Pansies

Some of my favorite flowers are the Pansy flowers. The pansy, viola or violet is a plant that is found in almost every continent, except for Antarctica. Grow violets in the sun or shade with these simple instructions on plant care.

I love that my beautiful Pansies come back year after year. They are such a sturdy flower that is anything but “a pansy”. Typically, when we hear pansy we think weak. This flower is anything but that. Also, whenever I see Pansies I always think of Alice in Wonderland with the garden scene and “You can learn a lot of things from the flowers”.

In this video the host talks about some growing tips for this beautiful flower. I love that these sweet little flowers come in all different colors too. I love a variety of shades in my garden for a rainbow-like look. They are so simple and beautiful, and quite possibly my most favorite flower!

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Have more time for football: 15-minute garden and lawn drills

(ARA) – Whether tailgating, playing a game of catch with the kids, cheering on your favorite team from the stands or calling plays from the couch – fall means football. A few simple tips can keep outdoor projects from running interference on your weekend game schedule.

Here are 10- to 15-minute garden and lawn drills to keep your focus on the game and yard work on the sideline this fall:

September:
* Lawns can get damaged when kids and pets play on grass that is still wilting from summer heat and drought. Spruce up your lawn by reseeding with a quality grass seed and lawn food specifically designed to help seed germinate, like Scotts Starter Fertilizer. Fall is the best time for grass. Keep the seed and young grass watered and hold off on any weed control until the new grass has been mowed four times.

* Feed the grass. The difference between “so-so” grass and truly beautiful grass, both now and next spring, is two fall feedings. Feeding in early September helps your lawn begin rebuilding grass roots that were damaged during the hot, dry summer. Feed again in late October to prepare for winter, using Scotts Winter Guard once new seed is established.

* Create patches of color in your landscape by filling pots with fall flora. Replace tired-looking summer plants with mums, asters, pansies and flowering cabbage. Look for special displays at local garden centers and add Miracle-Gro potting soil to your containers for big, beautiful blooms.

* Clean up the garden. Perennials may now be past their prime and the summertime vegetable garden may be looking a bit sparse. If so, cut them back. This will help keep bugs and disease away. Use what you cut to start a compost pile.

October:
* Prevent tree leaves from smothering grass. Contrary to popular belief, fallen tree leaves will not insulate the lawn during winter. In fact, they can block vital sunlight and cause turf to thin. So, drop the rake and mulch leaves to dime-sized pieces with a lawn mower. Leave clippings on the lawn to allow leaves to recycle back into the soil, providing food for earthworms and soil microbes.

* Plant spring-blooming bulbs now for bursts of color later. Visit a local garden center for a great selection of daffodil, crocus, hyacinth, tulip and other spring-flowering bulbs. Plant in masses or tuck patches into other beds for a surprise of spring color. Feed with Miracle-Gro Organic Choice Bone Meal for strong root development.

* Due to cooler temperatures, fall is a great time to plant a tree or shrub. Soils stay warm late into the fall which allows for good root development and less transplant shock. Roots will also have an easier time starting new growth again in early spring, and plants are often on sale in autumn. Be sure to use Miracle-Gro Quick Start Transplant Starting Solution to help prevent transplant shock and provide essential nutrients.

November:
Mow at a “summer height” of 2 to 3 inches until your grass stops growing – into early winter. Do not lower your height for the final cut.

* Clean up tools for a fresh start next spring. They have served you well all season, but now it is time to put them away. To prevent rusting, give tools a good cleaning before hanging up, and then spray a light coating of common household oil. When finished mowing for the year, perform any mower maintenance before storage for winter. Sharpen mower blades, change the spark plug, and be sure to drain the gas or run the engine dry of fuel.

With these quick drills in the rotation, the garden and lawn will stay in tip-top shape leaving plenty of time to catch games. They also will look great for any impromptu tailgate parties. These simple tasks will make life easier next spring and give the garden and lawn a head start.

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As fall fast approaches this year’s end, it’s time to start finishing up any autumn gardening – that is, if it’s still warm enough to even think about gardening in your area.  As for me, I’m in the Tulsa, Oklahoma area where it’s been in the 70′s for all of November this year.

If you’re looking for some great last-minute fall gardening tips, check out our favorite fall gardening tips:

Instead of using solar lights, add a more unique touch with this Cool Idea: Lighting the Dark Garden.

Are those vegetables ripe for the pickin’?  Learn How to make the most of your fall harvest or, if you haven’t started yet, you might benefit from Some like it cold: It’s not too late to get your fall veggie garden growing.

If you are going to start gardening now, have a look at Gardening on the Cheap — Fall is a Great Time for Planting and Finding Bargains for some frugal finds and ideas.

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The beauty of evergreens lie in their name – they add year-round colour and life to gardens and yards.

The beauty of evergreens lie in their name – they add year-round colour and life to gardens and yards. Narrow leaf evergreen shrubs, such as cedar and spruce are most commonly known, but this group also includes broadleaf evergreens including rhododendrons, camellias and laurels. Although these trees and shrubs are a low-maintenance addition to yards and gardens, they do require a little extra attention to keep them healthy throughout the winter.

As the temperatures begin to fall, continue to water evergreens as often as once a week, as long as the air temperature is above freezing. This is especially important for recently planted or transplanted trees and shrubs. Remember to stop watering once the temperature dips below freezing as ice formation can damage evergreens.

Fall is also good time to feed your large evergreens. Spruce, yew, hemlock and juniper need nutrients at their roots, making fertilizer spikes such as Miracle-Gro Evergreen Fertilizer Spikes 12-10-10 a good choice. For broadleaf evergreens like rhododendrons, use something like Miracle-Gro Evergreen Tree and Shrub Food, which is specially formulated for these acid-loving shrubs.

