Night scented stock is another plant from seed, old fashioned flower that is fragrant.   This one is new to me, and I haven't heard about it before.  How many of you have grown this?   Stock flowers start the spring garden off with spicy, clove scented flowers. It might not look like much during the day, in fact it got the common name Melancholy Gillyflower because it tends to droop a bit in daytime, but the flowers unfurl in late afternoon and release savory scent.
 
Stock comes in pinks, lavenders, and almost white. This is a cool season flower. Once temperatures start staying above 65 degrees F., the plants stop blooming and go to seed.
 
But for their somewhat brief bloom period in spring, they are intoxicating. Plant them in a spot protected from strong winds, so the fragrance won't dissipate.
 
Height: 18 - 24 inches
Width: 8 - 12 inches
Hardiness Zone:  Annual
Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
 
http://gardening.about.com/od/flowergardening/ss/Deliciously-Fragrant-Heirloom-Flowers
Till next time, this is Becky Litterer from Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa

         Today's old fashioned plant is the nicotiana, that is very fragrant.  Again it says to start from seeds, and I have it here as plants in 4 packs.  Has anyone grown from seed directly in the garden?  It is in the petunia family, It is one to give some thought for next garden season.  Here is some information about the plant called nicotiana. 
The Nicotiana family may be best known for tobacco, but several of the other species are much more pleasant to inhale. Jasmine tobacco has a fragrance that resembles - you guessed it - jasmine. The star-shaped, tubular flowers tend to open in late afternoon. So many of the best fragrant plants bloom in the evening, when we're home and relaxing. The flowers sit atop tall, nodding stems and seem to glow in the fading light.
Jasmine tobacco doesn't usually start flowering until mid-summer, but then it goes until frost. Make sure you get plants labeled Nicotiana alata. There are many hybrid Nicotiana cultivars on sale today, but most have been bred for color or shape and no longer have any fragrance. What a pity.
Height: 3 - 4 ft.
Width: 15 - 18 inches
Hardiness Zone: USDA zones 10 - 11
Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
The genus Nicotiana was named for a Frenchman, Jean Nicot. Nicot was the French ambassador to Portugal from 1559-1561 and gained some fame for bringing powdered tobacco back to France, which apparently cured the Queen's son of his migraines.
There are many species of nicotiana, besides smoking tobacco. The ornamental varieties are referred to as "flowering tobacco". The species name often give clues to the attributes of the plant. Nicotianta sylvestris, which we're profiling here, comes from the Latin sylva, which means woodland or forest. All nicotiana are members of the Solanaceae or Nightshade family, along with tomatoes, eggplants and petunias.
Description
• Leaves: The large, oblong leaves can reach 18 in. in length and grow from a basal rosette. They are covered with sticky, glandular hairs that can cause dermatitis to sensitive people.The upper leaves have winged petioles around the stem.
• Flowers: A clustered pendant of elongated, narrow trumpet-shaped flowers grow from a central stem. The flowers are shades of white and give off a strong jasmine-like scent, in the evening.
Common Names: Flowering tobacco, woodland tobacco, jasmine tobacco
Full sun will generally produce the sturdiest plants and the most flowering, but the plants can handle partial shade, especially in hot climates.During especially hot spells, flowering will diminish.
For annual plants, nicotiana grows very quickly, reaching heights of 3 – 5 ft. and a spread of 1 – 2 ft. The first blooms will depend on when you plant, but you should get repeat flowering throughout the summer.
Starting from Seed:  For a head start, you can sow seed indoors 6 – 8 weeks before your last frost date. The seeds are tiny and need light to germinate, so press them on the top of the soil. Do not cover them. They should germinate within 1 – 2 weeks.
Planting: Direct sow or transplant after all danger of frost. Be sure to give the plants room to fill out. Space at least 12 in. apart.
Water: Nicotiana is a thirsty plant. Give it regular deep waterings, but don't let it sit in wet soil.
Fertilizer: Start with a rich soil, high in organic matter. Since they will be repeat blooming all summer, give them a dose of water soluble fertilizer every 2 – 4 weeks, when watering.
Maintenance: To have repeat blooming, deadhead the flower stalk after blooming.The stems are thick and somewhat sturdy, but since these are such tall plants, they may need some staking, especially in windy conditions.
It is advised not to plant nicotiana near tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, or potatoes because they can share and transmit diseases.
Pests and Problems: Although not often plagued with problems, watch for aphids. To be honest, nicotiana is often used as a trap crop for aphids. You can hose them off your plants with a strong blast of water. They can also occasionally get fungal diseases, especially during humid weather.
Design Tips: Nicotiana looks best in a mass planting. Although it shines in the back of the border, it's nice to have near enough to enjoy the scent at night. Try a clump near the doorway, by a patio or at a turn in a path.
Taken from http://gardening.about.com/od/plantprofiles/ss/Nicotiana-How-to-Grow-Flowering-Tobacco.htm
Till next time, this is Becky Litterer from Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty, Iowa

