Edible Spring Hanging Basket
Sat. April 22nd at 1:00.

Learn how fun and delicious it can be when you plant herbs and edible flowers in combination together in a handy basket. Cost is $25.00. Pre-registration required.

Kids: May Day Basket
Saturday April 29th at 1:00.

Bright Spring flowers in a colorful woven basket! The perfect way to bring in the Month of May. Cost is $10.00. All Ages! Pre-registration required.

Designing for Color!
Sunday April 30th at 1:00.

Get the scoop on selecting plants that are star performers and look good longer! Free!

May class schedule coming soon. Call 687-5952 for more information. Sign up Today!

by Tamara Galbraith

When there are hyacinths around, you'll know it. In fact, everyone within a 20-foot radius will probably know it.

These compact, spring flowering bulbs are the queens of fragrance and, because of their dense, cylindrical shape, natural disease resistance and range of bright colors, they are perfect for the front of the spring border.

Hyacinth bulbs are best planted in the fall, if possible, about 8" deep and 2-3" apart, in a location where they will get full sun, and plenty of moisture for good root development. Work a good bulb fertilizer into the soil when you first plant, and make sure the soil drains well. Hyacinths are hardy to Zone 3, so nearly everyone in the U.S. can enjoy them.

As is the case with most spring bulbs, clip off the dead flowers once your hyacinths are done blooming, but leave the foliage until it's yellow, flopped over and spent. During this period, the bulb in the ground is already storing energy for the next flowering season.

If you didn't plant them during the fall planting season, don't despair — we did! Available now.

Don't be confused by all those numbers! The N-P-K numbers (nitrogen-phosphorous-potassium) on the label simply give you the percentage of each of these primary nutrients in the fertilizer. For example, a 10-20-20 fertilizer contains 10% nitrogen, 20% phosphorus, and 20% potassium. This means that 100 pounds of this fertilizer will have 10 pounds of nitrogen, 20 pounds of phosphorus, and 20 pounds of potassium. These nutrients certainly aren't the only ones plants need, but plants use them in the greatest quantities. You'll sometimes hear the term "fertilizer ratios." This is simply the ratio of each to the other. Divide the numbers by the lowest number in the group of 3 and you will have the ratio. For instance, 10-20-20 would have a 1-2-2 ratio, and 15-15-15 would be 1-1-1.

Nitrogen is the nutrient most often in short supply in soils. It stimulates vegetative growth such as leaves and stems, and gives a lush green color to leaves. Phosphorous stimulates root growth, hastens flowering, and promotes increased disease-resistance, whereas potassium increases the size and quality of fruit and flowers, among other benefits.

The balance of these nutrients can be as important as how much you apply. For instance, a tomato may respond with lots of vegetative growth and few fruits if you give it too much nitrogen. If you give it too much phosphorous and potassium, and no nitrogen, the result can be a small plant that produces only a few tomatoes. Be sure to use a fertilizer that is specialized for the type of plant you are feeding.

Also known as "Lenten Rose," helleborus is a herbaceous perennial. Like other members of the Helleborus genus, it blooms in late winter, sometimes even pushing through a blanket of snow. The blooms continue into spring.

Plant in a rich, loose, loamy soil and fertilize in early spring. It prefers part to full shade, and will do best in a place somewhat protected from cold winter winds.

Dr. Earth Super Natural Lawn Fertilizer is a superior, homogenous blend of fish meal, fish bone meal, feather meal, potassium sulfate, alfalfa meal, calcium sulphate, seaweed extract, micorrhizae and beneficial soil microbes.

This is a wonderful fertilizer. Dr. Earth promotes a hardy root system, thereby adding life to your lawn. It also controls thatch build up. Best of all, it contains mychorrizae that grow in your soil, greatly enhancing the quality of environment for the soil that your lawn grows in.

• Controls thatch build up by digesting thatch (the organic debris layer produced by grass roots, stolons, and blades). This layer is located between the vegetative layer and the soil layer.
• Adds life to lawns by providing a broad spectrum of beneficial soil microbes plus three micorrhizae strains. This ensures nutrients are made available to the grass roots more effectively and at a steady rate, even under stressful conditions (such as drought, low nutrient availability, poor soil structure, etc.).
• Promotes a hardy root system in two ways. First, it stimulates roots to grow deeper in the soil to absorb the organic nutrients made available by Super Natural. Second, micorrhizae develop a symbiotic relationship with the grass roots, causing the root system to expand tremendously. With an expanded root system, more nutrients and moisture are available.
• Fast results, plus continuous feeding for up to three months.
• 100% natural and organic.
• People and pet safe.

Use to feed:
Newly seeded lawns, newly laid sod lawns, cool season grasses, warm season grasses, St. Augustine, fescue, and blue grass.

An 18 pound bag covers 2000 square feet.