Landscaping and Gardening in California

A man with a green thumb.

   Apr 22

Project Landscape: Gazebo

By Eric

Gazebo

Having a landscape in your home is a very fun sight to watch. But wouldn’t it be much better to look at your landscape from the center of your home? Placing a landscape at the heart of your home always adds a sense of style and warmth to your home. Surely your family and friends would love to hang out in there!

Gazebos are the best place to accommodate people in a beautiful landscape you have created. It serves a double-purpose, to have a place to hang out chill out in and at the same time, to let people have a good look at your masterpiece. Having a gazebo will bring out more fun in your scenery and a place for enjoyment for your family and guests.

To make it simpler, gazebos are outdoor structures with open sides and just a roofing complex to protect from elements like rain and the sun’s heat. Aside from providing shelter, its purpose is also to serve as a place for entertainment. It is one of the best things to be installed in your home.

Most gazebos are commonly circular or round, square or hexagonal in shape. Other gazebos have more features like having seats or benches all around the edges and even tables at the center. If you want to have this feature in your garden, you must first know how to prepare and install this structure.

Gazebo installation requires the following essential things to have it installed correctly and safely in your wonderful piece of art – your landscape. Here are a few tips and tricks to install a gazebo in your landscape like a pro.

Have Enough Space

Before you install your gazebo, you should take note of the space where you are going to place it. A gazebo is a structure that consumes space so make sure to allocate enough space for the gazebo to fit in.

Site Selection

Selecting the site for your gazebo is also essential. It should be a place where you will not be able to destroy the beauty of your garden. Your purpose is to have a place that you can stay, watch the beauty of your landscape and beautify your home at the same time – not to make your landscape look like a disaster.

Landscape Design Blueprints

The next step after you have finished with the ground preparation is to make a layout of your landscape. You can draw the dimensions of your gazebo on the ground or on your grass using spray paint – more preferably white to make it easier to see. The paint will then fade away. If you want your layout to be more precise, you can actually use blueprints for your landscape. This landscaper in Houston, Texas creates landscape design blueprints for all their work.

Ground Work – Literally

After making a layout of the dimensions of your gazebo, you will have to do some excavation to make the area flat or leveled. If your land area is a slope or hill, make the other side of your excavated soil a little deeper than the other side to make balance and level it.

Post Holes

The structure of the gazebo is just post with a roof, so better make your posts more fixated to be able to ensure safety and durability of your structure. The way to do this is easy; just excavate a hole deep enough for your posts and fill it up with stone, rocks and gravel. You can also make use of cement to secure it if you want to.

Install

If your posts are ready and when your gazebo has been delivered, you can have it installed firmly on top of the beams of your post.

Add Elements

Landscape the surrounding of your gazebo to make it more attractive and beautiful. This will also make it like a part of the whole scene.

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   Apr 23

Morning Glory: Living By Its Name

By Eric

Morning Glory

Morning glory is the name given commonly to almost 1,000 species of this flower. The name of this flowering plant was acquired from its characteristic and distinctive feature of folding up its petals when evening comes and opening them when morning sunlight strikes. This plant is usually used by people as decoration on walls and fences.

The flowers of the morning glory plants are funnel-shaped and go from white, blue, to purple. These plants can grow up to 8 feet tall. This flower is planted by many because maintaining this plant does not require extensive care.

Depending on the variety or species of the morning glory plant, it can either grow in bushes or in vines. The requirements for this plant are basically the same disregarding whatever variety you choose to plant. The care for this particular plant is basically the same for all varieties.

Move 1: Preparing the Site to Plant

Always consider this tip when you want to plant morning glories – these plants need a spot or area that is well exposed to the sun. When the area or garden you have chosen to plant them has too much shade, the flowers will not bloom. You should choose and area that has abundant sunlight all throughout that day.

