Question: What's the best way to get rid of slugs and snails?

Answer: First of all, make sure you have slugs and snails, not earwigs (pincher bugs). The best way to tell is if you see shiny snail trails around the garden. Sprinkle a pet-safe snail bait such as SLUGGO around the plants you want to protect or create a barrier between where they hide during the day (under decks, dark places and leaf matter) and where they feed at night. You can also place a bowl of beer out to attract them. This way they'll have quite a party before they fall in and drown. (Probably won't feel anything either). Just remove the bowl in the morning so the neighbors pets don't get drunk. There is also a new product on the market called SLUGGO PLUS that controls earwigs, sowbugs and cutworms. 

Question: Can rain water "over water" your plants?

Answer: It can if you have bad drainage or have plants close to a downspout. Most neighborhood properties are designed to allow water to drain away from the home and if you have any type of slope at all, your plants should be ok barring a 30 day torrent of water. Plants next to downspouts can suffer though and it is wise to add a downspout extension to steer water away from prized plants in areas where water might collect.

Question: What is a spreader sticker?

Answer: A spreader sticker is a product that is designed to enhance your lawn and garden chemicals by making them work better. When added to garden sprays it creates better distribution and adhesion of all types of insecticides, herbicides and fungicides. It helps your chemicals stick to plants and spread out evenly on the leaf surface which maximizes effectiveness. It is a must when applying dormant sprays (since there is no foliage to absorb the spray) and on weeds with hairy leaves such as oxalis and thistle. On hairy plants the spreader sticker breaks the surface tension of the spray to allow it to go directly on to the leaf surface and not bead up or be deflected by the leaf hairs. We recommend adding MASTER NURSERY SPRAY-GRIP to all garden sprays to make them more effective.

Question: My fruit tree didn't bear any fruit last year, what's the problem?

Answer: Fruit trees need to flower in order to produce fruit. There are a couple of different causes for fruit trees not flowering. There could be a lack of Phosphorus in the soil which helps trees produce flowers. It is important to apply a MASTER BLOOM 0-10-10 fertilizer to the soil around your trees in November and again in January to provide theses vital nutrients. Also make sure and don't dormant prune beyond the previous year's cuts otherwise you will cut off all of the new blooming wood.

We recommend pruning for size control in June using Backyard Orchard Culture Techniques. Ask for a free hand-out the next time you visit us. Also make sure your tree is either a self-fertile variety or has the correct pollinizer tree otherwise you won't get any fruit. Remember, only one third of all blossoms will get get pollinized and only one third of those pollinized will bear fruit. So . . . the more blossoms - the more fruit!

Question:What's the difference between a daffodil and a narcissus?

Answer: The two words are synonyms. Narcissus is the Latin or botanical name for all daffodils, just as ilex is for hollies. Daffodil is the common name for all members of the genus Narcissus, and its use is recommended by the American Daffodil Society at all times other than in scientific writing. In some parts of the country any yellow daffodil is called a jonquil, usually incorrectly. As a rule, but not always, jonquil species and hybrids are characterized by several yellow flowers, strong scent, and rounded foliage.