By David Wall
Garden stones allow butterflies to get warm so they can fly. A few copper pennies prevent algae from forming in your bird bath. Good old corn meal. Dump a small box into a bowl of water and let it soak. Then drain and spray the liquid on plants to kill powdery mildew.
A major advantage of switching from synthetic to organic, is its non-toxicity to children, adults, and pets. Of all mulches, Cypress and Pine bark are considered to be the worst, while pine needles, and shredded tree trimmings are among the best. Cedar mulch is very good.
Jujube provides beneficial nematodes for fire ant control. You cannot correct lack of sunlight with fertilizer! Non-kink hoses may cost more, but save you a lot of aggravation and bad language. Quality tools are generally easier to use and have more durability. Choose plants whose mature sizes still fit your available space.
Good soil is THE critical foundation to successful landscapes and gardens. Get a soil test and accordingly amend the soil. Chinese tallow is considered a seriously invasive tree. There may not be one in your area, but if you have bird feeders or birds nest in your yard trees, you can expect Chinese tallow to follow.
If your trees need trimming, never allow landscapers to user tree climbing equipment (spurs), which will cause numerous wounds to the trees. Make them use a bucket lift. If hiring a tree trimmer, ask for and get a copy of their insurance and workman’s compensation. Without this protection, you could be liable if an accident occurs.
As trees mature, their tap root tends to dissolve, being replaced by one or two smaller “sinker” roots. Lack of a strong tap root combined with foliage size is why larger trees blow down and smaller ones survive.
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