Spring Lawn & Garden 2019

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LaWn & Garden Thursday, april 18, 2019

n & Page garden 2 | |spring Thursday, home, april lawn 18, & 2019 garden | Thursday, april 18, 2019

g Different a way to decompress, after long dayplant care fertilizersde-stress necessary fora distinct

ening, By from Colleen Harrison to plants. One of the more popular sellllowing my colleen.harrison@albertleatribune.com ing points is that organic fertilizers are o her flower renewable, biodegradable, sustainable roughNot now all fertilizers are created equal, and environmentally friendly. an out.

I’ve A downside to organic fertilizers can and neither are the different plants they icalbenefit. (a nice be the cost if you don’t have access to d, andThere gar- is somewhat of a debate in the the components directly. Sometimes exnd gardening shut my community as to whether or- pensive in packages, you can make your Welcome to My garden on weeding, ganic or nonorganic fertilizers are better own organic fertilizer by composting or

By Colleen Harrison verfor theplants. task Both have pros and cons. finding inexpensive sources — such as Organic fertilizers such as cow local dairy farms — that may sell comving some batbackyard.

I plant a myriad posted manure. manure, guano, bone meal, organicof different e incompost Albert or green varieties, planting the manure crops areshorter some varieties Another negative to organic fertilizers ch options. trouble Organic up front while the inbe the fertilizers are“giants” usually are can unpredictability. Organic fertils long as I back up against the actual fence itself. sold as “soil conditioners” rather than as izers break down according to nature’s late spring because Sunflowers have toratios be theare easiest plants rules, so they may not release nutrients fertilizer, the nutrient w adifficult wrenchto guarantee. to grow, I think.

As long as you can keepas needed. A deficiency might Organic fertilizers as soon tacle I have squirrels biting they may be processed in from a factory, or,the in heads the off, appear in plants during the first couple of ovable but require very little work; they just need case of manure and compost, at a farm. months until the first application breaks my gardens, plenty of sun and the occasional waterAdvantages of organic fertilizers are down. ame of the ing if the weather’s been too dry.

The plenty. In addition to releasing nutrients, Chemical or inorganic fertilizers have aking sure fertilizers biggest pain is really sureshare to of good and bad as well. Since as organic break down, making they their plants by the stake up theof more top-heavy flowers, are available to the plants imimprove structure the soil and nutrients lanting too itsespecially live in a windy prai- improvement occurs in days increase ability towhen holdyou water and mediately, rie like Albert Lea. It pays off, though, nutrients. Over time, organic fertiliz- when using chemical fertilizers. They Pictured is the fertilizer used on plants at Hill’s Gardens. Colleen harrison/alberT lea when you getplants to sit back and watch the analyzed to produce the exact plants that make ers will soil and healthy are highly Tribune birds and bees chowing down as soon pering.

I’m and strong. Since they are the ultimate ratio of nutrients desired, and standardas the flowers bloom. ching once slow-release fertilizers, it’s very diffi- ized labeling makes ratios and chemical On the negative side, chemical fer- ful of with chemical or inorganic fertilan that and This will beharm) my first year attemptcult to over fertilize (and plants. sources easy to understand. Plus, they tilizers are primarily made from non- izers: nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and done withlittle ing vegetables and fruit.

I’llto bebe inexpensive A bachelor button — alsoto known a cornflower — blooms last summer in my backyard. tend compared or- as There’s toto nogrow risk of toxic buildups renewable sources, including fossil potassium (K). Numbered fertilizers will m work/life growing all of mine either in big pots or These are one of my favorites because their unique look, and grow just fuels.ofThey grow plants butthey’ll do nothof chemicals and salts that can be deadly ganic counterparts. listabout three digits in the same order persmaller raised beds, as I think my yard anywhere. I started all of mine from seeds — some in pots others directly sowedto those element levels. According to sustain the soil.

Theand fillers do not taining drangeas, I is maxed out for garden space (while others right into the ground —promote and all of them were successful.

