Mt. Baldy - 125 foot sand dune at Indiana Dunes

I am continuously amazed by the diversity in our industry, from golf at The Course at Aberdeen (an awesome course), to trekking through Pinhook Bog and 125 foot sand dune at Mt. Baldy (both tours lead by an extremely knowledgeable National Park Service Ranger). We completed the afternoon with a stroll along Lake Michigan. We followed a wondrous day with a tasty BBQ dinner, lovely sunset and some dancing at Dean and Jamie Ricci’s fabulous home. There was fun and fellowship by all. That was just the first day!

National Forest Service Ranger discussion the nature of Pinhook Bog

On Friday, we awoke to the same great weather as Thursday. We embarked for our annual garden tour. Everyone was truly impressed with the offerings of our Northwest Indiana members. We witnessed a transformational landscaping project for a public commons area. Then to a native planting at a local golf course, and off to Wayne Gruber’s fabulous garden center, Gardens on the Prairie (who could resist bringing something home, especially with a discount!), From Wayne’s garden center we journeyed onward to Dean Ricci’s business, Ricci Landscape Management (RLM). We toured Dean’s shop and experienced some of the beautiful projects created by RLM. With a jam-packed morning we were ready for lunch at Taltree Arboretum, where we experienced two intriguing gardens. The Railway garden was amazing (I am glad I didn’t take my 8 yr old son or we might still be there). We were also treated to a private garden at Taltree. We ended the day with two fabulous landscape projects created Small’s Landscaping. Everyone was inspired by what we saw!!

"They grow BIG Cana Lillies in Northwestern Indiana" says Stephanie Sheldon

The Summer Meeting has always been one of my favorite INLA events. It is such a casual experience but you learn and take home so much. We saw a lot of extraordinary things in those two days; but the most valuable things we walked away with were the advice, ideas, visions, and friendship of fellow members. I must admit it is fun to sit back and listen to the wide array of topics that are discussed over dinner and on the bus. It’s great to see people get so excited over something they are passionate about and have an opportunity to work in everyday.

I would like to thank the Summer Meeting committee and our INLA staff for putting on another great Summer Meeting. Thanks for your time and efforts – everyone appreciated it. I would like to thank our event sponsors and those that attended; we do it for you, but couldn’t do it without you.

Another aspect that I personally enjoyed was talking to other women within our industry. I feel honored to be the second woman president of this organization. There are days that I wonder what I am doing, because I’m sure not being “girly.” I am proud to own my business, two dump trucks and tarp the load down with ratchet straps (by the way I hate ratchet straps, but I think Harold’s lessons at Greendells have finally paid off). Jodi Overmeyer remembers being 23 and driving a pickup with sprayer pulling a trailer around downtown Indy. We may pick up on the slang that guys use on jobsite but we keep it to ourselves. You know we just do what we have to do. We do so because we LOVE what we are doing and the people within the industry.

Thanks for another great Summer Meeting and getting us recharged for the fall.

Stephanie Sheldon, INLA President

ShrubWorks, Inc

Summer Flower Maintenance

By Val

July is here and along with it, lots of sunshine and high heat indexes.  I’m sure by now the summer flowers you planted back in May have grown quite well and are producing plenty of blooms for your enjoyment.  So, what do you need to do to keep your summer flowers looking great in this summer heat?

Water

Just like any living thing, your flowers need plenty of water to survive summer heat.  Watering late in the evening can cause the plants to sit wet all night which can lead to disease and rot problems.  The best time of day to water is in the early morning.  By watering in the early morning there is less evaporation thus the soil can absorb more water than in the afternoon sun.

Fertilize

Your flowers may need a little extra boost to keep them looking great and to encourage new growth and blooms.  We recommend using a water-soluble fertilizer, such as Miracle Gro All Purpose Plant Food.  Of course any fertilizer should only be used according to label instructions.

Pest Control

Don’t forget to inspect your flowers occasionally for damaging insects such as Japanese Beetles.  Rabbits and other small animals also love to dine on certain flowers.  You will need to determine the species causing the damage before choosing a control method.

We would love to see how your summer flowers are doing this year!  Just send us a picture!

