Our head grower, Carol Hedstrom, was very excited to share her new favorite annual for the season.  Calibrachoas are popular annual flowers that look great anywhere, and are very easy to grow.  They are available in a wide range of colors, and most recently this little beauty, called Cherry Star.

Calibrachoas look like tiny petunias, but they aren't sticky, perk up after the rain and stay compact and bushy.  They trail and cascade over the sides of hanging baskets and other containers and will spread over flower beds.

Vigorous growth, heat tolerant and resistant to disease.  Very low maintenance and require little deadheading.  Grows best in full sun.  Fertilize once a month and water when the top of the soil is dry.   

We get it: there's nothing like a lush, vibrant green lawn.  But the desire to have the best lawn in the neighborhood is leading millions of households to expose their children, pets and water supply to toxic chemicals in the form of fertilizer, herbicide and pesticide.

You already know that synthetic chemicals can increase your risk of disease and cancers, but don't forget about your pets!  Your dog doesn't wear clothes or shoes.  They roll around in the grass and eat it.  Would YOU do that, knowing the chemicals you apply each year?  A study from Purdue University showed that dogs exposed to chemically-treated lawn (specifically 2, 4-D, commonly used in herbicides,) dramatically increased the risk of bladder cancer.  The study also suggests a link between Lymphoma and commonly lawn chemicals.  Read more about this study at fightcaninecancer.com.  Dogtime.com also has a good article about what pesticides to avoid and what symptoms to be aware of. 

Tips:

Use natural and organic fertilizers.  We carry AlphaOne Fertilizer: It's alfalfa-based, organic and made locally in Loveland, CO.

Keep your lawn healthy be spreading a thin layer of compost over the top.  You can also compost tea to fertilize naturally.

Find a new way of tolerating the weeds that volunteer in your yard.  Pull them by hand, pour boiling water on them, spray them with horticultural vinegar.  There are many organic remedies for dealing with weeds, but allowing a few to grow is the mark of a mature gardener.

Caring for your lawn organically will keep you, your pets, children, wildlife and the water supply safe.  Be proactive and reduce their risk by using organic fertilizers and tolerating the weeds.  Read more about organic lawn care.

Pansies (also violas) are one of the most popular annual flowers, and for good reason.  These delicate flowers are extremely hardy and thrive in cool weather.  Breeding has produced pansies that are more cold-tolerant, but there hasn't been much luck breeding a pansy that tolerates heat.  They will bloom until the hot days of summer set in.

Pansies are available in a huge range of bright and cheery colors and are very easy to grow.  Plant them in full/partial sun (they prefer morning sun and afternoon shade) and fertilize regularly.  Keep the soil moist, like a wrung-out sponge.  Pinch off spent blooms to encourage more blooms.

Pansies can be hardy to zone 4, and many gardeners see them survive all winter and push through the snow in spring.  Plant pansies again in the fall and will bloom early the following spring.

Biochar is basically organic matter (usually wood) that is burned slowly with restricted access to oxygen.  The fire is stopped when the material has reached the stage of charcoal.  When organic material is burned at a high temperature and allowed oxygen, it turns to ash.  Without access to oxygen during burning, biochar becomes coarse lumps of charcoal that are full of holes and crevices, making them a sort of lifeboat for microorganisms, water and nutrients.

Biochar is used to increase soil fertility.  The most interesting thing about biochar is how long it lasts - potentially hundreds of years before it breaks down.  Also, scientists say if can sequester substantial amounts of carbon dioxide that would usually be released to the atmosphere.

The idea comes from an area of the Amazon where the soil is very dark and fertile due to a civilization that lived from around 500 B.C. until Spanish and Portuguese explorers devastated the population with European diseases in the mid 1500s.  In this region of typically infertile soil, the terra preta - dark earth - is an extremely fertile area that holds nutrients.

Biochar should be used in an organic garden, in addition to compost and other organic amendments and fertilizers.  Keep in mind that biochar is not directly a fertilizer.  It will help the soil hold nutrients and improve the soil health, but you should use organic fertilizers and soil amendments to get the most out of biochar's capabilities.

One of the simplest, best things you can do for your lawn is apply a pre-emergent in March.  Pre-emergent stops weed seeds from germinating in your lawn, flowerbeds, paths and driveways.  We recommend Natural Guard Corn Gluten.  Corn gluten meal is a byproduct of the corn milling process and a safe, non-toxic, effective alternative to chemical-based weed and feed products.

Pre-emergent is applied in March before weeds begin to germinate.  When you see the yellow Forsythia blooming, that's your cue.  

Corn gluten has a NPK ratio of 9-1-0.  The nitrogen is great for feeding your existing lawn, and it also inhibits seed germination by drying out a seed as soon as it sprouts.  It releases nitrogen slowly and feeds your lawn.

Tips:
Corn gluten needs to be wetted after applying, then allowed to dry for a couple days.  Check the forecast for rain.
Do not use in areas where you want to overseed your lawn.  Corn gluten will inhibit all seeds from germinating.
One application suppresses weeds for 4-6 weeks.

When you see a big, beautiful tomato, it's no surprise that it's the most commonly grown crop for home gardeners.  No store-bought tomato can even come close to rivaling the earthy, juicy, meaty tomatoes you can grow at home.

Store-bought tomatoes are hybrid varieties that are chosen for the durability during shipping and predictable harvest.  Taste isn't the number one concern.  While these hybrids have an important role in our food culture (think tomato sauce and soups,) we suggest you try growing a few heirlooms at home and taste the difference.  Take a look at our favorite large tomatoes. 

This weekend is Art in Bloom, a tribute to local artists and floral designers who excel at their craft.  There are nine artists on display and a floral design that recreates the essence of each piece.  Pieces will be on display until Sunday evening at closing time.  Come by to take a look and support local art!