Using Color in the Garden

By Melanie Schweitzer: Landscape Designer

As designers, we are often asked to design colorful gardens for our clients. Color is only one component of a successful design, but it is so important in establishing the finished effect of gardens that we would like to highlight the use of color this month.

Most of us respond to color in similar ways. Warm and bright colors seem fun and cheerful. This spectrum of colors are especially good in active spaces and entry areas as they add a welcoming feeling. Cooler colors like blues, grays, whites, and purples suggest a more quiet, contemplative feeling. Consider these colors in sitting and relaxation areas. Mixing all colors together creates a vibrant, upbeat mood.

Remember that color always draws the eye first. Be careful where you put those colorful flowers and foliages. Using color at your entry, patio, and beautiful architectural features is a great way to draw attention to them. The same colors used in front of your utilities boxes, compost pile, trash bins…not so much.

Harness the power of color to accentuate the nice features of your property. As the song says, you've got to "accentuate the positive!" Color is a wonderful tool that you can use to do just that.

Contact our landscape department at 319-688-3022 if you would like to discuss how we can help add color to your gardens!

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Repetition, Repetition, Repetition

By Andy Swartzentruber: Landscape Designer

Repetition is a key element to consider when designing or laying out a garden space. It organizes, simplifies, and often is what makes a garden 'pop'. Here are some ways to achieve repetition in your garden:

• Pick a dominant flower color and use it throughout the landscape.
• Be consistent with the type of stone or pavers you use for retaining walls, patios, sidewalks, and paths.
• Use the same color or style of pot when planting potted annuals or perennials.
• Tree and shrub varieties can be repeated throughout the landscape
• Wooden structures with the same detailing and stained or painted alike can create repetition.

Think about repetition the next time you start a project, and remember that it is never too late to incorporate repetition into your existing landscaping. It may be just what's needed to turn your garden space or landscaping into something special!

Contact our landscape department at 319-688-3022 if you would like suggestions on how to incorporate repetition into your landscaping.

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Water in the Garden

By Melanie Schweitzer: Landscape Designer

Summer is a great time to think of adding another dimension to your garden: water. Whether it's in the form of a waterfall, still pool or a simple fountain, water adds a refreshing quality to any outdoor space.

Many people find the sound of falling water soothing. Placing moving water near your entryway or patio is a great way to create a relaxing, welcoming space. Moving water can even muffle traffic noises, distracting your senses from the hectic world around you. What a nice way to signal "I'm home" to your mind, setting the stage for relaxation. A waterfall with a pool creates the perfect home for fish and frogs as well as attracting birds and beneficial insects like dragonflies.

Water can also be used to reflect a beautiful tree or architectural feature. Dyeing still water a dark color increases reflections and helps reduce algae growth. This concept works well in large or small applications: a large pool or tank water feature gives a big effect, showing well from a distance. But even a simple Japanese water jar, filled with water and sited correctly creates a wonderful effect. Think about a water jar with a backdrop of oriental lilies or a Japanese maple. A simple but impressive effect. Don't forget to add an underwater light to extend the show into the evening.

If moving water is more to your liking, add a small fountain pump to your water jar and you'll have an immediate focal point…no waiting for plants to grow in, fish to mature, etc. The care couldn't be easier. Top up the water level and rinse out your pump and filter as needed. Simple!

Ask our experts about adding water to your garden. A whole new dimension is waiting.

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Fire Pits

By Melanie Schweitzer: Landscape Designer

Fall is just around the corner! There is no better time to get out, take advantage of the mild weather, and relax around a fire. Fire pits are a wonderful way to spice up your backyard or patio space.

When designing a fire pit, there are several things to consider. One option is to have a fire pit built as a permanent structure. This could either be a raised fire pit or one that is set into grade. Built in seating can also be a nice added feature. Permanent fire pits are usually made of manufactured block or natural stone. Portable fire pits or chimineas also work well. With portable units you have the luxury of moving them around the yard to your desired location or removing them completely when not using them. These fire pits come in many different sizes and styles. They are often made of various metals, copper, or terra cotta. Fire pits can also be designed with an option to cook food. A grill can be added to cook food over the firewood embers.

Whether a permanent or portable fire pit, spacing is important. You need to be a safe distance away from your house, garage, or garden shed and it's nice to have the option of sitting as close or far from the fire as desired.

A fire pit will extend your time spent outdoors well into Fall. Good times are always had when sitting around a roaring fire with friends and family. Be safe and have fun!

