FAMILY TREE NURSERY

January at Family Tree Nursery

2011-12-27T12:24:00.001-06:00

Our hours have changed at our Overland Park store. We are open 9-5 Monday-Saturday and we are closed on Sundays through January.

Our Liberty and Shawnee locations will be closed through January for remodeling & inventory.

Holiday Sale

2011-12-20T09:45:00.003-06:00

Santa!

2011-12-05T10:03:00.001-06:00

This weekend,
Saturday, December 10th Santa will be at Family Tree Nursery: Overland Park from 10:30am-2pm
and Sunday, December 11th they will be at Family Tree Nursery: Shawnee from 10:30am-2pm.

2011-12-01T11:20:00.001-06:00

Come visit the Claus' this weekend, Sunday, December 4th, at our Liberty location.

They will be there from 10:30am- 2pm.

830 W Liberty Dr

816-781-0001

Holiday-Winter Pots

2011-11-22T10:45:00.001-06:00

Come in for a custom designed Winter Container or come in to design your own. We have all the supplies to make your porch or patio beautiful for the holidays!

NOVEMBER'S HERE

2011-11-02T15:59:00.002-05:00

Fall Extended

2011-10-26T16:22:00.002-05:00

Take advantage of this prolonged beautiful weather and continue planting!

Trees, shrubs, perennials, bulbs... These can all be planted right now! As long as you can work the soil, meaning it's not frozen, you can be planting!

But with this extended fall is coming an extended dry spell. So make sure you are watering and watering deep!

October is HERE!

2011-10-04T15:43:00.001-05:00

Well, this weekend was so fun! The weather was great for Oktoberfest. A lot of folks came out to enjoy the music, entertainment and of course the great sales. We still have some of our sales still in effect. All 8" mums are 25% off, Red Pointe, Commemoration Sugar Mape, and Pacific Sunset Maple are all still 25% off. Plus we have a lot of Red Tag specials throughout our stores.

Also, a reminder: Container Garden Workshops!
Oct. 8th & 9th
Saturday 10am-4pm
Sunday 11am-4pm

At our Shawnee and Overland Park locations.

October Events

2011-09-27T17:04:00.000-05:00

This weekend is Oktoberfest!

Mark your calendars for the following week, too, and join us for Container Workshops at the Shawnee & Overland Park stores!

Oct. 8th & 9th
Saturday 10am-4pm
Sunday 11am-4pm

Join us for our day-long DIY container workshops! Starting at just $29.99, receive all the supplies and personal instruction to create your own whimsical garden. Pot it up here and leave the mess with us!

OKTOBERFEST at SHAWNEE

2011-09-20T17:23:00.001-05:00

2011-09-15T10:55:00.002-05:00

2011-09-06T09:20:00.002-05:00

Now that the temperatures have cooled and we can finally get out in the yard again keep an eye out for our weekly specials!

Plan for the Fall

2011-08-08T11:30:00.001-05:00

Summer is quickly coming to an end. Kids are heading back to school. That means it is time to start either planning or actually planting your fall garden.

Now is a good time to sow some more carrots & beets.

We still may have some extreme heat before the cool of September sets in. So it would be a good idea to start seeds inside, of the fall veggies you want to grow. But before transplanting them into the garden make sure you acclimate the new sprouts. Place your containers in direct sun and provide lots of moisture for 2-4 days.

KSU Field Trials

2011-07-29T10:32:00.003-05:00

Our KS heat and wind makes it makes gardening a little difficult. Want to know which plants do best here? We have a great resource in our area! KSU Field Trials and Research Center! They have an extension site with acres dedicated to trialing plants here in the Midwest!

This Saturday, July 30th, is their annual Open House.

All-American Vegetable selections
All-American Flower selections
turf trials
vegetable trials
flower trials
guided tours
educational sessions

Here are the details:
Sat. July 30th, 8am-3pm
35230 W 135th st
Olathe, KS 66061
$5 admission

This is a great opportunity so take your notebooks and make a 2012 wish list!

It's HOT!

2011-07-22T11:13:00.001-05:00

To do for July:

Fertilize your vegetable garden and spray with Captain Jack's Dead Bug Brew to prevent bugs.
Water your young trees and shrubs regularly.
Water your lawn 1" of water per week.
Treat your lawn for grubs, fleas and chiggers.

If you got our 2011 calendar this year don't forget to use your coupon! It is located on the very back page of the calendar!

Mother's Day is drawing near!

2011-05-05T09:02:00.009-05:00

Treat your mother, give her one of our fabulous combo pots or baskets!

Or you could bring her in to pick out her own!
We are open Sunday from 10am-5pm.

2011-04-21T12:20:00.000-05:00

Lilacs

The fragrance of lilacs fill the air. A sure sign that spring is in full force.

Plant your lilacs where they will get a lot of sun, they need at least 6 hours of sun to bloom well. Be sure to prune your lilacs right after the blooming season. The buds form over the summer, so fall pruning will cut off the flower buds resulting in less blooms the next year. If you remove spent blooms before they go to seed the plant will have more energy to put towards next years flower buds. Fertilize the lilacs with a good tree and shrub fertilizer, like Espoma Tree-Tone, after the lilac blooms in the spring and then again in late fall.

You can't beat the smell of lilacs! Come by any of our 3 Family Tree Nursery locations to get a lilac for your yard. We have plenty to choose from! Happy Spring!

2011-04-08T13:05:00.003-05:00

BURGANDY HEARTS REDBUD

This beautiful, improved forest pansy has lavender-pink flowers in the spring followed by striking burgundy foliage that holds its color throughout the summer.

2011-03-22T11:01:00.000-05:00

Ladies Day Out & our Open House was a huge success! The weather was beautiful! We had a great turnout. Kids club was hoppin' and many people left with gorgeous container gardens. I want to thank everyone for stopping by Family Tree Nursery this weekend!

2011-03-16T17:41:00.000-05:00

This weekend is our Ladies Day Out & Spring open house at Family Tree Nursery Overland Park! The display gardens are looking lovely, all of the workshop stations are ready to go and flowers keep rolling in!

2011-03-07T16:25:00.000-06:00

Bulbs are starting to peek out of the dirt so spring must be near...

12 days to be exact.

Preparation for spring is in full swing here at Family Tree Nursery. Plants are rolling in; hellebores, pansies, some cole crops & nursery stock to name a few.

March Open House at our Overland Park store is coming up. Here is a sneak peek of one of the lovely display gardens in our greenhouse. We will have our annual Ladies Day Out Friday the 18th at Family Tree Nursery: Overland Park, then the 19th & 20th will be our annual Open House at our Overland Park location also.

2011-02-21T16:32:00.003-06:00

27 days until spring!

Our hours will be changing soon.
Starting Feb. 28th Family Tree Nursery will be open:
Mon-Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 10:30am-5pm

We have pansies!

Our employees are working hard getting our Overland Park store ready for our annual Ladies Day Out- Fri. 18th. & March Open House- Sat. 19th & Sun. 20th. Keep your eye out for our mailer or an email from us. If you don't receive our mailers or emails go to our website and sign up for our mailing list!

Everyone is also getting ready for the busy weekend up ahead. We will be at the Johnson County Home & Garden Show Fri. - Sun.

And at our Overland Park & Shawnee locations we will be holding succulent garden workshops this weekend. Read more details below.

2011-02-18T15:39:00.000-06:00

Spring color at Family Tree Nursery!

We have some lovely gift plants to spruce up your home!

2011-02-16T10:03:00.003-06:00

Don't forget: Succulent Garden Workshop! At the Overland Park & Shawnee locations!

2011-02-07T11:49:00.002-06:00

February is Orchid month!

Surprise your Valentine with one of our beautiful orchids.
We've got a bunch of new ones in!
Prices starting at just $13.99!

Much more exotic than roses & they will last longer.
Don't forget to buy the orchid food.

Easy to care for.

We are back open on Sundays, right in time for Valentine's Day weekend.

Come on in to your local Family Tree Nursery!

2011-02-03T10:52:00.004-06:00

Hey folks, mark your calendars because we have some great stuff going on the last weekend in February.

1:: Come visit us at the Johnson County Home & Garden Show Friday the 25th - Sunday the 27th.
Friday-Saturday 10am-9pm, Sunday 10am-6pm.

Overland Park Convention Center
6000 College Boulevard
Overland Park, KS 66211

The tickets are $8.50 for adults. Come check out our display at the show!

2:: Saturday the 26th & Sunday the 27th, at our Overland Park & Shawnee locations, we will be having a Succulent Garden Workshop! It is a great opportunity to get your hands in the dirt! Gardener's of all ages will love creating this easy-to-maintain, container garden.

Bring a container from home or purchase one here. Purchase some succulents and we will help you put together your Succulent Garden. Soil & assistance is FREE!

