Rochester, MN

507-289-3741

3430 19th Street Northwest

Location & Hours

Monthly Gardening Tips

April Garden Tips

  • Now is the time to plant Asparagus, Potatoes, Rhubarb. See (Spring Planting Tips)
  • Fertilize established asparagus and rhubarb plants with nitrate of soda.
  • Cut down ornamental grasses to 6-10 inches above the soil line. See (Basic Perennial Garden Care)
  • Give Mulch beds a new look with 1 inch of fresh mulch.
  • Pre-emergent Weed Control should be done in beds with the fresh mulch. Be careful around Perennials and where you’ve planned to put Annuals as Hi Yield Grass & Weed Stopper and similar products will stunt their growth.
  • This is the best time to repair any plow or snow removal damage done to your lawn or shrubs.
  • Now is the time to plan for fertilizing. See (How to Guide to Lawn Care )
  • Lawns will begin to be mowed at no less than. 3 inches.
  • Do any lawn de-thatching before mowing starts.
  • Crabgrass preventer can be applied to the lawns any time after the 15th up to the second week of May.
  • Apple scab is a common problem on Crabapples and Apple trees. Spray with a fungicides like Bonide Orchard Spray to control apple scab, you will need to make 4 applications at ten-day intervals starting at bud break.
  • Cut out all winter damage on Evergreens.
  • Remove any Tree wrap.
  • As soon as the ground is no longer frozen or waterlogged you can apply your yearly application of Bonide Annual Tree and Shrub. This internal protection is a good defense against many insect problems. (reapply in the fall and every fall thereafter).
  • Dead branches on Spruce are often caused by cytospora canker.
  • Remove infected branches and disinfect tools. Mulch under the tree and water during dry periods. Bonide Infuse Fungicide.

May Garden Tips

  • Plant your cool season vegetables. See (Spring Planting Tips)
  • Visit Whitings Garden Center Mother’s Day weekend for the best hanging baskets, patio pots and annuals for your gardens.
  • End of May plant tomatoes See (Spring Planting Tips) peppers, melons and squash.
  • Dig and divide overgrown Perennials. See (Perennial Garden Care The Basics)
  • Care of perennial garden See (Perennial Garden Care The Basics)
  • Finish any major tree planting before the hot dry summer sets in. Make sure trees are mulched in well to help them retain moisture. See (The Garden Problem Solver)
  • Begin trimming Evergreens after May 15th..
  • Spring Blooming shrubs have 4 week window to trim/prune/shape that occurs immediately after blooming. Trimming done after or before this time will remove flower buds that are set for the following Spring. Examples: Lilac, Bridals Wreath Spirea, Forsythia. Summer and Fall blooming shrubs can be trimmed. See (How to Prune Trees & Shrubs)
  • Fertilize established trees, evergreens and shrubs to encourage growth.
  • Repair bare patches, dog spots, and over seed thin lawns . Water to keep soil moist until germination occurs. Then at least every 2-3 days until after the second mowing.
  • Time to do annual weed control in the lawn and fertilize. See (How to Guide to Lawn Care)
  • Apply Bonide Grub Beater to Lawn to Prevent / control Lawn grubs and Japanese Beetle
  • Cutting height on lawn should be moved up to the 3 – 3.5 inch range.
  • Good time to put out slug bait in your hosta beds. (Bonide Slug Magic)

June Garden Tips

  • Make sure annuals have adequate water to help there establishment.
  • Remove suckers (side shoots) on Tomatoes, to give you earlier, but smaller harvest
  • Rhubarb and asparagus fertilize again after last harvest with nitrate of soda.
  • Reapply pre-emergent weed control to mulched areas where weeds are excessive, DO NOT apply to annual beds. Hi Yield Grass and Weed Stopper
  • Keep mums and asters at 6 inches tall.
  • During the last week of June, is the time to trim some perennials. (Perennial Garden Care The Basics)
  • Any spring blooming shrubs should be done flowering and subsequently have their pruning done.
    Examples: Lilacs, Bridal Wreath Astilbe, and Forsythia.
  • This is a great time to plant balled-and-burlapped. Stop by and See the large selection of trees and Shrubs at Jim Whiting Nursery
  • Do not paint pruning cuts, research shows that the tree will heal better without these products.
  • Early in the month when the dandelions and creeping charlie are in bloom is the best time to treat your lawn with a broadleaf weed killer like (Bonide Weed Beater Ultra).
  • Sod installation is OK up to this point.
  • Early summer fertilizing can be done now. See (How to Guide to Lawn Care)

