GHS will be closed on Tuesday, July 31, in honor of a family friend who was killed in action in Afghanistan. The saying “Freedom isn’t free” has become very personal to us. Please remember the family of Nicholas Taylor in your prayers. If you’d like to read his obituary, click here.
Thank you for understanding. We will be back in the office on Wednesday.
Some people grow nothing but chrysanthemums, and why not? There are so many varieties of mums that you could plant an entire garden of them and achieve almost continuous color by choosing varieties that bloom at different times. In this newsletter, we offer tips on how to get the best results with your chrysanthemums, and we include links to those mums that are our personal favorites.
Out of the thousands of varieties of chrysanthemums available, we have narrowed our stock down to what we consider the three best types: Belgian, Perennial, and Yoder. On our website, we classify the Belgian varieties depending on whether they are very early, early, mid, or late bloomers. We also classify the Yoder into those that are early, mid, or late blooming.
Perennial Chrysanthemums
As the name indicates, Perennial mums will return each year if planted and cared for correctly. Many were originally cultivated in Minnesota, such as the highly popular “football” varieties, of which our favorite is Homecoming. We also consider the Peach Centerpiece and Ice Crystal to be exceptionally beautiful.
Belgian Chrysanthemums
Belgian mums are actually a subset of perennials. Named after their country of origin, they might better be called supermums, in that they are highly prolific, producing as many as one thousand buds per bloom season. They are also tougher and hardier than other perennial mums. If you are concerned that your mums might get damaged by wind and rain, or that they might not overwinter, choose Belgian varieties. Our favorite is the Mefisto Purple.
Yoder Mums
Yoder mums are not perennial and they bloom only in the fall. However, some are knockouts such as the lovely Emma Coral Bicolor. We are happy to make these and other uniquely beautiful Yoders available to our customers at a price slightly lower than other types of mums.
When and How to Plant
Mums need plenty of sunlight; five or six hours of direct morning sun is ideal.That’s all the tips for now. If you wish more in-depth information, please consult this article from the Ohio State Extension. To help encourage you in your mum growing, we are happy to offer a 20% discount on our entire stock of mums (sale ends 8/6/2012), as well as 40% off on our quart size containers of Neptune’s Harvest fertilizer.
Just enter the promotional code MS2012P during check-out to get the mum discount; the Nature’s Harvest discount will be yours automatically if you order the quart size.
Happy gardening from all of us at Garden Harvest Supply!
On receiving my order for Gaura and Euphorbia this week, I was totally amazed. I have been ordering plants online since the inception of the Internet and really didn’t expect such big, healthy plants at the price you offer them! And I’m super happy with the packaging and how quickly I received the plants. I’ll be ordering from Garden Harvest for a long, long time, as well as referring you to friends! Thanks for supplying such beautiful, healthy plants at a reasonsable price! Since my words are true and accurate, I have absolutely NO problem with you sharing it with customers or potential customers. In fact, I’ve already shared your site with many gardening friends/family! I’m sure you’re familiar with Pinterest. I have pinned the Gaura there and intend to post more of your fabulous plants on my Gardening and Gardening Design board. I’m truly excited about finding your site and I LOVE sharing good things with those I love! Sincerely, Norma
Response: Norma, we’re so glad you have discovered our website, and we’re pleased to have you among our satisfied customers. Thank you for writing to tell us you are happy with your new flowering plants. The two varieties you selected, Gaura and Euphorbia, are excellent choices for landscape beds or containers, and we’ll be anxious to know how you’ve incorporated them into your outdoor spaces. We’ll check back to your Pinterest Board later this season to see how your plants are enjoying their new homes!
Both of these plants add lush foliage and dense color, while being low-maintenance and versatile. Both these two plants have extended blooming seasons, so you really get a lot of color. That makes them a great value, as well as a good choice for those who want lots of color without excessive trimming and pruning of the plant throughout the warm months.
We’re always excited to know others share our love of these plants, and we hope you’ll send us photos of yours as they grow. We can all learn new planting and design ideas from each other. Enjoy your flowering beauties as they keep providing life and color to your landscape. And, thanks again for sharing your satisfaction with your new plants.
Happy Gardening~
From your friends at GHS
You’ve chosen a Weigela, pronounced wy-JEE-lah, an easy-to-grow, deciduous, perennial flowering shrub with prolific, eye-catching blossoms and pretty foliage. Easy-to-care-for and exceptionally attractive, this simple, inexpensive flowering shrub is a good choice for enhancing your landscape. Now that you’ve got it home…what next?
Choosing a Location
First, if you don’t already know where you want to plant it, now is the time to decide. Weigela varies as far as height and width goes, depending upon the variety, so be aware of how your particular variety is expected to grow and choose your site accordingly. Your Weigela will prefer partial or afternoon shade in the hottest climates and during the hottest hours of the day at the height of the summer, though cooler climes will require full sunlight.
