Big Pot Bonanza...

As we head further into the summer season, I'm finding that customers are looking for that instant gratification when it comes to plants. For instance, I brought in these fabulous 10 gallon Quick Fire Hydrangeas - they are massive and absolutely gorgeous. Brought 6 in two weeks ago and they sold within two days, so brought in 6 more this week and they are all gone too. The Quick Fire is from the PeeGee family and hardy for our zone, and although it is a PeeGee, it blooms much sooner than the rest. The blooms emerge white and apparently turn pink - I bought one this year, so I'm waiting to see the transformation for myself. Soooo, I've decided to order lots of big shrubs and perennials this week and do a Big Pot Bonanza starting on Thursday. Many people don't want to wait for a plant to grow, they just want to see it in its full glory right away - so we'll see how it all goes at Spruce later this week!

It's Stampede Week in Calgary, and although we may some cooler temperatures and some rain (what else is new!), the week of the 13th is shaping up to be hot and dry. This is the perfect week to fertilize your shrubs and trees. They are well watered from the rain we have been having, so they are better able to soak up the fertilizer. I use a root feeder on my plants so the food becomes readily available right at the roots. Ensure that you fertilize all around the dripline where the newer roots are situated. This is also the month that your trees should receive the most water - you do not want them to dry out at all. As August rolls around, the amount of water should diminish so that you are not pushing new growth while the tree should be hardening up for winter (yeh, I know its weird to talk about winter in August!). Decrease the water given to trees and shrubs in August and September, and then when the leaves start turning and falling, ensure you water the tree well before freeze up. We are seeing many cases of winter die back in trees this year, so following the above watering practices will help ensure healthy trees for years to come.
Happy Stampeding!