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The Prize
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Renee Kirkendall knew that Harley Street and Isabelle Street, in the City of Portage, were named for Harley and Isabelle Wedel. Renee received a $15.00 Wedel's gift certificate for being the first to respond with the correct answer! |
| Collecting
Wildflower
Seeds by Karen Anderson |
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A general rule of thumb is to collect seeds one month after the plant has flowered. Mark those plants with a ribbon or stretch tie from which you want to collect seeds. Some plants hold seeds for longer periods and seeds must mature before you collect them. Make sure seed pods are dry.
Keep records of what, when and where you collect seeds. Store thoroughly dried seeds in paper envelopes, in a sealed glass jar. Store them in a cool/cold, dark place such as a refrigerator or freezer. Make sure to label your seeds with the name of the variety and the date.
If you can not collect seeds at the opportune time, tie a piece of cheese cloth over the ripening seeds. Make sure they still get light and have air circulation. The ripening seeds will fall into the cheese cloth.
Be sure to ask for permission when collecting from private property and never take all the seeds from a colony of wildflowers! Remove seeds from flourishing colonies only.
Great books on seed collecting and wildflowers are available at Wedel's. If you have any questions, stop by Wedel's. We'd be happy to help. |
| Preserving
Your
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by Karen Anderson
Whether you grow your own fruits and veggies or take advantage of our local farmers' market, canning and freezing is a great way to extend your harvest. (FYI, Ball, the manufacturer of food preserving equipment and supplies, is celebrating 125 years in business. Take a trip to Muncie, Indiana to view their interactive museum exhibit.)
Why should I preserve?
- Lowers your grocery bill
Reduces carbon footprint of trucking produce across the country
- Manage your family's nutrition - grown organically, less processed sugar
- Express yourself/create new recipes
- Great homemade gift items
- Involve the whole family from planting and weeding through harvesting and preserving
- Tastes like fresh picked
Check out Wedel's preserving seminars. Make plans to attend and bring your questions and advice.
We carry many of the basic canning and freezing supplies from ½ pint to ½ gallon jars, lids and rings, freezer containers and paraffin wax. We also have food strainers and sauce makers. Can't live without this kitchen tool especially if you are making apple sauce or tomato sauce. Come in and see how it works. Talk with the Wedel's staff about this year's garden and make plans for next season's harvest. You'll also find many informative books, available at Wedel's, on veggie gardening and preserving the harvest.
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| Mark Your Calendar |
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Wedel's Seminars
Saturday, August 8, 10:00 a.m.
Get the Scoop on Salsa
Salsa tasting & recipes for fruit salsas, chutneys and tomato salsas
Saturday, September 12, 10:00 a.m.
Preserving Fruits
What you need to know about canning & freezing peaches, applesauce and grapes Wedel's Seminars
Please reserve a seat with our cashier
by calling 345-1195.
As more seminars are confirmed, topics and times will be posted at:
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"God gave us memory so that we might have roses in December." James Matthew Barrie |
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To Do In August
If you haven't by now, apply Grubex for 12 month grub control.
Apply Scotts Step 3 lawn fertilizer with insect control.
Get rid of crabgrass with Fertilome Crabgrass, Nutgrass & Dallis Grass Killer.
Control broadleaf weeds in your lawn with Fertilome
Weed Free Zone
We're looking for Info!
What seminars would YOU like to see Wedel's offer? Now, and any time, is the time to let us know what you'd be interested in. Drop us a line at: wedelsgarden@wedels.comand let us know what topics we should cover in a Wedel's Seminar.
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. |
| Did You Know? |
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1. Peppers can contain up to six times as much vitamin C as oranges!
2. Nearly 90% of the world's plants depend on bees and other pollinating insects to reproduce seed and thus perpetuate the species.
3. There are over 350 varieties of ladybugs in the world.
4. While the radish of today is quite small and used primarily as a garnish, the ones grown by the early Greeks and Romans often weighed between 40 and 100 pounds! |
| 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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Just for Grins... .jpg)
What do you get if you divide the circumference of a pumpkin by its diameter?
