If you started your veggies near a window, you should use a light for about 10-12 hours a day to supplement the limited light coming in through the window.
 
Just keep it at least 12 inches away from the plants so they don’t get burned and tilt it a bit so it doesn’t aim straight down on the plants. If you can, use a grow light but make due with what you have for now.

What You Don’t Want To Do To Your Lawn

One of the perennial questions regarding lawn health is should lawns be rolled in Spring?

In short, NOOOOOOO!!!!

In WNY, most soil is a clay composite, with little natural organic matter. Spring brings rain and since clay does not drain very well naturally, you will usually see large ponds of water puddling all over.

If you were to press the upper layer of lawn with a heavy lawn roller, you actually cause unnatural compression that not only slows or stops natural water percolation but it will also make  root hairs and earthworm passage harder.

What should you do instead?

When the lawn is drier, usually in Mid-May, hire or rent a coring machine. These will open cores of soil as they move across the lawn, creating openings for organic matter to fill in, thereby increasing the tilth and composition of the soil.

Ready to Plant Your Garden?

Thinking of planting a vegetable garden this year?
Why not save money and start your plants from seed?
Here’s a list of veggies you can start now:
Basil, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Celery, Collards, Eggplant, Parsley, Peppers, Swiss chard and tomatoes.

The Latest News From Jacrist

Jacrist will be starting our Spring cleanups this Monday, April 6th.
In doing so, know our crew will follow approved employment safety guidelines, be reduced to a 2 man crew with each crew member given Personal Protection equipment and vehicles and tools sanitized using products listed here.

It would be prudent for you to go through this list and see which household products are accepted by the EPA for controlling the coronovirus Covid-19.

Approved EPA Disinfectants for Covid 19

As per NYS ‘essential services’ guidelines, we will not be planting any new shrubs, trees or sod or installing patios or ponds at this time.

We look forward to serving you, knowledgeably and safely during this unprecedented time.

Know we will endeavor to complete our regular attentive care for your property but will probably take a bit longer getting through our list.

Check your email for our scheduled weekly completion listing. Please contact me for any concerns or questions.

Thank you.

Remember those attractive looking beets you get at Poke?

Did you ever notice the attractively, pink concentric beets you get in your salad at Poke? Why not grow them yourself this year?
And while you’re at it, why not grow other veggies, especially the ones that cost so much in your local grocery,  in your own garden this year?
Fruition Seeds  offers many different truly organic veggies and heirlooms for sale. They are an established NYS seed grower focused on growing organic heirloom and NYS specific veggies that will grow well for you in your garden.
Don’t have a garden in your yard?
Think on a smaller scale and use various sized pots on your deck or patio for veggies in groupings of three.  You can also mover pots around to get the best, longest sun exposure….you can’t do that with a ground based garden~
Use long plastic planters to grow lettuce mixtures, beets or miniature carrots under windows or along your deck/patio fencing.
Use groupings of  larger containers to plant patio tomatoes, potatoes, beans, cucumbers.
If you mix in flowers like marigolds, nasturtium or herbs like dill, basil, sage or thyme, you’ll get not only a bountiful yield but you’ll also help control insects.

Make Your Own Nutritious Soil!

Want to grow great, nutritional soil at home?
Try Jacrist’s Lasagne Method~
You start with layer of dirt (from edging beds) with a layer of green leaves/stems (chopped up) topped with a layer of brown (leaves/mulch). Repeat.
The great thing~ You don’t have to turn the pile ( you will speed up the process if you do) as it slowly breaks down.