A lot of animals do eat bulbs. I have a problem with squirrels - either they eat them or just relocate them. That was driving me nuts, because I KNEW where I'd put them. so why were they coming up other places? And why were things coming up I hadn't even planted?

The squirrels had swiped 'em from the neighbors!

:eek:

:p

You can keep the thieving down a bit by planting a piece of chicken wire over the bulbs if you want. It's hard for them to dog through that. Just make sure the holes are big enough for the leaves to grow though.

Give them a little Bulb Booster food, and dig em up if they stop blooming well, spread them out. Put them where they get a few hours of sun a day.

A picture of the front of the house. Also, should I cut off the left section of the Arborvitae tree? It really does look lopsided.

The big bush in the front is a serviceberry shrub. DH hates it, but it gets white flowers in the spring, then red berries that the birds love. The Robins make a hilarious display of yanking them off the branches. :)

It leafs out for the summer, then turns bright orange in the fall, and it has smooth graceful wood branches. I know this isn't evident from the distance. Behind that in the corner next to the porch is my poor, abused Burning Bush that the bunnies munched on in the winter.

So, there would be a rather shady spot behind the serviceberry that would only get a few hours, then next to the Arborvitae, a sunnier spot.

The reason I wouldn't want them to be TOO tall is because I don't want the windows to be blocked.

Idea: Would it be practical to try to move the Serviceberry to the backyard? I might have more options in that case.

I have blue rug junipers growing in front of and on both sides of the serviceberry. They provide a home for my toads when I have the birdbath set up on that cement base.

My flower garden is way to the right out of the picture range.

That sounds good Brain! I'll put that on my possibility list!

:ROTFLMAO::D

Saskatoon Serviceberry or one of the Serviceberrys. They are in bloom right now. They flower first and then leaves form.

mulching
 

Okay ladies, currently there is mulch all around my house and around my shed where of course my plants are. I hate it because it sticks in my dog's fur and of course he brings it into the house so I have pieces of bark EVERYWHERE! I have decided to instead replace it all with stone/pebbles. Now of course considering my health I need this project to be as simple as possible. What do I need to do to the ground before I lay the stone? I'll rake up and remove the mulch first of course, but do I have to go through laying down that weed fabric or whatever it is? I guess I just need to know what the process is?
Thanks!
Jess

Putting down weed fabric under rock totally depends on the type of rock. If the rock is heavy, I do recommend it because the rocks will eventually erode into the soil. However, if the rock is light, there is no need for the weed fabric. It is a waste of money. Weeds grow on top of it as they grow in any type of organic material that will collect on top of the weed fabric.

Other negatives for weed fabric are the cost; you cannot move plants or add plants without cutting more holes; once you cut a hole in it, now you've created a place for weeds to grow; and you have to factor in the irrigation system - is it going to be on top or under the weed fabric?

My suggestion is no weed fabric. It's a pain in the butt. Put down enough rock to adequately cover the area, at least 2" deep and you should be good to go.

We rarely use it unless the rock is very heavy and such as the big permabark type rock and most homeowners don't like it anyway.

I just finished reading the post about weed mats under mulch, and agree that it's an expensive way to go.

The house we're in now already had that thick plastic under the mulch when we moved in, but it looks unsightly where it's exposed in places. I wouldn't use it again given the choice .

My cousin is doing something similar at her house. She's thinking of using the thick plastic underneath the mulch, but we were discussing the option of using layers of newspaper instead. That wouldn't cost anything as she'd just be recycling newspapers, but is it effective in keeping down weeds under mulch?

Over to you ladies......what are your thoughts on the newspaper option.

Thank you in advance. :)

Newspaper works but it degrades over time and will also become torn and looks unsightly. It is good in small places for keeping weeds down, but putting any type of "weed fabric" under organic mulch is a total waste of time and money. The weeds grow in the mulch - it's organic and weeds will grow in it. It honestly serves no purpose other than $$ in the pocket of the person installing it (if you have a professional landscaper doing the work) and the company who makes the weed fabric.

Your best bet for weed control is an integrated weed control management program. In the spring, pre-emergent application, either granular or liquid, mechanical weed removal (pulling), and occasional organic/herbicide application as required.

You can use grass clippings in large areas to control weed growth such as in between the rows in your garden if you mow your lawn and bag the clippings. Empty the bags on the ground between the rows and you will have less weeds in your garden area.

I bought some stuff for the front of the house: a boxwood to go at the right of the tree, and a small juniper shrub with gold highlighted branches to go in front between the two of them.

I also bought another lilac bush to put somewhere... DOH!! (Should I just put a sign on my back that says "kick me"? :lookaround:

I'll get some tall annuals to fill in for a few years until the boxwood fills out and takes up more space because it looks pretty dinky next to the tree right now.

