Planting a Cool Season Vegetable Garden

Fall veggies to plant - beautiful red leaves

We’re heading into the homestretch of summer, which can only mean one thing: it’s time to plant cool season vegetables! Here in North Carolina, spring temperatures can climb quickly, which makes vegetables such as lettuce or spinach develop a bitter flavor. Those veggies, along with others such as broccoli, cauliflower and carrots, generate the best flavor when they mature during cooler weather. Planting these crops now means you’ll have a harvest of produce that will carry you well into the fall and winter. There are a number of cold-hardy crops that prefer the cooler temps and higher moisture levels that come at this time of year. Late planted vegetables usually have less competition from weeds and there are fewer pests around to bother them. Some of these plants can grow very quickly from seeds and be ready to eat in a little over a month. Arugula, mustard, spinach, turnips and radishes all germinate from seeds and are ready to harvest in about 40 days.

To ensure success of late harvests, make sure seedlings have enough time to create well-established root systems before the first frost hits. It’s best to plant cool season vegetables in raised beds or mounded rows, and seeds should be planted deeper because the moisture level of the soil is lower and the surface temp is higher. The planting depth may be as much as twice as deep as for spring planting of the same crop. Give your plants a layer of manure or compost that is several inches thick to help the plants establish strong roots, provide adequate drainage, and supply the necessary nutrients for proper plant growth. Sprinkle fertilizer over top of your plantings for extra nutrients and continue to fertilize them regularly in the early growth stages.

Most vegetables need about an inch of water per week. For cool season veggies, it is best to do a single watering that seeps deep into the ground, rather than several applications that soak more shallowly. Young seedlings, germinating seeds, and transplants may require some light watering between the weekly soak.

Most cool weather vegetables can tolerate a light frost, but if a harsh frost hits, you will want to cover your beds with burlap, tarp or a blanket to protect plants.

Below are some suggestions of cool season vegetables to plant:

Salad greens to plant for fall harvest

• Asparagus

• Beets

• Broccoli

• Brussels sprouts

• Cabbage

• Carrots

• Cauliflower

• Collards

• Cucumbers

• Kale

• Lettuce

• Onions

• Radishes

• Rutabaga

• Spinach

• Turnips

If you’re thinking about starting a cool season vegetable garden, stop in and see us! Our friendly staff is on-hand seven days a week and can help you with all of your gardening needs.

Tips for Creating a Pollinator-Friendly Garden

A bumble bee dangles from a flower

Did you know that a high number of pollinators equates to a very healthy ecosystem? The more pollinators, the more biodiversity of plants there is. In fact, some plants are entirely dependent on the help of pollinators to pollinate and reproduce. The term pollinator describes an animal that moves pollen between parts of a flower and includes butterflies, bees, birds, bats, and other insects and mammals. It's certainly worthwhile to create a garden which is pollinator-friendly. Not only will you get to see increased wildlife activity, but you will also be doing a favor for the environment. Pollinators are attracted to flowers by their color or scent, and flowers bloom at different times of the day depending on what type of pollinators they want to attract. Flowers that bloom during the day are generally bright colors and trying to attract bees, butterflies, or other insects. Flowers that bloom at night are usually sweet smelling with a pale color to attract moths and bats.

To create a garden for pollinators, try to have plants that bloom at various times of the year, so that there is always something for them to snack on. Different types of pollinators have different habits and need pollen or nectar at different times of the year. Plant in clumps as opposed to a single plant, and consider using species native to your area. Native plants are more likely to survive and thrive, plus, they are best suited to nourish your local pollinator population. Old-fashioned flower varieties are best for pollinators. Avoid using modern hybrids because many have been bred to have double-flowers, and don't have the pollen or nectar that pollinating species are looking for. Gardens with a wide variety of plants are most attractive to pollinating species.

Other garden features can make your garden more livable for pollinators. Just like any living being, they need food, shelter, and water. A butterfly house is a good way to invite butterflies into your garden. If you decide to install a butterfly house, consider growing plants which their larvae can eat (and be prepared to see some munched-on leaves). Plants such as milkweeds, dogwoods, and verbena are all excellent choices. Having a shallow dish of water helps pollinators, especially those in the midst of a long migration. Keep in mind: butterflies cannot drink open water and, instead, must drink from wet soil or sand.

It’s important to carefully consider the use of pesticides when planting for pollinators. The chemicals can be harmful to them if ingested or if they land on a plant surface that has been sprayed. Fast-acting, short-residual options are best if you must use pesticides, and try to find the least toxic pesticides possible. Also, spray at night, when pollinators like bees are least likely to be active. Your safest bet is to steer clear of these chemicals altogether.

In summary, here are our tips for starting a pollinator-friendly garden:

• Plant a variety of flowers that bloom at different times of the year

• Stick to old-fashioned plants

• Plant in clumps

• Use native species

• Add elements which provide water and shelter

• Avoid pesticides when possible

Here are some suggestions for pollinator-friendly plants:

• Honeysuckle

• Bee balm

• Coneflower

• Sunflowers

• Zinnia

• Black-eyed Susan

• Geranium

• Shasta daisy

• Milkweed

• Spider wort

• Catmint

• Anise hyssop

• Passion flower

• Hydrangea

• Azalea

• Mountain mint

• Goldenrod

• Joe-Pye weed

• Butterfly bush

• Salvia

• Dogwood

• Violet

Beauty in Chaos: The Basics of Cottage Gardening

A cottage garden is a colorful tangle of tumbling flowers and plants that provides a cheerful welcome for visitors. This gardening style is an exercise in creativity and an expression of individuality, with each garden being completely unique. If you've ever thought about starting a cottage garden, here are some tips to get you started: The basics

IMG_20140802_112704403_1 (1)

• Invest in your soil: Soil quality directly affects plant quality, so make sure soil amendment is one of your first undertakings. Soil is filled with organisms that are essential to healthy plant growth, and adding manure or compost is a perfect way to ensure plants have the nutrients they need.

