You don't have to spend all spring and summer weeding your garden beds. Using a pre-emergent before those weeds start to sprout is a good way to keep your garden free of weeds--and your back free of kinks.

Now is a good time to apply a pre-emergent grass and weed prevention product on all of your garden beds. Following the application of the pre-emergent, re-mulching is a good idea. Here is info on some of our popular garden pre-emergent products (one granular and one liquid).

1. Casoron
Casoron granules selectively control annuals, grasses and reseeding perennial weeds around established ornamental trees and shrubs, fruit and nut trees, and some berries. Casoron stays in the top 1/4" of soil and forms a vapor barrier that prevents seeds from germinating. For annual weeds it is recommended to apply the product in early spring before weeds emerge or after removing weeds. For perennial weeds it is recommend to apply the product in late fall to winter.

Correctly applied, Casoron lasts for the entire season with just one application. Do not apply Casoron to transplant or cutting beds or to newly set transplants, and do not seed or transplant in treated areas for one year. Casoron granules should be used with caution on sloping areas because runoff may result in injury to lawn. Casoron must be watered in after application. Afterward, avoid disturbing soil in the treated area as long as weed control is being maintained.

2. Weed & Grass Preventer with Surflan
Weed & Grass Preventer with Surflan is a liquid, hose-ready product designed to be used in established flowerbeds. Newly planted flowers, trees, and shrubs have to settle in. Wait one to two weeks after planting prior to using this product. It has an orange signal, which can stain a variety of surfaces--so be careful with it.

It does not kill existing weeds but prevents annual and broadleaf weeds from recurring after they have been removed from the bedding areas. The product will last up to four months, with a recommendation that it be applied no more than two times a season. Avoid disturbing the soil in the areas where Weed & Grass Preventer with Surflan is applied. Check the label carefully because this product will harm not only grassy areas but also certain shrubs. Do not apply this product around edible crops.

by Tamara Galbraith

During the winter months, when more plants are indoors, gardeners need to be on the lookout for a couple of tough pests that, once settled in, can be hard to control.

Fungus gnats, the near-microscopic flying insects that feed and breed within damp organic matter in potting soil, can actually be a problem any time of year. These tiny flying pests can spread pathogens, chew on roots and be a general nuisance. Fungus gnats' favorite hangout is the fungus existing in moist, organic soil, so the best way to battle these bugs is by letting your houseplants dry in between waterings. However, some overwintering houseplants--like those lovely amaryllis bulbs many of us were forcing during the holidays--like to remain somewhat moist. So...what to do?

A good drench of an indoor plant pest control product like Bonide Systemic Houseplant Insect Control on the soil is a good start, and a layer of sand on top of the potting soil will also help. The sand helps prevent the fungus gnats from reaching and subsequently laying eggs in the potting soil, but still allows moisture to reach the roots.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, spider mites can become a terrible problem for indoor plants when conditions are too dry, which is often the case during cold days when we have the heat on. If you notice a plant's leaves shriveling and dropping, or webbing in between stems and leaves, you've probably got a spider mite problem.

Again, a good pest control product will help. However, the humidity around the affected plant will need to be addressed to keep mites from returning:
• Keep plants away from the hot blast of furnace output vents.
• Spray sensitive indoor plants with water daily, if possible.
• Move all sensitive plants together and run a humidifier near them to keep air moisture levels high.

By Tamara Galbraith

So, the weekend comes, you've got a Gardening To Do List as long as your arm...and the weather is miserable. Fortunately for gardeners, there's always a side project waiting--or an inside chore that needs doing. Here are ten ways to pass the time if you can't spend it outside gardening:

1. Clean your Tools:
First, use a stiff brush to remove excess dirt, then scrub off rust with steel wool. Spray or wipe on a lubricating oil before storing in a dry area.

2. Clean your pots:
If you're like me, your garage and patio are littered with empty plant pots of varying sizes. Dump the excess dirt into the compost pile, rinse with water (or a mild bleach solution, if you suspect fungal disease was present in the pot), scrub with a stiff brush and allow to air dry. Arrange and stack pots according to size, and store.

3. Tend to your houseplants:
Repot where necessary. Polish large leaved-plants with a soft cloth soaked in a mild solution of water and stale beer. If you want leaves to really shine, use a commercial plant-polishing product. Waxes and oils tend to block plant pores and attract dust, though, so watch out for those.

