House Plants that acutally Clean the Air!!!

Twenty years ago,

Bring a leafy friend into your home and breathe easy! Research shows that potted plants clean up indoor air. Plants won’t substitute for good ventilation, but they can capture "off-gas" of hazardous chemicals from furnishings, cleaning supplies and building materials.
http://www.oeconline.org/resources/livinggreen/athome/healthy-kids-tip-furniture-flooring
OEC Oregon Environmental Council222 NW Davis St. Ste. 309, Portland, OR 97209
503.222.1963 - www.oeconline.orgfound that potted houseplants filter formaldehyde, benzene and other hazardous gas out of indoor air. More research confirms that philodendrons, English ivy, spider plants, weeping fig and many others contribute to well being. Don’t reject gerbera daisy or peace lily plants when the blooms fade; they are good air cleaners, too.

Ponds in the Winter

Winter
Winter is the time to relax and plan you next pond. The pond plants and animals will be resting and require almost no care. You just have to keep the pond from freezing solid.

Winter Tasks:

• Keep pond from freezing solid :
• As organics decompose in the pond they can produce toxic gases that could be trapped in the pond if it is covered by ice for more than a few days. It is important to keep at least a small area free of ice so that these gases can escape. Do not break the ice as the shock waves created can damage or kill your fish. One of the easiest ways to do this is with a floating pond de-icer (or use boiling water)www.classicgardencreations.com. This device floats in the pond and has a built in thermostat to turn the heating element on when the water temperature drops below 40 degrees. They can also be used to keep a small pond from freezing solid allowing you to keep your fish alive.
• If filter systems, pumps, waterfalls, etc. are going, check daily for leaks due to ice jams.
• You can turn off the pumps and filters for the winter. Cold water holds much more oxygen than warm water and the fish's respiration is slow therefore you should not need the circulation and aeration. The bacteria in your biological filter does not work in cold temperatures so the only reason to run the filter is to keep the bacteria alive. If you turn off the pump and filter for the winter be sure to drain all plumbing. External filters, UV's, and external pumps will need to be drained. Submersible pumps should be left in the pond or in a bucket of water in a warm place to keep the seals from drying out. If you choose this method be sure to clean the filter before starting up in the spring.
  
  Monitor water levels and add water if the pond gets low.
• Plan for any new plants, fish, or other animals you want to add next year.
• Check pond daily for dead fish, leaks, overturned pots, or other problems.
• Stop feeding your fish after the water temperature has dropped to the upper forties.
• Also when the water temperature has dropped into the forties, reduce the circulation of the pond water by either turning off the pump for the winter and draining of all the plumbing or preferably by placing the pump or the intake to the pump closer to the water outlet (waterfall etc.) and pick up water from mid-level of the pond. Also turn down the water flow. Keeping the water flowing through your biological filter allows the bacteria to live therefore giving good water quality early in the spring.
  
  http://www.classicgardencreations.com/

Time to Plant New Trees!!

The best time to plant any kind of tree, particularly deciduous types, is in the dornmant period between late October and March. Have the site chosen and prepared (well-worked soil with added organic matter and fertilizer) in advance, as young trees should be planted a soon as possible after delivery. When planting in turf, make sure the circle of planting area is sufficiently large to avoid any competition for nutrients and water with the surrounding grass.
Here is a good tip on how to plant a tree:

As a general rule, trees should be transplanted no deeper than the soil in which they were originally grown.  The width of the hole should be at least 3 times the diameter of the root ball or container or the spread of the roots in the case of bare root trees.  This will provide the tree with enough worked earth for its root structure to establish itself.

http://www.classicgardencreations.com/

Roses: Time to Order Bare Root

If you've ever been to the Portland Rose Test Garden you know how many amazing choices of roses are out there. Upon a recent visit, we were in heaven. All of the beautiful colors and the sweet fragrance made us want to expand our own garden.

Why are we bringing up roses now,  when the season is over? Because it is now time to order bare root roses for planting this winter.

One of our favorite sources is David Austin. Visit their web-site at http://www.davidaustinroses.com/ for a vast selection of colors and varieties. 

If you are not in the market for new roses, the site provides tips on care for roses. Here is some information we came upon for pruning:

Winter pruning English shrub roses

Winter pruning should be done when the season begins to warm up and the small buds begin to swell. This will be January in the warmest zones but not until April in the coldest ones. In the colder zones, wait until the worst of the frosts have passed. As a simple rule, prune your shrub to approximately half its size, aiming to create a nice rounded shrub. Always take time to step back and look to check that you are forming a balanced shape overall. Finish by cutting out any dead or weak stems. The only time this rule does not apply may be in the first year when the plant is still establishing. In this case prune more lightly, leaving two thirds of the shrub.

Pruning is not a precise science and you should never worry about doing any harm. You can easily adjust the size of your plant by altering the amount of growth removed when pruning. If you want a smaller shrub, it is fine to prune down to one third of its size (fig 1. line 1). If you want a larger shrub, prune to two thirds its size (fig 1. line 2). If you have taken our advice to plant English Roses closely together in groups of three, prune the three roses into the shape of one magnificent shrub. It is generally recommended that you always make a sloping cut an inch or less above an outward facing bud. Experienced pruners tend to do this quite naturally but there is no evidence to prove that this makes a significant difference to the performance of the roses.

http://www.classicgardencreations.com/