Wallace's Garden News: February, 2008

Edition 8.08

February, 2008

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February

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Contact Information:

Wallace's in Bettendorf

Telephone:
563-332-4711

Address:
2605 Devils Glen Rd
Bettendorf, IA 52722

Wallace's in Davenport

Telephone:
563-445-2458

Address:
6227 NW Blvd
Davenport, IA 52806

E-Mail:
Click to e-mail us.

Store hours:
9 AM to 5 PM daily

Seminars

Winter/Spring 2008 Lecture Series

Bettendorf Location Only

February 23, 2008 (No Registration Required)

10:30 AM Tropical Top 20
Indoor Gardening just got easier. Wallace's Greenhouse experts will introduce you to the top 20 houseplants for mid-western homes. Go beyond the basic philodendron and see easy-to-grow plants that will add life to any room in your home. Plant maintenance and propagation will be touched on in this lecture.

March 1, 2008 (No Registration Required)

10:30 AM Final Cut: Pruning Basics
Finally, there's a method to the madness. Let Wallace's nursery expert, Kate Nelson, guide you through the confusion of tree and shrub pruning. To look their best, all landscapes need to be maintained with some pruning. Let us show you when and how. Kate will also preview the best techniques and tools to get the job done right with minimal effort.

March 8, 2008 (No Registration Required)

10:30 AM Plants En Vogue
Your fashion runway for the chic, stylish garden. Let Wallace's nursery experts show you what's new and hot for 2008. From new shrubs and perennials to the very latest in roses, Wallace's has your first look at the garden must-haves for this year.

March 15, 2008 (Paid Admission to the Show Required)

QCCA Flower and Garden Show
Get ready to be inspired and head over to the flower and garden show. Wallace's has brought in several garden and plant experts to talk about landscape design, container gardening and organic, environmentally friendly alternatives for the garden. Check Wallace's website at www.wallacesgardencenter.com for details on this popular event.

March 22, 2008 (No Registration Required)

10:30 AM Critter Control: Rabbits and Moles
Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail were cute--but don't be deceived. Rabbits and moles are some of the most destructive (and expensive) pests in any home landscape. Stop in to see the latest techniques and garden products to rid your home of these furry foes. We will also be discussing rabbit resistant plants in this lecture.

March 29, 2008 (No Registration Required)

10:30 AM Herbs and Veggies 101
Salads with fresh tomato and basil, homemade salsa, cool mojitos with fresh mint…. Have you always dreamt of growing your own fresh veggies and herbs? Have you been to too afraid to try? Let us show you the basics of getting started with growing your own produce. We'll show you how to amend your soil and use organics for the healthiest produce. Whether you have one tomato plant in a pot, a simple kitchen herb garden, or a huge garden, we can show you just how easy it is to get that crisp, fresh taste that only comes from the garden.

March 29, 2008 (No Registration Required)

1:30 PM Home Décor: Inside and Out
It's time to give your living space a makeover. Let Wallace's home décor merchandisers, fresh from the Atlanta and Chicago markets, show you the trends for 2008. From the latest color trends to the best ways to accessorize with plants and pottery, you'll learn how to update your home so you can enjoy the outdoors (and indoors) in comfort and style.

April 5, 2008 Wallace's Spring Open House (No Registration Required)

10:30 AM Container Gardening
The hottest trend in gardening comes alive at Wallace's as our greenhouse experts Mary, Lisa, Gail, and Crystal preview great new annuals for 2008 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.

1:30 PM Advanced Container Gardening
Have you been container gardening for a while? Up for a new challenge? Join Wallace's container gardening gurus for ideas that will take your container gardening to the next level. Learn about using unique combinations, perennials, tropicals, and even garden ornaments to give some flare to your patio planters. Prepare to be inspired!

April 6, 2008 Wallace's Spring Open House (No Registration Required)

1:30 PM This Just in
There are so many great new products on the market that we just couldn't wait to show them off. Join Wallace's talented buyers and merchandisers as they preview the latest in plants, gardening tools and chemicals, casual furniture, gifts, home décor and outdoor living accents. The perfect way to get inspired for spring.

April 12, 2008

10:30 AM Turf Talk
Have you been trying for years to have that perfect lawn? Ever wonder how they get Wrigley Field so green? Let Wallace's Turf Experts, trained at the Scott's Institute, show you how to make your lawn barefoot-friendly and golf course green. We'll go over everything from seeding, sodding, and mowing to watering and fertilizing. This is a can't-miss event for anyone with a lawn.

April 19, 2008 (Registration Required, $10)

10:30 AM and 1:30 PM Spring Container Workshop
A fun, hands-on workshop for anyone from the planting novice to lifelong gardeners. Bring in your own container to plant or select a stylish new one from our wide selection. Wallace's greenhouse experts will help you select great plants for your container and be on hand to answer any questions as you plant your own creative combination container. $10 Fee includes Wallace's Special Greenhouse Potting Mix and jar of Wallace's Bloom & Grow Water Soluble Fertilizer. Participants are responsible for cost of plant material. (In order to accommodate everyone, we ask that you only attend one session.)

For event details, go to www.wallacesgardencenter.com or call 563-332-4711.
All events will be held in the Ginkgo Room of Wallace's Bettendorf Location.

A great way to shake off the winter blues and get a jump on spring is to start plants from seed indoors. It's not only fun and easy to do but also rewarding, since it allows home gardeners the opportunity to grow plant varieties that may not be available from local plant growers. The opportunities are endless with many unique varieties of flowers, vegetables, and even ornamental vines available in seed form. Seed starting is a great winter activity to do with children.

