Perennials - Perennials should be cut back after blooming and reset this month (October). Perennials set now will be established and ready to grow in the spring. Some of the biennials tend to become perennials in our gardens, and occasionally a half-hardy annual lives on and on.

If you have not yet cleaned up all litter or garden trash, be sure it is done this fall. Do not provide a winter home for insect pests.

Chrysanthemums - October is the month of heaviest bloom for this queen of fall flowers. The most important thing to remember is to provide plenty of water for them. They are heavy feeders (which should have been taken care of in September) and heavy drinkers. Visit the fall shows and gardens of chrysanthemums and write down names of varieties you like and try them another year. The fall shows are wonderful places to see the best in the seasonal flowers. Keep a close check on the weather, and before killing frost lift clumps of chrysanthemums and put in the garage or basement for continued bloom. A few may even be potted and kept in the house. An additional month of flowers may be had in this way.

Soil Preparation - In open spaces in the garden, dig the soil deep, adding a little complete fertilizer. Or plant some type of cover crop and turn it under for a green manure. Soil preparation can go on all year in a garden. Just turning the soil will keep it in good tilth.

Miscellaneous - Take cuttings of herbaceous plants like the donkey ears plant and root them for next year’s garden. Many gardeners carry over plants of all kinds like the donkey ears plant simply as rooted cuttings taken during October. The cutting wood should be firm and seasoned, and not soft and succulent, for best results. Plant pansy seeds for transplanting next month. Pansies are the chief source of bloom in many winter gardens. Continue planting the garden lilies started last month.

Visit the countryside and gather seed pods, weeds and flowers for drying. Many interesting materials are available for winter bouquets, and October is the month for collecting and drying them. Divide and replant peonies, or plant new ones, this month.

We’ve created an outstanding resource for you on donkey ears plant. Visit us at http://www.plant-care.com/kalanchoe-donkey-ears-i809.html. Don’t reprint this exact article.

A yard full of delphiniums! How does that prospect strike you? I tried such a scheme 10 years on in my city lot, with only a 43-foot frontage, grew so many I literally sent a truckload of them to a trade show for decoration and still had so many left that it was almost impossible to tell any had been cut.

At first I thought my “yard full of delphiniums” idea was going to be a flop. The seedlings came along well enough and plants looked promising. But, by the first of June that year no more than a dozen had flowered. Then I went away for a week.

When I came back, I was flabbergasted. The yard had been transformed. I sat in the car and feasted my eyes on the most gorgeous sight I had even seen row upon row of magnificent bloom. Stalks were 4 to 6 feet high, some as tall as 7 feet, with 36 to 54 inches of bloom. There were blues, purples, mauves, lavenders, whites and bi-colors of every description.

I got out of my car and inspected them in detail. They were so brilliant that people passing by stopped and asked to come in to see them. Next to getting good stock, the important thing is care of it. My garden was thoroughly prepared for the seedlings as they came along. It was spaded and both compost and well rotted cow manure were put in.

Here is where you go to town on fertilizers It doesn’t matter what your soil is - loam, clay or sand - throw away the books and put in all the compost and manure your pocketbook will stand.

Mine was heavy clay soil. I trenched the bed two spades deep, put compost and manure in the trench and covered it with the next spade row of soil. Then, I raked it level and planted the delphiniums 18 inches apart in rows 2 feet apart.

Planting

To set the begonia plants and delphinium plants out, I opened up a hole by taking out a shovelful of topsoil. I next put in a 2-1/4-inch potful of some complete fertilizer such as Vigoro plus another 2-1/4-inch potful of bone meal and mixed this with the soil. Then I put the soil back and opened up a smaller hole for the seedling. Being careful not to break the root ball, I inserted the seedling in the hole and firmed the earth around it with my fingers. Each growing tip or crown was at soil level. Each newly set row of begonia plants and delphinium plants was thoroughly watered.

From then on, it was just ordinary garden culture. I watered when necessary and always in the morning so that foliage would be dry at night. This discourages mildew. I kept weeds hoed out by shallow cultivation. Since I had been careful in properly preparing the soil and planting, little additional care was necessary from then on.

There are a lot of reasons why so many folks enjoy gardening in a portable greenhouse. The same benefits can be had as you would enjoy from conventional gardening outside. However there are a few significant differences and advantages.

Greenhouse gardening has some important differences from planting an outdoor garden. Controlling the temperature is an important consideration in a portable greenhouse. It’s also important to properly care for your plants. There is no rain in a greenhouse. Therefore, you have to make sure your plants get the suitable amount of water for their survival.

