From Oregon Plant Nurseries to Kansas Gardens: What’s New for Fall
Hello, again!
It's been a while since I've visited the Pacific Northwest, and we just had the pleasure of visiting again for Monrovia's Centennial Celebration Week. My first time out was to visit my good friend Bill Wright, who was spending his summers working at Black Butte Ranch near Bend, Oregon. Bill had bought a 1966 Ford Mustang convertible and wanted someone to join him on the trip back to Wichita. I remember hiking the Eagle Creek trail along the Columbia River, and seeing all the sights of the old-growth forest. The hardy ferns, native mahonia, and moss-covered trees were all new to me in their natural state. This year, our Monrovia nursery friend, Eric George, led us on a hike through Cape Lookout State Park, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It was every bit as impressive as I remembered.
The key reason for our trip was to visit nursery suppliers in the area. The conditions in Oregon are ideal for growing many of the plants we use in our landscapes here in Kansas. From plant trials where we voted for our favorites to add to production, to seeing the plants we have on order, it's always fun touring production nurseries. One of the highlights was seeing the robotic production in Monrovia's nursery. Watching laser-guided cameras examine each small plant, so only the best cuttings were chosen, was fascinating. And, with four plant geeks in the car, we found ourselves stopping to look at all the giant sequoia thriving around the area.
Upon our return to Kansas, we were greeted by summer conditions holding firm into September, and this week doesn't look any different. Because of the record heat and dry conditions, we are getting a lot of questions about the stress on our landscape plants. Our turf should recover quickly once cooler temperatures arrive. Overseeding and applying ferti•lome Winterizer will help to restore our turf. Landscape plants will benefit from feeding in the fall as well.
ferti•lome Tree and Shrub Food will make a big difference next season as the plants come out of dormancy. Humic also does an excellent job in providing beneficials to both turf and landscape plants by replenishing vital microbial activity.
We will soon be adding many of the new trees and shrubs we saw on our trip to our nurseries. Fall is a great time to plant for next year, so let nursery professionals help you select the perfect plant for your landscape. Our Labor Day Sale begins this Wednesday through Sunday. Find deals on new trees, perennials, and grasses for your landscape.
Finally, don't forget to join us for a day of celebrating all things Hatch Green Chile and ChileFest this Saturday, September 5 from 11 AM - 2 PM at both stores! We'll be fresh-roasting chile, serving up Green Chile Cheeseburgers, Marty's Famous Chile Verde, samples from our cookbook, and more. It's a fun family event you won't want to miss!
Your friend in the garden,
Marty Johnson
Owner - Johnson's Garden Centers
