January and February Seminar Schedule

 Opportunities for learning are everywhere, and we are back to a busy in-person seminar schedule for winter and early spring. Take a look at our schedule here and look for updates on our website, facebook, and instagram pages. 

We will usually meet in our greenhouse

Welcome to the World of Bonsai January 6, 9 am: We're delighted to have Martha Meehan, of Meehan's Miniatures back again this year. The first of 11 seminars that Martha will host is a basic class for new enthusiasts. Ficus is our Plant of the month. 

Martha's classes are scheduled the first Saturday of every month

Native Plants Winter Sowing Workshop January 13, 10 am:  Wild Ones Greater Baltimore hopes to educate and empower gardeners to help their local and surrounding ecosystems grow and thrive by using native plants and sustainable practices in our landscapes. Join Vinaya Frank and members of our local community for a winter seed sowing workshop to learn more about growing natives in our gardens. Please register for this class via our website or the website for Wild Ones. 

Photo courtesy of Wild Ones Greater Baltimore

Plant a Pot of Succulents Workshop January 27, 9 am: Plant your own potted garden of succulents. Our locally grown plants come in many varieties. Most plants cost $4.99. Include a clay pot, 3-5 succulents and soil for an approximate cost of $35 for today’s project. Led by our Greenhouse staff.

Kokedama Workshop January 27, 11:00 am: The Japanese Kokedama translates to moss ball. Chris will provide today’s instruction as we transplant plants into muck, then wrap the roots in moss. String design will finish off the project. The Kokedama balls can be displayed on a shelf or hung from the ceiling. Average cost of project $25.

Chris loves Kokedama

Bonsai Care and Feeding February 3, 9:00 am: Today’s seminar teaches enthusiasts about fertilizers, soils, and potting bonsai. Propagation of the plants we use for bonsai will also be addressed. Martha Meehan leads the class. Our Plant of the Month is Chamaecyparis.

Orchid Care and Repotting February 3, 11:00 am: Eric will demonstrate repotting an orchid. Bring your orchid; we will lend a helping hand as participants then repot their own plants. There will be a small fee for Orchid Potting Mix.

Eric demonstrates orchid care

Container Gardens and Terrariums for Valentine's Day Workshop February 10, 9:00 am: Create an adorable garden for your sweetheart (or yourself) using indoor plants with a heart. We will use red and pink plants and/or plants with heart-shaped leaves to design today’s planter. Children are welcome. Average cost of materials: $30.00. Brittany and Abby

Miniature and Fairy Garden Workshop February 10, 11:00 am: Create a new fairy garden or update an older garden with today’s workshop combining the best of design techniques with plants suitable for miniature gardening. The cost of your fairy garden will be based on the pot, soil, fairies, and plants.

Tillandsia (Air-plant) and Bromeliad Workshop February 17, 9:00 am: Air-plants have become very popular due to their ease of care and amazing design possibilities. Our Greenhouse team will present several designs. Participants may create their own. Most tillandsias cost $4.99. Total project costs will vary.

What's New in Houseplants and Tropicals? February 24, 9:00 am: Houseplants and Tropicals are HOT! Learn about some of the new varieties available from Valley View Farms and our growers from Florida. Stay connected through our Instagram posts. Learn from Eric, our buyer, who’s passion for houseplants knows no bounds. 

Eric and Cynthia are 2 of our knowledgeable speakers 

Vegetable Gardening Basics February 24, 11:00 am: New to gardening? Learn about what plants need to grow, seeds vs. transplants, how to read seed packets and fertilizer labels, gardening zones and best planting dates, sustainable and organic gardening practices, dealing with weeds, insects, and diseases, when to harvest, planting in the ground vs. in containers, soil amendments, pH, and more. Carrie will lead today’s class and discussion.  

We will be donating $5 per workshop participant to the WBAL Radio Kids Campaign.

Plant of the Week: Rosemary

 

Rosemary is a fragrant herb that grows as a tender perennial in our area, but is reliably hardy in USDA zones 8 or higher. Rosemary, Salvia rosmarinus, previously known as Rosmarinus officinalis, sports gray-green leaves on woody stems. Some varieties grow very upright, others have a trailing habit. 

Jan grows Rosemary in Calvert County, MD

Yes, the chickens are photobombing the pic

Small clusters of purple-blue, or sometimes white flowers bloom spring into fall. Native to Mediterranean region in dry, rocky areas, Rosemary should be planted in an area with full sun, in a light soil that drains well, whether in a container or in the ground. The plant does not tolerate wet, humid spaces. 

Rosemary is adaptable to all sorts of gardens. Wonderful in pollinator and cutting gardens, in edible and rock gardens, the fragrance of this evergreen shrub is suitable for patios too.  

