Sunday May 1st – Was a cold and windy day, but I had a chance to look out throughout my yard and realize that I needed to put preen in all my garden beds. I wanted to prevent the weeds from coming up.

Monday May 2nd  - Having a hard day at work, It is another cold and windy day, when I get home I am going to start cleaning and cut back perennials I did not get a chance to do last fall. Like all my grasses, rudbeckia ect… I have to remember that most of my perennials can be cut back to the ground, but thank god I kept all my tags so I know which one to do and if I do not know I can ask for help from any of the staff at the greenhouse.

Tuesday May 3rd – Boy what a day. It is very cold outside but very tropical in our greenhouse, we just got a fresh shipment in of fresh foilage, and boy what a load, we now have tropical hibiscus, huge mandavilla’s , great elephant ears, and lots more, I sure can’t wait to start my containers cause this greenhouse has lots of varieties to choose from. I sure see my yard being the envy of the neighborhood, so don’t forget to follow me on my journey to a beautiful yard.

 Wednesday May 4th - Another busy day here at the greenhouse getting ready for Mothers Day, the greenhouse looks like summer. I have to remember my dormant oil on the way home so I can spray all of my fruit tree’s before they crack bud for any diseases. This is the time to treat them. I also will be pruning any of my fruit tree’s that need to be done. By then it will be time for bed, andstart fresh in the morning. One of the most popular questions we are hearing is can we plant in the groundyet, as long as you can get a shovel in the ground you can start planting tree’s, shrubs and perennials. But as grandpa always said if you can pull down your pants andsiton the ground and not get a cold tushy you can plant annuals. LOL

 Thursday May 5th – Another cold day, boy do you think spring will ever come? I guess I will have to clean all of my pots in the garage tonight and get them ready to plant in.  I ordered my Styrofoam peanuts for my large planters and I have all my soil ready but still I cannot plant them it is still to cold. I have to remember that these plants are coming out of a warm greenhouse and I do not want to shock the roots. I guess I will just have to wait. So tonight would be a good night for chicken soup. So I will see how the weather is tomorrow.

 Friday May 6th – Its getting closer to Mothers Day, Baskets, Baskets, Baskets they are all over which one do I choose from.  Well which one do I pick from, It doesn’t matter mom will love what ever I choose from. We have it all here at the Plant Station Greenhouse, believe me Mom will love what ever you pick out. Tonight when I get home I have to order my mulch for my gardens, I like the cedar it last alot longer. Mulch is great for weed control and keeping those plants moist. I have alot of garden beds, looks like a truck is going to have to come in. Can’t wait  to put it on my gardens, sure looks alot better. Talk to you tomorrow.

 Saturday May 7th- Was really busy at the greenhouse today, lots of baskets are leaving the greenhouse. Started writing down everything I want for the yard before it is gone. Started loading my car with fafard 3B soil for all of my containers looks like we will be getting back to normal temperatures. Boy we can only hope. There is some beautiful annuals this year going to have a hard time picking out which ones, better do it fast before they are picked over. Hope all you Moms out there have a wonderful Mothers Day!

Sunday May 8th – Happy Mothers Day! Hope you enjoy this beautiful day.

Monday May 9th – Had a beautiful day,all of my planters are full of soil areadytobeplanted. I am going to need a pick up truck to fill with plants, but what the heck it is very relaxing

Tuesday May 10th – Going home to start my pond, looks like I am going to need some fish and plants. Can’t wait to start it I love the sound of my waterfalls with a nice glass of wine. How relaxing, my grandsons love to come over and feed the fish. Looks like rain this week looks like I will be filling my pots in the garage oh well its time. I will let you know what combinations I will be using in them, there are so many to pick from

Wednesday May 11th- Another night in the yard put down my weed and feed on my lawn. This was after I mowed for the first time. It was going to rain so I was in a hurry. But I got it done. Then I got to work in the garage looking at all my empty planters, writing down what I want to put in them. Mind you my yard is all themed, like butterfly, cottage, Japanese, bird and lots more and they all get containers in them all of my containers are 16″ or larger so they have alotofroot room in them to help my plants survive all summer. Lots of work but lots of fun. I will let you in to some secrets I have with my containers and what combinations I use in them when I start buying plants. 

