I realize it is a bit late in the season for this, but hope this helps for next year if you had a hydrangea that did not bloom this year.

Tired of writing sales letters for your websites? Use Sales Letter Factory and crank them out in minutes!

1. Hemerocallis (daylilly)
2. Aster
3. Bearded Iris
4. Shasta daisies
5. Echinacea purpurea (purple coneflower)
6. Stonecrop (Sedum)
7. Monarda (Bee Balm)
8. Ornamental Grass
9. Heuchera (Coral Bells)
10. Coreopsis (Tickseed)

Tired of writing sales letters for your websites? Use Sales Letter Factory and crank them out in minutes!

I didn’t actually mean to prune it to the ground, but that is what happened when I lost control of the lawn mower. Of course, I assumed I had killed it but left the stump anyway.

A week or so later I noticed that the stump had sprouted some leaves. I was thrilled to think that the lilac may survive. The Sensation® Lilac in my opinion is one of the most beautiful lilacs around. I mean seriously, look at the picture, isn’t that gorgeous?

Anyway, as the plant grew, I noticed that it was growing much faster than the other one I have nearby. It put on at least 3 feet of new growth before the year was out. The other put on about 8″ of new growth.

Of course, the lilac that was cut to the ground didn’t bloom much the year after I pruned it to the ground, because lilacs form their flowers for the following year on the current years growth. Because I pruned the bush in the summer, the plant did not have adequate time to form enough buds.

I must say that because of the pruning I did to that plant, it has put on much more growth than it’s twin. Right now, it is a full 4′ taller and they were exactly the same size when I planted them just 4′ apart!

Now don’t go crazy and cut your lilacs to the ground every year, but if you find that one of them is not putting on any growth, go ahead and give it a shot. You may be surprised.

So, I think I may have to fire up the lawnmower and prune that other lilac. Or maybe I should just cut it with the pruners, huh?

Tired of writing sales letters for your websites? Use Sales Letter Factory and crank them out in minutes!

• Can I plant ornamental grass over my septic tank?
• Is it safe to plant trees or shrubs near my septic system?
• Can potatoes harm my septic system?
• Is it safe to grow plants over a septic tank?
• What are some safe plants for a septic tank?

Here is my answer to these questions and others that relate to planting over septic tanks and septic systems: It depends.

Planting over a septic tank

A typical septic tank is usually between 1-3 feet underground. This means that the top of the tank is really not that far below the surface of the ground. Small plants that have small root systems are usually safe to plants over the septic tank because the roots will not travel down deep enough to cause problems. However, a plant like a Forsythia can have an extensive root system that can travel down to the tank and even penetrate into it. On top of the roots getting into the tank, they will spread out over the top of the tank, making it difficult to dig through when the tank needs to get pumped.

And how often does that tank need to be pumped? Every two to three years. Ok, ok, I can hear someone saying ” I have lived in my house for over ten years and never had my tank pumped and I don’t have trouble with my system”. Really, are you sure? I highly recommend reading The Septic System Owner’s Manual to understand how the system actually works. I think you may change your mind and get that tank pumped after reading it.

Now, back to the subject at hand:

Small, shallow rooted plants are usually ok to plants over the tank, but remember to leave a space over the cover to allow pumping of the tank.

Large, deep rooted plants like trees and shrubs are typically not ok to plant over the septic tank. These types of plants grow quite large and the roots can cause a lot of trouble with the tank, possibly entering the tank and causing a sewer backup.

Septic systems (aka: leach fields)

Well, the title is a bit misleading, but most folks who ask about planting over the septic system are actually asking if it is ok to plant over what is called the leach or drain field. This field is where the liquid from your septic tank (effluent) goes through a series of pipes to slowly drain into the ground. Although this liquid will probably make your plants grow like weeds, it is usually not a good idea to plant anything over the drain field.

