August 16, 2010
I managed to get away from the store for about a week recently - took a working holiday so to speak - and traveled to the Philadelphia area where I attended a trade show and visited some friends and family. It is amazing how only a few hours away ( OK, more than a few, but still not too far away) the array of plant material the folks in Philly are able to grow readily, compared to Erie. Blue Atlas cedar, American Holly, and Crepe Myrtle abound in that area, where as here in Erie, growing those same plants here amounts to a roll of the dice.
I also noticed that there wasn't too much Japanese Beetle damage to be seen. My father's grape vines were virtually untouched and he confirmed that he had seen few of the little green devils this past growing season. It just goes to show you how pest problems will cycle according to environment and weather patterns.
Something to note regarding the above observation: August is normally the month when the female japanese will lay eggs in the ground to start the next generation of grubs. They prefer to lay thier eggs when the ground is damp. So one way that we can combat them is to let our lawns go dry in August. Consequently, not as many beetle eggs will get layed, and those that do have a higher faliure rate when the soil is dry. Of course the down side to this approach is that your lawn will go dormant and brown for awhile. There are pros and cons to everything.
Earlier this spring there was a large demand for the new lilac called 'Bloomerang'. I managed to get one for myself to see if it lived up to it's billing, and I have to say I have been pretty pleased thus far. I do not get around to doing as much yard work around my own home as I would like and so I have only pruned the Bloomerang lilac a couple of times when I happen to think of it. But it does always seem to have some blooms on it whenever I give it a look. So far it gets a thumbs up from me.
It's another hot and breezy day here at Stan's - time to pick up a hose and start watering. I'll be in the nursery.
Mark
July 14 2010
Summer time is here and historicly that means a slow down here at the nursery. The spring planting frenzy is over and folks generally go and find more relaxing things to do with thier free time as the weather gets hotter. I want to remind you though, that it is still OK to plant new additions to your garden as long as you are around to water them regularly. Transplanting, actually digging things up from the ground and moving them elsewhere, is generally frowned apon at this time of year. But if you have a spot where you are still hankering to a rose bush, or a fruit tree, or one more perennial - you can still go for it.
Summertime also heralds the arrival our arch nemisis - the Japanese beetle. Yes, that pretty metalic green import from Japan (first discovered in Riverton New Jersey around 1916), that loves to eat at least 300 plant species here in the U.S.A. but has few if any true natural enemies. There are some stop-gap measures you can employ now to minimize the damage they are wreaking now - but I would encourage you to plan ahead for next year to manage them even better.
First, there are sprays on the shelves of most garden centers that are effective contact killers of the beetles that are currently present. The problem is that you have to spray a number of times over the course of the summer as the sheer number of beetles that keep flying in after you have knocked down the first wave(s).
Beetle traps are effective but are a catch-22 proposition. They will certainly draw them in and kill those that get snared - but they certainly do draw them in. Are you actually drawing in more to the area than would normally show up with out the traps? The point is hotly debated - if you do use traps - make sure they are located away from the plants you are trying to protect.
The best time to attack the beetles is when they are grubs still maturing in the ground - mainly in your lawn. That doesn't do you much good now, and if you do treat your lawn for grubs, it still can't account for the grubs doing just fine down the street in the neighbor's untreated lawn.
There are now some very effective in-the-ground systemic pesticides that your plant absorbs ahead of time and has in place within its foilage when the beetle attempts to feed on it. This type of pesticide will stop the beetle in it's tracks without harming benificial isnsects in the area. There is now a good selection of this type of pesticide available from a few different companies that Stan's keeps in stock. The sticking point is that these products need time to get translocated from the root system and into the foliar portion of the plant where protection is needed. This time of year where active growth on most shrubs and trees is slowing down means it may take weeks for the product to be fully absorbed. These pesticides get moved in to place much more quickly in spring when most things are actively growing. So mark your calenders for next year now to remind yourself to use these types of products in the spring to protect your prized plant specimans next summer.
