Johnson's Garden Centers

Color just arrived at Johnson's

2011-09-09T13:49:00.001-05:00

Colorful Pansies from Colorado

Spring flowering bulbs from The Netherlands

Kansas grown Asters

We finally made it. September is here and the color keeps arriving at Johnson's. This week, our spring flowering bulbs arrived from The Netherlands, Pansies arrived from cool colorful Colorado, and our Kansas Asters have arrived. We always encourage buying local, but the Dutch grow the best bulbs, the cool nights of Colorado grow the best pansies for early fall, and our Kansas Aster grower grows the best Asters.
The Pansies and Asters will love to be in the ground right now, but the spring flowering bulbs would best be planted starting in October. Right now though, we have the best selection of bulbs, so get them now while the selection is at its best.
The cooler days, and nights have made a world of difference in our attitudes and landscape, get out and enjoy it.

Better Late Than Never

2011-09-07T16:17:00.003-05:00

We've been encouraging people for over a month now to get their lawns ready for over-seeding this fall. If you live in the Wichita area, you know that bermuda grass likes to invade our turf type fescue lawns. Bermuda by itself can make a nice lawn. Bermuda by nature is a spreading turf variety and can creep into our fescue lawns. Ideally one would have sprayed their bermuda in fescue in early August to get a kill, then over-seeding can start in late August/Early September.

Like many things, I put off spraying the bermuda, I'll blame it on the hot dry summer. Actually, the herbicide Killz-All works best when the plants are actively growing, which the were not a month ago. With some moisture, the bermuda has come to life and I have decided to convert our lawn at our 13th Street store to Gard'N-Wise fescue blend.

We sprayed the lawn today (September 7th) with Hi-Yield Killz-All. Instead of only spraying the bermuda, we chose to completely kill off the existing turf and plant the latest varieties recommended by Kansas State University research.

Sprayed lawn September 7, 2011

Watch here for updates and see how our new lawn progresses.

Lawn almost dead September 12, 2011

You know how when you spray something and you start asking yourself after a couple of days, "Is that stuff working" Not that I talk to myself, but I was wondering this weekend if the Killz-All was working. I thought that maybe it was starting to turn a little bit yellow. I was just getting impatient. Whenever I am helping someone with an over-seeding project, I normally tell them to wait a week to see much of the grass starting to die. Well today, it happened. I came back from lunch, and the lawn is close to scalping and seeding. I am getting a great kill in only 5 days. Hopefully we can get on with the project later this week, stay tuned.

Miracle Fruit!

2011-06-29T12:35:00.002-05:00

Imagine, popping a single small fruit in your mouth, swish its pulp around for a minute, and anything you eat for the next 30 minutes will be sweet. YES, sweet.

That is the magic of Miracle Fruit. Native to West Africa, this small bright red oval fruit, though not sweet itself, seems to reprogram the taste buds to sense sour as sweet.

Lemons, vinegar, sardines, Tabasco, things most of us take in small doses become delightful flavors. Some folks are so enamored with the effects, they host “Flavor-Tripping” parties. Guest are encouraged to partake of a single berry and sample a smorgasbord of odd delicacies, reporting what the taste reminds them of.

The plant, not winter hardy, can be grown indoors in a container. The plant is evergreen, with long deep green leaves. In its native habitat it can reach 18ft. but rarely over 5 ft. otherwise.

It loves high humidity and acid soil. Potting soils high in peat moss and acidifying fertilizers offer the conditions it loves. Use a pot that drains well as Miracle Fruit does not like wet feet. It can be grown outdoors during climate weather in partial shade.

Try this, and other exotic tropical fruits such as Star fruit, White Sapote, and Abiu, available now at Johnson Garden Centers.

Water, Water, Water

2011-06-08T13:26:00.003-05:00

This week's timely tip was written by Sallie Strole, Assistant Manager at our East location. Sallie has worked at Johnson's for almost three decades and is extremely knowledgeable in anything and everything related to gardening.

The calender may say June, but the temperatures are screaming August. The multiple 100 degree days we've had are signaling that it is time to kick into the summer care routine for your lawns.

Lawns need to be watered well enough to soak the soil so grass roots will extend deep into the ground. Deeper rooting will enable the lawns to withstand stress better. There is no magic number for the amount of time you need to run the sprinklers, it will depend on the heat and your soil type. Ideally, fescue should have at least one inch of water a week divided among three or four days; a little more in times of extreme heat and less from the sprinklers if we get rain. In sandy soil that may mean longer running time since those soils drain quickly. Clay soils may need two shorter runs in the same day to ensure deep enough penetration without water running off. Watch your lawn for dry areas to see if the sprinklers are hitting all areas. A good way to get an accurate measurement is to set out multiple straight sided cans, run the sprinklers for 15 minutes then measure the amount of water in each can.

Another tip for making the most efficient use of the water you put on is to water in the early morning when it's cooler and less windy. You'll lose less water to evaporation and blowing that way. Also, adjust your mowing height up to 3.5 inches for fescue and let the grass clippings drop. What that does is shade and mulch the crown of the grass plant keeping it cooler and less stressed. With any luck we'll get some rain and cooler temperatures, but be prepared just in case summer is here to stay!

Watering: What you need to know!

2011-05-18T16:39:00.004-05:00

The one question that I get more often than any other is ‘How often do I need to water my garden?’ The simple answer is to water your garden (plants) often enough, with enough water to let the plant grow and produce flowers/fruit. Too much water, and you will drown the plant, not allowing the roots to receive enough oxygen. Not enough water, the plant will not grow.

I my vegetable garden, I keep an eye on the plants and let the plants tell me when they need water, no they don’t talk to me, but when they start to slightly wilt, they’re thirsty.

I like to use drip irrigation for a number of reasons. 1st, it conserves water, giving only the desired plants water. Not watering between the rows, and watering any weeds. 2nd, Drip irrigation regulates how much water is give at each dripper. These precise drippers will allow ½, 1, or 2, gallons of water per hour to pass through. When the plants are newly planted, with 1 gph (gallon per hour) drippers, usually 30 minutes, twice a week is good. As the plants mature in the summer usually an hour is required twice per week. With drip irrigation there is very little evaporation which again conserves water.

Mulching the garden or landscape area will also reduce the amount of water needed to grow healthy plants. I use straw mulch (watch out for wheat that will germinate) and cypress mulch or cottonseed hulls in my landscape or bedding areas.

Patio Gardening

2011-05-11T09:54:00.002-05:00

This year, instead of putting in a huge garden in my backyard, I decided to try my hand at a little patio garden. Keeping things simple is my M.O. these days, so a patio garden is right up my alley. I've used four of the Earth Box kits and two bulb crates that our spring flowering bulbs come in. In the Earth Boxes I've got two with tomatoes (Jet Star and Black Krim), a green bell pepper (Big Boy), and a cucumber (Burpless Bush). There's a zucchini (Aristocrat) and yellow squash (Goldy) in the bulb crates.

For the soil, I used Fox Farm Ocean Forest Potting Soil combined with Happy Frog Tomato & Vegetable. I then watered everything in with Fox Farm Grow Big. Placed at the edge of our patio, with adequate sunlight, I foresee a great yield of fresh grown veggies in a few short months!

What did you plant this year, and what's your favorite soil and fertilizer to use? Leave us a comment!

Annuals Galore!

2011-04-27T16:36:00.000-05:00

Planting your flower beds for summer color can be a wonderfully rewarding experience. Similar to planting spring flowering bulbs in the fall, in anticipation for spring, brilliantly colored annuals add life and curb appeal to your landscape.

When looking for annuals that will fit best in your landscape, make sure you take into account the amount of sunlight the area will get. Some annuals, like lobelia and impatiens prefer a shadier environment. Annuals like lantana, vinca and verbena enjoy the warm summer sun. There are also some varieties like begonias that like both sun and shade.

Another thing to consider when planting annuals is the quality of soil. By using a quality potting mix like Fox Farm's Ocean Forest Potting Mix, or a nutrient dense soil recipe, like Johnson's Healthy Soil Recipe will make your annuals grow bigger and healthier.

Next, once you've planted your annuals in quality soil, you must not forget they need food and water! Fertilizing will keep the plants blooming, and blooming big. Whether it's ferti-lome's Blooming & Rooting or Root Stimulator, or Fox Farm's Beastie Bloomz or Big Bloom, applying a fertilizer each month will maintain the health and increase the size of blooms on the plants.

Finally, make sure you keep your newly planted annuals watered, especially when the days are long and hot!

Time for Pruning

2011-04-20T15:03:00.003-05:00

As the weather begins to warm up and we get in the mood to work outside, there are a number of spring pruning projects to keep your green thumb busy. If you haven't already, start by cutting back your ornamental grasses. These are already starting to turn green and should be cut back to 6-8" as soon as possible.

Shrub roses (Flower Carpet, Knock Out, etc.) may be pruned in early spring. Cut back any dead or diseased canes and then prune for shape and size, preferring to leave young healthy canes and pruning away older canes.

Roses such as hybrid teas, floribundas and grandifloras should have winter rose collars removed. Prune back any suckers (canes coming from below the graft union), then remove any damaged, dead or diseased wood. Select three or four healthy canes of younger wood, keeping in mind the shape of the bush after pruning. Remove other weaker and older canes. Next, prune back the canes being saved to a length of 8" to 12" making the cut above an outside bud.

Climbing roses should be pruned only AFTER blooming in the spring, otherwise you're cutting off this year's flowers. Climbing roses don't need to be cut back as much as other roses, but should have dead, damaged or diseased canes and suckers removed.

Feed all roses with Bayer All-In-One Rose & Flower Care to prevent pests while fertilizing.

Also avoid pruning spring-blooming plants such as lilac, white spirea, forsythia, quince, etc. until after they are finished blooming or you will cut off this year's flower buds. Feed flowering shrubs with granular ferti-lome Gardener's Special.

It is also time to cut back and feed perennial plants. These die to the ground every year so the old foliage needs to be taken off close to the soil line. Then fertilize the newly emerging shoots with ferti-lome Geranium, Hanging Basket & Pansy Food.

Get Diggin'!

2011-04-06T22:33:00.002-05:00

Since you've got your garden all planned out and scheduled, now's the perfect time to start diggin' in the dirt! If you've got your spot marked from last year's garden this will be a cinch. However, if you've got a luscious yard, full of beautiful green grass, it may be just a bit more challenging, but not hard.

With these few easy steps, you'll be digging in no time.
1. Spray the area of desired vegetation with Hi-Yield Super Killz-All, and once it's looking brown and crispy, scalp it on the lowest setting with your lawn mower.

