Boxwood tree moths have slowly been making their way toward Southwest Ohio with currently only a few reported cases. This pretty little moth however can lay her eggs on your boxwoods and much like other moths or butterflies, they go through a complete metamorphosis...
When Should I Divide my Perennials?
Dividing perennials encourages new growth, controls the size of the plant, increases the number of plants, and refreshes the plant. Consider dividing them at these times: Daylilies While the plant isn’t flowering, so its energy is focused on regenerating root and leaf...
When can I Bring Plants Back Inside?
If you moved your houseplants outside to enjoy the beautiful spring and summer weather, you might wonder when it’s time to bring them back in. It’s time for houseplants that need winter dormancy and actively grow during it to move back inside once nighttime weather...
What Garden Projects are Great for Kids?
We all want our children to feel connected with nature, develop skills, and discover personal interests and talents. Whether you’re trying to establish healthy routines, get your kids outside, or offer extracurricular alternatives, here are some different activities...
What Could I Plant Midsummer for Fall?
We’re hitting midsummer, which means that fall and winter aren’t too far away! You might think there’s not much you can do in the garden right now, but if you want to have a festive Halloween, it’s the perfect time to start planting. Here are some things to consider...
How do I Protect my Garden During a Heat Wave?
As we delve deeper into a beautiful, hot summer, heat waves are bound to come, and you need to know how best to protect your lovely garden! Here are some tips to help your garden pull through a heat wave: Lawn Sprinkler Staying Hydrated Water in the morning to best...
How do I Keep Garden Pests Away?
You’ve been enjoying the fruits of your labor – literally! – and you want to continue to enjoy them after all the hard work you’ve put into starting and maintaining your garden. But there are garden pests lurking out there, whether you know your foe or not, and we...
What can I do for my Garden in July?
There might not be as much to garden during July, but this is a great opportunity to stop and take care of any chores to maintain a beautiful, healthy yard and garden. Here’s a quick and helpful checklist as you’re touching base with your home’s outdoor needs: Pruning...
How can I Have a Safe Outdoor Fourth of July?
If you’re like many Americans, you’re probably planning on having or attending an outdoor celebration for Independence Day. After curating a stunning garden and delicious foods from your own yard this spring, you’re ready to show off the beauty and liveliness of your...
How do I Control Summer Weeds?
After a great gardening excursion in the springtime, you should be able to relax and enjoy the beautiful and yummy selection you’ve prepared for yourself. But not so fast! There are plenty of summer weeds afoot that you’ll need to be on the lookout for, like...
What Plants Should I Deadhead?
Off with your plants’ heads! Deadheading is when you remove the spent blooms from your plants, allowing your flowers to bloom for a longer period in the season. It’s also nice to remove that dead weight from your plants and let their beauty speak for themselves...
What Could I Plant in June?
Are you a late bloomer who hasn’t gotten into the gardening spirit this year until now with summer just around the corner? No worries, there’s still plenty of plants for you to grow and make a beautiful home! Here are some ideas to plant before you head out for summer...
How do I Encourage Plants to Climb?
At some point, we’ve all seen the beauty of a climbing plant like clematis, ivy, rambling roses, Virginia creepers, and wisteria and thought, ‘Boy, I’d like to do something like that for my home!’ Whether you’re starting your climbing plant journey or struggling to...
What Plant Diseases Should I Look Out For?
As your new plants are off to the races growing, blooming, and producing, some of you may find something about them is off or even unwell. That’s because plants can also get sick and catch diseases that can be benign, treatable, or deadly. Here are some diseases to...
When Should I Water My Plants?
As you’ve most likely been enjoying the fun of buying tons of flowers and plants for your home this spring, it does make you wonder a very important question – when should I water these plants I bought? Though every plant is uniquely individual, we’ve put together a...
What Could I Plant in May?
If you’ve been waiting until the perfect moment to get gardening, wait no more! With consistently warm weather here to stay and plants all around in bloom to purchase, you’re ready to bring home those flowers you’ve had your eye on. Here are some great suggestions to...
How do I Keep Invasive Species Away?
Invasive species are organisms not native to a particular area that disrupt and reduce the biodiversity in the area, and therefore, the way an ecosystem is able to function well in an autonomous manner. These gradually harmful pests can range from creatures like...
What Mulch Should I be Using?
It’s time to plant all those gorgeous flowers, trees, shrubs, and vegetables! But before you start, you need to consider what mulch goes with which plant. Overall there are two types of mulch: organic (mulch made of natural plant and animal products that decompose...
How do I Help Pollinators?
Some might see pollinators as pretty pests, but they’re actually a key part in the circle of life, and it’s up to us to support them! Pollinators are animals like bees, butterflies, moths, hummingbirds, and even bats that transfer pollen from one flower to another so...
What Could I Plant in April?
April is the month when the spring rain and warmth really come in to support your lawn and garden. If you hesitated to plant anything in March because of the unpredictable weather, now’s the time to definitely get to work. Here’s what you can start planting this...
How Should I Clean up my Lawn for Spring?
Before you can enjoy a gorgeous yard, you have a lot of work to do in April! Now’s the time to do some spring cleaning for your lawn and make way for beautiful growth. Here are some tips for cleaning up your lawn this spring: Organic Compost Starter Removing Debris...
