In our store you will find plenty of organic solutions to your gardening problems for both pest and disease. We have a great selection of soil amendments and fertilizers to keep your plants and your soil healthy. We carry fertilizer products from Lady Bug Natural Brand (John's recipes), Rabbit Hill Farms, Maxicrop, Alaska, Neptune's Fortune, and many others. Pest and disease control products comes from Safer, Greenlight Biorganic, Erath Earth, Liquid Fence and others. Come on in and let us help solve you pest or disease problem. Please bring samples in closed containers or small, sealed plastic bags.

We use and sell all the products listed below, and we think every one of these is the cream of the crop.

Actinovate for Fungal Diseases

Actinovate is a powerful, all-natural product that effectively controls soil borne, as well as foliar fungal diseases. It will treat a wide range of soil-borne diseases including Pythium, Phytophthora, Fusarium, Rhizoctonia, Verticillium and other root decaying fungi. Actinovate also treats foliar diseases such as Powdery and Downey Mildew, Botrytis, Alternaria and others. In fact, when used as a preventative, researchers have seen Actinovate work as well or better than most chemicals.

Actinovate's active ingredient forms a protective barrier around plant roots, shielding them from destructive fungal organisms. It also produces by-products called siderophores that aid in the uptake of essential minerals and micronutrients. Actinovate creates a more robust root system and larger top growth, which in turn creates a more vigorous plant better able to survive stressful conditions. Actinovate works. We have had feedback from customers that after applying Actinovate, they had no more problems with Brown Patch or Take All Root Rot. Actinovate can be applied anytime, but in advance of the fall Brown Patch season is ideal.

The soluable powder is easily mixed with water and sprayed on the soil or plant leaves, and a little goes a long way. For problem areas in turf, apply just 9 teaspoons to cover 1,000 square feet. For prevention or maintenance, just 3 teaspoons. For foliar diseases, apply one-half teaspoon per gallon of water, and spray just to the point of run-off. A spreader sticker such as Wilt-Pruf will further increase the effectiveness of foliar applications.

Alaska Start-up

This products has B-1 and other natural Fertilizers for a 2-1-2 nutrient analysis great for transplanting.

Beneficial Nematodes

These are a microscopic organism that eat the larvae of the fire ant (also fleas and grubs!) They can be used anywhere that gets supplemental water in the summer - no fields or natural areas. We offer bags that cover 8,000 square feet or 15,000 square feet. It is usually applied with a hose end sprayer and must be kept cool, i.e. in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.

Rubicon Bird Feeders

These are wonderful bird feeders that have been made from recycled plastic from post-consumer bottle waste such as milk jugs. The Hopper Feeder contains the plastic from 38 milk jugs. Rubicon Bird Feeders and Houses are made here in Texas! Come on in and get one for yourself and any environmentally-conscious person on your gift list. Remember, you arenÌt recycling till you buy recycled!

Biozome

This is one of those little products that just sounds too good to be true, but it really works. It is wonderful for fruit trees (along with any other plant) as it reduces transplant shock, increases disease resistance and increases number of blossoms. It should be added when planting and applied once per growing season. It is also great to add to your compost pile. BioZome is a wonderful product that we have carried for a long time. Here's some information off their website www.biozome.com:

"BioZome is a highly-concentrated blend of beneficial natural microorganisms... proven to promote faster growth, decrease seed germination time, reduce transplant shock, produce more blooms and increase fruit production. Plants grown with BioZome exhibit healthier roots and increased disease and pest resistance. The microorganisms are primitive "Archaeobacteria" collected from salt pans, hot springs, and volcanic regions all over the world. They are hardy, capable of living in a wide range of environmental conditions... [and] work as a team, yielding a high efficiency ratio in the soil.

"Microorganisms are also responsible for decomposing dead plant and animal matter. Minerals are recycled for the next cycle of growth and humus, the remaining byproduct, enriches the soil. Humus aerates the soil, retains moisture and stores predigested nutrients. BioZome conditions the soil increasing it's ability to retain moisture and minerals. BioZome users report watering 25% less.

