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BEE KIND About 15 to 30 percent of our food depends on the pollination services of bees. Honeybees affect $14.6 billion of food value in the U.S. Wild honeybee populations have dropped up to 90% in the past fifty years while managed honeybee colonies have dropped about two thirds. So how can you help? Organic controls are safer, but if you must spray pesticides, never spray when a plant is in flower or allow the pesticide to drift. Pesticide misuse has driven beekeepers out of business. Let go of the idea of having a weed free lawn and let your dandelions and clover be a safe restaurant environment for bees, butterflies and other pollinators. |
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It's
a Natural Benefits of Leafgro®
ALL
NATURAL, For
more information:
We are very fortunate here in the Washington metro area to have so many wonderful, established parks and gardens at our disposal. This is an excellent opportunity to discover new plants, see them in a natural setting and learn more about them. Following is a short list of local gardens that are easy to get to and offer free admission. They also offer botanical exhibits, tours, lectures and classes. Check them out and expand your knowledge and appreciation of the plant world. Brookside
Gardens McCrillis
Gardens U.S.
Botanic Gardens U.S.
National Arboretum Soil Testing One of the first steps to prepare the garden is to test the soil. American Plant can provide soil testing services for you. We have been working with an independent lab in Ohio for the last three years, and we send your soil sample directly to them. The lab records levels of six major elements including Phosphorous, Calcium, Magnesium and Potassium, and six minor elements, as well as pH, organic matter and total Exchange Capacity. Results are back to us within two weeks in-season, a faster turnaround occurs during the winter months. Bring us a full zip-lock sandwich bag of soil, and we do the rest. The fee for soil testing is $25.00 per sample. This fee covers shipping and handling, all paper work, testing and interpretation of results. Yes, we call you and discuss the results with recommend-ations for correcting any deficiencies. Now is a great time to think about testing your soil to prepare for the upcoming spring gardening season. If you need a soil pH test, American Plant can do a simple pH test at either location. Bring us a 1 lb. coffee can of soil and we can test the pH right at the counter. |
