‘THE SAGE’-Klein’s Online Newsletter—JULY 2022
Klein’s Floral & Greenhouses
608/244-5661 or info@kleinsfloral.com
THIS MONTH’S HIGHLIGHTS:
Klein’s Supports Olbrich’s 2022 Home Garden Tour, July 8 & 9
Ladies’ Night @ Klein’s Is Wednesday, July 13
Our ‘Mad Gardener’ and ‘Houseplant Help‘ Are Ready for Your Questions
We Reuse Your Teal-colored 5” Klein’s Pots!
Cutting and Conditioning Flowers from Your Garden
Insight into a Weed-Free Garden
Gardening Health and Safety Tips
Klein’s Favorite Seed, Bulb & Plant Sources
You Asked about Deterring Rabbits
Plant of the Month: Citrus Trees
Klein’s Favorite Melon Recipes
Product Spotlight: Beneficial Insects and Nematodes from Organic Control, Inc.
Notes from Rick’s Garden Journal—From June 2022
—Garden Journaling How-To’s
—Naturally Soft & Nitrogen Rich Rainwater
—Tips for Keeping Pots Adequately Moist
July in the Garden: A Planner
Gardening Events Around Town
Join Us on Twitter
Follow Us on Facebook
KLEIN’S IS A PROUD SUPPORTER OF THE 2022 OLBRICH HOME GARDEN TOUR being held Friday, July 8 and Saturday, July 9 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tickets are $13 for Olbrich members and $15 for the general public, $6 for children ages 6-12.
Olbrich’s 2021 Home Garden Tour features Charming Rural Garden Gems in Oregon, WI
Olbrich’s 2022 Home Garden Tour features seven charming rural garden gems and a native prairie restoration in a county park, nestled in Oregon, WI. Take a serene 20 minute drive south from Madison’s city center to an inviting neighborhood community away from the hustle and bustle. A plethora of pollinator-filled gardens brimming with native plants and down-to-earth gardeners awaits you. From a farmette filled with flowers to a shady sanctuary with a cascading rock waterfall, these rustic garden retreats provide a quiet paradise for all of nature’s creatures.
NEW! A Wisconsin native plant is highlighted in each garden along with some of the insects it supports. Olbrich Botanical Gardens’ 2022 annual theme, Native Plants. Natural Wonders., emphasizes the importance of incorporating native plants in garden designs to support local Wisconsin ecosystems.
Did you know the featured shagbark hickory tree (Carya ovata) supports 186 species of butterflies/moths as a caterpillar host plant including Luna and Cecropia moths!
Advance tickets available for purchase at Olbrich’s lobby thru July 7.
Tour Day tickets available at 898 Leeward Ln., Oregon, WI
Visit www.olbrich.org for more information.
HAVE YOU MOVED RECENTLY?
If so, we ask that as we go into the busy spring season, you update your new address in association with Klein’s Rewards Program so you continue to receive all possible benefits.
In addition to occasional coupons, we’ve been mailing out birthday month postcards with an added gift during the past year or so and find that many are being returned with an invalid address. We don’t want you to miss out!
If your address has recently changed, please send your new information to info@kleinsfloral.com and please include your name and your old address as reference.
FOR NEIGHBORHOOD EVENTS OR GARDEN TOURS that you would like posted on our web site or in our monthly newsletters, please contact Rick at (608) 244-5661 or rick@kleinsfloral.com. Please include all details, i.e. dates, locations, prices, brief description, etc. Events must be garden related and must take place in the Madison area.
WE STERILIZE AND REUSE YOUR TEAL-COLORED 5” KLEIN’S POTS
Due to costs, we are unable to reuse most plastic pots and trays and never those from other retailers. But we are happy to take back and reuse the teal-colored 5” Klein’s pots and their accompanying trays. Simply bring in your cleaned out pots and trays and drop them off with the associates at the checkout counters. We ask that you recycle or dispose of all other pots, containers and trays in compliance with your municipality’s guidelines. We do not reuse the plant identification tags.
Madison is currently NOT accepting rigid plastics (flower pots and trays) for recycling due to import restrictions enacted by China for scrap material. At present, there is no end market to accept the type of plastic scrap the mixed rigid plastic program produces. Until further notice, rigid plastics are to be placed in the refuse bins for disposal.
THE MAD GARDENER
“Madison’s Firsthand Source for Expert Gardening Advice”
Ask any of your gardening questions by e-mailing them to us at madgardener@kleinsfloral.com. Klein’s in-house Mad Gardener will e-mail you with an answer as promptly as we can. We’ve also posted a link on our home page and in our contacts for your convenience. Your question might then appear in the “You Asked” feature of our monthly newsletter. If your question is the one selected for our monthly newsletter, you’ll receive a small gift from us at Klein’s.
Sorry, we can only answer those questions pertaining to gardening in Southern Wisconsin and we reserve the right to leave correspondence unanswered at our discretion. Please allow 2-3 days for a response.
KLEIN’S ‘HOUSEPLANT HELP’
You can contact Klein’s in-house indoor plant experts by emailing to Houseplant Help for sound information and advice regarding indoor tropicals, succulents, blooming plants and so much more.
For many years, customers’ indoor plant questions have been directed to Klein’s Mad Gardener. Now you have the opportunity to contact our indoor plant experts directly. We’ve posted a link on our home page and in our contacts for your convenience. Your question might then appear in the “You Asked” feature of our monthly newsletter. If your question is the one selected for our monthly newsletter, you’ll receive a small gift from us at Klein’s.
We reserve the right to leave correspondence unanswered at our discretion. Please allow 2-3 days for a response.
JULY STORE HOURS:
Monday thru Friday : 9:00-6:00
Saturday: 9:00-5:00
Sunday: 10:00-4:00
Open Monday, July 4: 10:00-4:00
CALENDAR OF EVENTS:
Throughout July, visit Klein’s and check out our specials on annuals, vegetables, hanging baskets and containers. Specials and selection change weekly so check our home page @ www.kleinsfloral.com or our social media sites (Click on the links at the top of our homepage). We pride ourselves in having the best cared for plants in even the hottest weather and throughout the month we’ll continue to offer a full selection of annuals, perennials and shrubs.
Current Specials Include: All annual & vegetable cell packs, flats, plantable fiber pots and 5” geraniums are Buy One, Get One Free while supplies last.
July 4–Independence Day. Special Store Hours: 10:00-4:00. Check out special savings on select items. Selection is excellent and quality remains top notch. Visit our website for current specials. Make Klein’s your first stop en route to any Fourth of July celebration you might have.
July 9 & 10—Olbrich Garden’s 2022 Home Garden Tour. See above for details or visit www.olbrich.org for more information.
July 9—Eid al Adha starts.
July 13—Ladies’ Night @ Klein’s. We are excited to have another Ladies Night at Klein’s after not having one for the past two years! Join us 4-7:00 pm for our annual Ladies Night. Music by Mackenzie Moore. Free gift for first 100 people. Door prizes and more! More details to come later.
July 13–Full Moon
July 30—Islamic New Year
‘THE FLOWER SHOPPE’:
Cutting and Conditioning Flowers from Your Garden
Here are a few tips and pointers to lengthen the vaselife of the garden flowers you’ve spent the entire summer pampering.
When to Cut Flowers
–For best results, collect cut flowers in the morning when their stems are fully turgid (filled with water).
–Avoid picking during warm and sunny conditions as the plants will be water-stressed. Wait at least until the evening when they have had a chance to recover.
–Place the stems straight into a bucket of water or as soon as possible after cutting
Stage of development:
–Most flowers are best picked when they are just starting to show color. Those in full bloom will go bad more quickly. However, the flowers of some plants, such as roses and dahlias, may not fully develop if picked in tight bud.
–Pick blooms in a spike arrangement, such as foxgloves and gladiolus, when the lowest flowers have just opened. However, wait until most flowers are open before cutting delphinium spires.
Frequency:
–Many annuals and some perennials will bloom over a longer period if picked regularly.
–Pick lightly and infrequently from slower-growing shrubs to avoid stressing the plant. Picking is a form of pruning, and heavy pruning may result in fewer flowers the following season.
Precaution: It is best to use gloves when picking and handling cut flowers. All parts of some flowers, such as monkshood (Aconitum), are poisonous; others can cause skin irritation.
Conditioning Plant Material
‘Conditioning’ is preparing the cut flowers to prolong their longevity in displays and ensure they look their best. Condition the cut stems by following these five simple steps:
–Strip all the leaves from the bottom half to two-thirds of each stem. As a general rule, any foliage below the water level should be removed to prevent it rotting in the water.
–For best results, re-cut all stems. Use a sharp knife to avoid crushing the stems and reducing their ability to take up water and nutrients.
–Cut the stems to length with a clean, angled cut without leaving jagged edges that could lead to decay.
