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Having chosen the location and decided upon the size and shape of your beds, you are next ready to prepare the soil. Rev. F. Page-Roberts, an ex-president of the National Rose Society of England, has said: “After years of rose-growing in places far apart, I think it is not so much the soil and the climate, as the care and skill of the cultivator that wins success.”

A very successful grower of roses in New York state once remarked to a meeting of his rose society: “I would rather plant a 15-cent rose in a 50-cent hole than plant a 50-cent rose in a 15-cent hole.” He was wise. The author recalls visiting a successful private rose-garden in New England one day when the roses in one bed were being moved. Those roses had well- developed roots 3 feet long, because the bed in which they were growing had been prepared to that depth, and the top- growth and bloom had been luxuriantly magnificent, testifying to the value of deep and thorough soil-preparation.

When Noah laid the keel for the ark, the placing of those foundation timbers was relatively not more important than is laying the foundation for future years of rose-growing, for those periods - not only of flood but also of drought - through which your roses must pass and later come up smiling.

Now ample drainage is one thing that must be provided, if you are to court success. “Wet feet” are no more conducive to health and happiness for roses than for children. Examine your soil; if there seems a need, provide drainage. Remove the soil from your bed to the very bottom. Place there a layer from 4 to 6 inches deep of stones not larger than your fist, broken bricks, clinkers, or other suitable material that will readily “take” the water from above. The soil is seldom so retentive as to require tiling to take the water away and, indeed, nine times out of ten no artificial drainage at all will be needed.

As to soils, the good loam so often found directly beneath the sod is excellent, but is greatly improved by being broken, even pulverized, to a depth of at least two spades and thoroughly mixed with about one-third its bulk of rotted manure. Fresh manure must never be allowed to touch the rose roots. Indeed, the more thoroughgoing way is to make sure of the nether layer of soil by removing the upper one.

First of all, peel off the sod (it will produce excellent compost; see section on “Fertilizers” that concludes this chapter); next take out the top layer of soil to the depth of 1 foot and pile it nearby. If
the soil below that is good, rich loam, or a fair mixture of clay and loam, it may remain. Loosen this with a garden fork to a depth of another foot, preferably not upturning it, and mix with it well-decomposed manure, and then put back the top layer of loam in which to plant your roses.

If, on the other hand, you find the subsoil poor, barren, and unproductive, you may have to remove it altogether. Haul it away and put your chopped-up sods in the bottom, grass-side down, to rot and make future plant-food. If you have ready from the previous year a compost made by mixing one-half or two-thirds of sod with the balance of manure from the cow- stables, use it in the bottom of your bed, and thus insure a future storehouse of rich nourishment for your roses.

Another hint: A few broken bones may be mixed with the soil in the bottom of the trench, say a peck for a bed holding a dozen roses. These will decay slowly and furnish plant-food for three or four years to come.

Not all roses like the same soils. The Hybrid Perpetuals, for example, love a heavy clay or loam; so do the heavier-growing climbers; whereas the Teas, Hybrid Teas, Bourbons and the like, revel in a lighter soil and a warmer one, with less than 50 per cent clay or loam, and more sand or leaf-mold. Rugosas thrive even in quite sandy soil.

It is difficult to give the roses too rich soil. If your soil is light and sandy, and you cannot well replace it entirely, it may be greatly improved by mixing a little clay or rich loam with it when trenching. If your soil seems too heavy, it can be made lighter and more open by adding sand, or even coal-ashes. To be good for roses, the soil must be such as will not quickly transmit to the roots sudden surface changes of temperature. The roots should be kept cool. If it be possible, after the soil in your bed has been prepared, give it time, say two to three months, to settle before planting your roses. If this be out of the question, press with your feet each layer of soil in your bed, as you proceed to fill it in.

