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Use Containers to Brighten the Winter
Brought to you by the Association of Landscape Contractors of Colorado
Even though you can't be growing petunias and pansies this time of year, that doesn't mean all your outdoor containers have to be packed away until spring.
Filling them with different plants and other natural materials as the seasons change keeps that focal point of seasonal interest going on your porch. In the wintertime, in particular, containers bring a bright spot amidst the cold, dormant landscape.
Here are some tips for keeping porch containers working through the winter.
Turf Health: ID and control of Red Thread
What is Red Thread?
by Cheryl Cone
Red thread is a common disease in lawns of western Oregon and Washington. Diseased areas of lawn vary in size and shape and appear scorched. This time of year you will often see red at the tips of the dead grass, thus the name “red thread.” Red thread occurs during the cool, wet periods from fall until spring and is caused by a combination of two fungi. Only the leaves and leaf sheaths are attacked. Lawns that are growing slowly because of the lack of nitrogen are most severely affected. Red thread is seldom serious enough to kill the lawn.
Pruning Hydrangeas
Knowing if your shrub blooms on old or new wood
will help you make timely cuts
by Janet Carson
Although hydrangeas do not require annual pruning, occasionally snipping these plants can improve their performance.
I know people are confused about how to prune hydrangeas because I get asked about it all the time.
Photo/Illustration: Melissa Lucas
Native Plant Selection Guide
Native Plant Selection Guide
from the Portland Bureau of Environmental Services
Introduction
The table is a compilation of information from several sources (see Publications in Appendix). It is designed to help select the "right plant for the right place." It does not include the complete list of plants native to the Portland area. It does include those most commonly used in residential settings, most readily available at retail nurseries, and plants suited to a wide range of growing conditions.
click on link for full article including table: www.portlandonline.com/bes/index.cfm
Calculating Areas
LANDSCAPE MEASUREMENTS:
Many landscaping projects begin with determining the area to be improved. This is usually calculated as square footage. Once the size of the area is known, the quantitites needed of many landscape materials can be calculated.
