Spruce Weed and Grass Killer

 

Firstly, I am not rewarded for mentioning/promoting any product...perhaps one day.

Over the last few months, I have been testing a few herbicides on my property as well as my customers.

Regardless of the legal claims against Roundup and its use of glyphosate, I never found it effective.

Perhaps it is effective on a larger scale with aerial agricultural applications. Which may have led to the legal claims of harm to health.

Again, I never found it effective when attempting to kill/mitigate weeds or what I simply classify as unwanted growth.

However, on the recommendation of a customer, I have found Spruce very effective at killing/disrupting the foliage of most any weed and young plant.

The manufacturer touts it killing the roots and I don't know if it does such. The average user would not know so and I have a way of testing such, but I don't know if I will take the time to test this.

Nonetheless, visually, it seems to be the most effective weed killer I have ever used.

Of course, depending on the environ and the plant bed, its presentation or posture on your property...even if you kill unwanted growth, you may still need/want to remove by hand.

Spruce claims to be non-toxic to pets and humans.

Spruce is the best solution I have found.

 

Fall - The Time to Prune, Plant and Plan...Re-orchestrate

Well, it is Fall in the Midlands. Not that all the growing and blooming has ceased. 

But, many of our plants and  landscapes have experienced much growth - for some, out-of-hand growth over the growing season.

You had (or perhaps, had not) spent much of the summer keeping up with or maintaining your property, beautifully.

Nonetheless, fall and winter are a wonderful time to prune, plant and plan for next year. Why wait?

Plants and their intentions, their DNA, their hormones, love some additional care and attention from their proprietors.

Pruning: Proper pruning this time of year helps your plants prepare for next year, and done well, provides them the future direction of growth which best suits their position and place on your property.

Planting: So many of your favorite plants and those you have in mind for next year will benefit from being placed where you wish, right now, in the warm earth, rather than sitting in a pot in a nursery. Place them where you wish now and enjoy with less effort next season.

Plan: Walk your property and discover what plants and plant beds, trees and shrubs need addressing in regard to their spread, growth and health.

Re-orchestrate: It's your property - determine what you want and where, and blend the components of your landscape - the plants, the collective beds, the specimen plants and trees.

Next season, next year, next spring, will be more enjoyable.

Other Considerations

• Prune and/or remove (overgrowth, intruding and encroaching branches, vines, etc.).
• Clean out weeds (remove).
• Pressure-wash man-made surfaces - drive and walkways, decks, retaining walls, siding, foundations, etc.
• Re-establish plant bed borders.
• Re-stain/seal decks.
• Simply do some outdoor housekeeping for football season, family and friend visits and the approaching holidays.

Need assistance? Give us a call at 803-553-5757, go to back40.us or use the Contact Us feature above.

Just call me, Doug.

Off-Season Lawn Edging

So, what do I mean by off-season?

Well, this could be the non-growing time of the year whereas your turf grass leaves (blades) are not growing vertically or are dormant.

Or, it could be your state-of-mind as you see no reason for lawn maintenance except for keeping it clear of debris - leaves, pine straw, branches, etc.

For most of the off-season, you will notice very little to no vertical growth. Most of the warm season turf grasses which we have here in the midlands put out stolons (runners). These lateral above-ground root stems seek out the warm earth during the off-season and unless impeded by some barrier, will find their way beyond what you define as your lawn and into your plant beds or other areas.

Even with some bed borders, these stolons will still find a way under, through or over, depending on the type and depth.

The spread of the stolons varies and some are more noticeable such as centipede reaching quite far to take root over a barren piece of earth.

Unattended, any of the grasses can take root in your plant beds and require more work to remove. Successfully edging (cutting through a stolon) doesn't mean you solved the problem. It will grow and root again, and repeat.

But, if you or your lawn service routinely check these borders and edge regularly, or as needed, you will have cleaner beds and a better-looking lawn.

In the photo you will notice the right border is concrete and although the grass has no chance of re-rooting and continuing, it is quite unsightly.

The remaining edge of the lawn has what I call a natural border, as the lawn meets the bed with no man-made or other type of barrier. I believe these are very attractive when maintained, but are more susceptible to grass creep.

So, walk around your property and make note of where your lawn abuts whatever - a plant bed, a walkway, a ground level patio.

With some attention to detail, the delineation of your landscape's components will make all stand out and complement one another.

Made in the Shade

Shade Plant Bed

The phrase, "Made in the Shade", has many bloviated explanations; yet, it simply means living comfortably.

Typically, when I design plant beds for sun-loving plants, particularly for a home's foundation, there may be some symmetry (not always, at all), but never just one or two plants types alternated or otherwise.

If it is to be an independent or what I call an island plant bed, in the middle of the lawn, I definitely kick up the mix of plants...much more interesting, appealing. Designing plant beds depends on back-drop, the intended appeal or pizazz, and the desires of the property owner. Yes, there is more to consider.

You may wish to read "Wow! She Nailed It!", before I ramble on.

I have been restoring and maintaining the plant life on this property for over two years. I conferred with the customer about my plan to install several plants in this area saying it may seem random, with no two plants being the same. She agreed. Planning this wasn't random, but I wanted it to look natural as this is not a formal plant bed, simply a natural area her lawn service keeps edged.

Shade plants typically aren't as showy and colorful as their sun-loving cousins, particularly in regard to blooms (if any) and foliage. But, with the proper location, they do live quite comfortably. And, most are simply pleasing to view.

