Knecht’s

We are now officially ready for winter here at the nursery. We have grouped and covered all of our plant material. It’s a process that takes a couple of weeks from start to finish and it is nice to be able to say all of the plants are tucked in.

We have approximately 200 #15 containerized trees still available (these are over-wintered a different way) and about 300 B&B (balled and burlapped) trees available. We have B&B evergreens, and shade trees and ornamental trees in both B&B and container available. It is best to call ahead about trees so that we are here when you come. Our staff at this time of the year and still cleaning up the nursery or are out with the landscape crews getting the last of the jobs completed. The trees will be available until the ground has frozen. The fall sale price of 30% to 60% off still applies!

Our landscape designers continue to work year ’round so this is actually a wonderful time to consult one of the gals and work on a landscape plan for your yard and you’ll be ready to go in the spring. Give us a call and we can put you in contact with either Amy or Kristin. Kristin Lucas just completed a site visit last Friday with Mary Schier - the editor of the Northern Gardener magazine of the Minnesota Horiticulture Society. We have assisted Mary over the years with several projects at her home here in Northfield and Kristin helped her with ideas for a new perennial bed. Mary does a web-blog called My Northern Garden and it shares her experiences.

Leif’s article in this past week’s Northfield News discusses preparing your plants and gardens for winter. It is especially important to make sure your evergreens are well watered going into winter. Read on….

“Preparing plants in your landscape for the stresses of winter is likely to yield nice dividends during next year’s growing season. Usually there are some very pleasant days in mid to late November for happily puttering in the garden, so be ready to take advantage of these as soon as the blustery days ease into crisp, clear conditions with lower winds.

This year established landscape plants should not need any late season watering, since we have excellent soil moisture due to the very wet period that followed last summer’s drought. New plantings placed in the landscape any time during 2007 are an exception. Give this year’s new plants a couple good watering during November, especially if they were installed during the last half of the growing season.

If at all possible, mulch newer plantings. Shredded bark or wood chips provided good insulation from the winter cold for the root system.

We’ve had some hard frosts, so it should be safe to prune Oaks and Elms now, as well as the other varieties of trees.

If you enjoy cutting firewood this time of year do your best to be safe. Wear protective helmets and face guards, keep saws sharp, work along with another person and avoid felling trees during very windy conditions. Dropping trees is by nature risky, and heavy winds definitely increase the danger. Dead trees with rotted or broken limbs can be especially dangerous. As the tree begin to fall, branches may come off unexpectedly, and fall on the person doing the cutting. There’s a reason that these old dead trees have been nicknamed “widow makers”.

As you clean up fallen leaves and spent foliage around your yard, so some assessment of what plants worked well for you and which were disappointing. Next – make written notes and save the notes for reference next March and April as you make plans and dream of garden glories of the future.

Plants that worked well for you might not do well at your friend’s house due to differing conditions, and vice versa. Rely on what your own experience has taught you work well in your gardens, and be a bit wary of all the glossy photos in catalogues and magazines. Give yourself permission to experiment with some new varieties each year, with the understanding that some will be wonderful and others disappointing. You won’t know until you try!

As Thanksgiving nears and harvest on area farms winds down, I’m grateful to have had another season to watch the landscape come to life in the spring, bear fruit in summer, and wind down in the fall. Now comes the time when the landscape sleeps through our dormant season, offering a natural time for reflection and preparation. Thank you for sharing the journey.

Plant Spotlight: Interesting hues and textures for holiday decorating can be found by using Red-twigged Dogwood, dried ornamental grasses, and Bittersweet vines. What a great way to decorate your flower urns, window boxes and planters after the summer annuals and fall mums are done! Red and yellow twig dogwood shrubs are wonderfully versatile. Prune them and use “

The Korean Sun Pear is a delightful ornamental tree that performs all season and then as a finale - gives us a color palette that would make any maple jealous. (click on picture to enlarge)

For urban landscapes where yards are smaller, this is the perfect choice for a smaller stature tree. It has a mature height of 15 feet and the same for width. A small, rounded head with glossy green foliage turns a red to red/orange/yellow in the fall. It has white flowers that bloom in late spring followed by sparse, if any fruit.