In a portable greenhouse you can enjoy gardening whether it is cold outside or not. A greenhouse makes a great place to store your plants during the winter months . Throughout the winter, you can plant seeds and watch them grow into seedlings that can be planted in the ground come the spring. If you have a greenhouse, you will be able to have the pleasure of enjoying fresh flowers and vegetables all winter long.

It’s not just vegetables that make greenhouse gardening a great pastime. It is also perfect for ornamental plants and flowers. A portable greenhouse is just what you need to over-winter plants that will give your outdoor garden a head start the following spring. They are able to protect the plants from exposure to strong winds, rain and other elements. Seedlings should be sheltered from the outdoor elements, and a greenhouse is ideal for providing that protection.

Other reasons for a portable greenhouse include having a continuous supply of plants for every season. It’s a great chance to try out new species of plants that you might not otherwise consider. Greenhouse gardening allows you to tend your plants without any concerns about the elements that may beat down on them. The controlled atmosphere and climate in a greenhouse makes it perfect for fragile plants not accustomed to cold weather.

It’s important that you place your portable greenhouse in a suitable location. One of the keys to successful gardening in a greenhouse is having the right sun exposure. This is critical to the well being of the plants you are planning to grow. Also keep in mind any buildings and trees that are situated close to the greenhouse. Do they create a shadow over your greenhouse? Will the trees grow so tall that they will cut off the light?

Ventilation is a requirement to lessen overheating that sun exposure might generate in the greenhouse. You should place a thermometer in a shaded area within the greenhouse. Then you must constantly monitor the temperature, especially during warm days. You may need to ventilate the greenhouse when necessary to avoid wilting of your plants due to excessive heat.

Greenhouse gardening is not only productive, it is also relaxing. Gardening has been shown to help ease stress and improve health. You’ll also reap the rewards of a bountiful harvest, whether it’s beautiful plants and flowers or tasty, nutritious vegetables.

Far too few people realize the significance of the role that farm fertilizer plays in our economy and our existence. Our economy has become so reliant on foreign sources (nearly every American home has an item in it with “MADE IN CHINA” or “SRI LANKA” printed on the backside) that our average citizen’s welfare is in jeopardy. It wouldn’t be practical for our main source of grain and produce to come from another country. This makes farm fertilizer a vital commodity.

Farm fertilizer ensures high yields and a high quality product, and fish emulsion has served this purpose for centuries, never letting the farmer down and always delivering exemplary results.

Fish emulsion has proven itself to be the best farm fertilizer to use. Our farms supply us with the basics we need for survival. Our farms have no choice but to produce a healthy harvest to supply our country with what we need to stay alive. Our suffering economy has been losing jobs and we can’t afford to outsource our food production. We shouldn’t trust our food to anyone else anyway. The farmer’s career is secure as long as fish emulsion is in the equation.

No one can argue that fish emulsion isn’t an exceptional farm fertilizer. Environmentally friendly, chemical free fish emulsion doesn’t harm a thing, unlike those overused synthetic fertilizers. Collectively, we’ve become more health-conscious, trying to erase the years of abuse that we’ve done to our bodies by eating chemically tainted foods. Our unhealthy lifestyles have even created “weight-loss game shows”. We don’t diet anymore, we change the way we eat.

Fish emulsion has also helped the farmer’s pocket book out. When you legitimately sell a 100% organic product, you can demand a higher price and people will pay it, simply because they want only the best to put in their bodies and to feed their families. Everyone benefits when fish emulsion is used for farm fertilizer.

Organic farm fertilizer ensures the safety of the farmer’s final product and can greatly increase profits. It’s a win win situation for all involved. The consumer eats healthy, meaning less trips to the doctor in the long run as health will be better overall for those who eat healthy. (Who really likes paying to go to the doctor, or being sick?) The farmer has peace of mind knowing that he/she is growing the best product possible. Plus they’ll have a few extra bucks, since using fish emulsion for fertilizer will not only demand a higher price, but will deliver a higher yield. Eventually, those higher yields will let the farmer bring the price down, allowing everyone the opportunity to eat healthy.

If we were meant to use chemicals to grow our food, then Mother Nature would have given us chemical mines. So it only makes sense to use what nature intended what Native Americans relied on to keep their population alive. Why use chemicals?

It makes cents and sense to go organic. Cost and safety are both important issues when it comes to farm fertilizer. Synthetic fertilizers are a thing of the past and if you aren’t using fish emulsion on your crops now, then maybe it’s time to switch. The amount of fertilizer it takes to maintain hundreds of acres just multiplies your benefits that much more. Simple math.

