April 10, 2010 (No Registration Required)

10:30 AM Contain Yourself! - The latest trends in container gardening comes alive at Wallace's as our greenhouse experts Mary, Lisa, Kim, and Gail preview great new annuals for 2009 and reveal their favorite container plants. Always our most popular seminar, Container Gardening will also include advice on combinations for sun and shade as well as professional potting techniques. Learn about using unique combinations, perennials, tropicals and even garden ornaments to add some flare to your patio planters. Note: This session is a repeat of the April 3rd session.

April 17, 2010 (Registration Required, $10 Materials Fee)

10:30 AM Container Workshop- A fun, hands-on workshop for anyone from the planting novice to lifelong gardeners. Bring in your own container or select a stylish new one from our wide selection. Wallace's greenhouse experts will help you choose great plants for your container and be on-hand to answer any questions as you plant your own creative combination container. $10 fee includes Wallaces Container Mix and a jar of Wallaces Bloom and Grow Water Soluble Fertilizer. Participants are responsible for cost of plant material. (In order to accommodate everyone, we ask that you attend only one session.

Named the 2005 Herb of the Year, oregano, light green in color with an aromatic odor, blooms with purple blossoms from July through October. A member of the mint family, this species is a hardy perennial in warmer climates, is easily grown from either seeds or cuttings, and may be divided. (If you are growing from seeds, sow them in rows 18” apart, early in the season; cover lightly with soil, and thin the young plants to 12” apart.)

Oregano is not only a useful and usual addition to any herb garden, it also makes a wonderfully easy-to-grow houseplant! While it is still small, place it in a sunny window in well-drained soil and watch it grow! Not a fussy plant, oregano does fine in average soil, and will tolerate dry soil conditions. In fact, a native of the Mediterranean region, it is perfectly capable of withstanding droughts.

The leaves of the tarragon herb are glossy, narrow, and spear-shaped with smooth edges, and are used, along with the stems, in cooking. Its flavor is sweet with a hint of anise, and while a potent herb, often used in making flavored vinegars and oils, scrambled eggs with fresh tarragon are “a bit of heaven.” The predominant flavor in béarnaise sauce, tarragon also complements fish, soup and grilled meats. This gardener wouldn’t think of preparing lemon chicken sauté without including fresh chopped tarragon!

French tarragon (as opposed to Russian tarragon, which is far more mild and bitter in taste) is a sterile plant, therefore cannot be grown from seeds. When you are creating your herb garden this spring, this is one plant that will need to be purchased. To ensure fresh tarragon all year round, chop the leaves, place them in small plastic freezer bags, and press to remove excess air before sealing and freezing.

This marvelous herb (which originated in the Far East, was brought to Europe a mere five hundred years ago, and embraced by Canadian and Native American Indian tribes as well as by French chefs), will prove to be an aromatic augmentation to your herb garden.

If you have ever eaten a savory lamb chop, a rosemary-enhanced spaghetti sauce, or grilled seafood on skewers made of the leaf-stripped stems of the rosemary plant, you already understand why it was named the Herb of the Year in 2000, and why nearly every kitchen, no matter how sophisticated or how simplistic, has, at the least, a bottle of rosemary leaves as part of its arsenal. It is one of the easiest plants to grow, in just about any USDA zone, as long as in the colder regions it is brought indoors to winter, given strong southern light, well-draining alkaline soil, and not too much water. If grown outdoors, this amazing herb may be planted in a raised bed, or in containers and pots which will make the move inside easier. We lucky gardeners in the south enjoy rosemary as a perennial that provides us with fresh taste year-round.

One of our favorite songs features in its title one of our favorite herbs. With its subtle, dry aroma and slightly minty flavor, thyme is a common seasoning used in cooking poultry and stuffing, fish sauces, and chowders and soups. It complements lamb and veal, is equally delicious in egg dishes, and enhances tomato-based sauces.

Thyme is one of the easiest herbs to grow; it prefers lean conditions, with plenty of sun, as you would expect from a native of the Mediterranean region. With over a hundred known varieties and classifications of thyme (such as upright, creeping, shrub-like, English or French thyme, garden or wild), the ways you can incorporate it into your garden are only as limited as your imagination. Often used as a ground cover, it’s also great as an edger; trailing varieties bring aroma and texture to container gardens. This hardy evergreen is a perennial in USDA zones 5 to 9+, but gardeners in colder regions can winter them inside and enjoy fresh herbs all year round.

Is it cilantro or is it coriander?

