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| It's Fall at Otten Bros. Garden Center |
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Greetings!
How dry I am, how dry I am...and boy, ain't it the truth. Just when we thought it wouldn't stop raining, it did. No rain for over 2 ½ weeks. Are you watering your trees, shrubs, perennials and especially your evergreens? You should be. It is important that you or Mother Nature continue to water your plants until the ground freezes. Evergreens are extremely susceptible to winter damage or death due to lack of moisture before going dormant for winter.
I was out this weekend watering my newly planted trees and existing evergreens. I couldn't believe how quickly everything had dried out over the past weeks. So, keep those hoses handy for a few more weeks at least!
I hope you are all enjoying the great weather. There is so much to do and see in the fall - take advantage of all the outdoor opportunities you can before it sn*ws. (It really is a bad word right now, isn't it?) There is a lot happening at Otten Bros. and around our community in the next month. Be sure to look at the upcoming events list - I tried to cram it all in! |
Otten Bros. REAL DEAL
 Tis the season for nasty little critters to think that they need to come inside for the winter. YUCK! Who likes mice in the house, garage, shed or overwintering in your camper? No one does. Mouse Magic is an all natural mouse repellent. It has the pleasant scent of peppermint and spearmint. (We have a sample open so you can smell it.) The smell safely drives away mice without any harm to kids and pets. As little as one 'place pack' will treat a 10'x14' area. Kari Line, our Garden Center Manager always uses it in their family camper over the winter. She has an active 3 year old and two dogs. "It is safe and it works. I think it is fabulous!" Bonide Mouse Magic 4 pack - regular price $12.99 12 pack - regular price $27.99 GRO Member REAL DEAL Price Buy one at regular price, get the second one FREE Offer good starting 10/16/10 thru 10/31/10. Not good with any other discounts. Second Mouse Magic must be of equal or lesser value to receive free. |
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You were asking...
Why do you plant tulips and daffodils in the fall?
 Good Question. I know it is hard to get excited in fall about those boring brown lumps we call bulbs. It's hard to imagine, let alone wait till spring, for them to turn into beautiful flowers. Do you know how many people come into the garden center in spring and want to buy tulips and daffodils for their yard? All we can say is 'we're sorry - you have to plant them in the fall'. Don't be a wannabe next spring. Plant your bulbs this fall.
Whoops, sorry for the lecture, back to the question. Tulips, daffodils and other spring flowering bulbs are planted in the fall so they can go through a natural process call cold treatment. Bulbs are actually living plants - not seeds. Over the winter, the cold triggers a chemical mechanism inside the bulb, which sets the process of blooming in motion. Inside each bulb is an embryonic flower, waiting to emerge. Your bulbs must have a cold treatment in order to grow and produce flowers.
Did you know that there are more than just tulips and daffodils you can plant to have a BIG POP of color in the spring? Come into the garden center and check out your choices in hyacinths, alliums, anemones, crocus, scilla and muscari. You may not be able to pronounce some of those names, but who cares! The color and variety of blooms are amazing. They are just as easy to plant and grow as tulips and daffodils. Don't be a wannabe in the spring. Plant your bulbs this fall!
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Greetings From the Otten Bros. Landscape Department!
Fall is here! I would like to remind you that it is not too late to start that landscaping project. It's the perfect time to install a fire place or fire pit, design and install a new landscape or revamp your existing landscape. We have 6 full time landscape designers ready to help you with all your landscaping needs. I also wanted to let you know that fall tree planting is in full swing. Our landscape crews are busy planting balled and burlap trees and our tree spade truck is on the road installing larger trees for customers, as well. Fall is a great time to plant!
 I don't want you to think that as soon as the snow flies, our landscape designers get to take a vacation! No, they are busy getting ready for the Christmas decorating season. Let our designers assist you in creating a beautiful holiday lighting and decorating plan for your yard. Sit back in the warmth of your living room and watch our professional landscape crews get your home's exterior ready for the holidays!
Imagine your roof lines and your tallest trees decked out in twinkling lights, we can do it. A custom designed wreath, 6 feet across, hung in the peak of your house, we can do it. Fresh evergreen roping swaged around your doors and windows, we can do it. Your outdoor containers designed and filled with spruce tips, twigs, berries for beautiful arrangements that last all winter, we can do it. We can do all that and more. Even in November & December when the planting season is over, the Otten Bros. Landscape department is still busy enhancing the look of your home.
There is no rest for our designers! As soon as the holidays are over, they are ready and waiting to get a head start on those design projects you want to start as soon as the snow melts. Check out our website, we have a great gallery of photos to inspire you. Today, is a great time to call to set up an appointment to meet with one of our designers for your FREE consultation.
Have a great fall and holiday season!
Doug Geesaman - Otten Bros. Landscape Manager |
Mulch, Mulch, Mulch
 I believe that Shakespeare said it best (sort of) ...to mulch or not to mulch - that is the question. And boy, do we get a lot of questions on mulching gardens in the fall. If you are going to learn just one thing from this month's newsletter, here it is: mulch your gardens only AFTER the ground is frozen.