"BioZome microorganisms have been proven to dissolve silicates and clean up hydrocarbon-based (petroleum products and pesticides) contaminants. Repeated yearly application of BioZome and tilling will increase soil depth. Soil fertility is reestablished sooner when BioZome is added after pesticide usage."

Children's Tools

We have a great selection of kid items to teach children many things about the world around them. We have a fun selection of books from critter identification books for the older child to wonderful picture books, pop-up books and board books for the younger child. There are books on insects, butterflies, snakes, garden fairies and more. It is a great way to introduce children to the natural world around them. For a more active garden role we have tools, gloves, hats, seedpods.... all sized for a child. These make wonderful gifts.

Compost Tea

Compost tea is an excellent source of microbes, when introduced to the soil or as a foliar application it can increase Beneficial Microbial Activity on the root zone (rhizozsphere) or on the leaf surface (phyllusphere) of the plants.

Introducing these microbes to those areas can help to unlock already existing nutrients and form a population of new beneficial microbes to control disease, insect infestation and can also help to reduce watering, especially in those hot summer months. We make the best!

Composters

We have several types of composters here at The Natural Gardener from the simple four-sided wire bin, to more elaborate composters that tumble to help keep things mixed up. We have great books on how to make compost.

Corn Gluten

Be sure to pick some Corn Gluten for organic "weed & feed." You can apply Corn Gluten as a pre-emergent for weeds, It will prevent weed seed (or any seed) germination. It will not kill established weed. Corn Gluten is also a 9-0-0 fertilizer and great for the early spring lawn feeding. Corn gluten is not a toxic weed killer but an actual by-product of corn processing. Corn gluten is used as a food supplement for dogs, cats and livestock. For Lawns you will apply with a drop spreader set for 10 pounds per 500 square feet. For Gardens apply 2 pounds per 100 square feet and work into the top inch of soil. Please remember, you will not want to plant any type of seeds in these areas for 60 days. We have 40 pound bags of Corn Gluten.

Copper Fungicide

This is the time of the year for your fruit trees to shed their leaves and go into dormancy. As the last leaf drops, your fruit trees need an application of copper fungicide. The copper will help prevent crown, collar, blossom and brown rot, fire blight, bacterial spot, and many blights. You'll need to spray it again in the late winter/early spring at bud swell, so keep some on hand. Make sure to wait at least 10 days after spraying copper to apply dormant oil.

Diatect V

A good product to have on hand when you start seeing the first signs of pests. It is a mixture of Diatomaceous Earth (D.E.) and pyrethrin. It does not have piperonyl butoxide as many other D.E./ Pyrethrin mixes do. It will help some of the harder to control bugs such as the four-line bugs, squash bugs, stink bugs, harlequin bugs and other hard-shell bugs. It is best applied with an applicator to really get the dust where the bugs are — on the underside of leaves and the ground where they jump when they are disturbed. When you apply this product, you must take care not to inhale (wear a mask) the very sharp silica particles of the D.E.

This is one of the most potent pest control products we have. It controls a number of different kinds of insects and has no way of knowing that the lady bug is a beneficial and the four-lined bug is a pest. Use it only when it is necessary. Also, bugs are often a message to you. It is the end of the season for the cool weather crops. It is a good time to harvest what you have or compost them over the next couple of weeks. If you pull plants that are past their prime, it may take care of your pest problem.

Fire Ant Control

People come in and ask what they can do about their fire ants especially as the mounds popup with the rain we have had. Well, that depends on the situation — there are several effective methods that will deal with these pesky ants.

Floating Row Cover

A very useful item for the gardener. Row cover is used for insect protection and, more importantly this time of year, frost protection. The lighter weight is what is generally used for insect protection or seed starting (often known as seed cover.) It can also be used for frost protection and will give about 3-4 degrees of protection against freezes. The heavier variety is generally used for frost protection, providing 6-8 degrees of protection against freezes. Any type of row cover needs to have contact with the ground for best protection. The cloth can"float" over the plants or you can create hoops with PVC, tomatoes cages, or any other structure you can think of. Anchor the bottoms to the ground with rocks or boards, fabric staples may rip through the cloth in high winds. The sides or ends can be closed with clothes pins or the jumper cable type clamps. Both row covers come in 12-foot wide widths and is sold by the linear foot.

