Don't miss our End of Year TREE & SHRUB SALE. 50% off Trees, shrubs and perennials now at The Landscape Connection 4472 S. Mulford Rd. Open Mon-Sat 9-6 Fall is a great time to plant trees and shrubs. The soil is warmer now than in spring, and there's still time for roots to get established before the snow flies. Roots can grow in soil as cold as 40 degrees, and soil remains warm long after the air temperature drops.
It's apple picking time. Do you want to pick your own apples, then now is a great time to plant some fruit trees. All fruit trees here at The Landscape Connection are 50% off. And even if your not picking they are plentiful in the grocery stores. Heres a nice little recipe to make with all those yummy apples.
Apple Cinnamon Muffin (Yield: 12 muffins; 1 per serving)
¾ cup peeled, chopped apples
½ cup sugar (divided)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup low-fat milk
2 tablespoons melted margarine
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
¼ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Combine apples with ¼ cup sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
3. In a larger bowl, combine ¼ cup sugar, flours, baking powder, and salt.
4. Mix together milk, margarine, and egg whites in medium bowl.
5. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients, just until moistened.
6. Add apples and nuts (if desired).
7. Spray muffin cups and fill ¾ full. Bake 20-25 minutes.
Nutrition Facts per serving: 120 calories, 2.5g Total fat (0.5 g saturated fat), 160mg sodium, 22g carbohydrate, 1g dietary fiber, 3g protein With nuts: 140 calories, 4g Total fat (1g saturated), 160mg sodium, 22g carbohydrate, 2g Dietary fiber, 4g protein
Don't Miss out!!
The Landscape Connection
September 17 at 9:40 AM ·
Come on down to The Landscape Connection this Thurs. Fri. and Sat for great fun and savings. 4472 S. Mulford Rd.
Give our 3 hole mini putt a try. Win tickets as you play for a chance at the big prize. Check it out. The Landscape Connection. 4472 S. Mulford Rd. Open Mon-Sat 9-6.
Come on down to The Landscape Connection this Thurs. Fri. and Sat for great fun and savings. 4472 S. Mulford Rd.
Did you miss our Open House Last Weekend? I know, I know.....the weather was HORRIBLE!! Not to fear we are extending our great specials through this Saturday Sept 19th....AND..... you can still play our FUN, FUN, FUN, 3 hole mini putt for tickets to win a new grand prize!! Fall plants 30% off. Fall and Halloween Decor 35% off. Perennials BOGO. Trees 40% off Shrubs 35% off and everything in the main building is 30% or more off!!!!! Hourly Door prizes between 11-3 so come on down!!! Open Mon-Sat 9-6 The Landscape Connection 4472 S. Mulford Rd Rockford
Come on down to The Landscape Connection where all our indoor fall and Halloween decor is 40% Off. Check it out! 4472 S. Mullford Rd Open Mon-Sat. 9-6
Check it out. Sneak Peek #2
I feel like I just took this all down. But now I am excited to create our new scenes in the store for you shopping pleasure. I will be posting sneak peeks all week so stay tuned! The Landscape Connection. 4472 S. Mulford Rd.
Oh yeah!! Pumpkins are on sale!!! Come on down to The Landscape Connection. 4472 S. Mulford Rd.
Hey Y'all. It's Christmas "Down on the Farm" Check out today's sneak peek created by Jane Nolting, my florist....ignore the singing. The Landscape Connection 4472 S Mulford Rd.
DID YOU KNOW??
*Pumpkins are fruits, not vegetables.
*Pumpkin pie wasn’t served at the pilgrims’ Thanksgiving. Come on...Really?? Yeah Really.... it was nowhere to be found at the original Thanksgiving feast of 1621. Pilgrims wouldn’t have had butter or flour for making pie crust, let alone an oven for baking.
* Now there might not have been pie but Pilgrims did like pumpkin beer.....It may seem like a fad today but it was around way back then. The main reason pumpkin was adopted as a beer ingredient during the Colonial period was simply just availability — pumpkins were everywhere. Malt wasn’t easily accessible and pumpkins served as an easily fermentable sugar.
So there you have some fun Punpkin Facts. Another Fact we have Pumpkins at The Landscape Connection and yes this week they are BUY 1 GET 1 FREE...so come on out and get yours. Open Mon-Sat 9-6 4472 S. Mulford Rd.
Ok folks. here is your sneak peek for the day. We call this on Black & White Delight. Enjoy!
Sign Up Today!! 815-633-5100
SAT, NOV 21 AND 29 MORE
Winter Porch Pot Classes
ok we gave Bob an upgrade. Felt he needed boots and a beard. Glen said he was too fat. I think he's just right. lol.
Meet Bob, Our newest addition at The Landscape Connection. Watch for Bob to make his TV debut in December. hehehe.
Call and Sign Up Today!!! 815-633-5100 The Landscape Connection 4472 S. Mulfrod Rd
SAT, NOV 21 AND 29 MORE
Winter Porch Pot Classes
Whoohooo. Our box truck is now wrapped A huge THANK YOU to Twin Towers in Belvidere for the excellent job.
We are now open on Sundays for the Christmas season . Beginning today November 8 through December Open 10-4 on Sundays. The Landscape Connection 4472 S. Mulford Rd
MESSENGER
The Landscape Connection updated their business hours.
Christmas Open House!!!
FRI, NOV 20 - NOV 22
Christmas Open House
Mosaic in Rockford
November 13 at 2:29 PM ·
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas thanks to our friends at The Landscape Connection and Medicare 411! Stop by either location to pick up these cute wooden Christmas tags for just $2.00 each. They are great for your porch pots. Proceeds will go towards Christmas gifts for our Mosaic family!
FRI, NOV 20 - NOV 22
Christmas Open House
Having a great time at porch pot classes. These ladies made beautiful pots. Want to make one? Call and sign up today. 815-633-5100. The Landscape Connection 4472 S. Mulford
CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE. Going on this weekend at The Landscape Connection. 4472 S. Mulford Rd. Open today 9-6 and Sunday 10-4.
Whoohooo! It's Open House Weekend. CHECK IT OUT!! The Landscape Connection. 4472 S. Mulford Rd.
Ready for winter porch pot class. There are still spots in classes today and tomorrow. Don't want to do it in class? Come pick up a kit. There is an instructional video on our website thelandscapeconnection.net.
It is small business Saturday. So come on out to The Landscape Connection where we have BOGO unique ornaments all weekend. 4472 S. Mulford Rd. So shop small this weekend and support local.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL. HAVE A BLESSED AND SAFE HOLIDAY!! We will see you all Friday when we re-open at 9 am and make sure to SHOP SMALL Saturday for Small Business Saturday. We will be featurng BOGO Ornaments all day long on Saturday!!!
The Landscape Connection 4472 S. Mulford Rd
Check it out!!
It's our WIFR Andy & Aaron's favorite gifts weekend. Don't miss out on our Customer Favorite FREE FLOWER WEEKEND!! It's the gift that keeps on giving...All year long. Spend $100.00 and receive a bouquet of flowers free. Then once a month for an entire year you can come in and get a free bouquet of flowers. This year we have a fabulous upgrade also!!! Spend $250 and get a deluxe arrangement. Then once a month for an entire year we will deliver (In the Rockford Area) a deluxe arrangement for you.
Bring the family. Our 7th annual Christmas walk is open. Extended outdoor hours Thursday,Friday, and Saturdays all December long. PARKING IN THE NORTH LOT OFF MULFORD ROAD. Check it out. Plus dont miss Family Night Dec 12th and 19th. From 5-9.
