Here are some tips for how to prepare your garden soil for planting this spring.

Mattew DammannMarch 29, 2021Dammann's Garden CompanyDammann's Garden Company, Indianapolis, gardening tips, gardening, 2021, garden maintenance, garden center, spring care, spring, spring maintenance, soil, soil health, amend soil, soil care, garden soil, spring soil maintenance

WHAT IS LAWNMOWER BLIGHT? HOW CAN YOU PREVENT IT?

Repeated damage from lawnmowers and lawn trimmers can kill your trees. Prevent it with these tips.

HOW TO USE FERTILIZERS SUSTAINABLY

Over-use of fertilizer can cause problems for our gardens and lawns, and the environment. Here are some guidelines for using fertilizer sustainably to help promote healthy plants and safe water systems.

Mattew DammannMay 18, 2020Dammann's Garden CompanyDammann's Garden Company, Indianapolis, gardening tips, gardening, easy gardening, plant care, healthy living, healthy garden, organic, fertilizing, fertilizer, sustainable, sustainable gardening, soil, soil health, how to amend soil, environmentally friendly

HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR CHRISTMAS CACTUS

One of the quintessential holiday houseplants is the iconic Christmas cactus. Everyone's grandma had one when they were growing up, and many of us have at least one in our homes now too. While our grandma's plants always seemed to bloom profusely at just the right time for Christmas in Indianapolis, some of us struggle to get our Christmas cactuses to bloom indoors at all.

Mattew DammannNovember 19, 2019Dammann's Garden Company, Indianapolis, christmas cactus, schlumbergera, care, watering, location, lighting, water, indoors, growing, holidays, pots, potting soil, soil, cacti, cactu, leaves, flowers, bloom

HOW TO IDENTIFY YOUR SOIL TYPE

Recently, we've noticed more and more people are interested in growing their own food. Since growing yummy vegetables requires a fair bit of care, there's also been an increase in discussions about dirt. If you've tried to grow anything in soil that's hard and compact, or really sandy and dry, you'll understand what we mean. Soil quality is essential for everything you grow, not just vegetables. In general, we're lucky to have pretty high-quality soil in Indianapolis.

Mattew DammannOctober 22, 2019Dammann's Garden Company, Indianapolis, soil, soil types, amendments, compost, gas, water, organic, organic matter, minerals, organisms, chalk, peat, silt, sandy, loamy, fertile, test

WINNING THE WAR ON WEEDS

Tackling the weeds in your landscape is a long game. Our long cold winters and short summers seem to make them even tougher here in Indianapolis. The best strategy to win this war is knowledge, persistence, and the right weapons.

Mattew DammannOctober 2, 2019Dammann's Garden Company, Indianapolis, weeds, weeding, soil, compost, composting, mulch, bark mulch, uprooting, deep, spraying, chemicals, weedkiller, weed prevention

HOW TO TURN YOUR HYDRANGEAS BLUE

Blue isn’t a prevalent color for flowering plants, which makes it pretty desirable to gardeners who want their landscape to stand out! Cool, blue tones are easy on the eyes and mingle well with other colors. On a cloudless day, blue accents will kick your garden up a notch, tying the landscape in with the sky for a gorgeous summer scene.

Mattew DammannSeptember 3, 2019Dammann's Garden Company, plants, flowers, hydrangea, blue, acidity, soil, color

PLANTING IN SHADE

Does a shaded part of your yard need a little brightening up? Check out these plants that thrive in dim spaces for a way to add some color and life to those tricky spots in your garden.

Mattew DammannMay 6, 2019Dammann's Garden Company, care tips, planting, bulbs, begonia, shade, shade gardening, lobelia, annuals, perennials, hosta, bleeding heart, hydrangea, soil, tulips, daffodils

UNDERSTANDING ZONES

With a tough winter and a seemingly unending Polar Vortex cold snap, it’s pretty hard to imagine what it must be like for some of our poor perennial plants, shivering their way through the winter under a layer of snow. While we are endlessly thankful for inventions like furnaces and space heaters, we don’t envy the lives of our tough perennials these days!

Mattew DammannFebruary 19, 2019Dammann's Garden Company, spring, spring garden, garden, clean up, spring clean, crocus, lawn, backyard, perennial, fertilizer, winter mulch, prune, shrubs, trees, soil, bird feed, bird feeding, sunflower seed, peanuts, corn, specialty mixes

FEEDING THE BIRDS

Is there anything more picturesque than an afternoon at the park, or tea on the patio while feeding the wild birds? It’s easy, fun, kids love it, and our feathered friends certainly appreciate the gesture. But one thing’s for certain: birds have a very selective diet, and while they may be quick to snatch up scraps of “people food” when it gets tossed out into the yard, that doesn’t mean it’s good for them. Here are few more friendly breadcrumb alternatives to consider.