To get started, come visit our seed department. Once you have made your selections, look on the back of the packet for basic information such as germination time and an estimate of how long to grow the plant indoors before transplanting into the garden. Find out the average safe date for transplanting your plant in our area (Usually around Mid-May in the Quad Cities Area), and then count backwards to find out how early you can start your seeds. If you have a greenhouse or cold frame to transplant into, adjust accordingly.

The best containers to use are shallow seed starting trays with covers. Another option is to use peat pots, but plastic or clay pots will do just fine in a pinch. If using containers from a previous growing season, wash them with a solution of one part household bleach to nine parts water to sterilize them. This helps prevent the transfer of disease. Or, get everything you need in a convenient kit like the Burpee Seed Starting Greenhouse Kit. The kit is available in 36 or 72 cell sizes.

For good germination results, fill your containers with a light soil mixlike Fertlome's Seedling and Cutting Starter Mix that has good drainage and moisture retention properties. Do not use garden soil. Make sure to wet your soil mix and allow it to drain before sowing the seeds into your containers.

Find a warm location in your home with plenty of light, or an area where you can mount a light above the plants. Most plants only need moisture and warmth to germinate, but will need the light to grow once they sprout leaves. Plain fluorescent light bulbs are fine when starting seeds but consider using at least one "grow light" tube if you are going to keep the plants under lights for an extended time (if you are trying to get full-sized plants by transplant time, you'll need a grow light or a very bright window). Remember that seedlings will quickly become weak and leggy plants if they don't receive enough light.

Seeds generally need a soil temperature above 65º to germinate. If you have trouble maintaining that temperature, consider using a heating mat. Covering your containers with plastic will help hold in moisture and create a humid environment that encourages the seed to germinate. That's why covered seed starting trays are the easiest containers to use.

Make sure your plants don't get too hot under the plastic, especially if you have the containers in a sunny area or under a warm light. Remove the plastic as soon as you see any signs of germination. Keep the soil mix evenly moist, and use lukewarm water if possible. Water very gently to avoid disturbing the tender seedlings.

When your seed germinates, it will send up a sprout with two seed leaves called cotyledons. After that, true leaves will follow. Begin feeding your seedlings weekly with a half-strength solution of fertilizer (Wallaces recommends Miracle All Purpose Water Soluble Plant Food or Wallaces All Purpose Plant Food Water Soluble Fertilzer) when the first true leaves develop. Continue feeding the seedlings until they are ready to be transplanted. The plants will be ready when the entire root ball is held together by the plant roots.

Make sure to harden off your plants before transplanting them into the garden. "Hardening off" is the process of acclimating plants to the light, humidity, and temperatures found outdoors. Start by placing your seedling containers outdoors in a shaded, sheltered location for a couple of hours per day. Gradually increase the time spent outside by an hour each day for at least a week before transplanting the seedling. With the exception of tomatoes, plant the seedlings at the same level they were grown in their pot. Tomatoes can be buried deeper than they grew in the pot--they will grow roots from the buried portion of the stem.

After transplanting, if your neighbors ask where you bought all those wonderful plants, just tell them, "They're truly homegrown!"

This Valentine's day, give a gift to your sweetie and to your planet. Instead of buying roses that are often imported from South America, save some energy and buy local. In 2005, over 180 million stems of roses were imported into the US for Valentine's day. Come to Wallace's for homegrown flowering cyclamen and azaleas in red, pink, and white. These potted plants will last much longer than a rose bouquet and you'll get points for being unique.

Still think you have to send roses? Check out sites like organicbouquet.com for growers who don't use harmful pesticides to get those beautiful blooms.

Flower and Garden Show

Friday March 14th--10 AM to 9 PM
Saturday March 15th--10AM to 8 PM
Sunday March 16th--10 AM to 4 PM

New For This Year

Quad City Area Expert Panel
Got Questions? We've got answers. For the first time ever, we have put together a panel of area experts in all garden categories. From pond and landscape design to soil amendments and plants, bring any gardening question you can think of and get the answer you've been looking for.

Featured Speakers:
• Liz Hunt, from Ball Horticultural Company, will be speaking on "Simply Beautiful Container Gardening," Saturday at 10:30 AM and again at 1:30 PM.
• Dr. Anne Marie VanDerZanden, from Iowa State University, will be speaking Friday at 5:30 PM about landscape design. Click here for more information on Dr. VanDerZanden.
• Sandy Danckwart, from Bonide, will be talking about environmentally friendly and organic products to use in the garden, Sunday at 11:30 AM.

Wallace's Garden Center is a major sponsor of this show. Tickets are available at Wallace's: Advance sale prices: $5 for adults, $1 for ages 6-16, Free for ages 5 and under.
For more information, please visit the QCCA Flower and Garden Show website.

What You'll Need:

1 prepared chocolate pie crust (6-oz)
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 can (14-oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

For Chocolate Topping
2 oz. semi-sweet baking chocolate
1/4 cup whipping cream

Step by Step:

Preheat oven to 350º.

Beat cream cheese with mixer until fluffy; gradually add condensed milk and beat until smooth.

Add egg, lemon juice and vanilla; mix well.

Arrange raspberries on bottom of pie crust. Slowly pour cheese mixture over fruit.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool.

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate with whipping cream. Cook and stir until thickened and smooth.

Remove from heat.

Top cheesecake with chocolate topping; chill. Garnish with fresh raspberries if desired.

Yield: 8 servings

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