Winter Activities

The lights show ran well last night but the 2 degrees F didn't bring in a lot of people. As people complain about winter, I'm reminded of the quote "To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring". I'm not sure that everyone agrees with that during a tough winter!!! This is the first year we've had the lights show run throughout the week. The bulk of our attendance is on the weekends so I'm not sure how worthwhile this will be while school is in session and people have other weeknight activities. Regardless, more bad weather looming for tonite with freezing rain followed by 8-10" of snow. Ugh. The picture above is from part of our reference library. Winter is a great time to research plants and gardening ideas/techniques. There are some wonderful references out there and many libraries have extensive gardening sections. Consider doing some reading this winter and there is no doubt that the beautiful pictures can keep you sane until spring. As you go thru gardening catalogs, you might see some things you'd like to order. As always, see if there is a local source but if mail order needs to be accomplished, there are some concerns. See the article below on 'Armchair Gardening' for some things to consider.

Although the frigid temperatures have kept most of us inside these past couple of weeks, gardening opportunities abound. It is a great time to look at the garden from your window and decide on spaces for future evergreens and ornamental grasses. As the temperatures allow more outside activity, pruning of many trees and shrubs can be accomplished during the winter (dormant) season. Creativity has no limitations as you daydream about your garden and some of the stimuli for your planning will involve the annual deluge of plant and seed catalogs in the mail.

Garden catalogs arrive by the dozens over the winter months and tempt you with the new and unusual as well as the time-tested favorites. Trees, shrubs, vines, bulbs, perennials, annuals, water plants, garden equipment, etc. can all be ordered over the phone and frequently the internet. Wonderful pictures and alluring descriptions whet your appetite for spring and cause you to start marking your favorites with post-it-notes. Before long you may realize that you desire more plants than your landscape can accomodate and the bill for these plants has added up quickly.

Mail order catalogs have the advantage of advertising their products to you in winter although it is important to note that many of the same items will be available locally in the spring (without the delivery charge). Mail ordering can be an exciting and convenient way of acquiring desirable seeds and plants. However, there are both advantages and disadvantages when ordering plants and seeds through the mail.

One advantage of mail ordering is securing/reserving plant materials early in the year before the “rush” of spring. If you are looking for a specific seed variety, mail order sources may be a good start as you can obtain them before supply dwindles in the spring. Seeds can be obtained early for starting at home or saving until they can be sown. Ordering plants early through the mail assures availability but also allows you access to an enormous palette of plant material from around the country. There are mail order sources in every state and around the world (although shipping restrictions from overseas sources may be prohibitive). The convenience of ordering plants and seeds from home and having them delivered to your door is quite apparent. You can select delivery times and essentially “shop from home” for the garden.

Remember that opening a package of mail order plants is an adventure. The time between when you order an item and when it arrives at your door can involve many complications. This is the primary disadvantage over the more interactive process of hand-selecting and purchasing plants from a nursery, garden center or other source. Other individuals are involved the physical selection and processing of your selected plants. Plant costs can be quite high, particularly for those plants that are new on the market. Seeds typically ship well, however, plants that arrive in a box can be subject to many stresses during packing, delivery and unpacking. There are some basic rules of thumb to consider when purchasing mail-order plants and seeds.

Do more research on the individual plants that you are interested in because pictures in catalogs typically display the ideal specimen of a certain plant (and may be photo-enhanced).
*Examine pricing intensely and review delivery costs as well. There are frequently price breaks for quantities and early ordering.
* Determine if there is a customer guarantee for plant materials and if so, what are the terms of that guarantee?
* Decide if you will accept substitutions for your order. There is almost always a way of specifying whether you will accept substitutions or not. If you want something specific, make sure and decline substitutions or you will never be sure of what you will end up with.
* Always verify what you have ordered by requesting a verbal or written confirmation (preferably written). Confirm the total bill as well. Orders with code numbers and varying plant names can get confusing so it is important to confirm the details of your order.
* Determine how you will be charged/billed for the plant materials so you are not surprised. Understand all fees at the time of ordering. Most companies will send a bill with the plant material or after plants have been received. However, some companies will bill you at the time of ordering.
* Be aware where these plants are grown. Understand that some of these plant species, while hardy in the area, have been grown in warmer climates and may have problems adjusting to both our winters and our summers. Research on your part prior to planting will maximize the success of your new plants and seeds.
* Most plants are shipped based on appropriate planting times for the region, however, you may wish to request specific shipping dates if it helps accommodate your schedule.
* Remember that larger items such as small trees may not travel well although state-of-the-art packing systems and quick delivery have minimized problems with larger plant shipping and delivery.
* The most important thing to do with a new delivery of plants or seeds is to unpack them immediately upon arrival. Inventory the contents based on the packing slip and your original order. Packing materials vary but with few exceptions, plants do not respond well to being packaged for long periods of time. Read instructions on how to acclimate your plant to light and moisture prior to planting. If there is any damage to plant materials or they look unhealthy (or dead), call the nursery immediately.

Understanding both the advantages and disadvantages of mail-ordering plants and seeds will help you make educated decisions on what you will obtain. Reputable mail-order nurseries have expanded the plant palette for gardeners and understandably, winter is their prime advertising time. Rotary Gardens orders from over sixty mail order nurseries located in over twenty-five states and some foreign countries. We obtain seed from all over the world. The sheer diversity of plants and seeds available through the mail is mind numbing but don’t forget to support the local economy and patronize local sources for a wonderful range of plant materials as well.