Wedel's

Happy Valentine's Day!
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Valentine's

Day 


 

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Renee Kirkendall! Renee was the first to submit the correct answer to our January trivia question: "What city is the home of the world's largest registered Holstein dairy herd?" The correct answer is "Elsie, Michigan." 

Renee won a $15.00 Wedel's gift certificate and you could too! Just be the first to respond with the correct answer to our monthly trivia question.
 
Congratulations, Renee! 
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Everything Old

Is New Again

Terrarium

We've all seen it happen. Something from the past seems to be the latest style or fashion all of a sudden. The latest example of this phenomenon is terrariums. What was, 30 years ago, a very elementary project consisting of an unused water cooler bottle or old fish tank, some soil and a plant or two has become a beautiful addition to our home decor limited in design only by our imagination.

 

Terrariums can be large or small, open or closed and can replicate either a moist or arid ecosystem.  The two standard types are mossy and marshy, for which soil is used. and desert, for which sand is used. A wide range of plants can be used. Among those for marshy terrariums are:  violets, kalanchoe, cyclamen and green plants like polka dot plant, ferns, mosses and baby tears. Orchids also do well in humid terrariums and cacti and succulents do well in an arid desert theme.

 

The supplies you will need are:  washed pea gravel or pebbles, rinsed charcoal, sphagnum peat moss or coffee filters, moistened soil or sand, a container and your plants. A mister or turkey baster makes watering/feeding a simple chore. The supply list is short, the project is simple and the result is a living, breathing indoor garden that will add elegance and beauty to any room of your home.

 

Just as bell bottoms, platform shoes and big sunglasses have found their way back en vogue terrariums have also but now you can, as Chef Emeril Lagasse would say, "kick it up a notch," with the knowledge and stylish glassware that is available today. Stop in, chat with the ladies in our floral department and find everything you need for this fun winter afternoon project!


Pretty Garden?
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:
Fun Shopping
February
Shopping
List

Valentine's Day flowers
Garden seeds
Potting soil
Pots
Firewood
Suet
Ice melter
Bird seed
Snow shovel
Gift certificate
Bird feeder
Birdbath heater
Gardening book
Gardening magazine
 
A Thought
 from the Garden
 
Snowdrop
 

"Nothing is impossible, the word itself says 'I'm possible'!"

 

Audrey Hepburn

 

Did You Know?

1. The names of all the continents end with the letter they start with.

 

2. The U.S. nickname Uncle Sam was derived from Uncle Sam Wilson, a meat inspector in Troy, New York.

3. There are more TV sets in the U.S. than there are people in the UK.

4. An atomic clock is accurate to within 1 second in 1,7 million years.

5.
About 50% of Americans live within 50 miles of their birthplace. This is called propinquity.
Just for Grins... 

What do you call a mushroom who buys everyone drinks and is the life of the party? A fun-gi.

Elwood Fip 


Happy Valentine's Day!

Wedel's News

Volume 3, Number 11                                                                   February, 2011 
 
There's Spring
At The End
Of The Tunnel

by George Wedel
 
George Wedel
 

This winter reminds the "old timers" of winters past when they walked uphill to school in waist deep snow and uphill in chin deep snow back home. We Michiganders are a hardy lot and can deal with a ton of snow, ice and cold weather. We proved that over the last couple of days, didn't we! Groundhog Day arrived on Wednesday and that means the most severe winter weather is behind us. Soon we will be able to see spring at the end of the tunnel.

 

February is the time to start slow growing flower and coolseason vegetable seeds. The average date of the last frost in our area of Michigan is May 15. Counting back from there tells us it is about time to plant:  Alyssum, Coleus, Impatiens, Lobelia, Pansy, Petunia, Poppy, Snapdragon and Sweet Pea. The vegetable seeds we can get started are:  celery, leeks and onions. Going to have your own herb garden this year? Here are some things you can get a head start on:  catnip, chamomile, chives, mint, oregano, parsley and thyme. Visit Wedel's to see this area's largest selection of fresh flower and vegetable seeds. We'll help get you off on the right foot, at the right time.

 

Wedel's has all of your seed starting supplies in stock including; flats, trays, heat mats, grow domes, seed starting soils, vermiculite, plastic and clay pots, peat pellets and fiber pots. It has been widely reported that spring fever has arrived in our area so come by the garden center where we have everything you need to treat it.

