GMG's Friday Find: Go Fly a Kite!

Looking for a fun family activity for Labor Day Weekend and beyond? Why not build and fly a kite?

There are many varieties of kites that can be made in all kinds of shapes and sizes. In fact, the science of kite making and flying is quite diverse with styles like the Sled Kite, the Diamond Kite, the Rokkaku Kite and more. The history of kite making dates back over 2,300 years with origins believed to be in China. Originally, kites were made for uses other than play. Scientifically, kites were made to emulate the flight of birds. Kites were made to carry fishing lines over an area of water fisherman could not reach. For military use kites were used to visually signal, scatter messages and measure distances. As a religious practice, kites were used to offer up wishes to the gods of weather and crop fertility at the time of spring or fall harvest. And culturally kites are still used to demonstrate artistically the symbols of a region or nation in the sky.

For those who prefer a simple design check out this how-to-video for a kite that your kids will have fun making. And if you are more industrious, there are many videos available for making all kinds of kites you and your family will enjoy flying. So have fun, and go fly a kite!

 ~Peggy
Garden Media Group

Roof Top Gardens flourish from Hong Kong to Philly

Green roofs are springing up from Hong Kong to Philadelphia as more and more cities and communities realize the benefits green roofs provide for people and the environment.

From growing edibles to planting colorful perennials and natives that attract beneficial wildlife, green roofs provide a relaxing escape from the noise and pollution of city life. As an added benefit, roof top gardens reduce rainwater runoff that contributes to flooding and pollution, and help cool buildings by absorbing heat.

With so much to offer, even big corporations like Philadelphia based PECO Energy have jumped on the green roof bandwagon.

They partnered with  PHS (Pennsylvania Horticulture Society), known for the prestigious Philadelphia International Flower Show, to design and maintain PECO's 45,000 square foot green roof  perched eight stories high above the crowded streets.

PHS provides plans, plants and maintenance, and conducts walking tours where visitors can enjoy breathtaking views of the city along with areas that feature large planters filled with a variety of native grasses and perennials.

This fits nicely with PHS's green initiatives to educate and grow stronger communities by supporting urban farming and community gardens, restoring vacant land, planting trees and more.

Around the world, rooftop farms are springing up on top of skyscrapers like in Hong Kong, where urban dwellers of the modern asphalt jungle grow fresh fruit, veggies and herbs for better health and wellness and the incomparable fresh taste of homegrown food.

From walking tours to a peaceful escape from a harried day, nothing beats the simple pleasure of enjoying Mother Nature where green meets blue.

Let us know if your city is planning to add rooftop gardens and if not, why not? Cost to build and maintain? Or not enough interest?

Lynne
Garden Media Group
photos credits: NYC Rockefeller Center rooftop gardens by David Shankbone, Wikipedia Commons

Farming 2.0

In just the past year, we have blogged about urban farming five times.  Obviously, farming has seen a relentless upsurge as both a profession and a pastime.

Cassandra Daily, a trend research firm, has recently discovered how technology is addressing these small scale farmers and helping them do their jobs better.

Sustaination: There are numerous environmental, cultural, and economic benefits to buying local, but the hassle involved can preclude wholesale food buyers from abandoning the mega-farm system. Enter Sustaination, a UK-based social network that connects growers with nearby businesses, in turn encouraging and streamlining local trade.

Farmhopping: Take the crowdfunding capabilities of Kickstarter, add the collaborative spirit of co-ops, and apply the share-model premise popularized by local CSAs, and you’ll end up with Farmhopping, a forthcoming network that lets members buy into Bulgarian farmers’ livestock in exchange for a say in how the animals are handled.

Bucky Box: Software platform Bucky Box is a New Zealand-based “digital operations team” designed to help small farmers simplify the logistical challenge of delivering their produce. Its founders (one of whom was inspired by his work for micro-farm trading network Ooooby) aim to make local, sustainably produced foods more accessible to the public.

Summer drought may signal fall color in northeast

The summer drought has been devastating for many gardeners.

