The National Gardening Association

Article / Updated 02-09-2023

Rosaceae is the third-largest plant family. This family includes many ornamental landscape plants, fruits, and berries, including apples, cherries, raspberries, and pyracantha, characterized by the shape of the hypanthium (the part of the flower where the seeds develop) and by petals in groups of five. Roses are members of the plant genus Rosa. Within that genus, roses are grouped into classifications based on the characteristics that each particular plant displays. Your choice of rose depends on how you plan to use it and on your personal preferences. Some rose gardeners grow only one or two types of roses, and others grow many types. Try growing one or two in each class and see which rose types you prefer. The following list shows you the basic differences among the various types of roses. Hybrid teas: These roses bear large flowers that commonly grow one to a long stem and bloom continually throughout the growing season. The bush can grow quite tall, with an upright habit (a term rosarians use to describe the shape or look of a plant). Hybrid tea roses are usually budded onto a vigorous rootstock, and are a great choice if you like large flowers with a pleasant rose form and if you like to make rose arrangements or have cut flowers in the house. Grandifloras: These are upright plants with hybrid tea-type flowers. The flowers often grow in clusters, but the stems on each flower within a cluster are long enough for cutting. Grandifloras normally grow to between 3 and 6 feet tall. They're almost always budded and are a good choice if you like lots of blooms for color in the garden and stems for cutting, all on the same plant. Polyanthas: A forerunner of modern floribundas, the plant itself can be quite large, covered with small flowers. Their usual habit is compact, hardy, and generous-blooming. The variety you see most often is 'The Fairy' — a wonderful variety, covered with small pink flowers on a plant that can spread to several feet in height and width. Floribundas: These plants have flowers that are smaller than hybrid teas and which grow in clusters on short stems. The bush is usually quite compact and blooms continually throughout the growing season. Most floribundas are budded, but commercial growers are beginning to grow them on their own roots. Choose floribundas if you need fairly low-growing plants that produce great numbers of colorful flowers. Miniatures: Extremely popular small plants, miniatures are usually between 6 and 36 inches in height, with their leaves and flowers in perfect proportion. They customarily grow on their own roots, and aren't budded, which makes them hardier in cold climates. Most mini varieties bloom profusely throughout the growing season and are a great choice for lots of color in a small space. You also can grow miniatures indoors in pots under a full-spectrum fluorescent light or grow light. Merely putting them on a windowsill won't work—they won't get enough light to thrive and blossom. Recently, the American Rose Society classified roses thought to be too large to be miniatures and too small to be floribundas as "mini-floras." The name hasn't yet been completely accepted by nursery workers, so these varieties are grouped as miniatures. Climbers: These plants don't really climb like clematis or other true vines that wrap around or attach themselves to supports. They do, however, produce really long canes that need to be anchored to a fence, trellis, or other support. Otherwise, the plants sprawl on the ground. Flowers bloom along the whole length of the cane, especially if the cane is tied horizontally, such as along a fence. Some climbers bloom only once in the spring, but many modern climbers produce flowers throughout the growing season. Shrubs: Because most are quite hardy and easy to grow, and great for landscaping, shrubs have become very popular in recent years. They're generally large plants, and most, particularly the modern shrubs, bloom profusely throughout the season. If you want to fill a large space with color, the shrub category offers a great many choices. Old garden roses: Often referred to as Antique roses, these roses were discovered or hybridized before 1867. The classification "old garden roses" is made up of many subclasses of roses, including alba, bourbon, China, hybrid perpetual, damask, and the species roses. Many old garden roses bloom only once during the growing season. Old garden rose aficionados enjoy the history and study of these lovely and often fragrant plants. Tree roses, or standards: These aren't included among the basic categories because nearly any rose that is grafted (or budded) onto a tall trunk is a tree rose. Most often, hybrid teas, floribundas, and miniatures are used as tree roses. These plants really aren't even trees. Most just have that lollipop tree look, as shown in Figure 1, but are only 2 to 6 feet high. They're wonderful either in the ground or in containers but are very susceptible to winter damage, and in cold climates, you must either bury the entire plant in the ground or bring it into a cool garage. When you go to a garden center to choose your rosebushes, knowing which classification of rose you want is important. The classification gives you hints about how you can use it in your garden. The variety you choose depends on your personal preference as to color, hardiness, and so on. You don't want to plant a once-blooming old garden rose in a spot where having season-long color is important.

Article / Updated 02-09-2023

Just like people, roses need water to be healthy and bloom beautifully. No water? No rose bush. You just end up with a dried-up dead stick poking through parched soil. Roses need more water more often in hot weather than in cool weather, and even steady rain may not provide enough water to keep your roses healthy. Also, roses growing in sandy soil need more frequent watering than roses growing in clay soils. Following are some watering rules to keep in mind: Water deeply, so that you wet the entire root zone. Light sprinkling does little good. Get down and dig in the dirt. If the top 2 to 3 inches of soil are dry, you need to water. Reduce disease problems by watering the soil, not the leaves. Roses can benefit from overhead watering once in a while, especially in dry summer climates where black spot isn’t usually a problem; however, make sure that you water early enough (in the morning on a sunny day is ideal), so that the foliage can dry before nightfall. Mulch! Mulch! Mulch! Theoretically, you can’t overwater a rose. Of course, if you have no sun and steady rains for ten days, your roses won’t be thrilled. But if drainage is good, the extra water usually won’t hurt them, either. Start with a watering schedule: Water once every five or six days, for example. If you live in a hot, dry climate, make it every two or three days. Watch the plant carefully and check the soil often, especially when you get to the end of the period. If the soil is bone dry about 2 to 3 inches below the surface at the end of your test period, you need to water. If the soil is still moist, wait a few days and check again. If the rose’s foliage ever starts to look dull or droopy, you’ve definitely waited too long. Water deeply, so that the entire root zone gets wet — for roses, that means to a depth of at least 18 inches. How far a given amount of water can penetrate into the soil depends on the soil type. Two tools can help you fine-tune your watering schedule. The first is a soil probe — an approximately 3-foot-long hollow metal tube about an inch in diameter that removes a small core of soil from the ground. By examining the soil core, you can tell how deeply you’re watering or how dry the soil is. The second useful tool is a rain gauge. It can tell you exactly how much rain has fallen, and you can adjust your watering schedule accordingly. You can purchase soil probes and rain gauges through the irrigation supply stores listed in your local telephone directory. You can use a number of methods to water roses. The key is to apply the water only over the soil where the roots are at a slow and steady pace: Build a basin: Build a 3- to 6-inch-high basin of soil around the plant and fill it using a handheld hose. Make sure that the basin is wide enough to hold the amount of water your rose needs. The basin should be at least 18 inches wide for new plants, and at least 36 inches wide for really big roses. You may have to fill the basin twice to get the water deep enough. Use sprinklers: Many types of sprinklers are available. Use drip irrigation: Drip irrigation is a particularly useful watering system for areas that are dry in summer, for areas where water shortages are common, or for busy gardeners who don’t have time to water as often as they should. Most drip irrigation systems are built around 3⁄8- to 1-inch black tubing and specifically designed emitters. The emitters drip or spray water slowly — no faster than the soil can absorb it — and only wet the root area. Less wet ground means fewer weeds.

