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Andy Wedel

All Star Award
   
$20 Wedel's Gift Card Winner
And the Winner is...  
 
Renee Kirkendall. Renee was the first to submit the correct answer to our January Trivia Question:  "There is a subdivision where Wedel's first nursery farm was located. What two streets are named after two Wedel family members?"   The correct answer is Harley and Isabelle.  

Renee won a $20.00 Wedel's gift card and you could too! Just be the first to respond with the correct answer to our monthly trivia question.

Congratulations, Renee!! 

(ed. note - We would like to ask contest winners to pick up prizes within 90 days to avoid forfeiture.)
employees
Looking for Work?
Love Plants and People?
 
Join our team! 
Wedel's will be hiring people with smiling faces and positive attitudes for the upcoming growing season.
  Full and part time seasonal work with flexible hours will be available.  
 
Positions that will be offered: 
* Outside Sales
* Inside Sales
* CDL Driver 
* Cashiers
* Carryouts
* Grounds Maintenance
* Farm Labor
* General Labor
* Landscaper
 
 
Great Job with
Great People!
 
 
   
 
Thinking Spring  
2018 
Learning Fun
green thumb club 
Sign up now for Wedel's NEW 2018 classes! They're just $5, unless otherwise noted. Attend 5 or more classes to earn a Green Thumb certificate and a $25 Wedel's gift card!
Most classes include a sample, door prize or coupon for attendees.
 
Class LineUp:  
 
Saturday, February 3, 11:15-12:15 Green Up Your Home with Houseplants, Cacti & Air Plants  Learn about plant care, lighting and adding clean air & beauty to your
peace lily
indoor landscape.
Bonnie Wedel
& Rachel Blodgett, Wedel's Houseplant Experts     
 

Saturday, Feb. 10, 10:00-11:00
 Planning Your Backyard Ga
rden 
Growing your own foo d has many health benefits. This talk will help you figure out what and how much to plant. We'll also discuss planting seasons, succession planting and mor e.
Rosemary Kuivenhoven, Certified Green Industry Professional
 
Saturday, February 17, 11:15-12:15  DIY Landscape Improvement Ideas
You'll go away from this power point presentation with ideas for small landscape touches to ultimate landscape make-overs. Andrew Wedel, Certified Green Industry Pro & Mary Eckhardt, Licensed Landscape Architect
 
Saturday, February 17, 10:00-11:00  Bushels of Blooms on Hydrangeas; It's Easier than Ever!
Today's hydrangeas are a huge improvement from Grandma's! These are the "must-have" varieties. We'll also show you pruning & feeding tips for the most color. Gary Miller & Andrew Wedel, Certified Green Industry Pros
 
Saturday,February 24 , 10:00-11:00  Home Orchard Success
Enjoy the fruits of success! Here's how to prune fruit trees, when and what to spray and feed them
and more. 
Andrew Wedel, Michigan Certified 
 Green Industry Pro
 
Saturday, February 24, 11:15-12:15 Growing & Using Herbs from Your Own Kitchen Garden  Fresh herbs are healthy and easy to grow with the right amount of light and a little care - even in the winter months! Taste & take home a sample too!  
Rachel Blodgett & Gary Miller,
Wedel*s Herb Experts  
 
Saturday, March 3, 10:00-11:00
 Mole, Deer & Critter Control 
An ounce of prevention will save you lots of irritation! Here's the best ways to control and prevent these pests in your lawn and landscape.
Vicki Rocheleau & Brian Burge, the Critter Getters 
 
Join us for the whole series! 
Earn your Green Thumb Certificate and a $25 Wedel's Gift Card! 
 
Please sign up with our cashier to reserve your seat. Stop in or call 345-1195.

Look Sharp,
Be Sharp
Did you know that you can have your blades sharpened at Wedels?! 
  • Pruners - $6.00
  • Loppers - $6.00
  • Lawn mower blades - $7.00 (sorry, no reel mowers)
  • Mulching mower blades - $7.00
  • Hedge shears - $6.00  
  • Electric and cordless hedge shears - $12.00
  • Hoes, shovels and trowels - $3.00 
  • Larger items - we will quote a price
(Sorry, we don't sharpen chain saw chains.) 
Bring your tools in; we'll give you a professional edge!  
It's Not Too Late!
   