In the northeast, the summer was blisteringly hot; the milder temperatures a welcome relief. According to an article in Science Daily, along with crisp fall air, those of us living in the northeast may be in for a blast of spectacular fall color.


The dry conditions we've encountered this summer along with a recent number of cool nights could spell a colorful fall. The article explains how fall leaf color is affected by the amount of rainfall an area gets, the number of sunny days, and cooler night temperatures. Reminds me a bit of Mickey Mouse, as the Sorcerer's Apprentice, stirring up a magic potion in a cauldron. Chemistry of sorts.

This morning, after a night of rain, I was greeted by a mix of bright yellow and orangey tone leaves splattered haphazardly on my windshield. Too early? I mused. Apparently, not.

Although it's still summer, school buses are chugging down the roads, and for many, school's already in session. Football practice is in full swing and mums are packed tightly in neat rows in front of supermarkets.

But for me, the right of passage from summer to fall is always the changing of the leaves. With the splash of color greeting me today as I walked to my car, I guess it's time to say good-bye to summer, hello to fall.

So, for the weeks we endured of temperatures that hovered near 100 degrees without rain, and plants that were lost to the drought, the promise of dazzling fall color is Mother Nature strutting her stuff, and perhaps making amends.

Send us your favorite fall color images and we'll post the best!

~Lynne
Garden Media Group
photo credit: Wikipedia Commons

GMG's Friday Find: A Pond in a Box!

If you covet the serenity and beauty of your neighbor’s koi pond but don’t have the space or finances to install one, this idea from Lowe’s Creative Ideas may be the answer to your envy. And if you're a wizard with a circular saw, 4 easy steps can bring you the beauty of a deck-top water feature in little time.

Fill the garden compartment with potting mix and your choice of plants. You can add accessories like ornamental rocks or a floating gazing ball...and don't forget the little fish! For instructions on how to put together your Pond In A Box click here!

~Peggy
Garden Media Group

Simple pleasures of a local farmer's market

On my recent vacation to Florida, I asked my sister, a Floridian for decades, if there was a farmer's market nearby. I admit, I had the bug to get out and discover wonderful local produce, products and crafts.

"Sure", she droned. "Down the road about a mile, there's a great market called Brown's that has organic milk, raw honey and lots of stuff you like." She knows me well.

My sister and her family are Gulf Coast dwellers, planted comfortably in a nice suburban community of middle class houses that circle a man-made pond. Every morning storks and prehistoric sounding birds  wander aimlessly on the streets, asserting the right of first refusal to leave Dodge.

It came as a surprise that they are minutes away from commercial farms that grow much of our tomatoes, produce and fruit. And they have cattle ranches with cowboys. Really. In Florida.

When we arrived at Brown's Farmers Market, my sister, niece and I were drawn by the smells of fresh picked produce mounded on the wooden tables, organic milk from cows peering at us behind the fence line, and a fish monger of sorts: a friendly, talkative chap who agreeably discussed the pros and cons of fish farming vs deep water catches.

But my eyes were fixated on the shelves that lay ahead, with amber and caramel colored jars gleaming  under the streaming sunlight. Nirvana. Local honey. And homemade jam minimally processed of course, with cloth and ribboned caps, lined up in neat rows like homespun art that beckoned... choose me!

 

I live in the Philadelphia region, where we brag about the famous Reading Terminal Market.

Whereas Brown's has an open-aired roadside rustic appeal, Philadelphia's Market is an expansive melange of ethnic and traditional foods, cuisine, crafts and more. It's a cultural delight, a hodgepodge of sounds, smells, and tastes that satisfy any craving.  

Hey, Adam Richman, host of Best Sandwich in America, recently named DiNic's roast pork sandwich, the best sandwich in the country!

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the Reading Terminal Market, but give me the country road stands and farmer's markets any day. There I can linger over produce, chat with the farmer, and be lured in by the hypnotic dance of the honeybees skipping from flower to flower in the wide open fields.

For those who are curious where you might find a great Farmer's Market near you, check out: Local Harvest. Great organic food awaits.

Now, if I can only get used to those strange sounding crane-like birds in the morning...
Let us know your favorite market and why! Best ever market is ????