When you are planning to plant those varieties that grow in vines, you will be needing support when they grow. The best place to plant vine types or varieties is next to a fence. Make sure to till the soil where you want to plant the seeds and mix it up with compost.
Compost is good in conditioning the soil. It holds on to nutrients and water, so it is very good for any type of plant.

Move 2: Plant

If you are to plant morning glories using seeds, it is recommended that you soak the seeds in warm water for approximately two hours to soften the seed cover. Make about half of an inch holes in the spot where you want to plant them. Set the holes for about 6 inches apart.

Put one seed in each hole and cover it up. If you are going to transfer morning glory plants from pots to the soil, see to it that you will be able to plant the vines as deep in the soil as it was before in the containers or pots.

Move 3: Care and Maintenance

As we have mentioned earlier, this plant does not need much care and maintenance. You just have to fertilize it once a month and water it diligently during hot days and summer. Just avoid over-watering this plant.

Training the vines when they start to grow is easy. All you need to do is to make a support for the vines to entwine. You can twist the vines of the morning glory in a gentle manner around its support.

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   Apr 18

Tulips: The Must-Knows in the Care of this Plant

By Eric
tulips

Photo Credit: Tulip Era in the Ottoman Empire by K?vanç Ni

Tulips are perennial plants that have bright, cup-shaped flowers with stem that are green and smooth. They are bulbous plants by nature. They are of the first flower and also one of the loveliest flowers that shoot up in spring.

Care for Tulips

The tulip, just like any other plants and flowers, need to be taken care of and maintained. By doing this, you will be secure to yourself that your plants are living healthily.

Here are a few tips on the care of this lovely and colorful flower:

  • Start Young. Tulips should be planted in an area or spot where there is abundance of sunlight. It is best to plant these flowers in October (somewhere mid or late). It is also recommended to water the tulips bed until the soil is completely moist enhance the formation of its roots right after planting.
  • Soil. It is recommended for tulips to be planted in a soil that is well-drained, loamy and airy. Other soil types like heavy soil or clay-type, the addition of sand and compost or organic matter will enable the draining properties or increase the water drainage of the soil.
  • Water. Water is needed by living organisms to live and survive. Watering is required to tulip beds after they are planted somewhere in the fall or early spring. During the winter where long dry periods are being experienced, extra watering is advised. Be very careful not to overwater the plants because they cannot tolerate standing and too much water.
  • Protection. Squirrels, rabbits and other animals can harm and destroy the tulips. Squirrels are known to dig up the plant and eat up the tulip bulbs. It is advised to have you tulip bed sprayed with animal repellents to get them protected. If you do not wish to harm these animals (rabbits and squirrels) by spraying repellents, you can build barriers or fences. To prevent blight, do not allow petals that have already fallen to stay on the tulip beds and keep the garden clean.
  • Potted Tulips. Make sure that the pots you have utilized as containers for the tulip plant has hole underneath to promote drainage. Place the pot on an old and unused saucer to collect excess water. Keep potted tulips in a bright place but away from direct impact of the sunlight.
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   Apr 16

The Cool Pool: Swimming Pool Landscape Ideas

By Eric

beautiful pool

If you have a swimming pool in your house without anything that adds life to it, like a beautiful garden, it will only look plain, dull and less exciting. How about turning your poolside into a paradise?

Basically, the pool is a great place to cool off, especially when the weather is hot. Adding plants and  a creative landscape in it will make it look more like a beachfront or a hotel swimming pool. You will be able to relax in your pool like you are just in a famous beach resort like in Bali, Indonesia or Boracay Beach in the Philippines.

The Wow Effect Pool

A beautiful landscape in your swimming pool or the poolside, to be more specific, gives you an overwhelming satisfaction. It can be difficult at first but if you have the idea and knowledge on what you need to do, everything will be easy.

Here are a few ideas on how to put a screaming “W-O-W” to your pool.

