It’s time to landscape your property for added beauty and value! Our huge selection of top quality Azaleas, Rhododendrons and Pieris (Lily of the Valley Shubs) are the perfect solution. You’ll be amazed by the beautiful colored blossoms these spectacular shrubs produce. We’ll even include planting instructions to make it easy. Why not surprise Mom with several of these colorful shrubs to enhance her yard and garden for Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 11th.

After Mother’s Day our Tropical Plants begin to arrive!

Choose from our color and all summer blooming Mandevilla Vines. They are quick growers and can be trained to grow around a doorway, mailbox, arbor, fence or gazebo. Placed in a sunny spot, these delightful vines produce numerous pale to bright pink trumpet blossoms that will continue to add color to your yard or garden all summer long.

You’ll feel as if you’re in a tropical paradise with one of our Bougainvillea plants. Available in numerous colors from deep pink, light pink, purple and even orange these profusely blooming shrubs will continue to grow for years to come if brought inside in the winter and given a sunny spot. They come ready to place on a patio or porch in a generous size pot or choose from one of our hanging basket varieties.

The “Official Flower” of Hawaii and one that you will fall in love with is our tropical Hibiscus plants. The trumpet-like flower is perfect for floating in a bowl for a party or may be used as a stunning summer fashion accessory worn behind a woman’s ear. Placed in a sunny spot these profuse bloomers will provide you intense color all summer long. Choose from a single plant or our Hibiscus Topiaries that come in a standard upright trunk or braided trunk. They’re the perfect accent on either side of a doorway, by the pool or almost any sunny spot. Be sure to keep them well watered and a little liquid fertilizer will keep them blooming all summer long. Bring them inside and place them in a sunny spot in the winter to ward off the winter blues. You’ll enjoy these beauties for year’s to come.

Look for a large variety of Tropical Palms and Ferns that will soften a front porch or pool area. The large leafy leaves of our palms will help add needed shade around outdoor furniture and our ferns are the perfect solution for shady porches and other non sunny areas. Bring the palms and ferns inside at the end of the summer to help cheer interior spaces in your home. Plants are a wonderful way to help clean and revitalize the air within your home.

As always, one of our trained horticulturalists will assist you the care and instructions for any of these tropical beauties so that they will thrive for years to come.

Dearborn now carries ONLY organic bulk and bagged compost topsoil and compost!

Learn more about our organic compost and topsoil.

For large jobs around the yard or garden we’ll be happy to deliver anything you need. Please call for pricing and delivery fees: 732-264-0256

Tired of the same old Perennials? Our new Garden Center Manger, Randall Miller has brought in a wonderful selection of unusual perennials that we image you may not have seen before. Come stroll the Garden Center and let us show you some of our unique selections.

Helleborus Orientalis

One of our favorite Perennials for May. A.K.A “Russ Pink” (Linten Rose)

Known as one of the earliest flowering perennials in our area, the Lenten Rose’s blooms appear on 18” stems in very early Spring and persist for up to 8 weeks! The large flowers range from crème to plum to pink with a hint of green. Given rich, well-drained soil and shade, it will self-sow, creating a colony of plants with handsome evergreen leaves. This shade garden classic will thrive in dry shade conditions.

Plant 18” apart. Plants will grow 2 to 3 feet tall in part sun to full shade. This plant is very deer resistant. For best results, plant in well drained humus rich soil. Feed twice a year with a general-purpose fertilizer.

At Dearborn Market we buy from only the top annual and perennial growers in the country.

We’re finicky about the plants we choose for our customers and only accept orders of plant material that is at the peak of health and quality. Once it arrives, we spend meticulous hours caring for our trees, shrubs and plants so that you will take home outstanding specimens. Some of the “Top of the Line” growers that we purchase our plant material from include:

• Monrovia Growers
• Hines Growers
• Sunny Borders
• Proven Winners

Look for the arrival of beautiful Cast Stone Statues and Fountains. We will be featuring a wide variety of styles and finishes and price points. You won’t find cold plain white cement here, we’ve chosen finishes that will compliment any garden setting and will appear as if your unique garden focal point has been “aging” on your property for centuries.

Don’t miss our wonderful selection of Wild Bird feeders, Hummingbird feeders and pine and birch style Birdhouses. It’s time to put out houses for your feathered friends so that they’ll have a safe environment in which to raise their young. We think you’ll find ours are some of the nicest available.

Time to start thinking about your Roses

Here’s a little secret that will help give you beautiful roses all season long. Add ¼ cup per bush of common Epsom Slats found at your local pharmacy. The Epsom slats will help to replace the last minerals from the soil. Simply mix the salts into the top of the soil around each of your roses. You’ll be amazed by the regained vigor of your plants, the lustrous blooms and dark glossy leaves.

Here are some Care Instructions for Roses that we think you’ll find helpful. Feel free to print them out and save them for future reference:

Rose Care

Planting: (Container Roses)

If you have stored your container roses for a few days, soak the roots in water again before planting. If the rose canes are longer than 8 to 10 inches, prune them back to about 6 inches to help the plant concentrate on developing the roots.