Rosemary is known as the herb of remembrance. It's fragrance is immediately identifiable; rosemary is often used in potpourris and sachets. It is cultivated as a prized culinary herb as well, used in recipes for roasted potatoes, chicken, biscuits and many beverages. I was gifted a Mocktail gift basket, that included rosemary to be used in several beverage recipes. A friend made some delicious rosemary and sugared walnuts...yum!

Larger pots of Rosemary are often available

In most cases, Rosemary would need to overwinter indoors in our area. Place the plant in a sunny window, with good air circulation around the plant. Use Rosemary often; it grows back quickly. 

Wild Rosemary, growing in Capetown, South Africa's famed Kirstenboch Botanical Garden, looks similar but has a different botanical name than the Mediterranean Rosemary

We carry many varieties of Rosemary in the spring, from small starter plants to larger specimens available to us from our herb grower. A few varieties are available year 'round. 

Plant of the Week: Bonsai

 

Bonsai, tree in a pot, includes many plants grown around the world.

Deciduous Bonsai

This week, we visit the world of Bonsai. Bonsai, simply translated, means tree in pot. Bonsai does not refer to a specific type of plant material. Many of us have watched The Karate Kid movies that featured Junipers. Evergreens, like Junipers, and Deciduous trees, (materials that lose their leaves in the winter), produce excellent specimens.

Pomegranate

We have found at our garden center that most people want to grow their bonsai indoors for most or part of the year. For that reason, we carry primarily tropical and sub-tropical finished bonsai and starter plants in our greenhouse. Materials for outdoor bonsai can be found outside with our regular nursery stock. 

Mistletoe Fig finished Bonsai

Bougainvillea finished Bonsai

Our Bonsai grower propagates, grows, and trains the material we carry from beginning to end. We have a nice selection of finished Bonsai, starter plants, wire, bonsai pots, soils mixed for specific types of trees, and accent plants that we use as companion plants and in terrariums. We are very honored to have Martha Meehan from Meehan's Miniatures teach classes at Valley View Farms on the first Saturday of every month. Our first class of the season, on Saturday, January 6,at 9 am, is an excellent time for people who are new to the hobby to learn the basics of Bonsai tree care. Bring your tree to the class with you if you would like.  Pick up a schedule while here in the store, or check our website for the monthly schedule. We will have a Create Your Own Bonsai workshop for our April 6th meeting. 

 

Martha Meehan conducting a Bonsai seminar in or greenhouse

I've been very fortunate to see Bonsai at Martha's nursery, the Bonsai collections at both Longwood Gardens and the National Arboretum, and other Botanical Gardens across the United States. On a trip to South Africa a few years ago, our group visited the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens in Cape Town where we viewed more beautiful Bonsai trees.

Brittany loves to travel and enjoys plants wherever she goes

Matt is a Bonsai enthusiast in Southern California. Like me, he enjoyed seeing this collection halfway around the world. 

The collections were extraordinary in all of the locations we visited. I am envious of Martha and her husband Hugh's visit to China many years ago to see the art/science used in creating these beauties where it began. 

I'll be starting a bit smaller, working on Bonsai that may be just a few years in training. Wish me luck. 

Plant of the Week: Frosty Ferns

The gift basket features a white Princettia, English ivy, Plumosa fern and Frosty fern. 

Frosty fern, Selaginella kraussiana, is so named for the white tips that form on the leaves in winter. The coloration and festive foliage make it a natural to use in holiday gift baskets with a poinsettia, cyclamen and/or Christmas cactus. The white tips will fade after a bit; this fern ally will continue to thrive indoors long after Christmas. 

White frosted tips arrive in time for the holidays

Though not a true fern, nor a moss as it is occasionally identified, this is among the fern allies that grow similarly. Indoors, Frosty ferns like bright light, though not full sun. It may be moved outdoors, after all danger of frost has passed, in a shady spot. Move it back in before fall's first frost. 

Several varieties of Selaginella are sold year 'round. Many are perfect for terrariums.

The Frosty fern likes to be kept moist and enjoys high humidity. It will thrive in a terrarium atmosphere or on a tray of pebbles which will help to keep humidity levels at 70 %. Ideally, temperatures would range between 65 and 80 degrees F. 

Selaginella kraussiana is native to South Africa, east Africa and islands in the region. 

Ruby and light green are among the colors and forms of Selaginella.

For more information on this unique plant, follow this link to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Cape Town, South Africa. I was lucky enough to visit years ago and see the incredible natives in this very specialized plant zone. 

