The Garden Soil – Look After It If You Want To have A Garden In The Future!

It is generally accepted by historians and geologists that a number of once flourishing ancient civilizations in different parts of the world, declined and disappeared, as it became increasingly difficult to grow sufficient plants for food, clothing and industry. This is known to have occurred for example in parts of the Middle East, India and California. Over time, not only did the soils’ fertility decline, but they degenerated to the point where agricultural practice actually became impossible to sustain.

The culprit is believed to have been the ever increasing build up of salts in the soil, caused primarily by the practice of irrigation. The problem of rising soil salinity is liable therefore to become acute in any climate dry enough to require consistent and persistent irrigation. What happened in ancient Babylon, could and indeed will happen to you if common gardening tasks are carried out in a certain way.

Perhaps in 15 years time, some of your most treasured trees will start to show unusual signs of stress, while a number of years before, the flower beds declined. “Nothing grows in this bed anymore” is a common refrain. The soil, and therefore your garden could be saved however, if a holistic approach is adopted towards the soil, whereby the routine gardening tasks are performed not just to extract the most from the plants, but also to preserve, protect and develop the soil as well.

Why then is soil salinity a question of such paramount importance? The answer becomes apparent when the factors that determine a soil’s health are understood in chemical, physical and biological terms.

*From a chemical standpoint, certain mineral salts, including trace elements required by the plants like iron, are poisonous when found in high concentrations. Furthermore, in accordance with the laws of diffusion and osmosis, increasing salinity decreases the plant’s ability to take up water from the soil.

*Physically, the soil structure, that is the way the soil particles are arranged together, determines the amount of air available to the plants’ roots. The soil structure can of course be damaged mechanically, such as by the affects of heavy traffic on wet, clay soil, known as compaction. However, certain chemical reactions, most notably when high sodium percentages are present, also destroy a soil’s structure, and sodium percentages rise in accordance with the generally increasing salinity of the soil. Sodium soils are typified by “panned” layers which become impervious to the exchange of gasses and to water, meaning that they are soils chronically lacking in oxygen. They can take hundreds of years to recover.

*The soil’s biology that is the quantity and variety of living organisms present, affects both the chemical and physical aspects, and is also affected by them. The more earthworms existing in the soil for instance, the better its aeration, as the earthworms’ activities help to develop a healthy soil structure. While as the salinity increases the population of earthworms and other organisms declines. The extent and variety of life in the soil also has enormous implications as far as pests and disease are concerned. The more life, the more balance is created between the various organisms. In this way, the populations of potentially pathogenic organisms, whether they be insects, fungi or bacteria, are kept in check.

So what can we do to improve the soil? The answer as mentioned before lies in the way we carry out routine activities.

*Watering directly affects the salt concentrations in the soil. As irrigation water in dry climates is invariably saline in any case, it follows that each time we irrigate, we effectively add salts to the soil. If the irrigation schedule is based on small quantities applied frequently, then the salt concentrations will build up. It is necessary therefore, particularly in heavy, clay soils, to water infrequently, using large amounts each time. By so doing, excess salts are periodically leached out, leaving the winter rains to do the rest.

*Fertilizing of course entails the adding of mineral salts to the soil. Moreover, the regular application of chemical fertilizer, adversely affects the population of earthworms and other organisms. Thus although the plants may benefit at first from the ready supply of mineral nutrient, the long term implications for the health of the soil, are liable to be highly detrimental.

*The alternative to chemical fertilizers is the steady, consistent adding of organic matter to the soil, by way of compost or humus. Compost breaks down to release mineral salts slowly and in relatively small quantities. Except perhaps in the first year or so of a new garden, these quantities should be entirely adequate to supply the nutritional requirements of the plants. But the two principle benefits of compost are both related to the positive affects on the health of the soil. It directly increases the amount of oxygen available to the plants’ roots, by improving the soil’s structure, and by so doing improves the conditions for organisms like earthworms (which further in the development of good soil structure) and also provides them with the raw material necessary for their existence.

*The short term benefits of mulching, such as weed control, are well known. In the long term, an adequate mulch layer performs the vital function of protecting the top soil from rain and wind erosion.

