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1) Editor's Comments:What a winter for us here in Minnesota. Spring has sprung (at least on the calendar). Hard to believe, but for us, March may end up being the coldest month of the winter. This has never happened before, at least since recording began in the 1860s. Well, this week we'll take a look at how to grow peppers and a bit about butterflies, along with some other interesting tips and information. As always, if you do have questions, suggestions or ideas, do not hesitate to drop us a note. Rex Gregor Tom Krueger 2) How to Grow Peppers:If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers he would have a basket full of nutritious and great tasting veggies. Peppers are easy to grow in a warm climate with a long growing season. To grow peppers, choose a sight that gets full sun and has well drained soil with a pH of 7.0. Raised beds work best for peppers because they need warm soil, as well as warm air to thrive best. You should work a moderate amount of compost or manure into the soil, then cover the surface with a fine layer of EPSOM SALTS and work it into the soil. The epsom salts will provide magnesium, which peppers need for good development. Plant the seedling outdoors two to three weeks after the last frost and the soil temperature has reaches 60 degrees. The seedlings should be spaced about 14 to 16 inches apart. You should keep the soil evenly moist, especially when the fruits are developing. Peppers need about an inch of water per week. After the ground has warmed thoroughly, mulch with organic matter to conserve moisture and deter weeds. Spread compost or a balanced organic fertilizer around the plants when they begin to flower and again in three weeks. You should harvest peppers early and often -- the more you pick the more the plant will produce. Peppers taste good from the moment they’re big enough to eat. For a novel touch you might want to grow some purple, chocolate, yellow, green or red sweet peppers. You may find it hard to believe, but unless you plant hot peppers and sweet peppers at least 500 feet apart, your sweet ones might deliver a kick you did not bargain for because of cross pollination, which insects love to do with abandon. I just picked up another tip to produce greener foliage and larger peppers. As I mentioned, peppers benefit from being fertilized with Epsom salts. As your peppers are starting to produce take 1 tablespoon of Epsom slats dissolved in a gallon of water and wet the foliage with the solution. Also, high-nitrogen fertilizer will cause pepper flowers to drop off. Note: yellow banana peppers look identical in either the hot or sweet varieties. Be careful not to get them mixed up in your garden. Your salads might be hotter than you think! 3) Humor for Today:Kelly was having a cup of coffee with her friend June after picking up her car from the mechanic. Kelly asks, "Everything OK with your car now?" "Yes, thank goodness," June replies. "Weren't you worried that the mechanic might try to rip you off?" "Yeah, but he didn't. I was SO relieved when he handed me the bill it was for only $42. He told me all I needed was blinker fluid!" 4) Butterfly Garden:A few notes about a Butterfly Garden -- butterflies need lots of sun. They do not like to fly in the shade. They are cold- blooded and need the sun's warmth to function. Choose a good sunny spot for your garden that preferably has a wind break. In order to attract many more butterflies, plant bright colored flowers and a couple of Butterfly Bushes to give them a safe place to hide. A Butterfly friendly habitat includes an environment that gives them plenty of food, some fresh water, a place to rest, and a home to raise their young.
See our Bee and Butterfly Flowers. 5) The Final Analysis:People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered; If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true
enemies; If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous; The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God; Mother Teresa 1910 - 1997 6) Decorate Your Plate:With a title of "decorate your plate," I bet you thought this was going to be a crafting tip... Not so. Did you know that the pigments that make carrots orange and spinach green are called carotenoids? Well, many researchers feel that a diet rich in a range of colors helps prevent some kinds of cancer and heart disease. In order to make the most of these benefits, decorate your plate. Choose reds, deep greens, yellows and oranges. Fill your plate with color. Some suggestions would be red pepper, kale, yellow squash, and sweet potatoes. For fruits you can select apricots and cantaloupe because they also have carotenoids. 7) Kids and the Internet:Recent events in the news have brought back to our attention why we always need to vigilant about kids and their Internet activities. As parents you must set some rules and guidelines before you even think about letting your kids use the Internet. You also must be sure they understand them. Here are a few of the basics:
As a parent, don't hesitate to ask your kids to give you a tour of the Internet. Viewing things through their eyes can give you a better perspective on what they are doing -- and it can also make you feel more comfortable about what they do online, as well. 8) Subscribe/UnsubscribeThis newsletter, the Green Thumb Times, is sent out only to those who have requested a FREE subscription by signing up at http://rexseedco.com or specifically asked to be added PRIVACY: Your email address is held in the strictest of privacy. It is never traded or sold to anyone else. To subscribe to The Green Thumb Times To unsubscribe Rex Gregor, Editor Tom Krueger, Publisher Please feel free to forward The Green Thumb Times to a friend. Rex’s Seedco has searched the world for quality
growers of garden seeds. Many of these farmers bring together ancient
wisdom and modern science so people everywhere may have good health
and enjoyment in life. We are dedicated to providing the best wherever
they are found.
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