</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><br />
<strong></strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><strong>Use the Cycle and Soak water 3 cycles a day, 4 to 6 minutes each cycle.</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><br />
<strong></strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: red;">Schedule start times one hour apart. If you have rotating sprinklers, water 3 cycles a day, 10 to 12 Minutes each cycle</span>.</strong></div><strong><br />
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You will this is more effective than the standard 15 minute runs we have all been used to, the infiltration rate of our North Texas clay soils are such that more water runs off and down the street than into the root zone…….Try this idea to remind you of cycle and soak…think of a brand new sponge, just out of the wrapper, have you ever tried to clean your kitchen counter with a dry sponge? It just smears the mess around on the counter but get that sponge a little wet and it works much better…Think of your lawn as a dry sponge and you have a limited amount of water to use and you do not want any running down the street…Cycle and Soak…That is your new mantra.<br />
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Okay…got cycle and soak?…..Next, think of mulch for your flower and shrub beds. Mulch can reduce (by up to 65 %) the evaporation of moisture from that bed area…who knew?? <br />
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Seriously, you spend time and dollars watering make sure it stays where it is needed and where you intend it to be. Pine straw, cedar, hardwood, shredded pine, eucalyptus….the choices are endless…just use an organic product that can decompose and add organic matter back to the soil, the plants will love you, the earthworms will love you and you will be the hero of your block…….(well maybe)<br />
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Enjoy the Life<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjajMl19RPFECqjmZ4wo7nynyCSVWStE5HgnJ_hZdGYKZCXOGfg-3pCOuFI6rEOz2TFmUBL_kYkz9oCBrRCO7RzubwNutVSvAY-s48y_989N8KaWlKX8vHooy-v_LcSEBv-FXibTMiTd28/s1600/hands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjajMl19RPFECqjmZ4wo7nynyCSVWStE5HgnJ_hZdGYKZCXOGfg-3pCOuFI6rEOz2TFmUBL_kYkz9oCBrRCO7RzubwNutVSvAY-s48y_989N8KaWlKX8vHooy-v_LcSEBv-FXibTMiTd28/s200/hands.jpg" width="200" yda="true" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08651133060454977232noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5267648419441812474.post-14118191796683972112012-02-27T10:49:00.000-08:002012-02-27T10:49:13.302-08:00There is That Quote Again !!!!<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCQt44wlZe2tZ2BJTE2qxVt_qNOIKva8KEZR7Zju9JvFcixmzTc3Ms1y6_-ypwLoe4h2CSffHbaKzY0FQDEZhFyW5uJauCI7RvW_uYycK11hEItQA_nuitLym3y8PAd6i4oxlaafdcV1g/s1600/amazed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCQt44wlZe2tZ2BJTE2qxVt_qNOIKva8KEZR7Zju9JvFcixmzTc3Ms1y6_-ypwLoe4h2CSffHbaKzY0FQDEZhFyW5uJauCI7RvW_uYycK11hEItQA_nuitLym3y8PAd6i4oxlaafdcV1g/s1600/amazed.jpg" /></a></div><div align="center"><em>Well........As most of you know I do not promote motivation articles, seminars, movies, books, or whatever....but I recently received this article in my e-mail and promptly avoided it. A day later someone forwarded me a copy of the article and asked me to read it as it had "spoke" to them. I did read it then and have read it several times since then. Did it speak to me? No...I would say it shouted, thundered, clapped...well you get the idea. I spent 20 plus years in retail and I cannot tell you how many times I have had my clerks demeaned, ridiculed, and demoralized for being just that a clerk, trying to help someone else. this article is from a man named Jim Paluch of JP Horizons, Read and enjoy!!</em></div><br />
<em>Ralph Edge</em><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZzmvs7Ku23Vr1JLoQdDEvNhj96QtwN4-rRGLHqi-e-DKVmjUN-w2cu9wQ9f3vd07QX5EPfks47Tl7vF7zxVPo74peQpH3GxbFSsv2v3KHuhYtRMwi1MZa7zV-EIel7_ViEvYAEVeDKUQ/s1600/shocked.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZzmvs7Ku23Vr1JLoQdDEvNhj96QtwN4-rRGLHqi-e-DKVmjUN-w2cu9wQ9f3vd07QX5EPfks47Tl7vF7zxVPo74peQpH3GxbFSsv2v3KHuhYtRMwi1MZa7zV-EIel7_ViEvYAEVeDKUQ/s1600/shocked.jpg" /></a></div><div align="center"></div><br />
<strong>There Is That </strong><strong>Quote Again! </strong><br />
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<strong>"Your life is a direct reflection of how you treat people."</strong><br />
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If you have been to a JP Horizons event, you may remember that I always have a variety of quotes rotating up on the screen as people come into the room. I have been on the speaking trail quite a bit over the past couple of months and have had the chance to read those quotes many times. Or, maybe I should say, read one of those quotes quite a bit. It just seems like every time I look up at the screen while mingling around the room or preparing to get started, the slide that always catches my attention is the one that I quoted at the opening of this newsletter: "Your life is a direct reflection of how you treat people." <br />
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It has grabbed my attention so often lately that it's really caused me to do a little self-assessment and consider the question, "How am I treating people, and how would my life be different if I could make even a small improvement in this area?"<br />
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When we take the time to ask ourselves a sincere question, one that we really are open to the answer that may follow, we need to be prepared, because the answers will follow. Go ahead and read that last sentence again if you have the time because there are a couple of key points in it. If we ask a sincere question, the answers will come. The humbling thing about asking this question for me and the whole situation of being drawn to it is that the quote is out of my first book, Five Important Things. I made that quote up, and here I am, 15 years later, wondering how much progress I have made in this area. Well, the answers started to come. A little sketchy at first, but over a couple of days they seemed to come clearer and clearer, whether I wanted them or not . . . Hold on, you are going to get a little bit of self-disclosure from the road, yet I will also give reference to some things that I have gone back to read and consider. Things I have written in the past. I am thinking that if I wrote the quote that has started this whole reflective process, then maybe some of the other things I have written could bring about more insight. <br />
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- Jim Paluch <br />
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<strong>Doing Their Job</strong><br />
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One of the interesting things about traveling so much is you get to meet a lot of people who are right in the middle of doing their jobs. Hardworking people such as Continental airline ticket agents and gate agents, rental car agents, cab drivers and shuttle bus drivers, hotel front desk clerks, banquet managers, audio/visual technicians, waitresses, business center workers, and a host of other people that I can come in contact with. I started asking myself the question, "How am I treating these individuals that are just trying to get by in what may not be the most rewarding positions at times?" <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oykI_HznQPc/T0vPG4qpwDI/AAAAAAAAAoU/UDD9Bm3AsC8/s1600/sad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" lda="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oykI_HznQPc/T0vPG4qpwDI/AAAAAAAAAoU/UDD9Bm3AsC8/s1600/sad.jpg" /></a></div>Well, I really did not like the answers that followed from that little constant voice running dialogue in my head. "Do you remember that a/v technician that you went nose to nose with just because you didn't like his prices? Or how about the ticket agent who just could not get you on the plane as a standby, no matter how gold or elite you felt your frequent flyer status was? She probably should have sat you in the corner for a timeout." Sometimes that inner dialogue can really let you have it if you are willing to let it speak. It could probably go on with more examples than I want to admit, but I will just let you in on one more just so you get the picture. ". . . how about that waitress, you know the one who started crying, in front of Beth and your sons several years ago, just because you had to give her a two-minute seminar on customer service, and conclude with, 'Now come on, get your head in the game.' And, oh yeah, how did you feel when her manager came out and asked you what you said to his waitress who is in the kitchen crying?" Now before I tarnish an image so badly that there may never be another person showing up for a seminar, let me just say, it does not happen frequently, but the question at this point is, "Is even once acceptable?" I don't think so, and I guess it is what I was thinking about when I wrote this little piece of "fiction" in Five Important Things and then forgot again many years later in the scene described above. <br />
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<strong>Doing Our Job</strong><br />
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How about when you or I are right in the middle of doing our job? Is that an easy time to appreciate people? You know, when our customers are depending on our service or product. Sometimes we can be so focused on doing a good job that we lose focus on the privilege of having a job to do. I realize over the years that there were times that I could have been more responsive and more appreciative of being a resource, yet there have been times that I've fallen short. I could have been a little more responsive to my clients' needs and maybe just genuinely appreciative of them and their role in helping people as well <br />
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<strong>Choices and Follow Through</strong><br />
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One last thought on this topic of how we treat people, and it goes back to the Five Important Things book as well. Important Thing Number 2 is "APPRECIATE PEOPLE" and it's at the core of treating people great. If we treat people great, and if we believe in the quote at the start of this newsletter . . . just think how tremendous our life will be! I was glad to read through them again and remember what inspired me to write these thoughts in the first place. <br />
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What a great wake-up call for me when I realized this quote "Your life is a direct reflection of how you treat people" was in my face almost every day over the past two months. Maybe the reason I kept seeing it on the screen was because I needed a good reminder and maybe I was supposed to write this newsletter so I could re-examine how I treat others. What if I was supposed to write it for you too, the reader? What if you are feeling right now like it was just for you? How will you treat people in the next hour or throughout this day? How will you and I treat others for the rest of the week, month or throughout this upcoming year? However we choose, we can count on seeing its reflection in our lives. <br />
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If you want to learn more about the power of PEOPLE SOLUTIONS THAT DRIVE BUSINESS PERFORMANCE, contact: <br />
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<strong>JP Horizons Inc.</strong><br />
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<strong>8119 Auburn Road</strong><br />
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<strong>Painesville, OH 44077</strong><br />
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<strong>Phone: (440) 352-8211</strong><br />
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</strong><br />
<strong>Fax: (800) 715-8326 </strong><br />
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</strong><br />
<strong>e-mail: jim@jphorizons.com</strong><br />
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</strong><br />
<strong>web site: <a href="http://www.jphorizons.com/">http://www.jphorizons.com/</a></strong><br />
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<strong>----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</strong><br />
<strong>Enjoy the Life and Thanks for Stopping by</strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dFuD1jietK8/T0vOs1iDJhI/AAAAAAAAAn8/jU6euOgZx7M/s1600/hands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" lda="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dFuD1jietK8/T0vOs1iDJhI/AAAAAAAAAn8/jU6euOgZx7M/s1600/hands.jpg" /></a></div>Ralph EdgeAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08651133060454977232noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5267648419441812474.post-56808204351397683882012-02-16T07:02:00.000-08:002012-02-16T07:07:29.637-08:00The Toad LilyOkay I want to start this off by saying I have yet to plant this little beauty, but it is one of the first plants to go in my somewhat ravaged garden this spring. It will need some shade, moist rich soil and yes, some water, perhaps I will use gray water since that may be all I have...due to the drought....But we cannot let a little thing like the biblical proportion type drought stop us committed gardeners. <br />
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Many feel we should be committed but that is a whole "nouther" story. While sifting through articles about the infamous Toad Lily I found a really good one from a retired extension horticulturist in Arkansas, so I will include it a little later on. The "Toad" will over winter as far North as Chicago....and yes I have readers that far North, only God knows why.......So, let us learn together....<br />
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Now would it not be great to have this cool little plant growing and blooming in our garden, and during one of our "Wine and Cheese Parties", we casually proclaim to it's admirers "Oh Yes, that is my Toad Lily, very sought after in it's native Asia" . Of course I don't know if wine from a box and string cheese in plastic tubes is "haute cuisine". Oh Well, enjoy the pictures and the article.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oc2Ei8qC1HQ/Tz0ZaXC3k7I/AAAAAAAAAnQ/NRVtqFiYs24/s1600/banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oc2Ei8qC1HQ/Tz0ZaXC3k7I/AAAAAAAAAnQ/NRVtqFiYs24/s1600/banner.jpg" yda="true" /></a></div><div align="center"></div><br />
Toadlily, Tricyrtis hirta, is one of a dozen species of Asian herbs of the lily family that are found in the Himalayas, China and Japan. This species grows 2-3 feet tall with gracefully arching stems arising from an underground root system. It has 4-inch long clasping leaves that are covered with a coat of fine hairs, hence the species name, which means "hairy."<br />
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A variegated form is available with each leaf delicately edged with an eighth-inch halo of yellow.<br />
