|
Greetings!
Welcome to fall! It's been such a treat to leave the days of the high 90s behind! Here in the coastal south, we love our fall weather the way I imagine the people up north love their spring. We deserve it, don't we?
There is so much going on at Papershell these days! Watch for the arrival of a new artist, Jerilyn Burgess -- she's bringing her pencil drawings this weekend and I'll hang them Monday. The tool sharpening guy is coming back on October 7. Bring your kitchen or garden tools and Steve of Premier Sharpening will sharpen them while you stroll about with lemonade. Having sharp tools will make all the difference in the kitchen or the garden! Here's a link to his website where you can click on the left to view the prices.
If you've been watching our Facebook page, you know that our friend Cheryl has harvested her White Triumph sweet potatoes! We're still waiting for her to tell us how she cooked them all, but it reminds me that I need to do some digging myself. We planted four varieties this summer and I'm curious to see which tubers are the tastiest. I think the prettiest one was definitely Bunch Porto Rico.
Good news! We've spotted our hawk pair circling the nesting tree again. I don't know if they'll nest in the same tree for three years running, but I hope so. Now that the Mississippi Kites have departed, we're seeing many more hawks around Papershell.
 | | See you on the Carousel! |
Like everyone else around, we've been getting ready for the Fort Bend County Fair! Papershell is a proud sponsor of the Junior Royalty pageants. Our friends Margaret and Charity and all their helpers are working so hard on that program! Look for their float at the parade -- it'll be the one with all the pretty plants for pretty princesses!
Thanks for signing up for our email newsletter! Come see us soon! |
|
 |
|
|
Fall Bulbs - Spring Flowers!
I love bulbs! There's something so wonderful about planting something that looks just like a rock and having beautiful flowers emerge all by themselves in the spring. Even better, many of our favorite fall bulbs naturalize and increase their number, year after year. Amaryllis bulbs should be here by the second week in October, but here's what's available now:
 | | Dutch Master Daffodil |
'Dutch Master' Daffodil - a big, Division I trumpet-style daffodil with the familiar egg-yolk color. It flowers freely in mid-spring and is a much better choice for our coastal climate than the old standby 'King Alfred.'
'Blue Ribbon' Dutch Iris - a tall blue early-bloomer, with bright yellow splotches on the petals. Dutch irises outperform bearded irises here and 'Blue Ribbon' is a winner!
 | | Sparaxis |
Sparaxis - sometimes called Harlequin Flower. These cheery little flowers bloom in mid-spring on short, 12" stems. These bulbs will multiply, but seedlings will often emerge from seeds scattered by the many flowers.
Leucojum or Summer Snowflake - perhaps one of our most reliable naturalizers, this dainty little flower looks just like a snowdrop! Most beautiful when planted in groups of 10-15 bulbs.
 | | Ziva Paperwhites |
'Ziva' Paperwhites - you either love the fragrance of paperwhite or you don't! Either way, these flowers are easy to force indoors for the holidays or naturalize outside for spring bloom.
Calla Lilies - did you know you can grow them here? Lovely white flowers, and ornamental speckled foliage emerge in mid-spring from large rhizomes. This is one bulb that really enjoys are moist soils! Great for cut flowers, too!
Garlic - three kinds! California Gourmet, a soft-neck garlic with a medium tang; Spanish Rioja, which has a little bit more zing, and Elephant Garlic, the mildest of the three. Elephant Garlic isn't really a garlic at all, but is more closely related to leeks.
All bulbs will perform best when planted in rich, friable soil in a sunny or mostly sunny area. Make plans now to hear Margaret Cherry of Abbott-Ipco speak about fall bulbs on Sunday, October 21 at 2:00pm. Margaret knows more about bulbs than almost anyone around, and hearing her speak will be a treat you won't want to miss!
|
Happy House Plants
As soon as the cooler weather arrives, I suspect many of our happy patio and porch plants will become rather uncomfortable house plants. It's a big adjustment, moving from a relatively high-light situation outside, to the dimmer light available in the house. Plants tend to prefer the brighter light and higher humidity outside and can struggle a bit once brought indoors.
 | | Dracaena - he's coming in |
Luckily, many of our house plants enter a period of semi-dormancy in the winter and aren't actively growing. During this time, be especially careful not to overwater. You should cut back on the fertilizing or even eliminate it entirely, until spring comes and your plants resume their growth.
