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Cloud Cover

You've heard us talk about Cloud Cover and its various uses. This is the time of year to be considering winter protection for your valuable landscape plants and Cloud Cover should be a part of that project.

Below is a list of the many uses for CloudCover and as you can see it isn't for winter protection only.

Transplanting: For best results to reduce transplant shock, water roots thoroughly before applying. Field grown plants should be sprayed prior to digging. Dip seedlings for best coverage.

Winter kill: Apply when temp-

eratures are 40 degrees F to 80 degrees F and prior to expected cold temperatures.

Bulbs and tubers: Dip in Cloud Cover mixture. Allow thorough drying before storage.

Cuttings: Dip cuttings in Cloud Cover to aid in root development and increase transplant survival. While still wet, dip cuttings into rooting hormone.

Cold storage/Bare-root plants: Dip the above-ground portion of plant in CloudCover prior to cold storage or shipping.

Sod: Spray prior to cutting to reduce water loss and improve appearance. Also spray sod after it is laid to retain moisture while roots develop.

Christmas trees: Spray prior to cutting for best results or as soon after cutting as possible. The survivability of live trees used indoors is greatly increased.

Sticker/Extender: The effectiveness of an insecticide or fungicide can be extended by adding CloudCover to the spray mix. Follow label instructions for both products and spray as a mix.

Frost Protection: CloudCover is helpful in reducing frost damage, particularly when the drop in temperature is accompanied by dry, chilling winds. Generally, 2 degrees F to 3 degrees F protection is achieved. Results are dependent upon factors such as coverage obtained, the amount of heat stored in the plant, humidity etc.

Stop by Wedel's and talk with us if you have any questions about the various uses of CloudCover.

And A Gold Star Goes To...

Dale Farland. Dale was the first to submit the correct answer to our October Trivia Question: "What ethnic food did Jeno Paulucci make available in supermarkets nationwide for the very first time in 1947?" The correct answer is: "Chun King."

Dale won a $15.00 Wedel's gift card and you could too! Just be the first to respond with the correct answer to our monthly trivia question.

Congratulations, Dale!!

(ed. note - We would like to ask contest winners to pick up prizes within 90 days to avoid forfeiture.)

November
Shopping List

Bird seed
Repellex Mole Repellant
Gardening gloves
Grass seed
Scotts Starter Fertilizer
Spring blooming bulbs
Espoma Bulb-tone
Wildflower seeds
Espoma Tree Tone
Nest box
Suet feeder
Seed feeder
Heated bird bath

A Thought

From the Garden

"So dull and dark are the November days.
The lazy mist high up the evening curled,
And now the morn quite hides in smoke and haze;
The place we occupy seems all the world."

- John Clare, November

Store Hours

Monday - Friday

9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Saturday

9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Closed Sundays

To Do In November

Water trees, shrubs, garden plants.

Apply crabgrass preventer to control annual blue grass.
Pinch back fall bloomers like mums and asters.

Plant spring blooming bulbs.

Rake leaves for use as garden mulch.

Mom Tested And Approved

Here is something a little different for your Thanksgiving dinner. It could be a dessert or it could be a part of your main meal!

Cranberry Apples

8 Apples

1 Cup Cranberry Sauce

Butter

1/2 Cup Water

Core apples. Pare upper half. Place in baking dish. Place small pieces of butter in each cavity. Combine cranberry sauce and water. Pour over apples. Bake in moderate oven (400 degrees F.) until tender. Baste frequently. When apples are almost done sprinkle with sugar. Place under broiler flame until sugar melts and tops are glazed. 8 servings.

The Household Searchlight

Enjoy!

Wedel's News

Volume 8, Number 8 November 2015

Fall Planting Milkweed Seeds - 10 Simple Steps!

by Tony Gomez

https://monarchbutterflygarden.net/

Spider Milkweed Flowers copyright Marion Doss

If you've been thinking about planting fall milkweed this season, November is the best time for most of us to complete this simple garden task. It's too warm for the ground to be frozen but too cold for seeds to sprout before winter sets in.

Fall planting is a great way to get your perennial milkweed varieties started, since the seeds will need cold stratification...and Father Winter takes care of this naturally! Consider planting milkweed varieties that are native to your region for best results.

Why is fall planting milkweed a good idea? Exposing seeds to cool temperatures before the warmer temps of spring will cause them to break their dormancy coaxing out your new spring seedlings. It also saves you the hassle of in-home stratification.

Warm weather milkweeds, which are annuals for most of us, do not require this cold treatment. These varieties include tropical milkweed, swan milkweed, goose plant, and giant milkweed.

If you are buying seeds from a vendor, they should have instructions telling you whether cold stratification is necessary. If not, search for specific milkweed pages on this site or consult with Mother Google.

10 Simple Steps for Fall Planting Milkweed

1. Put your seeds into a small bowl and bring out to planting area.

2. Clear away any mulch or rocks from the area which could potentially block the growth of a small seedling.

3. Water the area thoroughly and let it saturate the soil.

Ready For Bed

4. Put on garden gloves and stick your index finger in the dirt up to your first knuckle.

5. Repeat this process for each seed you are planting.

Measuring between holes: Make the letter L with your thumb and forefinger. Use the distance between the tips of each digit for approximate spacing. Seeds can move over winter and some won't germinate so exact spacing now is a waste of time.

