Strange's Garden Center

Featured Plant: Quince Storm

2012-02-13T15:59:00.003-05:00

Featured Plant: Quince Storm series

The full name of this variety is Quince Double Take, with three color options: Scarlet Storm, Orange Storm, & Pink Storm. The idea is that you will do a double take when you see these large, double flowers.

Besides their beauty, these quince are thornless and deer resistant, making them a useful decoration for your yard. They bloom in early Spring and can grow from 36 - 48 inches tall, making this flowering shrub perfect for hedgings, mass plantings, mixed borders, or for a cutting garden.

They are mighty hardy in zones 5-8, so its no surprise they can be heat and drought tolerant once established, and that they need partial to full sun every day. With its easy maintenance and gorgeous spring color, Quince Storm is one perfect plant for any Virginia garden!

So Striking: the Winter series Camellias

2011-12-30T08:43:00.003-05:00

Winter's Snowman Camellia

Another wonderful addition to the winter garden is the camellia, specifically the Winter series Camellias. The Winter series is the most cold hardy camellias to date, most being a Zone 6 and handling our Zone 7 weather easily.

They are so striking and beautiful, they can be used as a single flower in the garden or as an entire hedge. They can grow in height of around 6 ft., and spread in width to 5 ft. or more, depending on the variety, which makes them perfect for an alluring and evergreen privacy screen.
There are many gorgeous colors to choose from, from lavender to pink to white. At Strange's, we have several varieties available in our nursery in 1 gallon, 3 gallon or 7 gallon pots, including Winter's Charm, Winter's Darling, Winter's Fancy, Winter's Peony, Winter's Beauty, Winter's Cupid, Winter's Fire, & Winter's Snowman. A gorgeous flower and plant, including the Winter's series Camellias in your garden will add great interest and character.

Overwintering Experiment

2011-12-19T15:17:00.008-05:00

It's frosty out there! During the winter season, some plants will survive, some will die, and some will need to be covered or taken indoors. Here at Strange's, we're always trying to figure out easy ways to keep our plants happy and healthy.

Bonsai trees, like other temperate climate plants, need to go dormant over winter. Tricking your plant into sustaining growth will eventually lead into a forced dormancy, which is stressful and usually fatal. Most plants have internal clocks that tell them when to go dormant, so keeping your outside plants outside keeps everything running smoothly.

Even so, they need protection, and some of our greenhouse staff have come up with an interesting way in keeping our bonsai tree's roots warm. At $2.49 a bag, giving your potted bonsai tree a snug little mulch home is an easy and cheap way to make sure it's protected while also letting it stay outside.

Christmas Rose: The Helleborus Gold Collection

2011-12-13T17:30:00.003-05:00

There are not many plants that can withstand the harsh cold & frost of deep winter, so the ones that do, stand out, their gorgeous color brightening up a dormant & grey garden.

Helleborus niger, known as the Christmas Rose, generally blooms later than December 25th. The term 'Christmas Rose' is due to an old legend that it sprouted in the snow from the tears of a young girl who had no gift to give Jesus in Bethlehem. Under the old calendar, January 6th was the day Christmas was celebrated, which is closer to when the Helleborus niger blooms.

Below are two flowers from the Helleborus Gold Collection that we carry at Strange's.

'Josef Lemper'
Pure white blooms are held upright by dark green foliage. Plants will mature to about 12” to 15” tall. These winter beauties thrive in shade and make great additions to containers for winter interest, from November to January.

'Pink Frost'
An eruption of burgundy buds open to blossoms of soft pink that darken to rich hues as the flowers age. As fresh blooms appear, the display across the spectrum from white to pink to red is stunning. Rich green foliage has red stems and a silvery sheen marbled across the top.

The Smell of Christmas

2011-12-05T10:48:00.009-05:00

As the temperatures drop to a steady chill of 50 and below, a beautiful day one that I can go without my coat, Christmas becomes heavy on our to do lists. Why, there's the lights, the garlands, the stockings, the wreaths, the poinsettias, and of course, the tree.

There's so many choices when it comes to trees. Artificial is one way. Its the easy, put-it-up-&-take-it-down tree, with lights and a stand built in, and moveable wire for branches. The downside is that its fake. It doesn't have that beautiful, forest scent that fills your nose and delights your mind with dancing sugar-plums, warm fires roaring and sleigh rides through the snow. Walking through the tree lot in Strange's nursery, the smell of Christmas surrounds you, from fresh wreaths, groupings of holly, and of course, row upon row of fresh cut Fraser firs.

Besides the wonderful smell that will fill your home all month long, cut trees are always tall. Towering over almost everyone, they inspire awe to children and adults alike. From 7 ft. to 11 ft. tall, they beg for high ceilings, long garlands and a staggering collection of ornaments. They long to be chosen for a loving family's home, where they are admired and adorned like a newborn baby. Every cut tree deserves a home, and at Strange's, we want to make it as easy as possible. We care for these trees as much as we care for our customers, and you can see it in everything we do. From free full service, lifting and loading the tree while you sit back and relax, to offering a $10 coupon towards any cut tree. With this offer, a 7-8 ft. tree could cost you only $39.99!* Such a small price for the size of the tree, the smell that fills your home, and the joy it will bring your family.

A cut tree is a memory maker, the ultimate connection of Christmas now to Christmas then. We, and people across the world, have been celebrating Christmas with an evergreen since the 1900s. Most back then cut down their own tree from a nearby forest, which you can certainly still do today. However, the benefits from buying a Strange's cut tree are enormous. First, we stock only Fraser firs, hand picked ourselves for their firm branches, soft, silvery-green needles, and perfect shape. Second, we only sell locally grown, North Carolina firs, that have been fresh cut by the tree farmers themselves. Buying a fresh cut tree from Strange's shows you support local farmers, you support the environment, and you support the history of Christmas.

For those who want to continue the tradition, we also have trees that have not been cut, that can take you through this Christmas and the next, provided you plant it and care for it all year long. Whichever you prefer, the smell of Christmas is not to be missed, as it takes you far further into the spirit than anything else ever will.

*Price subject to change.

Something to Look Forward To

2011-11-29T16:19:00.003-05:00

Sometimes, amidst the worrying and scurrying for Christmas decorations and gifts, its nice to think about how close we are to the coming year. While there are reasons to fear it (who wants to get older?), we at Strange's use it as a time to look forward to another growing season. With Spring 2012 comes warm weather, which means tomatoes, butterfly bushes & crepe myrtles, just to name a few. New years also bring exciting new varieties, and 2012 will be no exception!

For the past 16 years, the Wave series (Wave Petunias) has been known for highly colorful, vigorously spreading plants that last all season long. Now, PanAmerican Seed has introduced an all-new spring and fall pansy series. Home gardeners can fill their gardens with three seasons of color using the new Cool Wave Pansy.

Cool Wave Pansy delivers the same easy-care, long-lasting color as Wave Petunias, and they also demonstrated superior overwintering in U.S. trials. Watch for its debut in March 2012.

Pansies!!!!

2011-11-07T16:21:00.002-05:00

Over the weekend, many of you were coming in to gather up what you thought was the last of our stock of pansies. Well, fear not pansy lovers! A new shipment of big, beautiful pansies has just arrived today and our greenhouse is stocking them out in the nursery as we speak. If you haven't gotten your pansies yet, here are a few reasons why you should:

1. Pansies are winter hardy so they don't wither at the sight of cold weather.

2. Pansies are easy to care for and respond well to monthly feedings.

3. Pansies make a great addition to any garden or container because of their wide range of colors.

4. Right now we are selling 6" containers for only $2.99! Prices start at $1.29.

Christmas at Strange's

2011-11-03T14:31:00.003-04:00

Our customers may not realize it, but we love Christmas at Strange's! Visit our W. Broad location and you can see for yourself -- since the beginning of October, we have transformed our store into a winter wonderland.

While our feature products are plants, flowers, and garden-related items, we also have everything you need for Christmas! From artificial and fresh cut trees to wreaths, ornaments, wrapping paper & gift cards, we have the decor you need covered. Plus, don't forget great gifts for kids & adults alike, and beautiful poinsettias in white, pink, red & every mixture in-between.

Visit our You Tube account to view a video featuring just a sample of some of our Christmas cheer.
http://www.youtube.com/user/StrangesFlorist

Tobacco Project: Richmond

2011-10-10T10:02:00.004-04:00

Currently showing at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond is an exhibition by Xu Bing called Tobacco Project. It explores the artist's fascination with the tobacco plant, as well as people's relationship with the plant over time. This exhibition is free and ends December 4th, so don't miss out on such an interesting look at Virginia's first major cash crop.

Strange's also participated in this exhibit by providing tobacco plants grown in our greenhouse, seen above.

Click here for more information on the exhibit.

Click here for a look at putting together the exhibit, plus an interview with the artist.

Fall is for Gardening!

2011-09-06T09:27:00.003-04:00

Though Fall is sometimes known for days like today (rainy), its cooler weather and increased rainfall is actually very beneficial to some plants. Cool weather vegetables, for example, grow much better and faster in the Fall because they thrive in cooler temperatures than Spring can offer. Lettuce, swiss chard, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussel sprouts and many others fall in this category and should be planted in August or September. Some may have longer grow times than others, and you want your plants to be harvest-ready before the first frost, so check your vegetable before you plant.

Bulbs are another plant that many people don't know should be planted in the Fall. Planting bulbs in the Fall will give them more time to strengthen their root system and become a strong plant to bloom in the Spring. We have many varieties at Strange's, including tulips, crocuses, hyacinths, and eventually onions & garlic as well. Just remember to wait until your soil is at 55 degrees or below before you plant your bulbs, or you will fool them into thinking it is already Spring, and we don't want premature blooming!

There are other plants as well that enjoy cool weather, such as the beautiful foliage of heuchera, the showy flowers of the Encore azalea, the gorgeous color variety of pansies and the full, pillowy flowers of mums, not to mention many others!

Everyone can find something to plant, and also, don't forget those kitchen herb gardens. At Strange's, Fall is for Planting!

Click Here for a Video on Fall Gardening

A Breakthrough New Animal Repellent

2011-08-23T10:06:00.005-04:00

Say goodbye to messy mixes and stinky sprays.

Repellex Systemic Tablets are easy-to-use, pre-measured tablets that require no mixing. This exclusive breakthrough technology allows capsaicin (hot pepper) to be absorbed into the plant by simply planting the tablet next to a growing plants' root system. Once the repellent is absorbed over 7-30 days, the repellent will stay active for up to one whole year. Since the repellent is internally treating the plant, it will not wash off in the rain like traditional repellents do over time or be faded by the sun.

Protecting your plants from hungry animals has never been easier. This repellent is labeled and approved for repelling: deer, rabbits, moles, voles, gophers, groundhogs, dogs, cats and feral hogs. At this period in time, Repellex states this product should be used on non-edible plants only, but they are working to eventually change that.

Strange's will be carrying this product at our West Broad location, so hurry in to get this amazing new animal repellent for yourself!

Fall is for Planting Annuals, Perennials, Trees & Shrubs!

2011-08-08T08:20:00.004-04:00

Tired of planting in the hot summer sun? Did you know that it is actually better for the plants if you plant them in the fall? It’s true!

Planting your plants in the fall helps them establish a good, strong root system and in turn helps them survive the harsh summers. Having an established root system also makes plants more tolerant to hot weather. The fall and winter months tend to get more rainfall than the spring and summer, meaning you are going to need to water your plants less. It can also save you money in the spring and summer months. Plants that have an established root system are said to be drought tolerant and won’t need to be watered as much.

The beginning of September is the ideal time to start your fall planting. This is when you can start tilling your land and getting your beds ready to be planted. Some things you can do to prepare them is add soil amendments such as Black Velvet, Leafgro and Mushroom Compost. All of these things will make sure you have the ideal soil for starting your planting. If you want to get ahead of the game, it isn’t a bad idea to draw up a plan. Figure out what kind of plants will work well in your garden, and then decide where you would like to place them. This will make it easier for you to enjoy your time planting! You don’t have to rush your planting either. Fall planting last thru the first half of November depending on the weather.

There are many things that you can plant in the fall. It is the ideal time to plant your trees, bushes and shrubs. It is also a great time to put in your perennials. If you are looking for color from trees or shrubs think about planting some of these: maples, Encore azaleas, burning bush, itea, fall camellia and firepower nandina. (just to name a few!) If you want some perennials to spruce up your yard think about: any ornamental grasses, sedum, black-eyed susans, coneflowers, and fall blooming clematis. Fall blooming annuals add color and a bright vibe to your yard. Consider some of these: mums, pansies, and anything from the Fall Magic series, which are blooming annuals that do extremely well in the cooler fall weather. Most importantly, enjoy the time you spend planting. When you are out in the hot summer heat, you're wishing it was cooler outside. In the fall, you don’t have to wish!

Fall is for Planting....Vegetables!

2011-08-04T08:43:00.003-04:00

Would you have guessed you could plant vegetables in the fall? If you said yes, YOU’RE RIGHT!

Most cool season vegetables grow better in the fall than those planted in the spring. In the spring, the temperatures are hotter during the critical harvesting period. Higher temperatures can affect the quality of product. Flavors of vegetables are usually sweeter and milder when grown during cooler temperatures, as well as have fewer insect problems.

Available space, what you like and your intended use of vegetables all contribute to what you can grow. Cool-temperature-adapted crops are excellent for fall gardening because they continue to grow well into the fall and can be harvested after many tender plants have been killed by frost.

Some hardy vegetables that can stand severe frost, but can not live under 20 degrees are: cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, carrots, turnips, rutabagas, kale and garlic.

For best results in your fall garden, choose the shortest season cultivars to insure a good harvest before being killed off by frost. The easiest way to do this is to look for cultivars labeled “early season.”

To figure out when you should start planting follow this table:

+ Number of days from seeding or transplanting outdoors to harvest
+ Number of days from seed to transplantable size
+ Average harvest period
+ Fall factor (the slower growth which results from cooler weather and shorter days): usually 14 days
+ Frost tender factor (only for frost-sensitive crops): usually 14 days

= Days to count back from the first expected fall frost.

To get your garden ready for fall vegetables, start by digging up anything that is dead or has finished bearing. Then put compost and composted manure down which will boost the nutrient level and enhance the water-holding capacity. It helps to spade or rototill the top 4-6 inches of the soil. It relieves compaction and incorporates the compost and other organic matter into the soil. Mulching will help reduce winter annual weed germination by blocking light and smothering the tiny weeds.

Now that you have put in the hard work, stay persistent and look forward to enjoying the fruits of your labor!

*Information from University of Nebraska-Lincoln extension.

The Amazing Cucumber!

2011-08-02T12:10:00.006-04:00

We all know that the cucumber is a healthy snack, and quite delicious. We at Strange's recently discovered that the cucumber has so many more uses than just food - read below for more on the amazing cucumber!

1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day; just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.

2.Feeling tired in the afternoon? Put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates which provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.

3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror; it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.

4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum, giving off a scent undetectable to humans but one that drives garden pests crazy and makes them flee the area.

5. Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem areas for a few minutes. The phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too!

6. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!

7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explorers for quick meals to thwart off starvation.

8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you don't have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe; its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.

9. Need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone!

10. Stressed out and don't have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water. The chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber will react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown to reduce stress.

11. Just finished a business lunch and realize you don't have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath. The phytochemicals will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.

12. Looking for a 'green' way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean. Not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but it won't leave streaks and won't harm your fingers or fingernails while you clean.

13. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of the cucumber and use it to erase the pen writing. Also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!

Source: Originally printed in The New York Times, "Spotlight on the Home" series

Why Grow Grass in the Fall?

2011-08-01T09:30:00.003-04:00

Would you like a lawn that looks picture perfect?

Fall is the best time to renovate your lawn and make it look like new. With just a few easy steps, and a little bit of effort, you can give everybody on your block ‘grass envy’! If you plant grass seed in the fall, you have the advantages of lower temperatures, cooler days, and (hopefully) more rain. Grass seed gets established easier when the ground is more likely to retain moisture, and if the days aren’t so darned hot!

A good looking lawn starts with the seed. You want to use seed with a high germination rate and a very low weed seed/noxious weed percentage. This information must be listed somewhere on the bag, according to law. Be willing to put the money into your grass seed, and you’ll reap the benefits. We recommend Gold Standard (virtually weed free) for sun and light shade, and Shady Nook, for areas that have heavier shade. Follow the seed with a good starter fertilizer such as Ferti-lome New Lawn Starter, and your lawn should be off to a strong start. Another application of fertilizer about 8 weeks later will help strengthen your lawn and help protect it through the wintertime.

Lawn care really isn’t difficult (and doesn’t take a whole lot of time), so why pay somebody to do it, when you can have the satisfaction of doing it yourself? Then you can really take credit for the way it looks!

Also, at Strange's, our employees are always ready to help you with your lawn & gardening woes, so just bring them on in! We'll always have a solution for you at Strange's.

The Heat thats Sweet

2011-07-26T10:34:00.003-04:00

Have you visited our Summer Plant Trials yet? If so, you may have noticed an avalanche of small green & red peppers growing right in the middle! Introducing....Sweet Heat.

Spotlight On: Sweet Heat Peppers
New for Spring 2012!
These beautiful peppers need sun to thrive, and are one of the earliest to bear fruit. Ripe peppers can be harvested red or green, and are ready only 56 days after transplant. The peppers are sweet and mildly spicy, which gives them a great flavor for salsa or grilling. They stay pretty compact, growing 8 - 12 inches high and 12 - 16 inches wide. They are hardy all the way down to 32 degrees.

Bloom-A-Thon Azalea Video

2011-07-26T10:31:00.001-04:00

Behold, the Bloom-A-Thon Azalea!

This new variety of azalea blooms multiple times during the year, giving it the appropriate name of bloom-a-thon. To learn more, click here!

Butterfly Bushes

2011-07-06T08:32:00.001-04:00

Summer is the perfect time for these gorgeous plants!

LEARN MORE

Featuring the Bloom-A-Thon Azalea!

2011-06-23T14:15:00.003-04:00

Why settle for a few weeks of flowers when you can have months of blooms?

Spotlight On: Bloom-A-Thon Azalea
New for Fall 2011!
This azalea blooms from early Spring, starting in April, all the way through Fall until a hard frost. The Bloom-A-Thon comes in four different colors: Double Pink, Lavender, Double Red and White. According to plant brand Proven Winners, the Azaleas bloom 4-6 weeks in the spring and another 12-16 weeks in the summer and fall.

The Bloom-A-Thon is hardy in zones 6-9. It prefers partial shade, adequate amounts of water and well drained soil. It is a self pruner being that it flowers so much. It also has a self branching habit which reduces the maximum size of the plant in the landscape which is about 4 feet wide and 5 feet tall. They are also self-cleaning which reduces incidence of disease and increases their beauty in the landscape. Bloom-A-Thons are great for borders, containers, in planters with other containers, grouped together or by themselves.

At our Strange’s Short Pump location, we have four Bloom-A-Thon Azaleas planted in our trial bed. To see how they are blooming come and stop by! We will have the Bloom-A-Thon Azaleas on sale in either our Fall 2011 collection or early Spring 2012.

A Quest for Sweetness

2011-06-21T11:12:00.005-04:00

Looking for something sweeter than sweet?

Look no further! Extract from the Stevia plant, also known as Sweetleaf and Paraguayan sweet herb, is said to be as much as 300 times sweeter than sugar. Stevia rebaudiana, named after the Paraguayan chemist Rebaudi who first extracted the component stevioside, is one of 300 species from the Asteraceae family which includes sunflowers and chrysanthemums. From that family, Stevia is the only plant with such sweetness. Fresh Stevia leaves have a slight licorice flavor, sweeter than sugar. All natural and calorie free, Stevia does not appear to raise blood glucose levels, making it a plus for dieters and diabetics. Though it can not be used as a replacement for sugar in baked goods, it can be used to sweeten dairy products, puddings, sauces, salads and custards.

While it does not like cooler temperatures, in zone 7 you can grow it as an annual or in a pot which you could move indoors during colder weather. In the garden it grows 18 to 30 inches tall with gray-green oval leaves and sometimes white flowers. It prefers plenty of sunshine and a sandy or loamy soil (much like the Strange’s soil), kept moist but not wet. To avoid over watering, add a layer of compost or mulch to protect the shallow root zone from being exposed to too much water. If you are going to plant Stevia in a container make sure it is at least 10-12 inches in diameter. Fill the container with a lightweight growing mix and add a little mulch on the top. Stevia prefers fertilizers with lower nitrogen content. Most organic fertilizers would be ideal since they release nitrogen slowly.

To make sure you have the sweetest of sweet plants, harvesting should be done as late as possible. Shorter days and cool temperatures intensify the sweetness of the plant. The easiest way to harvest is to cut the branches off with pruning shears before stripping the leaves. Once all of your leaves are harvested you will need to dry them. Crushing dried leaves is the final stop in your quest to sweetness!

Japanese Beetles

2011-06-17T12:16:00.004-04:00

It’s that time of year again…Japanese Beetles have returned! The long metallic green beetles with copper-brown wing covers are here to attack and eat all sorts of plants. The adult Japanese Beetle emerges from under your lawn in June to begin feeding. They usually stay active for 4-6 weeks beginning in late June. An individual beetle will live from 30-45 days. They feed on about 300 species of plants. They devour leaves, flowers and overripe or wounded fruit. They tend to feed in groups starting at the top of the plant and working their way down. The damage done to your plants is not from just one beetle. It is from a whole group that destroys everything.

At Strange’s our certified horticulturist recommends a few different products.

BEETLE TRAPS- These traps have both male and female lure attached to them, so you draw both sexes at the same time. Once the beetles are trapped in the bag, they’re not getting out, so you never have to worry about them again!
SEVIN- Sold in either powder or crystal and contains carbaryl. As the beetle eats whatever has been covered with Sevin, they ingest the chemical and they die. If you want a safer product use Eight from Bonide.
HARI KARI- Used as a contact killer. You see ‘em you spray ‘em, you kill ‘em.
MILKY SPORE- An organic long term treatment. Apply from April to October any time the ground isn’t frozen to prevent spread of grubs. As the spore works down into the soil, the grubs come along, ingest the soil, and the spore multiplies within the grubs so they die. When the grub dies, the spores are redistributed back into the soil so that more grubs can pick them up and follow through on the cycle.
K-NEEM - Neem is an organic product produced from the oil of the neem tree. It is extremely effective at controlling Japanese beetles, along with other insects. It will even treat powdery mildew.

Hardy Lantana

2011-06-16T09:17:00.011-04:00

Most lantanas are considered annuals, but did you know there are a few that are considered perennials? These varieties are considered hardy in Zone 7 and can survive temperatures as low as 20 degrees.

Lantanas are the perfect summer plant because they love full sun, are drought tolerant (once established), and are a magnet to butterflies! They generally grow to be 3 - 5 feet tall by 3 - 5 feet wide and bloom all summer long.

Miss Huff Lantana was planted in our perennial trail bed last year and has come back strong this year.

Two other lantana varieties we carry that are winter hardy are:

Mary Ann
Lantana &

Sonset
Lantana

Callicarpa Americana

2011-06-14T12:26:00.003-04:00

One of the worst things about Summer is the increase in bug activity around your garden. Strange's has plenty of natural solutions to repelling them, and we'll be putting together a video very soon of mosquito repellents we carry. Until then, see below for more information on the beautyberry plant, an ARS confirmed bug repellent.

Tired of swatting away mosquitoes and horse flies? Worry no more. ARS (Agricultural Research Service) chemist Charles Cantrell and ARS entomologist Jerry Klun confirmed that the beautyberry plant, also known as Callicarpa Americana, contains three repellent chemicals: callicarpenal, intermedeol and spathulenol. All three chemicals repulse mosquitoes, deerflies, horseflies, and ticks as well as ants. ARS botanist Charles Bryson stated “My grandfather would cut branches with the leaves still on them and crush the leaves, and then he and his brothers would stick the branches between the harness and the horse to keep deer flies, horseflies and mosquitoes away.” He also said for almost 40 years he has grabbed handfuls of leaves from the beautyberry plant, crushed them and rubbed them on his skin for the same reasons.

American beautyberry is a fast growing perennial shrub: growing five to eight feet tall and almost as wide with drooping branches. In August or September, clusters of small purple to blue berries surround the woody stem. It prefers sun but can handle partial shade. It attracts many song birds as well as provides beautiful color for early winter months.

Everything is Blooming at Strange's!

2011-06-14T09:07:00.003-04:00

Come to Strange's this week for fantastic savings & beautiful blooms!

Right now our greenhouse and nursery are swimming in color. We receive new shipments of flowering annuals every day to ensure the freshest flowers for your home and garden. Check out some of what's available as well as beautiful blooms you can find throughout our store!
VIDEO

If you have visited Strange's recently, you know that we are currently hosting our temperature sale! As it gets hotter, the discounts become greater - when it hits 95 degrees, you get 20% Off Everything in the Store! That is on top of already discounted items. But hurry -
this sale ends this Thursday, June 16th!
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO

The Latest in New & Exciting Plants!

2011-06-03T14:01:00.003-04:00

One exciting and rare cultivar that is featured in Strange's Summer Plant Trials is the Tomaccio tomato.

Spotlight On: Tomaccio
New for Spring 2012!
Though this looks like any old tomato, this special new variety is uniquely sweet. Ideal for drying, Tomaccio tomatoes have an intense, sugary flavor when dried in a food dehydrator or conventional oven. Pegged as the "sweet raisin tomato," these dried tomatoes are great for a wide range of preparations. This vigorous-growing variety may reach the height of 9 ft. Support the main stem with a 6 ft cane. For faster ripening, remove all the leaves below the ripened tomatoes. The tomatoes are already matured with their full flavor when they begin to turn red. To learn more: tomaccio.com

Another New & Exciting Plant in our Plant Trials!

2011-05-31T10:04:00.004-04:00

It sure is getting hot out there! With the heat taking over, its the perfect time to spotlight this heat tolerant cultivar.

Spotlight On:
Illusion Garnet Lace Sweet Potato Vine
New for Spring 2012
Known as Ipomoea batatas, this low maintenance landscape plant is pet friendly. Its trailing habit makes it great in mixed containers, window boxes, hanging baskets and landscapes. With red, attractive foliage, it grows to 6-10" and trails up to 48", needing spacing of 12 - 18". Ipomoeas can be overwhelming, but you can cut back or remove stems at any time. They also make great annual ground covers. Needs full to partial sun and is hardy to 35 degrees F.

New & Exciting in Summer Color

2011-05-26T09:28:00.005-04:00

Another day, another new cultivar! You can find all spotlighted plants in our plant trials.

Spotlight on:
Coreopsis 'Salsa'
New for Spring 2012
Its common name Tickseed, this is part of a brand new series of annual varieties called the Coloropsis Series. All members of this series are highly floriferous, bearing masses of 1-2", single flowers with toothed petals. These plants pack a huge punch of color in the landscape or can be used in containers for added texture and color. Its easy to grow and perfect for the beginner gardener. One plant will provide you with long-lasting cut flower bouquets all summer long. It attracts butterflies and needs full sun -- also deer resistant.

New & Exciting in Summer Color

2011-05-24T10:08:00.005-04:00

With summer on its way and summer weather already here, Strange's has begun our Summer Plant Trials 2011! Visit our plant trials located in the flower beds along W. Broad St. and you can check out hundreds of new cultivars that we receive as samples. Check back here as we post more information about what you can find in those beds. Here's our first feature:

Spotlight on:
Pink Lemonade Suncatcher Petunia
New for Spring 2012
This beauty grabs attention in large baskets and gardens. A full and trailing flower, the beautiful yellow-pink color lasts well into Fall. It prefers full to partial sun, regular watering, and can grow to 8 - 12".

Summer Blooming Flowers

2011-05-20T08:13:00.010-04:00

Sorry for the delay in posts -- cold weather is not our favorite thing, so like nature, we like to hibernate from December to March. :)

Now that summer is coming up, its time to start getting ready for summer blooming plants. Below is just a handful of what we carry at Strange's Garden Center.

Butterfly Bushes
Butterfly Bushes (Buddleia) are known for their ability to attract beautiful butterflies to the garden. They require full sun and well-drained soil, and are very tolerant of urban pollution and alkaline soil. Keep an eye on them, as they can get out of hand and spread more than you'd like. Butterfly bushes are generally pest free, except for spider mites during drought or stress. These bushes should be deadheaded from time to time. We have several varieties, available in 1 Gallon or 3 Gallon.

Crepe Myrtles
Crape myrtles are perhaps one of the easiest and showiest plants to grow. The vibrant, colorful blooms in June, July and August, make other plants pale by comparison. Crape myrtles come in many different colors and sizes now, everything from dwarf varieties that don't get any taller than 5 ft, to tall standards 20 to 25 ft high. The care is identical for all kinds and colors. They need full sun, the more sun the better, and thrive in hot weather, also tolerating dry soil once established.

Echinacea Magnus
Echinacea Magnus is a drought tolerant, long blooming perennial that attracts bees and butterflies, but is not attractive to deer. Native to Virginia, it was named Perennial Plant of the Year in 1998! This beautiful plant blooms over & over, starting in June. Flower heads are flat instead of recurved like many other selections, making the blooms look bigger and brighter. New flowers are vivid in color and as they age they will fade to a softer shade of pink.

Bombshell Hydrangea
A must for your garden! With a compact growth habit, 'Bombshell' is incredibly well branched. Covered in white flowers against medium green to dark green foliage from early Summer until frost, this cultivar has more flowers per plant than any other Hydrangea paniculata. With its long bloom time and compact habit, 'Bombshell' is a significantly improved plant in all respects. It is low maintenance with little to no pruning needed to keep it compact. A remarkable show in most garden settings.

As always, please check with the location for availability.

