Dayton "Dirt" - November 15, 2013

Fortunately before the snow of this past week the leaves on most trees have fallen so that trees are not weighed down and broken as they were earlier this year in more northern Ohio. The one tree that has mostly not lost its leaves is the stubborn ornamental Pear that is prone to damage or complete destruction by an early snow. Erecting burlap screens for wind and/or salt damage would be in order now especially for evergreen plants near busy roads as a direct hit of salt from snow plow trucks but also salt sprays from passing traffic will burn evergreen foliage and buds. Deciduous plantings are prone to salt damage too. A planting of barberry near the south end of Crystal Lake Road in Bath was nearly obliterated from salt damage about 10 years ago while the ornamental Pears in Fairlawn have many of their lower growth buds killed from the salt mist created by heavy traffic on West Market Street when the temperature is above freezing with the salt water on the road. At the nursery, the grave blankets are under construction and most styles are ready to be picked up or delivered to local cemeteries. One of the last to be constructed are the mixed greens pillows as the sundry greens will dry out if construction is too early in the season. A few Poinsettias will be ready this weekend as they are still expanding their colorful bracts above the warmth of our heating tubes on which they sit but most will not be displayed until the weekend of November 23rd as they seem to “prefer” this bottom heat while still in the development stage. More planting, edging, weeding and mulching is going on in Wolf Creek Gardens to the north as much of the work commenced now cannot be performed in spring because of the business rush. A somewhat warm December will allow the planting of thousands of flower bulbs on the property but that remains to be seen. Tom