Spring 2009
Volume 10, Issue 1

Inside this issue:
To-do list for spring
Blueberries – The wonder shrub
Perennials – We’re here to help
Sweet Peet – The best mulch on earth

Dear Friends,
2009 brings a slew of exciting plants and products!  We are most excited about our fruit selection including over 25 varieties of antioxidant rich blueberries!  Not only do they produce delicious berries but they are great for multi-season interest.  You can even stagger harvest time for yields from late June to late September!

We are also proud to be one of the few in the area to carry bulk sweet peet.  Sweet peet is an organic soil amendment to use with almost any type of plant.  Sweet peet also makes an excellent mulch for annuals, perennials and vegetables.  Check out the cost savings compared to buying bags!

Many exciting new perennials have been introduced for the 2009 season.  Try delicious-sounding new Coneflowers such as Tomato Soup and Mac-n-Cheese or the new Black-Eyed Susan that blooms earlier and longer!

Another exciting addition is our monthly gardening calendar online at our website.  Each month is full of tips and to-do’s to keep you in track of the garden and yard.  Read it online or print a copy for your fridge!

For more tips and advice, be sure to read by weekly blogs at www.daytonnursery.com/blogs.htm

Tom Dayton

Spring To-Do-List

• Finish up any trimming, weeding and edging and apply Preen weed preventer
• Apply a thin layer of mulch over existing mulch to freshen up but be sure not to over mulch!  For something new with a nice, earthy smell, try Sweet Peet
• Fertilize trees, shrubs and perennials with Espomoa’s Holly-tone or Plnat-tone now improved with beneficial microbes
• Start spraying roses with Bi-Carb and Neem Oil
• Plant blueberries for fruit and landscape beauty
• Apply aluminum sulphate for blue hydrangeas – great for Endless Summer
• Be sure to pick up Bayer’s Azalea and Rhodoendron Insect and Disease Control to prevent lacebug.  Do not apply until May 30^th to prevent damage to pollinating bees.
• Check out our NEW monthly gardening calendar online at our website for more monthly to-do’s!

Perennials
We’re here to help

I think that most of us know that the word “perennial” as far as plants go means that they are somewhat permanent in that they overwinter from year to year.

However, in my horticulture, this term actually applies to herbaceous perennials or that group of plants in which the above ground stems die at the end of the growing season with a set of roots, rhizomes and/or stolons surviving with the accompanying living crown.

There are such a wide variety of these delightful plants that with a little investigation and studying, perennials can be arranged in such a way that garden is bloom almost all spring, summer and fall.

Some flowers are good for cutting, come are better suited as ground covers, some attract wildlife like songbirds, hummingbirds and butterflies.

Now, if you’re a perennial novice, selecting and arranging perennials can be quite a daunting task especially when starting from scratch.

In order to help you develop your vision of the perennial garden, you’ll find tags and detailed signage for every plant, plants are arranged in alphabetical order to help you find them easier and most importantly, we have increased experienced staff to help you with all your questions.

Maggie Bell of Norton has joined our team from another local nursery and has years of experience in the perennial plant realm.

To put it more simply, if you don’t know what you’re doing, or just need a little help, we’re here!

Blueberries
A wonder shrub for all seasons

This spring brings a long overdue change at the nursery in that customers will find blueberry shrubs in countless varieties and sizes.  Although we’ve been growing this native shrub in limited numbers for 20 years, in the past 2 years interest in the plants has been skyrocketing.

Many reasons account for the hype in blueberry planting among which are health benefits from the fruit’s antioxidant properties, landscape uses that include spectacular fall colors, hot pink and white flowers in spring, compact forms now available with lush bluish-green foliage and the biggest reason of all in that the fruits just taste so good in muffins, pancakes, pies, jams, jellies, cobblers and desserts besides just for fresh eating!

As blueberries are an Azalea-Rhododendron relative, its been easy for us to set up propagating and growing the plants right at the nursery since we grow and market the blueberry relatives already.