Pumpkin pi. | |
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| Volume 2, Number 5 August, 2009 |
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 We are now finding ourselves at mid-summer, the peak of the garden season! Most irrigated gardens, lawns and landscape plants should be in prime condition. Are your flower and vegetable garden, lawn and landscape at peak performance right now? Let's make time to take inventory of good, mediocre and poor performers and decide what we can do to make some improvements.
Mediocre or poor turf performance could be caused by a number of conditions. Poor soil structure could be the culprit. Soil that is either too heavy or too sandy doesn't offer your plants a good home. Heavy, compacted soil should be treated with gypsum or clay soil conditioner. Gypsum isn't a permanent fix so you'll need to plan on applying it periodically over the years. Clay soil conditioner is a permanent solution for either clay or sandy soil. It keeps heavy soils from compacting and aids in water retention of sandy soils. Heavy lawn soils would benefit from a coring procedure just prior to applying gypsum and clay soil conditioner.
Organic material will need to be added to soils that are low in fertility. Composted cow manure and sphagnum peat moss should be worked into the top 6 inches of soil along with a good, all around fertilizer such as the organic products from the Espoma Company. Rake up your leaves this fall and scatter them over your gardens. It is an easy method of getting rid of the leaves and they add valuable, organic nutrients to your beds. Tree leaves can be chopped fine with a mulching mower and will increase lawn soil fertility.
This year, especially, not enough irrigation can certainly cause a poor and disappointing showing of your plants from grass to green beans to gerbera daisies. We haven't had much rainfall in most of the areas around here so if you haven't been able to keep up with your hoses and sprinklers you are sure to be seeing the effects now.
Too much sun or too much shade can cause poor performance. Some plants will take all the sun they can get while others prefer more indirect sun. Plants that like a lot of sun might have been happy in spring or early summer but, now that surrounding trees have fully leafed out, there is more shade in that area than they prefer. Maybe some plants have become too large and crowded as they have grown so far this season or maybe they are getting too much competition from nearby trees and shrubs. Plants that are under stress because of the lack of rain are much more susceptible to insect or disease damage. There are answers to all of these issues and now is the time to plan and take action. Start by taking a soil sample to Wedel's for analysis.
It all begins with your soil. Let one of Wedel's experts examine your soil sample and test it for pH. If your soil's pH is either too high (alkaline) or too low (acidic) nutrients are locked and your plants can't absorb them so they don't fully benefit from the fertilizer that's applied. Amending the pH of the soil is a simple process and one that will make sure you get your time and money's worth out of your fertilization program.
Let's talk about your lawn. Does it need clay soil conditioner or gypsum? Lime? Would it benefit from coring? Espoma's Bio Starter Plus could give it the boost it needs to be the best lawn in the neighborhood! Have you missed a feeding or two? Now is the time to get caught up on your lawn fertilization program.
On to the garden. Like your lawn, it too could benefit from an application of clay soil conditioner, gypsum or lime. If your garden isn't quite up to par the addition of Wedel's composted cow manure, sphagnum peat moss, Bio Starter Plus and Plant Tone could be just what it needs to make your ornamental or edible garden plants thrive. Once you have surveyed your garden you might find that it's time to eliminate the poor performers and to replace them now with vigorous, new plants that still have ample time to get rooted in and to develop into the specimens you really want.
Give mediocre plants one more year to prove themselves by improving soil fertility. The products I mentioned above will surely do just that. Come to Wedel's with your soil sample and talk with one of our experts who will get you on the right path to having the lawn and garden you dreamed about last winter. It isn't difficult to do. It's just a matter of knowing what to do, when and how to do it and we can help you with that. One task you can begin right now is to make a commitment to provide your lawn and garden with ½ inch of moisture twice a week!
ALERT!! Many shade trees and evergreens are destined for problems if irrigation isn't provided at once. Drought damaged plants will die back and make a good target for insects and disease. All valuable woody landscape plants should be irrigated thoroughly under the dripline of the plant. This means 3 to 4 hours of sprinkling and 1 inch of moisture each week until autumn. If you will notice, you'll see beautiful, mature trees showing signs of stress right now. They may leaf out ok next spring but the stress they are under now could result in a slow, costly decline. |
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Q. Should I stock up on seed in the big fall seed sales? Should I let the store hold the seed for me?
