taken from espoma.com

     ​     We got some snow yesterday and over night.  A little for everyone to move.  Looks like snow could be yet today and tomorrow.  Cloudy sky...temperatures will be in the 30's so that will be good. 
        Interesting article if you enjoy herbs and also the history of their uses.  Some I wonder about.
We all know that herbs make great companions in the garden and kitchen. Herbs also have a long history as a natural remedy—and many other more unusual uses, too! Read on…
 
Anise
 Romans paid taxes with anise, and it was used in cough drops.
Anise seed steeped in milk is said to be a sleep-producing drink, but it is also quite likely that the warm milk alone would do the trick.
Basil
 Precious to lovers in Italy and considered sacred in India. Many years ago, Italian men wore a sprig of basil to indicate their intended marriage. A cup of basil tea after dinner helps digestion. Ease a headache by drinking tomato juice blended with fresh basil.
Borage
 The Romans believed the herb to be an antidepressant, and ancient Celtic warriors took it for courage.
Caraway
 Caraway was used to scent perfumes and soaps. The Greeks used it for upset stomachs.
Chervil
 Eating a whole plant would cure hiccups; chervil was said to warm old and cold stomachs.
Chives
 Bunches of chives hung in your home were used to drive away diseases and evil.
Dill
 Romans made wreaths and garlands out of dill. Dill keeps witches away.
Fennel
 Bunches of fennel were used to drive off witches. It was used in love potions and as an appetite suppressant.
Garlic
 It was thought to give strength and courage. Aristotle noted garlic’s use as a guard against the fear of water. It’s also been widely used against evil powers.
Lovage
 Chewing on a piece of the dried root will keep you awake. Lovage warms a cold stomach and help digestion. Added to bathwater, it was believed to relieve skin problems.
Marjoram
 The Greeks believed it could revive the spirits of anyone who inhaled it. At weddings wreaths and garlands were made of marjoram.
Mint
 It was believed to cure hiccups and counteract sea-serpent stings. The Romans wore peppermint wreaths on their heads. It was added to bathwater for its fragrance.
Oregano
 Used for “sour humours” that plagued old farmers. Also used for scorpion and spider bites.
Parsley
 Used for wreaths and in funeral ceremonies. Believed to repel head lice and attract rabbits.
Rosemary
 Rosemary in your hair will improve your memory. It will protect you from evil spirits if you put a sprig under your pillow.
Sage
 Thought to promote strength and longevity and believed to cure warts. American Indians used it as a toothbrush.
Summer Savory
 It was believed to be an aphrodisiac. Some thought it was a cure for deafness.
Tarragon
 Put in shoes before long walking trips to give strength. It has been used to relieve toothache and as an antifungal.
Thyme
 Burning thyme gets rid of insects in your house. A bed of thyme was thought to be a home for fairies.
Anyone who has sage planted in the garden is reputed to do well in business.
 
taken from https://www.almanac.com/content/herbal-folklore-and-old-fashioned-tips
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net

image from larvalsubjects.wordpress.com

     ​So we are having snow this morning but it is warm out at 31 degrees Friday morning.  Tricky travel with more snow today.  SO be safe.  I think i just finished up my plant order.  I will go over it again and double check for new things to add.  Spring is happening here at Becky's Greenhouse with doing this.  Now to work on the seed order.  ALWAYS something that is for sure.  Some interesting plants with these perennials.  Think about adding them to your garden if you don't have them all ready. 
 
Perennial Plants 
Longest Lived Perennial Flowers
 By Jamie McIntosh  Jamie has written about gardening and special occasion flowers since 2011. She has years of experience in caring for flowers and plants.
In the gardening world, annual flowers generally refer to those that complete their entire life cycle in one growing season, and perennial flowers are those that return year after year. However, not all perennials are created equal. It's frustrating to design a new flowerbed around your favorite perennial flowers, like delphiniums, Shasta daisies, and pincushion flower, only to see them peter out after three or four years. Other perennial flowers are notorious for their longevity. These are the specimens you see in old neighborhoods, planted when the homes were built, and still blooming decades later. Choose these, and use the money you'll save in subsequent growing seasons for lush hanging baskets or container gardens.
 
Balloon Flower
Balloon flowers deliver that coveted shade of blue that blends well in any garden design, without the finicky needs some blue flowers exhibit. A native of China, these flowers endure a wide range of temperatures and conditions in full sun or partially shady gardens. Compact varieties that don't need support are the easiest to grow, including 'Apoyama' and the container-ready 'Sentimental Blue.' Once settled in, balloon flowers rarely need to be divided, and don't require deadheading, although shearing may produce a second flush of blooms at the end of summer.
 
