By: Dave Zeldon and Ely Schweyer

Bearing in mind that a lawn is a very unnatural situation in that we are trying to sustain a large area with very little plant diversity (monoculture), in the eye of the homeowner, lawns may remain an important part of the domestic landscape! As well as in very necessary areas like tile beds, paths, roadsides, and recreational areas, lawns provide a background that enhances the overall effect of the home and the various gardens and landscape features.

   From nematodes to dog pee spots, the following tips will help you to maintain a healthy lawn naturally.

Mowing

Of all the cultural practices, mowing exerts the greatest influence on growth, development, and ease of management. By keeping the grass blade height between 6 & 8 cm (2.5 to 3 inches) high you'll be able to produce a more competitive lawn against young and germinating weeds.

Grass Species Selection

Seed mixtures with Titanium Tall Fescue have shown to be more drought, disease, and insect resistant than many other lawn grasses such as the traditional Kentucky bluegrasses. Tall fescue roots penetrate deeper into the soil providing better regrowth and wear tolerance, making it ideal for heavy foot traffic areas and recreational areas.

Carried by Eising Garden Centre

Time of Sowing

The best time to establish a lawn from seed is late summer and early fall (mid-August to mid-September) in southern Ontario. During this period, soil moisture and temperature conditions are optimal for germination and establishment. There is also less competition from germinating weeds in the fall. Make sure that seeding is done early in the fall so that the grass is well established before winter. The plants are then well rooted and more drought- and heat-tolerant the following summer.

Seed the shady areas in the fall for best results. Trees will have shed their leaves by then, so plenty of light is available for the new growth. The grass also gets off to an early start in the spring before the trees leaf out.

Spring seeding should be done as soon as the ground can be worked. Slow, irregular germination may result if the seed is sown when the soil is too cold and damp. (Soil Temp. around 15oC is ideal and there is also strong competition from germinating weeds during the spring. When practical, wait until weed seeds germinate, work the land to kill them and then sow the grass seed. ) If you choose to plant your new lawn in the spring, begin just as soon as the soil is dry enough to work, preferably mid-April to mid-May. This will give your new grass time to get well established before the hot, dry weather sets in.

Fall is often a better time to start your lawn, from mid-August to the end of September. Your seedbed is less likely to dry out at this time of year, and the grass should be well established before winter.

Watering

Your typical lawn needs about 2.5 cm (one inch) of water per week through either rain or irrigation. If irrigating, water in the morning as more will be absorbed as opposed to being lost to evaporation in the sun and the warmer temperatures later in the day.

Fertilization

Lawns require relatively large amounts of nitrogen-based fertilizers which should be applied several times during the growing season. Since lawn clippings are high in nutrients, especially nitrogen, much of your initial nitrogen fertilizer investment may be recycled back into your lawn! A fertilizer with a nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium ratio of 4:1:2 (e.g., 20-5-10) is normally the best in most situations. It should be noted though, that a soil nutrient test can accurately determine the actual needs of your lawn including lime if the pH is too low.

(Lawn Liming Rate: 20-50 lbs/1000 ft2)

Carried by Eising Garden Centre

Corn Gluten

An application of this product early in the spring and then later on in the summer will inhibit the growth of weeds from germinating seeds especially the annual problem, crabgrass. Established weeds though have to be dug out by hand.

Dog Pee Spots

There is a misconception that the pH level of your dog’s pee is leaving those unsightly spots in your lawn, when it is in fact the high concentration of nitrogen and salts being introduced into the soil. To prevent this, should you see your four-legged friend raising its leg or popping a squat, give that spot a good watering to dilute the minerals. In addition to this, ensuring your dog is well hydrated will help to water down their urine. However, your lawn may already have several severe yellow and bald patches. You may opt to resod or reseed the area, but the soil is what’s affected. Before giving up altogether and adding a scree to the affected area, Eising Greenhouse and Garden Centre offers a fertilizer to help balance and remedy your dog pee spots!

Carried by Eising Garden Centre

Thatch Control

Thatch is a layer of dead leaves, stems and roots that intermingle with the living plants above the soil surface. A one-inch layer of thatch is desirable as it has a cushioning effect against compaction and an insulating effect in cold weather. De-thatching a lawn is an extreme measure that may be considered if the drainage is poor. Lawn aeration may be required as well as the lawn and the soil below must establish a drainage pattern.

