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Happy New Year!
Sheri
The plants in the greenhouse are doing so well that I decided it was time once again to dig into my seed stash to see what unusual seeds I could come up with. I have a nice stack sitting on the table beside me that I want to germinate over the next few weeks, however the two that I started with tonight are Colvillea racemosa and Eremophila maculata var. brevifolia.
I chose these two to start with for two reasons. The first reason is I love the flowers they will produce. The second reason is because the Colvillea is fragrant. I love fragrant plants as well as those with unusual flowers or foliage.
Colvillea racemosa
This plant has bright orange flowers that remind me, in pictures, of wisteria blooms. While I have not seen this plant in person, I have looked at photos online. I am in Indiana, so this zone 10 and 11 plant will remain in the greenhouse in a pot. This will help me control its natural growth which can be in excess of thrity feet tall. It prefers full sun to partial shade so the location I have planned for it in the greenhouse will be perfect.
Since all parts of this plant are poisonous, it will be grown close to my Brugmansia, which is also poisonous. By growing poisonous plants together in one area of the greenhouse, I can avoid any run off going into pots of edible plants, meaning there will not be a chance for the soil of the edible plants to be poisoned.
I am germinating the seed in a petri dishe with a bit of paper towel in the bottom. There is plenty of hot water in the bottom of the dish for the seed to absorb. It is my understanding that the seed can take up to fifteen days to germinate. A good soak in hot water seems to help speed up germination.
Bees, butterflies and birds love this plant, which to me is another plus in growing it. Although the bees here this year are just terrible, there is a need for them and it is necessary to provide enough nectar to keep them around and keep them happy.
Eremophila maculata var. brevifolia
Ah, the flora of Australia, I love it. There are so many cool plants from that area and this is another one. Hardy in zones 9 to 11, this plant will be greenhouse grown here in Indiana. Given that it is a rather small plant only reaching about four foot tall, keeping it happy in a pot should not be a problem.
Considering it is evergreen, has year-round blooms and is drought tolerant, it seems like a perfect plant for people in many locations.
I am germinating these in petri dishes as well, but do not have them in as much water as the Colvillea seeds.
Soaking in small containers with lids filled half way with hot water, I have Piper nigrum, Nicolaia elatior, double blue Clitoria, Schinus molle var. areira, golden chain tree and Desmos chinensis.
Filed under Exotic Gardening, Gardening News, In The Greenhouse by on Oct 1st, 2009. 3 Comments. 
While these photos do not cover all of the plants I have grown that I consider to be favorites, they do give you an idea of the types of plants I prefer to grow. These photos are just *some* of the ones I consider to be favorites.
Filed under Gardening News, In The Greenhouse by on Oct 1st, 2009. Comment.
The cool, crisp days of September are upon us. Most of the garden harvest is in and you may be thinking of putting your garden to bed for the winter. But wait! There is still time to plant more cool season crops in the Mid-West.
While it is true what you can plant this month is limited, there are still quite a few options for your fall and winter garden. Prepare your cold frames and frost covers just in case you need them. Remember you can make a cold frame from four bales of straw and an old window. This will protect young seedlings as well as older plants from frost or chilly nights.
This month you can direct sow argula, Chinese cabbage, collards, endive, lettuce, mache, mustard, parsley, peas, radish, sorrel, spinach and turnips. You can also transplant Chinese cabbage starts into the garden if you have any. Remember to keep your seeds and seedlings well watered. Getting your plants to grow well right now is the key to keeping them alive longer. Cool weather plants that are fully grown can be stored and harvested directly in the garden if they are given adequate protection from frost and fridgid weather.
If you are looking to plant cover crops over part of your garden, September is the time to plant alfalfa, buckwheat, hairy vetch, mustard, oats, radish, winter rye and winter wheat.
Want to learn more about gardening year round? Pre-order a copy of The Complete Idiot’s Guide To Year-Round Gardening written by Delilah Smittle and Sheri Ann Richerson.
Filed under Gardening News, Vegetable Gardening by on Sep 4th, 2009. Comment.
Hello fellow garden peeps. Do you have a garden related blog? Would you like to be part of my virtual blog tour for “101 English Garden Tips”? If so, read on for the details, then drop me a line.
I am looking for forty blogs, all garden related to visit during my virtual book tour. I will visit one blog per week. The dates will be set once I have forty blogs committed.
During the blog tour I will be having a treasure hunt. In order for participants to win a free, autographed copy of my book “101 English Garden Tips” they will need to follow along. There will be forty clues. The answers to the clues will be posted, one at a time, in each blog post. So, if they miss a week, they will need to go back and look for the clues.
During the “official day” that my article is posted on your blog I will visit periodically to make posts and answer questions. As long as the questions keep coming in, I will keep returning to your blog to answer them.
This will bring new readers to your blog which will increase your traffic flow. Sound like fun? Then do drop me a line, give me a link to your blog and join in the ring of 40 blogs that will be part of the virtual book tour to promote “101 English Garden Tips.”
I hope to hear from you soon!
Sheri
Filed under Gardening News by on Sep 4th, 2009. Comment.
The dog days of summer are indeed upon us. August is one of the hottest months of summer. It is also time when children return to school and you may find you have a bit more time to garden than you did this summer.