~Lynne
Garden Media Group
photo credit: GMG, Brown's Farmer's Market
Photo credit: Reading Terminal Market: Philadelphia.about.com & Wikipedia Commons

If You Just Believe...

How did a landscaper at Disney World end up transforming a California winery into one of the greenest, sustainable vineyards in the country?

  

Simple, he believed. 

Read more in OnEarth and maybe you will be inspired by Tim to re-envision your own property!

-Katie @KatieGMG

Are You Going to IGC?

The IGC Show (Independent Garden Center Show) is the world's largest educational resource for independent garden centers. Held at Chicago's Navy Pier Tuesday August 21-23, IGC is the best place to learn from our industry's thought-leaders, trend-setters and rising stars.  Before you arrive, we'd like to introduce you to a few of our all stars!

Introducing BrazelBerries™ the first ever consumer ready blueberry, grown by Fall Creek Farm and Nursery.  These varieties are like nothing you've seen before. With exquisite ornamental qualities and amazing fruit, these deliciously beautiful shrubs are not to be missed. 
~ Booth #2017


Come check out a brand new product by RESCUE!® Never before seen, to be unveiled at IGC. From stink bugs to Japanese beetles, RESCUE!® provides safe solutions for your home and family.  
~ Booth #733


If you're looking for new plant varieties with color and ease of growing, Hines Growers are your best bet. Their new and unique Bloomtastic! plants are easy to grow, with fantastic color all season long.  
~ Booth #2715

With the recent rise of the lawn reform movement, American Beauties Native Plants specializes in meadows and attracting wildlife. This ground breaking program offers proven solutions for your landscape while creating beautiful garden habitats for desirable wildlife.  
~ Booth #516


 ~ James
Garden Media Group
 

GMG's Friday Find: A Farmer's Market in your kitchen!

August is a bountiful month, a time when our gardens are teaming with fresh veggies and fruits, the flowers and herbs are plentiful, and winter still seems far away.  Yet in a few short months the produce will dwindle….what’s a lover of fresh veggies to do?  You can bring the growing cycle inside with an AeroGarden!

What’s an AeroGarden?  A very cool product with grow lights and drop in plug and seed pods.  You add water and the provided nutrients.  The seeds germinate in as little as 24 hours and the roots grow into air and water.  It’s easy, dirt-free, and you can grow almost anything, anywhere and anytime.   With this handy device you can grow salad greens, herbs, tomatoes, peppers , flowers and more!  The AeroGarden reminds you when to add water and nutrients and the grow light automatically turns on and off to provide the “sunlight”.  You can also use cuttings from your summer garden as well as start seeds for spring planting. 

The benefits of indoor gardening are huge. Indoor air is cleaned, fresh herbs are used as needed with no waste, delicious vegetables are available and fresh flowers brighten your day. And if that’s not enough, you save money on grocery shopping.

Now you can have fresh vegetables, herbs and beautiful summer flowers all year round…and when winter dumps the freezing rain, snow and cold temperatures on your outside garden, no worries…the yum of fresh produce  is still growing inside. What do you think? Does all-year-round fresh produce appeal to you? 

~~Peggy, Garden Media Group

Lights! Camera! Action! Bloomtastic! plants go show biz

Lights! Camera! Action! This summer Hines Growers went 'show biz' as truckloads of Bloomtastic!™ plants arrived on set for two upcoming television episodes of A &E’s original lifestyle home makeover series, Hideous Houses.   

Hines’ plants are making their television debut on “Mom’s Hoarding Ends Here” airing August 25th and “Bachelor Pad becomes a Home” airing September 15th – as part of A & E’s Saturday morning programming,The Big Fix. 

The show features television personality and general contractor Eric Stromer and his brother Kurt, and world-class designer Megan Weaver, who turn modest houses into beautiful homes on a strict budget.

Above are sample before and after shots of a home they renovated in Texas. Not bad, guys!

They get plenty of help with two truckloads of Hines’ bedding and tropical foliage plants donated and delivered to the pre-selected homes in southern California towns. Shots of the trucks approaching and unloading are featured along with the team planting and interacting with viewers during the step-by-step process.

