How Brambles Grow
As with any plant, pruning reduces the chance of pest invasion and infection, allows better air circulation and light exposure, and so ultimately, more fruit. Pruning most brambles is a necessity simply because they are rampant growers. Since the ... [... more]
National Gardening Association |
How-To Project: Dividing Perennials
When an established perennial produces fewer flowers, or the center of the plant looks sickly while the margins thrive, it could be time to divide the plant. Or even if the plant is healthy, perhaps you'd like to share it with a friend by ... [... more]
National Gardening Association |
Repellents.
There are quite a few products with flavors and odors offensive to deer that gardeners can spray on plants or spread on the soil. Some (fermented egg yolks) offend deer's sense of smell; others (predator urines) frighten them. More of these ... [... more]
National Gardening Association |
Prepare plants.
Tomatoes need at least six to eight hours of sun a day to produce well - and full sun is best, especially in cooler, more northern climates. Provide well-drained soil with a pH around 6.0 to 6.8. In cold-climate areas, plant in spring after frost ... [... more]
National Gardening Association |
Grow healthy plants.
It's no surprise that roses are among the most popular ornamental garden plants: they're beautiful, fragrant, and easy to grow in most climates. However, many popular roses are also susceptible to three fungal diseases, whose names black spot, ... [... more]
National Gardening Association |
Assess your needs.
Most of us consider our yards and gardens an extension of our homes, and we look for sanctuary and privacy there. Plants can create living walls, which can be especially important in neighborhoods where homes are close together. Whether you can ... [... more]
National Gardening Association |
When to prune.
As with other fruit trees, the main goal of pruning apple trees is to increase fruit quantity and quality. On young trees, training and pruning establish a healthy framework of branches. Continue pruning once or twice a year to maintain the ... [... more]
National Gardening Association |
How-To Project: Controlling Slugs
If there's one garden pest that's universally despised, it's slugs. Not only do they eat prized vegetables, herbs, and flowers at night while you sleep, but when you do catch them, they're so slimy and squishy that many gardeners won't even touch ... [... more]
National Gardening Association |
Choose the spot.
Eliminating weeds and getting the soil ready for your flowers and vegetables are important first steps in growing a successful garden. Time spent in preparation reduces the time you'll have to spend maintaining and weeding your garden over the ... [... more]
National Gardening Association |
How-To Project: Controlling Whiteflies and Aphids
Aphids can easily be removed from a plant by knocking them off with a stream of water from a hose. Once off, they tend not to climb back up. To control small populations of whiteflies on houseplants, approach them in early morning and evening ... [... more]
National Gardening Association |
Calculate Nitrogen on Bag.
Lawn fertilizers consist of nitrogen, phosphate, potassium (also called N-P-K) and other important nutrients. Of these, nitrogen is the most important for healthy green growth. But applying too much nitrogen damages the lawn, causes pollution, ... [... more]
National Gardening Association |
Site the Tree.
Buy trees and shrubs bare-root, in containers, or with roots and soil wrapped in burlap. Bare-root plants are the most economical. There's no heavy soil to manage or containers to plant. But bare-root plants, which include only deciduous or ... [... more]
National Gardening Association |