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</div>The genus name Tricyrtis is from Latin and translates as "three convexities." It refers to the three match-head sized swollen nectary glands at the base of each flower. The flowers are borne singly along the stem, where each of the alternate leaves attaches to the stem.<br />
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Established toadlilies may have as many as two dozen of these 2-inch wide flowers splayed out along the stem when they come into bloom in early October.<br />
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Individual toadlily blooms have six petals that are splattered with brownish purple blobs on a white background, giving an overall lavender effect. It’s from these spots that some English gardener made the connection with toads and burdened the lovely plant with its unfortunate moniker.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Ja18aRZQLkktuC-YTiYje8UgAgCWy7Fjm_aEPpizETUYoBJc6tUu75BV8NivkLH6O7mHYmpLHZzOkka70mjgg0qvDITOBit_CmYRjJboXRfDkBDvKC63gwhAlC4eUkmsdi_X-JihKPs/s1600/toad+lily1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Ja18aRZQLkktuC-YTiYje8UgAgCWy7Fjm_aEPpizETUYoBJc6tUu75BV8NivkLH6O7mHYmpLHZzOkka70mjgg0qvDITOBit_CmYRjJboXRfDkBDvKC63gwhAlC4eUkmsdi_X-JihKPs/s1600/toad+lily1.jpg" yda="true" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Above the petals, the anthers extend outward and surround the three-branched stigma, giving the sexual part of the flower the look of the octopus ride at the county fair, but of course somewhat smaller. If pollination occurs early enough before frost, an erect capsule will form.<br />
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Tricyrtis seems to be one of those plants that got misplaced in the plant shuffle of the 20th century but seems to have been recently rediscovered. While Bailey and other garden writers described it almost 100 years ago, nobody seemed to carry it until recent years. About 1990, Wayside gardens began featuring the plant, and today it’s fairly common in garden centers and nurseries. Dan Heims, a West Coast propagator, lists almost 40 cultivars of the various species.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioIz4cANq-GnbY3VaXWanVBDxTqTZ5gPQc7E-XBjSQtf5FctHUeSsFAkCw0O4pAEPabgrZ8o5wwbIFu3RukugLXjGHPFsE0ZTqROGyyhhGLZ7vdSOGrD8aew52eCi1yQYwSlrM11cawSY/s1600/Toad+Lily.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioIz4cANq-GnbY3VaXWanVBDxTqTZ5gPQc7E-XBjSQtf5FctHUeSsFAkCw0O4pAEPabgrZ8o5wwbIFu3RukugLXjGHPFsE0ZTqROGyyhhGLZ7vdSOGrD8aew52eCi1yQYwSlrM11cawSY/s1600/Toad+Lily.jpg" yda="true" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Heims, who spoke at the 2000 Arkansas Flower and Garden Show, is one of a select group of serious plantsmen who have been traveling to Japan to acquire new and interesting plants from Japanese specialty nurseries. He tells of the Gotemba Nursery in Japan where hundreds of different toadlilies can be purchased by the rabid collector for prices up to $150 per plant.<br />
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Heims’ nursery specializes in tissue culture propagation and has introduced some of the best new types and is making them available to American nurserymen.<br />
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Toadlilies must be grown in the shade. They are excellent companion plants to hostas and other inhabitants of deep shade. Fertile, well drained, uniformly moist organic soils are most to their liking, but they will tolerate lesser soils so long as they don’t contain too much clay. Extended droughts will cause tip and marginal leaf burning. While the foliage will die with the first hard freeze, they are perfectly winter hardy as far north as Chicago. New plants can be had by springtime division or by terminal cuttings taken in the spring from new growth. Slugs occasionally mar the beauty of the foliage but are not usually serious.<br />
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By: Gerald Klingaman, retired <br />
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Extension Horticulturist -<br />
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Thanks for Stopping By and Enjoy the Life<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MbEkKGvT6Gc/Tz0Zd-7oKII/AAAAAAAAAnY/1zr8OuskPeQ/s1600/hands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MbEkKGvT6Gc/Tz0Zd-7oKII/AAAAAAAAAnY/1zr8OuskPeQ/s1600/hands.jpg" yda="true" /></a></div>Ralph Edge <br />
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<div align="center"></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08651133060454977232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5267648419441812474.post-16608038712144585042012-02-13T05:13:00.000-08:002013-02-22T19:22:58.068-08:00The Burning Bush? Well Maybe Not<span style="font-size: large;">Rusty Blackhaw Replacing The Burning Bush</span><br />
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Ralph Edge Shares The Burning Bush<br />
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The Burning Bush Replaced by the Rusty Blackhaw by Ralph Edge <br />
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Every year I have requests for the “burning bush” Euonymus alatus. Perhaps it is because everyone wants a red fall color and fall has just left us and they are trying to prepare for next fall, or maybe they are trying to get some biblical perspective into their landscape. Either way, I do my best to direct them away from that particular plant. Yes, it does have a brilliant red fall color and yes it does have a cool name and unusual growth along its branches, but it is capable of being invasive, grows taller than you will ever want, and above all it is a euonymus. Need I say more? It is a deciduous shrub native to eastern Asia, with an unusual cork growth along the branches similar to a wing, hence the name alatus, Latin for winged.<br />
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But I do have a recommendation for great red fall color and it is native to around here serving Dallas landscapes very well. I have borrowed a great synopsis from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin for basic information. So allow me to introduce you to the Rusty Blackhaw viburnum, my vote for the plant of the week……<br />
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Rusty Blackhaw<br />
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Dallas Landscaping from CGreen Landscape Irrigation<br />
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Viburnum rufidulum Raf.<br />
Rusty blackhaw viburnum, Rusty blackhaw, Southern blackhaw, Downy viburnum<br />
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Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle Family)<br />
USDA Symbol: VIRU<br />
USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.<br />
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This viburnum is a shrub or tree, usually growing to 18 ft. but sometimes taller with bark separating into dark, rectangular plates. Twigs reddish brown with a thin light gray coating. Leaves in pairs, often on short spurs, the petioles covered with rust colored, branched hairs visible under a l0x hand lens; blades up to 3 1/2 inches long, elliptic to oval or ovate, tip rounded or with a broad point, base rounded or broadly wedge shaped, margins finely serrate, firm textured with a shiny upper surface. Glossy, dark-green, deciduous leaves turn a variety of warm hues in autumn. Flowers white, from 1/4 to 3/8 inch wide, in rounded or flattened clusters up to 4 inches wide, appearing in March and April and noticeable from a distance in early spring. Fruit fleshy, bluish black lightened by a waxy coating, up to 1/2 inch long, slightly longer than wide.<br />
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Rusty Blackhaw is distinguished from the more northerly Blackhaw, Viburnum prunifolium, primarily by the reddish-brown hairs on foliage and other parts, as well as by the slightly larger leaves and paler blue fruit. The Latin species name, meaning reddish, also refers to the hairs. The two species intergrade where their ranges meet.<br />
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Plant Characteristics<br />
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Duration: Perennial<br />
Habit: Tree<br />
Leaf Retention: Deciduous<br />
Leaf Arrangement: Opposite<br />
Leaf Complexity: Simple<br />
Leaf Shape: Elliptic<br />
Size Notes: 15-25<br />
Fruit:<br />
Size Class: 12-36 ft.<br />
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Bloom Information<br />
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Bloom Color: White<br />
Bloom Time: Apr , May<br />
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Growing Conditions<br />
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Water Use: Low<br />
Light Requirement: Part Shade<br />
Soil Moisture: Dry<br />
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Cold Tolerant: yes<br />
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Soil Description: Dry soils. Limestone-based, Sandy, Sandy Loam, Medium Loam, Clay Loam, Clay<br />
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Conditions Comments: Slow-growing. Hard to propagate. With its waxy leaves, rusty blackhaw presents excellent fall hues of red, lavender, pink, and orange. Tiny clusters of flowers bloom in spring. In Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas, Correll and Johnston noted that the fruit tastes similar to raisins. Rusty blackhaw is good for understory plantings. Birds appreciate the fruit.<br />
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Benefit<br />
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Use Ornamental: Showy, Understory tree, Fall conspicuous, Attractive<br />
Use Wildlife: Nectar-bees, Nectar-butterflies, Nectar-insects, Fruit-birds, Fruit-mammals<br />
Interesting Foliage: yes<br />
Attracts: Birds<br />
Deer Resistant: Moderate<br />
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Rusty Blackhaw Winter Color by <a href="http://www.cgreens.com/">CGreen Landscape Irrigation</a><br />
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Figure 1 Rusty Blackhaw winter color<br />
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Rusty Blackhaw Fruit by CGreenFigure 2. Rusty Blackhaw fruit<br />
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This spring, think red fall color and when you do think outside the box and think of Rusty Blackhaw viburnum. (Many thanks to Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center for the excellent information)<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Enjoy the Life!! </span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08651133060454977232noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5267648419441812474.post-58711547684983595072012-01-20T08:31:00.000-08:002013-02-22T19:25:28.064-08:00What Does Xeriscaping Mean to Us Texans<br />
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What Does Xeriscaping Mean to Us Texans by Ralph Edge <br />
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Xeriscaping in Dallas<br />
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Many people often ask "What is Xeriscaping" and for good reason these days as water conservation is becoming increasingly important for landscaping and irrigation in Dallas. Xeriscaping was a term coined back in the 1970s not in Dallas, but in Denver, to mean water wise or water efficient landscaping. The drought of the 1970s in Colorado was of biblical proportions and this helped change the way we think of the term “water wise” and now xeriscaping. Did you know that the historians normally say the Colorado drought lasted from 1974 until 1981….WOW! Xeriscaping at a different level than we have seen.<br />
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We've heard the history lessons of the dustbowls of the 30s and some of us at CGreen Landscape Irrigation remember the dust storms in West Texas in the late 50s. With proper planting and correct conservation of water, we can help ourselves in this current drought environment with water management practices. Think of this as a basic “primer” to your spring planting and landscaping. <br />
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So what is Xeriscaping? The term xeriscaping is derived from the Greek word xeros, which means dry. Don’t let the definition of xeriscaping mislead you into thinking we’re talking about deserts and cactus or even a drought plagued, barren landscape. Xeriscaping is a method of gardening that involves choosing plants that are appropriate to their site and creating a landscape that can be maintained with little supplemental watering.<br />
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• Xeriscaping refers to landscaping in ways that do not require supplemental irrigation. Xeriscaping is promoted in areas that do not have easily accessible supplies of fresh water.<br />
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• The word Xeriscaping was coined by combining xeros (Greek for "dry") with landscaping. Plants whose natural requirements are appropriate to the local climate are emphasized, and care is taken to avoid losing water to evaporation and run-off.<br />
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• XeriscapeTM and the xeriscape logo are registered trademarks of the Denver Water, the City of Denver's Water Department. They were created by the Front Range Xeriscape Task Force of Denver Department in 1981.<br />
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• Xeriscaping is not the same as “Xeroscaping”--in which the landscape consists mostly of concrete, stones or gravel, with perhaps a cactus or two thrown in--and can look quite lush and colorful.<br />
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Xeriscaping is NOT dry only.<br />
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• Even though dry-only landscaping can be spectacularly colorful and even lush, limited areas of highly-watered landscape are completely consistent with wise water use, if the return justifies it. Heavily-irrigated athletic field turf, for example, makes sense, since it recovers quickly from heavy use.<br />
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Xeriscaping is NOT just rocks and gravel.<br />
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• Although dry (xeric) rock gardens can be interesting, there are many other wonderful choices for the xeric portions of Xeriscape designs.<br />
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Xeriscaping is NOT about native plants only.<br />
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• Although there is a vast array of wonderful native plants, non-invasive introduced plants that are well-adapted to our climate are a wonderful addition to waterwise landscaping. Many Irises, Hollies and even Roses are example of introduced plants that are well adapted to non-irrigated landscaping in Texas.<br />
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Xeriscaping Plant is technically a meaningless term.<br />
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• Xeriscaping can have highly irrigated, as well as dry areas, so the term "xeriscape plant" means nothing. Xeric, plant, however, is an accurate term. It refers to plants that prefer to be dry most of the time. Presumably what people really mean when they say "xeriscape plant", is xeric plant.<br />
