flower garden

How can I make a sprinkler system for my flower garden?? I dont want to pay someone to come build some ..?

2011-11-19T02:35:00.008-08:00

elaborate sprinkler system. I just want something I can do myself and something that looks nice. Or any cool ideas some of you might have to raise the property value of my property with landscaping.

How can I make a sprinkler system for my flower garden?? I dont want to pay someone to come build some ..?
The automatic sprinklers are pretty easy to install, and some can be as easy as attaching them to your standard spigot. But if you are really plumbing impaired there are electronic timers that you can install at the spigot on the outside of the home and then run the hose to a few regular sprinklers that are strategically placed in the garden area. put it out in spring and set and put away in the fall. they sell them at home depot.

(if you really want to - try a search on line for toro sprinkler systems to find components for the DYI system.)

I am planting a flower garden in my front yard. Should I wait for flowers to sprout before adding mulch?

2011-11-19T02:35:00.007-08:00

or will adding mulch after they sprout hurt or weigh down the new sprouts?

I am planting a flower garden in my front yard. Should I wait for flowers to sprout before adding mulch?
No, definitely mulch as you plant them. They will easily poke their heads through the mulch and won't do any damage to the plants, unless they're really small when you should only put a thin layer of mulch over the top. Mulch is very important as it retains moisture in the soil and suppresses weeds, giving your flowers an even better chance of survival. Good luck with your new plants.
Reply:No, mulch helps retain moisture and also breaks down to provide nutrients, this is needed when you plant. Don't put the mulch on top of the plant only around it.
Reply:yes you should wait untill they are at lease 1inch above ground then u can mulch

skates

Does anyone know if that "Roll and Grow" flower garden really works like it's supposed to?

2011-11-19T02:35:00.006-08:00

Im thinking about getting it to spruce up my yard. I was just wondering if anyone has ever bought it and used it. it looks interesting but so does everything else on TV.

Does anyone know if that "Roll and Grow" flower garden really works like it's supposed to?
I planted one.

It worked ok-but I think its kinda expensive for what it actually is.

The germination rate was somewhat less than what I'd hoped for. Planting packets of locally available flower seeds was a lot showier, flower-wise. The thin roll-out, pre-seeded soil didn't preclude proper preparation of the soil-you still need to till the weeds out first, etc.

IF you could just roll it out, like on TV, it'd be a time-saver, but without proper prep work, the seeds'll germinate and quickly send roots much deeper than the thin mat.

So, if the underlaying soil is poor and hard or rocky, the new baby plants'll just wither and die.

Good Luck!
Reply:I am sure that "many" of the flowers will grow as shown. Problem is, you will have all kinds of different flowers, some of which you may not like. For the price, you could buy seeds and have only what you want and like.
Reply:My son got some for me for mother's day last year so "Mama won't have to work so hard". I was then obligated to plant them. A few seedlings did come up and eventually flower, but nothing like the abundance they show on TV. Most of the flowers they show on the commercial are not even in the roll n grow sheet. It would probably be more effective to choose some easy to grow seeds you like at your local store and plant those. If you have a bit more money in your budget, go to a nursery and buy young plants. This gives instant gratification and you don't have to nurture baby seedlings along.
Reply:I have never used one myself but have talked to others who said they did not have a single flower come up.
Reply:I have heard bad results on them and i think you would be better picking your own type of seeds and planting them yourself for quallity and cost hope this helps.

What are some tips to maintaining a beautiful flower garden?

2011-11-19T02:35:00.005-08:00

Decide how much money and work you want to put in to it, and how long you will be around to enjoy it.

If you want to build a beautiful garden at a longer term home, go with perennials.

I always think about groups of color, height, and blooming season, and try to have something blooming at all times. I usually go for varieties with a long blooming season.

I include things that can be cut and brought indoors for a vase because I love fresh flowers inside.

Some of my favorites are foxglove, iris, bachelor buttons, forget-me-not, Shasta daisys, hollyhocks, primroses, babys breath, coreopsis. Look through gardening catalogs for ones you like. I like the look of an English country garden, and try to include a lot of blues and pinks.

What are some tips to maintaining a beautiful flower garden?
The only things you need to MAINTAINING your beautiful garden is :

a) MULCH

b) FERTILISER

Thats it. Give the flowers the essentials and let them do the rest.
Reply:I get all my garden ? answered from folks on the gardenweb.com some post even have pics to give me ideas.
Reply:Consistent watering. Spray with liquid plant food every month.

How do you stop cats from going to the bathroom in your flower garden?

2011-11-19T02:35:00.004-08:00

call animal control. if they are neighbor's cats they need to control their animals and keep them on their own property. if they are strays it's best to get them off the streets

How do you stop cats from going to the bathroom in your flower garden?
Spray some orange juice/lemon juice in the area and introduce them to a new area.
Reply:Pine cones covering the soil or a nice layer of gravel - as long as the cat cannot get to the ground it cannot go to the bathroom in it.
Reply:we had the same problem, we went to home depot and bought an can of pure black pepper, we havent seen an cat in our yard in about an month or 2
Reply:maybe get a dog or

you could put a pond since cats hate water
Reply:BB Gun.
Reply:Try a predator scent product - the smell of a larger predator is supposed to make cats think a larger predator has taken up residence in your garden, so the cats should go elsewhere to do their business.

http://www.critter-repellent.com/cats/ca...
Reply:The only reason I know this answer is because I live in the Netherlands and have been working on my garden. I bought cocoa shells to cover the flower beds. This is very popular here. I then read on the bag that cats don't like the feel of it under their little feet and will stop walking and pooing in the area it has been laid. It has prooven to be effective and not only that the weeds don't root, it holds the water in for the plants and the underlayer "molds" a bit and is also very healthy for your plants. I don't see any reason why you shouldn't be able to find this in your garden center near you. It is fairly inexpensive and really gives a nice natural landscaped feel for your garden. I hope you can get this there! Hope it helps! Now, if I can only get my dogs to stay out of it... hmmm.. :-)

Is there anyway to get rid of Crab Grass in my Flower Garden?

2011-11-19T02:35:00.003-08:00

It has taken over and keeps coming up through my hardwood mulch. Help Please!

Is there anyway to get rid of Crab Grass in my Flower Garden?
Crabgrass is an annual that will die come the first frosts this fall but it will return next spring from its seeds. RoundUp or hot water may kill the vegetation this season but, again, it will be back next spring. Your problem is the mass quantity of seeds produced by this plant. Use a pre-emergent next spring to control seed germination %26amp; you will not have this problem. Apply a pre-emergent around the time that the forsythia bushes start blooming and water the product in well. Preen Garden Weed Preventer is a typical pre-emergence labeled for the control of crabgrass in an ornamental garden available at most home %26amp; garden centers. Read %26amp; follow all label instructions when purchasing or applying a pesticide.

Also be careful how you water your garden. Frequent, short watering encourages seed germination. It is always best to water deeply and infrequently.
Reply:Well lit is 1,000% right on.
Reply:I think they have a shampoo for that. You should ask your local doctor. In the mean time you should look around and see if you can find a plant poison specifically for crab grass. I think they make things like that. If it's feasible you should take up the bed. You don't have to throw anything, just take it all up, dig down as far as you think the roots of your plants will need to go and place a liner. Then replace all the soil and mulch. Then and crab grass is just a stray seed and can be pulled up as you see it growing. Good luck.
Reply:Your mulch needs to be at least three inches thick. And you may want to go even higher at first. You an use hot water on the crabgrass, also make sure you are pulling up the crabgrass roots and all.
Reply:Spray ROUNDUP, (sold at Wal-Mart) on crabgrass and it will die in a few days and it won't grow back.
Reply:I just did this at my house. I bought roundup regular strength. Use it according to directions. I used a cardboard box to shield my plants. The roundup will kill the weeds but it neutralizes at soil level so it will not harm anything in the soil except what you spray. Mine are dead and flowers fine. Happy gardening.

Nanny Source

Where can I have my picture taken with live bunnies in a live flower garden?

2011-11-19T02:35:00.002-08:00

I know the photagrapher's name is Chad Engle, but I do not know where his studio is located. I believe that it is somwhere in Kentucky.

Where can I have my picture taken with live bunnies in a live flower garden?
Just about anywhere if you get permisson from a flower shop or person with a live flower garden and go to a farm supply and buy a bunch of bunnies and then try to sell them back after you are done or just give them back if your project is important enough.. the bunnies probaby don't cost much.

Is this good compost for my flower garden?

2011-11-19T02:35:00.001-08:00

I bought 6 bags of compost, it contains peat, compost, and loam. its npk rating is 0.02 - 0.03 - 0.02. i usually use miracle grow once every 1 or 2 weeks. and also it has calcium 0.15, magnesium 0.08, and sulphur 0.037. its 100 % organic also:) does this sound good? thanks in advance!

Is this good compost for my flower garden?
i wouldn't use that... nitrogen just kills everything and it is full of it... stings the plant.. i was told to use 20 part of compost to 80 percent top soil or soil prep... but then again, i just realized you said compost not meneur... i still would mix it at least half and have with the above... just to be safe..
Reply:It might be ok. I, however, just use organic compost.

Also, there's nothing organic about miracle grow. It's quite the opposite, and is bad for the soil.

I would like to plant a flower garden starting from bulbs/ seeds, when should I plant them?

2011-11-19T02:35:00.000-08:00

I live in Northern California.

I would like to plant a flower garden starting from bulbs/ seeds, when should I plant them?
Bulbs can go into the ground as soon as it is workable. Seeds should wait until after the last frost is anticipated.
Reply:if you bought the bulbs and seeds in packets, check the label as to when the best time of year for each different plant is. if not, you can always take them down to your local nursery for a bit of advice

How do I stop cats from fouling in my flower garden.?

2011-11-19T02:34:00.010-08:00

They are digging up all my bulbs and plants, I don`t want to hurt the cats but they are driving me mental....

Ive tried pepper spray.`

Plz help...

How do I stop cats from fouling in my flower garden.?
Orange peel is a deterent
Reply:SHOOT THEM!

(legally with a 'Super-soaker' type water gun. It's fun and works!

Do not just wet them soak them and chase them out of your garden. They learn eventually.

Watch the wild birds return to your garden. when the cats have gone.
Reply:Sprinkle some pickle juice on the spot. They hate it.
Reply:Buy a big mouse with tattoo's and a shaved head to patrol your garden, or hide the spades that will stop the lil pests!
Reply:Try crunched up mothballs.
Reply:My mum had this problem and tried everything from plants to pellets made from lion poo. The thing which has finally worked is an electrical device which goes in the garden and has sensors. When a cat comes into the garden it emits a high pitched noise which only cats can hear - they hate it and leave the area. It's worked for my mum after years of cats destroying her garden.
Reply:Try a shotgun or a stun gun. Remember, a squashed cat is a great cat!!! Alternatively you could buy a cat deterrent from a garden centre, or ask a vet (they should know what works).
Reply:why dont you try cataway you can get it from most garden centers or failing that just get a dog
Reply:Dig up another area specifically for them. They love pooing in freshly dug earth! If they are your cats so it's your job to provide them space to poop. Try planting rosemary or lavender where you don't want them to go. Or bottles of water in different areas, I don't know what this does but my neighbour does it!
Reply:Get yourself a big Abysinnian boy cat! He won't allow another cat (or dog) anywhere near his territory - ours has been seen chasing large dogs up the road for daring to put their paws on His front drive.

The neighbours called him "The Pit Bull Terror Cat"!

I always told them to chuck a saucepan of water over him if he was a pest in anyway. Loved him to bits. R.I.P.

Otherwise - have you tried "Scoot", hose pipe, any strong smell like moth balls and orange peel around your plants?
Reply:they is a specail high pitch whisle thing that you can leave on during the day diy shops should sell them
Reply:Insult them. Cats hate being made fun of. Seriously. They are curious, but not curious about what others think about them.

meow...

=^_^=
Reply:Hi,

I have the same problem with the neighbour's two cats using our garden and gravel as their own personal toilet and bird larder! I can't do anything in the garden any more without my rubber gloves on.

If you have a gateway or driveway entrance that they come through - Jeyes Fluid in water poured across the entrance. It smells strongly and they really don't like it. It will get diluted when it rains, which it does here in Scotland a lot, but you just go out with another bucket full.

Drawback is that Jeyes Fluid 300ml is not that cheap.

There is also a plant called Scardy Cat or Coleus canina Hybr. It emits a smell that they don't like. The plant likes sunny to partial shade, it tolerates dryness, but you can water it a little. The plant is more efficient if the leaves are dry. Unfortunately it is not hardy and at a cost of £2.50 - £3 per plant it could work out quite expensive.

Good luck.
Reply:Get a squirty bottle and spray water at them. Put pop bottles with water in around ur garden and also orange peel, they hate anything which smells of citrus!
Reply:Orange, lion dung and water pistols might deter them. Annoying the cat might make the problem worse, it depends on the cat.

I also found planting some coleus canina works well over the summer/autumn months. Thompson and Morgan do an attractive verrigated variety. It isn't frost hardy, but its very easy to propergated from clippings and over-winter some indoors.

The cat may not be you're only culprit. Squirrels and magpies may be digging away while you're not looking as well.
Reply:Orange peel

Clear pop bottles with water in (sounds crazy but is supposed to work)
Reply:I use ground cayenne pepper. I sprinkle it on the plants and mulch. It will not harm plants (even if it gets directly on them or washes into the soil). It will not harm cats; they get a snootful of this "hot" substance and go away. I have 9 cats and that's how I keep them away from my plants.
Reply:I put orange peel around the garden and that seems to work for a while, but my best deterrent is the fact i have my own cat now so i don't seem to get anyone else's
Reply:I had this problem with cats going on the gravel part of my garden. I bought these green beads to sprinkle over the area designed to stop cats, can't remember what it's called, think it was "get off". Have a look around your local pet shop. It worked well, and the cats haven't been back since!

Good luck!
Reply:There is a product called "shake away". It's made from predatory animal urine and if completely safe for pets, children, and plants. You can get it for just about any animal that plagues your garden. Check it out here on Amazon.http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search...
Reply:bottles of water.... they dont like them for some reason
Reply:There is a product you can get from gonegardening.com which is called Silent Roar. Its dried lion poo. Basically the idea is a little cat comes along, smells the poo of a big cat and does a runner. I had a mate that bought this and seemed quite pleased with the results, the cats in his garden shot off at the merest whiff. I don' t think its too expensive either.

running shoes

Is it true that after a frost you should spray your flower garden with water first thing in the AM to thaw it?

2011-11-19T02:34:00.009-08:00

This is pertaining to Northern NH in the spring after the plants start to come up.

Is it true that after a frost you should spray your flower garden with water first thing in the AM to thaw it?
It is a common practice in most northern climes and certainly can help. One of the results of freezing is water loss in the plant cells. If the plants are not badly frozen spraying with water helps replace some of the lost moisture.
Reply:I'm sorry, but I have never heard this. You need to call your local nursery and ask them if this is true.

I have read and seen on TV that fruit tree growers will spray mist on their trees just before a freeze to insulate the trees to keep them from being damaged.
Reply:We live in central NY, we lightly spray the plants, just as the sun is comming up when we have had late/early frosts. Once the sun is up, its too late. We have saved many plants this way. Something easier is using old sheets to cover the plants before the frost.
Reply:to late:: when you need to spray the water is during the night that is freezing. the water more than likely will form ice but the plants should live. the water acts as insulation and keeps the plant cells from freezing.
Reply:never heard of that before the frost kills so spraying with water would rot them i think.
Reply:yes, I live in Maine, and that is a common practice

What is a flower garden weed that is completely maroon with tiny yellow flowers?

2011-11-19T02:34:00.008-08:00

The weed is completely maroon. The leaves look like upside down hearts and are arranged in a "four leaf clover look-a-like "pattern. Instead of the leaf spread out flat, it hangs down thus making it look like an upside down heart. The stalk and leaves are solidly maroon in color.

What is a flower garden weed that is completely maroon with tiny yellow flowers?
I believe you are describing Oxalis. There is an ornamental plant called: Oxalis regnellii atropurpurea, which is pictured in the link. There are many other oxalis, and lots of those are weeds. Further, some oxalis do bloom yellow. I have also seen pink blooms on plants with maroon foliage.
Reply:It may not be a weed...got a picture?

How do I keep wild animals, out of my flower garden?

2011-11-19T02:34:00.007-08:00

I don't want to shoot them, or trap them, I heard that moth balls, might keep them out. Any Ideas?

Thanks..

How do I keep wild animals, out of my flower garden?
Dixie , I am not by no means a Gardener and probally couldn't grow one if life depended on it . However my granny has a bird feeder in her garden and puts Cheyenne Pepper in it to keep out the squirrlies , it won't affect the birds but will run the others off . Trust me if you are offering food for the birds and the other animals have access to the food , they will eat ! ! !
Reply:You didn't mention what kind of animals or what the problem is i.e., trampling or eating. If the problem is eating, then you may try using bloodmeal, I have used this to keep deer, rabbits etc. away from the garden Report It

Reply:anything that makes noise to scare them
Reply:I have heard to spray plants with soapy water.
Reply:first i would try and find out what kind of animal it is....

then i would find out what it hates moth balls are mostly naphtha...and they could damage your garden more than the animals or little children could eat them...or pets...try a scare crow...tinfoil on string blowing in the wind...even wind chimes...you could also try ammonia in an open spill proof container near the base of the garden and spread them out so the create an "odor" wall
Reply:round your garden with sharp metal net.
Reply:3' high Chicken wire fencing with .75" holes works wonders for most everything but mice or voles.
Reply:sprinkle ground cayenne pepper around the plants. It will not harm your plants. It will keep off the crawling bugs too. I have an infestation of ants here. My yard is nothing but sand and a few twigs of grass. So ants are everywhere. To keep them out of my dogs food. I go out every few days and sprinkle cinnimon around the bowl. It doesn't bother my dog but those ants won't cross it. You may have to go out once a week or so and refresh the cayenne pepper by adding more. But you'd have to do pretty much the same with anything you used. This is just real inexpensive since you can get it for $1 for 2 small container at the Dollar General Store.

My flower garden has formed a gel like substance around the base of some of the flowers. What could it be?

2011-11-19T02:34:00.006-08:00

It has rained for a couple days and now some of the flowers have formed a clear, gel-like substance around the base of them. They look like clumps of crushed ice-cubes at first sight. It's very strange! Any ideas what this could be?

My flower garden has formed a gel like substance around the base of some of the flowers. What could it be?
could be snails. sprinkle snail pellets around the ground. works like a charm. snails love to eat lots of different kinds of flowers. also could be clusters of eggs of some kind of insect. keep an eye on the flowers. if they dont come to any harm from the alien blob hurray for you. i would watch it just to see what came out of it.
Reply:you could have a fungus perhaps watering at wrong time of the day, best to water at night or early am especially in the summer
Reply:sounds a lot like moisture crytals or water retaining gel to me. if you didn't use them at time of planting, its possible they were already in the pots when purchased.
Reply:If you or your gardener used a water retaining gel it is very possible that this is what you see. Dig it into the soil it will help in drought situations.

PDA

I want to plant a flower garden, but where should I put it?

2011-11-19T02:34:00.005-08:00

We have a huge backyard, but I don't want to plant them in a grassy place. I want to put them under a tree, but that's where all the raccoons and other animals use the bathroom and they mess it up. What should I do?

I want to plant a flower garden, but where should I put it?
You could also go to a home improvement store like Lowes or Home Depot or even Walmart, and get these stones that make a "raised bed" type area. The variety is pretty good... Or, use 1x6's and make a square, pop that in a location that would be eye appealing, fill it with good potting soil and plant whatever you like. You could put more then one, make different sizes, and even grow some tomatoes if you like. (without having to back break yourself ripping up grass, all that dirt will smother the grass spot) Type in your search bar, Gardening ideas, and you will get thousands of sites to look at to get some ideas of all the many things you can do. They are endless!!!
Reply:You could also go to the local flea market or land fill or dump to find things like old wheel barrows and tires amd use them for flower beds. I used the tire idea for lantana and heather, I love them but they attract bees as well as butterflys, so had to put them away from front door. I spray painted the tires to match my home and planted them deep enough that all you see is the part that I painted.
Reply:A "island" in a sunny section . Yes you will need to tear back some grass. We too have a decent size yard. It was a blank slate seven yrs ago. We now have "serveral our door rooms".

It was worth all the work ....Better Homes and Gardens has a great site for ideas.

When should I fertilize my flower garden?

