Newsletter 30 – September 24, 2009

Scarecrow Days are here!

Fall Container Workshop

 Al’s Pick of the Month – Fall Mums 

Pick of the Week – Household Insect Control

FREE Class – How to Winterize Roses

 Recipe – Two-Bean Chili with Avocado

In my garden there is a large place for sentiment.

My garden of flowers is also my garden of thoughts and dreams.

The thoughts grow as freely as the flowers,

and the dreams are as beautiful.

Abram L. Urban

Breaking News!

Progressive Sale – This week

50% OFF

PERENNIALS, ANNUALS

TREES & SHRUBS

Mums, Asters, Houseplants, and Fall Stock not included

Hurry in, before they’re gone!

“If your mind goes blank, don’t forget to turn off the sound.”

Red Green

Joke 1

SCARECROW DAYS ARE HERE!

September 21-October 4

You won’t want to miss our fun-filled Scarecrow Days. Rain or Shine, daily from 10-4 you can come out to ABF and make your very own scarecrow! For a nominal charge, we provide the scarecrow kit and assistance.  Bring your own clothes, or purchase ours at garage sale prices.  What captures your interest?  A Packer or Badger fan, a witch, or our most popular scarecrow, wearing bib overalls, a plaid shirt and straw hat?  You can even choose between a child or an adult sized creation.  The possibilities are endless.  This is true family fun at its best.  Many choose to come out with a friend(s), or if you’d like to bring in your small group, you can call ahead to be sure we are properly staffed to accommodate you at 608-222-2269.  The event this year is in our large red shed, and we offer complimentary refreshments on the weekends.  We have customers who attend every year.  Remember, you can easily save your scarecrows from year to year by simply storing your masterpiece in an air-tight trash bag.  Come on out – you’ll be glad you did!

Fall Container Workshop

Today, Thursday, September 24^th, from 4 to 7, is our last Make an Autumn Container Workshop of the season.  You get FREE SOIL AND ASSISTANCE as you create unique autumn containers for your home.  Our designers are looking forward to working with you as you plant your beautiful pots.

Start thinking about the design and color scheme you’d like for your fall planters.  Some especially nice plants to use that will take the cooler temperatures, are pansies, petunias, Goldilocks Creeping Jenny, sages, mums, asters, kale and cabbages, dusty miller, and our lovely Snow Princess Alyssum.  Autumn containers will last into the fall and paired with our straw bales, corn shocks, mums, and a scarecrow, your home will be the talk of the neighborhood.

Mary was the most cantankerous woman that I ever met.

 I hired her to stand in my cornfield to act like a scarecrow.

Not only did she keep the crows away,

the crows brought back the corn they had stolen the year before!

Joke 2

Pumpkins, Indian Corn, Gourds, Corn shocks and Hay bales!

All these fall favorites are in stock.  We’re proud to offer only locally grown crops.  This year’s pumpkins are absolutely great.  From the smallest minis to the largest of our jumbos, they are some of the best we’ve had in years.  As are the gourds, which are almost completely blemish-free.  The Indian corn is awesome, too.  And remember, we sell netted corn shocks (like they net Christmas trees) so you can safely tie them to the roof of your vehicle and they won’t be wind damaged.

If your busy schedule leaves little time for decorating, we have the answer.  Our Autumn Bundle includes one of our larger-than-life mums, a straw bale and a bundle of corn shocks, all at special savings.  All you will need to finish your display is the unique scarecrow you will build at our workshop.

At a wedding I recently attended, the priest called for a moment of silence to remember the faithful dead. As the church grew quiet, a little boy sitting in front of me turned to his father and said excitedly,

“Dad, you have some of their albums!”

Joke 3

And there’s another FREE class this coming Sunday!

HOW TO WINTERIZE ROSES!

Sunday, September 27^th 1PM

The good news is that Roses are Perennials! We will show you several easy winterization techniques to choose from, so that next spring your roses will come back strong and healthy. It truly isn’t difficult. In past years, folks have expanded their rose beds and tried some new varieties once they attended this free class and got that shot of confidence that they needed to experiment a bit. Our own Sharon Stickford will lead this ABF Quick Class, and in no time at all, you’ll feel like an expert. We urge you to take advantage of these free learning opportunities, as it can make all the difference in your gardening success. Sharon will not only discuss different winterization techniques, but also cover pruning. Judging by the number of phone calls we get about pruning roses, this may be something you’d like to hear. And afterwards, why not try your hand at making a scarecrow? We would love to see you.