Nematodes - Aid Against Japanese Beetles and More!

If the Japanese Beetle has been destroying certain plants in your landscape plantings or their grubs have been feeding on the roots of your lawn, causing unsightly brown patches maybe it's time to use Mother Nature's secret weapon: Beneficial Nematodes.

   Beneficial Nematodes are a natural way to control Japanese Beetle grubs and over some 200 species other pest insects in your lawn while having no detrimental effect on Ladybugs, Earthworms, and other helpful beneficial insects.

   Nematodes are naturally occurring microscopic worms of the soil and are used to control soil pest insects in their larvae or grub stages while not posing any health or environmental risks to humans or animals. The beneficial Nematodes enter the JB larva via mouth, anus, or respiratory openings and begins to feed. This causes specific bacteria to emerge from the intestinal tract of the Nematode, spreading inside the insect and multiply very rapidly; the bacteria convert host tissue into products which can easily be taken up by the Nematodes, ceasing the soil dwelling pest insect within a few days. Beneficial Nematodes are effective against not only the larval or grub stage of Japanese Beetles, but the Northern Masked Chafer, European Chafer, Rose Chafer, Crane Fly larvae (Leather Jackets), Oriental Beetles, and June Beetles.

   The nematode product you purchase should contain two genera: Steinernema and Heterorhabditis for better grub control.

   Beneficial Nematodes are very easy to use. Mix with water and spray on the lawn with a water-can, irrigation system, or a hose-end sprayer. Most homeowners spray at a rate of 10 million nematodes per 600 square feet on grub damaged lawns. After an application, keep the soil moist during the first two weeks for the nematodes to get established.

   In Ontario, there are two windows of opportunity to apply Beneficial Nematodes to be effective against the JB grub stage.

   The first application should be in May as the soil warms up and then again at the end of August or the first two weeks of September as the JB are hatching into their first larval stage.

   We hope these tips help to ensure your healthiest lawn! For more information – and lawncare products - visit Eising Greenhouse and Garden Centre! 🌾

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

Spring and early fall are generally the best times for planting trees. It has been found that newly planted trees thrive when exposed to moderate temperatures and rainfall, as they need time to root and acclimatize before the onset of intense heat and dryness of summer or the freezing temperatures of winter.

  Now whilst planting different types of trees differ in detail, all trees eventually end up in a hole. But remember not just any old hole will do.

Let’s Get Digging!

1. Some trees are buried too deeply, causing the tree roots to decline in health and condition. We have a whole other article dedicated to transplanting depth if you wish to read more, but here’s the just of it: Poor tree health results in reduced growth rate, atypical leaf size and colour, increased disease susceptibility, and reduced cold hardiness. Always make sure that the root collar flare is visible after planting; if settling occurs, reset the tree to the proper depth.

👉 Note: Many times, homeowners build a raised bed garden around an existing tree in the yard (thus burying the root collar flare) only to find within a year or two their favourite tree now is in decline. Don’t bury that root collar flare!

2. As a general rule, trees should be transplanted no deeper than the soil in which they were originally grown. The width of the hole should be at least three times the diameter of the root ball or container or the spread of the roots in the case of bareroot trees. This will provide the tree with enough worked earth for its root structure to establish itself.

3. When digging in poorly drained clay soil, it is important to avoid 'glazing'. Glazing occurs when the sides and bottom of a hole become smoothed forming a barrier, through which water has difficulty passing. To break up the glaze, use a fork to work the bottom and drag the points along the sides of the completed hole. Also, raising the centre bottom of the hole slightly higher than the surrounding area. This allows water to disperse, reducing the possibility of water pooling in the planting zone.

4. The backfill soil should be a mixture of composted manure and topsoil. The mixture should then be placed in the hole surrounding the tree just to the height of the ball or slightly lower to allow for some settling. Be careful not to compress the backfill soil as this may prevent water from reaching the roots and the roots from expanding beyond the ball.

Jobs well done by the Eising landscaping team!

Standing On Its Own Roots

Young trees should be able to support their own weight when they are transplanted. If the tree is unable to do so, try thinning out the upper branches to reduce wind resistance. If that is not enough, you may have to stake a tree.

Watering Your New Tree

Newly planted trees should be watered at the time of planting. In addition, during the first growing season, they should be watered at least once a week in the absence of a good rain.