          I found this article about houseplants.  Believe it or not, I don't do houseplants well.  It is the watering that gets me.  I can water the plants in the greenhouse, and outside, but for some reason houseplants get  forgotten.  So you know how well they grow when I don't water them.  So here are some helpful hints about houseplants. 
     People have been growing houseplants for centuries for a simple reason: they are beautiful. Or at least they can be, providing you follow a few simple rules for enriching your living space with greenery. Some of these rules are aesthetic, including matching your plants with your décor and lifestyle. And some of them are practical, making sure you grow plants that will thrive in your growing environment and be compatible with your lifestyle and level of skill. Still, there are very few indoor environments that can’t be improved with a few houseplants, especially if you adhere to these simple tips:
1. Right plant, right place. This is a common phrase uttered by landscapers, but it’s equally true indoors. Before you fall in love with a particular genus or type of plant, spend a little time in your environment to see what your conditions are. Do you have low light? Medium light? Or bright light? Will your plants be exposed to cold drafts? Can you provide adequate humidity for tropical plants? Ultimately, whatever you choose to do, an unhealthy plant will never look good. Along these same lines, if you’re new to houseplants, it’s a good idea to start with easy and popular plants. They will be harder to kill.
2. Group your plants. Plants will almost always look better when grouped, typically in groupings of three plants or more. Within this broad recommendation, you can do almost anything: group identical plants together for a lush, contemporary feel, or cluster ferns for a forested look. Typically, tall plants do better in the back of groups, and a few small flowers up front can really brighten a room. If you don't want to deal with multiple pots, it’s always possible to group several species of plants together in one pot, with a tall centerpiece plant surrounded by smaller groundcover plants.
3. Think about your décor. If you’re into desert colors, use desert plants. If you prefer rich tropical hues, think tropical plants like philodendron and monstera.
4. It’s OK to treat plants like cut flowers sometimes. If you just love orchids but you don't buy them because you’re afraid to kill them, don't worry! There’s nothing wrong with buying a lovely plant and keeping it inside while it thrives, then moving it outside or even discarding it when it begins to decline. One common trick used by interiorscapers is to nest the bland nursery pots into larger decorative pots, making it easier to switch plants out when one starts looking ragged. If you really feel guilty about discarding struggling plants, look at it like this: you’re helping keep the nursery and greenhouse industry healthy, which benefits both plants and people.
5. Pay attention to your plants. Of course this means following the basics, like watering and fertilizing when necessary, but it’s also a good idea to spend a little time every few days closely inspecting your plants. Flip up leaves to look for bugs on the underside. Feel the soil. Rotate the plant. There’s no doubt that a little TLC can help your plants thrive.
6. Use interesting containers. The plant itself is really only half of the decorating equation. Containers are just as important. Look for containers that complement your interior décor and that also fit your lifestyle. If you already know that you cannot tolerate any leaks or drips on your floor, then don't get containers that will leak constantly. Instead, buy containers with no holes in the bottom and put your plants inside them on raised blocks to allow for drainage.
taken from  http://houseplants.about.com/od/displayinghouseplants/fl/Decorating-with-Houseplants
Till next time, this is Becky Litterer from Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa

           Here are a couple more of old fashioned flowers to grow from seeds for fragrant.  Anise Hyssop and Heliotrope are the two for today. I always have heliotrope plants here didn't know we could plant the seeds.  INTERESTING. Have any of you planted heliotrope by seed?  Hope all had a great Thanksgiving and maybe some of you are still celebrating the holiday.  Thanks for all that we blessed with. 
These days there are many wonderful Hyssop cultivars to grow and experiment with in your garden,  But the common Anise Hyssop ( Agastache foeniculum) and the Purple Giant Hyssop, being featured here, give you the strongest minty-licorice scent.  The fragrance is mainly in the leaves, but Purple Giant Hyssop is also a long blooming perennial, with short, spiky lavender-purple flowers that start to bloom in midsummer and carry on to fall.  You will have to share the flowers with the bees and  pollinators, that find it irresistible.  Giant Purple Hyssop is very adaptable and can even handle high humidity better than most hyssop varieties. It makes a nice cut flower and a delicious minty tea.
Height:  1 - 3 ft.
Width:  1 - 3 ft.
Hardiness Zone:  USDA zones5 - 9
Exposure:  Full sun  
To really enjoy the rich vanilla scent of Heliotrope, you need to plant a good size clump of it. You won't be sorry you did. The flower clusters come in purple and white and sit atop dense, deep, green foliage. The plants are not tall, and make a nice front of the border plant, where you can really enjoy their fragrance.  They got the name Heliotrope, because they follow the sun, shifting their flower heads as the sun moves across the sky, like sunflowers. Plant them in a sunny location, because the heat helps them release their fragrance. Much like Valerian, some people pick up a hint of cherry along with the vanilla scent, which gives heliotrope the common name "the cherry pie plant".
Height: 18 - 24 inches
Width: 12 - 15 inches
Hardiness Zone:  USDA zones 10 - 11
Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Taken from http://gardening.about.com/od/flowergardening/ss/Deliciously-Fragrant-
till next time, this is Becky Litterer from Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty, Iowa

             Taking this time to wish all of you a very blessed Thanksgiving.  Let us hope you are all with family, have good food, and fun time.  We will have our 2 out of 3 kids here with their families.  So with having 2-6 years old, and one 2 year old it will be great fun.  I have some puppets for them, plus the stage so I am sure we will have a puppet show or two to share.  I have been cooking and baking all day on Wed.  So we will have a great meal.  Here are some quotes that are fun to share.  Enjoy! and be safe with your traveling.
Jim Davis
"Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread and pumpkin pie."
W.T. Purkiser
"Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our Thanksgiving."
If you want to see more go to this website, http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/thanksgiving-ideas
 
Till next time, Becky Litterer from Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty, Iowa

            Here is another fragrant flower that you can start from seed.  It is a very old fashioned plant.  Food for thought to have in your garden. 
 
The bright, cheerful flowers of Four O'Clocks often go unnoticed, because they don't open until late in the afternoon. However once they do, you are treated to an orange-scented aroma that wafts through the air. Plant them near your outdoor seating area and bask in this wonderful scent. The flowers remain open until morning and will even bloom during the day, if the weather is overcast.  Plants can be started by either tubers or seed.
They can become a nuisance in warmer climates, but gardeners in cooler zones will need to either reseed every year or pot some up as houseplants, for the winter.
 
Overview and Description:  Fragrant, cheerful Mirabilis jalapa goes by many names. The most popular name, “Four O’Clocks” came about because the flowers open in late afternoon. Four O’Clock flowers remain open until morning and on cloudy days they may not close at all. Their other common name “Marvel of Peru” is probably because they are native to the topical areas of South America. And Mirabilis means wonderful, in Latin.
 
Four O’Clocks are a bushy tender perennial that can be grown from either a tuber or seeds. In ideal conditions, they can become a nuisance, but gardeners in cold climates can keep the re-seeding under control.
• Leaves: Opposite, slightly pointed oval leaves and multi-branching stems.
 
 
• Flowers: Trumpet-shaped, 5 petal flowers come in pink, red, yellow, white and some bi-colors. Flowers have a slight vanilla scent and open in the late afternoon through the evening.
 
CAUTION: The seeds are poisonous if ingested. Some reports claim that the leaves are both attractive and lethal to Japanese beetles.
 
Hardiness Zone:  Four O'Clocks are reliably hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 7B - 11. If you live in a cooler zone, don't let that stop you from growing them. They are they can easily be grown as an annual flower and will graciously self sow in your garden.
 
Exposure You will get the most flowering if you plant your Four O'Clocks in full sun . The plants can take some shade, but at least 6 hours of sun is needed for best flowering.
 
Mature Size: Expect your plants to grow 1 - 4 ft. tall x 1 - 3 ft. wide
 
Bloom Period Once Four O'Clocks get going, they will bloom from mid-summer to fall.
 
