Rare Finds

This is a destination not to be missed, I promise you!! It's jaw-droppingly beautiful. And the folks at this nursery are entertaining, knowledgeable and passionate about what they grow.

The nursery is located about one hour's drive from Philadelphia.

From Hank Schannen and the Rare Find Gang...

"Over the next 3 to 4 weeks our five acres of rhododendrons will be coming into peak bloom. Help us celebrate a glorious spring by visiting and strolling through our woodland garden and appreciating the thousands of different rhododendrons and azaleas we grow. We offer the largest variety of hardy rhododendrons, evergreen and deciduous azaleas in the country. Now is the time to visit and see the plants in our garden, and choose from the wide variety of sizes we have for sale.

"Our garden and nursery are open to the public Wednesday thru Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm. We are closed on Sundays. We carry almost 1,000 rhododendrons and 2,000 plants in other genera, including rare shrubs, Japanese maples, magnolias, conifers, grasses, and perennials.

"If you cannot visit us, you can order through our web site; shipping is in full swing. If you need directions and a map, you can download it by clicking here.

"We look forward to your visit or hearing from you."

Easy Food Gardening

Sign on at One Million Gardens' web site and receive a packet of heirloom seeds, free!

...enough, they say, to grow 100's of pounds of food. The site provides a 52 week course in organic backyard food production and features online videos of gardening techniques.

Read ecosalon.com's entry to learn the 10 easiest food crops to grow, specific soil ph and tips for planting and growing each.

I'd add:

• Check out this blog's February entry, entitled "On and Off the Couch: February To-Do's" for seed and plant resources.

• Remember to give your seeds and plants loose, organically amended soil. Manure, mushroom compost, household compost are all fine amendments. Add liberally!! Green sand is a mined mineral, available at garden centers, that provides the soil with potassium (for disease resistance and overall plant vitality), loosens clay and binds sand. Raised beds offer best control of soil quality.

• If you have rabbits, groundhogs, squirrels or other guests squatting on your property, be sure to fence your garden. Apply wire netting to the fence, and dig it into the ground at least six inches straight down and then a good six inches perpendicular, into the garden area. Planting marigolds at the perimeter of your garden will further discourage munchers. Bird netting over berries and grapes will keep birds from taking your entire crop. Leave a few for the birds, though! And check often to ensure that no animal has become entangled in the net.

• Fertilize, if you must (a rich, well-amended garden bed does away with the need for fertilizer) with fish emulsion, sea kelp (both available at area garden centers) or manure tea, which is made by filling a potato sack or other porous material with manure, placing it in an old trash can, adding water and letting it sit for a few days...then applying the liquid to plants. If your garden is planted in less than wonderful soil, apply any of the aforementioned weekly.

• Create sturdier support systems than you initially think you'll need for climbers and tall plants. Purchase or make your own. Be diligent to attach new growth, regularly.

• Hang banana peels near plants to control aphids.

• Provide lots of sunlight, water as needed and weed around the plants every so often.

• Harvest and enjoy!