VOLUME VIII, ISSUE 6
by Cheryl Bado
Hours
Mon-Sat 8:00am-6:00pm
Sun 10:00am-5:00pm
Open Labor Day
8am - 2pm
for your convenience!
“Just living
is not enough,”
said the butterfly.
“One must have
sunshine, freedom
and a little flower.”
~Hans Christian Anderson,
“The Butterfly”
Gift Card
Any amount!
Never expires!
And good for
Pine Knoll
too!
From Pine Knoll...
Buy any 2
3-Gallon Shrubs
receive
15% OFF
both
From Pine Knoll Gardens at The Rock Pile. In-Stock Only. Not
Valid with other offers or prior purchases.
Discount is off regular price. Coupon Valid thru September 15, 2006
SoilSoup
August 2006
Is your lawn suffering the stresses of summer? Perhaps thin grass with a brown
looking lawn? Imagine how bad the soil must be to produce such sick looking
grass. For many people the first sign of illness is the reason for making chicken
soup. Well there is now “chicken soup” for your soil. SoilSoup may be the organic
answer to building up a healthy lawn. It can be tempting to treat your yard with
chemicals and herbicides, especially when you look across the street and see your
neighbor’s chemically treated yard. But with all
the information about links between cancer and
chemicals, many people want to go organic for the
sake of their children, pets and the environment.
Lawns require soil that is well-drained, aerated,
and rich in nutrients. Most lawns have been
robbed of organic materials and micro-organisms
by overuse of fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides.
The lack of nutrients in soil leads to stunted plant
growth, poor color, inability to reproduce and
little resistance to disease.
SoilSoup feeds the soil which in turn stimulates
bacterial growth which then feeds your grass. To
get maximum benefit from SoilSoup, apply it within 24 hours of purchase.
The application method that is best for lawns is to use a hose end sprayer. One
gallon of SoilSoup will treat 1000 square feet. The normal dilution is a 10:1
ratio. There is no danger of putting on too much SoilSoup. If you are treating
1000 square feet, just spray the area until your gallon of SoilSoup is gone. Rain
or watering will actually improve its effectiveness. SoilSoup is not just for lawns,
it can be used in many different ways. Flower beds, containers, trees, shrubs, and
house plants all benefit from a regular application of SoilSoup. If you want to
see fast results to prove the effectiveness of this product, try it on your house
plants. Bring in your own clean, 1 gallon jug and receive 50¢ off ! Be sure to take
advantage of the offers for SoilSoup found in this newsletter.
SoilSoup
Buy 1,
get 1/2 off
your next gallon
In-Stock Only. Not Valid with other offers or prior purchases.
Discount is off regular price.
Coupon Valid thru September 15, 2006
Safflower
59¢/lb
sold in 10 &
50 lb bags
for Bird Club Members
join today...it’s free!
Great Summer Feed!
In-Stock Only. Not Valid with other offers or prior purchases.
Discount is off regular price.
In-Store Special thru September 15, 2006
VOLUME VIII, ISSUE 6
August 2006
The Stone Tablet
Sirius Shines...
...and the “Dog Days” of July
and August, the hottest and most
unhealthy days of the year, find you
seeking shelter in the shade of a
tree. Relax for awhile and turn your
thoughts to planning for color in the
fall landscape.
Many perennials bloom from late
summer
throug h
fall. The
Ja p a n e s e
Anemones
are
an
excellent
choice. With their 2 inch large,
white or pink flowers on tall stems
they are beautiful in mass plantings.
Perennial asters are invaluable in
the hardy border. They are popular
for their daisy-like flowers which
bloom in shades of blue, purple, pink,
white, and yellow. Any variety will
add sparkle to a garden. Indeed, the
botanical name “aster” comes from
the Greek root for “star”. Autumn Joy
Sedum, a favorite perennial, is easy to
grow and is attractive year round. This
succulent’s upright fleshy leaves, light
green in color, support dense bronze
rose flowers that age to brick red before
frost. These remain all winter adding
texture and color to the garden.
When choosing shrubs and trees
for your landscape seek plants with
a multi-seasonal appeal. Among the
shrubs, viburnums are outstanding.
Their showy, often fragrant, flowers
are followed by colorful berries
and stunning foliage. They are also
attractive to the birds. Cranberry
Bush Vibernum bears masses of bright
red berries. Judd Viburnum flowers
profusely and has colorful fall foliage
with red-black fruit. Korean Spice
Viburnum has very fragrant pink buds
that open to showy white snowball
flowers. Burgundy is the color of its
fall foliage. You can enjoy these from
season to season.
