Here are a few ideas for incorporating water into your landscaping design:

• Orb fountains. Orb fountains are orbs – or round stones – of various sizes that bubble water out of their tops. The beauty of using orb fountains is that they are attractive without being distracting, and because they come in a variety of sizes, you can purchase smaller ones that might fit within your budget, or you can buy large ones to be focal points of your landscaping design if you have the money to spend. You can even have custom ones made, such as ones made out of bowling balls to be more unique.
• Bubbling containers. These are similar to the orb fountains in that they are made of stone and bubble water out of their tops, but in this case, they are more like flower pots. In fact, you can even make some out of flower pots of any size. Again, this is an attractive option for those who are operating on a tight budget, or if you have limited space, as bubbling containers of any size can be incorporated into landscaping design for a small yard or a large one.
• Salvaged lawn ornaments. Old ornaments that lived in your garden or yard can also be transformed into water features. If you have a stone ornament, you can drill a hole through it and affix a pump at the bottom of it. Place it in water and disguise the pump with some other decorative rocks, and you have a new water feature that bubbles water. This is a great idea for those looking to repurpose old lawn ornaments or who, again, are working with limited funds.

As you can see, it is not hard to include water in your Macomb County, Michigan landscaping design. You are only limited by your imagination, as virtually anything can be turned into large and small bubbling water centerpieces that can be great conversation pieces for you and your guests as you enjoy your outdoor gathering place.

A. Annuals or perennials, which do you prefer?  In the past 5 years gardeners have added more perennials to their gardens with perennial sales increasing year after year.  Possible reasons for the rebirth of the perennial could be the large selection of plant varieties, ease of plant care, and the ability to create an ever-changing garden.  On the other hand, annuals offer a blanket of color that lasts throughout most of the growing season.  There are many popular annuals that have an amazing array of color to choose from.   Once planted, all that is usually needed is water and fertilizer.

If I were to list all the varieties of perennials it would fill this page, and new plant hybrids are introduced every year.  The new introductions may feature a new color shade, a color variegation of the leaf or a variety that grows differently than the original plant.    It is fun to bring home a previously unfamiliar variety of perennial to watch it grow and blossom in your yard.  You will learn about the new plants as they grow throughout the season.  Even if the spot you choose to plant it in is not the best choice, the perennial can be moved to a new location for the following season.  As you receive seed catalogs or browse through gardening magazines, you can choose which varieties of perennials you want to try in your garden.

Most perennials will flower for 2 to 4 months each season.  Before or after the flowering time you will only have a leafy plant.  Some perennials have colored leaves that add interest to the garden.   Most perennial gardens will have a variety of plants throughout the landscape so that anytime of year there is interest in the garden.  Mixing varieties that compliment each other also adds to the spectacular flower show of perennials.  Leaf texture should also be considered when combining different varieties in a planting bed.  Grass plants, for example, stand out proud during the winter months above a blanket of snow.

Don’t be afraid to mix perennials and annuals in your garden.  Decide this winter which new plant varieties you would like to try next year.  Whether you buy small plants from catalogs or larger established plants from the garden center, you will be pleased with the added interest your garden will have.

A.  Pesticide applications are just a part of the overall control of pests. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is the taught method of control by Michigan State Extension Service and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).  This method teaches you to utilize all available resources to control pest damage.  Included in these control measures are water management, proper fertilization, pruning, natural controls and lastly pesticides.  The key to a successful IPM program is to monitor the pest problem, determine what level of damage warrants action and using a combination of control methods to prevent the pest from causing extensive damage.

Pesticide application may be one of your choices of control.  Today there are more pesticide choices available even though some pesticides such as Diazionon and Dursban have been taken off the market.  The EPA favors pesticides that do not have a long residual life and have a narrow target of control.  Fewer beneficial insects are killed when pesticides are applied that have only selective control.

The first and most important thing to do before using a pesticide is to read the label.  Note mixing instructions, environmental hazards, application rates and safety instructions.  Before you mix and spray or spread, always wear protective gloves, safety eyewear as well as long sleeves, pants and a hat.  Do not eat or smoke when mixing or applying pesticides and avoid inhaling the chemical.  Determine which direction the wind is coming from so you can stand upwind while applying.  Pick up or cover any toys, pet food containers or food prior to application.  Water sources can be easily contaminated by overspray and run off so leave an untreated buffer zone around garden ponds, bird baths, streams and lakes.

