Growing or WHAT we do and WHEN we do it using pictures. If this picture doesn't open click here.
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WE DONT SELL PLANTS UNTIL THEY HAVE FLOWERED VERIFYING THE VARIETY. WE GROW AND SELL RETAIL; OLD GARDEN ROSES THAT ARE HARDY, DISEASE RESISTANT AND FRAGRANT, MODERN ROSES THAT SHARE THOSE QUALITIES, LILACS, NATIVE AZALEAS, NATIVE RHODODENDRONS AND NATIVE BLUEBERRY BUSHES.
OUR CUSTOMERS SUBSCRIBE TO THE PICTURE-NEWSLETTER SO THEY CAN SEE WHEN PLANTS ARE FLOWERING SO THEY KNOW WHEN ITS THE BEST TIME TO COME TO THE RETAIL PLANT SALE. I TAKE CLOSEUPS OF THE FLOWER AND LABEL AS PLANTS BLOOM, POST THEM IN A PICTURE-NEWSLETTER AND SEND LINKS TO MY SUBSCRIBERS ALMOST EVERY DAY THROUGHOUT THE PLANT SALE. IF YOU WISH TO SUBSCRIBE EMAIL ME.
IF YOU DONT SUBCRIBE YOUR AT A DISADVANTAGE. Check out my journal.
I LEARNED LONG AGO THAT "SMART BUYERS BUY IT IN BLOOM!" THAT WAY THERE ARE NO SURPRISES. YOU CAN SEE THE COLOR AND SMELL THE FRAGRANCE. SO I SET UP THE FLOWERING SHRUB FARM IN VOORHEESVILLE, NY TO BE OPEN WHEN MOST OF THE PLANTS WE GROW ARE IN BLOOM. MY PICTURE-NEWSLETTER, SHOWS MY SUBSCRIBERS THROUGH PICTURES, WHEN THEY ARE IN BLOOM. THE INVENTORY NUMBERS ALLOW CUSTOMERS TO BUY THE EXACT PLANT THEY SEE BLOOMING IN THE PICTURE-NEWSLETTER.
OUR RETAIL PLANT SALE IS FROM MAY 15 TO JULY 4. AFTER JULY 4 WE'RE OPEN BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. THE PLANT SALE LOCATION IS NEAR THE GREENHOUSE BUT FAR FROM THE FIELDS WHERE I OFTEN HAVE TO BE WATERING, FEEDING OR TAKING CUTTINGS. SO AFTER JULY 4 EVERYBODY HAS TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT VIA EMAIL SO I CAN BE WAITING FOR YOU.
IN MAY WE SELL LILACS, NATIVE AZALEAS & RHODODENDRONS THAT ARE FLOWERING OR HAVE PREVIOUSLY FLOWERED. PINXTERBLOOM AZALEA (R. NUDIFLORUM), SWAMP AZALEA (R. VISCOSUM), ROSEBAY RHODODENDRON (R. MAXIMUM).
MOST OF OUR LILACS ARE DIFFERENT SHADES OF PURPLE, VIOLET, MAGENTA & LAVENDER. 'PRESIDENT POINCAIRE', 'SARAH SANDS', 'MONGE', DARK NIGHT', 'SENSATION', 'ANDENKEN AN LUDWIG SPAETH'.....BUT I ALSO CARRY SOME WHITE FLOWERED 'KRASAVITSA MOSKVY', 'PRIMROSE' AND 'ROCHESTER'.....BLUE FLOWERED 'AUCUBAEFOLIA', 'PRESIDENT GREVY',.......
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IN JUNE WE SELL ROSES THAT ARE FLOWERING OR HAVE PREVIOUSLY FLOWERED. OLD GARDEN ROSES FROM BEFORE THE CIVIL WAR THAT ARE HARDY, DISEASE RESISTANT AND FRAGRANT OR MODERN ROSES THAT SHARE THOSE QUALITIES.
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PLANTS BLOOM, I TAKE PICTURES, PUT THEM IN THE NEWSLETTER AND SEND A LINK TO MY SUBSCRIBERS.
