Grow your Own Grilling Herbs

Click Here to watch our Recent Interview with Lafayette & Vermilion Parish's Horticultural Agent, Ms. Audrey Kolde!

 Ladybugs are one of the most helpful insects you can have in your garden. They may be small, but they are powerful natural pest control, feeding on aphids, mites, and other soft-bodied insects that damage plants. A single ladybug can eat dozens of aphids a day, and their larvae are even more aggressive feeders. When you see them in your garden, it’s a sign your plants are part of a healthy, balanced ecosystem. Why gardeners love ladybugs They naturally reduce aphids and other pests without chemicals They protect flowers, vegetables, and shrubs Their larvae do most of the heavy pest control work They support a healthier, more balanced garden overall Ladybug Garden Checklist ☐ I have flowering plants like alyssum, dill, or marigolds ☐ I avoid broad-spectrum pesticides in my garden ☐ I’ve provided a shallow water source for insects ☐ I’ve checked plants for aphids and pest activity ☐ I leave beneficial insects (and larvae) undisturbed when possible Encouraging ladybugs is one of the simplest ways to keep your garden naturally healthy and thriving all season long. When they show up, your garden is doing exactly what it should — working with nature instead of against it

June is a great season for gardeners, and though much of the early season planting is already finished by June 1, there is much more care a garden needs throughout the month to have the best results for top produce, pungent herbs, and the most beautiful blooms. In the garden, June is the time to… -Plant summer, heat-loving annuals. -Plant tropical shrubs & vines. -Deadhead roses to ensure repeat blooms -Feed blooming shrubs and flowering plants with a water-soluble fertilizer. -Mulch, mulch, mulch. -Adequately water the garden with a weekly deep, thorough soaking instead of a daily light sprinkling. -Water between 6am-10am to avoid evaporation. -Water lawn in the morning to prevent disease from watering before dark. -Keep birdbaths clean and full of water. -June is peach month! Continue a recommended spray schedule to help keep the tree healthy all year. -Check gardenias for whitefly. It's a black, sooty mold that normally indicates an insect infestation. We can help! · Deadhead Blooms Trim off spent blooms from annual flowers to encourage additional blooming and extend their growing season. · Trim Bulbs Once spring blooms have finished flowering and the foliage is completely brown, trim the foliage to make room for summer flowers and to keep beds looking neat. · Prune Flowering Shrubs After spring flowering shrubs have stopped blooming, prune them appropriately to keep their desired shape. · Adjust Watering As spring rains taper off and summer temperatures heat up, adjust watering schedules as needed. Soaker hoses are ideal for beds and gardens, and lawns should be watered deeply but less frequently to encourage strong root growth. · Plant Warm Season Crops Fruits and vegetables that require warm soil are best planted in June, such as corn, pumpkins, beans, squash, and cucumbers. · Deepen Mulch Add additional mulch to gardens and flowerbeds to conserve water and minimize weed growth. Grass clippings are a good, inexpensive option. · Divide Perennials If perennial plants are becoming too large or need better control, they can be best divided in June and transplanted to new locations. Now is also a great time to add new perennials to the yard. · Harvest Spring Produce Cool season fruits and vegetables will be nearly spent in June, but there is time for one last harvest of strawberries, radishes, lettuce, and spinach. · Thin Seedlings Before new crops get too dense, thin rows and beds to give them appropriate room for robust growth. Thinning blossoms and early fruits on trees will encourage larger produce instead of stunted crops. · Keep Weeding Weeding is a never-ending task, and it is important to keep up on the chore in June when the garden is still getting a strong foothold. Regular weeding now will help crops get a good, sturdy start for better results in autumn. · Stake Plants As new crops get taller, loosely stake thin or floppy plants to keep them from tipping and breaking. June is also the best time to begin training vines and climbing plants to keep them under control.  Watch for Pests June is when pests come out in force, including slugs, aphids, and a variety of funguses and diseases. Watch for these pests carefully, and take steps to eradicate problems before they grow out of control.

