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Ground Covers The best known ground cover, a lawn, is unsurpassed as a surface to walk and play, but where foot traffic is infrequent or undesirable; many other ground cover plants can offer much of lawn’s neatness and uniformity with considerable less maintenance. Most garden or landscaped areas contain spots that can be enhanced with the use of ground covers. Ground covers offer all sorts of textures and colors and many are noted for their colorful flowers. Ground covers ar

Winter and Water Plants need less care in winter, but it’s important to not neglect watering your plants over the winter months. Some ice or wind damage is unavoidable, but a lot of cold weather damage to plants’ cells is caused by dehydration. Follow the steps below to make sure your plants have adequate hydration in the winter. Step 1 Water your garden thoroughly in the fall and deeply water newly planted trees and shrubs. Plan to give the plants and trees a deep watering e

9 Steps to Rid Your Lawn of Fleas & Ticks Blood-sucking fleas and ticks pose potential harm to your family and pets. They hide in your lawn and can cause problems from simple skin irritation to spreading disease. Control fleas and ticks in your lawn with these simple tips. Mow it right. Mowing your lawn to the proper height reduces flea and tick hang-outs. Both of these insects hide in longer grass. Avoid overwatering . Fleas and ticks prefer moist environs. An overwatered o

Looking for a fun way to involve the kids in your gardening activities? Here’s a project you can do together that lets the little ones leave their mark on this year’s fall vegetable garden. Just take two parts adventure and mix it with one part art project and you have a lot more than colorful stone garden markers. You have proud artists and budding gardeners who have a ‘stake’ in this year’s garden. Part One: First. Gather the stones. Depending on where you live, you may

Life is not easy for plants in the dog days of summer. Stressed out from heat and humidity, spent after months of pumping out lush growth, flowers, or fruits, and sensing a coming change in season, they need a bit of extra TLC right now to keep them thriving till the cooler days of fall and winter. We face the same challenges you do in your home garden. Here are a few tips from our experts who know a thing or two about keeping plants happy. Add Mycorrhizae to Soil Add what? M

June is still a good time to plant colorful summer annuals, such as Lantana, Penta, Angelonia, Purslane, Portulaca (rose moss), Periwinkle, Begonia, etc. Most shrubs, trees, perennials, and ground covers may still be planted in June as long as adequately watered. Crapemyrtle, Althaea, Vitex, and Desert Willow provide excellent summer blooms. Fertilize new plantings with Fertilome Root Stimulator. Hibiscus, Esperanza, Plumbago, Bougainvillea, etc. also provide great summer col

Plant Selection Choose your tree or shrub based on your landscape needs, like flowering, evergreen, screening, hedge, shade or border. Be sure to consider the ultimate size of each plant – which tends to be different in Oklahoma than what you’ll read on a generic label. Speak with a TLC Expert for guidance in selecting the proper tree for your location. Call OKIE Call OKIE at 811 to have your utility lines marked before planting. This service is free of charge, but takes 48 h

The most important component of gardening: Soil. The success or failure of gardening depends heavily on how gardeners prepare their soil. Understanding your soil will give you insight into watering and fertilizing your plants. The result is healthier, more beautiful plants. A lucky few are blessed with naturally good soil, but most soils in Oklahoma need improvement. The best investment a gardener can make to ensure hardy plants, luscious blooms and abundant fruit and vegetab

Succulent Survival Cacti & succulents come from various regions of the world. Both encompass many different varieties of plants. Therefore, most of the time, they aren’t sorted or named when you see them in store. Fortunately, though, the care for these cacti and succulents are similar. Light Many cacti & succulents can sustain and grow with at least medium light. South facing windows work best in Oklahoma. Depending on the plant variety, intensity of the sun or time of year,