Shop with us for your last minute Christmas gifts!

We just received another shipment of poinsettias to go along with the rosemary and lavender trees. These plants are nice to decorate with, and they make unique gifting items. We also have a few Norfolk Island Pines that are fun to decorate for the holidays and then can be enjoyed in the house the rest of the year. Take them to your Christmas parties!

Our gift department has some new thermometers and outdoor clocks. We also just got in some new solar stakes and a few decorative pieces for the outdoor areas. We have new birdhouses, new hanging décor and a new rain chain option! Our Kinetic spinners are very colorful, unique and intriguing yard art. The art poles, flags, mail wraps and mats make great gifts and are wonderful decorative pieces around your own home during the holidays. We've had lots of questions about the art poles here in the store. Be the first one in your neighborhood with the new trend, or give them as gifts to family and friends!  

We continue to stock a great selection of rain gauges, tools and chimes to gift and have added a new bamboo chime to the mix. They can remind you of warm weather, and sandy beaches, during the cold months of winter.  The indoor gardening items like the heat mats, germination stations, the new thermostats and grow lights also make great gifts for winter activities for gardeners.

Seed packets, trinkets and tools are fun stocking stuffers and why not drop a few paperwhites in the stocking too to grow inside this winter!  We've even got kid's covered with their own tool line. Get them set up to help you work outside this coming year.

To top off all the new items in the store, we also have winter containers you might consider gifting. Check out the hanging baskets at our front door and the drop-in pots you could surprise your relatives with for the holidays. Now that is definitely the cool and unexpected gift!

If you're still not sure what to gift this holiday season, or to stuff in the stocking, give everybody Skinner gift cards! You can purchase them in any amount and they have no expiration dates attached to them, so people don't have to use them all at once.  How wonderful is that?! It just might  be the best gift at the Christmas exchange this year. Santa definitely approves!

It's an exciting time of year around the store, and we sure have a lot of neat presents for the gardener's on your Christmas lists. Come shop at Skinner's for your last minute gifts.

New Item! Outdoor Clocks and Thermometers!

Outdoor Clocks and Thermometers

New items in the store are the outdoor clocks/thermometers. They have arrived just in time for Christmas! We have a very nice thermometer, and two great options that have clocks with a thermometer in them. These are useful and attractive outdoor accessories for all yards. Stop by and check them out. They would make great Christmas gifts!

Cameron's Message 12/5/14

We are officially in the Christmas Season!

All the plants have been tucked away into our overwintering structures and Christmas trees, greens, wreaths and winter porch pots have taken their place…ahhh, the fresh smells of the season! Inside, you’ll find poinsettias, amaryllis and of course, lots of great tools and gardening gadgets.

At home, I’ve wrapped things up for the season too. The planting is done, I’ve spread the last wheel barrel of mulch and I’ve put my own tools away for the season. Landscape projects have now been replaced with holiday decorating projects. The Christmas lights are up, the inside of the house has been transformed (okay, my wife did all of that!) and working up some winter porch pots is definitely in my future.

It’s only been a few weeks of “winter” and already my mind it scheming on next year.

That’s just the way all of us gardeners are wired. We’re always looking ahead and making plans for the future, anticipating all the great things to come…hopefully!

There’s nothing wrong with that, just make sure you take time to enjoy today.

It’s easy to get caught up in the hectic pace the Holiday Season brings and sometimes that can lead to too much focus about tomorrow and not enough on today. I know I’m guilty of it.

My advice, slow down and enjoy!

Enjoy everything this time of the year brings. Celebrate the Season with family and friends and enjoy every day to the fullest. There’s lots of down time in January to worry about the garden!


Happy Holidays!

-Cameron Rees

Great Books for Gardners

A few weeks ago on my radio program, I got a question about my favorite gardening-related books. I quickly came up with two of my favorites, The $64 Tomato, William Alexander and The Last Child in the Woods:  Saving Our Children From Nature Deficit Disorder, Richard Louv.

