Yearly Archives: 2025

Best Fruits for the Urban Garden

With the right plant picks, you can grow a bountiful feast of fruit in your urban garden. From your favorite fruit trees to succulent vines to bushes bursting with berry goodness, your urban garden can be highly productive, supplying delicious fruit for your nourishment and enjoyment.

What Fruits Need

Fruit-bearing plants need well-drained, loamy soil, adequate water for appropriate juiciness, and abundant sunlight for rich, productive growth. It can be a challenge to meet those needs in an urban environment, but your space may offer more resources than you realize. Study how sunlight moves through your garden space, including how shaded and sun-drenched areas change over time so you can best plan which plants to position for the best growth. Choose good quality potting soil if you’re planting in window boxes, pots, or containers, or amend your natural soil with appropriate compost and add the correct fertilizer to nourish hungry plants. Be prepared to water your plants adequately, particularly if natural rainfall isn’t enough for the plants’ needs. Regardless of the size of your garden space, you can meet fruits’ needs for a delicious and abundant harvest.

Best Fruits for Urban Gardening

The best fruits for urban gardens are those that keep compact shapes and adapt well to smaller spaces. They are also flexible with their sunlight needs, though most fruits require at least some full sun for the best production. Fruits that are well-suited to urban spaces include…

  • Apples
  • Blueberries
  • Bush cherries
  • Figs
  • Grapes
  • Peaches
  • pears
  • Plums
  • Raspberries
  • Strawberries

The exact fruits that will do well in your space will vary depending on your gardening zone and climate conditions. Pay particular attention to the number of chill hours fruits may need in order to produce, as this is critical to ensure a good harvest. Depending on the type of plant and its needs, you may even be able to move your gardening efforts indoors and cultivate some fruit plants without any outdoor gardening space at all!

Tips for Urban Garden Fruits

There are different ways to ensure your fruit plants, bushes, trees, and vines thrive in your unique space. To encourage the best growth and healthiest plants…

  • Choose plant cultivars that are self-pollinating and don’t require multiple pollinator plants to produce fruit.
  • Opt for berry cultivars that are everbearing or repeat-bearing to extend the harvest and get the most fruit from the fewest plants.
  • Provide adequate support with trellises, arbors, pergolas, or other structures that are sturdy enough to handle the mature plants’ size and the fruits’ weight.
  • Create layers of gardening space by using hanging pots and vertical structures that will give you even more room for planting.
  • Use plant stands on casters so you can move sun-loving plants around to take advantage of shifting light angles and maximize the plants’ productivity.
  • Choose dwarf or super-dwarf tree varieties that will not only thrive in smaller spaces but will also produce fruit when younger, so your first harvest is not delayed.
  • Dwarf fruit trees are perfect for espalier against a sunny wall.
  • Take steps to encourage bees and hummingbirds in your garden to aid pollination and keep your plants productive.
  • Use netting, reflectors, or other tactics to discourage birds that may raid your harvest even before the fruit has fully ripened.
  • Be alert for pests that may threaten your plants’ health and productivity, as they can find their way into any garden space – even indoors.

Growing fruit in the urban garden can be a tasty and enjoyable pastime, so long as you opt for fruits that will do best with the resources your space provides. By making the most of your space, you’ll easily have a fruitful harvest for all your favorite fresh fruits, homemade jams, preserves, sweet salads, baked goods, and other treats.

Best Fruits for the Urban Garden

Best Fruits for the Urban Garden

Best Fruits for the Urban Garden

Best Fruits for the Urban Garden

How to Care for Your Window Boxes

Window boxes can provide plentiful gardening space in the city, even without a yard. Whether you live in an apartment, condominium, or row house, you can add window boxes for extra gardening, and with proper care, your window boxes can yield a delicious harvest, fragrant herbs, or stunning flowers for you to enjoy.

About Window Boxes

Window boxes aren’t just for windows, and there are many different shapes and designs to choose from. Over-the-railing boxes are ideal for decks and balconies, and wall-hanging boxes can make use of any vertical space. These versatile containers are available in different sizes, from small, compact containers to much deeper, larger options for even bigger vegetables and multiple plants.