Although the task was daunting, the team had help with the over one-hundred donated gorgeous Bloomtastic! and Patio Tropics! plants that are bred to take the guess work out of gardening and give gardeners greater success.

Whether you have a small home or large landscape, these easy to grow plants provide beautiful continuous color and abundant blooms without breaking the bank!

For more information about Hines Growers and Bloomtastic! and Patio Tropics! plant visit www.www.hinesgrowers.com.
For information on upcoming shows of “Hideous Houses” visit www.aetv.com.

So let us know if you tune in and view the shows and what you think. We'd love your feedback!
Happy Gardening!
~Lynne

Photo credits
A & E
Bloomtastic! plants: Hines Grower

Use LinkedIn To Grow Your Business in the Lawn and Garden Industry

Having a LinkedIn account, not only for yourself, but also for your lawn and garden business is key in today’s garden market!

Essentially the professional’s Facebook, LinkedIn is known for its ability to connect and showcase companies, associations, garden centers and individuals across the globe with 160 million members and counting.

In our free e-book "Networking 101: Garden Marketing Tips and Tricks for Using LinkedIn," companies in the lawn and garden industry can learn how to create personal and company profiles, tips for getting started, and the extra features LinkedIn offers to extend business brands and engage with key audiences.

LinkedIn has built such a vast community of professionals and provides so many tools to help members engage and interact with each other. Our Garden Media office uses it every day and has made some valuable connections. The trick, however, is taking the first step and investing your time to make it productive.

The e-book teaches professionals that it’s not just about creating a company profile. We give insight what important information should be included in your profile, how to connect with customers and other professionals in the industry and how to get invaluable recommendations.

Tips on how to stay active in LinkedIn Groups, status updates and discussions are included in the e-book as well.

Breeders, growers and garden centers can connect directly with customers through groups, answering questions and offering calls to action. From soil health and seed companies to garden centers and landscape designers, there are groups for just about everything. Search for keywords like “garden” and “seeds” in groups and join away.

Through this e-book, we aim to educate lawn and garden businesses on the features and tools of LinkedIn, network with customers and professionals, market products and services, and develop successful brands.

To download the free e-book click here.

Cooling Off is Hot

Lately, California has been urging residents to turn down AC's units and turn off computers to save energy.

Um, say WHAT?

Thankfully, GOOD Magazine comes to the rescue with a few realistic tips to get people to reduce energy use. Here's a simple list of fun ways to cool off that we wish local government and energy companies would promote instead of their boring, hermetic approach.

• Organize an office happy hour. The peak hours for air-conditioning use are four to six. Coincidentally, that overlaps with the peak hours that people around you want to drink. Maybe you can watch the Olympics while you're there. While there are probably rules that prohibit the government or power companies from encouraging people to go out drinking, that seems rather shortsighted. Maybe you don't drink, maybe you're tired: go to the coffee shop instead.
   
• If you feel like being at home, invite your friends over. Organize a "cool off party." You might as well all use one air conditioning unit as opposed to everyone using her own. With friends over, you won't need to use your computer since you'll have real life humans to talk with.
   
• Go to the movies. It's always freezing at the movies. Hate the movies? Run your errands instead. Other places where its typically cold include the grocery store, library, post office, hardware store, or pretty much anywhere else where things are sold.
   
• Go to the beach (or public pool). Again this is basic, but during the heat wave, it's about 10 to 20 degrees cooler on the coast than inland.

Government should think realistically about the way people live. Fighting the heatwave doesn't have to be prohibitionary, and it's silly to envision the default setting for people's afternoon locations as esconced in their sweaty living rooms.

Get out there and enjoy the weather, people!  Winter will be here soon!
*Katie.  Tell me what you think @KatieGMG

Trade Show PR

Headed to the IGC Show or FarWest and want to get more from your lawn and garden trade show investment? With some strategic garden public relations, you can introduce new plants or garden products to current and potential customers and get some media to build your brands reputation.

BrazelBerries got trade PR coverage before the MANTS show.

