Adam Geriak joined us in late July, working three days per week.  The rest of the time he is co-managing Dharma Harvest Farm in Townsend which offers a chicken and egg CSA program.  He is a graduate of Eastern Connecticut State University where he majored in Biology and tutored fellow students in the physical sciences.  During and after college, Adam worked in estate caretaking and developed an interest in landscape design which he plans to pursue in the future.  He's particularly interested in incorporating edibles into the landscape. 

I've found that Sweet Autumn Clematis is not always hardy in our area.  Vines are slow to revive in spring, and some we just have to declare as

dead.  Luckily, I discovered the native Clematis virginiana.  Those who hike among waterways and open woodlands may recognize this plant as Old Man's Beard due to the fluffy seedhead that follows the flowers.

Clematis virginiana has white flowers like Sweet Autumn Clematis and begins bloom a bit earlier, around August 10.  It is vigorous and self-seeds readily.  Plants are easily removed if not desired and can be shared with friends. 

Now is one of my favorite times of year - I can open the bulb catalogs and plan your orders for fall planted bulbs that will emerge next spring, just when we need color the most!

I will be placing orders by Labor Day to be sure we get our first choice of varieties before they sell out.  So let me know NOW if you would like to add some bulbs to your garden.  Either Karla or I can visit you to help decide what and where to plant.

One of our bulb vendors offers a helpful website to get you inspired.  Go to springdisplays.com and create an account.

During the recent NOFA Summer Conference, Lisa, Kate and I had the chance to tour That's A Plenty Farm and Pollinator Habitat in Hadley.  We drove near the Connecticut River where it makes numerous twists and turns and creates pockets of old field, high-terrace floodplain forest.

There a very special three-acre environment has been created by Cathy and Michael Katz, who live on the property in a Tiny House from May to November.  Tom Sullivan, graduate of the Conway School of Landscape Design, laid out the property and suggested the plant varieties.  The garden was established in 2007 so is now coming into its own.  Well before the surge of interest in pollinators, I might add!

That's a Plenty's Sign

Pollinator habitat requires clusters of at least 3 different flowering plants for early, mid and late season bloom.  Clusters mean bees can feed without expending too much energy to travel.  Both nesting habitat and nectar/pollen sources have been considered in the choice of plants.

We walked through plots of nursery stock plants, all natives, that supply seed that is collected, dried and sold yearly over the internet or to farm visitors.  Many were in full bloom, offering inspiring arrays of color, texture and form.  We then continued on to the planted meadows where many of the same plants have been integrated.  Mowed paths offered easy access to see pollinators at work on Partridge Pea, Goldenrod, Queen Anne's Lace and Sunflower.

Coming away with hundreds of ideas for plant combinations and designs, we plan to return to enjoy the garden earlier in the season to see another whole plant palette!

Grass is a cool weather crop that goes dormant during the hot, dry days of summer. As nights cool it grows more vigorous in its root zone to survive the cooler weather ahead. Next, blades bounce back and appear more green and vigorous in September and October. Nature, in her divine wisdom, sends the leaves down from the trees to be broken down and feed the soil biology of your lawn this source of organic matter.  Most of us race to collect the leaves.   Mowing some leaf matter into your lawn with a mulching mower is a natural way to feed your lawn's soil biology and improve its organic matter in the fall. Unless you've got oak leaves. Oak leaves tend to be more acidic than lawn soils like, plus they take too long to breakdown.

WHY DO WE AERATE, APPLY MINERALS, TEAS, TONICS, FERTILIZE & OVER SEED IN THE FALL?

The grasses in your lawn wake up from the dormancy of summer right about now.  Their root systems begin recovering first. We mechanically aerate to bring oxygen to and relieve compaction in their soils so the roots have the ability to grow deeper and stronger with less effort.  Research shows that plants with deeper root systems are more resilient to stress and disease. The most common disease aeration can help prevent is the threat of a white grub infestation.  According to Rutgers Cooperative Extension "most white grub damage occurs on a lawn from mid- August through mid-October." You can have a low threshold of

Carmine checking the "secret sauce"

less than 10 grubs per foot and not be at risk of extensive damage to your lawn.  Grub infestations occur most often in soils that are compacted and pH of soil is low.  We do the following to prevent a problem before they happens:

When next spring arrives, a healthier, stronger lawn will emerge. 

We love working in your gardens.  Let us know if you would like any new plantings.  Fall is the time.

Sincerely, 

Priscilla H. Williams

Pumpkin Brook Organic Gardening

[email protected]