Author Archives: GCSDev

Fall Gardener’s Calendar

SEPTEMBER

Spray Bonide All-Season Spray on hemlocks to control woolly adelgid.

Spruce up the landscape by planting Fall Pansies, Flowering Cabbage & Kale, Garden Mums, Fall-Blooming Perennials as well as Trees and Shrubs.

Test your lawn pH to determine if you need to apply lime this season. A 5o lb. bag of Lime will raise the pH about a half a point per 1000 square feet of turf.

Pick up your Spring Flowering Bulbs like tulips, daffodils, crocus, hyacinths, snowdrops and more! An Auger for the drill will also help make planting easier.

Plant cool-season salad greens (arugula, corn salad, lettuce, radishes and spinach) in cold frames.

Apply Superphosphate now to coax stubborn plants into bloom next year.

Aerate, re-seed and apply Fall Lawn Food to the lawn. Keep grass seed damp; water every day if necessary. You will also want to check for grubs. Increased activities of skunks, raccoons and moles as well as brown patches that peel back easily are an indication of grub activity. Apply granular Sevin to control the grubs as well as chinch bugs and sod webworm.

Treat houseplants with Systemic Granules and Concern Insect Killing Soap now to get rid of any insects before bringing them into the house prior to the first frost.

Clean out garden ponds and pools. Cover with Pond Netting before the leaves start falling.

OCTOBER

Plant bulbs. Fertilize with Espoma Bulb-Tone and water in well.

Divide daylilies and spring-blooming perennials, including iris and peonies. Don’t be tempted to prune your spring flowering shrubs like forsythia, azaleas, camellia, holly, lilac, rhododendron, spirea or viburnum or you will destroy next year’s buds.

Rake leaves from the lawn and lower the mower blade. Check your compost pile. Now is a good time to add Concern Bio Activator to help break down brown leaves and lawn clippings.

Dig up summer-flowering bulbs, such as dahlias, cannas, tuberous begonias, caladiums and gladiolus after the frost kills the top growth. Treat them with Bulb Dust, pack them in Peat Moss, and store them in a ventilated area for winter.

Fertilize your trees with Jobes Tree Spikes after the leaves fall. Fertilize azaleas, rhododendron, and evergreens with Holly-Tone and other shrubs with Plant-Tone. Spray hemlock again with Bonide All-Season Spray Oil.

Set up bird feeders. Clean out birdbaths, refill and purchase heaters for the winter.

Clean up and destroy diseased rose leaves and debris surrounding shrubs and perennials. Mound 10-12 inches of dirt around roses to protect from winter damage. After the ground freezes, cover roses with mulch or straw.

Remove annuals, roots and all, and add to your compost pile, but do not add any diseased material to it.

Cut back perennials unless they feature ornamental seed heads and Fertilize with 5-10-5. Prune long raspberry and rose canes back to a height of three feet. Clean up your beds and gardens to avoid harboring insects and diseases over the winter.

Pot hardy spring bulbs (anemone, crocus, daffodil, hyacinth, ranunculus and tulip) and place in a cold frame or cool garage (40 degrees) or sink into the ground and mulch. Keep evenly moist.

Update garden records, noting successes and failures, gaps in planting, future planting and landscape changes.

Water all landscape plants well and mulch before the winter cold sets in.

Spray evergreens, azaleas, rhododendron, boxwood and rose canes with Wilt Pruf for protection against wind and cold weather.

Get Started Composting

Fall is an excellent time to start a compost pile with all of the leaves falling, and if you develop compost now, you will have a rich source of organic material for your garden and flowerbeds in spring. Getting started with compost is fairly simple if you keep in mind the following…

