Spring 2012 - Vol 34, No.2

ELEPHANT EARS • SEED STARTING • HEIRLOOM TOMATOES• FRUIT TREES • CACTUS

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Contents Spring 2012 Volume 34, No. 2

Hobby Greenhouse is the official quarterly magazine of the Hobby Greenhouse Association. It is published in the Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall. The mission of Hobby Greenhouse is to provide a vehicle for sharing member information and for printing articles on greenhouse construction, maintenance and on indoor gardening. It carries advertising and is available to non-members.

FeatureS DepartmeNtS

20: Growing Heirloom Tomatoesby Paula Szilard

7 Your Questions Answered9 Photography Competition31 The Tool Shed: New Products32 From The Planter 37 Book Review38 The Back Door

etcetera

9 Help wanted36 Discounts 34 HGA Bookshop

Front cover: Hoodia gordonii in flower in Donna Bocox’s greenhouse.Back cover: Donna Bocox’s Huernia cactus in flower

10 Growing Elephant Ear (Alocasia) by Kathy Bokelman

16 Starting Your Own SeedsBy Roger Marshall

24 Growing Fruit in Your Greenhouseby Roger Marshall

26 Flowering Cactusby Donna Bocox

28: A Hartley Green-house Can be an Investment For the Future

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Editor’s Note:

Our cONtributOrS Without them there would be no magazine

Donna Bocox has a lovely Julianna greenhouse in Iowa where she grows almost 500 cactus acquired from all over the country. Donna loves flowering plants and her cactus collection has many beautiful plants as you will see in these pages.

Kathy Bokelman is a master gardener who gardens organically as far as possible, in Nebraska. She has a 12 x 16 greenhouse mostly filled with cactus and succulents. She loves to search for rare and unusual plants especially those that attract birds and butterflies.

Paula Szilard is currently a master gardener in the Denver area. She grows hundreds of tropical plants in her sunroom, enclosed porch and basement grow room. She has converted her front lawn into an edible landscape and usually plants a large vegetable garden in the back. She also serves as Vice President for Programs for the Tropical Plant Society, (www.tropicalplantsociety.org), a group of local tropical plant enthusiasts.

As you may have noticed the magazine has changed a little more. The covers have gone to what the print industry calls full bleed, in that the image goes all the way to the edge of the page. This brings it up to par with other

magazines, plus it gives more space to the wonderful pictures that our readers are sending in. Similarly, some of the pages have larger pictures on them to give you, the reader, a more visual feel for the stories that we have.

As you may also have noticed many of the articles have become a little more how-to. The Hobby Greenhouse Association appears, to me at least, to very how-to, and I want the magazine to reflect that. For example, Kathy Bokelman has a look at growing elephant ear plants (Alocosia). In the next article Donna Bocox’s piece on growing cactus with her wonderful pictures tells a story of one woman’s

passion for unusual plants with a large variety of flowers. In another story, Paula Szilard tells us about heirloom tomatoes, part of the growing (no pun intended) trend in the gardening world toward more tasty fruit and vegetables grown at home or in the greenhouse. And of course, I follow up with a piece on growing fruit in a greenhouse. Many tropical fruits, indigenous to zone seven or higher will do quite well in a heated greenhouse or even indoors provided they get enough light and they reward you with a lot of fruit.

As we, at least those of us north of the Mason-Dixon line, come into spring and the frost-free growing period, I put together a short piece on how I start my seeds. These techniques have worked out for me and you might like to use them in your greenhouse or even your basement to start seeds six to eight weeks before you want to plant them into the garden. I find that starting seeds early enable me to get two and sometimes three crops from the vegetable garden, bring flowers into bloom and to enjoy the garden much more. My back aches from thinking about all the planting out I have do in spring but at least I get to creak around for the summer and enjoy the benefits that my garden and greenhouse give me.

Have a wonderful summer and look for your next magazine in June.

Roger

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The Hobby Greenhouse AssociationPresident: Tom Karasek, Wa 360 578-1228 tomsherron@msn.comVice-President: mary p. Lawrence, pa 724 744-7082 mary.lawrence@windstream.netTreasurer: John Dey, Or 541 798-5807 deyj@earthlink.netSecretary: (Vacant)Past Pres: tom eckert, pa 717 766-3492 tjghg@verizon.netFinance (Dir): Gary r. Gamblin, KY 270 782-1918 grgsole@insightbb.comMembership (Dir): richard Schreiber, ia 515 981-4360 schreiberra@hotmailcomPrograms/Activities: VacantPublic Relations (Dir): rick Jarvis, mO 573 422-9912 rick.jarvis@hughes.netPublication (Dir): Janice L. Hale, ma 978 369-3421 jhale@world.std.comResources (Dir): VacantChapter coordinator: tom eckert, pa 717 766-3492 tjghg@verizon.netYour Questions Answered: paul Holzwarth, ma 508 865-1609 holzwarthp@charter.netHistorian: barbara Wich, iN 219 674-9170 wichrichard@msn.comRobins: Jackie prendergast, aZ 866 210-0709 jackiepen@aol.comWebmaster: Joe Kerenick, Sc 803 738-7556 jkerenick1@sc.rr.com

Membership ServicesHGa is a non-profit organization of people who garden in hobby greenhouses, window greenhouses, light gardens, and other indoor areas. membership in HGa includes a subscription to Hobby Greenhouse magazine. Other membership benefits include round-robin letters, email correspondence, help and advice on greenhouse gardening, and discounts on greenhouses, supplies, and print materials.

Membership RenewalYour membeship in HGa expires two weeks after the date printed in the HGa membership card on the back cover of Hobby Greenhouse magazine. in order to avoid missing any issues, please renw your membership before this date.

Change of Address/Correctionsplease notify us of any changes or corrections in your address as soon as possible. bulk mail is not forwarded. You could lose a copy of the magazine if it is undeliverable.

Membership DuesuS: $28/yr, $54/2yrs, contributing membership $60, Sustaining membership $100 canada and mexico $30/yr $58/ 2yrs(canadian money orders payable in uS dollars)mail to: HGa membership, 922 Norwood Dr., Norwalk, ia 50211-1329to pay by credit or debit card: www.hobbygreenhouse.org

Membership Questions: schreiberra@hotmailcom

Missing Issues: publications Office, 80 Deaconess rd., Suite 443, concord, ma 01742-4173 or jhale@world.std.com

Advertising: advertising rates and information can be obtained from publications Director Jan Hale. the Hobby Greenhouse Association reserves the right to refuse an advertisement.

The HGA Board of Directors would like to acknowledge the following members that made a donation over and above their dues in 2011. Marcia Brooks , Bob Gibson, Howard Royce, Wendy Burnett, Anthony Hale, Sandra Wiggins, Jeannette Dupey, Carole Henderson, Joan Wilson, Denise Elliott, Greta Janssen. Thank you!

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Write for UsTell our readers about your experiences in your greenhouse. Hobby Greenhouse

magazine is looking for stories about greenhouse gardening, growing

techniques, and raising plants under cover.

all indoor gardeners have a plant (or plants) they love to grow. many of us have discovered new growing techniques and tools that others want to know about. many of us built our own greenhouse and learned several valuable lessons. Why not share your knowledge with other readers.Write about your passion. Hobby Greenhouse magazine is looking for articles about 1200 words in length. if you write one you’ll get free membership for one year in HGa. (Shorter articles compensated proportionately.) if you have or can take photographs that’s even better. (contact the editor for ways to submit a story and keep the photo information on page 37.)

Editor: roger marshallemail: editorhobbygreehouse@gmail.com

Publications Director: Jan Haleemail: Jhale@world.std.comSnail mail: Hobby Greenhouse magazine80 Deaconess rd., Suite 443concord, ma 01742-4173

Editor: Roger Marshall

Contributors: Paula Szilard, Kathy Bokelman Donna Bocox, Peg Spaete

Hobby Greenhouse Magazine (ISSN 1040-6212) is published quarterly by the Hobby Greenhouse Association, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, to promote greenhouse and indoor gardening as ahobby or avocation, and to disseminate practical and instructioive information relatcie to the erection, maintenance, and operation of a greenhouse by a hobbyist.

Subscription/Membership RatesMember: US $28 (Two years $54)Contributing Member $60Sustaining Member $100Canada and Mexico $30, Two years $60)Canadian and International Money orders payable in US funds.Single copy non-member price US $3.50, overseas $4.50.

C o r r e s p o n d e n c e A l l a d v e r t i s i n g correspondence should be addressed to Hobby Greenhouse Association, 80 Deaconess Rd., Suite 443, Concord, MA 01742-4173 Tel: 978 369-3421Email: jhale@world.std.com

Editorial Correspondence should be addressed to Roger Marshall, Email: EditorHGA@gmail.com

The Hobby Greenhouse Association reserves the right to refuse any advertisement.

Disclaimer Every care is taken in compiling this magazine to ensure the accuracy of the articles but the editor and HGA assume no responsibility for any effects therefrom. While care is taken of material submitted, we cannot be responsible for loss or damage. No portion of this material may be reprinted without permision.

© Copyright 2012Hobby Greenhouse Association80 Deaconess Road, Suite 443

Concord, MA 01742-4173

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IN THE SUMMER ISSUEPaula Szilard will look at some of the many species of Ficus.Tom Eckert has a profile of Ed Egolf and his garden.Tom Karasek describes what to look for when buying a new greenhouse.We have several new products coming over the next few months that we’ll tell you about. Plus we’ll have all your usual departments and sections.