2. Apply ferti-lome Gardener's Special or FoxFarm Tomato & Vegetable Food, broadcasting by hand-held or broadcast spreader for consistent application. We've got broadcast spreaders for loan if you need one. You can also pick up a hand-held spreader inexpensively when you come to get your fertilizer.

3. Once the fertilizer is applied, till the area until the fertilizer and dirt are mixed, and the dirt is good and fluffy. The fluffier the dirt, the easier it'll be to plant.

Let's say you've done step one and 2, and see step 3 requires a tiller. Do we expect you to go out and buy a tiller? Nope! Beginning this year, you can rent one at Johnson's! We carry two sizes of tillers, depending on the size of your garden. Prices starting at $30 for 3 hours.

4. Now it's time to plant! You now have a blank canvas to plant whatever fruits and veggies you'd like. If you're planting actual plants (not seeds), we recommend watering the plants in with an application of either ferti-lome Blooming & Rooting, or FoxFarm Grow Big.

If you have any questions regarding your lawn, garden, or landscape, send them to us! We love answering your questions and are here to help:
via email: askus@johnsonsgarden.com
on our wall: facebook.com/johnsonsgarden
or on twitter: @jgcwichita

Happy Gardening!

It Takes Two to Tango.

2011-03-30T18:44:00.000-05:00

Growing fresh blueberries may not pop up on your list of staples to grow in your landscape, but with the price of fresh berries in the supermarkets, it's silly not too!

Incorporating them into your flower beds as a shrub adds some different variety and texture to what plants you may typically see, but it's a creatively useful way to make use of the space. The thing about blueberries is it takes two to tango. At least two. By planting two different blueberry varieties, they will cross-pollinate creating larger berries.

This spring we've gotten in quite a few varieties of blueberry plants including Patriot, Bluecrop, Sunshine and MANY more. They are easy to plant, and easy to care for.

Here's the recipe of what you'll need:
- a bag of Peat Moss
- a soil acidifier, we recommend either Hi-Yield Soil Sulfur or FoxFarm Happy Frog Fertilizer for Acid Loving Plants
- at least two different varieties of blueberries
- a bag of Cedar Bark Mulch, or any comparable organic mulch

First, you'll need to dig a hole for each plant at least 1' in diameter larger than the plant. Holes should be approximately 2.5' apart.

Second, with the fill dirt, mix it in a 1:1 ratio with the peat moss. Peat moss will enhance the growing conditions and the overall health of the plants.

Third, take your soil acidifier and apply it to the inside walls and bottom of the holes. This will add an additional boost of nutrition to the plant.

Fourth, place one plant in each hole and backfill your hole with the peat/soil mixture. It is important that when placing your plant in the hole, that the top of the root ball is slightly higher than ground level. This will enable any access water to run off.

Finally, give your new plants a drink of water, a 1-2" mulch covering, and a monthly application of the soil acidifier.

Expect an abundance of blueberries once the plants are established. Typically 2-3 years.

Chilly Nights

2011-03-23T17:01:00.000-05:00

Spring has sprung, as you can see by the array of colors that have appeared in the past week or so. This burst of spring lets us know that warmer temperatures and longer days are on their way. We are excited to dig in the dirt, and it's the appropriate time to be getting a wide selection of vegetables in the ground. However, we need to keep an eye out for when the temperatures dip down near freezing.

If you've planted your broccoli, radishes or tomatoes, you'll want to cover them up. We've got several products that can help you protect against the frost. The first is a floating row cover that simply does as it's name implies...floats over your row of plants to shield them from frost. We've also got a product called FreezePruf, which is a ready to use spray that you spray on the foliage before a frost hits. It lowers the freezing point of the plant, and will last up to 4 weeks with normal precipitation.

Let's say that you're not prepared, Johnson's has closed for the evening and you're scrambling to find protection for your plants. A cardboard box will do the trick in protecting against frost. If, by chance, you miss the weather forecast, or the weather man is wrong (which is unlikely), and you notice frost on your plants in the morning, spray the leaves with water and melt the frost off as soon as you notice it.

If you want us to keep you in the know, sign up for our Dirt Alert emails. We'll alert you on gardening topics from the weather, controlling annoying pests, or when to apply your fertilizer. You can sign up here!

Kinda like a home mortgage only...tastier!

2011-03-16T15:49:00.001-05:00

Asparagus is a hardy perennial and is one of the first crops harvested every spring. The bonus asparagus gives is it's durability and cooking versatility. The plant can last for 30 years or more in the garden, and is a great vegetable to outline your garden in. Since you won't be digging it up every year and starting anew, it's important to plant it 7-8 inches underground, out of the way of your annual tillage.

Early spring is the perfect time to plant your asparagus, you can also plant it in the fall. When planting it, dig a trench 7-8 inches underground and cover it up with a few inches of soil. You'll continue to add soil as the season progresses, similar to planting potatoes.

While asparagus produces a substantial root system, and is fairly resistant to stressful conditions, it is imperative that it is planted in well drained soil and in full sun. Since spears begin to shoot up in early April, it is likely that some of the spears may be damaged by frost. If this happens, simply remove the damaged spears, and the plant will quickly send new spears to replace them.

To harvest asparagus, after the first year, simply snap the spears 1/2-3/4 inch above the soil level. If you'd prefer to cut the spears, simply cut just below the soil level. In order to avoid woody stems, keep them under 10 inches. Asparagus is a second year crop, meaning you won't harvest anything the first year.

Asparagus is such a fantastic vegetable with a variety of ways to serve it up. Whether it's on the grill, steamed, cooked on a skillet, or however your taste buds prefer, fresh asparagus is hard to beat!

2011-03-08T15:26:00.000-06:00

Growing potatoes is one of those crops that is extra rewarding because when it's harvest time, it's literally like digging for treasure! We'll walk you through the steps of planting potatoes, it's literally easy as 1,2,3.

One...
Take your seed potatoes and cut them into chunks (quarters work well) and let them dry out a bit...

Two...
Once your chunks have had a chance to dry out, place them on top of a 2-3" layer of soil in your container. We recommend using SmartPot containers...

Three...
Cover the tops of your potato chunks with another 1-2" of soil. Once the foliage begins to grow, add some more soil. Once the foliage begins to die, let the ~~fun~~ harvest begin!

Prevent Crabgrass Today!

2011-03-02T10:09:00.000-06:00

Now that the weather's warming up a bit, and spring is in the air, it's the perfect time for crabgrass to germinate.

Nip it before it germinates and you're more likely to have a crabgrass free lawn than if you wait until this unsightly weed has sprouted.

We recommend applying ferti-lome's For All Seasons Lawn Food Plus Crabgrass and Weed Preventer. Make sure once you apply it you water it in. Or, if you plan it right, apply it just before it rains (in the forecast for this Friday) and Mother Nature will take care of it for you!

Also, now is a great time to spray your turf with ferti-lome Weed Free Zone for annoying broadleaf weeds, including Dandelion, Henbit and Chickweed.

If you are planning to treat for crabgrass, we recommend using the liquid form of the Weed Free Zone since both the For All Seasons and granular Weed Free Zone contain fertilizer. By using granular of both products, there will be an excess of Nitrogen that your lawn requires this time of year.

We invite you to stop in and check out these great products, and the exciting new products we have in stores this spring!

Featuring: Ocean Forest Potting Soil

2011-02-23T11:25:00.000-06:00

This weekend we're having a "New Varieties" Seminar at our 13th St. location. We will unveil new varieties that will be in our stores this spring including the new "Black Velvet" Petunia along with some other fantastically unique varieties of annuals. With spring well on it's way, it's the perfect time to get an idea of you'll need for planting these beautiful plants.

As you begin planning for porch pots, whether it's for flowers or veggies, it's important to remember the benefits of healthy soil. This week's Happy Hour, we're featuring FoxFarm's Ocean Forest Potting Soil for $14.99, reg. $24.98. This soil is full of nutrients, made up of natural, organic matter. FoxFarm describes their Ocean Forest Potting Soil as a blend of "premium earthworm castings, bat guano, and Pacific Northwest sea-going fish and crab meal. Composted forest humus, sandy loam, and sphagnum peat moss give Ocean Forest its light, aerated texture."

Stop by anytime this Thursday for our Happy Hour, and get some nutrients for the plants you'll be welcoming home this spring!

Planning your Landscape.

2011-02-15T16:52:00.000-06:00

Today's economy being what it is, most of feel that having a lush landscape is out of the question. But in reality, it is not. This year at Johnson's, we're doing things a bit differently. We want to show you how to be self-reliant, self-sufficient, as well as show you how to do what you want, for yourself, this year. From growing a garden full of home-grown goodness, raising free-range chickens, and especially having the best looking landscape on the block, Johnson's is here to help.

This Sat. Feb. 19, we are having a Do-It-Yourself Landscape Design Seminar. It will start at 2:00 at our Ridge Road location, so come ready to learn how easy it is to put in your own landscape. Prior to the seminar, however, we want to get you thinking about some basics of your landscaping. How much room do you have? Are you looking to go big, or stay small? To get the most from this seminar, bring a rough measurement of the space you are wanting to transform. With this information we can help you find the best option(s). It can be out in the middle of your yard or around your house. The choice is yours.

You also need to be thinking about what you want your landscape to offer. Do you want something that will attract butterflies, birds, or create a place in which fairies live? Or do you want an abstract masterpiece filled with asymmetry? Creating your own landscape will tap your inner creativity, and for those creatively challenged we have a staff that would love to help you out. Through the use of a few different textures, plants varying in height and color, and the addition of some statuary or rocks, you will be well on your way.

We are excited to share our ideas with you at the seminar, and would love to answer any and all questions. See you Saturday!

Biscuits Taste Better than Pinecones.

2011-02-10T16:00:00.000-06:00

My three year old came home from preschool last week asking if she could hang the bird feeder she had made up in our tree. Sure, why not? As we continued talking about the goings on at preschool, I asked her if she made her bird feeder out of pinecones and peanut butter. You know, the old fashioned way. "No, we made them out of biscuits, silly!" she replied. Oh, silly me, I should have known.

The weekend came and went, I forgot about the bird feeder (which was still in her backpack), until Tuesday morning she asked me again if she could hang her bird feeder. I didn't really feel like going out into the blizzard to hang the feeder, which would have deteriorated in the snow anyway, so I told her we'd do it later. Finally, this morning as I was emptying the contents of said backpack (yes, I know we're supposed to empty them right after preschool so we know if there are any, you know, conferences that they've canceled school for...oops.) I saw the bird feeder. It was, as she said, a biscuit, with seeds baked into it, complete with a loop for hanging.