👉 Remember: Regular deep soakings are better than frequent light wettings.

   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!

By: Ava Green

Spring is the time of year known for new beginnings, and it’s also a very busy season in the garden as we hurry to get everything planted for the summer growing season here in Southern Ontario. But, did you know that fall is also an ideal time to get planting? 

Similar to spring conditions, the cooler temperatures and more frequent rainfall make it easier for new plants to transition. This also decreases transplant stress. There’s time for roots to become established, and by springtime, you’ll be enjoying your plants instead of being busy planting them!

Don’t wait too long, though! At Eising Greenhouses, we recommend planting perennials, trees and shrubs before Thanksgiving weekend to give your new plants a little time to settle in before a hard frost arrives. A hard frost, or freeze, is when the temperature dips below zero for an extended period of time, killing tender plants.

What to Plant in Fall

Spring-Flowering Bulbs

Tulips, Daffodils, Hyacinths, Crocus, Fritillaria and Alliums are just some of the bulbs that need to be planted in the fall in order to enjoy their flowers in the spring. Tulips especially appreciate being planted in cooler weather, but all of these bulbs require a cold period of about 12 weeks in order to grow in the spring. Many bulbs can be planted right up until the ground freezes. But why wait?!

👉 TIPS: While Tulips can be tasty and tempting for squirrels, rabbits and deer, many bulbs like Alliums, Frittilaria and Daffodils are not so delectable. Tamping down the soil after planting your bulbs makes it more difficult for critters to sniff them out. Laying some chicken wire over the area can also help deter from your bulbs becoming a meal for a critter.

Be sure to choose an area to plant your bulbs in that does not stay wet so the bulbs don’t rot.

Garlic

While some folks choose to plant garlic in the early spring, many people choose to plant it in the fall. Why not get started now? When you plant your garlic in autumn, you will have a crop that’s ready for harvest next summer.

Plant, Divide, and Transplant Perennials

Yes, you can still plant perennial flowers in the fall! Whether you’re purchasing new plants or moving plants around, autumn is a great time of year to do it.

It’s also a great time to divide and transplant spring and summer blooming perennials. Why divide your plants? It’s a great way to revitalize the plant and also to create new plants.

Whether you’re planting, dividing or transplanting perennials, it’s best to do it 4-6 weeks before the first hard frost so that they have time to become established in the soil. Perennial plants will be available for sale at Eising Greenhouses until Thanksgiving weekend, so don’t delay too much!

Trees and Shrubs

Container-grown or burlap-wrapped trees and shrubs can be planted as long as you can get a shovel in the ground! However, it’s a good idea to give them a few weeks in your garden before it freezes if you can.

It’s especially nice to see what a tree or shrub will look like in the fall before you plant it.

Peonies

Autumn is the best time to plant and establish roots so your peony is ready to bloom in spring! Planting them 4-6 weeks before the first hard frost will help your plant become established before cold weather descends.

👉 TIP: Be sure to add mulch to trees, shrubs and perennials after planting. But keep the mulch away from the trunks or stems. It’s never a good idea to put decaying plant material right up against a living plant!

Come in and take a look at what’s available, then enjoy the cool fall weather for planting!

Resources: If you’re new to dividing perennials, here’s a handy helper - A Guide to Dividing Perennials by the Toronto Master Gardeners

By: Ava Green

As temperatures begin to cool down, autumn colours set in and surround us with the beauty that is fall in southern Ontario. Suddenly summer is gone and it’s time to think about creating a cozy atmosphere inside and outside that is inspired by the world around us.

Autumn Outside

Whether you gather items from the garden or from the garden centre for a display, there are lots of natural materials all around us to draw from. Take some plumes from ornamental grasses and put them in decorative buckets. Add branches with colourful leaves or dried seed pods, and pumpkins or mums for a pop of colour. A bland background becomes the perfect backdrop.

Looking for something to grow? Create fall planters with sunflowers, ornamental kale, ornamental peppers, live grasses, and, of course, fall mums.

We offer beautifully festive arrangements with a variety of ornamental fall plants, as well as individual plants to decorate an outdoor table, or as a planter creating a warm welcome on your front porch (watch here: Jeanine create a fall planter on our IG).

Eising’s popular Porch Packages make it easy to decorate the entryway to your home. But don’t wait, they sell out quickly!

