Category: Garden Tips

Blair County Blight Information

Posted on June 30, 2010 in Garden Tips, News Alert

The tomato blight from last year is back. It has been found in Blair County. Not only does it affect tomatoes but also potatoes and petunias. The disease, once it’s on your plants, wipes them out in about 3 to 4 days.

It starts out looking a greenish-gray to black spot on the top of the leaf. Then it starts affecting the plant’s stem. It will eventually spread to the underside of the leaf. You need to be very careful when you are working with it because it spreads easily through the air or by contact with people or animals.

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Getting Ready to Sprout – Blair County

Posted on June 28, 2010 in Garden Tips, News Alert

Although the 2009 growing season was marked by severe blight that destroyed several crops, including tomatoes, people are looking forward to planting their gardens this year.

“They’re all hoping it’s not going to happen again,” Don Leidig with Leidig’s Farms in Warriors Mark said. “I think everybody’s excited about planting stuff. They’re stopping and looking. I think the garden’s going to be a big thing again.”

Leidig said he hopes that the fungal blight that developed on tomatoes, potatoes and petunias last year didn’t survive the long, hard winter. The weather’s already more normal than last year’s rainy spring, Leidig added.

That weather is a double-edged sword, said Tom Ford, Blair County extension director and area educator for commercial horticulture.

“It’s always sort of disconcerting when April has been as dry as it’s been,” Ford said, adding that heavy rains like the ones at the end of the month can increase the amount of blight infections in products. “It’s a little too early to tell.”

Read More on the Altoona Mirror

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Spade and Trial Names Garden of the Month

Posted on June 28, 2010 in Garden Tips, News Alert

The Spade and Trowel GCFP Garden of the Month is located at 816 Allegheny Street Hollidaysburg and is owned by Christa Brenner.

The front of the home contains various evergreens including a small Japanese maple tree, Spruce tree, Weeping Hemlock, Hydrangea, Coral bells, and pansies. The side garden includes various rose bushes, hemlock trees, oak hydrangea, ilex, holly, pansies, hostas, zebra grass, silver king, leather leaf viburnum, clematis, many various coral bells, and ground covers, daylilies, veronica, etc.

Read More at the Altoona Mirror

Tips on Controlling Bermuda grass

Posted on June 28, 2010 in Garden Tips, Lawn Care Tips

Do Lawn Work in Spring or Fall
Bermuda is the ultimate summer grass. To keep Bermuda grass away from your garden, be sure to fertilize the grass you DO want in the spring and fall when Bermuda grass is less susceptible to take the encouragement as well.

Do Not Fertilize During Summer Months
This logically means that you shouldn’t fertilize during the summer months. Bermuda Grass will thrive off of the fertilizer exactly when you don’t want it to.

Last Resort: Start from Scratch
Most non-selective herbicides will eradicate all plants in your garden, but if any of the plants survive, Bermuda grass, a true survivor, will be one of the most likely to.

Because it is so difficult to get 100-percent coverage of Bermuda grass eradication, only reseed in September when you’re pretty sure all the Bermuda is gone. Some gardeners recommend that you go through several rounds of herbicide before reseeding (in September). The idea being to let the Bermuda grass continue to expose itself until you’ve got it once and for all.

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Six Tricks to Organic Weed control

Posted on June 28, 2010 in Garden Tips, Lawn Care Tips
  • Use ground covers. Plants that grow wildly and remain low to the ground can choke out the sunlight and nutrients that weeds need to thrive. An added bonus? They can often eliminate the need for mowing, too.

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  • Mulch like mad. The use of organic mulch can block sunlight, and thus kill weeds before they have a chance to become a problem. Mulch also keeps your lawn looking neat and tidy.

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  • Raise the mower’s cutting height. Let your grass grow a bit taller to choke out weeds. A little competition can do your lawn a world of good!

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  • Watch out for weeds in compost. Avoid putting weed clippings in your compost pile, but if you must, make certain your compost is completely broken down before spreading it on your lawn or garden. This helps eliminate the possibility of seeds germinating and undoing all your hard work.

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  • Give your garden the good news! Newspapers are biodegradable and kind to the environment, while forming a perfect barrier for weeds. Lay newspaper between rows of emerging plants, wet them thoroughly to keep them in the proper place, and then cover the papers with a layer of straw.

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  • Pull them. Some weeds can tough it out, despite your best efforts. Every few days, look for those hardy weeds, and simply pull them out of the ground by hand.

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