Table of Contents
- Editor's Comments
- Daylilies (Hemerocallis) (Part I)
- Humor for Today
- Pruning Rose Bushes: Tools for Pruning Your Rose Bushes
- Highlight on Herbs: Woodruff
- Quote for Today
- Reader Follow-up: Mosquito Repelling Ideas
- Keeping Nutrients In Foods
- Subscribe/Unsubscribe
1) Editor's Comments:
If you have considered Daylilies for your garden, we thought you'd
like some useful information. We also look at pruning your roses, have
another herb to look at, include some reader follow-up on mosquitoes,
and more.
As always, if you do have questions, suggestions or ideas,
do not hesitate to drop us a note.
Tom Krueger
tomkrueger@rexseedco.com
Rex Gregor
rexgregor@rexseedco.com
"Exotic & Unusual
Seeds from Around the World"
[ table of contents
]
2) Daylilies (Hemerocallis) (Part I):
Daylilies have been popular in American and Canadian gardens for generations.
They thrive with so little care that you can find them in old neglected
gardens, abandoned home sites and even along road sides. These remarkable
plants are now enjoying new interest from gardeners.
Here are some fantastic photos of some varieties:
If you are unable to see the images, please visit the on-line version. Click
Here Improved varieties are being introduced in
a wide range of colors and with spectacular flower forms. Another
advantage is longer blooming times. There are so many varieties
now that you can have daylilies blooming all season long, with
varieties set to bloom successfully from early spring until frost.
Daylilies will range in height from miniatures (15 inches) to
giants that will grow up to 5 feet or more. Blossoms may be less
than three inches or up to eight inches across. Some will have
a single ring of petals and others have a double row of overlapping
petals.
Daylilies are excellent for bouquets. Faded flowers are replaced
by new buds that open indoors in a vase of water. Today's hybrids
cover a spectrum of color from pale yellow to orange, pink, salmon,
red, and dark mahogany. Daylilies are known as polychromes and
are a blend of related shades. Bi color and eyed daylilies combine
every possible hue. These trumpet-shaped flowers are available
in thousands of choices.
The last time we checked there were at least 41,500 daylilies
registered with the American Hemerocallis Society and hybridizers
are registering at least 500 cultivars each year.
The modern daylily has undergone a tremendous facelift in recent
years and it is known as the backbone of many PERENNIAL GARDENS
- - this is particularly true of commercial gardens designed for
public buildings, parks, or entrances to malls and condominiums
where toughness and long-lasting color is so important.
All daylilies thrive in full sun but will tolerate partial shade.
Diseases are few and far between particularly if the soil is relatively
well drained. They are hardy in Zones 3 to 9.
Many varieties have been developed for specific regions. You may
want to check with your local nursery for those best suited to
your area. We like the "diamond dusted" varieties, some
of which actually sparkle in the sun. You can't hardly go wrong
by growing at least one bed of these beautiful flowers.
Next issue we'll look at growing a perennial garden of daylilies.
Permission to publish these images was granted by Judi and Paul
Aucoin http://www.shantihgardens.com/
Please visit their website
at the above address.
[ table of contents
]
*** Subscriber-Only Sale ***
15% off ALL seeds until August 27
(This is an unadvertised Green Thumb subscriber-only sale on any
and all seeds at Rex's Seedco. Does not apply to books or other non-seed
items. Discount will be applied after subscription is verified.)
3) Humor for Today:
Our minister announced that admission to a church social event would
be six dollars per person.
"However, if you're over 65," he said, "the price
will be only $5.50."
From the back of the congregation, a woman's voice rang out, "Do
you really think I'd give you that information for only fifty cents? [ table of contents
]
4) Pruning Rose Bushes:
Tools for Pruning Your Rose Bushes
 Hand
shears are most generally used for pruning rose bushes. They will work
best for canes up to 3/4" in diameter. The scissor type.
 The
Lopping Shears, are designed to cut canes that are up to 1-1/2" in
diameter.
Popular roses such as the hybrid teas, floribundas, grandifloras,
hybrid perituals and polyanthas should be pruned in early spring. You
do this before the buds begin to swell but before the growth has started.
You should remove all dead wood by cutting at least an inch below the
dead areas. If some of your canes have been winter killed -- remove
them. The vigorous canes should be cut down to a strong bud -- they
will look better if you choose those that are facing outward.
Shrub roses only flower in the spring and should NOT be pruned until
they have flowered. If you have old canes, dead wood or dead flowers,
these should be removed in early spring.
Climbing Roses, which are derived from hybrid tea varieties such as
Climbing Peace or Climbing Crimson Glory, should NOT be pruned heavily
- only remove the dead wood and bloomed-out flower stems.
The vigorous climbers often known as ramblers, only flower in the
spring and should only be pruned after the old wood canes have finished
flowering in the spring. New, 'year old canes,' will generally flower
most heavily if you train them.
