Highlights from the past year

Here are a few highlights from this past spring ...for those who dream of the

spring to come.

Merry Christmas!

It's the day before Christmas and I can hardly believe it's here! We had a great season and want to thank you all for supporting us through this past year 2008 and to wish you all the best in the coming year!

May your Christmas be merry and bright!

Happy Birthday!

Today is a special day! Carol is celebrating a birthday!She is a special lady and deserves a wonderful day so her family has planned some special surprises for her. I can't elaborate because it's a surprise. If you want to leave her a birthday wish, please do! You can email her at carol@huron-ridge.on.ca or leave a comment on our blog.

Today we are sending another load of poinsettias to Mississauga then some clean up will begin. One of our growing greenhouses that held poinsettias will be basically empty and all the drip lines will get rolled up, the floor swept and the primula we are growing will be placed in that greenhouse. The heat will get turned down and the primula can grow slowly until they are ready to be shipped come February. It's a lovely, little potted plant in bright colours that can brighten up any room. We grow alot of them and the majority of them are shipped to the Ontario Flower Growers in Mississauga.

(the primula are the short pots in the pictures. That's Princess in the background)

Mark your calenders if you are a walker! We welcome you to come walk on Tuesdays and Fridays from 10-4 starting the first Tuesday in January until the end of March. If you walk up and down our sidewalks 3 times, that equals 1 km. It's a nice, warm and cheery environment to get exercise in.

Garland

In case you haven't decorated outside yet but still want to, our cedar garland is now 50% off.

75 feet for $15.00 and 25 feet for $5.00

We are open Monday to Saturday 9-5

Little visitors

We had some little visitors a couple of weeks ago and the mom with the camera was generous enough to send us some pictures and allow us to publish them on our blog! Thanks! They are just so sweet and quite photogenic. They had a great time "walking" :) around and checking things out. The waterfall was quite an attracton as well as the cats.

These particular poinsettias are called Jester. They come in pink, red, jingle bells, white and marble and

are quite unique!

Poinsettias by Candlelight

Thanks to all of you who attended our Candlelight evenings! The weather cooperated and I'd say the weekend was a great success. When we put all the work into the lights and candles, it's really nice to share it with others. :) We'll be doing this again next year, last weekend in November. Here are a few pictures I took on Saturday night. Enjoy! p.s. If you have any pics you'd like to share with us that you took, email them to me at info@huronridge.ca

Oops! How'd that gingerbread lady get in here?!!

We started shipping last week to the first of our many fundraisers.

Each poinsettia gets a coloured foil pot cover, instruction care sheet, and is inserted into a plastic sleeve to protect it from damage and cold. A sticker is stuck to each sleeve for easy identification. They are sorted into boxes and each box labeled with what fundraiser it's going to and placed on a cart. Once the order is all gathered, the carts are rolled into our truck and off they go with Clayt at the wheel!

The last picture is of the centrepieces that are on our fundraising list. We place a poinsettia in a decorative basket and add greens around and sparkles. They are quite pretty and just a little different.

Workshops

A while back I asked if anyone would be interested in Make your Own workshops so here is the info! Carol has planned 2 evenings....Dec. 10 and Dec.17. The workshop on the 10th will be making an outdoor planter for your porch/steps/urns...whatever you desire. Bring your own pot or use one of ours. December 17th workshop is for a fresh table centre. We'll make a basic arrangement with greens and you can customize it with flowers, holly, artificial berries, ribbon and if you like, you can bring your own container. There is a $10 deposit on each class which when you arrive can be used towards materials that you use. If you have any questions or would like to register for the classes, call us at 519-565-2122 or email us at info@huronridge.ca

Poinsettia Update

It's hard to believe we are this close to the end of November! I know alot of people have their inside decorating done but the snow put off the outdoor decorating. Sounds like we are in for some slush this week and warmer temperatures.

Most of the poinsettias are in full bloom. Our first fundraiser goes out this Wednesday! We are getting ready for our Christmas Openhouse this weekend starting at 6 pm on Friday night. Saturday is from 9-8 and Sunday 1-5. The candles will be lit and the goodies ready to be eaten.

We've got wreaths, outdoor planters, bows, plant baskets, and of course, oodles of poinsettias in all different colours and done up fancy in different ways. We even have blue and purple poinsettias!

This red poinsettia was out in the snow and it doesn't even melt!

We hope to see you this weekend! :)

Outdoor planters

We are making outdoor winter planters with ornamental cabbage and kale and Christmas greens. The first picture is before and the second picture is after. We will also be doing some with just Christmas greens,branches and ribbon. The pots with cabbage and kale will last until it's very cold but definitely will take snow and frost. We also have beautiful wicker- type baskets that we plan to spruce up with greens, ribbon and maybe berries for hanging on your outdoor hooks. Our greens are arriving on Monday, November 10th so all next week we will be greening pots and making wreaths that we will have for sale here as well. (3 different sizes of wreaths) I'm not sure when our cedar roping is coming but we'll have it too.

Poinsettia update

I just took these this morning.

What a difference from last week to this week! Carol's fundraising schedule is booked full and we are looking forward to our Openhouse weekend where we invite you to come join us for hot cider, cookies and candlelight.

Mark one of these dates on your calender!

November 28, 6-8 The evenings from 6-8 are when we light the candles and things begin to sparkle.

November 29, 9-8 It is quite a picture and we've had very positive reactions when viewed.

November 30, 1-5 Day time is colourful and bright.

Please plan to join us for this special event. :)

We have a selection of containers for

dressing up your poinsettia

or we can pop it into a foil potcover.

Don't forget about Christmas in Bayfield this weekend Nov.7-9. I know the stores are open late with lots of Christmas gift ideas for the special people or not so special people in your life.

Are you interested?

We are tossing the idea around of having a few workshops in November and December and would love your input! Here are the workshops we've been thinking about holding... 1.Christmas Table Centre and 2.Outdoor Winter Planter (these would be held separately) Would an evening or a Saturday be better for you? The cost would vary depending on the size of container/arrangement. Please leave us a comment, we'd love to hear from you. I'll keep you posted on our decision. Thanks!

Wow! It's been awhile since I've blogged. Sorry about that.

Today I wanted to show you how the poinsettias are "colouring up" as we say in greenhouse language. :) In approximately 3 weeks, the first poinsettias will be ready to ship. To date, we have orders for 34 fundraisers, all to be delivered between November 26th and Dec. 22. These fundraising groups include Kinette groups, schools, skating/sports clubs, youth groups and school bands. I would say the farthest delivery is to Toronto/Markham and the closest being Zurich. It's really nice to be able to help out these groups that are looking for a way to fund their programs. If you'd like more info on this fundraiser, it's on our website www.huronridge.ca

It was feeling a little like christmas here with the wet snow that's been falling off and on. Today our perennials got put to sleep. The pots were taken back to our outdoor area, placed on the ground and covered with a frost blanket. This blanket looks like a really thick piece of quilt batting. It protects the plants from the extreme temperatures but they still get the dormant, cold period that they need.

I've been dreaming of Christmas and ways to impress you when you come to our Poinsettia Festival. Mark November 28,29 and 30 on your calender. We are open Mon-Sat all the time but this particular weekend is a special one. It's the weekend that we display the poinsettias by candlelight in the evening. We are also open extra on that Sunday from 1-5. I will write more in detail later.

*Please note our change of hours for Saturdays. We're now open 10-3. (except for November 29th) If you can't make it during this time, just give us a call and we'll see if someone can be available at a different time.

565-2122 (Mon-Fri. is still 9-5)

Another week has gone by and now we are into our typical fall weather. It's not to late to plant tulips and daffodils, our promise of spring to come. They pop up when it's dreary out and give us colour in a brown world. Carol is putting together a email newsletter to send out approximately once a month to let our customers know about workshops, specials and other events happening. If you would like to be on this list, check out our website and you can send her your email address. www.huronridge.ca

Happy Thanksgiving!

We at Huron Ridge want to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving and a great weekend together with friends and family. Take advantage of the gorgeous weather by hiking on trails, walking on the beach or around town, enjoying the sights, sounds and smells that Autumn brings.

I'm thankful for my family, good health, my newly renovated, much larger kitchen, a job, wonderful friends and much more.

Count your blessings today and every day! :)

Remembering

This week we had a sad event....our "farm" dog Maggie passed away. She died peacefully in her sleep in one of her favourite spots. She was a wonderful dog, loved "her" kids, could worm her way into my heart with that pathetic look of hers. She loved our leftovers and would whine outside our door when she heard the plates being scraped.

She would yip exitedly when "her" kids came but would go crazy with panic during a thunderstorm. You could almost guess a storm was coming before it arrived because Maggie would act strange (frightened) and want to go into the house.

She would have her favourite spot on the front lawn sometimes waiting for the kids to get off the bus and would meet them partway. She was not allowed out the lane way in the morning and would be stopped halfway if she tried to sneak any further.

Maggie was happiest when the whole family was home and outside. If we'd go for a walk in the bush, her tail would be wagging happily, her nose to the ground searching for new smells. She was protective of the kids and I'm sure if someone would've tried to hurt them with her around, she wouldn't have allowed it. Grandpa Dave would talk to her in the morning like a human (Grandma says) when he headed out to work. I'm sure he will miss her company.

Maggie knew the sound of the Purolator truck when it came with a delivery and would run out to meet the driver, unashamedly begging for a treat. He's a smart guy that driver! He was here today but I couldn't tell him that Maggie wasn't around anymore for the lump in my throat.

Maggie, I found myself wondering where you were today, then would catch myself remembering. We miss you and will always have fond memories of you in our hearts.

Love

The Steckle Family

Perennial Sale

It sure feels like fall today! I began to notice last week how dark it is in the morning and how early in the evening the light begins to fade. I feel like pulling out the candles, crockpot and pot roasts! Fortunately there is still a bit of time in the evenings to work outside in our yards...I desparately need to weed my front flowerbed. We had hoped to have it dug up, built up and replanted by this time but have been busy with other things. There are still a few weeks left to be out digging and planting so hopefully we'll still get a chance. Our perennials are still Buy One, get one Free. We still have a good variety left...hostas, daylilies, ornamental grasses, astilbe, ground covers, yellow russian hollyhock, peony, anemones and much more. Fall is such a great time to plant perennials as it's cooler (for the plants and us) and they will be there in the spring, ready to grow all season. Planting now gives perennials a headstart. We have a special section of hardy garden mums that are 3 for $10. They are beautiful and in colour, perhaps just smaller, in bloom more or a little lopsided compared to our $6.99 mums. We also have gourds, cornstalks and bows, and pumpkins for decorating. It's hard to believe it's that time of year already...summer flew by! Enjoy your day :) Here's just a little quote for you. Gardening is about enjoying the smell of things growing in the soil, getting dirty without feeling guilty, and generally taking the time to soak up a little peace and serenity. Lindley Karstens

Kittens find a home!

We have found a home for the kittens! So for anyone who was interested, sorry, they are gone. A big thank you to the couple who took all three! :)

Don't let squirrels dig up your bulbs!

This is a product we were introduced to last fall called Acti-sol. It's base is hen manure that comes pellitized so you can just sprinkle it on. I won't kid you, it still has a scent but that is what the squirrels don't like! Very mild to us but not to the squirrels. The bonus to this product is that it fertilizes as it dissolves so your ground isn't getting saturated with it all at once. Instead, it's gradual. Sprinkle it on the ground where you've planted bulbs and the squirrels will stay away. It comes in different combinations for trees and shrubs, flowers, tomatoes, rose bushes, and with bonemeal. I used the tree and shrub pellets this year and I'm seeing alot of new growth on our cedar hedge. All the rain was very helpful too by dissolving the pellets for me. For those of us who don't like using alot of chemicals, it's all natural. Check out the website. www.acti-sol.ca

Rain, rain go away!

What a soggy weekend! I''m sure glad we weren't camping. I think we would have packed up and went home. We received approximately 4" of rain since Saturday noon. I've been hearing stories of water in basements, sump pumps running all night and day, flooded gardens and wet soggy potted plants. Make sure your pots have good drainage or with all this water, they will drown and rot. If you haven't already, now might be a good time to start preparing to bring in your houseplants. A good spray with an insecticidal soap to rid the plants of bugs is recommended. Hope you're dry and cozy!

