Flower Art & Soul

Here is a link to get the new USDA planting zones just released.

http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/

A friend of mine was talking about starting her seeds indoors this week and she said that she uses egg shells to plant the seeds. She fills them with soil puts the seeds in and lets them grow. When it’s time to move the seedlings to the garden she plants the entire thing, shell and all. The roots are undisturbed and the egg shells decompose and enrich the soil. What a great idea!!!!!!

This is some interesting information on the history of sunflowers that I am hoping you all may enjoy. One of the most recognizable blooms both in art and in all our gardens! It is an NPR link. www.flowersoul.com has several varieties and they never fail to please. Great cut flower! I’d be interested in any growing tips any of you have.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/01/05/144695733/how-the-russians-saved-americas-sunflower?sc=fb&cc=fp

Time to start thinking about the garden. Here is a nice refresher!

http://player.vimeo.com/video/27920977?title=0&%3bbyline=0&%3bportrait=0href=

A very useful site covering all kinds of topics. Worth bookmarking I think:

http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/mg/index.html

Coffee, so what’s the deal with coffee grounds? The bottom line? It’s good for the soil and great for plants. It is a green fertilizer that contains apprx 1.45 nitrogen. It also contains calcium, magnesium and trace minerals. It is useful for fast growing vegetables and generally helpful as a soil builder. Add it to your compost (considered green material) or sprinkle it on top of the soil. Fall is a great time to add it to the soil as it will have the winter to continue to compost. If you have worms in you compost don’t add it too quickly but the worms love it…. (who doesn’t!!!) An added benefit is the reduction of hungry snails and slugs. They apparently don’t subscribe to the health benefits of coffee. With all the espresso shops around it is a plentiful and natural product that most coffee stands will give you for free. For all you organic growers we have added several organic herbs this year, some flower seeds too so ask if you are interested or go to the web page: www.flowersoul.com (my computer guy tells me I have to get my web address into every blog……). Till next time.

After a bit of trial and experiments we have added a few new flowers to our Honey Bee Mix which you can find on the front page of the web site:  www.flowersoul.com .  The additions are: Chinese House (Colinsia Heterphyllia) and Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias Tuberosa). The price will most likely go up a little because of the Asclepia (the seed pod is mostly made up of “parachutes” which require a specialize machine to harvest). Both of these seem to do a good job attracting the bees. Another one was Oregano but we haven’t made the decision to add it yet as it is not a flower even though it does bloom. Mine in the yard are constantly covered with bees. Here in Oregon the honey producers are seeing an upswing in Honey Bees so perhaps we are winning (or helping them )win the survival struggle!!!! Watch the web page, I will be adding a few organic herbs for next spring.

Watch for 2 new individual color Zinnias, Ca Giants. Dark Red & White. In germ testing now.