With Ohio’s lingering winter it seems like spring will never arrive. During these months it is important to mulch your garden to protect it from the harsh conditions of freezes, thaws and winds. It can mean the difference between plants living and dying. Listed below are some tips to help you protect the beautiful garden you have spent countless hours creating.
VIEW THE FULL ARTICLE
The genetic ability of plants allows them to sense the atmospheric changes and adjust in advance of them. Warm winter temperatures do induce growth and flowering, cool temperatures slow down the growth rate and race to flower.
Do’s
1. Water the plant before the ground is frozen.
2. Know what works well for this season. Festive, colorful strains like Winterberry will work well.
3. Prune your plants when the branches are without leaves. Remove waterspouts, dead or crossing branches.
4. Use winter mulch when ground begins to freeze.
5. Tie down trunks and spray anti-transpirant to evergreen to prevent winter burn.
6. Adding compost up to 3″ thickness. This will supply organic nutrients to the soil.
Don’t
1. Garden plants go dormant and rest. Adding Fertilizer is like forcing them to start new growth before the ground warms in the spring. This interrupts this period when they are rejuvenating and ice storms and temperatures below freezing or even hard frosts will kill tender new growth.
2. Do not follow your regular watering cycle. During dry periods when the ground isn’t frozen or covered with snow, a once-a-week deep watering is beneficial. New plantings especially need to be watered in.
3. Worry about bulb foliage. Leaves of daffodils and other spring-flowering bulbs should be just fine during temperature dips.
Keep in mind to evaluate your garden the previous year and decide the changes needed. Its always easy to draw garden plans on paper.
Buy the highest quality topsoil at Jones Topsoil Columbus Ohio.
Dec03
How to Choose the Correct Size of Limestone for Your Project
Comments Off on How to Choose the Correct Size of Limestone for Your Project
Did you know building a driveway or parking lot can increase the value of your property? Choosing Limestone, with its grayish-white color
can enhance the landscape and is a less expensive alternative to an asphalt or concrete driveway or parking lot. It is important to know the correct size of limestone needed and if you need multiple numbers of limestone to complete your project. Here are a few examples of numbers of limestone needed for driveways and parking lots.
First, the base of the driveway or parking lot should be filled with large stone
s. Number 2 Limestone is commonly used and is 3 to 4 inches of clean crushed limestone. This size resembles a lemon or grapefruit. Also, it cannot be shoveled by hand, so a skid-steer loader or dozer will work well to put the rocks in the desired position.
Secondly, add number 57 limestone rocks on top of the base. These ¾ to 1 inch rocks resembles a golf ball and weigh 1.25 ton per cubic yard. Use a scraper blade to place the rocks along the area and then go over that later with a metal roller pulled behind the equipment to pack the rocks down.
Lastly, top the area with number 8 limestone. This crushed limestone is 3/8-1/2 inch in size. As you place these rocks on top make a crown along the length of the driveway, higher than the sides. This allows for proper water flow. Once rocks are packed by a roller, the driveway or parking lot should be done.
If your next project involves building a driveway or parking lot, order your limestone from Jones Topsoil in Columbus, Ohio. Jones Topsoil has been serving Central Ohio for 85 years and specializes in providing top quality Topsoil, Mulch, Gravel, Limestone and Sand deliveries to your home! To place your order or learn more about our services contact us online.
Oct02
Protecting Columbus Topsoil During Winter
Comments Off on Protecting Columbus Topsoil During Winter
With the Columbus fall in full swing, it’s time to start preparing your topsoil for the hard Ohio winter ahead. A common side effect of extreme cold and frost during the winter months is soil erosion. Erosion occurs when the earth’s surface becomes corroded, dissolved or worn away, resulting in the decomposition of earth leaving non-level surfaces, generally affected by water, ice and other weather conditions.
The negative effect of erosion is that it results in the loss of nutrients and decreases the overall soil productivity, limiting the amount of air flow to plants and organisms in the spring and summer months. Many people think of winter as a time to walk away from the yard work and prepare for spring planting, however, the truth is quite the opposite. There are various methods to protect your topsoil throughout fall and winter to better prepare it for spring time.
VIEW THE FULL ARTICLE
Mulch is a material that is spread on the ground or around or over the plant which:
- insulates or enriches the soil without allowing it to decay
- to conserve moisture
- to improve the fertility and health of the soil
- to enhance the visual appeal of the area
Topsoil forms the upper 3-10 inches of the earth’s surface. An active part of the natural lifecycle, that soil is richer in nutrients than the subsoil beneath it. Topsoil forms when large rocks break down and other organic matter gradually adds to the mix. One inch of topsoil will take as much as 100 years to form.
VIEW THE FULL ARTICLE
Garden mulch can be a gardener’s best friend. Made from either organic or inorganic material, mulch insulates roots, retains moisture, reduces disease risk and helps prevent weed growth. Mulch also makes gardens look neat and finished.
Used properly, mulch will cut back on water needed to maintain the garden by retaining soil moisture. When soil dries out, plant growth slows and weeds flourish. Mulch will not eliminate weeds, but it can help control them. A thick layer of mulch makes it difficult for new weeds to push through to the surface, and it will also prevent germination of new weeds by blocking sunlight. The weeds that do persist can be easily pulled. Even if they break are are cut off at the soil level, weeds will eventually die.
VIEW THE FULL ARTICLE
VIEW THE FULL ARTICLE
Gardening is a great practice of growing and cultivating plants as a part of Horticulture. The cold winter has dragged on and left us gardeners in a tizzy. But early spring is the most exciting time to be a gardener. A gardener is a person who does gardening professionally or as a hobby. Gardening can be of single typed or multi typed. If a gardener likes a particular type of plant or fruit he may just grow those types of plant or tree.
VIEW THE FULL ARTICLE
HAPPY CUSTOMERS
I had 8 cubic yards of topsoil delivered to our house for use in a new flower bed. The representative I spoke with was very friendly, helpful, and professional. The soil was delivered the same afternoon I called.
The service was very quick. They offered to bring it out the same day but we had it delivered the next day. They showed up on time and delivered our topsoil.
This company was great. I had originally scheduled them to come on a Friday, but when I saw that the weather was going to be bad that day, I called on Thursday and asked if they could deliver that day instead. They agreed right away and delivered at the exact time I specified. The driver was actually waiting for me when I pulled in the driveway. He quickly pulled his dump truck into my driveway, dropped the topsoil exactly where I asked him to, took my check, and drove off. It was all very neat, orderly, and efficient. I love them!
The SoilPlus was worth every penny. It was great quality soil and so easy to work with. The driver who delivered the soil suggested he dump the soil in our beds rather than on the driveway as planned. What an excellent suggestion-saving us hours of work!
They delivered mulch and gravel to my house for me. They were on time with the delivery. I would use them in the future. They were courteous and kind. They were professional. The quality of their work was good. They were able to deliver it to me the same day. They were very responsive.