2011-11-19T02:34:00.004-08:00

I just ordered some flowers online and I was wondering if it would be better to put fertilizer in the soil before the flowers arrive, or if I should wait to put it in ground when I plant the flowers. Also if you could suggest a good fertilizer that would be great. I live in Tennessee if that matters.

When should I fertilize my flower garden?
Fertilizing

Most perennials are not heavy feeders. A light fertilization of 2 to 3 pounds of 5-10-10 or 10-10-10 per 100 square feet should be applied in early spring. A second application is often made in mid-summer at the rate of 1 1/2 to 2 pounds per 100 square feet. Take into consideration the amount of plant growth -- if growth is adequate you may not need to fertilize. Too much fertilizer will promote foliage and possibly diseases without necessarily promoting flower production. It is not necessary to remove the mulch before fertilizing. Water after applying fertilizer; this will wash fertilizer off the foliage, prevent foliage burn, and will make the fertilizer available more quickly.

Deadheading

After perennials have bloomed, spent flowers and seed pods should be removed. Keep in mind that some perennials do not require deadheading since the seed pods are either not very visible or are quite attractive. Cut the flower stem down to a healthy leaf or side branch. This will keep the plants looking neater and will prevent them from wasting energy by producing seeds. Some plants produce so many seeds and volunteer plants that they become overcrowded and invasive. Deadheading will reduce the problem. Some perennials will rebloom if cut back after the first flush of flowers.

Pinching

Some plants will grow thicker and fuller if the terminal growth is pinched. This reduces the height and reduces the likelihood that the plant will be blown over by wind and rain or from the weight of large, heavy flowers. The result is a more compact plant with more but sometimes smaller flowers. Pinching often delays flowering. Plants that respond to pinching include chrysanthemums, asters, and phlox. Start pinching in early spring when the shoots are several inches long and discontinue by early July.
Reply:fertilize when you put them in the ground..I use a fertilizer called Peters 20 20 20. You can use it everyday and it wont hurt your plants it's good for all kinds of plants
Reply:I recommend putting some fertilized garden soil around the plants when you put them in. It will allow the plants to root better and it will already have the slow release fertilizer in it. Miracle Grow makes a good garden soil.

Or just add a little fertilizer to the bottom of the hole you dug when you put the flower in. That makes the fertilizer right there ready for the roots to use.

If you have perennials, don't fertilize much in the summer. Mainly fertilize in the spring and fall. Fertilizing too much in the summer will burn the plants and cause the plant to dry out due to the chemicals/salts.

Another great thing you can do is add some rabbit manure to the bottom of the hole you dug. That will give the plant nitrogen and micro minerals that it needs. The organic matter will also help hold water for the plant to use during heat spells and will be soft to easily get roots through. My great and does that and swears her flowers are twice as big. I use it to get my tomato plants 2-3 times as big.
Reply:It depends on how big you want your flowers to get! All purpose fertilizers like Peters or Miracle-Gro can be applied regularly -- I use Miracle-Gro every two weeks with good results.

What is the best way to keep weeds from growing in a flower garden?

2011-11-19T02:34:00.003-08:00

I have heard that putting down newspaper underneath your flowers works.

What is the best way to keep weeds from growing in a flower garden?
If you aren't growning anything from seeds you an spread corn gluten around the garden...corn gluten will stop seeds from germanating...first go through and pull all the unwanted plants then put down the corn gluten according to the package directions...water it in and be vigilant about pulling any new weeds for the next few days...once all new unwanted plants are gone you shouldn't have any new ones coming up.
Reply:yes if you don't mind the color of newspaper
Reply:If You have the time to plant the flowers, then you should have

the time to pill the weeds and water the flowers.
Reply:I don't know, but if you find your answer, please share it with me %26amp; loriannevandy@yahoo.com.
Reply:The use of newspapers is a good idea but not under the plants. Put down the news papers around the plants and the mulch over the news papers. Weed seeds will get carried or blown onto the surface of your beds. The news papers or a weed screening under the mulch will prevent new weeds from coming to the surface and the mulch is decorative and will prevent the weed seeds from taking root or easier to remove if they do.
Reply:After weeding or tilling your flower beds, sprinkle on some pre-emergent weed killer. Use a product called Preen. That will keeps weed seeds from germinating. Just be sure that if your growing flower seeds, that you lets the flower seed germinate and grow a bit before putting the Preen on otherwise you will keep the flower seeds from germinating as well. Good luck

I need advice for my first flower garden?

2011-11-19T02:34:00.002-08:00

I have one partial sun area, and another area with no sun. Bad dirt with weeds. What do I do first about the old dirt? Do you buy new dirt, with like fertilizer in it? Then I know I pick flowers based on the amount of sun, but should I buy them already sprouting? I think that would be easier. So you just dig a whole and put it in the ground surrouned by the fresh dirt? And I'm not big on watering, but when you do water you just get the roots not the actual flower bud part right? haha help! thanks so much

I need advice for my first flower garden?
Do you want annual or perrenial...difference being annual only flowers to season then dies or drops seeds the other is forever ok...so you have to plan what you want easy care...so I will thow some suggestions and see if you like them...hmm ok the dirt should be ok why dont you give it a good soak leave the hose in for say half an hr depending on the size of the area get your hoe digger..after the good soak and dig all the soil up deep get all the weeds out get some manure and put it over say a few inches thick all over then water that in..preperation you see...now allways put taller growing plants to the back then work height down especially if your against a wall and if you want assorted type rows say...now for the sunny area if you would like hardy easy care type plants daisys are allways nice all you could put seeds in and lightly spray only for seeds you dont want to create a flood...if not seedlings are another choice ...dont for get you can get cuttings of a lot of plants and these will grow daisys are pretty easy to strike....shady area agapanthas are real easy but they like a little sun here and there but like shade to ...now some of your questions well if you buy a plant with say a few flowers and lots of buds this is allways good the reason being you can see the colour of the flower and the buds will open and look pretty in your garden if there all flowers they finish quick then you have to wait a few weeks to flower again...yes the roots only is good but ferns and some plants like a bit of water in there foilage like suculants to....and no you dont dig a hole in the old dirt and mix the new dirt around the plant what use is that the roots need all the nutrition not the plant so if you want to buy some soil as well mix it through just do like I said in the beginning and you will do ok...and a good way to check if plants need water is put your finger in the soil if its damp thats ok dry needs water depends on the weather a lot....summer water in the late afternoon in winter water in the morning.....and I guess you will ask why well the plants drink in the night and earlly morning slowly...so in summer usually the sun dries it up before they even start to drink so of a late evening is good winter the plants keep moist longer because its cold so morning is good so the day dries excess water up because you dont want your plants rotting anyway goodluck hey I am sure you will get a lot of rewards from it....
Reply:You don't need to replace the old dirt-just add stuff to it. The easiest thing is organic matter, usually called compost or (ew) cow manure (comes bagged, sterilized and not as bad as you might think-the really courageous can find an old barn and clean out the old stuff). This softens the soil, and will feed the plants. It's also less expensive than new soil. It's faster to put plants in (seeds will take a couple more months to flower).

Watering-soak the ground around the plants the first time you plant them. Water new plants pretty often for the first two weeks. By then they should be established and require less care except for weeding. If they get wilty, water immediately.

Good luck. Trial and error will teach you the best plants for your area (but if you get some plants at a regular greenhouse, they'll be likely to know more than the people at the discount place, and you can ask questions about plants). I had one corner where nothing I tried grew. It was 4yrs. before I got something growing in there.

I love flowers, but i won't give them special treatment-no winter coddling, and no winter protection. If it didn't survive, I just put something else in there the next year.
Reply:Till up the soil with a tiller or shovel, and buy plants in lieu of seeds. Shade, go with impatiens. Sun area, petunias are easy and tough. Use miracle grow liquid fertilizer and water regularly. Easy to do, and you will love it.
Reply:You'll need to work up the soil where the garden is to get rid of the weeds and loosen it up. You can just dig it and turn the ground over with a shovel. It would probably be good to mix in some manure, fertilizer and maybe peat moss when you do that.

Choose bedding plants that suit the area as far as sunlight and check how tall the plants will grow so you don't have tall things in front and short in the back. Impatiens is a good plant for areas with no sun.

Watering is best done early in the morning or later in the evening to prevent the plants from getting sunburn from water on the leaves. Roses are the only plants that you shouldn't get the leaves wet.

**
Reply:Improve the soil by adding compost and manure. Cultivate the ground well. It is usually esier to buy flowers as six packs. Water after planting and make sure they get about an inch of water from rain or watering each week.
Reply:seeds+dirt+sun= flowergarden

riding boots

Can I water my flower garden with treated pool water instead of just putting it down the drain?

2011-11-19T02:34:00.001-08:00

We have a 600 Gal. wading pool and are done using it for the summer. Instead of just draining the pool, I was wondering if we could use the water on our flowers and shrubs? I have used shock treatment and pool sanitizer in it, so I am not sure.

Can I water my flower garden with treated pool water instead of just putting it down the drain?
Most pool water has less chlorine than drinking water. Pools have 1.5 parts per million (ppm) . Drinking water will have 12 to 24 ppm chlorine. To be sure just stop treating the water for a week or so before you water the plants.
Reply:Most of the chemicals should evaporate away much faster than the water. I would let it sit for a week or so without adding anything, then feel free to use it at will.
Reply:I wouldn't advise it. The chemicals will kill your plants.
Reply:If you use the Baquacil chemicals and pool system you can use it on the lawn and gardens. It is safe for use on plants, but chlorine systems will kill them.
Reply:I'm agree with Mark L...............
Reply:Chlorine+Flowers=Dead Garden. Just dump it, honey.
Reply:I wouldn't. That's a lot of chemical to put on something so sensitive.
Reply:I wouldn't recommend it.The chemicals are not heathy for plants.
Reply:No, don't use it to water them. Remember plants get their nutrients from waterings and the soil. Think of it as if you drank a glass of water with some laundry bleach in it ( it says right on the bottle not to ingest).

Where can i find big list of flowers to put in a flower garden?

2011-11-19T02:34:00.000-08:00

This ? is for a family member please help!

Where can i find big list of flowers to put in a flower garden?
Try this site for plant lists:
Reply:Library.
Reply:I personally like the selection at Lowes. Home Depot would be another I might try. Also try looking online at what local Nurserys are in your family members town. They can provide them with a wealth of info about what grows best locally! Good luck to you and them!
Reply:Popular flowers:

http://www.gardenguides.com/plants/flowe...

Different types of gardens and flowers:

http://gardening.about.com/od/flowergard...
Reply:type in the name of any good seed company and go through their on line catalogs. ones I use a lot are "THOMPSON %26amp; MORGAN" "PARK SEEDS", there are a lot of other companies but these are the two I use the most

Does anyone know a home remedy to repell cats from a garden/flower bed?

2011-11-19T02:33:00.010-08:00

I need to know a home remedey to repell cats from flower beds and/or gardens. Thanx

Does anyone know a home remedy to repell cats from a garden/flower bed?
This works on cats chewing houseplants...I dont know how hard it would be in a garden or if the cats are chewing or poohing in yours.You can take hot sauce mixed with water and brush over the leaves..It wont hurt them but will bother the cats...maybe that would be enough to keep them out of the dirt as well?
Reply:M60
Reply:orange rinds, cayenne pepper
Reply:There is a product called NO NO in the pet stores. Pet Smart
Reply:moth balls are said to.
Reply:grow some cat grass for them they should leave the other plants alone.
Reply:vinegar repels cats
Reply:Ask your vet and they'll probably be able to help you figure out what to use and or do.
Reply:you can grow wheatgrass, which is a plant cats can eat. but they might not eat it because they only eat your plants to piss you off.
Reply:I don't know a home remedy...but I do know that stores sell things that repel cats. Also, kitties don't like strong smells....that's why they tell you to put vinegar around your x-mas tree.
Reply:Take a squirt bottle and everytime she goes near it squirt her with it. And tell her no.
Reply:12 gage 00 buck shot works best

Why would a flower garden be a likely place to see a toad?

2011-11-19T02:33:00.009-08:00

any details you can give about where toads hang out.

Why would a flower garden be a likely place to see a toad?
If you can lure a toad into your garden, it will consume insects by the hundreds. Cutworms, grubs, rose beetles, caterpillars, ants, sow bugs, moths, mosquitoes and flies.Provide them with water and a cool place to hide in. One can buy special toad houses out of clay. You can also use an upside-down clay pot. In the winter they bury themselves in the ground and hibernate. Consider yourself lucky when a toad chooses your garden as a home.
Reply:its a moist and soft place.
Reply:Toads eat bugs, and they find coolness beneath the leaves.
Reply:I think they often eat the slugs and other pests that are attracted to the plants.
Reply:as long as the flower garden can provide shade, moisture and sources of food, then yes, its a very likely place to find a toad. you could provide these yourself with a shallow bowl of water sunk into the earth (in the shade) and some kind of shelter--an inverted clay pot with a piece removed for the entrance. as long as you have a variety of flowering plants and shrubs, there should be an abundance of food for the toad.
Reply:because frogs or toads like the envirorment that has flowers and dirt which is good hiding places for them from pretetors

Start java

How do you make a flower garden?

2011-11-19T02:33:00.008-08:00

It's for a class assignment...Please answer A.S.A.P.

How do you make a flower garden?
Hi

A flower garden adds a great deal of variety and beauty to the landscape. Many people find that laying out flower gardens is a very rewarding task. And, while it is possible to create a very attractive flower garden without planning it out first, it is much more efficient, in the way of saving time and money, to make a plan for what you would like in your flower garden, and to have an idea of where you might like some of the different flowers. Then when you are ready to lay the garden out, you have a pretty good idea of what to do, and you are not bothered with having to re-arrange things to account for something that you may not have realized before.

The first order of business to determine when planning out your flower garden is how many annuals and how many perennials you want. Annuals last only one growing season, and therefore have to be replanted each year. Perennials appear yearly on their own. If you have all annuals, you can change your garden layout as you wish every year, and with perennials you have the same layout (unless you wish to transplant all of your flowers). However, it is possible to have a combination of the two, keeping the perennials where they are each year and varying the charm of the flower garden with a few different annuals in different placement.

Next, you should determine where you will likely place your flowers, taking into consideration the comparative heights of the plants, what time of the year they bloom, and what colors you will use. These things all contribute to an aesthetically pleasing look to your flower garden — one that implies order and beauty rather than looking ill-planned with some plants looking wildly out of place. Also to take into consideration when planning your flower garden: climate and sun exposure. Make sure that all of the plant you choose for your garden will flourish in your region, and that your garden is placed in a location that will allow the flowers to receive a proper amount of light.

After you have determined what will go in your garden, it is time to prepare the flowerbed. You should mark of the dimensions of your proposed garden carefully. Using a garden hose to mark the boundaries is advisable, as it is heavy and will stay in place, but it also provides the flexibility needed to tweak the proposed shape of your garden. After you have determined on your boundaries, you need to strip the enclosed area down to the topsoil. This can be done using a shovel for smaller gardens and a sod cutter for the larger sections.

After getting down to the topsoil, you should loosen the dirt by prying up a section with a shovel and then turning over the dirt. This loosens the soil and provides a good place for flower roots to establish themselves. You can make improvements to the soil but adding organic materials such as peat moss, mulch, compost, or manure. You should probably also roto-till the area to better mix the soil amendments in with the original soil. Next, use a rake to smooth out the soil without packing it down. Create your border with plastic edging, concrete, stones, or by digging around the edges, angling the soil down and creating a gap between flower garden and lawn.

After you have prepared the bed for the garden, acquire the flowers you would like to use. Seeds are less expensive, but you will not be able to see the final result until they spring up. If you purchase flowers in containers, set the containers, with their plants, in the places in the garden that they will inhabit. Then you can get an idea of what the garden will look like. If you need to move the flowers around for greater attractiveness, it is simply a matter of moving the pot around until the garden looks as you wish it to. After you have settled that everything is in place, begin removing the flowers from their containers and placing them in the ground, beginning from the back and working up toward the front.

Good luck with your assignment!

Take care

Paul
Reply:establish where the garden will go.. assign the boundaries and begin to prepare the soil. Spade or till the soil and add organic material to enrich the soil. blend in the organics and rake to achieve the final grades. plant your flowers and then spread mulch around them. Water and watch them grow.

now.. if you do well, I'm going to need a portion of your income for life.. for doing your homework.

Good luck!

Julie
Reply:I am learning myself...good luck. I know you need soil, seeds or bulbs, water and alot of patience.
Reply:Common sense. Stupid Question. Get real. Flower seeds, dirt, water, and sun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reply:1. Till the soil (if have time and energy, skim grass/weeds from top of soil first)

2. Amend soil with peat/organic materials if soil has too much clay or sand.

3. May fertilize with granular slow release fertilzer at this point. Working into first 2" of soil.

4. Plant seeds or plants as directed by plant tag/seed packet.

5. If planting plants, mulch bed to control weeds. If sowing seed, wait until seedlings are up, thin per packet directions, then mulch.
Reply:Till the soil. Insert seeds. Water. Wait. Then you have a flower garden.
Reply:get a garden and put flowers in it
Reply:plant flowers is the easy answer. or a lengthier one would be

-till up the ground where you'll be putting ur garden

-lay down lawn fabric or plastic

-set garden/patio bricks or rocks aound the edge of ur

garden on the palstic

-fill the spot with soil

-plant the flowers

-spread mulch around flowers (optional)
Reply:is it at shool or at your house or does it have to be in a window box or what? get good soil, choose the location. if its a flower boxed type deal plant the seeds and put it in a warm sunny place and cover with plastic wrap for a few days to help the seeds germinate properly. then uncover. water when drying out.do not over water. if outside. dig a patch where you want your flower garden to be. weed itand wait a week.every few days go back and reweed whatever else grew, then water the dirt,add your seeds and cover with a plastic that sun can go through for a few days. otherwise the birds will find the seeds and eat them.ha. this is true. then take pictures of all phases.before,during,after etc of you making your garden and put the photos on a poster board.along with your description of how you did it. also note that when you pull weeds, it is easier and you get more of the root if you grab the weed as close to the ground as possible,twisting it in a circular motion as you pull. the reason you wait a week before panting the seeds is because some weeds will continue to grow so leave the soil dug up and loose and every few days for a week or so, go out and pull whatevers growing. weeds kill flowers and grass so you want to minimize the risk that weeds will choke out your flowers. hope this helps

Is there a product that a person can spray in the a flower garden to kill weeds without killing the flowers?

2011-11-19T02:33:00.007-08:00

My gardener just planted flowers in front of my house, but he didn't put plastic or mulch down first...now, weeds are popping up everywhere and it would take forever to pull them all. So, I'm curious...is there a product that can be sprayed in areas like that where the flowers are close together without harming the flowers?

Is there a product that a person can spray in the a flower garden to kill weeds without killing the flowers?
Almost all of the weed killers will also kill your flowers. I was told that you could use Weed Be Gone too and I ended up with dead weeds and flowers. Your best bet is to take a heavy rake and rough up the existing mulch. Then add a layer of heavy mulch on top. The weeds should die back under another heavy mulching. Wait a few days then pull out the few stragglers that make it through. Most mulches actually have seeds for weeds in them, scary isn't it. Make sure you find mulch that has been heated or frozen to kill the seeds or you'll just get more weeds. I hope this helps and Good Luck!!!
Reply:Round-up brand weed killer.
Reply:Weeds have flowers too!
Reply:weed be gone
Reply:There are many products available, Weed Be Gone, is one.
Reply:Yes go to Home Depot, they will help you with your delimna. The garden people are very helpful there./
Reply:Round up and weed be gone will kill everything. I know it stinks, but your best bet is to pull everything that you can by hand and then add another two to three inches of mulch. If there is mulch down already be sure to fluff it up with a rake first so it does not compact and prevent water from getting through.

Flower garden for lazy person?

2011-11-19T02:33:00.006-08:00

I'd like to plant a flower border around my house but don't like to be outside when it gets hot. What are some good flowers I can plant that don't need much upkeep and can survive in very hot, dry Southern summer weather?

Flower garden for lazy person?
Petunias for summer

Madness Series petunias or

'Purple Wave' (named an All-America Selections winner petunia) blooms all summer without being pinched back. Purple was the first color of the series, but now you can buy pink, lavender, lilac, and blue versions as well.

Easy Wave Series; they grow 8 to 10 inches tall and about 3 feet wide. But it's the new Tidal Wave Series that has me foaming at the mouth. Their 2-inch blooms just shrug off summer showers without missing a beat. 'Tidal Wave Silver,' noted for its silvery-white petals and dark purple centers, can even survive some winters in Alabama gardens and bloom through a second summer.

