Filed under: General Blog Entry's, Landscaping & Gardening, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Videos | Tags: D.E., Diatomaceous Earth, Flea and Tick Control, Flea Control, Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth, Internal Parasite Control, Organic, Organic Flea and Tick Control, Organic Gardening, Organic Pest Control, Skin Care, Tick Control
Question: What Is Diatomaceous Earth? D.E. | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, Tennessee
Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a natural product made of the fossilized remains of tiny, aquatic organisms called diatoms. D.E. easily crumbles to a fine powder and is used for many purposes from high end skin care products, to water purification, to farming & parasite/insect control. We can even use it to control internal parasites in our own bodies!
We use and sell “Food Grade” Diatomaceous Earth at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, Tennessee
I personally use it to kill/control fleas, ticks & ants around my home and on my pets. I also use it to worm my dogs and cats! It’s even a great organic insect dust that I use in my vegetable garden! The good stuff, as pictured here, is organic and food grade! Check out this video for more info –
Anytime I can turn someone on to a useful, organic product is a good day! If you haven’t tried it yourself, stop by and grab a shaker full – it’s inexpensive, organic and most importantly- It Works!
Have a great day!
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Filed under: General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles | Tags: Compost, Compost Tea, Composted Manure, Composting, Earthworms, Fall Cleanup, Free Compost, Grass Clippings, Leaves, Mulch, Mulching, Organic, Organic Gardening, Organic Pest Control, Vegetable Scraps, Vernicompost
FALL is one of my Favorite times of the yearly ! Cooler weather, planting, gardening, fire pits, football 🏈 and all the family gatherings – Wonderful!
We are finishing up a beautiful Fall Color Show! But, like they always say – Fall color is here today & gone tomorrow…
All this beautiful color has gave way to the incredible yearly leaf 🍂 fall… That’s why Fall is a GREAT time to start a compost pile! All those leaves + all the plants and grasses that we have to cut back + all of the upcoming holiday food scraps = a great supply of FREE usable components in an ‘all natural compost pile!
We have organic vermicompost and supplies at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN
Starting a Compost pile is quick , easy and won’t cost you anything to get started! Compost is one of nature’s best mulches and soil amendments and its natural! Plus you can use it instead of chemical fertilizers to feed your veggies & other plants.
Make your leaf cleanup meaningful & productive by starting a compost pile or two.
PLUS –
- Compost improves soil structure & texture, plus it increases the soil’s water-holding capacity.
- Compost loosens clay soils and helps sandy soils to retain water.
- The organic matter in compost provides food for microorganisms, which in turn keeps the soil in a healthy, balanced condition.
- Nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus are produced naturally by the feeding of microorganisms, so few if any soil amendments will need to be added.
Keep it simple. Layer your lawn clipping, leaves & kitchen scraps to make great FREE compost!
It’s easy to get started
-Bag your grass clippings and mulch up all those leaves for the compost pile!
-Save your kitchen scraps and add them to the compost pile! Kitchen scraps are high in nitrogen, which helps heat up the compost pile and speed up the composting process.
– Egg shells, coffee grounds, fruit and vegetable peels and scraps are good candidates for the compost pie. But DON’T add meat, grease or other animal products!
– With a compost pile, bigger is often better. Heat builds up with a bigger pile, but you don’t want to get much bigger than about 3 feet by 3 feet, if it’s too big it can be hard to work around. Multiple piles may be in order .
– Aerate your compost! If you are composting with a pile, or in a non-tumbling compost bin, be sure to mix up the contents so that the pile gets oxygen and can break down well. It helps to turn it with a pitch fork from time to time .
– Don’t let the compost completely dry out. A compost pile needs moisture to keep the composting process active , BUT , don’t keep it too wet.
– Too much of any one material will slow down the composting process. If you have all leaves, all grass clippings or an overload of any other single type of material, it can throw off the balance of the pile. It’s best to keep a balanced mix of green (nitrogen) and brown (carbon) materials.
When ready, this compost will be wonderful for the whole garden!
Good Luck and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
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Filed under: Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Pondless Waterfalls, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Birds and ponds, Disappearing fountain, Disappearing Waterfall, Friday blog, Friday Radio Report, Garden Ponds, Gardening answers, Gardening Info, gardening questions, Gardening Show, Koi Ponds, Organic, Organic Gardening, Organic Pest Control, Ponds for Kids, Recreational Ponds, Water Gardening
Great show today! Thanks to all the folks who called in and texted!