When Should I Spray my Fruit Trees?
As spring unfolds, so will your fruit trees—and any unwanted pests! Now’s the time to start planning how to care for your trees throughout their growth. Here are some important stages for when to spray fruit trees: Dormant in the Spring Even though fruit trees have...
How Do I Control Spring Weeds?
Now that spring has started, you’ll want to start the next phase of lawn care so it can grow lush. But before that, you’ll want to take care of any existing or oncoming weeds that might get in your way, like dandelions, crabgrass, hairy bittercress, deadnettle,...
What Could I Plant in March?
It’s that time of year when there’s rain on Monday, heat waves on Wednesday, and snow on Friday. With March weather this fickle, you might be wondering if it’s possible to even garden right now, and the answer is…YES! Here’s what we recommend you start planting this...
When’s the Best Time to Use Fertilome’s 3-Step Lawn Care Program?
Are you looking for a simple way to keep the lawn green and the weeds at bay? Look no further than Fertilome’s 3-Step Lawn Care Program to fight those warm-season grass weeds! All you need is Fertilome’s All Season Fertilizer and Weed Preventer, Fertilome’s Lawn Food...
What Is Rose Rosette Disease: Control Of Rose Rosette And Witches Broom In Rose
By Stan V. GriepAmerican Rose Society Certified Consulting Rosarian – Rocky Mountain District Rose Rosette disease, also known as witches broom in roses, is truly a heartbreaker for the rose loving gardener. There is no known cure for it, thus, once a rose bush...
Ask Mr. Burger – Should I apply lime to my yard in the spring?
Lime can be applied to a lawn or garden any time of year that soil isn't frozen, but it is most often done during spring or fall. The need to lime can be determined by soil tests. Working towards an ideal pH level will help bring the soil into balance and allow...
Ask Mr Burger – My Colorado Blue Spruce tree is all brown in the middle
and losing its needles; what is the problem?
This symptom can be caused by a disease known as “Needle Cast” in spruce trees. Below is a good article on Stigmina And Rhizosphaera Needle Cast In Trees by Jackie Carroll “Have you ever seen a tree, such as spruce, with healthy looking needles at the tips of...
Ask Mr. Burger – I see little red spiders on our sidewalk; what are they and how do I get rid of them?
In late spring to early summer you tend to see these little guys and what you see are most likely Clover mites (Bryobia praetiosa). They are small, reddish mites, about the size of a pin head and usually moving around very quickly. If you would happen to crush one of...
Ask Mr. Burger – Knockout Rose Pruning Tips
Nothing could be easier than pruning Knockout roses as they are a low maintenance rose bush. Most of the roses will respond very well to an annual clean up and pruning, done in early spring just as the bud eye starts to emerge, but before active growth is...
Ask Mr Burger – How To Grow Garlic
Every once in a while we get questions on how to grow garlic. So we’ve attached part of an article written by Nikki Tilley, author of The Bulb-o-licious Garden. How to Grow Garlic Garlic can be grown easily, and again, it is typically grown from cloves, not garlic...
Ask Mr Burger – My dogwood tree leaves have spots on them and are starting to curl; what can I do?
This symptom known as “Dogwood Blight” or “Anthracnose”, is fairly new for Dogwood trees, but can be treated with a fungicide spray like Daconil, if caught early. Mr Burger suggests treating the tree at the first signs of a problem and again four weeks later. Spray...
Ask Mr. Burger – What Is Wrong With My River Birch?
River birch is a tough and adaptable native tree that is also a popular landscape plant. There a three common indicators however that can indicate something wrong is going on with your tree. 1) If you notice some of the leaves on your river birch have become...
Ask Mr. Burger – Can coffee grounds be used in my garden and lawn?
Ask Mr. Burger – Can used coffee grounds be beneficial for my garden or lawn? This question typically comes up this time of year when people are looking for ways to feed their plants more organically and be environmentally friendly. While we can’t say for sure how...
Ask Mr Burger – The deer in my neighborhood seem to be eating everything in sight. What can I plant that the deer won’t eat and how can I keep them out of my garden?
Ask Mr. Burger – The deer in my neighborhood seem to be eating everything in sight. What can I plant that the deer won’t eat and how can I keep them out of my garden? Its easy to get discouraged when you spend good hard earned money and spend precious time to beautify...
Gardening Tips – Mr. Burger, I See Little Red Spiders On My Plants. Are they Harmful?
First of all you need to figure out if the "little red spiders" are clover mites or red spider mites. Clover mites are relatively harmless while red spider mites are a garden pest that you will need to control. Clover Mites In late spring to early summer you tend to...
Gardening Tips – Mr. Burger, I Think My Crape Myrtle Is Dead; How Can I Tell for Sure?
Patience, patience, patience! Crape Myrtles typically are very slow to show signs of being alive and showing new growth in the spring. While Crape Myrtles are hardy for our area; it’s not uncommon for prior year’s growth to be “dead as a doornail” after a hard winter....
Gardening Tips – Mr Burger, What’s Eating My Roses? Is it Rose Slugs?
A common question we get during the springtime and sometimes throughout the year. Customers often say their knockout roses look beautiful and are blooming gorgeously and then all of the sudden the leaves start to turn white or brown. This phenomenon can often be...