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By applying these simple techniques you will be conserving water and improving local water quality - all while still having a beautiful garden.<br />
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7 Principles of Xeriscaping<br />
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1. Careful planning and design<br />
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2. Soil Improvement<br />
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3. Intelligent reduction of turf areas<br />
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4. Choosing appropriate plants<br />
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5. Mulching<br />
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6. Wise irrigation<br />
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7. Maintenance<br />
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Remember we have a finite amount of water the better we plan the better use we have of the water that is available. When your neighbors allow their sprinkler system to run water down the street and into the storm sewer, they steal water usage from you and we all end up short of water, with dead plants and generally a bad attitude. So plant water wise plants, conserve your irrigated water and help your neighbor.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08651133060454977232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5267648419441812474.post-36986309931878325592011-10-25T09:30:00.000-07:002011-10-25T09:30:12.236-07:00To Mulch......... Or Not To Mulch....There Can Be No Question!!<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong>It is Time to Mulch</strong></span></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NU6_3GJqulg/TqbiKhfQHqI/AAAAAAAAASw/48v4qqRcfkE/s1600/GARDENING" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ida="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NU6_3GJqulg/TqbiKhfQHqI/AAAAAAAAASw/48v4qqRcfkE/s1600/GARDENING" /></a></div><div align="center"><br />
</div>Mulching is one of the most important ways to maintain healthy landscape plants. The Type of mulch you choose for your garden and flower bed is more than just a personal preference, sometimes you may have weed control to consider or maybe you just want to brighten up the freshly planted beds or how about protecting your plants from the icy winter blast?<br />
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Benefits of Mulching<br />
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o When applied correctly, mulch has the following beneficial effects on plants and soil: <br />
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o Mulches prevent loss of water from the soil by evaporation. <br />
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o Mulches reduce the growth of weeds, when the mulch material itself is weed-free and applied deeply enough to prevent weed germination or to smother existing weeds. <br />
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o Mulches keep the soil cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, thus maintaining a more even soil temperature. <br />
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o Mulches prevent soil splashing, which not only stops erosion but keeps soil-borne diseases from splashing up onto the plants. <br />
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o Organic mulches can improve the soil structure. As the mulch decays, the material becomes topsoil. Decaying mulch also adds nutrients to the soil. <br />
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o Mulches prevent crusting of the soil surface, thus improving the absorption and movement of water into the soil. <br />
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o Mulches prevent the trunks of trees and shrubs from damage by lawn equipment. <br />
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o Mulches help prevent soil compaction. <br />
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o Mulches can add to the beauty of the landscape by providing a cover of uniform color and interesting texture to the surface. <br />
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o Mulched plants have more roots than plants that are not mulched, because mulched plants will produce additional roots in the mulch that surrounds them. <br />
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Types of Mulches<br />
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There are basically two types of mulches: organic and inorganic. Both types may have their place in the garden.<br />
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An organic mulch is a mulch made of natural substances such as bark, wood chips, leaves, pine needles, or grass clippings. Organic mulches attract insects, slugs, cutworms and the birds that eat them. They decompose over time and need to be replaced after several years.<br />
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Inorganic mulches, such as gravel, pebbles, black plastic and landscape fabrics, do not attract pests and they do not decompose, they do not provide eathworm friendly "homes", they do not add anything to the soil, and Hey....... are they really helping the environment??? I know, I know we are re-cycling....( I still like the organics better....can You Tell!!)<br />
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Mulch Materials<br />
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Organic Mulch Materials<br />
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Pine Bark <br />
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A 2- to 3- inch layer of pine bark is good for weed control. Pine bark makes an attractive, usually dark-colored mulch. It can be purchased in various particle sizes, from shredded to large-sized particles, called nuggets. Large pine bark nuggets float in water and may not stay in place during a heavy rain. They may also attract termites and other insects.<br />
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Pine Needles <br />
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A 2- inch layer of pine needles makes an excellent mulch for acid-loving trees and shrubs. This mulch is very attractive and allows water to penetrate easily.<br />
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Shredded Hardwood Mulch <br />
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This mulch is good at suppressing weeds. It does not wash away easily. It decomposes relatively slowly, and it is very attractive.<br />
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Cedar Mulch<br />
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One of my favorites has a fragrant aroma and is said to be a natural insect repellant. <br />
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Wood Chips <br />
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This material contains bark and pieces of wood of various sizes and makes attractive mulch. A 2- to 3- inch layer of wood chips provides good weed control. Small wood chips decompose very rapidly using nitrogen from the soil, which needs to be replaced by nitrogen fertilizer. Wood chips may attract termites and other insects.<br />
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Pecan Shells <br />
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Pecan shells make a long-lasting, attractive, dark brown mulch that is effective in retaining moisture in the soil and can even help lower the soils PH in some instances. Availability is usually limited to areas where pecans are processed.<br />
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Inorganic Mulch Materials:<br />
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Gravel, Pebbles and Crushed Stone <br />
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These materials are permanent and are best used for permanent plantings such as foundation plants. A 1- inch layer of small rocks will provide good weed control. Do not use them around acid-loving plants since the rocks may add alkaline elements and minerals to the soil. These materials reflect solar radiation and can create a very hot landscape environment during the summer months.<br />
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Landscape Cloth or Woven Ground Cloth <br />
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Materials woven of fabric, plastic or paper are available in various lengths and widths. The materials are treated to resist decomposition. Unlike plastic films, woven materials allow water and air to move through them. They are very effective in controlling most weeds, although some grasses may grow up through the holes in the fabric. Landscape cloth needs to be fastened down so it will not be pushed up by perennial weeds. Better moisture, temperature and weed control will be obtained by adding several inches of another mulching material on top of the landscape cloth.<br />
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Ground Rubber Tires <br />
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Mulches made of ground rubber tires do not decompose and therefore, never need to be replaced. The use of ground rubber tires is relatively new and its effectiveness as a mulch is still being evaluated, but it is a great cover for play areas.<br />
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Where to Use Mulch<br />
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Mulching is a very important practice for establishing new plantings, because it helps to conserve moisture in the root ball of the new plant until the roots have grown out into the surrounding soil. The growth rate and health of trees and shrubs increases when there is no competition for water and nutrients from weeds. Mulch also helps to prevent tree trunk injury by mowers and trimmers. Newly planted trees require a circle of mulch 3 to 4 feet in diameter, “note” keep the mulch from touching the base of the tree (keeps the bugs and moisture down). Maintain this for five years. Mulch entire beds of shrubs, trees, annuals, herbaceous perennials and ground covers.<br />
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Mulch can also be used to cover trails, driveways, and play and natural areas.<br />
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Light-weight mulch such as dried grass clippings and pine straw can be used temporarily to cover low-growing tender plants to protect them from frost injury.<br />
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When and How Often to Mulch<br />
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The best time to mulch new plantings is right after you plant them. Around established plants mulch is best applied in early spring. This is when plants are beginning to grow and before weed seeds start to germinate.<br />
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How often mulch needs to be replenished depends on the mulching material. Grass clippings and leaves decompose very fast and need to be replenished frequently. Inorganic mulches such as gravel and pebbles rarely need replenishing. As the plants grow and fill in the bed areas, less and less mulch is needed.<br />
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How to Apply Mulch<br />
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Before applying any type of mulch to an area, it is best to weed the area. Spread a layer of mulching materials over the entire plant bed. Keep mulch 2 to 3 inches away from the stems of woody plants. This will prevent decay caused by wet mulch and rodent damage during the winter. Keep mulch 6 to 12 inches away from the walls of buildings.<br />
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Newly planted trees require a circle of mulch 3 to 4 feet in diameter. Maintain this for at least three years. Do not pile mulch against the trunk. For established trees in lawns create a circle of mulch about 2 feet in diameter for each inch of trunk diameter. Increase the size of the mulched area as the tree grows. Try to apply the mulch at least 6 to 12 inches beyond the drip-line of the tree. Because the root system can extend two to three times the crown spread of the tree, mulch as large an area as possible.<br />
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How Deep to Mulch<br />
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The amount of mulch to apply depends on the texture and density of the mulch material. Many wood and bark mulches are composed of fine particles and should not be more than 2 to 3 inches deep. Excessive amounts of these fine-textured mulches can suffocate plant roots, resulting in yellowing of the leaves and poor growth.<br />
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Coarse-textured mulches such as pine bark nuggets allow good air movement through them and can be as deep as 4 inches.<br />
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Mulches composed of grass clippings or shredded leaves should never be deeper than 2 inches, because these materials tend to mat together, restricting the water and air supply to plant roots.<br />
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How to Calculate the Amount of Mulch Needed<br />
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To determine how many cubic feet of mulch is needed, you need to calculate the surface area and the desired depth of coverage. There are 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard. One cubic yard will cover a 324-square-foot area with an inch of mulch. Figure out the square footage of your bed, that is the width times the length for square or rectangular shaped beds. The square footage of a circular bed is the distance from the middle of the circle to the outside, multiplied by itself and then multiplied by 3.14 (which is pi).<br />
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Multiply your square footage by the depth desired (in inches) and divide by 324 square feet. This will tell you how many cubic yards you will need.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6q9-Mf9SdGQ/TqbiIBq4BWI/AAAAAAAAASo/C46O0v7bwe8/s1600/hands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ida="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6q9-Mf9SdGQ/TqbiIBq4BWI/AAAAAAAAASo/C46O0v7bwe8/s1600/hands.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Thank You Very Much.... Clemson University for your Contribution :))</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08651133060454977232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5267648419441812474.post-584463866551926192011-10-18T08:35:00.000-07:002011-10-18T08:35:38.253-07:00A Fall Celebration !!!!!!<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;"><strong>The Celebration of Fall</strong></span></div><br />
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Wow… nothing says holiday more than the first cool days of fall. The crisp cool evenings of the Friday night football games, hot apple cider, sweaters, coats, and the congregation of good friends after the summer swelter.<br />