  • Island Getaway
    You can transform your poolside into an island. The main idea here is to elevate your poolside to create an illusion that the pool is the water that surrounds your island. Choose plants that need little watering and drainage to prevent soil erosion into your pool. To make it look tropical, make sure to use colorful plants and flowers that will surely turn your pool into paradise.
  • Waterfalls
    Installing a waterfall on your pool that will continually recycle the water source of your pool will be a great addition. It will also be pleasing to the eyes. You can make it look more realistic by adding rocks, plants and other ornaments behind and at the sides of your man-made waterfall. This will bring more life and a realistic effect as if you are swimming in real lagoon with a waterfall.
  • Beach Summer
    The addition of sand in the sides of your pool and a few tropical plants and dwarf coconut trees will do the trick. You can also add a beach umbrella and benches to make it look like a summer paradise.

These are just a few ideas on how you can turn that same old pool into one hell of a cool pool that you can soak in any time of the day. Simple is boring, creativity is exciting. So make sure to apply these tips and turn your pool into an amazing paradise experience!

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   Apr 14

Urban Gardening: The Green Roof

By Eric
Gardening on Rooftops

Photo Credit: Rooftop Garden Hyatt Regency Hangzhou by Markatnm

People living in urban areas who want to have a garden of their own faces one main problem – the unavailability of space or land area to have their garden. In cities, what we can mostly see are buildings made of concrete, concrete roads and patios – everything almost concrete. In short, there is a limited amount of space for gardening when compared to the countryside. If you think about it though, these problems just limits the space for gardening below or on the ground, but doesn’t really stop you from gardening. So why not bring your garden to a higher level? Literally!

The idea of having a rooftop garden is fitting if you have limited or no space to create your garden. This idea is not new to the world. Rooftop gardening was first practiced in ancient Babylonia. It was the idea of the king of Babylonia, Nebuchadnezzar II, who had it built for his wife who is very homesick and wanted to see plants from her homeland. It was known as The Hanging Gardens of Babylon and was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Today, you do not need to be a king to have a “hanging garden” of your own. You can have you very own rooftop garden. But before you make this possible, you should consider a few things first. These things are essential to building or making your very own “green roof”.

The Rooftop

This may sound basic but you really have to consider first the condition of you rooftop. Make sure that your rooftop can support the weight of the garden you are planning to have. If you want to make sure whether your rooftop can be installed with a garden, you can have the roof checked by a credible licensed engineer. Through this, you will be guaranteed that if ever you have a rooftop garden installed, your roof will not fall down.

Plant Containers

Most of the time, plant boxes cannot be used in the rooftop unless your home or apartment building is newly built and the plan included a rooftop garden. Anyway, plant containers can be used. Always remember that the plant containers should contain enough soil or soil of about one gallon. The soil mixture should be composed of equal mixture of top soil and compost.

Water Needs

The rooftop garden is exposed to too much heat and winds that can dry up the soil and the plants easily. This is because of the physical position where the garden is located. The rooftop garden should be watered daily and be checked for signs of drought.

Once you’ve checked out all these items, you can start on your rooftop garden right away. So get creative and if you need tips, you can always apply some of these ideas on your rooftop gardening. If you are still having trouble, you can always leave a message on my contact form and I’ll be happy to help you out!

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   Apr 12

What Went Wrong: Knowing and Fighting Plant Diseases

By Eric

plant diseases

Diseases of plants often seem mysterious because you can’t really notice them right away, unless you use a microscope. Most home gardens have only modest disease problems, but it’s important to make sure you keep the upper hand by learning to recognize the symptoms of diseases that might lead to your paradise’s destruction.

If your plant slowly wilts or rapidly collapses it is likely caused by soil-borne fungal diseases that causes roots to rot.

  • If the new growth of your plant looks crinkled or distorted with crazy flowering patterns or thickened leaves, it is likely caused by viruses which are spread by small insects that interfere with the DNA signaling within plants. If the leaves of your plant have white patches or numerous dark spots, it is likely caused by airborne fungal diseases such as powdery mildew.

