October 20, 2009 – 7:39 am
Now – my favorite subject! Hosta!
The past two days (which were really nice!) were sort of depressing for me. I had the task of cutting back all of our production hosta plants here at the nursery – signaling the end of this growing season. Sunday night we walked through our hosta garden at home, and then while cutting the plants here back – I once again was prompted of the excellent attributes of a few of these incredible plants!
Paul’s Glory – in the picture here it’s the hosta that is directly behind the pink impatiens. It’s a wonderful hosta variety. It’s considered a large hosta and has multi-colored leaves that provide very good substance. The thing that makes this a true winner in the hosta world is that after all of the hard frosts that we’ve had now in October, it still was holding up better than almost all of the other ones. The color had changed a little bit to a mellower yellow – but was still beautiful. From May – until almost November – you can enjoy this plant! Others that impressed me by making it through such heavy frosts without looking really tired – were Diana Remembered, Summer Breeze, many of my blue varieties, Guardian Angel and some of the traditional varieties. We have over 400 varieties of hosta in our gardens at home so it’s hard to even come close to picking a favorite but I must say that Paul’s Glory is right up in the top 10!
Hosta are such tough plants – so easy to grow and provide beauty and interest all during the spring, summer & fall. You can still plant hosta so they’ll be ready to emerge in the spring and become part of your landscape! Years ago – when we first started our hosta garden at home, we moved some clumps around in the fall, and we forgot one in the undergrowth on the edge of the woods. The next spring when we were on the deck, we could not figure out what was growing in amongst the weeds that was getting higher than the weeds. It was that clump of hosta that we had forgotten to plant. It made it through all winter – above ground. We don’t promote doing this with hosta – they do need to be planted – but it just shows how tough they can be. We have all of our plants on sale now at 30% off so if there were a variety of two that you were thinking of doing this year and didn’t – it’s still not too late to plant them. Just be sure to adequately mulch around the new plantings once we have a couple of inches of frost.
October 6, 2009 – 11:47 am
The fact that in recent years Autumn Blaze Maple has been one of the nation’s most popular selling trees should be little surprise due its rapid growth, lovely shape and fabulous red/orange fall color. Used successfully in zones 3 to 8, this versatile hybrid quickly matures into a handsome tree of good proportions that is to delight the eye every fall with its glowing color.
When selecting your location for this tree allow enough space for a large shade tree and avoid highly alkaline soils. Autumn Blaze Maple is able to handle a wide variety of soils – from fairly sandy to quite moist. It will grow to a size of 50′+ and 40′ in width. The tree pictured here is only ten years old – a testament to its quick growth rate.
We have hundreds of Autumn Blaze Maple on sale now this fall – from 30% to 50% off depending on size and packaging. Currently available are #3, #7, #15, #20 & #25 containers – starting at $14.99. We also have a great selection of larger Autumn Blaze Maples in balled and burlapped form – some of these being on sale at 50% – which is an incredible buy. On the larger trees – we can also plant these trees for you – we have a light weight utility loader that will not damage your lawn that we use when we plant these. The largest Autumn Blaze Maples that we have are 4″-6″ in trunk diameter which we would have moved to your site with a large tree spade truck.
We also have a wide selection of other handsome and fast growing maple varieties such as Armstrong, Celebration, Autumn Fantasy, Marmo, and the recently released Firefall Maple – which was a cooperative effort of the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. All of these trees are reaching their fall peak of color. Even if you can’t plant one this fall- stop in and see the fall color – make your notes and you’ll know whcat variety you’ll want to plant when the time is right!
October 2, 2009 – 8:52 am
Today – it’s a rainy, dreary October day. It’s hard to think of doing anything outside. But stop. Now is the perfect time to get that landscaping project that you’ve had planned - completed. With the busy summer season behind, you can think about that “outdoor room” you’ve wanted, a new patio, just a few trees to provide shade for next summer – a perennial garden – whatever you want – created and installed now. By doing a landscape project yet this fall, you will be able to enjoy it from the get go next spring – not including enjoying it yet this fall and winter. Landscape contractors book up early in the spring so even with the best intentions – you might not be able to get a project started until part way through the season next year. Beat the rush and have it done now!
