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•  So frustrating!  Had a beautiful hill of vinca with tulips and crocus until the grass crept in.  I kept thinking I would get to it, but after 3 years of procrastination, I decided to make this small 4×4 patch my priority this year.
• Because I am now serious and focused, I concentrate on my only two choices. 
• OPTION 1: Use an herbicide labeled for grasses in ground covers. These can be effective, if applied at the right time and before the grass has become too invasive. My situation is past that. 
• OPTION 2: Dig up clumps of grass and remove bare root vinca plants.  As daunting as it sounds, I have to dive in to this option.  
• Here is one grass-infested clump.  
  

And this is one of several vinca plants with grass and grass roots removed      

After picture: Bare rooted plants are tucked in to grass-free soil just in time for the forecasted 3:00 rain to hit, perfect!
 

This process, on a 4×4 section took about 2 hours.  I made a point to enjoy it.  I took the rest of my life, the dogs, the emails, the dust bunnies, and put them on the front porch until I was done with this task. I knew they would still be there when I was satisfied.  And I’m not delusional enough not to realize that there are still tiny tenacious grass roots in there, waiting for the chance to overtake again.  However, this is my pet focus this year, to keep after intruders in this small space.  It will be a game for me, and one I will win, because I love my yard.

Love your yard, it loves you back 10 times.

Now this is gratifying!  Walking out in your yard to pick cherries to put on ice cream after dinner, or making peach cobbler without going to the store is a great way to celebrate summer!
Growing fruit trees in Ohio does not have to be a mystery!
I love pruning fruit trees, for so many reasons.  It breaks so many rules compared to pruning landscape trees.  Knowing what every cut means to the tree is like being able to communicate with it.  We can tell our fruit trees what we want them to do by the way we prune them!
Pest and disease control can be demystified organically with a little effort.
Even if you have inherited an overgrown apple, or have planted a peach tree five years ago that has grown crazy, we can get it all in balance, so you will be harvesting beautiful fruit for your family and friends.
Contact us for a consult!

The words ‘Fall Cleanup’ can sound overwhelming, so I want single out the things that, if you don’t do anything else, this list will make the biggest difference next year.

#1. Remove diseased plant debris!  Removing foliage of tomatoes and peaonies, is the ounce of prevention you’re looking for.  This step dramatically reduces disease and insect problems the following season.  (However, keep in mind that leaving some debris from native plants will help preserve balance, but this is a topic for another post.)
#2 Soil Test. A soil analysis costs about the same as a bag of fertilizer, and will tell you how much of each nutrient to add.  So much better than buying bags of stuff you don’t even need, and wasting an afternoon throwing it around.  Get the right nutrients down now so it can get to work while you go in for the winter, eat soup and watch movies.
#3 Fertilize.  Simply broadcast an organic fertilizer over your flower and vegetable beds, and around trees and shrubs.  Good organic fertilizers containing humates help plants take in nutrients.  Takes minutes, but they need it.
#4 Topdress your beds with compost.  As the ground ‘breathes’ all winter and spring, it will help your plants absorb precious nutrients

That’s your bare minimum!  If you get these things done, you can hibernate for the winter knowing that your garden is working toward a great spring and summer!