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hours
mon - wed
9:00am - 6:00pm
thu - fri
9:00am - 8:00pm
saturday
9:00am - 6:00pm
sunday10:00am - 6:00pm |
q & a
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Q: I want to get my kids into gardening. What are some fun, easy, fast-growing plants that we can plant together?
A: Oh, there are so many fun plants!
If veggie gardening is in your plans, see our tips & tricks section below, and try planting these fast, easy favorites:
- carrots
- lettuce
- beans
- peas
- cherry tomatoes
Limited space? Fill a strawberry pot with a few strawberry plants (a favorite at my house).
Don't forget that kids also love water, and ponds, and anything that grows in them. Water hyacinths are incredibly fast growing and it's fun to see the baby plants shoot off of the big plant.
If perennial gardening is more your thing, think about plants with neat smells or textures. Fuzzy lamb's ears have always been one of my favorites!
There are lots more that we could add to the list. Our best suggestion? Take your kids to the nursery and let them pick a plant of their choosing. We can help with all of the info they will need to take care of it and make it grow.
(If you have photos of your kids or grandkids in the garden, we'd love to see them. Actually...that will be our next photo contest. Details next week.)
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masterbucks
$$$$$$$$$
Since switching over to the 'electronic version' of our MasterBuck savings program last spring, our customers have cashed in 2,344 'bucks' for a total savings of
Are you reaping the benefits of this popular program? It's easy, all you have to do is shop here!
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Father's Day Gift Idea
Gift Certificates
Can't decide what to get for the guy who seems to have everything? Why not let Dad choose his own gift? A Masterson's Gift Card will do the trick! |
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bad joke
Why are women like fine wine?
(answer below) |
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inspirational
quote
"Look at everything as though you are seeing it for the first time, with the eyes of a child, fresh with wonder."
-Joseph Cornell
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specials this week:
- Bird Baths......$9.99
- Perennials 20% Off any purchase of 5 or more
- Pine Bark Mulch 3 cu/ft bags 5 for $25
while supplies last
Sale ends 6/23/10 |
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bad joke answer
They start out fresh, fruity and intoxicating to the mind, but then turn full-bodied with age, go all sour and vinegary, and give you a headache.
(sorry girls, but we owed you one after that bad Mother's Day joke!)
(WE? That one is all Mike.)
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| in the news |
| "Therapist uses salsa garden to help clients work through some of life's challenges" Gardening has always felt like therapy to me. I came across this article about a mental health professional who is using gardening with her patients and thought it was interesting. You can read the article here. |
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Greetings!
I love the Gertrude Jekyll quote above. It seemed appropriate to me for Fathers' Day. Since many of you know my father, it's not s stretch to figure out where my love of gardening stems from.
Fathers' Day is this Sunday and lucky you, this newsletter is packed with great gift ideas for that special guy. So take back the tie and check out these fun, unique ideas.
This newsletter also has quite a few ideas about gardening with your kids. Since many of them will be home for summer break after this week, we're guessing now might be a good time to suggest some "gardening with your kids" activities. Aren't we helpful?
~ Erin
P. S. - Please be nice to Mike if you see him on Sunday. I'm sure he'll
be feeling very sad that his favorite daughter isn't there to wish him
a Happy Fathers' Day in person. |
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coming events
Seminar Schedule:
Sat. 6/19 10:00am Rose Planting & Care
*** Please call to reserve your seat! ***
716-655-0133
Father's Day -- Sunday, June 20
Sat 6/26 & Sun 6/27 GardenFest Sales Event
Watch for details next week! |
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in the pond
Predators
Great Blue Heron |
As crazy as I know this sounds to non fish owners, your pond fish often become as much a part of the family as a dog or a cat might. Once you've become attached, it can be quite traumatic to lose one or more of your pet fish to a predator. We hear the stories just about every day here at the nursery.
The most common predators are:
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Great Blue Heron
- Mink
- Green Heron
- Kingfisher
- Raccoon
- Snapping turtle
The Blue Heron is by far the most common problem. These birds are huge, but have adapted and learned how to land in very small back yards to snatch up a free meal. They typically feed at dawn but we've seen them at all times of the day.