Article / Updated 02-07-2023

How to mow a lawn or grass the right way is one of the most important practices in keeping your lawn healthy. Grasses are like most plants — if you clip off the growing points (for grass, it's in the crown, where the new leaves develop), the plants branch out and become denser, which in this case, turns thousands of individual grass plants into a tightly woven turf or a lawn. If you didn't mow at all, your yard would look more like a prairie than a lawn. But the mere act of mowing isn't what makes a lawn look good. Mowing height and mowing frequency determine how healthy and attractive your lawn looks. After all, cutting a lawn is stressful for the grass. The leaves make the food for the roots — and how would you like it if someone kept cutting off your food? Height does count when you mow a lawn Most grasses have a range of recommended mowing heights. Stay at the upper end of that range when the lawn is under stressful conditions, such as hot weather or drought, or if you have a shady lawn. In cooler weather, you can cut the grass a little lower. Follow the one-third rule. For a thriving lawn, never cut away more than one-third of the grass blade in any one mowing. If the grass "gets ahead of you" because of wet weather or your busy schedule, move up the cutting height of your mower to the highest possible setting and mow. If clippings are too long and heavy, even at that cutting height, catch them with the bagging unit or clean up after mowing with a leaf rake. Then move the cutting height back to your normal range and cut the lawn again a few days after that first mowing. Table 1 shows suggested mowing heights for different grass types. Table 1: Ideal Mowing Heights Bent grass1/4 to 1 inchHow to mow a lawn or grass the right way is one of the most important practices in keeping your lawn healthy. Grasses are like most plants — if you clip off the growing points (for grass, it's in the crown, where the new leaves develop), the plants branch out and become denser, which in this case, turns thousands of individual grass plants into a tightly woven turf or a lawn. If you didn't mow at all, your yard would look more like a prairie than a lawn. But the mere act of mowing isn't what makes a lawn look good. Mowing height and mowing frequency determine how healthy and attractive your lawn looks. After all, cutting a lawn is stressful for the grass. The leaves make the food for the roots — and how would you like it if someone kept cutting off your food?Height does count when you mow a lawnMost grasses have a range of recommended mowing heights. Stay at the upper end of that range when the lawn is under stressful conditions, such as hot weather or drought, or if you have a shady lawn. In cooler weather, you can cut the grass a little lower.Follow the one-third rule. For a thriving lawn, never cut away more than one-third of the grass blade in any one mowing. If the grass "gets ahead of you" because of wet weather or your busy schedule, move up the cutting height of your mower to the highest possible setting and mow. If clippings are too long and heavy, even at that cutting height, catch them with the bagging unit or clean up after mowing with a leaf rake. Then move the cutting height back to your normal range and cut the lawn again a few days after that first mowing.Table 1 shows suggested mowing heights for different grass types.Table 1: Ideal Mowing HeightsEdging and trimming are the finishing touches of mowing, kind of like getting a shave after you've had a haircut. Edging and trimming are pretty close to being the same thing. Some tools are called edgers because they're designed to trim the lawn along a hard surface like a driveway or sidewalk. Edgers cut a nice clean edge, but leave some dirt and grass debris that you need to clean up. On the other hand, you can use trimmers anywhere — along a hard surface, in tight spaces, next to planting beds, and so on. Trimmers also leave some clippings on paths and driveways that you need to sweep up.Never put grass clippings in a plastic bag and send them off to the dump. (In some areas, sending grass clippings to the dump is illegal.) Grass clippings are valuable organic matter, chock-full of nitrogen and other nutrients. As long as you mow often enough to remove no more than one third of the grass blade, the easiest thing to do is just to leave clippings on the lawn. The pieces break down quickly and reduce the amount of fertilizer you have to use by as much as 25 percent. And research has proven that the clippings don't cause thatch to build up.Lawn mowing safety when you mow a lawnEvery year, hundreds, maybe even thousands, of people get injured when using lawn mowers. Power lawn mowers can be dangerous even when used properly. Be proactive when it comes to safety and follow these tips to avoid injuries: Know the equipment. Read the owner's manual. Become familiar with all the safety features and don't disconnect any of them. Keep all nuts and bolts properly tightened. Never pull a walking mower. Check the lawn before mowing and wear proper clothing. Pick up any rocks or debris. Heavy shoes and long pants provide the best protection from flying debris. If you're using a reel mower, don't wear loose clothing. Protect your hearing. Doing yard work can get pretty noisy. In addition to the lawn mower, high-decibel noise comes from trimmers, edgers, and blowers. Use earplugs or earmuff-type hearing protection. Keep pets and children away from the lawn as you mow. Don't let children operate a lawn mower unless they're strong enough, responsible, and understand all the operating and safety features. Even then, supervise them. Never give a young child a ride on a ride-on mower. Sudden stops, flying objects, or an excited child can spell disaster. Be careful when fueling. Stop the mower and let the engine cool for 10 minutes before fueling. Never fill the tank with the mower on the lawn. Avoid spills by using a gas can with an adequate pouring spout. Clean up spills immediately and put the used rags in a covered metal can. (Gasoline-soaked rags are a fire hazard.) Turn off the mower. Never leave the mower running unattended, or work on a motor that is running. Turn off the power when you cross nongrass areas. Be careful on hills. Steep slopes are always dangerous because a mower can flip over or go out of control. Plant a ground cover other than turf in these areas. On gentle slopes, mow across the slope, not up and down. Use a walk-behind mower. Lawn mowers — a tree's worst enemyRepeatedly banging a mower against a tree trunk or whipping it senseless with a weed whip each week can seriously damage the bark and the sensitive tissues underneath. The damage can restrict the growth of young trees to the point where the base of the trunk is so weak and girdled that the tree just snaps off in the slightest wind.To protect the tree, leave a ring of grassless soil at least 3 feet wide around the trunk. Put in a nice brick or stone edging around the outside. Better yet, cover the open soil with a thick layer (3 to 6 inches deep) of organic mulch, such as compost or bark. (Keep the mulch a few inches away from the base of the tree.)How to mow a lawn or grass the right way is one of the most important practices in keeping your lawn healthy. Grasses are like most plants — if you clip off the growing points (for grass, it's in the crown, where the new leaves develop), the plants branch out and become denser, which in this case, turns thousands of individual grass plants into a tightly woven turf or a lawn. If you didn't mow at all, your yard would look more like a prairie than a lawn. But the mere act of mowing isn't what makes a lawn look good. Mowing height and mowing frequency determine how healthy and attractive your lawn looks. After all, cutting a lawn is stressful for the grass. The leaves make the food for the roots — and how would you like it if someone kept cutting off your food?Height does count when you mow a lawnMost grasses have a range of recommended mowing heights. Stay at the upper end of that range when the lawn is under stressful conditions, such as hot weather or drought, or if you have a shady lawn. In cooler weather, you can cut the grass a little lower.Follow the one-third rule. For a thriving lawn, never cut away more than one-third of the grass blade in any one mowing. If the grass "gets ahead of you" because of wet weather or your busy schedule, move up the cutting height of your mower to the highest possible setting and mow. If clippings are too long and heavy, even at that cutting height, catch them with the bagging unit or clean up after mowing with a leaf rake. Then move the cutting height back to your normal range and cut the lawn again a few days after that first mowing.Table 1 shows suggested mowing heights for different grass types.Table 1: Ideal Mowing HeightsEdging and trimming are the finishing touches of mowing, kind of like getting a shave after you've had a haircut. Edging and trimming are pretty close to being the same thing. Some tools are called edgers because they're designed to trim the lawn along a hard surface like a driveway or sidewalk. Edgers cut a nice clean edge, but leave some dirt and grass debris that you need to clean up. On the other hand, you can use trimmers anywhere — along a hard surface, in tight spaces, next to planting beds, and so on. Trimmers also leave some clippings on paths and driveways that you need to sweep up.Never put grass clippings