November
11.18.11 - I'm thankful for...
As the outdoor gardening season comes to a close we look back on the season with gratitude & Thanksgiving. Thinking back over the year thus far we remember the loyal “Winter Gardening Seminar” attendees, the first gardeners of spring as we reunited over pansies after a long winter, the gardeners that dodged raindrops all spring to plant their gardens, the recyclers that returned with their empty pots & flats, the corn lovers that traveled from near & far for fresh fruits & vegetables in the farm market, the preschool children that visited Farmer Scott & learned about growing pumpkins and our many guests that came for their favorite things at Graf’s. At this time of Thanksgiving on behalf of the Graf Grower family we wish to express our appreciation for your business & your friendship.
As we look ahead, our thoughts turn to decorating for the holidays & indoor gardening. Fresh evergreens artfully arranged in hanging baskets & porch pots look lovely in place of summer flowering ones. Use them plain or embellish them with winterberry, pine cones & ornaments for a more personalized look. Consider other outdoor containers & decorations such as wall baskets & window boxes that look lovely filled with greenery. In addition, you can repurpose a gazing ball by surrounding it with fresh evergreens in a birdbath or outdoor container. (After the holidays I remove the holiday embellishments & leave the greenery until late March when it is time to plant pansies.) Light posts & railings can be wrapped with garlands to add a finished look.
 
 
Indoors, the natural beauty of Poinsettias, Amaryllis, Christmas Cactus, Rosemary Trees & others will make your home look festive & bright with minimal effort. Use them individually or group them in a basket or tray for a centerpiece arrangement. Stop in to see our new pixie poinsettias that are perfect for each place setting at your holiday table.
One last thing … Table top Fraser Fir Christmas Trees ready to go with a stand just arrived today. Fraser Fir is a very long lasting tree. They were grown & sheared to be a table top tree so they are just perfect for the office, an apartment, your children’s room, or a kitchen tree. They are so cute, you just have to see them … they are so easy you could have one in every room!
11.3.11 - Hello, November!
As we finish up late fall gardening chores, remove Halloween decorations & take our last hikes in the park our thoughts turn indoors. There are a few weeks between Halloween & holiday decorating that our homes look “naked”. It is a good time to fill in with a colorful houseplant or long lasting blooming plant which will look beautiful & provide the added benefit of air purification. I would suggest Cyclamen with dramatic colorful blooms that emerge out of a mound of interesting foliage. They are easy to care for & they bloom for several months indoors however they require regular watering. Phalaenopsis Orchids are another blooming houseplant that rewards you with long lasting blooms. While they appear to be delicate & difficult to grow they are actually very easy to care for. is A houseplant that I have been successful with is Philodendron ‘Brasil’ which is like the common Philodendron ‘Cordatum’ however the heart shaped leaves are swirled with colorful lime green making it very interesting. For over 3 years, I have had this plant in my bathroom in a low light location & it is still beautiful. I water it sporadically. Luckily, it is very forgiving when I forget. If you miss watching things grow you could plant an Amaryllis bulb & watch it grow. It will most likely bloom during the holidays if you plant it now. I invite you to stop in to find a “living accessory” for your home. We’ll help make selections.
11.23.10 - Time for Inspiration
As fall comes to a close our gardens are resting & the final leaves have been swept away. Now it is time to turn our attention to decorating our homes for the holidays. Why not use a little inspiration from your garden to spice up your outside decorations. Here are a few ideas to get you started…
Repurpose summer container gardens with arrangements of fresh evergreens embellished with shatterproof ornaments, ribbons & more. If you prefer a more natural look add winterberry, pinecones & colorful yellow cedar to the arrangement. Gazing balls are beautiful when displayed in the center of a pot of greenery as well. Window boxes & hanging baskets overflowing with pines & cedar are always a nice touch in place of summer plantings. Here are a few pictures to give you ideas & help you get started. If you have a lot of evergreens in your landscape you can cut them in inconspicuous places & work with them or stop in for a variety of evergreens & winterberry that you can purchase by the pound. In addition, if you would rather not make your own, we have a variety of porch pots & hanging baskets ready to go or we can make them especially for you. Why not coordinate your porch pots with your wreath for a professional look. After the holidays remove the embellishments & leave the greenery. They will look nice all winter long.