Why PR you ask? Think of garden PR as your "silent salesman" working the crowd from the pages of the garden media websites and magazines, increasing your brand recognition and, in turn, increasing traffic at the show and sales after the fact.

Be sure to read Part 1 of this post on "7 Inside PR Secrets to Generate Leads & Sales at Garden Trade Shows". So now let's look at an action plan to make your garden marketing efforts a little more complete.

1. Press Release Distribution: 1 month One month in advance, publicize your participation in the trade show. Issue a media advisory and start sending preview releases. Contact key reporters to begin setting up interviews for the show.

2. Press Release Distribution: 2 weeks Two weeks out end media kits to show send your official “unveiling” release with photos and multimedia. Send media kits to the trade show organizers. Confirm interviews and post unveiling teasers on social sites

3. Press Release Distribution: During Show Send your official release w/photos and multimedia to all media attending the show. You can get the list from the show organizers. Conduct interviews at the show and make sure you follow up with any request. Send them to your online press room for more information. Take photos and video during the show and post on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.



American Nursery featured BrazelBerries after MANTS.

4. Press Release Distribution: Post Show After you are packed up and back in the office, issue a success press release on how well the new plant or garden product was received at the show. If you received any awards or recognition, be sure to release that with pictures. Make sure that your online press kit is up to date with new photos. Follow up with media requests and post coverage on website and social media sites
Bonus Tip: I’m only an Attendee! So you don’t have a booth. Take a photo with someone “famous” and send it out to your customers and local media showing you were at this “big” event. Post pictures of new plants and products you saw on your social media sites and Tweet during the show. You’ll get the attention just like the big boys.

For more insider secrets on how to generate more traffic and leads at garden trade shows, download the free e-book at our website.

And if you want a little coaching, give us a call!

Suzi

Garden Media

GMG's Friday Find: Porch Foraging

We talk a lot in our office about gardening trends, like small space gardening, and combination gardening.

I decided to give it a go, and cleared out an area just beyond the house and planted spring lettuce, a variety of tomato plants, peppers (hot and cool colors), and tri-colored beans among the roses. I armed my precious produce with a Havahart Spray Away to keep the deer from my buffet. It has kept the deer out, and even a couple friends who accidentally stepped in the way.

I planted container herbs including French tarragon, lemon balm melissa, salvia, summer savory, Greek oregano, chives, dill, rosemary, lime golden thyme, fringed french lavender (fancy, eh?), parsley and stevia. Clipping these herbs to spice up sauteés and sauces is fun and adds incredible flavor. I plan on drying some of these for winter use, at least that’s the plan.

Seeding, thinning, planting, watering, and tending for home grown food is amazingly satisfying. When you pick that juicy red tomato, that spicy hot pepper and those snappy beans, you understand the joy of growing your own. Nature is nurturing and front yard (or back) farming is fun. .

What have you grown in a small space? We’d love to see your DIY vine to table delights!

~Peggy

Garden Media Group

Mark Your Calendars for National Indoor Plant Week

We're excited to help spread the word about National Indoor Plant Week (September 16-22), a grassroots initiative that was created to raise awareness of the value and benefits of live indoor plants.

Did you know that research indicates that certain varieties help purify interior spaces and improve productivity in offices where we spend most of our day? Studies from the US Environmental Protection Agency have found that levels of indoor air pollution can be 2-5 times higher - and in some cases 10 times more polluted than outdoor air.

This is where the indoor plants come in! These green heroes, as we like to call them, provide truly amazing benefits. Working 24/7, certain plants absorb almost all volatile organic compounds (VOC's) in indoor air. These VOC's are common chemicals like ammonia, formaldehyde and benzene found in many products around your home and office, like carpets, printer ink, tobacco smoke and cleaning products.

During National Indoor Plant Week and through the month of September, look for varieties such as peace lilies, palms, ferns and spider plants, with 'O2 for You' plant tags at your local retailer. These are the hardest working plants when it comes to cleaning your air!

Please help us spread the word about the about the many benefits of indoor plants! For more information on National Plant Week visit www.nationalindoorplantweek.com). To learn more about 'O2 for You: Houseplants with a Purpose' visit www.o2foryou.org.