–Place prepared stems in a bucket of clean water and leave in a cool place for at least two to three hours or, ideally, overnight. This will allow the flowers to drink before being brought into a warmer environment.
–Some plants with soft stems and heavy flower head, such as tulips and gerberas, are prone to bending. If left, the stem will remain in this position. To straighten the stems, wrap the bunch flowers in newspaper and stand them deeply in water for at least two hours – ideally over night.
Special requirements:
–Woody flower stems (roses) should have an additional vertical cut through the base of the stem to a length of about 2 inches.
–Hammering the bottom of woody stems is often suggested, but this may increase the rate of bacterial infection and is not usually necessary.
–Stems prone to drooping, such as poppy, euphorbia and hellebores can be sealed by dipping the bottom 1 inch of the stems into hot water (just off the boil) for 20-30 seconds. Always wear gloves when handling euphorbia to protect skin from its irritant milky sap.
–Try to revive drooping roses with the hot water treatment described above. Remember to re-cut the stems first.
–Condition the stems of plants with hollow stems such as delphinium, amaryllis and lupins by filling the stem with water. Plug the stem with cotton wool and tie a rubber band around the base to keep the plug in place and prevent the stem from splitting.
In the vase:
–Always use clean vases. If dirty, wash put thoroughly with detergent and a bottle brush
–Dissolve some cut-flower food in the water before placing the flowers in the vase. As well as feeding the flowers, this will also help keep the water clean as it contains an anti-bacterial treatment.
–Check the water level every couple of days and top up as necessary.
–Change the water and re-cut the base of the stems every two to four days, re-cutting a little off the bottom of the stem each time.
–Remove any dead or dying flowers to keep the arrangement looking fresh for longer.
–Position the vase in a cooler spot in the room away from source of heat such as radiators and fires.
Homemade plant food:
A homemade preservative is unlikely to be as effective as a store-bought one, but is simple and cheap to make.
Stir together 1 quart of water, 1 TBS. white vinegar, 1 tsp. sugar and 3-5 drops bleach.
Problems to Look Out For
–Drooping stems are likely to be a result of lack of water or poor water uptake. Top up water regularly. Re-cut the stems. Try treating the cut end with hot water. Check in literature or on website if any particular treatments are recommended.
–Flowers aging prematurely. Keep arrangements in a cool spot. Change water regularly. Feed the flowers and prevent bacteria build up by adding cut flower food in the water. Keep away from ripe fruit.
–Buds not opening due to being picked too early, especially roses. Pick in loose bud in the future.
–Water in the vase becoming murky or smelly. Change water more regularly and ensure vases are thoroughly cleaned before use.
–Earwigs can be troublesome, especially on dahlias and zinnias, damaging the flowers. They can be also brought into the house on the cut flower stems.
Source: The Royal Horticultural Society
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YOU ASKED. . .
Help me deter bunnies from eating seedlings! I’ve used cayenne pepper, hot sauce and water spray. No toxins please! Thanks, Sandi
Hi Sandi,
I literally have ALL of my bunny susceptible plants surrounded by chicken wire fencing from when planted in May through about July 1…small rings for individual plants and plant patches/veggies surrounded by portions of the chicken wire roll. The chicken wire is secured into the ground with bamboo stakes. I keep the chicken wire in place until I feel the plants are mature enough and develop a bitter taste once the weather heats up. It’s not pretty, but serves its purpose.
Thanks for your question,
DID YOU KNOW. . .
. . . that eliminating certain weeds from your garden FOREVER may be easier than you think!
Like many of the beautiful annual flowers in your garden, annual weeds go through their entire life cycle in a single season. By eliminating them before they flower and set seed, you’ve won half the battle.
As with most annuals, annual weed seeds lie dormant during the winter months, ready to sprout with the onset of spring and summer (though there are a few that actually sprout in the fall). They spend the summer months growing and blooming, relying on pollinators or the wind to spread their pollen from plant to plant in order to set seed for the next season. The seeds usually drop nearby, are spread by the wind or by animals such as birds, rodents and even humans. Once dropped to the soil, they lie dormant until the following season. There are some weeds that go through multiple life cycles in a single growing season.
Unlike our perennial weeds, which often times spread via runners or below ground roots, recognizing the emerging growth of garden annual weeds isn’t quite as urgent. As long as any particular plant is eradicated before it flowers or sets seed, the plant will be unable to reproduce itself for the following season. It may take a few seasons to eliminate a particular weed from your garden. Seeds can lie dormant for many years and may sprout once brought nearer the surface. New plants can also spread into your garden from neighboring gardens or farm fields. But with a few seasons of diligence, a few of your peskiest garden weeds can be gone forever. Learning about and recognizing these annual weeds will make the task far easier.
Common annual weeds that appear in nearly all Madison area gardens include:
Bindweed
Black Medic
Chickweed
Crabgrass
Groundsel
Knotweed
Lamb’s Quarters
Nettle
Pigweed
Purslane
Spotted Spurge
Wood Sorrel (Yellow Oxalis)
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT—Each month we spotlight some product that we already carry or one that we’ve taken note of and plan to carry in the near future. Likewise, if you would like to see Klein’s to carry a product that we don’t currently, please let us know. Our goal is to be responsive to the marketplace and to our loyal clientele. If a product fits into our profile, we will make every effort to get it into our store. In addition, we may be able to special order an item for you, whether plant or hard good, given enough time.
Beneficial Insects and Nematodes from Organic Control, Inc.
“We’re dedicated to helping you control garden pests using nature’s own army of beneficial organisms. Today your garden and every garden can be a Victory Garden!”
From the Organic Control website @ organiccontrol.com
We believe it’s time to think differently…pro-actively protecting our plants in advance, instead of reacting to pests with a toxic spray. It’s time to improve the way we ALL manage whatever piece of the earth we have been given and it’s time to heal our planet. We can no longer say that we’re sustainably-minded because we’ve past the point of sustainability. It’s time for us to regenerate the soil and the land that supports us. At Organic Control we are regenerative minded and environmentally conscious in all we do.
Now available at Klein’s:
LADYBUGS (Hippodamia convergens)
Use: Ladybugs prefer to eat aphids and will devour up to 50 a day, but they will also attack scale, mealy bugs, boil worms, leafhopper, and corn ear worm. They dine only on insects and do not harm vegetation in any way.
Release: Ladybugs should always be released after sundown since they only fly in the daytime. During the night, they will search the area for food and stay as long as there is food for them to eat. The more they eat the more eggs they lay and the more insect eating larvae you will have. It is best if the area has been recently watered. Ladybugs tend to crawl up and toward light. So release them in small groups at the base of plants and shrubs that have aphids or other insects, and in the lower part of trees.
Recommendations: Ladybugs may be kept in the refrigerator after they are received (35-50 degrees F.) and released as needed. Ladybugs may be stored 2 to 3 months.
Life Cycle: Ladybugs mate in the spring and lay yellow eggs in clusters of 10 to 50 on the underside of leaves. About five days later the larvae emerge and will eat about 400 aphids during their 2.5 week cycle. The larvae look like tiny black caterpillars with orange spots but do not eat vegetation.
The larvae then pupate and emerge from their cocoon as adults after about a week. They begin feeding on aphids, other insects, and pollen to build up their body fat. In the summer and fall the Ladybugs migrate into the mountains and during the winter they lie dormant under the snow. In the early spring they fly back down to the lowlands to resume searching for food in earnest. They begin mating, lay eggs, and die.
PRAYING MANTIDS (Tenodera sinensis)
Life Cycle: Praying Mantids hatch out of their egg case (ootheca) along the seam that looks like louvered windows with some mud packed on top. They hatch in the spring when the weather warms, the warmer the temperature, the sooner they hatch. Unlike most insects the mantids do not hatch as larvae, they emerge as miniature adults, about half an inch long. They will grow through spring and summer until they reach a length of 5 to 6 inches, shedding their skins several times.
Although mantids have wings, they do not use them until fall when the female wings develop and she begins flying around looking for males to mate with. After mating, she eats the head off the male, which helps to nourish her eggs. She then attaches the brown foam to a branch, lays her eggs inside, and dies shortly afterward, The eggs are protected from the winter cold in the foam and the cycle begins again in the spring.
General Information: When the eggs hatch the egg case does not change in appearance except for what looks like a little sawdust hanging from the seam. Since the Mantids do not move much and blend easily with their surroundings, it is easy to miss the hatching. While most insects are constantly searching for food, Mantids are content to stay in one area and wait for their food to walk by and grab it with their strong forelegs. This is why they are good to use early in the season, before there are pest problems, and use other insects after pests arrive.
