Can you feel it in the air?  Fall is just around the corner and that means it is time for a second crop of vegetables before the gloom of winter is upon us.  Here in South Georgia we are blessed to be able to grow a second crop of summer vegetables.  Fall vegetable gardening is an excellent solution for keeping your soil fertile, and at the same time capitalizing on a second crop of delicious vegetables, for a fraction of the cost of buying produce at the supermarket.
 
   By midsummer most of our tomato and pepper plants are looking a little "tired" and the insects have had there way with most of them.  However, make sure to evaluate each plant before discarding them, some may just need to be cut back and fertilized.  For most of us though, replanting is the best option.  Unless you have already started some plants from seed it is best to buy a transplant this late in the year.  Tomatoes can take two to three months to produce, so time is of the essence!

 

 

    Whether planting in raised beds, your garden, or in containers, be sure to water your newly planted transplant frequently for the first couple of weeks; then taper off to once or twice a week.  Use a well drained soil with organic matter for planting your vegetables.  Feed your "veggies" with a balanced fertilizer like 10.10.10, or better yet, a fertilizer with a slightly higher amount of phosphorus (the middle number on the fertilizer bag for you city folkJ).  Tomatoes and peppers are heavy feeders, so fertilize about every two to three weeks.  Insects can still be a problem in the fall, so be diligent and be sure to treat problems early before they get out of control.
 
   At Seasons we carry both tomatoes and peppers for fall plantings.  Better Boy, Early Girl, and Sweet 100 are three varieties of tomatoes we will carry as well as Jalapeno, California Wonder, and Sweet Banana peppers.  Come by the Garden Shop at Miller Hardware and let us help you cash in on fall vegetable gardening!

 

 

    Are you tired of fighting a lawn full of weeds in the spring?  The Georgia Extension Service recommends September as the best time to apply a Pre-emergent herbicide for cool season weeds.  To over simplify how a Pre-emergent works, it forms a thin layer of protection on the soil's surface; therefore, when weed seeds germinate they are killed before they have a chance to get established.
 
    Annual weeds represent the majority of our winter and spring weed problems.  Pre-emergent's will only control annual weeds like chickweed, annual bluegrass, Carolina geranium, and henbit before they germinate.  Last spring, these weeds produced seeds that laid dormant during summer months waiting for cool weather.  Perennial weeds, such as dollar weed and Florida betony will grow from the same root system year after year. These weeds require a post-emergent herbicide for control.
 
    We at Seasons Garden Center have a good supply of both pre, and post-emergent herbicides.  Pre-emergent's are easy to apply with a fertilizer spreader and can also be used to control weeds in flower and shrub beds.  Stop by and let us show how easy it is to control your weed headaches before they become a major problem.