Published by Big Earth Landscape Supply, Inc. • Landscape Is Art • Winter 2016 Edition

Green Sense

A Note from Adam…

To show our community of landscape and garden enthusiasts we appreciate them, I wondered how can we

connect with them; to share, teach and encourage further participation in our industry? Then, it hit me: write to them. Foster the blossoming gardener, the seasoned landscaper, someone still looking for their green

thumb or a retiree who is migrating into a new zone. Big Earth is your friend in the industry. We are here to

help you make your surroundings paradise. We are your landscape art supply store.

In a time when questions are in abundance and answers are lacking, you can count on Big Earth. When

you don't know what kind of sod to use in this area or you can't figure out which pest is feasting on your

plants, let Big Earth provide guidance or help you send those bugs packing. We don’t sell paint brushes and easels, but we do provide supplies that can transform your landscape, it is up to you to be the creator.

My wish is that the articles, information, tips and more that come to you in our newsletters will help

inspire you to enhance your surroundings, whether you are continuing a project or just starting. Plant a tree,

spread some mulch, install a backyard of sod and feel confident in the process. Not everyone is a professional

and that is just fine. You have the ability to control what you create and you have the ability to make it great. We are here to help, inspire and inform and we can't wait to see how you transform your environment.

Until next time, Adam

Landscape Is Art: You Are The Artist

What does this mean? Whatever you want it to, really. That is the beauty of being an

artist. You don't have to be perfect to create. You don't have to know what you're doing either. You are in charge. There are millions of materials you can use to contribute to

your landscape, but how will you use them? Will you use flagstone as a path way or in

a water feature? Will you use brown river rock as mulch or as a driveway?

We all use materials differently. One person may use Mexican beach pebble as edging

while someone else may use it for plant markers in their garden. The options are

endless and the end result is up to you. However you create or whatever you create, you are the artist. We can't wait to see where your imagination takes you and what you

create. Please help to inspire us by sending your creations to info@bigearthsupply.com

so we can share in upcoming newsletters.

Employee Spotlight

Get to know us— Please call us by name! If you have been greeted by a welcoming, helpful employee at the Sarasota location, it is probably

Jason Kermmoade. Jason has worked at Sarasota

Big Earth for 2 1/2 years. Originally from Nebraska,

Jason moved to Florida with his family in 1996. He

is engaged to be married and has 4 children, ages

16, 14, 12 and 7. Jason is a New England Patriots football fan and enjoys landscaping, spending time

with his family, fishing and camping at Myakka

State Park. He says his favorite thing about working at Big Earth is “helping

customers’ vision of their landscape come true, through answering their

questions, providing input and offering guidance.” Next time you stop by Sarasota Big Earth, be sure to say hi!

Back and Better Than Ever

Big Earth previously

published a series of newsletters dating as far back

as 2004. Green Sense

included helpful gardening

and landscape information,

pest solutions, specials,

events, guest columns and more. Back by popular

demand, Green Sense will be

published quarterly. We look

forward to sharing tips and

tricks to keep your garden

and landscape looking great all year long.

Garden Calendar

Winter in Florida typically brings colder temperatures. We’re here to help you get through the season and maintain your lawn and garden. Remember to adjust irrigation based on rainfall, deadhead flowers to encourage new blooms and monitor the garden for insects and disease each month. January Fertilize: 15-0-15 is a great

general purpose fertilizer with a 1 to 1 nitrogen to potassium ratio. The extra potassium increases plant hardiness during cooler temperatures and drought tolerance during the dry season.

Plant: Begonia, browallia, dianthus, dusty miller, and nicotiana can easily be added to your garden or landscape despite cooler weather.

February Plant: Verbena, strawflower

and lobelia will succeed in cool, mild or warm

temperatures. Vegetables: Begin planting

warm season crops this month, like sweet potato, cantaloupe, eggplant and squash.

March Plant: Geraniums, marigolds,

pentas and vincas are heat tolerant annuals that can be planted now and last into the fall season.

Herbs: Many herbs like chive,

lavender, oregano and parsley are great in the kitchen and for attracting butterflies in your garden.

Mulch: Renew or add mulch in

landscape beds to reduce weeds and retain moisture.

