Taking a Breath

Fall mum season is officially behind us. After a few months of watching crops, shipping plants and thinking several weeks ahead, this is the one stretch of the year when the greenhouse actually changes pace.

October and November have traditionally been our quietest months. There’s still plenty going on, but it’s a different kind of work. The poinsettias are growing and beginning to color, we’re getting the houses ready for winter, and the plans for next spring are already well underway. I’m taking advantage of the timing myself and heading to Portland for a few days to recharge.

This week’s lead story is about who owns the companies behind the plants you buy, and why that has started to change. After that, a question a landscaper asked me recently about plant growth regulators, and a practical guide to getting a few more weeks out of the mums on your porch.