We finally hung the bird feeder, and it's anxiously awaiting little feathered friends to come have a nibble. Since then, I have been thinking about the biscuit, the birdseed, and really the whole ordeal. What a fantastic idea! You have less of the mess that you get when the recipe calls for spreading the pine cone with peanut butter, and it has definitely got to taste better!

Anyway, long story, well...long, I thought I'd share this idea with you, to do with your kids, or for your birds.

All you need is:
1 can of biscuits
bird seed (We recommend Cole's, since it's so delicious the birds will eat it all making it mess free. But whatever you have on hand will also work)
Yarn

Separate the biscuits and dip them into a bowl filled with bird seed, pressing the seed in the dough if needed. Make sure both sides are covered with seed. Bake the biscuits according to the instructions on the can. Once they're baked and cooled cut a small slit in the top to thread the yarn through and tie a knot at the top to make a loop. Hang somewhere outside, and watch it them be devoured!

Seed Starting

2011-02-08T16:36:00.000-06:00

We all know that growing your own fresh veggies are healthier, taste better and more cost effective than buying them at the supermarket. Anymore, supermarkets are selling us mass produced, genetically modified, chemical laden products with absolutely no flavor. Now, we're taking growing your own garden to the next level.

Imagine knowing that you not only grew your own fruit, but you grew it from it's most infant form. This week, we're focusing on seed starting, growing your garden literally from scratch. Starting seeds can be challenging, and a lot of trial and error, but the reward is incredible. There are several things you need to begin including containers, potting soil, light, heat and water.

First, choose a container that is sanitized, has a drainage hole, and sufficient room for root growth. The ideal potting soil is a soil-less combination of pearlite, vermiculite, and peat-moss. Light and heat are extremely important for seedlings, as they need an average of 16-hours of light per day, which can be given via 40-watt fluorescent bulb. Also, keeping your soil between 80-85 degrees is the perfect temperature for seedling germination. You'll also want to keep them covered, either with plastic wrap, or a plastic greenhouse dome to ensure proper heat is maintained.

In order to maintain proper moisture, and to keep seedlings from becoming drenched, use a spray bottle to mist the seedlings. If the soil seems to dry out too quickly, set the container in a dish of water to enable the roots to take up water from the bottom.

As the eagerness of spring is upon us, now is the perfect time to get a head start on growing the fruits and vegetables that will sustain us throughout the year. Join us this Saturday, February 12 at 2:00 for a Seed Starting Seminar. The seminars are free of charge will take place at all Johnson's locations.

Indoor Gardening at it's Best.

2011-02-04T13:41:00.000-06:00

Ok, so maybe it's not quite at it's best, but it was a fun experiment! Just after Christmas we decided that we wanted to try our hand at growing some veggies in one of vacant greenhouses.

We potted peas, beans, squash, onions, and tomatoes in hopes that we would have enough to sell them in our store. Our peas, beans and onions are doing pretty well, the squash is ok, but not taking off like we had hoped. The tomatoes we will move outside when the weather warms up.

The nice thing about the greenhouse structure that we have, and most greenhouses in general, is the ability to tie vine twine on the upper supports to help vine crops grow vertically. We got some good height on our vine crops, and the foliage looks nice.

We planted our onions in a raised bed towards the back of the house. They have come up well, and smell great. There's nothing like the smell of fresh, homegrown produce.

Indoor gardening is a fantastic way to garden all year long. If you were able to attend our Indoor Gardening Seminar a few weeks ago, Seth gave you a tour of the growing greenhouse as well as the hydroponic area. If you stop by our west 13th location and want to see what's 'growing', just ask Seth to show you around. He's got a vast knowledge of hydroponics and growing indoors. He's even got a 4' tall squash plant that was grown in our hydroponic area!

We are definitely going to use this as a learning experience and plan better and earlier next year. This spring and summer look for new vegetable gardens around our stores.

Hatch Green Chile Pork Verde

2010-12-29T14:35:00.002-06:00

As we were doing our Christmas food shopping last week, I came across a 4 lb Pork Butt, Hmmmm.... Pork Green Chile Verde sounds good. I had a list of ingredients the Jeremy had talked the staff at the Crystola (Colorado) Roadhouse out of last summer for their green chile.
This past weekend, I slow cooked the pork butt in the crock pot with turkey broth. Yesterday I went for it and made my own version of Pork Chile Verde. Here is the list of ingredients,

Hatch Green Chile - 3 cups chopped
diced onion - 1 large
Cumin
Cayenne
Oregano
Turkey/Pork broth - 4 cups
Corn starch
Garlic - 2 cloves
water - 4 cups

Combine ingredients on the stove, heat, put in crock pot for 3 hours and enjoy.

There are many recipes for Green Chile, all good, no 2 are alike.

By the way, if you are out of Hatch Green Chile, be sure to check our weekly email this week for Thursday's Happy Hour Special, you'll be cooking some green chile.
Marty

2010-12-20T08:52:00.001-06:00

A LIVESTRONG Day Event | LIVESTRONG Day 2010 | LIVESTRONG.org

2010-09-15T11:53:00.000-05:00

A LIVESTRONG Day Event LIVESTRONG Day 2010 LIVESTRONG.org

New opportunities

2010-08-09T15:04:00.003-05:00

So, I went out and checked my vegetable garden over the weekend. Things are bad. So bad, in fact, that I'm not going to post a picture of what has gone on. For several reasons, I was not able to get after it this spring (like, we were busy at the garden center?), and a little jaunt out of town, and it's now at the point of giving up. Crabgrass knee high (maybe higher), DEAD tomato plants, you get the drill.

So my new plan? After this current heat spell passes, I'm going to rock out on a fall garden. Last year was really my first concerted effort at a fall garden, and my efforts were fruitful. It's looking like I'm going to have all the space in the world this year to expand.

So, what am I going to plant in this "fall garden"?

One vegetable that I have really grown to enjoy is the turnip. I don't really know why, we don't eat them raw or anything like that. Like many families, we often enjoy a hearty soup or stew as temperatures drop in the fall. For me, all soups now need to contain turnips. Hey, try it. They're really easy.

I'm also going to do some of the regular "cool weather" fare, radishes, green beans, probably a few peas, spinach, leaf lettuce, etc. Now's a great time to plant another quick turn of summer squash as well. (Since my earlier plantings were not all too fruitful, I am not yet sick of squash at this point)

So, what to do? Just pull the old plants out of the garden, if you have weeds, just raise the lawnmower and go over the area. We don't really want to till or disturb the soil heavily for fall planting, so only light cultivation is needed. Plant your seeds a bit deeper than you would have in the spring and water. Yes, watering can be a little difficult during the early days of a fall garden, but once the plants are up, it's pretty smooth sailing.

Now only to get motivated to clean out the mess I have on hand. Hey, the heat index is only 108...

Happy gardening.

Urban Gardening pt III

2010-05-11T19:57:00.003-05:00

With the warmer temperatures, longer daylength, my veggies on my back patio are really growing. Today, May 11, I figured it was time to get my tomato plants in cages, and my Earthbox trellis installed. last year, I waited too long in my row garden to get my cages installed and the plants were too large to get into cages. I would encourage you to purchase the largest cages available, or you want to spend your money on. Short, inexpensive are not worth the money spent on them. I would not use anything shorter than 42" cages, which is what I used. I will probably have to use 6' plant stakes later in the season to support these tomatoes. Keep your plants fertilized to keep the plants growing well. Always use a garden type fertilizer, never a lawn type food on veggies. You may have great looking, huge plants, but very little fruit production. (Yes, veggies are fruit). I am using FoxFarm Organic Fruit and Flower Fertilizer about every 2 weeks. http://foxfarmfertilizer.com/products_frog1.html This fertilizer is loaded with beneficials, which most potting mixes are missing. FoxFarm potting mixes are loaded with these microscopic wonders as well. I used FoxFarm Ocean Forest potting mix in both my Smart Pots and Earthbox. http://foxfarmfertilizer.com/products_soils1.html

I also have continued to add potting mix in my potato bags (10 gal Smart Pots) http://www.smartpots.com/ to encourage potato production in the complete depth of soil. (Potatoes are a vegetable, not a fruit)

Urban Gardening pt II

2010-04-18T18:15:00.003-05:00

Well it has been a month since I planted some containers on our back patio. Soon after planting, we had 3" of snow. I decided to try a couple of things. 1. was to cover 1 of the tomatoes with a clay pot in the Earth Box to see how it would survive the storm. 2. was to spray the other tomato plant with a new product called FreezePruf, a new 'plant anti-freeze' from the Liquid Fence company. Check it out www.liquidfence.com/FreezePruf.html I think the FreezePruf will work to protect against a frost, but not a snow. I have since replanted the frozen plant (the plant on the right) but the pot covered plant is doing fine.

I have also planted some additional containers, Smart Pots with peppers, tomatoes and onion plants. One benefit to container gardening is that plants may be planted weeks earlier than in the ground much easier.

Urban Gardening

2010-03-18T17:45:00.002-05:00

seems to be the new gardening buzz word these days. Maybe using the term 'City Gardening' or 'Small Space Gardening' or even, 'I just don't want to convert 1/2 of my back yard to a garden' would be other ways of explaining what Urban Gardening is.

You have seen my larger area where I plant rows of vegetables, but this year I am going to grow veggies on and around our back patio. It does not get much better than stepping out the back door and grabbing a fresh tomato or pepper.

Today, for our 'Johnson's Garden Time' TV show to air in a couple of weeks, we potted up an 'Earthbox' and 'Smartpot'. The Earthbox is a rectangle plastic container on rollers that has 2 tomato plants, the Smartpot, is planted with potatoes.

Mid-March is plenty early to be planting tomatoes in Kansas, but by using the Earthbox, or a Smartpot, portability is very simple, or being close to the back door, I'll be able to cover the tender plants when the last few freezes occur.

This afternoon when

2010-03-16T18:33:00.002-05:00

the skies cleared, I just had to get out and do something in the 2010 vegetable garden. I fired up the troy built tiller and worked the soil where my first plantings will go. My plan is to get in potatoes (tomorrow is St. Pats day), onions, radishes, carrots, cole crops, and will probably do a 'gamble' tomato.

This year I may try smaller plots of vegetable, not the long 100' rows like last year. Anyway, my first area is ready to plant.

For Valentine's Day or any Occasion

2010-02-02T07:43:00.003-06:00

At Johnson's, we've got plenty of gift ideas for your buttercup this Valentine's Day. We keep a nice selection of premium houseplants in fresh supply.

For indoor blooms, choose from Orchids, Bromeliads, Flamingo Flower, Rieger Begonias, Kalanchoes, and Collector's African Violets.

