October Maintenance Tips & Tricks

• Finish planting Spring flowering bulbs.
*Stop in to our nursery to see what bulbs we have in!
• Start winterization of plants materials.
• Aeration of lawn to promote root growth.
• Start lowering the mowing height, continue to mow lawn until it stops growing.
• Wrap trunks of young or thin barked trees such as Ash, Honeylocust, Maple, and Linden with tree wrap.
• Continue to collect/mulch leaves from lawn areas.
• Remove debris and leaves from planting beds.
• Cut back all perennials except ones with some winter interest (grasses, sedum)
• Take snow removal equipment into repair center for tune up, so equipment is ready for the first snowfall.
• Spray crab trees with dormant oil to help control apple scab next summer.

Perennial Cut Back

To cut down or not to cut down that is the question many gardeners ask once fall has arrived. In other words they’re asking, “Do I cut back my perennials and seasonal plantings in fall or spring?” The answer is an emphatic yes depending on what you want from your landscape during the winter months.

If your concept of the perfect winter scene is an uninterrupted pristine blanket of snow, plan on cutting back and clearing out the perennial border each fall. However, if you are hoping that your landscape will continue to provide interest right up to spring, schedule that bed work for early April.

By keeping the foliage of ornamental grasses and perennials such as autumn joy sedum in place you allow your landscape to continue to provide color and movement right up until the arrival of deep snow. Besides the show, keeping the foliage in place for the winter helps to accumulate snow over the plants. This blanket of snow is nature’s protective mulch against the extreme cold of a Wisconsin winter. Another benefit is that dried and dead foliage helps mark the plant’s location come the warm weather of spring - A simple way to avoid damaging the plants while working in the yard in early spring.

September Specials

"Do not be afraid to go out on a limb...that is where the fruit is!"

Here is a list of our new Fall specials & be sure to stop in the retail center and nursery to see what other deals we have going on!

* 50% OFF
Perennials
Evergreens
Fruit Trees
Red Oaks
Crabapples

* 60% OFF:
Autumn Blaze Maples
Crabapples
Hackberry
Mugho Pine
Forsythia
Honeysuckle

* 75% OFF
Newport Plum

Cut flowers for Fall arrangements

Many of our garden perennials can be used to brighten up the indoors in various arrangements. For some perennials you may get weeks of enjoyment from a cut bouquet. For others it may be a matter of days. Experiment. Try different combinations. Add personal touches from things you find around the house.

The following is a list of perennials that can be used to extend the growing season (at least indoors) and bring some autumn color into your home. The first name will be the Latin name followed by the common name. Latin names are used because people may know the plant by several common names. However, there is only one Latin name for each plant.

If you are interested in ideas for putting together Fall flower arrangements, stop in and talk to David in the Design Center - he'd be more than happy to help you put something together. Enjoy!

- Aster (Aster)
- Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Weed) pods can be used in dried arrangements
- Chelone (Turtlehead) also for dried arrangements
- Chrysanthemum (Garden Mum)
- Echinacea (Coneflower) also for dried arrangements
- Grasses-many different species are good for cut & dried flowers
- Hedera (English Ivy) foliage
- Physostegia (Obedient Plant)
- Sedum (Sedum)
- Solidago (Goldenrod)
- Tricyrtis (Toad Lily)

September maintenance tips

We know you may not be ready to embrace the tips of the Fall months just yet, but be prepared - September is just around the corner!

September:
• Divide Spring and Summer flowering perennials now. These include peonies, daylilies, irises, phlox and others. Note: perennials that are flowering should NOT be divided at this time.
• Prune “bleeder” trees such as Maple, Elm, Birch.
• Fertilize lawn with a slow release fertilizer, spot spray broadleaf weed control.
• Plant Spring flowering bulbs (Tulips, Daffodils, Crocus, Hyacinth)
• Last month to plant evergreens until next spring.

Ask the expert - Lawn repair

Question: Some of my lawn died this season from the dry, hot weather. Do I still have time to seed in the dead areas or do I have to wait until spring?

Answer: Lawns have once again started to green up due to recent rains. With this, dead and insect damaged areas have also once again become noticeable. The month of September and the early portion of October are the BEST times for starting a new lawn or renovating an old one. Cooler temperatures, more reliable rain patterns and our lawn’s propensity to establish strong root systems in the fall are the reasons we strongly recommend fall lawn renovation. Remember that for proper germination grass seed must be in good contact with the soil, not be buried too deeply in the soil as light is also required for proper germination and it must remain moist. Good luck with your project & let us know if we could be of assistance!

Have a question for the expert? Leave a comment below and we'll feature your question in one of our upcoming posts.