Size Matters
Smaller particles break down faster than larger chunks. Shredding or mulching garden wastes will help speed up the process and develop usable compost faster. Chop up larger pieces of household materials before adding them to your compost pile to speed up their decomposition.
Take a Turn for the Better
Turning helps aerate the pile and shifts outer parts closer to the center where they can heat and decompose more effectively. A well-mixed pile will also have better consistency and more evenly distributed nutrients. Use a pitchfork, spade or rake to gently turn your pile periodically, such as once every 1-2 weeks or whenever you add a large amount of new material to the pile.
Know What to Compost
Materials that can be composted are sod, grass clippings, leaves, hay, straw, manure, chopped corncobs, corn stalks, sawdust, shredded newspaper, wood ashes, hedge clippings and many kinds of plant refuse from the garden. Some household waste, such as coffee grounds, banana peels, eggshells and vegetable peelings are also ideal for a compost pile and will reduce the trash you accumulate.
Avoid Unwanted Materials
Materials to avoid composting are large amounts of weeds, grease, fat, meat scraps and bones, cheese, coal ashes, diseased plants, cut weeds and charcoal. These materials do not decompose readily and can create poor quality compost. For example, meat, grease or dairy products in your compost will begin to smell strongly, which could attract rats, raccoons or other unwanted visitors. Diseased plants or weeds can survive in a compost pile, contaminating your garden when you add the compost to the soil in spring.
Cover as Needed
Covering your compost pile with a tarp or large piece of carpet can help preserve the heat and moisture essential to promote appropriate decomposition. The cover can also keep the pile from freezing or getting too wet in winter conditions, and it can easily be removed to add new material or turn the pile as needed.

Before you toss out your next bag of trash, check for compost material and start your pile today! Your garden will thank you tomorrow.

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Gardener Holding Tree Bark Mulch

Glorifying Garden Gloves

Many gardeners believe garden gloves are easy to do without. Those of us who love gardening enjoy the feel of soil running through our fingers, and we don’t mind the line of dirt under our fingernails. We prefer to not have anything impede the dexterity needed to sow small seeds or pinch a plant, and we like the textures of the plants we cultivate. We would rather spend our budgeted gardening dollars on the latest herbaceous sensation rather than unnecessary gloves, and, frankly, nobody likes sweaty hands.

Why Gloves Matter

Despite the prejudice against covering our hands, gloves are the single most important piece of garden clothing that a person should own. In addition to the fact that they come in every color and pattern under the sun, making them an attractive and matching accessory to your garden wardrobe, garden gloves provide many benefits, such as…

Improving your grip on tools, minimizing accidental drops that can damage expensive tools.
Keeping hands warm in cold weather so we can garden in comfort even in early spring or late fall.
Keeping hands dry in wet weather to prevent skin irritation and problems that could limit our gardening.
Preventing contact with animal waste that may carry bacteria, mites or other pests that could harbor diseases.
Helping avert calluses and blisters that can make even simple gardening tasks painful and unpleasant.
Protecting hands from cuts, splinters and thorn pricks from aggressive plants so we aren’t limited in our gardening choices.
Preventing contact with poisonous plant oils that cause rashes and allergic dermatitis.
Keeping nails clean and help prevent nail breakage so our hands can be as beautiful as our garden.
Protecting from soil borne fungal and bacterial infections that could be spread around the garden easily.

With so many great reasons to use garden gloves, which ones should you choose?

Selecting Gloves

Gardening gloves come in an almost limitless array of colors, styles and patterns. Features may include…

Different types of fabric or weave densities that affect air circulation to keep hands cool and comfortable
Anti-slip grips or rubber palms and fingers for excellent traction in all types of gardening conditions
Broad, wide cuffs for an easy fit or snug, form-fitting cuffs for a secure fit that won’t let in any dirt or debris
Different sizes and proportions to suit men, women and children

With so many gloves on the market there’s a style available for every garden chore, season, weather condition, hand size and preference. Check out our selection today. We are happy to help you choose a pair or two that work best for you and your gardening needs.

The Great Squirrel Battle for the Bulbs

Autumn is the catalog time of year, when gardeners devour and drool over the spring-blooming bulb catalogs, eagerly fantasizing about next year’s flowerbeds. We picture drifts of crocus and gaily swaying tulips, lush daffodils and glorious hyacinths. Snowdrops, irises, daylilies… Ah, the garden will be great this next spring.

Then we remember last spring – hours of labor and dozens of bulbs meticulously planted, but only one or two emerged to flaunt their blooms. What happened?

