Spring Garden Color Revival

                                                 Spring Garden Color Revival

Now is the time to get a jump start on having that early Spring burst of color in your garden.

Initially, with the first bout of warm weather after a long, cold winter, many of us are itching to get outside and “scratch that itch” by buying and planting annuals for color.  Unfortunately, that warm weather can easily be followed by a killing frost or two or three—Mother Nature can be so cruel!  It’s best to hold off on those annuals and get your color fix with Spring bulbs that you plant in the Fall of the previous year.

Tulips, daffodils, crocus and hyacinths are just some of the bulb choices you have.  Plant them in clusters for maximum effect, add some Bulb-tone fertilizer, and you will be rewarded in Spring with a riot of color.

Written By Hope Fox

Seed Saving

Are you looking for a fall activity that’s free and lots of fun?  SEED SAVING is a great way to get outside and enjoy the cooler, sunny  weather.

This Fall, grab some clippers, paper envelopes and your favorite flowers  and get started!

Select the plants you want to save seeds from. These plants should be healthy and have abundant flowers. (Zinnias, marigolds, and sunflowers produce large seeds, so are good plants for beginners.)

 Instead of deadheading, allow some of the flower heads to stay on the plant;  seeds will begin to form . On a sunny day,  harvest the seeds when the seed heads are dry to the touch and brown. Gather seed pods by hand or with clippers into a basket or cardboard box-even a cookie sheet will do.

 After harvesting, place the seeds where they can dry thoroughly-the top of a water heater works well!  Allow to dry thoroughly-this could take a full week. 

Store your seeds either in their protective pods or shake them free and store loose in paper envelopes.  Remember to label each envelope with seed variety and date collected.  Use a waterproof pen.

Place your labeled envelope into an air-tight container-a mason jar works well, as does a large manila envelope.  Store in a cool, dry  location until next planting season. Seeds should be planted the following season to remain viable.  Now, wasn’t that easy?!

( Remember ! Do not propagate licensed or illegal plants! )

 

Blog by Beth Warren

               

It's been one sizzling summer!

People have spent most of their summer carrying watering cans and hoses around to maintain their plants and lawns. There have been some record high temps this year, it may be the first time we wish for an early fall.

Keep positive soon enough it will be mum time and we will all be happy to switch out those tired annal planters and get some fresh fall color.

Until then my friends stay cool and water, water, water :)


Posted By Jodi Avery

Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows Everywhere

                        *Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows Everywhere*

If  April showers brought May flowers, can summer be just around the corner?  Let’s hope so! With the warmer weather at our doorstep, there are some things to do to care for your garden this time of year:

-plant, keeping in mind sunlight requirements

-fertilize regularly

-mulch landscaped beds

-water as needed

-prune and deadhead as needed

-examine your plantings regularly for disease and insect problems and treat, if recommended

-finally, walk around and take the time to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells

Follow these simple steps to ensure your gardening efforts pay off and keep everything, as the song goes:  “Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows Everywhere!”

Posted by Hope Fox

It's a Bug's Life

Yes, that sounds like movie title from back in the late 1990's.  But in reality, it actually is the Spring of 2012 here in our area.

Now granted, the snow and cold the last 2 days may change a bit of what's happening, but this spring has so far been incredible for the arrival of garden pests  Basically, many pest insects to our landscape plants are also showing up 4 weeks or so early.  Aphids on a Japanese Maple back on April 6,  Boxwood Leaf Minor in the larvae (caterillar) stage in the foliage on April 13,  Juniper Scale in the 'Crawling Stage' (and that is one I've only seen once before in April), and multiple sightings of the dreaded Red Lily leaf beetle, which takes your fantastic Oriental Lily and renders it to look like a grass clipping after mowing.

Reports of Black Flies were heard a week or so ago and then it got cold again.  Even though the temperatures dropped, don't think for a moment that insects and their eggs died.  Nope!  Most just went into a prolonged sleep (sorta like taking a long nap under a heavy afghan blanket in February).

With the mild winter (did it really happen?) we can expect an elevated insect pest situation on our landscape plants.  The best way to prevent issues is to simply monitor your plants and as soon as you see something, bring a sample in to your nearest garden center for a positive identification.  Spraying any insecticide just to spray is not a prudent decision and can actually prove to be environmentally destructive.

Not sure what that 'thing' is on your plant?  Ge it identified and then the correct treatment can be done.  This author is always happy to help. 

Bring me your bugs!

"Not Just a finishing touch"

Why are we seeing so many people walking around with black, brown or red hands, and they aren't even wearing gloves?!! It's probably because Mulch Madness has arrived.
Now that Spring is here, we're all excited about refreshing our landscapes. Although most consider mulch to be the finishing touch, that's not its only benefit.
Mulch also acts as a weed barrier and provides moisture retention around plants. So no matter what color you choose(and its always a personal preference) Don't forget to dress up your landscape with the finishing touch!