It’s Hot and getting HOTTER! 109 degree HF today! So stay cool! We had a varied list of callers and questions today… Here’s a basic summary from today’s show –
- How to control algae in my pond? The #1 thing we can do for our Water Gardens is to strike a ‘Balance’! Biological filtration, aquatic plants, proper fish stocking rates, etc. Take a few pictures of your pond and either send them to me via e-mail OR come by the nursery and we will help you.
- What kind of fertilizer should I use on my Asiatic Jasmine? I love Milorganite. Osmocote works well too.
- Some of my fish have been going in the skimmer. What can I do? GREAT question! Sometimes you have to “Train Them not to”! You may have to take the weir off the skimmer face plate for a while so they can easily get out? This time of year they like the current the skimmer makes so they are attracted to it. Plus it’s HOT! So it has a cooling effect. Keep an eye out and it will all work out.
- Can I trim wild shoots off my Crepe Myrtles? Yes, it won’t hurt a thing.
- Watermelons are in season! They make a great snack to feed to your Koi! They LOVE it! 🙂
- Is kelp good for you? I think so, but I’m no expert. I do know it’s a good source of calcium and iodine.
ALSO – Tomorrow, Saturday the 21st. – We are having a 1 Day Flash sale on ALL Aquatic Plants at the nursery! Buy 1 get 1 FREE! Even the Lotus and lilies are on this sale! Don’t miss it!
ALL of our Aquatic Plants are on sale today! Buy 1 Get One FREE! | Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, Tn. 38305 | 731-424-2206 | http://www.cartercountry.com
Thanks again & I will see you all again on the air next week!
I’m on with the 180 Crew – Dan Reaves & Sea Bass- every Friday from 9-11am Call in with ALL your gardening and Outdoor Lifestyle questions at 731-423-8101.
OR you can TEXT us at 731-277-5155. Listen LIVE at 101.5 WNWS – FM Talk Radio – on your smart phone using your TuneIn app.!
Thanks to ALL! Stay cool! and…
~ Happy Pondering!
Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com
Filed under: Butterfly House, General Blog Entry's, Landscaping & Gardening, Outdoor Lifestyles, water garden | Tags: Aquatic Plants, Butterfly Plants, Flowers, fruit trees, Mulch, Organic Gardening, Organic Pest Control, Ornamental Grass, Perennials, Planting, plants
It’s that time of the year Again! The Plants are coming out of the Greenhouses & the whole world is turning green and blooming! 😍
The plants are out and are looking Good! LOTS of Perennial Flowers & Blooming Shrubs. | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN
It’s finally past our Frost Date (April 15th.) & Earth Day is this weekend (Sunday April 22nd.)! 🌎 I normally recommend holding off to plant many tender plants until Earth Day!
We have LOTS of Plants ready to go! –
- Shrubs
- Trees
- Perennials
- Herbs
- Annuals
- Aquatic Plants
- Annuals/Tropicals
Spring Planting is always exciting for me 😊 I LOVE the Plants & the Nursery in the Spring! | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN
Plants, Plants & More Plants!
This is also a great time to fertilize all those shrubs and trees. And a great time to amend your garden soil.
We have organic compost and gardening supplies at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN
Simple pruning tools, organic fertilizers and natural compost will make gardening healthy and fun 😎
We have a full line of Garden Supplies, including Heirloom Seeds, Organic Fertilizers, Organic Insect control, Dormant oil & more. | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN
Its time to plant folks 😊 Come In & we will help you get started.
Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com
Filed under: General Blog Entry's, Outdoor Lifestyles | Tags: Friday blog, Friday Radio Report, mosquitoes, Organic Pest Control
TGIF! Another great Friday show today! BIG thanks to Dan Reaves & Sea Bass!
Today was a LIVE remote from Smallwoods RV and Spring was definitely in the air! EVERYONE is ready to get outside again! It’s time for Camping, fishing, hiking, gardening, etc.!
The big subject that I talked about a bit was Mosquitoes! They are ready for Spring too! The main question was – HOW do I control Mosquitoes? AND, how do I control them Organically, safely & without chemicals? There are several things we can do to dramatically reduce mosquito populations in our outdoor living spaces! Here is a small list to get started on right now –
#1 Get rid of standing water!
- Make sure your gutters are clean and completely draining
- Clean/flush birdbaths – every few days
- Clean/flush plant saucers – every few days
- Dump water from tire swings! OR better yet – drill a few holes in the bottom…
- Turn over empty cans, buckets, wheelbarrows, etc.