Always try to mix only the amount you will be spraying and spray what is mixed accordingly to the directions.  Unused pesticides still in the original concentration can be returned to the original container.  It is hazardous to dump unused pesticides down the drain.  Avoid any mix-up by always storing pesticides in their original container with the label attached.  Triple rinse empty containers before discarding and spray equipment before storage.

A. The choices of materials for patios and walkways are patio blocks, poured concrete, clay and concrete brick pavers installed on sand and brick or stone mortared onto a concrete base. All of these have been used for years and have their advantages and disadvantages. Style, colors, cost, and durability should be considered when choosing what type of patio you want.  If you are going to install the patio yourself you should consider how much expertise is needed to install each type of patio.

Patio blocks are probably the easiest to install.  The blocks are larger, so they can be installed quickly with minimum base preparation.  Patio blocks come in many colors and styles. Poured concrete and pressed concrete are the two ways of manufacturing blocks. The poured block is made from wet concrete similar to pouring a concrete sidewalk only the cement is poured into molds.  A pressed block is made by compacting damp concrete into a slab with great pressure. Patio blocks are installed over a base of 3-4” of sand, graded for drainage and compacted so the patio base is solid.

Poured concrete patios have been around for a long time and are typical if you have an inground swimming pool.  They are less expensive than most types of patios.  Usually a contractor is hired for the installation, but a homeowner can install a small project.  The base of most concrete patios is a few inches of compacted sand.  The drawback of concrete is the susceptibility of cracking and heaving caused by our winters.  Within the last few years, more companies have been offering concrete with color and textures pressed into poured concrete.  The finished product looks great and is taking over the market of the traditional poured block

Another type of pressed block, which is growing in popularity, is the exposed aggregate pressed block. These blocks are stronger and more decorative.  The pebbles on the surface of the block resist wear and are available in different colors.

Dry laid (on sand and gravel) paver brick patios in Macomb are very popular.  Pavers are made of either concrete or clay.  Clay pavers are usually in the red or brown tones and most are rectangular in shape.  Clay pavers are installed over a base of sand usually 5” thick.  Concrete pavers are available in a wide range of colors and styles.  The styles are a little more contemporary than the traditional clay pavers are.  The growing trend in concrete pavers is tumbling the bricks so they have an old world look to them. Concrete pavers are stronger than clay pavers are and the prices between the two are fairly close.  Concrete pavers are usually installed on a 5” base of slag stone and sand.  The sand filled spaces between the pavers acts as an expansion joint allowing the patio to give from the effects of winter.  The strength of the dry laid patio to resist heaving and settling comes from the sand and gravel base locking together to disperse the weight from above.

Pavers or natural stone mortared onto a reinforced concrete base is another option.  This type of patio is very nice but is also the most expensive.  Natural stone like flagstone and bluestone or pavers can be used.  A solid subsurface and concrete with reinforcement wire is used as a base for the surface materials to be mortared onto.  If the base is not prepared properly a crack in the concrete can crack the surface materials also.  When hiring someone to install this type of patio, it is best to go with a landscape company in Macomb that has a lot of past experience.

A. Successful plant growth in our gardens is reliant on the soil it grows in.  Soil condition is often overlooked and can make or break the efforts of the gardener in creating a thriving landscape. Unfortunatly, in many neighborhoods the rich topsoil is removed before the homes are built and the poor soil from the basement excavation is used to fill in around the home.

Clay, sand and loam are the three main types of soil.  The particle size of the soil is what determines the classification of soil.  Clay is made up of very small particles.  When compacted, these particles are so tight that very little air or water can penetrate into the soil. Some clay in the soil is good because it will retain moisture and hold nutrients better.  The nutrients in the soil bind to the clay more than sand so less is leached into the ground water. Sand is just the opposite; the soil particles are large, creating a lot of air space. Nutrients are leached through the sand quickly requiring frequent applications of fertilizer.  The texture of the sand allows water to drain though quickly.  Loam is a mixture of large and small size particles containing more organic matter.