Posted By Jodi Avery

Raindrops & Sunshine & Frost! OH MY!

Well, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore...or the Rochester area we know either. Wow, what a roller coaster of weather. Warmer then normal February. A bit cool at beginning of March. Then extreme warmth for the rest of March and now to frosty evenings as we enter April. Many of our plants are basically 4 weeks ahead of schedule.

Are you confused? Think how your plants feel! We were set up for one of the most spectacular blooming seasons for Magnolias and then....BANG!....a 20-25 degree F night and all the flowers didn't just have black spots, they basically completely 'melted' into a yucky brown color. And the touch texture? Like a Hosta in November...Nasty!

But ornamental landscape plants are fairly resilient. Some lilacs were already in a tender stage as well as viburnums, forsythias, flowering pears, and flowering plums. There is burn on the foliage, but the plants will throw more new growth and rebound from the stunting...at least that is what has been the norm in late spring frosts.

But Fruit Farmers are in a bigger plight. Peaches, cherries, apricots, nectarines, blueberries, strawberries, grapes, and even plums are well advanced in bloom stage and development. When many flowers are damaged by frost, its not always noticeable as in the case of the Magnolia. In the case of Fruiting Cherries and Peaches, the inner parts (the Pistol and Stamen) of a flower's reproductive system are damaged. If flowers are damaged in their pollination parts, they can't develop fruit. A Fruit Farmer depends on the FRUIT, not the looks of a tree. Bad buds or no flowers = no fruit = no product for sale = no income. Mother nature has a bad side....

So...what does it mean for your plants? I had the chance today to talk to the wife of a man who was essentially my first boss when I was a teen. It was a fruit farm. Great caring family that was grounded and I owe her, her husband, and their sons a great debt of gratitude for their nurturing as I started working with plants 30 years ago. She related to me a response her father-in-law would share, and one she believed in, when someone would ask "So how is your crop this year?". Her father-in-law would respond "I'll let you know when I get paid for it".

Translation - We don't always know the damage that mother nature can cause with extreme temperatures until the season finishes out.

For landscape trees and shrubs, I'm optimistic tho. I still believe a lot of the damage is cosmetic and the plants will recover throughout the season. For the Fruit Farmers....I hope damage is minimal also. We will know as the next couple of months progress.

MARCH MADNESS-2012

Living and working where the male: female ratio is approximately 3:1, I am well aware that we are at the height of college basketball’s March Madness. Buzz words and catch phrases like “bracketology”, “Sweet 16”, and “Final 4” resound from sports stations and enthusiasts everywhere.

In the Van Putte greenhouses this week, our buzz works have been “seedlings”, “transplanting”, “sunscreen”, and “shorts.” WHAT?! Shorts? In March? That is definitely March Madness!

The mercury has been climbing to unheard heights this spring. Forsythia is bursting, insects are getting active, and even dandelions have made their appearance.

With this unseasonably warm winter there are many unknowns. Will temperatures continue to rise and summer feel like we live in the south this year? Will the flowers be sharing their pollen when bees need it? Will mosquitoes carry us all off before June?

Some experts are concerned about this mild weather…I believe that all these “problems” will figure themselves out, and nature will eventually get itself back on track.

What I do know for certain is that people around me are LOVing this warm weather. My neighborhood woodwork has burst and is full of dog walkers, cyclists, and skateboarders. Anything that allows us to shake off the cabin fever cobwebs early and puts a smile on our faces can’t be all bad, right??

March Madness-Love it!!!

Happy Spring!

Written by Beth Warren

Not Normal Groundhog Day

Today is Groundhog's Day and I can only think of the movie that starred Bill Murray. In the movie, his character relives February 2nd over and over and over. Well, many times are weather in and around February 2nd is the same each year. Cold, snow, clouds with maybe a quick peak of sunlight.

Not in 2012......

This entire winter has almost bordered on the unbelievable. The winter snowfall total up to the end of January was just over 25". We were on track at point to break the record for the same winter time period in 1941-1942 (just under 18"). So what about the plants?

Well....saw a Fragrant Viburnum trying to bloom in mid January when it was 55 degrees. Buds on Maples and Roses started to swell. It's hard to say whether the recent colder (35 degrees) weather will be a hinder. The longer we stay above 40 degrees, the more likely for plants to start thinking spring. But it's still possible for cold snaps and heavy snows, which could cause damage.

All though snow is a great insulator for plant roots, we have been blessed that we have not had long periods of below 0 windchills. Frigid windchills and no snow has been very detrimental to plants in a few of the past February's. On the flip side, the rain has been beneficial for the plants.

So, as Bill Murray's character relived the same day over and over, this year we have experienced a reprieve from the cold. It will be interesting to see how our landscape plants react this spring. And if Punxsutawney Phil is right that we have another 6 weeks of winter, many of us like THIS winter so far.