Junipers In Mediterranean Gardens – Design Issues to Consider

The number of different types and forms of Juniper make it ideal to form the backbone of a Mediterranean and arid climate garden design. For in general, when a number of types of the same plant are used together, two principles of good design are addressed – namely the need for unity on the one hand, and variety on the other.

Junipers come in every shape, form, size and even shade imaginable. There are Juniper trees, large shrubs for screening, sprawling low growing bushes and ground hugging varieties. These last, cannot be seen as an alternative to a lawn in the functional sense, - it’s not possible to walk on juniper ground covers – but visually, they do provide for an open, unified and fairly neat ground plane. With regard to color, many different shades of green, gold, bluish green and silver grey are available.

Junipers are evergreen conifers, and therefore associate well with other coniferous plants. The more sculptural types like “Kaizuka” or “Skyrocket” can support the strong vertical emphasis of a Cypress tree for instance, or a mass of shrubs like “Mint Julep” or “Gold Coast” would go well with a pine tree. Again it should be emphasized that both unity and variety, or similarity and difference, are being addressed.

In a dry climate garden composition, Junipers can also be successfully mixed with a number of non conifers. The leaf texture of Melaleuca shrubs is very similar to the Juniper’s, while the purple leaved Barberry, (Berberis thungergii) combines better with them than most shrubs of such foliage color. Another suitable combination involves a carpet of ice plant (Lampranthus spectabilis) surrounded by Juniper shrubs.

In oriental style gardens, sculptural Junipers can be highly effective if used judiciously and with restraint. They go very well for example with Nandina domestica and the various species of Bamboo. A group of Junipers can also be useful as transition plants linking parts of the garden where differing styles prevail, such as a Mediterranean section and an Oriental one.

Stability is one of the great contributions that coniferous evergreens in general and Junipers in particular provide to a garden. Yet that is their drawback as well, because the other side of the stability coin is a lack of seasonal change. A garden composed entirely of evergreen trees and shrubs is essentially static in nature. However one may like Junipers, (although they are not to everyone’s taste) the value of including some deciduous plants in the garden composition should not be overlooked either.

Ground Cover Plants – When Where And How To Grow them Most Effectively

The need to find plants that can be grown consuming modest amounts of water is becoming increasingly urgent for gardeners in dry climates and not so dry ones as well. As lawns are known as the chief water guzzlers in a garden, ground cover plants are often considered as an alternative to them. However, in order to achieve the best results and avoid disappointment, it’s necessary not only to choose the right species for any given location, but also to be clear in which circumstances they can be planted as a viable alternative to grass, and when not.

Ground cover plants can never take the place of a lawn as far as use is concerned. Whether a certain area is planned for playing, hosting family picnics, or whatever, there is no known low-growing plant that is able to take traffic like a lawn.

It should also be remembered that grass, in addition to its many functional purposes, has a specific aesthetic role to play in the overall garden design. Trees and shrubs are looked on in architectural terms, as “walls and ceilings,” and the lawn on the other hand as the open space or the “floor” of the garden. While there is no shortage of low growing plants that allow for an open view, it is an illusion to believe, that any ground cover plant can compare to a lawn when it comes to creating a neat, clean ground plane. When then can a ground cover plant replace a lawn?

*On slopes and banks, shrubs and sprawling plants often look better than grass. From a water conservation point of view, species can be chosen with a quarter or less of the requirements of a lawn. Furthermore, the use of lawn sprinklers is particularly wasteful on slopes, as so much water runs off. Instead, the ground cover plants can be irrigated by drippers, which if installed properly, ensure that the water is applied to the soil, at a rate that it can be absorbed.

*Grasses are often laid in small inaccessible spots where mowing is difficult and no practical purpose is served by the lawn. If entertaining or playing are not envisioned in a particular part of the garden, then it may well be worthwhile putting on the thinking cap and working out some creative design solution involving low growing plants.

*Lawn size can be reduced by making a transition area planted with ground-hugging species, between the edge of the lawn and the shrubbery or flower bed. With intelligent designing, this can often create a more satisfying composition, than when the lawn borders the flower bed in the usual way. This solution could lead though to serious maintenance problems, if the grass species like Bermuda or Zoisia, is a perennial one which spreads by rhizomes. These grass types are highly aggressive and liable to smother the ground covers.

*For similar reasons, it is essential to eradicate all perennial weeds prior to planting ground covers, particularly if they are very prostrate in their habit. In these cases, eliminating the rampant perennial weeds is best effected by applying a systemic herbicide such as Roundup.

Tree Care – The Unseen Dangers That Threaten The Life Of Your Garden Trees

Trees are such massive and imposing things that we tend to take their needs for granted. We fuss and fret over annual bedding plants, and get all hot and bothered if a small dry spot appears on the lawn. Lawns and flowers though are ephemeral elements in the garden, while the tree is a long term matter. Indeed, it is the one part of the garden that we truly bequeath to future generations. It is of the utmost importance therefore not only to care and nurture it as one would a child, but also to recognize that many processes that potentially threaten its life, take place unseen and unheard, rather like cancer creeping up on a person.

Trees are not good communicators!

Grasses and flowers are pretty effective in telling us how they feel. A lack of moisture in the soil is almost immediately communicated to us by the wilting of the plant. A tree on the other hand can appear healthy and strong, with none of the tell-tale signs of stress, such as drooping leaves. Yet appearances can be very deceptive. In fact it can be stated in general terms that when stress symptoms first appear, the internal damage that has already occurred is so severe, that the tree is well on its way to an early death.

Water shortages

The minimum water requirement for trees is thought to be about 300 mm a year. That is the most drought hardy species in the world, like Pistachio and Tamarisk, need access to some 300 liters of water for every square meter of ground that they cover. So areas with less annual rainfall cannot support trees of any form, other than in localized spots such as valley bottoms, where water may collect.

Most garden trees require a lot more than that. A lemon tree growing in a Mediterranean climate for instance needs some 800 mm of water a year. If the annual rainfall averages say 400 mm, then the remaining 400 has to be supplied by irrigation.

In dry climates therefore it’s vital to know the annual water needs of the trees in your garden. Again, it should be pointed out that the tendency of most people is to water those plants that appear to be most in need. Actually, in drought years the exact opposite should be the case. When water is in short supply, the flowers and lawn should be left to dry out, while the trees are given what they require. Grass and flowers can be replaced; a mature tree, 150 years old, never!

Rot and Decay

Rot and decay normally develop in the branches and trunks of trees following poor pruning operations. As with water stress, the signs can take years to show themselves. The incorrect pruning of a major limb could cause that limb to collapse 15 years later or more, as the unseen, unheard progress of the rot eats its way into the heart of the wood. Trees that look entirely healthy, complete with pruning wounds totally calloused over, can suddenly collapse. On examination, the trunk or branch is discovered to be hollow inside, the result of rot and decay working slowly over the years.

Just remember then that “all that glitters is not gold.” Tree care, or arboriculture, is the most important part of gardening, because the tree is the garden’s most precious item. For further discussion on this topic, click the link below and the on the Articles page, scroll down to:

*Pruning – The 3 main principles………

*Pruning in the autumn……………

*Tree care – Routine garden tasks…….

