Author: gardenlady

January 2023

Farm News & Update from Tim

I want to take a few minutes to thank all of our staff for the hard work that they put in over the past year and to the many who have been working on the farm for years. I would not have been able to do it alone and I appreciate all of the effort that you make to ensure a successful crop and happy customers. Thank you for your hard work.

Next, I want to thank all of my customers for your continued support and loyalty to Glendale Farms. Your gardens and landscaping looked tremendous during the year.

I know that it is a challenge for a gardener to keep their garden and landscaping looking amazing. Of course all of your efforts are rewarded provided that you use quality plants like the ones that you will find at Glendale Farms.

Our history and reputation as a premier greenhouse grower keeps us in business and customers coming back year after year. Once the plants leave the farm however, you need to be diligent and tend to the watering and fertilizing needs of your garden throughout the season. Because nature is unpredictable with dry spells or too much rain, dealing with the elements can be extremely challenging. Our quality plants and your proper care will go a long way in dealing with the weather and will give you great results for the entire growing season.

Now that our poinsettia season is over we jump right into growing plants for the next season. We will be working hard over the next several months choosing and growing the right plants and hanging basket combinations for our customers. We aim to be ready so that when the weather warms, we can answer your need for flowers and vegetables right here at Glendale Farms.

We look forward to welcoming you back to the farm in April for those early spring plants and vegetables. For now, finish up those final garden chores and snuggle up with a good gardening book.

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January at Glendale Farms

We are open daily to the trade and welcome your visits and calls for wholesale orders. Need something special? We are happy to accommodate.

Call us 203-874-7203.



Gardeners, do you have something to share with us? Pictures of your gardens, landscaping or patios are welcome. You can tag #GlendaleFarms on Facebook and @GlendaleFarms on Instagram. We also welcome questions on our blog page.

Gardening Chores for Connecticut in January

• Finish clearing the leaves off your lawn. This will make your lawn stronger in the spring. Don’t walk on frozen grass.

• Take in and clean off tools before storing for the winter.

• Take in pots and any potted plants that are to winter over. Be sure to keep plants watered during the winter

• Check your mulch and weed your planting beds one last time before the ground freezes. Gently shake off any snow from shrubs so that they do not break from the weight.

• Add a winter mulch after the ground has frozen and plants have entered dormancy. Mulch will ensure that your garden soil stays a constant temperature.

• Prune dead branches from trees and shrubs so that they do not weaken the plant from heavy snow. Do not prune spring flowering shrubs until the spring.

• Empty the gas from mowers and any other equipment as the gas will break down over the winter and you may loose your equipment as a result.

• Reflect on the garden and start thinking about your spring and summer gardens. Update your garden journal making notes about what you liked or didn’t like about this season’s garden.

• Be sure to visit Glendale Farms come April to start your early vegetables and pansies.

We had a busy fall and holiday season and welcome the new year reset at the farm. Even though it is freezing out, our greenhouse furnaces are fired up keeping our seedlings warm. Talking about seedlings, we are happy to report that they are growing well with the increasing daylight while the farm staff stays busy planting and planning for the spring season. We are continuing to count down the days (52 more) until March 20th, the vernal equinox.
In the mean time, as the winter slowly chugs along, we continue to process and take in wholesale orders, make repairs around the farm, and fill up our greenhouses with our spring flowers, herbs and vegetable plants for your home gardens. There is never a dull minute around the farm as we have plenty of chores to tend to while the daylight is up. We look forward to spring and welcoming our friends back to the farm. In the mean time, we will continue to grow plants and tend to our resident horse boarders.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for inspiration and updates!

Winter Farm Hours

We are open daily to the trade and welcome your visits and calls for wholesale orders. 203-874-7203
Gardeners are welcome to check us out on Facebook and Instagram for pictures and news. In the mean time, enjoy some winter activities and stay warm!
Also, don’t forget to water your over-wintering plants to keep them alive until spring.

Harvesting What You Grow

There is something very rewarding about harvesting vegetables that you have grown yourself.
While many gardeners enjoy flowering plants, others take pride in growing plants that are edible.
You will find a variety of vegetable and herb plants at Glendale Farms for your edible garden. Our selection of vegetable and herb plants are available in flats and pots of varying sizes.
Vegetables and Herbs at Glendale Farms

January Gardening Chores

• Start a garden record book to record dates and times of bloom, first and last frosts, fertilizing and when chores need to be done.

• Take a look at your garden and make notes about where more plants are needed color combinations and what needs to be transplanted in the spring.

• Plan out your spring garden, organize and update your notes from the fall, make a diagram drawn to scale of what you want to plant

• Check and water your over wintering plants stored in your garage or basement

• Put your holiday poinsettias in a bright room and keep the soil moist but not wet. Keep them away from drafts. You will have beautiful plants to enjoy in February for Valentine’s Day.

• Remove freshly fallen snow from tender shrubs and trees to avoid breakage

• Check stored dahlia, canna and gladiolus bulbs for rotting and/or drying out

• Check for frost heaving on perennials and cover with extra mulch if necessary

• Use wood ashes sparingly from the fireplace as a good source of potash

• Avoid the use of salt to melt snow as it is toxic to most plants; use sawdust, sand or cat litter

Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas are just a few of the holidays that folks will be celebrating in coming days. Thankfully many of us will be with family and friends this year.

Here at Glendale Farms we will be busy over the next few weeks delivering our poinsettias to grocery stores and greeting friends. Come by the farm to pick up your prize poinsettias for holiday decorations. Remember, we only take cash and checks on the farm.

In this enews, we included some unique seasonal flair. A little bit of poinsettia history, tips on poinsettia care and a few decorating ideas. You will enjoy reading about these prized and colorful plants. Be sure to stop by the farm early in the season to pick up your holiday poinsettias.

The main greenhouse will be open daily – seven days a week starting on Black Friday through Christmas Eve. Plan to stop by Glendale Farms on Shop Small Saturday and support local businesses in your community. This year we grew enough poinsettias to pack six greenhouses with these beautiful tropical plants.

We look forward to seeing you over the holiday season. If you have any questions, call Deb or Tim at 203-874-7203.

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What is the history of the poinsettia and its connection to the holidays?

The poinsettia originates in Mexico. It grows wild as a bush in the highlands and reaches a height of up to five metres. As “Flores de Noche Buena”, “Flowers of the Holy Night”, the plant has been associated with Christmas in Central America as early as the 16th century. The poinsettia is also known as the Christmas Star, Christmas Flower, Mexican Flame Leaf, Lobster Flower, Winter Rose, Crown of the Andes, and, in Turkey, Atakurk’s Flower (named after the founder of modern Turkey).

Poinsettias were introduced to America in 1825 by botanist Joel Poinsett, who was the first US Ambassador to Mexico.

The most beautiful “petals” on the plant aren’t flowers at all, but lush red, white, pink or green leaves. The flowers are actually the little yellow buds in the center of each collection of leaves (the collection of leaves is called a bract).

National Poinsettia Day is celebrated on December 12th

How do I care for my poinsettia plant?

Poinsettia care is easy throughout the holidays. Just follow these simple rules:

Light: Place your poinsettias in an area where they’ll receive a minimum of six hours of bright (but not direct) sunlight each day.

Temperature: These plants prefer temperatures from 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and from 60 to 65 degrees at night. The lower night temperatures help the poinsettias keep their brilliant color. Protect the plants from both cold and hot drafts from outside doors, heat registers or appliances. 
Never expose them to temperatures below 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Take them right home from the farm.

Water: Poinsettias like moist, but not wet, soil. To know how often to water poinsettias, wait until the top of the soil is dry. Add room temperature water to the plant, allowing the water to drain through the pot. Then discard any excess water in the saucer. If the plant’s container was wrapped with decorative foil, be sure to remove the foil from the bottom of the container to allow water to drain through.

Decorating with live poinsettias

This Christmas, why not think differently about how you decorate your home?

The heart of any festive scene, the Christmas Tree, draws upon the wonder of nature, so it is only natural that we look to replicate this style elsewhere within our homes. Poinsettias – also highly recognizable as a festive bloom – are the perfect way of creating calming and warming interior displays; displays which place nature at the centre of the design.

You can create a stunning colorful festive area in your home or office. Nestle your poinsettia plants around the base of larger plants. Transfer your poinsettias to colorful pots and place them in a prominent location in your home.

The bright red poinsettias are often associated with this festive bloom – however the white poinsettias are the ideal solution for creating a magical snowy look. Paired with silver, or enchanting gold, the poinsettia provides a crisp color accent to winter wonderland themes.

Cut the poinsettia stems off the plant and use them to decorate your holiday table, arrange on a wreath and make various holiday decorations with these live plants.

Forget traditional bunting and hanging décor, but instead draw upon the homemade and maximise the stunning floral displays that poinsettias can create! 

Immediately after cutting the poinsettias, hold their stems in 60°C water for approx. 5 seconds, then dip in cold water. This way the magnificent bracts will stay dazzlingly beautiful for up to two weeks.

Visit Glendale Farms for your holiday poinsettias. Not only do they make great holiday decorations, they make great host gifts.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more decorating ideas as we move along the holiday season.

June 21, 2021

A special thanks to our loyal customers and to welcome the summer 2021 All plants are now half off we are open daily 8 to 5 cash and checks accepted help us empty the greenhouses and decorate your homes for the summer

Summertime is fun because you can use your plants to bring life and color onto your decks and patios. This helps to create and define various zones and our plants liven up the landscape. We are dedicated to keeping our plants in the best of shape so that they will thrive in your garden. Keep reading …..there are things that you should be doing now to keep your garden thriving all summer long.

Keep your garden and planters thriving all season long

Chores and Maintenance Continue to cultivate planting beds to remove weeds Continue to dig and divide early-blooming perennials after flowering Water, water, water as necessary – especially those containers – water until it runs out of the bottom holes Continue to mulch planting beds Set supports for floppy plants, vines and vegetables Deadhead rhododendrons, lilacs and perennials after flowering Add to, aerate and moisten compost pile to speed decomposition Continue to check for pests and other problems and treat as necessary Mow lawns regularly to keep grass at 2 to 2 1/2 ” height Leave grass clippings on lawn to improve availability of nitrogen Water lawns if there is less than 1″ of rain per week Harvest cool weather lettuce, radishes and scallions Begin to spray roses every week with baking soda solution to protect against black spot disease (Cornell University’s formula consists of: 3 tsp. baking soda, 2 1/2 tbsp. summer-weight horticultural oil, mixed with 1 gallon of water) Continue application of deer repellents Planting Complete moving self-sown annuals and perennials to desired locations Plant fast growing annuals like marigolds, zinnias and cosmos from Glendale Farms directly in the garden Plant your heat-tolerant vegetable plants from Glendale Farms Continue to plant and transplant perennials, weather and soil conditions permitting Finish planting your summer annuals from Glendale Farms Complete planting summer flowering bulbs, such as canna, gladiolus and dahlias Plant caladium and tuberous begonias in shady spots Pruning/ Fertilizing Continue to prune all plant material to remove any diseased, dead, weak or crossed branches Complete pruning early spring-flowering shrubs Prune evergreens and evergreen hedges into early summer Continue deadheading roses Fertilize roses after peak bloom Complete fertilizing spring-flowering bulbs Fertilize annuals and container plants Fertilize vegetables A special thanks to New York Botanical Gardens for tips

What can I plant outside now in my Connecticut garden?

Some cool weather plants can stay outside in the garden now however many annuals must wait a little longer for the daytime and evening temperatures to warm up. Pansies and cool loving vegetable plants such as lettuce, cabbage, Swiss chard, cauliflower, kale, peas, carrots and spinach are ok for the garden or containers once the soil is between 40-45º. It is still too early for the summer annuals, herbs and vegetables to be left outside during the evenings as the temperatures are still too cool and they will not thrive until the warmer weather arrives. You can check out our tips about when to plant to help you out.

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April Gardening Chores – There is still time to get your garden ready for spring planting

• Remove any remaining winter mulch as your plants begin to grow

• Remove remaining stems and stalks left for winter interest – stack out of sight to allow beneficial insects to exit

• Begin soil prep when soil is moist but not too wet

• Move dormant containers out of winter storage and replace soil as needed for new plantings

• Spread several inches of compost over garden perennials

• Test your soil and amend as needed

• Plant Glendale Farms grown pansies and cool weather vegetables into your garden

Spring is wonderful at many public gardens in CT. Pack up a picnic and enjoy the flowering trees and spring bulbs.