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We Have A Winner! |
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Lela Squire was the first Wedel's News reader to send in the correct answer to April's trivia question. The somewhat unusual formation that can be found in turf grass and is caused by the Marasmius oreades fungus is called fairy ring. Lela won a $15.00 Wedel's gift certificate for her knowledge and speedy response to our question. |
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I Buy, I Try, They Die....oh Why??
by Michelle Quinn |
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Ah, the rose. Flower of myth and legend, of childhood memories, of weddings and romance. Yet when I ask folks whether they grow roses, I'm often told, "Oh, I can't grow roses!" or some variation thereof, referring to the rose's supposedly beastly and finicky nature.
Invariably, the finicky beast referred to is a hybrid tea rose, which yes, can be tricky but manageable to grow; however, we are not restricted to hybrid teas as our only choice. Whether you choose a hybrid tea, floribunda, grandiflora, shrub, climber or other rose, there are five easy steps to successful rose growing anyone can do.
Click here for more... |
| The Perfect Gift
by Bonnie Landrum |
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What do you get for the lady who has everything, who has given everything and has always been there for you? Now that's a TALL order to fill!! We love our Moms and want to give them the best and recognize them for all the many times they have shown us their unconditional love and devotion. Therefore, back to my original question...
Let's be very clear about something; they have got to be the most difficult person to buy for (I'll change my tune come June and Father's Day.)! Actually, all Moms like pretty things, useful things, practical things, but she is no ordinary woman...she's YOUR Mommy! You must find the perfect gift that says how fabulous she is, how well she taught you to find a great gift and a great value. Wedel's has a great selection of gorgeous plants bursting with lots of colorful blooms, unique containers, gloves to protect her lovely hands, shade trees, bird baths and feeders, comfortable furniture sets and so much more.
The Saturday before Mother's Day is the busiest day of the whole year at Wedel's Nursery, Florist and Garden Center. We love the fact that our clients love their Moms and want the very best, most unique gifts for them.
We take great pride in giving great customer service. Anyone who says customer service is "dead" or that self-serve is the "wave of the future" may be surprised to find a caring staff, eager to help them when they come into Wedel's. Our staff members love their Mom's too! Stop by or call and we will deliver the perfect gift right to your Mom's doorstep... Wasn't that the whole idea in the first place?!?! |
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These images were sent to us by Nancy Calloway, a Wedel's News subscriber. It looks as though they were shot on a day that was both winter and spring. Warmer days couldn't be far ahead. |
| Mark Your Calendar |
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Wedel's Seminars
Monday, May 18
6:30 p.m.
I've got the seeds and plants...now what?
Tuesday, May 19
6:30 p.m.
Growing, Using & Preserving Herbs
Thursday, May 21
6:20 p.m.
All Season Container Gardening
Friday, May 22
6:30 p.m.
Grilling and Cooking with Herbs
As more Saturday Seminars are confirmed, topics and times will be posted at:
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Stay up to date! Visit Wedel's blog for timely and important information as well as our weekly ads. The address is: www.wedels.blogspot.com. |
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"I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils."
- William Wordsworth |
| Which Rose Is Best For You? |
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No matter what size your garden is, there's always room for a rosebush. Create vertical interest with fragrant Climbing Roses, and accent those sunny corners and borders with Miniature Roses. Potted Roses are great for patios and apartment balconies. A rose collection adds fragrance to your garden and an abundance of blooms for bouquets. Today's selections offer all the beauty of roses without the fuss. Here's a guide to deciding which type is best for you.
HYBRID TEAS
By far the most popular, these roses have large, fragrant flowers on long stems ideal for cutting. Tall, upright bush forms qualify them as ideal specimens or accents. They also work well in group plantings. Protect them where winters are severe.
GRANDIFLORAS
A hardy cross between Hybrid Teas and Floribundas, these plants make excellent tall screens and provide an abundance of cut flowers. Some types bear one bloom per stem, others produce clusters.
FLORIBUNDAS
Carefree, colorful plants bloom spring through fall. Low and bushy, many are disease resistant and are considered the mainstays of the landscape. Use them in shrub borders, mixed perennial beds or in containers.
CLIMBING ROSES
Cover a fence, trellis or arbor by anchoring the graceful, long canes of these hardy selections. Most grow 8' to 14' and some can reach up to 20', perfect for framing an entry, accenting a pillar or wall, or even rambling down a slope.
SHRUB ROSES
From low-growing groundcovers to hedge-type shrubs, these hardy roses offer low-maintenance, disease resistance and long-lasting beauty in a variety of landscape settings.
