Library

Prepping for Spring Begin the vegetable garden with cool season crops such as potatoes, onions, asparagus, rhubarb and strawberries. Seed semi-hardy vegetable crops, such as lettuce, turnips, radishes, after Feb 15th. Till flower and vegetable beds with Back to Earth Soil Conditioner or purchase a raised bed garden kit from TLC Garden Centers. Plant shade and fruit trees, berries, grapes and shrubs. In late February, seed new areas or overseed existing areas of shady lawn gra

Winter and Water Plants need less care in winter, but it’s important to not neglect watering your plants over the winter months. Some ice or wind damage is unavoidable, but a lot of cold weather damage to plants’ cells is caused by dehydration. Follow the steps below to make sure your plants have adequate hydration in the winter. Step 1 Water your garden thoroughly in the fall and deeply water newly planted trees and shrubs. Plan to give the plants and trees a deep watering e

9 Steps to Rid Your Lawn of Fleas & Ticks Blood-sucking fleas and ticks pose potential harm to your family and pets. They hide in your lawn and can cause problems from simple skin irritation to spreading disease. Control fleas and ticks in your lawn with these simple tips. Mow it right. Mowing your lawn to the proper height reduces flea and tick hang-outs. Both of these insects hide in longer grass. Avoid overwatering . Fleas and ticks prefer moist environs. An overwatered o

Looking for a fun way to involve the kids in your gardening activities? Here’s a project you can do together that lets the little ones leave their mark on this year’s fall vegetable garden. Just take two parts adventure and mix it with one part art project and you have a lot more than colorful stone garden markers. You have proud artists and budding gardeners who have a ‘stake’ in this year’s garden. Part One: First. Gather the stones. Depending on where you live, you may

Fall is a great time to plant container grown shade trees, shrubs, and ground covers. Fall planting allows trees and shrubs time to establish a root system before the heat stress of summer. Plant Pansies, Panolas, and Violas now for spectacular colors this fall, winter, and early spring. Fertilize at time of planting with Hi-Yield Blood Meal, which also repels rabbits. Then fertilize every 2 weeks thru the growing season with TLC Pansy Max Fertilizer. Plant Mums, Ornamental C

Life is not easy for plants in the dog days of summer. Stressed out from heat and humidity, spent after months of pumping out lush growth, flowers, or fruits, and sensing a coming change in season, they need a bit of extra TLC right now to keep them thriving till the cooler days of fall and winter. We face the same challenges you do in your home garden. Here are a few tips from our experts who know a thing or two about keeping plants happy. Add Mycorrhizae to Soil Add what? M

Most shrubs and perennials may still be planted as long as adequately watered. Crapemyrtle, Althaea (Rose of Sharon), Vitex, and Desert Willow provide excellent summer blooms. Fertilize new plantings with Fertilome Root Stimulator. Heat loving annuals may still be planted for summer color, such as lantana, penta, angelonia, hibiscus, purslane, portulaca (rose moss) periwinkle, begonia, etc. Mulch, Mulch, Mulch to keep weeds down and increase water retention in landscape beds

June is still a good time to plant colorful summer annuals, such as Lantana, Penta, Angelonia, Purslane, Portulaca (rose moss), Periwinkle, Begonia, etc. Most shrubs, trees, perennials, and ground covers may still be planted in June as long as adequately watered. Crapemyrtle, Althaea, Vitex, and Desert Willow provide excellent summer blooms. Fertilize new plantings with Fertilome Root Stimulator. Hibiscus, Esperanza, Plumbago, Bougainvillea, etc. also provide great summer col

Plant Selection Choose your tree or shrub based on your landscape needs, like flowering, evergreen, screening, hedge, shade or border. Be sure to consider the ultimate size of each plant – which tends to be different in Oklahoma than what you’ll read on a generic label. Speak with a TLC Expert for guidance in selecting the proper tree for your location. Call OKIE Call OKIE at 811 to have your utility lines marked before planting. This service is free of charge, but takes 48 h