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WEEKLY SPECIAL |
Dianthus
Scroll down to SAVE! |
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Spiraea 'Magic Carpet' has a lot of color going on right now. Chartreus, magenta and bright red new growth. Growing 2'x3' its sure to call your attention at the front of the border! |
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 | | Ammophila breviligulata |
American Beachgrass - One of the most common dune plants along much of the Atlantic Coast. We have a great supply of 50 cell flats in stock in Newtown - Come take a look! |
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Contact Us
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NEWTOWN
140 Huntingtown Road
Newtown, CT 06470
tel. 203-426-4037
fax. 203-426-8057
WATERTOWN
496 Bunker Hill Road
Watertown, CT 06795
tel. 860-945-6588
fax. 860-945-9282
GENERAL QUESTIONS
Monday - Saturday
7am - 4:30 pm
Reminder: Starting June 29th Saturday hours will be 7am-1pm |
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Twist N Shout Hydrangea |
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Mark says, "Don't forget the oxygen!"
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Notice the lack of healthy white roots in this poorly oxygenated, wet soil. |
The forgotten nutrient
I often field questions on plant health and proper fertility. First let's remember that when we supply some of the raw materials, like fertilizer, the plant then makes its food (sugar) through the process of photosynthesis. The plant then needs to burn that sugar (respiration) to release the energy captured in that sugar for growth. To do this oxygen is needed. No Oxygen = No Growth. We all know what happens if we go without oxygen for a short period of time. So let's understand that a tree can NOT and does NOT take oxygen from the atmosphere into its leaves and move it down the trunk to the roots where sugars are burned in the process of respiration. That DOES NOT HAPPEN. Oxygen moves passively, without any assistance by the plant through the capillary spaces in the soil and into the roots. So if the soil is waterlogged or compacted or otherwise holds too much water because the capillaries are too small, you will have, in short order, a dead plant.
So what should you do? Before planting anything check the soil. If you take the time to become familiar with soil texture, you will be able to easily see when your soil will limit oxygen to the roots- likely causing death. If this is the case you can amend the soil with things like peat moss to make the soil capillaries larger and unable to hold too much water allowing for oxygen to move in. You can also plant high or do a raised planting to get above any high water line.Think about the trees in our nursery all sitting on top of the ground. They are certainly getting oxygen all around the roots, being a root ball on top of the ground, then we add water though irrigation and they are fine. In short, there is no such thing as planting too high, the roots then have oxygen and you can add water until the roots become established. Remember: if you plant high you can add water, but if you plant deep you can't add oxygen.
Stay tuned, next week I will explain why you need to use potting mixes in container grown plants; it's all about oxygen! |
Need Instant Impact?
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We still have a great supply of 4" and 6" annuals in Newtown! Plenty of full sun and shade annuals (like these colorful Coleus!) to choose from. Fill in those pots and barespots and make your gardens shine! |
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Spotlight on Large Specimens
Japanese Snowbell (Styrax japonica)
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8/10' Styrax japonica in full bloom |
Here's one of our favorite under-used flowering trees, Styrax japonica. A delicate looking tree with small leaves and beautiful fragrant white flowers that hang in groups along the branches. A small 1/2" fruit (drupe) forms and persists through mid-fall. Japanese Snowbells grow to about 20-30' and have a rounded crown. The size lends itself to smaller properites, shrub borders and as an accent plant near patios. We have some beautiful 3.5-4" caliper, 8/10' (seen above left) and smaller sizes as well. Plant in rich acidic soil that is well drained along with some fertilizer like Healthy Start or Roots to help them thrive from the beginning. Since they leaf out in spring relatively early, try underplanting with spring bulbs like Crocus or Chionodoxa (Glory of the Snow). It's a beautiful tree for any landscape, so give it a try! And if you like Styrax - check out the 'Pink Chimes' we planted in our fields - ready to dig next year (See picture below)! |
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News from Watertown
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In our fields to be dug next year...
Styrax japonica 'Pink Chimes'! |
An on-going job here at Planters' Choice is monitoring the root growth on recently potted perennials, checking for when they will be ready for sale. We are moving material into our "sellable" inventory weekly and have just moved some Pulmonaria 'Majeste' and 'Blue Ensign', Rudbeckia hirta 'Autumn Colors', Stokesia 'Blue Danube', Dendranthemum 'Clara Curtis' and others - all ready for your upcoming jobs! Stay in-the-know and call either office for availability anytime!
