plant protection and pest control

How to Protect Your Tomatoes (and Other Warm-Season Veggies)

How to Protect Your Tomatoes (and Other Warm-Season Veggies)

It’s April and tomatoes are here! We know you’re ready to get them planted since it’s sunny (wait… now it’s cold and raining…. wait! It’s sunny again! Wait…) ;) but your tomato plants won’t grow into incredibly prolific tomato producers if you don’t protect them until the night temperatures remain consistently above 50 degrees. Most of us at Swansons swear by protection tools so we can plant our warm-season vegetables earlier and encourage larger, stronger plants and better harvests. Here’s what we use and how to use them.

From Flower to Fruit: The Mysteries of Apple Pollination

From Flower to Fruit: The Mysteries of Apple Pollination

Apple trees are great additions to any yard or garden, providing a source of food for bees, birds, wildlife and us! There’s nothing like the joy of watching your tree bloom in the spring, expectantly waiting for the fruit to ripen, and finally eating an apple freshly picked off your tree. The topic of pollination, however, can be confusing, so let’s review the basics.

Using Netting For Better Fruit Harvests

Using Netting For Better Fruit Harvests

Fruit tree netting is something I had never used or considered using until this year. I had experimented with nylon apple maggot barriers before with moderate success, but their application is quite laborious and time-intensive. Now that I have tried tree netting I will never go back. Here’s how to use netting to protect your fruit.