Houseplant of the Week - 1/9/18

Orchid

       Orchids are a diverse and widespread family of flowering plants with blooms that are often colorful, showy and fragrant. The showy orchids favored by most people are usually either phalaenopsis hybrids or dendrobium hybrids. Phalaenopsis (Moth Orchid) is the most common of the Orchid family. The golden rule for orchid success is to duplicate the plant's natural conditions as closely as possible.

       Orchids prefer bright light, but no direct sun. Water them thoroughly once or twice a week - more when it's warmer, less when it's cooler. A pencil or a wooden skewer inserted into the soil will come out almost dry, indicating it’s time to water again. Make sure the water drains completely out of the holes at the bottom of the pot. Never leave the plant sitting in water! Placing ice cubes on the soil surface, to provide slow even watering as they melt, works great for watering. Provide some humidity for the plant; most do not like very dry environments. Gentle air circulation is also good for orchids.

       Keep the daytime temperature between 65°- 75°F /18°- 24°C with a nighttime temperature drop of just a few degrees. In nature, most orchids are epiphytes, meaning they grow on other objects, clinging to rough bark or even stone. With that in mind, the growing media can be made up largely of bark chunks. Most garden centers offer Orchid soil mix that will work well. Orchids also tend to prefer smaller pots. If a pot is too large, the orchid will expend most of its energy rooting, and show no real new growth or foliage for months, so keep the containers small. They prefer being somewhat root-bound with their roots protruding from the top of the media (or aerial roots should simply hang free). However, as plants produce more new canes or spikes, they can eventually outgrow their pot.

       Orchids can be fertilized once a month - or when they are blooming only. Look for fertilizers that contain nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K), plus trace elements like iron (Fe). Do not overfeed orchids - this can damage them. If you're growing your orchid on bark, use a fertilizer that's significantly higher in nitrogen (in a ratio of 30(N)-10(P)-10(K)). The bacteria in the decomposing bark will consume a lot of nitrogen. Water your orchid thoroughly before feeding.

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Houseplant of the Week Special:
 

20% OFF
Orchid Plants

Good through 1/15/18. Not good with any other sale, coupon or discount or on previous purchases. Mention this offer at the checkout counter.

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Garden Solutions - January 2018

            January can be a dreary time of year for the gardener, yet it can be exciting as well.  We have had a very trying season this past year with warmer temps and drought.  Now is the time to dream and redesign your flowerbeds for the upcoming spring season.  Now is a good time to beat the spring rush if you would require assistance or guidance from landscape designers.

            Remember our wildlife!  Birding is a favored hobby among American people. Your yard can be a natural magnet for all kinds of birds by supplying special treats of food, water, safe places to nest and a few other necessities this season.  Enjoy their antics and activity during snowy days.  This can give you a real feel good sensation.

            Feed the birds hi-energy foods like black oil sunflower seeds and suet, which give birds more energy per ounce consumed. One need of wild birds often overlooked by consumers in cold weather is the need for ‘open water.’ The main reason they need water is to help keep warm. Birds fluff out their feathers so they can better capture a ‘layer of air’ that acts as heated insulation. Matted, dirty feathers can’t be fluffed out. Therefore, by offering food and water, dozens of your feathered friends will soon add brilliant flashes of red and blue, gray and white, across the snow, and you’ll hear their melodious songs as the sing “Thanks” to you for helping them survive.     

            Let’s turn thoughts to the indoors as there are many things that can be done there.  Houseplants should have the dust washed off their leaves on a regular basis during winter.  This allows the leaves to gather light more efficiently which will result in better growth, especially since there is less light available this time of year. 

            Indoor plant insect population is a problem that needs to be checked on regularly during the winter as well.  Dry home conditions are perfect for insect incubation cycles.  Washing the plants regularly will greatly cut down on this problem.  Organic remedies, such as Insecticidal Soap, for controlling insects are readily available and safe for indoor use.

            If you can tolerate the cold weather, there are a number of things that you can do this month in your landscape that will lighten your workload for the rest of the season. The main item is pruning or thinning of your woody ornamentals. Interior, broken, or crossing branches should be removed now while you can see exactly what you are removing. The general rule of thumb is that you should not touch spring flowering trees and shrubs at this time of year.

            If the weather is extremely bad this month, then snow and/or ice removal are going to be the big tasks. Heavy accumulations of snow or ice can easily damage plants. Dump a snow shovel full of wet snow on top of some of your shrubs and you may end up replacing the broken mass next spring. Snow plows can also do quite a bit of damage to plantings and lawn areas. Use location stakes with flags to show where your driveways and walkways are as well as where to “dump” excess snow. If you have to deal with ice, be extremely careful with the melting compound you use        

            Time flies fast, so enjoy this winter preparing for spring and we will “See you in the garden”.

Sandi Hillermann McDonald

Bird of the Week - 1-3-18

The Northern Cardinal

Basics: Male Cardinals are easily spotted by their red plumage while female cardinals have lovely red highlights in their fawn colored feathers.

Housing: Enclosed housing may not be appealing to this species. Platform housing is best for Cardinals. The planting of thick berry producing plants and evergreens are also very beneficial for this species to roost and nest in.