in a plastic bag and send them off to the dump. (In some areas, sending grass clippings to the dump is illegal.) Grass clippings are valuable organic matter, chock-full of nitrogen and other nutrients. As long as you mow often enough to remove no more than one third of the grass blade, the easiest thing to do is just to leave clippings on the lawn. The pieces break down quickly and reduce the amount of fertilizer you have to use by as much as 25 percent. And research has proven that the clippings don't cause thatch to build up.Lawn mowing safety when you mow a lawnEvery year, hundreds, maybe even thousands, of people get injured when using lawn mowers. Power lawn mowers can be dangerous even when used properly. Be proactive when it comes to safety and follow these tips to avoid injuries: Know the equipment. Read the owner's manual. Become familiar with all the safety features and don't disconnect any of them. Keep all nuts and bolts properly tightened. Never pull a walking mower. Check the lawn before mowing and wear proper clothing. Pick up any rocks or debris. Heavy shoes and long pants provide the best protection from flying debris. If you're using a reel mower, don't wear loose clothing. Protect your hearing. Doing yard work can get pretty noisy. In addition to the lawn mower, high-decibel noise comes from trimmers, edgers, and blowers. Use earplugs or earmuff-type hearing protection. Keep pets and children away from the lawn as you mow. Don't let children operate a lawn mower unless they're strong enough, responsible, and understand all the operating and safety features. Even then, supervise them. Never give a young child a ride on a ride-on mower. Sudden stops, flying objects, or an excited child can spell disaster. Be careful when fueling. Stop the mower and let the engine cool for 10 minutes before fueling. Never fill the tank with the mower on the lawn. Avoid spills by using a gas can with an adequate pouring spout. Clean up spills immediately and put the used rags in a covered metal can. (Gasoline-soaked rags are a fire hazard.) Turn off the mower. Never leave the mower running unattended, or work on a motor that is running. Turn off the power when you cross nongrass areas. Be careful on hills. Steep slopes are always dangerous because a mower can flip over or go out of control. Plant a ground cover other than turf in these areas. On gentle slopes, mow across the slope, not up and down. Use a walk-behind mower. Lawn mowers — a tree's worst enemyRepeatedly banging a mower against a tree trunk or whipping it senseless with a weed whip each week can seriously damage the bark and the sensitive tissues underneath. The damage can restrict the growth of young trees to the point where the base of the trunk is so weak and girdled that the tree just snaps off in the slightest wind.To protect the tree, leave a ring of grassless soil at least 3 feet wide around the trunk. Put in a nice brick or stone edging around the outside. Better yet, cover the open soil with a thick layer (3 to 6 inches deep) of organic mulch, such as compost or bark. (Keep the mulch a few inches away from the base of the tree.)How to mow a lawn or grass the right way is one of the most important practices in keeping your lawn healthy. Grasses are like most plants — if you clip off the growing points (for grass, it's in the crown, where the new leaves develop), the plants branch out and become denser, which in this case, turns thousands of individual grass plants into a tightly woven turf or a lawn. If you didn't mow at all, your yard would look more like a prairie than a lawn. But the mere act of mowing isn't what makes a lawn look good. Mowing height and mowing frequency determine how healthy and attractive your lawn looks. After all, cutting a lawn is stressful for the grass. The leaves make the food for the roots — and how would you like it if someone kept cutting off your food?Height does count when you mow a lawnMost grasses have a range of recommended mowing heights. Stay at the upper end of that range when the lawn is under stressful conditions, such as hot weather or drought, or if you have a shady lawn. In cooler weather, you can cut the grass a little lower.Follow the one-third rule. For a thriving lawn, never cut away more than one-third of the grass blade in any one mowing. If the grass "gets ahead of you" because of wet weather or your busy schedule, move up the cutting height of your mower to the highest possible setting and mow. If clippings are too long and heavy, even at that cutting height, catch them with the bagging unit or clean up after mowing with a leaf rake. Then move the cutting height back to your normal range and cut the lawn again a few days after that first mowing.Table 1 shows suggested mowing heights for different grass types.Table 1: Ideal Mowing HeightsEdging and trimming are the finishing touches of mowing, kind of like getting a shave after you've had a haircut. Edging and trimming are pretty close to being the same thing. Some tools are called edgers because they're designed to trim the lawn along a hard surface like a driveway or sidewalk. Edgers cut a nice clean edge, but leave some dirt and grass debris that you need to clean up. On the other hand, you can use trimmers anywhere — along a hard surface, in tight spaces, next to planting beds, and so on. Trimmers also leave some clippings on paths and driveways that you need to sweep up.Never put grass clippings in a plastic bag and send them off to the dump. (In some areas, sending grass clippings to the dump is illegal.) Grass clippings are valuable organic matter, chock-full of nitrogen and other nutrients. As long as you mow often enough to remove no more than one third of the grass blade, the easiest thing to do is just to leave clippings on the lawn. The pieces break down quickly and reduce the amount of fertilizer you have to use by as much as 25 percent. And research has proven that the clippings don't cause thatch to build up.Lawn mowing safety when you mow a lawnEvery year, hundreds, maybe even thousands, of people get injured when using lawn mowers. Power lawn mowers can be dangerous even when used properly. Be proactive when it comes to safety and follow these tips to avoid injuries: Know the equipment. Read the owner's manual. Become familiar with all the safety features and don't disconnect any of them. Keep all nuts and bolts properly tightened. Never pull a walking mower. Check the lawn before mowing and wear proper clothing. Pick up any rocks or debris. Heavy shoes and long pants provide the best protection from flying debris. If you're using a reel mower, don't wear loose clothing. Protect your hearing. Doing yard work can get pretty noisy. In addition to the lawn mower, high-decibel noise comes from trimmers, edgers, and blowers. Use earplugs or earmuff-type hearing protection. Keep pets and children away from the lawn as you mow. Don't let children operate a lawn mower unless they're strong enough, responsible, and understand all the operating and safety features. Even then, supervise them. Never give a young child a ride on a ride-on mower. Sudden stops, flying objects, or an excited child can spell disaster. Be careful when fueling. Stop the mower and let the engine cool for 10 minutes before fueling. Never fill the tank with the mower on the lawn. Avoid spills by using a gas can with an adequate pouring spout. Clean up spills immediately and put the used rags in a covered metal can. (Gasoline-soaked rags are a fire hazard.) Turn off the mower. Never leave the mower running unattended, or work on a motor that is running. Turn off the power when you cross nongrass areas. Be careful on hills. Steep slopes are always dangerous because a mower can flip over or go out of control. Plant a ground cover other than turf in these areas. On gentle slopes, mow across the slope, not up and down. Use a walk-behind mower. Lawn mowers — a tree's worst enemyRepeatedly banging a mower against a tree trunk or whipping it senseless with a weed whip each week can seriously damage the bark and the sensitive tissues underneath. The damage can restrict the growth of young trees to the point where the base of the trunk is so weak and girdled that the tree just snaps off in the slightest wind.To protect the tree, leave a ring of grassless soil at least 3 feet wide around the trunk. Put in a nice brick or stone edging around the outside. Better yet, cover the open soil with a thick layer (3 to 6 inches deep) of organic mulch, such as compost or bark. (Keep the mulch a few inches away from the base of the tree.)How to mow a lawn or grass the right way is one of the most important practices in keeping your lawn healthy. Grasses are like most plants — if you clip off the growing points (for grass, it's in the crown, where the new leaves develop), the plants branch out and become denser, which in this case, turns thousands of individual grass plants into a tightly woven turf or a lawn. If you didn't mow at all, your yard would look more like a prairie than a lawn. But the mere act of mowing isn't what makes a lawn look good. Mowing height and mowing frequency determine how healthy and attractive your lawn looks. After all, cutting a lawn is stressful for the grass. The leaves make the food for the roots — and how would you like it if someone kept cutting off your food?Height does count when you mow a lawnMost grasses have a range of recommended mowing heights. Stay at the upper end of that range when the lawn is