With June already here the rain department is still producing an excess of water. Reports have been coming into the nursery of garden seeds failing to sprout and garden plants somewhat at a standstill. While temperatures have warmed to a more normal range, soils are devoid of much needed oxygen that roots must employ for respiration and growth.
Root diseases such a Phytophthora and Pythium just love to grow and infest plant roots as the saturated soil provides a pathway for infection of the stressed plant roots and a favorable environment as well.
Flowers too have suffered with the wet weather as growth is slow due to cool nights and constant rain. Constant rain will leach nutrients out of the soil for flower and vegetable plants so that additional fertilizer will be needed for pots or plants in the ground to supplement the leached away fertilizer.
Better weather is sure to come. Let’s hope the rain subsides but does not shut off completely!
Tom
Friday, June 2, 2017
Friday, May 26, 2017
Dayton "Dirt" - May 26, 2017
Contrary to last year, there is certainly no shortage of rain this spring. Many customers coming into the nursery have been more aware of wet areas in the yard and are wanting ideas for plantings which might include the Buttonbush (Cephalanthus), Calycanthus (Carolina Allspice), Winterberry (Ilex verticilata), Variegated Dogwood (Cornus elegantisima or stolonifera), Variegated Willow (Salix integra ‘Nashiki’) or even elderberries (Sambucus canadensis). For trees in wet areas River Birch (Betula nigra), Silver Maple (Acer saccharum) or Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) would work well.
Finally, many of the roses are coming into bud and bloom which will create a spectacular show especially for the final week of May! Tea roses and floribundas must be sprayed weekly with a fungicide such as Bi-Carb to keep mildew and black spot at bay as soon after inoculation by these fungus organisms, the leaves will yellow and drop off which then will slow down growth and the resulting bloom.
With Memorial Day approaching, many folks will decorate the graves of loved ones in cemeteries as a sign of respect and memory of those who have passed before us. The traditional Memorial Day was called Decoration Day and designated to be May 30th by the federal government to consolidate the date into one celebration after the multiple celebrations on different dates throughout the various regions of the country. With so many war dead from most families resulting from the Civil War it was only natural that families would want to decorate the graves of those lost.
At the nursery, plantings of flowers will not go on until after the holiday weekend due to the busy time. The greenhouse is at its peak with masses of color everywhere. The mixed confetti hanging baskets that were a little small are now particularly beautiful as at least 25 different combinations are available. Confetti is a trademark name of the Dummen Orange Company that produces the “plugs” for the combination.
A little more sun and warmth now would be good for the garden but now we’ll have to wait and see. Que sera sera.
Tom
Finally, many of the roses are coming into bud and bloom which will create a spectacular show especially for the final week of May! Tea roses and floribundas must be sprayed weekly with a fungicide such as Bi-Carb to keep mildew and black spot at bay as soon after inoculation by these fungus organisms, the leaves will yellow and drop off which then will slow down growth and the resulting bloom.
With Memorial Day approaching, many folks will decorate the graves of loved ones in cemeteries as a sign of respect and memory of those who have passed before us. The traditional Memorial Day was called Decoration Day and designated to be May 30th by the federal government to consolidate the date into one celebration after the multiple celebrations on different dates throughout the various regions of the country. With so many war dead from most families resulting from the Civil War it was only natural that families would want to decorate the graves of those lost.
At the nursery, plantings of flowers will not go on until after the holiday weekend due to the busy time. The greenhouse is at its peak with masses of color everywhere. The mixed confetti hanging baskets that were a little small are now particularly beautiful as at least 25 different combinations are available. Confetti is a trademark name of the Dummen Orange Company that produces the “plugs” for the combination.
A little more sun and warmth now would be good for the garden but now we’ll have to wait and see. Que sera sera.
Tom
Friday, May 19, 2017
Dayton "Dirt" - May 19, 2017
With the onset of warm days and more importantly warm nights, the planting of vegetable and flowers seems to be in full swing. Even tropical plants that like plenty of sun and hot days will be planted outdoors in the ground and in pots for outdoors. This weekend will finish up the late blooming lilac call Miss Kim while just the beginning is near for the Mountain Laurels that will “repair” the loss bloom from the lilacs and the already out-of-bloom evergreen azaleas.
In the perennial department, scads of late spring perennials are ready to bloom as well as hundreds of the Tiny lilies bred in Holland. The bulbs were planted three to a pot in late February and early March and now are coming into a May bloom although the true bloom time would be mid-June to early July.
The growing houses in the rear of the property are finally clearing out as more and more of the product becomes ready to sell. As always, the Calliope geranium hanging baskets have been a big hit as they do well in part shade or full sun. The breeding of the plants is called interspecific since they are a cross between the vining geranium and what is known as the zonal geranium.
Wolf Creek Garden to the north is a riot of bloom with rhododendrons in varieties such as ‘Boule de Neige’, ‘Boursault’, English Roseum’, Yaku ‘Prince’, ‘catawbiense Alba’, ‘Scintillation’, ‘Nova Zembla’ and then some. Next will come the bloom of the Maximum types along with delicate blossoms of Mountain laurel and Kousa Dogwoods.
