INDIANA STATE WINNER: Abby Shinovich

Its easy going and growing green with the National Bonnie Plants Cabbage Program. Kids across America are learning to garden and some are earning a lot of “green” participating in Bonnie’s Cabbage Program. This season, more than 1.5 million third graders in 48 states dug in and got hands-on gardening experience growing colossal cabbages, reaping hefty harvests and holding high hopes to win “best in state” and receive a $1,000 scholarship towards education from Bonnie Plants.

Each year Bonnie Plants, the largest producer of vegetable and herb plants in North America, with 75 growing stations across the country, trucks free O.S. Cross, or “oversized,” cabbage plants to third grade classrooms whose teachers have signed up for the program online at www.bonnieplants.com. If nurtured and cared for, kids can grow green, giant cabbages, some tipping the scales at 40 pounds!

First launched in 2002, the program awards a $1,000 scholarship to one student in each participating state. At the end of the growing season, teachers from each class select the student who has grown the “best” cabbage, based on size and appearance. A picture of the cabbage and the student entry is submitted to Bonnie Plants by mail or online. That student’s name is then entered in a statewide drawing. The winners of each state’s drawing are randomly selected by the Commission of Agriculture’s office, state by state.

“The Bonnie Plants Cabbage Program is a wonderful way to engage children’s interest in agriculture, while teaching them not only the basics of gardening, but the importance of our food systems and growing our own”, said Stan Cope, President of Bonnie Plants. This unique, innovative program exposes children to agriculture and demonstrates, through hands-on experience, where food comes from. The program also affords our youth with some valuable life lessons in
nurture, nature, responsibility, self-confidence and accomplishment”.

“Over the course of the past 9 years, the Bonnie Plants Cabbage Program has proved to be an exciting, worth-while experience that children, teachers and parents across the country have embraced. We’re pleased and proud to provide our youth with this enjoyable and enriching opportunity and engage their interest in the art and joy of gardening”, said Cope.

Why a cabbage? Cabbages were the first plant sold by Bonnie in 1918. The cabbages used for the 3rd grade program are OS Cross (over-sized), which is known for producing giant, oversized heads, making the process even more exciting for kids.

Get It Growing: Growing a colossal cabbage may seem like a giant undertaking for little kids, but it’s easier than you think.

Let the sunshine in: Cabbages need at least six hours of full sunlight, more if possible.

Survey your space: Bonnie O.S. cabbages need at least three feet on each side to spread out. If you don’t have that much space, use a large container.

Supplement soil: Work some compost into the soil – cabbages love nutrient-rich soil.

Feed the need: Start your cabbage off right with an all-purpose vegetable fertilizer, then fertilize it every 10 days to keep it growing strong.

Water wisely: Your cabbage needs at least one inch of rainfall each week. If it doesn’t rain, use a watering can or a garden hose to gently water your plant.

Tend to trouble: Keep weeds out of the cabbage patch – they compete for the food and water your cabbage needs. Be on the lookout for brown or white moths – these come from worms that love to munch on cabbage. If you see any, get rid of them right away. Cold weather can damage your cabbage. If the weather gets below 32° F, cover your cabbage with a bucket.

Hefty harvest time: In just 10 to 12 weeks, you should have a humongous head of cabbage you can be proud of.

Green thumbs and perseverance can pay off, providing participating children with as great sense of pride and accomplishment, a colassal cabbage, and for the lucky state winner- the beginning of an educational fund for college. To see the 2011 winners and learn more about the 2012 contest, visit www.bonnieplants.com

Rave Reviews

The Third Grade Cabbage Program provides valuable lessons to students about agriculture and the way it touches everyone’s life every day. I commend Bonnie Plants for this program.
Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner, Richie Farmer

This kind of activity is great because it teaches our students about the natural growth process. This year, we’re going to encourage even more teachers to participate. Lenora Richardson, Science & Social Studies Supervisor, Cabell County Schools, WV

It’s really important that our youth understand where our food comes from. I’m glad that Bonnie Plant Farm expanded its cabbage-growing program to include Kansas schools, so our students can learn about growing food while competing for scholarship money.
Kansas Secretary of Agriculture, Adrian Polansky

It’s good for the students to get out there and grow their own plants. It helps them learn about nature, soil composition and the parts of plants, but it also shows them where things come from,” she said. “So many young people take for granted the fact that we can walk into the store and buy whatever we want. It’s a good history lesson for them to learn that it wasn’t always like that, even in this country.
Melody Witt, Alto Elementary Principal, Texas

Soil testing is essential for gardening success, especially if you intend to grow plants such as blueberries, rhodendrons or azaleas, that prefer growing in acidic soil.

