Huntree Nursery Newsletter Late August 2024

Hi there everyone!

Just a little note to keep you up to date with what’s happening at Huntree.

We are getting lots of samples in baggies coming across our counter every day.   It’s late summer and plants are beginning to show signs of fall.   Fungus is a big thing right now.  Powdery mildew, tar spot, rust etc.,  etc., etc.     It’s not a big concern this late in the season.   It won’t affect the health of your plants.   You can spray with a fungicide if it makes you feel better.   Spraying won’t clear up the present damage but may prevent spreadage.  (Our new word.)

You may also see insect holes in your leaves.   Again, they won’t affect your plants this late in the season.   So you can sleep at night if your leaves are not perfect.   A plant can lose a third of its leaves without any repercussions.  The exception is…  If you have Viburnum Leaf Beetles on your Blue Muffin and Highbush Cranberry Viburnums you should treat them with Bonide Annual Tree and Shrub Insect Control now to prevent devastation in the spring.   (Which we happen to have in stock.  Just saying.)

Check your Hemlocks for Hemlock Wooly Adelgid, little white fuzzy tufts at the base of the needles.  Google it for a close up pic of what it looks like.   Treat asap to protect your valuable Hemlocks.    Those devils will suck the life out of your Hemlocks.

Please don’t squish the caterpillars on your milkweed plants.   They are Monarchs in the making.   This is a crucial time because the caterpillars you see now will turn into the butterflies that will be migrating to Mexico.   In fact, you can encourage the Monarch population by planting Asclepias (Butterfly Weed) and  Swamp Milkweed to give them places to lay their eggs and eat after they hatch.    (They will only feed on these specific plants!)

We are looking forward to August 29^th, when we will be receiving our first shipment of MUMS and other fall goodies.    Here’s your chance to freshen up your tired looking annual pots and window boxes.    Know that the mums you purchase here are hardy!   As long as you plant in well-drained soil they will make it through the winter and be bigger and better next year.

We are also excited that our Tulip and Daffodil bulbs will be on the boat shortly from the Netherlands and arrive here the first week in September.   Yes, start thinking spring!

Several customers have called after planting our beautiful Hydrangeas to say they are wilting.   The solution is MORE WATER!   The flowers are so huge and they take a lot of water to keep them hydrated.  (The word Hydrangea actually means ‘water vessel’.)    So it may take watering every day, depending on your soil and site location.   Once they are rooted in they will not demand so much watering.

Here’s a tip from one of our customers for deer control.  (We are all desperate to find the perfect solution for protecting our plants.)    He boils the hottest peppers he can find to make a tea.  After letting it cool, he uses the liquid as a soil drench.  The roots absorb the pepper’s Scoville heat.  He claims the deer sample the leaves and spit them out.    He spreads the boiled pepper remains on the soil in front of his plants.   We’ll try anything.

Need a big pop of color in your garden right now?    Come get our Hardy Hibiscus which have bright huge flowers.     Rose of Sharon are also great late summer performers.    The Hydrangeas are glorious and wonderful and we have lots of varieties to choose from.    Short little guys to ones that grow to 6 to 8 ft.     Ornamental grasses are deer resistant!!!  And provide great movement and texture contrast to all your other plants.

Thanks for being our customers.  We love you!

Jan and the Huntree Gang

Categorised in: Newsletter

This post was written by MHarrison9