How Does My Garden Grow?
Gardeners always ask me, “what products do you use in your garden?” We try to test every product we sell in a staff member’s garden. Of the more than 80 products that we offer, I use about 20 products in my container gardens. Containers don’t need weeding and I live in a condo so don’t have a lawn (yay!) so I don’t need weed killers or lawn products.
Here is the list of the products I use and why I choose them.
The Perfect Blend – This is my ‘can’t garden without product’. Provides all nutrients my plants need. I can absolutely see the difference it makes overnight. Plants are stronger, greener, have more flowers (which make more vegetables). I mix a gallon at a time in an empty gallon water jug.
Pistol Power Sprayer 32 oz. – I am truly a lazy gardener and LOVE the continuous spray feature of our Pistol Power Sprayer. Since I have limited storage, I use the 32 oz. instead of the gallon and just refill it from the gallon water jug.
Shake-Away Deer Repellent – I create a barrier by spreading Shake-Away around the edge of my downstairs brick patio. It is really stinky for about an hour. I spread it at night and by morning the smell is gone and so are the deer.
Hot Pepper Wax – After creating a barrier with Shake-Away Deer, I spray all my plants with Hot Pepper Wax. I like that I can use one product for both edible and ornamental plants.
Optimizer, Wonder Soil and Gro-Brics – I combine these into all of my containers to recharge my soil (see another blog for more information).
Foli-Cal – Next year I will spray my tomatoes with this liquid calcium if they seem to have blossom end rot! It works best if you treat early in the season.
Revitalize and Actinovate – For some reason, I fight fungus on my cucumber, squash and zucchini plants every year. I aggressively treat them with Revitalize on the plants and Actinovate in the soil and on the plants.
Elevated beds – I have three of our elevated beds and grow both vegetables and flowers in them. I don’t grow tomatoes in them as tomatoes get too tall for the beds. The beds are very well made, pretty and last several seasons (unless you have a hurricane!).
Deer Fencing – This is my first line of defense for the vegetables grown in my elevated beds. I have counted 42 deer less than 50 yards from my patio eyeing my plants.
Soft Wire Ties – I like the versatility of Soft Wire Ties. I cut it to fit the project, they are soft on plants and are sturdier than twine.
Take Down – This is my insecticide for everything insect except tomato worms.
Garden Insect Spray – I kill worms that put ugly holes in my tomatoes with Garden Insect Spray.