Thursday May 12th – I got all of vegetables today, to cold to plant them in the ground yet. Boy is spring coming? I am going to have to pull them in and out of the garage the ground is still to cold to plant any of those vegetables or annuals.

Friday May 13th- The windisvery cold today, all I can do is dream. But I did start bringing home some of my annuals. I like the unusual so the first thing I got was the new trailing New Guinea, it is very striking with there vibrant green andyellow leaves with beautiful large white flowers, it will look great in containers, the other one I got was the new princess grass that will get 6-7 ft. It s a burgundygrass with light pink flumes very eye catching. I will let you know more tomorrow, when I decide what to buy.

Saturday May 14th- Started picking my Rhubarb today, and my asparagus. Was cooking most of the afternoon,so I did not get much time in my gardens.

Sunday May 15th- Doing some more combination planters, today I made a salsa garden in on of my big containers, with tomatoes, cilantro, habanero peppers I can’t wait to start canning this.

Monday May 16th- Getting busy at work people are getting anxious to start planting. When I got home I brought with me some really cool annuals for planting in containers, There are some new mystic series of Dahlias in bright yellow andorange, I am putting them with some New Guinea Impatiens that have dark green leaf and bright orange center to them. This is going to be a great container.

Tuesday May 17th – Today I worked in Japanese garden pruning some of my different varieties of ever greening shrubs and cleaning my lily beds. In this garden I have alot of crushed rock down that needs to be raked to keep it looking good. This garden has a lot of Asiatic lilies and ferns in it so there is a lot of cleaning and dividing of plants, but boy once summer comes my Japanesemaples are very showy , and everything in it. This is a very fun garden to have in the yard, cause it has alot of unusual and unique plants in it.

Wednesday May 18th – Today I got to work in my butterfly garden, right now my magnolia tree is in all blooms of beautiful pinks. I can see perennials coming up from the ground, can’t wait to see them all blooming again. One of my best butterfly plants in ths garden is the butterfly bush it brings tons of monarchs in. It sure is wonderful to see. I can tell that we do not have alot of bees any more, so I have to do some research to see what I can do.

Thursday May 19th – I was playing with my pond again today looks like I am going to need some supplies, and since we carry everything for ponds (I mean everything from pond liner to fish) I need a new filter pad and pump. I see the plant station will order anything I need it takes 2 days to get here. I love to listen to my pond, had to put some chemicals in it for algae. Can’t wait till it is all running, Put in some perennial pond plants in boy what a huge selection we have.

Friday May 20th – Busy day at the greenhouse, but had a little time to start a new garden. I really don’t have alot of time to dig up the sod, so I lay-ed down some newspaper and put some mulch on top of it I will have to wait for a weeksthen I should be able to plant right in to it. This garden is going to be a cutting garden boy this will be alot of fun.

Saturday May 21st – Washed all of my bird feeders and refilled them today, they are all in my bird garden have alot of work to do in this garden I need some mulch. I love watching all of my birds, and boy do I have alot of different kinds, and it is very colorful to watch. I have some blue spruces that need to be pruned at the bottoms. I guess I can start that. Wasedout my birdbath, boy did that need it.

Sunday May 22nd – Its my birthday, the big 50 did not do much today, but we were selling alot of plants today, I have to finish figuring out what I need before things are gone.

 Monday May 23rd – I started working on my shade containers today, We carry some beautiful fanfare New Guinea Impatiens that are very bright. They are a upright and trailing plant, only need 3 of these to a 16″  containers very low maintenance. We also carry illumination begonias that are to die for. Very easy also and low maintenance.

Tuesday May 24th – Have to tell you about the soil we carry here at the plant station greenhouse, it is called fafard 3B. We use it here to grow in, it is the best soil on the market, it has your vermiculite, per-lite in it, it is known as a soil-less mix, once you use this for your containers you will never go back to anything else.