Garden soil testing will tell you the exact pH of the soil in your garden.  Levels below seven indicate acidity, while levels above seven indicate alkalinity. 

 A simple garden soil test kit that you can buy at your local garden center will tell you the exact pH of your soil if that is your only concern.

An alternative to a chemical test kit is a simple pH meter. When the probe on the pH meter makes contact with the soil, the meter will give you an acurate reading of the current pH of your garden soil. 

A pH meter is great if you grow a lot of plants in raised beds or containers. Be sure to keep the probe clean and dry when not in use.

Soil tests done by a lab can tell you a lot more about your soil than a simple soil test done at home.

A  lab test can show any possible deficiencies in your soil. This information helps you decide which additives your soil needs and which ones you should avoid. 

If you decide to have a lab test, you will need to send them a soil sample. Once they analyze the sample, they will send you a list of what is missing in your garden soil. The lab will also send a list of recommended additives to correct the deficiences and the pH of your garden soil.

Take the time to find out which additives are approved for organic gardening, if this is important to you. If a recommendation is on the list that is not approved, find an alternative organic additive.

The list of approved organic additives is not set in concrete, so even if you used an additive before, take the time to make sure it is still on the list of approved additives for organic gardens.

Want to know more?

101 Organic Gardening Tips is choke full of information on soil testing, what certain weeds tell you about your soil and many other cool organic gardening tips!

This is more of a personal list than anything else. This list contains all of the germinated seeds that I have potted up intending to put into the garden this year.

Vegetables

18 Container Lettuce Ruby & Emerald Duet Plants

41 Cauliflower Purple Cape Plants

40 Baby Cabbage Pixie Plants

18 Broccoli Purple Peacock Plants

28 Tricolor Cherry Tomato Garden Candy Plants

41 Signature Salads Wild Country Mesclun Plants

6 Ace 55 Tomato Plants

11 Cabbage Copenhagen Market Early Plants

1 pot Scallions Delicious Duo – need divided once they are old enough

29 Wild Kale Garden Mix Plants

65 Container Lettuce Sweet Baby Romaine Plants

19 Flat Late Dutch Cabbage Plants

22 Cauliflower Rainbow Mix Plants

19 Broccoli Long Harvest All Season Blend Plants

37 Broccoli Heading Romanesco Plants

9 Brussels Sprouts Seven Hills Plants

21 Beefsteak Tomato Plants

29 Spinach Bloomsdale Plants

7 Summer Lettuce Bouquet European Reds & Greens Plants

19 Heirloom Tomato Summer Feast Plants

9 Container Chard Pot Of Gold Plant

7 Mexican Tomatillo Two Color Fiesta Plants

1 Container Lettuce Garden Babies Butterhead Plant

1 Onion Spanish Utah Plants

10 Heirloom Tomato Rainbow’s End Plants

18 Kale Glamour Red F1 – 2011 All-American Selections

4 Tomato Sub-Arctic Plenty VF Plants

11 Tomato Terenzo F1 – 2011 All-American Selections

Flowers

11 Stock Giant Imperial Plants

9 Echinacea Powwow Wild Berry Plants – 2010 All-American Selections Winner

4 Bells of Ireland Antique Apple Green Plants

3 Hollyhock Pom-Pom Apricot-Peach Parfait Plants

17 Statice Plants

32 Geranium maderense Plants

6 Dianthus Allwoodi x Village Pink Plants

2 pots Snapdragon Tall Deluxe Mix – need divided once they are old enough

1 pot Amole – need divided once they are old enough

5 individual Amole Plants

3 Gaillardia aristata Arizonia Apricot – 2011 All-American Selections Winner

2 Stock 10 Week Bouquet

Join America’s Home Grown Veggie Show, every Saturday from 10-11AM EST, on Radio Sandy Springs at  for great information on growing veggies. http://www.radiosandysprings.com/showpages/veggieHour.php . Join us on Facebook at americashomegrownveggies.

On the radio show this week is Jimmy Williams and Susan Heeger who wrote the book From Seed to Skillet – we had a great conversation about Jimmy’s influences from grandparents and parents from the south. 10am www.americaswebradio.com Up today on the archives is Kylee Baumle from Saturday- we talked about growing in the upper Midwest.

Hear what Sheri Ann Richerson, author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Year-Round Gardening, Magical Gardens and 101 English Garden Tips has to say about the new Pretty Much Picasso Petunia from Proven Winners!

Soapnuts are a great natural alternative laundry detergent that you can grow right in your yard if you live in USDA zone 6 or higher. Soapnuts come from the genus Sapindus which contains about twelve species of trees and shrubs.

