Articles by Susan Hunsucker

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Amending your soil when plant results in larger, healthier plants

Many people think that at this time of year the only thing you can do is maintain the garden (water, weed, etc). This is an excellent time to replant or do first plantings for the fall. The one thing that you want to remember is to amend the soil. Your plants will grow faster and bigger with the proper nutrients. Main Street Lawn & Garden recommends Daddy Pete’s.

We have carried Daddy Pete’s products for many years and tried them out in our own garden. They have a wide variety of soils and soil amendments to help you grow the healthiest plants. Daddy Pete’s was started by a NC farmer who was interested in composting his cow manure. The 125 acre farm where Daddy Pete’s products are produced is a historic NC Century Farm, on honor bestowed by the state on farms that are family owned and operated for 100 years with a continuous agricultural heritage. Come in and check out the wide variety of fertilizers, mixes and barks tested and approved by local agricultural professionals.

Reminder: Main Street Lawn & Garden will be closed July 26 to August 6. We are taking a little break. Visit us before or stop on/after August 6th.

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Wind chimes complete your landscape

 

Landscape is more than just how your yard looks. The best landscape plans incorporate elements of sound such as water features and chimes. For several years we have carried the Corinthian Bells wind chimes at Main Street Lawn and Garden. We have them in our own backyard. There is nothing more relaxing than sitting in the yard listening to the clear, soothing tones of these unique wind chimes. They provide the perfect finishing touch to your landscape.

Corinthian Bells are made in the USA of heavy powder coated aluminum. Each tube is hand tuned for the proper tone. Cording and strikers are made of heavy duty weather resistant materials. The result is a calming sound that resonates throughout your yard.

Corinthian Bells have a 5 year warranty and will give you many years of pleasure. There are many options based on sound, design and price point. They make perfect gifts. Visit us today to hear for yourself.

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The plants have arrived!!

Spring is on the way – we can feel it! Annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees are arriving this week. Also herbs and vegetable plants. Finally you will be able to get out in the dirt. be attentive to our “last frost time” and wait, if necessary, before planting annual flowers. These tender plants won’t fare well on cold nights. If you purchased an Easter lily this year, don’t pitch it. Easter lilies will actually thrive in our zone, just be sure to plant them in a sunny area.

I know some of you are itching to clean up the yard and flower beds. Don’t forget to wait until your spring bulbs (daffodils, tulips, etc.) fade before cutting them back. Those bulbs will need the nourishment provided by their foliage this year to produce hearty blooms next spring.

If you forgot to trim back your shrubs and roses last month, you may want to wait until next year if they are already budding. Roses in particular require yearly pruning and actually bloom more vigorously if this is done in the cool months.

It is cool enough still to fertilize, lime and seed your lawn. Aerating first and regular watering is mandatory for that lush lawn that is the envy of your neighborhood.

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Spring is finally here!

Ready or not Spring is almost here. Even though lately the weather has not been very spring-like, the official start date is only a few days away.  Now is the time that your thoughts turn to a beautiful, healthy, green lawn. Many of you planted tall fescue in the fall. If you haven’t, you will want to put out your seed soon. Bear in mind that your spring planting will require more attention with the onset of summer heat.

Another option that has become very popular with homeowners, especially after a soggy winter is laying sod. Main Street Lawn and Garden can help you calculate the amount of tall fescue sod that you are going to need. Once you have placed you order some preparation will be required. Sod must make contact with the soil in order to root. If the grass in the area is not extremely sparse you will want to add some dirt before laying your sod. You will want to install the sod as soon as possible after it is delivered. Store it in a shady area until you are ready to install to prevent drying out.

It is not too early to start “getting your hands dirty”. If you can’t resist the urge, try planting “cool weather” flowers from seed. Pansies, violas, snapdragons and alyssum seeds can be planted before many of the other flowers. If you intend on adding spring blooming bulbs to your beds in fall, now is the time to take pictures of your spring blooming plants. The photos will help you decide which bulbs, what colors  and where you need to add bulbs in the fall.

This is a good time of year to mulch plants and prepare beds for planting. We have gorgeous pine needles, hardwood mulch, topsoil and compost. For accents to your yard and beds we have a large selection of NC mined stone including our latest addition of a red rock variety. Many people are using this in place of brick chips – it is beautiful! Visit us at Main Street Lawn and Garden soon.

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It’s not too early to think about your yard and garden

With the extremely cold weather we have experienced recently working in your yard is probably the last thing on your mind however now is a perfect time to prune select summer blooming shrubs. Butterfly bushes, gardenias, Rose of Sharon and some hydrangeas will reward your efforts in about 6 months. Roses also need a good pruning now to provide better air circulation later. Even your lawn will benefit from a little attention. This is the perfect time to apply pre-emergent to your lawn (not weed and feed) especially since you should not sow grass seed at the same time. Seed and fertilizer come later.

Cold weather plants need attention right now too. Spraying your camellias with horticultural oil will stop the tea scale that causes yellow leaves in the winter. Since tea scale is a pest it is best to discard in the trash any yellow leaves that you remove as well as those that have fallen to the ground around the plant. Many of the cool weather crops such as onions, potatoes, greens, lettuce, spinach, beets, carrots, radishes and peas can be planted in February. You will be harvesting these while your summer garden is still a dream.

We know that many of you like to start your garden from seeds. If you have never tried before it is a wonderful winter activity. It’s a great way to bring the “green” inside and children love to help. Everyone gets caught up in watching the seeds sprout and grow. Hurry up Spring!!!

We have some great events coming up at Main Street. Currently there are promotions on select Jonsered and Wright mowers while supplies last. March 2nd and 3rd is our annual spring equipment sale. In conjunction with the sale we will hold our annual Pesticide and Insecticide Continuing Education Class. For more details see our website

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Happy New Year

We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! Now that the Christmas decorations are put away and the celebrations are over it’s time to concentrate on getting prepared for spring planting and yard work. In zones 7 and 8 January is a great time to put out an extra layer (at least 2 inches) of mulch or pine needles around shrubs like azaleas, hollies, camellias and boxwood especially with the extreme cold weather we have experienced lately. We recommend a finely shredded variety.

Before you put away your mower for the winter you might want to mow and mulch your lawn one last time to get up the last of the late fall leaves. Mulching enriches the soil and provides nutrients for the roots of your grass. Don’t forget to winterize your mower and power tools before you put them away for the winter. Make sure to use a fuel stabilizer and run it through the engine before you let your equipment sit in the shed or garage. This will help you to avoid costly repairs in the spring.

Of course we can not forget our feathered friends at this time of year when food and water are not readily available. Our backyard birds prefer Nyjer seed, sunflower seeds and white proso millet at this time of year. A small shallow container of fresh water placed close to the feeders will ensure that they water. Refresh the container with warm water if it freezes.

No need to worry, Main Street Lawn and Garden is prepared for the worst winter weather. We have sleds, shovels and ice melt. Grab your favorite warm beverage and sit down to make your list of plantings for the coming season. Spring will be here before you know it.

 

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The Holidays at Main Street

2017 has been a wonderful year. We still have some Christmas trees, wreaths, garlands ans bows for your holiday decorating. As the year comes to a close all of us at Main Street Lawn and Garden would like to thank you for your support and patronage. We are so grateful to be a part of this community.

2018 will be an exciting new year for Main Street Lawn and Garden. We will be expanding our power equipment department in response to increased demand. Landscaping supplies are a large part of our business. Stop in at the store in January and check out our new look.

Happy holidays to all and best wishes for a prosperous new year!

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