Jesse Jenkins

October is the month to do your fall lawn fertilizing and weed prevention. After that it is getting late to have maximum effect. If weeds are a problem every winter and spring, use a pre-emergent to prevent the weeds from sprouting. Amaze granules or Weed and Grass Stopper with Dimension are the best to use in October to prevent winter weeds and again in January to prevent spring weeds. An organic alternative is Corn Gluten. These chemicals only last one season, so be sure to re-apply in 3 months. If you have any other questions on Lawn care for the fall and winter, come see me at the Airline Store on Saturday October 10^th from 10:00-11:00, for our fall Garden Talk.

-DeAnna

Golden Goddess Bamboo is one of our favorites! This clumping style bamboo doesn’t put out runners, so it stays where you put it. Great for screening out nosey neighbors, it grows to about 10-12’ tall, but can be kept to about 3 feet wide. It naturally grows in the sun, but can do very well in bright shade too! And best of all, you can use any trimmed canes in your veggie garden as support stakes. Versatile, gorgeous, low maintenance…what more could you ask for?

-Marta

Last week, I shared my before & after soil prep of our veggie garden at home. I tried to plant before last Friday’s rain but did not make it. Good thing, as I realized I had a few areas holding too much water. So after some shoveling to correct the problem, we planted our hearts out Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon. We planted by transplants, tuscano kale, seabor kale, redbor kale, broccoli, cauliflower, green cabbage, red cabbage, bright lights chard, rubarb chard, tango celery, thyme, dill, and an artichoke for fun. Then we sowed Botanical Interest seeds of cherry belle radish, purple top white globe turnip, cilantro, kuroda carrots, carnival blend carrots, gourmet blend beets, and red sails lettuce. Before seeding in our root beds, I mixed Bio-tone and Rocket Fuel in the soil. Both of these are very beneficial in root development. As we planted transplants, we added just Bio-tone into the hole, mixed it with the soil, and then planted. This is because we foliar feed with Hasta Gro which helps with both root and plant development. Our last step was a few bales of pine straw to help with water, weeds and looks. Now we say a blessing and a prayer that our garden will be bountiful with plenty to share!

-Debbie

We got a new product line called “Grow Bagz” made by Bloem, and we’re really excited to have them here! These containers are made of 100% recycled material, like plastic water bottles, but they feel like really thick wool. They’re very lightweight, but durable, and come with handles. Trust me, these handles are tough! We tried our hardest to rip them off, but they held fast. They drain really well, come in sizes from 1-7 gallon, and are in great funky colors. Best of all, we got in special Grow Bagz that are great for herbs, or strawberries, and even a potato bag! They’re an eco-friendly, lightweight, and attractive option for your container gardening.

–Marta

Nothing says Fall like a bed of beautiful orange and yellow marigolds. We try to plant them every fall in front of the Alameda Store for a show- stopping pop of color. By now the grower is usually out of them for the season, but this year we still have them in stock for you to plant. Marigolds also represent a Mexican holiday dating back hundreds of years. Día de los Muertos is also known as “Day of the Dead”. It is a Mexican Holiday celebrated throughout Mexico, particularly the Central and South regions, and acknowledged around the world in other cultures. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died, and help support their spiritual journey. Traditionally, families honor the deceased by visiting their graves with sugar skulls, marigolds, and their favorite food and beverages. Whether you are honoring your loved ones, or just adding that wonderful look of Fall to the yard, remember marigolds are very easy to grow and love our Fall temperatures. Plant all your Fall annuals now while we still have the day lengths to get them established. They will reward you with beautiful color all Fall and Winter.

-DeAnna

Oh my goodness, James and I just got back from a quick trip to Nova Scotia; what a treat! James did a few days of surfing before I arrived, and then we headed up to Cape Breton (the northern most island of Nova Scotia) to get in on the amazing Celtic Colours International Festival. This festival celebrates Atlantic Canada’s unique heritage of music and culture, and showcases excellence in Celtic music from around the world. Alot of fiddling going on! Our nights were spent enjoying the music scene and our days were spent hiking in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park. We hiked into deep river canyons with the most amazing stretches of moss and nurse logs and water flowing and then up on open trails looking out over the Atlantic Ocean with wind-swept trees and grasses. And yes, the fall color was amazing. If you’re interested, I took notes of places to stay and highlights; we found it to be nature at its finest!

-Sally

The weather was warm & dry last week and I have been watering a little each morning and evening. It is keeping our plants perky. I did our first Hastagro feeding on October 17^th, after fixing my cutoff hose with a new end and invested in a new hand sprinkler. My old one was used as a chew toy. Even though we hoed and pulled weeds before prepping our garden….guess what’s already coming back? The war is coming and I am hoping to have a new secret weapon to use…its organic, smells great and it works….more on that soon. Our seeds are sprouting nicely; all the transplants doing well, the mystery chewers have found the swiss chard already. Think I’ll start with a pan of beer for snails and slugs. If that does not fix it, I will try Dipel Dust or Spinosad. Both are natural and very effective for most chewing critters!

Maybe then I’ll drink the beer☺

-Debbie

It is time to get all your fall flowers planted before the days become shorter and weather gets cooler. October is the perfect month to transition your flowers for a new season. One of my favorites is geraniums. Geraniums make a great winter flower. Most of us think of geraniums for the spring, but they do not like hot weather. In order to get 6 months of color out of them, plant them in the Fall for color all winter through spring. They come in red, rose, salmon, violet and white. Plant super 6 packs now spaced 8-10 inches apart, feed with Rocket Fuel at planting, then use Medina Growin Green monthly or Hasta Gro liquid every 2 weeks to get them established and maintain healthy leaves and blooms all season. Top dress with your favorite mulch to hold moisture and reduce weeds. Then sit back, relax and enjoy the beauty.

-DeAnna

Jesse Jenkins

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