Here are some suggestions from our nursery on projects to help your garden grow this season
This Season:
Towards the end of January we will have an extensive selection of hybrid tea, grandiflora, English, climbing and groundcover roses. Now is the time to add manure to your soil to prepare for planting roses.
Come in and see our selection of bare root fruit trees such as apples, pears, persimmons and berries. January and February are the perfect months to plant these trees in your garden.
Just because it is dreary outside doesn’t mean you have to go without color in your garden. We have beautiful pansies, violas, poppies, cyclamen and primroses to brighten your garden. Don’t forget our beautiful indoor plants and flowers to liven up the inside of your house as well.
Winter is the time to dormant spray most of your deciduous trees and shrubs for disease and insect control. Most importantly you should spray your fruit trees and spring flowering trees. You can also use dormant spray on your roses to prevent pest and disease problems in the springtime.
This is a good time to use all of those extra leaves for your compost pile and then you will have compost ready to use for your spring plantings. Twice a year, composting workshops are held so you can ask a professional how to get started with your composting.
Now is the time to put down pre-emergent products to prevent the growth of crabgrass, spurge, clover, dandelion and numerous other weeds. McDonnell Nursery offers proven weed control products.
February is the time to come in and select your spring planting bulbs for beautiful summer blooms. We will carry gladiolas, begonias, dahlias and many more.
Before you begin your spring planting, it is important to amend your garden soil. Adding organic materials such as compost,bark chips or Master Nursery Goldrush and Paydirt will improve the quality texture and water retention of the heavy clay soil typically found in this area.
Come in and see our selection of bare root fruit trees such as apples, pears, persimmons and berries. January and February are the perfect months to plant these trees in your garden.
Perennials are also a great way to put a variety of color into your garden. Now is the time to plant assorted lavenders, nepeta, penstemon, yarrow, guara, cranesbill, delphinium, foxglove, ladys mantle, ajuga, million bells and various salvias.
We still have an extensive selection of hybrid tea, grandiflora, English, climbing and groundcover roses for you to choose from. It is a great time to get them planted in your garden for continuous flowers into the fall. For both new and old roses, keep an eye out for any disease or pest problems. We have a selection of products that will help fight these common problems.
In early spring, you can still plant cool season vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, chard, lettuce and peas. You can also start getting your planting beds ready for the warm season veggies that can be planted later in the spring or early summer, depending on your area. Corn, eggplant, peppers, squash and tomatoes are examples of those warm season veggies.
Water plants are nice additions to a garden. Come in and see our water lilies, water hyacinth and water clover. A piece of glazed pottery that does not have a drainage hole makes a beautiful and portable water garden. Our horticulturists can help guide you to preparing your own water garden.
Now is the time to select and plant your spring planting bulbs for beautiful summer blooms. We have gladiolas, begonias, dahlias and many more.
Once the weather in your area gets a little warmer, you can begin to plant citrus trees. We will have a nice selection of dwarf and semi-dwarf varieties of lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruit for you to choose from.
Japanese maples are a beautiful addition to any garden. We have an incredible selection of varieties and sizes. They are just leafing out this spring for a beautiful show of color.
Spring is a great time to fertilize all of the plants in your garden such as roses, trees, shrubs, and lawns. We have an excellent line of organic fertilizers that would satisfy your gardens nutrient requirements. EB Stone organic fertilizers contain beneficial mycorrhiza that live in the soil with the root system of the plant. They help the roots absorb nutrients and water, leading to a healthier and stronger plant. The mycorrhiza also helps increase the flower and fruit production and helps reduce transplant shock and drought stress.
Once your tulips have finished blooming, it is important to feed them while they are forming new bulbs. Don’t remove the foliage until it has completely yellowed, which means the bulbs have finished taking in nutrients from the plant.
Before you begin your fall planting, it is important to amend your garden soil. Adding organic materials such as compost, bark chips or Master Nursery Goldrush and Paydirt will improve the quality texture and water retention of the heavy clay soil typically found in this area. Remember that fall is still the best time to plant deciduous trees and shrubs.
Fall and winter annuals will arrive in late September to brighten your garden with lasting winter color. Primroses and cyclamen will do best in shady gardens, while pansies, violas, poppies and flowering cabbage will thrive in sunny areas.
Perennials are also a great way to put a variety of color into your garden. Now is the time to plant early bloomers such as campanula, columbine, delphinium, and foxglove into the garden to develop strong roots before spring blooming.
Early fall is the time to select your fall planting bulbs. They should be planted later in fall for beautiful spring flowers. We have an excellent selection of tulips, daffodils, ranunculus and many more for you to choose from. Be sure to come in early for the best selection and remember that tulips, hyacinth and crocus require some chilling time in the refrigerator before planting.
As the weather cools, you can begin the planting of cool-season vegetables. These include broccoli, cabbage, carrots, lettuce and onions. Be sure to prepare your vegetable beds with organic material to improve the growing conditions.
Fall is also a great time for starting a new lawn, either by sowing seed or laying sod. Either way, it is important to till the soil and amend with organic material. Remember to provide adequate water until the rains begin. It is also a great time to thatch and aerate existing lawns.
Fruit trees should be sprayed in fall to prevent and control disease. Peach trees should be sprayed with lime sulfur after the leaves have fallen. Flowering cherries, as well as fruiting cherries, must be sprayed at time of leaf drop to prevent shot-hole fungus. You can also spray any deciduous trees, shrubs and roses for disease control.
To protect citrus through the cold winter you can use frost blankets, small Christmas lights or a product called Cloud Cover that helps seal moisture in the leaves of the plant.
After Thanksgiving, we will have an excellent selection of fresh-cut Christmas trees for you to choose from. We will carry Noble and Douglas Firs. We will also have beautiful indoor poinsettias and outdoor wreaths and garland to decorate your home for the holidays.
If you do any planting this summer, it is important to amend your garden soil. Adding organic materials such as compost, bark chips or Master Nursery Goldrush and Paydirt will improve the quality, texture and, more importantly this year, water retention in the soil.
Mulching your garden with bark chips or shredded cedar is a great way to reduce the water evaporation from the soil. We recommend a 2-3 inch layer around the drip line of the plant for the most effective protection.
It is always better for your plants to give them a deeper watering. Deeper watering encourages a healthier root system and lets you water less often.
SoilSoup is an organic compost tea that is added to the soil to increase fertility, make nutrients in the soil more available to the plants, improve water retention, and restore a natural balance to the soils ecosystem.
Other products we carry to encourage water retention are SoilMoist and TerraCottem. Both are in the form of granules that you mix into the soil at the time of planting. They contain polymers that absorb and hold water to be released when the soil dries out.
We recommend that you not fertilize on these hot days. When it is cooler (in the 80’s) we recommend organic or other lighter fertilizers.