Archive for the ‘Gardening Tips’ Category
Seeding a New Lawn
* A seed mixture of 40% Kentucky bluegrass, 40% creeping red fescue and 20% annual ryegrass is recommended.
* Large stones should be raked from the surface.
* Before seeding, apply lime at the rate of 5 kg per 10 sq m (10 lbs per 100 sq ft) and rake in 6-12-12 fertilizer at the rate of 2 kg per 10 sq m (4 lbs per 100 sq ft).
* Spread the seed at the rate of 2 kg per 100 sq m (4 lbs per 1000 sq ft) and lightly rake it into the soil. Read the rest of this entry »
May 27th, 2010 | 
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* Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball but no deeper than is necessary to bury the roots. Loosen the soil in the bottom of the hole and around the sides of the hole 60 cm (2 ft) out from the centre of the root ball.
* Mix one or two handfuls of agricultural lime with the soil dug from the hole. Read the rest of this entry »
* Driveways and access should be the first consideration. Lots of parking and turning space is a must.
* Plan for snow removal. Do not plant trees or shrubs where snow is to be stockpiled.
* Avoid planting grass on slopes. Instead, plant ground covers, trees, and shrubs, or construct a retaining wall. Read the rest of this entry »
* Lime every year at the rate of 5 kg per 10 sq m (10 lbs per 100 sq ft).
* Fertilize in the spring, again in midsummer, and in September with 15-5-15 fertilizer at the rate, each time, of 1.5 kg per 10 sq m (3 lbs per 100 sq ft).
* Mow the grass as high as possible and mow often so that only the top third of the grass is removed. At least 5 cm (2 in) of green grass should remain after mowing. Read the rest of this entry »
Planting and Care of Roses
* Prepare the soil as suggested for flowers and vegetables.
* Rose bushes should be set so the graft is 10-15 cm (4-6 in) below the surface of the soil.
* Some roses, such as hybrid teas, are heavy feeders so water soluble fertilizer should be applied 3 or 4 times during the growing season up until the end of August. Check with Traverse Gardens for specific fertilizer recommendations. Read the rest of this entry »
Planting and Care of Perennials
* Make sure all grass and weeds are removed from the beds.
* Plant in groups of three or more to give a good splash of colour.
* Check the height the plants will grow. Tall plants such as phlox should be at the back of the bed. Read the rest of this entry »
- Set plants after danger of frost and apply a plant starter solution (10-52-10 at the rate of 15 ml in 4L of water (1 tbs per gal))
- Apply a 5 cm (2 in) layer of peat bark mulch around the plants to conserve moisture and keep the weeds down.
- Feed the flowering plants every 3-4 weeks with a solution of 20-8-20 or 20-20-20, mixed at the rate of 15 ml in 4 L of water (1 tbs per gal)).
While most flowers and vegetables have requirements that are specific to the plant, there are a few general tips that apply to most:
- Mix organic matter (up to 1/3 by volume) into the soil. This can be peat moss, well-rotted manure or compost. Up to 10 cm (4 in) spread over the surface of the soil should be dug in and mixed completely.
- At the same time, agricultural limestone should be mixed in at the rate of 5 kg per 10 sq m (10 lbs per 100 sq ft).