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Growing Wild & Fall Gold Redemption this Friday! July 2011 |
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Greetings!
I like riddles. They keep your brain busy, even during the dog days of summer! Here's one for you this month. What do Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, John Quincy Adams, and Montezuma County all have in common?
During the summer, I like to find interesting things to read. But my choices often differ from most people's summer beach novels. This summer there's a new book out by Andrea Wulf called "Founding Gardeners." It's a fascinating delve into the thought processes and intentions of our founding fathers and the way they envisioned the United States of America would develop.
Originally, they intended that this would be an agrarian based nation. Jefferson and Madison believed this so strongly that during tours of European nations and New England states that they took together after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, they avoided inspection of manufacturing facilities all together in favor of examining the gardens that were popular at the time. Madison and Jefferson, in particular, believed strongly that "the United States of America should be an agrarian republic- a country of independent farmers untainted by the corrupting influence of Britain. Botany would play a prominent role because useful crops would ensure America's independence and self sufficiency." They believed that America's strengths would be founded on her exports of the things that were grown here. To that end, they spent a great deal of time exchanging seeds and plants and sent many samples back from their ventures. They set out to tame and cultivate a wilderness. Jefferson even went so far as to smuggle rice out of Italy in 1787!
So like Montezuma County, the founding fathers had a strong basis in farming. They believed it would make America great and if you look around at our farm and ranchland, I'd say they were on the right track.
But sometimes Mother Nature has other plans for us- like when the weeds and pests of summer thrive along with the beneficial crops. For some tips and tricks on how to control what's growing wild in your summer garden, read on! |
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Growing Wild This Summer!

Does this look like your garden right now? We were away last week and guess what we'll be doing tonight? You guessed it- weeding! The purslane is rampant and I can hardly find some of my vegetable plants. My once well tended garden has suddenly gone wild with the heat and sunshine over the past week. It really is a jungle out there - at least in my yard!
Even though it's the height of the growing season, the warm temperatures can also bring weed and pest problems. Generally, if your plants are happy and growing well, your weeds and bugs have found a happy home too!
Weeds can be the bane of a gardener's existence. It's important to eliminate, or at least control them for several reasons. Not only can they choke out desirable plants, they will also compete with them for water and nutrients. In short, weeds are simply a nuisance!
Hand weeding once a week will help to keep them at bay, but that isn't always practical. So if hand weeding isn't the answer, or if they've simply gotten away from you, then you have to pull out the big guns- spray.
Herbicides can and do work well, but you have to be very careful in their use, especially in this hot weather. If you want to kill off an entire area, Killzall is the thing to use. This will provide a good, thorough clean up of undesirable plants. Killzall has the same active ingredient as Roundup, but at a much more tolerable price. It will kill anything it touches, so because of the drift that could occur, do not use when it's windy. It does not volitize so it can be used safely any time of year. Volitization means that it turns to a gas and can be carried or drift via the wind thereby severely injuring nearby desirable trees and shrubs. We even use this in the greenhouses to control weed populations there.
Weed Free Zone is one of the best herbicides for killing off the bindweed that seems to infest every garden in this area. If I could just start thinking of them as a miniature morning glories, I'd be set! Weed Free Zone works well, even in colder temperatures, but if you are going to use it when it's hot, you have to be extremely careful. Weed free Zone contains 2, 4-D which does easily volitize. 2, 4-D is an old standby herbicide and is still a good one though, if used carefully.
If your problem is really out of hand and you are dealing with woody areas that you want to eliminate, use Brush and Stump Killer. This will eliminate actively growing woody plants, vines and broadleaf weeds in non-crop areas. Do not use this around your flower or vegetable garden. But if the brush around your cabin is out of control, this is the product to use.
The other thing I want to mention this month that seems to be growing wild this year are spider mites. Along with the aphids that are so rampant, the spider mite infestations have been terrible. How do you know if you have them? If you see cobwebs on your plants, you probably have spider mites. The leaves or needles on evergreen may appear dull and perhaps speckled. There may be red "speckles" that appear to move on the undersides. They especially like dwarf alberta spruce trees, junipers, roses, and other trees and shrubs. Neem or Dormant Oil is the treatment of choice, but must be used when the temperatures are below 90 degrees in order for them to be effective. It is especially important to kill them because they can go into dormancy during the winter months, fooling you into thinking that the problem is solved, only to return with a vengeance in the spring. If you prefer an organic solution, try lacewings.
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What's Growing On at Four Seasons?
Fall Gold Begins Friday, July 15th!
July brings the beginnings of summer garden harvest season and also the beginning of Fall Gold Redemption! Maybe you've already had your eye on something wonderful to add to your yard or garden, but if you are still unsure about what to do with that Fall Gold you've been collecting, there are still wonderful things to make your summer yard and garden fabulous. Fall Gold Redemption runs from July 15-30th but the earlier you shop, the better your selection will be. At up to half off any item in the store (except a gift certificate) it's a great way to extend your gardening season inexpensively!
~ Trees, shrubs and roses are green and growing! Plant a shade tree to help lower your energy bills and add value to your property.
~ Perennials bloom throughout the summer and into the fall. Add something new and wonderful, then sit back and watch it bloom. The Little Susie Yarrow and Shasta Daisies are especially beautiful right now. Plant them together for a burst of summer color!
~ Birdbaths, benches, pottery, windchimes, hummingbird feeders, and gardening accessories add interest and color to help you create your own backyard paradise, as well as providing havens for your wildlife friends.
~ We still have colorful, blooming annuals to create beautiful containers, hanging baskets, and other bright spots for your summer patio or to add a festive air to your summer parties. You can't miss our petunias! |
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So what do Jefferson, Adams and Madison have in common with Montezuma County? A strong agricultural heritage and appreciation for the land. Jefferson tried many different things to see if they could become commercially viable ways to support the struggling new nation. A nurseryman at heart, he thought Sugar Maple trees may provide an alternative to sugar cane. Remember the rice he smuggled out of Italy? Although he experiemented with rice production at his plantation in Virginia, Monticello, it didn't work. But some of the plants were sent to Georgia and did become marketable crops on a limited basis. Yes, even Jefferson had his gardening failures!
The cooler weather and rain this week has been a blessing. My garden is growing wild and I hope yours is too and that you are blessed with an abundance of summer fruits and vegetables. I can't wait for Fall Gold to begin- we've got some pretty things in store to brighten up your summer weary garden. And while you're in, visit with us and we'll help you get those weeds under control too!
Gail Vanik Four Seasons Greenhouse and Nursery
Tell me "Something I Don't Know" about Four Seasons at my personal e-mail address: 2gailv@gmail.com |
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Four Seasons Greenhouse and Nursery, Inc.
26650 Road P, Dolores, CO 81323
(970) 565-8274
A Today's Garden Center Magazine Revolutionary 100 Garden Center
2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
And winner of the Western Region 2009 |
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