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February 19, 2003 |
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Patience Is A Virtue...
I was outside this morning ambling
about with a friend in her garden looking for signs of spring.
The plantings are starting to
stir. Many early blooming bulbs
and perennials are popping up giving us the sign that spring is
right around the corner. I could
hardly contain myself as my girlfriend and I talked eagerly about
what we will be planting in the months to come.
On a day like today it is
difficult for me to not have my tools and hands in the soil.
Instead because it is too early for that, I will settle for
walking around in the garden, making notes or jotting down names
of plants that I have been admiring in some catalogs that I would
like to plant this year. It is so hard to be patient this time of
the year. Especially when Mother
Nature teases us with a few warm days. How about the thunderstorm
and the rain we received last Friday night? A true sign of
spring. Lightning, thunder, rain
some of natures finest! Surely I
am not the only one feeling so giddy?
There is a
lot going on this month for us gardeners. Don't forget the
Lawrence Garden & Home Show starting on the 21st running through
the 23rd. I must admit that the
Lawrence Garden Community does a fantastic job so treat yourself
and take a road trip to Lawrence. Kevin
and I are busily preparing ourselves for the
Johnson County Home & Garden Show starting February 28 -
March 2nd. Please make note of our booth number 627.
We always look forward to meeting
and talking with fellow Savvygardeners.
Also coming
in March is a course sponsored by Bradfield Industries call "The
Business of Organics". Kevin and
I will be attending. It will be a
great way to expand our knowledge base on organics. For more
information
click here. We would love to
have you join us!
~
Shelly
Organically
Speaking...
For those of
you that have questions (or answers) about organic gardening we
have just added a new forum on SavvyChat. This is in
addition to our already popular categories that have generated
hundreds of posts.
SavvyChat is here.
Getting A Jump On Spring...
Savvygardeners know that getting a jump on spring growing
means tricking Mother Nature a little. Cold frames and hotbeds
are the best way to do it. These nifty devices allow you to get
your seedlings in the ground weeks earlier than normal. That
means earlier growth, earlier harvest, earlier eating! Learn how
they work (and how to build them) in our feature article,
Cold Frames & Hotbeds.
Cutting
Clematis...
It's time to prune certain types of
clematis. These can be a confusing group of plants to
prune, since they are not all pruned the same way. Most
large-flowered varieties bloom in mid-June on short stems from
the previous season's growth and often again in late summer on
new growth. Prune them in February or March by removing dead and weak
stems, then cut back the remaining stems to the topmost pair of
large, plump green buds. This cut could be a 6 inches to 18
inches from the stem tips. Varieties in this group include:
-
Nelly Moser
-
Miss Bateman
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Lasurstern
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Duchess of Edinburgh
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Mrs. Cholmondeley
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Dr. Ruppel
-
Henryi
-
Elsa Spaeth
-
General Sikorski
Cracking
The Code...
Savvygardeners buying seeds from a catalog can be forgiven if
they are confused by all the codes and abbreviations that
accompany a seed packet. These important notes differ with
the plant and should be explained in good seed catalogs.
For example, here is an explanation of the abbreviations used to
describe a tomato cultivar:
'Quick Pick' (F1) V FF N T A (I) 60 days.
-
'Quick Pick' = the cultivar name
- (F1)
= the plant is a first generation hybrid
- V
= resistant to Verticillium Wilt
- FF
= resistant to both strains of Fusarium Wilt
- N
= resistant to nematodes
- T
= resistant to Tobacco Mosaic Virus
- A
= resistant to Alternaria or Crown Wilt
- (I)
= an Indeterminate or vining growth pattern as opposed
to a Determinate or bush habit.
- 60
= this cultivar typically requires 60 days after transplanting
to produce a crop. This is an approximate period that is
influenced by local weather conditions.
Remember,
these and other abbreviations will be listed and explained in
good seed catalogs. Take time to pay attention to them as they
can be very important to the success of your garden crop!
Source
Winter Wisdom...
We can say with confidence that you did not receive any plants or
flowers last week that bear the name of St. Valentine. With
all the plants and flowers named for saints it makes you wonder
why the God of Love was overlooked. Read about it in this
week's
Winter Wisdom...
Checking In...
Check stored cannas, dahlias, and gladiolus for rot and
shriveling. Cannas, and dahlias
can be spritzed with water if they appear to be drying up, or you
can add a few drops of water to wood shavings, sawdust, or peat
moss and store them in this material to help them remain viable
until spring. Check gladiolus
that are stored in the open air for signs of mold or decay.
Discard all corms that have black
spots or gummy brown spots at the base.
Source
Finally...
"February
is merely as long as is needed to pass the time until March." ~
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