WHAT A YEAR 2010 IS PROVING TO BE!

A really cold winter followed by an exceptionally early spring and now one of the hottest summers in years stubbornly clings on to the last days of August.

However, slowly but surely the tell-tale signs of fall are beginning to appear just as folks were ‘champing at the bit’ to get into the garden after the hard winter they are equally impatient to escape their air conditioned homes and begin planting this fall.

All the signs are there that this is going to be a busy fall as gardeners seek to repair the damage done by the summer onslaught.

From the first time we set foot here in Williamsburg in 2005 we adopted a policy of promoting ‘FALL PLANTING’ It made sense; beautiful, short sleeve weather in September & October followed by reasonably mild conditions in November and December.  This 4 month period offers gardeners here the best planting opportunity in Virginia and it should not be overlooked. 

So what are we planning for this fall at the ‘Homestead’?

It is very much business as usual but we are still excited as we continue to seek to offer our customers the best plants at competitive prices.

Our mums are generally regarded as the best around and our massive ‘deco’ mums have got to be seen to be believed, folks from previous years will sure remember & at $15.95 they cannot be beaten.

 What fall period would be complete without pumpkins & we have lots of fun choosing the most unusual colors and shapes to offer our customers.  They should be available mid September.

So come early for the best selection!

 The ‘Homestead’s’ pansies & violas have almost became institutionalized as locals seize the opportunity to grab the best plants at the keenest prices.  Who else offers a top quality 4” plant at only a dollar!

 A few quick tips about our favorite crop:

- Pansies should not be planted until the end of September or early October.  They stretch & their performance suffers as they flower out if planted too soon, also the aphids love the heat & will soon find you’re plants irresistible

- Violas are more compact ‘also known as Johnny Jump Up’s’ they are cleaner & much hardier than pansies

- The “NEW” cross bred “PATIOLA” also has better attributes than the traditional pansy & should be considered as an alternative.

- When fertilizing you’re plants use liquid feed e.g. Neptune’s Harvest if planting them in containers or baskets, when in the ground use slow release e.g. Osmocote to give them a boost through the fall season.

- We will offer 6 pack, 4” & 6” plants this fall in an abundance of colors-  if you require large number please call us for a list of varieties & pre-book them now.

As well as color from mums, pansies & violas we are also offering an exciting range of late blooming perennials, groundcovers, ornamental cabbage & kale + a few early season Veg like broccoli, cabbage & lettuce

 Big stores and the larger garden center have managed to convince the public that spring is the time to plant shrubs and trees, plants look really nice in spring with new foliage & flowers so it must be the best time – WRONG!  Shrubs & trees suffer much less stress when they begin entering dormancy in the fall.  Even when they look so vibrant in spring they prefer to be planted in fall & winter.

Our fall stock arrives the beginning of September and we are anticipating a good selection of really nice plants, if you need any specific variety, size or qty now is the time to place your order with us, stop by & we’ll give you the details.

 Remember you can plant shrubs & trees right through Christmas & beyond, as long as the ground isn’t frozen it is safe.

 While plants are our ‘main thing’ our garden center stocks a wide range of complementary items, we are a green nursery and encourage people to consider ‘doing away’ with grass & use groundcovers as a better environmental & economic alternative. 

So let the Ulster American Homestead be your number one gardening destination this fall.  Our boast of a place where “Traditional Roots Grow” is really accurate & we know you won’t leave disappointed.  We look forward to serving you this fall

TOP QUALITY – GREAT PRICES – FRIENDLY SERVICE