Fortunately, via nature and some cultivators (plant breeders), there are many which are colorful or interesting by texture or form...very attractive shade plants.

Most of the following plants (in this location) receive some filtered sun in the morning and a little bit more in the afternoon...a month later, all are doing well and growth has been noticed.

• Heart Throb Dwarf Hydrangea
• Gold King Aucuba
• Foxtail Fern
• Sum and Substance Hosta
• Tiki Pieris
• Goshiki Holly
• Hosta (Unknown - there are only 300 species - I can't know them all)

Hopefully soon, and definitely next year and many to come, the owner will look out upon this area, enjoying, living comfortably.

Fall is soon upon us and it is a wonderful time to do so much with your landscape (more to come in later articles), particularly planning, designing and installing new plants and plant beds.

As we don't live in North Dakota, many of the plants you will enjoy, will be much happier in the ground on your property rather than struggling in a pot in a nursery. 

So, plan now, plant sooner and enjoy earlier, and avoid the spring chaos. 

Plant of Interest - Distylium

 

Blue Cascade Distylium

Winter is an opportune time, as a homeowner, to consider new or different plants to install on your property in the coming season.

The following, in a series of articles, is to introduce you to a few plants of interest, perhaps ones for which you are unfamiliar.

The Distylium is an evergreen, low-maintenance, more open-format shrub which serves as a wonderful alternative or replacement for boxwoods, laurels, hollies, indian hawthorns, just to name a few.

Depending on species, a Distylium can be used as a foundation bed plant, a screen, a specimen plant, in an island plant bed, around a mailbox, or elsewhere. They possess varying mature heights and widths so you have great flexibility for placement.

Typically, the name of a Distylium lends itself to a tint of color the foliage will have as it develops new leaves or perhaps longer. All have very small reddish-maroon flowers which usually appear in late winter to early spring.

The rarely need pruning except to perhaps reduce height or prevent encroaching upon another plant or structure. Or, you can install a mass planting and simply allow them to grow into one another.

These need to be hand pruned properly. DO NOT take hedgers or trimmers to them to cut them back, reduce their size or shape them. The resulting mess will not resemble the original beautiful plant. I have rehabbed many whereas the homeowner or their lawn service decided to make little round shapes out of them. If anything, leave them alone.

I am providing a link which provides more detail on several Distyliums, but there are a few more which will suit most any application.

In recent years I have installed Cinnamon Girl, Blue Cascade, Vintage Jade and Emerald Heights Distyliums with great success.

You can learn more at https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/distyliums/.

If you are considering creating a new plant bed, restoring an existing one or simply placing a few new plants on your property, please contact me, Doug, at 803-553-5757. 

We can begin planning and/or establishing new plant beds now to get a jump on the Spring rush.

Plant of Interest - Lady Banks Rose

 

Lady Banks Rose - Rehabbed

Winter is an opportune time, as a homeowner, to consider new or different plants to install on your property in the coming season.

The following, in a series of articles, is to introduce you to a few plants of interest, perhaps ones for which you are unfamiliar.

The Lady Banks Rose (Rosa banksiae 'Lutea') is a vigorous, thornless, climbing rose plant with deep green foliage on slender branches.

Its miniature yellow double blooms have a slight fragrance offered through spring, summer and perhaps early fall here in the Midlands of South Carolina, where it also tends to be an evergreen.

I have installed, pruned and even rehabbed many Lady Banks Roses. Examples are provided below.

Parameters:

Sunlight: 6+ Hours

Size: 15 to 20  feet tall; width will vary based on support and training (see below) and pruning

Growth Rate: Fast

The Lady Banks will require support such as a trellis, an arbor or other structure.

Applications: Screen, specimen plant, espalier, exterior wall cover.

If you are considering creating a new plant bed, restoring an existing one or simply placing a few new plants on your property, please contact me, Doug, at 803-553-5757. 

We can begin planning and/or establishing new plant beds now to get a jump on the Spring rush.

Lady Banks Rose - Rehabbed

The following images, as well as the one above, are of Lady Banks Roses, at my church, whereas the philosophy (not mine) was to flat-top most every shrub, regardless of species, to a certain height. One will not recognize a Lady Banks Rose, of any maturity, at three feet tall.

I demanded no further trimming of the Lady Banks Roses and installed trellises to train them to.

You may notice the dense lower growth as this is what they were subjected to for many years. In a few seasons, along with my pruning, they will be more gorgeous (more natural) than they are right now.

A properly trained and pruned Lady Banks Rose should possess a vase shape with cascading branches of many wonderfully yellow petite flowers.

Lady Banks Rose - Rehabbed

Lady Banks Rose - Rehabbed

Winter Landscape Maintenance...So Much You Can Do, Now

Well, it is still Fall in the Midlands. Although we have had this very odd cold spell, we will soon return to our normal South Carolina climes.

Beyond planting and planning (see 

Planting and Planning...Now is the Time!, the coming Winter months are a great time to do some landscape house-keeping which will save you time and make the growing season more enjoyable.

Expand and/or re-shape plant beds: This year's growth may have outgrown the borders of your plant beds. Rather than handcuff your plants to some un-natural and unattractive size, expand the border and perhaps give it a new, interesting, but manageable shape. 

Pressure wash: Depending on temperature, you may not wish to wash anything thing too high (The backsplash can get quite discomforting.); however, this is a great time to pressure wash driveways, walkways, retaining walls, decks and foundations. Most of these surfaces have collected all types of debris and foreign matter during the last several months.

