Wednesday, August 19, 2020

Mission Possible - Repairing Your Lawn


This year’s summer weather has punished many homeowner lawns after a very wet spring and a long-lasting heat wave in many parts of the country. If you weren’t watering, you were likely weeding. Once the heat ramped up, disease issues like brown spot, dollar spot, and striped smut along with common weed issues like crabgrass, clover, and nutgrass just took over the lawn. July and August weather took its toll on grass health, especially if you did not react quickly to provide a solution for disease or insect damage. The average July temperature consistently hit some record highs. These were as shocking as the massive water bill most had from watering their lawns. Don’t get discouraged, it can and will get better soon. 


Fall is for Planting 


Fall is the best time to renovate your home lawn by over-seeding. Cooler nights along with diminishing temperatures combine to make lawn renovations easier. First steps towards making grass repairs is to make a plan that you will follow. Examine your lawn to determine what is needed to correct current conditions. If there is more than 50% weeds and/or bare spots in your lawn, you should reconsider a complete overhaul. If you have high expectations of an estate or golf course type lawn, you will need to choose not only the right grass seed, but include the correct seed starting lawn fertilizer and lime, as needed. Your success hinges on a few factors: good soil, ample drainage, pH within a suitable range for growing most grass seeds (6.0 – 7.0), a quality grass seed with minimal weed seed content, and a good quality starter fertilizer. 


Choosing a Grass Seed 


You can choose a grass seed to fit your lawn type easily by reading the bag. A blended grass seed is using two or more of the same type of grass seed. Examples like Tri-Rye or Tri-Fescue have three types of the same grass seed. A mixed grass seed blend contains multiple types of grass seeds. Two or more different types of seeds in the bag might contain annual rye, perennial rye, tall turf-type fescue, chewings fescue, hard fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, or possibly a specialty type like Poa Trivialis just to name a few of the more popular types. The number one selling grass seed to consumers is Sun & Shade mixture. Many customers have both sun and shade conditions which leads them to purchase a bag with mixed grass seeds that thrive in both sun and shade conditions. Some grasses prefer sun while others prefer shade. There are several types of turfgrass seeds (endophytic) that will deter insect damage in the lawn. Grass seeds will germinate in as little as two days or up to 21 days depending on type of seed, moisture, and adequate “seed to soil” contact. Seed without moisture may take even longer to germinate than 21 days. 


Food for Thought 


If you haven’t fertilized your lawn since who knows when, you might consider using a starter fertilizer for your project. With most all fertilizers using a “zero” phosphate analysis (middle number on the nutrient formula), lawn starters have a phosphorous number (content) to maximize root development to get the grass growing and established quickly. Many of these are formulated to feed up to 8 weeks! If you only want to use an organic lawn starter, you can use Espoma’s Lawn Starter made from natural and organic ingredients. If you get an early start on lawn renovation during September, you may want to apply one more fertilizer application to strengthen the lawn and build up nutrients for winter. These fertilizers are known as Fall Winterizers. They are specifically formulated to help your grass with a strong spring green up. 

There is also a budget for everyone’s lawn for sure. Some folks rely on over-seeding every fall to fill in empty gaps of green lawn ravaged by heat and drought, wear and tear, excessive dense shade, or insects and disease. That’s okay…you just might need a bigger bag of grass seed. 


Here are some top choices for fall grass seeding projects:


Lebanon Fall Lawn Food 15M
No 80350022

Buy Now

Lebanon Fall Lawn Food 5M
No 80350021

Buy Now

Lawn Starter 7.5 lb
No 80030136

Buy Now

Lawn Starter 36 lb
No 80030135

Buy Now

Black Beauty Grass Seed 5lb
No 81430020

Buy Now

Black Beauty Grass Seed 25lb
No 81430022

Buy Now

Black Beauty Grass Seed 50lb
No 81430023

Buy Now

Black Beauty Ultra Grass Seed 1lb
No 81430024

Buy Now

Black Beauty Ultra Grass Seed 3lb
No 81430013

Buy Now

Black Beauty Ultra Grass Seed 7lb
No 81430026

Buy Now

Black Beauty Ultra Grass Seed 25lb
No 81430027

Buy Now

Black Beauty Sunny 1lb
No 81430036

Buy Now

Black Beauty Sunny 3lb
No 81430037

Buy Now

Black Beauty Sunny 7lb
No 81430038

Buy Now

Black Beauty Fall Magic 3lb
No 81430033

Buy Now

Black Beauty Fall Magic 7lb
No 81430034

Buy Now

PennMulch 40lb
No 80350334

Buy Now

Grass Seed Germination Blanket 4'x50'
No 81400001

Buy Now

Grass Seed Germination Blanket 4'x50'
No 81400001

Buy Now



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Tuesday, July 21, 2020

The Great Outdoors

Make no mistake, Americans are spending more time at home to work, to play, and to entertain close family and friends. The love of the outdoor living can also be interrupted by the sounds of summer insect activity. With a few timely garden products and surprisingly little retail cost, you can protect yourself and others so you can enjoy the great outdoors on your patio, deck, or yard. Bonide Chemical is a great specialty chemical company, which is why many of these garden and home problems have an easy solution. 

Home Protection - Snakes

Step right this way to your outdoor seating or dining space and enjoy what your five senses relay to you for the moment. Did you know that all five are connected to develop your perception to your brain? Animals differ in what is the first sense to react. Sight and sound are arguably the first senses we react to. Think about seeing a swarm of bees heading your way or flies and mosquitoes buzzing your ear. You’re going to react. You might not hear a snake sneaking up on you, but your eyes might see telltale signs of snakeskin that was shed along wood piles, a patio or even the siding of your house. Bonide Snake Stopper #875 uses a potent blend of all-natural ingredients like clove oil, cinnamon oil, cedar oil, and sulfur to repel snakes without harming children and pets. Most snake repellents use the active sulfur which irritates their skin. An ammonia spray is a home remedy used as a spray option which snakes smell and flee.

Home Protection - Carpenter Bees

For anyone who has a wood deck, it doesn’t take long to hear the hum and buzz of carpenter bees looking to drill holes into your patio oasis. Did you know that dryer sheets rubbed onto your clothes can repel carpenter bees? Pinterest said it…it must be true! There are a few carpenter bee traps and controls that work. Bonide makes a Termite and Carpenter Ant Aerosol #370 that is labelled for Carpenter Bees. 

Home Protection - The Common House Fly

With extreme heat comes the onslaught of flies. They favor decaying matter, feces, spoiled fruit, sugary liquids like soda and alcohol to feast upon. Try you best to keep areas clean as possible and remove foodstuffs with a stream from the garden hose and recommended cleaner for your desired surface. Cinnamon is a natural repellent that its smell drives fly away. Works wonders indoors and smells nice. Just about every insect spray control is labelled for outdoor use only. There are numerous fly traps that work effortlessly in using an attractant and sticky surface that prevents flies from escaping. Rescue makes tremendous trap products for fly control. These products work best in areas that have little to no heavy winds. Ensure placement is beyond the reach of pets and children. Please refer to our retail catalog on pages 187 & 188 for Rescue products.

Home Protection - The Carpenter Ant & Termite

These insects are the most devastating of all subterranean creatures. They are hard to observe by sight and make no sound, but their trail of sawdust, tunneling grooves on woodwork and beams, and occasional swarms near baseboards are tell tale signs. You can prevent and protect your home and property by using specific products with these insects listed on the label for indoor and outdoor home use like the Bonide Termite & Carpenter Ant spray #371. Inspect wood surfaces on decks by lightly tapping soft woodwork. If it sounds hollow, I would encourage a second look. Once they are present, you are committed to calling a licensed exterminator to eradicate the trail, nest, and treat the infestation thoroughly. If it compromises structural integrity, they have been there awhile.