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So once again we venture out and into our gardens to see what survived! And that veteran fall favorite the “mum” has survive the blistering reign of the Texas Summer Sun, well at least in my poor garden and flower bed area if you can call it that. My “mums” have survived and are actually starting to bloom. I was so startled I went out and immediately purchase the biggest; “orangeist” pumpkin I could find….Wahoo…Fall is finally here!! Here is one of my favorite of all plants the fall Mum……………………<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">(not this silly, this is a pumpkin…look below)</div><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Fall Garden Mums</span></strong> <br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_h3rNUQcDlU/Tp2aqTe6HHI/AAAAAAAAARs/du1bm2jNqIo/s1600/bronze+mums.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" oda="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_h3rNUQcDlU/Tp2aqTe6HHI/AAAAAAAAARs/du1bm2jNqIo/s1600/bronze+mums.jpg" /></a><br />
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The garden mum (chrysanthemum) is one of the most exciting flowers that can be grown in the home landscape for late summer and fall color. Garden mums require a minimum amount of care and do well even under some adverse conditions. There are cultivars (varieties) with color that range from white to yellow, pink, purple, bronze, red and all the hues in between. With hundreds of cultivars available, the choice of plants to grow is unlimited. To have a more interesting collection of mums, plant cultivars of various types such as: singles, anemones, decoratives, pompons, spoons, spiders, and standards.<br />
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The term, garden mum, applies to chrysanthemum cultivars that will flower naturally in Texas and be early enough to avoid a heavy frost. The term "hardy" has been abandoned by most suppliers since hardiness of garden mum cultivars may vary significantly from one season or area depending on weather and previous cultural conditions. <br />
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Garden chrysanthemums are planted in the spring from established cuttings. This is contrary to years ago when they were offered primarily in the fall as clumps. Today the plants are being sold along with annual flowers and vegetables. Most of the plants are sold in pots and must be removed from the pots before planting. The plants generally have had at least one pinch, which results in a well-branched plant. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mcNT4mzzGzU/Tp2aunWF1mI/AAAAAAAAAR0/S5C2Y03RHko/s1600/orange+mums.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" oda="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mcNT4mzzGzU/Tp2aunWF1mI/AAAAAAAAAR0/S5C2Y03RHko/s1600/orange+mums.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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The sites for planting should be well-drained and have plenty of sunlight. The plants should be spaced 18 to 24 inches apart for best results, and for more vigorous cultivars, the plants need 30 to 36 inches of space. Enough space should be allowed so the plants can develop to their fullness. Plant the chrysanthemums the same depth that they were growing in their containers and no deeper. The plants should be thoroughly watered after planting. <br />
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Fertilizing the plants will develop good, green foliage with optimum flowering. Apply a complete dry fertilizer, such as a 6-2-4 or 4-2-3 analysis, at the rate of two to three pounds per 100 square feet of bed area. The dry fertilizer should be watered after it is applied. Soluble fertilizers, such as a 20-20-20 analysis, are also quite satisfactory to use if desired. Follow the rate of application on the label. Fertilization can be discontinued after flower buds form in late July. As the plants grow, they should be pinched to produce compact plants with more flowers. If this isn't done, the plants will become tall and leggy. Also, if the plants become quite tall, light will be excluded from the lower part of the plants, resulting in unsightly dead leaves. <br />
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When the plants are three to four inches tall, remove the new shoots by pinching them off between the thumb and forefinger. Leave two or three leaves on the shoot. This practice can be timed so that the fertilizing and pinching can be done the same day. This will usually be once a month from May through July. However, with most garden cultivars, the last pinch should be made no later than August 15. If pinching is continued after this date, flower buds will be eliminated from the plants.<br />
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Weeds, as with many other plants, may present a problem with growing garden chrysanthemums. These can be removed by hand, or the use of organic mulch could be used at the time of planting. Materials such as shredded hardwood or cedar mulch will do a good job of keeping the weeds down and conserving moisture in the soil if applied about two inches deep. Organic matter such as pine bark (that breaks down rapidly) will require an extra application of fertilizer to compensate for the nitrogen loss. Apply this fertilizer in addition to that which is applied for the plants. However, you will only need to apply it a couple of times and then stop. Pre-emergent herbicides such as Amaze, which are labeled for such use, can also be effective if applied in early spring before weed seeds germinate. Landscape fabrics and decorative gravel are also effective in weed control. <br />
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An important cultural practice with garden chrysanthemums is applying adequate amounts of water. During some summers, rainfall may be plentiful enough to eliminate most additional watering. However, the plants should be watered when the soil starts to dry. Apply enough water to soak the soil to a depth of four to six inches. This is best done by using sprinklers rather than hand watering. It is best to apply the water during the day so the foliage will dry off before nightfall. Otherwise, leaf and flower diseases can become a problem. <br />
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Fortunately for garden chrysanthemum growers, most insect and disease problems are controllable. The most common insect pests are: aphids and two spotted mites. Powdery mildew can also be a problem due to weather conditions and/or poor air circulation between the plants. Control by spraying or dusting with labeled products. One disease that cannot be controlled with chemicals is verticillium wilt. Avoid planting in verticillium-contaminated areas for several years.<br />
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In most instances, homeowners should consider the the garden chrysanthemum an annual flower. Therefore, when frost kills the tops of the plants, cut off the dead stems and remove from the garden. Sometimes mums will come up the next spring if just the tops of the plants are cut off. If you prefer to keep them over the winter, cut off the dead tops, and cover the plants with mulch to a depth of three to four inches. <br />
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(Many Thanks to the county extension agents and their great horticultural contributions, of which this article comes from)<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Enjoy the life!!!</span></strong></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08651133060454977232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5267648419441812474.post-67786799729256696422011-05-02T17:24:00.000-07:002011-05-02T17:24:33.172-07:00The Audit<div style="text-align: center;">THE IRRIGATION AUDIT</div><br />
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Wow, what an ominous sound….”audit” why the very word strikes fear into our hearts..Especially if one has ever been through an IRS audit. Well no fear here, this audit is to help you and save you dollar bills, while helping your plants grow.<br />
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Basically the audit is a thorough inspection of your irrigation system. The irrigator conducting the audit, will examine the system zone by zone looking for leaks, broken spray heads, miss-aligned heads, overspray onto hard surfaces or into the street. Broken heads spraying into the street…well that will surely get you thrown into irrigation jail!! (just kidding… but some cities will fine the property owner for some of these repeated violations).<br />
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Once the irrigator is satisfied that the system is operational, then the audit begins. Most auditors have special catch basins they use to collect samples of the water distributed in a particular zone …but it can be done with a normal tuna can (a clean empty one works best). Once the samples are collected measured, weighed, color analyzed, and documented…well maybe not that intense..just collected and measured. At this point the auditor can calculate the DU or Distribution Uniformity and the precipitation rate for that area. <br />
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Yeah I know, way too much information, by doing these calculations he will be able to set your timer for the most efficient run times based on your yard, plant material, slope and time of year. So what does that mean to you?<br />
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This is the part where you save money, the cities are happier, and your plants will look better (cause they have water). In the world of irrigation more is definitely not better, in many systems a run time of more than 10 minutes sends water down the street and away from your yard. And you still pay for it all month long…..bummer….So now with a better run time allocation, you water just enough not to induce run off, actually you may run several cycles just shorter in length.<br />
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</div>Do you really need a full audit, well if you are a large commercial property, an irrigation audit and the resulting correct settings for your timer can save you thousands of dollars. The normal residential homeowner can dramatically benefit from a system check up twice a year…..it will save you money…I promise…fix those broken and miss-aligned heads..you will feel better about yourself (well I cannot promise that)<br />
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Enjoy the life!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fcNVpvrO3iA/Tb9KrhYNfFI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/dTWu7NDOGIc/s1600/hands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" j8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fcNVpvrO3iA/Tb9KrhYNfFI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/dTWu7NDOGIc/s1600/hands.jpg" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08651133060454977232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5267648419441812474.post-10265888393614368702011-05-01T11:18:00.000-07:002011-05-01T11:18:28.269-07:00It's Green, It's Sustainable....It is the Right Thing To Do<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: x-large;">HOT FUN IN THE SUMMER TIME</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QQwcdEu0gzc/Tb2ihn7cUjI/AAAAAAAAAQY/r_DaOc5pyBc/s1600/desert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" j8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QQwcdEu0gzc/Tb2ihn7cUjI/AAAAAAAAAQY/r_DaOc5pyBc/s1600/desert.jpg" /></a></div><div align="center"><br />
</div>Well summer is quickly approaching and that means in Texas “ Hot Fun In the Summertime” lots of heat, sun, sweat, and very little rain fall. So it is smart to try and capitalize on as much rainfall as possible and you want to be smart…right?? <br />
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</div>As a licensed irrigator and an irrigation auditor (Thank You Very Much) in the state of Texas, I can tell you with some veracity that an irrigation system is only for supplemental watering. Unfortunately most of our water loss or more accurately water waste is from residential irrigation systems. Many systems are not properly designed, not set correctly and send thousands of gallons of water down the sewer and guess who pays for that… YOU… every month.<br />
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So let us be smart, sustainable, water wise and in the process save ourselves some bucks so we can go and buy a big screen TV (just kidding…..may be). One of the best ways to do this is with a Rain Barrel. Capture the rain from your home gutter system and then use to water your garden, your annual color, that great perennial bed that you keep saying you are going to plant (yeah sure) or slow water your foundation during those Texas summers.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Rain Barrels have been around…well…since barrels were designed and how long is that? I don’t know check Wiki-Pedia….they know everything. Seriously when water was not so readily available and easy to waste, people tried to save every bit, morsel, drop they could…it was life and still is.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DXF9SZi1k4o/Tb2ie_1O2FI/AAAAAAAAAQU/I_yW0FJddso/s1600/barrels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" j8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DXF9SZi1k4o/Tb2ie_1O2FI/AAAAAAAAAQU/I_yW0FJddso/s1600/barrels.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Now if you have read my blog for a while (many smart people do.. now so should you) you know I do not try to sell you stuff…just ideas. BUT get a rain barrel for your home, the environment will love you for it and that means your children will be able to fish, jet ski ,skinny dip (how does that make you feel) and just plain live.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-njoX_BaPDXc/Tb2hYq5A5hI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/TxHWjKcGEaw/s1600/green++barrel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-njoX_BaPDXc/Tb2hYq5A5hI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/TxHWjKcGEaw/s320/green++barrel.jpg" width="127" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Try these fellows….GREEN BARREL SOLUTIONS .www.greenbarrelsolutions.com.. 940-736-7313</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Just a couple of kids trying to do the right thing…the right way….</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gfVuzcQjx-o/Tb2iuQfWTXI/AAAAAAAAAQk/tb0IRNzOSHo/s1600/hands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" j8="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gfVuzcQjx-o/Tb2iuQfWTXI/AAAAAAAAAQk/tb0IRNzOSHo/s1600/hands.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Enjoy the life…</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08651133060454977232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5267648419441812474.post-83577032040435012011-04-12T16:46:00.000-07:002011-04-12T16:53:44.678-07:00Your on the Border...Texas Style<div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong>Border Plants</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div align="left">I know everyone will be thinking these are plants from the wild borders of Texas, Not so Mr. Bill, we are talking about landscape decisions. Border plants create divisions within beds, around walkways , swimming pools and just about everything you could think of or want to think of. Border plantings should be low, you want them low so the folks can see the other plants behind them......you don't want your border plants stealing all the thunder.</div><div align="left"><br />
