Magnolia Landscape Supply BlogTips, tricks and answers to your frequently asked lawn and garden questions.https://magnolialandscapesupply.com/FAQs-TipsJuly Tipshttps://magnolialandscapesupply.com/FAQs-Tips/PostId/1026/july-tipsHydrangeas,Lawn & Garden TipsFri, 03 Jul 2015 19:16:24 GMT<div class="itemIntroText" style="color: #444444; padding-top: 4px; padding-bottom: 12px;"><img alt="" src="http://www.magnolialandscapesupply.com/Portals/magnolialandscape/Crapemyrtle/Tonto_thumb.jpg" />&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 24px;">&nbsp;Planting </span> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Get your flower beds noticed with all the color of the Coleus, hibiscus, penta, plumbago, marigold, zinnia, periwinkle, petunia, ageratum, just to name a few.&nbsp; These plants are not only showy, they are heat and drought resistant and a good addition to any flowerbed.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Your houseplants can spend the summer outdoors. Assure they are sheltered from the sun&rsquo;s direct rays and any hard winds/rain. Feed and water them regularly.</p> <h2 style="margin-top: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Fertilizing</h2> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Now is the time for the second and last fertilize application for the centipede yards and you can fertilize Zoysia lawns now with the lawn fertilizer 16-4-8.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Palms are in active growth cycle during the summer and need the extra magnesium sulfate. You can use an 8-2-12. We carry a complete line of Palm Fertilizers from 5 to 50 lbs as well as Magnesium Sulfate.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Most trees &amp; shrubs are poised for a second flush of growth and should be fertilized with a ratio of&nbsp;12-6-6.&nbsp;</p> <h2 style="margin-top: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Watering/Irrigation</h2> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Assuring your plants/trees and or garden get plenty of water should be your biggest concern during the heat of the summer. Add a rain gauge in your garden/yard to keep up with the amount of rain you&rsquo;ve had to help you keep up with how much you need to supplement. Remember to deep water, not just spray over the plants. Don&rsquo;t forget your plants on the porches and decks, those beautiful container gardens and hanging baskets you have around. They need to be checked more often and possibly watered more frequently as they have such a small space to store water.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Your irrigation may be supplying the lawn with all the water it needs but make sure the plants and trees are also being watered well by it.&nbsp; They have deeper roots than sod and should be checked for additional watering.&nbsp; Consider drip irrigation for the plants/trees. &nbsp;You may want to consider drip irrigation for the container plants and/or hanging baskets as well.</p> </div> <div class="itemFullText" style="color: #7b8181;"> <h2 style="margin-top: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Pruning and Maintenance</h2> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Do not prune your azaleas and rhododendrons after the second week of July. They are beginning to set new buds for next year&rsquo;s blooms.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Deadheading is the chore for this month.&nbsp; Cleaning out the faded and spent flowers. There are some that you maybe holding out for those seeds but once you have collected those, it&rsquo;s time to make way for the new. Regular deadheading of some of our plants of today, just make the plants produce more and more for long showy seasons.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">This is also a good time to clean out any dead or diseased plants or limbs/stems.</p> <h2 style="margin-top: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Miscellaneous</h2> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">This is the beginning of the hottest parts of summer and the thought of garden chores can really cause us to groan, but stick with it. Every small amount you do adds up. So if you have a large chore, break it down into smaller jobs, pick the morning or evening time to do it when the heat isn&rsquo;t so bad and before you know it, you&rsquo;re done.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">While working in the yard, pay attention to yourself as well. Make sure you drink plenty of liquids for hydration, wear a sun block to help prevent sunburn and take breaks often, preferably in the shade. If you have a health condition that may be aggravated by extreme heat or exertion, consider a medic alert bracelet or necklace for your additional protection.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">These hot days are good days to start planning your fall gardens because you can do that inside.&nbsp; These is also a good time to check in with your local nursery to see what new flowers they may have gotten in and what may have gone on sale to make way for the next season.</p> <h2 style="margin-top: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Pests</h2> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">To help keep the mosquitoes down in your yard, eliminate any standing water. It is the prime incubator for mosquitoes.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Keep weeds from your gardens/flowerbeds. The weeds use up the nutrients and water you have provided for your planting. Top-dress your mulch if it has settled too much or washed away.