Don't think you can grow roses--try Sunrosa

If you have tried growing roses in your landscape in the past and been unsuccessful, consider giving the Sunrosa rose series a try. Part of the Suntory Collection, these roses are available in Red, Soft Pink and Yellow.

The plants have a compact, bushy growth habit. Best of all they are highly disease resistant, require less pruning and have a long flowering period. Due to the plants' compact habit, these roses are great for yards with small to medium landscape spaces and also can be used in patio containers.


Sunrosa Red 

Sunrosa Soft Pink

Sunrosa Yellow

Don't have room for bougainvillea--try layering

If you'd like to give your garden a tropical feel and think bougainvillea plants are too large, then consider the Sunvillea series. Better Homes and Gardens said some of the best gardens use layering in which layers of plants that grow at different heights are combined. The semi-dwarf Sunvillea bougainvillea (Rose, Pink and Cream) fit well in this type of garden. Even if you don't live in a warm-climate area, Better Homes and Gardens suggests you can still take advantage of tropicals such as bougainvillea. Treat them as annuals or grow them in containers and bring them indoors for the winter.

Using layering, in which layers of plants that
grow at different heights are combined, enables
you to use tropical plants like bougainvillea. 

 

Avoid over-fertilizing perennial plants

Perennial flowers, ground covers and grasses generally don’t need a lot of fertilizer and, in fact, some will react negatively if too much is applied. Heavy fertilization of perennial plants can cause excessive growth than can lead to flopping over half-way through the gardening season. Over-fertilization can also affect bloom performance, producing ample foliage at the expense of the number of flowers produced.

Plants in a healthy garden soil with organic material may require no fertilization. Soil composed primarily of sand with little organic natter, may benefit from routine, light fertilization. Application of a slow-release fertilizer can meet the season-long nutrient requirements, but a balanced fertilizer such as 20-5-10 can also be used.

Slow-release fertilizers are formulated to be effective
for either three to four months or five to six months.

  

Spring rains promote unwanted pest--mosquitoes

Warm temperatures and ample rainfall have allowed mosquitoes to become fully active in many parts of the country. Summer mosquitoes produce generation after generation of mosquitoes as long as there is standing water available. These mosquitoes have benefitted from the wet spring in some parts of the country.

Reducing mosquito bites revolves around the use of repellents, loose-fitting clothing, tight-fitting window screens and yard sprays with malathion, permethrin or cyfluthin, and simply staying indoors during peak mosquito times (around sunrise and sunset). Propane-fired foggers or ULV (ultra-low volume) sprayers can also be used to kill the adult mosquitoes in yards.

Summer mosquitoes produce generation after generation
of mosquitoes as long as there is standing water available.

 

Hibiscus adds tropical flair to container gardens

If you think hibsicus can only be used in landscapes or as a specimen plant, take a look at this container garden from Better Homes and Gardens. The container includes hibiscus along with Imperata cylindrica 'Rubra' (Japanese bloodgrass), Salvia splendens and New Guinea impatiens 'Celebration Deep Red'. The bold, bright colors really give this combination a tropical feel.

A. Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, 1 plant
B. Imperata cylindrica 'Rubra' (Japanese bloodgrass ), 3 plants
C. Salvia splendens, 3 plants
D. New Guinea impatiens Celebration Deep Red', 3 plants

  

Protect your home from wildfires

Every spring, homeowners should inspect their property to eliminate hazards that can burn their homes and damage their property from spreading wildfires. Dried grass, brush, and dead leaves provide fuel to a wildfire.

Green vegetation rarely burns or greatly slows down the progression of a fire. Creating a barrier 3- to 5-foot wide barrier with stone mulches also helps reduce the threat posed by ground-based wildfires.

Cleaning out gutters and eaves of dried leaves and needles as well as removing debris off of the roof can prevent aairbornee embers from igniting the roof of a home. Dried leaves and grass that pile up under outdoor decks and porches should also be cleaned out regularly to reduce the risk of embers being blown underneath a deck or porch and starting a fire.

Consider removing all but scattered trees within a 30- to 60-foot fuel break around a home. Any trees left within this fuel break should be pruned of all branches up to a height of 6-10 feet from the ground. This helps prevent fast-moving ground fires from “laddering” up into the tree crowns.

Now is a good time for homeowners to inspect their
property to eliminate hazards that can burn their
 homes and damage their property from wildfires.

 

Simplify with a low-maintenance garden

National Garden Bureau collected tips from its Facebook fans about creating a low-maintenance garden. Here are some of tips they provided.

1. Selected the right plants for your location. The more you try to test the boundaries of garden zones and climates, the more difficult it will be for plants to thrive.

2. Choose perennials that are slower growing so there is less of a need for dividing or thinning them.

3. Choose annuals varieties that don't require a lot of dead-heading to stay tidy and clean.

4. Consider native plants, which are more likely to hardy in your area and have already adapted to your climatic conditions.

5. Make good choices for companion plantings. Consider plants that can overgrow early flowering species, such as spring bulb crops, that die back reducing the need to trim or remove yellowing or dying foliage.

Gardening can be made simpler by designing and installing
a low-maintenance garden.