Fall is here and the days of 100 degrees are behind us for this year. This is the ideal time for planting perennials, fruits, and spring bulbs. It’s also a great time to extend you gardening season by planting garlic, shallots, lettuce, cabbage, beets, turnips, spinach, radishes, collards and more for a second season of crops.
It’s time to bring in fall and holiday merchandise and we need space!
September promotions include
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Pottery 10-50% off
Pamela Crawford side planters and books 20% off
Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.
10% off Packing Pearls
30% off organic fertilizers and amendments
$10 instant savings on Tree Huggers
Jeffersonian weather instruments (unique) are 30% off
Pot movers and lifters 20% off – in time to get your plants in for the winter
Triple Tube feeders 15% off
K-Feeders only $10
20% off Flower Presses
Check for the SALE signs throughout the store.
There are further markdowns and additions in the clearance section.
What's New in the Store?
Birding: Stackers, Versa perch (attracts more birds), window feeders; colorful handcrafted birdhouses by local artist Joe Turner; new additions to Jim Jackson’s selections of birdhouses including Georgia State
Garden art: Glass art and lanterns by local artist Yvonne Skenes, welcome signs, chimes, wind spinners
Tool Shed: After a long absence from manufacturing, Plant Nanny Products are once again available. Check out the variety at http://thegardenenthusiast.com/plnaisba.html (these should be in the middle of next week – waiting for the shipment); Cedar Seeders recipe and seed pouch organizers; Radius ergonomic weeder
New Botanical Interests Certified Organic Seeds, Non-GMO Seeds and Heirloom/Open Pollinated Seed are now in.
The October issue of Birds and Blooms featuring ‘Enjoy Fall Birds’ is in the store now.
Because many of you asked, we now take American Express.
Upcoming Events on Main Street
The following events are sponsored by the Old Town Tucker Merchant’s Association (OTTMA). Proceeds benefit the Main Street District.
December 8th - Christmas on Main
March 2, 2013 - Chili Cook-off
GREEN MARKET ON MAIN – Old Town Tucker’s own farmer’s market Sundays from 10am - 2PM on Main Street through October 28th (only 6 left!)
Classes & Events
(Note: preregistration is requested – class size is limited – call 404-474-7072 to register or for more information)
Saturday, September 29th (10:00am-12:00pm) - Five Ways to Make Your Pictures More Interesting (Chuck Holmes): Flowers and plants are beautiful, but — as some smart person once said — there’s no reason you can’t make your pictures of them even better and more interesting. This session takes up five ways you can make your digital photographs of flowers, plants, and nature scenes much more striking. The techniques include framing your shot in the camera, perspective, size, color (or lack of it), and digital manipulation with low-cost or free software. Bring your camera and shoot some truly different pictures. Cost: $25
Sunday, September 30th (1pm-2:30pm) – Pruning to Retain the Natural Form of Plants (Barbara Dorfman): This presentation will cover the tools you will need, timing and when to ignore the rules, renewal pruning on overgrown shrubs, how to thin overly dense hedges, where to remove tree branches and why, and how to predict the way plants will respond to pruning.
Saturday, October 6th (1-3pm) – Mycology 101: With a Hands on Tutorial for Building your Own Mushroom Log (Brady Bala): Learn the basics of Mycology by starting your very own mushroom culture. Cost: $35 (supplies and mushroom log included)
Saturday, October 20th (10:30-11:30) Plantings for Birds (Pam Higginbotham) Native plantings are stressed, especially those that provide food (berries, seeds, and the like) or are habitats for insects (which draw in all of the insectivorous birds – warblers, wrens, bluebirds, vireos, etc. to your yard).
Saturday, October 27th (10am-12pm) - You will have the opportunity to address your gardening questions and concerns with a member of the Dekalb Master Gardner Association, Jane McLean! Come in any time during the 10 -12 time frame to meet Jane.
Saturday, November 10th (1pm-2pm) – Trees of Our Lives Dawn Hines, Master Gardener): Small Native Trees for the Landscape
2012 Best Backyard Squirrel Photo Contest!!!
Contest ends on September 30th so get your photos in quickly! The photos will be posted in the store for public voting from October 2nd through October 10th. The image with the most votes wins! The winners will be announced on Saturday October 11th!! Prizes will go to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place!!
Contest is open to professional and amateur photographers alike. New entries only–no previous submissions please! Images must be the creation of the entrant. One entry per person. Don’t forget to put your name and phone number on the back of the picture!
Community Events (& SPIRIT)
Love books – read more: Friends of Tucker Library will have a book donation drive from 10-1 this Saturday, September 22. The following Saturday, October 20 they will have their book sale from 10:30 - 3:30 in the meeting room of the library.
