Pruning Roses

Knockout roses have been all the rage with our three years of drought. Recent historical rains have stressed all roses with some black spot - perhaps even your Knockouts.

Frequently, I am asked about pruning roses - both Knockouts and traditional teas or floribundas. Here is some advice that is generally appropriate for all roses:

Some fundamental practices of pruning roses correctly in all gardens, regardless of type, are: 1) remove any canes that have been damaged by insects, diseases or storms; 2) remove one of two canes which may be rubbing one another; or 3) remove canes that are spindly or smaller in diameter than the size of a pencil.

On all roses, consider the cutting of the flowers as a form of pruning. If you are gathering roses, always leave at least two sets of leaves on the branch from which you cut the flower to insure plant vigor. When removing faded, spent flowers, cut only as far as the first five-leaflet leaf. If cutting on the ends of branches, cut at 45 degree angles above an outside bud 1/2 inch above the bud with the lowest point on the side opposite the bud, but not below the bud itself. If you are removing branches, never leave stubs since these die and can cause problems on the plant later. Always remove branches by cutting to a lateral branch or bud, or back to the base of the rose plant. Prune about 3 to 4 weeks before the average date of the last killing frost - approximately March 1 in the Atlanta area.

Knockouts (and soon other hybrid cultivars called Oso Easy on the market 2010) are low maintenance and require only steps 1 and 2 above, but if you deadhead them back to the first set of healthy 5-leaves, you will be rewarded with a blooms all the way through the Autumn season.

Lyn

Dipping overnight temperatures

If you have any tender plants (annuals) that you are bringing in for the winter, this is a good week to do it. Our Atlanta temps are dipping into the upper 30s. Plants need time to reacclimate to the new environment, so it's best to give them some time outside during the day as well - if you can.
Why bother? For me, I have several favorite coleus plants with colors and patterns that have been hard to find in the past. Keeping a few sprouts growing over the winter allows me to start spring with 'new' plants in all my favorite designs!
Snip a strong stem with many leaves, and strip the bottom leaves off (3 nodes is good to have). Place in water and allow to root. Or place in a loose peat/soil mix and keep moist. Place in a sunny window. New roots will begin growing from the nodes.
Getting a jump on Spring,
Lyn

Clear with a High Probability of Sunshine!

It is nice to have a few consecutive days of sun and dry weather to dry out a bit from the recent rains.
No one knows if we will have dry weather or wet weather for an extended period of time. What we do know is if you have the right soil mixture, your plants will thrive in most typical weather conditions - wet or dry.
Did you know, improving your soil with organics will save you from using more pesticides. Healthier soil = healthier plants = fewer pests and diseases in the landscape. This is the step most homeowners skip and it costs them, from the lawn to the foundation shrubs.
I recommend (and use) a product called Complete Landscape Mix, or CLM for short. It has all the properties every healthy plant could ask for: organic fertlizer in the form of worm castings, river sand for superior drainage, and something I call popcorn granite. The granite is mined nearby in North Carolina. It is put through a kiln-type process, expanding and creating holes and crevices in the rock. The properties of the granite provide an environment for water and air to be held within the stone's holes and cracks. It truly is complete because the plants have everything the need, right at their roots.
Ask for CLM at your local nursery. Then use it for your containers, or on your next garden project.
See you in the garden,
Lyn

National Wildlife Federation in the Garden

http://www.nwf.org/gardenforwildlife/

Make your garden welcome for birds and creatures alike, they will return the favor... by eating unwanted bugs. Way better than bird feeders (which attract unwanted creatures)!

Welcome to my Advice Blog for Residential Landscapes

Greetings of the beautiful Fall season!

The trees are changing their coats with new shades daily. Mother Nature has arranged a grand display for all to enjoy. A road trip this past week north of Georgia had me gaping in awe at tapestry of colors.

The moons have aligned and I have a great weather day available for yard work and getting my own landscape ready for the next phase of the calendar...Winter is just a few short months away-really!

What can you be doing this time of year, if presented with the same opportunity?
* Cut back ragged perennials and put them to bed with a nice fresh mulch
* Clean out your annual bed and plant some pansies, violas, snapdragons or ornamental kale
* Adjust your mowing height, check for thatch (aerate if you have more than 1/2 an inch), apply a pre-emergent for winter weeds
* Bring non-frostproof containers and plants into the house or garage
* Start some annual plants you loved this summer by rooting indoors over the Winter

TIP OF THE WEEK:
Clean empty containers and tools with a small amount of bleach (1 Tablespoon per gallon) and next Spring you will be one big step ahead of the game. While you're at it, why not wash out your garden gloves before you put them up for the Winter as well? Same solution works great, lay to dry outside on a sunny Fall day.

In the garden with you,
Lyn