Well, actually it’s both. Cilantro refers to the leaves of the plant, and coriander references the seeds. This gentle little herb with lacy, fern-like leaves is a social creature, requiring other plants growing around it to aid in holding it up on its spindly stems that can reach 2+ feet in height; excellent companion plants are caraway, anise and dill. An annual, this native of Asia and the Mediterranean regions prefers full to partial sun. In ideal conditions, cilantro (leaves) will last about 8 to 10 weeks before flowering. To ensure such conditions (this herb is not a friend of weeds), mulch to keep the roots cool and weed-free. Once the herb flowers, producing a delicate white to lavender display, seeds will form; harvest them immediately upon the leaves and flowers having turned brown, but prior to the seeds dispersing. To do this, cut the entire plant and hang it to dry upside down in paper bags. Occasionally shake the bags to thresh the seeds, but be certain that they have fully dried; coriander seeds can be bitter if only partially dry. Once you have harvested the dried seeds, roast them in a frying pan over low to medium heat, frequently shaking the pan. Cool, then crush with a mortar and pestle just before use; this will release the flavor, and the trademark lemon-scented odor. The wise herb gardener will retain some of the seeds prior to drying for replanting every few weeks to guarantee a continuous supply.

The citrusy tang of cilantro has become a popular addition to Mexican cuisine, while Chinese, Thai, and Indonesian cuisines use both cilantro and coriander. Thai curries incorporate the chopped leaves of cilantro, while Indian curry powders owe their aromatic quality to ground coriander.

Whether you call it cilantro or coriander, the distinctive characteristics of this tiny miracle herb make it a must-have for any herb garden.

Spring is the time to fertilize your permanent plantings. Most ornamental trees, bushes, lawns and ground covers will respond well to fertilizer right now. In good years, abundant spring rains green up the hillsides and bring out wildflowers, gardeners don't have to water as much, and salts are leached out of our soils. On the other hand, heavy rains also wash soluble nutrients, especially nitrogen, down to lower levels--sometimes out of reach of roots. In that case, fertilize the basic landscape with a complete granulated fertilizer high in nitrogen. If you have a straggly ground cover that's never quite covered the ground, a sprinkling of granulated fertilizer as soon as the weather warms will do wonders. Water it in thoroughly or apply it when the weatherman says that it's going to rain.

This doesn't mean you should simply fertilize everything in sight. Many plants fall into the broad category of specialty plants because they require special handling. Some specialty plants, including cacti, succulents, and native plants, have little or no need for fertilizer. Others, like azaleas, ferns, roses, fruit trees, and vegetables have unique requirements. Ask one of our knowledgeable garden center experts about the best amendments for your own garden's individual needs.

There are other exceptions, too. Old overgrown gardens in rich soil sometimes become virtual jungles, feeding on their own refuse. To fertilize a garden when there's no sign of nitrogen deficiency--like stunted growth, yellow leaves, or disease--may simply contribute to more growth. Growth requires constant pruning, and once invasive plants have become established, you will wish you had never planted them at all. Feeding them would make their growth even more unrestrained.

Plant new permanent specimens. Spring is one of only two optimal planting times each year, when gardeners plant almost anything grown in the permanent landscape, such as trees, shrubs, vines, and ground covers. The other is autumn. Planting in fall is traditionally considered to be just a bit better than planting in spring, but after a year or two you'll never know the difference. Now through early summer is the time to look your garden over: objectively look at its strengths and weaknesses; replace troublemakers you don't like; and add permanent specimens where needed. Choose drought-tolerant plants over heavy water users if you can, and be sure to group plants according to their needs for water, sun shade, and soil type. Before purchasing any plant, research its requirements and growth habits.

We would be happy to help you select the best plants, amendments, and fertilizers for your specific landscape. You'll be on your way to building a better garden this year!

If you have ever eaten a savory lamb chop, a rosemary-enhanced spaghetti sauce, or grilled seafood on skewers made of the leaf-stripped stems of the rosemary plant, you already understand why rosemary was named the "Herb of the Year" in 2000, and why nearly every kitchen, no matter how sophisticated or how simplistic, has a bottle of rosemary leaves as part of its arsenal.

It is one of the easiest plants to grow, in just about any USDA zone. In the colder regions it should be brought indoors to winter, given strong southern light, well-draining alkaline soil, and not too much water. If grown outdoors, this amazing herb may be planted in a raised bed, or in containers and pots which will make a move inside easier.

If you live in the south, rosemary is a perennial that will provide you with fresh taste year-round. And in these economic times, growing your own herbs will not only be a positive impact on your purse, it will also enliven tired recipes, and help you develop your young ones' palates.

But it is perhaps the history of this herb that makes it a subject of much literature and lore. The ancients were quite familiar with this shrub. Greek scholars wore garlands of rosemary during examinations in order to improve their memories and rejuvenate their spirits.

