Crazy for the Pansy

Amaryllis bulbs are easy to grow and produce blooms to captivate you. They can be grown indoors or out, and over an extended period of time. Wondering where they are native? Amaryllis originated in South America's tropical regions and has the botanical name Hippeastrum. The large, showy flowers and ease with which they can be brought to bloom make Amaryllis a popular bulb selection. The Amaryllis comes in many beautiful varieties including various shades of red, white, pink, salmon and orange. There are also many striped and multicolored varieties, usually combining shades of pink or red with white. If you plant Amaryllis bulbs in the garden now, they will be triggered to bloom during the winter (Dec. & Jan.). It usually takes around 8 weeks for a bloom once they are planted. The planting period for Amaryllis bulbs are from October until the end of April. They flower from late December until the end of June for lasting beauty. The flowering time is about 7-10 weeks, and larger bulbs produce more flowers. Unplanted bulbs should be kept in a cool place for storage. Preparation for Planting The base and roots of the bulb should be placed in lukewarm water for a few hours. If you cannot plant the bulbs immediately after receiving them, store them at a cool temperature between 40-50 degrees F. Planting Ideally, plant bulbs in a nutritious potting compost. We have mixes available and can help you with beginning your own pile! Plant the bulb up to its neck in the soil, being careful not to damage the roots. Press the soil down firmly to set the bulb securely in place after planting. They need to be planted in well-drained soil, regardless of the medium you choose! Placement and Watering Plant the bulb, or place the potted bulb in a warm place with direct light since heat is necessary for the development of the stems. The ideal temperature is 68 to 70 degrees F. Water sparingly until the stem appears, then, as the bud and leaves appear, gradually water more, keeping the soil evenly moist. At this point, the stem will grow rapidly and flowers will develop after it has reached full growth. Flowering Period Generally, bulbs will flower in 7-10 weeks. In winter the flowering time will be longer than in spring. This is ideal for cool-season flower interest in your garden. To achieve continuous bloom, plant at intervals of 2 weeks for stunning color in your home or garden. If planted in pot, rotate the pot two turns ever few days so the plant will grow straight when you see flower stalks begin to emerge. After-Bloom Care After-Flowering After the Amaryllis has stopped flowering, it can flower again. Cut the old flowers from the stem after they bloom, and when the stem starts to sag, cut it back to the top of the bulb. Leaf Growth and Development Continue to water and fertilize as normal all summer, or for at least 5-6 months, allowing the leaves to fully develop and grow. When the leaves begin to yellow, which normally occurs in the early fall, cut the leaves back to about 2 inches from the top of the bulb and remove the bulb from the soil. Bulb Storage Clean the bulb and place it in a cool (40-50 deg. F), dark place such as the crisper of your refrigerator for a minimum of 6 weeks. Caution: Do not store Amaryllis bulbs in a refrigerator that contains apples, this will sterilize the bulbs.  Plant Again After 6 weeks you may remove bulbs whenever you would like to plant them. Plant bulbs 8 weeks before you would like them to bloom. They will get into their natural cycle and bloom again! We have many beautiful bulb varieties of this amazing Amaryllis!

