‘THE SAGE’-Klein’s Online Newsletter—NOVEMBER 2023
Klein’s Floral & Greenhouses
3758 E. Washington Ave.
Madison, WI 53704
608/244-5661 or info@kleinsfloral.com
THIS MONTH’S HIGHLIGHTS:
Klein’s Holiday Open House is Saturday & Sunday, November 18 & 19
Plant Your Spring Bulbs Into Early December
Creating Your Own Outdoor Winter Containers
‘Photoperiodism’… It Sounds Scary But…
Our ‘Mad Gardener‘ and ‘Houseplant Help‘ Are Ready for Your Questions
12 Strategies to Strengthen Your Immune System
Klein’s Favorite Seed, Bulb & Plant Sources
You Asked About Pruning a Butterfly Bush
Plant of the Month: Growing Cacti Successfully Indoors
Klein’s Favorite Cooked Cabbage Recipes
Product Spotlight: Indoor Microgreens and Kits from KnowingNature™
Notes from Rick’s Garden Journal—From October 2023
—Tips for Overwintering Geraniums
—’Jeane’ Tall Garden Phlox Named 2024 Perennial Plant of the Year
—Winter Mulching Basics
November in the Garden: A Planner
Gardening Events Around Town
Join Us on Twitter
Follow Us on Facebook
KLEIN’S 2023 HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE is Saturday, November 18 and Sunday, November 19. Enter a winter wonderland filled with our homegrown poinsettias, holiday plants and gift ideas. Let us inspire you with our extensive collection of gift ideas and ornaments for all your decorating needs.
On Friday, November 17, join us for our Holiday Open House Sneak Peek (3:00-6:00) with 30% off holiday décor and ornaments (some exclusions apply)
Enlighten your senses as you step into our warm and cozy greenhouses. The serene beauty of being in the greenhouses after dark is a truly unique experience. Surround yourself with the sights, sounds and smells of the holidays!
SHOP FOR YOUR SPRING BULBS WHILE SUPPLIES LAST
November is a perfect time to plant your spring bulbs and nothing could be more uplifting after a long winter than bulbs popping through the melting snow. Allow the Klein’s staff to share planting tips and ideas to keep those pesky squirrels from digging up those newly planted bulbs. And for indoor blooms, don’t forget a few hyacinths, paperwhites and amaryllis for indoor forcing. We carry a lovely assortment of forcing glasses, vases and decorative pottery. Forced bulbs make for an inexpensive and treasured holiday gift. Any bulb questions? Don’t forget our Mad Gardener @ madgardener@kleinsfloral.com!
A Reminder: Bulbs can be planted until the ground freezes . . . usually into early December.
THE MAD GARDENER
Madison’s Firsthand Source for Expert Gardening Advice
Ask any of your gardening questions by e-mailing them to us at madgardener@kleinsfloral.com. Klein’s in-house Mad Gardener will e-mail you with an answer as promptly as we can. We’ve also posted a link on our home page and in our contacts for your convenience. Your question might then appear in the “You Asked” feature of our monthly newsletter. If your question is the one selected for our monthly newsletter, you’ll receive a small gift from us at Klein’s.
Sorry, we can only answer those questions pertaining to gardening in Southern Wisconsin and we reserve the right to leave correspondence unanswered at our discretion. Please allow 2-3 days for a response.
KLEIN’S ‘HOUSEPLANT HELP’
You can contact Klein’s in-house indoor plant experts by emailing to houseplanthelp@kleinsfloral.com for sound information and advice regarding indoor tropicals, succulents, blooming plants and so much more.
For many years, customers’ indoor plant questions have been directed to Klein’s Mad Gardener. Now you have the opportunity to contact our indoor plant experts directly. We’ve posted a link on our home page and in our contacts for your convenience. Your question might then appear in the “You Asked” feature of our monthly newsletter. If your question is the one selected for our monthly newsletter, you’ll receive a small gift from us at Klein’s.
We reserve the right to leave correspondence unanswered at our discretion. Please allow 2-3 days for a response.
NOVEMBER STORE HOURS:
Monday thru Friday : 9:00-6:00
Saturday: 9:00-5:00
Sunday: 10:00-4:00
CALENDAR OF EVENTS:
November 2–Día de los Muertos
November 5–Daylight Savings Time Ends
November 7–Election Day (National)
November 11–Veterans’ Day. We’d like to show our appreciation for all veterans, active and retired, by giving a 10% discount on Veterans Day for in-store purchases** when you identify as a veteran on Saturday, November 11th. Thank you for serving our country! A US Military ID is requested, but not required. **Excludes services and gift cards. Discount not available for online orders.
November 11–Terrarium Workshop (12:00-1:00 p.m.). Build your own custom terrarium! Our workshop starts with a discussion of terrariums by Chris, our terrarium expert, including building techniques, maintenance, appropriate plant and container selection, etc… Feel free to bring your own container, or shop our selection. Everything you need will be available. Price depends on materials used. Registration requested – call the store (608) 244-5661, or email sue@kleinsfloral.com to sign up.
November 17–Holiday Open House Sneak Peek (3:00-6:00) 30% off holiday décor and ornaments (some exclusions apply)
November 18 & 19–KLEIN’S HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE. Enter a winter wonderland filled with holiday plants and gift ideas. Let us inspire you with our extensive collection of gift ideas and ornaments for all your decorating needs. 20% off holiday décor and ornaments (some exclusions apply). Photos with Santa both Saturday & Sunday from 2:00-4:00
November 21–Thanksgiving Wine & Design (5:30-6:30). Design a centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table centerpiece while enjoying a glass of wine and light appetizers. Cost is $50. Advance registration and payment is required. Sign up in-store or online – https://kleinsfloral.com/…/thanksgiving-centerpiece/
November 23–Thanksgiving Day (Store Closed)
November 24–“Green” Friday. Escape to Klein’s from the hustle and bustle of the malls and big box chain stores for a more relaxing and intimate holiday gift shopping experience. We not only carry merchandise for the gardener in your life, but many fun, interesting and unique gift ideas. **Green plants (houseplants) will be 20% off.
November 25–Design & Create Outdoor Winter Containers, 10:00-11:00 and 2:00-3:00. Design & Create Outdoor Holiday Containers with fresh pine greens, branches, berries and all the traditional (and not-so-traditional) holiday baubles, bangles and beads. Oodles of pre-made containers will be available or make your own on site. Bring your own empty container(s) or purchase one of ours and we’ll get you started. A 12″ container will be provided ($5 discount if you provide your own). Cost is $50 and can go up depending on additional greens and accessories. There will be additional cost for containers larger than 12″. Advance sign up is requested. Please sign up in-store or by phone (608) 244-5661, or email info@kleinsfloral.com if interested in taking part.
November 25–Small Business Saturday. In appreciation for supporting our small and local business, Klein’s will give you a $20 gift card on future purchases (January 1-March 31, 2024) for all purchases of $100 or more (excludes gift cards). Limited to one $20 gift card per customer.
November 27–Full Moon
December 2–Design & Create Outdoor Winter Containers. For details see above or visit Upcoming Klein’s Events to verify updated class offerings in December.
‘THE FLOWER SHOPPE’:
How to Design an Outdoor Holiday Container or Porch Pot
Nothing says “Happy Holidays” and “Welcome” like an attractive arrangement of greens, branches, flowers, and other decorative items; all of which become available at Klein’s during the first weeks of November. Designing a holiday pot is not difficult, if you follow a few guides.
Get a nice container. It does not have to be expensive. You can choose cheap plastic pots that can be painted or covered with paper for a bright look. If you have an attractive, largish pot, use that one. You should also think about where your container will be placed. If you have a dramatic entrance to your home, you need a big pot — or maybe two or three of them. If your house is cozier, a smaller container will look best.
