September 2010 Newsletter

Viola's News

Fall is here and boy has it been hot for this time of year. We have everything for your fall planting needs. That's right, we have pansies, violas, asters, stock, dianthus, mums, bulbs, ornamental cabbage and kale. So get off the couch and enjoy the nice weather we have been enjoying. Pretty soon we will all be gardening in our winter jackets.

It has been a good and enjoyable year for all of us from Viola's. It's not over yet so come on in and enjoy our end of the season sales and our fall color. We just got in mums that are huge. Not to mention we have our winter survival guide with tips on how to get your plants through the winter. We are proud to carry Yum Yum winterizer this year so hurry on in.

Harvest Moon

When should I harvest my vegetables. If you are like us you have enjoyed the borrowed time that we are living on. We have tomatoes on the vine, potatoes in the ground and one pumpkin (my only one) getting bigger by the day. Beware we are going to freeze in a couple of days. Don't get caught off guard make sure you pick everything before it freezes. Your produce will ripen in the house.

Tomatoes will ripen while being placed in a cool, dry, dark place (not touching each other). The warmer the room the quicker they are going to rippen. You can even go as far as wrapping them in newspaper. When you open them up it's like Christmas. I have even heard of placing them upside down on the counter with their stems off. They are many ways to do it just make sure that you save as much of your bounty as possible. They aren't going to taste as good as off the vine, but they are definitely going to taste better than store bought.

My pumpkin is as green as can be so I researched how to ripen my pumpkin. You need to cut the vine leaving at least 4 inches to keep it from rotting on the top. Then clean the pumpkin and let it sit in a warm dry spot. Make sure that it stays dry because mold and rot are the enemy. You may need to rotate once one side starts to turn orange.

On any nights that are going to be border line we do have frost cloth. Frost cloth will gain you a three to four degrees. You can also set up wall-o-waters if you took them down earlier in the season. Using the properties of water they will release the heat that they collected during the day. Milk jugs will also help. Good Luck.

Retro Petal Pushing Oct 2009

Fall is here. Time to plant pansies, violas, asters, mums, cabbage, and kale and don't forget your bulbs for spring. When planted in the fall pansies and violas will come back in the spring when they receive the right amount of moisture. When planted with bulbs you have the recipe for spring fun.

Cabbage and kale are a great fall plants for the garden. They can take the cold up to 5 degrees which should take you up to Thanksgiving at least. The colder it gets the more intense their colors get. They are a great stand alone plant. Plant them in a block, or mix and match. This duo is a great accent plant for pansies, violas, mums, and asters. Don't be afraid to put them into your fall display, they go great with hay.

Bulbs are in the store again. There is nothing like the show that bulbs put out in the spring. Bulbs fill in that gap when everything is bare and we need a little color for spring. Depending on the bulb the show is short but oh so sweet. A must for every yard, give them a try this fall.

Winter Survival Guide

Here is our winter survival guide. Just a couple of tips to help keep your plants healthy this winter.

Watering:

Mid-October to December: Once a week (Until the first real winter storm)

December-March: If no precipitation, Once a month

Mid March To Mid April: If no precipitation, Once a week

Be aware! Don't be fooled by the winter storm! 1"-3" of snow is not enough to keep plants moist. Keep up with watering to ensure best chances for survival. Also Doney Park residents be aware of snow that gets blown away and doesn't have time to sink into the ground.

Fertilizing:

Apply Winterizer fertilizer in November and January to promote a strong and vigorous root system (weather permitting). For the natural gardener we carry Yum Yum Winterizer.

Pests and Fungi

Dormant Spray: Apply to trees, shrubs and perennials to kill pests and their eggs before they winter over in your garden.

Lime Sulfur Spray:

Apply to trees, shrubs and perennials to eliminate the spores of troublesome fungi.

If you have a problem with bugs or fungi the winter is a good time to try and break the cycle. With these two steps you can take preventative action.