• Consider light conditions: Keep in mind that plants in their ideal conditions are going to thrive and require less upkeep. In general, flowering plants need more sunlight than foliage plants. Have a good idea of how much sun your garden area gets and at what times of the day: is it morning or afternoon sun? Some plants may prefer one or the other.

• Start with a small area: This allows you to experiment with various plants and slowly build a more intricate garden. You can always move things later if you change your mind.

• Tall in the back, short in the front: Be sure to position plants with regard to their height so that there is visual interest to pull the eye up and down. Also, take spacing needs into account so that full-grown plants don’t end up crowding each other.

Plant considerations

There are no right or wrong plant choices for this type of garden. Cottage gardens have a soft, romantic feel, which comes from classic flowers. Some traditional cottage garden plant examples are: hollyhocks, daisies, phlox, foxglove, roses and lavender. Don’t overlook fruits, herbs and vegetables as options: not only are they ornamental, but they are a return to the original purpose of cottage gardens, which was to produce food and flowers for a family.

beautifulflowers

It’s important to consider plant textures and shapes. Part of what makes a cottage garden exciting is the artful mixture of a variety of plant shapes and hues. Varying textures and colors give a cottage garden depth and, while at first glance things may seem chaotic, viewers quickly realize that there is a flow and balance in these gardens. Repeating plants or colors is a good way to create harmony and avoid a garden that appears jumbled.

Incorporate objects and barriers

Dress up your cottage garden by creatively using decorative objects, as well as fences and barricades. Fences or barriers can neaten the look of rambling plants and provide support for tall vegetation. When it comes to sculptures or decorations, the more offbeat, the better! Twig structures, lattices, sundials, birdbaths, and fountains are some objects to consider. Natural or worn materials look right at home in cottage gardens, but don’t overdo it: the plants should steal the show.

And the biggest tip for cottage gardening is to just have fun with it! These gardens are ever-evolving, so it’s perfectly okay to keep tweaking plants, placement and objects until you find the combination that speaks to you. Above all: take time to relax and enjoy your garden!

For more gardening tips, be sure to visit the garden center. Our friendly staff is on-hand seven days a week with answers to all your gardening needs.

Residential and Commerical Curb Appeal

The Time to Fertilize is Now!

FEED ME!!! This is what all of your plants are screaming right now! If you are not on a regular fertilizing schedule, now is an opportune time to start. As we approach the warm weather plants are begging for food because they are about to take off.

WHAT IS N-P-K you say... ?

• Nitrogen, or Nitrates, are essential components necessary to produce the protein in plants. As a result, plants grown with nitrogen added to the soil are stronger, healthier and bigger.
• Phosphorus functions as one of the major players in the process of photosynthesis, nutrient transport, and energy transfer. It supports robust and brightly colored blooms.
• Potassium in most fertilizers is water soluble otherwise can't be absorbed by the plant roots. Potassium controls the plant cells that use water. Without enough potassium, the cells don't efficiently use water and the plant is unhealthy. It then becomes vulnerable to disease and heat stress. Potassium also aids the enzymes promoting plant life. Without potassium, the plant cannot cycle the nutrients to feed roots, leaves and fruits.

Houseplant Care Tips

Houseplants- Garden Supply Co

Returned home from summer holiday just to find your beloved houseplants looking a bit peaked? Well, you are not alone. While it may be fairly easy to find friends or neighbors willing to pop over to water your outdoor containers, indoor houseplants are often overlooked and forgotten during vacation travel. And although your plants can probably withstand a few days, prolonged neglect can turn healthy houseplants into a wilted puddle. But before you throw those plants away, it may be possible to revive them with these helpful houseplant care tips.

Houseplant Care Tips:

To revive wilted houseplants, follow these easy steps.

1. Use a fork to lightly break up the dry surface of the soil. As a plant dries out, peat-based potting mixtures and the plant's rootball shrink away from the pot sides, so any water will be shred and run off. Lightly breaking up the surface allows water to penetrate the soil and reach the roots rather than simply running down the drain.

2. Immerse the pot in a bucket of warm water. Wait until the mixture becomes completely wet and the bubbles stop appearing.

3. Allow any excess water to drain away, and then put the plant into a cool, well-lit location. If you caught the plant in time, it should recover in a few hours.

For more houseplant care tips, stop by the garden center. Our friendly experts are on hand seven days a week with answers to all your gardening questions!

Planting Guide

Our 2013 comprehensive planting guide will give you the "how to" on planting annuals to perennial trees and shrubs. Just Click on the image below or follow the link to our PDF, printer-friendly version. Happy planting!

2013 Planting Guide

PlantingGuide2013  (printer-friendly PDF version)

Spring Check List

It's here! Spring is finally officially here! And with spring comes peak planting time. Time to break out your gardening tools, lawn mowers, and those garden plans you've been pouring over all winter, and get out in the yard! Well.........maybe just as soon as it warms up a bit more, right? But before you get too busy with your spring planting, there are a few things you should do to get ready first. Follow our spring check list now and enjoy successful and smooth gardening in the months to come.

Clean Up Those Garden Beds

It's a good idea to clean up your garden beds before too much new growth occurs with the onset of warmer weather. As the new growth emerges, prune away any dead, winter-killed leaves and shoots, and compost them or bury them in the vegetable garden.

