How to Keep Your Garden Happy in August!
As the summer heat persists and your garden continues to grow, it's essential to adjust your care routine to ensure your plants thrive through the heat and prepare for the transition into fall. Here are some tips for late summer garden care:
Watering Wisely: With the scorching temperatures of August, it's crucial to monitor your garden's water needs closely. Deep watering in the early morning or late evening helps plants absorb moisture more effectively and reduces evaporation. Be mindful of drought-stressed plants and provide them with adequate hydration to keep them healthy.
Mulching Matters: Applying a layer of mulch around your plants helps conserve soil moisture, regulate soil temperature, and suppress weeds. Organic mulches such as shredded bark or compost not only help retain moisture, but also enrich the soil as they break down.
Deadheading and Pruning: Remove spent blooms from flowering plants through deadheading to encourage continued blooming. Additionally, prune any unruly growth or damaged branches to maintain the health and shape of your plants.
Fertilizing Thoughtfully: Begin to taper your fertilizer and stop fertilizing woody plants altogether, otherwise they will have growth that will be too soft to withstand the first frost.
Harvesting and Preserving: August is the time for rich harvests from your garden. Regularly pick ripe fruits and vegetables to encourage more production. Consider preserving your harvest through canning, freezing, or drying to enjoy your garden's bounty throughout the year.
Managing Pests and Diseases: Keep a close eye on your plants for signs of pests and diseases, which can proliferate in the warm, humid conditions of late summer. Implement integrated pest management strategies and natural remedies to address any issues that arise. We have a great selection of products for managing pests and diseases in our garden center barn. Any of our New Leaf plant specialist can assist you in finding the right product for your needs.
By following these tailored care tips for August, you can ensure that your garden remains healthy, vibrant, and productive as you navigate the challenges and opportunities of late summer gardening.
Chill Out with Shade Trees
Shade trees play a crucial role in enhancing the environment and promoting well-being in numerous ways. From temperature regulation to energy efficiency, to improved air quality and creating a habitat for wildlife, these are just a few of the many benefits shade trees provide. Not to mention, they offer shelter from the sun's intense rays while creating a sustainable solution for cooling and shading your home and garden.
From maple trees to the expansive canopy of an oak tree, to sycamores, elms and birch trees, shade trees come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and foliage types to suit your aesthetic preferences and landscape needs.
ELM TREE
Known for their graceful arching branches and a broad spreading canopy, Elm trees are ideal for cooling outdoor spaces. Their dense foliage helps to block out sunlight, creating a cooler environment underneath.
OAK TREE
Oak trees have large, spreading canopies that provide a generous amount of shade, creating cool and comfortable areas underneath for relaxation. With sturdy branches and a robust structure, they’re known as long-lasting and durable shade providers.
BIRCH TREE
Himalayan Birch, River Birch or Paper Birch are great choices for providing shade. The feathery leaves of these varieties create a light and airy canopy that gently filters sunlight, casting a dappled shade below, and adds an airy and elegant touch to gardens.
MAPLE TREE
With their attractive appearance, broad canopies, and the ability to thrive in a variety of climates, these fast growing trees are valued for their shade. Their dense, full canopies provide ample shade, making them an ideal choice to relax under during the hotter months.
SYCAMORE TREE
Sycamores are known for their fast growth rate, which means they can quickly establish themselves as reliable shade providers in a landscape. Their large, spreading canopy and robust and hardy nature make this low-maintenance tree a great choice for shade.
The bark of a sycamore tree naturally exfoliates in irregular patches, revealing different colored layers underneath. This shedding of bark creates a jigsaw puzzle-like pattern that is visually appealing and adds texture and interest to the tree's trunk.
We have a wide range of shade trees in stock to suit your landscaping needs. Our selection includes trees of various sizes, shapes, and foliage types to accommodate different garden styles. From fast-growing species to those known for their colorful characteristics, we have options that offer both ample shade and aesthetic appeal. If you need guidance on choosing the right tree, our knowledgeable staff is here to assist you in finding the perfect shade tree for your specific requirements.
If you’re wanting to plant trees. but don't feel like wrestling with them yourself, we’ve got you covered! We offer full service plant delivery and installation, and with these services you can sit back, relax and watch it all come together!
Fall Festival is Returning to New Leaf!
You heard right! Friday, October 11th through Sunday, October 13th, you all are invited to our Annual Fall Festival. Every year the nursery welcomes the community to come together to celebrate fall at New Leaf Nursery! This much loved local event is celebrating it’s 8th anniversary this year, and promises lots of fun for kids of all ages.
Our three day event encompasses the entire Nursery grounds and admission to the event is always FREE! From pony rides, to face painting, to waffles and ice cream, to pumpkins and bright colorful mums, so grab the family, pack up your car and head on over!
This is one event you do not want to miss—people talk about it all year when they come in to see us at the nursery. Plus all Seed Rewards Members EARN DOUBLE REWARDS POINTS throughout the three day event!
EVENT HOURS:
Friday, October 11th: 9:00 AM-5:00 PM
Saturday, October 12th: 9:00 AM-5:00 PM
Sunday, October 13th: 10:00 AM-4:00 PM
For more detailed information on our Fall Festival, please click here.
Employee Spotlight—
From Farmstand Finds to Wishlist Dreams
If you've attended The Farmstand this year at New Leaf, then you’ve seen Ashley greeting everyone with her happy smile and her sweet disposition. Not only does she help out with The Farmstand, she is in charge of finding local farmers and growers to participate weekly, supporting small businesses in their endeavors.
But that’s not all she does!
If you’ve ever put your name on our wish list for a plant when it is next in stock, you’ve probably worked with Ashley. She keeps track of the wish list for customers who want to be notified when a desired plant becomes in stock at the nursery. This is sometimes a long process, such as waiting for next season’s fruit trees after our stock sells out, or possibly even longer for items that may take a couple of seasons to source. Once plants are available, she calls you to let you know they are ready for you to view.
Next time you’re at the nursery, make sure to say hello!
