What's Light got to do, got to do with it

How is winter project #1 going? Are you waiting for the weekend? Me too. Sunday to be exact, Saturday I have that open house to attend. For now I want to talk to you about something very special in my life. It is important to know, and it does have a few things to do with a number of winter projects we will be embarking on. Come here, closer, we need to keep this between us. If everyone knew what I am about to tell you, then there could be a riot.

Light is important to your plants.

I can hear the gasps, I don't mean to startle you, but you need to brace yourself, it will get worse.

But before I give you the worse news, I feel it is my duty to tell you a little bit more on why light is so important. Can you say photosynthesis? I know you can. . . .ok, that's enough. i don't want you to hurt yourself. Let's get to the nitty gritty of it. Follow me.

You have all seen a rainbow, don't give me that. I know you have. The rainbow is an important visual for what I have to tell you. Plants thrive under a rainbow. The blue allows them to manufacture carbohydrates while the red controls assimilation and affects its response to the length of light and darkness. Far red works together with red in many different ways, Germination, stem length and leaf size. I know! Mind boggling. But oh so true. And when you mix the florescent lights, which has the blue spectrum of the rainbow as well as the red with the incandescent light which has the far red, you have yourself a rainbow fit for plant life! oh my! No wonder Dorothy was so obsessed with the rainbow.

Now we have reached the worse part, brace yourself. Are you sitting down? Good. Absolute darkness is crucial for plants. Doesn't that just blow your mind (ok have got to stop with the 60's jive talk. I wasn't even born in that time period. Even though you jive turkey is the cool new insult term to my 4 year old)

Remember to observe your plants, if they are long and spindly looking, they are not getting enough light, if they are burning leaves, too much light. Get yourself a timer, this helps a lot. Normal plants like 8-12 hours of light, while flowering plants enjoy 12-14 hours.

How much lighting does one really need? 10 lamp watts per square foot for fluorescent, mix it 4:1 with the incandescent light. Or just go out and buy some grow lights.

So how was that for boring? Ok boys and girls, I will see you back here on Monday, please read chapter 1-200, there will be a test.

Can I Make You Fall for Planting Trees?

The other day, my husband and I loaded up the kids and took a trip to the local farm supply store. Our objective was to get feed for the goats and sheep, and the chickens, as well as a few heat bulb for our adolescent chickens. As we approached, we saw some of the trees that were left from the spring. Still green, but the leaves were falling off, they were fast approaching their dormant stage. As we got closer we saw the sign, the sign that changes your plans.

50% off our nursery stock.

SOLD! $9 for 3 year old fruit trees!?! You know we couldn't pass that one up. My husband and I looked at each other. Money? ~sigh~ I know. Fruit? yep. Should we? In the long run, it will be worth it. Agreed. {as I said previously, my husband and I are very articulate people}

There was about a dozen or so trees available. We looked at the tags, most were apples, but we already have 4 apple trees, 1 pear tree that has been graphed to produce 3 types of pears, a cherry, a peach and a plum. Our nectarine had been killed in the late frost earlier this year. And there it was, 1 nectarine left in the bunch. I took it. My husband declared that he loved my plum jam, so he decided that another type of plum was needed. It saddened me a bit, because the only reason we got our first plum tree was because of my father, so I was reminded of him. But my husband did indeed like the plum jam, so it was all good.

Wait a minute Phelan, it is cool out now. I know, I hear you. That bitter north winds are starting to cut through the landscape. Frost has arrived at least once by now. Why on earth would we go ahead and buy trees to plant? Autumn is a prime time to plant trees. With them in their dormant stage, they have time to establish roots systems without worrying about getting nutrition to the rest of the sleeping tree.

Bare root and burlap roots are the best for fall planting, but if you happen to find a deal like we did, and the trees are in containers make sure they get the required amount of water. Plant your fall trees as you would your spring ones. They need to be mulched in with organic materials, in wide shallow holes. If you can get them in the ground before the hard freeze of winter, before the soil loses it's warmth, you will see that those fall planted trees do better, then your late spring, early summer ones.

Sucker white ash from last spring

I would suggest going out this weekend to the places you saw the spring time trees for sale. More than likely they are on sale, and you can get a great deal. Any questions?