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Table of Contents
1) Editor's Comments:Of course this week we continue our Vegetable Garden Planting Guide. In the future we hope to do something similar for flowering plants. And speaking of flowering plants, take a look at Aubrietia - this is a gorgeous plant in our lead article. We also have another herb to share, and something no one wants to share, poison ivy. 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) Aubrietia:
Aubrietia is a beautiful flower that is actually an evergreen, cushion-forming perennial originating in the Mediterranean area. In the spring it will produce dense clusters of pink flowers or they may be blue or red depending on the species and variety. This plant is especially loved by adult butterflies for its nectar. It is also ideally suited for rock gardens and sunny places. Aubrietia likes sandy soil and can be raised from seed or propagated by division. The great thing about it, it does not have problems with insects or any disease. Unfortunately, this plant has mainly been grown as a rock garden perennial and many have not tried it other situations. It grows to about 6" tall and will spread several feet in width. Or, as in the image above, it will cascade over walls and is absolutely beautiful. There is a hybrid variety known as Silver Queen with variegated green and cream colored foliage with lavender flowers -- it is a real eye catcher. It has now been found to grow in almost any location in your garden, as long as it is in full or part sun. If it is planted in deep shade, the plants will tend to become leggy and will not flower as profusely. Aubrietia is not a fussy plant and it will grow in practically any well drained soil. It will do best if you mix generous quantities of organic material, processed cow manure, or peat moss to the soil. It only needs a light application of a balanced (10-10-10) water soluble fertilizer. We don't carry Aubrietia, but just drop us a note and we'd be happy to find a supplier for you. tom-krueger@rexseedco.com
3) Humor for Today:Coming through the door after school one day, Little Johnny hollers out... "Okay everyone in the house, please stand advised that I, Little Johnny Elvis Smith, have on this date made a complete fool of myself in sex-education class by repeating stories concerning storks as told to me by certain parties residing in this house!" 4) Vegetable Garden Planting Guide: Part FourThis is now our fourth installment of our Vegetable Garden Planting Guide. Leek You can start your seeds in flats or by direct seeding in early spring after the soil has warmed. Plant the seeds or the seedlings in a trench about 6" wide by 6" deep. Gradually fill in the trench as the seedlings grow. Leeks are biennials and they can be kept for a winter crop. Lettuce, Head Start the seeds in trays 6 to 7 weeks before the last frost. The seedlings can be transplanted outside before the last frost, but should be protected from frost with mulch if necessary. You should space the seedlings about a foot apart in rows 3 feet apart. Lettuce, Leaf Plant the seeds in the garden as soon as the soil can be worked. You should plant the seeds 1" apart in rows 3 feet apart. Cover the seeds with about ¼" of soil. Later, thin the plants to about 3" apart. Muskmelon Direct seed your melons in hills 4 feet apart after the soil has warmed to at least 65°. Plant about 10 seeds per hill, then thin to about four to six plants per hill. Cover the seeds with about 1" of soil. Okra Do not plant the seeds outside until the soil temperature has reached 70°. You should soak the seeds for 12 hours before planting. Plant the seeds about 4" apart in rows 3 feet apart. Cover the seeds with ¾”of soil. Later, thin the plants to about 18" apart. Onions You may start the seeds indoors in January or February or you can wait and plant outdoors in April or May. Sow the seeds about ¼" apart, covered with about ¼" of soil. Thin the plants to about 1" to 3" apart depending on the size of the bulbs you grow. Use long day varieties in the North and short day varieties in the South. Parsnip Plant parsnip seeds directly in the garden as soon as the soil can be worked. Sow the seeds about 1" apart in rows 3 feet apart. Lightly cover the seeds. Later the plants can be thinned to about 4" apart. Peanuts For northern growers, start your seeds indoors about 4 to 6 weeks before the last frost. In the South you may plant the seeds outdoors after the last frost. Plant the seeds 1" deep and about 3" to 4" apart. Later thin to 12" apart. We'll be back with more next week. 5) Highlight on Herbs: Peppermint (Mentha x piperta)Peppermint is the result of crossing several wild species of herbs found in Europe. These bushy herbaceous perennials have dark green, serrated leaves which contain menthol oil. Peppermint grows to three feet tall and will bear spikes of pink to violet flowers lasting all summer. Peppermint is used for both medicinal and culinary purposes. It has been used for pain, colds and nausea, as well as flavoring for candies, ice cream, and liqueurs, and is also a popular ingredient in cosmetics and soaps. Peppermint has a great number of species and varieties. The English varieties are probably the most popular. D7939 Peppermint Save
up to 70% at gardeners.com Outlet 6) Quote for Today:"If someone is too tired to give you a smile, leave one
of your own, because no one needs a smile as much as those who have
none to
give." 7) Poison ivy -- the bane of summer!If you've ever had a case of poison ivy, you know why you want to avoid it. The rash, blisters, and itching will just drive you crazy. Usually, people develop sensitivity to poison ivy only after several encounters with the plants, sometimes over many years. However, sensitivity can occur after only one exposure. The following information is taken from US Food and Drug Administration (www.fda.gov) Outsmarting Poison Ivy and Its Relatives by Carol Ballentine. The cause of the rash, blisters, and infamous itch is urushiol (pronounced oo-roo-shee-ohl), a chemical in the sap of poison ivy, oak and sumac plants. Because urushiol is inside the plant, brushing against an intact plant will not cause a reaction. But undamaged plants are rare. Reactions, treatments and preventive measures are the same for all three poison plants. Avoiding direct contact with the plants reduces the risk but doesn't guarantee against a reaction. Urushiol can stick to pets, garden tools, balls, or anything it comes in contact with. If the urushiol isn't washed off those objects or animals, just touching them--for example, picking up a ball or petting a dog--could cause a reaction in a susceptible person. (Animals, except for a few higher primates, are not sensitive to urushiol.) Urushiol that's rubbed off the plants onto other things can remain potent for years, depending on the environment. If the contaminated object is in a dry environment, the potency of the urushiol can last for decades. Even if the environment is warm and moist, urushiol can still cause a reaction a year later. Almost all parts of the body are vulnerable to the sticky urushiol, producing the characteristic linear (in a line) rash. Because the urushiol must penetrate the skin to cause a reaction, places where the skin is thick, such as the soles of the feet and the palms of the hands, are less sensitive to the sap than areas where the skin is thinner. The severity of the reaction may also depend on how big a dose of urushiol the person got. Next week we'll take a look at what to thwart the rash. 8) Rabbit Fence:In 1907, the No. 1 Rabbit Proof Fence was constructed as a means to keep the rabbit population from devastating the crops and farmland. At the time of its completion, it was was the longest fence in the world at 1,833 kilometers long. 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@rexseedco.com To unsubscribe Click Here or send email to unsubscribegtt@rexseedco.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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