-Stacey

Garden Media Group

Demolition turned Delight

The environmentally-minded designers at Barcelona firm Capella Garcia Arquitectura take the idea of “green living” to heart. Their latest project is a makeover of an unsightly building demolition.

The progress at Green Side Wall

Completed in March, the “Green Side-Wall,” promoted by the Barcelona City Council, is a foray into what the firm has christened “vegitecture,” or a vertical garden with emphasis on the structure's original architecture.

The main material responsible for bringing a breath of fresh air to the residential area: 
Plants—oxygen-producing, living green that cascades down the once plain wall.

What if all buildings of the future look like this?

Read more via Good Magazine here or on Capella's site here.
-Katie @KatieGMG

7 Ways to Get More from a Lawn & Garden Trade Shows than Just Sales

The IGC Show offers great media opportunities if you plan ahead.

About this time, most people in the lawn and garden business are gearing up for the IGC Show or FarWest lawn and garden trade shows with one goal in mind: sales. 

That certainly is the main reason for a trade show, but with a little garden PR planning, you can extend your “sales calls” with great public relations opportunities.

Think of public relations as your “silent salesman”. When you get mentioned in a lawn and garden industry trade publication, online newsletter or blog, you are building awareness for your company, brand or new product.  This helps to build your plant or garden product’s reputation before or after a sales contact has been made.

Media interviews set up for RESCUE! resulted in placements
in both trade and consumer media.

Like  gardening, public relations can help your brand grow faster and stronger.  Think of it as tilling the soil before the seeds are planted, nurturing the plants when they go into the ground and tending the garden after the plants have matured.  In other words, plan your lawn and garden trade show PR efforts to happen before, during and after the trade show.

1.      What do you want to achieve? The first thing you must decide is what do you want to get out of your garden trade show PR?  Most companies we at Garden Media work with want to maximize media attention leading up to, during and after the event to get their brand noticed, get people to the booth and, ultimately, increase sales!

Whether you may want to launch a new product, reach key opinion leaders, introduce new sales people, generate new sales leads, gain brand exposure, make sure your whole team is on board and knows the goals.  Share your press information with everyone manning the booth and make sure they know the key talking points.  If a reporter or blogger stops by your booth and you are not there to engage them, you want to make sure someone else can so you can capture that PR opportunity

2.      Plan in Advance. Once you’ve decided what your goal is, write down the 3-4 key talking points about what you want to say.  If you could write the headline for the news story, what would it say?  It’s best to have one spokesperson who is comfortable talking to the media so decide who they are and let them know what is expected of them.  Ask them to be on the lookout for the “press ribbon” on people’s nametags and to proactively seek them out.

3.      Press Materials Gets Results. Plan your press materials with critical company information for reporters who have never heard of you. Most lawn and garden trade publications probably know who you are, but they may have new staff members who are new to the industry. Be sure to include:

•      Company background information

•      Product announcements

•      Product photos or images (300 dpi)

•      Product demos (as video or other multimedia)

•      Product fact sheets

•      Contact information

•      Booth number

•      Social media links

•      Include a brief background or boilerplate for your company

•      Business address, website and phone number

Steve Castorani of American Beauties chats
with blogger Where Plants Rock.

4.      Set up appointments. Here’s where you can be very proactive.  Ask for the preregistered media list from the event organizers and reach out to the media in advance to set up appointments at your booth. Do your research and find out who likes to write about new products and who likes to write about big industry issues in which you may have a stake. Send them a press release with a link to your website with more details in advance of the show. This will give them a taste of what you have to offer.  Remember trade shows can be overwhelming. You want to make their jobs easier to find the news they can use.

5.      Work with the Event Organizer. Trade shows usually offer special promotional or marketing opportunities you can take advantage.  Many shows sponsor press-only receptions. Be sure to put media kits in the trade show press room.

6.      Engage with Media.  To make your PR a huge success, start creating the buzz before the  event get on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and your blog. Include links to your social media on all media material and make contact with reporters and bloggers at least eight weeks before the event starts.