We have had customers buy several to line a driveway - or patio area or just simply as a specimen plant. These are included in the fall sale of trees here at the nursery.

Despite the gloomy October weather we’ve been experiencing this past several weeks, we have maples and oaks turning gorgeous colors now here at the nursery. These pictures were taken this morning when the sun was shining, and feature the Autumn Blaze Maple which turns a brilliant red and is sure to enhance any landscape!

The following is an article submitted by our retail manager - Heidi Gervais.

It’s time to plant your spring blooming bulbs! September and October are the best months to get your tulips, daffodils, crocus, allium and hyacinth bulbs in the ground! It allows enough time for the bulbs to get a few roots established before the long witner ahead.

If you want that first sign of spring in your landscape, then stop in to get your bulbs now. They’re going fast.

Add some fall color with some hardy perennial asters. Purple Dome is an absolute must have in any perennial or shrub border. The flowers are a rich deep purple that bloom from late September until frost.

The picture here shows the Purple Dome Aster in the background with the fall color of the Autumn Joy Sedum.

Once they start to blooming in our display beds we have a hard time keeping them in stock. By the way - perennials right now are buy two get one free of equal or lesser value. That includes the amazing hardy asters!

We send these guidelines out with all of our customers starting in September - it helps assure successful planting!

Fall Planting Guidelines

In addition to following the steps in our Planting Guide, fall planting requires a few extra steps to ensure good results with your new plants!

1. Keep Watering.
The plants still need to be watered until the ground freezes. With shorter and cooler days, you may not have to water as often but your new plants still need to be watered consistently. A good source of water to carry the plants through the winter is a must!

2. As always, good soil is the key to planting success. If you have good soil in which to plant, that’s great. If your soil is of lesser quality, you should seriously consider amending with at least 1/3 of a good landscape soil mix. Good soil is everything.

3. The plants need to be mulched! The ground surface surrounding the plants needs to be covered and protected over the winter to prevent damage to the plants with hard, deep frosts, or alternate freezing and thawing. Bark mulch helps prevent damage to roots by providing some insultation..

a. The type of mulch used ideally would be shredded bark mulch vs. rock mulch. The bark mulch provides much more of an insulation value. Mulch should be applied at a rate of approximately 2″ to 3″ deep. Rock mulch tends to conduct cold instead of providing insulation.
b. Perennials are best mulched after there is 1 to 2″ of frost in the ground. If you do not think you can mulch thoroughly after the ground begins to freeze – it is better to mulch ahead of freezing weather than to go without any mulch!

4. Stake newly planted trees for one full growing season to help them root in firmly and straight. BE SURE to remove ropes, stakes, & ties after one year so you do not damage the bark of the trees, or reposition the ties to slightly different spots on the tree.

5. Fertilizing. After August 1st, fertilize very modestly or not at all.. When you fertilize a plant, you are encouraging it to continue to grow rather than to start its fall to winter dormancy period. If a plant is continuing to grow and push out new growth for too long into the fall, and you have a hard frost, you may encounter “tip die back” or “freezing green” of the plant. This may result in having to trim back the plant next growing season. Be ready to begin a fertilization program in the spring!

Perennials. Follow above for watering, mulching & fertilizing, additionally do not cut back the foliage on the perennials until it has turned brown and died back. Cut back ornamental grasses in the spring.

Make sure you thoroughly root prune all potted plants prior to planting. (Follow our
instruction sheet). Root pruning liberates the roots for proper future growth. Very Important.
Fall Landscape & Garden Check-up List

We have had some wet weather recently - but this weekend the temps are expected to get close to 80 degrees! The second weekend in October! At home - we were missed by the frost from mid-September and our annuals are still looking great - however, we will be into winter before we know it. We will then experience about 6 months of a flowerless landscape.