Ornamental grasses are some of the best plant selections for an ornamental focus for the landscape, but they are often underutilized. In addition to being an excellent choice for their aesthetic appeal, ornamental grasses are great for wildlife, especially birds. One of the favorite features of ornamental grasses is the texture it brings to the garden. Landscapes can be designed with wildlife in mind. Or perhaps you want an entertainment space, a quiet sitting area or a play area for children. When you are planning your landscape, it’s important to think of the types of plants you are drawn to. But you also must plan for the needs of the plants and consider what purpose they will serve in your garden. You may be asking yourself — what exactly is texture when it comes to landscapes? Texture is one of the design elements that does not come from the physical feel of the plant as you might expect. Rather, it is an eye-catching element that interacts with the light and shadows of specific spaces in the landscape. One way to achieve texture is by combining fine foliage with heavily textured or coarse foliage. Grasses can help fit the fine-textured bill. They typically have an airy, feathery, soft look. Muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris) can add texture and flair to your landscape with its feathery pink inflorescences, or flowers, during fall. The LSU AgCenter thinks so much about this ornamental grass that it has been named a Louisiana Super Plant for fall 2021. Muhly is a native grass to North America found in Florida and the eastern half of the United States. It grows well in full sun to partial shade with an average height of 3 to 4 feet tall by the same width, growing best in well-drained soils. The growth habit is clumping. Flowers are typically pink, but white varieties are also available. The long grass blades and wispy flower plumes give it a fine texture. Planted en masse at a spacing of 2 feet, muhly grass can be very eye-catching in the landscape. The grass is extremely low maintenance and well adapted to Louisiana. It is very drought tolerant once established. Plants will go dormant in winter and turn brown. Leave the dormant grass to serve as a winter habitat for birds. Speaking of birds, they love the seeds from the flowers, so these grasses provide year-round interest for wildlife. It’s a good idea to trim dead blades in late winter or early spring before new blades of grass emerge. You also may choose to fertilize with a general all-purpose fertilizer at the recommended rates in springtime. Muhly grass does not have many, if any, pest or disease problems.  As plants grow over the years, they will multiply and make additional clumps. Those can be divided in fall or early spring by simply digging up a few clumps that you can then share with friends or move to new areas. Overcrowding of the grasses can decrease the number of flowers, so dividing every three or so years will help keep them healthy and vigorous. The grass may not always be greener on the other side, but as Walt Whitman once said, “a leaf of grass is no less than the journey-work of the stars.” Add some texture and beauty to your landscape with muhly grass, a Louisiana Super Plant. Article by LSU Ag Center. View online here.

Fall for planting in your landscape this month! Most people plant trees, shrubs and ground covers in spring, but fall is really the best time to plant. By planting in fall, which is October through mid-December, you get to take advantage of the great opportunity to get plants established. Root growth, which is the first priority after planting, occurs during fall and winter in Louisiana when shoots and flowers grow slowly. OCTOBER TO DO LIST: -Plant all the trees & shrubs you'd like because fall is the best time to plant in your landscape! -Anytime this month is a great time to plant cool-season annual flowers, except pansies, which some choose to wait for until late October or November. All will benefit from a slow-release fertilizer and regular irrigation, about 1-inch per week. A deep watering is more beneficial than every day mini watering sessions. -Use mulch to conserve moisture and smother weeds. An ideal amount is 3 inches thick. -Now is the time to plant citrus trees! Try: kumquats, satsumas and Louisiana navel oranges. -Sow cool-season seeds for incredible spring color. -Freshen up container gardens, and consider ornamental grasses, mums, snap dragons and crotons for beautiful fall-themed color. -Divide and replant clumping perennials. -Plant cool-season vegetables. Stagger plantings across a few weeks or months, so they can be harvested in a steady supply, not all at once! -Reduce watering deciduous fruit trees, so they will be allowed to go dormant. -Keep bird feeders stocked and bird baths clean because around the 20th, the fall bird migration peaks in our area. -Around Oct. 7, many Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds will depart Acadiana for their tropical wintering. Keep at least one feeder up since several other hummingbird species may spend the winter in your backyard. -Dig caladium bulbs once the foliage dries, and store in a warm, dry location. -Prune oleanders after flowering to encourage branching. -Check peach trees for scale. If needed, spray dormant trees with a dormant oil spray. -This is a great time to sample your lawn soil and correct any pH issues. -Prune runaway stems of azaleas now, but don’t get carried away while pruning! The spring flowers are being set, and over pruning will reduce the spring blooms.