Picking Favorites

Swooning over the Big Earth Pottery Collection

The Big Earth Pottery Collection has arrived and one of my personal favorites is the Hand Thrown Low Bowl. The classic lines

and low profile of this planter make it a versatile choice for the

home, landscape, pool and lanai. A low bowl makes a perfect, living

tabletop centerpiece and creates visual interest when grouped in

threes of varying sizes and elevations on entries, decks and around pools.

The wide mouth of the low bowl planter make them easy to

plant and maintain. For a traditional look, pair these pots with a

grouping of your favorite seasonal annuals or shallow rooted

perennials. If your space demands a little drama, plant a single

bromeliad or agave and top-dress with the gravel of your choice. For long term success, be mindful of the light and water

requirements when choosing plants and group similar plants

together. Also, use a quality potting soil and controlled release

fertilizer to ensure optimal health. The low bowl is the canvas,

plants are the paint and you’re the artist, get out there and create. Happy Gardening, Diane

What Bugs You?

Bad things can happen to good plants and gardeners with good intentions

I purchased my first home 6 years ago in an older neighborhood with larger lots and best of all, no deed restrictions! This allows my neighbors and I to truly express ourselves in our landscapes and gardens and

boy do we ever. We vary in age, backgrounds, careers and walks of life. However, there is one commonality

that seems to bring us all together and that is our love for the outdoors and our passion for plants.

I am not only known as the girl who runs miles with her Chihuahua (don’t judge my speed), but most of

my neighbors are aware that I work in the horticultural industry. Talk about landscape pressure! It is very common that I am pulled into a neighbor’s yard on one of my weekend runs to talk plants or to help

diagnose a landscape problem and I am happy to do so. After all, I have the opportunity to see what kind of

landscape projects they are digging into and get ideas for my own yard. Continued →

HELP: “I have mushrooms in my

yard!” If you see mushrooms in your yard, consider yourself fortunate

(seriously, read on).

Many of us have very sterile soil

and not everyone sees mushrooms

growing after heavy rains or during

humid conditions. Mushrooms are a sign that your soil is teaming

with fungus, living off organic

matter in your soil. Fungus in soil

breaks down the nutrients in

organic matter and feeds plants the food it needs to thrive. It also

creates an interstate for moving

nutrients to other plants.

While digging in your lawn or

turning over a rotting log, you have

probably seen a white, moldy substance known as

mycelium. Mushrooms are the key

factor to let you know you have

mycelium growing under your

landscape. Mycelium is the fungus breaking down organic matter and

providing it to your plants.

It is no secret, fungus is

associated with water, but did you

know it collects water? Therefore,

the more mycelium you have in your landscape, the more water

retention you will have. In turn,

you will not have to use as much

water to keep your landscape lush

and hydrated. Yes, mushrooms are a good thing.

Continued: What Bugs You?

In this column I am excited to share gardening stories based on the personal experiences of myself, my

neighbors and my friends. The good, the bad, the ugly and all with a horticulture lesson to be learned.

However, before I jump into one of my stories, let me provide a crash course on utilizing integrated pest

management methods in the landscape, with a sprinkling of plant basics on top. So many of the problems I see are a direct result of plant management. Good news, once the cause of the problem is identified and

addressed there should be fewer persistent issues in the future.

First, there is no such thing as a bad plant. Yes, bad things can happen to good plants and there is

always a reason why. Second, we are not perfect and the world is not perfect so why do we often expect for

our yards to be? Sooner or later some weed, pest, disease or critter will mess with your masterpiece. Don’t

panic and immediately reach for the chemical shelf. Most pest problems have a way of naturally working themselves out. If your goal is to manage vs eradicate, identify the pest and problem in the early stages.

Before you can identify what caused the problem, you need to understand that stress (yes, plants get

stressed too) insects and disease are interrelated with stress being the dominating factor. Stress is caused by

an adverse condition that the plant does not like. Drought and freeze are examples of climate stress while

over or under watering are examples of cultural stress. 90% of the time when it comes to pests and disease of plants, cultural practices are to blame. Just like tired

rundown people catch colds, stressed plants are more susceptible to insects and

disease. Bugs do not choose plants at random. Let me repeat, bugs do not choose

plants at random. Much like a predatory animal, singling out the weakest in the herd,

insects are able to hone in on weak plants via the stress pheromones they release.