Hybrid Millifloras, a new class of dwarf petunias. Forming mounds 6 to 8 inches high and wide, they need no pinching to keep blooming. Small 1- to 1 1/2-inch flowers come in every color except yellow. Fantasy Series are perfect for containers and hanging baskets.

Supertunia and Surfinia Series. Used in beds, they grow practically flat; they're wonderful cascaders when planted in containers. Both come in a full range of colors and never require pinching.

Other Annuals For Sun

lantana: particularly lavender popcorn

coleus: The foliage is as colorful as any flower.

Star Hybrid zinnias: Mounds of blooms soften border edges.

melampodium: cheerful, bright green foliage and is profusely covered with 1-inch yellow, daisy-like flowers sporting darker centers, dappled shade in the south

persian shield: large silver viened plum leaves

salvia: old-fashioned blue 'Victoria' salvia.

larkspur

Tough Plants for Southern Gardens: Low Care, No Care, Tried and True Winners

Author: Felder Rushing

120 of the toughest plants for Southern gardens, including annuals, bulbs, perennials, shrubs and small trees, ornamental vines, and lawns.

The primary focus is on describing a large number of no-maintenance plants that do well in the Southern climate and soils. The book is divided into sections by type of plant (perennials, shrubs, and so on); for each plant, details are given on how to plant it, how to care for it, where to put it, and what to expect from it over time. Each has a picture, usually detailed enough to allow you to identify it at a nursery. Additionally, sections begin with short lists of plants that are "Great for beginners" (extremely easy to deal with) or "Kinda tricky." Random advice, like how to successfully plant wildflowers in your lawn, is scattered throughout.
Reply:OF COURSE YOU WILL HAVE TO WATER IF YOUR IN A HOT CLIMATE, BUT MARIGOLDS AND WILD VIOLETS DO VERY WELL, CREPE MERTLES AND ROSE OF SHARRONS ARE BUSHES THAT ARE VERY HARDY AND HOT TOLERANT
Reply:Purple cone flower (echinacea), cosmos and poppies do well in hot weather and are almost care free once established.
Reply:There are many plants that survive in xeric conditions. You probably will need to stay away from annuals, most require routine watering. I have purchased some agastache that continue to thrive despite my neglect. There are some lovely ornamental grasses that are fairly hardy in the heat of summer. Here is a website you might find helpful:
Reply:hi

all plant no matter will need some water and some care.

you could used artificial flower and plant them

no water no worries
Reply:Hi,

At Lowes and Home Depot you can buy these seeds that roll out in like a carpet that are used for borders, I use them in a hot climate and they work just fine plus you don't have to get dirty just water it.

Lammy
Reply:wild flowers

I am planting a flower garden, I was wondering what are some ideas for a flower bed that gets alot of sun?

2011-11-19T02:33:00.005-08:00

I live in Mississippi, I need something that will hold up to the heat.

I am planting a flower garden, I was wondering what are some ideas for a flower bed that gets alot of sun?
Sunflowers,marigolds,geraniums,snapdrago... hocks,cannas,all roses.Bee balm,cone flower,daisies,juat a few of my favorites,maybe you will like them too.good luck on your flower garden.
Reply:I'll ask the wife when she gets up...she's the flower person....I'm for peas and butter beans myself.
Reply:go to hgtv.com. They have all the gardening shows on there %26amp; can give you the best info on plants for your area.
Reply:Dont plant impatients, cant tolerate heat. plant petunias, marigolds, dusty miller, sun tolerant small perennial shrubs; begonias are best.

shoes stock

Any tips on starting a flower garden?

2011-11-19T02:33:00.004-08:00

I'm going to start the flowers inside and then repot them outside is Miracle grow the best soil to use?

Any tips on starting a flower garden?
Organic substitute for Cornell Mix

½ cu. yd. sphagnum peat

½ cu. yd. vermiculite

10 lbs. bonemeal

5 lbs. ground limestone

5 lbs. bloodmeal

The following four recipes were found in the March-April 1989 issue of the Ozark Organic Growers Association Newsletter. The formulas are credited to the Farm and Garden Project at the University of California—Santa Cruz.

Seedling mix for styrofoam seedling flats

2 parts compost

2 parts peat moss

1 part vermiculite, pre-wet

Sowing mix

5 parts compost

4 parts soil

1–2 parts sand

1–2 parts leaf mold, if available

1 part peat moss, pre-wet and sifted

Note: All ingredients are sifted through a 1/4-inch screen. For every shovelful of peat, add two tablespoons of lime to offset the acidity.

A Sunny Spot is Best

For your first beginning flower garden, pick a spot that is in full sun. It should be sunny at least half the day including noontime. Shady gardens can be terrific, but for a first garden with lots of flowers, a sunnier spot is better.

Flat Ground is Easy to Garden

For a beginning gardener, flat ground is best because it is the easiest to work on. A slight slope will do fine, too, although the steeper it is the more difficult it is to garden on. A steep hillside is challenging.

Remove Grass, Sod or Weeds First

First, remove any existing grass or weeds including the roots. The more thoroughly you do this chore now, the better your results will be later. Smother it with cardboard or newspaper topped with mulch over several months' time if possible. If time is short smother first then cut holes in with a shovel to plant flowers. Remember any weed seed exposed to light germinates so check in a week for weed sprouts beside any freshly turned earth.

Amend Soil: Add Organic Matter

Organic matter is a catchall term for decomposed materials such as compost, old rotten leaves, well aged stable manure/bedding, spent mushroom soil, or whatever materials you have available locally at reasonable cost. It is most beneficial in the top eight inches but does not need to be worked in unless the soil is nearly all sand or, worse, all clay.

Watering

It is possible to calculate specific water needs for xeric (low water) conditions but to begin assume 1 inch per week. Put out a rain gauge or a can and measure how much water your sprinkler has put in the can after 15 minutes.

What Size Flower Bed is Best?

Size does matter, and bigger is not always better. For a first flower garden I suggest starting on the small side. This way you are less likely to become overwhelmed by the preparation phase and won't be swamped by the maintenance as the season progresses. You can always build on your success and expand it later! Remember you don't want to walk on it so weeding must be done from a path or stepping stone. So limit the beds width to what you can reach or include stepping stones within the bed design. To design lay out a garden house to outline the proposed site. Then step back and check at several times during the day to see if you still like it.

Flower Garden Style

Meanwhile, think about how you want your flower garden to look. Do you like a formal or informal style? What color(s) do you like? What mood? What color of backdrop will it have? Will you want a trellis on the wall for a rose or clematis to entwine?

Selecting Flowers to Grow

You'll have the best chance for success if you start by understanding the concept of Right Plant, Right Place and select plants accordingly. Remember annuals are great for masses of bloom over a long season but they don't come back. While perennials might return they often have shorter bloom periods so you may need to tuck in annuals as the season progresses to cover gaps in blooming.

Reality Check

Equally important, how much time do you have weekly to spend on maintaining your flowers? (Even low maintenance plantings require regular care.) Will you have help? What is your budget?
Reply:I've used the best and worst. As long as you use a good fertilizer and have the right lighting, you'll be good to go.
Reply:This would be more of an opinionated thing than anything else.

If you can afford the Miracle Grow, hey why not. But I personally have had just as good results using the cheap stuff. As for starting plants indoors, then transplanting. Go to yer local nursery, Home Depot, Lowes, etc... and pick up a big enough sack of potting mix/soil. While yer at it, pick up a box, or bag of organic fertilizer. Its in the same place you'll find the Miracle Gro spikes, fertilizer, etc... Just dont get the fish emulsion, as it is a bit stinky.

So anyways...

A couple things you can do. You can start them in a seed starter tray, it has indentations about 1" deep and wide, so you pack in the potting soil, and ad the seeds to each hole.

You can also start them in a pot, fill it up about half way with the potting soil, then add some fertilizer and fill up the rest of the way with the putting soil.

You have alot of options when it comes to yer potting soil, but yer best bet, is to just get the cheap stuff, save some $, and ammend it with some fertilizer. Trust me on this. I've been doing this for YEARS.
Reply:Basically, plant need minimum 6 hours sun-light for flowering. There are some species to grow inside. i.e. rex begonia, Balsam, Anthurium, Spathipylum. Very limited species. U could not grow flower plants inside condition. About potting mixture 50% red soil, 25% Vermicompost, 25% good leaf mold. Add 50 gm. Neem cake. Make mixture, fill the pot for 15 days, %26amp; then plant into the pot. Water it. You will get the best result. ok.
Reply:Dig in a truckload of horse manure. Is the best thing you can ever do for your new garden or flower bed.
Reply:talk to them everyday , theyll listen and grow stronger

What should I plant in a well established flower garden that already has a lot of Irises and Daylilies?

2011-11-19T02:33:00.003-08:00

The foliage for the irises and the daylilies is too similar and they are quite dense together. I'd like something with different foliage that will not be overwhelmed by the other flowers foliage. The bed is partial sun/shade.

What should I plant in a well established flower garden that already has a lot of Irises and Daylilies?
the iris will bloom in mid to late Spring, and the daylilies will carry on thru the Summer. Therefore i would be looking at daffodills for early Spring color, asters and chrysanthemums for Fall, and peonies to fill the gap between the blooming time of the iris and daylilies.

One other group you might want to look at is sedums. There are both upright and creeping varities, and both have a place in the garden.

they bloom mostly in the Fall, but have archetectural interest thru Spring and Summer as well.

the upright sedums have rounded leaves and stiff branches topped by rounded flower heads which can be dried. the plant can be light green, dark purple, or picotee green with white edges.

the creeping sedums are great for groundcovers and come in gold, deep red, or green. They keep their color well throughout the growing season.

.
Reply:you need some shubs behind for height, they will also give you different leaf textures. It never looks as good if every plant in a bed is upright (grass shaped).

Depending on the height you require, you could grow euonymus, berberis, buxus, spirea, indian hawthorn. Look up BBC Gardening or Better Homes or Gardens sites, they have plant finders. Just put in the height, zone, light, soil etc even flower colour and they will give you a suitable list. If your climate makes the iris and daylillies die down for winter, consider puting in an evergreen shrub so you have something to look at in winter.

Remember to use ground covers such as Lambs ear (stachys), ajuga (if shadey enough), violets etc to give you a layer in the front of iris and lillies. Wormwood (Artemisia or Senecio is good if you want a touch of grey in a cottage look (usually 18" to 3ft tall). You can pick from many plants with a half sun position.
Reply:Try putting in lavender, and also clear a spot in the middle of it for a rose to grow. Prune the rose so that it becomes a tree rose. Or, take some time to give room for the Irises and Daylilies to breathe, and put in some short plants that will put back nitrogen into the soil, such as forgetmenots. Lupine will create a nice addition.
Reply:Something light and airy like "Moonbeam" Coreopsis or Cosmos would break up the heavy foilage and ad some variety.

When is the best time to start a flower garden in california?

2011-11-19T02:33:00.002-08:00

Are there any tips on gardening for first timers, because I am a first timer, I am 12 (but my mom is going to help me), and the soil in my backyard is very dry. Any tips? Please help! Thanks!

When is the best time to start a flower garden in california?
It would really depend on the specific plants you would like in your garden. I would recommend asking a Master Gardener. These are very knowledgeable people. California has a Master Gardeners program, with a website at: http://www.mastergardeners.org/scc.html

Another option would be to call your county extension office, which can be found in your phone book. Good luck!

How do I start my own flower garden and what flowers are perfect for all year round??

2011-11-19T02:33:00.001-08:00

should I go with already grown plants or plant seeds??

How do I start my own flower garden and what flowers are perfect for all year round??
"All year round flowers" are perennials. I'd suggest you start by checking out www.burpee.com and www.parkseed.com or google "perennial plants" and you will get a plethora of catalogs to look through. Bear in mind your zone, soil type, and sun hours for the location you are considering.....
Reply:Depends on where you live and what zone you are in? If I had that information I could help you better.

Fillings

I want to start a flower garden & an vegatable garden this year. When do I start planting?

2011-11-19T02:33:00.000-08:00

Also, any suggestions on what to plant? I live in Long Island. We have some daffodils coming up at the moment from the previous owner.

I want to start a flower garden %26amp; an vegatable garden this year. When do I start planting?
You can start planting vegetable seedlings otudoors after the last frost. You would be safe if you waited untill the third week in may. If you wanted to start plants from seeds you could plant indoors now and plant outdoors in May.

Bulbs and perenials you could plant now, or in the fall. You won't get much of a show from Perenials this year so you should also plant some annuals, pansies and other hardy annuals could go out now as well.
Reply:i always heard februaury..just don'r over miracle-gro like i did and kill everything...
Reply:You need to start preparing the soil now. Do not plant until the last frost date has passed.

The link below has some ideas for fragrant flowers/herbs that do well in your zone.
Reply:Depends on what you want to plant. Vegetables sould be planted once your ground is thawed %26amp; workable.

Go to a local nursery %26amp; get an idea of what you like, color-wise. Find what grows in your climate.
Reply:Since your daffodils are coming up now, You would be safe to plant your gardens anytime after May 10th , providing the earth is warm and workable.
Reply:http://www.gardenguides.com/

http://www.gardenweb.com/

http://www.columbian.com/lifeHome/lifeHo...
Reply:Around between the season of Spring and Summer
Reply:late aprim early may for flowers june for vegtables and fruits i would say would be ebst

My grandmother has a flower garden that's being overrun by grasshoppers, what can she do to get rid of them ?

2011-11-19T02:32:00.012-08:00

The grasshoppers are small, possably babies and they're light green in color. They're eating all her flowers and it seems that's all they appear to be eating.

My grandmother has a flower garden that's being overrun by grasshoppers, what can she do to get rid of them ?
sevin dust works great!
Reply:not much, even the best insecticides do not work very well in controlling a hopper hatch off!

Can someone help me plant a flower garden?

2011-11-19T02:32:00.011-08:00

I live in Northern NJ and I am trying to plant some flowers. I don't even know where to start or when to plant certain flowers. I am looking for deer resistant plants, since there are a real pest here. I was thinking about doing daffodils, Irises, pansies (from seed), geraniums, and I had success with ageratums. Any suggestions on other flowers, and when and how would I plant the above listed flowers.

Can someone help me plant a flower garden?
They wont touch daffodils but you can't plant those until the fall so they come up next spring. I had pansies in my garden but the deer ate those. They tend to avoid Purple coneflowers and Black Eyed susans, foxglove, yarrow and so many more.

Do a google search on deer resistant plants to get many more ideas. Local nurseries have most perennials for sale now for planting now.
Reply:http://www.jacksonandperkins.com

Great place to start, they even have some pre-arranged gardens based on size, zone and if you put "deer resistant" in the search it will give you a good list to choose from.
Reply:Whya are you asking this online. Ask an actual person.....Jees

Perennials flower garden, how many inches topsoil is needed?

2011-11-19T02:32:00.010-08:00

I found the dirt for my flower bed is full of rocks and was thinking of digging it out then having good topsoil delivered and filled in.

I have a bunch of different perennial seedlings almost ready to transplant. Any advice on how deep would be helpful, the flowers range from 1 ft to 4 ft tall.

Thank you in advance for your answers

Perennials flower garden, how many inches topsoil is needed?
why do the whole area?? dig out the spots you want to plant in and make a good deep hole of fairly good size and put your plants in that/gives you time to do the rest of the area and has a lot less expense; start your own compost bin and work from that for the rest of the bed. I have several flower beds that are soil that falls iunto the oh crap area but grow beautfor plants as where the plants meet the soil it is good compost.

apply for a loan

How can I keep bunnies from chewing up my flower garden?

2011-11-19T02:32:00.009-08:00

Just a small flower bed but it makes me mad.

How can I keep bunnies from chewing up my flower garden?
Check out this link

http://www.ghorganics.com/page6.html#Rab...

I've used cayenne pepper before that seemed to work pretty well. Put it around the plants, and the bunnies will stay away because they're always sniffing, and they'll snort it up their noses (won't hurt them, but they won't like it either)
Reply:Install an electric fence if you are really serious.

I'd try mothballs or something that smells bad, or spray something around the edges like perfume. Maybe ask at the pet store, they sell stuff to keep dogs and cats away, ask about rabbits. Good Luck!

Also, they sell predator-like things such as phony owls in garden supply places to scare away birds, I'd ask around and see if something like that wouldn't scare off bunnies, too.
Reply:I'm not sure where you live, but most stores around here sell wolf urine mixed with other components to keep the rabbits out. If they sense they are in wolf territory, they will probablly leave your garden right away. Depending on the size of your yard, you could also have another small garden with more appealing plants for the rabbits or set up a small feed station.

How do I get rid of Chiggers in my flower garden?

2011-11-19T02:32:00.008-08:00

The ower of the house before me put red lava rock down right before I moved in. I was planting in the flower bed and noticed the Chiggers. I want to get rid of them without killing my plants, does anyone know what is best to use? I also have pets and children, so I would prefer something that isn't quite so toxic, if possible.

Thanks ahead of time!!

How do I get rid of Chiggers in my flower garden?
I would use seven spray. As soon as it drys you can enter the area. Not very toxic to people and it does a good job on a lot of insects. Don't mix it to strong or it can burn the plants in the sun. Follow the label.
Reply:Blend 40 fresh chilli peppers in 1 pound of water. Add 5 g of Ivory soap flakes to the blended chilli mixture. Apply as required undiluted wearing eye protection.
Reply:There are insecticides for lawns and flowers to git rid of insects. Check with your garden center.
Reply:sevin dust

What flowers would plant a (very) small flower garden on a balcony in toronto?

2011-11-19T02:32:00.007-08:00

I live in a highrise in downtown toronto with a small Julliette balcony on the 31st floor. It is enclosed and gets lots of sun...(and wind). I am facing west and love bright colours. I have never really had a garden, can anyone help me??

What flowers would plant a (very) small flower garden on a balcony in toronto?
It sounds like you need information on container and/or patio gardening. Here is a link to a good website that covers the information you need:

http://www.greenpatio.com/

One of the biggest concerns with the plants you choose will be the effect the wind has on them at that elevation. Keep in mind that they will dry out quicker than at ground level and will need more frequent watering. You can pick and choose species based on these environmental facrtors.

Good luck with your urban highrise gardening endeavors.
Reply:I would go with petunia's (wave petunia's will hang down--would your windy area tug and break them off?). Together with petunia's I would go with geranium, marigold and the deep burgundy sweet potato vines. A little miracle grow fertilizer in your watering can will keep them thriving in patio planters.

Deadhead the flowers (pick the dead heads off) to keep them blooming throughout summer.
Reply:I live in an area with a similar climate and Ive done small containers before.. I did a really small bowl or basket with a dracena spike in the back, a geranium for color in the middle and an ivy draping over the front. Throw in some dusty miller for texture and foliage. It's a very hardy and long lived mix.
Reply:purple waves

Do pine needles really work to kill weeds and grass in a flower garden and will it kill the flower in it?

2011-11-19T02:32:00.006-08:00

I have a rose garden and I was told by a friend that if I put down pine needles instead of mulch it will kill the weeds and grass but not my rose bushes. I also have a few different types of bulbs, will they work with that as well?

Do pine needles really work to kill weeds and grass in a flower garden and will it kill the flower in it?
Pine needles are acidic so if you add them to your soil you will need to add more lime. Unless you are growing a plant that likes acid like an azalea.
Reply:Pine straw is an effective weed block but not an actual weed killer.
Reply:Exactly what pondlady said. My whole backyard is covered in pine needles (we call it pinestraw here) but I spend time dealing with weeds all season. I don't have to pull them though, I can use herbicides without the unsightly mess of dead weeds. I live in Birmingham, AL.
Reply:Pine needles will not kill weeds or grass, but they are a great mulch that helps keep the weeds down. I usually put down up to 4" of it so it does a great job. It decomposes and adds a bit of needed acid to your soil.

safety boots

Can grey water be used from (a) a dishwasher (b) a washing machine- on to veggie/flower garden.Is it safe?

2011-11-19T02:32:00.005-08:00

I have 2 seperate pipes so I can re direct to diff parts of the garden-

Can grey water be used from (a) a dishwasher (b) a washing machine- on to veggie/flower garden.Is it safe?
Sheeze. I'm hesitating to answer this because you've already got answers all over the board. I spent 20 years in innovative on-site wastewater management design. Attended the American Society of Agricultural Engineers On-Site Wastewater Management Annual Conferences five of those years, and so on and so on and so on.

I'll waste the time typing this and tell you the water coming off the kitchen sink and dishwasher are nearer blackwater in their biological loading, than grey water. Put that into the sewer line or septic system.