Festive Winter Color

2010-11-06T08:39:00.007-04:00

Yuletide Camellias are little known holiday bloomers that pack a real festive punch! Reaching heights of seven to ten feet, these evergreen shrubs can be pruned to satisfy any landscape. I'm personally impressed by their brave show of color that begins in late October and continues unashamedly through the holiday season! You can count on these fresh sprigs of bright red blooms with contrasting yellow faces cheering my dinner guests. They produce such an impressive profusion of buds, you'll never miss clipping a few to accent a centerpiece.

Camellias come in a variety of colors, bloom times, bloom season and sizes. As evergreen as can be, the Yuletide variety is one my personal favorites as it best suits hedging and screening, not to mention all of those beautiful flowers! Where else can you find such a large screening shrub with a dazzling display when everything else is going dormant? However, the most important thing to remember when planting any camellia is to keep them happy in the shade! Too much sun, heat and little water means instant leaf burn, petal wilt and death for camellias!

All in all, I'm itching with anticipation to put one of these fall and winter blooming camellias on my wish list. My birthday is in January after all... Now all I have to do is decide which one! White, pink, red, variegated stripes... But Yuletide is definitely high on the list! Visit our site for more information on Yuletide, as well as other blooming camellias!

Landscaping with Loropetalum

2010-11-04T11:44:00.009-04:00

When it comes to Loropetalum, I tend to get one of three different questions from my customers.

1) Do you have that purple plant from the Southern Living magazines?
2) I need something evergreen, with color for full sun that blooms! Got any ideas?
3) What the heck is that dark purple bush with pink flowers on it in your parking lot? It's awesome!

Normally, before they're through the first three words I'm leading them towards the Loropetalums on the lot. Commonly known as Chinese Fringe Flower, this unique bloomer begins flowering in spring and will continue through summer until frost. However, with the extremely hot and dry conditions we experienced here in Richmond this past summer, the fuchsia blooms tend to wilt away and return when temperatures cool in September. As a new homeowner and beginning landscaper, I am looking forward to incorporating this semi-evergreen in my design!

Recently, horticulturists have manipulated the habit of this shrub to create a variety of versatile applications. Burgundy Loropetalum is appropriate as a backdrop or large specimen piece as it grows five to six feet in diameter! However, the Purple Pixie variety doesn't get more than 24 inches tall and spreads to five feet wide making it a perfect ground cover! I love to see a sassy purple Loropetalum drooping leisurely in a container with bright yellow pansies too!

Learn more about zone, fertilizer needs and much more from our site at Strange's Garden Center.

To Seed or Not To Seed

2010-07-08T09:56:00.001-04:00

Ryan's (@rsmartt) gardening saga continues.....

To Seed or not To Seed?

Every year, before I start my vegetable garden, I ask myself….should I use seeds or buy existing plants?

I see pros and cons to both.

When you use already grown plants, it’s as easy as digging a hole, planting them outdoors and taking care of them. However, it’s more expensive…and I personally feel like it’s cheating. I mean, all the hard work was already done for you, right?

When you use seeds, there’s an inexplicable pleasure in watching something grow out of the ground, and then enjoying the fruits of your labor. However, it’s much more work. Sometimes you have to start indoors (which could become a problem when you have a curious 3-year-old like I do) and transfer them outside. Plus the elements (and the critters) can be tough on a tiny sprout.

This year, I’ve done both. My tomatoes and peppers were plants when I bought them…my spicy greens and lima beans were seeds.

I also just planted some carrot and beet seeds I purchased at Strange’s. However, they’re not quite ready to pop out of the ground and deal with this Richmond heat wave.

Check out Week 7 of Garden Wars!

Strange's In July

2010-07-07T09:35:00.001-04:00

Take a tour of our Garden Center and Greenhouse in July.

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Everybody’s Got a Hungry Plant

2010-07-01T09:12:00.001-04:00

Happy 4th of July- While you're enjoying your yummy hot dogs and hamburgers- Think about what Ryan Smartt (@rsmartt) has to say about hungry plants!!

Everybody’s Got a Hungry Plant

Food. We all need it. Some of us live to eat. Some of us eat to live. But did you know plants need food, too? I didn’t until recently.

In fact, I stumbled across this terrifically awesome blog post. It’s a blog for kids, but I consider myself a 7-year-old when it comes to gardening. So I personally thought it was useful information. Mostly because they mentioned pee and poo. (My wife loves how mature I can be. And you know what rhymes with mature, honey? Manure!)

But as I was saying, plants need food, a.k.a. nitrogen. Last year, Strange’s recommended I use plant food that was made out of fish…stuff. It worked well. But I only planted tomatoes and hot peppers, which I typically have success growing anyway. This year however, since I’m participating in Garden Wars, I have to step my game up and expand what I’m growing. So, I went to Strange’s last week and they recommended Foxfarm natural and organic liquid plant food, which is “made from earthworm castings and bat guano”. Which I believe is a fancy name for worm and bat poo. Delicious worm and bat poo.

I plan on using it every week, or at least every other week. We’ll see what happens!

Passing the Knowledge to the Next Generation

2010-06-24T16:47:00.004-04:00

Ryan Smartt tells us about gardening with his family!

Passing the Knowledge to the Next Generation

We have a three-year-old. And Lyla wants to do EVERYTHING my wife and I do. There are some obvious things I won’t let her do (mow the lawn, drive our car, do our taxes) but every now and then, I definitely have to say YES when she wants to help.

A perfect example is working in the garden. Lyla’s at the age now where I’m comfortable allowing her to try a few things on her own – and then I’ll show her the correct way to do it. Like watering the plants. The first couple of tries, she simply poured as much water wherever she wanted. But after showing her how to use her little blue watering bucket to slowly pour the water near the roots of the plant…she got it!

Picking tomatoes was definitely a problem last year. If there was a tomato – ripe or unripe – she was going to pick it. This year, however, Lyla knows not to pick it until it’s red (or a color closer to red than green.) So far so good.

When I grew up in Kansas, my parents had a vegetable garden in our backyard every summer (tomatoes and peppers, of course!) And they taught me a few tricks of the trade. So when I share the gardening experience with my daughter, I feel like I’m passing something on to the next generation. And hopefully, in about 30 years, she’ll do the same with her kids. (But as I’ve said before, she’s not allowed to date until she’s at least 30.)

Check out this week’s Garden Wars! And feel free to vote me.

Should We Talk About The Weather?

2010-06-16T15:40:00.001-04:00

And the saga of Ryan Smartt's (@rsmartt) garden continues!

Should We Talk About the Weather?

While summer is the best time of year to grow vegetables, it can also present some challenges. The biggest challenge for me = weather (specifically rain, or lack thereof).

Most of what I grow needs plenty of water (tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers) and unfortunately, Richmond seems to always have very inconsistent levels of rain between June and September.

As a result of the mild droughts we’ve had in recent years, I have become quite clever in some of my watering techniques. For example, occasionally after dinner, I recycle the leftover water I use when I boil vegetables. It not only helps conserve water, but there are lots of good nutrients in it. Also, my daughter LOVES playing with daddy in our baby-pool on the weekends, and I use what’s left of the water in the pool when we’re done to water our plants.

In addition, we vacation from time-to-time during the summer, which also presents a problem for the garden. Essentially, I have to roll the dice and hope it rains while we’re gone (which could be anywhere from 2 to 10 days). And with the inconsistency of rain this time of year, we never know what will happen.

So, anyone interested in watering our yard while we’re gone in a few weeks?

Also, check out week 4 of Garden Wars!

You Say Tomato... I say... More Tomatoes!

2010-06-10T10:22:00.001-04:00

The latest installment of garden goodness from Ryan Smartt!

You Say Tomato…I Say…More Tomatoes!

Like I said in my blog last week, I am not an expert gardener. However, throughout my vegetable-growing trials and tribulations the past few years, I have had one consistently successful crop: tomatoes. Whether I’ve started indoors with seeds, or transplanted store-bought vines directly into the ground, I always have lots of tomatoes. Of all shapes and sizes. In fact, last year, my tomato plants produced well into November. Which is perfect because my three year-old daughter devours tomatoes any time, any place.

Are my experiences with tomatoes blind luck? What’s going on here? Is there something about the Virginia soil? We all know about Hanover tomatoes, so maybe this region has magical tomato-producing goodness in the ground. Whatever the case, from the looks of things, I plan to have another strong tomato season. (Hopefully into November again.) Check out the latest edition of Garden Wars to see for yourself.

Have you had luck growing tomatoes? Why or why not? Are there any specific tomato plant foods you use? Do you have any theories (or facts) about the success of tomatoes in central Virginia?

Share your thoughts.

My Thumb is a Mild Shade of Green- From our friend Ryan

2010-06-02T10:19:00.002-04:00

Our friend Ryan Smartt ( @rsmartt to some of you) is going to be guest blogging his garden experience this season. Here is his first entry!

June 2, 2010

My Thumb is a Mild Shade of Green

I am not an expert gardener. And never will be. So if you’re reading this blog thinking you’ll get expert advice on gardening, well, you’ve come to the wrong place.

But wait, before you leave…

What I will try to do, however, is share with you some of my experiences this summer as I participate in the first-ever RVANews “Garden Wars”. I somehow got roped into this competition a few weeks ago via Twitter with a couple of friends/fellow-amateur-gardeners (although, they probably think otherwise). It started as some good, old-fashioned smack-talk, but has turned into an international sensation. Actually, a few of our friends/family in Richmond find it entertaining, anyway.

Gardening has been a hobby of mine for the past five or six years, but I now garden every day, and it’s something I truly want to get better at doing. So, what am I growing? I’ve got three types of tomatoes, two types of hot peppers, green pepper, cucumber, watermelon, strawberries, eggplant, a mix of spicy greens, and several herbs: rosemary, parsley, and thyme.

As Garden Wars evolves, each week I promise to share with you what I’ve done, what I’ve learned, and of course, give you the chance to respond. Like I said, I’m not an expert and could use all the help I can get. My thumb isn’t green yet. It’s just a mild shade of green.

Finally, I’d like to thank my friends at Strange’s in Richmond for giving me this opportunity. Full disclosure: I purchased all of my vegetable and herb plants and seeds there this year.

Tune in next week to see how Ryan's garden is growing, and check out the guys over at Garden Wars too- There is some nifty stuff going on here in Richmond!

Square Foot Gardening

2010-05-14T15:13:00.008-04:00

Square foot gardening is one of the latest trends in gardening. Here at Strange's, we've got one set up for you to see how they work! The basic theory behind square foot gardening is that you have a raised bed that is 4 foot by 4 foot. It is divided into 16 sections, which are used for different crops. One square may hold just a single tomato plant where as the next square could hold an assortment of herbs. It's dependant on the size of the plant. Place climbing plants at the back of the square foot garden and attach a trellis or net. Take a look at how our square foot garden is doing!

Squash starting to grow!

Baby Bell Peppers!

Baby Cucumber.

Our square foot garden. You can see it take up very little space!

Close up shows you the separation.

Did you know that St. Valentine was a real person?

2010-01-18T17:10:00.003-05:00

Around 270 AD, during the reign of Roman Emperor Claudius II, a decree was passed over his lands that all men were to remain single and marriage was illegal! He thought that this would create a strong army operating under the belief that married men made for poor soldiers! A rebel priest, St. Valentine himself, broke the law to secretly bless covert unions and wed lovers who wished to follow their religious traditions. When he was caught, Claudius threw him in jail and on the eve of his execution, St. Valentine wrote the first valentine love note to the daughter of his jailer no less and signed it: "From your Valentine"

Follow in St. Valentine's tradition and stop by your local Strange's to pick up a Valentine's Day arrangement for your sweetheart or visit our site to place an order.

2010-01-13T10:04:00.002-05:00

Did you know that bees can be found on every continent in the world, except Antarctica? There are over twenty thousand species of bees all over the globe and they live together in large families that work together all of the time. A honey bee hive can contain up to 40,000 bees at their annual peak, which occurs in the spring, but usually have fewer. Bees play an important role in pollinating flower plants and without them, many vegetative species would be unable to produce a harvest or delicate blooms.

Stop by our Strange's West Broad location on Saturday, Jan. 23rd to visit Eva from the Ashland Bee Keepers for a special class on Bee Keeping and the importance of bees. This free seminar begins at 11am. Don't miss this great opportunity to learn more about these unique creatures that are extremely vital to our ecosystem!

http://www.stranges.com

Snow Storm Prep!

2009-12-18T11:43:00.001-05:00

We've got what local meteorologists are calling a "historic winter storm" on the way tonight! Remember, these storms can cause loss of electricity, heat, and telephone service and can trap you in your home for a few days. It's important to have ample supplies on hand in your home:

Flashlight and extra batteries.
Battery-powered NOAA weather radio and portable radio to receive emergency information. These may be your only links to the outside.
Extra food and bottled water. High energy food, such as dried fruit or candy, and canned food requiring no cooking or refrigeration is best.
Manual can opener.
Extra medicine and baby items.
First-aid supplies.
Heating fuel. Fuel carriers may not reach you for days after a severe winter storm.
Back-up heating source, such as a fireplace, wood stove, space heater, etc.
Fire extinguisher and smoke detector.

Be sure to carry a survival kit in your car that contains:

Cell phone
Blankets/sleeping bags
Flashlight with extra batteries
Knife
High calorie, non-perishable food
A can and waterproof matches to melt snow for drinking water
Sand or cat litter
Shovel
Windshield scraper
Tool kit
Tow rope
Jumper cables
Water container
Compass
Road maps
Extra winter clothes and boots

Also, keep your vehicle's gas tank full in case you get stranded and to keep the fuel line from freezing. We're going to have a White Christmas!

http://www.stranges.com

Fresh Christmas Tree Care

2009-12-14T11:00:00.001-05:00

When a Christmas tree is cut, over half of its weight is water. With proper care, you can maintain the quality of your displayed trees. Below are a number of tips relating to the care of displayed trees:

Displaying trees in water in a traditional reservoir type stand is the most effective way of maintaining their freshness and minimizing needle loss problems.

Make a fresh cut to remove about a 1/2-inch thick disk of wood from the base of the trunk before putting the tree in the stand. Make the cut perpendicular to the stem axis. Don't cut the trunk at an angle, or into a v-shape, which makes it far more difficult to hold the tree in the stand and also reduces the amount of water available to the tree.

Once home, place the tree in water as soon as possible. Most species can go 6 to 8 hours after cutting the trunk and still take up water. Don't bruise the cut surface or get it dirty.

To display the trees indoors, use a stand with an adequate water holding capacity for the tree. As a general rule, stands should provide 1 quart of water per inch of stem diameter. Devices are available that help maintain a constant water level in the stand.

Use a stand that fits your tree. Avoid whittling the sides of the trunk down to fit a stand. The outer layers of wood are the most efficient in taking up water and should not be removed.

Check the stand daily to make sure that the level of water does not go below the base of the tree. With many stands, there can still be water in the stand even though the base of the tree is no longer submerged in water.