Suggested Varieties:
• Mirabilis jalapa Mix  - Old-fashioned self-seeding Four O’Clocks in mixed solid colors.
 • Mirabilis jalapa 'Alba'  - Self-seeding all white Four O’Clocks
 • 'Jingles' cultivars - Smaller plants with two-tone and multi-colored flowers.
 • Kaleidoscope  - A hybrid with multi-colored pink, yellow and white blooms..
 
 Design Suggestions:  Since Four O’Clocks bloom in the evening, plant them where you’re sure to see them and catch a whiff of their fragrance. Pots on decks, along walkways and on the edges of seating areas. They mingle and grow through other plants nicely, making a nice underplanting. Hummingbirds are attracted to the tubular flowers.
 
Growing Tips:  Soil: Four O’Clocks ares not particular about  soil pH, but do best in a soil that is neutral to slightly acidic. They are heavy feeders, though, and a rich, well-draining soil is ideal. They can go dormant if left in dry conditions for too long.
 
Planting Four O’Clocks: Where perennial, you can divide and replant Four O'Clock tubers pretty much anytime. In colder climates, tubers can be dug and stored in the fall, to be replanted when the soil warms in the spring.
 
Four O'Clocks can also be grown from seed. The easiest method is to direct seed them outdoors, just before your last frost date. Soaking the seeds over night, before planting, can speed germination, but the seeds germinate almost as quickly as they grow. Chances are good that if you allow your plants to go to seed in the fall, they will self-seed in the garden. Seedlings can be easily pulled and moved to another section.
 
Maintenance:  Where perennial, cut back old Four O’Clock stems in the spring and give them a shot of fertilizer, if your soil is poor. Mulch around the plants, to keep the soil moist and the plants blooming.
 
Because Four O’Clocks bloom so profusely, keeping them deadheaded is all but impossible and they don’t really need it to keep blooming. In drier seasons, when the plants can get a little ragged looking, a shearing back by about 1/3 will refresh them. In very dry conditions, the plants can stop blooming entirely, until they are revived with some water.
 
Pests & Problems:Rusts, (white rust and brown rust) and some leaf spot diseases can affect the foliage.
Taken from http://gardening.about.com/od/flowergardening/ss/Deliciously-Fragrant-Heirloom
Till next time, this is Becky Litterer from Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty, Iowa
 
 

          I know we are just into fall season and soon winter, so not planting in the garden.  But found this article about plants to start easily from seeds that gives us fragrant when they are blooming.  So some ideas to look up in the garden catalogs when they come in this January. 
     Gardeners today are blessed with seemingly endless plant choices for their gardens. It's true, hundreds of new plants are introduced each year and many are just too tempting to resist. However most modern plants have been bred for color, size, shape, or some form of resistance. With the exception of David Austin's delicious roses, the one attribute overlooked is fragrance.  Fragrance is one of the first features to come to mind, when we think of flowers, yet it is often missing from gardens entirely.  What would spring be without the enveloping perfume of lilacs? A rose just isn't a rose without scent and Sweet Autumn Clematis lets us know the season might be winding down, but the memory will linger.
      One easy way to bring more fragrance back into your garden is with heirloom flowers, those old-fashioned open pollinated plants that were garden staples for years. The term heirloom generally refers to plants that are at least 50 years old and the seed has been passed down from gardener to gardener. Some come with stories or a provenance,  but many are just old standards.  Isn't that sound like fun to hear the stories!
       These older flowers are often taller than modern hybrids and sometimes a bit messier in growth habit - perfect for a cottage garden. Since they are open pollinated, most will reseed themselves throughout your borders and generally make themselves at home, without a lot of effort on your part.  Here are a baker's dozen of fragrant bloomers to consider for your garden.  I will share some each day to get them all in. 
      What's not to like about a chocolate scented flower? The bright yellow flowers will bloom year round, in frost free areas. Even cool climate gardeners will get their fair share of color throughout the summer. If the plants start to look tired, you can shear them back by 1/3 and new buds will soon appear.  Chocolate Daisy needs well draining soil and may not survive the winter in cold climates with wet soil.  But it grows quickly from seed and requires minimal care; just some shaping and watering during dry spells.
Height:  18-24 inches
Width:  15 - 18 inches
Hardiness Zone:  USDA zones 5 - 11
I will look for this seed.  Haven't ever heard of it?  Have you....
taken from : http://gardening.about.com/od/flowergardening/ss/Deliciously-Fragrant-Heirloom
      Found some more information about chocolate daisy.  Can you forgive the foliage of this unassuming wildflower for resembling a dandelion? You can after you smell the unbelievable cocoa fragrance of the chocolate daisy. And, although it would be too much to ask that the flowers taste as good as they smell, the chocolate daisy is classified as an herb, and can garnish your salads as well as your bouquets.
 
