##\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 - August 2009 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I just returned from a short vacation and my containers looked a little sad. I wish I read the “Vacation from Watering” tip below before I left. I’m sure they’ll bounce back with a little TLC. Do you have a container that you love? Enter our Container Challenge for a chance to win cash! Click here for more information. While you’re there, be sure to check out our online community and other new features like our top ten, backyard projects and upload a video or photo! Happy Gardening! -Crystal Containers Challenge: http://www.birdsandblooms.com/Contests/Container-Challenge?pmcode=##keycode## video or photo!: http://videos.birdsandblooms.com?pmcode=##keycode## ##\keycode.PSCopyText## 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 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Henna Coleus Botanical name: Solenostemon scutellarioides Henna. Mature Size: 18 to 24 inches tall; 14 to 16 inches wide. Light: Sun or shade. Features: Perfect for containers or shady spots in need of color, this eye-catching annual features funky serrated foliage in a unique chartreuse-to-copper color. It’s low-maintenance and great for areas that experience hot summers. Uses: Thrives in sun or shade. Plant en masse for the biggest impact. For more foliage picks, click here. http://www.birdsandblooms.com/Gardening/Summer/Fabulous-Foliage?pmcode=##keycode## ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Yard Smarts ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On the Green Vacation from Watering If you’re taking a summer vacation, fill plastic bottles with water and freeze them. Just before you leave, drill a small hole in the water bottle and set it in your potted plants. As the ice thaws, the plant gets watered. For larger pots, use a gallon milk jug. Test your setup before you leave so you know your plants will receive adequate water. –Terry Moore, Quincy, Illinois ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Question of the Month ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Salad Days Q: Can I keep my lettuce growing through the summer heat? –Dianne Fargo, Albany, Kentucky Glen Seibert, Veggie Expert: Sure, if you’re willing to do a bit of extra work and make some compromises. First, choose leaf varieties rather than head-forming lettuces. Black Seeded Simpson, Grand Rapids, Oak Leaf Lettuce, Slobolt and Waldmann’s Green are excellent leaf varieties. Lettuce needs more sun in the cool spring than in summer, so plant in the shade of taller-growing plants like tomatoes. They’ll allow full spring sun while they’re still short, but give lettuce relief from the intense summer sun when they’re taller. Finally, check your lettuce every day, watering as needed to keep the soil moist. Increase your harvest throughout the season by removing only the outer leaves when they’re about 5 inches tall. Let the inner leaves keep growing. This “cut-and-come-again” technique means regular harvest for tastier lettuce and keeps the plants growing leaves instead of going to seed. If your lettuce still seems ready to bolt, dig it up and immediately replant it. As with “cut-and-come-again,” this shocks lettuce into, once again, growing roots and putting off setting seed. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Frugal Gardener Tip ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hats Off to Hummingbirds It gets very hot here in the summer. The hummingbirds have swarmed to the feeders in the shade, but avoid the ones in full sun. So, I took an old straw hat and fastened it to the top of the feeder with wire and florist’s tape. Within minutes, the hummers were back! They can sip in cool shade. I have covered all of my feeders with hats and even decorated them with silk flowers and ribbon. It looks beautiful and gets lots of comments from visitors. –Susan Patch, Loon Lake, Washington ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Best of Birds & Blooms 2009 - Enjoy the Best Blooms, Birds, Projects, Tips and FUN of the Year—RISK FREE! 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