Plant of the Week...Phalaenopsis Orchid

Orchids are America's favorite flowering plant

America's favorite orchid, and maybe even houseplant, is the Phalaenopsis, aka the Moth Orchid, so named for it's flower shape. Available in many outlets, including garden centers like Valley View Farms, Phals are easy to grow and priced reasonably. 

Love the arching stems of Moth Orchids in outdoor mixed planters

Phalaenopsis are epiphytic, growing on tree trunks, branches and rocks. They send out fleshy, aerial roots that often grow outside of the pot at your local garden center.  Do not cut the roots off as this is how the plant gets its moisture and nutrition. I've had the blooms of the Moth Orchid last for several months. The flowers stalks begin at the base of the orchid, growing from leaf joints. The tall flower spikes naturally fall forward in a beautiful, arching form. In stores, most are staked and held by floral ties or clips to keep them upright. 

Beautiful colors, spectacular blooms

How to care for Phalaenopsis:

Moth Orchids like the same conditions as other common houseplants like African Violets. Provide an

east or shaded south-facing window. Phalaenopsis can also be grown and cultivated under grow lights. Daytime temperatures between 70-85 F and nighttime temperatures above 60 F will suit them.

Simple, arching forms

 Watering Moth Orchids is slightly different than watering other houseplants as they are planted in a special bark mix to allow for good air circulation. Keep the orchid bark medium moist, always allowing for good drainage. Special orchid pots are a good investment for the orchid collector.

Orchid pots have holes in the side to allow for better air circulation for the roots

 Fertilize with a general purpose or orchid specialty food in the spring and summer. In the fall, switch to a blossom booster fertilizer, coupled with cooler nights, to induce plants to set buds and flower.

 Provide humidity by placing pots on pebble trays, keeping the water level low enough to not interfere with the plant's roots. Do not use the ice method of watering. These are tropical plants that like warm, tepid water. 

Most fertilizer companies have a specialty orchid food

After their bloom period, leave the flower stalk as Phals may form new flowering branches along old stems. If the stem browns, cut it back. Repot every year or two. The orchid potting mix tends to break down. Repot in late spring using the aforementioned potting mix. 

Look for potting mixes particularly for orchids

Valley View Farms offers an orchid repotting class every winter. Eric R will demonstrate and talk about Phalaenopsis and other orchids. Stay tuned for our 2024 Seminar Schedule to be released soon. In the meantime, get on board the orchid train and enjoy these incredible plants in your home and office. 

Longwood Gardens 

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Plant of the Week...Poinsettia

 One of the most traditional and delightful decorations at Christmas is the poinsettia. While the classic color choice is a vibrant red, these days there is a wide array of other colors, including pink, white, marbled, speckled, and lime. The colorful parts of the plant, the bracts, are actually modified leaves. The flower (cyathia) is small, green or yellow, and situated in the middle of the bracts. Native to Central America, the plant was called cuetlaxochitl by the Aztecs, who used the plant for dying textiles, cosmetics and medicinal purposes.

Joel Poinsett

The poinsettia was “discovered” by Joel Roberts Poinsett, a hobbyist botanist, who was appointed by John Quincy Adams as the first U. S. Ambassador to Mexico in 1825 and fell in love with this unique plant.

We step it up for our poinsettia displays

CARE OF POINSETTIAS:

Place plant in indirect sunlight for at least six hours per day. If direct sun can’t be avoided, diffuse the light with a shade or sheer curtain.

Provide room temperatures between 68–70°F. Generally speaking, if you are comfortable, so is your poinsettia. Water your plant when the soil feels dry to the touch.

Abby and Chris man our sleeving station

Allow us to “sleeve” your plant to protect it from the cold and other damage while in transport.

Fertilize your plant AFTER it blooms with a balanced, all-purpose fertilizer.

Keep plants away from cold drafts or excessive heat (avoid open windows, fireplaces, appliances, ventilation ducts, etc.).

Painted purple for the Ravens!

Don’t expose plants to temperatures below 50°F. Poinsettias are sensitive to cold, so don’t put them outside during the winter months!

And, like most plants, do not overwater or allow your plant to sit in standing water. Always remove the potted plant from the decorative foil or pot cover to water and then drain. 

Longwood displays inspire

Re-Blooming your Poinsettia

With proper care, dedication and a certain amount of luck, you too can re-bloom your poinsettia! As the beauty of the plant begins to “fade” by late March or early April, cut it back to about 8” in height. Continue a regular watering program, and fertilize your plant with a balanced fertilizer. By the end of May, you should see vigorous new growth. After all chance of frost has passed and night temperatures average 55°F or above, place your plants outdoors in indirect sunlight. Continue regular watering and fertilize every 2 to 3 weeks. Pruning may be required in late June or early July to keep plants bushy and compact. Do not prune after September 1.