4. Clean out old gardening products:
Determine which pesticides, fungicides, fertilizers, etc., are ready to be thrown out. (Most will last about two years.) Check with your local solid waste management authority, environmental agency, or health department to find out whether your community has a household hazardous waste collection program or a similar program for getting rid of unwanted, leftover pesticides. Whatever you do, please DON'T pour products--even organic ones--down the sink, into the toilet, or down a sewer or street drain. And don't re-use empty containers--just throw them away.

5. Go through your seeds:
Seeds more than two years old should probably be thrown away. If you're not sure, test their viability by folding a few seeds in a wet paper towel and laying the towel someplace warm for a few days, ensuring it remains damp. If the seeds germinate, they're obviously still ok. The best way to store seeds is in screw-lid jars or in zip-top plastic baggies.

6. Start a scrapbook:
Go through old gardening magazines and cut out favorite pictures, articles, growing tips, etc., then organize them and paste in a scrapbook. This can actually be a winter-long project if you've got stacks and stacks of gardening magazines--as I do.

7. Learn something new:
Interested in trying bonsai but not sure where to start? Want to learn the basics of designing an attractive container arrangement? Get on the Internet and do some searching. There's a world of resources out there.

8. Pamper your orchids:
Got orchids? You should decrease the amount of water given to orchids (and all indoor plants, actually) during the winter months, but before you help them shut down for the season, make sure the sphagnum moss and other rooting medium is still fresh. Roots should be white or green and not brown and soggy. If you're getting root rot, change the moss out and trim off bad roots.

9. Start a garden journal:
Keeping records of what works and what doesn't is invaluable in gardening. Taking pictures of your landscape throughout the seasons is also helpful in determining how to tweak here and there.

10.Visit us:
Hop in the car and come visit us. Treat yourself to some new gardening tools and supplies, or browse around and plan next year's garden. You've worked hard all summer and fall, so you deserve it!

One of the plants that we always look forward to after a long winter is the forsythia. This early blooming plant is a focal point of early spring, heralding the warming months with a brilliant display of golden yellow blooms. Forsythias bloom before they leaf out, and during full bloom the bare stems are completely covered from base to tips. In early spring, they become the focal point of the landscape, then blend in well with other plants when the rich green foliage emerges after blooming.

These deciduous shrubs are native to eastern Asia, where they have been used in Chinese medicine for their antiseptic effect in treating wounds. They are fast growing with dwarf varieties reaching 4-5 ft high and almost as wide, while taller growing varieties can reach 8-10 ft high and half as wide. The plants have great structure with an upright arching growth habit that has a somewhat fountainlike effect.

Forsythias not only look great in the landscape, but their branches also are perfect for flower arrangements, thanks to the uniformity of blooms on the branches. They are frost-hardy and easy to grow in well-drained fertile soil. They grow best in a full sun location, so are often used as a living privacy fence after they have fully leafed out. The taller varieties make great individual specimens in the landscape, and can also be used for erosion control on slopes.

Most people prefer the somewhat wild natural look of forsythias, but they can be shaped with regular pruning. This is best done after they have finished blooming, because they flower on the prior year's growth (pruning either too late or too early interrupts the growth/blooming cycle). But no matter how you shape this hardy plant, it will reward you with years and years of spectacular color every spring!

FREE Annual Pruning Workshop with Dick Post. March 1st, from 10 am until noon.

All deciduous fruit trees need to be pruned at least once a year for good shape and to bear fruit. The time to do major pruning is during the winter. The rule of thumb with pruning deciduous fruit trees is to prune while the trees are dormant, after the leaves have fallen to the ground but before new buds have swelled.

Each type of fruit tree needs to be pruned differently, so it's important to know which kind of tree you're pruning and how to prune it properly. For example, apples bear their fruit on spurs (short stubby branches that appear to have lots of growth buds on them) that bear again and again, sometimes for as long as twenty years. If you whack off all the spurs you'll have no fruit. However, peaches and nectarines bear their fruit on one-year-old wood. By pruning them hard, you encourage new growth to replenish fruiting wood.

The best shape also differs among types. Apple and pear trees, for instance, do best with a central trunk, with shorter branches at the top, longer ones on the bottom. Peaches and plums do best with an open-center shape (kind of like a bowl).

No two trees, even of the same type, can be pruned exactly alike; basic guidelines will apply differently according to the placement of their branches, their age, and their overall vigor. If you're not an expert, follow a pruning manual (one that contains charts) that applies to your climate and type of tree. Or attend our Annual Pruning Workshop with Dick Post, on March 1st at 10:00 am.

