Badseed Hillsboro, OH(Zone 6a) Aug 18, 2006
Excellent news and just what I was hoping to hear!!
I had hoped by spending $1600 on nice new dirt for raised beds that I'd spend less time weeding and no money on chemicals. Now I realize I should have paid the $200 more to have the dirt brought from 45 minutes away and from a reputable supplier. I was trying to get to know people where I was moving to, sort of a networking kind of thing or a way to meet local people. When the fourth truck load was delivered I said something like "Well, if this dirt is really good and not loaded with weeds seeds, I'll need lots more in the spring.". That was met with a throat clearing kind of "ahem" which I thought was in jest. Jokes on me. LOL Lesson learned. I know where NOT to buy dirt now! The plants are happy though-even the plants I do not want. Plllllllllllllll!
Most of the weeds are out now so I think I'll finish up my plantings and hit the beds with a combo of Round Up and Preen and Green. I'll skip the seedling bed. Thanks for that special note! I'd rather weed that one than all seven. :)
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skidivur Marysville, WA Aug 18, 2006
BADSEED,
I have used PREEN also, apparently with no damage. But, you may want to use just plain preen, unless you NEED the added fertilizer.
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Badseed Hillsboro, OH(Zone 6a) Aug 18, 2006
Thank you for the added advice. :)
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skidivur Marysville, WA Aug 18, 2006
BADSEED,
You're very welcome :)
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Badseed Hillsboro, OH(Zone 6a) Aug 18, 2006
I just ran outside to great hubby when he got home from work. The container was sitting on the table and it is yellow and says PREEN with added fertilizer. SO, is that PREEN and GREEN or just PREEN? If it is PREEN with added fertilizer what is PREEN and GREEN? You guys didn't think it would be easy did ya?
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NYVOICES99 Corning, NY(Zone 5a) Aug 18, 2006
Chele,
You crack me up, all the way... Preen & Green unfortunately has fertilizer in it for the weed's we don't get out.
I have also learned another lesson. NEVER USE SLUGO around our priceless hem's.. I thought I would cry real tears reading that, thank goodness I read before I used...:)Anita
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mgh Willamette Valley, OR(Zone 8a) Aug 18, 2006
What's wrong with using Slugo around hems?
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Jazzpunkin Springfield, OH(Zone 5b) Aug 18, 2006
Badseed, I have been using Preen around my daylilies and my folks do too without harm. (Just didn't get around to putting it on this spring..sigh) Don't forget to water after you put it on.
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Badseed Hillsboro, OH(Zone 6a) Aug 18, 2006
Thank you! I have have so much time and money wrapped up in those plants and gardens, I would be beside myself there was a true problem. I may go ahead and apply sometime in the next couple of days then again in the spring. Once I get them edged and nuke the rest of the little weeds, I'll be in pretty good shape.
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NYVOICES99 Corning, NY(Zone 5a) Aug 18, 2006
mgh,
If you read the caution on the back it tells you not to use it around Daylilies, Clematis & a few other plant's, not sure what it will do to them, :)Anita
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mgh Willamette Valley, OR(Zone 8a) Aug 18, 2006
Hmmm.....I wonder why? I'll have to go look at my slug bait and see what it says. I've been using it all year without any problems.
Edited to say: Thank you, Anita!
Mendy
This message was edited Aug 18, 2006 9:39 AM
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LaLambchop Chapin, SC(Zone 7b) Aug 18, 2006
mgh, use beer and no one will have problems! Set some out for the slugs too. ;)
Leslie
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lincolnitess Lincoln, NE(Zone 5b) Aug 18, 2006
I use Preen and Green early in the spring and then sometimes plain Preen later in the year. Itis the only fertilizer I use most years. Be sure to water really deeply right after using and and avoid the leaves if you can. I do feel like sometimes it causes some of my leaves to turn brown. Not sure. Have you heard of a product called WOW from Gardens Alive? It is made for lawn weeds, but I have heard it works well on flower beds too. I thought I might try it next year or even put on some this fall to prevent fall seeds from sprouting. Anyone use it?
susan
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mgh Willamette Valley, OR(Zone 8a) Aug 18, 2006
LOL, Leslie! Do I really have to share with the slugs?? ;o)
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gardenergail Bay, AR(Zone 7a) Aug 18, 2006
Aw, c'mon, mgh.... surely they won't drink that much! LMAO
Did y'all see the pic of the bed I just did in my front yard? It is the first bed I've ever put Preen on, so this thread is quite timely for me. After building the "old" circle bed last year with my boss' free composted horse manure, I was plucking sprouting stuff ALL the time. This time I decided to give the preen a try, so I should be able to report over the next 3mos. as to its effectiveness. The bed is around a magnolia tree trunk, so the high roots have prevented me from planting in my regular soil (which is bad because I have really good dirt!) so it was round-up, then manure, then a layer of bagged leaves from last fall, then my entire finished compost pile (about 4 1/2 wheelbarrows), then a truckbed of mulch about 4" thick, topped off with PREEN. I watered it in several times, then we got a good rain. It should be PRIMO planting for my Maryott order, Hanson order, Schreiner's order, Aiken's order, Lily Auction wins.... let's see..... what else? How much could YOU cram into a 15ft diameter circle bed?