*Tree pruning……..

Rosemary – How To get The Best From This Classic Mediterranean Plant

The Rosemary plant has to be one of the mainstays of any garden in dry climates in general and Mediterranean ones in particular. Its uses as a herb are famous, being an excellent natural additive in roast potato, chicken and fish dishes. It is also grown of course as a fine ornamental.

In design terms, Rosemary, (Rosmarinus officianalis) as a small shrub reaching about a meter in height, can function as medium scale ground cover. Its pale green foliage and fine leaf texture contribute a typically Mediterranean feel to a garden composition. It also adds some color to the garden in the winter with its small, pale blue flowers. There are also a number of successful ground-hugging varieties available now. They associate well with other plants of prostrate habit like Myoporum parvifolium and the cranebill, Erodium reichardii.

Rosemary plants are relatively easy to grow. The only thing to worry about is to provide adequate drainage. Otherwise, they can tolerate drought, poor, shallow and alkaline soils. If planted in somewhat “cared for” settings, they should be lightly clipped now and again, in order to maintain compact growth. It is important to remember that Rosemary should not be cut back to the wood, as it does not grow back from old wood, and consequently overtime, the foliage will not cover the plant to the ground

This is often considered one of the drawbacks of the species, but in fact this property of Rosemary can be exploited to create interesting forms and shapes from the older specimens. The old and dry parts of the plant can be cut out and by so doing the plant is transformed into a mini tree, reaching a height of about a meter or so. The old stems become in fact gnarled, twisted trunks of considerable sculptural value, while the plant as a whole functions as a small scale accent or emphasis element in the composition.

Rosemary’s growth habit is typical of some other herb genera belonging to the Lamiaceae botanical family. (Labiatae) Examples that spring to mind are Lavender and Artemisia. In both cases, plants as with Rosemary do not rejuvenate from old wood, and therefore similar treatment can be considered for them.

Pruning – The 3 Main Principles Behind Pruning Trees And Shrubs Without Causing Damage

Correct pruning is one of the single most significant factors determining whether a tree or bush grows well or not. Pruning, or to be more precise, its incorrect application, is also very often responsible for causing damage, unsatisfactory growth, and even early death in plants. Although it’s not possible to learn the art of pruning in practical terms by reading an article or two, it is nonetheless realistic to expect to understand the basic principles behind it. Or put simply, what to do and what not to do.

Timing

A basic rule is that plants sensitive to cold should never be pruned until every possibility of frost has passed for the year. The reason is that the pruning wounds do not heal properly, and become a source of bacterial and fungal infection. On the other hand, deciduous plants, that is those that have evolved in cold-temperate climates, should be pruned during their dormant season (i.e. the winter) but not in the spring, as at that time of year, pruning causes the sap in the plan’s tissues to “bleed” out of the plant.

While in cold regions, pruning is carried out at the beginning of the winter, in mild winter climates, where the minimum temperatures reach say -4c; the pruning of deciduous plants should be delayed until the end of the winter. For an explanation click on the link below and on the “Articles” page scroll down to

*Pruning in the autumn – What you should and should not do

*Pruning trees and shrubs – one mistake you must not make

Quantity

It is a big mistake to remove too much material from a particular specimen at any one time. One rough guide determines that no more than one third of the total volume of branches should be pruned. I personally set a maximum amount at far less than that. Remember that excessive pruning, even at a time when a plant is dormant, seriously affects the plant’s energy level. If a lot of material is to be cut away, then the pruning should be staggered over two years or more.

Quality

The nature and quality of the pruning cuts affects the ability of the tree or shrub to overcome the wounds inflicted on it. There is a quaint view amongst some ill-informed gardeners that pruning is “good” for plants. It is about as good for plants as surgery is for people. It should be carried out therefore with the clear awareness that every wound is a source of infection. Admittedly, woody plants posses their own “defense mechanisms” which isolate the rot and decay which develop from the wounds caused by pruning, but there is a limit to how far this is possible. Here then are some guidelines.

*The size of the cut should be as small as possible in relation to the width of the branch or trunk on which the wound is to be made.

*Small stubs should not be left, as these become subject to bacterial and fungal attack, which can proceed into the main trunk or branch itself. On the other hand, cuts that are made too flush with the trunk, while appearing to have calloused over, can also cause rot to develop behind them and therefore within the trunk. It is important therefore to make the cut, just beyond the joint between the branch which is to be removed and the trunk to which it is attached.

*Pruning saws must be as sharp as possible, in order to ensure that the cut is as “clean” as possible. A jagged, torn cut on the other hand, has a total wound surface area that grows exponentially compared to a clean cut, thereby reducing the tree’s capacity to isolate the infection, and consequently, increasing the chance of rot and decay developing.

Tree Care – Routine Gardening Tasks That Can Damage Your Trees

The mature tree is the most precious object in the garden. No other element comes remotely close to a tree’s power to move and inspire and nothing in the garden is likely to live and last as long. Trees also take a long time to grow – some can take a few generations to realize their full potential, while even the fastest growing species needs at least five or six years before beginning to “perform”. It is when the full potential of a tree is considered that the gardener, amateur and professional alike, has to stop and think not only about how they are caring for the tree itself, but also about the other gardening tasks that they are carrying out in proximity to it.

What exactly is meant by proximity to a tree? Being close extends well beyond the first three or four meters from the trunk. As a rough guide, it’s possible to estimate that the roots extend to a horizontal distance about twice the height of the tree. This means that in some cases they can extend over ten meters beyond the tips of the branches and foliage. As any damage caused to the roots of the tree is liable to seriously affect its future growth and development, it follows that the “danger zone” should be considered as the estimated radius from the trunk to the tip of the roots.

In what way then can the garden trees be unintentionally damaged?

*Digging is the major culprit. It should be remembered that the most active roots, those responsible for the majority of water and nutrient intake, grow more or less parallel to the ground to a depth of some 10-30 cm from the soil’s surface. So tasks like planting are liable to be highly problematical, if the digging involved results in severing many root parts. It could affect the supply of water and nutrients to the plant as a whole. Furthermore, any wound, above ground and especially below it, is a prime source of fungal and bacterial infection.

*Soil compacted by heavy foot traffic or machinery will reduce the amount of oxygen in the root zone. Remember that the constant passing of vehicles five or six meters from the trunk will be detrimental to the tree.

*Tree roots can absorb residues of herbicides previously sprayed on the ground. The biggest danger comes from the pre-emergent weed killers belonging to the Simazine group. A tree located at the bottom of a trough is particularly vulnerable as the Simazine is easily leached out of sandy soils and can collect in a depression.

*The habit of raking leaves around the trees is also undesirable. It may not compare in gravity to the previous examples, but nonetheless, habitual raking will in time deplete the top soil of its fertility, as soil will inevitably be raked away together with the leaves. The latter of course are best left on the ground as natural organic mulch, where they will eventually decompose to humus.

*Pruning is of course the main source of long term damage to trees. Both quantity and quality play a part here. The more limbs and branches removed at any one time, the more the energy level of the plants is affected. The quality or otherwise of the pruning cuts, determines the extent to which the wounds will heal, and infection avoided.

