English ivy, Hedera helix, is a popular evergreen ground cover for the shade and grows almost anywhere. It is a climbing or creeping plant with a woody stem, and can reach up to 100 feet with the aid of its aerial roots on the undersides of the shoots. Dark glossy evergreen alternate leaves are triangular, three to five lobed. In some areas, yellow-green flowers produce bitter black berries, which ripen the following year.
These plants are useful as well as attractive. Unsightly views can be hidden by growing English ivy as a screen on a trellis or unattractive structure. The vines also make an ideal ground cover under a tree where grass refuses to grow. However, it can completely enshroud the trunk and main limbs and shade out so many leaves that the tree dies due to lack of photosynthesis. English ivy is both beauty and beast. Although it is invasive, it can be beautiful if it is contained and restrained. Nancy Percivall, Committee Chair for Horticulture, provided information on how to care for amaryllis. An interesting tip on how to prevent the plants from flopping over is to give it a little alcohol – gin, vodka, etc. Alcohol reduces the amount of water the plants take up. The result is a sturdy plant a third to half as tall as an untreated plant with no reduction in flower size or length of bloom. For more information on how to care for amaryllis, click the button below.
Nancy Percivall, Committee Chair for Horticulture, gave an informative presentation on the black widow spider at our October meeting. While there are 31 species of widow spiders all over the world, the best known are the black widow spiders found in North America. Widow spiders are particularly notorious for their very potent neurotoxic venom. Fortunately, only a small amount can be injected each time it bites. To learn more about black widow spiders, click the link below.
The National Wildlife Federation’s Garden for Wildlife Program helps people restore habitat and wildlife populations to cities, towns and neighborhoods. Since 1973, the program has been educating and empowering people to turn their yards and gardens into thriving habitats for birds, butterflies and other wildlife. In doing so, the Garden for Wildlife program helps wildlife and gives people a daily connection to the natural world, literally right outside their door. For information on how to become a Certified Wildlife Habitat, click the link below.
Nancy Percivall, Committee Chair for Horticulture/Conservation, discussed the benefits of using hydrogen peroxide in the garden. Peroxide works by releasing oxygen. It acts as an oxygen supplement and seems to support both good health and strong growth for plants. Peroxide can be used as a fertilizer, to help control mold or fungus, promotes faster germination, and can be used to kill weeds. To start gardening with hydrogen peroxide, a mixing chart is provided by clicking the button below.
|
CATEGORIES
All
|