Sculpture In The Mediterranean Garden – How To Have One For Next To No Money!

Works of art definitely have their place in the garden. A fine sculpture
often functions as the focal point in a composition. However one does not necessarily have to go to the expense of procuring a man-made artifact or alternatively, one outstanding piece of sculpture can be supported by other less dramatic objects. These “other objects” are plants that by virtue of their strong line and clear form, act as sculptural elements in the garden. These natural sculptures, if bought when small, do not have to cost much money, but are nonetheless a vital ingredient in the planting scheme, for in order to complete a garden composition, consideration should always be given to the choosing and careful placing of a sculptural plant or two. Here are some examples.

*Plumeria rubra, sometimes known as Frangipani , grows as a low open tree of outstanding form and shape in Mediterranean climates. It also has large attractive a highly fragrant flowers. Plumeria is suitable for frost free areas only.

*The common Guava, Psidium guajava contributes to a garden in a variety of ways. It has beautiful peeling bark, attractive flowers and of course decorative and tasty fruit. Its fine sculptural shape however, is often overlooked. For people who dislike the strong fragrance of the fruit, a dwarf variety growing to about 5 meters in Mediterranean climates, can be considered, as its fruit are odorless. The dwarf Guava is particularly outstanding in its sculptural qualities.

*The Strawberry tree, Arbutus unedo, is the subject of a recent article of mine. Click on the link below and then on the blog page for some information on this excellent species.

*Other examples would include Yucca, varieties of Dracaena, and grass like plants such as Phormium and Cyperus papyrus. Cacti are obviously plants possessing a clearly defined shape, and can definitely be termed sculptural. However, caution should be used as they rarely if ever combine well design wise, with other plants. Cacti are therefore best left as a special grouping in a separate part of the garden.

When choosing a garden tree, many people are distracted by considerations of flower color and edible fruit. These are of course important, but of far greater year-round significance is the shape and form of the tree. Careful thought should be given to its size, which should be appropriate in terms of scale to the plot as a whole. Due to the fact that the right tree in the right place can of itself constitute a major sculptural element, a couple of points should be remembered.

*A tree out of leaf will generally look more sculptural than when the same tree is in leaf. Therefore, while the majority of plant material in the garden should be evergreen, at least one deciduous tree should be planted.

*In order for the tree to realize its full sculptural potential, it should be given its proper space. Over-planting, quite apart from its other detrimental attributes, will detract from the sculpture, not enhance it.

Finally, interesting shapes can be attained by pruning up certain shrubs into mini trees. Examples that spring to mind are Pitanga, Eugenia uniflora Pittosporum tobira, Carissa macrocarpa, species of Vitex, and many more.

The Strawberry Tree And Other Great Slow Growing Plants

One of the great things about being a gardener is that you never stop learning. Walking round a local park recently, (I live and work in central Israel) I came across a splendid old Strawberry tree, Arbutus unedo, and immediately wondered why I had neglected to even consider it for the private gardens I build. The principle reason can probably be traced to a reluctance, exacerbated no doubt by commercial pressures, to include some slow growing plants in the garden design. This bowing to the demand for quick results at any cost, leads us, professional and home gardener alike, to frequently prefer unsuitable but fast growing species, to slow growing ones that would be the best choice for a given situation. What after all is more important - how the garden looks 3 months after being built, or how it looks and feels five years later?

The Strawberry tree from Southern Europe is an ideal specimen for a Mediterranean and mild winter garden. It is evergreen, growing slowly to about 8-9 meters. It has an interesting sculptural form, becoming twisted and gnarled in maturity, and a uniquely beautiful peeling bark, revealing a reddish-brown trunk. Arbutus is one of those rare plants where the fruit and flowers appear simultaneously. Both are decorative, although the fruit while edible is not to everyone’s taste!

