An App in Hand
Do you have the Natureworks App? We currently have about 600 Natureworks App users and they love it! We check you in every time you shop and after 10 check ins we give you a $10 credit toward future plant purchases. These check ins roll over from year to year and do not expire.
Our App has links to our Facebook and Instagram accounts and a handy form to instantly email us a question-with a picture! Download and install it on your smart phone today.
If you don't have a smart phone or other device, no problem. Ask a cashier for a punch card to "check you in" so you receive the same benefits.
learn more.
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our wonderful customer!
It's Diane St John, Natureworks store manager here...Nancy has unplugged and is hopefully having a wonderful vacation away with her husband Tony. She has passed the torch to me this week and I have the absolute pleasure of writing this weeks email newsletter! These are big shoes to fill but I am feeling confident I can provide an inspirational, informational email. AND you know what we do when the boss is away--We Play! S
ee below for all the surprises we Natureworkers have in store for you.
Labor Day is coming up and our fall hours begin. We are closed on Labor Day. After Labor Day we reopen on Sundays! We have missed our Sunday regulars and can't wait to see you again. Our hours will be Monday-Saturday 9-5, Sunday 10-4.
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Anemone 'Honorine Jobert'
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What a week we are having. It is HOT and dry. It is so important to water your plants well this week, especially any trees, shrubs and perennials that have been planted this year. Once a week, water each plant at the base and allow the water to really soak in. For trees, turn the hose on low and walk away for an hour, letting the water soak deeply into the soil. A good way to check if you have watered enough is to dig in the soil around the plant. If only the top inch is wet, you need to water more. Daily surface watering trains the roots to stay near the surface of the soil-and thus dry out faster, which you don't want. You want to train those roots to go DEEP looking for water. This is how we like to establish plants-get them looking for their own water deep in the soil and then in times of drought, they can use those deep roots to find moisture and fend for themselves. In the early morning water the leaves of your favorite plants and any stressed ones with Stress-X, a seaweed booster. This helps them become stronger and able to withstand times of stress-and being baked in this hot sun. It's just like a glass of cool water with some lemon does for us.
Mulch is important to have around the base of new plants. A 2" layer of mulch on the garden keeps the ground cooler and conserves moisture. It breaks down and adds organic matter to the soil. In fact, let's put mulch on sale! (it is fun to be the manager here) All Vermont Mulch Company mulch is now on sale for 20% off-details are below.
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Lovely pink Gaura is such a delight.
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A lot is happening around here. Three plant deliveries at the end of last week and another today has really freshened up the benches with hot summer color. Echinaceas of all colors, Asters, Phlox, Crocosmia,
perennial mums, Anemone, Gaura, Vernonia
and so many annuals too! We can help you plant a new basket or container right here at our design table. Bring in a basket or container or purchase one of ours and leave with a beautiful new addition to your porch or deck.
 One annual I believe is making a come back is the marigold. I remember my Mom planting them every year in her gardens. We have trays of fresh marigolds to pop in color anywhere you need it. Below is a photo of my vegetable garden. Imagine it without the marigolds...it wouldn't be as pretty!
In late fall when my vegetable beds are all cleaned out, the marigolds still offer their bright colors, until a hard frost takes them down.
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| Marigolds also last well into fall until it gets really cold. Often my vegetable beds are all cleaned out, except for those bright marigolds. |
 Marigolds need to be deadheaded and they will reward you with fresh flowers continuously. I just pop the past bloom flowers off as I walk by and the plants keep growing. Try them in your fall pots this year and keep the color going.
Bulbs are starting to arrive! Here is our first spring blooming bulb customer of 2015, Johanne. She is an amazing gardener and knows how important bulbs are to the spring garden. She purchased 200 more daffodils and said she would be back for more as they arrive! Nancy and I would love to hear from our more experienced gardeners out there--Why do you love bulbs? Send us an email-we would like to help our newer gardeners understand bulbs and possibly add your comments to a future weekly email.
My co-worker Amber who is a newer gardener with a new house planted bulbs for the first time last year. When discussing and ordering this years bulbs her comment was "They were so beautiful in my garden--I wish I planted MORE!" So Amber has caught bulb fever-just like Johanne. :)
So as Labor Day approaches and the kids all have their first days at school, take some time to relax and reflect on your garden. Notice where you need more color in fall and where you would like to see flowers come spring. We are here and can help you choose the perfect additions. We will continue to have fresh plants delivered every week through October.
Be sure to read below for the secret "Boss is Away" Sale!
We hope to see you soon,
-Diane and all of us at Natureworks
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Monarch Madness continues...
A big thank you to all who attended our monarch talk on Saturday. We had a BIG group and learned about monarchs in great detail. We are an official Monarch Waystation and are currently raising a lot of monarchs in the store. Why do we do this? Well, only one in 100 monarch eggs make it to become a butterfly. We are increasing those odds greatly. We have currently hatched 39 butterflies! Displayed in the store right now we have 2 freshly hatched butterflies, 61 chrysalises, 80 caterpillars and 13 eggs!
