FALL EDITION - 2008

Rt. 287 Middlebury Center, PA

(570) 376-4411 or 376-2745

Tips for Fall Maintenance in Your Landscape

(September, October, November)

• Fall is a great time to plant many container grown or balled and bur lapped garden center plants.


• Be sure to bring in houseplants that were moved outside before the night temperatures get too cool (below 55 degrees).


• Water indoor plants less frequently and discontinue fertilization until spring; indoor plants slow down or stop growing during the winter season.


• Do not be alarmed if your evergreens drop some of their needles.  This is a natural process of shedding which is gradual rather than all at once like deciduous plants drop their leaves.


• Clean up fallen fruits, twigs and leaves around apple, crabapple and other fruit trees to reduce carrying over diseases and insects.


• Be sure to continue watering, especially newly planted trees and shrubs until the ground freezes.


• Late fall is the time to place the barriers around your trees and shrubs to minimize damage from rodents, rabbits and deer.  Chemical repellents are also available.  Please ask our garden center staff for more details.


• Remove any dead, diseased or damaged branches from trees and shrubs.


• Cut back foliage from dead or diseased perennials.  Do not compost since this can harbor the diseases.


• Divide perennials that are overgrown.  Distribute these in other parts of your yard.  Be sure to share any extras with your friends!


• Cover your garden pond with netting before the leaves start dropping to help keep your pond clean and clear of leaf debris for spring.


• Plant spring flowering bulbs before the ground freezes.

Fall Maintenance in Your Vegetable Garden

• Store any leftover garden seeds in a cool dry place.  Many of them can be used next spring with great success.


• Dig up and re-pot any herbs you have growing outside before the first frost.  Now they can be taken inside for the winter or dried and stored.


• Dig potatoes and allow to air dry for a week or two (not in direct sunlight) and then store in a cool, dark location.


• Harvest all ripe crops before the first frost or cover plants with blankets, sheets or newspaper to protect them from light frosts.


• Remove raspberry canes after they bear fruit, or they will not fruit again the following year.


• Harvest pumpkins and winter squash when rind is hard and fully colored but before frost.  Store in a cool location until ready to use.


• Asparagus top growth should not be removed until foliage turns yellow.  Leave the foliage on until spring to have added insulation from snow. 


• Remove plant debris from the garden to protect next year's planting from insect and disease build-up.


• Amend the soil of the garden by alternating layers of soil, composted and manure or commercial fertilizer.


• Tilling the soil in fall helps to improve the soil structure and usually leads to soils warming up and drying faster in the spring which allows crops to be planted earlier.

Fall Maintenance Tips for Around the Home

• Clean out gutters after the leaves have dropped to prevent any backing up during winter.


• Clean and sharpen any garden tools before storing.


• Drain all garden hoses before storing to prevent freezing and cracking.


• Turn off any outside water spouts that are not frost free.


• Store any chemicals in a warm, dry place to prevent freezing and as always, keep out of the reach of pets and children.


• Be sure to bring in or cover any fountains or containers that will be sensitive to freezing and cracking.


• Don't forget the birds this winter...clean out your bird feeders and fill them up!  The birds will appreciate it!

WINTER STRUCTURE

small structures

     With the fast approach of winter, it is time to decide what is worth keeping for aesthetic reasons.  To cut or not to cut, that is the question...

     A snow-covered landscape can be aesthetically pleasing, but to a gardener, it can be lacking texture and color.  Consider leaving interesting seed heads and grasses through the season to create a striking contrast.  It is simple to find beauty in the delicate pom-pom of bee balm flecked with snow or the rugged texture of false indigo's seed pods.  Wonder through your garden and find what strikes you as unique and will stand alone to make a wintery statement.

     Don't leave out viburnum and holly berries to add the wanted rich color during the lackluster season.  Sparkle berry is another choice for color in wintery times.  The red twig dogwood not only has the desired structures, but it also adds hues to contrast the stark white.  A contorted filbert speaks for itself in winter landscapes with its montage of twisted branches.

evergreens

     It is well known that an evergreen will stand out in the winter landscape - from the lovely green of boxwood and the distinct texture of a holly to the whispy branches of a gold thread cypress.  But, a different stroke on nature's winter canvas is the weeping evergreen.  Graceful pendulous branches allow the viewer the pleasure of observing each tree's distinct characteristic.

weeping hemlock     weeping cypress     weeping white pine     weeping Norway spruce     weeping cedar

deciduous trees

     Weeping deciduous trees in a winter landscape is Mother Nature's pen and ink sketch for all to enjoy.  Visualize every branch's definition, creating a delicate and dappled sun or shade pattern in the landscape.  Weeping cherry, weeping birch, weeping katsura and the curly willow are artistic etchings for a picturesque landscape.

Any of these specimens can be found at Martin's Garden Center.  There's still time for these to stand proud in your landscape.

Martin's Landscape Service

Top quality products with excellent service from design to installation.

The professional difference having experience, skill & knowledge you need for beautiful landscape designs

570-376-4411 or 376-2745.

Call now and make plans for spring and summer of 2009.

"POND" ering POND preparation

• Remove and store the pump.  During the winter months, take the time to examine and clean all connections, tubing and filter.


• Take fish to a tank inside if the pond is less than 3 feet deep (Remember - allow them to acclimate to the new environment).


• Use MICROBE-LIFT as an autumn/winter prep.  It reduces build-up of dead leaves and organic sediment, helps jump-start the pond in the spring and helps maintain a healthy system for over-wintering fish.


• Sink bog plants to the bottom of the pond, after trimming within an inch.


• Ring tropical plants inside.  They can be stored in a tub or baby pool in temperatures as low as 50-60 degrees.


• Cover the pond with netting to capture unwanted material.


• Keep a section clear of ice to allow oxygen flow if fish are being kept outside over the winter.


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Lovely Lawns

Over seeding improves lawns by producing more turf which does not allow room for weeds.  This reduces the need for fertilizer, pesticides and watering during the next season.

Aerating decreases compacting, improves drainage and averts thatching.

Fall is the perfect time for both operations.  Call our maintenance departure to improve your lawn.  570-376-4411 or 376-2745.

We can help with your fall cleanup as well.  Enjoy this colorful season and let us do your landscape's winter preparation.

BEACHCOMBER HOT TUBS

After Christmas, our winter hours will be limited and we are concerned about your hot tub needs.  We recommend stocking up on your chemicals now for the winter recess.  To help with your shopping, the Club-6 card will be honored.  With this card, the 6th chemical will be free. 

Now is the time for a free water analysis to check what chemicals you need to have perfect balance.

THE TOOL SHED

1. You may have tried all the tricks to fend off deer - soap (made with tallow) hung in trees, blood meal, hot pepper spray.  The best temporary solution is Plantskydd.  By applying it in the fall, you fan help deter deer from damaging your plants and trees through the rough times.  Plantskydd will remain on plant material for up to 3 months and does not wash off from rain or snow.  You can find it at Martin's Garden Center.


2. Drive moles from your yard by dumping kitty litter at the entrance to mole tunnels and along its runs.  This should help alleviate the problems caused during the winter months.


3. Bake bird seed at 300 degrees for a few minutes before filling the feeders.  This stops the spring sprouts from beginning when our feathered friends get a little messy.  It won't change the taste, just stop possible germination.

Feel free to contact us through this website or at growit@epix.net