Need help choosing Bee-Free flowers/plantings around pool/patio
mjammjam
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
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Need help choosing tall, narrow, around pool
Comments (2)Mother Nature really should turn her attention to hybridizing plants on demand designed for those difficult situations so often encountered by wishful property owners dreaming the impossible dream. Eric, I have kicked around in this landscape business for many years searching for plants that do not shed blossoms, seeds, leaves, fruits or attract bees and wasps, etc. The spot you are describing is not suitable for plants unless you are willing to clean up after them. Mother Nature really has a very clever growing plan. Plant litter which drops to the ground cold composts encouraging the development of nutritious fungi which in turn plants utilize for healthy growth. And on it goes. You are describing a very narrow planting area. Sky pencil holly probably will work best as they take well to pruning when their width outgrows the allotted space. Or, Skyrocket juniper is another consideration which takes shearing well....See MoreTall privacy plants around pool, non-flowering
Comments (10)I have a very tall podocarpus gracilior hedge around our pool on three sides which I affectionately refer to Hedgezilla. Yes, it can get big, but to keep it under control in a small, tight suburban setting as ours is, it becomes a maintenance nightmare which I've delegated to a very expensive tree-trimming company. Yes, this plant doesn't break or lift concrete or create oodles of litter, doesn't have thorns and is disease- and pest-free, and never needs water once established. (Ours has been in since the early 90s.) But, it's boring. Boring. BORING. Worst of all, it doesn't provide any wildlife benefits or visual interest. I hate it. It's the bane of my existence. I've decided to gradually replace it with a selection of plants that will be more natural looking, provide some wildlife benefits, and won't require a heavy-handed, man-made intervention on a regular basis....See MoreEndless Summer good for SW facing hedge around patio?
Comments (1)Not the ideal spot for ES hydrangea, even in MN. If you water them a lot, it can be done. The will likely still wilt during the hottest part of the day, even when well watered. Too dry for too long and they will burn. Morning sun with some afternoon shade is best. Boxwoods might burn over the winter with a SW exposure. I like Strawberry Candy Daylily....See MoreHow To Get Rid of Weeds Around Plants/Flowers?
Comments (60)I think cardboard and or newspaper, then peastraw, then bark mulch like pine it naturally suppresses weeds, also this mainly suppresses the old weeds, some will naturally pop up in the mulch as it breaks down from any seeds or new running weeds from lawns or fence lines etc. I'm creating a brand new cutting flower bed in our orchard, trying to spray the woody weeds (different ones here in our country) and then a general spray possibly a few times a few weeks apart, then layering cardboard on the stubborn areas, thick newspaper on the others, then using some cut up branches from tree pruning, then peastraw, then compost, then rinsed off fresh kelp seaweed from our local beach, then bark mulch, leave it to break down over our mostly wet winter here. Then come spring after the last frost I'll begin planting out seedling started in trays. I'll have to maintain the weeding as we get a lot of wind, may try spot treatment dab on weed killers but see how we go. Because of our compacted clay soil the lasagne gardening style seems to work well. One think I found was running weeds tried to creep into the mulch so wil try to cut out large gutters and weed spray these. Then mostly I just dig blood and bone into the planting holes. Using leaf mulch around plant bases can work too. Lots of different methods I think it can depend on what you need. I found the weed suppressant mat wasn't permeable enough for water, in a heavy rain the mulch washed off areas since the water wasn't absorbed fast enough into the soil, and then weeds actually grew on top of it anyway from seed so a waste of money in my opinion. Try libraries for newspaper, and maybe a big white ware or electronics store for cardboard....See Moremjammjam
4 years agoYardvaark
4 years agoAnny Luan
last year
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