Annuals
Perennials
Roses
Tomatoes & Herbs
Lawn Information
Container Gardening
Specialty Gardening
Garden Maintenance

Downloadable Information
(Available as Adobe PDF's)

Azaleas
Feeding your Birds
Ornamental Grasses
Water Gardening

Section Listing

Help your Annuals Thrive!!!

Annuals develop from seed, flower and die in a single growing season. Most annuals bloom non-stop all season. Planting annuals provides great flexibility by allowing you to change the look of your landscape every year or every season. Annuals provide a beautiful show of flowers all summer long. They require a moderate amount of care, regular fertilizer applications, regular watering, and deadheading.

SOIL
With few exceptions, annuals prefer a warm soil and should not be planted in the spring until the danger of frost is past, May 15th in Minnesota. Pansies, alyssum and snapdragons are the exceptions and will tolerate light frosts and cool soil.
Good soil preparation is essential to success with annuals. Till or spade the soil deeply and add a slow-release flower fertilizer at this time. If drainage is poor, you should consider raising the bed and improving drainage by adding topsoil, compost, peat or other organic matter to the bed. Planters, pots and hanging baskets must have drainage holes and a potting soil that drains well. After planting, mulch will help to control weeds and keep the soil uniformly moist and cool. Another way to prevent weeds is by using chemical weed preventors such as Preen before planting.

FERTILIZER
Fertilizing will provide extra nourishment resulting in improved plant performance. Since annuals produce more blooms than most plants, they require more frequent fertilization, every 10 days to two weeks. Use a regular fertilizer, like a 15-30-15 or a 10-10-10, which you can find here at Wagner's. Always follow label directions when applying fertilizers. It is wise to incorporate both an immediate release and a slow release fertilizer when you are adding organic matter to the soil.

PINCHING BACK & DEADHEADING
Many annuals will benefit from being pinched back at planting time. Just pinch out the top half or so of the growing tip and this will make the plants bush out, producing more flowers through the growing season. Don't be shy; even if you just purchased bedding plants that are in bloom, pinching the tips out will reward you in the long run. Dead heading, the practice of removing faded flowers and seed heads, is good for all annuals and it is especially beneficial for containers and hanging baskets.

Spacing Annuals

• Area of rectangle = Length x Width
• Area of triangle = ½ base x Height
• Area of square = Length x Width or Side
• Area of circle = pr2 or 3.14 x (radius)2

Once you know the square footage, use the following chart to determine how many annuals to purchase:

Drought / Moist Tolerant Annuals

Section Listing

Perk Up Your Perennials!!!

Perennials, like old friends, return year after year growing in stature and size until they reach their full maturity. They may die to the ground during the winter, but return each spring. Cold sensitive, or tender perennials are often used as flowering annuals where winter temperatures dip below freezing. It may take a perennial several years to become truly established and give its best show. Individual blooming seasons for each perennial are much shorter than annuals, although a few will bloom almost all summer. Perennials will require some care, including deadheading, cutting back and watering. However, compared to annuals, they are very low maintenance.

Water
Irrigation is usually necessary to assist in the establishment of perennials. Also, one very deep watering per week is more desirable than numerous shallow waterings. Apply water early in the day using a soaking technique at ground level. Watering the foliage can cause diseases to be spread.

Soil
Perennials planted in June or later in the summer do require initial care. The garden area should be prepared with humus or other organic matter, allowing for enhanced moisture retention. Newly established beds should receive four inches of organic matter per 12 inches of soil profile, to ensure good drainage and optimal root growth. Remember to mulch after planting, in order to promote moisture retention, retard weed growth and improve the overall appearance of the garden. (See Wagner’s Media Coverage Chart to calculate the proper amount of mulch for your garden.) Keep mulch away from the crown of the plant to avoid rot. Another way to prevent weeds is by using chemical weed preventors such as Preen before planting.