 
Calendars for 2018 are still available at Wedel's, but don't wait too long to pick up your free copy.  

The calendar pages keep you up to date with recommended projects for the specific time of year as well as special events and holidays. You will know the dates and times of many of the popular events that take place throughout the year at Wedel's. You will find such tips as, "The next 45 days are the best time of year for lawn improvements, Feed roses this week, Frost free date of Kalamazoo County, Apply lawn fungus control this week." and many more.

You will save money by owning a Wedel's calendar too! Each month's calendar page has four perforated coupons you can use for products appropriate for that time of year. For example, this year's February page has coupons for Deer and Rabbit Repellent, Free Delivery on Floral Product Purchase, 33% off garden seeds and $2.00 off of 50 pounds of black oil sunflower seed. You'll need the coupon to get the savings and to know when, during each month, the coupon offer is active.
Wedel's Coupon
Be Mine
Free Bag of Candy
with purchase of Valentine floral arrangement of $45.00
or more 

Does your Valentine love flowers? Candy? Here's a sweet combo!!

Free bag of candy (6-14 oz.) with purchase of Valentine floral arrangement valued at $45.00 or more. Candy assortment available while supplies last.
candy
Printed coupon must be presented in person, or present in person to cashier on your smart device.

Offer expires Feb. 14, 2018
Not valid with any other offer.
February  
Shopping
List
 

Valentine's Day gift
Valentine's Day floral arrangement 
Garden seeds 
Seed starting supplies 
Birdhouse 
Bird seed 
Suet 
Gift certificate 
Ice melter 
Snow scraper 
Gardening book 
Gardening magazine 

Wedel's News

Volume 10, Number 2                                                             February 2018  
 
 And What About the Weather?
 
by Gary Miller 
 
"Everybody complains about the weather,  
but nobody does anything about it."
 
As if we could. This quote, often attributed to Mark Twain, seems to be very applicable to our Michigan winter so far. By now we've all heard:
 
"It's too cold", said most often by those of us who "feel" it in our bones.
 
"It's too warm", said by the fruit grower and the ice fisherman (at least a few times!)
 
"It's too snowy and icy", said by those who spend a lot of time on the road, and the "hobbiest" snow shoveler.
 
"I wish there was more snow", said at times by the skier, and the person who relies on snow plowing for part of their income.
 
Back to the quote at the beginning of this article. Even though Mark Twain spent the winter in Michigan several times, he wasn't referring to Michigan when he said the above quote(even though it's applicable).
 
However, come to find out that Mark Twain was not the originator of the quote, but was quoting a friend of his that primarily lived in New England. Charles Dudley Warner was a writer, editor, and friend of Mark Twain, and was the first person attributed with saying those oh so true words.
 
But Mark Twain did have many original sayings about the weather, many of which it would seem he was in Michigan when he said them. I'll leave you with one of them:
 
"Climate is what we expect, weather is what we get."

Dormant Pruning With the Proper Tools
   
 
 
Late winter pruning is often recommended for many trees and shrubs. Pruning the plants while they are dormant is less stressful for the plant and it's also easier to view the structure of deciduous trees and shrubs without leaves to ensure the pruning helps create the desired shape. It's also a time of the year when late winter sunshine makes us all long to be in our gardens and pruning is an excellent job to get us out there.

