By Dave Zeldon and Ely Schweyer

This is the time of year that most garden centres will have on display their wide variety of Amaryllis bulbs, including the evermore popular waxed dipped. These enormous bulbs that are appearing now will be ready to burst into bloom within 4-8 weeks after planting.

Non-Wax Dipped: Planting

All Amaryllis need is a bit of commercial potting soil that should not cover the shoulders of the bulb (try leaving about 1/3^rd of the bulb showing above the soil line), with the nose (or narrow end) of the bulb peeping well over the top of the pot. Make sure that you use a well-drained container that is 3-4” bigger in diameter than the bulb itself.

☝️A heavy clay pot will prevent this top-heavy plant from toppling over. To achieve continuous bloom, plant at intervals of two weeks for stunning colour in your home.

Non-Wax Dipped: Care

Once leaves emerge, fertilize once a month with a 20-20-20 water soluble fertilizer for houseplants. Water sparingly and wait for the miracle in a warm sunny room. Sub-irrigation or watering from the bottom of the drip tray will keep the surface soil dry, thus keeping and bulb rot organisms and those pesky fungus gnats at bay.

Non-Wax Dipped: It's Not Done Yet!

When blooming is over, remove the scape (or flower stock) and place the plant in a sunny spot and continue to water. This is to allow the leaves to regenerate the bulb. In springtime, when all danger of frost has passed, bring the bulb outdoors and let it spend its holidays in a shady spot. In some varieties the leaves will die back in September to give the plant a rest for a couple months. Stop watering and store the bulb on its side in a cool place for about eight weeks, when the leaves will once again begin to emerge.

   Amaryllis can go 3-4 years without repotting as they don’t mind a little crowding. Try growing a couple of bulbs in larger pots to see if you can get a clump of flowers from the offshoots or babies that will develop after a couple of years.

Or, Try One of These Wax Dipped Bulbs!

Now growing more popular are the care-free waxed-bulb Amaryllis!

   Experienced growers and beginners alike love that these waxed bulbs do not need to be planted or watered! Each of these robust bulbs are carefully prepared in festive-coloured wax, allowing you the freedom to place them among your holiday decorations.

   Simply keep the bulbs at an ambient room temperature of at least 16C (70F)  for beautiful blooms in five to six weeks. 

   These novelty items are low commitment! Their only fault is their lack of longevity - gardeners don’t get to enjoy them after year as these waxed bulbs were designed to be a one-use throwaway item!

   BUT with a little luck and perseverance you may be able to save the bulb for next season after blooming. All you have to do is to carefully remove the wax layer, remove the flower stalk and place the bulb and with its remaining leaves into a pot of good growing media, allowing the leaves to regenerate the food stores in the expired bulb.

   If you’re looking for more information – or perhaps, Amaryllis – visit Eising Greenhouse and Garden Centre! Happy Holidays! ✨

By: Dave Zeldon and Ely Schweyer with tips from Mary K, Zach C, Sandy M, and Jeanine LT!

Now is the time to prep our outdoor landscapes for the coming cold weather and the ensuing spring! Perhaps your autumn is calmer than your spring, and this is the best time to clean up and begin new projects. The following are some simple but effective tips to get your yard winter-ready - so your spring will be a little more pleasant for you!

Planting

When warm weather still allows it, plant trees, shrubs, perennials, and bulbs to allow them to establish for budding and blooming next spring.

Pond Care

Mary, our perennials gal, suggests not removing any water from your pond but instead aerating it all winter. She skims out the leaves to maintain the balance of the nitrogen cycle in the water and suggests waiting to do a big pond clean out in the spring, as that’s when the water’s culture can bounce back easier.

Fertilizing

After top growth of your landscape plants ceases, reduce your annual fertilizer application by up to half of the requirement. Autumn is a major root growth period for woody and herbaceous perennials; roots will grow and absorb nutrients whenever soil temperatures remain above 5 °C but can be over fertilized quickly in these cooling temperatures.

Produce gardens could benefit at this time from a top layer of compost that will break down during the winter so it isn't too 'hot' for spring planting.

