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Greetings!
We are feverishly preparing for your arrival on February 1! The clock is ticking and the big Opening Day approaches. We've been stocking the shelves with all sorts of wonderful cool-season plants, frost-proof pottery, gloves, amendments and more. The dream is becoming a reality, just as spring approaches with its annual promise of renewal.
Did you know we have classroom space available for your group? Papershell is the perfect spot for meetings. We'll provide the coffee and 2 ADA-accessible restrooms. Give us a call at (281) 232-4485 to set something up!
Thanks again, and we'll see you soon!
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Urban Harvest Classes
Papershell is partnering with Urban Harvest to offer a series of gardening classes in our neighborhood! Fort Bend people can finally attend one of these wonderful educational programs right in our own backyard. The classes will be held on Sunday afternoons in the Papershell classroom and will be taught by Urban Harvest intstructor Diana Liga. You can read about Diana's own garden in this blog post from Southern Post Journal.  | | You can grow them here! |
Diana earned her B.S. in Horticulture from Texas A&M and served as staff horticulturist at Urban Harvest from 20o2 to 2005. She's interested in edible plants, wildscaping and permaculture, and received her permaculture design certification in 2002. Diana's first class, "Planning The Spring Vegetable Garden," is Sunday, February 6 at 2:00 pm. Visit Urban Harvest to register -- space is limited. The fee for Urban Harvest members is $15.00 and for non-members, $23.00.
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Camellias, Traditional and Stately
I love camellias! These handsome evergreen shrubs grow slowly, but can, over time, reach up to 20 feet. They have either single or double flowers, and glossy, dark green foliage. The two varieties we most commonly see are Camellia japonica, the larger of the two, and Camellia sasanqua, smaller and less formal.
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Camellias need protection from hot sun and cold, north winds. Ideally, they are situated under a pine canopy on a raised bed (for good drainage). Like azaleas, camellias enjoy a more acidic soil than we sometimes get around here. Amend with soil acidifiers if necessary. Feed camellias after they bloom with the same sort of fertilizer you'd use on gardenias and azaleas. Little or no pruning is required.
If you're out and about one fine winter day, visit the camellias at Bayou Bend. They're just as impressive in their own way as the azaleas are, and you can enjoy the gardens in peace and quiet, before the March crowds arrive.
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Chores for January & February
It may seem like it's too early to get started gardening, but spring is right around the corner. There are always a few things you can do on those warm winter days. Get outside when you can! If you're going to move woody plants like azaleas and camellias, do it now. Fix your drainage issues. Watch those Louisiana irises -- now's a good time to feed them, along with your daylilies. Keep pansies and violas well-fed with a mild fertilizer. Keep an eye on the temperatures -- don't let a freeze sneak up on you. We're watching temps for Thursday and Friday. If you're using frost cloth, make sure it goes all the way to the ground. Don't drape it on the tops of plants only, like a headscarf. Be ready to fertilize lawns with you see the first sign of green-up. Thinking of tomatoes already? Here's a neat info sheet from JJL Greenhouses describing the tomatoes they're working on. Need more help? Sign up for the Urban Harvest tomatoes class!  | | Bet you can't wait... |
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Please stop by and visit! The coffee's on us -- we'd love to meet you!
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Barrow
Papershell: A Garden Gallery
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Grand Opening
February 1, 2011
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Artist Chat - Jo EdwardsSaturday, February 5 4:00 pm Visit Jo's website here!
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Urban Harvest Class: Planning The Spring Vegetable Garden Sunday, February 6 2:00 - 3:00 pm Registration required Click Here!
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Urban Harvest Class: Growing Great Tomatoes Sunday, February 20 2:00 - 3:00 pm Registration required Click Here!
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