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Table of Contents
1) Editor's Comments:Where does the time go. Here in the U.S. many of us have gone off daylight savings time. In the Northern Hemisphere the days are growing short; in the Southern Hemisphere, the days are growing long. Here at the Green Thumb Times, our week was unbelievably busy - so busy in fact, we have been hard pressed to get an issue out in a timely manner. This is the latest we've sent an issue since we started nearly two years ago. Because of our tardiness, we'll give any subscriber 5% off any order placed at Rex's Seedco until 11:59pm Tuesday, November 4th. But be sure to mention you are a subscriber so you get this discount. In this issue we look at the Cardinal flower, offer other tips and things, and of course, we have our reader mailbag. As always, if you do have questions, suggestions or ideas, do not hesitate to drop us a note. Tom Krueger Rex Gregor "Exotic & Unusual Seeds from Around the World" 2) Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis):There are many fall-blooming annual flowers that perform very well in sunny gardens. However, fall blooming perennials are quite limited. The “Cardinal Flower” is one plant that blooms in late summer or early fall and has the advantage of also being a shade-tolerant plant. The Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) will provide a brilliant splash of red color to your shade garden. There are only a few plants that produce an intense red color in the fall. These beauties bloom for about three to four weeks from mid-August through early September and is hardy from Zones 2 to 9. In North America, it has an extensive range from New Brunswick, Canada to Florida and then as far west as Texas. It grows best in spots with at least 1/2 day of shade. The plant prefers a moist soil and grows best if you use some aged manure to enrich the soil.
This butterfly and hummingbird activity provides an opportunity for your Cardinal Flowers to be pollinated and thus, will produce an abundance of seeds for the next year. Be aware, the seeds are very fine, dust-like, and will yield plants that are short lived perennials. Because of the limited two to four years life, it is beneficial to re-plant the seeds every year to ensure you'll have a continued patch of Cardinal flowers. A nice idea is to plant the Cardinal flowers in large containers set in a tray of water on your patio or deck. Not only will you enjoy the beauty of these flowers close to your home, but the hummingbirds and butterflies may find them, especially in the late afternoon or evening, and you can enjoy watching them. We hope you enjoy both the hummingbirds and butterflies along with your Cardinal flowers. *** 5% savings until November 5, 2003 *** These savings are ONLY for subscribers to Green Thumb Times. The discount will not show up in your shopping cart -- we will take care of it for you before finalization of your order. (No other discounts apply.) 3) Humor for Today:It was the end of the day when I parked my police van in front of the station. As I gathered my equipment, my K-9 partner, Jake was barking and I saw a little boy staring in at me. "Is that a dog you got back there?" he asked. "It sure is," I replied. Puzzled, the boy looked at me and then towards the back of the van. Finally he said, "What'd he do?" 4) Pear Tree Selection:
5) What are Native Plants?You often hear the phrase "native plants," and we've also used the term. But do you know what it means? The word "native" refers to plants that grow in the same habitat from which they originated. The opposite to native plants are "exotic" plants; these are plants grown in an area different from where they originated. Plants can be native to a whole continent, state or region. Bridge Baron offers you the most comprehensive, easy-to-use, computer bridge game available. I know because I've enjoyed it for years. I first purchased Bridge Baron with version 5, they are now up to version 13. It's been getting better every time. You need to check it out. 6) Quote for Today:"The bond of our common humanity is stronger than the divisiveness
of our fears and prejudices. God gives us the capacity for choice.
We can choose to alleviate suffering. We can choose to work together
for peace. We can make these changes - and we must." 7) Reader Mailbag: MoonflowersI would like to grow a moon garden but I cannot find any reference as to whether they are perennial or annual. Please Help!The main reason you don't find moongarden plants shown as either annual or perennial is that some moongarden plants are only considered perennial in warmer climates. Because of this, some will not make it through freezing weather, but they will make it through the winter months in warmer climates. It is best to treat all moongarden plants as annuals. There are some varieties that will seed themselves, but in those cases, you must be aware you can never be sure if the seeds will always germinate in sufficient quantity. To make sure your flower bed will look good the next year, it is best to transplant some new plants in early spring. Again, by treating moongarden plants as annuals, you will always be happy with the way your flower bed will look since you'll plant accordingly. 8) Re-potting a Prickly Cactus:Oh my, how the devil do you re-pot a prickly cactus without turning your hands into pincushions? Use a sling of rolled newspaper.
Do not water for about a week. 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 Click Here or send email to subscribegtt@goalsmint.com To unsubscribe Click Here or send email to unsubscribegtt@goalsmint.com 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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Another wonderful thing about the Cardinal flower is that it blooms
at an opportune time for butterfly and hummingbird enthusiasts. Generally,
butterflies are at the peak of their population in the fall and they
will swarm in large numbers around the Cardinal flowers. They'll easily
find it because of the red color. Hummingbirds also love to feast on
the Cardinal flower prior to their long migration south.
When it comes time to select a pear tree, will it be European or Asian?
European pear species have buttery-smooth fruits, but may be susceptible
to fire blight. The Asian species has small, crisp, somewhat gritty
fruits, but are more resistant to disease.
In the new pot, cover the drainage hole with clay pot shard and line
the bottom third of the pot with gravel and an inch or more of soil.
Give the old pot a tap on a hard surface to lossen the soil. Use your
newspaper sling to lift and move the cactus to its new home. Place
the cactus about 1/2 inch below the pot rim and fill around the root
ball with your cactus potting mix.