THELANDSCAPECONNECTION.NET
The Landscape Connection | Garden and Landscapes Rockford IL
Check it out.
BA Salon - Beautiful Ambitions was live.
5 hrs ·
🔔 On the second day of Christmas, Beautiful Ambitions gave to me...
A $50 gift card from The Landscape Connection!!
All you have to do to win this gift card is:
🎁 Like BOTH of our pages
🌲 Tag 3 Friends
✅ Share this post
Check back tomorrow to see who the winner is and to try for tomorrow’s drawing too!! Each entry into each of the 12 days will be automatically entered into the grand prize drawing on the 13th day!!
** I do not own any of the rights to the background music!**
BA Salon - Beautiful Ambitions was live.
5 hrs ·
🔔 On the second day of Christmas, Beautiful Ambitions gave to me...
A $50 gift card from The Landscape Connection!!
All you have to do to win this gift card is:
🎁 Like BOTH of our pages
🌲 Tag 3 Friends
✅ Share this post
Check back tomorrow to see who the winner is and to try for tomorrow’s drawing too!! Each entry into each of the 12 days will be automatically entered into the grand prize drawing on the 13th day!!
** I do not own any of the rights to the background music!**
Can you believe it? 12 days to Christmas. So that means the TLC 12 Days of Christmas Sale starts today. Now remember this is a progressive sale so the sale never goes away (unless we run out) and we add a new one every day all the way until Christmas. So today is Day 1. Check out today's sale below. The Landscape Connection open Mon-Sat 9-6 and Sun 10-4. 4472 S. Mulford
Come on out for family night. Come through our 7th annual Christmas Walk then stop by the fire for a s'more and hot cocoa. Till 9 tonight
Glenn Cox
Yesterday at 10:37 AM ·
Sometimes a simple gift can share more than you ever thought it could. We look for ways to share sentiments of love in every occasion. We would love to help you share. The Landscape Connection. 815-874_8733
Sometimes a simple gift can share more than you ever thought it could. We look for ways to share sentiments of love in every occasion. We would love to help you share. The Landscape Connection. 815-874_8733
Mrs. Claus and Robbie the Elf are here waiting for you to come see them this weekend at The Landscape Connection. All ornaments are buy 1 get 1 half off (equal lesser value) 4472 S. Mulford
Come on down to the Landscape Connection. Today is day 7 of our 12 Days of Christmas sale and this is a great one. REMEMBER it's progressive. Don't miss out!!! Open today till 6 4472 South Mulford Road
So you got an amaryllis and it's done blooming. Now What? Now some people will throw them away, but being the gardner that I am I will try and get mine to rebloom and here's how. It is really not hard. You just need some room and some patience.
Remove the Flowers and Stalks. Snip off the flowers as they fade and cut the stems to within an inch the bulb. If the bulb was grown in water rather than soil, plant it in a pot with a drainage hole. There should be at least 1” of space on all sides and room for the roots underneath. The top of the bulb should be above the soil surface.
Give It Sun. After the bulb flowers, it will produce several long, strappy leaves. As with other flower bulbs, amaryllis use their leaves to produce energy for next year’s flowers. Give the plant plenty of bright light to help it build up its reserves. Grow your amaryllis indoors during winter and spring. After danger of frost, you can move it outside for the summer.
Feed and Don’t Overwater. Fertilize the plant once or twice a month to keep the leaves lush and green. The bulb should stay dry and the soil should be barely moist -- never soggy. If your summers are wet, you may need to shield the pot from rain.
Let It Rest. In late summer or early fall, stop watering and move the potted bulb to a cool (55°F), dry location, away from bright light. A basement or garage is ideal. The leaves will gradually wither and fall away as the plant goes dormant. Leave the bulb alone and don’t water it.
Repot for a Second Appearance. After your amaryllis has rested for 2 to 5 months, you can start again. There’s no rush, so if you have several bulbs you may want to start them at different times. Repot the bulb using fresh growing mix. Water once and move the pot into a bright, 60-65°F room. Water sparingly until the bulb is in active growth.
We love MOSIAC
Mosaic in Rockford
December 17 at 2:00 PM ·
Santa and his team of elves swooped into town for a special delivery to our Mosaic in Rockford family bringing a Merry & Bright Christmas to those we support!
A special thank you to The Landscape Connection and Medicare 411 for organizing and gathering donations for gifts for 50 people!! Thank you Santa for creating a lot of smiles!
Thank you to the following for making donations to this special Santa Delivery:
Sam's Club
Maywood Evangelical Free Church
Alpine Kiwanis
Rhonda Torossian and family
And all those who contributed by purchasing a porch pot stick!
We appreciate the generosity of such a caring community. You all have made these holidays brighter for those we support. THANK YOU!!
Check out Day 6
We are creating Personalized Fresh Arrangements all the way up to Christmas. Give us a call 815-633-5100 and we will deliver for you.
Merry Christmas😀
Glenn Cox
Yesterday at 11:10 AM ·
We are helping share love sentiments that you want to express today all the way to Christmas. Call 815-633-5100 and let Michelle Jane Kymmie, Amanda, Tina,Cindy and the whole team help share your feelings.
Merry Christmas
Whoohooo. DAY 5 OF THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS SALE. Come on out. The Landscape Connection 4472 S. Mulford
MERRY CHRISTMAS. Everyone have a safe, blessed and happy day!!!
Well this is it. The 12th day and our last sale. It's Christmas Eve Day and our final sale is here. Beat the crowds and come see us. We are only open until 2 so don't miss out. All Christmas is 30% off plus every sale we have had over the last 11 days is still going on. The Landscape Connection 4472 S. Mulford
Come on down to the Landscape Connection for day 11 of our 12 days of Christmas sale. Center pieces on sale!!! Check it out!!! 4472 South Mulford Rd.
Hurray. It's Day 11. Centerpieces for your table. Check it out.
Can you believe it it's already day 10 of our 12 days of Christmas sale? Today.....chimes... check it out. The Landscape Connection 4472 S. Mulford
Start today and every day with perspective makes all the difference!
Glenn Cox is feeling thankful with Brandon Jones and 19 others.
December 21 at 8:51 AM ·
Read Pauls Prayer to The Church of Ephesus. Eph 3:14-21
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
May We Recognize The GOD We Serve. May We Recognize HE is The One Who Calls Us To Unite and Serve Equally As Joint Heirs To HIS Kingdom In JESUS Name. AMEN!
media.tenor.co
Come and see us. It's our after Christmas Sale. Open today till 6 and Sunday until 4. Check it out.
It's our after Christmas Blow-out sale at The Landscape Connection. CHECK IT OUT!!!
Hurray. It's Day 11. Centerpieces for your table. Check it out.
Happy New Year 2021!!! We will be closed Fri-Sun, Jan 1-3. We will reopen at 9 am Mon. Jan. 4th. Everyone have a safe and joyous New Years. We love you all. The Landscape Connection!!
A Happy New Year's Eve to you all. Come on down and see us open today until 2 pm.
Come and see us. It's our after Christmas Sale. Open today till 6 and Sunday until 4. Check it out.
It's our after Christmas Blow-out sale at The Landscape Connection. CHECK IT OUT!!!
Happy New Year 2021!!! We will be closed Fri-Sun, Jan 1-3. We will reopen at 9 am Mon. Jan. 4th. Everyone have a safe and joyous New Years. We love you all. The Landscape Connection!!
