With fall and winter on our door steps you’re probably thinking you’re out of the woods when it comes to deer damage in your backyard landscapes. Wrong. Actually, fall and winter mark the beginning of the worst seasons for deer damage. Deer will eat just about anything in the winter — their food supply is very low and they can’t be choosy. They’re hungry enough to eat vegetation that they ordinarily would not choose to eat.

As with other wildlife, land development has reduced deer’s natural habitat. Combine that with a lack of natural predators and easy access to your landscapes and modern-day deer not only survive, they thrive!

The most important thing to understand about fighting deer is that it’s easier to prevent damage than to react to it. So it behooves you to know your enemy and stay at least one step ahead of them. Deer are creatures of habit — they establish feeding patterns and return to the same spot over and over again, even when that same spot stops offering enough food for them.

Even just a few deer can cause significant damage to your landscaping. A single whitetail deer can consume, on average, 8 -12 pounds of foliage a day and in many areas of the country, deer overpopulation is a serious problem. With nowhere to go and not much left to eat in the dead of winter, deer can wreak havoc on shrubs, trees and gardens, and destroy new buds and leaves before they have a chance to grow, ruining your prospects for any spring growth.

Here’s a quick list of the tell-tale signs of deer in your backyard:

1. Rub marks on trees where bucks have rubbed their antlers to mark their territory; the tree bark is actually rubbed off.
2. Any kind of torn vegetation is also another telltale sign, deer do not have incisor teeth, and therefore, they “rip” the vegetation when they bite into it.
3. If your damage is found off the ground, up to 6 feet, small animal damage can be ruled out.
4. Deer tracks are also easy to identify. The prints are about 2 to 3 inches long and are shaped like broken hearts.

So what do you do to keep the deer out of your backyard? There are loads of “home remedies” that have been tried with varying results … human hair, soap, pepper spray, even a battery operated radio, creating constant noise and fooling deer to think humans are in the yard! These remedies might work sporadically, but they are not reliable deterrents for deer.

Then there’s fencing. Properly built and maintained fencing can be an effective method for preventing deer damage. But, deer can jump up to and clear an 8-foot fence on level ground, and they can easily push and remove plastic netting. Installing a 6- to 8-foot fence can be an effective solution to some extent, but fencing is costly and can be quite unsightly.

Perhaps one of the most effective and easiest methods to deter deer are repellents. Deer repellents are designed to impart objectionable odors or tastes.

Bobbex Deer Repellent is a topical, natural, proven effective foliar spray used to deter and prevent deer, moose, and elk from browsing and causing other damage to ornamental plantings, shrubs, and forest trees. Bobbex is a blend of ingredients that are beneficial and totally innocuous to plant development. The active ingredients are a series of proteins making the product extremely safe for use on the most sensitive plantings.

Tested by the Connecticut Department of Forestry against 10 known competitors, Bobbex was found to be 93% effective, second only to a physical barrier. This product works by smell and taste aversion, can be applied in almost any climate or temperature and will not wash off after heavy rain. It dries clear and although there is a slight odor, it will dissipate within 24 hours of application (to humans but not to deer). And, it will not burn plant material.

Repellents should be used in fall months even though plants are no longer at their peak. If applications of repellents are interrupted, deer may lose their conditioning to avoid previously treated plants. Regular spraying trains deer to seek nourishment elsewhere.

Particularly at risk in the fall and winter months are shrubs that keep their leaves throughout the year. These shrubs include rhododendrons, arborvitae, holly, and yews. In winter, repellents should be sprayed at temps above 35 degrees F. This will prevent the mechanical action of water freezing on leaves and drawing out the moisture from the leaf.

This fall and winter protect your plants and shrubs and create your own boundaries for foraging deer. Now you’re in control, just spray Bobbex and watch those doggone deer disappear from your backyard landscapes.

For more information on Bobbex, retail store locations and repellents for other garden pests like rabbits, groundhogs and squirrels, visit www.bobbex.com

For your chance to win a set of Bobbex Deer, Bobbex Rose and Bobbex R, simply share this post on your Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter or My Space page and post below where you shared the post. A winner will be chosen on May 1.

