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Watch Out! Elves At Work....
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 I know, I know... It's way too early to be talking about elves and Christmas but I have been waiting since last January to share with everyone all the new and exciting things we will be offering in our Christmas Shop this year. The shop, while in the same location as the last few years, is still under construction. "Head Elf" Orion Taylor and his trusty assistants have been very busy creating an "Old County Store" look to the shop this year. Each time I walk in, more and more changes have been made and I know you will be impressed. We will be having our first official look at the Christmas Shop at our Gardener's Night Out, next Friday, Sept 19 from 5 to 8. Plus of course all of our Fall and Halloween decorations will be out if you're looking for something new this year. I hope that you can come and check out the  horticultural demonstrations during the evening! Once there, make sure you take time to wander into the Christmas Shop have a taste of wine from Old Line, Fine Wine, and start making your list for Santa. We are also having a Scarecrow Contest that will be judged that night. Our staff has been hard at work creating some pretty cool scarecrows. Check out Orion's Mrs. Shopzalot leading into the Christmas Shop Area. These scarecrows will be going up this week and next and will stay up throughout the Fall season. You will be able to vote for your favorite scarecrow, just ask at customer service for details.
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NCAC Gesneriad Society Meeting
Lighting for Gesneriads and Other Plants
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Open to the Public w/ Special Guest Speaker Barry Woof
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 Date: Saturday, September 13
Time: 10:30 am
Learn how to light your plants for best growth! Barry, a well-known orchid grower, has researched the lighting available to the home grower and will present his findings and recommendations. |
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Behnke Garden Club Special: Crape Myrtles 25% Off
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 You've been watching them bloom for the last couple of months. They've been spectacular! Now is your chance to add one (or two) to your sunny landscape.
Must be a Behnke Garden Club member to get this special price. To join, just Sign Up Here! It's FREE
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Hardy Ferns in our Perennial Area
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They are looking just gorgeous right now, and we have a lot of ferns to share. They are very easy to grow in moist shade, offer a wonderful soft texture, and are deer resistant. In fact, you should consider getting a handful of varieties to use in different parts of your shade garden they make wonderful fillers between perennials and nice transition plants around shrubs and trees. With so many benefits, there's no reason not to.
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Bearded German Iris Bare Root Rhizomes
(in our Bulb Section)
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 Plant them now! Many varieties are re-bloomers.
Enjoy their first blooms in spring followed by a dazzling encore in late summer/early fall.
How to Plant and Grow Bearded Iris (contributed by Jim Morris) From The American Iris Society Web Site
Bearded irises are relatively easy garden plants to grow and will give good results with a minimum of care, but like all plants, the better the culture the more magnificent the display. The following instructions are easy to implement and should lead to beautiful iris blooms year after year.
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Want Your Home Decorated This Season?
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Contact Behnke's for a price quote today!
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Behnke's Holiday Lighting provides professional installation of Brite Ideas lighting products. This full-service approach to holiday lighting includes installation, removal, storage and maintenance of your lights. Behnke's Holiday Lighting staff is always here to help you with your selection or answer of any your questions. Contact Bill Mann at bmann@behnkes.net and find out just how easy and beautiful this can be.
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Behnke's Best Tall Fescue Lawn Grass Seed Blend
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 The first step to proper seeding is to choose a superior grass seed mix.
Our Behnke Best Grass Seed Mixtures contain recommended turfgrass cultivars that perform well in our region. Read our article on Earth-Friendly Lawn Care Basics.Lawns CAN be grown in an environmentally sensitive way, and this article will explain how. It summarizes the products and lawn care practices that we recommend, based on the very best research from academia, government (federal and state environmental agencies), plus our own knowledge and experience in this region and that of our customers. |
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By Jessica Crawford, Behnke's Garden Blogger
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 I am so absolutely excited that Fall is in the air. The weather this week has been refreshing and rejuvenating. I've been working on arranging my Fall garden this week. I don't remember a time in my life where my family did not have a vegetable garden. But this will only be the second year that I've attempted extending the harvest season into later months.
My heart was a little heavy this weekend as I pulled and bagged the majority of the tomato plants. Most had shriveled and put forth the last of their fruit. There are about five plants still remaining that refuse to stop producing. On the other hand, I now have plenty of space for my new seedlings. With the farmhouse renovation still going strong, time has certainly had its limitations. So I cheated a little. I picked up a few seedlings for bok choy, cauliflower, Chinese cabbage and broccoli from a local farm stand to pop straight in the ground. I also have my own purple kohlrabi, red and Chiogga beets, rutabaga, leeks and spinach to sow directly into the soil. I've also tried rainbow Swiss chard and rainbow carrots in a fall garden.
This week's harvest was quite diverse. There were still a few pounds of tomatoes, lots of jalapenos and fish peppers, gomphrena flowers, and a couple of sunflower heads for drying and roasting. But the best part was the dipper gourd harvest. Dipper gourds are a fall gourd that can be grown and dried out for a variety of purposes. I trained my one plant to grow up and over and through the 8' deer fence we have surrounding the garden. I have never seen anything quite like it. I couldn't believe the tendrils on this plant, some reaching lengths that I estimated to be about 30' long! From my one plant, I was able to gather 40 gourds. After being wiped down with a light bleach solution, they can be dried when laid out in a single layer, turning daily for 6-8 weeks. I have ambitions of making birdhouses; lots and lots of birdhouses.
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 Sod Availability - Sod is cut weekly and delivered for the weekend, weather permitting, so it's always a good idea to check with us in advance of your visit. |
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Homegrown ~ Nothing Beats It!
