Saturday, November 24, 2012
Fall is a good time for homeowners to inspect trees and shrubs in their landscape and to plan for some preventative maintenance to minimize problems that can occur over the winter.
With the winter months just around the corner, now is a good time for homeowners to prepare their landscape for the cold weather ahead. In addition to raking up leaves, cleaning out flower beds and other similar autumnal tasks, Michigan State University Extension recommends that homeowners consider the following tips regarding trees and shrubs: Before the ground freezes, consider watering trees and shrubs As most people are aware, the summer of 2012 has been extremely dry in many parts of Michigan. Consequently, many trees and shrubs in non-irrigated settings are under a certain amount of drought stress. Watering trees and shrubs (needle-bearing, conifer species especially) before they go totally dormant can help them better tolerate …
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Several physiological problems can ruin the appearance of tomatoes.
- PATCH'S HOUSE & HOME
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Saturday, August 11, 2012
In the big, wide world of plants, there can be insect problems, disease problems and a really big category called physiological problems. These occur because of weather or human management problems. Sometimes, they are referred to as abiotic problems because they are not caused by anything living. Tomatoes have their share of fruit problems. As with everything else, those problems can be caused by weather or human mismanagement or a combination of the two. Portions of some tomatoes may still be edible. But if you are selling the fruit, the customers will shy away. The problems listed are caused by high temperatures, no rainfall, uneven watering or too much sun. This 2012 drought season can be summed up as: too hot, too sunny and too dry. …
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Here’s how basic gardening tools will help you get your garden through this dry spell.
This summer’s drought has made it clear that there are some people who have no idea what to do when disaster strikes. Sadly, there are also some people who aren’t even aware that there is a drought. They just revel in another hot, sunny day. The real gardeners were beginning to wring their hands and worry by the end of May. Their gardens had already taken a beating from the hard freezes at the end of April. They were watching a pattern of little or no rain repeat itself, week after week. For new or inexperienced gardeners, a few basic tools and techniques can make a bad situation better. See what you already have – and see what may not be doing the job. The first tool in every gardener’s collection should be a rain gauge. Having at …