Choose your greens. The best holiday pots involve several kinds of greenery. You can buy mixed bundles or get greens from your yard. (Please do not take greens from public or private property without permission. Although yard waste dump sites can be a great source!!) You want a mixture of textures–short fir, pines with long needles, spruce. It’s recommended that a well-balanced container needs 4 to 5 kinds of greens, but 3 kinds looks fine.
Choose your extras. In addition to greenery, pick 3 or 4 extras, like flowers, twigs or berries. Again, no need to spend a lot of money. If you have a shrub with tall branches that needs trimming, cut a few. Don’t worry about mixing real and fake elements, either. If you’ve got some fake poinsettia flowers, add them to the mix. Extra ornaments? Sure. Get creative. Just don’t overdo it. If you have too many elements in your pot, it will look chaotic.
Do the math. Containers are all about proportion. For a pot to look “full enough,” the top of the display should be at least 1.5 times the height of the pot. But it can be more, and some designers suggest the top of the display be two times the height of the pot, plus the width of the pot (2H + W = Pretty). So, if your pot is 15 inches across and 12 inches high, the formula would be: [ (2×12) + 15 = 39]. The top point on the container should be about 39 inches above the container.
Start with the greens. To build your container, start by putting potting mix in the container. Garden soil is fine. You want a fast draining material. Then, keeping in mind the angle from which your pot will be viewed, start building a base of greens. Don’t think about this too much. Just cut the greens to the size you want, and stick them in the pot. Start at the outside and move inward. Use several kinds of greens — remember, this is mostly about texture. The contrasting colors and shapes of the greenery provide interest and a substantial backdrop for the contrasting elements to come.
Add the exciting elements. Once you are satisfied with the scale, size, and texture of the base, add the exciting elements. We like red-twig dogwood branches for height and color contrast, but you can also add hydrangea blooms, curly willow or other tall branches, gorgeous red silk flowers, a ribbon wound through the greenery, or large pine cones. Berries, ornaments such as woven balls or metal or glass holiday ornaments, berries, spent flowers that still look nice, fruit — the only limits on what you put in your container are your taste, your budget, and your creativity. Make sure your pot has a focal point — a spot you look to right away.
Water the pot. Once your container is completed, water it thoroughly and set it outside to freeze. (In Wisconsin, no problem. In warmer climates, just set it out.) The water keeps the elements in the pot healthy and prevents them from blowing away. A container planting like this one can look vibrant and attractive a long time — up until March. You may want to change out some elements to change the theme from holiday to winter.
Source: mynortherngarden.com
YOU ASKED. . .
Hello! I have a butterfly bush I purchased from you (Klein’s) a year ago spring, so last fall was the first I’d had it. This year it got just huge – almost as tall as me–I’d guess 5 feet or so. I want it to be that going forward, so I’m wondering if I should prune it down again and if so, is fall okay? I did prune it last fall and then I covered it with a plant protector for the winter. I’m not sure that was necessary but it seems to me butterfly bush can be iffy in our climate, so I decided to cover it last year. Dee
Hi Dee,
You’re right that butterfly bushes (Buddleia davidii) are borderline hardy here in Southern Wisconsin. With our warmer winters, however, during the past few decades, their range is expanding slowly northward. Years ago we used to tell our customers to treat them as hardy annuals. Plants made it perhaps through half of the winters and even if they did, they usually died back to the ground. They needed to resprout from their root stock like any herbaceous perennial.
However, even back then, we suggested to customers that they NOT prune their butterfly bushes until the springtime, rather than in the fall. The reason being is that in mild winters and with thick snow cover or protection, the entire plant can survive the winter; much like any deciduous shrub. Plants can resprout new foliage all the way up their stems. If the tops survive the winter, plants are much larger the following season and start blooming much earlier.
Therefore, I suggest that you wait until spring to prune your butterfly bush and wait to see how far up the branches new leaves emerge and then cut away only those parts that didn’t survive the winter (much like roses). You can wrap your plant in burlap or or fabric for added protection this winter, though I never have personally–and with great success. Success is completely determined by how cold our winter is this season.
Thanks for your question,
DID YOU KNOW. . .
. . . that many plants and animals respond to day length in their seasonal habits and/or actions, regardless of temperature or other conditions?
What an amazing autumn we’ve experienced this year. Temperatures have been unusually warm and sunshine abundant. But even given the often summer-like conditions, many plants and animals respond to the changing seasons as if driven internally. This process is called photoperiodism–the response of an organism to seasonal changes in day length.
In our own gardens we see this process in many, many ways. For example, if you feed birds, you probably notice that the juncos and white-throated sparrows show up each year at the feeders like clockwork. Internal clocks tell them it’s time to leave their summer breeding grounds in Canada and head south, lest they get trapped by sudden changes in weather. Male gold finches change from their summer yellow and black to a dull green. You’ll also notice that the chipmunks disappear. The internal clock signals to them that it’s time to go into hibernation for the winter.
In plants, photoperiodism can be observed in a number of ways. The most common reference to photoperiodism in plants is in their bloom time. There are long-day bloomers, short-day bloomers and day-neutral plants. Long-day bloomers are those that bloom only when days are at their longest. Rather than the amount of light a plant receives, scientists have discovered it’s the number of hours in darkness that stimulates bloom. Common garden examples of long-day bloomers include: irises, hollyhocks, rudbeckias, California poppies, radishes and lettuce.
Short-day bloomers, on the other hand, can not flower if their periods in darkness are too short. They flower as the days shorten and nights lengthen in late summer or during the fall. Some plants might not flower if even close to artificial light sources during the night. The best examples of this are poinsettias and mums. Mums might not flower in the garden if planted too near street or yard lights and poinsettias are difficult for us to re-bloom because of artificial light in our homes. The amount of darkness required is different for each short-day plant. Other examples of short-day bloomers are goldenrods and ragweeds which bloom simultaneously, therefore giving goldenrod the bad rap for allergies and hay-fever.
Day-neutral plants will bloom regardless of day length and are more dependent upon other conditions to flower such as maturity, weather or soil conditions. Common examples include petunias and roses.
Another example of photoperiodism in the garden is when certain plants’ leaves change colors and drop in the fall. Many trees change and drop their leaves regardless of temperature or soil moisture. Honey locusts are the perfect example. They alwyas begin changing in late September. You’ll notice that your hostas yellow and wither at about the same time each year, while other more ‘condition dependent’ plants remain lush and green until the first hard freeze.
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT—Each month we spotlight some product that we already carry or one that we’ve taken note of and plan to carry in the near future. Likewise, if you would like to see Klein’s to carry a product that we don’t currently, please let us know. Our goal is to be responsive to the marketplace and to our loyal clientele. If a product fits into our profile, we will make every effort to get it into our store. In addition, we may be able to special order an item for you, whether plant or hard good, given enough time.
Indoor Microgreens Growing Supplies and Kits from KnowingNature™
KnowingNature™
—Grow Healthy—
We Help You Eat Healthy Greens All Year Long
What if you could get the same nutrients as a whole bowl of salad greens in just a couple tablespoons? That is the power of microgreens – concentrated nutrition that goes straight from your planter to your plate so that you get the maximum health benefits and flavor. If you have a windowsill, then you can enjoy fresh & affordable microgreens all year long.
KnowingNature™ helps you grow healthy microgreens at home, no matter where you live. Our planters are designed specifically to grow microgreens using natural light on your indoor windowsill so that you can avoid costly racks, grow lights, artificial pods and matts. Our method of growing is no-tech & fun. We believe in real gardening that feeds your stomach and your soul. Microgreens are an excellent source of essential micronutrients, live enzymes that aid in digestion, & cleansing chlorophyll.
Windowsill Planters + Fast Growing Seeds + Organic Soil + Easy To Grow Kits…all from one source and now available at Klein’s. Makes the perfect holiday gift!