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Treat your family to healthy, garden fresh meals with vegetable plants, fruit trees and berry  bushes from Behnke's
Bountiful fruits and berries:
Apples, Raspberries, Plums,
Peaches, Cherries, Pears, Figs, Nectarines, Chestnuts, Jujube, Apricot, Blueberries, Huckleberries, Persimmon, Pawpaw
Plant now for a mouthwatering harvest for years to come.
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Delicious cool-season vegetable crops ~ 25% OFF!
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Broccoli, Kale, Cabbages, Cauliflower, Lettuces, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Brussels Sprouts
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Bonsai Workshops with Bonsai Master Ducky Hong
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Sign Up Online by clicking on the blue links
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 Learn the technique of bonsai from a master. Attend workshops with Ducky Hong, held at Behnke Nurseries in Beltsville.
Beginner Basics - Bonsai 101: (English Session)
Two Sessions; the First Two Saturdays of Every Month; 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm
Cost: $120 plus plant and pot (Additional materials provided)
Learn the basic techniques of bonsai, including plant selection and care, shaping and pruning. You will learn these techniques on your own plant, which you will select from Ducky's extensive inventory, and have your own starter bonsai to take home at the completion of the class.
Beginner Basics - Bonsai 101: (Korean Session)
Two Sessions; the Third and Fourth Saturdays of Every Month;
1:30 pm to 4:30 pm
Cost: $120 plus plant and pot (Additional materials provided)
Description as above
Advanced Bonsai Workshop: (English and Korean)
Class meets every Saturday from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm
Cost: $300 for three months, plus plants, pots and materials
Pre-requisite: Introduction to Bonsai Workshop, or permission of Ducky
Structure: Working with Ducky, you will design one or more projects that you will continue on your own, with one-on-one instruction and guidance by Ducky.
Classes during the Week: (English or Korean)
Class to run for 4 weeks, 1.5 hours per class.
Cost: $120 plus plant and pot (Additional materials provided)
If you have 5 or more people that would like to take the Introductory Class during a week day, Ducky will arrange times with you.
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 Orchid Re-Potting Clinic with Carol Allen Carol's advice is always FREE. Just bring in the plants you are concerned about.She will tell you how to resolve problems, and, for a minimal fee, she will expertly re-pot them, showing you how.
(9:30 am - 4:30 pm)
September 13 & 14 October 12 & 13 during the National Capital Orchid Society Fall Show & Sale
November 8 & 9
December 6& 7  Date: September 27
Time: 11am or 2pm
Cost: $45
Watching tulips, daffodils and other bulbs POP out in the spring makes the season cheery and is so satisfying to the gardener. In this class you will plant a layered container garden with spring blooming bulbs and top it off with pansies for fall color. You will receive instructions on how to care for it so that next spring you can enjoy the fruits of your labor as the container begins a succession of blooming.
Weekends in October: Visit our Children's Fall Fun Area
with activities for children 10 and under.
 Saturday, October 4th 7th Annual Chili Cook Off & Harvest Festival
9:30 to 4:30 pm
Chili Tasting begins at noon, with all proceeds going to Beltsville Rotary Club.
Do you make the best chili ever? Why not join in the fun and take part in our Chili Cook Off!  Email, sfleming@behnkes.net for details!
Old Line Fine Wine & Bistro will be back for beer tasting!
October 11 to the 13, 2014
The 67th National Capital Orchid Society Fall Show 
Mark this event on your calendar, you won't want to miss this, as the NCOS converts our large houseplant greenhouse to an Orchid Wonderland for the weekend, with hundreds of blooming orchids on display. There will also be a number of independent orchid vendors on site so you can find the perfect orchids to try at home. If you like orchids, this is the show for you!
 Selecting, Planting & Forcing Bulbs to Produce a Beautiful Winter & Spring Display w/ Christopher LewisDate: October 11 1 am & again at 2 pm Discover how to (1) select and plant spring flowering bulbs for a longer spring display, (2) use deer resistant bulbs, and (3) force bulbs for winter indoor displays.
Plant a Fall Themed Porch Pot - w/ Carol Allen 
Saturday, October 18th WORKSHOP - Plant a Fall Themed Porch Pot - w/ Carol Allen 11 am OR 2 pm Workshop COST: $40 Carol will guide you through the process of planting your own colorful porch pot that will carry you through the Thanksgiving holiday that will include pansies, ornamental cabbage, seasonal gourds and more.
Attractive Winter Interest Shrubs & Trees to  Add to Your Landscape w/ Christopher LewisOctober 25, 2014 11 am & again at 2 pm Discover a showcase of easy-care shrubs and trees that are particularly attractive in autumn and winter. Saturday, November 8
Behnke's Fall Craft Show 
This will be our 7th year for the Craft Show. Each year we get many new crafters along with some of our past favorites. There will be food and fun for the kids! It is also when we kick off our yearly
Toys for Tots campaign.
If you are a crafter, artisan, or vendor of unique items and would like to participate, email Stephanie at sfleming@behnkes.net
 Saturday, November 22
Behnke's Christmas Open House
Stop in and see our beautiful poinsettias while getting a head start on your holiday decorating. Bring the children for photo ops with Santa and enjoy some FREE hot cocoa and cookies. There will be FREE activities for the children!
Saturday, November 29
Small Business Saturday
The 2015 Event Calender is being worked on now! We are planning lots of great talks and demonstrations throughout 2015 with even more activities for children. After another great Garden Party this year we have already picked the date for next year. Mark your calendars for June 6, 2015!
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Behnke's Summer Hours
Beltsville Sunday - Thursday ~ 9 to 6 Friday ~ 9 to 8 Open Late
Saturday ~ 8 to 6 Open Early
Behnke Nurseries Contacts:
Beltsville: 301-937-1100
Email: behnkes@behnkes.net
Web Site: www.behnkes.com |
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