September at the Nursery...

Fall color is creeping in!  Marigolds, cosmos, asters, autumn fern and crotons are here.  We received our first shipment of 8" mums last week- they are budded and just about to pop open.  Cute and fragrant lemon cypress have also arrived!  It's still a little early for pansies but we expect them by late September.

We have gotten in lots of cute new containers for fall, including some gorgeous glazed pots in green, blue, red and cream, plus a new shipment of large fiberglass containers in dark grey.

As the days get cooler, our plant selection will grow by leaps and bounds, so come by the nursery this month and get inspired for the fall planting season!

September Lawn Care 

Zoysia & Bermuda

Early September: Apply fertilome All Seasons with Barricade

St. Augustine

Early September: Apply fertilome All Seasons with Barricade

These molded fiber pots are made from 66% recycled waste paper- it doesn't get much greener than that!

 Why We Love Them

• Lightweight and easy to move around, even when planted
• Inexpensive; spend less on the container and have more to spend on plants!
• Neutral color and simple design: great for giving as a gift because they blend in with any decor or style
• Fiber is more insulating than plastic for winter container plantings.
• Biodegradable material is fully recyclable, or breaks down naturally after 2-3 years

The very best time to tackle landscape projects and plant trees and shrubs is fall, which also makes it the best time to re-think your landscape and change things up a bit.  Here are some simple design tips to increase your yard's visual appeal:

Add Depth    

• When starting from scratch, whether it's an entire landscape or a small section, begin by placing trees, the "bones" of the garden.  Select large-growing trees for shade where needed and smaller-growing trees as accents or focal points.  Then select and place evergreens- these are the "meat" of the garden, since their foliage stays green year-round.  Finally, intersperse deciduous shrubs, perennials and annuals to "accessorize" since most of these will provide color and blooms throughout the year.
• Focus on layering.  Hey, it works in containers, why not in the landscape?  Try the "thriller, filler, spiller" idea in your yard and you won't be disappointed.  This means utilizing a taller, preferably evergreen, backdrop with medium and low plantings in front.
• Instead of a long, narrow bed across the front of the house, consider bringing beds and curves out farther, creating deeper planting areas and more room for layers.  (Tip: Leave 2-3 feet behind foundation plantings to allow for utility access.)

Create Meaningful Focal Points

• Think about places in your landscape that you would like to draw attention to, places you want people's eyes to be drawn to.  These are the places to create focal points, using unusual trees or shrubs, colorful plantings or a garden structure.
• "Anchoring" the corners of your house with tall plantings or a tree is unnecessary- this draws attention to...the corner of your house (not very exciting).  Focus on drawing attention to your front door, an outdoor seating area, pond or garden walkway.
• Don't overdo it on the really interesting plants.  One well-placed Japanese maple makes much more of an impact than five sporadically placed ones.
• Leave room for annual color.  Blooms are the best way to draw the eye to a desired point in the landscape, so use them most where you want to draw attention (near the front door, for example).  Shrubs and perennials can give you a lot of color, but nothing beats a flowerbed overflowing with blooms all season, and only annuals can perform like that.

Think Like Water

• For the most natural and visually appealing landscape, spend some time studying the topography of your yard.  How would water flow through an area and where would it pool?  Remember, water follows the path of least resistence, flowing down and around obstacles.  For plantings that "flow" create groupings of plants that follow these natural pathways.  Mass plants in areas, like water would pool, for more impact.

Work With What You've Got

• Consider the scale and style of your home when planning the landscape.  Plant in proportion to your house.  For example, don't overwhelm a long, low ranch house with tall plantings.
• Be realistic about spacing and plan for growth.  A landscape that looks a little "thin" at the outset beats the "jungle" look five years down the road.
• Don't underestimate the impact of a fresh layer of mulch.  At least once a year remove the old layer and add 3-4 inches of fresh pinestraw or mulch.  This keeps the yard looking fresh and neat, and also helps prevent insect and disease problems.

If you have never tried planting snapdragons in the fall, this is the year to give it a go!  When planted in autumn, snaps will bloom until it gets cold, go dormant (but stay green) through the winter, and then bloom spring and early summer.  Give your snaps a head start and they will reward you for two seasons.  Snapdragons should arrive at the nursery by mid-September.

Planting Marigolds 

Here's an easy trick for sturdier, fuller marigold plants (this method works for tomatoes as well):

Remove the bottom 2 to 4 inches of leaves from the plant.  

Bury the stem, where leaves were removed, in soil.  Roots will form along this part of the stem, providing a stronger underground structure for the plant. 

Name That Full Moon

Did you know that Native Americans had a name for each month's full moon?  September welcomes the Harvest Moon (which sometimes occurs in October instead), probably the most commonly known.  In late September or early October, thanks to the light of this full moon, Indians could work into the evening harvesting their crops for winter.  September's full moon is also known as the Full Corn Moon, as this is the month that crop is ripe for harvest.  Discover all the other fascinating names, and the meanings behind them, from the Farmer's Almanac.