THE BLOG: let's talk gardening


AUGUST 18 2011 FILED UNDER Landscape Design	Get Structure & Style in Your Landscape Garden arbors and trellises can beautify a backyard, walkway, garden setting, or entry way. They can set the theme of your garden as formal or informal, classic or modern. Use an arbor or trellis to create the perfect spot in your backyard or garden where you can relax, enjoy the outdoors, and entertain your friends and family. Try both arbors and trellises to enhance your landscape. Here's just a few reasons why we love them: Screen Eyesores A trellis can camouflage a trash can, air conditioning unit or compost heap that can ruin a beautiful garden view. Installing a trellis with climbing plants can turn an eyesore into a garden asset. Define Outdoor Rooms When you want to separate one area of the garden from the rest of the yard, create a definitive transition point by installing an arbor. When people walk through the arbor’s gate, they become aware that they are entering a different space. You can create the same effect using a trellis by simply installing two trellises three to four feet apart and creating a walkway that leads up to and through the space between them. Create Privacy If you have neighbors close or your yard backs up to a busy road, you may want to consider using garden trellises for an instant privacy screen that looks softer and prettier than a stockade or picket fence. Install a row of trellises along an entire side of the property line and plant with vigorously growing vines such as morning glories. Garden Vertically Producing edibles on a garden trellis saves space and adds vertical interest and color to your patio, balcony or landscape. Not only can you enjoy the beautiful greenery, but you’ll get the added benefit of home grown fruits and veggies. Think of these suggestions, when planning your trellis garden: Tomatoes, Peas, Cucumbers, Pole Beans, Gourds, Melons, Squash, and Pumpkin. These climbers can help you create the perfect outdoor setting with easy maintenance. Happy Gardening! Posted by McDonald Garden Center, August 18, 2011
AUGUST 11 2011	Freshen up your summer landscape with pine straw Looking for a quick & easy way to spruce up your summer landscape: try pine straw. Pine straw is natural byproduct of pine trees and by using the needles, it helps provide eco-friendly growing conditions for healthy trees, plants & shrubs. Not only does pine straw make a beautiful natural garden mulch, but it provides many benefits to your garden... Encourages Healthy Plants & Soil Using pine straw for your landscape mulch promotes better soil and plant health. Pine needles are high in nitrogen so when the needles start to decompose it acts like a fertilizer to your plants. Erosion Control Pine straw is very long-lasting and doesn’t float or wash away during rains. It also adheres well to slopes and will help your garden or landscape resist erosion acting as a blanket shielding plants from harsh weather. Lightweight & Easy to Apply Pine straw is lightweight, easier to handle, and lighter per cubic foot than most other mulches. Just toss a few bales in the back of your vehicle, slip on your gloves and apply throughout your beds. Weed Control Pine needles are an excellent weed deterrent as it reduces growth and protects your shrubs and trees. When using pine straw to reduce the weeds in your landscape apply it at about 3-inches deep. The deeper the pine straw, the better protection against weeds. In addition to deterring weeds, pine also reduces garden pests! Visual Appeal Pine straw boasts a natural, auburn color and will hold its color longer than most other garden mulches. By not having to mulch as often, you will cut down on time and cost for re-applying mulch to the garden... and keep it looking fresh! We just got a fresh shipment of pine straw in at all three of our year-round garden center's in Hampton, Virginia Beach and Chesapeake. $7.99 per bale Happy Gardening! Posted by McDonald Garden Center, August 11, 2011
AUGUST 8 2011 FILED UNDER Fruit Trees	Fig Trees: Easy & Delicious! Figs are one of the easiest fruit trees you can grow and NOW is the time to enjoy this scrumptious fruit. They grow happily in both the ground and in containers, making them perfect for all types of gardeners! Figs grow on low, open trees with no thorns and soft leaves, and they are very easy to pick. You'll know a fig is ready to be picked when it feels soft and it separates easily from the tree when you lift it upwards from its drooping position. Unripe figs are harder, more firmly attached, and do not droop. These delicious fruits are at their peak right now in Hampton Roads and will be remain until frost in mid-October. Enjoying the flavor of a freshly picked fig in the shade of the tree's canopy is a true Southern tradition. Thomas Jefferson claimed in his retirement to want only to sit beneath a fig tree with his books and watch the days pass by. Luckily, he did a lot more than this. Jefferson not only spread the popularity of the fig from Europe, but also expanded the area where the tree is grown. So, grab a shady seat and enjoy this southern treat! *Our Favorite Figs* There are hundreds of fig varieties, but here's list of our faves... Brown Turkey This variety boasts brownish, copper-colored skin, often with hints of purple, and mostly pink/red flesh with some white. They work well in salads or in desserts where a sweetener will be used. Celeste Approximately the size of an egg. Celeste fruits are purplish-brown when ripe, with a sweet, moist, deep-purple flesh inside. Absolutely delicious! Mission Named for the mission fathers who planted the fruit along the California coast. This fig is deep-purple which darkens to a rich, black color when dried. Often called black mission figs, they are extremely sweet and are perfect for serving plain , with yogurt, or with a tangy fresh cheese (such as mascarpone, fromage blanc, or farmers cheese) for dessert. Strawberry Verde This large, black skinned fig has a scrumptious deep, strawberry-red flesh. It is excellent eaten fresh off the tree or dried. This variety is a dwarf tree well-suited for smaller gardens or yards. { Happy Gardening! Posted by McDonald Garden Center, August 8, 2011 } *note: selection varies by location
AUGUST 3 2011	Go Ornamental Think grass is just for your lawn? Try using ornamental grasses in containers, and in your landscape to add a whole new dimension to your outdoor space. Ornamental grasses add two important elements to the garden experience that are not readily obtained from many other plants: MOVEMENT and SOUND. ... not to mention they are super stylish as well! And, did you know ornamental grasses: ...require little effort to maintain. ...come in many heights, colors, textures. ...seed heads & foliage add stunning fall and winter interest. ...can be used as thriller plants in containers, and as vertical design elements throughout your landscape. So, go ornamental in your garden and add instant drama! { Happy Gardening! Posted by McDonald Garden Center, August 3, 2011 }
AUGUST 1 2011	To-dos: August in the Garden August brings hot and sticky weather to Hampton Roads. With it, too, comes the full enjoyment and bounty of vegetables and flowers tended during the spring and early summer. The most important thing to do in your garden right now is... *enjoy all the beauty you've accomplished!* Sit back, relax and enjoy the view! Here are few easy tricks to keep your garden in tip-top shape through the rest of the summer: Pick Faded Blooms Keep your annuals blooming by consistently removing faded blooms. If allowed to remain, blooming will likely decrease, as the strength goes into making seed. Also, pick flowers for bouquets in your home. This will not only help keep the garden neat, but will increase flower productivity. Gather blooms in the evening and plunge in water overnight before using. Mulch A lot of gardens this time of year need a fresh application of mulch. Check that your mulch hasn't decomposed and add more as needed. Mulch conserves moisture. So, to properly conserve moisture and protect your plants, it is important to top off beds with bark, wood chips or pine needles at a depth between 3 to 4 inches. Pick Herbs Pick herbs for fresh use and for drying. Remember, harvesting will keep them growing longer! Water Watering chores will eat up your garden time this month. Remember the basics: • Water in the early morning. • Water the soil, not the leaves. (to prevent spreading disease or fungus) • Water deeply and occasionally, rather than shallow and often. • Remember to water your containers as well, as they tend to dry out before plants in the ground. { Happy Gardening! Posted by McDonald Garden Center, August 1, 2011 }