Thursday, February 21, 2008

Ring Around The Organically-Grown Roses

There are people that grow everything organically, and there are people that grow roses. People who do both are a rare breed. I almost consider them a Fairy Tale group of gardeners that work with magic wands rather than trowels. They've got their own spells, or recipes, for fertilizers, soils, insect repellents, and more. One of these magic formulas I will share with you today. This came from a former employee of ours, and tales of its success are still coming in.

Per Rose Bush

3 cups of dehydrated cow manure
5 cups alfalfa meal
1/3 cup bat guano
1 cup bone meal
1 cup cottonseed meal
1/4 cup blood meal
1 cup triple super phosphate


This would be a lovely time to pick up a Knock Out Rose at H&Z and try it out!

Friday, February 15, 2008

Garden Centers Bring Up More Than Flowers

Garden Centers are constantly striving to be more than stores. To be successful, they must become part of the community. To do so, many form partnerships with local charities,schools,and businesses.

Hester and Zipperer is taking this approach on a number of different fronts. Hester and Zipperer employee, Kristen Phillips is working with Wilmington Island's May Howard Elementary to establish an outdoor classroom. It will serve as a learning tool and directly relate to the students' curriculum. Members of May Howard's faculty, as well as other volunteers, are hoping to make this a prototype for other schools throughout Chatham County.

Hester and Zipperer has also worked to address the ferral cat problem on Wilmington Island by accepting donations for a spay and neuter fund residing at Island's Vet Care. While funds exist, Wilmington Island residents can humanely trap ferral cats and use the fund to have them fixed. (Contact Island's Vet Care at 897-1121 for more info on procedures and prices.)To facilitate this process, the Wilmington Island location also lends out a "Have a Hart" trap free of charge. We also sell them if you want one for your very own.

Customers should watch out for products benefiting national causes like the fight against breast cancer.



Hester and Zipperer employee, Alex Brown, spent Friday setting up a display of pink garden tools that will benefit the National Breast Cancer Foundation. These are wonderful gifts for the lady in your life, and also a cute way to introduce a little girl to the garden. (If you know a guy who likes pink-hey...)

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

It's Good To Be Back!

Well, I've made it back from my internship at Riddle's Elephant Sanctuary, and it seems that I've come back to wonderful gardening weather! Tomorrow it is supposed to be 80 degrees! God Bless the South. Remember that Mother Nature can be fickle though. We are not out of danger for frost until around St. Patrick's Day. That being said, there are plenty of plants in stock that are just aching to make your yards look great.

Butterfly gardeners can get an early start with our gallon pots of Scabiosa. The lavender blooms, also called Pincushion Flowers, stand on wire-like stems and give a sense of whimsy to a landscape. Of course, that reliable work horse, Lantana, is also available to feed your butterfly cronies. Gardeners not familiar with the newer dwarf varieties should come check them out, because they can be accomodated by small gardens and containers easier than their massive counterparts.

Caladium and Elephant Ear bulbs have just arrived, and there are varieties for almost every lighting situation. These trobical looking beauties make excellent backdrops for flowers like Begonias and Impatiens that will arrive later in Spring.
A garden spot that stays moist, has soil rich in organic matter, and protected from strong winds is ideal for both Caladiums and Elephant Ears, and don't forget that they can make striking additions to containers. Monthly fertilizing is a good plan to keep their foliage healthy.

If your New Year's Resolution is to eat healthier, than we can help. Let us show you how to plant an attractive container of salad greens, or better yet, have one custom made! You'll also want to keep an eye out for fruit trees that will be arriving in the nursery soon. Of course, our recent shipment of Citrus can hold you over until then. Don't forget to ask about the proper fertilizer as well.

Lastly, Valentine's Day is approaching. This would be a good time to ask your gardening sweetie what they might enjoy for their plot. Don't forget good gifts like bird houses,bird feeders, and bird baths!