Wednesday May 25th – Today I had to go around and get rid of my weeds, I had to make sure it was not windy, cause I am spraying roundup on them, the other thing I am doing is putting Bayer Rose 3 in on insecticide, fungicide and fertilizer. This stuff has to be used twice a year, greatest stuff they ever made for roses I have not had any problems with diseases on my roses since I started using this product.

Thursday May 26th – Had to wash my windows today not much fun today, but I also was picking my asparagus to blanch and freeze.

Friday May 27th – A day for transplanting  I was seperating all of my Hostas and transplanting for most of the night first I let them soak in monty’s before planting them this works really good.

Saturday May 28th –

Hi folks, here in NE Wisconsin we’ve had a very damp and cold spring thus far.  Such weather is not the most enjoyable for man or beast and has caused the cancellation of many an outdoor celebration this spring.  But many times the problems caused by cool wet conditions extend to the plants growing in and outside of your home.

Cool wet conditions are the breeding grounds of molds, mildews and other fungual diseases on plant material.  Some of the usual culprits include powdery mildew, rust, black spot, early blight, crown rot and verticillium wilt.  If you are growing a plant in a container you may have the ability to reduce the moisture levels in your pot by moving the pot to a protected area where it will not receive as much moisture.

But unlike container plants, items planted in the ground will simply have to endure this weather Mother Nature is throwing at us.  To help, there are several fungicides we offer at The Plant Station Greenhouse to keep disease at bay.  One of our best selling items is a 3-in-one spray that treats for insects, mites and fungal diseases.  It comes in a simple mist bottle and is perfect for small plants that can be misted by hand.

We also offer Bayer Advanced’s line of systemic care products.  These are excellent products that are highly effective and easy to use.  You simply mix the product with a given volume of water and pour the solution onto the roots of the plant.  The plant then draws up the product and treats from the inside out.  This is a highly effective way to keep disease at bay.

For those who prefer to keep their treatment methods organic, we offer modern day Bordeaux Mix, an excellent way to control fungal diseases and some bacterial diseases.  While Bordeaux Mix is organic, it is only a topical product applied to the foliage of a plant and therefore is easily washed off by rain or even a heavy dew.  As a result, organic methods of control tend to be more expensive and more labor intensive to maintain their effectiveness.

Lastly, this time of year before perennial plants such as flowers, shrubs and trees begin to leaf out you also can use a product called dormant oil to head off any fungal problems.  Dormant oil is just that, a light oil product that is sprayed over the branches and twigs while a plant is still dormant to smother off any diseases or insects. 

You can find all the above mentioned products as well as a knowledgeable and friendly staff here at The Plant Station Greenhouse.  Stop in today for all your gardening needs.

Bleeding Hearts

Planting and Care

 
Bleeding Heart requires average, medium wet, well-drained, organically rich soil in part shade to full shade.

Bleeding Hearts are propagated from seeds, division of the roots or from young shoots which emerging from the soil. Roots can be taken carefully by digging a section of the plant from a mature plant, cutting through one side. These shoots or the roots should be divided just before they start growth. It should be planted in an area where trees or roots of other plants will not compete for moisture or nutrients.

Best growth is obtained when plants are spaced 2 feet apart and if planted in rows spaced 3 feet apart. Soil pH can range from 6.0-7.5 and Bleeding Hearts should be fed lightly with a weak liquid or granular fertilizer. The plant takes 2 years to mature and grows to an average of 2 to 3 feet long.

It can be grown in containers or planted in the ground.  They do best if planted in well-rotted manure or compost, with an additional top dressing of compost or manure applied annually.

When grown properly, Bleeding Heart can be a wonderful addition to to your perennial garden.  Stop in to The Plant Station Greenhouse today and check out our selection of Bleeding Heart and other perennial flowers!

This season at The Plant Station Greenhouse we are featuring several new trailing petunias.  Two of these are Supertunia Phantom and Supertunia Pretty Much Picasso.

