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Gill Garden Center + Landscape Co.

Corpus Christi, TX Garden Center

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Weeds

A Few Summer Tips
  • If your watering hose is in the sun, make sure to let the water run through for a little while before watering your plants. Hot hoses make for hot water!
  • Caladiums last longer if you pinch off the bloom stalks, which are always great for bouquets.
  • If your tomatoes or cucumbers remind you of Jack and the Beanstalk, use Takiron stakes and jute twine to lengthen your cage and keep those veggies contained.
  • You CAN give perennials a haircut in the summertime if you need to, but please nothing too drastic. Shearing blooms and gentle pruning are great ways to keep perennials looking fresh.
  • Weeds love to encroach on your garden beds in the summer. Walk your beds once a week! Pulling up small weeds now is always martaeasier, and can save you a lot of sweat. 
  • If you have to spray insecticides or fungicides, do in early in the morning or late afternoon, not in the middle of the day! Water droplets have this nasty little habit of acting like magnifying glasses in 90 degree weather, and can cause burns.

-Marta

Got webbing on your trees?

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 deannaspin 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!

-DeAnna

You may have already done several items on this list, but with all the recent rains they may have been depleted or washed away, therefore another application may be necessary.

  1. Fertilize the lawn, shrubs, trees and tropicals again with Gill Lawn & Garden or Milorganite.
  2. Continue to feed vegetables and herbs with Espoma Plant Tone. Citrus and fruit trees with Espoma Citrus Tone.
  3. Apply pre-emergent again to prevent weeds, Amaze or Dimension.
  4. Spray post-emergent again or as needed to kill existing weeds, Weed b gon or Image. You could also keep the weeds mowed before they go to seed. Most will die with the heat.
  5. Drench Hackberry trees for wooly aphids, bougainvillea for caterpillars, hibiscus and jatropha for mealybugs etc.. with Bayer Protect and Feed to prevent insects for 9 months.
  6. Treat the lawn with Bayer Season Long Grub Control or Beneficial Nematodes.
  7. Watch for Chinch bug activity in the hot dry spots of the lawn near sidewalks and driveways. Spray with Cyonara or Triazicide. For organic control use Spinosad or Diatomaceous Earth.
  8. Treat for fungus. Check the lawn for brown patch. Roses, Crape Myrtles and Gerbera Daisies for powdery mildew and Plumeria for rust. Use F-stop, Serenade or Actinovate for the lawn and Fertilome Systemic , Serenade or Actinovate for plants.
  9. Plant sun or shade loving heat tolerant flowers and tropicals.deanna
  10. Mulch everything including potted plants to prevent weeds and hold moisture for the summer.

-DeAnna

Time To Treat For Grub Worms

Time to treat for grub worms. Did you know, grub worms come from June bugs? Grubs are the larval stage of the brown June Beetle that flies around your porch light every Spring. If you notice a large number of these beetles, you may want to consider treating your yard with Bayer Season Long Grub Control. It works to kill grubs for approx. 3 months. Grub worms eat the roots of your grass during the early spring and summer causing the area to die. You can literally roll your lawn up like a carpet. If you have grubs each year, then it is likely you will have them again. Taking precaution now is better than waiting till late summer or early fall and seeing the damage already done. An organic solution is to spray out Beneficial Nematodes. Each sponge contains 5 million nematodes, enough to treat 2000 sq. ft. of surface area. Reapplying these nematodes monthly will help to build the population for effective control of grubs and fleas through the summer. If do not want to treat or are unsure if you have the problem, just watch your grass closely. Any areas that look dry and wilted but the rest of yard does not, it could be grubs. Dig down and look. If you find more than 4 grubs in one square foot of area, then you should treat with Bayer 24 hour. If no grubs are found, and the ground is hard and dry, then check your sprinkler to make sure it is watering that area as evenly as the rest of the lawn.

-DeAnna

Mom’s Favorite Flower

Every year around this time, I think about how much my Mom has done for me. When I drive back home to visit her, I always look for her favorite flower (which of course is a weed!). Much to my Dad’s chagrin, I arrive home with a bushel full of Queen Anne’s Lace. If I could, I’d buy her enough Queen Anne’s Lace to make a whole bed of it for her, but generally nurseries don’t sell too many weeds! For Mother’s Day this year, instead of buying your Mom cut flowers, why not find out her favorite flower and come to Gill’s. We’ll help you take that flower and make a gift that lasts not just a few weeks, but for years.

Marta

My mother, Ruth Gill, was a quirky but elegant, courageous yet tender, intelligent and curious  woman. And I can put that in this blog because its Mother’s Day! But back to gardening, with just a few of her quirky twists.

