Resources
We know its hard to take care of your plants and landscaping. Thats why were here to help you! Take a look at our resources below for help!
Let us help you!
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Need help identifying a plant in your yard? Stop in to see us! We can idenify yor plants, while also educating you on how to properly care for those plants!
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Does your plant look like it be diseased or have insects? Stop to see us TODAY! We diagnose and will make sure you receive the correct product to treat your sick plants!
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Tackling your own landscape? Make sure to stop in an see us! We will help you design your landscape, making sure you install the correct plants that will thrive on your property! Also, we will educate you on the proper steps to take to not only prep and install, but care for your new landscape as well!
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Trying to care for your lawn can be tricky. Stop by our Garden Center to learn the proper ways to seed, fertilize, and treat your lawn!
Seasonal Tips
Spring is the time for planting, clean-up, protection, and fertilization. Make sure to set up your landscape for a healthy growing season.
Spring
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❀ Rake up all debris in your lawn and shrub beds
❀ In March put down Step 1 Crabgrass Preventer Plus Fertilizer (You can not seed your lawn with this step down). If you wish to seed, you need to use Step 1 Seeding & Crabgrass Preventer.
❀ Preen or any other brand granular pre emergent should be spread in all shrub beds and garden to prevent weed seeds from germinating. Apply to shrub beds before putting down the new mulch for the year.
❀ Put new Mulch in shrub beds (3 inches) thick to keep help keep the moisture around your shrubs and to keep the root system cool.
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❀ To prevent Grubs all season long you need to apply Bonide Insect & Grub by Mid April. This also helps to prevent moles later on because they dig your lawn up to eat the grubs.
❀ You may want to apply Lime because it helps sweeten soil, decreasing moss growth, and it also loosens up the clay. You can use this in your lawn, shrub beds and vegetable garden.
❀ Fertilize all trees, shrubs and perennials with dry, granular fertilizer for a long feeding time to your plant. Holly-tone, Plant-tone, Tree-tone by Espoma are great products to use.
❀ Protect new growth and buds on shrubs, trees, perennials from deer or rabbits by spraying products like Liquid Fence or Deer Stopper on them. These products can also be used on your bulbs to prevent them from being eaten.
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❀ Weed n Feed your lawn when the weeds begin to appear. This should be applied 5 weeks after Step 1.
Summer
Summer is the time for maintenance. Make sure you are watering your plants, pruning, and keeping an eye out for diseases and/or insects.
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❀ Don’t let hanging annuals or small perennials dry out! Make sure to water every day and fertilize every 2-4 weeks.
❀ Stake young tomato plants.
❀ Mark the location of tulips you wish to move in July.
❀ Fruit trees can be easily damaged by high nitrogen fertilizers. At planting use a root stimulator fertilizer and each spring use a commercial fruit tree or garden fertilizer. Do not fertilize fruit trees after 15th, do not use manure on fruit trees.
❀ Water lawns deeply (1” per week)
❀ Fertilize lightly, heavy fertilizer in the spring promotes lush growth that is prone to disease.
❀ Watch for insects in roses, flowers and vegetables
❀ Sow perennial seeds for late summer transplants
❀ Fertilize evergreens, fruit and flowering trees. Fertilize perennials beds as well.
❀ Spot spray stubborn weeds, or dig them after a soaking rain when soil is soft.
❀ Most broadleaf herbicides are more effective when used in autumn, but can be applied in spring when temperatures range from the low 60’s to low 80’s, the air is calm and rain is not expected.
❀ Pinch terminal growth on late-flowering perennials like asters and mums and newly planted annuls to make them bushier and produce more flowers Stake larger varieties of perennials.
❀ Keep lawn mowed to prevent piling of clippings. Excess piling will not decompose quickly and will encourage lawn disease.
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❀ Do not apply nitrogen to you lawn since it can cause diseases.
❀ Watch for small holes and green caterpillars in young cabbage, broccoli and related vegetables. Treat them with Slug Magic while damage is still minor.
❀ If spring flowering bulbs did not do well, dig them up now, divide and replant.
❀ Watch you lawn for grub damage.
❀ Water new plantings deeply and less frequently
❀ Water lawns deeply (1” per week)
❀ Renew mulch as it decomposes; keep mulch away from the trunks of trees as this creates a breading ground for disease and insect problems Add plant debris to the compost pile
❀ If you continue to feed the birds during the summer, you will double the number of feathered friends that visit you during the winter.
❀ Prune trees as necessary.
❀ Deadhead annuals, perennials and roses to extend blooming season.
❀ Accent existing landscape plantings by adding container plants.
❀ Prune dead, diseased or damaged limbs from trees or shrubs as soon as you detect them. Prune fruit trees to maximize yield and tree health.
❀ Keep an eye on hanging baskets and containers. They may need watering everyday if the weather is hot and dry.