Home Protection - The Spider

Okay, okay, I know that spiders are beneficial and eat bad guys, but geez! I have seen some incredible size to these recently around the home and they must be eating a lot of insects. Outdoors, keep a watchful eye for webbings from gazebos, trellis, lanterns, tree limbs and fencing. Remove them and you can treat outdoor residence areas with numerous sprays and dusts. Diatomaceous earth has been used indoors for many years to control crawling insects including spiders. The Bonide Household Insect Control #530, Total Release Fogger #685, and Spider & Ground Bee Killer #363 are all labelled for indoor usage. Whew! Once your done, its time to relax and enjoy the great outdoors with family and friends!


Products for Pest Control


Ant, Flea & Tick Granules
No 80100124

Buy Now

Diatomaceous Earth 1.3lb Jug
No 80100848

Buy Now

Diatomaceous Earth 5lb.
No 80100711

Buy Now

Household Insect Control
No 80100072

Buy Now

Spider & Ground Bee Killer
No 80100024

Buy Now

Termite & Carpenter Ant Killer
No 80100026

Buy Now

Total Release Flea Fogger
No 80100131

Buy Now

Snake Stopper Snake Repellent
No 80100142

Buy Now



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Tuesday, June 9, 2020

Common Issues, Common Remedies in the Summer Garden

This tip is dedicated to the new gardener that seems to come out of nowhere for spring 2020. The pandemic has stirred the interest of “newbies” to explore gardening and with it, new experiences. Most plants have some common garden issues that affect their performance, whether it is insect, disease, nutritional, or moisture related. To a new gardener, everything looks great when they finish planting and the anticipation of their efforts in growth, flowers, and fruit is their fulfillment of success. However, do they keep an active eye on what’s happening? Daily? Weekly?

Moisture

Usually, new plantings fail mostly due to underwatering or overwatering for beginners and experienced gardeners alike. This year, we have had an abundance of rainfall without intense heat. You might think that the plants have plenty of water, but if you account for continual surface winds, they may not. Bright sunny days with light winds dry surfaces and in some cases bind soils to shed water and encourage run off. In vegetable gardens, light ground cultivation between plant rows may help in breaking apart compacted soil. It may also remove weeds between rows of veggies. The caution here is that with exposed soil, weed seeds may germinate again. Many gardeners use weed fabric between rows or even plant directly through the fabric. Mulching may help. There is a caution using available grass clippings and should be avoided. It drains usable nitrogen from the soil as it breaks down and limits nutrients. The long-term remedy is using some gypsum to break up clay particles or applying a suitable garden soil, compost, or premium manure (well rotted and conditioned so it will not burn).

Insects

Bringing mulch in the form of available wood chippings from a recent storm sounds like a great idea, but you may introduce unwanted insects and devastating mites to a new dinner party, your garden. There are ways to limit insect destruction in the garden that is as simple as using a blast of water to dislodge insects and especially mites during hot summer days. Early in the morning is best practice to allow plants to dry throughout the day. Mid-day spraying of water or chemicals might burn leaves quickly with heat and plant stress from scorching sunlight.

Any newcomer to gardening that turns to spraying chemicals for insect control will either make a best guess choice at the chemical shelf or hopefully ask for assistance. Here is where independent garden centers shine! Typically, we ask what the problem is by questioning the customer and identify the insect damage. From there, we can recognize the right product for the right problem…and offer the best option for the weather conditions. Most summer recommendations are water based, not oil based remedies to prevent leaf burn. Popular choices for summer sprays in the vegetable garden are insecticidal soap from Espoma, Safer, or Bonide. Eight Insect Spray (active is Pyrethrin) or Captain Jack’s Deadbug Brew (active is Spinosad) from Bonide are two popular products, (also available in dust form),
with a label that lists unmatched plant applications and insects listed. For invisible daytime bug damage, use Monterey’s Sluggo for snail and slug control which is safe to use around pets and children.