MY SUBSCRIBERS SEE SOMETHING FLOWERING THEY WANT AND COME TO THE PLANT SALE IMMEDIATELY. WHEN A CUSTOMER SEES A RECENT PICTURE OF A PLANT THEY WANT TO BUY THEY MAKE PLANS TO COME TO THE PLANT SALE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IN ORDER TO HAVE THE BEST SELECTION. IF YOU DONT SUBCRIBE YOUR AT A DISADVANTAGE. SOMETIMES AVAILABLE PLANTS OF VARIETIES PICTURED IN THE NEWSLETTER WILL SELL OUT WITHIN A COUPLE WEEKS. CHECK THIS EXAMPLE OF A PICTURE NEWSLETTER AT www.floweringshrubfarm.com/crop193.htm
WE PLACE PLANTS IN THE BACK YARD & ON SHELVES THAT WRAP AROUND THE HOUSE I'VE STARTED TO PLACE THE PINXTERBLOOM AZALEA, SWAMP AZALEA AND ROSEBAY RHODODENDRON ON THE SHELF ALONG THE BACK OF THE HOUSE ( SHOWN ON THE RIGHT BELOW) BECAUSE THE RUNOFF FROM THE ROOF HAS A LOWER pH THAN THE WATER FROM THE HOSE.
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I ATTACH A YELLOW INDIVIDUALLY NUMBERED INVENTORY LABEL TO EACH PLANT.
WHEN I TAKE A PICTURE OF A PLANT FOR SALE I ALSO TAKE A PICTURE OF ITS INVENTORY LABEL.
ABOVE THE PICTURE I NOTE THE DATE IT WAS TAKEN, VARIETY NAME & INVENTORY #.
062008 IS JUNE 20, 2008, IT'S A CELESTIAL ALBA ROSE & 10605 IS THE INVENTORY #. THE SAME INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE IN PICTURE PROPERTIES FOR THOSE WHO CAN RIGHT CLICK THE PICTURE. I ALO "SAVE AS" THE PICTURE WITH THE INVENTORY NUMBER FIRST SO AS TO HAVE A PARALEL RECORD BY INVENTORY #.
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LATER IN THE SEASON I TAKE PICTURES OF THE FRUIT, FALL FOLIAGE, AND MAINTENENCE AND POST THOSE PICTURES IN EACH COLLECTION.
AS I SELL PLANTS I HIGHLIGHT THE INVENTORY # IN RED IN OUR CATALOGS WITH THE DATE SOLD. WHEN A PLANT IS SOLD THE INVENTORY NUMBER IN THE CATALOG IS HIGHLIGHTED IN RED WITH THE DATE SOLD. CHECK THE CATALOGS OUT LINKED TO MY HOME PAGE AT www.floweringshrubfarm.com
EACH PICTURE IN THE NEWSLETTER AND ENTRY IN A CATALOG LINKS TO A COLLECTION OF PICTURES. IF YOU CLICK THESE PICTURES IT WILL TAKE YOU TO EACH COLLECTION AND A SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY WITH LINKS TO INVENTORY INFORMATION ETC.
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THE TOP LEFT HAND PICTURE IN EACH COLLECTION WHEN CLICKED WILL OPEN A BIGGER PICTURE. THE COLLECTION OF PICTURES HAS A SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE ZONES HARDY TO, HEIGHT, WIDTH AND FLOWERING PERIOD ALONG WITH THE BEST PICTURES FROM THE NEWSLETTER OF FLOWER, FALL FOLIAGE, FRUIT AND THE PLANT IN WINTER. THE TOP LEFT PICTURE IS USUALLY A PICTURE OF THE FLOWER AND THE ABILITY TO CLICK IT AND OPEN A LARGER VERSION ALLOWS YOU TO "CRAWL IN AND LOOK AROUND A BIT". YOU CAN ALSO SAVE THE PICTURE AS WALLPAPER. I TRY TO MAKE THESE LARGE PICTURES AS "CLASSY" AS POSSIBLE.
THE BEST PICTURES IN THE NEWSLETTER ARE ADDED TO THE COLLECTION.
IN MARCH, AS SOON AS THE SOIL CAN BE WORKED, WE DIG LILACS FROM THE FIELD WHILE STILL DORMANT. I'LL LABEL EACH WITH AN INVENTORY NUMBER AND POT THEM INTO 7 GALLON OR 15 GALLON POTS ACCORDING TO THEIR ROOT SIZE. THOSE THAT FLOWER IN MAY WILL BE FOR SALE; 7 GALLON FOR $30 OR $40 AND 15 GALLON FOR $50 OR $60. THOSE THAT ARE BETTER BRANCHED BEING SLIGHTLY HIGHER IN PRICE. wE ARE WAITING NOW FOR THE GROUND TO BECOME WORKABLE WHILE THE PLANTS ARE STILL DORMANT.