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</div><div align="left">These plants can offer color, texture, and divisions of height within a bed, it is all about directing the eye to the natural flow of the landscape. What budding landscaper's want is for the line of sight to flow upward directing the eye to the back of the bed and eventually the structure that the bed is emphasizing.....like your beautiful house.....you know curb appeal and all that. Here are some of my favorite border plants:</div><div align="left"><br />
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</div><div align="left"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Ruellia</strong></span></div><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS-nRUOxytLU0fTTcYjcPRF8wMfz6W_fefbHS5FXA4pxkhRVJ9MhBl2xMW2ca0IIOqJzwUTPRT9fMdQ4AlHiEi1319eH-8u0miWEHDC2ecTz9yK1y_fyqiJh_Z19vHiXh-PuDW_VIXJtM/s1600/mexicanpetunia2_003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS-nRUOxytLU0fTTcYjcPRF8wMfz6W_fefbHS5FXA4pxkhRVJ9MhBl2xMW2ca0IIOqJzwUTPRT9fMdQ4AlHiEi1319eH-8u0miWEHDC2ecTz9yK1y_fyqiJh_Z19vHiXh-PuDW_VIXJtM/s200/mexicanpetunia2_003.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08651133060454977232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5267648419441812474.post-81398138451147992792011-04-09T07:17:00.000-07:002011-04-09T07:17:36.037-07:00The Knock-Out.....Rose that is<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong>The Knock-Out Rose</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzJgm3_QI-cI_EeiuSUDOM8ViQg7JlKxet0kmWzMu5WO0DS-rcK-O3pQfBXlAc_mHBkqvMtHxTQ-3_vRca252H5NbShHDEfQy88iXnVGflFl7m6b3EVTpved0637qrfXK7kkTsbgz6NaU/s1600/100_0256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzJgm3_QI-cI_EeiuSUDOM8ViQg7JlKxet0kmWzMu5WO0DS-rcK-O3pQfBXlAc_mHBkqvMtHxTQ-3_vRca252H5NbShHDEfQy88iXnVGflFl7m6b3EVTpved0637qrfXK7kkTsbgz6NaU/s320/100_0256.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Well as you can see from the date stamp, I just took this picture. Amazing how beautiful and prolific these roses have become this year, considering they received absolutely no attention the past several months. Well I should qualify that statement, no human attention. My four large dogs have busted through them at least twice daily chasing rabbits and other dreaded varmints and they are a favorite "watering" post for the male dogs. And yet they still present us with a fantastic spring color show. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3bXOJRQCXPg/TaBqSRo61AI/AAAAAAAAAP8/sm13vTJs_Ds/s1600/rabbit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" r6="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3bXOJRQCXPg/TaBqSRo61AI/AAAAAAAAAP8/sm13vTJs_Ds/s200/rabbit.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div align="center"></div>Usually in the winter I prune them back by any where from a third to two thirds of the height, trim all the dead canes out, strip the leaves and spray with dormant oil. This year with the broken leg I had in early February, I have done nothing to the yard at all. Oh well, it gives the rabbits a new hiding place.<br />
If I was going to recommend a plant for a new gardener it would be the knock out rose...as sure success story, for the gardener and the garden.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XZRNx0K72w0/TaBpSMtJ2sI/AAAAAAAAAP4/QNIFnEcTc5c/s1600/knockout2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XZRNx0K72w0/TaBpSMtJ2sI/AAAAAAAAAP4/QNIFnEcTc5c/s320/knockout2.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><div align="center"></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08651133060454977232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5267648419441812474.post-17527819061775487602011-04-02T10:43:00.000-07:002011-04-02T13:23:34.574-07:00SPRINGTIME<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>The Urban Garden Shop Adventure</strong></span></div><strong><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pP4_ZEZOcxc/TZdfYECXyPI/AAAAAAAAAPo/ZXpsi9CPb7k/s1600/TOP+GARDEN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pP4_ZEZOcxc/TZdfYECXyPI/AAAAAAAAAPo/ZXpsi9CPb7k/s1600/TOP+GARDEN.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Well April is here and for many in North Texas Spring is here also. Now that urge to plant something and improve your yards..... that has been fermenting all winter has now come to fruition (not really a metaphor more like symbolism...ha ha)<br />
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So let’s go shopping! But first let’s devise a plan…Or better yet down load Google Earth and draw a plot plan of your house if you do not have one already, mark where you want to add color, trees, shrubs, new sod…….this is all in preparation for the journey or the adventure you are about to take. Nothing like good preparation…the boy scouts great motto!<br />
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Now that we know what we need, as an example, color in the front bed… we know from our plan that our house faces south and has a full sun exposure. In choosing our "color" we want a tough, full sun plant, which will “pop” for drive up appeal. <br />
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This is the drill, do you planning and research. And this is your mantra today…repeat several times after me……bed preparation is vital….bed preparation is vital…proper bed prep… the addition of organic materials, soil, and proper nutrients will make your home…the Home of the Month…( well maybe not) but your new plantings will thrive and love you bunches……<br />
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Where to go? Well that is part of the adventure; lots of places sell plants….big box stores, farmers markets, pick-up trucks on the side of the road, and independent garden centers. The choice is yours, hey that is what capitalism and the retail industry is all about, but let’s think about what we want and what is offered. If price alone is the key motivator then we will look for the discount operator that offers little in the way of information, education or loading help (ugh!). But if we are interested in the education and value for what we are spending and ““professional help” when we need it, then we need to seek that venue. Find a garden center that employs trained professionals that can help you and people that actually care about what you are planting and are trying to accomplish.<br />
This would be a professional garden center or a professional landscaper, these individuals have chosen this as their career, and they have a love for the product, the process, and your success. Most of these professionals have spent years in formal training with industry and professional certifications that shows a commitment to continued education. This is all about a commitment to bring a better product and a better experience to you the home gardener.<br />
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</div>Am I opinionated about this? Well I prefer passionate. How frustrating to purchase a beautiful plant, work hard to plant it and then watch it die, because it is the wrong plant in the wrong place. I know of few other industries that have a devotion to educate themselves and their consumers as the horticulture industry does.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Get outside and enjoy the life!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZEV7-RcB00Y/TZdfRtS30pI/AAAAAAAAAPk/if7lA7x8HbE/s1600/hands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZEV7-RcB00Y/TZdfRtS30pI/AAAAAAAAAPk/if7lA7x8HbE/s1600/hands.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08651133060454977232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5267648419441812474.post-43451173542226446062011-03-26T10:25:00.000-07:002011-03-26T10:29:53.991-07:00The Beautiful and Majestic Bur Oak<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xd69-cIauOo/TY4gqoAC01I/AAAAAAAAAPQ/NXdJOAy-lDA/s1600/Bur%252520Oak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" r6="true" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xd69-cIauOo/TY4gqoAC01I/AAAAAAAAAPQ/NXdJOAy-lDA/s320/Bur%252520Oak.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center"></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-n5-Pz0rciRc/TY4gtwyH45I/AAAAAAAAAPU/0d3QeREqAso/s1600/bur_oak_fruit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-n5-Pz0rciRc/TY4gtwyH45I/AAAAAAAAAPU/0d3QeREqAso/s200/bur_oak_fruit.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>I love this tree...it is a tree of the grassland prairies and a true Texas performer. It is adaptable to our soils, but be aware it will need space...lots of space, this not a tree to be planted in a 3 foot parkway ( as I have witnessed). The acorns on this tree are as big as golf balls...some have said they get as big as softballs....yeah I have never seen anything like that.The extension research center on Coit road in Dallas, has a planting of various oak trees, it is a good place to visit to see if one of these will fit your property. Please give your new tree planting adequate space to grow and prosper, if a tree is listed as having a 40 foot spread then do not plant 10 feet apart......please!!!!! <br />
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And since we are talking......Crepe Myrtles....please do not whack the tops off of these lovely trees it will produce a weak and "droopy" new growth......if you must prune, trim the cross over branches from the interior of the tree allowing proper air circulation. Trim the sucker growth away from the bottom of the tree, then if necessary put on a stout glove and "glove prune" away the seed pods.....frankly I leave the seed pods on and just trim the interior of the tree for air circulation (really helps with a reduction of powdery mildew).<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Bur Oak, Mossycup Oak, Mossy Overcup Oak, Prairie Oak</span></strong><br />
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Quercus macrocarpa <br />
Fagaceae (white oak group) <br />
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Bur Oak is a majestic tree of the tallgrass priarie that once covered central North America. It grows best in deep limestone soils of riverbanks and valleys but it will adapt to many different environments. It has a long taproot which makes it hard to transplant but also very drought-tolerant. It is also fast growing and long-lived. Bur oak is noted for its very large leaves and acorns: the leaves are from one-half to one foot long, and acorns can be as large as 2 inches long and wide, enclosed in a cup with fringe on the edge. It casts deep shade. <br />
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Plant Habit or Use: large tree <br />
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Exposure: sun <br />
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Flower Color: catkins 4 to 6 in. long <br />
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Blooming Period: spring <br />
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Fruit Characteristics: large acorn to 2 in. around with fringed cup <br />
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Height: 60 to 70 ft. <br />
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Width: 60 to 70 ft. <br />
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Plant Character: deciduous <br />
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Heat Tolerance: very high high <br />
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Water Requirements: medium low <br />
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Soil Requirements: adaptable <br />
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USDA Hardiness Zone: 3<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-zRMBBu468lo/TY4gmd-B8GI/AAAAAAAAAPM/g-cmu13tF-c/s1600/080808BurOakBark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-zRMBBu468lo/TY4gmd-B8GI/AAAAAAAAAPM/g-cmu13tF-c/s320/080808BurOakBark.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center"><strong></strong></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08651133060454977232noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5267648419441812474.post-16345758768406671712011-03-23T09:17:00.000-07:002011-03-23T09:17:52.700-07:00Something New...Something OldPerennials are an excellent addition to any garden that will give it great color and add sparkle to its appearance. They are easy to maintain and come in a variety of choices that allow you a chance to transform any space set aside for your garden into something special. With so many types to consider it will allow you the chance to enjoy a very beautiful garden with a limit of upkeep. Venture out into the world of perennials.... <br />
everyday a new, yet old perennial is discovered for your garden.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-08AGU1hqt70/TYoZgKkVo_I/AAAAAAAAAO4/p8D_0k11d8s/s1600/matchstick_mum_T.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-08AGU1hqt70/TYoZgKkVo_I/AAAAAAAAAO4/p8D_0k11d8s/s1600/matchstick_mum_T.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">1. Mum Matchsticks. These are a new variety that is just now available to the consumer in 2011 as part of the new sun perennials. They are a composed of red and yellow quill petals that unlike other mums require no staking as part of their maintenance. Once they are cut they will survive for more than three weeks.</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Ia4MSqRuyRo/TYoZX4Z-DBI/AAAAAAAAAOs/Nhm33YfwoPs/s1600/ech.+summer+sun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Ia4MSqRuyRo/TYoZX4Z-DBI/AAAAAAAAAOs/Nhm33YfwoPs/s1600/ech.+summer+sun.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">2. Echinacea Summer Suns. This is another flower that came available in 2011. Its stunning petals come in tones of apricot and reddish orange. The cut blooms have a very wonderful and long lasting fragrance. When full grown they can be as tall as forty inches. These coneflowers come in more than thirty versions.</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-BtPna0Ltqvs/TYoZjAg9P6I/AAAAAAAAAO8/OFR6OW-GS0Y/s1600/phlox+shockwave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-BtPna0Ltqvs/TYoZjAg9P6I/AAAAAAAAAO8/OFR6OW-GS0Y/s1600/phlox+shockwave.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">3. Phlox Shockwave. As one more of the new options for 2011 this plant has very intensely fragrant blooms. One of the benefits to this purple flower is being highly resistant to mildew. Its leaves will look colorful all season long. The plant offers over two months of fragrant blooms making it a very ideal addition to any garden. </div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-IrQw2zFbGcQ/TYocyYPFNeI/AAAAAAAAAPI/6ApB0vHXKeI/s1600/KnockoutRoses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" r6="true" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-IrQw2zFbGcQ/TYocyYPFNeI/AAAAAAAAAPI/6ApB0vHXKeI/s320/KnockoutRoses.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>4. Rose Knock Out. There are several different types of these plants available to the purchaser. The Rose Knock Outs of the red tint make wonderful choices for landscape since they cultivated in shapes that fit any size of garden. It does very well in heat and humidity and resistant to Japanese Beetles and powdery mildew. With a blooming season of up to five months, the Rose Knock Outs are a wonderful addition to your flower purchases. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YuSOg3l3grA/TYoZQ4fJCjI/AAAAAAAAAOk/7XKTvx8llek/s1600/buddleia-black-knight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YuSOg3l3grA/TYoZQ4fJCjI/AAAAAAAAAOk/7XKTvx8llek/s1600/buddleia-black-knight.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">5. Budlesia Black Knight. Its deep purple flowers cluster on the eight to ten inch stems. The scent of this flower is one that often attracts butterflies. This is a plant that does very well in both heat and drought. During the first year of planting it will flower for a very long period of time. </div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-QuTldRx8kdk/TYoZaiSf81I/AAAAAAAAAOw/3AiCAg6R29U/s1600/echincea+greenjewels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-QuTldRx8kdk/TYoZaiSf81I/AAAAAAAAAOw/3AiCAg6R29U/s1600/echincea+greenjewels.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">6. Echinacea Green Jewels. The Echinacea Green Jewels have large flowers that are a bright green color. Those petals will hold that color and not fade as they age. Its fragrance will last up to two weeks once they are cut. The blooms will last eight weeks during the mid summer season, which is a very desirable factor when picking your choices for your garden. </div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-K1xHqtjD6GQ/TYoZsawHpsI/AAAAAAAAAPE/_uxgSiUfXKw/s1600/Stokesia_laevis_Peachies_Pick_lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-K1xHqtjD6GQ/TYoZsawHpsI/AAAAAAAAAPE/_uxgSiUfXKw/s320/Stokesia_laevis_Peachies_Pick_lg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">7. Stokesia Peachie’s Picks. This plant provides a bounty of petals in hundreds of three inch blue flowers. They are considered to be deer proof and very attractive to butterflies. It is completely suitable for very poor soil conditions even clay. The petals have a blooming season that can last up to fifteen weeks. </div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PM7PaFESO6I/TYoZUMpELwI/AAAAAAAAAOo/sy0dV-M54vI/s1600/Coreopsis_Creme_Brulee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PM7PaFESO6I/TYoZUMpELwI/AAAAAAAAAOo/sy0dV-M54vI/s320/Coreopsis_Creme_Brulee.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">8. Coreopsis Crème Brulees. These yellow flowers bloom non-stop from frost to summer. It makes them an ideal long lasting type of ground covering that is drought resistant. The petals of the Coreopsis Crème Brulees are very attractive to butterflies. Having a multi-seasonal appeal allows them to be a very worthwhile consideration for any gardener’s needs.</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ZJPVE7e5hn4/TYoZdVMwggI/AAAAAAAAAO0/aybNhBn4tts/s1600/GeraniumRozanne.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ZJPVE7e5hn4/TYoZdVMwggI/AAAAAAAAAO0/aybNhBn4tts/s320/GeraniumRozanne.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">9. Geranium Rozannes. This is one of the most longest blooming of any geraniums. Its blue petals will bloom for months at a time. They have been known to still be in bloom in Michigan as late as October. Plus the plant is one that will attract butterflies. Once planted they will provide a rapid spreading ground cover. </div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Tgw-nggF7tI/TYoZODRk0GI/AAAAAAAAAOg/cHUqpBOTVGg/s1600/boulderblue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Tgw-nggF7tI/TYoZODRk0GI/AAAAAAAAAOg/cHUqpBOTVGg/s1600/boulderblue.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">10. Festuca Boulder Blues. The plant’s steel blue foliage is semi evergreen in nature. It is drought proof and thrives in full sunlight. This is a type of plant that does great in heat and humidity. It is a great choice for a flower to plant by walkways and in containers. </div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Taken in part from : Lawn Care Service.net. Thank You Very Much!!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08651133060454977232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5267648419441812474.post-16768751888750749872011-03-16T18:31:00.000-07:002011-03-16T18:40:50.301-07:00Average Date for Last Killing Frost<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong>Be Careful!!!</strong></span></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Okay, Okay....... This is a picture of early February and not mid March, this particular climatic event followed up on the heels of a previous freeze and was particularly damaging to many, many woody ornamentals and most soft tissue plants. Do not, I repeat, do not freak out, there will some topical freeze damage, but the plant will grow out of it soon. Minor trimming, proper watering, with sunshine and you will be amazed the strides your plants take this spring. But what about my grass??........Well..... all vegetative growth will take off when the ground temperature maintains 65 to 68 degrees...that is ground temperature.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Be aware we could still have another killing frost, I cannot tell you how many times I have been on bike rides on April 1st when it was freezing and sometimes even snowing. So be patient and if not, then watch diligently and be prepared to protect your new plantings.</div>According to some maps for Dallas, the average last frost date varies even within the city, with some neighborhoods having a last frost date from March 1st through March 10th; whereas, some neighborhoods in North Dallas have a last frost date of March 10th to March 20th.<br />
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Remember that these are averages!!! If you look at historical data for my zip code on Weather.com, you can see that my area has had a freeze as late as April 13th., but then I live in Mckinney.<br />
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Spring is almost in full stride......enjoy the life......<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4W2LuLwGssM/TYFkGiWLOWI/AAAAAAAAAOc/f5hFLQzNZJA/s1600/bluebell+pasture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" r6="true" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4W2LuLwGssM/TYFkGiWLOWI/AAAAAAAAAOc/f5hFLQzNZJA/s320/bluebell+pasture.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08651133060454977232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5267648419441812474.post-43881247710465159532011-03-14T16:23:00.000-07:002011-03-14T16:23:13.132-07:00Grassy Weeds<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong>Common Grassy Weeds</strong></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong></strong></span><br />
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Folks I am not a great proponent for heavy chemical usage in the yard, although sometimes you have to do what you have to do…..please remember less is better. Get on a program of 7 to 9 applications a year of weed control and light fertilization. Keep the program working and you will not have to do heavy applications of weed control herbicides……next time we will talk about the broadleaf weed or what I hear a lot on the phone “ hey I got those big floppy looking weeds in my yard can you kill them?” yes of course we can kill anything... but do we really want to?……….remember mow, water..light fertiliztion…mow, water…..light fertilization. That is your new mantra, when your grass gets strong, healthy, bold…well you know what I mean, then it will choke out those dreaded weeds….<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Dallisgrass</span></strong><br />
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This is by far the worst weed we encounter. Because this weed is perennial, meaning it comes back from the roots every year, the pre-emergence applications do nothing to stop it. If you had dallisgrass last year, you will have it again this year. Round-Up, then grin and bear it as the dead spots cover over with grass<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Crabgrass</strong></span><br />
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This weed is easy to control if you take the pre-emergence applications in the spring. With this weed, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure….remember treat this bad boy when you do not see it…repeat after me: I will use pre-emergent<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Fescue and Wild Rye</span></strong><br />
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These weeds are yet another weed we all see far too often. If you over-seeded your lawn or worse yet if your neighbor overseeded last year with winter grass and you didn’t do it this year, you can count on this weed. Most fescues and ryes will die in the summer, but a few will survive by going dormant.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Poa annua</strong></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ztr3IXLfZl8/TX6h_go6_GI/AAAAAAAAAN8/pJU-NcBiehs/s1600/poa+annua.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" q6="true" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ztr3IXLfZl8/TX6h_go6_GI/AAAAAAAAAN8/pJU-NcBiehs/s1600/poa+annua.jpg" /></a></div>This weed is only a problem in the later winter and early spring. This weed will die in the early summer once we start getting daily highs of 90 degrees. Great identification tool…the tiny white seeds….this weed drives the golf course people crazy..<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Nutsedge</strong></span><br />
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Pre-emergence applications do no good on this hardy rascal. Round Up has little or no effect……..this is the number 1 weed in the world. This weed requires a special herbicide to kill it without damage to the lawn. If you have this weed contact your local weed control specialist and then offer up prayers…..Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08651133060454977232noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5267648419441812474.post-67102646417005024422011-02-28T08:21:00.000-08:002011-02-28T08:21:01.365-08:00It's All About the Color....Leaf that is !!<div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Caladiums</span></strong></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKaSLhlMZW6gYzJgM6tZZ1xS7atwgJ0uF-CoPjdepiPqYKtUfBcF2UsxsfG9tDrgZWIkxWvsIFFxdTSi3tgvF2_VUIE6bV8iDxJB2boS45glDHLCm3lSweJlAWp6ARH9560uPC8YUU_d4/s1600/caladiummass01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKaSLhlMZW6gYzJgM6tZZ1xS7atwgJ0uF-CoPjdepiPqYKtUfBcF2UsxsfG9tDrgZWIkxWvsIFFxdTSi3tgvF2_VUIE6bV8iDxJB2boS45glDHLCm3lSweJlAWp6ARH9560uPC8YUU_d4/s320/caladiummass01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="left">This is a good basic article about one of my faves and that would be the caladium, tons of color and great growers. Purchase your bulbs soon but do not plant till chance of last frost is well past...ENJOY!!!!</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left">CALADIUMS</div><br />
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by Jerry Parsons, Ph.D.<br />
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Horticulture Specialist, Texas Agricultural Extension Service in San Antonio<br />
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There is no caladium-testing program in this area but the Dallas Botanical Center has been conducting tests of about 100 varieties for nearly a decade. Results of their extensive testing program should give us some idea of the true winners in the caladium kingdom. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzhleukZTX2hDveA-OL-mM3rSctQGAiZLKHkFwWSTSkASER-tLX-_iN-ROeSMSzIzuHgHiHTmS7oz7o9Di1PNb2ff5p7ILB7KC8LOrUI877zE7HW8fPSj2QRgY2b1guQmGssZdBajRxNA/s1600/caladium-fancy-leaves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzhleukZTX2hDveA-OL-mM3rSctQGAiZLKHkFwWSTSkASER-tLX-_iN-ROeSMSzIzuHgHiHTmS7oz7o9Di1PNb2ff5p7ILB7KC8LOrUI877zE7HW8fPSj2QRgY2b1guQmGssZdBajRxNA/s1600/caladium-fancy-leaves.jpg" /></a></div>Flamboyant foliage is the hallmark of these remarkably versatile garden plants. Lush as the Amazon jungles of their origin, caladiums can add unique tropical flair to summer gardens anywhere in the country. The leaves attain their fullest size and deepest colors when grown in 60 percent shade - spots where filtered or morning sun falls only 3 to 4 hours daily.<br />
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"Fancy Leaf" caladiums are the most useful in home landscapes. Derived from Caladium bicolor, a Brazilian species, the broad heart-shaped foliage usually is a riot of pink, red, white and green splotches. Some varieties are solid red or white with deep-green trim along veins and outer edges. The pinkish flowers are short-lived, but leaves remain fresh and vibrant all summer long. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-iOMppo3kcWg/TWvKr9EJ0DI/AAAAAAAAAN0/sY0umimVrvE/s1600/0600-669_Caladiums_Assorted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" l6="true" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-iOMppo3kcWg/TWvKr9EJ0DI/AAAAAAAAAN0/sY0umimVrvE/s320/0600-669_Caladiums_Assorted.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Planted in naturalistic clusters, the one-foot-tall foliage outshines traditional ground covers. Caladiums also enliven shaded foundation plantings and shrub borders. Deep shade is not advisable for caladiums, but full sun is fine as long as soil is kept sufficiently moist.<br />
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"Lance Leaf" caladiums (derived from Caladium picturantum) are smaller and more compact. Their pretty, ruffle-edged foliage seems tailor-made for window boxes and patio planters. These plants also thrive indoors near bright windows.<br />
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Caladiums are closely related to the popular and almost indestructible philodendron --and are just as resilient despite their delicate appearance. In fact, few garden plants are easier to grow.<br />
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Foliage sprouts from bulb-like tubers, which are available during spring and early summer, as are caladium seedlings and full-size plants. Gardeners have dozens of multi-colored varieties to choose from. For economy --especially when mass planting --go with tubers. Delay planting until all danger of frost has passed and soil begins to warm. (That's now folks!) Caladiums tolerate most soils but perform best in earth that is richly organic. If soil is sandy or heavy with clay, spade in peat moss or compost at planting time.<br />
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Place tubers bud side up in furrows or individual holes 9 to 15 inches apart. Cover with 3 inches of soil, tamping firmly around each tuber to eliminate air pockets. Water immediately. Thereafter, moisten only when the soil surface becomes dry. A 2 to 3-inch mulch of wood chips, ground bark or other organic material helps retain soil moisture and discourages weeds.<br />
