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Experienced gardeners are well aware of this reality and have even come to enjoy the ephemeral nature of their outdoor spaces.
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Windy weather and harsh rains threaten weak trees! Their young, thin trunks bend under the pressure. Some saplings need the pressure to grow strong, while others require staking to reach tall and wide. Learn when and how to stake your trees alongside seasoned landscaper Jerad Bryant. Not all trees need staking, but some do. Stakes allow young saplings to grow strong and thick if they struggle to stand straight. Most trees are fine, as they correct bends in their trunk when they mature and grow thicker. Others aren’t as lucky and require some extra help before they mature. You’ll want to stake these three types of woody plants: young saplings, new transplants, and weak trees. They benefit from some stabilization early in life. After a season or two of staking, their trunks will be thick and sturdy enough to handle wind, ice, and excessive rain. These staking steps guide you through the process whether you have a new transplant or an established specimen. Sideways saplings will be towering, straight trees after a season or two of support. Follow along to get your species looking tall, sturdy, and vigorous! Does Your Tree Need Staking? Not all trees need staking! They develop stronger trunks if they don’t receive support when young. The natural sway and shifting that occurs in windy conditions causes the plant to release chemicals called cytokinins. These chemicals cause the trunk’s cells to expand and grow thicker, creating strong and woody plant tissues. Staking won’t hurt your specimen, though, as most trees recover after a few seasons of rapid growth. Stake yours if it is growing in an intensely windy location, if the trunk is too weak to stand without support, or if the topmost branches are larger than the bottom half of the tree. Young Sapling Perhaps you grew a cherry tree from a seed, or there’s a young specimen in your yard from last year’s planting. Young saplings generally don’t require staking, unless they’re weak or have a lopsided structure. Bendy trees are okay, so long as they straighten after the wind subsides. If your saplings bend and stay bent, they’ll need stakes for extra support until they can handle their weight. Tying them to stakes while they’re young allows them to grow straight before they start thickening their trunks. New Transplant The best time to stake a tree is when you transplant it—you’ll already be digging a hole where you can drill in the supporting poles. Some transplants won’t need staking, while others will. If your transplant bends over in the wind or has a small root ball that pulls out of the hole, you’ll want to tie down your tree. The process for staking new transplants differs from staking ones with roots in the ground. Fear not, as we’ll cover what to do in both situations. Weak Tree Older specimens sometimes need support if their tops grow heavier than their trunks can manage. Help them grow straight, and they’ll stay robust without aid for decades to come. Trees that recently lost some of their roots from digging or animal activity are also good candidates for stakes while they recover. The rule of thumb is this: if the tree bends but rights itself without help, it doesn’t need staking. It needs stakes if it falls over, grows sideways, or leans excessively. Step 1: Bury Two Sturdy Stakes The first step involves planting stakes in the ground that act as sturdy anchoring bases. They create two more reinforcing structures for the sapling so that it stays straight despite stormy conditions. How you bury the stakes depends on what type of tree you have. When transplanting woody shrubs or trees that require reinforcement, you’ll want to bury the stakes into opposite ends of the hole near the root ball. Drill two wooden or metal stakes so that they oppose each other with the tree in the middle. Arrange them so that the strongest winds flow through the space between them. Existing trees are much easier to help. Simply bury or drill two stakes on opposite ends of the tree. Like with new transplants, arrange them so that the strongest winds flow through the space between them. Use stakes the right size for your trees—they should be a little taller than where the topmost shoots branch off the main trunk. Step 2: Determine The Support Point The support point is where the ties attach to the tree. It’s where tying cables to your plant will best help it stay straight. Find it with this simple trick: Start three feet above the ground, putting two fingers behind the trunk to raise it. Keep raising your fingers higher until they fully support the tree. Mark the spot on the trunk. The support point is six inches above this mark. This point is generally low on young saplings and taller for existing specimens. It’s crucial to tie cables to the support point and not lower or higher on the trunk. A high placement leads to wood snapping, and a low placement doesn’t keep the canopy upright. Follow this trick to find where to tie cables, no matter how old or young the plant is. Step 3: Tie Tree To Stakes What type of ties you use greatly impacts how well they work. Wires or soft-coated wires never work, as they eventually girdle trunks after digging into their wood. Use fabric, canvas, or rubber collars that are sturdy but giving. With some flexibility, your specimen can wave in the wind while benefitting from additional structure. Easily tie up your tree once you have stakes in the soil. Attach one end of the tie to the metal or wooden stake and the other to the tree’s support point. Stagger the second tie below or above this one on the trunk, and tie its other end to the second stake. You’ll want the ties to be tight with some leeway. Create enough slack on each tie for the trunk to move two inches in any direction. This extra room is crucial for strong trunk development—it partially triggers the release of cytokinins that thicken and reinforce the wood. Step 4: Remove Stakes and Ties Six months to a year later it’ll be time to remove those stakes! The supports are temporary aids that boost the tree to grow well on its own. Leave them too long and they’ll start to hinder growth rather than support it. So, how do you know when to remove them? Trees are ready to live without stakes when they survive wind, rain, or snow without gaining a permanent bend. If you remove the ties and notice your tree still leans, refasten them and check on the sapling in a month or two. Stakes are ready to remove when the tree doesn’t bend or lean on its own and the roots seem to have a strong base. Push the tree a bit to see how it reacts, and make your best judgment call based on how it moves. After six months the support point may have shifted—you can use the test with two fingers to redetermine where it is. Step 5: Repeat for Weak Trees Sometimes, woody species struggle to establish themselves in harsh conditions. Or, extreme storms damage them so they need fastening again. Whatever the reason is for a weak tree, there’s no harm in refastening stakes and ties to help it another time. Repeat this staking process as often as necessary until the saplings grow up and out without help. Some species sprout weak, quick-growing wood, while others are hardier but slower-growing. Adjust your staking period to match the trees’ needs and they’ll thank you with sturdy growth! Follow up with yearly additions of compost on top of the soil, and prune dead or diseased wood. Your trees will grow happy, healthy, and sturdy as they structure themselves in their best shapes. You’ll marvel at the old specimens and remember how they were once weak, young saplings that needed your help.
