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Here We Go
Again... This week it's back to winter. The pendulum we're riding on is quite extreme. Once again the meteorologist's are calling for a slight chance of snow maybe tonight or Thursday. Hopefully their predictions are right and we'll receive some badly needed moisture. I have been talking with a few Savvygardener's who are already planting seeds or getting ready to start planting seeds. Either way we have great resources on our website to help you get started. One other note. My friends John Bruntzel and Jan Olson, fondly known as The Gard-n-Wise Guys, are now doing their radio show for a full two hours every Sunday morning from 7AM - 9AM on WDAF 61 Country. Their show is entertaining and educational so I highly recommend tuning in. They will help you get through the winter with great gardening ideas and even better they'll put a smile on your face. ~ Shelly
Speaking Of Seeds...
Valentine's Day Looks Rosy...
Frosty Footsteps...
Appropriate Use Of Force... 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.
Winter Wisdom...
On Onions... Onions can be grown from sets, plants or seed. Sets are small onion bulbs that are planted in the spring to produce green onions or bulbs later in the season. Most onion sets for sale in garden centers are usually poorly identified by variety. Since they are poorly marked, it makes it a gamble to know what the flavor, use or keeping quality of the bulbs may be. Large onion sets, larger than a nickel, will usually bolt or produce a seed stock thus reducing the quality of the bulb. It is best to plant smaller sets or separate the sets by size and use the larger sets as green onions in the spring. Plants are sold in bundles or growing in trays and are usually identified by variety. Since they are normally labeled, more information is available about the quality of the bulb. Choose healthy, green and fresh transplants. Onions can be grown either way. Which is best for you depends in what control you want over storage, flavor and use. Finally... ~ Allen Lacy, The Gardener's Eye |
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