Gardening Tips to Maintain Your Landscaping

Most of us are ready to invest a great deal of money into landscaping and gardening in order to enhance the curb appeal of our home. However, the meticulously planned curb appeal is often not consistently maintained, the expensive landscaping end up looking worse than if we had done nothing at all. In order to provide better landscaping and gardening maintenance, there are valuable gardening tips that we should know. Follow the gardening tips on this site for help ensure that your hard work continues to enhance the esthetic quality (and value) of your home and the pleasure that you get from your garden of your garden.

Gardening tips for pruning

Pruning is vital to your garden and lawn maintenance regime. Mistakes aplenty may occur as you hone your pruning skills. Do not be disheartened if you do make mistakes while pruning. Like those bad haircuts that we get from time to time, the plant will grow back and you can try again.

Gardening tip for watering

You should always avoid watering your plants in the evening. Plants require water for transpiration, which is high in the day and lower at night. In order for that process to occur, watering is best done earlier in the day. In addition, fungi like the damp, dark areas which is provided by evening watering unless the soil is well drained

Gardening tip for eliminating powdery mildew

Powdery mildew is a common fungus that affects a broad spectrum of plants. The mildew forms white powder-like spots on the stems and leaves. It is a relatively easy disease to identify since the symptoms are obvious to the naked eye. As the disease progresses, the affected areas become larger due the accumulation of spores. Powdery mildew will migrate to other host plants in the area. If left untreated, it will kill your plants.

Anti-fungal treatments can be purchased from your local garden centre. If you prefer a natural treatment, both baking soda and milk are inexpensive and readily available. Mixing one part any type of milk with three parts water and spraying the plant thoroughly will help to control the mildew. If you prefer baking soda, mix one tablespoon baking soda, two and a half vegetable oil and four or five drops of liquid soap to a gallon of water. Make sure to keep it well mixed or the ingredients will separate. Spray the plant. You must treat the undersides of the leaves as well as the topside and the stem in order for a treatment to be effective.

Gardening tip to prevent Pythium Blight

Warm, wet weather can be the catalyst needed to promote the growth of a fungus called Pythium Blight that loves bentgrasses and ryegrasses. Also known as Grease Spot or Cottony Blight, this fungus propagates quickly and will spread over a large area in few days if the weather is favorable.

Sometimes, in the early morning, you will see a white cobweb-like substance on the grass. At other times, the irregular patches of grass will fade to a light brown or gray colour and resemble a greasy spot on the lawn. Ensuring adequate drainage and air circulation, in addition to proper nitrogen levels in the soil, will help to keep this fungi under control.

Gardening tip to manage Fire Blight

Another culprit, Fire Blight, is highly infectious and destructive and is spread primarily by insects, pruning tools, rain, and wind. Plants are most susceptible in the spring with the fungus attacking all parts of the plant. Fire Blight attacks Pyracantha, crabapple trees, cotoneasters, pear trees and apple trees, as well as other members of the Rosaceae family. The presence of Fire Blight can be easily detected because the affected area will often appear burnt or reddish.

The Fire Blight disease can be managed by pruning out the infected branches at least 8” below the affected area. Do not prune when the plants are wet and disinfect the pruning tools with a solution of 9 parts water and one part bleach each time you make a cut to prevent spreading the pathogen. Burn the infected branches and disinfect the pruning tools when you are done pruning.

Gardening tip to prevent Shotgun fungus

Known also as “Short gun Fungus”, this mushroom fungus is found in mulch, decks, siding, etc. Organic mulches are the preferred abode of this hard-to-eradicate fungus. The spores can be expelled up to a distance of 20 feet and are attracted to bright surfaces. Most of us suspect insects as the depositors of these tiny, brown specks (1ml – 2 ml in diameter). You can prevent this fungus by using inorganic mulch and/or rot resistant woods such as cedar and cypress. If you want to use organic mulch, stir the mulch on a regular basis to retard the fungus. If you find infected much, remove and dispose of it immediately.

A little preventative maintenance will go a long way to giving your vegetation a long and beautiful life.