These plants, also called soapberry, are native to warm temperate to tropical regions. There are both deciduous and evergreen varieties.

Mature trees will fruit, typically in November. The fruit is covered by a husk which should be removed and composted. The amber colored fruit can be dried and stored for later use. To use these soapnuts, as they are called, simply put three to four dried fruits into a drawstring bag and toss in your washer. The soapnuts will wash three to four loads of clothes before they need to be replaced.

When it is time to replace the soapnuts with new ones, simply compost the older ones.
If you do not wish to grow your own soapnuts, there are many places to purchase them. Look online or ask at your local health food store.

Just as birds, bees, and butterflies need the proper habitat in order to stay in the garden, so do beneficial insects. In addition to bad bugs and nectar-producing plants, shelter and a good water source are important. You can construct bughouses for beneficial insects; however, they are not necessary. Tall grass, thick shrubs, and lush foliage make the perfect hiding places.

Beneficial insects also need a source of shallow water. This can be as simple as a small dish or a birdbath with a few rocks in it. Keep in mind that if the water is too deep, the insects may drown. Change the water every couple of days to avoid mosquitoes and to give the good insects a fresh drink.

If you use mulch, leave a few areas of the garden uncovered, as there are many minerals in the bare soil that insects need for their health. If possible, create small areas of bare soil that will puddle (just remember to keep them as shallow as possible). An easy way to do this is to make some small holes that water can puddle in the soil below a hummingbird mister.

Here is an older issue of our newsletter for you to enjoy. If you wish to subscribe to the newest newsletters you can do so at http://www.exoticgardening.com

Welcome to this edition of ExoticGardening.com newsletter! I hope you will enjoy the articles as well as the information provided. Please feel free to send in article submissions as well as hints, tips and suggestions regarding plants or even ways to make this newsletter or the website better.

In Every Issue:

*ExoticGardening.com Update: What’s new on the website this week.

*Reviews: Read about the latest gardening product, book or software review.

*Propagation Tips and Techniques

*Creative Plant Ideas

*Readers Ask!

*Classifieds

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ExoticGardening.com Update: What’s new on the website this week.

2008 is here and with it comes lots of new plans for the website and farm. Stay up to date on what’s happening at the Exotic Gardening Thoughts Blog at http://www.exoticgardening.com/blog/ We do offer an RSS feed for those of you who are interested!

We have added a new Exotic Gardening Farms & Wildlife Habitat storefront powered by Amazon.com. When you get a chance please stop by and check it out. You might find just what you were looking for. The URL is http://astore.amazon.com/exoticgardeni-20 We have books, birding supplies, live plants and flowers as well as seed starting supplies available including some really cool heat mats!

The forums have been hopping and there are lots of discussions and unanswered questions. Stop in and leave a comment or two. The URL is http://www.exoticgardening.com/modules.php?name=Forums

If you haven’t stopped by to check out the new Interactive Chocolate Channel, which can be seen at http://www.exoticgardening.com/index.php please do. There are games, quizzes, videos and much more!

Finally 2008 will see the release of my book, Perspective Visions: Enigmatic Masterpieces. Stay tuned for details or visit http://www.sheriannricherson.com/ for the latest details.

I hope to see you on the forums or on the chat!

Happy Holidays!

Sheri

Do you still need a 2008 calendar? If so, check out Sheri Ann Richerson’s Floral Calendar here.

Visit my storefront to learn more >>

Reviews: Read about the latest gardening product, book or software review.

Tempting Tropicals: 175 Irresistible Indoor Plants Tempting Tropicals by HortResources member Ellen Zachos is clear and concise, easy to read and understand even by those who do not have a degree in horticulture. It is a great reference for 175 tropical plants that are not grown as often as they should be. Each plant profile contains light, temperature, fertilization, and propagation information. There is also a section on winning attributes alongside each plant profile that will make it easier to decide if that is a plant you wish to grow. Ellen Zachos has taken all her own photographs unless otherwise stated.
One section that caught my eye was on clivia. I have grown a blooming-size specimen for five years now and have not been able to bring it back into bloom. After reading Tempting Tropicals, I now have an understanding of what I have been doing wrong. I will be trying the technique mentioned in this book and do expect great success. One thing that Ellen mentioned in her book was to water once a week during the growing season, which I did and to water once every two weeks in the fall until you see a flower spike. I had been withholding water from my Clivia from November to March. I also was not feeding my Clivia weekly during the growing season.
One plant that tempted me was Lithops marmorata. “Living stones” can be tricky to grow. Tempting Tropicals explains how often to water in each season, as well as how to water should you decide to give the plant a winter rest. This is an area most books do not cover.
Other tempting plants include Ceropegia (rosary vine or parachute plant), Costus malortieanus (Spiral Ginger), Dischidia (also known as an ant plant, watermelon leaf or ravioli plant), Hoya (wax plant), Nepenthes hybrids (pitcher plants), Passiflora (passionflower), Plumeria (frangipani) and Vanilla to name just a few. Most of these plants caught my eye because I have either tried to find them to grow them or am currently growing them. Ellen’s book is full of wonderful information that I feel will make my growing experience more rewarding because of knowing exactly how much light, water and fertilizer each plant needs.
Tempting Tropicals is a must-have reference in cooler zones for growing houseplants as well as in warmer zones to understand the requirements of tropical plants. Order your copy today by following this link.

