Campbell & Ferrara
Outdoor Living
www.campbellferrara.com
FALL & WINTER POND CARE
Garden ponds and waterfalls can be just as striking in the fall & winter months with snow and ice as they are the rest of the year.
Winter care consists mainly of preventing the water from freezing solid. Most novices and even some veterans shut down their pumps & waterfalls each winter. This is not correct. Not only does the waterfall become unsightly, but it also gives the pond a chance to freeze, causing methane gas to be trapped and cutting off oxygen circulation to the area.
Keep your pond and waterfall running all year. Your fish will be much happier with the constant renewal of fresh oxygen. Your pond will stay much cleaner and next year's cleaning out process will be minimized.
During the fall, your fish's diet should consist of what germ only , because it is much easier and quicker for the fish to digest. When the temperature starts falling below 50 degrees Farenheit, it is time to stop feeding your fish.
All aquatic plants can be pruned back. Perennials, lilies, and lotus should be submerged to their recommended depths; discard hyacinths and winter lettuce. Aquatic plant fertilization should be stopped until spring.
Clean all pump intakes and bio-filter as needed. Net your pond prior to the fall foliage dropping. Place a pond de-icer in the water around November. Most of the pond de-icers on the market have a thermal switch, which will activate when temperatures reach freezing.
Follow these three steps and your will enjoy your pond and waterfall during the winter months:
1. Keep you pond running all winter.
2. Stop feeding your fish when the temperature is below 50 degrees Farenheit.
3. Make sure the pond does not totally freeze over by using a de-icer.
Fall Pond Supplies:
* Pond Netting
* Pond De-Icer
* Bio Filters (if needed)
* Fall Beneficial Bacterial Additives
* Wheat Germ Fish Food
Friday, October 30, 2009
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Campbell & Ferrara
Outdoor Living®
www.campbellferrara.com
Outdoor Living®
www.campbellferrara.com
Sod – The Instant Lush Lawn
Do you want a beautiful weed free lush lawn that will be established quickly? If so, sod, is the solution. Sod provides instant beauty without the usual time-consuming task of seeding.
There are many reasons to choose sod for your lawn. Following are some reasons for choosing sod:
1. Sod is a mature plant that has been grown for at least one year from seed.
2. Sod eliminates mud. This is especially beneficial if you have children and/or pets.
3. Your lawn area will not be bumpy as sod eliminates washouts.
4. Sod will establish its root system within two to four weeks.
5. Sod looks better. You will have mature green lush carpet instantly upon installation.
6. A new sod lawn will increase your property’s value.
7. Sod provides a clean entertaining and playing area.
We receive shipments of fescue sod regularly; it sells out fast. Call to check on availability. Fescue sod is a perennial sod that is native to our area. It requires full sun. The garden center staff will be happy to answer any of your questions about the selection care and maintenance of sod.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Campbell & Ferrara
Outdoor Living®
www.campbellferrara.com
Perennial Picks
Perennial plants are a favorite with many gardeners. They are easy to grow, last for years, come in numerous varieties and offer colorful flowers through the years – often at times when nothing else is in bloom.
Perennials offer colorful flowers as well as other advantages in the garden.
Perennials save time, labor and the expense of re-planting each year by having the advantage of a continued presence in the garden. Another advantage of perennials is that they send out roots that generate new plants, which provides the gardener with a continuous supply of new plants for transplanting. They can be used as temporary fillers among shrubs and trees, mixed with annuals to create an interesting container garden or used alone in a well designed perennial garden.
When selecting perennials for your garden consider, color , bloom time, shape , texture, and height. We have 1,000’s of perennials for you and friendly plant experts to assist you with selection and care advice.
Outdoor Living®
www.campbellferrara.com
Perennial Picks
Perennial plants are a favorite with many gardeners. They are easy to grow, last for years, come in numerous varieties and offer colorful flowers through the years – often at times when nothing else is in bloom.
Perennials offer colorful flowers as well as other advantages in the garden.
Perennials save time, labor and the expense of re-planting each year by having the advantage of a continued presence in the garden. Another advantage of perennials is that they send out roots that generate new plants, which provides the gardener with a continuous supply of new plants for transplanting. They can be used as temporary fillers among shrubs and trees, mixed with annuals to create an interesting container garden or used alone in a well designed perennial garden.
When selecting perennials for your garden consider, color , bloom time, shape , texture, and height. We have 1,000’s of perennials for you and friendly plant experts to assist you with selection and care advice.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Campbell & Ferrara
Outdoor Living®
www.campbellferrara.com
Value to homes is increased when landscape is upgraded.