❀ Inspect roses and other ornamental plants for signs of disease (particularly during wet weather) and insect pests
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❀ Apply second grub control
❀ Water new planting if rainfall is insufficient
❀ Hydrangeas need large amounts of water during hot summer weather to keep them looking good. Fall is when Hydrangeas develop their flower buds for next year, if they are wilted and under stress in late summer, fewer flower buds will.
❀ Divide iris, peonies and spring blooming bulbs
❀ Insect control like Rose RX on roses, flowers and vegetables
❀ Harvest vegetables at their peak
❀ Check your junipers and other evergreens for spider mites and treat accordingly.
❀ Stop fertilizing perennials, roses, shrubs, trees and evergreens after the 15th.
❀Stop shearing yews and arborvitae.
Fall
Fall is the time for planting, especially evergreens, leaf clean ups, and prepping your plants for the winter.
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❀ FALL IS FOR PLANTING! Now is the best time to plant trees, shrubs and evergreens.
❀ Apply lawn food
❀ Start a new lawn, spot seed, or overseed your existing lawn.
❀ A tomato cage covered with an old sheet or pillow case makes a quick frost cover for tender plants.
❀ Hang birdfeeders for fall and winter enjoyment, clean feeders that have been up all summer.
❀ Spray broadleaf weeds
❀ Before the first frost gently pull geraniums from the soil and cut off all buds and blossoms. Shake off the soil and place in a box or paper bag. Store in a cool place, like the basement. In March, cut back to 2” to 3”, pot in fresh soil, water, fertilize and place in a sunny window to grow again.
❀ Plant new fall mums for instant garden color.
❀ Prune birch trees.
❀ Store pesticides, herbicides and fungicides in a location where they cannot freeze.
❀ Bag leaves and set aside for cover on well-frozen perennials beds. In the spring they can be used as mulch or compost.
❀ Place a sheet of clear plastic over your compost heap to raise the temperature and promote more rapid decomposition.
❀ Empty decorative containers of both plants and soil, bring them indoors to avoid breakage from alternating freeze and thaw cycles.
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❀ Mid-summer blooming lilies (Asiatic, Oriental and trumpet) should be divided and replanted in October. Plant in loose soil, work in a small amount of super phosphate. Space the bulbs about four to six inches apart and cover them with four to six inches of soil. Lilies should be dug and replanted every three years.
❀ Plant fall bulbs for spring bloom
❀ Mow lawns until the frost stops growth. Tall, matted grass encourages snow mold.
❀ Apply winter turf food
❀ Cut back perennials after frost, clean flower beds
❀ Dig and store frost tender bulbs
❀ Water trees, shrubs and evergreens until the ground freezes.
❀ Fertilize evergreens with Holly Tone
❀ Drain hoses and irrigation systems.
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❀ Wrap young, thin barked trees, such as maple and honey locust to protect from frost, rodent and winter sun damage
❀ If we’re caught by an early snow storm, remember that it is safer to let warming temperatures melt snow off the evergreens than to knock it off. Branches bent by snow generally come back to their normal shape by spring.
❀ Surround young fruit trees with hardware-cloth cylinders to keep deer, rabbits and voles from gnawing at the bark
❀ Clean and oil your garden tools, throw out broken pots and wash out sprayers and spreaders
❀ Kill wintering insects eggs with an application of dormant oil spray to your fruit trees, shrubs and hedges.
❀ Mound soil around the base of roses, covering to at least 12” above the bud union. When the soil freezes, cover with straw or leaves to keep the mound frozen. A cylinder of wire mesh will hold the soil and insulation in place.
❀ Do any necessary pruning after trees and shrubs are dormant
❀ Start your paperwhites, amaryllis, and hyacinths for holiday blooms
❀ Mulch strawberry beds with 4” to 6” of straw before temperatures fall to the low teens.
❀ Early November cover perennials with mulch to protect the crowns of the plants from the alternate freezing and thawing of the early spring and late fall seasons.
Winter is the time for protection. Make sure to cover your plants from the harsh winter temperatures and winds, as well as any treatment to help prevent insects.
Winter
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❀ Plan a Christmas Tree Shopping trip to Landscape Garden Centers
❀ Feed the birds.
❀ Add plant debris to the compost pile
❀ Enjoy the Holidays.
❀ Dream of Spring flowers.
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❀ Mulch perennials and strawberries if we have no snow cover.
❀ Check trees and shrubs for wind and ice damage.
❀ Check your bulbs in storage.
❀ Give your houseplants a bath with mild soap and water to remove dust.
❀ Cut back on feeding dormant houseplants.
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❀ Plan you summer garden, purchase seeds.
❀ Inspect bulbs in storage.
❀ Feed wild birds.
❀ Plants make great Valentine's gifts.