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">You can aide your Roses in the prevention of a rose disease by having a fungicide spray program.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">You should scout for insects and disease to stay on top of it. To look for the hard to see insects, hold a sheet of white paper below a branch and tap the branch. Look at what falls off, if the black spot moves, you have an insect problem. It would need to be identified and dealt with before it causes any or more problems.</p> <h2 style="margin-top: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Lawn</h2> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Did that last rainfall remind you of that low spot in your yard? Add a good topsoil but if your low spot is more of a hole, add gradually so your grass will grow up through it and establish it as the new height of that area.&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Keep your lawn at about three inches so the grass actually shades its roots and the soil. This helps to retain water and keep roots from the heat of the direct sun. As we said last month, don&rsquo;t bag your clippings, this is a good way to return the nitrogen back to the soil and it doesn&rsquo;t cost a thing.</p> <div><br /> </div> </div>1026August Lawn & Garden Tipshttps://magnolialandscapesupply.com/FAQs-Tips/PostId/13/august-lawn-garden-tipsLawn & Garden TipsFri, 01 Aug 2014 18:38:00 GMT<div class="itemIntroText" style="color: #444444; padding-top: 4px; padding-bottom: 12px;"><img src="http://magnolialandscapesupply.com/images/tips/bedding_plants.jpg" alt="bedding plants" style="margin-right: 15px; font-style: normal; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'PT Sans', arial, sans-serif; width: 201px; height: 300px; float: left; background: transparent;" /> <h2 style="margin-top: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">PLANTING&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;"><span style="background: transparent;">Be planning your fall beds and plantings. This is the time for the soil prep.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;"><span style="background: transparent;">All container-grown perennials, shrubs and trees can be planted. Make sure to prepare your soil by mixing good-sized quantities of a processed manure, and compost in with your existing soil to amend it.</span></p> <h3 style="margin-top: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">&nbsp; </h3> <h2>FERTILIZE</h2> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;"><span style="background: transparent;">This is a good time to test your soil for fall fertilization requirements, if you haven&rsquo;t had it done in the last three years or so.&nbsp; A soil test would make you better prepared to add what it needs. This will save time and money, rather than add anything and everything needlessly. I have heard it put something like this: adding lime or fertilizer to untested soil is like adding salt to your food without tasting it first.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;"><span style="background: transparent;">- Woody plants and roses should only be fertilized now as needed. It can stimulate new growth that would not have time to harden off before winter. Discontinue altogether after Labor Day.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;"><span style="background: transparent;">- Keep your annuals blooming possibly right on into fall, by watering and fertilizing.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;"><span style="background: transparent;">- You can continue feeding your houseplants as usual with a good slow release granular fertilizer.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;"><span style="background: transparent;">- Keep up the good work on fertilizing your container and hanging basket plants. If you have been using a liquid, try a slow release during this extra watering time. It can cut back on your labor while maintaining their health and beauty.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;"><span style="background: transparent;">- If your hibiscus foliage is beginning to yellow it could be lack of iron. You can drench to soil around the base of the plant with a liquid iron (always follow label directions exactly) and you should see your foliage begin to green up within a week or so.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;"><span style="background: transparent;">-To turn a Pink Hydrangea blue, add garden sulfur or aluminum sulfate. To turn a Blue Hydrangea pink, add ground limestone.</span></p> <h2 style="margin-top: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">PRUNE</h2> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;"><span style="background: transparent;">- Most woody plants and shrubs should be pruned of the dead or diseased wood. You can do minor pruning of tips and such but save the major pruning until later in winter.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;"><span style="background: transparent;">- Go ahead and clip your evergreen hedges as needed. This should hold them over until next spring.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;"><span style="background: transparent;">- If your petunias are leggy and need reviving, try cutting them back to about six inches and feed them with a water-soluble fertilizer, as the label directs. This allows for root drenching and foliar feeding. Your plants should be flowering again within a couple weeks or so.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;"><span style="background: transparent;">- Perennials and rose bushes would benefit from a minor pruning and the crape myrtles faded flowers can be trimmed off to encourage a re-bloom.