Prepared by Dr. Gary Chastagner and Dr. Eric HinesleyEdited by the Scientific Research Committee of the National Christmas Tree Association

http://www.stranges.com/

How To Preserve Your Holiday Greens

2009-12-10T10:45:00.003-05:00

Preserving holiday greens for the month of December is a challenge, especially when we start decorating shortly after Thanksgiving. These products are safe and effective. Using them on your freshly cut branches, stems and Fir Trees will improve their staying power and keep these holiday classics fresh for your home decor.

Wilt-Pruf is an anti-transpirant product designed to protect plants from moisture loss through their foliage. Wilt-Pruf works by forming a clear, protective coating on foliage that helps plants to retain moisture. The coating is flexible and does not interfere with plant growth. Furthermore, Wilt-Pruf is organic and non-toxic, making it safe and favorable to use in many applications.

Prolong is America's most popular tree preservative. It's special formula is an easy, effective way to keep Christmas trees fresher, greener and safer. Prolong causes trees to absorb more water than usual, keeping them fresher, longer. Prolong is not harmful to children or pets and is also great for extending the lives of cut flowers.

Stop by your local Strange's Garden Center to pick up these fail-safe products to encourage healthy greens throughout the holiday season.

http://www.stranges.com/

The Poinsettia Alternative!

2009-12-03T11:10:00.001-05:00

The cyclamen is a wonderful, colorful plant for the cooler months of the year. They have large heartshaped, fleshy leaves, and bright blooms, usually in shades of red, pink and white. Cyclamen are normally available in the fall and winter months, but you might occasionally find them in the springtime too. They like bright, indirect light and cooler temperatures, no higher than 65 to 70 degrees. Keep them evenly moist and allow the soil to dry out on top between waterings. Twist or pull off the yellowing leaves and spent blooms. Cyclamen like cool, well circulated air. Be sure not to overwater or let it sit in water, as this will rot the bulb. After the plant finishes blooming for the season, the foliage will die back. Place the plant in a cool location and allow the soil to dry. In midsummer, replant the corm with the upper half above the soil line. Choose new soil and a small pot, then put the pot in a warm place to encourage root growth. As the foliage returns, gradually move to a cool place to induce blooming. Cyclamen offer an easy alternative to traditional holiday plants, such as poinsettias. They are the perfect plant for the person who has everything but still wants something!!

http://www.stranges.com/

Care for Holiday Paperwhites

2009-11-29T10:15:00.001-05:00

Paperwhites require little more than to be potted and watered to produce clusters of fragrant blooms. You can either pot the bulbs right away or store them at room temperature in a dark place for up to 4-6 weeks. Consider potting 6-12 bulbs at 2- to 4-week intervals for a staggered display. Bulbs generally bloom 4-6 weeks after potting. To pot the bulbs, begin by placing the potting mix in a plastic tub. Slowly add water and stir until the mix is moist but not soggy. Add moistened mix to the accompanying container until it is about 3/4 full. Set the bulbs, pointed end up, on top of the mix. Space the bulbs very closely; they should almost touch. Then add more mix, covering the bulbs up to their necks and leaving the tips exposed. Water throughly.

Set your container or vase in a cool (50-60°F is ideal) place away from direct sunlight. Check the bulbs frequently and water thoroughly when the potting mix is dry 1 inch below the surface (but not more than once a week until the bulbs begin active growth). If your bulbs are in a bowl (a pot without a drainage hole), water with extra care: Bulbs sitting in soggy potting mix soon rot. Once a week, tug gently on the bulbs to see if they have begun to produce roots. When your tug meets with firm resistance (usually about 3 weeks after potting), move the container to a sunny window. Keep a close eye on watering. Bulbs in active growth can dry out in just a day or two.

After Paperwhites finish blooming, we recommend that you throw the bulbs out or toss them on the compost pile. They won't bloom again indoors. If you don't want to start your Paperwhites right away or you want to hold some in reserve for a staggered display, store them in a cool (60-70°F), dark place. Open the bags or boxes to allow air to circulate around the bulbs.

http://www.stranges.com/

A Guide to Santa's Own Christmas Trees

2009-11-27T08:09:00.002-05:00

There are many factors to consider when purchasing an artificial Christmas tree. This guide will give you a brief overview of the components, design methods and other considerations to help you make an informed decision in selecting a tree that fits your budget but most importantly will provide years of enjoyment.

How to start your search:

Consider the location. How tall are your ceilings? Most homes have 8’ ceilings which are actually 7’8”. This is the reason 7 1/2 foot trees are the number one selling size. However, many newer homes have 9’, 10’ and even higher vaulted or cathedral ceilings.

Pre-Lighted trees have become the most popular type of tree sold. With a commercial grade lightset, they offer convenience, balanced illumination with minimal wiring showing. Consider how many lights are on the tree. More lights does not always mean better lighting. The key is to match the light count to the construction style of the tree. Traditional, triangular shaped trees generally require less lights than irregular, indexed trees.

What kind of lights are on the tree? Regular incandescent miniature bulbs are still the most popular but LED lights and variety of styles that “promise” to never go out are becoming more popular. The advantages of LED lights are longer life and lower energy consumption. The disadvantages are most LED bulbs are not replaceable so when a bulb burns out its out forever, the colors are cold not warm like incandescent lighting and the sets are very expensive.

Most trees come with some kind of warranty, usually 10-15 years structural and 1-3 years on light sets. A lifelike Christmas tree should be treated as a long term investment. A premium, high quality tree will last for many years and more importantly, maintain its good looks over time. Considering a 10 year life span, just a few dollars per year could make all the difference in the level of enjoyment your tree provides.

http://www.stranges.com/

Reprinted with permission from Santa's Own, Inc.

Which One is Your Favorite?

2009-11-24T12:28:00.001-05:00

Growers at Strange’s Garden Center began planting new and unusual poinsettias in July that are now blooming rich and full. Beginning in December, customers are encouraged to visit Strange’s in the Shortpump area to vote for their favorite variety. Available in white, red, pink, and variegated, the majority of Strange’s trial poinsettias are available in six inch containers with a limited selection in four inch pots. In addition to forty traditional poinsettias, we planted fifteen new cultivars for the holiday season. The Winter Blush variety offers a delicate white petal show with slightly ruffled edging and a light dusting of pink in the center. Hollypoint is a new red with silver and green foliage while the Da Vinci dazzles the eyes with its orange-pink glow. Stop by to vote for your favorite and help us decide Richmond's Poinsettia of the year!

http://www.stranges.com/

Protect Native Plants From Invasive Species

2009-11-23T11:15:00.001-05:00

Invasive and aggressive plants are usually non-native plants that have been introduced into an area outside of their usual environment. Most of the plants on this list can be found in various places around Richmond. Some have actually been outlawed from sale. Invasive plants can kill and choke out more beneficial native plants and other cultivars. Make it a habit to not plant these, and to remove them if you do see them.

WISTERIA

BARBERRY

LIZARDS TAIL (SAURURUS)

AILANTHUS (TREE OF HEAVEN)

HOUTUYNIA CORDATA

LIRIOPE SILVER DRAGON

MISCANTHUS

PENNISETUM MOUDRY

BERMUDA GRASS

IVY

PURSLANE

PURPLE LOOSTRIFE

BAMBOO

WILD VIOLETS

FOXGLOVE

LYSIMACHIA

WATER LETTUCE

WATER HYACINTH

HORSETAIL

HYDRILLA

KUDZU

NORWAY MAPLE

SCOTCH BROOM

4 O’CLOCKS

PAMPAS GRASS

MORNING GLORY

HONEYSUCKLE

JAPANESE BITTERSWEET

http://www.stranges.com/

How to Grow Amaryllis for the Holidays

2009-11-17T13:04:00.001-05:00

These large bulbs will grow happily and bloom abundantly in nothing more than stones and water. To "plant" your bulb, begin by carefully placing river stones or pebbles to a depth of about 4 inches in a Vase or Bulb Vase or your own clear glass planter. With scissors, trim off any roots on the bulb that are brown and dried, but let the roots that are whitish and fleshy remain. Place the Amaryllis bulb, roots down, on top of the stones, then put the remaining stones around the bulb, leaving the top third of the bulb exposed. Finally, add water until the level reaches about 1 inch below the base of the bulb but no higher. If the base of the bulb sits in water, it will rot. After planting, set the container on a sunny windowsill in a room where the temperature remains above 60°F. The warmer the temperature (70-80°F night and day is ideal), the faster the bulb will sprout and grow. Check the water level daily. Add water as needed to keep the level below the base of the bulb. A shoot will emerge from the top of the bulb in 2-8 weeks; you may (or may not) see thick white roots pushing between the stones before then. Rotate the container frequently to prevent the flower stalks from leaning toward the light. After the last blooms fade, we recommend that you dispose of the bulb; Amaryllis grown in water may not perform well in subsequent years.

http://www.stranges.com/

Sale on Giftware!

2009-11-14T09:00:00.001-05:00

Entire stock of Garden Shop Giftware is now on sale for 20% off.

We do not have the entire department on sale often.

Items include: Garden Flags, Concrete Statuary, Foam & Concrete Planters, Silk Plants, Bird Baths, Furniture, Benches, and Little Gifts in between.

Now is the time to buy the things you have been waiting for us to have on sale.
These are Perfect gifts for Gardeners and for you.

Sale prices good through Wednesday, Nov. 18th

http://www.stranges.com/

Burned out Christmas Lights? Light Keeper Pro To The Rescue!

2009-11-12T11:39:00.001-05:00

Most holiday light set failures occur when an individual bulb "Shunt" fails to energize as a filament burns out. This incomplete circuit causes an entire section of lights to go out. The "Shunt" is designed into a bulb to kick in and act as a by-pass when a filament fails, thus completing the circuit and the rest of the bulbs stay lit. If the "Shunt" fails to activate, it is much like a clog in a pipe, blocking the electricity from flowing to and lighting all the bulbs in the section. Equipped with a quick fix trigger, the Light Keeper Pro sends a harmless pulse of electricity through the circuit and it finds and fixes the "Shunt" clearing the clog and lighting the unlit section.

Any interruption in the light set's electrical circuit can cause all or a section of a light set to go out. A partially lit light set is most common in a 100 light set which is two to fifty light sets wired together. The Light Keeper's new voltage detector allows you to easily scan and find the circuit interruption at a bulb, broken wire or poor contact where the voltage is blocked. Repairing the blockage will let the power flow, so all the bulbs in the section can light. The detector will beep before the location of the block and will not beep after, to pinpoint the problem. Stop by our West Broad location to pick up your easy solution to miniature light sets, icicle and net light sets, yard decorations, and pre-lit trees or wreaths.

http://www.stranges.com/

Turn your backyard into Birdland.

2009-11-09T12:25:00.000-05:00

We've made some big changes in our garden center at Strange's! Stop by to visit Birdland and the wide variety of feeders, food, and baths that our feathered friends need to survive this frigid season. Bluebirds, wrens, finches, and woodpeckers in particular require adequate shelter and water that become scarce in the winter. Lend a helping hand to your local wildlife and follow these tips to welcome native species to your yard.

Trees: This will be the penthouse of your backyard sanctuary. Try to plant a variety of canopy tree species in your backyard. While space will probably be a concern for most homeowners, proper planning should also take into consideration tree size at maturity and other concerns such as the provision of shade, litter accumulation and root interference.

Mid-Story/Understory Trees: A few stories down from the penthouse lies the understory. This layer is where many species like wood thrushes (Hylocichla mustelina), Swainson's thrushes (Catharus ustulatus) and rose-breasted grosbeaks (Pheucticus ludovicianus) will go to refuel during fall migration as they head to warmer climes south of the border.
Shrubs/Vines: These are the efficiency apartments in your backyard sanctuary. Shrubs will provide many species with nesting and escape cover, and food. Not only will species like northern cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis), gray catbirds (Dumatella carolinensis) and brown thrashers (Toxostoma rufum) nest there, these and many other shrub varieties will provide fruits as added benefits.
Open Ground/Lawns: This is the basement of your yard. Open ground and grass lawns are common components of suburbia. Unfortunately, they provide relatively little for songbirds. It is true that American robins (Turdus migratorius) and a few other species such as eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis) require open habitats in suburban landscapes. But unless you are planning to farm the back forty for hay, why not give yourself a break time- and money-wise by reducing the size of your lawn? You will have more time to invest in watching birds instead of mowing, feeding and watering the lawn.

http://www.stranges.com/

Container Gardening for Winter

2009-11-08T11:51:00.001-05:00

The tips below are for creating containers with trees & shrubs, but can be modified for anything else you’d like to pot up! Our winter pansies and dwarf alberta spruce have been selling out! Stop by to pick up the perfect cool weather mix for your evergreen container.

Pick your container and your plants. Don’t feel like you have to stick to the same old thing. Don’t be afraid to mix it up or try something different. You can plant either just one tree, or a tree with perennials underneath, or even a shrub like a boxwood or a daphne or whatever you’d like!

Whatever kind of plant you pick, make sure the container you choose is large enough to handle the plant for at least 2 years. An average rule of thumb would make the container at least twice as large and deep as the pot that the plant is currently in. If you aren’t sure, ask us for our recommendation. There are some varieties of smaller, slower growing nursery stock that won’t require a pot quite so large.

Most evergreens and perennials should be planted in a combination of Black Velvet planting mix and a little peat moss. If the pot is extremely heavy to handle, consider putting a few inches of either large chunk mulch or Styrofoam packing peanuts in the bottom of it before planting, to both take up space and to make the pot lighter to move than just filling it with soil.

http://www.stranges.com/

The Winter Pansy's Worst Nightmare!

2009-11-06T09:30:00.000-05:00

Winter pansies love this time of year. The cool temperatures and dry air cater to their every need. However, it is also prime season for the dreaded and dangerous pansy worm! If your pansies show signs of browsing damage, be sure to zoom in for a closer look. These caterpillar bugs are red and black; they chew on the tender leaves and blooms, making your pansies look more like swiss cheese than flowers. Fertilome's Dipel Dust is a biological worm killer that we carry here at Strange's.

One bite of treated foliage and within minutes worms stop feeding and eventually die. This granular applicant is easy to use for killing Tomato Hornworms, Bagworms, Armyworms, Webworms, Gypsy Moth Larvae, Cankerworms, Loopers, Tent Caterpillars, Tomato Fruitworms, Sod Webworms, Variegated Cutworms, Imported Cabbage Worms, Rindworms, Melonworms, and more! Simply dust this product on plants at the rates listed on the package. Dust to thoroughly cover all plant surfaces. Apply when pests appears and repeat as necessary. Available in a four pound bag, Fertilome's Dipel Dust will kill a wide variety of Leaf-eating caterpillars that can severely damage and kill vegetables, shrubs, lawns, and flowers, including your precious winter pansies!

Written by Ginny Gregory.

http://www.stranges.com/

For That Special Redneck In Your Life

2009-11-05T10:38:00.000-05:00

IT'S BACK!!!

Once again, by popular demand --> Strange's own Redneck Christmas Tree!

We've got everything to warm the heart of that special Redneck in your life!

Jingle Bells, Shotgun Shells and Duane Raver's String of Fish will light up the night of every chilly Christmas evening.

Stop in early to get your own Beer Belly Brew, Redneck Wedding Cake, Redneck Airlines and Redneck Windchime ornaments!

