So how does this disappearing winter affect the gardens of those of us living in areas including those 21 states that have had more than 300 record high January temperatures? In a nutshell, it will mean fewer nuts on our nut trees, less blossoms on our perennials, decreased flowers on our trees/shrubs, and not as much fruit on our fruit trees. This upcoming spring and summer will show signs of the winter stressed plants but most should acclimate okay.

“I don’t think we’ve seen the extremes yet that would cause a lot of long-term damage to trees and shrubs,” says George Good, professor in Cornell University’s Department of Horticulture. “Some flower buds will be killed. So we may see fewer blooms on flowering trees and shrubs this spring. ” This has commercial growers concerned as their harvests will be affected.

David Wolfe, scientist at the Department of Horticulture, is studying climate change and states that chances are good that we will continue seeing more warm winters, caused in part by increasing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere which is affecting agriculture, especially in the Northeast.

For more information, visit the Cornell University at

www.gardening.cornell.edu

Craving some winter flowers? Consider a few of these winter bloomers.

1. Indoor Forcing Bulbs:

• Amaryllis is a favorite holiday season bloomer with big, boldly colored flowers. These can be forced to bloom in time for holiday decorating or a little later during January and February.

• Paperwhites are absolutely the easiest thing to grow, no chilling required, and performing well even if planted in gravel and water.

See below for detailed instructions on how to plant and care for your Amaryllis and Paperwhite bulbs.

2. Houseplant Winter Bloomers:

• Clivia is a rewarding grower with bold orange or yellow blooms. It does best if given a cool, dry period in fall to prime for bloom.

• Christmas cactus is long lived and explodes in wonderful colors including white, fuschia and pink. They may require a short day treatment to set buds.

• Kalanchoe is often sold as a florist plant and can bloom annually.

• Begonia come in popular varieties with patterned foliage as well as sprays of typically soft pink blooms to gently brighten the darkest winter day.

• African Violets are a favorite flowering house plant. There are so many different types you can quickly amass a significant collection. They bloom prolifically on a window sill with indirect light. Serious growers use supplemental lights for peak performance and optimal health.

• Poinsettias are a holiday favorite. They can be easily found in a variety of colors such as white, pink and most popular red.

• Orchids bloom exquisitely throughout the winter. You can usually find prices lower on those that have stopped blooming. Bring them home, revitalize them with an organic feeding to watch them burst with blooms!

All indoor flowering plants thrive from a monthly organic feeding. Try our #1 selling SeaResults Micronutrient Solution with all of your indoor plants and enjoy an abundance of blooms.

3. Outdoor Container Plants Brought Indoors:

• Geraniums will provide a few blooms in winter, although not as heavily as during the summer outdoors since they are sun lovers.

• Impatiens come in double flower or rosebud varieties and will continue to flower once brought indoors. • Miniature Roses require an exceptionally bright window sill or supplemental lighting to bloom well but the extra attention and care are worth the trouble in blooms.

• Violas and pansies simply require a cool windowsill to help them stay compact and blooming indoors.

• To keep your compost pile cooking during the winter, keep it in a black bin in the direct sunlight. Placing your compost bin in full sun will promote faster composting.

• Anything that has been alive is great for compost bins. Examples include leaves, vegetable wastes, and grass clippings. Do not compost fat, pet waste, dairy or meat products.

• Protect your compost from rain to keep the nutrients in the pile. Too much water in the pile will also slow the composting process.

• Avoid composting plants that have been treated with chemicals including lawn clippings, and weeds that have gone to seed.

THG offers an eco-friendly line of composting products. Click here to view.

http://clearorganic.com/?p=14005

Dahlias are tender perennials, hardy only to Zones 9 to 11, and must be dug out of the ground and stored over the winter.  Here’s how to overwinter dahlias:

• Allow a week for the tubers to adjust to dormancy after the first frost has blackened their foliage. Cut them back to within 6 inches of the ground.
• Gently lift tubers from the ground using a spade.
• Clean the soil off the tubers, and allow them to dry for a day. They can be left in the sun but must not be allowed to freeze.
• After drying, shorten old stems to about an inch.
• Place the roots in crates or boxes, and cover with slightly moistened sand, peat moss, or sawdust to keep them from drying out. Store in a cool but frost-free place, such as a garage or unheated basement (40° F to 50° F is ideal).

• The last application of fertilizer is the most important one for both high and low-maintenance lawns. If your lawn tests show your soil is lacking in nitrogen, apply a winterizing organic fertilizer. THG’s organic Lawn Feed n’ Weed will not only prepare grass for winter, but also give you a head start towards achieving the green turf you’ll want next spring.

