Hello again,
We have reached the end of October but you will see below that we have many garden topics to discuss. Email us any comments @ skillins@maine.rr.com OR feel free to join in on the gardening conversation by clicking on "comments"at the end of this post.
The leaves are really starting to fall now! Once your leaves have been raked (and it will still be more than a few days before they are all down!), consider mowing your lawn nice and short for the last time. A nice short lawn not only looks good but it will result in much less matted grass in the late winter and early Spring. Matted grass is hard to mow and serves as a good harbor for snow mold—a disease that can kill parts of your lawn in the early Spring!
As you drive around in November, quite often you will see some beautiful red berries growing in clusters in relatively open areas. We also sell these berries in bunches known as “Winter Berry” bunches. Well, these bushes are easy to grow and we have them here at Skillin’s! The botanical name is Ilex verticillata and the shrubs are easy to grow here in Maine. The typical height is 6 to 10 feet although it will take a few years to reach that height.
I just checked with our good gardening friend Barbara Gardener to see what she has been up to the last several days and here is part of our email conversation:
Barbara: I dug up all of the grape hyacinths yesterday and have been replanting them today. Wow! First time I have bothered. Does it do any good to plant any of the tiny, (very tiny) bulbs that have developed. If so, how many years does it take for them to develop enough to bloom. If I have to separate them every year I guess I'd rather "buy them at Skillins". I'm not sure who might not make it. Those tiny bulbs or this old lady!
Mike: Barbara, I believe the young grape hyacinths would bloom a year from this spring (that would be 2009) for the most part. But it would do well to replant them as they are pretty hardy and should reproduce for you over time. Grape hyacinth can be such a wonderful plant. There is a house on Middle Road in Falmouth where they have a bed of them on the side of the house and for a good ten days to two weeks in the spring, it is worth driving by the house just to see the magnificent blue bed of grape hyacinths.
That being said, I have a bed right in front of my house that has grape hyacinth in it. Poor placement if you ask me. The grape hyacinth are pretty while they flower but their foliage to me is not attractive and it seems to take forever for the foliage to die back. I replant the bed with annuals and I do have some cone flower and other perennials that flower later in the season BUT those darned spiky grape hyacinth leaves just linger and linger. Makes kind of a mess as summer progresses.
SO, my next goal late this fall is to dig out all the grape hyacinth bulbs I can find and toss them into a wild grassy area I have just a little way from my house. Where I toss them is where I plant them. This “tossing and planting” is called “naturalizing” as the bulbs will grow in the early Spring in this haphazard “natural” pattern that my tossing created. They will grow in this area that is sunny BEFORE the leaves from overhanging trees above and the wild grass below pop out in the Spring.
“Naturalizing” is a great technique for many types of bulbs: daffodils, crocus, snowdrops and grape hyacinth just to name a few!
Barbara: Very few spots in any of my gardens that have good, if any, drainage. I love iris but more of them rot than bloom. Do you think it would do any good to add a little sand to the soil where I am placing the rhizome? Naturally, I read that on the internet.
Mike: Barbara, I think that sand will help for a short time but sand will get leached out of wet areas to the extent that water might drain during heavy periods of precipitation. You may want to get your excavator out and dig some drainage swales! I might recommend Siberian iris for that spot; Siberians can take some wet.
I would try some sand but also mix that sand with a good light compost like Quoddy Blend by Coast of Maine to make the soil a little better draining.
Actually, as I think more about the wet area you mention I would check out a great product called Soil Perfector by Espoma (http://www.espoma.com/) that we sell here at Skillin's. Soil Perfector is made from a naturally derived, ceramic mineral that is kiln-fired at temperatures in excess of 2000ยบ F. This process creates a durable, lightweight granule containing thousands of tiny storage spaces that hold the perfect balance of water, air and nutrients for an improved soil structure. Soil Perfector helps your soil get structure in the "middle"; it provides aeration to heavy, wet soils and it also helps hold soil together in lighter soils. Check out Soil Perfector on your next visit to Skillin's.
If anyone of our readers (that means YOU!) would like to give any input on the gardening conversation between Barbara Gardener and myself just join in by clicking on Comment at the end of this posting; this gives all of our readers a chance to comment on gardening issues or you can email me at info@skillins.com!
Forcing bulbs: There is no quicker way to bring spring indoors during the winter than with a pot of bulbs. Many different bulbs can be forced, including tulips, hardy narcissus, hyacinths, squill, and crocuses. These are all hardy bulbs that need a 15-week prerooting period before they can be brought into active growth. That period of enforced cold convinces them that winter is at hand; when they’re brought to a warm spot, they assume that spring has arrived and they bloom.
To begin the process usually several bulbs are potted together in a 6-inch bulb pan. Hyacinths, which are large-flowered, look handsome planted as singles in regular 4-inch flowerpots. Add a dusting of garden fertilizer to the soil so the bulbs will have additional nutrients. When they’re planted in the pots, the tips of the bulbs should peek just above the soil line, which should itself be about ½ inch below the rim of the pot. Then moisten the soil and the bulbs are ready for winter.
There are several different ways to store winter bulbs; the purpose is simply to keep the bulbs at 40 degrees or so. Also they can’t be allowed to dry out or freeze. A bulkhead, cool cellar, or refrigerator is fine. Also a cold frame or a bulb trench dug outdoors can be used. This period of cold should last for about 8 weeks (this is the time that you are approximating early winter!).
The bulbs then can be brought into a cool, dark location for about 6 weeks or so. This is the time you are approximating the conditions of late winter or early Spring.
After that, plan on bringing in just a pot or two at a time to give you a sequence of flowering plants through most of the actual late winter and early spring.
Put the pots on a bright but cool windowsill until the shoots are about 4” tall. Then move them into bright sunlight until the flower buds start to show color, at which point move them back into bright indirect light. While bulb plants are growing and in flower, they do best with night temperatures in the low 40s at night and the 60s in the day. Keep the soil moist but don’t feed them. Then enjoy an early taste of spring.
When the bulb plant’s leaves begin to turn yellow, reduce the amount of water and give them only enough to keep the leaves from wilting. By the time the leaves have withered entirely, the soil should be dry. The bulbs can be stored in their pots until the fall, or they can be taken from their pots and stored in a cool dry place. Most bulb plants can’t be forced a second time. But if you have an outdoor garden, you can save the bulbs and plant them outside in the fall. They may not blossom extensively the next spring, but they will regain their strength and eventually produce fine outdoor spring flowers.
The folks at People, Places and Plants magazine (produced right here in Maine) check in this issue with some great gardening tips that deserve special mention. Their web site can be found at http://www.ppplants.com/:
“Begin cooling bulbs for forcing indoor flowering. Start paper white narcissus for holiday blooming.” Just talked about this one! And I am often asked, when should I start my paperwhite narcissus for Christmas blooming. The answer is NOW.
“Cover crops on the inside of cold frames with salt hay or leaves. Bank the outside of the cold frame with bales of hay. Be certain to ventilate on bright, sunny days.” Cold frames can be a great place to store a variety of crops that you would like to winter over but cold frames can heat up quickly. Use straw or our Mainely Mulch product instead of salt hay for an excellent mulch.
Mark Your Calendar
Every Tuesday is Mature Gardeners Day at Skillin’s! Those customers who qualify will receive 10% off all regularly priced items. (Sale items and volume restrictions do not usually apply and some other restrictions may apply).
Every Friday brings Flower Power Happy Hour where we offer fresh cut flower stems and bunches at 30% off their regular prices. The Happy Hour lasts from 4 PM until we close at 7 PM!! Every Friday!
Thanks for reading the Skillin's Garden Blog; email us any comments @ skillins@maine.rr.com or feel free to join in on the garden conversation by clicking on "comments" at the end of this post,
Mike Skillin
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Garden Talks and Garden Thoughts (update)
Hello again,
After much thought our good bird feeding friend Liz Cardinale is more convinced that the birds plaguing my bird feeder are migrating grackles who should be cleared out in a few days. According to Liz, starlings are still in feeding on insects and have not yet had to "stoop" to feeding from our bird feeders.
I do think that Liz is right about the birds being grackles. I did put some safflower in some of my feeders this morning but while Liz is certain the grackles will not like the safflower, she is not certain that any other birds will like the safflower as well. I have definitely heard mixed reports about whether or not birds like safflower.
Check out http://www.birds.cornell.edu/ for more information about grackles, starlings and other birds!
I do not mind feeding the grackles, it is just that they stay for hours it seems and they consume huge amounts of food. While doing this, they absolutely keep all the other birds away! But as Liz points out, they are probably eating so much because they are trying to store up nutrients for their long trip south.
To the grackles, I say "Bon Voyage".
Good gardening friend Barbara Gardener tells me that she has been working on "one cleanup project after another" in her expansive gardens.
She also passed on a great tip about planting daffodils. Last year, she planted about 150 daffodils under the cover of some perennial ground covers and it worked out quite well. The daffodils came up through and bloomed before the ground covers came up strong. Then once the ground covers came up thriving, the ground covers covered the declining daffodil leaves and saved Barbara the time and hassle of having to braid the daffodil leaves as they turned from green to brown. Remember, in the Spring you don't want to trim the daffodil leaves too soon as there is much nutrient flow from the daffodil leaves down into the bulb. It is late Spring that the daffodil bulbs themselves put on much growth.
Barbara has been around the "gardening block" once or twice and her experienced advice is always appreciated at the Skillin's Garden Log.
Let us know at info@skillins.com what projects you have been working on in your garden that might be beneficial to your fellow gardeners. Or leave a comment by clicking on the icon just below this Garden Log post!
After much thought our good bird feeding friend Liz Cardinale is more convinced that the birds plaguing my bird feeder are migrating grackles who should be cleared out in a few days. According to Liz, starlings are still in feeding on insects and have not yet had to "stoop" to feeding from our bird feeders.
I do think that Liz is right about the birds being grackles. I did put some safflower in some of my feeders this morning but while Liz is certain the grackles will not like the safflower, she is not certain that any other birds will like the safflower as well. I have definitely heard mixed reports about whether or not birds like safflower.
Check out http://www.birds.cornell.edu/ for more information about grackles, starlings and other birds!
I do not mind feeding the grackles, it is just that they stay for hours it seems and they consume huge amounts of food. While doing this, they absolutely keep all the other birds away! But as Liz points out, they are probably eating so much because they are trying to store up nutrients for their long trip south.
To the grackles, I say "Bon Voyage".
Good gardening friend Barbara Gardener tells me that she has been working on "one cleanup project after another" in her expansive gardens.
She also passed on a great tip about planting daffodils. Last year, she planted about 150 daffodils under the cover of some perennial ground covers and it worked out quite well. The daffodils came up through and bloomed before the ground covers came up strong. Then once the ground covers came up thriving, the ground covers covered the declining daffodil leaves and saved Barbara the time and hassle of having to braid the daffodil leaves as they turned from green to brown. Remember, in the Spring you don't want to trim the daffodil leaves too soon as there is much nutrient flow from the daffodil leaves down into the bulb. It is late Spring that the daffodil bulbs themselves put on much growth.
Barbara has been around the "gardening block" once or twice and her experienced advice is always appreciated at the Skillin's Garden Log.
Let us know at info@skillins.com what projects you have been working on in your garden that might be beneficial to your fellow gardeners. Or leave a comment by clicking on the icon just below this Garden Log post!
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Garden Talks and Garden Thoughts
Hello again,
Welcome to another posting of Garden Talks and Garden Thoughts at the Skillin's Garden Log.
Garden Talks
Let's dive right in with some great questions this past week from some of our gardening friends like you. Email us your gardening questions at info@skillins.com!
Question: When do I cut back my roses for the winter and how do I cover them?
Answer: We have found that pruning hybrid tea and similar roses in spring works best in Maine. That way the canes are not opened up to damaging winter cold and wind injury.
Protect them for the winter by mulching 1 ft deep with bark mulch, soil or composted cow manure in late November. After Christmas, place evergreen branches over the mulch mounds to keep them from thawing and re-freezing throughout the winter. Uncover and prune in April.
If you have winter hardy shrub roses that do not need all that special attention, mulching is probably not necessary, and the pruning can be done this fall or next spring.
(Thanks to Tim Bate for the above answer!)
Question: I was wondering why it is good to apply Plant Tone or ProStart to plants that are starting their dormant period. Won't that kick in and cause some growth during a "warm" spell?