Years ago I remember talking to many customers in the fall about using blueberries for fall color in their landscapes as the plants were “on fire” with glowing shades of red, orange and yellow sometimes on the same plant!

Predictably, most customers still wanted burning bush as they have been conditioned to think only of burning bush (now considered an invasive species by some states) for fall color.

Recently, I was in the grocery store aggravated by the ever rising prices and saw blueberries “on sale” at $3.00 for a 6 ounce package which calculates to $8.00 per pound! 

Just think of the money you’ll save by being able to pick your own blueberries right outside your back door as some mature plants bear up to 20 pounds of berries per year.

Be sure to stop by the nursery this year to check out our blueberries so that we can help you select the right variety for that particular spot around your house or garden, the different varieties that bear fruit at different times in the summer and fall and fruit sizes from the size of a pea to a size that will even cover a quarter!

Great taste, health benefits and numerous landscape uses truly make blueberries the wonder shrub for all seasons!

Sweet Peet
The best mulch on earth

Sweet Peet is a natural, unique, versatile, nutritious material that is 100% organic due to its make-up of virgin wood products, manure and plant fibers.  It differs from many mulches and soil amendments because it contains no human waste, no construction material or junk wood and no chemicals. 

Sweet Peet’s “secret” is that unlike bark or wood mulch, it does not rob the soil of nitrogen but instead supplies nitrogen in a slow release form to your valuable plants. In addition, Sweet Peet fosters the multiplication of beneficial and necessary soil organisms such as mycorrhizae, rhizobacteria and earthworms, among others, which, in turn, results in the increased production of glomalin which is the “glue” that holds soil particles together to give the garden or planting bed that desired tilth of “chocolate cake” which plants love!

Whether you are working on rehabilitating old landscape beds or new beds, you must consider the nutrient value and structure of the soil.  Adding organic matter back to the soil with Sweet Peet revitalizes the soil as well as giving it visual enhancement.  By the way, Sweet Peet has a nice, sweet, eartly smell unlike other mulches.

How to use Sweet Peet:

• As a mulch – Will prevent compaction, retain moisture, suppress weeds and slowly release nitrogen to the root systems of your plants.  For veggie or flower gardens, spread one inch layers of newspaper under the Sweet Peet to additionally suppress weeds.   For landscape beds with trees and shrubs, spread about 2” after removing existing weeds.
• Planting flowers or veggies – Spread a 2-3” layer over the planting bed and spade or rototill in thorouoghly
• Planting trees & shrubs -   Supplement our recommendation for peat moss with Sweet Peet equal to half of the recommendations for Peat.  For example, a 2-3 gallon Azalea require some full bag of pre-moistened peat (2 cu. ft) so you would supplement with 2/3 of a bag of sweet peet (1.5 cu. ft).
• Establishing New Lawns -   Apply a 1-2 inch layer on desired area along with fertilizer and smooth evenly before applying seed.  After applying see, top dress with ½ inch of sweet peet.

Summer 2008
Volume 9, Issue 2

Inside this issue:
What exactly is the Garden Club?
Perennial Gardening Month
Geranium Rozanne
Summer-time Recipe
Seiberling Sweet Corn
Our Product Picks

Dear Friends,
Well, its been one of the best springs in several years as we've gotten through it without any major frosts since late April.  Now with summer fast approaching, be sure to mulch your flower beds lightly and to keep all of your trees and shrubs well watered until they're established.

For more information on proper watering techniques, fertilizing, insect control, planting and more, be sure to check out our website at daytonnursery.com

Happy planting,
Tom

What exactly is the Garden Club?
Many of you ask "what do I get for being a Dayton Nursery Garden Club member?"  As a Garden Club & Rewards Program member, you are entitiled to our seasonal newsletters, special sales, coupons and more!  Not only can you save money with great coupons and sales, you will also receive $5.00 in Dayton Dollars for every $100 you spend from September 1st of the previous year until Junje 30th of the current year!  Reward Dollars arrrive in mailboxes around July 4th and are good for several months.  Use them just like cash on anything in our store!