• Do not apply lime routinely to established lawns unless a soil test indicates a need. Excess can be as harmful as deficiency. Established lawn soils seldom need to be limed unless a soil test indicates a moderately to severely acid soil of pH 5.5 or lower.

• Plant or seed new lawns early.
• Aerate where needed to relieve compaction.
• Thatch buildup is a major contributor to lawn diseases. If your soil is highly compacted or a heavy clay, use a plug-type aerator that will loosen the soil, help reduce thatch buildup and allow better penetration of air, nutrients

“Millions of women are weathering the still-tough economy by earning extra cash through direct sales: supplementing a salary that just doesn’t cover everything or replacing one that vanished. Innovative options include power tools, home decor items, even professionally fitted bras. These moms are all making a home-party business work for them.”

Read the entire article at www.familycircle.com.

Included are The Happy Gardener’s Eco-Fundraising Programs which allow schools, groups and organizations to raise necessary funds while educating families and communities on healthy living methods.  Products include flowering bulbs, organic bug repellent, chemical-free cut flower/holiday tree preservatives and “Just Add Dirt” Eco-Grow Kits for veggies and herbs!

Read the entire article by visiting http://www.dietsinreview.com/diet_column/09/guilt-free-school-fundraisers-are-replacing-candy-pushers/

Shopping for fresh veggies at the Charlottesville, VA Market

Choosing to support and eat local food ensures that the family farms within our communities will continue to thrive, and that healthy, flavorful, plentiful food will be available for future generations.

Though “buying local’ has been gaining exposure and trust with ‘conscious consumers’, we must not neglect the importance of consumer education. As farmer’s markets and CSA’s become more widespread, remember that just because its “local” doesn’t mean its necessarily healthier.  It is our responsibility to ask questions of our local suppliers:

Is the farm certified organic and/or working towards an organic certification?

If the farm is not certified organic, what pesticides/herbicides/fertilizers are used to maintain crop production? How often are they applied? Do they use animal by-products/manure to fertilize?

Asking questions will inform you, the consumer, of the quality of produce you are buying and will provide you with the trust to continue working with your local farmers.

FoodRoutes.org provides a list of benefits to supporting local farmers:

• Exceptional taste & freshness:  Local food is fresher and tastes better than food shipped long distances from other states or countries. Local farmers can offer produce varieties bred for taste rather than from shipping and long shelf life;
• Strengthen your local economy:  Buying local food keeps your dollars circulating in your community. Getting to know the farmers who grow your food builds relationships based on understanding and trust;
• Support endangered farms:  There’s never been a more critical time to support your farming neighbors. With each local food purchase, you ensure that more of your $$ spent on food goes tot he farmer;
• Safeguard your family’s health:  Knowing where your food comes from and how it is grown or raised enables you to choose safe food from farmers who avoid or reduce their use of chemicals, pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, or genetically modified seed in their operations.
• Protect the environment:  Local food doesn’t have to travel far. This reduces carbon dioxide emissions and packing materials. Buying local food also helps to make farming profitable and selling farmland for development less attractive.

Instead of sending Dad on yet another grocery store trip, send him out to the garden to grow and pick his own organic fruits, herbs and veggies with the help of The Happy Gardener’s “Just Add Dirt” Eco-Grow kits!

June is the perfect month for growing vegetables, and these kits are a great gift idea for dads who love to play in the dirt, garden and grow their own produce. The “Just Add Dirt” kits include everything needed for growing organic, nutritious edibles in 100 percent compostable pots. With simple instructions and containers that allow for small-space gardening, even Dads with little experience and little space can reap the benefits of gardening in their own backyard.

The kit also includes organic seeds, SeaResults ™ Organic Plant Food, soil conditioner and water retaining mats, so all Dad really has to do is add dirt!

“Our focus is to help families grow nutritious food while saving money,” says The Happy Gardener’s founder and product developer, Annette Pelliccio. “Growing our own berries, salad mix and a variety of vegetables saves my family of three an average of $380 during the summer months alone,” she says.

With the current economic state, the number of edible gardening projects is expected to rise this year to supplement household food supplies. But saving money isn’t the only reason Dad should start growing his own organic produce. Organically grown fruits and veggies have been shown to retain an increased number of nutrients than those grown commercially.

For more information about the “Just Add Dirt” Eco-Grow kits visit www.thehappygardener.info.