|
[ Past Issues Index ] [ Rex's Seedco Home ] [ Our Seed Catalog ] [ About Us ]
|
||||||
|
Table of Contents
1) Editor's Comments:Time sure flies. March is nearly upon us. Last week we talked about starting your seeds, this week we take a look at what to do once they sprout. We also take a look at succulents, share a legend of white heather, and more. 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) Succulents:If you are one of those gardeners who tends to forget watering your plants when they need it, you might want to try growing succulents. Succulents are plants native to dry and mountainous regions. They store water in their fleshy leaves and will survive on those water reserves. This means your watering and feeding can be reduced to a minimum. In fact, too much water will tend to weaken the plant's tissues which will make them vulnerable to pests and diseases. Succulents are an excellent choice for window boxes or as container plants. For years we've wondered why succulents are not grown in more gardens. One of the reasons might be because they have Latin names and some do not have a common name. Some of the hard to remember names are; ‘Mescal Agave,' ‘Haworthia pumila,' ‘Tula Agave,' etc. Many varieties will produce beautiful flowers all through the growing season and add beauty to your yard or garden. As we said, they require very little maintenance, and if you forget to water them – no problem, you can water them when you get around to it. Successful cultivation of succulents requires a thorough understanding of their dormancy requirements. The vast majority of succulents need to have a dormancy period at least once a year. This dormancy will occur in response to one or more factors -- among them can be the changes of temperature, light, or moisture condition. There are three types of dormancy: winter growers, summer growers, or opportunistic growers. The opportunistic are those who respond to water when available, and they become dormant when water is not available. The opportunistic plants are the easiest to grow, but there are less of them. It's obvious that the winter growers prefer cooler temperatures in the winter and observe the dormancy during the warm months -- the opposite is true for the summer growers. Watering succulents can be tricky. It is important to remember that succulents originated in a very dry climate. Some in their native habitat will only get about 4" of rain per year. Many will survive by getting their moisture from ground. It is best to give your succulents only as much water as they would normally get in their normal habitat. These plants will generally grow best in temperatures of 65º to 90º F. (18º to 32º C.) Finally, there is one important practice in succulent culture you should remember -- when transplanting a succulents, allow a few days between the actual transplanting and watering the plant. This will allow the healing of any root damage from transplanting; it also reduces the chance of root or stem rot. *** 10% Savings Through March 4, 2004 *** 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:No matter how hard my mom tries, every plant or flower she has attempted to grow seems to wither and die an untimely death under her care. But she never gives up hope. While she was visiting home recently, my sister nudged me and pointed to a line of new plants placed by the kitchen window. "Look," she whispered, "death row." 4) Light Requirements for New Seedlings:
Plants need a maximum of light for optimum growth, either natural or from fluorescent lamps. If you have a south-facing window, put your seed trays as close to the window as possible, without it being too cool. If you're using fluorescent light, four 40-watt fluorescent bulbs will provide sufficient light for a 2 by 4 foot area. Lamps should be placed 6-12 inches above the plants, and left on for at least 18 hours per day. 5) Herb Tip:
Click Image for Our Palm Tree
Gallery 6) Quote for Today:"In every person who comes near you look for what is good
and strong; honor that; try to imitate it, and your faults will drop
off
like dead leaves when their time comes." 7) The Legend of White Heather:There's a legend passed down through Scottish history about a famous Celtric Bard, Ossian, who had a daughter named Malvina. She was a beautiful, sweet-natured girl. In time, Oscar, a handsome warrior, became betrothed to Malvina. In a search for fame and fortune, Oscar went to war. On a beautiful autumn day, Malvina was hiking on the Scottish hillsides with her father and she told him how much she loved her brave handsome warrior. A short time later, a ragged messenger found them and brought the terrible news that Oscar had been killed in a mighty battle. The messenger gave Malvina a spray of Scottish Heather as a last gift from Oscar and told her that Oscar had died whispering her name and pledging his love. In her grief, Malvina ran across the hillside, weeping bitterly. Wherever her tears fell, the purple heather turned to pure white. To this day in Scotland, it is said that white heather is a symbol of her everlasting love.SCOTCH HEATHER (Calluna vulgaris) is an evergreen bushy shrub belonging to the Ericacaea family, native to the moorlands and heathlands of Scotland and Western Europe. In late summer it produces single or double bell-shaped flowers grouped in dense clusters of red, violet, pink or white. The heather flowers will always attract large numbers of butterflies. It likes to grow in either full sun or partial shade - and prefers an acid soil. Heather has been cultured for centuries, and there are now over 1,000 cultivars. But, there are three genera (Calluna, Erica and Daboecia). Scotch Heather will grow in the United States and Canada in Zones 4 to 6. It is a varied and interesting plant. The foliage can be silver, yellow, gray and various hues of green -- these colors can change with cold weather to red, orange, bronze or dark green. Some varieties will have beautiful colors for new growth such as pink, yellow, orange or crème. If you like to obtain seeds for Scotch Heather, email Rex’s Seedco - Rexgregor@rexseedco.com 8) Little Golden Books:If you're a baby boomer, you probably remember Little Golden Books from your childhood. In fact, if you've had children of your own, you've probably read some of them to your kids. The Little Golden Books first appeared in 1942, and were sold in dime stores, drug stores and food markets. There are a number of people who collect Little Golden Books. You can learn more about LGBs from the Collecting Little Golden Books site, maintained by Steve Santi, author of a book about collecting the series. Click here or visit http://www.thesantis.com/home2.htm 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.
|
||||||
|
[ Past Issues Index ] [ Rex's Seedco Home ] [ Our Seed Catalog ] [ About Us ]
|
||||||
Last week we talked about starting your seeds. But once your seeds
have germinated - what next?
When you chop fresh leafy herbs, such as basil or tarragon, they can
turn dark. Here's a little tip. Sprinkle a little vegetable (or olive
oil) on the herbs before chopping. It also helps to chop the herbs
right before adding them to the recipe.