</span></p> </div> <div class="itemFullText" style="color: #7b8181;"> <h2 style="padding-top: 16px; padding-bottom: 4px; background: transparent;">WATER</h2> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;"><span style="background: transparent;">&middot; The main thing to keep an eye on in August is water. Make sure you water deeply and thoroughly&nbsp;&nbsp; to get the most benefit of it.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;"><span style="background: transparent;">&middot; Keep an eye on your azaleas and camellias. Meeting their water needs will help assure the future blooms to be the best they can be.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;"><span style="background: transparent;">- Container plants, and hanging baskets need to check every day because of the summer heat, and it is wise to check below the surface. Poke your finger in the soil; see for yourself if the ground over an inch down is dry or moist. This will help prevent you from over watering also.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;"><span style="background: transparent;">&middot; Your compost also needs to be moistened regularly to keep it active.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;"><span style="background: transparent;">&middot; Your sod may become extremely dry due to no rain or no irrigation, if so consider watering it before you mow. If you mow it in that extreme condition, it can stress the sod and expose it to the heat of the sun and drying effect of the wind.</span></p> <h3 style="padding-top: 16px; padding-bottom: 4px; background: transparent;"> </h3> <h2>PEST CONTROL</h2> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;"><span style="background: transparent;">&middot; Always follow the label directions of any chemical you use, EXACTLY.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;"><span style="background: transparent;">&middot; Fruit trees should be on a regular spray program. Check with us here at Magnolia Landscape Supply for suggestions.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;"><span style="background: transparent;">&middot; Always clean up all fallen fruit from your fruit trees and any fallen rose leaves, to help reduce pests and diseases next year.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;"><span style="background: transparent;">&middot; Remove any old plants that are not producing any longer, to eliminate a breeding grounds for insects and disease organisms</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;"><span style="background: transparent;">&middot; If you need to, apply a fungicide to the lawn to control turf diseases like brown patch, dollar spot and others.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;"><span style="background: transparent;">&middot; Standing water is a breeding ground for mosquito larvae so keep an eye for it. Empty out where you see it and don&rsquo;t forget to change the water in your birdbath often so it doesn&rsquo;t become a breeding ground too.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;"><span style="background: transparent;">&middot; Control weeds before they go to seed. Those seed are another batch of trouble for next year. Weeds can also use up the water and nutrients that your plants need, as well as can get too big and push out your plants. They also harbor disease and insects.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;"><span style="background: transparent;">&middot; Roses would benefit from a spraying of a rose fungicide like the Bayer All in One Rose and Flower Care that we carry, to keep black spot and other problems under control.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;"><span style="background: transparent;">&middot; White flies are attracted to yellow, so use yellow sticky boards to reduce or monitor their population.</span></p> <h2 style="padding-top: 16px; padding-bottom: 4px; background: transparent;">MISC</h2> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;"><span style="background: transparent;">&middot; Imagine the beautiful color of the plants in containers or hanging baskets around your patio or on the porch. Use a potting mix when planting them and add Hydrostretch, which is a water-holding polymer. It will help to reduce the frequency of watering.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;"><span style="background: transparent;">&middot; Try raising the cutting height of your lawnmower during the hottest part of summer. The longer blades of your sod will provide a little extra shade for its roots and also acts as insulation, helping retain moisture in the soil.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;"><span style="background: transparent;">&middot; Establish a new compost pile to accommodate the extra grass clippings of summer and future fall leaves, but don&rsquo;t put weeds with mature seed heads in as they can germinate next year when you use this compost. If you have used an herbicide on your grass this year, wait two or three mowings before collecting the clippings to add to a compost pile but remember, it&rsquo;s a good thing to let the clippings work for you in the yard. They are beneficial to your soil by returning nutrients back into the soil and like mulch, they aid in sheltering the soil from the drying sun and wind.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;"><span style="background: transparent;">&middot; Hummingbirds will be migrating back through during August. Think about them when putting in any new perennials and don&rsquo;t forget to get the feeders ready.