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Mowing 101
grass

  
Your mowing technique is key to making your lawn look great and improve its overall health. The techniques include:

Don't mow grass when it is wet. This can damage the blades of both your mower and your grass.

If you have to mow moist grass, grease your mower blade with vegetable oil spray like PAM. This stops the grass from sticking and you'll get a smooth, even cut.

Never cut grass by more than one-third of its current length. Instead, mow once at a higher setting then again at a lower setting.

Cut your lawn high -- about three inches to help limit weed growth, reduce watering needs and promote strong roots.

Don't cut your lawn obsessively -- mow every five days under normal conditions, every seven days during dry conditions.

Mow at full throttle for best performance.

Mow with a sharp blade -- dull blades cause bruised and ragged leaf tips. Sharpen mower blades at least once a month. Dull blades rip the grass blades which then dry out and leave a hazy brown appearance. 
 

Space
Challenged
   Gardens    
   
For an ultimate container garden, plant flowers in either functional terra-cotta or decorative pots. Wedel's has over 200 varieties from which to choose. 
 
1) To keep the soil from running out of the bottom when watering, place gravel, pot shards or even a nylon stocking in the bottom of the pot.
 
2) Never use garden soil in containers; it will compact and cause severe drainage problems. We suggest Fertilome Potting Soil for excellent container plantings. Mix slow release fertilizer into your soil, Osmocote, before filling the pot.
 
3) To keep the heavier, deeper pots lighter and easier to manage, fill the bottom of the pot with light wieght perlite (1/3 way to the top) and then fill it to the rim with soil.
 
4) Plant the tallest plant in the center with cascading plants around the edges. (Lobelia is a great cascade that stays in bloom for a long time).
 
 
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A Thought from the Garden

May and June.  Soft syllables, gentle names for the two best months
in the garden year:  cool, misty mornings gently burned away with a
warming spring sun, followed by breezy afternoons and chilly nights.
The discussion of philosophy is over; it's time for work to begin.
-   Peter Loewer

 
New at Wedel's!
If you are looking for a new gift idea, come to Wedel's annuals and perennials department. We have new line of unique hanging baskets including the one pictured here. This rattan basket comes with a stand for placing it on a deck or patio. The tripod hanger is easily removed. Stop by and see these and other ideas we have for you.
 

Today's Garden Tip:

Unwanted weedy grass infesting your perennial plantings can be eliminated now with Ortho RTU "Grass-B-Gon" or Fertilome "Over-The-Top." Irrigate areas to be treated 24 hours before spraying. Add Hi-Yield Spreader Sticker with "Over-The-Top" to improve coverage. Two sprays, one week apart, should kill most grass plants without harming your perennial flowers.

 

Wedel's News

Volume 1, Number 2                                                   May 2, 2008
Happy May!

A great Green Thumb welcome to:

  • The month of May - seemed like a long time arriving this spring.
  • Our "snowbird" friends who have returned from the south.
  • Green grass and the beautiful blooms of southwest Michigan (best in the world).

Now that gardening has become more comfortable, take your clipboard and do a walk through the garden and landscape. Make notes of all the wonderful possibilities, then prioritize your list. The following is a worthy early May project.

Last call for garden clean-up. As perennial flowers become larger this job becomes more difficult. Fertilize all perennial flowers now with the following mixture of plant foods.
 
Mix well in a 1/2 bushel size container:
  • 10 pounds composted cow manure
  • 1 Cup bone meal (not steamed)
  • 5 Cups Plant Tone
  • 1 Cup Plant Sure Plus with Mycorrhiza

This mixture will contain all the necessary natural major and minor plant foods for flower and vegetable garden plants including humic acids. Use 3 cups of this plant food mix around each perennial plant and dig in 1 to 2 inches deep. This same mix will do wonders for anual flower beds, container plantings and vegetable gardens.

Happy May Gardening!
George Wedel
Ask Roger:

Q. Why do birds sing?banner for newsletter

A. One of the reasons we feed birds is we presume they appreciate a little help from their human neighbors.  Another reason and perhaps the most important is we enjoy watching and listening to them. It is simply enjoyable to have them around.

Each species makes a variety of sounds that are used to communicate with other birds. These sounds are divided into two categories, songs and calls. Songs are long and sometimes extremely complex, calls are short and to the point. Songs can become quite complicated and may include other birds' songs and, in the case of a Mocking Bird near a hotel I used to visit frequently in Atlanta, a perfect rendition of a car alarm.  By inviting birds into our yards we are far more likely to hear all of their vocalizations.

Songbirds account for nearly 60 percent of the worlds 9600 or so species and for about 40 percent of the 900 avian species found in North America. Generally speaking it's the males that sing - a consistently repeated pattern of tones. There are some exceptions however:  female Cardinals, Baltimore Orioles and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are known to break into song. Songs in some species are quite simple; a Chipping Sparrow has only one basic song, Song Sparrows may have 10 songs and a wren may have more than 100 that are voiced endlessly.