Repair stone, paver and brick walkways and patios: Some of the materials used on your walkways or patios may be a little or very cattywampus. There could be many reasons, but typically this is due to underlying roots. 

Whatever the case, repair or eliminate the cause and reset the stones, pavers or bricks.

Continue lawn care: Most, if not all turf grasses in this area are warm season grasses. Although their leaves' (blade) growth may slow or stop, their roots are not dormant and still need a few elements - water and air. The ground temperature in the Midlands rarely goes below 42 degrees for the first four inches, which is where your grass roots and those of most other plants live.

Leaves, pine straw, etc. on your lawn can block sunlight, limit air exchange and trap moisture. Rake, blow or mow (bag attachment preferred) this debris from your lawn. You may wish to use some of this as mulch in your beds even if you plan to place fresh mulch later. This will help keep your plants warm and retain moisture.

Occasionally water your lawn if we go without rain for a while. Do so during early daylight hours on a nice sunny day above freezing.

Edge your lawn borders, particularly if you have St. Augustine or centipede grasses, as their stolons (surface stems, so to speak) may still be reaching outward.

Install ground lighting: Obviously, we have less daylight hours during winter, so this is a great time to install ground lighting. This can be done for aesthetics, safety or security, or all the above.

Prune: All types of pruning can be done this time of year on a variety of plants. And, I am not speaking of taking hedge trimmers to your plants, but proper pruning.

This can be done to reduce a plant, remove dead and awkward stems and branches, raise canopies (limb up) and to thin plants which have been trimmed repetitively, to improve their health.

Proper pruning on many flowering shrubs will help produce individually larger blooms while leaving a balanced backdrop of foliage.

Plant and Plan: Save yourself from being overwhelmed by Spring and Summer landscaping goals by getting started sooner. Please go to Planting and Planning...Now is the Time!

In other words, Winter is a wonderful time to balance out your budget and time spent on your landscape, and your plants may have a happier Spring.

We provide all these services, so please contact me to see how we may assist you...803-553-5757 or use the Contact Us button above.

Thank you.

Happy Holidays!

Planting and Planning...Now is the Time!

Fortunately, here in the Midlands of South Carolina, the ground temperature never approaches anything near freezing. Therefore, you can plant most any plant from now until Spring.

Most of the plants you and I will find are growing in a pot at some nursery and will be much happier in the ground, whereas the ground temperatures are in the forties.

So, quit fretting about planting in the fall and winter. And, just get busy doing it. There are several advantages to doing so.

• You get ahead of Spring fever when costs are elevated and availability lessens.
• Your plants have spent more time developing their roots and later have more resources for blooms.
• Fall and winter planting requires less watering and maintenance.
• Weed control is more manageable. 
• Overall, most plants will be more productive and dramatic in the Spring if they get an early start...which is now.

 

  If you don't want to deal with a new plant bed or aspect of your landscape right now, then start planning for late winter or spring. Call me or someone else so that we can begin restoring a plant bed, creating a new one or perhaps getting creative with another aspect of your property.

The sooner, the better, so that we may plan well ahead of plant availability and cost.

We can soon begin clearing out old unwanted plant beds and plants, designing new beds and vignettes. 

Therefore; you may more so enjoy the Spring, Summer and seasons to come.

It's Fall - Such a Wonderful Time to Do So Much with Your Landscape

Well, it is Fall in the Midlands. Not that all the growing and blooming has ceased, but for many of us our landscapes have experienced much growth - for some, out-of-hand growth.

You had (or perhaps, had not) spent much of the summer keeping up with or keeping your property, beautiful.

Some of this growth is obvious in some of your more open format trees and shrubs while much of the interior mess is hidden beneath the surface of those more compact shrubs and hedges you've been trimming since April.

Fall (and Winter) is a wonderful season to get at those plants with some well planned and executed pruning to keep them healthy, airy and attractive for next season. A few may need some corrective measures, but you will need to get inside them a little to know what's truly going on with those gorgeous things you spent time and money on.

There are many shrubs and trees which can be pruned in Fall depending on the plants bloom-habit and your preference. Actually, there aren't many plants which can't be pruned (not indiscriminately trimmed or sheared) most any time of year if the right care and techniques are used. And, many will still produce plenty of blooms to enjoy when the time comes. So, if you've missed that ideal time and your favorite whatever(s) is now a mess, let's take care of it soon so you can enjoy it through the holidays and even more so in the Spring.

Depending on the plant, there are many which can be planted or transplanted during the Fall, getting established before and during Winter (If we have one.) and ready to roll next Spring. We don't live in Vermont so the ground temperatures allow for planting virtually year-round. And, you won't be scrambling around during Spring when your existing plants need attention.

NOTE: I have been planting, designing and installing plant beds more and more each year, more and more throughout the year, throughout the Fall and Winter. Many or most property owners only consider doing such when temperatures are warm and life is great during the early Spring, and thereafter. The problem - growers, nurseries and guys like me can't keep up, meet the demand and we simply run out of solutions. If it, the plant you desire, is an evergreen or woody perennial it would rather be in the ground (much warmer) than sitting in a pot (more exposed to colder temps). In other words, most all these plants do well, but they'd do much better in your properties soil and you could avoid availability issues in the Spring.