Black-Eyed Susan
 Sometimes confused with daisies, Rudbeckia plants are the later-blooming, longer-living cousins in the Asteraceae family. Although the classic gold flowers of plants like this 'Goldsturm' variety are common in garden centers, you can find gorgeous burgundy and orange toned varieties, as well as fluffy doubles that act as enduring stand-ins for lookalikes such as zinnias or dahlias.
 
Butterfly Weed
Anyone who cares about the future of our Monarch butterflies should include the premier food for Monarch caterpillars, the butterfly weed. The Perennial Plant Association named this 2017 Plant of the Year, but the desirable attributes of Asclepias tuberosa will linger on in your garden: drought tolerant, free-flowering orange blooms, and disease and pest-free plants will grow in average soil and full sun for many years.
 
Daffodil
Hybrid tulips and hyacinths are attention hogs in the spring garden, but these are some of the shortest-lived perennial bulbs you can plant. Instead, choose hardy daffodils, which will multiply over the years to form a handsome naturalized colony in flowerbeds or wild parts of your property.
 
Daylily
Have you ever noticed a wild clump of daylilies on the side of a highway or back country road? This should give you a clue to the tenacity of the versatile daylily. If you like orange hues, try a hybrid like the more civilized 'Orange Crush' shown here. Or, branch out to many shades of the rainbow, as you can get blooms in all shades except for pure white and true blue. Drought tolerant and nearly pest-free, some consider daylilies to be an essential part of any blooming landscape.
 
Geranium
 Unlike the pelargoniums sometimes referred to as geraniums at the garden center, true geraniums are hardy perennials that will grow and return in the unforgiving climates of Siberia and Alaska. In addition to the delicate flowers, gardeners also appreciate the ornamental foliage of some varieties, which features divided leaves with dark colored bands.
 
Hellebore
A harbinger of spring, the hellebore or lenten rose fills two difficult niches: it thrives year after year in shady spots, and it blooms well before the last frost has kissed the landscape. Old hellebore varieties didn't generate much excitement with their muddy-colored blooms that turned their faces to the soil, but newer cultivars are bigger and brighter. 'Pink Frost' is notable for its large and upward facing flowers.
 
Liatris
You may have noticed the fluffy stems of liatris in your cut flower arrangements, and wondered where the exotic looking flowers came from, but cultivars like 'Floristan' pictured here couldn't be easier to grow. The North American wildflowers still grow on prairies and grasslands, nourishing butterflies and bees with nectar-rich flowers that bloom from the top down. Grow in full sun and average soil in USDA zones 5-9.
 
Pulmonaria plants like this 'Mrs. Moon' cultivar will already be blooming before many perennials have even emerged from the soil. Depending on the variety you plant, you will see petite white, pink, or blue flowers complemented by highly ornamental foliage with interesting white freckles. Give it ample moisture and rich soil, and watch a few plants multiply into a dozen over the seasons in your woodland garden.
 
Peony
Peonies take a few years to get established in the garden, but the wait is worth it. Just ask any bride who pays a premium to include these softball-sized, fragrant blooms in her bouquet. Plant them in well-drained soil, in a sunny spot, and keep the eyes just below soil level to ensure many years of spring blossoms.
 
Sedum
Sedum plants are as tough as nails, and will survive such insults as being rudely yanked from the landscape and replanted by a toddler with a shovel. Leathery, succulent leaves contribute to the vigor of the sedum, retaining moisture during periods of drought. Sedum plants like the popular 'Autumn Joy' or the dramatic 'Purple Emperor' attract pollinators and thrive in clay or sandy soils with no additional fertilizing or spraying.
 
Siberian Iris
Include a selection of these easy perennials in your deer-resistant garden for late spring to early summer blooms. Although not invasive, irises do need dividing every few years to maintain vigor. Share a few rhizomes with friends, and they can enjoy the same three-foot flower spikes in their floral arrangements as you.
taken from https://www.thespruce.com/longest-lived-perennial-flowers-
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net
 

image from Becky's 

           I am enjoying  doing what I have  post.  So have wanted to try this for awhile now.  Here it is with celery and onions.  Seeing them grow is so rewarding especially this time of year.  Larry has snow to move as it snowed all day yesterday and last night.  Didn't get alot, but still makes some for him to move.  Snow for the next 2 days so we will see what happens.  Temperature is at 30 degrees.  So that isn't bad.  Watch the winter driving that you have.  Be careful and safe.  Sounds like Interstate driving yesterday wasn't good with icy and snow covered roads.
 
Everybody needs a food garden. No matter how small your garden and meager your harvest, the fresh food that you produce there will will be tasty and nutritious. It will connect you with the natural world.
 
