Wedel's Spring Expo This Month!

Quick Links

And The
Gold Star
Goes To...

Martie Schinzer. Martie was the first to submit the correct answer to our February trivia question: "What product was introduced in 1953 as a shortcut for homemakers making Welsh rarebit?" The correct answer is "Cheese Whiz."

Martie won a $15.00 Wedel's gift card and you could too! Just be the first to respond with the correct answer to our monthly trivia question.

Congratulations, Martie!!

Springtime's Star

It's that time of year when our thoughts turn to the beauty of spring and the wonderful scent of lilacs is always the herald of that time of year. Our gardens will be graced with the blossoms and scents of a variety of lilacs.

As the days go by and we get nearer and nearer to spring it is difficult to remain patient but as Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience."

But, if you find you don't have the patience or would simply like a preview of what is surely on the way, be sure to stop by Wedel's Spring Expo. The above photos were taken on Monday of this week...at Wedel's! We're making sure springtime will be here in all of its splendor just for you.

A Thought

from the Garden

"Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers to-day;
And give us not to think
so far away
As the uncertain harvest;
keep us here
All simply in the springing
of the year."

- Robert Frost
from "A Prayer in Spring"

Did You Know?

1. On every continent there is a city called Rome.

2. Lightning strikes men about seven times more often than it does women.

3. The U.S. nickname Uncle Sam was derived from Uncle Sam Wilson, a meat inspector in Troy, New York.

4. The anthocyanin present in blueberries is good for eyesight.

Mom Tested And Approved

Corned beef and cabbage, home-grown vegetables,
cooked together...who could ask for more?!

New England Boiled Dinner

4-5 lb. corned brisket of beef
1 1/2 tsp. basil
1 1/2 tsp. sweet marjoram
1 tsp. black pepper
8 pared white turnips cut in    pieces
8 pared potatoes cut in medium
   pieces
8 whole carrots
1 green cabbage quartered
   and cored

Place in a kettle corned beef brisket. Cover with cold water, add herbs and seasonings (no salt), simmer 5 min. Remove scum, cover; simmer until tender (3 1/2 to 5 hr.). About 45 min. before beef is done, skim off excess fat. Add turnips, potatoes and carrots. Cover, cook about 25 min. Then add cabbage. Cover and cook until vegetables are tender (25 min.). Serve on hot platter, the vegetables around the corned beef.

Betty Crocker's
Picture Cookbook

Enjoy!

Wedel's News

Volume 5, Number 12 March, 2013

Beautiful Amaryllis

Exotic Star Amaryllis

Green-thumber, Nancy Calloway, shared this photo with us of a beautiful amaryllis blossom and said, "I'm sending along a picture of an amaryllis I bought at Wedel's before Christmas. It is one of the new varieties - Exotic Star. This was a bit of a splurge but well worth it as it is now on its FOURTH flower stalk!!! I've never had one with more than two and was jazzed to see the third one appear... Wherever these come from, they are taking wonderful care of them. I hope you can get more for next year."

Amaryllis offer cheery color and an opportunity to do some gardening at just the right time of year. Exotic Star is a popular and spectacular variety so I'm sure Wedel's will have more of them when this outdoor gardening season is over. Thanks, Nancy, for sharing!

Mark Your Calendar!

Friday, March 22, 9:00 - 9:00
Saturday, March 23, 9:00 - 5:00

Wedel's Spring Expo!
(Includes 30 free seminars. Click here for all of the details.)
Seating is limited so call to reserve your seat. (269-345-1195)

March Shopping List

Garden seeds

Seed starting supplies

Repellex Mole and Gopher Repellent

Birdhouse

Bird seed

Lawn spreader

Scotts 4-Step Lawn Fertilizer Program

Suet

Gift card

Gardening book

Gardening magazine

Garden Natives

Virginia Bluebells

Mertensia virginica

Bluebells are often found in woodlands, bluffs, along rivers and, of course, flower beds. Ideal conditions are in moist but well-drained, humus-rich soil in partial shade. They are a herbaceous perennial that naturalize very well.

Common locations for Virginia Bluebells include flower borders and beds or as under plantings of roses and shrubs and are best massed and left undisturbed in moist, shady woodland, wildflower or native plant gardens.

Clumps may be sprinkled in borders or rock gardens, but, since plants go dormant in summer, they must be over planted with annuals or used in conjunction with perennials (such as ferns or hostas) which will expand as the growing season progresses.

While in the bud stage, the flowers are a light purplish pink, but become light blue with maturity. The pastel colors of the flowers and foliage are soft and soothing.

Virginia Bluebells

The flowers are pollinated by bees. These insects seek nectar and collect pollen. Other visitors of the flowers include hummingbirds, bee flies, butterflies, skippers, and Sphinx moths, including hummingbird moths. These visitors also seek nectar from the flowers. Small flower flies may also visit the flowers, however they feed on the pollen and are not effective pollinators.

Click here for more information on Virginia Bluebells available at Wedel's.

Look Sharp

Feel Sharp

Be Sharp

Did you know that you can have your blades sharpened at Wedels?!

Take a look at these prices!

