Happy New Year folks! Now, go get those pruning shears!

Yep, that's right go get those pruning shears and get busy....if you have roses that is. So in honor of the Rose Bowl and the Tournament of Roses Parade here's a few tips on pruning roses.

I can't tell you who gave me this piece of advice when I first moved to the High Desert but someone gave me a tip that the best time to prune roses was right after the 1st of the year. Why? Well for one I was told that if pruned too early roses could possibly begin to leaf out too early which could lead to possible damage and inferior flower production due to the freezes we get here. Now how true this is I couldn't say. I can say I've never done it any other way. So I honestly don't know how true this really is. But I can also say this, in all my years of living in the desert and taking care of roses this way I have never had a problem with any rose bush I've ever grown. They have always produced healthy blooms in great abundance.

But it's more than just the timing when to prune, it's how to prune. Roses love to be pruned so you should never be afraid you are cutting them too much. In fact you can always tell when a rose bush is neglected because they just begin to look sickly and straggly. Oh and a brief side note: The only time I would say not to trim roses is in that dormant period of mid summer when roses are at rest, catching the breath for fall bloom. Do this trimming in late spring after the last bloom.

Make sure that the canes to be pruned are cut to about a foot above the bud union, which is the junction of the canes and the shank. Do this with all the "strong" canes. These canes are quite thick, robust and very healthy looking. They have a good color to them. Dark with a bright reddish hue. Make sure you cut out completely any "weak" canes which are usually quite thin and discolored. Make sure you always cut strong canes at a 45 degree angle about a have inch above all nodes. The node is that part of the cane that looks a little like your knuckle and usually will have an even darker reddish hue compared to the rest of the cane. You don't need to be nearly as precise when thinning undesirable growth.

Cut out all "cross-over" canes as well. Those are canes that cross-over the strong canes or grow towards the center of the plant. Also cut out all what are called "redundant canes". These are canes that are usually more thin and grow adjacent (parallel) to the strong canes. It really is this simple to prune roses. Oh, and don't forget the most important thing. Wear gloves! Make sure you wear good gloves preferably leather to avoid all those nasty pricks and scrapes you can get from pruning roses. Follow these simple steps and you too will be rewarded with healthy growth and abundant blooms in the spring.

Kalamazoo Outdoor Equipment blog

Kalamazoo Outdoor Equipment has just published their blog involving all aspects of outdoor cooking. Enjoy.

Gourmet Patio Outdoor Cooking and Entertaining Blog

What makes a good hardscape design?

Recently this was the question that was asked in a group discussion on a business networking web site I frequent. There were many great answers, and perspectives that were offered by both landscape architects and designers. For me however my answer had more to do with the basic use of the landscape space in question than anything else.

As designers we can be blessed with a client with an unlimited budget when it comes to materials, plants and all manner of various accoutrements but that budget makes no difference when it comes to designing a functional space that flows properly and most importantly, comfortably. My belief, and this is really in keeping with good design, is that no matter what type of hardscape materials are to be employed and no matter what type of plant material that is to be placed in the landscape none of it matters if the overall space is improperly conceived, laid out and installed. Now don't misunderstand. I'm not suggesting materials and plants aren't important because they certainly are. However what I am suggesting is we can use the best of everything but if the space is awkward, disjointed or otherwise uncomfortable in any way it will be abundantly clear and the space itself could become highly undesirable.

Now this notion may seem fairly evident, and hopefully it is, but as a client you might be very surprised to learn how the poor use of space can effect the use of a landscape. No client wants to find this out after spending their hard earned money on the installation of their landscape so it pays to think ahead about how you plan to use a space now and how you may plan to use a space in the future. Consider not only your present needs but your future needs.

To reiterate it makes little difference how much is spent on a landscape if the basic structure of that landscape and the effective use of the space are thought out poorly and hard to use, or similarly awkward or disjointed.

Tips on protecting plants from the cold from CLCA

In a recent article in Lawn and Landscape the California Landscape Contractors offered advice on how to keep plants safe as the temperature drops. It's a little late for the season but still practical advice:

Tips on protecting plants from the cold from CLCA