A quick buzz...
Greetings from Bonnie and all of us at Beier's. Don't forget that Beier's Gift Certificates are easily available through our website, and they don't expire!
Now's the perfect time to get your easy last-minute gifts out of the way. A Beier's Gift Certificate is an optimistic gift that says "spring is on its way" to the people you love.

Available in any amount from $5 to a cool million, Beier's Gift Certificates can be used on any plant or product in the greenhouse, dollar for dollar.

They're easy to get--just click on this link to order as many as you like. Pay securely and easily through PayPal, and your gift certficates will be dropped in the mail to you or to your friend.

Christmas Gift Certificates from Beier's Greenhouse

Whew! Now, that's crossed off your list of things to do!
 

Roses Are Red...
Growing roses in the Great White North

Roses are a gorgeous addition to your front yard, and aren't as much work as our grandmothers would lead us to believe. When the snow melts, follow these simple tips for your current rose bushes, or plant some of these beauties without fear!
  1. Roses need six hours or more of sunlight every day. Less than that, and you're asking for insects and mold to take over your roses. If you've got rosebushes right now, move them to a sunnier spot if they aren't getting enough light.
  2. Keep the air circulation good around the plants. Don't crowd them with other plants that trap air, and keep them pruned to increase air circulation to the inside of the shrub.
  3. When gardeners say "well-drained soil," what does that mean? For roses, an 18 inch deep hole filled with water should drain in 6 to 8 hours. Less than that, and your soil is too sandy and should be amended with compost or peat. More than that, and it's too heavy and you should add some sand AND organic materials.
  4. Roses are a little picky about the pH of their homes. Get your soil tested by the Extension Service and follow their advice on changing the pH of your soil. You shouldn't have to work with the soil every year, but keep track of how it's doing so your roses continue to thrive.
  5. Bare root roses cost less at the greenhouse, but they aren't as hardy. Buy your roses at Beier's, because they're already established in good soil and will take to your garden better. And the difference in cost isn't that much, considering roses can live for decades with the proper care!
  6. Check that the starter you buy has three or more canes. These are the highest quality roses and will be best for transplanting. (Beier's roses are Grade 1.)
  7. When you get your new shrubs home, make sure they're watered well. If it'll be a day or so before you plant them in their permanent homes, water regularly and keep them in the shade.
  8. You just have to mulch your roses in the fall to prevent winter dieback. Canes that stick up above the snow line or mulch suffer and die, so please cover them. Expect some dieback, but reduce it with mulch. Funny enough, even with the severe cold we've been having, you can help your roses now if you didn't mulch them before fall. Pile straw over them and cover with a canvas or tarp.
Roses bloom on new growth and on old growth. That long topic deserves a newsletter all to itself, so look forward to that when spring approaches. Patti Moreno has a great video on YouTube about pruning roses. Click here to view it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZxAkjoXxNU

That's all for now! Next week: Planting Roses Right for Best Success.

If you ever have any questions, always feel free to email us at beiersgreenhouse@beiersgreenhouse.com. We promise, spring will be here before you know it! Thanks so much for reading all our emails.
Carrot Cake with Lemon Frosting
Serves 4

1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp allspice
2/3 cup brown sugar
3 medium carrots, grated (about 1 3/4 cups)
1/3 cup golden raisins
5 tbsp oil
5 tbsp orange juice
5 tbsp milk
2 egg whites

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a deep 7 inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment or wax paper.

Sift together the flour and spice, then stir in the sugar, carrots and raisins. Mix the oil, orange juice, and milk, then stir into the dry ingredients. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold in lightly.

Spoon into the pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, until firm and golden. Turn out and cool on a wire rack.

For the Frosting

3/4 cup cream cheese
grated rind of 1/2 lemon
2 tbsp honey
shreds of lemon rind, to decorate

Beat together the cream cheese, lemon rind, and honey until smooth. Spread over the top of the cooled cake. Decorate the top with shreds of lemon rind.


Recipe courtesy of Beier's Greenhouse. Adapted from The Ultimate Low Cholesterol Low Fat Cookbook by Christine France. Copyright 1996 by Anness Publishing. Anness: London.
December 21, 2008
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(218) 327-5958

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Thanks for your time! We appreciate our customers so much. We're always available via email, even if the greenhouse is closed for the season.
 
Sincerely,

Bonnie and the whole Beier's Greenhouse team
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