It would be nice to get some weeding done but for now, it will have to wait.
Tom
In the perennial department, scads of late spring perennials are ready to bloom as well as hundreds of the Tiny lilies bred in Holland. The bulbs were planted three to a pot in late February and early March and now are coming into a May bloom although the true bloom time would be mid-June to early July.
The growing houses in the rear of the property are finally clearing out as more and more of the product becomes ready to sell. As always, the Calliope geranium hanging baskets have been a big hit as they do well in part shade or full sun. The breeding of the plants is called interspecific since they are a cross between the vining geranium and what is known as the zonal geranium.
Wolf Creek Garden to the north is a riot of bloom with rhododendrons in varieties such as ‘Boule de Neige’, ‘Boursault’, English Roseum’, Yaku ‘Prince’, ‘catawbiense Alba’, ‘Scintillation’, ‘Nova Zembla’ and then some. Next will come the bloom of the Maximum types along with delicate blossoms of Mountain laurel and Kousa Dogwoods.
It would be nice to get some weeding done but for now, it will have to wait.
Tom
Friday, May 12, 2017
Dayton "Dirt" - May 12, 2017
After the cold rain last Saturday and then the very cool, sunny, windy day on Sundayfollowed by two freezes at the nursery, the question really is “what’s next?” As always, weather patterns vary widely from year to year mainly due to the winds of the jet stream. Needless to say, there is no shortage of water here in Ohio and record snows and rains in California have ended the drought and alleviated the pressure from wild fires that have ravaged that state and the entire western part of the country.
In the greenhouse, the beneficial nematodes have kept the mostly destructive thrip insect in check while cutting down on spraying chemicals for insect control by almost one half. It is difficult to manage insect control with all beneficial insects as many do not eat pollen from flowers to survive and then are left with nothing to eat.
Unfortunately, wind and rain have made weed control in Wolf Creek garden lack luster to say the least as the few sunny, less windy days customer service must take priority over weed control.
Things are looking up though as the forecast for next week appears to be for more “normal” weather for the latter half of May whatever “normal” is.
In a way it is strange that there is only one day to honor mothers as everyone knows that a mother is actually a keystone in a family raising children, preparing family meals, shopping, cleaning, tending the garden, canning and freezing food...as the saying goes, “ a mother’s work is never done.” It reminds me of my own mother and her mother which did so much and basically how much mothers are under appreciated.
Happy Mother’s Day.
In the greenhouse, the beneficial nematodes have kept the mostly destructive thrip insect in check while cutting down on spraying chemicals for insect control by almost one half. It is difficult to manage insect control with all beneficial insects as many do not eat pollen from flowers to survive and then are left with nothing to eat.
Unfortunately, wind and rain have made weed control in Wolf Creek garden lack luster to say the least as the few sunny, less windy days customer service must take priority over weed control.
Things are looking up though as the forecast for next week appears to be for more “normal” weather for the latter half of May whatever “normal” is.
In a way it is strange that there is only one day to honor mothers as everyone knows that a mother is actually a keystone in a family raising children, preparing family meals, shopping, cleaning, tending the garden, canning and freezing food...as the saying goes, “ a mother’s work is never done.” It reminds me of my own mother and her mother which did so much and basically how much mothers are under appreciated.
Happy Mother’s Day.
Friday, May 5, 2017
Dayton "Dirt" - May 5, 2017
As the rains continue, so must the work at the nursery continue so that when the sun does decide to shine, everything will be ready for the normally busy May season. Surprisingly, despite with weather, sales have been brisk especially with the opening of the annual flower house.
It is difficult though for folks to plant the garden even with the cool weather vegetables because of the somewhat saturated ground. One of the worst concerns of a gardener is to walk around the garden when the soil is quite wet because of the resulting compaction. I do remember speaking to a customer in 2011 when the spring rain never seemed to stop and even continued well into June. She had been born and raised in the UK and related to me that the 2011 spring was like English weather. When I asked her what the English do in the garden when the spring rains seem to go on and she replied “you just put on your “Wellies” and go out into the garden. She of course was referring to the high Wellington boots that offer maximum protection from the wet and muddy soil.
With still a chance of frost in the air for May, it is still too early to plant heat-loving vegetable plants like tomatoes and peppers as well as impatiens and wave petunias. However, many annuals can survive a light frost like other petunias, ageratum and a few others.
“Hope springs eternal” as written by the poet Alexander Pope and so is the hope for at least some sun this spring.
Tom
It is difficult though for folks to plant the garden even with the cool weather vegetables because of the somewhat saturated ground. One of the worst concerns of a gardener is to walk around the garden when the soil is quite wet because of the resulting compaction. I do remember speaking to a customer in 2011 when the spring rain never seemed to stop and even continued well into June. She had been born and raised in the UK and related to me that the 2011 spring was like English weather. When I asked her what the English do in the garden when the spring rains seem to go on and she replied “you just put on your “Wellies” and go out into the garden. She of course was referring to the high Wellington boots that offer maximum protection from the wet and muddy soil.