2nd workday for the Henderson Park Master Gardener and Friends of Henderson Park Project will be this Saturday, September 22nd from 9 am to 12 pm. They will continue weeding and will put fresh mulch on everything that has been cleaned up. Weeding tools, wheelbarrows, shovels and maybe wagons are needed to do the work planned for Saturday. If you can bring wheelbarrows and wagons that would be a great help.
The Dekalb Master Gardener’s Association (DMGA) will have their September Meeting on Monday the 24th at the North Lake Public Library at 6PM. The program will be ‘Let's Grow Daffodils’ presented by Carolyn Hawkins. Carolyn will identify which bulbs will perform best in our area, give reliable sources for bulbs, and discuss how to keep bulbs happy and reviving bulbs after blooming (some bulbs can last over 60 years). You do not have to be a master gardener to attend this free program and it is a great resource to meet those with a lot of gardening knowledge.
Friends of Kelley Cofer Park located at 4259 N. Park Drive in Tucker will hold a community meeting on Monday, Sept. 24 at 7:00 PM at the Tucker Recreation Center (4898 Lavista Road, Room #2). Discussion will include their partnership with DeKalb Parks & Recreation and Park Pride. They will recap their first year activities and provide updates on current park projects and plans for the future. They invite your input and involvement in improving the park. For more information, contact friendsofkelleycoferpark@gmail.com.
The Tucker Butterfly Garden’s (4898 LaVista Rd in front of the historic Browning Courthouse) next workday is Thursday, September 28th. For more information contact Dawn Hines at dawnhines@comcast.net.
The Tucker High School Quarterback Club’s Golf Tournament is on Monday, October 1, at Smoke Rise Country Club. The cost will be $100.00 per player or $400.00 per team which covers cover green fees, the cart, and a "goody" bag with assorted items (hat, etc.). There will also be raffle tickets for a chance to win merchandise from the Golf Pro Shop, etc. Beginning at 5:00 they will have a "Social Hour" in the Men's Grill area and patio (weather permitting) for those that don’t play, can't get off work, or want to come later to show their support for the program. They will have a cash bar and will be asking for monetary contributions for the QB Club. Checks can be made payable to Tucker Quarterback Club (please reference or note the Golf Tournament) and can be sent to: Milton Pate, MILTON PATE ARCHITECTS, INC., 2201 Moon Street, Tucker, Georgia 30084.
Rivers Alive cleanup takes place Saturday, October 6, 2012 from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm, at 4315 Cowan Rd., Tucker, GA 30084 (actually, the woods behind the old Health Department. ** Heavy rain date is Saturday, October 20th, 9-12pm. Please email for more information and to sign up at Parks@TuckerCivic.org.
Browning Courthouse Day - Saturday, October 13 from 10 am to 2 pm - This year in addition to the archive displays, Vickie Watkins will host a one hour workshop on Genealogy Research. Frank Russell and Bill Thomas who both participate in Civil War Re-enactments will talk about that war and its impact on the people of Tucker and DeKalb County and on our nation.
BIRDING
Many people ask us about when to take hummingbird feeders down. You can leave hummingbird feeders up year round. The Ruby- throat which is the primary hummingbird we see in Atlanta migrates through mid-October. Now is the peak time to have your feeders out to catch their antics even though you may continue to see some into November. If you keep your feeders out, you might get a chance to see other species of hummingbirds such as the Black-chinned or the Calliope which are western species.
Fall migration is taking place. Get out and enjoy the nice weather and check out the new birds in your garden.
Bird of the Month: House Wren
A House Wren weighs about as much as two quarters, but their small size does not keep them from harassing and pecking much larger birds. They have been known to drag eggs and young out of nest sites they want – even occasionally killing adult birds.
The oldest known House Wren was nine years old.
It has one of the largest ranges of any songbird. It breeds from Canada through the West Indies and Central America, southward to the southernmost point of South America.
The House Wren eats a wide variety of insects and spiders, including beetles, caterpillars, earwigs, and daddy longlegs, as well as flies, leafhoppers, and springtails. They also eat snail shells, probably for the calcium they contain and to provide grit for digestion.
The House Wren clutch size is 3-10 eggs with 1-2 broods. Incubation period is 9-16 days. Nesting period is 15-17 days. Eggs are white, pink-white, or grayish, speckled or blotched with reddish brown.
Ongoing at The Garden Enthusiast-Backyard Nature Station
Wish List –something caught your eye in the store? Add it to your wish list and tell your friends and family!