I'll be in the nursery, Mark
June 28 2010
Cottony Maple Scale follow-up:
I was able to get some good information from Ruth Benner, one of our local Erie County Cooperative Extension agents, concerning the recent outbreak of Cottony Maple Scale. She pointed out that the recent outbreak is not just in Erie but throughout Ohio and Michigan as well. It is simply a case where the natural predatory insects that normally keep the cottony scale in check, failed to do so this year. Whether this is a blip in the good versus bad bug scale - or - something to be concerned about in the future - is open to debate.
As of now, if you are experiencing a bad infestation, the insect is at a stage in it's life cycle where it is vulnerable to spray applications. This window of opportunity will last into early August. Pesticides that are effective on cottony Maple Scale include Sevin,Neem OIls, and those containing the active ingredients Acephate or Carbaryl. Horticultural Oil will also work but must be used with care as it can damage Japanese Maple and should not be used when temperatures are over 80F.
NOTE: While it is true that the scale insect can be knocked down with pesticide sprays now - such treatment will also knockdown the population of benificial insects as well - thus making it easier for the bad bugs to move back in. If you have younger, smaller trees still trying to get established in the environment that are infested - that is a case in which to consider spraying. If the trees are mature, and the loss of a few branches is not going to affect them greatly - that is a case where holding off on a spray treatment may not be needed, but consideration should be given to the use of a systemic treatment in order to control future infestations.
To get more information concerning cottony Maple Scale or any other pest problems you might have in your landscape, make use of these great university websites:
Ohio State: ohioline.osu.edu
Penn State: ento.psu.edu
I'll be in the nursery. Mark
JUNE 15 2010
Every year there seems to be a particular pest or disease problem that seems to dominate that particular growing season. Last years' wet spring made tomato blight the problem of the year. Before that, Japanese Beetles were particularly bad due to the previous summers' wet weather. This years' problem of choice has shaped up to be Cottony Maple Scale.
If you have noticed popcorn-like growths covering the branches of your nieghborhood maples, then you are observing cottony maple scale. This pest favors silver maple trees, but will also attack other maples as well as other deciduous trees such as linden, ash, dogwood, locust, sycamore, birch, elm, willow, and poplars. For the past few weeks we have been getting daily visits from customers bringing in samples of this pest for us to diagnose. I have personally observed this pest on most of the maples lining my neighborhood street in North East, PA.
Why the sudden outbreak? I haven't found a concrete answer yet other than that the pest's numbers go up and down in a cyclical manner. It's not like we have never seen this pest before - we always have a few cases presented to us at Stan's each year. This season just seems to be a banner year for this insect.
The female cottony maple scale has a brown, flat body about 1/8" long. It usually goes unnoticed until it starts to develop a white, coton-ball-like egg sac towards summer. At this time the insect is also producing large amounts of 'honeydew' (liquid waste). Honeydew is shiny and sticky at first but is soon attracts the growth of a dark fungus called sooty mold. This mold covers the twigs and branches of the tree and often gets a home-owner's attention before they realize there is a pest problem on thier tree or shrub.
It's at this juncture that someone will cut a branch off and bring it to Stan's asking what can be done about the problem.
Unfortunately, there is not a quick-fix remedy - especially where large maple trees are concerned. Because of the outer covering the insect developes as it matures, spraying with a common contact-killing insecticide is not always effective, and more often than not makes matters worse, because such cover-spraying kills beneficial predatory insects in greater numbers than the scale insect we are trying to get rid of.
I have gone to a number of University Agricultural Extension web sites, plus professional tree-service web-sites, and they all seem to be promoting the use of systemic pesticide applications with possible follow-up applications of dormant oil over winter. The window for the use of a systemic pesticide (such as Bayer Advanced Garden Tree & Shrub Insect Control) is fast closing. The newly hatched crawler stage of this insect usually arrives in July and it takes a large tree a few weeks to translocate the pesticide up from it's roots into the vascular system of its branches and leaves. Control for this year has to be done right now - otherwise plan on getting the pesticide in place earlier next spring as a preventative measure for next year.
