Flea Market for Charity

Van Putte Gardens has once again opened up a Flea Market here at the Garden Center. All sorts of neat bargains from garden supplies, holiday decor, tables, garden flags, housewares, toys and many other assorted items are on display and ready to go home with you.

The best part is that part of the proceeds are being donated to ARC of Monroe County. As with any charity organization, funding has become harder and harder to secure and Van Putte Gardens is thrilled to be working with this organization again this year.

So stop in for for all your normal garden needs and then stop by the Flea Market and help out the ARC.

Emerald Ash Borer

This wonderful creature, Emerald Ash Borer (or referred to as EAB), has now been found up in the Western NY area. This finding has created a lot of panic and concern, some of it justifiably so.

Understanding what EAB does and how it moves is crucial. The insect is originally from Asia and came into the US through Ship Deliveries in the Detroit area. It has moved while 'sitting' or 'hiding' in wood material, namely Ash. It has moved through out the USA through movement of Ash Trees and Wood. Timber and Firewood are currently the main carriers as many growers no longer grow or ship Ash Trees to nurseries. The beetle can only fly 3km a year naturally, but through timber and firewood, it can go long distances quickly.

Western NY is widely populated with Ash trees. There are currently no natural predators, but it is being studied. There are some preventive treatments that have been fairly effective. Sometimes these measures can be applied by the homeowner, but for big trees you need to get a professional tree service, with knowledge of EAB, involved.

We have an actual sample of damage to a tree (in Michigan) and the actual insect, both larvae and adult form, on display at Van Putte Gardens. Come see the display and we can answer your questions.

This website is also helpful: http://www.emeraldashborer.info

Cool Evenings bring 'Cool' Colors

Ok, what a fantastic summer. The weather was hot, the skies were clear (most of the time), and the plants just grew and grew and grew. Add in the recent cool nights and what do you get?

Why...only one of the best crops ever of Homegrown Mums. This is such an awesome plant. Long lasting fall color, in rich & vivid hues that just make you dance.

Now even though the fall mums are just starting to show their color, now is absolutly the BEST time to plant them and have them survive the winters. These beauties will have almost 2 months to fully root in the ground. So if you have had issues of your mums not lasting in the past, it might simply be that they didn't have enough time to root into the ground.

But alas, don't NOT buy mums just because you are worried they wont survive. This can be used a fantastic Fall Annual Color display as well. Let's face it, by mid-September, those Geraniums and Petunias are looking pretty tired. So do what I do...rip out those tired spring annual flowers and put mums in simply for one fall color season.

Either way, whether you want them longterm or just 1 fall, Mums give your garden that pizazz in the fall. Don't forget Snow Angel Pansies and Purple Asters as well.