Press back any plants that may have frost-heaved over the winter. Maintain a 2-inch layer of mulch around your plants. Keep the mulch away from the crowns and directly away from the stems to avoid rot.

Dig up, divide, and replant any established plants if they've become too crowded. A key sign of crowding is if flowering has been sparse. Some fast-growing perennials need to be divided between one and three years after planting.

Tune Up Those Lawn Mowers

Soon, it will be time to break out the lawn mowers, but before you do, it's a good idea to give them a tune-up. Plan to service your lawn mower yourself or take it to a lawn repair shop. A few of the items that should be looked at include:

• Air Filter- Clean or replace if damaged
• Spark Plug- Clean or replace if cracked
• Oil- Check to see that it's filled to the right level. Change the oil as recommended by the manufacturer
• Mower Blade- Replace if chipped, cracked, or bent. Maintain a sharp mower blade to cut the grass cleanly. This is important not only for a great looking lawn, but a healthy one, too. A dull mower blade tears the grass, leaving a rough appearance, and leaving it vulnerable to insect or disease attacks.
• Tires- Examine the tires for wear and replace them if necessary to give you better traction and maneuverability.
• Check for loose screws and bolts on the handle controls and the motor, now and throughout the season

Pull Out Those Weeds

Handpull or spot treat any winter annual weeds that may have already sprouted in your lawn and bedding areas. These pesky little invaders are not only unsightly, they actually pull moisture and nutrients out of the soil, robbing your plants of needed benefits.

Check Those Garden Tools

Dull and broken garden tools are a side-effect of working in the yard. Of course, it's downright difficult to, say, prune with dull shears. But shears that won't cut will pull and tear instead, which only damages your plants, leaving them vulnerable to disease. So inspect your garden tools and repair where you can, and replace if necessary.

For more gardening tips, be sure to visit the garden center. Our friendly staff is on-hand seven days a week to help with all your gardening needs.

Happy Spring everyone!

Cool- Season Vegetable Gardening

cool season veggies

March is here and spring is around the corner, and if you are anything like me, then you are longing for some flowers and dreaming of spring planting. Although it's still a bit early for many plants, now is definitely the time to be planting cool-season vegetables in your edible gardens. Cool-season veggies grow best at temperatures averaging 15° cooler than those needed by warm season types. Many have edible leaves or roots (lettuce, spinach, carrots, and radishes); others (artichokes, broccoli, cauliflower) are grown for their immature flowers. A few (peas, broad beans) produce edible seeds. Most can endure short periods of frost.

For best results, you need to grow them to maturity in cool weather; otherwise, they can turn bitter tasting, or bolt to seed rather than producing edible parts. Except in coldest climates, plant them in very early spring so the crop will mature before summer heat settles in, or in late summer for a crop in fall in winter.

Here's a few tips for successful cool-season vegetable gardening this month.

Indoor Transplants

If you started transplants indoor from seed, you will need to harden these home-grown transplants before moving them into the garden. Hardening is a procedure that prepares indoor-grown plants for the rigors of the outdoors. Reduce watering and set them outdoors during the day. Bring them inside at night. Continue this for 3-4 days. If the temperature drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, take the plants inside. After four days, allow the plants to be outside all day and night. After about a week or two, the plants should be hardened off and ready to be transplanted with a minimum of shock.

Helpful Hint- Rotate Your Garden

Rotate your vegetables by not planting the same vegetable or related vegetable in the same location year after year. Rotate at least once every three years. If you have to, and if space permits, rotate the entire garden to a new location and allow the original garden to remain fallow for a year. By rotating vegetables from different families you can prevent the buildup of insect and disease problems. Refer to the following list of vegetable families when rotating your garden.

• Carrot Family: carrot, chervil, celery, coriander, dill, Florence fennel, parsley, and parsnip

• Goosefoot Family: beet, spinach, and Swiss chard

• Gourd Family: cucumber, gourd, cantaloupe, watermelon, pumpkin, and squash

• Grass Family: popcorn and sweet corn

• Lily Family: asparagus

• Mallow Family: okra

• Mustard Family: bok choi, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, cauliflower, collards, cress, kale, horseradish, holrabi, mustard greens, radish, rutabaga, and turnip

• Nightshade Family: eggplant, pepper, Irish potato, and tomato

• Onion Family: chive, garlic, leek, onion, and shallot

• Pea Family: beans and peas

• Sunflower Family: endive, chicory, globe artichoke, Jerusalem artichoke, lettuce, salsify, and sunflower

Potatoes

Piedmont gardeners can buy seed potatoes and cut them into egg-sized pieces containing one or two eyes. Allow the cuts to dry and callous for a day or two before planting. Plant them when the soil temperature remains above 50 degrees F.

Asparagus

Plant asparagus crowns before new growth emerges from the buds.

Fertilizing

Some vegetables have heavier demands for nitrogen than others and need extra nitrogen during the growing season. These heavy-feeders benefit from an application of primarily a nitrogen-containing fertilizer applied along one side of the row, about 4-6 inches from the plants. This is called sidedressing. Use a nitrogen fertilizer, such as calcium nitrate, bloodmeal, or cotton seed meal.

Sidedress beets and carrots four to six weeks after planting. Broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower benefit from an application two to three weeks after planting, and again four to six weeks later. Sidedress lettuce soon after the seedlings emerge and grow. Fertilize English peas when they are 4 to 6 inches tall.

Herbs

Plant perennial herbs such as chives, oregano, and thyme as they become available. Also dill and parsley are okay to sow or set out at this time.