Wood is the traditional material for window boxes and is still a favorite choice for many spaces. Plastic and resin models are also available and can be lighter weight, and metal frames with moss or coir liners are attractive rustic options. You can even get creative with window boxes and choose non-traditional styles, such as repurposing garden boots, apron pockets, tin pails, or other fun containers to make a window box that suits your space and style.

While decorative flowers remain a popular favorite for window boxes, you can grow anything you like in these containers. An herb garden is ideal for these small spaces, or you can choose miniature versions of all your favorite vegetables and fruits. Mix plants up for a diverse window box, and use taller plants, such as climbing vines or grasses, to add more height, while trailing plants such as creepers and dangling vines can spill out of the space for more drama.

Best Window Box Care

No matter what you plant in your window box, you will want to give it the proper care for excellent growth and the most vibrant plants.

  • Mount the box securely.
    Use the proper fasteners to mount your window box, and take into account its full weight as plants grow. Freshly watered, damp soil will be heavier, and the box needs to be secure to hold that weight. If you are placing the box on a railing, be sure the railing is sturdy and the box is not tipped or angled unsafely.
  • Choose appropriate plants for the space.
    Consider the sunlight your box will get when choosing which plants to grow in the space. The sun will shift throughout the season, and you want to be sure your plants have the levels of sunlight they require for their best growth. Also be sure the box provides enough depth for adequate root growth so the plants will be their healthiest, and be aware that window boxes may be subject to extra heat reflecting off glass or walls, so heat-tolerant plants are always a good choice.
  • Use high-quality, moisture-retaining soil.
    Window boxes need good quality potting soil to nurture plants, and which soil you choose will depend on whether you are growing vegetables, flowers, succulents, or herbs. Soil mixes with moisture-retaining granules are a great choice for window boxes and will help keep the plants watered so they stay lush, beautiful, and productive.
  • Water the box properly.
    Window boxes can dry out more quickly than traditional garden spaces and may need to be watered daily or even more than once a day depending on the box size, how the soil retains moisture and the watering needs of your plants. A watering wand can help you reach window boxes in more difficult places, or consider adding water globes to the box for a practical splash of color that will keep your plants watered.
  • Choose slow-release fertilizers for extra nourishment.
    A slow-release, liquid fertilizer is a great option for window boxes and will help provide all the nutrition your plants need. Choose a fertilizer blend that suits your plants’ requirements, and apply it once a week or at whatever rate is recommended for your box size and type of plants.
  • Groom your window boxes regularly.
    Because window boxes are such a small space, it can be easy to keep them looking their best with regular deadheading and other maintenance. Trim and prune plants as needed to help them retain their shape, always using good-quality hand tools with sharp blades for safe, smooth cuts. If you are growing edibles, harvest your produce regularly to encourage even more production.
  • Protect window boxes from sudden cold.
    Just like any plants, window box gardens can be damaged by cold snaps. Invest in appropriate plant covers to shield the boxes if the temperatures drop, and even consider bringing them indoors temporarily if a freeze is threatening. Adding a layer of insulation to the inside of a generous box, such as lining it with foam board, can also help protect delicate roots from possible cold and retain moisture throughout the season.

Add More Enjoyment to Your Window Boxes

Don’t be afraid to think outside the box with your window boxes. Any urban garden – even a small one at your windows or on your railings – can have quaint touches, such as adding a small bird feeder, a fairy garden, or a decorative garden stake or flag. These accents can help you personalize your box and truly make your small garden a relaxing and enjoyable space, no matter what its size or where you plant it.

How to Care for Your Windowboxes

How to Care for Your Windowboxes

How to Care for Your Windowboxes

How to Care for Your Windowboxes

Great Gifts for Mom

Spring is the perfect gardening season and as Mother’s Day approaches right at the height of spring, why not celebrate Mom with a gardening gift? The garden center is packed with great gifts for Mom that are ideal for Mother’s Day, birthdays, or any occasion to tell Mom just how much she means and how appreciated she is.

