Our son just moved to Spokane, Washington.

For the last two years, he’s been working as a nurse in Kansas City. Now, for the next three months, he’ll be working a traveling nurse...in Spokane.

He left last week, his car loaded with his belongings, and his mom riding along as his co-pilot. It was a bittersweet moment saying our goodbyes in the driveway before he left. I was excited about his new opportunity, but I was sad to see him leave. It was tough!

The good news... they made the trek safely and got him all settled into his new home. Mom hung out for a few days and explored the area with him, and now she’s back home with me...and it’s time for Cooper to get to work.

I’m guessing a trip to Spokane is in my future!

Now, back to T-Town.

Back here at the Garden Store, we’re still plugging away. Summer has definitely settled in...and I can’t say I missed the heat and the humidity!

Things will be a little slower for us for the next stretch, but we’ll definitely still be at it. And yes, you can still garden in the heat...just make sure you put on your sunscreen and don’t forget to drink lots of water!

The same is true for your gardens...the water, that is. Make sure your gardens are staying well-hydrated, too. We’ve been catching timely rains for the most part so far this season, but chances are good that won’t hold out all summer. Eventually, hotter weather and not enough rain will be the reality. Be prepared to do some watering.

If you find yourself motivated to knock out a summer project, or if you find an existing project is experiencing an issue, let us know, and we’ll try and help. We’ll be here all summer.

It’s been a nice spring, one of the prettiest I can remember for a long time. I hope you enjoyed it! And on behalf of our entire team out here, I’d like to thank everyone for your business this past spring. We really, really appreciate it.

Thank you!

—Cameron

“Thymely” Advice... It’s Time to Treat for Bagworms

As Summer begins, your trees and shrubs might be hiding a little secret. Small caterpillar-like worms could be invading and setting up homes right under your nose...bagworms! I’ll tell you what to look out for and what you need to do to control the population and potentially save those beautiful trees and shrubs you’ve worked so hard to maintain.

Bagworms are typically most active during the summer months, beginning in early June and continuing through summer. They resemble small ¼ inch caterpillars that have the beginning stages of their bag (silk woven plant debris), usually covering the bottom half of the insect. These guys are super small, but if left unchecked, they can do quite a bit of damage to your landscape trees. They tend to be super camouflaged among plants, often not being noticed until tremendous damage has been done.

These little guys live for a short year, with females dying after they lay their eggs and males dying after breeding. Because of their short life span, there are specific times that you can be most effective in treating them. While they are small, the bag that they construct serves as a sanctuary away from harmful predators and pesticides.

Spraying for this pest is going to be most effective when they are younger and still actively feeding. The larger the bag gets, the closer to the pupal stage where the male worm transforms into a moth, and the harder they get to kill.

Treating with Fertilome Spinosad will effectively reduce the number of worms infesting your tree. Later in the summer, when bags are larger, plucking the bags and placing them in a bucket of soapy water is about all that’s effective. Keep in mind, each female bag you leave behind to mature can potentially end with 500 to 1000 eggs inside them to hatch out next year.

Being vigilant and paying close attention to your landscape will greatly reduce the number of problems plaguing you. As always, we are here to help, just stop in or give us a call.

—Melissa Anderson, Store Manager

“IN”VENTORY: HOT SUMMER COLORS!

It’s always a good time to add color, and these plants don’t disappoint with their strikingly bright summer hues. There’s still lots of summer left, and many of the plants below will take you all the way into the warmer parts of fall, as well. Cacti and other succulents can make for an easy addition to your potted plants and are low-maintenance. So, don’t be shy about continuing to fill porch pots or develop new pockets of pretty in your garden beds or landscaping. Grow your oasis!