It was touted by Pliny the Elder (who gave the herb the name rosmarinus, meaning "sea dew") as a cure for bad eyesight, jaundice and miscellaneous wounds. Rosemary was substituted for the more costly incense, and called by its French name, incensier. The Spaniards had a legend that the bush sheltered the Virgin Mary in the holy family's flight into Egypt. She draped her cloak over a rosemary bush, turning the color of the blossoms from white to blue; they called it romero (the Pilgrim's Flower).

It was a common sight for rosemary to be burned in sick chambers (perhaps the strong odor was thought enough to evict the foul fevers), and in contemporary French hospitals it is still burnt in conjunction with juniper berries to purify the air and prevent infection.

Romance surrounds the myth of the rosemary. In the 14th century, Queen Elizabeth of Hungary had a potion made of rosemary and lavender to inflame the passions of the King of Poland, who requested her hand in marriage. She was 72 years of age; he was 26. This miraculous potion became known as Budapest water, and was the modern-day equivalent of a beauty product for women for hundreds of years.

"There is rosemary, that's for remembrance, pray, love, remember." Thus spake Shakespeare's Ophelia. Along with remembrance, rosemary symbolizes loyalty and thus has been long associated with weddings.

So we invoke the power of rosemary in the hope of healing gout, the plague, colds, headaches, dyspepsia, or as a stimulant for memory. We use it in topiaries, potpourri, or bath salts...what more can you ask for in one plant?

Click here for a wonderful rosemary cookie recipe!

By Tamara Galbraith

Once believed to cure everything from mad dog bites to baldness, the onion has never ceased to amaze — both in and out of the kitchen. Onions are perhaps the most versatile veggie in existence, when it comes to cooking.

As for growing, onions are also versatile. Gardeners can purchase both dormant "sets" as well as transplants, or start onions from seed. (Whether you decide to start onions from sets or seeds, it's good practice to pre-soak them in compost tea for 15 minutes prior to planting.)

What's nice, in the case of bulbing-type onions, is you can harvest them at the point of your choosing; that is, if you want a bulbette size, pull 'em up early, or let them get to burger-slicing size if you wish. Green onions, also known as scallions or bunching onions, are also easy to grow, and mature faster than bulbing onions do.

No matter what starting form you choose, onions prefer growing conditions that are cool but not cold, plus well-draining moist soil, and at least six hours of full sun per day. If you're planting sets, space them about 2"-6" inches apart, depending on the onions' mature size, and about 1/2" deep in the ground, making sure the pointed end is facing up.

Bulbing onions are fully mature when the tops turn brownish yellow and droop over. After carefully digging them from the soil, you should leave onions either outdoors or inside in a well-ventilated area to cure for about two weeks. This will allow the outer skins to dry and will help them to store better.

Onions make excellent, well behaved neighbors for fast-maturing, early spring veggies such as lettuce, as they both like the same growth conditions and can be snuggled in together without too much interference.

By Tamara Galbraith

Many nurseries in warmer zones of the U.S. have their potato "seeds" out for purchase now. You can get anything from Purple Peruvian to Russian Banana fingerlings. Whatever the variety, make sure the seeds you purchase are marked as "certified" and are firm and unsprouted. Late winter is a good time to start spuds.

If the seed potatoes are small- to medium-sized, plant the whole potato. If they are larger--say, bigger than your fist--you can cut them into pieces, ensuring each section has two or three "eyes" or growth bumps. After cutting, let the potatoes cure for a day or two, so the cut surface calluses over. You can also let them start to sprout in a warm indoor area to give them a head start before planting.

A fun and easy way to grow potatoes is in an above-ground bin, a method that has been popular with Scandinavians for hundreds of years. This a great growing alternative for those of us with small backyards.

The container can be almost anything, from a garbage bag, wire cage, or trash can to a stack of clean tires. Whatever container you choose should be at least 2' in diameter and 4' feet tall. Garden or potting soil is placed in the bottom. Bury the seeds, cut side down, about two inches deep and one foot apart and cover with a thick (12") layer of chopped leaves, pine needles or straw. Water thoroughly and make sure that whatever container you use has adequate drainage; for example, a garbage bag will need to have holes punched in the bottom.

As the potatoes sprout and the foliage begins to emerge above the soil, add more chopped leaves or straw and water weekly. Continue to add material as the foliage gets taller, always leaving about 2 inches of the plant showing. Potatoes generally take about 100 days to mature, but you can harvest them as soon as the spuds are big enough to eat. However, a good gauge of knowing when your potatoes are close to mature (when they must be harvested) is when the plants turn brown and die. At that point, you should let everything sit for two weeks as the potatoes complete their final bit of curing. Then harvest your spuds gently, and enjoy!