::::: Hey Young Gardeners! Bring in a plastic dinosaur to put into your succulent garden & it becomes a prehistoric scene!

Hope to see you soon at your local Family Tree Nursery!

2011-01-28T13:09:00.002-06:00

Come purchase a cyclamen!

Sale starts today!

We have many colors to choose from:

We also have some assorted annuals that just came in. They are $5.49.

2011-01-22T13:34:00.000-06:00

Direct Sowing

-To sow seeds directly, wait until soil is workable. Usually, this is around St. Patrick’s day. Granted, there are a few annuals that demand warm soil temperatures, but these will specify this on the seed packet.

- Create an even seedbed by amending the soil, making sure it is loose and friable. Then rake it smooth.

- Plant the seed to the specific depth as instructed on the seed packet. Poke holes in the soil (at the appropriate depth) and put the seeds in the holes. This allows you to control the planting pattern.

-Cover seeds with soil, as much as instructed on the seed packet.

-Keep the seed bed evenly moist (not wet) until seeds germinate. Then water and weed carefully.

-When seedlings are a couple inches tall, and have more than two leaves, thin as directed on seed packet.

Annuals for direct sowing: Bachelor Buttons, Calendula, Cosmos, Larkspur, Marigolds, Morning Glories, Nasturtiums, Annual Poppies, Sweetpea, Sunflower, Zinnia

Seed Starting indoors

-Choose a warm, room-temperature space (65-70 degrees). You will probably be using artificial light so access to power outlets may be a consideration as well.

-Seeds have different germination and growth rates. You will want to transplant your seedlings outdoors after the last frost; this means starting seeds at different times. By the first week in May, there is virtually no chance of further frost (in our area). You should find instructions indicating the number of weeks before "last frost" to start the particular seeds indoors. Work backward from the first weekend in May.

-Select containers. If you are re-using containers it is wise to use a mild bleach solution to disinfect them. All containers must have holes in the bottom to allow drainage - seeds want to be moist not soaking wet. For this reason, use a rimmed tray to set your containers in.

-Fill your containers with dry potting soil. Choose a good seed starting mix- we suggest our Family Tree Nursery potting soil. Next, thoroughly soak the soil in the containers with warm water and gently tamp down the wet soil. This creates the warm, moist environment that seeds need for germination.

-Place several seeds in each container. Bury the seeds at a depth that is roughly two times the size of the seed itself. For the smallest seeds just cover them with a light sprinkling of dry potting soil. Place the seeds in a spot with moderate light ; normal household light is sufficient in most cases.

-Seeds need heat to germinate. Use heating mats to achieve the 80-85 degree temperature ideal for maximum results. Cover your containers with plastic wrap or use the domes supplied with seed flats to keep the soil from drying out too quickly. Check your containers once or twice a day and mist them with warm water as necessary.

-When the seedlings have emerged and began to open more than two leaves, it is time to remove the heat and give them more light. They need about 16 hours of bright light each day. Sunny windows are just not enough, so invest in a grow light. Bulbs should be placed several inches above the seedlings and raised as the plants grow.

-Bigger seedlings will now need fertilizing. We still recommend misting as a way to water the plants and at this point we add a balanced water soluble fertilizer diluted to half strength to our spray bottle.

-Thin out the weaklings! Choose the strongest in each pot and pull the rest. This allows the strongest to get the most nutrients and eventually survive your garden! As they grow, move to bigger peat pots, since these can be set directly in the ground after last frost. Also, consider keeping a fan going to increase circulation, lowering risk of disease and to mimic wind, which helps in the hardening off process.

-Toward the end of April you need to prepare your plants for transplant by "hardening them off". This is done by gradually introducing them to the outdoors. Place them in a protected space for three hours a day and gradually work up giving them full sun and wind exposure before planting into the garden.

2011-01-19T12:52:00.001-06:00

Winter is in full force this week. Are you feeling dreary because of the season? Well I have some suggestions to brighten these cold winter days and to remind you that spring is right around the corner (60 days to be exact.)

1:: Start your spring garden planning! Get your lists ready and decide what you want to grow from seed or from plant. Our seeds & seed starting supplies are rolling in. The seed aisle is almost full again. So bring in your notebook & start taking notes on different things you would like to try. Or you could do your buying early so when the time comes, you just need to plant.

2:: Get a new house plant to place in your window. We have many tropicals ranging from low light to high light in our greenhouses. I have quite a few plants in my window & they make me very happy. We have flowering plants, like orchids or cyclamen or foliage plants, like philodendron or crotons. If anything a stroll through the greenhouse should warm you up.

Hope to see you at Family Tree Nursery soon!

2011-01-15T15:20:00.002-06:00

Quick Care tips for Cyclamen and African violets!

Cyclamen:
-Love cool weather. They bloom from mid-autumn to mid-spring (or whenever it gets too hot).
-Keep them in a cool, bright window.
-Fertilize every two weeks. Allow to dry between waterings.
When they go dormant in spring, let the leaves all dry up. Quit watering, move to the garage (or trash, if that's your bent!) and forget it. When it starts to cool down again, you'll see new growth begin to pop up. Begin fertilizing and watering again!

African Violets:
-Watering is the biggest hurdle. If you water from the top, don't splatter it on the leaves! It will spot and look ugly. If you water from below (a better bet), just put the pot in water or fill the saucer with water. When the soil has begun to feel moist, remove water. We also sell very cute self-watering pots!
-Keep them away from chilly windows. They love east light, bright light but not direct. Turn them regularly so they don't bend to their light source too much.
-Repot once a year. While they enjoy being rootbound, they need fresh soil.

Good luck- ask us if you have questions!

2011-01-13T15:56:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone- It is cold. It is dreary. But these dark winter (or bright frigid) days are good for a lot in the plant world. Cooling time. Bulbs love the cool- need it to grow in the spring. So here is my experiment. I have no idea if these bulbs have been kept cool enough to get growing in pots. But what a fun little trial!
Pop your bulbs into a pot- either line with rocks (pea gravel, deco rock, dragon tears) or potting soil.
Place the bulbs about 2/3 of the way down. Let their little green tips and necks be exposed. Water thoroughly but do not overwater. Allow to dry between waterings.
Because these look a little sad by themselves, I added some moss and glass. Pretty, no?

Miniature narcissus in a container with moss and rock.

Reindeer moss has a great chartreuse color!

Streptocarpella


Cyclamen

Also check out the streptocarpella, a great inside plant for cool weather. A relative of the African Violet- enjoys the same culture.

Another cold lover- cyclamen. These beauties love cool windows, medium to bright light and have the perkiest colors.

2011-01-12T09:54:00.000-06:00

Hey gardeners & Family Tree fans!

All Christmas decor is now 75% off!

~with the exception of Thymes Frasier Fir items, which are 50% off.
Offer not valid on returned merchandise.
All sales final

2010-12-27T14:05:00.002-06:00

CHRISTMAS SALE! GOING ON NOW!

50% off CHRISTMAS (reg. price)

2010-12-20T15:01:00.000-06:00

Holiday plant gifts:

Here's another classic holiday plant for you to gift.

2010-12-16T11:48:00.001-06:00

Here's another great gift idea.
A unique bonsai tree from Family Tree!

We have a bunch to choose from: Juniper, Tigerbark Ficus, Podocarpus, Fukien Tea, etc. However varieties may vary at each store so if you are looking for something specific call ahead and talk to one of our experts.

~~Plus if you purchase a finished bonsai receive a free Bonsai Survival Guide.~~

2010-12-13T12:13:00.000-06:00

I wanted to showcase my favorite houseplant. It is easy to care for; low light and water requirements. And it looks nice too. I have given it as a gift on multiple occasions and I have two of my own. So if you want to give a plant gift to someone and you are not sure if they have a green thumb, this is the plant for you. It would make a great holiday gift!

Plus our greenhouses feel great. Nice and warm. I enjoy strolling through them especially on really cold days like today.

2010-12-07T11:18:00.000-06:00

We have these new, living succulent wreaths in!

succulent wreath : $59.99

They need plenty of light.
Water only when the moss base is completely dry, by sprinkling water onto the base or immersing it into water.
As it grows you may need to trim it to keep the desired shape.

You could hang them inside, or use them on your table as an unique center piece this holiday season. We have plenty of decorations if you would like to jazz yours up, but they are also beautiful on their own.

2010-12-05T14:43:00.000-06:00

I want to help all of you out there who are growing plants indoors. Do you water correctly? Yes, there is a correct way to water. Let me pass on to you the information we give customers who ask for help:

Wait until the plant is dry 1/3 of the way down (use your finger to test).
Add water- visualize how big your pot is and add that much water. 6 1/2 inch pot? 2 quarts or so. With newer potting soils that include lots of vermiculite and perlite (and no actual soil), water can just run through the pot if the plant is very dry.
Do not water again until the plant is dry 1/3 of the way down! Mark (manager at the Overland Park store) always says, "Plants are like people. They can only drown once!"