The tub/shower and bathroom sink are legitimate grey water and worth using, though it's helpful to float off the soap in a grease trap before allowing it to run out wherever you plan to use it.
Reply:it is perfectly safe - I've done it before - the neat thing is any soap you use (which should be biodegradable) wards off pests...and the proteins from disjes and laundry help feed the soil. I would be careful to not launder any clothling soiled with oils or paints.
Reply:The detergents in the water will harm your plants. Set up a rain barrel for extra water for your gardens.
Reply:It is not recommended. Here's why; soap can raise the pH of the soil and increase salts, regardless of the type of soap. Vegetables to not do well in high salt soils or high pH soils, if at all, same with some flowers and trees.

In some states and or counties it is illegal to use your grey water. Do check with your city/county health department to find out if you can even use grey water first.
Reply:It seems safe enough, have a read through this though:

http://www.awa.asn.au/Content/Navigation...
Reply:For the most part, yes, provided you are not using chlorine bleach or a non-environmentally friendly soap. I use my gray washer water, and I use Oxy instead of bleach (much better for whitening, removing stains, and the environment) and enzyme cleaning tablets (no soap whatsoever). And, of course, assuming you are not washing clothes that have toxins on them (like work clothes might). A little soap isn't going to hurt, but too much can add toxins, hurt natural bacteria action in the soil, deposit nasty stuff in the soil, or damage the roots' ability to absorb water and nutrients. I have yet to find an EF soap for the dishwasher that actually does a good job, but if you want to set up a filtering system of a few layers of fiberfill and charcoal fiber or charcoal granules (similar to what's in a fish tank filter) this will do wonders for "cleaning" your cleaning water.

One thing to bear in mind, for optimum health, growth, and nutrint absorption, your plant should be watered in the morning before 10 AM (plants absorb water and nutrients during the day, grow at night), so you might want to think about a filtered holding tank.

Check first with your local Dept. of Environmental Protection, or Town Hall...some places do not allow you to drain gray water above ground (I know a couple of folks in Australia who were fined for doing it), and folks in the watershed areas around here aren't allowed to do it.
Reply:It doesn't seem logical that the harsh chemicals used in detergents combined with food residue and bacteria are healthful to plants.

Maybe you could try it on one specific plant for a period of time and observe the long-term effects...

How am I supposed to prepare a garden bed for planting a small flower garden?

2011-11-19T02:32:00.004-08:00

I'm trying to rehabilitate a small strip of soil in front of our house that had been overgrown with weeds, and "decorated" with those little white decorative stones that haven't been popular since the 60s.

I've spent two days getting all the weeds out, digging down to the roots for the bigger ones. Now I just have some mounds of dirt peppered with those damn white stones.

What should I do from here? I was thinking to just cut my losses, and shovel the stones, dirt and all, into a bucket and buy new soil. (It's only about a 12 ft by 3 ft strip). If there's something else I should do, what is it?

Also, I just want it to be something very simple, just a few annuals with some mulch on top. Nothing high maintenance (lest it turn into a weed garden again! :)

Thanks!

How am I supposed to prepare a garden bed for planting a small flower garden?
if the stones are just an inch or two on the top, they shouldn't bother anything - just turn them in with the soil. After all weeds have been removed, dig down 8-12 inches at least, and break up all the soil. Add about 3-4 sacks of compost (better than topsoil, and usually cheaper) and mix in with the shovel. Level, add plants. If you want real low maintenance, i'd recommend some perennials like daisies and hostas - because they choke out everything else, and look good year after year. After planting, the most important thing is to water the bed regularly and deeply, especially until the plants are established (as evidenced by new growth). have fun. and remember to cheerfully greet the people walking by - comes with the territory.
Reply:the mulch will cover the stones. i would leave them, they 're good drainage.
Reply:are you gay dude?
Reply:when you have cleaned up the roots and all, and some sand and some bags of potting soil, mix well, let stand 1 week, add fertilizer mixture of 13-13-13(normal mix), and spray with "roundup or other weed killer (all plant killer) ground is full of seeds from other weeds, and will grow if not sprayed after germination. DO NOT spray after planting your plants or seeds.
Reply:Annuals do NOT come back every year--perennials do. If it's shady, plant Impatience there. If sunny, try some dwarf bushes. Put down lanscape fiber to keep weeds from growing.
Reply:If you cant seperate the dirt from the rock, which it sounds like you cant without a HUGE amount of work, then keep your eyes peeled for free clean fill dirt giveaway in your neighborhood. Check your local craigslist.com to see if someone has posted any dirt. While you are looking, try to find some manure too, for fertilizing the plot. otherwise, you may have to buckle under and buy some dirt. Go to a rock/dirt/shaving place tho and fill the back of a truck, it is MUCH cheaper.

And you are right, go with annuals. They will come back every year, and keep the maintainence on your garden to a minimum. Good Luck!
Reply:where you only have 36 sq.feet of space here i would recommend removing the stones and soil as it would only require 1.33 yards of soil to replace it at a full 12" deep ...and you can sometimes buy loam that is weed seed free if you have any dealers in your area, though its really not necessary....i would mix your soil with a little sand(if needed) for drainage and then add some bone meal or super phosphate 0-20-0 right into the mix at a rate of about 5 to 7lbs per 50 sq. feet which will help initiate root growth on whatever it is you decide to plant there...... if you plant perennials i would suggest using a lighter mulch like buckwheat hulls or cocoa mulch as its not as thick and heavy as bark would be--and what you do is plant your plants first then if your not needing to be totally organic put down a product named Preen which is a pre emergence that will prevent any new seed from germinating which means 98% of the weeds in your area would not come up---its a safe product but IS NOT organic...good luck and go see your local garden center for more ideas--you can do something pretty nice in even that small area---------------blanco

loops

When do I lay mulch in my flower garden?

2011-11-19T02:32:00.003-08:00

I just put in some plants and blubs yesterday in my garden. Almost all of them are still under the dirt. Do I still put the mulch down now or do I wait until they pop up above the dirt? If I can put it down now, will the plants come through the mulch?

When do I lay mulch in my flower garden?
Should have had the mulch on hand before you began. By plants I assume you mean seeds? If they were container plants it is different. By bulbs, do you mean Summer/Fall bulbs? Get back to gjgjobs@yahoo.com. The question needs more specifics as to what was planted and what type of mulch you plan to use. I know I can help you.
Reply:Wait until they come up, i think, because mulch is supposed to stop things from growing.
Reply:you can find garden furniture in this site

http://www.gadwood.com/index1.html

i hope they can help you
Reply:It depends on the mulch. You might want to wait until some of the plants are coming up. Or you can just put a light layer of mulch now and add more later.
Reply:I would put the mulch down now, they will pop up through it. The reason being you want to keep the weeds out, keep the soil cool. Save on water . Later it is harder to get in where you want it once the plants come up. Norma

When should a guy start thinking about mulch 4 the flower garden?

2011-11-19T02:32:00.002-08:00

Should the plants in the garden be already growing before throwing some mulch around?...Will the perenials still grow up threw the mulch if they get covered? Whens a good time to think mulch?

When should a guy start thinking about mulch 4 the flower garden?
I usually wait until I have all of my annuals planted~and by then~ the perinnials have popped up and you can tell where they are. (I can't ever remember everything I planted the year before..LOL) Most will come up thru it though, as long as it's not really thick/deep.

Good Luck!!
Reply:If your mulch is an organic mulch (some people 'mulch' with gravel , fancy rock or the black landscape fabric to keep moisture in longer) It will start to break down and nourish the soil which is fine anytime.But especially now that its warming up. Report It

Reply:Thanks pushin u... Thats good info. Report It

Reply:Now is great just don't cover any perennials that haven't emerged. They will still come thru but a bit delayed .
Reply:at about age 35

I am about to plant a flower garden?

2011-11-19T02:32:00.001-08:00

in the process of preparing the garden I found lots of ants and other insects, what should I do before planting.

I am about to plant a flower garden?
I wouldn't think you would need to do anything about it. You have disturbed their home and I am sure they high tailed it out of their. I haven't ever heard about ants destroying flowering plants before I could be wrong but they didn't mention them as pests in the Master Gardener classes I took. Enjoy your garden.
Reply:i would not be worried, the insects are part of the garden! happy plantings.
Reply:eat the eggs
Reply:Insects are important for pollination. Plant some peonies they use ants to open there blooms. but if the bugs bother you can find insecticides that will not harm your plants.\

When you plant your garden try using some liquid iron- it can be found at local lawn care stores it will help strengthen you new roots and produce great looking flowers.

good luck
Reply:Pesticide, not much Else you can do.
Reply:definitely poison for ants ,because they will kill your plants!use an all aroung poison so that you kill all of the insects for now!the good ones will come back later!also if you dont get rid of the ants ,youll be eatin up by them everytime you work in your garden!believe me,i am telling you from experience!

How do I prepare a flower garden for....?

2011-11-19T02:32:00.000-08:00

1. the fall %26amp; winter months and still make it healthy enough for spring next year

2. Is mulch or crushed stone better is the garden is butting the house

3. do I clean out all debri that has been building up over the years?

(We just moved into a new place and I dont have time to do the preperations necessary to plant things this year but looking forward to next)

Thanks for your help!!!

How do I prepare a flower garden for....?
1. To prepare your garden for the colder month you should cover it with leaves and mulch to insulate it.

2. Mulch isn't as heavy as crushed stone so it's better for the plants. It's easier for them to grow through it.

3. Absolutely take out any rubbish that maybe in the garden, but anything organic can stay as part of the isulation until next spring.

Good luck!
Reply:jennifer m is correct to my knowledge but dont forget to put in any bulbs this fall/winter like tulips, to enjoy the following spring.

Football Shoes

How do I keep the cats from digging, crushing and fertilizing my flower garden?

2011-11-19T02:31:00.002-08:00

I heard that moth balls work. I haven't tried it yet. I put some old red onions out in the garden to see if the smell keeps them away, but I haven't noticed a difference HELP!!

How do I keep the cats from digging, crushing and fertilizing my flower garden?
There is a plant called coleus canina that cats are supposed to hate the smell of and I've read that planting Rue. lavender or pennyroyal also works. If you want to lure the cat away then plant some catnip (nepeta) away from the area because they love the smell of this and will happily roll amongst it.

If you are in the uk there is or was a product called 'Cats Away'. Go to a local garden centre and see if they have that or anything similar.

Its right about moth balls, also cayenne pepper sprinked around might work.Oh and most cats dislike water so spray them with a hosepipe when you catch them on your flower bed. (unless its a cat like mine who loves water,she sits outside when its raining!)
Reply:Fence your garden. It worked fr me the deer didnt eat my corn!!
Reply:Sprinkle some Cayenne pepper around the flower beds. That has worked for me.
Reply:Cats like to dig before they potty, right? Make it harder for them to dig. Put down a gravel mulch around your plants. Alternatively, you could find an old length of chain link fence, cut it to size to match your flower patch, and then apply a layer of any kind of mulch to cover it. They won't dig through THAT!

If you put a "wanted" ad in your local classifieds, you might even get a piece of chain link fence for free. If you do get it, you can put it down anytime before your plants sprout... they'll grow right up through it! And kitty will look for better digging!

Hope this helps!
Reply:Granny,

You have received so many advices that one more from me(even supposing I have one)would not make any difference. In any case I have no cat and also no flower garden.Sorry.
Reply:Sprinkle cayenne pepper around on the dirt. They hate it.
Reply:There are some new plants out for that now. Check with your local greenhouse or nursery. I used them last summer and they worked well, I just cannot remember the name of the plants.
Reply:All I have ever heard of is mothballs.
Reply:Try a plastic bottle half full of water and lay it on the garden lots of people do this it seems to work if it don't go to your local zoo and get some Lion dung it does work
Reply:you can lay chicken wire down just below the soil surface to reduce digging. It will annoy them enough that they may stop bothering your flower bed all together
Reply:Cayenne pepper really works for me! Just sprinkle it around where the cats go. One sniff of that %26amp; they won't be back. Doesn't hurt them, either. Good for squirrels, too.
Reply:Hi Granny,

Dress the neighbors dog up like a scarecrow and put him out in the middle of your flower bed believe me that will take care of your problem..

A Friend,

poppy1
Reply:cats don't like oranges,maybe put peels in the gardens.Or you could get a sprinkler that has a motion detector,it comes for few seconds.I'm going to get one to keep animals out of my strawberry bed.
Reply:Hi Granny !

Maybe garlic ?? I don't think kitty's like garlic.

Garlic %26amp; onions. yuk !
Reply:Moth balls, cayenne pepper and keep a spray bottle of water handy. Maybe two different bottles of spray, one containing water and one containing a water and vinegar mix or a water and cayenne mix. Just spray them whenever you catch them in the garden. They will get the idea that the garden is off-limits real soon. Since they always sniff the ground before digging it up to poop, sprinkling cayenne works really well and it is still a good mulch for the plants too.
Reply:Cats are naturally repelled by the scent of citrus.Maybe lemon or orange peels or some kind of citrus spray may work.
Reply:One solution that worked great for me was to take the flats (the really open ones with thin struts so light/air gets thru not the ones with the mostly solid bottoms I hope you know what I mean) and place them upside down in my garden so only the outside rims touch the ground. The cats won't step on them yet light/air gets thru. I can cut them to shape (mostly) and if need be I use sticks or metal tent holders to keep them in place.

The second is to get a motion activated water sprinkler. You can imagine how well this one works.
Reply:leave your cats inside! people with outdoor cats are so stupid! i hope they get run over or get pregnant or come back all scratched up

How do you get frogs out of flower garden without killing them?

2011-11-19T02:31:00.001-08:00

Just moved and children afraid to go out at night because of frogs in garden by the door.

How do you get frogs out of flower garden without killing them?
kiss them for a garden full of princes!
Reply:Are they frogs or toads? Frogs usually don't go for gardens unless there is a fountain or other water feature. Toads, on the other hand like moist areas - like your garden, and places where insects are plentiful. Remove or limit one of the 2 and the toads will find another place to live. Try watering your garden early in the morning, so it's dry by evening. Check for ants, aphids, mealy bugs or sow bugs in the garden. Spray appropriately to eliminate them. Soapy water is a good start without using chemicals. Malathion is a mild chemical pesticide and available at the garden center. Also linterplant calendulas, geraniums or mums amoung your plants to help convince bugs to move along. Getting the bugs down and a dryer environment will disuade the toads.
Reply:Salt?
Reply:Bring in snakes. They will eat the frogs for you and very likely stay out of sight. Ribbon snakes (a relative of the Garter snake)are pretty good frog eating snakes and are utterly harmless to humans.
Reply:Get the kids on the net to find out about frogs, we are affraid of what we do not understand. Show them that the frogs eat the bugs that distroy the garden, they eat the miscquitos that bite the kids. They will love all the color pictures on yahoo images. Frogs are good!

Itsy
Reply:Convince your neighbor that they need ladybugs to eat the aphids, and tiny predator bugs. One big box of ladybugs released NEXT door will drive all of your frogs/toads over to the neighbors!!! (wicked, eh?!)
Reply:Toads eat tons of bugs. They're great to have in a garden. Read "Frog and Toad are Friends" to your kids. Help them learn that toads are a good thing. A word of warning: when you pick them up, they pee on you, so be prepared for that. Use two fingers and hold them up under their front legs, and they'll miss you.
Reply:My two kids will race right over-LOL

They are fun to play with. my two kids boy and girl 12 and 14 go up by fresno evry year to grampas back yard to play with the things. No-never got a wart from them. The only harm from a frog that can be done is from a dog, they foam at the mouth from a frogs skin after biting then so I found out. Dog now leaves alone
Reply:I would think the frogs would be good for your garden being that they eat bugs. But, I would suggest you trap the critters by leaving a light close to the area at night. This will attract the night bugs and the froggies will be hanging out nearby for supper. ORRRRR....let the Cat out at night!
Reply:frogs are awsome!
Reply:catch them or tel them to go or call the police

How to revive an old flower garden (when you have a black thumb)?

2011-11-19T02:31:00.000-08:00

We moved into an older home last summer that was owned by an elderly lady who passed away. She had a beautiful garden on the side of the house with all kinds of perenials--daylilies, irises, daffodils, tulips, daisies, etc. We were too busy with the house to do anything with it then, but now things are coming up, and we'd like to bring it back to it's former glory. Trouble is, it's overrun with weeds, and we can't tell what's coming up at this point. How do we clean this garden up if we can't tell what's weeds and what's good stuff? Any advice would be really appreciated, thanks!

How to revive an old flower garden (when you have a black thumb)?
most of the time weeds are smaller than the flowers that are coming up. perenials are easier to spot because they are much thicker. Weeds are thin, atleast most. I think I would just watch every few days and pay attention to the new growth coming up. weeding is not fun, but the beauty of the flowers is amazing. Sorry not alot of help I know...=)

Has anyone ever used those plastic white garden/flower bed boarders,as decoration or boarder around a room ?

2010-05-22T02:51:00.002-07:00

Yeah, but we use the different designs ones. Looked pretty good for an inside landscape

Has anyone ever used those plastic white garden/flower bed boarders,as decoration or boarder around a room ?
no
Reply:No, but I did put a white picket fence on the outside wall of my apartment. it was funny.

I have grown rocket in my garden and the plant has started to flower-?

2010-05-22T02:51:00.001-07:00

Are the flowers edible? and also how is the best way to prune to get another yield?

I have just taken the fattest leaves so far--should I just cut the tops off as well?

Thank you for your time

I have grown rocket in my garden and the plant has started to flower-?
The flowers will be edible.

You can try to stop the plant from going to seed by cutting the flowers off.

If the plant flowers it will eventually go to seed if left.

Rocket needs successive sowing throughout summer if you want to keep eating it.

It is not a perenniel plant and therefore will not come again next year - however if it has seeded itself it might come back next year but it will be a brand new plant.
Reply:should not have let it flower, you should pinch the buds out before they flower

Fillings

Instant Flower Garden 20' Take Home Turf Roll w/NutraGro . . . has anyone used this product?

2010-05-22T02:51:00.000-07:00

I saw this on QVC and would like to know if it works. It appears successful, but almost too good to be true.

http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/app.d...

Instant Flower Garden 20' Take Home Turf Roll w/NutraGro . . . has anyone used this product?
I have been eyeing this too, but I read some reviews of it (or a similar flower mat product) in the garden forum and most were negative. It is not very expensive though so it could be worth it to check it out.

What are some good beginner garden flowers and plants???

2010-05-22T02:50:00.003-07:00

I am planning on starting a 4 foot by 4 foot garden. i would like some pretty flowers and plants but don't know where to start. What are some easy plants and flowers to grow?

What are some good beginner garden flowers and plants???
hint easier to manage a few plants than tiring to drown that 4x4 foot plot.dig-n-turn the ground deep several times work a lot of fibrous matter in with a drink. before any planting, if that was to much work then any size garden will drown your ambition. menu 1st and 2nd year start with an annual array.

bachelor buttons zinnias easy and mid height very colorful fore o'clock a bit sprawling be nice on the out side and several asters to keep the bloomers to fall i like to lace a moss rose in on the edge . but remember you can thin and fill a lot. and you need a step in to keep weeds out.god bless
Reply:As far as vegetables, you could put a few Cherry Tomatoe plants near the center, and a cucumber hill on one of each of the four corners, and let them vine outwards.

Both plants are incredibly simple to care for.

Good Luck.
Reply:yOU NEED TO KNOW THINGS LIKE IS THE AREA IN THE SUN OR SHADE,THEN GET THE PROPPER PLANTS IN THE COLORS YOU LIKE.DONT PLANT THINGS TO CLOSE THEY WILL GET BIG AND FILL IN QUICK
Reply:Zinnias, merigolds, and sunflowers are foolproof and will give you lots of bloom all summer long. I suggest that you shop around for your zinnias and sunflowers because there are many varieties to choose from. Get your Merigolds from a nursery. I also suggest that you get a copule of started vegetables at your nursery--2 tomatoes, 4 peppers, 4 eggplants, and 2 squash plants will give you lots to eat this summer and the merigolds will keep the bugs away. Best of luck. Have fun!
Reply:In a garden that small i would plant some wild flowers. You can buy these in rolls ready to plant. They are easy and very pretty!!!If you want you can grow flowers in half the garden and vegetables in the other half.
Reply:get bugonias(if im spelling them right) they are so nice when they get to maturity. and they are tolerant too to sun and watering. but do water. they are great in pots and also lining driveways or whatevr. they get full and thick. awsome! but get them when little cause if you get them to late like at homedepot, and out grown their pots, they get lanky. so get them when they are small and theyll get nice and bushy.
Reply:vinca, verbena, zinnia for a sunny spot.
Reply:I love Geraniums, very easy and you can even bring them in in winter and have as house plants, and you can take stems and root them.