Henry’s Garnet Virginia Sweetspire
is another multi-seasonal shrub. In
early summer fragrant spiral white
SWEET PEET® is a
natural and versatile 100% organic
material. It naturally sweetens the
soil’s pH and reduces or eliminates
the use of chemicals.
t,
wee ell, www.sweetpeet-urbanorganics.com
s
A
“
sm oil
s
thy
ear osted ”
p
er Sweet Peet products are available at The Rock Pile.
n
m
co
tio
i
d
con
Page flowers appear. In the fall the foliage
turns a spectacular bright red color.
Sweetspire requires light to full shade,
moist acid soil and grows 3 to 5 feet.
Caryopteris Blue Mist Spirea deserves
a blue ribbon. It has class – fragrant
soft gray foliage that produces fragrant
deep blue blossoms just when you
need vivid color in the garden. The
butterflies and hummingbirds like it
too.
The Allegheny Serviceberry tree
truly serves. Humans welcome its
white flowers in very early spring and
admire its gray striated bark in the fall
and winter. Serviceberry produces
delicious small purple-black fruits
excellent for pies, if the birds haven’t
eaten all of them. Autumn foliage is
yellow to red. The tree grows to 25
feet enhancing any landscape.
One or more of these plants in
your landscape will ensure that your
autumn garden is as appealing as your
spring and summer garden. Pine
Knoll Gardens can help you paint a
landscape for all seasons.
by Doris Eisaman
440.937.0017
VOLUME VIII, ISSUE 6
The Pond in August
Got a leak? If the water in your pond seems to be
disappearing how do you find the cause and how do you
make the repair!
•
First thing to think about is evaporation. In a hot
humid area it is possible to lose 1 to 1 ½ inches of
water per week. If it is not raining don’t be alarmed
by this much water loss.
•
Fish don’t drink water so several inches disappearing
in a day is probably a leak.
•
Streams and waterfalls are the first place to look
for leaks. Look for wet gravel on the outside of the
stream and stones that may have been moved out of
position in a waterfall course.
•
Sometimes a shifted rock will cause water to splash
out. There is a foam product available at The Rock
Pile that can stick a rock back in place and help keep
it in the correct location.
•
Turn the waterfall off if you are not sure. Mark the
water level with a chalk mark, leave it off overnight
and look for lost water in the morning. No additional
water missing and you can be certain that the leak is
someplace in the waterfall.
•
If the water is still disappearing, look for wet areas
around the edge of the pond. Mark the water level
every night with chalk and check it in the morning.
•
When the water stops leaking out, the leak must be
on the water line at the lowest point. Examine this
area very closely. Hopefully the leak is not behind or
under a heavy rock.
•
Once the leak is found, more water has to be
removed to get the level below the damaged area so
that the patch can be applied securely.
•
If this process has taken several days be sure to keep
an eye on your fish. If they are gulping air, turn the
waterfall back on for a time to get some air into the
water. At this point the waterfall has been eliminated
as a possible leak site.
•
At The Rock Pile we have patch material for
standard rubber liner. Be certain that the area
around the leak is clean and dry before application
of the patch.
Once the pond is patched, add water and continue to
enjoy it for the rest of the summer.
pBUSINESSESP
The Stone Tablet
August 2006
Nuts About Squirrels?
by Cheryl Bado
To feed or not to feed squirrels, that is the question.
There is little gray area here. People either love these
fuzzy little creatures or they hate them. People
get tired of always feeding the squirrels while
the birds are chased away. I have been trying to
feed the squirrels in addition to the birds. This has
largely been a failed effort. My co-workers have
had great fun laughing at me since I have yet to
entice even one squirrel to stop and eat. I’ve set out
ear
corn with no response from any animal. I see squirrels
in my neighbors’ yard across the street. I watch them in the trees on both sides
of my property, but yet not one has come to lunch in my yard.
I recently moved into the house and I do have a rather large German Shepard
in the back yard. But, the front yard is deserted and primed for furry little
friends to come and dine. I can hear the chattering of the squirrels all around.
I do have to wonder if they are all laughing at me and my efforts. I love to
garden. Since I moved during planting time, I was unable to plant a garden
this year. I do have one lone tomato plant in a patio pot and wouldn’t you
know it, I have one lone squirrel that comes and sits in that pot. The one thing
I don’t want them to touch and they find it. I really think he has his eye on my
ripening tomatoes.
