Organic Gardening Info from Peaceful Valley

It is now officially winter here in the foothills. We had our first snow, draping the world in a white blanket and knocking he last bits of colorful fall to the ground.In anticipation of the whites, browns, and grays that accompany this season, I purchased a Black Pearl amaryllis bulb in hopes of some bright color for the darkest day of the year. I put it in glass vase I found at a thrift store, and watched daily as the roots began to expand and send out hair-like threads. Finally, the bulb produced some healthy leaves, and then quickly sprouted a promising green bud. It was amazing how quickly it grew from there, reaching a height of approximately two feet. The bud gradually began to pink up around the edges and then suddenly opened into four gorgeous deep red flowers. I now have a beautiful bright spot on my windowsill. The interesting thing about amaryllis bulbs is that they store all their food and energy for producing flowers the season before, and that is why it’s possible to force them to flower like this. They’re kind of like your grandmother who grew up in the great depression and stocks her pantry for the next one… Or is that just a cheesy analogy? We also have some beautiful amaryllis flowering in the store. Come check them out!

Dear Santa:

I have been a good girl this year.  I planted, fertilized, composted, and pruned.  I canned, dehydrated, shared and ate my bountiful crops.  My wildflower seeds are spread, my cover crop growing, my birdfeeders are full and my garlic, potatoes and onions are growing.

Please Santa, I have been oh so good!  Please send me the following gifts this season:

LADYBUG HOME – Spraying their little wings with mist as I release them is very time consuming, so could you please send me a home that will keep them in my garden where I intended them to stay?

DEER ATTRACTANT -  The way I see it, if you could make a bush that deer just love to distraction and will forsake all others (including vegetable and fruit trees!), it would make life oh so much less aggravating!  Oh, and by the way, if you could make their blood toxic to ticks upon digestion of said plant, that would be most greatly appreciated.

FROST TIMER – This shouldn’t be so tough for a guy from the North Pole!  I’d like a device that warns me up to 48 hours prior to those deadly weather events; plenty of time to apply some Agribon.

ULTIMATE COVER CROP – This needs to be low growing, evergreen, fire and deer resistant, erosion controlling, beneficial insect supporting and, of course, need no irrigation and be pre-coated with inoculant.  A little wildflower combo would be appreciated as well.  (I mean, Peaceful Valley has a pretty good selection, but somehow, they find it tough to meet all these criteria in a single blend.)

So Santa, four little gifts?  I’m sure there are plenty of other deserving gardeners out there who would benefit too…so spread the joy, the cheer of happy gardening.

Oh, and I know my kids haven’t been so good this year – but could you forget the coal for their stockings and maybe substitute some compost instead?

Thanks, Santa.  Merry Christmas…Janice

As Christmas and Chanukah inch closer to us, us order department people are getting more and more calls from customers looking for that perfect gift.  Here are some great ideas for that gardener in your life:

• As always, your easiest option is the brand new Gift Gard.   Unlike the old, bulky gift certificates, these gift cards feature a beautiful design, are compact and reloadable, and available in any denomination from $10 up to $500.  They are good for any item we carry, and are redeemable online, over the phone or in our retail store.  And as always, each gift card comes with a gorgeous full color greeting card, which can be customized with your holiday message.
• Garden tools are also a great option, and are easy to buy. We offer a wide variety of tools to fit anyone’s gift budget, from inexpensive trowels (starting at just $9.99) to the long lasting, high quality Stockton Heath long handled spades, shovels and forks (around $70). We even have a nice selection of children’s tools and accessories for that “budding” gardener in your life.
•  Still available (but not for long!) are the long time favorites, the Amaryllis Bulb Gift Kits.  These all-inclusive sets come in a sturdy wooden box, making them easy to wrap or ship.
• While we cannot guarantee, at this point, the exact arrival date, our bare root fruit trees are coming back soon!  Choose from over 100 different varieties, including the hard-to-find 3-in-1s!  Imagine the bounty that will be gathered from a tree bearing three different kinds of fruit!
• Speaking of fruit trees, an essential tool for any harvest is the Long Reach Fruit Picker.  This handy tool extends to add almost 10 feet of reach to get those hard to reach apples and pears.

On anything you order, we can include a personalized, hand written greeting card for just $2.49.  Choose from 11 different styles, or trust us to pick one for you.

As always, if you have any questions in picking out that perfect gift, just give us a call.  We are all happy to help, and we always love receiving Christmas and Chanukah cards from our loyal customers…we always have a wall full of well wishes.  We love getting to know our customers on a more personal level!

Happy Holidays from the Peaceful Valley family!