Gail
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gardenergail Bay, AR(Zone 7a) Aug 18, 2006
For perspective on the overall layout....
This looks across with the other circle bed in the background. The bed wasn't finished at this stage.
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Moonlighter Maysville, MO(Zone 5a) Aug 18, 2006
Badseed......I use Preen.....not Preen and Green....on every new bed I plant, and give all the old beds a good covering in the spring. I also use it in the vegetable garden with great success. I wait till the popcorn and sweetcorn come up and then band the rows with Preen and till the middles. I buy it at a local True Value in the spring when they have heavy rebates and usually end up paying less than half price for it. I also use a grass killer from a local nursery, Earl May, that kills grass only....I use it on hems and iris and have never lost a plant.
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gardenergail Bay, AR(Zone 7a) Aug 18, 2006
Hi Jay! I for one am glad to know it's OK to use the preen with hems. I figured it was since it's a seed germination prevention, but you never know how some plants will react. I was especially worried because this is a lot of $$ (to me!) I'm planting in this bed and I sure don't want to be the cause of losing it! One thing I know.... I'm going to plant and water in, and then LEAVE THEM ALONE! They're much better off on their own than being overtended! Am I right?
Gail
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Moonlighter Maysville, MO(Zone 5a) Aug 18, 2006
Ours have been on automatic water since about midnite last nite.....we got half inch by 6am this morning and it's been raining off and on all day....we were needing it. But you're right..I have beds I've hardly spent any time in to weed.......just to admire. The blooming is about over though......and Gail, you have D mail.
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gardenergail Bay, AR(Zone 7a) Aug 19, 2006
Hey dude! Got the dmail... back at'cha!
??
Gail
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LaLambchop Chapin, SC(Zone 7b) Aug 19, 2006
In what form does Preen come?
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gardenergail Bay, AR(Zone 7a) Aug 19, 2006
What I got was a big jug and it was pelletized... about the size of ozmocote (sp?). Does that help?
It has a flip-open spout and you hold it by the handle and swing/shake it back and forth and it distributes the pellets evenly over the ground. I did the 15ft circle bed with about 1/2 the tub or a little more, but it was only $11.
Gail
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LaLambchop Chapin, SC(Zone 7b) Aug 19, 2006
That's perfect, Gail. Thanks a bunch.
Leslie
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gardenergail Bay, AR(Zone 7a) Aug 19, 2006
You are so welcome, Leslie!
You know, my order is going in that bed (above) along with my Maryott stuff... isn't that going to be gorgeous??!! Next year will be a good one for me in the garden. So much NEW STUFF!!
Gail
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mgh Willamette Valley, OR(Zone 8a) Aug 19, 2006
LOL, Gail! Actually my slugs would have to be attracted to Mike's Hard Lemonade.....cuz that's what I have on hand. ;o) Your round bed looks great! I could stuff a ton of plants in there! LOL
I went out and looked at my slug bait and it is called Sug Magic. It doesn't say anything about not being able to use it around daylilies or clematis. I've used it 3 times this year so far and nothing bad has happened to any of my plants. I haven't put any out since the end of July though.......need to do it again cuz I saw 2 monster slugs out there last night.
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gardenergail Bay, AR(Zone 7a) Aug 19, 2006
I'm partial to sweet stuff, myself, like sloe gin and Mt.Dew.... wonder if slugs would go for that? LOL Hey! I could give them DH's beer! LOL Think I might get in trouble?
Thanks, stuffing it is exactly what I'll do (with that new bed). It's going to be daylilies and some iris interplanted.
Gail
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lincolnitess Lincoln, NE(Zone 5b) Aug 19, 2006
You can also buy large bags of the Preen. I saved one of the smaller sprinkle type containers and pour the larget bags into it as I need more.
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gardenergail Bay, AR(Zone 7a) Aug 19, 2006
That's a good idea, I didn't know you could get big bags.
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pirl (Arlene) Southold, NY(Zone 7a) Aug 19, 2006
We buy four huge box type containers, of regular Preen, early each year because by June HD is out of it. It's never hurt a thing but we do not use it in the vegetable garden.
We have used Sluggo but now use another slug bait and have used it at the base of the 80 clematis plants without a problem.
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LaLambchop Chapin, SC(Zone 7b) Aug 19, 2006
I wonder if you could put preen in a hand spreader?
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