Organic matter is the remains of decaying plant material.  Composts are rich in organic matter.  Adding compost to your planting beds and tilling it into the top 6 inches of the soil is the best way of improving the tosoil.  Compost can be purchased in bulk and can be delivered to your home or you can create your own compost pile in your yard from yard and plant waste.  Other natural soil conditioners include bark products, peat moss, manure, and coco shells. Composted pine bark is a soil conditioner that can be purchased in bags or bulk.  Pine bark can range in size, depending on how it is screened, from 1/8^th inch to 1 inch.  Pine bark can also lower the soil ph.  In our area the soil is usually too alkaline and needs to be lowered slightly.

When added to poor topsoil, organic matter will bind the soil particles together allowing clay soil to crumble and sandy soil to hold moisture.  With an improved loam soil you will find your plants will grow healthier, stronger and require less watering.  Soil rich with organic matter provides nutrients to the bacteria, earthworms and microorganisms living in the soil.  These will then provide the nutrients that the plant can absorb.

The results you see above ground start with the soil below.  Without the proper topsoil plants usually will grow poorly.  Whenever you buy new plants to add to your landscape don’t forget amend the soil.  A good rule of thumb is to mix one-third organic matter such as compost, peat or composted manure with two thirds of the loose soil that came out of the hole when planting.

A.  Yes, I’m sure you can do the job.  All you need is about 30 minutes 2 or 4 times a year and a little observation during the growing season.  Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a program promoted by municipalities and universities that promotes the use of healthy horticultural practices to reduce the amount of pesticides needed on your lawn. Besides fertilizer, lawns need proper watering and sunlight.  By monitoring the lawn throughout the season you will be able to pick up on subtle changes that indicate insect or disease problems.  Bring a small patch of lawn into your local garden center for diagnosis help.  When you identify problems early it is easier to correct the situation.

Quality granular fertilizers are long lasting and include micronutrients such as iron, manganese, sulfur, etc.. These ingredients will help darken the green color of the lawn and allow it to grow stronger. Last year Greenview introduced their Fairway blend, a new extra long lasting fertilizer that only requires 2 applications per year.   Inexpensive fertilizer usually contains quick release nutrients, which if applied incorrectly greatly increase a chance of burning your lawn.  In most situations you get what you pay for.  A quality lawn fertilizer program for a 5000 square foot lawn will cost about $40 for the season.  I have used Greenview fertilizers for many years and highly recommend their products.  They offer a satisfaction guarantee.

Insect control may or may not be needed on your lawn.  More than likely your lawn will not need it unless you have had problems last season.  Insecticides should be used sparingly and be sure not to use your lawn sprinkler system after applying. Unless you find insects doing damage to your lawn why introduce unnecessary insecticides into your environment. When you apply insect controls to your lawn year after year you will start to kill off the beneficial insects and earthworms that are your natural safeguard.

During the growing season every lawn will have a few weeds sprout.  It works best to always have a spray bottle of spot weed killer around for the occasional spray when you see new weeds developing.  Spot application of weed control will reduce the total amount of weed control products needed on your lawn and you will control most weeds before they overtake your grass.  The fertilizer you apply will help the lawn thick and control weed growth.

A.  Spring is here. Ready or not soon the grass will be growing and the flowers will start to bloom. It will be wonderful to see green again soon. There are a few things that can be done now to save time and frustration later.    The lack of snow has made the lawns turn even browner than normal.  On the bright side, our yards are not as wet as normal.  Enjoy it now, we live in Michigan and the weather is sure to change overnight.

The following is my early spring to-do list for the lawn and garden:

1. Prepare your hand and power tools for the season. Hand tools need to be inspected to seed if they need sharpening, oiling or even replacement.  A quality hand tool allows the owner to disassemble it for sharpening.  Check your pruners, loppers and hedge shears for sharpness.  A dull cutting tool will rip the plant instead of cutting.  This can lead to brown edges and the opportunity for disease infection.  If you don’t feel comfortable sharpening them yourself, take them to your local hardware store for sharpening.

