The Rusty Pumpkin

Season extension

2008-04-07T21:29:00.001-04:00

It's all about the flavor of the vegetables, fruits, herbs, and spices you can grow in your own backyard garden. Order our herb, tomato and vegetable plants with exceptional gourmet colors and flavors, and they are delivered right to your door, ready to plant.The Tasteful Garden

Time to plant cool wether crops

2008-04-06T22:46:00.002-04:00

Its time to start planting those cool weather plants. We just planted green onions, cabbage,turnips and radish. Time to plant Pansy's and violas to. Cool Weather Gardens

Indiana Farmers Markets

2008-04-04T22:02:00.001-04:00

Enjoy Indiana by visiting one of the state’s U-Pick Farms or Farmers’ Markets in your local Hoosier community.Farmers' Markets and U-Pick Farms offer anything from apples, asparagus, vine-ripened tomatoes, blueberries, strawberries, cantaloupe, watermelons and sweet corn to various varieties of flowers, soaps, honey and maple syrup. This is the place to go to get lacol info.

Cage-Free Egg Production vs. Battery-Cage Egg Production

2008-04-04T21:41:00.004-04:00

Which would you rather have eggs from. caged unhappy chickens,or free roaming able to scratch and eat anything they want chickens?

We now sell cage free pasture raised chicken eggs. What is the difference between battery and free range:
Battery Cages The vast majority of egg-laying hens in the United States are confined in battery cages. On average, each caged laying hen is afforded only 67 square inches of cage space—less space than a single sheet of letter-sized paper on which to live her entire life. Unable even to spread their wings, caged laying hens are among the most intensively confined animals in agribusiness.Cage-Free Systems

Because of public opposition to battery cage confinement, many egg producers are switching to cage-free systems. While these systems generally offer hens a higher level of animal welfare than do battery cage systems, the mere absence of cages doesn't necessarily ensure a high level of welfare.

To read more on this subject go to this web site

Junk Mail Fixer

2006-10-15T08:29:00.000-04:00

I found the most amazing article in this month's Woman's Day and just HAD to share.

If you are anything like me, I HATE getting all that junk mail - whether it's via email or snail mail.

Well now there's something that can be done about putting an end to most of it!

Check This (link) !

Technorati Tags : junk_mail, consumer_alerts, spam, solicitations, marketing, email

Planting A Vegetable Garden

2006-08-18T13:30:00.000-04:00

Planting a vegetable garden at home can be fun, economical, and educational, but it can also be quite frustrating if you don?t do some planning and preparation. Here are some ideas to get you started, check with your local Cooperative Extension for more tips.

First you should plan out your garden. One thing you will want to consider for a home vegetable garden is sunlight. Vegetable crops need a lot of sun, about six hours of full sunlight a day. For convenience, placing your garden near your water source, and near your house are good ideas as well, if possible. Draw a chart of your garden and plan out what crops will go where. If this is your first try at vegetable gardening, it is a good idea to start small so you can see how much time and work it will require. Plant crops that your family really likes in quantities that will be manageable to grow and use.

If you want good crops, you need good soil. Preparing your garden bed is the next step to a successful garden. Some preparation in the fall, like tilling, or loosening up the soil, will make it easier to get ready in the spring and will allow you to start some plants out earlier. For optimal results, have your soil tested to see if it is acidic, what nutrients it has, etc. This will help you decide how and how much to fertilize your garden. If you don?t want to have your soil tested, ask the local gardening or seed store about local conditions. They should be able to give you a good idea of what is typical in your area. When you fertilize, pay close attention to recommended amounts and ratios of fertilizer to soil or size of your garden bed. Too much fertilizer will burn and kill your plants.

Now you can lay out your garden. Use stakes and string to create straight rows so you will know where your seeds are before they come up. Put up wire hoops or trellises for tomatoes, beans, and other plants that climb. Make soil mounds for tender vine crops like cucumbers and pumpkins. Whether you are planting seeds or plants that you have purchased or started indoors, make sure that you leave enough space between plants so they can get adequate sunlight, and not be competing with their neighbors for water and soil nutrients.

With a little forethought, you can end up with an enjoyable hobby that feeds your family, too!

About the Author

Jena Luthowski writes about Home Garden Coupons, Apple Trees and Popular Coupons

Technorati Tags : garden, vegetable, organic

Control Plant Diseases Before It Destroy Your Plants

2006-08-11T12:57:00.000-04:00

Plant diseases are usually produced by different kinds of organisms. Diseases that affects the leaf and the stems are bacteria, fungi or viruses. Soilborne diseases on the other hand are caused by various fungi. Bacterial diseases are caused by bacteria who are unable to manufacture their own food thus they depend on the host plant for food depriving the plants of the nutrients necessary for a healthy growth.

Fungal diseases are the most widespread plant maladies. Fungi parasitically obtain their food from green plants, causing diseases in the process. Fungi produces spores in great number which are tiny reproductive bodies. These spores can be carried by wind or water. Each spore will germinate and grow producing new infections. Viral diseases are viruses capable of invading plant tissue and reproducing in it. Viruses can be spread by aphids, leafhoppers and thrips. Even humans can spread viruses by propagating virus-infected plants.

Other factors that causes this are the plants own interaction with unfavorable environmental factors. This includes air pollution, a deficiency or excess of sunlight which is its main source of nutrients. It can also be the climate. Climate adaptability in plants is very important. Plant disease can be caused by climate which is too hot, too cold, too dry or too wet.

Kinds of Leaf and Stem Diseases

1. Anthracnose - infects leaves, produces large, irregular brown blotches which causes premature dropping of leaves.

2. Black Spot - it appears on leaves and stems as roughly circular spots of black with fringed edges, usually circled with yellow.

3. Dutch Elm Disease - also known as DED. Can be spread from infected trees to nearby healthy ones by natural root grafting.

4. Fireblight - it is carried to blossoms by splashing water, flies and other insects. Infection can also enter a plant through any fresh wound in the bark or foliage.

5. Leaf Spot - it is red, brown, yellow, or black disease spots on leaves and stems. Severe infection of this disease can cause some plants to defoliate.

6. Peach Leaf Curl - the curled and distorted leaves may be tinged with red, pink, yellow or white. Later they may become covered with white spores that can be carried by the wind to other leaves or plants.

7. Powdery Mildew - if first appears as small gray or white circular patches on plant tissue, spreading rapidly to form powdery areas of fungus filaments and spores.

8. Scab - the scab fungus differs from other leaf-infecting fungi in that the dark spots on leaves represent fungus growth on the foliage rather than areas of dead tissue.

9. Rust - this disease is specific to a certain type of plant. Rose rust will not infect hollyhocks and vice versa.

Soil borne Diseases

1. Damping Off - the stem of a seedling collapses at or near the soil surface and the seedling topples. It can also rot the seedling before it emerges from the soil or causes the seed to decay before sprouting.

2. Oak Root Fungus - the fungus kills its host by gradually decaying the roots and moving into the main stem, where it girdles the plant.

3. Root Rots, water Molds - the damage to roots from overwatering is, in almost all cases, not caused by water itself but by water-mold fungi that thrive when free water stands too long around roots - especially when soil is warm.

4. Verticillium Wilt - it invades and plugs the water conducting tissue in the roots and stems. A common symptom is a wilting of one side of the plant.

Ways to Control Plant Diseases

As with any kind of diseases, prevention is still the best line of defense. As much as possible choose plants that are disease resistant. Also make sure that planting locations and conditions don't encourage diseases.

There are products readily available in the market for this purpose. One classification are called preventives - as the word suggest it prevents diseases from occuring, but these products are ineffective once the disease are already established. The other classification is called eradicants - once the disease is established, eradicants are helpful in controlling them.

Before using any of these products, it will be wise to read the labels very carefully. Be sure to apply the products only if the plant is listed. It can cause damaged if applied to inappropriate plants.

Here are some of these products and the common disease they each control.

1. Sulfur - used to prevent powdery mildew, scab and rust. It is one of the oldest and safest fungicides

2. Lime Sulfur - It controls some mites, scale insects and thrips. Also used to prevent various leaf spots, peach leaf curl, and powdery mildew.

3. Captan - for prevention or eradication of damping-off, leaf spots and many other fungal diseases.

4. Triforine - for prevention or eradication of powdery mildew, rust, black spot and a variety of other diseases.

5. Copper Compounds - often used to prevent fireblight, peach leaf curl, and shot hole diseases.

6. Chlorothalonil - it prevents diseases on lawns, fruits, vegetables and ornamentals.

7. Triadimefon - effective against azalea petal blight. It can also prevent powdery mildew, rust and some lawn diseases.

Article Source

This article is written by Samuel Quino - the founder of Garden Tips and Gardening Advise website that portrays lots of gardening helpful resources, tools and e-books. Come and visit , www.gardening-tools-and-ebooks.comand download your FREE copy of "The Gardener's Secret Handbook".

Technorati Tags : gardening, plant+diseases, plants, landscape

Backyard Birding Enthusiasts

2006-08-02T15:36:00.000-04:00

Duncraft, the catalog and website for wild bird and nature enthusiasts, has launched a weekly radio spot "Bird Notes," on WKXL 1450 Radio, Concord, NH. “Bird Notes” are mini-essays on backyard birding topics such as chickadees, hummingbirds, woodpeckers, and the importance of water in the backyard naturescape. These same topics are discussed in length at www.duncraft.com in Duncraft’s popular Bird Blog. Sharon Dunn, Duncraft president, who hosts the spot, says, “Through ’Bird Notes’ we can share over fifty years of birding experience and knowledge with our long-time customers and brand new listeners."

“Bird Notes” is a weekly spot, repeated at 7:27 a.m. on Mondays, 12:39 p.m. on Wednesdays and 5:39 p.m. on Fridays; www.WKXL1450.com streams its programming -- just go to their website.

A recent spot on chickadees notes that this agile bird is quite adventurous, often the first to try out a new feeder in the backyard. And when you hear that familiar chick-a-dee-dee-dee call, listen closely, because a chickadee's call tells a story. The more "dees" in a chickadee's warning call, the more dangerous a predator is likely to be.

Dunn says, "I think chickadees are so loved because everyone can recognize them, and sometimes they seem almost tame. On our webstore www.duncraft.com we have a shopping feature for locating items for a particular bird such as the chickadee. Just click on By Bird! For chickadees, you'll find over 30 feeders, foods, houses -- just right for the chickadee. Our Cling-a-Wing Feeder is a great example; it's an ideal feeder for small clinging birds and discourages larger birds. Our exclusive Chickadee Blend birdseed is chock full of the nuts chickadees love! The Mahogany House is ideal because it has the 1 1/4" entry hole they prefer. And chickadees love suet also, so we feature Peanut Butter suet cakes in the chickadee section. If you offer suet, you will definitely have chickadees coming to visit!”

You'll find all the birding articles mentioned, as well as many more at www.duncraft.com. Simply click on Bird Blog. The Duncraft website and catalog offer hundreds of feeders, foods and other specialty items for backyard birdfeeding.

About Duncraft
Duncraft, Inc., located in Concord, NH, was founded in 1952. The Duncraft Living with Nature Catalog and the www.duncraft.com website offers hundreds of the very best wild bird and nature-related gifts, birdfeeders, bird foods, backyard pest solutions and garden décor. Visit Duncraft’s blog at http://blogs.shareup.net/duncraft
and get great backyard birding tips from the experts. Or, share your own tips, photos and personal stories with the enthusiastic Duncraft community.

Technorati Tags : backyard, lawn, garden, birds, duncraft.com, birding

Mosquito Control

2006-07-19T14:24:00.000-04:00

American Biophysics Corporation (AmBio) today announced that the Good Housekeeping Research Institute has recommended the Mosquito Magnet® Defender and featured the market-leading mosquito trap in the July issue of Good Housekeeping magazine.

Find more information on MomGadget

Technorati Tags : mosquito, gardening, lawn, patio, good+housekeeping, gadget

Latest Trends for 2006 Garden Decor

2006-07-16T10:04:00.000-04:00

Decor for the backyard has become the newest decorating statement. Gone are the days of boring plant beds and folding chairs. Today’s fashionable backyard has the elements of nature on focus with a variety of materials ranging from the very expensive to the moderately priced. Whether you are opting to redo a small area of your yard or revamp the whole place, keeping a few key points in mind will help

How much maintenance do you want? This will provide a starting point in your backyard design. Fountains and ponds are beautiful accessories but will require some work on your part. Is there a theme you have in mind? Popular themes are Victorian, stone, or even Art Deco. However, you can choose any theme you want, just be sure to carry it out throughout your backyard to make the design cohesive. What is your decorating budget? Decor accents are available in a wide range of prices.

Current trends are in creating focal points in your backyard. Stunning fountains add height and visual appeal. In fact, many of these fountains are too beautiful to contain to the backyard and are taking front stage on the front lawn. Natural materials are used to enhance the feel of the backyard. Using textures and ideas from nature itself are sources of design inspiration.

Other popular decor elements are garden bridges. Made of a variety of materials, a garden bridge can make a backyard seem more spacious. Smaller decor items are important too. Copper accessories are popular as are stepping stones, large stones or rocks, wind chimes, gazing balls, and even garden gnomes. Combining multiple textures and elements is the secret to making a backyard a special gathering place.

Whatever you aspire your backyard to be, the addition of garden decor is sure to give style. Visit http://www.DKTSHopping.com for more garden decor ideas.

Technorati Tags : garden, decor, gardening, backyard, fountains

Fast Growing Shade Trees Cut Energy Bills up to 25 Percent

2006-07-16T10:03:00.000-04:00

Want to slash those summer power bills, but don’t want to spend a lot of money to do it? Consider planting fast growing trees. Some grow as much as 10 feet in the very first year, quickly providing shade and lowering cooling costs.

According to the US Department of Agriculture, well placed trees can reduce overall cooling expenses by as much as 30% and can save 20% – 50% on heating bills. When average annual utility bills run from $1,500 - $2,500, this could add up to a savings of thousands of dollars in just the first few years. Plus, healthy, mature trees increase property values by as much as 10%, lower stress levels, and clean the air we breathe.

Just a few trees can make a big difference. Start by shading the west and east sides of your home. Don’t forget to shade your air conditioning unit; this alone can increase cooling efficiency by 10%. Trees should also be planted near driveways to deflect heat away from your home. A diagram can be found at http://www.fast-growing-trees.com/EnergyDiagram.htm.

So what is the fastest growing shade tree? According to the Fast Growing Trees Nursery , it’s the Royal Empress Tree. Nursery Manager Jarred Hicks explains that with a little care, an Empress tree can reach up to ten feet the first full growing season and go on to twenty five feet in just three years. Furthermore, they have a deep taproot that grows down, not out, so you don’t have to worry about disturbing foundations, patios or driveways. Royal Empress Trees have large, one-foot leaves that provide dense shade in the summer then drop in the fall to let sunlight through when needed most.

Hicks recommends against Empress trees grown from seed but prefers a process where trees are cloned. He explains, "Some of the best Empress mother trees in the world are selected for fast growth, form, and hardiness. We clone these in a laboratory then grow them in our nursery. This guarantees a near perfect tree and one that’s non-invasive."

Other fast growing shade trees include Hybrid Poplars, American Sycamores, and new varieties of red maples that are faster growing, disease resistant, and more colorful. For pictures and more information about fast growing trees you can visit the Fast Growing Trees Nursery or call 1-888-222-5150.

Fast-Growing-Trees.com is a mail order nursery headquartered in Charlotte, NC. They specialize in Royal Empress trees, Thuja Green Giant evergreens, and 40 other fast growing varieties.

Technorati Tags : shade+trees, gardening, lawn+care, landscape, energy+bill, save+money

Outdoor Plants - Repel Bugs

2006-07-01T08:09:00.000-04:00

To keep bugs and worms away from outdoor and house plants, add a clove of garlic to the soil.

Technorati Tags : gardening, outdoor+plants

Garden Watering Tips to Beat Summer Heat

2006-06-27T10:46:00.000-04:00

Proper watering and irrigation are big jobs for gardeners during July, say experts at Agromin, a Camarillo-based manufacturer of premium soil products.

Watering: Water slowly to reach the natural root zone--usually the upper two feet of soil. Water only when the top two inches of soil are dry. This trains roots to grow down to reach moisture, get more nutrients and resist heat. When using automatic watering programs, set for 4:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. to reduce mildew and other diseases.

Mulching: Most plant problems are from over watering. Add mulch to soil to retain moisture, moderate temperature and reduce your overall watering needs.

Fill Garden Gaps: use summer-to-fall bloomers like alyssum, celosia, cosmos, marigolds, petunias, portulaca, red sage, verbena, vinca and zinnias. Plant bedding begonias and impatiens in shaded areas. Keep all plants moist for the first few weeks.

Repot Container Plants: When using the same plant container, remove the plant, untangle and trim some roots and report with fresh soil. For best results, repot in the evening.

Pinch and Prune for Blooms: Continually pinch or cut back most flowers to encourage more growth and flowering. Pinch chrysanthemums to keep stems from becoming scraggly by fall.

Midsummer Transplanting: Transplant vegetables and flowers to locations where they will flourish for harvesting or full growth. Transplant late in the day or early evening so plants can recover before a full day of heat and sun.

For more planting and gardening tips, go to www.agromin.com.

About Agromin:

Agromin manufactures premium soil products for the agriculture and horticulture trades and for consumer use. For more than 30 years, Agromin has provided quality soil amendments and products to some of California's largest vegetable, citrus, avocado and strawberry growers. Agromin is also the green waste recycler for 19 cities in Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. Each month, Agromin receives and processes thousands of tons of urban wood and green waste. Agromin then uses a safe, organic and scientific system to formulate its soil products from the processed recycled green waste. The result is more vigorous and healthier plants and gardens, and on the conservation side, more room in landfills and less greenhouse gas emissions.

Source

Technorati Tags : gardening, watering, heat, summer, vegetables, flowers

Celebrities are Turning to Nature for Their Escape

2006-06-26T17:17:00.000-04:00

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) June 25, 2006 -- Long hours of shooting or rehearsal, the parties, the award shows, the guest appearances, the photo shoots, the traveling. With their busy lives and the constant hustle bustle of the industry, where do celebrities go to get away from it all? Do they have to travel to distant places or go hide out in far away retreats? Not these days. Celebrities are opting to bring their retreats and beautiful getaways to their homes.
Whether it is a pond full of fish, a waterfall, or a stream, celebrities are enjoying just staying home to get away from their busy lives. They are able to have an environment where exotic fish and rich flora thrive together providing peace and comfort for them and their families to enjoy. They can listen to the trickling water to soothe their minds and smell the scent of some of the most beautiful flowers. It is a place where they can bring family and friends together to enjoy each other’s company or just sit quietly by themselves.

Steve Sandalis of Mystic Water Gardens, located in Encino, California has been creating beautiful outdoor environments for 10 years. He started doing all this for the same reason these celebrities are choosing to do it. While living in New York and working as an actor, he wanted a place to reflect and get away from it all. He decided to turn his own yard into a beautiful, peaceful getaway. After experiencing the joy that this brought to him he knew that he had to share it with others. This became his passion and has created many different environments for celebrities alike.

Some of these celebrities include Jeff Probst of Survivor, Matt Sorum of the band Velvet Revolver, and actor Scott Baio. Their environments include different combinations of waterfalls, ponds, streams, fish, plants, lights, and rocks. Another celebrity in Malibu, California had a 100x80 trout lake created with streams and a waterfall. These celebrities get to enjoy every bit of nature in the privacy of their own yards and with very little work. And contrary to what some may believe, these features are very low maintenance.

In a time where everyday life is getting busier and busier, it looks like the celebrities have found the answer to peace and serenity.

Technorati Tags : jeff+probst, matt+sorum, scott+baio, celebrity, relax, nature, water, pond

Chemical Free Snake Mole and Grub Control

2006-06-26T17:13:00.000-04:00

CedarCide Industries of The Woodlands Texas announced today that "SMG" also known as Snake Mole and Grub control is now available to consumers and Pest Control Operators Worldwide. The Unique Cedar Oil based product is effective in eradicating Grub Worms and other soil borne insects that damage millions of acres of Residential, Agricultural and Golf Course Turf each year. Moles and Snakes consider SMG treated areas off limits.

Our invention is breakthrough technology at its best said Dave Glassel of CedarCide Industries, Inc., a Woodlands, Texas based manufacturer of Chemical Free Solutions. We provide Next Generation active ingredients to the Agriculture, Wood Protection and Insect Control Industries. All of our formulations are based on Zero Toxicity ingredients, primarily Cedar Oil, which can be found in large quantities in the rougher terrain of Central and West Texas. Our formulations include Silicone (quartz) derivatives provided to us by our product development partner Dow Corning of Midland, Michigan.

SMG will enhance the turf condition of numerous landscapes in the coming years. No longer is it necessary to utilize microbial killing toxins in an attempt to control soil borne Grub Worms and their Mole counterparts. Satisfactory results can be obtained with one SMG treatment.