Garden Center Gifts for Mom

Many gift ideas can come from the garden center. When choosing the best gift for Mom, consider her preferences, needs, and favorites to find a gift that suits her gardening style. The most popular gift ideas include…

  • Tools – Help Mom make the most of her gardening with all the best tools to get the job done. Smaller hand tools that will be more comfortable in her hand are a great choice or choose ergonomic tools for a more comfortable grip. Is Mom a lefty? Choose left-handed tools that will be more efficient for her to use.
  • Attire – Let Mom show off her gardening style with practical attire to wear while she gardens. A broad-brimmed hat with a quirky ribbon, a colorful pair of garden gloves, a comfortable pair of clogs, or a sweatshirt for chillier gardening days are all good choices. Opt for Mom’s favorite colors or patterns for an even more thoughtful gift.
  • Signs – Mom has always been welcoming, so why not extend that hospitality into the garden with a welcoming sign? Personalized wooden signs can declare the space as “Mom’s Garden” or can be customized with her name or initials. Fun garden flags are another option to add a greeting to the garden’s entrance.
  • Fairies – Help Mom add a whimsical touch to her garden or containers with fairy accents. Small props such as charming houses, sweet little swings, quirky toadstools, and other decorations can be a fun addition to a garden of any size, from simple containers to a more extensive plot. Garden gnomes can also be a fun choice.
  • Plants – Give Mom something new to grow with a gift of seeds, bulbs, or seedlings. Choose her favorites or splurge on a new exotic variety she’s always wanted to try. If spring hasn’t quite sprung, you can also opt for houseplants or indoor garden options such as herbs to let her enjoy her green thumb even in poor weather.
  • Feeders – Let Mom welcome wildlife into her gardening space with a feeder for feathered guests. Hummingbird feeders are especially popular, as well as oriole feeders. Regular birdseed feeders can also be a great choice for the Mom who welcomes all sorts of visitors and may not mind a bit of spilled seed in her garden.
  • Houses – Another way Mom can welcome wildlife into the garden is by providing suitable homes for guests. Birdhouses, bat houses, bee houses, toad shelters, and butterfly houses are all great options that can not only give Mom joy when she sees new residents move in, but they are beneficial to the garden with pest control and pollination.
  • Totes – If Mom needs a bit of help hauling all her tools, seeds, and other gear around the garden, a tote bag, bucket, or basket can be a convenient and helpful gift. For even more industrious hauling, consider a small wagon, wheelbarrow, or garden cart that you can fill with other surprises and gifts.
  • Stepping Stones – Add a personalized touch to Mom’s garden with a homemade stepping stone that includes the names of children, grandchildren, or pets. Handprint or pawprint kits are other meaningful choices, and the stones can be decorated with colored pebbles, embedded jewels, and other creative accents.
  • Containers – If Mom has trouble containing her excitement for gardening, new containers can help expand her gardening space. Choose colorful pots, stackable gardening systems, hanging pots, or wall containers for more space. If Mom has a bit of trouble getting down to the dirt, an elevated planter can be a perfect gift.
  • Décor – Add a bit of flair to Mom’s garden with a decorative gift such as a gazing ball, whimsical statue, wind chimes, or wind socks. Decorations can even have a practical side if you choose a barometer, rain gauge, plant identification stakes, bird bath, or other gift ideas that bring both beauty and functionality to the garden.
  • Hand Care – Help Mom keep her skin lovely after a day of rough gardening with hand care gifts. Lotions, soaps, and exfoliants are all available and are often infused with beautiful garden scents such as favorite flowers and herbs. Not only will these gifts keep Mom’s skin healthy, but they will remind her of all the joy she takes in gardening.
  • Jewelry – Let Mom show off her passion for gardening with fun garden-themed jewelry such as a charm, pendant, pin, brooch, or earrings in the shape of watering cans, garden tools, or favorite plants and flowers. Mom might wear the jewelry, or jewelry could be attached to a garden tote or hand tools for a bit of bling.