A Happy New Year's Eve to you all. Come on down and see us open today until 2 pm.
Come and see us. It's our after Christmas Sale. Open today till 6 and Sunday until 4. Check it out.
It's our after Christmas Blow-out sale at The Landscape Connection. CHECK IT OUT!!!
Happy New Year 2021!!! We will be closed Fri-Sun, Jan 1-3. We will reopen at 9 am Mon. Jan. 4th. Everyone have a safe and joyous New Years. We love you all. The Landscape Connection!!
A Happy New Year's Eve to you all. Come on down and see us open today until 2 pm.
Come and see us. It's our after Christmas Sale. Open today till 6 and Sunday until 4. Check it out.
It's our after Christmas Blow-out sale at The Landscape Connection. CHECK IT OUT!!!
Happy New Year 2021!!! We will be closed Fri-Sun, Jan 1-3. We will reopen at 9 am Mon. Jan. 4th. Everyone have a safe and joyous New Years. We love you all. The Landscape Connection!!
A Happy New Year's Eve to you all. Come on down and see us open today until 2 pm.
Come and see us. It's our after Christmas Sale. Open today till 6 and Sunday until 4. Check it out.
It's our after Christmas Blow-out sale at The Landscape Connection. CHECK IT OUT!!!
Happy New Year 2021!!! We will be closed Fri-Sun, Jan 1-3. We will reopen at 9 am Mon. Jan. 4th. Everyone have a safe and joyous New Years. We love you all. The Landscape Connection!!
A Happy New Year's Eve to you all. Come on down and see us open today until 2 pm.
Come and see us. It's our after Christmas Sale. Open today till 6 and Sunday until 4. Check it out.
It's our after Christmas Blow-out sale at The Landscape Connection. CHECK IT OUT!!!
Veggie Series: Lesson 2
Location: Slope and Wind
A gentle slope to the south is ideal. Soil warms up faster in spring and the likelihood of frosts affecting plants is lessened. Cold air is like water; it runs downhill and settles in low spots. Frosty air will move past plants on a slope. Too great a slope can cause erosion problems, however. On any sloping site, it's a good idea to orient rows across rather than down the slope to catch runoff. On very steep slopes, you may need to build terraces to hold soil in place.
High winds can wreak havoc with your garden as well, especially in raised beds. Winds can damage tall crops like corn and pole beans and can make them dry out rapidly. If wind is a problem in your area, protect the garden from the prevailing winds with a windbreak (several rows of plants or a fence). You will get maximum wind protection for your crops if you plant them downwind at a distance three to five times the height of the windbreak.
Welcome to the our Veggies Series
Lesson 1: Location: Sunlight and Drainage
The first step in planning a new garden is deciding where to put it. Don't be discouraged if you lack an ideal spot. Few gardeners have the perfect location. Here are some things to think about when selecting the garden site and suggestions for ways of dealing with less-than-ideal conditions.
Your garden will need 6 hours a day of direct sun that is the minimum needed by most vegetable plants for optimum growth. Some crops, especially leafy ones like lettuce and spinach, produce reasonably well in a partly shaded location.
Root crops such as carrots and beets need more light than leafy vegetables, but may do well in a garden that receives only morning sun. Fruiting plants such as peppers, tomatoes, and beans are sun worshipers and will yield poorly, if at all, with less than 6 hours of direct sun.
Your garden will also need great drainage. Nothing is going to grow is soppy soil that does not drain well. Do a drainage test if you are not sure if the area will drain well. Dig a hole about 10 inches deep and fill it with water. Let the water drain, then fill the hole again the following day and clock how long it takes for the water to drain away. If water remains in the hole more than 3 to 4 hours after the second filling, poor drainage is likely to become a problem.
If it's not draining you could build raised garden beds and fill them with amended soil, or build the area up with amended soil.
If it's draining too fast add organic matter, or peat moss to sandy soil and it gradually will increase the amount of water it can hold.
I don't know about you but I am already sick of grocery store produce....its just so...blah...and so expensive this time of year. I yearn for my garden with its fresh herbs and veggies, lettuces, and big juicy wonderfully flavored tomatoes. Now granted I still have my stash from last years garden left, but I will probably be out of everything I squirrled away by the end of February. So I have decided to do a series on vegetable gardening. I will be writing about it throughout February and March. So by the time we hit April, hopefully you will be armed with some great knowlegde to give a garden a try. Remember we do have 4'x12' raised community garden boxes here at The Landscape Connection. There are 7-8 available this year, so think about reserving yours. They are free to garden in, but there are some rules, and a meeting you have to attend, and you have to be willing to donate some of the food you grow. Maybe check out the series ahead and then give us a call if you want one. I open the registration to obtain one March 1st. So stay tuned for the Vegetable Garden Series. Also feel free to post your gardening questions, or maybe a topic you would like to learn more about.
If everyone who reads this would just donate 1 item .....just 1 item it would make a huge difference
The Landscape Connection
January 30 at 5:13 PM ·
Join us in helping Mosiac of Rockford collect needed supplies for their group homes. We need you!!!! Paper Plates, bowls, cups, utensils, and napkins. See below for all the drop off sites. YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!! Please share this post with as many people as you can and feel free to leave words of encouragement.
Join us in helping Mosiac of Rockford collect needed supplies for their group homes. We need you!!!! Paper Plates, bowls, cups, utensils, and napkins. See below for all the drop off sites. YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!! Please share this post with as many people as you can and feel free to leave words of encouragement.
Happy New Year 2021!!! We will be closed Fri-Sun, Jan 1-3. We will reopen at 9 am Mon. Jan. 4th. Everyone have a safe and joyous New Years. We love you all. The Landscape Connection!!
Veggie Series-Lesson 7: Tilling tips and techniques
Whether you complete a thorough tilling in the fall, winter or spring, work additives about 6 to 8 inches into the soil.
Watering the area for about an hour a day for two to three days before you till makes it easier to work.
The soil should be damp enough to hold its shape when squeezed into a ball, but not soggy. Set the tiller to a medium depth first, such as 3 to 4 inches, then till the garden in parallel rows. Set the tines to dig deeper, down to 6 to 8 inches, then make passes perpendicular to the original rows. This ensures you work the additives evenly and deeply into the soil, and that it's loose & deep enough for all vegetables, including root vegetables, which are often some of the first vegetables to plant in the spring.
Benefits of Autumn Tilling:
*Tilling turns and mixes the soil to aerate it, improve drainage and make it easier to plant in.
*Benefits from many fertilizers, soil correctors or compost aren't immediate. It often takes weeks or months for the nutrients to break down, spread through the soil and become available for plants to absorb.
*Tilling turns weed seeds closer to the surface, often letting the exposure to the winter elements kill them so they won't sprout in spring. Tilling in the fall or winter means you can plant vegetables earlier in the spring without the need to wait for spring tilling delays.
*Tilling thoroughly in the fall means your garden needs only a light tilling to prepare for a new round of plants as the weather begins to warm in spring. This helps combat any compaction that occurred after you harvest your summer or late-fall crops.
*If you till the ground well in the fall, the spring requires a shallow, quick pass with the tiller immediately before planting.
*Use a garden rake to smooth the soil slightly to help keep your rows even before planting.
Spring Tilling
*Tilling in spring might delay your planting slightly, but you can still have a healthy garden if you don't take much of a break from growing vegetables.
*Till the soil when it reaches at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit, using a quick-release fertilizer rather than a slow-release one if you want to fertilize while tilling.
