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Table of Contents
1) Editor's Comments:With St. Patrick's Day coming next week, we thought it would be good to share a couple items topical to the day. We've also included an article about seed germination that will help you to have better success. And, we're including an answer to a reader question. This is something we want to continue to do regularly. Unfortunately, there are times we have an issue all complete, and we simply forget to include a reader question. We are going to make an effort to do this more often. As always, if you do have questions, suggestions or ideas, do not hesitate to drop us a note. Tom Krueger Rex Gregor 2) Erin Go Bragh (Ireland Forever):
The day is celebrated with parades, speeches, festive dinners, and dances. Green is the color of the day, with thousands of little shamrocks worn by those forefathers who never touched the shores of Ireland or whose heritage does not belong to them.
The first St. Patrick's Day parade took place interestingly not in Ireland, but in the United States by Irish soldiers serving in the English military. They marched through New York City on March 17, 1762.
In 1948, President Truman attended New York City's St. Patrick's Day parade. This became a proud moment for many of the Irish whose ancestors had to fight stereotypes and racial prejudice to find acceptance in America. Leprechauns
These are considered lucky by Irish tradition: finding a four- leaf clover; the wearing of the green; and kissing the blarney stone The Blarney Stone The Blarney Stone is a stone set in the wall of the Blarney Castle Tower in the Irish village of Blarney. Kissing the stone is supposed to bring the kisser the Gift of Persuasive Eloquence. The legend says that an old woman cast a spell as a reward to a king who had saved her from drowning. Kissing the stone gave the king the ability to speak sweetly and convincingly, It is difficult to reach the stone. Kissers have to lie on their back and bend backward or downward, while holding iron bars for support. St. Patrick's Day Pinch
Definition of an Irish Husband He hasn't kissed his wife in twenty years, but he will kill any man who does My Wild Irish Rose
The True Irish Shamrock Rex's Seedco is so pleased to carry
the true Irish Shamrock (#D9605). No type of Irish
celebration would be complete without a few familiar shamrocks around.
These plants can be started inside at any time of the year. They thrive
in sandy soil, and make a wonderful filler plant for nooks in rock
gardens. What a response to our vast new selection of peppers. You'll surely find something new and unique for this year - or even some of your favorites. Take a look for yourself. Be sure to visit both pages. Click
Here for Pepper Page 1 and 3) Humor for Today:A farmer named O'Rourke lived alone in the countryside with a pet dog which he loved and doted on. After many long years of companionship, the dog finally died so O'Rourke went to the parish priest: "Father, my dear old dog is dead. Could you be saying a mass for the poor creature?" Father Michael replied, "I am so very sorry to hear about your dog's death. But, unfortunately we cannot have services for an animal in the church. However, there's a new denomination down the road, no telling what they believe, but maybe they'll do something for the animal." O'Rourke said, "I'll go right now. Do you think $500 is enough to donate for the service?" Father Michael: "Now, now... why didn't you tell me the dog was Catholic!" 4) Candles:
However, the scent from incense is actually more reliable. When you sniff an unlit stick of incense, that is usually the scent you'll get when you burn it, but stronger. Unfortunately, candles often smell great when you purchase them, but end up with almost no scent when you burn them. If the lighter scent of candles is more to your liking, you'll want to find a brand that is scent reliable. About the only way to find a reliable brand is to buy a candle and burn it. If it gives the right level of scent when burnt and is true to the smell when sniffed unlit, then stick with that brand. Their other scents will likely also be as reliable. 5) Special Note About Seed Germination:Some species of seeds have hard casings to protect the seed "embryo." For most of these "hard" seeds, you'll want to scar, scratch, or soften the outer shell in some way to help the embryo break its way out of the shell. Did you know it is possible that some species may take up to a month or longer to germinate? They may also need special help to get the shell softened. Most varieties of slow germinating seeds will turn black and rot if there is not sufficient heat in the soil (75 to 90 degrees F) or if you allow the soil to dry out and/or even if you keep it too wet. If the soil is kept too wet, this might cause fungus or mold to grow. It is important to speed up germination and to get the plants growing as soon as possible in order to avoid potential problems. When the outer shell is softened, it allows the contents to expand. Potassium Nitrate (Saltpeter) can help soften the outer shells. You may obtain Saltpeter at most drug stores. We suggest you soak the seeds for at least 24 hours in a solution of one teaspoon of the saltpeter to a quart of warm water. Do not allow the seeds to dry out – sow them immediately after soaking using the remaining solution to moisten the soil or the growing medium. With these tips in mind, you should have better luck with germination. Click Image for Our Flower Garden
Gallery 6) Quote for Today:"Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man
has many – not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have
some." 7) Reader Question: Daffodils
Daffodils should be planted "roughly" about three times the depth as the bulb is wide. The daffodil prefers a well drained soil. You can plant your bulbs in early spring after the ground thaws. They will do well in Zones 3 to 9. They prefer full sun but will do OK in partial shade. Since they are a perennial, they will come up for you every year. Some gardeners leave the bulbs in the ground all year long - they will plant annuals around the bulbs for a more striking display. The bulbs will poke their heads through the ground as soon as the ground warms. Some gardeners like to start their bulbs indoors in a suitable container during the very early spring - thus they will get blooms very, very early in the spring. You can start them in a sunny window or under "gro lights." This way, you can enjoy spring flowers when snow is on the ground. 8) St. Patrick's Day Recipe Site:
You'll also find links to other St. Patrick's Day recipes, as Enjoy. 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
they are found.
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St.
Patrick's Day is Ireland's greatest national holiday as well as a holy
day. The date marks the anniversary of the death of the missionary
who became the patron saint of Ireland. It is a happy holiday for the
Irish wherever they may be - in Dublin, New York City, Boston, or San
Francisco.
It
is known that St. Patrick was born in Great Britain near the end of
the fourth century to wealthy parents. At the age of 16, Patrick was
taken prisoner by a group of Irish raiders who were attacking his family's
estate. They transported him to Ireland where he spent six years in
captivity. During this time, he worked as a shepherd away from people.
Lonely and afraid, he turned to his religion for solace, and became
a devout Christian.
The
parade and music helped the soldiers to reconnect with their Irish
roots. The annual St. Patrick's Day parade became a show of strength
for Irish Americans, as well as a must-attend event for political candidates.
Leprechauns
are little make-believe characters from Ireland, who are the little
old men who are shoemakers for the fairies. They usually stand about
two-feet tall. Treasure hunters can often track down a leprechaun by
the sound of his shoemaker's hammer. The legend is that if you catch
one, you can force him to tell you where he hides his gold.
Irish
school children have started a tradition of their own. They pinch a
classmate who is not wearing green on St. Patrick's Day. Did you know
that Wearing of the Green is strictly a U.S. custom. The reason for
the color green is its connection with the old Irish Green Flag. This
Flag was flown when Ireland was not free
Many
folks burn candles to scent the room. Others will use incense, but
it is much stronger, which is why many don't like to use it - it is
just too intense.
Someone
wrote with a question about planting daffodils. We thought it would
be a good idea to share the information with everyone.