Archive for the ‘Lawn and Garden’ Category
How Can I Prevent Deer Damage?
Monday, November 21st, 2011
We all know deer feed on trees and shrubs, a scary thought when the deer population is increasing and the resulting damage can permanently disfigure your plantings! Even worse, this damage is more likely to occur in the winter when other food supplies are limited. Luckily, there are proven-effective cultural practices and organic repellents for control!
“They must be starving! Maybe if I feed them, they’ll stay away from my plantings.” Sound familiar? As tempting as it may be, do not feed foraging deer. Feeding the deer trains them to think of your yard as a reliable source of food and they won’t stop at handouts, your landscape plantings will become their tasty treat!
Deer-X protective fencing is a more direct method of cultural protection against browsing. Whether used to erect vertical fences (to prevent access) or simply draped over shrubs (to interfere with chewing), this simple, rugged mesh can provide seasons of control!
An application of a deer repellent, such as Liquid Fence or Deer Scram, on and around landscaped areas will also help stop deer from making a winter meal of your trees and shrubs. Because they work by scent, repellents stop damage before any feeding occurs:
Liquid Fence is available as a liquid concentrate and in a ready-to-use spray bottle. Simply apply to plants and their perimeter to discourage foraging by scent. The active ingredients dry odorless to humans and do not need to be rotated with other brands!
Deer Scram is available as a granular formula with no mixing necessary. Simply apply in a 16 inch strip around plants to discourage browsing for up to 100 days!
Always remember that it’s much easier to prevent feeding damage than it is to stop a foraging cycle that has already begun. Call or stop by the Nursery to discuss your cruelty-free options with our knowledgeable staff!
-By Andy Archer Thayer Nursery
Come Get the Blissful Summer Blues!
Friday, July 8th, 2011
We are trying to think “cool” here at the nursery as we transition into the crazy heat, so we have put all of our favorite “blue” flowering perennials on sale this week for you to enjoy.
Are you never sure of which blue or purple is you? Well now is the time to try them all! At 50% Off, you can’t go wrong (until 7/15/11).
Artists and gardeners use blue to show perspective. Blue gives a feeling of distance. It allows us to look beyond and increase our perspective outward. Plants that have blue, violet or lilac flowers are said to be soothing on the eye and hence the soul.
Blue Energy: Blue is considered beneficial to the mind and body. It slows human metabolism thus producing tranquility and calmness. It symbolizes trust, loyalty, confidence & wisdom.
Put some blue in your life when you want:
- calm and relaxation to counteract chaos
- to open the flow of communication
- to broaden your perspective in learning
- solitude and peace
Come visit for the cure of the summertime blues!
planting for the future.
-By Maggie Oldfield Thayer Nursery
Frantic About Fungus?
Friday, July 1st, 2011
Is There A Fungus Among Us?
The roller coaster weather pattern we experienced this spring switched back to prolonged wet and chilly weather last week. While the moisture was needed as soils were quite dry, the constant wetness creates ideal conditions for disease causing organisms. Disease causing organisms are natural inhabitants of the soil and infect grass plants when the environmental conditions are favorable or the plants become weakened by poor growing conditions. The pathogen is favored by warm, humid weather, wet or compacted soil, drought stress, and low mowing heights.
The spores of these parasitic forms of plant life are spread by wind, air, water, animals, people, insects and mowing.
Important steps to manage plant diseases include proper soil preparation, proper selection of grass seed including ones with a natural genetic resistance to diseases, and application of proper cultural practices.
If you have a fungus, spraying now with Dr. Earth Natural & Organic Fungicide effectively combats a broad spectrum of fungal diseases found in your lawn, on your vegetables, flowers & shrubs. Dr. Earth can be used both as a foliar spray for your plants or a soil drench for your lawn & trees.
Once you have sprayed the fungicide, you should then fertilize your lawn & your plants with Fire Belly Bio-Blast to reintroduce beneficial mycorrhizal fungi.
Healthy soils that have the ability to fight off disease causing pathogens increase the chances of plant survival and thus control the pathogens so they will not multiply in great numbers. Beneficial microbes fill up the available spaces in the soil so that pathogens cannot become established and destroy healthy plants.
Most lawns recover with changes in environmental conditions and proper cultural practices. For severe cases due to poor soil, poor grass selection, or excessive thatch, the best solution may be renovation. Please give us a call with any questions or to schedule a courtesy consultation for a lawn renovation.
planting for the future.
