When should you prune your roses

As with many other aspects of pruning, deciding when the
best time to prune is can be confusing for many people.

Though the general rule of thumb is to prune in spring, the
best time can vary a bit from climate zone to climate zone.
There are a couple of tips that can help you decide the
very best time to prune your roses. In warmer zones in the
south pruning can be done as early as February. In colder
zones in the north it may be wise to wait until late March
or even April. How to decide when is right for your area
can be done easily by taking a couple of factors into
consideration The first thing to take into account in
choosing the best time to prune is the weather. You'll want
to be sure there is no risk of severe weather such as a
freeze. Pruning prior to a freeze can leave your roses
prone to damage that can prevent new growth or even kill
your plant. The next thing to look for is the signs of new
growth. Watch for the swelling of leaf buds which shows by
the bumps getting larger and turning a reddish color. When
you see these buds appear, and the weather is favorable,
then its the right time to prune your rose bushes. The
second exception is pruning done for winter preparation
purposes and is done generally in late fall or early
winter, depending on the climate zone you live in. The
third exception is pruning hybrid tea roses. Hybrid tea
roses should be pruned when dormant, generally in December
or January, depending on your climate zone. As you can now
tell, the best time to prune roses is not as big a mystery
as you may have thought. Making a few, simple observations
can give you the information you need to make the right
decision on when the best time is to prune your roses.
Water Gardening There are many new trends
surfacing in gardening, and water gardening is one of the
main new interests. Water gardening can be in the form of
waterfalls, ponds, fountains, all of which can be enhanced
by rock work combinations and lighting, plants, and fish.
Water gardening doesnot have to be a pond or natural water
source either, it can consist of just a plastic tub,
basically anything that can hold water.

The most important thing to consider in water gardening is
probably the spot chosen. Since plants and fish both need
plenty of sunlight, places in direct light away from trees
and bushes is the best place. This will also help prevent
leaves and debris from collecting in the water. When
planning for a water garden first decide the size you want.
This will depend on how much money you are willing to spend
because water gardening can get expensive if you opt for a
large garden full of plants, rocks, fish, and lights. Also
consider the size of our property, and the amount of time
you want to spend with maintaining your water garden. When
you choose what type of aquatic plants you wish to have,
remember that the plants should only cover about half of
the water. Plants can be free floating, submerged, or
marginal. Which you choose is all a matter of personal
preference. Some plants are good for their scent, some
provide more oxygen than others and will keep the pool
health, and some are just beautiful. Fish are not only nice
to look at but they are also very beneficial. Fish help
keep debris at a minimum and help in controlling larva and
other insects. One of the main difficulties in water
gardening is keeping water clear of algae. Algae problems
are usually caused from too many nutrients in the water
from feeding fish too often or from over fertilizing
plants. If ponds are made correctly and are maintained
properly algae problems and control will be kept at a
minimum. All garden pools regardless of size will need
maintenance throughout the year. With proper planning you
can ensure a healthy balance between living and decorative
features of a water garden that can almost care for itself
with simple maintenance inputs from you. You can get rid of
algae by reducing on the nutrients that cause the algae by
cutting back on feeding and fertilizing, planting more
plants, installing a filter system, or replacing existing
water with fresh water. There are some chemicals that can
be used, like copper compounds, but overuse can kill plant
life and fish. Water gardening does not take anymore time
than regular gardening, but obviously isnot near the same
thing. You may be the type person who couldnot grow a
flower if you tried but would be excellent at water
gardening. If you are looking for a way to occupy some time
or to beautify your yard, water gardening is an excellent
way. .

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Creative Window Box Ideas

When it comes to window box ideas, personality will tell
the whole story. Plants are a good way to keep a window
box neutral and flowers are a good way to add highlights.
A window box should contain a mix of plants and/or flowers
that considers size, color, layout, and most importantly
pesonal style.

