##\keycode.boilerplatetext## Can't view the images? http://www.reimanpub.com/shared/pages/onlineemail.aspx?codelocal=Newsletters/BYLgarden_club/2009/07/newsletter-strongmail.html&firstname=##firstname##&emailaddress=##emailaddress##&refurl=##keycode## If you would like to change or edit your email preferences, please visit your Personal Preferences page. Visit: https://www.reimanpub.com/registration2/Login.asp?Newsletter=BYL&email=##emailaddress##&pmcode=##keycode## ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ backyard garden club newsletter - July 2009 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dear ##firstname[Friend]##, 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 Take a look: http://birdsandblooms.com/?pmcode=##keycode## post your creative nature photos: http://videos.birdsandblooms.com/pages/photos?pmcode=##keycode## 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! . http://twitter.com/birdsblooms?pmcode=IJEDB02V&_mid=70500&_rid=70500.63800.214497?pmcode=##keycode## ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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. http://www.ballhort.com/Landscapers/plant_info.aspx?phid=045600001006968&pmcode=##keycode## ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Family Handyman 2009 - Try this new homeowner's companion RISK FREE! http://www.tasteofhomebooks.com/orders/2009/FHAN2009/Default.aspx?Keycode=FH911VH19M&pmcode=##keycode##&emailaddress=##emailaddress##&indID=##individualid## ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Where’s Webster? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Find Webster and you could win a bird feeder from TerraCycle. http://www.birdsandblooms.com/Where-s-Webster-/detail.aspx?pmcode=##keycode## ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Find us on Facebook ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ http://www.facebook.com/pages/Birds-Blooms-Magazine/10115818250?ref=ts&pmcode=##keycode## ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gardening Green for Less ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ http://www.countrystorecatalog.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-CS-Site/default/Search-Show?q=gardening+green+for+less&pmcode=##keycode# ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ##\keycode.sidebartext## ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This email was sent to: ##emailaddress## If this newsletter was forwarded to you, please use this link to sign up for yourself. https://www.reimanpub.com/registration2/NewsletterSignup.asp?optID=75&pmcode=##keycode## If you do not want to receive further editions of this Garden Club Newsletter, please use this link to unsubscribe. https://www.reimanpub.com/registration2/NewsletterUnsubscribe.asp?email=##emailaddress##&pmcode=##keycode##&OptID=75 To learn more about Reiman Media Group's use of personal information, please read our Privacy Policy. http://www.reimanpub.com/Revise/PrivacyPolicy.asp?pmcode=##keycode## Copyright 2009 Reiman Media Group, Inc. 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