Add color and texture to your winter landscape with ornamental grasses, dogwoods with bright colored twigs in the wintertime, evergreen trees, flowering crabs with persistent fruit, shrubs with berries - (winterberry, cranberries & viburnums) hydrangea with their dried flower stalks, the potential list is endless.

In our meadow at home we have a planting of Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass which is about one of the best ornamental grasses you will find. It handles the weight of the heavy frost and snow and “pops” right back up. It is set right in front a large planting of dogwoods. We have the red-twigged dogwood, Arctic Fire dogwood, Garden Glow Dogwood, and Red Osier Dogwood all planted in this area. The various colors of red and orange of the stems of the dogwood is awesome in the winter - especially later in the day when the sun is lower and shines through the branches.

These plants combined with evergreens, crabapples and the oaks which hang onto their leaves most of the winter really add a special look to what would be a dull winter scene.

The fall sale is still going on so think about winter interest and plan a special area to add some plants to yet this fall!

We just returned yesterday from our annual late September Boundary Waters trip. In late September, we stay in a cabin instead of camping out. On Friday - Leif went with Rob Nelson from Ely Fishing Guide Company and had incredible luck with large walleyes. He caught his limit of walleye - all over 4 pounds! The lake they were fishing on had a slot limit so they all went back to give another fisherman a thrill.

The weather on Friday couldn’t have been better - hardly any wind - temperatures in the low 60’s and after an early morning fog/haze - the sun came out to brilliantly show the fall colors.

We hiked, fished, canoed and took in all of the beautiful fall colors. What a great way to extend the fall by seeing the fall colors earlier in northern Minnesota and coming home when they start to turn here!

The Northfield News does a fall Home and Garden Supplement each year. Leif wrote an article for the supplement discussing fall planting.

“For many of us living in the Upper Midwest, the idea that “Fall is For Planting” is firmly established in our minds. This season of blazing colors is indeed an excellent time to plant many varieties of landscape plants.

Cool fall and spring temperatures together with gradually slowing rates of plant growth and water usage make for lower maintenance demands on the gardener. Less frequent watering is needed from mid-September to mid-November and again in April and the first half of May. However plants placed in the landscape this fall, will need just as a consistent a water program from next May 15th through the balance of the Summer of ‘08 as shrubs, trees and perennials planted next spring.

Once plants are fully leafed out next spring they are in high gear. The spring growth flush takes an enormous amount of the plants stored energy, and sufficient but not excessive water availability will be a key to good and rapid establishment next season.

During the first year a plant is in its new place in the garden, the most important thing that takes place is the growth of new roots into the surrounding soil. Fall planting can allow some minimal root growth to occur before the onset of dormancy. However this root growth is far less than the root growth plants can accomplish in the first month or two of next year’s growing season. One of the biggest advantages of fall planting is that the plant in question is ready and waiting to take advantage of every single day of the phenomenal spring growth flush. No one has to remember to go out and plant in the spring. The plant is already in place, just waiting for its internal mechanism to be set loose for spring growth.

We are all probably familiar with the incredibly fast and prolific growth of plants in the spring. My Old Fashioned Bleeding Heart seems to leap out of the ground overnight. An important thing to remember is that almost as much growth activity can be occurring underground, especially with new landscape plantings. Nice loose soil should be present around a new plant, allowing roots to quickly extend through soil that is free of compaction.

Perhaps the most significant reason the growth of new roots is so vigorous in early spring is the internal signals sent by swelling buds to the tips of the roots. As buds swell in response to increased sap flow, these swelling buds send a hormonal (chemical) signal to the root tips to begin elongation. This lengthening of the tips of roots can take place at an incredibly rapid rate, especially when the plant that was planted in the fall is ready and waiting to begin the explosion of spring growth both above and below ground, and not a day is lost.

