If your lawn still needs renovating from the damage of the long hot summer, be sure to take action quickly as time is running out.
If you're overseeding, thatching helps in order that the seed will nest in soil instead of falling on thatch in which case it will never grow.
A fall fertilizer such as Greenview's 10-16-20 also is an excellent fertilizer as it has a high amount of phosphorus for root growth of the new seedlings.
A fall fertilizing of all your trees and shrubs is an excellent way to promote healthy growth next spring as the plant's roots will be active until temperatures drop to below 40 degrees F and will be able to absorb the nutrients you provide and store them for spring growth.
The cool fall is an excellent time to landscape as agagin, root growth will get the plants well established for healthy growth next spring.
At the Owl Barn, cider, apples, pumpkins add to the autumn ambiance of the nursery.
Hope to see you soon!
Tom
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
Dayton "Dirt" - September 24, 2010
Our fall festival seemed to be quite a success especially with the children.
The hayrides, animal show, balloon man, bouncy house and making crafts at the Pat Catan's craft table seemed to overwhelm them.
My favorite "activity" was the roasted sweet corn made in a special corn roaster on wheels!
Tomorrow and Sunday is Barberton's annual Mum Fest with over 20,000 plants donated by Aris Horticulture (formerly Yoder Brothers)
The mums combined have at least one million blooms and are planted along the northeast corner of Lake Anna Park in downtown Barberton.
Mums are a main attraction but many other events and activities make it a worthwhile drive.
At the nursery, our mum patch is finally in bloom as it was delayed by the hot weather in August and the first half of September.
Our fall sale is still going on at 50% off many trees, shrubs and perennials so be sure to stop by as more than likely there is something you'll see at a very good buy.
Lets hope for sunny skies for the Mum Fest and then we could use a lot more rain but without tornadoes such as the one that touched down in Wooster at the Ohio Agricultural Research & Development Center in Wooster.
The widespread damage to this world renowned research center and arboretum is a tragic event and must be repaired although it will take years to heal the Secrest Arboretum.
See you at the fest!
Tom
The hayrides, animal show, balloon man, bouncy house and making crafts at the Pat Catan's craft table seemed to overwhelm them.
My favorite "activity" was the roasted sweet corn made in a special corn roaster on wheels!
Tomorrow and Sunday is Barberton's annual Mum Fest with over 20,000 plants donated by Aris Horticulture (formerly Yoder Brothers)
The mums combined have at least one million blooms and are planted along the northeast corner of Lake Anna Park in downtown Barberton.
Mums are a main attraction but many other events and activities make it a worthwhile drive.
At the nursery, our mum patch is finally in bloom as it was delayed by the hot weather in August and the first half of September.
Our fall sale is still going on at 50% off many trees, shrubs and perennials so be sure to stop by as more than likely there is something you'll see at a very good buy.
Lets hope for sunny skies for the Mum Fest and then we could use a lot more rain but without tornadoes such as the one that touched down in Wooster at the Ohio Agricultural Research & Development Center in Wooster.
The widespread damage to this world renowned research center and arboretum is a tragic event and must be repaired although it will take years to heal the Secrest Arboretum.
See you at the fest!
Tom
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Dayton "Dirt" - September 10, 2010
Remember our fall 50% off sale is still on and open to the general public so that you may want to check the inventory online or call if you missed anything you wanted that we still may have.
Remember too that a week from Saturday will be our Fall Festival on the 18th of September which will be full of events for children and "grown children".
I will be giving the hayrides as always because I enjoy the mix of people - young,
old and middle ages.
I wonder what it is about a hayride. I remember bailing and hauling hay to the barn at our farm in Burbank, Ohio that was nothing but hard work.
Maybe its just the adventure of riding on the wagon without the hard work.
In addition to the hayrides, there will be fair food, roasted corn, face painting, balloon sculpting, live music, Outback Ray animal shows, bouncy house, Pat Catans craft tent and new for 2010… a garden specimen contest. The contest will cover 3 categories: best fruit specimen, best veggie specimen and best floral specimen.
Entries are limited to one per person, per group and can be dropped off on Friday, September 17th or up until 10:00 AM on Saturday, September 18th. A single fruit, veggie or floral stem from your own garden is what will be judged.
First prize will be awarded with a ribbon, certificate and a $10.00 gift card. Second and third prizes will be awarded with a ribbon and certificate. Judging will take place at 2:00 pm. You do not have to be present for judging.
Hope to see you there!
Tom
Remember too that a week from Saturday will be our Fall Festival on the 18th of September which will be full of events for children and "grown children".
I will be giving the hayrides as always because I enjoy the mix of people - young,
old and middle ages.
I wonder what it is about a hayride. I remember bailing and hauling hay to the barn at our farm in Burbank, Ohio that was nothing but hard work.
Maybe its just the adventure of riding on the wagon without the hard work.
In addition to the hayrides, there will be fair food, roasted corn, face painting, balloon sculpting, live music, Outback Ray animal shows, bouncy house, Pat Catans craft tent and new for 2010… a garden specimen contest. The contest will cover 3 categories: best fruit specimen, best veggie specimen and best floral specimen.
