Herbal Events at Madison Earth Care
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Getting your best lawn yet starts with investing in the best seed and Fall is the absolute best time to seed or re-seed your lawn. Here at Madison Earth Care we use only the highest quality turf grass mix and organic lawn care products from Jonathan Green.
Jonathan Green has been in business for over six generations and leads the industry in dynamic organic lawn care and superior turf grass seed blends like their Black Beauty Line, which we carry here at the garden center. Black Beauty is known as the most genetically superior grass seed currently on the market today. Black Beauty grass seed exhibits a dark-green color, grows roots up to 4′ deep, has a waxy coating on the leaf to preserve moisture when hot. Black Beauty is endophytic, making it naturally insect resistant. This lush green grass is a reliable grower and will improve even the poorest of lawns.
Read more from Jonathan Green on why Fall is the Absolute Best Time to Seed or Re-Seed you Lawn. Check out our Garden Center for everything that you need to DIY your lawn care this fall or contact our landscape office and let us take care of it for you!
From Jonathan Green | September 2015
Take a look over the fence at your neighbor’s lawn. Take a walk around the block and look at any number of lawns, which ones do you like? Which ones would you like to have? I bet you can find a few lawns that you are jealous of right? What are they doing that you’re not doing? Your lawn doesn’t have to be the neighborhood eyesore. Taking a look at your yard from a neighbor’s perspective will help you pinpoint problem areas to address, and you can make a lot of the improvements yourself.
I speak with homeowners throughout the year who are questioning why they are not able to grow that beautiful lawn they see at other homes in the neighborhood. The problems they present are varied. Here are some examples:
Q: I got a soil test from my local extension service and had a pH about 5…
A: Low pH does not grow lawns.
Q: I am renovating an area and put three inches of top soil down…
A: Great! The new seed will love the new top soil but once the grass roots travel to the poor soil, the grass plant will no longer continue to be healthy. You must be prepared to add soil amendments and/or topsoil to your existing lawn by mixing the new topsoil with the old, going down 5 to 6 inches. We want to encourage the grass to have roots that go as deep as possible to encourage long term growth.
Q: I put grass seed down three weeks ago and want to know where my beautiful lawn is?
Q: I admit I have not done anything to the lawn in years but I put seed down in the spring so where is my lawn?
Q: I just built an addition and the grass got destroyed. I put seed down where the equipment compacted the soil. Why no lawn?
I guess these homeowners have not had an opportunity to read my articles.
Fall is the absolute best time to seed or re-seed your lawn. The hot, dry summer is over and the insects and weeds are less prevalent. Moisture from morning dew keeps the seed bed moist and the less intense sunrays slow the rate of evaporation. The soil temperatures are still warm and the cool rains make it the perfect time to create that beautiful lawn that your neighbors will envy as they look over your fence.
When you are preparing to seed, take a soil test 2 weeks prior to seeding to look for any soil deficiencies. *Remember that here in CT you can have your soil tested for an extremely reasonable rate from the Soil Nutrient Analysis Labratory at UConn. Follow the link for more info. We will also have kits available for purchase in the Garden Center starting next week. ) Low pH does not grow lawns. Most parts of New Jersey tend to be low on the pH soil scale. The most desirable pH range to grow grass effectively is between 6.0 and 6.8. If you take a soil pH test and you are below this level, apply Mag-I-Cal according to the directions on the bag. Buy great grass seed! You wouldn’t buy the cheapest paint to paint your million-dollar home right? Taking the time to buy and use the right seed for your lawn’s needs will result in a healthier, attractive lawn. Black Beauty Ultra is great grass seed!
Prepare the soil either by raking vigorously or rent a seeding machine to relieve compaction and give the grassroots a chance to establish. You wouldn’t just paint the house; you would scrap off old paint, spackle, sand, prime and then paint for best long-term results. Adding any topsoil, Mag-I-Cal, and New-Seeding Fertilizer to the soil prior to applying grass seed is exactly the same concept. Proper preparation will give you the best results. By mixing the new topsoil with the old, going down to 5 or 6 inches, you will encourage the grass roots to go as deep as possible to encourage long term growth. Rake the fertilizer and lime into the top inch of the soil.
After applying grass seed and other soil products, rake over the seed lightly, do not cover it more than ¼ inch, we are not growing corn that needs to be planted deeply in the soil! You can roll the area or gently walk over the seed to press it into the soil. Good seed-to-soil contact is critical to your success. Water if you can, keeping your newly-seeded areas moist for 2 weeks. Watering lightly for 5 to 10 minutes at least once per day, up to 3 times per day, will help your seed establish. If it’s windy and/or still warm, it will dry out more quickly. If the seed dries out, it will not germinate. However, many lawns are established without any supplemental watering if the seed is in good contact with the soil. After mowing, you may return to a normal watering schedule.