under stressful conditions, such as hot weather or drought, or if you have a shady lawn. In cooler weather, you can cut the grass a little lower.Follow the one-third rule. For a thriving lawn, never cut away more than one-third of the grass blade in any one mowing. If the grass "gets ahead of you" because of wet weather or your busy schedule, move up the cutting height of your mower to the highest possible setting and mow. If clippings are too long and heavy, even at that cutting height, catch them with the bagging unit or clean up after mowing with a leaf rake. Then move the cutting height back to your normal range and cut the lawn again a few days after that first mowing.Table 1 shows suggested mowing heights for different grass types.Table 1: Ideal Mowing HeightsEdging and trimming are the finishing touches of mowing, kind of like getting a shave after you've had a haircut. Edging and trimming are pretty close to being the same thing. Some tools are called edgers because they're designed to trim the lawn along a hard surface like a driveway or sidewalk. Edgers cut a nice clean edge, but leave some dirt and grass debris that you need to clean up. On the other hand, you can use trimmers anywhere — along a hard surface, in tight spaces, next to planting beds, and so on. Trimmers also leave some clippings on paths and driveways that you need to sweep up.Never put grass clippings in a plastic bag and send them off to the dump. (In some areas, sending grass clippings to the dump is illegal.) Grass clippings are valuable organic matter, chock-full of nitrogen and other nutrients. As long as you mow often enough to remove no more than one third of the grass blade, the easiest thing to do is just to leave clippings on the lawn. The pieces break down quickly and reduce the amount of fertilizer you have to use by as much as 25 percent. And research has proven that the clippings don't cause thatch to build up.Lawn mowing safety when you mow a lawnEvery year, hundreds, maybe even thousands, of people get injured when using lawn mowers. Power lawn mowers can be dangerous even when used properly. Be proactive when it comes to safety and follow these tips to avoid injuries: Know the equipment. Read the owner's manual. Become familiar with all the safety features and don't disconnect any of them. Keep all nuts and bolts properly tightened. Never pull a walking mower. Check the lawn before mowing and wear proper clothing. Pick up any rocks or debris. Heavy shoes and long pants provide the best protection from flying debris. If you're using a reel mower, don't wear loose clothing. Protect your hearing. Doing yard work can get pretty noisy. In addition to the lawn mower, high-decibel noise comes from trimmers, edgers, and blowers. Use earplugs or earmuff-type hearing protection. Keep pets and children away from the lawn as you mow. Don't let children operate a lawn mower unless they're strong enough, responsible, and understand all the operating and safety features. Even then, supervise them. Never give a young child a ride on a ride-on mower. Sudden stops, flying objects, or an excited child can spell disaster. Be careful when fueling. Stop the mower and let the engine cool for 10 minutes before fueling. Never fill the tank with the mower on the lawn. Avoid spills by using a gas can with an adequate pouring spout. Clean up spills immediately and put the used rags in a covered metal can. (Gasoline-soaked rags are a fire hazard.) Turn off the mower. Never leave the mower running unattended, or work on a motor that is running. Turn off the power when you cross nongrass areas. Be careful on hills. Steep slopes are always dangerous because a mower can flip over or go out of control. Plant a ground cover other than turf in these areas. On gentle slopes, mow across the slope, not up and down. Use a walk-behind mower. Lawn mowers — a tree's worst enemyRepeatedly banging a mower against a tree trunk or whipping it senseless with a weed whip each week can seriously damage the bark and the sensitive tissues underneath. The damage can restrict the growth of young trees to the point where the base of the trunk is so weak and girdled that the tree just snaps off in the slightest wind.To protect the tree, leave a ring of grassless soil at least 3 feet wide around the trunk. Put in a nice brick or stone edging around the outside. Better yet, cover the open soil with a thick layer (3 to 6 inches deep) of organic mulch, such as compost or bark. (Keep the mulch a few inches away from the base of the tree.)How to mow a lawn or grass the right way is one of the most important practices in keeping your lawn healthy. Grasses are like most plants — if you clip off the growing points (for grass, it's in the crown, where the new leaves develop), the plants branch out and become denser, which in this case, turns thousands of individual grass plants into a tightly woven turf or a lawn. If you didn't mow at all, your yard would look more like a prairie than a lawn. But the mere act of mowing isn't what makes a lawn look good. Mowing height and mowing frequency determine how healthy and attractive your lawn looks. After all, cutting a lawn is stressful for the grass. The leaves make the food for the roots — and how would you like it if someone kept cutting off your food?Height does count when you mow a lawnMost grasses have a range of recommended mowing heights. Stay at the upper end of that range when the lawn is under stressful conditions, such as hot weather or drought, or if you have a shady lawn. In cooler weather, you can cut the grass a little lower.Follow the one-third rule. For a thriving lawn, never cut away more than one-third of the grass blade in any one mowing. If the grass "gets ahead of you" because of wet weather or your busy schedule, move up the cutting height of your mower to the highest possible setting and mow. If clippings are too long and heavy, even at that cutting height, catch them with the bagging unit or clean up after mowing with a leaf rake. Then move the cutting height back to your normal range and cut the lawn again a few days after that first mowing.Table 1 shows suggested mowing heights for different grass types.Table 1: Ideal Mowing HeightsEdging and trimming are the finishing touches of mowing, kind of like getting a shave after you've had a haircut. Edging and trimming are pretty close to being the same thing. Some tools are called edgers because they're designed to trim the lawn along a hard surface like a driveway or sidewalk. Edgers cut a nice clean edge, but leave some dirt and grass debris that you need to clean up. On the other hand, you can use trimmers anywhere — along a hard surface, in tight spaces, next to planting beds, and so on. Trimmers also leave some clippings on paths and driveways that you need to sweep up.Never put grass clippings in a plastic bag and send them off to the dump. (In some areas, sending grass clippings to the dump is illegal.) Grass clippings are valuable organic matter, chock-full of nitrogen and other nutrients. As long as you mow often enough to remove no more than one third of the grass blade, the easiest thing to do is just to leave clippings on the lawn. The pieces break down quickly and reduce the amount of fertilizer you have to use by as much as 25 percent. And research has proven that the clippings don't cause thatch to build up.Lawn mowing safety when you mow a lawnEvery year, hundreds, maybe even thousands, of people get injured when using lawn mowers. Power lawn mowers can be dangerous even when used properly. Be proactive when it comes to safety and follow these tips to avoid injuries: Know the equipment. Read the owner's manual. Become familiar with all the safety features and don't disconnect any of them. Keep all nuts and bolts properly tightened. Never pull a walking mower. Check the lawn before mowing and wear proper clothing. Pick up any rocks or debris. Heavy shoes and long pants provide the best protection from flying debris. If you're using a reel mower, don't wear loose clothing. Protect your hearing. Doing yard work can get pretty noisy. In addition to the lawn mower, high-decibel noise comes from trimmers, edgers, and blowers. Use earplugs or earmuff-type hearing protection. Keep pets and children away from the lawn as you mow. Don't let children operate a lawn mower unless they're strong enough, responsible, and understand all the operating and safety features. Even then, supervise them. Never give a young child a ride on a ride-on mower. Sudden stops, flying objects, or an excited child can spell disaster. Be careful when fueling. Stop the mower and let the engine cool for 10 minutes before fueling. Never fill the tank with the mower on the lawn. Avoid spills by using a gas can with an adequate pouring spout. Clean up spills immediately and put the used rags in a covered metal can. (Gasoline-soaked rags are a fire hazard.) Turn off the mower. Never leave the mower running unattended, or work on a motor that is running. Turn off the power when you cross nongrass areas. Be careful on hills. Steep slopes are always dangerous because a mower can flip over or go out of control. Plant a ground cover other than turf in these areas. On gentle slopes, mow across the slope, not up and down. Use a walk-behind mower. Lawn mowers — a tree's worst enemyRepeatedly banging a mower against a tree trunk or whipping it senseless with a weed whip each week can seriously damage the bark and the sensitive tissues underneath. The