SMG Concentrate is formulated primarily from Cedar Oil and Ethyl Lactate Bio Solvents. These two actives in concert with a water carrier are instrumental in surfacing and killing Grubs from infested turf. The eradication of Grubs interrupts important food chain cycles. The food source for Moles is Grubs. Moles tunnel in the areas below the turf in search of Grubs. The food source for Venomous and heat seeking Snakes are Moles. Snakes frequent Grub infested turf in search of food, primarily the Mole. SMG when applied properly will interrupt the EGG LAYER CYCLE of the Grub. After treatment the aroma of Cedar Oil will repel the May Beetle or June Bug. Future generations of Grubs will be avoided by repelling the bug that lays the egg, that evolves into the Grub worm. Venomous Snakes are pheromone driven. The aroma of Cedar Oil masks existing Kairomones (aromas) as well as impairs the mental faculties of the Snake which deters them from entering the area. Initial treatments with SMG should be done to obtain a 1 inch depth penetration of moisture in the soil. Suggested application with a hose end sprayer or any other type of high volume water disbursement device is recommended. Application prior to rainfall will promote the leaching of SMG into the soil and enhance the SMG results. The treatment is effective on numerous species of insects including but not limited to Mosquitoes, Flies, Fleas, Chiggers, Ticks, Mites, Scorpions, Mole Crickets and others. SMG will dissolve the eggs and larvae of all insects. Recommended application rate is 400:1 to a soil penetration of 1 inch.

Homeowners plagued with perpetual turf destruction from Grub Worms and Moles can now enjoy a Snake free environment as well as a beautiful Lawn. The Barrier of Entry established by the treatment with SMG will make the treated turf OFF LIMITS to Venomous Snakes which are commonly known as HEAT SEEKERS. When entering SMG treated areas, the Snake experiences a pheromone interruption trauma with end results that impair the Snakes mental capacities. Treatment with SMG is instrumental in the masking of Kairomones, the specific odor emitted by all plant matter. This important event provides insect obedience at its best.

SMG is shipped in concentrated form only. It is sold in quarts, gallons and 5 gallon pails. It can be delivered by a existing irrigation system or applied with a hose end sprayer. No applicators license is required. Normal eye wear protection should be worn for general safety purposes. There are no RE-ENTRY boundaries required for humans or animals subsequent to SMG treatment.

To learn more about SMG or to purchase the product visit the CedarCide Industries Wholesale Retail Store www.cedarcidestore.com or call 1 800 842 1464.

Source

Technorati Tags : grub, mole, pest+control, garden, landscape, cedarcide

Tips For The Rose Gardener

2006-06-23T17:14:00.000-04:00

Rose gardens are probably the most popular type of garden in the world, ranging from Marie Antoinette’s famous gardens before the French revolution to a few shrubs tucked in a tiny backyard. With their wonderful scents and lovely blossoms, it is no wonder these surprisingly sturdy plants are so popular. After all, no other flowers are used as frequently as roses to symbolize love and friendship. If you’d like to grow beautiful roses in your yard, try a few of these simple rose gardening tips.

1. Roses need to eat regularly, just like any other living thing. Start feeding your roses before you even place them in the planting hole by adding a scoop of compost.

2. Use specially formulated rose food to help your roses really bloom. If you prefer organic methods, give your roses each a small scoop of Epsom salts, a banana peel, and some rotted compost. They will absolutely love these homegrown garden remedies.

3. Roses need to breathe. Be sure you don’t allow other plants to get to close to your roses. Keep weeds away from the base of your roses with a 2 to 4 inch layer of rotted compost or chip mulch, but be sure you don’t place these weed barriers right against the rose’s stems.

4. Mulch also helps keep your roses from getting too dry. Mulch retains water, so your roses need to be watered less frequently during the summer months.

5. Trim out dead wood. Rose canes that are brown and dead may even be harboring insect pests, so remove them immediately. Always make a clean cut instead of crushing the canes as you remove them.

6. Prune out canes that cross over other canes. Those sharp thorns damage the rose’s outer skin as easily as they snag your hands. Always prune a cane above a bud that faces away from the inside of the plant. This bud will react to the pruning by sending out a new shoot.

7. If your roses are infested by aphids, spray them with insecticidal soap.

8. Always remove pruned canes and spotty leaves from the ground. If you don’t, any fungus on them will re-infect your roses when there is a heavy rainfall.

Finally, the most important rose gardening tip may just be to wear long sleeves and thick gloves when you are working with your roses. A rose thorn can really hurt, especially if it becomes deeply embedded in your hand.

Article Source

Gray Rollins is a featured writer for RoseGardenSecrets.com. For more rose gardening tips and for more on starting your own rose garden, visit us.

Technorati Tags : rose, gardening, gardening+tips, rose+garden

New Online Resource for Home and Garden Pest Information

2006-06-19T11:10:00.000-04:00

Corvallis, OR (PRWEB) June 11, 2006 -- A new resource for homeowners, gardeners and everyone concerned about least-toxic, safe, and sane pest management has been launched. LivingWithBugs is owned and maintained by a retired university entomologist and a former state horticulture inspector. The site offers accurate, up-to-date and unbiased information for solving common insect and mite problems around home, business and landscape using least-toxic methods.

There currently are more than 150 content pages with new topics added regularly. All common home and garden pests are covered with photographs, life history and, where appropriate, control information. There is a comprehensive Bookstore in which selected book and video titles are presented from 25 plus topics as well as selections for kids.

Major pest topics include aphids, bed bugs, boxelder bugs, carpenter ants, cockroaches, dust mites, fleas, head lice, insect identification, meal moths, mosquitoes, nuisance ants and nuisance flies, powderpost beetles, root weevils, slugs, spider mites, spiders and ticks, termites, yellowjackets, and many others. All content is free. The site is supported by advertising and top retail affiliates such as Amazon and Powell's bookstores.

A “'Bugs Forum” is available where registered users can post messages and questions. Registration and use of the forum is also free. Questions posted in the forum are generally answered within 24 hours.

'Bugs was conceived and is maintained by Jack DeAngelis, a retired Extension urban entomologist from Oregon State University and Elizabeth DeAngelis a retired Oregon Department of Agriculture Horticulture inspector.

The site is about Urban entomology the study of insects and mites that impact people and their property. “Our focus is consumer education. Informed consumers make better decisions and our aim is to help people select the least toxic alternative when pest control is needed”.

'Bugs (www.LivingWithBugs.com) is open 24/7 and the owners are anxious to hear from their users.

Source

Technorati Tags : bugs, gardening, pest+control, agriculture, horticulture

How to Get Rid of Ants

2006-06-12T08:03:00.000-04:00

Ant season is on the horizon.

As the ground warms up in the spring, ants who have been dormant in the earth during the colder weather warm up and come to the surface. Queen ants fly off to find new nesting areas…and before you know it, ants are back in our world.

While ants play an important roll in the ecosystem, it is no picnic when they become pests in our world.

But all too often, when people have a pest problem they run to the store and buy a can of toxic pesticide, come home and spray the pest.

Whoa! Let’s step back and take a look at handling ant problems using a least toxic approach.

Perhaps I should first define “least toxic approach.” This term means you try to solve the insect problem with the least toxic material. If that doesn’t work, then you try something a little toxic but not as toxic as poison. You keep trying to solve the insect problem using progressively more toxic substances until you find something that works. Using this approach, the solution to your insect problem can range from doing nothing to spraying toxic insect killer, if that is the only thing that works.

Why should you bother with a least toxic approach? For one thing, studies are beginning to reveal the serious side effects of the overuse of toxic pesticides in our environment.

Did you know that evidence suggests a risk for some types of cancer and even genetic damage from exposure to pesticides?
And perhaps worst of all, children are especially at risk.

Why wait until science finally makes a direct link to damaged genes and pesticides? By that time, the damage could already be done to your genes and those of your children.

You can help protect yourself, your children and our planet by doing your part to be a good steward of our environment right now. One way to do that is to adapt a least toxic approach to pest problems…and that’s what our article series on getting rid of ants is all about.

Article Source

Chris Wells is the author of How to Get Rid of Ants: 137 Non-Toxic Ways to Get Rid of Ants Using Common Household Items and Products, an 88-page book chock full of non-toxic solutions to ant and insect problems. Go to www.howtogetridofants.com for more information.

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Top Five Reasons To Fail At Growing Gourds

2006-06-07T11:27:00.000-04:00

Why do some fail to grow a good crop of gourds? There could be a number of reasons but these are my top five.

1. Failure to notice the length of the growing season. Are you located in an area that has a long growing season? Lucky you! This factor shouldn’t have much affect on your gourd crop. Those in the northern climates with short growing seasons should check carefully how many days that gourd variety you desperately want to grow needs to get to maturity.

2. Using fertilizer with too high of a nitrogen content. Nitrogen is great for getting your plants off to a good start, but if you continue down that road, you will have all leaves and no fruit. The first number on the fertilizer bag stands for nitrogen. If that number is a lot higher than the other two you’ve got the wrong fertilizer for your gourd plants. Use it on the lawn instead.

3. Plenty of flowers but no gourds develop. Looks like you don’t have any pollinators. Gourd plants have both male and female flowers and the pollen from the male needs a way to get to the female. Since the hard-shell gourd flowers open at night, you need some nighttime insects to do the job. You may need to do some hand pollinating.

4. Poor Soil. Gourds grow best in a light soil with plenty of good organic material added. Enrich your soil with some well-rotted manure or compost.

5. Last but not least. Harvesting before they are mature. Sure your gourds grew fast and they look like the right size, but that doesn’t mean they are ready to be picked. Gourds need plenty of time to mature on the inside to make a good hard shell. Don’t pick gourds until the vines are dead and dried up.

These are my five top reasons for gourd failures. There are some other things that could affect your gourd crop, like insects and critters, disease, and poor weather conditions, but the majority of the time, my top five reasons are the culprits.

Article Source

Martha Bloom caught gourd fever when she came across an article in a gardening magazine. Soon the gardens became filled with gourd plants and the house with gourd crafts in all phases of completion. She has sold her creations at craft shows and now has a web site, Martha's Gourds. Find more information on gourds, cleaned, ready to craft gourds, and a gallery of Martha’s work at marthasgourds.com”>Growing Gourds

Technorati Tags : garden, gardening, gourds

An Introduction to No-Dig Gardening

2006-06-05T14:33:00.000-04:00

The idea of no-dig gardening was developed by an Australian named Esther Deans. It was originally both developed both as a labor saving idea, and a method to rejuvenate badly depleted soil in a vegetable garden.

The process involves starting with layers of newspaper, and by adding lucerne hay, straw and compost in succeeding layers, you can create a growing medium without resorting to heavy digging, and one that is rich in nutrients and which will simplify weeding and encourage your much desired plants to grow. The layers compost together, and greatly encourage earthworms. The gardens are maintained by adding manure, compost, etc., and should not be dug up, as this will undo the good work. I have used this approach to creating vegetable gardens, and it certainly does work.

The principle of not digging has sound foundations. Excessive cultivation of the soil, especially when very wet or very dry, will damage the structure of the soil, and lead to compaction. Such excessive cultivation can also discourage the earthworms, and they are the best free labor a gardener has.

Some followers of permaculture and organic gardening have translated no-dig into never-dig, which I believe is sadly mistaken. If you start with a base soil that is badly compacted, then your no-dig garden will initially work well, but you may find your garden does not continue to perform well. The fertile layer you have built up will encourage the earthworms, but we do know that the worms need to shelter from excessively hot, dry, cold or wet conditions. They have been found to seek shelter from extreme conditions by burrowing more deeply into the soil, sometime many feet down. If they cannot shelter in this way, it is my contention that they will die out or move out.

My belief is that an initial cultivation of the soil before you apply the no-dig system will guarantee a better environment for the worms, and thus a better garden for growing your plants, over the longer term.

By all means give the no-dig approach a try – you will be pleased with the result.

Article Source

To discover some great gardening tips visit www.gardeningtoolsandtips.info for information on topics such as container gardening.

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8 Tips To Get Your Kids Enjoy Home Gardening

2006-06-01T11:14:00.000-04:00

Dirt has always been one of the kids' best toys, so home gardening could just be one fun activity for your children. Excite them by allowing them to pick whichever plant they want to grow. Here are some tips to help you make your little ones become enthusiastic with home gardening.

1. Choose the right plants

Kids will more likely choose plants and flowers with bright colors, so have a load of varieties of plants. Examples of bright flowers are zinnias and cosmos; these will keep your children fascinated. Don't forget the sunflowers. Anything that is tall and fuzzy will surely overwhelm a kid. Make sure these plants will not cause any allergic reactions from your kid.

2. Starting seeds

Give your children the freedom to help you with the staring seeds. Some seeds might be too small for the tiny fingers, but their digits can be of help in covering them with dirt.

3. Home Gardening Memoir

To last the kids' enthusiasm until the plants grow, make them create a home gardening journal. This activity will allow them to use their imagination to sketch on what the plants will be like and write down when they placed in the ground the seeds and when they first witnessed a sprout pushing up.

4. Make sure that the garden is somewhere very visible for the kids.

Before you start home gardening, pick a spot where the kids often play or walk by. Every time they see and pass by their garden, the more they will sight changes.

5. Dirt playing

Always remember that children are fond of playing with dirt or mud. They can help you ready the soil, even if what they are only doing is stomping on the clumps. To make home gardening with the kids more fun, you can provide them with kid-sized tools to make home gardening very engaging for them.

6. Your kids own the garden

A picture of each plant will enable the children to foresee what the flowers will look like. You can also put your child's name on a placard, so everyone can see that it's their garden.

7. Playing with the water

Playing with water is right up there with playing with dirt. Look for a small watering can that they can use to water their garden. You can show them how to let the water go right to the roots of the plants. Hoses want only trouble. They are simply formidable for little hands to control.

8. Kids commit mistakes

Adults, too, are sometimes impatient. Give the kids full control to their garden. If they create a mess, let it be, it's their mess. Allow them to get pleasure from it and take dignity in their own piece of territory. Just don't forget to tell them how to clean up that mess.

Article Source

You Too can have a green thumb. Visit Georges Blog here www.push-button-online-income.com/gardening

Technorati Tags : gardening, kids, lawn, garden, seeds, family

Weed Control - How to Prevent Weeds from Taking Control of Your Yard

2006-05-31T12:01:00.000-04:00

If bees are public enemy #1 for most farmers, lawn owners and gardeners tend to view weeds with very much the same perception. Weeds are non-native plants that are unwanted in a certain place and time and can be very much harmful to your plants and even public amenity.

It’s imperative that you prevent weeds from taking control of your yard lest you wish to see your plants die one by one before the year’s end. Don’t let their harmless-sounding names (chickweed, dandelion and crabgrass) fool you; if you allow them full liberty to grow, you might find it impossible later on to regain control and recover the beauty of your garden.

Found below are several tips for better and more effective weed control:

Defensive Measures against Weeds

Always remember that the healthier your garden or yard’s soil, the better defense your plants shall have against weeds. So make sure that you always keep your garden or yard as healthy as possible.

Excellent fertilization is a good defensive step to take against weeds. Using the right type of fertilizer that possesses the best combination of nitrogen and other important compounds four times a year will go a long way in improving the health of your yard. But don’t be surprised if some stubborn weeds still persist in growing; that’s the time when other more aggressive steps must be taken to achieve effective weed control.

Aggressive and Chemical Measures for Weed Control

When you choose a particular weed product to use, make sure that you use it during the active growth period of weeds. This often happens in late spring or early fall and temperatures must approximately be around 15 to 25 degrees. Extreme temperatures would simply lessen the potency of the product against weeds.

On the other hand, if the product you’re using is a weed and feed one, make sure that you spread them always in the morning. This is because morning dew can ensure that the weed and feed product would stick to the weeds, thereby increasing their effectiveness. Avoid watering or mowing your yard when you’ve just applied the product. And just to be on the safe side, prevent both your kids and pets from tramping in the law during those days as well.

The Right Attitude to Succeed

Be realistic when it comes to your weed control goals. Weeds are like mushrooms; they grow very fast and worse, they’re not exactly easy to get rid off. Hence, telling yourself that you’ll exterminate the weed your population in a bloody one-day battle is simply impossible to achieve. You’ll never get started or feel properly motivated if you think that way.

Weeding, like other difficult but highly rewarding tasks, is a huge goal that you must try to achieve by taking one small measured step after another. Give yourself a goal outline if you wish. Divide the gardens into several areas and get rid of weeds in one particular division after another. You need to motivate yourself properly if you wish to succeed and setting unrealistic goals for yourself is certainly not the way to do it!

The Right Time to Fight Weeds

Time management is equally important in weed control; pick a particular time of the day when you believe you’ll be most available to battle the invading army in your garden. Whichever time period you end up choosing, make sure that you stick to your schedule at all times. Consistency and perseverance are what’s going to win the battle and not a blitzkrieg style of offense.

Article Source

Khieng 'Ken' Chho - Online Weed Resources. For more, visit Ken's website: weeds.wicwoc.com/

Technorati Tags : gardening, weeds, lawn

Backyard Landscaping Ideas

2006-05-24T16:57:00.000-04:00

No matter where you live, there’s nothing better than relaxing outdoors on a warm summer night watching your backyard landscaping ideas come to life.

Unfortunately, re-landscaping your entire backyard during the course of one growing season can be back breaking, expensive and requires major planning.

Here’s a simple solution: Break up your backyard into “rooms” and remodel one room each year. This is especially helpful if you’re on a budget. You’re results will be much better if you spend as much time and money as you can on one project, rather than trying to revamp the entire backyard all at once for the same amount of money.

Although you’re landscaping only one section of the yard at a time, you still need an overall plan. Using graph paper, sketch out the permanent structures on your property including the house, out buildings, deck and trees.

This is also a good time to consider which existing plants and shrubs won’t be a part of the new landscape.

Make copies of your sketch and experiment with different designs. Incorporate ideas you like from magazines or gardens you’ve visited.

If you host frequent cook outs you’ll probably want to keep the yard open and plant along the borders. If you don’t need the space, you could create real drama with an island bed, walkways, solar lighting and cutouts for comfortable furniture to relax on.

Here are some ideas you’ll dig:

Screening with Plants

If your yard doesn’t have a fence, you might want to consider planting a row of hawthorn, juniper, arborvitae, or a combination of these bushes to create privacy and provide a backdrop for future flower beds. A strategically place evergreen screen will also provide a windbreak from winter winds and drifting snow.

Planning a Border Flower Bed

The hardest part of designing a border is choosing flowers that complement each other both in color and height. The list of perennials I suggest here is for a six foot wide bed in a mainly sunny situation. Wide, in this case, means outward from the plant screen or fence, not the length of the bed.

Use 3 or 5 plants for each kind of flower and allow 16”–18” between each plant. Allow 20”–22” between the different plant groups. Planting an odd number of plants is more visually appealing than an even number.

Allow sufficient space at the rear of the bed for access. This will also prevent choking off necessary air and light from the plants in back.

These are my suggestions for a perennial border. They were chosen to give a long display, with the first flowers appearing in April and the last in October.

Tall plants for the back row: SEDUM ‘Autumn Joy’; RUDBECKIA Goldsturm; PHLOX White; IRIS light blue or yellow; VERONICA Blue; SOLIDAGO ‘Golden Shower’; and HOSTA fortunei ‘Picta’.

Shorter plants for the front row: GERANIUM grandiflorum; POTENTILLA ‘Firedance’; HUECHERA Pink; ASTER Dwarf Blue; SEDUM Dragons Blood; ACHILLEA ‘Moonshine’; and ERIGERON ‘Prosperity’.

Obviously, these plants won’t be the best choice for every climate. A worthwhile book to help you choose plants native to your climate zone is The Comfortable Lazy Garden. It’s also an excellent reference for beginning gardeners.

Island Bed

An island bed, as the name implies, is planted in the middle of the yard surrounded by a sea of grass. It can vary in shape and size according to your imagination and available space. Scale the plants from tallest in the center to shortest at the edges.

Preplanned Gardens

I understand all of this Latin mumbo jumbo can be daunting for first time gardeners, it was for me. If you would like a ready made solution, Direct Gardening offers a wide selection of preplanned gardens designed to take all the guess work out of plant selection and placement.

Water Feature

Imagine the reflective beauty of a pond or the gentle splashing of a man made waterfall. How about a 100 foot high waterslide? Maybe next year.

Do Your Yard a Favor

Before you buy any vegetation, visit a real garden center for advice on drainage and soil preparation. Also, bring a copy of your plan; a soil sample and an extra credit card just in case you can’t wait years to make your backyard landscaping ideas come true.

Article Source

Visit Backyard Landscaping Ideas at Alternative-Heating-Info.com for a free copy of "How To Build Your Own Natural Waterfall".

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Summer Gardening Tips

2006-05-22T09:24:00.000-04:00

Don't be afraid to trim those flowering shrubs and trees that need it. Failure to prune is probably the biggest gardening mistake a person can make. I spent 20 years landscaping homes and businesses, and I watched people make the investment in my services, then they failed to prune when the plants needed it, and before you know it their landscape looked terrible.

If you make a mistake pruning, don't worry about it. It's like a bad haircut, it will grow out. Of course use common sense and read the previous articles that I've written on pruning.

Along with summertime comes high humidity. High humidity can cause a lot of problems with the plants in your garden and around your house. One of the simple things you can do is don't water just before dark. Make sure your plants are nice and dry when you tuck them in for the night and you can cut down on the chance of fungus being a problem.

One of the more common fungi that I get asked about a lot is powdery mildew. This appears as a white film on the leaves of ornamental plants. Dogwoods and Purple Sandcherry are often the victim of powdery mildew. Powdery mildew isn't extremely harmful to the plants, it's just that the foliage is damaged, and little growing takes place once it sets in. Your local garden center will have a general fungicide you can spray if you'd like to try and control it. Usually once the plant defoliates in the fall the plant is back to normal.

If you have Perennial Rye Grass in your lawn, and you probably do if you're in the north, you must be careful not to leave your grass wet at night. There is a fungus known as Pythium Blight that appears in very humid conditions. This fungus attacks and kills perennial rye grasses. Here in the north most of our lawns are a blend of fescues, perennial ryes, and Kentucky Blue Grass.