*Wait two to three weeks after tilling before planting seeds or seedlings. This gives helpful microorganisms disrupted by the tilling time to reestablish and begin developing nutrients in the soil.
*Tilling in spring exposes weed seeds, just like tilling in the fall or winter, but instead of cooling them off, it warms them up and helps prepare them for germination. This could mean more weeds than when you till later in the year.
Watch for Lesson 8: What to plant when
Veggie Series-Lesson 6: Having the best dirt
Having a great garden starts with having great dirt. It's not the sexiest thing about gardening, but it definetly is one of the most impostant. Now if you are starting a garden for the first time this spring you can do all of this in the spring. Once you have a garden going you really should be doing this all in the fall for the best results. Now whether your garden is in the ground, in a raised bed, or in a container, you need good soil. (Now if you are straw bale gardening, none of this is for that, that is a totally different topic that we will not be covering)
So to prepare your bed you need to:
1. Make sure soil drains well
2. Provide sufficient organic matter
3. Provide organic matter at the right depths
4. Provide supplemental fertilizer
You will need to:
Till the soil
Add 4” of organic matter to 12” of soil
Add amendments 1 at a time
Make several passes with the tiller to greater depths each time
Rake and level it off
Below is a poster of how to calculate the amendments you need.
My recipe for success:
Compost and Peat Moss
(Use peat moss for heavy clay soil or for really sandy soil, if this is not an issue for you skip it)
As far as compost, use what you like. I like it all, cow, chicken, mushroom, plain old yard compost...It all works...just use something!!
2 inches each
Balanced Fertilizer
like a 10-10-10
1.25 #’s per 100 Sq. Ft..
If you are3 dpoing this in the fall...great!! It has all winter to work. If you are doing this in the spring, you will need to wait a couple of weeks before planting, so do it as early as you can. See Lesson 7 for tilling tips
Veggie Series-Lesson 5 Crop Rotation and Companion Plants
Now if you are a new gardener this will help you with planning the garden. If you have been gardening, I recommend rotating your crops. This chart I found on the internet is the simplest to read that I have found, so I like to use it. I use it when planning my garden. I garden in raised beds so I just rotate around from bed to bed, but you can certaintely rotate in 1 small bed as well. The easy answer as to why is: Crop rotation means moving vegetables around the garden to maintain soil fertility. By rotating crops from one spot to another each season you can preserve and even boost nutrients in the soil. Differing crops use different amounts of soil nutrients and a few crops add nutrients to the soil.
The 2nd chart I have given you is companion plants. These are all plants the like each other and help each other in some way. So if you are going to spend some time designing your garden on paper then both of these charts will help you plan. Keep in mind for every plant that "likes" each other they have ones that hate each other too. There are lots of charts on the internet you can find if you google "Companion planting herbs and vegetables"
Veggie Series Lesson 4: Designing the Garden
Once you have determined the location of your garden, sketch the area to scale on a piece of graph paper.
Draw out space requirements of crops you want to grow. Do you want to plant in rows or beds? How much of each fruit or vegetable do you want at harvest? How much can you eat or harvest at once? Tall crops should be placed where they won't deprive other crops of sun. Make sure your garden is
accessible Plan your garden with walkways so you can get at your plants. Planning on paper will help you use garden space more efficiently. It does not have to be fancy, It's just for you. Proper planning will bring success later on down the road.
Also Remember:
Succession planting (following one crop with another)
Inter-planting (planting a quick-maturing crop close to a slower-maturing one and harvesting the first before the two compete for space).
There are three basic options for seeds and plants: in single rows, in wide rows, or in beds.
Also even though it's tempting...there are limitations...you can't plant everything.
Veggie Series: Lesson 3 Location
Size and Convenience
Your garden can be as large or as small as your space and time allow. Consider how much of each crop you would like to end up with. If you're a first-time gardener, 400 to 600 square feet is plenty of space to take care of. I see people give up on the garden when they start to big, and it becoimes too much to manage.
A novice gardener can keep up with a 400-square-foot garden by devoting about a half-hour each day at the beginning of the season. In late spring and through summer, a good half-hour of work every 2 or 3 days should keep the garden productive and looking good. Try to plan your garden so that it is close to a water source. Dragging the hose around is not fun. Beside the ground there are lots of places you can plant. Be Creative!
Raised Beds
Pots
Pallets
Straw Bales and more.....
We will be closing today Thursday Feb. 4th at 2:30 due to the storm. We always want be be extra careful when it rains, then snows, then gets cold, as ice always forms underneath. We will reopen tomorrow at 9 am Be safe out there!!!!
We are ready for Valentine's Day. Are you? Come and see us and support local!!!
Veggies Series: Lesson 8 - Planting Cool Season Crops
The average last frost date in Northern Illinois is May 15th. That does not mean it will never frost after that date, it just means that is the average date of when the danger of frost is over. There are plenty of cool season crops you can plant in April. I prep my garden in the fall, so I am ready to begin planting as early as the 1st week in April. Now you will still have to watch the weather as early spring weather can be so unpredictable. If you are new to gardening, you may just be getting the garen ready and may be delayed a few weeks in planting some of these things. That is ok, they will still grow if you plant them at the end of April or the beginning of May, you just might not get as much yield as if they were planted earlier. I also want to try and save you from beginner gardener mistakes, so you won't have so much lettuce and spinach that you don't know what to do with it all. I highly recommend succession planting. What that means: for example, I will plant 1 row of loose lettuce, 1 row of kale, and 1 row of chard. (These rows are only 4' long) then the next week I will plant 1 row of arugula, 1 row of spinach, 1 row of a different loose lettuce. Then I will plant the stuff I planted in week 1 in week 3 again, and the stuff from week 2 in week 4 again etc...succession...get it....I do this so that I can keep up on harvesting, have fresh veggies pretty much daily, and not get overwhelmed with all of it all at once. I usually buy enough seed packets to plant a fall crop as well. Most early crops will be done producing by mid June to late June. Fall crops of cool season veggies can be planted again in the 1st half of August. Below is a chart you can use to help you. Watch for lesson 9: Early May Planting
Veggie Series-Lesson 7: Tilling tips and techniques
Whether you complete a thorough tilling in the fall, winter or spring, work additives about 6 to 8 inches into the soil.
Watering the area for about an hour a day for two to three days before you till makes it easier to work.
The soil should be damp enough to hold its shape when squeezed into a ball, but not soggy. Set the tiller to a medium depth first, such as 3 to 4 inches, then till the garden in parallel rows. Set the tines to dig deeper, down to 6 to 8 inches, then make passes perpendicular to the original rows. This ensures you work the additives evenly and deeply into the soil, and that it's loose & deep enough for all vegetables, including root vegetables, which are often some of the first vegetables to plant in the spring.
Benefits of Autumn Tilling:
*Tilling turns and mixes the soil to aerate it, improve drainage and make it easier to plant in.
*Benefits from many fertilizers, soil correctors or compost aren't immediate. It often takes weeks or months for the nutrients to break down, spread through the soil and become available for plants to absorb.
*Tilling turns weed seeds closer to the surface, often letting the exposure to the winter elements kill them so they won't sprout in spring. Tilling in the fall or winter means you can plant vegetables earlier in the spring without the need to wait for spring tilling delays.
*Tilling thoroughly in the fall means your garden needs only a light tilling to prepare for a new round of plants as the weather begins to warm in spring. This helps combat any compaction that occurred after you harvest your summer or late-fall crops.
