Cold Climate Gardening

re: The pansy question. I guess I got in the habit of seeding them in early while working at a local nursery. Like all commercial growers, they were looking for early color to stimulate sales. It was by accident I found I could harden them off and plant them out a month before our last frost date, which is toward the last of May. And after reading the hint in The New Seed Starter Handbook, I’ve tried stretching it to six to seven weeks in a sheltered area. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. I’m growing Can Cans and Flamencos this year and a couple of new varieties of viola. I’ll let you know what happens when I plant …

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Kathy, The Shumway catalog most people get is the large newsprint folder. I’m talking about the catalog from the Horticultural Products and Services Div. It’s almost a wholesale-type catalog. Large amounts of seed at a reasonable price. The toll free # is 1-800-322-7288. Check out Hollyhock ‘Black Currant Whirl’! I have seeded in all their various colors of pelleted Lisianthus. I fell in love with these beauties when working in a floral shop/nursery. Long lasting as a cut flower, and useful in weddings as bouts and they can be taken apart and put back together again in corsages. And a word to Rosemarie, honey, it’s the full of the moon and I know you are pregnant and very tired. Please …

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Kathy, First of all, if I listed ALL the companies I order from, it would be too embarrasing. But one of my favorites is Seeds of Change out of Santa Fe, NM. Commitment to offering the highest quality organically grown, open-pollinated seed is what initially drew me to this company. It’s a bonus that all seeds and seedlings are 100% GMO-free and are grown by the company and their exclusive network of certified organic family farms and nurseries. AND they carry a wonderful line of farm tested tools from Clarrington Forge. Check out their site at www.seedsofchange.com. There is a 5% discount on items ordered online.

Another co is RH Shumway out of Randolph, WI. Go to hpsseed.com …

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Kathy, Thank you for the advice about Fraser’s. And the hepaticas are unbelievable! Have spent the last few days trying to cover crocus poking through the ground all around the greenhouse. Too soon, too soon! And the temps are supposed to plunge in the next few days. As I plant and sow in the signs of the moon, have been busy seeding in pansies and lisianthus and some geraniums. I grow for friends and family, who have been nudging me, via e-mail, wanting to know what will be ready, when! Looking out into the back yard, snow is beginning to pile up. Last night all the dogs in the neighborhood were singing in harmony with the coyotes down in the …

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One is H. niger and the other is H. orientalis. It’s the niger that is blooming now. The O blooms closer to Easter. The ‘Lady’ series is H x hybridus Lady. To paraphrase an article in BBC Gardener’s World, “Exciting colour options are now available to gardeners with the introduction of a new series of hellebores bred by Gisela Schmiemann in Germany.” Hopefully, I can get the garden center in Creston, BC to bring the series in for sale. The colors are really spectacular. The blue is the deepest and the yellow is sharp and bright. On another note…….night before last we received another six inches of snow. It was bright when I got up at midnight to take care …

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Mine aren’t in a sheltered spot and they are subject to wind almost every day that comes from the south. After a very mild late summer and early fall, the temps plunged without benefit of snow cover. The Hellebores fell over and looked quite forlorn and as soon as the weather moderated, they lifted their cushy heads to let me know all was well. Today we received a foot of new snow that flattened them and all I had to do was brush it aside and they perked right up again. It would be nice if the spring and summer bloomers had such recuperative powers!

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Finally, some snow to make the yard look pristine. 12/26 and the Hellebores by the back door are poking their dainty pink heads above the snow. It’s always fun when someone pulls into the drive not familiar with ‘Christmas’ or ‘Lenten’ roses. It can be 30 degrees and a foot of snow on the ground and I can pick a bouquet to share. I have two varieties given by an older friend years ago and plan on increasing the repertoire with some of the ‘Lady’ series in the coming year. These come in deep purple, white, pink, spotted and red. All this wonderful perennial asks is sun or shade in a well-drained bed punched full of humus rich compost. Happy …

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