There are in fact a number of advantages in growing slow growing trees over fast ones. The primary one being that they are much easier to shape and train in the early years than many rampantly growing trees. Slow growing plants are typical to dry climates, while fast growing ones typically grow in tropical and sub-tropical regions. Clearly as the scarcity or abundance of water is a major factor determining the rate of growth of a particular species, it follows that slow growing plants are generally more suited to a water conserving regime than fast growing plants. The pine is another example to take note of. In Israel the rapidly growing Aleppo pine, Pinus halepensis, was the preferred choice in both parks and forestation projects. Unfortunately, its susceptibility to pests and disease has made it a rather regrettable choice. Nowadays the slow growing Stone pine, P. pinea is being used to far better long term effect. Let’s not forget also the importance to a Mediterranean garden of the Olive tree and slow growing species of oak, as here one can see the correlation between slow growth and longevity.

With regards to landscape hedges, slow growing bushes like Carissa and Privet, are easier to keep in shape than those that grow rampantly like Bougainvillea or Clerodendron. Slower growth means less trimming, shearing and general maintenance. As for bushes and shrubs for use as informal hedges and screens, it can be a shame to give up on plants like Pittosporum, Myrtle, Pistacia and Nandina, just because they take a few years to fill in.

Garden Design – What Approach To Take When Designing Different Areas Of The Same Plot

A design problem common to all gardens, but particularly pertinent to small private ones, is what to do with the different areas that surround the house. This question invariably arises in suburban plots typified by a front and back garden separated by the house, and an entrance way between the two.

One option often employed, is to adopt the same formula in both the back and front gardens, such as a lawn surrounded by planting beds, with a fruit or shade tree placed here or there. Another approach is to design the separate areas entirely differently, thereby effectively creating two or more gardens for the plot.

An excellent way of testing the suitability of a design solution is to ask the question – “If I do this, does it conform to the six main principles of good design, namely, balance, scale, emphasis, simplicity, uniformity and variety?” The last two, uniformity and variety are the principles that most concern us here.

Where two or more sections of the plot follow essentially the same pattern, it could be said that there is uniformity. But what about variety? Although the different parts of the garden contain diverse elements within themselves, such as grass, flower beds, trees and shrubs, it can compared to going to a restaurant and choosing the same dish for both the first and main courses. Or like a band playing the same tune twice at a concert! In fact the garden as a whole would lack variety.

The opposite extreme would be to make each separate part of the plot entirely different from each other. A restrained, Japanese garden in the front, a lush tropical garden in the back, and a desert cactus garden in the entryway to the house. Instinctively, most people would balk at such an idea, but looking at it theoretically, we see it may be strong on variety, but because there is nothing in common between the three sections, the garden as a whole falls down when it comes to uniformity. Think about a concert where the first piece is performed by a heavy metal band, followed by Cliff Richard and concluded with a Beethoven string quartet! So here are some possible answers to the question.

*The visually separate parts of the garden conform to one particular style, such as Mediterranean or Oriental, but clear differences are nevertheless noticeable between them. This could be affected by a dominant color motif in one section, or a lawn planted in the back garden, while pebbles are spread in the front.

*Plants of similar habit and form are planted throughout the garden, while avoiding the use of exactly the same species in the different parts of the garden. The idea of “variation on a theme” answers simultaneously to both the demands of uniformity and variety.

*In cases where there are more than two distinct areas, then one of them could be set aside for specialist plants like cacti, while the other sections relate to each other in some way, as previously described. In such a circumstance, I think it’s very important to choose plants exclusively for the specialist garden, without including species from the other places.

*An area is set aside to fulfill a distinct functional role, such as a children’s play area, or a pottery workshop. By being so obviously distinct from the ornamental parts of the garden, the issues relating to design principles do not really arise.

Melaleuca – An Essential Plant For A Mediterranean And Dry Climate Garden

When it comes to choosing the ideal garden shrub, a Melaleuca has to be a primary candidate in a Mediterranean climate. Melaleucas are handsome in form, virtually pest and disease free, and while modest in their water requirements, they tend to grow qickly. They also associate well with many other water conserving plants.

The genus Melaleuca from Australia contains some 140 species mainly of large bushes but also includes some trees and low growing shrubs. There are a number of species and varieties that fulfill various design functions, but all are evergreen and typified by a fine, feathery texture. The large shrubs such as M.nesophila and M.armillaris are excellent as informal screens, while the green/gold foliage of M.bracteata, “Revolution Gold” supplies interesting color variation in a shrubbery.

