Posts by Year: 2013

Tree Sale

People often ask, "When is the best time to plant a tree?" The best time to plant a tree is always today! As long as the ground is not frozen, tree planting can happen year-round. Next you may ask, "When is the best time to be financially savvy while buying a tree?" The time is now! Our tree planting sale begins September 12. This means you get free delivery and free planting for your trees! Trees must be individually $200 or more to qualify, with no minimum purchase. We will deliver within a 30 mile radius from any of our three locations.

Mum's the Word

The fall season is reminiscent of certain traditional staples; apple cider, pumpkin patches, raking leaves, football games, sweater weather, and of course, mums. While cool-season months are their time to shine, summertime is when we have chrysanthemums on the brain. You might not think to look at them, but a lot of diligent care and old fashioned gardener patience go into bringing you bright, bushy, compact, and colorful mums. Let me tell you their story.

Butterflies Abound

Taking a stroll through my neighborhood with my sister, we passed a home with two magnificent butterfly bushes flanking a barn-style shed. The deep purple spikes attracted a frenzy of fluttering commotion - over a dozen swallowtails hovered over each bush. My sister remarked, "Wow, butterfly bushes really do work!" Although I know these plants to be marvelous for attracting their namesake, this season, more so than most, I've noticed a bevy of butterfly activity everywhere.

America's First Rare Plant: The Franklin Tree

You have the perfect spot. It's just begging for a special tree, something unique. But every tree that comes to mind has already been done; not that there is anything wrong with using a classic, throwing neighborhood uniformity a curve every once in a while would be fun, right? Here's a solution: How about a Franklin tree? Never heard of it? You are not alone.

The Summer Icon: Watermelon

The watermelon is an iconic summer fruit, a juicy, refreshing treat that no picnic or barbeque should be without. While it is undoubtedly an American staple, its roots are an ocean away and centuries old. The watermelon is indigenous to the Kalahari Desert of Africa, where botanists have found its wild ancestors still growing. Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics depict stories of their ancient harvest and watermelon seeds were often included in the tombs of kings as a source of afterlife nourishment.

Small Spaces? Think Vertical!

If you are like me and have a small yard, creating space in the garden is an issue. In my case, living in downtown Frederick means that I have an itty bitty yard completely fenced in by a brick wall. Standing with one hand on my hip, the other hand holding a shovel, I felt defeated by space. Then I remembered my day-planner's motivational one-liner written boldly across the page: "If you do not raise your eyes, you will think that you are the highest point" Antonio Porchi.

Using Herbs

"I have so much [insert herb name here] and don't know how to use it all!" Come summer time, your herb gardens are thriving and you want to be able to harvest the rewards. But if you are like me, you might be running out of ideas - there are only so times I can have a mojito in each hand with the excuse, "I need to use up this mint!" So here are some uses, both culinary and homeopathic, for the common herbs you might have bundles of.

Shady Situations

You've planted trees. The woods have thickened around your house. Your neighbors built an addition (and you kind of wish they checked with you first). All of the sudden, you notice the sunny spot in your yard is now a shady spot. In the yard I grew up in, my family worked hard to create sun-loving gardens bordering a bricked pool area. Over time, trees in the surrounding landscape and wood line grew and their canopies greedily blocked our sunshine.

Mosquitoes

The season for back yard living is upon us. You open your home to family, friends and neighbors. You host cookouts, pool parties, and make time for casual evenings of catch up on the front porch. And who always shows up to crash the party? Mosquitoes! To protect yourself and guests from these biting bugs, you have options: You can hand out full-body suits as welcome gifts, you can host your party in the Arctic, or drape mosquito nets from your rooftop.

Making the Most of The Rain

In the midst of sticky summer heat, I can't help but look forward to an evening shower to wash away the humidity and breathe cool, fresh life into the air. I know I am not the only one who enjoys the event; the hot, dry earth must also rejoice in the wet relief. Water trickles down into the soil and thirsty roots take up their fill, while animals and insects alike gather around pools teeming with hydration.