If you're not sure you have enough light in the house to maintain a plant, try this simple trick. Put a plain white sheet of paper where you'd like to put a plant and hold your hand about 12" away from the paper. Look for a shadow cast by your hand. If you see a faint blurry shadow, you probably have between 50 and 250 footcandles of light, enough for a plant that can tolerate very low-light situations. If you can see a blurry outline of a hand, that's probably between 250 and 1000 footcandles. You have enough light there for a plant with moderate light requirements. And if your hand's shadow is clearly outlined, congratulations! You have more than 1000 footcandles, and can grow plants that require bright indirect light.
 | | Bromeliad - him too! |
Recently I made a presentation to the Brightwater Garden Club about houseplants. You might find the handout useful - it has a chart that identifies houseplants by their light requirements, as well as a few hints and tips to keep your plants looking their best during their winter stay indoors.
|
October's Chores
October is so much better than September! By the end of September I am so ready for the cool snap of fall in the air. It's not really fall here until October, no matter when the kids go back to school.
There are a few chores that we need to tend to in October. Keep an eye on your lawns. It's still warm enough for chinch bugs, but cool enough for fungal problems. Apply a fall fertilizer or winterizer now. We stock both organic and conventional fertilizers. Don't be tempted to skip this one - it's the most important fertilizer application of the year.
 | | Plant now, eat later |
Time to plant garlic, chives & onions. While the days are short, they put on top growth. Then in March, when the days begin to lengthen, bulbs form underground.
Keep an eye on those azaleas. They are forming buds which will become next spring's flowers. Prune if necessary, and maintain proper pH.
Plant those fall bulbs now - and be sure to incorporate plenty of bulb food or bone meal.
 | | Azaleas - keep 'em happy! |
October is a good month to plant trees & large shrubs. Planting them in the fall gives the root systems a chance to get established before the hot weather arrives next summer.
Be very careful about applying fertilizers high in nitrogen now. You don't want to encourage a flush of growth that would be susceptible to freezing. And even though it's warm out, be prepared for frost. Last year, we had a frost the first week of November. (And yes, I've already got the frost cloth in!)
|
|
|
|
|
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
|
|
Watercolor Painting: Light & Shadow September 29 9:00am-12:00pm Artist Michael Vollmer leads this exploration of light & shadow in watercolor painting. We recommend as a prerequisite the introductory class or some experience with watercolor painting. This is the third in a series of 4. The techniques taught in one class form the foundation for skills covered in the next class. If you have supplies already, please bring them. You will need to bring a 1-quart container for water and a pencil with an eraser. This class is $35 and space is limited. Call (281) 232-4485 or email us to sign up.
| |
Tool Sharpening!October 7 12:00-4:00pm Premier Sharpening returns to Papershell today! Bring knives, scissors and, most important, garden tools! See their website for prices. Bring your tools and enjoy a glass of lemonade while you wait!Call (281) 232-4485 or email us for more information
| |
Fall ContainersOctober 7 2:00-3:30pm Make the most of your porch pots! Learn the tips and tricks for making striking container arrangement perfect for the harvest season. This class is $10 and participants receive a coupon valid for 15% off that day's purchases. Call (281) 232-4485 or email us for more information
| |
Watercolor Painting: Negative Space October 13 9:00am-12:00pm Artist Michael Vollmer leads this exploration of negative space and contrast in watercolor painting. We recommend as a prerequisite the introductory class or some experience with watercolor painting. This is the fourth in a series of 4. The techniques taught in one class form the foundation for skills covered in the next class. If you have supplies already, please bring them. You will need to bring a 1-quart container for water and a pencil with an eraser. This class is $35 and space is limited. Call (281) 232-4485 or email us to sign up.
| |
Butterfly GardeningOctober 14 2:00-3:30pm Butterflies -- the jewels of the garden! Learn to attract these winged lovelies to your outdoor space. This class, led by master gardener Barbara Buckley, is $10 and participants receive a coupon valid for 15% off that day's purchases. Call (281) 232-4485 or email us for more information
| |
Watercolor Painting: Spontaneous PaintingOctober 20 1:00-5:00pm Artist Michael Vollmer leads this exploration of abstraction & spontaneity in watercolor painting. We recommend as a prerequisite the introductory class or some experience with watercolor painting. If you have supplies already, please bring them. You will need to bring a 1-quart container for water and a pencil with an eraser. This class is $40 and space is limited. Call (281) 232-4485 or email us to sign up.
| |
Fall BulbsOctober 21 2:00-3:30pm Join us! Papershell hosts Margaret Cherry of Abbott-Ipco for this informative session on planting bulbs in the fall. Margaret is an expert on Gulf Coast gardening and will explain how to create lasting beauty with bulbs. This class is $10 and participants receive a coupon valid for 15% off that day's purchases. Call (281) 232-4485 or email us for more information
| |
|
|