As gardeners happily follow the saying that “Fall is for Planting”, a few things can really help the plants be ready to take full advantage of the spring growth flush. Provide fertile soil, good drainage and consistent but not excessive watering. Mulch with 2″ to 3″ of bark mulch or wood chips over an area wider than the root ball, and fertilize moderately once a month in April, May, June and July the following year.

Also prior to planting be sure to aggressively root prune any container grown plants that have matted roots when removed from the nursery pot. This will help relieve the root bound condition common to plants marketed in plastic nursery pots, and allow the best opportunity for rapid growth of new roots into the surrounding soil.

Yes, “Fall is for Planting”, and good bargains are commonly available at nurseries this time of year. Enjoy the cool and pleasant planting conditions as you fall plant and prepare your new landscape plants for the fullest benefit from next spring’s growth flush. “

Northfield lost a unique inividual a few short weeks ago in the passing of Bob Jacobsen. A definite piece of Northfield history! There have been many articles in newspapers and the local web-blogs this last month as well as on the radio, so I won’t repeat all these stories of Bob that were mentioned - all of which are true, but to also express to Rollie and Shar Jacobsen our sympathy over their loss. Shar has been a fantasic addition to our staff here for the past 3 1/2 years and through Shar (and Rollie) we have learned so much more about Bob - through the eyes of his family. He was a great man - will be missed by so many and the citizens of Northfield. And to Rollie and Shar - thanks for sharing the many stories of such a wonderful man!

Leif has had three of his newspaper articles published in the Northfield News in September dealing with trees - the growing of trees, the value of trees to your property especially for re-sale value and the seasonal interest of trees.

From September 1st ….

“For the second consecutive season a long dry period created stress for many landscape plants, including even fairly well established trees. Drought stress can be cumulative over time, and it is valuable to take note of which varieties perform well in tough times.

Good trees are an important asset for any property, and usually a significant investment. Picking varieties that can handle stress and still look good and remain healthy can protect and enhance your investment in a piece of real estate and add to its beauty, grace and charm.

As the dry spell wore on this summer, I began watching trees more closely. Oak trees that have had several years or more to become established generally looked good all summer. The growth habit of developing a deep and strong tap root helps oaks tap deep moisture sources, and weather violent storms.

Oaks also usually maintain a nice deep green color, and before long attain a lovely shape, and with the passage of years a stately stature. As our climate warms, Oaks are likely to be star performers in our landscapes. You just have to make the decision to plant one, and get past the stereotype that Oaks are such slow growers. With occasional watering and some modest fertilization, an Oak can become a nice shade tree in just 5 to 10 years.

Good Oak varieties for southern Minnesota are Red Oak, Northern Pin Oak, Bur Oak, Swamp White Oak and a lovely hybrid of Bur and Swamp White. Heritage Oak has looked very good (another hybrid), and for a narrow crown tree you may want to try Regal Prince Oak, which I have observed doing well in Northfield area landscapes.

Hybrid Elm varieties that have been bred and tested for excellent resistance to Dutch Elm disease also performed very well in drought conditions. It’s time people got over the notion that you can’t plant Elms. Over 40 years of dedicated research has brought forward many excellent varieties that won’t fall victim to Dutch Elm Disease, and as I have watched these trees grow to larger sizes in the landscape, they have impressed me with their pleasing vase shape.

Growing quickly into good size trees capable of giving nice shade, I’ve noticed good deep green color on most Elm varieties. Elms can grow in a very wide variety of soil types and site conditions. This makes them a good choice for almost any landscape, and fairly good drought tolerance is an added plus.

Hybrid Elm varieties I’ve seen doing well are Accolade, Triumph, New Horizon, Danada Charm, Vanguard and Discovery. We’ve heard good reports on Princeton Elm, but this variety will have very limited availability for several years. The other varieties I mentioned should be available now, and more good varieties are currently in research and production phases.

I also noticed hybrid Maples doing quite well in the dry conditions. Varieties that do well in Minnesota are Autumn Blaze, Marmo, Autumn Fantasy, Sienna and Celebration.