Be sure to give your name or show your card during every visit to accumulate points!

June is Perennial Gardening Month
Whether you have sun or shade, you can grow perennials! 

• Choose a well-drained site.  Avoid dry areas with shallow rooted trees or areas with standing water.
• Observe the light or determine direction north to choose sun or shade-loving plants
• Plant your perennials in odd-numbered groups to create a natural effect.  A larger group of one plant generally looks better than smaller ones.
• Plant combinations of perennials with different flower colors, bloom times, foliage texture and form.
• Loosen and amend (compost and/or peat moss) at least 12” of soil. Soil preparation is the key to successful perennials!
• Stimulate new root production by gently teasing apart roots of rootbound palnts
• Container-grown perennials can be planted anytime during the growing season as long as they are watered regularly
• Mulch with a 2-3” layer of Sweet Peet
• Most perennials can be divided every 3 years or so.  Divide spring bloomers in early fall and fall bloomers in the spring

Geranium Rozanne
Huge, glowing violet blue, saucer-shaped flowers with distinctive white eyes and reddish-purple veining are held above mounds of deep green foliage that is slightly marbled with chartreuse. This is an amazingly free-flowering cultivar; it keeps the blooms coming from late spring into mid-fall!  In one season, one vigorous plant will cover a 2-3 square foot area!

• Looks especially nice when complimented by yellow or chartreuse flowers or foliage such as Coral Bells, Carex or Variegated Iris

• Quite adaptable to different growing conditions

• Prefers moist, well-drained soil but will tolerate periods of drought once established

• Plant in full sun or partial shade

• Deer resistant and rabbit resistant

• Useful in combination pots with annuals

• Grows to 18-20" x 24-36"

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

This is a great dish to server at any summertime picnic or a pot luck.  Preheat oven to 400° F.

First layer:
2 cups coarsely crushed pretzels
¾ cup melted margarine
3 T Sugar

Mix all ingredients together and press into a 9” x 13” rectangular pan.  Bake for 8 minutes.  Remove and cool.

Second layer:
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
2 cups whipped topping

Beat sugar into cream cheese, then stir in whipped topping.  Spread over cooled pretzels.

Third layer:
1 6 oz. package strawberry flavored gelatin
2 cups boiling water
1 10 oz. box frozen strawberries

Mix gelatin, boiling water and strawberries together.  Set aside 10 minutes and pour over cheese mixture.  Chill thoroughly.

Oh, How Sweet It is! Seiberling Sweet Corn
This year we will be picking and offering Seiberling sweet corn.  Seiberling is a familiar name in the area as most of us are still familiar with F.A. Seiberling that founded Goodyear and built Stan Hywett Hall after growing up in Norton.

Mainly though the Seiberling family of Norton is a no-nonsense common sense lot tha tare farmers with the first Seiberling arriving in Norton Ohio in the 1830s.  The original house still stands today!  This family tradition has included sweet corn for about 50 years and Seiberling sweet corn is well known for quality and freshness.  I used to sell SEiberling sweet corn in the early 70’s and customers would always ask what kind of corn is it today?

Some popular varieties back then were IO chief, Seneca Chief, Morning Sun, Gold King and Silver QueenMix and Northern Belle.  In a conversation with Charlie Seiberling last December though, many of these varieties are considered antique and bicolor corn is now the rage!

Watch for Seiberling sweet corn at Dayton’s sometime in July or you can go directly to the farm just two miles west of Norton center on Greenwich Rd.

Our Product Picks
Helping customers protect their landscape against insects and disease has always been a top priority for Dayton Nursery.  We have continuously evolved our recommendations for treating problems in the landscape with the most effective and current treatments.  Since the EPA has changed the regulations on chemicals several years ago, we saw Diazinon, Dursban, Cygon and several other harsh chemicals disappear from the market.  This forced us to have to be more specific in our recommendations in order to match up the exact treatment for the exact problem instead of using a few treatments for a broad array of problems.

