opening day?
What a great day!
A couple of weekends back, we celebrated our Spring Kick Off. There were hot dogs, there was beer from Norsemen Brewing Company, there was phenomenal weather... and there were LOTS of people. It was so much fun!
I don’t think we could have scripted a more perfect day… and I needed it.
Winters get long out here. Day after day of dreary weather and limited retail activity, leave me longing for springtime and the crowd it brings. It’s kind of like anticipating the first blooms of spring... I can’t wait for our customers to return.
The weekend didn’t disappoint.
I was blown away by the crowds! It’s nice to see the nursery full of plants again, and it was great to see customers walking through. Thanks to everyone that came out and made the weekend special. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.
On a different note, but still focusing on spring...
I snuck over to the Ward-Meade Botanic Garden the other day to check things out. There are a couple big events coming up there over the next few weeks that you don’t want to miss, Tulip Time and Tulips at Twilight, and I wanted to see how things were coming. The tulips weren’t blooming yet, but other things were. It was a beautiful walk.
Even though the tulips weren’t blooming yet, it was obvious an impressive show is on its way. Things start up out there this weekend. Take my advice and check it out.
And, Happy (belated) Easter!
—Cameron
Cameron Rees, General Manager
No Sad Tomatoes
Mother Nature is going through another mood swing this spring. Up and down temperatures with rain, snow and freezing temps with an occasional nice day thrown in. It’s those nice days that get you in the mood to start thinking about your garden. When it comes to putting vegetable plants in, keep those up and down temperatures in mind. Crops like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, lettuce and brussels sprouts are great for these conditions. Seeding radish and turnips at this time is also ideal. There is also time to get your seed potatoes in along with onions, rhubarb, asparagus and strawberries.
Misty Brown, Lath House Manager
Now, the important part of this article….what NOT to plant at this time. You will be tempted to get a jump start on those tomatoes… DON’T.
Even though we may get some really nice days in the 70s and 80s, the night temperatures can still dip into the 30s and 40s. These temperatures will not kill your plants, but they will damage and shock the plant which leads to little or no growth until the temperatures are constantly warmer. Soil temperature is also another very important factor when planting tomatoes, peppers and other warm season vegetables. The soil temperature needs to be at least 55 degrees. Cold soil will have the same effect on your plants as the air temperature.
Long story short… planting your tomatoes outside when air temperatures and soil temperatures are not prime will not get you a bigger tomato faster. Waiting till the temperatures are prime will get your tomato growing rapidly and would catch up quickly to the ones you would have planted early!
the bark is back
We’ve been out since last season, but it’s back in stock… All Bark Cedar Mulch.
“Thymely” Advice — Rust Control
If your trees have had a rust problem in the past, get ready.
Rust is a fungal disease that plagues certain types of apples and pears. It causes numerous rust-colored legions on the leaves, resulting in sever defoliation during the summer. It can also leave damaging legions on the fruits.
Prevention is the key.
Think of preventing rust like preventing a sunburn. You apply sunscreen before a day at the beach, not after. If you want to prevent rust, you need to do the same... apply your rust protection before leaves get infected.
And much like sunscreen, it’s not a one-time application. Sunscreen wears off or washes off, right? Well, the same is true with fungicides used to prevent rust. Your trees protection will wear off over time, and it will need to be reapplied to keep your tree protected.
Rust can be devastating, so prevention is critical to keep trees—and the fruits they are carrying—healthy.
You have two choices...
Do nothing and live with the consequences. Bad choice.
Tackle the problem with a preventative fungicide program. Much better choice!
A fungicide program is just that. It’s a series of preventative sprays to protect foliage and fruits from this disease. That means spraying more than once.
Just like the sunscreen example, a one-time application won’t do it. The product you apply will degrade in the sunlight, it will wash off with spring rains, and new growth will develop after a spray application and that will be unprotected. It will take multiple applications from now through the end of May to protect things.
Here are two ways to tackle the problem.
The first is a traditional approach with a fungicide by Fertilome called F-Stop. Start applying it in early April, after the trees are done blooming, and continue through May, following label directions, repeated as directed.
The second option is a more organic approach, using two Fertilome products, Fungicide 5, a fairly new fungicide that utilizes beneficial bacteria, and Copper Soap Fungicide, a long-time garden fungicide. Alternate applications, following label directions and the recommended spray intervals.
Here are a few additional tips...
Make sure you thoroughly coat all leaf and fruit surfaces when you spray. Remember, your application is a preventative coating. Just like that sunscreen, if you miss areas, you’re going to get burned.
If you are tank mixing, make sure you add in the Hi-Yield Spreader Sticker. It will greatly enhance your spray application while at the same time increase what stays on following a rain.
Stay on schedule! Follow the recommend reapplication timing found on your product label. If it says to spray every 7 to 10 days, then you need to reapply in 7 to 10 days. Remember, you are applying a protective coating on leaf and fruit surfaces and that coating must be maintained. If your protection wears off, infection can occur, even if you’ve been doing a good job up to that point.
As always, if you have questions, just ask!
—Cameron