I bought from this company and received them in two days and was very pleased, came by UPS in 2 1/2 in pots very healthy too

http://www.killdeerfarms.com/

Hi, do you guys have any flower/plant suggestions for a spring garden?

2010-05-22T02:50:00.002-07:00

i was going to go with coleus, but i am not sure where i can buy them.

Hi, do you guys have any flower/plant suggestions for a spring garden?
Coleus is for summer garden, so you need to wait for few more weeks and the local nursery will have them.

For Spring garden I like giant pansies because they look like smiley face and always make me happy and enjoy the spring time.

Azalea is also good choice cause they will bloom like crazy in spring. Try to buy the Encore series cause they can bloom in spring and fall but only for zone 7-10, so if you're in those zone you're lucky. Azalea is perennial so will get bigger and give more blooms each year.

Peony is carefree and has fragrant big flowers in late spring. The longest lived perennial.
Reply:Coleus is a warm weather plant. A favorite for spring gardens are pansies and violas, they don't mind the cooler nights. As long as you don't get a really hard frost, they will bloom to well into late June. They drag along for the hottest parts of the summer, but come back for a second show in fall when it gets cooler.

You didn't say anything about perennials, but there are lots of things that bloom early in spring, unfortunately they must be planted in the fall.
Reply:Coleus can be found at any walmart, lowes, HD, %26amp; grocery stores. You can also find a lg. variety there that will work in your area. Just find what you like %26amp; go for it.
Reply:Coleus is easy to find, but if you want different types of plants try daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, calla lilies, wildflowers.

Attention gardeners: What flowers to plant in a 25 x 40 flower garden?

2010-05-22T02:50:00.001-07:00

My husband's father is very sick so he is off to see him every weekend leaving the garden planting to me this year (a first). I want it to be fantastic! We live in Nebraska to help with zones. I love petunias, and am looking for another flower or two to go with them. I really like the "row" look of a bed, not a jungle of flowers. Would appreciate your info as well as sites with pictures! Thanks!

Attention gardeners: What flowers to plant in a 25 x 40 flower garden?
Start a compost pile! Add it each year.

Never let new plants dry out, let them get established before you neglect them! :)

Learn your climate- what zone you're in.

color combination depends on what look and feel you want to create- if it is a front bed and close to the street, plant softer colors as bright colors make a bed stand out more and make it seem closer. i personally like to combine orange and purple, yellow and blue. if you don't want a big mix of colors, make sure your not purchasing a 'mix', get flowers of one color and group them. if you like a row type look make sure you plant the taller flowers toward the back- if it is an island type bed (no wall behind it) plant the tallest in the center.

I personally would start with perennials that are easy care. go to a nursery to get advice on easy care plants. with perennials you get more bang for the buck because they come back every year :) make sure you put the right plant in the right place, i.e full sun, shade, etc. also get plants that have the same needs and group the same plant together in clumps of 3's or 5's. towards the edges I'd put some annuals (one season plant) that way you can put something different in every year for variety, and during the colder part of the year you'd have some color if you use annuals that like cooler weather such as pansies.

whatever you do, start small. start in one corner of the bed add some perennials at proper spacing for when they are mature- and build it every year. pick some perennials that blooms in spring (say columbine) and some that bloom in the other seasons for color throughout the year. don't be afraid to mix it up! put in a small shrub if the bed is big enough.

if it is a new bed- don't dig down, go up! check out a book called Lasagna Gardening.- if you decide to dig down, get some heat wraps for your back :)...before you start!

Go get some books at your library to find what flowers you like and remember a garden is one thing that if you don't like what you've done- start over or redo it! Not too many things in life you can say that about! Good luck and good gardening!

Hope this helps-Have fun!
Reply:A lot of what you plant depends on if your garden is in full sun, partial sun, or full sun. Is the bed out in the open or is one edge of it against the house? If so, you want to plant taller flowers in the back and lower ones in the front. Petunias make a great border flower. Behind that you could add some begonias which are also hardy flowers, but a bit taller and then perhaps some zenias with tall cosmos in the back or sunflowers. If your garden is out in the open with all four sides exposed, you might wish to put the tallest flowers in the center then graduate down in size on the four sides. Whatever you choose to plant, dig a hole, pray and hope mother nature is cooperative and I'm sure you'll have a garden that is absolutely beautiful.
Reply:Petunias are nice, but they are low-growing You will also want other things around them unless you want a low growing garden in total. How about some wildflowers for your area? Rudbeckia, cornflowers, poppies. Easy to grow and also lovely.
Reply:You can mix any number of annuals and perennials as well as bulbs. Right now is the time to plant lily bulbs. These guys will bloom for two weeks in late June -early July. Plant "Stargazer", The cent from these lilies will perfume a room and sweeten up the garden air to knock your sock off. Now is a great time to plant dahlias. They come in mind boggling sizes, styles and colors. Alistromeria's is also called Peruvian Lily and bloom late may - June. I just love zinnias for summer blooms thru the whole summer. The best of all annuals. Get the "Cut and Come", zinnias they will bush out to 2x3 feet by end of summer and bloom till the first frost as will marigolds. Then of course you could go with some huge wispy stripped grasses like zebra stripe and porcupine. Pennistimon for height to give the eye a rest from the long single type rows this red grass would be a nice punctuation rest stop for the eye. Also mixing in viburnums and petunias for ground covers, will look like a river of flowers by summers end, blocking out weeds. Add a few globe artichoke plants for their gray green frilly leaf color, height and vase shape. You'll be glad you did and you can eat them by August.

Also check with your local nursery to see what other plants and colors appeal to your fancy. Visit some of your local public gardens for visualization of rows planted in the style you like. Or try something new and be creative. Remember there is no right or wrong. It's your garden and your the only one you have to impress.Good Luck.
Reply:Hi:

There are many types of flowers that you could put in rows in a garden. Petunias are annuals and will die out after the growing season. Decide if you want a mixture of annuals and perennials or one or the other.

Preparing your soil is as important as planting the garden. I am a landscaper and designer and recommend to my clients the plan - prep and plant method. I will link you to this page of my website. It is an easy method to use for any style garden.

I will link you to the gallery of plants section also. This section has a page on annual flowers and a page on perennial flowers. There are also different plants you could use, including herbs in your garden. Many herbs have wonderful flowers throughout the year. I will link you to the spices and herb section and you can see some varieties that may work for you. I will also link you to the site map, as this page has everything that is on the website. Browse through and see if you can find any other information, tips or techniques that may help you with your first garden. If you need any further suggestions, please feel free to contact me. I am sorry to hear about your father-in-law. Have a great day!

Kimberly

http://www.landscape-solutions-for-you.c...

http://www.landscape-solutions-for-you.c...

http://www.landscape-solutions-for-you.c...

http://www.landscape-solutions-for-you.c...

apply for a loan

I found a orange lizard in my flower garden . It has black circles with orange centers. It is very bright.?

2010-05-22T02:50:00.000-07:00

I HAVE NEVER SEEN ONE LIKE THIS IN MY LIFE . I'M SCARED THAT IT MAY BE POISONESS. I LIKE LIZARDS BUT THIS ONE IT'S BEAUTIFULL BUT IT GIVES ME AN EARY FEELING. I CAN'T FIND ANYTHING ON THE NET. PLEASE HELP!

I found a orange lizard in my flower garden . It has black circles with orange centers. It is very bright.?
it is a red eft for sure 100% look it up
Reply:i lookd it up and it was cool Report It

Reply:Actually, more precisely it is a "Red Ef" newt. Very similar to a salamander, but usually smaller. They are 100% harmless and very helpful as they eat little bugs.
Reply:It may be a Gila Monster if you live in the Southwestern U.S. If so, they are highly poisonous and you should not handle it or try to make it your pet. If you do a google search I an sure you can find a picture of a Gila Monster that may allow you to be certain if this is what you saw. I hope this has been helpful! DW
Reply:thats a red-spotted newt... It's a really common slamader in the US. It excretes a poisonous substance if it's threatened... but it won't hurt you unless you lick it or something... even then it PROBABLY wouldn't kill you. just leave it alone and keep small children away from it.
Reply:I would not take any chances. If its whT I THINK IT IS its a lizard that has toxic skin so NO TOUCHY!!!. Or it could be the one that is only deadly if you eat it so NO PUTTING IN MOUTHY!!!. Either way catch it carefully and dont harm it. i bet its someones pet that escaped so be nice. Its probably scared
Reply:Honey, an "orange lizard", as you call it, is a salamander.
Reply:If you live in Arizona or New Mexico, it could be a gila monster. These have a poisonous bite but they're not aggressive.
Reply:Those kind are all over here where I live. They are beautiful aren't they. I don't know if they are poisonous or not though. You can check at the local D%26amp;R office. They should know.
Reply:that is so weird
Reply:well, bright color usually denotes toxicity...maybe not enough to harm a human, but enough to discourage its natural predators..try contacting the local zoo or major university and ask to speak to their reptile expert.
Reply:I think you should just leave it. If you're really curious, look it up in a Google search and see what you come up with. Good luck.
Reply:it is probably a salamander...just leave the poor creature alone..it is probably more terrified of you than you are of it
Reply:Check this website. Is this your lizard? If so, stay away from him.
Reply:If you live in the desert it could be a Gila Monster (scary sounding name for a timid critter, though poisonous, it is very shy). Could be a salamander or gecko, and will help your garden by eating the bugs that will eat your flowers! Leave it alone, it's more scared of you than you are of it!
Reply:thrs no poisonous animal in the world exept a gila monster.dont worry its probobly one! tell me if it is.. http://www.teridanielsbooks.com/States/r... if it is its poisonous let it go!kill it!

if its not check this http://www.pbase.com/jeffdinpa/image/462...
Reply:You should call your local pet shop for some advice. It sounds to me like you have in your lovely garden a 6 eyed, 4 toed, 3 tongue, black circled with orange centers lizard. Check it out
Reply:if u think its going to indanger u or ur family (if u have a family) call ur local animal care center or that place that u call if u c something strange with an animal (like a racoon in the middle of daylight in ur garbage cane)
Reply:Some sort of salamander, I guess. Where do you live?
Reply:I would say its a fire salamander, i dont recall them being poisonous though
Reply:please edit your post and tell us where u live?

Starting a new and first time flower garden, seeds vs. starter plants?

2010-05-22T02:49:00.002-07:00

Ok, so I want to start a flower garden this year. This is my first time.

What is the best way to do that.

Should I start with seeds and one of those starter kits and then once they've started to grow plant them.

Or, should I just buy the flowers and plants that have already been started and put them in the ground.

What's the best way for long lasting healthy flowers?

How will I know when to plant them in the ground with either way I go?

If I decide to go with seeds, when should I start buying and starting them?

Any other good tips and facts would be much appreciated also!!!

I'm very excited about doing this cuz it'll give me something to do with my time, i'm just not sure where to begin! lol

Thanks in advance!

Starting a new and first time flower garden, seeds vs. starter plants?
Some are easily started from seeds, such as zinnia.

Others like geranium take too long. Decide what you might like to grow, then decide how you want to start them.
Reply:Hey Lady,

Seeds are fun to watch germinate, but that is where it stops. They are a big mess and you don't get good results unless you are an experienced gardener (or very lucky). Starting with plants is the best for a beginner because you get results. If you have a good planting bed, good soil, quality plants to begin with, right sun conditions, follow watering instructions and fertilize lightly - you should have great results.

Try some seeds of easy plants if you have the sticktuitiveness. First time out, try something like marigolds - they are easy. And, you will see how the flower becomes the seeds for next year.
Reply:Actually the choice of seeds or plants is determined by what flowers you want to plant. Some flowers are best grown from the plants and others are just as good grown form seeds. I'm not sure what flowers you want to grow, so maybe that will help. For long lasting healthy flowers you want to prepare the ground by loosening the soil. Using a shovel turn the soil, chop it up and remove any weeds, trees, roots and or grasses. Its a good idea to add manure and some garden soil, mix them together really well, this will keep the soil from packing back down and becoming hard. Your flowers want the soil to be soft. I'm in the south east of the US, so now is the time for me to buy seeds and get them started, I'm not sure where you are. DON'T put either in the ground until the threat of freeze or frost is past. For lots of blooms, get some egg shells, wash them out, crush them up finely but not to a powder. Place them on a baking sheet, and bake them until they are a light brown and sprinkle them under you flowers. This is a good source of calcium which the plants use for flowering. Remember to feed them and keep them watered. I hope this will help you.
Reply:You could try both. I think you'll get more satisfaction if you buy plants already started since the seeds take quite a while to grow and some plants should have already been started. If you buy plants you'll see the results instantly! So, I'd say buy most of your plants now and maybe start just a few late blooming seeds. Look at the package directions and it will tell you when and how to plant them. And make sure you buy perinneals if you want them to come up next year. Annuals are only for one year. They make good fillers though for your perinneals until they fill in.

A field, the poor mans flower garden. Is this not so?

2010-05-22T02:49:00.001-07:00

The field, a poor mans flower garden when in

the month of July. Without having to cast any

seed, I can enjoy the blossom of God’s gift to

this unassuming yet grateful Adam. I may walk

that which is free for me to do so. To skim with

the palms of my hands the tall grasses, uncut by

scythe for generations. My tread is as thistledown,

therefore leaving no scars to show where I have been.

My walk is predictable and my eyes most keen for

I know not what lies in secret places; though past

July’s have told me where I may happen upon a

patch of Lady’s Fingers and Thumbs, or Purple Tufted

Vetch hidden deep between the Fine Bent, Couch,

Broom, Silky Bent and Quaking grasses.

A poor mans garden indeed though in my humble

view; I would say it is a wise mans garden, for there

is no preparation beforehand, the seasons are my tools.

The wind my seed caster, the rains my watering can

and the snows and frosts my spade. The sun in all of her

morning glory is my field’s alarm clock,

A field, the poor mans flower garden. Is this not so?
What a delight to walk with you through the poor man's garden. Your imagery is so emphatic, so beautifully drawn that I was profoundly moved. Here in California there are Lupine and Poppies and Wild Mustard adorning the hills, still intensely green from the rains. I truly cherish your writing. It is an inspiration. Thank you.
Reply:The Earth is our flower garden. Unfortunately, we are turning much of it into barren land. Your imagery, as usual, is intense and your ideas profound.
Reply:Sometimes I have that kind of garden where I live, Robert. When I drive by long fallow fields where the weeds have taken over some say the golden rod and Queen Anne's lace are weeds but I think they are pretty. There is a field that has been fallow for some fifty years or so near where I live and the wild flowers have taken over. Purple, white and blue dot it's skin in the summer time. It's really pretty.

What flower should i plant in my garden?

2010-05-22T02:49:00.000-07:00

because i got so many ideas but i wondor if theres anymore beautiful flowers out there =)

What flower should i plant in my garden?
Go to www.springhillnursery.com or http://brecks.com,or

http://gurneys.com. Very good flowers to add to a vegetable garden are zinnia's (some are tall some shorter) and marigolds(again some are short some are tall) I usually pick the dead heads on these %26amp; dry in a paper sack over the winter %26amp; replant the seeds directly in the soil in the spring.
Reply:Make sure its a Perennial and will come back each year. I have Peonies and Roses, and Tulips and Iris's. They all are all lovely and Hardy and return each year.
Reply:OK! Here's one for ya! This is something I tried a few years back with very surprising results. I had an odd-shaped area that I just couldn't decide what to do with. Then I hit on an idea while browsing around in my local walmart one day. I was passing through the garden section and happened upon some seed mixes that were on sale. Just for the heck of it I bought a box of wild prairie flower mix, took it home, sowed it in my odd-shaped area, and basically forgot about it, except for watering it once in a while. As the plants began to sprout I really wasn't sure what was weeds and what was supposed to be flowers. So I just let it all come in naturally. WOW!!! What a surprise!!! That summer and every summer since then has been one of the most beautiful garden areas in my yard. And the best part of it: Little or no maintenance!! It is all perrenials that come up on their own every year and all I have to do is give it a good drink every so often.
Reply:Hi, think about your zone and how hardy a plant you would like. Do you want annuals or perennials? If you have lots of space climbing roses or Clamatis are very beautiful. Cana Lilys are unique looking too! My Suggestions have been perennials. You may also want to check into the beautiful annuals. good luck!
Reply:are you kidding what kind of flower wouldnt you plant in your garden there are so many different choices but go with your ideas and always remember the ideas that really turn out I have a garden log because I always forget like if I have a tricky spot where nothning has grown and I try something and it just grows beautiful-I need to remember these things but good luck!
Reply:you should not have asked that one haa haa
Reply:Roses:) cuz there the prettiest flower%26lt;3

I just planted a red rose bush, come check out

my question, about gardens:)
Reply:i would plant lots of different colors of roses or tulips or maybe black-eyed susans or irises or some marigolds they are pretty. just plant to your heart's content
Reply:PLANT WHAT IS SUITABLE FOR THE LOCATION AND EXPOSURE. ALSO CONSIDER THE MAINTENANCE REQUIRED
Reply:why not just keep it simple - plant a variety and see what turns out to be your favorite in all that beauty

safety boots

Does muggy weather harm or hurt a garden be it flower or vegatable.?

2010-05-22T02:48:00.003-07:00

lack of rain this year seems to have held everthing back

Does muggy weather harm or hurt a garden be it flower or vegatable.?
Yes, it can. You will have insects in abundance-especially slugs. Also warm, muggy weather causes mold and other plant diseases.
Reply:Yes and No.

If you're not providing additional water, then yes, the lack of rain could be considered to be "harming" your garden.

Since you have a hose attached to a spigot that dispenses water, then no, the lack of rain could not be considered to be "harming" your garden.

If you are referring to the slowed evaporation of water on the plant due to high humidity, then yes, this can lead to various plant diseases.
Reply:Not directly, But fungi and other disease thrive in muggy humid weather. Lawns, if you think of them as gardens, are especially vulnerable. To help reduce the increased risk of fungus, mold and other disease problems in the yard and garden, it is best to water in the early morning. (Watering at night vastly increases the risk of disease to affect the garden).

I have a flower growing in my garden that I don't know the name for it. Any ideas where I can submit my query.

2010-05-22T02:48:00.002-07:00

Any ideas of where I can maybe send the pic of the flower to find out its name? I would appreciate any leads :)

I have a flower growing in my garden that I don't know the name for it. Any ideas where I can submit my query.
You can post a query regarding ur unidentified flower name by sending a pic of flower to following site:

http://www.flowersofindia.net/
Reply:A to Z click on name for photo

http://www.floralimages.co.uk/index2.htm
Reply:You could post it here. Some of us may be able to help you. Or, take a flower to the nearest nursery to you.
Reply:Do a search for garden centers or nurserys in your area. Hopefully they have an email address you can contact them through. You would need to send them a picture of the flower and the plant. You might also try to see if there is a horticultural program at a local college - that would be a good place too. Maybe there is a garden club in your area that could help too.
Reply:Hi, ABC Radio has a gardening program on if you contacted they might feature your Flower on their show. good luck Stardom bound. lol
Reply:TAKE IT TO ANY BIG NURSERY, THEY WILL BE GLAD TO HELP YOU

loops

Where can I get free flower seeds for my garden?

2010-05-22T02:48:00.001-07:00

Ask around and see if there is a garden club in your area. There are things like seed exchange clubs. If you can look through some gardening magazines, alot of times they have a section full of people that want to exchange seeds and/or send seed to anyone who writes/emails and asks for it.

Where can I get free flower seeds for my garden?
Try going around your corner flower store...they usually have these for free!
Reply:I just bought 10 packs for $1.00 at the dollar store today in fact.

That's practically free.
Reply:your neighbors garden

Too late for a flower garden??

2010-05-22T02:48:00.000-07:00

I have read other people's questions about preparing a flower garden in the fall by laying down newspapers or compost......GREAT ideas. However, it is now February. Is it too late to start a flower garden this spring? (I have an old, weedy area that I would like to plant a groundcover over it.) IF it is not too late to prepare a flower garden for spring, how do I do it, since I have lost time since last fall?

Too late for a flower garden??
I am a "spur of the moment" gardner. I've also been known to move a shrub or two several times before it stayed in it's permanent home. What I am trying to say is that it is never too late to start a garden.

Gardening is the most relaxing hobby that I have found. I will plan on spending a few minutes working on an inpromptu garden and the next thing I know the whole afternoon has gone.

