Monday, November 15, 2010

WATER your evergreens!!!

A message to anyone who planted an evergreen this year... it needs WATER!!! This includes Arborvitae, Spruce, Pine, Boxwood, Holly, Juniper, Inkberry, etc. Bright sunlight and wind can dry out the leaves/needles of evergreens. In the spring and summer months, rain and your diligent watering replenished that moisture loss. In winter, the ground is frozen so the plant cannot replace the moisture that is lost to sun and cold winter winds. If an evergreen doesn't get enough water in the fall to get it thru the winter, the result is winter burn (brown tips of branches especially on the side of the plant that gets the most sun and wind) or death of the plant. Because this has been an exceptionally dry fall, we would highly recommend these two things: First - water all newly planted evergreens twice per week until the first week of December, and if we get a winter warm up in February or March water them again. Second – spray your evergreens (even existing ones) with Wilt Pruf. Wilt Pruf is a natural product derived from the resin in pine trees. It works by creating a waxy film on the leaf that holds in moisture. As a side note - it also prevents salt spray damage if you have evergreens planted near a sidewalk or street where salt is used. If your evergreen tree has dropped needles from the inside of the plant – do not be alarmed! This is annual needle loss and is perfectly normal.

Heather Moister

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Bulbs are here!

Fall bulb season has arrived!
We are so excited about some of the varieties we have in stock this year we just had to share. If you would like to order fall bulbs call (847)658-3883.

• Globemaster Giant Allium – HUGE purple balls on top of 32” stems, these ornamental onions are SO COOL! We have had so many requests for them that we doubled our order this year! But they go fast, so call to reserve yours today. Just $8.99 per plant.

• Rabbits and deer can be a big nuisance in the garden, but we have a whole collection of bulbs that are animal resistant including Hyacinth, Daffodils, Alliums, and this beauty. Fritillaria Rubra Maxima is a gorgeous fiery red standing 36 inches tall and it REPELS deer and rabbits. They don’t like the smell of it. Just $9.99 per plant.

• Anemone blanda is AWESOME because…
1. They “naturalize.” What does that mean? They come back reliably year after year and reproduce to create new little bulbs each year.
2. Cute, short, early season bloomer similar to a crocus, but with a much longer bloom time.
3. Pretty, lacey foliage that sticks around for a while. It doesn’t die back right away.

• Scilla siberica is a tiny, naturalizing bulb with blue early spring blooms. They are a popular bulb to plant among perennials because the come up, bloom, and are done before many perennials even begin to emerge. But they can also be planted in your lawn! Simply poke holes in the lawn (in patches), fill each hole with a Scilla bulb, and in spring your yard will look like a beautiful meadow. They will be done blooming right about the time the turf grass is tall enough to mow. '

Thursday, July 1, 2010

CC on Hummingbirds

My turn…

I got interested in hummingbirds about 10 years ago when I spotted a pure white (albino) hummer in my yard. Of course, I had to “Google” it and found out that although rare, they do exist. I started investing in hummingbird feeders and planting their favorite flowering plants (they LOVE Black & Blue Salvia). I would get a Trumpet vine for them but the vines get pretty big and I have nowhere to put one. I have learned a lot from the little guys including:
• Get feeders that are easy to clean. In hot weather, they should be cleaned and re-filled every 4-5 days. We sell nectar here but sugar water works too.
• Watch for them at dawn and dusk – the most active feeding times. They will feed throughout the day as well.
• I bought a ‘mister’ that sprays a very light water mist which they enjoy.
• Although we only get one species in this part of the country (the Ruby Throated) they have different personalities – we even name them (Tiny Dancer is my favorite, she will “dance” in front of our porch screens (fly up, down, and in zigzag and cross patterns looking in at us.)
• They are very territorial – it’s a good idea to have feeders and plants on opposite sides of the house to avoid conflicts. It is fun to watch the competition among them as they chase each other away from food sources.
• Try not to use pesticides near their feeding areas – not only are hummers fragile, they eat the small insects.

So, get started and I promise you will be hooked! We have everything you need here at the Garden Center.