The subject of fertilizers is important. While manure from the cow-stable is best, you can draw upon the horse-stable, sheep-pens, or pig-sty with expectation of good results, and “night soil,” mixed with dry soil, or sand, and well composted is excellent. Chicken manure may be used with caution. Well- rotted leaves are fair, but too light except for heavy soils. Commercial fertilizers, such as ground bone or guano, may be used to advantage if handled with discretion. A rule to remember is never to let any “green” or “raw” manure come close to the roots of your roses, but see that it is buried well beneath the root reach, or applied as a top-dressing. After your roses have been planted, the best time to apply manures is just as the ground begins to freeze in the autumn. Let it serve as a protection over winter, and dig it in next spring, being careful, however, not to disturb the roots.

Far better than surface-coating is the ample supply of fertilizer placed well under the roots in the bottom of your beds before you plant your roses, because roots travel toward their food-supply. By thus enticing them downward, you develop a strong, deep root-growth down into the reservoir of stored-up food and moisture, so that, when dry weather comes, they will not hunger and thirst, as they would with only surface roots. Surface application of manure-water is quite a different matter, as that will percolate down to the deepest roots.

It is said that roses draw most upon the soil when blooming, and we find we can almost see the results from application (when the flower-buds begin swelling) of liquid manure, concocted by catching the drain from the manure-pile, or from one-third of a bushel of manure placed in a bag and soaked in a barrel of water. Apply this as a weak tea, not too strong, but frequently, say twice a week. When it is more convenient, a sprinkling of bone-dust on the surface before a rain will answer the same purpose. Even with the best care, it may prove necessary in some locations, say after six or eight years, to renew the soil or move the bed, adopting the principle of crop rotation.

This is an extract from the ebook, “How to Grow Beautiful Roses”. Visit How to Grow Beautiful Roses to purchase the full ebook.

Different kinds of plants are categorized in many ways. One specific method classifies plants depending on how they are used. These uses include food, medicine, industry, or simple decoration.

Category number one is plant you can eat. These are plants that are cultivated by agriculturalists from farm crops, both commercial and privatized. These edible plants are the majority of what farms turn out. Most of the edible plants we are discussing are vegetables or fruits, but there are also many others that qualify as plants that can be eaten. Some of these are herbs, seasonings, nuts, and legumes. Nuts are nothing more than dried and hardened fruit seeds. Herbs, whether fresh or dehydrated, are just flavorful plant life. Seasonings are simply different fruits or scraps of bark that have been dehydrated for market. Some beverages, like coffee and teas, are also procured from edible plants.

Plants used for medicine is our second category. This category includes all plants that have medicinal benefits, many of which are cultivated specifically for use in prescription drugs. Medicinal plants only count in this category if they do not need to be modified chemically. Opium is one such plant, and it is used in several pain relief drugs. Codeine and morphine are two good examples. Opiate drugs are manufactured with poppy sap after it has been refined and dehydrated.

Some plants that are medically beneficial do not require any processing whatsoever. For example, witch hazel is a wonderfully effective anti-itching agent when massaged into the skin. It can be a great help for those with chronic dry skin or anyone suffering from insect bites. The yarrow plant will help the body ward off poisoning. Many plants are used as antibiotics, including garlic, which can help cure infections. Peppermint and dandelion are often employed to aid problematic digestion.

Other plants that have medicinal properties are eaten or used raw. Witch hazel can be rubbed on the skin and is helpful with itching that accompanies bug bites and skin dryness. Yarrow is a type of plant eaten to relieve poisoning. Garlic is an antibiotic and can stop infection, while dandelion and peppermint are used to treat digestive problems.

Plants used in industry are very common, as well, and as such are our third category. Some plants produce usable oil, such as the oil palm. Other plants produce fibers that can be used for clothing and other materials, such as hemp and flax.

Our last category is the decorative plant category. If you live in or travel to the suburbs regularly, you will see that it is very fashionable! Many suburban homes will have extravagant, multi-colored gardens displaying many plants from this category, as they have no use besides their aesthetic appeal. Ivies, poinsettias, tulips, a number of trees, and many types of shrubbery all fit into the decorative definition.

