Welcome to Hamlen's
Helping Hand!
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5th Newsletter of 2009

Computer Landscape Design Seminar
Wondering how to landscape your home? Have the expertise of a landscape designer help you turn your dream design into a workable plan. This 30 minute session is only $25.

Nursery Stock "Blow Out" Sale
Visit us for great pricing on remaining nursery stock.
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The 1818 Rachel Hamlen homestead is looking for a new owner! Rachel’s lovely vintage home on St. Albans Road would be the perfect location and fit for a family, a cozy B&B, or an ice cream parlor/café restaurant. Interested? Give Dave a call at Hamlen’s (802) 868-4255.

Address: 165 ST. Albans Rd., Swanton, VT. 05488

Here at Hamlen’s Garden Center we’re always looking for safer and natural alternatives for weed killers (herbicides). The discovery of corn gluten as a herbicide was made by Dr. Christian from Iowa State University back in 1985 and has since been made available through a number of natural garden products.

Corn Gluten meal, when used as directed, is a natural pre-emergent weed control used in turfgrass, that reduces germination of many broadleaf and grass weeds and will not harm beneficial insects, soil organisms, pond or stream life. It is also safe around pets and children.

Since corn gluten kills only the roots of sprouting seeds, it can be used around transplants and established vegetables, flowers, fruit, shrubs and lawns. It can be used even up to the day of harvest. Once vegetable or flower seedlings have true leaves, it is then safe to apply corn gluten.

• Corn gluten works on seeds, not established plants. It will not kill a dandelion plant.

• It has reduced crabgrass by 86% the first year and 98% the second year provided recommended rates are applied in both spring and fall. Dandelion infestations were reduced 100% in plots treated for four years in spring and fall.

• Plants tested to date for susceptibility = 23 and include: barnyard grass, smooth crabgrass, curly dock, green & yellow, black nightshade, orchard grass, shattercane, purslane, wooly cupgrass, giant foxtail, lambsquarters, buckhorn, quackgrass, velvetleaf, annual bluegrass, dandelions, creeping bentgrass, black medic, redroot pigweed, catchweed bedstraw, and other common garden weeds.

• Corn gluten lasts 5-6 weeks. There is no carryover. After this time seeds can be planted in treated areas without being affected. Late summer and early fall is a good time to apply it.

Most people would agree that trees are essential to mankind’s quality of life, culturally, spiritually and recreationally. Upon deeper reflection, the existence of human life itself is literally dependent upon the existence of trees.

Consider for a moment the wide extent of products and services provided by trees. Products such as timber, fruit, medicine, beverages, fodder. Add to that the vast array of services that only trees can provide, including beautification, shade, erosion control, soil fertility and carbon sequestration.

Culturally, the importance of forests can not be overestimated. More than one billion people depend on forests for their income and livelihood. Indeed, the very survival of many indigenous and traditional cultures are integrally linked to the forest.

Spiritually, the rich symbolism of forests and trees have played a significant role in most of the world’s major religions. The earth and heavens are symbolically linked by trees, which in many traditions also provide a home to the spirits, and to the souls of ancestors.
Our twenty-first century western society continues to find spiritual solace in nature.
Modern societies also rely on our forests recreationally, as outlets for physical fitness, health and wellbeing.

As Al Gore states in his book Earth in the Balance, “The symbolism… of planting a tree has universal power in every culture and every society on Earth…."

TWO LITTLE OLD LADIES

Two little old ladies, Phyllis and Olivia, were sitting on a park bench outside the local town hall where a flower show was in progress.

Olivia leaned over and said, “Life is so darned boring. We never have any fun anymore. For $10 I’d take my clothes off and streak through that flower show!”

“You’re on!” said Phyllis, holding up a $10 bill. The first little old lady slowly fumbled her way out of her clothes and, completely naked, streaked (as fast as an old lady can) through the front door of the flower show.

Waiting outside, her friend soon heard a huge commotion inside the hall, followed by loud applause and shrill whistling. The smiling and naked Olivia came through the exit door surrounded by a cheering crowd.

“What happened?” asked her waiting friend.

“I won 1st prize as Best Dried Arrangement!”

"A society grows great when old men plant trees
whose shade they know they shall never sit in."
Greek proverb