August random trivia

1. The Daisy got its name because the yellow center resembled the sun. It was commonly known as the "day's eye" and over time, was eventually called daisy.

2. There are about 200 varieties of watermelon throughout the US.
Watermelon, considered one of America's favorite fruits, is really a vegetable (Citrullus lanatus). Cousin to the cucumber and kin to the gourd, watermelons can range in size from 7 to 100 pounds.

3. One ragweed plant can release as many as one billion grains of pollen.

4. 84% of a raw apple is water.

5. Corn is one of the most widely grown crops in the USA. Only about 10% of the corn grown ends up on the dinner table as a side dish, while over 50% of it is used for livestock feed. The rest of the crop is used to make everything from syrup and starch to whiskey and oil. Corn flakes were so popular in the early 1900's that there was over 40 companies producing this breakfast cereal in and around Battle Creek, Michigan.

Featured plant of the month: Shasta Daisy

Common Name: Becky Shasta Daisy
Latin Name: Leucanthemum x superbum ‘Becky’
Family: Asteraceae (Compositae)
Native: Hybrid
Height: 36-40”
Spread: 18-36”
Growth Habit: upright
Flower: 3-inch wide, white flower with yellow center from July to September
Exposure: full sun to partial shade
Soil Preference: moist, well drained
Growth Rate: fast
Texture: medium
Preferred Uses: perennial mid-border, cut flower


Becky Shasta Daisy was chosen as the Perennial Plant of the Year in 2003. It received this honor because of its hardiness, disease resistance, dependability and long season of bloom. Plants attract butterflies and are great for garden bouquets. Plant with Russian Sage (Perovskia) or Pincushion Flower (Scabiosa) for companion plants. Removing spent flowers will extend bloom time. Plants are available in 1-gallon pots.

August maintenance tips

The last month of summer vacation is officially looming upon us. And while our other tips include enjoying what nice weather this summer has left to offer us and appreciating all the green before we are faced with a whiter canvas, here are some of our landscape maintenance tips for the month of August:

• Check the moisture level of the landscape plant material, make sure the plants and perennials are not drying out, keep the soil moist. However don’t over water.
• Spot spraying of broadleaf weed control.
• Deadheading perennials to encourage a second growth.
• Your lawn should be allowed to go dormant during the dry season of summer, unless you are willing to keep the lawn WELL watered during the entire dry season. The lawn will come back to life after some good rains.

DIY edging

Looking for a DIY project that can quickly improve the appearance of your current landscape? Here’s a sure fire idea. Install or improve your landscape edging to give your yard and planting beds a new crisp appearance.

Many products exist which will create that crisp clean appearance. You might choose brick or concrete pavers, fieldstone boulders, plastic edging, curbing or a simple hand spaded edge to give you the appearance you desire. The most popular is plastic edging. When choosing a plastic edging, select the heaviest plastic edging you can find that extends to a minimum of 6” deep. It should have numerous flanges or indentations and come with steel stacks to secure it firmly in place.

To install, begin by creating the bed shape you wish to create. Use a garden hose to visualize and create the shape you desire. When satisfied, spray paint the line on the ground to create a permanent outline to follow. With a garden spade, create a trench to hold the edging making sure that the depth will allow the top bead to be halfway below grade. Now drive the stakes through the bottom of the edging on a 45 degree angle towards the turf. One every ten feet should be adequate. Use more stakes in soft, sandy soils and in tightly curved areas. The most common mistake occurs when joining two sections of edging together. The trick is to cut off a 3-4 inch section of the round bead at the top of one of the edging pieces to be connected. Using the connector plug that should come with the edging, join the two sections overlapping the bottom portions. Finally drive another steel anchor stake on a 45 degree angle through the overlapped sections towards the turf or outside of the bed. Install two more stakes, one on each side of the overlapped section, approximately one foot from the stake. Backfill the trench as you go. If properly installed, you’ll now have a consistent clean edge that will not gap or heave in spring or be chewed up by the lawn mower.

Why design?

Why should I have my Landscape professionally designed, when I can just throw a couple of trees and shrubs in the ground myself? Sound familiar? We hear this question all the time. The fact of the matter is, you can. But remember, Good Landscape Design goes far beyond plants. Professional Landscape Design is an art which deals with the specific arrangement of outdoor space for the enjoyment and satisfaction of the owner. The goals of a good design include: developing the site for maximum function and pleasure, creating an aesthetically pleasing relationship between the house and its surroundings, and keeping the maintenance of the site to a manageable level.