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IN SPRING I RECEIVE #1 SIZED OLD GARDEN ROSES AND POT THEM INTO 7 GALLON POTS. EACH YEAR IN SPRING I RECEIVE #1 SIZED ROSED GRAFTED ON ROSA MULTIFLORA OF MANY OLD GARDEN ROSES. I PLANT THEM IN 7 GALLON POTS WITH THE GRAFT TWO INCHES BENEATH SOIL. ONCE THEY BEGIN TO BLOOM THEY'LL BE FOR SALE. OTHERWISE I'LL TAKE CUTTINGS FROM THEM IN JULY FOR PROPAGATION. THREE YEARS LATER WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SELL OWN ROOT PLANTS.
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I GROW THEM IN A SUSTAINABLE FASHION SO AS NOT TO POLLUTE SOIL, AIR OR WATER. I SPRAY ONLY WITH INSECTICIDAL SOAP AND DONT USE FUNGICIDE AT ALL. WE FEED PLANTS WITH ESPOMA ORGANIC FERTILIZERS AND WATER THEM VIA DRIP LINE.
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IN JULY I TAKE CUTTINGS SO THAT WE WILL HAVE OWN ROOT PLANTS OF THOSE VARIETIES SOME DAY. ROOTED CUTTINGS ARE PLANTED 3 OR MORE TOGETHER INTO A 3 GALLON POT (WE CALL A THREESOME) AND GROWN TOGETHER FOR TWO YEARS. IN MARCH OR APRIL OF THE THIRD YEAR I DIVIDE THEM EACH INTO THEIR OWN THREE GALLON POT AND SOMETIMES CUT BACK. WHEN THEY OUTGROW THE THREE GALLON POT I REPOT THEM INTO A 7 GALLON AND WHEN THEY START TO FLOWER THEY'LL BE AVAILABLE FOR SALE.
WHEN THEY OUT GROW THE 7 GALLON THEY ARE REPOTTED IN A 15 GALLON (FOR $50 OR MORE) AND WHEN THEY OUTGROW THE 15 GALLON THEY ARE POTTED INTO A 45 GALLON (FOR $90 OR MORE).
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WE TRANSPLANT THEM INTO 45 GALLON POTS AND LINE THEM UP ALONG THE FRONT NEAR THE SIDEWALK FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF PASSERS BY. THIS SIZE WHEN SOLD OFTEN HAVE A RAISED BED BUILT UP AROUND THE POT SIMLAR TO A VERSAILLES BOX. THE RIM OF THE PLASTIC 45 GALLON POT IS THEN CUT OFF AND MULCH INSERTED SO YOU CANT SEE THE POT.
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SOME THREESOMES ARE NOT DIVIDED. SOME THREESOMES ARE NOT DIVIDED BUT INSTEAD THE ROOTED CUTTINGS ARE TRAINED AS ONE PLANT. A LILAC THREESOME WILL GROW INTO A MULTISTEMMED TREE WITHOUT BEING CUT BACK (AND THEREFORE THEY WONT HAVE THE PRUNING SCARS THAT THOSE THAT ARE CUT BACK HAVE. tHIS TYPE OF GROWING ALSO GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO MIX VARIETIES TOGETHER. MY FAVORITE IS THE ONE WE CALL THREE AMIGOS; 'SARAH SANDS', 'MONGE' AND 'SENSATION' BUT WE'RE ALSO TRYING 'PRIMROSE' AND 'KRASAVITSA MOSKVY' COMBINATIONS TO. WITH RHODODENDRONS WE ARE COMBINING THE PINXTERBLOOM AZALEA WITH THE ROSEBAY RHODODENDRON. WITH BLUEBERRY BUSHES WE'RE COMBINING 'BLUEJAY', 'BLUERAY', AND 'BLUECROP' ALL NATIVE VACCINEUM CORYMBOSUM AND THREE IN COMBINATION PROVIDES OPTIMAL CROSS POLLINATION.
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121208rhododendroninpot0039.jpg three or more rhododendron maximum in a single pot (right after an ice storm December 12, 2008) wont be labeled or for sale until it flowers.