Answer: I do think that twice yearly feedings of these natural fertilizers really help most soils. And that is what we are trying to do when we feed naturally; we are treating the soil by providing more organic matter for beneficial fungi and bacteria to use to thrive. Then this fungi and bacteria get used by the microorganisms in the soil and also beneficial creatures like earthworms so that they can live in and benefit the soil. In other words, by feeding naturally on a consistent basis we are trying to encourage consistent biological activity in the soil. That is why I think at least twice yearly feedings of good natural foods gets us to that goal.
Gardening in Maine is rugged and our soils can be a challenge. I and many other gardeners live over a big sheet of granite that creates really shallow situations for my lawn and garden soil. This soil gets baked in our hot dry summers and then constantly frozen and thawed in our roller coaster winters. Other soils have much clay and this makes for similar challenges that make it tough for plants roots to thrive. So again providing consistent supplies of organic matter can be very helpful; perhaps even essential for long-term successful gardening.
To more directly answer your question, the nutrient flow from these natural fertilizers all come from natural slow yielding sources. The nutrients from natural fertilizers put down now are much available in a few months time then now. Applying chemical fertilizers to plants starting their dormant period would result in a much more immediate rush of nutrients and could very likely cause growth during a “warm” spell.
Chemical fertilizers cause fairly immediate chemical activity. Natural fertilizers help to cause more long-term biological activity that the environment can use to help our plants grow well.
Question: My rosemary plants never winter over. So I thought I was being smart by digging mine up, putting it in a pot and bringing it inside. All was well for while, but now the plant is turning brown. Do you have any suggestions on what I can do to revive it?
Answer: Rosemary plants do not winter over outside so you are being smart by digging yours up and bringing it inside.
Here is proper indoor rosemary care per Mary of Skillin’s Falmouth:
She stresses that rosemary can survive indoors but getting them to thrive can be a challenge.
Rosemary needs as much sun as you can give it indoors.
They need warm days and cool nights. And no drafts.
Let them go very dry to the touch between waterings. When you do water them, really soak them—probably in your kitchen sink so the water can run slowly through the soil for a few minutes. Let the excess water drain off. Then let them go quite dry again; certainly when in doubt do no water. Again run the water slowly so it does not splash on the leaves.
Rosemary are very prone to powdery mildew but that can easily be treated by garden sulfur an all natural fungicide spray that we sell right here at Skillin’s!
Do not fertilize over the winter; I would say start to give it some fertilizer in April; a few weeks before it goes back outside.
Question: Do you recommend the Garden Primer as the best overall book for someone who is looking for basic tips about many aspects of gardening. For example,when to plant bulbs to how to best plant prennials. With illustrations and easy to follow steps and information.
Answer: I definitely recommend the Garden Primer as a great overall book for someone looking for basic tips.
We sell the Garden Primer here at Skillin's and at http://www.skillins.com/!
Back when I was first starting out, the late Jim Crockett--the original host of the Victory Garden Series--published two books that were a huge help to me, Crockett's Victory Garden which dealt with many facets of outdoor gardening, particularly vegetable gardening and Crockett's Indoor Gardening which dealt with both houseplants and flowering plants. You could probably still obtain those books through your favorite bookstore.
Garden Thoughts
The leaves are just tumbling out of the maple trees around the area. Much of my lawn awaits me in a couple of days for some vigorous raking. I will probably bag most of the initial leaves that I rake but as the leaves get a little crispier closer to the end of the fall I will pile some of these leaves as a combination mulch/compost around my evergreen shrubs (yews/rhodys/azaleas).
Prior to this piling of leaves, I will have put some Holly Tone natural fertilizer around the base of each of these plants. We have had some good rain so the Holly Tone has broken down quite a bit and is starting to be incorporated into the soil. Then it will be time to pile a couple of inches of leaves around each plant. These leaves help keep weeds down during the growing season and also as time goes along, the leaves break down and do a nice job of becoming helpful organic matter in the soil.
If I am really on my game, I will get the lawn mower out and chop up some leaves and then pile these chopped leaves around my evergreens, again this makes for faster breakdown of the leaves next season.
In the last few days, I have been getting hordes of shiny black starlings (might be grackles) around some of my bird feeders. I don't mind feeding the creatures but they have been voracious. They will consume a suet cake in a day. I do have a large platform feeder and an old suet cage that I have not used for awhile. This morning I bungied the suet feeder to the bottom of my platform feeder because my good bird feeding friend Liz Cardinale reminded me that woodpeckers have no problem eating suet upside down BUT birds like starlings and grackles do not like to eat upside down.
Liz Cardinale also recommended that I substitute safflower for sunflower for a few days. Safflower is a wonderful food for birds--it is full of nutrients but starlings and grackles do not like it. Liz feels that the starlings will get miffed that there is no more suet or sunflower and go on their merry way and then I can resume my sunflower feeding. I will keep you all posted but does anyone else have any suggestions for those starlings?
Mark Your Calendar
Every Tuesday is Mature Gardeners Day at Skillin’s! Those customers who qualify will receive 10% off all regularly priced items. (Sale items and volume restrictions do not usually apply and some other restrictions may apply).
Every Friday brings Flower Power Happy Hour where we offer fresh cut flower stems and bunches at 30% off their regular prices. The Happy Hour lasts from 4 PM until we close at 7 PM!! Every Friday!
Thanks,
Mike Skillin
Welcome to another posting of Garden Talks and Garden Thoughts at the Skillin's Garden Log.
Garden Talks
Let's dive right in with some great questions this past week from some of our gardening friends like you. Email us your gardening questions at info@skillins.com!
Question: When do I cut back my roses for the winter and how do I cover them?
Answer: We have found that pruning hybrid tea and similar roses in spring works best in Maine. That way the canes are not opened up to damaging winter cold and wind injury.
Protect them for the winter by mulching 1 ft deep with bark mulch, soil or composted cow manure in late November. After Christmas, place evergreen branches over the mulch mounds to keep them from thawing and re-freezing throughout the winter. Uncover and prune in April.
If you have winter hardy shrub roses that do not need all that special attention, mulching is probably not necessary, and the pruning can be done this fall or next spring.
(Thanks to Tim Bate for the above answer!)
Question: I was wondering why it is good to apply Plant Tone or ProStart to plants that are starting their dormant period. Won't that kick in and cause some growth during a "warm" spell?
Answer: I do think that twice yearly feedings of these natural fertilizers really help most soils. And that is what we are trying to do when we feed naturally; we are treating the soil by providing more organic matter for beneficial fungi and bacteria to use to thrive. Then this fungi and bacteria get used by the microorganisms in the soil and also beneficial creatures like earthworms so that they can live in and benefit the soil. In other words, by feeding naturally on a consistent basis we are trying to encourage consistent biological activity in the soil. That is why I think at least twice yearly feedings of good natural foods gets us to that goal.
Gardening in Maine is rugged and our soils can be a challenge. I and many other gardeners live over a big sheet of granite that creates really shallow situations for my lawn and garden soil. This soil gets baked in our hot dry summers and then constantly frozen and thawed in our roller coaster winters. Other soils have much clay and this makes for similar challenges that make it tough for plants roots to thrive. So again providing consistent supplies of organic matter can be very helpful; perhaps even essential for long-term successful gardening.
To more directly answer your question, the nutrient flow from these natural fertilizers all come from natural slow yielding sources. The nutrients from natural fertilizers put down now are much available in a few months time then now. Applying chemical fertilizers to plants starting their dormant period would result in a much more immediate rush of nutrients and could very likely cause growth during a “warm” spell.
Chemical fertilizers cause fairly immediate chemical activity. Natural fertilizers help to cause more long-term biological activity that the environment can use to help our plants grow well.
Question: My rosemary plants never winter over. So I thought I was being smart by digging mine up, putting it in a pot and bringing it inside. All was well for while, but now the plant is turning brown. Do you have any suggestions on what I can do to revive it?
Answer: Rosemary plants do not winter over outside so you are being smart by digging yours up and bringing it inside.
Here is proper indoor rosemary care per Mary of Skillin’s Falmouth:
She stresses that rosemary can survive indoors but getting them to thrive can be a challenge.
Rosemary needs as much sun as you can give it indoors.
They need warm days and cool nights. And no drafts.
Let them go very dry to the touch between waterings. When you do water them, really soak them—probably in your kitchen sink so the water can run slowly through the soil for a few minutes. Let the excess water drain off. Then let them go quite dry again; certainly when in doubt do no water. Again run the water slowly so it does not splash on the leaves.
Rosemary are very prone to powdery mildew but that can easily be treated by garden sulfur an all natural fungicide spray that we sell right here at Skillin’s!
Do not fertilize over the winter; I would say start to give it some fertilizer in April; a few weeks before it goes back outside.
Question: Do you recommend the Garden Primer as the best overall book for someone who is looking for basic tips about many aspects of gardening. For example,when to plant bulbs to how to best plant prennials. With illustrations and easy to follow steps and information.
Answer: I definitely recommend the Garden Primer as a great overall book for someone looking for basic tips.
We sell the Garden Primer here at Skillin's and at http://www.skillins.com/!
Back when I was first starting out, the late Jim Crockett--the original host of the Victory Garden Series--published two books that were a huge help to me, Crockett's Victory Garden which dealt with many facets of outdoor gardening, particularly vegetable gardening and Crockett's Indoor Gardening which dealt with both houseplants and flowering plants. You could probably still obtain those books through your favorite bookstore.
Garden Thoughts
The leaves are just tumbling out of the maple trees around the area. Much of my lawn awaits me in a couple of days for some vigorous raking. I will probably bag most of the initial leaves that I rake but as the leaves get a little crispier closer to the end of the fall I will pile some of these leaves as a combination mulch/compost around my evergreen shrubs (yews/rhodys/azaleas).
Prior to this piling of leaves, I will have put some Holly Tone natural fertilizer around the base of each of these plants. We have had some good rain so the Holly Tone has broken down quite a bit and is starting to be incorporated into the soil. Then it will be time to pile a couple of inches of leaves around each plant. These leaves help keep weeds down during the growing season and also as time goes along, the leaves break down and do a nice job of becoming helpful organic matter in the soil.
If I am really on my game, I will get the lawn mower out and chop up some leaves and then pile these chopped leaves around my evergreens, again this makes for faster breakdown of the leaves next season.
In the last few days, I have been getting hordes of shiny black starlings (might be grackles) around some of my bird feeders. I don't mind feeding the creatures but they have been voracious. They will consume a suet cake in a day. I do have a large platform feeder and an old suet cage that I have not used for awhile. This morning I bungied the suet feeder to the bottom of my platform feeder because my good bird feeding friend Liz Cardinale reminded me that woodpeckers have no problem eating suet upside down BUT birds like starlings and grackles do not like to eat upside down.
Liz Cardinale also recommended that I substitute safflower for sunflower for a few days. Safflower is a wonderful food for birds--it is full of nutrients but starlings and grackles do not like it. Liz feels that the starlings will get miffed that there is no more suet or sunflower and go on their merry way and then I can resume my sunflower feeding. I will keep you all posted but does anyone else have any suggestions for those starlings?
Mark Your Calendar
Every Tuesday is Mature Gardeners Day at Skillin’s! Those customers who qualify will receive 10% off all regularly priced items. (Sale items and volume restrictions do not usually apply and some other restrictions may apply).
Every Friday brings Flower Power Happy Hour where we offer fresh cut flower stems and bunches at 30% off their regular prices. The Happy Hour lasts from 4 PM until we close at 7 PM!! Every Friday!
Thanks,
Mike Skillin
Skillin's Fall Lineup Week 9! Halloween and Pumpkins!
Starting Thursday October 25 and continuing through Wednesday October 31 our Fall Lineup Theme here at Skillin's is Halloween!
*This Saturday October 27 we are holding an awesome class called Holiday Fun. We are offering 2 classes; one is at 9 AM and the other is at 1 PM. The class charge is $20 but you get to bring home an awesome wreath. It is never too early to start. Learn how to make your own holiday wreath. Email us at info@skillins.com if you would like to register for the class; just let us know the time and location (Brunswick, Cumberland or Falmouth).
Now onto our exciting specials for the week:
*All our Halloween decorations are 30% off! Melissa Skillin Smith buys some fun and spooky Halloween stuff and we are putting it on sale AHEAD of the holiday. So come in now and save some hard earned money on some cool Halloween stuff!