7.      Press Release Distribution: Post Show. Here’s where many companies drop the ball.  After the show is over, issue a success release about how well your new garden product or plant was received. Quote some customers or trade show officials.  Make sure that your Online Press Kit is up to date. Be sure to follow up with any media contacts you made at the show and get them the information they asked for promptly. If you miss their deadlines, you are out of luck. And post coverage on your website and social media sites.

And if all of this is overwhelming, download our free eBook on Trade Show PR Secrets from the Experts.  We have lots more tips on how to take your lawn and garden trade show experience to the next level.

Suzi
Garden Media

The long hot summer and bumper crop of bugs

If you've been batting flies and ducking from yellowjackets, hornets and wasps invading your outdoor activities, help is on the way!

This year's unusually hot and dry weather throughout the nation is creating a bumper crop of stinging wasps, hornets and yellowjackets. These aggressive insects are busy building colonies, searching for sugary sodas and bombarding backyard barbecues- including mine!

We spoke with some experts who say now is the time to capture the workers before their numbers explode and they become more than just a nuisance.

Rather than spraying hazardous chemicals there's an environmental safe way to handle these bugs.

Scientists and developers at Sterling International, have come up with the RESCUE!® W•H•Y® Trap, that lures and traps these stinging pests to their doom.

It's the only trap that captures multiple species of wasps and hornets including Paper Wasps, Bald-faced Hornets and European Hornets, as well as twelve species of yellowjackets.

Rod Schneidmiller, president of Sterling International Inc., makers of RESCUE! products explains it this way: “Generally we think of late August and early September as the key problem time when large nests are found, but with the hot weather the problem has escalated and needs to be addressed now.” 

This accelerated timeline presents a serious danger for people doing everyday activities such as barbecuing, gardening and mowing their lawns, and for children playing outside. These pests inflict a painful sting without being provoked. And for some people, multiple stings can be fatal.

Yellowjacket nests are particularly dangerous because their entrance is often hidden underground, and because of their sheer size. A yellowjacket colony started by just one queen can grow to include anywhere from 500 to 5,000 workers in late summer to early fall.

And it's reassuring that the specially formulated attractant only lures wasps, hornets and yellowjackets and will not lure pollinators like beneficial honeybees.

The trap “delivers a one-two punch”, explains Schneidmiller. “Its unique double-chamber design works with three attractants that lure and trap the queens and workers inside, where they either drown or dehydrate.”

RESCUE! recommends placing the W•H•Y® Trap a minimum of 20 feet from outdoor activity areas like patios or decks to lure the insects away, rather than directly over the picnic table or by the front door. It should also be placed at least 20 feet from a known nest location. For maximum effectiveness, place multiple traps around the perimeter of a yard or area where insects are entering.

To keep ahead of the problem, keep the trap baited throughout summer and fall to trap workers when they’re busy foraging for food.

Best of all, the trap lasts for multiple seasons without daily maintenance, comes with a two-week attractant kit, and can be re-baited with W•H•Y® attractant refills.

You can find the RESCUE!® W•H•Y® Trap and other safe and eco-friendly  pest control products at home improvement centers, hardware stores and lawn & garden retailers throughout the U.S.

And take back your barbecue from these annoying and dangerous pests!
Enjoy your summer,
Lynne
Garden Media Group

Get Ready for National Planting Day on September 8th

Let's hear it for the first ever National Planting Day!  Hosted by Keep America Beautiful and its affiliates, National Planting Day celebrates the value and power of native species in our environment.

Do your part and plan to plant natives at home or join in a volunteer effort with your friends and family to beautify your community. It's that easy!

Why natives you ask? According the National Planting Day website, they're actually losing ground to suburbanization, fragmented habitats, ornamental plants and

invasive species. These plants are really critical to attracting pollinators and insects, which in turn provide food for birds and ultimately many more animals up the food chain. What's great about natives is that they're hardy, low maintenance plants that require less water than other ornaments. If you want to learn more about natives, check the American Beauties website at www.abnativeplants.com.

And to get involved in your area on National Planting Day, visit  http://www.kab.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Get_involved.

Happy Planting!

-Stacey

Garden Media Group