A. No, not really. All seed is approaching a year old as we come up on the fall harvest. Seed is not like fine wine it doesn't improve with age. The older seed is, the more likely you are to find seed moths. While seed moths are not a problem for birds, humans generally don't like them flying around the house. So, my recommendation is to buy what you need as you need it until early December but don't buy a long term supply. As to if you should buy in bulk and have a store hold it for you, if you don't mind making a no interest loan to a store I guess it's OK, but it isn't something my Scot ancestry allows. As to "locking in your price" I'm not a gambler at heart so I'll let others play the commodities futures game. Wedel's doesn't offer a seed storage program.
Q. This summer I have had several birds hit my windows, what can I do?
A. Juveniles are learning how to live in their new world; sadly windows end life's adventure for many birds. We are already into the fall migration yet another activity that brings birds into contact with windows. Many large cities are turning out the lights in skyscrapers to reduce the number of collisions. But it doesn't have to be a skyscraper to harm birds. Birds constantly find themselves foraging for food in unfamiliar territory as they migrate.The windows in our homes come into play at this point.
Birds strike windows for two basic reasons. First they see a reflection of trees and fly toward it. Secondly birds instinctively fly toward light. This is how they can fly through a tree. So if you have a window on the far side of the house the bird assumes it can fly through and come out the other side. Sadly both reasons have the same conclusion, a bird flying into glass head first.
What's to do? Well, the low tech approach is to allow the windows to get extremely dirty. Candidly I've had little success in convincing my wife of the elegance of this approach. So we have compromised on the window decal approach. Now not all window decals perform the same. The state of the art decals are nearly invisible to humans and yet act like a beacon to birds. The reason for the better performance is birds live in an ultraviolet world and Window Alert decals reflect the light birds see.
Oregon State University studies show ultraviolet reflecting decals are nearly 60% more effective than other designs. I have found them to have solved my sliding glass door problem at my home. Consider bird proofing your windows before we get into the height of migration season in September.
Tip: If you would like some fall fun with your hummingbirds, get a hummer wand. It's a cool product that is frequently overlooked by customers because it's not obvious what it is when you look at it. Its copper molded to hold a test tube with a red tip which very quickly attracts hummers when you stand next to your feeder. Kids are blown away by having a hummingbird eating from their hand. The key to success is to hold it off to your side not right in front of you and don't turn your head to look at it. Watch it out of the corner of your eye until the bird gets comfortable. It's a bunch of fun and it's a product actually made in the USA.
 News: A new songbird was discovered in Laos. This bird is different because it's bald, an uncommon trait in a songbird. It's been named the Bare-faced Bulbul for obvious reasons. It has been over 100 years since a bird in this family has been discovered. While there are 130 or so species of bulbul in Asia this is the first that is bald. The other bald birds in the world are in the vulture family and it's assumed that they are bald because of their diet of carrion. The reasons for baldness in songbirds is not understood.  Thought: Every once in a while I see or read something that reminds me why I'm a birder. A bar-tailed godwit banded in Australia was identified in Alaska this summer. There's in excess of 8,000 miles between the two locations, 8,000 miles! That's an incredible (even heroic) undertaking for a bird whose weight is measured in grams. How can you not respect such an accomplishment? The navigation skills, the endurance - yup that's why I like birds. It reminds me that the other life we share this planet with deserves our respect and the right to live here. | |
| Fruits of Labor |
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by Mary Anne Jansen
What do I do with all these tomatoes? I have zucchini coming out my ears; what now? Maybe we should've thought about this back in early spring, but we still do it every year! My father would begin planning his garden in February and March, deciding what kind of seeds (green beans, several kinds of squash, pumpkins, gourds, etc.) he would purchase. He would then choose several kinds of tomato plants and peppers. He also mapped out where everything was going to be planted.