The tree is such an imposing, massive thing that some people see it as impregnable. Despite its size and splendor it would be more advisable to look on your garden tree as a big baby. Precious, delicate and vulnerable!

Organic Mulches And Compost – Good For Your Plants And Even Better For The Soil

Applying chemical fertilizer in the garden, supplies the mineral nutrient that the plants need for their growth and development in the cheapest and most convenient way. Organic additives whether dug into the soil like compost, or spread on top of it like mulch, also supply mineral nutrient, but at greater cost, labor and effort. Why then should the organic method be preferred to the chemical one? The reason is that organic matter in sufficient quantities, improves the condition of the soil especially in the long term. Remember that the soil is the habitat in which your garden plants grow, and ultimately, poor soil conditions result in unsatisfactory plant development, irrespective of how much fertilizer is thrown in. The benefits of high organic percentages in the soil can be summarized as follows:

*The improved supply of oxygen available to the plants’ roots in heavy, clay soils as a result of the crumbly soil structure that develops.

*The improved retention of water and nutrients in light, sandy soils.

*The enrichment of the micro-flora and fauna of the soil. The expanding variety and quantity of micro-organisms actually improves plant nutrition, because while plants absorb nutrients in the form of dissolved mineral salts, nutrient take-up is associated in many ways with the activity of microbes. The association of legumes with Ryzobium bacteria to make nitrogen available to the plants, is but one example.

*The supplying of raw material to larger organisms such as earthworms to establish themselves in the garden. The earthworm is undoubtedly the greatest gardener in the world, which by its activities, aerates the soil, improves its crumbly structure and causes nutrients to be released, thus increasing their availability. It should be noted that earthworm populations in the earth decline and disappear as more chemical fertilizer is used.

*The increasing range and volume of micro-biotic activity creates a healthier ecological balance in the soil. Consequently, pest and disease infestations are reduced to manageable proportions as the populations of pathogenic organisms are controlled.

The importance of organic mulch in hot, dry climates

The benefits of organic mulch materials such as wood chippings have been written about extensively, particularly with regard to weed prevention and water retention in hot weather. Less known perhaps is the role mulch plays in regulating the temperature at the soil’s surface. In hot dry and Mediterranean climates, exposed soil can reach temperatures of 50c in the summer. In these conditions not only do the plants directly suffer, but micro-biotic activity virtually ceases as well, thereby hindering the absorption of nutrients by the plants’ roots.

Furthermore, mulch prevents the excessive drying out of the soil at depths of say 20-50cm, which is common in hot regions as a result of the cracks formed at the soil’s surface. Apart from reducing the loss of moisture through evaporation, the mulch layer, slows down the break down of organic matter (humus). Experiments in Israel have shown that a soil well composted in the winter, can contain virtually no humus at the end of the summer, when that soil is unprotected. By way of comparison, in cool climates, humus percentages of 15-20% are quite normal even without the addition of compost.

In conclusion it can be seen that feeding, composting and mulching are horticultural tasks that work together. Compost releases small amounts of nutrient available for the plants to take-up, but it improves the soil in the short term and prevents it from degenerating in the long term. Organic mulch not only provides better conditions in which the plants grow, it also protects the top soil from the effects of sun, wind and rain, and further ensures that the soil will have a larger percentage of the organic matter so crucial to its health and the life it contains.

Phormium tenax – An Important Plant For An Arid Climate And Mediterranean Garden

Those of us who garden in the relatively unfavorable conditions of a dry, Mediterranean climate should always be on the look out for a garden plant that not only is suitable for many design situations, but is also fairly easy to grow. One such plant is the New Zealand Flax, Phormium tenax.

Although belonging to the lily family, Phormium has a form and habit which classifies it as an ornamental grass-like plant. It has stiff narrow leaves which stand out from the center just like a true grass. It can reach a height of some 2 meters, covering a radius of about a meter or so.

It is ideally suited as an accent or emphasis plant, and even as a focal point, billowing out from a carpet of pebbles, or prostrate ground cover plants. It can also be used together with a group of ornamental grasses. As such Phormium can be very useful, for while true grasses like Pennisetum or Miscanthus need to be cut down to the ground once or twice a year, it looks good virtually all the year round, thereby “holding” the bed while some of the other species are in their “off” season.

Phormium tenax as its common name implies, grows wild in New Zealand, a country that enjoys a wet, temperate-warm climate. Despite this, it is suitable for dry climates, requiring modest additions of water through the hot, arid season. It is hardy to the lowest temperatures that a Mediterranean climate is likely to suffer, but in the hotter regions (where summer highs are over say 32c) it should be grown in light shade. Its stiff leaves make it hardy to strong winds and sea spray.

The New Zealand Flax can be grown in most soil types, provided that there is adequate drainage. From my experience, plants can rot and die if drainage is poor and the roots stand in water for too long. They also have a preference for slightly acidic conditions, something that is often hard to come by in Mediterranean climates. However, the soil pH (acid-alkaline scale) can be easily and satisfactorily adjusted by incorporating large quantities of well-rotted compost into the ground.

Building A Garden – The 3 Steps To Take Before You Even Think Of Beginning

If you’re buying a plot on which a house and garden are to be built, or are planning serious renovations to an existing one, then there are three steps that have to be considered before the construction work and even the design process for the garden itself actually commence. Two of these steps are entirely simple and straightforward, yet some building contractors and even some architects ignore them to the detriment of the garden to be, while the third step is admittedly somewhat more involved.

As a gardening contractor myself in a hot dry country, I’ve witnessed on too many occasions how customers incur unnecessary expenses and how major defects in the garden take root, as result of failure to deal with one or more of these issues. They are as follows:

*Preparing adequate sleeves that are placed under construction areas like paths, paving, decking and garden sheds, through which future pipes for irrigation and electricity can be easily passed through. Failure to do so can make it impossible to lay pipes between one area of the plot and another.

*Ensuring that all building rubble and refuse is removed entirely from the site and that refuse is not buried under the earth.

*Ensuring that the garden top soil that is imported into the site, is of an approved quality, is not of agricultural origin, and that water drains away at a reasonable rate from the soil.

Sleeves for pipes

It’s important to make sure that the total diameter of the sleeves is more than enough for any possible eventuality. For instance, let’s say your total garden area amounts to 400 meters square, of which on 100 meters, a lawn is to be laid. A future irrigation design may require two separate feeder pipes of 25mm each, which will supply water to the lawn sprinklers. In addition, three separate pipes, each of 16mm, will be needed for drip irrigation to different plant groups in the garden. Add to that a 20mm pipe for electrical purposes; a total sleeve diameter of over 120 mm will be required. Just make sure you have plenty of sleeve space to spare.

Removing building refuse

While the building codes in most countries require the builder to remove all waste, some unscrupulous contractors have been known to use the customer’s plot as a landfill, where they dump the refuse before spreading a layer of “garden soil” on top. The trouble is that the problems often come to light a few years after the garden has been set up. The whole garden is liable to sink some 20 -30 cm, and tree roots that come in contact with the building residues have difficulty absorbing nutrients from the soil. Plants decline to an unacceptable level, and many will die. You will not have a garden to speak of in a few years if building waste is not removed.

