shades of green garden gazette - october 2009

8/14/2019 Shades of Green Garden Gazette - October 2009

1/4

October, 2009

Very few landscapes came through our grueling summer without some damage, and mostof us are anxious to get out and work in our gardens. One fun way to add instant excitementis with colorful annuals. At this time of year there are so many from which to choose, andthey can be added with abandon to beds, pots, and hanging baskets. Many will bloom heavilythis fall, grow foliage through the winter, and then the well-established plants will burst intobloom again next spring. Plants with this flowering sequence include snapdragons, calendulaspetunias, stock, dianthus, phlox, alyssum, mini carnations, and others.

Some plant varieties bloom continuously from the time you set them out, through thewinter, and until the heat of summer returns next year. The viola family (pansies, violas, andJohnny jump-ups) fall into this category as do cyclamen and primrose. Ornamental cabbageand kale can be counted on to provide colorful foliages all winter long.

Come in and let us show you all of our wonderful selections and maybe some newcombinations that may surprise you. The main thing is to get out and enjoy working in yourgarden as the weather cools down. The Saturday Seminar on annuals is October 24th.

READY FOR COLOR?

A Celebration of FallAfter enduring a seemingly endless summer of record heat and drought

we are now experiencing cooler temperaturesand have gotten some much needed rain.

We thought this was a great excuse to celebrate the arrival

of fall and a new gardening season.The nursery is brimming with exciting color, shrubs, and treesthat will get you in the mood to revitalize your landscape!

Mark October 20th through 24th on your calendarand drop by during the day for refreshments and inspiration.

If you have turf areas that have been damaged either by grubworms or by drought, overseedyour lawn with rye grass. You will have a beautiful green lawn which will accentuate your colorfulbeds while hiding the damaged lawn. There are now rye grass varieties which stay low and needlittle or no mowing. These are a little more expensive but are well worth the investment for manymonths of low maintenance green. One other benefit of rye grasses is that they perform equallywell in sun or bright shade.

IF YOUR LAWN IS LESS THAN PERFECT

FALL FERTILIZING is always considered the most important feeding of the year, and afterthe extreme summer we have had, it is even more so. Plants are stressed, yellowed, and morevulnerable than ever to cold damage. Landscape Essentials Fertilizerwill help your plants recoverand prepare for the cold weather ahead.


2/4

DISASTER OR OPPORTUNITYIf you have lost lawn grass because of drought or grubworms, you are not alone. Virtually

everyone has lost some grass, and in areas where watering was impractical or impossible, whole

lawns died. Many people see this as a disaster, but it can just as easily be viewed as a wonderfulopportunity. Large grassy areas are quickly becoming a thing of the past. They require inordinateamounts of water, which as populations grow and droughts become more severe, are in shorterand shorter supply. Also they take a lot of maintenance, and are not ecologically practical.

Our recommendation: As you look out over your landscape, let your imagination run wild!Contemplate a new or expanded vegetable garden, a deck or patio, an area filled with crushedgranite that allows for outdoor dining, a hammock, or comfortable chairs for lounging. Createa fun space for your kids to play without worrying about damaging lawn or flower beds. Inother areas you might plan beds full of colorful perennials, many of which are native and takefar less water than grass, but which provide you with endless enjoyment. Herb gardens, cuttinggardens, and a greenhouse are other possibilities. Plantings of shrubs as accents or for privacymay also work in your landscape. Even a fountain or water feature uses less water than turf.

Finally, imagine finishing your weekly mowing and edging in ten minutes rather than 2+ hours.Maybe losing that grass wasnt such a bad thing after all! You can now envision more time with yourkids, fishing, golfing, or other fun activities. For more ideas attend our October 31st Seminar.

A NEW BULB

C h a s m a n t h e h a s b e e n h i g h l yrecommended to usas a plant that willnaturalize here. The

dark green, grass-like foliage is highlyattract ive , and i taccentuates the spikesof orange or yellowflowers that appearin the spring. Plant inareas receiving half tofull day of sun, in rich,well-drained soil.

Fall bulbs are such interesting phenomena. You set them out in the fall, and they basicallydisappear. Suddenly, sometimes months later,foliage appears. Then when you least expectit, colorful flowers appear where you barely remember planting bulbs.

There are many different types available. Some should be treated as annuals because theyonly perform for a single year. Oh, but what a colorful show they provide! Others such asnarcissus and Dutch iris naturalize (return year after year) and behave more like perennials.