We have always focused on two main requirements when choosing and recommending new items.  Does it work and does it present a good value to the customer?  We have now added to these requirements a new one. Is it sustainable? Not to be confused with organic or natural, sustainiable, in its truest definition would be: of, relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged.

There are a few groups of treatments that we have yet to find good substitues for, such as vegetation killers and hard to control insects.  However, we have found several items that do fit into our three rule philosophy.  Try these products, you are sure to have great results!

Sweet Peet
Sweet Peet is a 100% organic product made from composted ingredients harvested from local farms.  It has no chemicals, no dyes and is VERY rich in nutrients. Use Sweet Peet as a mulch or soil conditioner.  As a mulch, it has a rich dark color and natural texture.  It's perfect for flower and vegetable gardens because it neutralizes soil acidity and retains moisture.

Iron Plus
Every homeowner wants a lawn thats lush and green.  But a pale green or yellow leaf caused by iron deficiency can destroy all of that.  Iron deficiency is a very common yet generally unrecognized problem. Often, homeowners simply add more fertilizer thinking that is the cure when a single application of Iron Plus AST will do the trick.  Iron Plus AST greens up a lawn without the excessive growth caused by nitrogen.  We switched from recommending Ironite because Iron Plus:

* Works faster
* Uses less product
* Lasts longer
* More economical

Dr. Earth - Just Go Organic!
The Dr. Earth difference is in the performance.  Dr. Earth products provide FAST growth PLUS the long-term plant and soil health associated with true organic fertilizers. Dr. Earth products contain Pro-biotic strains of beneficial soil microbes plus ecto and endo Mycorrhizae. Pro-biotic is a biological soil innoculant that consists of several species of beneficial soil bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi, which bring life to all soils significantly elevating their productivity.  The benefit of pro-biotic is that they breakdown organic materials, making plant nutrients available.

Serenade Disease Control
Safe, effective, organic disease control for home gardeners!  Serenade Garden's organic formula provides effective, broad spectrum disease control against many inportant garden problems such as mildews, molds, blights, leaf spots and rusts - while protecting roses, vegetables, fruits, flowering plants, trees and shrubs.  Safe for children, pets, birds and wildlife.

Espoma Organic All Natural Lawn Food
Espoma's NEW Organic Lawn Food provides long-lasting nitrogen for a thicker, greener lawn.  Enhanced with Bio-tone beneficial microbes that help promote faster greening, deeper roots, and improved soil structure.  It won't burn your lawn or leach away and is granulated for easy feeding.  For use on all established lawns as well as new seed and sod installations.

Spring 2008
Volume 9, Issue 1

Inside this issue:
Must haves for Spring '08
Mountain Laurels
Herb Chicken Recipe
Rare Rhododendrons
The Scoop on Organics
Make a "Green" Promise

Dear Friends,
Well, we never did get to “take it easy” this winter as we were busy as bees making improvements to the nursery. Take a look at our expanded website of new plants, weekly and timely blogs on gardening advice, new “green” blogs and our internet catalog from which you can shop and order although please remember that not everything is in stock at all times. 

Another of your requests we have been working on all winter and we'll always continuously be working on is educating more of our team to give you the information you want at the right time!  Many of us have been attending "nursery school" right here at Dayton's with follow-up tests, that when finished, the students will have answered more than 1000 questions to hone their knowledge and skills.

 Of course, we planted more daffodils, tulips, hyacinths and other bulbs for our ever expanding Holland bulb gardens.  When you visit this spring, you’ll see new, wider walks, a new display area, under more customer friendly signange and the grounds and greenhouses just bursting with old and the latest new, exciting varieties.

See you soon!
Tom Dayton

Must haves for Spring '08
Sunny Knockout Rose - At last, a medium yellow Knockout rose with all the disease resistance, winter hardiness and easiness to grow you’d expect from the Knockout family!  Available early May.

Fantastic Hybrid Heucheras - Midnight Rose, Georgia Peach and Tiramisu are all the rage with such unusual and beautiful coloration!  Available early May.