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Propagation Tips and Techniques

I have found that germinating seeds in vermiculite gives a higher percentage of germination than seeds germinated in regular potting soil.

To help keep pots of seeds moist while they are germinating place them inside a plastic tote with a lid.

Are you looking for that perfect piece of art for your home or office? See what Sheri Ann Richerson has to offer at http://www.redbubble.com/people/sheriricherson

Choose from posters, note cards or framed art!Creative Plant IdeasIf you live in a cold zone and are buying plants this time of year be sure to take a large black plastic trash bag with you so that you can put the plant inside the bag before taking it out into the bitter cold. It is also a good idea not to purchase plants placed near opening doors.

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Readers Ask!Do you have a question on propagation, growing, flowering or any other plant related subject that you can’t find an answer for? E-mail Sheri at voulezvous@exoticgardening.com with the word “Tropical Question” in the subject line and I’ll try to find the answer for you.Questions and answers will be posted here in addition to receiving a personal response. You do not have to give your name.

Hello Sheri. I live in Las Cruces NM. My friend just gave me two bird of Paradise plants in separate containers. They are 5 gallon containers. He grows the all the time and says they do well here.

  I just read an article where it says they should get at least 4 hours of sun a day.

  Can you give me, the person who has trouble with plastic flowers, some advise which is not in the article. The plants right now are about 2 feet tall. I was told, after my friend took them from his garden, to leave the in the containers for at least a week so when I take them out the dirt will not all fall a part. Many thanks from Las Cruces,   Marge

Hello Marge. BOP need at least four hours worth of sun each day or else supplemental lighting.

I would leave them in the pots until the dirt begins to dry. Once that happens you can easily remove the plant, keeping the dirt ball intact.

BOP can also be transplanted bare-root if you prefer although for some this is not the best option.

You can view the Frequently Asked Gardening Questions here. Until next week, take care and happy gardening! Sheri
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Classifieds

If you would like to see your ad here, email Sheri at adresponses@exoticgardening.com for rates and additional information.

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Sheri Ann Richerson is a Freelance writer, photographer and speaker specializing in tropical, rare and unusual plants.

http://www.exoticgardening.com
http://www.sheriannricherson.com

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Compelling poetry sure to draw one into another world, Perspective Visions: Enigmatic Masterpieces, is a unique work of art showing the darker side of life and love.

The works in this book were written over the course of many years. The first poem was written when the author, Sheri Ann Richerson, was just ten years old.

As time progressed, the poetry took on a darker, almost haunting perspective.

Perspective Visions: Enigmatic Masterpieces is sure to conjure up mysterious images and undeniable, hidden feelings of lust, love and the darker side of life.

Christmas eve is here again. Gardeners will be dreaming of seeds, plants and other garden goodies instead of sugarplums tonight. The mice may have a feast if they get into the packages tucked neatly under the tree. After all, seeds are a favorite food of mice.

For those of you who are still looking for gifts or wondering what on earth to buy the gardener who has everything, here are some great suggestions.

Books are always a hit with gardeners, especially in the winter when most gardeners are not outside enjoying their garden. There is nothing better than curling up by a fire with a good book and dreaming of your spring garden.

My top two picks for gardeners this year is Tempting Tropicals by Ellen Zachos and Allergy Free Gardening by Tom Ogren.

Both books are wonderful additions to the gardening library and are sure to be appreicated by the gardeners on your list this holiday season.

If a book is not what you had in mind, what about seed starting supplies? The time to start seeds is just around the corner and what gardener would not love a new heat mat or seed germination station?

Seeds and gift certificates make great stocking stuffers too!

Order now and you could still get your present delivered by Christmas!

Happy Holidays!

Sheri and the staff at Exotic Gardening