   
 
 
11.19.10 - My Many Thanks
A facebook friend suggested that everyone should write down the word thanksgiving & then list what they were thankful for as it corresponded with each letter. At first glance, I thought it seemed a bit elementary. Then subconsciously it kept creeping back into my mind. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I found it to be a great exercise reminding me of just how much I have to be grateful for so I am sharing a gardening version of this exercise with you. Wishing you & yours a wonderful Thanksgiving!
I am thankful for …
T for tomatoes that grow in my garden. They taste so good when they are warm from sunshine.
H for happy gardeners that enjoy gardening as a hobby.
A for flowering annuals that have colorful blooms all season long.
N for new plants that inspire me to add interest to my garden & share with you.
K for gardening knowledge. For me it has been a life long journey & there is always so much more to learn which makes it challenging & fun.
S for gardeners that are willing to share their experiences with others especially the folks that open up their gardens for tours.
G for the great gardening community in Akron including local Garden Clubs, Keep Akron Beautiful & community gardens. They contribute so much to our daily lives.
I for Ipomea which is better known as sweet potato vine. This plant is so rewarding to grow because it grows fast & full as a groundcover or in pots with minimal care
V for flavorful vegetables & fruits grown locally.
I for Impatiens that make our shade gardens colorful all summer long. This plant is an “oldie” but “goodie” as they say.
N for Chamaecyparis ‘Nootkatensis’ This graceful weeping Cypress was a great addition to my garden this year.
G for the many friends, family & staff members of Graf Growers. We are so blessed to have the support of the community, our vendors & staff members. Whether you have shopped here once or for many years we appreciate your support & your friendship. Thank you very much.
11.11.10 - My Indian Summer
I love “Indian Summer” … it is such an incredible gift to enjoy a few more days in the garden. Recently, I took advantage of a beautiful day & spent time removing spent annuals from my landscape beds then planted winter pansies in their place. I emptied my container gardens as I prepared for the next season when I fill them with pots of arranged evergreens & holiday embellishments. I am still planning to plant alium & tulip bulbs this week. It was so satisfying to put the garden to rest & have it look so nice when I finished however the real benefit for me was therapeutic as I dug my cares away.
11.20.09 - Your Winter Garden
I am always sad after the final blooms of summer are gone & our gardens are dormant; resting for the winter. For this reason it has been my quest to add plants with winter interest to the landscape as well as find ways to make the winter garden more interesting. Although they are not as colorful as summer blooms crabapples & other trees with berries or fruit add a touch of color. Red or yellow twig dogwood plants will add interest with their colorful stems.. Birdfeeders will invite colorful birds into the garden as well as a flurry of activity. Additionally, I like to decorate the garden for the holidays & the winter. Here are a few ideas for you to consider:
Fill urns, porch pots, & window boxes with fresh evergreens, winterberry & other colorful dried branches. Add weather proof shiny ornaments, bells or a bright red bow to give them a festive look. A pot looks especially nice when you feature a gazing ball in the center with greenery or a wreath surrounding it. Purchase the porch pots ready to drop in your containers or create your own. I especially enjoy these because after the holidays I remove the tell-tale decorations but leave the greenery & winterberry until mid March.
Add lights to landscape plants for the holidays. Whether you like a very simple color palette of white lights or a bright assortment of colors it will certainly make the short days of December brighter in the evening!
Hang garlands on the garden fence & other structures as well as wreaths on the garden gate. Enjoy the simplicity of the greenery or highlight them with lighting or other decorations to make them look festive.
Add a lantern or a basket of greenery to a garden bench or stone wall for a nice touch.
Cover pinecones with peanut butter & birdseed & hang from a tree to decorate & attract birds.
