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The Great Outdoors October Newsletter
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Greetings!
Howdy fellow gardeners! Time for the October edition of The Great Outdoors Newsletter. I know you thought it would never come, but how about the rain and cooler temperatures (maybe a bit too much rain for some of our neighbors). Everything in my garden is busting out in new growth!
October brings one of our favorite holidays, Halloween!!! We have a new vendor for our pumpkins and this year's batch looks AWESOME! In addition to good 'ol Jack-o-Lanterns, we have specialty pumpkins, gourds, and cute little miniature pumpkins for holiday decor (lots of these can be taken over to a Thanksgiving dispaly as well). Jill and I made a trip to Mexico and got some fun new metal pieces (including scarecrows and bats!) and found a relly cool new Talavera Pottery supplier. Check it out!
In this issue, we'll shoot you a quick reminder that NOW is the time for sowing wildflower seeds to get color next spring.
We will also look at some of the great opportunities Austin offers for Community Gardens. And finally, we'll talk up a few of the old reliable fall and winter annuals that you should be planting now.
Hope October is great for all of you.
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October is Wildflower Time.
 Who doesn't want to have that explosion of wildflower color in their yard come early spring? Especially in Austin, where Lady Bird Johnson set the bar pretty high. Well, if you want to join the ranks, NOW is the time for planting. To learn more about sowing wildflower seeds, see our article here.
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Community Gardens Offer Opportunities
 We often meet people that really want to get involved in growing their own food or just having a real garden, but are in a situation that doesn;t allow for it. Maybe an apartment, condo, townhome, or just a rental house. While container gardening can be fun and rewarding, some folks just want to do more than even their balcony can accomidate. One option may be to get a plot at a Community Garden. Austin has some great spaces available, so click here to learn more.
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Fall Flowers
 October brings cooler weather and shorter days. It also brings a whole new round of flowers for the garden. There are some great choices for fall color enthusiast to choose from.
If you have a sunny spot (4 hours should suffice, but the more the better), Pansies (or Violas), Snapdragons, Dianthus, Flowering Cabbage and Kale, Alyssum, and Stock are all long time favorites for the Fall / Winter garden.
Pansies are probably the best performer all winter long, as our coldest days are not match for their tolerance. The only down side is that they are not particularly tall, Usually only reaching 8"-12" at best.
Snapdragons and Alyssum are the kind of plant that you put in the garden in fall, get a bit of color from through winter, but then get an AWESOME display in ealry spring (Feb.-Mar.). Dianthus are a personal fave, as they can be naturalized here. Ask us how!
Got Shade? Well the Cyclamen is the plant for you! I have seen Cyclamen covered in ice and snow, in pretty heavy shade, blooming it's heart out. They are a little pricier than other fall color, go dormant as soon as we start to see 90 degree days, and rarely come back from dormancy, but they are really the ONLY reliable winter color for shade.
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Thanks again for reading and continuing to shop The Great Outdoors. We do truly value each and every guest that walks in our door. Look for great gardening tips on Fox7 every Thursday around 9:45. If you miss a spot, it will likely be posted on our website later that day. Click Here to visit, read more, or to contact us.
Sincerely,
Merrideth Jiles
General Manager
The Great Outdoors Nursery |
2730 S Congress Ave
Austin, Texas 78704
512-448-2992
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| Save 25% |
We have a new supplier for our pumpkins and gourds and this years selection is the best ever! Spruce up your yard for Halloween with some great gourds and perfect pumpkins. Bring this coupon to receive 25% OFF of one pumpkin, specialty pumpkin, or gourd.
| | Offer Expires: 10/31/2010 |
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