Anaconda Hose

A very high quality coil hose that is drinking water safe. Many hoses will leach lead into the water if they are allowed to have the water sit in them, especially in hot weather. 75 and 50 foot lengths. We have also received 75 foot lengths of straight hose from the same company that is also drinking water safe. This hose is very light-weight and easy to coil onto a hose holder.

Ladybug Lures from Safer Brand

Attracts lacewings, ladybugs, and other beneficial insects with the scent of Aphids. Springtime is coming, and organic gardeners are always grateful for the work that ladybugs do in the garden. Lure the ladybugs to your garden so that they can reduce the numbers of aphids, mealybugs, and other soft-body insects. Plus, they are lovely to see in the garden. Ladybug larvae eat more than the adult ladybug beetle!

Lady Bug 8-2-4 Fertilizer

The Lady Bug 8-2-4 Fertilizer will feed your lawn throughout the fall and winter. This is because Lady Bug 8-2-4 Fertilizer is a slow release organic fertilizer that does not dissipate quickly like the chemical fertilizers. The Lady Bug 8-2-4 does not contain any Biosolids/Sewer Sludge or Urea. You can feel secure letting your children or pets play on the lawn without the worry of harsh chemicals. By using the Lady Bug 8-2-4 you have actively taken part in NOT POLLUTING our DRINKING WATER.

Besides the wonderful steps you have just taken in protecting the environment you have just saved yourself money too. A 35-pound bag of the Lady Bug 8-2-4 Fertilizer will cover 5,800 square feet. You can purchase the Lady Bug 8-2-4 Fertilizer at the Natural Gardener or at your local gardening center.

Lady Bug Terra Tonic Super Soil Activator

Ingredients in Lady Bug Terra Tonic Soil Activator and their functions:

• Humic Acid - helps extract minerals from the soil stimulates enzyme and amino acid activity.
• Seaweed Extract trace minerals, growth stimulators and chelating agents.
• Medina Soil Activator - nutrients for soil organisms — John Dromgoole says"Yogurt for the Soil."
• Molasses - a carbon source, B-vitamins with a trace of iron and sulfur.
• Compost Tea - the micro-organisms in this tea are considered to be"Dormant," your garden will receive the benefits of the co-generated compounds from the cultures.

Why use Lady Bug Terra Tonic Soil Activator?

• Helps restore and maintain the natural synergy between micro-organisms, humus and soil minerals.
• In a healthy soil water percolates deeply, and nutrients are more readily available to plants
• The soil crumb structure is improved by abundant microbial activity. Not only great as super soil activator but can also be used in conjunction with foliar feeding programs.
• Soil moisture penetration is increased.
• "Locked up" nutrients are made available.
• Helps eliminate thatch by increasing microbial activity.

Lady Bug Vortex Potting Soil

You will find the Lady Bug Vortex Potting Soils to be one of the best and most versatile potting soils in the gardening market today. The Vortex Potting Soil is a high performance formula that contains several types of compost, rice hulls, Texas granite sands, perlite, hadite and humates. We then add BioZome to further increase the microbial activity. The potting soil consists of a high degree of both fungal and bacterial micro-organisms. The Lady Bug Brand Vortex Potting Soil is different from other potting soils in that it does not contain any peat moss, saving endangered peat bogs from further depletion. Our Vortex Potting Soil is compost based, with added minerals, including Biozome™.

The Vortex Potting Soil formula is very versatile so you can use it for all container grown houseplants, annuals, perennials, herbs and vegetables. For succulents and cacti you may wish to add a little more perlite or coarse sand for extra drainage.

You can find the Lady Bug Vortex Potting Soil at the Natural Gardener or your second favorite nursery.

Landscape Plant Starter from Safer Brand

Vitamin B-1, Chelated Iron, Zinc and Manganese. Great for transplanting.

