Solutions

You don’t have to rely on guesswork and trial and error to solve your garden dilemmas. Scroll down to find answers to frequently asked questions. If you have other concerns about your landscape or plants, please give us a call or stop in anytime. We will be happy to help you in any way!

Mulch...

Mulching a garden bed will help retain soil moisture, protect plant roots, and discourage weed growth and development. Hickory Grove offers high quality cedar mulch in natural, brown, red and black colors. Cedar mulch is long lasting and does not break down quickly in your garden beds.

Tips:

· Keep mulch away from stems and trunks of plants to prevent rot.

· A 2” layer of mulch is adequate on any bed. More is not always better.

· If mulch color seems faded, just lightly rake to refresh.

· Dyed mulches should not be used around edibles.

· Shredded mulch will mesh better than larger chips providing improved weed control and more stability on slopes.

How much mulch will you need?

1.) Determine square footage of your bed.

Rectangle or Square = length x width

Circle = π(r²)

or 3.14 x (1/2 diameter)(1/2 diameter)

2.) Find the right amount of mulch for your project using the following chart:

One cubic yard will cover:

1 yd³ = 27 ft³ or approx. 14 (2ft³) bags

...94 Years and still growing strong!

We can help...

Repotting, plant identification, disease diagnosis, insect identification, landscape design consultation, delivery service and a friendly and knowledgeable staff.

Some services we provide...

Soils...

A successful garden begins from the ground up. It is important to understand your soil type before adding amendments. Different plants need different types of growing environments as well. A well planned garden will be easier to maintain and therefore provide more relaxation and enjoyment.

Soil types. Soil is made up of particles of varying sizes. The texture of your soil is determined by the ratio of amounts of these differing particles and how they fit together. Soil textures will be described by the particle size(s) found in greatest abundance; ex.: “sandy silt” or “silty clay”. The ideal soil for plant growth is loam soil which has an even distribution of all three particle sizes.

· Sand— The largest particles (.05-2.0mm diameter) found in soil. Sand is coarse allowing for good drainage, but decreasing water retention.

· Silt — Moderately sized particles (0.002-0.05mm diameter) can become too compact and dry out when exposed to sunlight. Silt soils will feel smooth and soft when wet.

· Clay — The smallest soil particle size (<0.002mm diameter), clay can become very compact and retain a great amount of moisture. Poor air flow to roots can cause plants to suffocate. Clay soils will feel gritty and sticky when wet. The soils in this region of Pennsylvania are predominantly clay based soils.

Poorly drained soils may be amended with peat moss or gypsum to decrease soil compaction and increase airflow to the root zone.

Plants take up nutrients broken down from organic matter in the soil. However, the ability of a plant to take up those nutrients depends heavily on the pH of your soil The optimal pH range for nutrient absorption is between 5.5 and 6.5 for most plants although some plants prefer more acidic soils and others more basic ones.

Soil tests can be performed by the Cooperative Extension service and will give you the best guidelines for adding nutrient supplements or changing the pH of your soil. For more information on soil testing, test kits, and prices please visit http://www.aasl.psu.edu/SSFT.HTM.

Fertility and Nutrition...

At Hickory Grove, we carry a comprehensive selection of soil conditioners, pre-plant fertilizers and water soluble fertilizers. Please come in and browse our selection or ask for advice on which are the best products for you and your specific needs. We are always happy to help!

Please check the links to the left to find out more about the fertilizer brands we carry in stock.

Deer and other critters eating your plants?...

If local wildlife is snacking on your garden or landscape, we carry repellents in both granular and spray formulations. The links below will provide more in-depth information about choosing the right product for your needs.

A more permanent solution to a deer problem is to choose plants for your landscape that deer prefer not to eat. This is not a cure, but will help reduce your losses. Please click here for a link to a list of resistant plants.

Deer resistant plants...

How much groundcover will you need...

Figuring out how many plants to buy when installing a groundcover can seem daunting. Following the steps below will allow you to figure out how many plants you will need for your area.

1.) Determine square footage of your bed.

Rectangle or Square = length x width

Circle = π(r²)

or 3.14 x (1/2 diameter)(1/2 diameter)

2.) Find the right number of plants using the chart at the right.

