Jun 8, 2018 | Disease Control, Garden Care, Recommended Plants
Roses are in bloom right now in Seattle. Many people love the beauty and fragrance of roses. But growing roses in western Washington can be challenging. Our moist, cool weather is ideal for diseases such as black spot, rust and powdery mildew. Roses are...
May 24, 2018 | Garden Care
Did you buy new plants at a spring plant sale or your local nursery? Here are tips on how to plant it and water it, so it gets off to a good start. Share this...
May 15, 2018 | Garden Care, Watering
Our current warm, sunny weather is the beginning of the dry season. Your plants will need water throughout the summer. Here are some tips on smart ways to water. Water slowly and deeply for healthy plants. The best practice is to water deeply and less often. Shallow,...
Apr 26, 2018 | Garden Care, Tree Care, Watering
The warm and sunny weather we have had this week is a precursor of the hot, dry summer we can expect ahead. In an average year, Seattle’s monthly rainfall is five or six inches in December and January but less than an inch in July and August. Watering your...
Apr 5, 2018 | Garden Care, Lawn Care, Tree Care, Watering
“Plants can’t survive without water.” I bet you won’t find anyone who will disagree with that statement. But many homeowners act as if it wasn’t true. They let their plants go for months during the dry summer season without giving them...
Mar 1, 2018 | Eco-friendly Gardening, Garden Care, Video
How much time last year did you spend pulling weeds in your garden? Wouldn’t you rather spend that time enjoying your garden? Here is a tip: mulch is an effective way to reduce weed growth. It won’t stop weeds completely, but it will dramatically curtail...
Feb 6, 2018 | Eco-friendly Gardening, Garden Care
Would you like to have more fruits and flowers in your yard? One way is to bring in mason bees. Making a home for mason bees in your yard will increase your fruit harvest and encourage native plants. You have probably read about the alarming decline in bees and other...
Jan 30, 2018 | Garden Care, Tree Care
Take time between rainstorms to walk around your yard and look at your trees and shrubs. Do you find ones that are growing too densely? Do you see crossing branches or branches? Do you see signs of damage or disease? Mid to late winter is an excellent time to prune....
Jan 18, 2018 | Garden Care, Pest Control
Some unwanted insects and mites survive the winter on the bark of trees and shrubs. In Harmony applies dormant oils as needed in winter to manage these pests. We use dormant oils to control soft-bodied pests such as scales, mites and aphids. Oils are commonly used on...
Nov 28, 2017 | Garden Care, Video
Winter is a great time to do structural pruning. Since the leaves are gone, you can easily see the plant’s branching structure. It is also easier to detect damaged and diseased branches. The plants are dormant, so diseases and insects that can invade pruning...
Nov 14, 2017 | Disease Control, Eco-friendly Gardening, Garden Care, Video
We are now applying effective microorganisms to our clients’ trees and shrubs. This is a mixture of beneficial bacteria and beneficial fungi. It builds biological activity in soils, helping your plants to stay healthy. This video explains what EM is, what it...
Oct 31, 2017 | Garden Care, Lawn Care
At this time of year, clients often ask us about mushrooms that have sprouted in their lawn or garden beds. Since this is a common problem, we are updating and reposting a blog post from last year. Should you be concerned? In most cases, the mushrooms are completely...
Oct 24, 2017 | Eco-friendly Gardening, Garden Care, Landscape Design
Autumn is a great time to evaluate your landscape. How did it react to the lengthy, dry weather we had this past summer? Autumn is also a great time to get your garden ready for the winter rains. The steps you take now can also help to make your landscape more...
Oct 17, 2017 | Garden Care
Have you seen notching along the edges of leaves on your rhododendrons, azaleas or other broadleaf evergreens? It is likely damage from root weevils. There are several kinds of root weevils. Three different types of root weevils chew on evergreen shrubs. In addition...
Oct 10, 2017 | Garden Care
October is a great time to clean up your garden and landscape. You can take a number of steps now that will help make your plants healthier and your yard easier to care for next year. Garden cleanup 1: Leaves on your lawn Leaves, especially wet leaves, can thin your...