This week we started a renovation of a front yard here in Northfield. Their current landscape had become a little over-grown and needed a facelift. We are creating an intimate coffee patio for them. A one tier boulder wall will provide definition to the area, and when it is done – will have plants that offer privacy from the street and a place where they can enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning and enjoy the sunrise, or after a busy day at work – unwind and discuss the day. We’ll complete this next week, and with the warm Indian Summer days (and evenings) to come - they will be able to enjoy their new patio. It holds many holiday decorating ideas and will be ready for those spring days when we’re all anxious to get outside.
October 2, 2009 – 8:25 am
Fall is for Planting!
It is fall sale time here at the nursery. All of our trees, shrubs and perennials are on sale at least 30% off and all the way up to 50% off. Hurry on in for the best selection while supplies last. Our current inventory levels are very good, but things do go fast during this great fall sale! We look forward to seeing you during this wonderful time of year to be planting in your landscape.
Be sure to check out our instructions page. We have included a pdf page with Fall Planting Guidelines and a Fall Garden Care list. Fall does provide for very successful planting. The rush of spring and summer are over and you can plant with confidence this time of year.
October 2, 2009 – 8:12 am
A fire in your outside fire pit – or in the fireplace in the living room – is just what the doctor ordered now on these crisp autumn evenings.
We have for sale exceptionally dry, high quality, hardwood firewood. It comes from our woods – located here in Rice County, and consists of hard Maple, Oak, Hickory, Black Ash, Elm, Ironwood and Basswood. We hand split it and have had it stacked out in the open for 3 years drying. The pieces are between 13″ to 19″ long and we sell it here at the nursery in little bundles or we will deliver 1/2 of fireplace cord or more to your home.
A fireplace cord is a stack of wood 4 feet high, by 15-18 inches wide to 8 feet long. This is approximately 1/3 of a loggers cord. Delivered to a Northfield address, a fireplace cord of wood sells for $175. Give us a call for delivery costs to an address other than Northfield.
October 2, 2009 – 7:56 am
I asked my retail manager – Heidi Brosseau – what came to mind on the perennials right now that say “fall”. She immediately said – “If you take Mums and Asters out of the list (which are the two most popular fall perennials) I would say “Sedums, the Ornamental Grasses and Autumn Bride Heuchera”.
This morning, I had Cory Holcomb, our assistant retail manager – make a display of these perennials so I could take the picture here. Ornamental grasses are one of my favorites because of the versatility of these plants. They provide interest almost all year round. In the spring – you cut them back and they start to grow. They then provide a nice backdrop to other perennials which are spring and summer bloomers. Depending on the type of grass you plant – it will start to “blossom” with its seed head anywhere from mid to late summer right through fall now with many of the Miscanthus grasses looking awesome! You leave the grasses standing through the winter and they provide visual interest all winter. There is nothing prettier than when you have stalks of ornamental grass catching the hoar frost of early December – the sunlight just glistens off of the frost on the stems of the grass.
The sedums are much like the ornamental grass. They provide visual and textural interest in the spring and summer perennial garden and in the fall they blossom from a muted white to light pink to a brilliant deep pink/red color. There are two different types of sedum – the groundcovers (or low growing) sedum and the upright type which when you get a mature plant – will look like a small shrub.
Heuchera – one of my favorites since it is a great shade perennial as well. The Autumn Bride Heuchera – nice green leaves all season and then when you think the heucheras have finished with their flower stalks of tiny pink or white flowers – the Autumn Bride sends up it’s flower stalks with beautiful creamy white flowers. A pleasant surprise for the fall garden. Mixed in with other fall flowers or with a pumpkin or two added in the midst of the plants – a delightful autumn arrangement.
October 2, 2009 – 7:01 am
Apple time is upon us. This year has been a great year for apples. The fruit is abundant and with the warm September weather – the starches turned to sugar and made for a great crop of apples! We have several apples trees in a small orchard at home, and each fall I make the usual apple crisps, pies, and sauces. I canned applesauce this week and next week – I’ll start my apple pie assembly line!
