fungus

Now is the time of year to attack those unwanted weeds in the lawn.

First, fertilize the lawn in October to mid-November while the grass is still actively growing.

Water in well.

Next spread your pre-emergent.

The pre-emergent is a granule that prevents weed seeds from germinating. We carry two different ones depending on the weed problem you may have. Gallery can be used in the lawn to prevent most all broadleaf weeds and some grassy weeds, but cannot be used in the flowerbeds. Dimension is the other one that will control broadleaf weeds as well as crabgrass and sand burrs. Dimension can be used in the flower beds around established plants listed.

Third, kill any existing weeds that are up and growing with a post emergent.

Weed B Gon spray can be used now since our temperatures are in the mid 80’s. It will kill the broadleaf weeds without hurting your St. Augustine, including Floratam. We also carry a new product Roundup Weed Control for Lawns that will kill many broadleaf weeds as well as wild carrot and wild onion and other grassy weeds. If Dollarweed or sand burrs are your main problem, use Image. Weed killers need to be used soon since they cannot be used as a winter weed control!

Fourth, remember to alter your sprinkler systems to only once a week until mid- November, then turn to the off position and only turn on as needed every 10 days to 2 weeks if we get no rain.

With the shorter days and the dormant season upon us the lawn does not require as much water. You also do not want to encourage fungus due to excessive moisture. Come see us with any questions you may have about your lawn!

-DeAnna

We planted the Purple Knight Alternanthera, in the Joseph Coat family, under our Texas Sabal Palms out front of our home on Catalina Street. It has proven its worth to me! It takes wind and sun, gives a pretty contrast to green lawn with it’s burgundy foliage, doesn’t have any major insect or fungus challenges, and if planted in the right spot, can grow to it’s maximum height of 24″ or can be pruned shorter! It has been named by the Texas Department Of Agriculture as a Texas Superstar and definitely a superstar in my book!

-Sally

It is not webworms! Webbing on the bark of trunks and branches is a good thing. Don’t spray!!

Bark lice is natures clean-up crew. These tiny creatures are scouring the bark for plant, animal, or fungus life which they eat, and while they perform this housekeeping chore, they spin this web for protection.

Usually the web will disintegrate in two or three days and will disappear almost a suddenly as it appeared. Leave them alone and let them do their job of cleaning up your trees or shrubs. Thank goodness for good bugs!

Photo: agriflife.org

-DeAnna

Lawn’s green, no weeds, so why do anything?

Our lawns are so green after all this rain! You’re probably thinking “Well shoot, do I have to fertilize or worry about weeds?” The answer is “Yes you do!” Mother Nature gave us a boost with beneficial rains; with a few easy steps your lawn can be healthier. Read on and come see us. We’ll help you tend to your lawn and garden!

First, Fertilize Now

Anytime between now and mid November is prime time to fertilize your lawn, trees, shrubs, vines and groundcovers with Gill Lawn and Garden, Medina Growin Green, or Milorganite. Fertilizing while it is still warm is best because plants are still in their active growing season and taking up the nutrients provided. Once the weather starts cooling down plants begin going into dormancy and therefore are not as likely to take up nutrients. Remember to water in your fertilizer with at least a half inch of irrigation.

Second, Pre-emergent

Third, kill existing weeds that are up and growing, with a post emergent.

Weed B Gon will kill broadleaf weeds without hurting your St. Augustine, including Floratam, as long as temperatures are mid 80’s or lower. But do not apply Weed B Gon around trees or shrubs. If Dollarweed or sand burrs are your main problem, use Image.

Fourth, remember to alter your sprinkler systems to only once a week until mid-November, then turn to the off position and only turn on as needed every 10 days to 2 weeks if we get no rain.

-DeAnna

Root veggies like carrots, beets, potatoes and onions make for a great fall and winter crop, but there are a few things to be said about them in order to get an excellent yield.

First off, root veggies need a finely granulated and well drained soil. Our inland soil is too heavy; it will not allow root veggies to develop properly and inevitably will lead to less than optimum yield. To remedy this, create a raised bed or use large planters that will provide plenty of depth for veggies like carrots to develop. Use a mixture of sandy loam, peat moss and Espoma Bio-Tone soil starter for the best results. If you live closer to the coast where there is more sand than clay, you can plant directly in the native soil, though it would be wise to mix garden gypsum with the sand to counteract the sands salinity as well as using the previously mentioned additives.

For potatoes, you can use a raised bed, or the ground if its sufficiently amended, but I hear a 15 gallon planter works great. With potatoes, as their foliage becomes more abundant, it’s good to add an inch or more of additional soil over the roots to increase your potato yield. When planting potatoes, they usually come as whole potatoes and should be cut at the very least in quarters before seeding. Last and very important, after cutting, they need dusting sulfur on cut surfaces to prevent potential fungus problem.

