 Dayton
"Dirt"
Weekly Blog entries
by Tom Dayton
"Going Green" Blogs
2008 Blog Archive
March 19, 2010
Tomorrow, March 20th at 12:00 noon, I will brief you on the
wherefores of green roofs.
Green roofs are in big time use in Europe,
especially Germany, as they are even mandated by local laws such as in the
city of Stuttgart.
There are many benefits to employing a green roof
during the construction of a structure as not only are they aesthetically
pleasing, they absorb runoff water, cool the building in summer and greatly
extend the life of the roof membrane.
On our new barn, we installed our green roof in
October of 2009 which created a buzz in Norton about what was on the roof!
Onlookers even pulled up into the driveway in front
of the structure to take a look with some turning around in the newly seeded
yard so they wouldn’t have to back out on the street!
During the seminar, we’ll take a good look at the
roof and I’ll explain its construction details (as long as it’s not pouring
down rain!)
Spring is here!
Tom
March 12, 2010
Remember Saturday March 13th that Joan Gangle will share her
knowledge with us on the culture of growing roses. Joan is from Copley and
is well known for her garden and by being a member of the Cuyahoga County
Master Gardeners.
I almost forgot to mention that the nursery is open
Monday through Saturday 8:30 am to 6:00 pm and closed on Sunday.
There is really not much to look at on the grounds
but that will change very soon as stock begins arriving and we start pulling
plants from our winter storage houses.
We’re still feverishly potting up annual flowers
and perennials to get ready when the greenhouses open at the end of April.
On Tuesday, March 16th at 6:30 pm, we’ll
learn about organic fertilizers and soils from the Espoma fertilizer
company. We’ve carried the Espoma line for quite a few years now and most
of our customers seem to enjoy using it as it is low in salts and easy on
soil microbes. You’ll be able to get a window into the differences of
supplying the nutrients plants need through the organic way vs. the chemical
fertilizer method. Bring your note pads as this seminar is bound to have
loads of interesting technical information.
Just think, it’s almost spring!
Tom
March 5, 2010
With March on the scene, the scoop at the nursery
is busy, busy, busy! Our roses and Endless Summer Hydrangeas are all
potted up and will be available sometime in the month of May. Another
hurried pace is due to the arrival of our small annual flowers that we
plant to make combination pots and hanging baskets.
Small perennial plants will be arriving by the
thousands. I’m particularly intrigued by all the new perennials for
2010. Its quite a problem to display all the new plants as we’re
introducing over 75 varieties.
Tomorrow, March 6th at noon, we’ll gain much from
Joyce Pelz’s insight on backyard bird feeding. This seminar will be timely
as the bluebirds return soon to Ohio and the hummingbirds return is not far
off.
You’ll note also that our seminars continue through
early spring as we have the place to do it with the addition of our owl
barn.
On Tuesday evening (March 9th) at 6:30
we’ll discuss the new “stuff” for 2010 and have tips on the use of Bamboo in
the landscape. This seminar is $5.00. As always though, we still ask that
you pre-register so that we can be sure enough seating and refreshments are
on hand.
Tom
February 26, 2010
We’re wrapping up the end of February with a seminar tomorrow by Michelle
Riley of Eberhardt Landscaping. Michelle is a graduate of Kent State
University with a triple associate degree in landscape design, turf grass
and arboriculture. She’ll speak on the relationships of trees as they relate
to our past presidents and on the importance of trees to our environment as
to one similar to a program called "Why Trees Matter" put on by the Ohio
Research and Development Center in Wooster, Ohio. (Michelle's seminar has
been cancelled as of 2-26-10)
I remember in grade school in Norton about being
taught about the Civilian Conservation Core camps set up during Franklin
Roosevelt’s administration for the purpose of putting young unemployed men
back to work by planting millions (eventually 2 billion) of trees to combat
soil erosion by wind and water because of the mowed down forests and plowed
up prairies. In fact, lines of trees were planted as windbreaks after the
outbreak of the Dust Bowl in the 1930's that blew tons of precious topsoil
away.
