Tag Archives: Triple Action Plus

Hanging Basket Care

This weekend we debuted our hanging baskets for the 2015 season. This is the earliest we’ve had baskets available ever, so keep that in mind when thinking about size! By Mother’s day, they’ll be almost full size and in full bloom!

On Saturday, we offered a free basket care class so that you all can learn the tricks of the trade when it comes to basket care! We shared what we do to keep our baskets blooming clear through till fall and how you can be successful when caring for a hanging basket! Incase you missed the class and are wondering what you can do to maintain your hanging basket, I’ve got the most important tips right here!

Feed it!–A lot of people don’t realize how crucial fertilization is, especially for annuals. These plants go through their entire life cycle in one season, which is A LOT of growing in a short amount of time, and they need a lot of nutrients to support all that growth.

We recommend feeding your baskets BOTH a slow-release and a water-soluable fertilizer. Johnson’s MAXX slow release granules are perfect to be used every other month throughout the growing season along side FertiLome Blooming & Rooting water-soluble plant food every other time you water! Proper nutrition is just as important for your plants as it is for you!

Water!–Enough water is key to any plants success, but especially hanging baskets as they’re usually blooming through the hottest days of the year. Depending on the placement of your basket and whether it’s sun or shade tolerant, you may need to water your basket up to twice  a day on hot days.

It is important to know your basket and what environment it will need to thrive! An easy way to judge wether or not you need to water is by slightly lifting your basket, if it feels lighter than normal-it’s probably dry and if it feel heavy-its probably fairly damp. General rule when watering baskets is to water until the water begins to run through the bottom.

Maintenance–I know this is the dreaded word for a lot of people, but it needs to be done! Some varieties of annuals require much less maintenance than others; think about the level of work you are willing to put in and shop accordingly. For example, Petunias last much longer and look much nicer when regularly dead-headed in comparison to million bells which can simply be shaken to remove any spent blooms.

Wether or not the location for your basket gets full sun or shade is something to think about when purchasing a basket. You won’t want to put Begonias in the full sun or Geraniums in a shady spot, most baskets have a preference for either sun or shade and should be chosen accordingly for maximum success.

Pruning–I know it may seem scary to prune your basket or cut it back, but trust us, it helps! If you have ever wondered how our Petunia baskets have such a rounded full shape to them, when you’re used to Petunia’s being leggy and sparse, the answer is we cut them back…more than once!

Most plants, when pruned properly, get denser and fuller when they grow back. We cut back our baskets pretty hard to get them to come back thick and full, so when you see any runners or gaps in your baskets don’t hesitate to give them a good hair cut.

Insect Prevention–A lot of baskets fall victim to insect or disease damage throughout the season, these pesky problems can really take a toll on the look of your basket and may even kill it completely. Insect and disease prevention can be a crucial step to success with hanging baskets and can be easily dealt with. We recommend an all-purpose ready to use product called Triple Action Plus that is an insecticide, miticide, and fungicide! This will take care of almost any problem you run across and has all natural ingredients!


 

With proper care and maintenance you should be able to enjoy your hanging basket all through the season until fall! We want to set you up with everything you need to be successful, so keep an eye on our website for info on what/when our next free informational class is!

We are also currently offering a HANGING BASKET SUCCESS KIT for only $19.99, a $27. value! This kit includes our Johnson’s Maxx slow-release fertilizer, FertiLome Blooming & Rooting water soluble plant food, and FertiLome Ready to Use Triple Action Plus! This sets you up with all the tools you need to maintain beautiful baskets all summer long. Plus, we’re open 7 days a week and always love to offer any advice we can so don’t hesitate to send us a message, call, or drop in with any questions you may have!

Houseplant Care 101

We held a houseplant care class over the weekend and I wanted to share some of the highlights with y’all because it’s such good info. Especially for those of us who are going a little crazy waiting for spring, this is a great is a great way to keep busy and still manage to stay warm and dry indoors.

Just as for us, winter can be a stressful time for houseplants; low-light and dry air from heating can leave them more susceptible to disease and other issues. It’s a good idea around this time of year to give your houseplants a checkup and ensure they’re staying healthy through the winter.

  • Look for yellowing leaves— Houseplants may need less water than normal over the winter, as a lot of them go semi-dormant. In most instances yellow leaves mean too much water. If you’re noticing yellowing, remove those leaves and hold off on watering until the soil drys out. If the plant stays green at that point you know you just need to cut back on the water, if the yellowing continues despite dryer soil, you may have a lack of iron in your soil. Treat with a few doses of Ironite brand fertilizer to correct the deficiency.
  •  Dust the leaves— Most houseplants not only don’t like dust accumulation on their leaves, but it clogs their pores so to speak, so they are unable to transpire. Just take a soft dust rag or even a clean swiffer duster and dust both the tops and bottoms of smooth leaved houseplants.
  • Moisturize— Just as you need to moisturize extra in the winter due to the dry air from the heater and the dry cold outside, your plants need to also! If you notice any dry or brittle leaves or stems, provide a little extra moisture. Create moist habitats by filling trays with pebbles and water to set your pots on, using a humidifier, or even easier, just take them into the bathroom while you shower once or twice a week!
  • Check for pests— When plants are stressed out, it creates the ideal opportunity for bugs to move in. Check your plants for signs of pests and treat accordingly before any real damage is done. White mold-like fuzz indicates mealybugs, webs and red dots indicate spider mites, green or white piles on the underside of leaves indicate aphids, and small brown or amber colored “turtle shells” along the stems indicate scale. All of these can do real damage to your plants if not dealt with appropriately as soon as possible. We recommend Eight, an indoor insecticidal spray, or for major infestations Triple Action plus, which is an insecticide, miticide, and fungicide–this should knock out even the severest of problems!
  • Up-pot & Refresh the soil— When plants live in containers they only have access to nutrients that are available in that small amount of soil, and when they live in the same soil for years they tend to exhaust the nutrients. As your plants grow and mature, they often need to be up-potted into bigger containers which is a great time to refresh the soil. Even if they don’t need a larger container, it’s still a good idea to change out and refresh the soil every so often. This give the roots a chance to pick up and benefit from all the fresh nutrients rich soil has to offer, resulting in much happier plants!

Hopefully this provides you with some helpful tips, and gives you something to do to alleviate your cabin fever. You can also use this time of year to clean up any yard debris and do any pruning that needs to be done. Plan ahead now for vegetable and flower gardens that will be starting in the coming months. We also have the first crops of pansies, violas, and primroses out and available for that early spring color!