Andy Fazio's Page

ClimbersClimbing vines are beautiful and exotic. The perennial vines are even better because each new year brings a thicker vine and more flowers. The great thing about climbing vines is the height value they bring to a garden. Some need the support of a trellis whereas other more lightweights need only to be pointed in the right direction and they will climb any wall. Here are a list of some favorites of mine, what they look like and how to care for them….1. Native Crossvine: A Native vine…See More

Hello all,It has been almost four weeks with out rain and we are all worried about our plants. Established mature plants, unless showing visual signs of wilt, should be fine. If they do require watering, water them slowly and heavily once a week until there is significant rain again. If you have a basic natural/native yard, one that consists of various grasses, violets and other plants most people call weeds, there is no need to water. These types of plants are used to drought and will go…See More

Indestructible ShrubsMany shrubs, for the most part, require some regular maintenance and attention or they run the risk of looking straggly, sickly & unkempt. Here I've compiled a small list of shrubs that I like to call indestructible due to their extremely hardy nature & capacity to handle stress. Of course they need the same initial care when planting. Over the next couple of discussions, I'll be going into more depth about each shrub.1. Glossy Abelia (Abelia grandiflora)This is a…See More

Hello all,In the last few years, we have all seen and experienced increasingly hot & dry summers. If this drought pattern continues, timing will become increasingly important regarding landscaping and tree care. This past winter and spring, we have had ample amounts of rain. Until this week, no one should have been irrigating established plants. A question that I have posed to me quite regularly is ‘could I plant something right now?’. The answer is yes and no. You can plant now if you…See More

Hello all,In the last few years, we have all seen and experienced increasingly hot & dry summers. If this drought pattern continues, timing will become increasingly important regarding landscaping and tree care. This past winter and spring, we have had ample amounts of rain. Until this week, no one should have been irrigating established plants. A question that I have posed to me quite regularly is ‘could I plant something right now?’. The answer is yes and no. You can plant now if you…See More

Hello all,When planting your garden, always keep a log of where you plant each type of vegetable. All plants, to some degree, use and deplete the soil of varying types/amounts of minerals. Rotating your crops will prevent your soil from becoming too mineral deficient. An annual soil test can help you with maintaining proper mineral and nutrient levels. Crop rotation also breaks the cycle of any soil born nematodes that are plant family specific. The same goes for the larvae of insects that over…See More

Hello all,I hope every one enjoyed Earth Day at Greenlife.This week our subject is mulch. There are many types of mulch.Depending on what you are mulching will determine the type of mulch you use. If you’re mulching a vegetable garden, old leaves or straw, grass clippings or pine needles. Make sure not to pile the mulch too deep around the base of the plant and never use hardwood mulch in your garden. When mulching around ornamentals, the above mulches are great as well as pine mulch or pine…See More

Hello all, happy Earth DayThere is no better topic for Earth Day than recycling. Millions of tons of compostable waste goes to the landfill every year. We should all be composting our food scraps and yard debris because it is sooooooooo easy. Pick up 4 used shipping pallets; these are easy to get for free from many different places. Level out a small space in your yard; nail three of the pallets together leaving one pallet removable or hinged for a door to create later access. With enough…See More

Hello all,I frequently hear this comment, “I want to a plant garden but not in the front yard.” I have yet to hear a legitimate reason for this. Our yards, for a long time, have only been a place to decorate with ornamental plants to make our homes look good. Edible plants are attractive too, not to mention the fact that you could cut back on your food budget and save fuel by not driving to the store as often. There are many fruiting plants that you can substitute for ornamentals that can serve…See More