In addition to our KnowingNature™ products, Klein’s offers a fantastic selection of microgreens and sprouting seeds from Botanical Interests along with all needed supplies to create your own microgreens habitat for growing your own microgreens year round.
For more information, visit https://knowingnature.com/
NOTES FROM MY GARDEN JOURNAL–Tips and Observations from My Own Garden by Rick Halbach
ENTRY: OCTOBER 15, 2023 (Tips for Overwintering Geraniums)
It’s hard to throw away my lovely potted geraniums at the end of the growing season. Fall is, after all, when geraniums are at their bloomin’ best! But it’s time to bring them indoors before the weather changes sharply in the weeks ahead. I usually overwinter about 20 pots of my healthiest and favorite geraniums. I’ve been propagating and overwintering some hard-to-find varieties for 30 years or more…one (Grosser Sorten) from the very first year I started working at Klein’s in 1991!
Back in the old days, the preferred method of overwintering geraniums was to remove them from the ground or their pots, shake off the soil and hang them bareroot in the basement root cellar at under 45º. Even under the best conditions, success rate by this method is usually about 25% at best. Much depended on the temperature, humidity and the condition of the plants being stored.
Nowadays, few homes have root cellars or rooms where roots, bulbs or storage vegetables can be stored at the required winter temps of 38-45º. Geraniums are best stored while still in their pots (or potted up if they were grown in beds).
Geraniums can be kept growing as a houseplant throughout the winter in a sunny window. They’ll oftentimes bloom throughout the winter depending on variety. They’ll lose a lot of leaves and be pretty ragged looking by late winter. They should be cleaned up throughout the winter and pruned as needed, with their last pruning about March 1 for early summer blooms. They can be pruned back pretty hard at that time–back to 4-6″.
I store my potted geraniums in the basement near a few windows. I have an older home so I’ve rigged up some shelves dangling from the ceiling joists. Freestanding shelves work, too, but waste floor space. I’ve added supplemental florescent lighting in the smaller, darker windows. Lights are on a timer that pretty much replicate day length. My basement remains in the upper 50’s or low 60’s for most of the winter. Overwintered geraniums in pots perform equally well when placed under timed florescent lighting exclusively and without any natural light. Regardless, timers should be set for 13 hours on and 11 hours off.
The greatest key to success is probably the watering. I cut way back on the watering allowing them to get bone dry during the winter months; perhaps watering them just once a month or even less. I water them well when I do water them. They shouldn’t be fertilized while overwintering. We’re wanting them to drastically slow down their growth.
I prune my geraniums just once while overwintering–about March 1—and then move them to the garage usually toward the end of April, while nights are still a little too cool to put them outside. They’ll oftentimes be completely shocked by the time I move them outside in early May, but they rebound quickly once the weather warms. At the onset, they won’t look as nice as the geraniums you purchase at a garden center in early May, but you save money and are able to keep treasured varieties that disappear from the marketplace. However, by mid-June your overwintered geraniums are usually larger and fuller than those newly bought at a garden center.
If overwintering space is limited, cuttings are another option in the fall . . . but that’s a whole other story.
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ENTRY: OCTOBER 19, 2023 (‘Jeane’ Tall Garden Phlox Named 2024 Perennial Plant of the Year)
The Perennial Plant Association is pleased to announce the 2024 Perennial Plant of the Year®, Phlox paniculata ‘Jeana’. Phlox paniculata ‘Jeana’ is an exceptional garden phlox reaching five feet tall and four feet wide, although size will geographically vary. It is known for its impressive flowers, held on tall and sturdy stems from midsummer to early fall. Hummingbirds, butterflies – especially Eastern Tiger Swallowtails – and other pollinators are attracted to the nectar-rich flowers. It was discovered by Jeana Prewitt along the Harpeth River near Nashville, Tennessee.
PPA members voted Phlox paniculata ‘Jeana’ as the 2024 PPOY and find it makes an excellent bridging plant between early and later flowering perennials. It is also highly resistant to powdery mildew which makes it look great, even without flowers.
Phlox paniculata ‘Jeana’ performs best when regularly deadheaded as it promotes blooming. Deadheading also prevents self-seeding, avoiding inferior seedling production.
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ENTRY: OCTOBER 31, 2023 (Winter Mulching Basics)
Looking ahead to my November projects, it’s time to think about preparing my beds for the cold months ahead. A little prep now avoids heartache later!
Winter Mulching in Cold Climate Gardens
By Marie Iannotti
In areas that experience freezing temperatures, winter mulching differs from mulching during the growing season. We mulch our gardens in the spring to suppress weeds, retain moisture and feed and warm the soil. While we may spread a layer of soil conditioning compost or manure in the fall, the primary reason for winter mulching is to protect our plants from the harsh conditions of winter freezes, thaws, and winds.
Why Mulch the Garden in Winter?
The main idea behind winter mulching is to keep the ground frozen by shielding it from the warmth of the sun. A steady temperature will keep the plant in dormancy and prevent it from triggering new growth during a brief warm spell. Tender, new growth too soon will just result in more winter dieback. Mulching now will also help conserve whatever water is in the soil, so hopefully, you’ve been keeping your garden beds watered right up until the hard frost.
What Can You Use to Mulch the Garden in Winter?
-Any loose, insulating material will do. Keep in mind that you’ll need to remove the mulch in the spring, or at least rake it aside. So choose a material that’s easy to handle. Shredded mulch, straw, pine needles or shredded leaves are all easy to remove or easy to work into the soil.
-If your ground doesn’t freeze until after Christmas, you can use the cut boughs of your Christmas tree as a mulch covering. These are nice because they’re so easy to remove in the spring.
-The easiest mulch is snow cover. Snow is a great insulator and protector of plants.
-Some plants will simply collapse onto themselves and act as self-mulches. Chrysanthemums survive best if allowed to do this.
When Should You Apply Winter Mulch?
…To Protect Crowns & Surface Roots
(Especially newly planted plants) Mulching to protect most perennial plants is done when the soil has started to harden, which is generally after the first hard or killing frost. A hard frost is usually defined as when temperatures drop to below 25 F, but you’ll know it when you see the last of the hardy annuals crumbled and brown in the morning. At this point, your perennials should be well into dormancy and mulching around them won’t encourage tender new growth. The ground has had time to chill and absorb fall moisture. Go ahead and spread a 2 to 4-inch layer of mulch around the base of the plants. Grafted plants, like hybrid tea roses, benefit from being mulched more heavily. These are usually mulched with compost or soil and are actually buried to just over the graft union. You can pile the soil up around the stems or you can use some wire fencing and fill with compost.
…To Prevent Desiccation
Some shrubs that are evergreen or somewhat evergreen, like rhododendrons and viburnums, can become desiccated by harsh winds. You can protect the branches and buds by wrapping them with burlap or by spraying on an anti-desiccant, like Wilt-Pruf. (Anti-desiccants are handy to have around. You can prolong the life of your Christmas tree with a spray. They’re also good for coating carved pumpkins.) If you choose to wrap your shrubs, make certain there is space between the branches and the burlap or the burlap will freeze onto the branches and cause its own problem. You can also fill the space between the shrub and burlap with leaves, for additional insulation. Woody plants don’t require as much protection as herbaceous perennials. However, a 2 to 4-inch layer of shredded bark mulch or compost does help conserve the ground moisture. Just be sure not to pile it around the base of the plants. Keep it several inches from the stems or you’ll invite rodents, like voles and mice, who like the cover of mulch while munching on the bark. Mulching up against the stems also holds too much moisture against the plant, providing ideal conditions for diseases to take hold.
