Our Newsletter for September, 2016!

Landscaping Newsletter

and Garden Tips

September, 2016 Volume 142

A Personal Message

This past month was a lot of fun for me. I got to spend time in Ocean City. Did some fishing. Did some walking. Ate a ton of yummy goodies. Then, did some more walking to help control the waistline.

Melissa and I also hosted a mini family reunion. Her sisters from New York and North Carolina converged in Maryland.

We had sisters and nieces running around for four days. We have cats, not kids, so it was a fun weekend for us. Exhausting, but fun!

Here's Melissa & I with her sister and two nieces. They gave us a chocolate cake as a parting gift. They know the way to my heart!

In other news...

It's been a bumper year for my vegetable garden! From beans to basil, from broccoli to beets and everything in between, I grew them big. And, I do mean big.

I've frozen about 100 lbs. of tomatoes in preparation of a huge pot of my red sauce, which I'll can later this fall.

There are 15+ packages of green beans resting in the freezer. Several frozen bags of zucchini and broccoli. So much food came from my two raised bed gardens that I almost couldn't handle everything. So, I shared lots with family and friends.

Take a look at some of my "souvenirs."

You're always seeing pictures of my gardens. Here are some photos of the finished products!

I canned these hot pepper rings.

I have bags and bags of frozen tomatoes. They don't look like much now, but they'll be delicious when I make red sauce this fall.

Hope you have a wonderful autumn! Call us if we can help you this fall.

September Garden Tips

* This is a great time of year to install that plant material you've been wanting all summer. The heat has finally dissipated and tender plantings won't roast under a blazing sun.

Water newly planted trees and shrubs to provide sufficient moisture and prevent winter damage. Add a three inch layer of mulch around the base of plants to retain soil moisture and regulate soil temperature.

The plants in this garden will easily mature to fill in some of the blank spaces. The owner wants to plant colorful annuals around the border next spring.

A corner landscape planting featuring a Royal Red maple tree. We especially love the edging around this bed. This is the clean crisp definition between lawn and garden that we strive to attain.

* We keep essential herbs such as basil going throughout the season. I have several pots, dedicated just to basil. So, I "succession plant" different varieties throughout the growing season, even into the fall.

And, I keep this tasty herb in full production by pinching off those little white flowers to increase the growth of new leaves.

I usually only plant the traditional Genovese Basil. However, this year, I also tried Purple Basil. Loved it! I was inspired by a blog, called "Farmgirl Fare." I've included the link here. She writes really well and it's a fun read. Just click on this link and search for basil:

http://www.farmgirlfare.com/

* Start fall clean-up in the flower beds, cutting back anything that has finished blooming or is diseased.

* Take a few pictures of your gardens and containers for a record of the year's triumphs AND frustrations. (I think I have the most photographed gardens on record!

Sorry for the repeats, but I only have so much space here at home allotted for gardens.)

* Stop fertilizing roses and perennials. It will only encourage tender new growth that will get zapped this winter.

And, finally...The BEST Fall Flower

* The flower most identified with the fall season is the Chrysanthemum. They brighten up flower beds from late August through November after most plants have finished blooming.

Garden mums flower prolifically in a wide array of colors including white, yellow, pink, lavender, and bronze. They look great in beds, borders and containers.

Here are some of the most outrageous chrysanthemum pictures we could find:

Here's an over-the top display of chrysanthemums in every color you can imagine. I would love to have been the photographer. The real life colors must be dazzling.

This is an incredible testament to a very patient person! Look how precisely each mum is placed.

A crystal gazing ball is the center of this beautiful garden. It's a close up of the picture right above it.

This is an example of beautiful mums, simply potted and placed in the perfect "container."

Our Natural/Organic Lawn Care Program

We've been offering an organic lawn care program for over 12 years now. Only the weed controls aren't natural. We haven't figured out how to eradicate nutsedge and broadleaf weeds with organic products...yet!

Jamie is carefully treating the weeds in this lawn. We are EXTREMELY cautious when we use chemicals to eradicate weeds.

Wind, rain and heat are all factors as we spray. If in doubt, we stop and return the next day.

Fall is actually the very best time for lawn care treatment.

When we install grass seed in the fall, grass will continue to develop for 2-3 months before cold weather sets in and it becomes dormant. Then, next spring, young plants will continue to grow before the summer heat begins.

Another reason we install grass seed in the fall is because rain and moisture levels are generally better in the fall. I use a blend of several different grass seeds, which work well here in the mid-Atlantic region.

The piece of equipment attached to this tractor is called a slicer-seeder. It aerates while delivering the seed under the ground's surface.

We complete a lot of steps to ensure that our grass seed germinates. One of the best and most important of our basic cultural practices is aeration.

Aeration is the process of perforating the soil with small holes. We usually perform core aeration which removes plugs of soil from the lawn and deposits them on the surface.

These "plugs" generally biodegrade in a week or two and return to the soil.

This process allows air, water and fertilizer to penetrate the lawn's surface and get to the grass' roots. This enables the seed to grown more vigorously.

We're using a smaller piece of equipment to core aerate this lawn by hand. It gives the appearance of having been "plowed."

This cut-away graphic shows the benefits of aeration. You can see how the "plugs" are removed from the ground.

Aeration also improves soil compaction. Compaction may cause poor drainage which will adversely affect grass growth. Additionally, aeration reduces the possibility of thatch becoming an issue.

All lawn evaluations are free. Our 80% natural and organic program has a proven track record in this area for over twelve years. And, we offer our program for just about the same cost as a traditional chemically based program.

I'm committed to preserving the health of the Chesapeake Bay and all the waterways in Maryland. I can actually help the environment by reducing the amount of nitrogen based fertilizer I use in my lawn care program.

Consider allowing me to explain my program and how I may be able to help you achieve a lush green lawn...organically.

(And there's a $25.00 off coupon for aeration below!)