PLANT OF THE WEEK: Cuphea Vermillionaire

Cuphea Vermillionaire from Proven Winners

Every once in a while, a plant comes along that everybody agrees is going to be a winner. The Cuphea Vermillionaire is that plant this year. We heard about it in trade magazines and various websites in 2014. By mid-summer, we had seen the cuphea in trials in Ohio and just north of us in Landisville, PA. The Cigar flower, one of many nicknames that this plant goes by, has been around for a long time. We'd never seen it hold up in such good bloom for so long during the spring, summer and fall seasons.

Also known as Firecracker flower, this cuphea can handle heat and tolerate drought once established. It will grow to about 2 feet and spread to 18 inches. Cuphea works well in container gardens and will attract hummingbirds to the home landscape. Vermillionaire combines the best of many worlds; a sun tolerant plant that is attractive in the garden, providing a different flower shape to gardeners and a color that works well in all gardening seasons. Try a few in your garden this year and let us now how they do.

 

 

 

 

Memorable May

Whew, what a month! The first two weeks of May were the busiest I remember working in over 40 years of retailing plants! Mothers' Day week is traditionally our busiest of the year, and 2015 did not disappoint. Thank you to our own growers and to those others who grew and supplied so many beautiful trees, shrubs, annuals and perennials. Water garden plants, tropical and vegetable plants have been as pretty as we've ever seen.

This spring has been interesting. We decided to stop selling and using a whole class of pesticides to help strengthen the pollinating bees, birds and butterflies in our area. Our customers were understanding and grateful to find safe alternatives.

We gave away 4,000 packets of sunflower seeds for the Great Sunflower Project to get kids to plant for the bees.

We have a core group of terrific employees, many whose service to Valley View Farms numbers in the decades. They did a terrific job of getting our new seasonal employees ready for spring. We were very pleased with our group of seasonal workers this year and hope to see many again in the fall and/or next spring.

Two veterans---Mark waters the ramp bed while Earl puts away shopping carts

Thank you to everyone who worked long shifts, changed their schedules to accommodate business and did everything possible to keep our products available, healthy and ready for our customers' homes.

And, last but certainly not least, thanks to all of our customers who came out day after day to purchase products, ask questions and, most of all, trust us to deliver quality merchandise and advice.
We enjoyed seeing our 'regulars' and meeting new customers all season.

Checking out our herb selection

Sally and her favorite rake



This family of 4 (there is a little guy hiding behind Dad) chooses their plants ---Hey, there's Mark again!

We are still growing fresh plants and receiving goods from area growers and suppliers. We are in no way finished with the season. Our year-round location will continue to strive to be the best garden center ever, thanks to all of the aforementioned people. We've come a long way.


Where it all began.

Have a great summer! See you soon.

Tomato Tornado to Touch Down This Weekend

Next weekend on May 2 and 3, a Tomato Tornado will touch down at Valley View Farms' greenhouse. Our usual selection of 36 varieties of tomatoes will almost double for Saturday and Sunday, but wait too long, and you'll miss them. A limited selection of mostly heirloom varieties has been grown by our grower John Miller at our farm greenhouses out in Hydes, MD for this special event.

Our grower, John, stands in front of thousands of tomato transplants

If you can't make it, rest assured that our usual 36 varieties will still be available through of the month of May.

Those of you who are 'regulars' at Valley View Farms in the spring know that we are a little bit crazy when it comes to tomato plants. Our founder, Bill Foard, spends his spare time growing tomatoes at his home.

Billy's summer garden

Plum Crimsons make great sauce according to Billy

 He loves the Celebrity and Plum Crimson varieties for their great taste and productive vines. In fact, Billy brings buckets full of tomatoes all summer long for some of us lucky enough to be on his 'nice' list. His garden shed even contains a full kitchen for canning and processing tomatoes.

My co-worker Dotty enjoys growing her tomatoes, too. She and her daughter, Suzanne, love the heirlooms. Japanese Black Trifle, Big Rainbow, Oxheart and Black Cherry are some of Dotty's favorite heirloom varieties.

Mmmmmm---Sunsugar tomatoes

 She also likes the hybrid Sunsugar, a very sweet orange cherry tomato that we started growing last year when we were unable to get Sungold seeds. It's a winner according to our tomato gardeners.

Jan, recently retired from Valley View, likes the German Johnsons, Brandywines  and Mr. Stripey, all large slicing tomatoes with fantastic flavor. The Sungold orange cherry is on her favorite's list too.
Our perennial specialist and graphic/web designer Marian's garden in northern Baltimore County boasts heirlooms as well. Her favorites include Black Krim, Pineapple, Box Car Willie and Tomatoberry. I love the descriptive names of these wonderful tomatoes.

Summer produce from Marian's garden

Don, who takes care of all of our plants that come in from our own farm before they reach the sales floor, loves Brandywine and Mortgage Lifter. Both the tomatoes and the plants can get quite large over the summer. Don says the taste of the fruit is fantastic!