Leaf Litter

Here’s our pitch on the ‘leave it – don’t leave it’ debate: It DEPENDS.

   Ideally, we should leave litter leaf on the ground for our pollinator friends and endangered species like fireflies to hide out in the winter. But, there are appropriate situations in which to remove leaf litter.

• When they’re covering your bulbs and tender perennials, remove SOME. Leaf litter acts as a ground insulant, which can amplify our temperamental zone 6b temperatures. This freezing and thawing can often confuse and kill early spring bulbs and tender perennials.

• Zach, our trees and shrubs guy, suggests that if a tree shedding leaves has been diagnosed with pests and fungi, remove the leaf matter to reduce the spread to other plants. Diseased matter should always be removed in a quarantined fashion and taken to a landfill or burned.

☝️Please note: Unless diseased, compost your leaves, they contain vital nutrients specific to the plants they came from!

Lawncare

With autumn mowing practices you have the opportunity for the addition of much needed organic matter for your lawn, which is also an excellent source of slow release nutrients. Keep mower blades sharp since leaves can be tougher than grass. Raise the mower height up and mow leaves when they are lightly wet (e.g., morning dew). This will keep the leaves from blowing all over and will prevent the mower from getting bogged down in wet leaves.

See more on general lawncare in Dave's Lawncare 101 post.

Clean Up

Now is a good time to wash your tools with soap and water to prevent diseases spreading from plant to plant.

  ☝️Mary's tip is to spray garden tools with PAM before use, so the dirt slides right off them!

Pruning Perennials

Mary, our perennials gal, suggests leaving things until frost to cut back. This way they're easier to compost. Make sure to leave seedheads (i.e., coneflowers and black-eyed Susans) for wildlife, and things like hydrangeas for winter interest.

☝️Make sure if things are cut back, to leave them sticking up enough you can still find them in the spring!

Dividing and Moving Perennials

Moving or dividing perennials in the autumn is a great way to reduce your work next spring. The cool, moist weather is an ideal time for perennial roots to become well established.

👍The rule of green thumb for moving perennials: If the plant blooms between early spring and late June, then early fall division/moving is ideal. If the plant blooms after late June, then early spring division is ideal (except for Peonies which should only moved or divided in the fall, Poppies in August, Irises in July & Lilies in the Fall).

Overwintering Trees

Zach and Sandy from trees and shrubs suggest a couple of things to help your favourite trees along this winter:

• To reduce winter injury in evergreens: Keep properly watered throughout the growing season and into the fall is another way to reduce winter injury. Decrease watering slightly in September to encourage hardening off, then water thoroughly in October until freeze-up.

• Cedars - Spray cedars with antidesiccant spray (available at Eising GC) or wrap in burlap (with stakes to create dead air space) so wind doesn't dry out and burn tips.

• Fruit trees - In late fall, spray fruit trees with sulfur-horticultural oil (available at Eising GC) for protection against fungi and pests overwintering in the bark.

• Ornamental trees - wrap the base of young trees to protect from chewing rodents. 

• Pruning trees - trees that prefer winter pruning rather than spring pruning are maples, oaks, birches, and elms, as well as with fruiting trees such as apples and pears. This ensures blight and pests will not affect the tree's open wounds.

If you missed the frosty deadline for transplanting trees, Sandy suggests insulating unplanted potted trees to help them best survive the coming winter. Here are some methods:

• Double-pot your tree with an insulative barrier (i.e., burlap, straw, mulch, etc.) stuffed between the two pots and securely cover the top with tarp to deflect moisture.

• Bury your potted tree in the ground, level with the top of the pot (don’t forget to dig it back up!) and mulch the area.

• Huddle all of your unplanted trees and plants together when using the above methods.

Mulching

Mulching is one of the simplest and most beneficial practices you can do for your garden. Just by simply placing a protective layer of material over the bare soil will benefit the soil as it decomposes providing the much-needed organic matter which improves root growth, the infiltration of water and the nutrient-holding capacity of the soil while reducing soil erosion.