Lawnmowers need attention this spring also.  Check the blade for sharpening, change the oil and spark plug, and clean or replace the air filter.  Mower blades should be sharpened at least once a year.  A dull blade will tear the grass blade.  Don’t wait too long to do this task, lawnmower repair shops will get busy very soon.

1. Lawn care starts before the grass turns green. Remove all the twigs, leaves and junk that has accumulated over the winter.  Leaves from last year are one of the carriers of plant diseases.  By removing all last years’ infected leaves you will help control the disease spread this year.  Cut the grass one setting lower than normal for your first cut of the year.  You will not believe how fast your lawn will turn green once you cut it.  Cutting it lower for the first time will remove a lot of the winter brown grass too.  Remember to raise the blade height back up after that.

Fertilize the lawn to promote strong growth.  Spring and fall are the two most important times to fertilize because the grass is actively growing and thickening.  A thick healthy lawn can withstand the stress of the summer heat much better.  A quality fertilizer like Greenview can promote green growth as well as strong root growth.  Crabgrass preventer can be applied as a combination product at this time.  Last year we had a very dry summer.  Which promoted crabgrass to flourish.  So this spring there will be plenty of crabgrass seeds around waiting for the warm weather to start sprouting.  If you have a thin lawn, I recommend applying crabgrass preventer now to save headaches trying to get rid of it later.  Preen has a new product this year called Preen for Lawns.  It will fertilize and prevent crabgrass like other products, plus it can prevent broadleaf weeds from germinating later.  Until now we had to wait until those weeds came up to control them.

Less maintenance is needed if you over seed the bare spots in your lawn now before the hot weather.  Mother Nature will take care of the watering for us with the spring rains.  In shady spots, the seeds can get a foothold before the leaves on the trees get thick. If you have too much shade, try pruning off a few lower branches to increase the amount of sunlight getting through.  If you are going to seed do not apply the standard crabgrass preventer because it will prevent your grass seed from germinating too.  Use a product called Trebel when seeding to prevent crabgrass.  It will allow the new grass seed to come up.  The other option is to chance it and only apply a seed starter fertilizer without any crabgrass control.

1. Prepare the shrub and flower beds before the weeds pop up. Apply Preen now in your shrub and flowerbeds to prevent weeds later.  Preen comes in granular form and it stops seeds from germinating when you lightly sprinkle it in your planting beds.  Do not apply it to your garden if you are planning to sow seeds, however, you can still plant flowers and shrubs because it is only controls seeds.  If the weeds have started to come up, cultivate the soil a little to knock down the existing growth. Mulch will also help control weeds too.  Plus mulch helps hold the moisture in the soil for the plants and cools the soil during those hot summer days.

It is time to fertilize the shrubs and trees.  Whether you prefer organic fertilizer or processed fertilizer, granular is the way to go.  Granular fertilizer will slowly release for weeks, allowing you more free time to enjoy the garden.

Get outside and enjoy Michigan’s weather!

A. The term “lake safe fertilizer” refers to a fertilizer which contains mostly slow release nitrogen and is low in phosphorous.  Nitrogen promotes green color and growth and phosphorous promotes root growth.  Both of these nutrients in our lakes and rivers promote excessive vegetation growth including algae growth.

How these nutrients get into our lakes can come from a variety of sources.  Soil leaching and run off are two sources related to lawn fertilizing.  Improper farming fertilizing techniques and sanitary sewer overflows are other sources of lake fertilizer pollutants.  Liquid fertilizer and unprocessed urea nitrogen fertilizer if improperly used can easily end up in the lakes instead of in your garden of lawn.  Heavy rains can wash the fertilizer into the drains.  Clean excessive fertilizer off the paved surfaces and do not apply just before a heavy rainstorm. Another problem is fertilizing too early when the ground is still frozen since the fertilizer can not enter the soil.