Squirrels and Bulbs

Squirrels like flower bulbs just as much as gardeners, but unfortunately not for their beauty. From the looks of the remains – chewed remnants, dug up holes, battered foliage – those bulbs became expensive squirrel food. Fortunately, if you want to plant daffodils, alliums, scilla, hyacinths, squills or fritillaria, your bulbs should be safe. Generally, squirrels don’t eat these. But how can you protect the bulbs that make the tastiest squirrel treats?

Keeping Squirrels Out of the Flowerbeds

Go ahead and order your bulbs. While you’re waiting for delivery, decide which of the three basic methods you will use to prevent the squirrel attacks. A small investment of time and materials will protect your bulbs.

Mesh Barriers
Wire mesh is the best protection to keep squirrels away from bulbs. Dig the hole for several bulbs, make a “cage” using mesh around the bulbs and fill in the soil. If the squirrels dig, the mesh will prevent them from eating the bulbs. You may also plant the bulbs as usual and place a layer of mesh on the soil. You’ll have to secure it to keep it in place then cover with mulch. Be sure the mesh layer is wide enough so squirrels cannot easily dig around the sides to reach the bulbs.

Repellants
Garden centers sell many different squirrel repellants, and deer repellants also repel squirrels. Some gardeners swear to the effective use of red pepper flakes mixed in the soil around, and over, the bulbs. Many squirrels don’t like spicy tastes, but pepper flakes may need to be replaced after heavy spring rains to be the most effective.

Sharp Gravel
Adding sharp gravel to the soil around and over the bulbs also deters squirrels from digging. Not only do they not like the feel of the gravel on their sensitive paws, but the gravel – which is heavier than dirt or mulch – is more difficult to move, so the bulbs stay safer.

There is another option to keep squirrels away from bulbs without completely discouraging their visits. If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em – because squirrels look for the easiest food sources, a squirrel feeding station stocked with corn and peanuts may be just the thing to keep the squirrels from looking for your buried treasures!

Winter Pond Prep Checklist

Your pond can be an attractive and valuable focal point of your landscaping, but it can also be a delicate one. As winter approaches, certain steps should be taken to ensure plant and fish survival so your pond will still be at its best next spring.

Clean Out Debris
Use a netted scooper, a rake, your hands and, if possible, a pond vacuum to clean out pond debris. Rotting vegetation produces gas under winter ice that can be fatal to fish, frogs or other aquatic wildlife. This is also a good time to reduce any mud coverage over the pond’s bottom.
Trim Pond Plants
Trim and move hardy pond plants to the deep end of the pond (minimum 18” depth) to prevent them from freezing. Cut their vegetative growth back to about one inch above the soil line. Extra foliage will be more delicate and could rot over the winter. Especially be sure to trim any foliage that is already broken, wilting or damaged.
Remove Tropical Plants
Tropical plants or any delicate vegetation should be removed from the pond and placed in a basement or garage where they will not freeze. Keep plants moist throughout the fall and winter months until it is time to return them to the pond.
Disassemble Summer Equipment
Remove and clean the pond pump and waterfall or fountain feature (if applicable). Store them inside for the winter. See your maintenance guidelines for proper storage recommendations to keep the equipment in peak condition.
Clean Pond Filter
Thoroughly clean the pond filter and inspect it for any damage. If necessary, repair or replace the filter.
Change Fish Diet
Feed fish with spring/autumn food mixtures to provide good nutrition for their slowing metabolism. Stop feeding them completely when temperatures drop consistently below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Avoid overfeeding, which would contribute to excess debris and decay in the pond over the winter.
Set Up Pond Heater
If needed, set up your pond heater for winter use. Test the equipment to be sure it is functioning properly and make any repairs or adjustments as needed.
Cover the Pond
Cover your pond with netting, screening or a shade cloth to minimize debris that will fall into the water throughout the winter. Secure the perimeter with sod staples or rocks to prevent the covering from blowing away. This will make spring cleanup and restarting your pond much easier.
Relax until spring!
Your pond will be ready for warmer temperatures when you are.

Healthy Soil: Winter Cover Crops

It’s fall and our annual and vegetable gardens are winding down for the season. Now is the time to invest a little extra time and effort to prepare your soil for next year. Whether your garden is large or small, all annual planting beds will benefit from the addition of a winter cover crop.