Brain and Cheryl,

I haven't planted these yet, so if it sounds like I made a bad choice, please say so! :eek: I can exchange these at Lowes if necessary. I was out yesterday and I couldn't help myself. :o

I gotta tell ya, I was hoping you'd say that!! I really didn't wanna mess with it!! Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!:hug:

I was also considering the newspaper thing this year. My thinking is that if the weeds grow in the mulch, won't they be easier to pull since they won't be deeply rooted in the soil??

Also, have you ever used Preen or know whether it is really effective?

Boxwoods are nice, but I hope you bought more than one! I suggest 3...they look nice in sets of 3.

The gold tip juniper is also a good choice...

I love Lilacs. They are nice shrubs and easy to prune...prune them within 6 weeks after they bloom, as they bloom next year on this years new growth. So if you wait too long to prune them, you won't get blooms next year.

;)

Here's a link to FAQs about Preen. http://www.preen.com/newpreen/prdpre...d=1&pid=1#cat1

True about the newspapers under the mulch as well as the weed fabric under the mulch...but do you have any idea what wet newspaper is going to attract and smell like? I would not recommend it.

Thank you for the excellent advice Cheryl! Do the boxwoods go in a row or in a triangle?

I would put them in a triangle.

When's the best time to plant tulip and daffofil bulbs? I want to plan them in a circle in a sectioned off area in the front yard but it gets full sun.

Also, when's the best time to plant a pink dogwood tree?

Thanks for all the advice!

Bulbs are best planted in the fall.

You can plant a dogwood tree now...or before it gets too hot. And then again in late fall before the ground freezes.

Thanks for the tip on slugs. I just put out a pie plate full of beer...it attracts them and they die....LOL! (happy!)

Wet newspapers smell....ewwww! :eek:

LOL... we tried the beer thing. The dogs drank it.

:p

So were the dogs!

:D

Okay, I need suggestions, please...

We have a pear tree that is dying. As well it should be I guess, it's probably as old as the house (100 or so, lol) And we're thinking of taking it down this year.


We want to replace it with something atractive, not too expensive. I'd like something that we can get fairly big to start off with, either flowering or with some seasonal colors - but not another fruit tree. And nothing that's going to get way too big.

Ideas?

Our only other trees are two baby Autumn Blaze Malples (in front, the township just planted them last year) three little sand cherry trees that are more of a specimen than a tree and one little apple tree. So I need a tree sized tree.

Spring Snow Crabapple. Beautiful showy white flower, no fruit, some fall color, and very pretty bark.

http://www.tytyga.com/product/image2/659/2-6.jpg

Hi Brain,

Is that like a saucer magnolia with big pink blooms in the spring? I love those! :)

I got my sister a Pee-Gee Hydrangea "Grandiflora" tree for her birthday. I ordered it online and she should get it soon. It's a beautiful tree that we both love. :) She has a beautiful yard and garden and I can't wait to see it when it blooms. It gets 10-15' high and 8-10' wide with huge blooms up to 12" from mid-summer to early fall. She'll use it as a centerpiece in her flower garden. :ooo:

I bought a couple of shrubs yesterday, a snowball viburnum that is beautiful in spring and fall and has summer berries for the birds. I also got a hydrangea shrub for the front yard. The rabbits don't eat my other hydrangea perennials so I figured that would be a good choice.

I'm taking out the burning bush and moving it to the backyard where it won't be so unsightly after a winter of chewing by the rabbits.

I planted two rhododendrums in the front and divided my hostas, Annabelle hydrangea to plant in my new bare spot where we took out the old bush.

I also got some perennials for my front flower garden, including a painted daisy, foxglove (for a shady corner), poppies, and some white phlox.

I have to do a lot of dividing and transplanting of my other flowers and I'll be good for new stuff this year.

I'm going to cover my shrubs this fall with a chicken wire around them so maybe the coming winter won't be so bad with the rabbits.

Our neighbor came over and showed me her new puppy, a German Shepard beauty named Bear. I hinted that I wouldn't mind if she played in our backyard to discourage the rabbits. :icon_idea: ;)

Butterfly Magnolia is absolutely gorgeous!!! The yellow flowers are so spectacular!! And HUGE flowers.

Magnolia denudata x acuminata 'Butterfly'
Common Name: Butterfly Magnolia



Plant Benefits

Considered to be among the best of all yellow Magnolias. Exceptional, rich yellow, non-fading 4 to 5 in. blooms are held upright like butterflies upon the branches. A spectacular specimen and focal point for early spring. Deciduous. It can get up to 25-30 feet tall!

Light needs: Full sun
Watering Needs: Once established, needs only occasional watering
Follow a regular watering schedule during the first growing season to establish a deep, extensive root system. Watering can be reduced after establishment. Feed with a general purpose fertilizer before new growth begins in spring.

http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:...abutterfly.jpg

I like your other choices too. Which Mock Orange? The Philadelphus lewisii is the real Mock Orange and the State Flower of Idaho. It's very pretty and has a nice smell. It's better for higher elevations.

Philadelphus coronarius
http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:...rge/6748_l.jpg

How to Attract Hummingbirds
 

I was chatting with a friend today about attracting Hummingbirds so I did a little research.

