Now is the time to be thinking about next spring. I already have mentioned that spring flowering bulbs work great when planted in October and November but if you’re planning to landscape your home or form a new perennial or annual flower bed it is wise to get the beds ready in the fall even if you’re not going to plant next spring.
It’s still early enough to spray existing weeds with Roundup, especially perennial weeds that will go into overdrive at the first sign of spring weather. Also adding soil and/or soil amendments is a good idea in fall as sometimes the weather in early spring is not agreeable as it is sometimes far too wet.
Forming a landscape bed now and covering it with a thin layer of mulch will prevent any soil erosion or mud splash on any structure.
With the beds finished, planting can begin much earlier in spring than if beds needed to be prepared in spring.
Another advantage of the fall preparations for a new garden works especially well for a vegetable garden is that weeds are under control for the most part and early planting of cold tolerant crops could begin in mid March if the ground is not frozen.
I’m taking my own advice as we are planning a major planting for an annual flower bed to test new varieties of proven winner annuals.
Another project that we’ll be working on are getting some raised beds amended with sphagnum peat on the east side of the irrigation lake so we’ll be ready to plant blueberries next spring for a pick-your-own operation that will be ready in a couple of years.
Don’t forget to try sweet peet as a soil amendment as it improves the tilth of the ground and accelerates the activity of beneficial microbes in the soil to give you the results in gardening you expect.
Seriously thinking ahead in your garden planning will make your tasks easier and gardening for you will be much more enjoyable.
Tom
Friday, October 9, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Dayton "Dirt" October 2, 2009
With the cool, crisp October days and the brilliant leaf colors, many of you have told me that fall is your favorite time of the year. I prefer springtime with its growing day lengths and everything coming to life. I’ve always wanted to go to Europe in spring especially to Keukenhof to see the bulb gardens. Unfortunately I cannot get away as it is our busiest time of the year at the nursery.
There is still a lot of weekly chores to do as we are transplanting azaleas that we rooted from cuttings last summer. Another chore is planting more flower bulbs in Wolf Creek Gardens and out by the road. Fall is a good time to landscape your home as a flurry of accelerated root growth occurs when the top growth of plants shuts down so that the plants will be well established.
October is a great month for planting spring bulbs as the soil is warm enough in order for the bulbs to develop roots before winter. If you arrange a planting of bulbs correctly, the cascading bloom will occur from mid March through early June.
Next month we will be putting up wind breaks for our rhododendron garden. The Rhododendrons did very well this year and seem to have budded very heavy for a spectacular spring bloom.
Already I cannot wait for spring as Wolf Creek Garden will finally be open for your viewing and will be a mass of spring flowers from early April through at least June.
Well, I’ve got to do work in the garden.
Tom
There is still a lot of weekly chores to do as we are transplanting azaleas that we rooted from cuttings last summer. Another chore is planting more flower bulbs in Wolf Creek Gardens and out by the road. Fall is a good time to landscape your home as a flurry of accelerated root growth occurs when the top growth of plants shuts down so that the plants will be well established.
October is a great month for planting spring bulbs as the soil is warm enough in order for the bulbs to develop roots before winter. If you arrange a planting of bulbs correctly, the cascading bloom will occur from mid March through early June.
Next month we will be putting up wind breaks for our rhododendron garden. The Rhododendrons did very well this year and seem to have budded very heavy for a spectacular spring bloom.
Already I cannot wait for spring as Wolf Creek Garden will finally be open for your viewing and will be a mass of spring flowers from early April through at least June.
Well, I’ve got to do work in the garden.
Tom
Dayton "Dirt" Green Blog October 2009
A while back I had mentioned a nursery in Madison, Ohio called Roemer Nursery that has water trouble related to an extraordinary rise in salt levels in one of their main irrigation ponds.
Anyone that knows anything about the nursery business realizes that not just water but good quality water is the most important component of growing nursery stock especially container-grown stock like Roemer.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer has made it public that Roemer Nursery is suing Wal-Mart for five million dollars as Gied Stroombeek, the owner, believes that the salt troubles with his pond are due to Wal-Mart’s salt applications to its parking lot collecting in a drainage basin with the resultant salty water filtering its way to Roemer’s pond causing the high salt level.