Stop by next weekend and talk to our tomato and vegetable experts.

Eddie, Nat and Sheila, ready to help gardeners choose from our tomato selection

 We have put together a special handout profiling each of our varieties and will have some recipes from Chef Tom Schwarzweller, Executive Chef at Wegmans. Please keep in touch this summer and share your tomato growing tips, recipes, and gardening stories on facebook. . This is our 1st Annual Tomato Tornado event; we hope to have many more.

Contain Your Excitement!

Beautiful planters soften stone walls

Potted gardens are remarkable! They can be mobile, colorful, contain edibles and/or ornamentals, and have a ton of flexibility for use in the garden and patio.
 Valley View Farms has some wonderful talent in our greenhouse and in our perennial area who have become masters at putting together delightful, colorful containers for people, using annuals, perennials, tropicals and even vegetables and herbs. Stop in to talk with Cindi, Nancy, Ruth, Jen, Pat, Joann, Katie, Marian and many others on our staff. Someone is available from 7am to 9pm everyday to answer questions and offer expertise on how to match up plants with pots.

Use container gardens to signal stairs and grade changes

Cindi has put together some designs in our Container Idea Book to get gardeners inspired. The book is located at the front of our greenhouse. I like that there is a photo and 'recipe' for each design featured. Cindi offers substitutes for the plants she uses as well.
We offer several classes a year on container gardening. We'll also teach individual groups,  including garden clubs, civic groups, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts about gardening in window boxes, patio pots and hanging baskets. We regret that we are unable to provide classes in May, but we can generally schedule them the rest of the year.
So, let's get started! Choose a container. Pots seem to made an infinite number materials, including terracotta, concrete, ceramic, metal, wood, plastic, fiberglass and coco-fiber. Colors range from natural browns and greens to neon yellows and pinks. Determine if the container will be left to overwinter outside.Add a good quality potting mix.

My favorites are made by Promix and Espoma, though we have many more from which to choose.

Now, we are ready for planting, Take a look around and at the idea book to determine if you like a particular style. Pick out plants of different heights, foliage interest and, in the case of perennials, bloom time. 

Pinterest is a great place to find ideas too!

We sometimes use the Thriller, (tall plant), Filler, (medium height) and Spiller (trailing plant) method to combine plants. The rest is just a matter of making sure that the plants chosen are compatible in terms of light and water requirements.

Once the pots have been planted, add some fertilizer and water. Check the soil surface daily to see if the soil has dried out. Water to soak the potting mix, allowing excess water to drain from the bottom. If a saucer is under the pot to catch excess water, be sure to dump it out to encourage good drainage.
Gardening in containers is a creative endeavor with limitless possibilities! Stop in and talk to our experts to get your container garden ready for spring and summer.

 

Plant for all seasons. Look at the texture and color for fall in this planter.

Pollinators: Let's Learn More

Pollinating insects have been the talk of the gardening town lately. All sorts of statistics are available to support the statement that about a third of what we find on our plates is there with the help of pollinators like bees, butterflies, and other animals.

Swallowtail butterflies love the clethra in my backyard

 Magazines, the web, newspapers and the media are worried about keeping pollinators happy and healthy. And, we, the gardening community, can do so much to encourage pollinators by what we plant and how we garden.

Maybe you've read the book by Doug Tallamy, Bringing Nature Home. In it Mr. Tallamy describes the importance of creating habitat for wildlife, including pollinators, at the edges of our own yards, in municipal parks, around farmland and other ecosystems.



A great read for information on gardening for wildlife

 Others, including those in government, have recognized this need and encouraged additional studies and created task forces to implement pollinator friendly practices to get our bees, butterflies, birds, even bats, back up to the numbers needed to provide food to keep our planet healthy. President Obama has even issued a memorandum directing more native plantings around federal buildings and campuses.

We have had the pleasure of getting to know bee expert and entomologist Dr. Jody Johnson, who has helped us understand bees a little better. She will be giving a talk here at Valley View Farms on Saturday, March 28th at 9:00. Following her talk, at 11, Claire Jones, an award-winning landscaper, garden blogger and beekeeper will be here to talk about her experiences with creating habitat for pollinators right here in the Baltimore area. Both women are very knowledgeable and engaging and have an obvious love and fascination for the natural world.

Dr. Johnson's studies took her to the almond groves of California for a huge pollinator event.


NPR and other media are covering the California almond pollinator story

We're curious to catch up with her to see how well the honey bee population performed during what is the largest bee gathering of its kind in the United States and to learn more about how bees socialize and do their work in our gardens. She is also working with a public utility company to implement plantings of large swaths of bee and butterfly friendly plants in rights-of-way in our region.

Claire will share her insights in a talk titled Sex in the Garden-Planting for Bees. I've gotten a sneak preview of her presentation and promise that attendees will walk away with a plan on how to create a beautiful and functional backyard habitat for pollinators.