New this year are "Chocolate Kisses" Valentine's Dish Gardens. These come in cute pink and brown ceramic containers and are sure to please.

We also have many, many foliage houseplants. From big to small, green to variegated, chartreuse to burgundy, we'll have just the right one for your sweetie. And, our knowledgeable staff can help you select the right houseplant for the right area.

So, come on in and shop from the sunny comfort of our greenhouses to pick up the perfect gift for your Valentine.

Spring flowering Dutch bulbs

2010-01-22T13:29:00.002-06:00

are always the first sign of Spring. Today I noticed crocus bulbs pushing their way out of the ground. Wow, January 22nd seems early, but that does not mean they will be blooming in a few days. My guess is that by the 3rd week in February I should start seeing these miracles starting to show come color. If we have days that are sunny and in the 40's and 50's they should be showing their color by then. My tulips are still asleep in the soil, or at least busy developing a root system. I am sure that if I dug down a couple of inches they would be right there.

What's going on here?

2010-01-13T13:54:00.002-06:00

Every January at the Garden Center allows us the opportunity to paint walls, reseal the floor, do those yearly maintenance items before the next seasons merchandise arrives. This year, we are taking it a step further at our store at 2707 W. 13th. (Our West store, althought the 'Ridge' store is further west)

If you have ever worked with both pegboard and slatwall, you know how much nicer the slat wall is. Dad had custom pegboard installed at the 'West' store in the 60's sometime. I need to check with Mom to see when that actually happened. It went from idea to tearing out the pegboard in a matter of minutes. My idea was to think about it and do it next year before the Christmas set-up in October. I didn't even get a vote. Within an hour, most of the old was down and the cinder block from yrs ago was showing. The old stories then came with all the 'stuff' we found behind and under the shelving. Wooden flats, Christmas arrangements, cigarette butts, I love telling the employees how things were done in the past. I can see their thoughts in their faces, 'Yeah, and I bet you walked to school uphill, both ways, in the snow too, Marty."

Anyway, here is the old wall from the original 'Orie Johnson' building that is pre 1960 construction. Check back and see how the project progresses.

Indoor Gardening Seminar

2010-01-05T17:27:00.003-06:00

If you are tired of those south of the border grown tomatoes and want to learn how to grow your own, then this Saturday at 10 at our store at 2707 W. 13 is the place to be. Here you will see our hydroponic lettuce and tomatoes that we have been growing the past few weeks in our indoor gardening department. We will cover the basics of indoor gardening for the beginning gardener. Many people start by growing in pots in a potting mix, then move on to a hydroponic system. We have an excellent selection of herbs at all 3 stores that do very well in an indoor garden. If you don't make the seminar, be sure and stop by anytime and check out our indoor gardening department.

OOPS, the camera setting was on

2009-12-15T18:54:00.004-06:00

B&W from this past weekend, but here is a sneek peek at some really fun, and different for growing your vegetable plants in next spring. We hope to have some of these at the Wichita Garden Show nest March, but you can watch the progress here.

January 27, 2010

Well the straw bale project has not gone as planned. First off, the bales are in an unheated greenhouse, and I think they will start to break down faster in a warmer area. The greenhouse is now being filled with perennials for this seasons sales and the bales are going outside, where it will be even colder. As the spring season warms, I think the straw bale project will progress, we'll see.

BUT, Jeremy found these grow bags in jumbo sizes which will work really nice for an affordable, reusable, planting area. This is a 100 gal container planted in Square Foot Garden soil recipe, more on that in a later post. In the center is a 'Cherokee Purple' tomato and planted around is 9 herb plants. Our plan is to have this planter at the Wichita Garden Show the first weekend of March.

God's Artwork

2009-12-09T20:49:00.002-06:00

I just thought you would like to see my backyard pond waterfall. I leave the pump on 24/7/365. Today, with the temps in the teens, made a great ice falls.

It's Tomato Time at Johnson's

2009-12-09T20:38:00.002-06:00

I don't know if I have ever seen greenhouse tomatoes as nice as these. A local greenhouse grower had some extra space in his production greenhouse that he was heating and decided to try some hydroponic tomatoes. I think one of the things that make these tomatoes special is that he grew garden varitety tomatoes, not hydroponic varieties. I would guess he had some seed left over from his spring bedding plant crop and grew what he had. We have all eaten grocery store, or reataurant tomatoes that are pale red at best. These things have flavor! They are harvested at their peak, not weeks early and let ripen in a box.

These plants have also been grown without the use of pesticides. I don't know for sure, but many organic growers use preditory insects in their greenhouses for insect control.

We will have these for sale this week, and hopefully for the next several weeks, if supply holds out. Avoid getting the tomatoes grown across the border and #1, help a local grower and #2, enjoy the best tasting tomatoes you can get in December.

It's Christmas tree season

2009-11-23T19:00:00.003-06:00

The past few Christmas seasons we have had the opportunity to supply the lighted Christmas tree at Friends University in Wichita Kansas. The Concolor fir that we supplied again this year came from the Cimmaron NM area. If you have had the opportunity to visit Philmont Scout ranch as a scout or a leader, you know the area. We loaded the 25' tree this morning on our flatbed truck, delivered, set up and lit the tree today. Check back and I'll post a photo of the tree at night illuminated.

The photo added at the top of the page is another Concolor fir that we delivered to Southwestern College in Winfield Kansas. I need to make a road trip some evening and get some night shots of the trees, check back.

Johnson's Christmas Open House

2009-11-07T19:31:00.002-06:00

If you have been out in the wonderful weather wem have been having this weekend and have missed our Spring Open House, be sure to stop by on Sunday for the last day. Special prices on Christmas items, and good things to snack on while you shop. Hours on Sunday are 12-5

Planting the Kansas Keukenhof

2009-10-24T16:51:00.005-05:00

It is late October, many think it is too late for gardening, nothing could be further from the truth. Our good Friend, Piet Stuifbergen (our Dutch bulb supplier from The Netherlands) thinks that October/November is the perfect time for planting these Spring-flowering miracles. We still have an excellent assortment of bulbs to select from, whether it is tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, crocus, any of the misc. bulbs. I started my project today by pulling out the geraniums in our flower bed. Tilled the soil with a Mantis tiller, leveled the soil and then planted the bulbs. I like to till the soil 6" deep which will make the planting go much easier. If the area you are planting in is not tillable, then a bulb planter works well. I planted a variety of Species crocus 'Gypsy Girl' in bunches of 6 along the border. These 4-6" tall, yellow with black striped bulb should bloom by March. Next came Gregii Tulip 'United States' This mid-season tulip has yellow and red flowers that will grow to 18". Behind these in the rear come a bunch flowering, Single Late Tulip called 'Antoinette' which is a reverse of the 'United States', red and yellow flowers. Over the top of all the bulb to bloom for 3 seasons in a Yellow Pansy with a dark blotch called 'Colossus Yellow' I fertilized the area with Ferti-Lomes Start-N-Gro Plus, a slow release fertilizer with a weed preventer, which will keep the area weed-free all winter. Most importantly I watered the area 3 times to get the bulbs moist to start the root development. Check back and see what other bulps I get planted, maybe I'll have a showing next spring of my 'Kansas Keukenhof'

My dog had fleas

2009-10-11T18:45:00.003-05:00

I am sure you have heard, and probably even sang a few measures of that catchy tune at some point. Our 11 yr old Golden knows first hand what it is like to have fleas. Last fall was the first time Bailey had ever experienced fleas. Last fall I noticed there seemed what I thought was dirt in her coat. Upon closer examination, I saw these tiny insects crawling in her fur. You can imagine what the specs I was thinking was dirt, we won't go there. I knew that we sold several versions of Permethrin, a safe insecticide used in most flea and tick controls for animals. It is even used in clothing that you purchase which has an insect label. I checked the label on Hi-Yield Indoor/Outdoor Broad Use Insecticide and sure enough it had animals listed on the label. this product has 24 pages of uses for all types of insect control in the landscape and inside pest control as well. It is low odor which is nice when using on our pets, and around the home as well. My method of application for Bailey was a Ferti-Lome Air-O-Matic hose end sprayer. If you have swine, poultry, beef cattle, horses, sheep, goats, or a dog, try Hi-Yield Indoor/Outdoor Broad Use Insecticide to control fleas and other insects.

How did the product work on Bailey? Well, last fall it only took 1 application to control the fleas. I am confident that today's spraying will do it for this season as well.

2009-09-28T15:06:00.003-05:00

I'm sure all you faithful customers were tuned in to Saturday's radio program on KNSS 1330 and didn't miss a thing that was discussed, but for those of you who were working out in their yard or doing the Race for the Cure we've decided to post some of the questions that were called in. In fact, we may just decide to do this weekly so stay tuned!

Q) Is now a good time to 'dead head' my mums?
A) If the blooms are past their prime you can go ahead and snip off the flower, but realize once this is done, they won't bloom again this year.

Q)Would it be a good time to give acid plant food to Hollies?
A)Yes, now's a great time! You can either use ferti-lome Tree & Shrub Food or Fox Farm for Acid Loving Plants!

Q)I've got a fescue lawn with bermuda grass that creeps in, how can I kill the bermuda?
A)This is a common problem in fescue lawns. The best products to use are Turflon Ester or Bayer Bermuda Grass Control.

Q)When do I plant new grass, and what can I use to control broadleaf and grassy weeds?
A)Now is the perfect time to plant new grass, we've got a great selection in the stores now.
Kill broadleaf weeds with ferti-lome Weed Free Zone after you've mowed the new grass twice, and use Baricade in the spring. You will also want to use ferti-lome All Seasons Crabgrass Preventer to prevent grassy weeds.

Q)I've got stickers in my yard, what can I use to control them?
A)A great product to use is Hi-Yield Turf & Ornamental Weed & Grass Stopper. This product provides a superior control of broadleaf weeds and annual grass weeds in established lawns and ornamental turf.

Q)I've just rebuilt a porch where wasps used to reside. If I paint the ceiling of the porch sky blue will it deter the wasps from building nests?
A)While we're not sure if wasps can actually see color, we would recommend using Hi-Yield Indoor/Outdoor Insecticide. You can spray the product using the Air-O-Matic Hose-On Sprayer around the perimeter of the porch to control unwanted pests. This product also helps control fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, caterpillars, cicadas to mention a few.

We hope you will find this information helpful! If you have questions please don't hesitate to ask us . Remember, if you've got a question, there are probably 10 other people wondering the same thing so don't hesitate to ask!
Also, tune in on Saturday Mornings from 8-9 a.m. for Johnson's Radio Show with Marty and Jeremy Johnson. They'll give great advice and answer questions callers call in with. You can call the show at 436-1330!