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YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED (FORMERlY CYBER CONNECTIONS)

Could you please ask the HGA group if anyone has had success fighting whitefly in their greenhouse? I have tried soap sprays, pyrethrum and Neem oil with very limited effect. Thank you, M Thomas.

I too, find white fly, especially on tomato plants. I use yellow sticky pads to ascertain the number of whitefly and then spray with insecticidal oil. Post the yellow pads, then gently shake the plants to get the white fly airborne, then spray with insecticidal oil. This only controls them. I have also found that scented geraniums near plants with whitefly seems to deter them. This works best when the greenhouse windows are closed. I have imported insects, but that only works until the windows are opened, then the insects tend to fly away. Roger Marshall

Coping successfully with whiteflies requires patience - lots of it. Soap sprays and neem oil will work well as will any light horticultural oil used to control scale insects. First, forget about trying to deal with the adult whiteflies. They quickly fly off if disturbed and relatively few are sufficiently contacted by the treatments mentioned above. You have to go after the eggs and nymphs which are small, and don't fly or move around. So a well applied treatment well will get rid of most of the eggs and nymphs. Of course, the surviving adults will fly back, lay eggs which hatch into nymphs that you must wipe out with another treatment. However, if you can keep your greenhouse tight enough to severely limit entry of fresh adults from the outside, continued treatments will result in effectively wiping out the pest in your greenhouse. This method also takes advantage of the fact that the average life span of the adult is measured in days. I use yellow sticky paper and also clean up and dispose of dead and partial eaten leaves and finally, since a greenhouse is a closed system get a frog to eat ‘em upBob Lippi

As a very last resort, on the recommendation of a friend of a friend, I used a 40/60 rubbing alcohol/rainwater solution, sprayed on my Meyer Lemon (covered with white fly), left it on for 10 minutes, rinsed it off with 100% water; repeated 3 days later; worked wonders. I was astounded at the success of this approach as I've battled white flies in my greenhouse repeatedly with much less success using all the recommended treatments. While it worked very well for the Meyer Lemon, I'm not sure less sturdy plants would do as well, but if you are getting desperate, as was I, it is worth the try. Alice Dionne

Yellow sticky traps work well for a light infestation as does a 24/7 wall-mounted fan or two set to rotate the air around the greenhouse. An inexpensive yellow trap can be made from a sliced-up margarine tub coated with old motor oil. Some people say that certain plants are white fly magnets, but I think that is climate specific. Tom Karasek

I feel your pain. I always seem to have white flies. I too have tried every spray known to man. I started to use a systemic product that my local local gardening store had Instead of a spray, it is granules which I sprinkle on the top of the container. Every time you water it sends some of the product into the plant. This seems to work better with new plants than the older

Whitefly on the underside of a fig leaf.

Note: all responses may be edited for length and clarity.

(continued on next page)

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ones. Every plant that comes into the greenhouse gets a few teaspoons of this in the container. Sticky yellow white fly traps work to some extent. They definitely capture the flies, but do not stop them from reproducing. My other success is just to rip the plants out of the ground or remove the container and throw them away. My last success is as the weather cools the flies are naturally reduced in number compared to the summer. Lyndsey

Three of the best over the counter sprays for heavy infection I would recommend are Orthene, Malathion and Sevin. Would not recommend Orthene or Malathion if greenhouse is attached to living quarters, the smell may not be appreciated. Sevin has almost no smell when sprayed. You may have several generations of whitefly active at the same time and breaking that cycle is more difficult. Increase your spray of which ever sprays you feel OK with including what you now use unless you have been using it for several years in the greenhouse. Spray every seven days. Insects can and do build up immunity to sprays when used for long periods of time. It is best to rotate spray types to prevent this from happening.I highly recommend using the yellow sticky cards to monitor pests. Place them just above the plant leaf height, use several as more is better to trap the pests. White fly are attracted to them, you will be amazed at the success killing them this way. This works only on the adult white fly but eliminate the adults and you will reduce reproduction of them. Tap your plants occasionally to make them airborne and many will be attracted to the cards and die. Fly paper hung in the greenhouse is also successful on them and many flying insects but it just does not look as nice just hanging there. Tom Eckert

I have used the granular form of Imidacloprid, sold as Marathon, with great success. It is systemic and you can't use it on food plants, but works well to control scale, mealybugs, and whiteflies on ornamental plants. It is the same chemical that is in the Bayer Tree and Shrub Insect Killer, but it labeled for use inside. The Tree and Shrub spray is not, and should only be used outside. The carriers in it would be too toxic to you in the greenhouse. If you can't find Marathon, there are other brands formulated for indoors. My husband, a state entomologist specializing in horticultural insect control, says you might also want to follow up the Marathon by spraying Insecticidal Soap on the underside of the leaves, especially on the lower part of the plant. This is where the immature flies will tend to accumulate, and where the Imidacloprid will be least effective sytemically. He also said to mention that there is also a "Q Type" whitefly that is resistant to about any insecticide that you can throw at it. I hope that isn't the one you have. If you have Q Type, the soaps and oils work best. They recommend a "crop free period" in your greenhouse. That means disposing off all your whitefly-infested plants and resting the greenhouse, or lowering your expectations and put up with the some whiteflies. Commercial greenhouses alternate insecticides that homeowners can't get, and then leaving the greenhouse vacant in the winter and not heating it (in areas where the temperature gets below freezing), and freezing out the whiteflies. Carie Nixon

White fly can be very difficult to control as repeat spraying is necessary to kill the new fly's as they hatch. I have begun using a combination systemic insecticide (applied to the soil at 8 week intervals), yellow sticky traps and a variety of insect sprays. I spray every 3 or 4 days, using a different spray like Malathion, Neem oil, pyrethrins, and others. White fly do become immune to sprays used repeatedly. I have also heard that the fly's do not fly after dark, so spraying at night will be most effective. Mary Tarkinow

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED... AGAIN

photography competition entry FormYou may make a facsimile of this form if you do not want to cut your magazine.if you send in an electronic image, make

sure all the details below are included. Your name will be checked against our member list. Non-members will be eliminated.

Name _______________________________________ phone # _____________________________Street address ________________________________ address _____________________________city _________________________ State _________ Zip or postcode __________________________email address ________________________________ web site (optional) www.___________________Name of entry ___________________________________________________________________

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Photography Competition Sponsored by

Charley’s Greenhouse & Garden

1. The photography competition is sponsored by Charley’s Greenhouse and Garden who are providing prizes to the value of $500 for first prize, $300 for second prize, and $200 for third prize. Each prize will be in the form of vouchers for products from Charley’s Greenhouse. and Garden2. As this is the first year for the Photography competition, the subject is “Your Greenhouse.” Each picture must be taken in or around your greenhouse. A part of your greenhouse either inside or outside must be in the picture. It doesn’t matter if you only have a piece of frame showing, that counts. You can enter any number of times, but each entry must be accompanied by a copy of the entry form at the bottom of the opposite page.3. To enter the competition the photographer must be a member of Hobby Greenhouse Association.4. The photographer retains all rights to the images but agrees to allow Hobby Greenhouse Association and Charley’s Greenhouse and Garden to use the images in the Hobby Greenhouse magazine, in promotional pieces and in advertising for Charley’s Greenhouse and Garden or for the Hobby Greenhouse Association.5. Closing date for entries is midnight July 31st. Entries must be postmarked or emailed before midnight July 31st. 6. The results will be published in the Winter 2013 issue. 7. The competition judges will be the editor of Hobby Greenhouse magazine, Charley Yaw, President of Charley’s Greenhouse adn Garden, the president of the Hobby Greenhouse Association and a well known photographer.8. Images must be unretouched jpg images. Photoshopped, retouched, or amended images will be discarded.9. The Hobby Greenhouse Association and Charley’s Greenhouse and Garden assume no liability for loss or misuse of any entries.10. You will ba asked to provide an email address to allow us to inform you if you have won and for Charley’s Greenhouse and Garden to mail you information on some of their products. There will be no other use of your email address. See entry form on opposite page.

Guidelines for entries.1. All photos should have a minimum of 300 dpi (dots per inch). Ideally, images will be 8” x 10”, but may be 6” x 8”. (This will typically give a file size of one to three kBs).2. You can deliver your images by email to editorhobbygreenhouse @gmail.com or send them by snail mail on a CD or on a flash drive. We accept no responsibility for safe delivery of any emailed or mailed items. Snail mail deliveries to Editor/Hobby Greenhouse magazine, 44 Ft. Wetherill Rd., Jamestown, RI 02835. 3. You can send prints with your electronic CD, but printed entries without an electronic version will not be accepted.4. We suggest that you save your images at the highest resolution that your camera allows to give the best possible picture. Blurred images will not win prizes unless they are done for special effect, such as a waterfall.5. When taking a picture we suggest that you get in close. Many pictures have a beautiful image of a flower that is nicely centered in the picture, but the flower is a dot in the middle of the screen. If you are taking a picture of a flower with a bumble bee on it, get right up to the flower so that it fills most of the screen, focus in tightly on the bee and press the shutter gently. (You may get stung, but if you win it will have been worth it.) 6. We expect to get a lot of flower pictures, but we will be looking for something unusual that stands out beyond the norm.

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For an interesting, unique plant, the Elephant Ear is a great choice. There are 70 some species in this genus from tropical southern

Asia. Reaching as tall as 8 feet, this clumping plant is hardy to zone 8. It has luxurious heart shaped leaves that can reach 3 feet long and 2 feet wide. The most widely known elephant ears or “taro” (for those with a culinary bent,) are classified as Colocasia esculenta. Various cultivars also exist, including the black leafed elephant ear plants called “Black Magic.” These plants love wet conditions and partial shade. I planted the “Black Magic” corms in front of my compost pile, where they received a heavy dose of nutrients as well as damp, soggy conditions. Elephant ears are great for areas where it is difficult to find other suitable plants.

