Not all plants are made equal and they have specific needs. Learn about your plants before putting them on the ground. Some plants may refuse to thrive because of too much shade. If this is the case, you can transplant them to a sunny location. Some plants may require rich soil that has nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. The solution to this is to give your plants nutrient rich soil.

Although most plants are pruned at the end of each season, some plants require pruning regularly. You can determine if this is the case with your plants by carefully reading the instructions given when you purchased the plant. Because I have lots of plants and it is difficult to keep track of them all, I have a simple chart with details for each. This makes it easy for me to remember which plants have specific needs and when.

Plants such as roses that bloom profusely and for long periods of time need to be fed at least every three weeks. You can also use compost and mix it with the soil to ensure good drainage because roses like moist soil, but don’t like to sit on water. Also, do remember to deadhead your roses or other blooming plants to encourage more blooming.

If you notice that some of your plants start to wilt, it is a sure sign that you need to water them regularly. This is especially true if you have sandy soil and you live in an area prone to excessive heat and drought. Very hot and dry weather will create difficult living conditions for your plants.

You can water your garden by hand or you can set up soaker hoses or even a drip irrigation system. Do try to avoid watering your garden during the hottest part of the day whatever that time frame is for you. In my case here in the south, that will be between 10 am and about 4 pm. And remember, that plants should be kept moist but not wet so don’t over water them.

Enjoy your healthy garden,
Diana

Here are some other flower gardening sites that I found for you to browse. Thanks for visiting Best Flower Gardening!

Cut flower gardening on Squidoo
Comments: Great Potted Flower Arrangements - ABC News
Twitter / Flower Gardens: Flower Gardening http://t. ...
Flower Gardening - Planting Marigolds Zinnias & Coreopsis from ...
My Not-So-Exotic Garden - WSJ.com
Off Topic Flower Gardening - Groups - Yahoo

Garden care should be every gardener’s top priority. If you want your garden to thrive, you must take care of it by providing adequate water, food and protection from weeds, pests and diseases. For starters, you can start by making sure that the soil is good and rich in nutrients and that your garden has a layer of mulch.

You can check your garden to see if it has enough water by taking a handful of soil from around the base of the plant and squeezing it in your hand. If the soil in your hands forms a ball, your soil is moist and adequate. If the soil runs out of your hand, you need to water your garden.

If you see that the leaves in your plants are turning yellow or have brown spots on them, it means that there is some kind of disease creeping in and you need to spray your plants right away. I use fungicide and it works well. Be sure to read the instructions carefully and mixing the correct amount as too much fungicide may damage your plants.

To keep your garden healthy and beautiful all the time, give your plants some food. Make sure that you get the appropriate plant food according to the plants you now have. For example, if you have roses, buy food for roses. Or if you have a mix of roses and other plants, get a plant food that is good for all your flowering plants.

One important item that we all hate to do but it is necessary is pulling out weeds. Lots of weeds in your garden can damage your plants because it will choke your plants and prevents adequate water and food to get to the roots. As you see weeds coming up, spray them or pull them out of your garden. I use Roundup as a weed killer, but be careful not to spray too close to the plants as it will kill them.

I hope this information will motivate you to go and check your garden. Check the soil to be sure it is moist, check for diseases on the plant leaves, and see if weeding needs to be done.

To your gardening success,
Diana

Here are some other flower gardening sites that I found for you to browse. Thanks for visiting Best Flower Gardening!

Chelsea Flower Show 2011 - The Cancer Research UK Garden - BBC
Easy flower gardening for an apartment complex? - Yahoo! Answers
AOL.com Video - How to Protect Outdoor Flower Pots in the Winter
Flower Gardening Tips : How to Grow English Daisy (Bellis Perennis ...
Bright Blue Garden Hues - Photos - WSJ.com
Let a Billion Wildflowers Bloom : People.com

Flowering trees somehow tells us that the winter season is over and warm sunny days are here to stay. Can you just picture your yard or garden with several trees full of fragrant flowers? It is just absolutely beautiful! And, the best part is that you plant them once and these come back to bloom every year with delightful flowers.

You can plant flowering trees among some perennials, on the corners of your flower garden to accent your landscape, around shrubs, or just plant some in your back yard. No matter where you plant them, these flowering trees will add beauty for years to come.

Some gardeners believe that crepe myrtle is the queen of all flowering trees and here in the south where I live, that seems to be the case. I have crepe myrtle trees planted in the back yard, against fences, on the side of the pond, and in a corner of my flower garden. We just love crepe myrtle here in the south because they bloom from June to November and these are maintenance free.

There are many varieties of flowering trees in the market today but we all have our favorites. Magnolia is also a favorite of mine and is another very popular one here in the south. Did you know that Magnolia Rustica Rubra was introduced over 100 years ago? Yes, and it is known for its long blooming period that lasts for several weeks.

It was introduced in the 19th century at Boskoop, Holland. What makes this Magnolia spectacular is that in early spring, very large red buds arise before the foliage, followed by huge goblet shaped blooms in pink that usually lighten up to white near the petal tips and then the foliage starts around these huge blooms. Gorgeous! This awesome Magnolia tree grows from 10 to 25 feet tall and about 10 to 15 feet wide. It grows well in zones 4-9.

