Delaware Garden Center
25 Kilbourne Road Delaware, OH 43015 | p: 740-369-5454 | f: 740-363-2091
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Hello Spring! Maybe? Finally? Sort of?
Has everybody else out there been wondering if Spring weather would ever actually arrive? Such a wild roller-coaster of weather trends these past few months. Looking forward to some much calmer (hopefully) weather for the rest of spring and summer.
Of course, with that said, the inclement weather gave us plenty of time to get our vegie and flower seeds started. My little pepper and tomato seedlings are looking really good at this point. As are the zinnia, dahlias and other flowers have all germinated and look happy. Outside in the vegie bed the broccoli, cabbage, all lettuces, potatoes and onions are perky too. This was one of those years that I actually got things in the ground early (for me). In between snow, sleet and rain days that is.
Even with the up and down weather it was a terrific spring for all of the spring blooming bulbs. Encouraging all of us to plant even more in the fall. Such a joy to cut your own flowers in March and April to bring the outside in to enjoy inside on cloudy days. And now that our late tulips are blooming I still have flowers inside.
Here are a couple of tips for arranging your tulips in a vase.
- Remove lower leaves and any soil at bottom of tulip. Recut about a 1/2" or so from bottom of stem.
- Keep away from direct sun and heat.
- Don't fill vase all the way to top with water. Tulips stems are soft and water sensitive and will go soft and mushy with too much water.
- Change water daily. A little extra work but worth it. This will keep bacteria growth at bay and prevents cloudy water and smell.
- Tulips are phototropic and will continuously grow toward strong light. Consider turning your arrangement each day.
- Avoid combining tulips with fresh cut daffodils because the daffodils produce a sap that tends to cause a quicker demise to tulips.
In our Delaware Gift Barn and Loft we are offering two Special Sales for the entire month of May.
All framed wall art - 25% off. Quite a wonderful and lovely variety of subject matter in our selections of prints.
So, this would be an opportune time to change up your indoor decor for the season.
All purses, handbags and wallets - 25% off. A perfect opportunity to pick up a gift for Mother's Day or other special occasion.
Many styles, colors, textures to suit any outfit and personality.
And the gift ideas do not end with these two. Pillows, jewelry, candles, clothes, and more beautiful items to have fun selecting from.
Naturally, there are many more ideas for gifting here at Oakland Delaware. Stunning hanging baskets and annuals are abundant in the nursery along with an extensive selection of trees, shrubs, and perennials. Soon to arrive are all of the brilliantly colored tropicals that we just love to surround ourselves with and pretend to be on our own island. What a glorious explosion of colors to make anyone smile!
Traditionally, in central Ohio, we consider May 15 to be our frost-free date. Do keep in mind that Mother Nature does like to play tricks on humble Gardeners. So be prepared for those times that you may need to cover young seedlings. But we just garden on, playing in the soil and always hoping for sunny weather and just a bit of rain to help our plants along. Now that the air temperature is above 65 degrees and the soil temperature is above 60 degrees during the day and no lower than 50 degrees at night it is perfect for planting peppers, tomatoes, eggplants and squash.
Nothing tastes better than a meal using fresh vegetables and herbs from the garden. Consider planting some herbs with your vegie plants. Basil and dill do quite well with tomatoes and peppers as they require the same amount of sun, water and good drainage. Where lavenders, thyme, oreganos and rosemary are all drought tolerant and would make a beautiful drought tolerant, edible garden!
Have you considered creating a more butterfly/pollinator friendly space? Any size will do nicely for a successful pollinator summer. Here are a few tips from Mariyam Muhammad with USA Today Network.
- 6 hours (at least) of direct sun per day.
- Protection from wind and rain. Plant near trees and shrubs.
- Plant both nectar and host plants. Have a water source nearby.
- Avoid chemical-based pesticides.
- Make a butterfly shelter as a resting area for your pollinators and caterpillars that need to cocoon.
- Choosing a diverse array of flowers is important according to the OSU Extension. Your selection could include: milkweed, butterfly weed, purple coneflower, marigolds, black-eyed susans, mustards, mints. And this is just a start of the list of plants. Many more could be included. Then sit back and enjoy the show!
Oakland Delaware has many of the annuals, trees, perennials, shrubs and herbs that can make your pollinator garden successful.
On another environmental note - all of us are seeing the white blooming trees everywhere this year (and for many past years). These are called Callery Pear trees. Also referred to by many other names such as Bradford Pear, Cleveland Pear, etc. While seemingly beautiful they are terribly invasive. As a non-native this tree is displacing many native trees and plants all across the country. The native trees and plants are what support beneficial insects, pollinators, birds and wildlife. This tree has been illegal to plant, propagate, grow or sell in Ohio since Jan 1, 2023. So, if you have any of these trees, please consider removing them. Some counties are offering incentives to homeowners to remove this invasive species.
Consider planting a variety of native trees so that the bloom extends from spring thru summer. Some suggestions for native white blooming trees would include:
Serviceberry, white Eastern Redbuds, Crabapple, Caralina Silverbell, Dogwood, Sweet Bay Magnolia and Fringetree. Much of this information was provided by Mike Hogan.
He is Extension Educator, Agriculture and Natural Resources and associate professor with Ohio State University Extension. He also writes weekly for the Columbus Dispatch Newspaper.
Now off to sip and enjoy the view in my backyard. Happy gardening folks!
CUSTOM CONTAINER PLANTINGS
Can’t seem to find exactly what you’re looking for? Maybe a color scheme isn’t what you were envisioning, or the premade planters are never the right scale for your area. Whatever the case may be, Oakland Nursery is happy to customize seasonal containers for you! Let us create a custom combination planter for your home, based upon YOUR specifications!
You can pick from our wide selection of pottery or bring in your own container. You can pick out exactly what you want or just give us some guidelines and let us do our magic.
Colorful containers can start as early as February and go as late as November, and there are many options for holiday greens arrangements to fill even the coldest months!
Prices are dependent upon the plant selection and container size. Additives such as Soil Moist and slow release fertilizers are also available options. We will do our best to understand your needs and make informed, educated decisions about what plants will work best for your location and lifestyle.
Call us or stop in anytime, we are here to help!