Also, if you hadn't noticed, it is the Christmas season! I know... Christmas trees :) We carry Fraser Firs, Noble Firs and Scotch Pines. Obviously, they come in many different sizes!

Here's our recommendation for a successful live Christmas tree this year:

First, set up your stand BEFORE you come to pick up your live tree! (Please, please do this. Read on for particulars....)
Choose tree and let us trim the end, wrap it up and load it for you.
Rush home- literally! You have about 45 minutes to get this puppy home and in water before the clean end callouses over. While the end is still fresh and open, the tree will take up water and stay looking beautiful for weeks!
When you get your tree home, immediately put your tree in the stand and pour BOILING water into the stand. Don't allow the tree to run dry (ever) but most crucially in the first two days. Another story about our manager Mark involves him setting an alarm for three a.m. to go down and water the Christmas tree! It is really important to keep the water reservoir filled completely during the first couple days. The tree will "drink" more than you think! Check frequently.

(On a side note, we sell a Candycane watering funnel. It's a hoot and makes getting water into your tree much easier when the tree skirt and presents are in the way!)

2010-12-01T16:49:00.001-06:00

Get your holiday lights at Family Tree:

All tree light sets are 25% off the regular price.
This does not include Light Garden products.

*Holiday Special*
Family Tree transplanter
now $1.99 was $5.99

2010-11-30T12:18:00.001-06:00

Look at all our fresh greens! We have wreaths, boughs, swags, trees, garlands, garland balls and more! Welcome this season's guests with a beautiful winter pot for your porch. If you want to make your own we have all the supplies. If you don't want the real thing we have a huge assortment of artificial greens to use year after year!

2010-11-23T15:50:00.000-06:00

If you didn't come in to Family Tree to take advantage of the great Open House savings this past weekend, don't worry, we are extending the deals through the 24th... TOMORROW! So hurry on over for some great buys!

We will be closed Thursday, Thanksgiving day. But we will be back open Friday with our new holiday hours:

Mon-Fri (starting this Friday) 9 am - 8 pm
Sat 9 am- 6 pm
Sun 10:30 am - 5 pm

Have a happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-19T10:33:00.003-06:00

This weekend, starting today, is our Holiday Open House! Come, see all of our new Christmas items, poinsettias & live greens! We have some great deals going on this weekend, check our weekly ad. We carry Mark Roberts Fairies, Grandma Hoerner's jams, jellies & preserves, Thymes products & Trapp candles. Hope to see you here!

2010-11-16T11:05:00.001-06:00

The holiday season is officially upon us...

Poinsettias are here!

Also our Annual Holiday Ladies Night is tomorrow! We are starting it early this year. It starts at 2pm and goes through 8pm. So come in after 2p for 25% off your entire purchase of regularly priced items. From 5pm-7pm we will have live music, appetizers by Avenues Bistro & paraffin hand treatments. So grab the girls & head on over to any of our 3 Family Tree locations for a great evening!

2010-11-04T11:27:00.000-05:00

It's strikes me that part of what Autumn brings with her is a renewed interest in the wildlife surrounding us. In the Spring and Summer, we're surrounded by glorious displays of new growth, abundant harvests and remarkable flowers. In the fall, we start to slow down, the leaves turn and drop. Birds become more remarkable and obvious as they prepare for the cold winter ahead.
Many of the fruits and berries we plant for ourselves are also enjoyed by birds. Rather than trying to keep the birds out of your strawberries, blueberries, and fruit trees, consider planting more than you need for yourself. That way, there should be enough fruit for you and the birds. Most native shrubs and trees around here are bird friendly. Plant some evergreens for winter cover for birds. (I apply this same philosophy to my butterfly host plants like dill and fennel)

Shrubs/ Trees that birds love:

Chokecherry- a lovely wild purple tree. Vigorous grower, great foliage that changes from green, red then to reddish purple in fall. 20-25' H x 15' W
Serviceberry- gorgeous spring flowers, great edible berries and good tree shape. This can either be a multi-stemmed shrub (small tree) or a single trunk tree shape. 15' H x W.
Mahonia (Oregon Grape Holly)- 4' H x W. Shiny, leathery, persistent leaves (not quite evergreen). Yellow blooms and great yellow/bronze colored leaves. Some have blue black fruit which birds love!
Aronia melanocarpa or ChokeBERRY (not the same as chokecherry)- up to 6' H x W for the black variety. Really nice leaves, great berry set. Create good hedges from a very native-type plant! And takes some shade too... what a plant :).
Viburnums- (this is a huge family but I'll just tackle a few)
   Viburnum dentatum, Blue Muffin- 6-10' H x 5' W, gorgeous blue berries and an upright form.
      Viburnum trilobium, Cranberry Bush-8-10' H x 8' W, red berries become black in winter, fall color is maroon. A native beauty that will take over a large space; likes moist soil and bottomlands.
      Viburnum nudum, Brandywine- 5-7'H x W, glossy leaves, berries turn from light pink to deep red, fall color is deep maroon!
      Viburnum dilatatum, Cardinal Candy- 6-8' H x 4' W, great red berry set, fall color amazing and drought/ deer resistant.

Chokecherry

Mahonia

Thanks for reading... I hope this inspires you. I'd love to have a great photo of a Blue Jay or a Cardinal on this blog but haven't been able to capture one! Cardinals almost always love those big wild junipers (Eastern Red Cedar commonly)- those berries and the year round cover. Behind my grandparents' house in Arkansas was a 15 foot tall craggy old juniper. While doing dishes each morning and evening, my grandparents would admire the redbirds cavorting beside the old barn.

2010-11-01T12:36:00.000-05:00

It’s the first of November and Thanksgiving is just three weeks away.

What does your front porch look like?

Throw away the rotten jack-o-lanterns and step back and take a look. Not presentable for the company your will be having soon? Well, we can help. Come by and let us help design a custom Harvest Pot for your front steps today.

2010-10-29T14:37:00.003-05:00

Speaking of bulbs, it is not only the time to plant, but the time to dig up bulbs as well.

Tropical plants such as Cannas & Elephant Ears (pictured below) need to be overwintered properly and outdoors in KS is not the way to do it.

Once the frost has blackened or wilted the foliage (do not leave it out during a hard freeze) cut back the foliage about 3-6 inches from the bulb.

Dig the bulbs up carefully. Clean off the soil & let it dry for about 2 weeks.

Store the bulb(s) in an unheated, dry space with temperatures between 40-50 degrees in boxes or bags with airholes filled with sawdust or peat moss. Don't place the bulbs in storage touching.

Check the bulbs a few times throughout the winter for signs of rot.

If you have the bulbs in a pot, you could just cut back the plant and bring the entire pot in for storage.

2010-10-23T13:45:00.003-05:00

One of the reasons I love bulbs is the obvious- early spring color. Bulbs, however, are like old-fashioned, European fairy woods to me. They carpet meadows and can create these landscapes of miniature glory!! While I love full size flowers, I’ve chosen some here that are miniature, delicate, airy and just special. Oh, and they are deadly easy to grow!!! Plant them in the fall, people. Right now and colder is the perfect time!
Here is a fertilizing tip from our experts at Family Tree Nursery. What I’ve heard and read in the past is: use a bulb fertilizer in the fall and every fall. The Dutch say otherwise! They say fertilize in SPRING, when foliage yellows (after bloom). Use bone meal when planting (to encourage root growth) and lots of top dressing with compost. Amend your soil so it’s LIGHT. Clay? Damp? Moist? Work in the compost.

Bulbs I love:
‘Grape Hyacinth’, Muscari- Dense, fragrant spikes of cobalt blue/ purple/ white flowers. Superb when planted en masse and allowed to self-sow freely. Heirloom, 1877. Muscari are accommodating, simple-to-grow, durable bulbs. Inexpensive and fast to spread, they're a perfect choice to create a carpet of soft blue beneath yellow or white Daffodils or early pink Tulips. Because Muscari are so often grown en masse and their flowers are small, it's easy to miss how beautiful and intricate they are. Not even the cleverest jeweler could create such delicate clusters of luminous blue or violet beads. I picture them carpeting the forest floor in some primeval spring woods….
Culture: Muscari thrive in full sun or deciduous shade, tolerate practically any soil, and seem to live forever. They are ideal as companions for taller bulbs or flowering shrubs, and look marvelous set out in loose sweeps all by themselves. They spread!
Variety: There are color mixtures, blue/ blue purple/ white/ light blue. They all naturalize and are about the same size. Pick your poison!

