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Table of Contents
1) Editor's Comments:We're making the long journey to the next growing season. Fall is well upon us and the cold weather for most of us is moving in. This issue we'll start to turn our attention to indoor gardening. With that, we'll start a series on orchids by removing a few myths that exist about them; we also look at more things to do in the yard with your roses and woody plants, as well as your lawn. Of course, another herb to look at, 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) Orchids (Part One):As the weather continues to get colder and it is very late in the fall, our thoughts start to turn to indoor gardening. We, of course, wait with anticipation when we can start our seeds for the new spring. One topic we haven't often touched upon are orchids. And not too many consider them for their homes. But you should, because orchid have such a range in beauty. Many species are so fragrant that a single flower can spread a wonderful smell throughout a room. Also, most orchid flowers are long lasting - staying in bloom from several weeks to several months. Further, different species bloom at different times, so you can have a continuous display if you choose your orchids well. An accurate count on the number of genera and species of orchids is not really known. Species counts in the last 20 years has ranged from 15,000 to 35,000. In fact, new species are continually being described. There have also been over 75,000 man-made hybrids in the last 150 years. Orchid blooms come in every imaginable combination of size, shape and color. The interesting thing is that with all these thousands of orchids, there are none that are black - there are dark brown, dark maroon and dark blue, but no black. One myth about orchids is that they are "jungle plants." In fact, species of orchids are found naturally all over the world, from sand dunes and bogs in temperate zones to barren tundra above the Arctic Circle. You'll also find them from sea level to altitudes of 14,000 feet. More interesting are some Australian species that actually grow underground. Many also think that orchids are fragile and extremely difficult to grow and requiring expensive equipment and constant care. Granted, the blooms often look quite fragile and delicate and require specific conditions to come into flower, the plants are actually quite tough and resilient. Many, many orchids can be raised in your home without a greenhouse. They can be grown in a sunny living room window or in a basement under artificial light. Next issue we'll delve a little deeper into these wonderful plants. Cold Climate Gardeners
are passing up an excellent resource if they don't take a look
into the Minnesota
State Horticultural Society. Visit them today. We recommend
them highly. 3) Humor for Today:My daughter Marina worked in my law office while she attended graduate school. One morning a call came in for her. I said she wasn't in yet and offered to take a message. The caller said she'd phone back later. At 11:00 a.m., the caller tried again, and I reported that Marina had gone to lunch. The last call came at 3:30 p.m. "I'm sorry," I said, "she's left for the day. May I take a message?" "Yes," the caller replied. "How can I get a job with you?" 4) Protect Your Roses and Woody Plants:
By the end of winter, these "pests" may have girdled the stem or trunk cutting off the plant's food supply and killing it. We're not saying you shouldn't mulch, but a better solution is to hold off adding the mulch until the ground has frozen. By this time, the mice and rabbits would have set up house elsewhere for the winter - your plants would not be their winter meals. Even if you do this, another solution is to discourage them is to install an 8-inch high collar of screening around the stems or trunks of your favorite plants. 5) November & Your Lawn:Cold Climate: Be sure to rake up leaves and debris. If the fall has been dry, you'll still want to water. In areas where the grass had difficulty growing because of shade, consider trimming tree limbs and pruning shrubs. If the ground isn't frozen, you can establish a new lawn with sod. Temperate Climate: This is going to sound much like the advice for the cold climate. You too, need to rake up leaves and debris. Be sure to water if the fall has been dry. Same advice on problem shade areas, and establishing new lawns. You can apply pre-emergent herbicides to the established turf. Warm Climate: If you haven't done so, apply fertilizer to Bermuda grass. Mow only as needed. Water if it's been dry, especially if the lawn was overseeded with perennial ryegrass. You'll also want to rake up leaves and debris. Hot Climate: Mow only as needed. Apply post-emergent broad-leaf weed control at the recommended rates. Keep these tips in mind for a better turf in the new year.
6) Quote for Today:"In everyone's life at some time our inner fire goes
out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human
being.
We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit." 7) Highlight on Herbs: HorehoundHorehound is a wildflower found on cliffs and chalky areas - it is a useful medicinal herb. It is a native of southern and eastern Europe and the Mediterranean. It makes a charming backdrop to many flowering plants and is grown as a foliage plant in the herb garden. A tall plant, reaching 3-feet in height. The leaves are strongly aromatic, green, hairy, and deeply creased above and pale silvery beneath - they hang down from the stems. The flowers are small, white, and circle the stems in dense rings. Horehound is a perennial to Zone 3 and spreads about 18-inches. Grows best in well-drained, dry, poor soil. You'll want to grow it in a sunny location. It flowers in the summer. Propagation can be done with cuttings in the summer or divided in the spring. You'll want to sow seed in the spring, but be warned, germination can be erratic. A popular brew used to be horehound beer, and the plant was used in the manufacture of candy that people sucked to relieve coughs. The plant has been used to treat coughs, bronchitis, asthma, catarrh, and whooping cough for hundreds of years. Even today it is often used as an expectorant in herbal medicine. As an herb, it increases the perspiration rate and has a sedative effect on the heart. It is also used to treat minor cuts and bruises. HR141 HOREHOUND (Marrubium vulgare) Click Here -- Found on our Herb page 8) Finding Content in Your Browser:We all love to use the Internet to find information. Search engines work wonderfully, but then you end up on a huge page of text in which you need to find the actual information you wanted. Instead of plodding through all that text, just press Ctrl + F and type in the word or phrase that you need to locate. Press Enter to start the page search. This works in Microsoft Internet Explorer, Netscape, and Opera. 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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In colder climates where it freezes in the winter, roses and other
woody plants, as well as some fruit trees, can be damaged by an unsuspecting
gardener who mulches these plants and trees. Why? Because mice and
rabbits like to make their winter homes in mulch and feed on the tender
bark of plants.