Get to Know the Chocolate Daisy
 
Also known as the chocolate flower, the green-eyed lyre leaf, or lyreleaf greeneyes, the chocolate daisy belongs to the genus Berlandiera lyrata and the family Asteraceae. Plants are reliably hardy in USDA growing zones 4-10, where they will average one to two feet in height.
 
The foliage of the chocolate daisy is elongated and slightly lobed, with the grayish tint characteristic of many drought tolerant plants. The small 2-inch yellow flowers resemble those of the coreopsis. They are a clear yellow, with eight petals in a simple ray shape. The eye of the daisies are green, and upon close inspection you may notice the little burgundy pollen filaments bearing yellow anthers.
 
In the morning, the distinct aroma of the chocolate flower is the strongest. In the heat of the afternoon, the flowers may look a bit listless, but they will revive the following day.
 
In addition to its unique fragrance, an attribute of the chocolate daisy that appeals to many flower gardeners is its exceptional blooming period. Flowers planted in full sun may bloom from spring until frost, with the heaviest blooming time occurring right around the summer solstice.
 
Planting the Chocolate Daisy
 
Although wildflower peepers can find these plants growing extensively across the plains and mesas of Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas and Oklahoma, you don’t need to disturb their native habitat by collecting plants. You can collect seeds of the chocolate daisy in the spring and summer, and they germinate easily in lean soils. Plant the seeds anytime during the frost-free growing season.
 
Whether you start with seeds or with transplants from the nursery or mail-order catalog, be sure to plant the chocolate daisy in well-drained soil. You will have the best success in duplicating the plant’s natural habitat of rocky, sandy soil types. Some clay is fine, as long as the plants never get wet feet, in which case they will rot.
 
Chocolate Daisy Design Tips
•The chocolate daisy is an obvious choice for the fragrant flower garden. Don’t hesitate to pick the flowers for a nosegay bouquet, as picking releases more of the heady perfume.
•Plant the chocolate daisy in the rock garden or alpine garden, as it appreciates rocky soils. Place it close to paths where you can observe the small blooms and catch a whiff of chocolate.
•Include the chocolate daisy in the xeriscape garden. It rarely needs supplemental watering.
•Add the chocolate daisy to your wildflower meadow.
•The chocolate daisy is an important source of nectar. Attract both butterflies and beneficial wasps to your flower garden with this plant.
•Replace a small area of your lawn with chocolate daisy plants. You can even mow the plants, and they will grow back vigorously, but never invasively.
• Foil deer with the chocolate daisy. Perhaps the fragrance most intoxicating to many humans is repellant to deer. What a happy coincidence!
 
Maintenance
 
The adage “less is more” applies to the care of the chocolate daisy. Less fertilizer, less water, and less pesticide sprays are the key to this easy flowering perennial. Use your grass clipping shears to deadhead the many leafless stems all at once, to encourage reblooming.  Taken from http://flowers.about.com/od/Perennial-Flowers/p/The-Chocolate-Daisy.htm
 
Till next time this is Becky Litterer from Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa 

            I am always learning and trees are an area that I need to really to learn more about.  So wondering about pruning trees so found this article that is something we can do this winter...look at our trees and see where the dead wood is.  But the tree doesn't have any leaves on it how can we tell?  Here is some ideas on that. 
 
No matter what time of year it is, it is always a good time to prune out dead wood. But how can you tell if the wood is dead, especially in winter on a plant that sheds its leaves in fall? While it’s true that these can be tough calls at a glance, there are still ways to tell the difference between live and dead wood even in the winter.
 
Learning to tell is useful to you as a gardener because it extends your work season. Spring and summer are the ​book-listed best times to prune most plants, but these seasons are also busy with other work. Anything you can do on a comfortable day in winter, like pruning for structure or removing bad wood, gives you that much more time to do other jobs.
 