PATIO TREE ROSES
Perfect accents for small spaces, these roses provide extravagant color in an almost endless variety of uses. Try one as an accent for an entry, patio or landscape. Use several to line a walkway, drive or bed.
MINIATURES
Upright, climbing and trailing forms mimic their bigger cousins. Miniatures are fun and easy to grow. Plant them in containers or in groups in the garden. Stagger them in rows for a soft, rounded effect.
TYPE HEIGHT SPACING FORM
Hybrid Tea 2-6' 3-5' Upright Grandiflora 3-6' 24'Spreading
Floribunda 2-3' 2-3' Low spreading
Shrub 2-8' 4-8' Varied
Patio 24-50' 2-3' Tree
Miniature 4-20" 6-12" Varied | |
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| Volume 2, Number 2 May, 2009 |
Planting Season In
Full Swing
by George Wedel |
As May begins we can look back at April as quite a month of transition. We woke up to a couple of inches or more of wet, heavy snow on the 6th of the month and reached 80 degree temperatures just a few days later. We've gotten some good spring rain which means we are now enjoying a spectacular flower show that really gets most gardeners pumped up. At Wedel's Garden Center, the spring planting season will be in full swing this month with excited green thumbers reveling in the wealth of blooms and plants.
Before planting vegetable or flower gardens, check out the weed population. If perennial broadleaf weeds or grasses are numerous, I recommend spraying KillZall to clear them out before planting. Spray KillZall on a warm, sunny day, wait three days, till the soil and water well, then wait ten days for signs of any regrowth. If needed, spray again, wait four days, till the soil and begin planting. Eradicating perennial weeds before planting will save hours and hours of weeding this summer.
Before planting your flower beds in May, old or new, be sure to prepare the beds ahead of time. Be sure to spray new planting areas before tilling with KillZall to rid the area of all perennial weeds and grasses. Incorporate clay soil conditioner six inches deep into heavy soils to improve drainage and air movement in flower beds. Light, sandy soils should have sphagnum peat moss mixed into the top four inches. Then apply Plant Tone and composted cow manure and mix with the top three inches of the planting bed soil. After leveling soil, apply two to three inches of irrigation. Your planting beds then will be ready for planting in two weeks. Some advance prepping will assure the best plants ever this summer. If in doubt about your soil's ability to produce good plants, bring soil samples to Wedel's for a free analysis.
April showers bring green lawns. Begin raising mower height one half an inch higher each mowing until it is 3 to 3 ½ inches high. If you haven't applied crabgrass preventer yet, don't fear. There is still time to apply Scotts Step 1 or Scotts Lawn Pro Crabgrass Preventer with Fertilizer and have excellent results. Next, after a rain or irrigation, apply Weed Free Zone to lawns for excellent broadleaf weed control. The best and most weather-proof broadleaf weed killer is Weed Free Zone. Difficult weeds to kill such as creeping Veronica, ground ivy, ajuga and wild violets will soon fade away after using Weed Free Zone.
Dead patches in lawns that haven't responded to the rain or irrigation are likely the result of grubs eating the grass roots. Don't wait to control lawn grubs any longer. It is important to know that not all grub controls will work at this time of year. Twelve-month controls such as Grubex must be applied in mid June to late July. The best grub control to use at this time is Dylox. Dylox applied now and irrigated well with ¾ to 1 inch of water gives excellent grub control. Apply Grubex 6 to 8 weeks from now and there will be no need to apply a spring control next year for a nice, green lawn without those unsightly dead patches.
Speaking of green; there is a lot of interest these days in "green" gardening and landscaping. The "green revolution," as it is called, isn't new at Wedel's. We have been in the "green" business for over 63 years. Remember the rain barrel grandma used to use? Rain barrels are perfect for conserving water and money. Wedel's has rain barrels in sizes from 50 to 65 gallons.
Reduce curbside waste and turn it into black gold garden enricher! Wedel's has backyard, upright composters with an 11 cubic foot capacity. We have rotating tumbling composters with a 7 cubic foot capacity. We have Worm-a-way worm composters and compost caddies to carry material from your kitchen to your outdoor composter.
Another "green" product that we carry is 25' x 35" Weed Guard 100% biodegradable weed barrier. Keep weeds out all summer then rototill into the soil in the autumn. Wedel's has all natural biostimulant and mycorrhizae plant food and plant starter as well as 100% natural organic lawn food, lawn weed preventer and garden weed preventer. We have organic deer and rabbit repellant and dog and cat repellant. Do you have dog urine spots in your yard? We have an organic cure and preventative.
Come to us for 100% all natural rose food, holly/rhododendron food and tomato food as well as cottonseed meal, unsteamed bone meal, kelp meal, greensand and all natural, non-burning fish emulsion. We have organically grown vegetable seeds and organically grown vegetable and herb transplants, native wildflower seeds and plants.
