|
[ Past Issues Index ] [ Rex's Seedco Home ] [ Our Seed Catalog ] [ About Us ]
|
||||||
|
Table of Contents
1) Editor's Comments:We mentioned last issue that we'd be talking about a number of herbs over the next several issues. This week we look at basil. Articles this week include a look at Swedish Ivy, extending the life of your Easter lily, have a reader question about tulips, 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) Swedish Ivy (Pelectranthus foresseri):
Swedish ivy is often found in and around farms because its penetrating, unmistakable odor is said to keep vermin away. This herbaceous perennial is usually grown as an annual and is native to southeast India. This is a very popular plant because of its aromatic colorful leaves and white tubular flowers that bloom in the summer. It has a spreading habit with stems growing to about 40 inches in length. Swedish ivy makes an ideal container plant for balconies and is also excellent for hanging baskets. It grows best in partial shade and well drained moist soil. They do need plenty of water and monthly applications of water soluble fertilizer during the growing season. It is easily propagated from cuttings. The slightly oval leaves are bright green with rounded, toothed margins. The stems are somewhat square and may turn purple. The plant has small, white flowers. Swedish ivy is mainly grown as an indoor plant in hanging baskets. The plant needs medium light from east or west windows. The temperature should be from 60° to 85° F. (15.5° to 29.5° C.). We suggest you not over fertilize. As we said, the plant needs adequate drainage. Even though it needs plenty of water, you should never let the plant set in water as root rot may occur. Finally, Swedish ivy is relatively pest free. *** 10% Savings Through May 13, 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:Two elderly women were out driving in a large car - both could barely see over the dashboard. As they were cruising along, they came to an intersection. The stoplight was red, but they just went on through. The woman in the passenger seat thought to herself "I must be losing it. I could have sworn we just went through a red light." After a few more minutes, they came to another intersection and the light was red again. Again, they went right through. The woman in the passenger seat was almost sure that the light had been red but was really concerned that she was losing it. She was getting nervous. At the next intersection, sure enough, the light was red and they went on through. So, she turned to the other woman and said, "Mildred, did you know that we just ran through three red lights in a row? You could have killed us both!" Mildred turned to her and said, "Oh my! Am I driving?" 4) Your Easter Lily:Do you still have your Easter Lily? It is not necessary to dump your Easter Lily after Easter. You can enjoy its beauty and fragrance far longer than you think. Hope you've moved it to a sunny window after Easter. You'll want to keep it there until all danger of frost is past. Keep watering it, but be careful not to over-water. The leaves may have started to turn yellow and they may drop off. Don’t panic - the plant is going into a rest period. This is a time when you need to keep it on the dry side. When the weather has warmed and all danger of frost is past, you can plant it outside in a sunny location in fertile well-drained soil. The Easter Lily is actually a bulb and when you remove it from the original pot you will a see a root ball. When you move it, gently spread the root ball and place it about three inches below the soil surface. Cover the root ball with soil and mulch, then cut the stems back to ground level. Water well and fertilize with a water-soluble 10-10-10 fertilizer. In a few weeks new shoots should appear and the Easter Lily should bloom again in late summer. It will not bloom again next year, so this will be the end of its life cycle. 5) Basil (Ocium basilicum):
Basil is an indispensable ingredient of western culture. It is enjoyed for its rich spicy, peppery flavor. The aromatic leaves may be harvested throughout the summer until the plant begins to flower. Besides its culinary uses, basil is used in other ways. In alternative medicine, it is used for its diuretic and anti- spasmodic properties. The oils in this plant are often used in the perfume industry and in the manufacture of herb-based liqueurs. Basil is a subtropical plant, and is best sown in the spring in sandy well drained soil rich in humus. It likes a sunny location sheltered from the wind. The soil must be kept moist at all times and it needs to be fertilized two or three times during the summer. Basil is truly an incredible herb. It is an annual herb identified by its square hairy stems. There are over 40 commonly known varieties of which Ocimum basilicum is best known (Sweet Basil). Basil has been cultivated for more than 5,000 years. We offer a number of interesting basil seeds: HR320 Basil, Large Sweet Italian 50 Seeds per pkg. $2.30 Visit Rex’s Seedco Favorite Garden Herbs at http://www.rexseedco.com/ Click Image for Our Angels Gallery 6) Quote for Today:"The very least you can do in your life is to figure out
what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope.
Not
admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof." 7) Reader Mailbag: TulipsLast fall I planted a new forty-foot tulip border. This spring it is coming up quite well, but as you might expect, there are a couple of gaps here and there. Is it ok to plant bulbs in the spring to fill in those gaps? I'm afraid that if I wait until the usual time this fall, I won't remember where the gaps were that I wanted to fill in.It is not unusual for a few tulip bulbs not to germinate, especially they were purchased from a non-professional source - i.e. a source that does not guarantee the quality of the bulbs. We don't know whether you are located in an area where it freezes in the winter months, but we'll assume you do. We usually suggest planting bulbs at least three to four inches apart; thus, in the event a bulb does not grow, it will not be as noticeable. When bulbs are through blooming in the spring, it's a good idea to plant some annuals in the same bed. This will keep the bed looking great all summer long. During the summer months your tulips will develop new "baby bulbs" from the Mother bulb; these baby bulbs will grow out about 10 to 12 inches and next spring your area will generally be completely filled in with new tulips, as well as the one from the Mother bulb. If you wish, you can re-plant new bulbs in the vacant space now; however, because they are being planted with different timing than the originals, they may bloom on a different schedule than the current tulips. This may result in a tulip bed that looks a bit ragged. This is one reason we prefer being more generous in the number of bulbs originally planted. Any that don't germinate won't really be missed. 8) The Coldest Place:
But we can't hold a candle to the coldest known place in our solar system. Triton, the largest moon of Neptune, has been measured to have a temperature of -391° degrees Fahrenheit (-235° C.). That’s 391 degrees below zero. We don't think a warm front would help the growing season on Triton. 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 ]
|
||||||
Basil probably originated in India, but other countries have also
placed claim to its origination, including Persia, Greece, and Italy.
Your editors live in Minnesota. We often hear about how cold it is
here in the winter.