Weeds can be gone in a weeks time with vinegar and water. Put about 3 parts vinegar and 1 part water in a sprayer and spray your area on a sunny day. The sun and vinegar will kill the weeds. Or just buy some weed kill product - there are many different brands that you can get at K-mart - even Dollar General. Spray this chemical on your area and most of them will kill the weeds within 24 hours.

You will then have to rake and pull up all of these dead weeds.

Invest in a rot-a-tiller to plow your area so that the ground is ready for planting. I have found that if I use the Miracle Grow products - my plants of whatever type do best. I have used products that are manure based to get a good fertilizer. For instance, if I am going to start a 5' x 5' area - I would probably buy about 3 or 4 bags of Miracle Grow potting soil and about 2 or 3 bags of the manure type product. With my weeds gone and my ground tilled, You will need to put black plastic down over this 5'x5' area - you can purchase landscaping fabric or just use several good thick black garbage bags.

Now you are ready to put all of those bags of potting soil and manure on top of this. You might, also, want to invest in some type of garden edging. Again, if costs are a problem - go to the creek or a quarry and get stones in different shapes to use as an edging for your garden.

Some people just would just till the Miracle Grow product into the dirt real good (mix and stir really good), and then plant.

I suggest the black bag method or landscaping method because I hate to pick those weeds!

Your next step is to decide what you want to plant. Look at your area. Do yo want your tall plants in the back up against maybe the house? Remember to space your plants out adequately. Your garden may appear a little sparse at first but when everything begins growing - you will be amazed!

Now its time to put mulch or lava rock down and around all of your plants. I always forget which type is better to keep away from the house because it will attract termites - So, I like to get lava rock or creek rock - all in all just depends on what type of color you want to match your home's color scheme.

Don't forget to water your plants. It is important to keep all of those little tags that come in your plants - so you know what its called - so you can follow watering tips (until you get the hang of it). Perrinials are the best - You might spend more this year on them - but with proper care they will come back again next year - so in the long run the Perrinials are the best buy.

Hibiscus' are huge flowering plants. Rose bushes are gorgeous. Forsythia bushes are yellowing in the spring and turn to a regular green bush during the summer and fall seasons.

Anyway, good luck on your garden this year!

Suzie
Reply:I would say that it is too late to get the soil ready. However you could compost your own soil in your home to add to the soil in the spring before you plant your garden.

Tools and Materials

Plastic storage container with a lid

Drill with 1/8-inch drill bit

Wooden blocks

Newspaper

Red wiggler worms (eisenia foetida)

Garden soil

Vermi-Composting How-To

1. Create a well-ventilated bin by adding air holes with a drill and bit. Drill many holes on the sides, top, and bottom of the bin.

2. Place the bin on wooden blocks in order to keep the air circulating under the bin.

3. Soak strips of newspaper in water (avoid using colored paper). Wring out paper, separate, and add to bin. Fill bin 2/3 full with bedding.

4. Sprinkle worms gently over bedding. Two thousand worms eat around 7 pounds of food each week. Leave the lid off for a few hours so that worms will burrow.

5. Add one cup of garden soil which will add bacteria, protozoa, and fungi, aiding the composting process. This also adds minerals that will help with worm digestion.

6. Bury food scraps deep into bedding. Rotate placement, encouraging worms to disperse. Feed daily or weekly. Avoid fats or meats in smaller bins. Don't place anything in the bin that is non-biodegradable or pet waste. After a few weeks, bedding and food will start turning into mash. Matter will completely break down in 3 to 6 months.

7. To harvest: Push compost to one side of bin. Fill other side with fresh bedding. Bury food into new bedding. Worms will migrate to new food.
Reply:take the time and visit your local nursery....they are pro and will answer all your questions and possibilities for starting your flower garden in your planting area. first time is always difficult but by the next year you will be amaze how much and better your garden will be year round.
Reply:not at all. you can plant all kinds of annuals that will give you all the color you want. go to a nursury and ask for suggestions, they are all very helpfull. after all, they want your cash. get some perrenials also, they will come back year after year.

Flower garden/hedges/bushes? HELP!?

2010-05-22T02:47:00.003-07:00

Okay so I'm trying to make my yard look great this summer. My back yard is going to have a deck, rock garden, and little pond for for gold fish. I plan on cutting two walnut trees completely down that are in my front yard right next to my house(one is already down) and replacing them with either some sort of evergreen or other tree. (Needs to be a smaller tree though). We tore out six really ugly, thorny bushes (I have a toddler and the thorns weren't a good idea) and I would like to replace them with a flower bed and a couple flowery, nice looking bushes or some hedges. I have most of my flowers picked out, but I need some help on deciding what kinds of bushes/hedges and what kind of tree to replace the two trees with. Any ideas? Thank you!

Flower garden/hedges/bushes? HELP!?
Lilacs, hydrangeas, and peonies are always a good investment. So are azaleas. Bradford pears or crape myrtles are a good tree choice...Bradford pears do get a little large but not as big as the walnuts crepe myrtles are an average size tree and both have blooms for added attraction. You can check out web pages for detail info on each tree or bush. Good luck!!
Reply:I totally agree with the above answer, great choices. One bush that is really pretty is Indian Hawthorne. They bloom beautiful pink blooms in the spring and are a great addition.

What is the best home remedie to keep my neighbors cats out of my garden and flower beds, (without) causeing h

2010-05-22T02:47:00.002-07:00

I used red pepper powder for my puppy when she chewed on things.

What is the best home remedie to keep my neighbors cats out of my garden and flower beds, (without) causeing h
Look for garden statues made specifically for keeping cats away. Or make one yourself! Cut a peice of wood to a cat sitting shape, paint it all black and put yellow or green reflective eyes on it. It will keep cats out of your garden....always worked for us!
Reply:GET URSELF A DOG LOL
Reply:rat posion

Football Shoes

What is your favorite flower to plant annually in your garden?

2010-05-22T02:47:00.001-07:00

I like to plant Geraniums as they bloom until frost. I dig them up in Oct and take them to the basement, and in the spring I bring them back out and plant.

Zinnas hold there color as well. Petunias are another good plant to have.

What is your favorite flower to plant annually in your garden?
I'm a HUGE fan of vincas.. nice color all summer long and glossy, deep green foliage.. just a great little plant.

they do well in my soil, too

Also like angelonias.. very pretty and TOUGH!
Reply:Petunias because of the wide variety of colors they come in. The dead flowers have to be picked off constantly, but it's well worth it, as the petunias continue to bloom for a long time.
Reply:Gladiola's
Reply:impatience wondefrul and long lasting. colorful and they multiply
Reply:Marigolds. I have 3 different colors. verbenas are nice to because of the different colors the come in.
Reply:I plant marigolds every year. They are one of the easiest annuals to grow and they bloom up until frost. I also like dusty miller, dianthus, and vincas.
Reply:We absolutely love those little Johnny Jump Ups. (My Dad's favorite.) They're actually perennials cause they come back every year %26amp; they spread like wildfire taking over half the garden every time. We even have some that somehow made it to the driveway %26amp; poke out of the cracks! lol.

Would LOVE to have roses %26amp; rosebushes (cause of my name being Rose hehe) but they never cooperate with us %26amp; either go wild or barely grow properly at all......no matter how much care we take.
Reply:Rose
Reply:petunias for variety...impatiens for shade...pansies for early spring...snap dragons for summer
Reply:Sunflowers. Every variety I can get!

My 3 year old wants his own "garden". What would be a good flower or plant for him to grow?

2010-05-22T02:47:00.000-07:00

I was going to get a big pot or a few small pots and put them on our back deck for him. The area is mostly shade but gets maybe a few hours of sunlight during the day. Should I just let him pick out some cheap seed packs or some plants that are already grown? Thanks for everything.

My 3 year old wants his own "garden". What would be a good flower or plant for him to grow?
My 4 year old brother wanted plants too. We got him the sunflowers that start in your window then you transplant them. Very easy to take care of and you get a bunch of seeds at the end.
Reply:i really expected to see someone say - cactus- . not that i'm saying it , i just expected it . get him a chia pet , they always work + he'll like it
Reply:Give him some real dirt with some real sun and let him play in the dirt and plant things.
Reply:those giant sunflowers. I think he'd get a kick out of them
Reply:Herbs and things are good for indoors. But I suggest someting like a Daylily. They definitly for outdoors and not containers but they are very hard to kill. The few hours of sun would be fine. And depending on where you live they are a perennial. So he can watch it come back every year. If you are looking for strictly container plant I like the cherry tomatoes idea. They are easy to grow once they get started. And growing them from seed might give him a better idea of the time a plant take to grow, but buying some from a nursery or a home and garden store will give you a better survival rate.

^^ Grats to the little gardeners ^^
Reply:I'd maybe try herbs at first since they are very resilient to everything and tend to be heavy on growth speed and sensory things kids can pick up (smell, flowering, taste etc...).
Reply:Cherry tomatoes are a great plant for kids. They can pick and eat their own snacks. Your back deck might not be the best place for them because of the shade but I would try anyway. You can start your own seeds or buy seedlings. If you would rather go with flowers, nasturtiums are my favorites. They come in a variety of colors.
Reply:You could try strawberry plants there easy to grow and he gets to eat the strawberries after (yum). I'm sure they don’t mind a bit of shade and they flower and grow fruits what more could you want!
Reply:get him herbs or strawberries or even cherry tomatoes. all things that he can enjoy right off the vine. ooooorrr, get him some pumpkin seeds and let him go to town! he'll LOVE the vines!! and he gets to pick which pumpkin this fall that he will get to decorate!
Reply:I would probally try a tulip bulb for springtime if he is that excited about growing a garden,see how he reacts and go from there.
Reply:Sounds familiar. I found that beans, because they come up so fast, hold their attention and wonder and give a kid a sense of accomplishment. You will have fun as well seeing his response.

Enjoy!
Reply:I'd get something for the shade. I got my kids a prepackaged watermelon. It was a cup with peat moss pellets already in it. All the kids have to do is water it. I got them at Lowe's. They have sunflowers too. They're great.
Reply:my 7 yr old has a bean growing in a cup in the house and seem;s to be doing good.
Reply:um get him daisies or marigolds thats wat my mom did

Anyone else planting a flower garden?

2010-05-22T02:46:00.003-07:00

My husband worked hard today and made me a big flower box so I can plant a flower garden in front of our house.I can't wait for everything to bloom! My daughter bought me an early Mother's Day gift.....a beautiful Pink Pixies plant. I just love Lillies!!!!

Anyone else planting a flower garden?
I'm so happy for you, your husband did a nice thing for you, I have my flowers all growing nice and my strawberry plants have alot on thiem already and a tiny tot tomatoe plant that is full of little tomatoes just right for a nice salad. ♥
Reply:no do not like to garden
Reply:I would like too, but I might be moving if my husband gets a new job.
Reply:No green thumbs here
Reply:I have lots of flower beds at my house.... I love adding to them all the time...
Reply:mr bill is
Reply:Nope. Getting ready to move so it wouldn't be wise.
Reply:Billy has roses, mrs billy has other flowers

Earwig infestation in garden and flower bed. Help!?

2010-05-22T02:46:00.002-07:00

I am looking for a way to kill them without using chemicals...if possible. Don't like to use chemicals in my garden.. just to dig a hole to plant flowers earwigs in the ground, everywhere. Live in the country. Anyone find anything that REALLY works?

Earwig infestation in garden and flower bed. Help!?
~I have a chili pepper growing every two feet in my garden they hate those. or you can sprinkle Cayenne pepper all around your plants! but then you need to call the County Ag guy and find out what the deal is with your soil that is attracting earwigs! I suspect too much water surrounding your garden. good luck,hon ! ~
Reply:Earwigs like moisture and warmth eliminate these items and they will god away.

ice skates

Anyone know of a perfume called "Flower Garden"?

2010-05-22T02:46:00.001-07:00

Do you know the manufacturer?

Anyone know of a perfume called "Flower Garden"?
Is this what you're talking about? The Davies Gate Flower Garden Collection?

http://www.tiedwithabow.com/index.asp?Pa...

Im planting a flower garden. On the planting instructions it says "Zone 3 - 8". What zone is PA?

2010-05-22T02:46:00.000-07:00

I am a PA gardener myself, with quite a bit of experience in Montgomery County. If you're gardening in eastern PA I would advise you to subtract one from the hardiness map if you want to ensure your plants will survive. I tend to be a rather conservative gardener, so I do not push the limits on hardiness, but I have noticed many Zone 6 plants in Montgomery County (And that's Zone 6b) that are routinely in a damaged or dying state.

Your plant (Zone 3-8) should be fine in most areas of PA.

I pasted a link below that has a detailed PA map with hardiness zones.

Good Luck!

Im planting a flower garden. On the planting instructions it says "Zone 3 - 8". What zone is PA?
You're probably in zones 2 - 8, but check out this map to be sure:

http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/hzm-ne...
Reply:You probably Zone 5-6

http://www.dovecreekgardens.com/page.asp...
Reply:go to http://michiganbulb.com/Default.asp? on the left of the screen there's a box that is labeled Plant Digger at the very bottom of the box it says "Find your grow zone". Then they want you to type in your zip code.
Reply:which part of Pennsylvania? There are several zones in most states.
Reply:My seed book shows your in zone 6. you can check for youself at www.jungseed.com
Reply:I think you are zone 3b, but you can google it, USDA growing zones

Do you have a garden, flower or vegatable?

2010-05-22T02:45:00.002-07:00

I have a large veggie garden and all kinds of flower spots all over the place, I love it!

Do you have a garden, flower or vegatable?
Yes I have a garden with hot pepper plants, tomatoes and herbs. There are also some flowers in the corners of the plot. Gardening is therapeutic. I relax in the garden. My daughter is in school studying Horticulture right now. We are a GREEN family!
Reply:I wish I did, but nope
Reply:i wish i did,theyre so pretty!
Reply:I have cactus all over the place,its the only thing I can grow!But it is landscaped nicely..=)
Reply:I keep saying that I am going to plant one, then the time gets here and I have procrastinated to long. I do have a few potted plants in the small flower and rack garden by the mail box. I can't seem to keep them alive in summer, but when Fall gets here, watch out !!!
Reply:i have some flowers
Reply:I have weeds
Reply:flower garden with the coolest roses
Reply:Yes, we have a very small veggie garden. This year (our first) we just planted tomatoes and Jalapeno peppers.
Reply:I wish i had
Reply:i wouldnt call it a garden, its just a bunch of flowers.
Reply:I have a small garden of tomatoes, mint, and herbs. I love it.
Reply:i have a bamboo plant. i love it and it is low maintenance
Reply:flower garden with an herbal garden on my back porch
Reply:flower but im going to plant a veggie one next year
Reply:We dont have land to grow all these. :-(..but I would love to have a garden

We just bought a new home.i just would like some ideals in land scaping,and flower gardens. thank you.?

2010-05-22T02:45:00.001-07:00

wejust put in an above ground septic.i would like some ideals for a small flower garden,so the mound isent.what people notice.

We just bought a new home.i just would like some ideals in land scaping,and flower gardens. thank you.?
A home flower garden is above all a place to create and dream. It is also a place to play, to work hard, and to rest, contemplating what human beings and nature can create by working together.

No matter the size of the garden plot you have to work with, your time and budget constraints, or your personality, you can design a flower garden that allows you to expressive your creativity, to get closer to nature, and to further enjoy being human.

Planning and setting up a flower garden may initially seem like a daunting task, but learning a few basics will set you firmly on the path to joy and beauty.

Flower Gardening Methods: How to Get Closer to Nature

http://www.flowergardeningtips.com/

for perrenial flowers (don't have to replant every year) click here:

http://www.gardening-tips-perennials.com...

Top 5 tips for flower gardening:

Tip #1 Plant the Best Flowers for your Space.

Plant smart. Plant sun loving flowers in a sunny location, shade loving flowers in a shady location. If you are a beginner, start with easy to grow annuals such as marigolds, salvia or petunias for sun, try impatiens for shade. Or, plant a few easy perennials. Space the plants to allow for their mature size.

Tip #2 Prepare the Soil for Growing Flowers.

Good soil means good roots. Your flowering plants need healthy roots to support and nourish the stems, foliage and flowers. Loosen the soil down about six inches for annuals, ten to twelve inches for perennials. Mix in organic matter such as compost. Check the pH to see if you need to add lime or sulfur to adjust the pH. The time to remove weeds is before you plant.

Tip #3 Use Organic Mulch on Flower Beds.

Organic mulch such as shredded bark, half finished compost, or chopped autumn leaves benefits the flower garden in many ways. Mulch helps hold down weeds. It moderates soil temperature changes. And it helps the soil stay more evenly moist so you water less. Mulch is your best time saver in the flower garden.

Tip #4 Best Fertilizer for Flowers.

Ideally, gardeners should run basic soil tests to see if they need to fertilize and how much. But as a rule of thumb, you can use a general purpose granular fertilizer or a slow release granular fertilizer with an analysis of 10-10-10 (the three numbers on the label) or similar. Read and follow the label directions for how much to use. Never use more than the amount on the label. Over-fertilized plants are more prone to pests and diseases; if in doubt, use less.

Tip #5 Water Flowers Correctly.

Most flowers prefer soil that is evenly moist yet well drained. This means damp like a wrung out sponge, not sopping wet and not dried out. It is better to water less often -- but water deeply. To know if you need to water, dig into the soil with your finger. If it is still damp, don’t water yet. When you do water, apply it slowly and thoroughly. To be effective, the water must soak down to the deepest roots. After watering, wait a few hours and then dig down to see how far it went. Sometimes this is surprising!

BONUS Tip #6 Flower Garden Care: Deadhead and Inspect Flowers.

Remove faded flowers and discolored foliage promptly to keep your plants looking their best. Monitor your flowers regularly so you can catch any pest or disease problem early, before it develops into something too serious.

source and more info here:

http://flowergardens.suite101.com/articl...

White Teeth

How do I plant a flower in Hope Solo's garden?

2010-05-22T02:45:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure about that. All I know is once you planted it, you can use your hose to water her mystical, secret garden. I just hope there's not a venus flytrap there..lol.

How do I plant a flower in Hope Solo's garden?
YOU will need to dig a hole..........and while she is sleeping, plant a plant and or tree.............
Reply:You first, tell me where her garden is, then I'll tell you how to do it... After I plant one first!

I THINK YOUR IN LOVE!

What is the best way to ammend average garden soil for a perrenial flower bed?

2010-05-22T02:44:00.003-07:00

I love to use compost. I don't know if it's readily available across the nation, but where I live, you can get yards of compost at the same places you get barkdust - and it's pretty cheap. I've stopped putting barkdust in my yard and use compost yearly. I have the best soil and my plants flourish! Weeding is effortless because the weeds just pull right up with an easy tug. Planting new flowers is easy too since the shovel slides right in. So I would suggest you get compost and mix it in about 50/50 with the dirt that is in your flower bed. It will be a bit of work at first, but after you get it established, you will only need to add about a 2" layer each year to keep the soil nice and rich. It's worth it!

What is the best way to ammend average garden soil for a perrenial flower bed?
Pine bark or peat moss.. or a little of both. many commercial potting mixes (like miracle grow or schultz) make pretty good amendments. The pH buffers and fertilizers added help with microbiotic activity in the soil and add organic value to it.
Reply:MIX IN SOME PEAT MOSS,A LITTLE FERTILIZER, IF THE SOIL HAS A LOT OF CLAY A LITTLE SAND,SOME LIME IF ACIDIC AND LAST SOME GOOD POTTING MIX
Reply:Kind of depends on existing conditions( clay, Ph, etc). A good general recipe is; till in peat moss,dried blood, dehydrated manure and perlite.
Reply:Compost, compost, compost.

Gladiolus help! I planted Gladiolus bulbs in my flower garden this spring, and they haven't bloomed yet.?

2010-05-22T02:44:00.002-07:00

The leaves are at least 3 feet long, but I don't see anything even resembling a flower spike yet. Are these bulbs biennials? Could there be a problem with the soil, or amount of sun they get? The bulbs were planted in late spring, in rich soil, and get full sun. The leaves appear healthy.