Benefits of Cover Crops

A cover crop is a fast-growing, low-maintenance crop that can be used to protect your garden and landscaping beds in fall and winter. Depending on the crop you choose, it can provide many benefits to your garden, including…

Stabilizing soil and preventing erosion
Adding organic matter back into the soil to nurture later crops
Adding nutrients to the soil that have been used by previous crops
Suppressing disease that can wither new crops even before they start
Repressing weeds that will take over a garden
Improving soil structure with aeration and better drainage
Encouraging beneficial insects that will help later crops

Recommended Cover Crops

Different cover crops work best in different areas, and the climate, soil type and growing season will help determine which cover crops will work best for your gardening needs. The most popular recommended cover crops for our area are oats, rye and wheat.

Oats
Sow 6-8 weeks before the first hard frost. Planted early, oats will provide a quick covering with the added benefit of providing an early planting time for next spring’s crops. Oats are not winter hardy, but they will grow in the fall and die in the winter, leaving behind nutritious mulch that will easily decompose when incorporated into the soil in the spring. This is a great cover crop choice for low- or no-till gardens. Sow at 2 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft. for the best coverage.
Winter Rye
Sow 2-4 weeks before the first hard frost. This is a good choice for gardeners who have late season crops and don’t want to cut off that last harvest. If hardened off before frost arrives, winter rye will continue to grow over the winter. Rye is a vigorous grower and can be difficult to turn in the spring, so bear that in mind depending on what crops you will be planting in spring. Sow at 3-4 lbs. per 1000 sq. ft. for appropriate coverage.
Winter Wheat
Sow 2-4 weeks before the first hard frost. Wheat will cover quickly but is not as aggressive as winter rye. Winter wheat is also leafier, making it easier than winter rye to turn into the soil in the spring. Sow at 3 lbs. per 1000 sq. ft. to provide good coverage.

Cornell University provides a tool to assist you in choosing the correct cover crop for your situation. (https://covercrops.cals.cornell.edu/decision-tool.php)

Planting Cover Crops

Before planting a cover crop, clean out garden beds, removing all roots and plant material. Compost all plant matter that is not diseased. Broadcast seed evenly and cover with soil. Water thoroughly when planting and when necessary during dry periods. In the spring, till or fork oats into the planting bed and you are ready to plant. For winter rye and wheat, mow or chop tops 4 weeks before planting leaving cut cover crop on top to dry. Till or fork dried wheat and rye into the bed before planting.

With the appropriate cover crop, you can protect your garden’s most valuable asset – the soil – and be sure it is ready for spring planting.

Fairy Garden Magic

Do you think your tiny balcony terrace means you can’t have a grand garden? Are you looking for a clever and imaginative way to introduce a child to the world of plants? Have you ever dreamed of your own “McGregor’s Garden?” One of the newest gardening trends can do all these and a whole lot more!

Start planning…and playing…in your fairy garden!

About Fairy Gardens

One of the newest gardening trends, fairy gardening is the new-and-improved miniature gardening of yesteryear with all sorts of new products, idea books and plants. Despite their small size, the themes, designs and creativity of these tiny garden spaces is boundless. Any container, nearly any type of plant and any type of design can add a bit of garden magic even to a tiny space. Go small and have fun.

Designing a Fairy Garden

You can create your fairy garden just about anywhere. For portability, consider a pot, basin or terrarium. Or, for a more rustic appeal, plant an old lunchbox, garden bucket or child’s wagon. Old shoes, a stack of broken pots, a rusty wheelbarrow or a concrete bird bath are other great planting options.

Fairy gardens can be positioned anywhere. A smaller design can be a fun centerpiece to patio furniture, or it can be part of an entryway display. To heighten the intrigue, find a secret place in your own garden to lure the garden fairies. Between tree roots, beside a water feature or in a grove under flowering shrubs… The possibilities are endless.

Design the overall look of your fairy garden just as you would a larger garden. What is its theme? Is it a fantasyland for unicorns? A gnome family farm? A replica of your own big house? It can be anything you imagine. Consider tiers, layers and depth as well to create a truly impactful scene in your miniature fairy world.