1. Dig a hole 12 to 18 inches deep. Make sure it is wide enough to allow the plant’s root system to easily develop after planting. This will make a stronger plant. Loosen the bottom and sides with your shovel.
2. Fill the hole with water. It should drain in one hour. If it doesn’t, dig deeper and improve the drainage, or mound the soil and plant the rose in a raised bed. Work in one part organic material such as peat moss, leaf mold, compost, sawdust, or well-rotted manure, to two parts soil. A pH of 6.5 is best for roses. We’ll be happy to help you is your soil needs adjusting.
3. Trim off any broken roots or stems. Build a mound of soil in the hole to support the roots and hold the plant at the proper height, with the bud union at ground level.
4. Holding the plant firmly in place, fill the hole two-thirds full of soil mixture and tamp down lightly to remove any air pockets. Fill with water and let soak in, then fill the hole with soil mixture and firm gently.
5. Your plants will leaf out faster if you mist the canes with water as often as possible while they are getting started. Roses need plenty of moisture, both above and below the soil, to fully develop in their new location

Watering:

Roses need good drainage – roots should never sit in water. The best way to water is the drip method. The bed should be soaked slowly and thoroughly to a depth of 5 or 6 inches with a small amount of water. Sprinklers are fine if the bed receives enough water to moisten the top 6 inches of soil and as long as the foliage can dry quickly. If you do water from above, do so in the early morning so the foliage has a chance to dry. This discourages disease. To see if your roses need watering, scrape the surface of the bed. If you don’t feel any moisture an inch below the surface, it’s time to water.

Fertilizing:

It’s important to replace the nutrients your roses take from the soil through the growing season. Once your roses are fully leafed out, apply a balanced fertilizer to each plant, in a circle a foot or two from the base of the plant. Here is a basic schedule for rose fertilizing:

1. Fertilize when plants are in full leaf.
2. Fertilize again after the first bloom.
3. Fertilize 6 weeks before the anticipated first frost. (But not after Sept. 1 in most areas.)
4. For the proper hardening of canes in the winter, do not fertilize late in the fall.

Mulching:

Mulching is very useful for growing healthy roses. A 2 to 3 inch layer of compost, ground corn cobs, straw or similar material discourages weeds, aids water retention and helps keep the roots cool during hot weather. Since some mulching materials will take nitrogen from the soil, replenish it with a high-nitrogen fertilizer.

Cultivating:

Cultivate roses as shallowly as possible, just breaking the outer
crust of the soil. This method will permit air to enter the soil and will not injure any roots growing near the surface. Never allow the soil to become hard at any time during the growing season. If you mulch your plants as described above, you should not have to cultivate at all.

Transplanting:

The best time to transplant roses is in the early spring, while they are still dormant. Prepare the planting holes in the new site ahead of time so that the plants will not be out of the ground too long. Prune the bush varieties back to 18 to 24 inches to make them easier to handle. Soak the soil thoroughly the night before, then dig the plants with a soil ball attached and move them to their new location.

Pruning:

Why prune? We prune roses to promote their health, vigor and to give them direction – to tell them how and where to grow. Pruning give the plants a shape, a style, removes unproductive wood and provides good air circulation.

The best time to prune is before new growth starts in the spring, sometime after the last killing frost. Once the growth is 2 to 3 inches long, you should not prune, since there can be significant damage from breakage. Fall pruning is necessary only when plants are extremely tall, to prevent wind damage during the winter.

Use any pruning shears designed for roses. A 2-inch blade gives the best results, or use long handled lopping shears for larger canes.

What to Prune:

Weak or diseased canes. Winter-damaged wood, which looks brown on the outside, light brown and dry when cut, should be cut off 1 to 2 inches below the damage. Any branch crossing or rubbing another should be removed – always leave the newest, healthiest cane.

When in Doubt:

As a general rule, if you’re not sure what to cut, wait. You can always make more cuts later when the bush has leafed out and you can see its shape more easily.

How to Prune:

1. Trim twiggy top growth by about a third so you can see the structure of your plant.
2. Take out dead wood, canes that cross the center of the bush, and any shoots (suckers) growing below the bud union.
3. Shape the plant by removing some canes. You are safe in cutting back to 5 – 10 strong canes.
4. Cut ¼” above dormant bud eyes that face the outside of the bush. New growth will come from these eyes.
5. Any shoot that grows from below the bud union of a grafted rose bush is called a sucker. These should be removed, since a sucker will not produce the same bulbs as the upper part of the plant, and will rob it of strength.

After Pruning:

To help reduce dieback and protect canes for borers, paint the pruned ends with a commercial cane sealer, white household glue or clear nail polish after cutting. This is added protection against disease.

Tips for Great Cut Roses:

Cut roses in early morning when the moisture level and sugar content are highest. Use a sharp pruner or knife. Make an angle cut just as the outside petals begin to open. Always leave at least two sets of five leaflets on each stem, so new flowers will develop.

