USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map

Finally, the long awaited hardiness zone map is out. This is updated from the last one issued in the 90's. Find out what zone you garden in, then purchase perennials, trees, and shrubs accordingly. Or, see if the zone listed appears accurate from your experience gardening and living in that region. They seemed to have gotten right for the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where I live.

Some New and Notable Vegies for 2012

                I haven’t let the drop in temps or the heavy snowfall diminish my excitement for the new vegetable offerings in the 2012 catalogs. In fact, the blanket of snow is good news for the perennials I still have sitting in pots by the shed.

                So with hot beverage in one hand, pen in the other, I started perusing some of the catalogs piling up on the table: Jung’s, Johnny’s, Pine Tree, HPS, etc.

                New this year is Summer Dance Hybrid Cucumber (70 day), one of three long, narrow cukes making a debut this year. The other two is a 60 day one called Southern Delight Hybrid and a 40 day-er, burpless variety, called Summer Top Hybrid. Summer Dance grows to 12 in., is about an inch wide, and has a skin so tender it doesn’t need peeling prior to eating. It is being offered by the J.W. Jung Seed Co.

                I stumbled across a northern variety of pumpkin while checking out a catalog that is new to me: Irish Eyes Garden Seeds. The pumpkin variety is called Montana Jack and is touted for being a good variety for northern gardeners. It’s an 8-15 pound Jack-o-Lantern type that requires 95 days to maturity. Best bet: start inside in a peat pot a couple weeks before the last frost date. Place out peat pot and all in well-drained, well amended soil. Then baby the heck out of it until she ripens.

                New Ace pepper isn’t exactly new on the market, but it’s new to me. A northern gardener who I just happen to judge vegetables with at a local fair, told me this is the one you want for, reliable, heavy yields here in the north. Start this one in a greenhouse or grow house.  One company that offers New Ace is HPS, a company that, incidentally sells larger quantities of seeds at a price you can live with.

                I hate to admit it, but I had given up on growing butter nut squash in this short season zone. Several attempts left me with a lot of under ripe butternuts. Then I came upon Canesi Hybrid butternut squash, from Jung’s. This bad boy will plump up in August like a fully-cooked ballpark frank. This variety has excellent flavor. However, it didn’t keep long in my cool crawl space. Perhaps it was too cold and damp for it.

                For the enthusiastic gardeners I’ve met living in high rises, public housing, and other dwellings with limited space, there’s a new container tomato in town that should do well for these folks. Terenzo Hybrid, a 2011 All-American Selections winner is a nice compact variety suitable for hanging baskets and containers. Juicy, red cherry fruits average 1-1 ¼ in. across and weigh just under an ounce. They say it’s “trailing but tidy,” a plus for you neat nics.  It’s a determinate variety that features “near perfect yields all summer long.” It’s being offered by Burpee’s, and some other seed companies.

                Well, that’s it. Just a few newbie’s to whet your whistle. If you haven’t done so already, slow down a minute and peruse the 2012 seed catalogs.

                Happy Gardening.

Tips for Making Your 2012 Garden Resolutions

Everyone has resolutions for the new year. As gardeners we may want to list a few goals for our 2012 gardening and landscaping. This can help make a big job a little more manageable, both in terms of the work that needs to be performed and money that needs to be budgeted. So if you haven't all ready, sit down with your favorite garden books and catalogs, a pen and a calculator and answer these questions:

• What do I want to achieve for my flower bed, vegetable garden, lawn, etc?
• What equipment or supplies will I need to do the job?
• What will it cost?
• Where will I get said equipment and supplies?
• Can I beg, borrow, or buy cheaply any of these things?
• Can I elicit the help of others either for free or at a cost to get the job done?
• How much time will each task take?
• Have I built in enough time to enjoy the summer as well? There is no sense planting roses if you don't have time to smell them!

I hope this helps and I wish you the best for the upcoming gardening season!

Birds in Our Backyards

Winter is a great time to be a bird watcher in this area. Watch for snow birds, owls, and eagles. Get the whole scoop when you read January's issue of Connie Thompson's Birds in our Backyard. You can also visit my website for any back issues of her newsletter.

Free ebook: Are you doing more harm than good with your marketing efforts?

Folks in the green industry seem to be some of the best people to do business with, especially those green businesses that specialize in plants only (not a big box, big profit store). The folks at garden centers and the like will usually help you make the appropriate selection for your garden, and offer you honest advice, including what not to buy for your situation. Unfortunately, not all marketers are so kind. In fact, a "shrewd business man" is usually held in high regard.

Reputable writer and marketing consultant, Marcia Yutkin would argue otherwise. In the ebook you can link to at the bottom, Marcia plants the seed for a sustainable business model that will keep customers happy, is better on the environment, and by golly, will make you more money in the long run. These tips apply to most anyone in the green industry, especially those marketing their products to consumers.

The gist of the article is that we'll do better in the long run financially, and be able to sleep at night, if we market to our customers with honesty and integrity. She gives several examples of shoddy marketing that everyone should be able to relate to. In other words, grow your business the right way and you shall be rewarded. Enjoy the free ebook and Happy New Year!
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