Praying Mantids eat a wide variety of garden pests. In their younger stages they eat aphids, thrips, flies and maggots, small caterpillars, leafhoppers, white grubs and other soft-bodied insects. Mature Mantids feed on larger caterpillars, earwigs, chinch bugs, sow bugs, beetles, grasshoppers and other large insects.
Release: You can keep the egg cases in the cup, set them on a window ledge or in the patio until they hatch. As soon as you see tiny praying mantids emerge remove the lid and sprinkle the mantids around your garden. Or put the egg case in a bush, hedge, limb or anything more than two feet above ground. The egg case may be inserted in the fork of a branch or hung with a piece of string or needle and thread rum through the outside of the case. Hanging will help keep birds and rodents from eating the eggs in the case. If ants are in the area, oiling the string will help keep them away.
Beneficial Nematodes (Steinernema feltiae) are microscopic in size and cannot be seen with the naked eye. They attack more than 230 kinds of soil dwelling and wood boring pests, such as flea larvae, white grubs, cutworms, corn root worms, strawberry weevils, gypsy moth larvae, cabbage root maggots, fungus gnat larvae, and many more before they emerge from the ground in their more destructive adult stages.
RELEASE: Beneficial Nematodes may be released by spraying with water, mixing with mulch and applying directly to the soil or potting mix, or injecting into burrows. They may be used any time of year, as long as the ground is not frozen. Do not release in direct sunlight, as this will kill them. See directions for details.
COVERAGE: Our container of 7 million live Beneficial Nematodes will cover up to 2,000 square feet, but faster results are obtained with higher concentrations.
Beneficial Nematodes hunt down, penetrate, and kill most soil dwelling pests. They will remain effective for about 2 years, but annual applications are recommended. They will also attack over wintering adult insects, pupae, diapausing larvae, and grubs when they are in the soil, bark, or even ground litter. They do not affect humans, animals, or plants. They are completely compatible with beneficial insects such as ladybugs, lacewings, and praying mantids and do not harm earthworms.
NOTES FROM MY GARDEN JOURNAL–Tips and Observations from My Own Garden by Rick Halbach
ENTRY: JUNE 1, 2022 (Garden Journaling How-To’s)
I began garden journaling when I bought my home and started my gardens in 1986. Rather than a true garden journal, my current journal of choice is the spiral bound Sierra Club engagement calendar available at most bookstores and online. It offers plenty of space for daily entries and for adequate note-taking. It’s always lying open somewhere on the counter so I can make entries throughout the day.
Garden Journaling
by Pamela Hubbard, Penn State Master Gardener @ extension.psu.edu
As a passionate gardener I believe that one of the keys to success is keeping records of your gardening endeavors. To this end, a fun and useful winter activity is to start a garden journal.
A garden journal is your own personal diary of what happens in your garden, starting with the planning in January through putting your garden to bed in October. It provides a place to keep together all information, plans and notes about your garden. Your journal can be as simple as a composition book or as elaborate as a creative scrapbooking endeavor. I’ve tried several methods and developed a few tips for effective garden journaling.
Begin by choosing the type of journal that would best work for you. Consider if you want to record simple details or your gardening story.
- For simple details you can use notebook paper, a composition book or notecards. Just be sure to date each page or card. I used this method for years until I felt the need to be more organized (I couldn’t always find what I was searching for) therefore switched to calendars.
- I prefer a monthly calendar with a large square for each day and a desk calendar with a page for each week. I use the former to record seed-starting activities and the latter for more detailed notes.
- If you want more room to write, there are some beautiful dedicated garden journals available in bookstores. They often contain graphs for sketching and planning, calendars without dates so the journal can be used any year, space to record your thoughts, charts for recording information like flower purchases and blooming times, and information pages with gardening hints for each month.
- Using a computer is a fast way to record what is going on in your garden; it is faster than writing your journal by hand. If this method is for you it has the benefit of being able to add digital photographs right into the document, size them to meet your needs, and easily delete and replace them. Like many gardeners around the world, I write an online gardening blog that records my gardening journey in photographs, but that method is not for everyone. Just try to write something each month, remembering to include the date and year in each entry. Save your entries and print them when you have completed a year.
- Keep the printed pages in a three-ring binder for future reference. Place tabs in the binder to mark the years. I like to save plant tags but too often they disappear and I can’t remember names of plants. Adding photo sleeves for plant tags solves this problem. Also, your binder is a good place to keep gardening information from newspapers and magazines.
What to Record
- Vegetable garden information: As new seed catalogs arrive, begin by making an inventory of the leftover seeds from previous years and list the new ones you need to order. Plan your vegetable garden on graph paper at this time and add it to your journal. It’s important to note where you planted vegetables last year so that you can rotate vegetables in the same family. For example, do not follow tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant or peppers with each other or you will encourage soil-borne diseases and pest outbreaks.
- Landscape beds: Draw a rough sketch of each landscape bed indicating its plantings. Show the places where you plan to add flowers and shrubs in the coming season and mark their names. At the beginning of the season, record planting dates; add plant tags or seed packets. You may want to list flower colors, bloom times, plant heights and growing requirements.
- Seasonal landmarks: Record the dates of each year’s seasonal landmarks: weather patterns, when the first spring flower bloomed, arrival of butterflies and hummingbirds, the first and last frost. Also, note when pest problems appeared and what you did about them.
- Regular gardening activities: Document your gardening activities such as soil preparation, watering, mulching and fertilizing. Identify areas that receive too little or too much water. Record when you harvest vegetables. Note garden successes and needed improvements. Your journal will help identify where in your garden different types of plants thrive.
- Budget: A journal enables you to keep track of your garden expenses. It may be useful to record the nurseries and catalogs you used. If possible include the receipts and note the purchase dates.
How to Use the Information in Your Journal
The information in your journal becomes an invaluable reference to review at the end of the year or to look back on over the years. You can identify where different types of plants thrive, obtain a greater understanding of landscape characteristics such as microclimates and check that you have ‘the right plant in the right place.’ I record high and low temperatures and rainfall amounts; in midsummer if a plant isn’t doing well I look back to see if weather was a factor. As you review past journals you will see patterns in your garden. By looking at photographs over the years, I noted the decline of a beloved climbing rose, Rosa Blaze Improved, and decided this year I will remove it and replace it with a clematis. While I’m sad at losing the rose, I have the fun of choosing a new climbing plant. My journal helps me plan for the future; it is a tool to prevent repeated mistakes. My journal becomes especially valuable as my memory needs more help.
Now is the time to plan for the new garden season; it is the perfect time to begin a garden journal. Keeping a garden journal can give you a wonderful feeling of accomplishment. Choose a method of journaling that suits you and have fun! Happy journaling!
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ENTRY: JUNE 2, 2022 (Naturally Soft & Nitrogen Rich Rainwater)
Now that the gardening season is in full swing and summer draws near, your thirsty plants are in constant need of valuable water. As every gardener knows, plants do much better watered with rain water versus city water or even private well water. City water contains fluoride and chlorine and rural well water often contains harmful chemicals from farm fields and both waters contain salts, which can prohibit plants from taking in vital nutrients. Rain collection, on the other hand offers an easy and fun alternative.
Rain water is nitrogen rich and naturally soft. Collecting rain water is as simple as placing any container under a down spout. An easier solution is to invest in one of the many rain barrel systems on the market. One can collect huge amounts of water with little energy. Barrels generally range from 40 to 75 gallons and this is a situation where bigger is definitely better if you have the room. Down spouts are usually reconfigured to fill the barrel directly from the top, but some systems can divert rainwater from the down spout to the barrel and then re-divert it back to the down spout once the barrel is full. Barrels have overflows to direct water away from the house once the barrel is full. Safety can be a concern with small children, but all modern systems are designed with openings small enough that no child could fall in. All systems also contain screens over the top to prevent mosquitoes from laying their eggs in the water and to keep debris out. For watering easy, most barrels have a spigot at the base for filling watering cans. Some brands even have linking kits to connect more than one barrel together if desired. Prices generally range from $100.00 for small, simple barrels to up to $300.00 for the more elaborate systems. Either way, the investment is worth the results.
Some mail order sources include:
Gardener’s Supply Co. @ 888-833-1412 (www.gardeners.com)
A.M. Leonard’s Gardeners Edge @ 888-556-5676 (www.gardenersedge.com)
Wayfair @ 844-9391017 (www.wayfair.com)
Also, check out www.rainbarrelguide.com. This is an amazing site with more information than you’d ever need to know about the why’s and how’s of rain collection.
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ENTRY: JUNE 19, 2022 (Tips for Keeping Pots Adequately Moist)
Given the early heat we’ve experienced so far this season, I’m reminded that summer begins in just two days and along with that comes the near daily watering of my hundreds of potted plants. In going through some old emails I came across this customer question from a few years back and I felt it appropriate to share it now before we move into still hotter weather ahead.