Okay, maybe you don’t have much or any outdoor space. Or, perhaps it’s not spring and seed packets are hard to find. But you could also start an indoor salad garden by using the produce from your local grocery store!
 
Stumps, Stems, and Roots
 
Begin in the produce aisle of your local supermarket. Toss in a couple of bunches of celery and and couple of heads of Romaine lettuce (or other lettuce attached to an intact base), a few small onions, and several packages of the fresh herbs that you use most: basil, oregano, mint, thyme, sage, rosemary. You’ll want stems 4 to 6 inches long.
 
Head for the organic section to collect a couple of sweet potatoes, a few beets, a few large radishes, and a few unwaxed turnips. Why organic? You’ll want your roots to sprout, and many conventionally grown root vegetables have been sprayed to prevent sprouting.
 
These vegetables comprise your garden starters. The cost is negligible, because you get to eat a lot of what you’ve bought.
 
Gardening Supplies
 
You’ll also need:
•Containers for your plants. Your imagination is the limiting factor here. The only requirements for a good plant container: It must hold soil, drain well, and have contained no toxic or hazardous materials. Coffee cans, plastic buckets, galvanized tubs, all with drainage holes punched into the bottom and sides; clay pots of any size or shape; burlap bags; wooden crates; polypropylene shopping bags; sandbags; window boxes; cut-away soda bottles; a length of PVC pipe with planting holes cut out; pieces of roof gutter with holes drilled in the bottom.
•A bag of sterile potting soil. Don’t use ordinary topsoil. It’s too heavy for indoor plantings and may contain weed seeds, spores of plant diseases, and insect pests.
•Some form of liquid fertilizer. You can find many complete liquid fertilizers at garden centers. I use a commercial product containing a mixture of fish emulsion and seaweed extract. (It’s very smelly, but the smell dissipates within a few hours.) Use any fertilizer according to package directions.
•Sunny windowsills or a full-spectrum fluorescent light fixture or two. Although leafy crops don’t need as much sun as those that flower and fruit, your growing crops will still need a few hours of sunlight each day. Indoor growers have developed some truly ingenious ways to make the most of what light they have.
•A watering can and maybe a plant mister. You can even make your own waterer from a plastic jug. A repurposed spray bottle or one from the dollar store will work fine for misting.
 
Growing salads and soup greens
•Celery from a stump: Just cut the bottom 2 inches from a bunch of celery (refrigerate the stalks for later use) and “plant” it, root side down, in a saucer of water or an inch or two or pot of moist sand or potting soil. Leaves, then tender stalks will slowly emerge from the center. When the stump is well rooted, transplant it into a larger pot. You’ll be able to harvest tender stems and leaves for soups and salads for many months.
•Romaine or other lettuce from a stump: Follow the same procedure as for celery. Pick the outer leaves as they mature, leaving new leaves to grow from the center.
•Clone new basil, sage, mint, thyme, oregano, or rosemary plants: Remove lower leaves from the stems of fresh herbs and set the stems in water. Keep the water fresh. Once your stem has a good set of roots, you can plant it in potting soil in a suitable container. Keep the plants growing in a sunny windowsill or under a full-spectrum fluorescent. Trim “branches” as needed to clone new plants.
•Sweet potato foliage: Unless you often shop at ethnic supermarkets or do a lot of Asian-style cooking, you may not know that sweet potato foliage is edible, tasty, nutritious–and makes a gorgeous, irrepressibly vining houseplant. Note: Don’t try this with regular potatoes, whose sprouts and leaves are poisonous. Slice the sweet potato root in half or leave it whole. Use the toothpick method to suspend your sweet potato in a jar of water with the cut side under water until it begins rooting and sprouting. Each little “eye” above the water level will grow a new slip that you can remove and place in water to root. You can even grow tubers from your rooted slips in a large polypropylene shopping bag or other suitable container if you have enough space.
•For fresh green onions: Cut a bit of the root ends from cooking onions (leaving an inch or so of flesh) or from a bunch of scallions and plant them in a pot of moist growing medium. You can even plant a whole cooking onion that’s begun to sprout. Trim blades for use as the new scallions reach harvestable size.
•To grow beet, radish, or turnip greens: Follow steps similar to those outlined for sweet potatoes. You can use the toothpick-suspension method or plant your cut roots in a large, shallow bowl with water and clean sand or some some small rocks. Remove the largest outer leaves (if any), cut off about a third of the root, and set the flat cut end in the bowl. Once each root grows a healthy set of roots and leaves, plant it in a container of potting soil. As the new plant grows, harvest the outer leaves for salads or cooking; leave the center leaves to grow.
 
