Secrets

Now's the time to:

1) Spray your plants with fungicides: As your plant leaves emerge from their winter rest, diseases invade this new growth and cause problems later on in the season. If you have flowering crabs, scab can be stopped. If you have dogwoods, anthracnose can be prevented. If you have Buckeye trees, leaf blotch, which resembles an edge burn can also be prevented. When leaves emerge 1 inch of growth, fungonil or mancozeb should be sprayed on new growth. As a precautionary measurement, spray two more times 10-14 days apart to stop these diseases from attacking your plants. Keep in mind, rain plays a factor in controlling these problems. If it is a rainy season, you’ll need to spray more.

2) Spray your fruit trees with Bonide’s Fruit Tree Spray: If you want outstanding fruit, you need to spray these trees with an application of fruit tree spray at least every 10-14 days depending on the rains. Never spray while trees are in bloom.

3) Apply Aluminum sulphate to your hydrangea to make them blue or add lime to make them pink: Hydrangeas colors will be more true if you apply these products now and two to three weeks from now. Aluminum sulphate makes soils more acidic thus turning your flws to blue. Lime sweetens your soil and will make them pink.

4) Apply crabgrass preventer to your lawn the 1st of May : Crabgrass does not emerge until ground temperature is near 50 degrees. This usually occurs around May 10th. Use Scott’s Step 1 now to prevent this wicked weed from germinating. If you need to reseed your lawn and want to prevent crabgrass be sure to use Scott’s Step 1 for Seeding. This products differentiates bad crabgrass from good seed. All other products will kill both crabgrass and desirable grass seeds. Make sure you choose the correct product based on your needs. The preventative method is the BEST way to eliminate crabgrass before it gets a foot hold on your lawn.

5) Apply Weed Preventer to your landscape beds: Weeds love to grow almost all year long. By attacking them early with an application of Preen, most weeds can be prevented. Make sure you sprinkle your beds lightly AFTER you shake Preen granules around. This activates the chemical and you will obtain outstanding results. A new product from Hy Yield, Turf & Ornamental Weed & Grass Stopper, contains a chemical called Dimension. This new chemical controls weeds and crabgrass in lawns and landscape beds. Used by professionals, Dimension is finally available to consumers and is a great product for battling weeds.

6) Apply fertilizer to plants, trees and shrubs: If you want healthy plants which will flourish throughout the year, now’s the time to apply Espoma brand fertilizers. All evergreens, hollies, azaleas and rhododendrons should be fed with an application of Holly Tone. Roses should be fed with rose-tone and trees with tree tone. These organic based fertilizers are the best fertilizers around and will produce outstanding results plus it feeds up to 6 months!

7) Apply Bayer All-in-One Rose & Flower Care to roses, hibiscus, iris and other flowers: This product controls insects, diseases and fertilizes in one easy step. No spraying, just mix with water and pour on plant with a sprinkling can. This application will last for 6 weeks. A 32 ounce bottle will treat 16 roses or 200 square feet of flowerbed.

8) Plant your garden and grass seed: As ground temperature gets warmer, seeds will emerge in your garden and lawn. Now’s the time if you’re going to direct seed into your soil. Loosen dirt with a hard rake, place seeds and cover with peat moss. Keep moist to germinate quicker.

9) Read the label: Before using ANY product, read the directions and follow the recommendations. Rigorous testing has been performed and rates of applications have been studied for optimum results. It is not advisable to stray from recommended rates and application guidelines.

10) Call us if you have specific questions: We’re here to help and want you to succeed in your gardening hobby. 440-324-4314