The best part of it all is that it harms no one and helps everyone! Using organic farm fertilizer will let our planet still have a leg to stand on when it comes to survival. You can’t go wrong when you grow organic. When we keep our farms producing amazing amounts of food, our precious fuel for our bodies we keep our food industry jobs in our country. The next time you’re faced with the dilemma of what kind of farm fertilizer to buy, don’t let it be a dilemma. Go organic!

In the beginning there were no roses, just the house set among oaks on a sloping hill. They were not interested in landscaping but something had to be done. So the couple called in an energetic nurseryman who planted the grounds with honeysuckle, Bridalwreath, lilacs, spirea and evergreens. In a few years his plants far outgrew their allotted space and the grounds were no more pleasant than before.

About this time the oak trees succumbed to a disease, one by one, and had to be removed. As if to save the situation, fate, disguised as an Etoile de Hollande rose flourishing in the shrubbery border, stepped in and inoculated the couple with a rose-growing virus.

Never since has Etoile de Hollande bloomed so luxuriantly, but no matter. The rose was responsible for the slowly rising fever that caused this husband wife teem to get eight more roses.

Despite neglect, the plants thrived. Maybe fate made them beautiful to inspire but more likely, it was good soil balance, lack of cultivation and a “green growing mulch” of portulaca or “moss roses” Which had crept into the bed.

Not much later fate took full charge. A broken arm in the fall and during the slow months it was mending, all the books in the house had been read and the only thing left was seed and flower catalogues.

The picture of roses brought the old fever back and now there was nothing to interfere with its course. Not even the persistent considering of golf as the only worthwhile diversion but the arm would not allow any play.

Due to the early training under a wonderful mother who loved growing things, the man of the house felt quite at home in this new world and as his vision broadened, he realized how easily a rose bed could replace a golf green.

Right off he knew growing roses on flat ground was as challenging as desert landscaping. It was a tame adventure compared to the thrill of hillside landscaping to develop really good ones on a hillside, such as his.

The property, on a slope facing south, was 168 feet long, 85 feet wide and rises approximately 50 feet above the street. The land climbs in a series of terraces from street to level ground and the house. The ascent continued, in smaller terraces behind the house, to level ground and the garage. It rises again to the rear lot line.

Such terrain is unconventional and presents obstacles. Some imagination, a strong determination-. to have lots of A bright roses and a free expression of our creative powers were needed to develop it.

Beauty and Utility

The highly decorative flowering crabapples are choice trees for the purpose in attracting flying wildlife. Those with the smaller fruits seem to be more favored by the birds. First to be eaten will be the abundant, beautiful scarlet fruits of the Sargent Crabapple (Malus sargenti), lowest growing of the family (up to 8 feet) but wide spreading. By winter the fruits of Malus floribunda will be taken, while those on Malus seiboldi will provide late-winter food.

The European Mountain Ash (Sorbus aucuparia), or Rowan Tree as it is known abroad, produces spectacular clusters of orange fruits that are as delectable to Waxwings, Robins, and other birds, as the foliage, unfortunately, is to Japanese beetles. The native Mountain Ash (S. americana) is equally interesting to the birds but poorer in form and more difficult to purchase.

The hawthorns, too, are widely used ornamentals which produce abundant, colorful food. English Hawthorn (Crataegus oxyacantha) is perhaps the best of half a dozen fine bird-attracting varieties. Cockspur Thorn (C. crus-galli), Washington Hawthorn (C. phaenopyrum), and Arnold Hawthorn (C. arnoldiana) are among the most widely planted for this purpose. All of these hawthorns require full sun, and well-drained soil.

Popular Dogwoods

Popular with man and bird alike is the lovely Flowering Dogwood, whose showy red fruits are eaten by no less than 93 species.

Of the shrub Dogwoods, we have found that the migrating Thrushes prefer the blue berries of the Silky Cornel (Cornus amomum). Generally they are all eaten by mid-October. Gray Dogwood (C. paniculata) and Redosier (C. stolonifera) also give excellent results.