Tips for seeding new lawns.

Prepare soil by breaking up and working the soil. It's good to have a minimum of 4 inches of good top soil. Rake thoroughly and remove stones and other debris. Apply a starter fertilizer before seeding. This will help the seed to develop faster. Apply your lawn seed wtih a spreader if possible. It's difficult to achieve even coverage by hand. After applying the seed, lightly rake soil surface to ensure the seed has good soil contact. Don't bury the seed too deep, it may fail to emerge. Ideally, it should be 2mm deep.(1/16th") Keep area moist with frequent, light watering. Don't overwater. For best results, apply in early to mid-spring, late summer or early fall when soil temperatures are about 17*C (62 F).

Want colour for spring? Plant now!

If you like tulips, hyacinths and other early spring colour, you need to plant bulbs this fall. (up until we have a hard frost) We have a variety of early, mid and late spring flowering bulbs. They can also be planted into containers, just make sure pots have drainage holes.

Try planting hyacinths near your kitchen window so you can enjoy the wonderful scent when you open your window.

Fall is in the air!

It sure feels like fall out there today! I'm still wearing shorts though! Our garden mums are in full bloom now and looking beautiful. If your plants are looking tired, these would look beautiful in your pots. There are all sizes, from a 4" pot up to a 12" pot and ranging from $2.49- $14.99.

The Fall bulbs have arrived. We have tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, fritillaria, crocus, allium and narcissus. They need to be planted this fall for beautiful spring colour. If you have problems with squirrels digging them up, we have just the solution for you...a product we carry called Acti-Sol which is all natural. Sprinkle it with your bulbs when planting and on the soil after planting bulbs, and the squirrels will not dig. They do not like the feel or scent of it, but as a bonus for us, it is a fertilizer for the bulbs!

We also have bulb planters and small hand tools for planting.

Icicle Pansies are a popular plant for fall colour and

provides early spring colour as these pansies will over-

winter.

We have a selection of gourds that my kids have grown

this summer. We'll have a few pumpkins shortly.

Asters are another lovely alternative for fall planting.

They provide shades of purple and pink and when planted, will over-winter and be there for you next year!

Remember to trim them back in the spring to keep them

short and bushy.

Hope everyone is getting back into work and school routine. It seems like we barely had summer and it's over! Time to begin winding down the gardens, trimming, dead-heading and mulching.

Have a beautiful day!

Moonlight Madness over but Sale is still on!

Thanks to those of you who attended our Moonlight Madness event on Thursday. It was the kick off event for our Fall Perennial Sale. The weather held for us, remaining calm and warm until after 9 pm when the wind began to pick up. I believe some places received rain that night but we only got a sprinkle.

Our perennial sale will continue until Thanksgiving but the longer you wait, the less selection there will be. We are clearing out a selection of grasses that are good for erosion control for $3.00. Bulbs and Tubers such as canna and calla lilies, and caladium are buy one, get one free as well.

Moonlight Madness Sale

I would like to invite you to join us for our annual Moonlight Madness on Thursday, September 4 from 4-8 pm. Our gates will be closed at 12 and reopen at 4 pm when our Sale begins!

We will be celebrating the beginning of our perennial sale with all perennials Buy one, get one free! There will be other specials and our garden art, soils and mulches will be offered at lower prices. Assorted grasses will be at clear out prices!

Draw a ticket at the check out to see what extra discount you could receive on your purchases!

Enjoy some hot, buttered popcorn on us and have a guided tour of our mum fields which will be bursting with colour! Hop on a wagon and Kevin and Dave will show you around and explain the mum-growing process.

Patty, Carol and Lorraine will be here to assist you if you have any questions. The fall bulbs such as daffodils, tulips and hyacinths are here as well as lots of garden mums and other items for fall decorating.

Fall Decorating can be fun. Use your imagination and incorporate garden mums, corn stalks, scarecrows, ribbon, pumpkins, gourds and more into your front door display!

Mark this day on your calender and invite or bring a friend! We hope to see you!