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Create Curb Appeal

By Andy Swartzentruber: Landscape Designer

Adding curb appeal is an important element often overlooked when trying to enhance the overall appearance of your home. It's easy to focus on the interior and overlook the exterior. Truthfully, the exterior is where first impressions are made. Because of this, it's important to develop a well thought out plan before doing anything. Choosing the proper plants and hardscaping material is key to creating an eye-catching landscape that will not only improve the look of your home but add value and years of enjoyment.

Contact our landscape department at 319-688-3022 if you would like to discuss improving the curb appeal of your home!

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Protect Your Plants from Winter Damage

By Chuck Porto

The tips of my boxwood are very dry and brown. What happened to them and how can I prevent this from happening again?

This past winter was very hard on Boxwoods (Buxus species), Holly, and many other plants, due in most cases to either low temperatures or very warm winter weather. We had both this past winter. Damage has ranged from a few inches of the plant browned, to complete death of the plant. Plants subjected to extremes of temperature can suffer, especially if extreme warm is followed by severe cold. Ice forms in the spaces between cells, causing cell damage and death. Signs of damage are noticed as browning/bleaching of the leaves to complete plant death. Most of the damage we saw this year was on the shiny-leaf boxwoods (which are less cold tolerant), and newly planted boxwoods and holly.

Healthy, established plants are more cold-hardy than those under stress from issues such as drought, flooding, nutrient deficiencies, transplant shock or pests. To promote good plant health, be sure to give your plants sufficient soil moisture throughout the season and into the fall. Add shredded mulch if you have not already done so. Plants on the east side of a building are generally more protected. Extra winter protection can be provided by covering plants with burlap and/or spraying with an anti-transpirant such as Wilt-pruf.

For further information concerning winter damage and how to protect your plants be sure to visit with one of our knowledgeable staff members in the Garden Center or Landscape Design Center.

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Be on the Lookout for Damaging Pests!

By Chuck Porto, Retail Manager

How can I protect my arborvitae and blue spruce from bagworm damage again this year?

In the last few years we have seen the arrival of bagworm in very large damaging numbers. Plants most often damaged are 'Techney' arborvitae and blue spruce, although many other species can be affected.

"Bagworms" are actually caterpillars, the larvae of a small clear wing moth. The adult males are rarely seen, and the adult females actually never leave the "bags" that are seen hanging from the host plants. Larvae (the small caterpillars) hatch in mid-June, about the time that the Catalpa and Japanese tree lilac are blooming. They spin a silken strand and "parachute" to wherever the winds blow. When they fall onto your arborvitae, spruce, junipers, etc., the results can be catastrophic if you don't pay attention. As soon as the larvae start to feed, they weave a "bag" out of silk and plant parts, which they carry around with them as they feed. The bag not only protects the caterpillars from predators, but makes chemical controls more difficult also. To be effective, pesticides should be sprayed when the larvae are young and actively feeding. Once they are mature, controls are much less effective, and damage has been done to your plants.

Start inspecting susceptible plants, and plants that have been previously affected in mid June. As soon as you see the small larvae feeding you should begin treatments.

Products that are effective on bagworm include Bacillus thurengiensis, spinosad, permethrin, bifenthrin, and Sevin. Before using any pesticide, always read the label and follow the instructions carefully to avoid damage to yourself, children, pets, wildlife, plants, and non-target insects.

One of the best controls for bagworm, especially on small plants, is to simply remove the bags from the plants. The fertilized female moth dies inside the bags where the eggs then develop. Removing the bags before they hatch will minimize damage to your plants without the risk of chemical applications.For more information on Bagworm, click here, or stop by the garden center.

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Be on the Lookout for Damaging Pests!

By Chuck Porto, Retail Manager

We've been getting a lot of questions about Japanese beetles and grubs, so I thought I'd try and clear up some of the confusion this month.

From the picture, you can see that the Japanese beetle is a 3/8", metallic green beetle with copper colored wing covers. It can be distinguished from some look-a-likes by the five tufts of white hairs along each side of the abdomen. These pests were first discovered in this country in New Jersey in 1916, and have spread westward, arriving in Iowa around 2000, and becoming widespread in the Iowa City area the last couple of years.

Japanese beetles affect our home landscapes in two ways - the adult beetles feed on over 300 species of plants, and the larvae (a white grub) feed on the roots and organic matter in the soil, mainly affecting turf grass. For control purposes, the grubs are treated the same as the several species of native white grub that we have been dealing with for some time.

