Helpful Hints 2.0
Apply duct tape to the skin to remove cactus spines
In The Garden – By Stephen and Kristin Pategas
Reduce labor: ornamental grasses typically need trimming only once every one-to-three years. Compare that frequency to most other plants.
Save steps: cover every square inch of the garden by installing a hose reel with hoses of appropriate lengths at each corner of the house.
Back saving: a hand truck with balloon tires is a must for moving containers and other items around the garden without getting bogged down in the soil.
Water savings: check the irrigation system monthly for breaks or leaks.
Keep it level: when placing containers on soil, use a levelled large steppingstone set on well-compacted soil without vegetative matter underneath.
Smart feeding: make sure the plant is well watered before applying liquid fertilizer.
Use epoxy on the inside of a cracked container
Reduce labor: a yard cart hauls a diversity of materials and can dump them.
Efficiency: to eliminate flat wheelbarrow tires, replace an air-filled one with a solid one.
Smart planning: when planting next to hard surfaces such as driveways or sidewalks, lower the grade so that after planting, it is three to four inches lower than the top of the hard surface. This will help hold the mulch in place.
Pain relief: use duct tape to remove cactus spines from body parts.
Money saving: epoxy the inside of cracked containers and place the cracked side out of the line of sight.
Yummy plants: to encourage their use, place herbs in a sunny spot as close as possible to the kitchen door.
Water savings: install a smart irrigation controller. If you live in Winter Park apply for a $100 rebate – search Winter Park Weather Based Smart Irrigation Controllers. Call 407-599-3597 for more information.
Turn off irrigation prior to a freeze
Take control: keep vines out of trees to prevent additional wind load and moisture held against the bark.
Pain relief: immediately use a meat tenderizer with some water to make a paste to apply to ant bites or bee stings.
Trunk strengthening: During tree planting, make sure a stake it is not tightly tied to the trunk or rubbing against it. Trees need to move in the breeze, so their trunks develop properly and not flop over.
Smart planting: install plants so the top roots at the trunk /stem are about one inch above the soil. If needed, remove soil above the roots
Proper pruning: when trimming branches do not leave stubs.
Brrrr: when a freeze is predicted, turn off the irrigation so plants aren’t damaged by ice.
To hold mulch in place, lower the soil next to pavement.
Hortus Oasis (FL26000315) in Winter Park is a boutique garden design company specializing in residential, commercial and specialty gardens. Stephen is a registered landscape architect and Kristin is a certified landscape designer. Contact them at Hortus Oasis (FL26000315) in Winter Park is a boutique garden design company specializing in residential, commercial and specialty gardens. Stephen is a registered landscape architect and Kristin is a certified landscape designer. Contact them at 407-622-4886/ [email protected].
Credit: All photography by Stephen G. Pategas/Hortus Oasis
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