Summer-Time for Vegetables

Summer vegetables just can't be beat. And, what is more rewarding than harvesting them from your very own garden? The cool, wet April seemed to be perfect for many of the cool weather crops like peas, broccoli and lettuce.

Then, as summer temperatures soared, it was tough to keep up with the daily harvest of cucumbers and squash. More than one friend on facebook spoke of a record zucchini harvest. Lots of zucchini bread will be baking in kitchens all around Baltimore.

Now, the tomatoes and peppers are ripening, ready to add to salads and the backyard grill. And the eggplant; you've got to have these beautiful purple, lavender and white fruits for a proper ratatouille. Yum!

 That beautiful yellow flower on top of the 4 foot tall plant will soon start producing okra, a necessity for any good gumbo, in just a little while.

Summertime is when our plates finally hold that perfect ratio of fruits and vegetables to meats and starches. It's easy to eat right when the food is fresh and tastes so darn good.
Herbs have been growing very well in the summer heat. Basil flavors vegetable and meats. And could we go without pesto when the basil harvest is so plentiful?

Enjoy the summer garden. Just think, by August 1st, it will be time for that second round of broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale and lettuces. What a great way to spread good nutrition into fall.

Attracting Butterflies and Hummingbirds

Jan and Marian presented a seminar on attracting butterflies and hummingbirds to the garden. Both women are experienced gardeners and, though they have been gardening for years, get excited by every hummingbird and butterfly that visits their respective flowers. Last summer, Marian noticed eggs on the Asclepias tuberosa, aka butterfly weed and Asclepias incarnata aka milkweed. A project was born! The Monarch butterfly eggs were collected and placed in a terrarium with a screened lid. As the eggs developed into chrysalises, the watch began. Marian and Jan took lots of photographs tracking the metamorphosis of the butterflies.

As the time grew near for the butterflies to emerge, coworkers and customers stood nearby to watch the first flights of these winged wonders. Marian and Jan told the story of this summer project with a slide show.

Hummingbirds are regular visitors to many of our staff member's gardens.

We have learned through trial and error which plants attract the Ruby Throated Hummingbirds. Most of us also use hummingbirds feeders to keep these diminutive creatures nearby.

And, our signs at Valley View Farms depict whether a plant is attractive to the hummingbirds and butterflies. We strongly suggest that little if any pesticides be used on or around the garden where hummingbirds and butterflies may be feeding.

The photographs were taken by Jan and Marian. Many were viewed during the seminar. They were fascinating! Thanks for sharing, ladies.

It's Wow Time!

Maybe those of us that work in the garden center take it for granted. The colors here are unbelievable. Today I tried to go through the front gate and just look at the garden center from someone elses eyes. Here is what I saw on this slightly overcast day.


Pottery and beautifully planted containers greet everyone as they approach our entrances to both the outside and indoor sales area.

The outdoor pottery shed is full of pots for outdoor plantings for all sorts of beautiful plant pairings.

Azaleas are finishing their main blooming season. Three large plants are being installed in my own landscape next week.

Roses in a kaleidoscope of colors take up a huge area in our nursery. The Knockout roses, with their fantastic performance, are customer favorites.

Upon entering the greenhouse, table after table of bedding plants, annuals, tropicals and vegetables are displayed with easy to read signage indicating sun and shade compatability. Want to know if butterflies like it? It's on the sign.

Hanging baskets are grown in our farm greenhouses in nearby Hydes, Maryland. Should we run out, we are blessed to have some other fantastic growers ready to supply area porches and patios.

Step inside and see the adorable and witty t-shirts. Fun gift ware and indoor pottery are all around.

Kids like gardening too. Plenty of colorful tools are available in child sizes.

Patio umbrellas and cushions, tableware and more offer unbelievable color for outdoor home entertaining.

A walk over to the display ponds is a necessity to see the ponds and our demonstration butterfly gardens. Take a peek into the water gardens to see the koi. The kids love to help feed the fish everyday at 12:30.

It's easy to walk through here everyday and forget to take a look around. Take a few minutes and just enjoy the surroundings. I have; it's amazing. 

p.s. Thanks to Marian for taking the great photos!

Ready, Set, Go!