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Are you thinking of adding some larkspur flowers to your home or garden this planting season? These incredibly stunning blue flowers can be the difference between a pretty garden, and a stunning garden.Spring is always a time for new growth, colorful beginnings, and joy. There are several spring blossoms that hold up these spring values, but none quite like the larkspur. This gorgeous cottage garden staple has striking but graceful spire-like flowers, which sit on long stems. When the larkspur blooms in early spring, your garden will be treated with a sea of blues, reds, violets, and even whites. It is on display best when its blooms peek out from the last snow of winter, but they bring the spring spirit in warmer climates too. This flowering annual is an easy-going plant, especially once established. They’re also drought-resistant and won’t get nibbled on by deer or rabbits. It’s also July’s birth flower, making its blooms a unique and memorable gift for someone’s birthday. However, there are some small caveats. All parts of this beautiful flower are poisonous. One brief touch of the leaves or their stunning flowers can cause extreme skin irritation. It’s also best to refrain from eating its flowers or any other parts of this plant. The larkspur poses a danger to cats and dogs, so plant it where your pets can’t get to them. The larkspur is also a fast grower and will happily spread across your garden if you’re not careful. With a few post-blooming maintenance tricks, however, they shouldn’t take over your garden. Other than that, the larkspur is a wonderful addition to any landscape, especially cottage gardens. You can also snip them (carefully) and add them to indoor cut flower bouquets. The Larkspur is native to the Mediterranean, North Africa, Europe, and Asia. Gardeners introduced it to England in the mid to late 1500s, then the larkspur found a home in the Americas. Once firmly rooted, the larkspur naturalized across the continent. Before it became a cottage garden staple, however, it was a useful plant. Despite the plant’s poisonous properties, it was used for medicinal purposes. In ancient Greece, larkspur seeds were crushed to treat and control body lice. The entire plant was also often crushed up to form a porridge-like mixture to make larkspur poultices. This gooey substance was often the main source of treatment for open wounds and hemorrhoids. Larkspur flowers were also entrenched in Native American culture. They used its blooms to create dyes and repel insects. It also held great symbolic value, often seen as having protective properties, which safeguarded warriors and repelled ghosts, thieves, and scorpions. This annual’s unique name was first mentioned in a gardening book in 1597. The author, John Gerard, likened its blooms to the claw of the lark bird. The resemblance is quite uncanny, so it’s no wonder this common name stuck. He also called it ‘knight’s-spur’, ‘lark’s heel’ and ‘lark’s claw.’ Gerard, like so many others today, also noticed the larkspur’s similarities to the delphinium, another spring flower. While these two belong to the Ranunculaceae family, they are considered different genera – sometimes. The larkspur, as published in Gerard’s book, was in the Consolida genus. But the common name larkspur is often attributed to Delphiniums. The USDA saves the Consolida genus for any plants with the common name ‘knight’s-spur’. Naming and classifying plants is a confusing business, but all you need to know is that ‘knight’s-spur’ and ‘larkspur’ can refer to the same flowering annual, sometimes within the Consolida genus and sometimes under the Delphinium genus. No matter how you classify this plant, the larkspur deserves a spot in your garden. Its ability to root itself across so many different areas with different climates makes it an extremely hardy plant. The Larkspur thrives in USDA zones 2-11, happily self-seeding every season. Its tall blooms add a brilliant splash of spring, no matter where they’re planted. As mentioned, they make great additions to cottage gardens, but they also look right at home in wildflower gardens. Their height makes them wonderful border plants too, and they’re well-suited to growth in containers. Larkspurs add splashes of color to empty spaces in no time. These rapid growers mature in just a few months, which can make propagating slightly challenging. The best way to propagate this spring beauty is from seed. While this may seem easy, propagating larkspurs from seed does require some preparation and plenty of patience. Larkspur seeds require a cold treatment, or stratification before they can germinate. This replicates the natural process that seeds go through during winter. Naturally, larkspur seeds drop in fall and overwinter in the cold, snowy ground where they happily enjoy a cold period. Once the temperatures begin to climb, then the seeds germinate. This process is very easy to replicate. Start by gathering the seeds from pods once they’ve begun to crack and dry. Fill a tray or small container with seed starting mix and water. Press the seeds into damp soil and cover. Next, pop your seeds into the refrigerator for a week or two. During this period, keep the soil damp by spritzing it with some water. Once their cold period is up, the larkspur seeds are ready to sow. Depending on where you live, you may need to sow your seeds indoors before transplanting them in your garden.