If you have problems with Pythium blight you will lose the perennial rye grass in large areas of your lawn, and even though the other grasses will still be there and fill in, your lawn will have areas that are much darker green than the rest of the lawn because you will then have concentrations of Kentucky Blue Grass.

You can see this fungus in the early morning. It looks like white cotton candy laying on top of your lawn. It usually appears along walks and driveways where the soil is wet if you have been watering. To prevent Pythium blight water as early in the day as possible.

Another nasty little blight that likes summertime is Fire Blight. Fire Blight attacks ornamentals, especially Apple trees, Crabapple trees, Cotoneasters, and Pyracantha. You know you have Fire Blight when a branch on one of your plants dies and turns almost red. The leaves usually hang on but turn reddish brown. The damage usually starts out near the end of the branch and works its way toward the main stem of the plant. There is little you can do except prune out the affected branch, cutting it as far back as possible.

Fire Blight is very contagious to plants so you should burn the branches you prune out. You should also dip or wash your pruning shears in rubbing alcohol after each cut to keep from spreading this deadly fungus.

Unfortunately, I've got one more summertime culprit to warn you about. It's a handy little fungus that grows in mulch. Actually there are all kinds of fungi that tend to grow in mulches, and most of them are really disgusting looking. But this little gem is unique in the fact that as it grows it tends to swell. Then somehow it manages to explode, and it will spatter your house with tiny brown specks. The experts have appropriately named this one “Shotgun Fungus”. Isn't that a cute name?

These tiny little brown specks will fly as high as eight feet into the air, and once they stick to your house or windows, they stick like glue. I know that right now there are people hollering across the house at their spouse, “Hey, remember those brown specks all over the house? I know what they are. It's from the mulch!” Tell me I'm wrong, but I know I'm not.

A lot of people are victims of this nasty little fungus, but they don't know it. All they know is that there are tiny brown specks on the house that look like paint. So far they have blamed everything from spiders to aliens.

There's not a lot you can do to prevent this fungus. I have found that if you keep the mulch loose so air can circulate it is less likely to grow fungi. Don't just keep adding layer after layer to the mulch around your house. You should skip at least every other year and just loosen the mulch you already have down. If you loosen it and then rake it flat it will look like you've just mulched. Mulch is great, just don't let it get packed down hard. Loosen it up at least once a year.

Article Source:

Michael J. McGroarty is the author of this article. Visit his most interesting website, www.freeplants.com and sign up for his excellent gardening newsletter. Article provided by gardening-articles.com

Technorati Tags : summer, summer+gardening, tips, garden+tips, advice

Beware of Toxic Mulch

2006-05-22T09:22:00.000-04:00

Mulching beds has become extremely popular these days, and mulch can be really beneficial to your plants and the soil in your planting beds, but there are things you need to watch for.

Here in Ohio the most popular type of mulch that people use is shredded hardwood bark mulch, which is a byproduct of the timber industry. When they haul the logs into the sawmill the first thing they do is debark them. Years ago the bark was a huge problem for the mills because there didn't seem to be a useful purpose for it, until people realized the hidden benefits that it held. Still to this day, the bark is a headache for the saw mills, and they don't always understand how to properly handle it.

They like to pile it as high as they can so it takes up less space in their yard. The mulch really tends to back up during the winter months because there is little demand for it. In order for the mills to pile the mulch high, they literally have to drive the large front end loaders up onto the pile. Of course the weight of these large machines compacts the mulch in the pile, and this can become a huge problem for you or I if we happen to get some mulch that has been stacked too high, and compacted too tightly.

When the trees are first debarked the mulch is fairly fresh, and needs to decompose before we dare use it around our plants. The decomposition process requires oxygen and air flow into the pile. When the mulch is compacted too tight, this air flow cannot take place, and as the mulch continues to decompose it becomes extremely hot as the organic matter ferments. Sometimes the extreme heat combined with the inability to release the heat can cause the pile to burst into flame through spontaneous combustion.

In other cases the mulch heats up, cannot release the gas, and the mulch actually becomes toxic. When this occurs the mulch develops an overbearing odor that will take your breath away as you dig into the pile. When you spread this toxic mulch around your plants the gas it contains is released, and this gas can and will burn your plants.

It has happened to me twice. Once at my own house, and once on a job I was doing for a customer. This toxic mulch is very potent. We spilled a little mulch in the foliage of a Dwarf Alberta Spruce that we were mulching around, and just a few minutes later brushed the mulch out of the plant. The next day my customer noticed that one side of the plant was all brown. The mulch had only been there for a matter of minutes.

Not only did I have to replace the Dwarf Alberta Spruce, but the mulch also damaged at least 10 other plants that I had to replace. I once saw where somebody ordered a truck load of mulch, had it dumped in their driveway, and as the toxic mulch slid out of the dump truck onto the asphalt the toxic gas that was released settled on the lawn next to the driveway.

The gas, not the mulch, turned the grass brown next to the mulch pile.

This same person spread several yards of the mulch around their house before they realized the problem, and it ruined many of their plants.

Now here's the hard part; trying to explain to you how to identify toxic mulch. It has a very strong odor that will take your breath away. But then again almost all mulch has a powerful odor. This is very different than your typical mulch smell, but I can't explain it any better than that.

The mulch looks perfectly normal, maybe a little darker in color than usual. If you suspect a problem with the mulch you have, take a couple of shovels full, and place it around an inexpensive plant. Maybe just a couple of flowers. When doing this test use mulch from inside the mulch pile and not from the edges. The mulch on the edge of the pile has more than likely released most of the toxic gas that it may have held.

If after 24 hours the test plants are okay, the mulch should be fine. The
purpose of this article is not to induce panic at the mulch yard, but toxic mulch can do serious damage. At my house it burned the leaves right off some of the plants in my landscape, and burned the grass next to the bed all the way around the house. It looked like somebody had taken a torch and burned the grass back about 2” all the way around the bed. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes I wouldn't have believed it.

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Technorati Tags : garden, gardening, mulch, tips, flowers, advice

Transplanting Tips

2006-05-20T17:11:00.000-04:00

Early spring is a great time for transplanting trees and shrubs, but you must do so before they wake up. Transplanting a plant is a very traumatic experience for the plant if it is awake. It’s like doing surgery on a person while they are awake. Dormancy starts in the fall as soon as you experience a good hard freeze, and the plants remain dormant until the weather warms up in the spring. This is when you should transplant, while the plants are dormant.

You can transplant in the spring up until the plants leaf out. When the buds are green and swollen you are usually safe to still transplant, but once the leaf develops, you should wait until fall. When transplanting you can dig the shrubs out bare root, just make sure they are out of the ground for as short a time as possible, and keep the roots damp while out of the ground.

Make sure there are no air pockets around the roots when you replant them. When possible, it is always better to dig a ball of earth with the plants when you transplant them. The rule of thumb is 12” of root ball for every 1” of stem caliper. If the diameter of the stem of a tree is 2”, then you should dig a root ball 24” in diameter.

Don’t be afraid of cutting a few roots when you transplant. Just try not to cut them any shorter than the above guidelines allow. Cutting the roots will actually help to reinvigorate the plant. It’s a process simply known as root pruning. When the roots are severed, the plant then develops lateral roots to make up for what is lost. These lateral roots are more fibrous in nature, and have more ability to pick up water and nutrients.

Some nurseries drive tractors over the plants in the field with a device that undercuts the roots of the plant just to force the plant to develop more fibrous roots. This makes transplanting the plant the following year much more successful, and makes for a stronger and healthier plant.

The old timers root pruned by hand by forcing a spade in the ground around their plants. If you have a plant in your landscape that is doing poorly, a little root pruning while the plant is dormant could bring it around. It’s worth the effort.

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Spring Planting Tips

2006-05-20T17:08:00.000-04:00

Spring means that the garden centers are packed with people, and car trunks are packed with plants. Everybody has dirt on their knees, dirt under their nails, and is excited about gardening. To make certain that this excitement yields positive results, let's discuss the basics in this article of spring planting tips.

Installing new plants and having them grow successfully is not difficult, nor is it as complicated as some would have you think. Is it as easy as just digging a hole and setting the plant in? Yes, it certainly can be. I won't get into bed preparation, as I have covered that in other articles that are available at http://www.freeplants.com

Let's start with B&B plants. B&B is short for balled in burlap. Closely examine the ball on the plant that you have purchased. Did the diggers wrap twine around the ball to hold the plant secure? If they did, you should at least cut the twine and lay it in the bottom of the hole, or remove it completely. Pay close attention around the stem of the plant where it emerges from the root ball, as diggers often wrap the twine around the stem several times as they tie the ball. This is extremely important because if the string is nylon, it will not rot and will girdle and kill the plant two or three years from now.

When B&B plants are stored in the nursery for extended periods of time it becomes necessary to re-burlap them if the bottom starts to rot before the plants are sold. If the plant that you buy has been re-burlaped it is possible that there could be nylon stings between the two layers of burlap, so check the stem carefully. As long as the nylon string is removed from around the stem of the plant, it is actually harmless around the rest of the ball, and you do not have to remove it.

Is the root ball wrapped in genuine burlap, or imitation burlap made of a non-biodegradable plastic material?

Genuine burlap will rot quickly underground and does not have to be disturbed before planting. If you're not sure or suspect a poly type burlap, you don't have to remove it completely, but should loosen it around the stem of the plant and cut some vertical slices around the circumference of the ball.

Now here's the critical part. What kind of soil are you planting in?

If your soil is heavy clay, I highly suggest that you raise the planting bed at least 8” with good rich topsoil. If you can't do that for some reason, install the plant so that at least 2” or more of the root ball is above the existing grade and mound the soil over the root ball. Keep in mind that plants installed this way could dry out over the summer, but planting them flush with the ground in heavy clay can mean that the roots will be too wet at other times of the year.

The “experts” suggest that when planting in clay soil you dig the hole wider and deeper than the root ball and fill around and under the plant with loose organic material. That sounds like a really great idea, doesn't it? Some of these experts also recommend that you dig the hole extra deep and put a few inches of gravel in the bottom for drainage. Where do you suppose they think this water is going to “drain” to?

Keep in mind that most B&B plants are grown in well drained soil. That means that the soil in the root ball is porous and water can easily pass through. Now imagine if you will, a root ball about 15” in diameter, setting in a hole 30” in diameter. All around and under that root ball is loose organic matter. Inside of that root ball is porous soil. Now along comes Mother Nature with a torrential downpour. There is water everywhere, and it is not going to soak into that hard packed clay soil, so it is just flowing across the top of the ground searching for the lowest point.

When it reaches our newly planted tree surrounded by loose organic matter, it is going to seep in until the planting hole is completely full of water. (Remember my article on getting rid of standing water and the French drain system?) By using this planting technique we have actually created a French drain around our poor little plant that cannot tolerate its roots being without oxygen for long periods of time. Because the bottom of this hole is clay, even though we've added gravel for drainage, there is nowhere for the water to go, and this plant is going to suffer and likely die.

If you cannot raise the planting bed with topsoil, and are planting in clay soil, I recommend that you install the root ball at least 2” above grade and backfill around the ball with the soil that you removed when you dug the hole. Backfilling with the clay soil that you removed is actually like building a dam to keep excess water from permeating the root ball of your newly planted tree. The plant is not going to thrive in this poor soil, but at least it will have a chance to survive.

Once again, raising the bed with good rich topsoil is the best thing you can do to keep your plants healthy and happy.

No matter what kind of soil you have, be careful not to install your plants too deep. They should never be planted any deeper than they were grown in the nursery. Planting too deep is a common problem, and thousands of plants are killed each year by gardeners who just don't understand how critical planting depth is.

Staking newly planted trees is always a good idea. If your new tree constantly rocks back and forth when the wind blows it will have a very difficult time establishing new roots into the existing soil. Stabilize the tree with a stake. You can use a wooden stake, a fence post, or for small trees I often use 1/2” electro magnetic tubing, (conduit), available at any hardware store.

You can secure the tree to the stake with a single wrap of duct tape. In about six months or a year the sun will dry the glue on the duct tape and it will fall off. Check the tape to make sure that it has fallen off. You don't want to girdle the tree with the tape.

Container grown plants are much easier. Follow the rules for depth of planting as described earlier. Before gently removing the plant from the container check the drain holes in the bottom of the container for roots that might be growing out the holes. If so, cut them off so they will not make it difficult to get the plant out of the container.

The easiest way to remove the plant from the container is to place your hand over the top of the container and turn it completely upside down and give it a gentle shake. The plant should slide right into your hand.

Examine the root mass as you hold it in your hand. Sometimes when plants have been growing in a container for a long time the roots start to grow in a circular pattern around the root mass. This is not good, and you should disturb these roots before planting so you can break this circular pattern. You can take a knife and actually make about three vertical slices from the top of the root mass to the bottom. This will stimulate new roots that will grow outward into the soil of your garden. Or you can just take your fingers and loosen the roots that are circling the root mass and force them outward before you plant them.

What about fertilizer, bone meal, peat moss, and all those other additives they are going to try and sell you at the garden center?

Raise your planting beds with good rich topsoil and forget about the additives. Be very careful with fertilizers, they can do more harm than good. I landscaped my house 14 years ago and I haven't got around to fertilizing the plants yet, and have no intention of doing so. They look great.

As far as bone meal and all those other soil additives are concerned, don't get too caught up in all that stuff. The only thing that I know for sure is that they will make your wallet thinner, but I don't think you'll see a difference in your plants. Over the years I've landscaped several hundred homes with fantastic results, and I never added any of these additives to my planting beds.

Did I mention planting in good rich topsoil? That's the secret!

Article Source

Technorati Tags : garden, gardening, planting+tips, spring

Flower pumpkin

2006-01-15T09:41:00.000-05:00

To create the pumpkin centerpiece in our story, you'll need a 6- or 8-inch-diameter floral foam ball; approximately 60 to 7.5 marigolds, orange carnations, or button mums (carnations are the most readily available); the stem of a pumpkin; and a long blackberry cane or other vine. Slice off the bottom of the foam sphere to make a firm base; trim top to ensure finished result will look like a pumpkin. Soak the sphere in cold water until completely soaked. Make holes in the foam about 1 inch apart with a skewer or length d wire before inserting stems (depending on size d blooms, you may have to adjust spacing between the flowers for complete coverage). Leave space to insert the pumpkin stem at the top of the arrangement. When the entire surface of the sphere is covered with flowers, arrange blackberry cane around the top. Place on a cake stand or platter with a lip that will

Pumpkin Patch Candle Lantern

2006-01-11T08:14:00.000-05:00

What a cute addition to your Fall home decor!
This rusty lantern has an adorable pumpkin patch handpainted on the front of the star punched shade and uses a tealight candle. It stands 13" tall and has a bowl base that can be filled with Fall scented Country Fixin's
(which are not included, but can be added).
A green homespun

Winter Chores Prepare Home Vegetable Garden for Spring

2006-01-10T16:27:00.000-05:00

LAS CRUCES -- With the onset of colder weather, the last thing on many gardeners' minds is garden chores. But with a little work and planning during the winter, vegetable gardens will have a better start in the spring.
"Tattered corn and tomato plants in the garden and dried leaves piled up against the fence are potential sources of overwintering insects or diseases that could re-infest the garden next spring," said George Dickerson, horticulture specialist with New Mexico State University's Cooperative Extension Service. "Good sanitation now will reduce problems later."
Raking leaves in the garden in early winter will expose many insects to freezing temperatures, reducing their populations. Composting these leaves and old plant material also will reduce the incidence of insects and diseases in the spring garden. "Properly maintained, compost piles can generate enough heat to kill most organisms," Dickerson said.
Before putting the garden to bed for the winter, remove any weeds like mustards that may carry diseases or harbor insects.
"On cold winter evenings, stay warm indoors thumbing through the new seed catalogs that come in the mail," he said. "If you decide to try a new crop in next spring's garden, select All-American varieties that have performed well in various vegetable trials throughout the country." Also, seek recommendations from other experienced gardeners in your area, or contact your local county Extension office for information.
Choose varieties that are resistant or tolerant to common diseases. "For example, tomato names may be followed by the letters VFN. These letters mean the plants are resistant to Verticillium wilt, Fusarium wilt and nematodes -- common diseases and parasitic organisms that plague tomatoes," he said.
Order seed from reputable seed companies. "Bargain seed at a local hardware store may be more of a bargain than you counted on," Dickerson said.
Don't save seed from last year's hybrid plants. "Most hybrid varieties will not remain true to the variety once they've been planted and produce their own seed," he said. "Plants like summer squash also can cross-pollinate with some pumpkin varieties. So, if you save the seeds and replant them, you may grow some weird summer squash."
Dickerson also recommends having garden soil analyzed for nutrient content during the winter. Take several samples of soil from your garden at various locations, from depths of 6 to 8 inches where most of the plant feeder roots occur. Combine all the soil samples into one composite sample and send to a laboratory for analysis. Check with your local county Extension office for more detailed instructions and information about labs and costs.
"You

THE COLORADO WINTER GARDEN

2006-01-10T16:26:00.000-05:00

Winter allows Colorado gardeners to rest—much like their gardens. But our approaching winter, coming after a summer drought, has forced gardeners to reconsider time-honored approaches. Horticultural experts are suggesting that we leave perennial beds alone, allowing the top growth to bend over and protect roots throughout the dry months. Applying mulches, winter watering and establishing a compost bin all take on an urgency. This winter, more than ever, requires planning for spring.
ALLOW PERENNIALS TO SHELTER THEIR ROOTS
Although some gardeners have cut back perennials and shrubs as a matter of fall cleanup, this may be the year to let your perennials shelter each other. Nature encourages grasses and shrubs to sweep over one another as a winter blanket. Precious moisture is conserved and dry winters lose their ferocity. The birds will thank you, too, since seed heads and rose hips provide winter food.
"Leave your perennials to catch more snow," says Robert Cox, Colorado State University horticultural agent for Jefferson County. "Like snow fencing, you can do a bit of water harvesting. Another school of thought believes that all the snow that ends up on the foliage evaporates before it reaches the ground. So you can cut back halfway to the ground. Either idea is valid."
Harriet MacMillan, horticulturist at Echter’s Greenhouse in Arvada, adds, "I only remove the tops of foliage if there is an excess of debris. Unless you can see that snow will not get down to the roots of the plants, you can leave the foliage."
The plants best suited to survive a

Winter Vegetable Garden

2006-01-10T16:25:00.000-05:00

Q: What pod-bearing vegetables are among the earliest plants to be cultivated, love to grow in cool weather, can fix their own nitrogen, and are fun to eat?
A: Peas and Fava beans planted in the fall will reward you with edible offerings in the spring.
You can extend your bounty of peas by planting both bush and pole varieties. Bush peas mature earlier and don’t need support. Pole varieties take longer to mature, have greater yields, and will need support. Trellis netting is available in the store in several sizes. To reduce powdery mildew, provide good air circulation, plant in full sun, and look for resistant varieties.
We will be offering certified organic starts of Snap Peas (edible pods), Snow Peas (eaten when pod is young and tender while peas are undeveloped), and Garden or Shelling peas (harvested for peas when pods are plump and full.) Some varieties to watch for are Sugar Ann and Cascadia (both snap bush varieties), Mammoth Melting and Carouby de Maussane (pole snow peas that still taste good even when pods fill out), Dwarf Grey Sugar (bush snow pea with red flowers and disease resistance), and Maestro, an early bush garden pea resistant to powdery mildew.
Fava Beans can be planted from October through December for harvesting in March. These bushy vertical plants do not require support, are tolerant of frost and grow best in cool, rainy weather. They are an excellent substitute for Lima Beans which do not grow well in our climate. After you have harvested the beans, let the roots decompose and add the rest of the plant to your compost pile. If you do not like their somewhat nutty taste or are allergic, you can still use

winter vegetable garden

2006-01-10T16:23:00.000-05:00

tend to think that a trip down the produce aisle in winter will let you answer this yourself. But I'll tell you why I do it.
As is the case with summer vegetables, fresh from-the-garden produce simply tastes better than its supermarket counterpart. Because it is harvested closer to the time it is consumed, it is higher in vitamins (this is probably even more true in winter than in summer, since so much of the commercially available winter produce is grown in the southern hemisphere). The eating quality is often remarkably higher: For instance, many vegetables store more sugars when they are exposed to cold temperatures. Also, a lot of winter vegetables are poor shippers; so if you want quality leeks or kale you have no choice but to grow them yourself. In addition, you know what has, and hasn't, been sprayed all over your own plants!
All of the above is true. But, for me, the bottom line is simply this: I enjoy it! There is something incredibly satisfying about pulling a delicious carrot out of January's mucky soil, or cutting fresh Brussels sprouts when the snow is on the ground. I suppose, in the end, it is my way of thumbing my nose at Old Man Winter.