Fresh look

2009-09-17T16:42:00.007-05:00

We've done some rearranging at Johnson's Garden Centers.

We replaced some of the tables with brick flooring in the greenhouses at two of our locations for a more friendly atmosphere and creative displays.

We're excited about the new look, and hope you will be too!

Oh, and speaking of new looks, the Monrovia boutique at Johnson's East has been given a fall look that includes new nursery stock!

Stop by any of our three locations to check it the new displays, colorful fall mums, pansies and nursery stock.

Homegrown Tomatoes

2009-09-12T20:35:00.002-05:00

We were without homegrown tomatoes for about 4 weeks this summer after our only hot spell seemed to not let our tomatoes set fruit. Well we had a cool, moist month of August and now we have an abundance of tomatoes. I always label my plants so I can see which ones do the best, but usually they all grow together and I have a hard time finding the labels. I do know the Jet Stars are really loaded right now. I would just recommend plant as many varieties as you can, and enjoy the color, and taste of the different varities.

Seeding Cool Season Lawns

2009-09-12T19:17:00.004-05:00

Today was the perfect day to seed a cool season lawn. I had a couple of areas to plant seed, different reasons in each area. The first area had been sprayed with Hi-Yield Super Killz-All about 4 weeks ago, and then again 3 weeks later, to make sure the bermuda grass was dead. Another area were just spots in an existing lawn that were just void of any grass. In this area I set a rototiller about 2" deep and loosened the top layer of soil. Another area, the exitsting fescue was just thin, and needed thickened up. I think in this area, my sprinkler system misses this area, so I will need to address this issue to get good germination.

The key points in getting a good lawn, is to plant the best seed available. We sell Gard'N-Wise premium Fescue blend. We recommend planting 8 lbs per 1000 sq ft. This blend is selected from varieties that have done well in KSU turf research. There is no weed seed in this blend, and it has a high germination percent.

Secondly, it is important to get good seed to soil contact. This is done by using a lawn comber (we rent at the stores) to make a shallow slit in the soil, through the thach, about 2" apart. Small areas can be raked with a garden rake, or use a rototiller as done for small areas.

Thirdly, it is important to use Ferti-Lome New Lawn Starter to get the new grass plants growing. A follow-up application of Ferti-Lome Winterizer in 4 weeks will keep the plants growing this fall, and a final application of Winterizer in November will be the last feeding for the season. If weeds germinate with the newly planted seed, (as happens when the soil is disturbed) Ferti-Lome Weed-Free-Zone with Fertilizer may be used at this time to kill weeds and winterize the lawn

Finally, keeping the area watered to get the seed to germinate is important. Normally a light watering twice a day will get the seeds up and growing.

If you get the lawn planted in the next month you will be fine. The sooner you are able to get it growing though, the faster it will get established this fall. Once this is done, then next week you can plant pansies, mums, and asters. Then in October, the spring flowering bulbs can start going into the ground.

Ready, Set, Fertilize

2009-08-25T19:44:00.009-05:00

For many years, we have been telling customers that to have the best looking lawn on the block, they needed to fertilize in the fall. I thought it would be interesting to link you to the source of that information, Kansas State University (GO CATS). KSU has information on about anything you ever wanted to know about for your lawn, garden, landscape. Here is the link to the 'Fertilizing Turfgrass Report' that give us the research.

http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/library/hort2/mf2324.pdf
For cool-season lawns, most of the fertilizer should
be applied in the fall. Fescue, bluegrass and ryegrass
benefit most from fall-applied nitrogen applications.
September is the most important time. Nitrogen applied during
September helps thicken the stand, and encourages
development of a healthy root system. A November
application (at about the time of the final mowing of
the season) helps the turf build food reserves. This
enables the lawn to green up earlier in the spring, without
encouraging the excessive shoot growth that often
accompanies early spring Nitrogen applications.

Ferti-Lome's Winterizer contains 5 lbs of Nitrogen, applied to a 5,000 yard will apply recommended ammount of fertilizer. My suggestion would be to do an application each of the next 3 months.

Jalapeno pepper grills

2009-08-22T19:11:00.002-05:00

Earlier this year at the Wichita Garden Show, we were lucky to come across a new vendor, Ed Bright from Honey's Jalapeno Grills. Ed designs and manufacture unique grills for cooking jalapeno peppers on your grill, or in your oven. We invited Ed to attend our Chile fest promotion this year, and lucky for us he had an open weekend in his busy show schedule. Jeremy was smart enough to get one of Ed's grills in March at the Garden Show, but by the time I went back to purchase a grill, Ed was sold out. I did pick up one of Ed's grills today at the east store, and this evening put it to good use. This is the best cooking gadget I have found for jalapeno peppers. I normally stuff a pepper with cheese, wrap it with bacon and lay it on the grill. When using Ed's grill, all of the cheese stays in the pepper, not running out as I have normally had occur. Go to http://www.honeysjalapenogrills.com/ and see Ed's grills. We hope to be able to stock the grills at our stores soon.

Green Chile Stew

2009-08-19T12:35:00.002-05:00

Nancy goes out of town to a Garden Center conference and I become Mr. Food in the kitchen, (it is sooooo good). After cleaning out the crock pot from the Green Chile (sauce) I made, I went into Green Chile Stew mode. I don't think this recipe made it into our new Green Chile cookbook, but it is a keeper. I used medium heat Chile, so it does have a bite to it. Here is the recipe.

Green Chile Stew

20 fresh diced rosasted Hatch Green Chile peppers

1 lb. ground beef

1 red onion

6 red potatoes, cubed

15 cups water (seemed like too much, but it isn't)

4 tbsp Old Wesport Special Blend Seasoning

(available at Johnson's soon)

2 tsp garlic

1/2 cup rice (optional)

1/2 cup carrots (optional)

salt to taste

Brown ground beef. Put all ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil for 15 minutes and then a slow boil for 1 1/2 hours. Serve with tortillas and plenty of your favorite beverage to cool down the fire.

Be sure to stop by Chile Fest this weekend, August 22 and 23 for samples of everything Green Chile.

The first Green Chile sauce of the season

2009-08-18T17:21:00.002-05:00

With the 2009 Johnsons's Chile Fest soon upon us I thought it was time to make the first batch of Green Chile Sauce of the season. Most chile heads just refer to it as Green Chile. I came upon this recipe from another chile head from , Joyce Benedict. Joyce and her husband Ken, own Great Plains Landscape and Design Co. a Garden Center/Landscape company in Beloit Kansas. Several years ago, Ken was telling me about Joyce's wonderful Green Chile, and shared the recipe. We have had it in our Green Chile Recipe book for several years and it continues to be my favorite Green Chile recipe.

Joyce's "Secret" Award-Winning Green Chile Sauce

1/2 to 1 cup chopped onion

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 1/2 cup chicken broth

2 cups Hatch Green Chile, roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

Dash cumin (or your favorite seasoning)

Saute' onions in butter. Addd flour to make a paste. Stir in broth, chile, garlic and cumin.

Use this sauce to spice up hamburgers, brats, eggs, soups ... anything that needs a kick!

The 'Secret' part of the recipe has been out for several years now, and after making and enjoying this Green Chile, I am sure you will give an award as well.

It's Chile Time!

2009-08-17T12:42:00.005-05:00

Last week we traveled to pick up our first batch of Hatch Green Chiles! We've brought back a truckload and have them stored in our cooler waiting their turn at the roaster. You won't want to miss out on the excitement, in fact, join us this weekend, August 21-23 for Chile Fest! We're cooking up some dishes that contain green chile for you to samples, and will have frozen margaritas for you to wash it down with - yes, they're virgin of course. You'll also be able to find our 2009 cookbook at all of our 3 locations. And just to get you in the mood, here are some photos of the chiles along with our Head Chilehead, Marty.

Orie said early August is

2009-08-08T15:10:00.002-05:00

the ideal time to plant your fall seeds for a great fall garden. I had pulled out what was left of my spring garden when I harvested my potatoes. I had tilled in Cotton Boll Compost to enrich the soil and let it set for about 3 weeks. Today I tilled again (to get rid of the crabgrass that had germinated) and planted Blue Lake bush green beans, Crimson Giant radish, Detroit Dark Red beets, Nantes Half long carrots, and I also found some onion seeds on the seed rack so I thought I would give it a try. I planted the beans in 2 rows, but I am going to try the scatter method on the others and see how that works. When our broccoli and other fall seedlings arrive I'll plant some additional items. Stay tuned

Cut your watering frequency in half.

2009-08-03T10:37:00.004-05:00

I ususlly set my timer on my lawn irrigation system on the manual setting and not the daily setting when we have frequent rains. I just don't like paying the electric bill to run the pump when it is raining. If I had city water, I know I would not like to pay that bill. I normally wait until my lawn tells me it is thirsty. Most turf areas have dry spots or as some put it, hot spots, those areas for some reason or another dry out sooner than the remainder of the lawn. Core aereation helps the water penetrate the soil. These areas may be lacking in organic matter which can be added with an application of Natural Guard Soil Activator.

A product that will reduce the frequency of watering has been available only recently from Ferti-lome called Aqueduct L&G Professional Water Management The unique thing about Aquaduct is that it ensures quick penetration and reduces run off. If you have clay soils, it will aide in the absorption of water as well. It will increase fertilizer retention, reducing the potential of nitrates leaching into ground water. This university tested product will treat 5,000 sq ft. for only $14.98 in a easy to apply hose end sprayer.

If you want to cut your watering from 4 to 2 or 3 times per week, apply Aqueduct to your lawn, and also landscape and flower areas and end the dry spots.

Can the Abundance

2009-07-20T15:08:00.000-05:00

Do you have an abundance of tomatoes from your garden, and don't know how in the world you're going to eat them all before they go bad? Well, if you love homegrown tomatoes, and don't want them to go to waste, why not can them and enjoy them throughout the year? Here are some guidelines for canning taken from the Kitchen Gardeners International website:
1. Visually examine canning jars for nicks, cracks, uneven rims or sharp edges that may prevent sealing or cause breakage. Examine canning lids to ensure they are free of dents and sealing compound is even and complete. Check bands for proper fit.

2. Wash jars and two-piece caps in hot, soapy water. Rinse well. Dry bands; set aside. Heat jars and lids in a saucepot of simmering water (180°F or 82°C). DO NOT BOIL LIDS. Allow jars and lids to remain in hot water until ready for use, removing one at a time as needed.

