Spring is Finally here, and with it comes the long-awaited opening of Petal Pushers Farm and Garden Center Located at 2635 Parade Road in Laconia NH! We are celebrating our 28th year serving the Lakes Region. As the weather warms up and the days grow longer, it’s time to start thinking about planting your garden and filling your outdoor space with color and greenery.
> Continue ReadingForever Friends or Casual Admirers? Choosing perennials or annuals will have an effect on how your garden grows.
> Continue ReadingNot only is Massachusetts Kinnickkinnick a challenge to pronounce, it’s also not easy to find around here.
> Continue Reading...for a local garden store, Petal Pushers Farm is able to offer home gardeners and landscapers alike all that they need for success, in one stop.
> Continue ReadingPetal Pushers owner Patty Gianunzio awards $25 Gift Certificate to winner Cindy Peterson.
> Continue ReadingThere are pro's and con's to cutting down ornamental grasses come fall. Depending on the aesthetic of your garden, you can decide based on several factors. Read on, to decide whether or not to trim your perennial grass, when and how...
> Continue ReadingSome types of plants and shrubs will thrive with that extra boost of nutrients in the fall, while others will either ignore them or become overwhelmed with the nudge towards flowering and not do well in the following spring. The thinking among gardeners used to be that, in general, fall was not a good time to fertilize, since plants were about to go dormant. But current thinking has changed, with root boosters seen as helping plants make it through the winter.
> Continue ReadingWait! Put down those pruning shears and back away from your hydrangea! If you are concerned about those beautiful shrubs blooming to perfection in the spring, you need to understand their care. If they are looking gangly and out of control and you are just itching to cut them back, down or otherwise, read on to see what kind of hydrangea you have in your garden, and how you should approach their pruning.
> Continue ReadingWe love that evergreens keep green in your garden year-round. But what about adding color, as well. Are there evergreens that will add color to their perpetual green?
> Continue Reading“If it’s green, let it be. If it’s brown, cut it down.” Sounds overly simplistic, but it is a great rule of thumb to apply when approaching what may seem like the huge task of winterizing your garden. Fall is the season to get your garden ready to withstand the freezing temperatures and harsh winds of winter.
> Continue ReadingYou’ve invested in shrubs that add so much interest to your landscape. You’ve nurtured, fertilized, pruned…and now they’ve got to make it through the winter. In some cases, their first. What can you do to ensure their safety, in order to return, in full and beautiful bloom, in the spring? Here’s how to help your shrubs through the challenge of winter months.
> Continue ReadingYou’ve grown used to the beautiful colors in your garden. You worked hard to choose colors that harmonize. You invested time and money to create the garden of your dreams. All good reasons to consider winterizing some of your annuals. Not all are genetically prepared to winter well and make a colorful comeback. But with some planning, positioning and care, some annuals will survive the winter indoors and be ready for re-planting come spring.
> Continue ReadingIt’s been nearly 12 years since the USDA reviewed its Plant Hardiness Zone map, used by gardeners throughout the U.S. to identify which plants have a good chance of thriving if planted according to the map’s recommendations. The new map, reflecting an overall temperature increase of a little over 2 degrees across the country, offers more detail and is more accurate than its earlier versions.
> Continue ReadingThink of plant labels as the instruction booklets that come with your leafy purchase. More than price tags or identity labels, they are a wealth of information as to where to plant, how much to water, when and what to feed and, most importantly, how to provide the key ingredients for your plant to prosper. All plants come with a label, which should be reviewed prior to purchase and saved for reference.
> Continue ReadingWarning: This is not going to be a very pleasant read! It begins with vomiting and mild diarrhea, and progresses up to heart problems and, well, an expensive trip to the emergency vet. But as you contemplate Spring -- new plantings or returning perennials and shrubs -- it's important to know which choices may prove unhealthy for your pets, depending on their behavior in the garden.
> Continue ReadingThe last thing you want in your peaceful, serene, tranquil garden is a lot of fighting, bickering, jabbing and bullying – which is exactly what you’ll get if plants and shrubs are placed too close together! When spring arrives, along with the urge to fill in all the bare brown with vibrant color and texture, be aware that the newcomers to your garden, especially when filling in with perennials and existing shrubs, need room to grow and spread. There are easy “rules of thumb” to consider when choosing how far apart to set your plants. Just make certain you are using your green thumb when choosing spacing…
> Continue ReadingResearching soil reveals indisputably that there are 4 types of soil. Or is it 3? No, it’s definitely 6. Wait, what? 5. Well, what research reveals for sure, is that there are many different combinations of soils that will render a garden lush and green, sparse and struggling or crying out for help. Help consists of your ability to change up the components of your garden soil.
> Continue ReadingIt’s so close! You can almost smell it – rich earth, sprouting seeds, perennials popping up. If this last snow storm hasn’t dampened your spirits, yes, it is finally that time of year to begin prepping your garden. And yes, we do need to wait for the snow to melt for most tasks. But here are some tips to hold you over while the snow recedes and you begin to see the color green where for so many months, brown has predominated.
> Continue ReadingPerennials are a great landscape investment that will serve you well year after year. If they like their location – right amount of sunshine, water and good soil – they will flourish and add color to your garden. But while some perennials bloom once and are done for the year, and others re-bloom, how do you keep your garden looking alive and colorful all summer long? Easy! Mix and match early and late bloomers.
> Continue ReadingWe’ve pointed out the benefits of reading the tags on the plants and shrubs you’re considering. All of that verbiage contains a multitude of information that is key to getting that plant off to a healthy start. But what if you struggle with some of the terms the tags contain? How do you correctly interpret an image of the sun shaded out on one side? How do clouds factor in on an otherwise sunny day? And just how many hours of sunlight are required for a Morning Sun-loving plant? Let’s discuss sun requirements and define some of these terms.
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