Marlene Affeld

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Garden Guides uses a knowledgeable team of editors, writers, and experts to create all our content. We dive deep into the ever-evolving conversations surrounding gardening and landscaping, striving to deliver the most current and helpful tips, strengthened by expert insight and tutorials from our talented team.

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Stories By Marlene Affeld

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    Flowers
    Flowers By Marlene Affeld November 4th, 2022

    Tall Weed With Yellow Gold Blooms Or Flowers

    Tall Weed With Yellow Gold Blooms or Flowers. "Weed" can be defined from three perspectives: agricultural-ranching, suburban and ecological, according to the Illinois Wildflower Association website. In the suburban definition, a weed invades managed landscapes and is "well-adapted to its environment, prone to reproduce itself and spread, requires little or no effort to maintain, has no obvious aesthetic or culinary properties, and doesn't require money to acquire." Weed or wildflower, there are several plants that produce golden yellow flowers.

    By Marlene Affeld November 4th, 2022 Read More
  • Structures
    Structures By Marlene Affeld November 4th, 2022

    How To Refurbish A Gunite Pool

    How to Refurbish a Gunite Pool. Gunite is a mixture of sand, concrete and water sprayed on a rebar pool frame. Plaster is then applied to create a waterproof barrier. As gunite swimming pools age, the plaster will occasionally require maintenance and repair. If your home pool has discolorations, stains, cracks, or a rough uneven surface, refurbishing can restore the pool surface to like new condition.

    By Marlene Affeld November 4th, 2022 Read More
  • Structures
    Structures By Marlene Affeld November 4th, 2022

    How To Keep Spiders Out Of Your Outside Patio Storage Boxes

    How to Keep Spiders Out of Your Outside Patio Storage Boxes. If you suffered from arachnophobia before you knew the meaning of the word, take heart. You are not alone. Although spiders are a necessary part of the ecosystem and for the most part harmless, many people have an inordinate fear of spiders. Just seeing one makes their skin crawl.

    By Marlene Affeld November 4th, 2022 Read More
  • Flowers
    Flowers By Marlene Affeld November 4th, 2022

    What Perennials Have 5 Leaves?

    What Perennials Have 5 Leaves?. Perennial plants and vines survive year after year, adding color and visual interest to the landscape. Plants can be identified by the formation, shape and position of their leaves. Leaves are one of the most useful tools in plant identification. Several common landscape plants present five leaves.

    By Marlene Affeld November 4th, 2022 Read More
  • Trees
    Trees By Marlene Affeld November 4th, 2022

    What Should I Do If The Neighbor's Tree Is Breaking My Wall?

    What Should I Do if the Neighbor's Tree Is Breaking My Wall?. Trees are planted in rural and urban landscapes to provide shade, to serve as windbreaks or privacy screening and to add aesthetic beauty. Trees provide food and shelter for birds and small wildlife and cleanse pollutants from the air. Unfortunately, trees often cause disagreements between neighbors. The majority of trees have root systems as deep and wide as the width and height of the tree. As the tree matures, it may encroach on the property boundary of adjoining land. Shallow-rooted trees can send out invasive roots or limbs, or branches can fall on a neighbor's fence or wall.

    By Marlene Affeld November 4th, 2022 Read More
  • Trees
    Trees By Marlene Affeld November 4th, 2022

    How To Identify A Tree In Arizona

    How To Identify a Tree in Arizona. Shade is essential in the Desert Southwest. As a result, Arizona residents often plant lots of trees to augment the native species growing in the state. Drought-tolerant trees that provide shade, as well as fuel, food and shelter, are especially prized. There are literally hundreds of different species of trees native to Arizona and hundreds that have been introduced. The Australian bottle tree, Canary Island date palm, Chinese elm, Chilean mesquite tree, Chinese pistache and the Australian coolibah tree are but a few of the foreign trees now commonly found growing in Arizona. There are also many different varieties of citrus trees that have been introduced to Arizona. Common citrus trees include lemon, orange, tangerine, grapefruit and lime. Citrus grows well in lower-Arizona desert locations.