 

If you are thinking about growing your own produce this year but need a little encouragement, consider these facts. Fresh is best. Leafy vegetables can lose 30 to 60% of vitamins within 8 hours of harvest. Won't it be nice to enjoy fresh picked tomatoes that taste like a tomato should and not like a pink tennis ball? Another reason to have a garden is your family's health; there's more to life than junk food! Gardens in small spaces can yield succulent, tasty produce AND gardening provides good exercise and fresh air.

 

Now is the time for deciduous tree and shrub dormant pruning. The keys to successful dormant pruning are:

 

Proper Timing

Correct Equipment for type of plant

Proven Methods that the pros use

 

Timing:  Late winter and very early spring (before any new growth begins) is the ideal time. Without leaves the plant's branch structure is easier to observe. All deciduous plants can be pruned in February and March but keep in mind early spring bloomers like flowering crabapple and cherry trees, pruned now, will be less spectacular this spring. You will be rewarded with better tree form and more blooms in 2012. Early spring flowering shrubs like forsythia and lilac can be pruned later in the spring, after they bloom. Evergreens should be pruned in June.

 

Equipment:  A razor tooth pruning saw is a must. I use a short 8" hand model and a pole type saw, a by-pass hand pruner and a by-pass, short handle lopper.

 

Methods:  Before pruning begins, step back from each plant and visualize the desired shape you want your plant to look like after pruning. First remove internal, crossed, damaged and dead branches. Step back and again "size up" the shrub or tree. Then prune to the desired shape and size. I apply pruning sealer to all cuts larger than the width of my thumb. Some plants, such as Butterfly Bush (Buddleia), should be pruned back to live wood every year in late March. For more pruning information, visit with one of Wedel's ten Michigan Certified Nursery Specialists. Wedel's also sells about 10 titles of books on best pruning practices.

 

Spring is just around the corner and that means everyone at Wedel's is busy getting ready for it. Spring Expo is only about six weeks away! But don't wait until then to come by. It's always a pleasure to see our green-thumb friends.

 

Ask Roger:

Roger in studio
Roger Taylor
[email protected]

Q. Birds are hitting my window regularly, what should I do?

 

A. This is a case where the old clich� comes to play, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." The best thing you can do is to make birds aware of the window. Wedel's carries Window Alert decals that reflect ultraviolet light. Since that is the type of light that birds see most vividly these decals work better than any other product on the market.

 

If a bird has already hit your window a quick response is required. This is important year round but is especially important in the winter months. An unconscious bird is at risk for a number of reasons but hypothermia is the biggest problem. Stunned birds very quickly lose their body heat. Pick up any stunned bird and put it in a closed cardboard box or a closed paper sack and put it in a warm, quiet place until the bird recovers. Once the bird has recovered, take it outside and release it. Trust me, you'll know when it's time to take the bird outside.

WindowAlert

 

Migration periods in the spring and fall are the peaks for window strikes so helping birds see windows will become even more important as we approach warmer weather. One last thing, covering your window on the outside with newspaper will solve the window strike problem as well. I suggested this last approach to my wife and discovered the window decals were MUCH more to her liking.

 

Q. How do I encourage birds to nest in my yard?

 

A. One of the best things you can do is to provide nesting material. Birds may well pass over areas that offer suitable nesting sites simply because of the scarcity of nest building material.  

 

Many common items found in our homes can be offered as nesting material. Birds will readily accept anything that is soft and can easily be woven, such as hair. (Titmice are known to be aggressive when it comes to collecting hair; they are known to land on a sleeping dog and pull their own.)  When you clean out your hairbrush or pet brushes, put the hair outside. You can also ask your stylist or barber about saving you some hair. String, yarn, and bits of cloth cut in to 4 to 5 inch pieces can also be used.   

 

Bird's Nest

Birders from around the country often report birds using stolen or "borrowed" materials from humans to make their nests. In 1913, cormorants off the coast of Labrador used nests built entirely from materials scavenged from a sunken trading ship, including men's pipes, ladies combs, pocket knives, and hair pins.  In California, a Canyon Wren nested among several office buildings using a nest built entirely of office supplies, including paper clips, rubber bands, thumb tacks, and paper fasteners. Other items discovered in nests include bits of cotton from pill bottles, short lengths of string, upholstery stuffing, raveled rope, thread, and even dental floss.  

 

A mesh bag used for oranges or onions or an extra suet cage would be ideal for holding your nesting materials in your yard. Place it close to a nest box or to trees where birds will be protected from predators as they collect the materials. Yet another approach to offering nesting material is to place materials in the crotch of a tree or branches, drape it on shrubs, fences or clotheslines or place it in piles on the ground.  

