Gardening Tips and Hints

With just about any hobby or profession, there are always tips, tricks a "rules of (green) thumb" to that can significantly reduce mistakes and increase the likelihood of success. Our horticulturists and some of our more outspoken customers have pooled their ideas to help you be more successful in your garden. We hope you enjoy these "tricks of the trade."

Bulbs & Ground Covers

Spring blooming bulbs such as daffodils look great popping up through ground covers such as English ivy.

Additional Information

Bulbs grow easily with ground covers such as ajuga, daylilies, English ivy, ferns, hosta, lady's mantle and liriope. If you have ground cover established on your property, add daffodils in the fall for a showy display in spring. Most plants that are used as ground covers are tough and will quickly recover from the disturbance, so don't be afraid to dig holes and make way for the bulbs.

Mulch to Keep Weeds Out

A 2 - 3" layer of organic mulch controls weeds, conserves moisture and keeps the soil cool by shading it in summer. Pine straw, pine bark, hardwood mulch and compost are all good choices for mulch.