The Evergreen Mart News: March, 2008

Edition 8.10

March 6, 2008

FEATURED QUOTE :

In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy.
~William Blake

Welcome, everyone, to the first issue of The Evergreen Mart News. We thank you all for signing up and are very excited about all the information this newsletter will offer.

Our goal is for you, our valued customer, to use the newsletter as a tool to answer many of your gardening questions. As we celebrate another year, we look to you and say thanks for helping our business thrive.

The Evergreen Mart offers prime material from the best growers, as well as the best products for all your gardening needs. Stop by our garden center any time and let us help make your dream garden a reality.

Your comments and questions are very welcome. We look forward to hearing from you.

Everyone, gardening aficionado or not, is entranced by orchids, particularly the Phalaenopsis, more commonly known as the moth orchid. Having a single spray in a thin vase on your desk at work feels as if a certain graceful sophistication has been brought from the outside in. And yet, we hesitate to spend the money on them because we’ve always thought that they needed especial care and pampering to thrive. Perhaps it’s all those BBC programs we watch that show elderly ladies and gentlemen in their glass conservatories taking great pains to grow them for entry in the next flower show!

Au contraire. All this lovely needs is to be hung in diffuse sunlight near a window (not in too bright a light or it will scorch the plant), preferably in a tray with pebbles so that sufficient humidity is provided, with temperatures that are consistent with an average household--the ideal night temperature is 62 to 65 degrees F. with daytime temperatures of 70 to 80 degrees. Water your Phalaenopsis in the morning with rain, distilled, or reverse-osmosis water about once every 4 to 7 days; never use water that has been softened by a water softener. A light shade should be provided, such as a sheer curtain, but allow your plants a bit more light from the beginning of December throughout the middle of February.

Fertilizer must be provided on a regular basis because most potting media have little. A good general rule is to use a balanced fertilizer, 10-10-10 or 12-12-12, and as the pros say, fertilize “weakly, weekly.” In other words, fertilize every week at one quarter to one half of the recommended dilution.

These orchids were indeed popular with Victorian growers, but because common “parlor plants” were grown either in the front rooms, or parlors, which usually lacked heat, especially during the winter, or in the back parlors, which were typically overheated during the day, and unheated during the nighttime, the Phalaenopsis did not fare well inside. Many of the modern potted plants which we consider “new” were common house plants during the mid-late 19th century. As over 50% of the homes in London during the Victorian era had attached greenhouses, it was there, under highly controlled conditions, that the Phalaenopsis thrived. Here in the United States, greenhouses were extremely expensive and rarely found, hence the comparative newness of the popularity of this orchid.

This elegant beauty makes the perfect Christmas gift, as the blooms will last up to 6 months before falling. Just as we carry the spirit of Christmas in our hearts all year ‘round, now we can enjoy the symphony of design and color the various Phalaenopses offer up.

By Tamara Galbraith

So, the weekend comes, you've got a Gardening To-Do List as long as your arm...and the weather is miserable. Fortunately for gardeners, there's always a side project waiting--or an inside chore that needs doing. Here are ten ways to pass the time if you can't spend it outside gardening:

1. Clean your tools:
First, use a stiff brush to remove excess dirt, then scrub off rust with steel wool. Spray or wipe on a lubricating oil before storing in a dry area.

2. Clean your pots:
If you're like me, your garage and patio are littered with empty plant pots of varying sizes. Dump the excess dirt into the compost pile and rinse with water. If you suspect fungal disease was present in the pot, throw away the dirt, use a mild bleach solution to scrub the pot thoroughly with a stiff brush, and allow to air dry. Arrange and stack pots according to size, and store.

3. Tend to your houseplants:
Repot where necessary. Polish large leaved-plants with a soft cloth soaked in a mild solution of water and stale beer. If you want leaves to really shine, use a commercial plant-polishing product. However, waxes and oils tend to block plant pores and attract dust, so watch out for those.

4. Clean out old gardening products:
Determine which pesticides, fungicides, fertilizers, etc., are ready to be thrown out. (Most will last about two years.) Check with your local solid waste management authority, environmental agency, or health department to find out whether your community has a household hazardous waste collection program or a similar program for getting rid of unwanted, leftover pesticides. Whatever you do, please DON'T pour products--even organic ones--down the sink, into the toilet, or down a sewer or street drain. And don't re-use empty containers--just throw them away.

5. Go through your seeds:
Seeds more than two years old should probably be thrown away. If you're not sure, test their viability by folding a few seeds in a wet paper towel and laying the towel someplace warm for a few days, ensuring it remains damp. If the seeds germinate, they're obviously still ok. The best way to store seeds is in screw-lid jars or in zip-top plastic baggies.

6. Start a scrapbook:
Go through old gardening magazines and cut out favorite pictures, articles, growing tips, etc.; then organize them and paste in a scrapbook. This can actually be a winter-long project if you've got stacks and stacks of gardening magazines--as I do.

7. Learn something new:
Interested in trying bonsai but not sure where to start? Want to learn the basics of designing an attractive container arrangement? Get on the Internet and do some searching. There's a world of resources out there.

8. Pamper your orchids:
Got orchids? You should decrease the amount of water given to orchids (and all indoor plants, actually) during the winter months, but before you help them shut down for the season, make sure the sphagnum moss and other rooting medium is still fresh. Roots should be white or green and not brown and soggy. If you're getting root rot, change the moss out and trim off bad roots.

9. Start a garden journal:
Keeping records of what works and what doesn't is invaluable in gardening. Taking pictures of your landscape throughout the seasons is also helpful in determining how to tweak here and there.

10. Visit us:
Hop in the car and come visit us. Treat yourself to new houseplants or some new gardening tools. You've worked hard all summer and fall, so you deserve it!

This makes a wonderful addition to any meal! Cheesy potatoes with the right seasoned flavors combine to make a superb dish! This recipe can be doubled and made in a 13x9 pan.

What You Need

3 large potatoes
1 small onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
1/4 cup diced pimentos
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1 1/2 cups herb-seasoned stuffing mix
1/2 cup butter, melted

Step by Step:

Wash, peel and slice potatoes.
Boil potatoes, onion and salt until just done, but not too soft; drain.
Place potato mixture in a greased 9 x 9 casserole dish.
Sprinkle garlic salt, parsley flakes, pimentos, shredded cheese and herb-seasoned stuffing on top.
Drizzle with melted butter.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until bubbly.

Yield: 4 servings

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Syracuse, NY 13206
Phone:
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