Here in Indiana, zone 5/6, there is still plenty of time to plant cool weather crops. Some of these crops have their flavor enhanced when frost hits them. Other crops can be grown almost all winter with the use of cold frames or hoop houses. Cold frames and hoop houses do not cost a lot to make, but can provide an unlimited amount of protection for fall and winter crops.
A simple cold frame can be made out of four bales of straw and a window. Simply set the bales of straw up in a way so they are end to end in a square and place an old window on top. A hoop house can be made using plastic conduit and a piece of 6 mil. plastic. Simply push one end of the conduit into the ground, gently bend it over so the other end touches the ground on the other side of the piece that is in the ground and push it down. Put the conduit pieces two feet apart, making the hoop house as long as you like, cover with 6 mil. plastic and put sand bags, rocks or bricks on the plastic that touches the ground to hold it down.
Some good crops to direct sow this month include arugula, beets, carrots, chard, Chinese cabbage, collards, endive, kale, kohlrabi, mustard, peas, radish, sorrel, lettuce, spinach and turnip. Cover crops include alfalfa, buckwheat, cowpeas, mustard, oats, radish and sunflower.
If you still have plants in your greenhouse or have access to seedlings, August is a good time to transplant young plants of broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, Chinese cabbage, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce and scallions.
Want to learn more about gardening year round? Pre-order a copy of The Complete Idiot’s Guide To Year-Round Gardening written by Delilah Smittle and Sheri Ann Richerson.
Filed under Gardening News, Vegetable Gardening by on Aug 6th, 2009. 3 Comments.
It’s official – Amazon is taking pre-orders on The Complete Idiot’s Guide To Year Round Gardening. Order your copy today so they are not sold out by the time the book is released in February 2010.
This book is so cool because it tells you, no matter what hardiness zone you are in, how to garden year round. It doesn’t matter if you have a heated or unheated greenhouse, garden indoors, use frost covers or cold frames, you can defy nature and grow many varieties of fresh produce year round.
Here in Indiana we have been successful with a variety of produce – lettuce, peas, radish, turnip, carrots, to name a few. This year, using season extending ideas like you will find in this book, I planted tomato plants on April 1.
Don’t miss your chance to own this fantastic book. Even seasoned gardeners are sure to learn something – and don’t let the name fool you, The Complete Idiot’s Guide To Year Round Gardening should be on every gardeners’ bookshelf!
Filed under Gardening News by on Aug 5th, 2009. Comment.
This is blooming in my greenhouse today. This is the first time this bulb has bloomed. I have had it for a number of years.
It is Cyrtanthus elatus. It was previously known as Vallota speciosa, George Lily and Scarborough lily.
Filed under Gardening News, In The Greenhouse by on Jul 28th, 2009. Comment.
Yes, folks, you read that right, today’s topic is planting vegetable seed in July. It is not too late here in the Midwest to get started gardening. If you already have a garden going, maybe there are some things that are just puckering out that could be replaced or maybe you have room to add some new crops. If you didn’t get around to planting this spring, well, you still have a chance to do just that. So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and get your garden in gear!
Seeds that can be direct sown outdoors this month include beans, both snap and dry, just be sure to pick short season varieties. Carrots, chard, chinese cabbage, collards, cucumber, edamama, kale, kohlrabi, mustard, okra, parsnip, radish, rudabaga, sorrel, squash – both summer and winter varieties and turnip seeds can all be direct sown in July. As with the beans, look for short season varieties. This information can be found on the back of seed packets.
If you didn’t get enough herbs planted earlier in the season, now is the time to direct sow basil, cilantro and parsley.
Keep the weeds down to encourage better growth in your garden. Use newspaper – shredded or whole, straw – even if it has got wet, cardboard or any other type of material that will help block weeds. Plastic should be avoided if possible as it will sour the soil. You can also mulch your garden with finished compost to add extra nutrients to the soil and help block weed growth.
Filed under Gardening News, Homestead Happenings, Vegetable Gardening by on Jul 23rd, 2009. Comment.
If you’re like most gardeners you can’t wait for the first flowers to bloom in the spring. Throughout the summer months you eagerly slip into your garden every chance you get to see what is blooming or maybe just to savor the scent of the garden. You know fall will arrive way too soon, then winter, so you want to get as much out of your garden as possible now.
There are many ways to preserve the harvest this summer so you can continue to enjoy the scents and colors of your garden all winter long. Drying flowers is a technique that has been happening for many years and is a great way to preserve flowers. In addition to hanging the flowers to dry, try making your own flower press with instructions you can find in my new book “101 English Garden Tips.”
Other great ideas include making potpourri with flowers and botanicals right from your own garden. Choose fragrant rose petals, pine cones, acorns, straw flowers, citrus peels and herbs. Dry these and combine with a bit of essential oils or make a moist potpourri by layering the individual scented material with layers of salt and sealing in a jar. After several months the scents will blend and you will simply have to remove the jar lid to release the aroma.
If potpourri is not your cup of tea, try using pressed flowers to make bookmarks or lamp shades. Then again, if you are drying edible flowers and herbs, why not try combining them to make a unique cup of tea or herbal vinegar? The ideas are endless!
Looking for other cool craft ideas? Check out “101 English Garden Tips” for great ideas on creating poinsettia trees and succulent wreaths.
Filed under Flower Gardening, Gardening News, Homestead Happenings by on Jun 19th, 2009. Comment.