Maintenance Tips

• June is the month to shear the tops of spring bloomers. This ensures a uniform and ornamental foliage effect for the remainder of the season. Grass shears can be used for this task. At this time, one should also cut back the foliage of the spring flowering daffodils and tulips that bloomed at least six weeks previously.
• Early-to-mid-June is a good time to cut back late season bloomers by half. This controls height and eliminates the need for staking. Perennials treated in this manner will mature at a shorter height and may flower slightly later than unpruned perennials. Throughout the summer season, plan to deadhead, or remove, spent flowers as the need arises. This practice will improve the appearance of the plant, eliminate an abundance of unwanted seedlings and promote a continued bloom period or later re-bloom.
• Some perennials multiply and grow larger each year, calling for an occasional division to keep them healthy. Other plants stay very much the same height and spread, and require little attention after planting. Dividing should be done in the spring, just as new shoots appear for plants that flower later in the season or in the fall for plants that flower in early spring.
  

Wagner’s Perennials for Full Shade

Perennials for Full Sun

Perennials for Part Sun

Ground Covers for Specific Areas

Endless Summer Hydrangea
Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Bailmer’ PPAF

Plant Facts

Bloom Time: Blooms all season long
Mature size: 3-5’ in width and height
Flower size: Up to 8’ diameter in garden, 4-6’ diameter in containers
Foliage: Green
Hardiness zone: 4-9
Light: Full sun to part shade

Caring for your Endless Summer

Endless Summerâ produces spectacular pink or blue blooms depending on the make-up of your soil. Alkaline soils, pH 6-7, will produce pink blooms. More acidic soil, 5-5.8, will turn your blooms blue. To add acidity to your soil, add aluminum sulfate (available at any garden center) to the soil before planting.

Pruning

Big leaf or macrophylla hydrangeas will not suffer if left unpruned. In fact, young, recently planted shrubs are best left alone. Deadheading the flowers will be more important than actual pruning.

Drought/Moist Tolerant Perennials

Section Listing

Roses

Roses are some of the most cherished flowers. They are universally loved for the delicacy of their velvety petals, the exquisite beauty of the unfurling bud, the strength and brilliance of their colorful blooms, their heavenly fragrance, and their pure, unrivaled elegance.

Climbing Roses
These are cultivars that can be trained to grow up a trellis, an arbor, or a building. They are vigorous and easy to grow, adding drama and interest to your landscape. They will bloom heavily for years. Give them plenty of room and fertilizer. No pruning required. In sprig as the new growth starts appearing remove any dead wood and withered shoot tips. Hardy climbers to look for are William Baffin (pink single blossom), Henry Kelsey (Red blossoms), John Cabot (hot pink blossoms)

Shrub and Rugosa Roses
Shrub roses are growing in popularity every day. Gardeners find that their ease of care and superior winter hardiness make them an excellent addition to the landscape, mixed in perennial gardens and foundation plantings, as hedges and even as ground covers!
Their blossoms are not as big as the hybrid teas and have more of a wild look. They don’t have to be cut back in the fall. In sprig as the new growth starts appearing remove any dead wood and withered shoot tips. If the plant needs shaping or size control spring is a good time to prune. Some hardy shrub roses are: Magnifica (purple)

Hybrid Teas and Grandifloras Roses
This is the most popular class of roses. Hybrid tea roses are grown for their scent, perfect blooms and the wide variety of blossom sizes and colors. They are also grown for their long stems. Plant as a specimen, or in a mixed bed of Roses. They also require the most care of all roses like pruning, disease prevention and control, fertilizing. Deadhead by removing the blossom with its stem down to the leaf branch with at least 5 leafs (about three leaf bracts down). Cut back to about a foot in the fall after the first heavy frost. Mound the base with soil and cover with rose cone.

Floribunda Roses
These are lower growing than hybrid teas, and bloom heavily, producing clusters of flowers from June to frost. They typically have many blooms per stem. They are well suited to a massed bed of color and in border plantings. The plentiful blooms make great bouquets. In spring old stems should be extremely cut back just a few inches from the base. Prune new stems to shape.

Miniature Roses
These bushes grow only 2’to 3’ tall, and are literally covered with perfectly formed, miniature blooms. The miniatures look like their larger relatives in every way except for size. Many grow very well in containers; some also do well indoors. No pruning required. Trim to shape.

Growing Requirements And Planting Suggestions:
All Roses require a well -drained, medium loam, slightly acidic soil. (Mix organic matter, such as peat moss and compost, approximately 12” deep to improve soil’s drainage and aeration). The location site should have full sun exposure and plenty of air circulation.

