Hello Friends,
Margie Wingard
There are some things you just never forget how to do.   For my Mom, "cleaning up" plants is one of those things.  She sure enjoyed making these geraniums look nice again on Easter Sunday afternoon.  It's something 89-year-old Margie Wingard has been doing for over 50 years, since she and Dad started Wingard's Azaleas.  Save the date, Friday October 6th, for our 50th Anniversary Party, celebrating the year 1968 when the Beatles were in their hey day and Wingard's Market was in its infancy.  "The Return" will return to Lexington that night with their internationally renowned Beatles Tribute show.  Stay tuned for more details.  In the meantime, listen to Z93.1 "The Lake" for Wingard's Wednesdays 1968 trivia questions.  You might be the lucky winner of a $50 gift certificate to Wingard's Market.   

Wally & Delores Steinhauser
mamapalooza
Save the Date - Mamapalooza
Saturday, May 13, All Day
A little atmosphere goes a long way  in treating your mom to the perfect Mother's Day weekend. Come let her stroll through our lush flowering gardens and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature.
wings and things
hummingbirds
Around Your Yard 
The Hummingbirds are back!
It's time to fill your feeders and listen for the hum of these amazing little birds.  They love to feed on flowers, but enjoy the sugary treats they get from your hummingbird feeders.  They feed while hovering, extending their bill and long tongue deep into the center of the flower or feeder.
hummingbird suuplies
You'll find it at Wings & Things
Visit Wings & Things for all your hummingbird supplies such as: Songbird Essentials Copper Hummingbird Swings, Super Shaker Nectar Makers, Red Hummingbird Food Easy Mix, Nectar Dots, Hummingbird Heart Feeders and an array of glass feeders. 
Ask Zach
 
Zach
What do I do to keep ants off my Hummingbird feeder? 
  • We sell Nectar Protectors here at Wings & Things.  It is a cup of water that hangs above your feeder and intercepts the ants before they make it to the nectar.  Genius!

garden center
Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
We're taking part in the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge, and we invite you to join us.  Register your garden at  MillionPollinatorGardens.org  before the end of August and be entered into a drawing for a free year's worth of local raw honey from Wingard's Produce Market. (maximum one gallon of honey)

In order to qualify for the drawing
 
you must let us know you've registered by completing the
form found here
.
Invite Native Plants to Your Garden
Invite Native Plants to Your Garden 
Gardening in the Midlands can be a challenge at times. We deal with scorching heat, sandy soil, drought-like conditions and do we need to say more about the no-see-ums? However, we have one of the longest growing seasons in the country and have an array of beautiful native plants that flourish in our southern conditions.
 
See us at the at the Lexington County Master Gardener Jamboree on "Let's Go Native" on Friday April 21 with native plants and other wildlife friendly "stuff" to sell. 
Spring is in full swing, and it's time to get out in your garden and work those muscles that have been asleep all winter long. 
 
  • Apply fertilizer and weed killer to your lawn, after you have mowed your grass at least twice.  You want to make sure the lawn is fully out of dormancy before applying this treatment.  If you haven't done it already, it would be a good idea to wait until the end of April.
    This is 
    Step 2 in our DIY Lawn Care Program.
  • Fertilize trees and shrubs if you haven't already.  We recommend Fertilome Tree and Shrub Food 19-8-10.
  • Apply Fertilome Tree and Shrub Systemic Insect Drench to plants in your landscape that typically have insect problems.
  • wood bores
    Prevent wood borers by spraying the trunks of your ornamental cherry trees, Japanese maples and dogwoods with Fertilome Triple Action Plus. These trees are most susceptible in the month of April to wood borers, which will kill the tree.  Triple Action Plus contains Pyrethrins, the only chemical that is currently available to protect against wood borers.  The picture shows evidence of wood borers on a tree trunk.  The insect bores into the trunk and excretes saw dust which sticks out of the bark. 
  • Clean debris from plants, and apply fresh mulch to landscape beds.
  • Use Espoma Bio-tone when you plant, to stimulate root growth. It contains mycorrhizae, which are fungi that handle underground nutrition-gathering and protect the roots.  Your plants will have a good head start on developing a strong root system which will help pull in moisture during the hot, dry summer months.
  • ferti-lome
    Blueberry bushes are great native plants that provide nutritious food for the birds.  You can feed the birds and yourself if you grow your bushes large and healthy enough for everyone to share (birds and people, alike).  Blueberries are acid loving plants, so we have found Fertilome's Azalea, Camellia, Rhododendron Food to be the best fertilizer for growing great Blueberry plants! You can also plant a bush for yourself and one for the birds. Protective netting can be installed over your bush to keep the birds out. It's best to build a frame and install your bird netting over on the frame.  Click here for a how-to video
  • Magnolias are getting ready to reproduce. This means all their energy is going into producing flowers. Leaves will look wilted and many will drop.  Don't worry. Your magnolia tree is not dying.  It's just getting ready to make beautiful flowers!
  • Get your vegetables planted by the end of the month!
Just In - New Repellents

Fertilome MosquitoGo
For Mosquitos:  We have a new product that repels mosquitos and other unwanted insects.  It does not kill them, but it keeps them away from the area where it is applied.  It is not harmful to beneficial insects such as bees, butterflies and lady bugs.  It is called Fertilome MosquitoGo and consists of cedar granules which create an irritant scent barrier.  The product is safe to use around children and pets. 
 