Birds generally sing most vigorously in early morning and late afternoon.  Songs are used to mark/guard a territory or to attract a mate. Calls are used to convey information - locating a mate, alerting others to a food source, alarm calls etc. While singing behavior varies by species it is generally related to breeding season. Cardinals for instance are silent from September until late January. Singing in general ceases for all birds at the end of breeding season.

Usually a male defending a territory or attracting a mate will sing from a high conspicuous place. A favorite spot may be used repeatedly. On the other hand some birds only sing while flying.  Larks, Bobolinks and buntings are examples of birds that only sing on the wing. And while most birds don't sing around their nests there are a few that may sing a "whisper song" that can be heard for only a few feet. Regardless of the reason for singing or vocalizing it adds to the beauty of the outdoors. In the final analysis while birds sing different songs they usually sing for the same reasons.

 Top 10 Tips for a New Gardeners    
     
It seems everyone's into gardening, but if you're a novice (or an old green thumb) it may seem a little intimidating. So here are some suggestions to help you grow a bountiful harvest and remember...gardening is supposed to be relaxing and fun, so enjoy!

You need the right type of gardening gear to achieve optimum results. Things you need are a soaker hose or a drip irrigation system, a hoe, fertilizer, seeds, and gardening gloves. There are many more things you'll want to include as time goes on, but these will get you started.

Start small. If you are truly unsure of how much time an effort you are willing to put into gardening, start by planting in containers or simply add a few rows to your flower garden to get your feet wet.

Make sure to plant your new garden in a sunny area, one that receives eight hours of sunlight a day. Plant vegetables that can tolerate a bit of shade such as cabbage and lettuce next to tall tomato plants or trellises.

Stop by Wedel's Garden Center to have your soil's pH tested.  This will tell you if the soil is within the ideal range for the types of plants you plan to grow in that area. Remember, a soil pH test is a free service at Wedel's. (A one-pound coffee can full of soil is ample.)

You can start your new garden with seedlings, or by planting seeds into loose soil following the directions on the back of the seed package. We have hundreds of varieties of seedlings and seeds at Wedel's.

Plant vegetables that will come up in succession so that you will always have something in harvest. That way your interest will be kept up from early spring to late fall. Find out the dates in advance and schedule time to plant accordingly. For an early spring harvest plant peas, spinach and radishes; for summer plant tomatoes, peppers and summer squash. To enjoy an early fall harvest plant broccoli.

Find out which plants need special care in our climate. This information should be considered when you plan your garden and when you buy your plants and seeds.

Once everything is planted make sure you can spend an hour or two a week maintaining your hard work. You need to fertilize, water and thin your new vegetable garden. Stop by the Garden Center anytime to get excellent advice from one of our gardening experts.

Find out how to store your vegetables to make sure you can enjoy them long after harvest.

Make sure to keep a reference log of what worked and what needs to be improved for next spring's garden.

There is nothing like enjoying the fruits (or vegetables) of your labor and it IS something you can do. Remember, Wedel's is here to help ensure your success.


 

wkzo
Saturday Mornings
 
Birdwatch
8:00
with host Roger Taylor answering all of your birding questions
Call in at 382-4280 or 800-742-6590.
 
Over the Garden Fence
9:07
with host Andy Wedel answering all of your landscape and gardening questions
Call in at 382-4280 or 800-742-6590.
 
 

  Note from the Editor

May... A very busy month here at Wedel's Garden Center and a very busy month for all of you, our gardening friends, I'm sure. Every day, if not hour-by-hour, something new is arriving here. Our nursery has sprung to life with hundreds and hundreds of trees and shrubs and water plants. The waterfall is flowing into the stream and into the koi pond. If you are considering a hardscape project or water feature for you outdoor living space, now is the time for planning.
 
If you need a lot of color to inspire you, take a walk through our greenhouse. You'll be amazed by the enormous variety of blossoms and foilage. Enjoy the piney scent of rosemary and the spicy scent of the petunias. About 1,000 roses will arrive on Saturday with many more to follow and the rest of the perennial beds are quickly filling. Back inside the greenhouse you'll find row upon row of hanging baskets full of beautiful blooms; every color you can imagine. Even more baskets will be here in plenty of time for Mother's Day gifts.
 
Speaking of Mother's Day, Sunday, May 11, our floral department is ready to assist you with wonderful arrangements as well as dressing up the potted plants or hanging baskets that make perfect gifts for your mom. Of course, we will deliver her gift for you also. Husbands, sons, daughters, if you need a Mother's Day gift idea, come to Wedel's.
 
Continue to write and stop by soon to see us! "Happy Mother's Day" to all of you moms!
 
'Til next time,
Jim
 
 
"The love of a mother is the veil of a softer light between the heart and the heavenly Father."
By Samuel Taylor Coleridge