Narcissus or Daffodil bulbs will not survive in soils that are wet, especially during the winter. Avoid low-lying areas where water gathers or where the snow is late to melt in spring. Plant bulbs at a depth three times their height. Daffodil bulbs appreciate deep planting in light soil. If your soil is heavy, try planting less deeply than we recommend, making up the difference with a layer of mulch on top.
Culture: Plant larger or bedding-size bulbs 5-6 in. apart (4-5 bulbs per sq. ft.), smaller or landscape-size bulbs 3-4 in. apart (5 bulbs per sq. ft.), and the miniatures 3-4 in. apart (10-15 bulbs per sq. ft.). When planting, keep in mind that the blooms tend to face the prevailing direction of the sun; in a border viewed from the north, they will look away from you.
       -Do not separate bulbs that are attached at the base; the smaller bulb (known as an off-set or a "daughter" bulb) should not be detached from the parent bulb before planting.
   -To make clumps of Daffodils easy to find, plant a few Grape Hyacinths (Muscari) amongst them; the Grape Hyacinths send up a bit of leaf growth in the fall. Fertilize with Bone meal in the fall and use bulb fertilizer in the Spring. We recommend using a granular slow-release fertilizer formulated especially for bulbs. Hi-Yield Bulb Fertilizer or Espoma Bulb-Tone!
Variety: The miniature varieties we sell (suitable for a rockery, a mini garden, lining a garden path or the front of a bed) include Narcissi cyclamineus ‘Bellsong’ and ‘February Gold’. They are known as species daffodils- the ‘native’ and nativizing type.

‘Glory of the Snow’, Chionodoxa- About 4” H. Look great naturalized under trees. Pair with other small early blooming bulbs, like species daffodils, squill and muscari. Has same culture and requirements as daffodils and muscari.


‘Snowdrops’, Galanthus- about 6” H. They are unique, wonderful early blooming gems. They like moist, rich soils and do well in clay! Top dress each autumn with bone meal. Snowdrops are suitable for growing in borders, meadows, woodlands, and containers. They should be grown in a lightly shaded location in moist, cool soil such as equal parts of loam and compost or peat moss and sand. Plant the bulbs 3 or 4 inches deep and 2 or 3 inches apart in the fall. They look best when planted at least three or four plants together. Water Snowdrops well while they are blooming. Snowdrops can be difficult to establish in the garden and may take a couple of years to adjust to the new site, but, eventually, they will form large, compact groups.

2010-10-22T15:00:00.003-05:00

The fresh harvests of the summer are coming to an end. Soon we will be in the heart of winter dreaming of the spring & summer days to come when we can enjoy the fresh flavors those seasons bring. So to make the winter foods still taste fresh bring your herbs inside!

Here are 5 herbs you should try indoors:

Basil

Chives

Rosemary

Mint

Parsley

If you are bringing them in, trim them back & clean them up. Plant them up in a pot with good soil & drainage. They need quite a bit of light to survive indoors, 6 hrs of light at least. So put them in your sunniest window. If you have a lack of natural light you can add some artificial grow lights as well. They need less water through the winter & not a lot of fertilizer. You should feed them once a month with a very dilluted general purpose fertilizer. Don't expect your herbs to produce as much as they would through the summer, make sure they are healthy & happy in their pots before you start harvesting from them.

So if you have some non-hardy herbs outside, give bringing them in a shot. You don't have anything to lose. And if you have already cleaned out your herb bed yet want to give indoor herb growing a shot, don't worry. We carry a selection of herbs all year long in our greenhouse.

We also have some awesome eco-friendly pots on sale, 50% off! They would be great for your indoor herb garden!
(ps- the potted plant in the post before this was in one of these pots! Cute, eh?)

2010-10-19T09:39:00.000-05:00

Ok. It's time to bring those house plants inside. Or at least start to.

Here are 5 steps to bring your house plants indoors:

Bring in when night temperatures are consistantly 55-60 degrees.
Acclimate full sun plants to shade over a 2 week period.
Spray with insecticides weekly over 3 weeks.
Apply an insecticide drench before bringing plants indoors.
Put systematic insecticide granules in the soil monthly.

2010-10-18T12:07:00.001-05:00

Thanks to everyone who made our fairy garden workshop a success! It was a lot of fun. Here are a few shots from the day:

2010-10-08T11:23:00.004-05:00

2010-10-07T12:42:00.001-05:00

October to-do's:

Lawn:

apply your 2nd application of fall fertilizer, high in nitrogen; aka: winterizer.
keep watering your lawn 1" per week. It's dry out there.

Planting:

buy bulbs while the selection is good (they sell fast.) don't plant them until it cools down more.
Plant some pansies.
We just got in a new selection of fall annuals.

Tropicals:

treat them with insecticides, at least twice, before bringing them in.
move them to the shade to acclimate them for living indoors.

2010-10-05T11:37:00.000-05:00

Thanks to everyone who came out this past Saturday to have some fun with us at FTN Shawnee's Oktoberfest! We had a great turn out and the weather was wonderful. We had some fun animals, fun crafts, live music... and so much more. If you missed it, don't worry. We do it every year.

2010-10-01T14:49:00.001-05:00

Alright folks. It is time for the fall. It is officially October. Let's celebrate the harvest season! Join us tomorrow at our Shawnee store for Oktoberfest. This is a fun family event. There will be a petting zoo, apple tasting, a corn bin and straw bale maze, refreshments, music & more. Kids 12 & under get a free pumpkin! And we will have a craft area set up for them to decorate it! Operation WildLife will be there with some local birds of prey!

We can't ask for better weather. We will have a gorgeous fall day with mid 60s weather! Perfect Oktoberfest weather! Hope to see you there!

Sat. October 2nd(TOMORROW)
10a - 4p
7036 Nieman rd.
Shawnee, KS

2010-09-29T17:50:00.000-05:00

Just Announced!

There has been an overwhelming response to our newly constructed fairy garden and to thank you for your interest we invite you to come by and make your own unique garden!

For just $30 we will provide all the supplies and personal instruction for you to make your own whimsical garden.

Supplies include:

3 fairy-sized plants
Family Tree potting mix
Assorted decorative rock, moss and mulch
Miniature garden accessory
Container (although feel free to bring your own from home)

We will be hosting the event at all three locations, Saturday October 16 at 10:00a and 2:00p.

Bring your girlfriends…bring your children…all are welcome, but seating is limited, so please call and reserve your space soon!

2010-09-28T12:36:00.005-05:00

Overland Park location.

Close to completion!

They are still working on it and tweaking it.

But it looks great! Come & see!

2010-09-27T10:01:00.001-05:00

Thanks for coming by and visiting us this weekend! We had a successful turnout. We hope you all enjoyed the designs, info & specials.

Well the Landscape Expo is over, however all the specials are good through this Thursday.

Also keep in mind that our Oktoberfest @ Family Tree Shawnee is this Saturday! Come in between 10a & 4p for some family fun activities. Operation WildLife will be at the store as well, with some local birds of prey! There will also be apple tasting, arts & crafts, corn bin, music, petting zoo, refreshments, strawbale maze, etc. Come have some harvest-time fun!

2010-09-23T12:01:00.000-05:00

And we have water!

Still under construction...

2010-09-22T16:58:00.000-05:00

WE'VE GOT PUMPKINS,GOURDS, STRAW BALES, CORNSTALKS, ETC!

2010-09-21T11:32:00.000-05:00

A fairy garden is a miniature garden, a fairy sized garden. We have a lot of miniature accessories (buckets, benches, arbors, wheel barrows, bird baths, etc) along with flower fairies to place in the garden. It is usually created in a smaller item, like an old bird bath. You use small plants to create it fairy-scale. From small tropicals to herbs. ANYTHING WORKS! Use your imagination. You can come in and by one already created or special order one. We are building a large one in the greenhouse at OP, table size! It will also have a water feature! It is a work in progress, hoping to be finished by this weekend's Landscape Expo. If you have fairy garden questions feel free to call any of the stores.

Close up of our table-size fairy garden from Spring Open House

Pre-made fairy garden $69.99

Our large fairy garden under construction

Large fairy garden, still a work in progress.

2010-09-19T15:57:00.001-05:00

UNDER CONSTRUCTION!

we've got a fairy garden in progress at our Overland Park greenhouse. Stop by if you want to see it in action. If you are interested in having your own fairy garden, talk to our staff about it. They are full of great ideas.

2010-09-19T12:41:00.000-05:00

Good morning to you!

A calendar update and reminder: Next Saturday and Sunday, 9/25- 9/26, we have our landscape expo at all three Family Tree locations. This includes information booths on

-watering,

-soil amending

-pruning

-hydrangea care and flowering shrub info

-maple tree info

-FREE landscape designs with our nursery designers! If you want help with your yard, please bring photos, measurements and ideas. We can only tackle one area that day!

