Upcoming Specials August 5th – 17th
‘Helping Neighbors Across America’

• 20% off all houseplants – Great for dorm rooms!
• Unigro 8 Qt. Potting Soil $3.99
• 20% off all Pottery, Statuary and Fountains
• 3 cu.ft. Gardner & Bloom Soil Building Compost on sale for $7.99

Begonias, Begonias, Begonias...It’s time to purchase Begonias.

Types of Begonias:
There are three types of Begonias: Tuberous, Semperflorens, and the uncommon Perennials. The Semperflorens are by far the most common. They include Fibrous Begonias, Wax Begonias and Everblooming Begonias. Depending upon type, you can find red, white, pink,or yellow varieties. All flowers have a bright yellow eye (center).

How to Grow Begonias:
Begonias are annuals and do not like frost in the spring or fall. Set them out in containers, hanging baskets, or your flowerbed after all risk of frost has past. They thrive in a range of sunlight from full sun to shade, and like rich, loose and fertile soil which drains well. Water thoroughly, then allow the soil to dry before the next watering. Begonias love attention. Remove dead flowers, leaves, and stems. Trim off long stems to help retain its compact shape. A little care will pay you back with lusher foliage and more blooms. Add a general purpose houseplant fertilizer once a month for indoor plants and container plants.

Insects and Disease:
There's great news here! Your begonias should have few if any problems with insects or disease, especially if you be careful not to wet the foliage when watering!

Bring 'Em Indoors:
Your Begonias can be brought indoors before frost. Remember, they will die in a light frost, so if one threatens your area, don't wait! Re-pot the plants if they appear crowded. Use rich potting soil. Help them in their transition indoors. When first brought inside, keep them near a sunny window, gradually, reducing the sunlight. This will help them to adjust indoors. Significant leaf drop is common at this point. But, in a week or two, they will be well acclimated to lower light levels and dry conditions in your home. They will brighten up your home all winter!

What to do in the garden in August?

Cut Back Petunias
Cut back petunias in mid August to keep them flowering. Always use clean pruning shears to prevent the spread of viruses and wash your hands if you are a smoker so you won’t risk giving the plants tobacco virus. Trim the plants back to about 4 inches. Remove any seed capsules and fertilize with a good bloom formula fertilizer. Your petunias will bounce back into bloom in 2 weeks. (Ideally petunias should be cut back 4 times, once at planting time, again in mid July, then mid August, and finally, late September.)

Keep Caterpillars off Tomatoes Organically
Nail an empty tuna can to the top of your tomato stake and stock it with a few unshelled peanuts, to attract scrub jays. They will notice caterpillars and come back for them.
Feed Succulents
Feed all container-grown succulents with a well-diluted complete liquid fertilizer. Cactus Juice is very good choice.

Seaweed fertilizer
Gather seaweed for the garden. Next time you are walking on the beach, bring home some juicy pieces of seaweed, not dried out ones. Rinse them thoroughly to remove salt and chop into small pieces before digging them into your soil. Seaweed added to your compost heap will decompose quickly and is rich in trace elements.

Potting for the Hot Sun
Beat the heat and try these tips for pots in the hot sun.
Double potting - Plant in a plastic pot and set it into a larger clay pot. Pack the open areas with moist sphagnum moss as an insulator.
Plastic mulch - Cut out a piece of plastic to fit the exposed part of soil at the base of a potted shrub or tree and cover with mulch or wood chips. Be careful not to bury the crown, and make sure you cut out holes for water to penetrate!
Anti-transpirants - Use Bonide anti-transpirant to cut down on water evaporation and wilting. You can find this product in the fertilizer section at Miner’s.

Recipe

Watermelon Gazpacho - This (mildly) spicy soup is delicious and always a mega-hit.
Fun Factoid: Watermelon is approximately 92% water.

Ingredients:
8 cups cubed seeded watermelon
1 apple, diced
1/2 cup finely chopped Vidalia onion
1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper
2 teaspoons fresh basil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Instructions:
In a blender, puree watermelon with the apple and 1/4 cup each of the onion and green pepper; pour into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the remaining ingredients (including the other 1/4 cup of onion and green pepper). Refrigerate, covered, for at least an hour to blend flavors.
Serves 4-6
This is a great appetizer on a hot summer afternoon or evening! Great with salted tortilla chips on the side.
Look for our next sale...

August 26th – Sept. 7th ‘Labor Day Sale’
• 2 cu.ft. Gardner & Bloom Planting Mix (GBPM) $6.99
• 1.5 cu.ft.Gromulch $4.99
• 1.5 cu.ft. Amend $4.99
• 20% off all Dwarf Citrus Trees
• 20% off all Succulents