This week would be a
great time to water your trees, shrubs and lawn. Anytime the day time
temperatures are above 40º F and there is no snow cover, is a good time to do
some supplemental watering. We’ve had typical January weather with some snow, but little
moisture, dry air and fluctuating temperatures, conditions which can damage
trees and shrubs without supplemental watering. Couple that with the large temperature swing
in late November where the temperature was 63º one day and two days later was
-13º, left the root systems of tree and shrubs very dry. Often this damage won’t show up until July or
August when it is really hot. Your lawn can also suffer from the lack of water,
especially if it faces south. Now is the time to do some hand watering. Plan to
water around mid-day so there will be time for the water to soak in. You’ll
want to water the soil along the drip line of the tree.
As Corinna points out,
the drip line is the area under the outer edge of the branches.
You can use a
sprinkler, a root feeder (needle) or a soft spray nozzle.
A soil needle or root
feeder attaches to your hose.
Insert the needle to about 8", if possible.
Leave the needle in the ground about a minute. Continue around the drip line
every 18" or so. If you don’t have
a root feeder and for larger areas, a sprinkler is more efficient. Set the
sprinkler under the drip line of the tree and let it run for 5 to 10 minutes.
Or hand water with the nozzle set on a spray pattern. Be sure and
disconnect the hose after you’re done watering. Moist soil retains heat better
than dry soil. Drought-stressed trees and shrubs are more prone to root damage.
Winter watering will help prevent this damage now and get your trees, shrubs
and lawn off to a good start in spring
www.theflowerbin.net
www.theflowerbin.net
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Shopping for Seeds
Shopping for seed at The
Flower Bin, gardeners can choose from a wide variety of seed selection, featuring
Botanical Interests® from Broomfield, Colorado. Botanical Interests offers over 500 varieties
of herb seed, vegetable seed and flower seeds. Botanical Interests has
introduced 52 new varieties for 2015, including
Savory Winter and Eggplant Lista de Gandia. Look for the “New Variety” signs in the Botanical Interests seed racks. Also new this year from Botanical Interests is a line of seed tapes and disks which making planting seeds easy and convenient. Simply “cover, water and grow”. These seed tapes are made with biodegradable paper and without glue. Botanical Interests also offers plant stakes and Seed Storage Envelopes which allow you to keep your seeds fresh while you enjoy the information inside their seed packets. At The Flower Bin, you can find Botanical Interests award winning Recycled Paperboard Pots. Easy to use, you simply pop open the paperboard pot, fill with Flower Bin seed starting mix and sow your Botanical Interests seed. The bottom of the pot tears away, so there is little root disturbance when you plant in your garden. Starting your plants from seed is fun and rewarding. Stop in to The Flower Bin and we’ll get you started right.
Savory Winter and Eggplant Lista de Gandia. Look for the “New Variety” signs in the Botanical Interests seed racks. Also new this year from Botanical Interests is a line of seed tapes and disks which making planting seeds easy and convenient. Simply “cover, water and grow”. These seed tapes are made with biodegradable paper and without glue. Botanical Interests also offers plant stakes and Seed Storage Envelopes which allow you to keep your seeds fresh while you enjoy the information inside their seed packets. At The Flower Bin, you can find Botanical Interests award winning Recycled Paperboard Pots. Easy to use, you simply pop open the paperboard pot, fill with Flower Bin seed starting mix and sow your Botanical Interests seed. The bottom of the pot tears away, so there is little root disturbance when you plant in your garden. Starting your plants from seed is fun and rewarding. Stop in to The Flower Bin and we’ll get you started right.
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Controlling Fungus Gnats in Houseplants
Fungus gnats are those
little bugs you see hopping around when you water your house plants. Sometimes
you see them fly across your computer screen. Fungus gnats love your
houseplants and this time of year is when you notice them most. Fungus gnats are generally more of a nuisance bug but the can damage your plants when the hatch and feed on the plant roots. Their lives are very short: the adult fungus gnat lives about 10 days, but in that time can lay up to 200 eggs. Fungus gnats thrive in wet, soggy soils, so avoid over-watering your plants and empty any standing water that might collect in the drain saucers under the plants. water left in the drain saucers under the plant.
An easy way to control fungus gnats is to place yellow sticky traps near your plants. The gnats will be attracted to them and stick to the trap. Food-grade Diatomaceous Earth (DE) applied to the soil will help prevent the adult fungus gnat from laying eggs. Mosquito Bits contain BTi, a naturally occurring insecticide which can be applied to the soil to kill the insects as they hatch.
Systemic
Insect Granules are another effective insecticide, when applied to the soil
surface and watered in. Systemic products are absorbed by the plant and last up to six weeks. It will kill the larvae when they hatch and chew into the plant roots.
Insect sprays include
Insecticidal Soap, Neem Oil and Permethrin. A good time to spray is right after
you water your plants. That is when you’ll see the adults scurrying around on
the surface of your plants. Fungus gnats can be a nuisance in the fall and
winter, but with the right treatment, they can be controlled.
Bring
your plant questions to The Flower Bin Diagnostic Center We’ll identify the
problem and offer you solutions. Tuesday, January 6, 2015
A “must have” houseplant to start your new year.
Red Bleeding Heart Vine makes a beautiful flowering houseplant. This tropical
plant is covered with deep green leaves and eye-catching red flowers.
Red
Bleeding Heart Vine – Clerodendrum x speciosum has lipstick red flowers which appear on the tips
of its vining stems. This plant will do well in bright, indirect light with
some direct sun light. Red Bleeding Heart Vine likes moist soil, so water
frequently enough to keep the soil moist, but not soggy. Try to avoid letting
the plant dry out completely and then over-watering.
Fertilize your Red
Bleeding Heart Vine monthly with Fertilome 20-20-20. As the days get longer,
you may start fertilizing every two weeks.
Another way to keep your plant
healthy is to raise the humidity by placing the plant on a tray of wet pebbles.
Just make sure the bottom of the pot doesn’t sit in water. You can also raise
the humidity by misting the plant once a day with room-temperature water.
As
the name suggests, Red Bleeding Heart Vine is a climber, so it will do best
when it has a trellis or stakes to climb on. These plants come with the staking
in place.
Add a nice ceramic pot and enjoy the color display your plant will
provide. It’s okay to put your Red Bleeding Heart Vine outside after the last
frost date, usually Mother’s Day
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