6. Place a seed in each hole.

Milkweed in the hole!

7. Cover the seeds with the already-moist soil. You can place a few inches of straw or leaf mulch over the area to keep the soil from drying out.

8. Mark your seeds with sturdy plant labels .

Be sure to use a weatherproof garden marker (intended for outdoor use) so your labels don't rinse away over winter.

9. SQUIRRELS? Consider putting down chicken wire to deter squirrels or other pesky critters from digging up your new milkweed patch. You could also put off planting until just before the ground freezes or before your first major snowstorm.

10. Relax for the winter.

11. 1-2 months after your seedlings have sprouted next spring, pinch off extra plants (or consider transplanting) to achieve ideal spacing for your specific milkweed. The Ascelpias viridis (spider milkweed) plants will be spaced 1.5 to 2 feet apart.

If you miss the window of opportunity for fall planting, winter sowing milkweed seeds is also an option.

STRAW BALE GARDENING

by Penny Baker

MSU extension Advanced Master Gardener

Straw Bale gardening became of interest to me this year so I watched the computer class STRAW BALE GARDENING 101 by Joel Karsten. http://strawbalegardens.com/

Following that, I purchased his book, Straw Bale Gardens (http://strawbalegardens.com/store/straw-bale-gardening-book-2) and decided to try it. Since my husband and I are retired, it seemed attractive for us to try because it would supposedly be less work, less bending, no weeding and space saving.

We chose to put indoor/outdoor carpeting and chicken wire under the row of bales and had no problem with rodents in our bales. We mulched on either side of the row and had absolutely no weeds. The bales we chose did have sprouts which were no problem but we might use oat straw next year because they aren't supposed to sprout so much.

It turned out that once set up, it was so easy to maintain. The produce was prime and the season was much longer. In fact, I will space the seeds/plants farther apart next year to have more air flow.

My husband was in charge of constructing the bales and drip lines for watering. We followed the directions in Joel Karsten's book and it turned out to be a wonderfully surprising success. We found many of the supplies we needed at Wedel's.

The bales are nearly decomposed now (Nov. 2nd) and will be wonderful compost for next year. We were totally thrilled with the results.

Straw Bale Gardens *Get higher yields, *Never need weeding, *Do not require soil, *Extend growing season by weeks, * Can be conventional or 100% organic (which I chose), *Can go anywhere: even balconies and driveways. This is what Joel Karsten claims and I am a believer. If you have limited space or any physical limitations, this is something you could try with some help setting it up. It's such a good experience to grow your own produce.

Yes, I'm a farm girl. Happy Gardening.

(ed. note - To see more of Penny's photographs taken during the process click here.)

Garden Natives

Hercules And Diane Bittersweet

Celastrus scandens 'Hercules And Diane'

Bittersweet has inspired artists and designers for centuries because of its twining and trailing growth habit, dark green foliage and beautiful orange berries. Images of bittersweet can be found as elements of a variety of applications such as dinnerware, fabrics, wall coverings and fashion accessories. Perhaps the elementary use of bittersweet is cuttings of the plant in floral arrangements.

Oriental Bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) is considered a noxious weed in some areas because of its vigorous growth which causes it to be termed invasive. This month's Garden Native is Hercules And Diane Bittersweet (Celastrus scandens 'Hercules And Diane') which, although vigorous growers, are not the threat Oriental Bittersweet can be. These vines grow to approximately 20' and can be pruned back at anytime.

Generally, bittersweet is dioecious which means male and female flowers are produced on separate plants. Only the female plant will produce decorative fruits and a male plant must be nearby for the female flowers to be pollinated and thereby produce fruits. Hercules and Diane Bittersweet is a cultivar that is a paring of one plant of each sex thereby ensuring pollination.

Hercules And Diane Bittersweet (Celastrus scandens 'Hercules And Diane') should be planted near a fence, trellis or other landscape structure where it can be trained to grow upwards on it, or allowed to trail off a retaining wall or slope. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years. For more information about this month's Garden Native click here.

Mark Your Calendar

Saturday, November 7

12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Meet & Greet Birds of Prey

See live birds and their handlers

from Lake Milton Raptor Education Center.

Experience being eye-to-eye with an eagle,

owl, hawk, and falcon!

Saturday, November 7

9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Fun for Kids of All Ages!

Build a Bird Feeder or House!

Build your own top quality cedar birdhouse or bird feeder that will last for years. Fee covers class and all materials. $13 for feeder, $17 for birdhouse

Saturday, November 7

9:15 a.m. - noon

Visit with the Bird Expert!

Stop in and ask Birdwatch radio show host, Roger Taylor, your birding questions.

Saturday, November 7

10:30 a.m.

Wild Bird Winter Feeding:

Food, Feeders and Safety

What to feed, how to make it available and how to make it safe for you and the birds.