Here are a few ways to tell if a particular branch is alive or dead. At first, you might find you need to go up for a close examination, but over time you’ll start to get a sense, even from a distance, that a section of wood on your plant doesn’t look right, and is probably dead.
Easily Spottable Signs of Dead Wood
 
The first thing to learn to do is how you can tell dead wood at a distance, as you walk through your garden. These signs will let you assess the situation for follow-up work without spending a lot of time on telling for sure.
•Leafless while other branches have green leaves. This is pretty obvious and is a quick and easy sign of death in spring and summer.
•Clinging dead leaves while other branches are bare. If your plant is deciduous it should be dropping its leaves in fall. Dead branches will not drop their leaves when they should; instead, the leaves will often hang on for months into the winter. Sometimes the fat blade of the leaf will be ripped off by winter wind, but the leaf stem will keep sticking to its node. These are all signs that the branch has died. Be careful, though: these are not good signs of death on oaks, beeches, and any sapling tree, all of which can normally hold leaves late.
•Bark has mostly fallen off, exposing smooth wood underneath. Old bark will naturally fall off a branch over time, but on healthy wood, this is replaced by new layers of bark. If on an old branch you see large areas of smooth wood, it’s a warning sign.
•Large fungus. If you have shelf fungus, wood conchs, or other kinds visibly infecting a section of wood, chances are that everything from that point and upwards along the branch is dead or at least weak and dying fast. Fungus in combination with other signs helps you be sure.
 
Checking To Be Sure
 
In cases of doubt, it is best to get up close to the branch and perform one or more simple, but decisive tests before you cut, especially if the branch is a major one that you’d like to keep if it’s alive. In cases where you can’t get close, such as a high branch in a tree, you might have to use binoculars or a pole saw to help you.
•Scrape lightly and look for green. Just beneath the outer layer of every branch and twig is the cambium, a thin green layer. It is green in every season, even winter, but it turns brown when the plant dies. This is the most decisive way to test young wood, with an outer layer thin enough for you to scratch with pruners, a knife, or your fingernail on the youngest wood. On old branches with thick bark, you may need to slowly use a saw or another method of checking the wood.
•Shake the branch. A slender (roughly under a half inch in diameter) living branch should be flexible, bendable without cracking. Dead wood will snap. It will also often feel lighter, drier and hollower. Walking past shrubs with gloves shaking suspicious branches is a great way to quickly find dead wood.
•Look for buds. Early spring when the buds begin to swell and break is a great time for this sign. If a node on the branch contains even one firm or swelling bud, the branch is still alive. If all the nodes are bare of buds or have only dry buds that collapse when squeezed between your fingers, the branch is dead.
•Look at the branch collar. The branch collar is the ring that completely encircles the base of a branch, just above where it attaches to its parent branch or the trunk. The collar will usually be slightly raised or swollen looking. When the branch dies, the collar at its base begins, year by year, trying to engulf and swallow the dead branch. If you see a roll of wood that seems to be creeping up your branch, that branch has probably been dead a while, and should be cut off just above the collar.
taken from
http://treesandshrubs.about.com/od/pruning/a/recognizing-dead-wood-in-trees-and-shrubs
Till next time, this is Becky Litterer from Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa

      I have always wondered about the numbers given by the Amaryllis bulbs.  So found this article and the picture is worth 1000 words.  I got permission from them to print the picture and couple of exempts from the article.
 
Here is a couple of quotes from their website about the size of the amaryllis bulbs.  "Longfield-gardens.com"
To get a good value for your money, the answer is yes. With amaryllis there's a clear relationship between bulb size and performance.
Size
Amaryllis bulbs are sized by measuring (in centimeters) around the widest part of the bulb. In the photo below, the bulb on the far right measures 26/28 centimeters in circumference. The largest one on the far left is a full 8 cm larger, measuring 34/36 cm.
 