Supertunia Phantom

This new Petunia from Ball Horticultural will simply wow your friends and family with its jaw -dropping color display.  A trailing petunia, Phantom will grow about 8-12″ tall and 8-12″ wide and flower non-stop throughout the growing season.  A very vigorous grower, Phantom will quickly fill in hanging baskets and planters.

For best results, place Phantom in a full sun (minimum 6 hours of direct sun) location and water regularly with a liquid fertilizer such as Miracle Gro Bloom Booster or Monty’s Root & Bloom.  You may subsitute a slow release granular fertilizer such as Osmocote for the water soluable fertilizers above.

Supertunia Pretty Much Picasso

This new Petunia from Proven Winners will surely be a big winner this year in your garden.  Pretty Much Picasso is a trailing petunia and will grow about 8-12″ tall and trail up to 36″ wide.   A flowering powerhouse, Pretty Much Picasso will bloom throughout the growing season if cared for properly.  Also a very vigorous grower, Pretty Much Picasso will quickly fill in hanging baskets and planters.

For best results, place Pretty Much Picasso  in a full sun (minimum 6 hours of direct sun) location and water regularly (weekly) with a liquid fertilizer such as Miracle Gro Bloom Booster or Monty’s Root & Bloom.  It is also advised to use a slow release granular fertilizer such as Osmocote in spring and in mid-summer (July) to assist with flower production.  Also, in July after your big 4th of July party, give the plant a light cutback of about 20% all around.  This will leave you without flowers for a week or so, but it will reinvigorate the plant to bloom profusely for the rest of the season.

With these two new Petunias available at The Plant Station Greenhouse your garden is sure to be a hit this season!

Things change and the fashion for certain plants will alter in the years to come. But the basic fascination for growing plants in the home will no doubt remain with us and will continue to increase. There are things to learn if you’re a beginner but you don’t need a book to learn about the beauty, variety and popularity of house plants—just look around you. Everywhere you will find them, the impressive indoor gardens in public building….tiny pots on windowsills…..scores of colorful varieties offered for sale in garden shops.

Let me give you The Ten Golden Rules of Plant in the Home:

#1:  Don’t drown them; roots need air as well as water.

#2:  Give them a rest; in the winter plants need less water and less feeding

#3:  Accept the loss of temporary plants; some popular temporary plants include Cyclamen, Gloxinia, and Chrysanthemum, just to name a few. These plants will die back regardless of your care.  You’ve done nothing wrong these plants are doing what they are supposed to do.

#4:  Extra Humidity; place an extra bowl of water around certain plants. Ferns are a good example.

#5:  Treat problems promptly; learn to recognize the early signs of trouble.

#6:  Group them together; nearly all plants look better and grow better when grouped with other plants.

#7:  Learn to repot; after a year or two, most plants begin to look sickly, in many cases the plants simply need repotting.

#8:  Choose wisely; your plant must be able to flourish in the home you provide for it. Make sure the plant’s location is matched to its needs, such as sun or shade.

#9:  Have Proper Tools; such as a watering can, a well drained and properly sized container, fertilizer and maybe some garden scissors just to name a few.

#10:  Always check the plants specific needs.

Just remember you can’t just leave your plants to look after themselves, each plant needs some care and each variety has its own particular requirements.

Technically, an annual is a plant that lives for one gardening season and dies. Annual-flowering plants grow quickly, put on a spectacular flower show for several months, and then expire.

When plants die, they are usually removed and replaced.

Our definition of annual plants is also a bit misleading because two kinds of annuals exist: cool-season and warm-season annuals.

Cool-season annuals (such as pansies, violas, and primroses) thrive in spring and autumn. Planted in early spring to late summer these plants grow quickly and bloom all summer long.

Warm season annuals are planted after the last frost in spring. These plants grow quickly and bloom when the weather is hot, they will continue to bloom until the first frost.

The diversity among flowering annuals makes them very useful in the garden. For the brightest blast of color, we like to plant annuals in masse. Low-growing types usually work best for this type of planting.

