Glenns Garden Landscape Services

May Pond Cleaning Deadline

admin — Tue, 06 May 2008 08:49:47 +0000

May is usually very busy for us when it comes to pond cleaning. We try to get all of Our Ponds cleaned by the last week of May. There are certain reasons for this. Generally the water is cooler and we do not destroy the beneficial bacteria When the water starts to warm beneficial bacteria start to multiply. Early in the season is best as the water is still cool, the fish are still dormant, and your pond bacteria are still inactive. If we cleaned the pond when it gets warmer outside, we could kill most of the beneficial bacteria in your water garden slowing down the biological process. While a lot of companies come in and power wash we use regular garden house to wash slime and sediment from your pond to help preserve the ecological balance.

If you need a spring clean out please hurry and schedule dates are quickly filling up.

Garden Calender Early Spring Tasks

admin — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 15:41:25 +0000

In The Yard

Start winter cleanup of the lawn when the grass is no longer wet and planting beds are dry enough to work in. Rake your lawn to get rid of dead growth, stray leaves, twigs and winter debris and let light and air to the soil level, encouraging the grass to grow.

Re-seed bare or damaged patches of lawn. Scratch up the soil with a rake first. Mix a shovel of soil with a couple of scoops of grass seed and spread in the patch you’re fixing. Rake level and keep well-watered until seeds germinate and the new grass establishes.

Remove tree guards or burlap winter protection from any young trees or shrubs. They don’t allow enough air movement around the base of the trunk and that can promote rot of the bark.
Transplant any existing shrubs you want to move before they begin to leaf out.

Apply dormant oil spray to fruit trees, magnolias, crabapples and shrubs such as euonymus to control scale insects and other overwintering pests. Use this organic pest control method when the buds are swelling but the leaves haven’t opened yet. Apply when temperatures are between 40 and 70 degrees F (4-21 degrees C).

Get your lawn mower checked and blades sharpened if you didn’t get the job done in late winter. Sharp blades cut better and leave your lawn grass healthier.

In The Flower Garden

Don’t be in a rush to remove winter mulch or to cut back evergreen plants such as lavender until temperatures are reliably warm.

Freeze and thaw cycles over the winter may given some of your plants the heave-ho. Replant any perennials that the frost has heaved out of the ground as soon as you can.

Cut back the previous season’s dead plant material. Clean up old perennial foliage from last season . Cut back ornamental grasses.

Remove winter protection of mounded earth from roses. Prune rose bushes before they start to leaf out.

Resist the urge to start digging in your flower beds too early. You can damage the soil’s structure. If you pick up a handful of soil, it should fall apart, not stick together like glue. When it’s dry enough, you can start to dig beds and add compost or manure in preparation for planting.

Getting on top of the weeding now means a lot less work later. Weeds start growing vigorously early, so when you spot them pull out while their roots are still shallow in early spring.

Maintain edges. Grass growth is vigorous in the early spring garden, so edge your flower beds with a sharp trench between them and the grass to keep it in bounds. Repeat this job a couple of times through the season or installing permanent edging goes a long way towards having a lower maintenance flower garden.

Garden Therapy Beats The Couch

admin — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 10:08:59 +0000

There is something very therapeutic about gardening. To get out in the garden and leave your troubles and woes behind is a great stress reliever. If you are looking for an alternative to a high priced therapist I highly recommend gardening. The fresh air and sunshine are like a wonder tonic for a tired worn out stress filled body. Working with your hands will get your mind off your problems as you feel the good clean earth sift through your fingers. Take a cutting and root it. Transplant it an see what a sense of accomplishment you feel as you watch it grow and prosper in your garden..

The nice thing about a garden is that it is something that you create. It is something for you to enjoy. What ever you do it is a product of your work effort and thoughts that make it come together. There is something very calming about looking around your garden and just enjoying the fruits of the effort you have put out. Even that act of pulling weeds can bring satisfaction as you see the space all clean and neat as well as orderly. The exercise from pulling the weeds is good for you to and will make you feel better also.

You don’t need a 1/2 acre to have a garden a few pots of plants an a patio can be a garden. One of my grandmothers favorite gardens was her African Violets that she grew on the window sills in her bedroom. I think she got more pleasure from them than any of the plantings in her whole yard. You can even grow a vegetable garden in pots in a small patio area. Tomatoes ,peppers ,basil, oregano, thyme, and sage are all great pot plants.

Just the diversion of getting out and enjoying some time outside is reason enough to get a little bit of a garden going. Once you do I think you will be hooked!

Inspiration The Secret Ingredient In Gardening Success

admin — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 08:54:13 +0000

Whether you are trying to excel in sports, business, writing, life or love there is one main ingredient that separates the successful from the mediocre. Inspiration! So it is in Gardening As well!

Inspiration comes from many different things ! When you are in love you may find yourself dressing a little bit better or spending a few extra minutes primping your self before you see that special someone. It seems as if you can not stop thinking of them and go over every detail of your last date or conversation over and over in your mind. You become focused on them and so you spend a lot of effort and time learning about them their likes dislikes goals dreams.

The professional athlete that is at the top the Super Star does not just walk on to the field of play and become superman. Many years of work and commitment go into the molding of a career as a professional athlete. Countless hours even during the off season of practice ,hard work, and conditioning. A desire deep within to excel and succeed to move to the top in there chosen sports.

The successful CEO or top salesman of a company have spent years learning about the world of business and spent countless hours and time well after everyone has gone home for the day driven to get ahead and get it all done right. To see the project come to fruition or make that record breaking sale it is something that comes from inside that keeps them going to meet their goals and succeed.

So it is with Gardening. Those who are inspired seem to excel at garden design and gardening in general. You find some plant or a little corner that seems to be lacking a little something and you start thinking about how to utilize the plant or what could you do to change that little area to make it outstanding to showcase it. You may have to change it several times before you are satisfied and it is just right but when finished you have a deep sense of accomplishment for what you have created. Sometimes this process is quick and easy . Other times it is much more complicated and involves time and effort, it is competing with other things like family, work, social commitments for your time and attention. It may seem as if you will never realize your goal or desire but if you stick to it you will succeed and the accomplishment will be that much better to savor.

I know myself that there are times when I need to step back and really shutout those things that are pushing at me. When ever I have attempted to do something that put pressure on me an inpatient administrator or client. A budget that was too small to accomplish a project then instead of the project being completed with the desired results I have instead been faced with disappointment not pride. Instead of a challenge it became drudgery and did not inspire me to give it my all.

I think that truly great gardening success is dependent on your frame of mind. You must be able to just let your self go. You must feel the fresh sweet moisture of you garden on your fingers. Turn off the butter churn in your brain that keeps interrupting you and your enjoyment of what you are trying to grow. Step back and let your mind wander to those things which inspire you! Maybe it was eating Gelato in Capri, Or the sparkling iridescent water on the boat trip to the Blue Grotto. It could even be a Sunday morning lying in bed for hours not worrying about what is going on outside those 4 walls just enjoying the time alone to think reflect explore.

I do not know what it is that inspires you only you can find that. All I know for certain that once you have found it you will be amazed at the desires it will create in you and how fulfilled you will feel from it. You will have a sense of accomplishment and in general be more happy and positive and others will notice it to. Most of all when you go to your garden it will be easy to get lost for hours on end and when you must leave you will be refreshed ,rejuvenated and renewed!