Also good to know- we have some gorgeous Birch out of the ground, ready for sale - both 'Jacquemonti' and River Birch in clump form. The sizes range from 8/10' up to 18-20'! Perfect for specimens or planted as a grove... and fabulous for winter interest! Ironwood Landscaping out of Whethersfield commented today on the 16/18' River Birch he just planted. "It is gorgeous! My customers were really happy!"
Looking for something striking for a spring display? Try some Yoshino Cherries! A beautiful wide-spreading tree with a history! These 2-2.5" to 3-3.5" are above ground and ready for sale in good quantities.
We look forward to seeing you soon!
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Perennial Focus
Salvia nemerosa 'Lyrical Rose'
(Meadow Sage)
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Lyrical Rose Meadow Sage |
Salvias are such useful plants - they don't take up much room, they look great massed, attract butterflies, are deer resistant and drought tolerant. We all know and love 'Marcus', 'May Night' and the classy white 'Snowhill', but have you used this pink form? Mix with Dianthus, Giant Lamb's Ears, Moonshine Yarrow and Catmint for a sweet, full sun, splash o'color! |
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Perennial Hot List
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Pincushion Flowers |
Looking Good and in Good Supply!
- Scabiosa columbaria ' Butterfly Blue' (Pincushion Flower)
- Iris ensata 'Crystal Halo' (Japanese Iris)
- Hosta 'Francee' (Plantain Lily)
- Schizachyrium scoparium 'The Blues' (Little Bluestem)
- Dianthus gratianopolitanus 'Eastern Star' (Cheddar Pinks) *note the Weekly Special!
Consider these for your upcoming jobs! |
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Weekly Special
Dianthus deltoides and D. gratianopolitanus
Any single variety, 5 or more 10% off !
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Dianthus 'Eastern Star' |
Give your customers some perennial spring color! Choose from Dianthus 'Albus', 'Brilliant', 'Eastern Star', 'Fire Witch', 'Star Fire', 'Bath's Pink', 'Vampire' and ''Zing Rose'. Great spreading plant for full sun in well-drained soil. Buy 5 of one variety and get 10% off.
Valid Sat. 6/15- Fri. 6/21
Also:
***Large 5-6" Pink Weeping Cherries are 25% off
***Heritage River Birch 16-18' are now at the 12/14' price!
Don't miss out! |
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NOW!
Incoming and Looking Good This Week!
 | | Rugosa Rose |
| Deciduous Trees, Shrubs | | | Buddleia 'Lo & Behold Blue Chip' | Butterfly Bush | | Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle' | Smoothleaf Hydrangea | | Hydrangea macrophylla 'Blushing Bride', 'Cityline Venice', 'Endless Summer' | Bigleaf Hydrangea cultivars | | Hydrangea paniculata 'Little Lamb' | Panicle Hydrangea | | Kerria japonica 'Golden Guinea' | Japanese Kerria (single flower) | | Rosa 'Knockouts, 'New Dawn' (climber), 'Winner's circle' (climber), 'The Fairy', Flower Carpets | Roses | | Rosa rugosa | Rugosa Rose (pink) | | Ulmus americana 'New Harmony' | American Elm |
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One shot, so many varieties: Silberlocke Fir, Globosa standards, Boulevard Pompoms, Weeping Alaskan Cedar, Weeping Colorados and much more... |
| Ornamental and Broadleaf Evergreens | | | Buxsem semp. Specimen & Hedge, 'Green Mountain', 'Green Velvet', 'Suffruiticosa', 'Winter Gem' | Boxwood cultivars | | Cephalotaxus h. 'Fastigiata' | Fastigiate Plum Yew | | Ilex crenata 'Sky Pencil' | Japanese Holly cultivar | | Ilex glabra 'Shamrock' | Inkberry | | Ilex opaca 'Satyr Hill' 4/5' | American Holly limited | | Ilex pernyi 'West Virginia' | Perny Holly | | Juniperus chinensis 'Mountbatten', 'Blue Point' | Upright Juniper |
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Seen in House 57 A! These just happen to be grouped together making a striking combo: Hypericum 'Albury Purple', Deutzia 'Chardonay Pearls' and Physocarpus 'Summer Wine' - give them a try in the shrub border! |
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Have a Great Weekend!
As always, we appreciate your business!
Chuck and Darryl Newman
Planters' Choice Nursery |
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