</span></p> </div>13July Lawn & Garden Tipshttps://magnolialandscapesupply.com/FAQs-Tips/PostId/12/july-lawn-garden-tipsLawn & Garden Tips,Palm TreesTue, 01 Jul 2014 18:39:00 GMT<div class="itemIntroText" style="color: #444444; padding-top: 4px; padding-bottom: 12px;"><span style="color: #840a27; font-family: 'PT Sans', cursive; font-size: 20px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; line-height: 34px; background-color: transparent;"><img alt="" src="/Portals/magnolialandscape/Crapemyrtle/Tonto_thumb.jpg" />&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Planting</span> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Get your flower beds noticed with all the color of the Coleus, hibiscus, penta, plumbago, marigold, zinnia, periwinkle, petunia, ageratum, just to name a few.&nbsp; These plants are not only showy, they are heat and drought resistant and a good addition to any flowerbed.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Your houseplants can spend the summer outdoors. Assure they are sheltered from the sun&rsquo;s direct rays and any hard winds/rain. Feed and water them regularly.</p> <h2 style="margin-top: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Fertilizing</h2> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Now is the time for the second and last fertilize application for the centipede yards and you can fertilize Zoysia lawns now with the lawn fertilizer 16-4-8.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Palms are in active growth cycle during the summer and need the extra magnesium sulfate. You can use an 8-2-12. We carry a complete line of Palm Fertilizers from 5 to 50 lbs as well as Magnesium Sulfate.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Most trees &amp; shrubs are poised for a second flush of growth and should be fertilized with a ratio of&nbsp;12-6-6.&nbsp;</p> <h2 style="margin-top: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Watering/Irrigation</h2> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Assuring your plants/trees and or garden get plenty of water should be your biggest concern during the heat of the summer. Add a rain gauge in your garden/yard to keep up with the amount of rain you&rsquo;ve had to help you keep up with how much you need to supplement. Remember to deep water, not just spray over the plants. Don&rsquo;t forget your plants on the porches and decks, those beautiful container gardens and hanging baskets you have around. They need to be checked more often and possibly watered more frequently as they have such a small space to store water.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Your irrigation may be supplying the lawn with all the water it needs but make sure the plants and trees are also being watered well by it.&nbsp; They have deeper roots than sod and should be checked for additional watering.&nbsp; Consider drip irrigation for the plants/trees. &nbsp;You may want to consider drip irrigation for the container plants and/or hanging baskets as well.</p> </div> <div class="itemFullText" style="color: #7b8181;"> <h2 style="margin-top: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Pruning and Maintenance</h2> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Do not prune your azaleas and rhododendrons after the second week of July. They are beginning to set new buds for next year&rsquo;s blooms.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Deadheading is the chore for this month.&nbsp; Cleaning out the faded and spent flowers. There are some that you maybe holding out for those seeds but once you have collected those, it&rsquo;s time to make way for the new. Regular deadheading of some of our plants of today, just make the plants produce more and more for long showy seasons.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">This is also a good time to clean out any dead or diseased plants or limbs/stems.</p> <h2 style="margin-top: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Miscellaneous</h2> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">This is the beginning of the hottest parts of summer and the thought of garden chores can really cause us to groan, but stick with it. Every small amount you do adds up. So if you have a large chore, break it down into smaller jobs, pick the morning or evening time to do it when the heat isn&rsquo;t so bad and before you know it, you&rsquo;re done.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">While working in the yard, pay attention to yourself as well. Make sure you drink plenty of liquids for hydration, wear a sun block to help prevent sunburn and take breaks often, preferably in the shade. If you have a health condition that may be aggravated by extreme heat or exertion, consider a medic alert bracelet or necklace for your additional protection.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">These hot days are good days to start planning your fall gardens because you can do that inside.&nbsp; These is also a good time to check in with your local nursery to see what new flowers they may have gotten in and what may have gone on sale to make way for the next season.</p> <h2 style="margin-top: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Pests</h2> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">To help keep the mosquitoes down in your yard, eliminate any standing water. It is the prime incubator for mosquitoes.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Keep weeds from your gardens/flowerbeds. The weeds use up the nutrients and water you have provided for your planting. Top-dress your mulch if it has settled too much or washed away.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">You can aide your Roses in the prevention of a rose disease by having a fungicide spray program.