Pruning Tools
To get out and get pruning, you will need the proper tools. There are several types of pruners that should be in every serious gardener's tool shed.
  • Hand Pruners
    The simplest tool, but the hardest to choose, is the hand pruner. There are two distinct styles of hand pruners: the anvil type and the bypass. The anvil pruner is good for pruning deadwood or undesirable growth. However, for active wanted growth anvil pruners tend to smash the wood during cutting, leaving the wound open
    to insects and disease. Bypass pruners are preferred for pruning because they are like a pair of scissors and give you an easier, cleaner healthier cut. Hand pruners are available in different sizes and grip styles, including options for both right-handed and left-handed gardeners, for adjusting to hand size, and for reducing strength required to use. To get the best results, it is important to choose a hand pruner that feels comfortable but still provides adequate strength for the job.
  • Lopping Shears
    Another tool that comes in handy is the lopping shear. They are used for making larger cuts up to 1-1/2" in diameter, however, they should be used for branches thumb diameter or smaller as larger branches could be crushed. The longer handles provide more power without stress or strain, and also provide a better reach than hand pruners. They are also excellent for clearing away undesirable growth in your yard, including trimming hedges.    
  • Pruning Saw
    The tool you'll need for those cuts on branches larger than thumb diameter (about 3/4") is a pruning saw. It usually has a tapering straight or curved blade with saw teeth, and either a closed or an open and sometimes folding handle. Large- toothed saws produce a rough edge, while small-toothed saws (such as Japanese-style) leave a smoother and cleaner cut. Carpenter saws aren't suitable for pruning because they are made to cut dry, not green wood. Pruning saws cut on the pull stroke while carpenter saws cut on the push stroke.
     
  • Pole Pruner
    The last tool you'll need is a pole pruner. It is a combination lopping shear and pruning saw. The pole pruner extends out to twelve feet and can be used for making small cosmetic cuts or larger limb removals without needing to set up a ladder. Pole pruners are also useful in dense canopies when using a ladder would not be practical or suitable.
     
     
To learn more about pruning specific trees or shrubs and to choose the appropriate tools for the job, please stop in or give us a call. We'll be happy to help you be sure you are equipped to make clean, appropriate cuts that will help your trees and shrubs look their very best.

If you are specifically interested in pruning fruit trees, attend our 2018 Green Thumb Club class "Home Orchard Success" on February 24.
Getting Tools Ready for Spring
  
Did you clean, sharpen and store your gardening tools properly last fall when you stopped gardening?

Hopefully, you did, but if you didn't, it's not too late. Spring is just around the corner, but there's still time to get these essential chores done and be ready to jump in to all your gardening and landscape work when spring arrives. 
 
 
Assemble Your Tools 
Round up the shovels, hoes, rakes and picks. Gather the hand tools such as pruners, loppers, saws, cultivators, weeders and all those little special gadgets you use. If they are all in one place, you can clean and care for them assembly-line style to make the task easier and less overwhelming.
 
Washing Tools
 
Fill a bucket or sink with sudsy water. Combine some elbow grease with some rags, a stiff wire brush, steel wool and small toothbrush and wash off all accumulated mud and dirt. Remove sap from pruners and loppers using an alcohol based hand sanitizer. For those tough sap accumulations, try rubbing alcohol, turpentine, paint thinner or other solvent. Be sure to clean the handles. Towel dry each tool carefully. 

  

Handle Care
How do the wooden handles look and feel? To prevent splinters, lightly sand and apply a protective coating of boiled linseed oil. (Boiled, not raw, as raw won't dry.) This is also a good time to apply brightly colored rubberized paint to hand tool handles. Not only will this improve the grip but makes it easier to find the tools when Ieft in the garden. If any handles are so worn or damaged that they need to be completely replaced, this is a good time to do so.

 
Remove Rust
 
Get the rust off using sandpaper, steel wool and/or a wire brush. For difficult rust, you may need to attach a wire wheel to your drill. Safety googles are necessary eye protection when using a power tool for cleaning. Afterwards, coat the metal with a thin layer of oil such as WD-40, 3-in-One or machine oil to prevent new rust from forming.
 