In zones 9 and above, these plants are treated as annuals and need to be dug up after a frost has killed off the tops. Allow them to dry in an airy,

shaded area. When they begin to shrivel and the dried up dirt falls off, put them in a cool garage or basement (above 50 degrees), and store as you would canna bulbs. Make sure the corms have an airy location so they don’t rot. Hanging in a well ventilated sack works well. Elephant ear corms, that are large, need little attention until spring when they are ready to go outdoors. The smaller corms can use an occasional quick spritz of water to keep them from totally drying out.

In zones 8 and below, elephant ears are perennial, have naturalized and are widespread. They are actually considered invasive in some areas of southern Florida.

Even though I have grown them for several years, this is the first year I have had multiple blooms and seed pods. The long stemmed yellow, arum- like flowers are not very showy; however, it is exciting to discover them hidden in the dense foliage. The seed pods, didn’t have

GrOWiNG eLepHaNt ear (aLOcaSia)bY KatHY bOKeLmaN

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time to ripen during our growing season, so the picture depicts the still green, developing seeds Elephant ears have few problems other than aphids or spider mites. In some areas, mosaic virus in common although I have never seen it.Divide the bulbs in winter or spring. When planting, after the danger of frost is over, position them so that any remnants of last years stem rise above the soil level. Since there are no roots at this point, only water them once, and wait until the leaves emerge to douse again. They may be started early in a greenhouse.

A word of caution. The roots of some species

Left: Elephant Ear plants growing in Kathy Bokelman’s garden. Above: The seed pods of Alacosia (Elephant Ear).)

Above: A new blooming ear (yellow spike) appearing on a healthy plant.

(All images by Kathy Bokelman)

charleysgreenhouse.com

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are edible, but most contain poisonous crystals which cause numbing of the throat & tongue. Poi, frequently eaten in Hawaii, is made from the root of the Colocasia esculenta or Taro.

Sources for information on Alocasia are from About.com, Fine Gardening and Botanica.

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StartiNG YOur OWN SeeDSbY rOGer marSHaLL

If you plan on germinating your own seeds, the first step is to determine the last frost date for your area. Then, about six to eight weeks

before the last frost, you should start your seeds. You’ll need planting pots or trays, a potting soil, and of course moisture, warmth, and light to get the seeds going.

pots and traysYou can use almost any type of planting container to start seeds in. I use 11” x 22” seed trays and then transplant the seedlings as soon as they show two true leaves. Inserts holding 24, 36, or 72 individual plants can also be set into 11”x 22” trays. These inserts, which cost about $2 each, allow you to grow individual plants that can easily be repotted. But be aware that the soil in these inserts can dry out quickly if you are not careful about watering. When it is time to transplant to individual containers, I use 4” square pots because it is easy to water the plants in them without spilling water between the pots, as often occurs when the pots are round. Whatever planting containers you decide on, you

can usually buy them at your local garden center, or you can order them wholesale from Grower’s Supply (www.growersupply.com) or A.M. Leonard (www.amleo.com). If you are recycling pots that you used the previous year, wash them in a solution of warm water and a tablespoon or two of bleach. This will kill most unwanted organisms.

potting SoilI use Pro-Mix BX purchased from a wholesale supplier. I have used it for years and really like it. But there are many other potting-soil options. At the least expensive end of the spectrum is the DIY mixture of homemade compost, vermiculite, sand (building sand, not salty beach sand), and peat moss, the proportions of which vary according to the plants you intend to grow. If this sounds like too much effort, then purchase a potting soil of good quality and stick with it if it gives you success.

In most cases you will need to moisten a potting medium, but don’t over-moisten. Potting soil is not too moist if you can squeeze a fistful and no water comes out. Once moistened to your

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Above: The author’s germination chamber in late January. Each fluorescent fixture has a warm and a cool white light tube. The fixtures can be raised or lowered to keep them just above the seedlings. The bottom tray is growing winter salad greens. Below: Lettuce seedlings after planting out in the cool greenhouse.(All images by Roger

Marshall)

satisfaction, place the soil in the tray or pot and gently pat the surface flat. You want to firm up the soil, not compact it.

LightingI start my seeds under ordinary fluorescent lights set in inexpensive shop-light fixtures. I see no reason to spend upwards of $30 for a twisted “garden light” fluorescent tube when an ordinary $2 tube will do the job. Put a warm white tube and a cold white tube in each shop light. This will give you a wide enough light spectrum to start most seedlings. Although most of your seedlings will be under these lights for only six to eight weeks, I have grown salad greens under them to about 4 inches high.

Seed choicesIf you are going to start your seeds eight to ten weeks before the last frost, perennial flowers, eggplants, and peppers are good choices. Many perennial flowers need to be tricked into thinking that they have survived a full winter before they set flowers, so you might want to start them very early (up to three months before the last frost) and then put them in a cool greenhouse for up to six weeks. Eggplants and peppers take ten days to two weeks to germinate and are slow growers, which is why you want to start them a little earlier than plants like tomatoes. Ideally, start tomatoes about six weeks before the last frost and give them enough light and warmth to keep them from getting leggy. You will also need to keep planting tomatoes into larger pots, and you may very well end up setting out plants with fruit on them. Leeks and onions should be started about ten to twelve weeks before the last frost, but the timing of them can be tricky. For long-

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Lef t: Di f ferent k inds of lettuce with peas at the back in the cool greenhouse.Below: Snow peas in bloom at the back of the cool greenhouse.

If you have seeds left over from last year and want to know if they are viable, soak two paper towels and squeeze out the moisture. Spread them out and sprinkle about a hundred (twenty or fifty seeds will do just as well) on the towels. Put them in a plastic zip top bag and put it in a warm place (on top of the water heater is a favorite). Check them every two or three days. If half of your seeds germinate you will know to sow those seeds at double the normal amount. You can also set up seeds in paper towels and baggies and put them in the refrigrerator for about six to eight weeks to stratify them - that is, give them alternate periods of cold and warm temperatures to help break dormancy.

day onions, you want your plants to have reached pencil thickness and be set out in the garden soil before your area is receiving 14 hours of daylight. This is because, when the days are longer than 14 hours, the plants will start to bulb. Lettuce and brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, etc.) grow much faster than leeks and onions, so they can be started only ten to fifteen days before the last frost.

Seed plantingFor most plants, sprinkle the seedlings on top of the potting soil and gently press them into it. Then sprinkle a little vermiculite or potting soil over them so that the seedlings are covered to a depth of about twice the size of the seed. Spray with a mister and cover the tray or pot with plastic wrap. If the trays are going to be left near a window, you might want to cover them

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If you want to sow small seeds, mix them with a little sand before sowing. The sand will help you pick up fewer seeds and will help spread the seedlings more evenly. If your seeds are very small leave them on the top of the soil and simply press them gently into the surface. Use a mister on smalll seeds otherwise you wash them into clumps which will get tangled roots.

also with newspaper until the seeds germinate, but in a germination chamber I don’t bother with newspaper.

For good germination, you will need to locate your trays in an area where they will get a constant 65 to 80 degrees F of bottom heat. Less than 65 degree or more than 80 degrees will give only spotty germination. In most cases 70 degrees is just about right.

If you are growing plants such as impatiens or primula, you need only sprinkle the seeds on the surface of the soil and mist or spray them lightly. Do not cover them either with soil or with newspaper. Simply put a piece of clear plastic wrap over the tray and put the tray in a warm area under lights. Impatiens, primula, and many other small seeds require light to germinate, plus they need temperatures of around 65 to 75 degrees.

No matter what seeds you are germinating, check each tray regularly beginning about a week after planting. As soon as about half to two-thirds of the seeds have germinated, remove the plastic wrap as well as any newspaper and mist or water as required. I find that under lights the trays need water almost every other day. It only takes a few minutes to water with a small watering can or you can spray it. Let the surface of the potting soil dry a little before spraying it. If you keep it too

moist and too cool, you’ll encourage damping-off disease and your seedlings will die.

After the seedlings have their first pair of true leaves, they should be transplanted into larger pots. If you leave this job too late, you’ll find that the roots of the seedlings have grown together and you will tear the roots as you repot the plants. Handle all seedlings by their leaves, not their stems, to avoid crushing them.

Growing your own seedlings is rewarding and fun, but you need to watch them carefully. Too much water and too low a temperature and your seedlings might get mildewed and die. Letting the plants dry out can also kill them. If you do it right, however, you can get hundreds of plants from one seed packet and save a substantial sum over store-bought plants.

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FLOWeriNG cactuS

bY DONNa bOcOx

Even though I have been growing cactus for the past twelve years, I am still a beginner. My love of cacti started while living in

sunny California. Then I moved to Iowa which presented a whole different set of challenges. No longer could I just grow them outdoors and cover them on those infrequent nights when the temp dipped down below freezing. In Iowa I had to figure out how to grow them all over again. This introduced a greenhouse to my cactus family.

When I moved from California I brought with me about 100 cacti. Building an extra garage to our home, my husband added a large bay window with the intention that I could put my entire cactus collection in that window. That lasted just one year, because (of course) I continued to collect. Currently I have just under 500 of the little prickly buddies, but I am still a beginner as far as collecting and growing. I do not know many of the correct names, in fact I have no intention of learning the names, although I do try to collect the name of each plant and put it

on a stick inside the pot. I also keep a spreadsheet of what I purchased, when, and from whom.

