If you are itching to get into the garden, you can add an inch of compost to the areas where you have raked and removed last year’s annual plants, till 6 to 7 inches and you’re ready for spring!
Use seed catalogs for a guide to color, size and shape of the plants to be used in your new flower and vegetable beds. Seeds and plants will be available at TAGAWA GARDENS soon! Seeds arrive in January and pansies begin arriving in February, root and early veggies in early March!
On a nice day in January or February, check your trees and shrubs --prune out broken branches. It is a good time to shape trees and shrubs that are too large or encroaching on the sidewalk or driveway. Late winter is a good time to prune, since you can clearly see the branch structure of the plants and see which need to be removed.
Spring flowering shrubs (lilacs, forsythia, etc) should be pruned shortly after blooming-- not at this time or you will remove the flower buds! Prune roses in the spring, in late April.
Water trees, shrubs perennials and lawn every 3 or 4 weeks during the winter as long as the ground isn’t frozen. (Mostly, fluffy snow does not count as very much moisture J!). Use a soil needle like the Ross® Root Feeder (but don’t use fertilizer in the winter, just use the Ross® tool as a watering device).
Check lilacs and aspen for oyster shell scale—control with fertilome® Summer Oil or Scalecide®. It will also smother other insect eggs. Check Pines for the S.W Pine Tip Moth when the candles (new growth) are fully extended and the needles are an inch long (March & after). Apply Permethrin or Sevin®.
The Engraver (I.P.S) Beetles usually only attacks stressed or dying trees. If pine trees are attacked, apply a Permethrin or Sevin® for control in early spring and again in August.
Watch junipers for early signs of spider mites (fine webbing with tiny, moving spots (the mites) and yellowing of needles). There can be up to 4 generations of mites per growing season! Control with Safer® Soap, fertilome® .Summer Oil or Neem Oil. Trees and shrubs can be planted as long as the ground isn’t frozen.
Small critters (mice, squirrels and voles) eat bulbs—apply Repellex® ,Hot Pepper Wax, Coyote Urine to deter them.
Peter Rabbit and his family and friends need to be controlled—our yards are their dining area! In the winter there is less for them to eat, so young trees and shrubs will be on their menu! Deter rabbits with Liquid Fence® ,Bobbex® or Repellex® and Blood Meal (a fertilizer that repels rabbits.). Try alternating controls for best results.
The Mule Deer come right into your back yard to eat shrubs and the bark off Aspen. The bucks damage the landscape with their horns-- give them a little space, too, and avoid approaching them. Control with the deer repellent versions of Bobbex®, Repellex® ,Liquid Fence® and Coyote Urine.
Now let’s go inside to those pesky little fungus gnats. Generally, these occur when too much moisture stays in your houseplant soil. Give the soil a chance to dry down one or two inches—this keeps moisture from the gnat eggs and prevents hatching. For control with The Big Guns, try Bonide® Systemic Insecticide that can provide control for up to 6 weeks. Scale, mealy bugs or spider mites can be treated with Neem oil or Safer® Houseplant Insecticidal Soap. In the winter months, over- watering causes root rot (as well as fungus gnats). Use a Moisture Meter to help you determine when to water—they are amazing, inexpensive and very simple to use!
Late in January or early February, you can get your green thumb going by planting slow- germinating seeds like wild flowers and pansies. Use a sterile soil mix like Jiffy® Starter Mix to keep the seedlings from “damping off”. These plants will be ready for transplanting outdoors early in May.
In late March early vegetables can go outdoors--asparagus roots, bare root strawberries, onion sets, pansy plants, pea seeds, potatoes, shallots. Have some protection (frost blanket or sheets) close by for unexpected dips in temperature. Be sure to acclimate the plants to their new environment by leaving them in a protected place outdoors for several days then gradually introducing them to the area they will be planted. Gardeners call this process “Hardening Off” and it applies to any plants grown in a greenhouse at any time of the year, but especially early spring.
We are on the cusp of spring! A few brave souls may even plant tomatoes using Walls o’ Water in Mid-March, keeping frost blankets nearby. May they have an abundance of delicious fruit!
Dick and our other garden experts can be reached at 303-690-4722 ext 146 or GardenExperts@tagawagardens.com.
January Tropical Plant & Pot Sale!
33% OFF all houseplants and ceramic pots in stock throughout the month of January! Plus, if you purchase the plant & the pot from us, we will re-pot the plant for free! See TagawaGardens.com ‘Weekly Specials’ page for details!
Xeriscape™ Series
” Xeriscape™” refers to a combination of seven common-sense gardening principles that save water while creating a lush and colorful landscape. Craig Miller, Water Conservation Specialist for the Parker Water & Sanitation District, presents all seven Xersicape™ principles in a series of six classes in late winter/early spring at Tagawa Gardens! See Events page at TagawaGardens.com for details!