Placing plants into usage categories can be a practical manner if defining different kinds of plants. People should always remember how many uses these various plants give us, and how much our lives would be inconvenienced if they did not exist. This is a prime motivation to defend these plants natural habitats!

Steve Habib operates a landscape maintenance company in Florida and publishes useful, practical tips, advice and articles on several different kinds of plants free to anyone who visits: learn more about fragrant plants

When I think of my back yard, I think of rest and relaxation with family and friends. While many people enjoy being in their back yards, they are not the only ones. In fact, when you are walking around back there, you are rarely ever alone.

At any given time, your landscape and yard are filled with amazing, living things. If you are the parent of a young child, you may want to use this opportunity to explore nature with them. Not only will it be a fun experience, but it will also be a learning tool.

Birds are just a few of the many animals that can be found in your yard. There is a good chance that a large number of different birds will make their way into your landscape or garden, especially if you have a bird feeder. One of the many reasons why bird watching is fun is because of all the birds that you will see and where they come from. In addition to just watching these birds, you may want to document what your child sees.

To turn bird watching into an educational experience, you will need to purchase a few supplies. These supplies may include a bird watching book, a notebook, and a camera. Notebooks and cameras are optional; however, they are a great way to document the birds that enter your yard.

While a notebook and a camera are optional, you may seriously want to consider purchasing a bird watching book. Many book stores carry a large selection of bird watching books, including those for children. A bird guide is essential when incorporating education into this fun activity.

As previously mentioned, birds are just a few of the many living creatures that can be found in your garden or landscape. You and your child should also be able to find a large number of different bugs and insects.

As with bird watching, you may want to study and examine some of these insects. By visiting your local book store or by shopping online, you should be able to find a number of insect resource guides or books that are designed especially for children.

What is nice about most bugs and insects is that you don’t just have to look at them. A number of bugs and insects can live in small containers. If your child not only wants to see an insect up-close, but see how they go about their daily activities, they should be able to that with the right supplies.

Most retail stores, including science stores, toy stores, and traditional department stores, should have a wide variety of different insect catching supplies. These supplies may include, but are not be limited to, small cages, breathable containers, and butterfly nets.

Many children are aware of the fact that bugs and birds are living animals, but many do not know that plants and flowers are also living. For that reason, you may want to teach them about plants and flowers. Depending on when your backyard was lasted mowed, you should be able to find a number of different plants and flowers.

As with most other living things, you should also be able to purchase books and resource guides that cover common plants and flowers. You and your child may have fun comparing the plants and flowers in your backyard to those in their books.

It is amazing what you can find in your own backyard. While you may not give any thought to the plants, flowers, bugs, or birds that can be found in your backyard, your child will likely be impressed with them.

For a fun, but educational experience, you and your child are encouraged to get outside and see everything that nature has to offer. Who knows, you may find that just as relaxing as sitting by the pool with a glass of iced tea!

Al Haneson blogs about landscapers Detroit and landscapers Chicago.

Late spring is the perfect time to plant seeds for easy to grow summer flowers. The soil needs to be warm enough for germination and the spring rains will help the seedlings get going. If you want to give your summer flowers a boost start them inside in six packs. Place two or three seeds in each section of the pack. Cover gently with potting soil then water. wrap in plastic wrap and place in a warm sunny window. Check every day. When the seeds have sprouted remove the plastic wrap.

Summer annual flowers include zinnias, sunflowers, cosmos, petunias, bachelor buttons, balsam, alyssum, marigolds, vinca, poertuluca, lobelia to name just a few.

Flowers need at least six hours of full sun to bloom profusely. In very hot areas such as the Southwest and desert areas, afternoon shade is appreciated.

Prepare the soil by digging down at least six inches. Turn the soil over with a shovel. Add compost or well rotten manure and a time release fertilizer per the package directions. Turn the soil over again to mix in your ingredients.

