Items of Interest In the Nursery | Items of Interest in the Store | From the Soil Yard | Classes at the Natural Gardener | John's Schedule

Remember the controversy last year over tree removal at Barton Springs and Zilker Park? The Save Our Springs Alliance trusted arborist Don Gardener to assess the trees and make a recommendation for action. Don will be at The Natural Gardener this Saturday teaching a free class on trees and tree care. Come learn from one of Central Texas' best arborists! See our FREE CLASSES section below for details.

AEROBIC COMPOST TEA available this Thursday through Sunday. It's too hot to fertilize right now, so Aerobic Compost Tea is a great way to show your plants some love. Remember, our Aerobic Compost Tea is alive, so it must be used within 8 hours of bottling. Also, remember to spray your lawn and plants after sundown. (Avoid spraying anything on plant leaves, including water, during the daytime especially once temperatures exceed 90° F.)

SALE ENDS SUNDAY!

25% OFF ALL TREES: Ornamentals include Oaks, Crape Myrtles, Conifers, Palms, and more.  Edibles include Olives and Citrus.

(All sales are limited to stock on hand, and cannot be used or combined with any other offer. Sale prices valid Friday, July 16 through Sunday, August 1, 2010.)

JUST ARRIVED- SPECIMEN XERIC: If you consider yourself a plant connoisseur, you owe it to yourself to come see our latest shipment of xeric plants. We have some absolutely gorgeous specimens, including many unusual and hard-to-find varieties. There are over 10 different species of Agave, 10 species of Aloe, 6 different Crassulas, 6 different Echeverias, 5 varieties of Sedum, and at least 5 different Euphorbias. We also have Pachypodium, Calandrinia, Cotyledon, Opuntia, Cephalophyllum, and more. Hurry out; these beauties won’t be around for long!

TREES ON SALE: The Natural Gardener has a great selection of beautiful, container-grown trees, and they’re all on sale through Sunday. We have a wide variety of trees on hand including several native Oaks, Crape Myrtles, Conifers, Palms, and even Citrus and Olive trees. Be sure to use Plant Success, Maxicrop Seaweed, and Sylvan Formula to give your new tree the best possible start in its new home. Ask our friendly Information Desk staff for these fine products, as well as a free copy of our new and improved Tree Planting Guide.

FALL VEGGIES: This week, The Natural Gardener has Tomato, Pepper, and Eggplant transplants available for your fall garden; get ‘em in the ground quick!  It’s also time to sow seeds for Malabar Spinach, Okra, Squash, and Corn. Be sure to pick up some shade cloth while you’re here to give those tender little plants some protection from the heat during the remainder of the season.

HIBISCUS: Who doesn’t love Hibiscus? Such variety in a genus is hard to match.  There are tender tropical Hibiscus varieties with deep green, shiny foliage and blooms in a range of brilliant colors; the epitome of a tropical flower. There’s a myriad of Perennial Hibiscus, too, and many of these varieties are quite hardy and fairly drought tolerant. They’re so tough, in fact, that Texas A&M has listed three varieties (Flare, Moy Grande, and Lady Baltimore) on their Texas Superstar plants list. We have those varieties, as well as another hardy Hibiscus known as Confederate Rose.  This plant has one of the largest flowers of any perennial, and the flowers come out in a range of pink, red, and rose. Whether you choose a Perennial Hibiscus, or one of our several varieties of Tropical Hibiscus, you’re sure to be pleased; Hibiscus love the heat and will produce huge, vibrant flowers all summer long.

TREE SUPPLIES: Whether you're planting a brand new baby tree, or want to improve the health of an old friend, come see us for the best tree care supplies. To insure success at planting time, use Thrive or Plant Success. Both products contain beneficial mycorrhizal fungi, and when used at planting time, they can greatly reduce transplant shock. Maxicrop Liquid Seaweed is another good way to reduce shock and improve transplant success; it's an all-natural root stimulator and anti-stressor. Use Maxicrop to water-in your new tree, and then for weeks (or months) after planting. Even old, well-established trees will benefit from Maxicrop. In addition to these fine products, along with our quality soils, we have lots of other ways to care for your trees. We have the best watering tools; high quality pruners, loppers, and saws; all natural amendments, fertilizers, pest controls; and more. Attend our free class this weekend, and use your class coupon for 10% off all of your tree care supplies. (See FREE CLASSES below for details.)

BIRD BATHS AND BIRD FEEDERS:  Have you ever watched a bird taking a bath, or sitting at a feeder cracking seeds? They are so beautiful and so much fun to watch; it does the heart good to have birds near us. Treat yourself and your family to the simple pleasure of bird watching by adding a bird bath or feeder to your yard. The Natural Gardener has a great selection of beautiful bird baths, and a wide array of feeders, too. We even have melt-free Suet cakes, and Water Wigglers. Water Wigglers ripple the water in a bird bath, which entices birds to drink and bathe. The movement of the water also prevents mosquito eggs from hatching. Big bonus

GARDENING WITH KIDS: School doesn't start for a few more weeks, so what to do with those bored kids? Why not turn off the TV and go work in the yard together? Gardening can be good exercise and fun activity for the whole family. Watering, planting, and observing insects can help kids learn about the natural world, and the magic of seeing a big sunflower emerge from a tiny seed might turn a tiny person into a lifelong gardener. To help your budding gardeners tend their plants, The Natural Gardener stocks a good assortment of kid-sized tools. We have gloves, hoes, rakes, watering cans, watering wands, and even kid-sized wheelbarrows. We have some fun coloring and sticker books, too; perfect for relaxing indoors after a hot morning out in the garden.