Remove thorns and leaves which will be below water level in the vase, and immerse in warm water. Recut stems under water. Add a floral preservative to the water to make blooms last longer.

For more beautiful blooms, pinch out smaller buds leaving only the top bud. This will concentrate the plant’s energy in to producing fewer but larger blooms.

Drop by our Potting Bench to see what fun designs our designers have created with flowering annuals and perennials.

If you already have containers and want us to plant them up, just drop them off (without soil or plant material please) at our potting bench located right outside our north greenhouse. Come speak with one of our trained horticulturalists who will be happy to help you choose just the right plants for the location of your containers.

Don’t own containers? We carry a large selection to choose from and our trained professionals will help you choose the perfect style to suit your outdoor home décor. We’ll then fill them with just the right plants depending upon where you will be placing them. We’ll give you care instructions and even deliver them to your home! What could be easier?

As always, we have gorgeous combinations of planters in numerous styles and sizes ready-to-go!

Discover our unique Copper Fire Pits. These beautiful copper fireplaces can sit outside on your deck or patio and are designed to be viewed from all sides. Available in both a large and medium size, the top may also be removed for use when grilling. As the weather starts to warm, it’s a great way to enjoy being outside and stay toasty warm by the fire’s glow.

Your Garden This Month

The Balmy planting days are finally upon us. This is some of the best weather to enjoy before the intense heat of summer begins. Here are a few tips for May:

• Houseplants may be brought outside once the weather has settled. We consider mid May is safe in our area to start putting out your plants for Summer Vacation.You’ll be amazed how much they’ll thrive outside of your home. Repot those plants that need dividing. Our Potting Bench is ready to help you with all your potting needs.
• Wash off, repaint or repair any outdoor furniture. Now’s the time to have that deck or patio power washed for summer enjoyment.
• It’s still not too late to put out bird houses. We still have lots of really unusual ones at Dearborn Market. Place the houses from a long heavy wire from the branch of a tree. Make sure that the house is place far enough away from the trunk of the tree so that predators such as squirrels and raccoons can not jump onto the house. Clean out old birdhouses of nest from last year so that new birds will want to build.
• Pesky squirrels getting in your feeders? Try mixing pepper in with the seed. The birds can't taste it and it’s sure to keep the squirrels from coming back. Consider feeding them ears of corn or peanuts in an area well away from the feeders to detract them from the seed. We carry squirrel baffles and squirrel feeders outside in our birding department.
• Tulips left in the ground will deteriorate after a year or two. Dug up and rested they last for years. After they have bloomed and before they turn yellow, dig them up leaving some soil on the roots. Roll them in newspaper, label and store them in shade until the leaves turn yellow. They can then be taking inside and stored in a cool dark place before replanting in the Fall.
• Now is the time to prune those flower shrubs for continued beautiful blooming next Spring. Wait until the blooming has ended and then thin out older wood.
• Why not consider composting this year? There are many good com posters on the market that will allow you to turn all your grass clippings, vegetable cuttings and coffee grinds into rich compost for your garden. It’s not as complicated as you think and the results you’ll gain in enriching your soil will amaze you. Consult books on composting at your local library or feel free to ask one of our garden experts in our Garden Center.
• While it’s still cool, why not consider a vegetable, perennial annual or even a water garden? You can rent a rototiller for the day and turn an area of lawn into a beautiful place to plant. Use a garden hose to map out the area on your lawn. Remember that gardens don't necessarily need to be square or rectangle. A curved “kidney” shape can sometimes assist in softening a perfectly rectangular yard.
• Have your garden tools such as pruners and lawnmowers sharpened now for their best performance. A little spray lubricant on the blades such as WD-40 can help protect your tools from rust. We have a new wide collection of high quality Garden tools, featuring everything from shovels and trowels to pruners.
• Put down mulch early and at least 2" thick in order to keep the worst of the weeds from starting to sprout. Mulch will also help your plants retain needed moisture during dry spells. Pine bark mulch works wonders and may be bought
  in bags our garden center or delivered in bulk. You'll love the smell of our coco mulch!
• Start training vines up arbors and trellises. Use twist ties or hemp string.

Enjoy this wonderful planting and blooming time of year!

Floral Department

Don’t forget Mother’s Day!! Just let us know what your budget and needs are and we can suggest many great options. We’ll even deliver your gift in a beautiful wrap that will thrill and delight any Mom. Some options might include:

• Container plants wrapped with a beautiful silk ribbon or raffia bow
• Cut flowers
• Flowering miniature tabletop gardens
• Small garden statuary

Local Lilac (Topal May)

Huge Fragrant Branches will fill your home with the smell of delicious lilacs. Come in and get your branches early, as the lilac season is a very short one.

May heralds the beginning of our local growing season. Look for these local flowers inside the store this month:

• Dames Rocket
• Sweet William
• Corn Flower