If your flower bed is up against a wall or fence, plant the tallest flowers in the back, medium tall in the middle and short or spreading flowers in the front. The tall flowers can use the wall to lean on and won’t shade the shorter flowers.

If your flower bed is in the middle of the yard, plant the tall flowers in the center, surrounded by medium tall flowers and then ringed by the shorter and spreading flowers.

Throw caution to the wind and plant a splashy mix of all different colors, much like you’d find in a meadow. Or plant in coordinated colors. All pastels are very pretty. Pick a two bright opposing colors like red and blue and fill in with plenty of white. Orange and purple work well too with lots of white or cream. Or pick all shades of the same color like blue and then use a pop of yellow every once in awhile.

Plant seeds three times as closely as the seed package says. That gives you extra seedlings because you’ll lose some to the birds and bugs. Cover the seeds as directed and then add a layer of mulch on top. Water thoroughly. Only water when the soil looks dry not on a schedule. Too much water can be as bad for baby plants as not enough water.

After the seeds have sprouted wait until they have at least four true leaves then thin to the desired spacing.

Find more tips from Dee Power on growing roses, flowers, fruits, vegetables and container gardening at Easy Garden Care . Dee Power is the author of several nonfiction books. She and her daughter have created Party Ideas: Kids Read her Blog

When speaking of different kinds of plants, a helpful way to sort them into categories is by taking a look at the way different plants adapt to different environments. This means examining whether a given plant can endure severe climatic conditions, different soils, and varying amounts of available water. There are 3 categories to organize plants based on their ability to adapt to environments: temperature, water needs, and soil needs.

When classifying in terms of temperature, a given plant will fit into one of 4 subcategories. Certain plants are very resilient and can withstand major temperature changes. Some are not even affected by them at all! Most of these plants originate in areas where the weather normally gets very cold, often near certain evergreen trees.

Tender is the second temperature subcategory. Tender implies that plants in this category will do very well if temperatures or high and humid, but will probably not survive colder temperatures. Annual and biennial plants are included in this subcategory. These plants are most common in western countries, and make up the bulk of vegetation in Europe and North America.

Many plants are grown as food, and those also fall into the temperature category. They are split into smaller categories, one for crops grown in the warm season, and one for crops grown in the cool season. Warm seasons crops include citrus, beans, and corn. Cold season crops consist of plants like broccoli, peas, and lettuce.

The second category for environmental adapting is water requirement. This category is divided into three subcategories of plants. The first subcategory is for plants that actually live within a body of water. The second is for plants that need minimal watering, like plants that live in desert climates. The third falls in between the first two categories, needing an average amount of water.

Lastly, the third category organizes plants based on the type of soil they need to survive. This category can also be broken into three subcategories. The first is called halophytes, and includes plants that do best in heavily salted soil. The second is call acidophytes, including plants that do best in soils that are very acidic. The last subcategory is metallophytes, which includes plants that require soil with lots of metals present.

In conclusion, it is quite helpful to classify different kinds of plants based on their environmental needs and ability to adapt. The categorization of plants in this manner is determined by their climatic, water, and soil needs.

Steve Habib operates a landscape maintenance company in Florida and publishes useful, practical tips, advice and articles on several different kinds of plants FREE–
Sahara desert plants

Summer is coming and there’s nothing more beautiful than a rose bush covered with lush blossoms and healthy green leaves. How to grow roses without a lot of strain and effort? Follow these 4 tips and you can grow healthy roses.

Prepare the soil
If you’re planting a rose bush dig a hole about 1 and half times as deep as the rose bush container and twice as wide. Add slow release fertilizer per package directions to the bottom of the hole, then a shovel full of compost, a shovel of the soil you removed and a bit more fertilizer. Remove the rose bush gently from the container and set in the hole. The soil line on the rose bush from the container should be the same as in your garden. If it’s too high remove a bit more soil from the planting hole. If it’s a bit too low add another shovel of soil. When it’s just right, gently scratch the roots from the bottom of the root ball and around the sides. That will encourage the roots to start branching out into the new hole.