Colleen life or soil health.

Because the harrison/ ing to Tony Hill, retail manager at Hill’s I have two still leaving room for my poor dog to run alberT lea Tribune nutrients are readily available, there is Gardens in Albert Lea, an all-around genfirst year I around without getting a talking to, that a danger of over fertilization. This not eral fertilizer would be a 5-10-10. need to be is). With this new endeavor, I’ve been only can kill plants but upset the entire Hill said vegetables tend to not need a o the point, researching and have asked about three ecosystem. lawn chair dozen questions to some very patient There are three elements to be mindSee FeRTILIZeR, Page 3 or shade, as nursery and garden center employees. ours of sun My mom has gotten a barrage of quesad. Luckily tions too, of course, but her planted prothe more duce has always been in a traditional m gets each garden, so some of this is out of her own problem as firsthand experience. So, I guess we’ll occasional see. If you have any tips, feel free to patch. send them my way. ardens is a Free Cookies, Coffee & Lemonade e back edge Colleen Harrison is a photojournalist her sort of with the Tribune. She can be reached Kids’atActivities & Potting Project y fenced-in colleen.harrison@albertleatribune.com. 20% Off Pottery

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Thursday, april 18, 2019 | spring home, lawn & garden | Page 3

Great Lawn Services expands business with acquisition of other business

By Tyler Julson

tyler.julson@albertleatribune.com

After starting Great Lawn Services in 2005, owner Brent Keller has seen his business grow steadily every year since.

This year he acquired a list of irrigation clients from retiring Bill Christenson, owner of Royal Lawn Service, exponentially expanding his operation.

Growing up working with his father on the farm, Keller developed a love for the outdoors as a young boy. After spending 20 years in the retail business, Keller started Great Lawn Services and spent another seven years in retail before moving to his true passion full time.

Keller said Todd Leach of Performance Landscaping gave him the idea to start the business, and it took off from there. “(Leach) suggested that there was only one other irrigation specialist in the area at the time,” Keller said. “I went in just like that. I went and took my training classes. I went up to the Cities and worked with some people there to build my basic knowledge and it went from there.”

Specializing in irrigation, Great Lawn Services also offers commercial lawn mowing, fertilizing and weed control and landscape lighting. If customers ask for other services, Keller said he partners with many other contractors in the surrounding communities to help meet his clients’ needs.

Great Lawn Services has handled the irrigation needs of many area business-

FERTILIZER Continued from Page 2

a very high nitrogen supplement in their fertilizer. Tilling in the fall and applying manure fertilizer is good practice, he said. The trick to fertilizing is making the plant grow in quality and proportion, not stretching it out beyond where it’s supposed to be.

Bone meal can be used for more established plants as well as to establish

es and complexes. Some of their work includes Love’s Truck Stop, the KFC building, Accentra Bank, Village Coop, Trailside apartments, Thorne Crest Senior Living Community, Hy-Vee Gas and many more.

Starting with just one client, Keller said the business has grown by about 30% each year. The growth required Keller to add to his team, which is now at five and will grow when the busy part of the season starts. The current employees bring more than 40 years in combined irrigation experience. He said finding employees who are the right fit can sometimes be challenging, but he’s excited to get started with the team he currently has.

“My biggest challenge in years past has been that I was a one-man show,” Keller said. “Now I’ve got two highly trained irrigation guys coming back from last year and that really helps out.

Between those two and myself, we’ll definitely be able to jump on the start of the season.”

Keller also has a fleet of five different sized lawn mowers, two fertilizer sprayer/spreaders, one van and three trucks.

Keller said the best part about owning the business is getting to interact with the customers. Being able to provide them with a quality lawn and seeing them happy with the finished product is the most rewarding thing, according to Keller.

Keller talked about why he thinks his business has grown as much as it has

Great Lawn Services currently employs five people and will grow when the season starts to pick up. Pictured are Tom Suter, Barb Berantson, Brent Keller, Joel Troska and John Gardner. Tyler Julson/alberT lea Tribune over the past 14 years.

