As the growing season begins, there are several keys to success in gardening and lawn care to have an easier and more beautiful year! Starting off now with the right products and the right preparation will make a huge difference. Lawns -Apply a preemergence herbicide in February. Applying either Barricade or Dimension will give 3-month protection from most broadleaf and grassy weed seeds from germinating and ever-growing into weeds! The biggest benefit of a preemergence is preventing grassy weeds like Crabgrass, Dallisgrass, and Goosegrass. In St., Augustine lawns killing off those weeds without killing the St. Augustine is almost impossible, but prevention is safe and easy. -Apply a quick release 15-5-10 fertilizer. Products like our own Southwest Lawn Special 15-5-10 help boost the grass out of dormancy. Apply these fertilizers in the second half of February. Aside from getting the greening up the lawn and stimulating growth, the quick boost can even help combat some weeds that are trying to get established. -Compost top-dressing. In March or April, do a gentle topdressing with a Composted Cattle Manure (about 3 bags per 1,000 sq ft) to help feed the soil and strengthen the grass for the summertime. Lawns will better resist the stress of hot dry days. Garden Beds -When building or revitalizing beds this spring, make sure to mix in some Turface MVP and Farm Dirt compost. Turface MVP is a ceramic granule that works like a combination of perlite and vermiculite that will not float away and only breaks down over the course of years! Farm Dirt is a brand new aerated compost that is 100% plant material with the bulk of it made from organic vegetable scraps. Incorporate about 20-25% of each into the soil mix for better water management and better plants. -Plant Caladium bulbs. Our bulbs are fresh off the truck and ready to go. Plant about an inch down from the top of the bulb and spaced every 6 inches. Make sure the soil is well-draining and make sure Strap Leaf bulbs get plenty of water!