The Best Gift of All

The very best gardening gift you can give Mom is just to appreciate her and her garden. Compliment the beauty of her flowerbeds or the tastiness of her herbs and vegetables, or admire how she manages to bring a plant back from the brink or coax a bigger harvest from a smaller plant. Better still, offer to help in the garden with less enjoyable chores or just spend time with Mom and all she loves about gardening. That time will become a memory you can both enjoy, and will be a gift not just for Mom, but for you as well.

Gifts for Mom

Gifts for Mom

Gifts for Mom

Great Gifts for Dad

Is your dad a hands-in-the-dirt, let’s-get-sweaty, these-weeds-will-never-win gardener? Whether he gardens with a fierce passion, calculates his harvest, or just enjoys this hands-on hobby, there are many great gifts for Dad to help him enjoy every moment he spends tilling, planting, weeding, watering, and harvesting.

Garden Center Gifts for Dad

Garden centers have a full crop of gifts for the gardening Dad. He’s always done his best to be a good provider, so why not give him a gift to make his gardening time even more productive? These top options are always popular gifts.

  • Tools – Give Dad a helping hand in the garden with new hand tools or other small tools. If he’s a lefty, left-handed tools will have a more comfortable grip, or choose ergonomic designs. New tool designs may make gardening tools more efficient, or look for upgraded options for Dad’s favorite tools.
  • Tools for Tools – If Dad prefers his old tools, help keep them in good condition with a new whetstone or sharpener, appropriate oiling, or new grips. A tool organizer belt or stand can be a great gift, or find accessories to help out in the garden, such as a hose extender.
  • Plants – Help Dad expand his garden with a gift of plants, from established seedlings to dormant bulbs to seeds for all his favorites. For a more unique gift, consider finding heirloom vegetable varieties or planning a grilling herb garden that Dad will love.
  • Space – Give Dad more room to grow when you expand his garden space with an elevated planter or green wall, hanging planters, or an arbor, trellis, or other support structure that can give climbing vegetables more room to thrive.
  • Attire – Make sure Dad is well-equipped for his gardening efforts with the right clothing. A broad-brimmed hat, durable gloves, and waterproof boots can help him tend to gardening chores in any weather.
  • Feeders – A garden feeds more than just a family, and if Dad doesn’t mind a few wildlife guests sneaking a free meal, help him attract birds and butterflies with the right feeders or houses to welcome those guests.
  • Excluders – Not all garden guests are equally welcome, and some men will prefer gifts that keep unwanted visitors away from the harvest. Baffles, deer-resistant plants, or humane traps can be good options for only letting welcome guests into Dad’s garden.
  • Monitors – Let Dad get all the data he wants to make his garden great when you give him an outdoor thermometer, barometer, or complete weather station setup. Rain gauges, hose timers, and soil test kits are other useful choices.
  • Signage – Tell the world how great Dad’s garden is with a sign that proclaims “Dad’s Garden” or is personalized with his name. Other personalization, such as jobs or favorite sports teams, can be fun options to add Dad’s flair to his garden.
  • Nourishment – It may not be the cleanest gift but it can be a clever one if you give Dad a load of compost, manure, or other fertilizer to help his garden grow. Even better is if your gift includes plenty of help to spread that nourishment around and work it into the soil.

The Best Gift for Dad

The very best garden-themed gift of all is showing Dad how much you appreciate both him and his garden. Spend time with him in the garden attending to necessary tasks or harvesting the latest tasty vegetables. Compliment how productive his plants are or how bountiful the harvest has been, and ask for tips and guidance to bring his expertise to your own planting and gardening efforts. The more you spend time with Dad in the garden, the more wonderful memories you will be able to grow together that you can harvest and enjoy for years to come.

Gifts for Dad

Gifts for Dad

Gifts for Dad

Beyond Lettuce

There’s nothing like a garden fresh, crisp salad, and these days, many people are adding varied greens to their salads besides familiar lettuce varieties and common spinach. Try growing a few of these less familiar greens for your own salads or for sale at your farmer’s market. Greens can grow in cooler or warmer weather for year-round freshness and healthy eating.