Also, with all the humidity, rainfall, growth, and reproduction and its associate droppings, pitch and debris our properties experienced over Spring and Summer, Fall is the perfect time to:

• Prune and/or remove (overgrowth, intruding and encroaching branches, vines, etc.).
• Clean out weeds (remove).
• Pressure wash man-made surfaces - drive and walkways, decks, retaining walls, siding, foundations, etc.
• Re-establish plant bed borders.
• Re-stain/seal decks.
• Simply do some outdoor housekeeping for football season, family and friend visits and the approaching holidays.

And, please remember two things about lawn grasses even after we get out of the growing season (whenever that may be):

• They still take advantage of sunlight so don't wait until you have this downy-like comforter of leaves and/or pine straw on your yard to blow or rake them away - do it when needed.
• Their root system will still enjoy some H2O occasionally even when it's not 90° and 85% humidity.

Need assistance? Give us a call at 803-553-5757, go to back40.us or use the Contact Us feature to the right.

Spring Comes Quickly...Don't Waste Winter

Some of you have properties this well planned and maintained.

Many of you may view this as impossible, for a variety of reasons. 

This winter, how about you grab a warm coat, walk your property, grab a chair, sit back and visualize the changes you can make to only one area, one aspect of your landscape. Any of this is extremely possible.

Take some photos and project what you wish to add or change, and sketch your ideas on some paper. Or, call me. Together, we can orchestrate a wonderful outcome.

Personal Note: In the region we live, there is not much which cannot be done in regard to plant care this time of year. There are few exceptions and there are a few tasks which may be best suited during the growing season. However; one may find oneself overwhelmed and far behind the more vibrant growing season once it is underway. Why wait?

This is what we do: A focused project at a time, and how most of our customers wish to address their desires for their landscape. It works - it's manageable, sane and seeing the changes made over time is quite rewarding.

Only just beginning winter, this is a beneficial and excellent time to start putting plans together for your home's landscape. And, in this environment, here in the Midlands of South Carolina, most restoration and installation can begin way before waiting until you are inundated with the sheer maintenance of your property during the growing season and hot-as-hell summer months.

Basic Maintenance During Winter

• Remove natural debris (leaves and needles) from your lawn if you already haven't. Turf grass still benefits greatly from sunlight and air flow this time of year.
• Continue to edge grass borders as most grass roots still want to stretch out and grow during winter. This will prevent them from making their way into your plant beds and help maintain a manicured look.
• Consider applying a pre-emergent for spring and summer weeds. The effective date for doing so is based on ground temperature and it sneaks up on us quite quickly in this area.
• House those precious potted plants (particularly, tropical) inside or in a secluded area away from the wind if they will handle the ambient temperature. If you know your plant's name (genus and specie), find its climate requirements.
• Don't wait until spring when the temperatures are nice to consider installing an irrigation system in your plant beds or lawn. This isn't Alaska - most of this can be done this time of year. And, if you wait, you may be put off in scheduling by contractors and may pay much more simply due to demand because many homeowners simply don't think about this until is almost warm and sunny.

Advanced Maintenance and Planning

• Pruning (On this subject, I can provide plenty of testament and references.) Pruning of most any plant for health reasons, even for aesthetics/shaping, can be performed most any time of year on most any plant. Try to forgive what your parents, grandparents or even your favorite publication or therapist says.
• Take a look at the growth of your different plant beds and the growth they have experienced. If you are pleased with their growth and your landscape can accommodate such, then consider extending and re-establishing the bed borders to obtain/maintain a clean and clear appearance.
• Consider those trees and larger tree-like shrubs encroaching your home or its roof. Hacking them at what you believe is the proper height is only going to create a more troublesome future mess. They need to be properly pruned or removed.
• Also, consider those plants which obscure your view when pulling out of your driveway or those many shrubs and trees which block the view of stops signs and intersections on so many streets in this area.
• Plan for Spring This is a wonderful time for planning and perhaps executing some changes for your property. I have had a few customers get behind the eight ball and then expect the unexpected in regard to plant availability. I get it. I often don't know until the request is made. Two of my favorite nurseries will find almost anything I ask of them, but their growers can only do so much with a given plant during a season or the year. Plants don't grow on trees - I love saying that. You get the point.
• Refresh or replace (more in a moment) the mulch in your beds since most of the leaf and needle drop has occurred. Mulch provides so much for a plant bed or natural area. Most homeowners apply such for aesthetics. That's great. But, most mulch, properly chosen, in this area, provides shade from the sun for the ground - the base of the plant, water retention and decomposition which aids all the plants in the plant bed. In regard to replacing mulch, I am not saying this should never be done, but in most cases, it shouldn't. The decomposition from the existing mulch is so beneficial - this is one (just one) of the reasons plant bed soil is usually healthier than that in lawns. Just refresh the existing mulch, let it settle and continue the composting process.
• Take the time to consider when you would like to pressure wash your home, decks or patios and apply a stain or sealant - when you'd feel comfortable doing so, weather-wise. Warmer months are obviously more comfortable to do so, but applying stain in too-warm conditions can be less effective in regard to penetration of the chemicals.
• Consider ground lighting. Show off your home's architecture, its plants, both. Add some safety and security to your home living. 

If you need assistance with any of the aforementioned or a comprehensive solution based on your needs or desires, please contact Doug at 803-553-5757 or use the Contact form to the right.

Protecting Plants from The Freeze

                                                                                                                                     

Note: This

article primarily addresses ornamental plants, not edible vegetable and fruit plants.

We are going to reach low temperatures we usually don't experience this early in the season. Fortunately, a freeze going into winter is typically less threatening to plants than freezes coming out of winter.