Thanks for listening!
CC Geist
Landscape office manager

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Amsonia

There are a few perennials that I see in bloom and I think to myself "why don't more people plant this?" Amsonia happens to be one of those plants. True blue flowers (pretty much the Holly Grail to gardeners) in May and it doesn't matter what kind of landscape look you're going for there's a variety that will fit. Amsonia 'Blue Ice' is perfect for the front of the border with deep blue star shaped flowers on a shorter, slowly spreading plant. For formal landscapes, Amsonia 'Halfway to Arkansas' has a perfectly mounded habit (without any pruning or shearing) and sky blue flowers. If its a natural, wildflower look you're going for, then try Amsonia hubrichtii. This one has long, thin, needle-like foliage that sways in the slightest breeze. All varieties are free of disease and insect problems, deer & rabbit resistant, and turn brilliant gold in the fall. Plant them near Burning Bush or with Purple Flame Grass and Asters for a spectacular autumn display. ~ Heather

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Smart Farms

Last month I attended my first Smart Farms meeting in Lake Barrington. What a great event. The topic was seed starting and I learned so much. If you have an interest in organic gardening, vegetable gardening or are looking for a fun outdoor volunteer opportunity for the whole family, Smart Farm is a great organization.

Here is an overview of their organization:
The Smart Farm is an educational garden for the Barrington area and nearby communities. Adults, children, and students learn about their agricultural heritage, organic gardening, the slow food movement, and best practices for living "green," sustainable lives.

Click here for more information on Smart Farms.

What's Your Garden Style?

Click here for a quick and fun 9 question quiz to help determine your garden style!

Grow a Row



We are really excited about our new vegetable garden at the Garden Center. Come see what we have growing!
After years of helping gardeners both experienced and beginner, we decided it would be a fun way to fill up a little extra space at our Garden Center. So this group effort, led by Heather, Albino and Marta has literally taken root! Our cold weather veggies and some seeds are in the ground. We will be posting pics through the spring and summer and would love to see your pics too! Send us pics to your bountiful veggie garden so we can show everyone the hard work our Barn friends have put in.

We are supporting the Grow A Row program this year, which encourages citizens to grow an extra row of vegetables to donate to local food pantries. For more information on this program, click here.

Monday, March 8, 2010

If you are at all like me you are just itching for spring. You want the warmth of sun on your skin, that wonderful smell of fresh green growth, and the feel of gritty soil in your hands. We can’t do anything about the sun, but we can bring on spring by starting some seeds indoors.

Step One – Stock up on supplies. Pots: Jiffy pots are made of a biodegradable fiber that drains easily and can be planted directly into the garden. Plastic seed trays also work well; if you are reusing trays from a previous year, be sure to sterilize them first. Soil: Most potting mixes are too coarse for starting seeds. To achieve the best results, use a soil labeled as Seed Starting Mix. Seeds: Some plants (like tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, mint, thyme, etc.) are best started indoors, while others (like carrots, lettuce, beans, etc.) do just as well when sown directly into the garden. Refer to the seed packet to determine if they should be started indoors.

Step Two – When to start planting. Decide when you would like to plant the seedlings in the garden; you can use the link below as a reference. Tomatoes will take 6-8 weeks to grow from seed to a transplantable size. Once you have chosen a tentative “plant in the garden” date, count back 6-8 weeks. This is the date you want to start your seeds. Peppers will take about 8 weeks to grow to a transplantable size, eggplant 8-10 weeks, and cucumbers 3-4 weeks. Again, refer to the seed packet.

Step Three – Get planting! Keeping the seeds moist (but not drenched) and providing them with lots of light are the two most important components to successfully growing seeds indoors. If using grow lights, put the lights about 4 inches above the soil surface and raise them as the seedlings grow. If using natural light, be sure to place the plants in a sunny south facing window where they will get about 14 hours of sun a day.

Step Four – Hardening the seedlings. Your baby plants have been growing in the warm, windless safety of your home. You can prepare them for the garden by placing them in a cold frame or window well about two weeks before planting them outside. You can also harden the plants by placing them in a shady spot in the garden on nice days, and pulling them inside at night. They will be sensitive, so be careful not to expose the seedlings to freezing temperatures or too much wind.

