Timely Tips for Garden Success - Summer

Summer is the time to enjoy the beauty that a garden can provide. Make sure and provide plants with ample moisture so they don’t suffer from summer heat stress. Applying a layer of mulch will also help plants retain moisture and will help prevent weeds from germinating.

PLANTING
Add color to your garden to make it come alive for summer parties with annuals such as Ageratum, Alyssum, Marigolds, Periwinkle, Petunias, Verbena, and Zinnia for sunny locations. Use Begonia, Impatiens, and Lobelia for areas with more shade. It's not too late to plant roses and fruit trees and we still have a good selection to choose from. The nursery is bursting with colorful perennials and we invite you to come in and visit to see them in their full blooming glory. As always, our staff is available to help you with great perennial planting ideas,

LAWN CARE:
Feed lawns every 2 months with Master Green Lawn Food. It helps promote deep green color, encourages root development and will improve your lawn's resistance to disease. Control existing weeds with GreenLight Wipe-out Broadleaf Weed Killer or fertilize with Weed & Feed. Prevent and control grubs and other lawn feeding insects with Bayer Complete. Raise your mower height to at least 2 inches. The higher lawn height helps insulate the grass roots from heat, reducing the potential for heat stress and requiring less water. Make sure to water between 5:00AM and 9:00AM to help prevent lawn disease. Our Free LAWN CARE GUIDE is loaded with timely information that will help you achieve the lawn of your dreams year-round.

TREES & SHRUBS:
Keep evergreen trees and shrubs healthy and green by feeding every 2 months. Prune shrubs now to keep them from getting leggy in summer. Azaleas, Camellias and Rhododendron should be fed every two months with E.B. Stone Organics Azalea, Camellia & Gardenia food. To control aphids or mites on any new growth, spray as needed with Green Light Malathion.

ROSES:
Feed roses every two months March thru October with E.B. Stone Rose food. Control aphids, spider mites and thrips with Green Light Rose Defense. Prevent and control blackspot, powdery mildew and rust with Green Light Fungaway. Avoid overhead or night watering. We also have a selection of Rose books including Sunset Roses that offers a complete guide for beginning to advanced rose gardeners with planting, feeding, pruning and training advice.

FRUIT TREES:
Give fruit trees their second feeding of Master Nursery Fruit Tree & Vine food. Use Monterey Saf-T-Side spray to control aphids, mites and whitefly. Control the size of your tree and create next season's fruiting wood by summer pruning your fruit trees now. Make sure and paint trunks with TREE TRUNK WHITE to protect them from sun scalding and help prevent borers.

FLOWERS & VEGETABLES:
Prepare soil for summer flowers by working in L.G.M. Planting Mix soil conditioner into existing soil. Apply E.B. Stone Starter Fertilizer before planting. Feed flowers every two weeks. For a larger harvest in the garden, feed summer vegetables every two months with E.B. Stone All Purpose Plant Food. (The calcium in this unique plant food helps prevent blossom end rot in tomatoes and peppers. If tomatoes bloom but fail to set fruit, spray blossoms with TOMATO SET. To control caterpillars on petunias, geraniums, and tomatoes spray every 7-10 days with Green Light BT Worm Killer. Protect plants from slugs and snails with all-natural Monterey Sluggo. For other crawling insects such as earwigs and sowbugs apply Concern Diatomaceous Earth. Pick up our FREE Whitney Farms Organic Gardening Guide for extra tips.  

WATER PLANTS:
Add Pond Care aquatic plant food to your containers monthly April thru September and watch your plants grow! To control algae growth, remember to keep at least 60% of the water surface covered with striding water plants and replace no more than 25% of the water at any one time. The use of BLUE WATER TABLETS will also help cut down on the sunlight algae needs to survive. Control mosquito larvae with MOSQUITO DUNKS. We also have a great selection of Pond and Water Garden books to guide you.