3.) Multiply the number of plants per ft² by the number of square feet in your bed to find the number of plants you will need for your project.

4.) If you want to cover your space quickly, you may reduce the spacing of your planting slightly. To reduce your costs, you may increase your spacing slightly, but the bed will take longer to fill in.

Quick tip...

A flat of 100 ivy or pachysandra cuttings will cover 44 ft² at the recommended 8” spacing.

Pruning basics...

Winterizing...

Decorative shrubs and trees are generally pruned to maintain size and shape or to remove damaged branches. Pruning methods differ depending on the type of tree or shrub you wish to prune and the reason for pruning. But, there are some generalities that can be applied to all types of pruning. If you have specific questions about particular plants, please call or come in and ask before picking up your clippers.

· About Oct. 15, apply Holly-Tone to broadleaf and coniferous evergreens or Tree-Tone to deciduous trees. Use at half the recommended strength.

· Around Thanksgiving (if soil is dry) give plantings a thorough watering to ensure plants go into the winter season with moist soil

· For broadleaf evergreens planted in exposed, windy locations, Thanksgiving is a good time to spray an anti-transpirant to protect the foliage from wind damage.

· Burlap screens are also useful for preventing wind burn and may be used separately or in conjunction with an anti-transpirant.

When...

Pruning of most trees and shrubs should be done in early spring. Fall pruning can increase the potential for damage over winter. Some spring flowering shrubs and trees form flower buds in the previous fall. These shrubs should be pruned shortly after they are finished blooming.

How...

Deciduous Trees—Stand back from the tree to evaluate its shape. Take note of approximately where and how much to trim.

· Remove any branches growing back in toward the crown or trunk and any that grow straight up through the crown.

· Remove water sprouts and suckers growing straight up from the trunk or the roots . On grafted trees, remove any branches formed below the graft union.

· Remove branches that cross over each other or rub against each other. Abrasions caused by rubbing branches can lead to increased insect and/or disease pressure.

· Remove crowded branches to allow for better air movement through the canopy.

Deciduous Shrubs—Most deciduous shrubs can be pruned using the same methods that apply to deciduous trees.

· Deciduous shrubs may be heavily pruned to reduce size and rejuvenate growth. Younger branches (2 to 5 years) will often set more flowers and fruits.

· Remove thin, spindly branches to give the shrub a sturdier structure and appearance.

· Remove thick, older stems on plants like red- and yellow-twigged dogwoods to allow for more vibrantly colored growth.

* NOTE: Hydrangeas may be either spring or summer bloomers. Some varieties bloom on previous year’s growth while others bloom on new growth (a few of the newer varieties bloom on both). If you are not sure what type of hydrangea you have, do not prune the tips at all – you may end up cutting off all of this year’s flowers. You may remove selected old stems to the ground to rejuvenate and maintain a smaller size. Hydrangeas are particularly susceptible to winter freezing and are slow to come out of dormancy. Wait until the end of May before deciding how much dead wood to prune away.

Coniferous Evergreens—Coniferous, or cone bearing, evergreens are distinguished by whorled (i.e. spruce) or random (i.e. arborvitae) growth patterns.

· Most conifers (arborvitae, false cypress, fir, hemlock, juniper, pine, spruce, yew) can be pruned in the spring and then pruned again in the summer, if needed.

· If tip-pruning whorled conifers in the summer, prune when the new needles are one-half their mature size. When the new needles mature, the cut marks won’t be noticeable.

· When pruning pines, make pruning cuts just above the needle whorls. Most new lateral growth is stimulated at these points rather than along the stems between the whorls.

· Cuts can be made at any point along the branch, but take care not to cut too far back into the older, bare wood, because new growth is not as readily produced from such wood.

Broadleaf Evergreens—The term broadleaf is used to include all evergreens except conifers (i.e. holly, boxwood, etc.).

· Most broadleaf evergreens are best pruned after they flower in the spring. Those that may be pruned in early spring include boxwood, euonymus, pyracantha and any of the hollies.

· Cuts can be made at any point along the branch, but take care not to cut too far back into the older, bare wood, because new growth is not as readily produced from such wood.

· When selectively pruning, it is a good practice to cut the growth back to a side shoot and an outward facing bud.