If you’re having trouble coming up with an idea, visit your garden center to check out all the products. If you need some inspiration, our Enchanted Garden products by Grassland Road will get you started. Whimsical and charming, they’ll help you create your own mini-fantasy scene. From arbors and benches to umbrellas and miniature tools, the possibilities are amazing. If you’re not sure your resident garden fairies will understand your invitation, you can always buy a mannequin fairy to entice them to share the fun.

This visit also sets the mind whirling with ideas for plant materials. Consider the mixture of colors, textures, shapes, and scents… in miniature. Tiny groundcovers such as moss or creeping thyme create beautiful “lawns.” Pebbles become paths. Sand creates shores. Twigs make houses, fences and other structures. What can you do with a small pinecone or acorn? How can you recreate a Disney-type pumpkin carriage?

Creativity knows no limits, and the fairies will love you for it!

Kale, the Super Food

Did you know kale is a super food? Kale belongs to the same family as cabbage, broccoli and Brussels sprouts. It is a rich source of vitamins C, A, & B6, and is loaded with manganese, calcium, copper and potassium, with no fat or cholesterol. Add it to your garden for a healthy harvest!

Planting

In the fall, set out transplants or sow kale seeds about 6-8 weeks before first frost in deep rich soil. Kale will need at least 6 hours of sun per day. Enrich your planting soil with plenty of compost. Planting kale in nutritious soil will promote faster plant growth and thus provide a tender, richer crop. Soil pH should be between 6.5 and 6.8. Sow seeds roughly one-half inch deep and thin seedlings to 8-12 inches apart to provide adequate air circulation. When thinning kale shoots, however, bear in mind that larger spacing will produce larger plants, larger plants produce larger leaves and larger leaves are generally tougher. Keep soil moist and mulch to control weeds. Water when planting and during dry spells.

Harvesting

Don’t worry about frost harming your harvest, a light frost will only enhance the sweetness of kale. Harvest the outer leaves of kale as they are needed for salads and recipes. Young tender leaves will grow from the center of the plant. Use the young leaves for salads and keep older leaves for cooking, which will help tenderize those larger leaves. Kale will continue to produce throughout fall in the warmer sections of our area. In low lying areas or where it is colder, use floating row covers or low tunnels to extend the life of your kale. Kale will bolt (elongate) and flower in the spring. This signifies the end, and it is time to pull it up and compost the remaining plant.

Cooking

Kale may be used fresh or frozen. It may be steamed or stir-fried, or used in soups, stews, omelets and casseroles. It is a tasty base for salads or can be added to sandwiches. It may be used in recipes as a replacement for spinach and collard greens. It even makes fantastic chips!

Kale Chips

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Clean Kale and spin dry. Remove all the tough stems.
Drizzle about 8 cups of leaves with one tablespoon of olive oil and toss to coat.
Place Kale leaves in a single layer on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
Bake for 10-15 minutes or until leaves are crisp but not scorched.
Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with generous amount of flaky sea salt.
Devour!

With so many tasty options for kale and so many nutritional benefits from this super food, there’s no excuse not to add this easy-to-grow dietary wonder to your garden!

Minor Bulbs: Perfect Partners for Early Spring Color

A garden stroll in the early spring offers a great deal of promise but generally little color. You can rectify this with a little planning and planting this fall to ensure bright spring blooms to enjoy.

What Is a “Minor” Bulb?

Often passed over at the garden center for showy, larger-flowering bulbs, minor spring bulbs give the garden a head start on spring, extending the season by blooming as early as February and March. These beautifully blossomed seasonal gems are short in stature and produce daintier flowers but, when planted en masse, make as powerful a statement as any daffodil, tulip or hyacinth planting.

Chionodoxa, Muscari, Eranthis, Galanthus and other minor bulbs are planted at the same time as tulips, daffodils and hyacinths, and in the same way, although not so deeply. The general rule of thumb is to plant bulbs three times as deep as the bulb is high. Your soil should be well drained so the bulbs do not rot. Don’t forget to include bone meal in the planting hole for strong growth in the spring.

Minor bulbs make perfect partners for all of your other traditional spring-flowering bulbs. Their size makes them suitable for rock gardens and walkways, as well as filling in spaces between other spring bloomers. They also naturalize well and will help fill in any gaps in a spring garden or wildflower lawn.

