Seeds of Wisdom: September 2010

Written by: Tama Malwaukie, Kylie Folkins-Cianciarulo and Jet Van Ausdall

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Nursery

No Fried Green Tomatoes Yet!

As we enjoy the last days of the coolest summer on record, our gardens are beginning to show signs of the approaching fall season. And as we gaze with disappointment at the clusters of green tomatoes hanging on the tomato plants in our veggie garden, our typical September/October Indian summer still gives us hope of getting ripe, red juicy tomatoes to enjoy!! So don’t start looking for Fried Green Tomato recipes YET!!!

September is one of the BEST months to assess your garden and determine what looks great and what may need to be added or moved to make your landscape vision a reality. Whether you need to add a few fall foliage accent plants or create a tall, fast growing “green” shrub privacy screen, we can help. We have the stock and the knowledgeable staff available to assist you. In fact, this month you can find lots of super bargains on plants that the growers need to move before the cool winter sets in. Yes, you benefit as we pass on these great savings to you!

Need more personal help with your landscape? Back by popular demand, we are once again offering a FREE ½ hour landscape consultation at your home with purchases of $75 or more of nursery products. Come in for more details and sign-up early since time slots are limited!

Tips and Garden activities for this month include:

• Spread wildflower seeds. California Poppies, Lupines, and Toadflax are particularly successful and beautiful in our climate as well as deer resistant. To get the best results keep area cleared of competing weeds and water only if rain is followed by a dry spell and if they’ve started to germinate.

• Start new lawns or renovate those that are in need of TLC. Use Gardner & Bloome Organic Lawn Fertilizer to thicken and green your existing lawn.

• Plant natives and add water features to help create wildlife habitats.

• Don’t be tempted to severely prune ornamental grasses until February when new growth is visible.

• Avoid putting weeds that have seeds on them into your compost pile. Many home compost piles do not heat up enough to kill weed seeds. Doing so will result in viable weed seeds being spread throughout your garden next season when you use your compost. Add Gardner & Bloome Compost Accelerator to hasten the decomposition process.

• Sow seeds of Sweet Peas now to get beautiful, fragrant bouquets of flowers by late fall or early spring. Incorporate Gardner & Bloome Fish Bone Meal and Gardner & Bloome Organic Compost for best results.

• Start cool season flowers and veggies by seed or Jumbo 6-paks for fall, winter and early spring enjoyment. Use Gardner & Bloome Fertilizers and Gardner & Bloome Organic Compost to help you succeed.

• Spring Blooming Bulbs arrive this month. Purchase your favorites early for best selection but remember to hold them for planting until October - November when the weather is cooler. Refrigerate tulips and hyacinths in your vegetable compartment for 4-6 weeks prior to planting.

• Save money by planting spring and summer blooming perennials from Jumbo 6-packs. We carry a wide assortment of your favorites as well as many unusual selections too. They grow throughout the winter and will fill your garden with flowers next year and for years to come! We also have quality tools to help you get the job done more efficiently and easily.

Visit our In-Store Specials page to print your savings coupon for items highlighted in green.

Plant Selection

Create a Living Fence

For years, the nursery industry has been promoting the beauty and ecological sense of literally “going green” by planting lovely privacy fences created by the use of large, fast growing shrubs. Though sometimes wood fences are necessary or exist already, shrubs not only beautify existing fences, but they can add height for additional privacy, or save you money by eliminating the need to install a fence at all. Depending on the space and the look of your garden several options may be of interest. For an informal or woodland setting, a natural-looking screen might include planting a mixture of shrubs with various plants including some fall foliage accent plants. It is usually best to repeat a pattern using up to 3-5 different plant selections which will create a cohesive, yet informal look. An example of this would be: Burgundy-red foliaged Dodonea purpurea, reflective, green foliaged Pittosporum ‘Silver Sheen’, and fragrant flowering Osmanthus fragrans. For fall foliage color and spring “snowball” flowers, add Viburnum opulus. If you have a formal garden or need to keep the plants hedged due to lack of space, select a shrub that can easily be maintained and pruned. This option might include choosing any one of the above plants or one of the following plants: Pittosporum ‘Marjorie Channon’, Pittosporum tenufolium, Escallonia fradesi. There are endless options and combinations that we can customize for your particular needs. Many of the above plants are available at bargain prices so take advantage of the season and plant a living “green” fence this month for privacy in your yard next year!

Visit our In-Store Specials page to print your savings coupon for items highlighted in green.

Gardening Supplies

It’s a Jungle Out There—But it Doesn’t Have to be!

Are gophers and moles making it difficult to keep your garden beautiful? Are deer repellents better at repelling you than the deer? And what about the naughty nocturnal critters such as raccoons and skunks that tear up your garden as you sleep? Scarborough Gardens can help! We’d like to introduce some new products that will allow you to get the control you need. Lots of gopher traps have been introduced to gardeners but the most effective one that we and our customers have found, is the Cinch Trap. Thomas Wittman spoke to our staff and gave us lots of tips on its use and how to be successful in setting and exterminating both moles and gophers. He has a great educational video on YOUTUBE that can be found on his website: gopherslimited.com. This video teaches you how to set the traps properly. He also makes house calls to help you get the pests under control. Our other new favorite product is Mole Max. Mole Max is a product that repels gophers, moles and other burrowing animals. Several of our customers have raved about the results. Our new deer repellent, Deer Out that smells like mint instead of #&@% has been a hit! It seems to be as effective as the stinky repellants yet allows you to enjoy your garden after you’ve applied it. What a joy! And for the little pesky night time critters, try Critter Ridder. It is basically pepper oil that repels these and other animals including squirrels, dogs and cats without harming them or the environment.

Visit our In-Store Specials page to print your savings coupon for items highlighted in green.

Garden Décor

Home Wanted!

We just received a new shipment of fountains and statuary featuring new styles and various sizes. We’ve brought in new creatures, gnomes, religious figures and animals and they’re all looking for a new home. Whether you are reading in the garden, relaxing in a hammock, picking the rest of your summer harvest, or entertaining friends, it is truly rewarding to have a garden that looks and feels so special!

Also this month, we received a new shipment of Haitian Metal Art. This distinct and unique art is made from recovered or recycled oil drums in Haiti. The native artists mold, etch, and hammer the drums to make them into beautiful wall art. It is amazing that a discarded material that seems so ugly and unusable can become such beautiful pieces of art. Add a touch of Haitian magic to your garden with one of these amazing art pieces. The range of wall plaque styles will amaze you. They have birds, sea creatures, sacred hearts, crosses, and many more. Beyond Borders is a wonderful company that pays fair wages to the various artists from a country that has gone through some very difficult times. We are happy to do business with them, and you will see why when you see this fascinating product!

Visit our In-Store Specials page to print your savings coupon for items highlighted in green.