Seasonal Tips

Some basic guidelines to maintaining your plants and yard throughout the year in the Sandhills.
Our knowledgeable staff is here to answer any questions and to help guide you to successful growing!

Winter

Winter is the perfect season to begin prepping your yard for a colorful Spring. It is a great time to plant trees and shrubs as well as your spring bulbs. Be sure to add some bone meal and Dutch Bulb food as you plant your bulbs. Rye and fescue grasses should be mowed at 2 ½ inches

In late Winter, feed your bulbs again with Dutch Bulb Food and start planning your vegetable gardens, and starting seeds indoors for spring planting. It is also time to plant cool season vegetables.

Spring

Spring is a busy time in the garden. Early spring is the best time to prune Crape Myrtles and roses, seed and fertilize Rye and Fescue grasses and plant perennials. Remember to fertilize your vegetable pots and to put up and clean out bluebird houses. It’s an excellent time to plant trees, shrubs and roses.

In the height of the spring season, it is important to prune non-blooming evergreens and plant annuals. After the first frost (approx. April 15), it is time to repot houseplants and place them outside in the shade for some fresh air.

Pests also come with spring. We carry a wide selection of repellents for moles, voles, grubs and insects. Stop in and we will help you select the right products to keep pests away from your lawn and garden.

In late spring it is time to fertilize and lawns, flowers and vegetables as well as plant your summer bulbs. Seed warm season grasses now, like Bermuda and Centipede. If you have blooming shrubs, they should be pruned ONLY after they have bloomed. Remember to water as needed and keep your eye on the weather!

Summer

Water, water, water. Summer in the Sandhills can be hot and sometimes dry. Keep an eye out for signs you need water like drooping leaves, browning grass and dry soil. Be careful not to over water.

We recommend fertilizing trees and shrubs with Fertilome and spraying them with a systemic insect spray. We can help you select the proper pest and insect repellents for our area.

Be sure to thatch grasses if needed during the summer to remove accumulated organic matter. Centipede grass should be mowed at 1’’ and Fescue at 2 ½”. We recommend Kill-A-Bug to keep insects out of your lawn.

Late summer is the perfect time to plant fall vegetables like lettuce, okra and root vegetables.

Fall

Fall in the Sandhills can be unpredictable with hurricanes and extended summertime heat. Be sure to pay attention to the weather and water as needed. Shield any delicate plants or small trees from damaging winds, or an unexpected early frost. Remember the houseplants you brought outside in spring? Well, now it is time to spray them with Safer brand insect spray and bring them back inside.

It’s mum season! They provide a perfect pop of color to your yard or front doorstep after the main blooming seasons have passed. Come by the garden center and select your favorite fall colors. It is also time to plant pansies, cabbages and kale as well as select your summer bulbs.

Don’t forget your lawn! Seed annual Rye and Fescue grasses and fertilize with 16-4-8. We recommend applying a hi-yield crabgrass preventer and pre-emergent weed killer on lawns now to maintain the health and beauty of your grass in the coming months. Remember to keep watering!

How to Plant in the Sandhills

Dig a hole twice the size of the container.
Pile soil beside the hole.
Add equal amounts of soil conditioner to the soil removed from the hole.
(We have very sandy soil here in the sandhills. Need to enrich the sand with soil)
Add 1 handful of lime.
(Our ph is off. We lime twice a year for shrubs and grass)
Add 1 handful of quality fertilizer.
Mix well.
Place the shrub in hole, ¼” above the existing grade.
Fill around the plant with a prepared rich soil mix.
Mulch with 2”-4” of pine bark or needles.
Water every day for 5 days, then 2-3 times a week.

Other Tips:

The best time to water shrubs and trees is in the morning.
Never water after 4 p.m.
Always read the directions on chemicals.

We'll Develop a Game Plan for Your Yard:

Staging a ‘curb appeal’ to prepare a home for sale
Planning a landscape that will cut maintenance costs
Planning a landscape for year-round color
Landscape design
Choosing the right turf
Maintenance schedule for the ‘do-it-yourselfer’