Imported soil and drainage

Inappropriate soil can be a disaster for the new garden. For a discussion on this topic click on the link below and then the Articles page which is arraigned alphabetically. Scroll down to “Importing soil into the garden – what you should never do.”

Another problem is soil that has inadequate drainage. Ideally, a laboratory soil analysis should be carried out by a professional company, to ascertain the quality of the soil, including its drainage potential. Make sure that the building contractor is held responsible for the way water drains out of it, as chronic compaction often occurs due to the impact of heavy machinery. If puddles of water are still standing a day or two after a rainfall, then the sign is that the drainage is insufficient to support a viable garden.

Pruning Trees And Shrubs – One Mistake You Must Not Make!

For people used to gardening in regions where the winters are freezing cold, the question of when to prune trees and shrubs is thought of more or less in the following terms. Deciduous plants, that is those that drop their leaves in the fall, being hardy to cold, should be pruned during their seasonal dormancy, i.e. the winter, whereas evergreen trees and shrubs, excluding conifers, to the extent that it is possible to grow them at all in cold climates, are not touched until the spring, or at least until all possibility of frosts has passed.

It is also known by many home gardeners and presumably by all professional ones, that pruning deciduous plants in the spring can be highly detrimental to the future health of the plant, due to the loss of sap that would result from pruning in the spring.

However, for those of us gardening in mild winter climates, particularly in areas where frosts are virtually unknown, the issue is somewhat more involved. In fact many a serious mistake has been made because of a misunderstanding of deciduousness and its implications. These mistakes involve pruning a certain type of plant at the wrong time.

The phenomenon of leaf drop occurs in three main circumstances. One of these is when certain plants drop their leaves as a means of reducing water loss during the hot, dry season. The leaf drop that takes place though in cold climates is a genetically programmed response allowing broad-leaved plants to survive the freezing temperatures in the winter. It is a process that starts towards the end of the summer, becomes most obviously visible in the autumn accompanied by often spectacular leaf colors, and terminates at the beginning of winter with the actual fall of the leaves.

Gardeners in cold winter climates are naturally restricted in the number of species available to them. Where temperature fall below -10c, it is highly unlikely that any evergreens, conifers excepted, can be grown at all. In places where winter lows range between say -5c and -9c, it is sometimes possible to grow evergreens like the olive or many species of Acacia.

However in regions where the winter lows hover around the 5c mark, typified by nights that are chilly but nonetheless frost –free, it becomes possible to grow a far wider range of garden plants, including species that originate from sub-tropical and even tropical habitats. Examples would include Delonix regia, Jacaranda acutifolia, Tipuana tipu and Peltophorum dubium, amongst many.

In such conditions, species belonging to this category drop their leaves, not as a dictate from their genetic code, as is the case with naturally deciduous plants, but as a temporary response to the relative cold of a Mediterranean winter night. And herein lays the trap! Many people on seeing a tree of sub tropical origin out of leaf, unwittingly mistake it for a truly deciduous plant, connecting deciduousness with cold–hardiness. The trouble is that the precise opposite is the case. Conditionally deciduous plants are often or not highly sensitive to cold, and are therefore liable to be seriously damaged by winter pruning. *

So what can you do to avoid making such a mistake? In the absence of specific knowledge regarding this or that plant, the simple answer is to find out the natural habitat of a plant before pruning it. This is a piece of information that most people gloss over when they read up on any particular plant in garden literature, but as I hope will be clearer now, it is information that can have significant consequences for the future of some of your trees and shrubs. Therefore, if a tree is out of leaf in the winter but is of tropical or sub-tropical origin, it should not be pruned until the spring or the summer, together with the evergreen plants.

*Note: Plants that are liable to be cold sensitive to any degree, can be seriously damaged by winter pruning, as they have less capacity in the cold season to resist the fungal and bacterial infections, brought on by pruning cuts.

Rose Bush Care And Maintenance During The Winter In A Mediterranean Climate Garden

The rose bush, once termed the “queen of the garden,” can be unmatched in its flower performance. It can also be maddeningly frustrating as it fails to deliver on its promise. While many a home gardener’s disappointment can be traced to choosing the wrong type of rose for a particular location, poor performance and appearance can be avoided if the correct maintenance procedures are carried out. There are in fact important differences between care and maintenance in cold winter climates and mild winter ones, but before going into that, let’s first see which tasks are common to growing roses, irrespective of the climate.

Planting roses

Wherever the location, roses must be grown in full sun, in well-drained soil, and at a proper distance from trees and other bushes.(Between 5-10 meters) It is also important to plant the bushes at the recommended distances from each other, without being tempted to squeeze in more roses for “better effect”. The effect usually achieved from over-crowding is weak growth and greater susceptibility to fungal disease like mildew.

Planting bare root is preferable to planting from containers because you have the opportunity to examine the roots. These should look whole and healthy, with at least three main roots spaced reasonably evenly from each other. Planting bare root should only be done while the plant is dormant, so the winter is the best time to do so. However, at the end of winter in Mediterranean climates, it’s common to jump from 2c to a heat wave within a couple of days. For this reason, do not plant bare root at the end of winter, or if the plant is showing signs of coming into leaf, as the new plants by not having time to establish an adequate root system, are liable to dry out when the temperatures suddenly rise. In such cases, it’s better to plant roses that have been grown in containers. Similarly, roses should only be transplanted in the middle of winter. If it’s a bit late in the season, wait till next winter. As warm spells are common in Mediterranean winters, the bushes must be watered in after planting, and the soil remain fairly moist, but not saturated. A mulch of wood chippings will help to preserve moisture and keep down weeds as well.

Pruning roses

The pruning of established roses needs to be carried out quite differently in mild winter climates as compared to cold winter ones. Southern California is not the Mid West, and Southern Italy is not Germany or Eastern Europe. Here then are some basic ground rules:

*There is no need to cut down the plants to the ground. Remove between a third and a half of the bush’s height. In the meantime, old, dry and damaged wood can be cut away.

*While pruning should be performed while the rose bushes are dormant, it should nonetheless be delayed to about 6 weeks before the possible occurrence of late frosts. So if for instance, frosts are not likely to occur after March 15, then the roses can be pruned around the beginning of February. This is necessary, because pruning cuts combined with warm spells, encourage premature growth which is highly vulnerable to damage from late frosts. This damage to young tissue causes fungal and bacterial infection which is of course detrimental to the health of the plant as a whole.

Irrigation – Carrying Out Routine Checks On Your Garden Irrigation System

The winter is the ideal season for checking out all the different components of your irrigation system. It may be stating the obvious, but from my over 20 year’s worth of experience as a professional gardener in a hot dry country, many people tend to forget about it during the rainy season, only to wake up in a panic at the first sign of hot weather in the spring. So make a commitment to go through the system 8 weeks or so before the onset of spring. Let’s see then what has to be done, section by section.

Underground lawn sprinklers

Firstly open the tap to see which sprinklers if any are not working properly. Underground or pop-up sprinklers can sometimes sink somewhat in the ground. Adjust the height of the whole housing if necessary, even if that involves some digging to do so. Modern sprinkler heads have small filters inserted in the housing. Clean out each one. Three minutes work per unit can save a lot of frustration later, as part of the grass browns off in the summer, due to poor water coverage. It’s also important to check the state of the nozzles. They become worn over time, and should be replaced every 3-5 years.

