Tips & Tricks
Easter
- Want to keep your tulip, hyacinth, and daffodil bulbs for next year? Let the plant die back entirely, cut the dead growth off, and keep the bulb in a brown paper bag in a cool, dry spot. Plant the bulbs in the Fall. As long as a squirrel doesn’t move the bulbs on you, there will be fresh blooms in the spring!
Spring
- Annuals, Perennials, and Vegetables should not be planted until nighttime temperatures are consistently 50 degrees or warmer at night. Plants exposed to temperatures below 50 degrees are susceptible to cold damage. Cold damage can cause delayed growth or cause the plant to not survive.
- It is best to water early in the day. Watering in the late afternoon can cause the plants to stay damp for too long and overnight. This can cause mildew over the plants.
- Fertilization is key. Adding fertilizer every ten to fourteen days helps give those plants the boost they need in the summer months. A good all-purpose fertilizer will help the plant bloom, keep its green color, and help those roots grow strong and deep. We recommend Jack’s All-Purpose Fertilizer.
Veggies
- Did you know: Picking early buds on Peppers and Tomatoes can lead to fuller, larger plants with more produce.
Perennials
- While Spring is a good planting season for perennials, it is best to remember that perennials are tender their first year. Most perennials are greenhouse grown and are not yet acclimated to the colder weather. First year perennials typically also require more water their first summer as they do not yet have a large root system.
- Did you Know: Hardy has become a flexible word. It used to be another word to describe a perennial. Now, hardy refers to any plant that is able to handle cooler weather or has a chance of growing back year after year without being an official perennial.
House Plants & Succulents
- The key to any indoor plant is to not overwater the plant. Being inside, these plants do not go through as much water as an outdoor annual or vegetable. Succulents especially prefer to be on the drier side.
Tropicals
- The majority of these plants are brought up from Florida, and therefore come with some Florida temperament. They prefer sunny, warmer weather. Tropicals can be wintered over indoors, they just may go through a shock of moving indoors and outdoors. This should be done before the cool weather of Fall starts. It is also important to note that tropical plants are notorious bug attractors. It is very common to find aphids and thrips on Hibiscus. Be sure to take preventative measures throughout the entire Summer and Fall season to ensure your plant stays healthy.
Soil & Mulch
- It’s best to freshen your soil from year to year. Porch Pots and Hanging Baskets should be emptied of all soil and refilled with fresh Potting Soil. This allows for a strong root system. We recommend our Custom Hessell’s Blend Potting Soil.
Hanging Baskets
- Hot summer days can lead to the need for multiple waterings per day for smaller pots like Hanging Baskets. Just be sure to never water in late afternoon or the evening. Morning is always best.
Porch Pots
- Planting up your own pot? Choose a pot with drainage holes for best results! If there is not proper drainage, water may sit in the bottom of the pot and drown the roots.
Fall
- Fall Mums bloom for about 5-6 weeks. They can be planted in the ground, but are not true perennials. Putting mulch and leaves around the base of the mum may help it come back in the Spring.
- Flowering Cabbage and Kale planted at this time loves the cooler weather. The cooler it gets, the more of a color change will happen in the center of the plant.
Christmas
- Want your Poinsettia to rebloom the following year? It will need equal parts sun and shade beginning the end of August. It needs full indoor sun for 12 hours and full shade for the opposite 12 hours.
- Need the cut greens to last longer? Use a spray bottle of water to spritz the branches every few days.