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Greetings!
It may seem like gardening comes to a screeching halt in August when heat and humidity settle in but we've discovered some detours around the summertime gardening blues. Fluff up those pots and pick some home-grown tomatoes and then get ready to dig in. Late summer is a great time to learn about your garden and get creative in it. You'll get the chance to do both in this month's e-newsletter! Read on to:
- Find out what you can do in your landscape this month!
- Explore the world of beneficial insects, the ones that actually do good things for your garden, in the first two articles of a series spotlighting these garden helpers.
- Learn basic landscape design principles and get ideas in another first article of a series, "Design 101."
- Check out the hidden gem of our monthly e-newsletter: the coupon at the end! It's available exclusively to you, our e-newsletter recipients.
Of course you may need to get your hands dirty in order to satisfy your gardening appetite and you will be happily surprised by our selection of plants and variety of garden treasures. Come by and see us!
Happy Gardening! |
August Garden Checklist
- Trim back leggy bedding and container plants for renewed growth and blooms through fall
- Replace tired plantings if needed and enjoy them for at least three more months!
- Re-apply Osmocote if you haven't done so since spring
- Finish summer pruning: Trim and dead-head summer blooming shrubs such as hydrangea, butterfly bush and knockout rose. Pruning shrubs after August encourages new growth that can be damaged by cold weather
- Apply Fertilome 15-0-15 (green bag) to centipede lawns
- Begin planning your cool season garden and containers; mums and pansies will be here before we know it!
- Get a head start on fall landscaping projects (fall is the best time to plant trees and shrubs!) during August. Check out this month's article "Design 101" for ideas to get you started!
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Tread Lightly
Some of Those Insects are Good Guys!
 If you don't already own it, Southern Living's Garden Problem Solver is a must-have* for gardeners to identify and learn how to deal with the most common garden pests in the south. Peruse the "Bugs and Other Critters" chapter and you'll be surprised how many beneficial insects call your garden home. Beneficials are insects that actually prey on harmful ones, pollinate plants or break down dead and decaying material; they are the soldiers and the workhorses of your landscape. By learning to identify the good guys you can encourage and benefit from their presence and become more mindful of applying insecticides, which kill both the bad and the good guys.
How can you be mindful of beneficial insects and get help from insecticides when infestations occur? First, identify the pest so you can use the correct insecticide and not apply unecessary chemicals to your garden. Some insects have impermeable scales or covers, may be present in large numbers or may hide on the undersides of leaves, rendering a contact insecticide ineffective (use a systemic insecticide instead). According to the Garden Problem Solver, healthy plants are less susceptible to insect infestations. If given proper light, water, nutrients and pruning your plants are less likely to need a chemical intervention.
The following article is the first in a series spotlighting your garden's beneficial insect population; take a peak into their strange and beautiful, alien world!
*Purchase The Southern Living Garden Problem Solver from Amazon.com |
Tread Lightly:
Busy Bees
 Bees, close relatives of wasps and ants, pack a three-fold punch of environmental benefits by producing honey and beeswax and pollinating plants. Bees are the special forces of plant pollination with behavioral and physical modifications that make them the most efficient at the job. According to the Wikipedia article on bees (to read the entire fascinating article click here) "it is estimated that one third of the human food supply depends on insect pollination, most of which is accomplished by bees." On a smaller, back-yard scale, bees are still the primary pollinators of many plants and their presence is essential for continued blooms and fruit production. Bees in the garden are considered unwanted guests by some because they have the potential to sting, but, unlike wasps, bees will not attack unless thoroughly provoked. They are generally docile creatures and only there to help!
The two most common bees in your garden are the European honey bee (Apis mellifera) and the Bumble bee (Bombus sp.). Both are doing wonders for your garden but how can you tell them apart? European honey bees are about one inch long, with clear wings, and have distinctive, alternating gold and black stripes. Bumble bees are larger and fuzzy with one yellow or reddish stripe. Bees use a long tongue, or proboscis, to obtain nectar, which is used for energy. Pollen is a source of protein for bees.
