Cool mornings, warm soil. September gives southeast Wisconsin gardeners the best planting stretch of the year, and it’s also when the ribbons go up around the nursery.
The Ribbon Sale Is Happening Now
Walk the yard and you’ll find colored ribbons tied to plants throughout the nursery. Each color means a different discount. Four colors, four prices, nothing to bring with you and no code to remember. The ribbon on the plant does the work at the register.
| Ribbon Colors and Discounts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Orange Ribbon | 25% off | |
| Hot Pink Ribbon | 35% off | |
| Blue Ribbon | 50% off | |
| Yellow Ribbon | 65% off | |
Please note: No warranties on sale products. Ribbon pricing applies to in-store purchases at our Cedarburg garden center, not the online shop.
How to Shop It
There is no separate sale section to hunt down. The ribbons are tied to plants throughout the yard, mixed in with everything else, so the best approach is simply to walk the rows and look. A yellow ribbon on a shrub you already had your eye on is a good day.
Bring a list if you have one, but stay open. Part of the fun of a ribbon sale is finding something you weren’t shopping for at a price that makes the decision easy. If you are not sure whether a plant will work in your yard, ask. Our crew can tell you what it needs for sun, how big it gets, and whether it will hold up through a Wisconsin winter.
Why September Planting Works So Well in Zone 5b
The soil has been warming since June and it holds that heat well into October. Roots keep growing in warm ground long after the top of the plant has slowed down for the year. Cooler air means less stress on a new transplant and less watering for you. Put something in the ground this month and it spends the whole fall getting established. Water it deeply once a week until the ground freezes, and next spring it comes up like it has been there for years.
This is the reason a fall sale is worth paying attention to. A discounted plant in September is not a leftover, it is a plant going into the ground at the best possible time. Trees and shrubs in particular do better set out in fall than in the heat of midsummer, because they can put energy into roots instead of into holding leaves through a hot week.
Stop By This Month
The ribbons are up now. Come walk the yard, see what catches your eye, and let us help you get it home.
The Ribbon Sale
Orange 25% off. Hot pink 35% off. Blue 50% off. Yellow 65% off. No warranties on sale products. In-store only at our Cedarburg garden center.