Pahls Market » Resources

How do you get rid of GNATS?

Jason Himmelwright — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 11:00:16 +0000

Do you have any thing to get rid of gnats on my house plants?
All I have heard is to repot every one in new soil.

Thanks,
Betty

Betty,

Your gnats are probably fungus gnats. You could replace the soil in your planters. You can also treat your existing plants with a houseplant granular insect control. We carry a bonide product that works well for $7.99. It protects your plants from most insect pests for 8 weeks. You just sprinkle on your soil and water it in. Though fungus knats do not harm your plants, they are a bother to have flying around. I also recommend less soil moisture. These little gnats are only in damp soil that is consistently wet. Best wishes to you from Pahl’s!

Green, Yellow, Red, and Blue what color tractor excites you?

admin — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 15:06:27 +0000

Green, Yellow, Red, and Blue what color tractor excites you? Pahl’s Market in Apple Valley has them all, from Farmall to International, Case IH or John Deere. Or maybe it’s the horsepower that excites you. We have tractors with 17 HP all the way up to 325 HP! We have classics from 1939 all the way to the new and modern tractors. Have you ever wondered what picks all of our sweet corn? Well swing by this weekend and look at the Pixall Super Jack sweet corn picker, or the Grain combine that is used to harvest in the fall. Make sure to take a look at our John Deere Sprayer, it has a wingspan of 120 feet and can spray 87 football fields in a hour, it is one of the largest sprayers on the market today. There will be a tractor guru on hand for all your questions about Pahl’s Tractors. Your more then welcome to take pictures with the tractors too.

See you at the tractor show June 18^th and 19^th in celebration of Father’s Day.

How To Plant Your Garden

Jason Himmelwright — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 14:40:47 +0000

“Life is too short for drama, laugh insanely, love truly and forgive quickly”

First, you Come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses.

FOR THE GARDEN OF YOUR DAILY LIVING ,

PLANT THREE ROWS OF PEAS:
1. Peace of mind
2. Peace of heart
3. Peace of soul

PLANT FOUR ROWS OF SQUASH:
1. Squash gossip
2. Squash indifference
3. Squash grumbling
4. Squash selfishness

PLANT FOUR ROWS OF LETTUCE:
1. Lettuce be faithful
2. Lettuce be kind
3. Lettuce be patient
4. Lettuce really love one another

NO GARDEN IS WITHOUT TURNIPS:
1. Turnip for meetings
2. Turnip for service
3. Turnip to help one another

TO CONCLUDE OUR GARDEN WE MUST HAVE THYME:
1. Thyme for each other
2. Thyme for family
3. Thyme for friends

WATER FREELY WITH PATIENCE AND CULTIVATE WITH LOVE. THERE IS MUCH FRUIT IN YOUR GARDEN BECAUSE YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW. NOT BAD, HUH?!

(sent to us from one of our customers, ENJOY!!)

Got Voles?

Jason Himmelwright — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 14:40:04 +0000

How do we get rid of the voles, repair the lawn and cover the tree trunk that is exposed?

I was so sorry to see your pictures. It does look like vole damage. The lawn will be easy to repair but your beautiful tree is another matter. Voles can be trapped using similar traps that you would use to catch mice. They love peanut butter and that is what seems to work the best for traps. The box traps with sticky interiors will work well also. You could also try some of the poisons that are good for mice or rat control. Just make sure pets do not get into any of those. This winter, with the early snow cover and so much of it, provided a great environment for voles and mice. I am sure many will find damage like yours.
As far as the lawn repair that is fairly easy. If you just rake out the tunnels and trails, the roots of surrounding grass will move in quickly and fill the gap. If needed you can overseed any areas with a good grass seed mix this spring. Your tree may be a bigger problem. There are no products to cover the missing bark areas. Your tree may be damaged beyond repair. The layer just under the bark of the tree is where the tree transfers all the water and nutrients up to the leaves. If most of that is gone around the base of the tree your tree may not survive. You can wait to see if it produces leaves and if it will get enough water movement up the trunk tissue.
Thank you for your question. We are always glad to help where we can with all of your gardening needs.

Protect Your Plants

Jason Himmelwright — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 17:02:58 +0000

It’s hard to imagine but winter is almost here. Now is the time to protect your new plants from winter damage. Below are some of the more popular ways to protect your plants and they are all available at Pahl’s.

Tree Wrap
Now is a great time to wrap your young trees. Tree wrap helps protect trees from harsh weather (sun scald), insect & rodent damage. You can also use corrugated plastic tree protectors depending on the size of the trunk and age of the tree. Don’t forget to remove the tree wrap in the spring once the snow has melted.

Burlap
A quick and easy winter protector for your evergreens and shrubs.