Try it yourself and let us know how it goes!
taken from https://www.almanac.com/news/natural-health-home-tips/grow-indoor-salad-garden-stumps-stems-and-roots
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net

Petunia grandiflora taken from youtube.com

petunia multiflora taken from Dave'sgarden

petunia floribundas taken from wellgrowhorti.com

petunia wave take from pinterest

petunia supertunia take from pinterest

petunia calibrochoa taken from gardentrends.com

petunia Cascadia taken from blogspot.com

       ​    So temperature this morning was warm, but then it was raining out.  Unbelievable now around noon it is snowing.  It will be warm out but then we get moisture.  I am still working on plant order so found this article about petunias.  Thought you would like to see the different types of petunias we have on the market to buy for.
 
Petunias have been garden favorites for decades. These annual flowers bloom almost nonstop throughout the summer. Traditional petunias favored cool weather and needed constant deadheading to continue blooming. More recent introductions, such as the wildly popular wave petunias and the petunia look-alike Calibrachoa, or Million Bells, are much more carefree and low maintenance.
 
Today's petunias offer enormous variety: single and double blooms, ruffled or smooth petals, striped, veined or solid colors, mounding and cascading habits, and even some with old-fashioned ​fragrance. Most of the petunias sold today are hybrids, developed for specific design purposes, such as bed edging, cascading over hanging baskets, or covering the ground. It's hard to go wrong choosing a petunia these days, but here's some advice for pairing your petunia with your particular design need.
 
 Grandiflora Petunia 
 Grandifloras are one of the oldest varieties. These petunias grow 8 to 12 inches high and have the large (4 to 5 inch), wavy-edged blossoms that petunias first became known for. The flowers can be single or the more ruffled doubles. Grandiflora petunias have the largest flowers, but the flowers get pummeled by rain, turning to a mushy mess that makes them unpleasant to deadhead—and they will need to be deadheaded if you want them to continue blooming. If the spent flowers are left on, the stems will grow long, but no new buds will form. However, there are some standouts, such as the buttery yellow 'Prism Sunshine,' that are so stunning they are worth the effort. Grandifloras work well in both beds and containers.
 
Multiflora Petunia 
Multiflora petunias have a more compact growth habit than grandifloras. The flowers are smaller, about 2 inches in diameter, but more prolific, and they hold up better against rain. There is also a wide range of colors. Because of their mounding habit, multiflora petunias are a better choice for garden beds than grandifloras and they work very well in containers.
 
There are also hybrids of grandiflora and multiflora petunias, which share qualities of both types. A whole new category was created to describe them, known as the floribundas. The floribunda 'Madness' series that was introduced in the 1970s had grandiflora-sized flowers and multiflora weather tolerance. Today you can find floridbunda petunias with either small or large flowers.
 
Wave Petunia Series 
 The wave series created quite a stir when first introduced and the flowers just keep improving. Wave petunias grow only 6 inches tall but can spread to 4 feet. That feature would be enough to make them worth growing, but wave petunias also do not need deadheading. On the downside, they do wear out in the hottest part of the summer. Prolonged heat diminishes flowering in wave petunias, but a little pruning will usually revive them. Wave petunias make wonderful groundcovers and trailers for containers. There is also a 'Tidal Wave' series, which tends to stay a bit more upright.
 
 Supertunia Petunias 
 The Supertunia series is vegetatively propagated, meaning it is grown from cuttings and does not grow true to seed. Supertunias are part of the Proven Winner plant line. Supertunias are extremely vigorous growers and bloomers, but they require frequent feeding to stay at their peak. However, if you feed them a little whenever you water them, or at least once a month, they will bloom and bloom. Supertunias are also weather-tolerant.
 
Cascadia and Surfinia Petunias 
 Cascadia and Surfinia are two more popular types of petunias. These are bred for their trailing habit, vivid colors, and prolific flowering. They generally have the wide flowers of traditional petunias, in unusual colors. You'll find lots of interesting shading and veining with these petunias. They are also easy to care for and spread or trail to about 18 inches. These petunias are best suited for hanging baskets and window boxes.
 
Calibrachoa (Million Bells, Superbells)
Calibrachoa (Million Bells or Superbells) look like tiny petunias, but they are an entirely different species. However, they are increasingly popular and may just suit your purpose in a hanging basket. The tiny flowers cover the foliage and Calibrachoa hybrids share the best traits of hybrid petunias: long blooming, no deadheading, and weather tolerance. They also come in unusual petunia colors, such as gold and terra-cotta.
taken from https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-choose-right-petunias-1402928
till next time this is Becky Litterer Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net

image from Becky Litterer

      ​    Here is a picture of my Bamboo.  I am thinking my dried edges was from forgetting to water it.  It was a gift for a good friend.  So glad I have kept it alive.  Remember I am not too good at houseplants but trying that is for sure.  GIve me the greenhouse anytime.  This morning temperature was -8 degrees so that is cold.  But looks like clear blue sky and not much wind so that will help.  It is only going to warm up and then have moisture for the rest of the week.  Stay warm.
 