When I was little, we lived on Hewit Drive, at that time the “fancy” neighborhood. One year,  the grubs killed a large patch of the front lawn, and instead of rushing to plant new grass, she planted and harvested a crop of blackeyed peas. In the front lawn! On Hewit Drive!  That’s seeing opportunity where others would not.

I  often found her in the garden, pulling weeds, and eating them! Purslane was one of her favorites, and now one of mine.  I  grow it in a pot  for a delicious and very healthy stir fry. She always said “The best revenge against a weed is to eat it.” Once we were camped on Matagorda Island with nothing left to eat but a can of tuna fish. She went for a walk and scoured up a mess of wild onion and peppergrass, and turned a boring can of tuna fish into a gourmet seasonal tuna salad.

Another time, she brought in some Giant Pothos ivy leaves which she arranged in a vase on the table. As a few days passed, I noticed brownish green pellets under the plant and looked more closely. There was a caterpillar munching on the leaves, and I was indignant to share my table with a munching and pooping caterpillar. When I told my mother there was a caterpillar, expecting her to be dismayed and pick it off, she instead replied “Yes, isn’t she just a marvelous artist? I love to watch her work,  the changing pattern she makes in the leaves, new every day.” And of course she was right, she had a way of seeing and appreciating the marvels around us that most people miss. I am so thankful to my mother for opening my eyes to the wonders of nature and gardening.  

-James

Last chance to kill those pesky lawn weeds.

The new formulation of Weed B Gon is totally safe on all lawn grasses including Floratam St. Augustine. The past few weeks of rainy weather has made it difficult to treat, but you must do it soon before our daytime temperatures exceed 90 degrees. It comes with the easy hose-end sprayer and covers 2500 sq. ft. Enough to treat the average front or back yard.

Got Fleas?

You do not have to own a pet to have a flea problem. Squirrels, night rats, and possums all carry fleas.

The best way to treat for a flea problem is the 3 step process: treat the pet, treat the house, treat the yard. Check with your veterinarian for the best treatment for your pet. For the house, we carry several different products.

Crawling Insect Killer (Diatomaceous Earth) is a naturally occurring, soft, siliceous sedimentary rock. It works by scratching the exoskeleton of insects, causing them to dehydrate and die. It lasts a long time when kept dry. Take caution not to breathe it in when vacuuming floors.

Essentria Broadcast Insecticide Aerosal kills adult bedbugs, fleas, and dust mites and their eggs. It contains natural essential plant oils that are safe and effective for the home. A light uniform spray to all surfaces is recommended. Re-apply in 14 days as needed. The last step is to treat the yard. Usually any pesticide labeled for lawns and landscape plants will also kill fleas and ticks.

We carry Spinosad, an organic treatment for lawns, in both a concentrate and ready to use spray. I usually recommend treating every 4- 5 days for 3 weeks to kill any re-hatching of eggs. Be sure to spray garages, decking, fences and doghouses, anywhere fleas may breed.

Another organic alternative is to apply Beneficial Nematodes. Beneficial Nematodes are microscopic warriors that kill soil borne pests such as flea larvae and grub worms. They
search, find, and kill pests living in the soil. They are extremely effective, and will reproduce and spread to provide you with long lasting organic pest control. We do recommend applying once a year to build the population. Each sponge contains 5 million nematodes, enough to cover 2000 sq. ft. of surface area.

deanna– DeAnna

Time to fertilize your lawn, trees & shrubs! Hopefully by the time you get this, the sunshine will have warmed and dried the soil enough to fertilize. Use Gill Lawn and Garden for all your trees, shrubs, vines and groundcovers. Also feeds the vegetable garden. Covers 6000 sq. ft. per bag.

-DeAnna

For weed control in your lawn, use Weed B Gon for St. Augustine. We have a new formulation that is safe to use on Floratam St. Augustine Grass. Treats up to 2500 sq. ft. and comes in a ready to spray hose-end bottle. Image will kill some broadleaf weeds (dollarweed) as well as a few grassy weeds (grassburrs) without hurting your St. Augustine. Another new product we have is Topshot. It also kills all broadleaf weeds in the lawn and comes in a package with 2 ampules which cover 5000 sq. ft. Simply add 1 ampule with water in either a pump sprayer or Dial n Spray to cover 2500 sq. ft.. For best results apply weed killers when weather is warm (not hot) and sunny for 3-4 days. Do not use in flowerbeds for weed control (except Image), only as a lawn application.

