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Did you know?
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Leaf scorch on trees is caused by excessive evaporation from the leaves. In hot
weather, water evaporates rapidly from foliage. If the roots can't absorb and provide
water fast enough to replenish this loss, the leaves turn brown and wither. To avoid
leaf scorch, water trees deeply during periods of hot weather. The premature browning
of leaves is a signal that your trees are thirsty!
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Hummelo Betony
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This hardy perennial forms large, rounded clumps of green, long and narrow, textured
leaves. In midsummer, sturdy spikes of lavender-rose flowers shoot up through the
foliage, putting on quite a display. It makes a unique addition to any sunny
border!
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Black Hills Spruce
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Shapely "Christmas tree" type evergreen, with short, green to blue-green
needles. Black Hills Spruce trees are very dense and are very resistant to winter
injury. Deer dislike the Black Hills Spruce. Shears easily. Useful as a specimen,
hedge, or windbreak. Best in full sun, but tolerates light shade.
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Chicago Lustre Viburnum
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A Chicagoland Grows introduction. Selected for its attractive glossy, deep green
foliage and upright, rounded habit. Creamy white flowers cover the plant in mid
to late June. A deciduous shrub for sun or half shade that can be used as a screen,
barrier, or backdrop while also providing food for birds which love its blue-black
berries in the fall. Foliage turns yellow to red-purple in the fall. Excellent pest
and disease resistance.
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Little Lime Hydrangea
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A new dwarf form of the ever popular 'Limelight' hydrangea, Little Lime sports the
same great flowers and coloration as 'Limelight' but in a smaller package. At one
third the size of traditional hardy hydrangeas, this new variety fits well into
any landscape. Summer flowers open soft green and turn pink and burgundy in fall.
Height 3-5ft by 4-6ft wide.
Part to full sun
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Shiloh Splash River Birch
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This dwarf River Birch really stands out in the landscape with it's distinctively
variegated foliage of green and white. The exfoliating bark creates all season interest.
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Blue Heaven Little Bluestem
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Blue Heaven Bluestem's attractive grassy leaves are bluish-green in color. As an
added bonus, the foliage turns a gorgeous orange in the fall. It features beautiful
spikes of light green flowers rising above the foliage in late summer. The
indian red seed heads are carried on showy plumes displayed in abundance from early
fall right through to late winter.The brick red stems are very effective and add
winter interest.
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Technito Arborvitae
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This evergreen grows to 6 feet tall, has the attractive dark green color of Techny,
and retains its color through winter. Technito's form is a compact pyramidal outline.
It prefers sun to light shade, and its compact habit makes it useful for screening
in restricted spaces.
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Coral Cove Rose
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Incredible color, petite size, super disease resistant, what more could you want?
This everblooming gem has double blooms whose outer petals are dark pink changing
to orange and finally to bright yellow at the center. The small, perfectly rounded
form would make it an outstanding informal hedge along a walkway or garden path.
The color is so easy to combine it should have a place in every perennial border.
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Lil Kim Rose of Sharon
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Say hello to the only miniature Rose of Sharon. A unique little shrub with dainty
little white flowers punctuated with a showy red eye. Thick, dark green leaves
and the flowers last for three days instead of the typical one day before falling.
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Greetings!
Welcome to the Late Summer Edition of the Jim Melka Garden Center's Newsletter.
As always we promise to bring you information you can use to improve your landscape
and lawn so you can enjoy it throughout the year.
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Proper Watering Techniques
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 Healthy plants are made up of nearly 90% water, therefore proper
watering techniques are essential to maintain the health and beauty of your landscape.
Look at your lawn and landscape plants carefully before watering them to gauge the
right amount of water they need. The appearance of your plants reflects how much
moisture they have. Yellow, drooping leaves indicate over-watering, while grayish
leaves and wilting indicate under-watering. Be sure to feel the soil to determine
which scenario may be happening before watering.
When watering, it's best to water early in the morning before 10am because evaporation
is less during these hours. It is estimated that sprinkler water evaporates four
to eight times faster if the sprinkling is done during the warmer afternoon hours.
Evening watering should be avoided to decrease chances of getting mildew or other
fungal diseases.
By adopting simple wise watering practices you can conserve water and save money
at the same time. Keep these watering tips in mind and your lawn and plants should
do just fine:
*Morning watering is best.