Be sure to do a follow-up fertilizing six to eight weeks later with Winter Survival to help the new grass continue to grow thick and healthy.
The Dreaded Squash Vine Borer & How to Still Enjoy Zucchini All Season Long
This article is a must read for the home gardener. We are sharing it here with permission from the incredible Petra Page-Mann at Fruition Seeds.
And Friends, perhaps you’ve seen these gorgeous moths frolicking in your garden, though I hope you haven’t.
The Squash Vine Borer (Melitta curcurbitae) is a great moth to become familiar with because yes, they’re beautiful. Also, they’re one of the most devastating insects in your garden.
The gorgeous and devastating adult moth of the Squash Vine Borer.
Squash Vine Borers make their home in the base of your squash plants, devouring their soft marrow before killing their host. They’re particularly fond of any Cucurbita pepo plant, which includes all manner of zucchini, summer and pattypan squash in addition to pumpkins, acorn, spaghetti, delicata squash and more.
Thankfully they are not attracted to cucumbers and melons, but most squash, winter squash, and pumpkins can be dramatically affected. I’ve heard and seen horror stories of home gardens decimated by them my entire life. Here’s how to keep them at bay.
Squash Vine Borer Life cycle
Rumi says, love your enemy.
My mother says, know your enemy.
I say you decide 🙂
Either way, understanding the lifecycles of insects and diseases in your garden is key to preventing and managing problems organically in your garden.
On our farm in the Finger Lakes, squash vine borer adults emerge from their underground cocoons in early July. Though they fly, they strongly prefer to stay close to home. Individual eggs are laid at the base of their preferred host plants (Cucurbita pepo and C. maxima, more on that later) and one week later, the larvae ‘bore’ into the stems and proceed with an all-you-can-eat attitude, hollowing out your squash stem in four to six weeks before burying themselves in the soil to emerge as an adult the following year. This lifecycle awareness is the foundation of the organic management strategy. But first!
Squash Vine Borer Damage
If you see wilting leaves on your squash, you likely have squash vine borers. It’s subtle at first, only notable in the heat of the day when you might expect plants to wilt, but soon the plants will die. To see if you have dry plants or infected plants, investigate your stem, right at the base where it meets the soil. If you see holes and/or moist greenish/orange frass (the hilariously technical term for insect poop), you’ve got a squash vine borer. Here is a vine just beginning to show signs of the marauding larvae:
Here is a very dramatic example of damage, unchecked:
And here is squash vine borer devouring a squash stem, just before it climbs out and pupates in the soil and overwinters to return next season:
Squash Vine Borer Management
Squash vine borers are challenging to manage, though far from impossible.
Once the larvae enter your squash, the most proactive approach is to pull affected plants and kill the larvae.
As with so many things, prevention is the best cure.
Here are the four best ways to outsmart the squash vine borer:
1) Catch the adult moth! They’re pretty easy to see: They’re an inch long, gorgeous and nothing else looks quite like them. You’ll often hear their buzzing wings before you turn your head to see them, as well. If you’re a Jedi, swap them between your palms. Otherwise, know they are attracted to the color yellow (like the flowers of the host plants…!) and if you fill a yellow beach pail with water, they’ll often drown themselves.
Bija, a member of Fruition’s Flourish Garden Club, snapped this shot of the adult Squash Vine Borer in action.
2) Catch the grub! Once you see that dramatic damage at the base of your squash plant, dive in and dig around for the fat white-ish grub who is devouring the marrow. It grows every day, finally pupating at about two inches long. If you don’t find it, burn the whole plant. I know it’s dramatic. But you really don’t want to let them live to plague you more and more. Sigh.
3) Starve them out! How? Grow varieties whose genus species are Curcurbita moschata rather than pepo or maxima. Varieties of moschata have dense stems the borers can’t ‘bore’ into, while pepo and maxima are succulent and sappy, easy for the larvae to bore into.
The bad news: Classic zucchini, summer squash, patty pans as well as pumpkins, acorn, delicata, spaghetti, and buttercup are not moschata.
The good news: You’ve still got options! Butternut, long island cheese (our variety ‘Gouda,’ developed by Michael Mazourek at Cornell, is an awesome refinement of long island cheese-style pumpkins) and tromboncino squash are all moschatas. Our favorite moschata of all time is Honeynut (below), Cornell’s super small and super sweet butternut with a built-in ripeness indicator, making it easy to know when to harvest.
More good news: You can eat winter squash as summer squash. (Young tromboncinos especially are excellent green on the grill.) Even if you have a significant population of squash vine borers, after three years of being ‘starved’ out of your garden they will move on.
Only squash of Cucurbita moschata, like Cornell’s Honeynut, have vines dense enough to starve and dissuade the Squash Vine Borer.