Evergreens like the aglaonema chinese evergreen add much to the gardens year round beauty and to its success in attracting birds. Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) is among the best. Unfortunately it is an alternate host for the cedar-apple rust and should not be planted in the vicinity of apple orchards. Elsewhere it serves a triple purpose: excellent cover, fine nesting sites, and choice winter food. The blue-gray fruits are eaten by more than a score of birds. Both staminate and pistillate trees must be present to produce fruit. This is also necessary to produce berries on the showy American Holly (llex opaca), and Black Alder or Winterberry (I. verticillata), both favorites of many birds. Ordinarily, the latter holds its fruits into mid-winter, as its name suggests. This past year, though, we watched flocks of Robins and Bluebirds completely strip several heavily laden bushes by early November, though the majority of the plants such as chinese evergreen were untouched until later.

For planting around the trees, the suburban gardener has a wide choice of shrubs, with barberries, blackberries and raspberries, blueberries and huckleberries, buckthorns, chokeberries, cotoneasters, dogwoods, honeysuckles, and viburnums all highly recommended.

Common Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) and Alder-Buckthorn (R. frangula) reach a height of 15 to 18 feet, and are considered by some authorities to be the most effective of all shrubs in attracting birds. Buckthorn is not recommended, however, in areas where oats are grown because it harbors oat rust.

Perhaps the most popular plants, in the gardeners estimation, are the viburnums. The majority of them are noted for their brightly colored fruits, either at maturity or at some time during ripening. Some are notable, too, for their blossoms or their fall foliage, or both.

Most widely planted is the vigorous growing European Cranberrybush (V. opulus) which closely resembles the native High-bush Cranberry (V. trilobum). Unfortunately, its brilliant red fruits are much tarter than those of V. trilobum which are used in making preserves. The birds evidently find the berries unpalatable until they have frozen and thawed a number of times. In late winter they are greedily eaten, by flocks of wandering Waxwings and by Robins and Bluebirds migrating northward.

Because Aloe plants are made up of 95% water, they are really frost sensitive. If they are grown outdoors in temperate climates, they ought to stay planted in extensive sun, or else light shade. The dirt they are grown in should be moderately fertile, and fast draining. Established plants will endure a lack of water quite well, but for the gain of the plant, H2O ought to be provided.

Because of their reputation, Aloe vera plants are obtainable at nearly all garden shop or garden centers. Unless you reside in an area with an extremely balmy environment, it’s best to leave your Aloe plant in the pot and position it close to a window that gets a lot of sun. You can move the pot to the open air during the summer months.

Aloe vera is a succulent, and as such, retains a considerable amount of water within its foliage and root system. At some stage in the winter months, the plant will become dormant, as a consequence will require very little moisture.

During this cycle watering must be negligible. Let the potmix become totally dry before giving the plant a mug or two of h2o. Throughout the summer months, the soil should be entirely soaked, but then be allowed to dehydrate again before re-watering.

When it comes time to re-pot your Aloes be mindful that that they have a shallow, spreading root structure so select a wide planter, rather than a deep-seated one. Using a planter with a drainage opening, or you will need to lay a 1-2 inch tier of gravel inside the base of the planter to make sure there is adequate drainage.

Utilize a first-class commercial potting blend with extra perlite, granite grit, or coarse sand added. You may possibly also use a packaged ‘cacti mixture’ soil. Fertilize once a year, in the spring with a dilute (half potency), bloom type fertilizer (10-40-10).

Aloes are propagated by re-potting the pups which are formed at the base of older plants, when they are a couple inches tall (or higher). They may also be grown from Aloe seeds.

The Aloe plant has many healing properties, however, I can only talk from my individual experiences. I always make sure I have an Aloe plant witin easy reach of the kitchen. I do this mostly for helping with minor burns. I know if I apply Aloe immediately to my burn with newly picked gel it removes any pain almost immediately. Any subsequent blistering is also kept to a minimum.

I also found Aloe Gel successfully reduced itching from stings, bites in addition to a variety of ’stinging’ flora, such as poison ivy. It is also excellent for the same problems, when they are encountered by your family pet.

To benefit from it medicinally, merely detach a lower leaf from the plant, cut it open and apply the gel to the affected area.

You have spent thousands of greenbacks and numerous hours making your backyard your own retreat. The two-story deck is finally finished, the bulbs of your flowers are beginning to bloom and you’re ready to drag out the terrace chairs and enjoy a nice cold iced tea. It would be wonderful if this scenario was flawless, but mostly it’s realistically not going to happen. Why, you ask? The straightforward answer is pests - and heaps of them.

If you do not take sensible precautions for preventing pests from entering your yard, you might be enrolling for years of mosquito Problems, ant farms, wasp nests and more. Luckily we have tips for preventing these sorts of insects from ever entering your garden.

* Nets. While mosquito nets aren’t always the most attractive yard accessories one could select, they are the most effective. If you do not want mosquitoes, wasps etc . To enter your garden then think about adding a net.