3. Fill boiling-water canner half-full with hot water. Elevate rack in canner. Put canner lid in place. Heat water just to a simmer (180°F or 82°C). Keep water hot until used for processing.

4. Select fresh tomatoes at their peak of quality and flavor. Use firm tomatoes free of cracks, spots and growths. Prepare only enough for one canner load. Wash tomatoes; drain.

5. Place tomatoes in wire basket and lower into a large saucepot of boiling water. Blanch tomatoes 30 to 60 seconds or until skins start to crack. Remove from boiling water. Dip immediately into cold water.

6. Slip off skins; trim away any green areas; cut out core. Leave tomatoes whole or cut into halves or quarters.

7. For tomatoes packed in water, place tomatoes in a large saucepot, adding just enough water to cover. Boil gently 5 minutes.

8. Remove canning jar from hot water with a jar lifter; set jar on towel. Add 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice to each pint jar, 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice to each quart jar.

9. Carefully pack tomatoes into hot jar, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Ladle boiling water or cooking liquid over tomatoes, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt per pint jar or 1 teaspoon salt per quart jar, if desired.

10. Slide a nonmetallic spatula between tomatoes and jar; press back gently on tomatoes to release trapped' air bubbles. Repeat procedure 2 to 3 times around inside of jar.

11. Wipe rim and threads of jar with a dean, damp cloth. Remove lid from hot water using a lid wand. Place lid on jar, centering sealing compound on rim. Screw band down evenly and firmly, just until resistance is met-fingertip tight.

12. As each jar is filled, set it onto the elevated rack in the boiling-water canner. Water in canner should be kept at a simmer (180°F or 82°C). After all jars are filled and placed onto the rack, lower rack into canner. Water must cover the two-piece caps on the jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.

13. Put lid on canner. Bring water to a boil. Start counting processing time after water comes to a rolling boil. Process pints 40 minutes, quarts 45 minutes, at a gentle but steady boil for altitudes at or below 1,000 feet above sea level. For higher altitude areas, consult your local extension office.

15. After jars have cooled, check lids for a seal by pressing on the center of each lid. If the center is pulled down and does not flex, remove the band and gently try to lift the lid off with your fingertips. If the lid does not flex and you cannot lift it off the lid has a good vacuum seal. Wipe lid and jar surface with a clean, damp cloth to remove food particles or residue. Label. Store jars in a cool, dry, dark place.

It's over until next year, I can't wait.

2009-07-19T21:05:00.002-05:00

Well, Moonlight Madness is over for another year. It is one of those long days that we all love. The Johnson's employees all get excited and do a great job. I used to think a 24 hour sale would be fun to try, but I think I would be the only person working the late shift. We did have a customer ask at about 11:30 pm 'Why is this the only day you stay open until midnight'? I think my first response was something about getting to old or something like that. I hope you made it by this year and enjoyed the fun.

Moonlight Madness Hourly Specials

2009-07-18T14:46:00.002-05:00

2-3pm - 3 cu. ft. Cypress Mulch only $4.99, reg. $7.98.
3-4pm - 4.5" Butterfly Garden Perennials only $1.99, reg. $4.98.
4-5pm - All pots & pottery 50% OFF! Includes Terra cotta, glazed, plastic, concrete, etc.
5-6pm - 2 cu. ft. Cotton Boll Compost only $3.99, reg. $6.98.
6-7pm - Bayer Bermudagrass Control for Lawns, RTS qt., $10 OFF, reg. $32.98.
7-8pm - 3 cu. ft. All Bark Cedar Mulch only $5.99, reg. $8.98.
8-9pm - All garden tools 30% OFF.
9-10pm - 2 cu. ft. Cocoa Mulch $5.99, reg. $9.98.

Cotinis nitida - Green June Beetle

2009-07-17T22:57:00.003-05:00

Nancy notified me that there 'were these giant bugs attacking our corn plants' today. As I approached the corn patch, there were dozens of swarming beetles. These 1" long insects, Cotinis nitida were flying around the corn stalks, some resting on the top portion of the plants. They actually are pretty impressive. I didn't think that they were doing the garden much good, and decided they needed to go. I sprayed the plants with Hi-Yield Indoor/Outdoor insect spray containing Permetherin, a safe insecticide that can be sprayed today and the fruit harvested in as little as 1 day. At first I didn't know if my attempt to control the insects was working because the swarm was still active. After putting up my spray equipment, I went back to collect a sample of the insect and they had all but vanished. I consulted with Sedgwick Co Extension Agent, Bob Neier and he informed me that these insects feed on the fruit of vegetables. The large grubs that they come from live in compost or mulch piles.
The key to insect control is to used an insececticide that is labeled for the insect and plant to be sprayed on, use the proper sprayer, and wear proper safety clothing. Follow the directions carefully and the product will work for its intended use.

Get ready for the Madness!

2009-07-14T11:14:00.002-05:00

When: Saturday, July 18
Time: Noon-MIDNIGHT
What: Moonlight Madness - 12 hours of savings!

I love Summer

2009-07-07T18:29:00.002-05:00

Long warm days, Summer has got to be the best time of the year, at least today I think it is. I'll probably say the same about Fall in October. Harvesting fresh vegetables out of the garden has got to be hard to beet (no pun intended). We harvested tomatoes, zucchini and yellow squash, cucumbers, dug onions, potatoes and yes, beets. I hope you are able to be harvesting out of your garden as well. If not, consider planting a fall garden starting August 1st. For now, enjoy the Summer.

The Fungus Among Us!!

2009-06-19T11:37:00.002-05:00

Conditions are perfect for the development of the lawn disease known as brown patch. The disease needs warm humid conditions like we're experiencing now. From a distance the lawn looks as if it is suffering from a lack of water, but this is not the case. More times than not homeowners will see the lawn browning out and start watering and watering and water some more. This is a bad idea!! The moisture increases the humidity and makes conditions even more favorable for the development of the disease. Usually, if the lawn is allowed to dry out and weather conditions improve, brown patch won't kill the grass. It kills the leaf blade and after a couple of weeks it will grow out of it. However, if the weather conditions persist and we don't get a cool down it can infect the crown of the grass plant and kill it. As of today, the 10 day forecast looks favorable for brown patch and it is possible that we could see significant damage from brown patch.

How do you tell if it's brown patch and not just a lack of water? If you're watering a couple of times a week and you're lawn is turning brown, it is very likely it is brown patch. Look closely at the leaf blades. If you see brown spots on the leaf blade bordered by a dark brown or purplish margin, that is brown patch.

What can you do to lessen the severity or to prevent it in the first place? First, make sure you're mowing at the highest or second to highest setting on your mower. Make sure to not over water and don't water in the late afternoon or evening. An inch and a half of water, possibly a little more in extremely dry conditions is what your lawn needs to stay green. Also, and most importantly, make sure your lawn dries out between watering's. Try to have a couple of days between watering's to let the soil dry out. An application of Fertilome's F-Stop, a fungicide, will prevent the fungus from developing and reduce the severity if the disease is already present. I would apply it now and every 2-3 weeks through the summer months.

Biking Across Kansas 2009

2009-06-15T22:01:00.003-05:00

I finally was able to get away for a week in early June to do the 35 edition of what is know of as BAK. Every year bicyclists start at the Colorado border and spend the next week riding across the state. Our adventure started on Friday, June 5th in Coolidge Kansas. We spent the night in Syracuse and on Saturday morning we headed east. The great thing about cycling is you get to really slow down and visit small town America. We spent nights in Garden City, Jetmore, St.John, Halstead, Eureka, Humbolt, Paola, and finishing at the Missouri border just east of Louisburg Kansas. People ask me which area I liked the best, and it is hard to select just one area. I think that the Flint Hills of Kansas are hard to beat. The wild flowers are simply amazing in Kansas. From the Gallardia blooming in western Kansas to the Butterfly milkweed in eastern Kansas, there are beautiful flowers from border to border.

One of the things that impressed me the most were the 3 wheelchair athletes that rode with us across the state. They were up early every morning, rowing their way across the rolling hills, and finishing ahead of us on most days. We forget how lucky we are with what God has blessed us with, our families, our health, and a free Country where we can ride across the state whenever we wish.

Jump on your bike, or in your car and visit some part our beautiful state. You will be truly blessed with the people, plants and towns that you come across.

Is your lawn brown?

2009-06-08T14:56:00.002-05:00

If yes, you're not alone. A lot of lawns around town are suffering from heat stress. We went from mild wet weather to warm dry weather and the fescue grasses didn't like it. There are a couple of things that caused it. The soils have been wet all Spring long, which is not good for the roots. It deprieves the grass of oxygen and puts stress on the plant. Second, when it gets hot turfgrasses and other plants can't produce enough energy to survive. To compensate for this they start robbing food that they have stored in their roots to maintain the green color. This is a stressful process for your lawn and that is why we always recommend to mow at the highest setting, water when necessary, don't mow off more than a third of the leaf blade at any one time. These practices help to ensure that your roots are as healthy as possible and have stored as much energy as possible to survive the hot summer months. A break in the weather and your lawn should recover from this. A couple of things to remember: don't over water and raise up that mower!!

Congratulations Guyanne Weilert!

2009-05-11T10:07:00.003-05:00

Guyanne Weilert of Wichita won the 1st annual Johnson's Spring Photo Contest!

Thanks to all who participated!

Spring Photo Contest

2009-05-02T09:42:00.019-05:00

Here are the entries for Johnson's Spring Photo Contest. Pick your favorite photo(numbered from 1 to 20) and vote in the poll at the right. Please, only one vote per customer!

Photo 1

Photo 2

Photo 3

Photo 4

Photo 5

Photo 6

Photo 7

Photo 8

Photo 9

Photo 10

Photo 11

Photo 12

Photo 13

Photo 14

Photo 15

Photo 16

Photo 17

Photo 18

Photo 19

Photo 20

Still Time!!

2009-04-30T19:53:00.002-05:00

Thanks to everyone who sent in pictures for the spring photo contest. If you have not done it yet, and still want to enter you have until tomorrow at 11:59 p.m. to submit! If you would rather drop off your photos to one of our locations, feel free to do so tomorrow. We will have the pictures on the blog along with a poll for you to vote on your favorites. The winner will be announced on May 8, and will get a $25 gift card to Johnson's.

Tweet, Tweet!!

2009-04-27T15:59:00.001-05:00

Do you twitter? We do! Follow us at jgcwichita!

Big Tomato Event!

2009-04-27T11:04:00.002-05:00

Tired of buying tomatoes at the store, only to bite into the flavorless, mushy fruit that looked so perfect? Well, be tired no more, because we're having a Big Tomato Event! Johnson's is bringing in over 100 varieties of tomatoes, along with peppers, zucchini, melons, squash and eggplant. If you love the homegrown flavor of veggies, now's your chance to stock up. Pick up your favorites, or try some new, you surely won't be disappointed.