Cool Weather Greens

  • Mache (Valerianella locusta) – Also known as corn salad or lamb’s lettuce, mache is a popular French green. It is very cold tolerant if grown under covers, and will seed itself once temperatures rise above 80 degrees. Maturing in about 50-60 days, the small, dark green leaves are sweet and juicy. Mache attracts snails and slugs, so you may want to grow it in raised beds or put out bait to distract critters.
  • Claytonia (Claytonia perfoliata) – Very high in vitamin C, claytonia, also known as miner’s lettuce, was eaten by miners in the California gold rush to keep from getting scurvy. Claytonia is also very cold tolerant, and will grow under covers even in winter. It takes about 40 days to be ready to harvest, and can be eaten even after in flower, though it is better when the flower stalks are still short.
  • Mibuna and Mizuna – These two closely related Asian greens grow quickly and tall in cooler, moist weather. Mibuna has a mustard-like flavor, while Mizuna is more peppery. Both are good raw in salads or as part of a stir-fry dish. Both are good for “cut-and-come-again” harvesting, though on smaller plants the stress may cause them to go to seed prematurely.

Warm Weather Greens

  • Orach – This colorful, vitamin rich plant is often considered a warm season alternative to spinach. It can grow in either cool or warm weather, as it does not get as bitter as spinach after flowering. This hardy plant can tolerate mild frost, as well as salty areas, and can grow anywhere from 4-6 feet tall.
  • Purslane – Though commonly considered a weed, this green is very nutritious, with high amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E and beta carotene. Its tangy flavor and crisp texture make it a great addition to salads, and its oily content benefits homemade pesto or other sauces and dips. Purslane spreads out to about 18 inches, and will not tolerate frosts.
  • Malabar Spinach – This vining green loves the heat. Long past when other greens have wilted or gone to seed, malabar is still crisp and tasty. The leaves also hold up better in soup and stir fry than most greens. The raw leaves taste like peppery citrus, but when cooked it is much closer to the taste of spinach.

Trying new greens can be an interesting experiment in the garden or greenhouse, and they can add rich variety, texture and tastes to your salads and other recipes. Try some of these less familiar greens and you’ll fall in love with salads all over again.

Beyond Lettuce

Beyond Lettuce

Aphids

One of the most common insects, and one of the most potentially plant-threatening, is the aphid. There are actually many types of aphids – more than 4,000 in all. Some feed on specific plants and others are not so choosy. They all attack the newer plant growth and suck sap from a plant’s internal circulation system, the phloem, in stems and leaves. This can decrease the plant’s growth rate, discolor or disfigure leaves, cause galls to form and transmit plant diseases. Strong aphid infestations can lower produce yields and eventually kill plants altogether.

Recognizing Aphids

Aphids – also called plant lice, blackflies and greenflies – are easy to recognize. They’re about one-eighth to one-third of an inch long, usually pale green but can be almost colorless, pink, black or brown. Their pear-shaped bodies have six legs, small tail-like structures and long, jointed antennae. Aphids are soft-bodied and are mainly found in dense groups on the underside of new plant growth, where they leave behind a sticky residue called honeydew. Ants are attracted to aphid honeydew, so a nearby ant infestation or very active ant colonies may also indicate that aphids are present. Aphids are most common in spring, and die off rapidly in the hot temperatures of summer.

Controlling Aphids

Fortunately, controlling aphids is fairly easy. Most full-spectrum chemical insecticides kill aphids. Other, less strenuous products include plant extracts, neem oil, plant oils and insecticidal soap water sprays. A regular spraying with strong blasts of water or hand picking will control many infestations, especially when just a few aphids have been noticed. Many gardeners release ladybugs (lady beetles) to eat the aphids or parasitic wasps to lay their eggs in the aphid, but because these natural predators will quickly spread out, large applications of hundreds of predators may be needed to effectively control an aphid infestation. Another option is to encourage insect-eating birds to visit the yard – chickadees, titmice and warblers all especially love aphids and can provide superior natural pest control. Even hummingbirds will happily munch on aphids.