Here’s why:

• The field is made up of a series of pipes that have holes in them to allow the water to drain out. The pipe is set in a bed of stone to aid in the draining. On top of the pipe is a layer of fill and/or soil, and this layer is usually about a foot deep. Plants with deep roots will penetrate into the stone layer and possibly into the pipe itself. These roots greatly reduce the ability of the effluent to drain or may clog up the pipe entirely. For this reason alone, trees and shrubs should never be planted near a septic system.
• The drain field needs oxygen to be able to break down all the bacteria, viruses, and other “stuff” that is in the water. This oxygen is absorbed through the layer of soil that is above the pipes. Planting anything other than a lawn over this field can cause the soil to become less porous and reduce the amount of oxygen that reaches the effluent. This is also the reason you should never place raised beds over the drain field.

So what IS safe to plant over septic tanks and septic systems? Well, I guess I will have to cover that in another article, but I will tell you that it is my opinion that any plant that you will be eating should not be planted over the tank or drain field. I will explain why later. Stay tuned…

For more info on septic systems, try:
Wells and Septic Systems
Water Wells and Septic Systems Handbook
Country Plumbing: Living With a Septic System

Tired of writing sales letters for your websites? Use Sales Letter Factory and crank them out in minutes!

Tired of writing sales letters for your websites? Use Sales Letter Factory and crank them out in minutes!

Download it by using this link: Salt injury to ornamental shrubs and groundcovers

For more info on plants and plant propagation, I suggest:

Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propagation and Uses
Hartmann and Kester’s Plant Propagation: Principles and Practices (7th Edition)
American Horticultural Society Plant Propagation: The Fully Illustrated Plant-by-Plant Manual of Practical Techniques

Tired of writing sales letters for your websites? Use Sales Letter Factory and crank them out in minutes!

First, log in to your Google account and go to Google News. While on the Google News homepage, look near the top of the page on the right side. Do you see where it says add a section? Go ahead and click that link. You will be brought to a page where you can choose different topics to display on your Google News page. Go ahead and take a look at the different topics you can choose from. Adding a section is a simple click of a button. To take advantage of this feature, you must be logged in to your Google account, so if you add a section and it does not display when you revisit Google news, check to be sure you are logged in.

I recently added a section to Google News called plant propagation that will display news articles on subjects like plant propagation, misting and misting systems, master gardeners, asexual propagation, softwood cuttings, you get the idea. I added the section to my Google News homepage and every time I visit the page I have a section where articles about plant propagation are displayed. Neat huh?

Here is the list of keywords that Google searches for so they can display relevant news stories:

plant propagation, intermittent misting system, plant misting system, plant mist system, rooting cuttings, rooted cuttings, asexual propagation, free plants, hydrangea, garden, master gardener, horticulture, compost, landscape, japanese maple, coldframe, hoophouse, misting timer, misting controller, misting nozzles, rooting hormones, softwood cuttings, hardwood cuttings, plant diseases, planting trees, planting shrubs, grafting, invasive insect, ornamental grass, misting system

Do you have any suggestion for more keywords I should add?

Tired of writing sales letters for your websites? Use Sales Letter Factory and crank them out in minutes!

A raised bed garden consists of erecting beds of soil on top of the ground. Like any gardening style, there are advantages and disadvantages of raised bed gardening. There are also a few options to consider when creating your raised bed.

The advantages of having raised beds are as follows:

Having raised beds allows you to blend your soil so that’s it is more tailored to growing plants with specific needs. With raised bed you will have less chance of soil erosion, pesky critters, leaf litter and other organic debris affecting your plants. Raised beds are ideal for long rooted plants due to the several inches of soil under them. In addition, raised beds will decrease the fatigue of your knees and back.

Unfortunately all of those advantages come with a price:

Constructing a raised bed garden can be costly and very time consuming. When getting your parts, remember that lumber treated with creosote should not be used. The creosote will seep into your beds and kill your plants. The edges of your beds must be constructed properly and reinforced to prevent the sides of the bed from deteriorating over time. Raised beds tend to dry out faster than regular tilled beds and will required a more vigorous watering routine.