• Plant early spring or late fall.
• Dig a hole several inches wider and deeper than the pot.
• Adjust so the bud union is just above the ground. Don’t plant any deeper than the original pot.
• Water the hole well before and after planting to settle the soil.
• Mulch the rose bed to retain moisture

Rose care directions

• Watering: Roses should receive the equivalent of 1” of rain a week from the spring throughout the fall. In early spring water from overhead to prevent the canes from drying out. After foliage appears, apply water directly to the soil. Keeping water off the leaves helps to prevent leaf fungus.
• Fertilize often during the growing season (May-August) until six weeks before frost. You may select either a granular or liquid fertilizer. Please apply fertilizer according to the manufacturer’s directions. Liquid fertilizers will need to be applied more often than granular fertilizers.
• Deadhead faded blossoms for better performance. Clean all debris like damaged leaves and spent blossoms to help prevent diseases
• Apply Fungicide and insecticide to prevent and control Black Spot, Powdery Mildew and Aphids. Susceptibility to disease differs from variety to variety. Preventative spaying with Ortheane Rose Pride or Fungonil Fungicide in MN is recommended because of the humid summers. Always spray in the evening when cooler to prevent sunburn.

Wintering Roses: All types need winter protection except shrub roses

• Prune roses to 10-12” from the ground except for Climbing and Shrub Roses
• Use dry leaves or mulch to mound around the base of the rose. Make sure all the material that you use is dry
• Cover with a rose cone. Cones must be weighted down to keep them in place during strong winds
• For climbing roses mulch the base
• Roses Trees can be tipped for over wintering. Dig a trench by the side of the rose, tip it over and then cover it with soil and mulch.
  

Easy Elegance Roses

A rose collection from Bailey Nurseries that everyone, even the most casual gardener, could easily grow and enjoy.

Easy Elegance Roses are beautiful roses that are not only hardy, but will continue to bloom all season long. Plus every rose in the collection is grown on its own root, so they have a superior shape, evenness of size and are free from suckering. Best of all, these roses are truly "plant it and forget it."

The Garden Path Series
Low growing shrub roses that provide beautiful color anywhere. They can be used for ground cover, in borders, slopes or for big color in even the smallest spots.

Look for Mystic Fairy and Pink Gnome at Wagner’s in 2004 with additional varieties to come!

Section Listing

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are the favorite American vegetable for the home garden. Rich in vitamins A, B, and C, tomato varieties are available to produce fruit from early season until frost. Tomatoes are easy to grow. Even a few plants will produce plenty of fruit for eating fresh, canning, freezing, pickling, or making into chili sauce, ketchup, juice and paste to use all year around in cooking.

Tomatoes are either determinate (D) or indeterminate (I). Indeterminate plants continue to grow and produce fruit as long as the weather permits. Determinate varieties grow to a predetermined size and produce their fruit during a short time period. The letters that you see on tomato tags represent resistance to a common tomato problem. These letters only note the resistance of the plant.

*Disease codes:

• V = verticillium wilt
• F = fusarium wilt
• N = knot nematodes
• T = tobacco mosaic virus
• A= alternaria

Soil & Fertilizer
Tomatoes require a well-drained soil and a sunny location. When transplanting, set the plant deep in the ground and water immediately. Throughout the growing season, provide an even supply of water to your tomatoes. Water is best provided early in the day and below the foliage level to avoid the foliage and fruits remaining wet overnight, which can encourage disease. Each week, plan to provide 60 gallons of water for every 100 square feet of tomatoes grown. Regular applications of a fertilizer labeled specifically for tomatoes will increase yields. Like peppers, tomatoes will produce more foliage than fruits in response to a high nitrogen fertilizer. To insure the quality of your harvest, it is important to be providing a tomato specific fertilizer as soon as fruits begin to form.

Water
Keeping your tomatoes uniformly moist will provide the best results. Water the tomatoes well just before transplanting and try to choose a shady day. This minimizes the initial water lost from the plant to the soil. When watering, avoid getting the foliage wet to discourage disease.

Herbs

Herbs are among the easiest plants to grow and enjoy. An herb garden, even a single pot on a patio or windowsill, can yield fun and add flavor to your cooking. Herbs provide flowers, fragrance, flavor, and better health. Herbs can be classified as annuals, biennials, or perennials. Annuals bloom one season and then die. Biennials live for two seasons, blooming the second season only. Perennials over winter and bloom each season once they are established.