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Are you looking to plant English bluebells in your garden? These European natives are some of the easiest bulbs to grow – a prime example of a ‘plant it and forget it’ flower.If you’re looking to recreate the calming, natural woodland feel in your own garden, you can’t go wrong planting bluebells. These stunning blue bulbs transform European forest floors into seas of blue throughout spring and will make just as much of an impact in pots or your flower beds. Botanically named Hyacinthoides non-scripta, this bulb is usually known as the English bluebell, common bluebell, or wild hyacinth. These woodland plants are not to be confused with Hyacinthoides hispanica or Spanish bluebells, a different species of Hyacinthoides. Their ease of growth and tolerance of shade makes them ideal plants for many gardeners, especially beginners. Choose one, mix them with other popular bulbs, or plant an entire field – the options are endless. Although known today as Hyacinthoides non-scripta, bluebells have had many different names in the past. These bulbs, native to western Europe, were dubbed Hyacinthus non-scriptus by the founder of binomial scientific naming, Carl Linnaeus. This genus is commonly known as hyacinths – an incredibly popular garden bulb. 50 years later, two German scientists changed the genus to Scilla, another bulb genus found across woodlands in Europe. Unfortunately, the scientific uncertainty didn’t stop there. Another 50 years later, a different German scientist transferred the plant to the Endymion genus. That’s why you may still find this plant under the names Endymion non-scriptus or Scilla non-scripta today. In 1934, French botanist Pierre Chouard changed the label to Hyacinthoides – literally meaning ‘like a hyacinth’ – where it remains today. Most wild bluebells are found across the United Kingdom and hold a rich history in this area. Several folklore stories have been passed down for generations, such as the belief that bluebell woodlands are inhabited by fairies. This also gave them the nickname fairy flowers. These folklore fairies are not known to play nice. According to legends, bluebells ring to call the fairies. If a human hears this bell, they will be visited by fairies and face an untimely death. Similarly, children with a desire to pick bluebells are warned that if they do, they will likely disappear, never to be seen again. Apart from these dark and twisted warnings, bluebells are beloved across the UK and in Europe – somewhat of an unofficial national flower. Walking through bluebell fields is a wonderful pastime. But, beware not to disturb the fairies, or face the consequences. While used as garden plants often, most bluebells are found in the wild. More than half of these wild bluebells can be found in woodlands around England. While their origin story is somewhat unclear, people believe these bluebell woodlands started springing up following the end of the last ice age. Due to their age – some are known to be hundreds of years old – these spaces are usually protected to prevent their decline. In some areas, these bulbs are considered endangered in their natural habitats. As a result, it is illegal to remove bluebell bulbs from the wild and plant them in your own garden or sell them off, according to the Wildlife and Countryside Act of the United Kingdom. While part of the same genus, English bluebells and Spanish bluebells are not the same plant. This distinction is important, as Spanish bluebells tend to be more invasive in some regions than their English counterparts. Both plants look quite similar but can be easily distinguished in spring by their flower type. English bluebell flowers are darker and curl over whereas Spanish bluebell flowers are lighter and remain upright. English bluebells are also slightly shorter than Spanish ones. It’s important to keep these two plants away from each other, or they will hybridize to form Hyacinthoides × massartiana. There are two ways to propagate bluebells: by sowing seeds or dividing bulbs. Propagating from seeds is the simplest method and provides the most natural look in the garden. Dividing is slightly more technical but produces quicker results.
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Malabar spinach isn't a true spinach at all, but tastes like it when cooked. Learn how to grow this prolific staple green with our guide!Malabar spinach is a warm-weather vegetable that originates from Asia and is a common ingredient in many Asian cuisines. Its leaves, shoots, and berries are all edible and have different culinary applications. Malabar is a region on the southwest coast of India where the tropical climate provides the perfect growing condition for this vigorous vine. This vegetable is also known as Indian spinach, Ceylon spinach, or vine spinach. One common issue with growing regular spinach is that spinach tends to bolt and turn bitter as soon as the temperature rises. Last year in my zone 5b garden, I was only able to get a few short weeks of harvest out of my Bloomsdale Long Standing variety between the last frost and the first heatwave of late spring. It was the first leafy green to bolt in my garden, even before my arugula! Although Malabar spinach is not botanically related to common market spinach varieties, it can be a great alternative to produce in your summer garden. When grown in warm conditions such as in Southern California or the southern states in the U.S., Malabar spinach is a perennial. In most other climates it is grown as an annual. It can also become invasive if you let your plants go to seed. However, if your growing region experiences any frost, you can only grow this vegetable as an annual and it makes a great succession planting alternative after cold-hardy leafy greens.
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