50% off Trees, Shrubs & Perennials

It's the last week of our fall clearance sale at the nursery, and we've made one last markdown on our selection of plants. Through Saturday, October 31 save 50% off nearly all of the plants in-stock at the nursery.

Exclusions include the following:

25% off only

• All topiaries
• Monkey puzzle trees
• Mountian hemlock trees

Not on sale

• All winter & Cool Wave pansies
• Emerald Green arborvitae
• House plants 

Take advantage of the deep discounts on our plants while they last and get some planting done yet this fall. Sale ends October 31.

Four Garden Tasks for Fall

Check out the great selection of bulbs
in stock at Vander Giessen's and enjoy
spring color for years to come!

By all accounts, autumn has arrived. Although we continue to see unseasonably warm weather, rain has returned, leaves are falling, and plants are beginning to go dormant. Although your mindset for the yard may be one of winding down, here are some easy tasks to accomplish before the season passes you by.

1. October is still a great time to plant shrubs, trees, and perennials as well as colorful, hardy winter pansies. This summer proved particularly challenging in the watering department, and if you lost a few shrubs or trees, don’t feel too bad—you’re certainly not alone. 

As you work in your yard this month, use the more regular rains we’re getting to your benefit and replace your lost shrubs and trees. Given the continued warm weather, our soil temperatures remain high enough to allow for good root development. In other words, whatever you choose to plant should get nicely established before winter arrives.

When you plant, keep in mind that while you don’t need to fertilize your plants this time of year, you should treat whatever you plant with a transplant solution like Superthrive. Doing so will encourage healthy root development without forcing additional plant growth. 

2. Mid-autumn is the perfect time to plant bulbs for a great show of spring color. Admittedly, in our instant-gratification society, bulbs are a bit of letdown—after all, you’ll leave the nursery with some packages of rather ugly, brown bulbs—but oh, are they worth the wait!

Depending on what types of bulbs you plant, you can look forward to your bulbs multiplying and returning year after year, called ‘naturalizing’. Daffodils (which, by the way, are deer-resistant) are especially good at naturalizing, but many other types will naturalize easily as well. If tulips are your thing, Darwin Hybrid varieties will naturalize the best. Check out the selection of bulbs available at Vander Giessen Nursery and let us help you choose the best, most colorful bulbs for your setting.

When you plant your bulbs, throw some bone meal in the hole before you plant; if you already have existing garden areas or pots with bulbs from last year, now is also the time to sprinkle some bone meal on the soil surface. Simply scratch it in lightly and let the rains wash it into the soil to feed your bulbs as they gear up for next spring. 

Apply Scotts Turf Builder Winterguard
in late October or November for a
healthy lawn this winter

3. Now is the time to begin preparing your lawn for winter. Our dry summer stopped most moss growth, but as the rains return, you’ll likely see moss begin to reestablish itself in your lawn. If some of the forecasts I’ve seen are right, we’re in for another mild winter, and that makes for ideal moss-growing conditions. 

Head off any future moss problems now by applying Super Sweet lime to your yard. Not only will moss problems be minimized, your grass will be better able to utilize the fertilizer you apply. Late this month or sometime next month—after your last mowing of the year—feed your lawn with Scotts Turf Builder Winterguard to keep your grass healthy through winter and ensure a quick green-up in spring. 

4. Keep your winter and trailing Cool Wave pansies looking their best with a couple feedings of Jack’s Classic Petunia Feed this fall and winter. While formulated for petunias, this fertilizer has the extra iron pansies need to keep dark green leaves and large flowers. Don’t worry about feeding as regularly as you do your summer flowers, but if you remember to fertilize even once a month, you’ll see a marked improvement in how your plants look.

As you begin to put your yard to bed this month, take the opportunity to plant for spring and keep your yard looking its best—and enjoy the chance to savor autumn’s beauty!

40% off Shrubs, Trees & Perennials!

Fall is in the air! With cooler temperatures, shorter days and more regular rains, there's no doubt that autumn is in full swing. And right now, the fall clearance sale at Vander Giessen's is in full swing as well!

Through October 31, the remaining shrubs, trees and perennials at Vander Giessen Nursery are on sale at 40% off. Exclusions include the following (applicable to all fall clearance coupons as well):

25% off only

• All topiaries
• Monkey puzzle trees
• Mountian hemlock trees

Not on sale

• Fall flowers
• Emerald Green arborvitae
• House plants

Included in this sale are many hard-to-find conifers, gorgeous blooming shrubs and a great selection of perennials--among plenty of other plants as well. Supply is limited, though, and once it's gone, it's gone until next spring, so stop in soon for best selection.