Quality lake safe fertilizers contain slow release nitrogen and are low in phosphorous. Many include micronutrients such as iron, manganese, sulfur, etc… These ingredients will help darken the green color of the lawn and allow it to grow stronger. Greenview recently introduced their Fairway formula fertilizer line, a new long lasting fertilizer that only requires 2 applications per year.   Only two applications a year are needed because of the slow release nitrogen.  There is also a zero phosphorous blend too.  Other “lake safe” fertilizers are Turf Nurture, Espoma’s Turf tone, Milorganite, Osmocote and a few other less known brands.  When shopping for fertilizer as the professional at your local garden center to show you the lake safe fertilizers they stock.  Only fertilizing 2 or 3 times a year is another great benefit to applying slow release fertilizers.

Insect control may or may not be needed on your lawn.  More than likely your lawn will not need it unless you have had problems last season.  Insecticides should be used sparingly. Unless you find insects doing damage to your lawn why introduce unnecessary pesticides into our environment. Broad spectrum insect controls applied to your lawn year after year you will start to kill off the beneficial insects and earthworms that are your natural safeguard.

During the growing season every lawn will have a few weeds sprout.  It works best to always have a spray bottle of spot weed killer around for the occasional spray when you see new weeds developing.  Spot application of weed control will reduce the total amount of weed control products needed on your lawn and you will control most weeds before they overtake your grass.  The fertilizer you apply will help the lawn thick and control weed growth.

Though a garden ponds can be as simple as a few plants in a small tub, many people get started in water gardening by purchasing a plastic preformed pond, a pump and filter.  This setup will work great for a while, however  after a few years most people want to build a bigger pond.  They want more water sound, a stream or waterfall.  That is when they start looking into liners and more efficient ways to filter the water.

Pond kits containing everything you need except for rocks and boulders are available for about $730 for an 8×10 pond or $1,200 for a 11×16 pond.  You can also buy pieces ala-carte to custom build any size you desire or to add to or modify an existing pond.

A liner pond can be built to any size and can include streams, multiple connected ponds and waterfalls.  Rocks and gravel hide the liner and are useful in naturally keeping the water clear. At the top of the pond is the bio falls.  This is a box that contains filters and rocks or some other material that is used to help grow natural pond bacteria that reduces the algae in the pond. A skimmer box at the opposite end of the pond from the water fall will collect most of the debris that lands into the pond.

The first step is to lay out and dig the pond.  Laying a hose on the ground in the outline of the perimeter works great for this job.  Next, set stakes and pull a level string over the area we are digging for a reference point.  Now start digging the hole.  As you dig you need to build shelves in the pond.  The first dig will only be 6-8” deep in the entire area.  Then mark a smaller hole inside of the first hole and dig out another 6-8” down.  By doing so you are stepping down the bottom of the pond to create different levels to set small boulders on and bog plants that like to grow near the water surface.  The next small area to be dug is the deeper spot so the fish can survive the winter and plants such as lilies can grow at the bottom of the pond.

Next, dig a hole adjacent to the pond to install the skimmer.  The bio falls are placed at the opposite end of the pond and the soil removed during the digging is filled in around the bio falls.  The bio falls is at the top of the pond and the starting point of the water falls.  The pump is placed in the skimmer and the hose connects the pump to the bio falls.

Once the hole is dug and any rocks or roots are removed, a thin layer of sand is placed on the bottom and on the shelves.  Landscape fabric will now be placed in the hole before the liner to protect the liner from punctures from below.  Then the liner is installed and excess liner is folded.  Smaller rocks from 4-10” are placed around the walls of the pond, and edges.  Smaller gravel is used to line the bottom and shelves.  Once all the rocks are installed they can be hosed down in place.  Your pump can be set at the bottom to remove the dirty water.

The water fall is next.  This is the fun and creative part of pond building.  First create a step down trough of soil to hold the water fall.  Make sure there is enough liner to extend into the pond and hold in any splashing water.  Find some natural stone for the falls.  Flat stone without sharp edges works best for ponds to reduce the potential for cutting the liner.  Starting below the ponds finished water level, stack up the stone using concrete or pond foam to seal up the gaps behind and between the stones.  By overlapping stones you can direct the water where you want.

You can now fill the pond and test the water falls.  Hide the edges of the water with stones but do not trim the excess pond liner until you are happy with the edges.  Spots around the edge with a lot of excess liner can be turned into planting bog areas.  This will make your pond more natural looking.

