How To Amend Soil
Friday, February 29th, 2008
Amending the soil means adding the correct material that will help the plants to grow successfully. Amendments can be anything from organic matter to chemical fertilizers. Amendments bring the soil into a correct balance for successful plant growth. The ideal way to determine what the soil needs is to take a soil sample and have a lab analyze the sample for soil deficiencies. You would then apply the recommended nutrients and mix them into the top 4-6 inches of your garden.
How To Prune Roses Checklist
Wednesday, February 27th, 2008Here is the checklist for the Gardening Tip Video I posted last Monday about “How To Prune Roses”.
Click on the Link. How-To-Prune-Roses.pdf
How To Prune Roses
Tuesday, February 26th, 2008
Supplies and tools needed.
Sharp bypass hand pruners.
Long handled loppers.
Pair of heavy leather gloves.
Long sleeved shirt to protect your arms.
Wheelbarrow or a garbage can.
Rubbing alcohol.
Prune your rose bush in late winter or early spring. Make cuts at a 45° angle, 1/4″ above outward facing buds. This will direct any new growth away from the center of the plant for better air circulation. Use your hand pruners for canes smaller than 1/2″ in diameter. Cut all larger canes and deadwood with long handled loppers. Always wear leather gloves to protect your hands from rose thorns.
Start by pruning out deadwood or diseased wood. Next remove crisscrossing canes. Leave three to five main canes angling outward from the center of the bush. Remove old, thin, and spindly canes, smaller than a pencil. Cut the canes you’re going to keep to one to three feet tall. Use rubbing alcohol to disinfect your pruners after pruning each plant to prevent the spread of disease.