Light
Some herbs grow well in partial shade, but most need full sun for at least six hours a day. Growing plants in portable containers will allow you to move them if you don’t have a fixed spot with enough sunlight. It also allows you easy access for harvesting when cooking.

Soil & Water
Herbs appreciate good drainage and an evenly moist soil. Drainage is probably the most important single factor in successful herb growing. None of the herbs will grow in wet soils. Perennial and biennial herbs should be winter protected. Mulch after the ground has frozen in early winter.

Harvesting
Fresh leaves may be picked as soon as the plant has enough foliage to maintain growth. Pick leaves or seeds after the dew has disappeared but before the sun becomes too hot. Wash dirty leaves and seed heads in cold water; drain thoroughly before drying. For the most part, the more you use them, the more they will produce. When you don’t pinch your herbs often enough, they tend to go to seed or become bitter.

Brining Herbs Indoors
Extend your herbal gardening season by bringing your herbs indoors. Annual herbs can spend their full life cycle in a pot indoors. Perennial herbs, however, will do better if you place them outdoors during the summer. When transplanting herbs into pots, cut them back to make them easier to work with and encourage new growth. Place your herbs in a sunny location and keep them evenly moist.

Section Listing

Lawns

Whether you view your lawn as a matter of pride or as something to keep your feet from getting muddy when it rains, a healthy lawn will give you the results you want. Minimize your efforts and maximize your results by matching mowing, fertilizing, and watering to the grass’s needs, your quality goals and time available. Keep the grass healthy and you will reduce the time needed to rid it of insects, diseases, and weeds.

Seeding
When choosing grass seed, consider these three things:
1. Light. The amount of sun or shade in your yard. Make sure that the mix you’re considering is a good match. Remember that “shade grass” does well in light shade (4 to 6 hours of direct sun per day or lightly dappled sun throughout the day).
2. Moisture. Be sure the water requirement for the seed you’re planting matches what’s natural for your area. If you plant a variety with high-drought tolerance, you won’t have to worry about your lovely new lawn wilting or going dormant during drier times of the year.
3. Traffic. Some grass varieties are more resistant to the pitter-patter of little and not-so-little feet. The most attractive low-wearability grass choice won’t look attractive for long if it can’t stand up to the wear and tear of an often-used back yard, so choose accordingly.

The ideal time for planting most kinds of grass is late summer or early fall. That’s the best time for germination and early growth for cool-season grasses; annual weeds are much less aggressive then, as well. Warm-season grasses can also be started as early in the spring as possible.
When seeding:

• Spread the seed. Use either a broadcast or a drop-type spreader. For best coverage, plant the seed in two passes: half at a time, at right angles to each other.
• Rake or tamp. Give the seed good contact with the soil by raking or tamping it lightly, barely covering it (seed needs light to grow). Dragging an ordinary garden hose over the seeded surface works well.
• Mulch, for best results. Mulch holds in moisture, to help the seeds sprout. Compost, peat, straw and cheesecloth all work well, but keep it light, so sun and water can get through to the seed.

Watering
The most critical step in growing a strong, thick, healthy NEW lawn is proper watering. You need to keep the ground moist until the seedlings are up and established – until they’re 2 ½ to 3 inches tall. For best results, let the sprinkler run just until puddles begin to form; and do that several times a day (2 or 3 times maybe more, depending on the weather). Remember: frequent, light waterings-not once a day drenchings! Already ESTABLISHED lawns generally need 1 inch of water each week. If your footprints remain in the lawn, the color turns a dull bluish-gray, or the leaves start to roll, it is time to water the lawn. Water thoroughly, but less frequently to encourage deep roots for drought tolerance.

Mowing
Never mow wet grass or mow closer than 1½”. The height of the grass is a critical issue in keeping grass healthy and weeds at bay. Allowing the grass to grow up to 2” encourages the roots to grow down, giving the grass more staying power during times of drought. Taller grasses also help shade and cool the roots, and reduce evaporation of moisture from the soil. For best results, vary the height of your mower according to the seasons. Set the mower lower in the spring when periodic rains and cooler temps prevail. Gradually raise it to the top height (2-3”) by July when the heat sets in. Keep the mower at this height until the last mowing of the season. Then, lower the height to 1”-1½”. The blades will cut the growing tips of the grass encouraging basal branching for next spring’s growth.
Some mowing tips:

• Keep the mower blade sharp. The most common cause of brown lawns is mowing with a dull blade.
• Cut only 1/3” of the length off the grass at one mowing. If you cut more than that, you over-stress the plants, leaving them more susceptible to pests, drought, and disease.
• Leave only ¼” long clippings. Such small pieces will decompose and return valuable nitrogen to the soil. Leave longer clippings, though and they tend to lodge above the soil, creating a layer of thatch that can impede water penetration, and increase disease and insect problems. Today’s mulching mowers do a fine job of chopping clippings into small pieces, and blowing them into the soil for faster decomposition.