Here are some ideas to help stir up your imagination:

1. Hanging plants are a great window box idea if you want
to give the look of fullness or if you want to blend the
box into a garden are below. You can also use them to flow
into a landscaping area beneath a window or to draw
attention away from a plain wall. Potatoes vines, aubretia,
or geraniums are all great ideas that can create this
artistic flow.

2. Climbing plants and vines can be used to integrate the
window box upward and outward into the home. If you've
already got climbing vines on your house try adding a
window box and having them flow down into the window box
where a tall plant or some bright colors can pop out: great
choices are virginia creepers, wisteria, and ivy.

3. Tall plants are great window box ideas when surrounded
by smaller complimenting plants. They can act as center
highlights that draw attention to your window box and make
it a focal point on the house: lillies, amaryillis, and
gladiolus are all popular choices.

4. Perrenials are flowers that will last 2-4 years and are
great choices for lesser maintenance: foxgloves are popular
and one of my favorites. If you like the idea of switching
it up more often make sure you get flowers that are annuals.

5. Color is a good way to draw attention to a window box
and make it stand out: Impatients, violets, tulips,
jasmines, and daisies are colorful options that are great
for
accenting a box on the sides or even for filling it up
completely. Stick with simple green plants if you want to
remain neutral and accent rather than highlight your window
box.

No matter which window box ideas you use, remember to take
into consideration how you want it to look and feel.
Should it stand out or blend in? Should it stand alone or
flow with your landscaping? Should your window box have a
mixed variety or a consistent look? There's no wrong
answer, just the answer that make you the most happy so let
your imagination soar.

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Matthew Buquoi is the owner of Flower Window Boxes, an
online manufacturer of PVC window boxes and custom window
boxes. He has built and installed window boxes for many
years and loves to write about the many ideas he has come
across over the years when it comes to window box planting
and gardening.
http://www.flowerwindowboxes.com

Add A Koi Pond To Your Landscaping Project

Landscaping your lawn could entail a number of things. It
could be as simplistic as having several plants and shrubs
surrounded by various rocks and woodchips or even a water
garden complete with fountains and flowers. The largest,
most elaborate form of landscaping is a Koi pond.

A Koi pond is a project that will require a large surface
area, and even more research. This illustrious landscape
is very stimulating, but also may require some work when
the changing of the seasons occurs.

Once the weather breaks and the leaves appear to be
changing colors, it is generally a good idea to install
netting over the Koi pond to eliminate the amount of leaves
and sticks that will land in the Koi habitat. This will
drastically lower the amount of debris to be removed at
seasons end. Another precaution that should be taken
during the break of the weather is winterizing the Koi pond.

In winterizing the fish habitat requires several pieces of
advice. One of the most important steps to take into
account is the cleaning process. It is wise to physically
take the fish out of the pond, place them into a bucket
full of the water in the pond, and clean the excess
bacteria from the pond. However, completely removing all
the bacteria will destroy the harmony of the pond through
the summer months; the plants feed off the bacteria while
the fish feed off the plants. Other things that need to be
removed are the remaining leaves and sticks that were not
caught by the netting. Failure of removing these materials
will result in creation of methane gas, a byproduct of the
decomposing that will occur. Lowering the amount of water
will allow the pump to circulate water, allowing the fish
to survive below the level of ice that accumulates in the
cold weather. Another tip worth perusing is to create a
hole in the ice when the winter season approaches. Do not
use force when attempting to create a hole. The best
method for this is to place a pot filled with boiling water
over the ice to allow a hole to be melted into the ice.
This will allow the gases that accumulate in the pond to
escape.

The largest problem that occurs with the overall presence
of the Koi pond is mobility throughout the surrounding area
of the piece. Installing a bride over the center or an
area of interest will serve a dual purpose. The practical
purpose for this landmark is to be able to cross over the
pond to access other portions of the yard or landscape. On
the other hand, the second purpose of building a bridge is
to create the effect of vastness and attractiveness.
Bridges can come in a variety of styles with according
costs.

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