Most established in-ground plants not showing any new foliage or blooms (dormancy) are not going to show much affect from a freeze. Their roots get to take advantage of ground temperatures which are nowhere near freezing - this ain't Maine. New tender growth and blooms may get blasted, but the plant should survive.

Potted plants are more vulnerable because they cannot take advantage of ground soil temperatures, and cold temperatures and wind may cause drying.

Tender perennials which may have proven hardy over the last few winters, may take a beating this time, but should return on time next year.

If you can, move suspect potted plants indoors or to a garage or shed. Or, at least, move them to ground level in a protected corner or along your home's foundation, perhaps behind some in-ground shrubs. The main objective is to get them out of the wind as best as possible. You may wish to group the pots and cover.

Covering plants, potted or in-ground, does help. To what extent depends on the cover material, its size and your ability to take the cover edges to the ground.

There are several manufactured plant protectors - commonly called frost blankets or frost covers. Yet, there are several old household items you can use - sheets, blankets, table cloths, painter's drop cloths, burlap, etc. 

The rigidness of the plant and what weight it can tolerate may influence what material(s) you choose. Ones with more natural materials will provide better airflow, but may allow more moisture to pass while plastic blocks most moisture, but does not allow airflow. 

Because we typically have short-term freezes here in the Midlands I use 3mil plastic contractor bags because they are convenient for the plants I need to protect. Of course, they can also be cut or torn if you need to reconfigure the cover. If the freeze becomes extensive, I can simply remove the plastic during the warmer daylight hours and then re-cover. This will allow the plant(s) to breathe for a while.

The most effective use of a cover is one in which you can ensure multiple points of the edges make contact with and/or are secured to the ground. This helps the foliage and blooms of the plant take greater advantage of ground warmth.

Of course, all this effort depends on the size and shape of the plant and what materials you have available or can obtain.

You may have a Sasanqua or a rose plant blooming right now which needs to be covered or a sub-tropical plant which needs to go inside.

If you have plants and/or plant beds lacking or lean on mulch, you may want to replenish and ensure the mulch reaches the trunk or main stem. This will help the ground, therefore the roots, retain more heat.

Recently planted plants showing new growth or blooms may benefit from some protection.

Sago palms are not actually palms. They are among cycads, a plant which has been around since prehistoric times. The sago is cycas revoluta. It has leaves instead of fronds, as it is not a palm.

Sago palms will tend to turn a bronze color after the leaves have been damaged during temperatures below 32 degrees. I have no idea of how far below freezing or for how long. I have simply covered (Substantial sago palms are not fun to cover.) them with black plastic contractor bags and not secured the cover to the ground for both potted and in-ground plants. This did prevent most of the leaves from turning bronze.

I have also not covered them and enjoyed the bronze leaves for weeks.

One thing I can firmly say is do not cut off the damaged leaves until after the last freeze. Not doing so aids the plant's health overall in recovering and can help protect the young shoots. I only cut back the damaged leaves after new shoots have emerged and unfurled completely.

Stay warm!

Happy Holidays!!!

Nanho Blue Butterfly Bush

Nanho Blue Butterfly Bush

I try not to focus on any particular plant as it may not do the property owner any particular favor simply because I am so damn fond of it - it may not fit their landscape or the application.

Yet, I recently told a provider I needed two more Nanho Blue Butterfly Bushes and he said, "I'll order ten to keep in stock. I think you are eating these."

I planted several over the last year. The first one I planted was in a 3-gallon pot. I used it to cover the corner of a home to add contrasting color to a plant bed I had designed.

The new plant was due to receive an ample amount of morning to mid-day sun and the property owner has become quite the master of irrigation.

Within a season, his Nanho Blue had reached a height of about six feet and four feet wide and projected forward, toward the sunlight, about four feet. It was and is, still gorgeous. I'm on the property often and have needed to prune it three times. So, in the proper location and environment, it is not low-maintenance, but the Nanho Blue is damn well worth it.

I originally chose a whimsical, but wimpy trellis to support and train it to. It wasn't long after that when I had to provide something more substantial. Short of some vines and the occasional Sunshine Ligustrum (another beautiful favorite), this Nanho Blue is one of the fastest growing plants I have ever experienced. With its branching habit and its tendency to cascade, it will easily consume a fair portion of your plant bed or garden - not a bad choice at all, real estate-wise. 

I wish I could provide a better photo of the plant. The blooms actually range from a light blue to a violet here in the Midlands, from my experience. I haven't seen the deep purple color, which is fine with me. Considered deciduous, the loss of foliage is not long.

To me, the Nanho Blue is a feature or specimen plant best suited against a foundation or centered (or cornered) in a plant bed (with support) facing sunward.

On the flip-side, I can't wait to a find a property with an arbor or other structure (or perhaps no support at all) and the proper sun path, to install one of these smack dab in the middle of one's yard. They truly are beautiful.

With some proper pruning, they are easily manageable.

And, so many flying insects and pollinators love them.

In the proper location, you will never regret; yet, enjoy a Nanho Blue Butterfly Bush on your property for many, many years.

Let's Raise Those Youngins Right

Through much study and a lot of experience I have learned to prune, as best as possible, many tree-like shrubs and younger trees for future growth, or to train them.

This training may be to accommodate their natural surroundings, man-made obstructions for which they were planted too close or simply their response to the path of the sun.

Or, it may be to take advantage of a specimen plant with ample environs in the most advantageous location on one's property - a place for that plant to truly stand-out and be noticed, and be healthy. 

