Archives for August 2022

Flowering Annuals Will Last All Summer

An exploration of any nursery will yield an abundance of colorfully blooming annual plants. The problem with choosing annuals is that they’re typically offered during spring when they’re blooming profusely, but that may not last. There are a number of annuals that will bloom all summer long to add beauty and interest to your garden.

Ageratum

They make great container plants and can be grown in beds. Offered in blue, violet, pink and white, they grow well in full sun or light shade.

Geraniums

Annual geraniums will tolerate partial shade, but prefer full sun. They’re available in solid and bi-colors in shades of red, orange, white, lavender, pink and salmon.

Fan Flower

The annuals from Australia are pest resistant and drought tolerant. They’re excellent for growing in baskets, containers, and can be used as a bedding plant. They come in colors of blue, purple, white and pink, don’t need to be deadheaded, and do best in full sun to part shade.

Impatiens

Offered in red, purple, violet, yellow, white and pink, they perform best in partial shade where they get 4 hours of filtered sun.

Marigolds

The cheery blooms of red, yellow, orange and bi-colors in single and double blossoms are a welcome addition to any garden. Easy to grow, they bloom profusely all summer.

Moss Rose

The succulents readily self-sow, bloom profusely, do best in full sun, and tolerate dry conditions. Available with single and double blooms, colors encompass pink, yellow, white, orange, salmon, red, peach and lavender.

Tuberous Begonias

The plants are known for their long bloom season, but they require protection from the hot summer sun. They do best with partial shade where they receive 4 to 6 hours of morning sun. They’re available in single and double blooms in colors of red, yellow, orange, pink and salmon.

Zinnia

The tall, profuse bloomers like full sun. Their colors include red, purple, white, lavender, yellow, pink and orange, along with bi-colors. Hybridization has also created a pure green variety.

RCH Landscaping is a full-service landscape company based in Boca Raton, Florida. We design, install and maintain Commercial and Residential landscapes all around Boca Raton, Delray Beach, and The Palm Beach areas. Our team of highly skilled landscape technicians has an undisputed track record of creating and maintaining beautiful commercial and residential landscapes all over South Florida.

Contact RCH Landscaping Today for a Free Estimate

561-779-9760

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lawn pest control

Rid Your Garden of Unwanted Pests

A great many pests can take up residence in your garden. Some are relatively harmless, while others will devastate plantings. Signs to look for include holes in foliage, speckled leaves, and leaves that have a lace-like appearance when insects are the problem. In potted plants outdoors, grubs may have taken up residence around roots. Animals may also be feeding on the roots, leaves, stems, seeds and fruit of your plants.

Insecticides

The formulas are available in solid and liquid forms. They’re effective in addressing multiple types of insects, but they can also result in the death of birds that eat insects that have ingested plants treated with the poison. Insecticides kill indiscriminately and can be the death of pollinators such as bees and butterflies.

Insect Traps

Using Insect traps is a much better solution than insecticides and they’re highly effective. They use pheromones to attract a specific type of insect, where they’re drawn into a device and trapped. The traps can then be tossed in the trash. Another option is to plant varieties that been engineered to be resistant to the predations of insects and diseases.

Animals

A wide variety of animals take advantage of a smorgasbord of garden plants. They include deer and rabbits, and voles and mice, along with squirrels, chipmunks and woodchucks. The best solution is to erect a physical barrier to keep them out or employ live traps. New growth may be nibbled, fruit damaged or missing, or plants eaten completely to the ground. Underground pests are particularly fond of seeds and will abscond with newly planted seeds.

Clean Gardening

Make sure any soil that’s amended into the garden is clean and free of potential insect eggs. It’s also important to leave sufficient space between plants. Crowded plants are more susceptible to insect predation and have weaker growth. Be sure to remove leaves and other types of debris from the area that can attract insects.

Weed Control

Weeds can harbor a great number of insect pests and weeds compete for nutrients that make desirable plants weaker. Mulch is a good way to minimize weed growth.

Beneficial Insects

Attracting lady bugs and similar beneficial insects feed on mites and aphids, along with their eggs and larvae.

