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Nursery & Bulk Supercenter

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www.rlnbulksupercenter.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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June 2, 2004

Competing Priorities...
With the school year behind us, this is the first official day of summer for the kids and me. It was sure nice to sleep a little later than normal. We have chosen slower paced mornings as opposed to the rush around early morning behaviors typical of the school year. I am ready for the change and will enjoy it for the time being. The kids are all about sleepovers and swimming pools.  As far as I'm concerned it's still a little cool out for the pool. Unfortunately my vote doesn't always count.  Do you think it would be unreasonable to ask the kids to just kind of hang out in the garden with mom until it becomes too hot and miserable?  Wishful thinking on my part!

Missouri Organic delivered six cubic yards of mulch to our house last Wednesday (photo). Due to the crazy wet weather and lack of time Kevin and I are still trying to get the gardens covered. I am really excited about the mulch we chose this year. In years past we have always used cedar. I wanted to try something new this year so we chose Missouri Organic's Premium 1 Mulch. It is a 100% natural ground cover and looks very similar to topsoil (from a distance) when spread in the gardens. I love the look. Their prices are unbeatable so call and have some delivered to your house today!

The cooler temperatures and lower humidity are a nice change. Hopefully Mother Nature is done unleashing her wrath upon us and surrounding states. It has been a tough two weeks for many of our gardening friends. Weather is such a critical part of the gardening recipe. Sometimes it's good and sometimes it's not. I guess you just have to make do with what you get.

~ Shelly  

Erupting Soon In A Garden Near You...
This time of year it's not uncommon to have a period of wet weather followed by some rather warm early summer temperatures.  If you have mulched areas in your garden, that unique combination is going to lead to something that's pretty disgusting to look at - slime mold eruptions.  You see, slime mold spores will grow and expand (at an alarming rate) until they "erupt" over the surface of the mulch.  It's not very pretty to look at but rest assured it's harmless.  Try to scoop it up whole (so you don't inadvertently release more spores) and dispose of it in a compost pile or trash can.  

Be A Deadheader...
So your perennials have bloomed and they are starting to look as if they are finished?  Hold on a minute...  If you trim off the dead blooms they will likely bloom again!  I'm talking about roses, bachelor buttons, coreopsis and dianthus (just to name a few)Sure, it's extra work (especially dianthus, it's wickedly time-consuming to trim all of those flowers back) but the reward is well worth it once you see them re-blooming.  If you are not sure whether your perennial will bloom again cut it back anyway to keep a neat appearance in the garden.

You should also deadhead petunias, snapdragons, geraniums, marigolds and zinnias.  This will prevent seed formation and promote continued flowering.

Timing Is Everything...
Sometimes the hardest part of growing great vegetables is knowing when they're ready for harvest.  Timing is everything as they say and that's certainly true for your garden's bounty.  To make your job a little easier we've compiled a list of common garden vegetables and the guidelines you should follow to determine if they are ready for harvest.  You will find "When to Harvest Vegetables" in the Features section of our website.

 


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Itchy, Scratchy, Savvy...
Poison ivy rash is an unfortunate byproduct of working outdoors for many gardeners.  The rash we get from our exposure to poison ivy (as well as poison oak and sumac) is an allergic reaction to contact with an oil called urushiol (oo-ROO-she-ol).  All species of poison ivy, oak and sumac have urushiol in their roots, stems, leaves and fruit.  The oil or sap is released when plants are bruised.  For this reason poison ivy rashes are more common in the spring and early summer when leaves and stems are tender.  The sap may be deposited on the skin by direct contact with the plant, through contact with contaminated objects such as shoes, clothing, tools and animals, or as airborne urushiol particles from burning plants.  

We're betting that you still cling to at least one of the poison ivy myths below.  Now is a good time to set the record straight: 

  • Myth 1 - Scratching poison ivy blisters spreads the rash. 
    Not true.  Fluid discharged from blisters will not spread the rash.  Well before the blisters form, however, you may spread the urushiol on your hands to other parts of your body. 
  • Myth 2 - Poison ivy is contagious. 
    Not true.  The rash is simply a reaction to urushiol.  The rash cannot pass from person to person; only the urushiol can be spread by direct contact. 
  • Myth 3 - You can "catch" poison ivy by being near it. 
    Not true.  Direct contact or contact with smoke from burning plants is needed to introduce urushiol onto the victim. 
  • Myth 4 - Once allergic, always allergic to poison ivy. 
    Not true.  A person's sensitivity changes over time, even from season to season.  People who were sensitive to urushiol as children may not be allergic as adults. 
  • Myth 5 - There's no need to worry about dead plants.
    Not true.  Urushiol remains active on any surface, including dead plants, for up to 5 years! 
  • Myth 6 - Covering up is good protection. 
    Partly
    true.  Urushiol can stick to your clothes which you can touch and spread to your skin later.

Source

It's A Wrap!
Ever wonder how gardeners produce the perfect blooms that are entered in flower shows?  Our flowers look great but they don't all hold up to extra-close inspection.  Here's one secret to perfectly beautiful blooms:

  • Start with a piece of spun-bonded, polyester row cover material.
  • Cut a square large enough to cover the desired bud.
  • Loosely wrap each bloom with the fabric gathering the edges with strong thread so the material is snug against the stem.
  • Keep the bloom wrapped until cutting time.

This nifty trick will prevent insects from getting to your prized buds.

 


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What's Hot On The Hotline...
Think that leaf curl on your plants is due to disease.  Maybe not.  All too often we are finding similar damage caused by the overspraying of herbicides in breezy weather.  That observation and more are in this week's What's Hot On the Hotline...

Heading Off Seedheads...
Cool season turfgrasses such as Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass are currently producing seedheads - a natural phenomenon triggered by the current day length.  Seedheads are a nuisance for several reasons:

  • They grow quickly and unevenly detracting from the appearance of a lawn. 
  • The seed stalk is tougher than grass blades so they do not cut cleanly except with the sharpest of mower blades.  
  • After mowing, the grass may also appear a lighter green to yellow because of the exposed seed stalks.  
  • Turfgrass plants also expend a lot of energy producing seedheads and turf density may also decrease slightly as a result. 

The most effective way to control seedheads is through frequent mowing with a sharp mower blade.  Avoid the temptation to lower your cutting height as doing so will cause the rest of your turf to suffer as summer approaches.

Source

Finally...
"Flowers are beautiful hieroglyphics of nature, with which she indicates how much she loves us."

~ Wolfgang von Geothe, Author

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