In Norton, many willows were cut down by property
owners along a small creek which resulted in enormous soil erosion of the
property owner’s yards. Yes, trees do indeed matter.
Michelle is quite knowledgeable and I’m sure the
program will be most worthwhile.
Tom
February 19, 2010
We made it over the hump of
winter! Temperatures will (on average) be on the rise giving us a preview
soon of a glorious spring.
Megan Vance will be our guest speaker in the Owl Barn on Saturday at 12
noon. Megan has her own business called Suzanne Jardin Garden Design so that
with all her background in design and planting, Megan is an expert in shade
gardening especially with perennials. Megan was our guest last year when she
spoke on container gardening and new perennials for 2009. I do well remember
that she is very entertaining.
During the seminar I will press Megan closely to classify the different
types of shade that plants require or have to deal with as all shade is not
created equal.
I want to personally thank Bill Bauman of Bauman’s Orchards in Rittman
for all his expertise on fruit trees. Bill’s family has been in the orchard
business for about 60 years in which the results of their labor and
knowledge have turned Bauman’s orchards into a favorite destination for many
of us in the Summit, Medina and Wayne counties during the harvest season.
I’ve got my questions listed for Megan tomorrow and you be sure to have
all yours ready so you can fire away as soon as she gives the signal for a
question and answer period.
See you tomorrow,
Tom
February 12, 2010 I think everyone enjoyed the herb seminar
last week and now it’s time to move on to small fruit. It seems that so many
of our seminars center around eating and food but so what?
Planting and growing fresh vegetables and fruits is a large part of why
we garden and the other at least as important part of gardening is pleasure.
I always knew a fair amount about small fruits but did I ever get an
education when I started studying the updates.
So many varieties of strawberries, blueberries, rhubarb, raspberries,
blackberries, etc. are available, it just boggles the mind. For me it’s like
studying in school again on what’s going so that I can pass on everything to
all of you.
About the same time last year I spoke to you about blueberries and I will
touch on this subject again although this seminar will be an expanded one
covering more of the small fruit realm.
Almost everyone has enough space for these small fruits in their yard and
another fact about them that makes them so great is that they are perennial
members of the garden that continue to grow and develop to provide a harvest
year after year after year.
Hope you can come tomorrow!
Tom
February 5, 2010 It didn’t take long for January to fly by and
already I can tell the days are getting longer. I figure that by the time we
get by Washington’s birthday, the rough weather (at least sub zero
temperatures) is over.
Saturday, February 6th at 12 noon is the start of our next
seminar of the use of herbs in our lives for fragrance, fitness and flavor.
If you’re satisfied with bland tasting food or the fast food garbage that’s
out there, you won’t be interested in this seminar. However, herbs seem to
be the catalyst resulting in good food becoming great food!
The fitness part comes into maintaining and enhancing our health through
the use of antioxidants, vitamins and such. I’m sure the seminar won’t tout
the medicinal aspects of herbs as that in something only a physician could
advise you to use them correctly as some if used incorrectly can be harmful.
The fragrance of herbs is well known from that of lavender, the subject
of last weeks seminar, to Sweet Woodruff, Rosemary, Thyme and so on.
Don’t forget next week that I will be giving a seminar on the planting
and growing of small fruits with a side about fruit trees such as there
selection, pollination and such.
See you tomorrow at the seminar.
Tom
P.S. Remember the seminars are held in the new "Owl Barn".
January 29, 2010
Tomorrow is the first in our series of winter seminars beginning
with the multiple uses of lavenders and how to grow them. This herb
(perennial) is not only versatile when harvested but is well known in the
perennial garden for its flowers and fragrance. I can remember the
lavender growing on the hillside of Provence, France when I stayed in a
small town above Nice called Vence. The only disappointment was that my
timing was off as none were noticeable as they were not in bloom.
Tomorrow, January 30th, is the first day of use of our new
barn that we call the "Owl Barn". This structure is a perfect place to hold
seminars in that it is heavily insulated and boasts an in floor heating
system powered by a small boiler. We have already had this system cranked up
to check it out and I must say that all those attending should be nice and
warm no matter the weather outside.