Our unseasonably cool April has slowed gardeners down a bit this year. Many of us, especially those of us out in the northern and western Baltimore suburbs want to get going with our container plantings and annual beds outside. Mother's Day may be the rule for tender annuals like impatiens and begonias, but many plants can go outside right now without worrying about low temperatures and frost.
Verbena is available in many colors. It is great to use as a trailing plant in a planter or as a very colorful groundcover that will bloom all summer. We use them in combination with geraniums and petunia in our farm greenhouse-grown hanging baskets.

Another hanging basket favorite is the Wave petunia. Burgundy Star was new last year. If performed well through our cool spring and hot summer in 2010.

The family of black petunias is new this year. Phantom, Pinstripe and Black Velvet have all garnered lots of attention from garden writers this year.
 Many other annuals do well planted now and often blooming all summer long. Take a look at beautiful pink diascia, snapdragons, alyssum, dusty miller and all sorts of hybrid petunias. In the meantime, be patient. Warmer weather is just around the corner.

Spring To-Do List

Finally, spring looks like it may be here to stay. Here is my to-do list for my next couple of  days off. What's yours?

Replace foundation shrubs around the house. I'll be looking for deer resistant shrubs and maybe a few azaleas. I'll be using Liquid Fence to keep the animals away.

Deer-resistant plum yew

Add compost or Leafgro to all of my garden beds to get them ready for planting. Leafgro adds much needed organic matter to the soil, creating a healthy environment for growing.

Leafgro, our favorite soil amendment

Plant cole crops, like broccoli and cabbage. Lettuce, peas, onions and potatoes can go in now too. Wait a bit on tomatoes, peppers and eggplant unless you live in Baltimore city or areas south.

Cole crops and lettuces are grown by Valley View Farms

Plant spring-blooming trees and shrubs. A little color goes a long way to get spring started in the yard.

Nothing says spring like forsythia

Now is a great time to add perennials too. Beautiful pastels are especially valued for spring color.

Phlox subulata is great for slopes

Feed trees, shrubs, perennials and vegetable plants to get their roots, leaves and blooms ready to go for spring and summer.

Espoma is one of our lines of fertilizer

And, finally, get a head start on pesky weeds. Use Jonathan Green's Crabgrass Preventer and Greenup for a beautiful lawn. Use Amaze and Concern weed preventers to keep garden beds weed free.

Is that Scotty hiding behind the crabgrass preventer?

Weed preventers are a real timesaver

I will also take some time to stop and smell the roses, pansies and other spring flowers. Hope you have a fun and productive time getting ready for spring and summer.

I love, love, love pansies

Filming Commercials at Valley View Farms

Whew! We just finished a week of filming twenty of our spring commercials at Valley View Farms. Our friends from WBAL TV spent the entire time checking lights, audio, all of our beautiful garden settings and our on-air "talent" while they rolled camera filming our thirty second spots.

Don and the crew from WBAL TV make sure the lighting and set are ready

So many people from Valley View Farms kicked in to make this year a success. Thanks to Andy, Matt, Andy, Jan, Suzanne, Mary Beth, Bonnie, John, Carlton, Brian and our adman Dick.

Suzanne is waiting for the "action" signal

And, thanks to our co-workers and customers who were so patient and "quiet on the set". Don, Jen, Sean, Dave, Steve, the three Mikes, Mark, Adam, Amy, Josh and all the folks at WBAL; thanks for making us look good. Stay tuned to WBAL all spring to see the results.
                                                                                     

Dogs and bunnies steal the show

                               

2011 Plants of the Year

The National Garden Bureau has declared the tomato and zinnia as 2011's vegetable and flower of the year.

Profusion Zinnias

 Both plants are very popular here at Valley View Farms. Our farm's greenhouse staff is growing 39 varieties of tomatoes this year from the diminutive Tiny Tim to the huge Beefsteak varieties.

Young Beefsteak Tomato Seedlings

Check out our website and click on each tomato variety to learn more about each plant's fruit size, disease resistance, days to harvest, and whether or not it is an heirloom variety or good for container gardening.

Our growers John and Vernon will also be starting several varieties of zinnias, including beautiful Dreamland Ivory, Red, Rose, Scarlet and Yellow. The farm will be seeding Profusion Cherry, Fire and Yellow varieties for late May and June gardens and planters too. Profusions are great in the garden, providing tons of color and are easy to grow. Or start your own seeds; we have over 50 varieties in the seed aisle to get things going.

Zinnia Seeds Galore