PANSIES LOOK LIKE LITTLE, CHUBBY-FACED BABIES!

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These rounded, flat-faced Spring flowers look just like a chubby-faced baby, so how could you not love them? AND… Payne’s has plenty of them to share!

STOP BY TODAY AND BRIGHTEN UP YOUR DAY!

The Pansy is one of the most popular flowers in the garden! Despite their delicate name and appearance, pansies are hardy, disease resistant and do well in cooler climates. Plus, they are low maintenance and easy to grow! The Pansy is a member of the Viola family and is easily recognized. The round flowers have five petals and come in a wide variety of colors ranging from bright pink to pure white. Flowers can a be single solid color, while others have black lines radiating from the center. The most familiar looking Pansies will have a dark center that looks like a “face.” Leaves can be oval or heart-shaped. They grow to be 8-10 inches tall.

  • the name Pansy comes from the French word, pensee, which means thought or remembrance
  • in the language of flowers, the pansy represents thoughts of lovers
  • Pansies are one of the oldest cultivated flowers in history
  • the Pansy was particularly popular in the 19th century and was commonly used in “love potions”
  • Pansy flowers are edible and have a minty flavor; they can be added to salads and desserts
  • yellow and blue pansies seem to have the strongest scent
  • the flower can be used as a natural dye
  • Pansy petals are often used in potpourri

WELCOME TO OCTOBER!

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Here are this weeks three tips on what to do in the
garden during the month of October! 

Prepare for Winter:

  • October is an excellent time to prepare your garden for the colder months ahead. Start by cleaning up any fallen leaves, dead plants, and debris. This will help prevent diseases and pests from overwintering in your garden.
  • Trim back any perennials that have finished blooming and cut back summer annuals that are past their prime.
  • Consider mulching around the base of trees, shrubs, and perennial plants to help insulate their roots and conserve moisture.

Plant Fall Bulbs:

  • October is the perfect time to plant spring-blooming bulbs like tulips, daffodils, and crocuses. The soil is still warm enough for them to establish roots before winter but cool enough to prevent premature growth.
  • Follow planting instructions for each type of bulb, usually placing them at a depth of two to three times their height.

Harvest and Preserve:

  • Harvest any remaining vegetables and herbs from your garden before the first frost arrives. Tomatoes, peppers, and many herbs can be harvested and preserved through canning, freezing, or drying.
  • If you have fruit trees, pick ripe fruits like apples and pears. Store them properly to prevent spoilage.
  • Consider planting a cover crop like winter rye or clover in any empty garden beds. Cover crops help prevent soil erosion and improve soil fertility over the winter.

ASK THE GARDEN GURU!

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DOES SIZE MATTER WHEN CHOOSING FALL BULBS?

ANOTHER GREAT QUESTION!

In this week’s archived show from previous years, the Garden Guru said Fall is the best time of year to plant bulbs of tulips, hyacinth, crocuses and daffodils in order to enjoy their fireworks of colorful blooms come Spring. 

Lynn mentioned that Payne’s gets their bulbs directly from Holland and only deals with the reputable companies that know what they are doing! Lynn also said that if you buy bulbs from a discount store they will most likely be half the price… but probably are half the size of the premium bulbs that you would buy from Payne’s. Listen to Lynn’s show on what to look for when buying a bulb!

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE GARDEN GURU’S ARCHIVED RADIO SHOW ON THIS TOPIC.

HAPPY GARDENING!

VALERIE’S VIEW from the Greenhouse!

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WE ARE NOW INTO OUR FALL WEATHER! 

Many of our customers want to know how to store their Gladiola bulbs as they are only hardy to Zone 7. The best method is to up-root them and lay them out to dry for a couple of days. Trim down the leaves. The old corm can be removed which is slightly different in color than the newer corm. Store them in a shoe box or crate with some dry sand in your garage or storeroom where they will stay dry.  Make sure they do not touch each other. Some customers use cardboard egg cartons, popcorn, Nylon stockings, onion bags, which work just as well. 

   Other plant customers want to store their Dahlia tubers.  As these are only hardy to Zone 8. These should be dug up, the soil shaken off and laid out to dry which should take approximately two days. You will see some shriveling on the tuber. They can then put them into paper bags and store them in the garage or store room. Dahlias multiply like crazy therefore, lots to store.