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Want to try something different on your caladium bulbs this year? Try cutting their eyes out! It will result in more leaves and remember, leaves of brightly colored foliage is what caladiums are all about. Just take a sharp spoon or knife and scoop or cut off the apparent eyes or buds on the tubers before planting. Such a procedure delays emergence for a few days but it causes the tuber to sprout more dormant buds rather than the fewer main buds. The result is an abundance of foliage rather than a few shoots. Try some and leave some -see which gives the better results.<br />
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Depending on soil conditions, the first leaves break soil 3 to 6 weeks after planting, setting shaded areas aglow. Keep the caladiums glowing by applying fertilizer around emerging plants. A good rule of thumb is 2 pounds of 19-5-9 per 100 square feet of planting bed. Re-apply monthly. As plants fill out, a liquid fertilizer drench may be more convenient. Standard houseplant food suffices for container-grown caladiums.<br />
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So which are the best caladium varieties? I will list the variety name, the 4-year average survival period (in weeks) and the 4-year average height (in inches). <br />
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The best of the standard, "fancy leaf" types are Candidum (21) (19), Carolyn Whorton (23) (22), Fire Chief (21) (20), Florida Beauty (22) (24), Galaxy (24) (21), Miss Chicago (21) (20), Pink Shell (21) (15), White Christmas (21) (19), White Queen (22) (21). <br />
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The best of the strap or "lance leaf" types are Caloosahatchie (23) (14), Candidum Jr. (21) (14), White Wing (22) (18), Pink Gem (24) (23).<br />
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All of the above varieties were chosen because of their ability to survive for 21 weeks or more. If you can spare a week or two, the following are the most commonly sold varieties and their endurance (in weeks): Aaron (20), Blaze (18), Fannie Munson (19), Festiva (20), Freida Hemple (18), John Peed (18), June Bride (19), Lord Derby (18), Pink Beauty (20), Pink Cloud (20), Red Flash (18), Rose Bud (18).<br />
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There are other superior varieties which should be sold but are not commonly available. They include the "fancy leaf" varieties Jubilee (25) (21), Pink Lady (22) (18) and Sea Shell (23) (13). Other superior strap or "lance leaf" types include Jackie Suthers (26) (17), Mumbo (23) (16), Pink Symphony (23) (15), Red Frill (21) (11), and Lady of Fatima (24) (14).<br />
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If you purchase one of these superior varieties and want to try to save the tubers for planting next spring, dig them in the fall and store them for spring replanting. When foliage begins to yellow and daytime temperatures drop and remain below 60 degrees F, the time is right to dig caladium tubers. Air dry tubers for several days on a flat sunny surface. Allow leaves to fall off by themselves. This way they keep supplying tubers with needed nutrients.<br />
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Store tubers in dry peat moss or dry sand. Choose a well ventilated spot where temperatures ideally remain between 70 and 75 degrees F. Do not refrigerate. Within 8 weeks new growth may sprout, indicating tubers are healthy and prepared in advance for spring garden action. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgHkTs_ssDtvG6BbQ4kp9hf-83sb4DfnD8HIm2ElEOlApORg8aeU1QsWFyo8N4ycmMhDo9dP8W9L_5HrprdtxJhW2NO9k2TXYAZ7MnOoKVxhzW8DlTY-OY1Ke_RVNs274Ka0namKFb4PY/s1600/CaladiumCandidum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgHkTs_ssDtvG6BbQ4kp9hf-83sb4DfnD8HIm2ElEOlApORg8aeU1QsWFyo8N4ycmMhDo9dP8W9L_5HrprdtxJhW2NO9k2TXYAZ7MnOoKVxhzW8DlTY-OY1Ke_RVNs274Ka0namKFb4PY/s1600/CaladiumCandidum.jpg" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08651133060454977232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5267648419441812474.post-73040272750425734252011-02-18T08:15:00.000-08:002011-02-18T08:19:36.663-08:00Red and Spring...Must Be a Geranium!!!!<div style="text-align: center;"><strong>GERANIUMS</strong></div><br />
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If there is one plant that heralds the advent of Spring for me it is the timeless classic Geranium. My favorite color is red of course, but there are cultivars of pink, white, and there are also trailing geraniums. These are classic beauties to be used in bed plantings and pots for the patio or for a stunning high visual impact for front entrance pots. They love the cool nights and moderate days. But will need rich well drained soil, plant after last frost date and they will last till mid May or till the days reach desert temperatures....which could be February in Texas.....(just kidding....but not much). They are eye candy for the Spring.... do not expect them to be a summer color plant. I have included a partial article by Jimmy Turner from the Dallas Arboretum on Geraniums and his take on the values of the plant........Enjoy!!!<br />
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<strong>Jimmy Turner</strong><br />
<strong>Director of Research & Garden Designer</strong><br />
<strong>Dallas Arboretum</strong><br />
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Nothing satisfies that early-spring itch like a geranium!<br />
I’m going to share with you a little horticultural secret that all great gardeners know. “It’s OK if some plants don’t live forever, or even all summer.” I know this may be hard to accept. I’ve even known some new gardeners to cry over the death of a petunia or marigold, but this is the true purpose of annual bedding plants – to make a huge flower show, and then fade away. It’s important to recognize that this or that plant may not be there all summer, but only in your garden as temporary filler-what I term a “long-lasting outdoor floral arrangement.”<br />
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We test several varieties of plants in the Dallas Arboretum Trial Program that won’t flower all summer for us, but that’s OK. They are beautiful enough to compensate for the limited time they grace our gardens. One of the most popular of these plants is the familiar geranium or pelargonium.<br />
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Although geraniums may not flourish as well for us as for northern gardeners, Texans can’t resist them. The big, round orbs of bright red and other colors are traditional spring showoffs in our containers and gardens. Their true niche is late winter and the early part of spring, when we start having warm days, but a late frost is still possible. That’s when the “garden itch” hits Texas gardeners, and we head to retail nurseries in droves. <br />
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The one plant that is always waiting for us is geraniums, their bright flower clusters beckoning us to take them home. As many of you know from experience, they flower wonderfully through those cool days and cold nights, but when July hits, the flowers stop, and if the plants get too dry or hot, they die. But, as noted earlier, that’s OK. Be calm, take a deep breath, and go get some lantana for the rest of the season.<br />
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Excerpts from this article are courtesy of Jimmy Turner and the Dallas Arboretum. Visit http://www.dallasplanttrials.org/ for information on the Dallas Arboretum Trial Gardens<br />
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All articles are copyrighted and remain the property of the author. Permission to use an article is given if the author is attributed and a link back to this article at www.GardenSMART.com is included.<br />
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<strong>Thank You Very Much and Enjoy the Life</strong><br />
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<strong>Ralph</strong>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08651133060454977232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5267648419441812474.post-42339138002912198842011-02-09T06:06:00.000-08:002011-02-09T06:06:35.988-08:00Green, Green, Grass Of Home<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_AgLhNZNCxI0/TVKfK237W1I/AAAAAAAAANU/Op6XGTM7t6U/s1600/old+man+mowing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_AgLhNZNCxI0/TVKfK237W1I/AAAAAAAAANU/Op6XGTM7t6U/s1600/old+man+mowing.jpg" /></a></div><div align="center"><br />
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The condition of your lawn is usually the defining factor of how you feel about your yard. The greener your grass and more robust it is...... the happier most people are....hence a multi-billion dollar lawncare industry. Grass and seasonal flower color...the two big guns in the residential landscape. <br />
Surprisingly..... green grass and colorful beds are fairly easy to have and with minimal maintenance easy to maintain. Okay here is the big secrete to a beautiful lawn..............water and fertilizer. Yep..... that is it, everything in moderation. Do your research and place the<strong> </strong>proper plant in the right location, according to light and drainage requirements........ then water, fertilize and enjoy.......Okay....maybe a little bit more work than that but not much. The article below is from the extension service here in Texas...these guys are the best! This article is packed full of information about lawn fertilization in Texas...enjoy...Spring is coming.....<br />
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<strong>LAWN FERTILIZATION IN TEXAS</strong><br />
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R. L. Duble, James A. McAfee, and A. C. Novosad<br />
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Extension Turfgrass Specialists<br />
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Lawn quality is generally measured in terms of color, density and uniformity. Cultural practices, particularly fertilization, largely determine lawn quality. A fertilization program should include timely fertilizer applications in amounts and formulations that meet the requirements of your lawn. Excessive nitrogen applications stimulate production of leaves and stems and increase the mowing requirements. Higher water requirements, increased thatch and increased susceptibility to insects and diseases also results from excessive application of nitrogen. Poor timing of fertilizer applications, such as mid-summer and early fall applications of soluble nitrogen, also increases the likelihood of chinch bug and brownpatch problems in St. Augustine lawns.<br />
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<strong>Fertilizer Requirements</strong><br />
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The amount and formulation of fertilizer to apply depends on soil test results, grass species, environmental conditions and mowing practices.<br />
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Soil tests provide information on the availability of major fertilizer nutrients. Some soils contain phosphorus and/or potassium in amounts adequate for the maintenance of turfgrasses. Additional applications of these nutrients through fertilization would not improve the quality of the lawn. On the other hand, grass growing on soils deficient in one or more of these nutrients will respond to fertilizers containing these nutrients. Soil tests also suggest the need for lime or other amendments to correct soil acidity, soil salinity or alkali soil conditions.<br />
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Grass species differ in fertilizer requirements in the following order:<br />
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<strong>Total nitrogen required </strong><br />
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(lb/1,000 sq ft/year) Grass variety <br />
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5-7........... Hybrid bermudagrass <br />
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(Tifway, Tifgreen,Tifdwarf) <br />
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4-6........... Common bermudagrass <br />
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Ryegrass <br />
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3-5........... Zoysiagrass <br />
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2-5.......... St. Augustinegrass<br />
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Tall fescue <br />
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1-2.......... Centipedegrass <br />
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1...............Buffalograss<br />
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Environmental conditions such as shade, soil type and rainfall also influence fertilization requirements. Moderately or heavily shaded areas should not be fertilized as much as areas in full sunlight. Grass growing in shade is more succulent and has a weaker root system than grass growing in full sunlight. Fertilizer tends to make the grass more succulent and increases its susceptibility to disease, drought and other stresses. Nitrogen fertilizer also stimulate leaf growth at the expense of the root system. St. Augustine growing in moderate to heavy shade should be fertilized in the spring and fall only, at a rate of 1 1/2 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet.<br />
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Turfgrasses growing in sandy soils require more frequent applications of nitrogen than those growing on clay soils.<br />
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Lawns in areas subject to high rainfall require more total pounds of nitrogen per year (the higher numbers in the above table) than lawns grown under dry conditions (the lower numbers in the table). Thus, St. Augustine lawns in East Texas may require 4 to 5 pounds of nitrogen compared to 2 to 3 pounds in Southwest Texas.<br />
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Mowing practices, such as regular removal of grass clippings, also influence fertilizer requirements. Grass clippings contain 3 to 4 percent nitrogen on a dry weight basis, which is recycled through the soil if grass clippings are not removed. Regular removal of grass clippings will add at least one fertilizer application annually to lawn requirements.<br />
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<strong>Fertilizer Applications</strong><br />
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Timing and distribution of fertilizer applications, as well as rate of application, are important considerations in a lawn fertilization program. Timing applications to corresponds to grass requirements rather than to the convenience of the homeowner can reduce maintenance problems (figure 1). Generally, spring and fall fertilizer applications are adequate for St. Augustine lawns. <br />
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In early spring there is usually enough residual nitrogen to maintain grass through several mowings. The first application of fertilizer should be made after the second or third mowing.<br />
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If the lawn appears vigorous and healthy at that time, delay the first application until May. In the absence of soil test information, apply a fertilizer with a 3-1-2 or 2-1-1 ratio at a rate equivalent to 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet.<br />