The Triumphant Tomato!

There is nothing like being able to harvest fruits and vegetables from your own backyard. My backyard-favorite is the tomato. Tuh-MAY-toh or tuh-MAH-to - proper pronunciation is hardly the first debate this plant has faced. From its once misunderstood past, the tomato has come a long way in kitchens and gardens across the world.

Give Mother Nature a Hand and Deadhead!

Your gardens probably look beautiful right now. Your perennials are up and your annuals are well-established, putting forth a bounty of blooms. However, this picture-perfect scene can quickly fade. As we progress further into the season, the summer months continue to bring heat and humidity contributing to a shabby, bloomed-out look in your gardens. Fear not, this less attractive stage does not have to last. You can give Mother Nature a helping hand in forcing fresh growth and more blooms by deadheading.

A Summer Solstice Soiree

With some tough weather under our belt, I have no doubt that the first day of summer is one we can all look forward to. A time of rest, relaxation, BBQs, and vacations, when summer is in the air, I can't help but feel like a school girl facing three months of blissful freedom! On Friday, June 21st, the sun will appear highest in the sky, making this day the longest of the year. It is the first day of summer.

The Buzz On Bees

Bees are busy making more than just Honey Nut Cheerios! It has been said that bees are responsible for one out of every three bites of food we consume. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, fiber and hay all require pollination. Plant seeds cannot be produced without the activity of bees.

Heavenly Heuchera

Selecting a variety of Heuchera is like choosing an ice cream flavor; there is one for every taste. With origins from the coast of California to the cliffs of Connecticut, Heuchera is a true American native whose diverse habitats make it a perfect fit for many tricky spots. Since providing Native Americans with a wound-treating remedy, Heuchera has come a long way.

Memorial Day: Hosting a Gathering for Hummingbirds

Happy Memorial Day! Over the weekend, you probably fired up your grills, swept off porches and decks, spruced up gardens, opened pools and mixed pitchers of lemonade, all in preparation for the season that lends itself to hosting outdoor fun and merriment. While entertaining family and friends this summer, you can be the "hostess with the mostess" by catering to one of nature's fanciest, fluttering guests: the hummingbird.

Life on the Balcony: Container Gardening

Whether you live on acres of green or you can measure your green in inches, container gardening can be for every yard. For a while, I lived in a high-rise apartment building in Key Largo, Florida…the only green I saw belonged to a tennis court below me. Being short on space, but not wanting to give up my love of flowers and gardening, I created a tropical oasis of potted plants on my balcony. It quickly became my favorite "room" in my apartment.

Mother’s Day Reflections: Gardening Like Mom

Mother's Day has always been one of my mom's favorite holidays. For twenty-four hours, my mom does not need to lift a finger unless she feels so inclined. Her garden to-do-list is handed off to my dad, my two sisters, my brother and me. Rain or shine, we set out to work in the yard while she watches (cold beverage in hand) by the pool. This lasts for about all of twenty minutes. She cannot help herself.

The Buzz on Cicadas

Have you heard all the buzz about the return of the cicadas? If you haven't, you soon will. This summer parts of the east coast will be invaded by Brood II cicadas. While they are annoying, cicadas don't pose much of a threat. The worst part of their existence is the noise. Their constant loud annoying hum as they search for mates can be enough to drive some people over the edge.

Final Frost Date & Gardening Tips

"Clear moon, frost soon" is the old farmer's adage for predicting frost. This indicates that if the atmosphere is clear, there is no blanket of clouds to trap the heat radiating from the earth's surface. If the night temperature is low enough, and there is no wind, frost may form on such a clear night. Nowadays, we can rely on a more advanced system for predicting frost. Each year a range of local data is collected to predict the first and last frost dates for a region. The last frost date in the spring and the first frost date in the fall dictate how long the growing season will be, allowing us to plan our gardens accordingly.

