Summer Special!

All Crab Trees

$200

INSTALLED!

Harvest Gold Crab

Prairifire Crab

Snow Drift CrabInterested in purchasing a tree?

Our pre-dug nursery stock is running out, and once it

does, we can no longer offer these prices. Call today!

Ornamental - 20-25 ft.• Whiteflowers• Attractive yellow fruit• Disease resistance

Ornamental - 15-20 ft.• Leaves emerge purple• Red/green at maturity• Very disease resistant

Ornamental - 15-20 ft.• Great fall display• Whitefloweryellowfruit• Very disease resistant

Summer 2009

William Quinn & Sons Newsletter

3860 W. 127th St. Alsip, IL 60803 Phone: 708-389-8119 www.williamquinnandsons.com

WILLIAM QUINN & SONS 3860 W. 127th StreetAlsip, IL 60803

3860 W. 127th St. Alsip, IL 60803 Phone: 708-389-8119 www.williamquinnandsons.com

This has been a year of records – record snowfall, record low temperatures, and even record rainfall. To date we’ve experienced the least number of 80 degree days in 35 years, the most rain in 137 years, and we’re beginning to believe that summer has just plain forgot about Chicago this year! How does the old saying go? There’s only two seasons in Chicago: winter and construction.

While the rain has helped cut back on watering bills for lawns and plants, it has also provided perfect conditions for unsightly insects to seek shelter inside of homes and garages. At the top of the list are ants, which move indoors when their underground colonies become flooded and uninhabitable. Exterminators love when we experience wet springs because business is booming! But there are other, more economical, ways to rid – and prevent – your home of these uninvited party crashers.

We’ve found two methods of ant control to be very effective in quickly eradicating ants from residential areas. The first is an indoor liquid bait station sold at hardware stores manufactured by Terro. It’s sold in packages of six, and is easily handled without exposing yourself, or animals, to the chemicals because the bait is contained in a station that only ants can get to. The ants mistake it for food, take it back to the colony, and share it with the rest of their siblings.

The second control method is an outdoor granular bait that can be dispersed around the perimeter of your home. Terro sells a reseal-able “shaker bag” that will prevent the ants from seeking food inside. Control is best when the two methods are combined, however the indoor baits only need to be placed when ants have been found in the home and should be removed when no more are spotted. The outdoor bait will likely have to be reapplied monthly to maintain the barrier. Both products are under $10, and will last several months.

But if ants give you the “willies,” these next bugs are sure to show up in your nightmares! The wet weather has provided the decaying plant material and moist settings that millipedes and earwigs require to feed and breed. Millipedes are harmless, and cannot be controlled with pesticides. Earwigs feed on the leaves and flower petals of roses, daylilies, dahlia, zinnia, and various other flowers. It’s also common to find them in groups under damp clothes, in the shower, along baseboards, or in crevices of outdoor furniture. To control earwigs outdoors, use a product sold at garden centers or hardware stores called Sevin which has the active ingredient carbaryl and can be purchased as either a dust or liquid. These are typically under $15.

And to end on a more “cute” insect, slugs become very active when high levels of moisture are present. The moisture allows slugs to move from turf and mulch areas more easily – they leave slimy trails wherever they go. Slugs love to chew on shade plants, and can often be found eating hostas and impatiens. A pet safe way to rid your garden of slugs is to use Sluggo, or any other slug bait that contains only iron phosphate. Typical slug baits will cost around $20 and can last all season, or several years.

April (May, June, and July) showers bring … bugs!

Carpenter Ant

Cathy’s Corner

The Spray FrontWith the weather we’ve experienced, drought conditions are the last thing most people expect to see in their lawns this year. But believe it or not, our lawns will be very susceptible to near instant drought conditions once – if ever – the weather warms up. The reason is the extreme rainfall that has caused turf grass to establish rather shallow rhizoids (or root systems). Drought damage will usually show first on slopes with southern exposure, turf on compacted or clay soils, and newly laid sod (especially if the soil is compacted or clay).

When people first see drought conditions in their lawn, the first reaction usually to water as much as humanly possible until it’s green again. This is the WRONG way to correct the problem, and can be likened to overcorrection while driving. If you find yourself veering into another lane, you know that pulling the steering wheel all the way to the other side will probably cause an accident, so you move “just right” until you’re safely in your lane again. Over watering will open the turf up to disease and insects because it’s already been weakened. Watering the lawn with approximately 1 inch of water per week for two

weeks will allow the lawn to regain its coloring in a week or two while maintaining its health.

And finally, ‘tis the season for weeds. I’ve been spot spraying weeds for the past two months or so, and one common question keeps arising: “Is it safe for my dog?” The answer is yes, and no. Dogs have a tendency to want to sniff new smells, and will be attracted to the sprayed areas. While the chemical is still wet to the touch, no one – including animals – should touch the areas that have been sprayed. Our white flags specify this, and are also the signal that a treatment has been applied. On the other hand, there is minimal chemical in the tank, and the areas are targeted and spot sprayed (not blanket sprayed). Once the application has dried, it poses virtually no threat because it has all been taken into the plant. So to answer everyone’s recurring question, if there is an area with weeds in the turf, and it is wet, do not allow animals to sniff, or children to play until it has dried.