 

Since many birds have more than one clutch of eggs and some species don't nest until late summer, providing nesting material all summer long and in many places is most helpful to our feathered neighbors.

                

Mark Your Calendar!

 

Monday, February 14

Valentine's Day

Remember your Sweetie

with fresh flowers, a beautiful arrangement, house plant, gift and more from Wedel's!

Call us today (345-1195) or call us on the dayand let us handle all of the details.
 

Wedel's Winter

Seminar Series 

 

 

Saturday, February 12, 10:30

Build a Birdhouse

Build your own top quality cedar

birdhouse that will last for years. For kids

of all ages. $15 covers class and all materials.

 with Jason Buller

 

Saturday, February 19, 10:30

When Does Nesting Season Begin?

  Learn about nesting boxes and more to attract the birds you're looking for.

 with Roger Taylor, Birdwatch

radio program host

 

Saturday, February 26, 10:30

Hummingbird Migration

  Some of them will be here

earlier than you think!

 with Roger Taylor, Birdwatch

radio program host

 

Please reserve your seat with our cashier or

call us at 345-1195

Seminars are free unless noted.


Wedel's Spring Expo 2011
 
Friday and Saturday
 
March 18 and 19
 

 
 
Store Hours
 
Monday - Saturday
9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Friday
9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

 
 
Wedel's now stocks Rain Bird
irrigation system replacement parts. 

 

To Do In February

Attend Saturday Seminars at Wedel's
Set out roosting pockets in trees or shrubs.
 
Have mower blades sharpened.
Have mower tuned up.
Begin planting cold season vegetable and flower seeds
Use houseplants to keep your winter months green.
 
wkzo
Saturday Mornings

Birdwatch 8:07 a.m.
with host Roger Taylor answering all of your birding questions
Call in at 382-4280 or 877-382-4280.

Watch for a brand new season of "Over the Garden Fence"
beginning in March!
Over the Garden Fence 9:07 a.m.
with host Andy Wedel answering all of your landscape and gardening questions
Call in at 382-4280 or 877-382-4280.

Visit our web site at www.wedels.com for archives of previous Birdwatch and
Over the Garden Fence programs!
 

  Note from the Editor 
 

 

The headline read, "Punxsutawney Phil sees no shadow, predicts early spring" early on Wednesday morning. And that on the day following the arrival of "The Blizzard of 2011." Who will join me in admitting that, for a few seconds, you felt just a little ray of hope that it really is spring that you can see at the end of the tunnel?

 

Ok, I'll make another admission. I don't know how winter could be prettier than it was on Wednesday, when the winds died down and the sun came out and everything was covered in white. Since you already know winter isn't my favorite time of year I won't belabor the issue. Just let me point out that most of what I dislike about winter are the sunless, gray days and the gray to black, slushy mess of infrequent snows. And, who knows, I might miss even that if I lived where each of the four seasons wasn't boldly represented.

 

If you have any doubt that spring really is just around the corner stop by Wedel's. Each season begins earlier here than it does in most places because there is so much to do in order to have everything ready for you when it does arrive. There's an area in our annuals and perennials greenhouse where we've created spring so that all sorts of plants will be in full bloom for Spring Expo on March 18 and 19. There is spring-making activity in every department.

 

I've mentioned that the seed displays begin showing up early in January. Come by; you'll see thousands of seed packets announcing the new growing season in living color. By comparison, our sales floor looks relatively empty but that's because we've made space for all of the exciting items for 2011 that are filling our warehouse to the ceiling. Every day more and more of them are making their way to the new displays. If you have spring fever, come on by. We have the cure. If you have the winter blahs, come on by. We have the cure for that too...it's called spring fever.

 

Valentine's Day will be here in just 10 days! How about adding some seed packets or gardening gloves or a hand tool to the bouquet you're getting for your gardening friend? The flowers represent your thoughtfulness; the gardening items show you really know your sweetie.

 

We've nearly made it through another winter. I'll be keeping my eye out for snowdrops, winter aconite, early crocus and the first tiny spikes from our tulip bulbs. Let me know what you see and when you see it; send a photo. The groundhog optimism will carry me just so far...

 

Ready for another trivia question? Here we go: What was the date on which the first televised tour of the White House occurred? 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! 

 
'Til next time, 
 
Jim
 
[email protected]

"Ordinary riches can be stolen, real riches cannot.

In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you."

    Oscar Wilde