For Chinese New Year (or any other time of year), an auspicious gift is a lucky bamboo plant. Learn the meaning behind lucky bamboo and get some helpful growing tips!
 
What Is Lucky Bamboo?
Did you know that the plant we commonly call “lucky bamboo” isn’t a type of bamboo at all? Despite its appearance, lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana or braunii) is actually more closely related to succulents than to bamboo, which is a type of grass.
 
Lucky bamboo is native to Africa, but is now cultivated around the world as a good-luck houseplant.
 
Lucky Bamboo’s Many Meanings
In Chinese lore, lucky bamboo symbolizes good fortune, and feng shui practitioners use it to attract positive energy. The number of stalks have different meanings:
•2 stalks symbolize love or double luck
•3 stalks bring 3 kinds of luck: happiness, long life, and wealth
•4 stalks are bad luck; they bring negative energy and are thought to be a death wish!
•5 stalks balance 5 areas of health: emotional, spiritual, mental, intuitive, and physical
•6 stalks attract prosperity and wealth
•7 stalks promote good health
•8 stalks are good for success, growth, and fertility
•9 stalks bring great luck
•10 stalks bestow a complete and perfect life
•21 stalks are for great wealth and enduring health
 
How to Grow Lucky Bamboo
Grow your lucky bamboo plant in soil or in water.
•To grow in water, use a layer of pebbles to stabilize the stems of the plant and hold it in place.
•Add enough water to keep the roots covered.
•Distilled or filtered water is best, especially if you have fluoride or chlorine in your tap water. These chemicals can cause the green tips of the leaves to burn and turn brown.
•A clear container makes it easy to see the roots and check the water level, but it can also cause algae to grow, so you may want to use a colored container.
 
Lucky Bamboo Care Tips
Lucky bamboo is a very easy-going plant that doesn’t require much attention. Follow these tips for success with your plant:
•Change the water every 7 to 10 days, cleaning the pebbles and container as well.
•Normally, lucky bamboo will grow fine without any fertilizer, but if you wish, you can give it a drink of weak houseplant fertilizer monthly.
•Since this plant grows in the shade of taller trees in nature, keep it out of direct sunlight. Bright, indirect light is best. If it starts to fade to a pale green it needs more light.
•Lucky bamboo likes warm temperatures, in the 65° to 90°F range.
•Caution—this plant is toxic to cats!
 
If the stalks get too tall, cut them off and start a new plant by rooting the stalks in water. Keep them in a shady area until new roots form, then plant them in soil or pebbles. Tie a gold or red ribbon around the stalks to hold them together and to symbolize good fortune.
 
Young stalks can be trained to curl by using wire to hold them or you can try blocking light on three sides of the plant causing it to grow toward the light. Keep turning as it grows to form the curve. This takes time, but makes for a fun project. Pliable stalks can also be braided or twisted together.
 
taken from https://www.almanac.com/news/gardening/gardening-advice/how-grow-lucky-bamboo
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net 

image from wordpress.com

     ​     Snow has been moved from the snow fall and ground blizzard.  But the night time temperature is at 4 degrees.  Didn't get as cold as they predicted.  But the wind chill was and still is below zero.  Dress warm.  I have the written text from the Alamanc but if you go to the site you can watch a video if you have more questions. 
 
Ready to start garden planning? Here’s a timely video with three normal mistakes gardeners make when planning their gardens, but you really want to avoid!
 
1. Make sure your plants are spaced correctly. 2. Use companion planting to defend against pests. 3. Sow in batches every few weeks so you have backup options are all important.
 
It’s helpful to watch the video to understand these mistakes and avoid. We’ll help you plan your garden and ensure that your crops have the best chance of producing a great harvest. After you watch this video, why not try the Garden Planner here: https://gardenplanner.almanac.com
 
3 Garden Planning Mistakes to Avoid
1. Overcrowding
It’s human nature to want to grow more in the space we have. After all, many seed packets come with such generous quantities of seed and who wants to waste seed?
 
When first planted it will seem as if they are growing perfectly well, so you may not notice the issue straight away – it’s only when the plants are approaching full size that the problems start, as each plant’s root system begins to compete with its neighbors for water and nutrients from the soil and the plants fail to mature properly, resulting in a disappointing harvest.
 
Plants need space to grow and produce the best harvest. If they’re grown too close together each plant’s root system has to compete with its neighbors for water and nutrients from the soil, resulting in a disappointing harvest.
 