For more detailed information on what to do for this problem, come visit us at Stan's, or go to one go to one of the great University Extension Service websites available through Penn State or Ohio State University.
I'll be in the nursery, collecting up all your cottony scale samples. Mark
JUNE 2 2010
Well, we made it through another Memorial Day weekend. We had nice, sunny weather all the way through for a change. In years past there has always been a cold-wet day tucked into the weekend somewhere - but this year was an exception. It was nice to spend the whole weekend in shorts and a T-shirt for a change.
A lot of plant material went out the doors this past weekend - but we are still maintaining a good selection of plants out in the nursery. Many of the perennials we grow are really coming into thier own now and there is lots of color to be seen on the benches. Spring blooming shrubs are past thier prime now, but the summer bloomers are taking over now. Potentilla, Weigela, and Spiraea are looking good - and the roses are really hitting thier stride now.
A common question we get as we move towards the summer months is whether or not it is a safe time to plant. It is indeed a safe time to plant, just make sure you make plans to water your new plants afterwards. In the case of trees and shrubs, that means a slow-prolonged soaking about once a week (maybe twice a week during the hottest-dryest summer weeks). If you only have a few things to water, simply letting a garden hose slowly trickle out over the course of a half hour or so will do fine. If you are installing a foundation planting of new plants, or doing a row of arborvita , using soaker hoses will cut down the time and effort needed to water properly. And don't forget the soil-moist product. This powder is a great insurance policy if you don't think you can't water on a regular basis.
So planting season isn't over by any means. If you are unsure about any garden projects you are thinking about, visit one of our garden experts and we will make sure things get done right.
I'll be in the Nursery. Mark
MAY 26 2010
It has been a busy past couple of weeks here at Stan's. As the daytime temperatures rise and the sun comes out more - so do our customers. The week leading up to Memorial day is always a hectic time of year where everything that goes into operating a garden center bottlenecks into an explosion of activity. Plants are going out the door at an amazing rate and we work mightly to keep fresh stock coming in to meet demand. It can be a hair-pulling experience at times, but very satisfying too. We always manage to pull it off.
Some things to note in the nursery right now:
Roses are looking real good and numbers are still good as well. We have been getting many inquiries as to whether we have Jackson & Perkins in stock - and we sure do. We also have the David Austin English Roses, and we are still pretty good with the very popular Knock Out Roses as well. I expect to see alot of these roses to go out the door over the Memorial Day weekend, so I wouldn't wait too long if there are specific roses you would like to get.
We also have a fair amount of bare root stock still on hand in fruit trees and berry plants. In the old days, bare-root was the only possible way to sell plants in the spring, and that was it. It's still not a bad way to go as the plants are easier to handle, and are regularly cheaper than potted or balled material. Still, there is a limited time frame in which to handle bare-root stock, and after Memorial Day we generally start to pot up whatever we have left.
We have lots of the Green Giant Arborvita on hand now too. Green Giant has gotten a lot of notice lately for it's fast growth rate, and resistance to deer browsing. We are offering them both in pots, and as balled plants in 3-4' sizes. You might ask, "why no larger sizes?" Well, 3-4' plants are easy for the average person to handle, and they are going to grow quick. If you need a quick evergreen wall on your property, these will do the trick.
One last thing to note; Stan's does have it's own landscape division now. It operates as Stan's Greenthumb Landscaping and so far we have seen a good response to the work our new division has performed. So if you see a tree or shrub at the store you would like to get, but would like someone else to plant it for you - we can do that.
