Dayton "Dirt" - May 2, 2014

The tulips that we planted last November are finally coming into their prime time but the group along the road and entrance to the nursery which always bloom around Mother's Day may not make it this year until after this important date because of the cold winter delaying the emergence of the bulbs and the cool spring weather. The flowers in the greenhouse are "fluffing out" quite nicely after their trim in mid-April. Some of the growth regulators used to hold the flowers in check to prevent them from overgrowing sometimes result in poor results for customers so that we prefer an old-fashioned trim to chemicals to control growth. Another improvement scheduled is the construction of an addition to our flower production house so that we will have more room to produce vegetable plants in a wide array of varieties and sizes with better prices as well. Mother's Day is always a big day at the nursery with the nursery having the peak inventory of product from trees and shrubs, flowers and perennials. Always since 1973 have the azaleas been in prime bloom at the nursery, however, this year may not be so as the plants had a slow start after being frozen solid in the storage houses even into the first part of April. Even now, gardeners must be wary of another cold wave that might come when planting vegetable plants and flowers. Let's hope that no or just a few light frosts is all to be forced in the month of May. ~Tom