“It’s the products we use and the services we provide,” Keller said. “I couldn’t have grown as much as I did

without referrals, and that’s because of the quality work we do. We don’t have to go back out and clean something up.

It gets done right the first time.”

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roots on newer plants. Other elements to be mindful of are calcium and magnesium. For example, tomatoes, especially those grown in pots, can become calciumdeficient, leading to end rot (black spots developing on the fruit after the plant has blossomed). This tends to occur more with potted tomatoes as potted plants need to be watered more, and therefore get nutrients washed out more frequently than an established in-ground garden. This can be avoided by refertilizing with calcium or magnesium, Hill said.

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Page 4 | spring home, lawn & garden | Thursday, april 18, 2019

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Thursday, april 18, 2019 | spring Thursday, home, lawn april&18, garden 2019 | |spring Page 5 hom

hine Gardens SonshinetoGardens reopen retail to reopen portion retail of portion flower business of flower

er

tleatribune.com

By Sarah Kocher

sarah.kocher@albertleatribune.com

ROVE — After two CLARKS years ofGROVE — After two years of on the street who seeing would people ask on the street who would ask ’t you do flowers her, anymore?”

“Why don’t you do flowers anymore?” onshine Gardensthe is reopening owner of Sonshine Gardens is reopening ion of her greenhouse-based the retail portion of her greenhouse-based business. g forward to seeing “I’m a lot looking of forward to seeing a lot of n’t seen in a couple peopleyears,” I haven’t seen in a couple years,” son said.

Michelle Peterson said. ho owns SonshinePeterson, Gardens,who owns Sonshine Gardens, l portion of the business closed the after retail portion of the business after do took out a portion the 2017 of tornado her took out a portion of her of. greenhouse roof. time, she focused During on what that time, she focused on what makes up about Peterson 75 percent said makes up about 75 percent ss: planting andofmaintaining their business: planting and maintaining cemetery pots. ardens places potted Sonshine flowerGardens places potted flower of red geraniums arrangements and white of red geraniums and white cemeteries around petunias Albertout Leaat cemeteries around Albert Lea week before Memorial and Austin Day the week before Memorial Day hem after Labor and Day. removes In the them after Labor Day. In the a, they also water Albert the flower Lea area, they also water the flower Approximately arrangements.

50 percent of Approximately 50 percent of rs are from other their states, customers Peare from other states, Peterson said. it’s great that they “They can think just it’s great that they can just n they know there’s payflowers us and on then they know there’s flowers on grave,” Petersontheir said.parents’ grave,” Peterson said. ht the service from They Hill’s bought the service from Hill’s 9, Peterson said.Gardens in 1999, Peterson said. o helps others planPeterson their own also helps others plan their own ant them for customers pots or will whoplant them for customers who own receptacles.bring in their own receptacles. customers are a good She said mix her of customers are a good mix of t suggestions and those those who who want After suggestions andofthose who arrangements After two years of producing arrangements strictly toPeterson decorateiscemeteries, Michelle is reopening Gardens. the ret two years producing strictly to decorate cemeteries, Michelle reopening the retail Peterson end of Sonshine ideas of what tohave plant. their own ideas what to plant. sarahof Kocher/alberT lea Tribune sarah Kocher/alberT lea Tribune he flowers, Peterson But said before Son- the flowers, Peterson said Sondid a 10-year stint shinegrowing Gardens didPlus, a 10-year peoplestint whogrowing garden are passionate, Plus, people who garden are passionate, and working with themthe includes and aworking shared with them includes a shared matoes when she hydroponic started thetomatoes when she started 88. At the time, business it was somein 1988. excitement, At the time, sheit said. was some- excitement, she said.

“It brings lot offinancial joy to people,” “ItPeterson brings a lot of joy to people,” Peterson it looked like a good thingfinancial new, and it looked like aa good said. was also something opportunity. she couldIt was also something she could said.