Autumn Inside

When there are fall colours outside, autumn displays inside create continuity that will carry your indoor decorating right into the holiday season in December.

Displays that are vibrant, warm, rustic or whimsical are fun and easy to make. Here are some basic design principles that will help you get started, along with examples we’ve created using items in the Eisng shop.

The Rule of Odds

Using an odd number of items (3, 5 or 7) is always more appealing. Why? For some reason, odd numbers are just more harmonious for us to take in. Designers and photographers call it the rule of odds.

Pick a Theme

Pick a theme like a common colour, a shape, a design or motif. Look for containers or items you can include that fit in with your theme. 

Like the arrangements we offer at Eising Garden Centre, include the following in your designs:

• a thriller like a beautiful vase or container, a tropical plant, or fresh or dried flowers
• a spiller like a plant, dried or silk leaves or moss around the base of containers 
• and a filler like foliage plants, fruit, candy, mini pumpkins and gourds, or moss 

Size and Scale

Scale is important! Keep the display short if it’s for the centre of a dining table so that guests can see each other across the table! Create taller displays if you’re decorating a corner table or a mantlepiece.

Light it Up

Adding light, including flameless candles or fairy lights, instantly brings warmth to any display.

Aromatics

Include scent: using plants like eucalyptus, or fruit like apples or oranges, and spices like whole cloves and cinnamon sticks all add a homey touch.

We would love to see what you create and hope this has sparked your creativity. Don’t forget to tag @Eising Greenhouses & Garden Centre on your Instagram and Facebook posts when you share your decorations online - we would love to see them!

By: Dave Zeldon and Ely Schweyer

Most experts agree that we shouldn't bother bringing in our favourite summer potted plants for the winter and that we should buy new again the next season. But this seems to go against our sensibilities after paying good money earlier in the season. Why not try to save that bay tree, those Rosemary, and French Tarragon containers, as well as expensive Phormium, Mandeville, Passionflower, and Jasmine plants?

   The secret to indoor survival for summer plants is to slow down their growth during the winter, so they’re ready to be put outside again once all the danger of frost has passed. How? A few weeks before fall frosts are expected, gradually introduce plants to life indoors by moving them inside (to a quarantined spot*) for half a day, working up to a full day over a week or so. Don't wait until nighttime temperatures are only slightly above freezing as the plants may go into shock and drop leaves!

How to Keep These Guys Comfy During the Winter Months?

• It is suggested that you should prune back excessive growth and re-pot with new lighter growing media.
• Place them in the sunniest location you have and then water sparingly but regularly over the Winter.
• Raising humidity by using a humidifier helps too.
• Resist the urge to fertilize these plants until just before you reintroduce them to outdoor living.
• Perhaps just for fun, you could repot them into the appropriate seasonal pots and planters!

It Seems They Brought Others in With Them - And They're Not Nice House Guests

*Before long, you may notice some unwanted guests, such as thrips and spider mites, on and around your precious plants as their natural predators are no longer present to keep their populations at bay. In many cases, it may be too late, and your plants may have to be discarded before the Holidays, but that’s not always the case!

   Common problems that make themselves apparent indoors would be the brown soft scale insect, whiteflies, mealybugs, aphids, spider mites and most often, fungus gnats (those pesky little black flies).

   Fungus gnats are considered to be the most common nuisance in houseplants. Sometimes their sheer numbers just hovering around an attractive plant take away from its appeal.

Basic Fungus Gnat Control Measures:

The fastest and easiest method of control is to catch the flying adults with yellow sticky cards. The large cards can be cut into little strips and mounted onto little wooden splints (popsicle sticks) then placed around the base of the plant out of the line of sight.

   The chances are that the adults have already deposited eggs in the growing media (soil) of the plant as it is rich in organic matter, so we can disrupt its life cycle by:

• Subirrigation - water your potted plant from the bottom by adding water to the saucer it is sitting in. This will dry out the soil surface making it uninhabitable for the hatching larvae.
• Trapping larvae - If the surface soil it already very wet, try placing a few potato discs or slices on the surface of the soil. This will attract the larvae as they migrate to the potato to feed. Simply replace the discs every five days or so with fresh slices to eliminate the next generation of adults.
• Inoculating the soil with beneficial nematodes. Most garden centres will carry the Guardian line of beneficial nematode products.