Options for raised beds:

Raised beds can be edged with lumber as stated above or the edges can be left unfinished. Obviously the finished edged beds will require more work, time and money to construct. I usually construct raised beds with the unfinished edges. Leaving the edges unfinished makes the bed look more natural. One word of caution with an unfinished edged raised bed; be sure to properly edge the bed before actually making it, and keep the sod cut back so the grass does not start to grow into your raised bed.

Remember raised beds are a big investment. Start building your raised grow beds, and you could see better plants in no time and your back and knees will hurt less too.

Tired of writing sales letters for your websites? Use Sales Letter Factory and crank them out in minutes!

This E-book covers everything from where to get the knowledge you need, tips about which plants to propagate, how much space you will need, the types of rooting media used, an easy method to provide shade for your misting bed, and more!

Grab your copy right now before time runs out!

Download your How to start a plant propagation nursery by using the link to the right.

Tired of writing sales letters for your websites? Use Sales Letter Factory and crank them out in minutes!

Once your misting or propagation beds are made you may decide you want a way to provide shade for your cuttings while they are being rooted. An easy way to do this is by using pipe clips and a few lengths of electrical plastic conduit. This is the grey PVC pipe that electricians use when running electrical wires outside or underground. It is much more flexible than the white PVC pipe that is used for plumbing and will hold up much longer when exposed to the sun’s UV rays.

List of materials (quantities not given. please read on to determine the quantity you will need)

• 1″ galvanized pipe clips
• 3/4″ grey electrical conduit (PVC)
• 1 1/2″ galvanized screws
• large binder clips

This method uses the half-round galvanized pipe clamps that can be found in the electrical section of a building supply store. You will want to purchase 1’ clamps. To figure out how many clamps to purchase, simply take the number of PVC pipes you will need and double it. If you will have 5 lengths of pipe, you will need  10 clips. Read on to figure how many lengths of electrical conduit you will need:

Next, you need to figure how many ¾” grey electrical conduit pipes to purchase. You will be using 10’ long pieces, so I is advise purchasing them this way to eliminate cutting the pipes to length. You will be making a hoop every 2’, so to figure how many lengths of pipe you will need, simply take the length of your bed in feet and divide it in half, then add 1. An 8 foot long bed will need 5 lengths of pipe (8/2=4+1=5), and a 10’ long bed will require 6 (10/2=5+1=6).

The first thing you need to do is remove the larger “bell” end from the PVC pipe. Use a hand saw to cut just the bell off. Next, on the inside of the misting bed, screw a pipe clip in each corner. Remember, you will be attaching the clips on the inside of the LONG sides. Attach them about 1” below the top of the board and with the opening facing up. You will be sliding the PVC pipe down into them, so be sure they are facing the right direction.

Make a mark every 2’ on the side of your bed and attach the remaining clips 1″ below the top edge. See picture:

Measure 3” from each end of the PVC pipe and mark a line around the pipe. Now make another line at 2”. Be sure to do both ends of the pipe. Drill a 1/8” hole on the 2” mark on one end of the pipe. Do not drill the other end yet. Slide the end of the pipe with the drilled hole down into the clip and line up your 3” mark with the top of the clip. Now drive a screw through the 1/8” hole and into the side of the bed. Repeat this for the remaining pipes. See picture for layout of the pipe:

Now that you have a bunch of PVC pipes sticking up in the air, it is now time to bend them over and place them into the remaining clips. Start on one end and bend the pipe over, insert it into the clip, and line up the 3″ mark with the top of the clip. Drill the 1/8 hole through the pipe to be able to hold it with a screw. Once the hole is drilled, be sure the 3″ mark is lined up with the top of the clip and screw the pipe to the side of the bed. Repeat with the remaining pieces of pipe.

At this point you should now have something that resembles a small hoop house. The hoops will be a bit wobbly at this point and if you desire, you can drill more holes and add more screws or add bracing in a few locations to help make them more rigid, but it really is not necessary because the shade cloth is very light. Lay the cloth over the hoops and align it so it will provide the maximum amount of shade at the hottest part of the day. Take the large binder clips and fasten the cloth to the hoops.

Easy huh?

Tired of writing sales letters for your websites? Use Sales Letter Factory and crank them out in minutes!