and Watergardens

Emerald e-News  April 2011

In This Issue

Winds are blowing

 

 

 

Hello Gardener,

Welcome to Emerald Gardens Newsletter

 

Be sure to stake or prop up new plantings so the wind does'nt loosen the roots.

Sunny and windy conditions cause your plants to dry at a faster rate and care should be taken to water properly. New flowers may need water 4 times or more a week, especially the taller leafy types. Potted plants will need water at least everyother day. New shrubs and trees should be deep watered 2-3 times a week if in the sun and a little less if in the shade. The best watering schedule you can plan should still be followed up with a visual inspection every day. In severe conditions 1 day with out needed water will set the plants growth back by many days and roots could be damaged causing the plant to take longer to establish.

Sprinkler systems are great but have to be monitered for poor pattern watering and pooling. Many plants on a grade will loose water to thoose down hill which can recieve to much. Grades are the hardest area to establish plants and creating half circle rings with soil or stone below each plant will slow down runoff.

Just as many plants die from overwatering as underwatering so more is not always better.

 Perennial Plants

    Can be some of the most rewarding types of plants you can plant. From Texas natives to old garden favorites perennial plants return each year with renewed vigor and blooms. Like clock work most perennials show up year after year on schedule. Some less often planted perennials can be refreshing from the usual selections and new cultivars are of old plants are released yearly . Look for lots of new Heuchera cultivars with many shades of foliage color.

New Hydrangeas are released every year and are great for moist shade areas. Spirea (Bridals Wreath) is availible in summer blooming varieties with pink flowers and lots of dwarf and colored foliage varieties as well as the old standard white. Fall Asters can be one of the toughest plants around and bloom purple when most others are done for the year. Native plants include choices such as Damianita with glowing yellow blooms and Blackfoot daisy with spring , summer and fall blooms.

Whatever the choices, Perennials are best when grouped with variety and varied seasonal interest. Plant in masses or bands of single types for mass impact. Use variety but limit the number of species to keep natural symetry.

 

Snails are effective at algae control and general pond cleanliness. Large snails are $2.49. Just a few will grow in numbers.

Bull frog tadpoles ($1.99)  are fun to watch and can take months to develop into frogs.

:Large growing frogs are great for organic insect control. As they grow they consume huge numbers of bugs from mosquitos to grasshoppers.

Frogs are part of and encourage a strong natural ecosystem. Frogs will grow in size each year until they are about 6 inches long or more. After a year or so the frogs will sexually mature and begin to reproduce. Large unwanted tadpoles are easy to catch and are worth store credit.

 

Very disticntive wide blue leaves set it apart from most Agave allowing easy field ID.This Agave is one of the hardiest and showed no winter damage in our last two extreme winters. Very well suited to containers and architetural design. Each year if we are lucky we find a limited supply. We have 5 gallon and 15 gallon pots availible currently, $44.99. and $149.99.

Get them quick while they last.

 

512 -288 -5900