*Our orange pumpkins are buy one get another (same size or smaller) free! We have some awesome pumpkins and because the weather has not been too hot or too cold, they are in great shape. Need some pumpkins for the front of the house? Then come and get them at Skillin's and save!
We also still have perennials, shrubs, and trees on sale for some great prices. And Fall is still the best Time for Planting.We also still have a great selection of Fall Mums, squashes, and gourds that will give your home and yard a great fall look!
Come see us, enjoy and save!
*This Saturday October 27 we are holding an awesome class called Holiday Fun. We are offering 2 classes; one is at 9 AM and the other is at 1 PM. The class charge is $20 but you get to bring home an awesome wreath. It is never too early to start. Learn how to make your own holiday wreath. Email us at info@skillins.com if you would like to register for the class; just let us know the time and location (Brunswick, Cumberland or Falmouth).
Now onto our exciting specials for the week:
*All our Halloween decorations are 30% off! Melissa Skillin Smith buys some fun and spooky Halloween stuff and we are putting it on sale AHEAD of the holiday. So come in now and save some hard earned money on some cool Halloween stuff!
*Our orange pumpkins are buy one get another (same size or smaller) free! We have some awesome pumpkins and because the weather has not been too hot or too cold, they are in great shape. Need some pumpkins for the front of the house? Then come and get them at Skillin's and save!
We also still have perennials, shrubs, and trees on sale for some great prices. And Fall is still the best Time for Planting.We also still have a great selection of Fall Mums, squashes, and gourds that will give your home and yard a great fall look!
Come see us, enjoy and save!
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Garden Talks and Garden Thoughts
Hello again,
Welcome to another posting of Garden Talks and Garden Thoughts at the Skillin's Garden Log.
Let's dive right in with some great questions this past week from some of our gardening friends like you. Email us your gardening questions at info@skillins.com!
Question: Should I thin my daylilies and irises this fall, or wait until spring?
Answer: I certainly would be thinning my daylilies right now; in fact I need to do just that! You can pull away most of your daylilies at this point as they have gone quite dormant.
Yes on the irises too as they are quite dormant at this point. As I told another customer today you can trim your iris right back to the ground.
As I mentioned in last week's Garden Log, my Spring and summer blooming perennials need a trim back as much of the growth is really passing by. So an aggressive cleaning of dead and dying material is in order. Once this is done, my perennial bed should be fairly clean leaving me plenty of room to maneuver around the garden and to get a good fall feeding of a natural fertilizer like Plant Tone by Espoma or Pro Start by North Country Organics onto the soil.
This leads to another question and answer that is related to the above topic:
Question: Is it best to cut back peonies in the fall before the frost gets them?
Answer: I would definitely cut your peonies back now. They have been pretty dormant for awhile so I would cut their foliage right back to the ground and clean up any weeds and other debris around the area. If you have not applied any fertilizer to your peony area, now is a great time to put down a nice natural fertilizer like Pro Start by North Country Organics or Plant Tone by Espoma.
I don't normally print recipes in this space but it is well known that I do love to eat. We were emailed a newsletter the other day by P. Allen Smith, an accomplished TV gardener. He has a nice gardening website at http://www.pallensmith.com/. One of the items there was a recipe for roasted pumpkin seeds. So here goes:
Halloween at my house goes hand in hand with one of my favorite seasonal treats, roasted pumpkin seeds. These make a healthy and delicious snack and preparing them can be a lot of fun for children. This is a simple method for roasting pumpkin seeds that I hope will become a Halloween tradition in your home.
Ingredients
1 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
pumpkin seeds
2 teaspoons of olive oil for every 1 1/2 cups of seeds
InstructionsClean the pumpkin seeds by placing them in a colander under running water. The water should be lukewarm, not hot. To enhance the flavor allow some of the pulp to remain. Dissolve salt in warm water at a ratio of 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt per cup of water. You will need enough of the salt water to cover the pumpkin seeds. Soak the seeds in salty water for about 8 hours and then drain them in a paper towel.Soaking the seeds in salt water is optional. If you are sensitive to salt skip this step or reduce the amount of salt used. Place seeds in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Toss until seeds are lightly coated.Spread the seeds evenly on a baking sheet and place in a preheated 300-degree oven. Roast the seeds for about 45 minutes, stirring frequently, until crisp and golden brown.
One of our best gardening friends, I will call her Barbara Gardener--she knows who she is-- checks in with a reminder that soon we must think about wintering our gardening tools. Barbara keeps her approach simple and so should we.
1. When she reaches the end of her gardening year (and I hope we have a little way to go yet) she takes extra special care to clean the mud off. Barbara has been known to use a stick to knock off large pieces and a wire brush for tougher spots. If the soil is really caked on, you may need to let the tool soak in a bucket of water for a few minutes before tackling it again.
2. Wipe off the tool with an old rag and let it dry thoroughly.
3.Remove any rust by rubbing it vigorously with a small piece of steel wool. (Be sure to wear gloves.)
4. Sharpen the tool, if it has a sharp portion (this includes spades), with a file made especially for sharpening tools. Hold the tool steady against a solid object, such as a tool bench, and draw the file repeatedly across the edge at a 45-degree angle. Some of the local hardware stores will also sharpen garden tools for you.
5.Condition wooden handles by sanding any rough or splintery portions with sandpaper. Follow up by rubbing paste wax over the handle.
6.Spray metal parts with a penetrating lubricating oil to protect from rust. WD40 is such a product.
7.Store in a dry spot. Avoid leaving tools on the floors of garages or other places likely to get damp during the winter.
Tips & WarningsProtect wooden handles and make tools easier to find by giving them a coat of red paint before putting them away for the winter. This is a great piece of practical advice. I know that next year many of the tools that Skillin's will sell will have some orange on them.
Never leave garden hoses outside over the winter, as this dramatically increases their chances of springing leaks. Instead, drain the hoses at the end of the season and hang them in a garage or other protected spot until spring.
Thank you Barbara Gardener for your help and inspiration!
Check out http://www.skillins.com/ for a great new article called Growing Green. It can be found at our Classes, News and Tips section. Here is how the article starts:
"Mainers work hard to be green. In recent years we've learned a lot about saving electricity, conserving fossil fuels, recycling and carbon footprints. There is another simple green practice many people have overlooked: planting trees.
There are many environmental benefits to planting trees and shrubs in your yard"....(check out the rest of the article at http://www.skillins.com/).
Would you like to have more green grass and less weeds in your lawn? Well, join the club! More and more of our customers are expressing these sentiments every day!
I have written several times about the benefits that organic fertilizers bring to our garden and lawn soils. More organic matter in the soil enhance micoorganisms that feed on beneficial fungi and bacteria in the soil. Hey, it's okay; we all have beneficial fungi and bacteria and that is a good thing! Creatures like nematodes and earthworms that feed on beneficial fungi and bacteria provide immeasurable good to our soils and therefore to our plants and grasses. So, treat that soil with some great natural material like compost and organic fertilizers.
I recently fed my lawn with Nature's Turf organic fertilizer by North Country Organics and I highly recommend it. I plan on applying it two to three times a year to really step up the quality of the soil.
I also plan on overseeding any thin spots in my lawn with some good quality grass seed that should grow quite readily in my improving soil. And the more grass I have, the less weeds I will have because in most cases a happy lawn will crowd out those unhappy weeds! You cannot have a better, more natural approach to weed control than that.
On the same note, now is the time to get some good natural food around those trees and shrubs if you have not done so lately. We recommend Holly Tone by Espoma for evergreens and Plant Tone by Espoma or Pro Start by North Country Organics for your perennials and deciduous trees and shrubs!
Thanks for reading the Skillin's Garden Log and let us know if you have any questions at skillins@maine.rr.com!
Thanks,
Mike Skillin
Welcome to another posting of Garden Talks and Garden Thoughts at the Skillin's Garden Log.
Let's dive right in with some great questions this past week from some of our gardening friends like you. Email us your gardening questions at info@skillins.com!
Question: Should I thin my daylilies and irises this fall, or wait until spring?
Answer: I certainly would be thinning my daylilies right now; in fact I need to do just that! You can pull away most of your daylilies at this point as they have gone quite dormant.
Yes on the irises too as they are quite dormant at this point. As I told another customer today you can trim your iris right back to the ground.
As I mentioned in last week's Garden Log, my Spring and summer blooming perennials need a trim back as much of the growth is really passing by. So an aggressive cleaning of dead and dying material is in order. Once this is done, my perennial bed should be fairly clean leaving me plenty of room to maneuver around the garden and to get a good fall feeding of a natural fertilizer like Plant Tone by Espoma or Pro Start by North Country Organics onto the soil.
This leads to another question and answer that is related to the above topic:
Question: Is it best to cut back peonies in the fall before the frost gets them?
Answer: I would definitely cut your peonies back now. They have been pretty dormant for awhile so I would cut their foliage right back to the ground and clean up any weeds and other debris around the area. If you have not applied any fertilizer to your peony area, now is a great time to put down a nice natural fertilizer like Pro Start by North Country Organics or Plant Tone by Espoma.
I don't normally print recipes in this space but it is well known that I do love to eat. We were emailed a newsletter the other day by P. Allen Smith, an accomplished TV gardener. He has a nice gardening website at http://www.pallensmith.com/. One of the items there was a recipe for roasted pumpkin seeds. So here goes:
Halloween at my house goes hand in hand with one of my favorite seasonal treats, roasted pumpkin seeds. These make a healthy and delicious snack and preparing them can be a lot of fun for children. This is a simple method for roasting pumpkin seeds that I hope will become a Halloween tradition in your home.
Ingredients
1 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
pumpkin seeds
2 teaspoons of olive oil for every 1 1/2 cups of seeds
InstructionsClean the pumpkin seeds by placing them in a colander under running water. The water should be lukewarm, not hot. To enhance the flavor allow some of the pulp to remain. Dissolve salt in warm water at a ratio of 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt per cup of water. You will need enough of the salt water to cover the pumpkin seeds. Soak the seeds in salty water for about 8 hours and then drain them in a paper towel.Soaking the seeds in salt water is optional. If you are sensitive to salt skip this step or reduce the amount of salt used. Place seeds in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Toss until seeds are lightly coated.Spread the seeds evenly on a baking sheet and place in a preheated 300-degree oven. Roast the seeds for about 45 minutes, stirring frequently, until crisp and golden brown.
One of our best gardening friends, I will call her Barbara Gardener--she knows who she is-- checks in with a reminder that soon we must think about wintering our gardening tools. Barbara keeps her approach simple and so should we.
1. When she reaches the end of her gardening year (and I hope we have a little way to go yet) she takes extra special care to clean the mud off. Barbara has been known to use a stick to knock off large pieces and a wire brush for tougher spots. If the soil is really caked on, you may need to let the tool soak in a bucket of water for a few minutes before tackling it again.
2. Wipe off the tool with an old rag and let it dry thoroughly.
3.Remove any rust by rubbing it vigorously with a small piece of steel wool. (Be sure to wear gloves.)
4. Sharpen the tool, if it has a sharp portion (this includes spades), with a file made especially for sharpening tools. Hold the tool steady against a solid object, such as a tool bench, and draw the file repeatedly across the edge at a 45-degree angle. Some of the local hardware stores will also sharpen garden tools for you.
5.Condition wooden handles by sanding any rough or splintery portions with sandpaper. Follow up by rubbing paste wax over the handle.
6.Spray metal parts with a penetrating lubricating oil to protect from rust. WD40 is such a product.
7.Store in a dry spot. Avoid leaving tools on the floors of garages or other places likely to get damp during the winter.
Tips & WarningsProtect wooden handles and make tools easier to find by giving them a coat of red paint before putting them away for the winter. This is a great piece of practical advice. I know that next year many of the tools that Skillin's will sell will have some orange on them.
Never leave garden hoses outside over the winter, as this dramatically increases their chances of springing leaks. Instead, drain the hoses at the end of the season and hang them in a garage or other protected spot until spring.
Thank you Barbara Gardener for your help and inspiration!
Check out http://www.skillins.com/ for a great new article called Growing Green. It can be found at our Classes, News and Tips section. Here is how the article starts:
"Mainers work hard to be green. In recent years we've learned a lot about saving electricity, conserving fossil fuels, recycling and carbon footprints. There is another simple green practice many people have overlooked: planting trees.
