All good things in life come from a bulb, isn't that how the saying goes? Okay, maybe not, but that is certainly true with Lilium! Planted in the spring (or fall), and returning every year, lily bulbs come in many different colors, and sometimes have a speckled or brush stroke pattern.

Lilium (Garden lilies) begin blooming in late spring, beginning with the Asiatic hybrids, and the distinctive fragrance of Oriental lilies on a summer breeze is sheer delight. With a little planning one can have lily in bloom for much of the season.

At Christensen’s Plant Center, we carry many lilies. One favorite is the Asiatic hybrid ‘Matrix’. This dwarf variety will only get 16” tall, and is a vibrant red with an orange brush mark in the center. We also carry tried-and-true Oriental Lily ‘Casa Blanca’ which gets 3-4’ tall. The highly fragrant pure white blooms are perfect for a classic look.

This year, we’re excited to offer three new Lilium combination pots. We’re loving the Asiatic Pot Lily Looks™ ‘Patio Sunrise Combo’ featuring yellow, pink, and orange dwarf varieties (14-16”). This will give you a fun mix that is perfect for a patio planter or cut flower bouquet.

The second is Asiatic Pot Lily Looks™ ‘Bloom Extensions™ Orange’. Lily flowers, though stunning, are usually short lived, but with Bloom Extensions™, you could get over 6 weeks of color. Two orange-flowering varieties, carefully selected to harmonize, have been potted together. The flowering times are offset, giving a seamless show of color. This is a great way to extend the display in your client’s landscape. This is an ultra dwarf combo reaching only 12-14”.

The third is Asiatic Pot Lily Looks™ ‘Bloom Extensions™ ‘Red & Yellow’. This stunning pairing of the yellow and red-speckled ‘Tiny Nugget’ (early, 14”) and the deep red ‘Tiny Rocket’ (later, 16”) is a real showstopper.

All the Lily Looks™ varieties have been selected for massive flower production, a short, compact habit, and suitability for container growing. Quantities are limited, and the grower has sold out - don't miss these! 

Whether you are looking for something unique or classic, our selection of Lilium has just what you are looking for.

Something so sinister, it will give you nightmares. Perennials and tulip bulbs will not be the only thing emerging from the ground this spring! I am talking about “Brood X” Cicadas. They are really not that scary, but their name makes them sound like something out of a horror movie.

The Brood X Cicada is a periodical Cicada. This fascinating insect spends nearly it’s entire life underground feeding on nutrients from the host tree’s roots. Once the soil warms up to 64 degrees - coming soon! - they will begin to surface from beneath the trees where their eggs were laid. Seventeen years ago, in 2004. There are different kinds of Cicada with different maturation cycles but just one that takes this long, and it is only found in the Eastern United States. The reason there are so many all at once (Millions! Billions?) is probably an adaptation to foil predators – there are simply too many to all be eaten.

You may see their exoskeletons on the side of your house or on the trees, left behind as the winged adult molts. There are annual Cicada that emerge every year in much lower numbers, and the low-pitched buzzing they make is a sound of summer. But if you think the yearly Cicada is loud, wait until this year! In Michigan, Hillsdale and Washtenaw Counties saw the largest population so we are in prime position to witness this phenomenon.

The red-eyed creatures may look intimidating but are harmless to pets and humans. Some areas with large pockets of these insects may see broken branches from younger, fragile trees or plants due to the sheer numbers of Cicadas. Not to be alarmed though, Cicadas cause minimal damage. Spending all but 4-5 weeks of their lives underground, they move through the soil and naturally help aerate it. After they arise from their chambers and molt, they have but one goal: to mate. That deafening sound is the call of the male Cicada. Once mated the female has a razor-sharp appendage to cut a V shaped slice into branches where she will deposit her fertilized eggs. The eggs take about a month to hatch into nymphs and fall from the tree to burrow and start the next 17-year cycle.

Ok, so maybe not so sinister or evil, but intriguing instead. Let us try to appreciate them for their short visit and loud noises after the 17-year long journey they have been on.

Check out these links for more information:

• When will Cicadas emerge in 2021? - USA Today
• Cicada fact sheet - Maryland Dept of Ag.

In 1892 a German physician, Richard Pfeiffer, believed he discovered the culprit that caused the Influenza Epidemic of 1889-90. An Infuenza bacillus became the focus of attention in the fight against the Spanish Influenza of 1918-19. Vaccines were being developed just as they had 100 years earlier for smallpox. Medicine had already conquered rabies, tetanus, anthrax and cholera before the new century. But they would prove ineffective and the Great Pandemic would simply fade away.

In 1933 an article “Failure of a Bacterial Vaccine...Against Influenza” announced the discovery of a new pathogen, a virus, Influenza A. Five years later Doctors Salk and Francis would develop the first vaccine for Influenza A and B. But the H1N1 virus has not faded away. It was believed to have caused the epidemics of 1848-9 and 1889-90. In my lifetime it has resurrected in 1957, 1968, and again in 2009. These pathogens are genetic strands looking for a way to replicate. Unlike bacterium which can reproduce outside or inside another living organism a virus can only replicate in a host living cell. For this reason viruses actually become less deadly as they mutate. Without a host their fate is in jeopardy as well.

Viruses are spread initially and primarily by mosquitoes, ticks, and sand-flies. When conditions for these arthropods are good they create an environment for the spread of these pathogens to plants, animals, and humans. Just like the mistakes of the past many plants problems have been attributed to bacterium or fungal disease, when, in fact, there are many viruses that can affect plants and threaten our food supply.

Many of these viruses in plants manifest as mosaics. Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV), zucchini (CYMV), and tobacco (TMV) are just a few of the predominate. TMV, in particular, hitchhikes on aphids and other insects; it affects many of the Solanaceae family, including tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes. Mosaics can show up as mottlings, variegations, mutilated leaves, and more. What is significant is these disfigurements are not caused by the virus but by the plants fighting off the virus. A plant’s own genetic material will recognize the intruder and try to cut off its path with its enzymes and other defense mechanisms, called the Argonaut complex. It is this shotgun approach that does damage, but plants can win in this process. Science, as in the study of viruses that affect humans, must realize the most effective and least destructive complex. The result is treatments such as vaccines. In plants they are sprayed or rubbed onto the foliage ( probably no needles).

In the landscape industry, we have had two recent incidents of viruses affecting planting material. In 1996 Hosta Virus X (HVX) was recognized. It is a sap to sap vehicle that spreads this pathogen. In the beginning many of the mutations to hostas were thought beautiful and desirable. But the degradation and spread by mere proximity and handling brought the problem to a head. Culling of affected plants, spacing of plants, and more recently testing for virus at plant production sources have all but eliminated the problem.

In 2011 the greenhouse growers were faced with Impatiens Necrotic Spot Virus (INSV). The result was a loss of cash crop for several years as growers sought out strains resistant to this virus. Noteworthy is the fact that many viruses in plants are actually passed on by seed.

Although genetic mapping is still relatively new it is beyond hopeful that science and medicine will be able to give us the tools to fight these pathogens and protect our food supply.

Do you buy a fresh Christmas tree? I do. Still a traditionalist. December 2020 was a "stay at home" year which meant Christmas tree shopping. Boy did I get a surprise, not just sticker shock - but finally on our third stop I found a tree “I could live with”. I tell this story because the scarcity of all evergreens is scary. Not just cute sheared Christmas trees, but 6’, 7’, 8’, and up, Colorados, Black Hills, even Chamys (can’t spell that word – it would make a great password). Soon Arborvitae? Then…? Get them as soon as you can and lock them up!

Unfortunately plant material in general is going to be scarce. 2020 was a boom year for “gen-whatever” to plant or get planted for yard fun. 2021 is going to be identical – just much harder. No, not harder – “more interesting”, as Tim would say. You might want to come to pick plants with a couple of options. Knowing which is more important: size? color? or location. If your customer really has to have “THAT” plant make sure they know, they may have to wait for “THAT” plant to grow up a little!

We are prepared!! We are working hard to make sure your job is easier. Remember: dull is well, just dull, but “more interesting” has sparkle.

What does it mean to be ready for a delivery? Let me put on my Delivery Driver’s hat and go over some areas where a little forethought can make everybody’s day run smoother.

A good place to begin is knowing who is managing the information flow. How does your crew find out what product is coming to the jobsite, and when it will be there? Someone should decide in advance where the product will be placed for efficient use and general safety, also in what order to bring in materials. You don’t want 20,000 lbs of paver pallets placed in the side yard if a load of aggregate still needs to be dumped in the backyard.

Knowing your jobsite includes knowing the way in from major roads. Look up and around, think about a semitruck driving on that road, unloading, and importantly, getting back out. Confirm the delivery location, especially if it’s new construction that may not be well addressed. Let your Christensen’s Salesperson know about any location concerns ahead of time.

On delivery day our drivers call the contractor before they leave the yard. It’s a quick conversation confirming that a crew will be on-site and ready to receive the delivery.

For plant material there should be enough help to toss cans and stand up trees for your machine to pick them up from the trailer deck. Stage them so they are not in the way and may be watered. Tree balls can be lifted by forks or nursery jaws, or even carefully rolled into a bucket. Potted plants can be slid into a skidsteer bucket or handed-off into the bed of a truck or onto the ground.

Hardscape materials frequently weigh up to 4000 lbs and the deck of a semi-truck may be chin-high. Many skidsteers cannot handle that kind of weight, especially at that height. Consider having a Christensen’s driver unload your product with our Moffett. Our operators are bright and well trained, they can unload and place your product safely and efficiently. Consider having pallets placed near where they will be installed so there are short carrying distances. Keep products that will be blended for color of size patterns near each other. Try to know the ground conditions of your staging area. Stacking pallets on unstable ground can be dangerous. A Moffett is a very large, wide machine. Make sure there is a clear pathway to your staging area.

When there are ancillary products on the delivery consider what must be protected from the weather. For example, polymeric sand must stay dry and glue shouldn’t freeze. Caulk guns and other small tools may “disappear” overnight.

There is, of course, a business component of a materials transaction. Plan payment method ahead of time with your salesperson. Any member of our sales team can accept payment on your order at the Plant & Hardscape Centers or over the phone. Cash, check, credit card, or on your house account. Though our drivers can accept a check, settling ahead of time streamlines the process on delivery day. Whatever the plan for payment is, be sure it is indeed a plan and discuss it with your salesperson.

Did you find some great new people to add to your team? Those first hours with a new employee can set the tone for your entire working relationship, so read on for some tips on making the most of them. Time invested at this beginning point might not seem like a big deal to you, but can mean the world to a tentative new employee.

Many company owners and upper management have been at their company for many years or even started their own company. It can be easy over the years to forget the “new job jitters.” Here are few thoughts from a new employee to help supervisors make the transition go smoothly. 

I think the most critical piece of advice would be, “Don’t overwhelm new employees with meeting everyone all at once.” It can be difficult to process names and positions all in the first day, when everything from the location of the facilities and parking to the technology might be new. If you’re a small company with a handful of employees, meeting everyone might be possible, but anything over 7-10 people could be too much to remember, especially if all of those people are wearing masks.

Additionally, instead of having meetings with other employees, have them shadow your existing staff. This will help create their own bonds, allow them to learn your company from many perspectives and understand the nuances and company culture.

Make the paperwork seem less important than the new employee. The easiest place for a company to start with a new employee is to overwhelm (and bore) them with the paperwork. While the forms and handbooks are important, taking some time getting to know the employee and getting them acquainted with the position will make them feel like you see them as a person, not as a number.

Give them an idea about the rules you’re strict with and the ones you’re flexible on. Communicating the nuances of a company culture can be difficult to do in a handbook. Giving verbal examples, such as, “lunch is at noon and it is important for you to go on time” or “lunch is usually around noon, but if you’re caught up in a project, you can be flexible with your time” helps a new hire to understand your expectations of their behavior. Most new hires are eager to fit in and providing as much communication with them will help them quickly assimilate to your company.

Remember that in our cyclical industry, a new employee might feel new for a whole year. Continue to be patient with their inquiries and think of them as new until they have seen how the seasonality affects their job.

Spending some extra time with a new employee can help improve your turnover rate, which helps with your bottom line. A recent survey from BambooHR showed that as many as 31% of new employees leave in the first six months, citing the top reasons being poor onboarding experiences, a lack of clarity surrounding job duties and expectations, or a less than stellar boss.* Since interviewing, hiring and onboarding new employees can be costly and time consuming, improving on a new employee’s starting experience is an investment in your company and its future.

* https://blog.bonus.ly/10-surprising-employee-retention-statistics-you-need-to-know

It’s time to welcome you back to Christensen’s! We are happy to be back to normal operations, while still observing the safety protocols we introduced last season. Don't worry, the masks won't prevent you from recognizing your favorite salespeople and we can't wait to greet you in return. We have some new employees as well, and we look forward to even better turnaround times when you visit our Plant and Hardscape Centers.

We do have some improvements to share with you, number one being the redesign of our store, with a fresh layout and new products. You really need to stop by and see what we've done!

Several of our flatbed trailers got new decks put on them to better serve your delivery needs. Our fleet of equipment has been serviced and is ready to roll for you! But there is one thing that we could not prep for...

Trucking in the country right now is going crazy, and so are the freight rates. Beyond the trucking regulations in place on drivers for hours of service, the lack of available labor is also affecting the trucking industry. There are currently trucks sitting without drivers for them. Lots of empty trucks. The next issue that came up this late winter/early spring was the situation in Texas. When the winter snowstorm hit Texas, FEMA stepped in and sent aid to Texas. Unfortunately, there is now a backlog of material those trucks would have hauled in other industries coupled with trucks that are still stuck in Texas either due to weather or inability to get unloaded. At least our product was not grounded in the Suez canal.

Due to these issues, freight rates have spiked by up to 30% over what they were at the end of 2020. Or another way to put this into perspective, freight is up almost 50% over spring of 2020. Rest assured, Christensen’s has your back. We have worked tirelessly to make sure to keep our prices competitive, and that we will have supply in our yard to make sure that you have a successful year.

From the trees to the brick to the sod, Christensen’s Plant and Hardscape Center has what you need to complete your landscape projects. So here is to another successful year!!

Oh, did I forget to mention? It is our 90^th Anniversary year!!!! We are looking forward to taking care of you for another 90 years.

As those close to me know, I love all seasons. I cannot say that I enjoy one over the other, because I really don’t. It drives my wife a little nuts, as she loathes snow. But I really love the little things that every season brings to us.

But this year is a little different. As 2020 has been for its entire existence. This year I am looking forward to the break that the winter provides to those of us in the nursery industry. A time to re-coup and re-group. And I for one am looking forward to having the time to gather myself back up.

As we re-group, we must look forward and start planning for the future. And as I look forward, I have to bring up the storm warning that I wrote about a couple of months ago. The material forecast for the spring is incredibly tight. Plant material grew very well this year, but our industry consumed a great deal of it. To give an example, many of our green goods suppliers have told us this fall that they can fill our orders, but we will be pulling from the spring 2021 crop. So, we can have it now, or next year, but not both. Hardscape suppliers are still reeling from shutdown this spring. Many intend to continue production for most of the winter to try to prevent the same thing happening in the spring of 2021.

So, as you re-group and plan this winter, I implore you. Plan out your jobs. Order your material. Do not wait until the snow is melting to arrange material for your spring projects. As the snow is flying, that is the time to be looking forward to spring.

A recent article by my coworker Matt reminded me of this old saying. It’s born of the experiences of many rock and perennial gardeners. Throughout the years gardeners have collected and experimented with plants, looking for ways to use plants not necessarily accustomed to their soil type or zone. Their answer, in part, was raised rock gardens. Not only aesthetically pleasing, this approach created mini-climates in small spaces much in the same way mountain ranges create dramatic changes in flora from ridge to ridge. Lush forests give way to arid deserts on opposing side of the same mountains.

Rocks and raised beds give plants good drainage. Many perennials in the North die, not from cold, but from excessively wet ground conditions. Perennials such as Dianthus, Lavandula, Gaura, Thymus, et al. thrive in their first plantings only to rot during their juvenile winters. Perennials with long tap-like roots such as Lupines, Hollyhock, Foxglove to name a few die from crown rot due to excessive surface moisture. The fence post problem – solid above and below the ground but rots off right at ground level.

Ground-covering plants like Sedums, Ajugas, Thymus run along filling the crevices, encouraged by the cool, moist conditions. The seed of many annuals and perennials find some of these same places to spend their first winter, where they experience death and rebirth in the stratifying process. A true, natural nursery.

Rocks help ease the stress of extreme temperature change. In the summer they create cool, moist conditions on their down side. In the winter they warm with the sun, giving roots some protection against the cold. Gardeners were often able to include plants that were a zone less hardy. This also works for woody ornamentals that are usually considered sub-shrubs such as Buddleia, Caryopteris, Callicarpa, Hypericum, Crape Myrtle, and more. These types of woodies experience varying degrees of dieback but recover well from roots and heavier wood. Even just tucking hand-sized rocks around the base of perennials and shrubs can give protection and anchor the late-planted.

So when it comes to planting, if you’re ever in doubt, just go get one.

Photos © Holly Christensen, except mountain scene (Storyblocks)

In recent years, I’ve often heard that we should leave the first round of dandelions to grow and flourish for the benefit of early food for bees. You don’t need to tell me not to mow… done! That’s an easy way to help out our little winged friends.

As the movement to promote bees increases, it’s a good idea to have a pollinator plan ready for customers interested in this topical form of conservation.

For starters, since honeybees begin foraging when temperatures approach 50°, your plan needs to begin early. Minor bulbs such as Crocus, Winter Aconite, Snowdrops and Chionodoxa are valuable food sources on those first warm spring days when little is in flower. A few weeks later the Red Maples pitch in, followed by showy spring bloomers like Forsythia, Redbud, Amelanchier and Magnolia.

Mid-to-late spring has no shortage of excellent choices, as most of our ornamentals bloom then. As things taper off into summer, Monarda, Dianthus, and Echinacea offer long blooming periods that keep the bees happy. Late summer is more challenging but Rose of Sharon and Caryopteris are two species that bloom almost into autumn.

At the tail end of the season plants like Aster, Helianthus and Sedum are excellent fall bloomers. The beginning and end of the season are the most critical, as there are fewer food sources than during the peak of the season. If you’ve incorporated annuals into your design so much the better as they will go until either killed by frost or removed.