LAST CALL FOR FALL: If you want a fall garden, you need to get it planted soon. If you’re building a brand new garden, be sure to use Hill Country Garden Soil or Rose Magic Soil in all of your beds. Also, be sure to pick up a free copy of our garden building handout at our Info Desk. If you’re planting fall crops in an existing garden, revitalize your soil with Lady Bug Revitalizer compost. Don’t forget to pick up some Lady Bug Fertilizer, to guarantee a great growing season in your garden! For bulk soil prices, delivery fees, and scheduling, please call our dispatch department at 512- 852-7661 and 512-288-6113.

All classes are Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m., unless otherwise specified.  All classes are about 1 hour long. Classes are subject to change.  Please call first to confirm.  Classes are held outdoors under an open air canopy – please dress for the weather.  Arrive early for best seating.  Seating is limited -- You are welcome to bring your own chair. All class attendees will receive a coupon good for 10% OFF that day's purchases (excluding bulk soil yard products and sale items).

July 31: Don Gardner, Certified Consulting Arborist, presents "Basic Tree Pruning." Trees are the most valuable plant in our landscape.  One of the most common mistakes homeowners (and even some professionals) make in the landscape is pruning trees incorrectly.  Untimely or incorrect pruning cuts can ruin the beauty of a tree forever, invite diseases and pests, and lead to premature death of a tree.  Attending Don's class, homeowners and professionals can gain specific skills in simple pruning methods, along with a greater understanding of trees in general. Learn how to prune for beauty, safety, and the health of trees.  Don is one of the most well-respected arborists in our region. He has been an arborist for over 30 years.

August 7: Colleen Dieter of Red Wheelbarrow (redwheelbarrowplants.com) presents "Maintaining Your Native Landscape." How often should I water my Yaupons? When do I prune my Salvias? Thanks to Ladybird Johnson's legacy, many folks have learned correctly that choosing native plants is the way to go. Going native minimizes or eliminates the need for pesticides, shrinks our water bill, and creates a look that says "Home" in Texas. Whether you already have a native landscape, or you are thinking about planting one this fall, Colleen can help us. She founded Red Wheelbarrow Plant Care in 2003 to provide organic landscape and plant maintenance services to Austin area residents. Colleen will show us what we need to do to keep our great Texas native landscapes looking their best.

August 21: Teresa Stephens of Pollydog Organic Landscapes (pollydoglandscapes.com) presents "Organic Lawn Maintenance 101." One of the most common questions asked at our information desk are all about lawns. Usually the question is, "What's wrong with my lawn?" Knowing how to care for a lawn organically can prevent many of the pitfalls of lawn ownership. Learn from one of the best lawn care companies in town how to maintain lawn correctly, keeping it green, lush, and healthy. Teresa Stephens, along with her husband Sid, bring over 25 combined years of horticulture experience to their company, Pollydog Organic Landscapes.

August 28: Amy Crowell of Edible Yards (edibleyards.com) presents "Edible Landscape Design." If you have a yard, why not make it edible?! Those plants in your front or back yard don't have to be just beautiful, they can be serving up a fresh lunch, dinner, or snack for you and your family (and neighbors) also! Amy will give us a "tips and planning" class and will cover the basics to consider before installing veggie gardens, fruit trees, and other edibles in the landscape. She will also discuss some design principles as they relate to edibles. August is a good time to design and plan for fall installations, so don't miss this opportunity to make your yard do double duty!

September 4: Rosina Newton, Horticulturist at The Natural Gardener, presents "Organic Vegetable Gardening 101" Beginning gardeners – or longtime gardeners from other regions of the country – often ask for this class. Don't miss this opportunity to learn how to create successful vegetable, herb, and flower gardens in Central Texas.  Learn site selection, soil preparation and fertilization, planting methods, pest control, and more!  Rosina is a 1984 graduate of Texas A&M University in Horticulture and has been assisting customers and serving as horticulturist at the Natural Gardener for over 13 years.

September 11: Charles Stephens presents "Birding in Your Backyard." Charles Stephens (Austin's Nest Finder since 1990) is a realtor in Austin with deep roots in backyard birding and organic gardening practices.  After working at the Natural Gardener and before finding nests for people, he worked with backyard and ranchland enthusiasts at Wild Birds Unlimited to create habitat for our feathered friends.  Charles will answer our questions about attracting, feeding, sheltering, and providing water for our favorite avian fauna.  Come and learn how you can create space on your own property – small or large – that will satisfy not only the birds, but also other intriguing critters of the backyard jungle.

See John's schedule, radio show information, television appearances and more.