Step Five – Plant the seedlings in the garden. Protect warm season vegetables from cold winds and frost.

Here is a link to the seed packet.

HM

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Warm Temps this weekend - stop by and see us!

It has been a long winter and we know all our gardening friends and family are eager for those first glimpes of bulbs poking through and that delicious smell of dirt!! If you are as ready as we are - stop in and see us. The Garden Center is bursting with seeds, equipment, tools, seed starting supplies, soil and fertilizer. We have everything you need to get started.

Last year, the number of customers starting vegetable gardens for the first time or expanding on the basic "Tomato, Cucumber, Pepper" style garden really grew. We were so excited to help everyone pick out new varieties to try and help the beginners get started. In anticipation of a bountiful 2010 season, we have increased the quantity and variety of seeds and garden supplies. Now is a great time to get started, especially for "newbies". Heather & Rich, our garden experts, are full of excitement and enthusiasm and can offer whatever assistance you need.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Rain Barrels

Hi everybody - I was just reading our blog and have to chime in. The Barn has rain barrels for sale and we will be demo-ing them and putting them to use this spring. Give us a call, or better yet, stop in and see how these can work in your yard.

The protection of our aquifers and water system is very important to us, especially living along the Fox River and the Fox River Valley. We live in a critical recharge area, which means our usage and what we put into our soil really makes a difference. The Barrington Area Council of Government has been researching and investigating ground water resources and usage for a few years now, and their work is eye opening. Even if you are not within the Barrington village limits, most of their studies include 40 miles beyond the entire Barrington area. Check out these two links for more information on water usage and learn what is happening beneath us!

http://www.bacog.org/waterresourceinitiative.html

http://www.bacog.org/groundwatervideo.html

“Going Green”… what?

So I went to a seminar this past Saturday to educate myself on the benefits of going green. And I am happy to report that it was a wonderful success (please stop laughing). The seminar was on how to handle and use the rain water that falls on your property in an environmentally friendly way.

The seminar started out with explaining the benefits of containing and using the rain water that falls on your property. The speaker explained that the water we receive from a typical rain storm has many pollutants that can’t be filtered out by channeling it to a drainage sewer. He explained that by using it on your property through a variety of different ways you can actually filter out many of those harmful pollutants.

He went on to show some techniques for water retention and redistribution. The first technique he showed was the use of rain barrels. Rain barrels are a great way to collect the water before it even enters the soil. And with the use of multiple rain barrels connected together, one can store enough water to irrigate their gardens even through the driest of summers. Another water collection technique that works well is the cistern. The cistern is a wonderful idea for those who want to practice water collection without having to see the barrels above ground. The cistern is buried underground and can be attached to all the downspouts as well as the sump pump. Another added benefit is the capability of keeping the downspouts and sump pump connected even in the winter time since the cisterns don’t freeze. This allows you to collect water in the winter and use it in the spring. And probably the biggest benefit is the capacity. Usually these cistern are about 6’ across by 7-8’ deep (now that’s a lot of water).

Some other techniques he went through involved the use of native plant material. He explained the use of green roofs, water gardens, and bio-swales in the residential landscape. These techniques may sound complicated, but are actually very easy to understand and implement. And all of these techniques can be done on any property no matter the size or soil condition. And with the use of water gardens and bio-swales you can actually improve the soil quality on your property with absolutely no fertilizer!

The last technique that we went over was the use of permeable surfaces. This can be accomplished with the use of the more common permeable pavers or with the lesser know gravel grass. Both of these techniques allow a significant amount of water retention to happen right under the surface of the pavers or grass. This gives the water more time to percolate into the existing soil with a lot less runoff.

The first question I had when he was finished was what kind of a cost increase these techniques would have over our conventional techniques. His answer was simple, none or very little, and in some cases less. The one thing he did stress was time. Some of the techniques where plants are used can take up to 3 years to look good, especially if you are starting from seed. But the benefits in time saved from weeding and watering probably cancel that out.