Believe it or not, these are some of our most popular Christmas items and they sell fast, so come in early to pick up yours today!

http://www.stranges.com/

Protection for Potted Plants

2009-11-02T11:59:00.000-05:00

These chill temperatures are encouragement enough to bring your potted plants in from the patio and screened porch. Your banana plant and hibiscus are probably peeping through the kitchen window hoping to be dug up and brought inside to more comfortable climates! This time of year it's also a good idea to use a liquid or granular insecticide and fungicide to rid these warm weather lovers of any outside critters that could potentially wreak havoc on your other indoor plants. Without taking the proper precautions to rid any tropicals of insects before bringing them inside, you're offering up a varietable buffet for hungry bugs hitching a ride into your home. With Fertilome's Triple Action Plus it's important to set up a weekly schedule to spray any house plants you may suspect have been infected by mites, insects or fungus. These problems can quickly be spread to other plants as you water when droplets splash from pot to pot. Be sure to keep any sickly specimens in an area separate from healthy plants until insecticidal chemicals have had time to take effect. Hi-Yield Systemic Insect Granules is also a highly effective treatment that should be applied to any plants that show signs of browsing damage. By working a tablespoon size amount into the top layer of soil and watering, the chemical is absorbed into the root system and becomes part of the plant: stems, leaves and blooms. This treatment tends to take a bit longer to take effect than the liquid application; however, it is effective as the insects chew on the plant and ingest the lethal chemicals. Instant fertilizer! Stop by Strange's to pick up Triple Action Plus and Hi-Yield Systemic Insect Granules and give your indoor plants what they need to combat creepy crawlies!

Written by Ginny Gregory.

http://www.stranges.com/

It's Pansy Planting Time!

2009-10-29T10:53:00.000-04:00

I've been surprised to learn how many customers at Strange's don't know how important it is to use a specialized Pansy food when planting these winter wonders. Sure, Miracle Gro and Osmocote are great fertilizers for annuals, shrubs and perennials; however, Fertilome's Premium Pansy Food has the stamina to stand up to those freezing temperatures that prevent other plant food products from releasing nutrients. This 7-22-8 blend allows for a slow release of natural chemicals in small doses as opposed to the high nitrogen, phosphorus and potash mixed in with Miracle Gro that can sometimes burn Pansies or force them to grow too quickly and wilt after this initial burst of color. Fertilome Premium Pansy Food can also be used to fertilize bedding plants, perennials, hibiscus, bulbs, bougainvillea, crape myrtle and blooming shrubs. Stop in today to pick up a bag and give your Pansies what they need to survive this winter!

Written by Ginny Gregory.
http://www.stranges.com/

Do Your Cole Crops Look Like This?!

2009-10-27T08:11:00.000-04:00

This time of year is prime season for cole crops! For many varieties we recommend harvesting after the first hard frost, which tends to affect the taste and texture of leafy greens for the better. However, a very common and malicious pest also travels to your crop beds to munch on the tender shoots before we even have a chance to enjoy them in our own tummies! Even one lonely caterpillar can wreak havoc upon an entire garden, favoring cabbage, kale and collard greens much to the dismay of our green thumbs.

Thankfully the solution to this issue is simple to find and easy to use in the bacterial disease that quickly and effectively turns those wormie bugs into instant fertilizer. As a naturally occurring chemical in soil around the world, Bacillus thurigiensis is safe to spray on any vegetable crops and can be rinsed off of your future side orders with a heavy scrub from the kitchen faucet. This compound can be found in Safer Brand Caterpillar Killer available in an 8 ounce concentrate that should be mixed by the teaspoon into your gallon size sprayer. Caterpillars stop feeding shortly after eating foliage sprayed with Caterpillar Killer and die within a few days. Caterpillar Killer does not harm honey bees or beneficial anthropods and does not harm earthworms. It is the safest and most effective treatment, but be sure to apply at the first signs of damage as these creepy crawlies can quickly decimate your cole crops!

Written by Ginny Gregory.

http://www.stranges.com/

Gazing Balls: More Than Meets The Eye

2009-10-25T17:40:00.000-04:00

These colorful globes add more than just a pretty face to your potege garden. Since the 1700's, gazing balls have been superstitiously used to ward off evil spirits, witches and negative energy. Available in steel or glass, the color choices are endless. Decorative globes are most commonly placed on stands designed to accent the unique properties of these multifaceted design elements. However, with an artistic eye they can strategically compliment a mossy nook or koi pond. Made from 100% recycled glass, the gazing balls we carry at Strange's can beautifully be illuminated from within by a coiled strand of lights. By reflecting all of the surrounding wildlife in miniature, these garden ornaments prove that good things do come in small packages. While providing delicate ambiance, they also were commonly used for surveillance in the 18th and 19th centuries to detect unexpected visitors on the front garden walk. Friendship Balls also serve as intriguing conversation pieces; sculpted from blown glass, these delicate spheres glide across the surface of your koi pond as they reflect shafts of sunshine across your patio. Whether you're adding a bit of color to your front walk or warding off witches, these colorful globes add just a perfectly bright touch.

Written by Ginny Gregory.

http://www.stranges.com/

Winter Prep Leads to Spring Success!

2009-10-24T11:15:00.000-04:00

Those of us who are dedicated to lawn maintenance often make the unfortunate mistake of assuming that the onset of winter weather gives us permission to neglect our newly established seed. However, by taking the proper precautions early we can prevent tedious weeding and root damage in the spring. A simple granular winterizer containing high compounds of nitrogen and potash can provide the proper nutrients to encourage root growth and foliage stamina in shrubs and evergreens as well as simple grass seed. Fertilome Winterizer is available in a 20 pound bag that covers at least 2,000 square feet, the size of your average neighborhood lawn. This product is especially formulated to help put your lawns, trees, shrubs, ornamentals and evergreens in proper condition to withstand the hazards of a cold winter, because it encourages the hardening of late growth and helps build root systems, as growth continues through the fall and winter. It is very important to fertilize your trees; well-fed trees not only grow faster and develop better shade, but also are not normally damaged as extensively by Tree Borers and other insects in comparison to those that are left neglected and unfertilized. Fertilome Winterizer can also be used for the fall feeding of roses, azaleas, camellias and gardenias. When used as directed, Fertilome Winterizer aids in increasing winter hardiness, helps build better root systems, aids hardening of late fall growth, and promotes sturdiness in plants weakening by too rapid growth. It is an excellent product to give your lawn and garden the boost it needs to make it through those frigid January nights that seem right around the corner.

Follow some of these tips to prevent further spring damage and weed control:

Keep an eye out for cool weather weeds such as chickweed, clover, oxalis, wild geranium, and wild onion. A weed left to produce seeds in the fall will return hundred-fold next spring.
Rake leaves, lest the leaves smother your grass over the winter. Consider composting them for use in the spring.
Besides raking leaves up, you want to rake deep into the soil to remove thatch. You do not want thatch to grow into the soil because during the fall when the grass seems to stop growing, the roots actually grow deeper to prepare for the winter.
After the lawn has stopped growing, and before the snow flies, give your lawn one more cutting to prevent snowmold from developing.

Written by Ginny Gregory.
http://www.stranges.com/

Winterizing Perennial Beds

2009-10-22T10:38:00.000-04:00

A couple of good, hard frosts makes a big difference in the garden. Some perennials immediately begin to go dormant, while others seem to want to hang on into late fall. To those new gardeners out there, we encourage you to consider leaving most perennials alone in the fall if you are unsure of what winter interest they might provide. Winter interest is entirely subjective, and only you can decide what is attractive to your eye, or what looks tired and messy. Here are a few tips and ideas:

fall-blooming ornamental grasses usually remain gorgeous well into the winter. It seems a real shame to cut them back to the ground before late winter or early spring. Some gardeners are now waiting even beyond THAT, and enjoying the effect of wheat-colored grass clumps contrasting with spring-flowering bulbs!

seed-heads of certain perennials provide food for finches and other birds, and they look great against a blanket of snow. Most late-flowering daisy-type perennials are on this list (like Rudbeckia and Purple Coneflower), but others with nice seed-heads and sturdy stems include: Achillea, Agastache, Aster, Astilbe, Baptisia, Buddleia, Chelone, Cimicifuga, Eryngium, Eupatorium, taller Sedum, and a few others.

there is a common theory that the dead tops of perennials help to trap the snow, which is the very best insulation against cold temperatures. In regions with erratic snowcover and mid-winter thaws, the tiny bit of extra snow that is actually trapped may in fact be of little benefit.

many perennials have very little winter interest. Cutting these types back in the fall effectively "clears the clutter" and makes the ones you leave look even better. Consider cutting these down in late fall: Alchemilla, Anemone, Campanula, Centaurea, Coreopsis, Delphinium, Dicentra, Euphorbia, Geranium, Hemerocallis, Hosta, Lychnis, Monarda, Nepeta, Oenothera, Phlox (tall types), Trollius, Veronica.

http://www.stranges.com/

Give Your Garbage Disposal A Break!

2009-10-19T13:17:00.000-04:00

Although composting meat or dairy products is a definite no-no, I plan on giving my garbage disposal a break this fall. I'm taking measures to learn the best materials for natural and organic compost. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency provides a wealth of information on their website to get me started. Composting is the biological decomposition of organic matter into a product beneficial for plant growth and soil conditioning. Organic matter added to the soil as a compost, improves plant growth and vigor, soil structure, drainage, holds plant nutrients and releases nitrogen for plant and soil micro-organisms. University studies have proven that composting organic matter into a soil conditioner can be enhanced by using Hi-Yield Compost Maker to speed up the composting process and insure that the finished compost will provide the proper nutrients to plants and improve soil tilth. Compost Activator and Energizer is also a product proven beneficial for jump starting the compost pile. Manufactured by Gardener's Supply Company, this twin pack comes with a 5 lb. bag of energizer (a high-nitrogen blend of vegetable protein, including peanut meal, and natural nitrate of soda) and a 3 lb. bag of activator (a nutrient-rich blend of alfalfa, cocoa meal, kelp, fish meal, and yeast). With these products at my disposal I will no longer be feeding egg shells and coffee grounds to that drain in my sink; instead I'll be brewing my own organic soil conditioner and keeping chemical fertilizers out of my backyard!

Written by Ginny Gregory.
http://www.stranges.com/

Care for Autumn Perennial Beds

2009-10-15T08:15:00.000-04:00

If colour in your garden seems to have languished after September rolls around, consider putting in some late-blooming perennials to spruce things up. Garden Mums are very popular for fall display, but many other perennials can provide much-needed colour at this time of year. Here are a few to consider: Rudbeckia, Echinacea, Russian Sage, Bugbane, Fall Asters, Toad Lilies and Autumn Monkshood.

Early Fall is a good time to do these jobs:

Edge your perennial beds.

Continue dead-heading any daisy-flowered perennials, especially ones like Echinacea, Rudbeckia and False Sunflower (Heliopsis). These will continue flowering for weeks if you prevent the flowers from forming seeds.

Remove any perennial weeds that have invaded the garden. A non-selective herbicide is a good way to remove the spreading types, applied carefully while the weather is still warm and the weeds are actively growing.

Remove any annual weeds that are going to seed. Throw these in the garbage, not in the compost pile or next year there will be ten times as many.

Empty your compost bin. Early fall is a great time for this, since it makes room for all those leaves, dead plant tops, etc. that you will have on hand in another few weeks. If your compost is not quite ready, maybe there is some corner it can be stockpiled to finish rotting before spring.

www.Stranges.com

Audobon Conservation and Rehabilitation Group to Visit Strange's!

2009-10-14T08:56:00.000-04:00

On Saturday, Oct. 17th join us for a morning of birding!

Members from the Richmond Audubon Society will be visiting us and they're bringing along their feathered friends! Stop in at 10AM to learn what species of birds will visit your feeders and what other non-seed-eating birds are looking for in real estate. We will be providing you with a few handy tips and tricks to attract non-see-eating birds with feeders and bird baths. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from Kim Harrel of Phoenix and her local wildlife rehabilitation group --> she will be bringing a variety of predatory and native birds for show and tell! Learn about birds, their calls and their nesting habits. We will have wild birds here for you to see. Learn about bird seeds, feeders and baths. By working together we can all help preserve our natural wildlife and become involved in bird conservation!

www.Stranges.com

Turn Your Fall Leaves into Rich Spring Fertilizer!

2009-10-08T14:45:00.000-04:00

"I'm so tired of bagging leaves!" "When is leaf pick up this month?" "I can't park in front of my house because of this huge pile of leaves!"

Does this sound familiar to you? Our neighbors and friends chime in all through the fall season; we're all doing the best we can to properly dispose of these natural autumn colors as they cover the lawn. Well most of us do anyway... "Hey! Stop blowing those leaves into my yard!" "I don't even have any trees in my landscape, but my lawn must be a magnet for my neighbors' leaves!"

Save a little on the expense of conditioning your soil for spring planting and brew your own compost from those clippings! On Saturday, Oct. 10th at 11AM, our Virginia Certified Horticulturists will be ready and willing with excellent advice on compost starters and proper containers. We're also offering 20% off composting products all day! Stop by our Composting Seminar for some 101 skills, tips, and tricks to create your own personal concoction and effectively condition your soil for spring planting.

Written by Ginny Gregory.
www.Stranges.com

2009-10-04T11:08:00.000-04:00

Don't forget the Fall Folk Festival kicks off on Friday, Oct. 9th and runs through Sunday, Oct. 11th!

We will be joining the Children's Museum of Richmond to plant seeds with the kids

at the Genworth Financial Family Area.

Family fun at the festival also includes aspects of local farm life and agriculture, performances, green art activities, themed exhibits from the museum

and, of course, a petting zoo.

Mark your calendars for these family fun events and bring the kids along to join our Pea Pod Club.

We're giving you permission to get down and dirty together!

Join us on Saturday, Oct. 3rd for a fun filled morning with our Pea Pod Club.

We will be planting pansies in pumpkins

and making mud pies --> 9am-11am

We've invited some special guests with fuzzy faces too!

Fireweed Farm Alpacas will be visiting us

and these furry friends are ready for some hugs!
www.Stranges.com

Attract Gold, Purple, and House Finches!

2009-10-03T03:33:00.000-04:00

Nyjer is a new trademark name for the familiar small black seed that is the favorite food for American Goldfinches, Pine Siskins, and other colorful finches. Small birds love the abundant food value and high oil content of this seed. Nyjer Seed is produced from a cultivated crop of yellow flowers that grow four to seven inches high. You may have heard people incorrectly call it "thistle" seed but it should not be confused with the thistle weed that has pink to purple flowers. Nyjer Seed comes from a plant native to Africa. It is the only major wild bird food ingredient imported from overseas. Due to concern by the US Department of Agriculture that foreign weed seeds could be imported with the Nyjer Seed, all Nyjer imported since 1985 is heat treated to devitalize any weed seeds that might be present. That is why plants will not grow from these seeds. With over 150 thousand seeds per pound it provides an exceptional value and many visits by colorful birds to your feeder.
www.Stranges.com

Overwatering? Dehydrated plants? Problem solved!