…To Prevent Heaving
When the ground repeatedly freezes and thaws, it expands and contracts. When a plant is sitting in ground that expands and contracts, its roots get loosened from where they are anchored underground and the plant eventually gets pushed up through the surface of the soil, exposing its crown and roots to freezing temperatures and drying winds, which brings us right back to Reason to Winter Mulch #1. Again, you would wait until the top of the plant has died back and the ground has frozen, before applying a layer of mulch.
…To Prevent Erosion
(Especially important for fallow gardens, like vegetable gardens during winter.) Mulching unplanted garden beds can be done at any time in the fall. Ideally, you would plant a winter cover crop and let it sit until you till it under in the spring. If you choose not to plant a cover crop, it would still be beneficial to spread a layer of compost, manure or shredded leaves.
Removing Winter Mulch
The rule of thumb is to remove winter mulch in the spring when all danger of a hard frost is past. That’s sometimes very hard to judge, as anyone who’s experienced an Easter snowstorm can attest. However, when the ground starts to thaw and the smell of mud is in the air, it’s time to start raking and removing the mulch so that the ground can warm and new growth won’t be inhibited.
Source: The Spruce @ www.thespruce.com
KLEIN’S RECIPES OF THE MONTH—These are a selection of relatively simple recipes chosen by our staff. New recipes appear monthly. Enjoy!!
Facts for Cabbage
Different varieties of cabbages have varying nutritional strength: purple cabbage has more vitamin C, while the savoy has more vitamin A, calcium, iron and potassium. Cabbages are an excellent source of fiber and vitamin K, and a good source of vitamin C, calcium, potassium, and magnesium.
—Cabbage is one of the oldest vegetables in existence and continues to be a dietary staple throughout the world.
—Cabbage is a nutritional powerhouse that is an excellent source of manganese, vitamin B6, and folate; and a good source of thiamin, riboflavin, calcium, potassium, vitamin A, tryptophan, protein and magnesium.
—There are at least a hundred different types of cabbage grown throughout the world, but the most common types in the United States are the Green, Red, and Savoy varieties.
—Cabbage has virtually no fat. One cup of shredded raw cabbage contains 50 calories and 5 grams of dietary fiber.
—Cabbage can be steamed, boiled, braised, microwaved, stuffed, or stir-fried, and eaten raw.
—One cup of shredded raw cabbage contains 190% of the recommended daily amount of vitamin C.
—Cabbage is an excellent source of vitamin K. 1 cup (150 grams) of shredded, boiled cabbage contains 91% of the recommended daily amount of vitamin K.
—Cabbage and its relatives (broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts) are rich sources of phytochemicals, naturally-occurring plant chemicals that may protect people against some forms of cancer.
—Cultures in which cabbage is a staple food, such as in Poland and some parts of China, show a low incidence of breast cancer. Research suggests this is due to the protective effect of sulfur-containing compounds in cabbage.
BRAISED CABBAGE WITH VINEGAR—A traditional German inspired recipe from Bon Apetit.
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
4 cloves crushed garlic
1x 2 1/2lb. red cabbage, quartered, cored and cut crosswise into 1/2″ strips
1/2 tsp. caraway seed
1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
3 TBS. red wine vinegar
Heat the oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the onion and the garlic and cook until tender and browning. Add the cabbage and caraway and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Toss the cabbage over medium high heat until the cabbage is wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, reduce the heat to low and simmer about 15 minutes. Add the vinegar, cover and cook, stirring occasionally until tender, about 15 minutes. Reseason to taste. Serves 6.
THE PERFECT CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE–From Great Good Food by Julee Rosso. This party-sized recipe serves 12 and makes for great leftovers! Adjust amounts as needed for your family.
5 lbs. corned beef, trimmed of fat
3 bay leaves
1 TBS. caraway seeds
freshly ground pepper
12 large onions
12 large carrots cut into 3″ pieces
3 green cabbages, quartered
1 cup fresh chopped parsley
Mustard Sauce and/or Horseradish Sauce (recipes follow)
Place the meat in a very large, heavy stock pot and cover it with water. Bring to a boil and skim the surface. Add the bay leaves, caraway and pepper. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Add the onions and carrots; cover and cook 30 minutes. Add the cabbage and cook another 30 minutes.
Slice the meat and arrange it on a large platter, surrounded with the vegetables and sprinkled with the parsley. Pass the sauces at the table.
HORSERADISH SAUCE–Use with corned beef, roast beef, smoked fish or as a dip. Yields one cup.
3 TBS. grated horseradish
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup cottage cheese
With a whisk, whip together the yogurt and cottage cheese then blend in the horseradish and the mustard. Refrigerate.
MUSTARD SAUCE–Use with corned beef, fish or burgers. Yields 3/4 cup.
6 TBS. Dijon mustard
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup sour cream
Combine all of the ingredients and refrigerate until needed.
CABBAGE & BACON—True comfort food if you’re a fan of old-fashioned cooked cabbage. Source: Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food.
1 tsp. oil
1 8 oz. pkg. bacon cut into 1/2″ pcs.
1 medium onion, thin sliced
1 3lb. head of cabbage cut into 1″ pcs.
1/4 cup rice or cider vinegar
1/4 cup sugar, agave nectar or honey
3 TBS. soy cauce
In a large, heavy pot, heat a little oil on medium high and cook the bacon until crisp. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Add the onion and the cabbage to the bacon drippings and cook, stirring occasionally 10 minutes or until wilted. Add the vinegar, sugar and soy sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender crisp, about 10 minutes more. Stir in the reserved bacon, heat and serve. Serves 6.
OMA’S BAVARIAN BRAISED CABBAGE—Grandma’s traditional cooked cabbage recipe brought directly from the homeland. There’s a certain sweet/sourness to this braised cabbage dish that’s like eating candy! A Klein’s staff member’s very favorite cooked cabbage go-to recipe.
2 – 3 Tbs. olive oil
1 onion, sliced
3 Tbs. sugar
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/2 large white (green) cabbage, coarsely chopped
salt, pepper
1 tsp. caraway seeds
1 cup water or broth of choice
1 Tbs. vinegar (to taste, optional)
In large pot, heat olive oil. Add onions and brown slightly. Add sugar and let caramelize.
Add cabbage, garlic, caraway seeds, and water or broth. Season with salt and pepper.
Bring to boil and simmer, covered, about ½ hour or until cabbage is tender, stirring occasionally and adding extra water if needed. Season with more salt and pepper if necessary and add vinegar if desired. Serves 4.
NATURAL NEWS–
12 Strategies to Strengthen Your Immune System
By Linda B. White, M.D.
Source: www.motherearthnews.com
Infections are as inevitable as death and taxes. You spend your first years catching (or being caught by) colds, influenza and strep throat. You sniffle, scratch, cough, vomit, ache, sweat and shiver. Your immune system remembers the microbes it has encountered and protects you the next go around. At the other end of life, your immune system wearies from years of fighting. In that great expanse of active, productive life in between, you still get colds and flus and “stomach bugs.” You may wonder why you are sick more or less often than your partner, co-workers and neighbors. You may wonder why one person hacking on the airplane successfully sickens the passenger to his right but not the one to his left. The answer is that not all immune systems function alike. A number of factors affect immune system health. Some you can’t control: The very young and the very old are vulnerable. Surgery and wounds give microbes a chance to sneak into the inner sanctum. Other risks include chronic disease, poverty, stress, living with lots of other people (dormitories, low-income housing), and drinking tap water (with its local microbes) in many foreign countries. Fortunately, there are ways you can strengthen your immune system.
1: Eat Like Peter Rabbit. Malnutrition impairs immune function. French fries, soft drinks and bourbon don’t build strong white blood cells either. No, it’s those virtuous, self-righteous diets high in fruits, vegetables and nuts that promote immune health, presumably because they’re rich in nutrients the immune system requires. Adequate protein intake is also important; the source can be plant or animal.