Warm-Season Vegetables

For those of you wishing to get a jump start on your warm-season vegetable gardens, try sowing warm-season vegetable seeds indoors for transplant outdoors later. In flats or trays, try eggplant, New Zealand spinach ( a heat-tolerant substitute for spinach), pepper, and tomato. Tender-rooted vegetables such as cucumber, muskmelon, summer squash, and watermelon should be sown in individual pots or peat pellets.

For more gardening tips, be sure to visit the garden center. Our friendly staff is on-hand seven days a week with answers to all your gardening needs.

Late February Lawn Care

Driving around town this past week, you may have noticed some early signs of spring starting to show. Deciduous trees and shrubs are beginning to leaf out, bud, and in some cases, even bloom. Temperatures are slowly warming, and the world is coming back to life. Even though there is still a good month left to winter, it's time to start treatment on your lawn to be ahead of the game next month. Because as the days are slowly lengthening and warming, soil temperatures are rising, causing all those pesky weed seeds that have laid dormant all winter to sprout. So if you haven't done so, now is the time to apply PRE-EMERGENT weed treatment to your lawn to keep it weed-free this spring.

At Garden Supply Co, we have a full line of lawn care products to keep your lawns at their peak of health. Stop by the garden center and let our friendly staff of experts help you select the best treatment plan for your lawn. If you haven't treated your lawn at all this year, now is a good time to apply a crabgrass preventer as well as a pre-emergent week killer. And it's about time for fertilizer, too. Our experts can help get you going on the right schedule.

Mowing

Plan to have your lawn mower serviced soon, if you haven't already. Here's a few items that should be looked at:

Air Filter- have it cleaned or replaced if needed

Spark Plug- clean it or replace it if it's cracked

Oil- check to see that it's filled to the right level. Change the oil as recommended by the manufacturer

Mower Blade- replace if chipped, cracked, or bent. Have sharpened otherwise

Check for loose screws and bolts on the handle controls and the motor

If mowing is necessary, remember to remove no more than one-third of the grass height with a sharp mower blade. A dull mower blade tears the grass, leaving your lawn susceptible to disease, weeds, and insects.

Planting

Sod can be installed whenever the soil is not frozen. Newly sodded areas should be moistened for the sod to "knit" into the soil. Water immediately after sodding to wet the soil to a depth of 3 or 4 inches. Don't let the soil dry out until the sod has rooted into the soil.

For more tips on maintaining a beautiful and healthy lawn this season and all year long, stop by the garden center and talk to one of our experts. We're here 7 days a week with answers to all your gardening questions.

Fall Guide to Herbs & Vegetables

Garden Supply Co.- Cary, NC

Now that the season has changed and cooler weather is arriving, it's time to think about harvesting the last of your summer vegetables, and start work on your fall and winter gardens. Here's a few of our top tips for getting the most out of your seasonal herb and vegetable gardens this month.

Planting

Extend the gardening season well into the winter by planting fall and winter vegetables now. Good candidates for winter harvest include lettuce, radish, spinach, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, pak choi, swiss chard, collards, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts.

Plant garlic now for harvest in late summer. It likes a sunny, well-drained spot. Set bulb tips 2 inches beneath the soil surface.

For the most successful winter gardening, we suggest using cold frames when planting. Cold frames are simple bottomless boxes with a removable glass or plastic lids that protect plants inside from excessively low temperatures, wind, snow, and rain. In doing so, it creates a micro-climate that is a zone and a half warmer than your garden. The result is a harvest of fresh vegetables all winter long.

Harvesting

Listen for frost warnings and be prepared to cover tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, and other tender vegetables. The weather often warms up again after the first frost, so this protection can prolong the harvest for weeks.

When there is a threat of frost, harvest your cucumbers, eggplant, okra, pepper, and summer squash before the vegetables become frost-damaged.

Bring in tomatoes for ripening when the daytime temperatures are consistently below 65 degrees F. Pick only those fruits that have begun to change color.

Harvest sweet potatoes before frost as well as gourds, pumpkins and winter squash. If you'd like to store pumpkins, be sure to pick only solid, mature pumpkins that are deep orange in color. Try not to injure the rind as decay-causing fungi attack through wounds. Dip them in a chlorine solution of 4 teaspoons bleach per gallon of water. Allow to dry, but do not rinse until ready to use. Cure them at room temperature for a week to harden the rind, then store in a cool place. They will keep for about two months.

When you can no longer protect your plants, pull them and add them to the compost heap.

Herbs

By now, most herbs have lost their best flavor. Discontinue drying for winter use at this time. Exceptions, however, are chives and parsley, which thrive now and taste better than ever in cool weather.

Chives, coriander (cilantro), dill, and parsley can be direct-sown in the fall in the milder areas of the Piedmont for harvest in the fall and winter months.

For more gardening tips, stop by the garden center and speak with one of our friendly experts. We're open 7 days a week to help with all your gardening needs!

Deer Resistant Plants

Garden Supply Co. - Cary, NC Seems to happen at my house every year without fail. Just as soon as my garden is at its peak in early summer, the deer find their way into my yard and being nibbling at all those lovely blossoms. Short of building a fence, the next best defense against these pesky creatures is adding deer-resistant varieties of plants to your beds and borders. You can still have beautiful blooms and interest in the garden while keeping pests at bay. Here's a few of our favorite deer resistant choices.

Gardenias

Best known for their fragrant white flowers, gardenias are heat-loving evergreen shrubs that are happily unattractive to deer. Most gardenias grow into a round shape with dark green, glossy leaves and white, fragrant flowers that bloom from mid-spring into summer. Although once a mostly shade loving plant, there are varieties now that thrive in full sun, making these a wonderful plant option for foundation plantings.