Sonshine Gardens opens AprilSonshine 18 — even Gardens opens April 18 — even th her husband. do together with her husband. it is still too early to plant. e any horticulture“Iclasses didn’t or take if any horticulture classes or if it is still too early to plant. gh school,” she said. anything “We just in high school,” “Hopefully she said. we’ll“We get just a nice spring “Hopefully here we’ll get a nice spring here g stuff.” started growingsooner stuff.” or later,” Peterson said.sooner or later,” Peterson said. eterson’s husband,But whowhen ownsPeterson’s husband, who owns with her, along with the business Peterson with her, along with Peterson came busy with other Excavating, work, Pebecame busy with other work, Ped to flowers. She prefers terson switched them. to flowers. She prefers them. l herbs, annuals andNow, perennials, they sell herbs, annuals and perennials, g baskets, second-hand shrubs, items hanging baskets, second-hand items emed decor. and garden-themed decor. ose second-hand Some items of canthose second-hand items can ique planters, Peterson functionsaid. as unique planters, Peterson said. perimenting with She different likes experimenting with different her own plants.containers Hanging up for her own plants. Hanging up use in early Aprilinwas theagreenhouse pair of in early April was a pair of alls with a small Mickey children’s Mouse overalls with a small Mickey Mouse cked inside were onsupplies the bib. as Tucked inside were supplies as red to coax plants Peterson out of pants. prepared to coax plants out of pants.

In addition to plants, offerings In at addition SonshinetoGardens plants, include offerings garden-related at Sonshine Gardens decorations include andgar acle of these little“It’s seeds, theand miracle of these little seeds, and Gardens openssaid.

April 18.

Sonshine Gardens secondhand opens Aprilitems, 18. which ownersecondhand Michelle Peterson items, which said she owner likes Michelle to use asPeterson unique planters. said she likes d there’s color,” Peterson they opensaid. up andSonshine there’s color,” Peterson

n & garden Page 6 | Thursday, spring home, april lawn 18, 2019 & garden | Thursday, april 18, 2019

Gardening anecessary way to decompress, de-stress after a long day t fertilizers for distinct plant care

I’ve always enjoyed gardening, from to plants.

One of the more popular sellthe time I was a littleisgirl my ing points thatfollowing organic fertilizers are mom around as she tended to her flower renewable, biodegradable, sustainable vegetable gardens, through now atedand equal, and environmentally friendly. having my own yard to plan out.

A downside to organic I’ve fertilizers can plants they always had (a have nice access to bean theover-analytical cost if you don’t word for the overactive) mind, and Sometimes garebate in the components directly. exdening me de-stress and you shutcan mymake your whether or-helps pensive in packages, Welcome to My garden mind off for a while to focus on weeding, s are better own organic fertilizer by composting or

By Colleen Harrison planting, watering or whatever the task nd cons. finding inexpensive sources — such as at hand be.dairy farms — that may sell comlocal h as cow may I’ve lucked out with having some backyard. I plant a myriad of different posted manure. eal, organic great soil in my yard here in Albert fertilizers varieties, planting the shorter varieties ps are some Another negative to organic and can haven’t had much trouble front while the “giants” are in the are Lea, usually be unpredictability.

Organicupfertilgetting plants started — as long as I back up against the actual fence itself. ther than as izers break down according to nature’s waitare long enough sothey thatmay any late spring nutrients Sunflowers have to be the easiest plants rules, so not release nt ratios storms or freezes throw aAwrench grow, I think. As long as you can keep c fertilizers as soon don’t as needed. deficiencytomight into things.appear The biggest obstacle I have squirrels ry, or, in the in plants during the first couple of from biting the heads off, they is keeping my 90-pound lovable but require t, at a farm. months until the first application breaks very little work; they just need oblivious Kip, out of my gardens, plenty of sun and the occasional watertilizers are dog, down. so garden fencing is or theinorganic name offertilizers the inghave if the weather’s been too dry. The g nutrients, Chemical game for me. rest is making sure biggest down, they theirThe share of good and bad as well.