The mink populaton in our area seems to be growing rapidly.  Mink can be ferocious little animals and usually eat and/or kill all of the fish in a water garden pond in a single visit. They are nocturnal, so you will rarely see one, and they do not hibernate in the winter, making them a threat year round.
The Green Heron and Kingfisher are not a big problem here, but they will take a small fish whenever the opportunity presents itself.
Raccoons are not good swimmers and tend to stay out of water that is more than a few inches deep. It is relatively easy to build a pond that is fairly raccoon proof.
There are several methods to deter most of these predators. If any of your fish have mysteriously disappeared stop in, we'll help you decide which of these methods will work best for your pond. |
| item of the week
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The ScareCrow motion-activated sprinkler automatically detects deer, raccoon, herons, and more as they approach and repels them with a short, startling burst of water. The sudden noise, movement and spray scares animals away and teaches them to avoid the area in the future.
The ScareCrow:
- works day and night
- uses no chemicals or unsightly barriers
- uses just 2-3 cups of water per deterrence
- operates up to six months on one 9 volt battery
- covers approximately 1000 sq/ft
- can be linked to other ScareCrows to cover a larger area
**newsletter only special**
Simply mention that you saw it in our newsletter and we'll give you
10% Off
*** Offer expires 6/23/10 ***
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tips & tricks
 Fish Feeders
Going on vacation soon? The dog can stay in a kennel, the kids can either stay with friends or go with you (you could win an argument either way on that one!), but what about the fish?
Here are a couple of options:
The Fish Mate Pond Fish Feeder will feed your fish once a day for up to a month. Simply fill it with the same food that your fish are used to eating every day, insert one AA battery, adjust to feed the right amount for your fish, and mount it over your pond. That's it, the Fish Mate will do the rest.
Most of us guys like mechanical gadgets, so this would make a great Father's Day gift!
Pond Care Fish Feeder Blocks provide a continuous supply of nutritious food pellets to ensure that your fish receive adequate nutrition while you're away.  Simply drop the food block into the pond. The calcium block, impregnated with specially formulated food pellets, automatically releases food into the water as the block slowly dissolves. |
featured plant
Echinacea 'Sundown'
Orange Coneflower
|  | I honestly did not know that coneflowers came in orange. Now that I do, I'm pretty sure I need one of these beauties.
(It sounds like Erin has been away from the nursery too long....we have these in stock now!)
Coneflowers are favorites in the perennial garden for many reasons. They smell good, they grow fast, they are deer resistant, and their blooms make excellent cut flowers.
All varieties prefer a sunny spot in the garden and do best with regular watering. Most varieties, including 'Sundown," grow to about 36" in height. They begin blooming in July and continue through fall.
**newsletter only special**
Simply mention that you saw it in our newsletter and get 10% Off
any in-stock Coneflower (Echinacea)
*** Offer expires 6/23/10 ***
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tips & tricks
 Thinking of planting a veggie garden? This is a perfect opportunity to garden with your kids.
A few bits of advice:
- Grow stuff they'll eat (poblano peppers might not be a great choice)
- Let them choose their plants from the nursery
- Allow them to arrange their plants however they like. Neat rows are apparently not very appealing to little ones.
- Allow them to water plants (a watering can helps to regulate the amount of water being given)
- Teach them the proper way to pick the ripe fruits or veggies (as in gently, when the tomatoes are at least sort of red).
- Protect plants from any pests that might eat them. It is very sad to see your three year-old's face when the dog eats his strawberries.
- Use organic soils and fertilizers.
You don't need a huge plot of land to garden, either. Right now, we have seeds sprouting from some old plastic dump trucks. My son actually gets excited about eating soybeans now because he planted them, watered them, and picked them all by himself! And, I can send him out to "check" his plants a few times a day. This buys me at least 1 or 2 minutes of quiet time throughout the day.
Some of my most vivid memories as a child are of starting seeds, planting them out in the garden, caring for them and watching them grow. I remember to this day the proud feeling when MY vegetables were part of the family dinner.
Give your kids the gift of gardening........and watch them grow
~ Mike |
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Masterson's Garden Center, Inc. & Aquatic Nursery
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world 