When most people think of greenhouses, they probably picture spring and rows of colorful flowers ready to kick off a new season. But at Honeymoon Acres in New Holstein, fall is just as vibrant.
Owners Joe and Marci McShaw, who started their business more than 40 years ago with just $5 and a single 1,000-square-foot greenhouse, have tens of thousands of plants ready for homes and porches across Wisconsin. The star of the season is the chrysanthemum.
“We started with about 55,000 cuttings of mums that come in in May,” Joe says. “They don’t have any roots on them, so we have to root them out first.”
By the time fall arrives, Honeymoon Acres has raised about 37,000 mums in just the nine-inch size alone, in addition to multi-colored pots and hanging baskets. The McShaws also grow pumpkins, gourds, and other seasonal decorations across 11 acres of fields.
While mums are a fall favorite, Joe says they’re best enjoyed as seasonal décor rather than perennials.
“They aren’t real hardy,” he explains. “About a third of them will overwinter. That’s the other reason we try to keep the cost down, because why invest a ton of money for a short period of time?”
To keep mums looking their best through autumn, Marci recommends plenty of sunlight and daily watering during warm weather.
“They love, love, love sun,” she says. “Some people, they put them on the porch, and they wonder why they never bloom. And I always tell them to move them out in the sun until they’re blooming, and then move them in on your porch. That way you’ll have them longer.”
Beyond mums, visitors will find pumpkins of every size and shape, perfect for those looking to bring a little fall color home before the chill of Halloween sets in.
