Welcome everyone to the first issue of Nicholson-Hardie Garden News. We thank you all for signing up and are very excited about all the information this newsletter will offer.

Our goal is for you, our valued customer, to use the newsletter as a tool to answer many of your gardening questions. As we celebrate the company's 108th year, we look to you and say thanks for helping our business thrive.

Nicholson-Hardie Garden Center & Nursery offers prime material from the best growers, as well as the best products for all your gardening needs. Stop by our garden center any time and let us help make your dream garden a reality.

Your comments and questions are welcome and we look forward to hearing from you.

Wives' tale, myth or fact? What really works to make cut flowers last longer?

Aspirin, vitamins, vinegar, 7-Up, Sprite, pennies and sugar. Some say they work, some say that they don't. There are many folklore additives, and we have a few other tips that will help as well.

• Remove all foliage from the stems below the water line; this minimizes bacterial growth in the water.
• Cut at least an inch from the bottom of each stem. Some say to then crush the bottom of the stem.
• Keep the water fresh.
• Add this homemade recipe: 1 tsp. sugar, 1 tsp. bleach, 2 Tbs. lemon or lime juice to a quart of water.
• Check the water level and replenish as needed.

Did you know that flowers in bud form will open if placed into warm water? Yes, indeed. Conversely, flowers kept in cool water will last longer and buds will be slow to open.

If you have a tip that works, please let us know and we'll be happy to share it with everyone! Who knows? You might even become famous!

Even though it's still hot outside, late summer is a great time to get a head start on your cool season vegetable garden. First, pull up and throw out any summer vegetable plants that have finished producing. A thorough cleaning now really pays off in fewer bugs and diseases later.

Dig up the soil deeply with a spade, turning it over, aerating it, and breaking up the clods as you go. Then use a garden fork to mix in an organic amendment.

Add a good vegetable fertilizer according to package directions; work this into the top six inches of soil. If you're an organic gardener, use instead blood meal, cottonseed meal, bone meal or bagged organic vegetable food.

Then use a garden rake to level the ground. Use a hoe to make furrows between rows in heavy soils. Plant tall crops to the north, and short crops to the south. Full sun is best for all winter vegetables.

Winter vegetables include "flower" type plants such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower, "leaf" type vegetables such as cabbage, lettuce, and spinach, and a second season for "root" vegetables like beets, carrots, onions, and radishes. It's also a great time to plant peas.

We have an outstanding selection of vegetable seeds for every taste and garden. So come on in and get a head start on your winter garden today!

If you are looking for a little color inside your home, try growing orchids as houseplants. Orchids are fascinating because of their extraordinary variety of sizes, colors, shapes, and habits, as well as their variety of fragrances. And best of all, orchids can be grown by just about anyone able to grow other houseplants. Different varieties bloom at different times of the year and can be combined to provide some type of bloom almost year-round.

Like any other houseplant, orchids require proper watering, feeding, light, temperatures, and humidity. Plants should be grown in an east, south, or west window, but should be protected from direct midday sun.

In nature, most orchids grow attached to trees, with the roots hanging loose in the tropical jungle air. They usually receive a good rain once a day and then they dry out. In the home, it is best to allow orchids to dry out well between each watering. If the roots are kept too wet, they may start to rot.

Orchids perform best when not fed during their bloom cycle. After blooming, feed Carl Pool Orchid Food with every watering throughout the growing (non-blooming) season.

At Nicholson-Hardie, we stock orchids that originate from many different tropical parts of the world, with fresh shipments arriving weekly. We invite you to visit our orchid department and add some tropical color to your home.

If your lawn is developing areas that yellow and then turn brown, you probably are experiencing a pest, disease or watering problem. The best way to troubleshoot a lawn is to work through a process of elimination.

First try to pull up the grass in a dry-looking area. Not just a few blades, but see if you can actually pull up the lawn. If you can, you most likely have grubs, sod webworm or another type of chewing insect that is eating the roots of the turf. You can usually find the insects at the edge of the dry patch eating healthy grass. Just bring us the insect and we will identify and recommend the best control method.

If you cannot find any insect pests and the grass can't be pulled up, then you may consider the possibility of a fungus disease, particularly if you have been watering a lot, or watering at night. Closely examine the grass blades to see if they appear to be rotting off where they're attached to the stem or if they have reddish-brown or black spots on the tips. If you do, a fungus is a good possibility

In our area, brown patch and take-all patch are the prevalent lawn fungi most homeowners encounter. We recommend applying corn meal or ferti-lome® F-Stop to control these diseases. Make sure also to water early in the mornings and don't over-fertilize.

Take-all Patch

Brown Patch

Many times lawns just get stressed out from excessive heat, under watering, or poor sprinkler head overlap. The most common areas for drought stress are hotspots next to sidewalks and driveways. To overcome, simply irrigate deeper or more frequently and make sure the spray from your sprinkler heads overlaps by 50%.

A healthy lawn can fight off enemies such as fungi, weeds, and insect pests. Keeping your turf grass cut frequently at the correct height and applying water at proper times will go a long way in fighting off lawn pests. Most turf diseases thrive under certain conditions that include excessive moisture and temperature, and nitrogen supply. If you aren't sure what is ailing your lawn, just bring in a sample and one of our nursery professionals will be happy to diagnose it for you.

Nicholson-Hardie is proud to feature Caldrea products for the home in our gift shop.

Caldrea products help you care for your home as you care for your body--luxuriously, because caring for your home should be enjoyable and relaxing, not a chore. Our cleaning products use plant-derived ingredients and essential oils to help you raise caring for your house to an art form.

Our selection of Caldrea products includes everything from kitchen and hand soaps to lotions and great smelling candles. And our linen sprays will help you keep your clothing and linens as fresh and fragrant as the rest of your home. Caldrea products come in six wonderful fragrances, including Ginger Pomelo, Lavender Pine, Green Tea Patchouli, Citrus Mint, Basil Blue Sage and Sweet Pea Baby.

You will always be welcome when you come bearing gifts from Caldrea. Our sink sets are perfect for housewarming presents, while our candles will fill any home with wonderful fragrance. A gift from Caldrea says how much you love your own home, and we'll never tell if you keep some of these items for yourself!