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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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The USDA Plant Hardiness Zones refers to the spectrum of temperatures that exist in each region of the United States. We are in USDA Plant Hardiness growing zones 6a/6b, and our winter lows can be in the range of -10 to 0* F.

When selecting perennial plants, your Plant Hardiness zone is a very important factor to know, because it provides parameters for weather extremes that a plant can tolerate, beyond which it may not survive. Be sure to look at this information on plant tags when considering purchasing a plant for your yard. If it does not show zone 6a/6b, it is unlikely the plant will survive the winter in Eagle.

It has been my experience that the most lawn care providers trim all plants the same way. Although there are some landscape plants that can be trimmed uniformly with a hedge trimmer, all plants should not be trimmed the same. Not properly pruning your plants, or pruning them at the wrong time of year, can significantly impact their health and growth. Your best bet would be to hire a gardening professional, or invest some time into researching how to properly trim each of the plants in your landscape.

NPK stands for:
N = NITROGEN
P= PHOSPHORUS
K= POTASSIUM

These are three major nutrients that plants need to grow, and the numbers represent how much of each nutrient is in the bag or container.

NITROGEN (N) – Nitrogen helps the plant grown new stems and leaves, and is necessary for lush, green, leafy growth. Generally, nitrogen is applied at higher concentrations in the early growth stages.

However, an excess of nitrogen will promote vegetative growth at the expense of fruit or flowers.

Fertilizers with high nitrogen value include Bat Guano, Blood Meal, and Feather Meal.

PHOSPHORUS (P) – Phosphorus is needed for developing flowers, fruits, and root systems and will promote big, bright blooms and enhanced fruit production. It is essential for fruiting, flowering, strong root growth and quality seed development.

Fertilizers with high phosphorus value include Fish Bone Meal or Seabird Guano

POTASSIUM (K) – Potassium, also known as Potash, helps keeps produce strong sturdy plants by keeping roots healthy and also supports flowering and fruiting. This nutrient helps plants tolerate stress and is a requirement for cell growth.

Fertilizers with high potassium value include Kelp Meal or Langeinite.

There is no blanket answer for this question, because plants have a variety of different nutritional requirements and needs. However, a general rule of thumb for most landscape plants is to provide a spring application of fertilizer that is specific to each plant. Your garden vegetable plants, on the other hand, will require more frequent fertilizing from the beginning of the growing season through mid summer to help maximize their growth, blossom, and vegetable/fruit production.

Not always! Use this checklist first:

Step one: check your plant’s watering requirements against how frequently and how much volume of water it’s getting. It’s extremely important to make sure you’re not over or under watering your plants.

Step two: Evaluate the symptoms that your plant is showing to identify what nutrients it may need, by using a soil test or checking against the following:
* If a mature plant is turning light green or yellowing, that can be a sign it needs nitrogen.

* If a plant’s leaves are turning light green, but have dark green veins, that is a condition called Chlorosis and can mean the plant needs potassium or chelated iron.
* If there are older and lower leaves darkening and becoming gray, blue or dark green, that can be a sign of a deficiency in phosphorus.