Sowing vegetables for Fall, Winter, and Spring harvest
Some quick notes: I garden in Sumner, Washington, in the USA. Sumner is roughly parallel with Tacoma (47 degrees north latitude), and experiences the same strong maritime influences as most locations west of the Cascade mountains. Being about 15 miles from Puget Sound, though, my experience has been that my garden's daytime high temperatures are a few degrees higher, and my nighttime temps a few degrees colder, than in many locations closer to Puget Sound.
Our winter weather is rainy the vast majority of the time. The mean low temperature from late December to early January is a bit over 33F, with an average daytime high of about 48F. When we do get frost, usually the nighttime temperature only dips to between 25F and 30F. About once a winter, though, we will have a short period where we'll get down to between 10F-20F (which makes us USDA zone 8).
Plant

Organic Vegetable Growing

2006-01-07T18:04:00.000-05:00

Although it is Important to Keep Your Garden Clean,Regular Weeding and Removing Dead Growth to prevent the spread of disease and remove hiding places for unwanted pests.
Ordered Tidyness can make it a lot easier for the pests to find the Plants they like the most.Interplant Your crops as much as possible to confuse them.
Commercial Vegetable Growers (non-organic) plant everything in neat rows to make it easier to spray chemicals and spreadfertilisers, also to make harvesting easier.
With the home organic garden your garden can still look goodwith the different colours(Aust.Spelling) and textures You havewith interplanting and companions.
Make sure You grow some Host plants for benificial insectsand predators to thrive and do their job properly.
Wasps do sting but if You are not allergic to their stingsleave them around as they feed on larvae of other insectshelping to keep Your Garden Pest Free.
Always water Early in the day to allow the plants to dry before nightfall,this helps to prevent unwanted fungus, Mildew and Mould.
Mulching as well as saving water keeps pests such as Earwigs thateat rotting vegetable

Dr. Lynette Morgan

2006-01-07T18:01:00.000-05:00

Currently, I'm the Scientific Director for SUNTEC Hydroponic Consultants in New Zealand, a business I started with my partner, Simon a few years ago after completing my Ph.D. Initially, we were hydroponic lettuce growers, but this was not all that profitable since there was a huge oversupply of hydroponic produce in general in New Zealand. We then started taking on consultancy clients for all over the world and now run an International Hydroponic Consultancy Service, which is based in Tokomaru, New Zealand. Our clients are based in all sorts of interesting places including the Caribbean, North Carolina, Canada, Australia, Texas, California, China, Iran, and a few here in New Zealand. Later on we also set up our property with a number of greenhouses and now carry out research trials for manufacturers and growers who want a product or idea scientifically tested. I also enjoy writing and contribute on a regular basis to a number of industry publications (one being The Growing Edge of course!) and have written a couple of books, Hydroponic Lettuce Production and Hydroponic Capsicum Production. At the moment, the main focus of our research is into organic hydroponic methods and ways of making hydroponic production systems more efficient.

THE GREAT PUMPKIN

2006-01-07T17:56:00.000-05:00

When most of us think of pumpkins, we tend to limit our conjuring to visions of spicy pies and eerily glimmering jack-o'-lanterns. Actually, though, the bright round gourds have served a number of additional purposes — gastronomic and otherwise — since . . . well, since before recorded history.
FROM TOP : A field full of fall's flavored food. . . . A wonderfully easy, old-timey way to dry pumpkin. (PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR)
In fact, archaeologists have found the remains of pumpkins among the relics left by ancient cliff dwellers. And when Europeans first arrived on these shores, they were quick to learn — from native Americans — to plant the distinctive squash between hills of corn . . . discovering that their sprawling vines served as a living mulch and helped keep the maize fields free of weeds. The early settlers apparently developed "orange thumbs" in this regard, too . . . because Samuel Eliot Morison (an expert on the period) writes, in his book The Story of the "Old Colony" of New Plymouth, that the pumpkins harvested prior to that first Thanksgiving were piled "in great golden heaps alongside the houses".
Of course, back in those days folks were wise enough to make an effort to get the maximum use out of everything they had . . . and the lowly pumpkin was no exception. Some accounts actually report that early New England barbers — when they couldn't find a cap or bowl for the purpose — simply hollowed out a small pumpkin shell and fit it over the hair of a customer as a make-do shearing guide (hence the expression "pumpkin head").
And, as you'd imagine, pioneer cooks used the vegetables extensively: They dried the gourds and ground them into flour . . . they baked or steamed the shells and — after pressing the cooked pulp through a sieve and adding sweetening and spices — put up jars of pumpkin butter . . . and they prepared puddings and soups and wines and dozens of other dishes from the squash, as well. (In 1672, author John Josselyn reported in his journal, New England Rarities Discovered, that stewed pumpkin makes a nice accompaniment to "fish or flesh" but observed that the vegetable "provokes urine extremely and is very windy".)
All in all, then, this food is certainly versatile enough to deserve a more prominent place in the contemporary North American kitchen. For one thing, pumpkin ranks among the richest of domestic produce nutritionally: A half-cup contains only 27 calories . . . but yields a whopping 2,500 units of vitamin A, and considerable quantities of B complex and C vitamins, too . . . along with generous amounts of phosphorus, calcium, and iron.
Interestingly enough, relatively few cooks today realize that pumpkin can be substituted in virtually any recipe calling for winter squash. (Botanically speaking, the pumpkin species — Cucurbita pepo — includes summer squash, too, but the "symbols of Halloween" themselves are closer in texture and flavor to, and therefore more appropriate alternates for, winter varieties.)
As a matter of fact, because pumpkin tends to take on the dominant flavors of whatever ingredients it's cooked with, you can use it as the basis for many different dishes . . . particularly those that are highly spiced. For example, next time you crave some banana nut bread and don't have any of the tropical fruit on hand, remember that "punkin" can save the day. TO PICK A PUMPKIN
I hope I've convinced you to try to increase your use of this tasty, healthful vegetable, because early fall is the beginning of the season when fresh pumpkins are abundant (and inexpensive). If you're growing your own, do wait till after the first frost . . . then cut the orbs from their vines, leaving about one inch of stem on each. But don't bring the harvest inside immediately. Instead, let the fruit "cure" in the field for two to three weeks (unless you're hit by an extended rainy spell . . . in which case you should get the golden globes under cover to prevent rot).
If you're buying a pumpkin, choose a specimen with a firm skin and stem. The small "sugar" varieties are best for cooking . . . but just about any size can be used in most dishes. There's no reason, for example, why you can't purchase a pumpkin of substantial girth to be carved into a jack-o'-lantern and then recycled, after Halloween, into a tasty meal or two. TO PRESERVE A PUMPKIN
It isn't necessary that you eat your entire supply of pumpkin right away . . . since one of this vegetable's greatest advantages is its easy preservability. The gourds don't keep quite as well in a root cellar as do thickerskinned winter squash . . . but if handled gently so that they don't bruise, and stored — off the ground and not touching one another — in a cool (50° to 60°F) moisture-free location, they should stay fresh for up to three months. (Do wipe the cellared fruit with a cloth from time to time, though . . . otherwise, the

Depatment of Agriculture , Western Australia

2006-01-07T17:53:00.000-05:00

Vegetable pests and diseases
Common Garden and Household Pests and Diseases
Pest and Disease Information Service
Diseases in General Exotic Threats Soil Borne Aphids Snails and Slugs Insects Pests in General
The following are the most common vegetable pests and diseases in Western Australian gardens. Correct identification is essential for effective control of pests and diseases and for the detection of new exotic pests and diseases which have penetrated our quarantine barrier. If you would like to send a sample please read ''Sending specimens for identification' for the correct procedures.
Diseases in general
Zucchini and other summer squashes: weed, pest and disease control
Bacterial and fungal diseases of tomatoes
Growing parsnips in Western Australia
Pumpkin growing: controlling weeds, pests and diseases
Cauliflower production in Western Australia
Cavity spot disease of carrots
Celery Mosaic Virus
Clubroot disease of crucifers in Western Australia
Control of White Blister Rust in broccoli and cauliflower
Diseases of capsicum
Diseases of crucifers
Diseases of lettuce
Faba bean : fungicide control of leaf diseases
Faba bean : Rust disease
Faba bean: Ascochyta blight disease
Faba bean: Chocolate spot disease
Identification and management of foliar diseases of chickpeas
Leaf blight diseases of carrots
Virus diseases of chickpeas
Virus diseases of lentils
Exotic threats
Aster yellows and its most effective vector, the Aster leafhopper Macrosteles quadrilineatus : exotic threats to Western Australia
Carrot cyst nematode Heterodera carotae
Licorice rot Mycocentrospora acerina
Carrot rust fly Psyla rosae
Broomrape orobanche Orobanche ramosa
Late blight Phytophthora infestans - A2 mating type
Aster yellows and its most effective vector, the Aster leafhopper Macrosteles quadrilineatus : exotic threats to Western Australia
Carrot weevil Listronotus oregonensis and L. texanus
Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata
Management of spider mites (Tetranychidae) in vegetable crops in Carnarvon
Potato cyst nematodes Globodera rostochiensis and G. pallida
Soil borne
Soil-borne diseases in horticulture
Soil-borne diseases in the home garden
Vegetable Pests
Aphids
Aphids (Bulletin 4587 : Common seasonal pests)
Aphids (Bulletin 4585: Common Pests of Summer Fruit in Western Australia)
Snails and slugs
Control of pest snails and slugs
Pest snails and slugs of Western Australia
Insects
Common insect pests and diseases on vegetables in the home garden
Diamond back moth (Bulletin 4587 : Common seasonal pests)
Heliothis (Bulletin 4585: Common Pests of Summer Fruit in Western Australia)
Two spotted mite (Bulletin 4585: Common Pests of Summer Fruit in Western Australia)
Pests in general
Faba bean weeds and pests
Nematodes in the home garden
Post-harvest handling of cucumber, lettuce and tomato
Pumpkin growing: controlling weeds, pests and diseases
Tomato pests in the home garden and their control
Other relevant information related to this topic:
Biosecurity and the tourism industry
Biosecurity for small landholders
" Common insect pests and diseases on fruit trees in the home garden
Common seasonal pests
Common pests of summer fruit in Western Australia
Common insect pests and diseases on vegetables in the home garden
Declared plants in Western Australia

History of Prince Edward County Pumpkinfest

2006-01-07T17:51:00.000-05:00

Competitive pumpkin growing is now a world wide hobby with weigh offs in Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain and Japan as well as Canada and the U.S.
At the same time Bill's pumpkin was being weighed at the Byward Market in Ottawa, another monster pumpkin was being weighed in Lowville, New York. It beat Bill's pumpkin by 55 pounds and became World Champion.
Giant pumpkin growing has 2 main growers associations, the Great Pumpkin Commonwealth and the World Pumpkin Commonwealth.
Luckily for Bill the two pumpkins were each weighed off in different associations and Bill's pumpkin was the GPC Champion and was shipped to California where it was carved into the world's biggest Jack O Lantern. The 1997 GPC Champion was a 914 pound pumpkin grown in California from a seed from Bill's 1006 pound giant.
Bill's pumpkin remains the GPC Champion and the Canadian Champion. The first Prince Edward County Pumpkinfest was held in Wellington on October 25, 1997. The idea of celebrating Bill's success and encouraging other growers to try this fascinating hobby, germinated at a meeting of the Wellington and District Business Association in the fall of 1996. The whole community got behind the idea and the first Pumpkinfest for Prince Edward County was born.
Seeds were distributed in early 1997 to anyone interested in growing these giant pumpkins and by October over 40 growers were eager to enter the results of their summer labours.
On October 25th, a huge parade featured growers parading their pumpkins in trucks, trailers and even wheelbarrows and lawnmower carts. Contests, games and food booths added to the festivities.
The weigh-in was held at Midtown Meats and when it was all over, the Canadian Champion came out on top again with a 727 pound giant.
Second prize went to Eleanor Lindsay-MacDonald who grew a 519 pound giant and third prize was won by the combination team of John Dempster and Robin Snooks from White Rose, who weighed in one at 468 pounds.
All growers were also entered into a Grower's Prize Draw and ironically the winner of the smallest pumpkin trophy, also won the largest

pumpkineer (PUMP.kin.eer, PUM.kin.eer) n.

2006-01-07T17:48:00.000-05:00

A person who grows giant pumpkins, particularly ones meant to be entered in pumpkin-weighing contests. (pumpkin + engineer)

Australian Giant Pumpkin & Vegetable Society

2006-01-07T17:45:00.000-05:00

Recorded history shows Australians started growing giant pumpkins in the late 1980’s when a newly arrived Aussie Russ Zimmer from Milwaukee United States, started the first official Giant Pumpkin Competition in South Australia back in 1987. Since then, the competition has expanded dramatically, with giant pumpkins being grown throughout the length and breadth of Australia, from Darwin in the Northern Territory down to Hobart in Tasmania, from Norfolk Island across the seas and deserts to Broome, Western Australia.
The AGPVS was formed in 1996 by a group of giant pumpkin and vegetable enthusiasts who wanted to promote the growing of giant pumpkins and vegetables in Australia. Previous to this, the Competition was run under the auspices of the World Pumpkin Confederation. Since 1997 the Australasian Giant Pumpkin & Vegetable Competition has been held across Australia every April to find Australia’s heaviest pumpkin and other record breaking vegetables. The AGPVS endeavours to keep a comprehensive list of AGPVS and Australian vegetable records, as after extensive research, no other Australian organisation was found to be keeping such records.

Pumpkin Nook

2006-01-07T17:41:00.000-05:00

Amaze your friends with your knowledge of the great orange globe!
Here you will find a plethora (I just wanted to use a fancy word for "lots") of information on pumpkins. This information will prove useful for school reports, to amaze your friends on your knowledge and IQ, or just general education and knowledge.
I once had an E-mail from a young lady in Australia who was looking for the strangest fact or story about pumpkins. She needed it for a local radio station contest where the winner received a pair of tickets to a "Smashing Pumpkins" concert. So, you never know when you will need some of the information below.

Heirloom Tomato Varieties

2005-12-22T08:29:00.000-05:00

All TomatoFest seeds are (CCOF) certified organic, open-pollinated varieties grown at Lone Willow Ranch from seeds I've selected from best-tasting varieties originating from regions throughout America and around the world

kitchengardenseeds

2005-12-22T08:28:00.000-05:00

Our 2006 catalog will be out the first week of January. We’ve added over 50 varieties like Cheddar Cauliflower, Erba Stella Minutina, French Gray Shallots, Cardoons, Sweetpotatoes, Montreal Nutmeg Market Melon, Napolitano Mammoth-Leafed Basil & Puff’s Magic Pastel Snapdragon Mix. Plus, all new recipes & horticultural tips! Please request your own copy of our 48-page Kitchen Garden Seeds catalog.
Order our seed packets and special collections as presents & stocking stuffers for all of the cherished gardeners in your life. (You can order Christmas or Hanukkah gift bags for the seed packets too.) Cozy, joyous holidays & Happy New Year to you and your family!

Swallowtail Garden Seeds

2005-12-22T08:25:00.000-05:00

Located in the heart of the Wine Country of Northern California, we are proud to offer you our selection of more than 900 varieties of seeds. We're eager to share our open-pollinated, untreated vegetable seeds, unusual heirloom and hybrid annual and perennial seeds and some truly terrific seeds for gorgeous flowering vines and savory herbs. Be sure to take a gander at our rare poppy seeds selection, as well as our super sweet pea seeds and heirloom tomato seeds
We handle both retail and wholesale sales and want your experience shopping with us to be so pleasant that you'll remember us come planting time, every season of the year. We value our loyal customers and thank you for growing with Swallowtail Garden Seeds!

Johnny's Select Seeds

2005-12-22T08:21:00.000-05:00

Johnny’s will be closing for the Holidays at 12 Noon on Friday, December 23, 2005

Normal business hours will resume on Tuesday, December 27th, 2005 (8:00 AM to 5:00 PM EST)

If you have an order you’d like us to ship this week, we ask that you place that order by 11:00 AM on Friday, December 23rd. We’ll make sure we ship it before we leave for the Christmas Holiday

Please call us before 2:00 PM on Thursday, December 22nd for details about guaranteed package deliveries

Our website is also available around the clock for y
Greens: Salad & Braising Mixes - Allstar Gourmet Lettuce Mix
Beans, Pole - Fortex
Squash: Summer - Raven (F1)
Cucumbers: Sweet, Crisp, Seedless - Diva
Tomatoes: Heirloom - Brandywine (OG)
Squash: Summer - Zephyr (F1)
Beans, Bush: Stringless - Provider
Cucumbers: Sweet, Crisp, Seedless - Diva (OG)
Beets: Round Red - Red Ace (F1) (OG)
Peppers: Sweet Bell - Ace (F1)
Squash: Summer - Costata Romanesco
Spinach: Smooth - Space (F1)
Carrots: Early - Nelson (F1)
Parsley - Parsley, Italian Dark Green
Cilantro/Coriander - Cilantro, Santo
Peas: Snap - Sugarsnap
Beans, Soy: Green Vegetable - Butterbeans
Basil: Pesto - Basil, Italian Large Leaf
Zinnia - Benary's Giant Mixour convenience. If you place your order online and you’d like it shipped more quickly, please be sure to mention your request in the comments box on "Order Summary & Confirmation" page of checkout.

Flower Garden Hawaii!

2005-12-22T08:11:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Flower Garden Hawaii! Located in Hilo, Hawaii.View our complete Product offerings by following these links; Tropical Flower Bouquets ,Orchid Plants , Hawaiian Flower Leis , Anthuriums , and Gourmet Hawaiian Gift Baskets All of our products are shipped direct to you from local Hawaiian farmers & artists at the lowest possible pricesCheck out our Testimonials! "A million thanks for offering the service you do. The flowers I ordered for my special girl totally blew her away. Not only are they big, exotic and beautiful they are original. She loves them and I loved doing business with your company. Many thanks for making a guy stand out

burpees

2005-12-22T08:06:00.000-05:00

Company HistoryThe Burpee company was founded in Philadelphia in 1876 by an 18 year-old with a passion for plants and animals and a mother willing to lend him $1000 dollars of "seed money" to get started in business. Within 25 years he had developed the largest, most progressive seed company in America. By 1915 we were mailing a million catalogues a year to America's gardeners.Click Here to read the Legacy of W. Atlee Burpee.Browse a gallery of Burpee catalogs through the years.Burpee is still a family seed company and still in the Philadelphia area. Today we are owned and operated by George Ball Jr. - a passionate plantsman and third generation seedsman

Retro Weekend Trackback Party

2005-10-22T21:10:00.000-05:00

To participate, just link hop on over to this post and trackback something you want other bloggers to read! That's it!

Now have some fun!

Pumpkin Power

2005-10-15T19:31:00.000-05:00

Pumpkins are good for more than just fall decor.
Pumpkins are a colorful addition to an autumn centerpiece, but nutrition experts at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas say they also can make a nutritious addition to your diet. Pumpkin flesh is loaded with important nutrients, and it’s low in fat and calories – unless, of course, you bake it into a pie using heavy cream and lots of sugar.
Lona Sandon, an assistant professor of clinical nutrition at UT Southwestern, says pumpkin is an excellent source of important vitamins like A and C. And it’s not just the pumpkin flesh that’s good for you. Pumpkin seeds are high in fiber and are a good source of vitamin B-12 and polyunsaturated fatty acids – one of the so-called “good” fats.
When you shop for pumpkins to use for decorating, pick up one or two to eat. Smaller pumpkins tend to have softer and tastier meat. Look for pumpkins that are free of blemishes and bruises. Store pumpkins in a cool, dry place until you’re ready to cook with them.
What can you make with pumpkin other than pies? You can bake and serve pumpkin much like you would any winter squash. It makes a good base for colorful soups, too. Pumpkin pie isn’t even all bad, especially if you serve it as a custard without the crust. It’s got a lot more nutrition and fiber than most other desserts, and it’s lower in fat and calories.
For the best flavor, roast the pumpkin seeds in the oven. Then you can use them as snacks or

Extreme Pumpkins.com

2005-10-13T20:20:00.000-05:00

At what point did the carving of pumpkins turn into a "cute" event? When did boys stop carving pumpkins and moms start? Where did we lose touch with one of the years coolest events?

Today we will seize back this ritual. Today is the day we throw away those safe, cute carving tools. Today. We will buy a big, ugly, pumpkin so large one man cannot lift or move it. Today. We will carve that sumbitch into something ugly and plop it on the front porch. October 31st we will light it brightly enough to give visiting children suntans.

Pumpkin carving is reborn.

Welcome to ExtremePumpkins.com where stran

Halloween Pumpkins

2005-10-13T20:17:00.000-05:00

Not all Halloween pumpkins are carved; some are decorated on the surface only. Here you'll find a fun collection of both ways to decorate your pumpkins this Halloween.

Haunted Houses and Attractions: Indiana

2005-10-13T20:15:00.000-05:00

Links:

Indy Jaycees Fear Factory ^new (Hits: 41 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It
“Fear Factory” is Indy’s NEWEST Haunted House – spanning more than 6,000 square feet of twists, turns, and frights. Visiting this “research facility of fear” – guests in the Fear Factory are subjects in an experiment investigating what things scare different people. The Fear Factory is produced by the Indianapolis Jaycees, and 25% of proceeds will benefit The American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

PAINTBALL Halloween Monster Shoot Hayride ^new (Hits: 33 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It
Haunted Hayride will consist of a paintball gun and 180 rounds of paintballs. Shoot the monsters and creatures that hide and jump out of the woods. $15 per person includes gun, paintballs, and ride. $5 per person for ride only.

Trails of Terror ^new (Hits: 139 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It
As you walk along this trail it will wind you thru a 5 acre woods at night ~ where the scares are very powerful.

Trails of Terror ^new (Hits: 42 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It
As you walk along this trail it will wind you thru a 5 acres in the dark ~ where the scares are very powerful.

Bakers Junction Haunted Train (Hits: 1728 Rating: 9.18 Votes: 16) Rate It
This haunt starts with an old 120 train station as a kiddie play land fun for all ages then THE BIG FRIGHT starts going through a graveyard 4 train cars 2 outdoor mazes. $5.00 per person.

Coffins (Hits: 1077 Rating: 10.00 Votes: 2) Rate It
The legends of the Coffins goes back to the late 1800�s when insane asylums and poor folks homes found a better, cheaper way to bury their dead. No more having to pay $15.00 for a pauper's burial, and no more having to account for their number of dead at these institutions. They started bringing their dead to a scarcely populated area of Indiana known only as the Bottoms or Flats, later known as the Coffins, now known as Bobtown, Indiana.