Spring is the time of year when many gardeners wonder about pruning and tidying up the garden. While it may be tempting to trim everything to make it look tidy this is not the best way to go. It is important to know what plants you are growing, when they like to be pruned and if they should be allowed to go to seed or not.

A popular plant, for both rose and herb gardens, is lavender. After a long winter, lavender plants can look scraggly. The foliage, which will be grey can look dead to many people, however rest assured it will green up shortly. Spring is not the time to trim lavender plants and can even kill them if you do trim them. The best time to trim lavender is directly after it blooms. Lavender should not be mulched with wood chips either.

Spring blooming shrubs should not be pruned either until after they have bloomed. If you prune them before they bloom you will be cutting off many of the buds.

Spring blooming bulbs such as tulips and daffodils should be deadheaded as soon as the flowers fade. If the flowers are left on, seed will set. This will take away the energy that would be put into the bulbs, which will make them have smaller flowers next year. The leaves should not be cut off of these spring blooming bulbs either until they are completely brown and dry.

In the herb garden, plants such as thyme and savory should be trimmed. This will help keep them from becoming leggy later in the season. When you trim these fragrant plants be sure to take the clipping inside to use in your culinary creations.

Watch for iris borers in the perennial garden. If you find any, destroy them immediately. If they are in the leaves you may be able to save the rhizome but once they have made it into the rhizome it is best to destroy the entire plant. Other chores in the perennial garden include pruning asters, mums and sedums as soon as they get 6” tall. This will keep them bushier so they don’t flop over and create more blooms.

Finally, help conserve water in your garden by adding a pinch of Soil-Moist or a similar product to the planting hole of water loving annuals such as begonia, impatiens and petunias. Take the time to mix it into the soil well and allow it to settle before planting. You can also add this to containers and hanging baskets to help them retain water.

Following these spring gardening tips should help insure a successful garden this coming year.

Repairing a neglected landscape can be tricky. Deciding where to start first and then figuring out what you have to work with is the hard part. One of the easiest ways to begin is by clearing out all of the dead or diseased plant materials. Raking leaves, removing broken branches and picking up trash or other debris is one of the first steps in dealing with a neglected landscape.

Identifying Plants in a Neglected Landscape

Once this is done allowing the shrubs and trees to leaf out or bloom will tell you what they are and how to prune them. Many bulbs will emerge during spring or early summer. As soon as the foliage on these plants die back you can dig them up, divide them and then replant them. Perennials should be dug up and divided as well especially if they are overgrown. Extra plants can be used to make a new bed, shared with friends or neighbors or donated to a local garden club sale. Determining what you have to work with can be intimidating, especially if you are new to gardening. Don’t worry so much about botanical names. There will always be time to find out what exact variety you have. In the beginning just learning the difference between a hosta, phlox or daylily will be enough. For the more advanced gardener learning the botanical names of the treasures you find in a neglected landscape can be half the fun. Depending on the original age of the garden you could find many heirloom, rare or endangered plants. Rather you are a new gardener or a seasoned hand if you do come across a plant you are not sure about, don’t dig it until you get a professional opinion. Some plants such as native orchids have very specific growing requirements and should not be disturbed.

Redesigning a Neglected Landscape

Once you have figured out what plants you have and what you would like to keep it will be time to consider your garden design. If the original garden was well designed it may not need anything more. However if the garden was poorly designed or not designed to your liking you will need to choose a new design. If you are creating a new bed be sure to work plenty of organic matter into the area before planting. Lay out walkways, seating areas and other aspects such as a pond or cooking area before beginning to plant. Make the walkways wide enough that they can easily be used. If your beds are quite large put some stepping stones in various places throughout the beds so you have a way to get in and work. Once the hardscape is done go ahead and start planting. Have fun with your new design and remember that your garden will be your own unique work of art so it does not have to appeal to anyone but you.

With the nicer weather, many of us are preparing our garden for spring planting, or hardening-off our plants for the upcoming season. If you hadn’t already removed all the dead flowers from your garden last fall, be sure to keep an eye out for leftover seeds that may still be hanging on the dead foliage and sprinkle them in your garden.