Weed Control
Your best defense is a thick, healthy turf, which will actually crowd out the weeds. If weeds do emerge, treat by either pulling the roots out by hand or using a chemical herbicide. Follow mixing and use directions carefully on each package, keeping in mind herbicides are most effective when the air temperature is over 70°. There are many types and brands that do different things.

• All-purpose, or nonselective, herbicides kill everything that they come into contact with, weed or plant (Ex. Round-up, Finale). Try “All Down” an organic non-selective.
• There are other mixtures that target certain types of plants and do not harm others, such as lawn weed killer that does not harm grasses but kills broadleaf plants like dandelions (Ex. Weed-B-Gon, Weed-n-Feed).
• There are also those that only attack members of the grass family (Ex. Grass-B-Gon, Crabicide). Selective grass herbicides will not be effective on broadleaf weeds. Typical situations where they are useful include grass-infested groundcover or mixed landscape beds.
• Preemergence herbicides prevent weed seeds from sprouting. Crabgrass can be controlled with a pre-emergent treatment. To control crabgrass apply your pre-emergent in early spring before the crabgrass seed sprouts (which is when the surface soil temperatures reach 55°F for 3 consecutive days or more).
• Applying herbicides can be done with a tank sprayer or ready-to-use jet can dispenser. On a larger scale apply granular fertilizer/broadleaf herbicide formulas with a broadcast spreader.

Lawn Fertilizing Program

April
Repair damaged areas with a Lawn Repair Kit.
Use a Crabgrass Killer to prevent crabgrass seed from germinating.

May
Seed Lawns or Lay Sod
Fertilize established lawns with No Phosphate lawn food.
Begin Mowing

June
Fertilize established lawns with No Phosphate Lawn food
Mow regularly

July
Only irrigated and highly managed lawns can be fertilized this month.
Keep mowing!

August
Plant seed or lay sod from mid to late August
Repair bare areas with a Lawn Repair Kit

September
Fertilize and use a weed killer to get rid of perennial weeds. Use No Phosphate Weed and Feed, or Weed B Gone.
Early to mid September – lay sod or seed new lawns.

Container Gardening

Container gardening is a fun and exciting way to enjoy gardening in a limited space or in areas where we would not otherwise be able to plant.

Think Big!
When it comes to growing plants in pots, the larger the container, the better. Starting plants in larger containers will result in healthier root systems, less watering, and will produce more flowers and healthier foliage. If you plan to use window boxes, keep in mind that their relatively shallow depths will cause your plants to dry out faster than they would in a deep container. One way to get around this potential problem is to fill your window boxes with plants that use less water, such as Geraniums, Ivies, Grasses, Scaevola, and Gypsophilia. For the best results be sure to choose plants with similar needs and habits (don’t mix a plant that likes it hot and dry with one that needs shade and lots of water. Place your plants in the container at the same depth they were in their original container and be careful not to overcrowd the plants. This will cause problems as the plants grow and fill out.

Container Placement
Be careful to choose your plants for the area where the pot will be placed. Containers near a wall or fence or sitting on a step or deck may become much hotter than you first think. A hanging container on the corner will be subject to greater wind gusts. Protect your containers from extreme conditions and be aware of their special needs. Also, because the container itself absorbs the suns rays and heats up, potted plants tend to dry out faster and grow faster than those planted in the ground.

Watering
There is no set formula for watering. The best indication that it’s time to water is when the potting soil just beneath the surface feels dry. In hotter weather, this could mean watering every day, or as little as once a week during cooler temperatures. For the Minnesota hot summer days, try “soil moist” for better moisture retention (available in Wagner’s fertilizer section). The correct way to water is to gently drench your plant until you see a trickle of moisture coming out of the drain hole. As you get to know your plants, you’ll develop a “feel” for how much water they need. It’s important that you don’t allow a container to dry out completely as this can cause the plants to wilt, delay flowering and ultimately die. Too much water, however, can cause root rot.

