Plants and Flowers

When planting, make a hole a little bit larger than the root ball, set the plant in place at the same level at which it was growing, and carefully firm soil around the roots. New plants will need to be watered well after planting and rather often thereafter until they take roots and new growth has started.
Do not forget to fertilize the soil, high in phosphorus, after planting. A fertilizer such as 20-10-20 mixed at the rate of 0.5 pound per 100 gallons of water will cover 400 square feet. But do not apply fertilizer to dry soil.
Insects. The most common are aphids, white fly or spider mites which are controlled by various pesticides, if this control is initiated at once before the populations are too dense. Mites and white fly make less problems when plants are frequently watered. High temperatures increase insect populations compelling more frequent pesticide treatment. Use extreme caution with pesticides and read the label before use.
Slugs and Snails- These pests can feast on young bedding plants. Offer bait near new plantings in late afternoon and replenish as needed. Lightly splash the baits to avoid eating by wild or domestic animals.

Just before planting, water the plants in their boxes. Plants in peat pots should be soaked for 10-15 minutes to ensure that they are wet. Imaginarily, the garden bed should be moist, too. If the soil is dry, do not forget to water the plants thoroughly, immediately after planting.
When planting time has come, mark the beds based on specified planting distance. Young plants in 2-3 inch containers are generally placed on 4-8 inch centers. Huge packs and 4-inch nursery transplants are more often planted on 12-14 inch centers. The area selected will be determined by species, plant size, time of year and cost.
Lift plants from their packs, pots or boxes carefully, keeping the root ball entire. If the container is plastic, gently squeeze or push up the bottom of the container; or just turn it upside down to let the plant fall into your hand. If the plant does not slide out, tap the bottom of the box with a trowel. Moist plants are easier to remove from a container without disturbing the root ball.
For plants in individual peat pots, check that the top of the pot is below soil level after planting. The edge of the peat pot can be torn off but do not remove the entire peat pot either roots can be damaged.

To reduce weeding maintenance put soil sterilants into the soil about three weeks before planting. Just before or in a short time after planting, apply a pre-emergent herbicide and leave it undisturbed on the surface. (But read before about plant sensitivity to various herbicides.)
Other methods of weed prevention on flower beds include the use of a physical barrier such as black plastic which you may covered with a thin layer of decorative mulch. Check whether you punched numerous holes in the plastic to ensure adequate water supply and penetration.
Most spring flowers can’t be planted until the danger of killing frost has passed. Many warm season plants, such as periwinkles and caladiums, cannot tolerate cold soil temperatures, so you need to wait and delay planting until the medium temperature reaches 70 F.
Shed any plants that may have re-sowed themselves from last season. They’ll be less healthy and may differ from their hybrid parents. If it is impossible for you to plant right away, keep plants in a lightly shaded spot and do not forget to water them as needed. If possible, it is best to plant on a cloudy day or late in the day to reduce transplanting shock.

Annual flowers can provide landscape with more seasonal variety and colorful stresses than any other plants. The main thing in success with such flowers is to plant only the area that can be sufficiently cared for. You should remember that color can have more impact on the landscape than any other element of design. However, nothing has a more negative influence than a poorly maintained color area.
Soil preparation
Soil preparation is perhaps the most important aspect in maintaining areas with ornamental annual flowers. The work begins with the addition of large quantities of organic matter to obtain optimum aeration, drainage and water holding characteristics. Generally speaking, beds of flowers should consist of at least 50% organic matter if you want to get the best results. In addition, bed areas should be raised to a minimum of 4-6 inches to avoid “drowning” when the weather is wet and rainy. Since organic matter can be difficult to re-wet after excessive drying, a wetting agent can be used to achieve uniform water distribution through the soil.
Adding of fertilizer
Fertilizer should also be added into new flower beds. Normal rate of use on new beds is generally 2 to 3 pounds per 100 square feet of a slow-release fertilizer formulation such as 19-5-9.