Gaura

A North American wildflower, Gaura is now widely grown across the continent. Plants bloom for many weeks, with loose sprays of small flowers. In the breeze these move constantly, looking like a cloud of small butterflies. Although Gaura may not always winter reliably, plants flower for the entire summer and fall, so consider using it even as an annual in colder winter regions. New plants will often appear from self sown seedlings. Superb in containers, the subtle color blends easily in borders. Drought tolerant once established.

Lantana

Lantana’s aromatic flower clusters are a mix of red and orange florets. Other colors exist as new varieties are being selected. Many cultivars display multiple colors within each two inch wide disc shaped flower head. The flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Use lantana as annuals or perennials in flowerbeds or containers. Spreading cultivars are attractive as groundcovers or trailing over containers and walls.

Sedum

Creeping sedums, also commonly known as stonecrops, are among the most versatile, drought-tolerant, and easy-to-grow perennials. Renowned for their ability to spread quickly, these low growers keep weeds from taking hold and perform well in rock gardens, borders, and containers.

Coleus

Coleus are prized for their colorful foliage which may combine shades of green, yellow, pink, red and maroon. New introductions of this popular annual have been selected for increased sun and heat tolerance. The brilliant and widely varied colors of coleus foliage make it a natural for use in summer bedding and as a color accent. Coleus also grows beautifully in containers, which can be used to highlight patios, porches and garden terraces.

Agastache

Agastache, also known as Hummingbird Mint, are a showy, fragrant group of perennial herbs. The tubular flowers are borne in whorls all summer long, and are very attractive to many species of insects and hummingbirds. All  agastache species and cultivars have strong, square stems that hold up great in harsh weather  conditions and laugh at heavy rain and extreme heat.

Salvia

Salvia boasts tall wispy wands of lavender or blue flowers that produce a very showy display. This perennial earns its keep with fast-growing ways, beautiful blooms, and a flavor deer find distasteful. Once established, plants shrug off drought, although it's wise to keep plants well-hydrated through the hottest parts of summer if you want a steady supply of supple foliage.

Lamb's Ears

Lamb's Ears is a low growing spreader with very fuzzy, pale, silvery gray-green foliage. They are grown primarily for the color and texture of their foliage, although the species does have flower spikes early in the season. Lamb's Ears are often recommended for children's gardens because of their soft feel.

Lavender

Many people appreciate lavender for its fragrance, used in soaps, shampoos, and sachets for scenting clothes.  The blossoms are also useful as a remedy for a range of ailments from insomnia and anxiety to depression and fatigue. Research has confirmed that lavender produces slight calming, soothing, and sedative effects when its scent is inhaled. The lavender plants themselves make a lovely small bushy shrub useful in beds, borders, and container plantings alike. Lavender plants will tolerate many growing conditions, but it thrives in warm, well-drained soil and full sun. Lavender is a tough plant and is extremely drought resistant, once established.

For more tips on growing deer-resistant plants in your area, stop by the garden center and speak with one of our friendly experts. We're on hand seven days a week with answers for all your gardening questions. Hope to see you soon!

It's Bagworm Season

Damage on Arborvitae from Bagworms

Worms are not often a critter that I spend much time thinking about. Beyond a usefulness in composting, worms seem rather mundane and unremarkable.  But right about now, An insidious little worm that often goes undetected may be causing all sorts of mischief with your favorite trees and shrubs. If your plants have suddenly gone from healthy to half-dead, you may have come down with a case of the bagworms.

Bagworms are caterpillars that make distinctive cone-shaped bags on a variety of trees and shrubs. They attack both deciduous trees and evergreens, but are especially damaging to juniper, arborvitae, spruce, pine, and cedar. Large populations of bagworms can strip plants of their foliage and eventually cause them to die. Infestations often go unnoticed because people mistake the bags for pinecones or other plant structures.

Bagworms on Spruce

Now is the time to treat your plants while the bagworms are still small. Keep your eye out for older bags from last season. One or two bags from last season can mean 50-100 new bagworms this year.

Cone Shaped Bags

If you catch the bagworms now, you can treat them yourself with a number of products that we carry here at Garden Supply Co. Thuricide, a natural product, works well, as does Dipel or Bifenthrin. Or of course our friends at Leapfrog Landcare can treat your problem spots if your plants are mature and the bags are out of reach.

For more gardening tips, stop on by the garden center and speak with one of our friendly experts. We're here seven days a week for all your gardening needs. Hope to see you soon!

Heat-Tolerant Summer Lovin' Plants

So far this year, we've been quite blessed with beautiful weather. What was a relatively short and mild winter has given way to a long and lovely spring. For all you gardeners out there, it's been a great time to work in the yard. And even though summer's heat will soon be upon us, that doesn't mean that you have to give up on flowers for the season. There are plenty of heat-tolerant plants out there that will provide color and beauty all summer long. Here's a list of some of our top favorites. Lantana- Garden Supply Co.- Cary, NC

If you're looking for a continuous burst of color all summer long, look no further. You can choose from a bevy of lantanas in just about every shade but blue. Most popular are the low-growing, spreading types, which are great for using in hanging baskets, cascading over walls, or massing in large sweeps. Although some selections boast flowers in solid colors, many have bi-colored clusters. They are notoriously easy to grow and require little attention. Better yet, a  lantana garden is butterfly heaven.  No flowers do a better job of attracting them.

Black Eyed Susan

The Black Eyed Susan is sturdy and easy-to-grow, boasting two to four-inch yellow flowers with a prominent purplish-black cone. These cheery flowers make great cut flowers for indoor arrangements, and actually benefit from a cutting back by producing more flowers later in the season. They grow well in just about any kind of soil, and also attract bees and butterflies to the garden.