If your plants suffer from fungus, know that it is not isolated to your area, and issues can be treated! The two most common fungus are Early Blight and Leaf Spot. Both of these start at the bottom of the plant and move upwards over time. To combat these, Fertilome’s Broad Spectrum Fungicide and Hi-Yield Vegetable, Flower, Fruit and Ornamental Fungicide are the standby fungicides with Chlorothalonil as the active ingredient. This fungicide is able to be applied to almost all vegetables, fruits and berries. This will prevent and keep these two fungus from spreading. With all fungicides, we recommend two applications 7-14 days apart, and always follow the label’s instructions. If you’re wanting an organic fungicide alternative, try Fertilome Broad Spectrum Fungicide Natural Guard Brand Copper Soap Fungicide. This will do everything the above products will do PLUS it will remedy bacterial issues. Another organic choice is Fertilome Triple Action. This is hydrophobic extract of neem oil, so it is an insecticide, fungicide and a spider mite control. This is not the strongest fungicide for the garden, but the added ability to kill insects makes it a good choice when you are not sure if you have an insect or fungus problem in your garden. When temperatures are above 90 degrees F, spray only in the morning and if the plant is stressed by lack of water, water 24 hours prior to treatment in order to hydrate the plant.  When you apply any fungicide, please follow the product’s labeled directions. Also, start at the bottom of the plant. If any leaves are infected, pick them off and discard.

What is the Colorado Potato Beetle? This species of beetle was first recognized as a pest in Colorado potato crops in 1859. It has since traveled East and throughout the country. Today, you will find them to usually begin in zucchini and squash gardens, but quickly move to everything else. How will you know if you have a Colorado Potato Beetle problem in your garden? You will see holes in the foliage and their bright orange egg clusters. The egg clusters are in 10-30 and will be on the under side of the leaf. To remove the egg clusters, use a piece of folded duct tape, and dispose immediately. Eggs will hatch within two weeks, move around the plants while eating the leaves. It’s imperative to remove and dispose of these clusters ASAP before they hatch because it’s the best preventative measure for this bug problem in your garden. To treat them once they hatch, or as adults, the best would be an organic product with Spinosad, which will also kill other insect infestations. We recommend the Spinosad “Green” label Spinosad Soap. It not only has Spinosad, but it also contains an insecticidal soap, which will knock out the Colorado Potato Beetle in minutes to die on the ground. We do want to mention, however, that using any product with soap will need to be applied in the evening during our hot months, and washed of off in the mornings. The reasons are because if left on the foliage of your plant in the heat/summer, your plant can burn. Another reason to apply in the evening and wash it off in the morning is to reduce any risk to the pollinators that are essential visitors to your garden. However, resistance to pesticides can become an issue. If you notice the insecticide you are using becomes less effective, rotate products to increase the effectivities. We recommend to always use a Spreader Sticker to help the product “stick.” For other product recommendations to battle the Colorado Potato Beetle, or any other insect problem your garden is facing, visit us in our Plant Health Care Room!  Mark your calendars to attend a Summer Seminar on July 18 at 10am to learn from an expert on summer issues in your gardens- from insects to fungus to heat best practices! Learn more here.