Japanese Beetles in the Landscape 

By Val

 Well it’s that time of year again, when the adult Japanese Beetles emerge from the soil and begin feasting on your flowers, trees, etc.  The Japanese beetle is destructive to vegetation as an adult, and as a grub feeding on turf roots.  The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has created a publication describing the life cycle of the Japanese beetle. 

Japanese Beetle Grub and Japanese Beetle Adult

If you have a small garden, manual removal of the adults may be the best control method for you.  Just simply remove the adult Japanese beetle from your plant and drop it into a container of soapy water where it will drown.  Then continue to monitor and remove adults as needed.

 For larger affected garden areas, a chemical control may be necessary.  There are several options of chemicals that are effective at different life stages.  You should research the insecticide before making any applications.  This article from the Department of Entomology at Purdue University gives a great overview of the Japanese beetle and treatment options. 

 Were you thinking of buying a beetle trap bag?  While the trap bags do trap beetles they also attract many more than they catch, thus inviting a higher population of beetles to feast on your garden.

Japanese beetles are known to cause damage to several hundred species of plants.  They most often are attracted to Roses, Linden trees, purple Plums, and several other plants.  Remember to monitor your garden regularly to notice early signs of pests before they can cause severe damage to your plants.

Adult Japanese Beetle Damage

A weed is technically an undesired plant growing in an undesired location. Some weeds are easier to identify than others. Dandelions are easy because of their bright yellow bloom in the spring that stands out against the grass. Other weeds can be more difficult to identify due to less obvious characteristics or being very similar to another species.

Why is it important to know the name of the weed taking up residence in your garden? Well some weeds, like poison ivy, are toxic and can cause a bad skin reaction in some people. It is best to know what weed you are fighting in your landscape so you can avoid getting a rash of poison ivy on your skin. Some people are highly allergic to the toxins while others have a resistance to the toxin. You should always take precautions when working around potentially toxic plants.

Poison Ivy
Do you know what poison ivy looks like? Poison Ivy has three leaflets and can grow as a vine or a small upright plant. The toxic compounds in poison ivy that cause skin blistering and itching can be transferred from direct contact and indirect contact such as through tools, animals, clothing, and smoke. You don’t want to burn poison ivy because the smoke carries the poison into the air.

Above: Poison Ivy climbing a tree and Poison Ivy in summer.

Poison Ivy vs. Virginia Creeper
Poison Ivy is often confused with Virginia-creeper, a nontoxic creeping vine with five leaves. Virginia-creeper vines climb by tendrils and the leaflet margins are toothed while Poison Ivy leaflet margins are lobed.

Above: Virginia-creeper

ID Tool
Poison Ivy is probably the most common toxic weed in the Midwest. If you are not sure if the weed growing in your garden is toxic such as Poison Ivy, you can use this Weed ID tool to help you properly identify the weed.

Are you looking for that “wow” factor with your summer flower containers this year? Do you need some new ideas of which plants work well together? Remember coloring by number, now you can plant by number (or letter)! Each year some of the growers put together their recommendations for great container combinations.

Free Information
Some companies such as Simply Beautiful and Proven Winners offer examples of great combination plantings on their websites. I recommend checking out both sites for great ideas. You can even narrow your search criteria, such as sunny and a yellow color scheme, to find a great combination for your landscape. These sites also provide you with information to local garden centers that are growing their product.

Create-It-Yourself
Do you like creating your own master pieces? Feel free to use the examples for your own inspiration. You are sure to find lots of ideas and learn about new varieties during your explorations.

This is one of our creations that we had great success with a couple years ago:

 As you can see on the examples below, they provide all the information you need to plant a winning container combination.  Once you have your plant list compiled, you will need to purchase quality plant material from a grower.  Then you will just need to water and fertilize as needed throughout the growing season.

We would love to see your winning combination!

Millet and Petunia Combo

Elephant Ear Combo

Shade Combo

Purple and Silver Combo

You’ve already seen the bright and colorful flowers at the ‘big box’ stores. Now it is just too early in West Central Indiana to consider planting the summer flowers outside. So far, you may have resisted the urge and the marketing tactics while waiting patiently for the frost free date. However, I’m sure you are more than ready to start your container gardening.

