A message from %%!account_organization%%.
Image
July 2018
Issue 97
Hello Great Gardener,

We have this question come up all the time. Why are my flowers not blooming? There can be several reasons, but one important tip is to make sure to deadhead your flowers (remove spent flowers) especially with annuals and perennials. Deadheading can not only encourage new blooms, but it also helps to promote new growth as well.
As always, if you have any questions, comments or suggestions, hit reply. I would love to hear from you. Have a great-gardening day.


Sincerely,
Holly
P.S. I just got back from vacation so here are a couple of pictures from my trip.
Image
Taquamenon Falls, Michigan
Image
Sleeping Bear Dunes, Michigan
Japanese Beetles
Image
Japanese Beetles are out in full force right now. These beetles, unfortunately, do not discriminate on what types of plants they feed on, leaving behind skeletonized leaves and wholly defoliated plants in their wake.

One beetle may not cause much damage, but they like to feed in groups.

There is hope for your garden. Although it is impossible to get rid of Japanese beetles entirely, there are some controls which you can use that with a little time and patience will keep them in check.

What We Recommend:

Always apply chemicals in the early morning or late evening. Only use chemicals as needed.

Hand Pick: Each morning pick them off plants and toss them into a bucket of soapy water. If you get the “scouts” that are the first to arrive, it will significantly reduce the overall population.

Diatomaceous Earth: Also organic. Kills insects that come into contact with it or ingest it within 48 hours. Use by applying a light dusting on plants.

Bonide Neem Oil: Is an excellent all-purpose insecticide, miticide, fungicide for organic gardening. It is also safe to use around pets and children. Just follow directions on the bottle. Will burn plants if applied during the heat of the day.

St. Gabriel Milky Spore: Prevention is the best medicine. Place down Milky Spore to kill future grubs that turn into Japanese Beetles, following the directions on the back of the bag.


We Do Not Recommend:

Japanese Beetle Traps: Many people ask about Japanese Beetle traps which are out on the market. We do not carry them; reason being, they attract more beetles to your garden than you may have had previously.
Attracting Bats To Your Home
Image

These little flying mammals are great hunters of mosquitoes and other annoying insects. In fact, research reveals that a single bat can eat more than 600 mosquitoes per hour. They're a fantastic,  organic pest-control method.

By creating a bat-friendly yard, you're also doing good on a grander scale. Like many species, bat populations are declining due to pesticide use and habitat loss.

Like birds, bats prefer a source of shelter and they'll often hang out in old trees and large shrubs. Bats nest in abandoned buildings, hollow trees, under a building's eves, in loose tree bark, and in bat houses. Bats also enjoy water features, such as ponds, where insects may congregate.

Planting night-blooming flowers will help attract bats (and give your yard another level of beauty). Some great night-bloomers include datura, moonflower, four-o'clock, yucca, evening primrose, night-blooming water lily, night-blooming jasmine, cleome, and nicotiana.
Attracting Bats:
Bats have to find new roosts on their own. Existing evidence strongly suggests that lures or attractants (including bat guano) will not attract bats to a bat house. Bats investigate new roosting opportunities while foraging at night, and they are expert at detecting crevices, cracks, nooks and crannies that offer shelter from the elements and predators. Bat houses installed on buildings or poles are easier for bats to locate, have greater occupancy rates and are occupied two and half times faster than those mounted on trees.

