Welcome to our new web site. We're very excited to finally have it up and running! We sincerely hope that you will find it both fun and informative. Monthly, I will discuss topics that are pertinent for the month, concerning lawn and gardening.

September is the perfect month to apply your fall application of pre-emergent herbicide for those pesky spring weeds. I have used Balan or Balan\Treflan for a number of years. My success rate has been no less than phenomenal! Of course, you are certainly going to get the occasional weed that will get through. But by and large this is not much of a problem. Remember that the timing of application is very important for the best possible outcome. Your herbicide needs to be broadcast no later than the middle of September. These products are granular, so you can use your fertilizer spreader; usually at the same setting as you would fertilize.

While we’re on the subject of fall chores in the landscape, let’s not forget about pruning. I would submit that it is unwise to prune too severely after the first of October. In the Midlands area of South Carolina our first frost of the season could sneak up and bite us. Any pruning that has occurred needs to have been done in time to let the plants harden back off before cold weather. Remember this rule of thumb “prune plants after they flower and you will never have to worry about cutting off next seasons flowers.” Good luck with your gardening and get out and enjoy the fruits of your hard-earned labor.

Weekend Gardener / Mike Wilson