damage can restrict the growth of young trees to the point where the base of the trunk is so weak and girdled that the tree just snaps off in the slightest wind.To protect the tree, leave a ring of grassless soil at least 3 feet wide around the trunk. Put in a nice brick or stone edging around the outside. Better yet, cover the open soil with a thick layer (3 to 6 inches deep) of organic mulch, such as compost or bark. (Keep the mulch a few inches away from the base of the tree.)How to mow a lawn or grass the right way is one of the most important practices in keeping your lawn healthy. Grasses are like most plants — if you clip off the growing points (for grass, it's in the crown, where the new leaves develop), the plants branch out and become denser, which in this case, turns thousands of individual grass plants into a tightly woven turf or a lawn. If you didn't mow at all, your yard would look more like a prairie than a lawn. But the mere act of mowing isn't what makes a lawn look good. Mowing height and mowing frequency determine how healthy and attractive your lawn looks. After all, cutting a lawn is stressful for the grass. The leaves make the food for the roots — and how would you like it if someone kept cutting off your food?Height does count when you mow a lawnMost grasses have a range of recommended mowing heights. Stay at the upper end of that range when the lawn is under stressful conditions, such as hot weather or drought, or if you have a shady lawn. In cooler weather, you can cut the grass a little lower.Follow the one-third rule. For a thriving lawn, never cut away more than one-third of the grass blade in any one mowing. If the grass "gets ahead of you" because of wet weather or your busy schedule, move up the cutting height of your mower to the highest possible setting and mow. If clippings are too long and heavy, even at that cutting height, catch them with the bagging unit or clean up after mowing with a leaf rake. Then move the cutting height back to your normal range and cut the lawn again a few days after that first mowing.Table 1 shows suggested mowing heights for different grass types.Table 1: Ideal Mowing HeightsEdging and trimming are the finishing touches of mowing, kind of like getting a shave after you've had a haircut. Edging and trimming are pretty close to being the same thing. Some tools are called edgers because they're designed to trim the lawn along a hard surface like a driveway or sidewalk. Edgers cut a nice clean edge, but leave some dirt and grass debris that you need to clean up. On the other hand, you can use trimmers anywhere — along a hard surface, in tight spaces, next to planting beds, and so on. Trimmers also leave some clippings on paths and driveways that you need to sweep up.Never put grass clippings in a plastic bag and send them off to the dump. (In some areas, sending grass clippings to the dump is illegal.) Grass clippings are valuable organic matter, chock-full of nitrogen and other nutrients. As long as you mow often enough to remove no more than one third of the grass blade, the easiest thing to do is just to leave clippings on the lawn. The pieces break down quickly and reduce the amount of fertilizer you have to use by as much as 25 percent. And research has proven that the clippings don't cause thatch to build up.Lawn mowing safety when you mow a lawnEvery year, hundreds, maybe even thousands, of people get injured when using lawn mowers. Power lawn mowers can be dangerous even when used properly. Be proactive when it comes to safety and follow these tips to avoid injuries: Know the equipment. Read the owner's manual. Become familiar with all the safety features and don't disconnect any of them. Keep all nuts and bolts properly tightened. Never pull a walking mower. Check the lawn before mowing and wear proper clothing. Pick up any rocks or debris. Heavy shoes and long pants provide the best protection from flying debris. If you're using a reel mower, don't wear loose clothing. Protect your hearing. Doing yard work can get pretty noisy. In addition to the lawn mower, high-decibel noise comes from trimmers, edgers, and blowers. Use earplugs or earmuff-type hearing protection. Keep pets and children away from the lawn as you mow. Don't let children operate a lawn mower unless they're strong enough, responsible, and understand all the operating and safety features. Even then, supervise them. Never give a young child a ride on a ride-on mower. Sudden stops, flying objects, or an excited child can spell disaster. Be careful when fueling. Stop the mower and let the engine cool for 10 minutes before fueling. Never fill the tank with the mower on the lawn. Avoid spills by using a gas can with an adequate pouring spout. Clean up spills immediately and put the used rags in a covered metal can. (Gasoline-soaked rags are a fire hazard.) Turn off the mower. Never leave the mower running unattended, or work on a motor that is running. Turn off the power when you cross nongrass areas. Be careful on hills. Steep slopes are always dangerous because a mower can flip over or go out of control. Plant a ground cover other than turf in these areas. On gentle slopes, mow across the slope, not up and down. Use a walk-behind mower. Lawn mowers — a tree's worst enemyRepeatedly banging a mower against a tree trunk or whipping it senseless with a weed whip each week can seriously damage the bark and the sensitive tissues underneath. The damage can restrict the growth of young trees to the point where the base of the trunk is so weak and girdled that the tree just snaps off in the slightest wind.To protect the tree, leave a ring of grassless soil at least 3 feet wide around the trunk. Put in a nice brick or stone edging around the outside. Better yet, cover the open soil with a thick layer (3 to 6 inches deep) of organic mulch, such as compost or bark. (Keep the mulch a few inches away from the base of the tree.)How to mow a lawn or grass the right way is one of the most important practices in keeping your lawn healthy. Grasses are like most plants — if you clip off the growing points (for grass, it's in the crown, where the new leaves develop), the plants branch out and become denser, which in this case, turns thousands of individual grass plants into a tightly woven turf or a lawn. If you didn't mow at all, your yard would look more like a prairie than a lawn. But the mere act of mowing isn't what makes a lawn look good. Mowing height and mowing frequency determine how healthy and attractive your lawn looks. After all, cutting a lawn is stressful for the grass. The leaves make the food for the roots — and how would you like it if someone kept cutting off your food?Height does count when you mow a lawnMost grasses have a range of recommended mowing heights. Stay at the upper end of that range when the lawn is under stressful conditions, such as hot weather or drought, or if you have a shady lawn. In cooler weather, you can cut the grass a little lower.Follow the one-third rule. For a thriving lawn, never cut away more than one-third of the grass blade in any one mowing. If the grass "gets ahead of you" because of wet weather or your busy schedule, move up the cutting height of your mower to the highest possible setting and mow. If clippings are too long and heavy, even at that cutting height, catch them with the bagging unit or clean up after mowing with a leaf rake. Then move the cutting height back to your normal range and cut the lawn again a few days after that first mowing.Table 1 shows suggested mowing heights for different grass types.Table 1: Ideal Mowing HeightsEdging and trimming are the finishing touches of mowing, kind of like getting a shave after you've had a haircut. Edging and trimming are pretty close to being the same thing. Some tools are called edgers because they're designed to trim the lawn along a hard surface like a driveway or sidewalk. Edgers cut a nice clean edge, but leave some dirt and grass debris that you need to clean up. On the other hand, you can use trimmers anywhere — along a hard surface, in tight spaces, next to planting beds, and so on. Trimmers also leave some clippings on paths and driveways that you need to sweep up.Never put grass clippings in a plastic bag and send them off to the dump. (In some areas, sending grass clippings to the dump is illegal.) Grass clippings are valuable organic matter, chock-full of nitrogen and other nutrients. As long as you mow often enough to remove no more than one third of the grass blade, the easiest thing to do is just to leave clippings on the lawn. The pieces break down quickly and reduce the amount of fertilizer you have to use by as much as 25 percent. And research has proven that the clippings don't cause thatch to build up.Lawn mowing safety when you mow a lawnEvery year, hundreds, maybe even thousands, of people get injured when using lawn mowers. Power lawn mowers can be dangerous even when used properly. Be proactive when it comes to safety and follow these tips to avoid injuries: Know the equipment. Read the owner's manual. Become familiar with all the safety features and don't disconnect any of them. Keep all nuts and bolts properly tightened. Never pull a walking mower. Check the lawn before mowing and wear proper clothing. Pick up any rocks or debris. Heavy shoes and long pants provide the best protection from flying debris. If you're using a reel mower, don't wear loose clothing. Protect your hearing. Doing yard work can get pretty