There are many environmental benefits to planting trees and shrubs in your yard"....(check out the rest of the article at http://www.skillins.com/).
Would you like to have more green grass and less weeds in your lawn? Well, join the club! More and more of our customers are expressing these sentiments every day!
I have written several times about the benefits that organic fertilizers bring to our garden and lawn soils. More organic matter in the soil enhance micoorganisms that feed on beneficial fungi and bacteria in the soil. Hey, it's okay; we all have beneficial fungi and bacteria and that is a good thing! Creatures like nematodes and earthworms that feed on beneficial fungi and bacteria provide immeasurable good to our soils and therefore to our plants and grasses. So, treat that soil with some great natural material like compost and organic fertilizers.
I recently fed my lawn with Nature's Turf organic fertilizer by North Country Organics and I highly recommend it. I plan on applying it two to three times a year to really step up the quality of the soil.
I also plan on overseeding any thin spots in my lawn with some good quality grass seed that should grow quite readily in my improving soil. And the more grass I have, the less weeds I will have because in most cases a happy lawn will crowd out those unhappy weeds! You cannot have a better, more natural approach to weed control than that.
On the same note, now is the time to get some good natural food around those trees and shrubs if you have not done so lately. We recommend Holly Tone by Espoma for evergreens and Plant Tone by Espoma or Pro Start by North Country Organics for your perennials and deciduous trees and shrubs!
Thanks for reading the Skillin's Garden Log and let us know if you have any questions at skillins@maine.rr.com!
Thanks,
Mike Skillin
Skillin's Fall Lineup Week 8! Bulbs! Bulbs! Bulbs!
Starting Thursday October 18 and continuing through Wednesday October 24 our Fall Lineup Theme here at Skillin's is Bulbs! Bulbs! Bulbs!
*This Saturday October 20 we are holding one of our most popular classes "Pruning for a Purpose". We are offering 2 classes; one is at 9 AM and the other is at 1 PM. The class is free of charge; Make outdoor trees and shrubs fall into shape. Rejuvenate established plants and start new plants on that great gardening path. Email us at info@skillins.com if you would like to register for the class; just let us know the time and location (Brunswick, Cumberland or Falmouth).Now onto our exciting specials for the week:
*All outdoor bulbs are 20% off! That Terry Skillin is something else. We just get to the perfect time of year for planting bulbs and he gives the order: "All outdoor bulbs are 20% off!" This is not an end of season or pre season or post season sale. No folks, THIS IS THE PERFECT TIME for planting bulbs! And Terry has made it even more perfect by giving you tulips, daffodils, crocus, hyacinth and many other varieties at 20% off.
*Tools for planting bulbs are 20% off. These tools include a bulb auger which is great for planting bulbs deep. We have found that in Maine it is best to plant bulbs as deep as you can. Most tulips should be about 10" deep; which is way deeper than we might have recommended in the past and is deeper than even our packages suggest. The reason for planting tulips so deep is that a deep planting keeps your sensitive tulips nice and cool during our warm summers. I think that crocus and daffodils should be planted deeper than we have recommended in the past. Our bulb planters are also 20% off.
*Bulb-Tone a great natural fertilizer we recommend for planting with your bulbs is 20% off. Planting your bulbs with a little bit of Bulb-Tone is a great way to get some organic matter down into the ground next to your bulbs. The organic matter will encourage microorganisms by feeding beneficial fungi and bacteria in the ground. This means good natural food for your bulbs and good natural soil aeration so your bulbs can grow nice and consistently over the years.
*All Garden Gloves are 20% off! We have a great selection of gloves. Check out our selection of West County Gardener Gloves (http://www.westcountygardener.com/). They are a top of the line glove and of course they are on sale this week. We have garden gloves of all price ranges and types; don't be hobbled by blisters as you dig your bulbs.
Planting bulbs not exciting you? Well Terry S. has thought of you too!
*Fall Wreaths are 20% off! We have a great selection of fall wreaths at all our stores and they are on sale. Hang 'em high and save some money!
*Paperwhite bulbs are 20% off when you buy 5 or more! Now is a great time to start some paperwhite narcissus. They make a great flowering garden for inside the house. We also have some great containers to match up with your paperwhites. Some people keep their paperwhites going all winter long by starting the bulbs at different times through the winter.
We also still have perennials, shrubs, and trees on sale for some great prices. And Fall is still the best Time for Planting.We also still have a great selection of Fall Mums, pumpkins, and gourds that will give your home and yard a great fall look!
Come see us, enjoy and save!
*This Saturday October 20 we are holding one of our most popular classes "Pruning for a Purpose". We are offering 2 classes; one is at 9 AM and the other is at 1 PM. The class is free of charge; Make outdoor trees and shrubs fall into shape. Rejuvenate established plants and start new plants on that great gardening path. Email us at info@skillins.com if you would like to register for the class; just let us know the time and location (Brunswick, Cumberland or Falmouth).Now onto our exciting specials for the week:
*All outdoor bulbs are 20% off! That Terry Skillin is something else. We just get to the perfect time of year for planting bulbs and he gives the order: "All outdoor bulbs are 20% off!" This is not an end of season or pre season or post season sale. No folks, THIS IS THE PERFECT TIME for planting bulbs! And Terry has made it even more perfect by giving you tulips, daffodils, crocus, hyacinth and many other varieties at 20% off.
*Tools for planting bulbs are 20% off. These tools include a bulb auger which is great for planting bulbs deep. We have found that in Maine it is best to plant bulbs as deep as you can. Most tulips should be about 10" deep; which is way deeper than we might have recommended in the past and is deeper than even our packages suggest. The reason for planting tulips so deep is that a deep planting keeps your sensitive tulips nice and cool during our warm summers. I think that crocus and daffodils should be planted deeper than we have recommended in the past. Our bulb planters are also 20% off.
*Bulb-Tone a great natural fertilizer we recommend for planting with your bulbs is 20% off. Planting your bulbs with a little bit of Bulb-Tone is a great way to get some organic matter down into the ground next to your bulbs. The organic matter will encourage microorganisms by feeding beneficial fungi and bacteria in the ground. This means good natural food for your bulbs and good natural soil aeration so your bulbs can grow nice and consistently over the years.
*All Garden Gloves are 20% off! We have a great selection of gloves. Check out our selection of West County Gardener Gloves (http://www.westcountygardener.com/). They are a top of the line glove and of course they are on sale this week. We have garden gloves of all price ranges and types; don't be hobbled by blisters as you dig your bulbs.
Planting bulbs not exciting you? Well Terry S. has thought of you too!
*Fall Wreaths are 20% off! We have a great selection of fall wreaths at all our stores and they are on sale. Hang 'em high and save some money!
*Paperwhite bulbs are 20% off when you buy 5 or more! Now is a great time to start some paperwhite narcissus. They make a great flowering garden for inside the house. We also have some great containers to match up with your paperwhites. Some people keep their paperwhites going all winter long by starting the bulbs at different times through the winter.
We also still have perennials, shrubs, and trees on sale for some great prices. And Fall is still the best Time for Planting.We also still have a great selection of Fall Mums, pumpkins, and gourds that will give your home and yard a great fall look!
Come see us, enjoy and save!
Pink Tulips!
The Maine Cancer Foundation is once again sponsoring the Pink Tulip Project; where they are Raising Awareness and Funds for Women's Cancer Research one pink tulip at a time! Check out more details at http://www.mainecancer.org/
If you would like to contribute to the cause, visit Skillin's in Falmouth this Saturday October 20 from 10 AM to 2 PM. A representative from the Pink Tulip Project will be here to explain more about what the Maine Cancer Foundation is doing to raise awareness and funds for women's cancer research.
For every monetary contribution on Saturday October 20 from 10 AM to 2 PM at Skillin's Falmouth to the Maine Cancer Foundation you will receive 3 pink tulips to plant courtesy of the Maine Cancer Foundation.
So, if you are able come on out to Skillin's Falmouth this Saturday October 20 from 10 AM to 2 PM and give your support to an awesome cause--the Pink Tulip Project!
Thanks,
Mike Skillin
If you would like to contribute to the cause, visit Skillin's in Falmouth this Saturday October 20 from 10 AM to 2 PM. A representative from the Pink Tulip Project will be here to explain more about what the Maine Cancer Foundation is doing to raise awareness and funds for women's cancer research.
For every monetary contribution on Saturday October 20 from 10 AM to 2 PM at Skillin's Falmouth to the Maine Cancer Foundation you will receive 3 pink tulips to plant courtesy of the Maine Cancer Foundation.
So, if you are able come on out to Skillin's Falmouth this Saturday October 20 from 10 AM to 2 PM and give your support to an awesome cause--the Pink Tulip Project!
Thanks,
Mike Skillin
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Garden Talks and Garden Thoughts
Hello again,
Just to pick up where I left on my post (still displayed below on the Garden Log) of October 6, I spent a morning at home this week feeding a healthy dose of Miracal by Jonathan Green and Nature's Turf by North Country Organics down onto my lawn. My lawn can suffer because many parts of it sit on ledge that is just a few inches underneath the surface of the soil. Therefore, it is easy for cold winter weather and the droughts of summer to really wreak havoc with the grass roots that lie in shallow soil.
The best antidote for this is to consistenly build up the organic matter in the soil. That is why I continually recommend feeding your lawn naturally by feeding it two to three times yearly with a good natural fertilizer like Nature's Turf by North Country Organics. A healthy soil means healthier plant roots for my grass and healthier roots are much better able to withstand the roller coaster effect of cold winters and hot dry summers!
As I was whirling around the yard with my lawn spreader, I noticed that my perennial garden needs some attention. My Spring and summer blooming perennials need a trim back as much of the growth is really passing by. So an aggressive cleaning of dead and dying material is in order. Once this is done, my perennial bed should be fairly clean leaving me plenty of room to maneuver around the garden and to get a good fall feeding of a natural fertilizer like Plant Tone by Espoma or Pro Start by North Country Organics onto the soil. Pro Start might be the best choice for now since it is lower in nitrogen than the Plant Tone or Pro Gro BUT either of these natural fertilizers will accomplish the goal of getting some quality organic material into my perennial beds! Remember, for the sake of the soil, I recommend a couple of applications of either Plant Tone or Pro Gro (or Pro Start) per season for perennials.
A question by one of our readers:
We bought a Rose of Sharon plant/bush from your garden center last year. My question is, how do we protect that over the winter months?? It did make it through this past winter but appeared to be late, blooming. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
And the answer:
I think one of the keys to the Rose of Sharon is giving it good thorough waterings once or twice weekly between now and when the ground freezes. Once that ground gets good and crunchy I would mulch or cover the soil a good few inches around the base of the plant to keep the ground around from freezing and thawing too much. Once Spring arrives I would give it a good feeding of a good all purpose natural fertilizer like Pro Gro by North Country Organics. I would also liquid feed a few times in the Spring and early summer with some Fish/Seaweed extract from Neptune’s Harvest. Follow up with some more Pro Gro in mid to late summer.These fertilizers will really improve the soil over time and should make your Rose of Sharon quite happy and that is what we want a happy Rose of Sharon!
Don't forget let us know if you have any gardening questions at skillins@maine.rr.com!
I have spoken to quite a few customers in the last few days about grubs in their lawn. The heavy infiltration of Japanese Beetles from this past summer have left plenty of baby grubs in people's lawns and gardens. These grubs are at or near the surface of the soil right now and they are being manifested by much nightly skunk traffic where the skunks are poking their faces into the ground and making holes in your lawn. One customer's yard is constantly being invaded by crows who are devouring chunks of lawn and garden while going after the grubs. And of course, moles will soon be tunneling through going after grubs. Boy, these grubs must taste good! Now is a great time to apply Milky Spore to your soil and that Milky Spore will control those grubs for years. Take charge with Milky Spore! Find out more about Milky Spore bacteria at http://www.milkyspore.com/ or even better come see us at Skillin's and we can help you out! Milky Spore is easy and safe to apply; it is all natural and will not harm beneficial organisms like earthworms and nematodes.
It is nearly time to store our summer flowering bulbs such as tuberous begonias, dahlias and gladiolas for the winter. Unfortunately these lovely bulbs cannot survive our winters outdoors in the garden.