The opportunity to do so depends on so much - the relative age of the plant and its placement, and more so, what care, lack of attention or abuse it has received.

I cut my teeth in this biz pruning japanese maples (like the one above); receiving much praise from the owner. Well before studying plant physiology, something in my eye and brain told me never to take a trimmer to or to shear these or many other plants I later encountered.

Later I began studying arboriculture, which led to studying horticulture. And, I have a feeling I always will be. I will need to. This is not a tiny field of study - a wonderful thing. I will die well before I have a grasp of all the world's plants (as if that's possible) and even so if I had begun this when I was six years old. Fortunately, understanding plant physiology is the key to pruning and most plant care.

I have rehabbed or restored many senior trees and shrubs, but the rewards are even greater when they are youngsters. This is when you get to coddle and influence them into later producing a more attractive look and a healthier condition. These rewards often come a few years later for the youngsters; yet, the results are awesome and very pleasing.

I have begun to do more of this as I have designed and installed plants and plant beds over the last few years, able to return, monitor and provide some additional pruning - training for the youngins.

There are ways to restore and beautify many other mature shrubs and trees like camellias, sasanquas, dogwoods, crepe myrtles and many, many, many others. This requires some thoughtful evaluation and I probably find more reward in these as the changes are more pronounced.

Many plants live, thrive and die an early death in a forest, a plain or a jungle, but that is their role in those environments. We choose a property with plants or introduce them to our properties hoping they will only live or thrive in the manner we envision.

Well, some may need some assistance for that vision to be realized.

Don't expect a plant to be what it is not...help it be what it can be.

Please go to https://shootsandmatters.blogspot.com/search?q=pruning for more articles about my pruning and other stories as well.

Get the Jump on Spring Planning and Landscaping

Some of you have properties this well planned and maintained.

Many of you may view this as impossible, for a variety of reasons. 

Well, how about you walk your property, grab a chair, sit back and visualize the changes you can make to only one area, one aspect. Any of this is extremely possible.

This is what we do; a focused project at a time, and how most of our customers wish to address their desires for their landscape. It works - it's manageable, sane and seeing the changes made over time is quite rewarding.

Almost half-way through winter, it is a beneficial and excellent time to start putting plans together for your home's landscape. And, in this environment, here in the Midlands of South Carolina, most restoration and installation can begin way before waiting until you are inundated with the sheer maintenance of your property during the growing season and hot-as-hell summer months.

Basic Maintenance During Winter

• Remove natural debris (leaves and needles) from your lawn if you already haven't. Turf grass still benefits greatly from sunlight and air flow this time of year.
• Continue to edge grass borders as most grass roots still want to stretch out and grow during winter. This will prevent them from making their way into your plant beds and help maintain a manicured look.
• Consider applying a pre-emergent for spring and summer weeds. The effective date for doing so is based on ground temperature and it sneaks up on us quite quickly in this area.
• House those precious potted plants (particularly, tropical) inside or in a secluded area away from the wind if they will handle the ambient temperature. If you know your plant's name (genus and specie), find its climate requirements.
• Don't wait until spring when the temperatures are nice to consider installing an irrigation system in your plant beds or lawn. This isn't Alaska - most of this can be done this time of year. And, if you wait, you may be put off in scheduling by contractors and may pay much more simply due to demand because many homeowners simply don't think about this until is almost warm and sunny.

Winter Restoration and Enhancements 

• Pruning (On this subject, I can provide plenty of testament and references.) Pruning of most any plant for health reasons, even for aesthetics/shaping, can be performed most any time of year on most any plant. Try to forgive what your parents, grandparents or even your favorite publication says.
• Take a look at the growth of your different plant beds and the growth they have experienced. If you are pleased with their growth and your landscape can accommodate such, then consider extending and re-establishing the bed borders to obtain/maintain a clean and clear appearance.
• Consider those trees and larger tree-like shrubs encroaching your home or its roof. Hacking them at what you believe is the proper height is only going to create a more troublesome future mess. They need to be properly pruned or removed.
• Also, consider those plants which obscure your view when pulling out of your driveway or those many shrubs and trees which block the view of stops signs and intersections on so many streets in this area.
• Plan for Spring This is a wonderful time for planning and perhaps executing some changes for your property. I have had a few customers get behind the eight ball and then expect the unexpected in regard to plant availability. I get it. I often don't know until the request is made. Two of my favorite nurseries will find almost anything I ask of them, but their growers can only do so much with a given plant during a season or the year. Plants don't grow on trees - I love saying that. You get the point.
• Refresh or replace (more in a moment) the mulch in your beds since most of the leaf and needle drop has occurred. Mulch provides so much for a plant bed or natural area. Most homeowners apply such for aesthetics. That's great. But, most mulch, properly chosen, in this area, provides shade from the sun for the ground - the base of the plant, water retention and decomposition which aids all the plants in the plant bed. In regard to replacing mulch, I am not saying this should never be done, but in most cases, it shouldn't. The decomposition from the existing mulch is so beneficial - this is one (just one) of the reasons plant bed soil is usually healthier than that in lawns. Just refresh the existing mulch, let it settle and continue the composting process.
• Take the time to consider when you would like to pressure wash your home, decks or patios and apply a stain or sealant - when you'd feel comfortable doing so, weather-wise. Warmer months are obviously more comfortable to do so, but applying stain in too-warm conditions can be less effective in regard to penetration of the chemicals.
• Consider ground lighting. Show off your home's architecture, its plants, both. Add some safety and security to your home living. 