That's all for now. I'll be in the nursery. Mark
MAY 12 2010
There has been much shaking of heads around here concerning the recent weather. Rain, frost, 50 mile per hour winds . . . SNOW! It's hard to swallow after being teased with 80 degree temperatures just a few weeks ago. It's been a challenge keeping stock in good condition through all this, but so far, we have managed quite well. The rest of this week may be cool and wet, but finally a decent looking weekend is on the horizon. Let's hope it pans out that way.
As promised, here is another growing tip from our resident farmer/horticulturist, Ken:
Planting Blueberries:
Blueberries love acidic soils. Amendments that help make soil acidic include yard compost, well rotted manure, peat moss, saw dust, and aged pine bark. Work any combination of the above items into the area before planting. Do not use lime at anytime with blueberries as this will make the soil more alkaline - the opposite of what blueberries like.
Blueberry plants fall into two basic catagories; high bush types, and low bush types. High bush types generally grow 4-6'tall and wide, the low bush grow 2-3'. Both produce good quality berries - high bush will provide a greater volume of fruit - the low bush are easier to incorperate into an ornamental landscape.
High bush blueberries should be planted at least 4' apart and can be set out in rows 6' apart. Low bush can be set out 3' apart, and in rows 4' apart. Set the plants in the ground at the same depth as they were originally grown. Rough up the roots on potted specimans to stimulate lateral growth. If using bare root material, spread the roots out evenly in the hole. Do not scrunch roots up in order to make them fit into a smaller hole. If need be, the roots can be cut back about 1/4 in order to fit more comfortably in the hole. Fill soil in around roots and water-in well.
Do not cultivate to deep around plants once established as blueberries develope a shallow root system. Mulch yearly with aged bark, aged sawdust, or peat to help maintain an acidic soil.
Currently we have a good variety of Blueberries to offer here at Stan's, but they usually go pretty quick. That and rhubarb are two things we always seem to run out of no matter how many we bring in.
That's all for today. I'll be in the nursery.
Mark
It has been a very busy few weeks since I was last able to write. Apparantly I lied in my last posting saying we were past the worst of the ccold night time temperatures. We were still getting nasty frosts up into last week. Still we have been getting our nursery stock and perrenials out into the sales yard safely with minimum freeze damage so far. As of now we have a good selection of just about everything you might want to consider when choosing plants for your landscape. The only area(s) where we are a little lean are with the Japanese Maples and Hybrid Tea Roses. That's about to change in both cases. While we do, in fact, have Japanese Maples to offer at present, we have a considerable load of fresh material scheduled to be delivered early next week. As for the roses; our crop of hybrid teas are growing out very, very nicely and should be ready in time for Mother's day weekend.
Sales of edible fruits has been strong this spring. Some of the common questions we have been getting lately are from first-time growers of such items - and to that end I would like to present some planting tips from our resident nursery-man/farmer: Ken Krein:
Planting Rhubarb:
Dig the hole 1-2 inches deeper than the Rhubarb root and at least as wide as your shovel. Mix in well-rotted manure with the soil and cover the root 1 inch above it. Side dress with a hand-full of 5-10-10 or 10-10-10 fertilizer around the hole. Slowly water-in the new plant deeply. Do not pick any stems until the second year of growth. Any seed heads that may develope should be cut down to the base of the plant immeadiatly. Place well rotted manure around the plant in Fall (manure must be well aged or else it will burn your plant). Repeat this process each year. Any extra rhubarb pies would be appreciated by Ken.
Asparagus:
The area in which asparagus is to be planted must have good drainage and the soil must be loose and easy to dig in. Compact, clay-like soils are no good for asparagus-growing. To improve the growing area, work in plenty of compost or rotted manure before planting.
To plant; dig a trench no deeper than 6 inches and as wide as a shovel. Put some soil mix back into the trench in a mounded fashion and set the asparagus plants into the trench so that the roots are spread over the mound and the crowns of the plants are about 4 inches deep in the trench. Each plant should be 12-18 inches apart. Fill the trench in about half-way with soil mix so that the asparagus crowns are covered. As the new shoots grow up, fill in the trench around them with remaining soil mix. Rows can be spaced 3-4 feet apart.