Geranium Rozanne - This perennial favorite blooms and blooms with lavender-blue flowers all summer into late fall.  Received the Perennial Plant of the Year award for 2008. Available early May.

Mountain Laurels - For extended spring blooms and great variety of colors, these babies are the perfect companion of Rhododendrons & Azaleas.  You’ll find over 10 varieties in our shade house. Available now.

Mountain Laurels
Mountain Laurels grow naturally in a wide range in the United States throughout the Appalachian mountain chain from Maine to Georgia.

It is only recently that named varieties have become available for home landscapers as Mountain Laurel, notoriously difficult to propagate from cuttings, are now propagated by tissue culture.

Mountain Laurels deserve a place in Northeast Ohio landscapes as they are available in varying ultimate growing sizes from two feet to six feet, have gorgeous clusters of bell-like flowers of different colors and beautiful, rich evergreen foliage.

Mountain Laurels are companion plants of Rhododendrons and Azaleas and work well to extend the blooming season of this group of acid-loving soil plants as their bloom ranges from May 15^th  through June 15^th.

For success with Mountain Laurels in your landscape, follow a few simple steps:

1. Choose a site preferably with shade in the middle of the day without overhangs or invasive tree roots
2. Prepare the planting hold with a mixture of 25% pine bark mulch, 25% pre-moistened sphagnum peat moss and 50% ordinary, well-drained topsoil.
3. Perform root wash *
4. Mulch with 2” of pine bark mulch and water in well

*For a description of root wash, please see Dayton’s Rhododendron/Azalea planting instructions on our website or pick up a tip sheet from our store

Mountain Laurels are very light feeders and can be damaged from too much fertilizer.  Feed with Holly-tone early spring and late fall and never use a commercial liquid or granular fertilizer as the excess salts are harmful to the Laurel’s root system.

Once started, they are relatively problem-free and will give you years of enjoyment.

Crispy Chicken with Fresh Herbs Recipe
courtesy of Pillsbury

Whether you are an annual herb grower or just trying it out for the first time, try this easy, tasty chicken recipe.

Ingredients:
1     cup buttermilk
1/4  cup chopped fresh herbs (thyme, tarragon, oregano and/or chives)
       or 1 TBSP dried herbs
3     pounds cut-up frying chicken (8 pieces)
1     cup plain bread crumbs
2     TBSP butter or margarine, melted
1     teaspoon salt
1     teaspoon paprika
1/2  teaspoon pepper

Directions:
1.  In a large resealable plastic bag, combine buttermilk and herbs; mix well.  Add chicken pieces; turn to coat.  Seal bag.  Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight to marinate.

2.  Heat oven to 400 degrees.  In a shallow dish or pie pan, combine bread crumbs, melted butter, salt, paprika and pepper; mix well.  Roll chicken in crumb mixture until well coated; place on ungreased broiler pan.

3. Bake at 400 degrees for 45-55 minutes or until chicken is fork tender and juices run clear.

Rare Rhododendrons
Re-introductions in our line-up of Rhododendrons include ‘Caroline’ and ‘Summer Glow’.  These rare beauties will add color to your spring landscape.

Caroline, one of the first varieties we planted in 1973, grows to 4 feet with lilac-pink flower trusses in spring.  Not only pleasing to the eye, the subtle fragrance will lightly perfume the garden while in bloom.  The best part of this new Rhododendron is that it is not bothered by the deadly root-rot fungus called phytophthora.

Summer Glow is a maximum type Rhododendron hybrid flowering with a bright pink “glow” in mid-June which works well as a season extender.  Unfortunately, this rare and beautiful variety will only be available in trade one gallon size this year. 

Be sure to walk our Rhododendron “allee” in May to get a breadth of all the delightful rainbow of colors available.