Eaton Baseball Softball's The Haunted Woods (Hits: 943 Rating: 9.00 Votes: 6) Rate It
A haunted woods with lots of ghosts and goblins to fright up the night. The haunted woods is located approximatley 12 minutes north of Muncie, Indiana, in Eaton, just off State Road 3. Follow the signs if you dare.

Fear Fair (Hits: 1475 Rating: 6.57 Votes: 7) Rate It
Fear Fair - Indiana's Scariest Haunted Attraction. Two great haunted houses under one roof. Located at 6th and Walnut in Seymour. Jackson Asylum and Psycho Circus in 3D. This is not your typical Jaycees Haunt, we are pro quality at a charity haunt ticket price. 7:00pm - 11:00pm Thursdays through Saturdays in October

Frankenstein's Castle (Hits: 710 Rating: 9.50 Votes: 2) Rate It
The World's Second Best Walk-Through Haunted Mansion at an Amusement Park. It is located in Monticello, Indiana at Indiana Beach Amusement Park. Indiana Beach Amusement Park has been open for around 80 years and one of the oldest parks in the United States. Haunted House used to have dressed up workers that scared people through the House, but now uses Animation Figures (by the Disney Company) along with some original features.

Fright Manor Haunted House (Hits: 2319 Rating: 6.29 Votes: 7) Rate It
We ha

Monsterlist of Halloween Projects

2005-10-13T20:09:00.000-05:00

The Monsterlist of Halloween Projects is the most complete collection of links to pages with do-it-yourself projects on them that I have ever seen. These are not your little kids Halloween crafts, every scary devious seriously spooky prop and project designed for truly scaring people is listed here. Most importantly, the list is checked periodically for accuracy. This is not an all-inclusive list of everything Halloween, the Monsterlist has no popup ads or sponsors, it is a volunteer site and will stay that way. It is not an index of professionals pushing their wares. It is simply a gathering place of projects and ideas that people who build their own Halloween props can use. Usually I have linked to the project page itself however I recommend browsing from there to the owners main Halloween page, there is usually plenty of interesting Halloween information.

In the list below are plans and/or descriptions detailing how to build your own scares for Halloween. Each link opens in a new window. NOTE: The owners, developers, and authors of this web page and web site are not responsible for the misuse of the information provided on this page and web site and do not take responsibility for any use or outcome of the same. Please use common sense and the utmost safety precautions when designing and deploying special effects, props and decorations.

Dill's Atlantic Giant

2005-10-12T20:18:00.000-05:00

Remember...Pumpkin seed is a live product which depends on many important related grower skills and factors, including geographical location, temperatures, availability of plant nutrients and moisture, as well as many unknown environmental factors, interact to determine a variety's performance.
Seed Germination/PurityAll seed is tested for germination rate. We only sell seed from authorized professional growers and seedsmen. Pumpkin seed will not tolerate cool, wet, soils.

P & P Seed Co.

2005-10-12T20:11:00.000-05:00

At P & P Seed Co. - our giant pumpkin seed comes from world record, Atlantic Giant pumpkin seed lines. Our established lines have been champion pumpkin seed specimens entered by garden and pumpkin seed enthusiast at harvest festival contests and Guinness record world class giant pumpkin and vegetable seed events for several decades. In fact, seed from all world record giant pumpkin and vegetable seed classes are available. Our world record giant seed selections include pumpkin, squash, gourd, cantaloupe, watermelon, sunflower, corn, cabbage, radish and more. Garden seed favorites, Halloween giants and special selection Atlantic Giant pumpkin seeds can all be found here. P & P Seed Co giant pumpkin seed has the potential to grow a 1500 lb. pumpkin!
Our updated 2005 catalog is now available online! Check our new selections -

Fall is For Pumpkins

2005-10-12T19:50:00.000-05:00

It's autumn and pumpkins can be found everywhere! They're piled high at farm stands and farmers markets ... at supermarkets and lined up outside garden centers. Most will become Jack O' Lanterns, but pumpkins are not just for carving. They 're a very edible winter squash, the most popular member of the squash family. Pumpkins have a rich flavor, they're highly nutritious, and they have a long storage capability.
Pumpkins are a wonderful source of beta carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in the body. Just one half cup of cooked pumpkin, supplies the daily requirement of Vitamin A with only 38 calories! Pumpkins are also a tasty source of carbohydrates and potassium.
While growing on the vine, pumpkins are green. They turn bright orange only when fully ripe. When buying a pumpkin to use for cooking or baking, select one that's unblemished and free of cracks and decay spots. A fresh pumpkin should have a bit of stem left in place. Store a whole, uncut pumpkin in a cool dry place and it will last for several months.
Mention pumpkin recipes, and most people think of pumpkin pie, but this versatile vegetable can be used in many other delectable desserts and in bread, muffins, soups, stews, side dishes. Pumpkins and most other varieties of winter squash can be used interchangeably in recipes. Use pumpkins in recipes calling for squash or even sweet potatoes.
Choose the right kind of pumpkin....
Pumpkins that make the best jack-o'-lanterns, don't make the best pies. Though you may like big bright deep-ribbed orange pumpkins for carving, their tough skin is hard to peel and their flesh is very stringy and sometimes watery and tasteless. For cooking and baking, choose smaller standard pie types with sweet, deep orange flesh and a smooth, often stringless texture. Baby Pam, Small Sugar Pumpkins, New England Pie Pumpkins, Spooktacular, and Mystic Pumpkins are some examples of round, small to medium size pie pumpkins. Traditional varieties like these are an excellent choice for pies or any pumpkin recipe! Most of these varieties have a bright orange skin and thick straight stems and are popular for fall decorations too.
A few newer varieties of ornamental pumpkins are becoming increasingly popular as pie pumpkins -
Lumina Pumpkins are medium-sized lightly ribbed white pumpkins

Enjoying Nutritious and Delicious Pumpkins

2005-10-12T19:45:00.001-05:00

Pumpkins are fat-free, low in calories, and heavy in Vitamin A, potassium and other minerals, and fiber. What's more, the bright orange color of a pumpkin is a dead giveaway that it is loaded with beta carotene, an important antioxidant that may reduce the risk of developing certain cancers and protect against heart disease. Beta carotene also helps prevent some degenerative aspects of aging. Following are some fresh ideas and recipes for cooking with pumpkins.

Enjoying Nutritious and Delicious Pumpkins

2005-10-12T19:45:00.000-05:00

Cooking Fresh Pumpkins

2005-10-12T19:41:00.000-05:00

you want to cook fresh pumpkins, look for smaller varieties, especially the "sugar pumpkin" or Kabocha Squash.
In order to cook fresh pumpkin, heat the oven to 350° F. Split the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds and stringy pulp. Place pumpkin halves, cut side down on a baking sheet and bake for about one hour or until very tender when pierced with a fork. Spoon the soft pulp out of the shell and use it in recipes.
Miniature Pumpkins As Serving Dishes
Miniature pumpkins make impressive individual baking and serving dishes. Cut a circle out around the stem (as you would when carving a Jack-O-Lantern) and scrape out the seeds and pulp. Scrape out some of the flesh from the sides of the pumpkin as well, in order to make room for your stuffing. Keep the lids in tact. Place pumpkins and lids in a baking dish and add about an inch of water. Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes. You want the pumpkins to be somewhat cooked, but still firm. Carefully stuff the pumpkins with corn pudding, vegetables, such as green beans or peas or even corn bread stuffing. Return stuffed pumpkins to the oven and bake until stuffing is cooked. Serve each guest their own stuffed

Cooking With Pumpkins

2005-10-12T19:38:00.000-05:00

Baked Pumpkins and Fruit
Ingredients:
1 baking pumpkin, about five to eight pounds2 apples (cored, peeled and cubed) 2 pears (cored, peeled and cubed)1 cup dried cherries1/2 cup brown sugar 4 Tbs. butter1/2 cup apple juiceice cream
Preparation:

2005 Festivities run opening weekend through Halloween

2005-10-11T19:48:00.000-05:00

The Great Pumpkin Farm and World Pumpkin Weigh-Off is a wholesome, fun-filled family event with activities for all ages, including: Children’s Pie Eating Contest, Adult Pie Eating Contest, Pumpkin Decorating Contest, Scarecrow Making Contest, Mummy Wrapping Contest, and Pumpkin Craft Activity Tent. Other activities include rides, face painting, a petting zoo, musical entertainment, balloon making, special magic tricks and much, much more!

Pumpkin Patches

2005-10-11T19:39:00.000-05:00

In 1584, French explorer Jacques Cartier spotted pumpkins for the first time in the St. Lawrence region, and Spanish explorer Cabeza de Vaca reported on pumpkins growing near Tampa even earlier, in 1528. Native Americans who first encountered the Spanish at the Rio Grande river offered the Spaniards pumpkin seeds as part of a peace offering. Pumpkins are uniquely American.Every October, the World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-off takes place in Half Moon Bay, California, kicking off the larger Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival. Pumpkins here routinely weigh in at more than 1,000 pounds.Pumpkins can used for more than making pies and carving jack

World Class Giant Pumpkins!

2005-10-11T19:37:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the definitive Internet starting point for learning about World Class Giant Pumpkins! After searching the Internet for information on growing giant pumpkins in May of 1995, and finding basically nothing, I decided to provide some starting points to anyone who would like more information on this rewarding pursuit. Over the two years, I have met dozen of growers of all ages and experience levels from around the world. Many have been very generous with their time, talents, and information. This website is dedicated to serving the public interest about all aspects of pumpkin growing. Comments and newcomers are welcome. Enjoy

15th Annual GREAT PUMPKIN FESTIVAL and WEIGH-OFF

2005-10-11T19:24:00.000-05:00

2005 Festival Update -- Weigh-off Winners
Wallace Simmons of Canton, NC, broke the previous festival record
with a pumpkin weighing 854 lbs.
Gary Volkenand of Allardt broke the Tennessee state record
with his second place pumpkin weighing 841 lbs.
Chris Kent of Sevierville, Tenn., placed third with his 789 lb. pumpkin,
making him state record holder for only 15 minutes until
the Volkenand pumpkin was weighed in.
The late Jim Asberry of Allardt held the previous Tennessee state record of 716.5 lbs.

Green Squash
Gary Volkenand of Allardt ............... 599 lbs.
Gail Newsom of Pinnacle, NC ...........137 lbs.
Watermelons
Freddie Burcham, Ashland City, TN -- 229 lbs.
Sharon Burcham, Ashland City, TN -- 196.5 lbs.
Eric Burcham

Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-off

2005-10-11T19:16:00.000-05:00

What:Heavyweight champion pumpkins rock the scales at the 32nd Annual Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off – in the World’s Pumpkin Capital – Half Moon Bay, California. A host of contenders from throughout the west will be gunning for glory in hopes capturing the coveted title and a share of about $20,000 in prize money. In a pay-by-the-pound system, the winner will receive $5 per pound for the champion pumpkin. Beauty will share center stage with brawn – a special $500 prize will be awarded to the “most beautiful pumpkin” as judged by the audience.
Defending champion Joel Holland, of Puyallup WA, took top honors in 2004 with his record-setting 1,229-pound Atlantic Giant. He returns to contend with a formidable field that includes eight past champions. The massive pumpkins will be forklifted onto a meticulously calibrated 5-ton capacity digital scale. Representatives from the San Mateo County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office of Weights, Sealers, and Measures will officiate the weighing. THE GRAND CHAMPION PUMPKIN WILL BE DISPLAYED AT THE HALF MOON BAY ART & PUMPKIN FESTIVAL, OCTOBER 15-16.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

2005-10-07T10:51:00.000-05:00

After you clean out your pumpkin, use this recipe to roast the pumpkin seeds for a special treat!

INGREDIENTS:
2 C. pumpkin seeds (approximate)
2 Tbsp oil or melted butter
1 tsp salt (optional)

PREPARATION:
Wash the seeds well and stir with oil in bowl. Spread out to single layer on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle salt on top if desired. Bake at 250 degrees F. until slightly brown.

Caramel Pumpkin Cookies

2005-10-07T10:46:00.000-05:00

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup canned solid pack pumpkin
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
2-1/2 cups powdered sugar

PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream 1 cup butter, 1/2 cup brown and 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl until fluffy. Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla. Beat well to combine. Stir in flour, baking powder and soda, cinnamon, and salt until blended. Drop cookie dough by teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheets and bake at 350 degrees 10-14 minutes until set. Cool on wire racks.

For frosting, combine butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook and stir one minute until slightly thickened. Remove pan from heat and cool slightly. Add milk and stir until smooth. Add powdered sugar to make desired spreading consistency. Frost cookies. 4 dozen cookies

Pumpkin time

2005-09-29T18:35:00.000-05:00

A Pumpkin Time of Year

Ah, Fall! It's a pumpkin's favorite time of year. Everything about the season makes a pumpkin glow brightly. Big pumpkins, small pumpkins, matter of fact..all pumpkins are glowing just about everywhere you look.
As a pumpkin lover, it's your favorite time of year, too. Are you glowing? We thought so.
Fall Festivals and Pumpkin Weigh-offs will soon be upon us....hooray! Whether you're a pumpkin grower or a pumpkin lover, you will want to go to watch these huge fruit get weighed, to partake in all that the festivals offer, and to enjoy all of the splendor of the fall season.
Find your local Fall festival/weighoff.
See the results...so far
Meet the newest members of the 1100 Pounder Club!
Ripening Pumpkins

Pumpkins are ripening all over. Sometimes they are still green when the plant dies off, and need a little help to ripen up. Find out how to ripen green pumpkins.
Gardening, Backyard, Deck, and Seasonal Shopping-
Pumpkin Nook...... Where else would you go for Fall and Halloween Merchandise? Save money, and save gas....... Shop now
Carve 'N Stuff - We've got everything you need, including low prices.
Solar Pumpkin Lights - It's New! It's perfect in the patch, in the yard, by a walkway, or on the deck all year

Creative Ideas for Pumpkins

2005-09-24T09:34:00.000-05:00

Here's just a sampling of what my husband has done with pumpkins this year...

Gourd Craft at the Ohio Gourd Show

2005-09-08T16:15:00.000-05:00

Hard-shell gourd craft can make for novel fall yard decorations, such as unique jack-o'-lanterns. If you would like to learn more about gourd craft before attempting to carve your own gourds, I can’t think of a better event to attend than the Ohio Gourd Show, also known as "The World’s Largest Gourd Show," held annually on the first weekend of October.
So what exactly are “hard-shell” gourds? And what in tarnation is a gourd show?
Hard-shell gourds differ markedly from the small and colorful “ornamental” gourds found widely at fall farm stands. The latter adorn tables for Halloween and Thanksgiving, after which they are usually disposed of –- rather like pumpkins. But hard-shell gourds are keepers.

gourd show is an extravaganza organized by hard-shell gourd enthusiasts. Many states have gourd societies that put on gourd shows. But the Ohio Gourd Society (the Beta Chapter of the American Gourd Society, the national organization for gourd enthusiasts in the U.S.) puts on the largest gourd show.
The Ohio Gourd Show is held at the Morrow County Fair Grounds, located on U.S. RT. 42, at the southern edge of Mt. Gilead, OH. The show is open to the public, $4.00 per person. Mt. Gilead is north of Columbus, in picturesque farm country.
What will you see at the show? Well, there’s something for everyone, including food and entertainment. It is truly a spectacle, with as many as 10,000 visitors showing up, from all over North America. You can imagine how the sleepy little town of Mt. Gilead is transformed! Gourd farmers bring truckloads of gourds to sell at the gourd show. An earthier celebration of the harvest you will not find. Gourds by the thousand are sold every which way: freshly picked (wet), already cured (dry) and already crafted. You’ll walk past pile after pile of gourds as you stroll the Morrow County Fair Grounds.
But that’s just the beginning. The most energy is generated by the contests, held for various gourd categories. For instance, gourd growers haul in their prize specimens grown over the summer to see who has raised the largest (by poundage) gourd –- rather like the more widely publicized pumpkin weigh-offs.
The gourd growing aficionados who participate in the weigh-offs constitute one distinct group of gourd enthusiasts. The other distinct group consists of those interested in gourd craft. The latter have their own rounds of contests and set up booths at which they sell their gourd art. These booths are the places to visit if you wish to learn more about gourd craft for fall yard decorations. The artists are very friendly – pick their brains for pointers. Many of them will be busy crafting gourds right at their booths, so that the public can witness how they ply their craft.
For those uninitiated in gourd-mania, the most striking spectacle at gourd shows can be the die-hard gourd enthusiasts who attend. Believe me, this is fertile ground for people-watching. If you want to be entertained by eccentric characters, the Ohio Gourd Show will not disappoint you. What perhaps exemplifies this aspect of the show best is the gourd hat contest. This is a contest in which you wear your creation. People can look pretty silly in these things....
After garnering http://landscaping.about.com/cs/accentpieces/a/gourd_show.htm

Eckler Farms

2005-09-08T16:11:00.000-05:00

The world's largest single source for ornamental corn products
The Eckler family has been growing ornamental corn for over 20 years. We have developed many new and unusual colors and patterns, and all of our products are all-natural. Eckler Farms' products currently sell both domestically and overseas to Europe and Japan to buyers both large and small. Learn more.
Quality seed breeder, developer, and grower of specialty ornamental seeds
Eckler Farms currently produces four varieties of ornamental miniature Indian corn, and new varieties will be released soon. Our products have been featured on the TODAY Show, listed in Martha Stewart's "Great American Wreaths" book, and used on Rose Bowl floats as decorations. Get on the cutting edge by using our proven ornamental seed varieties. Growers from coast to coast and North to South have had excellent results.
PRODUCE AND PLANTS NOW IN SEASON : CLICK HERE
Beautiful natural home decor
Bring the beauty of the outdoors in with our fall decorations and craft materials including decorative Indian corn, gourds, wheat, and much more.
Create unique crafts - we carry over 20 types of gourds
Eckler Farms also produces hard shell gourds for crafts. Ma

Fall Decorating Links

2005-09-08T16:08:00.000-05:00

Articles & ResourcesSort By: Guide Picks Alphabetical Recent Up a category
Decorate Your Home With a Fall W Fall Wreath with Mums Get simple instructions on how to make this beautiful and versatile fall wreath for your door or tabletop.
Autumn Wreaths Decorate your door with a long-lasting fall wreath. Includes links to photos of wreaths, and sources for finished wreaths, kits, and materials to create your own wreath.
Fast Fall Decorating Ideas Here are some beautiful and affordable ideas to decorate your door, mantle, table, and home for Fall!
House Banner Make a Halloween banner with these instructionsreathThere's

Fall and Thanksgiving Party Decoration Ideas

2005-09-08T04:03:00.000-05:00

Fall is a beautiful time of the year. Whether you need decorations for a fall party, want to decorate your school or office, or just add some color to your home; PartyCheap has decorations and party supplies to suit your needs. You can browse our catalog for fall or Thanksgiving decoration ideas by selecting "Fall/Thanksgiving" from our party theme menu. Any of the products mentioned here can be viewed by typing the stock number into keyword search. We have a number of decorating kits, which include an assortment of decorations for fall and Thanksgiving. Our Fall Display Decorator (stock number 99010) has a selection of golden yellow, orange, and red tissue decorations, which will add color to any school, office, or other place of business. The 99605 Thanksgiving Decorating Kit has some of the same tissue decorations and a selection of cutouts related to the season, including pumpkins, pilgrims, and turkeys. We also have the 99606 Fall Decorating Kit. This one is great for adding some color to your home. It includes tissue garlands and balls,

Ten Fall Garden Chores

2005-09-06T19:06:00.000-05:00

It's that time again. Here are the top ten garden chores that should be in your garden planner or journal, in the job jar or on the "Honey Do" list this fall. Be careful, though. You might get carried away and enjoy yourself out there!
The gorgeous leaves that create our beloved autumn display are about to fall and smother the heck out of your lawn unless you do something about it. This year, take advantage of the opportunity for FREE STUFF! Use your lawn mower to vacuum them up and save the mixture of leaves and grass clippings for compost. Who would be foolish enough to turn down FREE STUFF aka organic matter!
No place to put that FREE STUFF? No problem! You can easily make an upscale enclosure or a purely utilitarian cage for the materials. It doesn't matter how, just so long as you save all that great organic material. This is a no-brainer time to start that compost pile -- or even sheet compost, see next item.
This is a great time to start a new planting area or bed. Test the soil, add any amendments as indicated by the soil test, work in plenty of organic matter (use those leaves and clippings here) and let it mellow and settle over the winter. In spring, you will be all set to plant while your neighbor is still waiting for the soil to dry out enough to start tilling.
This is the only time of year to do cost effective bulb planting. Plant lots of bulbs. Think thousands or hundreds, not dozens. You will never have too many bulbs. Plant them in drifts, not in soldier lines. There are two reasons for this. First, it looks better when bulbs are in drifts (a drift is a big, informally

Winterizing the Landscape

2005-09-06T19:04:00.000-05:00

Tips for Fall Lawn Care, Winterizing Gardens
As winter approaches, there are a number of fall chores for the landscaper to complete in order to ready the landscape for the next growing season. Let's take a look at some of the required chores, breaking them down by landscaping category.
Fall Lawn Care:
Apply herbicides to broadleaf weeds
Correcting pH: if a soil test should show a need to reduce acidity, apply lime now.
Thatch removal: dethatch your lawn, by raking; for bad cases of soil compaction, you may have to employ the technique known as core aeration.
Rake leaves

