FALL FAVORITES!

Stop by & check out our selection of: *Mums *Carving Pumpkins *Heirloom Pumpkins *Gourds *Hay Bails *Ornamental Grasses *Corn Stalks *Broom Corn &...

Le Primitif Oil Drum Art

Le Primitif Galleries’ steel oil drum art is one of Haiti’s most unique art forms. Steel drums that were once used for transporting oil are turned into magnificent works of art. The art form began in Haiti in the late 1950’s with a blacksmith named Georges Liataud, and many talented Haitian artists have followed in his footsteps. Haitian oil drum artwork is currently on display in such prestigious institutions as the Museums of Modern Art in New York and Paris. The round ends of the 55-gallon oil drum are removed and the oil drum is set on fire to remove any paint or left over residue. After the drum cools, it is cut in half and the artist or an assistant uses all their body weight to flatten out the drum. This becomes the artist’s canvas. Next, the suns, moons, trees and other intricate designs are chalked out and cut out using a hammer, chisel and a nail. It is a labor intensive project which results in beautiful, unique art. No two pieces are the same. Le Primitif Galleries provides “prosperity wages,” insuring that talented artists in Haiti are paid fairly so that they may continue to work and create these beautiful pieces. Knapp Valley Gardens is proud to feature these striking sculptures that would add a whimsical touch to your home or garden. When you visit the Knapp Valley Garden Center, be sure to take time to admire the steel oil drum art from Le Primitif...

Reseeding Damaged or Bare Lawn Areas

Till or loosen soil to a depth of 3-4 inches, removing stones and debris. Top-dress with new soil as needed.                                                       Apply a starter or basic quick release fertilizer like 12-12-12. One pound should cover approximately 100 to 150 square feet. Apply half of the recommended grass seed uniformly over the entire area. Lightly rake this seed into the soil. Apply the remaining half of the grass seed over the area and tamp down lightly or roll to get good soil contact. One pound of grass seed will cover 200 to 300 square feet. Cover the area to help retain moisture. This can be accomplished with straw or manufactured pellet mulch. Steep areas should be matted with a straw erosion mesh. Initially, water several times each day using a gentle spray, keeping the top 1/2 inch of the soil damp taking care not to overwater. The goal is to keep the seed moist without oversaturating the soil. Once the seeds have emerged and are 1-2 inches high, water thoroughly once a day. Fertilizer can be reapplied according to package instructions. 12-12-12 can be reapplied after 4 weeks. New seed will falter and stop growing if additional fertilizer is not applied. Additional seed can be added at this time to fill void areas. When the new grass grows to a height of 3 inches it should be cut for the first time. Cut the grass to a height of 2 inches using a sharp mowing blade. At this point watering should be reduced to 1-3 times a week providing about 1 inch of water each time. After the newly seeded areas...

Fall Fun!

Hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful fall so far! We sure are over here at Knapp Valley! We are packed full with all of our fall favorites! Carving Pumpkins Heirloom Pumpkins Mini Pumpkins Gourds Indian Corn Corn Stalks Broomcorn Mums Aster Flowering Cabbage Kale Swiss Chard Pansies Ornamental Grasses & More!! Check out some of our fun...

ArtPrize

We recently had the privilege of working with a couple of artists from Indiana, Chad Copeland and Alyssa Banas on their ArtPrize entry. Chad called us a couple months back and asked if we would donate some stone for the pond feature part of their art entry. Knapp Valley agreed to help them out and even allowed them to borrow a truck to haul the stone downtown to their venue at The B.O.B. After setting up “Forgive Our Trespasses” the artists asked if we would help them out further and landscape around their art. Eager to support the arts, Knapp Valley sent down a crew and “beautified” the area surrounding the art. The landscaping really made a huge difference as you can see from the before & after images. This is the artists’ description of their work, “Our collaborative works address many relevant issues of the modern world. Concerns with environmental destruction, overpopulation, and notions of the apocalypse, are on the forefront of our minds. Daily reminders of these issues, influence our artwork on an encompassing scale. As a whole, we gravitate towards recycled materials; these objects tend to guide our vision. When people see our work, we hope they are inspired to repurpose discarded materials. Our sculpture “Forgive our Trespasses,” fulfills this mission because it touches on the innocence of childhood, the purity of nature, and the disruption of these cycles by human consumption and waste.” If you haven’t checked out ArtPrize yet, take advantage of this beautiful fall weather and see all the awesome works of art. Stop by “Forgive our Trespasses” and check out Chad &...
UA-78957805-1