DAFFODILS, JACK FROST & GREENHOUSES
Oh, how quickly things can change!
On Monday, I was at home, sweating away in the yard, enjoying a beautiful day and admiring our first spring blooms... a few clumps of daffodils blooming outside our office window.
Tonight, as I write this, a cold front is blasting in from the north. Our porch door is slamming in the wind and pellets of ice are peppering the windows. Brrr!
Winter is sending us a little reminder that she’s not quite ready to say goodbye just yet!
Overall, the weather this past month has been pretty outstanding! It has certainly felt a lot more like spring than like winter... but we’re definitely not out of the winter season yet.
That doesn’t mean we can't still do things in our garden. Just don’t start planting your tomatoes yet!
Instead, focus outdoor gardening activities on things like spring clean-ups, winter pruning, and garden prep. This is a great time to “fine-tune” things before the race really starts.
Planting trees, shrubs, and perennials is certainly okay to do now, too. Remember, anytime the ground isn’t frozen is okay for planting. Planting grass seed is fine now, as well, and the sooner the better! Early spring crops in the veggie garden could go in fairly soon...things like peas, potatoes, and onions, but I’d wait a week or two.
And it’s time to apply the Red Bag! (That’s Fertilome’s For All Seasons Crabgrass and Weed Preventer. It’s a long name...see why we just call it the “Red Bag”?!)
Here at the garden center, we’re trying to wrap up winter projects too, in particular, our greenhouse project.
Things got off to a slow start. Let’s just say, the Arctic blast we all got to enjoy back in January wasn’t very helpful for moving things along, but all the mild weather since has been much appreciated and the construction crews are making good time now!
Over the last couple of weeks, all the support piers have been drilled and poured, base posts have been set and all the concrete floors are formed and should be poured any day now. The first two dimensions of the new structure are quickly coming to a completion. The next step... start going vertical!
Cameron Rees, General Manager
The greenhouse will really begin to take shape once they start framing the structure. They estimate that this part of the process will take about a month to complete, so hopefully they’ll have things wrapped up by April. And hopefully, things stay on schedule!!!
One last thing...
Starting Monday, March 4, we’ll be making our shift back into normal “in-season” hours.
Monday - Friday, 8:30 am - 6:00 pm
Saturday, 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
Sunday, 11:00 am - 5:00 pm
Spring... it’s almost here!
— Cameron Rees
“THYMELY” ADVICE:
LAWNCARE MADE EASY - SKINNER’S 3-STEP LAWN PROGRAM
Well, thank goodness it’s almost Spring!
I, for one, am ready for spring flowers, beautiful sunsets, and of course, that lush green grass under my toes. If you’re anything like me, winter probably did a number on your grass. Never fear! We’ll get you on the right track to help eliminate all those ugly weeds, build your lawn to the beautiful green it should be, and prepare for next winter all with one simple system…. the Skinner 3-Step Program!!
Most of you have used this tried-and-true system year after year in your lawn, or maybe you’ve heard of someone who has. It couldn’t be simpler. Customers sign up for the program, purchase the three essential Fertilome products, and get reminders throughout the year, so they know exactly when to apply the product to their lawn.
It all starts with our Fertilome All-Season Crabgrass and Weed Preventer, which is a pre-emergent. It keeps crabgrass and all kinds of other unwanted weeds from crowding in on your lawn. It has a long name, so around here, we just call it the “Red Bag”. Put this down early in the spring...like right now!
Next, you get Fertilome Lawn Food plus Iron to help green up your lawn. It contains two types of Nitrogen, which allow for quick greening and long-term stable growth. We like to call this one the Orange Bag.
And finally, Fertilome Winterizer, which helps build vigorous root systems during winter. Enhances winter stem strength & disease resistance. We used to call this the “Yellow Bag”...and then Fertilome went and changed the color! So, now we just keep it simple and call it “Winterizer”.
That’s all it takes. Three easy steps and you set yourself up for success!
— Melissa Anderson
WHAT’S NEW?
Bare Root Fruit Trees Will Be Here Soon!
Our cooler is cleaned out and ready for the new harvest... the new harvest of fruit trees!
Bare root fruit trees should be in by early March. We keep them in that cleaned-out cooler, keeping them cold, dark, and damp until you’re ready to take them home and plant them.
Cold, dark, and damp doesn’t make for pleasant “people” conditions, but for bare root fruit trees, it’s perfect! It keeps them happy, healthy, and dormant until they’re ready to be planted.
Bare root is one of the best and easiest ways to transplant fruit trees. Just like the name says, these trees have “bare” roots. The soil was removed from the roots when they were harvested last fall. Since then, they’ve been stored in a cooler like ours, only a whole lot bigger!
Inside the cooler, the near-freezing temps keep the fruit trees dormant. They think it’s still winter. We just have to keep the roots moist with regular waterings. It’s cold, dark, wet…. and muddy in there. It sucks for you and me...but, again, it’s great for these types of trees!
So, why use barer root?
First of all, bare root fruit trees are a lot easier to ship and handle. Translation... they’re cheaper! They’re also easier for you to haul home, easier to plant, and in most cases, they will transplant and establish better. That’s a big plus that most folks don’t realize.
Whether you’ve been thinking about starting a new home orchard or just adding a fruiting favorite to your yard, keep bare root fruit trees in mind. We’ll have a cooler full of choices soon!
cOME wORK WITH US
We’re plant people. Are you, too? We are currently hiring a variety of positions at the Garden Center in our Landscaping, Nursery, and Greenhouse departments. To be considered for any position, come into the store, fill out an application, and participate in a quick interview. No appointments are necessary! All interviews are done on a walk-in basis, during normal business hours. The current season’s store hours are listed on the header of our website pages.
