Even though it's the dead of winter, ice and snow present some problems to your outside environment. Here are some helpful winter tips for keeping your yard in tip top shape in preparation for spring!

~Remove snow and ice from tree limbs and branches as soon as possible after a storm. Snow and ice can bend, break or shred trees and shrubs.

~If a branch does break or shred, prune it off cleanly so that any chance of disease or pests entering the plant are minimized.

~Use rock salt and ice melter sparingly. These can run off into lawns and hurt the grass and other vegetation in flower beds. Instead use birdseed or sand as anti-skid materials on walkways and paths.

~Check stored bulbs for any signs or rot. Discard bulbs that have begun to go bad.

~Seed catalogs will begin arriving soon. Pour over them, decide what plans you have for your garden this year and dream away the cold, snowy days of winter!

~Recycle evergreen branches left over from holiday decorations to lay in your garden. They'll help provide extra protection during a cold winter.

~If the winter is dry in your area, remember to deep water at least once a month. A good way to remember is to do this each holiday between Halloween and Easter.

~Set out food for the birds and other friends that you may wish to attract to your yard. This is especially important if the snow cover lasts throughout the winter.

Tips for Fall Planting

Fall really is the season for planting! Because the ground is warm from the summer sun, but the days and nights have cooled off, your new plantings will take less transplant shock. Get trees, shrubs, and perennials in the ground now to allow them enough time to become established before winter. In most parts of the country, it's time to do the following:

~Plant cold crop vegetables now for late season harvest. Some things to try- lettuce, radishes, brocolli.

~Freshen tired flower beds with fall mums and winter pansies. If you've never tried winter pansies, you should! Plant them from now until the first hard freeze. They winter over and come as the first great color in spring.

~Pay attention to watering if your area has been dry. We've been getting a lot of rain, but some areas have not. Make sure you water deeply and well on a regular basis. The warm fall days will rob plants of moisture.

~Bugs and pests are still an issue. Keep a close eye out for infestations and get them under control quickly.

~Use products like Weed Free Zone to keep bindweed under control. Weed Free Zone works especially well on bindweed-even in cooler temperatures.

~Share the harvest from your garden with neighbors and friends.

~Fall is a great time to plant new perennials or dig up and divide old ones.

~Buy your bulbs now but wait a bit to plant until the weather cools off. Depending on the weather, planting around mid-October is usually optimal in our area.

~Plant grass seed now.

~Fertilize lawns now using Winterizer Fertilizer.

~Watch for Frost and Freeze warnings and cover tender plants on nights that get cold if you aren't ready to surrender your garden.

~Apply tree wrap, rose collars and extra mulch late in the fall to give plants added protection for the winter.

~Gather and dry herbs now that you wish to preserve for the winter.

~Plant garlic now.

~In late fall, blow out and winterize your irrigation and sprinkler systems.

Summer Vegetable Care
Summer care of fresh vegetables is fairly easy. Pick fruit and vegetables when they are young and fully ripe. When possible, pick early in the morning and use or refrigerate quickly after harvest to maintain optimal flavor and nutrition. Here are a few other pointers you may want to help your garden thrive and to assist you as you work through your summer bounty.

1. Control insects and diseases by using Neem oil or Captain Jacks. Both can be used safely on fruits, vegetables, and herbs.
2. Store peppers in the crisper area of the fridge rather than on the shelves. Green peppers will store longer than red ones.
3. Apply fertilizer to your vegetable garden now to keep the harvest coming. Corn and squash are particularly heavy feeders. Be careful though- tomatoes, for instance, will stop producing if they are given too much nitrogen
4. Don't let your plants dry out. Many, like eggplant, tomatoes and peppers will get blossom end rot. Cucumbers may develop a bitter taste. Crops like corn and beans may get stringy and tough.
5. Pull weeds often. Don't let them compete for the precious water and moisture that we have.
6. Consider a fresh layer of mulch to aid in water retention and to help keep the weeds at bay.
7. Harvest regularly- visit the garden at least every other day. Remember those zucchini that seem to grow in feet, not inches, overnight? Start picking cucumbers and sumer squash when they are small to encourage heavier yields down the road.
8. Plant your Fall cool season crops now- broccoli, lettuce, cauliflower, peas, etc for Fall harvest. There's still time to harvest a crop and the cooler days are ideal for growing these veggies.

