SpringSeminars

2 Mixing Herbs andFlowers

Herb expert, Mary Dunford, will show you how to create amazing pots of herbs mixed creatively with colorful flowers.

9 Tropical ColorWe have so many long

blooming, intensely colored tropicals available. Come learn how to use them effectively.

16 All About BirdsBill from Wildbirds

Unlimited will teach you how to turn your backyard into a bird sanctuary. Birds are fun to watch and are the ultimate insect controllers.

23 No Seminar Festival of Flowers

30 Miniature Gardens

Jeff and Donna will demon-strate the art of designing amazing small-scale gardens complete with all the accesso-ries. Mini gardens are fun to create and easy to grow.

All seminars begin at9:45 am, and the coffee will be

on by 9:00.

May

There are many ways to honor our mothers on their special day, and we would love to help you make a perfect selection.

Some mothers love gardening so a contain-er of annuals, a rose plant, or a pot of herbs might be just right.

Other moms love to be pampered, and a basket of Sandy Oaks Olive Orchard products

would be appreciated. Maybe your mom loves birds so a decora-

tive birdbath would make her happy.If she is a music lover, Music of the

Spheres windchimes will delight her every time a breeze blows.

Whatever your mom’s interests, we have just the right gift for her.

Remembering Mom

It’s time once again for ourannual anniversary party.

the Garden GazetteMay, 2015

the official newsletter of Shades of Green Nursery

Closed Memorial Day, May 25th

Shades of Green opened its doors34 years ago

and we want you to come celebrate with us.

We will be serving delicious lavender tea and lemonade,delectable homemade sweets, and Blue Bell Ice Cream!

George Gaytan, will be providingwonderful classical guitar music.

Sunday, May 10th11:oo am until 3:00 pm

We look forward to seeing you!

One More Reason To Go OrganicThere are many reasons to follow organic practices in our

gardens and landscapes – the health of our children and pets and protecting the enviroment are just a couple – but here is a startling fact from the Audubon Society you might want to know. “Seven million birds die each year because of exposure to lawn pesticides.” Seven million!!!

Here are a few steps you can take to cre-ate a less toxic landscape.

1) Healthy soil leads to strong, healthy plants. Work at improving your soil with compost, compost tea, and organic fertilizers.

2) Choose your plants wisely. Well adapted plants are less likely to become stressed so they are less likely to have insect and disease problems that require treatment.

3) Keep your plants vigorous, healthy, and insect free by maintain-ing them properly. Water deeply when you water and feed regularly.

4) Get help controlling pests. Invite beneficial insects into your garden by planting asclepias, gaura, fennel, and yarrow that attract insects such as lady bugs, lacewings, assassin bugs, and parasitizing wasps. Discontinue using toxic sprays com-pletely and try to avoid even natural sprays as much as possible as they harm good bugs as well as damaging pests.

5) Mulch plants. Compost and mulches not only keep plants healthier, they also pro-vide shelter for beneficial garden predators such as beetles and spiders.

We have found some in-credible new gardening gloves. Fields and Lane has been practicing their leathercraft for many years as a premier sup-plier of durable and depend-able work gloves for the timber industry in the Northwest.

They now have a new line of gardening gloves that are some of the best quality we have found. You might ask what sets them apart from the rest? It is the fit and the materials.

They are incredibly com-fortable, flexible, and cool. Because they are made with 100% authentic goatskin leather they are extremely durable. And the best part...they are completely washable.

Their motto is, “Tailored for fit, crafted for wear, and designed for style.” They have achieved these goals making their gloves the perfect choice for any activity from weeding to planting to pruning.

Plants That PerformProduct of the Month:Fields and Lane

GlovesPerennials are so named because they

return dependably year after year to provide tremendous color with very little mainte-nance. Our favorites are those that show their colors from early spring through late fall. There is such variety in perennials that they should be used throughout the land-scape to fill beds, brighten corners, and to attract hummingbirds and butterflies.

The many different salvias are high on our list, and blackfoot daisy, lantana, verbena, gaura, plumbago, shrimp plant, gerbera

daisies, scabiosa, several different cupheas, butterfly weed, esperanza, turks cap, thryal-lis, duranta, cannas, gazanias, and daturas are all incredible long-season performers.

Whether you have shady areas or sunny spots in need of color, choose appropriate varieties. Plant perennials properly and feed regularly to keep them blooming!

Gardening Tip: Keep a diary. Writing down plant-ing dates, varieties that you plant and which ones do well, when you fertilize, and when you harvest is all data that will help you improve your garden year after year.