I buy cactus for a completely different reason. I love the flowers. Anything that has an unusual, large, or colorful flower on it, is what I collect. If you give them adequately draining soil, don’t overwater, and give them a good source of light most cacti will flourish and flower. Most of mine have indeed flourished. That’s not to say that I haven’t killed a few along the way.

My cactus is in my 10’x15’ greenhouse for most of the year. In summer, I put some out on my deck and around the yard. The change of scenery does most of them good, and causes many to bloom during the summer.

Even though they are “cactus” they still get watered. The outdoor ones get watered when it rains. In the summer, cactus that stay inside the greenhouse get watered about every 10 days. In the winter they are all inside my “winterized” greenhouse and I water about every 3 weeks. Watering is done when it is warm inside the

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greenhouse (around noon) which gives plenty of time for the water to be absorbed into the soil before temperature in the greenhouse drops down for the overnight. You don’t want them to be sitting in water at night when the temp inside the greenhouse can get down into the 40’s. Cacti do not like their “feet wet”. (The temperature inside the greenhouse during a winter’s gets up to 90’s when the sun is out even if the outside temp is 10 degrees)

Cacti are easy to grow, keeping a couple of rules in mind:

1) Don’t overwater. Better to not water at all then to overwater. They will tolerate no water, but they will not tolerate too much water.

2) Plant them into a mixture that is quick draining. I make up a simple mixture of ¼ potting soil, ½ part sand and ¼ part of Gran-i-grit (crushed granite which can be purchased at a feed store).

There are not a lot of cactus nurseries in Iowa. Therefore I have had to search out other sources. I have grown children that live in both Arizona and California so I have found my favorite source in each place. My oldest son lives in Tucson, about 5 miles from “Miles 2 Go”, owned by Miles Anderson. Most of his business is mail order (www.miles2go.com) I like to visit his nursery, pick his brain and look at his awesome greenhouses. His website offers a huge number of cactus and succulents, including grafts, with pictures of most on line and the best part is that shipping is included with price of cacti. Miles has more knowledge about cacti in his little finger than I will ever have in my entire body. Another favorite place is in California, Poots’ House of Cactus in Ripon, CA. She has a huge selection and variety and is another wealth of information on the cactus specie.

I challenge you to try your hand at growing these unusual plants. You will find it easy and rewarding to get them to grow and flower.

Opposite page: Lobivia Winterania in full bloom. Above: Neoporteria in full bloom. Donna’s cactus spend winters in her greenhouse which is carefully wrapped and heated to keep them happy.

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Having them in a greenhouse has another benefit. You have your own little “oasis” in the winter in your back yard. If the temp outside is 10 degrees, the temp inside your “winterized greenhouse” can get up to 90 degrees. So, get your lawn chair, sit back on Sunday afternoon with your favorite beverage and enjoy all your prickly buddies! If you have additional questions or comments please feel free to email me at cactuslover@wildblue.net

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Top Left: Notocactus in full color. Bottom left: Schlumbergera (Christmas cactus) Inset left: Epiphyllum. Top this page: Echinocereus Pnetalophus. Bottom: Huernia in full bloom. (All images by Donna Bocox)

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We owe the Italians a lot, really. They gave us an array of delectable foods, including spaghetti, pizza and delicious vegetables

such as broccoli, but most importantly, they gave us the modern tomato.

When the tomato first reached Europe around 1550 from its ancestral home in the Andes, it was a very small yellow round fruit no bigger than a cherry. Hence, the Italian name ‘pomodoro’ or golden apple. True, tomatoes were domesticated in Mexico well before they reached Italy and Spain, but the Italians were largely responsible for creating the tomatoes we have today.

At that time, Europeans still weren’t sure the tomato was safe to eat. It languished for another 200 years, cultivated only as a curiosity, but the fearless Italians saw the potential in this fruit. They not only ate it and lived to tell, but they also selected the best varieties and bred larger and better fruit. The Spanish were also early

adopters, having received shipments from their colonies in the New World. They likewise made extensive use of the tomato in their cuisine, but not as abundantly as the Italians. From these two countries the tomato spread to France. And from there it conquered the world.

Early in their history tomatoes were a hard sell, but they became so popular in Europe that in 1812 they arrived back in the New World via New Orleans. It is said that Thomas Jefferson himself smuggled in seeds from France. Then around 1840, the tomato took off like wildfire. Fearing Burr, a prominent horticulturist in New England, wrote in 1863, in his classic book, Field and Garden Vegetables of America, that cultivation had increased four-fold in the previous 20 years and that tomatoes were “so universally enjoyed” that they were served in one form or another during every season of the year.

GrOWiNG HeirLOOm tOmatOeSbY pauLa SZiLarD

Tomatoes are one of the most widely grown crops in the summer garden, but for many people heirloom tomatoes have a taste that takes them back to their childhood. Here Paula Szilard looks at how and what to grow to get the best heirloom tomatoes.

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The person most responsible for the tomato’s success in America was an Ohio seedsman named Alexander Livingston, who bred for flavor and smooth skin. He developed more than a dozen very popular varieties in the late 1800’s, becoming the undisputed leader o f A m e r i c a n tomato breeding. Some of his tomato varieties, such as Golden Queen and Paragon, are still in our heirloom repertoire of today.

Most of the o ld var ie t ies , un fo r tuna te ly, are now forever lost. Those that remain and have been passed down through the generations for at least 50 years are legitimately referred to as heirloom tomatoes. Some heirlooms were actually commercial introductions of the time and were then saved by gardeners. The key is that they are all open-pollinated, in other words, not hybrids. Unlike hybrids, these plants come true from seed. Many of them produce larger fruits and therefore need a longer growing season. A considerable number require a growing season of 80-90 days from planting out.

As Americans have become more discerning in their tomato preferences, garden centers have begun offering more heirloom varieties. Heirloom growers with a penchant for the more unusual varieties grow their own plants from seed. Heirloom seeds are now much easier to find, thanks to the Seed Savers Exchange (www.seedsavers.org) and a growing number of commercial seed companies such as Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds making them available.

Opposite Page: Cherokee PurpleTop: Riestomate TomatoAbove Yellow Pear (All Images Courtesy of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds)

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The following are some popular heirloom varieties for fresh eating:

Brandywine. This legendary tomato is considered by many tomato connoisseurs to be the best and have the most complex flavor. It is large and may need up to 100 days to ripen. There are many Brandywines, a pink variety, the Sudduth strain of the pink variety, a red one, a yellow one, and one called Brandywine OTV, to mention a few.

Black Krim. This Russian variety is fast gaining popularity. Connoisseurs have described this tomato as exotic and musky, even smoky.

Cherokee Purple. So named because it is said to come from the Cherokee Indians and has a purplish skin. It is said to rival the Brandywine in flavor.

Riesentraube. This grape tomato, as its German name indicates consists of giant bunches of grapes. There may be up to 350 blossoms in a floral spray. The flavor is considered fruity and full.

Yellow Pear. Attractive in appearance, but mildly flavored, this tomato is a favorite mostly because it’s so pretty in a salad or on a crudites tray.

Green Zebra. This small ripe-when-green tomato is a small yellowish green fruit with green striping. Connoisseurs consider it full flavored and spicy.

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tomato Growing tips

1. After all danger of frost hast passed, test your soil temperature. It must be at least 50 F, 6 inches below the surface. You can warm it by using walls of water for earlier planting.

2. Select a sunny location. Tomatoes need a minimum of 6 hours of sunshine.3. Plant plants deeply, especially if stems are weak, at least 3 feet apart.4. Rotate your tomatoes and other solanaceous vegetables, such as peppers, potatoes and

eggplants, planting them in the same location only every 3rd or 4th year. Admittedly, this is difficult in a small garden, but it keeps soil-borne disease organisms from building up.

5. Water tomatoes regularly and evenly, applying about 1” of water per week. Good watering will help you avoid blossom end rot, a calcium deficiency which shows in garden tomatoes when plants are not consistently and evenly watered. It shows up in container grown tomatoes because potting mixes and most tomato fertilizers lack calcium.

6. Stake them using a steel fence post or a wooden stake. Save your nylon stockings to tie them up.

7. Cage your tomatoes. For best results, build cages from steel wire grids for reinforcing concrete, available at building supply stores.

8. Fertilize using a good tomato fertilizer, either organic or conventional. Do not use high nitrogen fertilizers. You will get leafy growth and less fruit. Use a fertilizer with roughly equal levels of nitrogen or phosphorus, with a little more potassium.

9. Mulch your plants. This not only saves water, but keeps soil from splashing up on the plants, lessening exposure to soil-borne disease.

10. It’s best not to water from the top, to avoid cracking of fruits.11. Do not use herbicides anywhere near your tomatoes. Tomatoes are so sensitive to

herbicide injury, horticulturists consider them an indicator plant.12. When growing in containers, use a good quality potting mix, not garden soil, but

be mindful of the fact that such mixes have virtually no nutrients. Unlike Colorado garden soils, potting mixes have no calcium and unfortunately, neither do most tomato fertilizers, so sprinkle a little horticultural lime over the top of the potting mix.

Tomatoes on Opposite page: Top: Black Krim. Middle:Nature’s Riddle. Bottom left: Pink Brandywine. Bottom Right Green Zebra (All Images courtesy of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds www.rareseeds.com)

Help WantedThe Hobby Greenhouse Association is looking for a Treasurer and a Secretary. The job descriptions below are taken from the HGA Guide to the board.