The first is a humorous story of the fanatic passion we all share when it comes to our garden. Read it and see if you don’t connect with the author’s experiences. I know I did!

The second is a much more serious look at how the absence of nature in our children’s lives is so directly connected to so many of the issues our younger generations face. This is one that everyone should read. If you grew up playing outdoors as a kid, like most of us did, you will connect with this one.

I put out the call for other favorites and got all kinds of recommendations. I haven’t read any of these, so I can’t tell you anything about them, but a lot of them certainly have caught my eye. I’m definitely going to add a few to my own wish list. If you have a gardener on your shopping list this season, you might want to check out some of these titles too.

Garden Dreams, Ferris Cook

People with Dirty Hands:  The Passion for Gardening, Robin Chotzinoff

One Man’s Garden, Henry Mitchell

Rhapsody In Green:  The Garden Wit and Wisdom of Beverly Nichols, Beverly Nichols and Roy C. Dick

Prairie, A Natural History, Candice Savage

Wicked Plants:  The Weed that Killed Lincolns’ Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities, Amy Stewart

Wildlife Friendly Plants:  Make Your Garden a Haven for Beneficial Insects, Amphibians and Birds, Rosemary Creeser

Bringing Nature Home:  How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants, Douglas W. Tallamy

Legacy and Challenge, Rachel Carson

The Well-Tended Perennial Garden, Tracy DiSabato-Aust

Noah’s Garden:  Restoring the Ecology of Our Own Backyards, Sara Stein

The Informed Gardener, Linda Chalker-Scott

The After Dinner Gardener, Richard W. Langer

The Bad Tempered Gardener, Ann Wareham

How to Buy the Right Plants, Tools & Gardening Supplies, Jim Fox

Vince Dooley's Garden: A Horticultural Journey of a Football Coach, Vince Dooley

The Complete Book of Garden Magic, Roy Biles

Decorate with Fresh Greens and More!

 Finally some cold weather!  That cold weather can only mean one thing, it is the holiday season!  Christmas trees, wreaths, greens, roping and porch pots of course.  It is time to decorate.  You can get everything you need to decorate your porch, patio, banister and home here at Skinner’s.  Fraser Fir trees make great trees to decorate with their short, firm needles.  Add some roping and greens to your porch rails and fencing.  Every front door certainly needs a wreath with pinecones and ribbons this time of year.

Don’t think your window boxes and patio pots are done for the year!  It’s time to fill them with greens! You can even keep the soil in there to help the greens stay upright.  Pinecones, dogwood stems and holiday picks and ribbons finish them off nicely!  If you don’t know how to make a porch pot, call and ask when the next class is! 

See you at Skinner’s!

Cameron's Post November 20, 2014

So… I was working in my yard, trying to finish off a couple of last second landscape projects when “IT” hit…the “Cold Front”!

You know what I’m talking about…the cold front that hit us the day before Veteran’s Day.  It was something else, wasn’t it? Funny, everybody’s been talking about it like it was the moon landing. Where were you when it happened? Did you see it? Did you hear it? Did you smell it? Everyone’s had a story!

It was quite an experience though!  One minute it was calm and beautiful, and then…just like someone flipped a switch, the winds picked up and the temperature went down.  And it just kept going down! Now we’ve even had snow. The weather certainly does keep us on our toes!

Needless to say, the arrival of cold weather has pushed us into winter mode around here and into it a little sooner than expected. We rushed to get all our plants under cover and finished just in the nick of time. Our once full and beautiful sales yard now looks sad and empty. Oh, our plants are still here, we’ve just tucked them into our overwintering houses to keep them safe from the winter temps . Once it warms back up, if you need some trees or shrubs to finish  some fall projects, we can still get you fixed up.

If you didn’t get all your projects wrapped up, there’s still time. There’s still time to finish up some late season planting, there’s still time to do your fall fertilizing and still time to make sure you have everything ready for the winter. But I wouldn’t put it off too much longer. One of these days it’s going to get cold and stay cold!