Top Minor Bulbs

There are many lovely bulbs with smaller, stunning spring flowers to choose from. Some of the most popular and versatile options include…

Chionodoxa (Glory of the Snow): Small, 1 inch white-centered blue or pink flowers appear on leafless stems. Plant in large groups in front of early blooming shrubs or naturalize in the lawn. When grown in shade, blooms last several weeks. Plants grow 4-10 inches tall.

Muscari (Grape Hyacinths): Offering the rare and cherished blue color in the garden, Muscari have small spherical blossoms bunched into triangular clusters on top of delicate 6-9 inch stems. Grape hyacinths are available in various shades of blue, purple and white.

Eranthis (Winter Aconite): A relative to the buttercup, Eranthis unfolds bright yellow, honey-scented blossoms that can carpet the chilly ground and bring life to a dormant rock garden. Plants grow 2-4 inches tall.

Galanthus (Snowdrops): The cold is no deterrent to the bell-shaped frosty white flowers of Galanthus. This plant thrives in light shade under leafless trees and is well suited to random planting amidst tough grass. Shorter varieties grow to 4 inches while giant snowdrops reach 10 inches.

Leucojum (Giant Snowflake): Drooping bells of white or pink flowers with green tips adorn this frost-hardy 4 inch plant.

Pushkinia (Striped Squill): The white flowers of this plant look light blue because of the blue stripes on the petals. Plant in sun or partial shade in well-drained soil. Striped Squill grows 6-8 inches tall.

Scilla (Spanish Squill): This late spring-flowering plant has multiple stems with up to 12 bells on each stem. Colors are blue, pink and white. Scilla needs adequate moisture in the flowering season as it grows to 10-12″ in height. Plant in full sun or partial shade.

Frittilaria meleagris (Checkered Lily): This small Frittilaria grows to only 9 inches tall compared to its sibling Frittilaria imperalis (Crown Imperial) that grows to a height of 3 feet. The checkered lily’s name is derived from its checker-patterned petals.

Any of these smaller, less obtrusive bulbs can make a great early spring statement in your garden or landscape, bringing it to life long before most spring blooms are at their peak.

Fall-Blooming Camellias

We love camellias! An Asian native and an old southern standby, they are now a favorite in the northern states as well. In recent years, new varieties have been developed for their increased cold hardiness, giving northern gardeners even more opportunities to enjoy these charming beauties. Blooming in October, November and even into early December, fall-blooming camellias provide an abundance of colorful showy blooms that can now be enjoyed in colder climates.

Camellias do best in rich, moist, well-drained, acidic (5.5-6.5 pH) soil. Plant camellias in a location where they will be protected from the drying winter sun and wind or else the delicate blooms may suffer. Because these shrubs are shallow-rooted, they should be planted no deeper than they are planted in the pot that you purchase them in. Apply 3-4 inches of mulch to the root zone to keep soil moist and control weeds. Compost added to the soil can also help provide suitable nutrition to keep these plants healthy. Water camellias first when newly planted and frequently during times of low rainfall – a drip system can be a great option to keep these shrubs suitably moist. Fertilize in the spring with a fertilizer specified for acid-loving plants. If purchasing and planting camellias in the fall, be sure to give them a little extra TLC to help them through their first couple of winters and they will reward you with their beauty for years to come.

To help you choose the most beautiful fall-blooming camellias for your landscape, consider these attractive cultivar options!

Ashton’s Pride: Lavender-pink, single flowers with yellow centers
Ashton’s Snow: Creamy white flowers in semi-double blooms
Long Island Pink: Single blooms with bright pink colors and ruffled petals
Mason Farm: Pink, single flowers with a white tinge
Northern Exposure: Pink buds that open to single white, papery flowers
Winter’s Darling: Deep pink flowers with anemone shapes
Winter’s Fancy: Deep rich pink, semi-double blooms
Winter’s Interlude: Light pink blooms with anemone shapes and peachy centers
Winter’s Joy: Bright bold pink, semi-double blooms
Winter’s Star: Single lavender-pink pale blooms with yellow centers
Winter’s Water Lily: Elegant white flowers with a formal double shape

No matter which fall-blooming camellia you choose, if you give it the proper care, it will love you right back with abundant growth and stunning blooms that bring an air of southern charm and hospitality to your yard.