The SECRETARY shall: Publish the Board Report monthly, Keep the minutes of any official meetings. Send out notices or correspondence as directed by the President or the Executive Board. Maintain a record of the Association bylaws, amendments, important correspondence, standing committee reports, special rules, voting results and other documents of importance to the association. Provide secretarial services as requested.The TREASURER shall: Be the chief fiduciary officer. Be responsible for the receipt and deposit of all funds. Make all authorized disbursements by check only. Keep a book record of all transactions. Provide quarterly and annual reports to the Board If you would like to volunteer contact Tom Karasek at 360 578-1228 tomsherron@msn.com

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GrOWiNG Fruit iN YOur GreeNHOuSebY rOGer marSHaLL

Growing fresh fruit in your greenhouse is not difficult. First, you need to decide what kinds of fruit you want to grow and then

you need to buy the plants. That sounds easy, doesn’t it, but there’s a catch. If you decide to grow the same kinds of fruit that you can harvest in your yard, all you’ll be doing is extending your growing season by a few weeks. But if you decide to grow tropical fruits instead, you will need to heat your greenhouse in the winter, and that can become prohibitively expensive if you live north of the Mason-Dixon Line. For example, I have banana trees in my greenhouse. They are fun to grow and I can use the leaves for cooking, such as for wrapping pork. The question is: Would it be worthwhile to keep the winter greenhouse temperature high enough to encourage these trees to set fruit when bananas can be purchased so cheaply in the supermarket? I figure that a stalk of wintertime bananas could cost as much as $200 in your northern greenhouse, and much of the stalk would probably spoil before you had a chance to eat it all!

Growing citrusThe most common fruits grown in greenhouses are citrus. Dwarf and semi-dwarf grafted trees can be purchased for $20 to $40 and grown in a pot. They are easy to care for and do not require exceedingly high temperatures during winter.When planting a citrus tree into a new pot, follow these simple tips. Make sure the fibrous root ball is covered but don’t cover the growing stem. If your tree is graft, make sure that no shoots come from the rootstock. If they do, nip those shoots off with your fingers before they can get woody. Other than that, just keep your tree watered on a regular schedule and wait for it to come into bloom.

Most citrus plants set a ton of flowers, giving a wonderful fragrance in your greenhouse. However, they typically require insect pollination, so if you have no insects in your greenhouse you will have to use a paintbrush and hand-pollinate from one flower to another. Even then, most of the flowers will drop off. It is said that more than 90% of citrus flowers never make it to fruit.

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When you do detect fruit developing on your citrus tree, you need to fertilize the plant and keep the soil moist and warm to get the fruit to grow properly. If you don’t, the fruit will simply drop off. You can feed the plant with citrus fertilizer (7-3-3), and once or twice a season put a dose of liquid iron in your watering can. Citrus leaves tend to turn slightly yellow if you do not add iron to their diet.

Here in Rhode Island, I find that my citrus trees come into bloom in April or May when the greenhouse door is open and insects can fly in to pollinate. The fruit grows slowly over the summer and is not ready to pick until December through mid-February. This means that the trees have to be kept fairly warm over the winter. If you let them get very cold, the leaves will fall off, and they will not start to grow again until the following spring (provided the tree hasn’t died).

When putting your citrus plants outdoors after a winter in the greenhouse, try not to put them in direct sunlight. Direct sun will often burn the leaves, leaving them looking yellow and unhealthy. If your only locations are very sunny ones, acclimate the tree to direct sunlight slowly to minimize leaf burn.

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Above left: Key limes in the author’s greenhouse in the winter of 2011/12. The citrus tree fruit ripens around January and the five-foot tree can provide up to a hundred Key limes each winter. Above right: The end result of growing your own key limes. Key Lime pie. (Roger Marshall images)

a british study has concluded that a major killer of honey bees is neonicotinoid insecticides used on seeds such as corn and maize. the study says that virtually all of the maize seed planted in North america (the exception being organic production which is less than 2% of the total) is coated with neonicotinoid insecticides. if you have bees near corn or rape seed fields where these insecticided are used be aware that your bees are at risk. the paper can be found at http://tinyurl.com/776y97v

citrus pest controlCitrus can get messy in the greenhouse. Whiteflies like to hide under the leaves and suck the sap. Thrips also hide on the underside of the leaves, and on the tops of the leaves you can also get black, sooty mold.

All these problems are controllable. During the summer I spray with liquid copper fungicides to kill off any mold that might be on the leaves. Two or three sprays over the summer will usually control it completely. I find the best time to spray for insects is in the fall just before I put the citrus trees back into the greenhouse. At that time I spray for whiteflies and other common pests. I use neem oil or pyrethrin sprays two weeks apart. The second spray catches the insects that might hatch after the first spray. Weather permitting, I like to do one last spray of dormant oil to kill off scale and any other insects before putting the plants into the greenhouse for the winter. This may seem like a lot of spraying, but you do not want an insect bloom or lots of sooty mold in the tightly controlled atmosphere of your greenhouse.

Once in the greenhouse, you can pick your fruit as you need it. Citrus fruits are great for putting in pies, such as key lime, or in your favorite beverage. You can even make marmalade as I did one year when I got a bumper crop of greenhouse oranges.

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The Tool ShedNew and Interesting Items for Your Garden and Greenhouse

Greenhouse gardeners often use a hose, but it kinks and gets knots, cutting off the water flow. The Super Hose is kink and crush resistant due to its double helix wrap construction. This hose is also 35 to 50% lighter than any conventional garden hose. It also stay flexible in extreme temperatures and coils and uncoils with ease. While this hose is 5/8 inches in diameter, you can achieve the same flow rate as a 3/4 inch hose, because it features internally expanded full-flow heavy-duty brass couplings. Operating pressure 100 PSI. Burst pressure 300 PSI at 70 F. The hose is made in USA and available from many garden outlets in the USA and in Canada from Rittenhouse in St. Catharines, Ontario, (http://www.rittenhouse.ca) It costs $79.00 for a 50 footer and $149 for 100 feet.

The Gavita Pro 100 DE US light is imported from Holland the home of acres of greenhouses. It is a professional light with the highest PAR light output, improved light spectrum (in short, it is very close to direct sunlight) and according to the manufacturer is the most efficient 1000 watt horticultural light available today. It has no fans to absorb power and the ballast can be mounted close to the lamps for smaller installations. The US/Canadian version is equipped with a standard XR505 connector to enable it to use any reflector. It comes with a 16' cable with a 240 Volt plug. The Gavita Pro light is available from GrowRI (www.grwori.com)

The Rainforest sprinkler system comes in at several heights, the lowest is the spike version that can be pressed into a growing bed to water the surrounding area. the other low versions have a flat base or a wheeled base. The system also comes with a three foot and a six foot tripod to cover a larger area. When mounted on the six foot tripod the sprinkler will cover up to 1900 square feet depending on water pressure. The unit has one moving part and costs $11.98 for the spike version up to $39.99 for the six foot tripod version.

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a HartLeY GreeNHOuSe caN be aN iNVeStmeNt FOr tHe FuturebY rOGer marSHaLL

The golden age of greenhouses could easily be said to have been before World War One when huge greenhouses dominated

gentrified England. The carnage of WWI ended this golden age when so many men were KIA that after the war there were not enough people to run the vast glass and cast iron emporiums. Many of these structures fell into disuse or were dismantled and greenhouses were not seriously considered again until after WWII, some thirty years later.

Prior to WWI and II, greenhouses were usually made of cast iron and required large crews of men to erect them in a process that could often take as long as six months. The between war period saw little improvement in greenhouse design and building until Vincent Hartley came along in 1938. He patented a clean uncluttered aluminum framed greenhouse, one that laid the standard for professional greenhouses for

years to come. His greenhouses did away with overlapping panes of glass that trapped moss and mildew between the panes and require frequent cleaning. Instead each glass pane was set in its own frame and firmly fixed in place.

Today, the second golden age of the greenhouse has come upon us, and a look in almost any British gardening magazine shows advertisements for many hundreds of greenhouses, but one always stands out, that of the Hartley Botanic Greenhouses. The modern version of Vincent Hartley’s aluminum framed structures graces many of the gardens of the wealthy. Many of these greenhouses have been handed down from father to son or from grandfather to grandson. They have been dismantled, moved and re-erected, yet their quality is so good that some 1950s greenhouses are still use today.

Today Hartley Botanic greenhouses are shipped to many countries and there are an increasing

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Above: The lower corner detail of a Hartley greenhouse. Not the amount and weight of the metalwork.Below: The roof to sidewall joint is often a point of weakness but not on this greenhouse where everything is bolted firmly together.

number in America. One of these greenhouses is now part of Eugene Lee’s garden in Providence, RI. Mr. Lee is a designer and for him the greenhouse had to look right and to complement his Victorian style house. “I care what things look like and the Hartley greenhouse looked right as a structure. I looked at the Roger Williams Park greenhouses and they looked how a greenhouse should look. Now that I see my greenhouse in the yard, it complements the yard perfectly,” he said in a recent telephone conversation. “When we decided on the location, we dug the foundation by hand so that we wouldn’t disturb any of the plants in the surrounding area. We dug down below the frost line and put in a foundation that you could build a house on.”

In listening to Mr. Lee, it is obvious that he has plans for the greenhouse. “We have a separate hot water furnace with fin tube heat pipes going around the floor to keep the greenhouse at around fifty degrees and while it has a few herbs and lemon trees in it now, my wife and I plan on filling it quickly.” The greenhouse gets good sun in the mornings and Mr. Lee hopes that it will not require the trimming of any of the trees on the surrounding property.

Hartley greenhouses are imported from England where they are made. The company, which has had a distributor in America since the mid 90s but has only had an office here since 2008, does not stock greenhouses in America, instead it builds the greenhouse to the customer specifications. Thus delivery can take a few months. Shelley Newman of Hartley Botanic in Boston said that if everything goes together the greenhouse can be delivered to the customer in 90 days, but if the shipping process or theplans process is slow it might take up to five months to get a greenhouse. In general, Ms. Newman says it can take between three to five months from signing the plans to delivery.

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The Hobby Greenhouse Association does not endorse or promote products. Our reviews are intended only to provide information to our members.

During that time the owner will need to install a foundation. Hartley only installs the greenhouse using their factory trained team, they do not provide the foundation, plumbing or electrical lines. In another interesting twist, Hartley does not believe that double pane glass is effective on a greenhouse and all their greenhouses are delivered, as they are in Britain, with single pane glass. However, the company does offer colored or other glass options.

If you want to own a Hartley greenhouse, they are not inexpensive. For example, a Victorian Classic (8 1/2’ x 13’) costs $28,282 plus delivery to your site, plus the costs of erecting it on site. A rough guide to delivery is about $1000 to the northeast and up to $5000 to California. So if you could be looking at about $40000 for an installed greenhouse if you lived in California. But after all if you want your plants to be the best, you buy the best greenhouse you can afford.

Hartley Botanic, Inc. Suite, 1050, 600 West Cummings Park, Woburn MA 01801, (http://www.hartley-greenhouses.com/)

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Opposite page top: A new Hartley greenhouse in a California garden.

Opposite page bottom left: The Victorian style crank lever for opening the upper windows.

Opposite page bottom right: The corner detail of the Lee greenhouse.

Above left: The interior doorway detail of this Hartley greenhouse provides a small hallway for potted plants.

Above right: The downspout detail which can be used to catch runoff water for the greenhouse.

Right: a detail of the victorian style angle and shelving in the Lee greenhouse. (All images provided by Hartley Botanic Inc.)

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From The Planter Barbara W. Wich, HGA Historian55780 Timber LaneElkhart, IN 46514-9456

The following is based on an article from the May/June 1983 issue of The Planter

While plant life is beginning to awaken from a “long winters nap,” plant people begin to think about other aspects of plant growing. Raising plants

from seed is a very exciting and rewarding adventure. There are a number of reliable seed sources here and abroad, so your money and effort will be worth the time preparing the right conditions.

If you start your seeds before the warm weather arrives, then it is highly recommended that you grow them under lights. Using heating cables is also recommended to hold them at the ideal temperature of 72º. A sterilized medium, of course, is a must. For succulents, use 6 parts sharp sand, 2 parts milled sphagnum, and 1 part charcoal. For other houseplants, 2 parts vermiculite, 2 parts perlite, and 1 part Jiffy Mix is a good mixture. Fern spores like equal parts sand, small gravel, garden soil, and milled, sphagnum. The important thing about a good mix is to have enough “roughage” so the mixture does not become hardpacked or caked.

Containers can be clay pots, cottage cheese cartons, or seed trays so long as they are clean and allow for good drainage. The two types I use are clear plastic shoe boxes with holes drilled in the bottom and lightweight, 4½ x 12 trays — ten fit perfectly under a 40w light. For dividers in the trays, I cut up trays from meat departments. They are lightweight and reusable and the white reflects the the light. I prefer to plant fewer seeds (5-30) of one kind so I can raise more of different species.

Fill the bottom of the container with pumice (gravel or charcoal is good, too), then add the soil mix and press it down evenly. The mix must be pressed so when you add the water, the seeds will not sink. Fill the container to near top so there is good circulation for the plants when the cover is removed.

Seed sizes range from dustlike to peasize; therefore, sowing seeds can be tricky. Many good suggestions have been given to distribute them evenly. Gently shake the seeds to the envelope flap and tap the envelope lightly

to drop the seed, or use a toothpick, a label, or a fondue stick to push them off the flap. You can also pour the seeds into your hand and distribute them the same way. Using a tweezer for the larger sizes was another good idea. I like the hand and label method. Some seeds need to be chipped, soaked, or frozen before they are planted. Check with your seed source on procedure.

After you sprinkle your seeds, label and date them. Cover the seeds with soil mix the thickness of the seed only. Watering must be done from the bottom until plants are established. Set the tray or pot in a tray of warm water (some suggest distilled water); watch it carefully so it doesn't flood. When it is moist, remove it and set on a towel or in a sink to drain. Cover with Saran Wrap or clear lid and place under lights — no more than six inches. Light time is about 18 hours a day.

After they have sprouted (they can remain for awhile in this atmosphere), start gradually to remove the cover. This will take a few days, so take your time because it is a delicate state for the seedlings. After the cover is completely removed, it is very important to check the seed trays daily. DO NOT LET THEM DRY OUT. Succulent seeds, for instance, should be kept moist up to twelve months. Ifyou have had trouble with algae buildup, use distilled water. If it continues, use Chinosol.

Once the seedlings are established I cover the mixture with a #4 gravel to prevent the evaporation of water. Seedlings can remain in the seed pans until they start to crowd the other inhabitants. Avoid transplanting as much as possible as it is very traumatic for the plants. Fertilizing is also necessary to ensure wellshaped, healthy plants.

Patience is a key word for growing from seed. Germination can take place within 24 hours or up to a year or more. The growth rate of the seedlings also varies as much; however, it is worth the wait and anticipation to see that tiny, black speck become a lush foliage or a spiny barrel.

FrOm LittLe SeeDS GrOW...bY peG Spaete

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Complimentary Memberships

The following companies offer a free one-year membership

in HGA with the purchase of a greenhouse.

Backyard GreenhousesA Division of Ecoland CorporationUSA Administrative Office243 W. Congress, Suite 350Detroit, MI 48226or 2549 Dougall Ave.Windsor, ON N8X1T5800 665-2124519 979-2041 Fax: 519 250-0160www.backyardgreenhouses.comThank you for 24 new members in 2010 and 11 new members in 2011.

Compost CritterSolexx Greenhouses and GlazingRingtown, PA 17967570 401-4843jeff@compostcritter.com

Maine Garden Products, Inc.Freedom Greenhouse574 Cushing Rd.Friendship, ME 04547877 764-9365207 236-2600www.mainegarden.com

Rion GreenHousesSupplyHero LLC8853 Lenexa Dr.Overland Park, KS 66214877 894-4884www.supplyhero.com

SolGreenhousesSnap&Grow614 325-6430dannygrau@solargreenhouse.com

tipsShort and sweet

* To make germination of difficult seeds easier, soak for 24 hours in the following solution:1 Gallon rainwater (or distilled water)1 tsp. liquid Kelp1/2 tsp. AMWAY Adfuvant* Another germination tip is to file the outer coat of hard seeds -- make several shallow grooves in seeds. Than plant. or, place such seeds in a pot of boiling water and let water cool to room temperature. Repeat three more times. Sow promptly in a peatlite mix or sphagnum peat moss.* To improve hard or clay soils, rototill or deep spade all of your lawn clippings and leaves in several times. Be sure to do this in late fall also. You may also add kitchen scraps, old soil from houseplants, sawdust, wood chips, and other organic materials. Be sure to add a little extra Nitrogen fertilizer (such as left over lawn fertilizer) to the mixture. By doing this, in one or two growing seasons you will have a much better soil and help kill noxious weeds at the same time.* To have higher production of legume crops (beans, peas) you should “innoculate” the seeds with a special seed innoculantavailable at garden centers. Nitragin is one trade name.*Apple trees need two or more varieties for pollination, except Golden Delicious and Grimes which are selfpollinating. Crab apple trees may also serve as pollinators.*Apricots, Sour Cherries are selfpollinating.*Peaches are selfpollinating except “J.H.Hale”, which requires another variety as polinator.

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Plants:

BEGONIAS: CULTIVATION, IDENTIFICATION, AND NATURAL HISTORY by Mark C. Tebbitt. 272 pages, hard cover. ($34.95) Members: $23.00 Concise, detailed method to identify cultivated species. Beautiful photos. For the “begoniac.”

BULBS FOR INDOORS: YEAR-ROUND WINDOWSILL SPLENDOR by Robert M. Hays & Janet Marinelli. Brooklyn Botanic Garden. 111 pages, pap. ($9.95) Members: $7.95 Hardy and tender bulbs for indoor and greenhouse growing. “How to grow” information, encyclopedia.

CLIVIA by Harold Koopowitz Timber Press. 384 pages, full color, hard cover. ($34.95) Members $20. Growing Clivias

COLEUS by Ray Rogers. Timber Press. 227 pages, full color. Hard cover. ($29.95) Members: $20.00 Rainbow foliage for containers and gardens.

CRAZY ABOUT CACTI AND SUCCULENTS edited by Ray Rogers. Brooklyn Botanic Garden. 120 pages, full color, pap. ($9.95) Members: $7.95 An overview book on growing cactus and succulents.