Food: Black Oil Sunflower seeds, and safflower seeds are two of their favorite foods!

How to attract: Provide food, water, shelter, and nesting sites!

Fact: Keeping warm bodies is a number one priority during winter, a snug place to roost overnight is just as important as a full belly.

Tip: Choose larger, heavier feeders that will not sway, or placing feeders on sturdy poles rather than hanging them to provide more stability when cardinals are feeding.

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Bird of the Week Special:

Black Oil Sunflower Seed
50# Bag, Regular $24.99
Just $18.99

Good through 1/8/18. Not good with any other sale, coupon or discount or on previous purchases. Print this coupon or mention offer at the checkout counter.

Code: HNF-NL

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Houseplant of the Week - 1/3/17

Cyclamen

       These houseplants are valued for the up-swept petals and variably patterned leaves. The florist Cyclamen is the best know species in this genus. The small flowers of this plant are very sweet smelling. These are tuberous plants with the common heart shaped leaves. Cyclamen have a good transpiration rate, and therefore will add to the humidity in your home. The plants prefer a cool location with good air circulation! Cyclamen are great flowering plants to add interest to the home in winter, as they do best in our area from December through March.

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Houseplant of the Week Special:

20% OFF
Cyclamen Plants

Good through 1/8/18. Not good with any other sale, coupon or discount or on previous purchases. Print this coupon or mention offer at the checkout counter.

Code: HNF-NL

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Letter to Lawn Sevice Customers

Dear Lawn Service Customers,

       You should have received your 2018 Property Analysis letters by now or will be very soon. We will be offering the same type of program in general but have made a few changes in order to better serve you. You will see that we have included all six steps on your P. A. sheet. We feel this is the best way to maintain a healthy lawn throughout the season. You are free to make changes to suit your specific needs.

       We will be using a newer line of products that will be better suited for our area conditions as well as weather factors. We hope to work with you for the 2018 season and encourage everyone interested to respond by the February 1st deadline to take advantage of the 5% discount pre-pay offer. This is available with an order of four steps or more only. If you have any questions please feel free to contact our landscape office.

See below for a list of steps with descriptions to be used in this years Lawn Program.

Hillermann’s Lawn Program

Step 1:  Late February / March – Fertilization with Pre-emergent
This step is a dry granular application and will provide lawn fertilization as well as helping with crabgrass control.

Step 2:  March / April – 1st  Weed Spray
This step is a liquid application and will be a blanket coverage for broadleaf control.

Step 3:  Late April / Early May – Grub and Insect Control
This step is a dry granular application and will target non-beneficial species of grubs and insects at an early development stage. This is attached to a fertilizer carrier.

Step 4:  May / June – 2nd  Weed Spray
This step is a liquid application and will be a spot spray on areas as needed for   continued broadleaf control.

Step 5:  September – Fertilization
This step is a dry granular application and will provide lawn fertilization.

Step 6:  October / November - Fertilization with Pre / Post emergent
This step is a dry granular application and will provide lawn fertilization with a Pre/Post emergent to target cold season weeds and help with weed control in the spring.

Step 7:  ( Optional ) November / December – Iron supplementation /    Pelletized Lime
This step can be on an as needed basis for different lawn requirements. Please call for estimate.

*Steps 1 and 6 will effect over-seeding results. Please call our office at 636-239-6729 for details.

Again, please feel free to contact us with any questions. We look forward to working with you this season. Thank you.

Keith Kennedy
Landscape Superintendent

Hillermann Nursery & Florist
Phone: (636)239-6729
Cell: (636)221-4753

WARNING! DROUGHT CONDITIONS PERSIST IN OUR AREA!

Drought conditions can be serious for young trees and landscape plants. Even though most plants are dormant at this time, they still need water. Water your trees and shrubs to give them a better chance of surviving the drought and the winter season.

Most of us don't think about watering plants this time of year. However, plants (especially broadleaf evergreen varieties that loose moisture through the leaves) still need moisture through the winter season. Moisture in the soil is needed so that the roots of plants can continue to grow and have insulation from freezing temperatures.

Slower watering is recommended so that the water will soak into the dry soil and not run off. Many methods will work for this - such as soaker hoses, a regular hose with the water at just a trickle, jugs or buckets with a hole in them, or even a deep root watering device. Remember to turn off the water, unhook the hose from the faucet and drain the water to avoid damage from freezing.

Though the plants need water in winter. The amount is not as much as in the growing season. Large, mature trees may need one or two deep waterings per month. Younger or newly planted trees may need more. Do not apply any fertilizer. Add mulch around your plants and trees if they have none - or the layer is thinned out. Keep the mulch a couple inches or so away from the base of the plant or tree trunk (do not let the mulch pile up on tree trunks or plant stems).

National Integrated Drought Information System, Drought.gov, https://www.drought.gov/drought/states/missouri

For more information, contact the nearest University of Missouri Extension Center and ask for MU guide G6879, "Irrigating Trees and Shrubs During Summer Drought". The publication is also available online at extension.missouri.edu.

Here are some articles about the current drought and watering tips: http://agebb.missouri.edu/news/swnews/showcur.php… . https://www.drought.gov/drought/states/missouri