Mr. Stroombeek founded his nursery on Green Road which is about ¾ of a mile north of US Route 20 in 1959.
In conversation a few years ago, Mr. Stroombeek told me that the water table filling his wells and ponds does not come from Lake Erie but from inland aquifers coming from the North Ridge or Route 20.
Lisa Ungers, who has an option to buy the nursery, has said that they have tried to work with Wal-Mart for two years to correct the problem but Wal-Mart has refused based on the fact that Roemer Nursery must prove that the store (Wal-Mart) is the cause.
At Dayton Nursery we have a similar situation as the always-flowing Van Hyning Run that cuts through the nursery property is unfit for irrigation due to high salts and very high colifom bacteria counts.
Van Hyning Run has a short course of only a few miles as its source is Loyal Oak Lake Park and its end at Wolf Creek which in turn empties into the Tuscarawas River in Barberton.
Even with this short run failing septic tanks and road sides laden with salt diminish the water quality in a kind of no-point, multi-point source of pollution.
Salt contamination of our precious water sources has not yet been addressed and it remains to be seen how the case Roemer Nursery vs. Wal-Mart as salt used as a de-icer is not currently regulated by the EPA.
Mr. Stroombeek is somewhat “up in years” and may not live to see the outcome of this case; however, he did tell me in conversation that he has retained an attorney that will take the process as far as it will go. This case could have very wide implications that go well beyond Roemer Nursery and Wal-Mart as EPA may very well regulate salt use because of the damage caused to aquifers and streams.
Stay tuned,
Tom
Anyone that knows anything about the nursery business realizes that not just water but good quality water is the most important component of growing nursery stock especially container-grown stock like Roemer.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer has made it public that Roemer Nursery is suing Wal-Mart for five million dollars as Gied Stroombeek, the owner, believes that the salt troubles with his pond are due to Wal-Mart’s salt applications to its parking lot collecting in a drainage basin with the resultant salty water filtering its way to Roemer’s pond causing the high salt level.
Mr. Stroombeek founded his nursery on Green Road which is about ¾ of a mile north of US Route 20 in 1959.
In conversation a few years ago, Mr. Stroombeek told me that the water table filling his wells and ponds does not come from Lake Erie but from inland aquifers coming from the North Ridge or Route 20.
Lisa Ungers, who has an option to buy the nursery, has said that they have tried to work with Wal-Mart for two years to correct the problem but Wal-Mart has refused based on the fact that Roemer Nursery must prove that the store (Wal-Mart) is the cause.
At Dayton Nursery we have a similar situation as the always-flowing Van Hyning Run that cuts through the nursery property is unfit for irrigation due to high salts and very high colifom bacteria counts.
Van Hyning Run has a short course of only a few miles as its source is Loyal Oak Lake Park and its end at Wolf Creek which in turn empties into the Tuscarawas River in Barberton.
Even with this short run failing septic tanks and road sides laden with salt diminish the water quality in a kind of no-point, multi-point source of pollution.
Salt contamination of our precious water sources has not yet been addressed and it remains to be seen how the case Roemer Nursery vs. Wal-Mart as salt used as a de-icer is not currently regulated by the EPA.
Mr. Stroombeek is somewhat “up in years” and may not live to see the outcome of this case; however, he did tell me in conversation that he has retained an attorney that will take the process as far as it will go. This case could have very wide implications that go well beyond Roemer Nursery and Wal-Mart as EPA may very well regulate salt use because of the damage caused to aquifers and streams.
Stay tuned,
Tom
Friday, September 25, 2009
Dayton "Dirt" September 25, 2009
It seems that everyone had a good time at our 2nd annual fall festival. I know I did but I must admit that I’m glad it’s over for another year as it takes a lot of preparation and work to put on such a show. And talking about shows, don’t forget about the Mumfest located at Lake Anna in Barberton. Barberton’s own Yoder Brothers has donated and supervised the planting and care of the garden chrysanthemums that you’ll see in the spectacular display on the northeastern bank of the lake.
