BEFORE YOU TAKE
THAT VACATION

Don't forget your plant friends. Unless you are growing plants that like a little neglect (and there really are very few plants like this), chances are you will need to care for your plants if you are gone for more than a day or so. But how to do this?

Click here for our pre-vacation reminders

HELP YOUR PLANTS
BEAT THE HEAT

Now that we are in the midst of summer (technically, though these temperature swings are keeping things interesting), it's time to think about how to keep your plants happy during those heat spells.

Hot weather puts a lot of stress on plants, and in those conditions, plants tend to go into survival mode. You might see your leafy green and cool season vegetables immediately going to seed (bolting) or your tender young plants wilting, slowing down, and generally looking unhappy.

Click here to get our tips on managing the heat.

KEEP YOUR PLANTS BLOOMING
AND HERBS HERBING

You might notice that some of the blooms in your patio boxes are done. Instead of leaving them, clean them up. Removing spent blooms encourages more blooms, as your plants devote their energy back into creating more blooms.

Similarly, preventing your herbs from blooming puts more energy back into growing leaves (the parts you eat)

Click here to learn more about extending the bloom time of your plants

WATER WISEly
 

Our short summers mean that we need to take advantage of that bright yellow thing in the sky before the clouds return. But don't forget that your plants need help and extra protection to stay healthy in the heat.

Remember that it's all about the roots! Your plants need water at the root level (which is why watering on top of plants is often ineffective). And roots are deep, so you want to provide enough water to reach the roots. But roots also need oxygen, so make sure that your soil drains well.

Here are some general watering tips. Come on in for our more complete free handout on watering.

• Watering deeply less often is better than watering shallow more often. After you water, use a moisture tester or put your finger in the soil and see how far down the water went.
• When it rains, remember that the amount of water actually reaching the plant roots might be insufficient, so don't assume that a little rain is an excuse not to water.

• Watering in the early morning or evening minimizes evaporation, but be more careful if you water in the evening, as the lack of evaporation could also increase disease pressure.
• Try mulching around your plant beds to slow down evaporation.
• Very dry soil may need repeated watering to get the soil to absorb water. If you water an area and the water simply runs off, it's not reaching the roots...
• Try a soaker hose or invest in drip irrigation. Not only do these water regularly, they water slowly, which prevents runoff and ensures that water will reach roots.
• Remember that drought tolerant plants need water too, just not as often. Also, drought tolerant plants must be established to be drought tolerant (sorry), so they will need to be watered much like other plants for the first few years.

LET GOOD BUGS BEAT
THE BAD BUGS

When you see aphids on your roses, it's easy to forget that many of the bugs in our gardens are good and fight the bad ones on your behalf!

Here is a list of the beneficial bugs we stock at this time of the year. (Please call us for availability as these are live creatures and we don't keep a large stock on hand.)

• Ladybugs -- Most of us are familiar with the ladybug, and while they look docile, they are pretty fierce when it comes to attacking aphids, mites, thrips, mealybugs, and other pests.
• Praying Mantis -- Mantises are territorial and quite efficient at attacking grasshoppers, crickets, caterpillars, beetles, and pretty much anything they encounter, including beneficial insects, so keep that in mind.
• Green lacewings -- Green lacewings attack aphids, scale, white fly, mealy bugs, caterpillars, and more. Note that they are predators only in their larval stages only. Adult lacewings are large green insects with lacey wings.
• Nematodes -- There are a variety of nematodes, but ones we sell target beetle and fly larvae in lawns and gardens. They are also great for eliminating root weevil (larvae) for rhododendrons.
• Predatory mites -- Predatory mites attack the bad mites, like spider mites, rust mites, cyclamen mites, etc. If you have a spider mite infestation on your houseplants, these mites are the ticket.

POLLINATOR-FRIENDLY
GARDENING

Did you know that one out of every three foods we eat rely on pollinators? Pollinators fertilize flowers, which then produce seeds, which you can find buried in that apple you eat or on the outside of the strawberry that you pick. In the non-edible world, pollinators help maintain a thriving ecosystem by continuing plant species and adding biodiversity.

As you garden, think about what you are doing in your garden to encourage bees, birds, and butterflies. And also to ensure that we aren't doing to anything detrimental to our flying and buzzing friends.

• Create a pollinator-friendly environment in your backyard. Plant flowers that encourage bees and birds, like asters, coneflowers, lavender, sunflowers, yarrow, etc. Have water dishes in a safe place for pollinators to get a drink.
• Check the labels of any insecticide, herbicide, or fungicide that you use. Be aware of spraying where the bees are and minimizing spray drift.
• Take care of the environment. Climate change not only affects humans.
• Come on in to pick up our list of pollinator friendly plants.