This week at FTN, we have been busy selling grass seed and fertilizers, as well as mums, asters, pansies, pumpkins, cole crops and fall color trees! What many of you may not know is that we also do floral- occasionally, for weddings and always Valentine's day. This week, I designed a garden Victorian themed wedding floral! It was a blast and included hydrangeas, spray roses, ivory/ green long stemmed roses, star of bethlehem, seeded eucalyptus, rosemary, lemon thyme and bi-color sage and snowberry.

If you have a 'function' for which you'd like floral, speak to a manager. We can promise well-designed, creative and beautiful arrangements!

2010-09-16T14:54:00.003-05:00

Grandma Hoerner's is back!

Here's what we have in stock:

Apple sauce

Apple sauce w/ cinnamon

Apple sauce w/ cranberries

Raspberry apple sauce w/ jalapenos

Apple pie filling

Cherry pie filling

Apple butter

Pumpkin butter

Blackberry preserves

Blueberry preserves

Raspberry preserves

Strawberry preserves

Red pepper jelly

Mushroom herb sauce

2010-09-15T12:39:00.000-05:00

Here's our newest ad!

2010-09-14T12:36:00.000-05:00

Click on the EVENT tab up above to get the details on our upcoming LANDSCAPE EXPO!

2010-09-14T09:27:00.000-05:00

At the moment there has been one butterfly, there are 2 chrysalises and 7 caterpillars.

2010-09-13T16:31:00.001-05:00

Hey...just in..new stuff!

Tired of planting pansies every year? We just got in a shipment of gorgeous fall annuals including:

Snapdragons

Stock

Lobelia

Toto Rudbeckia

Black Scallop Ajuga

Creeping Jenny

Million Bells

And More!

All in convenient, easy to plant, quart size containers!

2010-09-09T15:07:00.001-05:00

Keep Kansas City Beautiful Dreamscape Makeover

(**Spoiler: This is a "toot our own horn" type of post. Sorry. Our charitable contributions help a very good organization do more good things! Read on...)

An organization called Bridging the Gap (check them out on FB or their website) spends much of every year working to help green-up Kansas City. One of its missions (just one of many) is to clean up abandoned urban spaces, empty lots and also help homeowners install green, sustainable landscape options (like rain barrels, bioswales, native plants, etc). Keep Kansas City Beautiful is one of its banner programs. Here is its mission: "Keep Kansas City Beautiful works in partnership with individuals, businesses and governments to create a cleaner and more beautiful Kansas City."

But really, here is the fun part--- the Dreamscape Makeover! Every year, KKCB hold a raffle. The prize is a $10,000 home landscape makeover; your very own sustainable beautification. For the last three years, Family Tree Nursery has contributed most nursery stock for each winner. Last year, we donated spruce, hollies, viburnums, liriope, perennials galore, roses, juniper and more! Other entities who have donated their time, energy and product include Audrie Seeley, House of Rocks, AGrand fertilizer, Michael Ashley Landscape Architecture and Missouri Organics.

This year was pretty great too. August 20th and 21st was the installation at Brett Bogan's home. Brett, the winner and homeowner, was excited and involved. He, along with an army of volunteers, helped install the rain barrels, the bioswale/ rain garden, the rainwater reclamation system, the trees and shrubs. This year features (from us at least) a lovely columnar white pine, a gorgeous Nyssa sylvatica (Blackgum) to absorb some excess water in a wet area. We provided some redbud trees, oakleaf hydrangeas, arborvitae and lots of other plants. I can't believe the devotion of the volunteers or the engagement of Melanie, the project coordinator! It was certainly exciting....

Wouldn't it be amazing to win something like that yourself? I fantasize about stone paths in my yard and a wonderful green patio- an outdoor, indoor sitting area with room for a sculpture! Oooo, and I also have always wanted to install a natural bioswale in the low part in my own yard. Water just rushes right through during rainstorms and I'd love to get a drain and install all sorts of rain garden plants... ah, I can just see it now! How about keeping that sort of mindset but bringing it into the present, into reality. Here is something you can do: choose one neglected spot in your yard and try to make it beautiful! Think about it's use: do you see it everyday? How do you view it (while driving by, from the street or when your are on your front porch maybe)? What would your wildest fantasy include? And how can you incorporate a little of that in a real-life, real-budget version?? Figure out what you want.... if you need help or sound advice, give us a holler! Everyone at FTN is here for a reason- for most of us (hopefully all of us :), that reason includes love of plants and people. We want to help you make your own landscape a beautiful one!

2010-09-08T11:51:00.011-05:00

Why aren't our mums blooming yet?

So…when are the mums going to bloom? I’ve heard this question a lot this year. Our mums look fab- they’re big and full and round- some are budded, but no blooms yet. What’s the deal you might ask? Well, here’s the scoop…

Green Mums (no buds/color):
• Cool weather speeds them up
• Hot weather slows them down

Mums with color:
• Hot weather speeds them up
• Cool weather slows them down

So we’re relying a bit on nature here. So we want it to cool down so our mums will bloom and stay cool so those blooms will last.

Other things to think about:
• You can trick mums a bit by messing with their daylight, but forced mums tend to bloom out quicker
• Mums usually bloom about 3-6 weeks- depending on temperature and light, so try and always buy mums in bud

• Darker colors, like red and purple, can fade out quicker

• Mums need 6 hours of sun to bloom, but can be potted in shade as long as flowers are at least half-way open

2010-09-06T14:46:00.001-05:00

Lovely fall arrangements.

Here at the Overland Park store we have these adorable arrangements for sale.

They are our eco pots stuffed with fall goods. In the center is acorus ogon surrounded by pansies. Then there are pumpkins and gourds placed around the edges. It would make a great center piece.
We have a lot of different containers, so you could create your own combo pot. We have mums, ornamental cabbage and kale, along with our pansies. We also have some great tropical plants to add to the mix.

2010-09-03T14:17:00.000-05:00

Who wants to become a lawn pro & have gorgeous grass?

2010-09-01T14:10:00.002-05:00

Time to make-over your containers!

All right, if you’re containers are like mine- it is definitely time to rework and refresh the front pots. Most years I urge customers to take stock and save what looks good, but with the way this year went I say it’s time to cut your losses and start fresh!

We tend to instantly think of mums when designing fall containers- and I like mums, but they have a short bloom time and will need to be replaced at least once if put in pots this early. If you love mums try putting a small one in with a combination of other plants. This way when the mum fades you can pluck it out and pop another in- no big deal (or expense). Mums look great with tropical crotons, ornamental peppers, big cabbages and coral bells. One of my favorite go-to arrangements for fall is simple: Ornamental grass (or corn shocks in large urns) in the center with 3 purple kale or cabbage around. Fill in areas with bright orange pumpkins and gourds and tuck in chunky Algerian ivy to cascade over. This super simple combination looks like Ms. Martha herself stopped by to decorate and looks fabulous through Thanksgiving!

Great plants for fall:

Mums
Pansies
Ornamental cabbage/kale
Swiss Chard
Mustard/ Lettuce

Parsley

Ornamental peppers

Coleus

Croton
Grasses
Lysimachia (Creeping Jenny)
Heuchera (Coral Bells)
Ivy
Sedum
Rieger Begonias
Kalanchoe
Millet

Remember to think outside the box when putting together fall containers. Shrubs, like Little Henry Sweetspire and Rosy Glow Barberry are a great focal point in containers and will winter over in the garden!

2010-08-30T12:23:00.001-05:00

FALL GARDENING with FAMILY TREE

What to plant for the fall:
Cole Crops, like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, make excellent fall crops. Lettuce, ~~spinach~~ and greens (mesclun mixes, arugula, mache) are also perfect for fall. Chard, Kohlrabi, Kale and Collards do well too. (We have all of these plants in! Come & get 'em!). There is also still plenty of time to start radish, carrots, and peas from seed.

Fertilizing and soil prep:

I know it's hard... but it is time to start pulling up plants. Rip out those tomatoes that aren't producing, vines that are dying, all of those other spent veggie plants. Then add some fresh compost and Chickity-Doo-Doo and plant away.

Establishing and Watering:
Maintain regular water in the fall garden- this is easier in the cooler fall weather. Your plants need to be watered one inch a week.

The first frosts of fall will damage some sensitive crops. However, the frosts also make some crops taste even better. Check the weather- if the temps are falling into the low 30's at night you might want to cover more sensitive crops like lettuce. Frost blankets, sheets, and milk jugs all work well- do not use plastic bags!

2010-08-26T14:06:00.001-05:00

*Here is a piece written by Jonah on organic options for lawncare. Got questions? Drop us a line/ comment/ phone call and we'll be happy to help!