As this year’s growing season winds down, I want to say Thank You! Thanks for coming out to see us and thanks for making past season such a good one. It’s been a great year and it’s all because of you. We sincerely appreciate your business!

THANK YOU!

I hope you have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving!

Bringing Plants Indoors With No Passengers

 It is the time of year to move plants indoors, and with that, they need to be treated with Hi-Yield Systemic Insect Granules. Sprinkle the granular insecticide in the soil, scratch it in, and water the area a little bit to activate the chemical. Since it is a systemic, the plant absorbs the chemical up through the root system, and it helps protect the plant’s new growth for up to eight weeks. At the eight week mark, it’s recommended you reapply. This is a good product to use on houseplants, or items you’ve brought indoors for the winter season. It’s especially helpful if the plants have been moving from indoors to outdoors and back and forth. It is important to apply this product before actual bug problems occur, or at the first sign of a problem. If you have any immediate concerns with bugs on the foliage, you may need to use our Bonide Insecticidal Soap to treat the actual plant leaves. Follow all label instructions for more information and guidance.

Winter Porch Pots-Make that entrance look grand!

Now that cold weather has put an end to the flowers growing in your porch containers, it’s time to transition to Winter Porch Pots!

You know you can’t grow flowers in those containers through the winter. And let's face it, they're ugly sitting there empty and sad all winter. Why not decorate them  for the winter with beautiful arrangements of fresh winter greens? They’ll dress up your front porch or back patio and put a smile on your face every time you look at them. It’s really easy to do, and we can help.

We have great supplies to build whatever your dream arrangement may be. You’ll find lots of freshly harvested greens and all kinds of fun “accents” to give your porch pots a personalized touch.

The folks here can help you create great combinations and if you need just a little more help, we will have porch pot building classes starting after Thanksgiving. If you’d rather just grab and go, we can help there as well, with a nice variety of pre-made porch pot “drop-in’s” ready to go. All you have to do is take them home and “drop” them in your existing pots.

It’s so easy and keeps your home looking beautiful all winter long!

It's Time to Get Ready for Next Year's Garden

Freezing weather has put an end to the vegetable garden season for a lot of folks. If you're one of them, then here's a quick checklist of what you need to do to wrap up this gardening season and get ready for the next.

1)    Remove all of the old plant debris. Most things can be put on the compost pile but it is best to just discard old tomato plants. They frequently harbor leaf disease that you don't want around.

2)    Add compost. If you make your own, great! If not, we have some great compost products that we would recommend.

3)    Work the ground. Turning the ground over at this time of the year will not only help incorporate the compost you just added, but also open the ground up to better receive winter moisture and hopefully help knock down overwintering pest problems.

Our Fall Garden Compost Special is still going on!  It will save you over 20% off the regular price of three of our best compost products and give you a great combination to help get your garden off to a great start in 2015!

Lawn Care in November: Winterize and Kill Weeds

It's time to kill weeds!

You know all those weeds that you cuss every spring?...the dandelions, the clover, the henbit and the chickweed? Well, they need to be controlled now. Basically from now until Thanksgiving is the best time of the year to get rid of these weeds. You need to apply a product by Fertilome called Weed Free Zone. Do it right and that's just what you will have, a weed-free zone! And don't forget about the fertilizer while you are at it. Make sure you get your Fertilome Winterizer down before Thanksgiving too.

There's another option if you are looking for an "all-in-one" opportunity. Fertilome Weed Out Plus Lawn Food is a "weed & feed" product that gives your lawn a good late season feeding while at the same time controlling broadleaf weeds. You can use it to both winterize and kill weeds in one application. It's not as effective as spraying, but it can be a time saver.

One last note, in order to protect newly planted grass, never apply weed control products until you have mowed that new grass at least three times.

Stop by and get what you need to continue your lawn care program this season. We'll help you pick out the right product for your lawn care needs.

Winter Decor!