   A good layer of mulch allows the soil to warm more slowly in the spring, so perennials aren't fooled into breaking dormancy too early, as you want the ground to stay cold until it really is spring!

☝️Make sure your mulch application won't stunt the growth of your plants come spring as discussed in our Transplant Troubleshooting blog post!

Japanese Beetle Prevention

Nematodes are microscopic worms that should be applied to lawns that have been ravaged by grubs especially of the Japanese Beetle. Nematodes have a short shelf life and must be refrigerated until they are applied. Normally, they are sprayed onto the lawn from mid-May to mid-June and then again (for best practice) from mid-August to mid-September.

Pots

To prevent freezing and cracking, Mary suggests emptying and turning your pots upside down. You can disinfect at this time too. 

Design Time!

Jeanine, from production, suggests writing down what worked best in your produce garden this year so you can implement it again in the spring.

With the trees and land being barren enough you can see its contour, now is a great time to plan ahead for spring landscaping! Don't forget Eising GC would love to offer help with your landscape designing!

We hope these tips help your landscape plants enjoy your winter abode as much as you do this season, for more information - and plants – visit Eising Greenhouse and Garden Centre! 🍁

By: Dave Zeldon and Ely Schweyer

Let’s get in depth about planting trees too deeply!

Sometimes homeowners find that their newly planted trees start showing signs of stress and become unthrifty a little while after planting, and soon their investment is altogether lost when the plant just dies. Often when we’re asked to inspect a tree in poor health, we know what to suspect.

   Although not readily apparent at the time of installation, the long-term effects of improperly placing the root system in the planting hole are substantial. The poor tree health that results manifests itself as reduced growth rate, atypical leaf size and colour, and increased disease susceptibility. Trees in really poor condition exhibit decay, cracks, and excessive deadwood. Sometimes trees show signs of stress within the first year of planting, but it usually takes several years for the problem to rear its ugly head.

   The most common reason? Many trees are simply buried too deeply causing the tree roots to decline in health, as they cannot get the vital oxygen from the air that they require to live.

Putting Down Roots

The width of the hole your tree will call home should be at least two times the diameter of the root ball, container, or in the case of bare root trees, the spread of the roots. This will provide the tree with enough worked earth for its root structure to establish itself.

   For tree roots to grow vigorously, they require water, oxygen, and warmth. An oxygen level of 25% of the soil volume is considered good for root development.

   At a 5% oxygen level, growth stops, and at 2%, roots decline and die.

   Since tree roots naturally grow quite shallowly in the soil profile, buried root systems are unable to obtain adequate soil oxygen and water. As a survival response, trees work to get roots closer to the soil surface where there is a more reliable source of both. The energy that a newly transplanted tree should use to overcome normal transplant stress is instead used just to survive.

   The tree expends its energy either by forcing its roots to grow upward or by creating totally new roots from dormant buds on the buried trunk, wasting all its prior growth. Some plants can survive being buried too deeply and live normal lives after developing a functional root system, others begin a long, slow decline of health resulting in either premature death or sudden failure during wind or ice storms. Let’s not risk it!

How Do I Know How Deep to Plant?

If you want your new tree to not only survive, but thrive, it needs the best start possible; it is very important that the root collar flare be visible after planting. The root collar is the part of a plant where the stem and root system meet, "flaring" where it transitions between the stem wood and the roots. Always make sure that the root collar flare is visible after planting. If settling occurs, reset the tree to the proper depth.

👉 Note: The backfilling soil should be a mixture of the original soil with composted manure or topsoil and bone meal.

But I Did Leave the Root Collar Visible… When I First Planted It

It has been observed that many times after a perfect tree planting, the homeowner then decides to build a raised-bed garden around the tree (thus burying the root collar flare – we’ve found root collar flares buried to 24 inches in mulch!) only to find that within a year or two, their young tree is dead or dying.

   A common practice, often referred to as ‘volcano mulching,’ also contributes to this problem. In addition to subjecting trees to the problems associated with planting too deeply, heat from the composting mulch can literally cook a tree's trunk.

So, What is ‘Planting Proud’ Then?