Claire Jones is at home in her own garden

All of us at Valley View Farms see gardening as a way to make beauty and nature a part of our lives. We are committed to continuing our own education on how pollinators interact with plants and on maintaining a healthy environment for them, and for us.
 Children can get involved too! In fact, this year, we will be giving away 4,000 seed packets to kids featuring Lemon Queen Sunflowers as part of The Great Sunflower Project.

We are glad to share whatever resources we can, including the seminars, handouts and our signs, to aid in providing habitat for our wildlife friends.

Bee a pollinator-friendly gardener

Winter Flowering Houseplants

I admit to having the blahs in the wintertime. Shorter days, the passing of the holidays, slower times at work and the dull colors of my outdoor garden all contribute to my mood. But, I've learned one sure way to cope. Each morning, I stroll through the greenhouse and take in the sights, scents and beauty of houseplants. It's my own tropical paradise. Plant parenthood beckons as I choose a few flowering favorites to brighten up the house. Take a look.

African Violet

African violets may be "grandma" plants, but they are becoming popular to indoor gardeners who need a sure thing. Violets like bright light, 70 degree temperature, and do well if watered when their soil surface becomes dry. Keep them fresh by plucking old flowers off as they fade. Violets are inexpensive and available year round.

Anthurium

Anthuriums are underutilized. They flower in moderate light most of the year. Flowers range from bright white to dark red. Anthuriums are workhorses when it comes to removing toxins from indoor air; they are considered one of the best clean air machines. Bright, heart-shaped leaves and flowers make them a natural for Valentines Day.

Rex Begonias

Begonias come in all sorts of forms and color. Rex begonias are noteworthy not so much for their diminutive blooms, but for their gorgeous patterned leaves. Growers have rediscovered this plant and made it available for indoor gardeners everywhere.

Bromeliad



Guzmania flower

Bromeliads are an incredibly diverse family of plants. We love the Guzmania varieties this time of year, for their long strap leaves and brightly colored bracts. The color lasts a long time, and as the bract/flower fades, new little plant pups form at the base of the plant. Remove them and replant for beautiful color next year.

Gardenia bloom

Gardenias often flower in the winter. And, while the flower is beautiful, it is the flower's fragrance that sets this plant above the rest. Gardenias love high humidity, a day/night temperature difference of 10 degrees and consistent bright light. Not the easiest plant to grow, gardenias more than make up for gardener's efforts by their flowers' beauty and aroma.

Kalanchoe

Kalanchoes are another diverse family of plants. You'll find various succulents in our cacti and succulent area year round, but the flowering beauties are usually available in the winter. Blooming red, pink, yellow and white, the flowers have an almost neon appearance. I would call kalanchoes a temporary houseplant. Don't feel bad if you compost it at the end of its long blooming cycle. Its OK to let go.

Primrose

Primroses are available in many greenhouses this time of year. They are perennial plants that are forced for earlier season color. Once they have finished blooming and temperatures outside have warmed, plant primroses in a semi-shaded area where they will often come back year after year in the garden. Primroses bloom in pink, red, yellow, white and purple. They are perfect to lift our collective gardening spirits in the winter.

Streptocarpus

Streptocarpus may sound like a disease, but are, in fact, another delightful winter bloomer. Like African Violets, they thrive with bright light in average room temperature homes. There are many colors of blooms available in our greenhouse this time of year

If you need a lift, I promise, plants are just the thing. Stop in and see us. For more information on houseplants, stop in our store and see our plant display that includes some wonderful signage.
 Here is a great article on some of the best houseplants to grow for clean air. Enjoy!

The Little Boy with the Balloons

We were at the front of the store the other day, working to get customers checked out. A woman was pushing one of our larger shopping carts with a little boy sitting with his big Spider Man balloon and another with the image of a smiley face. The boy wasn't as excited as many of the kids when they enter and exit the Christmas Shop. Most young children are staring at the lights, the revolving trees and reacting to the overload of color and decorations. This little boy just seemed content to be. For some reason, his face stayed in my mind.

So, it was pretty neat to hear Scott's story the next day at the managers' meeting. He initially talked about a customer that was crying about a broken branch of a tree. Nothing that Scott tried to do could make the customer happy. The entire interaction was frustrating! It was nice that minutes later, he engaged the mom of the little boy with the balloons pushing the big shopping cart. She seemed old enough to be the boy's grandmother; turned out she was his mom. The 5 year old had had a tough start to his young life, being abused by the people that were supposed to love and protect him. But, the woman said that she had just been able to adopt the child. The boy didn't talk yet; he was still getting used to all that was new in his life. While helping the two to their car, Mark, a coworker, lifted the little guy from the cart and was rewarded with a huge grin. Now everyone was smiling! As Scott told the story, I felt tears coming to my eyes. Love, family, friends; that's what's important. It was a good reminder to not sweat the small stuff and to be grateful for what is right in front of us.

I have no photos to share. The mother and child's image won't leave my mind, surely not as I go on celebrating my own family and friends this season. May you find peace and love this holiday season. I was lucky to get a glimpse just the other day.

Merry Christmas.