The Scoop on Organics
Organic fertilizer and pest and disease control have been vastly improved over the last few years.  However, gardeners must be patient with using organics as they tend to work more slowly than the chemicals with their complex molecular structures we're used to.  For example, an organic fertilizer like Plant-tone or Dr. Earth works slower than Miracle Gro because microbes must break down the organic fertilizer to release its nutrients - sort of like a slow release fertilizer.  The advantage of the organic fertilizers is that they are lower in salts than chemical fertilizers and therefore are easier on beneficial soil microbes that help plants to thrive.

Organic disease controls such as Bi-Carb for powdery mildew and Serenade, which is a bacteria, tend to stay more effective over time as the pathogens build up a resistance to these remedies slowly, if at all.  Many of the organic insecticides have been "under our noses" for years such as cinnamon oil for spider mites, insecticidal soap for aphids and the now famous Neem Oil for almost everything under the sun including some plant diseases.

At Dayton's this year, our staff has been drilled and re-drilled to give you the right information using organics with success in your gardens and even on your lawns!

Please be aware that we won't recommend organic treatments for everything as every situation is different, however, the efficiency of many organic products seems to be getting better and better over the years and is making our nursery "greener" as well as your backyard, too.

Make a "Green" Promise
We can play an important role in helping slow and moderate the effects of global climate change.  All of the dire news about extended droughts and devastating hurricanes can make anyone feel powerless, but, if we all do a little to green up our yards, we can make a difference.   

*  Use manual or electric-powered tools instead of gas-powered equipment
*  Replace some turf with a diversity of low-maintenance trees, shrubs and perennials
*  Buy as much food as possible from local growers. Buying food locally can reduce the amount of fossil fuel devoted to your food supply.
*  Use mulch around trees and shrubs to conserve soil moisture
*  Collect rain water to use in the garden.
*  Make the most of your water supply by installing efficient drip irrigation hoses
*   Plant trees!  Trees absorb lots of carbon dioxide, keeping it from entering the atmosphere.
*  Strategically plant trees and shrubs to reduce your home heating costs.  Try planting a tall-growing deciduous tree on the SW or W side of your house.  The tree’s leaves will provide cooling shade in summer and winter sun to help warm your home.
*  Use organic gardening products whenever possible.  Non-organic products can runoff and pollute our lakes, streams and water supplies.

Operations to make our nursery "green" have been in
full swing since 1998!
Although we produce plants that beautify and enhance our surroundings, the production process of such products can lead to a wide variety of environmental problems.  Such problems include the use of dangerous chemicals to control insects, diseases and weeds, reliance on and heavy use of scarce water resources and the run off of this water from the land and into waterways.

In 1999, we installed an additional water pump in order to collect rain water, that would normally run off into nearby streams, into a one acre lake that is used for irrigation of the plants.  This rain water has increased the quality of the plant material because of the water purity.

We have also installed ebb-and-flow benches in our greenhouses to control the amount of run-off water that leaves the property to pollute creeks and streams.  In addition, a gas chlorinator has been installed in our irrigation system to help eliminate algae and certain diseases that can build up in our recycled water.

To cut down on energy usage, we are using roll-up sides on our greenhouses to cut down the energy needed to run large fans for ventilation.

See all of the ways we are helping to make a more "greener" environment online at daytonnursery.com

Spring 2007
Volume 8, Issue 1

Inside this issue:
Spring To-Do List
What's New for Spring
Landscape Design
Clematis 101
Heirloom Tomatoes
Recipe
Gardening for your Health

Dear Friends,
A lot has been going on behind the scenes in the winter of 2007 as we are introducing many new plants that have just come on the market such as the Broadway Lights Shasta Daisy, Double Pink Knock Out and Rainbow Knock Out shrub roses as well as Rhododendron 'Caroline', a lilac purple bloomer.

Virus-indexing is also one of the newest developments here at Dayton's.

What is virus indexing?
Simply, it is the process by which  viruses that cause plants to lose their strength and vigor, and are identified and removed.  Virus-indexed plants are healthier and more vigorous which means better growth and more blooms for you!  While not all of Dayton's perennials and annuals are virus-indexed, most are, so that we can achieve our goal by the spring of 2008 to have all of our plants virus-indexed!