I hope that I have inspired you to look at the winter garden in a whole new way. Be creative & have fun adding winter interest!
11.6.09 - Fall to Winter
Take advantage of the final days of fall to put your garden to rest & spend time outdoors. A few suggestions of things to do to keep your garden looking its best or to offer protection from the winter.
- Plant bulbs…you’ll be so glad you did when they pop through the snow early next spring. Clumps of tulips or daffodils will be a welcome sight in the spring as well as the fragrance of hyacinths. Add height & drama to the spring blooming perennial garden with allium bulbs. They are such a good value & many of them come back year after year.
- Spray broadleaf evergreens, rhododendrons & azaleas with Wilt Pruf which is a protective coating for plants that will keep them from dehydrating from winter winds which causes winter injury.
- Protect tea roses & other grafted roses by placing mulch or topsoil in a mound around the base of the plant about 8” high & 18” – 24” wide. You can lightly trim roses if needed at this time as well. Save heavy pruning for next spring after new growth emerges.
- If deer browsing is a problem in your landscape protect plants with Liquid Fence which will need to be reapplied approximately every 30 days.
- Refresh beds with a clean edge & a light layer of mulch or sweet peet. This will protect the roots & make the landscape look neat & tidy. In addition, the sweet peet will provide nutritional elements as well.
11.25.08 - Keep your Poinsettia looking its best!
Poinsettias are one of the most popular plants of the holiday season. Contrary to a popular myth Poinsettias are not poisonous. One of my industry friends, Jack Williams from The Ecke Poinsettia Ranch always eats a few poinsettia leaves on national TV every year to prove the point. He said they do not taste very good but he has never had any type of reaction to them. This is further documented through extensive research at OSU. It’s easy to keep them looking their best all though the holidays & into the winter with proper care. Place your poinsettia in a room filled with bright or filtered light. Poinsettia soil is very light for proper drainage therefore, you need to keep the soil evenly moist. Feel the soil or check the overall weight of the plant. If it is light or dry, then it needs watering. In order to water them thoroughly it is best to pour some water in, let it settle & then water the plant again. The plant should be heavier when it is watered thoroughly. Be sure there are holes in the bottom of the wrapping for drainage & a saucer to protect furniture. Poinsettias enjoy the regular room temperatures that people enjoy. Avoid excessive heat or chilly drafts. It is a great benefit to purchase poinsettias direct from the greenhouse as the plants have not endured the stress of shipping & will often last much longer. I invite you to visit the greenhouse & enjoy their beauty!
11.21.08 - The gardening season does not have to end even though the snow is flying.
Consider dressing up your garden & extending the season for the holidays & winter with hanging baskets & porch pots filled with greenery. We offer them pre-made or you can make your own. Embellish your pot with a bunch of yellow tipped incense cedar, winterberry or red twig dogwood branches for natural color. Bright colored bows & ornaments will add sparkle for a brighter look. After the holidays you can remove the holiday embellishments & leave the greenery & natural decorations until early March for winter interest. Decorate garden gates & out door benches with holiday wreathes, swags & more.
 
11.13.08 - Add life to your home by adding a small blooming plant or ivy
As Fall comes to a close & the last leaves fall off the trees, our thoughts turn indoors to houseplants. Whether you have 1 or 2 plants or some in every room it is always nice to be surrounded by living things & houseplants purify the air naturally. One of my favorite houseplants is English Ivy because it can have so many applications from softening a mantle as it drapes down, being incorporated into a centerpiece or cascading across a coffee table just to mention a few. The key to keeping English Ivy looking its best is to place it in a bright spot (does not have to be full sun), provide regular watering & mist the foliage about once a week with a mister bottle. Additionally, you might choose a ficus tree to add drama to a room & give the feeling of outdoors or a small blooming plant such as cyclamen to bring a burst of color to the room. Be sure to choose a plant for the light conditions available whether it is bright light near a window or a lower light area.
11.7.08 - Do you have roses in your garden? It's time to prepare them for winter!
In the next few weeks you will want to finish up any lingering gardening chores, raking leaves & putting your garden to rest. In an earlier email I encouraged you to wait to cover roses until very late fall which is now. Here are a few tips to help:
Generally speaking, it is best not to cut back rose bushes in the fall except for long or thin branches that might break off from heavy snow or ice or to shape them up to look better. The reason it is suggested to wait until spring is because the stems usually have some die back from winter in NE Ohio & this way you can trim that off in the spring after the new growth has emerged & still have a substantial plant to grow & flourish. If you have tea roses or other grafted varieties it is best to mound up top soil or mulch (cypress mulch works well) around the base of the rose approximately 10” – 12” high to protect the graft from freezing & thawing during winter temperature changes. Knock –out roses are very hardy & do not require covering unless they have been grafted however it will not hurt them if you cover them too. If you’re not sure if the varieties you have are grafted look at the base of the plant to see if the stem has a knot or bulge there. If so, this is the graft.
Additionally, it is time to apply Wilt-Pruf to protect broadleaf evergreens like rhododendrons & azaleas from winter burn & apply Liquid Fence Deer Repellent to prevent damage from winter browsing.
11.21.07 - Holiday flowers will really brighten up your home!
If you have been reading this blog each week you’ve probably realized how much I love plants. They add life to our homes, are very rewarding to grow & have the added benefit of cleaning the air. When you are planning your holiday decorating consider adding a few holiday plants. Poinsettias are the most popular holiday plant & add a bold spot of color in the home however there are many other holiday plants to choose from. Cyclamen & Christmas cactus are colorful & add a festive touch. An ivy plant in a wreath shape adds dimension & texture for mantle or table. Amaryllis are dramatic as their flowers tower over the plant & a Norfolk Island Pine can be an alternative to a Christmas tree in small spaces. Consider combining several of the plants together in a basket for a centerpiece or gift for a loved one. Stop in for complete Holiday Plant Care sheet!
11.16.07 - It's not to late for those last minute gardening chores...
As the first snowflakes appear we are reminded that the gardening season has come to a close however there is still time for a few last minute gardening chores before you settle in for the winter. You can still plant spring blooming bulbs as long as the ground is not frozen, you can protect roses by putting a rose collar around them & filling it with soil or mulch to protect the graft, protect rhododendrons by spraying Wilt Pruf to prevent winter injury, & fertilize your lawn & dormant plants. In addition, the leaves are still falling & you will want to get them up so they do not smother healthy grass & ground covers. So bundle up & enjoy the crisp cool air while you put your garden to rest.
I always enjoy looking at the structure of my landscape after the leaves have fallen. It is a good time to evaluate what you like about your landscape & what is needed to improve the overall appearance. Take a few minutes to write down a few notes for next year & take a few pictures so you can plan changes this winter.
11.2.07 - Don't Forget to Fertilize...
Throw a few logs on the fire, & settle in for a long winters nap. No wait, there a few things left to do in the landscape. Now that we have had a killing frost, take time to cut back perennials, remove dead annuals, & take care of general fall clean-up in your landscape. This is especially important if the leaves are diseased with black spot or powdery mildew. In addition, one can fertilize dormant perennials with PlantoneTM by Espoma & shrubs with HollytoneTM. While plants are dormant their root system is active beneath the soil surface & the organic qualities of the Espoma fertilizers will really help to strengthen plants so you have healthier plants next spring. Furthermore, fertilize your lawn with Scotts Lawn Pro Turf Builder with Winterguard TM to strengthen your lawn for next spring. If you are still inclined to add plantings it is still safe to plant & we have a decent selection at 40% - 50% savings.
One last tip of the week: If you have a problem with deer browsing & destroying plants in the winter landscape you can start spraying the repellant “Liquid Fence” on the bark. It lasts approximately 30 days & it really does help to keep damage to a minimum. In addition, spray bulbs with “Liquid Fence” before planting to prevent animals from digging up the bulbs.
|