With still a chance of frost in the air for May, it is still too early to plant heat-loving vegetable plants like tomatoes and peppers as well as impatiens and wave petunias. However, many annuals can survive a light frost like other petunias, ageratum and a few others.
“Hope springs eternal” as written by the poet Alexander Pope and so is the hope for at least some sun this spring.
Tom
Saturday, April 29, 2017
Dayton "Dirt" - April 29, 2017
This weekend is the opening of the main greenhouse of flower and vegetable plants, tropicals and herbs. To me, it is still too early to plant and if any of the customers do ask all salespersons as instructed the answer that “yes” it is too early to plant except for ‘cold weather’
plants like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, pansy and violas. The extra burden on us is the daily required high maintenance of the greenhouse consisting of watering, spacing, cleaning and of course serving customers.
In addition to this work above, more plants have arrived from Michigan to be potted in which some of these shrubs will be available late this summer. If that weren’t enough, the perennial house still needs “filled to the gills” and maintained. Then there is weed control in the plants and the ever present garlic mustard weed starting to bloom along the nursery that must be destroyed before this invasive weed spreads everywhere!
The azaleas are blooming about 10 days earlier than usual with colors galore in the nursery and flowers blooming everywhere on the grounds.
In the Wolf Creek Garden, weeds are finally getting under control and color from Eastern Redbuds and the spill of pink and blue colors down the 18 foot vertical wall on the north side of the Owl barn light up the grounds. In the garden, the azaleas are just at a hint of color except for the full bloom of Rhododendron ‘Aglo’ and the old-fashioned and rare Azalea Ethylwyn which is an old Gable hybrid.
Spring is wonderful time at the nursery although sometime’s it’s too much work!
Tom
plants like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, pansy and violas. The extra burden on us is the daily required high maintenance of the greenhouse consisting of watering, spacing, cleaning and of course serving customers.
In addition to this work above, more plants have arrived from Michigan to be potted in which some of these shrubs will be available late this summer. If that weren’t enough, the perennial house still needs “filled to the gills” and maintained. Then there is weed control in the plants and the ever present garlic mustard weed starting to bloom along the nursery that must be destroyed before this invasive weed spreads everywhere!
The azaleas are blooming about 10 days earlier than usual with colors galore in the nursery and flowers blooming everywhere on the grounds.
In the Wolf Creek Garden, weeds are finally getting under control and color from Eastern Redbuds and the spill of pink and blue colors down the 18 foot vertical wall on the north side of the Owl barn light up the grounds. In the garden, the azaleas are just at a hint of color except for the full bloom of Rhododendron ‘Aglo’ and the old-fashioned and rare Azalea Ethylwyn which is an old Gable hybrid.
Spring is wonderful time at the nursery although sometime’s it’s too much work!
Tom
Friday, April 21, 2017
Dayton "Dirt" - April 21, 2017
The second half of April at the nursery is an even faster ramp up of activities as the perennial house and annual flower houses must be readied for opening at the end of the month. Then too is the receipt of tropical plants from Florida that require almost everyday watering plus the at least 2 initial successive treatments to eliminate or at least check the “Florida bugs” so that they are not present on the plants when they are purchased and to eliminate the possibility that they will contaminate the flowers and vegetable plants grown in the greenhouses over the winter.
For other business, the receipt and then potting of thousands of small shrubs from Michigan must be accomplished so that stock will be available later in the summer and next year. Some of the small shrubs will be continually repotted into bigger containers in order to achieve larger finished sizes which might extend over a 3 year period!
Growth of plants in the annual flower house is amazing as the warm, much longer sunny days of the winter. Some shipments of small flower “plugs”
(as they are called) were delayed by the grower from which we purchase many of the patented flowers so that it looked as though the pots and hanging baskets would be delayed which now is not the case with the favorable weather. Fortunately rain has been adequate as the outside stock has to be irrigated almost everyday with water that is both recycled and the result of rainfall runoff from the nursery property.
The thousands of tulips for May bloom may come early as a late April bloom due to the warm push of weather this spring. While not quite the Keukenhof Gardens in Holland, they still make quite a show as these bloomers “show off their skills.”
Tom
For other business, the receipt and then potting of thousands of small shrubs from Michigan must be accomplished so that stock will be available later in the summer and next year. Some of the small shrubs will be continually repotted into bigger containers in order to achieve larger finished sizes which might extend over a 3 year period!
Growth of plants in the annual flower house is amazing as the warm, much longer sunny days of the winter. Some shipments of small flower “plugs”
(as they are called) were delayed by the grower from which we purchase many of the patented flowers so that it looked as though the pots and hanging baskets would be delayed which now is not the case with the favorable weather. Fortunately rain has been adequate as the outside stock has to be irrigated almost everyday with water that is both recycled and the result of rainfall runoff from the nursery property.
The thousands of tulips for May bloom may come early as a late April bloom due to the warm push of weather this spring. While not quite the Keukenhof Gardens in Holland, they still make quite a show as these bloomers “show off their skills.”
Tom
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