The solution is to only grow your plants at the recommended spacing shown on the seed packet. If you have poor soil it’s a good idea to leave a little extra space too.
 
Garden Planner Tip: Our tool will automatically space plants along rows or in blocks, calculating how many will fit, and you can use the colored area around the plant to see how much space the roots require for good growth. If you have poor soil it’s a good idea to leave a little extra space, and if you’re using the Square Foot Gardening method, be sure to switch to SFG mode to see how many plants can fit in each square.
 
 2. Ignoring Nature
Do you envisage your garden as a miniature farm, with big areas of beautifully growing crops? Pests are an inevitable part of vegetable gardening, and the routine use of pesticides isn’t the answer.
 
Instead, work with nature to outwit pests.
•Mix in several different companion planting flowers to attract beneficial insects such as hoverflies so that, when pests descend, these natural predators will control them without you having to lift a finger.
•If pests strike early in your area, remember to include some early flowering companions or leave a few onions, garlic bulbs or carrots in the ground over winter to flower early and provide an excellent first source of nectar to attract nature’s defenders.
•Mixing up crop families helps to confuse flying insect pests, but for some crops it’s necessary to use further protective measures. For example, prevent cabbage white butterflies from laying their eggs on your brassicas by covering them with fine netting, or cover carrots with fine netting or garden fleece to eliminate carrot fly attacks.
 
Garden Planner Tip:  Our Garden Planner identifies different crop families by different colored backgrounds which is incredibly helpful for planting and for crop rotation.
3. Planting Everything at the Same Time
Planting out all your tender crops at once can be disastrous if there’s an unexpected late frost, or imagine transplanting your whole crop of pea seedlings outdoors only to have birds or slugs eat every last one!
 
Instead, sow seeds in small batches every two or three weeks.  As well as ensuring you have backup options if disaster strikes, this also spreads your harvest out over a longer period which is better for you! No one wants everything to mature at the same time or you’ll have a glut of vegetables that you won’t be able to eat.
 
If you can avoid these common mistakes you’ll save yourself some hard work and heartache, and get your vegetable garden off to a great start!
 
Garden Planner Tip: The blue and green bars above indicate the window of time during which you can make multiple sowings in your local area, and you’ll receive email reminders every two weeks. The Plant List also shows the number of plants you need for each vegetable, which can be a real time- and money-saver, helping you to raise just the right number of plants for the space you have.
There’s much more to successful gardening than just these three tips, but by avoiding these common mistakes you’ll save yourself some hard work and heartache and get your garden off to a great start!
taken from https://www.almanac.com/video/3-garden-planning-mistakes-avoid
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net

image from rampages.us

       ​     I have been seeing lots of things posted that people are fixing while they are snowed in.  Also I have several tell me they are quilting.  So all in all it is good to have things to do when traveling and being outside is really hard.  Larry has been out all morning moving snow.  So that will be done soon.  It looks like it is snowing a little but the main thing is the temperature and it is cold out.  I went out and when I got back in my fingers were cold even with gloves on.  Bundle up and stay warm.  So I am posting 2 things.  One is a lovely recipe if you like taco's.  This is really good.  The second post is about kale.  I have several gardeners that grow this in their gardens.  I haven't developed a taste for it but maybe I need to try different ways of fixing it.  How do you fix kale? 
 
Prep: 25 min. Bake: 15 min.  Makes  4 servings
Ingredients  for taco bake
•1 pound ground beef
•1/4 cup chopped onion
•1/4 cup chopped green pepper
•1 envelope taco seasoning
•1/2 cup water
•1 cup crushed tortilla chips
•1 can (16 ounces) refried beans
•1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
•Toppings: Chopped lettuce and tomatoes, sliced ripe olives, sour cream and picante sauce
 
Directions
•In a large skillet, cook beef, onion and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in taco seasoning and water. Cook and stir until thickened, about 3 minutes; set aside.
• Place chips in a greased 8-in. square baking dish. In a small bowl, stir refried beans; spread over chips. Top with beef mixture and cheese.
• Bake, uncovered, at 375° until heated through, 15-20 minutes. Top with lettuce, tomatoes and olives. Serve with sour cream and picante sauce.
taken from https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/taco-salad-casserole
 KALE.....
Kale is a hardy, cool-season green that is part of the cabbage family. It grows best in the spring and fall and can tolerate fall frosts. Here’s how to grow kale in your garden.
  
Kale can be used in salads or simply as a garnish. Kale has a number of health benefits, as it is rich in minerals and vitamins A and C.
 
