Planters' Choice Weekly Picks! 

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Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Twitter                                                           Friday, November 18, 2011 
Useful Links
In This Issue
A Few Reminders
NEW - Holiday Greens
Is Lichen Harmful to Trees?
Twitter... Why?
Prep Class for Pesticide Supervisory License Test
Perennial of the Week: Christmas Fern
NOW...
A Few Reminders

Winter Hours coming up soon!
Next week we are open Monday - Wednesday 7 am-4:30 pm. We will be CLOSED Thursday, Friday and Saturday for Thanksgiving.

 

Our winter schedule takes effect Monday, November 28th. We will be open Monday - Friday,  8am-4:30 pm. No more Saturday hours until mid March 2012.   

Don't forget, we are open year round! Stop in and see us anytime.  

 

WANTED: WOODCHIPS! If you are looking for a place to dump your chips, look no further! We will accept them at both locations, Newtown and Watertown.
Call ahead 203-426-4037 (Newtown) and 860-945-6588 (Watertown).    

 

Large Specimen Trees
There continues to be a nice supply of large deciduous trees in our sales yards. Beautiful larger specimens for new plantings or replacements for those damaged in the storm.  

Stop by and take a look!

 

NEW - Holiday Greens!
 

 

 

 HOLIDAY CUT GREENS

 

Warm up the bleak winter landscape with some holiday greens!  Come in and choose from bundles of Holly, Boxwood, Arborvitae, Redtwig Dogwood and more!  

 

They're great to mix and match for your own creative ideas or choose some that are pre-mixed like the one here for an instant festive look. 

 

Stop by Newtown's sales yard soon for best selections!

Question: Is lichen harmful to trees?
Foliose lichens
Answer: No

Lichens are very easy to spot with their soft-hued leaf-like bodies stuck to the shady side of tree branches and trunks, however, many people have little to no understanding of what this organism is or does.  Simply put lichens are composite organisms that consist of two organisms that are in a symbiotic relationship.  Typically lichen is composed of a fungus plus a photosynthesizing algae or, a fungus plus a photosynthesizing bacteria.

The fungus surrounds the algae and penetrates the algae cell with haustoria much like a pathogenic fungi would invade a host.  In a laboratory these two partners can actually be "teased" apart and neither, when growing alone, look anything like the lichen as when they are partnered.  When lichens grow on tree trunks and branches they are not parasites, they do not feed on the tree, and they do not secrete toxins or poison the tree.  The tree trunk is just a convenient place to take up residency.

So do not be alarmed when you see this organism, instead enjoy its beautiful color and know that they only grow about 1 cm per year while causing no harm whatsoever to the tree it is living on.

Thanks Mark!

TWITTER...Why?

Follow us on Twitter and you'll get helpful tips and ideas to pass along to your customers.  We will never tweet any pricing or information that will compromise your relationship with your customers, so you can ask them to follow us, too - our goal is to help you grow your business with some simple add on sales! 

 

All tweets are guaranteed plant and landscape related in 140 characters or less! Just good ideas and seasonal reminders that may get them thinking about their landscapes!    

 

Follow us on Twitter 

 

This Winter Prepare for your Pesticide Supervisory License Test
DEEP LogoWhat: Prepare for the 3a Pesticide Supervisory License Test
When: 6 classes, Tuesdays; Jan. 10, 17, 24, 31, Feb. 7, & 14,  2012, 3:00 pm sharp!
Where: Planters' Choice Newtown Sales Office
Cost: $150.00 non-refundable 
 
Be Smart, Be safe and Be Legal...

Sign up for 6 - 1.5 hour sessions geared specifically to the information you need to help you test for this important license. Registration fee payable at time of signup in order to hold your spot. This class limited to 25 people and is beginning to fill up!

