Hostas are an indispensable foliage plant for shade gardens (zones 3-8). Goodness, that description just doesn’t say enough--they are not only indispensable, they are absolutely beautiful! The broad leaves are pleated or puckered, and the many different varieties offer a large range of colors, color combinations, sizes and shapes.

Hoosier Harmony and Queen Josephine

In one garden bed you can have a front row of low-growing hostas only 6 inches tall surrounded by other varieties that grow up to 3 feet or taller. What a dramatic effect in your garden!

Hostas help you create a lush multi-green foliage, woodland look in your backyard. Plant them together with rhododendrons, astilbe, sweet violets, impatiens or other shade plants of your choice.

Fire and Ice and Blue Umbrellas

And fabulous foliage is not their only attribute! Hostas also send up beautiful plumes/spikes of white and lavender blooms in summer.

Hostas love moist, humus rich soils, although they can adapt to dry soil conditions. They love part to full shade and filtered sun. If exposed to full sun, they will not perform as well, and will not have the beautiful foliage colors that we desire.

Sun Power and Blue Angel

Plant using Miracle-Gro Garden Soil. As your hostas become established, you can divide them. Late summer is the best time to do this.

Yes, there are a couple of pests that haunt hostas everywhere: snails and slugs. Frequent scattering of a slug and snail bait, like Bonide Slug Magic, will do the trick.

So what are you waiting for? It’s time to plant hostas in your gardens. We've got a great selection here at Wallace's Garden Center. Come in to see us soon. We'll meet you in the shade area!

It's the middle of summer. The heat is on, and while you're sporting a nice tan, your plants have suddenly taken on a pale, pasty look. What gives? Say hello to the fungus disease known as powdery mildew.

A common condition found on plant life throughout North America, powdery mildew is characterized by spots or patches of white to grayish, talcum-powder-like growth. Fortunately, it is usually more of an effect than a problem itself. In other words, in addition to treating the plant, you'll probably want to take a look at the surrounding conditions and make some adjustments.

First and foremost is to make sure you give plants plenty of room. Good air circulation goes a long way. Trim plants that have gotten crowded or bushy. Avoid overhead watering, and don't make late summer applications of nitrogen fertilizer, as powdery mildew loves to attack the newest plant growth which, of course, nitrogen encourages.

To halt the fungus in its tracks, spray with a good fungicide, such as Bonide Infuse Systemic Disease Control . And next time around, try to choose the more mildew-resistant cultivars of plants that are most susceptible to powdery mildew, like zinnias, bee balm, crape myrtles, cucumbers and squash.

Leaf Scorch

Leaves that are brown at the tip and along the edges reflect a condition called leaf scorch. This is can be caused by disease, but is often caused by the leaves' losing water faster than the roots can absorb it. Leaf scorch often starts during mid-summer because of hotter weather and winds. It's common on new plants because of their limited root systems, which either are not receiving enough water or are too small to absorb enough water during hot weather.

A thorough watering usually prevents further damage. If the plant is set on shallow soil, scorch will be a perennial problem; you should either replace the plant with one that can take these conditions, or water on a regular basis.

Leaf scorch on house plants often indicates too much fertilizer or too many salts in the soil. If this is the case, flushing out the salts and fertilizer will prevent further damage.

Thrips

There is just not much good one can say about thrips. They attack ornamental landscape plants, spread viruses, and simply make the foliage ugly and your plant sicker than it was. Many pests “move in” and make themselves at home when the health of a plant is poor. Thrips are no exception. In fact, they are most likely to attack a plant that is too dried out - especially if the foliage is dirty.

Thrips are microscopic and look like elongated black flies. They may be tiny, but the damage that they cause is not. And that damage is quite characteristic, and easily identified. The foliage becomes silvery or bronze and stippled, because thrips are both chewers and suckers. There can be a blackish deposit from their presence, and often the plant will develop sooty mold as well.

The natural predators, i.e., beneficial insects to thrips include parasitoid wasps, soldier beetles, and green lacewings and their larvae. Spraying with insecticidal soaps is another control mechanism. If their presence is minimal, cut, remove, and destroy the infested foliage.

If necessary, other insecticides can be used to treat an infected plant. Talk to one of our salespeople to determine not only the right product but also the right time in the season for treatment.

Remember--during hot, dry weather, make sure that your plants have the appropriate amount of water and fertilizers to keep them healthy.

Grubs

Homeowners often watch with disgust as brown spots take over their lawn and the grass starts to die. Did you know that little "grubs" could be causing the trouble, chomping away unseen on the grass from the roots up?

White grubs are the larval stage of beetles. The grubs hatch from eggs deposited by beetles on lawns in summertime. Looking like small, white, C-shaped worms, they feed on the roots of most types of lawn grasses.

They continue eating the lawn's roots into the fall, stop for the winter months, and feast again until May or June when they transform into adults as dreaded beetles.

"Grubs like healthy turf in full sunlight that is well-watered and fertilized--all the things you're supposed to do," says Bayer Advanced Lawn Expert Lance Walheim, who wrote the book Lawn Care for Dummies.

"Grub damage is most severe in late summer, but problems can begin as early as mid to late spring. Grubs are easiest to control when they are young, so prevention by taking action in May through early summer is key," says Walheim.

Identifying grub damage can be tricky. Look for:

• A general thinning and weakening of the lawn
• A wilted or dried-out look to your grass, even when soil is moist
• Large, irregular, brown patches of grass
• Large patches of dead turf that can easily be pulled up like a piece of carpet, revealing the white C-shaped grubs
• Raccoons, opossums, skunks or moles frequently digging into your lawn

Now science has an answer to protecting your lawn from grubs. Bayer Advanced™ Season-Long Grub Control Granules prevents grub damage all season long with one application. Its exclusive dual-action formula kills all common types of grubs, plus it's the only product that helps revitalize the lawn all in one easy step. It contains Merit® insecticide, the #1 choice among turf professionals.

To read more about grubs go to http://www.bayeradvanced.com.

Wallace's Garden Center would love to help with your landscape problems. We encourage you to bring in samples of your landscape problems to our horticultural experts for diagnosis and solutions.

Wallace's Hot Summer Sale Days!

• 2007 Casual Furniture Clearance 20-40% off!
• Ceramic Pottery 20% off & free saucer with purchase
• Trees and Shrubs--20% off 
• Giftware and home decor 20% off (includes just arrived Fall and Halloween Decor)
• LGB Trains 20% off 
• Laguna pond accessories and chemicals 20% off

Mark Your Calendar for Family Fun...
Wallace's Fall Festival is just around the corner.
Saturday and Sunday October 6 and 7.

Come and enjoy:

• Grilled hot dogs
• Inflatable slide
• Straw Bale Maze
• Straw Pumpkin Pyramid
• Face painting
• Children's entertainment
• And much more!

October events:

Guess who's coming to Wallace's? 
Details coming soon.