After a truly hard frost has knocked the life out of the foliage of these bulbs, I dig them carefully out of the ground. You will be amazed at the growth your bulbs have put on over the summer! Cut the foliage away from the bulbs (such foliage makes great compost!) and knock as much soil as possible off the bulbs. Let them sit for a couple of days on your porch or deck until all the soil can be easily rubbed off.
Dahlias and glads in particular will have added to the parent bulbs over the summer. By that I mean that the dahlia tubers will have added new tubers and the gladiola corms will have added new corms to the parent corm. Feel free to break off these new additions; they will mean more plants next year! Tuberous begonias will have almost doubled in size. There is really nothing to divide but in a situation where you may have had 4 or 5 begonia tubers in one container for 2007 this means for 2008 in the same container you can probably have 3 begonia tubers and still have the same showy look. This means more containers of beautiful tuberous begonias next year.
Winter storage of these bulbs should have 3 goals:
(1) Treat the bulbs for any mildew or little bugs they might have now. Bulbs are living creatures; mildew can reside on them or tiny bugs called thrips can also call your bulbs home. We recommend a product called Bulb Dust by Bonide. I put some bulb dust in a plastic bag and place some bulbs in that bag. Close the bag and shake it well; this dust will cover the bulbs and help get rid of mildew and pesky little bugs such as thrips.
(2) Prevent the bulbs from freezing. The bulbs should be stored in a situation where the winter temperatures are cool—between 40 and 50 degrees. I have an unheated crawl space under my house that works well. Most people have heated basements that may well be too warm. I have heard of people digging a hole about 18” deep outside next to their foundation where the temperature hovers just above the freezing mark.(I have not tried this method myself). Some people have cool basement corners and store their bulbs against the cool basement walls.
(3) Prevent the bulbs from dehydrating. I store my bulbs nestled in some loose good quality potting soil or peat moss in the same plastic bags that I shook them with the Bulb Dust. Once I have the bulbs snuggled in with the soil or peat moss, I tie up the bag and wish them a good winter’s sleep. A "zip loc" baggie works great as well!
In late February, it will be time to wake the tuberous begonias and pot them in fresh soil. They will have to stay indoors near a sunny window until the danger of hard frost is past in the Spring. “Ditto” for the dahlias except I would plan on starting them in early March. The glads can be started indoors in mid April.
One final note about bulbs! We have a great selection of fall bulbs like tulips, daffodils, crocus, alliums, fritillaria and more here at Skillin’s! These Spring flowering bulbs are planted in the fall!
Thanks for reading the Skillin's Garden Log and let us know if you have any questions at skillins@maine.rr.com!
Thanks,
Mike Skillin
Just to pick up where I left on my post (still displayed below on the Garden Log) of October 6, I spent a morning at home this week feeding a healthy dose of Miracal by Jonathan Green and Nature's Turf by North Country Organics down onto my lawn. My lawn can suffer because many parts of it sit on ledge that is just a few inches underneath the surface of the soil. Therefore, it is easy for cold winter weather and the droughts of summer to really wreak havoc with the grass roots that lie in shallow soil.
The best antidote for this is to consistenly build up the organic matter in the soil. That is why I continually recommend feeding your lawn naturally by feeding it two to three times yearly with a good natural fertilizer like Nature's Turf by North Country Organics. A healthy soil means healthier plant roots for my grass and healthier roots are much better able to withstand the roller coaster effect of cold winters and hot dry summers!
As I was whirling around the yard with my lawn spreader, I noticed that my perennial garden needs some attention. My Spring and summer blooming perennials need a trim back as much of the growth is really passing by. So an aggressive cleaning of dead and dying material is in order. Once this is done, my perennial bed should be fairly clean leaving me plenty of room to maneuver around the garden and to get a good fall feeding of a natural fertilizer like Plant Tone by Espoma or Pro Start by North Country Organics onto the soil. Pro Start might be the best choice for now since it is lower in nitrogen than the Plant Tone or Pro Gro BUT either of these natural fertilizers will accomplish the goal of getting some quality organic material into my perennial beds! Remember, for the sake of the soil, I recommend a couple of applications of either Plant Tone or Pro Gro (or Pro Start) per season for perennials.
A question by one of our readers:
We bought a Rose of Sharon plant/bush from your garden center last year. My question is, how do we protect that over the winter months?? It did make it through this past winter but appeared to be late, blooming. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
And the answer:
I think one of the keys to the Rose of Sharon is giving it good thorough waterings once or twice weekly between now and when the ground freezes. Once that ground gets good and crunchy I would mulch or cover the soil a good few inches around the base of the plant to keep the ground around from freezing and thawing too much. Once Spring arrives I would give it a good feeding of a good all purpose natural fertilizer like Pro Gro by North Country Organics. I would also liquid feed a few times in the Spring and early summer with some Fish/Seaweed extract from Neptune’s Harvest. Follow up with some more Pro Gro in mid to late summer.These fertilizers will really improve the soil over time and should make your Rose of Sharon quite happy and that is what we want a happy Rose of Sharon!
Don't forget let us know if you have any gardening questions at skillins@maine.rr.com!
I have spoken to quite a few customers in the last few days about grubs in their lawn. The heavy infiltration of Japanese Beetles from this past summer have left plenty of baby grubs in people's lawns and gardens. These grubs are at or near the surface of the soil right now and they are being manifested by much nightly skunk traffic where the skunks are poking their faces into the ground and making holes in your lawn. One customer's yard is constantly being invaded by crows who are devouring chunks of lawn and garden while going after the grubs. And of course, moles will soon be tunneling through going after grubs. Boy, these grubs must taste good! Now is a great time to apply Milky Spore to your soil and that Milky Spore will control those grubs for years. Take charge with Milky Spore! Find out more about Milky Spore bacteria at http://www.milkyspore.com/ or even better come see us at Skillin's and we can help you out! Milky Spore is easy and safe to apply; it is all natural and will not harm beneficial organisms like earthworms and nematodes.
It is nearly time to store our summer flowering bulbs such as tuberous begonias, dahlias and gladiolas for the winter. Unfortunately these lovely bulbs cannot survive our winters outdoors in the garden.
After a truly hard frost has knocked the life out of the foliage of these bulbs, I dig them carefully out of the ground. You will be amazed at the growth your bulbs have put on over the summer! Cut the foliage away from the bulbs (such foliage makes great compost!) and knock as much soil as possible off the bulbs. Let them sit for a couple of days on your porch or deck until all the soil can be easily rubbed off.
Dahlias and glads in particular will have added to the parent bulbs over the summer. By that I mean that the dahlia tubers will have added new tubers and the gladiola corms will have added new corms to the parent corm. Feel free to break off these new additions; they will mean more plants next year! Tuberous begonias will have almost doubled in size. There is really nothing to divide but in a situation where you may have had 4 or 5 begonia tubers in one container for 2007 this means for 2008 in the same container you can probably have 3 begonia tubers and still have the same showy look. This means more containers of beautiful tuberous begonias next year.
Winter storage of these bulbs should have 3 goals:
(1) Treat the bulbs for any mildew or little bugs they might have now. Bulbs are living creatures; mildew can reside on them or tiny bugs called thrips can also call your bulbs home. We recommend a product called Bulb Dust by Bonide. I put some bulb dust in a plastic bag and place some bulbs in that bag. Close the bag and shake it well; this dust will cover the bulbs and help get rid of mildew and pesky little bugs such as thrips.
(2) Prevent the bulbs from freezing. The bulbs should be stored in a situation where the winter temperatures are cool—between 40 and 50 degrees. I have an unheated crawl space under my house that works well. Most people have heated basements that may well be too warm. I have heard of people digging a hole about 18” deep outside next to their foundation where the temperature hovers just above the freezing mark.(I have not tried this method myself). Some people have cool basement corners and store their bulbs against the cool basement walls.
(3) Prevent the bulbs from dehydrating. I store my bulbs nestled in some loose good quality potting soil or peat moss in the same plastic bags that I shook them with the Bulb Dust. Once I have the bulbs snuggled in with the soil or peat moss, I tie up the bag and wish them a good winter’s sleep. A "zip loc" baggie works great as well!
In late February, it will be time to wake the tuberous begonias and pot them in fresh soil. They will have to stay indoors near a sunny window until the danger of hard frost is past in the Spring. “Ditto” for the dahlias except I would plan on starting them in early March. The glads can be started indoors in mid April.
One final note about bulbs! We have a great selection of fall bulbs like tulips, daffodils, crocus, alliums, fritillaria and more here at Skillin’s! These Spring flowering bulbs are planted in the fall!
Thanks for reading the Skillin's Garden Log and let us know if you have any questions at skillins@maine.rr.com!
Thanks,
Mike Skillin
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Skillin's Fall Lineup Week 7! Fall Clean Up & Composting
Starting Thursday October 11 through Wednesday October 17 our Fall Lineup Theme is Fall Clean Up and Composting here at Skillin's.
*This Saturday October 13 we are holding our Beds to Rest class at each Skillin's store. We are offering 2 classes; one at 9 AM and also another at 1 PM. The class is free of charge; Getting a good winters rest makes the spring look brighter. Let us share with you how to get our perennials, roses and shrubs tucked away for winter. And before the tucking away should happen we can explain to you some of the wise steps of fall cleanup. Email us at info@skillins.com if you would like to register for the class; just let us know the time and location (Brunswick, Cumberland or Falmouth).
Now onto our exciting specials for the week:
*All Compost Bins are 20% off! Come let us show you how to set up your composting process for your yard. Make sure we give you our complimentary Skillin's Composting Book; a compiliation of good source material we have accumulated over the years.
*All Garden Carts are 20% off! Years ago, I purchased a 7 cubic foot capacity Agri Fab wooden cart here and I still use it in my yard all the time for hauling leaves, wood, garden cuttings and years ago my toddler son who is now a senior in high school! That is a great quality cart with lots of memories; and at 20% off this week you are probably paying less for the cart than I did years and years ago.
*All Garden Gloves are 20% off! We have a great selection of gloves. Check out our selection of West County Gardener Gloves (http://www.westcountygardener.com/). They are a top of the line glove and of course they are on sale this week. We have garden gloves of all price ranges and types; don't be hobbled by blisters!
*All Garden Rakes are 20 off! I am considered a little nutty by some because I LOVE to rake leaves; well maybe not LOVE but I love to get out there in the fresh air and rake those colorful leaves up. We have some great rakes of all price ranges on sale for you.
Lime is a great additive to your compost pile and also typically a good thing to put on the lawn to keep that pH range between 6.0 and 6.8; we have pelletized lime on sale for $3.49 per bag; it usually sells for $4.99
Have some bare ground that could use some enriching. For years, farmers and gardeners alike have sown "green manure" or a winter cover crop that can be "tilled" or cultivated into the ground in the Spring. We often recommend winter rye; which grows well in the fall; dies off by Spring and then can be cultivated into the ground as a good source of organic matter for your soil. Winter rye is on sale this week for 20% off.
We also still have perennials, shrubs, and trees on sale for some great prices. And Fall is still the best Time for Planting.
We also still have a great selection of Fall Mums, pumpkins, and gourds that will give your home and yard a great fall look!
Come see us, enjoy and save!
Mark Your Calendar
Every Tuesday is Mature Gardeners Day at Skillin’s! Those customers who qualify will receive 10% off all regularly priced items. (Sale items and volume restrictions do not usually apply and some other restrictions may apply).
Every Friday brings Flower Power Happy Hour where we offer fresh cut flower stems and bunches at 30% off their regular prices. The Happy Hour lasts from 4 PM until we close at 7 PM!! Every Friday!
Thanks,
Mike Skillin
*This Saturday October 13 we are holding our Beds to Rest class at each Skillin's store. We are offering 2 classes; one at 9 AM and also another at 1 PM. The class is free of charge; Getting a good winters rest makes the spring look brighter. Let us share with you how to get our perennials, roses and shrubs tucked away for winter. And before the tucking away should happen we can explain to you some of the wise steps of fall cleanup. Email us at info@skillins.com if you would like to register for the class; just let us know the time and location (Brunswick, Cumberland or Falmouth).
Now onto our exciting specials for the week:
*All Compost Bins are 20% off! Come let us show you how to set up your composting process for your yard. Make sure we give you our complimentary Skillin's Composting Book; a compiliation of good source material we have accumulated over the years.