Fill the hole half way, alternating soil and compost with a sprinkle of fertilizer. Water thoroughly. When the water has been absorbed by the soil, fill the hole to the top and water again.

Refresh the soil
Dig a few inches deep around the base of your rose out to the edges of the bush. Remove about half of the soil and replace with compost, or bagged topsoil, mixed with slow release fertilizer, follow package directions. Add a layer of mulch a couple of inches deep to retain the moisture in the soil. The mulch will break down over the season and add organic matter to the soil.

Catch problems before they start
If you see aphids or other buggy creatures remove them immediately. Don’t wait until you get to the nursery for bug spray. Most creatures can be washed off with a strong spray of water. Aphids can be sprayed with a mixture of 1/2 teaspoon dishwashing liquid to one quart of water. Spray on the aphids. If you don’t have a sprayer handy use a sponge. It’s messier but it works.

Look at your roses as they grow and treat problems right away. Look at the leaves for disease or brown spots. Don’t get too worried if leaves are a bit yellowish-greenish or new growth is kind of reddish, that can be normal. If the veins of the leaves are dark green but the leaf itself is yellow it could be a sign of iron deficiency. That’s easily treatable. If the entire leaf is yellow that could be a sign of nitrogen deficiency, again easily corrected.

Water but don’t over water
Roses don’t like getting their leaves wet and they don’t like keeping their feet wet. Don’t water on a preset schedule. Water when the top 3 or 4 inches of soil is dry, then soak the plants.

In very humid climates don’t crowd your roses with other plants, it invites fungus diseases. In hot dry climates don’t water everyday, plant the roses so they receive afternoon shade.

Remove sent blossoms
The only purpose of a flower is to produce seed, well at least to the plant that’s the only purpose. Remove the spent blossoms and the rose will continue to bud and flower. The exception is if the rose is of a variety that only blooms once a year. In that case leave the blossoms and enjoy the display.

Follow these easy tips and you’ll have no problem growing healthy roses.

Find more tips from Dee Power on growing roses, flowers, fruits, vegetables and container gardening at Easy Garden Care . Dee Power is the author of several nonfiction books. She and her daughter have created Party Ideas: Kids Read her Blog

Imagine eating luscious red strawberries fresh from your garden still warm from the sun. What a treat and that treat can be yours. Here are easy tips for growing strawberries.

Strawberries need at least six hours of sun a day to flower and set fruit. Keep that in mind when selecting a site for your berries. Strawberry pots, those big pots with little holes in the sides are not ideal for strawberries because they dry out too fast.
Strawberries prefer rich soil. Dig down about six inches with a sturdy shovel and turn the dirt over. Remove rocks and twigs and sprinkle in a slow release fertilizer per package directions. Add a bag of compost or well rotted manure for every 8 square feet of your strawberry patch. For example if your patch is 12 feet by 12 feet you would need 4 bags. Spread the compost evenly and then turn over the soil again to mix the fertilizer and compost into the soil.

Plant strawberry plants about 12 inches apart. Strawberries grow quickly into a bush about a foot around.

Water well. Every month use a liquid fertilizer that feeds the foliage (leaves) as well as soaking into the ground. Strawberries have small white flowers between the size of a dime and quarter with yellow centers. Each plant can have from 3 or 4 berries to a dozen. Depending on the variety of the berry you buy, you can have all the berries setting and ripening at once to berries that ripen continuously over the summer.

Don’t over water your plants especially after the berries have set. Mud around the fruit can cause the fruit to rot. Test the soil to see if it needs water by inserting your finger into the dirt. If the soil is still moist up to within an inch of the surface you can wait to water. If it’s dry then water. It’s best to water deeply less often. That encourages the roots of the plant to reach down into the soil.