We in the city of Norton do take pride in the Mumfest too as most of Barberton was founded out of the Connecticut Western Reserve Township of Norton by the purchase of 3600 acres of land by Ohio Columbus Barber in 1891 to found his new town of what else other than Barberton.
At the nursery we have mums too that are ready to plant or just sit on your front porch to enhance the beauty for the fall season.
Don’t forget Norton’s Cider Fest has moved from the old Knecht Cider mill in Loyal Oak to Norton Center at Columbia Woods Park on Sept. 26 & 27.
Many trees and shrubs and shrubs are just starting to change color and will really become bright once they are hit with a few cold frosty nights. Remember in earlier blogs I told you to try to get something in mind for fall color besides burning bush. One of the plant species I spoke about were blueberries. With their shades of gold, crimson, maroon, and orange that are bright enough to rival the color of any burning bush but with the added benefit of flowers in spring and delicious healthy berries to eat all summer long!
We’ve put a few more items on our 50% off sale but be sure to check out the list of sale items on our website and to call before you come over as inventory changes rapidly and sometimes that makes listings outdated that same day!
Happy fall,
Tom
We in the city of Norton do take pride in the Mumfest too as most of Barberton was founded out of the Connecticut Western Reserve Township of Norton by the purchase of 3600 acres of land by Ohio Columbus Barber in 1891 to found his new town of what else other than Barberton.
At the nursery we have mums too that are ready to plant or just sit on your front porch to enhance the beauty for the fall season.
Don’t forget Norton’s Cider Fest has moved from the old Knecht Cider mill in Loyal Oak to Norton Center at Columbia Woods Park on Sept. 26 & 27.
Many trees and shrubs and shrubs are just starting to change color and will really become bright once they are hit with a few cold frosty nights. Remember in earlier blogs I told you to try to get something in mind for fall color besides burning bush. One of the plant species I spoke about were blueberries. With their shades of gold, crimson, maroon, and orange that are bright enough to rival the color of any burning bush but with the added benefit of flowers in spring and delicious healthy berries to eat all summer long!
We’ve put a few more items on our 50% off sale but be sure to check out the list of sale items on our website and to call before you come over as inventory changes rapidly and sometimes that makes listings outdated that same day!
Happy fall,
Tom
Friday, September 18, 2009
Dayton "Dirt" September 18, 2009
Well, tomorrow is the day of the BIG festival! As I stated in my September 11th blog, I’ll be driving the tractor or RTV to give the hayrides.
You can bring the whole family as we’ll have animal shows, food vendors and other interesting activities for adults and children.
Besides the festival, the nursery will be open for business as usual with a good stock of trees and shrubs many of which are on a 50% off sale.
Please remember that everything is not on sale as much of what is in stock just came from our production areas or we just brought in to sell either now or next spring.
One new plant we have in stock is the new Lilac called Bloomerang. I’m not kidding that’s really its trade name.
The name is a reference to the fact that the lilac blooms heavy in spring (about May 20th) and then repeats the splendor throughout the summer.
Just be aware that the repeat of the bloom is not as heavy as the spring bloom but still heavy enough to delight the eye (and nose) with its repeat performance.
Many of you brought a mail order clipping to me about a repeat blooming Lilac called ‘Josie’ so that I went out to search for it and found its cousin ‘Bloomerang’.
Bloomerang Lilac is only one of many of a parade of new plant varieties that will be appearing at the nursery next spring.
Our perennial line will be exploding along with our Clematis varieties and we’re making a big push for new annual flowers that will amaze you next spring.
Now, I just have to figure our where we’re going to display all of the new stuff!
See you tomorrow after I do the radio show!
Tom
You can bring the whole family as we’ll have animal shows, food vendors and other interesting activities for adults and children.
Besides the festival, the nursery will be open for business as usual with a good stock of trees and shrubs many of which are on a 50% off sale.
Please remember that everything is not on sale as much of what is in stock just came from our production areas or we just brought in to sell either now or next spring.
One new plant we have in stock is the new Lilac called Bloomerang. I’m not kidding that’s really its trade name.
The name is a reference to the fact that the lilac blooms heavy in spring (about May 20th) and then repeats the splendor throughout the summer.
Just be aware that the repeat of the bloom is not as heavy as the spring bloom but still heavy enough to delight the eye (and nose) with its repeat performance.
Many of you brought a mail order clipping to me about a repeat blooming Lilac called ‘Josie’ so that I went out to search for it and found its cousin ‘Bloomerang’.
Bloomerang Lilac is only one of many of a parade of new plant varieties that will be appearing at the nursery next spring.
Our perennial line will be exploding along with our Clematis varieties and we’re making a big push for new annual flowers that will amaze you next spring.
Now, I just have to figure our where we’re going to display all of the new stuff!
See you tomorrow after I do the radio show!
Tom
Friday, September 11, 2009
Dayton "Dirt" September 11, 2009
Unfortunately as I write my blog for September 11th, I cannot help to remember that fateful day in 2001 that killed many of our countrymen at the hands of terrorists bent on destroying us. Hopefully I think we all wish the terrorist threat will be solved soon.
On the gardening front, the weather is starting to signal that fall is here or at least almost here with all its festivals celebrating the harvest. Here at the nursery, we’ll be celebrating our own harvest on September 19th and we hope you’ll be able to join us for a variety of activities including hayrides. Check out the entire schedule on our website.
I will be pulling two wagons filled with straw bales and people around the nursery and showing off what we’ve done so far in our Wolf Creek Botanical Garden. I do have a license so don’t be afraid to pile on the wagon!
We’ve been busy working diligently on getting the roadways in shape, creating huge boulder walls to contain high slopes, expanding waterlines and doing various plantings to enhance the garden.
More than one of the customers has asked me when I think the garden will be finished and my crafted answer is that “when I am dead” as to me a garden is a work in progress in which changes occur every year.
Construction on our new barn has started that will sit high on a hill above Wolf Creek Gardens but I don’t expect it to be finished until sometime in November.
September 19, 1890 is also my grandmother’s birthday (my mother’s mother) who just loved vegetable and flower gardening. I can still see her pulling weeds, canning and sitting with a bowlful of beans on her lap that need to have the strings broken off. I can remember asking her why she was digging and replanting Creeping Phlox when I was about 7 years old and her telling me how the old clumps die out and how you must dig up some of the younger ones to replace the old ones.
It’s funny but I remember that day as if it were yesterday.
I don’t mean to nag but remember that September is lawn chore time as its cool nights, warm days and generally moist soil conditions make it an ideal time to start a new lawn or “play” with an existing lawn to get it closer to that elusive state of perfection.
Hope to see you at the festival!
Tom
On the gardening front, the weather is starting to signal that fall is here or at least almost here with all its festivals celebrating the harvest. Here at the nursery, we’ll be celebrating our own harvest on September 19th and we hope you’ll be able to join us for a variety of activities including hayrides. Check out the entire schedule on our website.
I will be pulling two wagons filled with straw bales and people around the nursery and showing off what we’ve done so far in our Wolf Creek Botanical Garden. I do have a license so don’t be afraid to pile on the wagon!
We’ve been busy working diligently on getting the roadways in shape, creating huge boulder walls to contain high slopes, expanding waterlines and doing various plantings to enhance the garden.
More than one of the customers has asked me when I think the garden will be finished and my crafted answer is that “when I am dead” as to me a garden is a work in progress in which changes occur every year.
Construction on our new barn has started that will sit high on a hill above Wolf Creek Gardens but I don’t expect it to be finished until sometime in November.
September 19, 1890 is also my grandmother’s birthday (my mother’s mother) who just loved vegetable and flower gardening. I can still see her pulling weeds, canning and sitting with a bowlful of beans on her lap that need to have the strings broken off. I can remember asking her why she was digging and replanting Creeping Phlox when I was about 7 years old and her telling me how the old clumps die out and how you must dig up some of the younger ones to replace the old ones.
