Gardening Tips

Green Up your Landscape Plants with Epsom Salt
Though a complete balanced fertilizer is a must for a beautiful garden, Epsom salt(magnesium sulfate)will make a "major impact" in the health, vigor, and deep green color of plant leaves. You can readily find Epsom salt in any store or garden center. Simply apply 1-cup Epsom salt around the base of your garden plants and palm tree's bi-monthly to turn green to "deep blue green" lush plant leaves. Be sure to water in thoroughly after application, and keep salt off plant leaves to prevent possibility of plant injury. A 1-cup measure is good for plants to 36" in height, you may increase amount based on plant or palm size.

Attracting Butterflies to Your Garden
Everyone love's the beauty and splendor of Butterflies in the garden but are not sure how to attract this delightful insect. First make sure you have planted varieties of plants which will attract Butterfly's. Some examples are as follows. Lantana, Pentas, Duranta, Princess Flower, Snapdragon, African Iris, Verbena, Honeysuckle, Daisies, Day Lillies and so on. You can pick up a booklet for more ideas from most local garden centers. Here's the "Key" along with attracting Butterflies with their favorite plants, place some fruit in the garden area! such as Banana, Apple, or Orange slices in assorted areas in an "elevated stand" or platform dish. Do not place fruit on the ground or ants will have a feast. Once you have added fruit to the garden sit back and enjoy the spectacular Butterfly show.

Proper Mowing Height Essential to Control Weeds
Overlooked by many, the height of your mowing will determine weed control in your lawn. Extensive study by leading Universities reveal that a more closely mowed lawn will require more water, and have a increased instance of overwhelming weed populations. By mowing "too" closely the soil profile is exposed to more sunlight, and airborne weeds. Turfgrass leafblades act as an "umbrella" for cooling soil temperatures, filtering atmospheric impurities, and storing water, sugar, and carbohydrates,(food source)for your lawn's below ground root system. By removing too much leaf surface(grassblade)you unknowingly are starving your lawn from much needed nutrition, increasing soil temperatures, promoting thinned weak turfgrass, therefore making your lawn prone to heavy weed infestations. To find the proper mowing height of your grass contact your local university extension office, or log on to www.scotts.com, or pick up a free booklet from your local garden center.

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