The week between Earth Day and Arbor Day is something special.  April is the peak planting season for local gardens.  Arbor Day, Friday, April 27, Watters Garden Center will host it’s annual ‘Great Ladybug Release @ 2 pm and repeats the release both Saturday and Sunday, Arbor Day weekend.  Grandparents love this unique event fun for gardeners young and old alike. Free for all to attend, with prizes for those that come in costumes Ladybugs find attractive.  This event is an Instagram dream.

Beneficial Insects are stocked full all week with ladybugs, praying mantis, nematodes and worms ready for release in the garden.
Watters Garden Center has specially grown organic tomato plants features this week, along with a  free garden class Saturday, April 28th @ 9:30 am titled “Grow Your Own Groceries”  This fun-filled class has everything edible for the garden. We’ll cover the best heirloom varieties to farmer favorites, and highlight soil preparation, best foods, and care. Students will have a superior harvest of fresh veggies and herbs this year. The nursery is loaded with hundreds of vegetable and herbal plant all week that are safe, natural and organic.

How to Release Ladybugs in Your Garden

Keep them Cool – Ladybugs have wings and like to use them.  You need to slow them down long enough to find your gardens attractive.  When you get home with your ladybugs, leave the cup sealed and place them in the refrigerator or cool space. Being cool calms ladybugs down.  Keep them refrigerated until you’re ready to release them that evening.

Ladybugs are thirsty – Spray or mist the parts of the garden you plan to release your ladybugs.  This allows them to rehydrate before searching for a meal.

Release them at night – plan to release ladybugs in your garden at the base of a plant just as dusk arrives in the evening.  If you have a plant with a particular aphid problem open the cup at the bottom of that plant.  This gives them the night to settle in, find food and realize that your garden is a great place to live!

Get your kids involved! Children especially have fun releasing ladybugs and this is a great way to teach them about environmental responsibility. Ladybugs stick around safe sources of food, so kids will find them all season long. Stop by Watters Garden Center for a cup of ladybugs, take them to your garden, then have fun enjoying nature in your own backyard.