Natural/Organic Lawn Care:
A Month by the Month Guide
Bluegrass and Fescue

Converting your lawn care schedule to a more natural, organic approach will not only help the overall health of the lawn, but it will aid in building the soil too! Why do I want to build better soil, you ask? When you build better soil, you are increasing microbial activity. The only way to do this is by adding organic matter! Using organic fertilizers requires microbial action to act as a middleman, also known as initiators. These micro-organisms feed on the fertilizer, and break it down into a form that plants can readily absorb and put to immediate use. By increasing microbes in the soil, it also increases the efficiency of plants response to organic fertilizer. This is why organic fertilizers can be used during the summer, despite the heat.

Synthetic fertilizers not only breakdown quickly, but they are only a temporary nutrients for your lawn and plants. If you are looking to have a healthy, happy yard then a natural/organic program is what you need. When you use natural/organic substitutes you are improving the soil conditions in which the roots grow. If you grow healthy roots you grow healthy plants.

Natural/Organic Fertilizers we recommend:
    N P K
-Corn Gluten                9-0-0
-Milorganite                 6-2-0
-Earthalizer                4-1-5
-Converted Organics         8-1-4
-Chickity Doo Doo             5-3-2.5

Natural/Organic Fungicides:
Serenade - Lawn Disease Control

Natural/Organic Herbicides:
Pharm Solutions – Weed Pharm

Month by Month PlanMarch
For a natural herbicide and early fertilizer apply Corn Gluten to your lawn. Corn gluten has a 9-0-0, N-P-K fertilizer formula. However, do not use corn gluten if you are going to seed your lawn in the spring as it may inhibit the germination and establishment of young seedlings. Milorganite may also be used as natural fertilizer and works great as a seed starter. Spring fertilization is important in getting the lawns’ roots active once again from winter dormancy.
March is also be a great time to apply a soil activator. Soil activators should not be used in place of fertilizer. The microbes in the soil activator help to make organic fertilizer more readily available for plant use—they do not replace the need for fertilizer. What good are a bunch of workers with no project to work on?

April
    This is the time to apply preemergent herbicide if you did not do so in March. Corn gluten is a great natural herbicide and fertilizer. You should not use corn gluten within 60 days of seeding. If you are just looking for a spring green-up then Milorgainte, Earthalizer, Converted Organics, or Chickity-doo-doo will work great.
    When you begin to mow your lawn, do not forget to mow at a 3-4 inches and do not bag the clippings. The clippings will be broken down by microbial activity, thus benefiting the lawn.

May
    There is still time for the application of pre-emergent and fertilizer if you have not yet. Remember, crabgrass germinates all summer so pre-emergent is very important even in may. If you are beginning to see weeds emerge you can use a Pharm Solutions – Weed Pharm is an organic herbicide. Be sure to spray or pull weeds weekly to be most effective.
Mid to Late May
    Keep an eye out for grubs in your lawn. If you are sure you have grubs and must use a chemical then use one of the following: Imidacloprid, Mach II, Merit, or Dylox. There is no organic grub control on the market that will eliminate a variety of grubs. Milky Spore is a biological control, but it is only specific to Japanese beetle larva.
Late May
    Time for late May fertilizing! This product should be a slow release, so any of the organic/natural fertilizers will work great.

June
    If you are seeing fungus problems in the yard use the organic fungicide by Serenade garden called Lawn Disease Control. This organic fungicide controls and helps prevent dollar spot and brown patch in your lawn, two of the most prevalent disease problems known to be in the Kansas City area. Follow up spray every 7-10 days as prevention during times of favorable conditions for fungus.
    It’s time to begin applying Yardsafe insect repellant. This cedar derived natural repellant helps in deterring fleas, chiggers, gnats, ants, mosquitoes, flies, and many other common yard insects. Apply every 30 days.
    If you missed your May fertilization make sure you get it on now. Remember that organic fertilizers are non-burning and will also help improve the soil conditions.
    If you are still seeing weeds you can use a Pharm Solutions – Weed Pharm as an organic herbicide, and keep on spraying and pulling weeds weekly as they will pop up all summer.

July
    Keep spraying for weeds, treat fungal problems as needed with Serenade’s fungicide, and continue to look for grubs.

August
This is the month to prepare for seeding in September. Take care of spraying and pulling all weeds now. Top dress your lawn with a quarter of an inch of compost so that it can be worked in when aerating and verticutting.

September
Best month for seeding (see handout on seeding lawns) and do not apply any weed killer until after new seeds have been mowed twice. After seeding use an organic fertilizer to get it established more rapidly. If not seeding use a fertilizer in early September to prepare for winterization, and to reduce the stress of the hot summer.

October
    Fertilize in mid-October to winterize your lawn. Winterization fertilization encourages spreading and tillering growth. The air temperature is cooler, the soil is warm, and this results in less top growth and more root growth.
    Corn gluten is a great product to use as a winterizer because it will also act as a natural herbicide to prevent winter annual weeds from germinating. However, if you have seeded you will want to use Milorganite, Earthalizer, Converted Organics, or Chickity Doo Doo as a winterizer.
    This is also a great time for a second application of a soil activator.

November
    Apply another round of natural/organic fertilizer as a winterizer in late-November. A total of 3 applications throughout the fall season would be appropriate.

December
Hibernate for the winter and stay warm!

This is only a rough guideline of recommendations and techniques that can be used for a great organic and natural lawn. However, when using a natural/organic lawn program, it is best to let the turf be your guide for what to apply and when to apply.

2010-08-19T15:49:00.000-05:00

Lawn Lawn LAWN

You love the feeling of a great green lush lawn. It's going to be fall in a couple weeks and the best time, the prime time, to sow seeds is the first two weeks of September. Most lawns right now are looking pretty stressed, heat stressed, parched, etc. If you want your lawn to come back in the spring nice and green and weed-free, we suggest applying weed killer right now. After you apply it, you have to wait four weeks to seed or fertilize. If you are planning to reseed, that would make NOW the best time to kill those weeds!
Another common problem in lawns right now is crabgrass. Good news if you're seeding for fall, simply verticut it and reseed. If you won't be seeding in the fall, we recommend Bayer Bermudagrass killer, Trimec or Weedout with Q. To apply these, water your lawn well a couple days in advance (give it an inch of water). (Your existing grass is pretty stressed out right now, we don't want the grass killer to kill the good stuff) When you go to apply the crabgrass killer, it will attack and kill the crabgrass only. The three I've mentioned are also pre-mixed; easy-peasy, lemon-squeezy. Yes. I said that.

Is your lawn rife with brown spots? It may not be just the heat. Mark, our manager, noticed a few patches here and there on his yard. He thought it was just the heat but discovered GRUBS. Yes, grubs. If you have a splotchy lawn, get in there and dig around a bit. If you discover little grubs (they are still little right now), they are eating the roots of your grass and the grass is dying!
What's the prescription? Dylox. It is the only chemical that will work at this time of year (due to the heat).

If nutgrass or nutsedge is your nemesis, you gotta check out SedgeHammer. It's the best thing on the market!

Feel free to fertilize your lawn. It is a good time to feed your little rootlets. For organics, we recommend Chickity-Do-Do or Milorganite! Smelly but great. :) We have slow release "Winterizer" on sale too! Come in and check it out. Ask one of our lawn gurus!

Lawns ahoy, xoxox

2010-08-14T11:20:00.000-05:00

This just hatched at my house. Marvelous right? I have had a large stand of bronze fennel planted for three years, waiting for these critters. I planted it because I never eat it (not in quantity at least) and I wanted to distract the b'flys from my dill.
This summer I discovered three LARGE catterpillars munching away and their little golden green pupae sacs. You can see it down on the porch under the just born's wings!

2010-08-07T12:21:00.000-05:00

Title of this post: Ornamental Grass!

This hot summer weather kills nearly everything. It just does! Even if you resolve to water, most perennials are winding up their season. Summer vegetables are ripening and sprinting towards the finish line and annuals are begging for water and blooming their ephemeral little hearts out! I'm not saying that your yard or garden is dead- no no. It is just that time of year when the first harvests have been made and apples are sitting up there about to ripen. The pumpkins, melons and other big squash are ripening up or stubbornly staying pale, waiting for the invisble signal to get perfectly done.

What looks good this time of year in a landscaped green existance? Well-watered annuals. Established shrubs (sumac, viburnums, maybe hydrangeas, rose of sharon) and GRASSES. This is the time of year when ornamental grass begins to 'bloom'. Those wonderful heads, fuzzy, feathery, airy and light. I've been noticing them all over. They are paired successfully with knockout roses often. This is a pairing that has become really trendy in the last few years. Don't know how much I love it but.... it works, right? I prefer the small Hameln Dwarf Fountain Grass to a larger maiden grass with roses. Simply because the smaller scale allows the roses to be the focal point (in terms of color if nothing else) and the grass heads are so tactile and satisfying!

