February Newsletter from Tom's Thumb Nursery & Landscaping

FEBRUARY

February has arrived, and with it comes Mardi Gras, Valentines, and a promise of Spring just around the corner!

We have lots of fresh, new items arriving weekly, so be sure to visit us often. Stay informed about our sales, new plants and products by following us on Social Media.

Our vegetable plants are arriving. If you start your plants from seeds, it is time to get them started. We have a large selection to choose from, including organics.

Have a great February, and we hope to see you soon!

Sincerely, Peggy

Introduction

Apricot Drift Rose

In this newsletter you will find.......

Fairy Garden Workshop
Seasonal Ideas & Information for February
Landscape Dept: "Saltwater over my bulkhead..."
Charlie's Coupon
Seaside Casual 2016 Java Collection
New Arrivals Around the Gift Shop
For the Garden
Educational Programs

February Business Hours:

Monday thru Saturday 9 am to 5:30 pm

Open Sundays 10am to 4pm

Fairy Garden Workshop

Saturday, February 27

1:00pm to 3:00pm

Reservations required. There will be a $50 charge for this workshop which covers everything you need to create a unique fairy garden.

We have lots of new fairies and accessories

from which to choose.

Space is limited.

Call 409-763-4713 to reserve your spot.

Seasonal Ideas and Information

February Seasonal Checklist

The following are a list of activities to consider for your February gardening:

Vegetables and Herbs - Tomatoes have arrived...Better Bush, Big Beef, Celebrity, & Early Girl. You will also find artichokes, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, chives, cilantro, collards, curry, lavender, lettuce, mustard greens, oregano, peppers, strawberries and more! We can also help you select soil, compost and fertilizer for your garden.
Perennials & Annuals - Now is the time to divide summer and fall-blooming perennials and bulbs. Ornamental grasses can also be divided. (photos below by Nichole)
Trees, Shrubs & Vines - February is a great month to plant roses. Consider planting some shrub roses as they bloom repeatedly through the year. Make sure to choose a sunny location and one with good drainage. We carry a fantastic 40lb bag of rose soil for $4.99 a bag!
Fruits & Nut - Early February is the best time of the year to prune fruit trees, vines and bushes. To protect your fruit trees from pests, apply dormant oil or neem oil before new growth emerges.
Lawns - If you are going to use a pre-emergent on your lawn to control weeds, now is the time to apply. We have Barricade and Dimension in stock.

Landscape Department

Salt Water came over my bulkhead!! AGAIN!!!

by Janielle Guzinski

So far this winter we have already had several incidents of water coming over bulkheads during storms. And I know that this happens every year, but this year it seems to be worse. The three contributing factors are very high tides, lots of rain, and plenty of wind. Here are some suggestions for common saltwater issues:

Saltwater on Lawns

Saltwater on Planting Beds

Dealing with Washout

How to Treat Saltwater on Lawns

Flush lawn with clean water. Spread gypsum at a rate of up to 50lb per 1000 square feet. (Yes, this is a LOT of gypsum.) Water in with your sprinkler system or with a hose and oscillating sprinkler. You can apply gypsum at a lesser rate with multiple applications over several days.

Fertilize with an organic fertilizer like granular Medina. Do not use a chemical fertilizer until the lawn comes out of dormancy as they contain salts as well.

How to Treat Saltwater on Planting Beds

Use your hose to wash salt off of the leaves and trunk of the shrubs in your planting beds. Flush the soil with clean water. Mix gypsum into the soil at a rate of up to 50lbs per 1000 square feet. I would use a triangle weeder or a small lawn rake to get the gypsum really into the soil. Water the gypsum in. Any plant with damage should be pruned to remove the dead parts. Before calling it a goner and removing the plant completely, test to see if any part of it is still alive by scratching the bark. Anywhere that is still green underneath is still alive. Trim off all dead and wait for new growth. Applying a liquid fertilizer like Hasta-Gro Plant in the spring will encourage new leaves to sprout. It may not recover, but you can never say you didn't try your hardest.

Gypsum

Medina Organic

Granular Fertilizer

Medina Hasta-Gro Plant

Dealing with Washout

Sometimes that water takes with it your mulch, your soil, even your planting bed edging/walls. Some minor soil wash can be fixed by adding more soil to the bed. However, with more significant cases you need to rework your bed. A mortared wall of stone or landscaping block might be needed to permanently raise the bed above most water events. I would recommend moving that plant away from the water and quickly. Most plants can't survive with their roots fully exposed.

Go the natural route!

If you have an area that sees frequent salt washing over from the bay, I would consider changing out your landscape to a more natural look. We all love the tropical look; it IS Galveston after all. However, the native wetland grasses and marsh plants are adapted to the salt. It wouldn't be a manicured and precise garden, but a wild, natural space that can handle what the bay throws our way.

References

Coping with Saltwater

Saltwater Intrusion

Save

10%

coupon

Save 10% off your next purchase

(Gift Cards, Outdoor Furniture,

Sale Items

and Landscaping Services are excluded)

Show this coupon when making your purchase.

Please share this offer with your friends and family.

Offer Expires: February 29, 2016

SEASIDE CASUAL

2016 Java Collection

Notice the

Swivel Chair

New Arrivals

Around the Gift Shop

Flip & Tumble 24-7 bag

From bag to ball, this bag is a snap to keep with you all the time.

Large enough for 3 half gallons of milk, and of course your nursery plant purchases!

Material:

ripstop nylon

Weight capacity 35lbs

Plastic bags spared:

1000+

Peepers

Reading glasses for men and women

Always in style!

Blue Q - you will love their products!

For the Garden

Dancing Birds

These unique dancing garden birds bob up and down rotating 360 degrees in the breeze.

Available: Egrets, Pelicans, Herons, Cranes, Flamingos and Dancing Crabs