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Greetings!
And now for the news you've been waiting for: August 10 was the day that everything was free! We've been handing out refunds to happy customers since the first of the month. We enjoyed that promotion so much we just may do it again next August - what do you think?
 | | The lucky day! |
Are you enjoying that little bit of freshness in the air? Fall is coming and we've got new flowers & veggies arriving weekly. Right now is a good time to plant dianthus and petunia. Petunias planted in the fall develop nice strong root systems that will allow them to last much longer into the warm weather next spring. We won't see violas and pansies until later, but the first snapdragons are here! And any day now, we hope to have the ornamental cabbages & kales. If you haven't been by since the spring, stop in and say hello - there's a lot to see.
 | | Sample Portfolios |
We've got some fantastic classes coming up too. I'm particularly excited about Lee's "Book-Into-Portfolio" class on Saturday afternoon, September 22. In this class, participants convert a large book into a portfolio suitable for carrying 8.5x11" papers, receipts, photos and more! Click here and here to see more examples of these portfolios in Lee's Etsy shop. Perfect back-to-school project for moms, artsy teens & anyone else who wants to carry their work in style!
Thanks for signing up for our email newsletter! Come see us soon! |
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On Corporate Citizenship
I wasn't sure I would write about this issue in the newsletter. It's not often that I criticize specific products by name, but this time, I thought it was important to make sure gardeners were aware of a problem with one of the largest suppliers of garden chemicals on the market.
On September 7, Scotts Miracle-Gro agreed to pay fines & penalties in excess of $12 million for violating pesticide laws. While a small portion of Scott's revenues, these fines are the largest ever levied for pesticide violations. Scotts pleaded guilty to intentionally adding pesticides to products in violation of federal law and after the Environmental Protection Agency had specifically prohibited it.
In all, Scotts pleaded guilty to over 100 violations of the law, most of them demonstrably intentional. What angers people most is the intentional addition of a pesticide to bird food known to be fatal to birds. They did it to prevent insects from spoiling the seed before it could be sold, and they did it even after employees had warned management of the dangers to wildlife.
Such blatant disregard of pesticide law (which are none too strict, in my opinion) are troubling to organic and conventional gardeners alike. If you are a Scotts Miracle-Gro customer, I urge you to reconsider. Here are more sources of information for you to review before making your next "garden pharmacy" purchase.
Here is a brief article in the Wall Street Journal describing the settlement.
Here is the September 7 Department of Justice Press Release about the settlement.
Here is a list of Scotts products involved in the settlement.
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Squash Blossoms (Rated PG13)
All the vegetables in the squash family (pumpkins, zucchini, yellow squash, cucumbers, etc.) have two distinct sorts of flowers: male and female. The female flowers are the ones that eventually turn into squash. The males? They're just around to pollinate the females.
 | Males tall, females short
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The male flowers are borne on long, vining stems and to my eye, they're much more extravagantly beautiful than the female flowers. They also appear up to 2 weeks earlier than the females, just in case... Gardeners who anxiously report that their squash make flowers but not fruit are probably seeing only the early males. The female flowers are smaller, much closer to the main stem and have shorter secondary stems that have to support the eventual weight of the squash. The males have long, vining stems to make sure the pollen is dispersed as widely as possible.
 | | These boys are up early, looking for... |
Once the female flowers are pollinated, the tiny fruit appears immediately "under" the flower, right between the flower and the stem. The male flower, spent, just falls off.
 | | Yummy! |
Ever wondered about the delicious recipes that call for squash blossoms? It seemed so extravagant to me, until I realized only the male flowers, which would never bear fruit anyway, were being harvested. Want to try it? Here's a great recipe for stuffed and fried squash blossoms. But wait until after you see that your female flowers are pollinated and growing tiny babies before you pick the males. You gotta give 'em a chance to get the job done first!
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Fall Herbs
Fall veggies get all the attention, but this is a good season to work in the herb garden too! There are several great herbs that prefer the cooler nights & shorter days of fall. Now is a great time to plant bee balm, chervil, chives, coriander (cilantro), dill, fennel, parsley, and Mexican mint marigold (our tarragon substitute).
 | | Dill: Even the flower is pretty |
If you've been babying your mints and thymes in the shade during the summer, try moving them to a bit more sun as September progresses. The fall & winter sun is much easier to take, for herbs and for herb gardeners!
 | | Mexican Mint Marigold |
Morning sun will bring out the fragrance of herbal oils, and all herbs require good drainage. Fertilize only weakly, with diluted fertilizer or manure teas.
For more information, make plans to attend Diana Liga's class on Sunday, September 23 (see right). The topic? The Cook's Herb Garden! Yum!
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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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Watercolor Painting: Value & Contrast September 15 9:00am-12:00pm Artist Michael Vollmer leads this exploration of value and contrast in watercolor painting. We recommend as a prerequisite the introductory class or some experience with watercolor painting. This is the first in a series of 4. The techniques taught in one class form the foundation for skills covered in the next class. If you have supplies already, please bring them. You will need to bring a 1-quart container for water and a pencil with an eraser. This class is $35 and space is limited. Call (281) 232-4485 or email us to sign up.
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Wildflower Workshop! September 16 2:00-3:30pm Fall is the best time to plant wildflowers! Learn what varieties do well here and how to plant them. This class is $10 and includes a coupon worth 15% off today's purchases. Call (281) 232-4485 or email us to sign up.
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Watercolor Painting: Perspective September 22 9:00am-12:00pm Artist Michael Vollmer leads this exploration of perspective in watercolor painting. We recommend as a prerequisite the introductory class or some experience with watercolor painting. This is the second in a series of 4. The techniques taught in one class form the foundation for skills covered in the next class. If you have supplies already, please bring them. You will need to bring a 1-quart container for water and a pencil with an eraser. This class is $35 and space is limited. Call (281) 232-4485 or email us to sign up.
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Book-Into-Portfolio! September 22 3:00-5:00pm Re-purpose an old book into a useful portfolio case! These fun folders are great for your daily 'to-do' pile of papers, for keeping letterhead and envelopes organized, or for a unique gift with stationery or photos enclosed. This class includes a kit containing 1 hardcover book measuring approx. 9" x 12" (large enough to hold 8 ½" x 11" papers) and with a spine width measuring between ½" and ¾"; papers for the flaps and the inside spine area; ribbon for the tie closure and self-adhesive clear corner pockets. Artist Lee Steiner leads this class. This class is $25 and space is limited. Call (281) 232-4485 or email us to sign up.
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The Cook's Herb Garden September 23 2:00-3:30pm Come learn how to create your own culinary herb garden and harvest the freshest, highest-quality herbs around. We'll even talk about container herbs for those of you with limited garden space. This class is taught by horticulturist Diana Liga and is $10. Participants receive a coupon good for 15% off that day's purchases. This class is $10 and space is limited. Call (281) 232-4485 or email us to sign up.
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Watercolor Painting: Light & Shadow September 15 9:00am-12:00pm Artist Michael Vollmer leads this exploration of light & shadow in watercolor painting. We recommend as a prerequisite the introductory class or some experience with watercolor painting. This is the third in a series of 4. The techniques taught in one class form the foundation for skills covered in the next class. If you have supplies already, please bring them. You will need to bring a 1-quart container for water and a pencil with an eraser. This class is $35 and space is limited. Call (281) 232-4485 or email us to sign up.
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