Oct 14, 2014 | Blog, Flowers, Gardens
The USDA, or the United States Department of Agriculture, provides a Plant Hardiness Zone Map. It is the standard by 
which gardeners and growers determine which plants are most likely to thrive at a certain location. The planting and growing season in Zone 6 ranges from mid-March (after the last frost) through mid-November, which is considerably lengthy. Most of Ohio falls in zone 6; the majority of Northeast Ohio is in Zone 6a. (This means the coldest the area gets is between -5 and -10 degrees Fahrenheit.) So what exactly does that mean to a Northeast Ohio gardener? To get a more accurate breakdown, we recommend you visit the USDA website —http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/ or check out this article which was published shortly after the hardiness zone map was updated by the USDA — http://www.cleveland.com/insideout/index.ssf/2012/02/what_new_hardiness_zone_means.html.
So what perennials are suited for Zone 6? Gardeners and growers need to be aware that the weather in this area can abruptly change, which all of us are accustomed to – it can be 80 degrees and drop to 40 degrees the very next day! Only in Cleveland, right!?! Despite the temperature swings, it’s actually a very favorable environment – a long growing season complimented by generally mild temperatures.
For a through list of flowers, fruits, vegetables, trees and shrubs that thrive in our hardiness zone, please review the information on this site: http://garden.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Gardening_Zone_6. You’ll quickly see that we have an assortment of perennials to choose from, keeping our gardeners and growers busy all year long!
Oct 3, 2014 | Blog, Fall
The late fall fertilizer application should be a priority, and yet most homeowners skip this application. Why is it so 
important? The fall treatment concentrates on root growth and development — key to your lawn not only surviving the winter, but also getting off to a great start in the spring.
Even when the ground is covered in snow, turf roots are active through December. A late fall fertilizer application provides “food” that keeps the grass roots growing thick, storing nutrients for the winter slumber. If your lawn does not have a strong root system, parts of your lawn may not survive the long, cold Cleveland winter. And if this winter is anything like last winter, you need give your yard a fighting chance!
If you are maintaining your own lawn, be sure to read and follow the directions on the bag. Some of them recommend fertilizing twice in the fall — once around Labor Day and another around Halloween. But remember, too much could do your lawn more harm than good, so don’t ignore the manufacturer directions. If you’re contracted with a lawn care provider, make certain to follow through with your late fall applications.
In general, fall is an optimal time to pamper your lawn. If you’re looking for more general lawn care information, here are a few websites to peruse: www.ohioline.osu.edu and www.bygl.osu.edu.
Aug 8, 2014 | Blog, Gardens, Summer
Love a nutritious, fresh salad? Consider growing a salad garden next season. It doesn’t require a lot of space – a small 4′ x 4′ 
or 4′ x 8′ raised bed is plenty of room to grow a great salad garden! In just a few easy steps, you can be on your way to having your own salad garden. Given the fall season is rapidly approaching, you can use the winter months to spend a little time researching and planning for your spring plant.
One of the best things about having a backyard garden is that you have the flexibility of growing what you enjoy eating the most. You can also control exactly how the vegetables are grown; maintaining a strictly organic environment if that is important to you.
Helpful resources in setting up your salad garden design can be found at www.GrowVeg.com. (You can give it a try for a 30-day free trial.) GrowVeg is simple to use and easily creates vegetable garden plans and lists. For example, using the planning tool, you can get all of this in a four foot square salad garden— one cucumber plant, one tomato plant, one bell pepper or other pepper plant, two lettuce plants, two baby spinach plants, one arugula plant, five Radishes, and three onions. That’s quite an assortment of fresh options and enough to provide a good amount of healthy ingredients!
The end result is worth the effort. Sure, you can run to the grocery store to purchase all of the items you need for a dinner salad, but by investing some time and patience, you can grow it all at home for a fraction of the cost.
Jul 31, 2014 | Blog, Gardens
What is companion planting? Scientifically speaking, companion planting encompasses a number of strategies that 
increase the biodiversity of agricultural ecosystems (or, your garden). In simple terms, it’s the idea that certain plants can benefit others when planted in near proximity. Advantages include attracting beneficial insects; repelling pests; deer control; the production of higher and healthier yields; and providing nutrients, shade, or support for surrounding vegetation. This method of planting employs an organic gardening strategy. The goal is to achieve a balance in the garden to avoid the use of chemicals for pest or disease control.
We looked to the Farmers’ Almanac for some simple starter companion planting suggestions:
• Beans work with just about everything. Plant them next to tomatoes or spinach.
• Place a small amount of horseradish near your potatoes to increase the disease resistance. Replenish as necessary.
• Summer cornfields can be converted to pumpkin fields.
• Developed by Native Americans, the “three sisters” method consists of growing corn, beans, and pumpkins (or squash) on the same mound. The corn provides a good pole for the beans to grow up, the beans trap nitrogen in the soil which benefits the pumpkins, and the pumpkins provide a dense foliage and ground cover to suppress weeds and keep pests at bay.
• Pumpkins work well as a row crop planted in close proximity to sunflowers, also a row crop.
• Plant healthy nasturtium near squash to help ward off squash vine borers. (Nasturtium is an easy-to-grow annual whose leaves and flowers are edible.)
• Use sweet marjoram in your beds and gardens to sweeten the taste of vegetables and herbs. (Marjoram is a rich, sweet tasting herb that is used interchangeably with oregano.)
For a more in-depth planting guide, we suggest this website:
http://www.heirloom-organics.com/guide/companionplanting.html
Jun 16, 2014 | Blog
Keep ‘em out…
Deer. That one word triggers many negative emotions for avid gardeners and homeowners. With some help from our friends at This Old House, we’ve provided you with this list of helpful tips to help keep those pesky deer away from your plush gardens and landscapes this year. When considering your options, it’s key to remember that their sense of smell trumps all other senses.