Fertilizer
Plants get many nutrients from the soil and use their roots to break down minerals found in the soil. These nutrients and minerals are not always available in containers. Because containers need to be watered more often, nutrients tend to be leached out of the soil and therefore need to be added more frequently. For best results, we recommend using both time release and water-soluble fertilizers. While many people think that time release fertilizers react to water, it’s actually heat that causes the capsules to release their nutrients. As a result, plants get food when they need it most – during those hot summer days. If you’re potting up your own containers, add some time-release plant food to your potting soil. Weekly feedings with a product such as Miracle Grow or Bloom Plus can assure you of having a healthy, productive container garden.

Soil
The dirt in your garden beds may be great for growing plants in the ground, but plants in pots are a different matter. When used in a container, even the best garden soil has a tendency to settle and harden – a condition that stunts root growth. Garden soil also contains a certain percentage of insect larvae, weed seeds, and harmful spores. On the other hand, a prepared potting soil such as Wagner’s custom mix, is specially formulated for potted plants and contains a mix of sterilized peat moss and perlite that provides the correct levels of aeration and water retention. If you are using an extra large container and want some additional weight, fill the bottom of the container with a layer of gravel/sand before adding the potting soil. The gravel will also improve drainage in the pot or pot feet can be used to keep the drainage holes open.

End of Season Care
For the best results containers should be emptied at the end of the season and stored in a protected area. If you are unable empty the container, remove all plant materials and allow soil to dry out so as to prevent freezing and cracking of the pot.

Check out our container idea card display and start planting today!

Section Listing

Butterfly Gardening

• Choose a sunny location
• Select brilliantly colored flowers with a flat face
• Plant Clusters of the same variety
• Design with flowers of different heights

Hummingbird Gardening

• Choose a sunny location
• Select brilliantly colored flowers with a trumpet shape
• Plant Clusters of the same variety
• Design with flowers of different heights

Bulb Basics

There are few sights as lovely as the first crocus of the year, peeking up out of frozen landscape of winter – and a few surprises as happy as the sight of a bowl of ‘Paper White’ Narcissus blooming indoors on a winter’s day. The flowers that we know as bulbs – tulips, daffodils, crocuses, irises, lilies, gladiolas and many others – contain a hidden world of color, lying beneath the ground waiting to be realized. Fortunately for us, bulbs are not only beautiful, but also easy to grow, lending themselves to a wide variety of terrains and performing well for anyone – from the novice to the most expert of gardeners.

By following a few simple rules, even a beginner can be proud of their garden:

• First remember, never to let your bulbs stand in water, or they will rot. While the bulbs are growing, be sure they have plenty of water; even when they are dormant, they should not be allowed to dry out entirely.
• Make sure that you plant them in rich, well-drained soil, in a place where they will have full sun while their leaves are green.
• For best results when planting add a bulb food, booster or bone meal to the soil. This will improve blooming.
• Mulch your bulbs in winter and allow the mulch to decompose in place, improving the soil. If you have problem visitors – squirrels, chipmunks – plant your bulbs and place flat over the bulbs a wire cage just beneath the ground level, to keep the creatures out.

Plant bulbs in the ground according to their shape:

• Plant tear-drop shaped bulbs with the pointed end up and the heavy end facing down.
• Plant bulbs with obviously flat ends so the flat end points up.
• Plant rooted bulbs with the roots pointed down.
• Place bulbs about two times as deep as their height, and leave twice its width between each bulb.

Above all, remember that a bulb is a magnificent energy machine, producing and storing this year all the food it needs to grow and bloom next year. So never remove the leaves from your bulbs until they have yellowed and died naturally.

