Gardening Questions
These basic gardening questions and answers will have you successfully planting in no time. Become familiar with the language of gardening, and learn how to select plants that are appropriate for your gardening style and that will thrive in your environment. If you're a beginning gardener, reading up on these questions and answers is a good place to start building the landscape of your dreams. Good shears will last a long time and ensure proper plant growth. |
Q: Which type of pruning shears is best?
A: There are basically two types of pruning shears: anvil and scissors. A good
quality pair of shears should last many years. An advantage the scissors type
has over the anvil is that it won't crush the stem while cutting. Good shears
can be taken apart for sharpening, and replacement parts can be easily obtained
for high quality models. Long-handled lopping shears are helpful when thinning
shrubs and cutting larger stock than hand pruners can cut.
Q: Although I understand the benefits of using compost in the garden, I will
probably never be disciplined enough to build and maintain a pile. What can I
use instead?
A: Many municipalities have old piles of leaf mold -- from autumn
collection -- that is free for the taking. Arm yourself with a few plastic bags
and a shovel and head for the lot. Another option is purchasing composted
manure from a stable or barnyard. You can also buy dehydrated manure or compost
and incorporate it into the soil as you would with fresh compost.
Q: My neighbors have no problem growing a beautiful camellia, but after many
failures, I've stopped planting them. Their soil seems the same as mine.
A: The successful camellia is probably growing in a microclimate that may not
exist on your property. A protected microclimate is a good situation to try
marginally hardy plant species, since it's protected from extreme daily
temperature changes and winter winds. Visit your neighbors' site and try to determine
the origin of the unique location -- you may have a site that is equally
suitable.
Q: I'm looking for a particular cultivar that I can only find through mail
order. Is it safe to buy plants from another temperature zone?
A: If you know the type of plant will grow in your climate, you should have no
problem -- if it's a spring purchase. If the nursery's zone is warmer than yours,
specify a safe ship date for your area. The newly installed plant will have all
summer to acclimate to your seasons, and should survive the upcoming winter.
Q: There are a bewildering number of varieties available of the kind of plant I'm looking for. How do I make a wise decision as to which variety to purchase?
A: Sometimes the color of the bloom is the only difference in variety, making
the choice one of personal preference. Other times the differences are more
drastic, such as a resistance to a disease that may be prevalent in your area;
and still other times the difference may be in the ultimate height, width, or
form of the plant. Read nursery catalogs and talk to garden center salespeople
to determine which varieties interest you and best suit your conditions.
Q: What does it mean to have "well-drained soil"?
A: Although it's necessary for your soil to have water available for your
plants, too much water held for long periods of time will disturb the balance
of air that is necessary for healthy root growth of most plant species. Without
air in the soil, many plants will likely drown. Loam, a balance of sand, clay,
and organic matter, is usually well-drained. Heavily compacted clay soils are
often poorly drained.
Q: Being a weekend gardener, I'm not sure I want to spend the energy necessary
to double-dig my new perennial bed. What are the advantages?
A: Double-digging provides a better quality soil for the deep roots that many
perennials develop. Remember, perennials are long-lived plants, and the time
and effort you use to develop a perfect growing environment is well spent.
Imagine your investment withering up a few years after planting because the
soil 12 inches under the surface is too compact for the roots to develop
properly!
Q: How can proper site and plant selection make insect management easier?
A: There are many types of landscape plants that are virtually pest free (or at
least pest resistant). Find out which pests are a problem in your area, and
steer clear of plants that attract such pests. Additionally, a plant that is
growing out of its optimal environment -- full sun as opposed to partial
shade -- may not be able to support the beneficial insect predators that normally
keep the pests at bay.
Q: I have seen collections of perennials, trees, and bulbs advertised so inexpensively that it's hard to resist purchase. Are such bargains worth the price?
A: Beware of such bargains -- you get what you pay for. The trees, shrubs, and
perennials are often no more than rooted cuttings, six inches tall -- and
sometimes they're species that won't thrive in your climatic conditions. Bulb
collections are often an inferior quality of small size or outdated cultivars;
they may take several years to become large enough to bloom.
Q: How do I select which shade tree is the right one for our property?
A: Determine the height, width, and density of shade needed for the site. Also
decide how important the rate of growth is to your plan. Consider the
environmental conditions -- temperature zone, soil type, light exposure of your
proposed tree site, and how much pest control you are willing to use. Take this
information and compile a list of possibilities -- with help from catalogs or by
talking to local gardeners. Then go to a local garden center or botanical
garden to see your choices.
On the next page, discover the answers to many commonly asked gardening questions, and learn about optimal planting conditions.
Want to find out more about growing a flower garden, a houseplant, or a vegetable garden? Check out:
