Dayton "Dirt" - August 7, 2015

At the nursery this past week and next is the word “plant”. Thousands of perennials are now being potted to supplement our spring potted crop of plants so that sales in May begin earlier in spring.  With the hard winter, some species of perennials have not done well being overwintered above ground in pots so that cold frames to suspend a ¼” thick insulating of a product called microfoam will be suspended over the product in addition to the protection of the white layer of plastic over the overwintering structure which in effect is a cold frame within a cold frame.  This structure will further insulate the root system of the plants from extreme cold and yet allow aeration of the structure to keep down fungus disease.

Repair and maintenance of almost all the equipment is completed as it’s constant and hard use during the rushed spring season is over. The propagation of numerous shrubs is complete while the cuttings sit under intermittent mist which will root most of them in about 6-8 weeks.  A concern for customers is the presence of crabgrass in the lawn even after a pre-emergent crabgrass killer was applied in April.  The reason for this annual grass spreading over lawns is the fact that a crabgrass preventer does prevent germination of this weed up to 95% but the remaining 5% has grown prolifically from the more than adequate rainfall resulting in the phenomenal growth of the survivors!  One preventive measure to perform with the return of normal, drier weather would be to stir any hardwood bark mulch with a rake, fertilize the bed with the addition of 10 lbs. of 10-10-10 fertilizer per 1000 ft² and then the watering of this area to prevent the shotgun fungus that will spot siding on the house with a sticky resin that is nearly impossible to remove.  By fertilizing and watering the mulch, bacteria will begin to grow and are able to subdue this nasty fungal pest that seems to thrive in drier hardwood mulches.

With the August sun comes quick ripening of peppers and tomatoes that will overwhelm everyone as freezing and canning of the vegetable bounty of the garden moves into full swing.

Well, the motto at the nursery is to “pot on” as late August and September will bring another set of chores.

Tom