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">You should scout for insects and disease to stay on top of it. To look for the hard to see insects, hold a sheet of white paper below a branch and tap the branch. Look at what falls off, if the black spot moves, you have an insect problem. It would need to be identified and dealt with before it causes any or more problems.</p> <h2 style="margin-top: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Lawn</h2> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Did that last rainfall remind you of that low spot in your yard? Add a good topsoil but if your low spot is more of a hole, add gradually so your grass will grow up through it and establish it as the new height of that area.&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: transparent;">Keep your lawn at about three inches so the grass actually shades its roots and the soil. This helps to retain water and keep roots from the heat of the direct sun. As we said last month, don&rsquo;t bag your clippings, this is a good way to return the nitrogen back to the soil and it doesn&rsquo;t cost a thing.</p> </div>12June Lawn & Garden Tipshttps://magnolialandscapesupply.com/FAQs-Tips/PostId/11/june-lawn-garden-tipsLawn & Garden TipsSun, 01 Jun 2014 18:36:00 GMT<div style="color: #7b8181; padding-top: 8px; padding-bottom: 8px;" class="itemBody"> <div style="color: #444444; padding-top: 4px; padding-bottom: 12px; background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;" class="itemIntroText"> <img style="margin-right: 10px; width: 201px; height: 300px; float: left; background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;" alt="daylily" src="http://magnolialandscapesupply.com/images/tips/daylily.jpg" /> <h2>Planting</h2> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Bulbs such as iris and daylilies can be divided even when they are blooming. This would be an opportune time if you have different colors and want to work with them for the current season.&nbsp; Simply cut off the existing flowers and cut the leaves back, dig and divide and replant as soon as possible, or you can tag the colors for later dividing.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">When you purchase container plants, check the root ball and loosen the roots if they are tightly wound in the pot. You need to keep as much dirt intact on the roots as possible as this will help the roots to move out and &ldquo;root in&rdquo; their new location.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Whether it is your accent plants or your focal point for your yard, many people prefer to buy trees and shrubs while in bloom to make sure the colors are what they like such as the Hydrangea, Crape myrtle, Oleander or Magnolia.</p> <h2>Fertilizing</h2> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Don&rsquo;t miss out on the opportunity to fertilize your plants. Not just for the health and growth of your plants but also for your blooming plants to help produce more and better. Water well after fertilizing.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Azaleas and camellias should be fertilized right after they have finished blooming and roses after each bloom time. We carry fertilizers specifically for your blooming needs.&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Container gardens are a beautiful addition to your patio or porches but they will need additional attention such as fertilizer.&nbsp; You can give them regular doses of a water-soluble fertilizer or try a slow release granular fertilizer that will release a little every time you water.</p> </div> <div style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;" class="itemFullText"> <h2>Watering/Irrigation</h2> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Most professionals will recommend that watering be done in the morning for the most benefit including helping to slow down evaporation of the water. But if you find your plants/lawn are drying out due to an extremely hot summer and/or drought time, go ahead and give them more water perhaps in the early afternoon. Also, check your container plants, they will dry out quicker.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Mulch is a good addition to your flower beds and plantings, it helps to shade the soil and keep it cooler which helps retain moisture during the hot days.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">If you have irrigation, keep an eye out for broken sprinkler heads. This will help you avoid dry areas and wasted water. Consider having a &ldquo;Rain Check&rdquo; control added to your system. This helps reduce over watering by not allowing your system to water after a rain shower. As the plants grow they may interfere with the sprinkler so keep things trimmed back.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">It is a good idea to water slowly and deeply. This will encourage your plants to grow deeper roots. That can make them more stable and keeps the roots away from the upper drier soil. &nbsp;</p> <h2>Pruning and Maintenance</h2> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">It is possible to have roses, and some perennials re-bloom. The best way to encourage it is to &ldquo;dead head&rdquo; your plant by removing the old blooms. Annuals can also be deadheaded and re-bloom most of the summer. Your hanging baskets will benefit as well with a good once over for dead blooms and shaping.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Pinch back any of your plants that seem to be getting leggy and out of shape. Whether it&rsquo;s an annual or perennial, pruning your plant helps make it healthier and look better. Most evergreens benefit from pruning. The optimum time would be around June and July.