I hope you can come. The seminar begins at 12 noon and will include a
short break for refreshments. See you there.
Tom
January 22, 2010
Now we’re entering the coldest part of the winter and I pray that at least
3-4” of snow or more will blanket the ground through February which will
definitely help tender perennials overwinter well.
The first in our
series of winter seminars takes place on the 30th of this month
with Judy Byrne of Daybreak Lavender Farm.
Lavender is such a fascinating plant with its beautiful foliage and aromatic
leaves. We grow about 8 varieties including Munstead, Hidcote, Fred Boutin,
Lady, Vicenza, Provence, Blue Cushion and Coconut Ice.
Judy will be speaking on the best cultivation practices for lavender and its
many uses. She will be my guest next week on our radio program “Ready, Set,
Grow” on 1590AM WAKR on Saturday, January 23rd at 8:00 am.
I’ve been answering gardening questions on the radio program for almost 14
years now and I have learned a lot myself from our callers as to how they
solve various garden problems.
This coming week we’ll receive our shipment of primrose called Super Nova.
These primrose are a great improvement over the old Pacific types in that
they are just as hardy but the flowers are so much larger and colorful. I
hope to offer them in early spring as a potted plant to be enjoyed indoors
and then planted in the garden in some shade when the weather warms.
Primrose like cool temperatures (45-55 degrees) so that for us, they will be
ideal to grow in the greenhouse as we can keep the heating costs down.
I’ll look forward to seeing you at the seminars!
Tom
January 15, 2010
Even though we’re moved into the Owl Barn, we still have a lot of work to do
before you’re invited. We’re constructing counters, shelving, coating &
sealing the floor, hanging tapestries, hanging colorful photographs…
On a trip last summer
to Holland, Michigan, some extraordinary large framed photographs caught my
eye. I saw them in the window and just had to have them. One is a huge
photo of a daffodil called ‘Ice Follies’ with amazing detail. The second
framed photograph is one of the famed tulips of Holland, Michigan followed
by the glowing orange of an Oriental poppy with the black inner parts of the
flower contrasting with the robust orange.
The barn will be an ideal space to market the blueberries that we’ll be
planting next spring next to the lake area at the rear of the nursery. While
we’re not planning to market solely organic foods, the main focus for our
summer market will be on locally grown and locally preserved foods from
farms around this area.
The word local is broad by I have defined it to mean that our sources for
almost all products will come from a one hundred mile radius from the
nursery.
Other products available will be fresh cut flowers as well as potted flowers
from our own greenhouses and growing operations.
Before the farm market opens, the Owl Barn will serve as a display and
gathering space for educational seminars and flower shows. As time goes on,
we hope to make gradual changes to our business to achieve a higher level of
service, more varied but related products and a more pleasant atmosphere for
our customers to shop.
Back to work for me,
Tom
January 8, 2010
Don’t forget that birds get hungry too and must constantly eat to keep up
their 104 degree Farenheit body temperature. In lengthy studies, it does
not seem to harm birds to feed them as the myth about making them too
dependent on humans that can “giveth” and then later “taketh” away the food
source.
Periodically please
wash your bird feeders and use a bleach solution to kill any bacteria that
would be detrimental to the birds’ health.
We are closed for the winter but Copley Feed is an excellent source for all
your bird feeding needs.
Don’t forget too that I told you last year about staking up your cut
Christmas tree near the birds feeders to give them shelter and cover from
predatory birds and animals.
Check the trunks of your young trees that are less than two inches in
diameter for rabbit damage. It would be a good idea to place tree guards on
young trunks.
Also, if you sprayed your plants susceptible to deer damage in November, I
would recommend a re-spray of Liquid Fence with the advent of a January
thaw. Re-spraying with Wilt-Pruf or Freeze-Pruf would be a good idea too on
those broadleaf evergreens that can be susceptible to wind burn when cold
day winds accompanied by frozen soil take hold in winter.
I
must lecture you also about that perils of throwing salt-laden snow from
your sidewalk onto your landscape plants – don’t do it! Urea will work as a
safer ice-melter and you can pick it up at Copley Feed.
See you soon,
Tom
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