The Rhoeo Went Rainbow

The “Oyster Plant” or Tradescantia spathcea “Tricolor” for you botanical enthusiast has long been used a ground cover in the landscape.

All it takes is one plant to fill out a pot and bring it’s rich “purple” leaves to add some accent to a landscape or introduce some needed color.

Now the “Oyster Plant” has went tricolor.

You’ll enjoy the same leave rosettes but now with variegated white, pink and green striped leaves on top and the same deep purple undersides.

Try using them as a small interesting house plant for accent color or planting in beds or as groundcovers. If used indoors make sure the Rhoeo gets lots of light!

It’s always nice to see a very dependable easy to care for plant come out with a new twist.

Tips For a Successful Landscape Job

Many people claim to want quality when they look to have work done - landscaping is no different.

The basic requirements for a successful landscape job is no different for hired work or for the do-it-yourself landscaper.

Here are some tips to install a landscape for success at planting and into the future.

1 - Pick the Best plants! Hand pick and tag the plants for your landscape - No Exceptions.

2 - When installing plants (yes you do install plants) plant at the proper depth. Remember the old saying… “Dig a 20 gallon hole for a 10 gallon plant.” Do not bury the root ball or plant below grade.

3 - Always use the right planting mix or existing soil if healthy for the plants and acceptable.

4 - When trees and palms are planted prop and stake as necessary

5 - Water in all plant material thoroughly. Watch out for air pockets on large trees and palms make sure the air pockets get filled with soil

6 - As required fertilize all newly planted material

7 - Avoid using “Red Mulch”! Planting beds need to be mulched to the proper depths and specifications.

8 - Pay attention to detail. Trim and prune as necessary

9 - Double check the irrigation system for coverage and watering times.

10. If the job is commercial do a walk through with the designer, landscape architect, or approved representative to make sure the “finished” project meets the plans and specifications. If the job is a DIY ask your spouse for a good critical eye.

All jobs large or small can benefit from following these simple tips. Now go landscape!

Palm Care - 10 Tips for Pruning and Fertilizing in the Landscape

A healthy palm can make an attractive statement is any landscape. Palms are not limited to the South Florida coastal areas but find themselves in many parts of the country used in the landscape. Caring for palms can be a little different than other plants, trees and shrubs. Check out these tips below for healthier and more attractive palms!

1- Pruning palms can reduce their vigor, transmit diseases, reduce their health nutritionally, affect cold hardiness and lower their tolerance to handle windstorms. So what pruning should be done? Remove only badly damaged or dead fronds, also remove flowers stalks and fruit. If the palm in the landscape has not been pruned or trimmed in a long time only remove from the tree as many green leaves or fronds as the plant will produce between the next pruning.

2- Prune above 9 to 3! What does that mean? Never remove palm leaves at an angle above the horizon (9:00 - 3:00) on the clock.

3 - When removing leaf bases cut them close to the trunk but not into the trunk. If a tree is diseased sterilize tools before cutting on another tree. Do not tear leaves of as this creates wounds and opens entry points for potential disease.

4 - Potassium deficiency has often in palms. When this happens palms have a tendency to “relocate” the potassium to the younger fronds by pulling from the older leaves. If you remove the yellow “deficient fronds” and do not correct the deficiency you’ll eventually end up with a palm having more yellow fronds. You must be patient, it can take anywhere from 6 month to 2 years for the problem to be remedied.

5 - Never allow anyone to climb a palm with climbing spikes.

6 - Always fertilize palms using a controlled release fertilizer with a 4-1-6 ratio. This translates into a 8-2-12 or 12-6-18 blend. Plus make sure the fertilizer includes 4% magnesium. Some recommend Epsom salt for palms but the results are short lived as Epsom salts are very water soluble.

7 - When fertilizing palms the most effective application method is to broadcast evenly under the entire canopy. Injecting the soil or banding is nowhere near as effective.

8 - When fertilizing be regular. Apply fertilizer every 3 months at a rate of 15 pounds per 1,000 square feet.

9 - Watch the turf fertilizer! When fertilizing turf or other ornamentals within 50 feet of palms do not sure the lawn care fertilizer, use the “palm special” in place of the landscape or lawn fertilizer.

10 - When it comes to fertilizer if you cannot use the right fertilizer on your palms your best choice is to not fertilize at all!

Tips on Bougainvillea Plant - When Pot-Bound is Good

Believe it or not some plants show their true colors when they are pot bound and the brilliant colored Bougainvillea is just one of those special plants. Bougainvillea will put on their best flower show when they are a little tight in the pots.

Here’s a tip from Kellie Pilier who specializes in growing Bougainvilleas for the landscape trade.

When they are planted in the landscape leave the plant in the growing container. Here’s how to plant them this way.

Carefully cut out the whole bottom of the pot. If that seems too difficult then cut some large holes about the size of a grapefruit around the whole pot.

Some landscapers simply cut large slits down the side of the pot. The downside of this is that sometimes the roots can be pinched and become weak.

Taking the time to cut holes in the pot will require the most time and effort but it will give the best blooming results.

More Boug tips soon - but for now Here’s more on Bougainvillea Care

Landscaping Plants and Property Values

The prices in real estate seem to continually keep creeping one way or another up and down. The whole home real estate market bounces around like a ball. Some areas find selling a home a hot commodity and other regions across the country find slow sales.

No matter what a home may be worth you cannot “tap into” the money inside the house unless you decide to refinance or sell. There are things you can do inside to make the house appraise higher for the refinance, a coat of paint can go a long way. But what about outdoors… in the landscape.

Adding some landscaping or upgrading the backyard landscape with ideas could not only enhance the look but add to the value for refinancing or make the sale easier.

Usually the return on investment for what you put in not only returns in money later but you can gain the benefit of shade and privacy. If you add fruit trees you may also enjoy nature’s foods. Flowers also make the landscape more appealing.

Where do you start in the landscape design path?

First ask yourself what are you looking for? Do you want shrubs for privacy or for beauty.

Borders offer a low cost solution that can add a lot of punch, either on entry ways or in front of hedges.

If your neighbors are close, placing a line of shrubs or a hedge at the property line can “define” the property. When you’re looking at shrubs don’t pick things based on “likes” but also what is best in terms of soil, sunlight, water, and other factors. Make sure you take into account the exposure of light available. Sunny or shady will affect your plant selection.

Water is becoming more and more of a precious commodity. You never know what can happen in terms of drought. Putting plants in the landscape is good but also consider the long term maintenance in water and care. Consider putting in an automatic sprinkler system, the long term benefits is not only watering the plants regularly but also it adds to the “salability” of your home.

From personal experience I’ve watched small landscape jobs of $2500 - $4000 increase the value of a home between $10 -12,000 dollars. Last time I checked that’s a pretty good return on investment!

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