Planting tree varieties that can prosper in cycles of drought will not only please the eye, but add value to your property, and reduce maintenance. Good luck planting.”

The article from September 15th discusses the value of your landscaping to your home’s overall value… read more…

“In a tough real estate market all sellers of real estate would love to have an advantage over the competition. Selling your particular property quickly and at a reasonably good price can net you thousands of extra dollars at closing time, but you will need some kind of extra benefit for the buyer in order to receive a good offer.

No matter how square feet and dollars and cents pencil out, buying a home is still a very emotional process. For a house to become a home it has to feel right to the buyer. Curb appeal may be just the thing that makes your property appear to be a place the prospective buyer can call home.

In addition to an attractive structural design, and a well maintained exterior, the landscaping which embraces the house can often be the element that gives a home a “homey” feel. Landscaping that compliments a house with beauty and grace while creating outdoor spaces that are practical and inviting can be the very thing that enables a buyer to picture themselves comfortable and happy for years to come. If this is what a potential buyer thinks, you are very likely to receive a good offer for your property.

Over the years I have closely observed the progression of houses in new developments located in former farm fields. These wide open neighborhoods have time and again provided stark contrasts in the way modest investments in landscaping can improve the appearance and curb appeal of a new home. If the design is well conceived and the plants receive the care they need, the house will in just a few year’s time change from starkly new to gracefully inviting.

On the other hand, if little or nothing is done for landscaping, or if the landscaping is poorly designed, or poorly installed and maintained, a house can change from a brand new look to shabby in the same few short years. The contrast between the house with good landscaping and poor landscaping or none, becomes more and more evident with each passing of the seasons.

The good news is that you don’t have to spend huge amounts of money to get good results. A good design can be simple or elaborate, yet even a design based on the beauty of simplicity can turn your house into a place that is inviting to the eye and the imagination. For this reason, good professional help with the creation of a landscape design may be one of the most cost effective investments you make in your property. A good design can make your house an outstanding value when it comes time to put it up for sale, which can result in a nice pocketbook payoff.

For budget reasons, most houses get landscaped over a period of years. With a good master plan you can do some of the landscaping each year for several years, and before you know it, things are looking really good. I recommend planting the trees first.

Trees take longer to become well established than shrubs and perennials, and also require a few more years to reach a desirable size, so plant them first. In this way, time will work in your favor, creating beautiful trees, shade, privacy and a more mature look for the property.

Don’t be afraid to plant smaller trees if your budget is tight. The important thing is to get them in early and let time be your ally. Try to plant different varieties, so if some dread tree disease comes to our area, you won’t lose all your trees.

Good landscaping makes living in your home much more enjoyable, and it is likely to move your property to the head of the line when it’s time to sell. Plant, enjoy, prosper.”

The final tree article in September - from the 22nd - shares some advice on fall colors and seasonal interest.

Pleasing colors in the landscape can be enjoyed almost year around with the right mix of plant selections. As the seasons change different plants offer different types of color in the garden, and autumn colors are obviously some of the best of the whole year.

Maples are clearly America’s favorites for beautiful fall colors. In recent years versatile hybrid maples have grown in popularity, with lovely shades of red, orange, yellow and burgundy. These hybrids of red maple and silver maple grow quickly into handsome trees, and will hold up well over the years with timely pruning to improve structure and strength.

Autumn Blaze Maple is the most widely known of these maple hybrids, with a Minnesota selection named Sienna Glen rapidly gaining recognition as a shapely and refined hybrid. Autumn Blaze Maple consistently colors up to a glowing reddish orange while Sienna displays a mix of yellow, orange and red.

Autumn Fantasy Hybrid Maple also is a strong grower as is its close cousin Marmo maple. Autumn Fantasy colors up in the mid fall period with shades of burgundy highlighted by yellows and reds. Marmo Maple produces a large and shapely head, and in southern Minnesota has developed predominantly yellow fall colors.