   The transplanting rules are amended if planting in the heavier clay soils where the practice of planting your new trees "proud" is advised. Planting proud essentially means that the root ball is left higher out of the ground level, producing a hilled effect. The soil that is normally used for back-filling is used to help to create a mound. Planting your trees this way in poorly draining clay soils prevents the ground water from collecting in an otherwise deep hole and drowning the roots of your new planting.

   But, as a general rule, trees should be transplanted no deeper than the soil in which they were originally grown, and the soil level shouldn’t rise after planting. Two to three inches of wood chips is the optimum depth to mulch - and keep it an inch or two away from the trunk. If it is really desired to have the tree as a focal point in this newly built garden, then possibly a 3 foot well could be made around the tree to keep the root collar flare open to the air.

   So, remember to give your tree a strong start and long life by not planting too deeply, but by leaving that root collar flare exposed! We hope these tips can help you encourage the longevity of your new tree. For more information - and trees - visit our Trees & Shrubs section at Eising Greenhouse and Garden Centre. We hope to see you soon!

While many gardeners in Southern Ontario follow the popular planting date of May 24th, when we’re usually safe from frost, you may be surprised to know that April is not too early for certain plants!

Once the ground has thawed and is workable, there’s plenty you can start growing. In Zones 6a-6b, this usually happens around four weeks before May 24th. While frost is still a possibility, many cold-tolerant plants not only survive a light frost but thrive in cooler weather. To check if the soil is ready, simply dig up a handful and squeeze it. If it sticks together, it’s too wet to work with—wait a few more days for it to dry out. Once the soil is ready, it’s time to plant those cool-weather crops!

Cool Weather Vegetables

Radishes: Radishes are fast-growing and perfect for planting in April because they love cooler weather. Sow them directly from seed.

Peas: April is the perfect time to plant peas outdoors as soon as the soil is workable. Soak pea seeds in water for 8-10 hours before planting them to help germination.

Lettuce, Spinach, Arugula, Asian Greens (Tatsoi, Mizuna, Pak Choi and Leaf Mustard) : It’s best to sow seeds for leafy greens or plant seedlings early in the spring as they will grow quickly in cool weather. Plant more seeds or seedlings every 10-14 days for a succession of greens until hotter temperatures make them bolt (go to seed) and become bitter.

Potatoes: Seed potatoes can be planted in mid to late April as soon as the soil is workable.

Onions: Plant onion sets or seedlings that have already been started in early spring and enjoy a harvest in late summer or fall.

Carrots: Plant carrot seeds in April, and they will be ready for harvest later in the spring or early summer. They take a little longer to grow, but planting early gives you a head start. You will enjoy carrots all summer long by planting more seeds a few weeks later.

Tip: It’s a good idea to keep some frost protection like row cover handy for lettuce, peas and spinach just in case the temperatures dip below zero.

Bonus: Many garden pests, like earwigs and slugs, are still overwintering in April and won’t feast on your tender plants.

Cold-Tolerant Flowers

Pansies: Add a pot of Pansies to cheer up a front porch, and it instantly feels like spring! Plants can go into a sunny spot in the ground when temperatures reach 7-21 celsius and are regularly staying above freezing.

Violas: These cool-weather flowers can withstand light frosts and are perfect for containers or for planting in garden beds

Gladiolas: Even though the weather is still cool, this resilient summer-blooming bulb can be planted in a sunny area of the garden in April. 

Bonus: Pansies and Violas also love cool weather in the fall.

Perennials, Trees and Shrubs

Two to three weeks before the threat of frost has passed, many potted perennials, shrubs and trees, either dormant or with leaves, can be planted. (If you’re not purchasing from us, be sure to check whether the plants were grown outdoors or acclimated to cooler temperatures and ensure they’re hardy enough for Southern Ontario.)

While perennials, trees, and shrubs can be planted throughout spring, summer, or fall, the combination of warming soil and increased rainfall in spring creates the perfect conditions for successful transplanting.

Come into Eising Garden Centre to see the many seeds and plants available for you to add to your garden in April!