Keep the color going in your summer landscape with these easy tips… Flowers in the Landscape Adding flowering plants to the landscape is the quickest way to add visual appeal. "Planting flowers" can mean different things to different people, but no matter what type of plant they select, everyone wants their flowers to last as long as possible. It’s important to choose plants that do well in our area’s summer conditions. There are lots of options, depending on the need/want for annuals, perennials, shrubs, trees, herbs, etc. Use Annual Flowers and Foliage for Colorful Accents Before extending the bloom season, it's important to know what the bloom season should be. Annual flowers produce blooms soon after sprouting from seed, and continue flowering throughout their short single-season lifespan. Most trees, shrubs and perennials have a more compact bloom season, and even re-blooming varieties have bloom/rest cycles that preclude a constant color show. Optimizing the bloom season requires a slightly different approach for each of these categories. Learn more on the difference between annuals and perennials from our blog here! Choose the Right Annuals A key to keeping annuals blooming heavily for several months is planting those species that are coming into season. At any given time there are species that are coming into their bloom season and others that are finishing up. For example, in the South pansies and begonias may both be seen in garden centers in late February; but pansies will soon peter out because of the heat, while it is just getting warm enough to plant begonias. Use Perennials for a Punch of Color The great benefit of perennials in the landscape is that they come back year after year, however they tend to have a shorter bloom season than annuals. While annuals are best used in limited pockets to add a punch of color, perennials are best peppered throughout the landscape to add subtle change and bright "sparks" throughout the season. Re-blooming Plants Extend the Flowering Season One way to extend the flowering season in the landscape is to plant re-blooming shrubs and perennials. These cultivars outperform their old-fashioned peers by flowering on both old (last year's) growth and new (this year's) growth. Plant re-blooming varieties of roses, hydrangeas, azaleas and others and you will enjoy flowers from spring through fall. Mix Seasonal Bloomers Mixing spring, summer and fall bloomers of different species into a blended border is a fantastic way to extend the bloom time of the planting while adding dramatic seasonal change. Maintain Good Fertility Fertility is an important component for bloom production. Annuals, perennials and shrubs each have their particular needs. Feed annuals a granular time released fertilizer at planting time to keep the foliage looking great, and supplement with a liquid "bloom food" throughout the season. Perennials and shrubs should be fed general purpose plant food as they begin to grow in spring and after removing spent blooms. We can help show you which is which in our Plant Health Care room! Deadheading Helps Plants Flower Longer "Deadheading" is the practice of removing spent blooms. Cutting or pinching these old flower heads away helps the plant focus its energy on flower production, instead of ripening seeds. Deadheading can reduce the time between flower cycles by several weeks in the case of many re-blooming shrubs and perennials. It also helps keep annuals looking neat and tidy. Many flowers, such as zinnias, coreopsis, marigolds, salvia, scabiosa and others, bloom longer when you deadhead them. Weed Weed out what you don't want, so favorite flowers don't have to compete for nutrients. Prune For heavy bloom production, hard pruning can be a real help. Pruning stimulates branching, and more branch tips means more flowers. Pruning can be as simple as deadheading, or it can be much more aggressive. Shrubs are often pruned hard at some point (depending on their flowering time) to maintain their size and stimulate branching (read: blooms). Perennials, too can be cut back hard after their first bloom cycle to rejuvenate foliage and stimulate a secondary bloom cycle. Watering Is Key to Bloom Production Stressed plants are capable of flowering rather intensely. This is probably a survival instinct that ensures the plant reproduces. Don't use this instinct as a strategy. Maintaining a healthy soil moisture level will ensure both good bloom production and the longevity of the plant itself. The generally used rule of thumb is one inch of water, from a combination of rainfall and irrigation, per week. Container Plantings Colorful containers are wonderfully flexible, but require a bit of extra attention to provide consistent color. Water and fertilization will need to be provided perhaps twice as often, or more, compared with in-ground plantings. The good thing is the ease of popping out tired plants and popping in new ones as the season progresses. Our Potting Station can help create a beautiful piece for you! Or, you can visit our garden center to shop our pre-made containers! Click here to read our blog on how to create a container garden! Foliage Plants If a colorful, visually appealing landscape is your goal, flowers aren't the only game in town. Consider the effect that foliage can have on the overall picture. Bold colors and textures, structure and even motion are some of the benefits that leaves bring to accent flowers. Foliage lasts all season without the maintenance requirements of flowers, and many of the "foliage plants" offer flowers of their own, like the ornamental flower/seed heads on this purple fountain grass. A Colorful, Mixed Landscape Long-blooming flowers are beautiful, all the more in a well-mixed landscape. Strategically placed annual flower beds, well positioned containers filled with color, expansive perennial gardens and shrub borders all bring their own unique presence to a well-cared for landscape. Providing for their basic needs and tweaking your maintenance habits will ensure that they all maximize their effects on the big picture.