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">For maximum flavor of your herbs, pick or harvest just before flowering as the leaves have the most oil content.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <h2>Miscellaneous</h2> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">To help you keep up with what you have planted, where it is, and info on the plants, try keeping up with this in a notebook or on your computer. This information can save you time and money. You can look back and see which plant needed what fertilizer, when and so on.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Avoid the heat and humidity of our hot summers by working in the early a.m. or later afternoon into the evening makes the time you spend working in the yards a little easier.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">While you are out in the yard working in your lawn and gardens, involve your kids or grand kids. Have them help you weed, plant or most anything. It is good exercise, and helps them to learn that sense of pride of a job well done. Being outside, helping, is time spent with you they will never forget.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Speaking of weeding, if you weed in your flowerbeds on a regular basis it makes that chore a little easier to deal with. Ground cloth or mulch are good for weed prevention also.&nbsp; If you put mulch around woody plants don&rsquo;t pile it on close around the trunks. Just a couple inches deep starting a few inches away is plenty.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">If you have a compost heap or bins, remember the heat of the summer can also dry them out. Moisture is the key and it should also be turned regularly to aide in the natural decomposition.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Stake tall flowers to keep them from blowing over and tie up your climbing roses or other vines for a more secure plant. Make sure any plant or tree you have ties on are loose enough so as not to cut into the stems.</p> <h2>Pests</h2> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Is there something eating at your plant&rsquo;s leaves/stem/bloom? Do you have a white/gray/black residue on it? You should always research your problem to identify what is actually going on with your plant. This will lead you to the best solution but you will need the most information of the problem.&nbsp; It is wise as well, to chose the lest toxic solution and follow the directions completely.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Roses are prone to mildew, black spot, aphids and other diseases and insect.&nbsp; Identify and take action. The sooner you identify the problem and take action, the better your plant will be.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">It seems that the ever so vital honeybee, maybe suffering from the pesticides sold on the shelves as well as the pest they were designed for. Just a couple tweaks in our pesticide application habits will aide in the promotion of their population. Try using a liquid pesticide instead of a dust and try applying later in the afternoon/evening when the bees are mostly heading back to the hive.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Here at Magnolia Landscape Supply, we have a large selection of pesticides, we can help you identify the problem and find a solution.</p> <h2>Lawn</h2> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">If your lawn seems compacted, hard for water to absorb or have a nematode problem, you may want to aerate your lawn. We rent a sod aerator for $49.95 per day plus tax.&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">A good rule of thumb for mowing is to cut off no more than 1/3 of the grass blade at each mowing. If your grass is &ldquo;growing like a weed&rdquo;, try more frequent mowing to maintain better grass. As for your St. Augustine and Zoysia grasses, they would be better off at a mowed height of around 3&rdquo;. This helps to shade the soil and saves the moisture in the soil.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">To prevent the ragged cut of a grass blade, keep your mower blades sharp.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">You should consider leaving the trimmings, if there isn&rsquo;t an excessive amount due to overgrowth. The trimmings will make their way to the soil, returning nitrogen of the grass back to the soil.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">If you have an area that is too shady for grass, try using ground cover plants or a mulch.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 15px; background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">One secret to having the appearance of a professionally mowed lawn, is to keep a nice clean edge around the flowerbeds, sidewalk, driveway, etc. so pull out the edger or grass shears and keep it neat and tidy.</p> </div> <div style="height: 0px; border: medium none; background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;" class="clr"></div> <div style="height: 0px; border: medium none; background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;" class="clr"></div> </div> <div style="color: #7b8181; padding-top: 8px; padding-bottom: 8px;"> <div style="width: 200px; margin-right: 24px; background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;" class="itemFacebookButton"> <div style="color: #000000; border-spacing: 0px; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;" class=" fb_reset" id="fb-root"> <div style="height: 0px; width: 0px; background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;"></div> </div> </div> </div>11