November
We hope you had a great growing season with lots of beautiful flowers and abundant harvests. You've probably noticed that we have just gone through one of Wisconsin's first cold spells. There was frost, wind, rain and yes a little snow. Now it seems there will be a period of relatively nice weather and it's a great time to get your yard ready for the upcoming winter. Here are just a few hints that we'd like to share with you:

*Continue mowing lawns so that the grass is not too long going into winter. Long grass will mat down causing disease and giving moles a place to tunnel.

*Continue watering plants, especially newly planted in late summer, until there is some indication of frozen soil or at least until you disconnect your hoses for winter!

*Start a compost pile where you can pile old foliage from flowers, vegetables, soil from seasonal containers, leaves, and grass clippings. In time this will compost into a great soil amendment that you can use in next year's gardens and plantings.

*Don't forget to empty clay or ceramic containers so they don't break from freezing over the winter. Store inside or turn upside down outside.

*Perennial gardens can be cut back and cleaned up now or if you don't get around to it, do it in early spring. Some plants - like ornamental grasses and tall sedum - can be left so that their foliage can provide some winter interest in the garden.

*Wait awhile to cover roses and mulch in perennial gardens until there is some frost in the soil. Work off your Thanksgiving dinner in the yard! : Your waistline and garden will thank you for it.

*Now is not a good time to do any major pruning on trees and shrubs because this will stimulate new growth - that's not what we want at this time. Mid to late March is a good time for dormant pruning and it will finally get you outside after a long winter.

Here at the farm we are preparing the greenhouses for winter and doing our ordering for next Spring. We are excited about the many new plants that will be available in 2009.. We plan to open our satellite location on Hwy 18 again next spring and offer more decorative outdoor living product lines for your home and gardens. Look forward to seeing you in spring!

Until then, from our family to yours, have a great holiday season.
Good growing!
Gilbert, Gail and Christopher