Unlike domestic animals, bats are wild and free-ranging. It is usually illegal to buy or sell them, and permits to capture and possess bats are generally limited to researchers, zoos, wildlife rehabilitators and educational organizations. Catching and relocating bats to new areas is, in any case, highly unlikely to succeed. Bats have strong homing instincts, and once released into a bat house, will attempt to return to their former home area. Consequently, placing bats in a bat house is usually futile and is not recommended. If a bat house remains unoccupied after two full years, consider repositioning or modifying the house.
Image
Build A Bat House:
Bat houses are a great way to provide habitat for bats. Use a rough, nontoxic wood (such as plywood or cedar) to make your box. The rough surface will make it easier for bats to climb in and out of the house. Keep the roughest side of the wood to the inside of the house. If your not inclined to build one purchase one from  your local garden center.
Temperatures:
Maintaining proper roost temperatures is probably the single most important factor for a successful bat house. Interior temperatures should be warm and as stable as possible (ideally 80 to 100 Degrees F in summer) for mother bats to raise their young. Some species, such as the big brown bat prefer temperatures below 95 F, while others, such as the little brown bat, tolerate temperatures in excess of 100 F.

Bachelor bats are less picky and may use houses with cooler temperatures. The sides of wooden or masonry structure are the best sites, especially in colder climates, because temperatures are more stable than for houses attached to poles.

Bat house temperatures are influenced directly by the exterior color, compass orientation (East-, southeast-, or south-facing are generally good bets for single houses in most climates), the amount of sun exposure, how well the house is caulked and vented, and the mounting and construction materials. You may have to experiment to get the right placement and temperature range. You can always use a thermometer taped to a pole to see if temperatures are suitable inside the bat house (check the chambers high and low, and front and back).
Installation Sites:
Bat houses work best if they're at least 2 feet tall, 1 foot wide, and 3 inches deep. Hang them 10 to 15 feet above the ground and place them in a sunny spot where they can absorb lots of heat during the day. (Painting the boxes black is helpful.) Mount bat houses on poles, buildings, or other structures.

Pick installation sites with care so you don’t have to move it after it is occupied. Most bat houses have open bottoms, which keeps guano from accumulating inside. Guano will, however, end up on the ground underneath, so avoid placing bat houses directly above window, doors, decks or walkways. Bat urine may stain some finishes. Two- or four-inch spacers between a bat house and the wall, a large backboard or a longer landing area below a bat house may reduce guano deposits on the wall. A potted plant or a shallow tray or plant saucer can be placed underneath a bat house to collect bat guano for use as fertilizer in flower beds or gardens. Do not use a bucket or deep container (unless 1/4-inch or smaller mesh covers the entire top of the container), as any baby bats that fall from the bat house could become trapped inside.
Maintaining Your Bat House:
Once you have attracted bats, you must maintain the bat houses to keep bats coming back year after year. Wasp and mud dauber nests should be cleaned out each winter after bats and wasps have departed. New caulk and paint or stain may be required after three to five years to guard against leaks and drafts. Bat houses should be monitored at least once a month (preferably more often) to detect potential problems such as predators, overheating, wood deterioration, etc. Any repairs or cleaning should be performed when bats are not present.
Prime Picking Chart
Image
Image
Dead Heading Butterfly Bushes
See the video above on how to dead head butterfly bushes.
Specials
Image
Landscape Sale!
$20 Off
for every
$100 purchase Of
Trees, Shrubs, Perennials, Roses, Small Fruits and Fruit Trees.


Does Not Include: Annuals, Online Items, Houseplants (i.e. Citrus, Cactus, Succulents, Tropicals), Herbs, Vegetables or Any Other Plants Not Designated.

Sorry, No Prior Purchases Are Eligible
Sale Ends July 15th
Nature's Castoffs
Image
If you missed the Cement Leaf Casting Talk with Sheila Geiling here is some information that Sheila provided us. If you have questions, please email Sheila would be happy to answer them at the email provided.
By Sheila Geiling
sgeiling05@hotmail.com

Concrete Recipe:
* Masonry Sand
* Portland Cement
* Water
* Bonding Agent (fortifier)
* Cement/Concrete Colorant
All items can be purchased at your local home improvement store.

Masonry sand works best. I have used play sand, but I do not like the finished project as well. Try to have sand that does not have large pebbles.

Portland cement comes in 40lb or 80lb bags. I prefer 40lb bags because they are easier to handle. Quikrete products can also be used although I have only used Portland and sand.