2009-10-01T10:09:00.000-04:00

Overwatering is a common and detrimental mistake made by novice gardeners. Landscaping expert and entrepreneur, Ray Padula suggests that longer waterings at less frequent intervals allows water to penetrate more deeply, encouraging longer root growth, which creates healthier plants. Gardening experts world-wide agree that one inch of water every three to four days is adequate for most loam soil landscapes. With Ray Padula Time It! Deluxe electronic sprinkler timers, it's now possible to bring sophisticated automatic sprinkler controls to your hose end sprinklers. Designed for water conscious consumers, Time It! Deluxe allows you to set up to four automatic start times per day, includes manual and automatic operation, every day, 2 days, 3 days, or custom watering schedules, and run time intervals from 1 minute to 24 hours. With Time It! Deluxe you can fully water without wasting a drop! Stop in at our Strange's West Broad location to pick up yours today.
www.Stranges.com

Insecticides Found Safe for Pets and Children!

2009-09-28T11:37:00.001-04:00

I've got a brand new puppy running around my backyard and she's chewing on everything! My other two dogs do enough damage to the lawn on their own, but now almost all my shrubs have teeth marks! Aside from this canine cosmetic damage, I'm also worried about how insecticides and pesticides can affect my domesticated critters. It is comforting to know that I can come into Strange's and pick up the latest, most effective and safe treatments, which are also natural and organic. Manufactured by Organica, K+Neem comes from the seeds of the Indian Neem Tree. It is an effective alternative to chemically based insecticides and fungicides. K+Neem controls a wide range of mites and insects in all stages, and is effective against powerdy mildew. K+Neem is OMRI certified--so you know it's safe. It is the natural choice for flowers, vegetables, herbs, trees, shrubs, lawns, roses and houseplants.

Bonide also produces a natural dust product, Rotenone which can be mixed into a spray to control insects on fruit, flowers and vegetables. It can be used as a dust on dogs and cats to control fleas, ticks and lice as well. Capsaicin, the active ingredient in Hot Pepper Wax Insect Repellent, is derived from hot Cayenne Peppers and is proven very effective in deterring aphids, cabbage loopers, beet armyworms, spider mites, and whiteflies. An environmentally conscious company, Pharm Solutions has developed multiple products to combat garden pests and fertilize organically. Flower Pharm and Garlic Pharm help to repel aphids, thrips, white fly, cucumber beetles, spider mites, and aid in the control of rust, mildews, and fungi. Many of the natural ingredients within Espoma's Earth-tone Insect Control are also used to produce animal feeds and hence, are safe to use around animals and children while also controlling a wide range of insect pests. With these products on the market, I feel confident using them on my plants and my dogs. I know whenever the neighborhood kids come around, my insecticides will not harm them as they run and play in my yard. Although the hot pepper wax and Garlic Pharm will likely cause a mild upset tummy for my puppy if she ingests a large amount, at least I know I can combat those garden pests without subjecting my pets to any lethal toxins.

Written by Ginny Gregory.
www.Stranges.com

Rub People the Right Way!

2009-09-27T09:13:00.000-04:00

Sure, you've heard of Burt and Jason. Maybe you've even tried saying Yes to Carrots. However, if you are truly an "Active Badger" then we recommend Badger Body Care products. For Badgers, healing is really an art, filled with awe and appreciation for nature. It shows in the ingredients: real naturally processed botanicals brimming with life force. Certainly, no chemicals, synthetics or strange sounding additives. Only celebrations of color, texture and soothing aroma. At Strange's, keeping it organic and natural is always on our minds. Badger products feel and smell "right" and natural. That's because they are. And the results are what you would expect from nature: gentle, bringing you back into balance. Stop in at our West Broad location to pick up some of these USDA certified organic products to soothe your senses and share with the ones you love: Winter Wonder Balm Aromatic Chest Rub, Night-Night Balm for Kids, Bali Balm Soothing After Sun Care, Chamomile Baby Balm for Sensitive Skin, or Lip and Body Balm in Ginger & Lemon, Tangerine Breeze, Highland Mint, Lavendar & Orange, and Cinnamon Bay. We also recommend Badger's certified organic Lip Balm in Highland Mint and Unscented.
www.Stranges.com

Orchids and Perennials and Shrubs... Oh My!

2009-09-24T12:42:00.000-04:00

Having trouble getting that once beautiful orchid to bloom?

Are your annual beds in need of some proper TLC?

Is your container garden looking a bit worn out?

Stop by our Strange's West Broad location this Saturday, September 26th for free seminars to solve these everyday dilemmas.

At 10am our Virginia Certified Horticulturists will be conducting a seminar on Four-Season Border landscaping. This class is designed to help you develop a colorful garden bed that continues to draw interest and inspire your green thumb through the months typically most challenging in our area. Our experts will be on hand to answer questions and offer advice on the best flowering shrubs and perennials for Fall!

Bring in your orchids from home to be analysed and repotted from 11am-12pm. Orchids 101 will provide information for novice handlers as well as seasoned pros. Whether you're cultivating dendrobium, phalaenopsis, or the more rare varieties, our educated staff will help unlock the secrets to these tricky beauties. Arrive early and prepared with questions!

If making adjustments to your summer container gardens has been challenging this season then visit us from 1pm-2pm for some instruction and advice on incorporating some of our Fall Magic. Our professional container designers will be available to encourage the use of any particular perennial from the Proven Winners collection. Bred to encourage a frost tolerance down to 28F, these tough little plants can withstand lots of those cold fall nights or days. If you can't make it to our Saturday session, this seminar will also be presenting an encore from 1pm-2pm on Sunday, September 27th.

Written by Ginny Gregory.
www.Stranges.com

Biltmore Bulbs Exclusively Available At Strange's

2009-09-21T14:20:00.000-04:00

Bring a century of gardening expertise to your landscape with plants and furniture inspired by Biltmore Estate’s 8,000 acres. Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC, is renowned for it’s 75 acres of gardens landscaped by Frederick Law Olmsted, and now folks can take a little bit of those gardens home with them. The idea of offering Biltmore Estate plants to consumers is not a new one for the estate. Even before Biltmore House was completed in 1895, the Biltmore Nursery was thriving. In 1898, the nursery distributed its first catalog to the public. Because of the estate’s widespread reputation, landscape architects and park superintendents around the country ordered Biltmore plants. As a result, estate-raised plants, shrubs and trees are still found today in many public parks, university grounds and large private gardens.

Here at Strange's we offer a select variety of Biltmore Bulbs that are exclusively available to privately owned local retail stores such as ours. These unique blooms include Camassia (caerulea), Persian Lily (fritillaria), Allium (schubertii), Scilla (amethystina), Arum (italicum) and English Bluebells. We also provide distinct Biltmore blends of Tulip and Crocus; pick yours up today and transform your bulb garden into a Biltmore classic!

www.Stranges.com

Organic Pest Control by I Must Garden

2009-09-20T10:00:00.000-04:00

Started in 2004 I Must Garden was formed by a Master Gardener unhappy with the repellents on the market. Having a vast experience using all sorts of products and remedies to keep her garden thriving she knew there was something better. After years of experimenting and testing I Must Garden sprouted. Here at Strange's we carry a wide variety of organic pest control products. I Must Garden Snake Repellent is a granular product that is safe to use on lawns and vegetation. This organic repellent contains a complex blend of botanical oils and other all natural ingredients that will safely and effectively repel snakes from your yard, garden, flower beds, sheds, crawl spaces, woodpiles, under porches, decks and more. Snakes gather information about their surroundings by collecting particles on their tongues and then passing their tongues over sensory organs inside their mouth, called the Jacobson's Organ. The ingredients in this repellent interfere with this sensory organ causing discomfort and confusion. Snakes are repelled by this formula and will avoid treated areas.

If more than one specific pest is wreaking havoc upon your tranquil garden beds then the I Must Garden Animal Repellent will safely protect plants against browsing damage. Deer, rabbits and other herbivores (plant-eating animals) are instinctively repelled from areas treated with this granular and organic formula since it represents the presence of carnivores (meat-eating animals). Containing granules infused with botanical oils, this product is stronger, more effective and longer lasting than plain blood meal.

I Must Garden takes pride in providing safer alternatives for gardening and pest control; as such their all natural products are safer around children and pets.

Written by Ginny Gregory.
www.Stranges.com

#1 Bulb Fertilizer!

2009-09-17T11:00:00.000-04:00

Espoma Bulb-tone is our #1 recommended product for fertilizing newly planted and established bulbs. Bulb-tone is a premium granular plant food formulated specifically for bulbs and tubers. It contains bone meal and other natural organics to meet the special nutritional needs of these plants. Bulb-tone's all natural formula contains Bio-tone, a patented blend of beneficial microbes. Bio-tone biologically enhances this natural food to ensure superior plant growth. Bulb-tone feeds slowly, safely, and will provide a long lasting food reservoir to ensure superior results. Use Bulb-tone with the confidence that you have chosen the very best. Stop in at our West Broad location to pick up yours today.
www.Stranges.com

2009-09-13T15:00:00.000-04:00

If the grass really IS greener on your neighbor’s side of the fence, we’ve got just the solution!
Saturday, September 19th
Come on down to Strange’s Garden Center

at 12111 West Broad!
Participate in a variety of free seminars.

It’s a BLOCK PARTY with free donuts and coffee.

This ongoing demonstration is designed to educate the Richmond homeowner on

Do It Yourself Green Lawn Care.

Topics will include proper mowing, applying grass seed, using fertilizer, aerating and lawn preparation. There will also be demonstrations

on sprayers and spreaders.

Be sure to arrive armed with samples of weeds for identification and solutions as well as a soil sample for FREE pH testing.

Exciting Exhibits: weed identification and control, proper grass seed selection and application, irrigation recommendations and expert research on lawn care best suited

for Goochland, Hanover and Glen Allen.

Vendors: Representatives and our own Virginia Certified Horticulturists will be available for advice and information on Fertilome products, Jonathan Green, and Gold Standard Grass Seed.

Voted Best Plant Selection for 2009 by Richmond Magazine, we here at Strange’s provide the knowledge and answers you need to make your neighbors with green thumbs, fingers and toes even greener with envy!

Visit our website for more info!

www.Stranges.com

Invigorate Your Winter Pansies!

2009-09-13T12:21:00.000-04:00

During the Fall 2003 season Green Light Company, a primary manufacturer of lawn & garden products, introduced a slow release, non-burning 19-6-12 Pansy Food. With an overwhelmingly positive response from our customers we continue to recommend this fertilizer which contains nitrates and works great in cooler temperatures when pansies are usually grown as one of the most popular Fall and Winter ornamental plants. Each 1 lb. bag can treat up to 50 square feet of planting area or use just one teaspoon of fertilizer per plant. The granulated formulation makes it easy to apply allowing for continuous feeding of pansies as well as other plants such as begonias, geraniums and many others. With its simple, safe and effective combination of essential nutrients derived from Ammonium Sulfate, Potassium Nitrate, and Muriate of Potash, Green Light Pansy Food is the perfect fertilizer boost for any container garden or outdoor garden bed.

Written by Ginny Gregory.

Organic Nitrogen-Rich Fertilizer

2009-09-11T11:40:00.000-04:00

Dr. Earth's Bat Guano was designed for today's gardeners who care not only for the environment in their own backyard, but for that of the entire planet. Sourced to meet the highest standard of fertility needs, this product is proven beneficial for all flowers, vegetables, annuals, perennials, trees and shrubs. Dr. Earth's Bat Guano is a superior raw material that actually invigorates and improves the biological life in your soil. Bat guano does this by supplying Pro-biotic Beneficial Soil Microbes, which feed the fiber of a living soil by releasing natural organic matter. All you add is water and light. Stop in at our Strange's West Broad location for a free Dr. Earth Gardening Guide!

Written by Ginny Gregory.

Dirt Don't Hurt

2009-09-10T10:14:00.000-04:00

Indeed, no matter who you believe made "dirt," it certainly does not hurt. Although many novice gardeners begin planting with fair to middling results, they soon find out that the best final crop starts within the dirt. The soil in which your perennials, annuals, vegetables, trees and shrubs reside provides the proper and essential nutrients for healthy growth and cultivation. Here at Strange's, we offer a variety of Black Kow and Miracle Gro products; however, we use Fafard brand planting soil.

"Fafard potting soils give your garden the proper balance of water, air, and pH. Using only weed- and disease-free materials, our soils undergo testing before and after production to ensure a consistent formulation and texture. It's what has made us the choice of professional growers since 1926. Fafard is committed to sustainable peat harvesting and bog restoration. An active member in good standing with the Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss Association (CSPMA), Fafard has been recognized for our efforts in returning harvested bogs to wetlands to preserve an area's ecological balance."

While the Fafard company not only provides an excellent product with which to restore, nourish, and revitalize your garden beds, we also commend their continued support for environmentally conscious business decisions.

Written by Ginny Gregory

Form and Function, Meet the Future

2009-09-08T11:26:00.000-04:00

Many small, privately owned businesses begin with an ingenious solution to a simple problem. Beverly Schor did just that when she redesigned her first pair of gloves having no idea that she was laying the foundation for her own environmentally conscious organization, West County Gloves. West County Gloves come in a variety of designs to fit the needs of the everyday gardener as well as contracted landscaper. They’re even available in children’s sizes! Visit their website to learn more and read about her innovative green techniques!

Written by Ginny Gregory.

“Useful, with a Pleasant Degree of Humor”

2009-09-07T10:05:00.000-04:00

The calendar pages are the heart of The Old Farmer’s Almanac. They present sky sightings and astronomical data for the entire year and are what make this book a true almanac, a “calendar of the heavens.” In essence, these pages are unchanged since 1792, when Robert B. Thomas published his first edition. The long columns of numbers and symbols reveal all of nature’s precision, rhythm, and glory, providing an astronomical look at the year 2010. While this reliable trademark's website provides a wealth of information which can be personalized depending on a specific location, we also offer the tried and true paperback edition here at Strange's West Broad.

Written by Ginny Gregory.

It's Alive! IT'S ALIVE!!!!!!

2009-09-02T11:44:00.000-04:00

Although not holding quite the same mystery as Frankenstein, the Living Stone Plants we carry in our Foliage House are just as creepy and fascinating. Belonging to the genus "Lithops," this small cactus-like succulent is known to survive in extremely harsh conditions and thrive in areas with little to no moisture. Should the Living Stone Plant be forced to absorb a great deal of water, a sudden and terrifying explosion will rupture its rough exterior! Any soil that retains too much water will cause the plants to burst their skins as they over-expand. Plants grown in strong light will develop hard darkly coloured skins which are resistant to damage and rot, although persistent over watering will still be fatal. The most startling adaptation of Lithops is the colouring of the leaves. Not green as in almost all higher plants, but various shades of cream, grey, and brown, patterned with darker windowed areas, dots, and red lines. The markings on the top surface disguise the plant in its surroundings. They are often known as pebble plants or living stones which avoid being eaten by blending in with surrounding rocks. Yellow or white flowers emerge from the fissure between the leaves after a new leaf pair has fully matured, one per leaf pair usually occurring in autumn. These strange and unusual specimens of plant life make a unique addition to any cactus planter or dish garden. Visit Alison Cyrus in our Foliage House here at Strange's West Broad to learn more!

