An Iris in Fall ( click for full size)

Today I walked into the office and found a vase filled with dark purple iris blossoms.  One sniff, and I was back in May, awash with the freshness of spring.  What a delight!  By now you’ve probably all guessed that my favorite flowers are iris, and that I keep track of my life by the number of iris seasons I’ve enjoyed.  To be treated to an extra one is, well, indescribable.  Iris in September, I feel myself living longer already.

Plant breeders have been working for decades to develop ‘reblooming’ iris, and the future looks bright.  There are new introductions every year.  Right now, we have Sugar Blues and Clarence in stock, and next spring we will once again offer a wide selection.

Rain or Shine, every day from 10-4 you can come out to America’s Best Flowers and build 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.  Whether you make a Packer or Badger fan, a cartoon character, or a scarecrow wearing bib overalls and a straw hat, you will have one of the best-dressed scarecrows in town!

A delightful activity for all ages, come with kids, with friends, with your spouse or by yourself, and plan to have a great time.  If you’d like to bring a small group, please call ahead to be sure we’re properly staffed – 608-222-2269.  Complimentary refreshments will be served on the weekends.

If you haven’t seen our mums lately, plan to be amazed. The late season ones are coming in from the fields, and are they huge. The perfect answer for adding color to your fall landscape. 

By now you’ve probably got the message that all of our mums are BIG.  Now let me show you our Bushel of Mums, easily 3 feet across with hundreds of blooms.  Hands down the most spectacular mums I have ever seen.

Scarecrow Days Specials

We searched the county over for locally-grown products for your fall decorating needs.  The results are bushels of mini pumpkins and colorful gourds; deliciously sweet pie pumpkins, carriage-shaped ‘Cinderella’ pumpkins and carvers for Jack-O-Lanterns all the way up to 40 pounders.  We also found long, bright ears of Indian corn; bales of wheat straw straight from the field; and tall, full shocks of corn, netted for your convenience.

Save with bundles we’ve created just for you.  Autumn Bundle #1 priced at $19.99 includes one of our larger-than-life mums, a straw bale and a bundle of corn shocks.  Autumn Bundle #2 is our best value, with three mums, a straw bale and a bundle of corn shocks for only $29.99. All you need for your fall display is a pumpkin or two and a unique scarecrow built by YOU.

Once you have your fall display in place, send us a picture.  We will publish them randomly over the next few weeks.  This one was submitted by Jennifer.

When you come out for mums, fall decorating needs, and scarecrow days, please bring along a non-perishable food item donation for St. Vincent de Paul Client Choice” food pantry  We are proud to support this organization whose emphasis is on providing for those in need within our own community.

I have to admit that this summer I’ve become an NCIS junky, watching faithfully night after night to find out another one of Special Agent Gibb’s 50 rules to live by.  Sometimes I struggle with what they mean, but there are two gardening rules that are so simple it seems silly to keep talking about them.

Rule #1
If you don’t plant bulbs this fall, you won’t have blooms next spring.

Rule #2
Rule #1 has NO exceptions.

Every April, we have people coming in to buy bulbs of the daffodils and tulips they see blooming in their neighbors’ yards.  Sadly we have to tell them they will have to wait for fall.  Unfortunately, when fall comes it slips their minds until the next spring, and so on and on and on.  America’s Best Flowers can help break the cycle!!  We have an excellent selection of spring-blooming bulbs including tulips of all sizes and colors, bright stately daffodils, fragrant hyacinths, extravagant allium, and early crocus in a rainbow of colors, all at a 35% savings!  Stop out today and let us help you choose bulbs to give you bloom all spring!

Our fall has been so mild, our plants have been able to enjoy a longer than normal period outside. But things are changing and it’s definitely time to prepare your tropicals and houseplants for their move inside.

Begin by moving sun-loving plants into the shade for a week or so.  This gets them used to lower light conditions similar to what you have in your home.  A couple of days before you plan the final move in, submerge the entire pot in a bucket of lukewarm water for a few hours.  Any insects or other creatures in the soil will drown and/or float to the top of the water. Remove and let drain.

A day before bringing them in, hose them down with a strong stream of water to blow off any insects that may be on their stems and leaves.  Allow to dry and then spray with insecticidal soap

 or Espoma 3n1 Disease Control, being sure to spray tops and bottoms of the leaves, stems, and trunks. Allow to dry completely before bringing inside.  Alternatively, you can apply Bonide Systemic Houseplant Insect Control per container instructions.

Finally, move your plants indoors to a well-lit area, away from heat sources and drafts.  Tropical plants will lose leaves after their move.  Place a saucer under each pot to catch excess water.  You won’t need to water until the soil begins to dry out.  When you do, cut back on fertilizer, using half strength in the fall, and then plain water for November, December, and January.  When the days start to lengthen in mid-February begin feeding with half strength until mid-April when you can once again increase to full strength.

These are the things we’re supposed to do to remove the cholesterol around our brain and try to slow down Alzheimer’s Disease. A great test, do it until you get 100%!  It takes an average of 5 tries to get to 100%. Follow the directions!  It’s harder than it seems, it should be!  A brain waker-upper for today! Have fun!

Our fan club is growing. Please become a fan on Facebook, and invite your friends. Help us get one thousand fans and surprises will await you when you visit our page. We’re almost halfway there so please spread the word!