The most important secret to repel bugs and insects from the garden is to grow the healthiest plants possible. Most pests tend to attack plants that are stressed in some way, so by keeping your garden stress free, you may avoid the pest issue altogether. Proper soil preparation, good watering techniques, and spring cleaning are […]
There are as many suggested ways to repel deer and rabbits as there are baby bunnies in my neighborhood. Physical barriers (fences) are probably the only sure-fire way to keep critters out of your railroad, but are expensive, often impractical, and usually unsightly. Next in order of effectiveness is to use plants that are less […]
Top Point white cedar tree Common name: Top Point white cedar Latin name: Chamaecyparis thyoides ‘Top Point’ Plant type: dwarf conifer Plant size: 4-5′ at maturity USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9 Cultural needs: Moist or average, slightly acidic soil; full sun Classics among railway forest trees are the many, dwarf varieties of Chamaecyparis thyoides, the native […]
Common name: Trost’s Dwarf cutleaf birch, Dwarf European birch Latin name: Betula pendula ‘Trost’s Dwarf’, synonym: Betula platyphylla Plant type: Shrubs & small trees Plant size: 3-4′ high by 3′ wide before pruning USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9 (10, given moisture) Cultural needs: Sun; moist, drained, slightly acidic One day a horticulturist noticed a finely divided […]
Common name: Weeping Norway spruce Latin name: Picea abies ‘Pendula’ Plant type: dwarf conifer USDA Hardiness Zones: 2-8 Cultural needs: Moist, well drained, slightly acidic soil; sun to part shade Plant height: 18″ if prostrate; 10-12′ if staked Dark, evergreen needles on drooping soft branches make weeping Norway spruce an attractive specimen tree. Garden railroaders […]
Latin name: Sedum sp. Common name: Miniature sedum Plant type: Groundcover Plant size: Foliage under 2″ tall x 10″ wide, or less USDA Hardiness Zones: Varies Cultural needs: Full sun and dry soil Full size sedums (also known as stonecrops) have long been used as groundcovers for hot, sunny, dry sites. They spread quickly, are […]
This is a beginner’s guide to dwarf Alberta spruce trees. Across the country, hundreds of us rely on one, small scale, slow growing, almost perfectly conical evergreen to fill our miniature forests, towns, and mountains: dwarf Alberta spruce (Picea glauca ‘Conica’). How do you prune them, what kind of conditions do they really need, and […]
Garden Railways highlights five garden hand tools and one DIY project in this snapshot video. See more in the Fall 2019 issue of Garden Railways magazine. […]
Garden Railways highlights five garden hand tools and one DIY project in this snapshot video. See more in the Fall 2019 issue of Garden Railways magazine. […]
To a novice gardener, the topic of plant-hardiness zones can be as confusing as gauge and scale terminology is to the beginning model railroader. With gauge and scale, there are different standards used by various manufacturers. In gardening, growers and publishers utilize different hardiness-zone ratings. The main confusion comes from the fact that there are […]
Download this free nine-page PDF to learn how to control the growth of miniature trees, and prune, shape, and trim a variety of different plants. […]
Nancy Norris Common name: Dwarf balsam fir, dwarf silver fir Latin name: Abies balsamea ‘Nana’ Plant type: Dwarf conifer USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-8 Cultural needs: Moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil; sun or part shade Plant size: 10″ in 10 years Dwarf silver fir’s dark green, fragrant needles (silver underneath) form a compact mound. Trim lower […]