Since pain is really making sure to I don’t plants by plants stake up the more top-heavy flowers, he soil and sabotage nutrientsmy areown available to the imoverwatering them or by plantingoccurs too especially water and mediately, improvement in days when you live in a windy praimany close together. rieThey like Albert Lea. It pays off, though, nic fertilizwhen using chemical fertilizers.

Pictured the fertilizer used when you get to sitisback and watch theon plants at Hill’s Gardens. Colleen harrison/alberT lea I tend toare stay away from plants that the nts healthy highly analyzed to produce exact Tribune birds and bees chowing down as soon need above-average pampering. he ultimate ratio of nutrients desired,I’m and standardas the flowers alldiffiover fertilizing andmakes mulching once very ized labeling ratios and chemical Onbloom. the negative side, chemical fer- ful of with chemical or inorganic fertila season, but any more than that and This will be myare first year attemptrm) plants. sources easy to understand. Plus, they tilizers primarily made from non- izers: nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and I can’t promise get it donecompared with ingtotoorgrowrenewable vegetablessources, and fruit.including I’ll be A bachelor — also as a cornflower blooms last summer in my backyard. tend toit’ll be inexpensive ic buildups fossil button potassium (K).known Numbered fertilizers— will my busy and non-uniform work/life growing all of mine either in big pots or do These are one my favorites of their unique fuels. They grow plants but nothn be deadly ganic counterparts. listof three digits inbecause the same order per- look, and they’ll grow just about schedule. smaller raised as Ithe think my yard anywhere.

I startedtoall of mine fromlevels. seeds — some in pots and others directly sowed ing tobeds, sustain soil.

The fillers do not taining those element AccordMy first year having hydrangeas, I is maxed out for garden space (while others into the ground — and all of at them were successful. Colleen harrison/ promote life or soil health. Because theright ing to Tony Hill, retail manager Hill’s almost threw in the towel. I have two still leaving room forare myreadily poor dog to run alberT lea Tribune nutrients available, there is Gardens in Albert Lea, an all-around gendifferent varieties, and the first year I around without getting a talking to, that This not eral fertilizer would be a 5-10-10. a danger of over fertilization. planted them I knew they’d need to be is). With this been the entire onlynew can endeavor, kill plants I’ve but upset Hill said vegetables tend to not need a pampered a bit. Mine got to the point, researching and have asked about three ecosystem. though, where I had to put a lawn chair dozen questions toare some very patientto be mindThere three elements See FeRTILIZeR, Page 3 in front or on top of them for shade, as nursery and garden center employees. more than two or three hours of sun My mom has gotten a barrage of queshad them wilting pretty bad. Luckily tions too, of course, but her planted prothey come back heartier the more duce has always been in a traditional established their root system gets each garden, so some of this is out of her own season, so I haven’t had that problem as firsthand experience. So, I guess we’ll much since, aside from the occasional see. If you have any tips, feel free to extreme heat wave or dry patch. send them my way.

A yearly staple in my gardens is a Free Cookies, & edge LemonadeColleen Harrison is a photojournalist line of sunflowers across Coffee the back of the yard,Kids’ acting as another sort of with the Tribune. She can be reached at Activities & Potting Project fence inside of my20% already fenced-in colleen.harrison@albertleatribune.com.

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The fertilizer at Hill’s Gardens is dissolved in water and then given to plants.

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Thursday, april 18, 2019 | springThursday, home, lawn april & 18, garden 2019 | Page spring7ho

Great Lawn Services expands Garden business takes shape with acquisition in plant pots of oth

es and complexes.

Gardening Someisofsomething their work I have always includes Love’s loved Truck doing since Stop,I was theaKFC little girl whethbuilding, Accentra er it wasBank, vegetables Village orCoop, flowers. I always After starting Great Lawn Services in Trailside apartments, seem to haveThorne the challenge Crestof watering andCommunity, fertilizing too muchGas or not enough.

