Horticultural Calendar

Click here for a Horticulural Calendar to keep yourself on track of when to do what!

Top-Dressing Your Lawn

Q: How do I top-dress my lawn?
A: To reseed your lawn, begin by fan raking the entire area. Top-dress the area using Triple Mix or Top Soil 1/4" deep. Even out the area by filling any holes with Triple Mix or Top Soil to a depth of 2". Seed the area with Spear Grass Seed, then fertilize the area with a natural fertilizer. Lightly fan rake the area again, roll, and water. Be sure to keep the area lightly moist for proper germination and wait until the grass grows at least 6" before cutting it.

*NOTE* Don't use a weed inhibitor such as Turf Maize 4-6 weeks before or after seeding as Turf Maize and other weed killers will inhibit/kill your grass seed.

Lawn Fertilizing

We also recommend a 3 step fertilizing program to get the best out of your lawn. Fertilize with a natural fertilizer once from mid-April to mid-May. A second application can be done in July, and a third application again in late Fall from October to November.

Common Diseases

Anthracnose
What to Look For
Usually appears after a cool and wet spring. Irregular dark blotches on leaves, sometimes buds or small twigs will also be affected. Infected parts, eventually drop off. (symptoms differ depending on the plant)

How it Spreads
It overwinters on the plant and in cool weather in the spring they spread through the air and begin to grow in the wet weather.

Susceptible Plants
Mainly shade trees such as ash and maples and it can appear on dogwoods.

How to Control
This disease doesn't kill the plant. However, it can weaken the plant and make the plant look unsightly.

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Black Spot
What to Look For
Black spots on leaves and even stems. The spots are small in May-June but grow larger as the summer goes on. The leaves then turn yellow and can drop off.

How it Spreads
Fungus spores overwinter on infected leaves and stems. Splashing water and wind can also spread it.

Susceptible Plants
Roses and mock-orange.

How to Control
This disease doesn't kill the plant. However, as the leaves drop, new ones grow which can weaken the plant and make it susceptible to other problems. It is also quite unsightly. In late winter, early spring, spray your plants with dormant spray to kill the overwintering spores. Rake any fallen leaves and throw out - do not compost or burn damaged leaves - the spores will stay alive and spread.

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Crown rot
What to Look For
yellowing foliage and mushy stems just above the soil line. It can appear at anytime between spring and fall but it appears usually during hot, humid periods.

How it Spreads
Crown rot is organisms that live near the surface of the soil. They enter the plant and destroy the tissue.

Susceptible Plants
Usually perennials such as Hosta, Bleeding Heart, Day lily and many more.

How to Control
If it is not controlled it can kill the plant. If it is not looked after it can become a permanent problem in your garden. Try not to have your plants sitting in water and have breathing room around your plants.

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Rust
What to Look For
Powdery orange-rust or brown spots appear on your leaves. On the underside the spots are usually protruding off of the leaf. They usually appear in summer and fall but it can occur at any time of the growing season.

How it Spreads
Spores are carried by the wind and splashing water. Spreads faster in humid weather.

Susceptible Plants
Hollyhocks, grass, mums, peonies.

How to Control
You can use a natural fungicide to help control the spread of the rust. The rust will not kill your plant, it will weaken it which reduces the overall health of the plant. In late winter, early spring, spray your plants with dormant spray to kill the overwintering spores. Rake any fallen leaves and throw out - do not compost or burn damaged leaves - the spores will stay alive and spread.

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Tar Spot
What to Look For
It starts as a small yellow spot in early June and as the summer progresses, the spots turn black and grow. The spots can be rough or smooth but not rippled.

How it Spreads
Tar spot overwinters in fallen leaves. In the spring the spores are spread to new leaves.

Susceptible Plants
Most common on Maples.

How to Control
It will not kill your plant although it looks quite unsightly. In late winter, early spring, spray your plants with dormant spray to kill the overwintering spores. Rake any fallen leaves and throw out - do not compost or burn damaged leaves - the spores will stay alive and spread.

Turf & Plant Maintenance

Cut your lawn weekly at a 2 1/2" to 3 1/2" height. Keeping your lawn maintained regularly is very important to its health. Sharpen your lawn mower blades monthly, and remember, it's called a push mower, not a pull mower! Also, only water your lawn when it is needed - once a week for 20-30 minutes per area. Don't be afraid to let the top surface of the soil dry out. This will encourage deep-rooted, stress-tolerant grass. Consider using our ECO-Lawn grass seed.

Planting Annuals

Calcium=Healthy Tomatoes

Blossom end rot in tomatoes is caused by a calcium deficiency. A plant's ability to absorb calcium is most affected by wide swings in moisture. Make sure you water only in the morning and give your tomato water at least 1 inch of water a week - and don't get the foliage wet...only the soil under the plant. You can also add organic matter to your garden in the spring before you plant. This helps to replenish the soil with calcium and other nutrients that have been leached out of the soil. You can also add Superphosphate and/or Murate of Potash to your garden to help replace the calcium. Do not plant your tomatoes too early in the spring - wait until nighttime temperatures are between 13-15 degrees Celsius.