Plant color...Annuals, perennials, and tropicals all add tremendous color to your landscape through the summer. Treat your lawn with beneficial nematodes to control grubworms and fleas. Create a kitchen/herb garden to enhance your summer meals from gourmet drinks and appetizers to desserts. Plant periwinkles...avoid common fungus problems by spreading cornmeal around them when planting. Continue to feed all blooming plants with Magical Mix (equal parts of Color Essentials and Landscape Essentials). Plant caladium bulbs and plants. Apply compost to the lawn to reduce water use, suppress weeds, and encourage dense turf. Continue to provide for birds...clean water and seedsfor songbirds and fresh nectar for hummingbirds. Release Trichogramma wasps now to prevent webworms later in the summer. Make additional plantings of warm weather vegetables such as bush beans, cucumbers, squash, and peppers. Make applications of liquid seaweed every two weeks to strengthen plants and prevent spider mites on vegetables and flowers. Broadcast Semaspore bait when young grasshoppersfirst appear. Feed indoor plants monthly with Natural Solutions Liquid Fertilizer. Apply Sluggo Plus if slugs and pillbugs are a problem. Mulch trees and beds to conserve soil moisture. Create a hummingbird and butterfly garden to diversify your landscape.Take a moment to reflect and appreciate all of the freedoms we enjoy because of the great sacrifices of others.

Gardening Calendar

Hang It Up!There are few additions that brighten a landscape more than hanging baskets, and this is a

perfect time to create beautiful baskets for your outdoor areas. If properly planned, planted, and maintained they should last through the summer and beyond.

There are unlimited choices of plants to use. A basket filled with a single plant such as Boston fern or begonias can be dramatic. Mixed baskets can be created using com-binations of colorful blooming plants enhanced with interesting foliages. In mixed baskets it is fun to place taller plants such as spike dracaena or caladiums toward the center surrounded with periwinkles, zinnias, celosia, and/or sweet potato vine.

The key to keeping your baskets at their peak is to use quality potting soil when planting, then water regularly and feed every four weeks with our Mag-ical Mix or Natural Solutions Liquid Fertilizer.

Everyone’sFavorite Herb

Basil is by far the most popular herb we sell, but most gardeners are only fa-miliar with sweet basil, the most common variety. There are, however, many other types which offer different flavors, colors, and textures.

Next time you are in the nursery consider opal, pur-ple ruffles, or African blue basils with colorful foliages that provide outstanding accents in the garden.

If your interest in basil is of the culinary persuasion try spicy globe, holy, cinnamon, lemon, and Thai. The flavor differences are often subtle, but they enhance many dif-ferent dishes.

The May Garden

Mosquitoes seem to be making an early appearance this year so be prepared to defend yourself. Stock up on Cactus Juice. This is a personal repellent that feels wonderful and has a pleasant scent! And, it does not contain D.E.E.T. It is safe for use on children and is very effective. This is the product of choice at Shades of Green, the ultimate mosquito factory.

Dr. T’s is a natural garlic-based product to use in outdoor areas where you live, play, and garden. It repels mosquitoes for three to four weeks depending on the amount of rain we receive. One container

covers about 4,000 square feet. We also carry Andiroba candles and incense

cones and sticks which repel mosquitoes. They have a pleasant scent, are attractive and effective, and are produced by a Community Trade Co-op in Brazil.

Check your surroundings for standing water no matter how small the amount. For birdbaths or cattle troughs that can’t be emptied regularly, add Mosquito Dunks to the water.

Don’t be caught with your guard down; be prepared!

Be Prepared For the Ultimate Invasion!

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

334 West Sunset RoadSan Antonio, Texas 78209

210-824-3772www.shadesofgreensa.com

Business Hours Address Service Requested

Presort StandardU. S. Postage

PaidSan Antonio, Texas 78209

Permit No. 548

May is another busy month in the garden. First, you can now plant okra, melons, and corn from seed and sweet potatoes from slips. You may want to make second plantings of bush beans, cucumbers, squash, and peppers.

Second, there is maintenance to be done. Regularly feeding with a good liquid fertilizer such as Natural Solutions Liquid Fertilizer will insure continued production. Bi-weekly spraying with Liquid Seaweed strengthens all plants in the garden but is especially important for crops susceptible to spider mite damage (to-

matoes, beans, peas, and peppers). A few crops such as broccoli, cauliflower, and greens have finished their productive season, but go ahead and let them bolt. The flowers attract bees and other pollinators that are essential in the summer garden.

Finally, pick regularly. Crops such as squash, beans, and cucumbers should be producing well, but they will slow down if they are not picked frequently.

With all of the news about the dangers of pesticides in our food, it is more important than ever to grow your own. So get out and enjoy your garden and the safe and delicious fruits of your labor!

May, 2015