As for tropical plants, getting them accustomed to wind, rain, and sunshine is a good idea. Be sure to limit the amount of time you put them outside, and do keep an eye on the temperatures. If the temperatures are below 50 degrees F be sure to keep your plants indoors. Gradually increase the time they spend outside each time, by late spring, your plants will be ready to enter the garden.

Even if your garden consists mainly of tropical and exotic plants, be sure to plant old standbys such as Roses, Iris, Wildflowers, and various herbs and perennials. Impatiens and Petunias are always a great choice for color from spring through fall. This year venture out of the standby Impatiens and try odd colored ones such as yellow and bi-color Impatiens. These can be purchased from Glasshouse Works, and although the initial investment will be more, the response you get from visitors to your garden will be well worth the cost.

If you are designing a new garden think about putting in a water feature. Water features can be as simple as a fountain or as elaborate as a full fledged pond. If you choose to install a pond be sure to think about the placement of the pond, the plants that will grow around it as well as the wildlife that may inhabit it. Placing a pond within eyesight of a window in your home will provide year round enjoyment.

Now is the time to get seeds of flowers and vegetables started so they are ready to plant once the last frost date for your area is over. You can raise these seeds under grow lights or in a greenhouse if you have one. If you use a greenhouse don’t forget to heat it when the temperatures dip. By preparing now your garden will look great and you won’t have to buy as many filler plants when the nurseries do open.

March is here and plants are already hitting the shelves in stores. For those of you who ordered through one of the many various mail order companies that can be found online or through various catalogs, those orders are beginning to roll in as well.

However it is a bit risky to begin planting these items in our yards. Most of the plants are either bare root or contain a minimum amount of soil or other suitable packing material that really won’t allow the plants to survive for very long unless they are properly planted.

While it is possible to open many of the packages, put a few drain holes in the bottom of the plastic baggies and water them on a regular basis until it is safe to plant them outside, sometimes this technique can be unsuccessful. When plant roots are surrounded by plastic, the heat from natural or artificial lights can cause them to overheat and die. It is also difficult for plant roots to properly breathe when they are wrapped in plastic.

Sometimes the plants arrive as bare roots or maybe even the bulbs you purchased are beginning to grow but they aren’t in soil. This too can be a real problem if it isn’t handled properly. While some plants and bulbs will be ok like this for a short period of time provided they receive the proper care and watering methods, it is not a wise choice for the typical home gardener to attempt to get these plants to survive under these harsh conditions.

Here are a few tips to ensure that your plants will remain healthy and be ready to move into the garden after the last frost date. If possible, pot the plants up. For the time being it will not harm the plants to grow them in a sunny window. If they are not budding out, you could place them in a garage or basement for the time being but don’t forget to water. Temperatures of at least forty degrees should be maintained for this brief time period.

When you water plants that are living under cooler conditions you will need to water less frequently. You do not want the plants roots to freeze. This could mean instant death for the plant. Bulbs that are wet and then freeze usually turn to mush when they begin to thaw. If you decided to grow the plants indoors until proper planting time, be sure to check the soil at least weekly to see if it is dry.

The biggest mistake people make is in their watering techniques. Over watering is just as bad as under watering. The trick is to learn when the soil is slightly on the dry side and then water. To determine this, stick your finger down into the soil and see what it feels like about a half an inch down. Once you have finished watering, be sure to dump the excess water that has collected in the tray underneath the plant. The only exception to this rule is if the plants soil is so dry it cannot readily absorb the water.

Keeping your garden looking good during the dog days of summer is easy as 1-2-3 provided you follow a few basic steps. Adequate water and fertilizer are two of the most important steps that you can take to ensure continual bloom and keep your plants healthy.

Deadheading of both annuals and perennials will allow the plants to continue to replenish the spent blooms. Once a flower dies, if it is not removed by either pinching or cutting it off the flower will go to seed. In essence what this means is that the plant will spend its energy making the seed so that it can reproduce instead of making more blooms.

Liquid fertilizer is a good choice for giving your plants the extra boost they need. Occasionally spraying the foliage as well as watering at the base of the stems can help your plant get a much needed boost. When watering it is best to begin in the early morning hours so that the foliage can dry off before the mid-day sun hits the plant.

Watering in the evening can promote fungus and disease. Wet foliage and cooler nighttime temperatures can spell disaster for many plants.