Remember, all roses are now 50% off!

If in the last few years you haven’t discarded a major opinion

or acquired a new one, check your pulse.

You may be dead.

Gelett Burgess

Joke 4

Here’s a link with some great places for you to “Stop and Smell the Roses.”

http://www.travelwisconsin.com/Top_15_Places_to_Stop_and_Smell_the_Roses.aspx

When Do I Bring in My Houseplants?

The answer is SOON! As a general rule, houseplants do not like temperatures under 60. Of course, there are exceptions, but if you use this as a guide, you will not be sorry. Remember they don’t like the change coming from outside. Unless you have the time, energy and patience to give the plants more shade every day until they acclimate and can be moved safely inside, you will just have to put up with them losing some leaves for awhile. Soon the plant will re-acclimate.

One of the important things to remember to do when you move them inside, is that you want to treat them first to get rid of hitchhikers! We suggest a systemic product for your houseplant insect control.

Bev T’s Pick of the Week: 

Houseplant Insect Control by Bonide

This is safe for all ornamental houseplants. Just apply the granules evenly to the top of the soil and then mix them in thoroughly. Water well. It will last up to 2 months, and will even protect new growth. Using Houseplant Insect Control, will protect your plant from damage by aphids, whiteflies, mealy bugs, scale and other pests that are listed on the directions. Because it’s granular, it means no spraying and no mess.

A New York boy was being led through the swamps of Louisiana by his cousin.

“Is it true that an alligator won’t attack you if you carry a flashlight?”

The cousin smirked and replied, “Depends on how fast ya carry the flashlight.”

Joke 5

Al’s Pick of the Month

Garden Mums

We grow 6000 fall mums in over 30 varieties that come in shades of white, yellow and gold, bronze, red, burgundy, lavender and purple. You have to see them to believe how full and lush these beauties are.  When you do, we think you’ll say we grow the most beautiful mums in town. This week we want to tell you about an outstanding series of late blooming mums we grow, called Cheryl. These are the beauties that will give you bloom to last later through the fall and they come in a variety of hues-purple, yellow, bronze and a pinkish-white. They are just beginning to show a little bit of bloom, so they have a lot left to offer. Our mums are large and bursting with flowers. You will see them at Dairy Expo where they will be featured not only in the show ring, but also in many of the exhibitor’s booths. For information on the expo visit  www.worlddairyexpo.com  If you’ve never attended, we think you would find it worth your time.

We sell mums as an annual  They bring immediate color and last a long time.  If you plan to try to have them come back next year, plant them deeply in the ground, as soon as possible. Mums prefer a sunny, well-drained location.

For more information on planting, pruning, feeding and mulching mums, refer to Newsletter 27. To get there, go to our homepage www.americasbestflowers.com and click on newsletters, 2009 and then Newsletter 27.

Once upon a time in their marriage, my Dad did something really stupid.

 My mom chewed him out for it. He apologized, they made up.

However, from time to time, my mom mentions what he had done.

“Honey”, my dad finally said one day, “why do you keep bringing that up?

  I thought your policy was ‘forgive and forget.’”

 “It is,” she said.

“I just don’t want you to forget that I’ve forgiven and forgotten.”

Joke 6

BONNIE’S KITCHEN

I made this and loved it, BUT put a little spin on it. I added chopped celery, chopped garlic, cayenne pepper, and I used the diced tomatoes with the chilies. I also topped it with a dollop of sour cream.

Two-Bean Chili with Avo

cado

1 large onion, chopped

2 t dried oregano, crushed

2 t canola or olive oil

2 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes, undrained

1 15 oz. can black or kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 15 oz. can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

½ c salsa

1 medium ripe avocado, peeled, seeded and diced

¼ c packed snipped fresh cilantro

In a large saucepan cook onion and oregano in hot oil over medium-high heat for 3 minutes, or until tender.

Stir in undrained tomatoes, beans, and salsa. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, about 25 minutes. To serve, top with avocado and snipped cilantro. Makes 5 servings.

 “Delicious Autumn!

My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.”

George Eliot

SEE YOU SOON!!!