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February 7, 2001

It's Show Time!
Kevin and I have an exciting weekend ahead.  As you have read in past issues the Metropolitan Lawn & Garden Show starts this Friday and continues through Sunday.  We look forward to this weekend as it gives us a chance to step away from the computer to mingle and meet with you, the reader.  Our goal will be to talk to people who have never heard of Savvygardener.com and convince them to give us a try.  It is a special treat for both of us to get a chance to meet new and interesting people - all of them gardeners.  The gardeners of Kansas City are always willing to share a great gardening tip or story.  I must admit however that I am still searching through my closet for a comfortable pair of shoes that will let my feet have as much fun as I am!  See you there! 

Don't forget to stop by a couple of our sponsors' booths!  The Sweet Onion can be found in booth #136 and Earl May in #102.  They both will have great things to buy so make sure to stop and purchase their wares and by all means mention Savvygardener.com! 

Just when I think the weather takes a turn for the better it gets worse.  It looks as if this brief warm up will be gone soon and that cold wintery mix will make another appearance.  Will winter ever end?  I am barely surviving.

~ Shelly  

Viability Verification...
So, you're getting ready to start some seeds indoors for transplanting later and don't know if previous year's leftover seeds are still good.  Well, you can start by checking the viability of 20 popular vegetable seeds in the table below:

Vegetable Viability
(Years) 
Vegetable Viability
(Years)
Beans 3 Muskmelons 4-5
Broccoli 3-5 Peas 3
Brussels Sprouts 3-5 Peppers 2-3
Cabbage 3-4 Pumpkin 4-5
Carrots 3 Radish 5
Cauliflower 3-5 Spinach 5
Corn, Sweet 2 Squash, Summer 3-4
Cucumbers 5 Squash, Winter 4
Lettuce 5-6 Tomato 3-4
Lima Beans 3 Turnip 4-5

To be absolutely sure here's a trick we use to determine if seeds are still good:

  • Take ten seeds from the package and place them on a paper towel that you have moistened with warm water. 
  • Fold the paper towel over to cover the seeds.
  • Keep the towel moist and warm (on top of the fridge usually works for warmth) until they start to germinate. 
  • If less than six seeds (60%) germinate you might as well throw the rest away. 
  • If six or more germinate it will be worthwhile to plant the rest. 
  • Don't waste your test seeds!  The ones that germinate should be carefully moved to your preferred seedling container and cared for until ready for transplanting outdoors.

Source 

Welcoming Wet Feet...
Walking through your yard and garden you may notice  lingering puddles (or ice) where the soil doesn't drain very well.  Think of these spots as good locations to place plants that like "wet feet".  Some good choices include bee balm, cardinal flower, globe flower, Japanese iris and purple loosestrife.

Watering Wisely...
Keep in mind that one of the reasons houseplants do so well is the warmth they get on the inside of your house.  Imagine their surprise every time you water them with cold tap water.  Brrr!  You're much better off giving them a drink of room temperature water.  Setting tap water aside to reach room temperature will also allow any residual chlorine to completely dissipate.  What more could your plants ask for?

Precipitation Proclamation...
January's precipitation was a real blessing.  Remember how dry we were last winter?  Don't get complacent however!  Keep an eye on your evergreens as well as those beds where you planted bulbs.  

Rain is what we really look for.  While big snowfalls seem like a lot of moisture they rarely are.  It generally takes 8-10 inches of snow to equal the moisture in one inch of rain. 

Appropriate Use Of Force...
One of the great winter pleasures is forcing the stems of certain woody plants into bloom for indoor display.  Three of the easiest are forsythia, pussy willow and flowering quince.  These plants have now gone through enough cold weather to satisfy their chilling requirement and should bloom if given the right conditions.

Choose a day that is above freezing for collecting branches for blooming.  Cut the stems, keeping the stem length to 3 feet or less and place them in a bucket of water.  Once you have all the branches you want, bring them into the house and soak them in warm water for several hours to ensure that the stems and buds are fully hydrated (a bathtub works well for this).  Next, place them in a container that has a warm preservative solution and place them in an environment with high humidity and plenty of light.  Floral preservatives accomplish two functions; they prevent bacterial growth in your water and provide nutrients and energy for the life processes of the plants.  

Normally, forsythia will take about 9 days to flower, quince will require between 12 to 20, and pussy willow needs from 5 to 15 days.  The time required will vary depending on your indoor conditions and how late in the winter the branches were collected with less time being required for later collections.  Most woody plants will remain in flower for about a week before the blooms start to fade.

Source

Winter Wisdom...
Many gardeners, especially beginners, are vexed by the use of botanical names in catalogs, books, and of course newsletters.  Considering the source of botanical names may be either Latin, Greek, or Arabic it's understandable that some people think botanical names are just a cruel joke.  Au contraire, these names make many aspects of gardening easier.  Find out why in this week's Winter Wisdom...

Finally...
"We go, in winter's biting wind, 
On many a short-lived winter day, 
With aching back but willing mind 
To dig and double dig the clay."

~ Ruth Pitter, 1897-1992, The Diehards, 1941

 

 

 

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