New flags, mailbox covers and mats have arrived for the winter season and upcoming holidays. Bring color to the outdoors with no maintenance décor. In addition, we also got more rain gauges, and have added to the art pole options we currently have in stock. Art poles are the new trend in yard décor! They are colorful and have inspiring messages on them. These poles make great additions to a flower bed, containers or out in the yard. It would be a fun gift this holiday season too. They are made out of a strong, lightweight PVC and are easy to install. The poles are laminated for fade resistance and should hold up for several years depending on the site and weather conditions. Check out the winter, Christmas and patriotic options we just added to the mix! 

Cameron's Post 11/08/14

Let's start with this video!

 

 I knew when I watched this video that I wanted to share it. Even more, I felt like I needed to share it. Not because I'm a big biker but because what this guy did is amazing. I can't even begin to imagine what it took him to get to this point, but obviously it involved a lot of practice and training.

Here's another link to check out.

Here! 

Now that is moving a big tree!

So what's the point of all this? I guess it's just a reminder that you can accomplish a lot if you just put your mind to it. You don't have to bike-ride a mountain or move a 250 year old tree but decide what your own "mountain" is and then you need to figure out a way to conquer it.

As the fall season continues to plug away, don't put off those projects you know you need to get done. The month of November is the perfect time to finish off those landscape plantings and start getting things ready for a winter that will surely be here soon.

Good luck with everything on your list!

-Cameron Rees

Top 3 Reasons You Should Be Planting Trees Now!

1)Roots! Warm, moist soil encourages root growth. Fall root growth means your tree has a head start over next spring's plantings and will be better able to sustain next summer's stresses.

2) Water! Rainfall and cooler weather mean less watering for you now. The plant's water requirements have also decreased as the days get shorter and leaves fall.

 

 

3)Selection! There's no guessing what fall color will be when you can pick out that tree in its full autumn glory.

Skinner's has excellent stock for your fall tree projects. It's not leftovers and it's not picked over. Whether you're looking for the perfect shade tree or need an ornamental for the view from inside, we've the tree for you and now is the time to plant!

Cameron's Post 10/23/14

We have been so lucky lately! The weather has been amazing, the fall color has been beautiful and the Royals are in the World Series!  It's been a great fall...and it's still going!

How's your project list going?  Mine's still there, staring me in the face.

I did finally get a few trees and some new foundation landscaping planted... and man, did that feel good! It didn't really take all that long to do, but you know how it is, it just seems like there's always something else that needs to be done.  

One of the trees I planted went into the front yard. Now understand, we have a pretty big front yard, and the tree is pretty close to the house so there's still a lot of open front yard, but that didn't stop me from getting the second degree from my son even as I was digging the hole. "Dad, you're messing up my front yard...how am I going to play catch?!!" Well there's still plenty of room to play catch in dad's opinion, but I don't think he's convinced. There have been casual threats of secretly poisoning the new tree. I still like it where it's planted so we'll see who wins. At the very least, I'd probably better rethink my plans for the next few trees I was going to plant out there until after the "ball field" can be retired!

I still have plenty to do besides planting trees, so I guess I'll just focus on those projects for now. I hope you're enjoying your fall and getting some things on your list accomplished. If you haven't yet, get out there and get busy, it won't stay like this forever. And one more thing....

GO ROYALS!!!

-Cameron Rees

Trees and Shrubs...Oh My!

While many trees provide beautiful spring flowers and all offer relieving shade through the summer, fall color is king at this time of the year.

So how do you decide which tree and which fall color are best for you?

First of all, no tree choice is right no matter how much you might be in love with it if it is inappropriate for the site. You definitely want to plant something that will have a good chance of performing well in your own unique site conditions and always... always make sure you have room for it to grow. You don't want a huge tree overpowering a small space and you definitely don't want your trees getting into power lines. We will ask you questions about your yard and your planting location to try and help steer you towards site appropriate choices.

Now you get to have some fun and start thinking about fall color! Bright golds, vibrant reds, fiery oranges...there is so much to choose from! Here are a few suggestions.

