by Stephen Gent, Owner
McDade’s Nursery
Stephen has 14+ years of experience in horticulture as Publisher and Marketing Director for Nursery Management and Production, Greenhouse Management and Production and Garden Center magazine.
An avid gardener with a lifelong passion for plants, he enjoys sharing his knowledge and experience with customers.
It’s Big. It’s Back. It’s Better than Ever!
It’s the 3rd Annual McDade’s $1,000 Extreme Garden Makeover Drawing. Transform your landscape into a garden paradise. One lucky McDade’s customer will win the $1,000 professionally installed garden makeover.
The drawing starts June 1st and ends June 30th. For every $20 purchased in June, your name is placed into the Makeover drawing. A $40 purchase receives 2 entries and so on – there’s no limit to the number of entries!
The $1,000 Prize includes:
$500 Shopping Spree at McDade’s Nursery
$250 Professional Landscape Installation
$250 Nature’s Guide Organic Products
Previous winners include Dave Davis, 2010 and Joanie Bechard, 2011.
The winner will be announced at the close of business June 30th.
The event is sponsored by Nature’s Guide.
June Gardening Tips
As summer temperatures start to rise, it’s important to monitor what’s happening in your garden. Here are important tips for the month of June.
If you fertilized your lawn in February or March of this year, now is the time to give it a second boost. Horticultural experts agree a spring, summer and fall fertilization schedule is the best and most effective treatment for lawns. Applying in June, gives your grass the nutrients it requires to withstand the higher temperatures we’ll see in July and August. We highly recommend using a balance 16-4-12 fertilizer formulated for the Cedar Creek Lake area.
Likewise, applying a pre-emergent on your lawn in June will help prevent unwanted weeds, especially those annoying grass burrs (sandburs). A pre-emergent prevents weed seeds from germinating. Corn gluten acts as an effective organic pre-emergent without harm to animals or children.
Remember to move the cutting height of your lawn mower up a notch. Having a taller, thicker lawn will require less watering and will keep the grass looking greener.
Watering the garden everyday causes plants to develop shallow root systems. A watering schedule of 2 – 3 times a week for longer durations is recommended as it encourages roots to grow deep. It’s also best to water early morning rather than during the heat of the day or in the evening.
During June, we see a dramatic increase in the number of pests in the garden along with different types of fungus. Be on the lookout for insect damage that can quickly destroy vegetable and flower beds. Act quickly by using an approved insecticide to prevent spread and further damage. Fungus can show up in your lawn (especially St. Augustine), on shrubs (like roses), fruit trees and in the vegetable garden.
Lastly, help protect plants and conserve water by applying a fresh layer of mulch. Mulch keeps the soil temperature cooler, keeps out weeds and retains water below the soil line. Cedar mulch is especially effective as it repels insects.
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