When to fertilize your gardens?

by Dave Christensen on August 12, 2008

It is best to fertilize your garden in the spring when you first see signs of growth.  Getting a good fertilizer that allows a rich addition to your plants is a good start.  Check out Clearwater Nursery for the right fertilizer for your needs.  You can call them at (218) 785-2160  or contact  Jennifer at Jennifer’s Hardware (218) 694-6229 in Bagley, Mn. [click to continue...]

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Mulching your gardens!

by Dave Christensen on August 12, 2008

Now is the time to begin making plans to securing leaf mulch from neighbors or from your own yard.  If you have not used any mulch on your gardens, you may want to consider adding [click to continue...]

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Maintaining your perennial garden appearance!

by Dave Christensen on August 12, 2008

Perennial gardens are a beautiful additions to any yards or home perimeters.  They do require some maintenance to keep your gardens looking beautiful.   As perennials grow, they expand and sometimes attempt to crowd out their neighboring perennial friends.  You can choose to divide them out by cutting [click to continue...]

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August and September is the time to plant for a smashing 2009 perennial garden!

by Dave Christensen on August 12, 2008

August and September is a great time to plant perennials.  Many garden centers have good discounts on full size plants that would otherwise cost your 20-50% more.  As night cools down there is less stress on perennials to establish themselves.  As with trees, a good time to plant a tree is in the fall.  Many perennials that you find in a garden center now are usually almost growing out of their pots. You may be able to divide them now and get two or three plants from one pot for the price of one.   You might also collect seeds from the plant and germinate more plants in the spring.   Look at it this way, you get a full size plant, maybe divide it 1-2-3 times, and collect the seed.  Why not maximize your dollar.?   This is a good time to talk to your neighbors and offer to swap this for that.  Not only do you increase good communication skills with your neighbors but you create a interest level that may enhance other neighbors to create a perennial network.   Some diehard gardeners may have old favorites that are sitting in gardens that are begging to be split.

Garden centers often carry the main line perennials, but the oldie goldies tend to fall by the wayside.  Dare to be different and introduce not so common perennials.  You might just find some eager neighbors wanting to trade their special goldies as well.  I have found  when it comes to talking about flowers in general some one knows something you don’t know.  Be open and learn from them and when the opportunity arises share a blurb of information  with them.

When customers come out to the Garden Center I ask a lot of questions.   Usually the amateur gardener knows something that I don’t know.
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Success is sweet! The secret is sweat!

by Dave Christensen on August 9, 2008

Two years ago this garden center was a thistle field… today it is a paradise.   I have found in life the act of thinking up a good idea is the easiest part.  When you sit down and begin to tackle the project it is easy to give it up, put it back in the box or tell yourself you can’t do it.  Somedays, it appears the mosquitoes are just as excited to accompany you.  I can count on all the hairs on my head (yes I do have hair-lol) the [click to continue...]

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