Healthy Start for Flower Plantings, Healthy Start for Planting Projects, and Tree Saver Transplant

These three products from the Plant Health Care Company contain powdered mycorrhizal fungi that can enhance plant growth using these beneficial organisms. These products contain a wide range of mycorrhizal fungi along with other beneficial ingredients. Plants have a beneficial relationship with many microorganisms in the soil. There are certain fungi whose "roots" (mycelium) attach to the plant's roots. This association of fungi with plant roots is called mycorrhizae and extends the nutrient — absorbing capacity of the plant (kind of like adding a whole lot more root mass.) Soil fumigants and pesticides destroy these beneficial fungi. Add one of the products when you are planting. The mycorrhizae needs to be available near the roots.

Got Deer? — Liquid Fence will help

Liquid Fence is an egg and garlic based spray that has a scent that is displeasing to the deer. (Yes, there is an unpleasant smell when you first apply this product, but it disappears fairly quickly, but I would not spray it before a garden party!) Plants are sprayed weekly to get the deer out of the habit of using your flowerbeds as a buffet line and then sprayed every couple of weeks to be sure the deer continue to avoid this area. Liquid fence can be applied to even deer resistant plants when they are first planted. Plants that are grown in a greenhouse have been babied and pumped full of nutrients that make even a plant that the deer are not supposed to enjoy, very tasty. You need to be diligent in using this or other deer repellant products, but they can make gardening possible. (If you live in Lakeway, I don't know if even liquid fence is strong enough to keep the deer out of your pansies!)

Mosquito Sticks

These are large incense sticks that are used out doors to keep mosquitoes away. They have even been used to keep away the mosquitoes in an area so a whiney teenager could stay outside long enough to finish his weeding chores.

Mosquito Bits and Dunks

The active ingredient is Bacillus thuringienses, subspecies israelensis (a different subspecies than the Bt used for caterpillars.) It is a very safe way to control the mosquito larvae in standing water, it will not harm fish or wildlife or you. It can be used in birdbaths, old tires, water gardens, rain barrels, rain gutters or any other place where there is standing water. Replace the product after heavy rains or when ever you think that the bits or dunks may have washed out. Try to do this as soon as possible as it takes a day or so for the Bt to be fully effective.

Pine Straw Bales

These bales weigh approximately 25 pounds they are 13" x 15" x 28-30" long. A bale will cover 50 square feet at a 2" depth. Pine Straw is a wonderful way to mulch your vegetable garden. The pine straw rakes away easily to allow you to replant.

Potassium Bicarbonate

Potassium Bicarbonate is great to use as a fungicide on black spot, powdery mildew and other fungal problems. With all this great rain we have been receiving, we are seeing a lot of fungal problems. The Potassium Bicarbonate can be applied once a week if there is an ongoing problem. It may need to be applied more frequently if we are receiving a lot of rain. It arrests an existing problem, but will not work as a preventative. Unlike Sodium Bicarbonate (baking soda), it does not build up salts in the soil. Potassium Bicarbonate can also be used on ball moss at the rate of 1 cup per gallon.

Pyrethrin Products

We carry several products for pest control that contain pyrethrin. We have Diatect V which is a mixture of pyrethrin and diatomaceous earth, Safer Yard & Garden (liquid), and Ecozone which is also Pyrethrin and diatomaceous earth with a higher concentration of pyrethrin. Pyrethrin is one of the strongest products used in natural insect control. It is made from Chrysanthimum flowers and is fairly non-selective on what insects it controls. This means it should be applied very carefully to areas that are receiving insect damage. Do not spray the entire garden if it does not need it and generally we do not apply natural controls as preventative. Prevention of insect damage in organic gardening is done by promoting healthy plants with good soil and putting the plant in the correct environment for the plant. Pyrethrin is very effective on hard-shell insects such as harlequin bugs and cucumber beetles.

Rabbit Hill Farms "Buds & Blooms"

Rabbit Hill is one of our favorite suppliers with wonderful, quality fertilizers including Buds & Blooms for all blooming plants. Dust Buds & Blooms around the root zone when planting and repeat several times during the growing seasons for beautiful flowers all season. Ingredients include alfalfa meal, soft rock phosphate, cottonseed meal, worm castings, rabbit manure and many other fine products. Other great products from Rabbit Hill include single ingredient products such as cottonseed meal, alfalfa meal, greensand, etc and other mixes such as Tomato & Pepper food and Rose food.