Most diseases that infect vegetable garden plants are caused by fungi. By the time you see a problem, it is usually too late to cure it. Most diseases are predictable though, which gives you plenty of opportunity to try these simple preventive methods:

Baking soda

This can help prevent powdery mildew and other leaf spot diseases. Mix one teaspoon of baking soda per quart of water with a few drops of liquid soap added to help it stick. Baking soda is particularly effective when used in rotation with light horticultural oils.

Horticultural Oils

It may be based on soybean, canola or even herbal essential oils. These oils make leaf surfaces inhospitable to fungi, but they can damage leaves when applied during hot weather. Always check on the product label to make sure the plant you want to treat is on the list. Follow application instructions precisely.

Plain Milk

when diluted in water and exposed to sunlight, it briefly changes into a disinfectant compound that murders fungal spores yet act gently on plant leaves. Mix one half cup milk to two cups of water. Apply weekly on healthy plants that are at high risk for developing powdery mildew.

Pruning or Pinching off

Pruning or pinching off upon observing the first sign of trouble is a smart intervention too. When the lowest leaves of your plant start showing dark spots from early blight, clipping them off can seriously slow down the spread of the disease.

Taking care of your garden is like taking care of yourself. Remember the old saying? Prevention is better than cure. In your garden’s case, it’s best for you to be knowledgeable regarding these plant diseases and to be a keen observer at all times.

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   Apr 10

Landscape in a Box: Miniature Landscaping

By Eric

landscape in a box

Have you ever seen a small or miniature tree that has been growing in a low-sided clay pottery, tray or container? Looking at these wonderful masterpieces is like looking at a very beautiful sight of a garden or an eye-popping scenery or landscape of a faraway land. These wonderful creations and art are called BONSAI.

A bonsai is a Japanese art in the form of growing trees into miniature sizes in containers such as low-side pots or tray-like pots. The term “bonsai” came from two words, “bon” which means a low-sided pot, tray or container; and “sai” which means “planting or plantings” which when combined makes up the literal meaning “plantings in tray”. The tradition of bonsai art has been practiced for over a thousand years.

Beauty Never Measured By Size

Bonsai tree landscaping takes a whole lot different level of work and uniqueness. You are going to work out landscape scenery with the use of a little tree in a tray-like pot and try to miniaturize everything or in other words, make it fit into the pot.

The level of difficulty when working with a bonsai landscape is not as difficult as doing an actual landscaping or gardening. The test in this type of landscaping is your creativity in making things and tiny details look beautiful and lively as an actual size garden.

Mini-Garden Uncovered

Creating a bonsai tree landscape is an easy but meticulous and careful process. We do not want to overdo our landscape design to suffocate our bonsai tree and permanent damage to it. The bonsai tree is a delicate plant that we should make sure not to accidentally cut major branches and destroy its view and beauty.

Here are a few tips on making your own bonsai tree landscape:

Create an image of the landscape you are planning to make. It is better if you can sketch it out in a paper for a better description of your chosen design. You can also look for ideas in bonsai landscaping or pictures of bonsai landscapes in the internet.

Be sure that you can fit everything you want to place in your landscape in a small container or pot. Remember; do not overcrowd the bonsai landscape to make room for the bonsai tree to “breathe”.

Add touch-ups. You can also add up features like a mini-water fountain or wooden bridges to make your landscape even more lively and beautiful.

Use greens to keep it lively. Usually, when you want to create a landscape that has more “green” color in it or a grass-like area, you can use moss.

Nourish your mini-landscape. Maintain your landscape’s integrity by watering it daily and making sure that it receives enough but no too much sunlight.