When you buy a fruit tree, ask us for the best pruning method to use for that tree. Pruning a young tree properly to start with will save you a lot of time and effort later. Trees that branch lower are easier to spray, cover, and pick the fruit from.

If you are dealing with a large old tree that has been neglected for some time, keep in mind that it may require several years of pruning to bring it back to where it should be.

Your primary goal is to open the tree so that sunlight can penetrate inside of the foliage during the fruiting season and to shorten the taller limbs to bring the fruit production down to a more manageable height. It is safest to call a professional to do the high work and any large branch removal for you. They have the experience and equipment needed.

Remember after pruning deciduous fruit trees to clean up the ground under the tree and follow up immediately with dormant spray.

Perhaps nothing is a greater challenge to home gardeners than creating a deer-resistant landscape. Deer will eat almost anything, especially in the spring when plants are producing lush and tender new growth, and in fall and winter when natural food sources dry up and disappear.

To make matters worse, what deer in one area won't touch, others will devour in a different area. How prolific and available local natural food sources are for deer also plays a role in how often they will venture into neighborhoods. That said, some plants are definitely less "desirable" than other plants.

The key is to "camouflage" your garden by using plants that contain natural chemicals or have characteristics that deter deer from wanting to eat them. You can create a scent barrier by using a variety of strongly aromatic plants, shrubs, and herbs throughout your garden. Deer rely on their sense of smell to determine what is safe or desirable to eat. By using plants with a wide variety of strong odors, you can confuse the deer and they will usually leave the area and go to a landscape where they can clearly identify what they are eating.

Deer are also lazy and will often pass on a garden if the first plants they encounter taste bitter, have tough, coarse, hairy, or prickly foliage--or if they exude a sticky, milky sap when broken. Deer rarely eat these types of plants unless they are desperate. Another natural solution is to use plants that grow fast and can recover quickly from nibble damage.

Young trees can be damaged by deer two different ways: They can eat the foliage up to the browse line (usually no higher than 6' from the ground), plus bucks will often try to polish their antlers on trunks under 3" in diameter. So, we suggest either planting more mature trees or protecting them with a wire cage or scent barrier until the trees mature.

Until you have a chance to get your deer-resistant garden in, there are also non-toxic chemical solutions to deterring deer from your landscape. Some deer repellents work by making plants smell bad. Others use deer predator scents to trick the deer into thinking your garden is unsafe. A third kind of repellent works by making the foliage of your plants taste bad. These repellents can be varied occasionally and should be used until deer associate your yard with bad tastes and smells. (Unfortunately, you may get new deer coming by after the old ones leave, so a better long-term solution is to plant things they don't like.)

Stop by and one of our nursery experts will help you plan the perfect deer-resistant garden, one with plants that you will love--and the deer will hate.

Perhaps the most overlooked area in landscaping is the street berm, the area between the sidewalk and the curb. It is the first thing visitors (or potential buyers) see, yet often it receives the least thought and attention in the garden. Landscaping this area can also be more challenging because of heavy foot traffic, reflective heat from both the street and the sidewalk, unique water needs and city codes.

Many times homeowners opt to just fill these areas in with lawn, but turf in a curb area does little to add any visual appeal, requires weekly maintenance, and also uses a lot of water. With a little planning, grass can be replaced with sturdy ground cover plants or drought tolerant shrubs, and then finished off with decorative mulch or a combination of all.

It's important to use mostly low mounding plants so you don't obscure the view of your home. This also allows small children to be better aware of traffic. Good choices would include 'Crimson Pygmy' or 'William Penn' barberry, 'Tom Thumb' cotoneaster, flower carpet roses (red, white, or pink), germander, juniper, 'Dwarf Cranberry' viburnum, Lydia broom, potentilla, dwarf spirea 'Goldmound' or 'Anthony Waterer' and dwarf weigela.

Too add some texture and interest to the area, consider grassy textured plants such as dwarf Lily of the Nile, daylilies, fortnight lily, 'Lucifer' crocosmia or dwarf blue fescue. If more color is desired, add hardy perennials such as cranesbill, gaura, lamb's ears, lavender, meadow sage and yarrow.

Finish the area with hardy, sun-loving groundcover like 'Colorado Gold' gazania, ornamental strawberry 'Pink Panda' or 'Lipstick', creeping potentilla, or creeping thyme. To help get all of your plants established faster and to give the area a finished look, top-dress with a decorative mulch. This will also help keep the ground moist longer between each watering.

Curb areas don't have to be difficult and they certainly don't have to be boring. Give your curb the attention it deserves and make it the first thing people notice about your home.