Paul Lassig. Paul was the first to submit the correct answer to our June trivia question: "How did the Snickers bar get its name?" The correct answer is, "It was named after the family's favorite horse."

1. Watermelon has 1200 varieties.

2. Canned soups taste good because of their high sugar content.    

3. In the U.S., more tomatoes are consumed everyday than any other vegetable or fruit.     

Wedel's News

Sound familiar? It is sure to be an all too familiar sound for many this year. The rainfall we've gotten (and continue to get) has been ideal for the growth of the mosquito population and that means annoying bites and itches when you're trying to enjoy a wonderful summer outdoors.

The rainfall isn't the problem however. Standing water anywhere IS the problem. Check your patios, yards, decks etc. for places where water can gather and you'll find made-to-order breeding grounds for mosquitoes. With optimum conditions, the time required for larval development can be as short as seven days. Besides being an annoyance, the more compelling reason to rid your outdoor living areas of these pests is that they carry and transmit a number of serious diseases that can infect you, your family, pets and surrounding wildlife.

Wedel's Garden Center has a number of resources for you to use to repel or eliminate mosquitoes. One very effective repellent is called Eco Smart Mosquito and Tick Repellent. This spray kills and repels unwanted pests. It's an organic that has a clove/sassafras scent and, depending on conditions, remains effective for about a month.

If you have a pond or water feature that incorporates still water, an alternative product for you to use is called Mosquito Dunks. Mosquito Dunks incorporate biological mosquito control for use with animal watering troughs, bird baths, flower pots, rain barrels and roof gutters, unused swimming pools, old automobile tires, water gardens, tree holes etc. One donut shaped Mosquito Dunk will treat a surface area of standing water from 25 to 100 square feet. They are safe for fish habitats also.

For those who prefer to use an insecticide fogger, Bonide makes Bug Beater Yard & Garden Insect Fogger. The propane powered fogger can be used on gardens, ornamentals, roses, flowers, vegetables, herbs, fruits and nuts. There is an extensive list of harmful insects that the Insect Fogger will eliminate and to control mosquitoes it is recommended that areas be treated thoroughly with particular attention to low and marshy places, shorelines, stagnant pools or ponds and shrubbery or vegetation where mosquitoes may rest.

Natural Guard Lawn Shield Repellent is an all-natural cedar repellent and is effective for a week to 10 days. This is an ideal choice if you are planning a patio party, outdoor wedding reception or just an informal get-together with family and friends. This is a granular product so plan to spread it in your outdoor area an hour or two before your event and then forget about those bothersome winged intruders.

Butterfly weed is a tuberous rooted, garden native and perennial. It typically grows in a clump to 1-3' tall and features clusters (umbels) of bright orange to yellow-orange flowers atop upright to reclining, hairy stems with narrow, lance-shaped leaves. Unlike many of the other milkweeds, this species does not have milky-sapped stems.

Flowers give way to prominent, spindle-shaped seed pods (3-6" long) which split open when ripe releasing numerous silky-tailed seeds for dispersal by the wind. Seed pods are valued in dried flower arrangements. Long bloom period from late spring throughout the summer. Flowers are a nectar source for many butterflies and leaves are a food source for monarch butterfly larvae (caterpillars). Also commonly called pleurisy root in reference to Native Americans' medicinal use of the plant roots to treat lung inflammations.

Bag seed heads to capture ripening seed and allow the pods to dry on plant. Break open the seed pods to collect the seeds. If properly cleaned, seeds can be successfully stored and planted.

For more information about Asclepias tuberosa click here. Add the beauty of blooms and butterflies to your landscape with this month's Garden Native.

Renee Shepherd

I'm sure all of you who have visited Wedel's Garden Center have seen our packet seed displays from Renee's Garden and are familiar with the high quality of the seeds offered by Renee's. To quote Renee, "At Renee's Garden, I offer only the varieties that are very special for home gardeners, based on great flavor, easy culture and exceptional garden performance. This seed line is my personal selection of new, exciting and unusual seed choices of time-tested heirlooms, certified organic seeds, the best international hybrids and fine open-pollinated varieties. I harvest and use the vegetables and herbs in my kitchen to choose the most delicious, and cut the flowers for bouquets to select the finest colors, forms and fragrances. Our varieties are tested and guaranteed for every major U.S. climate zone."

The following is from Renee and is titled, "Gardening for a Second Season."

Mid to late summer is an ideal time to plant seeds for a second gardening season that can be as productive as your major early spring plantings.

Late planted crops have less competition from weeds and pests and grow beautifully with less garden work. In mild-winter areas of the country, you'll have great harvests in time for Thanksgiving and many crops will hold perfectly through the low light winter months without bolting to seed or becoming bitter tasting as they would in the heat of early summer.

It may seem odd to be starting new seeds when a lot of your summer produce like squash and tomatoes are still cranking, but it's well worth the effort. For reliable harvests in cooler weather, seedlings must have good initial growth and well-established root systems. The goal is to have fully grown, ready to pick plants that basically store themselves in the garden throughout the fall, so you can pick them as you need them over a long sustained harvest season.