*If you till the ground well in the fall, the spring requires a shallow, quick pass with the tiller immediately before planting.
*Use a garden rake to smooth the soil slightly to help keep your rows even before planting.
Spring Tilling
*Tilling in spring might delay your planting slightly, but you can still have a healthy garden if you don't take much of a break from growing vegetables.
*Till the soil when it reaches at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit, using a quick-release fertilizer rather than a slow-release one if you want to fertilize while tilling.
*Wait two to three weeks after tilling before planting seeds or seedlings. This gives helpful microorganisms disrupted by the tilling time to reestablish and begin developing nutrients in the soil.
*Tilling in spring exposes weed seeds, just like tilling in the fall or winter, but instead of cooling them off, it warms them up and helps prepare them for germination. This could mean more weeds than when you till later in the year.
Watch for Lesson 8: What to plant when
Veggie Series-Lesson 6: Having the best dirt
Having a great garden starts with having great dirt. It's not the sexiest thing about gardening, but it definetly is one of the most impostant. Now if you are starting a garden for the first time this spring you can do all of this in the spring. Once you have a garden going you really should be doing this all in the fall for the best results. Now whether your garden is in the ground, in a raised bed, or in a container, you need good soil. (Now if you are straw bale gardening, none of this is for that, that is a totally different topic that we will not be covering)
So to prepare your bed you need to:
1. Make sure soil drains well
2. Provide sufficient organic matter
3. Provide organic matter at the right depths
4. Provide supplemental fertilizer
You will need to:
Till the soil
Add 4” of organic matter to 12” of soil
Add amendments 1 at a time
Make several passes with the tiller to greater depths each time
Rake and level it off
Below is a poster of how to calculate the amendments you need.
My recipe for success:
Compost and Peat Moss
(Use peat moss for heavy clay soil or for really sandy soil, if this is not an issue for you skip it)
As far as compost, use what you like. I like it all, cow, chicken, mushroom, plain old yard compost...It all works...just use something!!
2 inches each
Balanced Fertilizer
like a 10-10-10
1.25 #’s per 100 Sq. Ft..
If you are doing this in the fall...great!! It has all winter to work. If you are doing this in the spring, you will need to wait a couple of weeks before planting, so do it as early as you can. See Lesson 7 for tilling tips
Veggie Series-Lesson 5 Crop Rotation and Companion Plants
Now if you are a new gardener this will help you with planning the garden. If you have been gardening, I recommend rotating your crops. This chart I found on the internet is the simplest to read that I have found, so I like to use it. I use it when planning my garden. I garden in raised beds so I just rotate around from bed to bed, but you can certaintely rotate in 1 small bed as well. The easy answer as to why is: Crop rotation means moving vegetables around the garden to maintain soil fertility. By rotating crops from one spot to another each season you can preserve and even boost nutrients in the soil. Differing crops use different amounts of soil nutrients and a few crops add nutrients to the soil.
The 2nd chart I have given you is companion plants. These are all plants the like each other and help each other in some way. So if you are going to spend some time designing your garden on paper then both of these charts will help you plan. Keep in mind for every plant that "likes" each other they have ones that hate each other too. There are lots of charts on the internet you can find if you google "Companion planting herbs and vegetables"
Veggie Series Lesson 4: Designing the Garden
Once you have determined the location of your garden, sketch the area to scale on a piece of graph paper.
Draw out space requirements of crops you want to grow. Do you want to plant in rows or beds? How much of each fruit or vegetable do you want at harvest? How much can you eat or harvest at once? Tall crops should be placed where they won't deprive other crops of sun. Make sure your garden is
accessible Plan your garden with walkways so you can get at your plants. Planning on paper will help you use garden space more efficiently. It does not have to be fancy, It's just for you. Proper planning will bring success later on down the road.
Also Remember:
Succession planting (following one crop with another)
Inter-planting (planting a quick-maturing crop close to a slower-maturing one and harvesting the first before the two compete for space).
There are three basic options for seeds and plants: in single rows, in wide rows, or in beds.
Also even though it's tempting...there are limitations...you can't plant everything.
We are ready for Valentine's Day. Are you? Come and see us and support local!!!
Veggies Series: Lesson 8 - Planting Cool Season Crops
The average last frost date in Northern Illinois is May 15th. That does not mean it will never frost after that date, it just means that is the average date of when the danger of frost is over. There are plenty of cool season crops you can plant in April. I prep my garden in the fall, so I am ready to begin planting as early as the 1st week in April. Now you will still have to watch the weather as early spring weather can be so unpredictable. If you are new to gardening, you may just be getting the garen ready and may be delayed a few weeks in planting some of these things. That is ok, they will still grow if you plant them at the end of April or the beginning of May, you just might not get as much yield as if they were planted earlier. I also want to try and save you from beginner gardener mistakes, so you won't have so much lettuce and spinach that you don't know what to do with it all. I highly recommend succession planting. What that means: for example, I will plant 1 row of loose lettuce, 1 row of kale, and 1 row of chard. (These rows are only 4' long) then the next week I will plant 1 row of arugula, 1 row of spinach, 1 row of a different loose lettuce. Then I will plant the stuff I planted in week 1 in week 3 again, and the stuff from week 2 in week 4 again etc...succession...get it....I do this so that I can keep up on harvesting, have fresh veggies pretty much daily, and not get overwhelmed with all of it all at once. I usually buy enough seed packets to plant a fall crop as well. Most early crops will be done producing by mid June to late June. Fall crops of cool season veggies can be planted again in the 1st half of August. Below is a chart you can use to help you. Watch for lesson 9: Early May Planting
Veggie Series-Lesson 7: Tilling tips and techniques
Whether you complete a thorough tilling in the fall, winter or spring, work additives about 6 to 8 inches into the soil.
Watering the area for about an hour a day for two to three days before you till makes it easier to work.
The soil should be damp enough to hold its shape when squeezed into a ball, but not soggy. Set the tiller to a medium depth first, such as 3 to 4 inches, then till the garden in parallel rows. Set the tines to dig deeper, down to 6 to 8 inches, then make passes perpendicular to the original rows. This ensures you work the additives evenly and deeply into the soil, and that it's loose & deep enough for all vegetables, including root vegetables, which are often some of the first vegetables to plant in the spring.
Benefits of Autumn Tilling:
*Tilling turns and mixes the soil to aerate it, improve drainage and make it easier to plant in.
*Benefits from many fertilizers, soil correctors or compost aren't immediate. It often takes weeks or months for the nutrients to break down, spread through the soil and become available for plants to absorb.
*Tilling turns weed seeds closer to the surface, often letting the exposure to the winter elements kill them so they won't sprout in spring. Tilling in the fall or winter means you can plant vegetables earlier in the spring without the need to wait for spring tilling delays.
*Tilling thoroughly in the fall means your garden needs only a light tilling to prepare for a new round of plants as the weather begins to warm in spring. This helps combat any compaction that occurred after you harvest your summer or late-fall crops.
*If you till the ground well in the fall, the spring requires a shallow, quick pass with the tiller immediately before planting.
*Use a garden rake to smooth the soil slightly to help keep your rows even before planting.
Spring Tilling
*Tilling in spring might delay your planting slightly, but you can still have a healthy garden if you don't take much of a break from growing vegetables.
*Till the soil when it reaches at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit, using a quick-release fertilizer rather than a slow-release one if you want to fertilize while tilling.