“I watered my petunias baskets before I went to work this morning and they were wilted by the time I got home . Am I doing something wrong? Do I really need to water twice a day?”
“In short, if the weather is warm and sunny, your baskets are located in full sun (like they should be) and your plants are healthy and vigorous, you may need to water containers and hanging baskets twice a day. This is especially true if it is windy or if your containers have been allowed to dry out so much that water is no longer penetrating the soil, but simply running through the pots. Watering is one of the joys and necessities of gardening. Perhaps it’s the time to take a moment and enjoy the sights and scents of gardening.
There are a few things you can do to make the task easier:
–Keep water close at hand. If it’s impractical to keep a hose close by, keep a filled watering can near the plants that dry out fastest.
–Keep your plants accessible. If you have plants that dry out often, place them where they can be easily checked and watered, rather than out of reach.
–Use a saucer during the hottest of weather. As a rule of thumb, plants should not sit in a pool of water. The exception is during hot, windy weather when many plants are happy to have the extra water at hand. Make sure your hanging baskets have a large, built in reservoir. Moss baskets dry out exceptionally fast.
–Use the proper quality potting soil. Use a soil with an adequate amount of peat moss. Inexpensive potting soils often times turn to brick when allowed to dry out.
–Use a drip system with a timer. This is usually overkill in Wisconsin with our frequent summer downpours. But during dry spells or while on vacation, they can be a godsend.
–Learn to enjoy this extra time with your plants!!
Keep in mind that you need to check that your plants are dry to the touch before watering too often. Many plants simply wilt on sunny afternoons whether they need to be watered or not. They will usually perk up once the sun lowers in the sky.
KLEIN’S RECIPES OF THE MONTH—These are a selection of relatively simple recipes chosen by our staff. New recipes appear monthly. Enjoy!!
Here at Klein’s we carry a nice assortment of melon starter plants in the springtime, with usually 2-3 plants per plantable 3” pot. Selection includes the traditional cantaloupes, honeydew and watermelon; along with Asian (bitter melon) and sometimes African varieties.
Melons require a light soil in full sun locations, free from any shade. Keep the soil moist, especially in the early stages of growth and during pollination when the fruits are setting. After this do not water until the soil is very dry and the plants are looking somewhat stressed. Do not plant into the garden until the soil has thoroughly warmed–usually late May. Give plenty of room, planting in hills up to 6’ apart. Melons are ripe when thumb pressure at the base of the stem causes the melon to separate from the vine.
The following are some of Klein’s favorite melon recipes. Enjoy!
MELON SALSA—A refreshing summer and easy summer salsa from the Wisconsin Herb Cookbook (Prairie Oak Press, 1996) that is delicious with chips, fish and pork.
1 cantaloupe, diced
2-3 jalapeños, minced (seeded if desired to control heat)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups chopped red pepper
1 1/2 cups chopped green pepper
1 1/2 cups chopped jicama
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 TBS. lime juice
3 TBS. oil
3 TBS. white vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
honey to taste
salt & pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and adjust seasonings.
CHILLED MELON SOUP—This cooling soup derives its flavor from juicy, ripe melons. A delightful ending to a summer dinner! From The Big Book of Soups and Stews by Maryana Vollstedt.
4 cups seedless watermelon chunks in 1” pieces
the juice of one lime
2 fresh mint leaves, torn, plus 4 for garnish
2 TBS. honey
1/4 cup dry red wine or cranberry juice
1/2 cup diced cantaloupe
1/2 cup diced honeydew
In a food processor, place 3 cups of the watermelon, the lime juice, the two mint leaves and the honey and process until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the wine, cantaloupe and honeydew. Cut the remaining watermelon into 1/2” pieces, add to the bowl and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for several hours. Serve in bowls or goblets, garnished with mint leaves. Serves 4.
PARTY FRUIT BOWL—This hit of a fruit salad comes from Great Good Food by Julie Rosso. A favorite of kids and adults alike!
2 cups green grapes
1 cup red grapes
1 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into bite-size pieces
1 medium cantaloupe, cut into bite-size pieces
1 quart blueberries, fresh or frozen
1 TBS. cinnamon
3/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
sugar or honey to taste
In a large bowl, combine and toss the fruit gently. Place the cinnamon in a small bowl. Add the juice, slowly at first, to make a paste, then slowly stir in the rest. Add sugar or honey for preferred sweetness. Pour the dressing over the fruit and toss well. Chill at least 3 hours. Before serving, remove from the refrigerator and allow to sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes. Serves 12.
FRUIT SALAD WITH FRESH HERBS—A classic from Bon Appetit magazine.
4 cups diced fresh pineapple
2 cups diced honeydew
2 cups diced mango
4 TBS. sliced fresh basil
4 TBS. fresh lime juice
4 TBS. honey
2 TBS. fresh cilantro or mint
2 TBS. minced crystalized ginger
2 TBS. minced red bell pepper (green OK if n.a.)
2 TBS. sesame seeds
Mix everything together in a large bowl except the sesame seeds. Allow to stand 15-20 minutes for the flavors to blend. Serve topped with the sesame seeds. Serves 8.
FRESH FRUIT WITH YOGURT MINT DRESSING—This family favorite from the mid-1990’s appeared in The Isthmus.
8 oz. vanilla yogurt
2 TBS. honey
1 tsp. fresh orange zest
1/2 tsp. fresh grated ginger
a dash of amaretto or Grand Marnier
2-3 TBS. fresh, minced mint plus sprigs for garnish
6-8 cups assorted fruit: melons, strawberries, pineapple, grapes, cherries, blueberries, etc.
Combine the yogurt, honey, zest, ginger, liqueur and mint. Mix well and chill several hours. Except for the strawberries, the fruit can be cut the day before if your planning on serving for a get together. When ready to serve, cut the strawberries and mix all of the cut-to-bite-size fruits. Serve the fruit in individual serving bowls topped with 1 1/2-2 TBS. dressing and garnished with mint.
WATERMELON SALAD WITH FRESH BASIL AND FETA—Wow!! A great and unique combination of flavors from Everyday Food magazine.
7 lbs. seedless watermelon (12 cups), cut into 1” cubes
4 TBS. fresh lime juice
1 cup basil cut into thin strips
coarse salt and pepper to taste
8 oz. block feta in large chunks
In a large bowl, mix the melon, juice and half of the basil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss and serve topped with the rest of the basil and cheese. Needs to be served immediately so halve the recipe if needed. Serves 8.
NATURAL NEWS–
Gardening Health and Safety Tips
Gardening can be a great way to enjoy the outdoors, get physical activity, beautify the community, and grow nutritious fruits and vegetables. If you are a beginner or expert gardener, health and safety should always be a priority.
Below are some tips to help keep you safe and healthy so that you can enjoy the beauty and bounty gardening can bring.
1. Dress to protect:
Gear up to protect yourself from lawn and garden pests, harmful chemicals, sharp or motorized equipment, insects, and harmful rays of too much sun.
—Wear safety goggles, sturdy shoes, and long pants to prevent injury when using power tools and equipment.
—Protect your hearing when using machinery. If you have to raise your voice to talk to someone who is an arm’s length away, the noise can be potentially harmful to your hearing.
—Wear gloves to lower the risk for skin irritations, cuts, and certain contaminants.
—Use insect repellent containing DEET. Protect yourself from diseases caused by mosquitoes and ticks. Wear long-sleeved shirts, and pants tucked in your socks. You may also want to wear high rubber boots since ticks are usually located close to the ground.
—Lower your risk for sunburn and skin cancer. Wear long sleeves, wide-brimmed hats, sun shades, and sunscreen with sun protective factor (SPF) 15 or higher.
2. Put safety first:
Powered and unpowered tools and equipment can cause serious injury. Limit distractions, use chemicals and equipment properly, and be aware of hazards to lower your risk for injury.
—Follow instructions and warning labels on chemicals and lawn and garden equipment.
—Make sure equipment is working properly.
—Sharpen tools carefully.
—Keep harmful chemicals, tools, and equipment out of children’s reach.
3. Know your limits in the heat:
Even being out for short periods of time in high temperatures can cause serious health problems. Monitor your activities and time in the sun to lower your risk for heat-related illness.
—If you’re outside in hot weather for most of the day you’ll need to make an effort to drink more fluids.
—Avoid drinking liquids that contain alcohol or large amounts of sugar, especially in the heat.
—Take breaks often. Try to rest in shaded areas so that your body’s thermostat will have a chance to recover. Stop working if you experience breathlessness or muscle soreness.
—Pay attention to signs of heat-related illness, including extremely high body temperature, headache, rapid pulse, dizziness, nausea, confusion, or unconsciousness.
