FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Your local library should have a nice selection of reference material. Quite a few websites geared towards garden design can serves as valuable sources of information, too,
No, not per se. Methods oft employed by professional landscapers are usually a no-fuss and straightforward means to an end. There's little room for error when you're going by the book, and the promise of success is only occasionally eclipsed by the confines a regimented instruction manual. If you are type-A and look for marginal room for improvisation, abide by points outlined by a professional. You should feel encouragement knowing these methods can be mastered by pretty much anybody.
A fast-growing garden can prove to be a nuisance when left untended to. Consequently, routine weeding along with prunings are required in maintaining your outdoor oasis, so grab those garden gloves and get to work!
Raking sand into your soil prior to sowing seed or installing infant plants can remedy this issue. Sand absorbs both water and heat without disturbing the natural balance of your soil makeup. Sand can also reduce the probability of compaction.
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A really stinky compost blend of orange and banana can supplement your soil's microbiome by nourishing anemic plants depleted by harsh weather extremities. Try digging a shallow hole at the side of your naturalized garden. Insert a perforated vessel, such as a colander, that would contain any substrate. Use an appropriately-sized pot lid -- easily purchased at a discount retailer or thrift store -- to seal the colander and its contents. Top with mulch until your next composting.Â
At their time of dormancy; in other words, when the plant begins to die back. You'll notice a difference in coloration, leaf health, and blooms. This can depend on plant type but invariably, you will almost always cut back your vegetation at the start and end of your growing season. Don't hesitate to fertilize if you're working with a perennial. In the case of annuals and biennials that are aggressive self-seeders (like Cosmos or Hollyhocks), not much other than sun and healthy soil is required in ensuring germination next year.Â
Frequently, yes! Organic herbicides, if an absolute must, can be purchased from most garden centers.
Not necessarily. Consider the square footage of your outdoor space, any plant species involved, and whether your freshly naturalized space will translate as manicured or rustic and wild. If ornamental grasses, including Kentucky blue grass, exceeding 10" in height play a critical part in your design, checking in with Fayette County doesn't hurt!
Dill, carrots, and believe it or not, beets! All three establish sturdy tap roots.
Trust that germination can take up to 24 days. Consistent waterings, if in an exceptionally dry season, are a mandate.
Wood garden stakes and twine act as added support in instances of high winds. Hyssop is fairly aerodynamic whereas Meadow Rue will snap in two. Use a stake to play it safe!
With caution, yes! As an accent ornamental, your tropical plant can offer extended bloom time to your naturalized garden space as most produce buds well into Autumn and Winter months.
MILKWEED!
Anthricinan yellow-faced bee
Assimulans yellow-faced bee
Easy yellow-faced bee
Hawaiian yellow-faced bee (Hylaeus longiceps and Hylaeus mana)
Hilaris yellow-faced bee
Rusty-patched bumblebee
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Bartram's hairstreak butterfly
Bay checkerspot
Behren's Silverspot
Blackburn's sphinx moth
Callippe silverspot
Carson wandering skipper
Cassius blue
Ceraunus blue
Dakota Skipper
El Segunda blue
Fender's blue
Florida leafwing
Karner blue
Kern primrose sphinx moth
Laguna Mountains skipper
Lange's metalmark
Lotis blue
Mariana eight-spot butterfly
Mariana wandering butterfly
Miami blue
Misson blue
Mitchell's satyr
Mount Charleston blue
Myrtle's silverspot
Nickerbean blue
Oregon silverspot
Palos Verde blue
Pawnee montane skipper
Poweshiek skipperling
Quino checkerspot
San Bruno elfin
Schaus swallowtail
Smith's blue
St. Francis' satyr
Taylor's checkerspot
Uncompahgre fritillary
Easy answer. With increased pollination, food producing plants become increasingly resilient, genetically diverse + subsequently disease resistant. Fruit and vegetable bearing plants, when pollinated more than less, spread pathogens at a lower rate and are exponentially more nutritious. Our most esteemed pollinators can serve as bird food also, boosting avian immunity, further deescalating the likelihood of pathogen contraction and reducing the chances of the spread of disease to humans.