The term Japanese maple mainly refers to cultivated varieties of Acer palmatum and its close relatives. The parent of all these varieties is a species of Acer palmatum. There are over 1000 cultivated varieties (cultivars), displaying a great variety in size, habit, leaf shape and color, texture, and fall coloration.

There are cultivars suitable for most cultural situations, including sun, shade, container growing, and bonsai. Most Japanese maples are small enough to fit in a small garden. Japanese maples need a protected area away from wind gusts, do not plant Japanese maples in pots.

In some cases, you don't even need more than one cultivar to have variety. A number of them have one color in spring, another in summer, and another in fall, and some even have winter interest.

By Tamara Galbraith

Mulch. The word doesn't exactly roll off the tongue like a Shakespeare sonnet, does it? But for everything the word lacks, the actual stuff, when placed on your garden beds around flowers, vegetables, trees and shrubs, compensates by helping your plants live longer in summer's heat by keeping roots cool and soil at an even level of moisture.

Wood mulches look better but, in general, provide less nutrition to your plants. We prefer using a nutritious mulch, unless you are mulching a large unplanted area and need the look of a good wood mulch.

So, how much mulch to use? Generally, you should plan to cover all exposed soil areas with 2-3" of mulch. DO NOT place mulch right up against the stems of plants and trunks of trees. Back off about 2" or so, as this allows water and air to reach the base of the plant, and also ensures against rotting from constant contact with the mulch. Also, don't think that more is better in the case of mulch. With trees, especially, think "wider" not "higher." Avoid piling mulch up in a volcano formation around the trunks of trees and thinking it will help - it won't.

There are several online calculators that help you figure out how much mulch you'll need to buy, depending on your garden size. Generally, one cubic yard of mulch covers about 100 square feet at 3" deep.

Be sure to fluff and add to your mulch every once in awhile, as it will compact and break down over time.

Available in 3 cubic ft. bags. Great for all your mulching needs!

Most gardeners have stocked up their garages with all sorts of products to save their plants from natural enemies like hungry insects and overpowering weeds. What many gardeners don't know is this: even more important than defending against enemies is to see that plants get what they need for photosynthesis, especially water. Watering is an art, because under-watering causes water deficiency and over-watering can cause roots to rot.

These problems are easily kept in check with only a few simple steps:

Follow Mother Nature's lead — if you have a desert plant, the soil it lives in may not need watering for days at a time. If the plant is in a fairly moist climate in the wilderness, it will need to be watered more frequently. Avoid being too generous, because the leading cause of plant death is not insects or diseases but simple over-watering.

Get your hands dirty — test the soil by pushing your finger about an inch from the surface. If it feels moist the plant does nto need water. If the soil feels dry add water.

Get a can that works — watering cans are especially vital in the care of indoor plants. The best watering can to use is one with a long neck. This is especially important if you have a plant that generates a lot of foliage. The best water to use is tap water — not too warm or too cool.

Use good soil — the best soil to use for containers or pots is potting soil that is loose and porous. If planting a tree or shrub in large container or in ground, the best soil to use is top soil mixed with compost. If the area where you are planning to plant has too much clay, it is good to remove the clay and replace with a mixture of top soil and compost.

Keep your weeds in check — frequent weeding will reduce competition among plants for the moisture in the soil.

Ready your plants for the daytime — watering before mid-morning or early evening is best, to fortify your plants against the hot sun. Using mulch is another good defense. Mulch will keep the soil from taking too much sun and evaporating all the water, as well as helping to keep weeds down.

Please check —
Desert plants and succulents only water once a month.
In the wild the plants will get water from the rain
In moist areas only water when area gets dry. (Let area dry between watering.)

Position at McAdam: Garden Center Maintenance

Hobbies: Playing football, basketball

Favorite Food: Steak

Favorite Plant/Flower: Rhododendron

Favorite Garden Center Product: Peat moss