—Watch people who are at higher risk for heat-related illness, including infants and children up to four years of age; people 65 years of age or older; people who are overweight; people who push themselves too hard during work or exercise; and people who are physically ill or who take certain medications (i.e. for depression, insomnia, or poor circulation).
—Eat healthy foods to help keep you energized.
4. Tips for persons with disabilities and physical activity:
Talk to your health care provider if you have physical, mental, or environmental concerns that may impair your ability to work in the garden safely.
—If you have arthritis, use tools that are easy to grasp and that fit your ability. Research shows that 2½ hours per week of moderate physical activity can give you more energy and can help relieve arthritis pain and stiffness.
—If you are taking medications that may make you drowsy or impair your judgment or reaction time, don’t operate machinery, climb ladders, or do activities that may increase your risk for injury.
—Listen to your body. Monitor your heart rate, level of fatigue, and physical discomfort.
—Call 911 if you get injured, experience chest and arm pain, dizziness, lightheadedness, or heat-related illness.
5. Enjoy the benefits of physical activity:
Gardening is an excellent way to get physical activity. Active people are less likely than inactive people to be obese or have high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, heart disease, stroke, depression, colon cancer, and premature death.
—Be active for at least 2½ hours a week. Include activities that raise your breathing and heart rates and that strengthen your muscles. Help kids and teens be active for at least 1 hour a day.
—If you have been inactive, start out with just a few minutes of physical activity each day. Gradually build up time and intensity.
—Vary your gardening activities to keep your interest and to broaden the range of benefits.
6. Get vaccinated:
Vaccinations can prevent many diseases and save lives. All adults should get a tetanus vaccination every 10 years. Tetanus lives in the soil and enters the body through breaks in the skin. Because gardeners use sharp tools, dig in the dirt, and handle plants with sharp points, they are particularly prone to tetanus infections.
—Before you start gardening this season, make sure your tetanus/diphtheria (Td) vaccination is up to date.
—Ask your health care provider if you need any other vaccinations.
JULY’S PLANT OF THE MONTH:
CITRUS (Lemons, Limes, Oranges and Kumquats)
Growing Citrus Indoors Can Squeeze More Sunshine Into Winter
Top Tips To Keep Lemons, Limes, Oranges And Kumquats In Tip Top Shape
By Vijai Pandian, UW-Extension Brown County
The fresh taste of citrus fruits and their fragrant flowers are appealing and may make a trip to a Florida orchard sound tempting. But growing citrus plants indoors can, if lucky, result in some delicious fruits and provide homegrown tropical flavors in winter.
While there are many citrus species, certain types can be successful indoor houseplants. Calamondin orange (Citrofortunella microcarpa), a common indoor citrus plant, produces reliable blooms and fruits even at a young age. It produces small orange fruit that are sour in taste and best used for marmalade. Dwarf Meyer lemon (Citrus × meyeri) generally blooms twice a year, once in late fall and again in early spring, and grows to a height of about four feet. Satsuma orange (Citrus unshiu), a type of tangerine, produces copious blooms. Other citrus types to consider are the Otaheite orange (Citrus limonia Osbeck), ponderosa lemon (Citrus limon x medica), Persian lime (Citrus x latifolia) and Meiwa kumquat (Fortunella crassifolia).
A citrus plant grown from any seed extracted from grocery-bought fruit might not turn out to be an ideal houseplant, as those seeds borne from sexual production are likely to produce a different variety of fruit. Additionally, plants grown from seeds can produce long thorns, grow taller and can take many years (10 more) to produce fruit. Hence, it is best to purchase grafted plants of known varieties.
As houseplants, citrus can tolerate low light and cooler air, but might not bloom. To induce blossoms, the plant needs direct sunlight for at least 5 to 6 hours, or should be placed underneath supplemental light. An indoor room temperature of 65 to 70°F during the daytime and night temperature in the 60s is optimal.
In order to set fruits, a cotton swab or small paint brush can be used to transfer the pollen from one flower to another. It may take several weeks or months to produce mature fruits. Premature fruit drops are often associated with poor pollination or lack of environmental conditioning. The soil moisture in the citrus plant’s container should be maintained, but it should not be soggy or wet conditions. Additionally, a humidifier can help maintain indoor humidity of at least 40 percent.
Citrus plants enjoy the outdoor environment in the summer. After the threat of spring frost, they can be placed on the north side of a structure or under nearby shade trees for a few weeks before being moved directly under full sun. A water-soluble fertilizer recommended for acid-loving plants such as azaleas and rhododendrons should be applied from April through August. When fertilizer is mixed with water, it should be combined at half the strength of its label dosage rate. However, Klein’s offers Jack’s Citrus FeED and is the perfect mix of nutrients to keep citrus plants healthy.
Like any other outdoor container plants, citrus should be watered as needed during the growing season. By September, they will need a good rinse to remove insect pests on leaves and stems. If that doesn’t work, an appropriate outdoor insecticides labeled for plant use can be sprayed on the tops and bottoms of the leaves. A couple of weeks after the insecticide treatment, the containers can be moved to a shaded area for a few days.
Once temperatures start to drop into the 50’s, citrus plants should be moved indoors. This multi-stage process helps the plant to acclimate to lower light levels and minimizes foliage drop.
Klein’s currently has an amazing selection if citrus trees; including lemons, limes, oranges and kumquats.
AROUND TOWN:
For neighborhood events or garden tours that you would like posted in our monthly newsletter, please contact Rick at (608) 244-5661 or rick@kleinsfloral.com. Please include all details, i.e. dates, locations, prices, brief description, etc. Events must be garden related and must take place in the Madison vicinity and we must receive your information by the first of the month in which the event takes place for it to appear in that month’s newsletter.
Guided Garden Strolls @ Olbrich Gardens
Sundays, June-August, 1:30 and 3:00
Get an insider’s view of Olbrich’s outdoor gardens during a free guided garden stroll. All ages are welcome for this casual overview of the Gardens. Guided garden strolls will vary somewhat according to the season to reflect the garden areas that are at peak interest.
Strolls start and end in the lobby near the Garden entrance and are about 45 to 60 minutes in length. No registration is required; strolls are drop-in only. Strolls are held rain or shine and will be cancelled only in the event of dangerous lightning.
Olbrich Botanical Gardens
608/246-4550 or www.olbrich.org for details.
Ponds, Pines, and Birds—Finding Mary Oliver @ the Arboretum
Friday, July 1, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm
Class
Mary Oliver has given us hundreds of poems featuring ponds, pines, and birds, all of which we can find at the Arboretum. We’ll read Mary Oliver poetry as inspiration and find our own topics to write about from the trail. Instructor: Troy Hess, volunteer team leader. Outdoor class, come dressed for weather. Class takes place rain or shine, except in unsafe weather. Make-up date: July 8. Fee: $20. Register by June 27 @ https://arboretum.wisc.edu/
University of WI Arboretum
1207 Seminole Hwy.
Madison, WI 53711
608/263-7888 or arboretum.wisc.edu
Nature Hike @ the Arboretum
Sunday, July 3, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Walk
Learn about the land, plants, animals, fungi, phenology, and ecology. Geared for adults, these longer walks may cover some sloping terrain. Wear sturdy closed-toe shoes and come seasonally prepared for weather and insects. Walks take place rain or shine, except in unsafe weather. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.
University of WI Arboretum
1207 Seminole Hwy.
Madison, WI 53711
608/263-7888 or arboretum.wisc.edu
Summer Concert Series at Olbrich Gardens
Enjoy an evening concert in one of Madison’s most delightful outdoor venues!
Concert attendees should bring their own lawn chairs or blankets. Carry in picnics and beverages are allowed.
Concerts are FREE to the public; a $5 suggested donation is appreciated.
No tickets required. Please carry out all trash.
Olbrich Concerts in the Gardens 2022 Schedule:
(All concerts are on Tuesdays at 7 p.m.)
July 5
The Funkee JBeez—A music ensemble based out of Madison that is led by Grammy nominated drummer and 5 time Madison Area Music Association drummer of the year Joey B. Banks.
July 12
Cris Plata and The Extra Hot—Fuses a multitude of musical experiences with original storytelling for a truly unique sound.
July 19
The Kissers—Brings a fresh, original kick to Celtic music.
July 26
Combo Noir—Draws from varied, eclectic, and soulful repertoires.
August 2
Opera at the Gardens—Fresco Opera is back! Stroll through the Gardens and take in roaming performances of several operatic scenes performed in a variety of garden areas. A magical experience for all your senses!
August 9
The Periodicals—Inventive, soulful, snappy, and sometimes searching sound doesn’t easily fit in to any one category, reflecting the musical times and places this (male and female, black and white, 20-50 something) nine-piece has been along the way. Merging elements of northern soul, classic R&B, and alternative rock.