As you can see, the key to managing pests is preventing problems before they start. The way you plant and maintain your yard either discourages pests or

welcomes them. This approach has a formal name: “integrated pest management”,

commonly known as IPM. Basic IPM principles include:

Planting the right plant, in the right place. Plants in locations not suited to them may be stressed and

more susceptible to pests. Start early. Select plants that are pest resistant and pest free at planting time.

Keep plants healthy. Encourage healthy plants by using the appropriate amounts of water and fertilizer,

only when needed. Too much of either can cause excessive growth which can make plants more

susceptible to insects and disease.

Monitor your yard regularly. Detect problems early before significant issues cause harm.

Selectively prune plants and mow at the proper height. Severely pruning shrubs and trees and mowing grass too short weakens the organism, potentially inviting problems.

Encourage beneficial insects. Learn to identify both the good bugs and bad bugs in your landscape in all

of their life stages and let the good guys do the work for you.

I look forward to helping you understand that a beautiful yard isn’t always perfect. Integrating IPM

principles, which help prevent problems before they start, is the key to a healthy landscape. See you in the spring, Diane

Around the Industry

Working in the landscape industry, I get to see backyard oases often. Some have

exotic collections of plants, gathered from all over the world. As I was exposed to many of these private, Garden of Edens, my senses were heightened. Plants of

various shapes and sizes, flowers that had scents I had never smelled, colors and

designs only the greatest imaginations could comprehend and fruits so exotic and

delectable that make my mouth water. Imagine owning a tree that flowers the scent

of Joy Perfume; the Michelia champaca. I wanted these plants for myself.

I stumbled upon TopTropicals.com and they have helped my dreams come true. The nursery, located in Ft. Myers, has an abundance of information available on

its website to help even the most amateur gardener learn about exotic plants. You

can visit the nursery or order online. I placed my first order about a year ago. I clicked around on the

website and educated myself about various plants. My plants were delivered to my front door about a week

later. With the information Top Tropicals provides on the website, I was confident about the selection and ordering process. Furthermore, the guides on Top Tropicals website coached me through how to plant and

where to plant my new, exotic additions.

Thanks to Top Tropicals, we can all own a few rare, exotic plants. If you love a scented garden, love to

eat rare fruit or just love a great conversation piece in your backyard, I encourage you to visit

TopTropicals.com. Go ahead, discover all that Top Tropicals has to offer and place an order; you will not be

disappointed. —Adam

The earth declares the beauty of the Lord. Psalm 24:1

Imagine your name here

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2423 Manatee Avenue West

Bradenton, Florida 34205

In the next issue of

Green Sense -- Spring 2016:

Prepare your lawn for summer with our fertilizer and garden tips

NEW Product: Dragon Stone

Big Earth Pottery Collection

You will find the area’s most extraordinary collection of

planters at Big Earth, ranging from classic to contemporary. Each piece was handcrafted in

Binh Duong, South Vietnam and no two are exactly

alike - Living evidence of an ancient art. The quality is

unmatchable and the pottery is truly

breathtaking. We have handpicked new styles, glazes (or

finishes) and sizes that are perfect for the Florida home, patio, or estate.

You can now browse our inventory online Visit BigEarthSupply.com to view

the Big Earth Pottery Collection

Hours: Monday-Friday: 7am-5pm

Saturday: 8am-1pm

Delivery Available • Open to the Public

Bulk or Bag

BigEarthSupply.com

Bradenton

6001 15th Street East

Bradenton, Florida 34203

941/755-9299

Sarasota

6625 Bee Ridge Road

Sarasota, Florida 34241

941/379-2440

Palmetto

1010 10th Street East

Palmetto, Florida 34221

941/729-5655

Tampa

9502 East Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd

Tampa, Florida 33610

813/626-3270

Playing Favorites

The Big Earth Pottery Collection presents many options for your home or garden. See which pot we have our

eye on and how you can incorporate it into your lifestyle on page 2.

Meet our Fleet

We started with a Ford F250 and we have

grown to serve the smallest or largest deliveries across the State of Florida. Whether

you need one yard or one million yards,

Big Earth has you covered.

7 Forklifts

5 Dump Trucks

4 Flatbed Trucks 2 Triaxle Dump Trucks

1 Semi Dump Trailer