Drip irrigation

Irrigation drippers tend to get blocked in time. Switch on to see which ones are not emitting water. If the drippers are pre-set in the pipe by the manufacturer, then insert a “button” dripper next to the blocked up units. To reduce blockages in the future, it is essential to flush out the lines at least once a year. After turning on the tap, simply open the end of the line and let the water flow for about 5 minutes or so. The life span of dripper lines is usually up to 10-15 years, as mineral deposits in the water eventually make the line inoperable. However, neglecting to periodically wash out the system will significantly reduce their operable life span. I’ve seen drippers block up after 3 or 4 years when this simple routine task is ignored.

The Irrigation head unit

A professional irrigation system will include a controller, or timer, filters and pressure regulators. Needless to say, wash out the filters thoroughly. A dirty filter reduces the water flow rate, resulting in reduced pressure to the sprinklers, and blockages in the dripper lines. The operating efficiency of the pressure regulators should also be checked. These are vital for ensuring that the drip system is operating at the prescribed dynamic pressure, which is something between 1-2 Bars for a home unit. You may need professional assistance in this, but don’t neglect the task, because high operating pressure can cause the connections to come away and even to burst. Replace batteries where necessary.

Finally, spray oil on all the metal parts of the unit. What a pain it is to try and unscrew a fitting attached to the wall, only to find the screws are totally rusted! As a very great comic actor and writer once said – “Silly little point but it does seem to matter!” I wonder if you know who that might have been.

Phosphorus For Your Garden Plants – Its Crucial Importance And How To Apply It Correctly

Plants require 12 mineral nutrients that are essential for their growth and development. A shortage of any one element will result at best in stunted and poor growth. The plant however needs the various minerals in differing amounts. Phosphorus, together with Nitrogen and Potassium, being consumed in relatively large amounts, is considered one of the macro elements.

There are a number of vital functions that Phosphorus performs in the plant, such as the transference of energy within cells, and its role in building proteins. The problem for gardeners though, is how to ensure that adequate supplies are readily available to the plants, because the presence of phosphorus in the soil does not necessarily mean that the plants can take it up. It is necessary therefore to gain some insight as to how this nutrient behaves in the soil.

*Phosphorus is virtually immobile in the soil. Due to its low solubility, it tends to crystallize into a solid. This becomes more acute the more alkaline the soil conditions. As plant roots absorb nutrients as mineral salts dissolved in the soil water, it follows that in a solid state, the nutrient cannot be taken up. Furthermore, its molecules readily attach themselves to the mineral clay in soil particles.

*As a result of this immobility, phosphorus fertilizer spread on the ground, or applied in liquid form is liable to be out of the reach of the plants’ roots. On the other hand, the more acidic environment of the root zone causes the phosphorus to be more dissolvable. The conclusion to be drawn therefore is that the phosphorus source, whether chemical or organic, must be incorporated into the soil so that it can become available to the plant roots.

*As the solubility of phosphorus is connected to the soil pH (acid – alkaline scale) it follows that in alkaline conditions, typical of most dry and Mediterranean climates, steps must be taken to make those conditions become more acidic. This is most easily and safely affected by adding large amounts of compost into the soil.

*The presence of nitrogen in mineral form, aids in phosphorus take up. It is necessary therefore to ensure adequate supplies of nitrogen, preferably by way of compost and humus.

It follows then that phosphorus should be incorporated into the soil prior to planting, so that it is present at depths of about 30cm as well as on the top layer of earth. Very large amounts of compost, (say 30-50 liters per square meter) coupled with an organic or slow release fertilizer, may be adequate, while for general maintenance, realistic quantities of compost, say 5 liters per square meter, should do the job.

With regard to lawns however, it is far more difficult to ensure that the phosphorus gets down to the root zone. The application of slow release fertilizer together with occasional but deep watering, should allow for the passage of phosphorus at least to the upper layers of the soil. Make sure to read the label where the relative concentrations of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium are expressed respectively as NPK. During the spring and summer the P for phosphorus should be relatively high, while for autumn and winter applications the K for Potassium should be high.

A final note for gardeners in an arid climate. Many fine garden ornamentals in use in dry climates are of Australian origin, such as species of Melaleuca, Callistemon, Grevillea and Eucalyptus. It should be noted that many Australian genera are particularly sensitive to high levels of phosphorus. It may be well worth your while conducting a soil test before amending your soil. If you are in doubt, it would be best to rely on organic matter only, excluding chemical fertilizer altogether.

The Pampas Grass – When And How To Use It In The Garden

There are a limited number of ornamental plants which are so spectacular in their appearance, that they can really transform a garden from being ordinary to being special. One of these is the Pampas grass, Cortaderia sellowiana, from Argentina. Unfortunately it can also be highly problematical to maintain, and even dangerous to those who use the garden. This is a pity, because as a massive ornamental grass, it is possibly unmatched in its capacity to provide drama and a sense of movement in the garden.

The danger comes from the leaves of the Pampas grass. They are serrated along the edge, making them as sharp as a carpenter’s saw. In fact the plant’s botanical name, Cortaderia, originates from the Spanish word cortar, “to cut”. For this reason Pampas grass should never be planted where children are likely to run about and play, nor close to paths and entrance ways. Bearing in mind that it can cover some 2 meters in width, it can only be considered as an option in the garden, when granted plenty of space.

Another serious problem associated with Cortaderia is its potential to spread as an uncontrollable weed, so much so that some plant nurseries in the US have stopped propagating the species altogether. The danger only arises though when male and female plants are to be found in each others proximity. In Israel, where I come from, we don’t have this problem, as the plants are propagated vegetatively, from female specimens only.

Design considerations

The Pampas grass, together with its massive plumes, can reach a height of 3-5 meters, spreading outwards from its base to form a large clump some 1-2 meters wide. The blooms, particularly the female ones, are particularly beautiful. Clearly, the role of the plant is that of a focal point. In this regard, general design knowledge and good taste come into play. As the dominant element in a composition, it should not have to compete for attention with other eye catching elements like flower beds, sculptural plants, or species with unusually colored foliage.

As a grass, it obviously associates well with other ornamental grass-like plants. Indeed a whole composition could be built around the Pampas as the centerpiece, supported by grasses that reach about a meter in height like varieties of Miscanthus and Pennisetum setaceum, while a carpet is made of low growing plants of similar form and habit, such as Carex, Festuca, Liriope, and Ophiopogon japonicum.

Cortaderia is highly suited to gardening in a dry climate where water is at a premium. It can get by pretty well with modest additions during the dry months, requiring perhaps some 300mm over the year. Planted in a large bed of ornamental pebbles, it can create a stunning focal point, while the total water consumption of the bed as a whole, could actually be less than 200mm per year. (200 liters per meter square)

Care and maintenance

The tendency of the Pampas grass to dry out at its base, coupled with the difficulties gardeners have in cutting out dead parts of the plant, is another factor behind the reluctance to use the plant. However, this is another stumbling block that can be dealt with relative ease. The clump should simply be cut down to the ground every 2-3 years, by way of a hedge trimmer, or mechanical strimmer. (Weed whacker) The work is best carried out towards the end of the winter.