Most shrub forms of Melaleuca can be easily grown as wide canopied low trees. In this way, the twisting shape of the branches and gnarled sight of the peeling bark, typical of many species, can be put to good effect. M.lanceolata for instance can make a highly picturesque emphasis and even focal point in the garden. A fine quick-growing tree is the Paperback Tree M.quinquenervia.

Low shrubs perform the very important role in a plant composition of visually filling up the space at the height range of about 50cm to 1 meter. Admittedly tall herbaceous perennials perform the same function, but they are generally a less permanent and reliable feature in the garden than a small bush. A wonderful example is “Green Dome, a cultivar of M.armillaris, which forms a lovely fluffy bright green cushion to about 75cm in height and 1meter in the width. It can be successfully combined with other low growing foliage shrubs such as the sensational Pittosporum, Wheeler’s Dwarf and Coprosma repens.

Melaleucas, by possessing a fine needle-like texture, associate well with coniferous plants such as Cypress and Junipers. They either add a subtle variation on a theme, or can act as a transition between a group of conifers and plants of somewhat different leaf texture. They do not look good in my opinion next to tropical and large leaved plants, but go well with the usual Mediterranean mainstays like Myrtle, Pomegranite and Olive, and make a good background to herb plants and shrubby perennials like Chrysanthemum frutescens.

In terms of care, they are easy to grow but do have a number of requirements worth taking note of. Melaleucas can tolerate poor soils but not waterlogged, non-aerated ones. Good drainage is essential, while plenty of organic matter improves soil aeration. They, like many other genera from Australia, dislike excessive fertilizer and can be particularly sensitive to phosphorous at high levels. It’s best therefore to feed organically with compost and to desist from chemical fertilizer altogether. Most are hardy to drought, wind and heat and are suitable usually, for mild winter climates only.

Mulch In The Garden – The Different Types And How To Use Them

There are many reasons for spreading a layer of pebbles or wood chippings on top of the soil around the garden plants, otherwise known as mulching. A mulch layer is said to retard weeds, regulate the top-soil temperature, save water by reducing evaporation from the soil and prevent soil erosion. All this is true in principle, but merely spreading some mulch does not necessarily produce satisfactory results. How then can it be used most effectively?

The use of an inorganic material like decorative pebbles, is often part of an overall design, especially in Mediterranean style gardens. They are best employed as a ground cover, with a few sculptural plants dotted within them. If the bed however is to be covered by plants, then pebbles from my experience, end up being more of a nuisance than a benefit, because they make plant feeding and weed removal amongst other tasks, more problematical.

Let’s take then a situation where a prostrate ground cover species is to be planted at a distance of one meter between the plants. The two principle advantages of spreading an organic mulch such as wood chippings between the plants, is that the soil conditions are actually improved, and the temperature of the top layers of the soil are regulated. This is of considerable significance in hot dry climates, where the temperature at the soils’ surface can reach 50c and more.

Mulching cannot be isolated from other gardening tasks such as feeding. An excellent way of overcoming the practical inconvenience of feeding the plants through an existing mulch layer, is to incorporate into the soil, massive quantities of compost before planting. If compost is dug in to the soil at a rate of 60 liters per square meter, then together with the wood chippings slowly adding humus to the soil as they break down, there should be little reason to feed for about 5 years! Added to the fact that with a mulch layer, there is no need to hoe and cultivate the top soil, a significant saving in labor can be achieved. One word of warning though. With such quantities only use compost that has been thoroughly broken down and is from a known and reliable source.

Despite its many benefits, it is important to recognize the limitations of mulching. To be effective in retarding weeds, organic mulches should be spread to a net depth of at least 10cm. As at least 5cm is liable to settle, the gross depth of material should therefore be some 15cm. This makes wood chippings a relatively expensive option. Mulches, while significantly reducing the germination rate amongst annual weed seeds, generally have little effect on perennial weeds. With regard to saving water, they are most suitable for drip irrigation, but much less so where sprinklers are used, as the mulch layer absorbs a considerable amount of the moisture dispersed by the sprinklers.