2005, owner Brent Keller has seen his Senior Living Hy-Vee Many of the plants I grow bloom. That business grow steadily every year since. and many more. is thejust success of my planting.

This year he acquired a list of irrigation Starting with one client, Keller clients from retiring Bill Christenson, said the business We rent has grown our home, by about but we gave up owner of Royal Lawn Service, exponen- 30% each year. the community The growth garden. required Last year we Welcome to My garden tially expanding his operation.

Keller to add decided to his team, to plant which more is now in pots and a By Donna Werner boxwhen madethe to busy hold the other Growing up working with his father on at five and wooden will grow with the the farm, Keller developed a love for the part of the veggies season starts.

Thecherry currenttomatoes. I planting. I have a Hibiscus tree and Manoutdoors as a young boy. After spending employees bring planted more Bigthan Boy40and years Roma in tomatoes devilla that I bring in every fall and take 20 years in the retail business, Keller combined irrigation in 3-gallon experience. pots. I usually He saidstart with a back outside every spring. This year I started Great Lawn Services and spent finding employees sturdy who plantare about the right 3 to 4fitinches tall. was on time every week watering and challenging, he’sone-third of fertilizing every other week and had another seven years in retail before can sometimes Takebeoff the bottom but leaves excited to get the team he up around beautiful flowers every few weeks. I moving to his true passion full time. thestarted way upwith and bring the dirt Keller said Todd Leach of Perfor- currently has. the plant to keep it sturdy during the planted on a trellis by our hot tub Mornfirstchallenge few weeks. it grows mance Landscaping gaveLea himSeed the House, idea out-pro“My biggest in As years past I do top it ing Glory seeds, and they return more My popcorn plants, a white variety purchased from Albert to start business, and took offoffrom has been that to make I was the a one-man plants fruit show,” grow larger plentiful every year. It tends to multiply duced my expectations. I ended up with the approximately 14itpounds popcorn seeds, there.

“Now more I’ve plentiful. got two highly everywhere. I have a small rock garden which I am still popping weekly and not yet halfway done consuming. sarahKeller KoCher/said.and Planting guys celery coming and onions back were fun. with a wooden windmill trellis that the “(Leach) suggested that there was trained irrigation alberT lea Tribune only one other irrigation specialist in from last year Tricky. and that Cut the really bottom helps offout. of both celery flowers climb and succulent plants Great Lawnreturn Services currently the area at the time,” Keller said. “I went Between those and onion, two and plantmyself, in ground we’ll root side down. every year. employs five people an to pick Iup. Pictured Tomflowering Suter, Barb Berant in just like that. I went and took my train- definitely beCarrots able toended jumpupon being the midgets. start starts Started have green are plants, cactus John Gardner.

Tyler violets Julson/alberT Tribune ing classes. I went up to the Cities and of the season.” from seeds and tried to thin outand as they and African in the lea house. worked with some people there to build Keller also grew has—atiny fleetbut oftasted five differgood. Basil, mint my basic knowledge and it went from ent sized lawn and dill mowers, grew well. two Cucumbers fertilizer and over green the pastDonna 14 years.

Werner is an advertising without re sprayer/spreaders, one van and they threewere easier the quality there.” beans I trellised, “It’s the representative products we use for the andAlbert the Lea TriIf you had told me 15 years ago —Specializing even to pick. services we provide,” Keller said.

“I to go back in irrigation, Great Lawn trucks. bune.

Contact her at donna.werner@ 10 years ago — that I would voluntarily Services also offers commercial lawn Keller said the Mybest flowers part were aboutaowning differentcouldn’t kind of have albertleatribune.com. grown as much as I did It gets don keep a garden as an adult, I would have fertilizing and weed control and the business is getting to interact with mowing, laughed you out of the room. This is be- lighting. If customers ask for the customers. Being able to provide landscape cause 10 or 15 years ago, one thing was other services, Keller said he partners them with a quality lawn and seeing very much true: I would rather have with many other contractors in the sur- them happy with the finished product pulled out my own fingernails than weed communities to help meet his is the most rewarding thing, according rounding a garden. clients’ needs. to Keller.