Garden Outreach and Luan’s Garden Blog
Now is the time to book garden seminars for your garden club, community group or school classroom! Garden Ambassador Luan Akin can provide classes here or at your location*--plus, your garden club or group can sell Tagawa Gift Cards as a fundraiser! Tours of Tagawa Gardens for schools by Grandma Mimi are also available through our Outreach Program! For details visit our Outreach page at TagawaGardens.com or call Michelle at 303-690-4722 ext. 107! (*Fees may apply for offsite events.)
Watch for Luan’s Blog at TagawaGardens.co--look for her photo on the home page for the link!
Feb. 14 & 15 Rocky Mountain African Violet Society Annual Show & Sale
Come see beautiful African Violets on display, and also available for purchase! Learn how to grow these wonderful plants. All proceeds from this show & sale benefit the Society as a fundraiser. See TagawaGardens.com Events page for details.
Feb. 21 & 22, Bird & Nature Festival
Classes, Fun & Educational Activities for the Entire Family; information booths by wildlife groups, family activities, a Birds of prey presentation and fun performance by rescued pets! See TagawaGardens.com ‘Events’ page for details.
Feb. 21 & 22
Nature Photography Show/Contest!
Featuring our visitors’ photos! Deadline: Sun., Feb. 15, registration forms at Customer Service. Bring us a 5x7 or 8x10 photo showing why you love nature. Photos will be on display during our Bird & Nature Festival. Attendees will vote on the winning photo, winner receives a Tagawa gift basket! Any age can participate, limit of four entries per person. See TagawaGardens.com ‘Bird World’ page for details.
Mar. 14 & 15, Denver Orchid Society Annual Show & Sale
Exquisite orchids on display for your enjoyment and education—plus, orchids and supplies are available for purchase, with all proceeds from this show & sale going to the Society as a fundraiser. See TagawaGardens.com ‘Events’ page for details.
Thurs., Mar. 19, 4-7 PM, Spring Girl’s Thyme Out
20% OFF Everything in stock* this evening only!
Visit with spas, cosmetics, clothing and jewelry vendors and other favorite ladies products (Merchandise sold by Girl’s Thyme Out is not included in our sale this evening). Luan Akin, Tagawa’s Garden Ambassador, will have a booth at this event for you to chat about having Luan give a garden presentation to your community group! *Please see TagawaGardens.com Events pagefor details!
Spring Fundraising products from Tagawa Gardens!
If your non-profit group is interested in selling a nice selection of spring plants and Tagawa Gardens gift cards as a fundraiser, contact Keith at 303-690-4722 ext. 112 or visit our Fundraising page at TagawaGardens.com
Garden Plastics Recycling…Continues!
Bring us your empty plastic garden pots, packs and trays and we will collect them for recycling into new containers, decking and toys (Sponsored by Garden Centers of Colorado and Monrovia Nursery, see TagawaGardens.com Community page for details.)
Tagawa Gardens is becoming ‘Certified Sustainable!’
As part of our plan to reduce our ‘Carbon Pawprint,’ Tagawa Gardens is becoming Certified by the international Sustainability organization, Veriflora®, which certifies potted plant and cut flower growers. We hope to be Certified Sustainable by the time you read this newsletter! We will be the very first Veriflora® Certified Retail Grower in the USA (actually, in the world!!)
The Veriflora® Certification means that Tagawa Gardens is committed to: a safe and supportive environment for its employees; using natural plant care as much as possible; an active recycling program; supporting the community; and a sustainable business plan. We are grateful to the Tagawa Family for their foresight and commitment to our business and community!
Watch for the Veriflora® symbol on plants that are grown in our greenhouses! (We will have the Veriflora® logo on our website as soon as we are Certified!)
Our Visitors Make our Best Employees!
We have many wonderful seasonal opportunities for employment during our busy spring season. We offer rewarding work in a beautiful environment with friendly co-workers, a family atmosphere and a generous employee discount. Gardening experience is helpful, some weekend and overtime required.
We invite you to pick up an application at our Customer Service Dept. or download one at TagawaGardens.com— We are unable to accept completed applications via e-mail. Resumes are not necessary and not accepted in lieu of our applications. Questions? Please call Michelle in HR at 303-690-4722 x107 Mon-Fri 10-4.
Did you know that you can receive Tagawa Tails newsletter via e-mail? When you sign up, you will also receive bi-monthly reminders from Tagawa Gardens about events, special sales, coupons and more!
If you would like to discontinue your printed newsletter and sign up for our e-mail newsletter, please write to: ClassRegistration@tagawagardens.com, tell us:
1. your name and the address to which you are currently receiving your newsletter
2. your e-mail address and we will take care of the rest!
Please rest assured that no matter which way you chose to receive information from Tagawa Gardens, we respect your privacy and do not sell or share our mailing list. You will only receive information from us.
As a Grey Kitty® Purr-furred Visitor, be sure that you have picked up a Purr-furred Card at our Customer Service Desk, which entitles you to 20% OFF one regularly priced item* (*see TagawaGardens.com or store for details)! We may have a new and improved Purr-furred Card for 2009, we will keep you posted!
New in ourn our Perennial Dept., Popsicle Lupine and Delphinium!
Visit our blog with Garden Ambassador