Feed with 5-10-10 or 10-10-10 fertilizer in the spring right before the spears appear in April. Broadcast this over the top of the row using 2-4 pounds of fertilizer per 10 feet of row space. Apply a top dressing of lime each Fall. Do not harvest asparagus spears until the second year of growth.
That's how to grow Rhubarb and Asparagus according to Ken. Next time we will get to suggestions for growing some of the berries (stawberry, blueberry, etc.).
In the meantime, Ken and I will be in the nursery.
We seem to be past the brutal night time temperatures and have started to bring our nursery stock out of thier winter quarters and out for sale. I had a customer stop by two days ago and complained that I didn't have everything out already like the big box stores do. I explained to her that Stan's doesn't stick to a strict stocking schedule pre-determined by some business manager who may or may not be concerned with the weather patterns for our area. We actually care for the welfare of the material we sell to you and do not look at our plants as a loss-leader item to be discarded if and when it gets damaged due to mishandeling or lack of care. Plants are our business -so we try to do the right thing by them so we can do the right thing by you - our customers.
Sorry for the little rant, I get a little touchy sometimes where the box stores are concerned.
Be that as it may, we are rolling out inventory we over-wintered, and new material is on it's way. I am particularly excited about a new line of trees we are getting from the growers at Eaton Farms, located in Reading, PA. They produce a line of container trees that are similar in quality to field-grown balled & burlapped trees. They are of decent caliper size and possess well-branched heads so that they will deliver some immeadiate impact to the landscape. Plus, they come with a 3-year guarantee direct from the grower, Eaton Farms. That's a little unusual in the plant industry and shows just how much pride and confidence they have in thier product. They also have a great website in support of thier plant material at PennsylvaniaPride.com.
One other quick note about incoming material: Stans has been getting a number of calls concerning the new Lilac called "Bloomerang". This lilac is being introduced for the first time this year and is getting a lot of buzz for it's reblooming ability. This is the first time we will see it at Stan's so just how good of a rebloomer it is will be determined. The growers claim that after a stong initial bloom in May, the plant will rest a bit and follow up with a secondary bloom as early summer progresses. I suspect a light clean-up trimming after the first bloom period will improve the later summer blooming to follow. I expect to have a good supply of 2 gallon plants arriving during the week of April 5th. These plants will be coming from one of our suppliers from Conneticut, Prides Corner Farms. They also have a good website for plant information at pridescorner.com.
That's all I have time for this morning - time to move out more plants.
I'll be in the nursery, Mark
Finished potting up our rose inventory for this year. Incoming stock looks good and should be ready to for sale by Mother's Day weekend. This includes the bulk of the Hybrid Tea type of roses that we get from the Jackson & Perkins, and Weeks Rose companies. We will have all thier new rose introductions, plus we have a good number of the Pope John Paul II rose that was introduced in 2008 and is still one of our most requested roses. I will try to get a comprehensive list of all our roses up on our site in the near future.
Thought I would address a couple of common questions that we get this time of year:
Q: Can dormant oil still be applied now?
Yes, as long as the plants being sprayed are still dormant. We get this question mostly from our customers growing fruit trees and berry plants. Dormant or Horticultural oil is an effect smuthering agent that helps gardeners get the upper hand on overwintering disease spores and insect eggs. If you want to get one more application in - first examine your plants - and as long as the buds have not expanded to the point of showing green-tip - dormant oil is still safe to use.
Q: Is it OK to transplant now?
Again the answer is yes, but only do so if the ground is diggable and well drained. If the area(s) you will be working in are still wet from melting snow or spring run-off, wait untill things dry out a bit. Digging and tromping around in wet soil tends to ruin the existing soil stucture (makes it more compact), and makes it harder for the roots of transplanted plants get re-established.
That's all for now. I'll be in the Nursery,
Mark