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Bermudagrass lawns require supplemental applications of nitrogen at 45- to 60-day intervals between spring and fall fertilizations. These applications should not exceed 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet per application. .Occasionally, St. Augustine grass may need a supplemental application of nitrogen to enhance color during the summer. Use organic or slow-release nitrogen sources on lawns during the summer. Summer fertilization of St. Augustine grass growing in moderate shade should be avoided because of increased disease activity.<br />
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St. Augustine lawns may require periodic applications of iron sulfate or iron chelate to prevent iron chlorosis. A foliar application of iron sulfate at a rate of 6 to 8 ounces per 1,000 square feet effectively eliminates the symptoms of iron chlorosis. These applications may be needed several times during the growing season.<br />
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Iron chelates should be applied according to the manufacturer's directions.<br />
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Fertilizers can be distributed with a broadcast (cyclone) or drop-type spreader. Uniform distribution is essential to prevent light and dark streaks across the lawn. For better distribution, divide the fertilizer to be applied into two equal lots. Apply one lot lengthwise and the other crosswise over the lawn (figure 2).<br />
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<strong>Fall Fertilization</strong><br />
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Fall fertilization is the key to prolonging fall color and promoting early springs recovery of lawns. It also helps to produce a dense turf which resists winter weeds. Fertilizers used in the fall should be high in nitrogen and potassium and low in phosphorus. A 2-1-2, 3-1-2 or 4-1-2 analysis is preferred over a balanced fertilizer such as a 12-12-12 for fall application. Grass fertilized in the fall with nitrogen and potassium have shown greater survival during winter months and faster spring recovery than grasses fertilized with high phosphorus materials in the fall.<br />
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Avoid using straight soluble nitrogen fertilizers such as ammonium sulfate or urea during late fall because they increase the susceptibility to disease and winterkill.<br />
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Make fall applications in September for Regions 1, 2 and 3 (see map) and in October for Regions 4 and 5. Application rates should not exceed 2 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet.<br />
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<strong>Type of Fertilizer</strong><br />
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Choice of the type and grade of fertilizer material to use depends on soil test recommendations. Table 1 shows some analysis, ratios and equivalent applications rates of various fertilizers. In every fertilizer analysis (such as 12-4 8), the first number represents the percent nitrogen (N), the second number represents the percent phosphorus (P2O5) and the third number represents the percent potassium (K2O).<br />
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A complete fertilizer can be used in accordance with soil test results for the spring and fall applications. Additional nitrogen needed between the fall and spring applications for complete fertilizer can be supplied from one of several sources, as shown in table 2. Slowly available sources of nitrogen, such as ureaformaldehyde, IBDU, processed sewage sludge or cottonseed meal, are more desirable for summer applications of nitrogen than soluble sources such as ammonium nitrate, urea or ammonium sulfate. Slow-release and organic fertilizers usually cost more, but they are available to the grass over a longer period of time and help avoid the excessive growth produced by soluble nitrogen fertilizers. Soluble nitrogen sources should be applied in small amounts and more frequently than slowly soluble or slow-release types. Also, soluble nitrogen fertilizers are more likely to burn the grass than slow-release nitrogen fertilizers.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08651133060454977232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5267648419441812474.post-55119423482902849652011-02-07T11:47:00.000-08:002011-02-07T11:47:11.855-08:00Scabiosa.....Pincushion Flower<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDin95zvW7nzasIMVFyT4qxb8qUWMUQYWknv_eny_aqQ3BTzgkSSSbu-bGmxcpuaQyamnbbMfzZzFACak2ItAz94-TAZ0yIbLrSpowXhyphenhyphenWAJ3OT5Dno8w34aw6Qac0tAwy3lkYqAxYiaw/s1600/Scabiosa_cauascia2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDin95zvW7nzasIMVFyT4qxb8qUWMUQYWknv_eny_aqQ3BTzgkSSSbu-bGmxcpuaQyamnbbMfzZzFACak2ItAz94-TAZ0yIbLrSpowXhyphenhyphenWAJ3OT5Dno8w34aw6Qac0tAwy3lkYqAxYiaw/s320/Scabiosa_cauascia2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center"></div><br />
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The Perennial Plant Association has awarded the title Perennial Plant of the Year 2000 to Scabiosa columbaria 'Butterfly Blue'.<br />
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I love this pale blue little flower it just kinda peeks up at you on it's stem..have been planting these for about 3.5 years now...and yes I can certify them as dog tough...they have been tromped on...watered from the male dog and just in general have been used and abused...and they just keep coming back. As with all perennials give them time to grow in and you will be pleased with the results. I once had a client ask me why perennials always look so weedy....Well....... as Emerson has said "a weed is just an undiscovered plant." Cut them some slack and enjoy the <br />
natural beauty.....<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhftcpj0Z4VYl89eZHrLpDXYr7TUuNCuGmNg2Qh3u45fT6hAIvliY1ecrZRAoDko_gnq5hZrDGgQH_Bc5H8FI8jGac18jdR6CaWrAjxt_bjS3f2aPT-C1w_djVVt_-7HXsE2GNNQqXQ60s/s1600/scabiosa2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhftcpj0Z4VYl89eZHrLpDXYr7TUuNCuGmNg2Qh3u45fT6hAIvliY1ecrZRAoDko_gnq5hZrDGgQH_Bc5H8FI8jGac18jdR6CaWrAjxt_bjS3f2aPT-C1w_djVVt_-7HXsE2GNNQqXQ60s/s320/scabiosa2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Let's read what the experts say about this beautiful little plant...............<br />
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A member of the Dipsacaceae family, the nearly flat gray-green basal foliage of the pincushion flower hugs the ground. Lacy lavender-blue, two-inch flowers bloom on slender 12- to 15-inch stems from late spring through early fall. Flowering begins in mid-spring with repeated flowering throughout the growing season when consistently deadheaded. In some climates 'Butterfly Blue' flowers until late December. Pincushion flower derives its common name from the stamens which stand above the petals resembling pins stuck in a pincushion. The leaves are hairy, ovate to lance-shaped, with the upper foliage smaller and finely divided creating a mounded rosette six to eight inches high and 12 to 15 inches wide.<br />
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<strong>History</strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_AgLhNZNCxI0/TVBK_KhqaMI/AAAAAAAAANI/9CBSk7vkoMk/s1600/Scabiosa-420x305.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="232" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_AgLhNZNCxI0/TVBK_KhqaMI/AAAAAAAAANI/9CBSk7vkoMk/s320/Scabiosa-420x305.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Forty years ago Farplants grower, David Tristram, admired this exceptional plant in a garden in Ireland. Mr. Tristram obtained cuttings and grew the unique Scabiosa in his Irish garden for 15 years before moving to England where he grew the beloved plant in his Sussex garden until the early 1980s. Marketing cooperatively, Farplants and the English nursery, Blakedown, selected Scabiosa columbaria 'Butterfly Blue' for their first venture in promoting plants. Indeed, 'Butterfly Blue' has become an international winner.<br />
<strong>Propagation</strong><br />
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Scabiosa columbaria 'Butterfly Blue' can be propagated by stem cuttings. Two-node tip cuttings of soft vegetative growth should be taken before flowering. Cuttings are placed under mist for approximately two weeks with 68F bottom heat. Roots will form in about eight weeks at which time the cuttings can be transplanted to quarts or gallons. After transplanting, quarts should be ready for sale in four to six weeks, and gallons in six to eight weeks. Cuttings taken during the winter should receive a one-percent IBA or KIBA drench to enhance rooting. Botrytis may occur on stem cuttings during cloudy weather. <br />
<strong>Cultivation</strong><br />
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An excellent cultivar of an old-fashioned favorite, this long-blooming perennial for full sun to light shade grows best in well-drained soil amended with organic matter and a neutral to slightly alkaline pH. 'Butterfly Blue' pincushion flower requires moist soil during the growing season. Very well-drained soil is a requirement for winter survival. This lovely perennial does not appear to be fazed by summer heat and will bloom throughout the growing season when regularly deadheaded. No insect or disease problems have been reported on well-grown, healthy plants. Bare-root plants or divisions should be planted so the emerging buds are just below the soil surface. Container-grown plants can be planted anytime during the growing season 12 to 18 inches apart. The crown of 'Butterfly Blue' should be planted at the depth it was growing in the container to prevent crown rot. It is recommended that the basal foliage not be cut back in the fall. Winter-damaged foliage should be removed in the spring.<br />
<strong>Landscape Uses</strong><br />
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Scabiosa columbaria 'Butterfly Blue' is an excellent front-of-the-border plant to use in combination with annuals, bulbs, and perennials. The foliage remains clean and unblemished throughout the season. The delicate blue flowers add softness to the garden when massed with bolder-colored plants of yellow, bright pink, or red. They also work well with cooler tones of white, silver, and blue. Despite its delicate appearance, 'Butterfly Blue' is a sturdy plant. The plants do not require staking. During the summer butterflies find the nectar-rich flowers. 'Butterfly Blue' may be combined with Coreopsis verticillata 'Moonbeam', Dianthus 'Bath's Pink', and Pennisetum alopecuroides for a three-season, carefree garden. The cool lavender-blue flowers of 'Butterfly Blue' shine against the warm, burnished tones of fall as one of the last blue-flowering perennials. With its long-lasting blossoms, 'Butterfly Blue' is an excellent choice for smaller flower arrangements either as cut flowers or grown in decorative containers. The outstanding attributes of Scabiosa columbaria 'Butterfly Blue' are sure to place this underused perennial in the top group of favorite long-blooming perennials.<br />
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(information taken in part from Perennial plant association....thank you vey much)<br />
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08651133060454977232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5267648419441812474.post-76277517938246277782011-02-03T09:00:00.000-08:002011-02-03T09:01:23.511-08:00Achillea millefolium.....Yarrow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheqlb9yMEKFwtvQ8M_JwMZypUyNP-3jSojKmnswgnpZ09P3XxmnlMBzNeuhrCiBXTpQ8763gmYE-mrLVlonT9GWBp4rs7gv3aWmiwRcTzDJQhPWZ8ioqL7I8wKyjr22St-33LrJPXw0DA/s1600/GoldYarrow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheqlb9yMEKFwtvQ8M_JwMZypUyNP-3jSojKmnswgnpZ09P3XxmnlMBzNeuhrCiBXTpQ8763gmYE-mrLVlonT9GWBp4rs7gv3aWmiwRcTzDJQhPWZ8ioqL7I8wKyjr22St-33LrJPXw0DA/s320/GoldYarrow.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center"></div><br />
Achillea millefolium or yarrow is a flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, native to the Northern Hemisphere. In Spanish-speaking New Mexico and southern Colorado, it is called plumajillo, or "little feather", for the shape of the leaves. In antiquity, yarrow was known as herbal militaris, for its use in staunching the flow of blood from wounds.[1] Other common names for this species include common yarrow, gordaldo, nosebleed plant, old man's pepper, devil's nettle, sanguinary, milfoil, soldier's woundwort, thousand-leaf (as its binomial name affirms), and thousand-seal.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_AgLhNZNCxI0/TUrd7D8mzUI/AAAAAAAAAM4/a9278fCF3BQ/s1600/yarrow_lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" s5="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_AgLhNZNCxI0/TUrd7D8mzUI/AAAAAAAAAM4/a9278fCF3BQ/s320/yarrow_lg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Common yarrow is an erect herbaceous perennial plant that produces one to several stems (0.2 to 1m tall) and has a rhizomatous growth form. Leaves are evenly distributed along the stem, with the leaves near the middle and bottom of the stem being the largest. The leaves have varying degrees of hairiness (pubescence). The leaves are 5–20 cm long, bipinnate or tripinnate, almost feathery, and arranged spirally on the stems. The leaves are cauline and more or less clasping. The inflorescence has 4 to 9 phyllaries and contains ray and disk flowers which are white to pink. There are generally 3 to 8 ray flowers that are ovate to round. Disk flowers range from 15 to 40. The inflorescence is produced in a flat-topped cluster. Yarrow grows up to 3500m above sea level. The plant commonly flowers from May through June, and is a frequent component in butterfly gardens. Common yarrow is frequently found in the mildly disturbed soil of grasslands and open forests. Active growth occurs in the spring.<br />
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Yarrow has seen historical use as a medicine, often because of its astringent effects. Decoctions have been used to treat inflammations, such as hemorrhoids, and headaches. Confusingly, it has been said to both stop bleeding and promote it. Infusions of yarrow, taken either internally or externally, are said to speed recovery from severe bruising. The most medicinally active part of the plant is the flowering tops. They also have a mild stimulant effect, and have been used as a snuff. Today, yarrow is valued mainly for its action in colds and influenza, and also for its effect on the circulatory, digestive, excretory, and urinary systems. In the nineteenth century, yarrow was said to have a greater number of indications than any other herb.<br />
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Now a small personal note, I love the leaf structure of this plant even more than the flowering ability...but best of all it survives in a "dog heavy" yard and each spring it fights it way back to survive.<br />
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(Information taken in part from wikipedia....thank you very much)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08651133060454977232noreply@blogger.com0