Paper Whites: A Christmas Tradition

I can remember my Poppy sending us to the store for “Paper White” Narcissus bulbs in November. We would plant them on Thanksgiving Day. When we returned to my grandparents’ house on Christmas day, the bulbs would be in full bloom.  In four weeks, the bulbs grew about 12 inches tall with small star-shaped flowers whose fragrance would fill the room.  

“Paper Whites” are Tazetta Daffodils and they are descendants of fall blooming daffodils from Spain. They are not very cold hardy and commercially they are grown in Israel.  Some popular cultivars are “Ziva,” ”Bethlehem,”   and “Nazareth.”  Also there is a double one call “Erlicheer” and a yellow cultivar called ”Grand Soleil d’Or’” and for those find the fragrance of the a little too strong there is “Inbal” that is almost fragrant free.

The bulbs can be planted in regular potting soil or in a dish with pebbles or glass beads. Just make sure the bottom of the bulb touches water. Keep them in a cool but sunny place until they bloom. To have bulbs blooming all winter, buy about 2 dozen bulbs and plant every few weeks. Store the bulbs in a cool, dry place until you are ready to plant. This fast growing bulb is a great flower to teach children about plants.  As a child, it seemed to me the “Paper White” was a real Christmas miracle.

Cicadas are Coming !!!

We have had folks coming in lately ask us how to kill the cicadas. We recommend leaving them alone. They do not sting or bit and the adults only live about 2 weeks, they sing, mate, lay eggs and die. That's it. The young feed deep in the ground on large tree roots. They may harm young newly planted trees, so hold off any tree planting till Fall. We started a Facebook Page for the 17 Year Brood 2 Cicada and invite you to add your stories and photos of this rare natural event. We hope you find it informative and entertaining.   https://www.facebook.com/17YearCicadas 

Potting Soil Sale

NOW on Sale- BACCTO ® Professional Planting Mix  1 cu. bag reg.$7.99 now $ 4.99. Until May 30, 2013, while supplies last.

BACCTO ® Professional Planting Mix is the same high-quality growing media used by commercial growers to ensure optimum growth potential. This special pre-moistened mix is blended in a special system that provides uniformity, easy handling, and the highest possible consistency. It's formulated to enhance the growth of bedding and potted crops in flats, pots, and hanging baskets where higher moisture reserves and shelf life are needed. With Professional Planting Mix, home gardeners can grow like the pros.

Ready For Romaine

Did you know Romaine Lettuce is a very nutritional vegetable and can be compared to raw Spinach.  Romaine actually has more Vitamin A (82%) and C (19%) than Spinach and they both have about 15% Folate. But remember it’s the green part of the leaf that has the most Vitamins and Minerals.

Leaf lettuces are easy to grow from seed. They are a cool season crops and can be grown in early spring or fall. Ideal temperatures are between 45 and 80 degrees F. In the summer they can be grown in the shade of taller vegetables like tomatoes or peppers but hot weather can make them bitter.  Set out transplants about 1 month before the last frost of spring and 6 weeks before the first fall frost.  Don’t plant all your seeds at once, plant for 3 successive weeks and thin them as you harvest. Parris Island Cos was developed in South Carolina and names for the Famous Military Train Ground.  It is slow to bolt and hold up better in the heat.  Red Romaine is also available but colors up better in the cooler months. You should be able to start picking outer leaves in about 30 days or cut the whole head in 60-to 70 days. 

Growing Tomatoes in Pots

One Tomato plant needs at least 5 gallons of soil- more is better.  There are Potting Mixes especially for tomatoes and other vegetable plants.  Try Pro-Mix Ultra Organic with Organic Garden-Tone Fertilizer.  Robin recommends ½ Shrimp Compost and ½ Pro-Mix Potting soil. The shrimp compost has calcium which is important, Calcium deficiency will cause Blossom End Rot in tomatoes.   Adding a handful of Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) to plants in a pot or in the garden will prevent Blossom End Rot if you are not using shrimp compost.  It is also important not to let your soil dry out completely this will cause cracking in your tomato fruit, use a self-watering containers or pots with large saucers.   Bush type tomatoes and cucumbers are perfect for pots.  Try these Better Bush, Husky Red, Bush Early Girl, Patio, Bush Goliath and Bushmaster Cucumber.

On Facebook

We finally started a Facebook Page and our goal is to post timely information about new shipments and garden product. Fresh garden plants, roots and bulbs come and go in our store so like us on Facebook to keep informed. We will use the blog for more detailed information. https://www.facebook.com/Farmersseed

 

Kale Vegetable of the Year

Botanically speaking kale, cabbage, broccoli, collards and cauliflower are all Brassica oleracea . They are simply considered different cultivars. Kale is considered the most ancient form and maybe the closest thing to wild cabbage.  Brassica oleracea is from Europe and Kale was a staple for the ancient Greeks and Romans. Tasty, nutritious and easy to grow it spread quickly over the world.  Kale is a real superstar when it comes to nutrition. One cup of chopped raw Kale has over 200% DV of vitamin A, 130 % vitamin C, and a whopping 648.% vitamin K. Kale is also packed with minerals, Calcium 9%, Iron 6% and Manganese 26% all this in less than 35 calories.  By comparison cousin cauliflower has no vitamin A, and only 20% vitamin K, and 77% vitamin C.

Kale is easy to grow, scatter seeds on cultivated land and lightly rake, seeds germinate in 3-4 days. Start seeds in late winter or early fall.  

Rubys on thier way home

The Hummers are coming!!

The Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have been reported in South Carolina and are heading our way. Are you ready?  Is it time to replace that old faded Perky Pet feeder?  Stock up on nectar, they flew across the Gulf of Mexico and will arrive in your garden hungry. Track their journey on this site http://www.hummingbirds.net/map.html.

Facebook Page

We can now be can found on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/Farmersseed. We will try to keep up to date information about plants and other product coming in the the store. By the way spring vegetable plants have arrived. 

Callas

Calla bulbs have arrived and we have 8 exciting  colors. Callas lilies are from the marshy areas of South Africa. They need full sun and rich moist soil in the garden. Plant the bulbs so the top of the bulb is about one inch below ground with added compost.  Feed them every 2 weeks with Jacks's 20-20-20 with liquid fertilizer. Stop feeding the first of  August. The White Callas are the most fragrant, pink and purple callas do better in part shade.#callas #gardens #bulbs

Callas make good potted plants too.   Use Pro-Mix Potting Soil for Containers and add some Osmocote. Set the pot in a deep saucer and never let it dry out.  

Early Planting

Onion sets (bulbs) are in the store. We have red, white and yellow onions. Plant them about 4 weeks before the last spring frost.  Plant the sets about 3 inches apart; push them less than halfway in the ground to plant.  The Seed potatoes have arrived safely and this year we have Red Pontiac, Yukon Gold and Kennebec.   Other root crops and green peas can be planted early too. 

Happy New Year

Happy New Year ! Please don't forget to feed the birds this winter. We keep the freshest bird seed in stock.