Welcome to the Earl May Blog, your ultimate resource for all things gardening. Whether you're a seasoned green thumb or just starting your gardening journey, our blog offers expert advice, creative ideas, and practical tips to help you cultivate a beautiful and thriving garden. Explore a wide range of topics, from planting and lawn care to outdoor living and seasonal gardening tips. Join our community of garden enthusiasts and discover how to make the most of your outdoor space with guidance from Earl May's trusted experts. Dive in and let your gardening adventures begin.


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Clematis: The Hardy Blooming Perennial Vine

A Great Addition for a Stunning Garden

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Pruning Guide: Trees, Shrubs, and Perennials

Pruning is one of the most essential tasks in garden maintenance. It helps promote healthy growth, improves the appearance of plants, and can even boost flowering or fruit production.

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The Ultimate Guide to Growing Sweet Corn

Nothing says summer quite like the taste of fresh sweet corn. Whether you enjoy it straight off the cob, grilled, or in a delicious side dish, growing your own ensures the freshest flavor possible. At Earl May Garden Center, we provide high-quality sweet corn seeds and expert guidance to help you achieve a successful harvest.

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Onion Sets vs. Onion Plants: What's the Difference?

When it comes to growing onions, gardeners have two primary choices - onion sets or onion plants. Let's explore the differences between these two and determine which is best for your needs.

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Potatoes: A Guide to Growing Bountiful Harvests

Potatoes are a staple in home gardens, offering a rewarding and versatile crop that thrives with proper care. Whether you prefer white or red varieties, following the right planting and maintenance techniques will ensure a successful harvest.

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Fruit Tree Pollination Guide

Growing your own fruit trees is incredibly rewarding, but proper pollination is key to getting the best harvest. Whether you're planting apples, cherries, pears, or plums, understanding how fruit trees pollinate will help you make the right choices for your garden.

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Fruit Tree Spray Guide

Keeping your fruit trees healthy and productive requires a consistent spray routine to manage pests and diseases. The right fruit tree spray at the right time can make all the difference. Our comprehensive guide will help you understand when and how to spray your fruit trees for optimal results.

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Best Houseplants for Every Lighting Situation

Before you bring home your new houseplant, it’s important to know what type of lighting you have in order for the plant, and you, to be successful.

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Keep Wild Birds Around this Winter

Providing a clean feeder, fresh food, open water and a comfortable habitat are keys to keeping wild birds around this winter. Check out the following tips and ideas.

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When is the Best Time to Control Weeds in Your Lawn?

Surprisingly, Fall is the best time to tackle lawn weeds. Late-season herbicide applications target weeds at their most vulnerable stage, making it easier to eliminate them compared to other times of the year.

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Prepare Your Lawn & Garden for a Flourishing Spring

As the crisp autumn air settles in, it might seem counterintuitive to think about spring. However, fall is the ideal time to lay the groundwork for a vibrant, healthy lawn and garden next season. By taking the right steps now, you'll set your outdoor spaces up for success when the warmer weather returns.

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The Earl May Tree Story: From Our Roots to Your Home

At Earl May Garden Center, we don't just sell trees - we grow the trees that will thrive in your landscape! Our trees have deep roots in the Midwest, beginning their journey at our farm in Shenandoah, Iowa. Here, our tree experts carefully pot, train, space, and hand prune each tree as it matures, ensuring it receives the care it needs to flourish in our customers' yards. We take pride in our process, so you can take pride in your purchase.

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Plant Fall Bulbs for Stunning Spring Blooms

As temperatures begin to drop and the crispness of fall sets in, it's the perfect time to think ahead to spring - by planting fall bulbs! These little powerhouses will be your garden's first burst of color, emerging from the ground when most other plants are still in their winter slumber. The best part is they'll keep coming back the following years!

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Why Fall is the Best Time to Fertilize Your Lawn

As summer winds down, your lawn has likely endured some stress from heat or even patches of disease, causing unsightly brown spots. Fall is the perfect time to give your lawn the boost it needs to fill back in and prepare for the winter ahead. Fertilizing in the fall offers numerous benefits, ensuring your lawn not only survives the winter but thrives next spring.

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Preparing Your Garden for Winter: Essential Tips and Tricks

Maintaining the garden year-round is dear to a gardener's heart, and year-end upkeep is an essential part of the cycle. When the shadows lengthen, and the air grows cooler, it's time to prepare your garden for winter.

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Fall Planting Guide for the Midwest

In the Midwest, the months of September, October and November offer the perfect conditions for planting a wide variety of plants. As the temperatures cool above ground (reducing stress through the leaves) the soil remains warm, allowing the roots of plants to keep growing until the ground freezes. This is important because plants will then head into spring with a much more established root system and will have a higher survival rate as you try to get them through the first critical summer.

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Mums: Choosing the Best Ones

As fall approaches, Earl May Garden Centers are bursting with vibrant, seasonal colors, especially mums! Adding these cheerful blooms to your front door, patio, or landscape is the perfect way to welcome the autumn season. But with mums widely available, why should you choose Earl May mums?

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5 Tips for Overseeding Your Lawn this Fall

August through September is the BEST time to over-seed a lawn. Warm soil and cool temperatures at night make the perfect growing conditions. Here are 5 expert tips on doing it right!

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Low-Maintenance Bushes and Shrubs: Your Guide to an Effortless Garden

Low-maintenance bushes and shrubs are the unsung heroes of the gardening world, offering vibrant beauty with minimal effort. They are best utilized in beds, borders, entrances, and foundation plantings, providing structure and year-round interest. Their drought tolerance, pest resistance, and adaptability to various soil types mean they can flourish in many environments, from sunny to partially shaded areas.​

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When to Start Planting Seeds for Your Garden

Knowing when to start planting seeds is important for a successful garden. Whether you’re cultivating vibrant flowers, juicy fruits, or a bountiful vegetable harvest, understanding the optimal planting times is essential for creating a thriving garden. Should you plant in the fall or wait until spring? How do you ensure that perennials and cool-season vegetables establish strong roots while avoiding frost damage to your warm-season crops and delicate annual flowers? The variables are numerous: soil temperature, frost dates, plant hardiness zones, and specific plant requirements.

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