Yellow - Brilliant golds and vibrant yellows really light things up. Think about choices like Honeylocust, Linden and Ginkgo for large shade trees. Other trees like Redbud, Goldenraintree and Riverbirch offer impressive color in a smaller size.

Orange - Colors like the flames of a fire! One of the best is Sugar Maple, but also consider Amur Maple, Serviceberry (orange to burgundy) and Baldcypress (rusty orange). All are very impressive against the rich blue fall sky

Red - It's hard not to love bright red fall color. Maples like Red Maple and Freeman Hybrids (like Autumn Blaze) are some of the most popular, but don't forget about some other amazing trees you can plant. Black Gum has stunning red fall color and there are quite a few oaks that produce great red to red-wine fall color. Think about Shumard Oak, Scarlet Oak, White Oak and Shingle Oak. If you're in the market for something smaller then consider Tartarian or Paperbark Maple.

That's definitely not everything but it is a good start!

Cameron's Post 10/02/14

Do you ever feel like all you do is chase things?

The last few weeks have felt like that for me. I'm not sure it's any worse than usual  but it sure seems like all I'm doing is just trying to get caught up. (Maybe it's all the late night baseball games I've been watching lately...Go Royals!)

No doubt there's a lot going on this time of year and sometimes it seems like I never find the time to get all the things done I have on my list. I'm sure everyone can relate to that. I just do my best and keep plugging away. Somehow those undone projects always seem to still be there when the time finally does work out. Do you ever notice that?

Well, I know your list is heavy too, but keep in mind that there are a lot of important outdoor things we  ought to be thinking about during the fall months. Seeding, fertilizing and planting are the big ones and yes, they take time, but if you can work them in you'll be rewarded in the years to come. That nice yard for the kids to play in or the big shade tree that shelters the house or the patio just doesn't happen without a little bit of work today.  

On no...did I just use the "W" word?   I did and I'm not going to apologize! Sometimes a little work is just good for you.

It's kind of like taking care of yourself. Once in a while you need to exercise to keep your body healthy. For some, that's a fun activity but for a lot of us, it's just hard work...but it's worth it, isn't it?

That's kind of the way I look at a lot of landscape activities. For some, gardening activities are a fun, relaxing way to spend the day, but for other folks it just plain work. I'll admit it isn't always fun to reseed a yard or add some landscaping or plant a tree but it's definitely worth it in the end.  The reward makes the extra effort worthwhile.

So that's my challenge to myself and my challenge to you.

Let's work on some of those projects on our "need to get done" list. Let's get the yard reseeded. Let's plant that shade tree. And let's add those new plantings around the patio. You know your list, I know mine, so let's see what we can get done.

Good luck!

-Cameron Rees 

Success With Spring Bulbs

 

Each spring we enjoy the early spring color that pops up from tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and more. It's an exciting time as it is a hint of the season ahead, warmer weather and the end of the cold, dreary days of winter. Some of you  enjoy strolling through your yards, or the parks, to enjoy the color, the fragrances, and the unusual flowers that come from the magic of fall bulbs.

Now is the time to come  in  and pick-out these bulbs you want to plant in your yard, to get that early spring color you love to see. We have an impressive selection to choose from amongst the tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, allium, miscellaneous bulbs and more. Bulbs are easy to plant, and it gives you a great excuse to spend some time out in the yard this fall. We know if you don't do it, you'll be wishing you had next spring!

To ensure success, plant now and over the next month. Think about planting them in masses so they show up better. We are even offering price breaks on the bulbs to help you accomplish this task. Pick up some of our Dutch bulb food and bone meal to plant with them and grab one of our animal repellents if you're worried about critters. We also have a few bulb tools to help make the planting job easier on you. This year we made sure we're stocked with school colors in tulips if you want to show your support for K-State, KU and other sports teams. Wouldn't it be fun to have a neighborhood competition?!  

Another new addition this year is fall flowering crocus! And for those of you that enjoy seeing the naked lady bulbs in people's yards, we've got them here too, so you can get some of those planted in your own yard as well. In addition, the garlic bulbs and shallots are waiting for you.

