Spring Tips:
Presented by Young's Garden Center

  • Now is a great time to fertilize evergreens (exception would be spring flowering azaleas)
  • Cut back your ornamental grasses
  • Don't plant summer annuals in the ground until after April 15 (average frost date)
  • Same holds true for tomatoes and other summer veggies
  • Great time for weed control in your fescue lawn and still ok to put out a crabgrass preventer
  • Great time to plant trees, shrubs, and perennials.

Test Your Landscaping Knowledge!
Presented by Blue Max

Black soil is the best thing I can use in my garden.
FALSE.   Nutrient content is the most important factor to consider in selecting soil for your garden and color is not necessarily a good indicator of that.  Blue Max Materials’ Garden Max is specially blended

at our materials’ yards using a blend of topsoil, compost and creek sand developed by an independent lab specifically for our customers in the Carolinas.  It is approved by the City of Charlotte for use in their planting beds and is widely used by the leading landscapers in the area.  Its color will vary between various shades of brown, but the nutrient content consistently falls within the specified guidelines.  (Black dirt in this area is sometimes a result of fly ash being used as a color additive – it changes the dirt’s color, but adds nothing beneficial to its nutrient content).
All mulches are created equally.
FALSE.   A wide array of mulches in various price ranges is available to homeowners, often making the task of choosing mulch overwhelming.  First, look for mulch that is aged or seasoned; mulch that is too fresh can end up burning the roots of plants.  Second, look for mulch that is a saw-mill select species, that is it consists of all of one type of wood as opposed to a mixture of different types like you would find when they clear off a grading or construction site.  Third, mulch should have a rich, earthy smell to it – not a sickening one!  Blue Max Materials carries eight different kinds of mulches that meet these criteria, ranging from Double Hammered Hardwood Mulch to Cypress Mulch to Pine Bark Mulch and Nuggets, and we’ll be glad to help you find the one that’s right for you.

There is such a thing as too much mulch.
TRUE.  Mulching is a great way to prevent weed growth and help the soil retain moisture, but the idea of “more is better” as it relates to mulch is a misconception.  Mulch should be no more than 3” deep in garden areas, and no more than 2” deep around trees.  When it’s deeper than suggested, mulch actually prevents water from getting to the roots of plants and trees, effectively starving them.  In addition, mulch piled around the trunk of a tree can cause the bark under the mulch to decay, again with fatal results for the tree.  At Blue Max Materials, we’re happy to help you calculate how much mulch you need for a given area.

Treated lumber is the least expensive material to use for a deck or retaining wall.
NOT NECESSARILY.  Treated lumber may be the least expensive choice in the short run, but over time, it can become unsightly and deteriorate.  A more permanent and aesthetically pleasing alternative would be to use a hardscape material.  Blue Max Materials offers a line of concrete pavers and retaining wall systems made by Belgard that recall old world charm and incorporate unsurpassed durability.  The diverse shapes and sizes of these pavers and wall systems inspire a creative approach to any outdoor project – the possibilities are limited only by one’s imagination!