RCH Landscaping is a full-service landscape company based in Boca Raton, Florida. We design, install and maintain Commercial and Residential landscapes all around Boca Raton, Delray Beach, and The Palm Beach areas. Our team of highly skilled landscape technicians has an undisputed track record of creating and maintaining beautiful commercial and residential landscapes all over South Florida.

Contact RCH Landscaping Today for a Free Estimate

561-779-9760

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mulch

Best Time of Year to Lay Mulch

There’s a wealth of advantages to mulching the plants in any yard. The best time of year to mulch is spring when the soil begins to warm, but before the hot days of summer come rolling in. Doing so provides a variety of advantages for the plants and is easier on gardeners.

Supplements Soil

Mulch is an easy way to supplement the soil around trees, bushes, vines and flower beds. Organic mulch breaks down and enriches soil. It’s especially important in landscapes that are built on poor soil. There are many types of mulch from which to choose, with cypress, pine, eucalyptus and cedar being the favorites.

Reduces Evaporation

Mulch reduces the rate at which moisture leaves the soil. It’s an excellent way to conserve water, reduce watering, and save on water bills. A byproduct of reducing evaporation is that it encourages the proliferation of earthworms that are essential for healthier soil.

Reduces Weeds

One of the great things about mulch is that it works to minimize weed growth, which means less work for gardeners. For DIY fans, it’s a good idea to remove as many weeds as possible before laying the mulch.

Beautiful Landscapes

Mulch is available in a variety of colors that enhance the beauty and value of properties. Undyed mulch can begin to turn gray over time and may need to be replaced to maintain the aesthetic value.

Replenishment

Mulch will need to be replenished periodically as it decomposes or becomes discolored. It will typically need to be removed and replaced every 5 years or so, but much will depend on the amount of rainfall, the type of mulch, exposure to sun, and high winds. Mulch of wood bark will typically last longer than mulch composed of wood chips and shredded mulch will need to be replaced most often.

RCH Landscaping is a full-service landscape company based in Boca Raton, Florida. We design, install and maintain Commercial and Residential landscapes all around Boca Raton, Delray Beach, and The Palm Beach areas. Our team of highly skilled landscape technicians has an undisputed track record of creating and maintaining beautiful commercial and residential landscapes all over South Florida.

Contact RCH Landscaping Today for a Free Estimate

561-779-9760

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Benefits of Acidic Soil

People can spend thousands of dollars trying to “sweeten” their acidic soil, Acidic soil is typically referred to as sour and there are actually plants that prefer an acidic soil. Some of them include azaleas, hydrangeas, nasturtiums and daffodils. Acidic soil loving plants also include trees such as evergreens, mountain ash, dogwood, magnolias beech and oak. Fruits such as blueberries, raspberries and cranberries also prefer acidic soil.

Soils within a neutral or alkaline range are typically what people strive for in their planting environment. Soil can become acidic from many causes, the most common of which are rainwater and human-based activities. Rain can leach minerals from the soil and environments that receive a significant amount of rain are more likely to have acidic soil.

Carbon dioxide is produced by decaying organic matter. It reacts with water in the soil to form carbonic acid – the same acid that’s present in acid rain. Fertilizers also contribute to creating acid soils and the more fertilizer that’s used, the more acidic the soil will become.

Nutrients

There are a number of nutrients that are more soluble in acidic soils and contribute to the growth of trees. Those grown in acidic soils can more readily absorb iron, aluminum and manganese. Acidic soils have a higher concentration of hydrogen and nutrients such as iron, copper, boron and zinc.

Microbes

Some types of microbes and bacteria reproduce and thrive in acidic soils, which also play a role in a plant’s ability to use nutrients in the soil. However, acidic soil also limits the amount of decomposition that takes place of organic matter.

Solutions

People with acidic soil have a couple of solutions available to them, depending on how much money they want to invest and the type of plants they want to grow. Individuals can spend thousands of dollars to sweeten the soil through the application of lime. The other solution is to grow plants that prefer acidic soils.

RCH Landscaping is a full-service landscape company based in Boca Raton, Florida. We design, install and maintain Commercial and Residential landscapes all around Boca Raton, Delray Beach, and The Palm Beach areas. Our team of highly skilled landscape technicians has an undisputed track record of creating and maintaining beautiful commercial and residential landscapes all over South Florida.

Contact RCH Landscaping Today for a Free Estimate

561-779-9760

Read more
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