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Greetings!
Okay! If you follow us on Facebook, you may have wondered just what the heck is going on with that August promotion.
Does this look familiar? And have you been wondering just what the catch might be? Because you're right -- there is a catch.
 | | Explain that again... |
It's true that on one day this month, everything in the entire store is free. Everything. The catch? We won't know which day until September 1. Huh? We're going to wait until the end of the month to calculate our average daily sales. Then we'll find the date whose sales are closest to that number. Everyone who shopped with us on that day will receive an instant refund, including the tax. The details will be validated by the accounting firm of Arthur E. Beatty -- it's all on the up-and-up. Why are we doing this? Because we don't have the patience for those bonus buck things but we wanted to have fun in August too!  | | Art Beatty - very trustworthy! |
When you think about it, since there are only 26 business days for us in August, if you shop this month, you have a very good chance of receiving a refund! Want to improve your odds? Shop on more than one day! No tricks, no gimmicks, no exclusions, no paperwork. When you shop with us, make sure we have your name and a way to contact you and you don't even have to save your receipts. Of course, you can if you want to! We're looking forward to seeing how this turns out.
Meanwhile, the insect world is very active lately. The rest of the newsletter deals with some of the bugs that really bug us. Got pests? You can always email us with photos or bring the little bad guys in for us to look at. Pop them in a zip-lock bag first, please, if you don't mind!
 | | Today's picture! |
We're still having painting classes for kids on Wednesdays, rain or shine. Drop in and spend a cool afternoon painting with us. Snacks included!
Thanks for signing up for our email newsletter! Come see us soon! |
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Fire Ants! Ready to Two-Step?
It's time! You probably noticed a few weeks ago, after the rains. Fire ant mounds popped up all over the place! The Texas A&M Extension recommends the Two-Step method to control red imported fire ants, especially if you have more than 5 mounds per lot or quarter-acre.
 | | Ouch! |
The two-step method involves broadcasting a bait insecticide over your entire property and then spot-treating any mounds that occur. Early fall -- between late August and October -- is the best time to treat because ants are actively foraging. The baits are most effective because foragers carry the poison back to the queen, which destroys the mound. These baits are very low in toxins; they can't kill the ant before it gets back to the mound. They are very safe to use and will normally control fire ants within a few weeks.
The best strategy is to treat your entire block at once. Neighbors can get together and treat their gardens all at the same time. That way, you aren't merely chasing fire ants from one house to the next.
We have Extinguish Plus in stock, and for vegetable and herb beds, Come and Get It. Both packages will treat about a quarter-acre. For the fire ant block party, we will special order Extinguish Plus in 4.5 lb. or even 25 lb. containers.
Apply the baits to dry ground, when no rain is forecast. The best time to apply is early morning or early evening, when ant foraging activity is high.
Are you an organic gardener? The Come and Get Itproduct is based on spinosad, which is OMRI listed and safe to use for veggie and herbs. It's also very effective. Pouring boiling water on the mounds, however, is only 60% effective and requires transporting 2-3 gallons of boiling water. I think that's more dangerous!
More information right here - let's Two-Step!
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Wasps, Bees, & Other Stingers
Midsummer also brings us bees, wasps, hornets, mud-daubers and the like. Normally bees are not aggressive or territorial and will only sting if disturbed or threatened. They are social insects, forming large colonies, and exist solely on pollen, nectar and the honey they make.
 | | Yellow-Jackets |
Yellow-jackets are another story. Yellow-jackets are social wasps, which means they travel in gangs. Believe it or not, they are quite beneficial in the garden, killing large numbers of plant-eating insects and cleaning up other dead things. They are only very rarely observed sipping nectar at flowers. Often, when you see them in and around your flowers, they are drinking from water drops. They are notorious picnic guests, and often congregate around garbage cans.
 | | Red Wasp |
Red wasps, or paper wasps, are also social insects. Like yellow-jackets, they eat bugs that eat plants, so it's a good idea to leave them alone if possible. They are territorial, though, and will aggressively defend a nest.
I'm sure we've all seen the little mud homes of mud-daubers. Although they're in the same family as wasps and bees, they will not defend a nest, and the little mud balls can simply be scraped away. They are solitary insects who eat mostly spiders. They seem to especially prefer black-widow spiders, in fact!
Please exercise great caution when removing wasp nests. Needless to say, people who are allergic to stings should not attempt it. Spray in the evening and leave the nest in place for at least 2 days, until all the insects are dead. For very large nests, consider hiring a professional exterminator.
Read more about wasps and yellow-jackets here.
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Citrus Leafminers
Those July rains really encouraged our citrus trees! Everywhere lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruits put on a beautiful flush of new growth, to be followed in short order by citrus leafminers.
Citrus leafminers are the larvae of a tiny moth. The moth looks for that flush of new growth and lays eggs on the leaves, just as they unfurl. About a week later, the eggs hatch, and the tiny larvae begin to burrow down into the leaf, where they will feed until they mature.
 | | Leaf Miner Damage |
The meandering path of the larvae as they eat is what creates the "mine" on the leaf. By the time you see this pattern, the pest is too deep down inside the leaf for most sprays to have much of an effect.
Citrus leafminers are not typically harmful to your trees, although the damage is unsightly. A severe case can stunt the growth of new trees, but usually the best thing is to just try to ignore the damage. You can trim off the damaged leaves, but if it's not too bad, just leave them on. Trimming can encourage another flush of new growth, which will attract the citrus leafminer moth, and the entire cycle will begin again.
 | | Adult - 2 mm long! |
If you feel you must treat, you can spray Spinosad right when the leaves begin to emerge, while they are still "curled." From this time, and for about a week longer, the leaves are soft enough for the larvae to burrow into. They'll ingest the Spinosad as they burrow down into the leaf. Once the "mines" are visible, however, only a systemic insecticide will reach them. I don't like to use systemic insecticides for leafminers because of the harm they do to bees.
If you've got a terrible case of citrus leafminers, come see me and we'll figure out a safe, effective way to treat your tree. But don't just start spraying. You're liable to remove many of the beneficial insects that actually eat the citrus leafminer moth.
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Please stop by and visit! Have a glass of world-famous lemonade (or a beer!) -- we'd love to meet you!
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Barrow
Papershell: A Garden Gallery
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Acrylic Painting For Kids Wednesdays this summer 2:00-3:00pm Artist Cecilia Campos Merino leads this weekly workshop for kids ages 4-10 years. Each week, student artists will complete a new 16x20 acrylic painting on canvas. This workshop is $35 per week and refreshments are provided. Call (281) 232-4485 or email us to sign up.
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Art Lessons for Adults Thursdays this summer 1:30-4:00pm Artist Suzanne Stevens offers art instruction for adults, including oil painting, acrylic painting and drawing. Classes are appropriate for all skill levels. Download the Supply List here. Lessons are $150 per month (4 lessons). Call (281) 232-4485 or email us to sign up.
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Gardening with Native & Well-Adapted Plants August 19 2:00-3:30pm Native & well-adapted plants deserve starring role in your garden! Learn how to incorporate them into an existing garden design or to start fresh with an eye to sustainable, watersmart gardening. The class is $10 and includes a coupon for 15% off today's garden center purchases. Call (281) 232-4485 or email us to sign up.
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