noisy. In addition to the lawn mower, high-decibel noise comes from trimmers, edgers, and blowers. Use earplugs or earmuff-type hearing protection. Keep pets and children away from the lawn as you mow. Don't let children operate a lawn mower unless they're strong enough, responsible, and understand all the operating and safety features. Even then, supervise them. Never give a young child a ride on a ride-on mower. Sudden stops, flying objects, or an excited child can spell disaster. Be careful when fueling. Stop the mower and let the engine cool for 10 minutes before fueling. Never fill the tank with the mower on the lawn. Avoid spills by using a gas can with an adequate pouring spout. Clean up spills immediately and put the used rags in a covered metal can. (Gasoline-soaked rags are a fire hazard.) Turn off the mower. Never leave the mower running unattended, or work on a motor that is running. Turn off the power when you cross nongrass areas. Be careful on hills. Steep slopes are always dangerous because a mower can flip over or go out of control. Plant a ground cover other than turf in these areas. On gentle slopes, mow across the slope, not up and down. Use a walk-behind mower. Lawn mowers — a tree's worst enemyRepeatedly banging a mower against a tree trunk or whipping it senseless with a weed whip each week can seriously damage the bark and the sensitive tissues underneath. The damage can restrict the growth of young trees to the point where the base of the trunk is so weak and girdled that the tree just snaps off in the slightest wind.To protect the tree, leave a ring of grassless soil at least 3 feet wide around the trunk. Put in a nice brick or stone edging around the outside. Better yet, cover the open soil with a thick layer (3 to 6 inches deep) of organic mulch, such as compost or bark. (Keep the mulch a few inches away from the base of the tree.) Grass type Height Bahia grass; fescue, tall; blue grama; buffalo grass 2 to 3 inches Grass type Height Bahia grass; fescue, tall; blue grama; buffalo grass 2 to 3 inches Bent grass 1/4 to 1 inch Bermuda grass, common 3/4 to 1-1/2 inches Bermuda grass, hybrid 1/2 to 1 inch Centipede grass; zoysia grass* 1 to 2 inches Fescue, fine; St. Augustine grass 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 inches Kentucky bluegrass 1-3/4 to 2-1/2 inches Ryegrass, annual and perennial 1-1/2 to 2 inches *You can mow some newer, dwarf varieties lower. Bermuda grass, common 3/4 to 1-1/2 inches Grass type Height Bahia grass; fescue, tall; blue grama; buffalo grass 2 to 3 inches Bent grass 1/4 to 1 inch Bermuda grass, common 3/4 to 1-1/2 inches Bermuda grass, hybrid 1/2 to 1 inch Centipede grass; zoysia grass* 1 to 2 inches Fescue, fine; St. Augustine grass 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 inches Kentucky bluegrass 1-3/4 to 2-1/2 inches Ryegrass, annual and perennial 1-1/2 to 2 inches *You can mow some newer, dwarf varieties lower. Bermuda grass, hybrid 1/2 to 1 inch Grass type Height Bahia grass; fescue, tall; blue grama; buffalo grass 2 to 3 inches Bent grass 1/4 to 1 inch Bermuda grass, common 3/4 to 1-1/2 inches Bermuda grass, hybrid 1/2 to 1 inch Centipede grass; zoysia grass* 1 to 2 inches Fescue, fine; St. Augustine grass 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 inches Kentucky bluegrass 1-3/4 to 2-1/2 inches Ryegrass, annual and perennial 1-1/2 to 2 inches *You can mow some newer, dwarf varieties lower. Centipede grass; zoysia grass* 1 to 2 inches Grass type Height Bahia grass; fescue, tall; blue grama; buffalo grass 2 to 3 inches Bent grass 1/4 to 1 inch Bermuda grass, common 3/4 to 1-1/2 inches Bermuda grass, hybrid 1/2 to 1 inch Centipede grass; zoysia grass* 1 to 2 inches Fescue, fine; St. Augustine grass 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 inches Kentucky bluegrass 1-3/4 to 2-1/2 inches Ryegrass, annual and perennial 1-1/2 to 2 inches *You can mow some newer, dwarf varieties lower. Fescue, fine; St. Augustine grass 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 inches Grass type Height Bahia grass; fescue, tall; blue grama; buffalo grass 2 to 3 inches Bent grass 1/4 to 1 inch Bermuda grass, common 3/4 to 1-1/2 inches Bermuda grass, hybrid 1/2 to 1 inch Centipede grass; zoysia grass* 1 to 2 inches Fescue, fine; St. Augustine grass 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 inches Kentucky bluegrass 1-3/4 to 2-1/2 inches Ryegrass, annual and perennial 1-1/2 to 2 inches *You can mow some newer, dwarf varieties lower. Kentucky bluegrass 1-3/4 to 2-1/2 inches Grass type Height Bahia grass; fescue, tall; blue grama; buffalo grass 2 to 3 inches Bent grass 1/4 to 1 inch Bermuda grass, common 3/4 to 1-1/2 inches Bermuda grass, hybrid 1/2 to 1 inch Centipede grass; zoysia grass* 1 to 2 inches Fescue, fine; St. Augustine grass 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 inches Kentucky bluegrass 1-3/4 to 2-1/2 inches Ryegrass, annual and perennial 1-1/2 to 2 inches *You can mow some newer, dwarf varieties lower. Ryegrass, annual and perennial 1-1/2 to 2 inches Grass type Height Bahia grass; fescue, tall; blue grama; buffalo grass 2 to 3 inches Bent grass 1/4 to 1 inch Bermuda grass, common 3/4 to 1-1/2 inches Bermuda grass, hybrid 1/2 to 1 inch Centipede grass; zoysia grass* 1 to 2 inches Fescue, fine; St. Augustine grass 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 inches Kentucky bluegrass 1-3/4 to 2-1/2 inches Ryegrass, annual and perennial 1-1/2 to 2 inches *You can mow some newer, dwarf varieties lower. *You can mow some newer, dwarf varieties lower. Edging and trimming are the finishing touches of mowing, kind of like getting a shave after you've had a haircut. Edging and trimming are pretty close to being the same thing. Some tools are called edgers because they're designed to trim the lawn along a hard surface like a driveway or sidewalk. Edgers cut a nice clean edge, but leave some dirt and grass debris that you need to clean up. On the other hand, you can use trimmers anywhere — along a hard surface, in tight spaces, next to planting beds, and so on. Trimmers also leave some clippings on paths and driveways that you need to sweep up. Never put grass clippings in a plastic bag and send them off to the dump. (In some areas, sending grass clippings to the dump is illegal.) Grass clippings are valuable organic matter, chock-full of nitrogen and other nutrients. As long as you mow often enough to remove no more than one third of the grass blade, the easiest thing to do is just to leave clippings on the lawn. The pieces break down quickly and reduce the amount of fertilizer you have to use by as much as 25 percent. And research has proven that the clippings don't cause thatch to build up. Lawn mowing safety when you mow a lawn Every year, hundreds, maybe even thousands, of people get injured when using lawn mowers. Power lawn mowers can be dangerous even when used properly. Be proactive when it comes to safety and follow these tips to avoid injuries: Know the equipment. Read the owner's manual. Become familiar with all the safety features and don't disconnect any of them. Keep all nuts and bolts properly tightened. Never pull a walking mower. Check the lawn before mowing and wear proper clothing. Pick up any rocks or debris. Heavy shoes and long pants provide the best protection from flying debris. If you're using a reel mower, don't wear loose clothing. Protect your hearing. Doing yard work can get pretty noisy. In addition to the lawn mower, high-decibel noise comes from trimmers, edgers, and blowers. Use earplugs or earmuff-type hearing protection. Keep pets and children away from the lawn as you mow. Don't let children operate a lawn mower unless they're strong enough, responsible, and understand all the operating and safety features. Even then, supervise them. Never give a young child a ride on a ride-on mower. Sudden stops, flying objects, or an excited child can spell disaster. Be careful when fueling. Stop the mower and let the engine cool for 10 minutes before fueling. Never fill the tank with the mower on the lawn. Avoid spills by using a gas can with an adequate pouring spout. Clean up spills immediately and put the used rags in a covered metal can. (Gasoline-soaked rags are a fire hazard.) Turn off the mower. Never leave the mower running unattended, or work on a motor that is running. Turn off the power when you cross nongrass areas. Be careful on hills. Steep slopes are always dangerous because a mower can flip over or go out of control. Plant a ground cover other than turf in these areas. On gentle slopes, mow across the slope, not up and down. Use a walk-behind mower. Lawn mowers — a tree's worst enemy Repeatedly banging a mower against a tree trunk or whipping it senseless with a weed whip each week can seriously damage the bark and the sensitive tissues underneath. The damage can restrict the growth of young trees to the point where the base of the trunk is so weak and girdled that the tree just snaps off in the slightest wind. To protect the tree, leave a ring of grassless soil at least 3 feet wide around the trunk. Put in a nice brick or stone edging around the outside. Better yet, cover the open soil with a thick layer (3 to 6 inches deep) of organic mulch, such as compost or bark. (Keep the mulch a few inches away from the base of the tree.) You can also go to a garden center to buy trunk protectors, plastic sleeves that encircle the trunk, if you have to have the grass right up against the tree.

