When can I begin to plant my spring garden?

Spring has finally arrived in St. Louis, even though the temperatures haven`t stayed warm lately. At least the snow is over, or so we hope. We now just have to work around the rainy month of April--something both plants and a St. Louis gardener loves.   It`s now time to get your shovel and rakes out of the shed and get to work on the spring garden. There are many aspects that go into different spring gardening. From flowers to vegetables, everyone has their own unique garden that they desire.

A good way to start is to clean up all the leaves and twigs that mother nature left behind from the winter months. Cut back ornamentals to get rid of the dead growth, setting the mower to its highest setting makes this process simple rather than being down on all fours. Fertilize and water afterwards to promote new growth.  This is a good time to cut back roses and get rid of the dead wood from the winter. Heavy pruning can also be done with the plant still being dormant, try to never prune the rose bush back more than 18" from the ground. If a winter mulch was in place, remove it now and add organic matter to the soil. A good time to prune back box woods would be to wait after April 15th in the St. Louis Area, this is also the time pre-emergent should be in place to control crabgrass in lawns. 

It may be time to renovate that garden and plant the one you`ve always dreamed of. A lot of nurseries are starting to get there stock in, go out and look for ideas of what to plant. Remember to keep in mind if the growing site is in the shade or gets a lot of sun during the day. Different plants grow in different situations. There is a wide array of plants these days that fits everyone's budget and needs. Try to got down some notes or questions to ask the nursery staff what they suggest. I always suggest going to a garden or nursery and not the local hardware store. They seem to be more informative on what to plant and suggest to your needs. Whatever you decide, do it with a smile on your face and earn your Green Thumb this growing season.

Gutter Cleaning 101

It`s getting to be time for spring again. Old Man Winter probably filled your gutters again with gunk to clog them up. Time to check them and get them clean before the spring rains come around.  This gunk can clog up your downspouts causing the gutters to back up and overflow. This can cause damage to your roof or fascia board when they back up. Over flowing gutters can cause damage to your foundation. Keeping the outer shell of your home flowing freely will help to avoid further problems down the road.


Cleaning gutters is not rocket science and can be accomplished by any D.I.Y. person. When cleaning gutters work from a ladder and not the roof. Leaning over the roof may lead to personal injury if you fall. Use small buckets to collect the debris as you go along, this is also a good way to hold your tools while in the air.  Attached the buckets to your ladder with small hooks to free up your hands.  Never reach over the sides of the ladder. Once the debris is removed, use the hose to flush out the remaining gunk, start at the end opposite of the down spout to wash everything out.  An attachment for the hose to aid in the cleaning can be found at your local home store.  A clean gutter system will give you the peace of mind once the rains arrive. Also a good side note to remember, check the weather before cleaning gutters as dry gunk is better than wet gunk.  

How beneficial is fertilizer to my yard?

Your lawn is a living breathing plant just like any other plant. It needs food, air, & water like everything else. Good sunlight, a regular watering schedule are just a couple of things that can help you have a luscious green yard. Lawns generally get a lot of nutrients from Mother Nature but a good fertilization schedule can be very beneficial just like its good for us to get a daily serving of fruits and vegetables. A general feeding will help your lawn to develop a deeper root system and a thicker density of coverage (filling in more as it develops). These two things can help the lawn survive during the summer heat, and a thicker, denser lawn is a natural defense against those pesky weeds.

The main three ingredients of a lawn fertilizer consists of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (N-P-K). Take a look at the front of a lawn fertilizer bag. The different numbers you see on the front (10-18-32) give you the information of how much of each of these elements are present in the product.  Each of these elements has its own benefit for your lawn. Nitrogen provides the green color and thicker grass blades. Phosphate helps feed the root system.  Potassium helps the roots to develop that deep root system.

There are two forms of fertilizers on the market, liquid and granular each having its own benefits. Liquid fertilizers provide a quick feeding with helps a lawn revitalize itself in days. The downside is that it’s a lot more expensive. Granular fertilizers do take some time to feed but will last longer with a lot of products now having a slow release system.

If any help is needed in developing a fertilizer program for your yard, give us a call. We provide a complete fertilization program to fit everyone's needs.

When to start developing your spring garden.

A lot of things on people’s minds are starting to be warmer weather and getting out of the house. This has been a harsh winter for most of the United States. Cabin fever is starting to set in, if it hasn`t already in our minds. Now would be a great time to start thinking about your spring garden and be prepared when this weather does finally change for the better. You still have some time as most of the ground hogs saw there shadow on Ground Hog Day, which means 6 more weeks of winter. I know a lot of people don`t want to hear this. But as they say, being prepared is better than not having a plan.

You may want to completely renovate that old garden or simply add some news plants to your existing garden. The decision is simply up to you, and having a decision will help when you to prepare your plan of attack. Always keep in mind how much sun hits the area or is it completely shaded during the day. Different plants adapt to different areas to help with this factor. Also doing a soil test will help to steer you in the right path of what to do to your soil for the lushest, greenest plants. You can read more on soil testing on website blog.

If you’re not born with a green thumb but still want a garden, we know a great gardener in St. Louis that can help.

How to keep the enthusiastic gardener busy in the winter.

There are a lot of people that hate to see the gardening season come to an end every year with winter. This is a big hobby among a lot of Americans.  "The exact number of people on planet Earth who garden remains to be exactly calculated, but the increasing interest of gardening, for various reasons, is hard to deny. Poll numbers taken in 2008 show that up to 43 million households reported they planed to grow some type of their own food, and increase pf approx. 19% from the year prior." (Excerpt from ask. com). There are a lot of people who have not looked at the possibility of gardening indoors year round. With a couple of steps and some planning it is possible to keep the most avid gardener busy in the winter months.