4) Plant Late! Late sowings of summer squash in early July will mature after adult borers have laid their eggs, thwarting their lifecycle.
Organic gardening focuses on comprehensive soil and plant health as well as preventive measures, so we’re addressing root causes and not dependent on band-aids. With these four keys, it’s easy to prevent squash vine borer populations from building over the years as well as reduce them once they’ve become a serious issue.
You’ll also find Squash Bugs adorning your plants, often by the hundreds. And then thousands. You’ll find more of their story, lifecycle, damage, and management here.
Sow Seeds & Sing Songs,
Who knew Latin names would actually make your life more abundant?!
Perennial Flowers Bloom Guide
Our perennial flower calendar helps you plan a garden that has blooms from spring to fall.
By Justin Hancock
A succession of blooms is key to creating a stunning perennial garden. This guide from Justin Hancock at Costa Farms is a great resource to keep blooms in your garden through out the season. We’ve starred (*) the plants below that we currently have in stock at the garden center. Feel free to contact us with any availability and plant compatibility questions. We are happy to help you find the best plant for your garden!
I love perennials because they come back every year: Plant them once and enjoy them for years! This makes perennial plants a great value, but it also means you have to plan your garden if you want them blooming in spring, summer, and fall. While annuals bloom for months, most perennials bloom for weeks.
But never fear! Use this perennial bloom guide to pick varieties that you like — and that work for your yard — so you can enjoy beautiful flowers from first thing in spring, through the heat of the summer, and giving your landscape a strong fall finish.
Armeria Bloom Time: Mid-Spring, Late Spring Light: Full Sun or Part Shade Water: Tolerates Drought Zones 4-8 Groundcover; Tolerates Salt Perfect partner: Dianthus |
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Asiatic Lily (Lilium) * Bloom Time: Midsummer Light: Full Sun Water: Keep Soil Moist Zones 4-8 Good Cut Flower Perfect partner: Yarrow |
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Aster * Bloom Time: Late Summer, Fall Light: Full Sun Water: Tolerates Drought Zones 5-10 Attracts Butterflies, Good Cut Flower Perfect partner: Switch grass |
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Astilbe * Bloom Time: Late Spring, Summer Light: Shade or Part shade Water: Keep Soil Moist Zones 4-9 Good Cut Flower Perfect partner: Hydrangea |
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Balloon Flower (Platycodon) * Bloom Time: Midsummer, Late Summer Light: Full Sun Water: Keep Soil Moist Zones 3-8 Easy to Grow; Blooms Profusely Perfect partner: Daylily |
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Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia) * Bloom Time: Late Summer, Early Autumn Light: Full Sun Water: Tolerates Drought Zones 3-7 Attracts Butterflies, Blooms Profusely Perfect partner: Russian sage |
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Blanketflower (Gaillardia) * Bloom Time: Late Spring, Summer, Autumn Light: Full Sun Water: Tolerates Drought Zones 3-9 Attracts Butterflies, Easy to Grow, Flowers Profusely Perfect partner: Pincushion flower |
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Bleeding Heart (Dicentra) * Bloom Time: Spring Light: Shade or Part Shade Water: Keep Soil Moist Zones 3-8 Easy to Grow Perfect partner: Hosta |
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Butterfly Bush (Buddleia) * Bloom Time: Summer, Autumn Light: Sun Water: Tolerates Drought Zones 5-10 Attracts Butterflies, Easy to Grow, Fragrant Flowers Perfect partner: Bee balm |
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Candytuft (Iberis) Bloom Time: Early Spring, Mid-Spring Light: Full Sun Water: Tolerates Drought Zones 3-8 Blooms Profusely Perfect partner: Creeping phlox |
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Clematis * Bloom Time: Late Spring, Summer, Early Autumn Light: Full Sun Water: Tolerates Drought Zones 3-8 Vine Perfect partner: Baptisia |
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Coneflower (Echinacea) * Bloom Time: Summer, Early Autumn Light: Full Sun Water: Tolerates Drought Zones 3-8 Attracts Butterflies, Good Cut Flower Perfect partner: Lavender |
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Coral bells (Heuchera) * Foliage Appeal: Spring, Summer, Autumn Light: Shade to Part Shade Water: Keep Soil Moist Zones 4-8 Easy to Grow Perfect partner: Ajuga |
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Coreopsis * Bloom Time: Summer, Early Autumn Light: Full Sun Water: Tolerates Drought Zones 3-8 Attracts Butterflies, Tolerates Drought Perfect partner: Blue fescue |
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Creeping Phlox Bloom Time: Spring Light: Full Sun or Part Shade Water: Tolerates Drought Zones 3-9 Groundcover Perfect partner: Spring bulbs |
