It’s a wet subject
So far, we’ve been pretty lucky. For the most part, we’ve managed to pick up enough rain to keep things green and happy without too much extra help. But, odds are pretty good, that drier weather is in our future... July and August do have their reputations, after all. And that means watering is likely in your future.
I talk with customers all the time about watering, especially this time of the year. It might seem like a pretty straightforward activity, but I can tell you from experience, that it’s not. And that leads me to THIS VIDEO. It’s from a YouTube channel called HortTube. This particular episode was posted recently, and after watching it, I knew I needed to share it.
The host, Jim Putnam, always does a great job with his videos. He lives and gardens in Raleigh, NC, so sometimes the information on the plants he’s talking about doesn’t apply to our gardens, but the general gardening info he shares is solid for gardeners everywhere.
I really like his approach to gardening. He keeps things simple and practical. I’m a fan.
The video linked above is all about watering, and in it, Jim does a great job of explaining important watering “hows” and ”whys.” So, if you want to improve your watering game, and improve your garden as a result, take a moment and give it a view.
Cameron Rees, General Manager
Pay particular attention to the following points he explains:
Improving soil is important.
Stress...especially too much water, or not enough...drives plant problems.
Set up sprinklers and then walk away.
Automatic systems don’t always solve problems.
Check, check, check!
Different plants often have different water needs.
Frequency should be determined by need, not the calendar.
Watch Jim’s video and those things should make more sense, but if not, let us know. We can help!
—Cameron Rees
inside skinner’s employee gardens: MISTY BROWN
Have you ever wondered what the employees at Skinner Garden Store do with all the beautiful plants they buy and take home? With each different gardener comes a different personality, different style, and different techniques. We thought you might enjoy getting a sneak peak at some of the work that the Skinner employees do, tending to their own gardening passions. Today, we feature the home-garden handiwork of Skinner’s Greenhouse Manager, Misty Brown. If you have questions about any of Misty’s gardens, call, email, or message us… or just stop by the store and Misty would be happy to talk with you. Enjoy!
— Photos by Misty Brown
“THYMELY” ADVICE:
blossom-end rot
So, you’ve worked hard all season. You’ve gotten the right soil and the right compost. You’ve been feeding them well, and now you’re seeing your beautiful tomato plants grow, yielding big, juicy fruit.
Then, all of a sudden, it appears - the dark spot growing on your fruits... You have Blossom-end Rot!
Blossom-end Rot is a common nutritional disorder that not only harms tomatoes, but also peppers, eggplant, pumpkin, squash, and watermelon. It is easily identified as a brown, leathery “rot” developing on or near the blossom-end of the fruit. It’s not a fungus or an insect but is caused by a shortage of calcium in growing fruits.
Consistent watering can be a factor in the level of calcium in your soil. Maybe you’ve been a little lax with your watering and let your vegetables dry out while they are setting fruit.
A more common cause is the weather. Has there been a significant change recently...like transitioning from cooler, wetter spring weather to a hot and dry summer? Things like this could affect the plants, but most will see some improvement without much or any intervention.
Along with consistent watering, there are a couple of things that you can do to help correct this issue, should you decide to take action:
Hi-Yield Calcium Nitrate - This is a granular product that you can add to your soil to help replenish the calcium levels in your soil while also fertilizing your plants.
Fertilome Yield Booster - This spray applies calcium directly to the foliage to help correct deficiencies.
Either way, you choose to go, stop in today and let one of our friendly staff help you with what you need.
—Melissa Anderson
don’t let pests win, seek good advice!
Problems crop up. That’s just a fact of life, and it’s definitely a fact in our gardens.
Pest outbreaks can be alarming, and they can certainly be damaging if they’re left unchecked. That’s why routine monitoring is so important. Pay attention to things as you walk around, pulling weeds, pruning things back, watering... all of your normal gardening activities. Watch for the signs of bigger problems: missing foliage, off colors, and unexpected movement, to name a few. These are all cues to step in and look more closely. And then, if you do spot something, react quickly and with the right approach. That’s the key to success.
Some solutions are as simple as a strong blast of water or hand-picking a few unwanted visitors. Sometimes you’ll figure out that you don’t even have a pest, or even a pest problem, but instead a watering issue. But other times, more attention is needed. That’s when knowing what to use and how is key.
Pest control products are kind of like all the medications behind the pharmacist’s counter. There are a lot of products that can help, but only if they’re used for the right problem and in the right way.
The first step is identifying the problem. What’s the pest? The internet can help with that...sometimes...but also know that we’re always available here at the store. Just bring in samples or send in pictures and we’ll do our best to help.
Once the pest is identified, the next step is deciding what to do...and sometimes nothing is the answer. Maybe the problem isn’t as serious as you thought, or maybe it’s just too late to benefit from control efforts. If that’s the case, treating may just cause more problems than it resolves. That said, more often than not, there is something you can do. But what’s the right move? With all the products on the shelves, how do you decide?
This is where some good advice comes into play.
Again, sometimes, you can find that on the internet... but be careful, there’s a lot of information out there, both good and bad, and figuring out the difference can be hard.
Utilize trusted sites, like the Kansas State University Horticulture Resource Center site. It has a long list of publications and videos that provide solid information for Kansas gardeners, including pest and pest control information.
And as we mentioned above, lean on us! We can help identify problems and explain your options. Our goal is always to arm you with the best information and best solutions we can. Let us help!