*Wait two to three weeks after tilling before planting seeds or seedlings. This gives helpful microorganisms disrupted by the tilling time to reestablish and begin developing nutrients in the soil.
*Tilling in spring exposes weed seeds, just like tilling in the fall or winter, but instead of cooling them off, it warms them up and helps prepare them for germination. This could mean more weeds than when you till later in the year.
Watch for Lesson 8: What to plant when
Veggie Series-Lesson 6: Having the best dirt
Having a great garden starts with having great dirt. It's not the sexiest thing about gardening, but it definetly is one of the most impostant. Now if you are starting a garden for the first time this spring you can do all of this in the spring. Once you have a garden going you really should be doing this all in the fall for the best results. Now whether your garden is in the ground, in a raised bed, or in a container, you need good soil. (Now if you are straw bale gardening, none of this is for that, that is a totally different topic that we will not be covering)
So to prepare your bed you need to:
1. Make sure soil drains well
2. Provide sufficient organic matter
3. Provide organic matter at the right depths
4. Provide supplemental fertilizer
You will need to:
Till the soil
Add 4” of organic matter to 12” of soil
Add amendments 1 at a time
Make several passes with the tiller to greater depths each time
Rake and level it off
Below is a poster of how to calculate the amendments you need.
My recipe for success:
Compost and Peat Moss
(Use peat moss for heavy clay soil or for really sandy soil, if this is not an issue for you skip it)
As far as compost, use what you like. I like it all, cow, chicken, mushroom, plain old yard compost...It all works...just use something!!
2 inches each
Balanced Fertilizer
like a 10-10-10
1.25 #’s per 100 Sq. Ft..
If you are doing this in the fall...great!! It has all winter to work. If you are doing this in the spring, you will need to wait a couple of weeks before planting, so do it as early as you can. See Lesson 7 for tilling tips
Veggie Series-Lesson 5 Crop Rotation and Companion Plants
Now if you are a new gardener this will help you with planning the garden. If you have been gardening, I recommend rotating your crops. This chart I found on the internet is the simplest to read that I have found, so I like to use it. I use it when planning my garden. I garden in raised beds so I just rotate around from bed to bed, but you can certaintely rotate in 1 small bed as well. The easy answer as to why is: Crop rotation means moving vegetables around the garden to maintain soil fertility. By rotating crops from one spot to another each season you can preserve and even boost nutrients in the soil. Differing crops use different amounts of soil nutrients and a few crops add nutrients to the soil.
The 2nd chart I have given you is companion plants. These are all plants the like each other and help each other in some way. So if you are going to spend some time designing your garden on paper then both of these charts will help you plan. Keep in mind for every plant that "likes" each other they have ones that hate each other too. There are lots of charts on the internet you can find if you google "Companion planting herbs and vegetables"
Veggie Series Lesson 4: Designing the Garden
Once you have determined the location of your garden, sketch the area to scale on a piece of graph paper.
Draw out space requirements of crops you want to grow. Do you want to plant in rows or beds? How much of each fruit or vegetable do you want at harvest? How much can you eat or harvest at once? Tall crops should be placed where they won't deprive other crops of sun. Make sure your garden is
accessible Plan your garden with walkways so you can get at your plants. Planning on paper will help you use garden space more efficiently. It does not have to be fancy, It's just for you. Proper planning will bring success later on down the road.
Also Remember:
Succession planting (following one crop with another)
Inter-planting (planting a quick-maturing crop close to a slower-maturing one and harvesting the first before the two compete for space).
There are three basic options for seeds and plants: in single rows, in wide rows, or in beds.
Also even though it's tempting...there are limitations...you can't plant everything.
I absolutely CANNOT WAIT untill flower season is here!! I guess I will have to since it's only February, so I will talk about them instead. Let's start with some fun early season annuals. We planted this last year in a pot right next to the greenhouse door, and these little beauties just bloomed, and bloomed, and bloomed, and just kept on blooming all the way until the frost took them out at the end of October. We did not really do a whole lot other than water and fertilize. No deadheading required......yeah!!! My favorite kind of flower. So what are they???...They are called Nemesia. They typically hit the greenhouse at the end of March and we carry them until they run out. They are one of the cool season annuals, and can tolerate some cold, but will have to be covered if it frosts. They will do well into the summer. Nemesia is a sun-loving plant, especially in the spring. The cool, bright days encourge it to bloom like crazy. As the summer heat becomes more intense, move it to a slightly shadier location that's out of the way of the hot afternoon sun. Nemesia likes moist soil, but it doesn't like its feet to stay wet for too long. They grow better in a pot than in the ground. Make sure your pot has great drainage, and use good quality potting soil. Normally, there isn't a need to trim nemesia to keep it in bloom. It will naturally cover its old flowers with new ones. We recommend fertilizing every 3rd watering to keep it in bloom. I like to just use a balanced fertilizer from Fertilome that I can mix right in a watering can. We bring in 6 varieties; Tutti Frutti, Banana Swirl, Bananaberry(pictured), Sunshine, and 2 Proven Winner Varities; Aromance Pink(pictured) and Sunsatia Lemon. So if you have never grown them maybe this year you might give them a whirl. They are great as a filler in a pot.
It's almost time to start your indoor seeds for your garden. I have attached a handy dandy seed starting chart you can use to time out when to plant. Stop on by The Landscape Connection. We have the soiless medium, pods, seeds, trays and lids so you can get started. Open Mon-Sat 9-4 4472 S. Mulford Rd. Rockford
Veggie Garden Series: Lesson 10 - Warm Season Vegetables
So I mentioned that the last average frost date was May 15th. That is like the "Green Light" to plant all the rest of your veggies. But remember we can still get a frost so watch the weather. You will still need to harden off the vegetables, especially if they were inside a greenhouse when you bought them. I personally do not plant my peppers, basil or green beans until later in the month, as they like nice warm soil, and even covered the cold can take out a pepper or basil plant faster than you can say your name. They have "ZERO" tolerance for being cold. So I have attached a warm season list for you to use in your planning. This wraps up this veggies series, but watch for our video series once the gardening season starts and all March long we will be posting some great tips and techniques
Veggies Series: Lesson 9 - Planting Cool Season Crops-Early May
Early May still presents the danger of frost. You will want to continue to plant cool season crops. In Early May you can plant your 3rd and 4th sowings of lettuce, radishes, spinach. etc., all of those crops you have already started and want more of. You can also plant English Lavender, Sage, Lovage, Lemon Balm and Beets. This is also the time to start your 2nd and 3rd plantings of hardened off transplants like Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, Leeks, and Peas. Remember when you are planning that you will have open spots in the garden once some of your cool season crops are done. Think about what you can use those open spots for.
As your new vegetables begin to sprout you will need to start thinning them out. I don't thin any of the leafy vegetables, but I do thin the root crops like beets, turnips, radishes, and carrots. I know, I know, we hate to pull any of the plants out, but you MUST!!! If you don't you will not have enough room for the vegetables to mature to the proper size underground. Think about how big around each vegetable gets. That is how much room needs to be in between each new seedling.
Remember to pay attention to the weather as it is unpredictable in Early May. You may need to protect your new seedlings and transplants if the temperatures drop. I use fabric row covers on tender leafy greens and I will make homemade cloches out of 2 liter soda bottles and milk jugs.
Stay tuned for Lesson 11: Warm Season Crops
We are ready for Valentine's Day. Are you? Come and see us and support local!!!