Good landscape design can significantly improve a home’s appearance and value by creating a personality of warmth, livability, and beauty for the site. “Research at Clemson University conducted a study of home sales and compared the results based on varying levels of landscape quality. Not only were type, size, and condition of the plantings considered, but also the overall design. Landscapers were rated “poor”, “good”, or “excellent”. Well-designed landscape homes had faster sales because of first impressions…” –Research Group, Clemson University 2001. Money Magazine had this to say; “Landscaping as a home improvement project has a recovery value of 100-200% if it is well done and harmonizes with the nearby surrounding. This compares to a kitchen overhead of 75-125% or a bathroom redesign of 80-120%.” Without good planning and design a person could waste a lot of time and money.

There are numerous other considerations for a good thorough design. Some of these might include: site accessibility, setback requirements, drainage, placement of paving, placement of buildings, elevation of buildings, safety, snow removal, or visual corridors. It is best to get a landscape designer involved in your project as early as possible in the process. This can save you time, money, and many long-term headaches. Give us a call with any design questions or concerns you may have.

Family fun and fitness: staying in the game

Got game? Everyone knows the benefits of an active lifestyle as a healthy and positive force for all ages and skill levels. The back yard game court is the answer to stop, drop and play for the entire family: stop the channel or internet-surfing, drop the video game controls and play!

A high performance court occupies the little ones playing hopscotch, four-square, rollerblading or riding tricycles. A basketball court helps Dad pass down his jump shot to the kids and the teens can play volleyball without the sandy shorts plus badminton, kickball and soccer minus the grass stains.

A tennis doubles match with the neighbors, even twenty minutes after some rain lets everyone enjoy activities. For solo practice, add a multi-purpose rebounder for handball, soccer, tennis or a baseball pitch back. When winter comes, convert the game court to a personal ice hockey/skating rink by flooding the court to extend the fun factor year-round! Lights can be added for night play.

With applications from residential homes to cabin getaways, multi-game court owners are excited at the many activities that can be played on these courts! Multi-sport game courts also provide an excellent flooring solution for athletic facilities, churches, schools, professional sports centers and community centers. There are no worries with a court that is low-maintenance, cost effective, moisture-resistant and carries the best warranty in the industry. Vertical suspension provides protection and energy return for competitive play with consistent playability. The patented Lateral Forgiveness™ flooring surface is tested and proven to reduce the risk of injury and fatigue, making it a valuable investment in fitness.

Snap Sport has installed more than 50,000 basketball, tennis, game courts and putting green installations worldwide since 1974. The floors have been chosen by many distinguished athletic organizations such as the FIBA, NCAA, NBA, USA Volleyball, and USA Hockey Inline. Coach Larry Brown is one of over 50 NBA coaches and players who have installed Snap Sport products in their backyard. “The game court has provided a wonderful way for me to share my love of sports with the ones who mean the most to me,” Brown says.

Snap Sport combines state of the art technology with timeless products that provide the world with ongoing quality family time opportunities! A game court can be installed in a matter of days and custom-designed to fit any color or size specification. Whether for a safe haven for your children, development of athletic skills or a healthy diversion from TV and video games, backyard recreation is a great way for families to reconnect.

July maintenance tips & tricks

Can you believe that it is July already?! Neither can we, but here are some July tips from the pros to keep your yard looking great!

• Raise the level of the mower blades, to remove no more than one-third.
• Check on how sharp the blades are on the mower.
• Perennials should be deadheaded to encourage a second growth.
• Spot spraying of broadleaf weed control.
• Lawn should be allowed to go dormant during the dry season of summer, unless you are willing to keep the lawn WELL watered during the entire dry season. The lawn will come back to life after some good rains.

The fertilizer debate answered

“I want my plants to really grow fast and fill in, should I fertilize them during or right after planting?” The answer is no!

As much as we want our plants to grow, the goal of a plant’s first year is not to grow above ground but to grow below ground. We want our plants to spend their first summer developing a strong root system to support its growth for years to come. Fertilization (especially with large amounts of nitrogen) will encourage a plant to grow leaves and stems at the expense of its roots-just the opposite of our stated goal.

Instead of fertilizing at the time of planting we recommend applying water soluble root stimulators. Root stimulator will encourage new root formation, root development, reduce transplant shock and develop a greener more vigorous plant in the long run.

We would recommend one application at the time of planting followed by a monthly application for the remainder of the first year. Once established its time to begin regular fertilization, but that’s a topic for a future article.

Bye bye pesky mosquitos!

Did you know that there are about 3,000 species of mosquitoes worldwide with approximately 150 known in North America alone? Mosquitoes have become a main concern for backyard BBQ-ers with their ability to spread devastating diseases with one small bite. West Nile, Yellow Fever, and Encephalitis are some of the diseases that can be carried by the mosquito. However, not all mosquitoes carry these diseases. But the real question is why do these pests want to suck our blood?