Feijoa – A Fine Dwarf Fruit Tree For A Mediterranean Garden

If you’re looking for a small fruit tree to add to your garden, and you live in an arid, mild winter climate, it could be worth your while considering the virtues of the Pineapple Guava, Feijoa sellowiana. It is a plant which produces an abundance of tasty fruit, and as an attractive ornamental, can contribute handsomely to a garden composition.

The fruit of the Feijoa is both delicious and nutritious. It has an intriguing sweet-sour taste and a kind of chewy texture. It is apparently rich in vitamin c and minerals. As a healthy plant produces massive amounts of fruit, you can either make yourself popular with your neighbors by giving a lot away, or you can prepare jams, cakes, wines and liquors. Both the fruit and the plant as a whole are relatively hardy to pests and disease, at least in Mediterranean climates.

Pineapple Guava is basically a large evergreen shrub. As such it functions well as a screen and informal hedge. Needless to say, shearing it as a trimmed hedge will prevent the bush flowering and producing fruit. By virtue of its medium leaf texture, it associates well with shrubs and trees like Viburnum, Pomegranate, Olive and Pitanga. Feijoa can also be trained to grow horizontally on a wall or fence, a technique known as espaliering, and can be shaped into a dwarf tree. In this way, the plant in age assumes an impressive sculptural quality, as its twisted, gnarled branches are exposed.

Care and growing requirements

Actually, Feijoa sellowiana does not originate from a Mediterranean climate, but from sub-tropical South America. It is nonetheless easy to grow in Mediterranean climates. It is hardy to about -3c or so, and has modest water needs, requiring some 300 mm per year of irrigation, possibly less, providing reasonable rainfall occurs during the winter. Feijoa can be grown successfully in either heavy or light soils, as long as they have adequate drainage. The one limiting factor is chalky soil. As the plant suffers therefore in highly alkaline conditions, it will benefit from additions of large quantities of compost, as this regulates the soil pH, making it more neutral in the acidic-alkaline scale.

As gardeners in dry, arid climates, we should always be on the look out for plants that combine together a number of functions. When that plant, also happens to be suited to our sort of climate, and can be grown within the confines of a water budget, you know that you have a fine candidate. The dwarf fruit tree, Feijoa sellowiana, is one such plant.

Pest Control – What You Can Do About The Citrus Leaf Miner In Your Garden

A common pest amongst many species and varieties of citrus trees is the moth called the citrus leaf miner. (Phyllocnistis citrella) Known for years in the citrus-growing regions of south-east Asia, this particular leaf miner has spread over the last 30 years or so to many other parts of the world, including the Americas and the Middle East.

This leaf miner is a moth which as its name implies, only affects citrus trees. It can be identified by what look like clearly defined lines traced within the leaves of the tree. These are in fact channels burrowed by the specie’s tiny larvae within the blade of the leaf. The leaves also tend to curl up. Often or not, the damage is only visual, but in massive infestations serious defoliation can occur, affecting not only the fruit, but the general health of the tree as well.

My experience with the citrus leaf miner is from Israel (where I come from) but in many ways, its recent history as a garden pest here, can serve as an example of how to relate to pests in the first place, and then how to deal with them.

The pest was first sighted by the Sea of Galilee in the summer of 1994. Within two months it had spread to most parts of the country where citrus are cultivated, causing considerable consternation amongst the growers. Gardeners too were worried and like their counterparts in agriculture, were seeking quick-fix chemical solutions. These were readily found, but after a number of years, it was discovered that not only were the trees able to recover of their own accord, but that the rate of infestations was actually falling. It appears that while the Ministry of Agriculture was busy testing the possibility of introducing a parasitic wasp as a means of biological control, the leaf miner was being controlled naturally by a local predator.

Of course if the attacks are really bad you may have to consider using chemical pesticides. Just remember though that the more they are applied, the greater the detrimental affect on the natural enemies of any particular pest. From this point of view, the least damaging pesticide is “Confidor”, as it is applied to the ground and not sprayed on the trees. As a systemic poison, it is taken up with the soil water by the tree’s roots, and then translocated to all parts of the plant, whereby it kills the insects living in the tree.
The pesticide is pretty effective when applied in the early spring. It is forbidden to pick the fruit off treated trees for a period of time as designated on the package. However you may wish to consider the wisdom of allowing yourself and your family to eat the fruit of a tree that has been treated at all. Meanwhile, as the example discussed here shows, the aim of intelligent pest control is to permit as far as possible, for a natural balance to occur between pest organisms and their predators.

Weed Control – The Worst Garden Weeds And How To Deal With Them

If a weed is defined as a plant growing where it is unwanted, then the worst kind of garden weed is that which both spreads rampantly and is also extremely difficult to eradicate. This article will focus on the “gang of four”, which from my 20 plus years experience gardening in central Israel, are the most invasive and problematical of all. They are in ascending order of monstrosity:

(1) Bindweed - Convolvulus arvensis

(2) Bermuda grass - Cynodon dactylon

(3) Galingale - Cyperus rotundus

(4) Dodder - Cuscuta campestris

Prevention is better than cure

If you are building a new garden or just planting up a border, then it’s advisable to ensure that the soil is free of these particular weed species before embarking on the planting. The first three species in the list, all develop extensive root systems which are all but impossible to remove manually. Mulch is ineffective in controlling them. They ought to be eliminated by use of a systemic herbicide such as Roundup. In order for the systemic properties of Roundup to work effectively, the weeds have to be growing actively and the shade temperature should be above 23-24c.

In cases where these weed types are not visible but their presence in the soil is nonetheless suspected, the ground has to be watered thoroughly in order to encourage their growth, so that they can be sprayed. This is a laborious process taking up to 12 weeks if carried out properly. Also if you are planting in the winter, don’t be fooled by the non-appearance of these species. They grow actively in the summer and are dormant in the winter. Let’s look at each one separately then and see what can be done in the event of an infestation.

Bindweed - Convolvulus arvensis

Bindweed is a creeping plant, common to heavy, clay soils. Its roots can reach a depth of 2 meters and more. It is extremely invasive and can ruin a flower bed or a carpet of ground covers. It is also resilient to Roundup when that is applied on its own, but can be eradicated when the Roundup is mixed with the hormonal types of herbicide. This is a very dangerous procedure and must only be performed by a qualified person. If growing in a bed or border, then tall stakes should be inserted in the ground to encourage the bindweed to climb and “bind” its way up the stake. The plant can then be carefully painted with the appropriate weed killers.

Bermuda grass - Cynodon dactylon

Bermuda grass is the source of many lawn varieties such as “Santa Anna,” which are commonly grown in hot climates. The wild species though, as a perennial grass can be a highly noxious weed. It is generally killed by Roundup if applied at the suitable concentration. If is growing in the flower bed, it can be sprayed by a selective herbicide, which damages plants belonging to the grass family, (Poaceae) without affecting species belonging to the other botanical families. From my experience, the selective weed killers only retard the perennial grasses for a season or two and do not eradicate them.