Verbena

The numerous selections of this flower are some of the garden’s most colorful, useful, and easy-to-grow plants. They bloom in late spring, thrive in heat, and tolerate drought. Verbenas are mainly grown for their remarkable length of bloom with most blooming from spring until close to frost if trimmed back once or twice in mid summer. Flower color ranges from white through pink, red, lavender, blue and purple.

Threadleaf Coreopsis (Tickseed)

One of the easiest perennials to grow. Delicate, daisy-like flowers complement fine-textured green foliage on this herbaceous perennial. Blooms, about the size of a nickel, come in a variety of yellows. Tickseed starts flowering in June and lasts through frost, with blooms surging throughout the summer and fall. This perennial is a low-maintenance plant and requires very little care once established.

Portulaca

This "fleshy" annual plant is well known for brilliant flowers in a variety of colors. Plants are low-growing spreaders with thick succulent stems and vibrant, cup-shaped flowers. Portulacas love it hot and dry. You can plant them in poor, even sandy, soil.  They will also self-sow in the garden. Plant them in a rock wall or along a sidewalk and they may show up next year in the cracks and crevices.

Zinnia

This is a plant that is started incredibly easily from seed, flowers very quickly, has a wide range of flower types and colors. Zinnias withstand full sun and heat, make an excellent cut flower, and attracts bees and butterflies.

For more gardening tips, stop by and chat with one of our helpful experts. We've got answers to all your gardening questions.

Spring Lawn Care Tips

Cary, NC- Growing a healthy. lush green lawn in North Carolina can be a bit of a challenge. Poor soil conditions paired with high heat and humidity during the summer months are well-known contributing factors to our difficult growing conditions. But did you also know that two basic lawn-management practices, mowing and fertilizing, can either "make" or "break" a lawn by promoting good lawn health or opening it up to a weed infestation. Here's a few tips for establishing a healthy and beautiful lawn in your home landscape.

Sharp Mower Blades

Always mow with a sharp mower blade. Sharp blades cut the grass cleanly, which ensures rapid healing and regrowth. When dull blades tear and bruise the leaves, the wounded grass becomes weakened and less able to ward off invading weeds.

A good rule to follow is to have your lawn mower serviced in late winter or early spring before peek grass growing commences later in the spring. If you haven't had your blade sharpened in several years, you can be pretty sure that they are in need. Take a peek at your freshly mowed lawn and look at the tips of the cut grass. If you see tearing or ripping, you are in need of some service.

Mowing Height

Mow at the proper height for your lawn. For example, mow tall fescue at 3 inches during the summer months. By maintaining the proper height, you will allow the root system to fully develop, helping the grass tolerate summer heat and stress.

One-Third Rule of Thumb

Follow this mowing rule-of-thumb: Remove no more than one-third of the grass height at any one mowing. Cutting off more than one-third at one time can stop the roots from growing, which is an open invitation to weeds.

Fertilizing

Fertilize lawns with the right amount of fertilizer based on soil-test results and at the proper time of year. Cool-season grasses like tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass should be fertilized in the fall.

Weed Whackers

Avoid trimming grass with a weed-eater near the trunks of trees and shrubs. The rapidly spinning monofilament line can easily damage the bark, exposing it to attack from insects and diseases. Instead, maintain a shallow layer of mulch around the bases of trees and shrubs to help suppress weed growth.

For more lawn care tips, stop by the garden center. Our helpful staff is on hand seven days with answers to all your gardening questions. Hope to see you soon!

Gloomy Scale

Cary, NC - Gloomy Scale - (photo credit) Our friends at Leapfrog Landcare recently shared an interesting article about Gloomy Scale that is valuable information to share here with our Garden Supply Co. readers, too.  Gloomy Scale is a tiny bug that infects the healthy tissue of maple trees, especially the soft maples such as boxelder, red maple and silver maple. Grape, soapberry, native hollies, mulberry, sweetgum, and buckthorn may also be infested. And if left untreated, these little buggers can cause all sorts of havoc.

Seems that Gloomy Scale insects have been spending the winter snuggled up in their arboreal homes, and are about ready to resume development next month with their first offspring crawlers showing up in May. Crawlers are produced until the middle of August at which time practically every stage of development can be found. Males emerge in August and September and mate with new females. There is one generation per year.

Gloomy Scale detail- (photo credit)

Here's what Greg, of Leapfrog Landcare shared.

"Gloomy Scale is a parasite that sucks the sugar out of the sap of Maple trees and when they multiply each female can reproduce up to 500 more!!! If a tree has only 50 females of this tiny bug and each of them reproduce 500 more, then that tree now has 25,000 or more Gloomy Scale that are all drinking from the tree. They keep populating the tree until it is just covered one scale on top of the other and it makes the tree trunk and limbs turn black and eventually as the infestation turns severe the tree can’t force enough sap past them to get all the way out to the ends of the limbs. So, at that point the tree starts dying from the ends of the limbs back causing a slow, ugly death."

If left untreated, your maple trees can suffer severe damage from limb die-back or even death. But there is treatment. A horticultural oil as a dormant application is probably the most effective chemical treatment for gloomy scale control. However, sometimes trees are so large that thorough coverage is difficult. That's when it is a good idea to call in the experts, like Greg. But hurry, you'll need to treat your trees before their leaves come out this spring.

For more information on Gloomy Scale and it's treatment, come talk to our friendly experts at Garden Supply Co. or look up Greg at Leapfrog Landcare. They offer full tree and shrub treatment plans as well as organic lawncare services for all your home garden maintenance needs.