Perennial of the Week:  Polystichum acrostichoides
Christmas Fern 

common name: Christmas Fern
size: 12-24"
interest: Sturdy evergreen foliage
culture: Part-shade to shade
time of year: Spring to early Winter
companion plants: Carex 'Ice Dance', Gaultheria (Wintergreen),  Hellebores (Lenten Rose) 

 

Polystichum acrostichoides is a native fern found in the eastern half of the U.S. and Canada. The fronds stay green all winter and were once a staple for Christmas greens, hence the common name.

Often found in our woodlands on slopes, they make great plants for shady erosion control.  They prefer slightly moist, well-drained soils, but can tolerate drought.  They are a low-maintenance fern with little to no pests or disease. Just trim back tired fronds early spring to keep them clean. Plant in a mass to warm up the November landscape.  

 

This was our last Perennial of the Week. Hope you enjoyed it and learned just as much as we did! Which one of our perennials is your favorite?  

 

Back to the Top

NOW

  

Specimen Cherry freshly mulched in.

Deciduous Trees and Shrubs 

Soil temperatures are still warm making it a good time to get trees and shrubs in the ground for next spring!  Including:

Cornus alt. (Pagoda Dogwood)

Cornus (Flowering and Kousa Dogwood)

Cotinus cog. 'Pink Champagne' (Smokebush)

Physocarpus op. 'Diablo'

Prunus 'Autumnalis', 'Kwanzan', 'Snow Goose'

Weigela fl. 'Wine and Roses'

 

You'll find many larger specimens with their winter protection of mulch out in the yard. Mark, Wilson and Adrian have been working hard to protect some of the larger specimens while still being able to move them. Nice job guys! 

 

Broadleaf and Ornamental Evergreens 

Many varieties in 2 gallons and up. Perfect for your fall and winter containers.

Buxus (Boxwood) variegated

Ilex (Holly)

Picea pungens 'Compacta' Very nice 10 gallon in Watertown 

P. glauca 'Conica' 1,2,& 5 gallon both locations 

 

25% Off Hybrid B&B  Holly  
Nice selection of 'Blue Maid', 'Blue Stallion', 'Centennial Girl', 'China Girl', 'Dragon Lady' and 'Nellie Stevens' - all at 25% off. (Please note this does not include Ilex opaca or Ilex pernyi.) Stop by soon, they are going quickly! 

 

Evergreens for screening - assorted sizes  

Ilex x 'Nellie Stevens' (Holly) 

Picea abies (Norway Spruce) 8/10' Fresh off the truck!  

P. pungens (Colorado Spruce) 

Pinus strobus (White Pine)

Thuja occidentalis (Eastern Arborvitae) 'Emerald Green' 

T. plicata  'Green Giant' 

and more... 

 

Scilla siberi

Bulbs
There continues to be some good planting weather ahead - just what you need to get your spring bulbs in the ground. We still have a decent mix left. Besides the Allium, Daffodils and Tulips, there is a nice group of early spring bloomers. Boxes of Crocus 'Remembrance' (deep purple) and Golden Yellow, Chionodoxa (Glory of the Snow), Muscari armeniacum (Grape Hyacinths) and the hard-to-resist Scilla siberica seen here at right.   

Also in the mix are one box each of Tulip 'Angelique' and Narcissus 'Minnow'. Get them while you can!  

 

Finally the holidays are fast approaching and there is still time to order your pre-potted Amaryllis. 6 minimum - order soon - Delivery is quick!    Back to the Top

 
'Helmond Pillar' Barberry

 

 

 

Have A Great Weekend!

 

 

pc logo greenVisit our two locations:
140 Huntingtown Rd.  Newtown, CT 06470  Tel. 203-426-4037  Fax 203-426-8057
496 Bunker Hill Rd.  Watertown, CT 06795  Tel. 860-945-6588  Fax 860-945-9282
Hours:
March 14th - June 25th  Mon.- Sat. 7 am - 4:30 pm
June 27th - Nov. 19th  Mon. - Fri. 7 am - 4:30 pm & Sat. 7 am - 1 pm
Winter Hours  Mon. - Fri. 8 am - 4:30 pm