• Begin spraying roses (teas & floribundas) to prevent black spot if you haven’t already.  We recommend alternating Bicarb and Fungonil according to the directions once each week.
• Apply Gordon’s Speed Zone weed killer to your lawn to get rid of stubborn weeds such as clover and ground ivy.  Just remember, temperatures cannot go above 85° F or damage to your lawn will occur.
• Spray the trunks and lower branches of your Dogwoods and Rhododendron with Eight the week of May 1, May 15 and May 30 to prevent borer damage.
• Apply Bayer’s Rhododendron/Azalea Insect & Disease Control as directed to kill lacebugs on your Azaleas, small-leaved Rhododendrons such as PJM and Pieris japonica which is sure to attack the plants and kill them.  It is best applied around April 15^th and repeated every 6 weeks until September 1^st.
• Check out Dayton’s new plant selection for 2007 in the plant encyclopedia on our website.
• Till or plow your garden when the ground is workable.  Working up ground that is too wet will seriously compost the soil.
• Plan an organically-grown garden this year by using the organic fertilizer Plant-tone and Neem Oil and the naturally occurring bacteria called BT that kills cabbage worms and tomato worms.
• Warning!  Carefully inspect any Spruce, Arborvitae, Honelocust trees among others for bag worm which has invaded northern Ohio since 2006.  Using the organic pesticide Bascillus thuringiensis will kill them quickly when the caterpillars are young and is safe to use for you, your pets and your family.  Keep an eye out for the critters (caterpillars) through July.

What's New
A lot has been going on behind the scenes in the winter of 2007 as we are introducing the following new plants that have just come on the market such as:

Broadway Lights Shasta Daisy  is a Proven Winner variety that is hardy and strong and has the unusual habit of three different colored flowers on the same plant!  The first flowers to open are buttery yellow, earlier blooms are a delightful creamy  yellow and the first open blooms are white like those of a familiar Shasta.  Broadway Lights Shasta daisies will be available in early to mid May.

Dark Angels Dahlias are our newest addition to our tuberous Dahlia family and are noted for their dark leaves which set off the bright blooms of yellow, pink and red.  Bred in Denmark, these short, compact dahlias are perfect for pots, flower boxes or just planted in the ground.  And like other dahlias, the tubers can be saved and stored to plant the next year!

Double Pink Knock Out and Rainbow Knock Out are the latest additions to the Knock Out Rose family.  The Double Pink Knock Out has double, medium pink blooms like it’s cousin Pink Knock Out only the double flowers give it the appearance of a tea rose!  The Rainbow Knock Out covers itself with coral pink flowers painted with rich yellow at the base.  It's also more compact and floriferous than the earlier Knock Out roses.  To be expected of the Knockout family, both Double Pink and Rainbow are unaffected by black spot with good resistance to mildew and rust.

Almost impossible to find, Rhododendron ‘Caroline’ is worthwhile growing in any northern garden!  Rhododendron 'Caroline' has a fragrant, light lilac colored flower, grows to about 4 feet in partial shade and does not get the dreaded Rhododendron root rot and is the only variety that doesn’t!

Daytons 12” flower hanging baskets are just the ticket for all summer blooms as the soil volume is a full 40% greater than that of traditional hanging baskets so there is more room for roots and more room to hold water so that plants perform much better in the hot summer.  Our 12” hanging baskets are grown right in our own greenhouses and have been treated with a slow release fertilizer to give them a longer boost.

New Product Spotlight
Bayer's Azalea & Rhododendron Insect & Disease Control.  This systemic product works from inside the plant to kill bugs and control disease.  A MUST for controlling lacebug on Azaleas.

