1. See What's New at the Trade Show! The tent will hold up to 75 vendors!
2. Earn Pesticide Credits: Talks on Pests (en Español), Turf, Maintenance with Organics and more.
3. Connect with old friends and meet new ones from our industry!
4. Test your physical skills at the Volleyball Tournament.
5. Test your mental skills on the Plant I.D. and win a Kindle or Blu-ray!
6. Try your luck at the raffle. Excellent prizes!
7. Eat a delicious catered breakfast and lunch plus UCONN Dairy Bar - YUM!!!
8. Take the chance to tour our tree farms and see our perennial production. 

Is Newtown's Yard Open Next Wednesday? YES!

Even though many of us will be up in Watertown for the Summer Field Day next Wednesday, there will still be some staff on hand to assist you in Newtown.  So if you can't find time to attend CNLA's Summer Field Day, stop by and see us in Newtown!

Some Rx to Help Plants Beat the Summer Heat!

RX for Stressed Plants

With summer in full swing we can only expect those temperatures to stay in the 80s and rise! Dehydration, heat stress, transplant shock all go hand in hand with the rising mercury. Does that mean no planting till cooler weather comes?  No - but it does mean to take precautions that will assure a successful installation. Consider these important tips:

Prior to planting make sure the plant is well hydrated. Obvious? Yes. Always heeded? No.

At planting use fertilizers with wetting agents such as Roots 1-Step (comes in the handy orange packet and in 60 bag pails) or PHC Tree Saver (available in 3 oz. pkgs by the 30 count bag or 150 count pail). They stimulate root growth, micro-nutrient absorption and those hydrogels help keep moisture right where the plant needs it.

Consider adding Terra-Sorb (water-absorbing hydrogels with no fertilizer) at planting time. Keeping moisture in the soil near the roots is its only job. A smart decision for heat-of-summer planting when you are using fertilizers without a wetting agent. Individual packets available in the big blue bag or in a handy plastic 1 lb. jar.

Water well and deeply at time of planting. Remember to educate the homeowner on watering properly (and caution them also about over-watering - roots need oxygen too!) For trees and larger shrubs consider using TreeGators (15-gallon donuts or 20 gallon zippered slow-release watering bags). Though it doesn't replace long, deep watering by hand, they help out a lot!

Have plants in the landscape that are exhibiting stress? Give PHC Bio-Pak Plus a try. A micronutrient treatment that includes beneficial bacteria and 3-0-20 NPK fertilizer. It is first mixed with water then applied as a soil drench to the plants' root-zone. Mix it on site. Once mixed, it should be used within 12 hours due to the live bacteria. It is an excellent product to give those stressed plants the boost they need.

Hydrangea arborescens 'Invincibelle Spirit'

'Invincibelle Spirit' (Smooth Hydrangea) 3 gallon. Smaller pink flowerheads on this sister plant to 'Annabelle'. Touted as heat tolerant and a hardy, reliable bloomer summer to frost. The flowers will begin a strong pink maturing lighter as the season progresses then turning green at the end of the cycle. Mass them for a long-blooming pink punch! Or consider them for your containers. Also a great cut flower. Soil pH doesn't not affect it's color. Check them out!

Hydrangea m. 'Endless Summer' 10 gallon limited

Mondo Grass

Groundcover
Ophiopogon j. 'Nana' (Dwarf Mondo Grass) 4" pots
O. planiscapus 'Nigrescens' (Black Mondo Grass) 4" pots


Hardgoods
***NEW***

Deer Out - We are now carrying a new deer repellent! Minty smelling Deer Out! Stop by and check out the new display! More on this product in next week's Picks!  

Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle'

Have A Great Weekend!

Not a fan of crowded beaches? Head for some Swimming Holes in Connecticut!