APRIL 4, 2013
LANDSCAPING 101
BY JANIE GINOCCHIO
I
PLANTING TIME
’m in the process of buying my first home, but my biggest worry is what to do with the yard. I turned to Jennifer Gibson at GOOD EARTH GARDEN CENTER to give me some tips on landscaping basics.
• Spring is a great time to plant anything — trees, shrubs, sod, perennials and annuals. • Plant with Espoma BioTone Starter Plus for best root development. This contains mycorrhizea with can increase the amount of water and nutrients the plants can uptake by up to 1,000 times. • For best blooming on annuals, apply a water soluble fertilizer such as BR-61. (Seriously, it’s like a steroid for your plants!) • Apply pre-emerge product in your landscape beds before mulching. This will keep weed seeds from germinating and really cut down on summer work. • Apply mulch; it helps the soil retain moisture and reduces the occurrence of weeds. Be sure that the mulch is at least 3 inches deep.
DO YOUR HOMEWORK • Study the area before planting to learn how many hours of sun the area gets and whether it is afternoon or morning sun. This determines whether to shop for sun or shade plants. • Consider how much maintenance you are willing to do, and be realistic. Then choose plants accordingly. • Bring pictures of your landscape in to the garden center so the horticulturist can best evaluate your space and provide accurate advice and recommendations.
BE PREPARED • Soil preparation is the most overlooked part of landscaping. Arkansas soils are not great; mixing in compost and sand can make all the difference. In annual and perennial areas, add a good potting soil blend to lighten the soil. The Good Earth brand potting soil is a great choice; it contains pH balancers, Actino Root protection, perlite and even a light fertilizer charge. • Have your sprinkler system assessed for breaks, leaks and necessary adjustments. As plants mature, sprinkler heads may need to be moved or raised. If you have container planters, consider having your sprinkler tech add drip lines off your system to cut down on hand watering.
Seasonal color shown here: Sandflower (Scavola), set off by tropical Hibicus.
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS • Create focal points near your front entrance. • For visual interest, vary the colors and textures of landscape plants. • Have pockets of annual or perennial color. A few large areas of color stand out better than many small areas. Plant in odd numbers, in groups of three, five or seven plants. • Avoid the runway effect created by putting plants in straight rows, unless you have a formal landscape.
(Jeans!)
2616 Kavanaugh Blvd. • Little Rock 501.661.1167 www.shopboxturtle.com
6th annual
LAWN MAINTENANCE • Have a lawn program in place for fertilizing and weed control. Bonide and Ferti-Lome both have a great programs. Add reminders onto your calendar so you don’t miss applications; you need to be preventing weeds all year round, with applications every 60-90 days. During the growing season, apply products such as Bonide Phase 2 that have both weed preventer and fertilizer in them. So there you have it. Of course, this is just a starting point – if you have any questions or need expert advice, the team at Good Earth is always available.
Benefiting the
timmons Arts foundAtion Saturday, april 6 Show STarTS aT 7:30pm VIp mIxer begInS aT 6:30pm
general admISSIon $35 VIp $55
hearsay ➥ Don’t miss out on DREAMWEAVERS’ Second Saturday Sale, scheduled for April 12-13. Choose from a large selection of rugs, throws, pillows and mirrors and affordable prices. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 12 and 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 13. ➥ Thinking about taking music lessons but want to make sure you and teacher are the right fit? Take advantage of LITTLE ROCK JAMS’ free trial lesson. Little Rock Jams offers lessons for guitar, bass, piano, voice, drums and banjo, and also hosts monthly jam sessions and workshops. ➥ If you’ve been scouring the city for the perfect farm table, then head to OLIVER’S ANTIQUES in Jacksonville, where they can custom build one to your specifications. For more information, call 501-982-0064.
We Love
➥ This month’s ARGENTA ART WALK is scheduled for 5-8 p.m. April 19. Stroll down the picturesque streets of North Little Rock’s downtown and check out the artists featured at PAINT BOX GALLERY, GREG THOMPSON FINE ART AND CLAY TIME, among other galleries and stores. ➥ Let out your inner “Achy Breaky Heart”-era Billy Ray Cyrus fan by attending the MULLET MADNESS event, scheduled for 7-11 p.m. April 5 at Next Level Events. The fund-raiser for KidSource Inc.’s Freedom Reins hippotherapy program has an 80s theme and features live music, food and drinks and silent and live auctions. Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. For more information, visit www.mulletmadness.net.
Metroplex event Center 10800 Colonel Glenn road
Tickets can be purchased at Jeante’ One of One, Vogue Visage, Box Turtle, Butler Furniture Depot, and online at dcfplr2013.eventbrite.com For more info, contact info@timmonsarts.org or 501-221-1792
ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO ARKANSAS TIMES
APRIL 4, 2013
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