Pruning 101

Cary, NC

To Prune or Not to Prune

To prune or not to prune is a question that often comes up in gardening discussions. When is the right time of year, and just how far back should a plant be pruned? For a concept that seems fairly simple in theory, these questions leave lots of room for doubt. So how do you know what and when to prune? Here are some general rules:

When

Right now, we are sitting on the fence between two seasons. It's not quite full winter anymore, yet not quite spring, either. Deciduous plants are still without their leaves, evergreens are resting, and perennials have died back to the ground. This is a good time of year to prune some plants.

For many plants, time of year really does make a difference in successful pruning. Pruning is an invigorating process that stimulates plants to put out new growth. If you stimulate growth at the wrong time of year, such as fall or early winter, a plant will be encouraged to develop new and tender branches that are easily susceptible to weather damage.  A plant expends energy to grow these branches that typically break in a windstorm and have minimal flowering and fruiting capabilities. Simply by waiting to prune until late winter or early spring, a gardener can reduce the number of tender, susceptible sprouts on a tree or shrub.

Always prune a spring-flowering shrub after it blooms. Pruning in winter would eliminate its spring blooms.

Evergreen, non-flowering shrubs can be pruned at any time, however if they are pruned in the spring they will have a chance to put out new growth and get fuller before the following winter.

Dead, Damaged, or Diseased

Dead, damaged, or diseased wood can be pruned out of plants anytime of year. It is important to remove such branches as soon as they are discovered. Dead or damaged branches become easy targets for insects and also allow for the entry of diseases. And once a disease infects a plant, it will continue to spread to healthy tissue unless removed.

How

With pruning, develop a less-is-more methodology. Prune only if you need to. Choose plants that reach their desired height and shape with minimal pruning.

Remove suckers at the base of trees. Also remove crossing branches from the center of small trees and shrubs back to a main branch or trunk. Branches that cross and rub across each other cause damage to plant tissue, thus allowing insects and diseases a way in.

When pruning limbs and branches, prune back to about a one-quarter inch above a bud using a slanting cut. The bud is where new growth occurs. A slanting cut will help keep the pruned area dry after a rain.

Never prune back more than one-third of a shrub. Too much pruning will shock a plant, and can cause death.

Ornamental grasses should be cut back to a few inches above the ground before they put out new growth in the spring.

Large Trees

Large trees should always be pruned by a certified arborist. Trained arborists will take care to only prune if needed, and in the correct manner. They also have all the necessary equipment and experience to prevent injury to yourself or your property.

Care Tip

Once you've finished pruning, it's a good idea to use an anti-bacterial spray on your pruners before putting them away. This will help prevent bacterial diseases from spreading.

For more tips on pruning, stop by the garden center. Our friendly experts are on hand seven days a week with answers to all your gardening questions.

Planting for Transplant

Garden Supply Co.- Cary, NC For those of you interested in getting a jump start on the spring growing season, now is the time to start those seedlings for transplant in the garden next month. With a little careful planning and preparation now, you can have any number of flowering annuals, herbs, and vegetables ready for planting, weeks ahead of a regular direct-sown outdoor planting schedule. And we'll tell you how.

Planning

Plan to organize your seed packets this month to create a sowing schedule for your seeds. Look up the date of the last expected freeze in your area, and use that as a guideline for planning. You can find information on frost dates for most cities in North Carolina from the National Climatic Data Center website. Then check the instructions on the seed packets to find the number of weeks of growth required before each seedling can be transplanted to the garden outside. Count the weeks back from the last expected freeze to know when to sow your seeds.

Planting

Here's a few tips for sowing seeds for transplant.

1. Moisten a sterile, seed-starting mixture and fill your pots or trays to within 1/4 inch of the top.

2. Sow very fine seeds with vermiculite or sand. Mix the seeds with the vermiculite or sand and pour the mix into the center of a folded piece of paper. Tap the paper gently over the medium to sow the seeds.

When sowing medium to large seeds, use the end of a pencil to create a hole in the mix. Plant seeds no deeper than recommended. Drop one or two seeds in each hole.

3. Press extremely fine seeds lightly into the medium, or water them in with a fine mist spray. Cover the seed if light is not required for germination. A thin layer of vermiculite is enough. Otherwise, leave the seed uncovered, exposed to light.

For medium to large seeds, cover seeds to a depth equal to twice their diameter.

4. Label the pot or flat with the name of the plant and the date it was planted. Read the packet and make note of the date the seed is expected to germinate so you will know when to expect sprouts to appear.

5. Spray mist the seeds to water them in. If watering from the top may disturb the seeds, place the entire container into a tub containing a few inches of water. Allow the mixture to become saturated, then set  the pots or flats aside to drain.

6. Cover the pots or trays with plastic wrap, or put them in a plastic bag secured at the top to retain moisture.

7. Unless the seeds require cool temperatures, move them to a location between 65 and 75 degrees F. in bright but indirect light. When the seeds have sprouted, expose them to bright light. Remove the plastic covering and put them under fluorescent lights. Two 40-watt fluorescent lights are a good choice and provide the quality of light required by the plants. Set the trays on your light stand and lower the lights so they're barely touching the topmost leaves. Keep the lights on for sixteen hours each day. An automatic timer can help here. As the seedlings grow, raise the lights.

Watering

Determine the need for watering by squeezing the top 1/2 inch of medium between your fingers. If water squeezes out easily, there's plenty of water. If the medium feels moist but water is difficult to squeeze out, add water. Just remember to water the seed flats no more than necessary.

Fertilizing

Seedlings growing in soil-less mixtures need to be fertilized when the first true leaves appear. Feed at every other watering with a water-soluble fertilizer to promote faster growth until the plants are ready to be transplanted outdoors.