Veggies Series: Lesson 8 - Planting Cool Season Crops
The average last frost date in Northern Illinois is May 15th. That does not mean it will never frost after that date, it just means that is the average date of when the danger of frost is over. There are plenty of cool season crops you can plant in April. I prep my garden in the fall, so I am ready to begin planting as early as the 1st week in April. Now you will still have to watch the weather as early spring weather can be so unpredictable. If you are new to gardening, you may just be getting the garen ready and may be delayed a few weeks in planting some of these things. That is ok, they will still grow if you plant them at the end of April or the beginning of May, you just might not get as much yield as if they were planted earlier. I also want to try and save you from beginner gardener mistakes, so you won't have so much lettuce and spinach that you don't know what to do with it all. I highly recommend succession planting. What that means: for example, I will plant 1 row of loose lettuce, 1 row of kale, and 1 row of chard. (These rows are only 4' long) then the next week I will plant 1 row of arugula, 1 row of spinach, 1 row of a different loose lettuce. Then I will plant the stuff I planted in week 1 in week 3 again, and the stuff from week 2 in week 4 again etc...succession...get it....I do this so that I can keep up on harvesting, have fresh veggies pretty much daily, and not get overwhelmed with all of it all at once. I usually buy enough seed packets to plant a fall crop as well. Most early crops will be done producing by mid June to late June. Fall crops of cool season veggies can be planted again in the 1st half of August. Below is a chart you can use to help you. Watch for lesson 9: Early May Planting
Community Garden Beds now available. If you would like to garden in one of our beds come on down to the store and reserve your bed. They are 4x12 raised beds. There are some rules and you have to be willing to donate some of your food to us to take to the food pantry. As of this post there are 6 beds available. So come on down anytime between 9-4 Mon-Sat. The Landscape Connection 4472 S. Mulford
I absolutely CANNOT WAIT untill flower season is here!! I guess I will have to since it's only February, so I will talk about them instead. Let's start with some fun early season annuals. We planted this last year in a pot right next to the greenhouse door, and these little beauties just bloomed, and bloomed, and bloomed, and just kept on blooming all the way until the frost took them out at the end of October. We did not really do a whole lot other than water and fertilize. No deadheading required......yeah!!! My favorite kind of flower. So what are they???...They are called Nemesia. They typically hit the greenhouse at the end of March and we carry them until they run out. They are one of the cool season annuals, and can tolerate some cold, but will have to be covered if it frosts. They will do well into the summer. Nemesia is a sun-loving plant, especially in the spring. The cool, bright days encourge it to bloom like crazy. As the summer heat becomes more intense, move it to a slightly shadier location that's out of the way of the hot afternoon sun. Nemesia likes moist soil, but it doesn't like its feet to stay wet for too long. They grow better in a pot than in the ground. Make sure your pot has great drainage, and use good quality potting soil. Normally, there isn't a need to trim nemesia to keep it in bloom. It will naturally cover its old flowers with new ones. We recommend fertilizing every 3rd watering to keep it in bloom. I like to just use a balanced fertilizer from Fertilome that I can mix right in a watering can. We bring in 6 varieties; Tutti Frutti, Banana Swirl, Bananaberry(pictured), Sunshine, and 2 Proven Winner Varities; Aromance Pink(pictured) and Sunsatia Lemon. So if you have never grown them maybe this year you might give them a whirl. They are great as a filler in a pot.
It's almost time to start your indoor seeds for your garden. I have attached a handy dandy seed starting chart you can use to time out when to plant. Stop on by The Landscape Connection. We have the soiless medium, pods, seeds, trays and lids so you can get started. Open Mon-Sat 9-4 4472 S. Mulford Rd. Rockford
Veggie Garden Series: Lesson 10 - Warm Season Vegetables
So I mentioned that the last average frost date was May 15th. That is like the "Green Light" to plant all the rest of your veggies. But remember we can still get a frost so watch the weather. You will still need to harden off the vegetables, especially if they were inside a greenhouse when you bought them. I personally do not plant my peppers, basil or green beans until later in the month, as they like nice warm soil, and even covered the cold can take out a pepper or basil plant faster than you can say your name. They have "ZERO" tolerance for being cold. So I have attached a warm season list for you to use in your planning. This wraps up this veggies series, but watch for our video series once the gardening season starts and all March long we will be posting some great tips and techniques
Community Garden Beds now available. If you would like to garden in one of our beds come on down to the store and reserve your bed. They are 4x12 raised beds. There are some rules and you have to be willing to donate some of your food to us to take to the food pantry. As of this post there are 6 beds available. So come on down anytime between 9-4 Mon-Sat. The Landscape Connection 4472 S. Mulford
I absolutely CANNOT WAIT untill flower season is here!! I guess I will have to since it's only February, so I will talk about them instead. Let's start with some fun early season annuals. We planted this last year in a pot right next to the greenhouse door, and these little beauties just bloomed, and bloomed, and bloomed, and just kept on blooming all the way until the frost took them out at the end of October. We did not really do a whole lot other than water and fertilize. No deadheading required......yeah!!! My favorite kind of flower. So what are they???...They are called Nemesia. They typically hit the greenhouse at the end of March and we carry them until they run out. They are one of the cool season annuals, and can tolerate some cold, but will have to be covered if it frosts. They will do well into the summer. Nemesia is a sun-loving plant, especially in the spring. The cool, bright days encourge it to bloom like crazy. As the summer heat becomes more intense, move it to a slightly shadier location that's out of the way of the hot afternoon sun. Nemesia likes moist soil, but it doesn't like its feet to stay wet for too long. They grow better in a pot than in the ground. Make sure your pot has great drainage, and use good quality potting soil. Normally, there isn't a need to trim nemesia to keep it in bloom. It will naturally cover its old flowers with new ones. We recommend fertilizing every 3rd watering to keep it in bloom. I like to just use a balanced fertilizer from Fertilome that I can mix right in a watering can. We bring in 6 varieties; Tutti Frutti, Banana Swirl, Bananaberry(pictured), Sunshine, and 2 Proven Winner Varities; Aromance Pink(pictured) and Sunsatia Lemon. So if you have never grown them maybe this year you might give them a whirl. They are great as a filler in a pot.
It's almost time to start your indoor seeds for your garden. I have attached a handy dandy seed starting chart you can use to time out when to plant. Stop on by The Landscape Connection. We have the soiless medium, pods, seeds, trays and lids so you can get started. Open Mon-Sat 9-4 4472 S. Mulford Rd. Rockford
Veggie Garden Series: Lesson 10 - Warm Season Vegetables
So I mentioned that the last average frost date was May 15th. That is like the "Green Light" to plant all the rest of your veggies. But remember we can still get a frost so watch the weather. You will still need to harden off the vegetables, especially if they were inside a greenhouse when you bought them. I personally do not plant my peppers, basil or green beans until later in the month, as they like nice warm soil, and even covered the cold can take out a pepper or basil plant faster than you can say your name. They have "ZERO" tolerance for being cold. So I have attached a warm season list for you to use in your planning. This wraps up this veggies series, but watch for our video series once the gardening season starts and all March long we will be posting some great tips and techniques
We are looking for some great people to join our team for our 22nd season serving the stateline. If you or a friend are looking for a great place to build upon what you already offer give us a shout. glenn.imagepros@gmail.com or stop out at the store at 4472 south Mulford ROad Rockford, Il 61109. We love our community.