If you need assistance with any of the aforementioned or a comprehensive solution based on your needs or desires, please contact Doug at 803-553-5757 or use the Contact form to the right.

Lori is No Longer with Us!

 

Lori (such an original thought, ahem) was the name I gave this Loropetalum which came to hover around and protect my mail box.

She is (was) actually two loropetalums and I have spent many years shaping/trimming her and occasionally getting inside of her and performing some earnest pruning because I trimmed her so often.

I have received remarks from "Tacky" to "I love her", regarding her. This photo was taken a few days ago and she was always gorgeous, but more so, when she had the reddish-purple foliage and those small pink flowers. 

She had housed the mail box for years, sometimes to the frustration of the mail carrier if I didn't stay on top of making the mail box easily accessible.

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds...unless some gorgeous loropetalum is comforting the mail box. Unless they are scared of waking every day and can't perform a task while working without yapping on their phones or texting.

Nonetheless, Lori's time had come. You can only hold back the DNA of a plant for so long and she wanted to be a bigger girl than we anticipated. Not only was she minimizing the parking space in the driveway, she was making it difficult for friends and family to view the driveway and turn in or back out.

I now know how many of customer's feel about heirloom or cherished plants. I knew Lori had to leave us and the first cut was the deepest, the most difficult. We had enjoyed one another and she served us well, but it was her time. She probably was tired of me "keeping her at bay", anyway.

After tearfully removing Lori, I didn't replace her (not possible), but I reworked the bed borders and installed two Cinnamon Girl Distylliums and one Soft Caress Mahonia...all gorgeous in their own right.

Not the same as Lori, but more manageable and just as gorgeous, as time goes on.

I've considered replacing the mail box or at least it's covering. I wasn't quite able to clean it completely without completely destroying the fabric, but it now has this wonderful patina (for lack of a better term, as it's not metallic).

The original design does now show through so I am going to leave it alone.

Another bonus; my tiny front yard seems somewhat larger.

Now I have to get busy restoring the back yard and its much larger beds. That's what winter is for, for me.

Fall - A Time to Prune, Plant and Preen

Well, it is Fall in the Midlands. Not that all the growing and blooming has ceased, but for many of us our landscapes have experienced much growth - for some, out-of-hand growth.

You had (or perhaps, had not) spent much of the summer keeping up with or keeping your beautiful property.

Some of this growth is obvious in some of your more open format trees and shrubs while much of the interior mess is hidden beneath the surface of those more compact shrubs and hedges you've been trimming since April.

Fall (and Winter) is a wonderful season to get at those plants with some well planned and executed pruning to keep them healthy, airy and attractive for next season. A few may need some corrective measures, but you will need to get inside them a little to know what's truly going on with those gorgeous things you spent time and money on.

There are many shrubs and trees which can be pruned in Fall depending on the plants bloom-habit and your preference. Actually, there aren't many plants which can't be pruned (not indiscriminately trimmed or sheared) most any time of year if the right care and techniques are used. And, many will still produce plenty of blooms to enjoy when the time comes. So, if you've missed that ideal time and your favorite whatever(s) is now a mess, let's take care of it soon so you can enjoy it through the holidays and even more so in the Spring.

Depending on the plant, there are many which can be planted or transplanted during the Fall, getting established before and during Winter (If we have one.) and ready to roll next Spring. We don't live in Vermont so the ground temperatures allow for planting virtually year-round. And, you won't be scrambling around during Spring when your existing plants need attention.

Also, with all the humidity, rainfall, growth, and reproduction and its associate droppings, pitch and debris our properties experienced over Spring and Summer, Fall is the perfect time to:

• Prune and/or remove (overgrowth, intruding and encroaching branches, vines, etc.).
• Clean out weeds (remove).
• Pressure wash man-made surfaces - drive and walkways, decks, retaining walls, siding, foundations, etc.
• Re-establish plant bed borders.
• Re-stain/seal decks.
• Simply do some outdoor housekeeping for football season, family and friend visits and the approaching holidays.

And, please remember two things about lawn grasses even after we get out of the growing season (whenever that may be):

• They still take advantage of sunlight so don't wait until you have this downy-like comforter of leaves and/or pine straw on your yard to blow or rake them away - do it when needed.
• Their root system will still enjoy some H2O occasionally even when it's not 90° and 85% humidity.

Need assistance? Give us a call at 803-553-5757, go to back40.us or use the Contact Us feature to the right.

Oh What a Relief It Is

Plant Bed After Installation

Occasionally or more often than not, you purchase a home and a few weeks or months in, you ask yourself, "What the heck was the previous owner, developer or contractor thinking?"

Or, perhaps those cute little shrubs which were about two feet tall several years ago are now ten-foot behemoths and are so dense that the only flying animal which could build a nest in them is a wasp.

The photo you see may not be so dramatic although it will be more so come summer, next year and years to come. Yet; the new look far exceeds the fortress (Where did my home go?) look it had just a few weeks ago.

Plant Area Prior

The facade of this portion of the home was hidden. It has this wonderful blue-gray color which works.

We removed five hollies and some struggling dwarf azaleas.

We then brought in a variety of Dystiliums with foliage ranging from green, blue-green and cinnamon, which will highlight the color of the siding and the brick as well. These Dystiliums provide panicles of reddish-maroon flowers. 

Forward are Soft Caress Mahonia which will have fountains of yellow inflorescence followed by blue berries.