Welcome to My garden Fast forward to summer 2018. Great I still Lawn Services has handled the Keller talked about why he thinks his By Sarah Kocher felt relatively new to town, and I was needs of many area business- business has grown as much as it has irrigation afraid, without many friends in the area, that I wouldn’t have enough to motivate Nonetheless, I still consider them a sucme to get outside. I didn’t want to waste cess after fighting with a scourge of away my summer indoors. I needed an Japanese beetles to keep them alive rootsand on newer plants. Other elements outdoor commitment, I told myself: winning. My zinnias, too, had a bumper to be mindful of are calcium and magnesomething I had to show up for.Continued from crop year and decorated my kitchen table sium.

For example, tomatoes, especially Page 2 The only thing I really wanted to grow for weeks. those grown in pots, can become calciumwas popcorn, and if you lookeda very at the It would have beenineasy call my leading to end rot (black spots high nitrogen supplement their to deficient, square footage of my garden dedicated gardenina the wash for theapplying year — a 4-7developing season on the fruit after the plant has fertilizer. Tilling fall and solely to that crop, it would havemanure shown. fertilizer I hoped wasn’t long-termhe reflection on blossomed).

This tends to occur more with is gooda practice, the one in charge — it wasn’tpotted for one My garden last year provided many tomatoes as potted plants need to said.

The trick to fertilizing is if making thing. frustrations. My sweet peas (thethe flower, plant grow in quality and proportion, be watered more, and therefore get nunot the vegetable) got pulverized a After harvesting, shucking, drying,washed out more Buy your copy at the Albert frequently than Lea Tribune, notby stretching it out beyond where it’s trients Plays like the game you know and love Whimzy Toys and Party or the Color Wheel shelling and cleaning the popcorn, I heavy rain at their most vulnerable an established in-ground garden.

This can supposed to be. moment, before they even had a chance ended pounds avoided by refertilizing with calcium Bone meal can up be with usedan forestimated more es- 14be High quality game pieces $36 to reach the bottom rung of my tablished waiting plants of popcorn that I have been or magnesium, Hill said. as wellkernels as to establish trellis. The tomato plant produced well, stove-popping, lightly salting and eating but I ended up disliking the flavor of the weekly all winter. I still have over half of Price includes tax Great keepsake purple heirloom I chose. My carrots, my delicious, homegrown popcorn kercarnations, lettuce, dahlias and poppies nels left, and I haven’t been rationing in didn’t bother to show up at all. I thought my consumption. my bunny tails made it, what I thought This year, I plan to plant white, purple While you’re on vacation, was the ornamental grass turned out to and blue varieties. Someone tell the earth donate subscription to AVAILAB be a well-cultivated bed of weeds. it’s springyour already.

LE! There were some successes. My soyFor the beans were quite prolific, but I left them Sarah Kocher is a reporter for the 519 Prospec on the plant too long past the soft, baby Call Albert Lea Tribune. her at sarah.

Melissa at Contact 507.379.3421 utdOOr quipMEnt green stage you need to make edamame. kocher@albertleatribune.com

By Tyler Julson

tyler.julson@albertleatribune.com

Love of popcorn, summer outdoors an initiation of new gardening habit

a commercial m

A NEW a homeowner

FERTILIZER

Tonwist an old

Favorite

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Page 8 | spring home, lawn & garden | Thursday, april 18, 2019

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Great Lawn Services is a provider of high-quality, top-end property services. We’ve been in your neighborhood since 2005 giving homeowners pride in their outdoor space. We would love to help you achieve that great lawn your home deserves!

SPRINKLER SYSTEMS • Sales & Installation • Service & Repair • Start-up & Winterization

FERTILIZING • 4 Application Program • Superior-Quality Granular Fertilizer • Grub Control

LANDSCAPE LIGHTING • Design & Installation • Hunter FX Luminaire Products • Service & Repair

FREE Estimates 507-874-3909