ghoulish planter

I wanted to be ready for the upcoming lawn judging competition in the neighborhood so I re-worked an existing planter to take on a more Halloween-esque appearance. I had a concrete planter filled with purple fountain grass, sweet potato vine, purple coral bells and petunias. With a quick switch of orange mums for the fading petunias, some cobwebs and a spider- I now have a decoration worthy of first place. I hope!

fickle fig

If your fig tree is prematurely dropping fruit and its leaves don't seem happy either, it could be in response to drought or excessive shade, moisture, or fertilization. Don't fret about your fig, just test your soil (stick your finger in the soil about an inch)if it's moist- let it dry out completely before watering thoroughly again. If it feels dry, water until it runs out the bottom of the pot. FYI- suggested cultivars for North Carolina are Celeste, Brown Turkey, Marseille, or Greenish. Good Luck!

fall prep

It's official-fall is finally here. Now is the time to do some simple prep in advance of next years' bounty. While it may be a never ending chore, leaves are an inexpensive source of organic material perfect for amending soil. Leaves and other garden cleanup are perfect for mulching and composting- but make sure to chop and shred to aid in decomposition. Save some of those leaves (enough until next fall) to add to each layer of your compost as you are building to eliminate smell and add necessary carbon to your heap.
Fall is also the time to plan and plant spring bulbs, divide perennials, and prune trees and shrubs. Aerating and over seeding your lawn is also good to do this time of year.
All in all, fall is just as important as spring when caring for plants- just because they are slowing down doesn't mean we have to!

porch drama

So I had this great idea last night to add some drama to my front porch. I recently planted a sky pencil holly for height and some ivy for trailing contrast in a simple urn. I only have an overhead porch light which at night sometimes can be blinding. I added a simple LED tap light et voila-

under construction

I am in the process of designing the look of my blog-schematics first. Check back and hopefully between work, landscaping, and Master Gardener class, I'll be able to post something creative, informative, and worthwhile.