The Mum Fest in Barberton was a huge success especially with the warm sunny weekend. Previously cool weather though did play a factor in the earlier bloom of the mums so that the gardens were a little past prime. In all I don’t think that many fest goers noticed.
With mum season winding down, tree and shrub planting can go on in order to establish the plant’s root system before next summer. So far, enough rainfall has been lacking for the past few weeks which increases the vigilance necessary for watering newly planted stock. A late “bloom” of powdery mildew has shown up on a few shrubs and even Japanese Maples which will not damage them permanently but does render them less desirable. A few weeks ago, even homeowners had been coming with cases of mildew and apple scab on trees and shrubs and a question of treatment. The correct treatment is to do nothing as the previously wet humid spring and summer created the conditions for all kinds of foliar plant diseases so that trying to eradicate and or mitigate them now is a waste of time and money. A foliar disease has caused an early defoliation of the wild black cherry trees in the woods surrounding the nursery so that in late August the trees resembled their normal state of early October.
A final weeding (is it ever final?) before winter of the nursery stock has been completed on the plants that will be “put to bed” starting about 3 weeks in order that the over-wintering huts can be covered in early November. This year there is even more work as the larger greenhouses used to grow and display annuals and perennials have not had a change of polyethylene plastic for five years! The poly is actually a 4 year type that finally weakens due to its breakdown from the ultraviolet rays of the sun. With new construction getting ready for winter and the other “normal” chores, October is a very busy month at the garden center.
Tom
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