RE-THINKING FERTILIZER

As the snow melts and at some point the temperatures will get warmer, we are going to start the Annual Tradition of yard work! Yes I said it "yard work", I for one love it, my father in-law lives for the perfect green lawn. Year in and year out we repeat our habits from years past, such as fertilizer.

This year we are going to break our old habits! Why the sudden change?

A little e-mail i received from my friend Carol T. , she heads up the Ausable River Association. She suggested that we recommended to our clients to use zero phosphorus fertilizers on our lawns instead of the old stand by that we always default to (because that is what we have always done year in and year out). Reason for change, it's better for the environment, it's a no brainier for most of us.

If you are like me and enjoy bringing your kids to the Wilmington, Lake Everest Beach this will make you change your ways.

Last year there was an Algal Bloom in Lake Everest, ewwww. Algae blooms are caused by extra nutrients in the water, the extra nutrients have to come from somewhere and one source is the fertilizer we use on our lawns every year.

When your at the store and reaching for that Fertilizer choose zero phosphorus fertilizers

Don't worry you will be able to easily find one. Scott makes one and I found a small "green" company in MD. that is great here is their link http://www.greenviewfertilizer.com/ .

Great Suggestion Carol ! Keep up the Awesome work !

If you want to know more about the Ausable River Association and the great things they do, and maybe get involved check out their website at:

www.ausableriver.org

NEW LOOK

WELL.. This afternoon I decided to check out one of my favorite blogs.. Along the Ausable and I noticed that she had this AWESOME back round.. well I quickly jumped to the designers site and VOILA and few clicks of the mouse and Fox Farm has a new and improved look.. How do you like it..

I have been dreaming up some fun garden designs..

If you had to choose: "what would your favorite veggies from the garden be?"

Mine would be:

	Beans Sow seeds 1″ deep directly in garden after all danger of frost. Spacing: four plants per sq. ft. for bush beans, six to eight plants per sq. ft. for pole beans Plant second crop of bush beans (if needed) two weeks after first planting Days to harvest: 50-80 days from seed, depending on variety. Not frost-hardy. Hint: Add a legume inoculant when planting to increase vigor and yield.
	Carrots Sow seeds in garden 1/4″ deep three weeks before last spring frost. Spacing: Plant 30 seeds per sq. ft.; thin to 16 plants per sq. ft. Replant six to eight weeks before fall frost for late crop. Days to harvest: 55 to 70 days from seed. Frost-hardy. Hint: Before planting, loosen soil to 12″; remove stones and add compost.
	Brussels Sprouts Start seedlings 1/4″ deep indoors six weeks before last spring frost. Transplant into garden soon after the last spring frost. Spacing: one per sq. ft. Plant early season crops nearby to give Brussels sprouts more space later in season. Very frost-hardy. Harvest after frost for best flavor. Days to harvest: 90 to 110. Hint: Cut off growing tip of plants a month before fall frost to get bigger sprouts.
	Rosemary Germination is poor and seeds must be very fresh, so buying potted plants is recommended. Plant outdoors only after all danger of frost. Grow in garden or in pot. Tender perennial. Spacing: one plant per sq. ft. Days to harvest: Leaves from first year plants can be picked sparingly by midsummer. Hint: Do not allow rosemary to dry out completely. In cold climates, bring plant indoors and grow in sunny window during winter. Learn more about Rosemary in our vegetable encyclopedia
	Chives Purchase a pot of chives or get a clump from a neighbor. Plant in garden anytime. Hardy perennial. Spacing: one plant per sq. ft. Days to harvest: Leaves can be harvested from early spring on – as soon as they are 6″ tall. Cutting promotes regrowth. Use flowers in salads. Hint: Divide and pot up some chives in fall and bring indoors to grow on a sunny windowsill all winter.
	Cilantro Sow seeds directly in the garden around last frost date. Plant 1/4″ to 1/2″ deep. Cilantro goes to seed quickly, so plant more seeds every three weeks to ensure a constant supply. Spacing: Sow 18 seeds per sq. ft.; thin to nine plants per sq. ft. Days to harvest: 50 days for leaves, 90 days for seed harvest. Hint: Do not fertilize. Harvest individual stems or cut back entire plant with scissors, leaving 1″ at base to regrow.
	Arugula Sow seeds directly in garden, 1″ apart and 1/4″ deep, starting four weeks before last frost. Spacing: Broadcast seed then thin to 16 per sq. ft. Plant a new crop every two to three weeks until midsummer; sow again in late summer for fall harvest. Days to harvest: 30 days to full-size leaves; small leaves are ready in 21 days. frost-hardy. Hint: Fall crops are less bothered by flea beetles; cover spring crops with fabric to minimize damage
	Beets Sow seeds 1/2″ deep directly in garden five to six weeks before last frost. Spacing: Plant seeds 18 per sq. ft., thin to nine plants Plant more in midsummer for a fall harvest Days to harvest: 45 to 60. Frost-hardy. Hint: The longer you wait to harvest, the bigger the beets. Tops and thinnings are flavorful.
	Bok Choi Sow seeds indoors a month before the last frost. Transplant into garden once nights stay above 50 degrees F. Cold will cause bolting. Sow a fall crop in late summer, 10 to 12 weeks before first fall frost date. Spacing: One plant per sq. ft. for full-size bok choi; two per sq. ft. for pak choi. Days to harvest: 40 to 50 days, depending on variety. Hint: Harvest 1″ above soil level with a sharp knife, then fertilize with liquid fish emulsion to stimulate regrowth.
	Radishes Plant 1/2″ deep directly in garden four weeks before last frost or after soil reaches 45 degrees F. Plant successive crops anywhere there is unused space in the garden. Spacing: 16 plants per sq. ft. Days to harvest: 21 to 28. Frost-hardy. Hint: Harvest as soon as possible. Roots get woody when large.
	Parsnips Sow seeds directly in the garden in early spring. Plant 1/2″ deep. Spacing: Sow 18 seeds per sq. ft.; thin to nine per sq. ft. Days to harvest: 110 to 120 days; harvest in fall or leave in ground over winter and harvest early spring. Hint: Wash hands after contact with leaf sap; it sometimes causes skin reaction.
	Cucumbers Plant seeds indoors 1/2″ deep three weeks before last frost, or seed in garden after frost. Transplant into garden after frost and when soil is 65 to 70 degrees F. Spacing one per sq. ft. for bush type; two per sq. ft. for vining type. Extend harvest with a second crop, planted two weeks later. Days to harvest: 50 to 60 days after transplanting. Not frost-hardy. Hint: Use row covers until flowering to keep off insects.
	Basil Plant seeds 1/4″ deep indoors six weeks before last frost; outdoors two weeks after last frost. Transplant seedlings two to three weeks after last frost or when soil reaches 70 degrees F. Replant if you have space and want more. Spacing: two plants per sq. ft. Days to harvest: 40-55 days from transplant. Harvest leaves as desired. Not frost-hardy. Hint: Pinch stems early and often to stimulate branching and bushy growth. Learn more about Basil in our vegetable encyclopedia
	Hot peppers Sow seeds indoors 12 to 14 weeks before last frost; warm soil improves germination. Transplant when soil is at least 60 degrees F. and nights stay above 50. Spacing: one plant per sq. ft. Days to harvest: 50 to 90 days, depending on variety. Red color and full heat requires additional two to three weeks of ripening. Hint: Dark stones around plants increases heat; use garden fabric (row covers) until flowering; water sparingly.
	Tomatoes Plant seeds 1/4″ deep indoors, six to eight weeks before last frost Transplant into garden one to two weeks after last frost or when soil reaches 65 degrees F. Spacing: one plant per sq. ft. Grow early season crops nearby to allow more room later. Days to harvest: 55 to 100 days from transplanting, depending on variety. Not frost-hardy Hint: Remove lower leaves before planting and bury extra stem.
	Oregano Purchase potted plant as seed-grown plants may not have good flavor. Hardy perennial. Spacing: one plant per sq. ft. Days to harvest: Leaves from first-year plants can be picked sparingly by midsummer. Hint: Plants with white flowers have best-tasting leaves. Cull plants that revert to pink flowers.
	Parsley Start seeds 1/4″ deep indoors 10 to 12 weeks before last frost. Transplant seedlings into garden up to a month before last frost. Spacing: two plants per sq. ft. Edible all summer and into winter. Biennial: plants will go to seed second year. Days to harvest: 75. Begin harvesting foliage at any time. Very frost-hardy. Hint: Parsley takes up to 21 days to germinate. Treat seeds with hot water before planting.
	Kale Sow seeds 1/2″ deep indoors eight weeks before last frost or in garden six weeks before last frost. Transplant seedlings into garden up to six weeks before last frost. Very frost-hardy. Spacing: two plants per sq. ft. Can be planted midsummer wherever early crops are removed. Kale continues to grow and produce leaves until late fall. Days to harvest: 60 days. Very frost-hardy. Hint: Kale can be grown in part shade. It needs plenty of moisture, so mulch well.

