Farewell To Spring

See picture to top right!)light later and later in the evening. Now we're talking about the last daffodils.In Texas, spring means before too long, you'll have no school at all. There are loud bird songs from outside (I first wrote that sentencehere, and...

[1]Another key consideration is how far along your bulbs are in their emergence and bloom cycle. Most spring bulbs won't be phased at all by short periods of cold and frost. Almost any organic matter, applied 4-6 inches deep, makes an effective mulch:...

In fact, you can stick just about any shrub or tree branch in water and watch the leaves unfurl weeks earlier than they would outside, to bring a feeling of spring indoors.It's time for the birds and other migratory creatures to start moving north for...

But In Vermont and other New England states, Mud Season is longer and almost more important than the other four seasons. These states have high-altitude regions that are very similar to that in the Alps or the low parts of the tundra.

They will simply rot if placed in cool, wet soil for extended periods of time. The caladiums have a month or more before I'll be bringing them out, but I'll be busy in the meantime with other, more hardy plants.

This formulation is almost always sold in liquid form, and is made under a variety of brands and names such as Sevin, Ortho Home Orchard Spray and Green Thumb Liquid Fruit Tree Spray.

Are you a primrose addict? This flowering habit means the plants are in bloom over a period of 4-6 weeks. Looking for a way to extend the blooming season? The main pest is root weevil larvae which burrow into their thick, thong-like roots, causing the...

Flowering dogwoods tend to have a height and spread of 15 to 20 feet.Kousa dogwoods (Cornus kousa) are not quite as common as flowering dogwoods, and not quite as showy, either. Dogwoods are prized by many homeowners for their spring blooms, long-lasting...

Even after its flower disappears, bloodroot's unevenly scalloped, waxy gray-green leaf is easy to spot since it continues to develop into June, and may reach 8 inches wide on a 12-inch stem.Bloodroot is a spring ephemeral wildflower, meaning that the...

As long as I can remember, spring was a special time for walking in the woods and looking for delicate, often elusive wildflowers. The goal is to catch the spring wildflowers at their peak, preferably on a sunny, blue-sky day.Everybody has their own favorites...

My husband was building a wheelchair path from one side of the yard to the other. Our lawn isn't one of those cookie-cutter lawns you find elsewhere on my street and around all around the country.

Under a neighbor's guidance, I began pruning the old lilac very early in the spring. Luckily, now I have one mauve (a baby from the one I had in the block's garden) and one purple, which my Mom grew for me.

According to the, Tristagma uniflorum is the correct name at the moment, but the bulbs generally still are sold under Ipheion.They won't look at home just after being planted, but make a more impressive showing after they've been around for a while.In...

I bought stock in Excedrin.Decora is a Fosteriana (early), Golden Apeldoorn is a Darwin Hybrid (mid), and Cashmir is a Single Early (early). The doubters patiently explained how tulips shouldn't be planted in rows like little soldiers.I placed my bulb...

A second application in early summer may be required in order to compensate for poor soil nutrition.Water the soil regularly for two to three weeks before applying fertilizer to ensure the soil is moist and the roots are not drought-stressed.

The finished product is poured into individual bottles or further processed into pastilles.Bach Rescue Remedy's web site states that Rescue Remedy is safe for use by all people. Bach's Rescue Remedy is a flower essence blend that was created by Dr. Edward...

Laevis), named for the leaf's resemblance to a turkey foot.Note whether leaf lobes are rounded or pointed. You can distinguish oaks from other trees by the leaf buds that form in clusters at the end of twigs and their acorns.

It was a grand occasion, and everyone was excited and thrilled to be there.I remember getting out of the car with other members of my family. Around some of the trees you had tied yellow ribbons to mark the boundary where the eggs had been hidden.

In part 1 of the article entitled: Primroses: Diversity is Their Key to Popularity, I described the main cultural requirements of primroses and how they may be used in the garden.In this article I will describe in more detail the main groups of primroses...

In the fall, forsythias offer red-purple leaves for the gardener to enjoy.and can spread to six or more feet wide. Bright yellow flowers burst open along bare stems from late winter to early spring.

Use a plant mister or water bottle when plants are tiny to avoid damaging them and crushing them into soil with heavy sprays of water.Vegetables need bright light for best formation.

That means they could spread beyond your original planting. Avoid a moist spot; they'd rather be dry during the summer. I especially liked the Christopher Lloyd book for its plants-only Latin name index which allowed me to quickly check my spelling of

According to Ed Perry, farm adviser at the University of California-Davis, taste is one of the most reliable indicators of ripeness. A ripe orange will have a smooth, bright orange-colored skin.

Overgrown camellias are even more susceptible to winter injury from cold temperatures and strong winds. Prune away all leggy, crowded, crossing, rubbing, dead or damaged growth from the camellia to keep it from becoming overgrown and unhealthy again.

After handling, the hands should be washed thoroughly and dried with paper towels that can be disposed of. Severe allergic reactions should be referred to a physician for additional treatment.To prevent an allergic reaction, individuals should wear thick...

Select lopping shears for branches that are a few inches thick in diameter. The collar is located where the river birch tree branches grow out from the trunk and appears as a bulge.

When poisoning does occur, it may manifest as a mild fever, stomach upset and dizziness.The Sierra Club gave the Bradford pear the moniker of "Frankentree" because these originally sterile trees have hybridized over the years to gain the ability to produce...