Evergreens are susceptible to moisture loss from the drying effects of winter winds. Protect them from wind damage by erecting a screen made of burlap, shade cloth or similar material stapled to wooden stakes. Sprays such as anti-desiccants or anti-transpirants can also help prevent winter moisture loss. These sprays, which can be used on both broad and narrow leaf evergreens, coat leaves with a clear film that does not interfere with plant growth, photosynthesis or other natural processes. These products are available at your local nursery or garden centers and should be applied when the temperature is above freezing.

For information from a Scotts Garden Expert call 1-866-436-8477 or visit www.Scotts.ca.

- News Canada

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1. To prevent disease on your lawn rake up fallen leaves and make your own compost.

2. Seeding your lawn in the fall encourages lushness and keeps weeds out. The soil temperature and moisture from morning dew are especially important to seed germination this time of year.

3. Longer grass performs better in hot and/or dry conditions. Use a higher mower setting and save your lawn from dry patches.

4. Fertilize in early fall to help plants withstand winter. The nutrients in the fertilizer help plants lay down root reserves and contribute to re-growth when grass comes out of a long period of dormancy.

5. Plant new trees and shrubs while the ground is still warm. Stake trees that are exposed to strong winds to prevent damage.

6. A layer of mulch can help prevent weed seeds from germinating and improve a plant’s moisture retention.

7. Plant bulbs in the fall for beautiful blooms next spring. Be selective about types of plants to ensure they are best suited to your garden’s location and condition.

8. Give evergreens a lot to drink. They lose water all winter and under-watering can result in browning.

9. Cover delicate plants with burlap to act as a windbreaker in the harsher weather and prevent damage.

10. Hit The Home Depot for the right tools for fall clean-up whether it’s a rake, composter or a bag of fertilizer.

- News Canada

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• Remove any debris, leaves and diseased foliage from your lawn and garden.

• Continue to mow your lawn at a height of around 2.5 inches as long as it is actively growing.

• Overseed and aerate your lawn. The cool and wet conditions of fall make it the perfect time to overseed your lawn with a pure premium grass seed for a thicker lawn that will crowd out weeds in spring.

• Repair any damaged spots now, while temperatures are cool and there’s more rainfall and heavier dew. Try a product like Scotts Patch Master lawn repair mix for an all-in-one solution.

• Apply a winter care fertilizer approximately four weeks before you expect frost. The fall is the most important application of fertilizer because it helps your lawn emerge healthier in spring after a long winter.

• Plant any flower bulbs in the fall to provide welcome blooms at the first sign of spring. Feed bulbs with an organic choice bone meal.

• Add a layer of mulch to new plants and rake leaves onto flowerbeds and around shrubs to create a warm blanket to protect against the cold.

• Be sure to clean out all your gardening tools and spreaders and lubricate any pivot points or axles. Clean all tools using a wire brush and spray bare metal parts with a penetrating oil to prevent rust.

• Tightly seal all packages and store all fertilizers and chemicals in a cool dry place.

• Drain water from all hoses and coil and hang them properly so they won’t split, sag or kink.

To speak with a Scotts expert on lawn care call 1-866-436-7645. For a Scotts Garden expert call 1-866-436-8477 or visit www.Scotts.ca.

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Garden beds:

• Apply a three to four inch layer of mulch around your perennial plants, careful to leave a hollow at the base. Use fallen leaves as a handy mulch.

• Divide and move plants to thin them out.

• Remove old or diseased plants.

• Leave seed heads for winter interest and to feed the birds.

Lawns:

• Raise your mower height to three inches. Longer grass shades weed seeds and keeps them from sprouting and provides protection for the turf during the winter. Leave the clippings on the grass for extra nitrogen.

• Fertilize with compost or organic fertilizers.

• Aerate soil and leave the plugs on the lawn.

• Overseed your lawn — a blend of grasses will make it hardier.

Trees and Shrubs

• Remove old or diseased branches or broken limbs.

• Add mulch (fallen leaves work well) around the drip line but not up against the trunk.

• Water newly planted trees and shrubs, especially evergreens, if there is no snow or rain.

- News Canada

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Tulips

As you prepare your garden for the chilly winter months ahead don’t forget to plant some bulbs –nothing sends the welcoming signal of spring better than beautiful blooming flowers. Gardeners can select a variety of bulbs including crocuses, snowdrops, daffodils, grape hyacinths, and tulips, depending on the desire for an early-, middle-, or late-bloomer. Or plant them all for a changing garden and colour palette all springtime long.

“It’s best to plant different combinations of flowers and colours and to plant in groups of three, five or seven as this is how bulbs grow in their natural state.” Says Scotts gardening expert Luisa Niño. “Planting bulbs is easy and most come with directions, but the general rule of thumb is to plant at a depth roughly two and a half times the size of the bulb. Try planting bulbs with the pointy ends up, but if you can’t tell which end is up, plant it on its side and it will correct itself. You can plant bulbs anytime in the fall as the ground remains warmer longer than the outside air.”

Help your bulbs return year after year by feeding them. Plant bulbs with bone meal for optimum plant health and bigger blooms. New this year is Miracle-Gro Organic Choice bone meal for a completely natural source of food for all your plants. After bulbs bloom, allow all foliage to remain until it turns yellow so nutrients can return to the bulb, then cut it down.

For more advice or to speak with a master gardener from Scotts call 1-866-436-8477 or visit www.Scotts.ca.

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