Looking to add color to a shady spot in the yard or under a covered patio or porch? Here is our list of plants that love life in the shade. Succulents You may think all succulents love the sun, but the truth is there are several that do better in light shade, especially during the summer months. They can tolerate some morning sun, but the scorching afternoon sun may fry them to a crisp. How do you know if your succulents need more sun? If they start to get leggy and weak and refuse to flower, then move them to a spot with more sun. Succulents that like shade include: fairy crassula, sedum, aloe vera, jade, devil’s backbone, many different kinds of Sansevieria (snake plant) and kalanchoe. Good vine-like or cascading succulents for shade include wax plant, burrow tail, mistletoe cactus, string of pearls, string of hearts and rosary vine, Christmas cactus, Easter cactus and night blooming cereus. Coral Bells Coral Bells have varieties that are striking in borders with other shade-loving perennials, but they also look fabulous planted solo in containers. This hardy perennial is evergreen so plant it in a container that will lend interest to your winter landscape. They prefer partial shade and are also deer and rabbit resistant. Begonia The begonia family is huge, the topline way to divide the varieties up is by root type. Tuberous begonias are a herbaceous perennial that is usually grown outdoors. Begonias with fine-fibrous root systems are best as houseplants. Both kinds prefer low light and well-drained soil. Tuberous begonias will bloom all summer long in the right conditions. In our warmer climate, plant in dappled to full shade. Begonias look great next to other shade-loving perennials like hosta and heuchera. The bronze-leaf varieties can handle more sun conditions than their green-leaf cousins. Hydrangea There are several compact varieties of hydrangea that make perfect pot dwellers. The biggest challenge to growing hydrangeas in pots is providing sufficient water. They’ll need more water than their in-the-ground counterparts. Plant in big pots, a minimum of 18" to 20" across. This size will provide enough soil to give roots room to spread and to keep you from having to water multiple times a day. Place your hydrangea pots so that they receive morning sun and afternoon shade. Ferns Ferns in hanging baskets are the quintessential front porch accessory, and they're so easy to grow and care for! Keep your ferns out of direct midday sun and make sure to give them enough water to keep the soil damp. A couple of inches of organic mulch will help keep them moist and healthy. Also make sure they are protected from wind and heavy rains. Lamium Also known as deadnettle, this easy-care perennial is part of the mint family. It’s a shade lover with silvery foliage that blooms in the summer, producing clusters of pink or white flowers that resemble snapdragons. It is often grown as a ground cover but can look absolutely charming in a shady pot as a standalone or as a spiller mixed with other shade lovers. Hosta This common shade garden plant can make a happy home in pots. All hostas like rich, well-drained soil. They don’t like dry conditions so provide ample water and spread mulch around them to help retain moisture. Most hostas grow best in part shade, although some varieties can tolerate a little direct sunshine. Hostas' spikey white to lavender blooms beckon bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Clematis Clematis has about 300 species and an even bigger number of hybrids. With that many to choose from you should be able to find one that will grow in your yard’s conditions in just the right color. And as an additional bonus, there are varieties of clematis that are evergreen. Vining clematis looks wonderful in a container climbing up an arbor, pergola or trellis. Clematis does best in moist, well-drained soil. Plant them deeply and add mulch, but don’t pile up the mulch around the stems, it can cause wilting. Fill the rest of the container with flowering annuals or other small, shade-loving perennials. Torenia Torenia, also known as Wishbone Flower, makes the LSU SuperPlant list for its star performing qualities in a shade garden. These little bell-shaped flowers add rainbow bright colors like pink, purple, magenta, blue and white to a shady area. With their mounding habit, they make excellent filler plants in a container. There are even some varieties that will trail over your container. Mint Mint comes in a variety of fragrances, including peppermint, spearmint, apple, chocolate and orange. Harvest it to flavor teas, salad or cocktails. Mint is best grown in a container because it is a quick grower and tends to be invasive. English