1) Don’t make it easy for them. If you tempt the deer with large amounts of tasty, high-protein plants such as English ivy, lettuces, beans, peas, hostas, impatiens, pansies, and fruit trees, they’ll love hanging out in your yard.
2) Keep their favorites such as chrysanthemum, clematis, roses, azalea bushes, and various berries, closer to the house so you can keep tabs on their progress.
3) Consider planting strongly scented herbs – from garlic and chives to mint and lavender — to mask the scents of the annuals they love to feast on.
4) Plant some thorny, hairy, or prickly foliage near the plants you want to protect most.
5) If you’re open to it, try making deer-resistant substitutes, like trading tulips for daffodils.
6) If they can’t see it, they may not be as tempted; so plant sprawling deer repellent varieties such as thick hedges of boxwoods or short needle spruces around your garden.
7) Keep it clean; trim tall grasses to deter bedding and pick your ripe fruits.
8) Step it up; deer don’t like to climb so consider adding terraces or sunken beds which may discourage them from coming into the yard.
9) Boo! Yes, scare tactics work. Deer fear new, unfamiliar objects so place garden ornaments, such as a scarecrow or sundial, in combination with wind chimes or bright lights in your garden.
10) Adding a fence is a great option as long as it’s 8-feet high – Bambi can jump!
11) Wrap ‘em up by placing netting over fruit, bulbs, and bushes.
12) Rotate deer repellents throughout the growing season. Spray them starting from the ground and extending up six feet. Products to consider include Havahart’s Deer Away Big Game Repellent, Deer Off, and Hinder.
13) Sometimes simple home remedies work best. Homeowners have tried hanging fabric softener sheets or bars of soap from trees or spread rotten egg mixtures around the perimeter. The key: mix it up until you find the right combination.
14) As annoying as deer can be, NEVER use poisons.
15) Can’t afford a fence; try stringing fishing line around your beds within the deer feeding zone – two to three feet above ground – which confuses them.
16) Don’t have a dog? Get one. Their scent and bark are natural deer repellents.
17) Kids love them; deer hate them. Strategically place motion-activated sprinklers in your yard. Kids will have lots of fun this summer but deer will be sent running.
18) Deer tend to feast at night because they don’t like bright lights, so install a motion-sensitive flood light.
19) Loud booms and bangs work, but who has time to set off firecrackers every time Bambi appears. Set a radio to the static between the stations and turn it up.
20) Fill your entire yard with rocks. (Kidding. Although some of you have probably considered it after the deer ate everything.) Double or triple-up on the tips. Just one of these options won’t do the trick. A combination of these should begin to deter the deer.
Good luck.
Invite ‘em in…
There are a number of people who wish to encourage deer to hang out in their yard for either viewing or hunting purposes. Simply put, do not follow any of the aforementioned tips to keep deer out. However, there are additional things you can do to invite them in.
1) Plant a food plot full of forage species that are specifically planted for the deer to graze upon. Consult the internet for a wide array of high-protein crops you can plant. Try and avoid planting too close to roads, as this will scare the animals.
2) Typically, deer lures are used by hunters during the mating or hunting seasons, but they can also be used by homeowners who simply enjoy watching deer. Usually, the lures consist of a variety of scents, including urine, pheromones, and/or foods.
3) Deer can’t resist the smell of apples. Consider planting apple or crab apple trees along the perimeter of your yard. You can also cut apples in quarters, cores included, and place in a bucket to help draw them onto your property.
4) Place a salt or mineral block on the edge of your property.
5) Try and keep your yard as open and free from obstacles as possible, to allow greater access for the deer. Also, taller grass is optimal for deer, as it provides a place for them to take cover and offers a food source.
May 22, 2014 | Blog
The “artillery” fungus, or “shotgun” fungus (genus sphaerobolus), is a wood-decay fungus that lives and thrives on moist 
landscape mulch. When the cells accumulate enough liquid, the cupped cells invert causing the cells to burst and propel the spores as high as 20 feet where they adhere to surfaces such as house siding, cars, plants, or other structures; hence the nickname. The tiny black spores look like specks of tar on light-colored surfaces and are difficult to remove, often leaving stains.
Unfortunately, no natural mulch can resist the artillery fungus, especially after a really wet spring. And there’s no way to tell if your mulch is affected until it starts spotting your house. The only way to eliminate the artillery fungus is to remove the mulch completely. To get rid of old, infested mulch, place it in a biodegradable bag. Then, be sure to check with your municipality’s guidelines concerning yard waste disposal.
Homeowners can consider replacing it with stone, artificial mulch, or ground-cover plants. You can also play it safe by opting for a course, all-bark product, such as wood chips or pine bark nuggets, which are breathable. Refreshing your mulch every year would be the next best thing to do.
As for removing this nuisance fungus from the siding of your house… it’s not a fun job, and it can be very time-consuming. The most important part is to get them quick, as they are covered in a sticky substance that will stay on the siding for good if not taken care of in a timely fashion. As for removal, new vinyl siding that still has an oily residue on it can be power-washed within the first week of seeing the black spots.
In other cases, power-washing will prove unsuccessful. Scraping the spores off one-by-one with a scraper or steel wool pad is tedious but effective. After that there may still be a stain left behind, which can be taken care of with an ink eraser or possibly bleach. For removing spores off of cars, oil, vinegar, car wax, and/or tree sap remover have worked for people that tested them.
The bottom line is that no organic mulch is completely safe from this pesky “artillery” fungus. If you know that shotgun fungus has been attacking your neighborhood, switching to an alternative in the areas surrounding the house would be the safest choice.
