Johnson's Garden Centers Text File document - copyright 2008 PDF file available at http://www.johnsonsgarden.com/tips.html M A Y 2 0 0 8 LAWNS Warm-season lawns (Bermuda, Buffalo and Zoysia) can be dethatched and/or mowed short now. This is also the start of seeding time for Bermuda and Buffalo. Use ferti-lome New Lawn Starter when seeding; otherwise feed established warm grasses with ferti-lome South-West Green Maker. If broadleaf weeds are still a problem you can use ferti-lome Weed Free Zone. Weed Free Zone comes in a liquid concentrate, a ready-to-use spray and a granular with fertilizer. Weed Free Zone is rainfast in four hours so you don't need 24 dry hours for it to be effective. Using Hi-Yield Spreader Sticker with the liquid Weed Free Zone will improve distribution and adhesion for a better kill on tough-to-control weeds like clover and violets. For spring-seeded lawns wait until you have mowed the new grass three times before using any weed control. For fescue, where no weed control is needed, feed this last time in the spring with ferti-lome South-West Green Maker then water in. Its formula combines slow and quick release nitrogen with extra iron and sulphur, making it perfect for our area at this time of year. PLANTING AND FERTILIZING Danger of frost is finally past. We can now safely plant all those annuals (vinca, impatiens), shrubs (butterfly bush, crapemyrtle) and vegetables (cucumbers, eggplant, sweet potatoes) that like it hot. You can continue planting most other shrubs, trees and perennials, too. Always use ferti-lome Root Stimulator when planting or transplanting. Use it once or twice on smaller plants and weekly for the first month on trees and shrubs. On bedding plants and vegetables you can substitute ferti-lome Blooming & Rooting as a starter solution. The high phosphorus content (9-59-8) helps plants root out and then produce more flowers and more fruit. In beds you can feed flowers and vegetables with granular ferti-lome Gardener's Special once a month. Its 11-15-11 analysis is a good all-purpose fertilizer for most gardens. Use Blooming & Rooting for the in-between feedings to get the most production or blooms from your plants. MYKE Vegetable Garden and Myke Annual & Perennial can supply additional health insurance for your plants. MYKE is a beneficial fungus which attaches to roots and encourages the development of more small feeder roots. These enable plants to take up nutrients and withstand stress better. CONTAINER GARDENS Growing almost anything--flowers, vegetables, herbs--in pots is becoming more and more popular. You can plant earlier than in the ground as well as control the soil environment. Also, container gardens are mobile--you can move them to the perfect spot for your enjoyment and for the plant's health. There are special steps to take to make sure your potted plants thrive. Start with a well draining potting mix, like ferti-lome potting mix. Do not use garden soil or top soil--it is too heavy for containers. In hanging baskets and smaller pots especially, mix in Soil Moist. Soil Moist polymer crystals will absorb and store water, releasing it as the soil dries out. Containers also need more regular feeding than plants in the ground. Mix ferti-lome Start-N-Grow slow release fertilizer into the soil, then supplement with ferti-lome Blooming & Rooting Water Soluble to maximize blooms. TOMATOES No garden is complete without at least one tomato plant, and there are always new varieties and old standbys to choose from. For best results, rotate where you plant tomatoes each year. This helps prevent disease problems that build up in the soil. If you have to plant in the same area, choose a resistant variety. Tomatoes are coded with letters which refer to disease resistance: V = Verticillium Wilt F = Fusarium Wilt FF = Fusarium Wilt (different strains) N = Nematodes A = Alternaria Leaf Spot T = Tobacco Mosaic The best tomatoes are grown in soil prepared with organic amendments. FoxFarm Happy Frog Soil Amendment would be an excellent choice to add organic matter fortified with earthworm castings and bat guano. Adding a little gypsum at planting will supply calcium to help prevent blossom end rot, or you can spray with ferti-lome Yield Booster to add the needed calcium. Water in all vegetables with ferti-lome Blooming & Rooting. Just using this as a starter solution can increase yields 79%. Continue to use Blooming & Rooting throughout the season to boost flowering and production. PEST CONTROL Ash/Lilac Borer--use Hi-Yield 38 Plus every two weeks in May to June. Saturate the trunks to the ground. Cedar Apple Rust--continue spraying ferti-lome Liquid Systemic Fungicide, ferti-lome Liquid Fungicide or Spectracide Immunox at 7-10 day intervals on susceptible apple, crabapple and hawthorn trees. Euonymus Scale--appears as white flecks on leaves and stems, then the leaves start to yellow. Use Hi-Yield Indoor Outdoor Broad Use Insecticide or PowerForce Multi Purpose Insect Killer in late May to June to control the first generation crawler stage.