It’s best to control aphids early. As their numbers increase, the drying leaves begin to roll over them, thus protecting the aphids from controls such as soaps, oil and water sprays, and making it harder to effectively eliminate these pests. If you think you have aphids or you’re not sure what you have, bring in a sample. We’ll take a look and suggest the best way to eliminate the problem and help you protect your plants.

aphids_3

aphids_1

aphids_2

Azaleas – An American Favorite

Azaleas are true garden favorite and are popular in all types of landscape designs. To keep them blooming prolifically and as beautiful as they can be, however, you will need to follow a few special directions for their best care.

Planting Azaleas

Azaleas need a well-drained location, as they will not thrive in an area that stays overly wet. They prefer afternoon shade, and too much sun can harm their leaves and fade the flowers, depleting their beauty. For their best growth, it is important to shelter azaleas from drying winds. The best locations in the landscape will be along the north, northeast or east side of a building or stand of evergreens or in the filtered shade under tall trees.

Azaleas may be planted any time of the year, even when in full bloom. Spring and early fall are ideal planting times so the plants are not stressed by the heaviest summer heat. Before planting, loosen the matted roots with a hand cultivator so they can spread and establish more easily.

To give azaleas the excellent drainage they require, they should be planted high, with half the root ball above the existing ground level in a hole at least twice as wide as the root ball. Amend the planting soil to provide good nutrition for these hungry plants. Once the plant is set in the planting hole, fill in around it with the planting mix, packing firmly to eliminate air pockets. Mound soil up to top of root ball. Water shrubs thoroughly with a diluted plant starter fertilizer to encourage root growth and help them establish more quickly. Mulch 2-3 inches deep over the planting hole, with mulch pulled away from plant stem to avoid insect infestations and rotting.

Watering Azaleas

Spring and summer plantings should be watered 2-3 times per week until fall the year they are planted, then once a week until Christmas. Plants may need to be watered as often as once a day if they are small or the weather is hot. Always check the soil moisture level before watering. It should be lightly moist several inches down, but if it is drying out more frequent watering may be needed. In following years you will need to water your azaleas about once a week unless there is a good soaking rain. Plants will need more water in hot summers and while in flower to keep their growth and form lush.

The Need for Mulch

Mulching around azaleas is always a good idea, and can help them thrive. A 2-4″ layer of mulch should be maintained at all times over the root area of the plant, but pulled away from the stems. This keeps the soil cool and moist, helps control weeds and protects roots in winter.

Pruning Azaleas

Azaleas rarely need to be pruned. When pruning is required it should be done immediately after blooming, since if you wait to prune until summer you may cut off next year’s blooms and miss an entire flowering season. Azaleas may be sheared, as they will send out new shoots anywhere on a branch, or you may choose hand-pruning to create a neater form.

With a bit of considerate care, azaleas can be a showstopper in your landscape. Stop by today for help choosing the best azaleas and learning all you need to know to keep them gorgeous year after year!

azaleas

Pruning Forsythia

Forsythia is a true spring favorite and never disappoints with its shocking yellow blooms atop a mass of unruly branches. This early-flowering shrub can thrive for decades on neglect but there will come a time, whether out of want or necessity, that your forsythia will require pruning. But how can you do so without dampening the ferocious spring flame these spring shrubs produce?

Why Prune Forsythia?

When this shrub does so well without detailed care, why is it necessary to prune it at all? In many landscapes, if the shrub is properly sited, it may not need pruning. Unfortunately, many people underestimate the vigorous growth of these beauties, and in just a few years it may seem crowded and overgrown in a corner, narrow bed or border. A large, unruly forsythia may also seem overwhelming in a smaller space or when paired with less vigorous plants. Damage or illness may also create a misshapen or unbalanced plant that is no longer so pleasing to the eye. In these cases, judicious pruning can rejuvenate and refresh the shrub and give new life to its part of the landscape.