Bee populations have been on the decline since 1971 but in 2006 the population reduction became so wide spread and alarming it was given a name: Colony Collapse Disorder, which is when worker bees abruptly disappear from the hive. Many theories attempt to answer why bees are disappearing and it is likely a combination of several causes. One of the theories points to the widespread and often unchecked use of pesticides. Bees can be directly poisoned by insecticides, Carbaryl (Sevin) and Imidacloprid are especially toxic to them, but can also be indirectly poisoned when their food supply is contaminated.
What can you do to help halt the disappearance of bees? Avoid blanket-applications of insecticides in your garden. Target infested plants only and avoid spraying plants that bees are actively feeding on. If you must apply an insecticide to plants that bees feed on, avoid using the chemicals that are most toxic to them. Instead, use a natural insecticide that degrades quickly and apply in late evening when bees are headed home for the night. Small steps like these, made by mindful gardeners like yourself, can help preserve the delicate bee population. |
Design 101
Fall, winter and early spring are the best times of the year to tackle the landscaping projects you've been dreaming of and get trees and shrubs in the ground. Why? Cool weather and frequent rain reduce stress on plants and you; winter dormancy allows plants time to establish strong root systems before producing new growth and/or blooms in late spring and summer. Sweltering summer days aren't the most pleasant to garden in but are perfect for planning so you'll be ready to plant when cool weather arrives. The following article is the first in a series that will focus on the landscaping process and basic design principles and provide advice and ideas to make your projects less overwhelming. The design and landscaping process begins with observation and brain-storming, followed by research and finally, the "dirty" work: installation and maintenance. Read on to find out how to get started by evaluating your landscape or the specific area you want to work in. |
Before You Start Digging...
Landscape Evaluation
By observing your space and noting its characteristics you can build a complete picture of its shortcomings and potential. From this picture you can develop a design that provides solutions for unfavorable characteristics and places emphasis on positive features. To begin, choose an area of your landscape to work in. Grab a pencil and some paper and use the following questions to guide you. Taking photos of the space from different angles is also very helpful.
How large is the space?
General dimensions make it easier to select the ideal number of plants and keep you from under or over-buying.
How much sunlight does the space receive?
Observe sun patterns in the area during the week. Does it get sun in the morning, afternoon, both or not much sun at all? Is it likely to get more or less sun during different seasons? Are there deciduous trees in the area such as oak or maple? Is the area shaded by your house or other structures?
Are there existing plants in the space?
If so, how many, where are they located and what kind are they (large or small trees, shrubs, groundcovers or perennials)? Will all or some of the existing plants remain?
Where is the space located on the lot and in relation to the house?
One important aspect of landscape design is field of vision. How will you view the area from your home and different locations on your property? What views will you have from the space? Plan to screen unsightly views and frame pleasing ones with plant material. Observe and note views to and from the space. What windows in your home can you see the area from? How is the space viewed from the street (if it is)?
How does the space relate to my home?
The best way to enjoy your landscape is to design it to flow from your home, make it easily accessible, and create seamless transitions from indoors to out. Step outside of the common landscape box; who says you have to line the perimeter of the house with plants and call it a day? Your home, and your landscape, are your santuaries; design a landscape that is useable and pleasing to you and it will be beautiful.
What is my gardening style and how will I create balance?
Do you prefer loose, natural plantings or manicured, formal ones? Do you find symmetrical or asymmetrical balance more pleasing (if designed correctly, both are balanced but in different ways)? Consider the style of your home but keep in mind a formal home does not dictate a formal garden and a cottage does not dictate wildflowers. You can choose to create a subtle reflection of your home or a charismatic juxtaposition of styles: a greek revival enveloped by flowing bedlines and unfettered plantings, a cottage surrounded by undeviating lines and polished plantings. You get the idea.
What plants will I use?
We are ready to help you choose specific and appropriate plants for your landscape, but during the creative process simply consider general characteristics you would like the plants to possess. Would you like evergreen or deciduous (no leaves in winter) plants or a mixture of both? Evergreens establish a backdrop for deciduous plants, which can sport structural branching, exfoliating bark and eye-catching blooms and berries for often over-looked, year-round interest sans leaves. Consider what foliage and bloom colors and textures you prefer. Plan to layer colors and textures so that they complement instead of over-power each other. Leave space to infuse seasonal color with annual selections.
Got designer's block? Bring us your photos and the fruit (or lack thereof) of your brain-storming labors. We are always happy to help! | |
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