I'm often challenged when I try to explain to customers how to care for newly planted landscape materials.

Today I had a lady that was under the impression that the larger a plant that she purchased, the less care it would need. The other day we had someone who thought, because the plant was "drought tolerant" that it would need no water. So let me put a few myths to rest right now.

Just because a plant is larger, it doesn't mean it needs less water. In fact, generally the larger a plant is, the more water it MAY take, depending on the plant. If a plant is xeric or drought tolerant, it does not mean that no water is needed. Every plant will have some water requirements until it is established.

Think of it this way. A new plant in your yard is similar to you moving into a new neighborhood. Until you get yourself established and put down some roots, you'll need the extra support of your friends and family. The same is true for a new plant. Until it spreads its roots and becomes established, it will need some extra TLC.

So the next time you visit your local nursery, be sure to ask for their planting and watering instructions - then follow them! If the plant is unusual or slightly different from the run of the mill nursery stock, or you think it may need special care, be sure to ask the nursery professionals there for their advice. This will ensure that your plants will thrive!

The weather in some parts of the country continues to be brutal. If frost and freeze warnings are continuing in your area, and you've already got plants in the garden, here are some tips to protect them.

First, just as a blanket will keep you warm, it will also keep your plants warm. Cover plants with a sheet, newspaper, or bucket. Make a tent using poles or some other kind of support and drape a blanket, sheet or even newspaper over it to keep the frost off of tender plants. Think about what you would use to keep warm... and use that.

Avoid using plastic coverings. Just like you wouldn't use plastic to keep you warm, plastic does little to protect plants against cold temperatures. Plastic can attract cold and may harm plants. Use Walls o' Water and hot caps to provide protection.

Water is something else to try. If you have access to irrigation water, set it to come on between 3-4am. This is the coldest time of the night. Let it run until the sun is up. If plants do show some signs of frost, wait a few days in order to give them time to recover before pulling them up.

Try FreezePruf, a new product that protects foliage and blossoms. FreezePruf is a topical spray that works both topically and systemically to improve a plants cold tolerance up to 9.4 degrees. It may be enough to get your garden through a cold snap. FreezePruf lasts up to 6 weeks, so one application should be all you need for the start of the season. Be aware, however, that you cannot apply FreezePruf right before the freeze and have it work well. In order for it to truly be effective, you need to apply it well in advance so that it has time to work through the system of the plant, as well as topically to protect it. In our experience, those who have done this have had the best results.

It's been a while since I've posted anything, but that's because we've been so busy getting ready for spring! The greenhouse is fairly bursting with color, all wrapped up and ready for Mother's Day. Even though it was snowing last Sunday and 38 degrees, we knew where Spring was!

Moms are special and sometimes there are many "moms" along the way. My own mom passed away when I was twelve and I had a lot of "other mothers" throughout my growing up years. Each year I spend Mother's Day morning watering among 700 roses in the garden center and call each of them to thank them for being such a big part of my life. They've all helped make me into who I am today.

Thank all of the Moms in your life this Sunday. Whether you give them flowers, take them to dinner, or just call or send a card, remember all they've done for you.

If you're looking for great gift ideas, we have them. Come into the garden center and personally look me up. I'll be happy to help you select the perfect gift for your special mom!

Springtime seems to finally be arriving with the first of our warm sunny days. It's a great time to get out in the garden and plant some spring color!

Start with pansies or violas. These hardy little plants will take some frost and bloom well into the summer until temperatures begin to get truly hot. Pansies and violas do well in beds, in pots or even hanging baskets. Available in a multitude of colors, these cheerful little plants practically shout "spring" with their happy faces.

Be careful where you plant them however, if you are using them in beds. Even though pansies and violas are not considered true perennials, because they don't come back from the same root stock, they do freely re-seed. Be sure to put them in an area where you won't mind a few more relatives if they come back next year!

If you are a perennial lover, the fragrant perennial violas are blooming and beautiful right now. Iberis (Candytuft) is especially pretty right now as well. Ours at Four Seasons are blooming with stark white blossoms. "Purity" is an especially nice variety for our area.

No matter what you plant out, a few new colors in your yard or in a patio pot, will help remind you that winter is truly, thankfully, a thing of the past!