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join us!
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on sale now | |
High Energy Suet
12 Pack
$9.99
Coast of Maine
Organic Compost
Buy 1 Get 1 FREE
Black Oil
Sunflower Seed
20lb Bag
$14.99
Leaf Rake
$9.99
reg. $14.99
(you'll need it soon enough)
Winter Hardy
Pansies
$3.99ea 3/9.99
Perennials
20% off
any purchase of 5 or more
Sale prices valid through 9/26/11. Limited to stock on hand. Prior sales excluded. |
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joke of the week
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What's brown and sticky?
(This one is really bad. Answer below.)
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trivia
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Stinky Bugs
Stink bugs are stinky, hence the name. This time of year, we seem to see more and more of them making their way into our gardens and even our homes. And that's kinda gross.
Never fear! We have stink bug lures and traps should you find yourself in the midst of an invasion.
In addition to these useful things, we've also come up with some pretty useless stink bug trivia...enjoy!
- stink bugs were accidentally introduced to the US very recently, the first being reported in the late 1990's
- they eat leaves, flowers, fruits, and crops like soybeans
- they are not harmful to humans (unless you have a VERY sensitive nose and feel a need to squish them)
- they emit a foul smell when their bodies are damaged
- they are also called shield bugs, which makes sense since they are shaped like shields...
- stink bugs can fly
- stink bugs can bite
- they will happily move into your house with you if given the opportunity
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news | |
STILL going on!
(ends Sept 30)
Don't miss out on the great deals.
New items are added all the time, so stop in often! |
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inspiration | |
"In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing.
The next best thing is the wrong thing.
The worst thing you can do is nothing."
- Theodore Roosevelt |
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joke answer
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A stick.
Sorry.
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Greetings!
Labor Day weekend typically marks the end of summer, and that weekend just flew right by us. At least I think it did. These last few weeks have been sort of a blur around here. My house has been full of Masterson visitors for the past few weeks and it's been awesome. Camping, beaches, Disneyland...if you can do it in Southern California, we've done it. Add in the first day of school, record high temperatures, and massive power outages and you can understand why my pond and gardens are a MESS. Although autumn is a little more subtle here, I'll be spending the next few weeks getting my yard prepared for the change of seasons. Read on for tips about the things you should be doing in your own ponds and gardens to prep for fall. - Erin P.S. Since I know you were all very concerned, Grampa Mike the Fish was found. Strangely enough, he was found in a local pet store. What's really weird though is that he seems to have lost weight or something. He looks quite a bit smaller... |
| in the pond | |
To Do This Week: - continue fertilizing - hardy aquatic plants should be fertilized through the end of September
- monitor water temperature - keep an eye on water temps so that you know when to begin switching over to cool season fish foods (65F) and water treatments
- continue deadheading - this keeps additional organic matter from settling in your pond
- clean skimmer net as needed - and it will be needed more and
more as leaves begin to fall - feed your fish - begin mixing in some cold weather food as water temperatures drop. They won't even notice...
- Stop out to see us and pick up your Autumn Prep Bacteria, Spring/Fall fish food and pond cover net so you're ready for fall
Early Bird Special:
Tetra Pond De-Icer
Tetra's Pond De-Icer uses only 300 watts of electricity and has proven effective at maintaining a vent hole in the ice throughout the winter. Yes, even here in Buffalo. NEWSLETTER ONLY SPECIAL $10 OFF Say you saw it here to get the discount! Sale ends 9/20/11 |
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tips & tricks | |
Skimmers and Nets
It seems leaves blow from every corner of the yard right into the pond and debris can build up very quickly at this time of the year, even with a good skimmer.
Cover your pond now and save yourself a lot of work later when the weather isn't so nice and the water is a LOT colder.
This will not only make closing your pond for the winter effortless later on, but will also create a much healthier environment for your fish during winter and early next spring.
The sooner you get it covered the better off you will be.
Your leaf net also adds protection for your fish from predators as we discussed in our last issue.
Many sizes of pond cover nets are in stock now. Pictured above is our premium pond net that has a double stitched binding and brass grommets every 24". It's heavy-duty and will last through many years of Buffalo winters. |
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in the garden | | | These are the things on my to-do list for the next few weeks.
To Do This Week:
- buy bulbs - buy early for the best selection, but hold off on planting until next month or you'll risk them popping up this year. Store in a cool dry place.
- weed and fertilize your lawn - apply a weed and feed or a separated fertilizer and broad-leaf weed killer to lawns. Now is also a great time to re-seed any patches that need to be repaired.
- stop fertilizing perennials and roses - it's tempting to do it because plants are still looking great, but fertilizing now will force new, tender growth that will be severely damaged by frost.
- keep weeding - I know I say this every time, but don't stop now!
- continue deadheading and pruning spent flowers - keep flowering plants looking great (right up until they freeze)
- keep harvesting veggies - many plants, particularly tomatoes and squash, will keep producing right through the very end of the season
Plant of the Week
So usually we choose a Plant of the Week that is lovely and something you might want to plant in your yard. This week, we're headed in a different direction. Since several people have asked what this plant is recently, we decided to feature it here. While it is lovely in its own invasive kind of way, you don't want to plant it in your yard. And we don't sell it anyway....
JAPANESE KNOTWEED
Botanical name: Fallopia japonica
Height: to 14' Exposure: full sun to partial shade
Soil: tolerant of many soil conditions
Flowering: late summer into fall Notes: Knotweed is considered an invasive species and therefore not available for sale. However, it is abundantly available in many areas throughout the northeast (like behind the garden center, for example). And - this is kind of cool - it's edible! A quick Google search will provide many recipes for knotweed, which has a sour flavor and is used often with sweet fruits. There you have it. Now you can impress with your knowledge the next time it comes up at a party..... |
| tips & tricks | |
For the Birds
This is the time of the year when birds that don't plan on heading to warmer climates for the winter start looking for their winter buffet.
That means it's time to begin setting out your bird feeding gear if you want to entice them to stay in your yard.
Check out these tips for bird-feeding that we've learned over the years. Then, stop in to stock up on feeders, suet, and high-quality bird seeds.
If you have a neat tip or trick to share, please email me at mastersons@san.rr.com. I'll happily give you credit for it, and you'll surely feel great about sharing your expertise with so many others! |
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