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Table of Contents
1) Editor's Comments:This week we take an in-depth look at Iris. This is a gorgeous perennial you may want to consider. A good share of the balance of the issue has a focus on herbs. Not much other information to share this week. Although, we do want to mention that we are removing anywhere from 10 to 20 subscribers every week because of full mailboxes and undeliverable messages. Also, for some reason we've been getting caught in ISP filtering the past week. We are thinking it is because most subscribers receive Green Thumb Times in HTML format. We might be forced to publish a text-only version - then, in order to view a good looking version, you'd have to go to our website. We'll keep you informed on any changes. As always, if you do have questions, suggestions or ideas, do not hesitate to drop us a note. Tom Krueger Rex Gregor 2) Bearded Iris:
The Iris borer is a serious pest to the plant. These pinkish caterpillars are found in an area roughly from east of the Rockies, north in Canada south to Washington D.C. then west to Iowa. You can easily identify the borer by looking for small piles of "sawdust like" excrement located near the base of the plant. This is a sure sign that you are infested with borers. The borers hatch into tiny caterpillars and then tunnel into the leaves and work their way down to the rhizome. They then move into the soil in late July and early August to pupate into moths. The female will then lay eggs on the Iris to begin the life cycle again for the next year. To prevent borers you'll want to keep your garden clear of debris with a good fall clean up. The larva will over winter in the debris you leave in your garden. Iris bloom from late spring to mid-summer with incredible beautiful blooms. They grow very well in Zones 2 to 9. As we said, the Bearded Iris is the most popular of all Iris. It grows best in full sun to part shade. It does need at least a half day of full sun. When you plant the bulbs or rhizomes, you should place them about 18" apart -- this distance gives them ample room to spread for 3 or 4 years before they will need to be divided. In fact, dividing and replanting every four years will give you the best blooms. We suggest you remove spent blossoms by snapping them off at their base - this will keep your clump well groomed. After the complete stalk dies, cut it off at the base of the plant -- this will keep your bed free of debris and will help keep the borers from infesting your plants. Iris do need to be fed. We recommend a light feeding of a balanced fertilizer (10-10-10) in late February, and again after the plant quits blooming. After blooming, the plant will start storing energy in its bulbs for next year's blooms - they will need the nourishment from the fertilizer for peak performance next spring and summer. There is no doubt that Bearded Iris is one of the most beautiful flowers in the world. You can enjoy a bouquet on your dinning room table most of the summer. We hope you will enjoy them. Are you a fan of Peppers? You'll need to check our our brand new selection of nearly 150 varieties. Click Here for Our New List and Click Here for Unique Peppers 3) Humor for Today:One Sunday a little boy was in church with his mother when he had to go to the bathroom. He tugged on his mother's arm. "Mommy, I have to pee!" She shushed him and said, "It isn't right to say the word 'pee' in church. From now on, when you have to go just tell me that you have to 'whisper,' okay?" The following Sunday the boy's father took him to church. The boy tugged on his father's sleeve and said, "Daddy, I have to whisper!" His father leaned down and said, "Okay, just whisper in my ear." 4) Plum Pockets:This sure sounds like it is some sort of fruit sandwich or recipe. But it isn't.
How do you spot it? New shoot growth is often distorted, leaves curl, and fruits become misshapen. Sure enough, you treat your plum tree just like you do for peach leaf curl. As we said last week, if you want to use a fungicide to protect the tree, this is the time to do it, during dormancy and before the buds begin to swell. Make sure to read the label of any product you decide to use. Remember, once the symptoms are there, it is too late to control it. 5) Which Herbs to Plant:Oh my, there are hundreds of herb plant choices, how do you decide what you want to grow?
Lets start there. For long, hot summer climates, consider Mexican and Southeast Asian herbs. If you like citrus fragrance, there are quite a few lemon-, line-, and orange-scented herbs, such as lemongrass, lemon thyme, orange basil, and many more. What about French cooking? Take a look at French lavender, marjoram, tarragon, thyme, rosemary, and sage. For these, you'll want good drainage and a sunny location. No matter what you decide to grow, it is always a good idea to plant multiples - consider doing them in 3s, 5s, 7s, etc. And in your herb garden, also consider the form and design. Besides the great flavors you'll get from the herbs, why not also create a great looking bed. And always remember there are herbs with great fragrant leaves that can be caressed and will emit fantastic smells for you to enjoy. Consider placing some of these near the patio or back door. Click Here to visit our Herb page, or visit http://rexseedco.com/herbseed.htm Click Image for Our Angels Gallery 6) Quote for Today:"When life hands you a lemon, say 'Oh yeah, I like lemons.
What else you got?'" 7) Aromatherapy:
We just picked this up, that if stress is leading to high blood pressure, aromatherapy can really help you. Use one or more of the following scents in your bath, for a massage, or in candles or incense for your room. These scents will help you relax and ease some of that tension in your mind and body.
And maybe you can keep aromatherapy in mind as you decide what herbs you want to add to your garden. 8) Hanging Salad:Another idea for hanging baskets is the have a hanging salad outside your kitchen door. Create a hanging basket with salad greens and herbs for a great cook's garden that's handy. And it'll be out of reach from slugs and caterpillars. 9) 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, or are a valued customer of Rex's Seedco. 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 Tom Krueger, Editor and Publisher Rex Gregor, Contributing Editor 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
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The
Iris is a diverse group of bulbs and rhizomes with over 200 species
and an incredible number of cultivars. They do range in cultural requirements
-- some are drought tolerant and others require a pond in which to
flourish. Iris foliage is grass-like and the flowers are very complex
and showy, and their flower colors vary dramatically. There are three
main categories of Iris: bearded, beardless and crested. They come
in every known color including variegated colors. The Bearded Iris
is the most popular and well known.
In
our last issue we talked about peach leaf curl. Did you know that there
is something similar for plum trees? If you've seen similar symptoms
in your plum tree, you may well have Plum Pockets.
To
help answer, we need to ask ourselves a couple questions. Do you like
to experiment when you cook? Are you fond of all kinds of ethnic foods?
Do you live in a climate with long, hot summers? Do you like certain
groups of fragrances, such as citrus?
Over
the past couple years, aromatherapy has become quite popular, even
though it has been around for centuries. It is basically the art and
science of the impact of smells on our health and beauty.