SO MANY HOMEOWNERS WANT TO STOP USING SO MANY CHEMICALS AROUND THE HOUSE Are you thinking of becoming more environmentally friendly when it comes to lawn care this fall? Good thinking! The time has come for all of us to think about what we are doing to our environment when it comes to the use … Read more
Tomorrow, September 22, is the Autumnal Equinox. The Autumnal Equinox occurs when the sun is directly in line with the equator. On this day, day and night are of equal length. From now until the Winter Solstice on December 21, the hours of dark will be longer than hours of daylight. Right now, our day length … Read more
HEALTHY SOIL IS IMPORTANT FOR YOUR LAWN With the hottest months of the year now behind us, there is no better time to work to renovate and reseed your lawn than right now. We had lots of rain in August that has put a lot of moisture in our soil. In my opinion, the first … Read more
Daffodils, Jonquils, in England “Lent Lilies”—whatever you call them, they’re still the quintessential flower of spring for many people. Daffodils are members of the Amaryllidaceae—the amaryllis family! Relatives include: Agapanthus (Lily-of-the-Nile) Hymenocallis (Peruvian daffodils) Sternbergia (Lily-of-the-Field) Alliums (onion family, including onions, garlic, chives, and ornamental onions) Lycoris (Naked Ladies, Spider Lilies, Surprise Lilies) and, Asparagus! … Read more
PLANT A LITTLE HAPPINESS September is the starting month for the FALL IS FOR PLANTING campaign. This is especially true this year because of all the rain that we received in August. The record rainfall has put lots of moisture in our soil and this makes planting now the better than ever. Here are four … Read more
Yesterday was Labor Day. Do you know how Labor Day came to be? The first Labor Day was celebrated in New York City in 1882. A proposal by the Central Labor Union suggested that a parade take place to show “the strength and spirit de corps of the trade and labor organizations.” This was to … Read more
SEPTEMBER OFFICIALLY KICKS OFF THE “FALL IS FOR PLANTING” SEASON I think we can safely refer to August as the PETRICHOR MONTH. Petrichor is defined as the unique, earthy smell associated with rain. We had a record rainfall amount in August. But, on the positive side, our plants have been well watered by Mother Nature. … Read more
Organic Insect Solution From Mother Nature Today, August 31, is National Diatomaceous Earth Day. So what is diatomaceous earth? Diatomaceous earth is the fossilized remains of a diatom—single-celled algae. Diatoms are estimated to be responsible for up to 50% of the world’s oxygen. Diatoms surround themselves with a shell made primarily of silica. The fossilized … Read more
AUGUST IS THE GATEWAY TO THE FALL PLANTING SEASON & THE GATES ARE OPENING Here we are in the last full week of August. What a month August has been, especially when it comes to rainfall. It has been a record month. And, most of our plants are very grateful for all this water, especially … Read more
In Greek mythology, Iris was a messenger from the gods who traveled to earth on a rainbow. Wherever she stepped, flowers sprang up. Iris means ‘rainbow’—appropriate when bearded iris comes in a vast array of colors from pure white to purple/black—and nearly every color in between. The three upright petals on an iris flower stand … Read more
