Garden Mums

We still have a great supply of garden mums although during these rainy days, one is not thinking of planting mums. Hopefully the rain will end before long and we'll have a beautiful Thanksgiving and a few nice weeks before winter sets in.

Like I said earlier, we have a nice selection of mums as well as a 3 for $10 section in the parking lot. These are mums that aren't quite as large and maybe more out in colour or have some sort of imperfection. It's still a great deal though, if you want some colour for the fall and decorating around your home. Lots of different shades of bronze, yellows, reds, purples and whites. Colour is in the eye of the beholder- the colour rust to one person might be burgundy to another!

Here are some tips on overwintering mums.

* Keep your garden soil moist as winter approaches. (not a problem right now!)

*Water well after planting. The earlier you can plant them, the better. There is no need to fertilize.

* Don't prune back plants after they are done blooming, leave until spring.

*Mulch the plants after several hard frosts with straw, bark or evergreen branches etc. only after the ground begins to freeze. If rodents are a problem in your garden, avoid the use of straw. Good snow cover is the best winter protection, so try and plant mums in areas that are better protected from strong winds.

*In the spring, remove any old garden mum stems (a rake works fine) and gradually remove the mulch.

Not sure what to do with your sad looking summer flower pots? Spruce them up with some fall annuals and perennials. I took some pictures of a few that I made up around here. If there are some plants in your pots that still look ok, keep them then add a mum, ornamental cabbage or kale, ornamental peppers, or some type of trailing perennial. A grass in the middle always looks nice and adds height. So be creative and create a masterpiece!

Tulips for Breast Cancer

We are doing a special promotion this fall to help support the London Regional Cancer clinic. With your purchase of "Colourful Companions" tulip bulbs or a "Remember Me " hosta, we will donate $1 or $2. This is done in memory of the loved ones we have lost.

Icicle Pansy

Icicles Pansies have arrived! Plant now for fall and spring colour! These plants overwinter and will poke their heads up early in the spring giving you great colour in April and May. Depending on the weather they will last well into the summer and if you're lucky, give you colour next fall too! These cheery blooms add additional colour to any fall planter! Check out the website http://www.iciclepansy.com/

Spring Bulbs have arrived!

To enjoy beautiful spring colour, you must act this fall. Flower bulbs such as tulips and daffodils, hyacinths and snowdrops, must be planted between now and the first hard frost. Be sure to plant them at the recommended depth and approximately 4-6" apart. Planting in uneven numbers such as 3,5 or 7 makes a nice grouping. You can also plant them in containers with the bulbs closer together. Make sure the pot has drainage holes. Try some aromatic hyacinths planted outside your bedroom window. In the spring, when it's warm enough to fling open your windows, the heady scent with waft through into the house!

Preparing for Autumn

Autumn is a time to prepare for winter. Here are a few ideas to help you get started. *Clean up any debris, weeds or spent plants from your vegetable garden. This will help prevent diseases from wintering over. You could also work in any compost you might have. * Water any dry areas well. This will create good moisture in the ground for any perennials or shrubs you want to overwinter. *Divide and/or plant perennials. Water well to promote good root growth before cold sets in. The earlier you can do this, the better. *Decorate for Thanksgiving! :)

Has Autumn arrived?

Is our summer season over? That was quite a weekend we had...rain, wind and cold. I can live without that for awhile! This morning was a cool 7*C with a heavy dew. Hopefully it warms up now and a frost will be in our distant future. There are still many vegetables and fruits to harvest from the garden and I'd like my flowering annuals to last for awhile longer. My tomatoes are finally ripening and we are ready to dig our potatoes. We are filling our garden centre with mums, ornamental peppers, cabbage and kale, grasses, and various other plants to spruce up your tired looking planters. There are mixed fall planters already planted if you want a quick switch. If you want us to do the planting for you, bring in your container, pick out the plants and we'll do it for you. Our fall bulbs are arriving this week! Tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and a few unusual bulbs for something different. Plant now and you'll have beautiful colour in the early spring. We'll soon have straw bales, pumpkins and gourds for decorating. Now is a good time for planting perennials. The ground is moist and cooler temperatures help promote good root growth. Starting Thursday, September 3, our perennials will be buy one, get one free.(of equal or lesser value) Enjoy your day!