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English garden centers are often looked to as models for independent garden centers in the United States strive for. So, we've decided it's time to go take a look at some of them. We're headed to the motherland next week. Be prepared for us to come back with lots of new ideas. We always do!
Oh, and by the way, while we're there, we are going to see Eric Clapton in concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Maybe we can talk him into making a guest appearance at our 50th Anniversary party in the Fall �� !
Wally & Delores Steinhauser
P.S.
Thank you to readers of Columbia Living Magazine for voting Wingard's Market Best Garden Center!
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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.
Come enjoy this great day and shop for bargains for Mom!
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Around Our Yard
Here at Wingard's, we have a "Bluebird Trail" that runs through the business' property and neighboring properties. Zach has been monitoring this trail since February as Cavity-nesting birds, like Bluebirds, build their nests and raise their young.
So far, for the 2017 nesting season, we've had 4 different bird species use our boxes, 64 eggs produced, 25 chicks hatch (most are still incubating), and 15 of those chicks leave the box!! More photos to come as the season continues!!
If you're interested in setting up your own Bluebird Trail, you can come in and talk to Zach, or you can contact the
South Carolina Bluebird Society for more information!
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Ask Zach
I just put a feeder out, but birds are not eating from it. Where are they?
- It is normal for birds to not immediately start using on a newly installed feeder. It can take a few days to a couple of weeks for the birds to find it. Be patient. Birds are more attracted to water than they are to food so to potentially speed up the process, install a birdbath close by.
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Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
We're taking part in the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge, and we invite you to join us.
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.
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Save the Bees - What you can do to help.
Honey bees, bumblebees, and other bees are disappearing at alarming rates, and they need your help!
As gardeners, it is our responsibility to reach out and save these yellow pollen-dusted bees from extinction. Bees play a vital role in pollinating over 150 crops grown in the US each year, which equals at least every third bite of food you take each day.
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May is our favorite month here at Wingard's!
- Apply "weed and feed" to your lawn, if you haven't done so yet. This is Step 2 in our DIY Lawn Care Program.
- Apply HiYield Bug Blaster II to your lawn to control unwanted insects. Works on Fire Ants, Fleas, Ticks, Mole Crickets, Chinch Bugs, European Crane Flies, Scorpions and other listed insect pests. This application should be done, only if you have an unmanageable problem with insects in your lawn. Otherwise, leave those critters for the birds to enjoy.
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Apply Fertilome Yield Booster to your tomato plants to prevent "blossom end rot." This common malady of tomato plants is caused by calcium deficiencies and irregular watering. Spray this product on the leaves, blossoms and fruit.
- Fertilize trees and shrubs, if you haven't already done so this Spring. Healthy, appropriately-fertilized and watered plants will resist diseases and insect infestations. We recommend Fertilome Tree & Shrub Food. Do not use fertilizer "spikes". They concentrate the fertilizer in one spot and can burn the roots of your plant.
- Prune azaleas and other spring-flowering shrubs after they have finished flowering.
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Fertilize perennials and annuals. We recommend adding Fertilome Blooming and Rooting Soluble Plant Food (9-58-8) if your flowers are not blooming adequately.
- Deadhead perennials, annuals, roses. The mission of a plant is to reproduce (you know, survival of the species). If you leave the dead flowers on the stems, the natural next step for the plant is to generate the seed. If you take off the dead flowers, seeds don't form, and the plant must generate more blooms in order to reproduce.
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Steeplebush (Spiraea Tomentosa)
Photo provided by American Beauties Native Plants |
Let's Go Native
Native plants are good for problem areas in your landscape. They have evolved to live in our soils, without any special attention. They are also a good way to attract birds and butterflies to your yard
Steeplebush (Spiraea Tomentosa) - This native plant offers cover or sustenance to nearly every critter in the landscape. It thrives in a sunny moist soil but can be easily grown in a variety of areas ranging from borders to pond sides. The flowers are a nectar source for hummingbirds, butterflies and native insects. Birds love the brown capsule-like seeds for fall feeding.
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Just In
- Elephant ears are here ..... lots of them. Shade or sun? It depends on which way the leaves point. If the leaves point down, plant them in the afternoon shade. If the leaves point up, you can put them in the sun all day long. Another key, if the botanical name includes "Colocasia", they have to go in the shade. "Alocasia" varieties will take full sun. The elephant ear plant in the picture above is a Giant Upright Alocasia, which can be planted in sun or shade.
- Confederate Rose is a plant that blooms in the Fall, and usually we don't get them in until September. But this year, we received them early and you can plant them now so they'll be big and blooming prolifically in September/October.
- We also have Angel Trumpet, another Fall bloomer, which you can put in the ground now, and it will dazzle you when everything else is fading away. Traditionally seen in yellow, we actually have peach, white and pink.
In our area, both of Confederate Rose and Angel Trumpet die back in the winter and re-emerge in the Spring. Both plants are old-fashioned, Southern, pass-along plants, which are not typically grown by wholesale plant nurseries. That's why it's good to grab them when you can find them!
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What's Blooming
- Butterfly Bushes are just starting to bloom. This one, called Blue Chip Jr., grows only 2 feet tall. It's perfect for a pollinator garden.
- First Love Gardenias (also called Aimee) are just starting to bloom. This variety has a lusciously large flower (4-5") and glossy deep green foliage. We have them in tree form (which looks nice in a container, underplanted) and in bush form for your landscape.