 We would begin planting and getting everything in the garden before Memorial Day; that was his time line. We always planted more than enough for family members and friends. The biggest amount was around one hundred tomato plants. What can I say? We loved tomatoes! I was definitely exhausted, as was my father after planting all the above. We would then stand back and admire all of our hard work. The family would then have a big celebration to begin the summer and also to admire all of our hard work. (Click here to continue reading.) |
| A Flying Jewel |
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Our thanks to Dorothy Kocharoff for sharing this photograph of a ruby throated hummingbird visiting it's feeder. The photo was taken by David Kocharoff, Dorothy's son, who lives in Byron Center, Michigan. David's picture will soon be seen in an album on Wedel's web site. |
| Guide For Planting
A Wildflower
Garden |
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First step? Plan ahead. Prepare your site by having the soil in that area tested to determine the pH. Proper pH will allow your wildflowers to absorb nutrients from the soil and benefit most greatly by the fertilizer you apply. This is the time to add any soil amendments that are indicated by the pH reading and soil composition. Kill the existing weeds and grasses by using a non-selective herbicide such as Killzall or Roundup. A second application of the herbicide, 10 days to two weeks later, may be necessary.
Remove the debris and scuff up the soil. Tilling is not recommended because that can raise weed seeds, otherwise too deep to germinate, closer to the soil surface and allow them to sprout. If you want to keep the existing grass, mow to 2" in height and rake up the clippings. (To continue reading, click here.) |
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This is simply too good to miss! We have over 20 varieties of trees plus Allan Block retaining wall and paver stones on sale at unbelieveable prices which are in effect through August 15, 2009. You will need a coupon though. Just click here to go to Wedel's blog where you'll find all of the details and the coupon. Know someone who would like to take advantage of these amazing deals? Print a copy of the coupon for them too!
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It was a while ago that we told you we were working hard on our new website...and we have been...behind the scenes. While there is still much to do, we have made the decision to open our online store where you'll find a variety of items available in the inventory; but just a sampling of what will be there as we continue our work. Take a look. Wander through the online store (Click the tabs under "Shop Products".). And stop by often to see what's new. We are still working hard...behind the scenes...to get more and more exciting content that we trust you will find valuable, informative, convenient and just plain fun. Click here to see what's new.
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Saturday Mornings
Birdwatch 8:07
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.
Visit our web site at www.wedels.com for archives of previous Birdwatch and Over the Garden Fence programs! |
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Note from the Editor
It's August! Every month has at least one association; June bride, January thaw, Mother's Day in May etc. For me, August is Branch County 4-H Fair month. I was born and raised in Coldwater and the fair was a huge social occasion. Parents would stop and chat with parents while the kids could barely stand still, wanting to ride the rides, play the games and have treats from just about every food vendor. I loved everything about the fair. The scarier the ride, the stickier the cotton candy, the hotter the summer day the better. Now, one day during fair week, my wife, Sue, and I make a trip to Coldwater just to attend the fair. I don't go on the rides anymore, cotton candy has transitioned into elephant ears and a lemonade and I certainly don't mind some cool breezes passing by as I walk through the exhibit areas.
The exhibits are one of the attractions I most look forward to these days. I was a town kid growing up and so I knew nothing about 4-H. I still am somewhat unfamiliar with 4-H and its programs but it is evident, when seeing the static exhibits and watching the 4-H members working with their livestock, that 4-H is a valuable asset that helps to develop a good work ethic and sense of dedication in its members. Fair week is one week long. It is easy to see that 4-H involves much more time than one week. From the youngest, whose drawings are barely recognizable, to the oldest whose carpentry skills rival a professional's, it is evident that these young people will be good, hard working, productive members of society. As it is stated on the 4-H web site, "Since its inception, 4-H has placed emphasis on the importance of young people being engaged, well-informed citizens."
What does all of this have to do with Wedel's you ask? In a word, tradition. The 4-H experience develops a goal oriented tradition of responsibility and hard work. We at Wedel's believe involving the whole family in gardening can become a family tradition, handed on to each succeeding generation and is an activity that can engender dedication, commitment and good family values through working together in nature. We encourage family shopping at Wedel's. Bring the kids, bring the grandparents. Make it a family event that continues in the garden when you get home.
When I was a kid my parents drew up a homemade deed giving me one square foot, as my very own, in our flower garden. Obviously, I remember that to this day. It was enough for me and wasn't overwhelming; it was something I could take care of. I could plant whatever I wanted. It was mine to care for; to water, weed, feed and enjoy. "As a twig is bent, so grows the tree." There are values worth nurturing and we believe those learned in the garden are some of them.
This month's trivia question is: What was the first vegetable to be grown in space? 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!
"Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently."
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