The Inside Dirt @ iloveplants.com - January 2006
January 2006
In This Issue:
* Featured Website: GardenNut.com
* Featured Flower: Pansies
* Featured Vegetable: Winter Squash
* Garden Folklore: Who is the Green Man? Do You Know?
* Garden News: 2006 All-America Selections
* Garden Wisdom: Mail-Order Tips
* Garden Bargains: Save on Spring Garden Supplies & Garden Journals
* From My Garden...
Greetings fellow gardeners and a warm welcome to all of our new subscribers!
Happy new �gardening� year! It�s the start of a new gardening season and even though many of you won�t be heading out into the garden for a few months yet, there is plenty of work to do before spring arrives. It all starts with a little planning, and that�s where we come in. This month we�ve included information on a website where gardeners can exchange or buy seeds from other gardeners, the �new� 2006 All-America Selections, mail-order tips, garden bargains, featured plant and vegetable, a little garden folklore and what�s new in my zone 9 garden.
I hope you enjoy this month's newsletter and that it contains some helpful gardening information. Drop me a line anytime you like with requests for future information or just to say hi and let me know what's growing in your garden.
Susan
"Perhaps what moves us in winter is some reminiscence of far-off summer."
- Henry David Thoreau
FEATURED WEBSITE: GardenNut.com
This homespun website was created to provide a place for gardeners and small nurseries to buy, sell, trade or donate excess plants. Home gardeners can post an ad for free and everyone is invited to browse the ads in search of particular plants or hard to find seeds. It�s a great place to find affordable seeds. Click here to visit Garden Nut.
FEATURED FLOWER: Pansy
Shakespeare included the cheerful PANSY in his play �A Midsummer�s Night Dream� as a component of love potion. The pansy is also known as Heart�s Ease, Love-in-idleness, Johnny Jump-up and Ladies� Delight. Botany.com provides top-notch information on growing pansies. Click here to read about growing pansies.
FEATURED VEGETABLE: Winter Squash
Winter Squash is a good source of vitamin C, fiber, protein, iron, calcium and antioxidants of vitamin A. The health benefits of squash include reducing the risk of cancer, coronary heart disease and hypertension. The University of Illinois provides a ton of information on varieties, when to plant, care, harvesting, common problems, and more. Click here to read about growing winter squash.
Gardening With the Moon
Full Moon - January 14th
New Moon - January 29th
PLANTING DATES:
Flowers & Above Ground Vegetables: December 30th - January 14th
Flower Bulbs & Root Vegetables: January 15th - January 28th
GARDEN FOLKLORE: Who is the Green Man? Do You Know?
The �Green Man,� who was named by Lady Raglan in 1939, is a medieval image appearing in churches and on gravestones throughout Europe. This unique image is of a man�s face surrounded by leaves and vines. The oldest images are somewhat scarier than the new versions of the 20th century.
No one is sure of the actual meaning behind the Green Man but many believe him to be the symbol of the natural cycle of life, the continuous regeneration of life and the interdependence of all things. This ancient image has regained popularity today as a modern ecological symbol. Click here to read more about The Green Man.
GARDEN NEWS: All New for 2006 - Flower & Vegetable Varieties
The 2006 All-America Selections are available for viewing. The varieties chosen produced the best results, and include 46 new flowers ranging from alyssums to zinnias; and 25 new fruit and vegetable varieties all deliciously described. Click here for information on the 2006 All-America Selections.
Purchase the 2006 All-America Selections seeds from Park Seed Co.
Providing vegetable seed and perennial seed to American gardens since 1868.
Enter the following description into their search box: 2006 AAS Seed Winners to find a list of the seeds. Click here to purchase the 2006 All-America Selections Seeds from Park Seed Co.
GARDEN WISDOM: Mail-Order Tips
It�s that time of year when nursery catalogs begin arriving in the mail. You feel like a kid as you flip through each catalog, enthusiastically creating your list of flower and vegetable seeds to purchase. Click here for some helpful mail-order tips.
GARDEN BARGAINS ONLINE: Save on Spring Garden Supplies
Hurry - Expiring 1/8/06 - Gardener's Supply Co.: Get 15% off orders of $25 or more! A great opportunity to stock up on spring garden supplies.
Garden journals, The Old Farmer's Almanac and Garden Calendar are on sale now at Amazon.com. A great selection includes Mary Engelbreit's Garden Journal, Three Year Garden Journal with Regional Gardening Guides and P. Allen Smith's Home Garden Journal.
Click here for the latest special offers, sales & discounts at Garden Bargains Online.
From My Garden�The Faces in my Garden!
I don�t have a Green Man in my garden, but I do have a number of faces watching me while I work. I smile when I come across one of the tree men located around my garden and I take a minute or two to talk with them. They are friendly tree spirits and their watchful eyes seem to follow my every move. The two tree men pictured above are Carlos and Max. The old-man winter face is the closest thing I have to the Green Man. At one time he had a beautiful mint green covering of mold spread evenly across his face. It sounds gross, but it really was pretty. The mold turned gray when he was wrapped in paper and packed for a move. Unfortunately, I've never been able to get the mold to grow back. And at last, a face of the moon. I love the shape of this moon and the serene look on his face. It looks like the perfect moon picture that you might find in a child's fairy tale. One thing for sure, these faces add a whimsical touch to my garden!
Happy new gardening year to all of you and may your garden bloom with abundance this year!
Susan
posted by Susan @ 1:29 PM