THE LANDSCAPE CONNECTION
Landscaping Crew Member
Community Garden Beds now available. If you would like to garden in one of our beds come on down to the store and reserve your bed. They are 4x12 raised beds. There are some rules and you have to be willing to donate some of your food to us to take to the food pantry. As of this post there are 6 beds available. So come on down anytime between 9-4 Mon-Sat. The Landscape Connection 4472 S. Mulford
I absolutely CANNOT WAIT untill flower season is here!! I guess I will have to since it's only February, so I will talk about them instead. Let's start with some fun early season annuals. We planted this last year in a pot right next to the greenhouse door, and these little beauties just bloomed, and bloomed, and bloomed, and just kept on blooming all the way until the frost took them out at the end of October. We did not really do a whole lot other than water and fertilize. No deadheading required......yeah!!! My favorite kind of flower. So what are they???...They are called Nemesia. They typically hit the greenhouse at the end of March and we carry them until they run out. They are one of the cool season annuals, and can tolerate some cold, but will have to be covered if it frosts. They will do well into the summer. Nemesia is a sun-loving plant, especially in the spring. The cool, bright days encourge it to bloom like crazy. As the summer heat becomes more intense, move it to a slightly shadier location that's out of the way of the hot afternoon sun. Nemesia likes moist soil, but it doesn't like its feet to stay wet for too long. They grow better in a pot than in the ground. Make sure your pot has great drainage, and use good quality potting soil. Normally, there isn't a need to trim nemesia to keep it in bloom. It will naturally cover its old flowers with new ones. We recommend fertilizing every 3rd watering to keep it in bloom. I like to just use a balanced fertilizer from Fertilome that I can mix right in a watering can. We bring in 6 varieties; Tutti Frutti, Banana Swirl, Bananaberry(pictured), Sunshine, and 2 Proven Winner Varities; Aromance Pink(pictured) and Sunsatia Lemon. So if you have never grown them maybe this year you might give them a whirl. They are great as a filler in a pot.
It's almost time to start your indoor seeds for your garden. I have attached a handy dandy seed starting chart you can use to time out when to plant. Stop on by The Landscape Connection. We have the soiless medium, pods, seeds, trays and lids so you can get started. Open Mon-Sat 9-4 4472 S. Mulford Rd. Rockford
Kick-start your spring with Calendula Caleo Orange or Yellow. We carry both. Extremely durable color that flowers during cold weather and continues through the heat of summer. Excellent resistance to powdery mildew. Grow in full sun. Height: 8-10"
Use in mixed containers or right in your landscaping
Growing Tips: Plant should be allowed to moderately dry between watering. However, avoid drying out and wilting. Available this weekend at The Landscapen Connection 4472 S. Mulford Rd. Rockford.
We are looking for some great people to join our team for our 22nd season serving the stateline. If you or a friend are looking for a great place to build upon what you already offer give us a shout. glenn.imagepros@gmail.com or stop out at the store at 4472 south Mulford ROad Rockford, Il 61109. We love our community.
THE LANDSCAPE CONNECTION
Landscaping Crew Member
Community Garden Beds now available. If you would like to garden in one of our beds come on down to the store and reserve your bed. They are 4x12 raised beds. There are some rules and you have to be willing to donate some of your food to us to take to the food pantry. As of this post there are 6 beds available. So come on down anytime between 9-4 Mon-Sat. The Landscape Connection 4472 S. Mulford
I absolutely CANNOT WAIT untill flower season is here!! I guess I will have to since it's only February, so I will talk about them instead. Let's start with some fun early season annuals. We planted this last year in a pot right next to the greenhouse door, and these little beauties just bloomed, and bloomed, and bloomed, and just kept on blooming all the way until the frost took them out at the end of October. We did not really do a whole lot other than water and fertilize. No deadheading required......yeah!!! My favorite kind of flower. So what are they???...They are called Nemesia. They typically hit the greenhouse at the end of March and we carry them until they run out. They are one of the cool season annuals, and can tolerate some cold, but will have to be covered if it frosts. They will do well into the summer. Nemesia is a sun-loving plant, especially in the spring. The cool, bright days encourge it to bloom like crazy. As the summer heat becomes more intense, move it to a slightly shadier location that's out of the way of the hot afternoon sun. Nemesia likes moist soil, but it doesn't like its feet to stay wet for too long. They grow better in a pot than in the ground. Make sure your pot has great drainage, and use good quality potting soil. Normally, there isn't a need to trim nemesia to keep it in bloom. It will naturally cover its old flowers with new ones. We recommend fertilizing every 3rd watering to keep it in bloom. I like to just use a balanced fertilizer from Fertilome that I can mix right in a watering can. We bring in 6 varieties; Tutti Frutti, Banana Swirl, Bananaberry(pictured), Sunshine, and 2 Proven Winner Varities; Aromance Pink(pictured) and Sunsatia Lemon. So if you have never grown them maybe this year you might give them a whirl. They are great as a filler in a pot.
Along comes spring and with it, the chance for some beautiful flowers. A perfect spring addition in Rockford is Ranunculus! These beautiful blooms prefer cooler temperatures and do best about 55°F and in the sun. Planting where they’ll get at least 6 hours of sun (or next to a nice, bright window!) is recommended. These medium-difficulty flowers require well-draining soil and just enough water to be moist, but you can expect beautiful blooms in about 2 months that last well more than a month! Perfect for fixing gaps in your garden, pops of color, or long-lasting cut flowers! Come pick yours up at The Landscape Connection
So this morning I have been stirred to share a need that I recognize. As I read this morning the need to recognize first things first came stirring up. Just like a farmer or gardener we must recognize that there is a need to first prepare the soil to reach a long term goal of a harvest we must put first things first in our lives. Proverbs 3 tells us a truth that we must recognize. Seek Wisdom first. Prepare the soil of your Heart and Mind so that you will be ready and recognize the steps you must take along the path.
I also have recently recognized that some of us have to recognize how we channel our thoughts and efforts. SO much energy is being placed in being heard and recognized for what we stand for and I think there is a wise way and a destructive way. I think my mother had a wisdom about how she taught me and it wasn't by screaming from the top of the house or pushing her views on me it was by being committed to loving me first and then modeling what she thought was important. Do your best, Help others when they need help, and recognize that your decisions have consequences both good and bad.
Lately as I see some young people making decisions and efforts to succeed I recognize that I, YES I have to do something WISER than judge their efforts and fitness. I need to lean in and help them see how great they are inside and encourage them in a way that my mother would for me. Do your best, Help others, and choose wisely and if you make a mistake stand up and we will do better because of it.
My Mom taught me that we must help the next generation and not judge them so lets prepare the soil-TOGETHER.
There is a HARVEST on the Horizon!
May GOD BLESS YOU & Make Your Paths Straight.
Read Proverbs 3:5-6
Kick-start your spring with Calendula Caleo Orange or Yellow. We carry both. Extremely durable color that flowers during cold weather and continues through the heat of summer. Excellent resistance to powdery mildew. Grow in full sun. Height: 8-10"
Use in mixed containers or right in your landscaping
Growing Tips: Plant should be allowed to moderately dry between watering. However, avoid drying out and wilting. Available this weekend at The Landscapen Connection 4472 S. Mulford Rd. Rockford.
We are looking for some great people to join our team for our 22nd season serving the stateline. If you or a friend are looking for a great place to build upon what you already offer give us a shout. glenn.imagepros@gmail.com or stop out at the store at 4472 south Mulford ROad Rockford, Il 61109. We love our community.
THE LANDSCAPE CONNECTION
Landscaping Crew Member
