Be sure to tune in this week as we visit with Jene of Jene’s Tropicals. If you enjoy a tropical paradise and would like to incorporate some of these aspects into your landscape, be sure to catch this awe inspiring episode of the Ask Mr. Greenthumb Show.
If you would like to know what tropicals would do well in your area this show is right on target for you. Stan and Jene can be seen on Channel 10 News Sunday at 8:00am, be sure to join us.
Sandra wrote:
Seems we are not able to purchase any fertilizer in the local Home Depot here in
Pinellas County…we are told that home owners will be banned from using the
stuff.
Do you have any recommendations as to what we can do…..we have had extremely
bad results with professional lawn care people….
Thanks.
Dear Sandra,
This fertilizer ban may be superceded by State law. There are 67 counties in the state of Florida, so it becomes confusing when each small area creates their own rule.
Personally, education with fertilizer is more important than a total ban. Without fertilizer it is difficult to have the successful results we are all looking for as growers.
Also, a government that governs best, governs least in my opinion.
Hope this is helpful.
My best,
Stan
Mary wrote:
I want to know how to re-root a rose bush I got I hear cut past the knot or
elbow ( don’t know how to explain). Then what else. Thanks stumped in texas
Dear Stumped,
Most rose bushes are grafted. I am guessing you are trying to start one from a cutting. Although this is not normally recommended, you could take a 4-6 inch piece of stem, with the base end cut at an angle and dipped in a rooting hormone; place this in a moist potting soil, keeping it moist until it roots. This will take 6-8 weeks. After rooting continue to grow in a good potting soil mix in a container. Some climber and old-fashioned, hardy roses can be grown successfully on their own root stock, though most hybrids will not fair well. Good luck!
Keep me posted,
Stan
Question: I have searched Stan’s book, “Florida Gardening” and the Internet and haven’t been able to locate instructions on: How to prune a Weeping Hibiscus (WH.), to make it weep. My WH. is 10 yrs old and has multiple leaders and cross branches. Can you offer any insight?
The weeping hibiscus should naturally weep, but that being said I would cut out the dominant branches and any branches crossing each other. You want to be certain to make a clean cut as close to the main stem or branch as possible. No doubt with the recent cold spell nature may have made some of these decisions for you.
When buying flowers for a garden, choose varieties that will thrive in the garden atmosphere, whether it is shady or sunny, and select healthy-looking, dark, vibrant greenery with a good root structure. Choose the healthiest-looking flowers to start a garden with advice from an experienced horticulturist in this free video on gardening.
Mulch is used around the base of trees and plants to help conserve moisture so that the plant will grow better. Find out how mulch also helps prevent weeds with information from an experienced gardener and horticulturist in this free video on mulch.
Landscape architects plan their plantings at the front of a home to frame the house in the most appealing manner, and, at the same time, point the way to the front door. If your front yard is a jungle of foliage, visitors can wind up at the side or back door by mistake. A well-designed front landscape will have a welcoming appearance, a natural flow that guides people to your front door.
For the front of your property, try for visual balance, not symmetry. Noah’s Ark had two of everything, but this is not advisable for landscaping. Avoid having two of the same type of plant on opposite sides of a walkway. Vary your plant selection and give a balanced, but not identical, appearance to arrangements. If you have, for example, a large oak tree on one side of the property, you may balance it with two or three smaller trees on the other side. Always choose plants that will grow in proportion to your house. An 80-foot eucalyptus tree will look out of place next to a typical one-story home. The size and ultimate shape of shrubs and trees is very important, and something you should check out at a nursery before you make a purchase.
Your first concern should be your family’s outdoor needs. How do you plan to use your yard and garden areas? The front of most homes usually is the public area, to be designed merely as a setting for the house and to enhance its appearance from the street. The back yard and sides of the property usually are the living and entertaining areas, play areas or service areas, and functional areas for storage or a vegetable garden.
To decide the proper use and size of each area, you should draw a scale outline of your property. School graph paper is ideal. Scale down your drawing to 1⁄4 inch to every foot, making the overall outline from fence-line to fence-line. Fill in all driveways, walkways, fences, and other hardscape items, as well as the outline of the house itself. Any existing trees that you wish to retain should be marked, together with “hot spots’’ where shade is needed. You may want to check your deed map to determine the exact dimensions of your property. The architect’s drawing of your home also is useful to show the placement of doors and windows and the orientation of the house on your lot. You may also have to check a contour map to determine any rises or hills in your yard. Some properties will drop a foot or two over the length of the yard, a factor that will affect your landscaping plan. Once your scale drawing is complete, you can make decisions on where to put flower beds, trees, shrubs, rock gardens, etc. If you intend to put in a pool, choose a large, open area away from any existing trees.