It’s funny but I remember that day as if it were yesterday.
I don’t mean to nag but remember that September is lawn chore time as its cool nights, warm days and generally moist soil conditions make it an ideal time to start a new lawn or “play” with an existing lawn to get it closer to that elusive state of perfection.
Hope to see you at the festival!
Tom
Friday, September 4, 2009
Dayton "Dirt" September 4, 2009
Where did the summer go?
With the cooler days and nights of late summer, September is an ideal time to sow a new lawn or do lawn chores such as repairing bare spots, thatching, fertilizing, weed control and so on. In fact, university studies have concluded that fall fertilizing of lawns does more good to get them in good shape then in the spring.
Fall is a great time to plant just about anything so the plants become established before the next hot summer.
Garden Club members will want to take advantage of our fall sale as we have many desirable perennials, roses, trees, shrubs and some hard goods on sale that are really a great deal.
The fall sale is open to everyone after September 7th but we want to be sure our Garden Club members get the most advantage to get first pick.
Be sure to check out our online inventory to see what’s on sale and what’s not.
Not everything is on sale as much of what we have is actually our production meant for next spring that is actually ready now.
While our blueberries are not on sale, I think they’re the best crop we’ve ever grown!
With three trimmings to make the plants bushy, our plants are full and beautiful and ready to plant so that you’ll at least get a few healthy bowlfuls of blueberries next year.
Check out our garden mums too. We have mums in a large 14 inch decorative pot that’s great for sitting on the porch or patio for some instant fall decoration. Better yet, these mums are only $19.99!
Labor Day has changed over the years as I can still remember seeing Vice President Hubert Humphrey and later Senator Howard Metzenbaum at the huge crowds in Barberton at the Labor Day parade! Speaking of Barberton, remember to mark your calendars for the Mum fest on September 26th and 27th with all its other activities and the special centennial celebration of O.C. Barber’s Anna Dean Farm.
For more fun, be sure to stop by our Fall Festival on September 19th. We’ll have plenty of activities for the whole family including a hayride through the ever-expanding Wolf Creek Botanical Garden!
Happy Labor Day!
Tom
With the cooler days and nights of late summer, September is an ideal time to sow a new lawn or do lawn chores such as repairing bare spots, thatching, fertilizing, weed control and so on. In fact, university studies have concluded that fall fertilizing of lawns does more good to get them in good shape then in the spring.
Fall is a great time to plant just about anything so the plants become established before the next hot summer.
Garden Club members will want to take advantage of our fall sale as we have many desirable perennials, roses, trees, shrubs and some hard goods on sale that are really a great deal.
The fall sale is open to everyone after September 7th but we want to be sure our Garden Club members get the most advantage to get first pick.
Be sure to check out our online inventory to see what’s on sale and what’s not.
Not everything is on sale as much of what we have is actually our production meant for next spring that is actually ready now.
While our blueberries are not on sale, I think they’re the best crop we’ve ever grown!
With three trimmings to make the plants bushy, our plants are full and beautiful and ready to plant so that you’ll at least get a few healthy bowlfuls of blueberries next year.
Check out our garden mums too. We have mums in a large 14 inch decorative pot that’s great for sitting on the porch or patio for some instant fall decoration. Better yet, these mums are only $19.99!
Labor Day has changed over the years as I can still remember seeing Vice President Hubert Humphrey and later Senator Howard Metzenbaum at the huge crowds in Barberton at the Labor Day parade! Speaking of Barberton, remember to mark your calendars for the Mum fest on September 26th and 27th with all its other activities and the special centennial celebration of O.C. Barber’s Anna Dean Farm.
For more fun, be sure to stop by our Fall Festival on September 19th. We’ll have plenty of activities for the whole family including a hayride through the ever-expanding Wolf Creek Botanical Garden!
Happy Labor Day!
Tom
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