Mosquitoes rely on sugar as their main source of energy. Thus, the male and female feed on plant nectar and fruit juices. The sugar is burned as fuel for flight. Blood is used for egg production, therefore only females seek a blood meal and bite us humans and our pets. They lay multiple batches of eggs and require a blood meal for every batch. Heat, chemical, and visual sensors are used to find their prey. Carbon dioxide is a main attractant and is given off through our breath. Since it is impossible for us to stop breathing, what can we do to protect ourselves from the bloodthirsty females?

There are many products out there to control the mosquitoes. There are topical treatments that you have to put on every day and don't always work. The Mosquito Magnet, or variations of, is one product. This product will get rid of some mosquitoes. This product and other similar devices use carbon dioxide to attract the pests to the system and then suck them into a chamber where they eventually die of dehydration. The problem with this device is that you are attracting more mosquitoes to the area. Several hundred mosquitoes may be caught, but several thousand more are in the area.

Our product is the Mosquito Mist Away System. This system does not repel or attract. It kills on contact. It is an automated misting system that goes off two to three times per day at thirty second intervals. Misting nozzles are placed around the desired area to dramatically reduce the population. It also kills ticks, flies, no see-ums, wasps, etc. It uses Pyrethrum, which is an extract of Chrysanthemum flowers. Pyrethrum has a low toxicity level so it is not a danger to pets and humans when used as directed. We have found that this product actually works! Now you can actually enjoy your beautiful landscape without having to swat away those nasty insects!

One container, four seasons of interest!

Container gardening has certainly moved beyond the summer pot filled with one spike, three geraniums, and some vinca vine. Today containers have blossomed (pun intended) into mini-gardens that provide 12 months of interest utilizing color, form and texture.

Plants in the same container should require similar soil, light and watering requirements. If you are unsure about the combination you’ve chosen, ask the sale representative what will work together for your situation. Use plants that vary in color, texture, form, and size. Work with groupings of similar plants instead of filling the container with “one of everything”. Remember in design that sometimes less is more. Cool season annuals such as the new ice pansies, stock, dusty miller, flowering cabbage, flowering kale and alyssum start the season as early as April and appear once again to extend the season into November. In between almost anything goes. Think big, bold, exotic or tropical and don’t forget the vegetables, tender perennials and shrubs. All can make a vibrant display in containers of all sizes. You are probably asking, “What about the period between Thanksgiving and Easter?” That’s the time to think out of the box. Fill the pots and containers with contrasting colors and textures of various cut evergreens, dried materials and fruits.

Soil - Now is not the time to skimp by re-using last year’s soil or relying on topsoil from the garden. Use a professional potting mix. The best potting mixes are a combination of peat moss, vermiculite, perlite, or pine bark. If your choice of potting mix does not contain fertilizer, add a granular, slow release fertilizer or rely on liquid fertilizations throughout the season.

Containers - what one to use? The options are almost endless but don’t be afraid to be as bold with the container choice as you are with the plants. As long there is proper drainage you might choose an ornate, formal clay planter or decide on an old shoe or tea set tabletop garden. Remember, in our area that it is very hard, if not impossible, to winter over living trees, shrubs, and evergreens in outdoor containers. Also remember that clay pots and containers will crumble when exposed to moisture and freezing temperatures. For year round display rely on pots and containers formed of plastic, resin, or concrete. When putting your containers away for the season, clean them with a 10:1 solution of water and bleach, allow them to dry thoroughly, and then store in a dry location.

Watering - Small containers may require watering on a daily basis while larger containers may need watering every 2-3 days. If you are unsure that your container needs watering, just stick your finger into the top 1-2 inches of soil. If moist check again tomorrow to see if the top 1-2” of soil are barely moist. That’s the signal to water once again. When watering remember to water thoroughly. Add water to the container until it flows from the container’s drainage holes. Deep watering such as this will encourage deep rooting. If possible, try not to get the plant’s foliage wet when watering. This can encourage the spread of fungal diseases.

Continue to remove spent flowers and yellow leaves throughout the season. This will encourage more blossoms and further lessen the spread of insect and disease. If problems do arise, seek advice from your horticulturist and “nip the problem right in the bud.”

What are you waiting for! Get planting!

Welcome!

Hello from all of us at the Vande Hey Company!  We hope you are getting your hands dirty and taking full advantage of this weather... and if you don't feel like getting dirty, give us a call - we'd love to talk to you about your projects.  Plantings, trees, mulch - you name it, we've got ideas for you!