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Daisy (Leucanthemum) * Bloom Time: Spring, Summer Light: Sun to Part Shade Water: Keep Soil Moist Zones 5-9 Good Cut Flower Perfect partner: Alstroemeria |
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Daylily (Hemerocallis) * Bloom Time: Summer, Early Autumn Light: Full Sun Water: Tolerates Drought Zones 3-9 Easy to Grow Perfect partner: Feather reed grass |
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Ice plant (Delosperma) Bloom Time: Late Spring, Summer, Autumn Light: Full Sun Water: Tolerates Drought Zones 5-8 Groundcover Perfect partner: Catmint |
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Delphinium * Bloom Time: Early Summer, Midsummer Light: Full Sun or Part Shade Water: Keep Soil Moist Zones 3-8 Good Cut Flower Perfect partner: Yarrow |
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Dianthus Bloom Time: Mid-Spring, Late Spring, Summer, Early Autumn Light: Full Sun Water: Tolerates Drought Zones 3-8 Fragrant Flowers, Easy to Grow Perfect partner: Salvia |
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Foxglove (Digitalis) Bloom Time: Late Spring, Early Summer Light: Full Sun to Part Shade Water: Keep Soil Moist Zones 4-8 Attracts Hummingbirds Perfect partner: Baptisia |
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Gaura * Bloom Time: Late Spring, Summer Light: Full Sun Water: Tolerates Drought Zones 5-8 Easy to Grow, Flowers Profusely Perfect partner: Gaura |
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Iris * Bloom Time: Late Spring Light: Full Sun Water: Tolerates Drought Zones 3-9 Easy to Grow, Fragrant Flowers Perfect partner: Peony |
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Irish Moss (Sagina) Foliage Appeal: Spring, Summer, Autumn Light: Shade to Part Shade Water: Keep Soil Moist Zones 6-8 Blooms Profusely Perfect partner: Hosta |
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Isotoma Bloom Time: Late Spring, Summer Light: Full Sun Water: Tolerates Drought Zones 6-9 Easy to Grow Perfect partner: Blue-eyed grass |
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Ivy (Hedera) Foliage Appeal: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter Light: Shade to Part Shade Water: Tolerates Drought Zones 5-9 Easy to Grow, Groundcover |
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Lavender (Lavandula) * Bloom Time: Midsummer, Late Summer, Early Autumn Light: Full Sun Water: Tolerates Drought Zones 5-8 Attracts Butterflies, Easy to Grow, Fragrant Flowers Perfect partner: Shrub roses |
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Lithodora * Bloom Time: Late Spring, Early Summer Light: Sun to Part Shade Water: Keep Soil Moist Zones 6-10 Tolerates Drought Perfect partner: Lavender |
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Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon) Foliage Appeal: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter Light: Shade to Part Shade Water: Tolerates Drought Zones 7-10 Groundcover Perfect partner: Hosta |
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Oriental Lily (Lilium) * Bloom Time: Late Summer Light: Full Sun Water: Keep Soil Moist Zones 5-8 Fragrant Flowers, Good Cut Flower Perfect partner: Lamb’s ear |
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Penstemon Bloom Time: Late Spring, Summer Light: Full Sun Water: Tolerates Drought Zones 3-8 Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Hummingbirds, Easy to Grow Perfect partner: Red hot poker |
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Peony (Paeonia) Bloom Time: Late Spring Light: Full Sun Water: Tolerates Drought Zones 3-8 Easy to Grow, Good Cut Flower Perfect partner: Iris |
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Phlox * Bloom Time: Midsummer, Late Summer, Early Autumn Light: Full Sun Water: Keep Soil Moist Zones 3-8 Fragrant Flower, Good Cut Flower Perfect partner: Coneflower |
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Primrose (Primula) * Bloom Time: Early Spring Light: Part Shade Water: Keep Soil Moist Zones 5-8 Attracts Butterflies Perfect partner: Heuchera |
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Salvia * Bloom Time: Late Spring, Summer, Early Autumn Light: Full Sun Water: Tolerates Drought Zones 4-10 Attracts Butterflies, Blooms Profusely Perfect partner: Coreopsis |
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Pincushion Flower (Scabiosa) Bloom Time: Mid-Spring, Late Spring, Summer, Early Autumn, Mid-Autumn Light: Full Sun Water: Tolerates Drought Zones 5-9 Attracts Butterflies, Blooms Profusely, Good Cut Flower Perfect partner: Veronica |
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Sedum * Bloom Time: Summer, Early Autumn, Mid-Autumn Light: Full Sun Water: Tolerates Drought Zones 3-10 Groundcover Perfect partner: Artemisia |
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Veronica Bloom Time: Mid-Spring Light: Full Sun to Part Shade Water: Keep Soil Moist Zones 4-8 Groundcover Perfect partner: Gaillardia |