Additional Resource: Landscape Ontario provides an excellent online Tree Planting Guide.

Pruning is an essential part of gardening. Essential, but a little intimidating at first because it’s a broad subject. That said, there are some basic rules that apply to most trees and shrubs that will get you started.

There are a number of reasons to prune; the most obvious is for safety, to keep a branch from doing damage or harm by falling or rubbing against something like a building or another tree. Other important reasons include:

• Removing dead, diseased or damaged wood
• Shaping to make a plant bushier, reduce the size and bulk, or slow down growth
• Thinning to increase light penetration and airflow and reduce the possibility of disease
• Rejuvenation to encourage growth, blooming and fruit

Correctly pruning trees and shrubs can help with everything listed above and, most importantly, help maintain the health of your plants. Proper techniques and timing ensure the best results.

The Right Tools

You may need fewer tools to prune than you think!  

Secateurs or hand pruners work well on smaller branches.

Loppers or lopping shears have longer handles for more leverage and are ideal for medium-sized branches.

A pruning saw works best for larger branches.

Electric or manual hedge shears are best for cutting a tidy wall of foliage like hedges and shaped evergreens.

The key with garden tools is to make sure they’re sharp and sterile. This can prevent the spread of disease. Clean tool blades with rubbing alcohol after trimming each branch.

When to Prune

Pruning timing requires some research as it depends on the species of the plant and the result you’re aiming to achieve. For example, some trees may be best pruned in the winter while they’re dormant and buds have not yet appeared. To shape a tree, it’s easier to prune before the leaves have formed so that all of the branches can clearly be seen. Pruning early in the gardening season will invigorate the tree. Conversely, pruning after the tree has formed leaves in June will tend to slow down growth.

When pruning flowering trees and bushes, there are other timing considerations. Some ornamentals bloom on branches that grew the previous year. Pruning those branches too early will result in fewer or no blooms. For these plants, it’s best to wait until after they have bloomed.

If you’re unsure about pruning timing for your tree or shrub, this is a fairly comprehensive list to use as a guide. We have also linked other resources below this article.

In general, late fall or early winter is not the time to prune any plant as it encourages new growth, which may be damaged by colder weather.

Pruning Techniques

While some trees may require specific care (pines, for example), here are the basic techniques for pruning trees and shrubs. It’s a good idea to know these basics before you head out to begin cutting branches.

Examine the branch, buds and shoots before cutting. Cutting above a bud facing away from the trunk of the tree will have the branch continue to grow in that direction.

Cut on a 45° angle just above a bud whenever possible. Keep your cut above the lowest bud (the bud closest to the trunk), or the branch will die back.

Before removing a large branch, cut ⅔ off the end of the length to reduce the weight. Once the bulk of the branch has been removed, then cut the rest of the branch away from the trunk by cutting close to, but not into, the “collar” of the branch where it meets the trunk of the tree.

Now You’re Ready to Begin Cutting!

Now that you know the techniques for pruning, where do you begin? Here’s a logical set of steps to follow:

1 - Remove any dead or diseased wood

2 - Remove any branches that are crossing and rubbing together. For a shrub that’s too crowded, remove the thickest branches down to the ground first  

3 - Remove water sprouts

4 - Stand back and observe the shape of the tree. If anything is not pleasing about the look (lopsided growth or branches growing too close together or at a sharp angle to the trunk, for example), begin removing or trimming back one unsightly branch at a time. Observing the shape between each cut

5 - Remove any suckers or stubs

Follow The ⅓ Rule!

Once you start, pruning can be fun, but be careful not to get too carried away. Trim up to ⅓ off of an established plant (not a newly transplanted tree or shrub) in one growing season - maximum. Cutting off too much can stress the plant and impact its overall health.

Lastly, know that you can always hire a certified arborist if the task is too much or the tree is simply too large!

Other Resources:

• City of Moose Jaw: Pruning Trees 
• Landscape Ontario: Pruning Shrubs and Evergreens
• Ontario Government: Pruning Fruit Trees
• University of Georgia: Pruning Ornamental Plants