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Greetings!
So far, we've had two or three frosty nights at Papershell -- enough to finish off the ornamental potato vine and cause us to get serious about winter protection. Now's the time to start making your plans. What are you going to do with that big ficus tree? The tropical hibiscus? The mandevilla basket? The crotons at the front door? Every year at my house, there's a dreadful little episode of culling, in which some pitiful plants don't make the cut. The lucky ones get to come in for the winter or at least get in line for moving to the garage. But sadly, some are consigned to that great compost heap in the sky. Wondering about your plants? Here are some helpful hints from the Houston Chronicle's Kathy Huber. And remember, don't wait until the last minute to get your N-Sulate frost cloth or your Plankets. You want to be ready -- the average first freeze around here is December 15.
 | | Firewood is here! |
During the holiday season, we're not having quite as many art & gardening classes. We're celebrating the holidays by promoting hand-made or homegrown gifts, so you'll see work by many different artists in the gallery. We're putting together a collection of pieces that would make fantastic gifts, for you or for your loved ones. Can't decide? Give a Papershell gift card. They never expire, there's no fee and they can be redeemed for garden center or art gallery merchandise.
But don't worry! I'm working with Diana Liga to create a whole year's worth of gardening classes for you starting in January 2012. There'll be some new exciting topics coming up, and the old favorites will return, so stay tuned!
By the way, we've had a request for the Marinated Mushroom recipe from Anne Ondrusek's Home Canning class, so here it is -- enjoy!.
Thanks for signing up for our email newsletter! Come see us soon! |
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Bought a Mum - Now What?
Those big fat fall mums don't have to be disposable -- you can plant them in your garden. Chrysanthemums grow best in a sunny or mostly sunny area, in rich, fertile, well-drained soil. Plant at least 18" apart, maybe more for large 10" pots of mums. Don't be too worried about garden mums versus florist mums -- if you bought your mum at a garden center, it's almost certainly a garden mum. If you bought your mum to wear to a football game, that's more likely a florist mum!
 | | These are garden mums. |
After the fall bloom season, keep watered regularly and provide fertilizer up until flower buds begin to form, usually around July. The key to creating lush, full, fall bloomers, though, is the pinching. Without regular pinching back, mums get leggy and thin. Begin pinching back in May, snipping back new shoots to only two or three leaves. Do this once a month in May, June, July and perhaps August for a well-branched plants with lots of buds. Don't pinch back after August, though, or you'll remove too many flower buds.
 | | This is a calendula. |
And if that's too much trouble, just skip the whole thing and plant calendulas. They're just as pretty and though they aren't perennial, will generally reseed where they are planted.
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Root Vegetables
It stands to reason that some of our best veggies for winter grow under the ground. Immune to frosts and freezes, they slowly develop a large root or tuber which we can later dig up and eat. Now is the time to plant turnips, beets and onions from sets, which should be in later this week. Bulbing onions are sensitive to day-length and down here in the south, we grow short-day onions like 1015Y Texas Supersweet, Contessa, Southern Belle Red, White Bermuda and Yellow Granex. These onions develop green tops while the day is short (winter) and start the bulbing process when days start to lengthen to 10-12 hours. The earlier you plant them, the larger they get and the secret to big onions is to grow big tops in the fall and winter. Set out plants about 3-4" apart and keep well-weeded. The onions have slender, grass-like foliage and are easily shaded out by big, burly winter weeds.
 | | Southern Belle Red Onion |
Irrigate and fertilize regularly for best results. Organic gardeners should work in lots of compost high in nitrogen and phosphorus. As an alternative, you can use a conventional fertilizer high in phosphorus. Short-day onions take about 95-115 days to harvest, depending on variety. Don't worry about freezing: onions can withstand a severe freeze without damage.
I'm expecting onions by the end of the week, but call or email first to make sure. All the varieties named above will be available. Leeks will be later -- in January.
 | | Immediately before harvest... |
Speaking of root vegetables, we had an excellent sweet potato harvest here at Papershell! Check out our pictures on Facebook here. I've got to think of something special to do with these for Thanksgiving and I've got to tell you, I'm leaning toward this Chipotle Sweet Potatoes. Must think of innocuous-sounding name first... |
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Cyclamen Sparkle In The Shade
The cooler weather sure is nice, but the fading sun means our choices for color in the shade are somewhat limited. German primroses, or Primula obconicas, or a good choice, but by far the flashiest option for flowers in the shade is the cyclamen. Cyclamen, native to Europe, are grown from bulbs or tubers and are favored for the brilliant colors and lovely patterned leaves. Cyclamen are cold-hardy here, but typically cannot withstand our summer heat, even in the shade. Some gardeners have luck bringing dormant tubers indoors for the summer, but most simply enjoy their beauty during the late fall, winter and early spring months.
Cyclamen like a loamy, sandy soil with good drainage which can be a problem around here. If you're putting cyclamen in the flower bed, try planting them in a raised area to keep their feet dry. Cyclamen also do well in containers. While they tolerate shade, they do even better with a bit of morning sun or dappled light. Try to keep the spent flowers removed, which can ward off any fungal problems. Fertilize with a half-strength liquid fertilizer: you don't want more leaves than flowers.
 | | Cyclamen 'Sierra Scarlet' |
We offer the Sierra series of cyclamen, a standard-size plant slightly larger & with larger flowers than the Laser series.
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Please stop by and visit! Have a glass of world-famous lemonade (or a beer!) -- we'd love to meet you!
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Barrow
Papershell: A Garden Gallery
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Garden Journal Workshop Sunday, November 13 2:00-4:00pm Artist Lee Steiner leads this class! Make a beautiful, hand-stitched Garden Journal and a bonus mini-Longstitch notebook in this unique class! We'll use exotic papers, handmade and imported, to create these lovely journals, embellished with optional pockets, charms and graphics. All supplies & materials are included in the $35 fee. Space is limited - call (281) 232-4485 or email Elizabeth to register.
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Watercolor Card Making Saturday, November 19 1:00-4:00pm Make your own set of 8 cards! You can choose a seasonal or holiday design. All supplies and materials are included but please feel free to bring whatever watercolor painting supplies you may already have. This $45 class is taught by Michael Vollmer and space is limited, so please register early. Space is limited - call (281) 232-4485 or email Elizabeth to register.
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Master Gardener Citrus Clinic Sunday, November 20 1:00-4:00pm Something eating your citrus? Got insect problems? Perhaps a fungal disease? Bring your samples and all your questions to the Fort Bend Master Gardener Citrus Specialists, who are hosting this free walk-in citrus clinic today. (Please note: if bringing samples, kindly seal them in ziplock bags. Thanks!) This event is free and open to the public!
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Master Gardener Citrus Clinic Saturday, December 3 1:00-4:00pm Something eating your citrus? Got insect problems? Perhaps a fungal disease? Bring your samples and all your questions to the Fort Bend Master Gardener Citrus Specialists, who are hosting this free walk-in citrus clinic today. (Please note: if bringing samples, kindly seal them in ziplock bags. Thanks!) This event is free and open to the public!
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Happy Hour! Sunday, December 4 4:00-5:30pm Join us for a benefit supporting Open The Taps, a grass-roots organization devoted to Texas craft beer consumers. More details to come!
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