Pruners - $4.00
Loppers - $4.00
Lawn mower blades - $5.00 (sorry, no reel mowers)
Mulching mower - $5.00
Hedge shears - $4.00
Larger items - $5.00

(We don't sharpen chain saw blades.)

Just for Grins...
and

Groans

In what other language do people play at a recital
and recite at a play?

E.H. Watt

Store Hours

Monday - Thursday

9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Friday

9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Saturday

9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

To Do In March

Visit Wedel's 2013 Spring Garden and Landscape Expo.

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day.

Check lawn for mole damage.

Have mower blades, pruners, loppers, hedge shears sharpened.

Have mower tuned up.

Begin general clean-up of twigs and branches.

Have soil from vegetable garden, flower garden tested.

Saturday Mornings

Birdwatch 8:07 a.m.

with host Roger Taylor answering all of your birding questions
Call in at 382-4280 or 877-382-4280.

Over the Garden Fence 9:07 a.m.

with host Andy Wedel answering all of your landscape and gardening questions
Call in at 382-4280 or 877-382-4280.

Visit our web site at www.wedels.com for archives of previous Birdwatch and
Over the Garden Fence programs!

Note from the Editor

"Each leaf,
each blade of grass
vies for attention.
Even weeds
carry tiny blossoms
to astonish us."
- Marianne Poloskey, Sunday in Spring

It is March. The month of spring. Another winter will soon be behind us and all of the possibilities of new life will be ours for the taking. The first day of spring comes in March but that doesn't necessarily mean the first spring day will arrive also. Still, it will be here soon as sure as the sun rises in the east. If you're ready for spring or if you need help getting ready, we have exactly what it takes.

This is the month of spring and it's the month of Wedel's Spring Expo which means, no matter the weather, it will be a spring day at the garden center. It seems Spring Expo gets more exciting every year. So much will be going on here on Friday, March 22 and Saturday, March 23 but I have room to give you only a taste of what to expect.

Shawna Coronado will be here on Expo Friday. If you're an avid gardener you know who Shawna is. If you aren't familiar with her, "(S)he has lectured at TEDx and Google, discussing the benefits of green living for community. Shawna Coronado educates the online community on eco-travel, green-living tips, sustainable gardening, inexpensive cooking, home vegetable production, and techniques for every day homeowners to save money by being green and feed the hungry during a down-economy - all this right from her very own home and ornamental front lawn vegetable garden. This season Shawna partnered with Google+ to create a series of culinary Google+ Hangouts from her front lawn vegetable garden. Her goal with the blogs and online presence is to better the world through community involvement and simple green living." Her presentation will be at 9:15 a.m. on Friday morning and she will be here until 5:00 p.m. to visit with you. Here's a link to learn more about Shawna.

Another featured guest will be Bill DeBoer. "Bill DeBoer is a research scientist at Indiana-based steadyGROWpro. A master gardener intern, Bill is responsible for overseeing the company's laboratory operation, including the design and execution of research projects, plant propagation, seed germination and overall plant care. Bill has a B.S. and M.S. from Purdue University, and was previously a research technician for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. " Bill's seminar, "Hydroponics for Dummies," will be at 10:30 a.m. on Expo Saturday. "Are Organic Pesticides Always Safer?" That's the title of an article written by Bill which can be found here.

Jackie Wolfinger, avian care intern at the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary, will be at the Expo on Friday from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Jackie will tell you how to create a bird-friendly habitat in your backyard. Jackie's seminar, "Nestbox Users, Learn how to identify and provide habitat for common cavity nesting birds." will be at 1:00 p.m. on Friday. Click here for information about the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary.

The Butterfly Tent has been very popular each time it was at Wedel's and it will be here for Expo too. Be sure to stop by to see Monarch Butterflies in March! It is always a hit with the kids and adults alike.

There is so much more. You'll be able to visit with garden clubs and societies such as; Kalamazoo Rose Society, Audubon Society, Hosta Society, Southwest Michigan Iris Society, Kalamazoo Area Daylily Society, Kalamazoo Bonsai Society and others. If you'd like to be actively involved consider participating in the Miniature Garden Make-It, Take-It project. That activity will occur on Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (The price for the Make-It, Take-It project will depend on the products and plants you choose for your miniature garden.)

All of that doesn't even scratch the surface of all that will be happening during Wedel's Spring Expo. The seminars are free and there are 30 of them (including Shawna's and Bill's.) Suppliers will be here with new products as well as your favorites. Bill Stovall will be here with his excellent birdhouses and birdfeeders. Kids will get to plant a pansy to take home!

Wedel's Spring Expo is a wonderful event, one previous attendees always look forward to, and it never disappoints. We hope to see all of you on Friday or Saturday, or better yet, on Friday AND Saturday. March 22 and 23 will be here before you know it!

Ready for another trivia question? Here we go! What baking ingredient, sprayed at high pressure, did the U.S. Air Force replace its toxic paint stripper with? The first reader to respond with the correct answer will win a $15.00 Wedel's gift certificate. The gift certificate must be picked up here at the garden center and remember, you are eligible to win once every 90 days. Good luck and have fun!

'Til next time,

Jim

jimdavenport@wedels.com

How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg?
Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg.

Abraham Lincoln