Wedel's has a host of native tree, shrub, groundcover and evergreen plants for: native bird, animal and butterfly habitat; erosion control, noise and air pollution control and for supplying essential oxygen while absorbing carbon dioxide as well as beautifying your landscape.
As you can see, the "green revolution" isn't new at Wedel's. Need plants? Supplies? Advice? See us. Our plant experts are always ready to help you have the lawn, garden and landscape of your dreams! |
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 Q. I had a red headed Woodpecker at my feeder for the first time. I've never seen one around here. Why?
A. They are in a decline that has put them on the endangered species list in some states (Connecticut for example). In many states they are listed as threatened or a species of special concern. Reasons for the decline are not completely understood. The possible suspect is not a surprise: loss of habitat (open woodlots in this case). Competition for nesting sites with European Starlings was initially assumed to have been involved, but recent studies now question that assumption. The fact that we now know that starlings nest well before red headeds suggests starlings are not a part of the decline. The truly unique cause in the decline of the red headed is collisions with vehicles.
 Red headed are the most adapted of all the woodpeckers for flycatching. This species commonly sits on a convenient branch and watches for an insect to fly by; hawking insects if a road passes by puts them at risk. All too frequently red headed Woodpeckers are killed by vehicles while foraging along roads.
Red headed Woodpecker Range
Red headed Woodpeckers are much less likely to excavate in trees for food than other woodpeckers. As a result their diet is more vegetarian than other woodpeckers. Their diet consists of seeds, insects, nuts, fruit, sap, corn, adult birds, bird eggs, nestlings and mice. Insects are a significant portion of the diet in summer; acorns predominate the winter diet. They are known to use tree cavities to cache acorns for winter.
 Although red headed Woodpeckers are migratory in their northern and western range limits, they may remain year-round in our area.
Don't attempt to tell the differences by sex, you can't. I've heard some people say they can tell by size (the males presumed to be larger). Don't be fooled, they are just guessing.
Here is a great YouTube video of a working red headed Woodpecker. (Click here.)
Q. Where do you like to go birding during the spring bird migration?
A. There are a number of good places to get a look at migrating birds. The first place that comes to mind is the Lake Michigan shoreline. Birds are not able to fly the length of the lake so the birds are funneled up in a band hugging the coast. That makes the numbers of birds available for viewing greater. I'm not talking just shore birds but all species. Any of the state parks along the coast would be good choices.
National Wildlife Refuges are always a great place to visit anytime of the year but especially in the spring. One of the more active areas that's an easy day's drive from here is Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge located about 20 miles east of Toledo. This refuge is frequently referred to as Crane Creek because of the Ohio State Park embedded in the refuge. This refuge is located along the Lake Erie shore and if you are lucky enough to be there in a period of northerly winds, large numbers of birds "pile up" waiting for a tail wind to cross the lake. A little closer to home would be Lake Erie Metropark and Sterling State Park, both just south of Detroit.
Q. If you were going to add a new bush or shrub to your yard, what would you plant?
 A. My favorite is Serviceberry. I like this shrub for a number of reasons not the least of which is it is an early bloomer. However the real reason is it fruits in early summer and it is very attractive to birds, especially Cedar Waxwings. Serviceberry's sweet, blueberry-sized blue black fruit is loaded with antioxidants (comparable to the blueberry). Both my dog and I are known to eat them on the bush and I'm told you can make a great wine, but I most like it for the birds. Winterberry is a close second because it holds fruit into winter and is loved by my year round bluebird neighbors.
Q. Should I stop feeding birds in the summer?
A. The answer is no. There may well be things in life to feel guilty about but feeding birds isn't on the list.
We feed birds in summer for the same reason we feed them in any season - because we enjoy watching them at our feeders. For seed eating birds, late spring and early summer is the most difficult time for finding food. Natural seed sources mature in the fall and are eaten during the course of the winter. By spring, they are largely depleted so birds visit feeders in greater numbers. This coincides with a very busy time for birds since they are nesting and feeding their offspring.
You may want to make some adjustments in what you are offering and how it is presented. Juncos leave us in the summer so you may want to reduce the amount of white millet you present.
Summer is one of my favorite times of the year to feed birds. Not only are there more birds around but there are more daylight hours to watch them. And nothing beats sitting outdoors and hearing them as well as seeing them. By the way, the myth that the young birds will become feeder dependent and starve when you go on vacation and your feeder goes empty is not true. Remember - no guilt when feeding birds.