There are a few rules to follow when planting bulbs. Choose sunny areas, work generousamounts of compost into the soil along with some Landscape Essentialsor blood meal. Plantthem in masses. One or two bulbs will not be nearly as satisfying as a large grouping. Andavoid planting bulbs too deeply. A rule of thumb is to plant them as deep as they are tall, i.eif a bulb is 2 tall, plant it so that there is 2 of soil over the top.

Our bulbs have just arrived, and they look great! It is best to buy them early so that you getthe best selection; however, planting times will vary with the bulb. Watch your Garden GazetteMonthly Calendarfor planting dates and plan to attend the Bulb Seminar on October 17th.

NOTE: If you want to force bulbs for holiday gifts or decorating, the process should startthis month. Ask for our Forcing Bulbshandout when you come in to purchase your bulbs.

BULBSNATURES TREASURES

Wildflowers are a wonderful source of natural, native color,and they can be used in a variety of ways. In urban areas they canbe used to brighten neighborhood common areas, medians, andlandscapes. Plantings of wildflowers in selected spots can coverareas where lawn grass has died out. In rural areas, broadcast seedswherever you can and let them naturalize. Due to the lack of rainsthe past two years, not as much seed has been produced, so you

can help to increase the number and variety of wildflowers.Fall is the ideal time to plant wildflower seed. Here are sometips for success. Pick sunny areas. To ensure good seed-to-soilcontact, rake areas to be planted with a hard rake if possible.Use only locally grown seed. Our seed is produced in this areaso you know you are getting varieties that thrive here. Also ourseed selections do not contain grass fillers. You are getting 100%wildflower seed.

NOTE: Due to the drought, our native bluebonnets are notavailable in bulk this year. DO NOT purchase or plant bluebonnetseed from East Texas or the High Plains as these varieties aredistinctly different and do not do well here.

WILD COLOR


3/4


4/4

Presort Standard

U. S. Postage

PaidSan Antonio, Texas 78209

Permit No. 548

Address Service Requested

Business Hours

334 West Sunset RoadSan Antonio, Texas 78209

210-824-3772www.shadesofgreensa.com

Mon. - Sat. 9:00 to 5:00Sun. 10:00 to 4:00

ITS TIME FOR BROWN PATCHAs lower nighttime temperatures return this fall, so does the threat of brown patch fungus

disease. To lower your risk of this damaging and persistent disease, do not leave your grass wetat night and use only organic fertilizers.

If you have had this disease in the past, make a preventative application ofwhole ground cornmeal. Otherwise, be vigilant and at the first sign of damage (yellow or brown patches appearing

in your lawn), make a heavier curative application ofcornmeal.

SATURDAY SPRING SEMINARS

October 3 LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE...After the extreme drought and heat of sum-mer, good fall maintenance is especially critical. Learn how to heal stressed plants, maintainhealthy plants, control weeds, and prepare your landscape for winter.October 10 GRASSES AND FALL PERENNIALS...Grasses are an extremely effectivelandscape addition and create a beautiful seasonal look when combined with fall perennials.October 17 THE UNDERGROUND WORLD OF BULBS...You may not see much of

your bulbs after you plant them, but they will certainly get your attention when they bloom.Come learn how to maximize their impact.October 24 INTENSIFY THE COLOR IN YOUR LANDSCAPE...The best way toachieve long lasting color in your landscape is with annuals. We will teach you what you needto know from design and selection to bed preparation and maintenance.

October 31 REDESIGNING YOUR LANDSCAPE...The extreme drought and heat oflast summer have made many people aware of the need to rethink their landscapes. Let us giveyou some new and unique ideas to make your landscape a more usable part of your life.

Seminars begin at 9:45 am (the coffee will be ready by 9:00).

Save the Planet by switching your Garden Gazette to the e-mail format. Pleasetell us next time you are in, call us, or e-mail us at [email protected](this address is only available for subscription purposes). Please include the addressat which you are currently receiving your newsletter so we can match the namescorrectly.

NOTE: If you have houseplants that have spent the summer outdoors, it is time to start ac-climating them before bringing them back indoors. If possible, move them to areas with lowerlight, feed them, and just before their move inside either drench the soil with a diluted solutionof orange oil or dust the soil with D.E.

shades of green garden gazette - october 2009

Documents