Planting
When to Plant Kale
•In most areas, you can plant kale at any time, from early spring through early summer, and again from late summer to early fall. However, kale’s growth may be affected by hot temperatures, so it’s recommended to avoid growing it during height of summer.

•If you plant kale late in the summer, you can harvest it from fall until the ground freezes in winter. In fact, kale leaves often have a better flavor after a couple frosts.
 
Choosing and Preparing a Planting Site
•Plant kale in full sun, in well-draining soil.
•Mix 1-½ cups of 5-10-10 fertilizer per 25 feet of row into the top 3 to 4 inches of soil.
 
How to Plant Kale
•Plant the seeds ¼ to ½ inch deep into well-drained, light soil.
•After about 2 weeks, thin the seedlings so that they are spaced 8 to 12 inches apart.
 
Care
How to Grow Kale
•Water the plants regularly, but be sure not to overwater them.
•Mulch the soil heavily after the first hard freeze in the fall; the plants may continue to produce leaves throughout the winter.
 
Pests/Diseases
•Cabbageworms
•Flea beetles
•Aphids
 
Harvest/Storage
How to Harvest Kale
•Kale is ready to harvest when the leaves are about the size of your hand.
•Pick about one fistful of leaves per harvest. Avoid picking the terminal bud (found at the top center of the plant) because this will help to keep the plant productive.
•Kale will continue growing until it’s 20°F. It tastes even sweeter with a touch of frost. (See local frost dates.)
•If you wish to extend your harvest, shield your kale from the cold with row covers. Or, create a makeshift cover with tarps and old blankets propped up by hay bales. Here are a few more season-extending ideas.
•The small, tender leaves can be eaten uncooked and used in salads.
•Cut and cook the larger leaves like spinach, but be sure to remove the tough ribs before cooking.
 
How to Store Kale
•You can store kale as you would any other leafy green; put the kale in a plastic bag and store it in the refrigerator. It should last about 1 week.
 
Recommended Varieties
•‘Vates’, which is a hardy variety and does not yellow in cold weather. It also has curly, blue-green leaves.
•‘Winterbor’, which resembles the ‘Vates’ variety, but is frost tolerant.
•‘Red Russian’, which has red, tender leaves and is an early crop.
 
Wit & Wisdom
•The chill of a moderate frost or light snow improves the flavor of kale.
•Embrace your leafy greens! Learn more about the health benefits of eating greens and about growing other popular salad greens.
taken from https://www.almanac.com/plant/kale
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net
 
 

Becky is making sweet rolls instead of donuts.  

     ​I had to share this article about Ben Franklin because we will using him in our Sunday School class.  We are in the second day of a snow blizzard with the wind blowing making it a ground blizzard.  So what am I doing?  I always made donuts during a snow storm, but today I am making sweet rolls, and cookies.  So this is my dough I whipped up.  New recipe so it is really soft.  Not the nice round ball I have with my donut dough but the recipe called for it to be soft.  I will post a picture of the finish product.  What are you doing in this blizzard?  Stay safe and stay warm. 
 
      Benjamin Franklin was born on Sunday, January 17, in 1706. To celebrate his birthday, here are some facts and quotes about the great man. Happy Birthday, Ben!
Franklin was not only a world-renowned statesman, inventor, and scientist, but also was fascinated by agriculture and is considered the father of the modern almanac.
 
Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston, Massachusetts, which was at that time a British colony. His father came from England to the Colonies in 1682. He was a candle and soap maker in Boston.
 
Before he became involved in politics, Franklin learned the trade of printing in Boston and eventually set up his own printing shop in Philadelphia. Later, he served as postmaster of Philadelphia and became the first postmaster general of the United States in 1775.
 
Politically, Benjamin Franklin was an admired statesman and thinker. He is the only person who signed all four of the documents that helped to create the United States: the Declaration of Independence (1776); the Treaty of Alliance, Amity, and Commerce with France (1778); the Treaty of Peace between England, France, and the United States (1782); and the Constitution (1787). In fact, he helped to write parts of both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
 
Father of the Modern Almanac
Benjamin Franklin’s portrait is on the front of The Old Farmer’s Almanac, as we honor Ben as the father of the modern almanac.
His best known work is Poor Richard’s Almanack, a yearly publication that he published in the American colonies from 1732 to 1758 under the pseudonym Richard Saunders. Though there were many almanacs at the time, Franklin’s almanac was a best-seller, thanks to his wit and wisdom.
 
In recognition, the portrait of Benjamin Franklin was added to the cover of The Old Farmer’s Almanac in 1851, appearing opposite the portrait of founder Robert B. Thomas. It has remained there ever since.
 