Rejuvenating Forsythia

Rejuvenating an old, out of shape and poorly flowering forsythia is simple. After the shrub has finished flowering in late spring, cut all the branches back to within one foot of the ground. When branches put on new growth, reaching two feet from the ground, prune all branch tips to the first set of side shoots. This will help develop a fuller, thicker shrub for a more lush look. Be aware, however, that it will take until the second bloom season for a severely pruned forsythia to return to its former splendor.

A newer forsythia that is just a few years old can be kept in tip-top shape a bit more easily. Each spring, after it flowers, cut up to one-third of the branches back to the ground. Choose dead branches, branches thicker than your thumb and all crossed or inward facing branches. This will help create a good form with healthy air circulation and pleasing growth for years of beauty and enjoyment.

It’s easy to keep forsythia looking stunning for many years. Whether you want to make the most of the forsythia already in your yard or want to add this beauty to your landscape, stop by – our landscaping experts can help you choose the best species for your yard and needs so you can enjoy its beauty for many springs to come.

forsythia-1

Spring Lawn Renovation

Spring is the ideal time to spruce up your lawn. After a long winter, you can easily see where any bald, bare or thin patches exist, as well as where weeds or fungus may be taking over the lawn. Fortunately, there are easy ways to set your lawn to rights!

Seeding

If you are planning to seed a new lawn or overseed an existing lawn, it is best to seed as early as possible. It is important to get seed germinated and growing before trees begin to leaf out, when the trees will be usurping more of the soil’s moisture and nutrition and new leaves will block sunlight from the grass seed. This is especially true in more heavily shaded areas. Keep the area moist at all times until the roots of grass seed become established, then you can gradually decrease the frequency of watering. The new grass can be mowed when it reaches a height of about three inches.

Rejuvenating a Weak Lawn

Your lawn cannot live without air, water and nutrients, but decaying material matted down between grass blades can smother even the healthiest-looking lawn. This decaying material is called thatch, and when a thick layer of thatch builds up, water and fertilizer may run off instead of penetrating the soil. Aerating and dethatching can help rejuvenate a lawn by restoring passageways to the soil. Late spring is an excellent time to dethatch cool-season grasses. Thatching rakes can be used, or you can use a metal rake to remove thatch by hand.

Adusting pH 

The pH of your soil has a direct impact on the health of your lawn. Test your soil to determine the pH (simple kits are available to do this). We recommend a small handful of soil taken from a depth of 3 inches to get the most accurate reading. At a pH of 6.8-7.0 nutrients are most readily available to turf grasses, and beneficial microorganisms are more active to decompose thatch and keep the soil structure healthy. If your pH is too low or too high, consider amending the soil as needed to help bring it to a more desirable level.

Crabgrass Control

On established lawns that you are not overseeding, apply a fertilizer with crabgrass control in early to mid-April. Straight Team products can be applied with separate fertilizers like Espoma Organic 18-8-6 or similar fertilizers. Reapply Team in early to mid-June for the second germination of crabgrass. Remember, crabgrass seeds start to germinate when the soil temperature reaches 50-58 degrees. Use corn gluten as an organic alternative for crabgrass control on an established lawn.

On newly seeded lawns and those seeded in late fall or during the winter months, use a starter fertilizer with crabgrass control. You will need to reapply in four weeks or however the manufacturer’s instructions indicate. Proper applications will keep your new lawn crabgrass-free.

Maintaining your lawn at a higher level, 4 inches, throughout the growing season will allow you to control crabgrass without the use of chemicals. Taller grass will shade out the crabgrass seed preventing it from germinating.

Insect Controls

An early season application of Merit or a similar insecticide will provide effective white grub control for the growing season. This preventative method tends to give better results than applying insecticides when you notice damage as it then may be too late. If you have routinely had problems with other insects, opt for products specifically targeted for those pests to ensure effective control.