*Avoid late evening and/or overnight watering.
*Make sure plants and lawn get at least 1 inch of water per week.
*Remember it is better to water established plants thoroughly, once each week, than
"sprinkling" them daily, throughout the hot summer.
*Bedding plants, hanging baskets or containers tend to dry out quickly and you may
need to water daily or twice daily.
*Plants growing in shady conditions under large trees can dry out quickly because
of the competition for moisture from tree roots.
*Conserve water by making sure watering equipment is working properly and set it
to water only the lawn and not the pavement, driveway, or sidewalks.
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Is your lawn turning your shoes orange?
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 Rust appears as an orange or yellowish-orange powder (spores) on
grass leaf blades, especially in late summer to early fall when the weather is dry.
Rust begins in shaded areas of the lawn where lingering dew and moisture from excessive
watering has a chance to sit. Nitrogen deficiency can also contribute to rust. The
spores are light and minute, easily spread by wind and footfall, or can be carried
about underneath your lawn mower. In a severe case, the blades of grass go
yellow and droop.
Good news you won't need to use fungicides to battle it. Control rust through
sound turf management. Maintain lawns through watering, mowing, and fertilizing.
Water early in the day so the grass dries quickly. Increase vigor with an early
fall nitrogen application, but don't overdo it. Also assure good airflow over
the site and light penetration by pruning trees and shrubs in the area near the
lawn.
When rust occurs in late summer, improved growth conditions of early fall often
get lawns growing more vigorously and the rust fades away. Early September is a
key time for fertilization. If conditions are dry, irrigation is also needed to
increase the growth rate of the grass.
Make sure to clean your shoes and the undercarriage and wheels of your mower (with
10 percent bleach solutions) after walking on/mowing an infected lawn.
Fungicides are rarely suggested on home lawns for rust control. Focus on cultural
practices described above.
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Japanese Beetle
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Japanese beetles are chewing insects that destroy leaves, flowers, and fruits of
more than 400 different species of plants. They are native to Japan and was accidentally
introduced into the United States in 1916. These insects are iridescent green
in the front, with copper colored wings in the back. They will chew leaves, often
leaving the veins, so that the leaf has an almost lacy skeletonized appearance.
Their young are white C-shaped grubs with a yellow-brown head. They feed on
turf & plant roots.
The Japanese beetle has a one year life cycle, spending about 10 months as a grub
in the soil. In late June, the first adults emerge with most present in July and
August. Throughout the summer, adult beetles feed on a wide range of plants and
deposit eggs in soil. Eggs hatch about two weeks later and grubs feed on decaying
matter and roots until temperatures cool in the fall. They move downward and overwinter
as a partially grown grub and resume some feeding activity in spring. Pupation occurs
in late spring and adults begin emerging in late June.
For control of the adult Japanese beetles handpicking the beetles off isolated plants
or knocking them into jars of soapy water will reduce populations. Commercial Japanese
beetle traps and pheromone lures are available, however, research has shown that
the use of traps will not protect plants form damage, and may in fact attract more
beetles into the area. Tests have revealed that the botanical insecticide, Neem
oil, interferes with the life cycle of Japanese beetles, which seem to avoid plants
sprayed with products containing Neem. For chemical control of the adult Japanese
beetle use Sevin concentrate bug killer, apply directly to your infected plants.
For control of grubs do not irrigate during beetle activity to help reduce grub
populations. The bacterial milky spore disease, Bacillus popillae, kills grubs in
the soil. The dead grubs then produce bacterial spores that remain in the soil to
infect future grubs. Milky spore disease is applied to the soil, but takes 2-3 years
before spore counts build to become effective. For chemical control of the grubs
use Bayer Season-Long Grub Control or Anderson's Grub-Out.
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Gardening with Perennials
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 The appeal of perennials is that each month brings new blooms to
enjoy. These plants are the backbone of your flower garden because they have staying
power. Their leaves usually die back as winter approaches, but will return each
spring. Some plants maybe short-lived, but old favorites like daylilies, hostas
and peonies can thrive for decades.
When designing your flower garden, there are many choices to make with regard
to planting. Some are purely aesthetic (such as
matching plant colors) and others are horticultural ( such as light requirements,
hardiness, soil and moisture levels). The more closely you base decisions
on meeting the needs of your plants the more successful your flower garden will
be. Remember to incorporate annuals with your perennials for a continuous
colorful show.