GROW 15 HERBS FOR THE KITCHEN by Sheryl L. Felty. Storey Publishing Bulletin. 32 pages, pap. (3.95) Members: $3.75 Essentials for growing herbs outdoors and indoors. Herb varieties, harvesting, cooking

GROW THE BEST STRAWBERRIES by Louise Riotte. Revised and Updated! Storey Publishing Bulletin. 32 pages, pap. (3.95) Members: $3.75 postpaid

GROW THE BEST TOMATOES by John Page. Revised and Updated! Storey Publishing Bulletin. 32 pages, pap. (3.95) Members: $3.75 postpaid

GROWING & USING BASIL by Ellen Ogden. Storey Publishing Bulletin. 32 pages, pap. ($3.95) Members: $3.75

GROWING & USING CHIVES by Juliette Rogers. Storey Publishing Bulletin. 32 pages, pap. ($3.95) Members: $3.75

Greenhouse Etc.:

BUILD YOUR OWN UNDERGROUND ROOT CELLAR, by Phyllis Hobson. Storey Publishing Bulletin. 32 pages, pap. ($3.95) Members: $3.75 Tools, materials, plans, construction information.

BUILDING & USING COLD FRAMES by Charles Seigchrist. Storey Publishing Bulletin. 32 pages, pap. ($3.95) Members: $3.75 Cold frame construction and use.

BUILDING YOUR OWN GREENHOUSE by Mark Freeman. 198 pages, pap. ($18.95) Members: $15.00 Practical instructions on how to build it.

GREENHOUSES FOR HOMEOWNERS AND GARDENERS by John W. Bartok, Jr. 214 pages, pap. ($30.00) Members: $25.00 Planning, designing, and building a hobby greenhouse. Drawings, plans.

THE NEW TERRARIUM by Tovah Martin. Martin & Clineff. 176 pages, full color. ($25.00) Members: $16.50 Creating beautiful displays for plants and nature in the home.

Greenhouse Gardening:

GARDENING IN YOUR GREENHOUSE by Mark Freeman. 200 pages, pap. ($18.95) Members: $15.00 How to raise vegetables, herbs, flowering and nonflowering plants in your home greenhouse.

GREENHOUSE GARDENER’S COMPANION by Shane Smith. Second Edition. 497 pages, pap. ($21.95) Members: $15.50 New edition of complete guide to greenhouse management and growing flowers and vegetables

ORTHO’S ALL ABOUT GREENHOUSES. Cont. writers: Larry Hodgson, T. Jeff Williams. Tech. Editors: J. Bartok, Jr.; J. Hale; M. Miller; F. Rushing; C. Yaw. 96 pages, color photos, illus.. ($11.95 US/ $17.95 CAN) Members: $8.00 Basic information on selecting and building greenhouses, growing techniques. 10 plans.

STARTING SEEDS INDOORS by Ann Reilly. Storey Publishing Bulletin. 32 pages, pap. ($3.95) Members: $3.75 Starting seeds, special germination, planting times

HGA offers books and other materials to members, usually at discount. Prices include postage and handling within the USA. (Canadian, Mexican and overseas members, please contact the HGA Bookshop for additional postage cost: jhale@world.std.com. International Money Order, US funds, shipment by airmail.) Make your check or money order payable to HGA and send your order to: HGA Bookshop, 80 Deaconess Rd., Suite 443, Concord MA 01742-4173

The hGA Bookshop

Hobby Greenhouse Page 35

GROWING & USING DILL by Glen Andrews. Storey Publishing Bulletin. 32 pages, pap. ($3.95) Members: $3.75GROWING & USING TARRAGON by Glen Andrews. Storey Publishing Bulletin. 32 pages, pap. ($3.95) Members: $3.75

INDOOR BONSAI by Paul Lesniewicz. 208 pages, color photos, B&W drawings, pap. ($16.95, $25.95 CAN) Members: $13.00 Guide to those species that can be grown successfully indoors all year.

SUCCULENT CONTAINER GARDENS by Debra Lee Baldwin. ($29.95) Members: $22.00 Planting containers with stunning succulants

TEMPTING TROPICALS by Ellen Zachos. 328 pages, full color, hard cover. ($29.95) Members: $8.00 175 irresistible indoor plants and their culture.

OrchidsEASY-CARE ORCHIDS by Mary Carol Frier. Storey Publishing Bulletin. 32 pages, pap. ($3.95) Members $3.75 Six easy orchids for home and greenhouse.

GARDENER’S GUIDE TO GROWING ORCHIDS, THE. Brooklyn Botanic Garden. 120 pages, full color, pap. ($9.95) Members: $7.95 The basics for successfully growing orchids on a windowsill or in a hobby greenhouse.

BEST ORCHIDS FOR INDOORS, THE. Brooklyn Botanic Garden. 120 pages, full color, pap. ($9.95) Members $7.95 Description of the best orchids to grow in home or greenhouse.

MINIATURE ORCHIDS by Steven A. Frowine. Timber Press. 264 pages, index, sources. ($29.95) hard cover. Members $19.75 Profiles some 300 miniature, dwarf and compact orchids

MOTH ORCHIDS, THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO PHALAENOPSIS by Steven A. Frowine. Timber Press, 204 pages, 323 color photos, b&w line drawings, index. ($39.95) hard cover. Members: $25.00 Growing the most popular orchids in the world.

ORCHID GROWING FOR WIMPS by Ellen Zachos. 128 pages, full color, pap. ($17.95) Members: $9.00 Complete guide to growing 16 different types of easy to raise orchids indoors.

ORCHIDS FOR THE HOME & GREENHOUSE. Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Guest Editor Marsden Fitch. Revised, expanded edition. 95 pages, color, pap. ($7.95) Members: $6.95 Orchid history, culture of Paphiopedilum and Cattleya orchids, pitfalls for new grower, propagation, pest control.

ORCHIDS SIMPLIFIED by Henry Jaworski. 143 pages, color, pap. ($21.00) Members: $14.00 An indoor gardening guide to growing orchids for the novice. Easy text instructions, beautiful photographs.

TROPICAL SLIPPER ORCHIDS by Harold Koopowitz 411 pages, full color, hard cover. ($59.95) Members: $40.00. Complete info on these popular low-light orchids.

Miscellaneous:

BUILD A POND FOR FOOD & FUN by D. J. Young. Storey Country Wisdom Bulletin. 29 pages, pap ($3.95) Members: $3.75 Building a fishpond for food and recreation..

COMMUNITY GARDENING. Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 119 pages, color, pap. (9.95) Members: $7.95 Garden programs that bring neighbors together.

CONTAINER GARDENING by Patti Barrett. Storey Publishing Bulletin. 32 pages, pap. ($3.95) Members: $3.75 Growing flowers, vegetables, and herbs in containers.

EASY COMPOSTERS YOU CAN BUIILD by Nick Noyes. Storey Country Wisdom Bulletin. 31 pages, pap ($3.95) Members: $3.75 Information on composting and bin construction.

EDIBLE GARDENS . Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 119 pages, color, pap. (12.95) Members: $11.00 Planting beautiful edible gardens.

FERTILIZERS FOR FREE by Charles Siegchrist. Storey Publishing Bulletin. 32 pages, pap. ($3.95) Members: $3.75 Finding, growing, and using organic fertilizers at home.

FRAGRANT DESIGNS. Brooklyn Botanic Garden. 120 pages, full color, pap. ($9.95) Members: $7.95 Achieving fragrance in the garden.

GARDEN PRIMER, THE by Barbara Damrosch. Second Edition. Workman. 820 pages, pap. ($18.95) Members: $9.00 Reference book on the essentials of plants and gardens.

GARDENING WITH CHILDREN by Monika Hannemann, etc. Brooklyn Botanic Garden. 119 pages, color, pap. (9.95) Members: $7.95 Teaching children about gardening and natural world.

INCREDIBLE SELF-WATERING CONTAINERS by Edward C. Smith. 254 pages, color, pap.($19.95) Members: $13.00 A vegetable garden that never needs weeding, produces bountiful harvest, and needs water

Hobby Greenhouse Page 36

DISCOUNTS

Discounts are available tonational HGA members only.Mailing label with member-ship expiration date mustaccompany order.Photocopies accepted.

Advance Solar LLC701 N Duncan Ave., Amite, LA70422877-238-8357greenhousekits@charter.netwww.advancegreenhouses.com(5% discount on all greenhousesand accessories ordered withgreenhouse.)

Atlas Greenhouse System, Inc.PO Box 558 HWY. 82 East, Alapaha,GA 31622service@atlasgreenhouses.comwww.hobbygreenhousekits.com(5% discount on all items)

Backyard Greenhouses(See Complimentary Membershipsfor contact information)(5% discount on all greenhousesand accessories)

Bovees Nursery1737 SW Coronado, Portland OR97219866-652-3219bovees@teleport.comwww.bovees.com(10% discount on vireyas)

Charley’s Greenhouse and Garden17979 State Route 536, MountVernon, WA 98273-3269serrvice@charleysgreenhouse.comwww.charleysgreenhouse.com(5% discount on all items includinggreenhouses)

CompostCritter.comSolexx Greenhouses and glazingRingtown, PA 17967570-401-4843Jeff@CompostCritter.com(5% Discount on Greenhouse

Packages or $500+ material orders.5% additional contributed to HGA.Details on website.)

Farm Wholesale Greenhouses3740 Brooklake Rd. NE, Salem, OR97303greenhouse@famwholesale.comwww.farmwholesale.com(10% discount off retail prices)

Greenhouses, Etc.4804 Collister Drive, Boise, ID 83703Phone: 888-244-8009FAX: 208-367-1088steve@greenhousesetc.comwww.greenhousesetc.com(5% discount on Standard or Custom Kits, CompleteGreenhouse Packages. FreeEstimates.) Indoor Gardening1158 Commerce Ave.Longview, WA 98632360-353-3851www.CowlitzInDoorGardening.com(10% discount on hydroponicssystems, nutrients, house & gardennutrients and soils. Also applies toSpecial Orders)

Interior Water Gardens615 Long Beach Blvd., Surf City, NJ080081-888-476-9493www.InteriorWaterGardens.com(10% discount on all hydrocultureproducts including orchids inhydroculture pots.)

