Hardy mums were developed from 80 years of plant
breeding by the University of Minnesota. These
perennial mums have been known to thrive even after
a winter with temperature as low as -30 F. These mums get bigger and better with age. Plants that have been in the ground for three seasons will produce over 5,000 blooms each. Winter hardy mums like at least 6 hours of direct sun in order to produce the maximum amount of bloom. Regular watering will help the plant grow to its full potential. These hardy mums can be used as a low hedge if they are spaced 2.5’ apart. This mum collection has daisy shaped flowers and come in a variety of colors. Look at the
chart below for color and size.
Color
Bloom Size
Height
(after 3 seasons)
Width
(after 3 seasons)
Yellow
2.5"
24"
24"
White
2"
20"
20"
Coral
2.25"
22"
22"
Pink
2.25"
22"
22"
Red
2.5"
22"
22"
Winter Over Your Annuals
Now is the time of year to propagate your annuals and get the cuttings ready for wintering in the house. Many garden favorites make great houseplants during the winter months like Coleus, Geraniums,
Wax Begonias and Lantana to name a few. All
these annuals are easy to propagate with a few
simple steps. First, the plants should be clean and
healthy make sure there are no insects or disease
on the mother plants. If there are problems spray
the plant to cure the problem before taking any
cuttings. With a sharp knife, cut 3” to 4” from the
tip of the plant you intend you propagate. Remove
the lower leaves and any flowers and buds. With
clean cuttings, dip the end of the tips in a rooting hormone; this will
stimulate faster root growth. Take a clean (new) 4” plastic pot and fill it with fresh new potting soil. Press the soil slightly and water the soil so that it is moist. With a pencil make a hole in the center of the pots. Push the cutting into the hole and water the pot once again. Cover the pot with a clear plastic bag and place the pot in a bright spot out of direct sun. Check pots every few day to make sure the soil is moist. Depending on the type of cutting the new plant should be rooted in three to four weeks. Once the plant has roots remove the plastic and give the cutting more light. Fertilize at half strength until late November. As we move into winter the new plants should go into a south or west window for maximum light. As the cuttings grow over the winter additional cuttings can be taken from these new plants.
Tomato - Fruit or Vegetable?
Strictly in botanical terms tomatoes are berries. Legally, that’s another
matter altogether, so in that realm tomatoes are considered a vegetable. This determination was made in 1893 when an importer contended that the tomato was a fruit and, therefore, not subject to vegetable import duties.
The United States Supreme Court held that the tomato had to be considered a vegetable when it was served in soup or with the main course of a meal. The court allowed it to be considered a fruit when eaten out of hand or as dessert. Back then legal issues were not as dire.
Tips
Tomatoes need an average daily high temperature of 65 degrees or more
to ripen well. When daytime temps are consistently below this, pick the fruits that have begun to change color and ripen them indoors, out of
direct sunlight. In the fall tomato fruit should be at least half the mature
size in order to ripen off the vine, smaller fruit will not ripen
successfully when harvested before the first fall frost.
Do not prune evergreens any more this season. Next window for
pruning is in mid spring.
Have some cardboard boxes on hand to cover your favorite garden plants
on the first frosty night. When you protect them from early frost, they can
go on to bloom and grow for few more weeks.
Stop deadheading roses after the final wave of fall blooms later this month. This will allow rose hips to form and this will signal the rose to start
getting ready of winter.
Don’t cover tree roots with soil. If surface roots are a bother conceder removing the lawn and planting groundcover between the roots. Keep all mulches 3” to 4” away from tree trunks (this keeps the trunk dry).
Rebecca Brown Outdoor Living & Entertaining Expert
I love candle lanterns. They’re so versatile.
You can start with warm, harvest colors and
scents in the fall and transition to bright,
cheerful colors for the holidays. Most lanterns
work with both traditional and safe
candles (battery-operated). Here at
Bachman’s, we like to accent the candle
with a decorative candle ring (stop in to
view our current styles) or dried accents.
You can also try replacing the candle with
a small decorative pumpkin or squash -
just carve out the top and insert a tealight
for a little something different.
Flowers and gifts from Bachman’s make any day a special one. When you order your flowers or gifts online, you know you’ll be getting a beautiful fresh floral arrangement from a trusted florist known for outstanding floral design, plus quality and service.
If you’re sending flowers or gifts out of town, you can rely on us to choose the best florist from either the FTD or Teleflora nationwide flower network. Florists who can be counted on to deliver the best fresh floral arrangements and gifts, even when doing a same day delivery.