The Big Tomato Event is this coming weekend, April 30 - May 3 at all 4 Johnson's locations. Pick up your veggies 5/$10, reg. $2.49 each. Hope to see you there!

Flat Sale Day IV

2009-04-25T14:01:00.003-05:00

I don't know if we have had this many really good plants, this late in the sale. We have had shipments of plants at all of our locations everyday. Our grower Ashley is busy pulling plants for our retail locations and Brother/Uncle Wes Johnson has done all he and his staff could do to keep us supplied. His driver Larry was at our stores before 6AM today unloading flowers. The Johnson's staff has done a great job as well in keeping a variety of plants for the customers. Our employees work 12+ hour days, yes, dragging a little late in the day, but they all get a rush working the sale. A big shout out and thanks to all of our staff for a great job. The big event continues thru tomorrow, Sunday, so hurry in.

Flat Sale Day 1

2009-04-22T21:03:00.005-05:00

What a great day for Flat Sale. Yes, it was warm. I won't use the 'H' work, but the car was saying 91. Very little wind, it was just perfect for shopping for bedding plants. It wasn't that long ago that I was walking up to the greenhouse before going to bed, making sure the heaters were running because the low was going to be in the 20's. Now, we have the furnaces turned off, and can leave the back vents open at night. My Brother Wes Johnson has done a great job in growing plants for our 3 stores. Johnson's greenhouse grower Ashley has done a great job as well, growing about 1000 flats, mainly for our 13th. street store. We have shipment arriving during the sale, filling up the shelves with your favorite annuals.

Happy Hour April 22!

2009-04-22T16:26:00.001-05:00

This week's special is Pro-Mix Potting Soil, only $4.99, reg. $9.98! Limit 2 please. Pro-Mix is the ultimate peat based potting soil for plants grown in hanging baskets and outdoor planters. It's water retention formula keeps a moist environment for plants, and allows for more time between waterings. Stop by Thurs. between 2-Close for Happy Hour to cash in on this great deal!

While you're at it, be sure to stock up on your favorite annuals at the annual Fill-A-Flat sale, flats of annuals for only $12.97!

Johnson's Flat Sale starts Wednesday 4/22

2009-04-21T21:20:00.002-05:00

I am not sure which on this is, but I am guessing it is about our 20th annual flat sale. I remember our first one. It was only 1 day, a Sunday. We ran a 'spadia' ad in the newspaper. A spadia is a wrap around the spline of a section of the paper. Ours was around the comic section, pretty good placement I think. We bought a 1/2 truck load of plants, about 900 flats total for 2 stores. I thought my place would be at the east store, and Nancy decided to help out west. I did think that the west store should place their sale plants in the rear of the greenhouse (like the grocers do with milk and meat). My idea worked real well. The west store greenhouse was FULL of customers, with a line to pay running the length of the greenhouse! Needless to say, those plans changed that next year.

We now run the sale 5 days long, and sell well over 12,000 flats of locally grown annual bedding plants. Since the early days, Wichitians, and surrounding customers literally take vacation days from work to attend the event. This year, the weather looks great for shopping, planting, shopping, planting. We have the shelves stocked well and more plants on the way.

Have a great week of gardening.

Monrovia Boutique Slideshow!

2009-04-21T13:16:00.000-05:00

Monrovia Boutique at Johnson's East

2009-04-15T21:00:00.002-05:00

Be sure and take a walk through the new Monrovia Boutique at Johnson's East store at 21st and Woodlawn. This project was presented to us last summer, and after seeing a boutique in Chicago, we were on board. Monrovia Nurseries sent a construction crew this winter and installed the wooden structures. Johnson's Legacy Landscapes then installed brick pavers to make the experience even nicer. Monrovia staff then worked with Johnson's staff in merchandising the boutique.

The boutique will let us show off Monrovia plants in a way that you can invision the plants in your landscape. The plant material will be continually changing in the boutique. Customers can select plants from the display and as weekly deliveries arrive from Monrovia, new seasonal plants will be added.

Confessions of a Plant Geek

2009-04-09T14:00:00.005-05:00

I have something to come clean about. I am a Plant Geek. I am also somewhat absent-minded, some might call forgetful. But I also LOVE this time of year at our nurseries, as new, cool plants come in that I seem to have forgotten about since I ordered them sometime last year.

After spending this week ogling at new things, I wanted to share a few here. Most of these plants we didnt buy very many of, so if you see something that's interesting, hurry in.

Any Dogwood fans out there? Sure Kousa dogwood isn't anything new or rare, but we got a few Empress of China Dogwood trees in that I'm really excited about. This new to the trade variety is a subspecies of Kousa dogwood that is evergreen! These photos don't do the plant justice, as the foliage is absolutely beautiful, and covered with creamy white flowers, it's going to be an amazing specimen in the landscape.

Another little something I came across last summer is a new form of Contorted Filbert (Harry Lauder's Walking Stick, Corylus, etc) called Red Majestic. This form has (you guessed it) brilliant red new growth! While the color is going to fade during the heat of the summer, some of the red will remain all year long. While it keeps the same weeping/contorted appearance of the common variety, this variety will actually give a reason to look at this plant when it has leaves on it. As you can see in the picture, the catkins (male flowers) are also a reddish color, unlike the brownish-yellow of the common variety. I know I'm going to have to make room for one of these in my garden.

I could go on and on, but don't want to spoil ALL of the fun. Coming to the nurseries is kinda like a plant adventure. Or expedition. Here's a partial list of some other things that have arrived in small numbers: 'Amazing Grace' Katsura Tree, 'Venus' Dogwood (GIANT flowers), 'Spring Delight' Japanese Maple, 'Purple Ghost' Japanese Maple, 'Autumn Cascade' Black Gum (yummm), Vivax Bamboo (Chinese Timber Bamboo-this is a COOL plant, but only tread here if you've got tons of room, or a great containment system, it's gonna get BIG), great quantities of Black Mondo Grass (great little ground cover for the semi-shade garden).

I'll post again when we get interesting, rare, or just plain weird stuff in.

Florel Fruit Elimimator

2009-04-07T19:32:00.003-05:00

I thought that maybe after the cold temperatures the past few nights that maybe, we would have been lucky enough for the sub-feezing temperatures to have killed Sweet Gum balls. These seed balls are the structure of the plant that produces the seed. After the seed has dropped, the balls dry, then fall off of the tree all winter and well into spring. As you can see, the sharp points are not something you want to step on. I guess you could make a Christmas wreath out of these, but that is about all.
Help is on the way with Florel, a spray that needs to be applied very soon, like this week, to have the tree drop the flower which will make the balls.
Florel® brand Growth Regulator is registered to reduce or eliminate undesirable fruit development on many ornamental trees and shrubs such as: cottonwood, crabapple, elm, flowering pear, maple, oak, pine, sweet gum (liquidambar) and sycamore. It also works on many other species that produce nuisance fruit.
Application must be made prior to fruit set; apply at the mid to full-bloom stage in sufficient water to wet (do not spray to run off). Good spray coverage is essential for complete fruit elimination. Application made too early or too late will also not be effective. Temperatures at the time of application should be between 65 degrees Fahrenheit and 95 degrees Fahrenheit for the best results. In university tests, we have received 95-100 percent control of undesirable fruit on many species. However, timing is extremely critical!

Opening Soon!

2009-04-06T10:23:00.003-05:00

Monrovia Boutiques!

Johnson's Garden Centers have become partners with Monrovia Nurseries, who have developed themed boutiques to display their plant material. Stop by any one of our nurseries and check them out! The plant material within the boutiques have been specifically chosen to portray the particular theme.

Also, sign up for Monrovia's Plant Savvy newsletter! This is a monthly e-newsletter produced by Monrovia that talks about interesting plant ideas and the latest gardening trends in each issue. Click here to sign up!

Bedding plants at Johnson's

2009-04-05T20:07:00.009-05:00

Another weekend not being able to work outside in the garden because of cold, windy weather. The next couple of nights with the lows in the mid to lower 20's will surly keep us out of the garden for a couple of days. The forcast past that though, looks pretty good. Maybe some moisture towards the end of the week, but with temps in mid to upper 60's it will be time to get back outside.

Plants continue to grow though in the greenhouses at our stores. Here is impatiens that are scheduled for sale for our Annual Fill-A-Flat sale, April 23 - 28th. Our west 13th street store staff is growing over 1000 flats to add to the many more that our local (Kansas, not from many 100's of miles away) professional greenhouse producers are growing for us.

My brother Wes Johnson, Hesston Plant Co. (the states finest producer of bedding plants) is growing many of the flats for the sale, along with many unique offerings for your selection. Here are a few examples of what Wes is growing for this spring. We already have in the stores some of his mixed Bouganvilla baskets. This tri-color combination is a very striking basket will sell out fast, so hurry in to get yours. Wes also also grows many varietyies and sizes of Geraniums for your garden or patio that we also presently have in the greenhouses.

Along with other annuals and perennials, we also have many varieties of vegetable plants that can be planted after it warms up.

Stop by the stores, take a strole through the greenhouse and get ready to plant.

What a weekend

2009-03-29T18:25:00.006-05:00

It happens every year, the weather is great, people are really getting an early start in gardening, then WHAM, Mother Nature lets us know who is in charge. The question of the week is.... "Will my plants be OK?" Yes, they are going to be just fine, unless you have planted tomato and pepper plants, and did not protect them. Pansies actually will do better with the snow (ice) they received. The snow cover actually made a nice blanket to insulate against the cold temperatures. Spring flowering bulbs such as tulips and daffodils that were in full bloom won't bloom again, but the bulbs will be fine. This afternoon I did see some tulips that had not bloomed and I think they will be just fine, and like the pansies, the snow cover was good for them. Spring flowering plants such as viburnum and crabapple trees that the buds had not opened seem to be ok, time will tell. It is going to be a great week for gardening, no storms in the forcast!

Ferti Lome

2009-03-24T10:32:00.002-05:00

Shop for your favorite ferti lome products at Johnson's!