Ivy English ivy is a popular container plant for many reasons. It looks great as a spiller mixed with flowering plants or other textural greenery like ferns and hostas. It is perfect for the lazy gardener, just give it a little water when it gets dry and you're good to go. English ivy is available in a variety of sizes and variegated green and white foliage. It’s also evergreen, so it’ll look great with your spring and summer bloomers as well your fall mums, winter cabbages and cold-hardy pansies. Columbine Columbine is easy to grow because it adapts to a wide variety of conditions. Columbine attracts hummingbirds and butterflies, but deer and rabbits will leave it alone. It will self-seed so put it in a container that offers room to grow. Columbine varieties offer an array of colors and growing height. Rosemary Rosemary can be such a versatile part of your landscape. This easy-to-grow herb is known to be a sun lover, but it can also thrive with heavy afternoon shade. Rosemary - whether it’s a variety that grows upright or spills like ivy - makes a great ornamental addition to large containers and hanging baskets. It’s evergreen and does prefer moist, well-drained soil. Harvest it to season meats, potatoes and even cocktails. Creeping Jenny Creeping Jenny is a ubiquitous ground cover because it's easy to grow, but also because it can be invasive, so using it in a container is a smart idea. It is low-maintenance, prefers soil on the moist side, and it grows well in sun or shade although it may acquire a golden hue if kept in a sunny spot. In the deep cold, the color will fade, but next season it will strike back with a vengeance. Citronella Geranium Citronella geranium is an aromatic, hardy perennial with gray-green lobed leaves and pink flowers. It's most valued for its distinctive, warm musky fragrance, primarily used in perfume and potpourri, or as a natural insect repellant. They can be clustered in pots around seating areas to keep mosquitoes from sheltering in nearby vegetation. For best results, plant them where it will receive morning sun and afternoon shade. Please note All Seasons may or may not have these in stock. Please contact us to confirm their availability! You can call us at 337.264.1418 or contact us here.

Many people are asking whether this or that plant can be planted in the summer. The fact of the matter is that Louisiana has a climate that allows for planting 365 days a year, with a little understanding of how plants work and what they need. Virtually all outdoor landscape plants follow a seasonal succession of growth stages. Tropicals like palms and hibiscus love the heat and grow very well throughout summer; however, any hardy plants that are planted in summer may require a little additional care. Woody plants like trees and shrubs are growing very actively in spring as they are waking up and putting on fresh growth, and there is a second period of root activity in fall when some plants are converting some of their nutrients into starches to be stored in root and stem tissues as the plants prepare to go dormant in winter. In the summertime, roots are still actively supplying plants with water, oxygen, and minerals, of course, but we can give them a little nudge to make roots grow more quickly at the time of planting. Garden center employees will often suggest buying a root stimulator, good at any time of the year, but especially important in summer when plants are tired and stressed from high heat and long days. Is this snake oil, or some kind of voodoo? The fine print on the label says it contains something called indole-3-butyric acid. What exactly is this? Well, butyric acid is a synthetic plant hormone that very closely imitates the function of the natural hormone, auxin, in plant development. Auxin is the hormone that tells the tip of a stem or root to grow, and there is an auxin receptor at every node and tip of every stem and root. For example; when our roses become leggy and we cut them back to make them “full” again, we are removing the auxin receptor at the end of that branch, forcing all the side buds along the stem to receive more of the hormone. This is what creates new side branching, which are the next stems to grow and produce new flowers. Just as we deadhead or cut back bushes and shrubs to make them prettier, we tell people to trim or tease the root system of a plant that has just been taken out of a container before planting. This breaks off the tips of those roots that have begun to encircle the base of the pot it was grown in and will allow new side shoots to form at the edges of the root system so the newly forming roots can grow outward and downward, instead of continuing in a spiral. When