This past week, consolidation of nursery stock has begun in the back storage houses and some of the stock displayed such as some of the hydrangeas and Japanese maples have been moved into winter storage and much more this week will be moved into winter storage with the final finish we are hoping by November 1st as that week we plan to cover houses with the white overwintering plastic. Just before covering, all stock will receive a thorough watering from the irrigation system and the covering will begin after the foliage dries off.
Next will be a spray with a broad spectrum fungicide followed by a mouse bait application to reduce or even completely eliminate the gnawing of mice. Even though the stock is not displayed, planting can go on well to the end of November as many times customers and especially landscapers will want stock to finish up their projects.
The Christmas mode will also begin at the end of October as we cut and retrieve branches at the Galehouse Tree Farm for grave blankets that we will start constructing at the beginning of November. Pines are the first branches to be cut while spruce because of their shedding needles, will be cut closer to mid November which does make for a short window to have orders filled for pickup or delivery.
As the poinsettias keep “cooking” away, each week brings more and more red color to the flower bracts especially to the earlier blooming varieties that will be ready for Thanksgiving sales although this year with the lateness of Thanksgiving, the majority of the varieties, if not all of them ready for sale through Thanksgiving up to Christmas Eve.
The house in house as we call it is jammed full now of perennials, clematis and ferns with one additional order of a Primrose that will be available next April along with a gorgeous red flowering one called Valentine.
Nearly 90% of these stored perennials will be available in mid April with a few slower developing ones coming on in mid May.
As always, more instructional videos are in the works and soon will begin the dredging by suction of our irrigation ponds. It’s going to be a busy fall!
Tom