*All Garden Carts are 20% off! Years ago, I purchased a 7 cubic foot capacity Agri Fab wooden cart here and I still use it in my yard all the time for hauling leaves, wood, garden cuttings and years ago my toddler son who is now a senior in high school! That is a great quality cart with lots of memories; and at 20% off this week you are probably paying less for the cart than I did years and years ago.
*All Garden Gloves are 20% off! We have a great selection of gloves. Check out our selection of West County Gardener Gloves (http://www.westcountygardener.com/). They are a top of the line glove and of course they are on sale this week. We have garden gloves of all price ranges and types; don't be hobbled by blisters!
*All Garden Rakes are 20 off! I am considered a little nutty by some because I LOVE to rake leaves; well maybe not LOVE but I love to get out there in the fresh air and rake those colorful leaves up. We have some great rakes of all price ranges on sale for you.
Lime is a great additive to your compost pile and also typically a good thing to put on the lawn to keep that pH range between 6.0 and 6.8; we have pelletized lime on sale for $3.49 per bag; it usually sells for $4.99
Have some bare ground that could use some enriching. For years, farmers and gardeners alike have sown "green manure" or a winter cover crop that can be "tilled" or cultivated into the ground in the Spring. We often recommend winter rye; which grows well in the fall; dies off by Spring and then can be cultivated into the ground as a good source of organic matter for your soil. Winter rye is on sale this week for 20% off.
We also still have perennials, shrubs, and trees on sale for some great prices. And Fall is still the best Time for Planting.
We also still have a great selection of Fall Mums, pumpkins, and gourds that will give your home and yard a great fall look!
Come see us, enjoy and save!
Mark Your Calendar
Every Tuesday is Mature Gardeners Day at Skillin’s! Those customers who qualify will receive 10% off all regularly priced items. (Sale items and volume restrictions do not usually apply and some other restrictions may apply).
Every Friday brings Flower Power Happy Hour where we offer fresh cut flower stems and bunches at 30% off their regular prices. The Happy Hour lasts from 4 PM until we close at 7 PM!! Every Friday!
Thanks,
Mike Skillin
Saturday, October 6, 2007
What I Did Today and What I Still Want/Need to Do
Hello again,
Well today I had an off day from Skillin's (back to work tomorrow) and what a gorgeous day it has been!
The day dawned cool but dry so I was able to get an early start on completing my outdoor painting project. I paint one side of the house per year which works pretty well for me. But the good news today is that I am done, done, done painting for the year. I peaked around to the next side and I can already see much scraping ahead for the late summer/fall of 2008 but we will pay that no mind for now. It is time to get back to the gardening chores and that is what I love.
First project was the weekly lawn mowing and I got that done. I need to tell you though it is dry out there and if we get no meaningful moisture in the coming week the growth in the lawn might be so slow that it will not be necessary or wise to mow next week. A dry lawn should not be mowed low; that will only accelerate any scorching.
I had quite a few leaves that had dropped on the lawn from some of my large maple trees in front of my house. Two things to note here:
1. I will grind up many of the fallen leaves with my lawn mower in the early going of autumn. Some ground leaves do provide some nice organice matter to the soil. But soon, the fallen leaves will be thick on the lawn. That is when I rake. I guess I am strange because I actually like to rake leaves. I do bag my leaves as the town will haul them off where they will be processed for compost somewhere. So raking and bagging leaves is good exercise and also a good environmental thing to do in most towns. Many people also rake them onto a tarp and haul their leaves into the woods and that too is a way of returning good organic matter to the earth.
You can add some leaves to your compost pile but in that scenario leaves add up quickly in volume but do not break down quickly; always add shredded leaves to the compost pile. They break down a little more quickly that way especially if you add some natural Compost Booster (sold right here at Skillin's). Either way you probably don't want to add too many leaves to the compost pile.
2. Large shade trees are an excellent investment here in Maine. The shade they provide your house in the summer gives a tremendous cooling benefit and over the course of time can save you thousands of dollars spent to cool your warm house. Also of course, these shade trees do a nice job of providing oxygen for us to breathe. Here at Skillin's we call these concepts "Planting for the Planet". Then in the winter once all those leaves have fallen there is a clear path for the rays of Mr. Sun to warm your house; you can spend much less on heating costs than if your house is trapped behind a big stand of evergreens for instance. This is called Smart Planting for the Planet. Let us help you out!
The second project was feeding my evergreens with Holly Tone by Espoma. We at Skillin's love Holly Tone--it is a wonderful organic based fertilizer that provides a good base of slow yield nutrients to the soil. Holly Tone is designed for evergreen trees and shrubs like rhodys, azaleas, mountain laurel and also blueberries and the wonderful Endless Summer Hydrangea and they all got a good feeding today.
Holly Tone also provides some nice organic matter to the soil that will encourage good fungi and bacteria development in the soil and that is a good thing! Some wonderful natural organisms like worms and microscopic nematodes feed on the fungi and bacteria and their existence provides soil aeration, a healthy carbon dioxide exchange with the air above and in the case of the earth worms some very nutritional castings that really make the soil rich for the long-term. Feeding your soil naturally is truly best for our planet and it is truly the best long haul practice for your garden plants.
My next stop was an inspection of some rose bushes I am growing. I have them in a protected southeastern spot that gets lots of sun during the summer and they have been good performers for the most part. Actually this has been their best year for me. I have fed them more this year and also tried to give them regular deep waterings slowly out of the garden hose. Today I side dressed them with some Rose Tone by Espoma--that is a close cousin of Holly Tone. For the reasons I just wrote about this will help the soil around the roses and should help the roses get off to a good start next Spring. I have side dressed them 3 or 4 times this season and also fed them every other week with Fish/Seaweed fertilizer by Neptune's Harvest. I know this seems like a lot and it is more attention than I have paid my roses before but darn it they are demanding! They need food and we have a very short season here in Maine; I wanted to naturally optimize the season and I have been pleased with the results. For several weeks in June and July and I guess well into August I regularly sprayed them with Serenade, an all natural fungicide and I was really pleased with the results.
Next on the list was disposing of my now tired Pickling Cucumber plant that produced so well for me in a large pot. Spring at Skillin's is very consuming and I did not get any vegetables planted in a garden during the Spring. So, in late June I grabbed some large pots and filled them with Coast of Maine Bar Harbor Blend (the BEST bagged soil I have ever seen--I recommend this for outdoor containers AND houseplants) and also a few handfuls of Plant Tone by Espoma that I put in layers throughout the Bar Harbor Blend.
I planted one pickling cucumber plant, two tomato plants and several combinations of different flowers. (More on the flowers later). I top dressed the soil a few times with the Plant Tone through the summer and also early on I watered once weekly with the Fish/Seaweed fertilizer by Neptune's Harvest. Hey, it was getting late and I had some catching up to do! Natural stimulation needed!
That pickling cuke did a great job with much encouragement and sun. As the summer drew into August every other day waterings were needed so I plunked more Plant Tone on the soil and did not use the liquid Fish/Seaweed anymore as so much water coming through would just leach out the liquid food. But the wonderful soil, much sun and the consistent feedings of Plant Tone did the trick. Many sweet tasting pickling cukes. I prefer the pickling cukes; you pick them small; they taste great; less seeds and juicy! But in the last week or so the plant petered out and the soil and the plant have found their way to the compost pile. Job well done!
As I noted above, folks it is dry out there. So, then it was time to get some water to the rose bushes. I like to do this by just getting the water running slowly out of the hose and placing the hose at the base of each bush. This allows the water to run slowly down into the roots of the plant and the slow running of the water makes runoff very unlikely. I keep the hose at each plant for even up to an hour if it is really dry and then the plant is okay for days and days. I think this type of watering really helps my roses, also my flowering hydrangeas.
Alert, alert! Trees, shrubs and perennials planted this year should not be allowed to dry out. As soon as you can give them a quality watering. These plants should get quality waterings once or twice a week from now until the ground freezes!
I do have an annual bed of flowers on which I will turn up the volume and let the water run over parts of the bed for a few minutes. I don't water my perennial beds often but it got so dry this summer they needed some water as they were wilting and I have soaker hoses set up for that.
That about finished today for me. I have more I want to do in the next few weeks. I need to turn my attention to my lawn. I recently wrote about Nature's Turf fertilizer a wonderful organic lawn food by North Country Organics; it is time to get some Nature's Turf down on my lawn. We recommend two to three feedings per year and my lawn is due.
Also our good friend Paul Tukey of People, Places and Plants magazine (http://www.ppplants.com/) and Safe Lawns.org recommends using Mira Cal by Jonathan Green as a great soil supplement instead of lime. The purpose of products like lime or Mira Cal is that they "sweeten" our soil; another way of raising the pH of the soil to a more neutral measurement of 7.0. Our soil will best and most efficiently use the nutrients we provide through our fertilizers with a neutral pH of 7.0 or just below, that is why lime and now Mira Cal is so often recommended. Plus our soils are often found deficient in calcium and other important minerals that Mira Cal and lime provides. Paul Tukey recommends Mira Cal because it works faster than lime and he believes that it is better designed for our lawns with less emphasis on magnesium. Paul feels that too much magnesium encourages weed growth more than lawn growth. So, I will try some of that Mira Cal. Check out more about Mira Cal at http://www.jonathangreen.com/.
It has been a productive gardening year and the soil around my flowering perennials and shrubs have been tapped pretty hard. After I deal with the lawn, it will be time to do good cutting back of many of my perennials. Then once some space is cleared I want to get a good feeding of either Plant Tone by Espoma or Pro Start by North Country Organics to the soil. Either are a great natural fertilizer that will really improve that soil around my flowering perennials and deciduous shrubs as this year draws to a close and the next year gets underway. A more healthy soil helps plants to better withstand summer drought and winter cold and Maine offers plenty of both!
That is not all folks! There will be more to do before winter hits and we will have much to discuss between now and then. So, I will be talking to you soon!
Please send me any questions or comments at info@skillins.com or click on comment just below!
Thanks,
Mike Skillin
Well today I had an off day from Skillin's (back to work tomorrow) and what a gorgeous day it has been!
The day dawned cool but dry so I was able to get an early start on completing my outdoor painting project. I paint one side of the house per year which works pretty well for me. But the good news today is that I am done, done, done painting for the year. I peaked around to the next side and I can already see much scraping ahead for the late summer/fall of 2008 but we will pay that no mind for now. It is time to get back to the gardening chores and that is what I love.
First project was the weekly lawn mowing and I got that done. I need to tell you though it is dry out there and if we get no meaningful moisture in the coming week the growth in the lawn might be so slow that it will not be necessary or wise to mow next week. A dry lawn should not be mowed low; that will only accelerate any scorching.
I had quite a few leaves that had dropped on the lawn from some of my large maple trees in front of my house. Two things to note here:
1. I will grind up many of the fallen leaves with my lawn mower in the early going of autumn. Some ground leaves do provide some nice organice matter to the soil. But soon, the fallen leaves will be thick on the lawn. That is when I rake. I guess I am strange because I actually like to rake leaves. I do bag my leaves as the town will haul them off where they will be processed for compost somewhere. So raking and bagging leaves is good exercise and also a good environmental thing to do in most towns. Many people also rake them onto a tarp and haul their leaves into the woods and that too is a way of returning good organic matter to the earth.
You can add some leaves to your compost pile but in that scenario leaves add up quickly in volume but do not break down quickly; always add shredded leaves to the compost pile. They break down a little more quickly that way especially if you add some natural Compost Booster (sold right here at Skillin's). Either way you probably don't want to add too many leaves to the compost pile.
2. Large shade trees are an excellent investment here in Maine. The shade they provide your house in the summer gives a tremendous cooling benefit and over the course of time can save you thousands of dollars spent to cool your warm house. Also of course, these shade trees do a nice job of providing oxygen for us to breathe. Here at Skillin's we call these concepts "Planting for the Planet". Then in the winter once all those leaves have fallen there is a clear path for the rays of Mr. Sun to warm your house; you can spend much less on heating costs than if your house is trapped behind a big stand of evergreens for instance. This is called Smart Planting for the Planet. Let us help you out!
The second project was feeding my evergreens with Holly Tone by Espoma. We at Skillin's love Holly Tone--it is a wonderful organic based fertilizer that provides a good base of slow yield nutrients to the soil. Holly Tone is designed for evergreen trees and shrubs like rhodys, azaleas, mountain laurel and also blueberries and the wonderful Endless Summer Hydrangea and they all got a good feeding today.