Please look at other gardens to see what is working and what is not. It's an important step to determining your own taste and figuring out what works at really challenging times of year! Best of luck....

xoxox

2010-08-04T12:24:00.000-05:00

Does your garden look like it needs a boost? What about your flower beds? Well no worries. We have Chickity Doo Doo to the rescue. Many of our FTN employees have been raving about this eco-friendly product. It's organic, it won't burn your plants and it's safe. Plus it has a cute chick with overalls on it! For more info on the products visit their site.

2010-07-30T12:48:00.005-05:00

I start to dig back into gardening when fall comes around. Granted July 30th is NOT fall; it doesn't look or feel like fall. But it will- August has a particular smell that I love. Leaves yellowing and composting in the heat; the days getting a bit shorter; a cool day here and there.... It just feels like summer is folding in on herself. Not to mention the harvest. Nothing reassures me more that this heat will not last forever like harvest. It is so temporary and abundant- those tomatoes and peppers, that rich eggplant and the BEANS!
Anyway, let's get some info out here about how to prepare for fall garden. First off, plan. You don't have to do much soil amendment- I mean, all vegetables need organic matter in the soil. But early on is not the right time to do it. Save the fertilizing and working in of compost for later on. Plan what you want to plant.
Late July, early August is a good time to plant broccoli, cabbage, beets, carrots, radish. I have sown some beet seeds, maybe a bit early but I missed the spring planting due to a family emergency. I'm just a bit antsy. We will see! I did plant the seeds a 1/4" deeper than normal due to the hot temperatures in the soil and air.
I will plant lettuce, chard, spinach, kale and mesclun in successive plantings starting in a few weeks. These seeds just won't germinate in this heat at all! And I'll continue until September to get a good harvest.
Green beans- plant these right now. You'll get another bean harvest before frost... yes! I didn't get a great deal of beans in this summer- just a few handfuls here and there so I am yearning for more.
Here is the more complex, advanced version of fall planting: the brassicas. Wow- broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, et al. These will just light up your garden. They require more space, fertilizer, weeding and pest control. As I said, the intermediate/ advanced option! Let me know if you are a broccoli planter- I am, but not this fall. Doing some crop rotation and just don't have the room!
And the scoop on fertilizer: all these plants (even the root crops) need high nitrogen fertilizer later on when they've sprouted up and are not seedlings anymore. This will ensure a good yield for your dinner plate! You can topdress with great compost (Choice is amazing stuff) to keep out weeds and fertilize as well. This adds to the richness of your soil as well.
You can look to us for seeds and transplants. Our fall garden transplants will probably come in from Wolcott and other places in the next two weeks. We have a good selection of seeds right now as well, including some Seed Savers and Botanical Interests that seem to be awesome for the fall!
Let us know when you come in to visit that you are reading the blog... if you want to know more about any topic we've talked about, tell us in the store or online.

thanks
xoxo

2010-07-24T12:22:00.007-05:00

Shade trees- such an important choice, such an investment! Here are some important things to look at BEFORE choosing your tree:
1. Location- sun all day, part of the day, not much of the day? How far from any existing structures will it be? This will limit how tall and wide your mature tree can be.
2. Size- as I said, how far it is from your house/ garage/ the street will define how large you can go. But also, how big is your house? It's not a good idea to choose a Scarlet Oak whose mature size is upwards of 60' if you live in a little bungalow on a small lot. Let's be reasonable...
3. Shade- do you want an ornamental tree (smaller, blooming, decorative) or do you need this tree to shade your house?
4. Patience- will you be able to wait a few years (5-10) for this tree to get some size? Or do you need a faster growing tree to satisfy you? Be honest! But also, be reasonable... :)
These are for you to think and talk about. When you come to the nursery, be ready to talk about these things. We can't help you make the right choice unless you can answer these questions.

That being said, here are some great trees that are a good replacement for a fallen walnut tree. I am assuming you have a) lots of space, b) sun and c) you want a shade tree.
(And, FYI, nursery(wo)men look down on walnut trees. Great wood, messy yard trees which exude a root toxin called juglone. They kill out most other plants that you might want to grow underneath.)

1. Have you considered a Linden tree? Beautiful heart-shaped leaves. A perfectly symmetrical shape and wonderful medium size. Here is what JF Schmidt says about them (from whom we buy our Lindens).

2. Oaks- the oak family (Quercus) is large and lovely. Here are a few we recommend.
---The Scarlet Oak (Quercus rubra): A large, round or oval headed, fast growing tree to 80 feet with a 60 to 80 foot spread. Attractive deep green foliage turns a beautiful red-orange in fall. An excellent shade tree or street tree and for large scale effects in institutional planting. *this tree is in my front yard- roughly 60' H. My house is a three storey 1917 "town house". It is amazing!!*

---Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa): Bur oak or mossycup oak is one of the most majestic of the native North American oaks. It is a medium to large sized deciduous oak with a broad-spreading, rounded crown. Acorn cups are covered with a bur near the rim, hence the common names. It is native to a variety of habitats in central and eastern North America. Best growth occurs in bottomland soils. In Missouri, it typically occurs in low woods and stream valleys in the Ozark region.

3. Autumn Purple Ash- seriously. The emerald ash borer is not here yet and these trees have been proving to be resilient to this threat! Don't hassle me about this! This is an amazingly beautiful tree. It is a rapid grower and a seedless variety of the White Ash. It tolerates moist conditions but is drought tolerant after being established. It is an excellent street and lawn tree and has glossy foliage that finishes truly purple in the fall! It will be about 50' H x W at maturity. It needs no pruning as it's lowest branches start far up the trunk.

Thanks for the inquiry! We at FTN love being able to pair the person to the plant, especially trees; such a long-lived investment. Leave comments if you have more questions! (Also, the first picture is a fully mature Red Oak in Belgium, courtesy of Wikimedia. You can see an fascinating chateau on a lake in the background! Amazing)

2010-07-24T09:36:00.004-05:00

This is a sample butterfly garden design, inspired and requested by the SeaPea herself. It's been a year since she put in the request, but better late than never!

Hopefully you can see the set up fairly well. It is a kidney shaped bed, meant to sit in the middle of a yard or against a house. It is flanked on one end by a large, full-size Buddleia. I chose Black Knight for the drawing, to keep the colors in a purple/ gold realm. But I've included a picture of the white buddleia in my own yard!
The other end is reserved for a Tiger Eye Sumac. This is a very trendy plant these days- a hybrid of the native sumac we see on highways all over the midwest. This is a brilliant plant- gold, chartreuse, bronze, red midribs and a big "flower" head. While this plant has some drawbacks, it is a KNOCKOUT.
In between these two large structural shrubs are lots of blooming perennials. Bronze Fennel, Paprika Yarrow (Achiliea), Coreopsis, Monarda, Lavender, Asclepias (see photo), Sedum and Echinacea. I've moved from purples to yellows to oranges. Yes it's a lot of color. But do it for the b'flys!.

2010-07-19T16:14:00.003-05:00

Come get some pots! We have a lot to choose from throughout the entire store. We are sure to have something to meet your potting needs.

2010-07-16T13:44:00.007-05:00

Well, summer is enveloping us with her heat isn't she? This humidity and heat might be exhausting and obnoxious for most of you but your summer vegetables and herbs are LOVING THIS!!

Tomatoes, eggplant, okra, peppers and corn are the most popular warm season vegetables we grow around here. These plants all need warmth to a) germinate from seed and b) flower and, therefore, fruit. Remember that tomatoes especially have larger root systems and need to have the soil kept at a fairly even temperature (not mention keeping the soil evenly moist). This means that you need to use mulch. This can be newspaper (useful if ugly), compost (the best but more expensive option) maybe even straw (not hay). Remember to keep the watering less frequent and deeper. Don't water daily for 1 minute. Water twice a week for 10 minutes. (this is just an example- you have to water each plant according to its needs, the weather and the type of bed it is in, light exposure, etc)
Use some fertilizer. Really, even you organic gardeners need to do this! Tomato-tone by Espoma is an awesome fertilizer that helps with soil bacteria (adds BT to the soil to help prevent the most common soil diseases) and is organic! I love this stuff.
Even this though may not help my tomatoes this year.... *sigh*. As an avid vegetable gardener, I've come to recognize that there are ON year and OFF years. This year is an OFF year for me. Last year, with all the rain, was totally an ON year. Go figure! Don't be so hard on yourself if some of your vegetables have gone kaput this year. My eggplant are cookin' though, as are my squash (swim swim, I'm up to my neck in squash)!