Disease

This problem often goes undetected in new gardener’s eyes, especially powdery mildew. Hot, humid days (and nights) along with lingering moisture on leaf surfaces makes for perfect disease conditions. Experienced gardeners anticipate its occurrence on specific mildew prone plants like basil, roses, lilacs, and zinnia by using a preventative disease control. By the time a customer reaches the garden center, it’s usually too late to control. One of the best new disease preventatives also provides some curative relief for some plant material and disease types. Monterey Complete Disease Control and Bonide’s Revitalize products are unique fungicides that have a wide range of diseases controlled on both indoor and outdoor plant material. A fantastic dust product that offers both disease AND insect control for the garden is Bonide’s Garden Dust that is organic.

Nutrition

Nutrition and disease control sometimes go hand in hand in preventing problems. Healthy plants withstand issues with drought and disease. With the occurrence of disease, it might help recovery time to lightly feed with some type of “organic” based fertilizer. This slow release feeding stimulates new growth and expands root systems for moisture uptake. Popular for vegetable gardens is the Neptune’s Harvest Hydrolyzed Fish Fertilizer. It doesn’t bring the neighborhood cats or smell offensive, but it does perform beautifully in providing nutrients and trace elements for immediate uptake into the plant.

As always, follow label instructions and don’t overapply. More isn’t better…unless you are planting more around your home and garden. Here’s to success!

Here are some garden recommendations for you to consider including OMRI Listed suggestions.


Plant Tone 5-3-3 4 lb
No 80030020

Buy Now

Plant Tone 5-3-3 8 lb
No 80030037

Buy Now

Plant Tone 5-3-3 18 lb
No 80030109

Buy Now

Plant Tone 5-3-3 36 lb
No 80030108

Buy Now

Plant Tone 5-3-3 50 lb
No 80030131

Buy Now

Purely Organic Plant Food 4-2-3 10 lb
No 80070067

Buy Now

Hydrolyzed Fish 2-4-1 18 oz
No 80120001

Buy Now

Hydrolyzed Fish 2-4-1 32 oz
No 80120002

Buy Now

Hydrolyzed Fish 2-4-1 1 gal
No 80120003

Buy Now

Insecticidal Soap
No 80100130

Buy Now

Garden Dust
No 80100146

Buy Now

Sluggo 1 lb Shaker
No 80820094

Buy Now

Sluggo 2.5 lb jug
No 80820095

Buy Now

Sluggo 5 lb jug
No 80820096

Buy Now

Sluggo 10 lb bag
No 80820097

Buy Now



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Thursday, May 14, 2020

For The Love of The Rose

This month’s subject is without question, my favorite. I think back to my first two roses purchased in 1976 in the Jackson Perkins ready to plant boxes. The varieties were Chrysler Imperial, a majestic deep red hybrid tea with outstanding fragrance and the world’s most beloved rose, Peace, a stunning yellow blend with reddish edge hybrid tea. The cuttings of Peace were sent to Conard Pyle in West Grove, PA. from Francois Meilland on the last plane from France before German occupation in World War II. It was introduced in 1946 on tables at the first assembly of 51 countries which made up the United Nations after the war.

Bitten by the Rose Bug

Without the benefit of the internet back then, I had to read up on rose care by purchasing an Ortho All About Roses book from the local garden center. I joined a local rose society. I became a Consultant for the American Rose Society. My garden grew from those two rose plants and topped out at 275 roses in the mid eighties. I made every growing mistake you could possibly make and learned a lot about a fascinating plant that I loved. Back then, mistakes were part of the learning curve. Some roses were poor performers, some susceptible to disease, and they were time consuming to spray weekly, prune, and feed. A labor of love. Experience taught me that failure was necessary to succeed and not make the same mistake twice. Now, 44 years later, are your customers as passionate about roses besides the ones available on Valentine’s Day? Well, why not?