Other maples that splash the landscape with bright fall color are Sugar Maples (hard maple) and Red Maples. Sugar maples grow at modest rates into strong, beautiful and durable trees, with a beautiful mix of yellow, orange and red fall colors. Varieties that have done well in Southern Minnesota are Majesty, Fall Fiesta, Green Mountain and our native sugar maples.

(…. the beautiful orange/red of the Fall Fiesta Sugar Maple - photo to left)

The Red Maple family is found growing wild from the Twin Cities north to the border, usually in mixed forest of Spruce, Pine, Birch, Aspen, Oak and Sugar Maple. Growth rates are moderate, and fall colors range all through the yellow, orange and red hues. Red Sunset, Burgundy Belle, Autumn Spire and Northwood’s have shown good results when planted in acid soils. Avoid planting in alkaline soils.

For yellow fall color consider birch, Thornless Honeylocust, Seedless Ash, Norway Maple and Ginkgo. A balance of varieties in the landscape offers good visuals as well as ecosystem diversity.

Oaks should always be considered. While growth rates are moderate, their excellence as trees of beauty, grace and strength makes a few extra years of waiting for a large tree well worth the small extra time investment. Bur Oak is the most versatile of the Oaks for our area, able to grow in most any soil, but lacking in good fall color. Northern Red Oak and Northern Pin Oak show the best rusty red fall color with a lovely pyramidal shape. Northern Pin Oak grows more slowly, but can tolerate some alkaline soil, which is often an issue in our area. Swamp White Oak is excellent in acid soils, but a beautiful hybrid of Bur Oak and Swamp White Oak is able to grow into a beautiful tree in a wider variety of soil types.

Plant a selection of different tree varieties to enjoy the full range of beautiful fall colors as well as variation throughout the rest of the year. Planting conditions should be excellent into mid-November.

Our fall bulbs were delivered this week - and we have tulips in many colors - red, pink, white, yellow, purple, black, gold and we even have a two toned tulip - maroon and gold (go Raiders!)…

There are Hyacinths, Muscari, Scilla and we have a limited amount of Giant Allium bulbs as well.

Hurry in while supplies last. If the bulbs are kept in a dry, cool place you can wait till mid-late September or even early October to plant them.

We have started our September Fall Sales period - (see specials blog on right side) and in addition to that we have a three day sale on our Mums.

We have finally gotten some rain here in the Northfield area so it seems to be a little relief from such a hot, dry and very sunny summer. Are your air conditioning bills high? Did you have to have shades pulled to keep out the sun and heat instead of being able to look outside?

Now is the time to think about getting a shade tree (or trees) planted in your yard to offer you some relief from the summer sun! Remember - they don’t start to grow until you get them planted!

When you think about putting trees in your yard - keep in mind a couple of things. On the north side of your home is a great place to put evergreen trees. Not only will they also offer some shade and privacy, in the winter time they are a great source of blocking the prevailing north - northwest winds that are so cold at that time of year.

On the south and west side of your home where you experience the heat of the summer sun, you should consider shade trees. The trees with a full canopy of leaves will provide a dramatic cooling effect for your home, but in the winter with no leaves - it will let in the winter sun which will actually help heat your home on the sunny, winter days!

Trees that are in nursery containers or balled and burlapped (B&B) can be planted (with a few exceptions) here in Minnesota any time as long as the ground isn’t frozen. By planting trees now you will be able to take advantage of about three months left of the growing season, but with cooler temperatures and shorter days - the watering needs of mid-summer are behind us.

Tree spaded trees (dug out of the ground and moved by the big trucks) can also be planted from spring until late into the season. There are several weeks in late spring/early summer that you should be careful not to move evergreens this way but most other trees can be safely moved this way all season!

Now for the good part - we are offering 20% off on all container, balled and burlapped AND in-ground trees now through the end of August! Stop - think about how hot it was this summer - and make plans to start working on shade relief for next year!