Hyams Garden Center and Accent Store

Serving Greater Charleston Area with Quality, Variety & Professionalism since 1981

Gardening Wisdom

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Pre-emergent Application to Keep your Lawn Weed Free and Grass Green

It is time to start planning for spring weed prevention and grass greening up. The advantage of applying a pre-emergent herbicide is that it is able to prevent the seeds of those pesky spring weeds from even getting started. Remember, DO NOT APPLY A PRE-EMERGENT HERBICIDE IF YOU PLAN TO SEED YOUR YARD. It will have the same effect on grass seed! In general terms the times to apply pre-emergent herbicides are Valentine’s Day to prevent spring weeds, Memorial Day to prevent summer weeds and Labor Day to prevent winter weeds.

Spring application is most effective when the pre-emergent is applied as daytime temperatures reach 65-70° F for 4 consecutive days. That is usually between February 14th and March 1st.  Herbicide should then be watered in with half an inch (½”) of water to activate. The type of pre-emergent to use should be based on what type of weeds you have. Scotts Halts works very well on crabgrass and other grassy weeds. The 10 lbs bag will cover up to 5000 square feet and should not be applied to landscaped beds. By the way, the Scotts product is now called WeedEx with Halts.  Hi-Yield Turf & Ornamental Weed & Grass Stopper works well to prevent many broadleaf and grassy weeds, including crabgrass, and can be used on landscape plants listed on the label. The 12 lbs bag will cover up to 3500 sq. ft. An organic option would be Espoma Weed Preventer made from corn gluten. A 25 lbs bag covers 1200 square feet. It has some nitrogen as a fertilizer component in it too. We have several other options, bring in pictures or samples of the problems you are dealing with when you visit Hyams Garden Center diagnostic desk and we’ll figure out the best course of action.

As you move into late March early April, you will see the warm season grasses start to green up. Please resist the urge to apply a weed and feed at that time, as the post emergent component and the high nitrogen levels could easily burn the new growth. After you have cut the grass a couple of times an application of a slow release lawn fertilizer such as Ferti-lome 15-0-15 Centipede Lawn Fertilizer will help the grass to green up slowly, not burning the new growth or contributing to fungus problems. The 20 lbs bag will fertilize up to 5000 square feet. Once fully greened up and actively growing, you can apply a weed and feed such as Ferti-lome 15-0-4, St. Augustine Weed and Feed or Bayer 35-0-3 3 in 1 Weed and Feed for your Memorial Day application. Be sure to read the labels of all these products and follow the direction carefully.

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A Bit of Love for Your Roses

Every year, in the month of February, we are given a momentary glimpse of the beauty to come in Spring. Valentine’s Day suddenly surrounds us with bouquets of colorful cut flowers to share with those we love.

For Low Country gardening, Valentine’s Day also signals a good time to share a little tender loving “pruning” care with your rose plants.

It is good to prune while roses are dormant. The months of February and March are usually best. For fertilizing start with ‘rose-tone’ toward the end of February. One can also treat the rose plants with some All Seasons Horticultural Oil Spray to start them off clean from fungus and insects.

For hybrid tea and grandiflora roses, cut back no lower than 18 inches unless they have been damaged by pests or excessively cold weather. Alternating the height of the cuts will give the plant a more natural look.

For floribundas and polyanthas grown as a hedge, shears or hedge clippers can be used to remove one-third to one-half of height. Otherwise, clip back just below where they previously flowered or down to one-third of their length.

Just prior to the growing season, repeat-blooming old garden roses and shrub roses should be pruned. Tip-pruning throughout the growing season will encourage flower-bearing side shoots.

The Roses by Alan L. Strang

            I have roses in my garden,
            And their fragrance fills the air.
            How I love to watch them blooming;
            For they all are very fair.

            Some have deep red velvet petals,
            Some again are snowy white;
            And the little baby pink ones,
            Surely give you such delight.

            Pretty birds come to my garden,
            And sing there the live-long day;
            Yes the birds and pretty flowers
            Help and cheer us on our way.

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Winter Blooms

Our mood brightens when we are in the presence of flowering plants. Many shrubs and trees showcase colorful stems, berries or evergreen leaves in winter. However, they cannot be compared to the emotional rush that can be triggered by winter blooms. Freezing temperatures are an ever-present danger to winter blooms. Nevertheless, their appearance and fragrance during the winter months is a chance worth taking.

Winter flowering cherry (Prunus Subhirtella Autumnalis) with semi-double pink flowers is a tree that blooms sporadically from the fall through winter on mild days. It puts up a larger show in early spring.

Japanese flowering apricot (Prunus mume) with its spicy sweet-smelling blooms can be enjoyed in late January and February. There are over 300 named cultivars of this tree show forth single or double flowers in white through shades of pink to red.

Japanese camellias bloom from late fall to early spring and help raise our spirits in the winter. No wonder why this flower is nicknamed as ‘winter rose.’

Witch Hazels show case an interesting floral display in winter. Their spiderlike flowers are comprised of four strap-like petals that look like strands of confetti that have exploded from the bud. They put up the best show in winter. The hybrids between the Asian species (Hamamaelis x intermedia) are the best for the garden. Most people prefer cultivars like ‘Arnold Promise’,’Jelena’, ‘Primavera’ and ‘Ruby Glow.’

Paperbush (Edgeworthia Chrysantha) is an uncommon deciduous shrub that bears extremely fragrant creamy yellow flowers in midwinter.

Fragrant flowers of Cornelian Cherry Dogwood (Comus Mas) delight our hearts in early spring. It is a multi-stemmed small tree with glowing yellow flowers.

When the days are cold and weary, these are some of the winter-flowering plants which can lift your spirit and cheer you up.    

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Lawn Maintenance

Hey everyone, I hope you’re having a great Spring! If you haven’t fertilized yet, the time is here. It looks like everyone’s grass has greened up enough to tolerate an application of Ferti-lome 15-0-15 Centipede Lawn Fertilizer or something similar. It is a good formulation to ease all warm season grasses into fully greening up including St. Augustine, Zoyzia and Bermuda. Please hold off using any “weed and feed” products as the herbicide component could burn the new grass shoots. A strong healthy grass will choke out many of the weeds you may have now. If needed you could apply a weed and feed after the grass is fully greened up, and we have those on hand. We will have pre-emergents later in the month to apply around Memorial Day to prevent the dreaded Chamberbitter and Virginia Buttonweed. Selective herbicides like Image Kills Nutsedge can be applied after your grass is fully greened to control other problematic weeds. I have had several folks come in with some fungal issues and we have Scotts DiseaseEX on hand as well as a couple of other products. I hope these suggestions help you have a lawn you can be proud of! (Randy Howie)