-By Maggie Oldfield Thayer Nursery
Fall is the Perfect Time for Seeding
Monday, October 4th, 2010
Fall seeding is a great way to repair damaged areas in your lawn created throughout the summer, or start and establish a new lawn. Actually, fall is a better time for germination and lawn development due to better weather conditions. Not only is the air temperature cooler in the fall, but the soil temperature is actually warmer than it is in the spring. This allows the grass seed to develop into a mature plant much faster.
Once you’ve decided to go do a fall seeding, there are a few things you should do.
1. Test the pH of your soil
Before you begin, it is always a good idea to test your soil pH to make sure it is between 6.0 and 7.5. If your soil reads below 6.0 you will need to add lime to make it more alkaline, and if it reads above 7.5 you can add Espoma® Organic Soil Acidifyer to make it more acidic.
2. Remove any large rocks and roots
This includes any that may be protruding or are just beneath the surface of your soil.
3. Top-dress your soil with compost
Come in and ask us about our AllGrow Compost. For best results the compost should be tilled into the existing soil.
4. Amend the soil
This is the stage where you would add any lime (if needed), peat moss, and starter fertilizer (do not try to spread by hand or mix together in spreader since different rates are needed for each). We recommend using Jonathan Green New Seeding Lawn Fertilizer or Jonathan Green Winter Survival. If you’d like to go organic, we also sell Jonathan Green Organic Lawn Fertilizer! Once you’ve spread your soil amendments with a spreader, use a steal rake to rake them into the top inch of soil.
5. Spread the grass seed
It is important to set your spreader to the correct opening and to spread the seed as evenly as possible. As far as type and amount of seed, we carry an extensive line of Jonathan Green Grass Seed Mixtures that come in many different size bags. Be sure to consult with one of our knowledgeable staff members about which seed is best for your lawn prior to purchasing your seed.
6. Rake in the grass seed
Using a plastic leaf rake, flip it upside down and make short light strokes to make sure that the seed gets turned in slightly but is not redistributed over the soil.
7. Water
This is by far one of the most important factors in the germination of grass seed. Water the entire newly seeded area evenly with a sprinkler once you are done seeding. For the first 10-14 days after, it is best to water two to three times daily for five to ten minutes each time. This ensures that the seed stays moist but is not drenched or washed out.
For seeding over existing lawns, you can follow the same basic steps except where it involves tilling or turning your soil. In its place, it is a good idea to thatch and/or aerate your lawn first before spreading amendments and seed. Following these steps ensures your lawn has the best chances possible to look its best. And of course, if there are any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask us by posting a response, calling our store (617)698-2005, or stopping by!
Thayer Nursery Guarantees Bug-Free Firewood
Monday, September 27th, 2010
Isn’t all firewood the same?
Absolutely not. In fact, even all kiln-dried firewood is not the same and here’s why.
Firewood must be seasoned before you can use it. When wood is first harvested it’s green, with very high moisture content. It doesn’t burn well and it may smoke, or sputter. It also can produce creosote, a black oily accretion that builds up inside chimney flues as a result of wood that doesn’t burn completely. Creosote can clog up your chimney. Seasoning dries the wood.
Kiln-dried firewood has been seasoned by drying in a kiln. With this method, as opposed to leaving the wood out to season in the elements, the firewood is placed in kilns and essentially baked at 200 degrees for three days, which forces the moisture out. The wood is then completely dry. Complete dry wood will burn more cleanly and efficiently.
So, why use Thayer Nursery kiln-dried dried firewood?
- It is guaranteed insect and insect -larvae free
- It is guaranteed disease free
- Thayer firewood is all hardwoods
- The wood is oven dried at 200 degrees for three days so moisture content is less than 25%
- It has been kept completely under cover in a wood barn on a concrete floor for its entire life – all season long
Safe and dry in the Wood Barn
You can trust that Thayer kiln-dried firewood is bug and bug-larvae-free, so it is safe to store it in your garage or basement. You can be sure that each piece will burn clean and longer, cutting down your trips to the wood pile, and you can trust that since it burns completely with very little ash and less creosote build-up, you will have less chimney cleaning to do.
Come up to the Nursery and we’ll take you on a tour of the wood barn. See for yourself how we take care of the wood that will take care of you this winter.