August 16
Don’t Mess with Cupid—An 8 Piece Soul group based out of Madison, led by Kevin Willmott. They play Otis Redding, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Al Green Marvin Gaye and More. Bring your dancin’ shoes.
August 23
Members enjoy exclusive access to this bonus summer concert held during Member Appreciation Week. Join today and receive this great member benefit!
Olbrich Botanical Gardens
3330 Atwood Ave., Madison
608/246-4550 or www.olbrich.org for details.
Dragonfly Monitoring Walk @ the Arboretum
Wednesday, July 6, 3:00-4:30 p.m.
Family Walk
Join the Arboretum and the Wisconsin Dragonfly Society for guided walks to monitor dragonflies, including identifying species and collecting data for the Arboretum’s dragonfly monitoring project. No experience required, but an online training video is available by request (email jwhidden@wisc.edu). Family friendly, recommended for ages 8 and up. Walks take place the first Wednesday and third Saturday monthly through September. Meet at the Visitor Center.
University of WI Arboretum
1207 Seminole Hwy.
Madison, WI 53711
608/263-7888 or arboretum.wisc.edu
Drop-In Milkweed Soup Tasting @ Olbrich Gardens
Thursday, July 7, 10:00-2:00
In the Herb Garden
Visit the Herb Garden for free samples of delicious milkweed soup featuring milkweed grown in our Indigenous Garden, which highlights vegetables and other plants important in Native culture and foodways.
Olbrich Botanical Gardens
3330 Atwood Ave., Madison
608/246-4550 or www.olbrich.org for details.
Olbrich’s Home Garden Tour
Featuring Charming Rural Garden Gems in Oregon, WI
Friday, July 8 and Saturday, July 9, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Olbrich’s 2022 Home Garden Tour features seven charming rural garden gems and a native prairie restoration in a county park, nestled in Oregon, WI. Take a serene 20 minute drive south from Madison’s city center to an inviting neighborhood community away from the hustle and bustle. A plethora of pollinator-filled gardens brimming with native plants and down-to-earth gardeners awaits you. From a farmette filled with flowers to a shady sanctuary with a cascading rock waterfall, these rustic garden retreats provide a quiet paradise for all of nature’s creatures.
NEW! A Wisconsin native plant is highlighted in each garden along with some of the insects it supports. Olbrich Botanical Gardens’ 2022 annual theme, Native Plants. Natural Wonders., emphasizes the importance of incorporating native plants in garden designs to support local Wisconsin ecosystems.
Did you know the featured shagbark hickory tree (Carya ovata) supports 186 species of butterflies/moths as a caterpillar host plant including Luna and Cecropia moths!
Tickets are $13 for Olbrich members and $15 for the general public, $6 for children ages 6-12.
Advance tickets available for purchase at Olbrich’s lobby thru July 7.
Tour Day tickets available at 898 Leeward Ln., Oregon, WI
*Garden site addresses are listed on the tour tickets, which can be purchased at Olbrich Gardens prior to the tour. The garden site addresses are only published on the tour tickets to protect the homeowners’ privacy.
Olbrich Botanical Gardens
3330 Atwood Ave., Madison
608/246-4550 or www.olbrich.org for details.
Full Moon Night Walk @ the Arboretum
Saturday, July 9, 8:30 pm – 11:00 pm
Walk
Let your eyes adjust to the moonlight, listen to the night sounds, and experience the darkness on this naturalist-led walk. Wear sturdy closed-toe shoes and come seasonally prepared for weather and insects. Walks take place rain or shine, except in unsafe weather. Free, no registration required. Meet outside the Visitor Center.
University of WI Arboretum
1207 Seminole Hwy.
Madison, WI 53711
608/263-7888 or arboretum.wisc.edu
Summer Sundays: Jazz in the Garden at Allen Centennial Garden
Add a little bit of musical enjoyment to your Sunday afternoons this summer with Summer Sundays: Concerts in the Garden. The concerts will be held alternating Sunday afternoons starting June 12 and ending August 21, from 5-6:15 p.m.
This event is free and open to the public. Brought to you by the Friends of Allen Centennial Garden.
July 10
Gaines & Wagoner
Acoustic jazz that swings hard—a high-wire act of improv chemistry.
Mary Gaines: cello, guitar, vocals | Chris Wagoner: violin, mandolin, lapsteel, ukulele, vocals | Erik Radloff, drums
July 24
Mark Davis Trio
Milwaukee’s premier jazz trio—sophisticated and classic.
Mark Davis, piano | Jeff Hamann, bass | Dave Bayles, drums
August 7
John Christensen Quartet
A lively set of choice standards, mainstream jazz, and poignant originals.
Johannes Wallmann, piano | Dave Miller, guitar | John Chistensen, bass | Andrew Green, drums
August 21
Ryan Meisel Quartet
Modern and orginal jazz steeped in the history of swing, bop, and avant-garde.
Ryan Meisel, sax | Doug Brown, guitar | Dave Dinauer, bass | Adam Katz, drums
Allen Centennial Gardens
620 Babcock Dr. on the University of WI campus, Madison
608/576-2501 or allencentennialgarden.org for details.
Nature Hike in the Grady Tract @ the Arboretum
Sunday, July 10, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Walk
Learn about the land, plants, animals, fungi, phenology, and ecology. Geared for adults, these longer walks may cover some sloping terrain. Wear sturdy closed-toe shoes and come seasonally prepared for weather and insects. Walks take place rain or shine, except in unsafe weather. Free, no registration required. Meet at Grady Tract parking lot, southeast corner of Seminole Hwy. and W. Beltline Frontage Rd.
University of WI Arboretum
1207 Seminole Hwy.
Madison, WI 53711
608/263-7888 or arboretum.wisc.edu
Plants for Pollinators @ the Arboretum
Wednesday, July 13, 7:00 p.m.
Garden Tour
Learn more about summer-blooming native and ornamental species in Arboretum gardens. Susan Carpenter will highlight plants and gardening practices that support essential pollinators in urban/suburban landscapes. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.
University of WI Arboretum
1207 Seminole Hwy.
Madison, WI 53711
608/263-7888 or arboretum.wisc.edu
Botanic Talk: The Prairie Ecosystem and its Plants
Wednesday, July 13, 5:30-7:30 p.m. (Rain date is Thursday, July 14.)
Explore the prairie ecosystem by learning about its history in southern Wisconsin and the diverse types of prairies found here.
Along with presenter Ann Pedder Reilly, we will visit the RBG prairie to view the unique plants that grow there. Learn about prairie restoration efforts and how you can be part of the movement.
This program includes educational materials about prairie plants you can grow in your yard.
Note: Between 40 minutes and 1 hour of this program will be spent walking the Gardens. Please dress or bring clothes and footwear suitable for some time outdoors.
Cost & registration details:
The cost to attend is $10 for Rotary Botanical Gardens members, or $17 for non-members. Deadline for this Botanic Talk is July 11.
To register, please complete this form (https://
ALL areas of the registration form must be complete. Please complete a separate form for each registrant.
-In person: at our Garden Gift Gallery (check, cash, or credit card)
-By mail: send completed form with your check made out to Rotary Botanical Gardens to Attn: Education Coordinator, 1455 Palmer Drive, Janesville, WI 53545.
NOTE: Registration and payment must be received prior to the deadline in order to be enrolled in the class.
-By phone: please call (608) 752-3885 to register over the phone with a credit card.
Cancellations & refunds:
Classes cancelled due to low enrollment will be refunded automatically, and you will be notified by phone or email of the cancellation.
Please call (608) 314-8415 or email delaney.sherwood@
Rotary Botanical Gardens
1455 Palmer Drive
Janesville, WI 53545
608/752-3885 or www.rotarybotanicalgardens.
Olbrich Garden’s Blooming Butterflies Exhibit
July 14-August 7
Daily from 10:00-4:00
In the Bolz Conservatory
THE BUTTERFLIES ARE BACK!
Blooming Butterflies features up to 19 different species of free flying butterflies in the tropical Bolz Conservatory. Visitors make connections with these fluttering friends while learning about the butterfly life cycle. Two chrysalis cases provide opportunities to possibly witness a butterfly emerge from a chrysalis!
During Blooming Butterflies, the outdoor gardens spotlight relationships between plants and pollinators with an ‘I SPY’ Pollinators scavenger hunt. A pollinator themed children’s book is displayed as a StoryWalk along Starkweather Creek. And every child that attends Blooming Butterflies receives a coupon for a free junior scoop from our friends at Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream!
You can prepare for your visit by watching the Blooming Butterfies Welcome Video.
The life span of different butterflies varies from a few weeks to a few months. All flying butterflies live out their natural lives in the Conservatory, with food sources remaining for them after the exhibit dates.