We hope this helps your 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

The classic fall-blooming Chrysanthemum varieties of burnt amber, golden yellow, and deep burgundy blooms have been enormously popular for years, and as each new fall season rolls around, there always seems to be new varietal introductions – like multicoloured pinks with the hues of sunrises - to enhance your front porch display of pumpkins, corn stalks, and gourds.

   These robust plants will produce blooms for weeks, even in the coolest of autumn weather. Their hardiness even offers versatility when it comes to their display; some gardeners prefer less labour-intensive groundskeeping and leave them in their original store pots, whereas others prefer to transplant these flowers into larger planters, window boxes, or into flowerbeds to add an easy seasonal flair.

While resilient, these plants still need some TLC. Try these tips to keep your Mums looking fresh throughout the fall.

• Choose green plants with tightly closed buds. This way when your Mums do bloom, you will be able to keep those colourful displays for much longer.
• The Mums' foliage should have a deep green colour and lots of growth at the garden centre.
• Also, make sure the soil in the container is moist when purchasing your plant, as dried out Mums may have already suffered damage.
• You'll find out in short order that your potted Mums are very thirsty plants! Water them daily and make sure the soil remains moist. A shot of liquid fertilizer to the irrigation water once a week would be great as well.

Over-Wintering Mums

Modern Mum breeding is aimed primarily at creating plants that look good in their pots at their point of purchase, sacrificing the plant’s hardiness and performance for future years - meaning when home gardeners try to overwinter these big potted plants, they are not usually successful.

   All Mum plants at garden centres are hardy, meaning that they are perennials in most climates. However, if these plants are put in the ground from August on, most won't make it through winter. The reason is that Mums planted late in the season are near, or at, the flowering stage, when their energy is focused into blooming, and they won't grow roots to sustain plants through the winter. This is why Mums should be planted in the spring if you want a perennial plant that has a spectacular autumn show!

   If you really adore your fall purchase though, you can try to over-winter your Chrysanthemums in the basement or a dark, cold closet, after the first frost. Water well and place in an area where it is totally dark and 0°C to 10°C. The plants will hibernate for the winter if you keep their roots damp. Check the pots weekly.

   In the spring, gradually acclimate your Mum plants to light and plant them out in the garden after the last killing frost, remembering to pinch them twice prior to the first of August for a full, lush plant.

   We hope this helps you to enjoy your Mums just a little bit longer! Use our Plant Finder to search for a sample of our Mum selection by your preferred colour. You can find many Mum varieties and more information at Eising Greenhouse and Garden Centre, please stop in for a visit this autumn!

By: Ava Green

More than just a name, the brands we love and trust at Sassyfras not only have a great reputation but also offer excellent quality, fit, and, importantly, style. We trust their track record and can enthusiastically recommend these brands to you!

Tribal

Founded more than 50 years ago in Montreal, their mission still remains the same - to make women look and feel their best, no matter what they’re doing. They know first-hand what that is because women design Tribal clothing for women. Consistent fit and premium fabrics are hallmarks of their quality garments.

Habitat

Comfort, fit and detail are the priorities for clothing from the Habitat brand. Founder and designer Suzanne Connelly is committed to creating clothing that fits well and suits customers’ tastes. This is not fast fashion that you’ll find everywhere, Habitat produces limited quantities for specialty boutiques - like Sassyfras!

b.Young 🍁

Great quality designs with value for your money have been the focus of  b.Young since their inception in 1991 in Denmark. Creating timeless pieces using improved processes with an eye on the environmental impact of textile production, their goal is to produce pieces that will last. This is a brand that creates beautiful styles with integrity.

Culture Clothing

Daring to be different, and urging you to be you, Culture Clothing is a brand that stands out. Whether you’re looking for a piece that’s comfy and classic or a colourful statement piece, this is a brand worth checking out!

Soya Concept

Fashionable, colourful, and feminine for everything from shirts to skirts that are made for women. With a focus on sustainability, high-quality fabrics, affordable prices, and the latest trends, Soya Concept is a brand that aims to earn your loyalty.

Point Zero🍁

One of Canada’s leading clothing brands for men and women since 1979, Point Zero has lots to offer. Based in the heart of Montreal’s fashion district, this Canadian company is focused on great design, superior quality, and trendy fashions all at an attractive price. Additionally, they focus on their ecological footprint in terms of materials and the manufacturing process. An admirable brand that’s homegrown.