I freeze apple pies (raw) and then bake them on cold winter days!
Apple trees are now on sale and it would be a great time to get a couple of trees growing in your yard. There are apples for cooking and baking – others that are better for eating – some have a longer shelf life than others – you have early apples – late season apples – and the list goes on.
Apple trees have incredibly beautiful blossoms in the spring. We always try to spend a little time around our apple orchard in the spring when the trees are blossoms. One of life’s little pleasures! Even with just two trees – you will get enough apples after a few years to make sauces and pies – or just have plenty for eating.
October 2, 2009 – 6:35 am
Winterberry. A shrub with glossy green leaves during the growing season. Produces berries. But wait — in late summer, these berries slowly start to turn color and by early fall – they’re red. When the leaves come down, you will see masses of bright red berries that light up the fall landscape. Best of all – they stay red into mid to late winter so when the snows come in December – (at holiday time, right?) – you will have this red bouncing off the white snow. Gorgeous.
A member of the Holly family (Ilex) – there are several varieties that are Zone 4 hardy and will compliment any landscape. We have a grouping of six at home, underneath one of our flowering crab trees. The Red Sprite Winterberry (pictured here) will grow to be 4′-6′ in height with a width of approximately 3′. The leaves do turn a yellow in the fall – but the berries are the show that this plant puts on. The important fact that one must remember when planting Winterberry, is that you need at least two shrubs – a male and a female. The male pollinator for the Red Sprite would be Jim Dandy. This plant gets to be the same height, but just a little bit wider. It produces no fruit so when planting – if you planted three – 2 Red Sprite, and 1 Jim Dandy – put the Jim Dandy in the middle or the back of the border depending on how you design your shrub bed.
These plants are very easy to care for. They prefer moist, acidic soil – and can be planted in sun to part shade. Pruning should happen in the spring before the growth starts so when the flowers and berries do set – you won’t be pruning them off. Remember – you can’t plant things in the winter time – but with some careful planning you can enjoy your landscape 12 months a year!
September 16, 2009 – 9:39 am
It’s time to think about planting your Spring Bulbs. Tulips, Daffodils, Crocus, Allium and other spring bulbs need to be planted now within the next month. The bulbs will actually root out a little now and then they’ll go through the winter freeze cycle and in the spring – provide a visual fairyland in your garden!
Plant now for Splendor in the Spring! One picture here shows the tulips we have planted in the hillside here at the nursery – and to the other show the little crocus sticking their heads up out of the mulch.
Bulbs can be planted in the perennial garden as a border – either in front or in the back since they are up and blossoming before most other plants start to emerge. Even if you have a small area – several bulbs planted close together will give you a nice pop of color in the spring. Live in a townhouse or apartment? Plant bulbs in a pot for a spring display.
September 16, 2009 – 9:08 am
After a dry early summer and some nice rains in August, a three week dry spell has pulled soil moisture levels back down to levels that are stressful for many plants. A good soaking with sprinklers or irrigation systems will help reduce stress on landscape plants as they begin the process of going dormant, and increase the likelihood of handling the long winter without damage.
All over town trees are turning color and/or dropping leaves early, while others are still all green. The reasons are many. Some varieties of trees such as American Lindens, Boxelder, Ash and Walnut are programmed to shut down their leaves earlier than other kinds of trees, and this early turn gets accelerated even earlier when drought stresses of several consecutive years add up.
Some trees are turning color early because of poor sap flow from the roots to the top of the tree. Roots that wrap around the trunk of the tree just below ground level press more tightly with each passing year as they grow larger in diameter. Sap flow to the crown gets more difficult each growing season, and the tree turns color earlier each year. Eventually certain branches die, and then most of the tree. Correcting or eliminating these step girdling roots is difficult, but not impossible. You may want to consult a certified arborist for help. Read More »
September 7, 2009 – 6:53 am
Now is the time to purchase and plant your Bittersweet plants. The native (common) Bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) is one of the plants that you need at least two of – a male and a female. You can easily tell at this time of year which plant you have since the female plant sports the berries and the male plant will be just lush green foliage. The common Bittersweet is not the invasive Japanese variety that is talked about.
