With milder temperatures, the trees are starting to show signs of breaking dormancy. Now the daunting task of unloading the greenhouse and organizing the tree yard.
We will be conducting our winter damage assessments over the next weeks and then start contacting our customers on our Wish list.
People have been inquiring to the meaning of our wish list. Isn’t it just an order form? My answer is yes and no.
Prior to opening our nursery here, at Bee Sweet Nature Co, I would place my plant orders, well in advance, with growers and get disappointed every year because some items were ,’sold out’. The reality was my order was edged out by a bigger order. Not fair! I understand that from a business point of view it makes money sense to fill your bigger orders first and then work down the list. But it is not fair to all the customers rejected because their order wasn’t big enough.
I hated that yearly disappointment – so I created our Wish list. It is strictly a first come first serve listing. We date all customer plant wish list requests and they are notified after our winter survival assessments. We contact everyone on the list from earliest to latest wish list dates. When everyone has been served on the list then we open up our remaining stock to the general public or our off site spring sales. Doesn’t that sound more fair?
Avoid disappointment. Get on the Wish list.
Absolutely everything we do at the nursery is driven by climate change and based on recent science. As climate change induces more violent weather events we need to grow our trees to withstand this weather.
Wind action on trees is a natural phenomenon that helps build plant wood structure and roots. We do NOT stake trees in order to maximize wood and root structures.
THINK SPRING – our nursery is open and you can contact us anytime about your planting needs. You can always preorder your spring wish list to avoid disappointment.
First and foremost, we are solely Ontario sourced seeds. Absolutely all our stock is grown from hand collected seeds derived from Ontario. Just because growing and gardening centers advertise native stocks does not mean that these stocks are Ontario sourced. In fact, many native stocks are imported from the States and resold here.
BUYER BEWARE – ALWAYS ASK IF YOUR PLANT PURCHASE IS ONTARIO SOURCED. BE ONTARIO PROUD.
People assume that work at a nursery stops once the trees go dormant. Far from it. As a matter of fact, I am still seed collecting for next year. We are now harvesting the conifers, such as the fir. We hand collect all our seeds that we use at the nursery. Proud to say that all stock is Ontario sourced.
CHRISTMAS IS COMING!
Check out our amazing artisan soaps. We have, also, launched a new line of specialty soaps. Great stocking stuffers.
People are asking what the logo we are sporting on our website is about. The ‘In the Zone’ program is a joint venture between Carolinian Canada and World Wildlife Fund to connect citizens and gardeners to healthy landscapes, trails and gardens. The ‘In the Zone’ program wants to celebrate our native plants and wildlife. When you join this program you can receive free gardening resources.
As a native plant nursery participating in the program, we are assuring you that all plants sold by us are native and Ontario sourced. When you see these tags or stickers, then you can be confident that your purchases support and sustain our native Ontario landscape and wildlife.
Hoping to see you IN THE ZONE
We absolutely love this time of year. A time to hike and get out into nature on a regular basis. A necessity, in our business, since we hand collect our seeds from Southern Ontario. People ask why we just don’t buy the seeds or seedlings.
To me, that would defeat our whole genetic program. The only way we know, for sure, where these seeds have come from is by picking them ourselves. It is not just about location but the way in which the seeds are chosen. We do not just pick from one tree or one shrub but from multiple shrubs or parent trees to diversify the genetics of what we are picking. Even though they are all from the same geographical location we pick as much as we can from varied parents at that site. In this way, we are diversifying that genetic base.
Is it more work? You bet. But I am convinced that we need to continue these seed picking efforts if we are to diversify our future forests and make them resilient towards climate change.
Have to go now. Seed picking awaits!
We are always looking at ways we can diversify the Ontario landscape and enable assisted tree migration. For the past 2 years, we have intensified our efforts to find more southerly seed sources. These southerly sites will allow for tree and plant migration to the north. The more sites, and parent stock, available the greater the genetic diversity moving northward.
But what about cottage country? Climate change will not skip over this precious area. We decided to include more northerly locations to help assist our lake area with assisted migration. Not only does migration include vegetation moving northward but also laterally. Basically, expanding east to west boundaries.
Stay tuned.
This is usually the time of year where customers phone in a panic wondering if it is too late to plant. Much to their surprise, I respond to them by saying they are too early – wait till September.
Why? It is more logical to plant in the Fall. By September, our weather changes from blistering heat and droughts to cooler temperatures and rain. This decreases the heat and water loss stresses on plants. Also, with the dropping of leaves there is less water loss since leaves are not transpiring. In the end, this equates to you not standing at the end of a watering hose everyday making sure your plantings are watered.
The most fascinating point about Fall planting is what happens below the ground. Ground temperatures stay at a constant 56F till December, depending on the weather. With the lack of activity above ground (no leaves photosynthesizing) the roots establish and grow undisturbed. By next spring, the roots are well anchored and the plant ready to burst into spring.
From a frugal point of view, the Fall is the best time to purchase. Most nurseries are down sizing their stock and usually great deals are to be had. So, bottom line, relax and wait for the Fall and then plant all those great deals.
Being a nursery, many people ask what trees should they plant. One of my top suggestions is the northern catalpa tree. When they are in bloom they are undeniable. A giant orchid! Needless to say, that when they are blooming they are pollinator magnets. Be sure to plant northern not southern catalpa since the southern type is too fragile for some of our Ontario winters.
This particular catalpa by our front porch is only 18 years old. They grow relatively quickly with very little maintenance. To find out more on the magnificent tree, see our knowledge base northern catalpa article.