2: Stress Less. When you’re stressed, your adrenal glands churn out epinephrine (aka, adrenaline) and cortisol. While acute stress pumps up the immune system, grinding long-term duress taxes it. For instance, psychological stress raises the risk for the common cold and other viruses. Less often, chronic stress can promote a hyper-reactive immune system and aggravate conditions such as allergies, asthma and autoimmune disease. While most of us can’t move into a spa, we can learn to save our stress responses for true emergencies and not fire them up over stalled traffic, bad hair days and aphids on the begonias. Stress-reducing activities such as meditation produce positive changes in the immune system. Massage has shown to improve immune function in studies of Dominican children with HIV. Quiet music can aid recovery from everyday hassles and may therefore buttress immune function.
3: Move Your Body. Moderate exercise discharges tension and stress and enhances immune function. In a 2006 study, researchers took 115 obese, sedentary, postmenopausal women and assigned half of them to stretching exercises once a week and the other half to at least 45 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise five days a week. At the end of the year-long study, the stretchers had three times the rate of colds as the moderate-exercise group.
4: Sleep Soundly. Sleep is a time when growth-promoting and reparative hormones knit up the raveled sleeve of daily life. Sleep deprivation activates the stress response, depresses immune function and elevates inflammatory chemicals (which cause you to feel ill). Chronic sleep deprivation raises the risk of the common cold. Mothers whose small children interrupt their sleep have more respiratory infections, particularly if those wee ones go to day care.
5: Socialize More. People with richer social lives enjoy better health and longevity than loners do. You may think that the more people you interact with, the more chances you have for picking something up. Not so. Again, researchers blew cold viruses up people’s noses and sent them into the world. Compared with the lone wolves, the social butterflies were less susceptible to developing common colds, and, if they did get sick, they had fewer symptoms for a shorter period of time.
6: Make More Love. While having lots of friends is healthy, science also shows that intimate, sexual relationships have immune system perks. Michael Castleman, renowned health writer and publisher of Great Sex After 40, writes, “A 2004 study shows that the close contact of lovemaking reduces the risk of colds.” Specifically, this study found that college students who had sex once or twice a week had 30 percent more salivary IgA antibody than those who had sex infrequently.
7: Shun Tobacco Smoke. Tobacco smoke triggers inflammation, increases respiratory mucus, and inhibits the hairlike projections inside your nose (cilia) from clearing that mucus. Children and adults exposed to tobacco smoke are more at risk for respiratory infections, including colds, bronchitis, pneumonia, sinusitis and middle ear infections.
8: Consume Friendly Bacteria. Beneficial microorganisms colonize our intestinal, lower urinary and upper respiratory tracts. They outcompete bad “bugs” and enhance immune function. You can consume such bacteria in the form of live-cultured products such as yogurt, sauerkraut and kimchi. Probiotic supplements, available at natural food stores, may reduce the risk of antibiotic-induced diarrhea, viral diarrhea, vaginitis and respiratory infections.
9: Expose Yourself. Vitamin D plays a number of roles in promoting normal immune function. Vitamin D deficiency correlates with asthma, cancer, several autoimmune diseases (e.g., multiple sclerosis), and susceptibility to infection (including viral respiratory infections). One study linked deficiency to a greater likelihood of carrying MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) in the nose. Unfortunately, nearly one-third of the U.S. population is vitamin D deficient. Because few foods contain much vitamin D, your best bet is to regularly spend short periods of time in the sun (without sunscreen), and to take supplements in northern climes during the colder months.
10: Choose Vitamin and Mineral Supplements Wisely. Studies link deficiencies of zinc, selenium, folic acid, and vitamins A, B6, C, D and E to reduced immune function. But scientists have yet to pinpoint exact levels of these nutrients for optimal immune function, much less whether dietary supplementation really helps the average, well-fed American. For instance, research on vitamin C for prevention and treatment of the common cold has been inconclusive. Some micronutrients, notably vitamin A, can be toxic in overdose. Excessive levels of zinc paradoxically suppress immune function. A varied, plant-based diet and a good multivitamin supplement should meet your needs.
11: Immunize Yourself. Routine vaccinations have had a huge impact on reducing, and in many cases nearly eradicating, a number of infectious diseases. Most immunizations occur during childhood. Vaccinations for adults to consider include yearly influenza vaccines, tetanus boosters, the shingles vaccine for people 60 and up, and the pneumococcus vaccine for people over the age of 65.
12: Familiarize Yourself With Immune-Enhancing Herbs. A long list of medicinal plants contain chemicals that enhance immune system activity, including echinacea, eleuthero (also called Siberian ginseng), ginseng (Asian and American), astragalus, garlic, and shiitake, reishi and maitake mushrooms. Garlic is the favorite choice of many. In addition to boosting the immune system, it’s anticancer and antimicrobial against a variety of bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. Key ingredients don’t survive cooking, so add a clove or two of raw, minced garlic to meals just before serving.
NOVEMBER’S PLANT OF THE MONTH:
PROPER CACTUS CARE
By Jon VanZile @ houseplants.about.com
There are two varieties of cacti grown as houseplants, and both are popular and readily familiar. The desert cacti are the “traditional” cacti, usually covered with spines or hair and often growing in paddles, balls or obelisks. Forest (or tropical) cacti grow in wooded areas, ranging from temperate forests to subtropical and tropical regions. The most well-known forest cacti is probably the Christmas cactus. Both desert and forest cacti boast beautiful blooms, but they have very different growing habits.
The Desert Cacti:
When I think cactus, I’m usually thinking about the desert cacti. These aren’t friendly plants—grab a desert cactus without thinking about it and you’re in for a nasty surprise. But they have a unique, stark beauty, and some of the desert cacti feature the most beautiful flowers in the plant kingdom. I had never thought of a desert as particularly lush until I saw my first desert bloom. There’s nothing quite like it.
Growing desert cacti is not difficult—these are among the toughest of all houseplants—but it does require sticking to some pretty simple rules. There are dozens of kinds of desert cacti on the market today—for the most part, the rules governing their growth are the same. Some species of cacti will bloom after 3 or 4 years in cultivation. Others will take longer, or never bloom indoors. Generally, follow these tips for success with desert cacti:
—Light: Strong light is essential for healthy cacti, especially in the winter. Some species may scorch in direct summer sun if they haven’t been hardened off first.
—Temperature: During the active growth period, cacti prefer hot, dry temperatures, ranging from 70ºF to more than 80ºF. In the winter, the plants prefer a cooler period, down to 55ºF. In their desert habitats, many cacti are accustomed to very chilly nights. However, protect them from very cold winter drafts.
—Water: In the spring and summer, when the plant is actively growing and/or blooming, water whenever the compost begins to dry. During these waterings, make sure the plant is thoroughly watered. During the winter rest period, nearly cease watering. Only water if the plant begins to shrivel.
—Potting Soils and Repotting: Pot into a fast-draining cacti mix. If one is not available, amend regular potting soil with inorganic agents like perlite to increase drainage and aeration. Cacti are generally slow-growing plants and will rarely need repotting. Also, remember that many species of cacti will bloom better when they are slightly underpotted.
—Fertilizer: Use a cacti fertilizer during the growing season. Some growers have poor results with standard fertilizers, so it’s probably worth it to seek out a specialized cacti fertilizer.
—Common Problems: The most common mistake with desert cacti is overwatering in the winter (!), which will cause rot either at the base of the plant or at the tips of the growing areas. If the rot is advanced, it might be necessary to start new plants from cuttings or discard the whole plant. Cacti are also susceptible to pests include mealy bugs and mites.