Outdoing Yourself Award
While we await warmer weather, now is a great time to plan for this years’ “you outdid yourself award” with your containers. How are you going to improve last year’s appearance? Sure great plant material, the right color combination, timely fertilizing, and watering are all part of the equation to a great container. But, have you considered taking a step away from the standard container?

Take an afternoon and go through the barn, garage, or the neighbor’s yard sale and see what creative containers you can find just lying around.

Here is a short list of ideas to get you thinking:

Wheelbarrow
Old watering can
Old boot
Kids toy trucks
Old chair
Old metal buckets
Hollowed out stump
Grill
Wooden tool box
Whiskey barrel
Colander
Baskets

Choosing the Correct Plant
Just remember to choose the right plants for the container size. You may need to add drainage holes to some of your creative containers. Enjoy the hunting and planning phase of your summer container garden and remember if it will hold soil, it will grow flowers!

Show Us Your Ideas
Leave a comment with your creative container idea! We just may give an award out to the most creative re-purposing project we find.

Each year the Perennial Plant Association (PPA) has a committee board that selects four outstanding perennial plants that the PPA members then vote on for the Plant of the Year award. According to the PPA website the nominated perennials must exhibit the following attributes:
• Suitable for a wide range of climate types
• Low maintenance
• Easily propagated—easily comes true from seed or vegetative propagation
• Exhibits multiple seasonal interest
The PPA began this yearly award to promote the use of excellent perennials in the landscape

The Winner is…
The 2011 Perennial Plant of the Year is Amsonia hubrichtii. Also known as Amosonia, Arkansas Blue Star, and Thread Leaf Blue Star.

This plant thrives in full sun to partial shade. She prefers average, moist, well-drained soil but will tolerate some drought. This plant deligths us with light blue flowers in Spring but her true beauty is displayed in the Fall. The Amsonia has the most intense golden-yellow fall foliage of any plant in your garden.

You can also find a list of previous winners here.

Indianapolis, Indiana

Stephanie Sheldon was elected President to the Indiana Nursery and Landscape Association’s (INLA) board of directors at their annual meeting, January 18th at the Westin Hotel, downtown Indianapolis during the Indiana Green Expo at the Indiana Convention Center.

Ms. Sheldon’s landscape management firm, Shrubworks, is located in Putnam County.  It offers full service landscape management including design, build and maintenance.

Ms. Sheldon is a graduate of the Horticulture and Landscape Design School at Purdue University.  She has served on the INLA board since 2003.  She is married to Ed Sheldon, Montgomery County Extension, and they have two sons, Trevor and Brandt.

If you would like to contact Ms. Sheldon, she may be reached at 765.522-5683 or email.

The Indiana Nursery and Landscape Association is a not-for-profit organization whose primary objective is to elevate the level of professionalism through education and networking.

Spring Cleanup

by Val

It looks as if spring is finally here!  Like most homeowners, I’m sure you are ready to see signs of life from your landscape.   So what needs to be done this spring to get the most out of your landscape investment?

A spring cleanup means doing just that: cleaning the debris out of your landscape beds.  The leaves and twigs that collected over the winter need to be removed.  Any perennials that were not cut back in the fall may need cut back as well as the ornamental grasses.

Remove Winter’s Debris

Once the debris is removed from your landscape beds, we suggest edging and mulching.  By creating a natural spade edge along your landscape bed it helps hold mulch in place and creates a crisp clean look.

Control Weeds

An application of a pre-emergent weed control will help reduce to presence of weeds throughout the year.  Of course, chemicals should only be applied according to label directions using precautions.  The pre-emergent should be applied prior to mulching.

Mulch

A two to two and a half inch layer of shredded hardwood bark mulch is recommended to get the full benefits from mulching.  What are the benefits of mulching?  Aside from the instant aesthetic appeal, a good layer of mulch will help retain moisture while increasing soil temperature.  Mulch also acts as a natural weed barrier when left undisturbed.  As mulch decomposes it adds organic matter into the soil where the plants collect needed nutrients.

By completing a spring cleanup you will begin noticing several signs of life from your landscape such as perennials sprouting and buds breaking on shrubs.  Enjoy spring cleaning!

And give us a call if we can help!