Galingale - Cyperus rotundus

Cyperus is grass-like in appearance but belongs to the sedge family. The anti-grass weed killers are therefore useless against it while Roundup is only partially effective. Cyperus is responsible for major losses to farmers in tropical, sub- tropical and Mediterranean climates. However it hates shade and competition from other plants, so in such conditions, its threat decreases over time. If growing in the lawn, very frequent mowing (every 1-2 days) will cause it to stay dormant under the ground.

Dodder - Cuscuta campestris

This is the stuff from which Sci-Fi stories are created! Dodder weed may be an annual plant, but don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s easy to get rid of. It is in fact a parasite, wrapping itself round host plants (mainly soft herbaceous plants and low bushes) whose sap it sucks out. It spreads from plant to plant in the summer by way of yellow, string-like filaments. Affected parts of a plant have to be cut down completely, because leaving even a tiny residue of filament, will allow it to re-grow and continue its work of finding a host and then strangling it. Dodder weed blooms and sets seed very rapidly, thereby creating fresh generations for both the current growing season and for the following year.
Plants that have been attacked by it should never be thrown on the compost heap, as the seeds survive the heat of the compost pile. They are also hardy to solar sterilization.

So what can be done? By way of prevention, profuse watering on bare soil will cause the dodder seeds to germinate. On condition that there are no weeds or garden plants in the vicinity (2-3 meters) the seedlings will die as they need to find a host in a short period of time. In the event of an attack, you’ll have to do as described in the last chapter. In extreme cases it may be necessary to totally remove all plant material, thereby preventing the parasite from finding host plants.

Importing Soil Into The Garden – What You Should Never Do

If you have to bring in new soil to your garden, make sure your supplier is well known and recommended, and holds a license permitting him/her to excavate soil from properly authorized locations. The worst possible thing you could do is import soil which has previously been put to agricultural use. It will no doubt be a lot cheaper, but you know the saying – “cheap is dear.” In this case cheap could be catastrophic. Why is this so? Because many pests and disease are soil borne.

*Agricultural soil is liable to contain seeds or perennial organs (bulbs, rhizomes, tuberous roots, etc) from weed species that are the most pernicious and difficult to eradicate. Examples in warm Mediterranean climates include the sedge that wreaks such havoc in third-world agriculture, Cyperus rotundus, the parasite Cuscuta campestris, and the perennial grass Cynodon dactylon.

*It could contain soil borne diseases such as the fungi Pythium and Rhizoctonia. The latter can be particularly damaging to lawns, and extremely difficult to control.

*Root nematodes are another pathogen liable to be present in such soils. Nematodes are microscopic worms that feed off plant roots. Susceptible plants like The Weeping Willow tree for instance, often die as a result of nematode activity.

*It could also be full of eggs of pathogenic insects, most notably belonging to the dung beetle, Phyllopertha. The caterpillars of the dung beetle, if found in large enough numbers, can virtually lift up a lawn, as they disconnect the grass from its roots.

* Agricultural land may contain residues in high concentrations, of pre-emergent herbicides that can seriously retard the growth of new garden plants and can even damage existing ones.

Soil Tests

Clearly it is vitally important to conduct a soil test on newly imported soil. Soil testing kits may be adequate where soil has been brought in from a reliable source, if however you are unsure where the soil has come from, it would be advisable to hire a professional company that will conduct a laboratory, soil analysis. In addition to discovering the hazards previously mentioned, a soil test should provide data on matters like nutrient levels, percentages of organic matter, soil salinity, and the soil’s pH. A really professional test, based on laboratory data, is best for deciding what actions to take.

Remedies

*Some problems can be solved by a professional gardener, prior to planting the garden. Perennial weeds for example, can be eliminated following a laborious process taking some 12 weeks. The ground is watered profusely in order to encourage the weeds to grow, when they are subsequently sprayed with a systemic herbicide.

*Dung beetles can be sprayed with an appropriate pesticide, or preferably by collecting them as they rise to the surface for air, following a deep watering.

*Fungi and some weeds can be destroyed by solar sterilization, where a transparent plastic sheet is laid on the ground for some two months. The work, to be effective, has to be carried out in a season when the sun is at its zenith. It is best here, to consult with the soil expert.

*Herbicide residues can be broken up by the incorporation of large quantities of compost, because the increased populations of micro-organisms, can include species that break down the chemicals.

*The treatment of root nematodes on the other hand, is not within the competence of a gardener (including myself) and has to be conducted by a specialist in plant pathology. Once, chemical treatments were most common. Today though, biological control is increasing in use. Beneficial nematodes are added to the soil, as these by virtue of their parasitic properties, regulate the populations of the pest species.

The best way of course of dealing with soil related problems is to try and avoid them in the first place. Prevention, as they say, is always better than cure, and one of the best methods of prevention is to refrain from importing cheap, agricultural soil into your garden.

Pest Control - Mole crickets In Your Lawn And Garden And How To Control Them

An insect that causes considerable damage to garden plants and particularly to lawns is the mole cricket. (Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa) Unlike most insects that feed off plants, it is the adult of the species and not the caterpillar that is the main culprit. The mole cricket is unusually large, reaching some 5cm in length. It is also exceptionally fearsome in appearance. But it’s your plants that need to worry not you or your family!

Controlling Mole Crickets

Mole crickets, as their common name implies, operate under the soils’ surface, where they live and breed in channels that they have burrowed. They chew the plants’ roots with their powerful jaws. The sight of upturned earth could well indicate their presence. Make sure first that the mound is not simply an ants’ nest.

It is relatively easy to get rid of them chemically by use of pesticides that are either sprayed on the affected areas, or by the spreading of a granular poison. These often come in the form of a bait which is spread at the periphery of the garden. Despite the relative effectiveness of these pesticides, it is worthwhile not rushing in with the poisons, but to look for alternative methods instead. The effects of pesticides can be summarized as follows:

*Members of the family are endangered and the environment is polluted.

*The pesticides, which in this case are organic phosphates, are liable to poison either directly or indirectly natural predators of the mole cricket, such as birds and other insects. Thus while the mole crickets may be removed temporarily, the populations of their natural enemies is also reduced. By disturbing the natural pest control that occurs between the mass of organisms in any given environment, the next generation of the pest operates in a habitat less hostile to itself. Consequently, the population levels of the mole cricket are liable to rise, causing greater damage to the garden plants.

There is however, an environment-friendly method of control, which while being a bit laborious, avoids the pitfalls associated with chemical means of pest eradication. It goes like this:

*Prepare a soapy solution in a bucket with a non-detergent, soap-like product. The solution should be low in concentration so as not to damage the lawn or neighboring plants.

*Pour the solution into the entrance to the mole crickets’ burrow, and wait a few minutes. The insects should start coming up to the surface as they gasp for air. Collect the mole crickets and either remove them from the garden or kill them.

*It may be necessary to repeat the process a few times.

This method will not eradicate all the pests. Is that a bad thing? Actually it is an excellent thing for some very good reasons:

*The existence of some pests provides food for their predators. Remember that the elimination of a pest insect species can only be temporary at best.

*Actually, the presence of mole crickets in small numbers is beneficial as they themselves predate on other insects, thereby contributing to an ecological balance in the garden.