Bulbs help add to the year-round color people strive for in their landscapes. Plant something that makes you get outside early spring. Just think, you could even make it a family activity this fall - have a cook out, plant some bulbs and spend a little quality time together!

Cameron's Post 9/26/14

I gave a talk to a large group of Master Gardener's this past week and was asked to give a presentation on new plants. Being a plant geek, having a chance to talk about plants to a room full of people that are into plants too was a treat. I hope they enjoyed it.

I know I did.

Every now then things like this come along and force me shift from my daily routine enough to remember how much I love doing what I do. Although it took a lot of time to put my presentation together (much of it way past my normal bedtime with a large pot of coffee!), it forced me to break from my normal routine which is often filled more with business related issues and spend some time just celebrating the world of plants...or as it is more commonly known, gardening.

I am so lucky to do what I do for a living.
I have a passion for plants, gardening, landscaping... call it what you want, it's all about being outside, getting a little dirty and having fun with plants. I'm very fortunate to be able to have a career doing what I'm passionate about. That's a pretty cool gig.

Sometimes I get caught up in all the other "stuff" that my day brings and I forget about the cool part. I'm so grateful that life has a way of pulling us aside and reminding about things that we sometimes kind of "forget" about. Thank you Johnson County Master Gardeners for the reminder!
What's your passion?

-Cameron Rees 

Fall Lawn Seeding

We have been waiting for the newly harvested crops of grass seed to arrive, and finally...they're here!

We lots of our Premium Tall Fescue Blend ready for planting. Each year this blend is reformulated using Kansas State University Turfgrass Research and each fall we bring it in fresh so you can have the very best.

And if you are planting seed this fall, don't forget the starter fertilizer. Starter fertilizer is important. It will provide your newly developing grass seedlings with the nutrition critical for good root and shoot development. In other words, it helps new grass grown better. Is there any reason you wouldn't want that to happen?

It should be applied at the same time you put down the seed, not days or weeks later. It should be in place when that new little grass root first pokes it's head out of that grass seed. And it isn't the same as regular lawn fertilizer. That's important too, but it doesn't contain the same things.

We only use a Fertilome product call New Lawn Starter. That's because it has what your new lawn needs. It should be used with every seeding or over-seeding project. It should even be used when installing sod.

Let the seeding begin!

Cameron's Post 9/12/14

I was in Austin, TX last week for a meeting. It was my first time there, and I only got to spend a little time exploring, but know I definitely want to go back sometime and see more. What a cool town!

What wasn't cool is the drought they are still in.

It reminded me of lot of conditions around here not all that long ago. Things were dried up and crispy and everywhere I went I saw reminders about water restrictions. Not fun.

What a contrast to what awaited me when I flew back into Kansas City. The landscape that was so dried up and burnt only a week ago was now lush and green with the recent arrival of fall rains.

I've been waiting for a change in our weather to fire up our fall season, and I think it's safe to say it's here! The break in the temperatures and the wonderful rains we have received over the past week or so have changed our world.

Fall is here. It's time to start rebuilding. We have lived through an extended drought and we still have a lot of "wounds" to show it. A lot of recovery took place this spring, but there's still a lot more to do. Fall is one of the best times of the year to plant. Lawns, trees, landscapes...they can easily and effectively be planted right now.  If you've been waiting for the right time to start your recover project, the wait is over..,  it's perfect out there right now.

If you need help, let us know. There are always questions about the right plants for this spot, or the right way to grow grass in that spot...whatever the question, we will try to help. Call us, email us, or stop by in person. We'll visit with you and try to help figure out the best solution for you and your landscape.

And here's an extra invitation.

We are having our Fall Open House this weekend and you are invited. There will be some food, lots of cool plants and of course lots of helpful information. If you're not sure what tree to plant, stop by and ask. If you need some help figuring out what you need to do to get your lawn looking good again, stop by and ask. If you need tips for freshening up the front porch, stop by and ask. If you need anything that we can help with, just stop by and ask.

We want to help.

-Cameron Rees