Palms, olive trees and tropical weeds, can change traditional Britain oaks and spring flowers as a result of global warming. Such is the information of the British scientists from the University of East England.
According to specialists, during the nearest fifty years an average annual temperature in Great Britain will rise four degrees.
“More high temperatures will give opportunity to grow tropical fruit trees in our gardens, but gardeners will be forced to contest with the new types of weeds”, - said in the report.
The increase of temperature and more drought climate will mainly influence tender spring flowers - goldish narcissuses, white snowdrops and dark blue English hyacinths, which during all spring decorate British parks, forests and uncultivated plots of land.
The natural habitat of these plants will reduce, and flowering period will be shorter and shorter - till the complete disappearance of these types of plants in natural habitat.
The next victims of the warming will be English roses, beech and oak trees. But weather conditions will be comfortable for wide spread of olive trees and palms, “consoleâ€? experts.

Think about the size of the space in which your bouquet of flowers will be placed, and choose the vase accordingly. A big vase and lots of flowers will look overcrowded on a small side table. A small vase and few flowers would look lost in a larger area.
Using open flowers, such as roses, daffodils or gerbera daisies, try to turn some of them at different angles to show different shape. Try not to place your flowers all in the same direction if the bouquet can be viewed from various angles.
Try to leave some space between the flowers to prevent a crowded effect.
If the flowers sometimes don’t stand up straight, your vase may be short for the flowers, or flowers are too tall for the vase. A good way to check if the vase that you are going to use is of an appropriate height, is too see if the vase is at least half as tall as the flowers.
If you cut your flowers too short, don’t think that you have spoiled everything. Put either pebbles or small stones at the bottom of your vase. To create a romantic atmosphere you could simply cut the head off of the flower and float it in a decorative dish, along with candles.
To give your bouquet more dimension cut the flowers at various lengths. Place the longest stems in the center of your work.

We will give a few simple advises, which will prolong the time of flowers in your vase
Always use clean vases or containers. This will prevent from ruining the quality of the flowers because of any bacteria.
Remove all of the leaves which will be under the water while in the vase. Immersed leaves will rot, thus creating bacteria and shortening the life of your flowers.
Always add the flower fertilizer to the water in the vase, if you have such. Change the water and fertilizer every three or four days.
Fresh flowers are shipped when they are in bud or half open, which is the recommended state to pick flowers. You will then have the pleasure of seeing them slowly open up, this also increases the life time of your flowers.
Never place your flowers in full sun or over a radiator. This will cause excess water loss from the flowers, and they will wilt very quickly. The best place for your flowers is in a cool room, if you want to reach the maximum life time.

The first rule is – the sooner that you put your flowers into water, the longer they will live.
The flowers should be re-cut at the stalks while immersed in water. This is important for hollow-stemmed flowers - it will prevent from forming an airlock in the stalk which may prevent the flowers from taking water.
The stalks should be cut on an angle, which will create a wider area and allow the flowers to take the maximum amount of water.
Flowers will live longer if the fertilizer is added to the water. Instead of plant fertilizer you may put sugar.
Also there are some useful advises, which will certainly help you
One capsule of hydrogen peroxide every time the water is changed.
One part lemon lime soda to 3 parts of water.
Two tablespoons lemon juice, one tablespoon sugar, one quarter teaspoon bleach in one vase of water.
Two tablespoons of sugar, two tablespoons of white vinegar to one vase of water.
You ought to know that
•Sugar provides energy.
•Citric acid acts as an acidifier.
•Bleach prevents bacteria growth.

For decoration of walls, fences, creation of arbours and vertical walls, decorations of balconies and terraces mainly climbers are used. Lianas are plants with flexible unsteady stems which need support for the growth in a height. They always attract attention and make your dwelling cozy. At the same time, they don’t need much time and care.

Living fence
Green arboreal planting is not only an instruments for oxygen making, but also create aesthetic pleasure, make a landscape more attractive. In planting of greenery of lots and houses leading role belongs to the decorative deciduous, evergreen and coniferous trees and bushes.

Lawns, how to handle and look after them
Lawn - from French means a turf. A lawn is an area with a natural or artificially created grass cover. In “green building�? large attention is given to lawns, and they are subdivided into two groups: 1) decorative lawns and 2) lawns of the special setting.
Quality of a lawn in a great deal depends on looking after it. In spring, as soon as snow thaws, and soil slightly dries out and will be suitable for cultivation, it is necessary to rake the lawns. It is done to clear away winter period garbage and make the soil light. When the condition of laws is determined, you may start to sow herbage and repair the lawn.