Are my old seeds still good?

Are my old seeds still good?

If you have unused vegetable seeds in packets leftover from the last several year.  Are they still good to plant this spring?

Under ideal conditions - dry and dark, with a temperature in the 40 degree F range - some seeds with germinate well for five or more years.  Per Iowa State University's Department of Horticulture:

Onions - One Year

Corn and peppers - Two Years

Beans, carrots, peas - Three Years

Beets, pupkins, squash, tomatoes, watermelon - Four Years

Broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers,

 lettuce, cantaloupes, radishes, spinach - Five Years

http://www.danvillegardens.com/

Danville Gardens
1307 Cleary Ave
Danville IL 61832
217-442-4944
customerservice@danvillegardens.com

Put a HIPPO in Your Garden!

Put a HIPPO in Your Garden!

When pest insects attack crops, many plants release chemicals that signal to beneficial insect that lunch is nearby.  One of the more common HIPPOs - Herbivore Induced Plat Protection Odors - is Methyl salicylate, aka oil of wintergreen.  Numerous studies have confirmed that oil of wintergreen attracts a variety of beneficial insects, including ladybugs, lace wings, minute pirate bugs and aphid eating hover flies.  Although available commercially, a DIY approach would be soaking cotton balls in the oil of wintergreen and placing them in the garden inside an empty cottage cheese container with perforated lid. 

http://www.danvillegardens.com/

Danville Gardens
1307 Cleary Ave
Danville IL 61832
217-442-4944
customerservice@danvillegardens.com

Why should I use Mulch?

Why should I use Mulch?

Mulching is used primarily to prevent weed growth and retain moisture.  It also can add to nice manicured fresh look.

 Mulching is mostly known to be put around trees and shrubs, but also adds a lot to perennials, annuals and even vegetables.  Mulching is usually in a wood/bark form but with vegetables grass clippings, leaves and even paper can be used.

Here at Danville Garden we sell a composted hard wood bark that we call Less Care.  This mulch is all natural, brown color and breaks down over the year.  It can be worked in to the soil the next year.  It looks nice, adding moisture retention and nutrients to the soil. 

We sell Less Care in bulk by the yard.  You may pick it up or we can deliver.  Please call 217-442-4944 for pricing.

We also sell Top Soil and Compost in bulk.

http://www.danvillegardens.com/

Danville Gardens
1307 Cleary Ave
Danville IL 61832
217-442-4944
customerservice@danvillegardens.com

How far and when do I cut down my perennial grasses?

How far and when do I cut down my perennial grasses?

Grasses do not need to be cut down before winter.  They add great interest and texture to the winter garden, plus the foliage helps insulate the crown of the plant. 

In the spring before growth begins, cut back the foliage to about 4-6 inches (late February to early March is a good time for this area).  When foliage is removed, spring growth will begin earlier.  Old foliage left on the plant can delay the crown’s warming and will delay the new growth from emerging.  If old foliage is left on too long it becomes more difficult to remove without damaging the new growth. 

Ornamental grasses are a beautiful addition to any garden, adding height, visual interest and movement.  They are easy to grow and require little maintenance.

http://www.danvillegardens.com/

Danville Gardens
1307 Cleary Ave
Danville IL 61832
217-442-4944
customerservice@danvillegardens.com

How and when do I cut my butterfly bush?

How and when do I cut my butterfly bush?

Leave old growth on the plant over the winter.  Cover the ground at the base of the plant with at least 3-4 inches of organic mulch.  The branches of the butterfly bush normally die back to the ground and new growth will emerge from the base of the plant in the spring.  We are in a marginal zone for butterfly bush and some years it is possible for the plant branches to survive a mild winter, I always leave the old growth on to see if any new growth begins to come back at the base of the plant and there is no evidence of new growth on the last years branches, the old branches should be cut back to ground level.

Deadheading the plant throughout the blooming season will encourage new blooms to appear.  Trim back the blooms to the top of the leaflet right below the dead bloom.

Butterfly bush is a beautiful addition to the garden.  It will provide continuous blooms from early summer through the fall with butterflies frequently visiting the plant.

http://www.danvillegardens.com/

Danville Gardens
1307 Cleary Ave
Danville IL 61832
217-442-4944
customerservice@danvillegardens.com

How and when do I prune my hydrangea?

How and when do I prune my hydrangea?

Endless Summer Hydrangea

Endless Summer Hydrangea should not be pruned the first year.  This will give the plant time to get established.  After the first year you can remove up to 1/3 of the old stems from the plant.  Remove the stems in the fall, after the leaves have dropped.  This makes it easier to shape the plant.  Mulch at the base of plant to prevent winter damage.

Big Leaf and Oak Leaf Hydrangea

These varieties bloom on old wood.  To determine if your hydrangea blooms on old wood, think about when it flowers.  If it blooms in early summer and finishes blooming by mid-summer, it blooms on old wood. 

These shrubs form next year’s blooms in late summer or early fall.  To make sure they bloom next season, prune just as the flowers begin to fade.  The earlier you prune after bloom, the quicker the shrub will recover, producing more and larger blooms for the next season.

http://www.danvillegardens.com/

Danville Gardens
1307 Cleary Ave
Danville IL 61832
217-442-4944
customerservice@danvillegardens.com

How do I prune a knock out rose?

How do I prune a knock out rose?

Prune your knock out rose in the early spring when you start to see new shoots growing from the canes.  Determining how far back to prune the bush depends on how high you want your knockout rose to finish the season.  Your rose bush will usually triple in size during the growing season.  For example:  if you want your rose bush to be 3 feet high at the end of the season, cut it back to about 1 foot high in the spring.

http://www.danvillegardens.com/

Danville Gardens
1307 Cleary Ave
Danville IL 61832
217-442-4944
customerservice@danvillegardens.com