*In principle, the aim of effective pest control is not the absolute elimination of pathogenic organisms. Instead it is the reduction of their population to levels whereby the damage they cause is minimal and insignificant. Unquestionably, the best way of achieving this is to avoid as far as possible the use of chemical pesticides.

Mowing the Lawn – Is It Always Necessary To Remove The Clippings?

Each time you mow the lawn, and spend time emptying the clippings from the box into a bin, have you never wished you could just leave the clippings on the ground as the mower cuts the grass? You may well be in the habit of collecting them all the same from fear that not doing so will damage the grass. Well it may do so, if the act of lawn mowing is carried out incorrectly, but if performed in a certain way, not only is it possible to leave the cut grass where it is, but it is actually advantageous to do so.

Mowed grass clippings dry out so quickly that just a day after mowing, the residues should have disappeared. If clippings are still clearly visible, then the sign is that you’ve been late in mowing and consequently cut too much. This by itself damages the grass, quite apart from the fact that it is obviously undesirable to smother the lawn with dead matter. A lawn in its growing season should be cut to a frequency and at a height, that not more than about 40% of the leaf is removed at any one time. This means that you should be mowing every 3-5 days or so. Under such a regime, it is perfectly safe not to collect the clippings.

Leaving the clippings to dry out on the lawn does not contribute to the build up of thatch – the layer of organic matter that prevents water and air from entering easily into the soil. Thatch is caused by those parts of the grass such as the stems and roots that break down extremely slowly, and not by lawn clippings that as previously mentioned, break down rapidly.

The benefits of not collecting the grass

*Less waste matter is deposited in the land-fills – a significant environmental benefit.

*As grass leaves are rich in nitrogen, less fertilizer is required for the lawn as a whole. Remember that high concentrations of nitrogen fertilizer encourage the development of a thatch layer. Together with the nitrogen being released as the clippings degrade, slow release fertilizer can be applied at relatively low levels. In this way another environmental benefit is achieved, as nitrates leaching into the water table (a consequence of spreading immediately soluble nitrogen fertilizer) is a major source of pollution.

Finally, mowing more often while removing less grass each time, is not only a major factor contributing to a successful lawn, but should save you time overall, as mowing actually becomes easier and can be carried out more efficiently. Oh! And you won’t have to collect and empty the grass clippings anymore!

Lawn care – Why It Is So Important To Remove Thatch And How To Do So

One of the conditions required to grow a beautiful lawn is the periodic removal of thatch. Thatch is the layer of the lawn’s roots and stems that builds up above the soil’s surface. A high percentage of organic matter in the soil is desirable when that organic matter has broken down to the black and crumbly state known as humus. However, thatch is composed largely of matter that breaks down so slowly that if left untreated just grows and grows.

Problems associated with thatch

*A thatch layer forms a fairly impenetrable mass severely retarding both the infiltration of water into the soil, and the all important exchange of gasses from it. A poor rate of gas exchange means that carbon dioxide builds up while insufficient oxygen is available to the grass roots.

*The higher the layer, the more difficult it becomes to mow the lawn correctly. As the layer grows, the lawn mower sinks into the grass causing it to scalp instead of mow the lawn. In some species, especially those particularly sensitive to scalping, this can be fatal, while even amongst those species which can take some punishment, periodic scalping will cause the lawn to degenerate.

*Thatch is an excellent breeding ground for pests and diseases, a problem further exacerbated by the need to water very frequently, caused by the poor infiltration of water into the soil. Many plant pathogens thrive of course in moist and humid conditions.

Dethatching the lawn

Not all grass species produce thatch to the point where it becomes problematical. It is most common amongst the perennial grasses grown in hot summer and mild winter climates such as the Mediterranean countries, south west Australia, or California. When the grass starts to feel spongy, it is clear that a layer is forming. It can be removed in both the spring and late summer by use of a dethatching or scarifying machine. The tool works like a vertical lawn mower, lifting up the dry organic matter as it progresses. The thatch should be raked into piles and removed to the compost heap.

It is very important to be aware that some species can be damaged terminally by dethatching that is performed too aggressively. As a rule of thumb, the perennial species that spread by way of stolons (stems that grow horizontally above the ground) are most sensitive, as they are to scalping, while those species that spread by virtue of rhizomes (stems that also grow horizontally, but below the ground) actually benefit from a severe dethatching in the spring.

Lawn care techniques that reduce the build up of thatch

*Infrequent watering, with proportionally larger quantities at each session, slows down the thatch build up by encouraging deeper rooting. Conversely, frequent watering causes shallow rooting and even the development of roots that grow above the ground, in the thatch layer.

*The level of lawn fertilizers in the soil, affects the amount of thatch and the rate at which it is produced. On the one hand, excessive nitrogen causes the rate of production to rise, while too little retards the break-down of the organic matter, as the organisms that break down the roots and stems, require themselves a supply of nitrogen. For this reason at least, spreading readily dissolvable fertilizer, especially in the summer, is undesirable, while the application of slow release fertilizer is to be preferred.

*Adding compost to the soil is almost always a necessary act. However, in cases where a heavy thatch layer has built up, compost can actually worsen the problem. A non-bulky organic fertilizer is to be preferred in these circumstances.

The Best Of The Lot! A Most Special Plant For A Dry Climate Garden

Is there an ornamental plant which makes a most beautiful and unusual sculptural silhouette, requires virtually no care and attention, and is extremely modest in its water needs? The answer is yes! It is the Bottle Palm, Nolina recurvata.

Nolina, by virtue of its thick trunk and meter long, grassy leaves, makes a very strong vertical accent in the garden, rising to some 3-4 meters, and even more after very many years. Its unique feature is the swollen base from which the trunk rises. On mature plants this can reach over a meter in diameter, and looks something like a giant onion.

Requiring little water, the Bottle Palm is ideally suited to dry landscape designs. It can be planted in a bed of decorative pebbles for instance, or in a mulch of wood chippings, and goes well with other plants of strong form such as Dracaena or Yucca. In fact it could serve as the focal point, or the dominant element in a composition based on ornamental grasses and grass-like plants. For example, it looks great billowing out of a carpet of low growing “grasses” like Festuca, Carex and Liriope.

Nolina should be used judiciously. It does not go well in my view with large–leaved and obviously tropical plants, but associates quite well with true palms. It is sometimes grown as a vertical emphasis in a carpet of flowers. Personally, I think this creates a certain amount of confusion, as the flower color and the strong lines of the Nolina compete for attention. Good design involves the correct relationship between a dominant factor, whether that be a sculptural plant or a mass of color, and a support factor such as a hedge or a green ground cover.

Nolina recurvata has to be about the easiest plant to grow. It is as close to being maintenance free as possible. Nonetheless, it does have its cultural requirements, which should be carefully noted.

*The most crucial is the need for excellent drainage. It is preferable to under-water Nolina than to over-water it. For this reason it should not be planted close to plants that require frequent watering, such as annual flowers. In such cases the bulb is liable to rot.

*Nolina requires full sun, but can get by in light shade

*Remember that this plant grows very slowly. As it needs room to grow, it should not be crowded out with competing species. Patience as ever is a virtue!