PLANT:
• Annuals–Begonia, impatiens, lantana, angelonia, vinca, sweet potato vine, supertunia, caladium, moss rose, purslane, scaevola, marigold, coleus, celosia, pentas, zinnias, bougainvillea, hibiscus, mandevilla, etc.
• Perennials-pincushion, salvia, coreopsis, daylily, blackfoot daisy, hardy hibiscus, ruellia, skullcap, Russian sage, gaura, Turk’s cap, Texas primrose, sedum, butterfly bush, coral bells, ferns, hostas, and more.
• Fruit and pecan trees, grapes, and berries.
• Trees, shrubs, vines, ornamental grasses, groundcovers including turf grass (handwatering a must in summer).
• In all new plantings, use Covington’s Soil Builder containing compost, greensand, expanded shale (holds 38% of its weight in water) to break up clay, add nutrients, retain moisture & revitalize microbial activity.
• Also use our Covington’s Potting Soil containing peat moss, screened compost, screened pine mulch, rice hulls, a wetting agent, organic fertilizer (derived from bone & blood meal), and Vitazyme, an organic bio stimulant. With this potting soil, you’ll be able to grow the largest flowers and the biggest tomatoes in town!
PRUNE:
• Spring flowering shrubs and vines after they have finished blooming (Indian hawthorn, azalea, viburnum, forsythia, quince, wisteria, Carolina jessamine, etc.) Other Shrubs that require re-shaping.
• Groundcovers: Asian jasmine, mondograss, and liriope to remove old growth.
• Trees to remove dead/damaged growth, or to raise canopy so more sunlight reaches grass & landscape. To prevent the spread of oak wilt, prune Red Oaks or Live Oaks in late summer or early fall, or use pruning paint on cuts if pruning in spring.
• Mow lawn regularly at recommended height. (1½” for Bermuda; 2” for St. Augustine & Zoysia).
WATER:
• Container plants, flower beds, shrubs & trees as needed to keep healthy. To improve water retention, add Soil Moist & Expanded Shale (or Covington’s Soil Builder) when planting.
• Top dress landscape/flower beds with 2-3 inch layer of mulch to help retain moisture, reduce weeds, and maintain soil temperature. Treat lawn & landscaped areas with Hydratain for greater soil moisture retention.
• Trees installed for less than two years must have special care to ensure a strong and healthy root system. See our Plant Article Tree Care for the First Two Years for all the details.
CONVENTIONAL FERTILIZATION, PLUS WEED/DISEASE/PEST CONTROL SOLUTIONS
FERTILIZE:
• Flowers, veggies and herbs with Covington’s Premium Flower & Garden Fertilizer or use ferti-lome Gardeners Special for your herbs and vegetables.
• Newly planted trees and shrubs every 3-4 weeks for the first year with ferti-lome Root Stimulator.
• Trees, shrubs, groundcovers, and perennials with Covington’s Tree and Shrub Fertilizer.
• Lawn grass with Covington’s High Performance all nitrogen 25-0-0 fertilizer.
• Fruit & pecan trees with ferti-lome Fruit, Citrus & Pecan Fertilizer. To strengthen foliage and increase nut production on pecans, add Hi-Yield Zinc Sulfate at bud break, and repeat 6 weeks later.
• Roses with ferti-lome Rose Food or ferti-lome Rose Food with Systemic Insecticide.
WEEDS & DISEASE CONTROL:
• Use ferti-lome Systemic Fungicide for powdery mildew, disease & fungi on hawthorn, photinias, roses, etc.
• Spot treat broadleaf weeds such as dandelion, henbit & clover in St. Augustine or Bermuda grass with ferti-lome Weed Out. Spot treat nutsedge and crabgrass now with Bonide Sedge Ender.
• Apply Scotts DiseaseEx Lawn Fungicide or Bonide Infuse Lawn Fungicide to St. Augustine for fungal infections including Take All Patch and Brown Patch. For added protection, spread ½ inch layer of Canadian Brown Sphagnum Peat Moss on infected area and water in.
INSECT & PEST CONTROL:
• For bagworms, tent caterpillars & cankerworms use Bonide Eight Insecticide or Hi-Yield 55% Malathion.
• Use Bonide Insect and Grub Control Granules for grub & chinch bug control.
• Use Bonide Ant, Flea & Tick Killer to control fire ant mounds and infestations.
• Use Hi-Yield Slug & Snail Killer to control slugs and snails on flowers and foliage.
• Control aphids, spider mites, mealy bugs, thrips, other problem insects w/Bonide Systemic Insecticide.
• For best control of scale & to kill borers in the trunks of trees, use Ferti-lome or Bonide Systemic Insect Drench which protects for months.
• Continue spray program for fruit and nut trees. Use ferti-lome Triple Action or Bonide Fruit Tree Spray.
• For fungus gnats in houseplants, use Hi-Yield Systemic Insect Granules.
• To deter pesky flower-munching rabbits, use Rabbit Scram and/or Bonide Repels-All spray.
ORGANIC FERTILIZATION, PLUS WEED/DISEASE/PEST CONTROL SOLUTIONS
FERTILIZE:
• Newly planted trees and shrubs with Garrett Juice Plus to help prevent transplant shock, increase beneficial microorganisms, and encourage root development.
• Flowers and perennials with Happy Frog Acid Loving Fertilizer.
• Vegetable gardens with Happy Frog Tomato & Vegetable Fertilizer.
• Use Good Natured Texas 2-Step Fertilizer on shrubs/trees, Bermuda, St. Augustine, ryegrass & fescue.
• Use Corn Gluten Meal 9-0-0 to feed turf and prevent weeds. Also spread Dry Molasses to enhance weed control and encourage healthy soil.
• Add Texas Greensand for deep greening in lawns, trees and landscape plants.
WEEDS & DISEASE CONTROL:
• Spot treat grassy and broadleaf weeds with 20% Vinegar. Add 2 oz. of Orange Oil per gallon of vinegar to enhance the kill on weeds and grasses.
• Apply Horticultural Corn Meal on landscape plants, vegetables, and turf grass for disease control.
INSECT & PEST CONTROL:
• Apply live insects such as ladybugs.
• Repel mosquitoes with Cedar Warrior Granules. Use Mosquito Bits Granules with BTI to kill mosquito larvae in standing water. Mosquito Bits also control fungus gnats in flower gardens, containers & houseplants.
• Use ferti-lome Come and Get It Spinosad Bait for protection from fire ants and use 3-4 ounces of Orange Oil per gallon of water as a drench on ant mounds.
• Spray Orange Oil in areas infested with pillbugs, sow bugs, and spiders.
• Control slugs & snails with Sluggo Plus w/Spinosad.
• Use Diatomaceous Earth for crawling insects.
• Spray Bonide All Seasons Oil for scale on fruit trees, hollies & crape myrtles.
• Use Natural Guard Caterpillar Killer spray with BT for worms on cole crops, lettuce, chard & cabbage.
• Use ferti-lome Triple Action Plus with Neem Oil for insect problems on fruit trees after petal fall.
• Use eco-friendly Armadillo Repellant in a convenient hose-end sprayer to get rid of armadillos.
• To deter pesky flower-munching rabbits, use Rabbit Scram and/or Bonide Repels-All spray.
This is a great time to plant, and our Garden Center is open 7 days a week. We can assist you with all of your plant wants and needs so you can be successful in your garden and landscape.