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Amber carefully moves the chrysalis to our "hatching tree" so we can continue to use the containers to raise more caterpillars! Do you see the freshly hatched butterfly?
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Monarchs are being raised by people just like us all over the United States. Groups are replanting milkweed in areas it has been taken out. States are realizing that the way they mow the roadsides seriously impacts this butterfly as well as other pollinators and are
changing their current mowing policies and replanting milkweed to help. People are realizing how we build neighborhoods affects the ecosystem as a whole and they are changing the way they garden. Neighborhoods have been built on land containing milkweed and habitat for all creatures.It is bulldozed, the houses are built and the land is replanted with vast lawns. Lawn serves a purpose, but not in such large areas. Habitat needs to be restored. Plant a pollinator garden, a meadow and plant native trees to bring that habitat back. We discussed all of this in the talk and Nancy will be giving another talk on Planting for Migrating Monarchs on Saturday, September 26th. I will also be adding a monarch tagging workshop to our schedule. On Sunday, September 20th, I will teach you about tagging the monarch and we will tag the ones we have and set them free.
Stay tuned for the details.
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We have monarch butterfly rearing containers all over the shop for all to see.
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If you would like to follow and join a conversation about monarchs, head on over to our facebook page. I have put up an album there about how we raise them and show a lot of photos of them in all stages. I will add to this album weekly and answer questions. Are you raising monarchs? Comment on how you are doing it and share tips with others.
The facebook icon on the left will always take you to our full Natureworks facebook happenings.
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Our Boss is Away Sale
3 days only
Thursday, Sept 3rd through
Saturday, Sept. 5th
While the Boss takes a break, there are plants you must take!
Choose any 4 perennials, trees or shrubs and receive 25% off on all 4.
(Limit 4 outdoor plants per customer at the sale price
or we may really get into trouble
as Nancy LOVES fall planting and has stocked the place with PERFECT plants!)
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SUPER SPECIALS
Thursday, Sept. 3 through
Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2015
Vermont Mulch Company mulch
:
the Vermont Mulch Company is a family owned and operated company. Their mulch is 100% natural and contains no construction by-products like other mulches have.
30% off all
Espoma Soil Nutrients
:
Blood meal
Cottonseed meal
Greensand
Gypsum
Lime
Rock Phosphate
Soil acidifier (Sulfur)
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Saturday, September 5th
>> Organic Lawn Care and Fall Renovation 9:30 - 10:30 am
Did you know that Fall is the best time to renovate your lawn? Join store manager and NOFA Accredited Organic Land Care Professional Diane St. John as she takes you through the steps of maintaining and renovating a safe organic lawn. Learn about the all-new organic grub control product we will be carrying soon. Bring your current soil test for interpretation. Allow us to help teach you safe, sustainable lawn care practices and join the ever growing population of organic lawn homeowners.
>> Eating Clean: Regaining Health through a Plant-Based Diet 1 pm - 2 pm
Join Natureworker Jillian as she describes the benefits of eating whole foods, in a plant-based diet. She will discuss the ups and downs of her 21-day cleanse of all caffeine, sugars, gluten, and dairy. Learn how growing your own organic food and simplifying your diet can transform the way you feel on a day-to-day basis.
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Saturday, September 5
Wallingford Gardener's Market
9 am - 12 noon
We will be at the outdoor market this Saturday, September 5th. It is located at the Railroad Station Green in the center of Wallingford at the intersection of Route 5 and Route 150, and runs from 9 am - 12 noon. We will be bringing beautiful plants, fairy gardening items and some of our Monarch caterpillars on the road, stop by and see us!
[fyi-this outdoor Saturday market closes for the season on September 12th.]
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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7TH
CLOSED FOR THE LABOR DAY HOLIDAY
then beginning our new hours
Monday-Saturday 9-5
Sunday 10-4
Saturday, September 12th
>> Early Bird Sale
7- 9 am
Coffee and a free $5 gift card, towards any purchase of $20 or more, for those who shop before 9 am.
>> Fall Gardening School
9:30-10:30 am
Tour the Natureworks demonstration gardens to see what is blooming in the September garden and analyze the gardens for upcoming fall renovation projects. Now is the time for YOU to get organized and plan on correcting any gaps in color, crowded plants, plan new beds, etc.
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Saturday, September 12th
Green Expo - CT Folk
11:00 am - 5:00 pm
This is our sixth year participating in the Green Expo in beautiful Edgerton Park in New Haven. 2015 marks the Tenth Anniversary of this event which focuses on protecting and improving the nature of our communities. Be sure to stop by and say "Hi" at our booth and see many of the other exhibitors, educators, and vendors in this family friendly event.
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more information!
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