| Butterfly and Bird Gardens - Our winged
friends add motion to the garden and lots of bright colors. But to invite them in you have
to add a collection of their favorite plants. Butterflies and hummingbirds like the bright
colored pentas, butterfly bush, coral honeysuckle, salvias and similar plants. Most birds
like the berried bushes and nearby dense growth where they can dart in an out. Also
don’t forget to add a water bath and a feeding station.
New Lawn Grasses - Just when many gardeners had forgotten there was a zoysia grass turf
growers and University of Florida researchers are taking a look at some new selections.
Some predict zoysia is the grass of the future for home and commercial lawns. A few new
selections have wider blades and all can be easily established by plugs. Zoysia is a tough
and durable grass and new varieties are showing better pest resistance.
Ornamental Gardens For Ground Covers - There is more to grass than just a pretty lawn.
Many gardeners are discovering the clump forming types now being used as a ground cover.
You have know pampas grass for a long time but now there are muhly grass, sand cordgrass,
Elliott lovegrass, wiregrass and many more to be added to the landscape. Most are planted
as a replacements for low growing shrubs and ground covers.
A New Pesticide Look - In the new millennium predictions are for a drastic change in
pesticides. Many commonly used products are slowly going to disappear. Some will be only
available in ready to use formulations to reduce mixing hazards. Also expect more natural
products to arrive on the market. Gardeners are being encouraged to learn the good bugs
and only spray when the plants and home are really threatened.
Well - There you are just a few of the changes that are sure to occur. Get ready for an
exciting new year full of fun and surprises. January is a little slower time of the year
but there is still plenty to do. Keep the vegetable garden producing with transplants and
seedings of the cool season crops. Also fill the flower beds with frost resistant
petunias, pansies, dianthus and snapdragons.
Indoors give your foliage plants a turn every few weeks to keep growth uniform on all
sides. Also check for mealy bugs, mites and similar bests that flourish in the lower light
levels. Just some soapy water and a soft cloth can wash many of these pests away.
Best wishes for a great gardening year. |