Butterfly Action Day
Friday, July 29
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Join us for a special day with representatives from local monarch conservation organizations! Interactive displays focused on monarch butterflies will highlight what you can do to help the population. Monarchs make one of the longest known insect migration on earth and everyone can make a difference in supporting their spectacular journey! No cost to attend or participate, but there is a separate cost to enter Blooming Butterflies.
The cost is $8 for adults, $5 for children ages 6-12, and free for children 5 and under. Olbrich Botanical Society members are admitted free. Parking is free. Bus tours are welcome; groups of 10 or more must register by calling 608/246-3648.
Olbrich Botanical Gardens
3330 Atwood Ave., Madison
608/246-4550 or www.olbrich.org for details.
Dragonfly Monitoring Walk @ the Arboretum
Saturday, July 16, 12:00-1:30 p.m.
Family Walk
Join the Arboretum and the Wisconsin Dragonfly Society for guided walks to monitor dragonflies, including identifying species and collecting data for the Arboretum’s dragonfly monitoring project. No experience required, but an online training video is available by request (email jwhidden@wisc.edu). Family friendly, recommended for ages 8 and up. Walks take place the first Wednesday and third Saturday monthly through September. Meet at the Visitor Center.
University of WI Arboretum
1207 Seminole Hwy.
Madison, WI 53711
608/263-7888 or arboretum.wisc.edu
Nature Hike @ the Arboretum
Sunday, July 17, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Walk
Learn about the land, plants, animals, fungi, phenology, and ecology. Geared for adults, these longer walks may cover some sloping terrain. Wear sturdy closed-toe shoes and come seasonally prepared for weather and insects. Walks take place rain or shine, except in unsafe weather. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.
University of WI Arboretum
1207 Seminole Hwy.
Madison, WI 53711
608/263-7888 or arboretum.wisc.edu
Garden Stroll @ the Arboretum
Sunday, July 24, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Walk
This gently paced stroll through the gardens is well-suited for a multi-generational outing. Learn about plants, animals, and fungi; phenology; and ecology. Wear sturdy closed-toe shoes and come prepared for weather and insects. Walks take place rain or shine, except in unsafe weather. Routes are wheelchair accessible when weather allows. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.
University of WI Arboretum
1207 Seminole Hwy.
Madison, WI 53711
608/263-7888 or arboretum.wisc.edu
Nature Hike @ the Arboretum
Sunday, July 31, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Walk
Learn about the land, plants, animals, fungi, phenology, and ecology. Geared for adults, these longer walks may cover some sloping terrain. Wear sturdy closed-toe shoes and come seasonally prepared for weather and insects. Walks take place rain or shine, except in unsafe weather. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.
University of WI Arboretum
1207 Seminole Hwy.
Madison, WI 53711
608/263-7888 or arboretum.wisc.edu
Native Plant Garden Tour @ the Arboretum: Native Grasses
Wednesday, August 3, 7:00-dusk
Susan Carpenter, Arboretum native plant gardener, will focus on color, size, and features of native Wisconsin grasses, from tiny mustache grass to big bluestem. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.
University of WI Arboretum
1207 Seminole Hwy.
Madison, WI 53711
608/263-7888 or arboretum.wisc.edu
Dragonfly Monitoring Walk @ the Arboretum
Wednesday, August 3, 3:00-4:30 p.m.
Family Walk
Join the Arboretum and the Wisconsin Dragonfly Society for guided walks to monitor dragonflies, including identifying species and collecting data for the Arboretum’s dragonfly monitoring project. No experience required, but an online training video is available by request (email jwhidden@wisc.edu). Family friendly, recommended for ages 8 and up. Walks take place the first Wednesday and third Saturday monthly through September. Meet at the Visitor Center.
University of WI Arboretum
1207 Seminole Hwy.
Madison, WI 53711
608/263-7888 or arboretum.wisc.edu
Dane County Farmer’s Market
Saturdays, April 16 thru November 12, 6:15-1:45
On the Capitol Square
Wednesdays, April 20 thru November 2, 8:30-1:45
In the 200 block of Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
For details visit www.dcfm.org
Northside Farmers Market
Sundays, May 8 through October 23, 8:30-12:30
In the Northside TownCenter at the intersection of N. Sherman Ave. and Northport Dr. across from Warner Park.
The Northside Farmers Market is a nonprofit community enterprise. It is one of the newest and fastest growing farmers’ markets in Dane County. In keeping with the innovative spirit of Madison’s Northside, we are surpassing what defines the traditional farmers’ market. Our fundamental principles include:
–Providing an abundant selection of high quality, locally grown foods.
The market accepts Quest, WIC and Senior FMNP vouchers.
–Supporting our local agricultural entrepreneurs who are increasingly important today in ensuring that we have the best and safest food possible.
–Educating the community about traditional foods and the history of local agriculture in an attempt to preserve (and expand upon) our rich heritage.
–Promoting nutrition and the market by hosting dinners for neighborhood groups and seniors.
Parking is always FREE!
For details visit www.northsidefarmersmarket.org
JULY IN THE GARDEN-–A checklist of things to do this month.
___Pinch hardy mums until July 4 for bushier less floppy plants.
___Begin sowing and transplanting cole crops for fall harvest.
___Fertilize and mulch asparagus beds.
___Give the garden at least 1” of moisture per week.
___Mow as little as possible and with mower raised to at least 2”.
___Mulch beds to conserve moisture and keep down weeds.
___Deadhead spent blooms as needed.
___Stake and support tall plants as needed.
___Cut spent perennials to the ground to encourage new growth.
___Divide daylilies as they finish blooming.
___Fertilize potted plants at least every 2 weeks. Follow directions.
___Order spring bulbs from catalogs while your memory is still fresh.
___Keep and eye on the weather. Water as needed.
___Watch for pests and control as needed or desired.
___Stop fertilizing roses by late July.
___Visit Klein’s—Watch for end of season savings on annuals, perennials & shrubs.
Some of our very favorite seed and plant sources include:
For seeds:
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds @ www.rareseeds.com or 417/924-8887
Burpee @ www.burpee.com or 800/888-1447
Harris Seeds @ www.harrisseeds.com or 800/514-4441
Johnny’s Select Seeds @ www.johnnyseeds.com or 207/861-3901
Jung’s Seeds @ www.jungseed.com or 800/247-5864
Park’s Seeds @ www.parkseed.com or 800/845-3369
Pinetree @ www.superseeds.com or 207/926-3400
Seeds of Change @ www.seedsofchange.com or 888/762-7333
Seed Savers @ www.seedsavers.org or 563/382-5990
Select Seeds @ www.selectseeds.com or 800/684-0395
Territorial Seeds @ www.territorialseed.com or 888/657-3131
Thompson & Morgan @ www.thompson-morgan.com or 800/274-7333
For bulbs:
Brent & Becky’s Bulbs @ www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com or 877/661-2852
Colorblends @ www.colorblends.com or 888/847-8637
John Scheeper’s @ www.johnscheepers.com or 860/567-0838
McClure & Zimmerman @ www.mzbulb.com or 800/883-6998
For plants:
High Country Gardens @ www.highcountrygardens.com or 800/925-9387
Logee’s Greenhouses @ www.logees.com or 888/330-8038
Plant Delights Nursery @ www.plantdelights.com or 912/772-4794
Roots and Rhizomes @ www.rootsrhizomes.com or 800/374-5035
Wayside Gardens @ www.waysidegardens.com or 800/213-0379
White Flower Farm @ www.whiteflowerfarm.com or 800/503-9624
BEHIND THE SCENES AT KLEIN’S—This is a sneak peek of what is going on each month behind the scenes in our greenhouses. Many people are unaware that our facility operates year round or that we have 10 more greenhouses on the property in addition to the 6 open for retail. At any given moment we already have a jump on the upcoming season–be it poinsettias in July, geraniums in December or fall mums in May.
IN JULY:
—Watering is a nonstop endeavor. On hot, windy days, we no sooner finish the first round, when we have to start all over again. Some plants in our retail areas may need watering 3 or 4 times in a single day! You wouldn’t do this at home, but customers don’t like to see wilted plants. It’s not harmful for us to let them wilt a bit, but it makes for bad presentation.
—Yes, the poinsettias arrive. The small plants are potted and placed in a warm greenhouse out back where they are constantly misted for a few days until they begin rooting out. After a few weeks they are individually pinched for sturdy and bushy growth.
—Summer maintenance projects are under way.
—We transplant our fall cole crops into cell packs along with our fall pansies and violas.
PERMANENT FEATURES–
KLEIN’S MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
Have our monthly newsletter e-mailed to you automatically by signing up on the right side of our home page. We’ll offer monthly tips, greenhouse news and tidbits, specials and recipes. . .everything you need to know from your favorite Madison greenhouse. And tell your friends. It’s easy to do.