For more information, go to this website. 
 www.longfield-gardens.com
http://blog.longfield-gardens.com/amaryllis-bulb-size-what-the-measurements-mean-and-why-they-matter
 
Here is what the size of the bulbs will produce in blooms.  Again from "Longfield-gardens.com "
 
Here are how many stems and flowers each size bulb is likely to produce:
26/28 cm – 1 stem (occasionally 2) with 3 to 4 flowers
28/30 cm – 1-2 stems with 3-4 flowers per stem
30/32 cm – 2 stems with 4-5 flowers per stem
32/34 cm – 2 stems (occasionally 3) with 4-5 flowers per stem
34/36 cm – 3 stems with 4-5 flowers per stem
Have fun growing amaryllis.  Check out Longfield-garden as they sell the bulbs and will sent them to you.  I don't sell any because the traffic is not for gardening this time of year.  But I do enjoy growing and watching them bloom.  Give them a try. 
  Till next time this is Becky Litterer from Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty, Iowa

            Last warm morning for awhile now.  We are at 52 degrees right now at 7:30 AM but that is our high.  Temperatures going down, will get some rain and maybe a little snow, but being this warm will not last on the ground.  Wind coming up and coming out of the North west...cold wind.  IT is Nov. 18th, so we will have more seasonable weather and give us a taste of winter.  Found this article about caring for poinsettias.  Soon you will be getting them for your holiday decorating. 
                                                                                                 
By Nikki Phipps
 (Author of The Bulb-o-licious Garden
 
How do you take care of poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima)? Carefully. These finicky short-day plants require specific growing needs in order to retain their Christmas blooms. However, with proper care, your holiday poinsettia should continue to put out blooms  or in the least remain attractive for weeks after.
 
Holiday Poinsettia Plant Care
 
Poinsettia care begins with proper light, water, and temperature conditions. During the holidays, while in full bloom, they typically enjoy semi-cool, humid locations in bright, indirect light with plenty of moisture. Poinsettia plants should be watered thoroughly, taking care not to drown them by ensuring adequate drainage is available. Likewise, avoid letting them sit in water-filled saucers, which can lead to root rot .  I  have to remember this for the ones we have at church.  It is seems easier to have them sit in water then I don't have to go down during the week to water....but after reading this I will go down during the week and water them. 
Adding plants nearby can help increase humidity levels  in dry rooms, as will humidifiers.
 
Once flower bracts have fallen, you have the option of discarding the plant or keeping it an additional year. For those choosing to continue with poinsettia care, decrease regular watering to allow the plant to dry out some. However, don’t let it dry out completely. Also, relocate the poinsettia plant to a cool, dark area until spring or around April.
 
Fertilizing Poinsettia Plants
 
Fertilizing poinsettia plants is never recommended while they’re still in bloom. Fertilize poinsettias only if keeping them after the holiday season. Apply fertilizer every two weeks or once monthly using a complete houseplant fertilizer. Provided the poinsettia plant is given the proper environmental conditions, it should begin to regrow within weeks.
 
Poinsettia Care After the Holidays
 
In spring, return the plant to a sunny area and water well. Cut back all canes (branches) to about 6 inches from the pot’s rim. It may also be a good idea to repot the poinsettia using the same type of soil. While poinsettias can be kept indoors throughout summer, many people choose to move them outdoors in a sunny, but protected, area of the flower garden by sinking the pot into the ground. Either way is fine.
 
After new growth has reached between 6 to 10 inches, pinch out the tips to encourage branching. This can be done once a month until the middle of August. Once nights become longer in fall, bring the poinsettia indoors.
 
From about September through November light becomes crucial in poinsettia plant care. In order to encourage blooming, poinsettia plants require long periods of darkness at night (about 12 hours). Therefore, move the poinsettia to a location where it will not receive any nighttime light or cover it with a box. Allow plenty of light during the day so the plant can absorb enough energy for flowering. Warmer days (65-70 F./18-21 C.) and cooler nights (55-60 F./13-16 C.) are also recommended. Provide semi-cool, humid locations in bright, indirect light with plenty of moisture once blooming occurs.
 
Poinsettia Plant Leaves Are Falling Off
 
It’s important to pinpoint the possible cause in the event that your poinsettia plant leaves are falling off, as in some cases, this can be easily fixed. Environmental factors such as warm, dry conditions are most often the reason for leaf drop. Stress can also be a factor. Keep the plant in a cool, draft-free area and provide plenty of water. If all else fails, the plant may need to be discarded.
 
Now that you know how do you take care of poinsettias you can keep these lovely plants year round. With proper poinsettia plant care, they will give you many years of beauty.
 Till next time, this is Becky Litterer from Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa
 
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