When the berries are showing a blush of pink think about how you’re going to discourage birds from eating the berries. This can be accomplished with netting held over the berries by tying the net to posts about one foot off the ground. Or you can try using tinsel, yes the kind you buy for Christmas decorations or specially made foil that grape vineyard use.

If slugs or snails are a problem in your area , Set out jar lids filled with beer in the evening. The slugs and snails love beer, will fall in and drown.

Don’t spray the flowers with insecticides. You risk killing the bees which pollinate the flowers turning them from flowers into berries. Use a strong spray from your garden hose to knock any bugs off the plants.

Berries don’t ripen any more after being picked so wait until your berries are a bright crimson red before picking.

Follow these easy tips from Easy Garden Care and you’ll have lush sweet strawberries fresh from your garden.

Find more tips from Dee Power on growing roses, flowers, fruits, vegetables and container gardening at Easy Garden Care . Dee Power is the author of several nonfiction books. She and her daughter have created Party Ideas: Kids Read her Blog

I was sitting at my desk typing up a report for the evening sports bulletin when I was suddenly drawn towards a bunch of foliage adorning my kitchen window ledge. I do not know why I looked up at that particular time, but what I was staring at was a healthy looking bamboo plant.

Ah, my lucky bamboo plant, I thought to myself. It was almost as if it was saying to me, you are doing a fine job looking after me. I hope I can throw some luck your way. Well, some luck I could certainly do with, but then it struck me how healthy the plant looked. You see, those who know me well will tell you that I do not have a green thumb and they will be absolutely right.

I have been known to kill plastic plants let alone the real thing. So, keeping my lucky bamboo looking a million dollars day in and day out was some effort on my part. Maybe there was some hope for me yet or just maybe this was just luck. Instead, I reassured myself that I was simply doing a fine job of raising the bamboo plant.

It was almost as if a feeling of parental bliss had suddenly gripped me and you know, right at that moment, I started to have feelings of green thumb grandeur. Maybe a couple of pot plants on the balcony or an indoor fern perhaps by the door entrance, or… This is when reality struck me head on. Who am I kidding. One successful lucky bamboo plant does not give me a degree in horticulture. Me, a plant serial killer. No, I need to quit while I am ahead.

Then a calmness came over me and the realization that if God wanted me to be a green thumb, then I would have been born with a green thumb. Why are they called lucky bamboo plants anyway? I know they are supposed to bring good fortune in Chinese culture, but here I am a westerner. So, I did some checking and yes, they have become popular in the west during the last few years.

Their hardiness is symbolic of good health and did you know, a three stalk lucky bamboo plant is supposed to bring you those three ingredients of a happy life, which are wealth, happiness, and longevity. At this point, I did a quick summary of my life and yes, I would say that I was at least half way there on all three counts.

Did mine have three stalks? I got up and checked and right at that moment I was gripped by a sudden bout of fear. Two stalks. That would be right, but what was missing wealth, happiness, or longevity? Hey, it does not matter, because two is company and three is a crowd. I do know one thing. I have come to love my lucky bamboo plant, and by the way, just so you know they are so durable they can practically look after themselves. Which brings me back to my earlier point, a green thumb I definitely do not have.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for home goods, home supplies, home automation and security. Follow these links to find the best home goods, bamboo plant, and home automation and security.

When you hire a landscape company to take care of your grounds, you can expect to be involved in landscape maintenance contracts, both for your protection and the protection of the company you choose. This contract summarizes the extent of the work that needs to be carried out and whether it is a one-time thing or an ongoing plan of maintenance. The contractor will specify the services, how they are to be carried out, when and for how long. The price is also part of the contract as well as the method of payment and the intervals between payments so that there can be no confusion about this by either party.

A landscape maintenance contract should include the following:

- the names and address of both parties ?the contractor and the customer

- the aspects of maintenance that will be provided

- the start and end dates of the service

- the cost of the service

Both parties must sign and date the contract. Although you won’t need to have a lawyer to legalize this contract, it is considered a legal document and is binding on the part of both the contractor and the client.