* Spearmint, Southern Wood, Tansy. Growing plants like spearmint, southern wood and tansy will help prevent insects like ants from infecting your garden and terrace area. If you already have an ant problem, consider splashing vinegar in random areas of your yard to help eliminate the problem.

* Mashed Potato Powder. We know that this appears highly weird, but if you want to make sure your garden does not get infected with rodents ( particularly mice ), we suggest you throw down some mashed potato powder and place two bowls of water in the surrounding area. Proven useful in junking mice, the small creatures can’t help but luxuriate in a break but the powder is so dry the mice end up drinking the complete bowls of water, ultimately leading to fatal distension.

* Citronella Candles and Bug Zappers. Citronella candles and bug zappers are the most standard forms of preventing and eliminating pests. While they don’t always stop insects from entering the area, they do kill them just about right away - finally stopping them from procreating in your yard. Citronella candles and bug zappers can be found at any local ironmongery shop and cost less than $20.

We are hoping our outdoor tips on pest control have helped. Now you’re one step nearer to a pest-free home!

Roses are beautiful flowers but they require a lot of care. Especially when it comes to uprooting them and transferring them to a new place. You simply do not pull them out of the ground and go. This guide will teach you the proper way to do that so that your blooms maintain their beauty.

You want to fix up your new place making sure it is the appropriate site for your flowers. It is also a good idea to surround the roots of the plant with a wet cloth so as to keep it hydrated even when you are moving the plant under the scorching heat.

Lots of H2O is also essential especially on the eve of the transfer. This will keep the plant intact and will have a better chance of surviving the entire process.

Most likely you are going to lose some of the roots from transplanting the plant. The roots of a rose plant grow very deep into the soil past the point of a reasonable amount of soil that can be removed. But, with enough water absorbed by the rest of the plant, your roses have a greater chance of survival. When digging the plant out, take as much of the root ball as you can handle.

It is not necessary to prune healthy plant growth from the top structure in order for the plant to survive. The growth of the plant is important in the production of sugars. It only hurts the plant to cut its growth away. After the transplant if the plant starts to wilt at its tips it’s a sign that it is having trouble supporting its top structure. If this happens increase the amount that you water it and you can prune any tips that do not recover.

You should also line the new hole with compost such as bone meal and place it at an angle a bit more elevated than the old. It is okay for the bud union to be around two inches higher than the soil. Do not forget to remove the pockets of air on the soil after the entire relocation process.This can be done by patting the soil.

Most rose enthusiasts would agree not transplant roses in the growing season for several reasons. It is easier to transplant the roses while they are dormant because there is less of a risk of them going into shock since they are not growing. Plus, right after the annual pruning the plant will be smaller and easier to move around. But, with proper preparation and a lot of water, anyone can follow the steps listed here and anyone can have beautiful, flourishing roses after a transplant during any season.

Backyard landscaping is all about making your surroundings look better. When you do it right, it can almost become a science of planting, growing, constructing, and sculpting the area to look its best. All the elements need to be taken into consideration such as climate, presence or lack of wind, lighting, and overall weather conditions to beautify the areas around your house.

The soil that is in your backyard or garden along with the climate will have an impact on what types of plants and flowers you should use. You might also find out what kinds of pests might be a problem and what you will have to do to fertilize and keep everything pest free and growing. Once you have considered these things you will then be able to start putting together a plan of what you want things to look like.

Designing a garden will allow you to pick from a wide spectrum of colors, shapes and sizes of plants and flowers. There are plants that have purple, yellow, blue, pink, and red colors and of course there are also vines and shrubs that have all sorts of looks. You will also need to decide whither you want your trees and plants to be evergreens where they always stay green or whether you want ones that lose their leave at winter time.

Plants and trees can be chosen for functionality as well as looks. Big shrubs and trees can help shade a house from the sun during the summer and hedges can be grown that serve to provide privacy. Natural walls built of plants and shrubs always seems to look better than a wood fence that will grow old and worn looking over time.

For the landscaping of a backyard, on the other hand, other ideas come into play. The more practical use of space is to be considered in a backyard. Front yards are usually for aesthetics and for show. Backyards are living spaces. In a household with children, the backyard could be landscaped as a mini playground for young kids. A house with no kids and plenty of backyard space might consider a wading pool for a cooler house atmosphere. A young couple as homeowners might want an entertaining area for the occasional get-together with friends and family. A busy homemaker might want an herb or vegetable garden in lieu of the flowering plants.