Fall Care and Clean-up of the Garden and Landscape

2005-09-06T19:02:00.000-05:00

With the arrival of autumn colors comes the time to get the outside garden and landscape chores wrapped up. To avoid getting caught unprepared, plan tasks just ahead of nature's time-table:
1 Valuable houseplants that have summered in the garden or patio rate immediate attention as the month of September approaches. Most are tropical in origin and will suffer a set-back when the night temperatures drop sharply at this time of year. Some may require grooming. A convenient way is to assemble them in an outdoor place where you can cut them back if necessary, inspect them for insect and diseases and repot any that have outgrown their containers.
Return them indoors in time for them to readjust to their indoor environment before the heat is turned on. Expect some leaf loss or the browning of leaf edges on some plant species. This simply indicates adjustment to lower light and humidity levels indoors.
2 Two plants which will require special care after their summer outdoors are the poinsettias and Christmas cactus. Both have similar requirements in that they need a 14 hour period of continuous darkness each day from October 1 until mid-December to set flower buds. Two methods to accomplish this are to either set the plants in a closet or place a cardboard box over them from 6 p.m. until 8 a.m. for the period listed above. At all other times, the plants should receive normal light exposure.
3 Keep pace with the weather by lifting or harvesting tender bulbs and corms that are desired for next season. These would include but not be limited to glads, dahlias and tuberous begonias. Many can be enjoyed right up until a good frost blackens their tops. Be sure to dig the bulbs carefully, retrieve any offsets that may have developed, and leave the foliage intact.
Place the bulbs in an airy, sheltered spot to dry for a two to three week period. Except for begonias, foliage and stems can be cut off with a sharp knife near but not at the point where they emerge from the bulb. Allow begonia stems to dry until they are brittle enough to break off from the bulbs.
The bulbs will overwinter well in a dark, cool place (45 to 50 degrees F.) when stored in vermiculite, peat moss, or similar material. It is also recommended to dust with a fungicide (Bordeaux mixture) and insecticide (Sevin dust) to curb disease and insect development in storage.
Except for daffodils, mice and other rodents consider bulbs of all kinds to be premium food, so store bulbs where these pests will not have access to them.
4 Finish planting spring flowering bulbs (ie. tulips, daffodils, flowering onions) and dormant, deciduous nursery stock while the soil remains manageable. If cankerworms were a problem the past summer, take action at this time to limit their damage next season. Fall banding with Tanglefoot should take place by mid-September to take care of the fall species of cankerworm moving into the canopy of trees. In most areas, however, the spring species of cankerworm is more destructive and warrants control in the early spring by banding with the same material in late March or early April.
5 Lawn care in the fall will yield maximum results the following growing season. Apply herbicides in September to control weed infestations. Aerate if the soil is compacted or if thatch is a problem and apply gypsum and fertilizer to improve soil conditions and provide nutrients for healthy turf growth The nitrogen should be mostly from water insoluble nitrogen (WIN) or controlled release nitrogen (CRN) to prevent excessive top growth. Continue mowing the lawn so that it is no higher than 1.5 to 2.0 inches going into the winter. A lawn should be only 1.5 inches tall where the snow tends to accumulate and snow mold or powdery mildew might be a problem. Most cool season lawns are best maintained at a 2- to 3-inch height during the growing season. As the month of October nears, the height can gradually be reduced to the overwintering heights.
If the grass ceases growth before all deciduous foliage has fallen, use the mower as a leaf mulcher or vacuum to keep the leaves from packing down and smothering the grass. Have the mower serviced and stored for winter to maximize efficiency and longevity of the machine.
6 Drain garden pools to avoid freeze damage. Store tropical (non-hardy) as well as hardy water lilies indoors. Roots and rhizomes of most kinds can be overwintered at about 50 degrees F. in a basement in moist sand that is not permitted to dry out. Many gardeners find it easier to purchase fresh propagules every spring.
7 Take preliminary steps to protect roses. Final winterizing is usually done in late October after a deep freeze, but tying the canes loosely beforehand will ease the job. For the final winterizing, cut the canes back to about 6 to 12 inches and mound the plants with fresh topsoil purchased earlier. Cover with cones or bushel baskets for complete protection. Many gardeners successfully overwinter their roses and other tender perennials by covering with bags of leaves collected in the autumn.
8 Install simple windbreaks to protect young, tender plantings from drying winter winds. Anything that encourages snow accumulation will help provide excellent protection against low temperature or wind desiccation. Where evergreens are exposed, spray with an anti-desiccant to provide protection from drying winds. Spray again in mid-winter during a thaw when the temperature will be above 40 degrees F. for a few hours.
9 Protect young apple, maple and

FALL & WINTER ROSE GARDEN CARE (November-February)

2005-09-06T18:59:00.000-05:00

SOIL TESTING

It is a good idea to get a soil test of your rose beds periodically. If during past seasons you felt your roses lacked the vigor and flower production of former years or despite a regular and continuous spray program your bushes experienced more blackspot or mildew than in former years, perhaps you will want to get a soil test performed for you by the University of Maryland, Cooperative Extension Service at College Park. The mainly online resources are available through the Cooperative Extension's Home and Garden Information Center, including:

HGIC's Plant Diagnostic Web Site for help on plant disease and pests
Publications and pH test kit ordering information
A list of free, online publications from the Extension
The location of your Cooperative Extension Service Center
You will be able to pick up Soil Testing Information sheets,mailing packages, and many helpful publications at your closest Cooperative Extension Service Center. The Regular soil test will provide answers to questions concerning soil texture, pH, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium content of the sample. Unless the gardener has reason to believe the soil may be deficient in other elements, the Regular test should be sufficient. It normally takes 10 days to 2 weeks to get the results back on the test.
SOIL ADJUSTMENT FOR LOW pH

Should the pH of the sample be low, which is most probable in this area, the gardener can apply dolomitic limestone anytime that the ground is workable. Bearing in mind that it takes several months for the limestone to become effective, it is preferable to apply it in the fall rather than to wait for spring. (See Sept-Oct, 1990 issue of the Newsletter, page 6.) Low pH during the growing season could be responsible for binding nutrients in a way that they--although present in the soil--were not available to the plant.
WINTER PROTECTION OF ROSE PLANTS

Probably the single most important activity for rose gardeners in this area during late fall and early winter is to protect one's roses from the very cold and windy months of winter, especially January and February. In 1989 we had one of the coldest and windiest Decembers that we have experienced in years, and as a consequence, many unprotected roses were killed. This devastation occurred in many gardens because the weather was warm through November and rose plants were not conditioned for winter, nor were they protected early enough. The plants were still actively producing foliage and flower buds in November with little or no inclination of going into dormancy. The unusually low temperatures and cold winds in December surprised the rose bushes and rosarians alike and many unprotected bushes succumbed or were so weakened that the alternating cold and warm weather of late winter and early spring did them in.

It is convenient to be able to tie major rose activities down to some special event, like spring pruning when the Forsythia blooms. In this area, Thanksgiving can be the key for fall pruning and the application of winter protection. It is convenient to be able to tie major rose activities down to some special event, like spring pruning when the Forsythia blooms. In this area, Thanksgiving can be the key for fall pruning and the application of winter protection. In my garden in 1989, fall pruning and winter protection was done the week end after Thanksgiving and was in place when the weather turned brutal in December. As a consequence, out of 300 plus rose plants only one Floribunda (Charisma) and two Miniatures (Julie Anne and Dilly Dilly) were lost over the winter. I should mention, however, that the weather conspiracy of late winter-early spring 1990 weakened a number of plants such that they did not measure up to prior year's vigor and productiveness during the entire 1990 growing season and will be replaced. But that's another story. After October 15th spent roses should be permitted to form hips and not be pruned away. The formation of hips--even though they do not fully mature--along with shorter and cooler days signals the plant that the time has arrived to start preparations for dormancy which is the plant's way of protecting itself during the winter. A pruned cane generally takes between 45 and 52 days of growth to produce a new rose. Therefore, if additional roses are pruned for after October 15th, they will not appear until the end of November to early December, if at all, depending on the day of pruning and weather conditions. December roses are a novelty in this area but the blooms are only a poor copy of what the plant is otherwise capable of producing during the normal growing season. Better, in my judgment, to stop pruning for new growth after October 15th, and allow the bush to prepare for winter. The weekend after Thanksgiving should be a busy time in your rose garden. First, canes should be pruned back to three or four feet simply to keep the extra length from whipping around in the wind and thus loosening the soil around the bud union, exposing it to cold, drying winter winds. It is the cold blustery conditions that does the most damage to our roses. Pruned canes can be tied together at the top as further protection. After securing the canes remove all pruned parts and clean the area well by removing all dead or fallen rose leaves. These dismembered parts contain the spores of both blackspot and mildew and they will winter over in your rose beds if not removed. Do not put the cleaned up material on your mulch or compost pile lest they affect the material you will be using next year. Put it in a plastic bag for the trash people to take away. Picking up fallen leaves can be a nuisance, but I have found it less troublesome by using a 1/2 inch wood dowel rod about three feet in length with a sharpened nail or stiff wire in the end. This simple but effective garden tool saves much time in cleaning up beds during the growing season and in the fall. Its use makes the chore easier on the back and enables the gardener to reach fallen leaves in places otherwise difficult to get to. After using the "sticker" for a number of years, I can't imagine doing without this simple and inexpensive gardening aid. Before we leave fall pruning, there's one other point. At a Colonial District Meeting in Hagerstown there was an interesting panel discussion on rose care. A rose grower mentioned that she pruned much more severely (than mentioned above) in the fall. Her description of her practice paralleled that usually recommended for spring pruning. The practice was debated but after discussion, I concluded that practically all gardeners do not prune severely in the fall. The rationale is that further pruning in the spring will be required anyway because some dieback will occur regardless of how we prune and more cane length will be available if not removed in the fall. Additionally, severe pruning in the fall attended by die back increases the probability of having to prune back to the bud union in the spring, something none of us wants to do. Following the minimal pruning and clean-up of the area, the rose gardener is ready to winter-protect the plants which can be accomplished in a number of ways.
USE OF EXTRA SOIL

In my judgment, the best method is to mound soil around the crown to a height of about eight inches, Needless to say, a circle of soil eight inches high at the canes need extend out some distance to support the height and thus requires a fair amount of extra soil for each plant. Very few of us have such a supply, and as a consequence, for large rose gardens some other method would seem more appropriate. A word of caution on the use of soil. Don't scrape soil from around the plant for mounding purposes. To do so disturbs the roots near the surface and subjects them to winter weather peril.
BARRIER & OAK LEAVES

The next best method, again in my judgment, is to construct some type of barrier around the bush or rose bed and to fill the interior with oak leaves. The barrier can be made of a variety of materials. Newspaper can be used, or plastic (fiberglass) collars are available for the purpose. These collars are regularly advertised in The American Rose magazine. The easiest method I have found makes use of 12inch "chicken wire" or wire mesh held in place with 1/4" to 3/8" bamboo sticks woven through the mesh and stuck into the ground. I grow my own bamboo and the sticks are readily available; however, they can be purchased at garden centers. Get the length that will accommodate the 12" mesh and will allow a few more inches to be pushed into the ground. If you prefer, longer sticks can be cut to length. Sometimes "chicken wire" is not available in 12" width, but the 24" width is almost always available and it can be cut in half with wire snips. Oak leaves are recommended because they do not tend to compact and mat like other varieties. This compacting and matting tends to hold water close to the crown and can cause rotting of the canes where they emerge from the crown. Oak leaves, on the other hand, tend to retain their shape better, dry faster, and preserve air spaces between the leaves, thus lessening lower cane rot which would have to be pruned away in the spring. If you do not have an oak tree, neighbors will be glad to share theirs with you. The chances are they are going to put them in the trash anyway. Several rose growers I know who need oak leaves in the fall drive around the neighborhood until they spot an oak tree, the leaves of which have been bagged and set out for trash. Some rose growers and writers recommend mounding soil around the plant--or plants in a bed--before applying the collar and filling it with leaves. In this area, I would reserve this treatment for the tender varieties such as `Brandy' and `Color Magic.' One difficulty with the collar and leaves method is the required clean-up in the spring, removing the collars or wire fences and extracting the leaves. For this reason, some rose gardeners with a large number of roses prefer to use some type of mulch.
HARDWOOD BARK MULCH

Hardwood bark mulch can be purchased by the bag or by the cubic yard. Used as winter protection, it is mounded around the crown of the plant to a height of eight inches. It protects the plant during the winter and is available in the spring as a mulch. This past year, I used pine bark mulch because hardwood bark was not readily available. It worked as well. There are a couple of points to remember about the use of hardwood bark mulch. First, it should be removed from the crown gradually in the spring, but it can be left in the rose bed; it doesn't have to

EARLY FALL ROSE GARDEN CARE (September-October)

2005-09-06T18:52:00.000-05:00

FERTILIZING

The last major fertilizing you should have done was probably around August 15 for this area and consisted of a good balanced fertilizer. For some rosarians this will be it for the year; however, those who exhibit roses in the fall shows will use a guick acting mix-with-water type of fertilizer and/or a systemic fertilizer up to show time. Generally after September 15, the rose gardener should discontinue the use of fertilizer, for the time has arrived to begin conditioning rose plants for the winter months ahead.
CONDITIONING ROSES FOR THE WINTER

During late September and October, the conditioning for winter process begins. This means allowing the spent blooms to produce hips. Remove the petals if unsightly, but allow the calyx tube (rounded part below the petals and sepals, commonly referrred to as the "hip") to remain. If fertilization has occurred by the wind, an insect or a person, the hips will not turn brown but will remain green and will begin to swell. They may remain green but many will change color to orange or red as they ripen and become a colorful display in October and November. Carefree Beauty, for example, will produce beautiful hips of brilliant red which extends down the peduncle. The gallicas are a real show with their red and orange hips. The rose hybridizer, incidentally, will have made his intended crosses using the first flush of blooms and normally will discontinue crossing by July 15 or earlier, to allow plenty of time for the hips to mature. This may be the year also that you will want to harvest the hips and try growing a rose from seeds. This procedure has been described in an earlier edition of the Newsletter (May-June, 1987, p.3); however, if you do not have that issue, send me a stamped self-addressed envelope and I will run off a copy for you. Growing roses from seeds is another fun project which may produce a new rose from your garden. Conditioning roses for winter also means pruning and winter protection which will be covered in the next issue of the Newsletter because those activities should be taken care of during November and December in this area.
WATERING

Continue watering of your rose plants if they do not receive at least one inch of rainfall per week. Sometimes what seems to be a heavy downpour is, in fact, less than one-half inch and much of that runs off. The only way to be sure of the amount of rainfall or watering is to use a rain guage which was discussed in an earlier issue.
SPRAYING

Spraying on a regular basis (once a week to 10 days) should continue as long as active growth occurs. This means through October for sure and perhaps into November, depending on the weather. Rose plants are aided if they enter dormancy disease free. On this point, the healthier a rose bush is in November/December, the better prepared it is to survive the onslaught of winter.
LIMING IF NECESSARY

The Newsletter has recommended liming in the fall of the year because of the time required for lime to have any affect on plant growth. The proper pH of the soil plays a major role in the effectiveness of nutrients that you add with the expectation that the plant will benefit. This subject was covered in some detail in MRS Newsletter, Nov-Dec, 1987, p.6. Briefly, the important points are first, of course, to know the pH of your soil, by taking measurements in various areas of your rose garden. Measurements can be made with a pH meter available from garden centers; by Whitman Lab Sales pH indicator strips (MRS Newsletter, May-June,1990,p.5); or by sending soil samples to the University of Maryland, Cooperative Extension Center (Call 666-1020, or 666-1022 for further information.) Second, if the pH is below 6.5, which is probably the case if you have not limed before or if you use a mulch consisting of bark, hardwood bark or pine bark, you will want to add dolomitic lime around the bushes, scratch the material into the soil and water in. The amount of lime to add will depend on the pH. For example, to raise the pH from 5.5 to 6.5, you need to apply approximately five pounds of dolomitic limestone per 100 square feet in sandy soil or 12 pounds per 100 square feet in heavier soil with a large amount of clay. The proper amount per bush will depend on the pH. If it is as low as 5.5, a cup full per established hybrid tea would be about right; if 6.0, half that amount. The question is often raised if lime or granular fertilizer can be placed on top of mulch already in place or need the mulch be removed and replaced after the application of the lime or fertilizer. The answer is that it is considerably more effective to hand rake the mulch from around the rose plant, apply the lime or fertilizer, as the case may be, replace the mulch and water well. On this point, during the course of the year, mulch can ofter become packed and as a consequence air has a difficult time penetrating the soil beneath. For this reason, periodic cultivation is beneficial to rose plants as it is to any growing plants. Cultivation also slows down water runoff, aids in weeding and improves the appearance of the rose bed.
STARTING A COMPOST PILE

Composting is nature's way of converting garden and kitchen wastes into a rich, crumbly humus that helps produce better flowers and vegetables. Fall, with its abundant, readily available materi-als, is the logical time to start a compost pile or add to an existing one. Composting will provide the rose gardener with organic material to enrich old rose beds or to provide the best possible environment for roses in a newly prepared bed. Although the ideal growing medium for roses will vary by the number of authors who address the subject, all agree on the importance of organic material of the type produced by the process of composting. Some gardeners are reluctant to

Designer Tips for Fall Decorating

2005-09-06T18:51:00.000-05:00

ARA) - Tired of the same old decorations? Need a designer’s touch while maintaining your own sense of style? What better way to add your personal stamp to a house than by creating one-of-a-kind accents that you make yourself? Even quick, easy projects can have a big impact on a room; with a little expert guidance, you’ll be surprised what you can achieve using supplies you may already have on hand.
Interior designer Christi Proctor, well-known to audiences of TLC’s hit program Trading Spaces, enjoys using found objects to create unique focal points for her rooms. She has created everything from a pet pillow made from beautiful antique fabric and personalized with the animal’s name, to metal letter plaques spelling out sentiments such as enjoy, laugh, hope and fun, made from easy-to-find materials including a zinc metal floor tile and metal letters.
The Texas native defines her signature style as “rustic elegance.” “I get inspiration from the charm of the varied Texas cultures, the old west and Europe,” she says. “Home decorating projects don’t have to be complicated and time consuming to achieve elegant results,” says Proctor. She prefers projects that give big results with minimal fuss. For example, both the projects mentioned above are assembled using nothing more than glue. For the pet pillow, the fabric is glued together instead of being sewn; the decorative trim and the pet’s name that embellish the pillow are also affixed using glue, making this a project that can easily be completed in a few hours.
“The trick is finding and using the right glue for your project,” says Proctor. “When you’re gluing metal letters to metal tile, you need a strong adhesive made for metal surfaces,” she says. Proctor recommends Perfect Glue 1, 2, 3, an award-winning trio that adheres everything from fabric and wood to stone and metal. The three distinct formulas ensure that the glue you are using matches the materials you’re working with. One formula is perfect for fabric, paper and wood; the second is made especially for glass and plastic; and the third works with metal and stone.
Once you have the right glue, there are a few steps you need to take to ensure a perfect finished project:
* Prep the surface properly -- most adhesives require a clean surface for optimum adhesion. For some projects, a rough surface may facilitate a better “grip” for a stronger bond, so you may need to sand the surface first, then remove any residual dust.
* Easy does it -- some glues, especially cyanoacrylates, such as Perfect Glue 2, have a hard time adhering if too much glue is applied. Simply place a few drops spaced out approximately one inch apart for maximum holding power.
* Allow for cure time -- once your substrates are glued, allow them to cure fully before handling them. The bond will be stronger and your project will last longer. To guarantee a secure bond, use a brace or a clamp as necessary during the curing process.
Proctor’s Tea Cup Window is a perfect example of how everyday objects, put together with an artistic flair, become a work of art for your home. You’ll need Perfect Glue 1 and 3, sandpaper, an antique window, four antique dinner plates, two antique teacups, two antique saucers, an antique gravy boat and a water mister. You can find the china for this project inexpensively at thrift stores or garage sales.
1. Lay out the dishes in the desired positions
2. Lightly sand the dishes on the edges to be adhered to the window glass; remove any dust or residue.
3. Apply prepared

10 tips for Fall decorating

2005-09-06T18:48:00.000-05:00

As fall tightens its hold on homes and gardens, many people seek a change of domestic scenery.
They need a scheme that encourages coziness and camaraderie without sacrificing style, or overdoing seasonal clichés.
Next week's 2003 Seattle Interiors Show will offer ideas and items aplenty for fall, winter and beyond.
Also offered at this event, modeled after the popular Northwest Flower and Garden Show, are seminars, tabletop decor, design consultations and cooking demonstrations.
Bellevue designers Kathleen Williams and Holly Van Biene, both of whom are preparing showcase rooms, took time to offer 10 tips for fall redecorating:
* Clean your windows. Let the fall colors ``in.'' Check out not only how your interiors can better compliment colors and textures outside (leaves, bark, seedheads, sky), but also how the light changes in your home at different times. This will give you clues on altering decor.
* Break out the candles. Go to an import store or candle store, and buy them by the armload, in different colors, scents and shapes. They add needed points of light, color and perfume to every room.
* Evaluate your lighting. Needs can change with the seasons. Be sure you have adequate general lighting day and night, as well as task and spotlight fixtures in each room. Drama is important in winter. It's also crucial to have good light for reading or crafts.
* Change your pots or other decor on the porch. This is the first place guests -- and you -- will get a taste of your taste. Make it count with seasonal blooms and textured items.
* Outfit your foyer or the indoor entry area. Mirrors will brighten it, a seasonal bouquet or wreath will freshen it, and a stylish bench for removing/storing wet outerwear and footwear will offer fall form as well as function.
* Attend to the floors and walls. Swap out those sisal or summery rugs for Persians. Or anything else in softer, formal textures and dark colors. Hang more pictures. Paint a wall mocha or eggplant.
* Change out summery fabrics and accessories. Toss the gauze. Lose the eyelet and chambray. Go for pillows, throws and slipcovers in heavier textured, autumn-to-winter chenilles, velvets, sheepskin or brocades in rich colors.
* Bring the outdoors, in. Gather leaves, cones, stones and seedheads into bowls, vases or wreaths. String a fallen, leafless madrona branch with tiny white lights. Arrange pinecones, oranges or crimson apples in a shiny muffin tray.
* Change out your dishes. Tabletops become important design elements during entertaining's high season. Instead of a turquoise or celadon crackle china set, use red transferware or pieces touched with dramatic gold, copper, black or green.
* Winterize your sheets and towels. Replacing these items with darker or more dramatic patterns and hues can give a whole new look, and a psychological look, to the most intimate of rooms. The smaller space of a powder room is where you

Fall Decorating Tips and Materials

2005-09-06T18:45:00.000-05:00

Decorating for Fall - Get inspired on six photo pages highlighting outdoor and indoor seasonal decor. Then plan a few projects, assemble materials, and set up some seasonal color for your home.
Decorating Kit- Put together a box of tools to pull out when decorating for the holidays. Some items to include: a tape measure, pencil, craft wire paddles, wire, pipe cleaners, raffia, nails, cup hooks, tape, wax pellets, felt circles, scissors, clippers, pliers, a hot glue gun, and a hammer.Found Items - Walk through the woods in the fall and bring back some of the items you'll use to decorate your home: pinecones, twigs, cattails, wheat, branches, or anything else that appeals to you.