So all in all I think I had a pretty educational weekend. If these are things that you have been thinking about please give me a call (847-658-3883 x.22) and I’d be happy to discuss them with you. Have a great rest of February and I will see you in March.

Rob Baughman

Monday, January 18, 2010

Big changes are coming!

This is the start of a long story! After 4 years of hearing about Rakow Road being widened along side of our offices and garden center we received our official letter from McHenry County. Since our offices are only 2' 3" from the present right of way and the county is taking 20 more feet it looks like they will take our building, our silo (booo! This is the only remaining structure from the original barn and namesake.) and all of our greenhouses along the north side. Never a dull moment at the Barn!
So, the process of condemnation has just begun. This is our 3rd condemnation in about 20 years. Many of you have watched these changes over the years. When Rakow Road was built, we lost 100 ft, leaving the road mere inches from our windows. (Give a wave while waiting for the light!) A few years later, the state widened Rt 31 and took another 10-20 ft of the front of our property. We do hear the occasional rumors that "The Barn is closing." We want to reassure our customers that despite what you hear, "The Barn is NOT closing" despite this major inconvenience and the huge costs involved with re-building and moving our garden center. It will cost us 1000's of hours and hundreds of thousands of dollars, but we are committed to coming out of this better than ever. So, you will be seeing some major changes over the next couple of years. Please wish us luck and I will keep you posted.

TKSR

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

What to do with all this snow?

Fluff time is here! When is is 26-30 degrees and it snows we get the wet, high moisture heavy snow. But these last few snows have come with cold temps and that gives us a dry, fluffy snow. Now is when I dont mind shoveling. Not so much because it is easier, because I dont mind the heavy work out that comes when shoveling the heavy stuff. But the fluffy snow is snow I can use to bury my plants without breaking their branches. I actually go around and bury all my sensitive plants or give the trees extra insulation over the root systems. Snow is the best insulation there is. Evern after all the super cold weather, under 12" of snow or more there is still no frozen ground, just nice cool, moist soil.

If you need to apply Wiltpruf or "anti-dessicant" material to your sensitive plants, especially senstive evergreens or broadleaf evergreens now is the time to start watching the weather. You will need a temp of 45 degrees or higher for 4-6 hours to successfully apply this product, so keep a lookout. Anytime this can be applied before March 1st it will really protect those senstive needles and foliage. Some plants that benefit from this are Rhododendron, azalea, arborvitae, spruce and pine, yews, boxwood and false cypress especially when these groups are exposed to heavy west winds, lots of south or west sunlight or are in any road salt & spray.

TKSR

First!!!!

Welcome to Rob’s first posting. Aren’t you excited? I know I am! Now I know you are probably asking yourself what in the world does a landscape designer do during the winter that anybody would care about? Well, the answer is not much, but we’re going to give this thing a go anyway.

This January has already been pretty busy for me. Obviously there was New Years Day and all of the football games (Go Big Ten), the Orange Bowl the 5th (Go Hawks), the National Title Game the 7th (I love college football if you haven’t caught on), a 10 inch snow that I plowed for 14 hours over a 2 day period, and my car is in the shop after someone backed into me while I was parked in our lot at work. Some good, some bad.

Through all of that though I am actually getting some work done around the office. I am currently helping to make our website bigger and better. We are adding more pictures, changing some of the layout, and maybe putting in a few surprises. So make sure to check it out to see what’s new.

I am also helping to work on some new advertizing ideas and layouts. You may see some of these new ideas in the new edition of the Quintessential Barrington.

Another thing that I am helping to work on are monthly newsletters that will be emailed out to all of our Barn Nursery customers. Each month will have a new topic that will feature either current landscape ideas or projects that we are working on or have completed. Hopefully this will be educational if not at least interesting.

Even with all of that I am still working on designs and bids. Most people think they need to wait until spring, but actually this is the best time to get started. Getting started now means that we have more time to work on the designing and planning, which is the most important part. The other benefit is scheduling. If you want to get your job installed before June I would recommend contacting me before April.

Well, that wasn’t so bad. And for those who thought that we had a 3 month vacation once the snow started to fly, think again.

Rob Baughman
Landscape Designer/ Project Manager