Winter, 54896 Wisconsin
Phone 715-266-4963
mail@wintergreenhouse.com
www.wintergreenhouse.com
Dear Gardener...
This year we are trying something new. On Saturday, April
11th we have scheduled a workshop for those of you
who would like to have a 'hand' in designing and
planting your own baskets or containers. The
workshop is called 'Contain Yourself'. We will have
coffee ready and have an informal discussion about
new trends, basic principles, and get a preview of
some of the new plants. Afterwards you can plant up
your own containers, using ones from home, or
purchase one here. We have basket soil, fertilizer
and gloves for you to use. If you would like, we
will gladly look after your creation until the
weather warms up. The workshop begins at 10:00 a.m.
it is free but please sign-up ahead of time by
giving us a call or emailing us. Costs for plants
and materials are extra. We will figure out the
total cost in the end.
Fruit trees should be pruned every year to improve the
quality of the fruits, to reduce the size of the
tree so fruits are easy to harvest, and to develop a
strong tree framework that can support heavy crops
without breakage. The best time to prune fruit trees
is now (March and April) just before growth begins.
The goal of pruning is:
1. To keep the tree open and of a manageable size, making sure that there is enough air movement in the tree.
2. To prevent diseases from occurring.
3. Making sure all leaves get sufficient light. This way the tree will be able to produce high quality fruits. However, be careful not to remove too many branches, as pruning stimulates new growth but not fruit production.
Contact us to request a 'Fruit Tree Pruning Guide' or go to the Planting Guide section on the website.
May the force be with you...
Getting antsy about spring? Get an early breath of spring by forcing branches of spring-flowering trees and shrubs into bloom. Forcing spring bloomers is an easy task. The hardest part is probably getting yourself outside in the cold, snowy garden or forest to gather branches - after that it's pretty easy.
There are many spring flowering plants that will readily bloom indoors and you can experiment with whatever you have growing in your yard. Some traditional trees and shrubs to try include: azalea, beautybush, crabapple, forsythia, magnolia, pussy-willow, rhododendron, serviceberry, spirea, witch hazel, and fruit trees such as cherries, pears and apples.
It's best to cut your branches on a relatively warm day.
Look for swollen, plump buds. There will be both
flower and leaf buds on the stems, but flower buds
tend to be rounder and larger than leaf buds. Cut
your branches at an angle and be sure your cut them
long enough to display.
~ Don't let the branches dry out. A fresh cut, or better still, crushing the bottoms of your branches gently, will make it easier for the branches to take up water.
~ Your branches are going to need a period of transition, in order to fool them into thinking it's spring. After placing your branches in a container of water, place your container away from sunlight, in a cool location. A basement works well for this.
~ Cover the branches loosely with a plastic bag or mist them daily to prevent them from drying out. Check the water in the container daily and change it when it becomes cloudy or discolored.
~ Depending on the type of branch and when you cut them, you should see the buds swell and begin to open within 1 - 6 weeks. At this time, you can move your flowering branches into sunlight and place them on display. Pussy willow and forsythia will be the first to open. Also, the closer to their outdoor flowering time you cut, the quicker they will bloom. Good luck!
Online Forum &
Brag Board...
Our first ever online forum
is now up and running.
An Internet forum, or message board, is an online discussion site. It is the modern equivalent of a traditional bulletin board where you can post garden related questions and tips. People participating in an Internet forum can create bonds with each other and share common interests.
We hope this will be a helpful tool for everybody, whether you have plant questions, plant identification questions, garden photos to share or maybe helpful tips for fellow gardeners. This is a completely new way to build on our collective experiences and have success in our gardens.
Happy Spring - and keep those thumbs green!
From all of us at
Winter Greenhouse