Bittersweet is a vine and is best grown along a fence, lattice work or larger trellis. It grows quickly and will fill in a space that you want to have a little privacy or to hide what’s under a deck, etc. The twigs of berries are sought after for fall decorating and arrangements.
A new variety of Bittersweet to hit the market is the Autumn Revolution Bittersweet™. A brand new selection of the native American Bittersweet, but unlike the species, only one plant is needed to produce the fruit! The majority of the flowers on the plant are “perfect” flowers – meaning that they are both male and female. The fruit is large – about twice as large as the native plant’s fruit. Keeping it’s bright colors – it is perfect for arrangements for the fall! Another added bonus – very hardy – hardy to Zone 3!
We have a great selection of both plants – the native Bittersweet and the Autumn Revolution. Stop in and start your own planting of Bittersweet!
September 7, 2009 – 6:26 am
Each year with the given weather conditions during the season, the weather brings the best out in certain perennial varieties. This year – that perennial is the Rudbeckia Goldsturm – commonly called Black Eyed Susan. Wow! is the only way to describe it. It has been in it’s glory for almost two months now and will continue to bloom and delight until frost!
This hardy perennial will reach a height of only 30″ and the clumps are about 18″ wide. The versatility of this variety of Coneflower makes it a must have for almost any landscape. The clump in this picture is anchoring a row of spruce trees – just a nice clump or two at the end of the landscape bed where it narrows down accents evergreen trees. Rudbeckia also is the star in a cottage garden arrangement – or in mass with ornamental grasses and purple coneflower. Try it with other perennials with different color combinations – purple heuchera - Russian Sage – the list is endless. Mix it in with shrub plantings and you will have color amongst the shrubs during the summer.
Another feature of the Rudbeckia – like its other coneflower relatives – is the winter interest. Leave it stand until spring and during the late fall/early winter, frost will collect on it’s branches and then when the sun hits it, it will glisten. Birds will be attracted to the seeds that are available inside the seed head. By using perennials with winter interest in mind – you can actually “garden” all year long – in Minnesota!
The label shows that it is a full sun perennial – however – we have several clumps at home (in the woods) and one is in only about 3 hours of sun a day and it is incredible. We have it in our boulder garden with a weeping hemlock and it lights up the shade! We have several next to the house where it is shaded at least half the day and we have several clumps out in our hosta garden where these receive only about 4 hours of light each day.
September 3, 2009 – 4:21 am
Successful planting projects to improve your landscaping can take place throughout the Fall! Nights are growing longer, and days cooler which means reduced stress and moisture demands on new plantings.
If you are able to get your project area prepared, and the plants installed in September, many of them will be able to send out some new roots, beginning the establishment process, and helping them get a good start for next spring. Good preparation of the soil in the planting area, aggressive root pruning prior to planting, and consistent watering are keys to good results. Be sure to mulch all your fall plantings!
We also see October plantings doing well the following year. Most plants are dormant or becoming dormant at this time. These plants have stored large reserves of energy in their root systems and when fall planted, all this energy is available for new growth when soil temperatures warm up in the spring. Your new landscape plants will already be in place, and ready to take advantage of every single day of the 2010 growing season to grow into a beautiful new landscape.
Another nice thing about Fall is the terrific bargains available. In early Fall, the selection can still be good, so make your plans, get your plants and get started planting!
September 2, 2009 – 4:45 am
Our fall sale has begun. We have hundreds of trees, shrubs and perennials on sale. The savings are from 30% to 50% on selected plants. If you have been contemplating a new landscape area, replacing a few plants in an existing shrub bed, or planting a new tree or two – now is the time to really get great bang for your buck!
Not sure if you want to plant? You can hire our crews to do the work for you! Let the Fall Sale savings help you with the installation fees.
Check out our Specials page for extra savings for customers using our website!