Roger Taylor, Birdwatch radio show host

Wednesday, November 11

Veteran's Day

Thursday, November 26

Thanksgiving Day

Friday & Saturday, December 4 & 5

Santa Claus will be at Wedel's!

Information to come when

we confirm Santa's schedule.

Look Sharp

Feel Sharp

Be Sharp

Did you know that you can have your blades sharpened at Wedels?!

Take a look at these prices!

Pruners - $5.00
Loppers - $5.00
Lawn mower blades - $6.00 (sorry, no reel mowers)
Mulching mower blades - $6.00
Hedge shears - $5.00
Electric and cordless hedge shears - $10.00
Hoes, shovels and trowels - $3.00
Larger items - we will quote a price

(We don't sharpen chain saw blades.)

Did You Know?

1. Milk chocolate was invented by Daniel Peter, who sold the concept to his neighbor Henri Nestl�.

2. There are more than 10,000 varieties of tomatoes.

3. Over the last 40 years food production actually increased faster than population.

4. Maria Ann Smith introduced the Granny Smith apple in 1838.

Just for Grins...
and

Groans
Hospitality: making your guests feel like they're at home, even if you wish they were.

J. Grumpus

Saturday Mornings

Birdwatch 8:07 a.m.

with host Roger Taylor answering all of your birding questions

Call in at 382-4280 or 877-382-4280.

Listen for "Over the Garden Fence" to return

in spring, 2016!

Over the Garden Fence 9:07 a.m.

with host Andy Wedel answering all of your landscape and gardening questions
Call in at 382-4280 or 877-382-4280.

Visit our web site at www.wedels.com for archives of previous Birdwatch and
Over the Garden Fence programs!

Note from the Editor

Start by doing what's necessary, then what's possible and suddenly you are doing the impossible.

St. Francis of Assisi

What a beautiful start of November! I had thoughts about replacing the screen in our storm door with glass and I'm glad I just wasn't ready. I might be ready now but I think I'll wait a little longer. Who knows, there might be another day or two nice enough to have the door open and fresh air streaming into the house. But, you do know, spring is coming, right?

Take a few seconds to have a look at "Mark Your Calendar." There are lots of events coming up including something you are sure to enjoy this weekend. Bring your camera or, at least, have your phone battery charged to take advantage of the rare opportunity to photograph amazing nature close up. Notice too that there are lots of opportunities for you birders to learn and to have some fun; birders of all ages. And since there are so many events related to birding I'm sure you've guessed that Wedel's has some very special pricing on all things related to birding. Come, enjoy and save!

Are you familiar with straw bale gardening? If you are or even if you aren't, don't miss the article, Straw Bale Gardening, by Penny Baker. Penny and her husband decided to give it a try after learning the basics and to say their first effort was a success is an understatement. I think Penny's article will encourage you if you have been considering giving it a try or even if you've not heard of it and find it fascinating. Be sure to use the link at the bottom of her article to see more of her photographs.

You'll notice an article about planting milkweed. I'm sure most of you know why you'd consider planting something with the word "weed" in its name when a great deal of gardening has to do with getting rid of weeds. If you love the orange and black of monarch butterflies and enjoy seeing those gentle creatures in your landscape you might consider planting some milkweed. Milkweed is not just another weed, it is the host plant for monarchs. Without it monarchs can't exist and more and more, milkweed is being removed from the landscape because of the expansion of parking lots, buildings, office building, malls etc. You'll be rewarded twice if you plant milkweed; you'll be doing a good deed by providing a needed resource for monarchs and you'll be graced by their presence in your own landscape.

Keep in mind, this is still perfect weather to plant some spring blooming bulbs. You haven't missed out yet. If the ground isn't frozen you can plant. Some days are coming when the weather won't be the greatest but if you plant some bulbs now you'll be able to enjoy spring at its earliest. I've said it before, there's nothing like coming home to find some snow drops or spikes of green poking through a late winter/early spring snow. I'm sure you'd enjoy that experience too!

We at Wedel's want to wish you the best of Thanksgivings. Because of your friendship and loyalty you provide us with the opportunity to do what we love, working with nature and helping others to do so too so it's only fair that you should get our best wishes for you. We'll be thinking of you as we sit around our Thanksgiving dinner table. That's almost three weeks away so there's plenty of time to stop out at the garden center, say hello and see what's new here since your last visit. We hope to see you soon.

Ready for another trivia question? Here we go! "When was coffee first sold in sealed tin cans in the United States?" The first reader to respond with the correct answer will win a $15.00 Wedel's gift card. The gift card must be picked up here at the garden center and remember, you are eligible to win once every 90 days. Good luck and have fun!

'Til next time,

Jim

jimdavenport@wedels.com

"Give me the end of the year an' its fun
When most of the plannin' an' toilin' is done;
Bring all the wanderers home to the nest,
Let me sit down with the ones I love best,
Hear the old voices still ringin' with song,
See the old faces unblemished by wrong,
See the old table with all of its chairs
An' I'll put soul in my Thanksgivin' prayers."

- Edgar A. Guest, Thanksgiving