Groff's Mill Pond Nursery, Inc.

Annual Holiday Open House Nov 12th & 13th

roland — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 19:04:00 +0000

The Mill House Christmas Gallery
Annual Open House
Saturday & Sunday November 12th & 13th
10am – 5pm

Come celebrate the season with The Mill House’s fine collection of unique gifts and collectibles displayed in five rooms each delightfully decorated. Browse and shop our collection of unique Christmas ornaments, candles, collectibles, santas, snowmen, Byer’s Choice Carolers, Department 56 Villages, Custom made wreaths, garlands, bows, potpourri and much more.

Shade Gardens

roland — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 21:23:09 +0000

Is there an area in your yard that gets little or no sunlight? Have you been frustrated trying to grow plants in the shade that never seem to make it through the season? Here are a few helpful tips for creating a shade garden.

First, you need to think positive thoughts. That shaded portion of your yard should be viewed as a wonderful opportunity to create a garden landscape that is unique and refreshing. Don’t think of it as a “problem area.”

Before beginning, you need to determine the degree of shade (or amount of sunlight) for that specific area. Deep Shade / Full Shade is defined as an area receiving no more than 1-2 hours of early morning or late day sun, or no direct sunlight at all. Partial Shade is defined as having no more than 3-4 hours of direct or dappled sunlight.

Next, you need to determine the amount of moisture received in that area. Most shady areas beneath trees are usually quite dry. The tree canopy acts as an umbrella diverting most of the rainfall. Any plants beneath a tree must compete with the tree’s root system for the limited rainfall that made it through the canopy. Remember, even though your other gardens may have gotten sufficient moisture from a rainstorm, most shady gardens under trees will still need watering.

Because of the lack of sunlight, plants in a shade garden get most of their energy from the surrounding soil, It’s important that the soil be organically rich in nutrients. Adding a 3-4” layer of a soil and humus mixture is recommended.

Now your shade garden is ready for plants. Focus on contrasts. Create a garden that contains a mix of foliage colors and shapes. Add plants of differing heights. Add ground covers. There’s an extensive assortment of blooming shade plants such as impatiens that you can use to accent your garden with color. When selecting your plants, remember that while Full Shade plants will tolerate partial sun, Partial Sun plants will not tolerate full shade.

Lastly, you may want to consider adding a birdbath, statue or bench to complete your shade garden.

Watering Basics

roland — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 17:46:56 +0000

Watering your garden is simple if you know the basics. Following these guidelines will keep your flowers, trees and shrubs in great shape throughout the growing season.

When to Water
The best time to water your flowers, trees and shrubs is early in the morning. The soft morning sun will gently dry a plant’s foliage making it less prone to disease. Afternoon watering, as well as evening watering, should be avoided. Watering your garden during the heat of the afternoon can scorch foliage. And late evening watering is an open invitation for the development of problems such as mold, mildew and fungus.

Water your hanging baskets and containers only when the top of the soil is dry to the touch. Keep it too dry, and your plants will wilt and die. Keep it too wet, and your plants will develop root rot and die. Different size containers will dry out at different rates, especially on windy days. Check each container several times daily to determine its’ watering needs. If you find a plant wilted in the evening, go ahead and water it at the base of the plant. The danger from dehydration exceeds the potential danger of your plant developing a disease.

How to Water
A slow and thorough soaking is the best method for watering your plants. Plants in the ground should be sufficiently watered as to allow moisture to reach the entire depth and width of the plant. This will promote deeper root development. Plants watered insufficiently will develop a shallow root structure and be less drought tolerant. Trees and shrubs need to be watered at the drip line. Remember to water gently to avoid runoff and minimize erosion.

Hanging baskets, window boxes, and pots should always have drainage holes at the bottom. Gently water the center of the container until water begins to emerge from the drain holes. Then continue to water for a few additional moments to lightly saturate the entire container to its edges.

Grass, Plants & Rabbit Problems

admin — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 06:53:32 +0000

Rabbits have a vegetarian diet that consists of grass blades and roots, carrots, broccoli, tree bark, shrubs and a vast variety of flowers and fruit. Keeping rabbits off the grass can be challenging without the proper steps. Installing a fence or scare device and trapping rabbits are the most common methods used to keep rabbits away.

Rabbits in the Wild
There are two main types of native rabbits in the western United States. The Nuttall Cottontail is about 14 inches long, grayish-brown and has a tail that resembles a cotton ball. The Pygmy rabbit is the smallest rabbit in North America. About 11 inches long with a gray coat and buff-colored tail, it is commonly found in sagebrush and moderately thick shrubbery. The Eastern Cottontail was brought to the West Coast in the 1930s for hunting and gaming. This rabbit is about 17 inches long with a light brown coat. Commonly seen along roadsides, thickets and areas where it was introduced, the Eastern Cottontail can cause problems in lawns and gardens. Because the rabbits have a large appetite, they eat flowers, vegetables and grasses in the summer and bark and shrubs in the winter.

Trapping
Trapping rabbits also works well if you can relocate it to a safe environment where it will have food, shelter and water. Never handle wild rabbits outside of a cage because they can carry diseases such as rabies, which is transferable to humans.

Welcome!

admin — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 17:16:58 +0000

Groff’s is a full service Garden Center with a creative landscape design and installation division, as well as a complete lawn care department.

Open seven days a week Groff’s Garden Center is the area’s premier source for innovative, competitive, and professional services.

We can provide free estimates for any of your landscaping or hardscaping projects. Call us at 856-589-9600.

Come and see our nearly 20 acres of trees, shrubs, and plants. Our Garden Center also features a Bird Barn and Pond Department. Be sure to visit the Mill House and see our wonderful line of gift items. Our staff experts look forward to seeing you at Groff’s Garden Center soon.