Article / Updated 02-07-2023

Before you put in your beds and borders, reflect on how the location of your garden can give you viewing pleasure throughout the season. Plant annuals where you can most enjoy their color and fragrance during their relatively brief life. Almost everyone’s yard has some features that are ready-made for planting beds and borders Find the situation that most closely matches your yard and discover how to re-create a design or adapt it for your own garden: Sunny patio bed: Many homeowners have a backyard patio that they use for various summer activities. Creating a flower bed between the patio and the lawn is easy — and a perfect way to show off annuals during the warm months. Plant the tallest flowers in the interior of the bed so that your bed looks nice from both the patio and the lawn. If the bed is so large that you can’t reach the middle to weed or water, create a meandering path of a few stepping stones through the bed. When choosing your own annuals for a border around your sunny backyard patio, you can use the following criteria to limit your search. Shady bed around a large tree: Trees are usually the largest and often the most distinctive element in a garden. One way to show them off is to plant a circular flower bed around their trunks. A mix of pastel colors looks great in the shade, particularly with the addition of plenty of white and an accent of green lawn. A nicely pruned specimen tree, encircled by a flower bed, can serve as the main element in creating a stunning front garden. Make the bed large enough to really accent the tree and to allow for a pleasing complexity of plants. A circular bed 10 feet in diameter serves nicely in this situation. Border for a formal walkway: Annuals can brighten up the skinniest of spaces providing bright color and a sweet scent you can appreciate as you pass by. A 20-foot-long brick walkway between your entry gate and your front door may have only a 2-foot-wide border along each side. In such restricted spaces, consider a simple color scheme with a minimum of different kinds of plants. Typically, formal walkways are in full sun. Border for an informal walkway: When you’re edging a curved walkway made of irregularly shaped paving or stepping stones, you’re likely to want different styles and colors of plants than you’d choose to line a straight brick pathway. The most appropriate planting choices for curving walkways are a loose variety of annuals that duplicate the appearance of a cottage garden border — even within such a confined space as a 3-foot-wide walkway border. Border for a modern-style walkway: Front pathways leading to ranch-style houses, or more modern-style houses, often stretch from the driveway along the front of the house to the porch and doorway. Such pathways are usually made of poured aggregate or smoothly laid stone. The border running alongside this pathway is best planted in just one kind of flower. Your goal here is to completely fill the border. This simplicity of single-variety planting suits both the sleekness of the path and the style of house. Even within such a simple scheme, you have plenty of choices. Consider planting zinnias in cool colors or gloriosa daisies in warm colors. Space transplants 6 to 8 inches apart, staggering them to avoid the look of soldiers lined up at attention. Deadhead and water the plants throughout the growing season, and they’ll provide a dramatic, colorful walkway border that belies the simplicity and ease of your planting scheme. Border against a backyard fence: Large borders consisting mainly of trees and shrubs usually form a backdrop in most gardens. You can call on annual flowers to fill in bare spaces between the permanent plants and to brighten the view across the garden. A border that radiates outward from a fenced-corner and is curved in front is likely to include a variety of shrubs and maybe a small tree or two.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 02-07-2023

Growing your garden requires the aid and cooperation of many forces including the climate in your hardiness zone; insects, good and bad; fertilizers; and soil amendments. Decorative material (such as mulch, stone, sand, and gravel) adds a nice finish, so know how much you need to buy. Adapting each element to your garden's needs — as best you can — leads to a successful gardening experience.

Article / Updated 12-14-2022

Pacific Northwest, including the milder parts of British Columbia, has a long season from spring through fall. West of the Cascade Range, the lingering cool spring tends to favor cool-season annuals, and the relatively cool summers encourage spectacular displays of annuals. East of the Cascades, where winters are longer and much colder, the annual season is shorter, but the heat and the dry climate are terrific for sun-loving annuals. January: Order seeds for starting indoors in a few weeks or outdoors in a few months. Prepare an indoor area for starting seeds. February: Start seeds of annuals indoors for transplanting in spring. If the ground isn’t too wet, you can start seeding the following hardy annuals directly in the ground late this month: calendula, clarkia, cornflower, dwarf pink, English daisy (Bellis perennis), pansy, stock, and sweet alyssum. Transplanting hardy annuals, such as pansies and primroses, if nurseries offer them and the soil is dry enough, or plant them in containers. March: Prepare beds for major spring planting as long as the soil isn’t too wet. Sow sweet peas seeds before midmonth; sow seeds of other hardy annuals. Continue indoor seeding of annuals. Begin sowing warm-season annuals, such as marigolds and zinnias, for transplanting when the weather warms up in May. April: Set out transplants of cool-season annuals, such as calendulas, pansies, and snapdragons. Begin transplanting warm-season annuals if the weather and soil have warmed up. Watch for snails and slugs to begin their most damaging season around young annuals. May: This is the Northwest’s prime time for planting annuals. Almost anything will grow if planted now. Start feeding annuals two or three weeks after planting. Protect young annuals from snails and slugs. Sow asters, cosmos, marigolds, and zinnias from seed directly in the ground. June: Planting season continues, but try to finish soon to get the longest season. Continue to sow seeds of heat-loving annuals, such as marigolds and zinnias. Soon after planting annuals, pinch them back to encourage bushy growth. Continue regular feeding and grooming, and never let them dry out. July: Keep annuals going strong by feeding them regularly. If planting beds need extra watering, run a soaker hose between the plants. You can still plant annual seeds for later summer bloom. August: Watch for late summer invaders, such as spider mites. If impatiens and lobelia get a bit straggly, cut them back by about a third to encourage a late summer burst of growth. September: Extend the summer bloom season by removing dead flowers and watering as needed. For color until frost strikes, set out dwarf pinks, Johnny-jump-ups, pansies, stocks, and kale. October: Remove over-the-hill summer annuals. Clean up beds and turn over the soil for fall or spring planting. Keep hardy annuals, such as pansies, going for another few weeks by continuing to feed, water, and groom them. Sow wildflowers and other annuals that get off to an early start in spring. Scatter the seeds, cover them with a thin layer of organic matter, and then water thoroughly. November: You still have time to sow seeds of hardy annuals and wildflowers for blooms next spring. Clean up all annual planting beds.

