Rainwater in Minnesota has been collected starting with the first settlers to the state. During those pioneer days, rainwater was used
to wash clothes. Rainwater is
naturally soft water, free of man-made additives like chlorine and fluoride. Today, naturally softened rainwater is the perfect water for
all plants.
Rain barrels can save money on utility bills as well. Hennepin county estimates that one rain barrel can save approximately 1,300 gallons of water during the peak summer season. An inch of rain falling on a 2,000 square foot roof will yield about 1,200 gallons of rainwater. 1,200 gallons may be overwhelming to most homeowners, but
one rain barrel can make a difference.
To get started, a 55-gallon rain barrel needs to be connected to a downspout. Make sure the barrel has screens over the lid to keep organic debris and insects out of the water. Remember, rainwater
is fine for watering the garden, but it is not a safe source
of drinking water.
Cypress Mulch
Of all the mulches available for use in landscapes and gardens,
cypress mulch is one of the best. Like all other organic wood
mulches, cypress helps suppress weeds, retain moisture,
prevent erosion and cool the soil. As a bonus, it looks great.
Cypress mulch is made from shredded
bark of Bald Cypress trees from the
southern United States. It is one of the most rot-resistant woods around. When you first pour it out of the bag, shredded cypress is a reddish-brown. Over the next few months, it ages to a soft gray. The shreds can be up 6”long and the fibers knit together well to help keep the mulch in place. Because they knit, shredded mulches like cypress help with erosion.
Cypress mulch should be refreshed every other year with a light coat of new mulch. To calculate how much mulch you need, measure the area you want to cover. As a basic rule of thumb, a 3 cubic foot bag of mulch covers about 16 to 17 square feet to a depth of 2 inches. Bachman’s trained staff will be glad to help calculate how much mulch you need. Just bring your measurements to any
Bachman’s garden center.
Slugs
Slugs are mostly nocturnal so how do you know if you have them short of exploring your garden with a flashlight. The signs of a slug infestation are irregular holes in the leaves of plants and a white slimy trail that remains after the slug has traveled across a surface. With high populations, a garden can be badly damaged by these pests.
Control of slugs can be challenging because of its life cycle. Slugs mature in about 3 to 6 months, depending on species. They lay eggs throughout the season and in the egg stage there isn’t much that can be done to kill them. So if an iron phosphate product like Sluggo® is used it may kill the slugs that have hatched but the next generation will be back unless you continue treatment throughout the season. Slug populations explode when the weather is wet and warm or if an area is irrigated.
Gardeners will see more damage during warm, humid nights. During the day and during dry weather slugs will be found under rocks, boards or other moist hiding spots. The gardener can move these objects to reveal the slugs and hand pick them to control the population. There is a safe and effective way to control slugs around vegetables and flower gardens.
Sluggo® is a product that is safe to apply to any garden site. This product will not harm kids and pets if the labeled
directions are followed. Again, repeat the application throughout the growing season to break the population cycle.
Tips
Stake tall perennials like Delphinium before a summer storm
blows them over.
Remove seedpods on early flowering plants.
Once the lilacs have finished blooming it’s the proper time to prune.
If you don’t want to trim the lilac at least remove the
spent flower heads.
For May 30th in the Twin Cities the average high is 75°,
average low is 53°.
It’s never too late to plant. Now is a great time to plant warm weather vegetables
like tomatoes, beans, cucumbers,
peppers, eggplant and squash.
If they need it, now is a good time to trim Yews, Arborvitaes
and Junipers.
Flowers and gifts from Bachman’s make any day a special one. When you order your flowers or gifts online, you know you’ll be getting a beautiful fresh floral arrangement from a trusted florist known for outstanding floral design, plus quality and service.
If you’re sending flowers or gifts out of town, you can rely on us to choose the best florist from either the FTD or Teleflora nationwide flower network. Florists who can be counted on to deliver the best fresh floral arrangements and gifts, even when doing a same day delivery.