Here are some quick tips for dealing with the Japanese beetle adults:

• Check your plants daily beginning in late June (I saw the first beetle on our nursery lot roses June 23rd). Hand remove any beetles you see and drop them in a container of soapy water. Beetles seem to attract more of their kind, so this removal will help stem the flow.
• Use plants that Japanese beetles don't eat. Preferred plants seem to be little leaf linden, roses, Japanese maple, plants in the cherry family (cherries, peaches, etc.), grapes…see the link below for a list of plants that are unattractive to Japanese beetles.
• You can use Japanese beetle traps only to check for the first arrivals. In most cases the traps attract more beetles than they catch, making the damage to your landscape worse than if you didn't use traps.
• For bad infestations, chemical sprays may be warranted. Use products containing pyrethroid insecticides (cyfluthrin, permethrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, etc.) These products will kill beetles on contact, and give some residual control. Re-application will be necessary every 5-10 days. The long lasting systemic products containing Merit must be used 3-4 weeks before infestation, so it is too late for this year. Japanese beetles are here to stay. We are all going to have to learn how to garden with them around!

For more info on Japanese Beetles Click Here.

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Be on the Lookout for Damaging Pests!

By Chuck Porto, Retail Manager

So what's the deal with grubs?

Long story short. The little creatures that we refer to as white grubs, are the larvae of any of several species of scarab beetles, including the northern masked chafer (the little pale brown critters we see flying into screens in late June), and the recent introduction to our area, the Japanese beetle. Most of these beetles are inconsequential as adults, with the exception of the Japanese beetle (see last month's e-news!) The larvae, on the other hand, can be serious pests of turf grasses when the numbers are high.
So what can be done?

Some pest management people classify control options 3 ways:

• The Golf Course Approach - treat the entire yard with insecticide every year. This can not only be expensive, but can add a lot of unnecessary pesticide into the environment.
• A Modified Golf Course Approach would be to treat only those areas where you have a history of grub damage.
• The Wait and See Approach - keep and eye on areas of the yard where you have seen grub damage in the past. If you start to see off color patches in September, or large numbers of birds feeding in the area, or skunk or raccoons tear up patches of turf overnight - use the insecticide Dylox to treat the area. Dylox, when applied properly will begin to kill grubs in 24-48 hrs.
• The Do Nothing Approach - let Mother Nature take her course, and repair/replace the grass as necessary.

Preventative controls such as Merit and Mach II must be in place by early August to be effective. When using any pesticide, be sure to follow the label directions.

As an aside, contrary to popular belief, grub control will not solve a mole problem. Moles feed on many soil insects, and primarily on earthworms.

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When is the Best Time to Plant a Tree

By Chuck Porto, Retail Manager

"The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago.
The second best time is today"—Chinese proverb

This is a question that you may get a different answer to from each person you ask. I think the reality of it is that each season has it's advantages and disadvantages.

Spring: Probably the biggest advantage of spring planting is that the selection of plant material is at it's greatest, and your options are practically limitless. You also have the option of planting bare root trees, container grown, or balled and burlapped. Spring is the time when life really takes off, so plants are growing rapidly, and establish quickly.

Summer: There are not a lot of advantages to planting in the heat of summer. From a monetary standpoint, you may find a bargain here or there. Trees in full leaf that are exposed to hot dry winds will suffer if not provided adequate protection and timely water. However, we sell and plant trees right through the summer months with no problems as long as they are cared for properly. I would not recommend summer planting if you are planning on being away for an extended time.

Fall: As the nights cool, days shorten, plants start to prepare to go dormant for the winter. Trees actually do a lot of growing in the fall. The diameter of the trunk increases, and a lot of carbohydrates are stored in the root system. This makes Autumn a very attractive time to plant. They get a jump on spring by rooting in and storing food for the spring push. Whereas an unwatered spring planted tree will suffer and probably die in the summer, a fall planted tree will simply lose it's leaves and go dormant early—not that I recommend not watering in the fall! Fall is also a good time to find good prices on trees, as like most nurseries, we don't like to winter over trees if we can help it!

As a caution, some trees do not respond well to transplanting in the fall, so do some research before moving a tree in the fall. Spring is okay to move or transplant any tree, provided it is still in the dormant state.

So when IS the best time to plant a tree? Good question!

Another wise man said that the best time to plant a tree is whenever you have a sharp shovel! That's my answer, and I'm sticking to it!

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