As for your herbs, the heat-loving Mediterranean type should be flourishing. These include basil, oregano, thyme, marjoram, rosemary. Keep these pinched back to prevent flowering. Once they've gone to flower (called bolting or going to seed), the taste will change and the leaves will grow smaller. All of the energy is being taken from leaf growth to flower/ seed production. The taste will sometimes get bitter, whangy or just 'off'. Do your harvests for drying before the flowers form! My oregano is a type that flowers very early (early June) and I have to watch it, keep it pinched back or just harvest all of it for drying early in the summer.

Well, we are excited to announce that we're hard at work on our Edibles Catalog and then we'll get cracking on the Annuals/ Perennials! Yep, you heard it here folks. Look for herb, vegetable, annual and perennials catalogs next spring (February/March). While you won't be able to order from it (we don't ship our precious plants), you will be able to plan and dream during the long winter and the chilly spring!!

xoxo

2010-07-14T16:59:00.007-05:00

If you have a veggie garden you might be under attack. Mites attacking your tomatoes, cucumber & squash beetles after your vine crops. Japanese beetles, flea beetles, tomato hornworm, the list of garden munchers goes on & on. You should be the only one munching your garden! If you are tired of sharing with these pests we can help you.

If you are looking for an organic solution try our Captain Jack's Dead Bug Brew or neem oil.
(However Captain Jack's does not work against beetles)

You could also try a product that contains Permethrin (non organic solution.)

Protect your crop! Come in today for the ammo to fight these little critters!

2010-07-13T09:19:00.002-05:00

2010-07-12T15:07:00.000-05:00

The butterfly pavilion is still up if you want to come see some monarchs. Hopefully I will be able to post some photos of the event soon!

2010-07-09T08:46:00.002-05:00

Don't forget to come in tomorrow and see all our butterflies & smell our lavender.

Our walk through butterfly pavilion will be at all 3 locations & a Monarch Watch will be on site to discuss the lifecycle of a butterfly from 9am-4pm.

At our Overland Park & Shawnee locations Mike from Prairie Lavender Farm will discuss growing, caring for & preserving lavender. He will also bring his distilling equipment.
OP 10am
Shawnee 2pm

2010-07-02T10:37:00.004-05:00

It's really summer now folks! I've noticed that many people's gardens are very "Spring Heavy"... this means they have lots and lots of Spring bloomers. But they may be lacking Summer inspiration! Never fear.... FTN is here! (ha ha)

I want to post some great ideas from our awesome staff. We have landscape designers on staff to help you design your home landscape to fit your needs: now is a perfect time to take advantage of all our knowledgeable staff. Here are some of our picks for great summer bloom, color, structure and POW!

Jonah says: Russian Sage and Paprika Yarrow (the beautiful burnt red). Both enjoy full sun and need little or no special care.

Chuck in the Nursery picks the Golden Shadows Pagoda Dogwood tree and the Orangee Flame Mahonia. Wow. The color variations on these plants are amazing. It really tells a story about how rich a shaded garden can be. (check out the images)

Another beautiful part-shade option is the Hydrangea: woo hoo! It can be big and bold (usually white-ish blooms) or smaller (more color variations, dark pink, blue/ pink/ lavender). Let our nursery folks help you with your hydrangea issues- mostly it's a matter of getting the correct amount of sun/ shade and fertilizer.

See you soon with some more great pics for the summer garden!

2010-06-30T12:45:00.000-05:00

We have a huge selection of water garden supplies. We have lots of plants to choose from and a bunch of fish. Come check out what we have for your water garden.

2010-06-25T13:00:00.005-05:00

As you contemplate pots of plants, hanging baskets and adorning your living space with plants, consider this:
Herbs- they love sun and heat (for the most part). You can eat them! Kids love them. The smell... Usually they require very little fertilization, no pesticides and just adequate watering.
This pic is a collection of different pots, stacked and wired together. It creates a 'canvas' of sorts which the herbs grow around, into and between. Edible, beautiful, hardy. Sounds pretty good huh?
Take advantage of the potting days to pot up some lavender, sage, basil!

2010-06-25T09:55:00.002-05:00

Potting Days have begun! Come by purchase some plants, buy a container or bring your own. We will pot it up for you. SOIL & LABOR ARE FREE!

Meet you at the potting bench!

2010-06-22T10:22:00.002-05:00

We decided to start some of our weekend fun early!

25% off 4.5" & 5" bedding plants

50% off 5 " perennials

2010-06-17T09:38:00.001-05:00

A week from today we are having an awesome event at our Liberty store. Our Liberty Garden Party & Picnic! You will be able to enjoy food, music and gardening fun! 25% off all of your regularly priced items throughout the day, at the Liberty location only.

click on image to view larger

Next Thursday, the 24th also kicks off our Potting Days that will be at all 3 locations! You will receive 20% off regularly priced pottery June 24th -27th only. Bring in your own container or buy one here & purchase some plants. We'll design & pot them for free, or you can pot your own!

Young Gardener's get a free 3" begonia to pot and take home.

Think unconventionally when bringing in containers. You can plant in almost anything!

We will also have Landscape Specials all weekend long (June 24th-27th) at all 3 locations. Including 25-50% off all roses. 33-50% off all flowering shrubs and perennials. 25% off all 4.5" & 5" pots of bedding plants. Plus more weekend specials! Also keep an eye out to find red tag & instore specials.

click on image to view larger

2010-06-16T10:02:00.000-05:00

Our 3" begonias & impatiens are on sale. $14.99 a flat or $1.00 each.

We also are doing $10.00 off our $49.99 or more hanging baskets

Check our 'weekly ad' tab at the top of the page, below our header, for more of our weekly specials.

2010-06-14T11:07:00.002-05:00

We have some great perennials on sale. The 2 gallon pots of purple cone flower & black eyed susan are regularly $19.99 now $9.99!

These flowers have both previously been a perennial of the year. They bloom all summer long, attract butterflies and make great cut flowers.

our black-eyed susans are not blooming yet, so I took a photo of a seed bag in case some one doesn't know what they look like.

2010-06-11T13:21:00.003-05:00

If any of you out there in the interwebs are new to Family Tree, I wanted to put a thought out for you. Every year we set up, within each of our stores, a donation box for Harvester's. This isn't your typical canned food, etc etc. We take vegetable and produce donations! This is the same idea as "Plant a Row for the Hungry". Please take a moment to come in and put any of your leftover bounty in the donation boxes! It helps so much. You should see the abundance of zucchini, squash, peppers, basil and more that our customers brought! Thank you all so much....

2010-06-10T11:27:00.000-05:00

Doug's yard

Garden Tour, this weekend!
Our Overland Park Nursery Manager is opening his yard. Come see his lovely landscape that has come from years of hard work.

2010-06-09T09:11:00.001-05:00

There is a new ad in town... check the tab.

Lovely blues on sale...

blue velvet hypericum

blue chip buddleia (dwarf butterfly bush)

blue shadow fothergilla

big blue liriope

2010-06-07T15:39:00.002-05:00

So I was strolling along outside and decided to capture some of our awesome bloomers.

First I will start with the one perennial I captured today. The Balloon Flower. I think this flower is so neat. I remember getting one for my grandma when I was young. And I am thinking about getting one for myself now! It takes full sun- part sun. It grows to be about 8-10" tall. It is a dwarf plant with a star shaped, purplish flower that starts out as a balloon. And it's a summer bloomer, that's now! ($7.99)

Keeping with the purplish theme next is an annual, Laurentia. This is a mounding plant that is easy to care for. It blooms from planting until frost. It grows to about 12-14" tall and requires full sun. ($5.49 per 5" pot)

Now for some color! Check out these Zinnias I know this is a very popular and normal flower but look at them. They are so pretty and summery. They require full sun and are easy to grow. They get to be about 12 - 14" tall and are an annual. ($4.99 per 4" pot)

Now, for the finale of todays chosen bloomers... drum roll please...

The Dinner Plate Dahlia! This striking summer - fall bloomer gets to 36 - 48" tall and requires full sun. It attracts birds and butterflies and makes an excellent cut flower. Pinch excess blooms and deadhead to keep it blooming longer. ($19.99)

Ok, I have one more anti-climactic image to add.

Yea... it's grass. But really cool looking grass. I love the flowers but I am a sucker for green. These caught my eye. The photo does not do them justice. So just trust me. They're neat. ($6.49)

2010-06-04T12:09:00.000-05:00

Coneflower = echinacea
perennial, blooms summer to fall, full sun, dead head to extend flowering time, resistant to drought once established

Check out this beautiful bloom!

These lovely flowers attract butterflies and are nice in beds or as a border plant. They make nice cut flowers. Echinacea is widely known for its health benefits... but don't eat them!