Add plants in and around your pond to naturalize the look.  Fish can be added after the pond has been running for a few days and the chlorine is gone.  Over the next few weeks the ecosystem in the pond will balance and the pond water will clear up naturally.   Happy ponding.

A.  Flowering rhododendrons and azaleas steal the show each spring.  Their beautiful blooms are so spectacular it is no wonder that they are so popular.  Rhododendrons are not native to Michigan, but are very adaptable to our landscape.  Azaleas and rhododendrons will do well with the right soil conditions and the proper planting location.  We can amend the soil to create the proper soil conditions, but for best results we need to carefully choose the best planting location.

Proper planting is essential for azaleas and rhododendrons.  The exposure of the plants to winter winds and sun needs to be limited.  Generally azaleas and rhododendrons do best on the north side of a building, solid fence or wall. Another spot may be between established evergreens for protection from high winds and the winter sun.  Some of the smaller leaf varieties of rhododendrons and azaleas will tolerate more exposed locations.

These plants like moist soil conditions but not soggy soil.  A well-drained location that will receive rainfall or irrigation is best.  To test your soil for drainage simply poor a bucket of water in your hole, if it does not drain in a few minutes you have poor drainage.  The soil drainage can be improved by raising the level of the soil.  Do this by tilling into the top 6” of the soil a mixture of compost and topsoil.  Raise the soil level up to the point that your soil will drain when you do the water test.  This is usually 3-4” of soil at a minimum.  Adding organic material such as sphagnum peat moss, compost or pine bark will help keep the soil loose and even lower the pH of the soil.

The pH of the soil for azaleas and rhododendrons should be between 5.0 and 6.0. You can test your soil if you are unsure of the pH level with some simple one-time testers.  With these testers you simply add a small amount of soil to the test container provided and then fill with water and shake.  After the soil has settled you compare the color of the water to the chart provided to determine the pH.  There are some more elaborate testing methods available also, but for 99 cents it gets the job done.  To lower the pH you add iron sulfate (Ironite works great) or aluminum sulfate.  Lime will raise the pH if you soil is too acidic.  In most cases you will be lowering the pH.  Mix the Ironite or aluminum sulfate as directed on the package into the soil before planting and around existing plants.

Azaleas and rhododendrons do not require as much maintenance as most people think. If you prepare the soil as we described above the soil will hold enough moisture between watering and still drain off the excess.  A layer of mulch will hold the moisture in the soil so watering will only be once or twice a week depending on how dry the weather has been.  Avoid daily watering for it may lead to root rot diseases.  The easiest way to test the soil to see if your plants are receiving enough water is to gather a small amount of soil from just below the surface.  Squeeze a handful of soil.  If the soil is crumbly when released you need to water more.  If the soil is wet enough that your hand gets wet then you need to cut down on the watering.

Fertilize your plants with granular fertilizer made just for azaleas or rhododendrons in late spring and again in late summer.  A soil acidifier such as Ironite is also recommended in your fertilizing program.  Liquid fertilizers such as Miracid are fine, only they need to be applied more often since they are not slow release.  Organic fertilizers like Espoma Azalea and Rhododendron Food will last for months giving your plants a steady supply of nutrients.

Pruning the azaleas and rhododendrons should be done after they bloom.  Pinching off the spent flower will transfers the plant’s energy to growth instead of seed production.  By removing the terminal bud on the taller branches you can push the growth on the lower branches, producing a more dense plant.

A healthy plant is your strongest defense against insects and diseases.  Black vine weevils are the insects that have been known to attack rhododendrons.  A saw-toothed chewing on the leaf margins indicates the presence of adult weevils.  The larva from these weevils does the most damage to the plant by eating at the plants roots.  Control can be achieved by using nematodes (a beneficial microscopic worm) or Merit, produced by the Bayer company, a systemic insecticide which travels throughout the plant killing the insects when they eat the plant.

Proper installation of azaleas and rhododendrons is the key to success for you.  By following the guidelines above your plants should thrive. Try planting exbury hybrid azaleas or P.J.M. rhododendrons if you do not have a protected northern exposure.  These varieties are hardier and can withstand more exposure to the wind and sun.  Now lets enjoy the show of our azaleas and rhododendrons.