- Clean up! Old bags, tarps or bottles are a GREAT habitat for mosquitoes! 1 bottle cap can be the breading ground for thousands of mosquitoes this season!
Mosquitoes are a pest! But with a little work, you can really reduce their population around your living area without the use of chemicals | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN
Putting up a couple of Purple Martin houses in late Winter (Now) is a great way to invite mosquito eating birds into your landscape.
Even better mosquito eaters are bats! A few well placed bat houses will do wonders for your mosquito problems!
ALSO – Many people use Mosquito Dunks in standing water areas. Mosquito Dunks are a larvacide that kills mosquitoes! Otherwise known as BT (Bacillus thuringensis). They are great for containers, rain gardens, rain barrels, etc. There is no unpleasant smell and they aren’t harmful to pets!
There you have it! A few things you can do right NOW to cut down on mosquitoes safely! Try these things and you will see a HUGE decrease in mosquitoes and a HUGE increase in your Garden enjoyment!
Have a GREAT Weekend!
Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com
Filed under: Landscaping & Gardening, Outdoor Lifestyles | Tags: Garden Preperation, Gardening, Mulch, Organic Gardening, Organic Pest Control
Here’s an oldie but goody! I get this question EVERY year, multiple times!
Question : How do I get my Garden ready for Spring?
Answer : Make a chore list & get started now 🙂
I was asked this question on the radio yesterday morning. We all had some fun talking about working in your garden and gave out some good advice for sure. So this little list is an extension from that for all the folks who didn’t have time to make notes.
Of course clean up is job 1. Rake up those leaves and sticks and debris from the fall and winter. This is so important for the success of your garden! Not only is all that debris unattractive, it can be a home for overwintering insects as well as fungi that can get right back on your plants.
Then –
– Trimming and Pruning! This is a great time of year to get out there and do some trimming.Cut back you Roses, Ornamental Grasses, Perennials, and most Ornamental Shrubs like hollies and boxwoods. Not azaleas yet… Wait until they have bloomed to trim these Limb up those trees in the landscape and along the borders too. Many people ask me WHEN to prune their Crape Myrtles, IF you haven’t already, do it now – It’s time!
Simple pruning tools, organic products and natural compost will make gardening healthy and easier.
– Spray you fruit trees! Start out with a good Dormant Oil spray. Mix as directed on the label and spray well. This is the first step in a Spray program and is well worth the effort!
– Prepare your Soil in the Vegetable Garden! This is a wonderful time to clean up your vegetable garden! Clean out old plants and weeds, till the soil and add some good organic amendments – Chicken Poop, Black Cow manure, lime, Epson Salt, Mushroom Compost and Earthworm Castings. After you till your garden space, rake it out and plant some cool season vegetables like turnips, collards, carrots, radish, and the cool season list goes on…
We have organic compost and gardening supplies at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN
– Fertilize! This is a great time to fertilize your Shrubs and Trees! This is a great time to fertilize your cool season lawns too. You can use a good balanced fertilizer like 15-15-15 for most chores or you can “Go Green” with a Organic fertilizer like Milorganite. Another GREAT Organic choice is to side dress your shrubs, trees & other plants with Composted Manure! Chicken Poop is my favorite and we have it available at the Nursery.
– Mulch! Aged Hardwood Bark Mulch is the most popular for ornamentals. But there are other great mulches too! Like pine bark, pine needles, cypress mulch, lava rock and decorative gravel. All these are great and really help your plants – it keeps weeds down and looks beautiful, it stabilizes soil temperature, protects the root system, protects the trunk of your trees from mechanical damage from mowers and string trimmers and much more! Mulch is the answer.
We have bulk mulch in stock for your projects at Carters nursery, Pond & Patio in Jackson, TN 38305!
– Planting! This is an awesome time to plant most any ornamental plants in your landscape! Trees, shrubs, bulbs and more! Get your plan together, go by the nursery and get those beautiful plants in the ground.
OK, I just gave you LOTS to do…. Lets get out there and enjoy the coming season!
Here’s to Spring!
Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph# 731-424-2206
https://www.cartercountry.com
Filed under: General Blog Entry's | Tags: grubs, Japanese Beetles, milky spore, Organic Pest Control, traps
Japanese Beetles are out in force this year. 2 good ways to “Organically” deal with these pests are –
#1 Japanese Beetle Traps (trap adult Beetles NOW). &
#2 Milky Spore (kill White Grubs- the larval state of the Japanese Beetles).
You can purchase both of these products at Carter’s Nursery as well as many other Organic Gardening Products.
~ Mark