The Horticulture Research Institute's Journal of Environmental Horticulture recently published a report showing that upgrading a home's landscape does increase property value. Findings were based on an analysis of sales within the Melonie Park neighborhood in Lubbock, Texas, from 2003 to 2005. Homes that improved landscaping from average quality to good or excellent quality increased selling price by 5.7% and 10.8% , respectively. Approximately 30 percent of the increase in sale value was accounted for by added tree cover. The results show that each $1 invested in upgrading an average landscape to excellent quality returns $1.35 in added property value. Adapted from The Weekly Dirt, May 5, 2009.
Visit our website @ www.campbellferrara.com to get started with your landscape project!
Outdoor Living®
www.campbellferrara.com
Value to homes is increased when landscape is upgraded.
The Horticulture Research Institute's Journal of Environmental Horticulture recently published a report showing that upgrading a home's landscape does increase property value. Findings were based on an analysis of sales within the Melonie Park neighborhood in Lubbock, Texas, from 2003 to 2005. Homes that improved landscaping from average quality to good or excellent quality increased selling price by 5.7% and 10.8% , respectively. Approximately 30 percent of the increase in sale value was accounted for by added tree cover. The results show that each $1 invested in upgrading an average landscape to excellent quality returns $1.35 in added property value. Adapted from The Weekly Dirt, May 5, 2009.
Visit our website @ www.campbellferrara.com to get started with your landscape project!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Campbell & Ferrara
Outdoor Living®
WE INVITE YOU TO CELEBRATE SPRING WITH US!
COLORFUL PLANTS WILL BRIGHTEN YOUR DAY!
It is fun and relaxing to create colorful displays of plants for window boxes and/or containers. They will provide you with lush beauty from Mid-May until the first frost. It is best to plant annuals outside after the last frost- usually April 15 – May 1 in our area.
If you choose to plant combination window boxes or containers you will need to select a centerpiece plant, filler plants, edging plants and trailing plants that hang over the edge of the container. Below are some plant suggestions for sun and shade containers.
PLANT SUGGESTIONS FOR WINDOW BOXES AND CONTAINERS:
SUN: These plants require more than 4 hours of direct sunlight.
Centerpiece: Canna, cleome, cosmos, dracaena (spike), ficus, geranium, gerbera daisy, heliotrope, hibiscus, lisianthus, marigold, nicotiana, ornamental grasses, salvia, snapdragon (10 inches or higher).
Filler: Angelonia, argeratum, begonia, browallia, coleus (sun-tolerant), dahlia (8-10 inches high) , dusty miller, geranium, marigold, petunia, rudbeckia, snapdragon(8-12 inches high), verbena, vinca, strobilanthes, zinnia.
Edging: Daisy, hypoestes, ivy geranium, lantana, nicotiana, pentas, plectranthus, scaevola, vinca.
Trailing: Alyssum, asparagus fern, bacopa, bidens, bougainvillea, dusty miller (trailing), gypsophila, helichrysum, ipomoea, ivies, ivy geranium, petunia (trailing), portulaca, scaevola, thunbergia, torenia, verbena.
SHADE: These plants require less than 4 hours of direct sunlight.
Centerpiece: Begonia (tuberous), browallia, caladium, dieffenbachia, dracaena (spike)philodendron, spathiphyllum.
Filler: Begonia (fibrous), begonia (tuberous), coleus, fuchsia, impatiens, lobelia (upright), New Guinea impatiens, torenia.
Edging: Begonia (fibrous), coleus, ferns, impatiens, lobelia, spider plant.
Outdoor Living®
WE INVITE YOU TO CELEBRATE SPRING WITH US!
COLORFUL PLANTS WILL BRIGHTEN YOUR DAY!
It is fun and relaxing to create colorful displays of plants for window boxes and/or containers. They will provide you with lush beauty from Mid-May until the first frost. It is best to plant annuals outside after the last frost- usually April 15 – May 1 in our area.
If you choose to plant combination window boxes or containers you will need to select a centerpiece plant, filler plants, edging plants and trailing plants that hang over the edge of the container. Below are some plant suggestions for sun and shade containers.
PLANT SUGGESTIONS FOR WINDOW BOXES AND CONTAINERS:
SUN: These plants require more than 4 hours of direct sunlight.
Centerpiece: Canna, cleome, cosmos, dracaena (spike), ficus, geranium, gerbera daisy, heliotrope, hibiscus, lisianthus, marigold, nicotiana, ornamental grasses, salvia, snapdragon (10 inches or higher).
Filler: Angelonia, argeratum, begonia, browallia, coleus (sun-tolerant), dahlia (8-10 inches high) , dusty miller, geranium, marigold, petunia, rudbeckia, snapdragon(8-12 inches high), verbena, vinca, strobilanthes, zinnia.
Edging: Daisy, hypoestes, ivy geranium, lantana, nicotiana, pentas, plectranthus, scaevola, vinca.
Trailing: Alyssum, asparagus fern, bacopa, bidens, bougainvillea, dusty miller (trailing), gypsophila, helichrysum, ipomoea, ivies, ivy geranium, petunia (trailing), portulaca, scaevola, thunbergia, torenia, verbena.