Spring Open House this Friday - Sunday at Johnson's

2009-03-23T11:49:00.003-05:00

The stores are all getting ready for our annual Spring Open House (SOH). We will have some of our supplier representatives on hand to visit with customers and employees to inform everyone on what is new with their product line. The following people are scheduled to be at the stores later this week.
Bill Brannon - Alpha Biosystems, natural for your watergarden, lawn and landscape.
Jeff and Andy Keyes - Back to Nature, suppliers of Cotton Boll Compost
Brandon Eakes - Foster's Inc. suppling Topsy Turvy and other lines
Mr. Ferti-Lome, Tony Meyer, Ferti-Lome and Natural Guard
Britt Elving - Gard'N-Wise, Ferti-Lome, Soils, almost anything in our stores
Sandi Dankwart - Bonide, Lawn & Garden problem solvers
Piet Stuifbergen - Dutch flowering bulbs
Tricia Holmes - Holmes-Made Salsa, MARTY'S AWARD WINNING GREEN CHILI SALSA
Chuck Shiele - Angel Moss baskets
Tony Beckman - MYKE, beneficial plant fungi, (Tony is a Funguy)
Mark Randolph - Bayer - Landscape problem solvers
Eric George - Monrovia Nursery Co., Landscape plants
Wes Johnson - Hesston Plant Co., Brother and Uncle, the finest plant grower around

Check back for SOH specials on items that will give you savings on spring supplies.

Spring Pond Start Up

2009-03-22T18:52:00.003-05:00

I know that this is not one of the most fun things to do in the spring, but getting your watergarden going has to be done. Our pond water was too low for our pump to work properly so that was the first thing to correct. After adding enough water to make the waterfall add fresh oxygen to the fish, I needed to do something about the dead leaves in the pond. I emptied out the skimmer which was full of leaves which helped the flow of water. I then added a new product from Aqua-One. This information from their website says it all.

Aqua-One is fast becoming one of the top-selling pond and aquarium products in America and the reasons are simple. Aqua-One is likely the strongest, most complex beneficial bacterial product available. It has no odor and usually sells for less than other products. We also put a “best if used by” date on every bottle, that ensures that you are getting an active, robust product.
Simply put, Aqua-One works to prevent or eliminate the most common water quality problems associated with ponds and aquariums.

Check out the photos and check back to see how Aqua-one helps my pond become crystal clear.

Happy Hour March 19!

2009-03-18T17:32:00.002-05:00

This week's Happy Hour Special is:

Creeping Phlox 3/$10, reg. $4.98.

This perennial is makes a bold addition to any flower bed or planter. With a 2' spread, this plant looks great by itself, or in a bunch.

Stop in between 2-6 p.m. this Thursday, March 19 to save!

Bedding plant production at Johnson's

2009-03-12T07:37:00.002-05:00

Ashley, Johnson's production manager is busy transplanting plugs (seedlings) for our spring bedding plants. Our crew will transplant over 1000 flats in just a couple of days. This crop will be ready for sale in late April. Also in the greenhouse you can see a variety of combo containers and unique hanging wicker baskets for your deck or patio.

Happy Hour March 5!

2009-03-04T13:42:00.002-06:00

This week's Happy Hour Special is...

Blooming Color Pansy Bowls only $8.99! Reg. $12.98

This week Happy Hour is back to it's normal time, Thursday from 2-6 only!

Garden Show

2009-03-03T17:50:00.004-06:00

Are YOU ready for the

Garden Show?? Here's a shout out to Legacy Landscapes and Complete Landscaping Systems- they allowed us to grow their plants for the show.

Come check out all of the colorful
plants we've been growing to
display at the show. We've
enjoyed having color in our
greenhouse all winter!

New Hours!

2009-03-02T13:54:00.004-06:00

Starting Monday, March 2, we begin our spring hours! The new hours are as follows:

Monday-Saturday 8-6
Sunday 11-5

Stop in and see us!

Johnson's Springtime Photo Contest

2009-02-25T16:25:00.002-06:00

The Johnson's Garden Center family absolutely loves spring, and the new life it brings. We prepare year round for the vibrant colors of spring, whether it be planting bulbs in the fall, or filling beds with annuals during the spring and summer months. This year, we have decided to host a photo contest of all of your spring color! If you would gladly take a creative photo of your flowers in bloom, and email them to us at photos@johnsonsgarden.com,

we will put them on our blog for everyone to vote on. You may also drop off the photos at any of our three locations, and we'll gladly upload them for you. Pictures that are dropped off, may not be returned. All pictures must be received by May 1, 2009. The winner of the photo contest will receive a $25 Gift Certificate to Johnson's Garden Centers!

Rewards Redemption

2009-02-25T15:26:00.005-06:00

It's time to get excited, Rewards Redemption is here...almost! Friday, Feb. 27 - Sunday, Mar. 22 is the redemption period. You will be receiving a post card in the mail with your total number of points to date, and if you've earned more than 1,000 points, you'll be able to spend them like money. For every 1,000 points on your card, you'll be "given" $10 to spend. If you'll just bring your card with you at the time of redemption, we'll gladly get you redeeming!

Happy Hour February 26!

2009-02-24T13:50:00.002-06:00

This week's Happy Hour Special is:

Cotton Boll Compost 3/$15, reg. price $6.98!

Cotton Boll Compost is a great addition to soil, as it's the primary food source for beneficial soil organisms. By adding this to your soil, you will provide an opportunity to your plants to gain more nutrients, provide efficient moisture retention, as well as protection from harsh and temperature changes. This product is an organic fertilizer that also helps break up clay soil, and retains fertility in sandy soils, both of which are prominent in the Wichita area.

Mix Cotton Boll Compost in with your soil for spring planting, as well as your vegetable garden this summer.

Planting Flowers

2009-02-19T12:49:00.000-06:00

Ashley, Johnson's Garden Centers Production Manager, is potting up perennials for this Spring. She and her staff have been busy the past couple of weeks filling up the greenhouse with over 10,000 plants! It may not feel like Spring outside, but we're ready for its arrival, are you?

It's Here!!!

2009-02-17T14:27:00.002-06:00

Back in stock at all Johnson's locations is FoxFarm fertilizers. FoxFarm produces their fertilizer from earthworm castings, which is nature's finest soil amendment. Many of their products are also organic, and are made in small batches for superior quality control.

By adding FoxFarm to your gardens, indoor and out, you are making an conscious effort to improve the environment, and the well being for you and your family.

Happy Hour February 12!

2009-02-12T13:29:00.002-06:00

75% OFF SELECT GLAZED POTS!

Do you get excited about spring, and all the colors it provides? Shop today and save 75% on select glazed pots, great for planting a variety of annuals and perennials to spruce up an entryway or porch, they even make great indoor planters. Don't be unprepared as our shipments of spring flowers are due to arrive shortly!

Johnson's Garden Centers Economic Stimulus Plan

2009-02-11T14:53:00.004-06:00

After weeks of discussing the state of our nations economy, we have come up with a bi-partisan solution to end this recession.

FREE GRUB CONTROL!!

Actually, we're not sure if this will have any effect on the economy, but what we do know is that it will keep those pesky grubs from damaging your lawn. There is some spending involved with this plan. In order to receive the free grub control application you will have to prepay for the five lawn care applications in our Full Service Lawn Care Program. Don't worry though. The price tag isn't in the $900 billion range, nope, it starts at just $225 for a five thousand square foot lawn.

If you'd like to hear more about our stimulus plan or our Full Service Lawn Care Program send me a message at sean@johnsonsgarden.com or call me at 942-3751. I almost forgot, for all you Garden Rewards members, we will also add 500 points to your account.

Rest assured there is no pork in this bill!! Just my promise to provide you with the highest quality lawn care in town.

Pre-Season Tree Sale!

2009-02-05T15:38:00.003-06:00

NOW THROUGH FEBRUARY 22!

All in-stock trees specially priced 30% off!

Beat the spring rush with our great selection of Kansas-hardy trees. Trees will improve your property value, and with proper placement can make a huge impact on your utility bills!

Choose from shade trees, flowering trees, ornamental trees!

Plant now, the trees will begin rooting even before the leaves show up!

Installation is available, selection varies by store.

Also, don't forget to ask about our 5 year warranty on trees planted with Myke michorrizae.

Happy Hour February 5!

2009-02-03T15:23:00.004-06:00

20% Off Heat Mats and Grow Lights!

Starting seeds indoors can be very beneficial to the flower or fruit each seed will produce. It will enable the plant to grow larger, and the blooms to last longer, and because many plants have a long growing season, an indoor jump start is exactly what it needs. Starting them indoors also protects against the harsh weather, and is a bit easier on the budget as growing from seeds is more economical.

For a fun, satisfying experience, stop in this Thursday to save 20% on heating mats and grow lights!

Got Marty's?

2009-01-29T14:10:00.005-06:00

Marty's Green Chile Salsa, made by Wichita's own Holmes-Made Salsa, is a great way to impress your guests for this week's big game. Whether it's with your favorite chips, or melted in with your favorite queso recipe, Marty's Salsa, yes, named after Mr. Marty Johnson himself, does not disappoint.

Holmes Made carries a wide variety of salsas and jams, from mild salsa to spicy Peach Habanero jam. The Cowboy Candy, a pickled jalapeno concoction goes great on burgers, brats, dogs, and really anything that needs a sweet and spicy kick to it. Try the Mixed Berry Jam on toast, pancakes, or in a big bowl of oatmeal. If you're looking for something extra spicy, the Peach Habanero goes great on a block of cream cheese, spread on your favorite crackers. No matter what your taste is, stop in to Johnson's before the big game to stock up on Holmes Made salsas and jams.

Good luck, be safe, and we hope your team wins!

Happy Hour Special January 29!

2009-01-27T09:09:00.001-06:00

FINAL CLEARANCE!

Happy Hour Thursday January 29th-until they're gone!

All remaining tulip bulbs just $.10 each! Regularly $.89

This is a great chance to add a little more color to your flowerbeds this coming spring. Still plenty of cooling days to get them to bloom, weekend weather looks FANTASTIC for getting out and messing a little bit in the garden.

Happy Hour January 22!

2009-01-21T10:08:00.000-06:00

Whether you're an avid gardener who enjoys attracting birds to your landscape ... or you just enjoy feeding the birds on your patio ... the downside to this rewarding pastime is the mess it can make.  In the garden, seeds of all kinds sprout and start to take over. It's a never ending chore to keep them cleaned out. If your feeder hangs over the lawn, the grass eventually gets taken over by sprouts. Even on the patio or deck, shells and less desirable seeds are left behind by the birds, leaving an unsightly mess for you to clean up.

Johnson's "Gardener's Choice" can be put out on your patio or deck and all the seed will be eaten. There are no shells or undesirable seeds to leave behind. And all ingredients are chopped so you can put your feeder in the garden and nothing will sprout underneath.      Gardener's Choice contains 35% sunflower chips, 30% roasted peanut parts, 25% hulled proso millet and 10% peanut pieces.

Sale price $19.99 reg $29.98