Brian Hornung, Lawn Tech Manager

Garden Fencing Ideas

Crabapple ScabLengthy cool and wet conditions have created higher than normal amounts of crabapple scab on crabapple trees the past two years. The signs of a crab tree with crabapple scab are yellowing leaves that drop prematurely (usually by summer) giving way to thinned canopies. Crabapple scab does not kill the tree but it does cause concerned phone calls and e-mails from homeowners. The only long-term solution for preventing crabapple scab is simply to plant varieties that are resistant.

We carry the following crabapple trees that are both resistant to disease and currently on a discounted wholesale price of $200:

• Harvest Gold Crab

• Prairifire Crab

• Profusion Crab

• Red Jewel Crab

• Tina Crab

• Snow Drift Crab

All crab trees listed are flowering crabs that make beautiful additions to any landscape. Quantities vary on each, and are limited to availability in our office nursery.

3860 W. 127th St. Alsip, IL 60803 Phone: 708-389-8119 www.williamquinnandsons.com

Here it is, mid August, and we’re still waiting for summer to arrive! Some Maples and Burning Bush have already started to turn their fall coloring. It looks like we’re going to have an early fall. The rain in June and July made our jobs very difficult. It was a challenge to not only keep up with the rapidly growing grass, but also to complete the shrub trimming.

Thanks to all of you who have taken the time to let us know when your crew foreman has done something outstanding on your property. The responses have been good for moral. We have begun keeping a

“scoreboard” for our foreman, and the competition has had a very positive effect. Too often we hear only the complaints, so it’s nice to receive compliments!

This fall we will be offering a special sale on any trees and shrubs we have in stock. Anyone who is interested can come in and pick out your trees. We have a wide variety – the Maples are absolutely beautiful and were grown at Quinn Nursery in Peotone. This offer will be valid only for existing customers.

Looking around at some of the gardens of individual homeowners, I have noticed that some annuals are starting to look “sad.” With the cool temperatures we’ve been experiencing it’s not too early to think about Pansies. They hold exceptional color and will last through the first snow fall of the year.

Now is a great time to think about any landscape plantings or upgrades you would like done next year. It’s always easier to look at shrubs and trees while they still have their leaves. Anyone who would like to schedule a walk-thru can contact me at any time. Thank you for your business!

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They’re cute and cuddly, but rabbits can be a terror to your garden! Rabbits are not picky eaters, and they always seem to enjoy your expensive plants the most (don’t they?). A search on the internet will reveal many natural “miracle” deterrents to rabbits ranging from coyote urine and marigolds to human hair and rotten eggs. Unfortunately for every person successfully uses these remedies, there seems to be ten cases where it doesn’t work.

If you’ve been endlessly battling bunnies in your garden, it may be time to put away the Napoleonic war chest and try mesh chicken wire. It’s relatively inexpensive and can be purchased at any hardware store or garden center along with the support bars necessary to keep the fence upright and stable. There are two ways to fence off plants: a total perimeter fencing, or fencing individual plants each with various pros and cons.

Rabbits enjoy the “newness” factor of plants, and if you’ve just put in a new, young plant they will certainly find it. If you’re not having trouble with them chewing the rest of your garden, then fencing in the new plant will allow it to establish itself bunny-free. To do this, setup the support bars in a triangle pattern around the plant (allowing for growth), and weave in the chicken wire so that it creates an impenetrable circle around the plant. To discourage digging – it’s only natural to rabbits – make sure that the fence is buried and bent outward at the bottom (under the soil). Make sure that the fence is around two feet high.

To fence off an entire garden, apply the same principles but instead use larger support bars, and a fence that is approximately four feet in height. Bend the bottom six inches outward (away from the garden), and burry it to discourage digging. Where there’s a will, there’s a way, and rabbits may still find their way into your garden fortress. To combat the ninja bunnies, fence off individual plants that they’re known to enjoy inside of the fortress walls.

Fencing, however, can be unsightly, and some associations may forbid the use of it. If you choose not to use a fence, Liquid Fence manufactures a product that deters deer and rabbit conveniently called “Liquid Fence Deer and Rabbit Repellent.” We’ve had success with liquid fence products, but they need to be applied often, especially after it rains. Also note that you should never use a repellent on vegetables or fruits in your garden. Our suggestion is to purchase the concentrated product (which is sold in 40oz, 1 gallon, or 2.5 gallon containers), purchase a small, 1-gallon hand pump sprayer, and mix the solution yourself. Apply directly to the plant until it is dripping off, and re-apply weekly or after a hard rain.

Whichever tactic you choose to employ, consider repelling rabbits to the Battle of Verdun – it never seems to end. But you’ll at least go into battle well armed with proper knowledge!

The Rabbit Conflict