Another facet of such a contract should include the fact that either party can cancel the contract at any time. There can be any number of reasons for the cancellation of the contract, such as unsatisfactory work or the client decides to sell the property.

Commercial clients often engage the services of a landscape company to take care of mowing the grounds and looking after the plants and shrubs to provide a neat and clean appearance for the property. They include the cost of this service in their annual budget and know that they do not have to look for someone to do the work each time the grass needs to be cut or the trees pruned. In this way, a person with a lawn care business is assured of having cash flow available during the spring, summer and fall. In some locations winter maintenance is the same as during these seasons. If the contractor also supplies snow removal services, then the client can use the same person for all its landscaping needs.

Residential customers can also avail of these services, but they may need more education about the needs of their lawn than commercial clients. However, residential customers usually want a one-time job to prepare the initial lawn and they take care of the regular maintenance work. This is the main reason that if you do have a landscape business, you need to have commercial clients to keep your business operating all year long.

If you operate such a business you should have contracts on hand to use with your clients. You don’t need to buy any software for this or purchase any expensive contracts. There are many Internet sites where you can download them free of charge. You can then adapt the contracts to your needs and include a heading with your company name to give them a professional look.

For more information on landscape maintenance contracts, ironite, railroad ties and related topics visit http://www.ProGardenBiz.com

The Confederate Jasmine plant grows prominently in South Carolina. In the central region and areas along the coast, the plant will grow in extravagant vines. In the Piedmont, it is less common due to seasonal differences. If the vine is growing along something stable, like a fence or a tree, it can reach lengths of nearly seven yards! Without an object to support it, the vine can grow along the ground as shrubbery that can get up to two feet in height and five feet in girth, or will become proliferating ground cover. Confederate Jasmine is highly appreciated by both hobby gardeners and professionals.

The Confederate Jasmine boasts gorgeous dark green leaves that shine as they ripen. Its flowers are white and approximately one inch in diameter. Growing in clusters, they emit a very strong, pleasant aroma. The flowers of the Confederate Jasmine plant attract many pollinating insects like bees, which leads to the production of jasmine honey, a product highly sought after in the southern United States, particularly in South Carolina. Jasmine grows at rapid speeds and can aid in filling empty spaces in a garden or encourage the presence of beneficial insects.

Outdoors, the vines of the Confederate Jasmine plant can provide many decorative touches that are easy to employ. It can be planted to grow along fences or decks to add a beautiful accent, or used to fill in bare patches in a yard where the sun may have damaged other plants. The Confederate Jasmine is extremely easy to care for in the right environment, as plenty of sunlight is its primary need. Though it does need water, it will not thrive if its soil is too wet. One option is adding leaf mold to its soil to help strengthen the structure of the plants roots.

In order to encourage Confederate Jasmine to ascend fences or trees, you can simply tie its stems to the sturdiest part of the object you want it to grow along. Unfortunately, it cannot climb brick walls on its own, but it can grow along them if it is assisted with support systems. If you would rather the plant grow as ground cover, simply pinch off the parts of the plant that try to grow upright. To grow extra plants, all you need is trimmings from the original plant stems. For outdoor growing, temperatures should ideally be in the mid-50s during dark hours, and in the high 60s to low 70s during the daylight hours. Inside, the Confederate Jasmine must be exposed to the sunlight for an absolute minimum of four hours per day.

Wherever Confederate Jasmine is grown, it creates a lush, green addition to any home or landscape. Because the plant is so easy to care for, it can be an attractive source of shade for years to come. The only things you must be wary of are rabbits, which are drawn to this vine: if they are not prevented from eating the plant, they can damage or even kill it.

Steve Habib operates a landscape maintenance company in Florida and publishes useful, practical tips, advice and articles on several different kinds of plants free to anyone who visitslearn more about jasmine plants