Holly Tone also provides some nice organic matter to the soil that will encourage good fungi and bacteria development in the soil and that is a good thing! Some wonderful natural organisms like worms and microscopic nematodes feed on the fungi and bacteria and their existence provides soil aeration, a healthy carbon dioxide exchange with the air above and in the case of the earth worms some very nutritional castings that really make the soil rich for the long-term. Feeding your soil naturally is truly best for our planet and it is truly the best long haul practice for your garden plants.
My next stop was an inspection of some rose bushes I am growing. I have them in a protected southeastern spot that gets lots of sun during the summer and they have been good performers for the most part. Actually this has been their best year for me. I have fed them more this year and also tried to give them regular deep waterings slowly out of the garden hose. Today I side dressed them with some Rose Tone by Espoma--that is a close cousin of Holly Tone. For the reasons I just wrote about this will help the soil around the roses and should help the roses get off to a good start next Spring. I have side dressed them 3 or 4 times this season and also fed them every other week with Fish/Seaweed fertilizer by Neptune's Harvest. I know this seems like a lot and it is more attention than I have paid my roses before but darn it they are demanding! They need food and we have a very short season here in Maine; I wanted to naturally optimize the season and I have been pleased with the results. For several weeks in June and July and I guess well into August I regularly sprayed them with Serenade, an all natural fungicide and I was really pleased with the results.
Next on the list was disposing of my now tired Pickling Cucumber plant that produced so well for me in a large pot. Spring at Skillin's is very consuming and I did not get any vegetables planted in a garden during the Spring. So, in late June I grabbed some large pots and filled them with Coast of Maine Bar Harbor Blend (the BEST bagged soil I have ever seen--I recommend this for outdoor containers AND houseplants) and also a few handfuls of Plant Tone by Espoma that I put in layers throughout the Bar Harbor Blend.
I planted one pickling cucumber plant, two tomato plants and several combinations of different flowers. (More on the flowers later). I top dressed the soil a few times with the Plant Tone through the summer and also early on I watered once weekly with the Fish/Seaweed fertilizer by Neptune's Harvest. Hey, it was getting late and I had some catching up to do! Natural stimulation needed!
That pickling cuke did a great job with much encouragement and sun. As the summer drew into August every other day waterings were needed so I plunked more Plant Tone on the soil and did not use the liquid Fish/Seaweed anymore as so much water coming through would just leach out the liquid food. But the wonderful soil, much sun and the consistent feedings of Plant Tone did the trick. Many sweet tasting pickling cukes. I prefer the pickling cukes; you pick them small; they taste great; less seeds and juicy! But in the last week or so the plant petered out and the soil and the plant have found their way to the compost pile. Job well done!
As I noted above, folks it is dry out there. So, then it was time to get some water to the rose bushes. I like to do this by just getting the water running slowly out of the hose and placing the hose at the base of each bush. This allows the water to run slowly down into the roots of the plant and the slow running of the water makes runoff very unlikely. I keep the hose at each plant for even up to an hour if it is really dry and then the plant is okay for days and days. I think this type of watering really helps my roses, also my flowering hydrangeas.
Alert, alert! Trees, shrubs and perennials planted this year should not be allowed to dry out. As soon as you can give them a quality watering. These plants should get quality waterings once or twice a week from now until the ground freezes!
I do have an annual bed of flowers on which I will turn up the volume and let the water run over parts of the bed for a few minutes. I don't water my perennial beds often but it got so dry this summer they needed some water as they were wilting and I have soaker hoses set up for that.
That about finished today for me. I have more I want to do in the next few weeks. I need to turn my attention to my lawn. I recently wrote about Nature's Turf fertilizer a wonderful organic lawn food by North Country Organics; it is time to get some Nature's Turf down on my lawn. We recommend two to three feedings per year and my lawn is due.
Also our good friend Paul Tukey of People, Places and Plants magazine (http://www.ppplants.com/) and Safe Lawns.org recommends using Mira Cal by Jonathan Green as a great soil supplement instead of lime. The purpose of products like lime or Mira Cal is that they "sweeten" our soil; another way of raising the pH of the soil to a more neutral measurement of 7.0. Our soil will best and most efficiently use the nutrients we provide through our fertilizers with a neutral pH of 7.0 or just below, that is why lime and now Mira Cal is so often recommended. Plus our soils are often found deficient in calcium and other important minerals that Mira Cal and lime provides. Paul Tukey recommends Mira Cal because it works faster than lime and he believes that it is better designed for our lawns with less emphasis on magnesium. Paul feels that too much magnesium encourages weed growth more than lawn growth. So, I will try some of that Mira Cal. Check out more about Mira Cal at http://www.jonathangreen.com/.
It has been a productive gardening year and the soil around my flowering perennials and shrubs have been tapped pretty hard. After I deal with the lawn, it will be time to do good cutting back of many of my perennials. Then once some space is cleared I want to get a good feeding of either Plant Tone by Espoma or Pro Start by North Country Organics to the soil. Either are a great natural fertilizer that will really improve that soil around my flowering perennials and deciduous shrubs as this year draws to a close and the next year gets underway. A more healthy soil helps plants to better withstand summer drought and winter cold and Maine offers plenty of both!
That is not all folks! There will be more to do before winter hits and we will have much to discuss between now and then. So, I will be talking to you soon!
Please send me any questions or comments at info@skillins.com or click on comment just below!
Thanks,
Mike Skillin
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Garden Talks and Garden Thoughts
Fall Bulbs bring Spring Color: Our Fall bulbs are in! What a great time to start planning for Spring color! Winter can seem so long…but planting these bulbs can give us the courage to face all those cold months!
With visions of Spring in our minds, it is difficult to slow down make sure that our bulbs are planted timely and at the correct depth. Buying bulbs in late September and early October is fine because this is when the best selection is available. However, we should not plant our bulbs until mid October. Planting too early can cause more growth to develop from the bulbs than is appropriate in the fall.
As soon as bulbs are planted they are ready to release their stored energy. First they develop leaves and flower buds. Then to support this growth they develop their roots. Often this growth develops and grows within an inch of the soil’s surface. Bulbs depend on their own biological clock to tell them when to stop growing for the winter. Soil temperature is an important part of this process. If the new bulb is exposed to warm soil temperatures too soon and for too long they will “over develop” and perhaps grow above the soil’s surface before they are ready.
Planting at the correct depth is equally important; please see the listing below for detailed depth instructions:
BULB TYPE
INCH DEPTH
Snowdrops
2 to 3
Crocus
3
Rock garden tulips and narcissus
3
Grape hyacinth
3
Hyacinth
4 to 5
Trumpet daffodils
6 to 8
Darwin tulips
10 to 12
Fritillaria
10 to 12
Allium (ornamental onions)
10 to 12
We had a great training session today taught by Paul Sachs of North Country Organics. (http://www.norganics.com/)
Paul reminded us that the long-term success of any plant in your yard or garden (and also the long-term success of your lawn) can be much better insured by a complex soil environment where the biological activity in the soil is rich and alive! More and more researchers and scientists are starting to realize the awesome value of a biologically active soil.
Almost all of the nutrients utilized by plants—especially those obscure but
essential elements that are not normally added to conventional fertilizer—are
made available to plants by soil organisms. One of the most important and
essential nutrients for all plants is carbon dioxide, which would not be available
in ample quantities if it weren’t for the work of soil organisms (such as earthworms and microscopic yet very beneficial nematodes). Healthy populations of these
beneficial organisms depend on a constant supply of organic residues.
This is where we the home gardener come into play. How can we best provide this constant supply of organic residues to keep our friendly worms and nematodes chugging out that organic matter to keep our soil rich. We can responsibly use good organic and natural products to treat our soil such as rich compost like the Coast of Maine series or well thought out natural fertlizers like Pro Gro or Nature's Turf by North Country Organics. These products are sold here at Skillin's; and now is a great time to get some organic matter to that soil or to naturally feed your lawn if you have not done either for awhile. Your plants will thank you many times over and you will have that super yard or garden you really want. Naturally, of course!
Other benefits of a biologically active soil include soil aggregation, thatch reduction,
more efficient release of available plant nutrients, improved soil atmospheric
respiration, systemic acquired disease resistance, anti oxidant hormone
production, improved water infiltration, increased water and oxygen holding
capacity, deeper and more extensive turf and plant roots, mycorrhizal associations,
reduced soil compaction, and improved turf density with consequent weed
suppression.
What the heck does all this mean? It means if you encourage soil organism activity in the ground you will have a lawn and garden plants with better, stronger and deeper roots that will give you more steady and timely growth and a better ability to survive both cold and drought (two real factors here in Maine), plants with stronger cells, less water runoff (saving precious water) and you will naturally get less weeds.
(Much of the above material was taken from North Country Organic's web site at http://www.norganics.com/).
Are you looking at lawn areas plagued by weeds and drought from this past summer. NOW is a great time to get some grass seed down in those areas. The soil is still warm and the sun is still plentiful for great grass germination.
Let us know at skillins@maine.rr.com if you have any gardening questions!
Thanks,
Mike Skillin
With visions of Spring in our minds, it is difficult to slow down make sure that our bulbs are planted timely and at the correct depth. Buying bulbs in late September and early October is fine because this is when the best selection is available. However, we should not plant our bulbs until mid October. Planting too early can cause more growth to develop from the bulbs than is appropriate in the fall.
As soon as bulbs are planted they are ready to release their stored energy. First they develop leaves and flower buds. Then to support this growth they develop their roots. Often this growth develops and grows within an inch of the soil’s surface. Bulbs depend on their own biological clock to tell them when to stop growing for the winter. Soil temperature is an important part of this process. If the new bulb is exposed to warm soil temperatures too soon and for too long they will “over develop” and perhaps grow above the soil’s surface before they are ready.
Planting at the correct depth is equally important; please see the listing below for detailed depth instructions:
BULB TYPE
INCH DEPTH
Snowdrops
2 to 3
Crocus
3
Rock garden tulips and narcissus
3
Grape hyacinth
3
Hyacinth
4 to 5
Trumpet daffodils
6 to 8
Darwin tulips
10 to 12
Fritillaria
10 to 12
Allium (ornamental onions)
10 to 12
We had a great training session today taught by Paul Sachs of North Country Organics. (http://www.norganics.com/)
Paul reminded us that the long-term success of any plant in your yard or garden (and also the long-term success of your lawn) can be much better insured by a complex soil environment where the biological activity in the soil is rich and alive! More and more researchers and scientists are starting to realize the awesome value of a biologically active soil.
Almost all of the nutrients utilized by plants—especially those obscure but
essential elements that are not normally added to conventional fertilizer—are
made available to plants by soil organisms. One of the most important and
essential nutrients for all plants is carbon dioxide, which would not be available
in ample quantities if it weren’t for the work of soil organisms (such as earthworms and microscopic yet very beneficial nematodes). Healthy populations of these
beneficial organisms depend on a constant supply of organic residues.
This is where we the home gardener come into play. How can we best provide this constant supply of organic residues to keep our friendly worms and nematodes chugging out that organic matter to keep our soil rich. We can responsibly use good organic and natural products to treat our soil such as rich compost like the Coast of Maine series or well thought out natural fertlizers like Pro Gro or Nature's Turf by North Country Organics. These products are sold here at Skillin's; and now is a great time to get some organic matter to that soil or to naturally feed your lawn if you have not done either for awhile. Your plants will thank you many times over and you will have that super yard or garden you really want. Naturally, of course!
Other benefits of a biologically active soil include soil aggregation, thatch reduction,
more efficient release of available plant nutrients, improved soil atmospheric
respiration, systemic acquired disease resistance, anti oxidant hormone
production, improved water infiltration, increased water and oxygen holding
capacity, deeper and more extensive turf and plant roots, mycorrhizal associations,
reduced soil compaction, and improved turf density with consequent weed
suppression.
What the heck does all this mean? It means if you encourage soil organism activity in the ground you will have a lawn and garden plants with better, stronger and deeper roots that will give you more steady and timely growth and a better ability to survive both cold and drought (two real factors here in Maine), plants with stronger cells, less water runoff (saving precious water) and you will naturally get less weeds.
(Much of the above material was taken from North Country Organic's web site at http://www.norganics.com/).
Are you looking at lawn areas plagued by weeds and drought from this past summer. NOW is a great time to get some grass seed down in those areas. The soil is still warm and the sun is still plentiful for great grass germination.