Many of our customers come in for pansies as they are very tough and can take the cold. We still have some. We also still have some garden mums which will come back as they are perennial.

Churches and some of our customers have started to book their Poinsettias for Christmas Day. Time marches on.

HAPPY GARDENING!

FALL is for Planting – PART 3

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The warm Fall is a great season for planting hardy trees, shrubs, vines, perennials, and bulbs! Here are some great reasons why:

• Root growth is greatest in the fall. Plants prioritize: in spring and early summer flowers, fruits and leaves get the most energy; in mid-to-late summer, fruiting, blooming and ripening peak, leaf growth lessens and stems begin to get more energy.

• As fall approaches, plant tops go dormant and next year’s buds finish forming, resulting in a decrease in the energy required by the above-ground parts of your plants. This lets plants use that energy for a tremendous increase in root growth. In fact, in fall, as stem growth tapers off, 70-80% of the season’s new root growth occurs. This means that plants established in the fall have better root systems to support the following Spring’s rush of new top growth than spring plantings.

Click here to learn more.

LET’S GET GARDENING!

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By Jennifer Fairfield – The Garden Mill

The cooler temps are definitely good for getting work done out in the yard – it makes me want to spend all day outside, which is a good thing, since I have a lot to do. Here are some of the things I know I need to get done this month:Vegetable Garden:

  • If you still have plants in your vegetable garden, keep fleece row covers handy to protect them from frost. Some crops, such as kale, cabbage, and broccoli can take a bit of frost and may actually have improved taste, but many plants will not survive even light frost.
  • If you do still have warm-weather loving plants in your garden – tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, beans, or squash – they’re probably pretty much done.
  • Once your plants have stopped producing, clean out the garden. Do this earlier in the month so you’re not out in the freezing temperatures at the end of the month, wishing you had done it sooner! Around the end of the month – possibly sooner if we get some really good frosts – it’s time to plant garlic. Garlic gets planted in the fall in Michigan. We can grow garlic that gets planted in the spring, but it doesn’t generally get as big, and often just doesn’t do as well here as the varieties planted in the fall.
  • The last thing you need to do before you close the books on the 2020 gardening season is to clean your tools before putting them away. Doing so will help your tools last longer, and make them work better for you.

CLICK HERE to read more.

THINK AND PLANT FOR SPRING! OUR FALL BULBS ARE HERE!

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Hurry In. Our bulbs are going FAST!

Fall is the best time of year to plant bulbs such as tulips, hyacinth, crocuses and daffodils — in order to enjoy their fireworks of colorful blooms come Spring.

Payne’s sells ONLY the biggest, highest quality Holland-grown bulbs to make sure you get the largest, longest-lasting, most brilliantly colored blooms. Stop by either store and choose from our great selection!


TJ’s TIP: Don’t forget to sprinkle a little bulb food or bone meal in the hole while you are planting the bulbs and also sprinkle a little more on the soil surface to assure healthy growth. Of course, we have both bulb food and bone meal!

PAYNE’S PHOTO OF THE WEEK!

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PHOTO OF THE WEEK!

COLORFUL PANSIES FROM PAYNE’S!

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SHARE YOUR PHOTOS! Please keep sending in your photos. 
You Could WIN a $25 Gift Card!
If you have a photo taken in one of our greenhouses or of your own garden orlandscape that contains products from Payne’s, please send it to info@paynes.com!

If your photo is chosen, and used in our e-newsletter website or other marketingmaterials, then you will receive a Gift Certificate from Payne’s for $25!Please make sure to give us your contact information in your email.

ZODIAC SIGNS AND GARDENING? HERE’S THIS CYCLES PROFILE.

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by The Old Farmer’s Almanac

Here’s THIS MONTHS ZODIAC SIGN PROFILE AND HOW IT CAN HELP YOU GARDEN:


LIBRA (SEPTEMBER 23 – OCTOBER 22 )
Libra begins the fall. Because of your concern for beauty, flowers of all kinds abound in your garden. Color is important to you: Ranges from bright to subtle will be artfully placed throughout your decks and patios. You are not particularly fond of getting your hands dirty, so look for the local nursery truck to make frequent visits all summer long. Flowering bushes and trees will be tucked along fences and borders nestled in their beds of mulch. You always want to make a favorable impression; pansies and nasturtiums appear in your salads and roses, and lilies adorn your dining room table.