Of course there is always planning to do before starting any garden. A couple of things that will be needed are as follows: A good area to lay out your garden which can either be a utility room or a warm basement. Seed trays are a necessity as goes with a good starter soil. An electric heating mat will be useful in helping the seeds germinate if the plants aren`t transplanted from the outdoors. Interior growing lights will help to feed the seeds uv rays after they have sprouted.

After you have laid out your area, its time to plant.  Always check your seed packet recommendations when it is a good time to plant. Starting seeds outside first can always be difficult with how the weather changes before the winter months.  As mentioned before, starting seeds indoors isn`t that hard with a heating mat. A heating mat will give the seed a good start and guarantee germination when the soil remains warm. After the seed has sprouted is a good time to install the growing lights and have them remain on 15-17 hrs a day. A crucial time to monitor the soil moisture comes into play once the lights are starting to be used. The lights do help the plant but in turn can suck the moisture away just like the sun.  A seed tray cover can help to retain moisture in the soil. Daily watering is a good thing to practice with indoor seedlings. The heat mat can be removed at this time once the seeds have sprouted and the lights and watering have been applied.

This a good way to extend you harvest season year round and to always have gardening at your finger tips.


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How to make a compost bin.

Compost is a mixture of different materials that turns into a good soil amendment. This is a good way if you like to garden organically without chemicals.  There are really only 3 key things to remember when starting your own compost bin.  They are simple to maintain and in return makes great harvests for your garden.

First thing is to build a structure to house the compost in. They can be built yourself or pick one up at your local gardening center.  They range from tumblers to simple wire meshing holding them together.  When building a structure, keep in mind how much waste is at your disposal and how fast you need the after product for gardening. Once a structure is decided on, try to place it in a sunny spot in the yard. A warm compost bin will decompose a lot faster than one in a shady area in the yard.

Next, is the key ingredients for a good compost. There are two key factors that consist of brown and green matter. Brown matter can be twigs, dried up leaves, wood chips.  Green matter consists of grass clippings, food waste.  Keep away from things like meat & fish as this can invite in unwanted critters.  Mixing brown and green matter in equal intervals is a good idea to keep a good balance in the compost.

Third thing is just a few rules for housekeeping. Turn the pile over every week or two to make sure there is a good blend of ingredients. Feel the pile after turning it to see how much moisture is at hand. Add a little water if it feels dry to the touch, too much water can turn your pile into a pile of mush though. Add new green and brown matter regularly to keep the feeding bacteria feel at home. The final product should be a dark, matter that looks like soil. This usually tends to take a couple of months depending on the factors as mentioned above.

Lastly,  if you hire a landscaper or lawn service, be sure to let them know you have a compost so they don't dispose of your yard waste which can be a valuable source of ingredients for your compost.

photo credit: USM MS photos via photopin cc

DIY: Paver Installation

Paver installations can be a lot less cheaper than having a concrete pad laid out. Concrete has a more tendency to crack if the base isn`t prepped correctly. Repairing pavers is a lot easier than repairing concrete. Repairs to concrete also can be ugly to the eye. Don`t get me wrong as I still enjoy concrete along with paver patios, walkways, & driveways. Pavers just give a more unique design as you can change the pattern & design when laying them out. A good experience too is to go out and see what nurseries & gardens have to offer for pavers, this will help you get an idea of what you want. This will also help in the planning of the paver installation.

Planning and laying out your design is the first step in paver installation. The decision on where the pavers will go as well as will they fit play into the design. The best way is to measure out the site then do a rough draft on paper. Once this is done, you are ready to lay out your plan. A garden hose or rope can be used to lay out the outline of the design, Then simply mark it with chalk or paint. Try to stay about 8 in. out from the your hose or rope when marking the layout. Also remember if the area needs to slope to help the runoff of excess water. This helps to avoid any damage over a period of time.

Next, it`s time to figure out how many pavers will be needed for the job. The simple way to do this is, measure length times width of the area. This will give you the square feet of the area. Remember to add in 5-10% over that for any tricky curves or extra cuts for the design.  Once you have all that, most landscape material stores can tell you how many pavers are needed for what you desire.  

Now it`s time to do some digging.  There are some things to keep in mind when doing your excavation of the area. Establish the height of your pavers, and do not exceed this. Water always drains down hill, so slope the area away from your home or any buildings. When sloping a large area, a good rule of thumb is go down one inch. for every four to five feet.  Placing stakes around the perimeter helps give you guide lines when digging out the area. You can also use stakes to show you where to slope the area more when needed. Calculate the total depth now of what will be needed for all the material. This is done by adding the thickness of the pavers, with the inches required for your base and sand bedding. You are now ready to dig out the area.  Compact the ground after excavation for the next step. You can rent a compacting machine usually from any tool rental company.

Now comes the time to lay out your base material. A good base consists of crushed stone that can be either limestone or gravel. Make sure there are a various sizes of stones in your base. This helps with the compaction. Try to make sure your base has no moisture in it. Compacting the area will be mush easier than if it was wet. This is known as a dry lay out. Depending on what your sub-base is helps to determine the thickness of your of your base. This is what creates a good foundation for the pavers. Spread out the stones in different phases, compacting each phase as you go. Once all the stone is down go around in a circular pattern with a compacting machine.

Remember to use edge restraints when installing the pavers. This helps to keep your pavers from moving after installation. Now its time to start laying out your pavers in the desired pattern. Once the pavers are laid, spread out your sand and use a push broom to manipulate the sand into the paver cracks. A good sand will help to keep out weeds from the area. The sand will bond after being spread out and moistened down. You can then use a sealing compound to finish up the job.