Bulbs for spring planting and summer bloom time:

• Asiatic lilies, Calla lily, Canna, Colocasia, Crocosmia (Elephant Ear), Dahlia, Gladiolus, Oriental lilies

Bulbs for fall planting and spring bloom time:

• Allium, Asiatic lilies, Crocus, Daffodils, Hyacinth, Muscari, Oriental lilies, Tulips

Bulbs for winter planting and indoor blooms:

• Amarillys, Hyacinths, Paper White
  

Section Listing

Pest Management

Animal Pests
Deer, rabbits, squirrels, dogs and cats all mean trouble to the gardener. While no one likes to find that something was digging in their garden, or using it for a litter box, finding our plants eaten really makes us angry. Fortunately, today we have many choices for possible solutions. There are numerous chemical repellants and deterrents as well as a number of organic products that work very well at keeping pests away. There are also a number of plants that pests tend to avoid.

Chemical Repellants
There are many chemical repellants available as sprays, powders and granules to use on or around the garden. Hinder uses ammonium soaps and is labeled for use on any plant. Deer-Away is made from putrescent egg solids and is labeled for use on trees and shrubs. Ropel is another spray that can be applied to most plants and works by taste and smell. As with most of these products, repellants need to be reapplied often. If dogs or cats are the problem, there are many products to spray on or sprinkle around your plants that will help keep them out of the garden.

Organics
These repellants are relatively new to the gardening scene. Among the favorites here is Milorganite fertilizer. This organic lawn and garden fertilizer is made from Milwaukee’s wastewater treatment process and has a distinct odor that seems to deter deer and rabbits (fortunately humans cannot smell it after it has been applied). It also has the added benefit of being beneficial to your lawn and garden. Coyote and fox urines also work well on many different rodents and pests. They use the animals’ natural fear of predators to trick them into staying away. These products are used by saturating a cotton ball and placing it near your plants. The odor tricks the pest into believing that a natural predator is in the area and they need to stay clear.
Another possible solution is fencing. There are many forms of fencing that are both attractive and useful for keeping the unwanted out of our yards and gardens.

Plants
There is a long list of plants that animals do not like to eat. Dahlias, marigolds and zinnias, to name a few, are plants that few animals like to eat. The plant odor and flavor is not favorable to the palate. Planting these plants around the garden or yard is a great way to deter pests from entering your garden. Deer never eat ornamental grasses and don’t usually eat herbs or plants with a strong fragrance or bristly texture.

Insecticides
There are many choices depending on the type of plant we are treating and the type of pest we want to control.

• Systemic pesticides are absorbed by the plant and ingested by the bug eating the plant resulting in death. Systemic pesticides should not be used on vegetable or fruit crops except as recommended by the manufacturer.
• Contact pesticides stay on the surface of the plant and are absorbed by the bug coming in contact with the chemical. These types are easily washed off fruits and vegetables to make them safe to eat.
• Organic pesticides are safe mixtures derived from plants, and usually pose no threat to humans or animals. Organics seldom kill insects but rather repel them since they are made from something that the insect does not like (Hot Pepper Wax).

Fungicides
These chemicals help to cure or control diseases on plants. Not all diseases can be cured, but the spread to other plants or even other parts of the diseased plant can be prevented by the use of fungicides. Control of a disease can eliminate the need to destroy and/or replace a plant.

Again, always follow the manufacturers directions when using any chemical.

Plants Deer Usually Avoid Eating

Fertilizer

What’s in plant food?
The three essential nutrients in plant food are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). Each plays a role in building healthy plants. Nitrogen encourages growth of leaves and stems while phosphorus and potassium increase flowering and root growth. Plant foods are labeled according to the percentages of each of the ingredients they contain, always in the same order: N-P-K. The label indicates the relative amounts of the three essential nutrients with an analysis formula (for example: 15-30-15, 10-10-10, or some other combination).

Selecting a plant food
There are several types of plant foods. Different concentrations are used to achieve different results or meet different needs. Be sure to read the label of the product that you choose to purchase for more information on how to apply it. Check out our fertilizer aisle for a variety of products.

Granular Complete Plant Food
This type of plant food contains a mix of instantly available and controlled release nutrients. They are often formulated for specific plants. This type should be scattered on the surface or worked into the soil. Water the soil after spreading.

Water Soluble Plant Food
This type of plant food starts feeding almost instantly through the foliage and roots. To apply this type, mix it with water.

Slow-Release Plant Food
This type of plant food is easy to use and feed slowly and steadily for up to three months. This type should be applied directly into the planting hole and the soil should be watered thoroughly after applying.

Organic products such as Cow Manure, Blood Meal or Bone Meal are available and should be worked into the soil before planting.