A lot goes into having a lush, healthy lawn, but if you take the appropriate steps to rejuvenate your lawn in spring, you’ll be rewarded with thick, healthy, resilient turf to enjoy from early spring until snow flies again.

spring_lawn_3

spring_lawn_1

Grass sprinkler

Growing Veggies in Containers

Do you dream of a delicious, homegrown harvest but don’t have the land to use? No longer should a shortage of garden space prevent you from growing your own fresh vegetables. As long as you have a sunny location you can have your own mini-farm on your porch, patio, deck, balcony, roof-top or doorstep!

Why Use Containers?

The benefits of growing containerized vegetables go beyond the issue of space. There are plenty of other compelling reasons to plant your veggies in pots, including…

  1. Vegetables are amazingly ornamental and can be just as decorative as any other container plants or flowers.
  2. There are fewer problems with pests such as groundhogs, deer and rabbits and soil borne diseases.
  3. The soil in pots warms up more quickly in the spring allowing for earlier planting and an extended growing season.
  4. Less bending, squatting and kneeling is required for gardeners with limited mobility.

Vegetables can be grown in any vessel that can hold soil, has adequate drainage and is large enough to hold a plant. There are endless options available on the market or you may recycle items that you already have as long as they meet these requirements. Use your imagination – try a wheelbarrow, wine barrel or just a plastic bin, and you’re ready to plant!

Best Vegetables for Containers

While all veggies can be grown in containers, some are better suited than others. Plants that grow particularly large, that sprawl or that must be grown in large numbers to ensure an adequate yield may take more effort and careful site planning with an adequate container. Similarly, vining plants need not be avoided. Trellis these plants up against a wall or fence or allow them to cascade down from a taller pot or a container placed up high like on a stone wall. For smaller selections, a hanging basket or window box may be used. Many sprawling and vining vegetables are now available by seed in dwarf, compact or bush varieties. These are bred specifically for small spaces and containers and are worth seeking out.

Tips for Container Vegetable Gardens

Growing vegetables in containers does take some unique thought and isn’t quite the same as planting in a traditional garden. When planning your delicious container garden, consider…

  • Containers: Size matters when planting in containers. The bigger the container, the more soil it can hold. More soil more and more moisture means less watering. Take note that porous containers like terra cotta dry out more quickly and will therefore require more frequent watering.
  • Soil: When planting, choose a good quality potting mix. Soil from the ground may contain insects or disease or may be too heavy. Add an all-purpose balanced fertilizer at time of planting. It is also good idea to mix water absorbing polymers into the soil. These granules can hold up to 400 times their weight in water and help reduce watering from 30-50 percent.
  • Plants: Some of the vegetables that you select may be directly seeded into your container; these would include peas, beans, radishes and corn. With most vegetables you may wish to transplant seedlings into your container, either home-grown or garden center purchased. You will generally find a wider selection of vegetable varieties and unique options available in seed as opposed to purchased seedlings, if you want to use your containers experimentally.
  • Supports: Supports should be placed at time of planting for large or vining plants. This will ensure the young plants are not disturbed or damaged with supports added at a later time. If the supports are outside the container, however, they can be added only when they are needed.
  • Location: Your vegetables will require at least 6 hours of direct sun a day. If this is not possible you may try placing your pots on dollies or carts and moving them to a sunnier location as the sun moves throughout the day. Note that good air circulation is important for disease control.
  • Watering: Test soil frequently for water to make sure that you keep it evenly moist. Water the soil, not the plants, to avoid the spread of disease. Check soil moisture more frequently during the summer months when evaporation is faster. Mulching your containers with salt hay or grass clippings will help keep soil cool during the summer months and reduce the frequency of watering. If possible, a drip system can be a great option for keeping containers watered.
  • Fertilization: Fertilizer leaches through pots quickly. Fertilize containerized vegetables at least once a week with a water soluble fertilizer. Always be careful to follow the directions on the fertilizer package and follow the recommended rate. Too much fertilizer may burn or kill your plants, but too little will result in undernourished, underperforming plants.

With appropriate care that caters to the needs of containers, your small-scale vegetable garden can be just as lush and productive as any larger, more intensive space, and you’ll soon have a bountiful harvest to enjoy.