The Shady Nook

06/18/2022

Next Saturday, June 25th. The Shady Nook will be in Conneaut Ohio at the Northeast Ohio Pollinator Symposium from 12-4 ,with a selection of native pollinator friendly plants and other perennials. We will accept cash and checks with proper ID for payment.
See link below for more information, hope to see you there.
Joe

ttps://u.osu.edu/neops2020/

2022 Northeast Ohio Pollinator Summer Festival – In-person on June 25th! March 9, 2022 at 7:00pmApril 4, 2022 by Andrew Holden 2022 Northeast Ohio Pollinator Summer Festival DATE: Saturday, June 25th, 2022 TIME: 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM LOCATION: Gateway Elementary School Auditorium & Outdoor Learning C...

05/16/2022

Mayapple, Podophylum peltatum, spreads by means of underground stolons forming thick colonies at woodland edges. Although on recent travels I've seen in thriving in sunny pastures. It's normally white flowers hang beneath the large palmate leaves. A small round fruit appears later, allegedly edible, however, I haven't the courage to try it!

04/24/2022

Stylophorum diphyllum aka wood poppy or celadine poppy are in full bloom now. It's one of my favorite woodland Natives with bright golden blooms. Unlike many natives that bloom a day or two, this beauty normally blooms a couple weeks. Itds a great naturalizer ,we have it popping up everywhere.
We are making deliveries now to garden centers in the local area. Spring has sprung!, despite the weather ups and downs.
Happy gardening, get some soil underneath your nails!

03/08/2022

Here at the farm the snow is all but gone, so now begins the spring weather roller coaster ride. Yesterday we were at 70,today 37. While most folks enjoy the early warm days,growers may have a different take.
Too many early warm days causes bud swell,especially on fruit trees, one hard freeze and the crop is lost or greatly reduced. This happened last season with local apple growers,some loosing as much as 70% of their crop.
We do whatever is in our power to bring crops along slowly, by opening and closing doors and later cutting holes in the plastic to slow down growth. The plain fact is we can't outwit nature, sometimes crops get set back or outright destroyed.
We are in very good shape going into spring, as we had everything trimmed and w**ded by end of last year. Soon the remainder of the wildflowers and hardier perennials will arrive and the potting process will commence.
Enjoy the season even with its fits and starts.

01/10/2022

Enjoy a few pictures taken on the farm from last summer. Hopefully it brightens the dreary winter days and provides inspiration as you plan next year's garden.
Inventory is completed, now the task of ordering liners to build up inventory for next season begins. For the most part we buy in all our young plants and seedlings.
I have found, even though I enjoy propagation, we aren't set up for it and truthfully there's more than enough work around the farm.

12/18/2021

During last Saturdays wind storm, we lost the plastic on one of the polyhouses. It happened along a perforation near a seam, as if it was cut with a laser. One of the reasons we keep an extra role or two on hand.
Thanks to a warm December ,cleaning up plants is moving along at a good pace, hope to fave it finished by Christmas. Then comes inventory.
One thing I've learned from all the years of growing plants,weather can be your best friend or worst enemy.
Merry Christmas to all

12/04/2021

The houses are buttoned up for winter. Now begins the process of cutting back plants and w**ding. Believe it or not some w**ds still grow in these 40 degree temps,particularly hairy bitterness, a most vile w**d.
Once all plants are trimmed and counted, we decide on what liners to order for spring.

11/13/2020

This week finished the last potting for the season vinca pachysandra and ivy. Should be ready for sale by mid May around 2200 total.

11/13/2020

All covered for winter

10/30/2020

Here we are, the end of October is at hand. We still have not had anything close to a frost. Rain, that's another matter we are above 6" total in the last 10 days or so. At least it's not snow!
Recently finished potting the majority of spring natives and wildflowers adding a few items to the list for 2021.
Next big project is covering the houses, we did one yesterday in a light rain, hoping Saturday presents better weather and we will cover 2-3 more.