After the design and the plants are in the ground, the first year your new perennials
seem small & the flowers sparse. But by the second year, you'll see more
flowers and better growth. The third season - look out - your plants look like they're
on steroids. After that, your plants will get bigger each season and may need
to be divided.
Divide perennials in spring or fall by digging and dividing the clump into several
smaller clumps. When dividing select only the vigorous outer edges of the
clump and discard plants from the center. Do not put all the divisions back into
the same space that contained the original plant - that would place too many plants
in a given area. Exchange extra plants with a friend, plant them elsewhere in the
yard, or discard them.
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Family Fajita Bar
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Recipe by Jamie Purviance from Weber's Charcoal Grilling™
Grilling time: 18 to 23 minutes
Ingredients:
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Guacamole
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4
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medium ripe Hass avocados, mashed
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2
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tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro or basil
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1-1/2
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tablespoons fresh lime juice
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1
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teaspoon kosher salt
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1/4
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teaspoon ground black pepper
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Marinade
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3
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large garlic cloves
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1/2
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cup loosely packed fresh cilantro or basil leaves
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1/4
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cup fresh orange juice
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3
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tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
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1
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tablespoon fresh lime juice
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2
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teaspoons pure chile powder
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1
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teaspoon dry mustard
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1
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teaspoon dried oregano
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1
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teaspoon kosher salt
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1
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teaspoon ground cumin
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1/2
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teaspoon ground coriander
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1-1/2
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pounds flank steak, about 3/4 inch thick
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1-1/2
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pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
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4
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medium green bell peppers, seeded and cut into flat sections
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2
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medium red onions, cut crosswise into 1/3-inch slices
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Extra-virgin olive oil
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10
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flour tortillas (9 to 10 inches)
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2
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cups good-quality, store-bought chunky salsa
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Tabasco® sauce
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Instructions
1.
In a medium bowl combine the guacamole ingredients and stir with
a fork until thoroughly combined. Cover the surface with plastic wrap until ready
to use.
2.
In a blender or food processor finely chop the garlic and cilantro.
Add the remaining marinade ingredients. Process until smooth.
3.
Put the flank steak in one medium bowl and the chicken thighs in
another. Add half the marinade to the steak and half to the chicken and turn to
coat all sides evenly. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
4.
Prepare the grill for direct cooking over for medium heat (350°
to 450°F).
5.
Lightly coat the bell peppers and onions on both sides with oil.
Brush the cooking grates clean. Grill them over
direct medium heat, with the lid closed as much as possible,
until tender, turning once and swapping their positions as needed for even cooking.
The bell peppers will take 6 to 8 minutes, and the onions will take 8 to 10 minutes.
Cut the bell peppers and onions into 1/3-inch strips.
6.
Remove the steak and chicken from their bowls and discard the marinade.
Grill them over direct
medium heat, with the lid closed as much as possible, until
the steak is medium rare and the chicken is brown on the surface and no longer pink
in the middle, 8 to 10 minutes, turning once and swapping their positions as needed
for even cooking. Let the steak rest for 2 to 3 minutes. Evenly divide the tortillas
into two foil packets and grill over
direct medium heat to warm them, 2 to 3 minutes, turning
once.
7.
Cut the steak in half lengthwise and then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch
slices. Cut the chicken into 1/4-inch slices. Place the tortillas, steak, chicken,
peppers, onions, guacamole, and salsa in separate serving dishes. Let each person
make their own fajita by placing the fillings down the center of each tortilla and
adding Tabasco® sauce. Serve warm.
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July & August Weather Thoughts...
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 According to the Farmer's Almanac as July begins the temperatures
suggest a slightly cooler start with periodic thunder storms. The middle of the
month brings sunny, hot days. With the chances of scattered thunder storms and seasonable
temperatures ending the month.
The outlook for August suggests a slightly warmer month. Temperatures could fluctuate
weekly with a cool start, warm to hot middle and a warm ending to the month.
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We hope you can use the information we have shared and we welcome your comments!
Contact us at gardencenter@jimmelka.com
to share your ideas and suggestions. Wishing you enjoy the rest of your summer!
The Staff at Jim Melka Landscaping & Garden Center
With questions or to schedule a visit to your property please contact us via email
at landscape@jimmelka.com
or by phone at 708/349-6989.
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