 
TIP: To prevent rust, make an "oil bucket" and keep where you store your tools.
  • Half-fill a 5-gallon bucket with coarse sand such as builder's sand
  • Pour in a quart of oil (used motor oil is fine)
  • Mix until all of the sand is lightly moistened
  • After using a garden tool, clean the tool, and then plunge the tool into the bucket several times to thoroughly remove soil and thinly coat the metal surface with oil
 
Sharpen Blades and Edges 
Check the edges and moving parts of the tools. To sharpen shovels, spades and hoes, fasten in a vise and use a hand file to restore the same original bevel angle, usually between 40-70 degrees. Use a fine grit grinding stone along the back edge of the tool to remove the burr created by the file. Wipe the metal surface with machine oil. Don't forget to sharpen hand pruners and loppers as well, and use machine oil to lubricate the moving parts of different tools. Note: If you aren't equipped to sharpen your tools yourself, now is a great time to bring them to Wedel's and we can sharpen them for you (however, we do not sharpen chainsaw chains). 
 
Check Tool Storage
Now that your tools are ready for work, where will you keep them until spring arrives? Check hooks, stands, toolboxes and other gear where you keep your tools and be sure they are stored safely and securely while still being easy to find and reach whenever you need them.

Now you - and your tools - are ready for spring!  
Everything's Coming Up Roses 
 
Valentine Flowers
Valentine's Day is the same day every year, it's always February 14. For some reason, it is an easy holiday to forget!  But beware: it might be one of the worst holidays you could forget! Be sure to let your sweetie, your mom, your daughter, your neighbor, or friend know how much you care by surprising them with flowers, balloons, roses, a stuffed animal and/or candy.

   Your Valentine would love you to be creative!

Maybe your sweetheart would like a touch of spring in the middle of winter. How about some garden seeds and seed starting supplies? Add some fresh flowers, such as excellent quality roses from Wedel's, along with a box of chocolates. Or add an orchid, blooming bulb plant, or houseplant for that green and colorful gift to warm the winter. Top your gift off with a scented candle from the Kalamazoo Candle Company. Visit us and check out these and other Valentine's Day gift ideas.  
   
 
 
Store Hours  

  Monday - Friday  9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
   Saturday  9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
  Closed Sundays

Special Hours for Valentine's Day:
Monday, Feb. 12, 8:00-8:00
Tuesday, Feb. 13, 8:00-9:00
Wednesday, Feb. 14, 8:00-8:00
 
To Do In February
   
Celebrate Valentine's Day.
Attend seminars at Wedel's Garden Center.
Set out roosting pockets in trees or shrubs.
Have mower blades, pruners, loppers, hedge shears sharpened.
Have mower tuned up.
Begin planning this year's garden.
Use houseplants to keep your winter months green.
Peruse Wedel's Blog for interesting and informative gardening articles and radio show archives.  http://www.wedels.com/blog/

Coming Soon
Wedel's Spring Flower & Garden Expo
March 23 & 24, 2018
 
Saturday Mornings
WKZO logo
   

Birdwatch 8:07 a.m.

with host Roger Taylor answering all of your birding questions 
Call in at 382-4280 or 877-382-4280. 

Watch for Over the Garden Fence and Andy Wedel to return in spring, 2018!
Over the Garden Fence 9:07 a.m.
with host Andy Wedel answering all of your landscape and gardening questions
Call in at 382-4280 or 877-382-4280.

Visit our web site at www.wedels.com for archives of previous
Birdwatch and

Over the Garden Fence
programs!
 
 
Note from the Editor    
 
We are so excited as we work on planning for our 23rd Annual Spring Flower & Garden Expo!
You will be amazed at the super speaker line-up, the gorgeous flowers, and the great landscape ideas we have in store for you, one of our favorite customers!   

Be sure to put March 23 & 24 on your calendar and be ready to join us for two days of smelling the spring flowers, learning and idea-gathering.  
 
Ready for another trivia question? Here it is! "Wedel's carries seed packets from seven different companies. How many varieties of flowers & vegetables are in Wedel's packet seed department?"
 
The reader to respond with the closest to the correct answer will win a $20.00 Wedel's gift card. The gift card must be picked up here at the garden center and remember, you are eligible to win once every 90 days. Good luck and have fun!    
  
'Til next time,
Terrie
 
terrie@wedels.com