Delaware Garden Center
25 Kilbourne Road Delaware, OH 43015 | p: 740-369-5454 | f: 740-363-2091
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Well Hello There Everyone!
Finally, it appears that we have made it through another wild summer in Ohio. Amazing storms, wildfire smoke and blazing heat.
Most of us have had to really work to keep our beautiful trees and gardens thriving through all of the challenges. And let us not forget how much every weed known to mankind also thrived. I think I have seen some brand-new varieties show up this year. But so far, with perseverance (meaning stubbornness), I have managed to keep them somewhat under control. So, I can at least find my favorite plants out there.
First off, I would like to invite each and every one of you to attend a tasting in our Delaware Gift Barn & Loft on October 10th and 11th from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm. This is the first weekend of Oakland's Fall Harvest Celebration. There will be some new and wonderful items for your tasting pleasure. One of our newest products is a collection of splendid and beautifully flavored olive oils and balsamic vinegars from Finch and Fennel. We have tasted each and every one of the flavors we are carrying and just love them. They will (and do) enhance the marinades used for grilled chicken, pork, seafood, and vegetables. Also delightful for just dipping crusty bread or fruit into. Delightful addition to a charcuterie board to enhance flavor. Of course, there will also be quite a few other delicious food items for you to sample. Examples include Mrs. Miller's preserves, Terrapin sauces, Wind and Willow dips, etc. Please come and have fun with us and find your newest taste treat!
The Delaware Oakland Fall Harvest Festival weekend will include other activities for fun for everyone to enjoy.
Now for a few gardening tips, because who of us doesn't need and want them? Right now, it could be a good time to consider refreshing your landscape beds. Asters, cabbage, kale, pansies, and mums are the usual colorful annuals to consider. And they are certainly a lovely and welcome change-up! Add in pumpkins, corn stalks, and a skeleton or two, and you are fully decorated for the season. The garden side of our store has a wonderful selection of outdoor metal sculptures that would be so fun to add to your decor. And even a dinosaur or two!
How about adding a few new perennials to brighten things up, such as native purple coneflower (Echinacea) and black-eyed susans (Rudbeckia). These are both low-maintenance native herbaceous perennials that are also resistant to deer. Although rabbits do like to nibble on the foliage of newly emerging plants. They also have very few diseases that are problematic. These native plants attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators for their nectar all summer and fall. Some pollinators seem to prefer the native purple coneflowers over other colors, because the nectar is more accessible. Research at the Chicago Botanic Garden showed that the single petal flowers of purple coneflower attract eight times more pollinator visits than the hybrid double-petaled varieties. Goldfinches and other birds feed on the copious seed heads in the fall. Each of these plants will grow in less-than-perfect soils in a wide range of soil pH levels, but they do need good drainage. They do not like wet roots at all. Full sun is a requirement, at least six hours a day, and fertilized periodically with a complete fertilizer. Remember to give these plants plenty of room to grow, as these can reach a height of 3 to 4 feet and a spread of 2 feet wide once established. No crowding allowed, as they do need good air circulation. Deadheading will promote repeat blooms. Sometimes they will reseed in the garden if the goldfinches don't find all of the fallen seeds!
Another native perennial plant to consider would be Golden Alexander (Zizia aurea). This is a highly adaptable, hardy perennial native to Ohio's prairies, meadows, and woodlands. This is a phenomenal choice for fall planting. Planting its seeds in autumn lets them overwinter naturally, satisfying the 60-to-90-day cold stratification required for spring germination. All this requires from you is a bit of future planning, and then watch them come up in spring! Like many natives, this plant handles all soil types easily. Highly deer-resistant, disease-free, and low- maintenance. It is a short-lived perennial that sustains its footprint by politely self-seeding over time. And it is a larval host for the caterpillars of the Black Swallowtail butterfly. Beautiful! It blooms with flat, accessible blooms open from April to June. So it fills a critical feeding gap for early-season native bees and beneficial wasps before summer wildflowers peak. You could do from seed, as stated above, or find starter plants to put in now.
For your vegetable garden, try considering the planting of garlic and onions in October to overwinter for a harvest the following summer. We love seasoning anything with fresh garlic! Yummy! If you have a lot, you can preserve it. But be sure to save a dozen or so large cloves to replant in the fall again for the following year's crop.
Other fall veggie crops include spinach, kale, any lettuce, and Swiss chard. Tasty! How about considering radishes, carrots (sweeter with a cold spell), beets, and turnips. Any brassicas - broccoli, cabbage, Brussel sprouts, and even cauliflower benefit from cooler, even cold, weather.
And certainly, do not forget to select and plant spring-blooming bulbs! Tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, snowdrops, alliums, fritillarias, etc., need to be planted in October or November for the rewards you will receive in early and mid-spring. Such a glorious beginning to an all new season of growth! And they all make for lovely cut flowers to bring some spring inside and enjoy.
Well, now I am off to plot out planting a few hardy cold-weather vegetables. And add in some new perennials before having an adult beverage. Go forth and have fun my friends!
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!