Wilt Stop
Helps reduce transplant shock. Reduces moisture loss when plants are under stress. Stops winter kill, wind burn, sunscald, salt damage, and drying out. Also, extends the life of Christmas trees.

Mulch
Don’t forget, Perennials need winter protection too. Applying mulch (straw, shredded wood, leaves, etc.) to your perennials will help protect your plants from the freeze-thaw cycle that occurs through out the winter. Remember, it is best to mulch after the ground is frozen.

Mouse Magic
Bonide Mouse Magic Mouse Repellent effectively repels rodents from around your home. Apply around homes, garages, barns, sheds, woodpiles, patios, decks, attics, cellars, and other areas where mice may be a problem. Safe for use around children and pets. All natural ingredients. Lasts for weeks.

Feel free to share a comment on how you have had luck protecting your plants in the past. Good luck!

Putting your Perennial Garden to bed

Jason Himmelwright — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 20:55:03 +0000

Here are some suggestions:
1. Cut back Perennials after a hard freeze.
2. Remove any diseased plants & dispose in yard waste – not compost.
3. Clean up any leaves & debris.
4. Water until ground is frozen.
5. Mulch new plants after the ground freezes.

How to freeze Pahl’s Sweet Corn

Jason Himmelwright — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 21:08:33 +0000

Now is the time to freeze the wonderful fresh corn from Pahl’s. Less then two weeks left for our season. Many people have asked how to freeze corn so here is an easy way to do it.

Put a large kettle on the stove with water and bring it to a boil. As you wait for the water to come to a boil, shuck the corn. Once the water boils, drop in the ears of corn and when it returns to a boil cook the corn for about 4 minutes. Then remove the corn from the boiling water and immediately immerse the corn in ice water. Filling your sink with water and ice works very well. Once cool, cut the kernels off the cob and put them in freezer bags. The corn will stay perfect for 6 to 9 months if done properly. What a treat to enjoy fresh corn on a cold winter evening with dinner or for the holidays. You can add your favorite seasonings and butter if you like as you heat your frozen corn before serving. We hope you enjoy this easy way to freeze corn. Enjoy!

Aunt Dee Wisteria

Jason Himmelwright — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 18:16:45 +0000

Dear Dee:

About 5 years ago, I purchased an AUNT DEE WISTERIA from

Pahl’s, it did wonderful, then we sold our home. I’d like to purchase

another one for our new home. Do you still carry them? I drive by our

old home, and can see the Wisteria from the road and it is huge and

beautiful! Hope you can help!

Answer:

Yes, we do still carry them. They are set up on tables, near the tree and shrub area. I also bought one the first year we started

carrying them (maybe 5 years ago?) Mine is full and thick and lush—-with green foliage only! So I do NOT consider myself an expert

on growing them. I’ve been told by several people that I must be patient, and those they don’t bloom for a few years. So I’m determined

to wait it out. I do think that they need a lot of sun, and in my case, I probably am not offering it enough. Hope we can help you find

one you like.

What should be done with Honeysuckle plants when you winterize?

Jason Himmelwright — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 18:13:30 +0000

I have put in 2 Beautiful Mandarin Honeysuckle plants in one of my gardens. I live in the west suburbs of Illinois. When I do my “winterizing”, should I cut them down? Or, do I leave the stems on the trelis? Please, if you could, an e-mail on this would be helpful. The
plants are so beautiful,and have a long season of blooming. Thank you,

Anne M. Porcaro

Dear Anne,
Honeysuckle vines are vigorous growers and bloomers. They can be pruned for shape and size, and will appreciate a hard pruning (down to 18-24″) every few years. Trimming unruly stems to keep the honeysuckle under control can be done at any time during the season. Hard pruning should be done in late fall or winter and only on healthy plants.

Tropicals need as much sunlight as possible

Jason Himmelwright — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 18:08:15 +0000

I have several Hibiscus plants that my mother bought for me last year. They have spent the winter in a spare bedroom because I have no room for them. I do give them water but they really don’t look that good. What chance will they come back this summer even with some good fertilizer?
Dear Sharon,

Sharon

It is not uncommon for tropical hibiscus plants to look tough after a northern winter indoors. Yellow leaves and leaf drop are common problems. Now would be a good time to bring them out from their spare room and give them as much light as possible, a southern window spot would be ideal. Consider repotting the plants in new potting soil and a slightly larger pot- not more than an inch larger in diameter. You can prune and shape the Hibiscus as well. New leaf buds should appear in a few weeks. Begin a regular schedule of fertilization once the new leaves appear. In late May the plants can go outside in a hot sunny spot. Bringing a Hibiscus back to bloom takes a little effort, but the result is worth it. Good luck in your endeavors.

Dee