Plant Care

PEST CONTROL

No matter how careful you are with plant placement and soil amendments, almost everyone has some problem with garden pests at one point or another. For this reason, Wildwood carries a wide range of both organic and conventional control products and repellents to help protect your garden. Because of the diversity of problems that can occur, we encourage you to bring samples of pests and/or damaged plant material to Wildwood so we can help find the right solution for your garden problem. If you require additional information or assistance, we recommend that you contact the University of Rhode Island’s Plant Protection Clinic by calling 401.874.2900 or click here to be directed to their website.

DISEASE CONTROL

There are typically fewer options for disease control than for insect control, mostly because diseases, once in the plant, can be extremely hard to eradicate. Stress is a key contributor to disease. Planting in the correct location is the first step towards combating disease. At Wildwood we work with you to get the right plant for your needs.  Whenever possible, we also seek out disease-resistant cultivars to increase success. Two maintenance issues that can lead to disease are over-watering and mechanical damage. Daily watering of in-ground plants is rarely needed and often results in root rot or other disease problems. Nicked bark, broken branches, and poor pruning create wounds by which disease can enter a plant. Paying attention to these types of preventable problems can limit exposure to plant diseases.

DISEASE AND INSECT CONTROL PRODUCTS

Because plants are often attacked by diseases and insects at the same time, products which can reduce/prevent both offer cost and time-savings for the home gardener. Organic products provide safe and effective control for many insect problems.  Some of these products are also useful because they are less likely to harm beneficial insects such as honeybees and ladybugs.

For the organic gardener we carry several Bonide® products, including:

  • Bonide®Copper Fungicide - controls a wide range of plant diseases

  • Bonide® Neem Oil - an all-purpose insecticide, miticide, fungicide 
  • Bonide® Rose Rx 3-in-1 - Neem oil formulated for roses and flowering plants
  • Bonide® Thuricide - contains BT for organic caterpillar control
  • Bonide® All Seasons Horticultural Spray Oil - a refined paraffinic oil that works well on overwintering insects and insect eggs as well as during the growing season
  • Bonide® Captain Jack’s Deadbug Brew - contains natural Spinosad to control borers, beetles and caterpillars

Conventional (inorganic) insecticides work in several different ways to controls insects.  Some kill the pest on contact.  Others work as stomach poisons.  Still others are absorbed by the roots and spread throughout the plant, killing the insect when it feeds on the plant. 

  • Bonide® Annual Tree & Shrub  Insect Control – works as a systemic insecticide and protects plants for up to a year
  • Bonide® Eight® Insect Control – a foliar spray that controls insects, fungal diseases and mites
  • Bonide® Fruit Tree Spray - controls both diseases and insects on fruit trees

SLUG CONTROL

Slugs can be a significant problem on many garden plants, particularly in damp locations or during wet weather.  Bonide® Slug Magic is a biodegradable product that can be safely used to halt slug infestations.

ANIMAL and INSECT REPELLANTS

Deer are probably the number one mammalian pest in the garden, but moles, squirrels, rabbits and even pets can all cause problems. Wildwood carries two types of effective repellents:  

  • Everguard® Deer & Rabbit Repellent
  • Plantskydd® Deer & Rabbit Repellent

 

FERTILIZERS

A beautiful garden is a real investment, so you want it to continue to look its very best. For most plants this means adding fertilizers to the soil to enhance plant growth, create rich colors, encourage flowering and/or promote fruit or vegetable production. Of course, different plants have different nutrient needs, so you can find a wide array of fertilizers at Wildwood:

Espoma® Organic Fertilizers are each formulated for a specific garden use.  We carry:

  • Bio-Tone Starter Food - filled with beneficial microbes and mycorrhizae to help plants establish deeper roots for bigger blooms
  • Soil Acidifier – lowers soil pH, makes hydrangeas blue
  • Garden Lime – raises soil pH, makes hydrangeas pink

Wildwood proudly carries Proven Winners® plants and suggests using Proven Winners® water soluble fertilizer for vigorous plant growth in flowering annuals. 