Rabbit Hill Farms "Minerals Plus"

If you are preparing or repairing your garden beds on these fine brisk days, Minerals Plus from Rabbit Hill Farms is definitely something you should be using to amend the soil. It is a fine ground mix of Lava sand, granite sand, basalt, soft rock phosphate with colloidal clay, humate, greensand and montmorillonite. It is a wonderful mix that will add paramagnetic rock and trace minerals to your soil. We add it whenever we are planting anything. Application rates are 40 to 80 pounds per 1000 square feet or you can apply it over lawns at 40 pounds per 1,000 square feet.

Razor Tooth Saw

The task of pruning becomes less of a chore with the right tool. The Corona 13-inch Razor Tooth Saw cuts through branches like butter. The saw's blades are sharpened on three sides so it cuts on both the push and pull stroke. If you have ignored your trees and shrubs and don't want to start up the chain saw this is the tool for you. Corona has several styles of this type of saw in smaller, folding models, as does Felco.

Rock Phosphate for Planting Season

One of the best soil amendments for new plantings. John Dromgoole calls rock phosphate "motherÌs milk" for new transplants and seeds. Kim Beal of Rain Lily Design, who is our featured speaker at this SaturdayÌs free class, uses it in all her new plantings. Rock phosphate, also known as soft or colloidal rock phosphate, is a source of phosphorus, releasing this nutrient slowly over years without leaching or fixing. Phosphorus is the nutrient that contributes most to root development, as well as flower and fruit formation. It is also a source of many other trace minerals, including calcium. A small amount, a couple of tablespoons, can be put in the hole when planting 4" pots or flower bulbs. The rock phosphate can touch the roots or the bulb directly; it wonÌt burn. For gallon or larger plants, a quarter cup or more can be put in the hole. However, Jay Mertz of Rabbit Hill Farm recommends mixing it in with the soil. The recommended rate of application is 10 ç 40 pounds per 1,000 square feet. We have three sizes available: 6 pounds, 15 pounds, and 50 pounds.

Seaweed

"Gatorade for the Garden." Seaweed has been used by farmers and gardeners for hundreds of years. Here at The Natural Gardener, we recommend it for helping transplants survive and prosper through transplant shock, for encouraging more blooms, for encouraging fruit set on tomatoes and other fruits, and for helping plants to resist diseases and pests. Research has proven that regular application of seaweed can help thwart powdery mildew fungus and the spider mite pest.

Nowadays, we don't have to risk life and limb going out into the frigid ocean waters to collect our own seaweed: we can purchase it in a liquid or powdered concentrate from Maxicrop brand. From their website, www.maxicrop.co.uk, we learn the five principle effects of seaweed:

1. The complex range of compounds found within our seaweed extracts can help reduce nematode damage.
2. Specific carbohydrates in our seaweed extracts serve as a source of food for beneficial and benign soil bacteria.
3. Soil and foliar application of our seaweed extract will result in greater maintenance of chlorophyll, leading to greener plants.
4. Applied to plants that can cold acclimatize, seaweed extract initiates or speeds up the acclimatization process.
5. Regular applications to the foliage of plants induce Localized Acquired Resistance. (This means they can resist diseases and other stresses).

In addition, we find the following guides to using Maxicrop seaweed:

Research has shown that to get the best results, Maxicrop needs to be applied in low doses but at regular intervals throughout the periods of active plant growth. Research has shown that plants that are regularly exposed to low levels of our seaweed extracts establish bigger and deeper roots and are faster growing.

To us, this means that ideally, we should foliar feed our plants with seaweed — in the early morning or late evening — one to four times a month. Especially during the stresses of summer and winter, see how seaweed can make your garden glow! While this will not help a tomato plant survive a freeze, it will help cold weather plants, perennials, shrubs, etc. go through cold snaps with less damage and faster recovery time. We absolutely love our seaweed.

Seedling Propagation Heat Mats

Many seeds, such as tomatoes and peppers need heat to germinate. When we try to start the seed in the cool weather, the gentle flow of warm air permeates your soil to increase the speed of growth and success rate of your seeds and cuttings. We carry several different types and sizes of propagation mats.