Pruning your roses is important and if you love them as I do, you
will really enjoy working with them! I like to listen to a tape of
the 'The Yellow Rose of Texas' while working in my rose beds.
[ table of contents ]
5) Highlight on Herbs: Woodruff
Woodruff is an attractive herb best grown in woodland
areas making a wonderful ground-cover. The leaves can be infused to
make an herbal tea. It was also valued as an herbal bath to refresh
tired limbs.
It is hardy to Zone 3 growing to a height of 9-12 inches. It prefers
moist, well-drained soil. Seeds should be sown in late summer - it
can be divided after flowering.
The leaves are lance-shaped bright green. The flowers are small, white
or blue and star-like with four petals.
Weet woodruff is an ancient herb. During the Middle Ages it was used
to give a pleasant scent to houses - this is because the foliage when
cut, gives off a pleasant smell of freshly mown hay. It was also used
to cure stomachaches and to stop nosebleeds.
You can use the roots as dye. The flowers are a great help for attracting
bees to your garden. G. odoratum is currently used for varicos veins
and phlebitis; G. asperula is used to treat mononucleosis, tonsillitis,
benign cysts and other skin complaints. SF021 Fragrant Blue Woodruff (Asperula orientalis)
One foot tall plants are covered with fragrant lavender-blue flowers.
Flowers are gathered in clusters well above the foliage. They make
long lasting cutflowers and excellent border plants.
1/8 Teaspoon Package $2.50
Click
Here --
Found on our Herbs page
[ table of contents
]
Save
up to 70% at gardeners.com Outlet
6) Quote for Today:
"We ought always to deal justly, not only with those who are
just to us, but likewise to those who endeavor to injure us; and
this, for fear lest by rendering them evil for evil, we should fall
into the same vice."
-- HIEROCLES
[ table of contents
]
7) Reader Follow-up: Mosquito Repelling Ideas
We received the following from reader Tom in Norco, California. He
thought our readers would be interested in the information.
- NPR reports that if you eat bananas, the mosquitos like you -- something
about the banana oil as your body processes it. (Maybe they need the
potassium too.) Stop eating bananas for the summer and the mosquitos
will be much less interested.
- Avoid sweet floral smelling while perfumes outside.
- Use Bounce Fabric Softener Sheets...Best thing ever used in Louisiana.
Just wipe on & go...Great for Babies.
- Take one vitamin B-1 tablet a day, April through October. The odor
the tablet gives out through your skin (YOU can not smell it) repels
mosquitos, black flies, no seeums, and gnats. It does not work on stinging
insects. The person who shared this said he hasn't had a mosquito bite
in 33 years. Try it. Every one he has talked into trying it, it works
for them. Vitamin B-1 (Thiamin Hydrochloride 100 mg.)
- One of the best insect repellents someone found is Vick's Vaporub.
- Plant marigolds around the yard, the flowers give off a smell that
bugs do not like -- plant some in the garden to help ward off bugs
without using insecticides.
- "Tough guy" Marines who spend a great deal of time "camping
out" say that the very best mosquito repellent you can use is
Avon Skin-So-Soft bath oil mixed about half and half with alcohol.
- How to mix your own repellent:
20 drops Eucalyptus oil
20 drops Cedarwood oil
10 drops Tea Tree oil
10 drops Geranium oil
2 oz. carrier oil (such as Jojoba)
Mix together in a 4 oz. container. Apply to skin as needed avoiding
the eye area. Keep out of reach of children. Test on a small area of
skin for sensitivities. Experiment with different percentages of essential
oils.
- One of the best natural insect repellents is made from the clear
real vanilla (not the grocery store vanilla extract which is mostly
alcohol). This is the pure vanilla sold in Mexico. If you aren't in
the US close to the border, health food stores usually carry it or
they can order it for you. I use a mixture of half vanilla and half
water and find that it works great for mosquitoes and ticks -- don't
know about other insects.
- When all else fails--get a frog or build a bat house.
[ table of contents
]
8) Keeping Nutrients In Foods:
The cooking method you choose for many items can have a great impact
on the nutrients retained by your food. Steaming certain foods (especially
vegetables) is a great way to keep vitamins in the finished product.
Grilling also helps prevent loss of nutrients. Try roasting foods in
foil or parchment paper to preserve flavor, as well nutrition. If you
boil vegetables, save the water to add to soup recipes. And don't peel
those potatoes! Most of the beneficial fiber is lost to the garbage
can. [ table of contents
]
9) Subscribe/Unsubscribe
This 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
tomkrueger@rexseedco.com
Rex Gregor, Contributing Editor
rexgregor@rexseedco.com
Please feel free to forward The
Green Thumb Times to a friend.
[ table of contents
]
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.
|