July Garden Tips

  • Continue your basic maintenance. See (The Garden Problem solver)
  • Mulch 2 – 3 inches deep to help keep roots cool and moist, while reducing weeds and improving the soil.
  • Time to harvest summer squash, spinach and continue picking leaf lettuce.
  • Continue your basic maintenance. Water, Fertilize, Stake, and Train. See (Perennial Garden Care The Basic)
  • Be ready to start deadheading Day Lilies and Salvia as their blooms fade.
  • Dig and divide or take root cuttings of spring blooming Poppies, Bleeding Heart, and Bearded Iris
  • Watch trees and shrubs for disease type symptoms. The leaves will curl, get black spots, and fall off if they do not receive adequate moisture through the hot months.
  • For a pruning once a year of Arborvitaes, Yews, and Junipers do it now after new growth has expanded.
  • Touch up shrubs and hedges as they need it.
  • This is a great time to plant container grown trees. 
  • Make sure new lawns and sod are watered to keep them green and growing until they have matured.
  • Move the height of cut u to 3.5 inches plus and cut only as needed. This can reduce weed growth.
  • Water early in the day.
  • Fertilizing can be done now. See (How to Guide to Lawn Care)
  • Start Watching for Japanese Beetle Active and have Bonide Japanese beetle Killer ready to Spray.

August Garden Tips

  • Time to start thinking about annuals to add fall color in your garden.
  • Continue to deadhead faded blooms to encourage new ones.
  • Cut perennials to the ground that have spent flowers or have powdery/downy mildew. Examples: Bee Balm, Phlox, Gallardia, Obedient Plants. They won’t bloom again but the foliage will come back more attractive. See (Perennial Garden Care The Basic)
  • Reapply pre-emergent herbicide to mulched areas where weeds are excessive. DO NOT apply to annual beds. Now is the time to divide spring blooming perennials like Iris, Poppy. Hi Yield Grass and Weed Stopper.
  • Late summer and fall are excellent times to plant trees.
  • Watch for early signs of fall. Trees that color up early are in distress. Proper watering and care may help a stressed tree.
  • Rake and destroy diseased leaves as they fall from the trees. This will reduce the source of infection for next season.
  • Continue to watch for insect and disease problems. Continue to remove cankered and diseased branches as they are found. Prune 9 – 12 inches below the cankered areas of the branch. Be sure to disinfect tools with rubbing alcohol or a solution of one part bleach to nine parts water.
  • A good time to begin re-seeding is towards the end of August as weather begins to cool.
  • Start Watching for Japanese Beetle Active and have Bonide Japanese beetle Killer ready to Spray or trap Japanese Beetle Trap Beetle Bags to Control when beetle are the heaviest.

September Garden Tips

  • Plant cold hardy annuals. See (Spring Planting Tips)
  • Start to plan for your spring flowers with bulbs this fall.
  • Late in the month is a good time to bring in any tropical plants like hibiscus, etc. Treat
    with a systemic.
  • Continue to cut down perennials as their flowers become spent, and plant perennials.See (Perennial Garden Care The Basic).
  • Finalize your touch up trimming. See (How to Prune Trees & Shrubs)
  • Time to transplant trees.
  • Must wrap trees now. Stop by and pick up Tree Protection like (Tree Wrap or Tree Guards)
  • Aerating to benefit soil conditions can be done as the lawn goes into its fall growth period.
  • Now is the time to start your fall fertilizer and weed control application.
  • This is a great time to sod and seed.

October Garden Tips

  • Remove annuals as they finish or are frost damaged.
  • This is a good time to plant bulbs for a beautiful spring color in your flower beds.
  • Time to dig up your spring planted bulbs like Canna, Calla and Elephant Ears for the
    winter.
  • Keep watering until it freezes. Plants still need the moisture to help them make it through
    the winter. See (Perennial Garden Care The Basic)
  • Except for plants that are left up for winter interest, everything should be cut down,
    divided, and cleaned up. See (Perennial Garden Care The Basic)
    Keep watering until it freezes.
    You can still trim evergreens until October 15th. Trimming of bushes allows new
  • There is still time to plant trees. You must wrap trees now. Stop by and pick up Tree Protection like (Tree Wrap or Tree Guards).
  • One application of a winterizing fertilizer at the end of October will help lawns green up in spring

November Garden Tips

  • Annual beds should all be cleaned out by now.
  • Early in November you still have time to prepare your beds for winter. See (Perennial Garden Care The Basic).
  • Trunk wrap softwood trees, newly planted, and in high deer traffic to protect from frost cracking and deer damage. Stop by and pick up Tree Protection like (Tree Wrap or Tree Guards).
  • Continue to water your trees until ground freezes.
  • Finalize your leaf cleanups and cut the lawn down a little shorter the last time.
  • Winterize your equipment, clean the mower decks and sharpen blades. Add a fuel stabilizer to the tank and run the engine to get it all the way through the system.
  • Have Snow blower serviced and ready to go with new spark plug.