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A Chrysanthemum by any other name …would be easier to spell!

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Chrysanthemums, sometimes called mums or chrysanths, are flowering plants of the genus Chrysanthemum in the family  Asteracea. They are native to Asia and northeastern Europe. Most species originate from East Asia, and the center diversity is in China.   They were first cultivated in China back in the 15th Century.  Carolaus Linnaeus, a Swedish naturalist, named this flower using a combination of two Greek words, Chrys(gold) and Anthemon (flower) meaning golden flower.  There are countless horticultural varieties and cultivars. 

You most commonly see them as a blooming plant in the fall seasons.  But as  a fresh cut flower, we receive them all year long- colors and varieties vary from season to season.  Chrysanthemums are some of the most popular flowers in the floral industry, standing just below roses, tulips and lilies.  With around 13 types of this mighty bloom, the possibilities for floral designs are endless!

Chrysanthemums are most commonly used in funeral arrangements, as it still remains a symbol of grief.  White mums with greens and other blooms, like lilies, express sympathy for the departure of someone dearly loved.

The cut flower is able to survive up to 2 weeks in a vase.  Unfortunately, the leaves of this flower die faster, so removing them from the stem ensures a longer lifespan.  According to some studies performed by NASA,  florists mums help reduce air pollution.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA_Clean_Air_Study

Watch for our blog next week when we discuss the florist variety mum and the garden mum.

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Green Industry Expo

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The Green Industry & Equipment Expo is this week, and a team of our crew members are on a road-trip to Kentucky for the nation’s largest trade show for the lawn and landscaping industry.

Our guys will explore a 20+ acre outdoor demonstration area, where they can test new equipment and discover handy new tools. The indoor facility is the equivalent of 47 White Houses with over 850 exhibits to visit! The team will network and learn the latest trends in turf management, landscaping, hardscape design, and installation. 

Over this 3-day expo, the crew will also partake in the many classes, seminars, and guest speaker sessions. The crew will discover techniques to improve business processes, while learning about industry growth and changes. These educational experiences will help our team expand their knowledge and expertise.

We are so excited for our team to enhance their training, and be able to apply their new skills to install/maintain quality lawn and landscaping for our valuable customers!

Click here to watch a quick clip to learn more about this Green Industry event!

 

 

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Autumn Leaves and Lawns

Fall clean-up is all the rage and hub of activity lately – we’ve been blogging about it, our customers are asking about it, and our crews are preparing for it. 

Today, we will focus on leaves and lawns: we’ll discuss best practices for fall leaf clean-up and lawn care, while describing the importance of these practices to maintain the health of your lawn and garden.

Leaf Removal – Turf: When leaves fall and accumulate on the lawn, they prevent sunlight from reaching the grass, creating brown and/or dead patches in your lawn. Leaves also maintain moisture, and while some moisture in your lawn is good, accumulated leaves can trap moisture in your lawn resulting in fungus issues. Remove all diseased leaves, like those with apple scab or leaf spot, to avoid re-infecting your trees and new leaves the following year. Rake or blow leaves off your lawn.

Leaf Mulch – Garden Beds: As mentioned above, leaves maintain moisture and decompose quickly creating a rich, organic material. When used as a mulch in your landscaping, leaves add important nutrients to soil, prevent weed growth, retain soil moisture, and acts as insulation for soil and plants over the winter. Shredded leaves make the best mulch you can then use around trees and in gardens. Many people are concerned about oak leaves, which are relatively acidic. According to the University of Minnesota Extension, oak leaves decompose more slowly than other types of leaves and are best used for mulch or compost. Their slower rate of decomposition makes them well suited for use as mulch (www.extension.umn.edu).

Lawn Care: In addition to removing leaves from your lawn, mow your lawn short (around 3 inches) to prevent fungus problems. To maintain the health and vitality of your lawn, apply a fall fertilizer (Winterizer) to your turf. This ensures turf roots remain healthy and allows the lawn to store food for winter. It also replenishes the nutrients used up over the summer and allows the plant to re-estabilsh itself after heat stress. Most importantly, the energy stored from fall fertilizer promotes better spring green-up the following year.