Reuseable Decor - Invest in some preserved real leaves, available from craft supply stores or a florist. These natural leaves on branches have been treated to remain pliable, and are available in gold, brown, red, and orange. Get a handful of wheat stalks too. While you're shopping look at the fall ribbons, mini lights, and artificial fall vines or garlands.
Halloween Ideas and Projects - Have a spooky fun October with our Halloween Projects and Ideas page. Find costume and entertaining links, decorating, pumpkin carving, and crafts for kids, and lots more.
Protect Wood - Pumpkins and other fresh produce often become soft over time. Always use a plate, platter, foil, or plastic to protect your wood and furniture surfaces from destructive moisture.
Thanksgiving Centerpiece Ideas - Turn to these pages of photos and ideas for fall centerpieces using a variety of flowers, vegetables, pumpkins, and harvest items. It's easy to make your own beautiful table decorations!
Fall Wreaths - Decorate your door with a long-lasting fall wreath that you make yourself. Our easy technique means that once you assemble a few materials, you can have it hanging on your door in less than 15 minutes. .
Autumn Planning Calendar - Plan ahead for November with this Planning Calendar. Holiday entertaining schedule, tips, and suggestions to pull off a beautiful Thanksgiving dinner.
Storage - Store your fall garlands and permanent decorations in a large covered plastic box labeled "FALL". If you've cut garlands to fit specific locations, attach a card with a twist tie, noting this information. Obviously candy, fresh produce, and pumpkins should be used or

Pumpkin Butter

2005-09-06T18:43:00.000-05:00

INGREDIENTS:
1 (29 ounce) can pumpkin puree
3/4 cup apple juice
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
DIRECTIONS:
Combine pumpkin, apple juice, spices, and sugar in a large saucepan; stir well. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes or until thickened. Stir frequently.
Spoon hot pumpkin mixture into hot jars, filling to within 1/4 inch from top. Remove air bubbles; wipe jar rims. Cover at once with metal lids, and screw on bands.
Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Flaxseed Benefits

2005-09-06T18:39:00.000-05:00

Flax, a natural plant-derived source of Omega 3 fatty acids, is also referred to as linseed, golden flax, yellow flax, alpha linolenic acid, flax lignins or flax lignans, flax hulls or DHA / EPA. Main Flaxseed Benefits Flax is the best plant source of omega-3 fatty acids.Flax Seed contains both types of fiber Flax is one of the top plant sources of the phytoestrogen
Some of the many health benefits that you'll get from ground flax seed
Helps you maintain normal cholesterol levels with the high concentration of omega-3 essential fatty acids.
Promotes regularity and colon health due to its high fiber content.
Helps to maintain immunity and good cellular health due to its high levels of lignans.
Promotes healthy skin by trapping moisture in the low layers of the epidermis.
Aids weight loss efforts by filling you up. You'll eat less, but feel just as full!
Flax seed has many important nutrients besides the fat--among which are protein, carbohydrates which include phenolic acids, lignins, and hemicellulose. Flax seed contains vitamin C, Vitamins B1, B2, Niacin, B6, Pantothenic Acid, Folic Acid and Biotin. It also has a great many minerals among which are calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and zinc and many of the trace minerals. In addition, an important ingredient not found in the oil is enzymes which are needed to assimilate these minerals and vitamins.
How to use Flaxseed: To use ground flaxseeds, just add 1 or 2 tablespoons of to an 8-ounce glass of water and mix. Flaxseeds have a pleasant, nutty flavor and taste good sprinkled on salads, cooked vegetables, or cereals. Flaxseed is best digested in the ground form, however may be used as a garnish on breads, etc.. Grinding Flax Seed your own Flaxseed provides you with the most benefits. Flax seed is one of the easiest things to add to your diet once you grind it up. Purchase flax seed in bulk,and use a coffee grinder to grind it up. (If flax seed is eaten whole it will pass right through the body without any benefit.) Coffee grinders are only about $25 and simple to use. Use it exclusively for flax seed so you seldom even have to clean it. (Every couple of months when it gets grimy on the outside.)
Throw flax seed in all of your baking For example, when you make bread put in about ¼ cup ground flax seed (for a 5 cups of

pumpkin cooking

2005-09-05T20:14:00.000-05:00

Pumpkin is the squash that we associate with fall, Halloween, and Thanksgiving. It is however a most versatile vegetable full of health giving properties, such as vitamin A. Its bright yellow to red color and abundant flesh is a boon to dieters as it is also low in calories and fat free. There are two types of market Pumpkin. Pie Pumpkin are smaller and sweeter, with a drier flesh. Carving Pumpkins have a bright orange color, and a less dense flesh with more water content than the Pie Pumpkins. They are grown primarily for carving at Halloween. They can be sliced and sauteed or simmered for a vegetable dish. The seeds from both types of Pumpkins are loaded with great nutrition as well, and should be toasted and enjoyed.
Fruits are harvested at full seed maturity, but generally do not store as well as the winter squash types. The flesh is generally a little too coarse and strong-flavored for eating so most 'pumpkin' pies are made from winter squash. In earlier times, pumpkins were extensively used as livestock feed.As with winter squash, pumpkins are a diverse group. Small, classical jack-o-lantern types such as Connecticut Field and Kentucky Field are C. pepo, while large pumpkins such as Atlantic Giant are C. maxima and should more correctly be called winter squash rather than pumpkins.Cushaw, Tennessee and Sweetpotato (the last is used for canning, but does not store well) types are Cucurbita mixta.
Here are a few great pumpkin links:
http://www.thepumpkinfarm.com/
http

Pumpkin Carving

2005-09-05T20:08:00.000-05:00

The gallery shows pumpkins carved by many different artists. Designers' names are included to help you find out where they came from. Difficulty ratings give you an idea about the level of experience recommended to attempt a carving. A number scale is used where each whole number will probably require 1 to 1.5 hours to carve. For example, a pumpkin rated "2.0" will probably require about 2-3 hours. See "Types of Pumpkins in the Gallery" below for the types of pumpkin examples in this gallery.

Fall (Autumn) Crafts, Decorations, and Printouts

2005-09-05T20:07:00.000-05:00

Fall (also called autumn) starts in late September in the Northern Hemisphere and in late March in the Southern Hemisphere. Fall starts on the equinox, a day in which daytime and nighttime are of equal duration.
These crafts projects are for preschool, kindergarten and elementary school children. The crafts use materials found around the house, like egg cartons, cardboard, paper, boxes, string, crayons, paint, glue, etc. See a page about color mixing to see how to combine paint to make all the colors of the rainbow.
Click on any of the crafts to go to the instructions. Have fun!

Outdoor Fall Activities

2005-09-05T20:02:00.000-05:00

Autumn is my favorite time of the year. I just love the crisp air and watching the leaves change. I'd like to encourage my kids to appreciate fall with some fun activities. Do you have any suggestions?
Heading out into nature is a great way to soak up this colorful season and enjoy the outdoors before cold weather sets in. A walk in the woods, fields or even a city park, gives kids an opportunity to witness the changing landscape up close. It's also a great way to come together after a busy school and work week.
You don't need special equipment for an afternoon jaunt--just some jackets, water and snacks. Kids may also enjoy bringing along autumn journals and crayons for recording observations and making leaf rubbings, and small paper bags for storing treasures found along the path. Once home, kids can use these finds as craft materials. They can string acorns and seed pods for seed necklaces, create lasting impressions with faux fossils and clay coasters, make whimsical stick hats or use gathered leaves to print colorful autumn place mats.
A trip to a local apple orchard is another fun outdoor activity and offers families a chance to participate in the fall harvest. Most orchards usually open the first weekend after Labor Day (call ahead to find out about picking conditions and the availability of apples). Some farms also offer horse-drawn wagon rides, making the excursion a real adventure for kids. Pack a picnic and you can make a day of it. Don't fret if your family's picking enthusiasm results in a bumper crop of fruit--an abundance of apples means there will be plenty to spare for craft projects. Cut apples in half to create an apple-stamp bag, dry a few for funny-faced apple dolls and sour puss puppets or carve a set of candleholders. Just be sure to save enough to make an easy and delicious apple pie and some homemade applesauce. Wrap any unused fruit in newspaper and store in a cool, dry place.
Of course, if you have a yard full of deciduous trees and a yard full of leaves that need raking there are plenty of ways to play away an autumn day at home:
• Walk a leafy labyrinth. When leaves cover the lawn, rake a twisting pathway through them. Copy a classic maze for extra credit.• Find a lollipop. Hide a wrapped lollipop under a leaf pile. The first one to find it keeps it.• Stuff a scarecrow. Break out an old shirt and overalls and stuff until firm. Complete with a pumpkin head.• Make a sun catcher. Using a low setting, iron a leaf between two pieces of waxed paper with a sheet of plain paper on top. Hang in a sunny window.• Preserve a leaf. Bring a mixture of 2 parts water and 1 part glycerin (available in most pharmacies) to a boil in a saucepan (adults only). Pour the solution into a heat-proof container. Drop in a few brightly-colored leaves and gently submerge with a wooden spoon. Keep the container in a cool, dark place until there is a slight change in the leaves' tints. Then remove them and blot dry with a paper towel. Instead of turning brown and crumbly, the leaves will retain their brilliant hues.• Play name that leaf. Go out into the neighborhood or local park and have players collect five unusual leaves. Back home

Mother Earth News

2005-08-31T20:47:00.000-05:00

Wonderful Winter Squash
This highly nutritious vegetable stores easily for up to six months.
By Barbara Pleasant
What if you could grow a vegetable that has a rich, nutty flavor; is packed with nutrition; adapts readily to soups, pilafs and pies; stores easily for up to six months; and even is pretty to look at? This description fits winter squash, which comes in dozens of different packages, with shapes ranging from acorns and turbans to 30-pound pink bananas. North and South American gardeners have been growing them for more than 9,000 years, and indigenous tribes from Argentina to Oregon each cultivated their unique strain, which often rambled among shriveling corn stalks during the second half of summer.
In an odd turn in culinary history, Americans decided to prefer pumpkins to winter squash. Or did we? Several types of winter squash — acorns, buttercups, delicatas and hubbards — are the same species as most pumpkins (Cucurbita pepo or C. maxima), and most canned “pumpkin” in stores actually is cushaw or butternut squash (C. moschata). So, if you like pumpkin pie but think you might not like squash pie, think again. In fact, any recipe that includes pumpkin or sweet potatoes can be easily adapted for winter squash.
A latecomer to the winter squash fan club, I began eating them several years ago after discovering winter squash soup, in which onions, celery and winter squash mingle with apples in a curried broth. Since then, seedlings have been sprouting from my compost heap (and producing lots of squash); clearly this vegetable wants to be a permanent part of my garden.
“That’s why they’re called trailing squash,” says Minnesotan Martin Diffley, who with his wife, Atina, was named the 2004 Organic Farmer of the Year by the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service. “They followed people to new settlements by sprouting and growing in their trash heaps.”
At their Gardens of Eagen farm, the Diffleys grow 16 types of winter squash, which is easier than choosing only one or two. A truly diverse crop, winter squashes come from four different Cucurbita species, which can grow into a huge range of shapes, sizes and colors. To read more about this or any other article click here

The Gardeners Network

2005-08-31T18:58:00.000-05:00

Do The "Can-Can" Lots of gardeners are doing it. The canning season has arrived. It's a great way to preserve your bountiful harvest. Find out how to can, and how to do so....safely. More on Canning
Organic gardening is healthy and growing. Perhaps one of the reasons you grow your own herbs and vegetables is to produce healthier food for you and your family. Even if you're not an organic gardening purist, there are a lot of easy to use organic gardening tips to make the food you eat even healthier for you!
More on Organic Gardening
Organic Seeds and Supplies
Planning for spring flowering bulbs begins now. You have to plan your spring garden, prepare the beds, and buy the bulbs. That's why TGN's Bulbmall is open now with a complete selection of bulbs and perennials.
Learn about your favorite bulbs
Buy Bulbs now, while the selection is good.
Yard 'n Deck.... it's the newest department in our store. We've added outdoor fireplaces, chimeneas, lawn furniture, and much, much more. Surf over to our Lawn "n Deck Department now.
Great Homepages Share your gardening homepage with the rest of the community. Surf on over and add your site now. Adding a site is easy....just send us an email with the URL. This page is not open to commercial sites. Adorable Homepages
Today's Deep Thought: "Gardeners know the best dirt."
Community News and Info:Make sure to join our free newsletter. Subscribe to Gardener's Net News It's free, it's informative and it's fun!
On the Light Side:
10 Signs you've gone over the Garden's Edge - For those who are just a wee bit dedicated to their gardens.
Heavenly Lawns - What the "Big Guy" thinks of your lawn.
Greeting Cards Send an Ecard to a friend or family member for just about any event. Free Ecards

