Watering plants with city water will not hurt them–they imbibe water from the soil all the time… Do not water over the tops of vegetable plants you intend to harvest this week, nor rinse fruits or vegetables in contaminated water.

I’ve had a number of inquiries/concerns about bronzing/browning of Dwarf Alberta Spruce.  This delayed damage is caused by the cool-season spruce spider mite.  This little fellow (tan and slow, not red and fast (the red ones are “good” predatory mites)) feeds with rasping mouth parts in the fall and spring of the year and will cause a light stippling effect on the needles at the time of feeding (not always noticeable).  However, when temperatures rise (and they quit feeding), the damaged needles die and the plant may appear to bronze or brown out if feeding was heavy.  Unfortunately, nothing can be done (to the pest) at this point; the critter is inactive.

The best remedy is to fertilize (Holly-Tone/Jack’s Acid) and water the plant to increase vigor, and keep watch for new activity in Sept.  Syringing with water or soapy water (insecticidal soap sprays are available) is the organic remedy; miticides are stronger solutions.  Take a white sheet of paper on a clipboard, hold under a branch and tap it; look for light green-tannish very small slow moving specks.  Very light webbing is also a sign.

Keep in mind that evergreens usually retain 2-3 years of needles before they drop the oldest needles; mite damage will cause a loss of needles and an apparent nakedness, but new growth is rarely affected and the plant only occasionally will die (if the feeding is heavy or persists year to year).

Please note our summer hour:  Tues-Fri 11-5,  Sat 9-3,  Closed Sun & Monday unless you catch us watering…

Water new plants daily if in pots or competitive soil conditions.  Plants can hit a critical wilt point in these high heat and bright sunlight conditions from which they may not fully recover even if watered thoroughly later.

We’ve decided to further tighten up the hours due to lack of visitation…  Tues-Fri 11-5,  Sat 9-3,  Closed Sun & Mon unless you catch us watering–we’ll be glad to wait on you.   Help us water… by buying a plant today…

We’ve gone from wet to dry again with lots of heat.  Consider watering any new plantings and annuals today.  Fertilizing annuals now and again in a week will show nice results in July.

The city of Oberlin offers free mosquito dunks at city hall if you have standing water anywhere on your OB property (they are a microbial larvaecide that is a natural method for curbing mosquito populations–the city does no spraying).

Thank you for a great spring, and please know that we’re here all summer for your gardening needs…

We have 20+ varieties—several early ripening or patio tomatoes that will still perform well if planted now.  $1 each while they last.  Mortgage Lifter, Yellow pear, Black Krim, Green Zebra…

30% off all vegetable seeds if you mention this post.

These next 5 weeks, on either side of the summer solstice are the longest days of the year.  The sun shines on our bit of earth nearly 2/3 of the day during this period.  Capitalize on this bounty of solar energy by getting your plants in the ground, watering and fertilizing them, and  letting your grass grow tall (highest mower setting).  It has been a whirlwind spring with the warmest April in  recorded history after a relatively mild winter.  There is a lushness this year with early and overlapping blossoms on many plants because of the heating of the earth’s surface.  Now is a good time to mulch to retain  moisture in the ground and avoid weed growth.

Thank you for your continued support, please tell your friends to stop by and give us a try.

Sale on quart size perennials $4 each   1o for $30.  This is an inexpensive way to add color spots to your garden.

Open Sat 9-5,  Sunday 12-3,  &  Monday 12-3

We’re 7 days without rain….. Water new plantings!

We had a 10 day span in April without rain as well.  This truly is a pattern in northern Ohio.  We can go from wet to dry very quickly.  Every single month during the growing season last year, had a period of 10 or more days without rain… It was never hot enough to feel like a drought, but new plants that haven’t developed extensive feeder roots  can experience drought-like conditions and suffer/die without supplemental water.

Perennial Gardening: use of herbaceous flowering plants to create a garden that returns every year.

Considerations:

Soil Type:  heavy clay—sandy loam, wet or dry, amendments

Sun Availability:  plants for shade to full sun

Plant Height:  layer the bed for visual interest, 1 or 2 sided

Flower Color:  palette of your favorite colors

Leaf Texture and Color:  very important—see below

Period of Bloom:  overlapping periods of bloom, iris 2 weeks—joe-pye weed 8 weeks, snowdrops to asters (January-Nov)

Fragrance:  selections for aroma, herbs

Attractants:  butterflies, hummingbirds, avoiding deer

Mixed border:  adding small shrubs, bulbs, annuals

Divisions:  making more plants

Fertilizing:  the first couple years, continual soil enrichment thereafter

Dead heading:  keeping it pretty by removing that which has gone by

Mulch:  keep the soil moist and weed free

An outline for a special private class this week at The GC.   Could be repeated for your group…

The city will still be picking up brush (and broken branches from storm damage) if left at curbside through next weekend.  One of the best city services offered!  Tomorrow is Pride Day and folks are cleaning up public and private spaces all around town (kind of wish it was every day…).  The city is offering free leaf compost and brush grindings at their place across from the roadside park on Rt 511 East.   Free humus is good.  All day Saturday; stop by on your way out or back!