Flowering annuals are especially at home in containers, making it easy for you to insert a touch of color into visible, highly used areas. Match the plant’s habits with the pot and location.

No real tricks are needed to grow annuals. Just buy healthy transplants, plant them at the right time, and make sure that the young plants are watered and fertilized regularly.

For the longest season of color, pick off the faded blossoms, or cut the plant back to encourage new blooms.

Remember that at The Plant Station Greenhouse we have hundreds of varieties, unusual annuals, pre-planted combination containers and the best customer service to help you create a landscape your neighbors will be talking about for a long time.

Perennials, perhaps more than any other group of plants, offer an infinitely rich pallet of color, form, fragrance, and texture. There are perennials suitable for almost every area in the garden, however large or small, and whatever the mood or style.

Perennials are defined as non-woody plants that live for two or more years. Some such as Hellebores Niger, aka, Lenten Rose, are evergreen and so provide valuable winter interests. Most however, are herbaceous and die back to ground level in the autumn.

While this has the disadvantage of leaving bare beds in winter, many gardeners enjoy this seasonality, if only because the beginning new growth heralds the onset of spring.

Choosing Perennials

All successful planting designs depend on thoroughly analyzing the site before carefully selecting plants to suit the conditions that exist in the garden. It is always preferable to select perennials that suit the soil type, climate and exposure than to struggle to keep plants alive in unsuitable conditions.

Planting in random and odd-numbered groups of plants create bold and irregular drifts of varying size, shape, and color. A subtle graduation of height and texture along the long axis of the border creates a sense of perspective.

Here at the Plant Station Greenhouse our experts will help you create a beautiful perennial garden that will last you a lifetime.

While you can grow Hardy Mums from seed or cuttings, almost everyone buys young plants from their local garden store. They can also be propagated by dividing and separating them.

Hardy Mums get their name because they are easy to grow. Like other plants, they reward you if placed in the best location of your garden. But they also thrive in less than ideal conditions.

While Hardy Mums will grow well in most parts of your garden, they prefer full to partial sun and rich, well drained soil. If you are short on space, place them in almost any area and they will grow.

Hardy Mum plants have shallow roots. So, keep them well watered near the surface. Apply a balanced fertilizer on a regular basis.  Pinch back the growth to promote a bushy appearance.

As fall arrives stop pinching back the growth and allow the plant to develop. Switch to a fertilizer higher in phosphorous to promote blooming and you will be rewarded with large, colorful blooms that will shine in your garden long after your other plants have succumbed to fall frost.

Hardy Mums make excellent cuttings for indoor vases. Just check for bugs that like to harbor in the leaves.

Mums will survive winter in most zones. In our northern climate, apply a thick layer of mulch over the plant after the leaves have died off for additional winter protection.

Stop in later this summer and check out our selection of Hardy Mums at The Plant Station Greenhouse.

Indoor plants are raised in a greenhouse in which the air is warm and humid. The world outside is far less accommodating.  The Plant Station Greenhouse will make sure that the plants have been properly hardened off, in this way the shock of moving into a new home will be reduced to a minimum.

Houseplants can, of course, be bought at any time of the year.  When buying houseplants, ensure that the specimen is not too big for the space you have in mind. Make sure the plant is properly wrapped before leaving the shop or nursery. The purpose of this wrapping is two protect stray leaves from damage and to keep out draughts. In winter the protecting cover should be closed at the top.

Much has been written about the danger of walking home with a delicate house plant in the depths of winter, but just as much damage is done by putting plants in the trunk of a car in the height of summer. When taking a plant home by car the best plan is to secure it in a safe location inside the car. Be careful not to crush the leaves. Once your new houseplant is home it will need a period of acclimatization.

For a few weeks keep it out of direct sunlight and drafts, be careful not to give it too much heat or water. It is quite normal for a delicate variety to lose a leaf or two during this settling- in period, the worst thing you can do is to keep on moving it from one spot to another in order to find the proper home. Just leave it alone in moderately warm spot out of the sun.

The Plant Station Greenhouse carries a large variety of houseplants, and we will help you decide what is suitable for your home.