THE MAD GARDENER–“Madison’s Firsthand Source for Expert Gardening Advice”
Ask us your gardening questions by e-mailing us at madgardener@kleinsfloral.com. Klein’s in-house Mad Gardener will e-mail you with an answer as promptly as we can. The link is posted on our home page and in all newsletters.
We can only answer those questions pertaining to gardening in Southern Wisconsin and we reserve the right to leave correspondence unanswered at our discretion. Please allow 2-3 days for a response.
TO WRITE A REVIEW OF KLEIN’S, PLEASE LINK TO
FACEBOOK
Follow Klein’s on Facebook where we post updates and photos on a regular basis.
TWITTER
Join Klein’s on Twitter where we post company updates and photos on a regular basis.
SENIOR CITIZEN DISCOUNT
We offer a 10% Off Senior Citizen Discount every Tuesday to those 62 and above. This discount is not in addition to other discounts or sales. Please mention that you are a senior before we ring up your purchases. Does not apply to wire out orders or services, i.e. delivery, potting, etc.
RECYCLING POTS & TRAYS
Plastic flower pots and garden edging can now be recycled as part of the City of Madison’s rigid plastic program. Flowerpots and edging must be free of dirt and can be placed in your green recycling bin. For more information call 267-2626 or visit www.cityofmadison.com/streets/
DELIVERY INFO
Klein’s Floral and Greenhouses delivers daily, except Sundays, throughout all of Madison and much of Dane County including: Cottage Grove, DeForest, Fitchburg, Maple Bluff, Marshall, McFarland, Middleton, Monona, Oregon, Shorewood Hills, Sun Prairie, Verona, Waunakee and Windsor. We do not deliver to Cambridge, Columbus, Deerfield or Stoughton.
Current delivery rate on 1-4 items is $7.95 for Madison, Maple Bluff, Monona and Shorewood Hills; $8.95 for Cottage Grove, DeForest, Fitchburg, McFarland, Sun Prairie, Waunakee and Windsor; and $9.95 for Marshall, Middleton, Oregon and Verona. An additional $3.00 will be added for deliveries of 4-10 items and $5.00 added for deliveries of more than 10 items. For deliveries requiring more than one trip, a separate delivery charge will be added for each trip.
A minimum order of $25.00 is required for delivery.
We not only deliver our fabulous fresh flowers, but also houseplants, bedding plants and hardgoods. There may be an extra charge for very large or bulky items.
Delivery to the Madison hospitals is $5.95. Deliveries to the four Madison hospitals are made during the early afternoon. Items are delivered to the hospital’s volunteer rooms and not directly to the patients’ rooms per hospital rules.
There is no delivery charge for funerals in the city of Madison or Monona, although normal rates apply for morning funeral deliveries to Madison’s west side (west of Park St.). Our normal rates also apply for funeral deliveries in the surrounding communities at all times. Although we don’t deliver on Sundays, we will deliver funeral items on Sundays at the regular delivery rate.
Morning delivery is guaranteed to the following Madison zip codes, but only if requested: 53703, 53704, 53714, 53716, 53718 and Cottage Grove, DeForest, Maple Bluff, Marshall, McFarland, Monona, Sun Prairie, Waunakee and Windsor.
We begin our delivery day at 8:00 a.m. and end at approximately 3:00 p.m. We do not usually deliver after 4:00 unless specific exceptions are made with our drivers.
Except for holidays, the following west-side zip codes and communities are delivered only during the afternoon: 53705, 53706, 53711, 53713, 53717, 53719, 53726, Fitchburg, Middleton, Oregon, Shorewood Hills and Verona.
During holidays (Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, etc.) we are able to make morning deliveries to all of the above areas. We are not able to take closely timed deliveries on any holiday due to the sheer volume of such requests.
It’s best to give us a range of time and we’ll try our absolute hardest. Orders for same day delivery must be placed by 12:30 p.m. or by 2:30 p.m. for Madison zip codes 53704 and 53714.
DEPARTMENT HEADS: Please refer all questions, concerns or feedback in the following departments to their appropriate supervisor.
Phone: 608/244-5661 or 888/244-5661
Horticulturalist & General Manager–Jamie VandenWymelenberg jamie@kleinsfloral.com
Accounts, Billing and Purchasing—Kathryn Derauf kathryn@kleinsfloral.com
Delivery Supervisor & Newsletter Coordinator—Rick Halbach rick@kleinsfloral.com
Owner, Floral Designer & Purchasing—Sue Klein sue@kleinsfloral.com
RELATED RESOURCES AND WEB SITES
University of Wisconsin Extension
1 Fen Oak Ct. #138
Madison, WI 53718
608/224-3700
Plant Disease Diagnostics Clinic
Dept. of Plant Pathology
1630 Linden Dr.
Madison, WI 53706
Insect Diagnostic Lab
240 Russell Labs
1630 Linden Dr.
Madison, WI 53706
U.W. Soil and Plant Analysis Lab
8452 Mineral Point Rd.
Verona, WI 53593
608/262-4364
American Horticultural Society
Garden Catalogs (an extensive list with links)
Invasive Species
Community Groundworks
3601 Memorial Dr., Ste. 4
Madison, WI 53704
608/240-0409
Madison Area Master Gardeners (MAMGA)
Wisconsin Master Gardeners Program
Department of Horticulture
1575 Linden Drive
University of Wisconsin – Madison
Madison, WI 53706
608/265-4504
The Wisconsin Gardener
Allen Centennial Gardens
620 Babcock Dr.
Madison, WI 53706
608/262-8406
Olbrich Botanical Gardens
3330 Atwood Ave.
Madison, WI 53704
608/246-4550
Rotary Gardens
1455 Palmer Dr.
Janesville, WI 53545
608/752-3885
University of WI Arboretum
1207 Seminole Hwy.
Madison, WI 53711
608/263-7888
University of Wisconsin-West Madison
Agricultural Research Center
8502 Mineral Point Rd.
Verona, WI 53593
608/262-2257
PLANTS POISONOUS TO CHILDREN:
Children may find the bright colors and different textures of plants irresistible, but some plants can be poisonous if touched or eaten. If you’re in doubt about whether or not a plant is poisonous, don’t keep it in your home. The risk is not worth it. The following list is not comprehensive, so be sure to seek out safety information on the plants in your home to be safe.
•Bird of paradise
•Bull nettle
•Castor bean
•Chinaberry tree
•Crocus
•Daffodil
•Deadly nightshade
•Dieffenbachia (dumb cane)
•Foxglove
•Glory lily
•Hemlock
•Holly berry
•Indian tobacco
•Iris
•Jimsonweed
•Lantana
•Larkspur
•Lily of the valley
•Marijuana
•Mescal bean
•Mexicantes
•Mistletoe
•Morning glory
•Mountain laurel
•Night-blooming jasmine
•Nutmeg
•Oleander
•Philodendron
•Poison ivy
•Poison sumac
•Pokeweed
•Poppy
•Potato
•Privet
•Rhododendron
•Rhubarb
•Water hemlock
•Wisteria
PLANTS POISONOUS TO PETS:
Below is a list of some of the common plants which may produce a toxic reaction in animals. This list is intended only as a guide to plants which are generally identified as having the capability for producing a toxic reaction. Source: The National Humane Society website @ http://www.humanesociety.org/
•Aconite
•Apple
•Arrowgrasses
•Autumn Crocus
•Azaleas
•Baneberry
•Bird-of-Paradise
•Black locust
•Bloodroot
•Box
•Buckeye
•Buttercup
•Caladium
•Carolina jessamine
•Castor bean
•Chinaberry tree
•Chockcherries
•Christmas berry
•Christmas Rose
•Common privet
•Corn cockle
•Cowbane
•Cow cockle
•Cowsliprb
•Daffodil
•Daphne
•Day lily
•Delphinium (Larkspur)
•Dumbcane
•Dutchman’s breeches
•Easter lily
•Elderberry
•Elephant’s ear
•English Ivy
•European Bittersweet
•Field peppergrass
•Foxglove
•Holly
•Horsechestnut
•Horse nettle
•Hyacinth
•Iris
•Jack-in-the-pulpit
•Jerusalem Cherry
•Jimsonweed
•Lantana
•Larkspur
•Laurels
•Lily of the valley
•Lupines
•Mayapple
•Milk vetch
•Mistletoe
•Monkshood
•Morning glory
•Mustards
•Narcissus
•Nicotiana
•Nightshade
•Oaks
•Oleander
•Philodendrons
•Pokeweed
•Poinsettia
•Poison hemlock
•Potato
•Rhododendron
•Rhubarb
•Rosary pea
•Sago palm
•Skunk cabbage
•Smartweeds
•Snow-on-the-mountain
•Sorghum
•Star of Bethlehem
•Wild black cherry
•Wild radish
•Wisteria
•Yellow jessamine
•Yew