The second and most interesting part of this blog has to do with the moon.

We know the moon controls the earth’s tides, but did you know it controls the way plants grow? Mind blowing, right? This all has to do with the way gravity works!! So when the moon is waxing, there is less gravity pulling down towards the earth and when it’s waning there is more. Sooooo… with root veggies, it’s an excellent idea to do your plantings and liquid fertilizing when the moon is waning or losing light. The moon works on many other levels than plants. Fishing, deer hunting and even when to pour concrete are just a few other times to think about how important lunar cycles are next time you look up at the night sky!

Happy Gardening!

PS: You can get Carrot, Onion, Beet, Turnip, Parsnip, Radish seeds now at Gill’s. Onion sets will be in last week of November and Seed Potatoes will be here first week of January!

-Matt Pinkerton

We are now pleased to offer Nature’s Creation Organic Potting Soil with Mycorrhizal Fungi for our 2019 garden season!

Some of our good friends in the green industry, Mr. Bob Webster, KTSA South Texas Gardening Show host & garden center owner in San Antonio along with his business partner Ms. Roberta Churchin were instrumental in the formulation of this potting soil.

Nature’s Creation readily absorbs water and holds moisture without becoming saturated. The soil dries evenly which all but eliminates fungus gnats and mold. It contains no peat moss but is a blend of weed-free and naturally sterilized compost plus coco fiber which resists clumping and adds porosity. In addition, the blend includes pecan mulch, perlite, mushroom compost, molasses, and native recycled biomass. Finally, Mycorrhizal Fungi is added to the mix to benefit your plants by increasing drought tolerance, water and nutrient uptake, and disease resistance.

This potting soil is more biologically active and will make your plants happy!

-DeAnna

Growing Fresh Food Part I, Part II

Photos from Debbie’s Last Fall Veggie Garden

We talked about watering and fertilizing last week. Now the fun stuff – watching your garden grow! Each day as you walk the garden, keep an eye out for seedlings emerging and harmful insects and disease, especially as your veggies grow.

Now I must tell you that there will be lots of insects in your garden, most of which are not harmful and many beneficial. Spiders, bees, ladybugs, lacewings, are your garden helpers eating many of the harmful insects. Toads, lizards, and even wasps will prey upon the nuisance critters. So be careful and use caution when using insecticides or fungicides.

In the multitude of choices, I always recommend an organic or non-chemical approach to start. Most common issues are caterpillars, aphids, spider mites, & stink bugs. These are easily controlled with organic products like Thuricide for caterpillars, Neem Oil for aphids, and Spinosad for stink bugs. Serenade is a natural fungicide that controls things like powdery mildew on squash, blights on tomatoes, and black spot on berry plants. A light application of Nature’s Blend around your plants will suppress fungus spores that can splash onto the leaves. Snails and pill bugs (rollie pollies) can be controlled with Snail & Slug Bait or a pan of beer. Of course, You can always be the control….squish!

Nature happens in your garden; lots of good and some not so good but don’t angst too much. It’s ok to have a few bad bugs and few marred leaves. Pick them off, throw them out and treat if necessary. When in doubt, bring us a sample of what’s happening and we’ll help you with the best solution for your situation!

Happy Growing!

-Debbie

*Working organic material into your soil helps plants thrive*

“Organic gardening” is a broad term that in its simplest form means caring for your garden or landscape without the use of synthetic fertilizers or harsh pesticides, but for many of us, it means so much more.

Organic gardening is a lifestyle that involves looking at how things interact as a system, knowing the steps you take to “go organic” play a key role in that system. Let it be a bad bug, fungus, or even watering issues, there are organic solutions that are safe and work with nature. One of the biggest steps is creating and maintaining healthy soil.

Plants start from the ground up and having good soil is a key factor for healthy plants. You can work organic material into your garden like compost and organic fertilizer to help the soil.

Our soil is living and has all types of beneficial microbes and fungi living in it. While using a synthetic fertilizer may give the plant some of the nutrients it needs, it does nothing for the soil. Using an organic fertilizer and compost to amend your soil gives living organisms in the soil the nutrients they need to thrive.

If your soil is thriving, your plants can thrive as well. A healthy soil and a healthy root system make for a stronger, healthier plant that will need less water and less maintenance.

Having an organic garden encompasses a healthy more sustainable approach to the way we live; our homes, community, and world! Organic approach is made of small factors that play a big role in a system that keeps your plants healthy and not only that… it keeps us healthy!

Remember, put good in and get good out!

-Wyatt Page