Another favorite flowering tree is Dogwood. A gentleman by the name of Bob Timberlake developed a specimen of Dogwood called ‘Cornus Eternal Dogwood’ and it is known for its long flowering period. It has large 6-inch double blooms of pure white flowers all surrounded by a ruffled green center. This one type of Dogwood somehow continues to bloom for two weeks beyond all others. It grows from 18 to 25 feet tall and up to 18 feet wide, likes full sun, and thrives in zones 6-9.

And, let us not forget the ‘Cornus Radiant Rose’ flowering tree. If you are not familiar with Radiant Rose, get ready because you will fall in love with this one. This tree has rosy red flowers that hold their color beautifully even in intense heat and humidity. The blooms are 4 inch petaled shaped and are a rosy red color set off against large deep green leaves which begin early summer and continues until August in most climates. Expect this tree to grow 10 feet tall in the first five years, about 20 feet high when it matures, and 30 feet wide. It grows well in zones 4-9 and it is recommended that you space these at least 20 feet apart.

I really hope that the information above will entice you to plant some flowering trees in your garden or landscape. These trees are perfect for a front yard specimen, backyard or even on the side of your home. Where ever you plant them, these will add beauty to your home and garden for many years to come.

Enjoy your flowering trees,
Diana

Here are some other flower gardening sites that I found for you to browse. Thanks for visiting Best Flower Gardening!

Flower Gardening--Basic Principles of Design
At The Chelsea Flower Show Pictures - CBS News - CBS News.com
Garden - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia
Coneflower | Define Coneflower at Dictionary.com
FLOWER GARDENING - University of Illinois Extension
Gardening | Define Gardening at Dictionary.com

In a desperate attempt to reduce the work involved by having to replace mulch every year in my flower garden, I began to do some research on rubber mulch. What I found is that there has been lots of controversy about having rubber mulch around your garden because, according to some gardeners, rubber mulch may leach chemicals that could kill your plants.

In a report written in 1997 by Rufus Chaney, who is an environmental Chemist for the U.S.D.A. Agricultural Research Service, he says that in his studies, small amounts of zinc in rubber mulch could leach into the soil over time.

The next report I read came from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission which tested gravel, wood chips, and rubber mulch and they gave rubber mulch the highest shock absorption ratings when used as playground covering. This is good news for parents and teachers alike as it will provide safety and minimize the cuts and bruises children get while at playgrounds.

Several other studies that I read stated that rubber mulch is non-leaching, non-flammable and non-toxic to plants, animals and pets. The problem with these studies is that these were done and sponsored by the companies that process the mulch so I don’t know if we should believe this or not. And, the arguments continue between the environmental agencies and the companies that manufacture rubber mulch.

So, we now know that rubber mulch is good if used in playgrounds and other non-garden related areas, but what about a flower garden? First, let’s take a look at what rubber mulch is. It is made from old rubber tires that had the steel bands removed. It doesn’t matter the size, quality or make of the tire, any old tire will do. It doesn’t matter if the tire came from a truck or a passenger car. The rubber from these tires is then made into nuggets thus creating rubber mulch. Next, let’s discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using rubber mulch.

Advantages
• it is recycled material which benefits the environment
• it insulates the soil protecting it from heat
• does not absorb water so it keeps the soil moist
• prevents weeds since seeds will dehydrate in the mulch prior to reaching the soil
• shredded rubber mulch can be used as landfill
• does not wash away during heavy rain
• does not decay
• does not sink to the ground
• does not attract termites, ants and other garden insects
• can be purchased in different colors to add beauty to a garden or landscape
• no need to remove old mulch year after year from the garden
• saves time and money tending to garden needs

Disadvantages
• it is more expensive than regular wood mulch
• may leach chemicals into the soil
• does not provide soil with any organic matter
• some gardeners have reported that it killed some of their plants
• may produce bad odor when spread in the garden

By reviewing the lists above, it is obvious that the advantages of using rubber mulch are much greater than the disadvantages. But, should we take a chance and use it on our flower gardens? That is a decision that each individual gardener needs to make.

As for me, I took a chance and bought rubber mulch in March of this year and replaced the old wood mulch in my flower garden. I must admit that I was a little nervous at first, but it was a time and money saving decision that I had to make. I expected some bad odor to permeate all around my garden, but there was none. Time will tell if the rubber mulch will damage some of my plants but so far, my flower garden is doing well and the rubber mulch looks great.

To your gardening success,
Diana

Here are some other flower gardening sites that I found for you to browse. Thanks for visiting Best Flower Gardening!

Shakespeare garden: Definition from Answers.com
I am looking for some PA gardening websites and blogs? - Yahoo ...
Wild Ones Handbook: Landscaping with Native Plants - 4th Edition
History of Flower Gardening
Container Flower Gardening
Gardenia | Define Gardenia at Dictionary.com