    By Marlene Affeld November 4th, 2022 Read More
  • Trees
    Trees By Marlene Affeld November 4th, 2022

    Evergreen Tree Identification

    Evergreen Tree Identification. An evergreen tree is fairly easy to recognize. Unlike decidious trees that shed their leaves, evergreen tree retain their rich green color year-around. Evergreen trees are found in every state in the United States. Many species are native to North America, others have been introduced. Millions of evergreen trees grow wild, while millions more have been planted as windbreaks, privacy screening, to help control erosion or to build fences and barriers. Evergreen trees are an important design element in both private and commercial landscaping designs.

    By Marlene Affeld November 4th, 2022 Read More
  • Trees
    Trees By Marlene Affeld November 4th, 2022

    How To Select Shade Trees In Montana

    How to Select Shade Trees in Montana. Brutal winters, scorching summers, fierce winds, prolonged droughts, nutrient barren soils and a short growing season are but a few of the challenges faced by Montana gardeners. Peter Kolb, Montana State University Extension Forestry Specialist, reports "Parts of Montana have some of the most difficult conditions in the lower 48 United States to grow trees. However, careful tree selection, planting and maintenance will help keep your trees healthy."

    By Marlene Affeld November 4th, 2022 Read More
  • Produce
    Produce By Marlene Affeld November 4th, 2022

    How To Use Soil Amendment For Hardpan

    How to Use Soil Amendment for Hardpan. In agricultural terminology, hard-pan soil means soil that is compacted or dense and does not readily absorb water. Often a hard-pan layer will be found just a few inches under the topsoil. Some hard-pan layers are formed from minerals or materials in the soil that bind the soil particles. Other times, the hard-pan layer is formed by compaction. Repeated plowing with a heavy garden tractor or movement of other equipment across the soil can compact the soil to form a dense layer that does not allow adequate moisture penetration.

    By Marlene Affeld November 4th, 2022 Read More
  • Trees
    Trees By Marlene Affeld November 3rd, 2022

    How To Collect Cedar Moss To Sell To Flower Shops

    How to Collect Cedar Moss to Sell to Flower Shops. Many types of mosses and lichens, including the deer moss that flourishes on cedar trees, are prized for their use in the craft and floral trade. Moss, lichen, cones and evergreen branches are used in wreaths, hanging baskets, planters and floral displays. Moss for floral and craft usage has grown to a $175 million dollar industry, mainly in the Appalachian Mountains and the Pacific Northwest, according to Science Daily (see References).

    By Marlene Affeld November 3rd, 2022 Read More
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    Trees
    Trees By Marlene Affeld September 6th, 2022

    Scientific Names For Palm Trees

    Scientific Names for Palm Trees. There are literally hundreds of different varieties of palm trees, all members of the Arecaceae family. Found in sub-tropic and tropical regions, palm trees thrive in warm climates with an abundance of sunshine. From humid jungles to deserts, palm trees provide food, fuel, shelter and building materials. Palm tree species go by many common names in different cultures. The use of the scientific name will help you identify a species that is adaptable to your landscape requirements.

    By Marlene Affeld September 6th, 2022 Read More
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    Flowers
    Flowers By Marlene Affeld September 6th, 2022

    When Are White Lilies In Season?

    When Are White Lilies in Season?. Often used in wedding, funeral and religious bouquets, white lilies symbolize purity and peace. Lilies are grown as ornamental plants in cottage gardens and urban landscapes. However, the majority of white lilies are cultivated in greenhouses for the floral industry. Lilies naturally bloom in mid-spring and throughout the summer. Greenhouse cultivation manipulates light and fertilization to produce cut lilies and blooming plants for year-around availability.

    By Marlene Affeld September 6th, 2022 Read More