The centerpiece, the Dystilium ''Emerald Heights' will reach for the windows over time while the other plants decrease in mature height from rear to front.

All are airy and light plants and even as they may become dense over time, are easy to prune - at least, by me. They all are also evergreens as we wanted to make this a low-maintenance bed based on the customer's desires; yet, there will be flower and foliage changes throughout the year. 

We also threw in a Nanho Butterfly Bush to obscure the downspout on the right corner of the home - another plant which will take advantage of the color of the siding.

Below are the plants we installed.

Dystilium "Emerald Heights'

Dystilium 'Cinnamon Girl'

Dystilium 'Blue Cascade'

Soft Caress Mahonia

Nanho Butterfly Bush

Many of you will remember this:

Follow-up: Canker in Trees and Tree-like Shrubs..Death?...Not Necessarily

After 

This is a follow-up to Canker in Trees and Tree-like Shrubs..Death?...Not Necessarily.

Aesthetically, if you look at the after picture compared to the before picture, you may say, "They looked better before."

They did, somewhat, but they are diseased and were living in a situation which was only going to create more problems.

Also, they were inundated with various vines (redirecting and killing some branches) which the owner had a difficult time recognizing and keeping up with because the canopies (the lowest branches) were hovering over or reaching the ground.

Before

Whenever I prune (not shear or simply shape) a tree or shrub I do pruning for health reasons and aesthetics depending on the tree or shrub. Pruning for health reasons, in and of itself, on an otherwise healthy plant does so much for the beauty of it.

This was not the case here. I knew pruning for health reasons, almost only and entirely, would leave these sasanquas and camellias in a not-so-pretty state, but it had to be done.

This is the agenda I set forth in the first article:

• Lower the overall height of the shrubs without topping and therefore creating a much larger mess.
• Prune for health reasons, removing as many disease-affected branches as feasible.
• Do so while sanitizing pruning tools involving stems or branches suspect or diseased.
• Increase airflow throughout the entire cluster of shrubs.
• Raise canopies and adjust (lower) the reach and timing of the irrigation system which is keeping the area too moist.
• Prune for aesthetics where desired.

Most cuts, by far, were predicated by the cankers, particularly those completely girdling a branch. Most height reduction was made with a thinning cut back to a secondary branch or the trunk.

After discussion with the property owner, we decided to leave some diseased branches (those which were still producing healthy secondary branches) as one can run into additional health issues by removing too much.

Canker is usually a sign of a fungal or bacterial issue so I wasn't only sanitizing my pruning tools between cuts on different plants; I was doing so between many cuts on the same plant. I pruned for future growth where possible.

There is definitely better circulation now - you can see into or through most of the shrubs. And, adjacent plants aren't now growing into one another. Actually, a fair portion of this was caused by vines traveling up, through and over several plants.

I raised the canopy (lower-most branches) a bit more than planned, mainly due to water sprouts which had become weak drooping branches.

The existing lawn sprinklers for this area were rather high-reaching misters located in the center of the lawn. We had a friend (30-plus years in irrigation) come in and move the heads to alongside the home, spraying outward across the lawn, but not into the plant bed. We also reduced the frequency and run time for this sprinkler zone.

It will take months to see how these girls respond. Hopefully, after some drying time for the soil, we can ask the customer about re-establishing the bed borders and applying some mulch.

This is the least viewed area on this gorgeous property. Perhaps we can get it off the least healthy list.

Winter is a great time to address such issues, and pruning, particularly with evergreens.

You Study, Learn, Walk Forward and Discover (Stumble Upon) Simple Solutions

Many of you and my customers have heard me speak of creating delineation of plants, their beds and their surroundings, particularly in regard to the separation of plant canopies and their underlying surroundings, typically the ground or your lawn.

Much of this has to do with aesthetics, but also has a plant health concern attached - better airflow and less chance of disease from ground-lying branches.

We, things in life, stand out, when there is some separation from our surroundings. We and those things don't need to be so unique (a lesson on narcissism, later). We simply need some space to be independent while the rest of the world is trying to identify with most anything. 

Wow! How can a plant among so many others get one's attention? Because they do their own thing among the common genera and specie, and their environ - living life, their life. They become so different, in many ways. And, they are worth getting to know.

Lessons are often learned as one walks through whatever is at hand, educated or otherwise vacating the sole virtues of study. Something beyond its obvious benefit slaps one square in the face...an epiphany, so-to-speak - something so simple.

I do maintain, on routine basis, many of the properties I help restore and repair other-than- obvious mistakes made by other routine providers. I am inclined to look somewhat closer at the health of plants.

Back to raising the canopy of most any plant for aesthetic or health reasons for the plant itself or the overall look of a bed. I soon realized raising the canopy (the distance between the lowest branches and ground) also aids me and my customers in recognizing new unwanted ground-growth and weeds which can become a much larger problem in months or perhaps only a few weeks. This is situational, for many reasons; yet, easy to address.

Doing so affords them the opportunity to do so for themselves or to have someone else possibly eradicate or retard the efforts of those vines and other unwanted's which will wreak havoc much later, probably sooner. An invasive bamboo or wisteria may give up if you catch it early with a weed eater.

Of course, there are other resolutions, but you won't be aware if that hidden greenbrier vine, you couldn't view or recognize, has already twined twelve feet up your camellia and has latched on to the nearby dogwood, distorting the branches of both.

In summary, unrecognized vines and unwanted growth, which could be addressed (recognized early), can be very detrimental or even annihilate plants on your property, quicker than most any disease.

I wander on.