News from Bob's Market & Greenhouses, Inc.

Issue 12.21

May 24, 2012

Begonia Care Tips

Begonias are beautiful and easy to care for once you get the hang of it. While there are several types and groups of begonias, you can be sure that your garden will be better off no matter which kind you choose.

To be sure your begonias will do well; you should know the basics of how to care for begonias. With the right care, your begonias will grow with a flourish that will make any gardener happy. This is a simple guide for you to get started.

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Ball Employee Plant Day

Last week we sent a covoy of trucks to West Chicago, IL. For the past 17 years Bob's Market has shared a little bit of Bob's with our friend's at Ball Horticulture. Ball is the company that supplies the seed we grow to produce many of the plants that you can find in our stores. With the help of their sales reps, we also grow millions of seedlings each year that we sell to other greenhouses and garden centers across the US.

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May 2012

1st-2nd A Barren Period. Good For Killing Plant Pests, Cultivating, Or Taking A Short Vacation.

3rd-4th Excellent Time For Planting Corn, Beans, Peppers, And Other Aboveground Crops. Favorable For Sowing Hay, Fodder Crops, And Grains. Plant Flowers.

5th-7th Plant Carrots, Beets, Onions, Turnips, And Other Root Crops At This Time. Cabbage, Lettuce, And Other Leafy Vegetables Will Do Well. Planting Seedbeds. Good For Transplanting.

8th-9th Do No Planting.

10th-12th Plant Late Beets, Potatoes, Onions, Carrots, And Other Root Crops.

13th-14th Kill Plant Pests On These Barren Days.

15th-16th Favorable Time For Planting Late Root Crops. Also Good For Vine Crops That Can Be Planted Now. Set Strawberry Plants. Good Days For Transplanting.

17th-18th Poor Planting, Fine For Cultivating Or Spraying.

19th-20th Favorable Planting Days: First Day For Root Crops. Good Day For Transplanting. Last Day For Beans, Corn, Cotton, Tomatoes, Peppers, And Other Aboveground Crops.

21st-22nd Any Seed Planted Now Will Tend To Rot.

23rd-24th Most Favorable For Planting Corn, Cotton, Okra, Beans, Peppers, Eggplant, And Other Aboveground Crops. Plant Seedbeds And Flower Gardens.

25th-29th A Barren Period. Good For Killing Plant Pests, Cultivating, Or Taking A Short Vacation.

30th-31st Excellent Time For Planting Corn, Beans, Peppers, And Other Aboveground Crops. Favorable For Sowing Hay, Fodder Crops, And Grains. Good For Planting Flowers.

Uncle Jim's Almanac is based on the age-old method of using the moon as a planting guide. It can be applied to any region of the US where planting is favorable.

"Well done is better than well said."

-Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanack

Homemade Ketchup

With Memorial Day weekend coming up and fresh Tennessee tomatoes at our markets, I thought I would share a recipe for some tasty homemade ketchup. Some of the ingredients may be a challenge to track down, but it is well worth it!

Ingredients

6 large tomatoes, quartered
1 bulb fennel, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
10 whole cloves
2 whole star anise pods
1 tablespoon salt

Directions

In a large saucepan combine tomatoes, fennel, onion, garlic, sugar, molasses, vinegar, cloves, anise pods and salt. Reduce over low heat until mixture becomes very thick.
Puree mixture in a blender and strain through a mesh strainer. Chill and store in refrigerator.