Dear ##firstname[Friend]##,

Crystal Rennicke

Have you had a chance to check out Birds & Blooms new and improved website? It’s got a new look and exciting features like a videos section, where you can upload your own home videos and photos. Plus, we’ve revamped our Community section to include groups and forums. Take a look!

While you’re there, be sure to take part in our online “Photo Challenge,” for a chance to get your photo published in Birds & Blooms. This month’s challenge is “yellow.” It’s open for your own interpretation, so post your creative nature photos!

Happy Gardening!
—Crystal

READ ON TO DISCOVER...

• Follow Us on Twitter
• Plant of the Month
• Yard Smarts
• Question of the Month
• Frugal Gardener Tip

Follow Us on Twitter

Do you twitter? If not, get started today to follow us for exciting Birds & Blooms updates! .

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Simply Beautiful

Plant of the Month

Sangria Ornamental Pepper
Botanical name: Capsicum annuum Sangria
Size: 10 to 12 inches tall; 16 to 18 inches wide.
Light: Full sun.
Features: It may not pack the heat, but it can take it. A drought-tolerant option for hot summers, this ornamental pepper features loads of striking purple-and-red fruit that is safe (not hot) for small children, should they happen to conduct a taste test of their own.
Uses: This showstopper will stand alone in containers, or look great in mixed displays or the parts of your garden that could use a little exotic flair.

Click here for more information and where to find it near you.

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Yard Smarts

On the Green
Pushing our lawn mower can be a challenge on our sloping terrain. But I solved the problem by wearing a pair of used golf shoes. Now I have a new use for my golf shoes that’s “slip-proof.”
–Cathy Farr, Sturbridge, Massachusetts

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Question of the Month

Too Many Mushrooms
Q: My lawn is being overrun by large, brown mushrooms. What can I do? –Robert Davidson, Luseland, Saskatchewan

Melinda: Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of fungi that usually appear during rainy weather. As conditions dry, the mushrooms will disappear. While mushrooms generally do not look nice, they are not impacting the health of your lawn. The underground portion of the fungus feeds on decaying tree roots, buried lumber or other wood debris. Once the food source is gone, the mushrooms problem will disappear.

In the meantime, you can break up or cut off the mushrooms at ground level if you are concerned about pets and children eating them.

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Frugal Gardener Tip

Snake Scare Tactic
To keep unwanted birds and squirrels from my garden, I take an old pair of pantyhose, tie knots in it to make it look like a snake and hang it in my garden.
–Norma Jean Pettyjohn, Bement, Illinois

For more uses for old things, see the September issue of Birds & Blooms EXTRA.

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