-DeAnna

For insect control, use Bayer Tree and Shrub Protect and Feed Liquid. Mix according to directions and drench at the base of your trees and shrubs to prevent aphids, borers, caterpillars, scale, whitefly, mealybugs and more. Plants that are prone to getting bugs, like Hackberry trees that get wooly aphids every June, Hibiscus, Jatropha and other tropicals that get mealybugs every summer, and Bougainvilleas that are constantly eaten by caterpillars can be protected by using this product. If you have ever noticed black soot on your plants, this is the product to use since sooty mold is caused by insects.

-DeAnna

For a quick and easy craft, make Lavender Sachets! Sachets are little bags of dried herbs that freshen up your clothes, linens, or your entire closet. Once your lavender plant has produced its blossoms, cut the flower stalks and tie them together. Place the bundle in a dry and dark place for about a week (they should be dry enough to use then), then strip off the blossoms and buds. Then either sew or buy little bags of sheer material and place about ¼ to ½ cup of dried lavender blooms in each. And there you go! It’s simple and easy, and your clothes will always smell great!
-Marta

BUTTERFLY HOST PLANTS 

With spring around the corner, now’s the time to start planning out your butterfly garden! And we are ready with plants that not only attract butterflies, but feed their caterpillars. You’ve probably heard of Milkweed for monarch caterpillars, but did you know that Parsley, Dill, Fennel, Rue and Passion vine also attract butterflies? These host plants are sure to attract Eastern Black Swallowtails, Gulf Fritillaries, and Monarchs. And don’t forget about great nectar plants like Almond Verbena, Pentas, and Duranta. Put these plants in your garden and the butterflies will be sure to thank you!

WOW – WHAT A WEED EXPLOSION! 

You can still apply pre-emergents like Amaze or Weed and Grass Preventer with Dimension to prevent weeds, but the temperatures are still fluctuating with cold fronts and cloudy damp weather, so I would wait a little longer on applying weed killer sprays i.e. Image or Weed B Gon. They work best with warm weather and sunshine. Remember to apply your pre-emergents in October to prevent winter weeds and again in January to prevent spring weeds.

 

TO PREVENT SCALE: If you have not sprayed Bonide All Seasons Oil on your Flax Lily, Irises, Cast Iron, Pittosporum, and Hollies, there is still time to spray to prevent spring insects like scale.

LAWN FUNGUS: The cool, damp rainy weather is perfect for fungus to thrive , so apply F-Stop Fungicide, Bayer Fungicide, or Liquid Systemic Fungicide to either prevent or to cure. An organic alternative is to spread Nature’s Blend Alfalfa Humateacross the lawn at the rate of 1 bag for 50 sq. ft.

 

TIME TO START VEGGIE GARDENING! 
Tomatoes are here in all sizes. We have 6 packs, 4 1/2″ and 1 gallon. It is starting to get late on the 6 packs, so buy them now! You can still wait a couple of weeks to plant if you plan on buying the 1 gallon size. Peppers will be here once our night time temperatures stay above 50 degrees. If you plan on planting more broccoli, cabbage or cauliflower, plant them now since it is getting late. It is also getting late to sow seeds of beets, carrots and spinach. Last chance for onion sets and seed potatoes. Time to begin seeding beans, squash, cucumbers, corn and radish.
START TRIMMING NOW! 

Start trimming back now your ornamental grasses (like purple fountain grass and muhly grasses), trees, woody shrubs and vines (except indian hawthorne, azaleas, carolina jasmine that bloom in early spring). I would recommend waiting on the tropicals just a few more weeks, just in case we have a late cold snap.

WAIT TO FERTILIZE YOUR LAWN. 

We all want our lawns to look lush and green all the time but it can’t be in the winter. Don’t think you can “wake up your grass” with fertilizer; fertilizer is taken up with growth, and since the grass is still dormant, it will do no good to feed now. It is best to wait until the grass comes out of winter dormancy which is usually mid March. The best way to tell when to feed is when you need to mow the grass (and not the weeds) every week or so. If you wait to feed, you will see the results you are looking for. It’s also best to attack existing weeds in warm weather (not hot) and sunshine. Since February can be our coldest month, it is usually March before we can take care of those weeds. My thought is, kill the weeds in early March and then fertilize the lawn afterwards. There is no sense in feeding the weeds.

PLANT WILDFLOWERS.

If you missed sowing your wildflowers in the fall, you can try to sow them out right
now. We also have bluebonnet plants in 6 packs ready to transplant, your favorite Ladybird Blue and Aggie Maroon. Seeds of sweet peas and nasturtiums can also be sown in the garden now for spring blooms.

Still time to apply pre-emergents Greenlight Amaze or Fertilome Weed Control With Dimension to prevent more weeds from sprouting and AllSeasons Oil Spray for overwintering insects. Spring is right around the corner and we are all ready for a little gardening therapy. See you in the dirt.
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