Plant Pro-Tec Deer _ Rabbit Repellent
For Deer and Rabbits:  When Stephanie G. came to work for us this Spring, she suggested we sell a product that she uses to keep deer out of her yard.  This product is in the form of a small plastic spike that can be attached to plants.  It contains garlic oil.  The product is called Plant Pro-Tec Deer & Rabbit Repellent.   Click here for a video that explains how it works. We recently sold out of this product, but will have plenty more in stock by the end of April.
what_s blooming april
What's Blooming
  1. Canna Lilies in many beautiful colors
  2. Trellised Mandevillas - Pretty in pink
  3. Our hybrid tea roses are bursting with blooms. It's a beautiful sight. The key to growing these specialty roses is a regular fertilizer and insect/fungus prevention regimen.  We can set you up with the right "supplements" to get the job done!
  4. Now that's a hanging basket!
  5. Mixed containers.  No planting required!
gift shoppe
mothers day
It's time to start thinking of MOM
When you can't find the words to  express  how you feel... why not cheat and stop in at Wingard's Gift Shoppe for some help? We promise not to tell!
teachers gifts
What every teacher would love!
The end of the school year is quickly approaching! Thank the educators in your life with an appreciation gift from Wingard's. 
Not sure what to give?
How about a Wingard's Gift Certificate?

produce market
There is always something new and  fresh
in the Produce Market! 
strawberries
Local Strawberries HERE NOW
Our strawberries come from James R. Sease Farms in Gilbert.  They pick the strawberries fresh every morning, except Sunday, and bring them to us by 11:00 am.  There have been a few days this Spring when they could not pick because of weather related issues or the production cycle of their crop.  And when that happens, we don't have strawberries. We're sorry for the inconvenience, but there are no guarantees when it comes to Mother Nature. 
asparagus
Local Asparagus HERE NOW
Our asparagus comes from Monetta Asparagus Farm in Monetta, SC.  It is a cool weather crop and typically only lasts about six weeks, from mid-March through the end of April.  After that the only asparagus you will be able to get until next Spring is most likely grown in South America.  So, eat asparagus for the next few weeks, while you can still get locally-grown!
peaches
Local Peaches and Blueberries UPDATE
The local peach and blueberry crop usually begins to ripen in mid- to late-May.  HOWEVER, this year the early crop will be sparse because of the freezing weather we experienced in March, following extraordinarily warm weather in January & February.  Expect shortages and higher prices.  We will do our best to find suppliers from states further North that did not experience the same crop damage.  Yes, we know the fruit won't be as good as South Carolina grown, but some times you have to settle for second best.  Late season varieties experienced less damage, so hopefully, we will be able to get some of our good SC peaches and blueberries by the end of summer. 
 
Fresh Produce: 
Local Strawberries, Local Asparagus, Squash, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Onions, Okra, Green Beans, West Coast Apples, Florida Citrus

Local Meat, Dairy & Prepared Foods:
Shrimp - Fresh or Frozen, Sylvan Farms Pork & Chicken 
Free-Range Eggs, Clemson Blue Cheese, Ashe County Cheeses, Troyer's Butter and Goat Cheese, Baked Goods by JoAnn Moss, Bee Trail Farm Local Honey, Adams Apple Butters and Jams, Tavi's Sauce, Valine's Sauces, Keisler's Mill Grits and Cornmeal, Sallie's Greatest Jams and Simple Syrups, Gillespie's Peanuts, Holy Smoke Olive Oil, Simply Southern Gourmet Mustards, Sourwood Honey, Savannah Bee Company Honeys, 

New this month:
Loveland Coffee from Irmo, Natural Peanut Butters from Charleston, Pecan Butters from Georgia
workshops _ events
Earth Day
Wingard's Wings & Things is working to restore wildlife habitat within the Midlands - one yard at a time. Save the birds, bees, and butterflies, by planting native plants in your yard. This day only, all native plants will be marked down 10% in celebration of Earth Day!  Qualifying plants will be tagged with an orange Native Plant tag or with an American Beauties brand picture tag.
bird watching
Take a river walk with our wildlife specialist, Zach Steinhauser!
Walk along the river with our wildlife specialist, Zach Steinhauser, who will point out various species and discuss habitat, migration patterns, and answer any questions you may have. 
bee workshop
Enjoy birds, butterflies and bees in your landscape, while playing a vital role in protecting many of our endangered species from extinction. Learn what plants make a good home, provide a good food source for wild things, and look pretty in your yard at the same time. 
Fairy Garden
Come create your own miniature garden! Be inspired to dream and create miniature landscapes using small-scale plants and accessories. These little scenes create a sense of magic and whimsy and are essential for attracting those little elusive fairies to your home and garden. Fairy gardens are becoming increasingly popular in the home garden.
YaYA
If you liked "Devine Secrets of the  Ya Ya  Sisterhood," you'll love Ya Ya Sisterhood Night: Divine Secrets of Container Gardening! Make your own colorful spring container garden to take home for your deck or porch. Bring your sister, mother, daughter, girlfriend, grandma...Celebrate  with 
the women in your life as you enjoy Sangria and snacks.  Get your gardening juices flowing! 
cooking with herbs
Imagine going outside, clipping off some Basil and serving up some tomatoes, mozzarella, basil and olive oil...or adding it to your spaghetti sauce. If that sounds good, join us to learn how to grow your own herbs! Be sure to bring your favorite recipes.
planting for polinators
Vicky Bertagnolli, Aiken County Consumer Horticulture Extension Agent, will be with us to talk about bees and butterflies, and what we should plant to benefit them. Vicky has an M.S. degree in Entomology from Auburn University and is considered South Carolina's "bug geek." 
Garden Presentations are workshops that offer a variety of ideas and opportunities for the Midlands Gardener.
STAY CONNECTED: