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Table of Contents
1) Editor's Comments:In case you didn't notice above, Green Thumb Times is pleased to now be registered with the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. and has received an ISSN number. We are very proud of this. Today we'll take a look at growing basil, pass along a couple interesting rose sites, and re-visit our gardening calendar for March. Of course, we include other tips and information you may find useful. As always, if you do have questions, suggestions or ideas, do not hesitate to drop me a note. Rex Gregor 2) How to Grow Basil and Other Herbs:Fresh basil is an indispensable part of many cuisines, as well as for those of us who love to cook with herbs. Fortunately, basil is very easy to grow in either the ground or in containers. You should choose a site that gets full sun. Like most herbs basil is not fussy about it’s environment, but it likes plenty of sun and enough moisture to keep the plant from wilting. You should work plenty of organic matter into the soil. Basil seeds may be sown directly in the ground when all danger of frost has passed and the soil temperature has reached 60 degrees F. Basil may have problems with numerous fungi if planted in cool soil. Make sure the ground has warmed to 60 degrees F. and you will rarely have a problem. You can also start your seeds indoors, but the seeds germinate so quickly in warm soil that it’s hardly worth the bother. In fact, sown plants will quickly catch up to your transplants. You need to water regularly using air-temperature water to encourage faster growth. The seedlings should be thinned to about ten to twelve inches apart. When the plants reach about six inches tall pinch the tips for bushier growth. Remove the flowers as soon as the buds appear. This will keep your leaves growing. Pick your basil leaves whenever you need them. The more you pick, the more you will get. If you want instant results for container growing, you can plant your seeds in an "in-house" container. We have a substantial variety of herbs which can give you distinct coloring, form , fragrance, and flavor. http://rexseedco.com/herbseed.htm Here is an interesting tip: Basil planted among tomatoes helps repel horn worms. 3) Humor for Today:Six year old Angie and her four year old brother Joel were sitting together in church. Joel giggled, sang, and talked out loud. Finally, his big sister had had enough. "You're not supposed to talk out loud in church," she hissed at Joel. "Why? Who's going to stop me?" Joel shot back. Angie pointed to the back of the church and said, "See those two men standing by the door?" Joel nodded. "They're hushers." 4) Rose Follow-up:I have two fantastic rose follow-up items this week. First, I'd love to share with you some of the most gorgeous rose photos I've come across. If you enjoy roses as much as I do, you'll love Just Our Pictures of Roses, http://www.justourpictures.com/ by Susan and Regina. If you do stop by, don't hesitate to drop them a quick note about these great images. You can mention how you found them, if you like. Second, the Congress of the United States has designated 2002 as the Year of the Rose. You can view the proclamation at http://www.rose-2002.org/proclamation.html 5) Beware of Giving Certain Info On-line:Since many of us, especially families, use the Internet for personal reasons, we need to be careful about information we give to others. In fact, families may want to consider a family policy not to use full or real names for certain Internet activity. You should never disclose to others names, addresses, phone number, Social Security numbers, or account information -- such as a password -- to anyone who out of the blue asks for it on- line or off -- that is, unless you are dealing in a legitimate business transaction and you generated the contact. Further, unless you are entering into a business agreement, be especially careful with your Social Security number. This advice applies especially when you receive information requests from people claiming to be in positions of authority, such as the instant messages AOL users have received from people claiming that they're from AOL tech support and need your password information. Rest assured, they are not from tech support and they have no reason to have the info. People with real authority never ask for passwords or similar information. 6) Gardening Calendar:(For our friends in the Southern Hemisphere, these tips would be followed in September.) Here we are a full week into March. We should probably revisit our gardening calendar regarding our annuals. As always, your climate helps determine what should be done.
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