Landscaping Calendar

Recently, I was quoted in an article on Hamptons.com.  It is very well written and well worth the read.

Find it here:

http://www.hamptons.com/Home-And-Garden/Main-Articles/9044/Fall-Is-The-Best-Time-Of-Year-For-Lawn.html

Enjoy your day,

Barbara

As Autumn arrives in the US, we all have a funny feeling of nostalgia and perhaps of missing out on getting things done.  Particularly in our landscaping.

But, now is the best time, away from summer heat, to accomplish those goals.

With the economy the way it is, it is also a great time to get good deals on products.  Even Home Depot's prices are pretty much down across the board.

It is a great time to get stone work done, or to lay sod, plant trees and any other outdoor work.  Personally, I prefer to not plant perennials now, there is always a chance that they will not come back as it is, so, add the winter stress to that factor and you could be losing some plantings.

So, get out there and get things done now and relax with a good book in the winter!

Right now, with the summer heat reaching its peak later his year than usual, there seems to be a late run on issues such as fungus, red thread, brown patch and particularly with the humid heat, bugs.

Even if your grasss looks like it is dead or dying with brown spots all over, particularly in the Northeast, it isn't.  It is just reacting to the summer heat.

If you have found that you have crabgrass, it is not worth it to put down any additional weed killer right now, it is ineffective over 85 degrees.  However, putting down fertilizer and feeding the lawn will help crowd out the weeds with stronger roots systems.

Be sure to control the weeds, though, in the fall.  Skipping this step will almost guarantee weeds in the spring.

Be sure to cut the grass higher than usual, so the longer blades of grass cover and cool the root system.

Treat any fungus or disease though, that is important.  If you are not sure what it is bring a sample to you local cooperative, or a photo to your local garden center.  They will help you identify it and get it treated appropriately.

More importantly, take some time to enjoy the last remaining days of the official summer season, Labor Day will soon be here.

Enjoy gardening,
Barbara

Yesterday I witnessed deer damage that shows how brazen they are getting.

Our customer had deer damage in a bed of day lillies.  Now that is not uncommon, but the fact the deer had to walk across a bluestone patio, up stone steps and across another patio to a bed next to the kitchen door, which is the busiest door of the house, is just astounding!

We have been using Deer Stop.  I like it, it does keep the deer away, but you do have to reapply it, particularly as damaged plants recover and new growth appears.

Just as interesting is the fact that deer are appearing in village settings, where there are more homes within a certain area, more dogs, people, etc.

We are going to start experimenting with different products.  The first is All Seasons Deer Repellent, which is a plastic unit with deer repellent inside of it.  They can be placed around the gardens and are weatherproof.

We'll keep you posted on how it goes.  In the meantime, if you have any techniques that work for you, we'd love to hear about it!

Thanks,
Barbara

Welcome to the newest area of Landscaping Calendar.

Here, we will bring you the latest news on gardening and landscaping.  There is so much to discuss.  New products, the latest trends, open spaces, garden tours, wisdom, knowledge.  Well, the wisdom and knowledge will have to be garnered from some others.

Please let us know if you find any new products that you think help you and your gardening.  Let us know of any issues, or even of products that do not work.  We'll discuss them with you or find out more information for you.

This year the Northeast has seen unprecedented summer rain.  With all the rain and so little sun, it makes it difficult to have good healthy gardens and lawns.  Flowers don't bloom, grass gets diseases.  There are many remedies, but now, with wanting to "Go Green," and this time we're not talking about the color of the lawn, what do we do?

There have also been areas of the country that have gotten heat waves, such as Texas, Arizona and New Mexico.  With water restrictions in most areas, how have those parts of the country coped?

Let us know what is going on in your area of the world.

Enjoy your day!
Barbara