Today I’ll take a bag of Chuckanut home, I’m hoping these tasty treats
of pumpkin seeds may be just the thing to encourage the squirrels to stick
around for a feast. I know most bird feeders must be thinking I am crazy for
inviting these guests to stay, but I really think squirrels are quite interesting
to watch. Especially if you are feeding from the Squngee which sends these
animals bouncing up and down while they feed. Heritage Squirrel-go-round
is another great way to feed the squirrels. Just attach the feeder to the side
of a tree, then attach four ears of corn and watch as this feeder spins like a
merry-go-round. There is a common theme to these squirrel feeders and that
is to create a diversion. Give them something that will keep them busy and
let them work for it while entertaining you. The next time your squirrels raid
your feeders and chase your birds away, remember there are feeders at The
Rock Pile specially made to feed the squirrels their favorite foods. We also
have bird feeders that discourage squirrels if you don’t want them to receive
free handouts from your birdfeeder.
Do You Need Large Quantities of Mulch,
Topsoil or Stone for you business?
The Rock Pile can arrange
Drop Shipments
to your location.
Call for a quote
440.937.5100
Page August 2006
The Stone Tablet
VOLUME VIII, ISSUE 6
Garden Questions
What causes powdery mildew on
ornamental plants?
Powdery mildew is an air borne fungus
disease that infects the leaves and stems
of almost all ornamental plants. Infection
is marked by a gray powder and whitish
filaments on the leaves as well as leaf
curling. Each plant is infected by its own
type of mildew so a lilac mildew will not
infect a rose bush.
Most mildews are encouraged by
conditions of high humidity and poor
air circulation. Mildews do not require
actual water on the leaves, but watering
plants around their bases is always a good
practice. Be careful working around
infected plants as brushing the plants
can spread the infection. Plant resistant
varieties and be sure that all plants have
proper spacing for good air circulation.
What is “deadheading”
flowering plants?
of
Annual flowering plants are especially
good candidates for deadheading.
Flowers that are past their peak blooming
time should be trimmed from the plant.
This has several good results. One is it
encourages the formation of additional
flowers. It also stimulates branching as
the buds are stimulated by removing the
flowering tips. Deadheading also makes
for a more vigorous plant as flowering,
fruit and seed formation require a lot
of the plants energy. Removing the
“dead” flowers before they fruit and
seed forces the plant to put more energy
into producing more flowers. Flower
production is always a goal for annuals.
Yep, I’ve been here 20 years...I’ve seen a lot of
action. The stories I could tell you would make your
feathers curl! You nervous? How does it feel to be
the new kid on the rock?
Yeah, I guess I am the new kid. It’s an honor to work
with someone with your experience!! Is it really true
that you’re older than dirt?
Don’t grieve that your roses have thorns.
Rejoice, instead, that your thorns have roses.
~author unknown
We strive to make The Rock Pile a source of
information concerning stone, pavers, wall stones, bird
and garden products. Towards that end, we offer the
following events. All are free to our customers and do not
require prior registration.
Saturday, August 12th, 10:00-11:00 AM, Using Rocks in the Landscape
Techniques for using rocks and gravels in landscaping applications.
20th Anniversary Celebration will be held in September It’s been 20 years since The Rock
Pile began, and we want to celebrate! Join us for all sorts of fun! Details to follow, but you
won’t want to miss it!
Safflower: Summer’s favorite food
Safflower is a great seed to feed in the spring, fall, and summer,
but not in the winter, due to the low oil content. Safflower does
not provide enough fat content to help birds survive a cold long
winter. Cardinals, House Finches, Mourning Doves, Blue Jays,
White Breasted Nuthatches are just some of the birds that like
safflower. The best feature Safflower can offer is that Squirrels,
Grackles and Starlings do not prefer to eat it.
GARDEN
MASTERS
MASTERFULLY
DESIGNED & MAINTAINED
LANDSCAPES, GARDENS & LAWNS
216 509 5889
1608 Newman Ave, Lakewood
Congratulations Jason G!!
Winner of the birdfeeder drawing!
New Landscaping
(free design)
Lawn installation
Maintenance
Cleanup
Lawn mowing
Trimming
Certified Brick Patio &
Walkway installer
By: Bud Maxwell, Jennifer Keener & Cheryl Bado; Contributing Writers: Julie Holzworth & Doris Eisaman.
Special Thanks to: Town Money Saver
Page