For further information on this topic, click on the link below, and then on the Articles page where the following, arranged alphabetically can be found:

* Preventing Weeds In A Winter Mediterranean Garden

*Five Excellent Reasons For Mulching Your Garden Beds

How An Attitude Of Gratitude Can Help You Get The Most From Your Garden

More and more people are aware today that the attitude we hold towards something we do, determines to a great extent the results that actually take shape. After over 20 years in horticulture, I can trace my own professional achievements and failings to my mind set at the time. I’ve also, by casual observation of many home gardeners, learned to see where certain attitudes lead and the effect they have on the garden. Without a doubt, a grateful, appreciative attitude tends to lead in time towards a harmonious, balanced garden, whereas the grumpy scowl of the permanently dissatisfied usually has the opposite effect.

*Patience is a typical characteristic of a grateful person. It is not possible to have a fine garden without it. Patience allows us to plant bushes at the correct distances from each other, while we wait a year or two for them to grow in. It means we will consider including some slow growing plants in the composition. Due to impatience, many excellent species are ignored in favor of entirely unsuitable ones. I remember an art lecture I attended once, when the speaker pointed out that the space between subjects in a painting is as crucial to the composition as the subjects themselves. Relaxed, patient people are more likely to appreciate this when looking at their plants, whereas the impatient tend to be irritated by “holes” in the garden, and are forever stuffing in more and more plants.

*A responsible attitude goes hand in hand with a grateful one. The most precious, irreplaceable item in a garden is the mature tree. No other garden element comes close in its power to move and inspire us. Just think of a great tree you once saw in a park, a wood or maybe one you grew up with. Is there a sculpture in the world that compares to its magnificence and grandeur? In a park or garden, the great tree you see, planted perhaps 150 years ago, stands there at least partly, because of the sense of responsibility amongst the generations of staff. Pruning was carried out meticulously. The workers could have been slovenly, brutal and lazy when removing limbs from the plant, but if they had, the tree would not be standing today, rot and decay having caused its early demise. The tree is our gift to future generations. Which mind set permits us to see that and be able to give and which attitude is liable to blind us?

*Self esteem is another quality related to gratitude. Those with a healthy attitude towards themselves are more self reliant and less dependent on the approval of others for their sense of well being. The syndrome of “the other man’s grass is always greener”, or of jealously wanting what the neighbor has, leads directly to the big spoiler of gardens – FASHION. Not appreciating what we have and always demanding more, pushes us in the direction of the latest “in” plant. But plants are not blouses and trousers which can be discarded at any time. An ill-advised choice of tree, prompted by the need to be fashionable, can ruin a garden, while some spectacular flowering plant, recently introduced by a local garden center, could turn out to be a dangerously invasive weed.

*An attitude of gratitude makes us see the garden as a place of opportunity. It probably has greater potential than is at first realized. An ordinary bush can be limbed up into a small, sculptural tree, or you suddenly notice that the dappled shade from a shrub forms an interesting silhouette on the wall. Ralph Waldo Emerson is quoted as saying; “The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miraculous in the common”. All this does not mean that there can be no room for some dissatisfaction. Things can always be improved and upgraded. However a critical eye and a desire to get more from the garden, should preferably be coupled with the humble recognition that to own a garden is an incredible privilege, one we should be deeply grateful for.

Ornamental Grasses – Their Place In A Dry Climate Garden

The use of grasses and grass-like plants in garden design is well established throughout the world. As they can solve a variety of design issues they are to be found in many different types of garden. While not specific then to dry climate gardens, ornamental grasses nonetheless provide the dry climate gardener with a number of exciting design options. These can be summed up as follows.

*Whether very low growing or billowing to 2 meters in height, they provide a sense of movement in the garden and a very definite vertical accent.

