Four Steps to a Better Garden

Pick up a bag of Sevin to control
cranefly larvae and discourage
mole activity!

They call it the ‘dog days of summer.’ The month of August is traditionally a beautiful time in the Pacific Northwest, and so far, this month is shaping up to be just as nice as ever. Although it’s not a season when many people make a long to-do list for the yard, there are some simple tasks you can undertake in the next weeks to give you a healthier, more productive lawn and garden.

First, August is an important time to control lawn insects, namely cranefly larvae. Over the next six weeks, adult craneflies will be emerging from lawns to mate and lay eggs. Throughout fall and winter, the eggs will hatch and the larvae will begin eating—and their primary source of food is grass roots.

Typical cranefly damage to lawns shows up in late spring or early summer when grass begins to suffer from the stress of a damaged root system. If you’ve seen unexplainable brown patches in your lawn during the early summer, you may have a cranefly infestation.

To control cranefly populations in your lawn, take time this month to apply a dose of granular Sevin insecticide. Excellent for controlling lawn and garden insects, it’s safe to use at any time and can even be spread on vegetable gardens. As an added benefit, Sevin is a great deterrent for moles in your yard—without an abundance of grubs and insects to eat, most moles will move on to find more abundant food supplies.

Now is the time to prune mophead and lacecap hydrangeas!

Secondly, August is the time to prune some varieties of hydrangeas. Last summer, I wrote about when and how to prune all types of hydrangeas, of which there are four categories. Two of these categories include macrophylla—hydrangeas with old-fashioned ball-shaped (‘mophead’) flowers or a ring of larger blossoms around a cluster of small flowers (‘lacecap’)—and quercifolia, also known as ‘oakleaf.’ For both of these categories, now is the time to prune.

Understandably, many people struggle with pruning hydrangeas that are still in bloom—they’re gorgeous flowers and you don’t like to prune them off at their peak. As a rule, mophead, lacecap and oakleaf hydrangeas bloom only on old wood, so they should be pruned in late summer. Don’t wait until later this fall—your plants need time yet this summer to put out new buds for next year’s flowers.

A third step you can take this month for a more productive garden is to plant! This summer has been great for growing vegetable gardens—I don’t know when I’ve had corn ripen so quickly in my garden—but even once the weather cools, the season is far from over. If you enjoy fresh lettuce, spinach, peas and other early-season favorites, August is the time to plant a new crop of seeds for harvest later this fall.

The fourth and final step I’ll recommend is to keep up on fertilizing your flowers. Our warm summer has put extra stress on annuals and hanging baskets, but it’s still too early to give up on them. If you’ve been feeding your plants with an all-purpose fertilizer (or—admit it—none at all!), switch to a weekly dose of a more specialized blend like Jack’s Classic Blossom Booster or Petunia Feed to reinvigorate your tired plants.

August is a beautiful month for being outside, and it’s also a great time to take some easy steps to ensure a healthier, more productive lawn and garden. Enjoy the dog days of summer and make the most of your garden!

Perennials & Grasses 25% Off!

Over the years, perennials have become an increasingly popular alternative for gardeners looking to plant color in their yards that will return year after year. In response to demand, we've steadily increased the selection of perennials we grow and carry at the nursery.

Now, you can take advantage of our selection of perennials on sale! For a limited time, save 25% off our entire selection of perennials and ornamental grasses. Plants included in the sale are listed below. Supply is limited, though, so stop in soon for best selection!

Coneflowers for a New Month

The month of August brings on feelings of change--while there's still plenty of summer weather left in the year, later this month will be back-to-school time, and with it, the shift in gardening to autumn.

One of the best flowers for late-summer and early-fall color is echinacea, known more commonly as the coneflower. Once a humble perennial available only in purple or pink, echinacea has come a long way in recent years. Today, the species includes dozens of unique varieties, and at Vander Giessen's, we have 10 of the best, most popular colors in stock!

From shades of bright red, yellow and orange to dwarf varieties with compact, dense growth to varieties with double blooms, we have a coneflower for just about any taste.

Coneflowers are best grown in a sunny, warm location with well-drained soil. Many varieties make great potted plants, so even if you don't have a spot in a flowerbed--or your soil is too wet--you can grow echinacea. Check out the great selection we have today!

Blueberries on Sale!

It's blueberry season in the Pacific Northwest--but have you considered taking your love for blueberries a step further? I'm talking about doing more than buying cartons of the delicious, healthy fruit at the local berry stand--get out there and plant a couple bushes!

Blueberries are one of the easiest, most rewarding plants to grow in your yard. Not only will they bear loads of wonderful berries in the summer, their leaves turn gorgeous shades of orange and yellow in the fall and their branches turn red in winter. Additionally, in spring you'll get to enjoy delicate white flowers as the next season's crop begins.

At Vander Giessen's, right now all of our 1- and 3-gallon blueberry bushes are on sale at 10% off. We have varieties well-suited for any yard--even a dwarf option that's great for growing in a pot on a patio! If you haven't ever grown blueberries, now is a great time to start. Stop in soon to check out the selection we have and enjoy fresh berries for years to come.