Breeders are constantly improving the colors and positive traits of the poinsettia

In early June, you may transplant your poinsettia into a larger pot. Select a pot no more than 2” larger than the original pot. A soil mix with a considerable amount of organic matter, such as peat moss or leaf mold, is highly recommended.

Leah and our greenhouse team keep displays beautiful

Starting October 1, the plants must be kept in complete darkness for 14 continuous hours each night. Accomplish this by moving the plants to a totally dark room, or by covering them overnight with a large box. During October, November and early December, poinsettias require 6-8 hours of bright sunlight daily, with night temperatures between 60–70F. Temperatures outside of this range could delay flowering. Continue the normal watering and fertilizer program. Carefully following this regime for 8 to 10 weeks should result in a colorful display of blooms for the holiday season!

We grow most of the poinsettias in our own farm greenhouses

The Legend of the Poinsettia

Pepita was a poor Mexican girl who had no gift to present the Christ Child on Christmas Eve. As Pepita walked sadly to the chapel with her cousin Pedro, her heart felt no joy. “I am sure, Pepita, that even the most humble gift, if given in love, will be acceptable,” said Pedro consolingly. Not knowing what else to do, Pepita knelt by the roadside and gathered a handful of weeds, fashioning them into a small bouquet. Looking at the scraggly bunch of weeds, she felt embarrassed by the humbleness of her offering. She fought back a tear as she entered the small village chapel.

Just after the morning watering

She laid the bouquet at the foot of the nativity scene. Suddenly, the bouquet of weeds burst into blooms of brilliant red, and all who saw them were certain that they had witnessed a Christmas miracle right before their eyes. From that day on, the bright red flowers were known as the Flores de Noche Buena, or Flowers of the Holy Night, for they bloomed each year during the Christmas season.

Poinsettias are safe for pets, according to the veterinary schools at Penn State, Cornell, and Ohio State. The sap in the stems may be slightly irritating. 

Toxic or Safe?

According to a recent national poll, half of Americans mistakenly believe that poinsettias are toxic. In fact, no other consumer plant has been as widely tested as the poinsettia. Researchers at Ohio State University (OSU) have measured the effects of ingesting unusually high doses of all parts of the plant (including the leaves, stems and sap) and found the plant to be non-toxic. According to POISINDEX®, the information resource used by the majority of U.S. poison control centers, a 50-pound child would have to eat 500 to 600 leaves to even get a bellyache!! The sap, however, can be irritating to the skin. As far as pets, the ASPCA says Poinsettia sap can be “Irritating to the mouth and stomach, sometimes causing vomiting, but generally over-rated in toxicity”. (aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants/poinsettia)

John has been growing our poinsettias for about 30 years

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Plant of the Week ...Paperwhites, Narcissus tazetta 'Ziva'

 Why do we love Paperwhites so? Is it the bright, white color? The tall, easy, fast growing bulb? The incredible fragrance? For what ever the reason, Paperwhites are a staple in our indoor decorating. 

Paperwhites started  from bulbs now will yield beautiful blooms for the holidays. Great for a kid's project, paperwhites make a beautiful gift grown in a nice ceramic container or a simple glass bowl or jar. 

Expect paperwhites to get 12-24" tall. They may need staking or could use the sides of a glass jar or vase to keep the stems from falling. The most popular Paperwhite is 'Ziva'. Prized for its pure white color and incredible fragrance, 'Ziva' is also the most readily available. Look for large, firm bulbs to plant. Most will take 4-8 weeks to bloom. 

Growing in Pebbles

Start with small gravel the color of your choice. White marble chips or natural pebble colors work well. Add gravel to a shallow dish, glass jar or other vessel. Place bulbs then add a touch more gravel, keeping about a third of the bulb above the gravel. Add water so it is a little below the bulbs base. We want to make the roots reach for the water. As buds appear, move the pot to a cooler spot and rotate it to keep the flowers from reaching for the light. 

Sometimes the paperwhites can get floppy. A few ways to keep the plant more compact include: 

• Keeping the plant at about 60 degrees while providing plenty of light.
• Stake the plants or tie a ribbon around  the center to keep them together. 
• As the bulbs first sprout, begin to water with an alcohol solution. Add 1 part 40 proof alcohol (I use vodka) to 7 parts water for more compact stems. 

Enjoy the simplicity and beauty of growing paperwhites all winter. Start bulbs every 2-4 weeks for continuous flowering. 

All photos used in this blog are courtesy of iBulb, a part of  Royal Anthos