*By virtue of their feathery growth habit, a very clear texture is created in the garden composition, allowing ornamental grasses to function amongst broad-leaved plants as an emphasis element, or as a transitional element between fine textured plants, and courser textured ones. When placed amongst fine textured ornamentals which are not grass like, a subtle variation on the theme of delicate texture is created. In this way, two principles of good design are addressed – namely unity on the one hand (feathery texture) and variety (grasses and broadleaved plants) on the other.

*In dry climate regions where water is at a premium a few grasses can be dispersed in a bed of ornamental pebbles or wood chippings. With the addition of some stepping stones, such a configuration could replace a thirsty lawn and be aesthetically pleasing at the same time.

*They associate excellently with narrow leaved plants of outstanding sculptural value such as Yucca, Nolina, Dracaena, Phormium and Dietes. Therefore grasses of varying heights and shades can be massed to form the basis of a composition, playing a supporting role to a few special plants which function as emphasis elements. As the mass of grasses share a common leaf shape with the sculptural plants, the criteria of both unity and variety are again satisfied.

As previously mentioned, different species of decorative grasses vary greatly in terms of size and color. Here are a number of examples.

*The Pampas grass, Cortaderia selloana is suitable for large scale situations only. The real beauty is in the massive plumes that billow spectacularly from the foliage. The leaves of Pampas grass are serrated along their entire length, making the plant potentially dangerous. It should never be planted close to paths and entrances. A safe alternative to the Pampas grass could be the giant sedge, Cyperus papyrus

*Fountain Grass, Pennisetum setaceum grows to almost 2 meters, and also sports beautiful flower plumes. The main drawback is its tendency to disperse seed profusely, thereby becoming a noxious weed in certain circumstances. The purple leaved variety of the same species, ‘Rubrum’, does not seed itself and its foliage color is magnificent providing the plant is not over-used. It needs to be cut to the ground a couple of time a year and sometimes degenerates after a few years, but can nevertheless make a stunning contribution to the design. P.s.’Rubrum’ covers about a meter in width, and therefore tends to smother neighboring flowers in an herbaceous border.

*Of similar size and habit is the Silver grass, Miscanthus sinensis. A number of varieties of the species have been developed, the most famous being the elegant M.s. ‘Gracilimus’.

*There are a large number of low growing grass-like plants to choose from which are suitable in a herbaceous flower border, and indeed “hold” the bed for the period of time when annuals have to be replaced, or perennials cut down and rejuvenated. Examples are Liriope, Ophiopogon, the ever dependable Festuca, and various species of the sedge, Carex. Care should be taken though in choosing species that do not spread vegetatively and become a weedy pest. Some 5 years ago I added the cute and delicate Bulbous Oat Grass, Arrhenatherum elatius bulbosum to a flower bed, only for it to totally take over the border. It looked very nice, but my customer had enjoyed her flower color and so we had to spray the grasses to eliminate them before replanting the border. You have been warned!

Garden Design – The Role Of Emphasis Plants In Creating A Composition

The principles of good design by being universal rules, apply in any and every situation where different objects are put together to make an aesthetic impression. This is the case whether one is writing a novel, composing a symphony, choosing an outfit for a social event, or creating an ornamental garden. Design principles are commonly and mistakenly confused with personal taste or style. Personal taste, legitimate as it may be, is subjective. Good or bad do not come into it. On the other hand, mistakes or achievements in design occur when the rules are either disobeyed or adhered to. Design principles are therefore objective. There are six main elements of design – unity, diversity, simplicity, balance, scale and emphasis. This article focuses on the last of these elements – emphasis.

Think of a person who talks in a monotone or a piece of music where the tempo never changes. These are two cases where emphasis is lacking. Emphasis has to be present in a garden for exactly the same reason and it can take various forms. It can be powerful, such as in the case of a strong contrast, or gentle and subtle, such as where a group of low growing grasses emerge from a mass of prostrate ground covers. Indeed it’s important to distinguish between the different anatomical and morphological features of different species, because emphasis is achieved by a plant whose color, size, form, shape or leaf texture contrasts with the other plants. In order to succeed in the use of emphasis plants, a couple of points should be borne in mind.