(Thanks to Jane Warren for the photos of the red headed Woodpecker visiting her feeding station!) |
| To Thank You |
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Wedel's has been helping to green Southwest Michigan for 63 years! To thank you, our loyal customers, we're offering four free seminars on the week of our anniversary. These seminars will be held outdoors, on our lawn, so bring a lawn chair, sit back, relax and join us for an evening of fun and information.
On Monday, May 18 at 6:30 p.m. Karen Anderson, Wedel's Vegetable Gardening Expert, will present "I've got the seeds and plants...now what?"
On Tuesday, May 19 at 6:30 p.m. Master Gardener and herb book author, Connie Hanson will present "Growing, Using & Preserving Herbs."
Kay Wedel, Wedel's Annuals & Perennials Manager, will offer a talk and demonstration called "All-season Container Gardening" on Thursday, May 21 at 6:30 p.m.
On Friday, May 22 at 6:30 p.m. Chef Wayne Wells, Radisson's Executive Chef and local radio personality will be with us again. This time he will be presenting "Grilling and Cooking with Herbs - Demonstration and Tasting."
Come by and enjoy one seminar, or all of them, with your friends at Wedel's! |
| www/wedels.com
Is On The Web! |
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After many months of work by many people, Wedel's new web site is up and running. Stop by and have a look; navigate around and see what we've been up to. You'll find a lot there now but much, much more will be available to you as the days go by. You'll be able to shop online from the comfort of your home, find answers to your questions, projects to do with your family, keep up on the latest news and events here at the garden center, listen to "Over the Garden Fence" and "Bird Watch" any time you want and on and on.
The site is, of course, a commercial site. It is meant to represent our business, Wedel's Nursery, Florist and Garden Center. Since it does represent Wedel's it represents a community also. The Wedel's Community that is made up of all of our green thumb friends, new and old and the friends we have yet to make. You are included when we say "our site." We want to have a lot to offer you and we hope that you participate by offering other site visitors your green thumb stories and photos.
The possibilities are so many that even we aren't sure what all will be available here but the prospects are exciting so visit www.wedels.com often to see what's new!
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Just for Grins... .jpg)
If April showers bring May flowers,
what do May flowers bring?
Pilgrims! |
| Did You Know? |
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1. Asparagus and rhubarb are the only vegetables that can reproduce on their own for several growing seasons. All other vegetables must be replanted every year.
2. In the 1930's, 25% of the population lived on a farm, now it is less than 2%.
3. One cow can produce 46,000 glasses of milk per year. (The average cow produces 2,100 pounds of milk per month.)
4. It takes 12 honeybees to produce one tablespoon of nectar. They must collect the nectar from 2,000 flowers. |
| Pretty Garden? |
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If you have a garden, a feeding station or bird pictures that you are proud of, send them to us. We'll share your pictures with our readers. Send pictures to:
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Your 2009 Wedel's staff is looking forward to seeing you soon! |
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. |
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Note from the Editor
May. Already! And this is a May after an April in which we got a lot of good moisture. Everything that should be green is green and that should be growing is growing...like crazy. I think our peonies grew six inches in two days of warm weather. If I had had the time I'd bet I could have pulled up a lawn chair and have seen them grow. Speaking of having the time, a lot of people here at the garden center have put a lot of time into our brand new web site. In all humility and with maybe just a little bias I think we have begun what is going to be the premier garden center web site anywhere on the internet. As you can see in "Is On The Web!" above, there is a lot to see and do there now but it is only the beginning. We want our site to become the source you go to for all of your gardening needs and, with your help, that's what it will be.
You, the subscribers to Wedel's News, are already an essential part of the Wedel's community and we are asking you to participate with us in building that community on the web. Your stories, your pictures...your recipes?...your comments, ideas and suggestions will make this site feel like home and a welcoming place to others so that this online community will continue to grow and improve. With that in mind, keep something else in mind too. As wonderful and exciting as our online presence will be there is nothing like seeing you face-to-face here at the garden center. Enjoy the web site, visit it often, but visit us often too. Bring in your soil samples, photos, questions and ideas and chat with us. We can put a lot of pictures and information on the web site but we can't put the sights, scents and feel of live plants and the opportunity to shake hands and greet old friends on there. Come in soon and see what's new at Wedel's!
This month's trivia question is in honor of Mother's Day. Who was the first woman to give birth in the White House? The first reader to respond with the correct answer will win a $15.00 Wedel's gift certificate. The gift certificate must be picked up here at the garden center and remember, you are eligible to win once every 90 days. Good luck and have fun!
To all of the moms; Happy Mother's Day!!
A mother is a person who, seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people,
promptly announces she never did care for pie.
~Tenneva Jordan | |
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