Dévia 🍁

Based in Montreal, Devia clothing is proudly designed and made in Canada. With a passion for fashion, they create inspiring and eclectic designs at affordable prices.

Terrera 🍁

Earth-friendly fibres, conscious production, and a commitment to giving back make Terrera an outstanding, sustainable, Canadian company. We think you’ll fall in love with their comfortable, easy-to-wear bamboo basics like bralettes, undies and leggings all created to fit and flatter women.

Moffi

Unique, high-quality clothing with sophisticated details and elegant design. Moffi is designed to appeal to every woman.

What’s In Store For You?

Step into Sassyfras at Eising Garden Centre and explore our carefully curated collection of trusted clothing brands. We’re here to provide great personal service and high-quality pieces from brands you’ll be proud to wear!

Dealing with water restrictions or choosing to conserve water? You’re not alone. Many gardeners in Norfolk County are facing the challenge of keeping gardens thriving with less water. The good news? A lush, colourful garden is still within reach—thanks to drought-tolerant perennials.

When we think of drought-tolerant plants, cacti might be the first thing that comes to mind. But there’s a surprising variety of beautiful, hardy perennials that can handle our region’s dry spells—no desert landscape required.

While these plants do need regular watering when first planted, once established, they’re low-maintenance and well-suited to Southern Ontario’s climate, including periods of limited rainfall.

Full Sun Ground Cover

• Candytuft (Iberis sempervirens)
• Catmint (Nepeta x faassenii)
• Hardy ice plant (Delosperma nubigenum)
• Hens and chicks (Sempervivum tectorum)
• Moss phlox, creeping phlox (Phlox subulata)
• Pincushion flower (Scabiosa japonica var. alpina) (S. ‘Butterfly Blue’)
• Pinks (Dianthus alpinus)
• Rock cress, wall cress (Arabis species)
• Rock rose, sun rose (Helianthemum hybrids)
• Spurge (Euphorbia myrsinites) (E. polychroma)
• Stonecrop (Sedum acre) - dwarf varieties
• Thrift, sea pink (Armeria maritima)
• Thyme (Thymus species)

Full Sun, Medium to Tall Plants

• Beard-tongue (Penstemon digitalis) – Native
• Bergenia (Bergenia crassifolia)
• Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) – Native
• Blanket flower (Gaillardia x grandiflora)
• Butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa) – Native
• False indigo, wild indigo (Baptisia australis)
• Hairy penstemon (Penstemon hirsutus) – Native
• Lanceleaf coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata) – Native
• Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
• Orange coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’)
• Perennial cornflower (Centaurea montana)
• Poppy (Papaver species)
• Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
• Prickly pear cactus (Opuntia compressa) – Native
• Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia)
• Salvia (Salvia nemerosa hybrids)
• Sea Holly (Eryngium species)
• Silver sage, wormwood (Artemisia ludoviciana)
• Threadleaf coreopsis (Coreopsis verticillata) – Native
• Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)  

Full Sun Grasses

• Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) – Native
• Blue fescue (Festuca glauca)
• Blue oat grass (Helictotrichon sempervirens)
• Feather reed grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’)
• Little blue stem (Schizachyrium scoparium) – Native
• Switch grass (Panicum virgatum) – Native

Groundcover for Shade

• Barrenwort (Epimedium hybrids)
• Bigroot geranium (Geranium macrorrhizum)
• Canada anemone (Anemone canadensis) – Native
• Creeping phlox (Phlox stolonifera)
• Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum)
• Wild ginger (Asarum canadense) – Native
• Woodland phlox (Phlox divaricata) – Native

Medium to Tall Plants for Shade

• False Solomon’s seal (Maianthemum racemosum) – Native
• Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum biflorum) – Native

Ferns for Dry Shade

• Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) – Native
• Hay-scented fern (Dennstaedtia punctilobula) – Native
• Marginal wood fern (Dryopteris marginalis) – Native
• Male fern (Dryopteris filix-mas) – Native
• Rock fern (Polypodium virginianum) – Native

A Little TLC

It doesn’t take much to keep drought-tolerant plants thriving—just a little attention and some seasonal TLC. While they’re tough, even these hardy perennials appreciate an occasional deep watering during extended dry spells, especially in their first year.