October is all about pink in support of breast cancer awareness. According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, one in eight women in the United States will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. Men also can get breast cancer. Are you asking yourself, what does this have to do with gardening? Our landscapes are an extension of our homes and a statement to those around us. Why not honor breast cancer patients and survivors by going pink in your flower beds? You can show your support and bring awareness to this devastating disease. It’s not just public landscapes, hospitals and cancer centers that can make an impact. So can you! If you don’t want to make the long commitment, plant in small containers or try planting annuals that can be changed out. Many Louisiana Super Plant selections have shades of pink to choose from as well! Both Amazon and Jolt dianthus are excellent Louisiana Super Plant selections for fall that come in an array of pink colors. Ranging from delicate pink to hot pink, these can make quite a statement. There are other Dianthus varieties thinking pink as well, and all perform best in full to part sun and are great for attracting butterflies in late fall and early spring. They make great cut flowers that you can share with friends or family members fighting the disease and to help celebrate survivors. Another real impactful choice with bright pink blooms are petunias. The Supertunia Vista Bubblegum, an LSU Superplant, boasts bright, prolific, pink flowers. This mighty petunia is known for its long-lasting flower bloom in the landscape. It has a mounding, spreading habit that can grow up to 3 feet in all directions, with a height of 16 to 24 inches. It prefers full sun to produce the maximum amount of blooms. There are other pink petunias as well- from neon pink to light pink, and even pink with white stripes! Get creative with your supportive garden! Snapdragons are another selection “dressed” in pink for October and beyond. With varieties available in tall, medium, and short, you can have an array of pink, or mix pink and white or any other combination in flowerbed rows or container gardens. If you want something more permanent, try shrubs. Three fall-blooming Louisiana Super Plants with pink flowers are Conversation Piece azalea, Aphrodite althea (rose of Sharon) and Luna hibiscus. All three make excellent shrubs for sunny areas in the lawn and will bloom in the fall, year after year. Dream roses and Belinda’s Dream roses are both Louisiana Super Plant selections that have pink blooms that are open in the fall. The Belinda’s Dream can be another superb cut flower choice to share with family and friends. Specialty roses arrive in our garden center in mid-January, so think ahead for next year starting this New Year! Penny Mac hydrangea is another Louisiana Super Plant. It’s a repeat-blooming hydrangea that can produce large flower clusters of pink or blue beginning in late spring and will continue to bloom on new growth into the summer and fall. To influence flower color, you can treat the soil around the bushes with lime and superphosphate in March and again in October each year. Your soil should be a pH of 7-8.5 to help achieve the pink color. It may take years for the shift to pink to occur if your plant typically blooms blue. Many warm-season flowers planted in late spring and during the summer are still blooming and going strong in October. Some Louisiana Super Plants that come in shades of pink are Lucky Star and Butterfly pentas, Intenz Classic celosia, Baby Wing begonias, Senorita Rosalita cleome, Sunpatiens, Bandana lantanas and Kauai torenia. Nearly every Louisiana Super Plant selection comes in some shade of pink. Other cool-season flowers displaying various shades of pink include pansies, violas, dianthus, snapdragons, garden mums, calendula, ornamental kale and cabbage. Perennial flowers like gaillardia, verbena, Mexican petunias, cupheas, guara, salvias, coneflowers and rudbeckias can also be found in various shades of pink. They establish well when planted in fall and will perform better next year if they’re planted now. Whether it’s delicate pink, hot pink or any shade in between, show your support for breast cancer awareness this October with plants. Stroll through the garden center to be paired with the best pink plant(s)!  Article by LSU Ag Center. Visit online here.

Please enjoy this introduction on some of the best pest-repellant products on our shelf. All these products are kid- and pet-safe and are compatible with organic gardening!  Captain Jack’s Deadbug is a liquid, ready to use spray that will take care of your caterpillar, spider mite, and other chewing insect issues. The main ingredient is Spinosad, which is a soil dwelling bacteria that kills insects without the use of harsh chemicals. This spray can be used on fruit and vegetable plants, ormanmentals, and flowering plants. To use, you just spray on the tops and bottoms of foliage in early morning or late afternoon for maximum and most effective coverage. This is a Bonide product that is great for organic gardening. Ferti-lome’s brand of Horticultural Oil is an oil that you mix with water in a hand sprayer for easy application. This product controls insects, mites, and scale and will kill all stages of insects, including eggs. Great for roses, flowers, houseplants, fruit and vegetable plants, and trees. The oil coats the plant for a nice shine and apply during early morning or late afternoon. You can apply this product as often as you need since it is an organic product. This is a great product to apply right before spring or fall begins for preventative maintenance for the coming season. Bonide Repels-All has a blend of ingredients that causes irritation to the animal's nasal passages for a harmless application to repel animals. This product repels armadillos, birds, deer, rabbits, racoons, skunks, squirrels, and more lasting up to two months. To apply, just put an even coat around the desired area. It is effective in any season and biodegradable and safe to use around kids and pets. Come & Get It Fire Ant Killer , another Ferti-lome product, is a fantastic product to get rid of those pesky fire ants. This product has that great Spinosad ingredient that will kill the insect without the use of harmful chemicals. Applying an even spread around the ant pile in the early morning or late afternoon is the most effective method. Ants will then carry the granules back to the mound. Diatomaceous Earth is a great granule product that is perfect for indoor or outdoor use. This product is effective against most crawling insects. Applying a light and even coat around the desired areas is the most effective way to get rid of those pesky crawling insects. Always make sure to read product labels thoroughly and carefully for application instructions and warnings. Each product has unique applications to follow. Come in to All Seasons to find any of these products. Our staff is knowledgeable and ready to help you solve any of your pesky insect problems!

Are you looking to add extra appeal to your fall through winter landscape or container gardens? Ornamental Cabbage & Kale have all the frills! Planted alongside chrysanthemums, snapdragons and pansies, among others, ornamental cabbage and kale add distinctive bold texture and vibrant seasonal color. Frequently called “flowering” cabbage and kale, these fall favorites are not flowers at all, but large dense rosettes of colorful, frilly foliage richly variegated with cream, white, green, pink, rose and purple- the purple fall palette. While these plants are similar to the cabbage and kale cooked in the kitchen and consumed in salads, soups, stews, etc, it is important to note that ornamental varieties are cultivated for color and shape rather than taste. If you would like to plant these ornamental selections and use them in your kitchen, use them as a garnish only. Trust us- they are more attractive than tasty! We also have the edible varieties of cabbage and kale that should be planted to consume through your winter! Ornamental Cabbage- Leaves tend to have a smoother appearance with a wavy leaf edge. Ornamental Kale- Leaves are frilly-edged and sometimes deeply cut or lobed. These cold-tolerant annuals improve in appearance after a frost or two, bringing out more intense and brilliant colors in their foliage-perfect for use as both an autumn accent plant It is popular to plant them in your fall-winter borders, or planted in containers. They typically grow around 12-18’’ high and wide, and need about 12’’ spaced between them when used as a border. They enjoy full sun in an area with rich, moist, well-drained soil. When you plant them in the ground, add some compost or Happy Frog Soil conditioner to each planting hole to enrich the native soil. Also, sprinkle in a small handful of starter fertilizer, like Osmcote, to get your cabbage/kale off to a healthy start. When you plant them in a container, it is best to plant with a light-weight, nutritious potting soil, like Happy Frog or Strawberry Fields potting soil. We have these and several other options to pick from, but always go with a potting soil blend as these are specially formulated for plants going into pots. Don’t forget to add a slow-release fertilizer, like Osmocote. This will feed your plants all season long with no effort from you! You will enjoy ornamental cabbage and kale during our colder months. Once they begin to “bolt” in the Spring, they send up their flower stalks; that can be your signal to pull them out and replace them with Spring-Summer annuals.  For this cool season, try planting them in your flower/landscape beds and/or container gardens for the long-lasting color and texture interest they will bring into your surroundings!

LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT A FEW QUESTIONS OFTEN ASKED ABOUT FALL MUMS: ARE MUMS HARDY? Yes and no. There are both hardy and non-hardy mums. The mums we have are perennials, and if planted in your landscape, cut back to the ground after a freeze event, should come back up for spring! Most mums you seen= in a florist shop mixed in arrangements are probably non-hardy varieties. SO WHY DID MINE NOT COME BACK IN THE SPRING? Even though the mums sold in the fall are hardy varieties, there are some things to consider. If you would like mums as perennial plants in your landscape beds, plant them as early as you can. The plants need to establish a strong root system before the winter, therefore plant them in the late summer as soon as you see them arrive here. Use the same soil amendments and fertilizers that you would use for your other perennials. Mums are often used as fall color in containers and then planted once the flowers are spent in the late fall. Usually this is too late for a root system to establish before any winter freezing. I HAD ONE COME BACK AND IT GOT HUGE! WHAT’S THE DEAL? The mums you see in the fall have been consistently cut back by the growers through the spring and summer. Doing this controls the size of the plant, creates a dense shape, and delays blooming until the fall. On their own, mum tends to grow quite large and will bloom in the mid to late summer. They need to be cut back in mid-summer for fall blooms. HOW DO I GET THEM TO FLOWER A LONG TIME? Length of flowering time is directly related to temperature. The warmer the temperatures, the quicker the flower will open, bloom, and fade. As temperatures cool in the fall, the blooms give color for a longer period of time. Does this mean you need to wait to buy your mums? It just depends on your needs. Use mums whenever your summer plantings or containers are ready for a seasonal change. Even mums bought early in the season will provide at least 3 weeks of color. Combine mums with pansies, crotons, fall marigolds, and ornamental cabbage and kale to extend your fall season of color.

Learn how to preserve a carved pumpkin so your Halloween masterpiece will last all season long. With Halloween just around the corner, pumpkin-carving season is almost here. But we think the biggest challenge every year is exactly how to preserve your carved pumpkin and keep it from turning into a moldy, mushy mess before Halloween arrives.  While there is no way to completely stop your pumpkin from rotting since the process starts as soon as you cut into it, we’re sharing all the steps you need to take to ensure that your pumpkin lasts as long as possible this season. 1: Pick a Healthy Pumpkin First, make sure that you start with a fresh and healthy pumpkin. Choose a firm pumpkin with no soft spots and its stem intact. Don’t hold it from the stem to ensure it won’t break off easy. Starting off with a firm pumpkin means that your carved pumpkin has a good chance of lasting longer. 2: Get Rid of All the Guts Once you open up the pumpkin to carve it, it’s important that you rid the cavity of the guts. You want to make sure that the inside of your pumpkin is as clean and dry as possible, and that can only happen if you ditch all the pumpkin guts and seeds. 3: Use Petroleum Jelly To extend the life of your carved fruits, rub a thin layer of petroleum jelly on the inside of the pumpkin to reduce mold and slow decay. 4: Refrigerate Your Pumpkin If you can, refrigerating your pumpkin each night will go a long way in helping to rehydrate your carved pumpkin (and keep it away from any bugs or critters). This is an especially good idea where we live! Put the carved pumpkin in a small garbage bag before putting it in the fridge. 5: Soak Your Pumpkin Overnight Another method for rehydrating your pumpkin and keeping it fresh is to soak it in water overnight. This is a great method to try if you notice that your pumpkin is starting to fade or wilt. You can fill up a bucket or tub, then put your pumpkin inside overnight for a refreshing bath. If you notice an improvement, you can try to do it again in a day or two. Make sure to use cold water, as hot or warm water can speed up the rotting process. Some people also swear by this method; however, instead of water, they use bleach.

We think we know the perfect weekend activity for you – planting UP a pumpkin. It’s almost Halloween, so surely you have a pumpkin or two on your front porch. And if you do not, then act fast! We have large and medium traditional jack-o-lanterns, as well as funky cool specialty ones we call “Heirlooms.” In addition to those larger options, we also have little mini pumpkins! If you’re looking for a fun, creative activity to do with the family this weekend, here’s the scoop. This may be something you have never seen before, if so, do a quick search online for “pumpkin planter” to see the possibilities. Some pictures will have combinations of mums, fountain grass, pansies and more planted INSIDE of a pumpkin. If your heart desires a pumpkin planter like one of those, go for it! Just be aware that the plants will still need regular watering, and you will need to cut a hole in the bottom of your pumpkin to allow for drainage. To avoid an overly saturated, or rotten pumpkin, you could plant up your combination of plants into a smaller pot, and then place that pot inside of the carved out pumpkin. Then you can remove the pot and water it separately from the pumpkin. An idea fun for the kiddos is to make a pumpkin “person!” You (or they) can draw or paint a face onto the pumpkin, and plant the face’s “hair” inside the pumpkin, either directly or into a separate pot as stated above. Their “hair” can be something long and “curly” like a Creeping Jenny or another trailing plant, or their hair can be spikey like an ornamental grass! Like the afro look? Plant a Mum inside! Be silly, or scary! Let either your kids or your imagination “grow wild!”  Another idea is to carve out your pumpkin, without cutting a hole in the bottom, and plant succulents! Not only are succulents super cool and trendy, but they require such little water at this time of the year. So if you plant them now, it is very possible that you could go all the way to thanksgiving without ever having to water them. Just give them a light misting on a weekly basis to keep up the humidity around the plants. This falloween season is a fun and special time full of memory-making potential. Come pick a pumpkin and plant!