Tomorrow is the first in our series of winter educational seminars that we hope will enlighten our customers on a variety of gardening topics. Tomorrow’s speaker will be Dr. Laura Deeter of Ohio State Agricultural Technical Institute. Dr. Deeter is known for her teaching about herbaceous perennials but now will focus on the use of flowering bulbs in the landscape to herald the beginning of spring and right on into late spring and even summer. While similar to many herbaceous perennials with leaf structure and flowering, the key difference is that bulbs have layers of stored food reserves in their bulbs that enable them to withstand adverse environmental conditions at certain times of the year. Dr. Deeter will not only address the more familiar tulip, narcissus and hyacinth that also are used for forcing during Easter but will give some insight on using unusual bulbs for beautifying a woodland property or a landscape on a small city lot. Her studies and experiences with these bulbs I hope will open new doors that will encourage the use of these more unusual flower bulbs.
At the nursery as I have related before, more than 10,000 tulips have been planted last fall to greet visitors in spring as well as narcissus and some hyacinth with a limited number of unusual bulbs making the case that at the nursery we follow more of the norm than “go out on a limb” with more unusual plants at least in bulbs.
Dr. Deeter’s talk for sure is going to change the nursery’s planting plan for next fall. In conjunction with this talk on beautification, the Keep Akron Beautiful folks will be on our radio program tomorrow from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on 1590 WAKR as we discuss the various beds around the city of Akron and what are called Adopt-a-Spot plots that residents actually plant and maintain with some assistance from Keep Akron Beautiful.
According to past and present administrations of the city of Akron, these colorful flower plantings are one facet of economic development that not only delight residents and visitors but may tip the scale for new residents and new businesses to locate in Akron as they view it as a city of one that cares and one that takes pride in a world that is filled with steel and blacktop. Call in with your questions or text
330-370-1590 during the program.
Hope to see you at the seminar!
Tom