*An emphasis plant can differ in some of its characteristics such as size and shape from the rest of the plants in the group, but not in all of them. So if the contrasting plant has exceptional foliage color for instance, it should be similar to the main body of the plants in such attributes as size, form or leaf texture. In fact the less attributes in which the emphasis plant is different, the stronger the contrast is likely to be.

*Emphasis plants should be used as sparingly as possible. Actually, any of the elements of design only work when applied in conjunction with the other elements. A contrast is achieved on condition that there is a unified mass against which to make a contrast in the first place!

While color contrast, whether created by flowers, fruit or foliage, is an obvious factor determining the emphasis potential of a particular plant, I’ll give a few examples of plants whose shape and form make them ideal candidates for this role. The list is limited to species suitable for dry, Mediterranean climates.

Plumeria rubra: A beautiful sculptural plant from tropical America. In tropical climates it grows into a medium sized tree, but the summer dryness and relative chill of a Mediterranean winter stunts its growth to 3 or 4 meters. While it should be primarily grown for its form and shape, the Plumeria also has attractive and fragrant flowers. It is unsuited to areas where the winter temperatures drop below -2 or-3 c.

Yucca sp.: The classic sculptural plant for a dry climate garden. The problem is its spiky leaves that can be very dangerous, and therefore it should be planted well away from paths and entrances.

Nandina domestica, is an evergreen shrub from Japan and China. Sometimes known as Heavenly bamboo for its delicate texture and upright form, it makes for a gentle contrast with small foliage bushes like Pittosporum “Wheelers Dwarf” and Coprosma repens. In cold winter areas, the foliage turns reddish brown. While its white flowers are not particularly showy, the red berries that follow in the autumn are highly ornamental.

Ornamental Grasses: This term includes real grasses, that is plants belonging to the family Poaceae, (Graminae) and plants from other botanical families that have a grass like habit. Examples of the latter include Phormium tenax (sensitive to over-watering) Dietes bi-color and various varieties of Liriope and Ophiopogon. It is the feathery growth habit, and sword-like leaves that make grass like plants excellent material for contrast and emphasis.

Iron As a Plant Nutrient – In What Circumstances Should Iron Fertilizer Be Used?

I was recently asked to give a consultation on the state of the plants in a private garden. I live and garden in central Israel, which has a typical Mediterranean climate, similar to places like southern California, south west Australia, and central Chile. I was inspecting the plants together with the home owner, and while looking at a citrus tree, the lady suddenly said, "Oh and please show me how to apply iron fertilizer – I'm not very happy about having to use it every two weeks or so". She had apparently been "advised" by a neighbor's gardener that the fruit trees should be so treated during the growing season. I looked again at the tree and what I saw were lovely dark green healthy leaves and plenty of decent looking fruit hanging on the branches. Her remark typifies to some extent, some of the misconceptions common amongst home gardeners on the important subject of plant nutrition.

Iron is one of the twelve minerals essential to plant growth and development. It is a micro-element, meaning that the plant needs it in relatively small quantities, as opposed to the macro-elements, Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium, which are required and consumed in larger amounts. Iron is rarely absent from soils, at least in dry climates, but a high soil pH, meaning alkaline conditions, prevent it dissolving in the soil water, thereby rendering it unavailable to the plants' roots. The clearest sign of iron deficiency (a condition known as chlorosis) is leaves whose blades are yellow, but whose veins are green. If however, the leaves are perfectly green, the indication is that iron is definitely not lacking. Applying iron fertilizer when it is not needed is not simply unnecessary, but liable to be damaging as well, since excessive micro-elements in the soil water can actually be toxic to plants.

Significant iron deficiency will seriously retard the plants, but the idea that fertilizer should be added to the soil in order to pre-empt the possibility of chlorosis, is utterly false. Iron fertilizer should never be applied unless there are definite signs of chlorosis. This often occurs when building rubble has been buried in the soil, or when plants are close to a wall, and the lime in the cement residues raises the pH to levels where minerals crystallize and cannot dissolve. In general, the best way of securing soil conditions whereby the micro-elements are readily available to the plants, is to periodically add compost or humus to the soil, as this regulates the pH towards neutral. (Neither too acidic nor too alkaline)