Our National Flower

The rose is the most versatile fragrant plant variety in the industry. You will find the rose standing tall in the home and municipal gardens (first was Elizabeth Park Rose Garden in Hartford, CT 1904), in zoos (Philadelphia Zoo), along roadways, shopping centers and banks, covering barns and hillsides, provides colorful displays in amusement parks (Disney World), and provides every color hue under the sun except a true blue and black. By an act of Congress and proclamation from President Ronald Reagan, the rose became our national flower on September 23, 1986. Coincidentally, the rose world changed radically in 1987 with the introduction of the variety, Bonica, which was the very first All-American shrub rose. Bred by House of Meilland for Star Roses, it had everything a consumer wanted in a flowering plant: disease resistance, vigorous growth, winter hardy, light rose fragrance, continuous bloom, and maintenance-free care by the homeowner. The hybridizers went from creating unique varieties to carefree no-maintenance rose types almost overnight. In 2000, the Knockout rose became the fastest growing variety in rose history, selling millions of plants worldwide each year. The decline of popularity in the traditional hybrid tea rose had just begun to make room for the impressive Knockout family.

Make It Easy

Continuing with the trend to make everything easy and convenient in rose gardening, the tasks needed to be successful are reduced greatly. To start, plant the rose deep enough in the hole to make the bud union level with the ground surface. Use high quality planting soils which are readily available today versus using manures. The rule of thumb to simplify is 1/3 existing topsoil, 1/3 high quality planting soil, and possibly 1/3 sand if drainage is needed. Roses don’t like “wet feet” or standing water as they are heavy feeders and need solid and steady uptake of nutrients and moisture from a good root system. Feeding is simple. Choose an organic rose fertilizer that won’t burn and feed as directed, usually monthly amounts until stopping the applications in September. There are combination chemicals that are mixed with water distributed around the base of the rose bush once every 4-6 weeks as directed using a drench method. These combo solutions prevent disease and insects as they are absorbed into the rose bush. Pruning may or may not be needed to remove spent blooms and maintain a tidy plant. It depends mostly upon the rose variety. Do not prune rose climbers during the first year as they need the long canes the following year to produce laterals for trusses of bloom. Some rose varieties are more susceptible to disease than others, especially blackspot. These are spotted leaves that “start” at the base of the plant and move upwards (and outwards to other roses) eventually defoliating the plant. When you see these spots form on leaves, remove them and the fallen leaf debris surrounding the base. Discard them in the trash before disease spores splatter and spread. Begin using a “curative” disease control that has the active ingredient, Daconil, by spraying the leaf surface as following the directions as stated on the bottle. Water only in the morning to allow leaves to dry throughout the day.

Did you know a climbing rose named New Dawn, was the very first plant patent issued in our country back in 1931? Ironically, it wasn’t a hybrid rose plant, but a sport or offspring. This historical plant in our industry is still sold today at many garden centers across the country.

The rose is a plant everyone should grow and share with family and friends. It’s OK to hand out a fresh bouquet of Knockout roses, too! It would make me smile.

Rose Related Products


Rose Rx Systemic Drench
No 80100150

Buy Now

Classic Gardener's Watering Can
No 80250318

Buy Now

Wooden Ladder Trellis Brown
No 80161246

Buy Now

Wooden Ladder Trellis White
No 80161248

Buy Now

Fung-onil RTU qt.
No 80100143

Buy Now

Fung-onil Con. Pt.
No 80100038

Buy Now

Fung-onil Con. Qt.
No 80100198

Buy Now

Rose-tone 4-3-2 4lb
No 80030021

Buy Now

Rose-tone 4-3-2 8lb
No 80030038

Buy Now

Rose-tone 4-3-2 18lb
No 80030111

Buy Now

Stonington Blend Organic Plant Food 5-2-4
No 81600015

Buy Now

Forged Aluminum Handle Bypass Pruner #2
No 81930004

Buy Now

Forged Aluminum Handle Bypass Pruner #6
No 81930005

Buy Now

Forged Aluminum Handle Bypass Pruner Angled 8.5"
No 81930007

Buy Now

Cobscook Blend Garden Soil 1 CF
No 81600004

Buy Now

Cobscook Blend Garden Soil 2 CF
No 81600003

Buy Now



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