Here's some links to some sites about Hummingbirds.

http://www.hummingbirds.net/attract.html - plants

http://www.hummingbirds.net/feeders.html - feeders

One of my favorites for plants is hanging baskets with fuchsias. Fuchsia like morning sun and afternoon shade and not a lot of heat. If you are in a hot area, just make sure the baskets get a lot of water. Hummers love Fushias. If you put your feeder near the hanging basket, they will find it.

They also love petunias, and penstemons. Any type of flower with a throat...

Honeysuckle is another good one if you have a yard that will handle it.

http://www.hummingbirds.net/images/lonicera.jpg

Or Columbine

http://www.hummingbirds.net/images/aquilegia.jpg

Have you grown foxglove before? In my area, it works as a biennial. It'll come up one year, bloom one or two years, then you have to rely on it reseeding itself, or you have no plant. If you allow the flower stalk to fall over when the blooms fade, generally its seeds will fall out and plant themselves and grow.

Once the plants have 3-4 leaves, you can move them if you like. Don't wait till they're too big - then they don't transplant as easily.

(things I learned the hard way.)

:p

Cheryl - I'm not sure which mock orange yet. I'll have to see what's available locaaly. My neighbor has one that he says blooms most of the summer and it is awesome, both how pretty it is and how aromatic it is. I'd like one like that.

And thanks for the hummy links!

I have half those plants, lol! The comumbine, the texas salvia, the bee balm, beard tongue, trumpet vine, coral bells.

They go for the salvia the most. I collect the seeds in the fall and just toss them all over the beds in late spring. Great plant.

We had a honeysuckle, and it tore shingles and gutters off the house. we tore that bad boy down, lol. The trumpet vine is going by the fence, just to be safe.

And then there are the orioles ........ I put out fresh oranges this morning and they are already eaten. :eek: I have to dash out and replace them. It's awful that they cost so much this year and the birds are eating just as much.

Be careful of the Trumpet Vine. It can also be pretty invasive and tear down the fence. Honeysuckle can be pruned back so it doesn't get so "wild" and rip down fences. A lot of people don't know that.

Also the butterfly bushes should be pruned down to the ground each year to keep them from getting out of control. I prune mine with the chain saw down to about 3-4 inches from the ground!

Sounds like you've got quite the perennial garden for the attracting airborne wildlife!!! We get a lot of butterflies...but also a lot of hornets and wasps. Thank goodness for pest control.


We've had about 5 hummers that return each year. It's about time to put out the feeders. :D

Brain, Thanks for the tips on Foxglove. I'll make sure to let it go to seed in its little corner. I got stakes for some of my tall plants too.

I planted some Columbine last year and it's coming up! :) A couple of other perrenials but I don't remember what they are at the moment. After all of these mature I can go crazy dividing and sharing with my neighbors.

Cheryl,

We get a few hummers every August through October. When should I put out my feeder to see if they show up in the spring? Would I do that now? Or wait awhile?

Put them out now around the plants that attract hummers.

Read this thread about attracting hummers...

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread44275.html

Hey guys, I just got inside and Im sore and frustrated. If youve covered
this topic please refer me to the post number.:(:confused:

A little background........ I have a wire pasture fence down the length
of my property on one side of my house. Its long, about 500 ft long.
It separates my property from a large field/pasture. This spring I noticed
that my pussywillow tree had very few pussywillows on it. And that
it was completely wrapped in that bittersweet carp:mad:

On further investigation of the fence, I noticed it was falling down because a
wooden post had snapped, I noticed that this carp was wrapped around
all the wire of the fence. :mad: I dont think I ever noticed it as in the summer
all the vines make this beautiful , natural, green wall. These vines are
not all bittersweet.

My question is after being out there for an hour, clipping all the bittersweet
from around the fence and now Im in terrible pain.(and I only got rid of about 10 feet of it) HOW do I get rid of this ??? I mean CAN I get rid of this?:(:confused:

Help please, I dont want the whole fence to go down because its really
old and I fear it will. I also like the way it looks in the summer.

TIA:)

Sox, for a job that size I'd probably use an herbacide. Make sure it's a calm day so the wind doesn't blow the spray on plants you don't want to kill. And if there are other plants close, you can use a drop cloth to protect them until the spray dries.

I can't recommend one spray over another, as I rarely use any. Last year, I grabbed some at the dollar store (of allplaces. Who knows what's really in that stuff?) It was called Maxide and it worked like nothing I've ever seen.

I've tried Roundup, and it was not strong enough to kill our poison ivy and elephant ears. Maxide did it in one spray.

There are probably a few that would work for you.

Fortunately, the fence is pretty new and sturdy. I'll keep an eye on it though. The trumpet can get fairly large around here, but most of them don't get too out of control.

I do have a lot of pests, now that you mention it. Any ideas for getting rid of carpenter bees and yellow jackets? I don't mind the bumble bees and dragonflies, but the other ones are down right mean.