plants are first in the ground they don’t have the ability to reach any of the water in the soil that is not directly against the existing roots. Many people make the mistake of seeing that some part of their flowerbed is moist and think their plant is okay, but the new plant already drank all of the water right next to its roots and there will be a little halo of dry soil surrounding that new plant. This is where Root Stimulator comes in. Hardy, woody plants are not going to grow a whole lot when daytime temps are in the mid-90’s and nighttime lows are 78-85 degrees (heat-loving tropicals are an exception to this rule). Plants really like grow when there are warm days and cool nights and soil temperatures are 55-65 degrees. We can force the plant’s roots to think it’s time to grow, however, by applying the butyric acid. Our root stimulator also contains a wetting agent, which actually helps moisture reach root surfaces, helping those baby roots access every last bit of water available in sun-scorched soils. This will encourage rapid development of new feeder roots and help with easy water absorption while the plant is trying to become established. The fertilizer in root stimulator contains relatively high phosphorus which encourages branching development (think of roots as underground branches), and lower amounts of nitrogen which encourages leaf growth. If roots are what give the plant water, then leaves, which are exposed to the sun and wind, are what are losing it, which is why plants will constantly be thirsty for more. Applying a fertilizer with low nitrogen in summer will reduce that plant’s leaf growth, limiting the amount of water it needs to survive. The larger the root system gets with time, the more water the plant can absorb, even if we are not getting much rain. This is why fully established plants should only ever be irrigated if we are in a serious drought. The surface of our soil may dry very quickly, but the roots of healthy plants are reaching far into the ground to access groundwater not available at the surface. Root stimulator is very easy to use – all you need is a watering can. Simply mix 3-1/2 tablespoons (1.75 oz) of root stimulator into a gallon of water, and water your transplants with it once every two weeks until they get established. Small bedding plants can get about a pint (16 oz) of water, whereas larger plants 2-3 feet tall can get about a half gallon. Larger shrubs and trees will like a full gallon of root stimulator solution once every two weeks. It is important to note that Root Stimulator is not rated for edible plants.  Doing this even once is great for the plant, but it can be repeated once every two weeks throughout the growing season. When days get shorter and nights begin to get a bit cooler in fall, root stimulator will no longer be necessary. By the following spring, your plant should have a well-established root system, and will be ready for conventional fertilizer like tree and shrub food or all-purpose fertilizer.

Although we complain when it starts to warm up, it is the heat that allows us to grow some of the most amazing plants - blooming tropicals! These plants can be planted in your landscape or containers while taking our heat and bloom all summer long! We define tropicals as woody stem shrubs and vines that perform at their peak when it's hot and humid. There are lots of plants that fit this description; by far the three at the top of the list are Hibiscus, Bougainvillea and Mandevilla. These beauties come in an array of exotic colored flowers. They bloom either perpetually or in cycles from at least May through September. Other popular tropicals include Ixora, Allamanda, Jatropha, Cordyline, Shrimp Plant and Bird of Paradise. Unlike most other plants, the heat actually makes these plants actively grow, so you can plant them well into the summer and have them thrive! Tip: Since these plants grow and bloom in the hottest time of the year, proper fertilization is important for optimum plant health and performance. Ask us for the right products, and we'll point you in the direction of success. Do yourself a favor and create a Backyard Paradise with tropicals in your landscape and relax just like you would if you were on a tropical vacation. Here are some tropical plant choices! These and more available at our garden center! Hibiscus (Shrubs and Tree Forms) Bougainvillea Mandevilla Ixora Duranta Princess Flower (Tibouchina) Allamanda Elephant Ear Banana Plant Shrimp Plant Cordyline Palm Trees Bird of Paradise (Orange & White) Please note All Seasons may or may not have these in stock. Please contact us to confirm their availability! You can call us at 337.264.1418 or contact us here.