Spring is in the Air.. Now what do you do??

The cool month of April is always a great time to get the raking done, the winter-kill pruned from over wintered roses, woody ornamentals and evergreens that may have seen better days. Remember, leave Rhododendrons, Azaleas and other woody ornamentals that set their buds in the fall alone in the spring until all of the brilliant color has diminished and new growth has started to develop, then it’s ok to trim them. Late April (after the potential of heavy run off from the April rains) is a great time to fertilize all of your plants throughout the landscape. Side dressing newly emerged plants will benefit from this shot of fertilizer. GMF (Green Mountain Fertilizer) is best, such as 5-10-5 or 5-10-10. Lawns will benefit from the addition of Lime (Calcium), which raises the ph of the soil, as all lawns need a high ph to allow nutrients to be taken up through the plants root system, producing lush green blades of grass.

We hope that these April tips will be helpful in this planning stage of producing a successful, rewarding garden during the upcoming season. We look forward to seeing you this spring.

WE HAVE SOME GREAT SPECIALS THIS SPRING TO START THE YEAR OUT.. WE HAVE ALSO HAVE OUR 2010 PRICE LIST READY TO SEND OUT TO YOU.. JUST DROP US A E-MAIL AND WE WILL E-MAIL YOU A "GREEN" COPY!!

farmstand@frontiernet.net

† Spring Price list ¢

Spring is right around the corner, and time to start thinking about your springtime planting. Enclosed you will find this years Spring 2010 price list for Annuals, Perennials, Hanging Baskets & Bulk Mulch.

We pride ourselves on superior plant quality, that ‘s why we have searched high and low for great growers.

Order with confidence that you will have the prettiest flowers & enjoy them throughout the entire growing season.

Additional Services for 2010

• Weekly Maintenance Program, Commercial & Residential
• Planter & Window Box Design and installation.
• Perennial Bed Design & Installation.
• Companion Planting Herb & Vegetable Raised Garden Design & Installation
• Bulk ground cover & prep materials.