Blog

 Often my subject matter for Garden Chat comes from a reader, and this week I had a request for compost information. Since I just finished giving a talk on Organic gardening, I thought this would be perfect timing to share some information on this subject. Composting is one of the best things you can do for both the environment and your garden. Soil microorganisms such as nematodes, protozoa, fungi, bacteria are natures perfect system for recycling organic matter and maintaining hea... More...

 Companion Planting is a topic that seems to generate interest from gardeners wanting to learn how to garden more effectively. Though there are many suggestions, here are just a few guidelines to keep in mind when planning your garden this year. One of my personal favorites is what the Iroquois Indians called “The Three sisters.” This entails planting corn, squash & pole beans together for the benefit of all 3 plants. Beans are able to pull nitrogen from the atmospher... More...

 It is always interesting to watch the trends in the plant industry, and I am very pleased to see an attraction to plants that exhibit a tropical flare, as well as ornamental grasses, low maintenance succulents, and a resurgence of interest in Heirloom plants. The line up of plants at Sprouts Greenhouse will reflect these trends this spring, as we are always looking to try new things, and finding ways to bring something new & interesting to our clientele. These are a few varietie... More...

 The days are getting longer, and it won’t be long before we will be busy inhaling the sweet smell of fresh earth as we begin our garden activities in spring. February is a great time to lay out our plans for what we intend for our gardens, beds, containers and yards while we wait for the blanket of winter to melt away. We’ve already talked about color the last 2 garden chats, so perhaps it is time to turn our attention to form & texture. Incorporating unusual forms... More...

 Last week we discussed color in the garden, but unfortunately we ran out of room before discussing 2 popular flower shades – pink & white. With Valentines Day almost upon us, it is fitting that we have room for them today! Pink is always in abundance in the greenhouse, and for good reason. It is the color of happiness, and adds a feeling of lightheartedness anywhere it is used. Pink is basically a derivative of red (passion) that has been toned down with white (purity) res... More...

 Planning a new garden? Some interesting thoughts on color… Blue is one of the cooler colors in landscape design, bringing a soothing element to the garden, and has a visually receding effect, helping to make a small space appear larger. We are most discerning with blue, and can see smaller variations in the value and hue of blue than any other color.  It is a color very few people dislike, including mosquitoes, which are attracted to the color blue twice as much as any ot... More...

 Garden Chat By Carmon Frick Sprouts Greenhouse   The lowly potato; There is probably not a vegetable that is more common to most of us. Also probably not another vegetable that is more versatile in the kitchen either. But despite that, it is something most of us don’t really think much about. We don’t really wonder where they came from, or what different varieties there are beyond either red or white.  In spite of this, the potatoes history is really quite ... More...