SHADE: These plants require less than 4 hours of direct sunlight.
Centerpiece: Begonia (tuberous), browallia, caladium, dieffenbachia, dracaena (spike)philodendron, spathiphyllum.
Filler: Begonia (fibrous), begonia (tuberous), coleus, fuchsia, impatiens, lobelia (upright), New Guinea impatiens, torenia.
Edging: Begonia (fibrous), coleus, ferns, impatiens, lobelia, spider plant.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Campbell & Ferrara Outdoor Living® www.campbellferrara.com
A Green Friendly Solution........ COFFEE for the SLUGS!
I have not personally given caffeine to my lovely slugs and snails, but I plan on giving them some coffee to drink this spring. Hopefully it will prevent them from eating and ruining my beautiful plants. The below information was reported in the July/August, 2002 issue of the VNLA Newsletter.
“Caffeine has potential as an alternative to chemicals to kill snails and slugs,.according to USDA’s Agricultural Research Service. Researchers in Hawaii studied the effects of caffeine against orchid snail, Zonitoides arboreus. The research team applied a 2 % solution of caffeine in water as a spray to coir infested with snails. Caffeine killed up to 95% of the snails. In another experiment, the caffeine-treated coir had only 5 snails when checked 20 days after the application. But in coir treated with a standard dose of metaldehyde, a common molluscicide, researchers found 35 snails.” Go to Rhollingsworth@pbarc.ars.usda.gov for more detailed information.
I have not personally given caffeine to my lovely slugs and snails, but I plan on giving them some coffee to drink this spring. Hopefully it will prevent them from eating and ruining my beautiful plants. The below information was reported in the July/August, 2002 issue of the VNLA Newsletter.
“Caffeine has potential as an alternative to chemicals to kill snails and slugs,.according to USDA’s Agricultural Research Service. Researchers in Hawaii studied the effects of caffeine against orchid snail, Zonitoides arboreus. The research team applied a 2 % solution of caffeine in water as a spray to coir infested with snails. Caffeine killed up to 95% of the snails. In another experiment, the caffeine-treated coir had only 5 snails when checked 20 days after the application. But in coir treated with a standard dose of metaldehyde, a common molluscicide, researchers found 35 snails.” Go to Rhollingsworth@pbarc.ars.usda.gov for more detailed information.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
CAMPBELL & FERRARA OUTDOOR LIVING®
703-354-6724 www.campbellferrara.com
703-354-6724 www.campbellferrara.com
Rhododendrons in the Landscape
The Campbell & Ferrara Garden Center has 8 acres of plants including beautiful rhododendrons. Rhododendrons provide color, interesting form and texture to the landscape. Selecting the correct place in your landscape will help to ensure the health of any plant. Rhododendrons prefer filtered shade and do not like dense shade; they will not bloom in dense shade. They need good drainage, an acid rich soil and excellent drainage. Once rhododendrons are established in the landscape, they require little attention except for annual mulching and fertilizing. They like to be fertilized lightly with Holly-Tone(organic) before or after blooming. To improve bud set for the next year, remove dead flowers and prune immediately after flowering. You will enjoy many years of flowering with minimal care.
There are many varieties of rhododendrons. When mature they can range in height from 3feet to above 6 feet; bloom times span early April to late May; choose from white w/pink tinge, lavender blue, rose pink, pure white, light pink with golden brown. You can elect to use the rhododendron as a natural hedge and screen, a specimen plant, an accent plant, a companion plant, a grouping for borders or in a rock garden.
Our plant experts will be happy to assist you with your plant selection. Campbell & Ferrara carries a large selection of rhododendrons; stock changes on a daily basis.
The Campbell & Ferrara Garden Center has 8 acres of plants including beautiful rhododendrons. Rhododendrons provide color, interesting form and texture to the landscape. Selecting the correct place in your landscape will help to ensure the health of any plant. Rhododendrons prefer filtered shade and do not like dense shade; they will not bloom in dense shade. They need good drainage, an acid rich soil and excellent drainage. Once rhododendrons are established in the landscape, they require little attention except for annual mulching and fertilizing. They like to be fertilized lightly with Holly-Tone(organic) before or after blooming. To improve bud set for the next year, remove dead flowers and prune immediately after flowering. You will enjoy many years of flowering with minimal care.
There are many varieties of rhododendrons. When mature they can range in height from 3feet to above 6 feet; bloom times span early April to late May; choose from white w/pink tinge, lavender blue, rose pink, pure white, light pink with golden brown. You can elect to use the rhododendron as a natural hedge and screen, a specimen plant, an accent plant, a companion plant, a grouping for borders or in a rock garden.
Our plant experts will be happy to assist you with your plant selection. Campbell & Ferrara carries a large selection of rhododendrons; stock changes on a daily basis.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
