Quotation of the Week: "What a man needs in gardening is a cast-iron back, with a hinge in it." — Charles Dudley Warner

Jump Start Your Garden

You can speed the maturity of your spring vegetables and flowers by starting seeds indoors. This allows the use of varieties that may not be available as started plants and offers the gardener the satisfaction of seeing the process from start to finish.

We offer a selection of seeds suitable for early spring and containers to start them in indoors. Jiffy peat pots are available in 2 and 4 inch pots for individual plants and in strips for row crops and flower beds. When the plants are ready and hardened off, the pots can be planted directly in the ground.

Most vegetables require one to two weeks to germinate and several more weeks to reach transplant size. This schedule can be speeded up with the use of the heated germination station which supplies bottom heat to accelerate growth. Also available are the Jiffy Easy Grow Greenhouse and the Jiffy Stacking Windowsill Greenhouse for those with limited space.

E. B. Stone Seed Starting Mix provides a light growing medium perfect for seed germination and early plant growth. E. B. Stone Sure Start offers a mild organic fertilizer to enhance early growth in combination with beneficial microbes to ensure fast growth and sturdy seedlings.

Bromeliads

Colorful bromeliads make excellent indoor plants. They require very little care and thrive on neglect. These wonderful plants come in an artist pallete of colors. Especially during the long, cold months of winter, bromeliads can offer intense color that lasts from 6 weeks to 3 months and sometimes even up to 8 months, depending on conditions and the variety. The native home of bromeliads is in the jungle, where they dwell among the orchids in the trees or on the forest floor.

Light: Prefer bright, diffused light, but not direct sun, as the leaves will sunburn.

Water: In most cases the leaves form a vase-like structure, which needs to be refreshed at least once a week with clean water. Because of this special feature, there is no need to water the soil as frequently as most plants. The formation of the leaves allows water to run down in somewhat of a spiral fashion into the soil.

Fertilizer: A dilute solution of water soluble fertilizer may be used during the summer months; the strength should not exceed more than 1/4 -1/3 the recommended dosage monthly.

Temperature: Bromeliads will be comfortable where you are, generally between 55-85 degrees.

Special note: Often after flowering, the plant will produce “pups” of offsets, appearing at the base of the plant. These can be removed after several months of growth after they have developed roots of their own, usually when they are about 1/3 the size of the mother plant.

Many wonderful varieties are available through out the year. Stop by and view our new selection.

FEBRUARY

Mix ‘Pay Dirt’ into the soil while planting your Roses and place a 1-2 inch layer as a top soil dressing on existing plants to encourage healthy root development . Starting Feb. 10, 2006 for a limited time, You may buy 3 bags and get 1 free.

Time to Plant Summer Blooming Dahlias!

By Shawna Anderson

It might be cold and dreary now, but summer will be her before you know it! Now is the time to plant summer blooming dahlias. Dahlias are very easy to grow and come in a wide range of colors, sizes and shapes that will fit in any garden. Most varieties bloom from summer until frost and they make an excellent cut flower, so why not plant some now and have armloads of beautiful flowers this summer.

Dahlias grown from perennial tubers, which are fleshy roots that have “eyes” which sprout. Plant them in full sun or light shade (beware of powdery mildew in shadier spots) in rich, well drained soil. The planting hole should be about three times as deep as the diameter of the tuber. Set the tuber horizontally in the hole with the “eyes” facing up; cover with soil. Space the tubers one to three feet apart, depending on the variety. Taller varieties should be staked at planting time. Be careful not to damage tubers when inserting stakes. Dahlias like regular water; and to help prevent powdery mildew, water early in the day and avoid overhead watering.

Pest and diseases: Few pests bother dahlias, most common being earwigs, aphids, spider mites and thrip. We recommend products that are safe for the environment, such as diatomaceous earth to control earwigs and Master Nursery’s Pest Fighter, a year-round spray oil to control aphids, spider mite and thrip.

Our excellent selection includes single, double and dinner plate varieties, some of which are listed below: Kelvin Floodlight - vibrant 12” yellow blooms, 35” tall Otto’s Thrill - gorgeous 11” apricot pink blooms, 44” tall Boogie Woogie - 6” yellow fluffy blooms with pink edges, 36” tall Vancouver – 6” deep pink blooms with sparkling white highlights, 36” tall Arabian Night – 6” reddish-orange petals delicately tipped in cream, 30” tall

Don't forget to consider some of the short and compact varieties that do great in containers!

So if you want a non-stop show of color from summer to fall, start planting your dahlias now!

Nice Sunnier Days are Just Ahead!

50% OFF Select Patio Sets Over 50 different sets to choose from*

Select in-stock furniture items only.

Ready for quick delivery.

*All special pricing valid 2/10 – 2/14/06 only!

What You'll Need: 8 oz. uncooked chorizo sausage (Soyrizo is a good substitute if you want to reduce fat) 1 medium onion, chopped 1 15 oz. can Mexican-style or Tex-Mex-style chili beans 1 15 oz. can hominy 1 6 oz. package regular Spanish-style rice mix

Step by Step:

Remove casings from sausage, if present. In a medium skillet cook sausage and onion over medium heat until sausage is no longer pink. Drain fat. Transfer sausage mixture to a 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker Stir in undrained chili beans, hominy, and the contents from the seasoning pack from the rice mix. Set aside remaining rice mix. Pour 6 cups water over all. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 4 to 6 hours or on high-heat setting for 2 to 3 hours. Stir in remaining rice mix. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 1 hour more, or on high-heat setting for 45 minutes more. Makes 6 servings.