Brand New: Echibeckia 'Summerina' series!

Echibeckia 'Summerina' series

It's not every day that we get to debut an entirely new plant species. New characteristics? Sure. New colors? All the time. But an entirely new plant species? That's pretty rare!

At Vander Giessen Nursery, we're proud to debut the brand-new echibeckia 'Summerina' series. A cross between an echinacea (coneflower) and rudbeckia (black-eyed susan), echibeckia boasts the beautiful colors and fast growth of a rudbeckia with the hardiness of an echinacea.

With huge flowers that last for up to three months, echibeckia is a great way to add color to your garden from summer through early autumn. Additionally, this perennial is self-cleaning, so it needs no deadheading to keep blooming.

Plant echibeckia in well-drained soil with full- to part-sun exposure. Grows to 36" tall. Hardy to Zone 6, this great new perennial will overwinter in our climate.

Check out 'Summerina' echibeckias at Vander Giessen's today!

Summer Bloomers for the Forgotten Month

Echibeckia 'Summerina Yellow Patio'

In gardening, it’s the forgotten month: July. June still encompasses much of the spring planting season and by August many gardeners begin transitioning to fall flowers, but July stands alone, neglected. Unfortunately, many gardeners—rightfully enjoying summer vacations or otherwise occupied with tending to their spring gardening purchases—overlook some of the most beautiful, carefree summer bloomers in the midst of summer. If you’re looking for something unique and colorful for your garden in July, here are some of my summer favorites.

First, as a gardener, I’m always excited to hear about new developments in plant breeding. One of this year’s brand-new introductions is the Echibeckia. A cross between Echinacea (coneflower) and Rudbeckia (black-eyed susan), this plant holds a lot of promise. 

Aside from the traditional yellow rudbeckias gardeners know and love, many other varieties in shades of orange, copper and brown simply won’t grow in our cooler climate—or if they do, they’re considered an annual. The echibeckia combines the colors of these less-hardy varieties with the tough genetics of Echinacea, resulting in a plant that will winter over in cool climates and has excellent disease resistance. 

Moreover, echibeckias have large, two- to three-inch flowers, are self-cleaning and bloom for up to three months. Time will tell how popular these exciting new perennials become, but as the first crop ever begins to bloom in garden centers, check them out! 

A second plant you’ll find in bloom during July is one of my all-time favorites—crocosmia. Its foliage looks like a grass but the flower nearly defies explanation. In July, this unassuming plant produces long, delicate blooms comprised of neat rows of individual blossoms along each stem. Traditionally available only in red, crocosmia is now available in shades of orange and yellow as well. 

Crocosmia loves full sun, multiplies freely (although not so much as to take over a flowerbed) and attracts hummingbirds. If your garden could use an easy-care perennial that blooms in mid-summer, crocosmia might be just the fit. 

Third, summer is the time for re-bloomers to show off their stuff. Spring is the time of year when we cherish flowering plants—after all, who doesn’t love a good pick-me-up after our dark, rainy winters? And while spring is great for enjoying blooming shrubs, many spring-blooming shrubs are “once and done.” 

'Sonic Bloom Pink' weigela

Not so with one shrub, though. ‘Sonic Bloom’ weigela raises the bar for spring-blooming shrubs. Unlike many weigelas that bloom just once (or only sporadically through summer), ‘Sonic Bloom’ flowers in waves from May until the first frost. This great shrub also blooms on both old and new wood, so if necessary, it can be pruned immediately after the first bloom to manage its shape and size. Available in shades of red and pink, ‘Sonic Bloom’ is sure to add some color to your garden all summer long. 

Now, many gardeners shy away from planting in summer—and if you’re one of them, I understand your concern. Watering is a concern for planting in summer. But rest assured that for most plants that is your only concern. Simply put, if you can water you can plant. Far too often gardeners shy away planting during pleasant, lazy summer weekends because they’re worried about plants dying when the only real concern is one that can be easily remedied. For added reassurance your summer-planted treasures will grow, soak the ground after transplant with Vitamin B-1—available at Vander Giessen Nursery—to encourage fast rooting and reduce transplant stress.

Summer is a great time to plant, so take advantage of another exciting season and enjoy many of the year’s most beautiful plants.

Check Out Our Garden Supplies!

Have you stopped in to check out our newly-expanded garden supplies department? With our new garden center comes a huge increase in the selection of fertilizers, garden solutions, tools and supplies we offer. Moreover, unlike a hardware or big box store, we have the expertise to ensure you get a product that will do the job right.

Many of our customers have been pleasantly surprised to discover that our prices are equal to or lower than other local stores--and the convenience of quick service will ensure that you're out the door and back to the garden in no time.

If you haven't yet stopped in to browse our selection of garden supplies, take a few minutes and drop in. We're eager to help you keep your garden growing healthy and trouble-free!