Written by Ginny Gregory.

Got Mosquitoes? Tell Them to Buzz Off!

2009-08-31T12:04:00.000-04:00

Mosquitoes are a constant worry for everyone no matter how little time you spend outdoors! They are a menace to household pets and children as they carry numerous diseases. However, many products have hit the market in the last few years to aide in these efforts. Bayer, Ortho and Bonide all manufacture mosquito control products in granular and liquid form, including a propane fog applicator. The Citrosa, or Scented Geranium, is also a safe and natural method of mosquito control, an annual species which we carry in the spring. Visit us at Strange’s West Broad for these products and more to help with your everyday critter control. For information on non-beneficial insect control, please go to our website.

Written by Ginny Gregory.

Ewwwwww!!! What is that thing on my plant?

2009-08-31T10:07:00.000-04:00

That funky new ornamentation on your shrubs that seemingly sprung up over night is not a hot new style of plant jewelry. Those oval shaped bags festooned all over your Arborvitae or Juniper are called Bag worms. These nasty little guys are easily visible once they have formed their spindle shaped bags. Large populations of bag worm larvae can strip plants of their needles and leaves. While deciduous shrubs and trees are able to produce new leaves within a 4-6 week period, evergreens are much slower to recuperate and the damage may be severe enough to cause eventual death. Plant damage is most noticeable in June, July and August. The bags are made up of silk and the vegetation the bag worm is feeding upon. On evergreens the bags can resemble a small pine cone, making it difficult to detect until the damage is done and the plant is partially defoliated. During this stage the bag is attached to the larvae which is dragged around as the nasty critter munches on your unsuspecting plant. The bag continues to grow as the larvae grow. When disturbed, the larvae will pull their head and upper body back into their bag and hold the top opening closed. Gross!! In early fall, when the bags are one to two inches long, the bags are suspended from branches and the larvae change into pupae before becoming adults. The adult male emerge as a moth and start their search for females. The female emits a scent to attract the male to her while remaining in her silken home. The male Bag worm inserts his abdomen into a hole at the bottom of the sack to mate, he will die shortly thereafter. The female lays up to a thousand eggs in her sack and then she will drop to the ground from the bottom of the sack to die. The eggs overwinter in their bag until May through June and emerge from the bottom of the bag. They spin a fine silk and either attach themselves to the same plant as their parents or are picked up on the wind and blown to the next plant over. There is one generation per year.

Bag worms are not that food specific but seems to prefer juniper, arborvitae, pine, spruce, and an array of deciduous plants. To control Bag worms use cultural and or chemical cultural control. Pick off by hand as many of the nasty bags as you can and destroy or burn them. If you choose not to go this route, (there could just be too many to pull off) then use a chemical spray. Sprays are most effective while larvae are in their newly emerged state or while feeding so apply May through August. Bacillus thuringiensis or Bt, Sevin, Neem Oil, Hi-Yield 38+ or Permethrin are good choices. There you go and good luck!!!

Ruth Whiter
Horticulturist

Don't Watch Football---Get Out in the Garden!

2009-08-30T16:16:00.000-04:00

Fall is the perfect time to get outside and work in the yard. It's cooler, plants are starting to change color, and there's usually minimal work to be done, compared to what you have to go thru in the springtime! Did I mention it's cooler too?

There are a couple of easy jobs that really should be done in the fall. All your evergreens could use a shot of fertilizer to help them make it thru the winter, and catch the perennials too, while you're at it. Use Hollytone on most of your evergreens (just not on boxwood), and put some Plant-tone on your perennials. If you decide to plant some tulips or daffodils, remember to hit them with a good bulb food like Bulbtone.

A rule of thumb for fall is this --- if it blooms in the spring, now is the time to pay attention to it. Pruning is probably the only thing you DON'T want to do, because you might end up cutting off buds that will be blooming in March & April.

Remember also, if you want lots of color next spring, plant your bulbs this fall! We've got a great selection of dafs, tulips, hyacinths, allium and more in the store right now. Hurry up and get em while they're fresh..........

Plant Nanny To The Rescue!

2009-08-30T11:08:00.000-04:00

Worrying about poor potted plants while you're supposed to be relaxing at the beach or vacationing in a mountain cabin is a gardener's constant dilemma. With so many new products on the market, houseplants and window planters need not suffer while you are away from home for weeks at a time. Whether you prefer Aqua Globes, Plant Nanny, or the DirectRoot GelSpike and whatever your vacation length, our moisture control products are just what you need. Visit our website for more detailed information on these and other products and come in to our Strange’s West Broad location for more information.

Written by Ginny Gregory.

It's Finally That Time Again! Fall Bulb Time, That Is....

2009-08-26T12:34:00.000-04:00

The cool autumn months of September & October are the best times to plant spring bulbs. A small selection of fall-planted bulbs surprise us by blooming this autumn, rather than with the daffodils or tulips. For these select few, mostly fall blooming crocus, the foliage appears in the spring, then the bulbs go dormant until the bright flowers emerge at summer's end. After these pink and purple crocus bulbs brave the fall frost, spring-blooming crocus and scilla flower early, generally in March or early April. Hyacinths arrive a bit later, spanning the mid-April through mid-May period. April also sees the arrival of grape hyacinths (Muscari). In May, or sometimes early June, the spring bulb show presents allium (purple and white, star-shaped flowers). The dwarf iris surfaces in early spring while dutch iris blooms in the late spring/early summer. Most bearded iris have one bloom period, lasting about a month, but some newer introductions have the capacity to bloom a second time. Reblooming iris are extra-vigorous growers. They bloom in spring, earlier than normal, then again in summer or early fall. The colorful parade of anemone bulbs we have in stock surface for their spring debut in early to mid-spring. And of course our wide selection of narcissus, daffodil and tulip bulbs have also arrived, whose bloom periods are many and varied. This season we also offer variety bags with a selection of variegated tulip and daffodils as well as a deer resistant blend. This collection of 35 bulbs includes trumpet narcissus and glory of the snow, a proven winner at beating the winter doldrums as it often peeks through drifts of snow in late February. Please visit us at Strange's West Broad to view our wide selection of colorful and eye-catching bulbs and begin planting for a glorious spring and summer show!

Written by Ginny Gregory.

Turn your Birdbath into a Hot Tub!

2009-08-23T16:57:00.001-04:00

All bird lovers place feeders out for the birds in winter, and more experienced bird watchers offer more than one kind of seed. But very few understand the importance and results of adding a heated bird bath during winter. The Nelson Bird Bath Heater works in sub-zero temperatures and is designed for all types of bird baths: plastic, pottery, and concrete. Equipped with a thermostat to conserve energy, the heater easily plugs into any outdoor outlet. Chipped and cracked concrete baths are a common winter problem should the basin full of water freeze. However, aside from the benefit of attracting a variety of winter birds, a warm bath also prevents the water which is absorbed into the concrete, from freezing and fracturing the porous material. Many wild birds will neglect to migrate away from an available food source in the fall, such as a readily stocked feeder; unfortunately this also means few survive through a winter when a previously reliable buffet closes for the cold season. So do not simply turn your basin upside down or hide it in the garage for the winter. Turn your birdbath into a hot tub and watch as your winter friends flock outside of your frosty kitchen window.

Written by Ginny Gregory.

Taking it back to the Stone Age with American-made garden décor.

2009-08-23T12:32:00.000-04:00

Humbly begun by two brothers in Ohio, Stone Age Creations is a privately-owned corporation that has been producing hand-crafted birdbaths, benches, and statuary for nine years. Although their business has grown significantly in a short timespan, they maintain a solid commitment to American-made products. All are hand-carved from real stone as created by Mother Nature. These stones have endured harsh outdoor environments for thousands of years and will continue to do so long after you purchase them. “As a family-owned business located in a small town, our focus is to support the independent retailers and small business owners that distribute our products and support us. We don't offer any of our products through 'big box' stores. We also don't compete with our distributors by marketing and selling directly to retail customers within their market.” To this day the brothers take pride in the production of the items manufactured on their 50-acre site in New London, OH. Going to quarries to hand-select the finest stones available, co-owner, Kevin White, uses a hammer and chisel to handcraft these stones into a work of art for your garden. Please visit us at Strange's to view our selection of Stone Age Creations products.

Written by Ginny Gregory.

2009-08-23T10:11:00.000-04:00

SPINACH --- MMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

Well, at least I didn't say brussel sprouts .... mmmmmmmmmmm!

Everybody knows by now (after being hammered over the head by the media), that fresh greens are good for you. What everybody might not know, though, is how easy they are to grow from seed, in the fall. You can buy a lot of the run of the mill varieties already up and growing, just like you buy tomatoes and peppers in the spring. But why not try something different? Grow some from seed this fall. We carry 2 lines this time of year-- Botanical Interests & Kitazawa Seeds. Botanical Interests has one of the widest selection of seeds we've ever had. Many of them are heirloom &/or organic. Kitazawa is a really cool company from the west coast that specializes in Asian seeds. So we have things like Japanese spinach, Hawaiian lettuce, Chinese cabbages & Japanese mini sweet carrots. Some of the greens will be ready to pick (and eat!) in as little as 21 days. Most take 40-50 days to really mature.

So stop paying $6 a pound for the mesclun salad mix at the grocery store, and grow your own. It really DOES taste different!

USDA study: "Encore Azalea resistant to lace bug"

2009-08-22T13:56:00.000-04:00

In a recent USDA study, eleven varieties of Encore Azalea were found to be resistant or moderately resistant to lace bugs, a major landscaping pest that can lead to loss of leaves and plant vigor. By incorporating these colorful shrubs into your landscaping you will be helping the environment by minimizing the use of pesticides! Research entomologist Grant Kirker reported, “Host plant resistance is an environmentally friendly, low-tech, low-cost method of control that reduces the need for pesticides to manage azalea lace bugs.” Azalea lace bugs are a major pest in both production nurseries and home landscapes. Adult bugs use their piercing pincers to suck the juices from the undersides of the leaves, leaving a yellowish stippling on the upper and lower leaf surface. Severe infestations can lead to reduced plant vigor and loss of leaves. The study, conducted at the USDA-ARS Thad Cochran Horticultural Research Laboratory in Poplarville, Miss., researched nineteen varieties of Encore Azalea and fourteen standard cultivars for host plant resistance to lace bugs. Researchers are hopeful that this new knowledge will lead eventually to the breeding of pest-free cultivars.

Each of the Encore varieties begins their performance with the spring flowering season. Once this “first act” of blooming concludes, new shoots begin to grow and set buds. The Encore Azalea's "second act" opens when these buds begin blooming into full flower mid-summer. This unique bloom season continues through the fall, the curtain dropping with the onset of cold weather. Encore Azalea varieties found to be pest resistant included: Autumn Amethyst, Autumn Twist, Autumn Royalty, Autumn Sangria, Autumn Cheer and Autumn Rouge. Cultivars showing moderate resistance were Autumn Embers, Autumn Bravo, Autumn Starlite, Autumn Ruby and Autumn Princess.

Encore Azaleas currently available in our inventory:
Amethyst
Twist
Royalty
Sangria
Rouge
Starlite
Princess

Written by Ginny Gregory.

Are These Bags Buggin' You?

2009-08-20T15:30:00.000-04:00

Although these leafy bags appear harmless and often inconspicuous on mildly infested evergreens, bagworms are actually very aggressive and hungry pests! Bagworms are the larvae of moths. The characteristic brown bags are often seen attached to twigs in late August. The eggs hatch in May or June. Newly hatched caterpillars crawl out of the old bag and immediately begin feeding on leaves. “The bagworm feeds on trees such as Arborvitae, Juniper, Pine, Spruce, and many other evergreen species. It also attacks certain deciduous trees such as Black Locust, Honey Locust, and the Sycamore,” warns nursery worker, Eloisa.

If you think you have these hanging around in your garden, please visit our website to read more about bagworm control.

Written by Ginny Gregory.

Water, Drain, Fertilize – Your Top Priorities in Fall Container Gardening

2009-08-18T10:19:00.000-04:00

This hot and dry time of year can wreak havoc on your fatigued summer containers. Don't be discouraged by those drooping annuals; it's easy to rehabilitate your established pieces by removing those spent blooms and adding some color from our Fall Magic collection. Our in-house container gardening expert, Susan Frakes stresses, “The rule of thumb with container gardening is to choose something that will survive in Zone 5. Anything that is hardy to that area will live in a container in our zone (7) year round. I don't know of anything that does not follow that rule.” It's easy to find the right fall annual or perennial to refurbish your current planters. Don't just leave a hole or be afraid to rejuvenate what you have left over from spring. “Everybody is working with holes and tired summer annuals in their containers right now. I have over 250 planters at my house now and they have holes too. I'm filling them in with perennial grasses, Heuchera, and cool weather hardy Petunias,” Susan admits with a smile. We recommend including any of our new four-inch selections: blooming annuals that should get your containers through to the first frost of the season including red and variegated Geraniums, perennial grasses and Heuchera. Consider including some perennial herbs such as Rosemary or Oregano to compliment your current blooms as well as spice up your recipes for dinner. But be forewarned, even perennial herbs won't last forever in container gardens.

The most important thing to remember in August is to provide adequate moisture and a drainage system as well as to continue with a healthy liquid fertilizer plan, such as Fertilome Blooming and Rooting. With our current heat index it is nearly impossible to over water this time of year unless your containers are not draining properly. If the planter is located in a compacted mulch bed or does not have a drainage hole for excess water, then these issues need to be resolved in order to ensure successful growth. If densely packed mulch is inhibiting excess water flow, simply elevate your container to facilitate drainage. We recommend using a 5/8 size bit to drill a hole in the bottom of most planters. Drainage is of utmost importance as the nature of container gardening requires individual plants to live in close quarters and share a common space. It's a good idea to continue dead-heading Petunias to flush out new growth and pinch back your Coleus to encourage a more bushy habit. Properly fertilizing your containers obviously depends on your selection of plants. For a spruced-up fall planter with blooming annuals and perennial grasses, we recommend a healthy dose of Osmocote Flower and Vegetable 14-14-14 Plant Food. If you choose to design a winterized evergreen container with a Winter Pansy border, then an Espoma Plant or Holly Tone and Fertilome Pansy Food would best serve.