International GreenhouseCompany1644 Georgetown Rd.Danville, IL 61832Toll free: 888-281-9337FAX: 217- 443-0611www.igcusa.com(5% discount on all items)

Kitchen Culture Kits, Inc.905 Champions Dr.. Lufkin, TX 75901www.kitchenculturekit.com(10% discount )

Lancaster Conservatories, Inc.

1901 W. O St., Lincoln, NE 68528800-963-8700FAX: 402-438-1901www.lancasterconservatories.com(5% discount)

PlanTea® PO Box 1980, Kodiak, AK 99615(10% discount on PlanTea®fertilizer)

Poly-Tex, Inc. (greenhouses)27725 Danville Ave, Castel Rock,MN 55010info@poly-tex.comwww.poly-tex.com(5% discount on items in catalog.Catalog free.)

Rain or Shine (greenhouseaccessories)13126 NE Airport Way, Portland, OR972301-800-248-1981info@landscapeusa.comwww.landscapeusa.com(10% discount on all itemsincluding greenhouses.)

Solar Innovations, Inc.31 Roberts Road, Pine Grove, PA17963570-915-1708 (direct line)570-915-1500 (main phone)FAX: 800-618-0743www.solarinnovations.com(5% discount on all greenhousesand their accessories.)

Spectrum Hobby Greenhouse Co.PO Box 5491, Los Alamitos, CA90720Spectrumhobby128@aol.comwww.spectrumgreenhouses.com(10% discount on all hobbygreenhouses, plus special freightallowance to senior citizens)

Stokes Tropicals (tropical plants)PO Box 9868, New Iberia, LA 70562info@stokestropicals.comwww.stokestropicals.com(60-page full color catalog. 10% offorders $30 or more. To order online,use coupon code HGA710.)

Hobby Greenhouse Page 37

Book Review

In recent years there has been almost a revolution in the gardening world. Younger people are driving this revolution and it has to do with growing and

eating your own organic food. The movement has been driven, in part, by reports of pesticides found in vegetables, poisoning scares from contaminated food products on supermarket shelves, and concerns about the amounts of fossil fuels used to deliver fresh food to your local supermarket from distant parts of the world.

This movement has produced a number of how-to books from various writer/gardeners, but to my knowledge The Heirloom Life Gardener is the first book from a major seed company that subscribes to the heirloom/organic path. The first half of the book describes how Jere and Emilee Gettle developed their organic philosophy and how they began to preach the lifestyle to others through their company Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company. The fact that their company sells a lot of seeds says that many gardeners subscribe to this type of growing. For reasons of full disclosure, I have grown organically and saved seeds for more than forty years and it is nice to see others coming around to this ideal. I do however, find it

tiresome to read of Frankenfoods and other derogatory comments about mass production methods. A lot of people would go hungry if it were not for large production farming.

The first part of the book is decorated with pictures of the Gettle family and their friends, along with the methods they use to collect seeds from many parts of America and other countries.

The second part of the book is far more useful in that it contains information on how to grow the many seeds that Baker Creek sells, how to save the seeds, what kinds of insects and diseases can affect the plant, and how to use it in the kitchen. The value of the book, for me, is this section. Even though I have grown most of the plants illustrated I found myself agreeing with many of the book’s comments. I also disagreed with a few, but, hey, they are the seed sellers, My gardening style comes from what I learned from old timers in England where I grew up.

I do like the pictures of the many different types of melons and squash, makes me want to try them all. In fact, I shall order a bunch of squash and melon seeds from Baker Creek just to try some of the more succulent ones. An added advantage of melons and squash is that it is relatively easy save their seeds. The disadvantage is that you can end up with several pounds of seed to give to all your gardener friends and neighbors.

I’m not so interested in saving seed by letting my plants go to seed, but I do save half filled seed packets from year to year simply because most seed packets have too many seeds to use in one season. I have found that most seeds, when they are kept cool will last several years, except for leeks. I’ve found that leek seeds last about a year or two – the book says to save them for two years.

All in all, I like this book and will keep it in my reference library. I have also ordered seeds from Baker Creek and will probably do so again. The book makes me want to grow more and more, but, alas, garden space is so limited.Roger Marshall

The Heirloom Life GardenerBy Jere and Emilee Gettle with Meghan Sutherland, published by Hyperion Books in 2011.ISBN 978-1-4013-2439-1 Price $29.99

Hobby Greenhouse Page 38

You’ve admired other people’s greenhouses for years and always wanted one. You probably imagined sunny days in the

middle of winter when you would sit out there in eighty degree temperatures. You thought you’d have a few plants in flower and be able to enjoy their aroma. You decided that you wouldn’t have to take vacations in Florida because you’d have your own slice of Florida in the backyard. But alas, like a backyard swimming pool is not the place to do ten mile training swims, a backyard greenhouse is not the best place to sit and enjoy winter sunshine. Lots of things can happen.

Greenhouse ownership is fun, but it is fraught with unexpected events. Like the time when I lived in England and played cricket. A cricket ball is harder than a baseball by far and hitting it for six is like getting a homer in baseball. Unfortunately, near our cricket field was a very nice greenhouse in which the owner often found our cricket balls.

In fact, I’ve noticed that very hard balls have a distinct affinity for glass-sided greenhouses. Soft balls like soccer balls or footballs will often take pity on the greenhouse owner and bounce right off, but a hard ball like a cricket or baseball seems to enjoy the sound of tinkling glass.

Then there’s the problem of heating the greenhouse. When I was researching my book “How to Build Your Own Greenhouse” available from Amazon bookstore, I visited several greenhouses during a particularly severe winter here in Rhode Island (well, it was six to eight inches of snow!) This lady’s large single-pane greenhouse was warm and toasty, so was her husband when he got the heating bill. She spent over $700 in one month heating the giant greenhouse, but she enjoyed it when the sun shone. Frankly, for $700 I’d have flown to Florida and enjoyed real sunshine.

I hate to waste heating money so my greenhouses look like something out of gift wrapping horror show each winter. First, there’s the layer of Bubblewrap™ that covers the inside, then there’s the layer of Shrinkwrap™ - a marine plastic that shrinks when it is heated - over the outside. The plants are invisible under several

layers of horticultural fleece, all in the name of keeping everything warm so that I can enjoy fresh organic produce all winter long. Provided, that is, that I brave the cold, dig my way through Rhode Island’s latest snowfall (after all it was only six inches) and dig through the layers of material to find whatever plants the mice (who also like layers of fleece) have left me.

Recently, I went into the greenhouse on one of those rare sunny days to find that an animal had decided that my greenhouse made a perfect home for him, or her, and their offspring. They’d dug tunnels under the plants while well hidden from any stray hawks that might be flying through the greenhouse. They’d dug under the path, along the outer walls, under the drains and out under the electrical line. All my expensive and careful winter preparation was destroyed by this little critter who had decided that he, or she, didn’t want to make the long trek to Florida when they could enjoy all the delights of Florida along with a ready food supply in my greenhouse.

If you survive all these travails, then you’ll quickly learn what many poor people learn every day. Water is a heavy commodity. I figure it takes about thirty gallons of water to water my greenhouse. In my younger and more sprightly days (not so long ago, I’ll have you know), I toted a pair of three-gallon watering cans from the rain bucket to the greenhouse and watered by hand. Figure that’s five or six trips every other day and you’ll quickly figure out why I gave up free weights at the gym.

Then there is the manure for the greenhouse beds. I don’t know how they manage it, but greenhouse doors always seem to be one-inch narrower than the wheelbarrow full of manure or compost. So I stand in the door and cart endless buckets of manure to each greenhouse bed. Of course, I could be like normal people and put in a waterline or have all potted plants in the greenhouse and have no need for wheelbarrow loads of manure, but that’s not true greenhouse gardening. You need a little pain to really enjoy your greenhouse.

tHe triaLS OF GreeNHOuSe OWNerSHipby roger marshall

THe Back Door

Hobby Greenhouse Page 39

www.gesneriadsociety.org

Achimenes, Aeschynanthus, Chirita,

Columnea, Drymonia, Episcia,

Kohleria, Nematanthus, Petrocosmea,

Sinningia, Streptocarpus… These and

many other gesneriads are excellent

plants for the greenhouse hobbyist.

Purchase our 56-page manual “How to Know and Grow

Gesneriads” for US$10 postpaid anywhere, or join The Gesneriad

Society for one year for US$25 in USA, US$30 elsewhere. Go to www.gesneriadsociety.org or send check or credit card number with

expiration date and CVV code to The Gesneriad Society, Dept AVM,

PMB 637, 1122 E Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98122 USA. New

members receive a copy of “How to Know and Grow Gesneriads,”

two back issues and the next four quarterly issues of our journal Gesneriads, a package of mixed gesneriad seed, access to the

world’s largest source of gesneriad seed, and many other benets.

Do YoU belong to another gardening association?If so, ask if they would like to exchange ads andpublications with HGA. Contact Jan Hale at jhale@world.std.com for more information. (HGA Ads-Publications include reciprocal reprint rights with credit.)

33 Kintyre Ln.Bella Vista, AR 72715

Organizations...

Hobby Greenhouse Page 40

HObbY GreeNHOuSe aSSOciatiON80 Deaconess rd., Suite 443concord, ma 01742-4173phone (978) 369-3421

cHaNGe SerVice reQueSteD

NON-prOFit

prSrt StD

u.S.pOStaGe paiD

permit NO.2726

FreDericK, mD

HGa membership card