Bonding agent/fortifier products are sold along with concrete products. I only use the fortifier if making very large leaves.

Cement/concrete colorant can also be purchased where products are sold.


Tools:
*
Fresh clean leaves with deep veins - do not use fuzzy leaves
* Hosta, rhubarb, burdock, morning glory, chard, elephant ears, etc... work well
* Mixing Container (bucket, flat dishpan or kitty litter pan)
* Rubber Gloves (You must have these)
* Disposable mask (optional)
* Garden hoe or trowel
* Pliers
* Wire or coat hanger and wire cutters
* Latex or acrylic paints (vibrant colors look best in the garden)
* Cement sealer or clear spray sealer. For small projects purchase Krylon Cyrstal Clear spray coat.

Directions:
Work In The Shade!

On a flat, solid surface place amount of sand and dampen with enough water so it holds a good shape. Arrange sand into desired shape (mound, sculpt with ridges etc.)

With Protective Gloves -- mix equal parts of sand and Portland cement along with small amount of fortifier in your container. Add enough water in small amounts hands or hoe/trowel until it reaches the consistency of very thick batter. Mixture cannot be runny. Any tools you may use rinse off with water immediately after mixing. Be sure to mix corners of the pan to incorporate dry mixture into wet mixture.

Depending on the temperature and humidity, the cement can "set up" quickly, if above 80 degrees work fast. Working in the shade will not only slow down the drying but makes it better for you! If your cement dries too quickly it may crack.

Select a leaf with deep veins. Place the leaf front side down onto the sand (back of leaf will face you). Place a small amount of cement mixture and place in middle of leaf. Begin working the cement out to the edges of the leaf adding additional mix as you go. cover the entire leaf with cement. For small projects cement does not need to be more than 1/2 inch thick. Do not move the leaf. leave in place until set.

If you want to hang your leaf loop a small piece of wire with the ends bent using pliers. Wiggle bent ends into damp leaf (do not press in so far that it will pose the front of your leaf). Tap a small dab of cement onto the ends of wire to assure coverage. leave the wire loop visible.

Patience is crucial! If making a small project wait at least 24 hours for your cement to set. To un-mold, gently left and flip the leaf into your hand and place back onto base sand. Gently peal off the real leaf. If the leaf does not release let it sit and dry. leaf should start o pull away and peel. If it is really stubborn, a wire brush and toothpick can be used to release. Do not scrub to hard.

Allow your leaf to "rest" and cure in the shade for one week. Large leaves, rest in place for two weeks. Cover your leaf with plastic if it rains. Dew will not harm the leaf while curing.

After curing, clean off all loose sand using a wire brush. Small crevices, use toothbrush, toothpicks etc. leaf must be free of dirt/sand. Seal your leaf with sealer. Let it completely dry. Paint/stain if desired using Acrylic paint or watered down Acrylic paint and use as a stain, allow to completely dry, then seal with a second coat. Seal entire leaf front and back.

Enjoy your creation!
Upcoming Events
Image
Family Butterfly Release
Saturday, July 21st
Time: 1:00 pm
Cost: $10.00 per person
 
Click Here To Register
July 18th Is Final Day To Register & Pay!
Must be registered and paid in advance in order to participate.
Image
Butterfly Plant Talk
Saturday, July 21st
Time: 11:30 am
Cost: Free

Click Here To Register
CONTACT US
STORE HOURS
FIND US ON
Wilson's Garden Center
10923 Lambs Ln.
Newark, Ohio. 43055

740-763-2873
740-763-2874 (Fax)

office@great-gardeners.com
Store Hours:
Monday - Saturday:

9 am - 6 pm

Sunday:
11 am - 6 pm
  Facebook Twitter Pinterest Instagram
ABOUT US
Image
We are a family owned and operated garden center specializing in plants that thrive in Central Ohio

For more information about our store please
Visit Our Website