Entries are limited to one per person, per group and can be dropped off on Friday, September 17th or up until 10:00 AM on Saturday, September 18th. A single fruit, veggie or floral stem from your own garden is what will be judged.
First prize will be awarded with a ribbon, certificate and a $10.00 gift card. Second and third prizes will be awarded with a ribbon and certificate. Judging will take place at 2:00 pm. You do not have to be present for judging.
Hope to see you there!
Tom
Friday, September 3, 2010
Dayton "Dirt" - September 3, 2010
This is the first day of our fall sale and I think almost all of our Garden Club members will be impressed with the selection of plants included in our 50% off sale.
Be sure to take a look in the Owl Barn Market while you're here at the nursery to look at the fresh produce and browse the aisles for some of the gift items and cooking accessories.
As time goes on more locally grown apples will be displayed as well as ample cider, pumpkins, squash and other related food items.
The coolness of fall signals a resuming of our planting in Wolf Creek Gardens just down the hill from the Owl Barn along with a "push" to get the various trees, shrubs and perennials labeled.
It was a spectacular display in May with the blooming Creeping Phlox, Azaleas, Rhododendron, Dogwoods, Redbuds and shade perennials blooming in the garden although many of you did not see it.
The sad fact about some of the native trees in the garden is that they are Ash trees which will soon be killed by the Emerald Ash Borer which is an invasive insect that will bore holes in the trees and kill them.
This insect came out of Detroit, Michigan from pallets of sewer pipe imported from (yes, you guessed it) China.
One bright spot is that we will replant with disease resistant American Elm and Tulip Poplars which are very fast growing and stately.
Hope to see you at the sale this weekend!
Tom
Be sure to take a look in the Owl Barn Market while you're here at the nursery to look at the fresh produce and browse the aisles for some of the gift items and cooking accessories.
As time goes on more locally grown apples will be displayed as well as ample cider, pumpkins, squash and other related food items.
The coolness of fall signals a resuming of our planting in Wolf Creek Gardens just down the hill from the Owl Barn along with a "push" to get the various trees, shrubs and perennials labeled.
It was a spectacular display in May with the blooming Creeping Phlox, Azaleas, Rhododendron, Dogwoods, Redbuds and shade perennials blooming in the garden although many of you did not see it.
The sad fact about some of the native trees in the garden is that they are Ash trees which will soon be killed by the Emerald Ash Borer which is an invasive insect that will bore holes in the trees and kill them.
This insect came out of Detroit, Michigan from pallets of sewer pipe imported from (yes, you guessed it) China.
One bright spot is that we will replant with disease resistant American Elm and Tulip Poplars which are very fast growing and stately.
Hope to see you at the sale this weekend!
Tom
Friday, August 27, 2010
Dayton "Dirt" Green Blog - September 2010
In August I wrote no blog as I was on vacation out west visiting the National parks.
These vast expanses of land were only preserved by the wisdom of men such as Grover Cleveland, George Grinnell and Theodore Roosevelt among others to save these wondrous "cathedrals" of the United States for use and enjoyment for "generations yet unborn" as Teddy put it so well.
It disturbed me greatly on my tours of the Rocky Mountain areas of the millions of acres of trees that are dying or dead leaving the mountain sites brown or barren where once there had been a verdant green forest of pine, spruce and fir.
On a tour of Glacier National Park, I asked the park ranger about the dying trees as I observed larvae of an insect getting ready to pupate on a spruce tree in which the tree's new growth was mostly chewed off.
She replied that the insect was called the spruce bud worm and attacked the native spruce and fir.
The other problem insect she said were pine bark beetles that bore into pines and destroy them.
Both insects, while native, have been around for a millennium on the trees but have only recently gotten out of control decimating the forest.
The ranger went on to say that the winters are warmer than normal and former droughts weakened the trees making them more susceptible to insect attack.
Fire will for sure decimate the insect population along with the trees.
The new school of thought is that the insect explosion might be caused by humans because of fire fighting efforts of the last 100 years that suppressed the natural fire cycle in the forest which, while destructive, seems to be a cleansing, effect with the end result of a rejuvenated forest.
I think the forest ranger is correct as Yellowstone Park seemed to be the least affected by the ravaging insects because of the massive fires through the park that burned in 1988.
Now the new trees are 8-15 feet tall and standing like soldiers in millions.
The insects do not attack young vigorous trees and I'm sure that millions, if not billions, of these nasty critters burned in the fires along with the trees.
For sure fire will sweep through the dead, dying and healthy trees of the parks that will result in the land having a barren, sterile appearance.
However, in time, new life will come again to blanket the valleys and mountains with lush green forests.
The only downside is our generation will be gone before that rejuvenation results in massive tall trees.
Sometimes interfering with Mother Nature such as fire suppression is not a good idea.
Tom
These vast expanses of land were only preserved by the wisdom of men such as Grover Cleveland, George Grinnell and Theodore Roosevelt among others to save these wondrous "cathedrals" of the United States for use and enjoyment for "generations yet unborn" as Teddy put it so well.
It disturbed me greatly on my tours of the Rocky Mountain areas of the millions of acres of trees that are dying or dead leaving the mountain sites brown or barren where once there had been a verdant green forest of pine, spruce and fir.
On a tour of Glacier National Park, I asked the park ranger about the dying trees as I observed larvae of an insect getting ready to pupate on a spruce tree in which the tree's new growth was mostly chewed off.
She replied that the insect was called the spruce bud worm and attacked the native spruce and fir.
The other problem insect she said were pine bark beetles that bore into pines and destroy them.
Both insects, while native, have been around for a millennium on the trees but have only recently gotten out of control decimating the forest.
The ranger went on to say that the winters are warmer than normal and former droughts weakened the trees making them more susceptible to insect attack.
Fire will for sure decimate the insect population along with the trees.
The new school of thought is that the insect explosion might be caused by humans because of fire fighting efforts of the last 100 years that suppressed the natural fire cycle in the forest which, while destructive, seems to be a cleansing, effect with the end result of a rejuvenated forest.
I think the forest ranger is correct as Yellowstone Park seemed to be the least affected by the ravaging insects because of the massive fires through the park that burned in 1988.
Now the new trees are 8-15 feet tall and standing like soldiers in millions.
The insects do not attack young vigorous trees and I'm sure that millions, if not billions, of these nasty critters burned in the fires along with the trees.
For sure fire will sweep through the dead, dying and healthy trees of the parks that will result in the land having a barren, sterile appearance.
However, in time, new life will come again to blanket the valleys and mountains with lush green forests.
The only downside is our generation will be gone before that rejuvenation results in massive tall trees.
Sometimes interfering with Mother Nature such as fire suppression is not a good idea.
Tom
Dayton "Dirt" - August 27, 2010
A week from today starts our annual fall sale for which many trees, shrubs and perennials will be 50% off the list price.
It has been a little slower this summer probably due to the high temperatures so that the fall sale selection will be better than ever.
Do remember though that not everything will be on sale as some items we buy and display for fall but are actually for next spring's sales.
Look on the website to get an idea of current inventory and the 50% off sale list about September 1st to take a look to see if there is something that you would like at the 50% off savings.
The first four days of the sale will only be open to our Garden Club members in order that they get first dibs on the stock.
After the four days, the sale will be open to everyone although if you are not currently one of our Garden Club members, you may sign up the same day and receive the 50% off discount.
Keep in mind that the inventory online is not perpetual and sometimes changes rapidly even in one day so be sure to call or e-mail ahead if there is some special item you want that is showing low numbers in our inventory.
Hope to see you next weekend!
Tom
It has been a little slower this summer probably due to the high temperatures so that the fall sale selection will be better than ever.
Do remember though that not everything will be on sale as some items we buy and display for fall but are actually for next spring's sales.
Look on the website to get an idea of current inventory and the 50% off sale list about September 1st to take a look to see if there is something that you would like at the 50% off savings.
The first four days of the sale will only be open to our Garden Club members in order that they get first dibs on the stock.
After the four days, the sale will be open to everyone although if you are not currently one of our Garden Club members, you may sign up the same day and receive the 50% off discount.
Keep in mind that the inventory online is not perpetual and sometimes changes rapidly even in one day so be sure to call or e-mail ahead if there is some special item you want that is showing low numbers in our inventory.
Hope to see you next weekend!
Tom
Dayton "Dirt" - August 22, 2010
This week the construction starts on our new greenhouse that will enable us to grow more annual flowers to stock our retail greenhouse next spring.
I became very frustrated as some plants were in short supply and the quality on many declined as everyone tries to cut corners in the new economy. We sent product back to our suppliers that was only marginally saleable. I was so fed up in May that I decided to do something about it and take more direct control of our supply by building the new greenhouse with heat retention curtains which will enable us to start growing in mid January without transferring large amounts of cash to the gas company!
The greenhouse will be more automated and should elevate the level of quality of what we grow now as well as elevate the quantity so we are not at the mercy of outside suppliers.
We're still tweaking the produce for sale in the Owl Barn Market to ensure high quality and freshness as well as providing more variety as it comes out of local farms. I'm looking forward to the apple crop that isn't far away so that we can stock up on a kaleidoscope of various apples.
See you soon,
Tom
I became very frustrated as some plants were in short supply and the quality on many declined as everyone tries to cut corners in the new economy. We sent product back to our suppliers that was only marginally saleable. I was so fed up in May that I decided to do something about it and take more direct control of our supply by building the new greenhouse with heat retention curtains which will enable us to start growing in mid January without transferring large amounts of cash to the gas company!
The greenhouse will be more automated and should elevate the level of quality of what we grow now as well as elevate the quantity so we are not at the mercy of outside suppliers.
We're still tweaking the produce for sale in the Owl Barn Market to ensure high quality and freshness as well as providing more variety as it comes out of local farms. I'm looking forward to the apple crop that isn't far away so that we can stock up on a kaleidoscope of various apples.
See you soon,
Tom
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