Edibles: Goods from the Garden with Kris

Our gardens are a bountiful source of rewards, especially if you plan to include edibles. Our guest blogger, and Stadler Nurseries sales associate, Kris, shares a family favorite recipe with us here!

One of the many pleasures of gardening is growing your own produce. In my own garden most of the space is devoted to trees, shrubs and flowering perennials. However, I have reserved a sunny corner for raspberry and blackberry canes, blueberry bushes and a small vegetable garden.

Patience with Impatiens

When it comes to impatiens, patience is now the name of the game. Beginning in 2012, cases of impatiens downy mildew have been confirmed in our area. Impatiens downy mildew, or Plasmopara obducens, is a fungal disease that thrives in moist conditions, enjoying the heavy dew and high humidity that our summers can bring. It is transmitted by windborne spores or by physical contact - even hands, garden gloves and tools can spread the fungal spores.

Gotta Love this Earth!

Happy Earth Day, everyone! Today, let's take a moment to appreciate the wonder and beauty that is our planet. Full of natural resources, incredible landscapes, plants, animals and insects with jaw-dropping features, unexpected patterns, colors not even Crayola could come up with; our world gives us much to appreciate and respect. Though I love writing and value expression through words, I do admit our language has limitations.

Just Add Water!

Do you have a planting project, but are short on time? Is your back a little stiff? Maybe the thought of putting on work boots and grabbing a shovel isn't your idea of weekend fun? We've all been there and now Stadler Nurseries can help! We are excited to introduce our quick, easy and inexpensive planting service, Just Add Water.

Perennial Plant Association Names the 2013 Perennial of the Year

The red carpet was rolled out. The stars of the garden blossomed. (Did you see what Miss Peony was wearing? Scandalous! And who was driving Miss Daisy?)But the fanfare is now over. The votes are in. Each contending perennial quietly awaits the ballots tally. Soon a winner will be announced. Each plant knows what it takes to get here: standing up to the high standards of the Perennial Plant Association is no task for the weak-stemmed.

Oh Deer! An Early Defense Is Your Best Bet

You might not be thinking of deer prevention in the beginning of April, but an early start is the best way to strengthen your defenses against your garden's natural predators, especially deer. While new spring growth offers deer a fresh plate of greens to munch on, they will undoubtedly wander into your garden, checking for new treats. Think of it this way: When you come home from the grocery store, does it seem like family members appear from out of the woodwork to see what goodies you've picked up? Deer are very similar to your investigating, hungry relatives.

Rot is Hot: Composting

Compost

"Take out the trash!" I can still hear my mom's voice call from the kitchen as I bounded out the front door. Taking out the trash has been a relatively thoughtless chore for as long as I can remember. We've been programmed to trash the clutter, throw away the scraps, and get rid of the excess (after all, no one wants to end up on the show Hoarders…).

Landscaping: Early Planning, Early Rewards

Landscape Plan

Looking out your window, what do you see? Do you have a yard that works for you, or is it time for some changes? Whether you take on landscaping projects yourself or want to meet with a professional designer, now is the time to consider the function of your yard. Do your gardens need to be child-friendly, a safe haven that is cheerful, fun and protected?

Tree Time!

Tree time at Stadler is here again! Now is the perfect time to plant trees in your yard for beauty, shade, or privacy, while being environmentally friendly and financially savvy. In addition to our free tree planting sale going on now, there are some super savings available to you. The state of Maryland offers a coupon for $25 off your native tree purchase.

Garden Prep: Your March To-Do List

Winter is waning, spring is finally upon us. As the sun shines a little bit longer each day, we gardeners are anxious to get back into our gardens. Before getting started arm yourself with a checklist for each month during spring. In March, begin by getting your gear ready. Take a few minutes to make sure all of your gardening tools are in good condition and ready to use.

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