Gladiolus help! I planted Gladiolus bulbs in my flower garden this spring, and they haven't bloomed yet.?
It sounds as if you did all the right things for your glads. We are having blooms here north of San Francisco, but then our climate is mild enough that we just leave the bulbs in the ground and don't dig them up, so that does give them a headstart. So my first suggestion is just to be patient and see if they don't bloom later in the season. The other issue is the size of the bulbs you planted. If you just got little offset bulbs, either from another gardener or from a discount bulb supplier, you may need to be patient for another year. They won't send up a bloom stalk until they have gotten large enough. If they don't bloom this year, just dig them up (assuming that you live in a colder climate where this is necessary) and store them until next spring. Chances are they will be big enough to bloom by next season if they don't do so this year.
Reply:They may not develope this season and bloom.... It depends on where they are palnted too. They do best on full sun well drained soil..... The bulbs are making babies so be extra careful when you dig them up this fall to replant this up comig spring..... sometimes they will bloom in september ....Just be a little patient.... if not this year you will enjoy them next
Reply:I have exactly the same problem with mine, but they are in a shady spot. Maybe next year.
Reply:next year, just wait.
Reply:In vermont and up state new york those dont bloom untill around late aug early sept..
Reply:Mine didnt bloom either, nothing, zip, nada.
Reply:All the above is true; and also you should consdier where you got them from. Some bulbs sit around in a bin in a warehouse shop for weeks, are handled over and over and not comfortable as to where a bulb should be being a living thing. Be sure to get your glads from a reputable dealer who takes care of them. The size of the bulb matters, too. Generally, the larger the bulb the healthier and best flowers are formed from it.
Reply:BE PATIENT GLADS WONT BLOOM UNTIL AUGUST AT LEAST NOT HERE IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST; IT WILL BE WORTH THE WAIT ;;;; THEY ARE MY FAVORITE FLOWER
Reply:Well I know this mine here in Alabama done bloomed, and are back to hibernating again, it has been hot and dry here so I would say if you live up North like Ohio Pa. Michigan, just be patient sound like you will have some great blooms for fall, I believe they are more of a fall bloomer then spring or summer up that way....
Reply:Mine have done the same! I put it down to not being planted deeply enough. I am crippled with arthritis and not able to get down to do it properly- just made a hole with a metal pole I keep for this purpose, dropped it in and covered it with soil with my hoe. Could shallow planting be YOUR problem, too? Where are you? I am in the UK. I will be feeding mine and leaving them to die down naturally so that they gather up goodness for next year. Good luck with yours next year, chrissie G
Reply:It is still a little early I think for them to bloom. I thought I remember hearing that they bloomed every 2 years, but I can't find that anywhere on the internet. Anyway, they are tricky and take some patience.

What is the flower that is growing in my garden?

2010-05-22T02:44:00.001-07:00

Ok - so it is like a tea cup shape, it is white and has a yellow 'rod' coming out of its middle, I thought it was an orchid but when I google image orchids - they look nothing like what I have there.

What is the flower that is growing in my garden?
Is it tall? Just wondering if it could be a white lily variety? A picture would make it easier to identify.
Reply:Here is a site with all sorts of lilies listed. Good luck on finding it.

skates

Flower garden has shape of right triangle, 5' of a perenial border forms hypotenuse of triangle.?

2010-05-22T02:44:00.000-07:00

one leg is 1 ft longer than the other. What are the lengths of the legs?

Flower garden has shape of right triangle, 5' of a perenial border forms hypotenuse of triangle.?
x^2 + (x+1)^2 = 25

2x^2 + 2x + 1 = 25

x^2 + x - 12 = 0

(x + 4)(x - 3) = 0

.. . .

thus the legs are 3' and 4'

.. . .. .
Reply:it is a well known axiom that one 'standard' form of a right triangle is when the sides are 3, 4 and 5 - which is exactly what you describe!
Reply:Let other sides be x and (x + 1)

5² = x² + (x + 1)²

x² + x² + 2x + 1 = 25

2x² + 2x - 24 = 0

x² + x - 12 = 0

(x + 4)(x - 3) = 0

x = 3 is accepted

Sides are 3 ft and 4 ft

How can I stop flower boxes from being stolen in the front garden?

2010-05-22T02:43:00.003-07:00

I have a ground floor flat which is pretty close to the pavement and I want to put up some flower boxes on the window ledge. How can I stop them from being stolen?

How can I stop flower boxes from being stolen in the front garden?
maybe try a cheap survalance camera once a couple people get turned in i'm sure it would stop
Reply:put a sign on them saying please steal these.people hate being told what to do.
Reply:Sorry to here of your loss of windox boxes that gives yourself and others pleasure.

Sad as it is to say think you would have to screw them down adn maybe plants also that are not as freindly with thorns.:) Hope you have better luck.
Reply:Concrete, or big bolts. Unfortunately, there's always going to be some idiot who will steal this kind of thing - and the worse bit is, they won't do it to feed a drug habit, or even buy food. If they do get knicked, you'll probably find them in pieces at the end of the road.
Reply:It wont be very easy to stop sneak thieves,the best advice I can give is tell the law and get a neighbourhood watch.
Reply:plant some cactus and nettles
Reply:A small motion light that goes on when someone gets close, have it shine on a sign that reads "stealing plants is bad Karma". Plant prickly plants around it, and/or place cardboard covered with honey around the flower box with a skull and crossbones signifying poison. It's probably the same people who think it's a fun prank, and have no idea how much your plants mean to you. Hopefully you'll be rid of them.
Reply:Mount a phony camera with a sign saying I'm watching you now thief!
Reply:Put them in the back garden!!
Reply:You could put something "gross feeling" like vaseline on the sides. They wouldn't likely proceed with picking the flower box up once they realized it was covered with an unknown slippery substance.
Reply:Fix a bracket and screw them in place.
Reply:Plant land mines.
Reply:screw them down
Reply:Just give up and emigrate to Spain. There the people respect and appreciate window boxes and plants outside your home. Here, well, there's not respect for anything.
Reply:Bolt them if possible or put blocks or someting very heavy in the bottom so that they would be difficult to carry

Good Luck

What kind Flower in your garden?

2010-05-22T02:43:00.002-07:00

rosebushes, coneflowers, daylilies, daffodils, butterfly bushes, crape myrtle, peonies, iris, flag iris, tall phlox, cosmos, sunflowers, clematis, bachelor buttons, morning glories, touch me nots, monarda aka bee balm, monkey grass, zennias, moon flowers, texas blue bonnet, canna's, asiatic lilies, liatris, butterfly weed, gladiolus, honey suckle, oriiential lilies, vinca vine, coral bells, hostas bone set and a few others that i cannot think of their names at the moment...

not all are currently out but will be as soon as the danger of frost is done until this fall which will be about 2 weeks

What kind Flower in your garden?
i have mostly perennials like peonies, lilies, and violets. but I will plant some marigolds and other annuals in between
Reply:in mi cant plant yet we do have tulips
Reply:tulips and lillies

Seniors: Do you like to grow things? Did you have a veggie or flower garden this summer?

2010-05-22T02:43:00.001-07:00

I like to pot garden. I grew a sunflower, just to see if I could in a pot. It was beautiful. I hope the birds enjoyed it.

Seniors: Do you like to grow things? Did you have a veggie or flower garden this summer?
I have a small vegetable garden...that is comparatively small. When my Mom was still alive we used to put in a vegetable garden that was 24 ft by 60 ft. Now I have one that is only 20 ft by 30 ft, and I moved the whole thing so that I could put grass directly behind the house where the old vegetable garden was. Now it hides in a back corner of my property behind the garden shed.

And seeing that I live up here in Canada, I am STILL waiting for my tomatoes to ripen. I hope they do before the frost kills them! I have pole beans, and zucchini, and peppers and cucumbers. I tried growing long cucumbers but they didn't thrive at all. And the radishes, swiss chard and carrots were a complete bust this year.

Besides that I have blackberries and raspberries. Black and red currants. Saskatoon berries and grapes. And just behind my property line, and hanging over my back fence is a huge mulberry tree. (It is definitely a tree-not a bush-it must be about 40 ft tall.)

And I have flower gardens left over from my mother...a 6 ft round one that lies to the east of the shed, that also surrounds the base of a small ash tree. A larger B shaped one that lies to the west of the shed where each of the loops is 6 ft across, the lower part of the B surrounding a big 50 foot ash tree. A 30 ft by 12 foot flower and herb garden in front of my back fence. A line of phlox and lilies that run down the west fence line from that herb garden to the house. A 3 ft by 40 ft strip of garden along the side of the driveway on the east side of the property line. And then the front gardens...a meandering line of flower garden about 4 ft wide across the front of the house, and then a 90 degree turn to run along the west fence line maybe 40 ft in length in all.

It's a huge yard for being in one of North America's largest cities. And it takes a lot of care to maintain it even minimally. (I have stopped planting annuals at all-except for the vegetables.)
Reply:Yes, I have 8 foot tomato plants that are very productive. I grow my plants in five gallon containers, that way they become root bound and produce alot. I also grow the small grape tomatoes, pick those by the bowl and eat them like candy. I grow jalapenos. cucumbers, watermelons and mustard greens in the winter. I love to grow, so if it has a seed, I plant it.
Reply:One of the seniors planted one thing in a little garden in front of our building and now-it looks like Field of Dreams. We have corn and beans and tomatoes and some things we're not too sure of. Everyone passing by stops to admire it. Or maybe they're thinking the old people have finally gone round the bend. We dont care. Darn corn didnt get here in time for the 4th.
Reply:Oh, great question. I like to decorate my front stoop with colorful hanging baskets. I plant flowers in big colorful pots on my deck %26amp; they add so much. I also plant colorful flowers around my lamp post in the front yard. I planted a variety of flowers but the pink Verbena has really spread %26amp; looks great. The butterflies seem to love it. I haven't planted any veggies but will try my hand at it next year. I did plant two Crepe Myrtle trees in my front yard this summer %26amp; they are already in blossom. One is white %26amp; one is pink. They are so beautiful. :)
Reply:Flowers, my yard was gorgeous March-July I love it. Everything is green now but still lovely, My garden gives me a reason to get up and get busy along with sweetie(dog). Its been very hot so had to water frequently.
Reply:seniors are a waste of tax payer moneyss
Reply:I can't grow a garden here. The critters consider it their own personal salad bowl. I tried using cayenne pepper as a deterrent and it works for awhile, but they've developed a taste for the spicey now and just munch anything I put out. I'm in an area that would require putting in a completely enclosed wire structure [including beneath the beds]. It's just too much trouble and expense.

What I do utilize are the edible wild plants that I've made a study of for many years. Dandelions, chickweed, burdock, raspberries, black raspberries , violets, wild onions... there's quite a list. We share these, the creatures and I. It's an equitable system.

Nanny Source

Please suggest some plants which will flower all 12 months in shady garden?

2010-05-22T02:43:00.000-07:00

I need to know some flowering plants all 12 months and in a shady spot.I most want those which can grow in a pot not on ground.

Please suggest some plants which will flower all 12 months in shady garden?
The only flowers I know that will be there all year would be silk or plastic.
Reply:It depends on where you live... Begonias and Geraniums last all year in most places (as long as they are protected from the North wind in winter).

Bulbine is a tubular, almost-grassy looking plant with yellow/orange blooms. It withstands heat and cold...

Cyclamen (sp?) does well in shady, cool spots but need lots of water.

You can experiment with different flowers, just put some mulch over the soil in the pot for protection against the cold and against water evaporation.
Reply:no such flower exist.
Reply:Unless you live in Hawaii or some other tropical place, you're out of luck.

Where can I have a garden/flower wedding in Delaware??

2010-05-22T02:42:00.003-07:00

Does anyone know of gardens or parks that have pretty courtyards or garden areas with flowers or water fountains and such in Delaware? I can not find a public garden in my area and have been searching high and low... any ideas! Please help!

Where can I have a garden/flower wedding in Delaware??
First of all what part of Delaware are you in. Over the ditch or in slower lower..

Dover has some really pretty places, but one of the nicest is right in town across the river called mirror lake. It where they used to have the AA festival every year. There are also a lot of places that have weddings. I know you want a public place, so contact me and I will try to help you.
Reply:The most beautiful gardens I have ever been too are 12 miles from Wilmington Deleware. Longwood Gardens has everything for a fairy tale wedding. There are acres of flowers in a rainbow of colors. There are fountains galour and they can even do a light and sound show with the fountains. They have an observatory which is a great site for a reception. Longwood gardens is breathtaking beautiful. Good luck. Congrats on the Wedding.

How to figurge square foot of an oval flower garden?

2010-05-22T02:42:00.002-07:00

It's a simple formula almost like finding the area of a circle (pi) x r(squared) where r = the radius of the circle

For ovals it's:

(pi) x (r1) x(r2)

Where pi= about 3.1415, r1 = the longest radius and, r2= the shortest radius

Get it??

here's a pic of the area formula for an oval:

http://www.math.com/tables/geometry/elli...

How to figurge square foot of an oval flower garden?
i know im only thirteen but to find the area by square feet what you do is find the radius which is half of the diameter square it then times it by pi which is equal to 3.14 so the formula is A(area)R(radius) Formula: A=r2x3.14=A2. so area is radius squared x 3.14 which is the area squared. I just learned this in math class.

How can I stop flower boxes from being stolen in the front garden?

2010-05-22T02:42:00.001-07:00

I have a ground floor flat which is pretty close to the pavement and I want to put up some flower boxes on the window ledge. How can I stop them from being stolen?

How can I stop flower boxes from being stolen in the front garden?
Carpet gripper rod on the bottoms. Ouch! Probably not legal, but the swines should not be stealing your boxes.
Reply:wowwww, thats an issue? wow. put thorny climbing tea roses in it...let them drape over the sides... attach a string to it that pulls a lever some where that sounds like a pack of vicious dogs coming at them when they move it. ummmm... put a sign on it... "please watch and if someone other than ... and then describe yourself, touches this box, please ring doorbell immediatly".
Reply:Use Rawl-bolt fixings(available most DIY stores),and bolt through the bottom of the box into the ledge.Put distance packers under the box to enable drainage
Reply:the problem is what ever you do,if someone wants them bad enough they will find a way of gettting them.
Reply:Screw them to the window sill with masonary screws.
Reply:Glue them to the window ledge somehow? Or maybe buy some brackets so that you can fix them onto the wall?
Reply:Put something really really heavy in the bottom so that they are hard to pick up, then get some brackets to fix them down somehow.
Reply:make them full of live electricity!
Reply:bolt them to the ledge through the bottom

running shoes

What are you planting in your garden and flower beds this spring???

2010-05-22T02:42:00.000-07:00

I can't wait for fresh asperagus---I know I planted it 2yrs ago.

What are you planting in your garden and flower beds this spring???
Impatiens, columbines, hostas .... Unfortunately I have no sun where I live, but I still enjoy the shade flowers
Reply:I'm putting in daylillies.

If you are from Maine or anywhere near, can you please give me some good flower gardening tips?

2010-05-22T02:41:00.003-07:00

I have never attempted a flower garden before and I would like to start one in my yard.

When do you begin?

What flowers are the easiest to start with.

Any advice would be appreciated.

THANKS! : )

If you are from Maine or anywhere near, can you please give me some good flower gardening tips?
well i worked at franks nursery and English gardens, so i would recommend some pansies or some other really hardy plants. its going to be cold a little longer but not by much. mostly cold at night. if they are hardy they can last the cold night. they can be under snow and still survive. make sure that you have good soil though. get some peat Moss (peat moss has other stuff that will make your soil the best it can be) and some more potting soil because the winter really messes up the soil. i would start as soon as possible because the sooner the better and that looks good for the other people walking by your place. it brightens everything up so much. when you go to by your plants ask for some other plants besides pansies (you want the pansies but you want to see some other choices). never over load it with too many plants though because it will look ugly. have fun and talk to you later, boothster

PS. don't get them from walmart becuase they buy the cheapest plant around and they don't have deep roots. you want deep roots becuase they will die after a few weeks. there not worth it. the places i worked were good places to buy them (well not franks because they are out of business) they had deep roots and they lasted all summer. well panisies get long and stringy in a bout 5-6 weeks, but they are great to start with. get they smallest ones there. that way you have a long time to grow them. and if they havn't budded yet, even better. all jokes aside, in the sence of plants, you get what you pay for. ok talk to you later, bryson
Reply:thanks, boothster Report It

Reply:I don't live in Maine, but get some flowering shrubs. For flowers, get pansys or petunias, zinnias. Anything they sell in the flower section of WalMart is probably easy enough, as they carry the most popular ones. Remember, annual means it will be here this year, then you need to buy new next year. DONT buy stuff that creeps all over, like mint. Keep stuff like that in a pot, trust me. Look at what your neighbors have and consider if you like it. Roses are not difficult, just take forever to grow and get eaten by a lot of bugs. Portulaca is awesome, it does creep but soooooooo pretty. That one I plant everywhere. Don't go with seeds. Get some plants. And if it's still getting down toward freezing at night where you are, draw plans and look online for information now. You will have to replant if it freezes. GET DAYLILLIES, they are sooo pretty and perennial! They have greens all season and long pretty flowers! I could go on...

I want my garden to have flower all summer( canadian ) from spring can some one tell mename of flowers so the?

2010-05-22T02:41:00.002-07:00

so my garden always boom from may to oct

I want my garden to have flower all summer( canadian ) from spring can some one tell mename of flowers so the?
My garden is in full bloom from May to Oct. here in US zone 5. I Have spring bulbs tulips, crocus, and hyacinths. I then have many perennials such as delphinium. foxglove, iris's, alliums, mums, asters, lavender, bug bane, astilbe, Russian sage, and yarrow. I then top it off with anuals such as African daisies, Persian shield, fan flowers and salvia. I also plant cannas. My garden is always in bloom and attracts many butterflies and hummingbirds. I hope this helps.
Reply:Most annuals will bloom for you from late spring throughthe first frost. Such as marigolds, impatiens, snapdragons, petunias, etc. Just go to your local nursery and see what annuals they have starting in May.

The downside, is that in exchange for all-season-long blooms, they don't live to the next year, and you have to plant again the following year.

If you want a season-long-blooming perennial garden - you have to coordinate things that bloom at different times through the season, so that something is in bloom all the time.

Start with spring flowering bulbs - tulips, crocuses, daffodils, hyacinths, etc. Then get some late spring flowering things, like columbine, lillies, etc. Summer bloomers like Black-eyed Susans (rudbekia), start blooming in July and bloom profusely and continuously through frost. And they spread, nothing bothers them, and they're one of the easiest flowers to grow. Also, you can add fall-bloomers like mums and asters. Get the right mix, and you have an ever-changing garden, with something flowering all the time.

You can also tuck some annuals into the spots where your spring flowers have died back, for extra bloomage through the summer.

I'm building a raised flower bed in the garden?

2010-05-22T02:41:00.001-07:00

I was thinking about making it into a vegie patch should i fill the area with just manure?

I'm building a raised flower bed in the garden?
Why not it would be perfect if you had a horse too
Reply:a good idea lay newspaper down first it helps reduce weeds then some good hay add also good topsoil and mix in manure at 40% to much manure you risk burning plants i would recomend using Seasol (seaweed an fish ) this will help your plants grow stronger improving there roots to help prevent damage from frost to heat, its the poo .
Reply:No mix the manure with good soil. Then through the winter months use the garden as a dumping ground for your used vegtables, rototill it in the spring and you will have nice veggies the next year.
Reply:The above answer is good. Fertilizing and enriching the soil is a good thing, but there is something as too much of a good thing. Assuming you are starting with some sort of soil (not just using sand, rocks or bits of concrete), you shouldn't mix in more then 1/4 the volume of soil enrichment (manure, dried sewage sludge...etc). If you are just adding compost (different from manure) you can do 100%, but generally more economical to do 1:4 or 1:2 mixes.

Adding too much manure can make the ground to hot from the decomposition of the manure to allow for proper germination of seeds and bacterial growth that's helpful to break down the manure.

PDA

Will grass clippings and dead cedar needles work ok as a mulch in my flower beds and garden?

2010-05-22T02:41:00.000-07:00

will i have to till them in in the spring, or will perenials grow thru them? will they work ok in the garden also? i have mostly cedar droppings, as my trees are shedding a bunch. also, are there 2 different types of cedar trees? i ve never had a cedar tree that lost this many needles..........

