Keep Those Crabs HappyI risk being called a parrot for repeating myself, but I want to make a point of saying that now is the time to spray flowering crab trees to prevent the leaf loss resulting from scab infection … prevention is our only option! The systemic fungicide we sell here at the greenhouse does a great job … if it gets applied at the right time! For gardeners who have a hard time keeping pace with weed infestation, a product called Preen is your ally. Preen is a pre-emergent herbicide you can use around most vegetable and flowering plants to prevent weed germination … once the weeds are present, you have to clean the area for this product to be effective, because it only prevents germination. It will not have any effect on weeds that are already growing. I do not use Preen on my gardens. I prefer to mulch with grass clippings. I eliminate the weeds, provide a clean surface to walk on when the soil is moist, and build the soil by adding humus when I till the mulch in. I realize that every gardener’s options are different, so … Preen verses the hoe … your choice. The weather forecast sounds like it might get warm enough to plant beans and other warm season crops … Hurray! My tomatoes in their wall of waters are doing great, so I’m feeling like I have a little head start … I’ll let you know when I get my first ripe tomato. When setting out transplants, protecting them for about a week will give you a much happier plant and a much higher survival rate. I always feel doing the work one time should be adequate, so having to replant never makes me happy. One gallon milk jugs are my favorite protector … remove the cap, cut around three sides of the bottom, fold the bottom back, set it over the plant and put some soil on the folded out bottom to keep the wind from blowing it away. I usually leave the jugs on until the plants are trying to get out of the hole on top … then I know that they have taken root and are ready to brave the elements. Can’t think of any way I’d rather recycle my milk jugs!