SOIL AMENDMENTS

We are proud to carry Organic Mechanics™ Planting Mix.

We also carry the following line of Coast of Maine™ organic soil amendments.  Click on the video links at the end of the page to learn more about each type:

  • Lobster Compost (Quoddy Blend™)
  • Compost & Peat (Penobscot Blend™)
  • Enriching Mulch (Fundy Blend™)
  • Seed Starter (Sprout Island™)
  • Premium Potting Soil (Bar Harbor Blend™)
  • Composted Manure (Schoodic Blend™)
  • Topsoil

In addition, we carry:

  • Premier® PRO-MIX® BX/Mycorise® PRO
  • Premier® Spaghnum Peat Moss

Sometimes the easiest way to get more of your favorite plant is through root cuttings. Bonide® Bontone® Rooting Powder is a growth hormone that increases root growth from plant cuttings. Rooting powder dramatically increases your success in propagating your own garden plants.

LEARN MORE ABOUT Coast of Maine™ organic soil amendments: 

Lobster Compost (Quoddy Blend™) - Coast of Maine™ 

If you are looking to add a premium compost ideal for conditioning beds and vegetable gardens we recommend Quoddy Blend™ Lobster Compost from Coast of Maine™. This seafood compost is made with chitin-rich lobster, composted with aged aspen bark. These ingredients improve garden soil by increasing water retention and enhancing foliage and root development and plant yield (fruit, flowers and vegetables).

Compost & Peat (Penobscot Blend™) - Coast of Maine™  

Wildwood recommends using Penobscot Blend™  Complete Planting Mix from Coast of Maine™ for all newly planted trees and shrubs, especially for those in clay and sandy soils. This all-in-one planting mix contains a blend of salmon and blueberry compost, mussel shell fragments and sphagnum peat. This mixture will not only give plants a healthy start by preventing the soil from compacting around the root system, it will also enhance the plants overall growth, fruit and flower production.

Premium Potting Soil (Bar Harbor Blend™) - Coast of Maine™

We carry a Bar Harbor™ Blend Premium Potting Soil from Coast of Maine™ that is made with sphagnum peat moss and perlite and is enriched with shellfish compost and seaweed. It is designed for potting hanging baskets, window boxes, and outdoor containers. 

 

Composted Manure (Schoodic Blend™) - Coast of Maine™

We carry Schoodic Blend™ Comoposted Manure from Coast of Maine™ as an all-purpose soil conditioner.  It's a blend of compost hen and other farm manures mixed with aged aspen bark. 

Want to learn more about Coast of Maine? Visit coastofmaine.com to learn how.

 

MULCH

We carry a line of Coast of Maine™ Organic Mulches (Dark Bark, Hemlock, Enriching Mulch) that are ideal for use around trees and shrubs. These bark mulches help insulate the soil, suppress weeds and help roots retain moisture during temperature extremes. Dark Bark is a blend that has been allowed to age longer, thus darkening to a rich chocolate brown. When mulching around roses, perennials or annuals consider using the Enriching Mulch with Seaweed.

  • Dark Bark – Coast of Maine™
  • Hemlock – Coast of Maine™
  • Enriching Mulch with Seaweed (Fundy Blend™) – Coast of Maine™

 PLANT PROTECTORS

Plants are wonderfully adapted to rooting in after planting, but several products we carry help insure the very best start for your plantings and will help protect them from harsh conditions as they grow.

Wilt Pruf® guards against moisture loss and is a key part of a year-round plant protection program. Broadleaf evergreens in particular can suffer severe winter damage due to frozen ground and desiccating winds. Wilt Pruf® creates a thin waxy coat on the leaves, reducing water loss and preventing winter browning or leaf dieback. New plantings in exposed locations are particularly susceptible, so we recommend Wilt Pruf® on andromeda, azaleas, hollies, rhododendrons, boxwoods, mountain laurels and other broadleaf evergreens.