July

July 11, 2008

It's really been a long time since I've taken virtual pen to virtual paper, but here it is.

Wow, it's July already. May and June have raced by, as always, and now we are all taking walks through our gardens and thinking: What's eating my squash? Why is my broccoli only the size of Barbie broccoli? Gosh is that honeysuckle enormous! Who came and dropped weed seed all over the place? I love how you can see that splash of yellow at the far end of the fence, so beautiful...Even with all these ups and downs, this is such a fascinating and rewarding and sort of obsessive process...(you too?).

We've been talking about how we need to have a Bug O' the Week featured at the store. We've been through azalea and rose sawfly larvae, cucumber beetles and colorado potato beetles (and larvae, so attractive), squash vine borer, as well as your run of the mill aphids, powdery mildew and whiteflies. What's Green on the website features some pest control products this month - with a number of beetles it's worth it to consider beneficial nematodes to take care of the overwintering and larval stages in the spring.

What's Grown this month is all about the beauty of midsummer gardening. Because of our cool spring, a number of the interesting summer annuals came in a little later, so if you are needing a little container or in ground sprucing, we've got some gratifying tropicals and more mature flowering and foliage annuals. The perennials of course come in all year, the lilies look amazing and we've got a big table full of natives and native cultivars in larger containers for a little more immediate satisfaction. As always, we try to stress a great shade selection, city gardening is so often about how to deal with lots of trees. It's a nice time to walk thoughtfully around, no mad rush this month.

Trees: FYI - Evergreens do not require a fertilizer for acid loving plants, just one that is primarily nitrogen. While deciduous trees and shrubs can be planted late into the fall, evergreens should be put in by early fall. See the following interesting link for more info: http://www.sustland.umn.edu/maint/evergreen.html. (Thanks, MJ)

And now, for all you wacky locavores who've come into the store this season - more fruit trees (just a few, but after the run on any kind of edible this year, it's amazing we got any) are coming for fall. We ordered a lot more for spring, including a hardy apricot and peach, because in gardening, as in most things, There's Always Tomorrow.

Next month - we'd like to follow the leader with Seward Coop (and other coops?). They are sponsoring the Eat Local Challenge, whereby you try to consume 80% locally grown/produced food. We have some way creative and cool local artists who sell things at our store, so spread the love and buy your gifts locally as well. More on what these folks make, and who they are, next time.

Enjoy your summer!

Karen, Paige and All of Us at the Store.