Fertilization
Weigela, as with most plants, prefers soil enriched with organic material when first planted. This provides the roots much-needed nutrients and will help your new shrub to survive the rigors of transportation and subsequent transplanting. Once established, fertilization will be up to you and to the plant. If you notice stunted growth or fewer flowers than normal, consider feeding with a slow-release fertilizer formulated specifically for flowering shrubs and trees and follow the recommended instructions for dosage. One of our customer favorites is Jobe’s Organic Rose & Flowering Shrub Fertilizer Spikes.
Watering
Though somewhat drought tolerant, your Weigela will prefer regular watering. As with your lawn, water in the early morning or evening in order to conserve water loss from evaporation. These hardy shrubs, once established, are rather hard to kill, so it is very rare to water too much, unless the plant is being regularly flooded and/or sitting in water for any length of time. Watering at the same time and the same amount as you water your lawn should be more than sufficient.
Pruning
Your Weigela shrub should be trimmed back every year in late spring. Regular pruning will aid the growth of newer, healthier branches and can contribute to more prolific blooming. Simply prune those branches back that are older than two years by about one third. A sharp, clean cut is always much less stressful than sawing or bending and breaking, so having the proper tools is not only important, but will save you time and possible injury. The size of the branches to be pruned will determine whether you need a pruner or a lopper. At this time we also recommend you remove excess brush, mulch and leaves from around your Weigela shrub, allowing those close-to-the-surface roots easy access to nutrients, air and water.
Now…Simply Enjoy the View!
Hello, I live in a condo and have gardened my front yard for 10 years. I have 9 tomato plants. Each spring I dig a new hole, discard the earth, and fill with enriched soil. 1 of 9 has gone bad. Yellowing of leaves up the entire plant, lots of bumps on the stem, and fuzz or powder on plant. Any ideas? Thank you, Jim
Answer: Well there are a number of possible reasons for the such symptoms. First I would suggest that you not discard the previous soil but simply augment it yearly with compost. By using highly enriched soil, you are causing the roots of the tomato plant to not want to expand past the good stuff, thus actually weakening it, especially with the heat and drought conditions of this summer. It’s always good to add compost to the soil in the spring, but don’t over-enrich it. Too much of a good thing isn’t better. This overly rich soil could also be holding too much moisture, which is not good for the plant and could be introducing other diseases.
Another common problem with tomatoes is the susceptibility to several fungus issues, especially verticillium wilt or fusarium wilt. There are new plant varieties that have been developed to be less susceptible to these problems. Check your variety’s specs, as these characteristics are included on the label. Do some research online for specific signs and treatments; they differ slightly, so you need to know which one you have. Both will suggest crop rotation, because they are soil-borne pathogens. If you are in a small lot and cannot move them, then you might consider using pots, or a raised bed. Also check the pH of your soil: tomatoes want a nice neutral soil, 6.5 -7.0, and in PA you might be too acidic.
The bumps are normal on the lower portion of the stems. They are called stem primordia and are just areas that could develop into roots, if needed. When they develop higher on the stem, it could be caused by excess moisture in the soil or too-high humidity levels. While they are not a problem, if your plants are developing these in the top portions, then it’s a signal that they are staying too wet. You might want to use a soil moisture meter and check before watering.
The last couple of years have also presented significant issues with unusual temperatures and water, or lack thereof, which are outside the norm for most home vegetable gardeners.
Best of luck. Karen
No? Well, let us introduce you! And even if you’ve already met edible amaranth, you may learn something you didn’t know, so keep on reading.
We started researching edible amaranth plants when one of our customers requested a particular variety, Jamaican Callaloo. The search, and then the research began, the result being we discovered just how versatile and healthy edible amaranth can be.
One of the first things that clinched the decision to carry edible amaranth plants, besides a customer’s suggestion, was how easy they are to grow. Actually considered a weed in parts of the world, we found they are highly adaptable. Seeds will germinate in a warm, moist environment in as little as three days and then they grow really, really fast! You can start harvesting the tender leaves within 30 days of transplanting your edible amaranth plants. You simply cut them and new leaves quickly take their place. How easy is that? Edible amaranth plants are heat and drought-tolerant and incredibly disease-resistant. Even at the height of summer, you may only need to deep water them once or twice a week.
Throughout the world edible amaranth plants are used as salad greens, cooking greens, whole protein grain and flour (made from the seeds), popping grain (just like popcorn) and dye, in the case of the red varieties. We had to wonder why we had not heard of this wonderful plant before. Virtually every single part of the plant is edible, it is surprisingly nutritious and the seeds are gluten free! Sometimes called “Chinese Spinach”, the leaves are an exceptionally good source of vitamins A, K, B6 and C. You will also find high levels of calcium, copper, folate, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium and riboflavin. Edible amaranth has twice the amount of iron and four times the amount of calcium present in broccoli! Having a smoother, less bitter flavor than spinach, you can use it just as you would that popular green, also using edible amaranth in stir fry and other cuisine where you wouldn’t think of using spinach. In addition, you can grow edible amaranth plants anywhere. You don’t even have to have a vegetable garden! Edible amaranth plants are exceptionally ornamental and can be grown in the flower garden, the foliage, the blossoms and even the seed heads being wonderfully interesting and beautiful.
So, let us introduce you to just a few of our Edible Amaranth Plants.
Meet our All Red Leaf edible amaranth plant. This is the one most widely used for red dye, these rich and chocolaty-red leaves also widely used in stir-fry and soups and to add color and savory flavor to fresh salads. And talk about ornamental!
And here is our Red Stripe Leaf edible amaranth plant. Kind of looking like a cross between 
coleus and creeping Charlie, this shorter amaranth works well as a border plant, can be grown in the vegetable garden and is most popularly grown in containers where they look beautiful and are handy for harvesting.
And finally, meet our Jamaican Callaloo edible amaranth plant, the one that started it all! (Actually, a valued customer did, but….) An all green-leafed variety, this is the most commonly used edible amaranth around the world. Often eaten raw, Jamaican Callaloo is considered best when sautéed in virgin olive oil with onions, garlic, salt and pepper, just until soft and juicy. This low-growing edible amaranth can fill a hard to water, sunny location while providing incredible nutrition and flavor for your family.
Of course, there are other relatives, and you are welcome to browse through them here. It certainly never hurts to try something new; in fact, a widely read English poet, William Cowper, wrote: “Variety’s the very spice of life, That gives it all its flavor…” We have to agree!
One plant is never enough!
The truth is, one plant will never, ever be enough, even if just for one person! The average strawberry plant in good production mode, with good growing conditions, will produce up to 1 quart of strawberries per plant over a harvesting season normally lasting 3 to 4 weeks. To put it in perspective, that is just two of those little pint baskets you can get in the grocery store. One person can eat that many strawberries, fresh out of the basket, in a few days (if they’ll last that long). On the other hand, if you will be slicing and sugaring for strawberry shortcake or making pies or parfaits, these same 2 pints of berries will not go quite as far, the process tending to reduce the volume a bit.
So How Many Do I Plant?
The consensus among the experts estimates about 6 nicely producing strawberry plants per person per year, based on fresh consumption. If you are going to be freezing them, making jellies or jams or processing for syrup, you should at least double the number of plants, and possibly triple that number. Take into account the number of friends and family members who will want some fresh strawberries for themselves, and the kids or grandkids and “big” kids who may be visiting and raiding your strawberry patch. A lot of strawberry gardeners make gifts of jellies, jams and syrups. If you have a giving nature, plant a few more plants. This is where you might want to do some advance planning for what you’d like to do with your home-grown strawberries and ensure that you have the necessary equipment, such as canners, jars, freezer containers, etc. when your berries start coming off the bushes.
How Long Will the Plants Bear?
This part is up to you. Some strawberry beds have been in production for years. This involves harvesting and replanting runners as they become overcrowded. It also has to do with continuing nutrition, the care the strawberries receive in late summer and early fall, the buds forming at that time becoming the following spring’s strawberries, and the protection provided throughout the winter, if needed where you live. The largest single reason for poor strawberry production in the spring is the lack of moisture provided during those critical late summer and early fall months. Regardless if you are starting a brand new strawberry patch or have a well-established bed, a drip irrigation system is an inexpensive and ultimately priceless investment in the quality and production of your home-grown strawberries. You will also want to cover your strawberry plants with straw if your winter is colder than normal, or if you live in an area where winters are freezing cold but your plants don’t have a covering of snow to insulate them. This keeps the plants from “heaving” out of the ground, the most common reason for strawberry plant loss. You can read our blog article: Asparagus & Strawberries: Growing Tips, Fun Facts and Container Grown Strawberries, for more information on growing the best strawberries, even in limited space.
We wish you many happy strawberry seasons ahead!
My broccoli was fabulous and I want to plant broccoli and cauliflower again for the fall. If I order vegetables now, will you ship at the appropriate time for transplants in Zone 5? Thanks, Ann-Marie
Answer: Sorry, Ann-Marie, but whatever you order now will ship now. You need to know when your first frost/freeze date is in the fall and then count backwards however many days the particular plant needs to mature. I would also add an extra 10 days.
So if Avenger Broccoli takes 50-60 days, I would plant it 60-70 days before that first frost date. Also add an allowance for the number of shipping days to determine the right time to order. This would be the rule of thumb for all our vegetable plants.
Here is a map for fall frost dates: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/img/climate/freezefrost/Fall28F_hires.jpg
Hope this helps. GHS
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