Benjamin Franklin Facts
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Benjamin Franklin was a very interesting person. Did you know…
•Benjamin Franklin was one of 17 children! He was the youngest son.
•When he was a school boy, Ben wanted to be a sailor, despite his father’s disapproval.
•Yes, Benjamin Franklin did eventually marry! His wife, Deborah, is buried next to him in the cemetery of Christ Church, Philadelphia.
•Ben had three children and eight grandchildren.
•Benjamin Franklin’s long list of inventions include the odometer, bifocals, and swim fins. He loved to swim!
•Benjamin Franklin has been honored in 14 different halls of fame.
•Benjamin Franklin is on the front of the $100 bill.
 
Words of Wisdom from Ben Franklin
•“Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.”
•“Make haste slowly.”
•“The best investment is in the tools of one’s own trade.”
•“He that teaches himself hath a fool for a master.”
•“An egg today is better than a hen tomorrow.”
•“Think of these things: whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.”
•“Idleness and pride tax with a heavier hand than kings and parliaments.”
•“None but the well-bred man knows how to confess a fault, or acknowledge himself in an error.”
•“The discontented man finds no easy chair.”
 
taken from https://www.almanac.com/news/everything-almanac-news/happy-birthday-benjamin
till next time this is Becky Litterer from Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net

image from Becky's dining room table

      ​      So we are in a winter weather warning.  4-6" of snow, then the wind will come up so a ground blizzard as any amount of snow will blow, then it is to get really cold.  Below zer for a few days.  This is what I am doing today.  Seed testing germination of our bulk seed.  Take 20 seeds and put in between damp paper towels.  Place in a warm place and see if the seeds will germinated.  The amount that germinated is the percentage of germination.  So that is my task today.  Planting seeds but in a different way than you think.   
      Want to start your first vegetable garden? How hard can it be? Just stick a few seeds in the ground and stand back, right? If only it were that easy! Here are 10 garden planning tips to consider before you dig in.
 
10 Tips For Starting a Garden
1. Pick the right location—ideally, a sunny site! Most vegetables need at least 6 hours of sun a day. Some crops such as lettuce and spinach, and other greens will grow well in your partially sunny spots, but sun-loving plants like tomatoes and peppers need as much light as possible.
 
2. Keep it close to home. A location near your house will make it easier for you to tend your plot regularly and will also make it convenient to run out and pick what you need for a meal.
 
3. Only grow things your family likes to eat. There’s no sense in spending all your time and energy (and money) growing things you won’t enjoy or that will go to waste! Browse our library of Growing Guides to find veggies that spark your eye.
 
4. Water needs to be readily available. Nothing burns out a beginning gardener faster than having to lug water to thirsty plants during a heat wave. Consider investing in a quality hose with a sprayer attachment or, even better, a drip irrigation system.
 
5. Good soil is the key to a successful garden. Plants depend on the soil for nutrients, stability, and drainage. To grow your best garden, start with well-drained, sandy loam and add as much organic matter as possible.
 
6. Amend your soil. Compost, leaf mold, or well-aged manure will increase the ability of your soil to both drain well and hold moisture—the sponge factor. However, never use fresh manure! It can harbor dangerous pathogens and will burn tender plant roots. Compost it for at least 6 to 12 months.
 
7. Seeds or plants? Most garden vegetables can be directly seeded where they are to grow—lettuce, beans, carrots, beets, chard, spinach, peas, cucumbers, and squash. Things that take longer to produce an edible fruit do better with a head start. Purchase transplants for tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and melons or start your own indoors 6 to 8 weeks before planting them outside.
8. Choose varieties that will mature in your growing season. See the Almanac Planting Calendar for planting dates based on the first and last frost dates and length of the growing season in your area.
 
9. Keep your garden productive by staggering plantings of fast-maturing veggies such as beans and lettuce and replanting other areas as they are harvested. Don’t plant all at once!
 
10. Use raised garden beds or containers if you don’t have much space to work with. If you have impossibly rocky soil or solid clay, consider building some raised beds that you can fill with good soil. Growing vegetables in containers is another option. If you want an instant garden, try grow bags.
Alternatively, lay down large bags of potting soil in your sunniest location, poke drainage holes in the bottom, make some slits in the top and pop in your transplants. I had a friend who lined her driveway with bags every spring since it was the only sunny spot she had. Her tomato plants were beautiful and she grew luscious peppers, too!
 
Plan Like a Pro
A little planning will go a long way toward making your first garden a successful one!
To make it even easier, check out the Old Farmer’s Almanac Garden Planner: a drag-and-drop planning tool that will help you lay out your garden beds for a more productive harvest. Try it out free free for seven days—ample time to plan the garden of your dreams!
taken from https://www.almanac.com/news/gardening/gardening-advice/10-tips-beginner-gardeners
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net