Soil Sieve

The Soil sieve is a wonderful tool for any gardener to have. To successfully grow plants from seeds you need a fine, clean mix of ingredients. We're not going to get into what should be used for a seed starting mix as everyone has his or her own special recipe. Ingredients can include peat moss, perlite or vermiculite, sand, compost or clean soil (and small amounts of amendments such as rock phosphate, kelp meal, or what ever 'secret' ingredient you want.) Big pieces of bark, sticks, rocks, etc. can prohibit the seeds from sprouting or create air pockets that can stunt young roots. Passing the soil through the soil sieve will screen out the large particles and give you a wonderful planting medium.

Soil sieves are also useful for screening compost and other soils.

Statuary

T his may seem like a strange "Product of the Week" but winter is a great time to be thinking about the hardscaping parts of your garden. Winter is when we often see the "bones" of the garden. A piece of statuary, big or small, placed amongst bare branches may be just the thing to tie the garden together until it fills out in the spring. We have all types of statuary including angels, St. Fiacre (gardening), St. Francis (animals), Buddha, Asian, gargoyles, dragons, and even gnomes playing instruments. We also have a great selection of bird baths and benches.

Submatic Drip Irrigation Systems

Submatic has a great line of irrigation parts that are simple to use for the home gardener and have been used by the home gardener and professionals for many years. The basic system consists of tubing that you connect with a variety of compression fittings and emitters that poke into the hose to slowly release the water. There are hundreds of pieces that are available for every situation and we carry them all (or can get them relatively quickly.)

The Submatic system has three parts. Step one consists of the pieces to hook the system up to your water source, including timer, filter, pressure regulator, backflow preventer and more. Step two is the hose layout and fittings including several diameters and types of hoses, inline shut off valves, tees, elbow and other fittings to hold the hoses together. The third step is delivering the water precisely where you need it and includes a variety of emitters, special drip hoses, and small sprinkler heads (the majority of the sprinkler heads in this system are small covering several square feet per emitter, not the entire lawn.)

Submatic has put together a wonderful booklet that lists all the pieces and how they are used. The best way to start is to come in and get the booklet and the price sheet, take them home and design your system. It is best to start small. Maybe start with a couple of beds; try out different types of emitters, sprinklers, etc. Find out what works best for you before you build your entire system.

Dustable/Wettable Sulfur

This sulfur product has several uses in and around the garden. Right now, the primary use is with planting potatoes. Dusting the cut potatoes and allowing them to sprout will give you a major head start on the potato season. The Dustable/Wettable Sulfur will help prevent fungal problems associated with the potatoes. Dustable/Wettable sulfur is also used for controlling chiggers. Areas can be dusted with the product or some people will keep the powder in a sock and dust their socks or other clothing with the sulfur before they go out into areas where there are chiggers.

Superthrive™

This is a mixture of vitamins and hormones. Great for new transplants and plants under stress.

Tree Saver Transplant by Plant Health Care

Beneficial mychorrhizae. Add a packet of Tree Saver eveytime you plant a tree. A single packet will treat three 5 gallon trees or one 15 gallon tree. Tree Saver Transplant contains powdered mycorrhizal fungi that can enhance plant growth using these beneficial organisms. Plants have a beneficial relationship with many microorganisms in the soil. There are certain fungi whose "roots" (mycelium) attach to the plant's roots. This association of fungi with plant roots is called mycorrhizae and extends the nutrient – absorbing capacity of the plant (kind of like adding a whole lot more root mass.) Soil fumigants and pesticides destroy these beneficial fungi. The mycorrhizae needs to be available near the roots. As John likes to say "It is 'insurance' for your new tree."

Worm Castings from Rabbit Hill Farms

Yes, this is worm poop: the castings contain nutrients, trace minerals and will increase microbial life in the soil. Jay Mertz of Rabbit Hill Farms is very careful of what he feeds his earthworms and how they are cared for, as a result, the worm castings are very rich in nutrients. Add them as a soil amendment to any type of plant in your garden or pot. Another benefit of adding worm castings is that worm eggs are usually in the mix. These will hatch and add earthworms to your garden.

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