Garden Coach 4/01/21

GARDEN COACH

with Jennifer Brennan

April 1, 2021

TOPICS:

1. Traditional weekend for Spring lawn care; (what to use and when?) –

Pre-emergent weed control – April 15 - Scotts Triple Action for SeedStarting – Scott23001 535625  $45.99 

• May 31 to June 15 – Summer fertilizer – Espoma ESPELF20 – 306374 $34.99 (20# BAG, 15-0-5)

1. Early Diseases – Dollar Spot; photo of classic sample showing hour-glass shape lesion
2. Prevent later season lawn diseases NOW – Summer Patch and Brown Patch – Spectracide Immunox Fungus Plus Insect Control for Lawns – SPEC1017 $24.99 or Bonide Infuse Systemic Disease Control for Lawn & Landscape – BP15C  $29.99
3. Boxwood Leaf Miner sample – Alien insect that moved to the Midwest 7 years ago – no predator, so best control is BioAdvanced Tree & Shrub Protect & Feed Concentrate 32 ounce – B502802  $26.99 or Bonide Annual Tree & Shrub Insect Control 32 fl ounce – BP609  $24.99
4. Viburnum Leaf Beetle – CAUTION, CAUTION – another alien with no predators. Use same products as for Boxwood Leaf Miner.      

6. Cool Season plants: (to plant now & how to) –

Hellebores

Pansies

Primrose

Iberis

Cyclamen

7. Summer Blooming bulbs – start in containers/pot to get a one month head start on the flowering season

• Dahlias
• Tuberous Begonias
• Lilies – Oriental & Asiatic
• Elephant Ears
• Caladiums
• Cannas
• Gladiolas
• Onions
• Potatoes

8. Spring Clean Up (why and how and when) –

• Plan to use mulch & Preen when garden beds are cleaned up
  • Chalet leaf mulch
  • Chalet Compost
  • Cotton Burr Mulch / Compost
  • Bark mulches – Shredded Pine Bark, Cedar Bark Mulch, Chunk Bark, Small, Medium & Large

9. Plan to protect plants that are susceptible to fungal diseases –

            Buy: Immunox from Spectracide – SPEC 1000 $19.99 16 ounces

                    Immunox RTU spray bottle – not available from supplier- Covid

Bio-Advanced 3-in-1 Insect, Disease & Mite Control RTU spray – B701290  $9.99 

24 ounces

10. New Hose-end Sprayer – Bonide Auto Mix & Spray – BP051 $19.99 - smaller screw top attachment to attach to other bottles, inserting the draw tube into the product – no transfer of product into tank holder of sprayer – neater, tidier and easier use

1. Early season weed prevention

Samples at the Chalet Diagnostic Desk:

Ficaria nevis

Wild onion

1. Ficaria nevus (formerly Ranunculus ficaria) -
2. Wild onion

• Growth habit
• Grass-like, thin leaves. Wild garlic leaves are round and hollow, while those of wild onion are flat and solid.
• Reproduction
• Produces clusters of many underground bulbs when mowed.

14. Use Bonide Sedge Ender - BP068 $9.99
    Weed (difficult types) preventative

• Brand New Lawn Weed & Feed – lasts 3 months – Bio-Advanced 5 IN 1 Weed & Feed – B704860 $44.99 ( for 4,000 sq ft)

15. Coir based seed starting products –

• PLANT BEST – Greenhouse Kit with 50 Jumbo Coir Pellets – PPR3261 $19.99
• PLANT BEST – 50 Pellet Refill – PPR3492 $12.99
• PLANT BEST – (6) 4 1/2 inch diameter Coir pots – PPR3490 $3.99
• PLANT BEST – (8) 3 ¼ inch diameter Coir pots – PPR3489   $2.99
• PLANT BEST – (12) 2 ½ inch diameter Coir pots - PPR3488  $2.99