If plans for your planters include evergreen shrubs, we will be getting in a wide variety of Spruce, Holly, and Boxwood in the next few weeks. When creating something new for fall remember to make sure the container you select is large enough to handle the plant for at least two years. An average rule of thumb is to make the container at least twice as large and deep as the plant's current pot. Most evergreens and perennials should be planted in a combination of Black Velvet planting mix and a little peat moss. If the pot is extremely heavy to handle, consider putting a few inches of either large chunk mulch or Styrofoam packing peanuts in the bottom before planting, to both take up space and make the pot lighter to move. We also recommend adding Soil Moist to the soil before planting to help sustain moisture during the dry season. Add enough soil to ensure that the top of the root ball will be approximately one inch below the rim of the pot. This leaves room for water to accumulate before it settles into the root system when you water. Loosen the roots up if there is a mass around the bottom. If they aren't loosened, they will bind up so that the plant will suffer and eventually die. You will need to fertilize more often than what is recommended on the label, since containerized plants use more food than plants in the ground. Keep in mind if you choose to pot up trees or shrubs that they will require large pots and may eventually need to be transplanted to a garden bed. Don't be afraid to add new life to your stressed and drooping summer containers whether you choose to add fall perennials or winter evergreens. We make it quick and easy for you so that the only dilemma you will face is choosing between all of the blooming and vining varieties we have in our Fall Magic Collection!

Fall Magic Annuals and Perennials currently available in our greenhouse:
Heuchera
Petunia
Geranium (red and variegated)
Lemon Drop
Verbena
Strawflower
African Daisy
Creeping Jenny
Million Bells

Evergreens and Perennials coming soon or currently available in our nursery:
Alberta Spruce
Heuchera
Hellebores
Sedum
Ivy
Vinca Vine
Evergreen Ferns
Carex Grass
Berry Hollies
Sky Pencil Holly
Dwarf Boxwoods

Written by Ginny Gregory.

To Kill Or Not To Kill... That Is The Question.

2009-08-16T10:19:00.000-04:00

“The first thing I ask customers when they are searching for a solution to a mole or vole problem is, 'Do you want to kill them or repel them?' It usually depends on how long they've been trying to repel the little monsters,” says our retail manager, Bill Darden with a maniacal grin. These rodents are a constant problem for all gardens no matter if you're beginning to experiment with a shady hosta bed or acres of vegetable farming. The root of the issue is really quite simple. Moles are led to tunnel through your yard and accompanying beds as they are attracted to Japanese Beetle grubs. “By protecting your yard against these larvae you kill two birds with one stone,” admits one of our nurserymen, John Earnest. We strongly recommend an organic alternative to pest control in Milky Spore. Available as a small granular substance, it can either be applied by hand or put in a lawn spreader. The bacterium contained in Milky Spore stays in the soil until it is consumed by passing grubs that digest it. It then consumes the grub and is redistributed into the soil. The more grubs you have, the more quickly it spreads. It is safe for children and pets, and won't harm the environment. One to three applications are needed over a period of one to two years, depending on which form of Milky Spore you choose. After the first two years, you don't need to worry about it for ten to fifteen years.

Voles follow behind by making use of the mole tunnels; however, they are just as destructive if not moreso as they burrow into the surface dirt surrounding a hosta or rose bush to eat the tender roots. Our number one selling product to deter these varmints is Volebloc, also known as Permatill. This is a permanent solution, as it never breaks down. When planting, dig your hole as you normally would, line the entire hole with Volebloc or Permatill, place your plant in the hole, backfill, place more Permatill over the top of the rootball, and finish covering with soil and mulch. Permatill is extremely sharp so voles won't tunnel through it. It is a safe and organic method to controlling the critters; although this product requires use for each and every plant in need of protection.

For those of us who are less forgiving or tolerant of these pests there are more volatile products on the market. Ramik is a popular rodent poison commonly used to kill mice; however, by sprinkling a few handfuls in known mole and vole burrows your living problems will quickly turn into instant fertilizer. Many of our customers have been sharing techniques with us such as soaking Ramik pellets in apple juice and leaving a dish near the entrance holes or using mouse traps with peanut butter under a flower pot. Be sure to check under your pot at least every morning; a local farmer and Strange's customer boasts catching over sixty voles using the trap, peanut butter, and pot system. That's a lot of voles! But use diligent caution when working with poison, as it is obviously extremely lethal to pets.

One last solution we have researched here at Strange's is the popular Mole Plant, also known as Gopher Spurge. “These poisonous annuals were selling like crazy over the spring,” says our perennial supervisor, Megan Lacey. “Unfortunately we are unable to order any more until they become available through our nursery provider, but it may be possible to order a selection online.” Per Gilbertie's Herb Guide, Mole Plant has stems that contain a sap which is poisonous and caustic. Growing as a single stem, it bears yellow flowers in clusters and when spaced forty feet apart as a border plant, it is extremely effective in deterring moles. It is also used in folk medicine as an antiseptic and purgative. Follow this link to the web site of Sand Mountain Herbs to order seed packs.

We also strongly recommend these products and carry them at our 12111 West Broad Street location:
Bonide's Mole Max
St. Gabriel Laboratory's Milky Spore
Enviro Protection's Mole Scram
Shake-Away's Rodent Repellent Granules

Written by Ginny Gregory.

2010 Color Trends

2009-08-14T07:22:00.000-04:00

With Summer coming to an end, our greenhouse takes on the task of planning for next Spring. This is always an exciting yet grueling process. I am loaded with sales data and can easily determine what I need on hand at any given time to fulfill the needs of our customers . However, it is always difficult to predict the upcoming color trends. Every year it switches. Spring 2008 was all about the purples and blues, Spring 2009 was all pink. This year I decided I would ask you for your help. Tell me what colors you will want in your beds/containers next year. Here's a link to a site for Million Bells (http://www.glasscorner.com/products/pages/broker/fisch_gold/pages/calibrachoa.html) but please feel free to tell me your favorite flower and what color we can grow for you!

Fellow grower and Greenhouse Manager,

Sunnie Wright-Caldwell

Attracting Hummingbirds to your Garden!

2009-08-11T14:55:00.000-04:00

Attracting hummingbirds to your garden simply requires a bit of planning and attention to detail. These delicate creatures are specific to the Western Hemisphere with over 300 species in existence. It is important to research their natural habitats, behaviors, and predators in order to create an ideally attractive environment. Many hummingbird feeders are characteristically red as the majority of nectar producing flowers have adapted to attract these vibrant birds. The more bright and alluring the color of your feeder, the better! Mixing sugar water is quick and easy, although adding red dye to the nectar is not recommended as it poses potentially harmful health risks. As you choose your hummingbird feeder keep in mind the location that would best be suited for enjoying their behaviors. Initially place the food source in a bright and open area so that it is easily identifiable; after the hummingbird community begins to flock to your yard, then it is safe to begin moving your feeders to other locations: outside your kitchen window, under a shade tree, or in your protégé garden. We are frequently visited by novice observers and Master Gardeners alike from the Shortpump, Bellevue, and Goochland communities who are looking for the right type of feeder for their hummingbird needs.

These birds prefer to feed in a location of partial shade within fifteen feet of a protective shelter. As do all wild animals, hummingbirds must keep a close watch out for predators. They tend to perch hidden in a nearby tree or shrub before venturing out to collect nectar. The most common predators are raccoons or other scavenging mammals as they are attracted to the sweet sugar water scent. By hanging your feeder on the eaves of a house roof or on a wrought iron shepherd’s hook, these pests will be unable to obtain convenient access. However, hummingbird feeders are often plagued by bees and ants as well. A simple solution to these pests is to purchase an ant guard that is hung just above the feeder and bee guards that can be placed over the feeding portals. It is common to see merely one or two hummingbirds feeding at one time because they can be very possessive of a discovered food source. The easy and most reliable solution is to set up several feeders in different parts of your yard. They will not easily forget where to find an ample supply of nutrition either! Our retail floor manager, Bill Darden confesses, “Every spring I notice the same hummingbirds returning from their winter holiday. They always remember where to find a snack after migrating back to our area.”

The most convenient and relatively maintenance free hummingbird feeders are more than likely already available within your flower beds and side gardens. Butterflies and hummingbirds alike are attracted to sweet vines, flowering shrubs, and tubular annuals that are oriented horizontally. Examples include the perennial Bleeding Heart and Honeysuckle. Bright red Hibiscus and colorful Lantana are always alluring as well as the Butterfly Bush, Flowering Maple, and Columbine. A comprehensive list of plants that attract hummingbirds can be viewed below. Feel free to visit our store to ask questions and collect items that will best attract these delicate and fascinating creatures to your garden at home.

Our Broad Street location provides a selection of literature on hummingbirds, including Ortho’s All About Attracting Hummingbirds and Butterflies and Donald and Lillian Stokes’ work in Beginner’s Guide to Hummingbirds.

“I notice lots of hummingbirds gathering around the Diplodenia in my backyard every morning,” says our greenhouse manager, Tyler Zufall. Here is a comprehensive list of plants that attract hummingbirds:

Perennials:
Autumn Sage
Bee Balm
Bouvardia
Cardinal Flower/Lobelia
Penstemon
Scarlet Larkspur
Butterfly Bush
Columbine
Azalea
Hibiscus
Bleeding Heart
Honeysuckle
Coral Bells
Gladiola
Daylily
Hollyhock
Phlox

Annuals:
Begonia
Flowering Tobacco
Impatiens
Geranium
Petunia
Zinnia
Flowering Maple
Lantana
Hyacinth Bean
Mandevilla
Diplodenia

Here is a quick and simple recipe for making your own nectar at home, courtesy of the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center:

Directions for making safe hummingbird food:
Mix 1 part sugar with 4 parts water and bring to a boil to kill any bacteria or mold.
Cool and fill feeder.
Extra sugar water may be stored in a refrigerator.
Red dye should not be added.

"Many customers come in asking for ready-to-use hummingbird nectar and we sell a lot of it!" admits cashier, Amanda Jackson. For instant nectar and concentrate, we recommend Opus Garden Song, Birdola Hummingbird Nectar Ready-To-Use, and Perky Pet Hummingbird Instant Nectar Concentrate. All of these items and many more, including feeders and guards are available right outside of the greenhouse in our hardgoods retail area.

Written by Ginny Gregory.

Press Release

2009-08-10T16:34:00.000-04:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Strange's Garden Center to Offer Free Gardening Seminars

Richmond, Virginia- August 10^th, 2009- Strange's Florist, Greenhouse, and Garden Center will be offering fall “Garden Talks”. These short seminars are designed to educate the Richmond gardener on common problems, new practices, and exciting plants. Being offered are several one hour seminars at the Strange's Broad Street location (12111 West Broad Street, Short Pump).

These talks include:

August 29^th & 30^th10AM - 2PM- Give Your Containers a Fresh Look- This is an ongoing demonstration to show you how to revitalize your containers.

August 29^th 3PM- Eeewwww! What's Wrong With My Plant?- Question and answer session with our experts. Bring us your examples, pictures and questions, and we'll fix it for you.

September 5^th 10AM- Take the First Step to Garden Organically- “I Must Garden” organic gardening experts give you the inside tips on how to keep your garden organic and healthy.

September 12^th 10AM- Now is the Time to Plant Daffodils and Tulips- Start your spring colors now with bulbs.

September 12^th 11AM- Fall is For Planting- Let our experts walk you through the steps for successful planting.

September 26^th 10AM- Design a Four-Season Border with Flowering Shrubs and Perennials- Create beds that are exciting year round!

September 26^th 11AM-12PM- Caring for Orchids and Tricks for Re-blooming- Unlock the secrets to these tricky flowers.

September 26^th & 27^th 1PM-2PM- Get Your Containers Ready for Fall- Make your containers come alive with “Fall Magic”.

October 3^rd & 4^th 10AM-11AM, 2PM-3PM- Plant Your Containers Now for Spring- Incorporate bulbs into your containers now.

October 10^th 10AM- Gardening for Wildlife: The Birds and The Bees- Plant a garden that attracts and feeds birds, bees, butterflies and humming birds.

October 17^th & 18^th 10AM-11AM, 2PM-3PM- Learn How to Use Trees and Shrubs in Containers- Trees and shrubs aren't just for your landscape! Incorporate them into your containers.

October 24^th 11AM- Succulents: How to Make a Living Wreath- How to make a living wreath for your front door out of hardy succulents.

October 31^st 10AM-1PM- Planting Paper Whites with Kids- Instill a love for gardening at a young age with this “Pea Pod Club” activity. Roam the property for activities all over!

Strange's was founded in the early 1930's and is Richmond's largest family owned and operated Florist, Greenhouse, and Garden Center. Strange's is known for providing the best plants, flowers, products, and advice in the area. Voted Best Plant Selection by Richmond Magazine 2009.

# # #

For more information please contact:

Strange's Garden Center

12111 West Broad Street

Richmond, VA, 23233

804-360-2800

www.StrangesGardenCenter.com

Verbena - The Perennial That Keeps On Bloomin!

2009-08-07T15:32:00.000-04:00

Are your perennials all asleep in their beds? Nothing says the dogs days of summer have arrived, like a non blooming perennial bed. NoT!! :-)

Now that the burst of spring color has faded and early summer blooms have past we are all eagerly awaiting the fall colors ... which are not yet peaking out.

Awwww to heck with playing it safe! Kick your garden up a notch and add some eYe CaNdY this year. Plant some perennial Homestead Verbena (aka "Vervian"). This easy to maintain, full sun, reblooming, colorful groundcover will be the JaBBeR topic of the neighborhood... Not only this year but next year too! (Two Thumbs Up To That!) You can choose between several colors like Cherry Red * Luscious Pink * OR Rich Purple!

LiVe OuT LoUd and pLaNt iN CoLoR!!

~:-) SmiLe(-:~ From ThE GooFy TwO in the NuRSeRy!
***Nannette and Eloisa***

Henrico County Harvest Festival

2009-08-07T11:32:00.000-04:00

Strange's proudly sponsors
The Henrico County Harvest Festival - September 19, 2009
@ the Armour House & Gardens at Meadowview

presented by
Henrico County
Master Gardener Association c/o
Virginia Cooperative Extension - Henrico Recreation & Parks

The following events will be taken place throughout the day; Garden Tips - Demonstrations - Classes - Children's Activities & Vendor Sales. Visit stranges garden center for more information or call the Henrico Extension Office at 804-501-5160.

2009-08-06T12:45:00.000-04:00

OK, everybody who has weeds, raise your hoe!

It seems like there's always 2 weeds that are a major pain in the summer -- wiregrass (aka bermuda grass), and nutsedge (aka nutgrass). Wiregrass always tries to take over my landscape beds, and I'll admit, it does win every once in a while. But I've managed to keep it under control, and even get rid of it using Hi-Yield's Grass Killer, also known as Poast. This product is known as an "over the top" type spray, so you can spray it over the top of almost any kind of plant, to kill wiregrass, crabgrass, foxtails and other pesky grasses that are growing up thru your plants. Let's face it, the only place wiregrass REALLY belongs is out on the golf course, on the greens-- not in your garden or lawn.

My other hassle is nutsedge. This stuff is like the Yankees/Red Sox rivalry-- every year it resurfaces, even worse than the previous year! If you pull nutsedge out of your lawn, you can leave behind little bulblets that will just resprout and spread even more than before. Try using GreenLight's Wipe Out. It's a granular product that you can dump into your spreader and put on your lawn. No mixing required, and it will help kill not only nutsedge, but a whole bunch of other pesky broadleaf weeds like dandelions, ground ivy and clover.

Poast is meant to used in garden beds, not on the lawn. Wipe Out is for lawns, not garden beds. Always read the label all the way thru before using any product!