Let us know at skillins@maine.rr.com if you have any gardening questions!
Thanks,
Mike Skillin
Mark Your Calendar for October and November Classes and Events!
Here is our entire class and event listing for the months of October and November.
You may call us at any of the stores (check http://www.skillins.com/ for contact info) or email us at info@skillins.com. Don’t forget to specify the date, time and Skillin’s location. Here they are:
October
6th Birds in the back yard (9am only)
Get the most out of our back yard friends the birds. This class has helpful useful tips to prepare and the enjoyment our feathered friends.
6th Bulbs for Blooming (1 PM only)
Skillin’s simply has THE BEST bulb selection in Maine. Let us show you one of the first steps in Spring gardening—reliable steps for planting beautiful flowers.
13th Beds to Rest (9 am & 1 pm)
Getting a good winters rest makes the spring look brighter. Let us share with you how to get our perennials, roses and shrubs tucked away for winter.
20th Pruning for a Purpose (9am & 1pm)
Make outdoor trees and shrubs fall into shape. Rejuvenate established plants and start new plants on that great gardening path
27th Holiday Fun (9am & 1pm)
It is never too early to start. Learn how to make your own holiday wreath. There is a $20.00 fee for this class! You get to bring home what you made!
November
3rd Deck Your Halls (9am & 1pm)
If trimming your tree, decorating your fireplace mantle or hall have you scratching your head, let the experts at Skillin’s show you the tricks of the trade, Plus don’t know how to make a bow, we will devote time to show you how.
10th Holiday Arrangements (9am & 1pm)
Get hands on experience. We will show you how to make boxwood trees! There is a $20.00 fee for this class. Special encore class at Falmouth on November 12 @ 5 PM.
17th and 18th Skillin’s Annual Christmas Open House
Demonstrations, great ideas, refreshments, door prizes loads and loads of great holiday merchandise and more!
Any class attendees receive a special 10% off Class Coupon!
If your group of 10 people or more would like to book any of our classes for a time and day that best suits you please call for scheduling and reservations.
If your favorite class is full check for dates and times for encore classes.
Every Tuesday is Mature Gardeners Day at Skillin’s! Those customers who qualify will receive 10% off all regularly priced items. (Sale items and volume restrictions do not usually apply and some other restrictions may apply).
Every Friday brings Flower Power Happy Hour where we offer fresh cut flower stems and bunches at 30% off their regular prices. The Happy Hour lasts from 4 PM until we close at 7 PM!! Every Friday!
You may call us at any of the stores (check http://www.skillins.com/ for contact info) or email us at info@skillins.com. Don’t forget to specify the date, time and Skillin’s location. Here they are:
October
6th Birds in the back yard (9am only)
Get the most out of our back yard friends the birds. This class has helpful useful tips to prepare and the enjoyment our feathered friends.
6th Bulbs for Blooming (1 PM only)
Skillin’s simply has THE BEST bulb selection in Maine. Let us show you one of the first steps in Spring gardening—reliable steps for planting beautiful flowers.
13th Beds to Rest (9 am & 1 pm)
Getting a good winters rest makes the spring look brighter. Let us share with you how to get our perennials, roses and shrubs tucked away for winter.
20th Pruning for a Purpose (9am & 1pm)
Make outdoor trees and shrubs fall into shape. Rejuvenate established plants and start new plants on that great gardening path
27th Holiday Fun (9am & 1pm)
It is never too early to start. Learn how to make your own holiday wreath. There is a $20.00 fee for this class! You get to bring home what you made!
November
3rd Deck Your Halls (9am & 1pm)
If trimming your tree, decorating your fireplace mantle or hall have you scratching your head, let the experts at Skillin’s show you the tricks of the trade, Plus don’t know how to make a bow, we will devote time to show you how.
10th Holiday Arrangements (9am & 1pm)
Get hands on experience. We will show you how to make boxwood trees! There is a $20.00 fee for this class. Special encore class at Falmouth on November 12 @ 5 PM.
17th and 18th Skillin’s Annual Christmas Open House
Demonstrations, great ideas, refreshments, door prizes loads and loads of great holiday merchandise and more!
Any class attendees receive a special 10% off Class Coupon!
If your group of 10 people or more would like to book any of our classes for a time and day that best suits you please call for scheduling and reservations.
If your favorite class is full check for dates and times for encore classes.
Every Tuesday is Mature Gardeners Day at Skillin’s! Those customers who qualify will receive 10% off all regularly priced items. (Sale items and volume restrictions do not usually apply and some other restrictions may apply).
Every Friday brings Flower Power Happy Hour where we offer fresh cut flower stems and bunches at 30% off their regular prices. The Happy Hour lasts from 4 PM until we close at 7 PM!! Every Friday!
Skillin's Fall Lineup Week 6! Mum's the Word!
Starting Thursday, October 4 and continuing through Wednesday October 10 "Mum" is the word at Skillin's. We are selling our Skillin grown (right in Falmouth ME) Mums in various ways.
Unlike some of our more, shall we say "Nationally known" competitors, we "time" our Mum crops so that we are always selling varieties that have most of their flowering ahead of them. In other words, we grow many different varieties so what you buy now will flower for weeks and weeks; making our Mums the best value around. And our Mums are all grown by fellow Mainers and that makes a purchase at Skillin's good for the local economy!
*Looking to spruce up your window box or corner part of your garden bed? Consider our Mums in a 4" pot for only $3.99
*Want to bunch together some color in a large container or highlight spot in your garden. We sell our Mums in an 8" pot for $5.99 and we offer a volume discount of Buy 5 for $5.49 apiece.
*A great portable size for a colorful show is our 10" potted mum for only $14.99.
*And of course, the granddaddy of them all! The famous Skillin's Mumbo Jumbo--the showstopper, the instant flowering shrub for only $24.99.
*To celebrate our Mum week we offer the following specials:
*All plant containers are 20% off.
*All potting soil, houseplant fertilizers, plant brackets and watering cans are 20% off.
STILL Gardening? Thought so, so we STILL have a fresh supply of perennials, shrubs, trees and groundcovers on SALE for you!
Just to remind you, we have two great classes this weekend; each class is offered at Brunswick, Cumberland and Falmouth:
*At 9 AM we have Birds in the Backyard and at 1 PM Bulbs for Planting. These are very timely classes for you to go to. And they are free of charge.
Just let us know at info@skillins.com if you would like to sign up for these classes and make sure you give us the time and store of your choice.
Mark Your Calendar
Every Tuesday is Mature Gardeners Day at Skillin’s! Those customers who qualify will receive 10% off all regularly priced items. (Sale items and volume restrictions do not usually apply and some other restrictions may apply).
Every Friday brings Flower Power Happy Hour where we offer fresh cut flower stems and bunches at 30% off their regular prices. The Happy Hour lasts from 4 PM until we close at 7 PM!! Every Friday!
Thanks for reading the Skillin's Garden Log. If you have time, send me a comment right here at the Garden Log or via info@skillins.com; it would be good to have a feel for how many people are checking out our new Skillin's Garden Log and how it is working for you, our customer and friend.
Mike Skillin
Unlike some of our more, shall we say "Nationally known" competitors, we "time" our Mum crops so that we are always selling varieties that have most of their flowering ahead of them. In other words, we grow many different varieties so what you buy now will flower for weeks and weeks; making our Mums the best value around. And our Mums are all grown by fellow Mainers and that makes a purchase at Skillin's good for the local economy!
*Looking to spruce up your window box or corner part of your garden bed? Consider our Mums in a 4" pot for only $3.99
*Want to bunch together some color in a large container or highlight spot in your garden. We sell our Mums in an 8" pot for $5.99 and we offer a volume discount of Buy 5 for $5.49 apiece.
*A great portable size for a colorful show is our 10" potted mum for only $14.99.
*And of course, the granddaddy of them all! The famous Skillin's Mumbo Jumbo--the showstopper, the instant flowering shrub for only $24.99.
*To celebrate our Mum week we offer the following specials:
*All plant containers are 20% off.
*All potting soil, houseplant fertilizers, plant brackets and watering cans are 20% off.
STILL Gardening? Thought so, so we STILL have a fresh supply of perennials, shrubs, trees and groundcovers on SALE for you!
Just to remind you, we have two great classes this weekend; each class is offered at Brunswick, Cumberland and Falmouth:
*At 9 AM we have Birds in the Backyard and at 1 PM Bulbs for Planting. These are very timely classes for you to go to. And they are free of charge.
Just let us know at info@skillins.com if you would like to sign up for these classes and make sure you give us the time and store of your choice.
Mark Your Calendar
Every Tuesday is Mature Gardeners Day at Skillin’s! Those customers who qualify will receive 10% off all regularly priced items. (Sale items and volume restrictions do not usually apply and some other restrictions may apply).
Every Friday brings Flower Power Happy Hour where we offer fresh cut flower stems and bunches at 30% off their regular prices. The Happy Hour lasts from 4 PM until we close at 7 PM!! Every Friday!
Thanks for reading the Skillin's Garden Log. If you have time, send me a comment right here at the Garden Log or via info@skillins.com; it would be good to have a feel for how many people are checking out our new Skillin's Garden Log and how it is working for you, our customer and friend.
Mike Skillin
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Support Hospice of Southern Maine
Hello again,
For the last several years, you our Skillin's customers have supported Hospice of Southern Maine through purchases of Fall Bulbs on the Saturday of Columbus Day weekend.
This year we have expanded your opportunity! This Saturday, October 6 we are open our regular hours from 8 AM to 5 PM. Skillin's is donating 10% of all sale proceeds from our Bruswick, Cumberland and Falmouth store for that day to Hospice of Southern Maine.
So come see us this Saturday. We have 2 exciting classes; Birds for the Backyard at 9 AM and Bulbs for Planting at 1 PM.
We have the best selection of Fall Bulbs in Maine. We have perennials, trees, and shrubs on sale. Fall mums, pumpkins, gourds for fall decorating. Awesome scary and fun Halloween decorations.
We have more than that! Fresh cut flowers, beautiful and easy to grow orchids, rakes for leaf raking.
Plant pots (we get in new loads of pots weekly), houseplant fertilizers, watering cans and potting soil will all be on sale for 20% off.
This is what we have to offer on this Saturday the 6th and remember 10% of whatever you purchase at Brunswick, Cumberland and Falmouth will be donated to the Hospice of Southern Maine.
Who is Hospice of Southern Maine? Hospice is a fully integrated, community-based hospice provider with a single purpose of providing and improving end-of-life care. Simply put, the people of Hospice care about you and your family and providing comfort. You can get much more information about this incredible Maine based organization that helps our neighbors, friends and family www.hospiceofsouthernmaine.org.
Come and support Hospice here at Skillin's on this Saturday, October 6!
Thanks,
Mike Skillin
For the last several years, you our Skillin's customers have supported Hospice of Southern Maine through purchases of Fall Bulbs on the Saturday of Columbus Day weekend.
This year we have expanded your opportunity! This Saturday, October 6 we are open our regular hours from 8 AM to 5 PM. Skillin's is donating 10% of all sale proceeds from our Bruswick, Cumberland and Falmouth store for that day to Hospice of Southern Maine.
So come see us this Saturday. We have 2 exciting classes; Birds for the Backyard at 9 AM and Bulbs for Planting at 1 PM.
We have the best selection of Fall Bulbs in Maine. We have perennials, trees, and shrubs on sale. Fall mums, pumpkins, gourds for fall decorating. Awesome scary and fun Halloween decorations.
We have more than that! Fresh cut flowers, beautiful and easy to grow orchids, rakes for leaf raking.
Plant pots (we get in new loads of pots weekly), houseplant fertilizers, watering cans and potting soil will all be on sale for 20% off.
This is what we have to offer on this Saturday the 6th and remember 10% of whatever you purchase at Brunswick, Cumberland and Falmouth will be donated to the Hospice of Southern Maine.
Who is Hospice of Southern Maine? Hospice is a fully integrated, community-based hospice provider with a single purpose of providing and improving end-of-life care. Simply put, the people of Hospice care about you and your family and providing comfort. You can get much more information about this incredible Maine based organization that helps our neighbors, friends and family www.hospiceofsouthernmaine.org.
Come and support Hospice here at Skillin's on this Saturday, October 6!
Thanks,
Mike Skillin
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)