|
|
|
|
|
|
Attracting the Right Bugs to Your Garden
|
|
|
Bugs are an important factor in the success of your garden. They provide easy pollination for your plants, and attracting the right ones will help your plants thrive. Everyone should have milkweed in the garden for monarchs, but did you know that there are 3 different types to choose from based on hot dry sunny areas or wet sunny areas?
Other plants to select for your gardens are native grasses, herbs and pussy willows which are necessary for many caterpillars.
|
|
|
|
|
Swallowtail butterfly larvae on the fennel at Broccolo’s garden.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Cecropia moth lays eggs on pussy willows, and so does the Viceroy which is a Monarch look alike.
|
|
|
|
|
Switch grass is host to various Skippers and a beautiful addition to native gardens.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A customer asked us to identify this leaf damage. It is caused by a very common insect nymph called the 4-lined plant bug. Although unsightly, it rarely affects the overall health. They are gone now until the next season!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- Mow at the right height- 3” or higher- or stop mowing at all!
- Sharpen your mower blades for a clean cut.
- Water properly or be accepting of summer dormancy.
- Leave clippings after mowing to keep nutrients and moisture
- Do you have a dog? You will notice the lawn browned out in spots, try watering to flush and dilute.
- Don’t park on your grass!
- Do not fertilize now unless you are watering heavily or have an irrigation system
|
|
|
|
|
|
Here is a photo of Laurie Broccolo’s lawn-
she chooses not to water and her lawn is in summer dormancy.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This was a brutal job turning compacted clay into a garden with compost but these guys just pushed through it with rototillers and pick axes.
Bottom photo: from left to right Justin, Josh and Javaun (nickname is Smurf).
The client said Smurf’s team earned 5 stars for an A+ job.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Print Making — Make Your Own Botanical Stamp
|
|
|
July, 9th,
2022
Make a lasting print block you can use over and over to stamp your own designs. Jess shows you how and all materials are provided.
Cost: $25
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We are scheduling our summer pruning service now! This is the time to tame all of that new growth and restore shape and structure to your ornamental plants. Remember, hand pruning is best to keep a natural and healthy shrub. If you are going to use shears, it is best to also go in after you shape and ‘poke holes’ to let sunlight and air penetrate.
Many people will shear to shape in the summer and then schedule a renovation pruning in the winter to correct the damaging cuts shears can make.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This is an example of what can happen after years and years of shearing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Here is Smurf pruning in
winter months when shrubs are dormant.
|
|
|
|
|