When you mow your lawn, recycle the grass clippings. You can use them as mulch in your garden to keep weeds down, let them go back onto the lawn or put the clippings in the compost pile. Grass should be allowed to grow to three inches tall for maximum health.

There is still time to plant additional rows of beans, leaf lettuce, radish and cool weather crops such as cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts and spinach. You can also plant succession crops of zinnas, pansies, violas and snapdragon right now for late fall bloom.

Now is the time to make sure all of your tomatoes are properly staked, trim hedges and give chrysanthemums a final pinching for the season. Pinching your chrysanthemums back will encourage your chrysanthemums to bush out giving you more blooms this fall.

Eliminate standing water in your garden and around your house. No one wants the West Nile Virus. Standing water is the perfect place for mosquitoes to breed. Don’t forget to tip over empty pots and check saucers for excess water if you use them. Floating mosquito repellants are available at places like Lowe’s and are perfect for water features in the garden.

Harvest herbs early in the morning when their essential oil content is at its peak. Also now is the time to remove ripened foliage from spring flowering bulbs. You may want to mark the spot so that they do not accidentally get dug up later.

Be sure to scout the garden weekly for signs of pests. Japanese Beetles are out right now. There are various methods that can be used to get rid of them. Do not use the beetle traps as this simply attract more to your garden. Companion planting with garlic and tansy is said to help rid the garden of these bothersome pests. Another tip is to fill a jar with soapy water. Make sure the jar has a lid. Walk your garden several times a day flicking the beetles into the jar. Be sure to cap the jar. The next day the beetles can be disposed of by flushing them down the toilet or emptying them into a sealed plastic bag and sent to the trash.

Following these few simple steps will ensure that your garden stays ablaze with color throughout the dog days of summer and into the cooler fall days.

It seems really odd to me that I am now writing on landscaping. My friends come by to see my garden and simply say that I am the creative one who always has to do things in a big way. Well, that thought could be debated a time or two.

My garden somehow never stays the same no matter how well I plan it. I am forever finding a plant that would do better elsewhere, digging it up and moving it. Needless to say sometimes with the perennials I don’t get each and every piece so I end up with two or three areas that have the same plant.
In a way this is kind of neat and in another way it’s aggravating, especially if the intention was to completely remove the plant. One year I accidentally forgot to dig some mint that was growing around my pond which wasn’t all bad in itself except the mint began to spill over into the water taking up room that was intended for water plants. However, the cool smell of mint and the relaxing sound of the water moving did make for a nice relaxing retreat.
For about two years now I’ve been absolutely obsessed with growing roses, lavender and pink babies breath together. The lavender and roses grow, but the pink babies breath dies every time.
Another favorite landscape trick of mine is to intermix tropicals and perennials. One year I grew Shasta daisy, iris, daylilies, peonies and bananas in a grouping. It was quite a sight to see the banana peering above the flowers. Taller perennials will also help to hide pots if you tuck the pots into the clusters just right. The trick to this is to plan your groupings so that there is a space just big enough for the pot you want to stick in.
One thing that I absolutely must do before I plant is to put weed cloth down. I know it takes longer to plant the garden and sometimes seems like a waste if your plants are close together, but it does work well for keeping maintenance down. Although I enjoy my garden, weeding it is another story altogether.
This winter I have spent lots of time reviewing different landscaping software programs. To date, of the ones I have reviewed, the Garden Composer is my favorite mainly because it offers tropical plants in its selection. Here are my thoughts on this particular program.
Garden Composer
This is an interesting garden design software program for Windows. It does include tropical plants which is a real plus. There are over 6,000 different plants to choose from with more than 10,000 images.
It takes a little time to learn how to use it. It definitely requires knowledge of the program but once you get the hang of it, it’s easy. The program also requests exact measurements of buildings and other permanent structures.
This program does allow you to view your garden during different seasons and different years. It also includes a plant encyclopedia which gives precise care instructions and other plant related information including information on pests and diseases.
The biggest difference I saw with this program was the fact that it did offer a choice of tropical plants which I really liked. It also allows you to update the database on the internet.
For more information on this product, please visit their website at http://www.gardencomposer.com