Will grass clippings and dead cedar needles work ok as a mulch in my flower beds and garden?
Okay, this is a year for cedar "needles" which are scales, but are the tree's leaves. The taxonomy or classification of cedars and relatives is complex, in that local names persist over generic ones. True cedars are the longer-needled type of tree that are generally known as a type of spruce, and the tree generally known as cedar is in the Arborvitae genus. And genera are further divided into Thuja and so on. So this is why the multiple genera are simply known as cedar when talking landscaping. Conifers are cone-bearing, and as such produce cones which can be produced in one or more seasons depending on species; this could be in lieu of vegetative growth as a tree cannot bear a large crop and grow much at the same time. So in alternating years, we see larger crops of cones over growth, and vice versa. This has been the year of needle/scale drop for my cedars. So this is natural. This is known as being biennial/perennial in the growth and reproductive cycles. Fresh conifer needles need to be weathered prior to spreading on the garden, so as to cause a natural needle coating to be removed by exposure to the elements. This coating is originally needed by the tree as a natural anti-dessicant to prevent too much transpiration (loss of moisture), which would result in drying and stress to the tree. Some of this chemical remains after needle drop, and acts as a deterrent to decomposition, and can be allelopathic (causing retardation of growth of surrounding plants, a natural survival mechanism of conifers to cut down on other trees' competition for growing space). So if you are growing plants that are to be mulched with this material, I would spread it in an open spot to weather over the season, or use it, but don't spread it to deeply. The worst thing that could happen is that it would slightly set back existing plants; it won't kill them. Needles are acidic, and are an excellent soil amendment for acid-loving plants which include oak, blueberry, azalea/rhododendron, holly, other conifers, etc. Grass clippings should not be used fresh, too deeply, for 2 reasons: they can rot, and mat down, creating a condition that actually repels water, and the rotting stinks, and rodents can nest there; and fresh grass clippings are high in nitrogen, and actually temporarily rob the soil of nitrogen as they require more of it to break down. So allow them to dry first, then spread as mulch. You can get around this by simply spreading on open areas of your garden initially to allow decomposition without affecting garden plants. Hope this helps.
Reply:yes they will work as mulch just do not make it too deep for the plants to push through- and ck your siol ph some plants don not like acidic soil some do- you will have to research this- again- yes in the garden wuth plants that like that type of mulch-
Reply:I use grass clipping all the time!! Just don't put it right up close to the stems if the grass clipping are not dry yet! It feeds the soil!!
Reply:Short answer-yes. Don't use too many cedar needles, except around acid-loving plants like azealas and rhododendrons. You can mix in some with the grass clippings, but not a lot. Perennials will grow through mulch, as long as it is not too thick. I usually mulch mine in the fall heavily, to keep from drying out, but leave the stems protruding so I know where they are. Then in early spring, (depending on which plant-some are earlier than others) I check regularly for growth and pull back the mulch from the new growth until it gets well established stems and is above the mulch. Then I put the mulch back closer to the plant for moisture retention and cut down on weeds.

What is the safest way to get rid of chick weed? It is growing in my garden and my flower bed.?

2010-05-22T02:40:00.002-07:00

the most efficient way is probably to pull it all up by hand, BEFORE it sets seed, because its an annual, which means that it only lives a year, so if you get it out before it makes seeds, you wont get it coming back. just pull it out in handfuls, dont worry if you dont get all the roots out and stuff, because it can't come back. Any seeds that have already been produced and fallen to the ground, they will produce little plants, but make absolutely sure that you get them when they're young, or they will make seeds and then you get more plants on and on and on

What is the safest way to get rid of chick weed? It is growing in my garden and my flower bed.?
juz pull the plant with the root
Reply:pull it up by the root
Reply:Chickweed is very easy to pull up. Unless there is a reason why you can't simply pull it, I think that's the safest way to get rid of it.

Do you prefer to have a vegetable garden or a flower garden? Or both? Neither? Which is you?

2010-05-22T02:40:00.001-07:00

I have a flower garden. It is quite spectacular, only it needs more flowers. It also has rosemary and some other herbs.

You didn't expect to get that from a guy like me, did you?

Do you prefer to have a vegetable garden or a flower garden? Or both? Neither? Which is you?
I would go with both.

Reason being - in most states they have water restrictions during droughts. Meaning you cannot water a flower garden. HOWEVER, if you have a vegetable garden, you can still water it. (It is food.) If you have a mixed garden, well you can still water the flowers too. Evil, isn't it?
Reply:MMM, vegetables for me. You can't eat flowers and I don't care for bees!
Reply:Both can be very usefull don't you think honey. I like both.
Reply:Flower garden.
Reply:I prefer both. Tending both is a pleasure for a retired person like me.

VR
Reply:I'd rather have both--a patch of wildflowers, I think that would be lovely! And there's nothing better than the smell of tomato plants,you know?
Reply:Vegetables. They have flowers too.... and you can eat them. I consider growing plants that you can't eat a waste of space. There are many edible and attractive plants.

How can I keep cats out of my flower gardens?

2010-05-22T02:40:00.000-07:00

I live on a farm and we have barn cats. They love to use my flower beds as their "litter box". Eww! Aside from that just being gross, they stir up the mulch and make a general mess of things. I don't want to harm the cats but I do want them OUT of my flower gardens! Any ideas?

How can I keep cats out of my flower gardens?
There are lots of ways but unfortunately they are all illegal, feline human rights!!!!!!!
Reply:It,s said that they dislike citrus smell, so I cut up oranges/limes/lemons and put them on the area,s I dont want cats on.
Reply:put chicken wire down. they will stop.
Reply:Moth balls, also will keep squirels, rats away too and I think snakes. But replace after rain. Put around outter edge of perimerter of garden. Heard it at feed store. *mamatx
Reply:Yuck....I have had the SAME problem and it is so gross...and not good for the plants. They took a "shine" to my perrenial flower beds. If it's not the squirrels it the cats...(sigh) I have tried two different things to help combat both problems...Go to Sams and get the GIANT size red pepper flakes...and yes, you have to spread them all around and sometimes after it rains you have to respread them...it helps with both creatures....another thing that helps, but are not really "earth" friendly are Moth Balls...I did have to resort to those with the cats...they helped some too....blow up balloons until they are near the popping stage and place them all in the garden...tied about....sometimes they will unwittingly pop the balloons and it scares them--if you have a leisurely few hours and some fire crackers, sit very quietly close by and..you know what to do...not in an effort to harm them, but just scare them from returning. You could do the same with a BB gun, just fire it into the air when you see them get close to the garden so they associate the noise with the garden. In other words...anything that you can do to make the cats think GARDEN=HELL is a good thing....also often they are there because squirrels and other little creatures are there...so they are attracted to them too...(sigh again!) and they like my bird feeder...which makes me very upset...I have 2 dachshunds which I release without warning throughout the day...that has helped a lot too!!!! Good Luck!!!! And keep up the good fight!!! :) (the do have some Repel things at the Feed and Seed)
Reply:I have tried moth balls, cayanne pepper, and vinegar. None of these work on a cat that has probably seen it before. What I had to do was use fox urine purchased from a garden nursery. That cat walks by and keeps on going. He can't stand the smell. Of course, I don't smell it because I use it sparingly.

I have planted vinca, dusty miller and other deterrant plants and they don't work on cats in this area. Where I lived before it only took a few plants to deter rabbits, cats and dogs all without a fence.
Reply:try shaking some cayenne power in places you don't want the cats. this may also be i,proved to some extent if you crush some moth balls to go with the cayenne powder. one the cats learn they are not wanted they will more than likely stay away. It may also help if you have a spot you can plant that is away from your flower bed is to plant that spot with cat nip
Reply:Go here, please:

http://www.gardeners.com/Safe+Cat+Deterr...
Reply:There's a product in the hardware store that specifically keeps cats and/or dogs and/or deer out of areas you want them kept out of. It's right there with the pesticides but is harmless to the animal, it just repels them.
Reply:I would line up moth balls around the area you want to protect or you could also use chyenn pepper hope this helps.

riding boots

What's a good climbing plant/flower to use in a garden archway?

2010-05-22T02:39:00.002-07:00

I'm going to be doing some work in my yard- including getting an archway and bird bath, etc. I'd like to plant some flowers/plants at the base of the archway to climb up the sides of the archway. Any suggestions as to what to plant?

What's a good climbing plant/flower to use in a garden archway?
Do you have sun there, shade, or a mixture of both?

Honeysuckle 'Heckrotti' is a nice vine. It's not fragrant, but it

does not get out of control and the flowers are very pretty. Their color is beautiful....medium pink with a soft gold center. These will do well if you have a mix of sun and shade. They also bloom for a fairly long period. This is probably the one I would go with.

Clematis is pretty, comes in many colors and is showy. However, it does not bloom for that long, and in my opinion, looks unattractive in the winter. If you choose this, Jackmani is one of my favorites, with dark purple-blue flowers.

You might try the rose, 'New Dawn' if you have a lot of sun and if your arch is high. They are a pale pink and have a long season of bloom.

I don't know how much room you have on either side of the arch, but if you anchor it with some shrubs, that will look nice.

You might choose one or a group of three on either side...use all the same.

Fairy Rose, Knockout Rose, Lilac, or Holly Meservea 'China Girl', would be nice choices. Both varieties of roses will bloom most of the summer. Lilacs are tall and will provide structure. The Holly is evergreen and will produce red berries in the Fall and Winter. Add in a male somewhere in

the yard for the berry production on the females.

You might consider situating the birdbath in front of the shrubs. Now it all starts looking VERY inviting!
Reply:I have honeysuckle growing on my arch (arbor)
Reply:for a wonderful smell and good looks, use a star jasmine. fast growing, buy a fairly large one at plant store.

babe
Reply:beautiful pink red or yellow mandevilla vines.
Reply:I use Morning Glories. Beautiful purple flowers. Can be cut back after the die out and come back year after year.
Reply:Wisteria! Mmmm, smells so good and looks so pretty too! Also a pretty resillient and fast climber. It certainly does well in wet climates.
Reply:Wisteria are beautiful vines that will produce large clusters of flowers, however, on the downside they only bloom in early spring.

Trumpet vines will produce beatiful large flowers throughout the summer, but cannot survive cold winters (temps consistantly below 40 degrees and require full sun.

Clamatis and morning glory are also vines that take similar conditions as the Trumpet.

If you live in an area that stays warm all year, temps above 60 all winter, a bouganvillia(sp) are great vinelike trees to plant

Just some suggestions of the ones I like
Reply:cats claw...
Reply:Climbing roses, morning glories, clematis, trumpet vine (will attract hummingbirds), grapes!
Reply:Sweet Peas - get the 6 foot plus seed. Beautiful scent and a nice cut flower for the house. Easy to grow.

Just planted a herb garden in a flower box and its been raining for days?

2010-05-22T02:39:00.001-07:00

will my herbs still grow or will they be water logged and die?

Just planted a herb garden in a flower box and its been raining for days?
as long as you have drainage holes in the bottom of your flower box they should be fine.
Reply:Plants need nutrients, water and air in the soil to thrive. If your flower box does not have drain holes the soil will become saturated, excluding the air needed by the roots, which will start to die.

Make sure that it has drain holes, and that they are not plugged up. If it doesn't, creating some holes (place a fine mesh or pebble over the hole on the inside to prevent the soil from washing out the bottom). The drain holes will let the excess water drain out of the soil after a heavy rain, making space for air to enter the soil.

If it isn't possible to create missing drain holes, tip the saturated flower box on its side to drain most of the water, then protect it from future flooding either with a cover or by bringing it inside when it rains. You may also consider moving the flower box to a location which is protected from rain by a patio, overhang, etc.

Another problem with containers exposed to heavy, continuous rain is that soluable nutrients may be washed out of the soil. You may need to apply fertilizer more often.

I want to plant a small walkway garden. I guess its called a flower bed... But i need tips on starting it?

2010-05-22T02:39:00.000-07:00

Im not sure what to try as a beginner... I wanted to try that instant roll out garden, but im havent read great things about it. My other option is trying like flowers from wal mart or something, but i would need alot of flowers wouldnt i? And i dunno whats better... the ones that are already bloomed or just the seeds? Im very clueless.. please help!!??!?

I want to plant a small walkway garden. I guess its called a flower bed... But i need tips on starting it?
That depends on several things. How large is the space you're wanting to utilize?

Do you want instant gratification or do you want to watch something grow?

Do you want something that will cover the ground or just sprout up and flower?

What is the soil like/is anything growing there now?

How much sunlight does the area get? Some plants/flowers don't like "full sun," some prefer it.

If you go into your nearest Home Depot with some pictures, they can help you with the best plants to put into the space. You can also take a sample of your soil to show them. They'll need to know if it's sandy etc.

You can buy plants that have flowers on them, but I would recommend you make sure they're healthy looking before you purchase them. Don't buy sickly looking plants.

The roll out thing has worked for some. It really depends on many things. How much light does the area get? Again, soil type etc.

You can sketch it out on paper and get some ideas. Do research on-line to see what others have done.

Don't forget that a flowerbed looks best when it's framed with something. A little fence, landscaping brick etc...

Best of luck!
Reply:seeds are no guarantees i like to flowers that come back like iris tigar lilies azzales
Reply:First of all you need to determine where you want to put your flower bed, then mark it off and then remove the sod and add compost. then off course after you have chosen where it will be then you need to know how much sun and or shade a day it gets...then go to a greenhouse if it affordable and they can help you decide what to put in your bed. It is good to mix perinnials and annuals (the perinnials come back every year) so you would only have to buy and plant your annuals to give you instant color and or a variety of different plants to enjoy...
Reply:I happen to do this all the time with my wife. We replant our flower bed just about every year to try new things. First of all, track down worm castings, or if you can't find any worm castings, good quality potting soil. The stuff is LOADED with nutrients on which your flowers will thrive. You can get the flowers from any nursery you want. For worm castings or GOOD potting soil, I'd check out 1-800-TOPSOIL or www.1800TOPSOIL.com to see if they have someone servicing your area. They seem to be good, and I know they're national. Good luck, and I hope you plant yourselves a beautiful garden.
Reply:i use landscaping flats from Lowe's. I just started gardening this year and i discovered gardenweb.com. You can find any kind of help you need there. I think it's a little late to start certain seeds but I am not totally sure. I plan on getting a head start next year though by starting me some seeds indoors in feb. and march.

Has anyone ever picked a flower from their garden and give it to you?

2010-05-20T05:29:00.000-07:00

Only a dandelion.

Has anyone ever picked a flower from their garden and give it to you?
My son did at 2 years of age. I thought it was the most adorable and sweetest thing he ever did.I'll cherish that memory forever! Report It

Reply:All the time. I have a wonderful life as in great neighbors that give me flowers and seeds all the time. Most of them are older people and it just makes it sweeter :) The best flowers ever given to me though is from my spouse and children out picking wild flowers just for me :) And of course I do the same for all. It is really a blessed life to have this kind of love all around me :)
Reply:HHAHAHA. Me and my cousins picked flowers from other peoples gardens and then arranged them in cups and sold them back to them. We made 6 dollars.
Reply:I had a ex who had picked several flowers from neighbouring gardens and posted them through my letterbox....it was sweet though with a bouquet actually in the letterbox...but not sweet when I had to face neighbours!
Reply:Yes my 3 year old daughter does it all the time! It's very cute but that's why we didn't bother planting too many out this year! She picked them all last year!
Reply:once in grade school a boy picked one of his mom's roses and gave it to me.(lol i think he got grounded) and lots of friends have given seeds.
Reply:When I was younger I would go on walks armed with a pair of scissors to cut roses from peoples front yards while strolling by........ risky and why did was I so crazy!
Reply:i was mad at my son last summer over something daft and he brought me in a whole bunch of roses from one of my neighbours gardens didn't know whether to laugh or cry!
Reply:yes - my daughters picked a sweet tiny little bunch of seaside daisies for me on Mother's Day.
Reply:yes my husband picked flowers from our own garden and gave them to me on a breakfast in bed tray once!
Reply:Yes, my husband %26amp; granddaughter.
Reply:No, still not. Waiting for that. Hah haa haa....
Reply:no, but they have picked flowers from my garden and left them for me !

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Reply:Yes, and I think that's lovely.
Reply:no one have ever did this to me.
Reply:nope
Reply:YEAH!!! MY LIL BROTHER..

THATS SO CUTE...:)

Start java

How can I kill the gooseneck strife thats taken over my flower garden?

2010-05-20T05:28:00.003-07:00

The nodding gooseneck strife is very invasive. All the roots have to be removed to get rid of this plant. The only way to grow and enjoy it, is to keep it confined. For this use a large pail about 5 gallon size, drill one hole for drainage, sink into the soil. The rim of the pail has to be level with the ground. Fill the pail with soil and plant the gooseneck strife.

Latin Lysimachia clethroides.

How can I kill the gooseneck strife thats taken over my flower garden?
Do you mean purple loosestrife? It has to be pulled by hand, and you have to concentrate to get all the tiny roots. It will have to be done more than once.

Tell me how to keep my cats from going to the bathroom in my flower garden. thank you Lady?

2010-05-20T05:28:00.002-07:00

Add in a few chili pepper plants to your flower garden. Cats hate the scent and will avoid the area. chili pepper plants are also great just in the vibrance of color.

Tell me how to keep my cats from going to the bathroom in my flower garden. thank you Lady?
I have used gravel%26amp;sheet mulch/landscape fabric with much success. It's a little more work, but more effective than plainbark mulch (more costly and harder work as you have to spread it out in spring and rake/store gravel it in the late fall).

Also make sure to peg a cover over the garden with either sheet mulch or landscape fabric or cats and critters will dig / deposit.
Reply:kitty litter
Reply:Get a hungry dog.

What can i do to my flower garden? its really dead and it looks awful.any ideas?

2010-05-20T05:28:00.001-07:00

maybe its dead because you dont give it much time.......and you might not have time with u ....soo since its looking awful you can try to do this trick my friend does.....she puts fake flowers in the ground.... they stay great all year round and look fantastic...why dont you give it a try?

What can i do to my flower garden? its really dead and it looks awful.any ideas?
Start with your soil. Add compost or some commercial potting soil and spade or till it in . Mix it up pretty well.

Get some annual flowers that will do well in the area you are working in.. (sun or shade plants).

Sprinkle some slow release fertilizer (like osmocote) around the new plants.

Mulch 3" deep around the plants.

Pay a little attention to the garden from time to time. Deadheading flowers helps them keep blooming. Pulling weeds helps the flowers grow without competition.

Selecting the right plants will make a lot of difference. Talk to local garden center personnel. They'll steer you in the right direction.

Good Gardening!
Reply:Have some shrubby bedding plants that will give good foliage and stay around all season. Then when the annuals and the perennial flowers die back, it won't look like a wasteland. Good luck and have fun!
Reply:Try cactus i think are easier to maintain an can be just as pretty
Reply:If it's a flower garden, it was probably planted with annuals.

Dig all that old dead stuff up and trash it. Get you a lot of nice looking mulch and several flats of fancy flowers from the garden center. You will see on the tags if they are annuals or perennials,

Once they fade, be ruthless, pull them out and replace it with something else.

If you want a low-maintenance garden - repost your question
Reply:few bags of new mulch should do the trick.

get some cheap, bright flowers, such as impatiens, and put 'em in.
Reply:Here is a site that might help with your garden

http://www.miraclegro.com/

Can I plant plastic flowers in a garden?

2010-05-20T05:28:00.000-07:00

OK, i really want flowers outside but just cant take care of a flower/garden to save my life. can i plant fake ones? seriously. thanks

Can I plant plastic flowers in a garden?
Yes, but don't forget to water them!
Reply:we used to put silk daffodils in a couple of planters by the front door in the spring. then I used to plant real flowers for the summer. and in the winter we would put silk poinsettias in the same planters. worked for us. and it looked pretty!
Reply:Sure. I see people do. I think it's a silly thing to do and it looks very faky, but if you don't care, go ahead and plant it. It brighten your garden, at least.
Reply:Yes, you can put fake flowers in the ground. I have a tiny pet cemetary in a clearing in the woods behind my house. I have fake flowers on the two graves there. They last quite a while, and look good if you choose wisely. However, the sun will fade them after a few months.
Reply:I wouldn't do that--check with your local nursery about low maintenance flowers and shrubs. Because by the time you plant those plastic flowers, depending on where you live, you will have one of two things happen.

You'll either have agitated neighbors knocking at your door with a petition to have homeowners association fine you, or your new plastic glories will blend in nicely with your next door neighbor's pink flamingos.
Reply:You can, but you'd have to make sure you buy REAL looking flowers, I've seen way to many easily spotted fakes out there. But I do have a neighbor who hangs fake wisteria baskets %26amp; they are beautiful!! There is a fine line between nice %26amp; trailer trash! Good luck!
Reply:Well..I guess you can but that's not really planting. I suggest you go to a nursery and ask for flowers that require very little care.

shoes stock

How to install blocks for flower garden?

2010-05-20T05:27:00.003-07:00

I assume you are talking about the blocks for a retaining wall? I am in the process of doing that for a hillside garden. Check out the website a Lowes.com and look up patio blocks and pavers. They have a project calculator and full instructions as to installation.