Achieve the Landscape of your Dreams!
To help you realize your vision of an ideal landscape, whether its just a simple foundation planting or the creation of a garden of paradise, one of Dayton's expert designers will be available to help you.  Since we have propagated and grown many of the plants we sell, we "know" plants and their needs, so while creating your landscape dreams, each home is customized not only with your wants and desires but the needs of the plants as well.  You'll end up with a landscape that is beautiful, functional as well as one that will work.  Check out our website for more details about landscape services or give us a quick call or e-mail to request a free design kit.

Clematis 101
Growing and pruning Clematis is one of our most asked about subjects.  Even though some varieties take some care and attention, they are well worth growing!  Clematis explodes in the garden with masses of flowers ranging in colors from white to pink to purple and even blue.

Growing Tips:
*  Choose a planting site that will receive 6 hours of sun or more per day and be well-drained with a neutral pH
*  Keep the area around your Clematis free of debris year round
*  Mulch the root system as they like to have their roots shaded
*  Plant the vine somewhat deep so that 2 of the buds are below ground level so that they will be preserved in case of dieback of the vine
*  Take special care to avoid injury to the stem and roots

Just one annual pruning is sufficient for Clematis.  Although requirements differ from variety to variety, the process is easy to master.  The 3 types of pruning techniques are grouped based on bloom time.

Group 1: This group produces their flowers directly from old stems, and, therefore, pruning must be done after the last flowers have dropped from the vine.  Prune lightly, remove all dead and weak stems and do not cut back more than one third of the stems.

Group 2: These large-flowered types bloom first from last sesaon's stems and new growth.  In early spring, watch for swelling leaf buds beginning to show.  Cut all dead material off from above these swelling buds.  Tie all growth to it's trellis at this time.

Group 3: This group blooms later from new growth.  This group should be pruned in March to about 12" as new leaf buds begin to show low on the plant.  All dead material above these buds should be removed at this time.

Be sure to check out new varieties of the Festoon Clematis Collection such as Galore, Avant-Garden and Bonanza.  These are free-flowering from mid-summer to early fall.  They provide summer color when traditional early flowering forms are finished or resting and requires little care.  A perfect compliment to small trees and climbing roses!

Heirloom Tomatoes
You've been asking... Heirloom tomatoes have become increasingly popular and more readily available in recent years.  Because of this and your requests, we plan to deliver on a good selection of Heirloom tomatoes this season in our greenhouse.  We will stock familiar varieties of Heirlooms such as Hillbilly, Cherokee Purple, Mortgage Lifter and more!  These tried-and-true fruits have been grown for years and years.... nurtured, selected and handed down from one family member to another for many generations.

Blackberry Crumbles
4     cups fresh blackberries
1/4  cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1/4  teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4  cup rolled oats
3     tablespoons unsalted butter,
       softened, plus more for ramekins
6     store-bought sugar cookies, coarsley crushed
3     tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3     tablespoons all-purpose flour
pinch of salt

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 375°F.  Stir blackberries, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 1/2 tablespoons flour, and the lemon juice in a bowl; set aside.
2.  Put butter, cinnamon, salt and remaining tablespoon sugar into a small bowl.  Stir vigorously with a rubber spatula until creamy.  Stir in cookies, oats and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons flour.  Work mixture through fingers until it forms coarse crumbs.
3.  Butter four 5-ounce ramekins (3 1/2" diameter).  Divide blackberry mixture among ramekins; transfer to a rimmed baking sheet.  Sprinkle with crumb topping.  Bake until juices are bubbling and topping is golden brown, 20-25 minutes.  Let cool on rack 20 minutes before serving.

Martha Stewart Living, April 2007

Gardening for your Health
You may not think of gardening as great exercise but as you pull those weeds, spread that mulch and trim those shrubs, you are improving your overall health while toning and strengthening your body.  Gardening just 30 minutes per day can improve your cardiovascular fitness and may even help to reduce stress, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Gardening is also more rewarding mentally and emotionally.. wouldn't you rather gather a bouquet of flowers then walk an hour on a treadmill?

Calories burnt:
(per hour, 135 pound person)
Walking 215
Raking 265
Trimming 275
Weeding 275
Digging 305
Push Mowing 370
Running 430