For sun-loving perennials, skip the heavy fertilizers. Instead, an annual layer of compost is all they need to stay healthy and strong.

Shade-loving drought-tolerant plants, on the other hand, benefit from a layer of mulch. This helps retain moisture and reduces evaporation, especially in dry shade, which is one of the most challenging conditions for any plant to thrive in.

And don’t forget to deadhead regularly! Removing spent blooms encourages your plants to keep producing flowers instead of going to seed, meaning more colour, for longer.

With a few simple care tips, your drought-tolerant garden can remain beautiful and resilient throughout the entire season.

Other resources:

• Landscape Ontario: Eight Beautiful Drought Tolerant Plants
• Toronto Master Gardeners: Drought Tolerant Plants
• Guelph.ca: Drought Tolerant Native Plants

For tomato lovers, picking a warm, flavourful tomato right off the plant for a sandwich, burger, or salad is a sure sign of summer!  I eagerly await the day the first fruit begins to turn red, knowing that I am a day or two away from the first of many toasted tomato sandwiches for the season!

By the end of June, your tomato plants should be in the ground or pot, staked, and well on their way to producing fruit. But how do you keep your plants healthy all summer so that you can maximize your investment? Here are a few tips to help keep your tomato sandwiches coming until frost!

Water

Water early in the morning and water deeply. For tomatoes, consistent moisture is best.

Keep the water on the ground, not on the foliage. This is important because damp foliage can lead to diseases like early blight, which can ultimately cause the entire plant to die. Mulching around the base of plants will reduce the amount of water that can splash up onto the leaves. A soaker hose or drip line is also a great way to ensure that water stays on the ground, rather than on the plant.

Pruning

Reducing the amount of foliage on a tomato plant is necessary for a couple of reasons: good air flow, which reduces the chance of powdery mildew forming, and less foliage means that the plant can send energy to growing fruit instead of lots of leaves.

Follow these easy steps when you prune your tomato plants:

• Before you begin, remember to follow the rule for pruning - no more than ⅓ of a plant should be removed at a time. 

• Use clean scissors or pruning shears to cut the leaves off the bottom of the plant. Remove any leaves that are touching the ground. These are particularly susceptible to mildew formation.

When fruit starts forming, remove the leaves from the bottom of the plant up to the first or lowest fruit.

Remove suckers ongoingly. What are suckers? When you look at your tomato plant, you will see the main stem that comes up from the ground, and branches of leaves that come out of the main stem. As the plant grows, suckers begin to form in the “Y” between the main stem and a branch of leaves. Suckers won’t harm a plant; they just make it very unruly and reduce airflow.

If your tomatoes are indeterminate (growing into a tall vine), remove the top of the plant when frost is forecasted at the end of the season. Topping the plant allows energy to ripen the fruit that’s already set, rather than being used to continue growing the vine.

NOTE: Some gardeners like to leave suckers on determinate tomato plants as this can increase the yield.

TIP: Tomatoes ripen from the inside out. That means that by the time you see fruit beginning to flush on the outside, the inside is already ripe. If you have competition for tomatoes from pesky critters, or when there’s a chance of frost in the weather forecast, you can pick fruit that has just begun to turn colour and leave it on the kitchen counter to continue to ripen. 

Fertilizer

Using organic material is one of the best ways to feed your crop. A good layer of compost, 1-2 inches, in the spring when you’re planting and again in the fall each year is one of the best ways to improve your soil structure in the garden, and it also adds lots of nutrition. 

If you missed this step when planting your garden, you can always add a layer of compost around your plants or use other organic fertilizers, such as compost tea, seaweed, worm castings, or fish emulsion.

Alternatively, you can use a fertilizer that’s formulated especially for tomatoes - these usually have a ratio like 3-4-6 or 4-7-10. Follow label directions for amounts and err on the side of caution. Using less fertilizer is always better than using too much, as an excess can stress the plant and make it more prone to disease.

Following these simple steps for tomato care will help to ensure your plants stay healthy and producing fruit, but if you should have problems, here are some great resources to identify tomato issues:

• Ontario.ca: Bacterial diseases of tomato: bacterial spot, bacterial speck and bacterial canker
• Guelph.ca: Healthy Landscapes – Plant List Native and Drought-Tolerant Plants