- Oleander will be in full bloom soon and continue to display their color throughout the summer. If you love this tropical look, but just can't deal with the size of a traditional oleander, try a dwarf variety. We carry a variety called "Petite Pink", which gets 4 ft. tall by 4 ft. wide.
- Peruvian Lilies, Princess Lilies, Alstroemeria - These are all names for the same plant, which you often see sold as a cut flower in grocery stores. They are fresh, bright, and deceptively tough despite their tropical looks. Unfussy, they thrive in fertile, well-drained soil. They are a flowering perennial for areas that get afternoon shade.
- Perennials are starting to bloom. Here's a great combination of spiderwort (foreground), coreopsis (center) and yarrow (background).
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Outdoor Living
Outdoor activities are so inviting in the Spring and Summer...... until you get burned by the sun, swarmed by gnats, and eaten by mosquitoes. Here are some natural ways to avoid the pitfalls of outdoor living.
- Badger Balm Sunscreens- Made with uncoated, non-nano Zinc Oxide for the safest, most effective sun protection for the whole family.
- SallyeAnder No-Bite-Me Cream
- Before I tried this cream, I swore that a deet-filled repellent was the only way to keep mosquitoes off me. The cream is made with all edible ingredients and does not have any DEET or harmful chemicals. And, it works!
- No-Natz - No-Natz keeps away the gnats and no-see'ums so prominent here in South Carolina. It was invented and is produced by a small family-owned business in Dublin, Georgia. Only a true Southerner would know the value of a gnat repellent.
- Plants That Repel Bugs - We have a large selection of bug-repelling plants: Citronella (Mosquito Plant), thyme, lemongrass, and ageratum.
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Looking for something pretty to delight
Mom for Mother's Day?
Look no further than our Gift Shoppe
- Baggallini created by flight attendants, this is the perfect bag for traveling, but also makes the perfect purse with an assortment of pockets. Most we carry have a RIFD (Radio Frequency Identification) that protects all your card information.
- The Southern icon ...we have everything pineapple you need to charm a Southern mama this Mother's Day.
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Make Mom a delightful
gift collection of sweet sentiments.... dishtowel, magnets, Tervis Tumbler wine glass, and a new coffee cup.
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Chaput's Caftan is
crafted of Turkish cotton and features exceptional weaving and hand twisted fringe. They are wonderful as a bathing suit cover up, or wear it as a cute "jacket" in chilly air conditioned spaces.
- India Handicrafts create colorful rapped baskets, trays and other pieces. They are great items for decoration and can be the perfect charming gift for Mom.
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The perfect gift combo Hummingbird swing, feeder, and food. Everything needed to encourage hummingbirds to come visit your yard.
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Sylvan Farms Heirloom Tomatoes
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Fresh Strawberries & Rhubarb
Make a Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
for Mother's Day
What's your favorite pie? Mine is strawberry rhubarb, without a question. When it's the season (mid spring here), and both strawberries and rhubarb are available in the market, it's the one pie that we must make.
Easy Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
- 2 cups sliced strawberries
- 2 cups cut-up rhubarb
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
- 3 eggs
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 box refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box
In large bowl, mix strawberries, rhubarb and lemon juice. In medium bowl, mix sugar, flour, tapioca, eggs, salt and cinnamon. Stir into fruit mixture; set aside 15 minutes.
Heat oven to 400°F. Place 1 pie crust in ungreased 9-inch glass pie plate. Press crust firmly against side and bottom. Spoon filling into crust-lined pie plate. Top with second crust. Wrap excess top crust under bottom crust edge, pressing edges together to seal; flute. Cut slits or shapes in several places in top crust.
Bake about 15 minutes or until crust is light golden brown. Place cookie sheet on oven rack below pie in case of spillover. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Bake 40 to 45 minutes longer or until golden brown.
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New to the Market
Locally Grown, Very Clean, Oyster Mushrooms
Delivered on Thursdays
If you've never tried oyster mushrooms, they are delicate, tender and cook very quickly. This makes them a great option for quick meals, stir-fry, soups, and simply sauteed.
Seared Mushrooms With Garlic And Thyme
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 12 ounces mushrooms
- Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high until just beginning to smoke. Arrange mushrooms in skillet in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, until bottom side is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, toss mushrooms, and continue to cook, tossing often and reducing heat as needed to avoid scorching, until golden brown all over, about 5 minutes more.
Reduce heat to medium and add butter, thyme sprigs, and garlic to skillet. Tip skillet toward you so butter pools at bottom edge. Spoon foaming butter over mushrooms until butter smells nutty, about 4 minutes. Remove mushrooms from skillet with a slotted spoon.
Recipe from bonappetit.com
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Tomatoes, Sweet Corn, Green Beans, Okra, Potatoes, Onions, Raw Peanuts, Citrus (Oranges, Grapefruit, Minneolas, Lemons). Apples from Washington, Rhubarb from Washington, Lettuce from California, Last of local Asparagus; Peppers, Squash, and Cucumbers from Florida.
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,
FYI:
Shrimp is starting to be caught again along the coast, so we'll have fresh or frozen shrimp now and for most of the summer.
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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.
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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."
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Whether you are lucky enough to have a yard full of shade or just one spot near your house that is fully shaded in the afternoon, you will enjoy learning about plants that thrive in shade. We'll discuss gardening in the shade and look at a variety of new plants for shade, as well as old favorites.
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