I ONLY SEND PLANTS MAIL ORDER WHEN A CUSTOMER HAS PPAID ME IN ADVANCE $60 PER PLANT. IN THE PAST $60 HAS BEEN ADEQUATE TO BOTH BUY THE PLANT, PACKAGE IT AND SEND IT FED EX 3 DAY GROUND. SEND A CHECK MADE OUT TO AZALEA HOUSE FOR $60 PER PLANT TO ANDY VAN CLEVE, PO BOX 49, VOORHEESVILLE, NY 12186-0049. MAIL ORDER PLANTS WONT BE SENT UNTIL JULY AFTER THE CHECK HAS CLEARED THE BANK AND THE PLANT HAS BEEN INSPECTED BY THE NEW YORK STATE AGRICULTURAL INSPECTOR FOR OUR AREA. WE ONLY SELL PLANTS THAT WE HAVE GROWING IN A 7 GALLON POT THAT HAVE PREVIOUSLY FLOWERED. MAIL ORDER CUSTOMERS OFTEN ASK FOR A NEWSLETTER THAT SHOWS THE PLANTS THEY DESIRE BLOOMING WITH INVENTORY NUMBERS. I SEND THEM A LINK TO A NEWSLETTER SHOWING THE PLANT IN THE POT, THE FLOWER AND THE INVENTORY LABEL OF THOSE VARIETIES THEY HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST IN THAT ARE STILL IN STOCK.
SEVERAL OF US WORK IN THE NURSERY AT DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE YEAR. RICH NORMALLY WORKS IN ALABAMA BUT WORKS WITH ME WHEN ON VACATION. DON WORKS IN LA BUT TAKES TIME OFF IN SPRING AND FALL TO HELP OUT. I TAKE THE PICTURES, DO THE NEWSLETTER, WATER, FERTILIZE AND TRAIN THE PLANTS. REPOT, PROPAGATE AND A BUNCH OF OTHER STUFF THAT WHILE TIME CONSUMINGDOESN'T REQUIRE ANY HEAVY LIFTING (I HAVE A BACK & NECK PROBLEM THAT REDUCES MY ABILITY TO LIFT AND USE MY HANDS).
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We over winter plants in 7, 15 and 45 gallon pots outside. 7 and 15 gallon pots are surrounded with mulch. 45 gallon pots are left unmulched.
011809plantsinwinter0005.jpg January 18, 2009 7 gallon pots mulched and covered with snow.
The dog is maggy. Her mother was a German Shepherd-Labrador, her father a husky-collie.
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Homepage Check my past picture-newsletters.
Generally the freight is about the same cost as the plant doubling the price. So a 7 gallon potted plant for $30 plus the freight can be expected to be around $60.
People who want to seriously consider coming to the plant sale should about being added to the list of subscribers as some plants sell out soon after being listed. When you are a subscriber you receive advance notice of plants in bloom, if we open early (caused by early blooming) or of special sales when you follow the email provided link back to the picture-newsletter. oLD Copies of Picture newsletter links are placed in a special page ( picture-newsletter ) after the plant sale. I dont share your email address with anybody.
Each may I start transplanting one of each crop into the next size larger pot. This leaves several that can still be sold during the plant sale (we dont sell plants that have been potted within the last 60 days). As I transplant into 15 gallon I start training old garden roses by "pegging" or "staking" their branches down to the soil. In the nursery this is done by tieing branches to the sides of the pot.
Both of these pictures were taken June 5, 2008 for my picture-newsletter. Someone seeing this picture of 'Roseraie de l'Hay' Hybrid Rugosa Rose inventory #10104 might very well have showed up to buy #10104 the next day so as to have the best selection.
'Harison's Yellow #10679 in a 45 gallon pot is out in front of the house so that passersby on the sidewalk can enjoy it blooming.
In June many roses come into bloom for the first time and I spend the first hour of the day posting new closeups on my web page and sending email links to my newsletter subscribers. I also take pictures of the whole shrub up against the side of my house. You should be able to see how well branched they are and that they are in bloom. The file name above each picture of a plant for sale will show the date the picture was taken (060508 is June 5, 2008), the variety name, the 5 digit inventory number for that individual plant (10104), and an add on number that allows me to have multiple pictures of the same plant on the same date in my computer. 7 gallon pots are $30, 15 gallon pots are $50 or more and 45 gallon pots are $90 or more.
AFTER JULY 4, I SPEND A LOT OF TIME PROPAGATING PLANTS SO YOU HAVE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT.
After July 4 much of my time is spent working on cuttings and transplants. The plant sale is done but you can still make an appointment to buy plants retail by sending me an email or leaving a message at (518) 765-2917. I'll get back to you. We usually stop selling for the year in mid-August.