For more information and all the supplies you need to start your own garden indoors this month, be sure to stop by the garden center. Our friendly experts are on hand 7 days a week to help with all your gardening needs. Hope to see you soon!

Winter/Spring Blooming Bulbs

Spring brings the welcome sight of flowering bulbs after a long and cold winter, starting with early snowdrops and crocus, then daffodils, and last but not least, tulips. Most varieties will be perennial, and many multiply in number yearly. Their successful showing next spring depends on the steps you take now in planning, planting, and care for your bulbs. So if you're looking forward to beautiful blooms this winter and spring, here's what you need to know.

Planning

While bulbs are commonly planted in formal beds, borders, or containers, many work well in naturalized plantings. Plan to create some naturalized areas in your landscape in the following ways:

Randomly scatter crocuses, daffodils, grape hyacinths, snowdrops, and snowflakes, and plant them where they fall. They look better when planted in clumps or drifts, so you may need to move them around a bit.

Plant spring-flowering bulbs along the edges of woodland areas or beneath the canopies of deciduous trees. Keep in mind that they should receive plenty of sunlight and finish blooming before the trees leaf out.

Insert bulbs such as crocuses in your warm-season lawn. The crocuses will brighten up the lawn and be finished blooming before it's time to mow next spring.

Spring Blooming Bulbs from Garden Supply Co.

Planting

Now is a good time to plant spring-blooming bulbs. Remember that these bulbs require an extended cold period to bloom reliably. When bulbs don't receive sufficient cold treatment, they produce flowers on shortened stems that are lower to the ground and often hidden by their leaves. So if you haven't already done so, place your spring-blooming bulbs in an old refrigerator for several weeks of chill down before planting.

Follow suggested planting depths when placing your bulbs. The general rule is this: plant bulbs at a depth equal to three times the height of the bulb. Be sure to use a time-release bulb fertilizer at planting time.

*helpful hint* - some bulbs naturally resist attack by squirrels, chipmunks, and voles, but many make tasty winter-time snacks for hungry animals. We suggest dipping your bulbs in I Must Garden's Squirrel Repellant before planting. For already established plantings, spray or dust formulas are available for surface treatment.

Care for Your bulbs

Fertilize new and established beds with a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer. Don't wait until spring, because the bulbs are producing roots and foraging for nutrients now. Keep in mind that naturalized bulbs need to be fertilized on an annual basis to encourage perennialization.

Summer bulbs which could be killed by winter freezes should be lifted, dried, and stored. Cannas, dahlias, gladioli, caladium, and tuberous begonias should be removed after their foliage is killed by frost. Because they won't survive the winter outdoors, they need to be cleansed of soil and stored indoors in a cool but frost-free location.

Mulch plantings with compost, pine straw, or hardwood mulch to protect tender and semi-hardy bulbs from the winter cold.

And finally, clean up and remove old, dried iris leaves, stems, and other debris to help eliminate overwintering eggs from nasty pests or iris borers.

As always, our friendly staff is available 7 days a week to answer all your spring-blooming bulb or any gardening questions you may have.  And we have a fabulous selection of bulbs to choose from, from all your classic favorites to more unusual and unique offerings. Stop by and let us help you create the garden of your dreams.

Prime Time Planting

What a welcome relief it's been to finally have temperatures dropping and a respite from summer's heat and humidity. In just a few short days, Autumn will be officially here. And I, for one, couldn't be happier. Now we can look forward to cooler days and crisp air, football season,  and the color of changing foliage. Fall is also the prime time of year for planting new trees and shrubs in your home landscape. Planting now will allow your new plants to become firmly established before the heat of next summer kicks in. Here are a few handy planting tips to keep in mind for when you're ready to get started.

Handle balled & burlapped (B&B) plants by the ball and container plants by the pots as much as possible.  If your new plants must be held for several days before planting, put them in an area where they will be protected from excessive sun or drying winds.  Water thoroughly every 2-3 days until planting.  Check daily, as more or less frequent watering may be necessary depending upon weather conditions and the size of the plant.

Consider the mature size of the plant and be familiar with sun and moisture requirements as well.  Pick an area that will accommodate these requirements.  Do not plant in excessively wet or dry soil.

Your hole should be dug at least 1 1/2 times the width, but NO deeper than the size of the root ball.  Mix existing soil in equal parts with soil conditioner and composted cow manure.  An adequate amount of Bio-tone, Plant-tone, or Holly-tone and Dynamite fertilizer should be added to insure nutrient content.

Remove the plant from its pot by placing your hand on top of the root ball and turning over.  Tap and pull the pot until the root ball slips out.  Loosen any roots if necessary on pot-bound plants.  On B&B plants, do not remove any wire, string, or burlap.

Place a portion of your amended soil mixture in the bottom of the hole so that 1/4 of the height of the root ball is above ground level, depending on the moisture content.  Backfill around root ball, using soil mixture.  Lightly tamp soil to hold plant in position and help insure good root-to-soil contact.

Mound remainder of amended soil mixture up to the edge of the root ball to produce a “ring” for water retention and root insulation.  See photo above.  Place mulch at a maximum depth of 1 to 2 inches on top of root ball and 3 inches elsewhere.  Soil conditioner or hardwood mulch is best for trees.

You can find these full instructions, along with other helpful tips on watering and lawn care, in our handy Planting Guide, available for free in the Greenhouse.  We also have a video tutorial by Garden Supply owner, Keith Ramsey, full of helpful tree planting tips on our website. And as always, our helpful staff is on hand 7 days a week to assist you with all your gardening plans.