Article / Updated 12-14-2022

Mulching your roses helps you save on water, reduces soil temperatures and evaporation, and smothers greedy weeds that compete with roses for moisture. Mulches not only conserve water but also even out rapid changes in soil moisture that can spell disaster in hot weather. The best time to apply mulch is in early spring, about the same time you remove winter protection. In areas with warmer winters, apply mulch just before your roses start to leaf out and before weeds start to sprout. You can apply mulch anytime, and you usually need to replenish it every two to three months. If possible use organic mulch (grass, compost, wood chips, and so on) for roses because, as the mulch breaks down, it adds organic matter to the soil, improving its texture and sometimes adding nutrients. Note that if you use grass clippings, mix it with another type of organic mulch for aeration because the clippings tend to pack down and decay into slime. Mulch also gives the ground in your garden a cleaner, more orderly appearance. Many organic mulches break down fairly rapidly, so you need to replenish them often. For effective mulching, apply a good, thick layer (at least three to four inches) of mulch in spring before the weeds start to grow. Spread it evenly under the roses, over an area slightly wider than the diameter of the plant. Or spread it over the entire rose bed. Add a fresh layer whenever the first one starts to deteriorate. Composted manures make particularly good mulches, looking neat while adding nutrients to the soil as they break down. Just make sure that the manure is fully composted and that you don’t add too much. You can buy bags of composted manure in most nurseries and garden centers. Fresh manures contain salts that damage the plant and make its leaves look as if they’ve been burned by a blow torch. Horse manure is generally safest and chicken manure the most dangerous. Mix manure 50/50 with some other organic mulch. That way, you won’t burn your roses, but they still get some nitrogen. Organic mulch has some downsides, so think about the materials you use and what they may do to your garden: Keep a close eye on soil pH and correct it accordingly if you use bark mulches, such as pine, which are quite acidic. Make sure that you haven’t used weed killer on your lawn if you intend to use grass clippings. The residue of weed killer can damage or kill your roses. Add supplemental nitrogen if you use the organic mulches. Fresh sawdust, for example, needs extra nitrogen to break down properly. Avoid peat moss. It can get hard and crusty when exposed to weather. Water may not penetrate it, so the water runs off instead of soaking through to the roots. At the very least, mix it with something else, such as compost. Avoid lightweight mulches, such as straw, if you live in a windy area. They can blow around, making a mess and leaving your roses unmulched. Inorganic mulches include plastic, gravel, stone, and sand. If you live in a cool-summer climate, a layer of gravel or rock beneath a rose can reflect heat and light up onto the plant. The extra heat may improve the quality of bloom for varieties that normally prefer warmer climates, and it may also cause water to evaporate off the foliage more quickly, reducing disease problems. Generally, though, inorganic mulches, particularly plastic, are hard to handle, especially on roses, where you need continual access to the soil for fertilizing, watering, and so on. So unless you need to heat up your garden, or like the look of plastic, steer clear of these mulches.

Article / Updated 10-18-2022

The Southwest deserts encompass mild-winter climates of the low-elevation deserts of Arizona and California. (The mountains of Arizona and New Mexico, as well as west Texas, have a more typical cold-winter, summer-only season for growing annuals.) Glory time for annuals is late winter and early spring in low-desert Arizona, primarily around Phoenix and Tucson, and California’s Coachella Valley. This calendar starts in September to reflect the true beginning of the planting season: If you live in a temperate, high-altitude climate, follow the calendar recommendations for Northern gardeners. September: Prepare planting beds. Midmonth or later, set out nursery transplants for winter and spring bloom — maybe even by Christmas. Provide temporary shade during the hottest weather. Early in the month, you still have time to start annual flower seeds in flats or pots to transplant into the ground later in the fall. If summer annuals are still going strong, keep them watered thoroughly and fertilize every two or four weeks. October: Continue to set out annuals for blooms before the end of the year. Water thoroughly after planting and provide temporary shade during extra-hot spells. Sow seeds of low-spreading annuals to cover bare spots in bulb beds. If your timing is good, everything will bloom all at once. Start regular feeding a few weeks after planting annuals. November: You still have time to plant for winter and spring bloom. Cooler weather encourages a new crop of aphids, plus slugs and snails. December: You still have time to plant seedlings. Watch your soil for signs of dryness, and water as needed. January: After the holidays, nurseries stock up with blooming annuals in small pots. Shop for color that you can use right away in pots or in gaps in planting beds. Watch for aphids and take steps to control them. Pull or hoe seasonal weeds, or mulch beds with a layer of organic matter to smother weeds and weed seeds. February: Cool-season annuals are peaking this month in the low desert. Maintain top performance by removing dead flowers, watering thoroughly, and feeding regularly. Start seeds of warm-season annuals indoors to transplant into the garden in four to six weeks. Prepare beds for spring planting. March: In the low desert, transplant warm-season annuals. Pinch back at planting time and snip off flowers to encourage bushier growth. A few weeks after planting, fertilize young annuals and begin a regular (bi-weekly or monthly) fertilizing schedule. April: Plant heat-loving annuals, such as marigolds and zinnias. Adjust the frequency of sprinkler systems as the weather heats up. May: Spring flowers are winding down. Pull them out and replace them with heat-lovers. Pinch tips of young annuals for bushier growth. June: This is your last chance to plant for summer blooms. Make sure that you choose from among the true heat-lovers: globe amaranth, salvia, and the most reliable of all, vinca rosea. July and August: Water and mulch. You don’t do any planting at this time of year. Feed summer annuals regularly. Remove faded flowers.

Article / Updated 07-28-2022

The best advice for planning your first vegetable garden is to start small. Just be sure you locate your garden in a sunny spot where expansion is possible. As for actual size, it depends on what you want to grow. Here's what you can put in the following standard-size gardens: A 6 x 8 foot plot can support a couple tomato plants, maybe some bush beans, and some lettuce. A 10 x 18 foot plot can hold all that, plus a couple space-consuming squash plants and cucumbers, and maybe some carrots or beets. A 20 x 24 foot plot can hold all that, plus peppers, leeks, broccoli, turnips, and maybe some herbs. A 40 x 60 plot allows you more of everything, plus some bigger items, such as corn (corn isn't worth growing unless you can have a dozen or more plants because otherwise they don't pollinate or pollinate completely, and you end up harvesting gap-toothed ears) and asparagus or rhubarb. Sketch out your vegetable garden plan on paper before planting. Figure out how much space to allot to individual plants — and don't forget to allow for space between the rows, or paths, so you can tend the plants. (Mature sizes of various vegetable varieties are noted on seed packets and often in catalog descriptions.) Allow for succession planting: If something is harvested early in the summer, lettuce, say, or peas, you can then free up that space for another crop, such as carrots. Succession planting is a good trick, but to pull it off, you may need to do some research as well as some trial and error — and be willing to invest the time and effort. You could also plan for a constant vegetable harvest by intercropping, or interplanting. This method is simple: Just have two different plants share the same part of the garden in an alternating or checkerboard pattern. This setup can look rather nifty, but it has practical advantages as well. Smaller, faster-maturing plants can grow with larger, slower-growing ones and so you always have something to harvest. And plants that appreciate a little shade can grow in the shelter of taller ones (have pole beans next to lettuce or spinach, for example).

Cheat Sheet / Updated 04-01-2022

To have the garden of your dreams, make sure you pick the right plants for your hardiness zone and select the right fertilizers for your plants. If your garden is shady, this Cheat Sheet offers a list of plants made for the shade. When you're planning and measuring your garden use the handy conversion chart for metric and standard measurements.