Perennials and other shallow rooted plants need winter protection. You are not mulching your plants to keep them warm over the winter; you are mulching them to keep them frozen. (I know it sounds crazy.) You want to protect your plants from the damaging freeze-thaw cycle that occurs during our winters, especially winters with little or no snow cover. I'll say it again, mulch after the ground is frozen at least 2-3 inches deep.
Next question...What kind of mulch should I use? You have options. Straw and marsh hay are our favorite mulches.
Straw is the leftover stem of oats or wheat after the seed heads have been harvested. It makes a good mulch because it is lightweight, has very few weed seeds and does not compact easily. It provides great insulation. The shortcomings of straw are that it has the potential to shift in the wind and composts very slowly.
Marsh Hay is the whole plant that had been cut, dried and baled. It tends not to shift in the wind, provides good insulation and will compost within a season. The shortcomings of marsh hay; it tends to mat down and can contain a great deal of perennial weed seeds.
One bale of hay or straw covers approximately 40-50 square feet 4-6 inches deep.
So, to mulch or not to mulch? Give us a call if you are not sure. We'll answer the question!
Otten Bros. 952-473-5425 or Flower Farm 763-972-2311 or email us. |
U$ele$$ Trivia Que$tion
Congratulations Barbara H. -you are last month's trivia winner. Can you tell me the year, the city and the name of the inventor of the pink plastic flamingo? Answer: The plastic pink flamingo was designed in 1957 by Don Featherstone while working for Union Products in Leominster, Massachusetts.
Now, I know you are all just dying to answer my next question. Of course it has to be something gruesome and scary in honor of Halloween. In Bram Stoker's 1897 novel 'Dracula', how was Dracula killed and who killed him?
So, take a stab at it if you are not too squeamish, email us your answer for a chance to win a $50 Otten Bros gift card! |
Places to GO...Things to SEE
TONIGHT!!!!
Taste of Long Lake-Orono - Presented by Lakeside Wine & Spirits
Thursday, October 14th 2010 from 5:00pm to 8:00pm at Otten Bros.
Taste over 150 wines and beers & enjoy hors d'oeuvres by local restaurants.
Purchase tickets at any sponsoring business (p.s.Otten Bros. is a sponsor!)
In advance - $20/person or $30/couple or at the door $25/person
Click here for more information on this great event.
THIS WEEKEND!!!
Otten Bros. Kids Fall Festival
Saturday, October 16th 12pm-3pm
Come, bring the family and enjoy a kid friendly event with a straw maze, hayrides, kids crafts & activities. Click to see more information.
Safe Trick or Treating in Long Lake
Saturday, October 30th, 10am-1pm
Start your tricking and treating at the Long Lake Fire Dept. to receive your map and goodie bag. Popcorn and face painting for all. Contact April at the Country Cake Cupboard with any questions.
Long Lake Area Art Crawl- Self guided Art Tour
Friday, November 5th, noon-8pm
Saturday, November 6th, 10am-6pm
Local businesses & private homes are hosting regional artists who are showing and demonstrating their art. Questions or more info email or call Maggie 952-476-4141 or Shakun 952-476-6475 www.longlakeart.wordpress.com or longlakeartcrawl@gmail.com
1st Annual Long Lake/Orono Sleep Out Event to Benefit IOCP
Friday November 12th, 5-7pm on the grounds of Otten Bros. Garden Center
Enjoy an outdoor gathering with food, music, activities and a short program on the housing needs in our community. Contact Melanie DeLuca for more information.
Excelsior Christkindlsmarkt
Friday & Saturday, November 26-27, 10am-7pm
Sunday, November 28, 10am-4pm
Christkindlsmarkt is an enchanting open air Christmas market of holiday gifts with holiday sounds and aromas that delight the senses of fresh grilled sausages, roasted nuts, sweets and other delicacies throughout the market. Click here for more information.
SAVE THE DATES!!!! Keep an eye on your inbox. More details coming soon!
Otten Bros. Wine & Design Ladies Nights
Thursday, November 11th & Tuesday, November 16th 6:00-8:30pm
The JunkMarket Comes Home for the Holidays Seminar
Thursday, November 18th |
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 I wanted to leave you with this fun email I received from one of our vendors who was scoping out our great selection of pumpkins and gourds. She emailed to tell me about the Marina Di Chioggia Squash we are selling in the garden center. (We sell them as a decorative squash, but the are also edibIe.) I told her I would pass it on to all of you.
"Have you tasted a Marina Di Chioggia Squash? Last year, by chance I cooked one in November and thought it was the best tasting squash I ever had. I googled it and learned it was an Italian heirloom that tastes better with age. I have been told "Foodies" know all about it."
Thanks, Brenda for the fun tidbit! I googled it as well and found interesting recipes and lots of comments raving about the flavor.
Enjoy the weather everyone- we hope to see you out and about!
Cheers!
Otten Bros. & Flower Farm Staff |
2350 West Wayzata Boulevard
Long Lake, Minnesota 55356
952-473-5425
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