HOW TO GROW PUMPKINS

2005-08-31T18:52:00.000-05:00

There's an old saying: To be a successful gardener, grow pumpkins. With this truth, you only need one thing to produce pumpkins: seeds! Still, there are always questions. Surely there's more to it than just placing the seed in the ground ... What about the fine points? Herewith are a few questions and answers. They are designed to supplement the tiny print on the back of most pumpkin seed packets.
What kinds of pumpkins grow the best? Top
Almost any pumpkin seed ultimately will produce pumpkins. The important question is: what kind of pumpkins do you want to grow? The traditional Jack O'Lantern is a particular variety officially known as the Connecticut Field Pumpkin. They are usually between 10 and 20 pounds each (though they can grow as big as 50 pounds) and have a bright orange color and the classic pumpkin shape. It is the picture-book pumpkin and the one produced by most commerical growers. Looks aside, the Connecticut Field variety is plain-tasting, not especially sweet, and somewhat watery for pie. Fortunately there is a vast and varied population in the pumpkin world. Some of their names bring to mind wrestlers or race horses: Baby Boo, Munchkin, Spooktacular, Big Max, Cinderella, Lumina, Atlantic Giant ... and there are many more. Pumpkin varieties come in a wide range of potential sizes (from a few ounces to over 500 pounds) and in several colors (ranging from white to pink to red to traditional orange). The big ones require more garden space, but the leaves and flowers of the different types look remarkably similar. Which one to plant? Be my guest. They are all very willing to enjoy your nurturance. I like to grow several kinds in my United Pumpkin Nations Patch! They all seem to get along quite well. It is exciting and satisfying to grow seeds that have been saved from last year's pumpkins. But there are a few uncertainties to be noted. First, be sure the seeds were dried in the air, not the oven. Also there is a possibility that the seed will produce a hybrid -- a cross between a pumpkin and another kind of squash. These are called Squmpkins and their color, size, and shape are unpredictable. Still, they are exotic, weird, and one of a kind.
Where, when, and how should the seeds be planted? Top
Where: Pumpkins love a sunny spot -- the more sun the better. Choose a place that gets at least 6 hours of direct sunlight every day. When: Seeds can be planted directly in the garden when the days consistently reach into the low 70's and the spring rains have tapered off. In colder climates, the seeds can be started indoors and transferred to the garden when the weather warms. Most pumpkins require 110 to 140 frost-free growing days. The amount of time depends mainly on the variety, the climate, and the number of daylight hours during the summer days. How: Pumpkins seeds typically are planted in the middle of small hills or mounds that are about three feet in diameter. Surround each hill with a moat (about 4 inches wide and 4 inches deep) to help contain water around the roots. Plant 4 to 5 seeds in a circle in the middle of the hill, and space the seeds about 6 to 8 inches apart. Thankfully, pumpkin seeds know which way is up, regardless of how they are set in the ground. Traditionally, the seed is laid on its side, narrow edge skyward. Soaking the seeds the night before planting will soften the outer shell and make sprouting easier and faster. But don't let this little step hold you up if you are suddenly ready to plant. Cover the seeds with about an inch of soil to block out light and hide them from hungry birds. The soil should be loosely packed and kept moist but not wet; think of it as a well-squeezed, damp sponge. During the seed stage, water gently with a sprinkling can to avoid washing away the covering soil. Don't peek under the soil or you may disturb the delicate root hairs that are forming. After 7 to 14 days, the seed sprout cracks the soil, and within a day, two succulent oval baby leaves break through and unfold like a pair of opening hands which soon look like low flying butterflies. If you are planting more than one hill of pumpkins, the hills should be 10 feet apart. Once the seedlings are established (two weeks after they have sprouted), thin to two or three of the strongest and largest young plants per hill. This may take some courage, and it may seem impossible to make the right choice. Take heart in the promise of abundance. In the pumpkin garden, it will surely be fulfilled.
How much room do pumpkins need? Top
Pumpkin plants are vigorous vines and love to sprawl. A single vine can grow as long as 30 feet, sending out many vine shoots all along the way. Looking down from an airplane, it will appear as a carpet of lush green leaves. Does this mean pumpkins can't get along with their neighbors? Absolutely not. The vine can be pruned, trained, and redirected to live harmoniously with other plants. Pumpkins are often planted at the edges of a corn and bean patch. The corn supports the climbing beans, and the pumpkin vines are trained to creep among the corn stalks, The huge leaves of the pumpkin plant serve as a floating mulch that holds down weeds and keeps the soil moist. This classic Native American combination -- sometimes called the three sisters -- not only grows well together, but their blended tastes and textures make a delicious main course. While pumpkins usually keep low to the ground, they can be encouraged to grow where other plants might never venture. I've seen them climb over shrubs, up fences and onto roofs. They do this with the help of their tendrils -- curly grabbers that develop like a hand at every leaf node. Tendrils are touch sensitive and will tightly curl around any waiting objects in the path of the vine -- sticks, weeds, plants, anything that has a loose end. The tendrils keep the vine stable as it reaches out across the garden. If you train a pumpkin to grow up and onto a flat or slightly sloped shed roof, it is like adding another floor to your garden. Direct the growing vine to the side of a building and use 3" galvanized nails (drive them in about half an inch) as tendril handles. With your guidance, the tendrils will curl around the nails and ultimately the vine will reach and sprawl along the roof. When pumpkins develop on the vine as it climbs the building, tack up old nylon stockings as slings to support the swelling fruit. Or pinch off the baby pumpkins until the vine reaches the roof. Then let them flourish on their penthouse porch. Pumpkins on the roof! Your neighbors will drop their jaws as they scan the horizon.
Should nutrients be added to the soil? Top
All the pumpkin seeds packets say: "Plant in rich soil". But how do you know if your soil is rich enough? If the spot you've chosen for your pumpkin patch has traditionally grown lots of weeds, then it definitely has something to offer. But is it rich enough? Soil, like bank accounts, can always use at least a little bit more. The question then becomes: What to add? Compost and aged manure are often recommended. Check with a local garden center for packaged products. Pumpkins are considered "heavy feeders" and do well with a little extra nourishment. One nutrient source that works well and is reasonably priced has the dismaying name "fish emulsion". It is a concentrate of fishy by-products, rich in minerals, that smells a little like low tide. Add a few glug-glugs (about a quarter of a cup) to a gallon of water and sprinkle it on each pumpkin mound every three of four weeks. It is definitely a power booster. There are many "miracle" goods on the market. They promise a large supply of big pumpkins while posing the question of pushing versus encouraging the natural process.
What about watering? Top
If pumpkins could speak, their first words would probably be: "Gimme a drink." Between 80 to 90% of every pumpkin is water; and water is an essential medium for bringing nourishment to the entire plant. Fortunately, the plant has a built-in water-gathering and water-conservation system: The huge leaves are a hovering mulch, mediating ground and sky, shading the soil, keeping it moist, and inhibiting competition from weeds. They also are exquisitely designed to draw nourishment from the sun and guide water to the base of the plant. The question is not whether to water pumpkins, but when and how much. A major factor is the kind of soil in the patch. Sandy soil needs more water than soil with high deposits of clay. In either case, the rule of thumb is: turn off the water when puddles appear; and wait till the soil is dry on top before watering again. It is best to water the plant at the roots rather than sprinkling from above. Drip systems and soaker hoses are efficient, reasonably priced, and easy to install. Check with any local garden shop or hardware store for supplies
How do pumpkin plants develop and reproduce? Top
About a week after the two baby leaves appear, the first "true" leaf, sporting jagged edges, starts to grow from the center of the young sprout, providing a glimpse of the plant to come. After three true leaves are established, the pumpkin plant moves into wild and crazy leaf and root development that lasts about eight weeks. At its peak, the vine can grow as much as 6" a day. Ten weeks after planting, the first flowers suddenly appear between leaves and tendrils. Each flower blooms for only one day. They start to unfurl just before dawn, and during a four hour period, they open into luxurious velvet bowls. By mid-day, they are on a slow course of folding in on themselves; and by dusk, they are sealed forever. Every pumpkin plant has two kinds of flowers -- male and female. Both are golden yellow, suggesting the color of the fruit to come. On the surface, males and females look quite similar. However, with a little observation you can begin to tell them apart. The male flowers, which appear first, sit on long thin stems and are more plentiful than females. The females sit closer to the vine and rest like queens on fuzzy round thrones -- baby pumpkins in waiting. In pumpkin land, the bees are the matchmakers, gathering pollen from the center of the males and depositing it inside the female flower while glutting themselves on sweet nectar. The bees are so busy with their gathering and guzzling, they are oblivious to onlookers and very unlikely to sting. So, if you are inclined, arise early in the morning, get out your binoculars and have a close look. It is like watching the California gold rush: greedy miners discovering the motherlode. Between watching bee visits, take a deep breath, and the delicate fragrance of the flower will add a new reward to your careful peeking. Some avid growers (and seed "manufacturers") imitate the bees and pollinate the pumpkins manually in order to control and develop certain traits. The process is quite simple: use a small artist's brush to gather pollen from the males; carefully carry it to a chosen female and deposit the pollen by "painting" the center of her flower. To keep out all other would-be pollinators, place a small paper bag over the female flower and secure it with a rubber band. Not nearly as exciting as watching the bees, but interesting in a scientific sort of way.
Should pumpkin plants be pruned? Top
Pumpkins plants are vigorous growers. Almost from the beginning, they are like adolescents -- bursting with energy, going places without permission, and displaying their amazing abilities over and over again. Pumpkin vines withstand pruning quite well. Properly done, it strengthens the plant and helps it thrive. In most cases, the plants require some cutting if only to keep them from growing into your kitchen. Every pumpkin plant has a main and a secondary vine that usually grow in opposite directions. Each of these two vines produce shoots (or tertiary vines) which can be selectively pruned as the plant develops. It is best to clip when these new side shoots begin to develop. The plant will leak or bleed a little when it is clipped, but it seals over quickly. The amount of pruning usually depends on how much garden space is available. Trimming the plant is definitely necessary to train the vine to run in a long narrow line along the edge of a garden and to keep the plants from crawling over each other and their neighbors. When pruning plants, wear long pants and gloves: the vines are prickly. As you walk through the garden to check on pumpkins or to tame runaway vines, remember that there are roots all along the vine that spread out like a fancy hairdo just beneath the top few inches of soil. It is best to walk on boards or tiles -- or at least to follow the same path each time. This will help the soil remain soft and loose and keep the roots "fluffy" so they can take in water and nutrients. In addition to pruning the vines, some gardeners prune the fruit -- selecting a few for special attention and removing the rest. This population control concentrates the energy of the plant and yields larger but, of course, fewer pumpkins. Wait for the pumpkins to reach grapefruit size before pruning. Even without selective pruning, all baby pumpkins do not necessarily grow to maturity and may suddenly yellow and shrivel on the vine. Perhaps they were not fully pollinated or maybe they were poorly located on the vine, competing for nourishment with a more developed neighbor. The harsh truth is that not every tiny pumpkin is destined to make it to the end of the season.
What about danger and disease? Top
Pumpkin plants are hardy and strong, but like all living things, they are vulnerable to outside forces. In the early stages, the main danger is frost. If the young plants are in the ground and the nights threaten to become very cold, protect the seedlings with inverted clay flower pots or a small cold frame, removing the covering each morning. Strong wind is another threat to the sprawling plant. The tendrils help to hold the vine down, but sometimes it is necessary to add anchors: u-shaped stakes made from coat hangers work very well or criss-cross 18" bamboo sticks over the vine. As the season progresses, many insects and critters will visit. Almost all are friendly and many are simply on their way to another land. Even snails seem to overlook pumpkins, preferring, instead, less fuzzy fare. In different regions, pumpkins are variously plagued by gophers and moles, vine borers and beetles, aphids and mildew and other unwelcome visitors and conditions that threaten their security. When these forces find their way into your patch, they will need to be discouraged. Garden books offer a wide range of "solutions" ranging from harmless but effective soaps to heavy duty poisons. Throughout the season, keep an eye out for any irregularities, especially in the leaves (both the top and bottom). To diagnose the problem, take a sample to the garden center, another knowledgeable gardener, or the library (where the best books have pictures of squash plants and their problems). As with your own health, early detection is the best way to prevent a major problem and usually requires the least intervention. My own preference is to keep the patch as organic as possible. A healthy well-fed plant, basking in sunlight, unburdened by competition from weeds, and properly watered has the best chance of successfully resisting danger as well as recovering from attack.
What should be done to take care for the developing fruit? Top
The basic rule for taking care of the developing pumpkin fruit is to handle it as little as possible. At the same time, there are a few widely practiced interventions. First, to encourage the classic pumpkin look (round as opposed to lop-sided), adjust the fruit so that it's bottom or flower-end is sitting squarely on the ground. This pumpkin "chiropractics" should be done after the fruit is well-established -- usually a month after its appearance and when the flower has dried and fallen off. Gently but firmly lift the stem and the vine together with one hand, the pumpkin with the other, and slowly rotate the position of the fruit without using undue force. You may have to cut or loosen a few surrounding tendrils before lifting. At this point, pumpkin "complexion" can be helped by slipping a shingle between the young pumpkin and the soil. This prevents scarring or bruising as the pumpkin grows and rotting if the soil becomes too soggy. Wear gloves; those vines are prickly; and take care not to crease or snap the vine. Many people, especially kids, like to personalize their pumpkins -- inscribe their names or draw a picture or a face on one of their growing treasures. Perhaps it has something to do with the urge to establish ownership, engage in primitive tribal scarring, or simply to co-create with nature. Wait until the pumpkin is about 3 to 4 weeks old or developed enough to have smooth, slightly toughened skin (all fuzz long gone). Any blunt tool will do; a large nail works fine or even a ball point pen. Break the skin and don't penetrate more than 1/8 inch. There will be some "bleeding" for a few hours after surgery. Wipe the marking during the next few hours, and it should seal within a day. At first, it may be hard to see the results; but the scar will show in time and will grow in size along with the pumpkin.
When should pumpkins be picked? Top
By late August, the days and nights grow colder and the green pumpkins begin to change colors like the fall leaves. As the fruit ripens, the vine displays the inevitable signs of age: older leaves become tattered, fewer flowers bloom and the energy of the plant seems to turn more inward, focusing on the fruit filled with the seeds that hold the promise of the future. Eventually, the scraggly vines lie like skeletons through the garden while the pumpkins -- fiery skulls that have trapped the energy of summer -- are scattered throughout. At this point, it is always good to invite a friend over to marvel at the fruit and to help to adjust to the shifting mood of the garden. Pumpkins are ready to harvest once the color of the fruit has deepened into one of the shades of the setting sun -- somewhere between deep yellow and fiery red, depending on the variety. Leave several inches of stem -- it helps them stay fresh -- and let them cure in the sun for 10 days. Cover them at night if there is danger of frost. Then, store the harvest in a dry cool place. With proper care, you may just have pumpkins until Spring.
There may be more questions. There are always m

How much is inside a pumpkin?

2005-08-31T16:42:00.000-05:00

How much is inside a pumpkin?
I've enjoyed pumpkins ever since I was a child. I can hardly imagine Halloween without a Jack O'lantern, or Cinco D'Octoberfest without a pumpkin-boat full of simmering pilsner.
Pumpkins are known and enjoyed widely for these decorative properties, but I've also heard that pumpkins contain a nutritious substance known as "pie filling".
When Tara wrote asking for tips on how to utilize her gigantic pumpkin, I gleefully responded.
She had won a contest at Mollie Stone's grocery store in San Bruno, guessing the weight of this massive gourd. They called her up to tell her she had won, and even offered to help load it into her car.
At 166 pounds (75 kg), she needed some help to hoist it into her apartment. She neglected to tell her pal Hoze that there was no elevator in her building, but they did manage to get it in there.

When I got to Tara's house in San Francisco, I was hungry and anxious to get the pies out. I used the giant serrated kitchen knife from my carry-on luggage and struck at the pumpkin's orange exterior.

Cutting through the pumpkin skin was troublesome, and when I finally cut the top off, it was apparent why: The skin was five inches thick!
This hubcap-sized chunk weighed about 20 pounds. I was struggling to hold it away from my body

Pumpkin Carving

2005-08-31T16:37:00.000-05:00

Without a doubt the most recognizable symbol of Halloween is a pumpkin carved into a jack-o-lantern. To understand the origins of how pumpkin carving began and what it really means we must first take a look at the holiday itself. How long has Halloween been around? Have there always been pumpkins carved? Here are some answers!
Selecting the pumpkins you'll carve for your Halloween Jack-O'-Lanterns is very important. You'll need to pick pumpkins according to what you want to carve on them.
Whether

ALL ABOUT PUMPKINS

2005-08-31T16:28:00.000-05:00

A pumpkin is really a squash? It is! It's a member of the Cucurbita family which includes squash and cucumbers.
That pumpkins are grown all over the world? Six of the seven continents can grow pumpkins including Alaska! Antarctica is the only continent that they won't grow in.
That the "pumpkin capital" of the world is Morton, Illinois? This self proclaimed pumpkin capital is where you'll find the home of the Libby corporation's pumpkin industry.
That the Irish brought this tradition of pumpkin carving to America? The tradition originally started with the carving of turnips. When the Irish immigrated to the U.S., they found pumpkins a plenty and they were much easier to carve for their ancient holiday.
Fun Facts About The Pumpkin!
Pumpkins contain potassium and Vitamin A.
Pumpkin flowers are edible.
The largest pumpkin pie ever made was over five feet in diameter and weighed over 350 pounds. It used 80 pounds of cooked pumpkin, 36 pounds of sugar, 12 dozen eggs and took six hours to bake.
In early colonial times, pumpkins were used as an ingredient for the crust of pies, not the filling.
Pumpkins were once recommended for removing freckles and curing snake bites.
The largest pumpkin ever grown weighed 1,140 pounds.
The Connecticut field variety is the traditional American pumpkin.
Pumpkins are 90 percent water.
Eighty percent of the pumpkin supply in the United States is available in October.
Native Americans flattened strips of pumpkins, dried them and made mats.
Native Americans called pumpkins "isqoutm squash."
Native

Big Pumpkin.com

2005-08-31T05:09:00.000-05:00

Southern New England Giant Pumpkin Growers 1st Annual2005 Summer Tour And PicnicSunday, August 28th (10am-7pm)Picnic and Tour Details Raffle Details (win a Stihl Mist Blower!!)

BigPumpkins.com Adds RSS SupportWe are now offering RSS feeds for various sections of the website. If you want to know what it is all about see this article: BigPumpkins.com RSS Feeds.

Al Eaton's 1,446 lb New World Record! BigPumpkins.com congratulates Al Eaton on his 1,446 pound pumpkin weighed at the Port Elgin Pumpkinfest in Canada on October 2nd. Be sure to see the collection of photos that were submitted. Read more about it on this Message Board Thread. Updated with pictures of Scott Cully's carving work of art!Photo Credit: David McCallum
Unbelievable!

The Petersen / Carlson 1,432 lb pumpkin! Congratulations to Clinton, Iowa's Dan Carlson and Marc Peterson! Read the full article and see the collection of photos Dan sent us. Read this Message Board Thread for more info.

Bruce Whittier and his 1,458 Bruce Whittier from Henniker, NH grew the largest pumpkin ever weighed. Although not recognized as a World Record because of the pin hole that developed, it is still the largest fruit ever weighed! Click here to see the collection of photos that were submitted.
What's New
Below is a list of items that are new since: 8/17/2005
Grower Diary - Cros - 13 new entries 08/19/2005 - 08/31/2005
Created on 8/19/2005 ----- Last updated on 8/31/2005
Grower Diary - Tony Pumpkin - 2 new entries 08/20/2005 - 08/31/2005
Created on 8/20/2005 ----- Last updated on 8/31/2005
Grower Diary - DaveM - 21 new entries

Garden Hobbies

2005-08-31T05:07:00.000-05:00

Information and Advice For Growing Superb Gardens

Welcome to Garden Hobbies, a great place for you and your plants........
Gardening News:
Everything's coming up roses. And that makes everyone happy. Rose gardeners just love their rose bushes. Recipients of America's favorite flower have cause to smile, as their are plenty of roses in bloom.
More on Roses
Meaning of Rose Colors
Buy Rose Fertilizer Spikes
Tomato Mania is "a happening" now. If you're a vegetable gardener, chances are, you are growing tomatoes....and plenty of them. Want to grow bigger and better tomatoes? Visit Tomato Mania.
Planning for Spring Bulbs begins now. You have to plan your spring garden, prepare it, and buy the bulbs.That's why TGN's Bulbmall is open now with a complete selection of bulbs and perennials.
About your favorite spring flowering bulbs
Buy Bulbs now while they are all in stock.
Read the Good Book.... There's plenty of good books on gardening. There's always something new to learn when you dig into a garden related books. There's also plenty of tips and learnings in our growing list of "how to" pages. So, make sure to surf our site and stop back often.
Good books on Gardening
Pest Protection - Keep the birds out of your blueberries. Protect vegetables, bushes and shrubs, from birds, deer and rabbits.
Homeowners love Arborvitae. Fast growing with little care, they are among the most popular of evergreens for both foundation plants and hedgerows. More on Arborvitaes.

Celebrate your Garden Hobby
There are many days to celebrate. See our list of Special Days.

Major departments on site:
Canning Vegetables And FruitGuide through the process of canning vegetables and fruit. Includes canning supplies to use.
Flower GardeningHelp and advice for design, blending colors, and choosing plants for flower gardening.
Functional Garden Decor.See some creative ideas for making your garden decor functional.
Garden Tools These essential garden tools will make gardening tasks much easier.
Herb GardeningThe many different uses for herb gardening including companion planting.
Hydroponics Gardening Produces Crops All Year.Have a garden all year round with hydroponics gardening. Produces crops faster and with higher yields than vegetables sown outdoors in soil.
Indoor Gardening With HouseplantsDiscover the benefits of indoor gardening and learn how to keep indoor plants healthy.
Landscaping On A BudgetEasy landscaping ideas and a landscape plan will help to save you money.
Garden Hobbies- Garden linksLooking for information on specific gardening topics? Start here. If we don't offer it, these garden links may be helpful.
Organic GardeningHelp prevent illness and disease and protect your environment by organic gardening.
Rose GardeningGrowing roses is possible even in cold climates. See the different types and learn about rose gardening.
Shade GardeningChoosing shade plants and other shade gardening ideas.
Starting Seed Describes the benefits of starting seed indoors. Explains how to using a seed starter kit.
Young Trees And Shrubs.What you should know about choosing, planting, and pruning young trees and shrubs.
Vegetable GardeningGrow better crops using these tips and advice for vegetable gardening.
Water GardeningHelp and advice for water gardening. Choosing plants, fish and accessories. How to build a pond.
Wildflower GardeningA natural and care-free way to enhance the look of your landscape is with wildflower gardening.
Big Pumpkins, Small Pumpkins We bet you love all pumpkins! So,let's grow some.
Tomato ManiaGardeners are just crazy about tomatoes. Most gardens have a couple or even dozens.
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Gardening: Annual Seeds Perennials Seeds Vegetable Seeds Herb Seeds Organic Seed/Supply Flower Bulbs Composters Greenhouses Hammocks Hose Carts/Reels Houseplants Outdoor Fireplace Outdoor Storage Raised Beds Supplies Statues/Elves Back Yard/Deck
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Bird Stuff: Bird Feeders Martin Houses More Bird Stuff

Milford Great Pumpkin Festival

2005-08-29T19:27:00.000-05:00

Pumpkin News Update
8/22/05

Back by Popular Demand: North Shore Comedy Show, Saturday, October 8th, 2005
Saturday, October 8th at 8pm at the Amato Family Performing Arts Center
Tickets: $15 in advance (online or at DO-IT office); $20 at the door. Tickets will be for sale online SOON!

DOUBLE HEADLINER COMEDY SHOW!!
Come see three great comedians, Tom Hayes (as seen on Showtime), John David (as seen on Star Search), Milford's own Greg Boggis, and host Rob Steen (as seen on David Letterman), who pack comedy clubs and theaters around New England. This is the same show that will sell out the 1300 seat Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord on October 22nd. Tickets there start at $25 so you are getting a GREAT show at a great price in a great new venue!!
Mark your calendars! The Milford tradition of the Great Pumpkin Festival will be held from Friday October 7th to Sunday October 9 on and around the Oval. Plans for this event, organized by the Milford Main Street Program/DO-IT on behalf of the Town, are well underway and volunteers for a wide variety of activities are needed to bring this Festival to life. All activities will take place in Downtown Milford on the Oval, the Community House Lawn, Emerson Park, Middle Street and at the Amato Family Performing Arts Center on Mont Vernon Street.
Plans for 2005 include many of the events that have proven popular and successful in past years. From activities such as the scarecrow making, pumpkin painting, the haunted trail, the great pumpkin weigh-in, the arts and crafts show, the chili round-up and the carved pumpkin glow, to a spectacular line up of musical and other creative performances, it is sure to be a weekend packed full of fun for all ages.
DONATE CLOTHES FOR SCARECROWS:
Donations of clothing for the scarecrow event are also greatly appreciated. If you have old jeans, long sleeve shirts or any accessories (hats, scarves, etc) that are still in good shape but that you are you are looking to get rid of, drop them off (clean, please) at the DO-IT o

Washington Man Grows 1,229-Pound Pumpkin

2005-08-29T19:24:00.000-05:00

HALF MOON BAY, Calif. Oct 11, 2004 — A retired Washington state firefighter who grows giant pumpkins in his spare time produced the winning pumpkin Monday at the 31st annual Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off.
The pumpkin, grown by 55-year old Joel Holland of Puyallup, Wash., tipped the scales at 1,229 pounds 49 pounds heavier than last year's winner. Its circumference was 13 feet, 7 inches.
Holland, whose prodigious pumpkins won the contest three years in a row, from 1992 through 1994, planted this year's winning pumpkin plant in May. He transported the giant gourd to California on a huge flatbed pickup truck, covering it with towels and blankets to protect its skin from dehydration.
Contest spokesman Tim Beeman said 80

Canadian pumpkin regains world crown from Americans

2005-08-29T19:22:00.000-05:00

Last Updated Mon, 04 Oct 2004 19:16:29 EDT
CBC News
PORT ELGIN, ONT. - An Ottawa-area man appears to have broken the record for the world's largest pumpkin with his entry at a weekend contest.
Alan Eaton's pumpkin weighed 1,446 pounds (665 kilograms), over 60 pounds (27 kilograms) more than the last pumpkin recognized by the Guinness World Records

Cornell's giant pumpkin makes national news

2005-08-29T19:20:00.000-05:00

A giant pumpkin's mysterious appearance atop Cornell's landmark McGraw Tower has been making national news since early October.
The pumpkin was first seen impaled on the peak of the 173-foot tower on Oct. 8. Because of the cost and danger involved in removing it, university officials decided to leave the pumpkin on the tower until it rots and falls.
In anticipation of the pumpkin's inevitable descent, university safety officials cordoned off the area directly below the tower on Nov. 4 so that the tumbling gourd would not fall on anybody. Jim Greiger, manager of occupational health and safety, said that the pumpkin would plummet at a rate of 72 miles-per-hour and could cause serious injury it it fell intact.
Exactly how the pumpkin, which could weigh as much as 60 pounds, was placed on top of McGraw Tower, and by whom, is still not known. Cornell Police are continuing an investigation into the prank, and cautioned that no one should try to repeat the dangerous stunt.
The mystery and sheer daring of the prank generated coverage by the national news media, beginning with an article in The New York Times on Oct. 27. The Cornell Daily Sun ran a daily "Pumpkin Watch" through Halloween and editor-in-chief Hilary Krieger was interviewed live on the scene by Matt Lauer of the Today Show on Oct. 28. The Associated Press ran a news story and photo of the pumpkin that appeared in newspapers across the nation. The Cornell News Service handled radio interviews from cities as far away as Minneapolis and Reno, Nev. CNN, MTV and NBC news programs also carried pumpkin reports.
The McGraw

Pumpkin Nook (Got Pumpkins!?! )

2005-08-29T19:17:00.000-05:00

Big Pumpkins, small pumpkins, matter of fact... all sorts of pumpkins are growing in your pumpkin patch. And, what a thrill it is to watch them grow! You can almost see them grow, as you admire them from the edge of your pumpkin patch.
The focus in August is to put on as many pounds as possible. Give them plenty of water and fertilizer. Your fertilizer applications should be regular, and heavy on the Potassium (the third number). Be ever vigilant of insects and disease. If you haven't already done so, apply insecticides and fungicides now, and throughout the month, as directed on the product label.
Did you Know? At their peak growth period, giant pumpkins can grow 35-40 pounds per day!! And, that happens this month.
As your pumpkin fruit grows fast and furious, study and learn more about how to grow superior pumpkins. That means oranger pumpkins, bigger pumpkins, and more pumpkins in a limited space. Start that deeper knowledge and learning in our many "How to Grow" pages.
This is a great site for pumpkin growing people. Make sure to recieve their news letters.