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1) Editor's Comments:Are you looking for something to add to your garden which needs little care? Be sure to check out our main article on daylillies. Among our normal follow-ups, tips and other items of interest is some good information on urban legends and hoaxes. Be sure to read the article because if you are like me, you've fallen for one or two of these and passed them on to others. As always, if you do have questions, suggestions or ideas, do not hesitate to drop me a note. Rex Gregor 2) Daylilies (Hemerocallis):Daylilies have been popular in American and Canadian gardens for generations. They thrive with so little care that you can find them in old neglected gardens, abandoned home sites, and along road sides. These remarkable plants are recently enjoying a new interest as improved varieties and they are being introduced with a broader range of colors and spectacular flower forms, as well as longer blooming times. There are now so many varieties, each blossoming at a different time, so they can be planted to bloom successively from early spring until frost. They will range in heights from minatures that grow from 15 inches, to giants that will grow up to five feet or more. Blossoms may be less than three inches to eight inches across. Some will have a single ring of petals and others have a double row of overlapping petals. Generally individual blossoms are short lived, but daylilies are excellent for bouquets as faded flowers are replaced by new buds that open indoors in a vase of water. Today's hybrids cover a spectrum from pale yellow to orange, pink, red, and dark mahogany. Daylilies known as polychromes are a blend of related shades. Bicolor and eyed daylilies combine every possible hue. These trumpet-shaped flowers are available in thousands of choices. You will find dozens or even hundreds at a good perennial nursery. Daylilies vary just as much in cost: - from free (a division from your neighbor) to hundreds of dollars for the latest award-winning hybrid. Some varieties have evergreen foliage when grown where winters are mild. Most generally, daylilies are grown as specimen plants alone or are massed in borders in combination with other perennials. They compete well with tree roots and may be used along the top or at the base of a wall, in front of a fence, beside a pond or stream, on slopes or as a ground cover. The most beautiful planting of daylilies I have seen is a multi-colored field. Again, they are easy to grow, many varieties multiply freely and they are seldom bothered by pests. Daylilies are well known in culinary arts, as well as in medical fields. Daylilies have been recognized in Chinese literature since 1000 BC. In Japan, the buds and flowers were eaten in salads and many people find the tight buds 'crunchy to the teeth and nutty to the taste'. The modern daylily has undergone a tremendous facelift in recent years and is now one of the backbones of many perennial plantings. This is particularly true of commercial installations designed for public buildings, parks or entrances to malls and condominiums where toughness and long-lasting color are so important. Daylilies hybridize readily and more than 20,000 are now registered with the International Registration Authority. This figure increases by at least 500 cultivars each year. All daylilies thrive in full sun but will tolerate partial shade. Diseases are few and far between, particularly if the soil is relatively well drained. How to grow Daylilies are hardy in zones 3 to 9. Many varieties have been developed for specific regions. You may want to check with your local nurseryman for those best suited to your area. I like the "diamond dusted" varieties, some of which actually sparkle in the sun. But because of the many thousands of varieties and colors, it is not possible for me to recommend the type or variety you might be interested in. I will promise to do my best to help you. Just e-mail me rexgregor@rexseedco.com. Daylilies grow in any good well-drained garden soil. I suggest working organic matter such as peat moss or compost into the soil when planting. I also recommend you add a handful of bone meal for each plant. Space the plants about one or two feet apart. Spread out the roots in the planting hole rather than placing them straight down. Set the crown, where the stem and roots meet, about one inch below the soil surface. If the weather is dry during the plants period of flowering, water thoroughly. I suggest you feed the plant in early spring with an all purpose fertilizer such as 5-10-5. It is a good idea to mulch around newly planted daylilies to conserve moisture. A winter mulch of straw or bark also helps keep plants from being heaved out of the ground in northern areas. This also protects them from severe cold. Remove flower stems that have completed blooming You may start additional plants from divisions at any time during the growing season. Some specimen varieties are noted for their prolific and unusual display of flowers in mass plantings. They are known as "day" lilies because some individual blossoms last for only a day. Each flower stalk has a dozen or more buds that open in succession for two or three weeks. Some may re-bloom several times during the summer. A few new landscape varieties stay in continous bloom all season. For a non-stop bloom all season you just can't beat 'Stella de Oro' and her sisters 'black-eyed Stella' and 'Happy Returns.' These rugged daylilies flower throughout the summer. Once established, each one grows bigger and better each year. 3) Back-sliding on New Year's Resolution:Okay, let's see a show of hands of those who made the infamous New Year's Resolution to lose weight this year. For those with their hands up, how many have started to back-slide? Rest assured, if you haven't been faithful to the resolution, you are not alone. The trick is to now look at ways to get back on track. There are often situations that tempt us to backslide. How we respond to these situations is important. Here are some possible responses:
4) Can't Tolerate Tomatoes?Last issue we talked about tomatoes. Of course, when we think of tomatoes, we automatically think of a big-red juciy fruit. Unfortunately, there are people who have problems eating "regular" varieties. The good news is that yellow tomatoes have lower acidity which make them more palatable. Try out a yellow variety this season and see for yourself. You can also look on your store shelf for "sun-dried" yellow tomatoes. They are also welcome additions for persons who don't have issues with red tomatoes. http://www.rexseedco.com/tomato.htm 5) Humor for Today:A teenager was set on getting his father to buy him a car. The father kept replying that his son needed to get a haircut."But Dad, Jesus had long hair!" pleaded the son. "Yes, and he walked everywhere he went" replied the father. 6) Watering Houseplants During Winter:Did you know that during the winter you need to be watering your houseplants differently? The days are shorter and there is less daylight, this means your plants need less water. The are also growing slower, so their fertilizer needs also decline. Tom, who publishes Green Thumb Times for me, has said he always has a problem with houseplants. It never fails, he loses his plants during the winter. Why? Because of the number one killer of houseplants -- overwatering! To see if it is time to water, check the soil an inch or two below the surface with your finger. If it's dry, it's time to water. The best way to do that watering is to take your plant to a large sink or even the bathtub where water can run freely through the soil and out. Water, wait 5-10 minutes, and then water again. Also, if your finger cannot penetrate the soil, it's probably root-bound. Root-bound plants are difficult to water because the moisture will move along the outside of the rootball. The solution for now is to soak the pot in a shallow pan of water for half an hour or so. When spring returns, go ahead and repot. 7) Debunking Urban Legends and Hoaxes:Urban legends and hoaxes continue to run wild through our e-mail inboxes. You've likely seen the messages that tell you to contact your elected officials because they are about to charge a tax on e-mail. What about supposed virus-laden message titled "A Virtual Card for You." There have been the ones about the picture of the 89-pound house cat, or the picture taken at the top of the World Trade Center just before the planes crashed into it. These were all hoaxes or urban legends. So how do you combat these hoaxes. The best way it to be skeptical or suspicious -- do your research and refrain from forwarding these messages whose claims you can't verify. How would you like a place to check out the veracity of something you just received? Snopes.com ( http://www.snopes.com ) is one place I've used to debunk these hoaxes. Here are some other places to help you determine whether something you receive is true or just another tall tale or false rumor:
8) Subscribe/UnsubscribeThis newsletter, the Green Thumb Times, is sent out only to those PRIVACY: Your email address is held in the strictest of privacy. To subscribe to The Green Thumb Times To unsubscribe Rex Gregor, Editor Please feel free to forward The Green Thumb Times to a friend. Rex’s Seedco has searched the world for quality
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