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   Apr 08

Gardening and Health: Plants VS Mosquitoes and Flies

By Eric
garden

Image Credit: Dugspr

The issue with mosquitoes and flies are rising and it’s almost the time of the year where mosquitoes are on the go and ready to bite, and flies are everywhere and can spread diseases such as malaria and dengue fever and more. The diseases these mosquitos and flies carry can be, at some cases, lethal or deadly.

Are you familiar with the game PLANTS VS ZOMBIES? That game where you put plants in your lawn tp kill zombies and stop them from entering your house and eating your brain? Well, basically this is the type of gardening we will be talking about.

There are plants that stop mosquitoes and flies from entering your homes in reality just like the game PLANTS VS ZOMBIES. These plants cause an allergic effect to these insects that make them flee from the area where these plants are present. If you are not a fan of chemical pesticides, then this is definitely perfect for your garden.

Rue

Rue is a shrub that when planted in a garden, it helps repel fruit flies. The scent produced by this plant is irritating to fruit flies but is pleasant to the human smell. But rue should be handled with intense care because it can also cause skin irritations.

Basil

Aside from salads, basil has another good effect to the environment – it is an effective fly repellant. Planting basil in your garden will keep flies from entering your home and thus keeping your children and loved ones safe from the diseases that these insects carry with them.

Citronella Grass

Familiar with citronella oil? This is the plant where that oil is extracted from. Citronella oil is one of the main ingredients found in mosquito repellants. Just be sure not to plant too many of these because they grow up to six feet tall – not too good for the lawn!

Catnip

If you want mosquito repellent that has an effect that exceeds DEET, a common chemical used in mosquito and insect repellents, then this is the best choice. It has been proven that catnip oil is ten times much better and effective compared to the chemical compound.

So there you have it, the perfect plants to help you beat mosquitoes and flies. Having these dirty and deadly insects is not healthy not just for your family, but also for your beautiful garden. Keep these plants handy and I guarantee you, no mosquito or fly will ever feed on your blood again!

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   Apr 06

Growing Your Own Bed of Roses

By Eric

rose garden

There is just nothing more romantic than seeing a garden filled with one of the mostly used flower to symbolize one’s feeling of love and affection – the beautiful rose flower. Roses are woody perennial plants that can erect shrubs, climb or trail with stems that often have sharp thorns also known as prickles. They are widely grown for their beauty and roses’ petals are fragrant.

Rose Gardening Tips

Growing roses in your garden can be easy and fun for as long as you have the right knowledge on how to grow them. You can cultivate and grow this plant in your very own garden and harvest flowers like a pro.

Here are a few tips on how you can improve your rose garden and grow them healthy and harvest wonderful bunch of fresh, sweet-smelling, lovely roses!

Garlic

Growing garlic in you rose garden helps in eliminating harmful insects and pests. Garlic serves as a natural insecticide and pesticide to keep these harmful animals from infecting and spreading diseases to your rose plants.

Cinnamon

If you want your roses to be free from diseases that fungi carry, try mixing cinnamon to your growing medium when re-potting.

Watering in the Morning

Roses are very susceptible to fungal diseases and that excess water on the leaves or blooms will increase the chances that your plants will be infected. Watering your roses in the morning will leave time for excess water on the leaves and blooms to dry up or evaporate.

Organic Fertilizers

It is highly recommended that you use organic fertilizers when fertilizing your rose plants that are grown in containers or pots because the use of synthetic and inorganic fertilizers highly contributes to salt buildup in the soil.

Sunlight, Plenty of Sunlight

When looking or selecting a spot or area to create a rose garden, you should always keep in mind that your rose garden should receive plenty of sunlight. It’s important to make sure your rose garden is placed in an area with direct sunlight. This will make your plants more healthy and free from fungal diseases.

These are just a few tips which you can take note of when growing your own rose garden. Roses never fail to create an aura of beauty and romanticism to a garden. Growing your own bed of roses is sure to make your garden look more beautiful and feel romantic. What’s more perfect than picking up a rose or two and breathing into their scent every morning?

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