The Forest Cacti:
The forest cacti grow in tropical and subtropical regions throughout the world. They are often climbing or epiphytic plants that cling to trees. The most famous among these is the holiday cactus, which is native to Brazil. Today, holiday cacti are available with blooms in red, pink, purple and even yellow. They make excellent hanging plants. Other forest cacti include the stunningly beautiful orchid cacti and relatives (Epiphyllum).
—Light: These plants like bright, but not direct, sunlight. Move them outside during the summer (see Blooming Tips below).
—Temperature: During the growing season, they have a wide range, from 55ºF to 70ºF. During the rest period, a colder spell of 50ºF is essential.
—Water: Water as a normal houseplant during the summer months and when the buds begin to show. During the resting period, only water when the soil is dry to the touch.
—Potting Soils and Repotting: Use a regular potting mix. Repot at the beginning of the growing season…not in fall or winter.
—Fertilizer: Fertilize during the growing season with a standard fertilizer. Reduce fertilizer during the growing season.
—Blooming Tips for Christmas Cacti: Coaxing multiple blooms from a Christmas cactus (or the closely related Easter cactus) takes a little planning. Before you want the plant to flower, cut it back and induce a rest period when watering and fertilizer is reduced and the plant is kept cool (about 50ºF to 55ºF). After one to two months, move the plant to a warmer place and resume watering, and buds will soon begin to show. It is also essential to move the plant outside during the summer.
—Common Problems: As with succulents and desert cacti, these plants should not be watered heavily during the rest period. Root rot will result. Advanced root rot can only be treated by taking new cuttings and starting over. Fortunately, these plants root easily from cutting. Failure to bloom is usually caused by an inadequate rest period and/or not taking the plant outside during the summer months.
Please note that Klein’s carries a wide assortment of cacti and succulents year round. Holday cacti become available during early November. For a fantastic assortment of orchid cacti, please visit Logee’s Tropical Plants @ www.logees.com
AROUND TOWN:
For neighborhood events or garden tours that you would like posted in our monthly newsletter, please contact Rick at (608) 244-5661 or rick@kleinsfloral.com. Please include all details, i.e. dates, locations, prices, brief description, etc. Events must be garden related and must take place in the Madison vicinity and we must receive your information by the first of the month in which the event takes place for it to appear in that month’s newsletter.
41st Annual Herb Fair @ Olbrich Botanical Gardens
Saturday, November 4, 10:00-4:00
The 2023 Madison Herb Fair, hosted for the 41st year by the Madison Herb Society, has the theme “HERBAL SEASONS AND CYCLES.” The Herb Fair Features three speakers: Sam Thayer on foraging wild herb and vegetables, Jane Hawley Stevens on gardening by the moon cycles, and Kevil Olson on harvesting tea herbs and mushrooms to capture their flavor and nutrients. The fair also offers an herbal Q&A table and local vendors offering a wide range of products, including books, live plants, teas and tinctures, seasoning blends, baked goods and superfood truffles, bath and body care, items for cats and dogs, and gifts and artworks with botanical themes.
Admission is free.
Olbrich Botanical Gardens
3330 Atwood Ave., Madison
608/246-4550 or www.olbrich.org for details.
Holiday Wreath Workshop @ Rotary Botanical Gardens
Saturday, November 4, 12:00-1:30 p.m.
This workshop will begin with an introduction to constructing your wreath. We’ll discuss possible versions of your holiday wreath based on the materials provided and your vision.
Provided materials include: 18″ wreath form, paddle wire, and pruners to make any necessary cuts to our greens. Gloves and aprons will not be provided.
Plant material: Leyland cedar, seeded eucalyptus, fan arborvitae, pine, magnolia, and red & orange holly.
Please call, 608-314-8415, or email Eduation@rotarygardens.org for any specific questions.
Registration cost: $50 for RBG members; $60 for non-members
Registration deadline: Nov. 2 @ https://rotarybotanicalgardens.org/event/holiday-wreath-workshop/
Rotary Botanical Gardens
1455 Palmer Dr., Janesville, WI
608/752-3885 or www.rotarybotanicalgardens.org/
All About Owls @ the Arboretum
Saturday, November 4, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Class
Learn about Wisconsin’s twelve owl species, focusing on the three that nest in Madison, and how to identify these elusive birds of prey. Habitat, calls, courtship, hunting, and eating will be discussed. Instructor: Sylvia Marek, Arboretum naturalist. Indoor class. Fee: $20. Register by October 31 @ https://arboretum.wisc.edu/classes/all-about-owls-2023/ . Meet at the Visitor Center.
University of WI Arboretum
1207 Seminole Hwy.
Madison, WI 53711
608/263-7888 or arboretum.wisc.edu
Family Nature Walk @ the Arboretum
Sunday, November 5, 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm
This walk is a fun, fascinating way for families with children elementary age and younger to explore the natural world. Adults must attend. Wear sturdy closed-toe shoes and come prepared for weather and insects. Walks canceled for unsafe weather or trail conditions. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.
University of WI Arboretum
1207 Seminole Hwy.
Madison, WI 53711
608/263-7888 or arboretum.wisc.edu
Cocktails in the Conservatory @ Olbrich Gardens
Friday, November 17, 7:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m.
Stay-cation in the tropics! Sip botanically-inspired cocktails and groove to a variety of music spun by local DJs in Olbrich’s Bolz Conservatory! All proceeds benefit the Gardens.
Tonight’s Music: Mithyka is a DJ/producer from Mexico City currently residing in Madison.
Inspired by the house music scene of San Francisco, his music and DJ sets are an eclectic mix of soulful funky deep house music with a dose of R&B where the mainstream meets the underground. Immaculate vibes will immerse you in the scenery and have you dancing the night away!
Cost: $10/person. Must be 21 or over. Get tickets @ https://olbrich.doubleknot.com/openrosters/availableevents.aspx?orgkey=4403
Olbrich Botanical Gardens
3330 Atwood Ave., Madison
608/246-4550 or www.olbrich.org for details.
Leonid Meteor Shower Night Walk and Stargazing @ the Arboretum
Saturday, November 18, 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Let your eyes adjust to the moonlight, listen to the night sounds, and experience the darkness on this naturalist-led walk, followed by stargazing with UW Space Place (as cloud cover allows) during the Leonid meteor shower. Bring a folding chair to watch the meteor shower from the lawn. Wear sturdy closed-toe shoes and come prepared for weather and insects. Walks canceled for unsafe weather or trail conditions. Free, register at Eventbrite by November 15: uw-madison-arboretum.eventbrite.com.
University of WI Arboretum
1207 Seminole Hwy.
Madison, WI 53711
608/263-7888 or arboretum.wisc.edu
Nature Hike in the Grady Tract @ the Arboretum
Sunday, November 19, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Learn about the land, plants, animals, fungi, phenology, and ecology. Geared for adults, these longer walks may cover some sloping terrain. Wear sturdy closed-toe shoes and come prepared for weather and insects. Walks canceled for unsafe weather or trail conditions. Free, no registration required. Meet at Grady Tract parking lot, southeast corner of Seminole Hwy. and W. Beltline Frontage Rd. (No restroom facilities at Grady Tract.)
University of WI Arboretum
1207 Seminole Hwy.
Madison, WI 53711
608/263-7888 or arboretum.wisc.edu
All About Seeds @ the Arboretum
Sunday, November 19, 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Family Nature Program
This program is a fun, fascinating way for families with children elementary age and younger to explore the natural world. Nature walk: 1:30–2:30 p.m., activities: 2:30–3:30 p.m. Adults must attend. Wear sturdy closed-toe shoes and come prepared for weather and insects. Walks canceled for unsafe weather or trail conditions. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.
University of WI Arboretum
1207 Seminole Hwy.
Madison, WI 53711
608/263-7888 or arboretum.wisc.edu
Rotary Botanical Gardens’ Holiday Light Show
November 24-26, November 30- December 3, December 7-10, 14-23 and December 26-30
This year’s dazzling after-dark walk on the Gardens’ paths features more than ONE MILLION lights, themed light displays and animations for a family-friendly outdoor activity.
Doors open 4:30 pm. Last ticket sold 8:30 pm.
Details and ticket information will appear on our website in the weeks ahead.
Rotary Botanical Gardens
1455 Palmer Dr., Janesville, WI
608/752-3885 or www.rotarybotanicalgardens.org/
Garden Stroll @ the Arboretum
Sunday, November 26, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
This gently paced stroll through the gardens is well-suited for a multi-generational outing. Learn about plants, animals, and fungi; phenology; and ecology. Wear sturdy closed-toe shoes and come prepared for weather and insects. Walks take place rain or shine, except in unsafe weather. Routes are wheelchair accessible when weather allows. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.
University of WI Arboretum
1207 Seminole Hwy.
Madison, WI 53711
608/263-7888 or arboretum.wisc.edu
Nature Hike @ the Arboretum
Sunday, December 3, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Learn about the land, plants, animals, fungi, phenology, and ecology. Geared for adults, these longer walks may cover some sloping terrain. Wear sturdy closed-toe shoes. Walks canceled for unsafe weather or trail conditions. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.
University of WI Arboretum
1207 Seminole Hwy.
Madison, WI 53711
608/263-7888 or arboretum.wisc.edu
Family Nature Walk @ the Arboretum
Sunday, December 3, 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm
This walk is a fun, fascinating way for families with children elementary age and younger to explore the natural world. Adults must attend. Wear sturdy closed-toe shoes and come prepared for weather and insects. Walks canceled for unsafe weather or trail conditions. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.
University of WI Arboretum
1207 Seminole Hwy.
Madison, WI 53711
608/263-7888 or arboretum.wisc.edu
Dane County Farmer’s Market
Saturdays, April 15 thru November 11, 6:15-1:45
On the Capitol Square
Wednesdays, April 19 thru November 1, 8:30-1:45
In the 200 block of Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
For details visit www.dcfm.org
Dane County Holiday Farmer’s Market
Saturdays, November 18, December 2, December 9 and December 16, 7:30-noon
Monona Terrace
The Holiday Dane County Farmer’s Market is located in the majestic Monona Terrace. This bustling market features more than 60 vendors and is your one-stop shop for all of your local food needs for the holidays!
For details visit www.dcfm.org
NOVEMBER IN THE GARDEN-–A checklist of things to do this month.
___Visit Olbrich, Rotary or Allen Centennial Gardens and note plants of fall interest for
spring planting and best selection.
___Put up all bird feeders and fill daily as needed. Begin feeding raw suet.
___Make water available to the birds. Begin using a de-icer as needed.
___Dig new beds now! It’s easier now than in spring when super-busy.
___Continue planting spring bulbs till the ground freezes.
___Plant bulbs for forcing and put in a cool location for 10-12 weeks.
___Stop feeding houseplants and cut back on watering.
___Continue planting deciduous shrubs and trees until the ground freezes.
___Clean up stalks and leaves of annuals and vegetables, preventing viruses and pests
for next year’s garden.
___Continue harvesting brussels sprouts, kale, greens and root crops.
___Cut perennials back to 4-6″, leaving those for winter interest.
___Make notes in your garden journal for changes, improvements, etc.
___Mow the lawn at shortest setting for last mowing of the season.
___Ready lawnmower and tiller for winter. Prep the snowblower.
___Keep gutters clear of leaves and debris.
___Clean empty pots and containers for winter storage.
___Purchase marsh hay and rose protection. Wait till the ground freezes to apply.
___Wrap trunks of susceptible trees to protect from rodents.
___Visit Klein’s—The poinsettias are just about ready. Look for end of the season savings on all remaining spring bulbs.
Some of our very favorite seed and plant sources include:
For seeds:
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds @ www.rareseeds.com or 417/924-8887
Burpee @ www.burpee.com or 800/888-1447
Harris Seeds @ www.harrisseeds.com or 800/514-4441
Johnny’s Select Seeds @ www.johnnyseeds.com or 207/861-3901
Jung’s Seeds @ www.jungseed.com or 800/247-5864
Park’s Seeds @ www.parkseed.com or 800/845-3369
Pinetree @ www.superseeds.com or 207/926-3400
Seeds of Change @ www.seedsofchange.com or 888/762-7333
Seed Savers @ www.seedsavers.org or 563/382-5990
Select Seeds @ www.selectseeds.com or 800/684-0395
Territorial Seeds @ www.territorialseed.com or 888/657-3131
For bulbs:
Brent & Becky’s Bulbs @ www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com or 877/661-2852
Colorblends @ www.colorblends.com or 888/847-8637
John Scheeper’s @ www.johnscheepers.com or 860/567-0838
McClure & Zimmerman @ www.mzbulb.com or 800/883-6998
For plants:
High Country Gardens @ www.highcountrygardens.com or 800/925-9387
Logee’s Greenhouses @ www.logees.com or 888/330-8038
Plant Delights Nursery @ www.plantdelights.com or 912/772-4794
Roots and Rhizomes @ www.rootsrhizomes.com or 800/374-5035
Wayside Gardens @ www.waysidegardens.com or 800/213-0379
White Flower Farm @ www.whiteflowerfarm.com or 800/503-9624
BEHIND THE SCENES AT KLEIN’S—This is a sneak peek of what is going on each month behind the scenes in our greenhouses. Many people are unaware that our facility operates year round or that we have 10 more greenhouses on the property in addition to the 6 open for retail. At any given moment we already have a jump on the upcoming season–be it poinsettias in July, geraniums in December or fall mums in May.
IN NOVEMBER:
—Our employees prep the store inside and out for the upcoming holidays.
—Wreaths, roping and pine boughs arrive mid-month from northern Wisconsin.
—Most plant material and supplies have been ordered for the 2024 growing season. We order early to ensure you best selection in spring.
PERMANENT FEATURES–
KLEIN’S MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
Have our monthly newsletter e-mailed to you automatically by signing up on the top of our home page @ kleinsfloral.com . We’ll offer monthly tips, greenhouse news and tidbits, specials and recipes. . .everything you need to know from your favorite Madison greenhouse. And tell your friends. It’s easy to do.
THE MAD GARDENER–“Madison’s Firsthand Source for Expert Gardening Advice”
Ask us your gardening questions by e-mailing us at madgardener@kleinsfloral.com. Klein’s in-house Mad Gardener will e-mail you with an answer as promptly as we can. The link is posted on our home page and in all newsletters.
We can only answer those questions pertaining to gardening in Southern Wisconsin and we reserve the right to leave correspondence unanswered at our discretion. Please allow 2-3 days for a response.
KLEIN’S ‘HOUSEPLANT HELP’
You can contact Klein’s in-house indoor plant experts by emailing to houseplanthelp@kleinsfloral.com for sound information and advice regarding indoor tropicals, succulents, blooming plants and so much more.
For many years, customers’ indoor plant questions have been directed to Klein’s Mad Gardener. Now you have the opportunity to contact our indoor plant experts directly. We’ve posted a link on our home page and in our contacts for your convenience. Your question might then appear in the “You Asked” feature of our monthly newsletter. If your question is the one selected for our monthly newsletter, you’ll receive a small gift from us at Klein’s.
We reserve the right to leave correspondence unanswered at our discretion. Please allow 2-3 days for a response.
TO WRITE A REVIEW OF KLEIN’S, PLEASE LINK TO
FACEBOOK
Follow Klein’s on Facebook where we post updates and photos on a regular basis.
TWITTER
Join Klein’s on Twitter where we post company updates and photos on a regular basis.
SENIOR CITIZEN DISCOUNT
We offer a 5% Off Senior Citizen Discount every Tuesday to those 62 and above. This discount is not in addition to other discounts or sales. Please mention that you are a senior before we ring up your purchases. Does not apply to wire out orders or services, i.e. delivery, potting, etc.
DELIVERY INFO
Klein’s Floral and Greenhouses delivers daily, except Sundays, throughout all of Madison and much of Dane County including: Cottage Grove, Deerfield, DeForest, Fitchburg, Maple Bluff, Marshall, McFarland, Middleton, Monona, Oregon, Shorewood Hills, Sun Prairie, Verona, Waunakee and Windsor. We do not deliver to Cambridge, Columbus or Stoughton.
Current delivery rate on 1-4 items is $7.95 for Madison, Maple Bluff, Monona and Shorewood Hills; $8.95 for Cottage Grove, DeForest, Fitchburg, McFarland, Sun Prairie, Waunakee and Windsor; and $9.95 for Marshall, Middleton, Oregon and Verona. An additional $3.00 will be added for deliveries of 4-10 items and $5.00 added for deliveries of more than 10 items. For deliveries requiring more than one trip, a separate delivery charge will be added for each trip.
A minimum order of $25.00 is required for delivery.
We not only deliver our fabulous fresh flowers, but also houseplants, bedding plants and hardgoods. There may be an extra charge for very large or bulky items.
Delivery to the Madison hospitals is $5.95. Deliveries to the four Madison hospitals are made during the early afternoon. Items are delivered to the hospital’s volunteer rooms and not directly to the patients’ rooms per hospital rules.
There is no delivery charge for funerals in the city of Madison or Monona, although normal rates apply for morning funeral deliveries to Madison’s west side (west of Park St.). Our normal rates also apply for funeral deliveries in the surrounding communities at all times. Although we don’t deliver on Sundays, we will deliver funeral items on Sundays at the regular delivery rate.
Morning delivery is guaranteed to the following Madison zip codes, but only if requested: 53703, 53704, 53714, 53716, 53718 and Cottage Grove, Deerfield, DeForest, Maple Bluff, Marshall, McFarland, Monona, Sun Prairie, Waunakee and Windsor.
We begin our delivery day at 8:00 a.m. and end at approximately 3:00 p.m. We do not usually deliver after 4:00 unless specific exceptions are made with our drivers.
Except for holidays, the following west-side zip codes and communities are delivered only during the afternoon: 53705, 53706, 53711, 53713, 53717, 53719, 53726, Fitchburg, Middleton, Oregon, Shorewood Hills and Verona.
During holidays (Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, etc.) we are able to make morning deliveries to all of the above areas. We are not able to take closely timed deliveries on any holiday due to the sheer volume of such requests.
It’s best to give us a range of time and we’ll try our absolute hardest. Orders for same day delivery must be placed by 12:30 p.m. or by 2:30 p.m. for Madison zip codes 53704 and 53714.
DEPARTMENT HEADS: Please refer all questions, concerns or feedback in the following departments to their appropriate supervisor. Phone: 608/244-5661.
Horticulturalist & General Manager–Jamie VandenWymelenberg jamie@kleinsfloral.com
Floral Manager—Sarah Sonson floral@kleinsfloral.com
Houseplant Buyer, Newsletter Coordinator—Rick Halbach rick@kleinsfloral.com
Purchasing—Megan Johnson megan@kleinsfloral.com
Owner, Floral Designer & Purchasing—Sue Klein sue@kleinsfloral.com
RELATED RESOURCES AND WEB SITES
University of Wisconsin Extension
1 Fen Oak Ct. #138
Madison, WI 53718
608/224-3700
Plant Disease Diagnostics Clinic
Dept. of Plant Pathology
1630 Linden Dr.
Madison, WI 53706
Insect Diagnostic Lab
240 Russell Labs
1630 Linden Dr.
Madison, WI 53706
U.W. Soil and Plant Analysis Lab
8452 Mineral Point Rd.
Verona, WI 53593
608/262-4364
American Horticultural Society
Garden Catalogs (an extensive list with links)
Invasive Species
Community Groundworks
3601 Memorial Dr., Ste. 4
Madison, WI 53704
608/240-0409
Madison Area Master Gardeners (MAMGA)
Wisconsin Master Gardeners Program
Department of Horticulture
1575 Linden Drive
University of Wisconsin – Madison
Madison, WI 53706
608/265-4504
The Wisconsin Gardener
Allen Centennial Gardens
620 Babcock Dr.
Madison, WI 53706
608/262-8406
Olbrich Botanical Gardens
3330 Atwood Ave.
Madison, WI 53704
608/246-4550
Rotary Gardens
1455 Palmer Dr.
Janesville, WI 53545
608/752-3885
University of WI Arboretum
1207 Seminole Hwy.
Madison, WI 53711
608/263-7888
University of Wisconsin-West Madison
Agricultural Research Center
8502 Mineral Point Rd.
Verona, WI 53593
608/262-2257
PLANTS POISONOUS TO CHILDREN:
Children may find the bright colors and different textures of plants irresistible, but some plants can be poisonous if touched or eaten. If you’re in doubt about whether or not a plant is poisonous, don’t keep it in your home. The risk is not worth it. The following list is not comprehensive, so be sure to seek out safety information on the plants in your home to be safe.
•Bird of paradise
•Bull nettle
•Castor bean
•Chinaberry tree
•Crocus
•Daffodil
•Deadly nightshade
•Dieffenbachia (dumb cane)
•Foxglove
•Glory lily
•Hemlock
•Holly berry
•Indian tobacco
•Iris
•Jimsonweed
•Lantana
•Larkspur
•Lily of the valley
•Marijuana
•Mescal bean
•Mexicantes
•Mistletoe
•Morning glory
•Mountain laurel
•Night-blooming jasmine
•Nutmeg
•Oleander
•Philodendron
•Poison ivy
•Poison sumac
•Pokeweed
•Poppy
•Potato
•Privet
•Rhododendron
•Rhubarb
•Water hemlock
•Wisteria
PLANTS POISONOUS TO PETS:
Below is a list of some of the common plants which may produce a toxic reaction in animals. This list is intended only as a guide to plants which are generally identified as having the capability for producing a toxic reaction. Source: The National Humane Society website @ http://www.humanesociety.org/
•Aconite
•Apple
•Arrowgrasses
•Autumn Crocus
•Azaleas
•Baneberry
•Bird-of-Paradise
•Black locust
•Bloodroot
•Box
•Buckeye
•Buttercup
•Caladium
•Carolina jessamine
•Castor bean
•Chinaberry tree
•Chockcherries
•Christmas berry
•Christmas Rose
•Common privet
•Corn cockle
•Cowbane
•Cow cockle
•Cowsliprb
•Daffodil
•Daphne
•Day lily
•Delphinium (Larkspur)
•Dumbcane
•Dutchman’s breeches
•Easter lily
•Elderberry
•Elephant’s ear
•English Ivy
•European Bittersweet
•Field peppergrass
•Foxglove
•Holly
•Horsechestnut
•Horse nettle
•Hyacinth
•Iris
•Jack-in-the-pulpit
•Jerusalem Cherry
•Jimsonweed
•Lantana
•Larkspur
•Laurels
•Lily of the valley
•Lupines
•Mayapple
•Milk vetch
•Mistletoe
•Monkshood
•Morning glory
•Mustards
•Narcissus
•Nicotiana
•Nightshade
•Oaks
•Oleander
•Philodendrons
•Pokeweed
•Poinsettia
•Poison hemlock
•Potato
•Rhododendron
•Rhubarb
•Rosary pea
•Sago palm
•Skunk cabbage
•Smartweeds
•Snow-on-the-mountain
•Sorghum
•Star of Bethlehem
•Wild black cherry
•Wild radish
•Wisteria
•Yellow jessamine
•Yew